The answers to my First Lines challenge: [link]

As I suspected, the ones I couldn't get I never would have. But now I want to read some of them

But now I want to read some of them.

My work here is done I guess.

I started reading the Murderbot series.for some reason I was confusing it with something else i had read and didn't like. But last night I finally decided to try it. I think I accidentally read an excerpt.

It was a mistake to start it last night I didn't want to go to bed.

Advice needed: My niece (mid-20s), who has never been a big reader, has apparently become one of late. She's currently making her way through the Throne of Glass series, has already read Thorn and Roses, and wants to move on to Crescent City next and then something called the Fourth Wing series, which I presume is this? [link]

In any case, it is likely my sister will get her the above, even if I say I will (le sigh), so I'm looking for something in this vein but that is more of a cult classic/backlisted title that she might like but not be aware of. The only other thing I know she has read and liked recently is Lessons in Chemistry but otherwise I don't know what she's read or not.

ETA: Oh wait, I lie, I'm pretty sure she's read a bunch of the Bridgerton books.

Thanks in advance!

If she likes dragons, there's Naomi Novik's Temeraire series; if she likes school stories, there's Naomi Novik's Scholomance series. If she likes magic, there's Diane Duane's Young Wizard series. All of her stuff is currently 50% off in her online store, so you could get the first 9 books of the series for $20.

Older fantasy stuff: Barbara Hambly, Robin McKinley. If she liked Bridgerton, maybe Georgette Heyer?

See, I knew Buffistas would have plenty of suggestions!

If I had to guess, I'd say no to dragons but who knows? Magic is a definite yes. Her comfort listen is famous Brit actors reading the Narnia series (that she got from me ages ago and which she periodically loses the files for and asks me to resend them to her). Robin McKinley is the type of author I was thinking of (i.e., someone I've heard of but wouldn't come up with on my own). I suspect Georgette Heyer is perhaps too old-fashioned for her. Though my idea is to get one "starter" book for a few different authors so I think a variety of genres/styles would be good.

ETA: She studies organic agriculture so something with an environmental bent would be appealing I think.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't have said I was into either dragons or Napoleonic wars, and I have really enjoyed the Temeraire books.

For an environmental bent, the best Robin McKinley to start with might be Rose Daughter.

Maybe the Sharon Shinn series Elemental Blessings would appeal? The first one is Troubled Waters. It's fantasy with a pretty big romance element, actually structured a little like Bridgerton in that each book follows a character in what could be considered a family. Some of the magic is environmentally linked.

EtaContext - I had never heard of Sharon Shinn until I read a review of The Shuddering City a few months ago but she's been publishing since the 90s or maybe 80s and has won awards so maybe more well known to people who aren't me.