Urban Fantasy

This week I'll be telling you guys about my favorite urban fantasy novels. What I call urban fantasy is when our human world is acknowledged, but the main focus is on a fantasy world that the characters find themselves in. Side note: this is my favorite genre ever! Also, there will be some series, such as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson that I will not be putting on this list because it should be obvious that they are great series and some of my favorites. So here are some of my favorites of the genre, in no particular order.

The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
I mean, I kind of had to put one of my favorite author's on this list. This is his Egyptian mythology series which is a bit lesser known than his Percy Jackson series but I do think this is an amazing series that more people should read and discuss. So this trilogy follows a brother and a sister, Cater and Sadie Kane, who grew up apart and now must come together to save the earth. Oh, and they have strong connections to Egyptian gods. No big deal. That's the plot in a super condensed nut shell. I really like this series due to the brother sister relationship, dual point of view, and the mythology is really interesting. Rick Riordan simply shines when it comes to writing action and adventure.  No body can match his "action now, explain later" technique. It keeps the audience interested but also aids in the world building. Yes, this series is meant for middle grade children, but anyone can enjoy it. This fast paced adventure will keep you on your toes.

The Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare
Alright, if you have not read The Mortal Instruments or The Infernal Devices yet, I don't even know. These series are independent (mostly) from each other but both have the girl finds out she is a part of a fantasy world that has been hidden from her all her life element. Now, these are completely different series but they do share the same world and that basic premise. Again, a ridiculously shortened version of the plot because I want this post to be less plot oriented. I must say, Cassandra Clare's world that she built is phenomenal. I have never read a more detailed and intricate world than this one. Clare has created a world with it's own culture, history, and beliefs. It's truly beautiful. I will worn you that both series have a lot of teen age angst so if you don't like it, this series may not be for you but, THE PLOT TWISTS! I don't think anyone can do a plot twist like Cassandra Clare. Even if you don't like the series, you have to admit the things that Clare does in them is inspiring.

Hold Me Closer Necromancer by Lish McBride
This series holds a special place in my heart. It's only a two book series (duology, I guess is what it's called) but it's so good. It's about a boy named Sam who finds out that he is a necromancer, a person who can speak to the dead, and now has to stop Douglass, a much more powerful necromancer. The only, well, not only, problem is Sam has no clue what he's doing. The thing that stands out about this series is the characters, at least, they stand out to me. Each one of them has a different personality that is distinct to each of their characters. You could easily tell one character from another just by a line of dialogue and I think that that is an amazing thing because I've read books that have characters that all seem to blend together and it always frustrates me. This is a perfect book if you want something dark, yet funny, and want something paranormal. The characters will not leave you with a dull moment.

Revenants by Amy Plum
Did I spell that right? Probably not. It's French. I didn't take French. Oh, well, the first book is Die For Me in case you want to look it up later. This book is about a girl named Kate who moves to France when her parents die. She meets a guy and finds out that he is not human. Another short summary, sorry about that but I feel like this post is long enough without detailed summaries. Anyway, this series is really great because it is as light heated as it can get without being unrealistically happy. It's not all sunshine and rainbows but it's not as serious as other books are. I also want to point out that Amy Plum created an entirely new and completely original paranormal creature. It was really interesting to read about and I enjoyed that aspect as well. The books also got better as the series progressed and that was probably my favorite part: seeing Amy Plum grow as a writer throughout the duration of the series.

Those were just a few of my favorite urban fantasy series. I hope you guys enjoyed the post and maybe look up some of the books on this list. If you have any urban fantasy books that you would like me to know about, tell me, I'd love to learn about some more series. See you guys next week!