5 Gothics I Like and 5 Gothics I Want to Read

I've been so into Gothics lately. I don't know what it is. I'm just in a very spooky but romantic mood. I want to read all the Gothics. Some of my favourite novels are Gothics and in general, I feel like Gothics are a very underappreciated genre. I could be wrong but I don't think I've ever read a Gothic that I hated. Just to keep this post concise, I'm only doing five books I liked and five I want to read. There are so many I want to read but I'll just keep it simple for now. Also, I used Goodreads to confirm that these books are in fact Gothics. If I get any of them wrong, don't blame me. Blame Goodreads. 

5 Favourite Gothics

Beyond the Sea

“I no longer believed in curses, but I did believe that to live was to suffer. However, it was the sweet, heart fluttering moments like this, and the exhilaratingly exciting ones scattered in between, that made all the darkness, all the pain and the anguish worth it.”

I bought this for a very specific reason. That reason being I wanted to read this in the dead of winter while it was cold and snowing outside and I could sit in my new little reading chair and I could be a moody young adult. This did not come to fruition. My plans were foiled. It did not snow very much in Vancouver this year, my new reading chair is not very comfy, also my cat decided that my reading chair is actually hers and I listened to the audiobook. I wouldn't change anything about the experience though. A woman with a lovely Irish accent read this mysterious, romantic book to me. It was one of my favourite books of 2020. If you have a chance, I would highly recommend the audiobook. It's great for if you don't know how to pronounce Irish names. Which I don't.

Jane Eyre

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

This is an OG favourite of mine. I originally read it because it was mentioned in the Infernal Devices trilogy. Didn't think I was really going to enjoy it as much as I did. I read this while I was literally at Niagra falls. My aunt got so mad at me since we went all the way to Niagra Falls to see this great wonder of the world just for me to spend half the time reading this one on my phone. No regrets. 

Frankenstein

“If I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear!”

I just recently read this for a class and I really loved it. Mostly cause I really just like Mary Shelley. And her mother. I wrote a whole paper about Mary Wollstonecraft's possible influence on this book. It was a great time. 

The Cask of Amantillado

“He did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.”

So this isn't technically a book, but a short story. If you haven't read it yet, you are missing out. I love revenge. It is a great revenge story. You can find it probably out there on the internet. It's like a five-minute read and just leaves you wondering about the context. I mean, this is simply iconic behaviour.

Stalking Jack the Ripper

“Roses have both petals and thorns, my dark flower. You needn’t believe something weak because it appears delicate. Show the world your bravery.”

I love the girlies with morbid pastimes. There is something so satisfying about having this girl who should be really prim and proper being a medical examiner. Goals. More iconic behaviour. Living for it. Live your best life, my dude. If you haven't read this yet, what are you waiting for? I promise it is so easy to read. It's so easy to get into. Even if you aren't really interested in the Jack the Ripper killings. I am in that same boat. I am not interested in those whatsoever, but this book got me interested. 

5 I Want to Read

Rebecca

I accidentally watched the newish movie version of this without realizing it was based on the book and I am now invested. This is actually on the reading list for a summer class I'm taking so I will be reading this one very soon. I'm very excited to do so. I'm constantly hearing about how this book has one of the best first lines.

Mexican Gothic

Everyone and their mother are talking about this book. It has a beautiful cover and an intriguing storyline. I'm constantly hearing jokes about American Gothics and English Gothics, but I really have no idea what a Mexican gothic would be like. I'm so excited to read something new. This sounds like it would be right up my alley. 

The Year of the Witching

Perfect mix of gothic and witches. You guys know how I feel about my witches. I love me some witches. This one is also being talked about by everyone and their mother. 

The Shadow of the Wind

I've heard nothing but good things about this book. I've been meaning to read it for years and it sounds amazing. Like I literally don't think I've ever heard someone say they hate this book or even mildly dislike it. 

The Governess

This book seems like the perfect blend of trashy romance and intriguing plotline, you know? You know. Sometimes regular old romances are boring. You gotta add a little darkness and mystery. Really spices things up. 

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Top 10 Books of 2016 Redo

This might seem a little weird, but I looked up my Top 10 Books of 2016 list because I was curious since that was the first one I did, and I realized it was very wrong. I'm here to right my wrongs. Because 2017 me was incorrect. I got rid of like, half the books I had on there originally. The list was wrong. I might be a little neurotic.

Honourable Mentions:

The Raven King

“No homework. I got suspended,” Blue replied.
“Get the fuck out,” Ronan said, but with admiration. “Sargent, you asshole.”

This was the perfect conclusion and the perfect setup to Call Down the Hawk.

My Heart and Other Black Holes

“Maybe we all have darkness inside of us and some of us are better at dealing with it than others.”

This one made me think a lot and at the time I didn't really like it, but the more I sat on it the more I liked it. It was one of those.

Captive Prince Trilogy

Source
“A golden prince was easy to love if you did not have to watch him picking wings off flies.”

If this had been a top 11 list this one would have made it. It was so hard not including this one in my top 10. I couldn't even just pick one book, they were all so good.

Crooked Kingdom

“Crows remember human faces. They remember the people who feed them, who are kind to them. And the people who wrong them too. They don’t forget. They tell each other who to look after and who to watch out for.”

I couldn't put this in the top 10 because that ending upset me too much. This was a very good book, incredibly well written on honestly I'm surprised that 2017 me overlooked this one for the original list.

Tales from the Shadowhunter academy

“Little James Herondale, age two, was in fact holding a dagger quite well. He stabbed it into a sofa cushion, sending out a burst of feathers.
"Ducks," he said, pointing at the feathers.”

If you looked at my ranking of the best Shadowhunter books you may be surprised to not see this in the top 10. Lady Midnight just edged this one out by a slim margin. I couldn't justify putting both of these on the list. 

10. Empire of Storms

“Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen, knew the time would soon come to prove just how much she'd bleed for Erilea.”

This book stayed in the exact same spot. This was not my favourite book in the series, I liked it, but it definitely wasn't any higher on the list. 

9. The Power

“You don't apologize,' Deacon said, pressing a kiss to my greasy head, unlocking best friend status.”

This is a new addition to the list. I remember when reading this one, I couldn't stop reading it. The first book was okay, but this book was such a step up. I don't remember where I was when I read this one. I do remember I was on a trip or something when reading this one and I just devoured this book. So good.

8. Fires of Winter

(I could not for the life of me find any quotes for this book and I don't have the time or patience to go through the book and find them myself.)

I love vikings. I love biking romances. When I read this book I didn't realize I would love it as much as I did. I've reread this book so many times. 

7. Fear Me

“I will do everything in my power to make it work. You see, I have nothing to lose…but you do.”
“Maybe you do, but you just don’t care,” I argued.
“Then that makes me a very dangerous man.”

I didn't think I liked this book that much when I read it the first time. As time went on I realized I liked it more and more. It is now one of my favourite romance novels. Keiran is my favourite Antihero. Honestly me not thinking I liked this one that much to begin with was the reason I never put it on my list. I've definitely changed my mind though.

6. Emerald Green

“Did you know that Gideon and I were trained in Krav Maga?" Charlotte took another step closer to me, and I automatically took one back.
"No, but did you know that at this moment you look like that crazy rodent in Ice Age?”

I loved this book. I actually reread the series a year or two ago and I remembered that this trilogy only took place over the course of a week. All the time-travelling really messed with me. I really want more books about this. I honestly don't know why I didn't put this on my original list.

5. The Name of the Wind

“Call a jack a jack. Call a spade a spade. But always call a whore a lady. Their lives are hard enough, and it never hurts to be polite.”

This is probably one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. It's so well written. Everything is so well planned out and it's long but never boring. If you love fantasy and you haven't read this book yet I would highly recommend reading this one. 

4. The Bourbon Thief

“How are you going to get revenge against dead people? Dig ’em up and stake ’em through the heart?”
“I asked myself that same question, and I think I know the answer. You destroy what they loved, and you love what they destroyed.”

I never expected this book. I got an arc of it and just thought whatever, it's just a romance. But I read this book and it changed everything. I was so obsessed, I immediately reread it. I posted a review on it when I did read it, but I ended up privating it because I didn't think it was a very good review. I don't know if I updated it yet or not. I do plan on rewriting the review if I haven't already done so.

3. Lady Midnight

“He bumped into a pay phone and said, 'Excuse me, miss,' on our way in," said Julian.
"It's polite to apologize," said Mark with the same small voice.
"Not to inanimate objects.”

I just talked about how much I loved this book. It really showed how much Cassandra Clare has grown as an author. It was so well thought out and all the side characters were so interesting and dynamic. This book was an A+.

2. A Court of Mist and Fury

“He thinks he'll be remembered as the villain in the story. But I forgot to tell him that the villain is usually the person who locks up the maiden and throws away the key. He was the one who let me out.”

I remember absolutely losing my mind when this book came out. I know, it's no longer at number 1. I still love this book, but I think time has dulled it a little bit for me. I still think this is an amazing book and I would definitely read it again. I just think with time I do like the new number 1 book a little more.

1. A Monster Calls

“Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.”

This book was so good at displaying grief. This is a children's book and it so eloquently showcased grief and how we come to terms with life and death. This book was a masterpiece. 

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Books for Hufflepuffs

The common theme here are books that made me feel things. When I think of Hufflepuffs I just think of warmth and happiness and emotional strength. These books that I chose were just that.

I’ll Give You the Sun

“Or maybe a person is just made up of a lot of people,” I say. “Maybe we’re accumulating these new selves all the time.” Hauling them in as we make choices, good and bad, as we screw up, step up, lose our minds, find our minds, fall apart, fall in love, as we grieve, grow, retreat from the world, dive into the world, as we make things, as we break things.”

This is one of my favourite books of all time. This is a very character-driven book and it never fails to make me smile. This is like a Chicken Noodle Soup for the Soul type of book. It follows two twins and their rocky relationship with each other and other people around them. I don't want to say too much, but this book was perfect and it was the first book I thought of when thinking of Hufflepuff books.

The Princess Saves Herself in this One

“Once upon a time, the princess rose from the ashes her dragon lovers made of her & crowned herself the mother-fucking queen of herself.   - how’s that for a happily ever after?”

This book is all about self-empowerment and loving yourself. Sometimes you need to think about you and what is best for you and what you can do for yourself. You don't need others to come and save you because you can take care and love yourself. 

The Book Thief

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”

You might be wondering why I chose to put this on this list instead of the Ravenclaw list. I'll tell you why. This book was so full of heart. It's about living your life and doing what you love. The main characters love of books was at the heart of the story. She wasn't going to let the Nazi's keep her from reading and learning. This book is just so full of soul and that's what I attribute to Hufflepuffs.

A Monster Calls

“Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?”

This is another book that just made me feel a lot of things. This book is all about emotions and grief. Coming to terms with grief and dealing with that through a beautiful story with great imagery and a perfect metaphor. I don't want to tell you too much because this is such a good book going into with no information. 

What books would you guys put on this list?

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Books for Ravenclaws

If I wasn't a Gryffindor I would for sure be a Ravenclaw. I love learning and I love books. I hope I did a good job on this list and I hope you Ravenclaws out there enjoy these recommendations!

The Martian

“I can't wait till I have grandchildren. When I was younger, I had to walk to the rim of a crater. Uphill! In an EVA suit! On Mars, ya little shit! Ya hear me? Mars!”

This is probably the most obvious book on this list. This is a book about the fictional first trip to Mars. This book is so clever, so funny, and just full of interesting information about the logistics of traveling to Mars and surviving on Mars. It was just such a good book even for those that aren't very into science.

And Then There Were None

“Crime is terribly revealing. Try and vary your methods as you will, your tastes, your habits, your attitude of mind, and your soul is revealed by your actions.”

Agatha Christie is the queen of the whodunit mystery novel. This book takes you down several different possibilities and as it goes on you are left wondering more and more who is committing the murders. It's just a really great book. Really makes you think. If you want to try and solve the mystery this is a great one.

Stalking Jack the Ripper

“I was determined to be both pretty and fierce, as Mother had said I could be. Just because I was interested in a man’s job didn’t mean I had to give up being girly. Who defined those roles anyhow?”

Another mystery novel. I just can't help myself. This was just one of my favourite books. You have a great mystery to solve, but along with that you also have a main character who is learning about mortuary science. It's a very enriching book. 

My Heart and Other Black Holes

“Sometimes I wonder if my heart is like a black hole--it's so dense that there's no room for light, but that doesn't mean it can't still suck me in.”

This is a contemporary novel about a suicidal teenage girl who loves Physics. That's where the title comes in. This book is smart in more ways than one. Sure we have the physics aspect, but also the emotional aspect. This is an incredibly clever novel and one I really need to reread.

What books would you guys put on this list?

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Books for Gryffindors

I know several people have done this before and I just wanted to add in my own two cents. I have to say, I think my choices are pretty good. I am a Gryffindor so I chose to start with this one, but I do plan on doing a post for all of the houses. So stay tuned for the others.

A Promise of Fire

This series was so fun to read. It was exciting from the very first chapter. It's packed full of action, humour, and romance. It's a trifecta. It's just *chefs kiss*. Go in not knowing too much, I can almost guarantee you will love it.

The Shining

Since we are Gryffindors, we do things that scare us for the thrills. Such as reading the Shining in the middle of the night with a flashlight. I say this from experience. That is the best way to read this book. 

Beowulf

This is the epitome of bravery. If bravery were a text it would be Beowulf. This is an exciting adventure from start to finish. If you want some classic action, definitely give this one a read. I would recommend the R. M. Liuzza translated edition. It's a really easy translation to understand when I've had to look at two different translations for school and this one was much easier to understand.

The Outsiders

This book was all about overcoming prejudice and being brave. There's a lot of action, and while I almost put this in Hufflepuff because this book was full of heart, I just felt like it had its place in Gryffindor.

What books would you guys put on this list?

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