Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and Bookish where we get a new topic for a top 10 list.

Sci-fi, fantasy and magic all go hand in hand. These books encompass some intricate world building, awesome characters, magic, adventure, and most of all creativity. Here are my 10 go-to reads for anyone looking to branch into the world of sci-fi and fantasy.

1. Stardust by Neil Gaiman: This is a quick and easy read and is a perfect introduction to all things fantasy. Gaiman is basically the go-to guy for great fantasy novels.

2. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta: It’s always a joy to read a fantasy that has both a captivating world and characters. Within this world you get the magic and the fantasy but you also get a sense of realism through the choices and expressions of the characters.

3. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi: This series focuses on a collision of worlds; the primitive and the futuristic. I love exploring the way these two world interact with one another when the odds are stacked against them. This series is a dual narrative, so we get to hear the voice of both our male and female protagonist which only highlights this separation between the two worlds and how they slowly begin to lose those stereotypical views on each others worlds. It makes for an interesting journey, a passionate love story and a heartwarming friendship.

4. Cinder by Marissa Meyer: A fairy-tale retelling in a futuristic world. I love the infusion of these two worlds and I’d recommend this series to anyone looking to get into fairy-tale retellings.

5. The Final Empire (Mistborn series) by Brandon Sanderson: An insane adventure, with a complex cast of characters. So much goes on in the book but at it’s heart we explore what it means to trust, to love and to allow yourself to vulnerably expose yourself in a hardened world.

6. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas: I’ve not actually read this series but I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about it and I will get round to reading this one very soon.

7. The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien: It’s a classic. It’s an adventure. It’s magical. You have Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Dragons. What more could you want from a book?

8. Graceling by Kristin Cashore: Our protagonist, Katsa is such a badass. She’s very independent but she’s also quite vulnerable and holds a lot of guilt for the actions her grace has caused. On top of that we have our male protagonist who seems to be the very opposite of Katsa. The two of them balance each other out and bring out the best of one another. We also get a strong, vivid world, which is so easy to visualize.

9. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab: A newly released book that encompasses all things magic. We have parallel worlds (4 Londons) and each world has a distinct aura and personality to it. The characters are fierce, and morally ambiguous and their journey is an absolute action packed roller-coaster.

10. Red Rising by Pierce Brown: This series is just insane. It’s set on Mars and has a very futuristic, sci-fi quality to it. However, despite that there’s a brutality to the world that is very reminiscent of a classical civilization. This book is an emotional roller-coaster and our protagonist, Darrow is very flawed and at times unlikeable. However, despite his flaws, Darrow is character fueled by grief and love. All of these elements make for one compelling tale.

Those are my top 10 Sci-fi/Fantasy must reads. Tell me, which books are your go-to reads?