YA fantasy that is AWESOME: Basically all Tamora Pierce - Song of the Lioness, Immortals, Protector of the Small - all quartets, and the Trickster duet - all take place in the same wonderful world and are great. I first read them when I was around eleven? I'm not sure what it's like to read them as an adult, but I definitely still enjoy rereading them. First book is Alanna: The First Adventure. She also has another world, in which are the Circle of Magic books, and then the Circle Opens, and Will of the Empress and Melting Stones, but those are for even younger kids, so while I also still enjoy them, idk? I was definitely not as into them for a while, probably because they don't have as much romance, and I read Tortall (the first world) first and it comes alive more for me? But it's all awesome, and very well-known for those of us who read English-language YA fantasy growing up. Especially girls, as all her main protagonists are female! <3
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles are by Patricia Wrede, they're also for kids but they were awesome and unconventional and FUNNY and I'm considering rereading them because someone requested fic for them? and I was like "Oh gosh! Forgot those books existed." First book - Dealing with Dragons.
Diana Wynne Jones: Um, I hear basically everything by her is awesome (she's very well known), but I haven't read all of it. Her well-known series The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, you probably saw from my allcaps, is one of my very favoritest things everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. First book: Charmed Life. Non-Chrestomanci, if you've heard of Howl's Moving Castle (there was a movie recently), that's also by her.
Now I am going to go back and bold the first book of every series I recommend you READ IMMEDIATELY hahahaha, and you should feel free to ask me more about things, because I LOVE talking about books. (Also, once you've read more stuff or poked around, I might have a better sense of what you would and wouldn't like, or I can tell you more about stuff that intrigues you (without spoilers)! Some of these have shapeshifting; many have animal companions; at least one has both!)
Even though, um, it's kind of ironic, because as you noticed I don't actually feel I'm someone who reads that much, anymore. But katayla just started the first ASOIAF book, A Game of Thrones, and her responses are reminding me I should pick up where I left off!!!!
P.S. I just realized I really only gave names and not summaries, but I don't feel like editing this comment right now. Maybe I'll attempt later, if you're interested. Also, you can always google stuff (but beware of spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Re: The Hollows - I haven't read a lot of urban fantasy, that I can think of right now, and I've never heard of them. Hmmm. (Urban fantasy, uh, it depends, but usually it's not high fantasy because high fantasy is usually associated with secondary worlds (basically not our world) and...swords and epic battles and things? And a lot of urban fantasy tends to take place in the primary world (ours), at least that's my impression? But urban fantasy could cross over, depending on...like, what world the city was in, I guess? but people usually picture a world that can mix, like, magic and guns, I think, when they hear "urban fantasy." I myself find it a little closer to the realm of science fiction, but I think that's more my perception than the truth. Anyway, don't worry too much about categories; some books are both or neither, and you just focus on reading awesome stuff.)
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The Enchanted Forest Chronicles are by Patricia Wrede, they're also for kids but they were awesome and unconventional and FUNNY and I'm considering rereading them because someone requested fic for them? and I was like "Oh gosh! Forgot those books existed." First book - Dealing with Dragons.
Diana Wynne Jones: Um, I hear basically everything by her is awesome (she's very well known), but I haven't read all of it. Her well-known series The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, you probably saw from my allcaps, is one of my very favoritest things everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. First book: Charmed Life. Non-Chrestomanci, if you've heard of Howl's Moving Castle (there was a movie recently), that's also by her.
Now I am going to go back and bold the first book of every series I recommend you READ IMMEDIATELY hahahaha, and you should feel free to ask me more about things, because I LOVE talking about books. (Also, once you've read more stuff or poked around, I might have a better sense of what you would and wouldn't like, or I can tell you more about stuff that intrigues you (without spoilers)! Some of these have shapeshifting; many have animal companions; at least one has both!)
Even though, um, it's kind of ironic, because as you noticed I don't actually feel I'm someone who reads that much, anymore. But
P.S. I just realized I really only gave names and not summaries, but I don't feel like editing this comment right now. Maybe I'll attempt later, if you're interested. Also, you can always google stuff (but beware of spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).
Re: The Hollows - I haven't read a lot of urban fantasy, that I can think of right now, and I've never heard of them. Hmmm. (Urban fantasy, uh, it depends, but usually it's not high fantasy because high fantasy is usually associated with secondary worlds (basically not our world) and...swords and epic battles and things? And a lot of urban fantasy tends to take place in the primary world (ours), at least that's my impression? But urban fantasy could cross over, depending on...like, what world the city was in, I guess? but people usually picture a world that can mix, like, magic and guns, I think, when they hear "urban fantasy." I myself find it a little closer to the realm of science fiction, but I think that's more my perception than the truth. Anyway, don't worry too much about categories; some books are both or neither, and you just focus on reading awesome stuff.)