Dynamic Duos | Top 10 Tuesdays

Welcome back, it’s Tuesday, which mean’s it’s also Top 10 Tuesdays, which is now hosted by Jana @ThatArtsyReaderGirl, make sure to check her blog out!

This week, the prompt is “Dynamic Duos.” Naturally, my mind drifted to character pairs that I might find to by dynamic, but I’m really bad at coming up with individual characters to put for these kinds of prompts. Maybe it’s because I read so many books – unless the book really stuck out to me, I tend not to remember individual character names – at least not well enough to recall books for making lists.

So! I’ve just decided to interpret this prompt as book pairs that I think work well together, for whatever reason, be that similar themes, characters, etc.

Anyways, here’s the list:

Heartrending Shakespeare Drama

These Violent Delights | If We Were Villains

If you’re a fan of works inspired by Shakespeare and you love a good cry, you can’t go wrong with this dynamic duo. Not only do both books feature two characters locked in an against-all-odds romantic entanglement, both boast an element of mystery surrounding murder, teens who have a lot going on in their lives, and a dark setting. Both are fabulous, check them out!

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Ladies in Period Dramas Solving Crime

A Spy in the House | The Red Palace

Do you like mysteries? Do you love watching period dramas and want to read books that are full of sumptuous costumes and social hierarchy? Look no further than this dynamic duo, both of which feature East-Asian MCs. Both books also boast amateur/professional Detective pairings alongside a sweet, slow-burn romance.

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Ladies Who Take Down the Patriarchy in Print

Not Here to Be Liked | The Downstairs Girl

If you’re looking for books that feature no-nonsense young women who want to prove their worth and tear down patriarchal walls, have I got a pair for you! One contemporary, one historical fiction, but despite the difference in time periods, both books are full of strong women who pursue their dreams, and maybe fall in love along the way. If you like books about journalism, these books also hit that sweet spot. Both of these books tackle racial identity and racism, as well.

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Sweet Boys Who Play Sports (Who are In Love)

Heartstopper | Check Please!

Okay, so one book features more sports than the other, but I really wanted to feature this pairing. This dynamic duo contains an MC who is a total cinnamon roll who falls for a teammate/fellow schoolmate. These are both mlm serial graphic novels that started as webtoons. If that isn’t a pairing, I don’t know what is! Both will make you squee, lol, all the emotions, really. Acceptance and found family are major themes, to boot.

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Austen with a Twist, Historic & Contemporary

Pride and Premeditation | The Code for Love and Heartbreak

If you, like me, are a fan of Jane Austen, you probably like to pick up books that boast an Austen-inspired plot. If that’s the case, this dynamic duo is right up your alley. Fall in love with Elizabeth Bennet again, only to the backdrop of murder! Swoon over Emma’s coding capabilities! Whether you like your Austen contemporary or historical, you can’t go wrong with either book in this pairing.

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Shape-Shifting Fairytale Retellings

Six Crimson Cranes | East

It’s not unusual for a fairytale to include a bit of shapeshifting and odds are the change is against the character’s will. This dynamic duo features two fairytale-inspired stories where characters undergo an animal transformation and the MC must find a way to change them back. Both also feature a sweet romance, a magical fantasy setting, and strong, determined young women. Each are both duologies, as well!

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Magical Women Fighting Evil (and Saving the Day)

Sabriel (#1 in the Abhorsen series) | The Excalibur Curse (#3 in the Camelot Rising Series)

Do you want to adventure across vast fantasy landscapes, witness magic wielders taking care of business, and enjoy a swordfight or two? I offer you this dynamic duo, both of which feature incredible magic systems and women taking up the mantel to slay evil for the sake of all. If you enjoy book series that contain lots of action and fight sequences, buckle up!

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We’re Taking Down the (Dystopic) System

Legend | Reboot

I know there are dystopian fans out there who are wondering, “Where’s my dynamic duo?” Well, look no further. I offer you these two dystopian series that feature horrible working conditions and systemic violence that keeps the lower-level classes in check. Both books feature badass women who don’t need no man (but also there is a romance subplot because what’s YA without a romance subplot?). If you’re a Hunger Games fan hungering for more rebellion, just pick up this dynamic duo, you won’t be sorry.

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People Be Lying (And There’s Been a Murder)

The Last Time I Lied | The Liar’s Girl

Am I stretching it with this one? Maaaaaaybe? But seriously, if you want murder/mystery and questionable MCs, I’ve got you with this dynamic duo. Both books feature an evocative setting (a summer camp and an Irish college campus, respectively) and an MC that’s haunted by a past event. Also, if you like “It’s Complicated” as a relationship status, both are there for you.

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You Just Can’t Trust A Guy

Why We Broke Up | It Only Happens in the Movies

I couldn’t finish out this list without including a bit of heartbreak in the romance department. Of all the dynamic duos, this one is the one you go to if you’re ready to fall in, then out of love, or maybe you’re feeling a little anti-valentines and you just want to watch it all crumble to pieces. Either way, this duo features that too-good-to-be-true romance, where everything is rosy and romantic…until it isn’t. I’m a big fan of both and they each offer an emotional rollercoaster that just won’t stop. Grab some tissues, it’s going to get messy.

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How about you?

What are some of your favorite dynamic duos? If you’ve read any of the books I’ve listed here, let me know what you think, I’d love to hear from you!