TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

NON-AMERICAN NOVEL MENTION: LIGHT NOVELS

Specific Recommendations:

Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Naruto and more!

Start Reading [Amazon Links]:

Jujustu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Naruto

First things first: this would not be a fair list of books to read if you like anime if I didn't start by mentioning light novels as a whole.

A light novel is a style of Japanese novel targeting teenagers and young adults. These novels contain mostly illustrations in anime or manga style. They are usually published in bunkobon size (A6 – 105 x 148mm). Light novels are not very long. The length is comparable to a novella in US publishing terms.

That said, I have done my own searching for novel formatted anime-style books and Light Novels weren't the solution for me. 

I LOVE manga, but I also love reading novels, and I wanted something in between, and Light Novels were not what I was looking for. 

I have read all of the Light Novels I linked to above, and I loved some of them, but not because they were a perfect format of novel and anime - mainly because I already loved the world building that was done in the manga, anime or both and then got a deeper dive into the characters as a whole (in some ways).

That said, I have found a couple that almost hit the mark for me, but still ultimately prefer other options that I list below and would normally just grab manga if I had to choose between manga or a light novel.

Anime Workout Databases at SHJ:

Anime Workouts Database

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

HONORABLE MENTION: THE CRADLE SERIES

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 11

Series Name: Cradle

Author: Will Wight

Start Reading: Amazon

Starting off our list of top books to read if you like Jujutsu Kaisen is an honorable mention: Unsouled, book one of the Cradle series by my fellow Floridian Will Wight.

Jujutsu Kaisen is a shonen manga/anime and it wouldn't be a fair list without mentioning Will Wight's Cradle series while talking about western novels in comparison to shonen energy.

Wight's Cradle series is ALWAYS mentioned when any anime style conversion starts within novel format, and I would say it's the closest to Naruto-style progression if we needed some kind of comparison from anime/manga to Progression Fantasy (or just a good sales pitch for Will).

Another reason this one comes in at number two is because there are ELEVEN books in the series, giving you endless joy for what feels like an eternity, and they're ALL free with Kindle Unlimited.

Yes, ALL eleven books are free with Kindle Unlimited.

And, even if you don't have Kindle Unlimited, Will has some of the least expensive options among the list, with Unsouled starting at just $0.99...!

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

NUMBER FIVE: THE SCHOLOMANCE SERIES

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 3

Series Name: The Scholomance Series

Author: Naomi Novik

Start Reading:
Amazon

Starting our actual list off at number five among our top books to read if you like Jujutsu Kaisen is The Sholomance Series, starting with A Deadly Education.

A Deadly Education, by Noami Novik takes place at Scholomance, which is a school for the magically gifted. Only failure means death. No, like literally.

While this one doesn't exactly give off shonen vibes, it does fit the bill for monsters lurking everywhere that can be a bit scary at times while having a fun magic system to keep track of and a great protagonist and horror-style themes.

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

NUMBER FOUR: NEVER DIE

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 4

Series Name: Mortal Techniques

Author: Rob J. Hayes

Start Reading:
Amazon

Coming in at number four among our list of the top books to read if you like Jujutsu Kaisen brings us back to our shonen manga/anime vibes with the first book of Rob J. Hayes Mortal Techniques series: Never Die.

Never Die is free for Kindle Unlimited users, and Rob even has the rest of his series ready for Kindle Unlimited users and frequently offers up the books for as little as $0.99 as well.

Never Die is a standalone story set in the award-winning Mortal Techniques universe. It's a wuxia adventure filled samurai, shinigami, heroes and vengeful spirits.

Anyone else getting Jujutsu Kaisen vibes just from that description?

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

NUMBER THREE: THE GREEN BONE SAGA

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 3

Series Name: The Green Bone Saga

Author: Fonda Lee

Start Reading:
Amazon

Up next, at number three among our best books to read if you like Jujutsu Kaisen is The Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee, starting with Jade City!

Jade City is a book that brings together magic, kungfu and a battle against rival clans for honor and power in an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis.

We lose the vengeful spirts in Never Die, but we gain magic meets kungfu in a very Jujutsu Kaisen way as we undergo a battle that feels very much like some of the later arcs that take place in JJK's city.

This award winning trilogy will not disappoint any JJK fans out there.

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

NUMBER TWO: SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 15

Series Name: Skulduggery Pleasant

Author: Derek Landy

Start Reading:
Amazon

At number two among the best books to read if you like Jujutsu Kaisen is the Skulduggery Pleasant series.

Like The Cradles Series, this one has a ton of books ready for you to dive in and never stop.

I'm not sure about you, but when I love something as much as I love Jujutsu Kaisen I want to be able to continue binging, and the Skulduggery Pleasant series allows us to do just that.

This one doesn't quite give us shonen manga/anime vibes with a magic system and intense martial arts, but it does give us evil forces, dead sorcerers, and a twist of horror fiction that will keep you coming back.

TOP FIVE BOOKS TO READ IF YOU LIKE JUJUTSU KAISEN

NUMBER ONE: LOCKWOOD & CO.

Is This A Series: Yes

# of Books In Series: 5

Series Name: Lockwood and Co.

Author: Jonathan Stroud

Start Reading:
Amazon

Coming in at number one among the best books to read if you like Jujutsu Kaisen is a series you may have been able to guess: Lockwood and Co. by Jonathan Stroud.

I LOVE this series, and I even mentioned it within our top books to read if you like shonen manga - specifically referring to Jujutsu Kaisen when I gave the reason why it made such an impact on the list.

This one gives you everything you could want - minus maybe the depth of JJK's magic system.

The characters come fully equipped with rapiers and other weapons, and they have the gift to (called Talent) see, hear or detect ghosts in some way. 

We even get anime-style power levels for the paranormal within this series, loaded with different types of ghosts, poltergeists and even talking Type Threes (the most powerful and rare of them all).