#SquadGoals // Monthly Recommendations

[We’re All In This Together plays in the background]

So I wasn’t planning on making this post AT ALL (I wanted to have my ACOTAR review/rant up but I still need to work on it), but then I checked my YouTube subscriptions this morning and saw a few BookTubers talking about it and I saw the topic was books with amazing friendships and in case you didn’t know strong friendships in books is my favourite thing in the ENTIRE world. Being aromantic I find it hard to get into a lot of romances, but sign me up for all the friendships. One of my favourite tropes in the entire world is when a bunch of misfit characters are thrown together and pretend to dislike each other but actually care about each other a lot (shows like Parks and Rec, The Office, Brooklyn Nine Nine ect.). I appreciate friendships being the focus point in a book so much (especially if it’s a positive female friendship) and I wish there were way more books out there that did it especially in the YA genre.

Monthly Recommendations is a Goodreads Group that focuses on recommending books with a chosen theme every month. The group is created by Kayla @ Kayla Rayne and Trina @ Between Chapters. To find out more and how to participate you can visit the group here!

Like I mentioned above this month’s theme is: Friendship!

Covers = Goodreads 

Giant Days by John Allison
Illustrated by Lisa Treiman & Whitney Cogar

I read both these volumes just the other day and it has become one of my all time favourite comic series. I could gush over this for the rest of my life. It’s about three characters (Esther, Susan and Daisy) on their journey through university. The friendship between the three girls is amazing. They are all such amazing and unique characters who balance each other out  and despite their friendship being new they are always there for each other. It’s also set in the UK which I thought was cool because most College/Uni stories are set in the U.S. I can’t recommend this series enough it’s absolutely hilarious and the art is AWESOME.

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Anna series by Kendare Blake

Despite being a horror book the Anna series has an AMAZING friendship group. Cas’ friendship with Carmel and Thomas is amazing. They’re not just side characters, they’re just as involved as Thomas is. They’re not afraid to call him out – especially Carmel, which I definitely appreciate. They all care about each other SO MUCH. Thomas and Carmel would honestly go to the end of the world for Cas and he’d do the same for them. The way Anna fits into the group is perfect, too.

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The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken

Where do I even begin to express my love for the Black Betty Crew? Ruby, Vida, Liam, Chubs and Zu are EVERYTHING to me. Those kids give me so many feelings. This is one of the most real dystopians ever because the characters and friendships are just so genuine. They all care about each other and support each other, but once again aren’t afraid to call each other out. The friendship with the other kids who they’re tryig to help rescue from the camps is amazing too. It’s just great seeing all these different people working together as a team. I also need to give a special mention to the In Time novella because the friendship in that between Zu and Gabe is heartbreakingly beautiful. You will cry. A lot.

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

I think that the friendship in The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a great realistic portrayal of what can happen in high school. This book is so important and the fact that it’s banned in some schools blows my mind because I think it should be required reading. Not all friendships are good, but you will eventually find your people and having the right friends can be so benificial for your mental health. It’s okay to screw up and have disagreements and falling out with friends. It happens, it’s part of life. It’s wonderful how many different sides this book shows.  Charlie, Sam and Patrick all go through a lot of growing up together and I love it.

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Gotham City Sirens by Paul Dini
Illustrated by Guillem March, Dustin Nguyen & Scott Lobdell

So is this friendship group conventional? Hello no. Is it incredibly entertaining and unique and wonderful? Hell yes! Harley, Ivy and Selina may not be your traditional friendship group, but they all care about each other a lot. I love seeing then work together and be a team and kick ass. They are all so complex and layered and even though they don’t ALWAYS get on they always seem work things out. I don’t get why there’s so much attention on Batman and Superman when we could instead be focusing on the glory that is the Gotham City Sirens. Plus Harley/Ivy is OTP. Forever.

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Zodiac Starforce by Kevin Panetta
Illustrated by Paulina Ganucheau

Zodiac Starforce is pretty much Sailor Moon, but with astrology instead of planets. It’s one of the funnest comics I’ve ever read. The art is stunning and it’s such an awesome representation of female friendships. The girls all deal with coming back together again after time apart and they’re always there for each other and are willing to do whatever it takes to keep each other safe. The girls are really diverse and unique too! I definitely recommend this series if you’re a fan of kick ass lady superheroes who are wonderfully human.

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Percy Jackson and The Olympians series and The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Rirodan

The friendship in these two series is EVERYTHING. We get to see all these characters grow up and see their friendships develop over time and it’s so wonderful. In the first series seeing Percy, Annabeth and Grover go on all these adventures together and seeing how much they cared about each other was the best. Then in Heroes of Olympus when we’re introduced to Jason, Piper, Frank, Leo and Hazel. Also how Nico fits into everything and learnt to not always be so guarded. Then how much everyone wanted to help Thalia. They all fit together so perfectly. Nothing feels forced. The friendship with Luke, Annabeth and Thalia is another thing I want to talk about because UGH. It is so important to me. The way Luke and Thalia took Annabeth in. They were literally a family. BYE.

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Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Okay so I’m pretty sure everyone who’s done this has included this series and how can you not? The friendships in Harry Potter are so good. The Golden Trio is incredible, but then you also have Luna and Neville and the unity with Dumbledore’s Army and all the students that decided to stay and fight during the Finale Battle. There’s also the great dynamic with the students and professors like Hagrid and McGonagall. And the adults as well like Lupin, Sirius and Mrs. Weasley (also the friendship with Marauders!). My favourite friendship in the entire fictional world is the one between Harry and Hermione. I’m not trying to take anything away from Ron (because again I think it’s good to show that sometimes you do get in arguments with your friends), but Hermione never once left Harry’s side. She stuck by him through EVERYTHING and that kind of loyalty is so overwhelming and beautiful and I’m honestly going to tear up.

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Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Elis & Shannon Watters
Illustrated by Brooke Allen & Maarta Laiho

If you’re looking for a comic series that is crazy and fun and full of positive female friendships and diverse characters then Lumberjanes is something you need to read asap. The things that happen in these comics are so insane, but the friendship between the girls makes it all seem so real. I also love their friendship with their camp counselor – Jane. It would have been easy to make her into like this Mean character, but she really cares about the girls and they love her. There is NO unnecessary drama or angst in Lumberjanes and it is beautiful. These girls are all their own characters and it’s all about them, their friendships and the weird adventures they go on.

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The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater

A post where Lauren talks about The Raven Cycle series? Shocking. I know. The friendship in this series IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND MAGICAL AND JUST OH MY GOD. At the core this book is about FRIENDSHIPS and it’s SO BEAUTIFUL. I’m not even going to apologise for the obnoxious use of capslock. I love that even though one of the biggest plots in this story is about Blue not being able to kiss her true love, it doesn’t take over the friendships. The romances that are in these books are so subtle and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Blue and her Raven Boys are my entire sun and stars and moon. Blue isn’t just there either. She is so important to the group and I love that she doesn’t let the boys get away with everything. I also want to specifically mention Ronan and Blue’s friendship because that is quite possibly one of my favourite things in the world. There was a scene in The Raven King that was THE BEST EVER.

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Have you read any of the books or comics I mentioned here? Or are you planning to? What are some of your favourite fictional friendships? I would love to hear your thoughts!

I hope you’re all having a fantastic day xx