Today I am here to recommend two authors and two series, two for the price of one post!

So the first author I have to recommend is Joss Stirling and the series I am recommending of hers is the Savant series. My friend got me hooked with Finding Sky and from there it was love. They are mostly YA (Young Adult) novels but they’re not dystopic Hunger Games type YA novels. They’re also not vampire-y. They are supernatural though, kind of like x-men but instead of mutants it’s savants and unlike the x-men they know how to be discreet.

I love books with a supernatural twist so I was sold for that alone. But the characters are also so well written. They’re real and all the main characters go through real issues I’m sure teens and young adults can relate to. Stirling tackles parental abandonment, abuse, the foster system, toxic relationships, trauma, homelessness, wealth and insecurity. Her characters go through real danger that when reading I felt nervous for them. Stealing Phoenix and Misty Falls were the most nerve-racking for me. Seeking Crystal was my favourite because I just wanted her to see herself for the gem she was. I was mad at her family for treating her the way they did, it gets better and they weren’t the worst family but still mad!

The Savant books do deal with the whole idea of soulmates and that can be problematic. Is there such a thing as soulmates and if there is what would it be like? How would you know? Stirling however manages to tackle the subject in a real way and shows the downfalls as well as the benefits.

Of course there is the Benedict brothers as well, they feature in all the books. The first three books in the series focus on the younger brother’s love stories and the other three focus on Misty, Angel and Summer’s friendship. It’s interesting though it’s always in the female point of view. I found myself, more often than not, wondering what they, the Benedict brothers, were thinking. Especially Victor who was hard to mind read (my favourite).

Overall from Finding Sky to Summer Shadows it is a great series that really takes you on a journey with all the characters. I’ll stop here lest I say too much.

The second author I am recommending is Meg Cabot and her Missing series. This might be a surprise but I fell in love with Cabot for the Missing series and not The Princess Diaries series like everyone else. I got into The Princess Diaries late.

So the Missing series follows Jess who gets struck by lightning and gets psychic powers. Well very specific psychic powers, she can find missing children after looking at their picture on a milk carton (and later her powers strengthen and she can find whoever she wants).

Jess is a no nonsense young woman who isn’t afraid to fight for others, doesn’t care what people think and is kind hearted to her core.

There are five books in the series and she goes through all sorts, like how some people don’t want to be found, murder and kidnapping and fending off the FBI.

For me this is one of my favourite Meg Cabot series (along with The Princess Diaries and The Mediator series). It’s gritty, suspense filled and real. Cabot tackles mental health, bullying, post traumatic stress disorder, class relations, discrimination and racism in the Mid West (of America). She also writes the best love stories and Jess and Rob are so pure and honest I love them.

There you have it two recommendations! Or at the very least birthday present ideas.

Happy reading!