Isn’t it a delight to be whisked away from this somewhat mundane reality and escape into otherworldly literature? If you enjoy such escapes or are a fan of well-written stories incorporating myth, magic, and folklore – then stay tuned to discover a few of my favourites.
While I grew up loving all flavours of fairy tales, which led me onto fantasy novels like The Lord of the Rings, The Belgariad, and Firelance at a young age – this genre has truly experienced a revival and taken off over the last few years. A newer set of writers emerging on the scene have elevated it to a whole new level – with magical universes you can dive into and lose yourself in, to the point where you almost don’t want to return to reality (yes, sadly there is work to do, bills to be paid – and the chores are never really done by any house brownie, no matter how much we wish it were otherwise).
To this end, if you’re looking for a new inspiration or an otherworldly escape, I wanted to share a few that inspire me and my products, here is a list of my all-time favourite writers and books:
The Absolutely Spellbinding Maasverse: Sarah J. Maas
I’m going to start with writers rather than a particular book, as Sarah J. Maas has truly taken the otherworld to a whole new level via a multi-dimensional universe, where there is some overlap in the series and characters. We love both so much thought, that we’re happy to see them turn up anywhere. I started with ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses Series), before heading into her newer Crescent City Series, and then her first epic Throne of Glass series. I can’t pick a favourite as they are all fantastic in their own way.
Her writing style is laid-back, and she builds up her stories and the presiding worlds so poetically that you can see, smell, and imagine being there in person. On top of this, the rich depth of the characters you get to know in such detail makes them feel like friends. The stories can start slowly, and at moments, have you reading at a hundred miles an hour, late into the night, as there isn’t a lull to put the book down. But at the same time, you’re so busy laughing, crying, or careening into whatever epic adventure is happening that you don’t care in the slightest – until the alarm goes off a few hours later, and you need to head to work. But hey, give up work, not the books.
I can’t recommend these books highly enough, though they’re a bit risqué in some areas, so not suitable for the overly prudish, sensitive, or young teens. However, they have everything you could want from a good otherworldly novel, including Fae, Wyverns, Shifters, Magic, Witches, and Merfolk. These three series offer a perfect escape from the everyday.
Enchanting historic folklore is woven into Legends by Juliet Marillier
Juliet Marillier is such a brilliant writer; my only gripe is that I wish she wrote faster and many more
books, as I’ve read all of them, and they are just magic. The most well-known is the Sevenwaters series which is set in Ireland and weaves a lot of old folklore and well-known places into a host of enchanting tales. She takes the time to learn the history of the place, which brings these stories to life, and which is why my second favourite series is the Bridei Chronicles, which is set near where I live in Scotland. It is based on the time of the Picts (my favourite mysterious period in history), and hence features the local otherworld, Pictish history and the Druids.
While Blackthorn & Grim would be my very favourite, simple storytelling at its finest, it lures you into the mystery and story so well you hardly know where life and the otherworld meet – and it brings a touch of the uncanny to your own life.
The books, depending on the where and when, all have a touch of the uncanny and otherworldly, as we can imagine in a medieval setting where the otherworld is on the fringes, but you can fall into it at any time you least expect.
I am also a big fan of folklore and myth, as it’s something that I believe is missing in today’s culture, which the likes of Disney and Hollywood distort and ruin (as real folklore, faerie and otherworldly stories were not all clichéd and sickly sweet). There is nothing like a story that has been handed down through generations, and that’s why I love it so much when writers like Juliet Marillier or Sarah J. Maas take some elements of these stories and make them anew, which is what the best storytellers around the fire would have done back in the day as well.
Here be Epic Dragons, in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros:
Who doesn’t want to spend time in a harrowing college learning about what signets you have, how to use them, and fight and team up with a death-defying dragon, before rebelling against it all? Another epic story that has a huge fandom and has brought out our sub-conscious societal love of dragons back into the limelight. The characters of the dragons are almost as rich and engaging as the characters and the story itself. I believe we are all a little shocked at the end of the Iron Flame book and still awaiting with an abated breath every so patiently to see what happens next in the much-anticipated sequel of the series. Which I hope is also the last book as I surely won’t survive another year of waiting to see how it all ends…
A few more to add to your Romantsy Reading list:
While the above list will keep you busy for quite a while, and to be honest, there are a few funny memes that some of us could very happily read Throne of Glass on an endless loop for the rest of our lives (yes, I admit, I happen to fall into that category. I’ve re-read all the Maas books, and to my great annoyance, even though I know the outcome, I still can’t put them down and end up with sleepless nights!). It’s these mind-bending stories and folklore retellings that inspire my creativity and many of my product designs.
Yet, there are also a few other writers, should you need more recommended reading than the above to keep you going. Be sure to look out for Holly Black (more young adult, but great weaving of old tales into modern ones), Jennifer Armentrout, Stephanie Garber, Carissa Broadbent, Stacia Stark, and Leigh Bardugo (Shadow and Bone on Netflix bring a few of her books to life beautifully).
So, now that you have enough material to whisk you away to the otherworld and escape reality for a
few hours a day. I still would also recommend reading older folklore and tales, but will cover those book recommendations in another post. In case you do like folklore storytelling and prefer to listen to the stories rather than read them, I’ve covered a few incredible podcasts in this article.
While I do like movies and podcasts, there is nothing quite like reading a book, at the end of the day, to lead us into our sleep state and dreams. A book takes us there and fires our imagination to a whole new level that even movies can’t achieve. Even if just for 30 minutes a day, it’s well worth making some time, or visiting and loaning them from your local library to enchant you, even if for a while.
Curious, if you have any otherworldly books that you recommend, be sure to let me know!
* I have linked to the writer’s website in case you are interested in ordering or reading any of the writers listed, it’s not an affiliate link in any way.
