Book Recommendations

I'm thrilled to see that you trust me enough to check out my opinion on what books to read next!

As you've probably figured out, two of my most favorite authors of all time are J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. But I have many other favorite authors - until I discovered Lord of the Rings, I always had a tough time choosing - and they include N.D. Wilson, Andrew Peterson, and Agatha Christie. 

The first list is a list of current reads - books I'm reading and enjoying right now! This list will be updated frequently, as I'm reading new books frequently, and old "current reads" which I really enjoyed will go into the following list: a list of books in my own personal library, which I love very much. 

I hope these lists help you find something new to read!

Aubrey Han

Reader, Author, Dreamer

Current Reads

• Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

• The Karamazov Brothers by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Favorite Book Recommendations

• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

  • • Needs no introduction! A timeless classic, The Lord of the Rings is probably my favorite book of all time. 

• The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

  • • This could almost be considered the prequel to both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, exploring the lore of Middle Earth, the story of its creation, and the story of the many people who live there. 

• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

  • • Also needs no introduction. The Chronicles of Narnia were probably the first "real" books I remember reading as a small child, and I've loved them ever since. My favorite from the series would probably be either The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Horse and His Boy, or The Last Battle.

• The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis

  • • The story of a pedestrian named Ransom, The Space Trilogy is the second sci-fi series I've ever read (the first being the A Wrinkle in Time series, below). The age-old story of the battle for the world, of good versus evil, The Space Trilogy has definitely won its place on my bookshelf, along with The Chronicles of Narnia.

• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

  • • I have no words to describe A Wrinkle in Time. I read it first for an excellent Literature class, and was absolutely blown away. I had not expected to enjoy it as much, because I had never really read any science-fiction before. Surprise - now it's one of my favorites. Meg Murry is a character many people can relate to, and her little brother, Charles Wallace, is the kind of character you can't help but love. As the title might suggest, Madeline L'Engle uses the A Wrinkle in Time series to explore the borders of time and space in a thought-provoking, mind-blowing way. 

• Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

  • • "If this goes on... people won't read books anymore, thought Ray Bradbury, and thus was Fahrenheit 451 born." (Stolen from the introduction of the 50th Anniversary edition by Neil Gainman.) Many people have told me that they absolutely hated this book when they had to read it for school. It is my opinion that public schools do not know how to teach this book correctly, because I read it for fun the summer of my eighth grade year, and absolutely loved it. Even though it frightened me a little, because I saw so many connections to our world today. Reading books like Fahrenheit 451, I'm astonished by the foresight many authors had. If you've had bad experiences with this book in the past, all I can say is: give it another chance. 

• The War that Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

  • • I read these two books while studying World War II, and all I can say is that it made me cry. The story of a little girl with clubfoot trying to escape the World War, along with her brother, and her own private war at home and against the world. 

• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

  • • Twelve people stuck on a train in a snowstorm... a dead body... and a murderer among them. Agatha Christie, Queen of Mystery, truly shines at her best in this work of art. Two hundred or so pages packed with suspense. Will the murderer strike again? Will Hercule Poirot, legendary detective, find him or her in time?

• Watership Down by Richard Adams

  • • Bunnies! Who doesn't love bunnies? Especially bunnies with their own language, who set off on a journey to save themselves from disaster. Need I say anymore? 

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

  • • The title of this book does a whole lot of describing. The story of four sisters who can't seem to get married off - a serious problem, in those days - is one filled with, surprise, pride and prejudice. Which makes for some excellent plot twists. 

• The Mistmantle Chronicles by M.I. McAllister

  • • This series has just recently made its way back into print, for which I am extremely grateful. If you've ever read the (slightly more popular) Redwall series, you'll love this one! Urchin is a small squirrel with an unusually pale coat, but that isn't the only thing that makes him stand out in a crowd. He also happens to have a mysterious past, and a dangerous one... Looking for a fantasy/adventure story to read on a rainy afternoon? This is my recommendation. 

• The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

  • • AAAAAH and where to begin? Andrew Peterson was one of my favorite song artists before I learned he was an author as well. The Wingfeather Saga is a fantasy/adventure series with a heartwarming theme, beautifully written characters, and lots of light-hearted comic relief. Filled with friendship, sorrow, betrayal, and totatoes (yes, I said totatoes - it's not a typo), The Wingfeather Saga will always have a place on my bookshelves. 

• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

  • • Acknowledged as one of the first suspense/thriller novels of all time, Dumas's 12-hundred page novel is impossible to put down! (Or pick up - it gave my mom tendonitis in her hand.) An extremely intricate plot, intriguing characters, and more! Five out of five stars!

• The Eliot Family Trilogy by Elizabeth Goudge

  • • The Eliot Family Trilogy is one of my new favorite series. One of the best examples of a "quiet stories" I've ever read, Elizabeth Goudge writes with a beautiful style and stunning descriptions, and her characters are absolutely lovely. I would highly recommend this series. 

• Nevermoore: the Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

  • • Fans of Harry Potter and The Mysterious Benedict Society will love this story of a cursed child, struggling to make her way into the family she's always longed for through trials that require honesty, strategy, and courage. Can Morrigan Crow survive the Wundrous Society entrace trials? And can she survive the truth about herself?

• The Man who was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton

  • • A thrilling, almost nightmarish read. An officer from Scotland Yard portrays himself as an anarchist by the code name of Thursday in order to win his way into the heart of a secret and terrible anarchist's organization, led by the terrible man who goes by the name Sunday. But as he uncovers more and more about the organization, the man who was Thursday begins to realize that he may not be the only one who isn't what he seems...