Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish that other bloggers are welcome to join in, to create Top Ten lists on varying topics. This week it’s Top Ten Books Which Feature Characters Who: Change Their World/Can Control The Elements.
Paein
My choice is books which feature characters who change (or are changing) their world. You can argue the everyone changes their world (and I’d agree), but I’m talking about big events that they’ve willingly stepped up to, either from the beginning or because they’ve accidentally set themselves on the path.
1 The Winners Curse
by Marie Rutkoski
My review can be found HERE.
Both the main characters within this book series qualify for my ‘changing their world’ choice. I can’t wait to see what’s left when they’re done.
Winning what you want may cost you everything you love…
As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.
Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.
-Goodreads
2 Traitors Blade
by Sebastien de Castell
My review can be found HERE
Falcio is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats. Trained in the fighting arts and the laws of Tristia, the Greatcoats are travelling Magisters upholding King’s Law. They are heroes. Or at least they were, until they stood aside while the Dukes took the kingdom, and impaled their King’s head on a spike.Now Tristia is on the verge of collapse and the barbarians are sniffing at the borders. The Dukes bring chaos to the land, while the Greatcoats are scattered far and wide, reviled as traitors, their legendary coats in tatters.
All they have left are the promises they made to King Paelis, to carry out one final mission. But if they have any hope of fulfilling the King’s dream, the divided Greatcoats must reunite, or they will also have to stand aside as they watch their world burn…
-Goodreads
3 First Test
by Tamora Pierce
I almost chose the Alanna series (set before this) for this, but I felt that Kel was more deserving. While Alanna made the changes that helped Kel make her own, she didn’t mean to. Kel is that rarely acknowledged second along an unbeaten track, proving there was no fluke. But she also forged her own path after traveling so far behind Alanna and makes her own name.
It’s ten years since royal decree permitted girls to train as knights. No one applied – until now. Keladry of Mindelan is determined to follow in the footsteps of the nation’s gretest legend: Alanna, Lioness of Tortall. She’s in for a nasty surprise.
The royal training master, Lord Wyldon of Cavall, thinks girls should stick to embroidery. He will take her for one year only – on probation. If Keladry doesn’t meet his exacting standards, she’s out.
It seems unfair. Keladry knows she’s equal to any of the boys, but how can she hope to succeed when Lord Wyldon’s mind is already made up?
-Goodreads
4 Magics Pawn
by Mercedes Lackey
While Vanyel doesn’t originally set out on the world changing path, but when he ends up in a situation he takes up the mantle and gives it his all. His is one of my favourites from Valdemar and one I hope to re-read next year as part of our series-read scheme.
Mage-Craft—
Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior’s path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not ony to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the fame Herald-Mages of Valdemar.
But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil can not master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land. And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin’a'in Adept, Vanyel’s wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone’s ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and Valdemar itself in desperate peril…
-Goodreads
5 Joust
by Mercedes Lackey
Another by Mercedes Lackey. I nearly didn’t put this on here, but I couldn’t not. He sees a way to change everything, so he does.
National best-selling fantasy author Mercedes Lackey creates a vivid, dynamic fusion of the cultures of ancient Egypt and legendary Atlantis with the most exciting and believable portrayal of dragons ever imagined. The first book in this thrilling new series introduces us to a young slave who dreams of becoming a jouster-one of the few warriors who can actually ride a flying dragon. And so, in secret, he begins to raise his own dragon…-Goodreads
Ms4Tune
My Choice is Books that Feature Characters who can control the elements
6 Vampire Academy
by Richelle Mead
My Review can be found HERE
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever
7 Fire
by Heather James
My Review can be found HERE
Is control over the elements a gift, or a curse?
Roxy thinks that she is in control of everything: with flames flaring at her fingertips and an equally fiery attitude, what more could she need? But then she meets Brae, a prince from a rival Realm, who turns her assumptions of superiority upside down.
Jasmine has none of Roxy’s confidence or intensity. But she does have a secret – and Brae – and she’s not going to give either up willingly.
8 Red Queen
by Victoria Aveyard
My Review can be found HERE
The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.
To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.
Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?
9 Half-Blood
by Jennifer L Armentrout
My Review can be found HERE
The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi pure bloods have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals–well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she’s crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem–staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.
10 The Burning Sky
by Sherry Thomas
I haven’t read this one yet but I’m excited too.
It all began with a ruined elixir and a bolt of lightning.
Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she’s been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.
Guided by his mother’s visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.
I still haven’t read Tamora Pierce. I must add a TP to my to-read list!
Here’s mine:Book Characters Who Can Teach Us How to Be Happy.
Hello Reader Buzz, you really must add her! Both worlds are good! I’d recommend reading both in PUBLISH order too. I like your list too!
I am dying to read Red Queen. If my book haul wasn’t in the $300 mark this month I would go get it right now. Great list
OMG Jazmin $300?!! That’s immense! I would love to see a picture of your haul! Red Queen was enjoyable, nothing ground breaking but it was entertaining. Maybe next month you could squeeze it in.
Haha I am in the process of writing up a book haul of the ones that have arrived in the mail already this month (some wont arrived till next month).
Awesome! I’ll definitely stop by and check it out!
We will have a Stack the Shelves post on this Saturday. I’ve not bought that many but I have had a decent haul from Netgalley this month. It’s the only way I save any money!
I shall have to check it out! Mine is going up on the 7th.
I find that if I get more than one book off of Netgalley at a time I just end up hoarding them and destroying my ratio so one of my bookish resolutions was to only have one at a time. The same rule clearly doesn’t apply to physical copies though
That is a very wise resolution. One I may have to adopt! My ratio has hit rock bottom cos I just couldn’t resist all those amazing publication. I am gonna need some serious reading time asap!