STMS | Darby Books

Darby's Book Recommendations

Hi! I'm Darby C., going into 9th grade, and I just love reading. Here are some of my favorite books, organized by genre. My favorite genre bounces between Y/A Fantasy and Historical Fiction, they're both great. My favorite book is The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan; my favorite series is The Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messanger. These are not all of my favorite books here, just the ones that are more unknown and wonderful. Lots of the book titles will have an asterisk (*) symbol to their left. That just means that the El Dorado County Library has the book and you can check it out. You can go to the El Dorado County Library website and search for the book. If our South Lake Tahoe branch Library does not have the book you want, they will transfer the book from another companion library that does. I also have the book I am reading for fun, not something for school. I will also be featuring a book every month, my top pick for that month. If you have questions or want specific books similar to something on this list, please email me at [email protected]. I really hope you find something you like!

Currently there are two Spotlight Books and six Genre sections. Scroll down to see these sections, the order they are in in the list below, corresponds to the order they are in on the page.

Spotlight Books:
• What Darby's Reading
• Book of the Month

Genre Sections
• Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• Middle Grade Fantasy
• Y/A Fantasy
• Advanced Reader Fantasy
• Fairy-Tale Adaptations [Under Construction, the rest of the page will be available soon.]

Spotlight Books

What Darby's Reading

An amazing achievement...A compulsively readable novel, so canny and weird and surfeited with the reality of human capacity and ingenuity that I am stymied for comparison. Dickens and David Lynch? Defoe meets Margaret Atwood? Judge for yourself." --Gregory Maguire, New York Times bestselling author of Wicked

The wry, macabre, unforgettable tale of an ambitious orphan in Revolutionary Paris, befriended by royalty and radicals, who transforms herself into the legendary Madame Tussaud.

In 1761, a tiny, odd-looking girl named Marie is born in a village in Switzerland. After the death of her parents, she is apprenticed to an eccentric wax sculptor and whisked off to the seamy streets of Paris, where they meet a domineering widow and her quiet, pale son. Together, they convert an abandoned monkey house into an exhibition hall for wax heads, and the spectacle becomes a sensation. As word of her artistic talent spreads, Marie is called to Versailles, where she tutors a princess and saves Marie Antoinette in childbirth. But outside the palace walls, Paris is roiling: The revolutionary mob is demanding heads, and . . . at the wax museum, heads are what they do.

In the tradition of Gregory Maguire's Wicked and Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus, Edward Carey's Little is a darkly endearing cavalcade of a novel--a story of art, class, determination, and how we hold on to what we love.

Book of the Month

In this magical debut, a couple's lives are changed forever by the arrival of a little girl, wild and secretive, on their snowy doorstep

Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees.

This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

This book is actually written for adults, but so simply enchanting and well done. In the beginning, it's a rather bleak classical frontier story, but Fania herself adds a wonderful element of whimsey that doesn't disappear. Really enjoyable, and Alaska in the 1920's isn't written or talked about much and this is a nice glimpse into the lives of those who lived like that there. A nice book to read with a hot drink in all of this terrible weather. Happy Holidays!

Fiction

Fiction books are realistic stories, usually set in the last 50 years.

The Penderwicks Series *

by Jeanne Birdsall
*****
"The life of a very sweet
and genuine family"

The Penderwicks are just a family. They do all the normal things families do, and while they are not perfect, they love each other. Written in a beautiful old-fashioned style with lots of heart. As quoted from The Horn Book Magazine, "Nostalgic but never stale, this fresh satisfying novel is like a cool breeze on a summer's day." This is the first thing I reach for after a bad day, and I would highly recommend it for everyone.

The Candymakers *

by Wendy Mass
****
"A candy creating competition
brings four kids together"

Not everything is as it seems in this wonderful story of candy. Logan, Miles, Daisy and Philip are competing in the national candy making competition. Winning for each of them is everything, yet for very different reasons. A wonderful candy-filled mystery and adventure. The characters are easy to connect to with interesting motives and lives. Wendy Mass is a truly wonderful author and her books are always worth reading.

A Mango-Shaped Space *

by Wendy Mass
*****
"What if your letters
had texture and you could see sound?"

Mia has a condition called Synthesia, which means the nerves in her brain that control sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing are crossed. That means that to her, every letter has a color and texture, and different sounds have different shapes. She lives a completely normal life, before she starts failing her classes and has to be tested. This is my favorite of Wendy Mass's work, so touching (I cry every time) yet funny and meaningful. Mia is a brilliant character. I absolutely recommend.

The Chaos of Standing Still *

by Jessica Brody
****
"Can you really just
stand still in life?"

Ryn's flight is delayed because of a snowstorm. That happens, it's okay. Expect it's New Year's Eve. Expect tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of her best friend's death. She's been letting her life go by for a year now, just standing still. She can't move forward until she meets Xander-- but this story isn't a romance. Can one person, one moment changer her life? I read this book in a night, because of the compelling and thoughtful story it was telling. I so enjoyed it and if you are looking for a story about loss, letting go and taking a chance, pick this one up.

The House on Mango Street *

by Sandra Cisneros
***
"Just friendly stories
about neighbors"

The House on Mango Street is written in vignettes, a sort of short chapter focused on one thing. It's not so much a novel as listening to a friend's stories. Cisneros concentrates on the people she loves, the people in her neighborhood and others. Cisneros has said in interviews that Esperanza started out as her, but ended up becoming someone new. The main character, Esperanza, grows up very fast as a Latina girl in Chicago. She sees her older sister getting married, is shamed by her classmates for eating a rice cake and is catcalled for wearing heels. This is a joy to read, you can go from laughing to anger, joy to sadness and it's wonderful. It's a short read, only 105 pages but definitely worth it.

A Year Without Autumn *

by Liz Kessler
*****
"If you could change the future, would you?"

Autumn and Jenni are best friends, even if they only see each other when their families are at their timeshares, one week a year. When Autumn's younger brother gets into an accident, everything changes. Jenni will do anything to fix everything, and when she gets into an old elevator that jumps forward a year every floor, she has a chance. As her life crumbles with every year, she has to fix it. Can Jenni save everyone, before they're all gone? I love reading this, it's at once a tale of friendship, time, mystery and family.

A Tangle of Knots *

by Lisa Graff
***
"Everyone has a talent, that rules their life"

This story is set in a world where everyone has a talent or a gift. When Cady meets a Talent Thief, she might loose her most precious gift. A wonderfully crafted story about Cady, an orphan with a wonderful talent for baking. She's never known her parents, but when fate takes her on a journey, finding her parents might not be that hard. As the description on amazon.com says, "Lisa Graff adds a pinch of magic to a sharply crafted plot to create a novel that will have readers wondering about fate and the way we're all connected." This is a really thoughtful short read, and it includes the cake recipes that Cady is creating.

The Magic Half *

by Annie Barrows
****
"A pair of time traveling glasses connects two girls"

Miri is the middle child between two sets of twins, older brothers and younger sisters. After a fight with her brothers, she is grounded in her room. This turns out to be good when she finds a pair of glasses. When she puts them one, she is transported to... her room? After another girl, Molly, comes into her not-room she discovers that she has traveled back to the 1930's. She travels back to her own time, but tries harder and harder to take Molly with her. This story is part mystery, part magic and part friendship. A good read, pretty low level but a wonderful story.

Historical Fiction

Historical fiction is based on real people and events, though not completely factual. They sometimes have elements of sci-fi or fantasy.

The Gold Seer Trilogy Series *

by Rae Carson
*****
"Magic, gold, romance, California, and murder"

When Lee Westfall's life goes to shambles, she goes cross-country to join the gold rush. Her secret-she can sense gold. Who can she trust, and who will exploit her? Her uncle? Her best friend? Her caravan? Her journey is not over when she reaches California, and the last two books outline the struggle of pioneers. This books are not only historically accurate (except for the magic) but are funny, mysterious and downright wonderful. I would highly recommend these to anyone, especially those who want to learn more about the Gold Rush and California.
[Note: El Dorado County Library only has book #1.]

Wolf by Wolf *

by Ryan Graduin
****
"What if Hitler had won?"

In this alternate reality world, Hitler won WWII, murdered Mussolini and he and Emperor Hirohito controlled everything. After 42 assassination attempts, Hitler does not appear in public anymore, with one exception. At the Winner's Ball in Tokyo, where the winner of the Axis Tour dines with the most powerful men in the world. The Axis Tour is a 3,000 kilometer motorcycle race across their continents. Yael survived the concentration camp, only after Dr. Mengele was done with her. She can now skinshift, or morph into anyone by will. She has one mission-kill Hitler. So she masquerades as Adele Wolfe, the Axis Tour's only female victor to get close enough to kill the man behind it all, in front of the world. In this stunning novel look at what the world would be if the Nazis had won. I would totally recommend this, especially after going through the WWII unit, a really interesting read.

Prisoner B-3087 *

by Alan Gratz
***
"A survivor of 10 concentration and death camps"

This book is about Yanek Gruener, a Polish Jewish boy who survived against all odds. He is beaten, starved, tortured and worked nearly to death, but not quite. After everyone he knows is gone, the will to survive weakens and weakens. Every time he faces death, he makes it with luck and chance. With PRISONER b-3087 tattooed on his arm, he is forever marked. This is based on the unbelievable true story of Jack Gruener, and shows more horrors of the Holocaust.

The Librarian of Auschwitz *

by Antonio Iturbe
*****
"When books can be smuggled into Auschwitz, they need to be protected"

Dita Kraus was just another 14 year old, until she was forced into the Auschwitz concentration camp, but the Nazis have made it a family block. Why? Dita Kraus gets to help Freddy Hirsch, the director of the school, and she becomes the librarian. The Nazis have allowed a simple school, only for games and such. But people are determined to teach the kids, and so the 8 library books are precious. As the amazon.com description says, "Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope. This book truly shows how resilient humans are, and how people can survive. I really enjoyed reading this, it's a captivating story and a look at another side of the death camps.

The Forbidden Orchid *

by Sharon Briggs Walter
****
"A British girl goes to China for a rare Orchid in the late 1800's"

When Elodie's father is throw into prison and her sisters are going to the workhouse, she has to do something. If she can help find the very rare orchid her father was hunting down before the competition does, she can save her family. Ignoring the rules of her class and gender, she goes with him. Journeying through the ocean, jungles and China is more dangerous than she expected but she has to save her family. This is a really fun book to read, though not very long. I would recommend this to people who want to enjoy a historically-accurate adventure.

Dangerous Waters

by Gregory Mone
****
"A dangerous mystery aboard the most famous shipwreck in history"

Aboard the Titanic everyone has a motive. A thief, a very rich scholar, and a poor Irish boy's lives all combine on the most famous ocean liner ever to have sailed. This is an excellent example of how seamlessly fact and fiction can be weaved into a fantastic read. As the School Library Journal put it, "Mone seamlessly integrates details of the Titanic and its fate into Patrick's story, and his passages about the ocean voyage are vivid, even lyrical."

The Prince of Shadows: A Novel of Romeo and Juliet

by Rachel Caine
****
"Romeo and Juliet from Benvolios's perspective"

The grand houses of Montague and Capulet, permanently at war. As Romeo's cousin, Benvolio Montague expects to die for him. At night his second life emerges, The Prince of Shadows, the greatest thief in Verona. This is the classic story of doomed lovers, but how did Romeo and Juliet's lust affect everyone else? This is a really good introduction into Shakespeare, and not too hard.

Prisoners in the Palace *

by Michaela MacColl
*****
"A dramatized rendition of how Victoria became Queen"

This is told from the point of view of Liza Hastings, a recently orphaned young woman. She suddenly has to find a job, so she goes to Kensington palace to fill the spot of Princess Victoria's maid. This is set in 1836, the year before Princess Victoria becomes Queen Victoria. I think Queen Victoria was a very interesting person, with the second longest rule (only after Elizabeth II), an Era was named after (the Victorian Era) and married for love. This story is from an interesting point of view, and from a very interesting part of her life. This book is also historically accurate and funny.

Madame Tussaud's Apprentice

by Kathleen Benior Duble
****
"Love, drama, Versailles and the French Revolution, oh, and wax sculptures!"

This story follows two people as they fall in love, but must make hard choices in the face of a Revolution. Ceile is caught stealing from Madame Tussaud and the brother of the king himself! To save herself, Celie must use her talents, and has to work for the famous waxworks founder. Algeron, her friend gets very involved in the Revolution's order and Celie has to choose love and freedom, or art and privilege. I really like this because it shows really all the faces and classes of the French Revolution. You go from the Palace of Versailles to the very poor to a well-off house. An interesting way to look at this famous revolution.

Dread Nation *

by Justina Ireland
****
"1800's America + zombie fighting schools for African-American girls + zombies"

Jane McKeen is almost done with her education at Miss Preston's School of Combat in Baltimore, and all she wants to do now is go home to Kentucky. In this new America, zombies are everywhere, and people hire Attendants like Jane to guard them. When she gets involved in a conspiracy where the families of Baltimore County go missing, her plan to go home has been foiled. Jane must find her way home, and find out where all the zombies are coming from. I didn't think I was going to like this, but I really did. Even if you are not interested in zombies or horror, this has enough other elements to keep the story balanced. Not super long, but enjoyable. It's interesting to look at what might have happened (if zombies had risen from the Civil War battlefields).

Midnight at the Electric *

by Jodi Lynn Anderson
****
"Three different people, in different decades, stories' connect through one house"

Adri has been chosen for the first trip to Mars, and goes to see a distant family member before she leaves (2065). Catherine is running out of hope, the Dust Bowl is just so much (1935). Leonore is trying to deal with the grief of her brother's loss and trying to help a British soldier in the aftermath of WWI (1919). Their three stories combine when Adri finds someone's diary from a very long time ago and is swept up in the drama and mystery the story spells out. These masterfully written characters show love, determination and loss as they go through their lives. I really liked this, I would recommend listing to the Peaceful Piano playlist on Spotify, if you have it. It invokes a good image of a slightly desolate prairie. Very good book.

Middle Grade Fantasy

These are easy-ish fantasy stories. You know, dragons, magic and fairytales.

The Sisters Grimm Series

by Michael Buckley
*****
"The last descendants of the Brothers Grimm have to keep all the fairy-tale characters in check"

When Sabrina and Daphne's parents disappear, they bounce from foster home to foster home. That is until a woman claims to be their grandmother and adopts them, and the sisters move to Ferryport Landing. Sabrina's convinced that she's crazy, normal people don't ask for permission to enter their house or have books about cooking dragon. When their grandmother reveals that Sabrina and Daphne are actually related to the Brothers Grimm and that one member of the family must stay in the town, they're convinced she's crazy. Until Relda introduces them to Snow White, Puck and Prince Charming. And they have to investigate why a giant crushed someone's farm. This is such an amazing series, the books are not too long, but there are 9 of them. The books escalate and you will see every fairytale character ever make an appearance, from the Wicked Witch of the West to the Jabberwock. There are levels of mystery, fantasy, family, horror and love. Finding their parents is only the beginning, they now have to keep the psychotic Red from escaping her mental asylum-and the rest of town from escaping Ferryport Landing. The books are pretty easy, but the story is just so fantastic.

The Oz Books

Note: L. Frank Baum wrote many books set before and after The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and these are just my favorites of the original 14. All of the Oz books are also very high reading levels, around 7.0. I would also like to note that these are some of the weirdest books I have ever read, not in a bad way, just weird.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (No. 1) *

by L. Frank Baum
****
"The classic story of a girl swept away from Kansas into the fantastical land of Oz"

The classic story, what the movie "The Wizard of Oz" (1939) was based off. Dorothy, a little girl from Kansas does not make it to the storm cellar when a tornado hits, so she is swept up with the house. She emerges in Oz, her house having crushed the Wicked Witch of the East. The Munchkins, the native people of Oz then hail her as a hero and the Good Witch kisses Dorothy and Toto to protect them from harm. Dorothy goes off on the yellow brick road, journeying to kill the Wicked Witch of the West. Along the way Dorothy meets the Tinman, the Lion and the Scarecrow. The book really has a lot of detail and other things that the movie does not. A good read, really worth it.

The Marvelous Land of Oz (No. 2) *

by L. Frank Baum
****
"The start of Ozma of Oz's story"

For as long as he can remember, Tip has been living with Mombi, a witch in Gillikin County. When Mombi is out, Tip wants to scare her with a scarecrow. However, he can't find any straw, so he uses a pumpkin for the head. Mombi isn't scared and brings the scarecrow to life, using the Powder of Life. Tip then takes the powder and the scarecrow, Jack Pumpkinhead. Tip and Jack head for the Emerald City, Tip having animated a sawhorse for Jack to ride. Tip, Jack and the Sawhorse go on an adventure, to travel Oz and understand who they are. But where's Ozma? This one is really necessary to understand Ozma's whole story, and a nice thing to read before Ozma of Oz. That's not to say that this is not worth reading, because it is a wonderful and quirky story, and really goes into Oz!

Ozma of Oz (No. 3) *

by L. Frank Baum
*****
"My favorite Oz book, with Dorothy, Ozma, a little bit of madness, and an eccentric quest"

Dorothy is traveling to Australia with Uncle Henry, but is swept overboard with her hen, Billina. They wind up on Evna, another magical land across from Oz. They then meet the Wheelers and a vengeful princess who locks Dorothy up in a tower. In Oz, Ozma and her fellows are journeying to the Nome King, who has kidnapped most of the royal family of Evna. The Ozians are trying to rescue them. On their way to the Nome King's lands, they rescue Dorothy and bring her along. This one is truly my favorite, I just all of the story and if I had to recommend any of these, I'd recommend this one.

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz (No. 4) *

by L. Frank Baum
*****
"Dorothy's journey through some very weird areas"

This is set as Dorothy is traveling back from Australia, when she meets her cousin Zeb in San Fransisco and they fall into an earthquake. They land in the Land of the Mangaboos, along with Zeb's horse, Jim, and Dorothy's cat, Eureka. The Wizard of Oz fell through too, in another earthquake. To get back to the surface, they have to journey through the Valley of Voe, the Land of Naught, some Dragonettes and gargoyles made of wood. When they are stuck, Dorothy pleas to Ozma for help, and she uses her Magic Belt to get them out of there. This really showcases the imagination of Mr. Baum, the lands and people are so unusual and different. I really like this one, I think it has the most interesting places and journeys.

The Emerald City of Oz (No. 6) *

by L. Frank Baum
****
"The Nome King tries to get his Magic Belt back"

In this book, the Nome King is digging a tunnel under the Deadly Desert, so he can go to Oz to retrieve his Magic Belt. His General, General Guph, is collecting any allies to the Nome King, so they can help get the Magic Belt back. In Oz, Dorothy has taken her Uncle Henry and Aunt Em to live with her there, because their house in Kansas was foreclosed. Dorothy wants to show them Oz, so they tour in Ozma's Red Wagon. They meet all sorts of interesting people, but Dorothy gets lost and visits Utensilia, Bunbury and Bunnybury. Utensilia is a land where the inhabitants are all utensils, knives, spoons, forks! That was my main memory of this book. They story reaches its high point in the Emerald City. This is a good one, my favorite part is just reading about more parts of Oz!

The Tin Woodman of Oz (No. 12) *

by L. Frank Baum
****
"How the Tin Woodman became tin"

How did the Tin Woodman become tin? It all started when he fell in love with a girl, Nimmie Amee. She was a servant of the Wicked Witch of the East, who was very cruel to her. The Witch enchanted an axe to chop off the Tin Woodman's limbs, when it cut off his torso, he went in search of a heart. He then met up with Dorothy and his story progressed from there. The Tin man and his companions then went to look for Nimmie Amee. Their story leads them to a giantess's kitchen, where she turns them into toys. They have to escape, with the fairy Polychrome, who the giantess also turned into a toy. This is another adventure in Oz, one that is a nice backstory to the Tin Woodman.

Glinda of Oz (No. 14) *

by L. Frank Baum
*****
"Ozma and Dorothy go on a mission to stop warring groups"

When Glinda is looking through her Great Book of Records she sees that two Obsurse peoples are warring, she sends Ozma and Dorothy to help them. Ozma and Dorothy have to deal with the Skeezers, who live in a glass-domed enclosure in a lake, that can be magically raised and lowered. The other people, the Flatheads, don't have their brains in their heads, they carry them. The Skeezers won't let the Flatheads fish in their lake. Ozma and Dorothy attempt to deal with the conflict. This is the last of L. Frank Baum's books; he wrote it when he was in last illness. The book as a result is less frivolous and more realistic, with even elements of science-fiction. I personally really like this one, it's an interesting conflict and slightly different than the rest of the series.

Fablehaven *

by Brandon Mull
*****
"What if all magical creatures existed, in special parks?

When Kendra and Seth stay with their grandparents while their parents go on a cruise, they don't expect much. But when Grandpa Soren warns them to never go in the woods, Seth can't resist. There they find sadyrs and centaurs, fairies and goblins, witches and demons. When the evil Society of the Rising Star starts to meddle and release evil creatures, they have to help. Aided by the Fairy Queen they have to get the keys to the Daemon Prison before the opposition does-or else. This is a fantastic series, with surprising plot twists and scary elements. This is my favorite of Brandon Mull's work, because of the wonderful creatures inside. The books are pretty long, but worth it.

Five Kingdoms *

by Brandon Mull
****
"One grand kingdom, five kingdoms each with a different type of magic"

When Cole tries the new scary haunted house on Halloween, he doesn't expect much. That is until he is transported to another land, the Five Kingdoms. The Five Kingdoms are obviously five kingdoms, and there is a different type of magic in each. All Cole wants to do is to find his friends and get home. When he gets involved in helping the lost princesses regain the throne from the evil king, getting home turns out to be much harder. Cole also starts to be involved in helping the princesses find their powers. Each kingdom presents its own challenges and difficulties. This is a really good series, the grade level isn't very high but it's still worth it; with fantastic world-building and character development. It's not as long as the Fablehaven series, but it has more science-fiction elements.

The Candy Shop Wars *

by Brandon Mull
***
"Magical candies and warring witches"

At Sweet Tooth Ice Cream & Candy Shoppe, there are all the classic favorite, and some extras. When Nate and his friends start helping the owner, Mrs. White out, they just want to get some candy. Then Mrs. White starts giving them magical candy. Soon they can levitate with rock candy, change their face with chocolate balls and spit fire. Everything is going good until Mrs. White asks them to do dangerous, unlawful things. Now the other side is trying to recruit Nate & Co. But who can they trust? This is a funny, fairly lighthearted series. It's the most realistic of Brandon Mull's books and the shortest. A good read.

Grimm Books *

by Adam Gidwitz
*****
"The really bloody, creepy messed up Grimm fairy tales, now retold!"

The story starts out with Hansel & Gretel. With a funny and pointless narrator, they wander into tons of other Grimm fairy tales. They meet evil people, and confused ones, and the very very wicked. The next book centers around Jack and Jill as they journey through the twisted and bloody landscape. Everything culminates in the last book, where it's the scariest, cruelest and grimmest yet. Adam Gidwitz redos the most gruesome fairy tales that we don't tell and raises them to a new level with wit and care. These are great for every level, both some of the funniest and bloodiest books I have ever read.

The Inquisitor's Tale *

by Adam Gidwitz
****
"The Canterbury Tales in the 1200's but with humor and lightness"

This tells the stories of three adventurers ( and their holy dog). It's told in a rounds style, where different people fill in one story. This is an expert from the summary, "Join William, an oblate on a mission from his monastery; Jacob, a Jewish boy who has fled his burning village; and Jeanne, a peasant girl who hides her prophetic visions. They are accompanied by Jeanne's loyal greyhound, Gwenforte . . . recently brought back from the dead. Told in multiple voices, in a style reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, our narrator collects their stories and the saga of these three unlikely allies begins to come together." This is a great book, really anyone can read it. It also won a Newbery Honor award in 2017 as well as a Sydney Taylor Book Award.

The Extra-Ordinary Princess

by Carolyn Q. Ebbit
****
"When her evil uncle takes control of the land, Amelia has to do her best to save her home"

As it says in the Amazon summary, "Princess Amelia is the least likely person to become queen of the land of Gossling, from her position as the fourth daughter to her non-princessy ways. But when a plague sweeps the land, kills her parents, and leaves her evil uncle in power, it is Amelia who must find the courage to save her kingdom-and her sisters. Readers will be thoroughly enchanted by the coming-of-age of an unlikely princess." This is a fresh twist on every classic princess story, a well written story.

York: The Shadow Cipher *

by Laura Ruby
*****
"Alternate reality New York where everything is a puzzle"

The Morningstarr twins are the epic designers and creators of New York City. They left behind a legacy beyond skyscrapers and arches, the Old York Cipher. When the city sells a real estate broker the last five Morningstarr buildings, Tess, Theo, and Jaime are stunned. They can't let someone destroy their home! They set out to solve the Old York Cipher, to prove that destroying the relics left behind means destroying the clues to the puzzle. I got this as a gift this past Christmas and even though it was middle grade fiction, I loved it. It's like a glorious mystery, epic history adventure. I also love reading alternate reality books, so that aspect was very cool too! The author also did an amazing job creating a history for people and places that didn't exist. Highly recommend.

Pennyroyal Academy

by M. A. Larson
****
"a school where people learn to become knights and princesses, how to fight dragons and witches"

Pennyroyal Academy where you are turned into a fighting princess or knight. As the book summary says, "“Evie,” she must endure a harsh training regimen under the steel glare of her Fairy Drill Sergeant, while also navigating an entirely new world of friends and enemies. As Evie learns what it truly means to be a princess, she realizes surprising things about herself and her family, about human compassion and inhuman cruelty. And with the witch forces moving nearer, she discovers that the war between princesses and witches is much more personal than she could ever have imagined." This is a nice entrance into fairytales, if you want something similar to The School for Good and Evil (see below, Y/A section), this is a good read.

Y/A Fantasy

These books have the same magical ideas, but with mature content. Y/A stands for Young Adult.

Keeper of the Lost Cities *

by Shannon Messenger
*****
"Sophie's never fit in, and when she finds out she's an elf, that makes sense"

This series is my current favorite. Sophie Foster can read minds, she's also a 12-year old high school senior and has no friends. When she runs into a strange boy, everything changes. She finds out that Fitz can read minds too, and he takes her to the elven world. She has to adjust to this whole new world, but that's not the only challenge. She discovers her mind holds secrets-and there are people that will do anything to get them. Each book presents new challenges and nicely builds on the previous. The third worst cliff hanger that I have ever seen, number one being the forth book in The School for Good and Evil Series, the second being in the Mark of Athena. There are some major plot twists and cliff hangers, so be prepared to be surprised. You've never seen elves like this, they are new and ancient with technology and magic all at once. The characters really grow and change, and there is amazing conflict. The books are kinda a cross between Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter, in the best way possible. The series really escalates, currently there are 6 books, and plans for 9. They come out in the beginning of November. if you are scrolling down the list, and want to find something to read, read this. It's a commitment, but the books are not hard and it's worth it. This is one of the first things I recommend people!

The School for Good and Evil *

by Soman Chainani
****
"what does it mean to be good, and what does it mean to be evil?"

The School for Good and Evil is where people go to learn how to be in a fairytale, every character has graduated from the famous school. Sophie has long golden hair, clear green eyes, and smooth pale skin. She's destined for the School of Good. Agatha on the other hand has oily black hair, buggy black eyes and can't want to learn how to be a witch at the School of Evil. Every year the Schoolmaster chooses two new students from their town, one for Good, the other Evil. When Sophie is dumped into the Evil moat and Agatha the Good, she's convinced there has been a mistake. This is their story, and it's a story of two best friends. These books make me want to cry, throw them down, but are so compelling I keep reading. The story revolves around Sophie, Agatha, and Tedros. Who is the real evil? And who is the real good? You thought it was over after book three? Ha ha no. The forth book has the most brutal cliff hanger ever, and an extreme plot twist, book #5 comes out in March, 2019. They are excellent, and you will not be able to predict what happens next!

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel *

by Michael Scott
****
"a quest through a mash up of every mythology, legand and fable to secure the secret of immortatilty"

Nicolas Flamel was a real person, he lived in Paris until his death in 1418 His tomb is empty though-only because he has been making the elixer of life for centuries and didn't actually die. The recipe for living is contained inside a book, The Book of Abraham the mage, and with that book someone could destroy the world. A prophecy shows that Sophie and Josh Newman have the power to save the world. They have to quest and journey through these worlds, of everything that has ever been storied. With every book, the suspense escalates, as they work harder to save the world. In each book Sophie and Josh also have to master all of the elements, but finding teachers is tricky. As Kirkus Reviews puts it, "The pacing never lets up, and the individual set pieces are fine mixtures of sudden action, heroic badinage and cliffhanger cutoffs." These books are great, really worth reading. These are more enjoyable if you have some knowledge of mythologies, ancient heroes, and fable characters because Scott goes through tons. Really interesting series.

The Ranger's Apprentice *

by John Flanagan
****
"a Ranger is an elite hunter and fighter, and here is the story of becoming one"

When 15 year old Will is chosen as a Ranger's apprentice, he is scared. Why wouldn't he be? With their long dark capes, shadowy ways, everyone thinks they practice dark magic. That's before he knows that the Rangers are fighters, spies and elite warriors. When evil Morgrath threatens the Kingdom of Arulen, Will has to fight. The stories center around Will, the apprentice Ranger, Horace, an apprentice knight and Evanlyn, the princess and heir of Arulen. There are 12 books in the series, but I WOULD NOT recommend the last two, they are absolutely not worth reading (especially number 12). This is a great series, my only issue is the lack of female characters. The adventures are many and exciting and it's fun to read. There are also many spin off books set in the same world, namely the Brotherband Chronicles. These are great, with excellent world building and characters.

The Grisha Trilogy *

by Leigh Bardugo
***
"enter the world of Grisha, the magical military elite. where everything is a secret and magic, science, and horror are normal."

Alina is a cartographer, a mapmaker, for her army, for her country. When something goes horribly wrong on her first trip across the Shadow Fold, a dark area covered with evil monsters, she unleashes dormant magic. Now she is part of the Grisha, the magical military elite. She has to live in a sparkling world of magic and beauty, but not everything is as it seems. There are many secrets to be uncovered, and where did this magic come from? An what role does the Darkling play? This is a fantastic series, I love Leigh Bardugo's writing and all the clever magic, science and horror. As Bustle puts it, "The best magic universe since Harry Potter.” this series is not as long as most of the above books, so if you want something shorter, here it is. These books are a bit gruesome, and be ready for cruelty. It's all worth it.

Passenger *

by Alexandra Bracken
*****
"a time-travling violinist has to fight her family for the real prize"

Etta Spencer has always liver just with her mom. She's learned to never ask about her father or her family's history. On her debut night as a violinist, everything changes and she is thrusted both countries and years from her home. Nick just wants to keep sailing, free from the cruel Ironwoods. So Etta and Nicholas go on an adventure through time to free themselves. Etta wants to get home and find her mom. But the deadly tangled family tree, and the four branches are all competing for the ultimate prize. It continues in Wayfarer, and the stakes are even higher. I've read several books about time-traveling, and this one is my favorite. The places they travel to are unique and original, with a good logical reason to how and why these characters can time travel. There is also romance, but it doesn't ever dominate the story, which is nice. These two books are really good.

Six of Crows *

by Leigh Bardugo
****
"the Grisha world + murder, theivery and heists"

This wonderful mystery/adventure/fantasy throws 6 unlikely people together as they try to pull off the biggest heist Ketterdam has ever seen. As the book description says, "A convict with a thirst for revenge. A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager. A runaway with a privileged past. A spy known as the Wraith. A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums. A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes." These characters all have different reasons and motives for pulling this off. The series continues in Crooked Kingdom, with Kaz and his crew weakened by a deception. I love these!! In my opinion they are better than the Grisha Trilogy, cunning and wit all combine wonderfully! These two books are fantastic, if you are curious about anything listed above, check these out.

The Darkest Part of The Forest *

by Holly Black
****
"in the forest on the edge of a town, there is a golden prince in a glass coffin, and he is sleeping"

As the book's official description says "In the woods is a glass coffin. It rests on the ground, and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives...." Hazel and Ben live in Fairfold, where humans and faeries live side by side. When they were younger, they played in the woods and made up stories about the boy in the coffin. They never thought he would wake up until he did. Now the prince is somewhere, and there is a monster too? This is Holly Black's return to Y/A, and it's a beautiful and tragic and cruel story about faeries. This book is really very good, like a fairytale. It's a bit of a bloody story though, sharp and opulent too.

The Cruel Prince *

by Holly Black
*****
"politics and murder, magic and wickedness"

When Jude was seven, her parents were murdered and she and her sisters were stolen away to live at The High Court of Faerie. Now 16, she is a human and the faeries at school really like to remind her of that. Caedan especially, the youngest son of the High King. She wants to be them as she hates them, with their glorious, sharp and wicked beauty. When a civil war threatens the court, she gets involved and a mad scheme emerges. This is a beautifully written book, here is the high court of the faeries, the above book is about a smaller but connected court. You don't have to read The Darkest Part of the Forest to enjoy this book, but I would recommend it.
- The Prince of Air (Jan. 2019) {Book #2}

The Coldest Girl In Coldtown *

by Holly Black
*****
"if you want to read about vampires, through lovely writing and modern day settings, here you have it"

When Tana goes to another high school party, she does not expect anything to happen. Then she wakes up after and vampires have killed everyone but her. Oh, and her crazy ex-boyfriend is turning into a vampire. She has to go straight to the experts, in Coldtown, a quarantined vampire city. As the book description says "Coldtown was dangerous, Tana knew. A glamorous cage, a prison for the damned and anyone who wanted to party with them." I really like this book. I don't like vampire books, but I like this book. The writing is sharply realistic as well as rich and beautiful. if you are looking for something out of your genre, try this.

The Hazel Wood *

by Melissa Albert
*****
"super dark and creepy fairy tales reimagined "

Alice and her mother have always been one step ahead of the constant bad luck following them. When her mother vanishes, her only clue is her last message, "Stay away from the Hazel Wood." The Hazel Wood was Alice's grandmother's estate, she wrote a collection of super dark fairytales that have a cult like following there. Now Alice's only ally may be a superfan of the fairytales, Ellery Finch. To save her mother, Alice has to go back to where it started, The Hazel Wood. This book is great, beautiful fairytales turned on their heads, now slightly unsettling and creepy. I really enjoyed this, it's reminiscent of Holly Black's writing, but with less edge. Great book.

Renegades *

by Marissa Meyer
****
"superheroes have to rebuild a crumbeled society with amazing powers."

Nova is a part of the Anarchists, a group that wants to overthrow the government-and tried but failed. Now, they haunt the tunnels and abandoned parts of the city. Adrian has always been destined to be a superhero, his dads are both on the ruling council. The Renegades are superheroes that act as police and helpers and saviors. Nova goes to infiltrate them, and has to work with Adrian. But they both have strong family ties, and where do their loyalties really lie? This book is great, it's like the glossy red comic books redone as a novel. The technology is cool, and so are the powers. I don't love superheroes (expect Wonder Woman) but I really enjoyed this. It's really worth it!
- Archenemies (Nov. 2018) {Book #2}

The Belles *

by Dhonielle Clayton
*****
"in a world where natural is hideous, you have to pay for beauty"

The Belles are the favored, the beautiful and the praised. In Orleans, everyone is born with grey skin and red eyes, but Belles can change their appearnce to anything they desire. Camilla is a Belle, but that's not enough. She wants to be the favored Belle, the one who works for the royal family. But behind the gold and the glitter are some very dark things indeed. The palace is gorgeous and careful and manipulative. Who to trust? Who to hide from? Who to love? Camilla has impossible decisions to make, that endanger everyone she loves. This book was stunning, it questions everything we think about beauty. What is beautiful? This will make you question the standards of society and what makes someone beautiful. Highly recommend.

Akata Witch *

by Nnedi Okrafor
****
"a African girl learning her powers and strngths with magic powers"

To Sunny, she doesn't fit in anywhere. She lives in Nigera, but moved there from New York. She loves soccer, but can't play in the sun because of her albinism. She soon discovers that she's a free agent of magic-and is honing and learning with the other three members of her group. But there's also a magical villain around, who is harming and maiming children. This is truly a stunning book, with wonderful imagery and life. There’s more imagination on a page of Nnedi Okorafor’s work than in whole volumes of ordinary fantasy epics." —Ursula K. Le Guin, award-winning author of A Wizard of Earthsea. "Jam-packed with mythological wonders." —Rick Riordan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Children of Blood and Bone *

by Tomi Adeyemi
****
"They killed my mother, They took our magic. They tried to bury us."

As excerpted from the book description, "Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope. Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good. Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy." This book has been at the top of every young adult bestseller list for the past 4 months, so I was a little skeptical. Then I read it. And it was incredible, combining magic and current issues and a great quest and epic powers. It was honestly so so good. The tie into some current events is skillfully done, when I read the author's note at the end, it made sense and lots of little pieces of the book really make sense. Everyone should read this!

Advanced Reader Fantasy

These books all have really high vocabulary and advanced plots. They are the hardest books on here, and some of my favorite. Challenge yourself!

The Inheritance Cycle *

by Christopher Paolini
****
"an epic series about dragons, elves, dwarves and evil kings"

Eragon is just a boy, trying to keep his family alive through his hunting and farming. One day he finds a beautiful sapphire colored egg shaped stone. He has no idea what it is, until it hatched and he has a dragon. Thus begins an epic adventure, to reclaim their kingdom and bring back the dragon riders. Eragon meets elves, dwarves, dragons, and magic. Eragon has to take up the mantle of the dragon riders, but can he? This is a long series, but a good one. If you have been reading Fablehaven and Percy Jackson, but want something more challenging; this is the series. It's an epic adventure and a great read.

The Queens of Innis Lear *

by Tessa Gratton
*****
"Shakespeare's King Lear but with a high fantasy setting"

This epic story centers around the three sisters and heirs of the island, Innis Lear. Galea, is the oldest, the most ruthless and the rightful heir. Regan, is the middle, more cunning, beautiful and bent on producing an heir. Elia, is the youngest, closest to the king and the least bloodthirsty. King Lear is mad, he is sick and he will not last. Regan and Galea have a pact, an alliance. Will they prevail? Who will win the throne? Who will even survive that long? This book is incredible. It can be confusing at times, there are lots of flashbacks and the point of view cycles through seven different people. The politics are amazing, and the connections even more so. If you are new to Shakespeare, you might want to try the Prince of Shadows (up, in the Historical fiction section), that's a good introduction. This is certainly a challenge, but it is all worth it! There is some mature content. The magic is beautiful, and the tragedies are glorious and sad. Wonderful novel.

The Cry of the Icemark *

by Stuart Hill
*****
"the heir has to defend her tiny kingdom and make allies-fast"

As the book summary says, "After the death of her beloved father, headstrong princess Thirrin Freer Strong-In-The-Arm becomes warrior queen of her homeland, Icemark, defending it from a formidable invader. Despite Thirrin's bravery and the support of Oskan, the Witch's son, the task proves more difficult than Thirrin ever dreamed. She must assemble a force to rival her opponent. And, in the chill winter of Icemark, she only has until spring to unite the strange beasts and frightening creatures who live just outside her country. Ultimately, it is Thirrin's vision and determination that will see her through to victory." This is a really good book, it has adventure, scheming, a little bit of romance. One of the few high fantasy adventures with a female main character. The allies are interesting, and the invading army is strong. This is simply a great novel. There are two more books after this. I've read them, and the first book is the best and works as a stand alone too. Highly recommend.

The Faerie Door

by B. E. Maxwell
****
"a wonderful adventure with lots of faeries and some time-travelling!"

The Faerie Queen created a portal between this world and hers. When the evil Shadow Knight threatens to come into the human world, the Faerie Queen gets two imaginative children to help her. Eliot, from 1966 America and Victoria from 1890 England. They go on two quests to find the orbs that will defeat the Shadow Knight. The quests that they go on are great, some of my favorite. This is like a cross between A Little Princess and The Chronicles of Narnia. This might have the highest book level here, with an 8.0. Another book great for people who want something more challenging then Fablehaven and The Sisters Grimm. A fun read.

Uprooted *

by Namoi Naovik
*****
"a fairy-tale novel with a girl, a wizard and the Wood"

Agnieszka grew up in her valley, always in the shadow of the Wood. The only barrier between the evil, old, powerful Wood is the Dragon. He is a wizard and protects their valley with his magic, and he only asks for a girl every 10 years. Everyone knows that Kaisa will be picked, she's beautiful, brave and talented. But Kaisa is Agnieszka's best friend and she knows that there's no way to save her. But when the day comes, it's not Kaisa that's be
en chosen. Thus begins her journey of learning her magic, fighting the Wood and the corruptness. She meets kings and finds a queen, and discovers her own magic. I really like this. The writing is absolutely beautiful. It's based off of Beauty and the Beast,and look for similarities. The characters are interesting and this is a very enjoyable story. There is also a strong female main character! Which is pretty unheard of in high fantasy novels like this. It's like a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy-tale has been expended into a novel, with stunning results. It is pretty long, and challenging, but so, so worth it. The review of Uprooted on NPR is worth reading, if you want to read another point of view, https://www.npr.org/2015/05/24/407712289/friendship-magic-and-danger-blossom-in-uprooted. This also won a 2015 Nebula for outstanding fantasy novel! Uprooted really deserved all the acclaim and praise it recieved!

Spinning Silver *

by Naomi Novik
*****
"novel-length retelling of Rumplestitskin"

Miryam's father is the town moneylender, but he won't collect the money he is owed, leaving their family in poverty. Miryam can't bear being ridiculed any more, so she goes out and can soon turn silver into gold, with her money lending. When she brags about this, the king of the Staryk; the icy fae people, hears and alters her life forever. This begins entwining the story of two kingdoms and two girls. However, the Tsar of the land, has lots of secrets, and they threaten to destroy everything. “A book as cool and mysterious as a winter’s night, with two marvelous heroines at its heart, Spinning Silver pits the cold of endless winter against the fires of duty, love, and sacrifice. I couldn’t put it down.”—Katherine Arden, New York Times bestselling author of The Bear and the Nightingale. This is beautifully written, with a layered and intertwined story. I really enjoyed reading this, and it's interesting to see the similarities to Rumpelstiltskin, look for them! Wonderful story.

Fairy-Tale Adaptations

These are classic fairy-tales that have been adapted in some way.

The Lunar Chronicles *

by Marissa Meyer
****
"four fairy-tales entertwined and set in the future with lots of technology and schemes"

Cinder is a cyborg, which means she is treated like a second-class citizen because of her metal limbs. She's also been blamed for her stepsister's illness and her own mysterious past. Once Cinder discovers who she really is, everything changes. She goes on an adventure, to stop the evil Queen Levana and save the world (which sounds cheesy, but it's true). Cinder is a retelling of Cinderella, Scarlet is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Cress is a retelling of Rapunzel and Winter is a retelling of Snow White. They all are woven together to create an intertwined series. There are also two companion books, Fairest and Stars Above. Fairest is Queen Levana's story and Stars Above is a collection of stories set before and after the main series. Both are worth reading, and Fairest is intended to be read between Cress and Winter. Marissa Meyer really brings the characters to life, and adds in clever nods to the original stories. Out of the four, my favorite is Cress, but I also really like Cinder and Winter. Really great writing, with a combination of sci-fi and fantasy. Highly recommend.

Entwined

by Heather Dixon
*****
"a retelling of the twelve dancing princesses with lots of magical elements and family"

Azalea is the oldest of the twelve princess and while their mother is sick, and father is taking care of the kingdom, she takes care of her sisters. Just as she's old enough for everything - balls, gowns, and suitors; she's trapped within the castle walls. When Azalea and her sisters have the chance to travel to a magical ballroom for the night, they go. The only problem is the Keeper, who controls the fairyland and starts making demands, after all, he's been in the castle for centuries. This book is more of a 18th century castle and it's not about wealth and marriage, it's about family and sisters. A nice mix of mystery, fiction and fable.