Top 5 Books with Maps I Want to Read

This Top 5 series started back in October and I kind of lost motivation for making it every week. But it’s back! This is a series of books that I want to read that all have a common theme. Previously on the blog I have focused on witches, werewolves, thrillers, faeries, fairy tale re-tellings, high fantasy and many more. I am going to try and bring this series back for every Saturday.

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The Upcoming Schedule Is:

10/5/19 — Books with the Scariest Covers

10/12/19 — Books that Cast a Spell on You

10/19/19 — Gothic Books Creepy Books

10/26/19 — Trick or Treat (Pick your own topic!)

I know that I’m late on getting the schedule out, but I’ve been really busy this month. Hopefully for future months I can get the next month’s schedule out mid-month instead of the last week of the month.

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Rules!

• Share your top 5 books of the current topic– these can be books that you want to read, have read and loved, have read and hated, you can do it any way you want.
• Tag the original post (This one!)
• Tag 5 people

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Books with Maps

I love fantasy novels that have maps in them. I have a theory that if a book has a map it is going to be great. This theory has only proved me wrong once or twice, so I think that it’s a pretty good rule of thumb. I love being able to refer to the maps when reading about a fantasy world and I think that they really add to the stories. I am always looking for more books with maps in them, so I am looking forward to everyone’s choices.

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

This is a world divided by blood – red or silver. The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change. That is until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power. Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime. But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart.

This is one super popular series that I feel like I’ve missed out on. I got a copy last Christmas through a book exchange and I feel like it’s been at the top of my backlist TBR forever now. I hear a lot of great things about this series and I want to join the bandwagon!

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze — the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization’s bedrock for a thousand years — collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman’s vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She’ll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

This series is on my TBR because all three books in the series won the Hugo Award for best fantasy of the year. I have heard really good things about all of these books, but I also want to go in kind of blind, so while I have heard good things, I’ve been avoiding reviews.

These Rebel Waves by Sara Raasch

Adeluna is a soldier. Five years ago, she helped the magic-rich island of Grace Loray overthrow its oppressor, Argrid, a country ruled by religion. But adjusting to postwar life has not been easy. When an Argridian delegate vanishes during peace talks with Grace Loray’s new Council, Argrid demands brutal justice—but Lu suspects something more dangerous is at work.

Devereux is a pirate. As one of the outlaws called stream raiders who run rampant on Grace Loray, he pirates the island’s magic plants and sells them on the black market. But after Argrid accuses raiders of the diplomat’s abduction, Vex becomes a target. An expert navigator, he agrees to help Lu find the Argridian—but the truth they uncover could be deadlier than any war.

Benat is a heretic. The crown prince of Argrid, he harbors a secret obsession with Grace Loray’s forbidden magic. When Ben’s father, the king, gives him the shocking task of reversing Argrid’s fear of magic, Ben has to decide if one prince can change a devout country—or if he’s building his own pyre.

As conspiracies arise, Lu, Vex, and Ben will have to decide who they really are . . . and what they are willing to become for peace.

I want to read this so badly. I have always thought pirates were really cool and this book is also in a fantasy world full of magic, royalty and conspiracies. I would be interested in this book even if there weren’t pirates in it, but the pirates make me even more excited for it.

Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

Theodosia was six when her country was invaded and her mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. On that day, the Kaiser took Theodosia’s family, her land, and her name. Theo was crowned Ash Princess–a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner.

For ten years Theo has been a captive in her own palace. She’s endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. She is powerless, surviving in her new world only by burying the girl she was deep inside.

Then, one night, the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, she realizes that surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn’t always won on the battlefield.

For ten years, the Ash Princess has seen her land pillaged and her people enslaved. That all ends here.

I really wanted an ARC of this book back when it came out and it’s been on my TBR ever since. I think that my ebook library has a copy now, so hopefully I can get my hands on this and read it because the series is continuing and I’d really like to catch up on this series.

Fate of the Fallen by Kel Kade

The Shroud of Prophecy tests fate to discover what happens when the path of good and right, the triumph of light over darkness, the only path to salvation… fails.

Everyone loves Mathias. So naturally, when he discovers it’s his destiny to save the world, he dives in head first, pulling his best friend Aaslo along for the ride.

Mathias is thrilled for the adventure! There’s nothing better than a road beneath his feet and adventure in the air. Aaslo, on the other hand, has never cared for the world beyond the borders of his sleepy village and would be much happier alone and in the woods. But, someone has to keep the Chosen One’s head on his shoulders and his feet on the ground.

It turns out saving the world isn’t as easy, or exciting, as it sounds in the stories. Mathias is more than willing to place his life on the line, but Aaslo would love nothing more than to forget about all the talk of arcane bloodlines and magical fae creatures. When the going gets rough, folks start to believe their only chance for survival is to surrender to the forces of evil, which isn’t how the stories go. At all. To make matters worse Aaslo is beginning to fear that he may have lost his mind…

I have a physical ARC of this book. My copy doesn’t actually have a map, but it says that the map is “to come”, so I believe the final copy will have a map. I am excited for this one because it looks like a really awesome fantasy adventure book.

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Check out other Book Blogger’s Top 5!

Nen & Jen @ Nen & Jen — Top 5 Saturday: Books With Maps I NEED to Read

Sara @ My Year of Reading Dangerously — Top 5 Books with Maps| Top 5 Saturdays

Kitty Marie @K Kitty Marie’s Reading Corner — Top 5 Saturday: Books with Maps

Leelynn @ Sometimes Leelynn Reads — Top 5 Saturday: Books with Maps

Becky @ Becky’s Book Blog — Books with Maps – Top 5 Saturday!

Dini @ Dinipandareads — Top 5 Saturday: Books with Maps!

Susan @ Novel Lives – Roam If You Want To… Roam Around The World… Top Five Books I have Read with Maps

Michael @ The Book Lovers’ Sanctuary — Top Five Saturday: Books with Maps

Tagged!

Ashley @ Ashes Books & Bobs

Tawnie @ The Bibliophile Librarian

Petrik @ Novel Notions

Lauren @ Storied Adventures

Rae @ Thrifty Bibliophile

Let’s Chat!

Do you love books with maps? What is your favorite book that has a map in it? Have you read any of these books? Should I move any of these up my TBR? What do you love about books that have maps? Do you have any recommendations for November topics? Make sure to comment below so we can chat about books with maps!