Fantasy
Spinning silver
Naomi Novik
SCIENCE FICTION Novik Naomi
Fantasy
"A fresh and imaginative retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale from the bestselling author of Uprooted, called "a very enjoyable fantasy with the air of a modern classic" by The New York Times Book Review. Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father is not a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has left his family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem intercedes. Hardening her heart, she sets out to retrieve what is owed, and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. But when an ill-advised boast brings her to the attention of the cold creatures who haunt the wood, nothing will be the same again. For words have power, and the fate of a kingdom will be forever altered by the challenge she is issued. Channeling the heart of the classic fairy tale, Novik deftly interweaves six distinct narrative voices--each learning valuable lessons about sacrifice, power and love--into a rich, multilayered fantasy that readers will want to return to again and again"--
Uprooted
Naomi Novik
SCIENCE FICTION Novik Naomi
Fantasy
"Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted Wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as falling to the Wood. The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows--everyone knows--that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, all the things Agnieszka isn't, and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her. But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose"--
I was immediately drawn in to the story of the Dragon, Agnieszka and the mystery surrounding her village. Novik is an excellent storyteller and Uprooted was full of great character development and interesting twists in the plot. Love this book! -Becky
The bear and the nightingale : a novel
Katherine Arden
SCIENCE FICTION Arden, Katherine
Fantasy
"In a village at the edge of the wilderness of northern Russia, where the winds blow cold and the snow falls many months of the year, a stranger with piercing blue eyes presents a new father with a gift - a precious jewel on a delicate chain, intended for his young daughter. Uncertain of its meaning, Pytor hides the gift away and Vasya grows up a wild, willful girl, to the chagrin of her family. But when mysterious forces threaten the happiness of their village, Vasya discovers that, armed only with the necklace, she may be the only one who can keep the darkness at bay"--
I particularly enjoy fantasy stories and I ended up reading Katherine Arden's entire trilogy within a week. The Bear and the Nightingale (first in the series) is a beautiful construction of a Russian fairy tale following young Vasya and the development of her magical abilities. She quickly finds resistance with her power and must navigate a world full of change, evil and influence in order to protect her family, her village, and those unseen. -Becky
Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone
J. K Rowling
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Rowling, J. K.
Fantasy, Young Adult
Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny.
Added by Beth
Storm cursed
Patricia Briggs
SCIENCE FICTION Briggs Patricia
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Mercy Thompson has opened her garage again and is trying to get back to normal. Of course, now that the Tri-Cities are viewed as neutral ground, all kinds of supernatural beings are heading her way. With her mate Adam Hauptman's firm involved in providing security to a top-secret meeting with the US government and the fae, Mercy is tapped to handle everything else--including reports of a strange witch in town...
Added by Beth
Good omens : the nice and accurate prophecies of Agnes Nutter, witch
Neil Gaiman
SCIENCE FICTION Gaiman, Neil
Science Fiction, Fantasy
According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner. So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist .
Added by Beth
Hakumei & Mikochi : tiny little life in the woods
Takuto Kashiki
MANGA Kashiki Hakumei
Graphic Novels, Nature, Fantasy, Humor, Short Story
"Deep within a lush, green forest live Hakumei and Mikochi. Making their home in trees, using leaves for umbrellas, and riding bugs for transportation is just part of everyday life for these tiny pals!"--
Nonstop cuteness from start to finish--a sweet slice of teeny tiny life! -Casey
Hounded
Kevin Hearne
SCIENCE FICTION Hearne, Kevin
Fantasy
Atticus O'Sullivan, the last of the Druids, finds his peaceful life in Arizona shattered by the arrival of an angry Celtic god who wants Atticus's magical sword, forcing Atticus to call upon some unlikely allies for help.
I'm ready for some light, fun reading now that it's almost summer - this series is just the ticket! The protagonist is a 2,000 year old + ancient Druid hiding in a 21 year old's body in modern day Arizona. There are goddesses, witches, werewolves, and all manner of magical fun. I look forward to continuing the series! -Heidi K
Black leopard, red wolf
Marlon James
SCIENCE FICTION James Marlon
Fantasy
"In the first novel in Marlon James's Dark Star trilogy, myth, fantasy, and history come together to explore what happens when a mercenary is hired to find a missing child"--
Adventure quest fantasy based on various African mythologies. A slow build, took me about 100 pages to really commit. I loved the unique fantasy elements and rambling storytelling writing style. Basic plot revolves around a band of mercenaries searching for a kidnapped child King. There's a very high body count. I enjoyed the world-building, looking forward to more in this series. -Jason
Shades of wicked : A Night Rebel Novel
Jeaniene Frost
eAUDIO
Fantasy
In this thrilling new Night Rebel series set in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress world, sexy and ruthless vampire Ian finally meets his match! The Rule Breaker... Master vampire Ian is unrepentant, shameless...and every shade of wicked. He's made one too many enemies in his two centuries of existence, including Dagon, a demon who now lays claim to his soul. Ian's only chance to escape Dagon is to join forces with a Law Guardian, but he's never been able to abide by the rules for long. The Law Maker... Veritas' normal role is police, judge, and jury to reprobates like Ian. But she has her own ax to grind with Dagon, so if she can use Ian as bait...well, all's fair in law and war. As they scour supernatural hotspots to perfect their trap, Veritas soon realizes Ian's carefully cultivated, devil-may-care roguish image hides something much more powerful. And Ian discovers Veritas has shocking secrets of her own. As they're drawn to each other with a passion as intense as their peril, either love or justice will prevail. But each will have devastating consequences.
Vampires versus demons! What do you get when two lovers fight a demon horde? An epic battle scene! An especially enjoyable one when narrated by Tavia Gilbert. (She is definitely a new go-to audiobook performer for me. Don't know the author? Don't care if Gilbert is reading.) The love scenes in this one are neither vanilla nor tame, so be forewarned if that's not your thing. Now with 10% more demi-gods! -Melody
Another great work by Naomi Novik that allowed me to escape into a mystical world rooted in Russian folklore. A powerful story that highlights self-sacrifice, endurance and love. I would probably rate Uprooted (also by Novik) a bit higher, but I still loved this story and would highly recommend it. -Becky