Inkheart is the definitive book that made me love to read, which can be backed up by how much I cried when I met the author two years ago. Meggie, a bookbinder’s daughter, lives and breathes books, and when her beloved father disappears under mysterious circumstances, she discovers a dangerous book called Inkheart that the fate of her family depends on. Meggie is a fierce reader and a loyal daughter, and finds courage from the heroes of her favorite books, like the hobbits in The Lord of the Rings and the family in The Borrowers. This book is a journey into the written word that must be savored and shared with anyone who’s ever wanted to disappear into a book.

I got chills when I read the first page of this series; it’s stunning, spellbinding, and absolute magic on the page. In a world where the written word is unheard of, Sefia must decipher and protect The Book, the only one in existence. The Book is more than it seems, however, and Sefia discovers stories from the past, present, and future as she struggles to understand her place in the Book’s mysterious prophecy. Not only is Chee’s worldbuilding truly phenomenal, but her gorgeous prose and riveting command of language are breathtaking.

Coming out in June of this year, Sorcery of Thorns is for anyone with ink-stained fingers and dreams of living parchment and leather. Elisabeth lives in the Great Library of Austermeer, where sorcery can turn books into monsters. When the library becomes compromised and a dangerous volume is released, Elisabeth is banished and must team up with a ne’er do well sorcerer and his demon to clear her name and save the library. Rogerson’s visceral storytelling and charming characters will completely capture your heart.

In Cogman’s bold and inventive series, librarian Irene works as a spy for The Library, a collection of every book ever printed throughout space and time. The concept may be a little confusing at times, but as sensible Irene and her dashing apprentice Kai duck through different times, dimensions, and universes collecting rare books, you’ll just be happy to be along for the ride.

A middle grade horror-style novel about power of words from the author of The Winternight trilogy. When bookish Ollie steals an old book, she gets wrapped up in a centuries old curse with moving scarecrows, creepy mist, and “the man with the smiling face.” To save her town, she has to team up with two classmates, the real horror for this introverted and somewhat cranky girl. I know it sounds impossible, but this novel is as heartwarming as it is terrifying, and Ollie becomes a fantastic heroine in the face of crisis.

Inkmistress is a kickass fantasy with a bisexual heroine, dragons, and a revolution against a corrupt government; a.k.a. pretty much everything you would want in an epic fantasy novel. Hiding out above a small village, demigoddess Asra knows how to change the future by writing in her own blood—and is pretty unwilling to do so. When tragedy strikes and her quiet life is upended, Asra will have to accept her power to stop the one she loves the most from destroying the world she holds dear. Emotional, compelling, and totally heart-wrenching in the best way.

One of my favorite hate-to-love romances ever, driven by the power of storytelling. A retelling of A Thousand and One Nights, Ahdieh focuses on the power of oral storytelling but doesn’t take away the luster of the tales Shahrzad weaves to her unlikely husband. If you want to be spellbound by beautiful words, this is the book for you.