Books for People Who Are Addicted to Fanfiction

Fanfiction has become my safe place for the past few months of the pandemic. While I love “real” books, the combination of Zoom and general pandemic fatigue robbed me of a lot of my motivation to read. At the end of the day, I often found myself craving comfort and instant gratification that I couldn't find in books. After talking to a friend about fanfics, I rediscovered ao3, a middle school obsession of mine that I never guessed would return to my life ten years down the road. I read one fic, and I was a goner. For the last few months of 2020, I only read fan fiction, and I loved it. I still do. I love the angst, the sexy romances, the familiar characters, the warm and fuzzy feeling I get from a particularly good scene.

But fanfiction can only take you so far—after a while, you might find yourself wanting a break from the screen or the grammar mistakes or the typical love stories. If you love fanfiction, but you’ve been feeling like it might be time to pick up a real book again, this list is for you. Among the nine titles below, you will find angst, hurt/comfort, enemies to lovers, alternate universes, and more.

Cassandra Clare’s Books

I started reading Clare’s fiction when I was 11. At the time, she had published four books in her first series, The Mortal Instruments. The first book, City of Bones, follows 16 year-old Clary Fray, who finds out she belongs to a warrior race of half-angel, half-human, superheroes called Shadowhunters. Cue the love triangles, forbidden romances, and very sexy bad boys covered in magic tattoos. I devoured those books like I would fanfiction—staying up until 4 am, eyes red and blurry, just to know what happens at the end—and waited eagerly for the next installments. Ten years later, Clare has now published 16 novels in 5 different series taking place in the Shadowhunter world. After finishing The Mortal Instruments, Clare penned three more series featuring Shadowhunters from the Victorian, Edwardian, and modern eras—and, with each, I have seen her grow better and better at raising the stakes, diversifying the characters, and drawing the reader into the story. It’s like she’s writing fanfiction for the world she’s created. You can tell she has a lot of fun doing it. Plus, the romances are definitely angsty enough to compete with any slow-burn enemies-to-lovers AU.

Note on the order: if there’s too many books and you don’t know where to start, consult this link: https://www.cassandraclare.com/exploring-the-shadowhunter-chronicles/

My favorite line: "There is no pretending…I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there’s a life after that, I’ll love you then.” -- Cassandra Clare, City of Glass

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Author Madeline Miller has a joint degree in Classics and Breaking Peoples’ Hearts. Song of Achilles, Miller’s first novel, follows Greek hero Achilles from the eyes of his best friend/lover, Patroclus. What ensues is basically a gay Percy Jackson for grown-ups. The romance is sweet and heart-wrenching, the story high-stakes and action-packed. And it kind of is fanfiction, considering it’s based on the Odyssey and all. On top of all that, it will probably make you cry, even if you already know the ending. #angst.

Note: Miller has another book called Circe, which follows (you guessed it) Circe. It’s very lush and reflective, perhaps less appealing to fanfic readers but still no less fantastic. If you’d prefer a feminist Percy Jackson for grownups, try Circe instead.

My favorite line: “I will never leave him. It will be this, always, for as long as he will let me. If I had had words to speak such a thing, I would have. But there were none that seemed big enough for it, to hold that swelling truth. As if he had heard me, he reached for my hand. I did not need to look; his fingers were etched into my memory, slender and petal-veined, strong and quick and never wrong. “Patroclus,” he said. He was always better with words than I." -- Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

A Court of Thorns and Roses is Sarah J. Maas’ first book the eponymous fantasy series. Maas loosely bases the novel on Beauty and the Beast, telling the story of a young woman named Feyre who is captured by the beast-like Tamlin, one of seven faerie High Lords who rule alongside the human world. I love the environment of this book—there’s a lot of dark forests, mysterious old women, and, of course, sexy bad boys (with wings). Plus, the character development throughout the series is incredibly satisfying, as we watch Feyre navigate her romances, family, and power. I recommend this for fanfic addicts because it’s fast-paced, sexy, and gripping. If you’re looking for something similar but feel turned off by the young adult genre, try Maas’s latest novel, Crescent City. Though it’s much more intricate and nearly 900 pages, Maas nevertheless maintains the sense of intrigue and suspense throughout. And, yes, there is a sexy bad boy.

My favorite line: “I was loosened, a top whirling around and around, and I didn't know who I danced with or what they looked like, only that I had become the music and the fire and the night, and there was nothing that could slow me down.” -- Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

I read fanfiction because it makes me feel good. That’s exactly why Allie Brosh’s Hyperbole and a Half is on this list. It doesn’t have searing romance or gut-wrenching angst, but it’s great for people who have trouble concentrating on “real” books and just want something that will make them feel good. Brosh is snort-into-your-cereal funny, and the book is a very low commitment because it’s more like a collection of short stories than a novel. Brosh understands her audience and has this amazing talent for balancing self-deprecation and self-love. If you want to read something that will make you laugh, read hyperbole and a half.

My favorite line: “On a fundamental level, I am someone who would throw sand at children.” -- Allie Brosh, Hyperbole and a Half

Atonement by Ian McEwen

This might seem out of place on this list, but hear me out—the angst. 100 pages of a war-torn man reminiscing about his lost love, a mistake that reverberates through generations, WWII…need I say more? This book may not be as compulsively readable as the others on this list—you might want to throw it across the room at times—but it will tear your heart out. And stomp on it. But once you finish, you can watch the Kiera Knightly movie! So maybe it’s worth it.

My favorite line: it's a very wordy book. All the best quotes are far too long to include here.

Stolen Beauty by Laurie Lico Albanese

Historical fiction is basically fan fiction, after all. This story, written by Laurie Lico Albanese, follows the real-life Adele Bloch-Bauer, one of Gustav Klimt’s muses. Spanning multiple generations, the book endeavors to imagine the life of the woman who many simply think of as “the woman in gold.” Vienna in 1900 is lush and beautiful, bustling with art, culture, and salons. The book transports you. The romance does not rival any fan fiction, simply because the author is more concerned with Adele herself than her relationship with men. If you’re looking for a book steeped in art, history, and femininity, try Stolen Beauty.

My favorite line: “Everyone is sad sometimes, and art is one of the best remedies for a bout of melancholy. Art speaks to you, and you don't have to say anything in reply.” -- Laurie Lico Albanese, Stolen Beauty

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

I don’t ever recommend this book, mostly because everyone has read it. But if you consider yourself a fanfic connoisseur, and you haven’t read this book…perhaps you should re-evaluate. Twilight is the blueprint. Of any book on this list, it reads the most like fanfiction. If you need something easy, cheesy, and fast-paced, I promise this will satisfy you like a fanfic. And, considering the number of times Meyer uses words like “smoldering” and “chuckle,” it will feel very familiar to any experienced fanfic reader.

My favorite line: "Life sucks, and then you die." -- Stephenie Meyer, Breaking Dawn

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Possibly my favorite book, I’ll Give You the Sun follows two twins at different points in their lives. In alternating chapters, we read about the twins at ages 13 and 16, slowly piecing together the catastrophe that estranged them. The romances in this book nearly gave me heart palpitations, as they add so much to each character’s development. Moreover, I don’t think I’ve ever read descriptions of art that I like as much as Nelson’s. If you want to read a book about healing, family trauma, and unconditional love, pick this one up. It’s angsty, artistic, and so, so worth it.

My favorite line: "What is bad for the heart is good for art. The terrible irony of our lives as artists." -- Jandy Nelson, I'll Give You the Sun

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

I’ve placed this at the bottom of the list because I assume most fanfic addicts aren’t looking to read classic literature. But if you find yourself having a hankering for a gothic tale about betrayal and manipulation, pick up Bronte’s novel. My favorite part of this book is that it’s told from the point of view of the family’s servant, giving the tale an air of unreliability and mystery. Plus, Heathcliff is the ultimate sad boy—once you read this book, you will realize how much his character has influenced the romance genre today. It’s juicy and creepy, and you will definitely NOT be rooting for any of the characters.

My favorite line: "I gave him my heart, and he took it and pinched it to death; and flung it back to me. People feel with their hearts, Ellen, and since he has destroyed mine, I have not power to feel for him." -- Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights

I'm sure this list could have many more titles, but this is where I will end for today. Happy reading!