5 Books to Read if You Loved "The House in the Cerulean Sea"

This month, I featured The House in the Cerulean Sea as my Karli Sherman Productions Book of the Month! If you haven't read it, I don't even care if you finish reading this blog. Go buy a copy of this fantastic, magical book and READ IT!!

I wanted to feature The House in the Cerulean because I think our main character, and most of the characters, exhibit exactly what I teach - that by getting outside your comfort zone, and meeting new people, you grow and develop and level up. This book is FULL of lessons that align really well with my mission for my business: to help people become the best version of themselves!

Also, the feel of the book has been described as "being wrapped in a big gay blanket." And it's been compared to Harry Potter, X-Men, Hitchickers Guide, and so many other things I love. Plus, I'm a sucker for character-led books with interesting, strong, complex characters you feel like you know and care about. So The House in the Cerulean Sea had been on my to-read list for a while, and I was NOT disappointed when I finally got the chance to read it.

If you love The House in the Cerulean Sea as much as I do, I have a few other books to recommend that you might enjoy! Check them out!

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Series by Ransom Riggs (Amazon)

A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. And a strange collection of very curious photographs. It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience.

Are we surprised these books made the list again?? Nope. Not at all. First of all, I adore this entire series. It is one of my absolute favorites. If you loved the interesting, adorable, magical yet a little odd, cast of children in The House in the Cerulean Sea, you'll love Miss Peregrine's.

Who Should Read It?

Fans of Umbrella Academy, X-Men, and other series featuring magical children. Anyone who loves magic with a little horror and history thrown in.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (Amazon)

For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.

But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.

When we meet Linus, the main character of The House in the Cerulean Sea, his life is pretty bleak. He spends his days alone, trudging through day after day in an oppressive office environment straight out of 1984. But all it takes is a little adventure. A little push out of his comfort zone and toward what a life fulfilled *actually* might look like. And the permission to be exactly who he is.

One Last Stop brings us the same dynamic as we see between Linus and Arthur in The House in the Cerulean Sea. And the same mystery and magic is woven through both books.

Who Should Read It?

Fans of LGBT romance, time travel, and heartwarming stories.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Amazon)

What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius―his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined.

Is it Casey McQuiston featured again?? Oh my god. It issssss. We love to see it.

Red, White, and Royal Blue is an incredible, fun LGBT romance that asks the questions: "Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through?" The characters in Red, White, and Royal Blue learn the same lesson Arthur teaches Linus in The House in the Cerulean Sea: Being exactly who you are is a beautiful thing.

Who Should Read It?

Fans of LGBT romance, alternate history, enemies turned lovers trope.

Check Please by Ngozi Ukazu (Amazon)

Eric Bittle may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It is nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There’s checking (anything that hinders the player with possession of the puck, ranging from a stick check all the way to a physical sweep). And then, there is Jack―his very attractive but moody captain.

If you're looking for a quick, fluffy, fun LGBT read, here it is!! Definitely "big gay blanket" vibes. You can probably this one in one sitting, and I promise you'll immediately want to pick up the next book in the series.

Eric Bittle is unapologetically himself throughout these graphic novels, even when that means he stands out among his teammates. But through his charm and dogged persistence, he wins over the hearts of nearly everyone around him and pushes them to be more true to themselves in the process.

Who Should Read It?

Fans of LGBT romance, graphic novels, pie.

Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Amazon)

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

The choices we make matter. They have the ability to change our life dramatically. In Midnight Library the characters wrestle with the idea of what it means to live a good life. If you loved the magic and depth of The House in the Cerulean Sea you'll love Midnight Library.

Who Should Read It?

Fans of alternate endings, whimsy, and bestselling fiction.

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Did you find something to add to your to-read list?? I hope so!!

AND Be sure to stay tuned to find out which fabulous book I'll be featuring next month!