It's a new year and that means we book worms are getting our 2023 TBR lists put together!
If you're like us, reading is one of your favorite pastimes so you probably have a huge list of books ready and waiting for you! But... If you're like us, it also means it's okay for that list to get longer... And longer... And longer!
Everyone has a prefered genre, writing style, author, or subject matter that they tend to seek out. Where do these preferences come from? Probably from our earliest reading habits!
Below, we've compiled a list of book suggestions based on our most loved books from our adolesence in a new blog format we are lovingly calling, "If you liked this... Try this!"
If you liked Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone... Try The House in the Cerulean Sea!
Why?
The House in the Cerulean Sea has the same nostalgic, magical feeling that reading your first Harry Potter book gives you! With more magical creatures, more diversity, and a wonderful message about chosen family, The House in the Cerulean Sea ticked all of my cozy fantasy boxes!
If you liked Nancy Drew... Try The Ruth Galloway Series!
Why?
Just like in Nancy Drew, the Ruth Galloway series features a headstrong female protagonist in charge of solving much more grown up mysteries! As a child, I remember being so in awe of how "cool" Nancy Drew was. I identified with her sense of adventure and admired her courage. Ruth is a little different, but I still relate to her in those unique ways! She is an independent, intelligent archeologist who faces all of the physical, mental, and emotional challenges that come from adulthood!
If you liked Matilda... Try My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry!
Why?
Matilda tells the story of a small girl surrounded by bumbling adults and a lifetime of trauma finding her power and her own place in this world. My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry is the story of a young girl who has lost her grandmother and must rely on the strange and eccentric adults around her to solve a fantastical mystery. This book has the nostalgia and heart that really touched the inner child within me!
If you liked In A Dark, Dark Room... Try Through the Woods!
Why?
Through the Woods scratched that strange, spooky itch that In A Dark, Dark Room within me as a kid! The book has really haunting imagery that still feels safe because it's, well... Hand drawn! If The Girl with the Green Ribbon has always stuck with you the way it has with me... You will love this more grown up graphic novel!
If you liked The Westing Game... Try The Guest List!
Why?
The Westing Game was the first mystery I ever read as a child... And it has always been one of my favorites! The Guest List is a wedding set on a secluded island. It introduces the same themes of a large group gathering together... And all of the anger, anxiety, and fear that comes from seeing people from your past.
What were some of your favorite books as a child? Let us know in the comments below! We'll see if we can find you the perfect modern day pairing!