Book recommendations from your favourite authors
Who do Casey McQuiston, Peter James, Peter F. Hamilton and their fellow writers suggest you read? Authors reveal their favourite authors with these book recommendations.
It's always fascinating to discover which books influenced well-known writers, or simply which books they count among their favourites. Here, authors recommend some of their most-loved books.
Casey McQuiston
Romance writer Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White and Royal Blue and new novel The Pairing loves Freya Marske's latest romantasy, Swordcrossed.
‘Marske writes what I crave most in romantasy: brilliant craft, fresh voice, characters worth obsessing over, and genuine honest-to-god heat.’
Casey McQuiston on Freya Marske
Peter F. Hamilton
Peter F. Hamilton recommends fellow sci-fi author Adrian Tchaikovsky's Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning Children of Time.
‘Children of Time has a fabulous sense of scale that only someone as talented as Adrian Tchaikovsky can pull off, encompassing the evolution of an entire species, and a first contact event that did not go the way I was expecting. Very much recommended.’
Peter F. Hamilton on Adrian Tchaikovsky
Peter James
The Roy Grace creator recommends Graham Greene and classic crime novel, Brighton Rock.
‘Written in 1938, this novel still feels vivid and fresh almost eighty years on. It has wonderful characters, one of the great opening lines – ‘Within a few hours of arriving in Brighton, Hale knew they meant to murder him . . . ’ – and just about the most psychologically dark ending of any novel I’ve read.’
Peter James on Graham Greene
K.A. Linde
Bestseller K.A. Linde, author of dark, urban fantasy The Wren in the Holly Library offers two recommendations: The Serpents and the Wings of Night, the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent and Alix E Harrow's modern Gothic fantasy, Starling House.
‘Morally grey men, vampires who bite, and a heroine who bites back twice as hard. A Serpent and the Wings of Night paints a bleak picture of vampiric power that resonates through the bones of the half-vampire heroine fighting for her place in a Hunger Games-style battle in the hopes of attaining the coveted gift from a god. Smoldering with heat, Broadbent leaves us begging for more in the best way!’
K.A. Linde on Carissa Broadbent
‘Starling House was wholly captivating in every way. Harrow has a way of drawing you into her dark and twisted gothic world, while you crave an ounce of romance to ease the sweet torture. Combining the ache of Wuthering Heights, the thrill of a meta fictional story within a story, and merging it with the underpinnings of racial injustice make this book a triumph!’
K.A. Linde on Alix E Harrow
Rebecca Thorne
The author of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea recommends Legends and Lattes by fellow cosy fantasy aficionado, Travis Baldree.
‘Craving a novel with cosy, 'cup of coffee on a cloudy day' vibes? Legends and Lattes is your book. Viv, a warrior orc with a bloody past, finally sheaths her sword to follow her dream of opening a coffee shop. Through hard labor and business decisions, she discovers a life of quiet comforts, excellent friends, and even a budding romance. This sapphic triumph is an absolute must for anyone hoping to explore the cosy fantasy genre.’
Rebecca Thorne on Travis Baldree
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