I love two things in this world: books and video games. Whenever I’m bored, or sad, or even happy, I’m either reading a book or playing a video game! If you’re like me, you’re always searching for new book recs–and what better way to pick your next read than to base it on your fave video game? Here’s a list of fantastic books you should read if you’re a video game fan!
Pick Your Fave Video Game and Get a Book Rec
Legend of Zelda – Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
Clockwork Princess is the PERFECT read for fans of Zelda. The Infernal Devices trilogy follows Tessa as she discovers the Shadowhunter world and navigates strange powers. As she and her Shadowhunter friends fight against clockwork creatures, she learns more about who she really is.
Pokemon – Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman
If you love bonding with your favorite Pokemon, you will LOVE this magical new middle grade series by A.F. Steadman. Skandar has always wanted to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island where wild unicorns roam free, so when he gets his chance, he will do anything and everything to get there and to stay. A thrilling journey filled with epic sky battles, dangerous clashes with unicorns, and a shadowy villain amassing a unicorn army, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is the perfect read for Pokemon fans!
Animal Crossing – To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
If Lara Jean had a video game she was obsessed with, Animal Crossing would be IT. Animal Crossing is filled with ADORABLE villagers, and the game has a distinctive look that is perfect for people who love crafts and art, just Lara Jean, the protagonist of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Not only is this book a super fun, must-read classic, its aesthetics totally match this cute video game.
Call of Duty – Trigger by N. Griffin
If you enjoy how intense Call of Duty is, Trigger would be a perfect read for you. This harrowing thriller follows a teen girl whose abusive father is obsessed with teaching her two things: how to hunt and how to play chess. But these aren’t simple father-daughter lessons, and Didi can’t do anything to escape being threatened with the Hurt Stick when she isn’t learning quickly enough. This story is super intense with a shocking twist ending!
Madden – Game Changer by Abbi Glines
If you love Madden, you’re probably a huge football fan, which means you’ll love Game Changer (and the entire Field Party series). Game Changer is a southern soap opera with football, cute boys, and pick-up trucks. What’s not to love?
League of Legends – Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
If this battle area video game is your game of choice, you NEED to read Legendborn. After her mother dies tragically in an accident, Bree escapes to a residential pre-college program for gifted high schoolers at UNC-Chapel Hill. Just as Bree is starting to settle in, everything changes when she witnesses a demon feeding on human energies on campus. With her new friend Nick’s help, Bree infiltrates a secret society of “Legendborn” to find more answers about her mother’s death.
World of Warcraft – Crown of Feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
The best part of World of Warcraft for me is when you’re able to fly all the cool mounts available to players. If you love the fighting and flying that comes with WoW, you need to pick up Crown of Feathers! Veronyka is a war orphan who dreams of being a Phoenix Rider – so when her controlling sister betrays her, she goes out to find the legendary riders by herself and won’t let anything stand in her way, even if it means disguising herself as a boy to join their ranks.
Mario Kart – Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
If you love racing to first place in Mario Kart, you will love Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour. After her father’s sudden death, Amy’s mom decided to start anew in Connecticut, and she’s decided it’s Amy’s job to get the car all the way from California to their new home state. The problem? She hasn’t driven since a car accident that took her father’s life. Enter Roger, a family friend who helps Amy drive across the country.
Super Smash Bros – Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare
Chain of Gold is the perfect read for anyone who loves to play Super Smash Bros. With all of the iconic characters to choose from, SSB is a game that brings friends together. Chain of Gold is a Shadowhunters book with a TON of characters who join together to fight the strange demons attacking 1930s London. This Shadowhunters series is a classic, just like Super Smash Bros, and will keep you glued to the pages from the very beginning.
Skyrim – Cursed by Frank Miller and Thomas Wheeler
If you love being Dragonborn, fighting bandits, and destroying Alduin in Skyrim, Cursed is the book for you! Nimue wields a sword meant for the true king and battles the armies of a corrupt king. Just like the Dragonborn, she is the chosen one who struggles to unite her people, avenge her family, and discover the truth about her destiny. Plus, this book matches the medieval aesthetics of Skyrim perfectly!
Genshin Impact – Shine by Jessica Jung
If you love this fun gacha game, you need to read Shine! Shine follows seventeen-year-old Korean American Rachel Kim as she strives to be the world’s biggest K-pop star. As the dark scandals of an industry bent on controlling and commodifying beautiful girls begin to bubble up, Rachel wonders if she’s strong enough to be a winner, or if she’ll end up crushed.
Valorant – The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley
The Bones of Ruin is perfect for anyone who is highly competitive and loves Valorant. Iris is a tightrope dancer who agrees to enter a tournament to the death, a competition is made up of vicious fighters with fantastical abilities (just like each character in Valorant who has a special ability to help them win the match)! To make matters more interesting, Iris cannot die, and has no memories of how she ended up this way.
Halo – Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Halo is chock full of aliens, just like Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything! Three years ago, Sia’s mom disappeared. Then one night, Sia’s life cracks wide open when a blue-lit spacecraft crashes in front of Sia’s car – and it’s carrying Sia’s mom. If you’re a fan of sci-fi video games like Halo, this book will keep you riveted!
Final Fantasy – SLAY by Brittney Morris
If you love role playing games like Final Fantasy, you’ll love reading about another RPG in SLAY. Kiera Johnson is the secret game developer of an online role-playing game named SLAY. But, when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, news of the game reaches mainstream media, and SLAY is labeled a racist, exclusionist, violent hub for thugs and criminals.
Kingdom Hearts – Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
If you love how fun and action-packed Kingdom Hearts is, you’ll love Xiran Jay Zhao’s new middle grade book, Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor! Zachary Ying is woefully unprepared when he discovers that he was born to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China for a vital mission: sealing the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open.
Street Fighter – Wrecked by Heather Henson
If you love this gritty fighting game, you’ll love Wrecked. For as long as Miri can remember it’s been her and her dad, Poe, in Paradise—what Poe calls their home, hidden away from prying eyes in rural Kentucky. She knows what her dad does, why people call his “the Wizard,” and why Clay, Poe’s right hand-man, patrols the grounds with a machine gun. But lately, Paradise feels like a prison. That is, until Fen moves to town, and his DEA agent father is a little too interested in Miri’s family.