33 Books To Read If You Can't Stop Watching Marvel Movies

If you've watched these movies over and over, why not give these books a try?

Marvel

If you like: A.I., tech, and snark.

1. Ace Takes Flight by Cory McCarthy

Clarion Books, Via onceandfuturestories.com

Genre: Middle grade sci-fi

Ace is an 11-year-old in the year 2048, and he's just become a cadet in the new B.E.S.T. (Biological Enhancement Systems Technology) Program. Anxious to get out of his superstar brother's shadow, Ace is ready for a great first day. But nothing goes as planned — his celebrity roommates aren't so welcoming, his coach's challenges are impossible, and the elevator AI Otis wants to eat his belongings.

2. War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

Razorbill, Christina Orlando

Genre: Young adult sci-fi

In 2172, much of the Earth is unlivable, and those rich enough and lucky enough to escape have abandoned the planet for colonies in the sky. Sisters Onyii and Ify live in war-torn Nigeria, where soldiers are outfitted with bionic limbs and artificial organs so they might be protected from the radiation-heavy climate. Survival is the only way of life, but Onyii and Ify dream of a peaceful future — even if they must fight a war to get to it.

3. All Systems Red by Martha Wells

Tor, Via marthawells.com

Genre: Adult sci-fi

Safety isn't a primary concern for the Company, though they may send security androids along on planetary missions to say that they are safe. But a mission on a distant planet has its scientists accompanied by Murderbot, a self-aware SecUnit that wants the humans to leave it alone to figure out its identity. Alas, Murderbot and the scientists will need to find the truth when a neighboring mission goes dark, so self reflection may need to wait.

Marvel

If you like: Out of their time adventurers.

4. Jukebox by Nidhi Chainani

First Second, Nidhi Chainani

Genre: Middle grade

When Shaheen's father abruptly disappears, the only clues he leaves behind are cryptic notes on music history, old vinyl records, and a mysterious jukebox...that just started glowing. Shaheen and her cousin, Tannaz, are pulled back in time, journeying decade by decade through music history as determined by the record. And at every stop, they search for Shaheen's dad.

5. Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson

Sourcebooks Fire, Sara Nicole Lemon

Genre: Young adult

When Andre receives a liver transplant, he hardly expects to pass out and wake up in 1969, and then return to present day. But alas, his time travel ability is an unexpected side effect of his new organ, as explained to him by the family of his donor, who have tasked their youngest son Blake with teaching Andre the boundaries of the gift. Andre is torn between past, where a magnetic boy named Michael is, and present, where Blake keeps him at arm's length dealing with the death of his brother. He'll need to figure out where he belongs fast, though, because the consequences of time jumps are about to catch up to him.

6. Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen

Mira Books, Via mikechenbooks.com

Genre: Adult sci-fi

Kin Stewart lives in 1990s San Francisco with his teenage daughter, Miranda, and his wife. But his past — as a time-traveling secret agent from 2142 that got stuck after a mission gone wrong — is kept hidden, until a rescue team shows up to take him home. The home in question has only missed him for a few weeks, while he's lived 18 years with increasing memory loss, and he's desperate to stay connected to his daughter.

Marvel

If you like: Gods, myths, and magical power seekers.

7. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia

Rick Riordan, Via kwamembalia.com

Genre: Middle grade fantasy

Tristan is supposed to be spending a month at his grandparents' farm in Alabama, where he's being sent to heal after a bus accident that took his best friend Eddie's life. All he has left of Eddie is a notebook of his stories... which is stolen by a doll-like creature on his first night at the farm. In the ensuing struggle, Tristan punches a tree, accidentally opening a chasm into the MidPass, and landing him in the middle of a conflict involving Black American folk heroes (such as Brer Rabbit and John Henry) and West African Gods (such as Anansi, the Weaver).

8. The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco

Harperteen, Via rinchupeco.com

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Young godesses Odessa, a bookish, chronically ill lesbian, and Haidee, a free-spirited mechanic, live in a land which has been ruled by generations of twin goddesses. Aeon split into two 17 years ago, when betrayal rocked the twin rulers, and now Odessa's mother rules Aranth, the frozen city, and Haidee's mother rules the Golden City, sand-locked with endless sun. Now Odessa and Haidee are being called back to the site of the Breaking, and the two girls go on separate journeys to try to heal their broken world.

9. Song of Blood and Stone by L. Penelope

St. Martin's Griffin, Valerie Bey

Genre: Adult fantasy

Jasminda just wants a quiet life on her farm. All her life, she's been shunned for both the color of her skin and her gift of Earthsong. But her quiet life is disturbed by the arrival of a group of Lagrimari soldiers, and an Elsiran spy named Jack, who think they are still in Lagrimar. Jack tells her the Mantle, a magical veil that separates the kingdoms of Elsira and Lagrimar, is cracking, and the ruler of the latter is determined to get through to Elsira and seize power. The only hope of stopping him lies in the secrets of the Queen Who Sleeps, and in Jasminda's Earthsong.

Marvel

If you like: Crews of misfits, sometimes musical, sometimes in space, and sometimes on a heist.

10. Generation Misfits by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Peter Jolly

Genre: Middle grade contemporary

It's the first year at a real school for Millie, and the dreams she's always had about having friends and freedom seem to be coming true! There's an imitation band of her favorite J-Pop group featuring a group of misfits that welcome Millie and quickly become almost like family. But when it comes time for their performance, one of them is dealing with problems outside of music, ones that Millie wants to help with.

11. Invictus by Ryan Graudin

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Via ryangraudin.com

Genre: Young adult sci-fi

Farway is the son of a time traveler from 2354 AD and a gladiator from ancient Rome. He's always dreamed of being a time traveler himself, but after he fails his entrance exam, he takes up a captain position on a ship that steals valuables from the past and sells them on the black market. While on the sinking Titanic, a mysterious girl appears — and she holds secrets that can affect all of time.

12. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Harper Voyager, Via otherscribbles.com

Genre: Adult sci-fi

The aging ship Wayfarer has certainly seen better days, but when Rosemary Harper joins the crew, she's grateful for a chance to get far away from her past...very far. Life on board is filled with chaos, and the crew — including a reptilian pilot — will go through it all together, exploring far corners of the galaxy and surviving mishaps of all sorts.

Marvel

If you like: Bug powers, heists, and gentle chaos a la Paul Rudd.

13. Bug Girl by Benjamin Harper and Sarah Hines Stephens

Macmillian, Benjamin Harper, Sarah Hines Stephens

Genre: Middle grade

Amanda might be one of the few students in her 6th grade class that is obsessed with bugs. Everyone else, including former best friend Emily, thinks they're creepy and that her obsession is weird. But after both Amanda and Emily's mothers are taken by mysterious invaders, and Amanda develops insectile powers, she and Emily will need to work together to save both their moms and the town.

14. Death Prefers Blondes by Caleb Roehrig

Square Fish, Via calebroehrig.com

Genre: Young adult thriller

This Hamlet-ian heist novel, which follows teen socialite Margot who pulls off high-stakes cat burglaries with a team of kickboxing drag queens. But when a job lands the crew in peril, and Margo's personal life takes a dark turn, everything in Margot's double life threatens to end them — for good.

15. Steal the Sky by Megan E O'Keefe

Angry Robot, Via goodreads.com

Genre: Adult fantasy

Detan is a conman, needing to make a quick escape alongside trusted companion Tibs. They're about to pull off their biggest heist ever — to steal the airship of Thratia, an exiled commodore. But the paranoia that accompanies the murder of several government officials means that stealing the ship is that much harder than anticipated. And despite the fact that Thratia is able to assume more power in the wake of the vacated seats, the face changer committing the murders is not aligned with her, and it seems Detan accidentally walked into a revolution.

Marvel

If you like: Messing with the universe, powerful magic, and, of course, the "I will figure out exactly what I need to do to make sure things go my way at any cost" main character.

16. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez

Rick Riordan, Via amazon.com

Genre: Middle grade

There was a raw chicken is Yasmany's locker, and student council president Gabi is determined to prove that Sal Vidon was responsible. But proving he did something is difficult when there were no witnesses and the chicken in question has mysteriously disappeared. As it turns out, Sal has the ability to reach into time and space to retrieve things from other universes — even his late mother. Gabi, who has a newborn brother on life support, could use his help. But if you mess with the universe, sometimes the universe messes with you, too.

17. Beyond the Ruby Veil by Mara Fitzgerald

Little Brown, Emily Frazier

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Emanuela, a socialite who knows how to get what she wants, lives in a world where the water is created by the Watercrea, who is able to create water from the blood of people who have these mysterious marks on their skin. If you get one of these marks, you have to turn yourself in, but until now, Emanuela has managed to keep hers hidden. When the Watercrea discovers her, the two fight and the Watercrea is killed, so Emanuela goes on the run and has to find a new way to bring water to her town. Emanuela is an extraordinarily compelling lead character who pulls you to the pages and keeps you hooked past the final page.

18. The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Orbit, Shekhar Bhatia

Genre: Adult fantasy

The Hirana is an ancient temple, once holding powerful, magical waters in the past, and now holding princess Malini prisoner thanks to her dictator brother. When she accidentally witnesses the true nature of Priya, a maidservant who journeys to the Hirana each night to clean, their fates intertwine. As Malini seeks to depose her brother, and Priya searches for her family, they'll go from reluctant allies to romantically linked, and their journey will leave behind a world that will never be the same.

Marvel

If you like: With great power comes great responsibility...and books with the delightful vibes of Spidey.

19. Miles Morales: Shock Waves by Justin A Reynolds

Graphix, Via justinareynolds.com

Genre: Middle grade

Is it cheating to include a Spider-Man book here? No, because I am making the rules of this list, and Miles Morales is awesome. Miles has been balancing school and spidey duties the best he can, and when an earthquake strikes in Puerto Rico, his mother's birthplace, Miles swings into action to set up a fundraiser. But the giant corporation sponsoring Miles' fundraiser also seems to be connected to the disappearance of a new student's father...and how does it all tie back to Spider-Man?

20. Collateral Damage by Taylor Simonds

Parliament House, Via taylorsimonds.com

Genre: Young adult sci-fi

In a world full of superheroes, one girl (and a rat named Trashface) will do whatever it takes... to not get killed. Meg lives in Lunar City, where the near-daily battles among superhumans has led her to adopt a "background citizen" existence. But her entire strategy falls to pieces when she stumbles across the dead body of one of the supers, and his girlfriend coerces her into tracking down who killed him.

21. Heroine Complex by Sarah Kuhn

Daw books, Via heroinecomplex.com

Genre: Adult sci-fi/fantasy

Aveda Jupiter is the most beloved superheroine in San Francisco. Evie Tanaka is her childhood best friend and personal assistant, posing as her boss for one night and discovering that she has powers as well. As an unexpected romance slides into her path, along with murderous cupcakes and Aveda's demands, Evie will need to balance it all. Don't even mention the whole demonic invasion thing, she'll take care of that too.

Marvel

Kingdoms cut off from the rest of the world, an army of girls, and reemerging secrets of the past.

22. Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry

Bloomsbury, Via jamarjperry.com

Genre: Middle grade fantasy

Two years ago, Cameron's parents disappeared, and ever since, his grandmother has kept The Book of Chidani locked away. The book tells stories of a fabled kingdom that cut itself off from the world to save the Igbo people from danger...and it's been calling to Cameron. When he and his friends decide to open the book, it transports them to a Chidani in extreme peril rather than the land of beauty the book presented. Chidani has been waiting for a hero to return and save them, and they think it's Cameron.

23. The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

Delacorte, Via goodreads.com

Genre: Young adult fantasy

On the day of Deka's blood ceremony, the ceremony that determines whether she will become a member of her village, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity. And Deka knows she will face the consequences. But that's before a mysterious woman offers her a choice: Stay in the village to face the backlash or join an army of girls like her — they're called alaki, near-imortals with rare gifts — who fight for the emperor. And as she journeys to the capital for training, she will discover that nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be.

24. Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Orbit, Manuel Ruiz

Genre: Adult fantasy

Danso has been chasing forbidden stories. The elite in the ancient city of Bassa claim that there is nothing of interest outside the city borders, and those that arrive from outside are sworn to secrecy. But Danso is drawn directly into the city's history when he encounters a warrior with magic that shouldn't exist, and he sets out on a journey beyond the walls.

Marvel

If you like: Powerful flying superheroes, men threatened by a powerful woman, and a girl fighting against gaslighting. 

25. The Land of Yesterday by K.A. Reynolds

HarperCollins, Jeff Woodward

Genre: Middle grade

When Cecilia's younger brother dies tragically, his soul goes to the Land of Yesterday. After, as her father grieves and her mother abandons the land of the living to follow her brother into Yesterday, her house's spirit is crumbling. But the manipulative house forces Cecelia to make a choice: venture to the dark Land of Yesterday on her own and rescue her mother, or even worse things will happen.

26. Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy

Balzer + Bray, Christy Archibald / Christy Archibald Photography (www.christyarchibald.com)

Genre: Young adult

Faith Herbert can usually be found hanging with Matt and Ches, her two best friends, volunteering at the local animal shelter, obsessing over teen drama The Grove, or flying. That last one is new. When The Grove production relocates to her town, and the star Dakota Ash takes romantic interest in her, it's almost enough to distract her from a troubling conundrum: People have begun to vanish from the town, and only Faith can figure out why.

27. Circe by Madeline Miller

Bay Back Books, Nina Subin

Genre: Adult fantasy

Circe possesses the power of witchcraft, an ability that can be harnessed to menace the gods themselves. Zeus, who as Greek myth lovers know always keeps a level head and makes well thought out decisions, banishes her to a deserted island because he's threatened by her power. But on the island, Circe hones her talents, while crossing paths with many famous figures (the Minotaur, Odysseus, Medea, and more) and drawing the wrath of a terrifying Olympian.

Marvel

If you like: Stories about a powerful girl used against her own will, espionage, and children swept away to contend for a spot in a society (that last one is a wee bit happier than the situation in the movie.)

28. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

Little Brown, Via goodreads.com

Genre: Middle grade fantasy

Nevermoor follows Morrigan Crow, a girl who is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. But while she's waiting for her predetermined fate, a strange, remarkable man named Jupiter North whisks her away to a magical city called Nevermoor, so that she may contend for a spot in the Wundrous Society. To join, she must compete against hundreds of other children in four difficult and dangerous trials, and she'll need to pass the tests in order to stay.

29. Incendiary by Zoraida Córdova

Little Brown, Via zoraidacordova.com

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Renata, a memory thief who was kidnapped as a child and brought to the Andalucia palace, was used to carry out a siege that brought about the deaths of thousands of her own people. Though she was rescued by a group of rebel spies called the Whispers, she is unable to escape the memories of her time in the palace. When the commander of her unit, Dez, is taken captive, she must return to Andalucia. Now faced with completing his mission, Renata has to keep her cover, even when faced with a chance at vengeance against the prince.

30. An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

Kensington Publishing Corporation, Via alyssacole.com

Genre: Adult historical romance

Elle and Malcolm are both undercover agents during the Civil War. Elle is a former slave, who has returned to the indignity of slavery in the South to spy for the Union Army, while Malcolm is infiltrating a Rebel enclave in Virginia as a detective for Pinkerton's Secret Service. Their common cause, and attraction, link them together, fully joining forces after the discovery of a plot that could turn the tide of the war.

Marvel

If you like: Training in secret, unexpected demons, and the future of worlds

31. The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao

Bloomsbury, Via katiezhao.com

Genre: Middle grade fantasy

After their father disappeared, Faryn Liu and her brother Alex were shunned by the Jade Society, and have trained in secret to honor their family and the gods by becoming warriors. When Faryn helps defeat a demon while running an errand, it turns out she might be a fabled warrior called the Heaven Breaker, destined to command an army of dragons to defeat demons. But she has to prove her worth, and find the island of the immortals — all before the Lunar New Year.

32. The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by F.C. Yee

Amulet, JCO Studios

Genre: Young adult fantasy

Fighting demons was not one of the SAT subjects Genie has been studying for, but alas, her Bay Area hometown is currently under siege. And the new kid in class? Quentin Sun? Yeah, he's actually Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate, and he's serving as Genie's (self-appointed) guide to demons. It's up to Genie to summon an inner power strong enough to protect her family, friends, and city from destruction.

33. Jade City by Fonda Lee

ORbit, Via fondalee.com

Genre: Adult fantasy

The island of Kekon is the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, granting superhuman abilities to those with the right training and heritage. For a good while, Green Bone clans of jade-wearing warriors protected the island from invasion, but now families like the Kauls, one of two crime syndicates that control the island, it's much more about upkeep. That is, until a clan war breaks out in the streets due to the tension between the Kauls and their greatest rivals.