10 books like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

This delightful novel was the first book I read after moving into a new apartment. It’s about a Russian aristocrat in the 1920s who is sentenced to live the rest of his days in a small attic room in the Hotel Metropol, and how he makes a life for himself there. Just by enjoying the story so much I actually found myself being more amused by, rather than wary of, the quirks of my own new neighbors. Gentle curiosity is a powerful weapon for surviving the unknown and this book helped sharpen mine.

This is a multiplayer chess game, each side with their own agenda. Some play for love, others for revenge, others just to survive. 

It’s a treat to cheer for one side, only to find out we chose wrong. No side is pure good, and no side is pure evil. They’re all just people, and it’s impossible to cheer for only one person when in each chapter, someone else does something amazing or terrible.

The best part about this book is the wisdom. Every character clings to their own principles, and the author chooses the best words to describe these principles. Like, a dwarf who’s principle is “Never forget what you are. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you.” 

Words to live by.

Although not the easiest novel to read, The Silmarillion tells us the creation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s beloved world. It’s dense and complex, full of characters and places that are linked in this intricate web. I recommend this book because it takes us out of our comfort zone of how we’re accustomed to reading. I felt it gave my mind a bit of a mental exercise trying to connect and understand what was written. I understand that such a thing may not be enjoyed by all readers, but for those who yearn for a challenge, pick this one up.

One of my favourite coming-of-age fantasy novels which, even many years later, remains so firmly imprinted in my mind. I remember having a bit of difficulty at the start (perhaps I was a little too young) but soon became utterly immersed in the magical world that Le Guin created, devouring the series with an ever-increasing wonder and obsession. There was a spiritual essence to Ged’s journey which I found incredibly powerful and moving, with mature ideas so elegantly and poetically expressed. A heartwarming tale, perfect for both children and adult readers alike. 

In Dragon Keeper, Robin Hobb expands on her Liveship Traders universe. The (deformed) dragons that take the spotlight are less friendly and their uneasy bonds with their caretakers give a whole different experience for the readers. It is a less heroic tale to read and more of a struggle, but one that is beautifully drawn out by Hobb’s amazing skill as a writer. It’s a book as much about self-discovery, as it is about building trust. In my eyes, the slow-burn storyline remained interesting because of the strong cast of characters and my curiosity about how the dragons would evolve, both emotionally and physically. You shouldn’t expect much action, but it provides a marvelous read nonetheless.

This is another already popular series that has been around for ages. I guess I’m partial to older books as they are mostly clean reading due to the era. The Hobbit is a wonderful tale of unexpected adventure, bravery, overcoming, and acceptance in the world of middle earth where strange and wonderful creatures abound. Fairies, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and goblins abound in a masterfully described world. These books were also a catalyst to my own writing. As a fairly new author since 2017, I couldn’t write contrary to my beliefs, and these wonderful stories show that it can be done in a way that is not only engaging and clean but that can captivate the mind as the stories I read play out like a movie in my head.

Who thinks they are going to meet the love of their life at a cancer support group? Probably not too many people, and yet one of the greatest love stories of all time began there, as unlikely as it was. It is where Hazel Grace and Augustus, both battling cancer at different stages, first meet. How many times have I thought, I wish I had thought of that first? And yet, I always remind myself that I’m glad I didn’t because there could be no better version than this one. The moment that always sticks with me is when Hazel’s mom, instead of telling her to wait until she’s older to express her love to Augustus, encourages her to now because it is possible there won’t be a later for her. 

For me, All the Bright Places accurately represents the joys and sorrows of life. This book is so full of depth, heart, and incredible characters, when I read it, I forgot it was a book. I was excited for every chapter when Finch and Violet would take me on their adventure. These characters are relatable and true to life. Even if you’ve never been through the situations they have, you can imagine them as kids in your neighborhood, workplace, or school. It is a beautiful and heartbreaking book that I will reread every year and always experience the excitement.

Once I read about Charlie, the main character in Stephen Chbosky’s novel, I was intrigued how a shy, bookish kid like me could become so wild and crazy in his first year of high school. Charlie is the main character who at fifteen writes about his freshman experience not unlike a diary. The story is written through Charlie’s detailed, and very personal letters. School begins with him being bullied. He finds it difficult to make friends, but finally there’s a boy he can relate to who is gay and who introduces Charlie to his sister, Sam. Love takes hold of Charlie, leaves him, he goes to parties, takes drugs, wants to kill himself, feels guilty over the death of his aunt, but finally seeks help from a psychiatrist. 

This book is a gripping story of the year 1666 in which three calamities befell London: the Black Plague, the Anglo-Dutch War, and the Great Fire of London. When I read the book in 2021, I found that we were re-living practically the same events in modern times. I live in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona, and in the spring of 2020, shortly after the COVID shutdowns, fires ignited by lighting swept through the canyons just north of my home. I found myself in a “get ready” zone of the region’s “Get Ready, Get Set, Go” emergency evacuation plan.

1666 shows the range of people’s responses to extreme and immediate danger: from Samuel Pepys’ quick thinking to get the critical government documents out of harm’s way, all the way to the panic and inability to act of others. All animals show a range of reactions… show more.