Choose a Metal Band, Get a Book Rec By Savannah Kennelly Choose a Metal Band, Get a Book RecYou know who I saw in concert back in September? None other than Bring Me the Horizon! I saw them with my roommate who does not listen to metal but does like live music and let’s just say it was an enlightening experience. The concert was so good I nearly passed out, and my roommate said – and I quote – “who knew metal was what I was missing in my life?” WE LIVE TO INSPIRE THE UNINITIATED!Ever since, I have been absolutely blasting all forms of metal, from death metal to deathcore to classic metal to progressive metal… all the metals all the time. Screaming is now my daily work soundtrack. Headbanging is my go-to dance move. Circle moshes haunt my dreams.Anyway, this is all to say that this quiz was made because I have a current obsession and I would not be me if I didn’t try and shoehorn books into it. So here it is – choose a metal band, and I’ll give you a book rec! You’re welcome.<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/landing-page/novl-series-page-the-witch-hunter/">The Witch Hunter </a>by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/virginia-boecker/">Virginia Boecker</a>Classic metal, through and through! With that vein of darkness and references to the occult, Black Sabbath makes a perfect match for The Witch Hunter. Drawing from English history of the 16th century, this book is full of witches and wizards and witch-hunters. When Elizabeth Grey, witch hunter extraordinaire, is falsely accuse of witchcraft, she will have to team up with the people she thought were her enemies to save herself and the kingdom. But not all is as it appears, and her would-be enemies and allies are all hiding secrets.<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/titles/mercedes-lackey/briarheart/9780759557451/">Briarheart</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/mercedes-lackey/">Mercedes Lackey</a>You like the classics! So I’m giving you a book that feels like classic YA! Plus, with a name like Iron Maiden how could you not think of badass female warriors taking on the world? Briarheart is the quintessential story of a girl training to become a knight and protect the people she loves. But will she be up for the test as evil forces try to take down her kingdom and her family?<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/titles/andrew-shvarts/it-ends-in-fire/9780316381444/">It Ends in Fire</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/andrew-shvarts/">Andrew Shvarts</a>I think Metallica is the band people most think of when you say “metal.” I mean, it’s in their name! They are the quintessential metal band, and so I’m giving you a quintessentially metal fantasy: It Ends in Fire. This is the story of Alka, a girl raised by a group of spies to be their ultimate weapon. In a world where Wizards rule with an iron fist, Alka is a wizard determined to bring it all down. It begins with infiltrating Blackwater Academy – it ends in fire.<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/landing-page/novl-series-page-kingdom-of-the-wicked/">Kingdom of the Wicked</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/kerri-maniscalco/">Kerri Maniscalco</a>Rammstein are definitely having a moment thanks in part to TikTok! But this German gothic industrial metal band has been around for a minute, and I’ve been a fan since high school (so I’m clearly OG, just saying). Their look is brutal with a layer of sexuality, while their sound is heavy with a nice dose of industrial-electro. I can’t help but feel they’re the type of band that the Wicked Princes of Hell would listen to – so here’s my rec: Kingdom of the Wicked! Sexy and hellishly good, this story of demons, witches, magic, and murder will have you hooked from page one – or at the very least these hot demon princes will!<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/landing-page/novl-series-page-strange-the-dreamer/">Strange the Dreamer</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/laini-taylor/">Laini Taylor</a>Tool, kings of progressive metal! Honestly, Tool is one of those bands where you listen to them and you’re just like, “this is art. I’m witnessing art.” Their long, complex songs are equal parts impressive and addictive. Whose books have the same energy? Laini Taylor of course! So I’m recommending you check out Strange the Dreamer. The intricate plot and gorgeous writing will absolutely sweep you away while you fall in love with this beautiful fantasy world and nuanced characters. High art, truly!<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/landing-page/novl-series-page-finishing-school/">Etiquette & Espionage</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/gail-carriger/">Gail Carriger</a>BABYMETAL, arguably the progenitor of “kawaii metal,” aka what you get when Japanese idol culture is mixed with heavy metal. It’s a strange and fascinating mixture of genres, and honestly, the songs are bops. So I’m recommending Etiquette & Espionage, a steampunk fantasy with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek prose! An equally odd mix of genres, this book is a rollicking good time! It follows the exploits of Sophronia, a young Victorian girl sent to an unusual finishing school. She’ll not only learn the arts of the perfect curtsy and impeccable manners, but also learn the arts of dealing out death and diversion and spy-craft!<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/titles/holly-black/the-coldest-girl-in-coldtown/9780316213097/">The Coldest Girl in Coldtown</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/holly-black/">Holly Black</a>Ah, Bring Me the Horizon – the progenitor of this quiz and arguably my favorite band on this list! They’ve changed a lot since their deathcore beginnings, but their quality has always been primo and I will brook no argument with this statement. Their most recent focus on post-apocalyptic themes and humanity’s relationship with technology put me in mind of The Coldest Girl in Coldtown! In a world where vampires are real and infection guarantees lifetime quarantine in walled off cities known as Coldtowns, this book follows one girl’s journey to save herself. Meanwhile, vampires cavort alongside humans in their opulent Coldtowns live-streaming it all reality TV style. I mean, how can you not see the similarities?!<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/landing-page/novl-series-page-beyond-the-ruby-veil/">Beyond the Ruby Veil</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/mara-fitzgerald/">Mara Fitzgerald</a>Chaos! Glorious, unhinged chaos! That’s what I think when I consider Knocked Loose. I’ll be honest with you, I hadn’t heard of them until I saw them open for Bring Me the Horizon. Their live show was incredible and the crowd was absolutely going for it! Their music is heavy and utterly unpredictable on a first listen, and you can’t help but move to it. The book that matches this energy perfectly is Beyond the Ruby Veil. It’s an utterly mad, entirely unpredictable, gore-filled romp in a gothic fantasy world where no one is a hero and the villains are the most fun!<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/titles/amelia-brunskill/wolfpack/9780316494557/">Wolfpack</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/amelia-brunskill/">Amelia Brunskill</a>Bad Omens is my current obsession, and not just because I have tickets to see them soon (insert squealing here)! Their most recent album THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND has been on repeat in my playlists – the contrast between the soft melodies, heavy breakdowns, and gorgeous lyrics really got me in a chokehold. So I’m recommending Wolfpack, a poetic story of a cult within a cult, with subtle character relationships, atmospheric poetry, and an unputdownable plot! Havenwood is an idyllic place on the surface, but things fester in the dark once you dig deep enough. And nine girls within the community of Havenwood have formed their own bond closer than sisterhood. When one of them goes missing, they will learn how far they are willing to go to find the truth.<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/landing-page/novl-series-page-belladonna/">Belladonna</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/adalyn-grace/">Adalyn Grace</a>Spiritbox!! I love this band – particularly the vocals of Courtney LaPlante. Her voice is equal parts soft and heavy. She goes from melody to distortion in ways that are frankly astounding. If you love Spiritbox, definitely check out Belladonna! Not only is the name appropriate, for spirits surely abound in this book, but the vibes fit this book perfectly! Follow Signa as she starts to uncover her unusual connection with Death himself and understand the strange powers she’s been born with. This book has the perfect mix of ghost story, murder mystery, gothic Victorian setting, and romance!<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/titles/a-s-king/i-crawl-through-it/9780316334082/">I Crawl Through It</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/a-s-king/">A. S. King</a>Some of you may be surprised to find Poppy on this list, especially if you’re only familiar with her bubble-gum pop era stuff. But her newer work, while not just metal definitely has metal elements and that’s enough for me! So you want something genre-bending and bizarre? I present I Crawl Through It, a bizarre and wildly-inventive ride as four teens on the brink of exploding must learn how to crawl through their traumas to get on the other side.<a href="https://www.thenovl.com/titles/katrina-leno/you-must-not-miss/9780316449793/">You Must Not Miss</a> by <a href="https://www.thenovl.com/contributor/katrina-leno/">Katrina Leno</a>I adore In This Moment – between their horror-inspired visuals and the deep well of female rage radiating from lead singer Maria Brink, what’s not to love? I’m recommending you check out You Must Not Miss precisely for these two reasons. Katrina Leno perfectly captures the deep wells of anger of a teenage girl, and the horror that can be unleashed when it’s channeled.Choose a Metal band! NO
