Autumn is just around the corner, and I couldn’t be more excited. I am a fall girlie through-and-through, and one of the first things I think of is curling up with a good book.
I’ve compiled a list of 5 of my favorite duologies for your fall reading list. Grab your fuzzy socks and your fluffiest blanket, because we’re about to dive into some amazing books. (I’ve linked each book under the title so you can get them right away!)
#1: Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo – https://amzn.to/3MT5ivj (Box set)
“Six of Crows follows the adventures of six teenage criminals hired to undertake a dangerous heist, while searching for love and redemption along the way. The leader of the group is Kaz Brekker, the cunning, ruthless leader of the Dregs, one of many street gangs in the port city of Ketterdam.”
I know what you’re thinking. CRIMINALS? WHO ARE YOU, SAMANTHA? Ok, yes, techincally, they are criminals, but in my mind, their only crime is bringing me into their world. Try to fight that in court.
The plot of this book is so well-written, the characteres are complex and wonderful, and the plot twists are delightful. If you read no other duology this year, you MUST pick this one up!
#2: Stargirl and Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli – https://amzn.to/4cPc1Rb (Box set)
“After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body. But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different.”
I have loved these books since I was a kid. They are written from the POV of Leo, a boy in 10th grade who becomes fascinated with Stargirl. It is a beautiful story full of deeper messages on being yourself, relationship expectations, and the pressure of society vs how life could be. I am enchanted every time I re-read it (and I have many, many times).
#3: Scavenge the Stars and Ravage the Dark by Tara Sim – https://amzn.to/3Zvt5cf (#1) – https://amzn.to/4dNM7ig (#2)
“Amaya wants one thing: revenge against the man who ruined her family and stole the life she once had. But the more entangled she becomes in this game of deception—and as her path intertwines with the son of the man she’s plotting to bring down—the more she uncovers about the truth of her past.”
I found this book in a little used bookshop back in my hometown. I was browsing the shelves, looking for titles I recognized, when this one caught my eye. When I opened it up, it had a note from the author on a seperate piece of paper. It intriuged me enough to buy it, and it quickly became one of my favorites. The storyline, the characters, the romance, the plot twists – all of it was so riveting. The second book was even better.
#4: Because You’ll Never Meet Me and Nowhere Near You by Leah Thomas – https://amzn.to/47gkLin (#1) – https://amzn.to/47csJJ2 (#2)
“Ollie and Moritz are best friends, but they can never meet. Ollie is allergic to electricity. Contact with it causes debilitating seizures. Moritz’s weak heart is kept pumping by an electronic pacemaker. If they ever did meet, Ollie would seize. But Moritz would die without his pacemaker.”
I actually checked this book out from the library when I was around sixteen. Immediately I fell in love with both of these charactars and the style of writing. The whole book is written in letter correspondence between Ollie and Moritz. It is dark, humorous, light, and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I did cry real tears at the end of this duology and I am not afraid to admit it.
#5: Between the Lines and Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer – https://amzn.to/3Xzu9KM (#1) – https://amzn.to/4dPJ1KC (#2)
“An outsider in a new town and a new school, Delilah seeks comfort in the pages of her favorite book, where she feels heard and understood. But as the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur in both extraordinary and astonishing ways, Delilah has to confront whether she has the power to rewrite her story.”
As a bookworm since birth who always wished to jump into the pages of my books, these manuscripts were so magical to read. I dreamed time and time again that I could talk to the characters in my books, interact with them, or even join their world. This character gets to experience all of those things. (I’m not jealous. You’re jealous!)
I hope you love these books as much as I do. Please let me know if you do read them! I’m always down to discuss!
In chaos,
Sam