Throughout my life, I’ve read a lot of books. As an avid reader since I was in third grade, many books have entered my life and many books have quickly moved on from my memory. This list is recognition of the books I’ve read that never truly left my brain.
If you’re looking for vibey books with characters and plots that will live on, this list is for you.
Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce
Genre: Fantasy
This book has one of the most interesting magic systems I’ve ever read. (If you’re not familiar with this phrase, a magic system is shorthand for the rules of magic in a given world. Every fantasy world has one, but some are “squishy” while others are “hard.” All this means is what magic can and cannot do, and what is required by the caster to engage with magic.)
In Wild Magic, we follow Diane. She is unique because she has magic but she doesn’t have The Gift. These are the two ways you can have magic in this world. You’ve either been gifted by the gods with The Gift (access to channel power, essentially) or what is referred to (and very rare) as Wild Magic, which is to say magic that stems from nature and doesn’t follow the rules.
Diane is paired with Numair as a teacher, a mage who is so powerful with The Gift that he can do some of the things only accessible to Wild Magic users.
I read this book in fifth grade. This duo has lingered in my mind ever since, despite not reading the books a second time since.
Overall it’s fun read with a very cool world and interesting characters.
Sinner by Mike Nappa, writing as Sharon Carter Rogers
Genre: Supernatural Thriller
The first time I read this book, I was on a road trip over spring break. I read the first half in the car on the drive through Texas and stayed up late to finish the book when we arrived at our hotel for our family vacation.
Many things stick out to me about this book—the plot, the names, the characters—but I think what stood out to me most was that it was a book about a prophetic vigilante who 1. Heals while he sleeps and 2. Has a bullet proof coat.
There’s a lot of mystery around who he is and why he does what he does, but this cool character really stuck with me for years and felt so unique that this author has moved into my list of top favorite authors, and has lived on that list ever since I first read this book.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
This whole series truly was my first fandom experience. The way these characters shattered the fourth wall and made me feel like I genuinely could live, or do live, in the world of the book. The effect of this was that I spent much of my childhood daydreaming about being at Camp Halfblood. This isn’t something I think I’ve truly grown out of.
I am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak
Genre: Literary Fiction
I distinctly remember, even all these years later, sitting on my childhood bed and devouring this book. There was something innately comforting about the idea that someone cared, that someone saw, that no one went through life alone. The way this book urges people to show care for each other is beautiful and it’s lingered in my mind for a very, very long time.
Everyone in my Family Has Killed Someone
Genre: Golden Age Mystery
This book is so funny! It’s clever and smart and self aware. I’ve described it as “a book that knows it’s a book” and that’s largely because it has all sorts of humor that will resonate with an author audience. The main character is an author of nonfiction books about how to write a mystery novel. His whole family, in one way or another, has been responsible for the death of someone else. As we read, we discover each of those pieces and how they tie together into the plot ahead of us.
Stevenson excels at writing humorous locked room mysteries where the killer is among the characters you meet, but he keeps us guessing all the way through.
Whenever you need something that will give you a laugh and keep you hooked, this book is for you! Though I’ll warn you, it’s not cozy. It looks like it should be. It’s not.
Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
This is absolutely, 100% a guilty pleasure book for me. It’s a very fun, very different take on siren lore in the guise of a teen romance and family mystery and I devoured it the first time I read it. I’ve always been a sucker for mermaid stories (I also adored the Emily Windsnap series as a kid!) but in this version of the tale the sirens feed off of human emotions and they’re pulled into an annual migration to return back to their home waters. There are some books that are like candy—you read them again and again because you love them and for no deeper reason. This book is like that.
Which books have you read that are the first to jump to your mind when someone asks for a recommendation? Which ones stayed with you for a long time after you read them? I’d love to hear!
And if any of these sound interesting, I’d love to add one more book to your TBR since we clearly have similar tastes: my book, The Regulars of Amanda Lexie follows a barista as she is unwillingly wrapped up in the investigation of a local cyber mob. If you like situational humor (the cops and the robbers are all in the same drive-through line) and off-page violence with “can’t put it down” (not my words but Lisa Pevey’s) pacing, you’ll probably want to brew a cup of coffee and settle in for the ride.
J. J. Hanna is a writer and reader from Colorado. She loves suspense stories above all else. Her debut novel, The Regulars of Amanda Lexie releases August 2026. When she’s not writing, you can find her making YouTube videos or reading up-and-coming thrillers and mysteries. Find her on social media @authorjjhanna and @jjhannaacademy to keep track of her most recent reads and current adventures.