Book Talk: Companion Recommendations

So far, we've covered recommendations for stand alones and duologies. Today I'm bringing you some of my favorite companions. You might be asking, "what are companion novels?" My answer to you would have to be, "amazing." Companion novels are books that are set in the same world, but focus on a different set of characters. Usually the protagonists in one novel are secondary characters in its companion. One of the best things about companion novels is that they allow you to better explore a world, which is fantastic for fantasy and science fiction, by giving you multiple perspectives on the same issue or setting. We all know the feeling of reading a series that's dragging itself out but you're too invested to quit. It's a real problem. Thankfully, you won't find yourself encountering that problem with companions since every book is pretty much a fresh start. With that, let's jump into my companion recommendations! 

The Graceling Realm by Kristin Cashore 

Published: October 1st, 2008 - May 1st, 2012
Series Length: 3 books
[Graceling | Fire | Bitterblue]
Genre: Fantasy
Average Page Count: 498.3 pages

Graceling was one of the first books I picked up when I started to really get into reading so it's been a while but it has stood the test of time and still stands out in my memory. In the Graceling Realm, there those born with two different colored eyes are blessed (or cursed, depending on your stance) with a Grace, which is a special ability to do something. Katsa, the protagonist of Graceling, happens to have the Grace of killing. Katsa is pretty much the king's assassin until she meets Prince Po, another Graceling, and they set off on a life changing adventure. Fire is the protagonist of the second installment and her story brings us to the past in a somewhat confusing story of monsters and royals. This brings us to Bitterblue, propelling us back to the present and then some, telling the story of Princess Bitterblue, whom we were introduced to in Graceling. It all comes full circle. We follow these three leading ladies on their quests as they combat the corruption and misuse of magic in their kingdoms and come into their own along the way. 

Huntley Fitzpatrick's Universe

Published: June 14th, 2012 - August 18th, 2015
Series Length: 2 books
[My Life Next Door | The Boy Most Likely To]
Genre: Contemporary
Average Page Count: 409.5 pages

There isn't a series name for Fitzpatrick's literary universe since technically her novels are stand alones but seeing as The Boy Most Likely To follow the sister and best friend of Jase, the male lead in My Life Next Door, I think it definitely counts. Huntley Fitzpatrick's books are one of two sets of contemporary companions but Fitzpatrick's novels are much heavier in tone than Perkins'. While there are still cutesy moments in these books, the characters are also dealing with real world issues, making them more relatable. The emotions feel real and raw, especially when they hit too close to home. These novels are fantastically written and you almost fall in love alongside the characters. The atmosphere is so well crafted that it made me long for summer even though I was reading these books in the summer months. Although these two books are truly companions, Fitzpatrick has one other novel that isn't really a companion to these two but is close enough that it's worth mentioning. What I Thought Was True is another book set in the same "world" but does not involve the characters from the two I've mentioned already. This one is more a stand alone than anything but if I remember correctly, there was a reference here and there to Fitzpatrick's other books. The essence of What I Thought Was True is similar to My Life Next Door and The Boy Most Likely To in that there's romance with heavy topics mixed in but I found What I Thought Was True to lay the heavy topics thicker than the other two. These books are great reads for summer or if you're dreaming of summer and they, as well as the rest of the companions on this list, scream relationship goals. 

The Starbound Trilogy by Aime Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Published: December 10th, 2013 - December 1st, 2015
Series Length: 3 books
[These Broken Stars | This Shattered World | Their Fractured Light]
Genre: Science Fiction
Average Page Count: 396.3 pages

The Starbound trilogy is easily one of my favorite series of all time. In each book, we follow a new swoon-worth couple (both members of each couple are dreamboats) on their quest to uncover the exploits of LaRoux Industries. All six characters are unique and dynamic in their own right. Another great thing about this trilogy is the setting. Although all in the same universe, each story takes place on a different planet, which not only shows the reach LRI has and broadens the scope of the story, but also opens up the world in a story building sense. The culmination of all the events in the final book was so epic, I am still reeling from how amazing it was. I love that each book has its own tone. It's a different type of book. Kinda like how Marvel movies are all superhero but Ant-Man is a heist film, Captain America: the First Avenger is a war film, and Guardians of the Galaxy is a space opera. Now that I've come up with those examples, I can see that I've essentially listed the books in the Starbound Trilogy backwards. These Broken Stars is Titanic in space for the first couple chapters but quickly turns into a survival story. This Shattered World takes us to an underdeveloped planet living in constant fear of the military stationed there to keep the peace and curb the rebellion. Their Fractured Light is very much a heist story up until we bring the rest of the cast of characters into the picture. (Thank goodness we get glimpses of the characters in each others' books. Imagine the torture if we didn't get to see them at all until the last book. I need more of all of them as it is.) This series is phenomenal and if I haven't been able to convince you at this point, just look at the covers and tell me you don't want to know what lies in the pages between.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Published: January 3rd, 2012 - November 10th, 2015
Series Length: 4 books
[Cinder | Scarlet | Cress | Winter]
Genre: Science Fiction
Average Page Count: 554 pages (each installment is larger than the last)

I wouldn't consider the Lunar Chronicles to be a true set of companion novels but it fits the definition well enough that I think it counts. There's been a lot of hype about the Lunar Chronicles recently, what with the release of the final book, Winter, so I wouldn't be surprised if you've already read these but it's still worth mentioning. If you somehow missed the boat, the Lunar Chronicles is essentially retellings of each of these classic fairytales with a science fiction twist. Of course, it's a lot more complex than that, and that's what makes this series great. Meyer has woven the storylines together so beautifully. Earlier I said that these books aren't true companion novels and the reason is that while the focus of each book is on a different character, the characters from the previous books continue to play major roles, so much so that the story gets told from their perspective as well. That's the style that works best for this series since each book and character is adding more to the overall story. Technically, I could include Fairest, Queen Levana's story, but it isn't required reading and it also doesn't live up to the standards set by the rest of the series. It's more removed from the other books and after reading the amazing storytelling of the main series, Fairest pales in comparison. If you want a story of biological warfare, romance, tyrants, and adventure featuring all your favorite fairytale characters, I would definitely look into picking this up. Anybody who has read these books can vouch for me as well. The Lunar Chronicles is definitely worth your time, companion novels or not.

Anna, Lola, & Isla by Stephanie Perkins

Published: December 2nd, 2010 - August 14th, 2014
Series Length: 3 books

[Anna and the French Kiss | Lola and the Boy Next Door | Isla and the Happily Ever After]

Genre: Contemporary
Average Page Count: 365 pages

Anna, Lola, & Isla were the first companion novels I ever read although I didn't know it at the time. I didn't even know companion novels were a thing! If you're like past me and don't know where to start, Stephanie Perkins has given you a very nice starting place. This trilogy is hands down the cutest, fluffiest set of books you'll ever read. Each installment takes place in its own city (Paris, San Francisco, and New York, respectively) and follows a different couple, all of whom are #goals. After pulling my first all nighter to finish Anna and the French Kiss, I was highly anticipating reading Lola and the Boy Next Door to see how Anna and St. Clair would work themselves into the story. As with all these companion novels, the final book ended with all our favorite characters from the trilogy coming together and some pretty hard hitting feels are bound to ensue. Whenever people ask me for recommendations, Anna and the French Kiss is, without fail, the first book that comes to mind. Who doesn't love a cutesy contemporary?! It's one of my favorite books for a reason. This is one of those books that makes you wish you were in a relationship, but only if it's going to be like the ones you're reading in this trilogy. Expect to raise your standards after reading these books. 

I hope you're ready to get reading because we've got another book recommendations under our belt! As I was compiling this list, I realized how many of my favorite books and series just happened to be companions. I guess you could say companion novels are in good... company... *insert cringe emoji* I get a lot out of reading companion novels and I'd love to read more. These can't be all the companions out there, let me know if you know of any in the comments below! Don't forget to let me know if you've read any of the books featured on this list! They're my favorites for a reason. 

Talk to you soon!

xo, Yvette