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Group:  Read YA Lit ignore
Topic:  Anyone know of any teen fantasy books? 0 / 87 read

Mar 2, 2009, 7:13pm (top)Message 1: pwaites

I have a hard time finding new books that I like. I like fantasy, humor, and a bit of Si-Fi. I do not like romance, but if it is a amount small enough to ignore then I am fine. I am also looking for more middle school age books. Here are some of my favorites:

Artemis Fowl and the rest of the books in the series
Maximum Ride
Science Fair
Fablehaven
The Amulet of Samarkand and the rest in the trilogy
Skullduggery Pleasant

If you know of any books I might like I would really appreciate you posting them here.

Message edited by its author, Nov 4, 2009, 4:56pm.

Mar 2, 2009, 7:28pm (top)Message 2: foggidawn

I'd recommend the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which starts with The Lightning Thief.
You might also try the Attolia series, starting with The Thief.
If I think of more, I will post them here.

Mar 2, 2009, 9:36pm (top)Message 3: d_perlo

Skellig by David Almond
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper (and the rest of the series)
Heir Apparant by Vivian Vande Velde
Dust by Arthur Slade
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas

The Xanth novels by Piers Anthony, starting with A Spell for Chameleon, are also a lot of fun and were appropriate for middle school on up.

Mar 2, 2009, 9:45pm (top)Message 4: collsers

I recommend A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. One of the first works of sf/f I ever read.

Mar 2, 2009, 11:06pm (top)Message 5: shadrach_anki

One series I would recommend is John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series, beginning with The Ruins of Gorlan. This is an excellent fantasy/adventure series with some historical leanings to it. The fifth book was released in the US this past November, and the sixth book should be coming out this August.

I also recommend Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy, consisting of Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen.

James Dashner's The 13th Reality: The Journal of Curious Letters is a wonderful middle-grade fantasy.

I second the recommendations for the Percy Jackson novels, The Magic Thief, Megan Whalen Turner's Attolia series, and The Dark is Rising.

If you are interested in Arthurian legend, you might want to look into books by T.A. Barron, particularly The Lost Years of Merlin. I've really enjoyed everything of his that I've read.

Mar 3, 2009, 9:13am (top)Message 6: foggidawn

Another Arthurian series you might look in to is The Squire's Tales by Gerald Morris -- lots of humor in those.

Another fantasy series you might also look at is the Keepers of the Kingdom series by Garth Nix, starting with Mister Monday.

Mar 3, 2009, 12:14pm (top)Message 7: MerryMary

Mary Stewart also has a Merlin series. The first one is The Crystal Cave.

Mar 3, 2009, 1:51pm (top)Message 8: herebebooks

Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones (and the rest of the Chrestomanci series)
Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (and the sequels)
Actually, all and any of Diana Wynne Jones' books. She writes some sci-fi, too.

Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan
Midnighters (series) by Scott Westerfeld

Message edited by its author, Mar 6, 2009, 1:19pm.

Mar 3, 2009, 5:03pm (top)Message 9: jnwelch

Graceling by Kristin Cashore; the Harry Potter books.

Mar 3, 2009, 10:52pm (top)Message 10: collsers

Another series I loved was the Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander. The first book in the series is The Book of Three. They're fantasy, with great characters.

Mar 4, 2009, 7:41pm (top)Message 11: pwaites

I am not really interested in Athurian legend

Mar 4, 2009, 7:46pm (top)Message 12: shewhowearsred

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Tamora Pierce! Her Song of the Lioness Quartet (starting with Alanna: The First Adventure is particularly good. The Looking Glass Wars and Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor is pretty good, too.

Mar 4, 2009, 7:48pm (top)Message 13: pwaites

I have read one of Tamora Pierce's books. Ilooked at the rest but they sounded like they had a lot of romance. Do they?

Mar 4, 2009, 7:54pm (top)Message 14: shewhowearsred

#13: pwaites, they do have romance in them, but I wouldn't say the romance is the focus of the stories. She also has other series like The Circle of Magic which don't have romance at all, I believe, although I didn't think they were as good as The Song of the Lioness and Immortals Quartets.

Mar 4, 2009, 8:16pm (top)Message 15: lorin77

13/14: the Circle of Magic books are pretty young, I think, so not much romance in those. I also did not like them as much as the Lioness/Immortals books. Pierce also wrote Trickster's Queen and its companion.

Mar 5, 2009, 2:39am (top)Message 16: fabfic-terrificteens

I highly recommend Terry Pratchett - The wee free men, A hat full of sky, and Wintersmith are all excellent. You may also wish to look at The alchemyst by Michael Scott.
Some of the funniest books I've read are by Jack Gantos, starting with Joey Pigza swallowed the key. Andrew Clements is also great - try Frindle, or The Landry News.

Mar 5, 2009, 3:37am (top)Message 17: Leuntje

The golden compass by Philips Pullman and the next two books.

Mar 5, 2009, 6:19pm (top)Message 18: theexiledlibrarian

Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians

Mar 5, 2009, 7:44pm (top)Message 19: cariad00

Hi,

A very good series is Isobel Carmody's Obernewtyn series with the first book being Obernewtyn.

Cheers

Mar 5, 2009, 9:37pm (top)Message 20: pwaites

I have read some of Terry Pratchett's books. They are really good! I loved The Alchemyst! I have read the second in the series and cannot wait for the third. Frindle and the Landry News where also good. I didn't like the Golden Compass. It was to boring! My sister really wants to read Alcatraz vs Evil Librarians and I will look into it. There are a lot of books here and I will put some of them on my list to read.

Mar 6, 2009, 10:24am (top)Message 21: Hermee

Am a huge fan of the Artemis Fowl and The Amulet of Samarkand series, and am really enjoying the Fablehaven series which I recently got into as well so my recommendations are based on those since I've not read the other three you mentioned.

FAIRYTALES WITH A TWIST
The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley
~ Please don't be put off by the fact that I put fairytales. This series is a lot of fun and gets better with each one. The author's taken popular fairytale characters and placed them into a town which they can't escape from. The Sisters Grimm are two sisters who are descendants of the Brothers Grimm and they, along with their eccentric grandmother, are detectives, solving mysteries to do with these fairytale characters. Each book introduces a few new characters and it's fun figuring out who's who. My fave character of all is Puck who's hilarious and will have you laughing out loud the way the djinn in The Amulet of Samarkand, and the centaur and dwarf in Artemis Fowl probably do. I love the same kind of humor and Puck has me in stitches. The first book is good, but the second is better and the third is even better. With each one, Puck gets even funnier. Am on the fifth right now and another character in it (who I won't mention so I don't ruin the surprise) is hilarious as well.

FANTASY
The Divide by Elizabeth Kay
The Alchemist's Cat by Robin Jarvis – series, but this is the only book with human characters
Endymion Spring by Matthew Skelton
Nightmare Academy by Dean Lorey
Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan
The Goblin Wood by Hilari Bell
Ingo by Helen Dunmore
Children of the Lamp by P.B. Kerr – about twins (boy and girl) who find out their djinns. Loved the first one, but in the second book, the author pointed out the obvious four times which doubts reader intelligence so I've yet to pick up the third. The first one was really good though.

If you enjoy The Alchemist's Cat, book one of Deptford Histories – and this is confusing – the second in the series is not the second in Deptford Histories as you might imagine. It's the first in the Deptford Mice series, which is The Dark Portal by Robin Jarvis. It goes book one in each series, then book two in each series, then book three in each series, starting with Deptford Histories books each time. See what I mean about confusing? I highly recommend that you DON'T read The Oaken Throne though, which is book two of Deptford Histories (which is how I found out I'd read it in the wrong order – coz I read that second). The ending was the worst I'd ever read (absolutely pointless) and bothered me for weeks. I can't recommend The Alchemist's Cat highly enough though. It's brilliant!

FANTASY/SCI-FI
The Merchant of Death by D. J. MacHale – so good I'm eagerly awaiting book 10, the final book in the series. It mentions Arthurian in the first description on LT, but that's only in relation to the name Pendragon. It has nothing to do with Arthurian legends other than that. It's non-stop action that will have you eagerly turning the pages and is told in the first person so you feel like you're in the story yourself.

BOOKS WITH DRAGONS
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik, which is called Temeraire in the U.K. – the author is a member of Library Thing as well

OTHER – highly recommended
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick – this book is huge, but two thirds of it are pictures so you only read the other third. The idea for it is so original. Have you ever seen a Charlie Chaplin movie or a similar black and white movie with no sound? Imagine that. The camera rolls and words appear on the screen (which you read on pages with words). It then flits to pictures, which tell part of the story as well so you're alternating between the two. This was the only way to portray a movie prior to the invention of sound and it's portrayed extraordinarily well in The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Such an incredible idea. It was my fave children's book last year, not just because of the original concept, but also because the story in itself is so original. It tells the tale of a boy who lives in a train station behind its walls. His parents have been killed so he's living there with his uncle. His uncle's job is to wind the clocks throughout the station, which he winds from behind the walls. One day the uncle goes missing and the boy takes over his job. His pastime, however, relates to an invention, a very clever one that I won't reveal as it will spoil it. The author/illustrator also illustrated Frindle and Landry News by the way.
The Capture by Kathryn Lasky – my fave book series for children that I read last year. I thought it would be a cutesy story about animals, and it is in the very beginning, but quickly became a story about strength of character and perseverance as two owls try to escape the clutches of an evil society that reminded me somewhat of World War II.

-- MY TAGS --
If you click on http://www.librarything.com/tags/Hermee, it will take you to my tags. If you look up mythical, you'll see I have tags for lots of mythical creatures, such as "mythical – fairies" and "mythical – werewolves" so if you read a good book about a particular type and are looking for more, you may find some you like there.

Hope you enjoy many of these. If you're looking for other types, you might see them among my tags. :)

Message edited by its author, Mar 6, 2009, 10:27am.

Mar 6, 2009, 3:08pm (top)Message 22: theexiledlibrarian

Mar 6, 2009, 5:47pm (top)Message 23: pwaites

21) I loved the Sisters Grimm! I have read all of them. I think the next one comes out in May. I liked the whole Divide trilogy except the last book. I just do not like ending. I also like all the Pendragon books. I am on the third. I hated the Hobbit! It was the way it was written. It seemed to flowery. Eragon was excellent! I have read all the books in the series so far and I really liked the chapters in Brisinger, which were told from Saphira's point of view. I have not read his Majesty's Dragon, but it is on my list of books to read. I have read The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I have also read the Capture. A lot of people I knew liked it so I thought I would try it out. Thanks for all the recommendations! I cannot wait to read some of these!

22) Inkheart was OK. I liked Dragon Rider better. I read the first books in the Dark is Rising series but got borad and stopped reading the series.

Mar 6, 2009, 8:01pm (top)Message 24: Hermee

The Sisters Grimm, Pendragon and Eragon series are some of my favorite books so you have excellent taste. ;) Haven't read the third books yet in the Divide and Eragon series, but hope to soon so will have to see how I feel about the endings.

Have some more for you. Many of these are on my must reads list so I can't vouch for them personally, but they sound like books you'd enjoy.

CURRENTLY READING
The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti – really good so far

ON MY MUST READS LIST
Larklight by Philip Reeve – sci-fi
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon – sci-fi
Spiggot's Quest by Garry Douglas Kilworth - fantasy
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix - suspense
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart – detectives; gifted children
Peak by Roland Smith - adventure
Silverwing by Kenneth Oppel - bats
The War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith - humor
Spud by John van de Ruit - humor
Love Among the Walnuts or How I Saved My Family From Being Poisoned by Jean Ferris - humor
Groosham Grange by Anthony Horowitz - humor
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney - humor

HAVE READ
The Secret of Castle Cant by K.P. Bath – funny in parts and a fun read
Into the Wild by Erin Hunter – good series about cats

Message edited by its author, Mar 6, 2009, 8:03pm.

Mar 8, 2009, 10:52am (top)Message 25: pwaites

Among the Hidden was really good! So was the Mysterious Benedict Society. If you like it there is also a sequel. Love Among the Walnuts was funny. If you enjoy it there is also Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris.

Mar 8, 2009, 5:06pm (top)Message 26: audreyfan21

The Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray is fantastic. It's a fantasy trilogy but it is not si-fi. It does have a little bit of romance but that is not the main focus of the book. Anyway, the book takes place in the late 1800s at a girls boarding school in England. The main character is a 16 year old girl. It involves mythical creatures and is basically a story of good vs. evil. It can be incredibly funny at times. It can get very sarcastic. There were times when I burst out laughing while reading it. Anywho, it's a great story.

Message edited by its author, May 10, 2009, 5:47pm.

Mar 9, 2009, 7:25am (top)Message 27: Hermee

We have a lot of books in common then. Started the Mysterious Benedict Society, but had to return it the library (darn it) so need to reorder that one. What I read was really gripping.

Once Upon a Marigold is on my must reads list as well. Did you know there's a sequel? It's called Twice Upon a Marigold. It's in paperback now so your library should have it.

Jean Ferris has written quite a lot of books. My fave site for looking up books by author is www.fantasticfiction.co.uk coz you can see the whole bunch then. Library Thing is good for that too only it depends on who's added them on here. Anyhoo, all of Jean Ferris' are here if you'd like to check them out: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/f/jean...

Finished The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti this weekend and give it five stars. It's amazing. Although it's written for adults, it's told in a child's perspective so is good for all ages really though it's quite sinister in parts. Those parts are short though. The description is best at this link: http://www.hannahtinti.com/goodthief.htm.... Just scroll down to the "About This Book" section. It's got tons of wonderful reviews there as well and shows the book awards that the author's won. It's my fave book this year. It's different to the types you mentioned, but I thought you might like to check it out since it's that good.

As you love The Sisters Grimm series, perhaps you'd like to check out my Fairytales With a Twist tag: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Herm.... Have a tag for Fairytales Retold as well if you're interested.

By the way, are you a boy or girl? It would help with recommendations.

Mar 9, 2009, 9:42am (top)Message 28: jnwelch

Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, Neverwhere and Stardust are all good, as is Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett.

Mar 10, 2009, 4:06pm (top)Message 29: Silver1

Dealing with Dragons from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. It turns into a romance after that book, bt the first one is amazing!

Mar 10, 2009, 7:52pm (top)Message 30: Tafadhali

The Young Wizards series by Diane Duane are fabulous, and there are eight of them so far, so if you get into them, there's a lot to keep you occupied.

Mar 11, 2009, 10:49am (top)Message 31: Kittybee

Anything by Terry Pratchett is good. I started reading his books when I was in high school and still love them!

Apr 13, 2009, 8:56am (top)Message 32: JRlibrary

I strongly suggest you check out The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. The first book is called The Ruins of Gorlan and you really need to read book one before you read the others. Book one is probably one of my favourite books of all time and I read a LOT of YA books! I think the series is absolutely fantastic, and I haven't recommended it to anyone who didn't like it. You do need to be a decent reader to enjoy it however, so I usually don't recommend it to younger boys.

Apr 13, 2009, 3:13pm (top)Message 33: ms529212

I am not a teen, but I have loved most of the books you've mentioned, so I feel qualified to respond. You've gotten a lot of good suggestions from previous posters, by the way. I would add:

The Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney (which I found much more enjoyable than the similarly titled Ranger's Apprentice series...

The Leven Thumps series by Obert Skye

The Gideon Trilogy by Linda Buckley-Archer

The Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer (about a girl pirate - more historical fiction than fantasy, maybe).

100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson

The Chronicles of Chaos series by John C. Wright

Apr 17, 2009, 1:12am (top)Message 34: readmetender

I have to add Abarat by Clive Barker, a fantastic series about a girl who goes to a different world full of weird and wonderful creatures and is pursued by an evil man. It's the first of four intended books - books one and two are out, three is supposed to be coming out soon!

Apr 17, 2009, 1:48am (top)Message 35: CurrerBell

There are an awful lot already listed, quite a number of which I'm familiar with, but one that I notice hasn't come up yet is Ysabeau Wilce's Flora Segunda series. I guess you might say there's some romance, but it's not really a "romance" series in any way, and it's quite off-beat with a bit of humor. It's fantasy, not sci-fi.

One caution. The first volume was decent enough but really wasn't anything to write home about. In fact, I was a bit put off by its off-beat slang and the rather unusual "alternate history" use of Aztecs. You'll have to read the first volume (Flora Segunda), though, to get the background you'll need for the second volume (Flora's Dare). Don't be put off by the first volume. Read it, be patient, and then go on to Flora's Dare, which is absolutely out of this world and ties together some of the threads that started in Flora Segunda.

Apr 17, 2009, 2:14pm (top)Message 36: selkie_girl

Try The Light of the Oracle by Victoria Hanley, it was really good as well as The singer of all songs by Kate Constable

Apr 17, 2009, 6:09pm (top)Message 37: WilowRaven

Here are some fantasy books I would recommend....

I would also recommend the Sisters Grimm series - I just got the 7th book yesterday and can't wait to read it!

Also recommend the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series - the final book will be out in May.

Kingdom Keepers both 1 and 2 by Ridley Pearson are excellent.

The 3 Peter and the Starcatchers books by Dave Barry are great as well.

Patrick Carman's Land of Elyon Series are wonderful.

Thanks to everyone else by the way for some great recommendations!

Apr 18, 2009, 7:45am (top)Message 38: MorgenRotsLicht

Well, my brother reads almost the same books as you do, so I could recommend some of his favourites:

- Evil Genius and Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks

- Land of Elyon by Patrick Carman

- Children of the Lamp by P. B. Kerr

- The Demonata by Darren Shan

- Cirque de Freak by Darren Shan

- Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan

Hope you'll like some of them and have a great fun reading them ^^

Apr 18, 2009, 3:45pm (top)Message 39: golux1

My daughter says try Trudi Canavan, Marianne Curley (fantasy with some romance, but male readers have enjoyed it too), Kenneth Oppel and Karen Miller. And of course, Lord of the Rings.... I like Percy Jackson too.

Apr 18, 2009, 6:20pm (top)Message 40: passionateaboutbooks

Pierce's The Trickster's Choice is excellent. It has a lot of action and suspense; there is also a sequel to the book, The Trickster's Queen.

Apr 18, 2009, 6:22pm (top)Message 41: passionateaboutbooks

I highly recommend The Gideon Trilogy with Gideon the cutpurse as the first book and The Time Thief as the second. I truly enjoyed these first two books and can't wait for the third in the series.

Apr 18, 2009, 6:23pm (top)Message 42: Tid

Have a look for the books by British author Alan Garner.

Apr 18, 2009, 6:27pm (top)Message 43: passionateaboutbooks

Some more suggestions: The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. It's the first of three books. We can't keep these books on the shelves at our library. Also, The Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede; it's a brand new book out that is supposed to be a mixture of Harry Potter and Little House on the Prairie. Another series you may enjoy is The Vampirates by Justin Sompers. The first book in the series is Demons of the Ocean. This is another series that won't stay on the shelves.

Apr 20, 2009, 10:33am (top)Message 44: viciouslittlething

I am almost at the end of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and it's excellent, I will get through the next in a matter of days but the third book isn't out until sometime over the summer.

Apr 20, 2009, 11:20pm (top)Message 45: foggidawn

I just read The Ruby Key and really enjoyed it -- not too much romance, and an interesting fantasy world. It sounds like something you might be interested in.

Apr 21, 2009, 2:59am (top)Message 46: esrichards

The third book City of Glass is already out and in bookstores. I am currently reading the second one and can't wait to read the third

Apr 21, 2009, 4:58am (top)Message 47: fabfic-terrificteens

A wee boast from the other side of the world - City of glass was released in NZ March 24th - bought it, read it the same day. Yahoo for books being released on the same day everywhere, as we get it first!

Apr 21, 2009, 6:19am (top)Message 48: viciouslittlething

the UK edition isn't out until July, just check amazon - what a pain, may have to bribe a lovely american relative to post me a copy NOW!

Apr 21, 2009, 7:22pm (top)Message 49: thinken

I would suggest the Sabriel series from Garth Nix. His Keys to the Kingdom series is also a good one for young adults.

May 1, 2009, 7:22pm (top)Message 50: smiley24

I would also suggest anything about Tamora Pierce. Most of them don't have too much romance, although there is some. Also I think that you might like the Uglies series by Scott Westerfield. The four books in the series are more Sci-Fi-ish. Also The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale was really good. I hope you enjoy any books that you read.

May 2, 2009, 10:49am (top)Message 51: jnwelch

For those who are interested, the Science Fiction Fans group is putting together a list of the best YA science fiction, and could use some help here: http://www.librarything.com/topic/63688

May 3, 2009, 3:27pm (top)Message 52: Aerrin99

> 51 Hooray! I was just thinking today that I should cross-post and get some YA folk to help us out!

May 7, 2009, 6:44pm (top)Message 53: Miranda_Paige

I second A Wrinkle In Time, The Dark is Rising series which actually starts with Over Sea, Under Stone, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ingo. I LOVE Howl's Moving Castle. It is so well written and it is one of the few books I have re-read again and again. The others being The dark is rising series, Warriors Saga, Twilight, and Harry Potter.
You could also try Eragon, Wicked Lovely, The Prydain Chronicles or The Golden Compass

Message edited by its author, May 7, 2009, 6:45pm.

May 7, 2009, 8:55pm (top)Message 54: ibetonalice2

Is The Dark Is Rising series really good?
I purchased all of the books in that series and plan
on reading them as soon as I'm done reading Evernight
and the Blue Bloods series.

May 8, 2009, 4:46pm (top)Message 55: Miranda_Paige

Yes! They are SUCH good books!

May 8, 2009, 10:48pm (top)Message 56: ibetonalice2

Well then I'm starting Over Sea, Under Stone today :)

May 9, 2009, 11:58am (top)Message 57: Miranda_Paige

Enjoy it! :D

May 9, 2009, 1:23pm (top)Message 58: ronincats

Have to say that the second book in the series, the eponymous The Dark Is Rising, is one of my "perfect" stories. Those are the ones, and they are few in number, when I just sigh with regret and repletion when I turn the last page and think, "Now THAT is a story!"

May 9, 2009, 2:06pm (top)Message 59: Rubbah

ibetonalice- Have you read any of the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett? They are amazing. I started reading them a couple of years ago when I was 16.

May 9, 2009, 2:18pm (top)Message 60: Miranda_Paige

This message has been deleted by its author.

May 9, 2009, 2:19pm (top)Message 61: Miranda_Paige

> 58 I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way about The Golden Compass but really nothing else.

Message edited by its author, May 9, 2009, 2:19pm.

May 9, 2009, 2:23pm (top)Message 62: Tid

> 59

Oh yes - the Discworld books are so funny, even if you aren't British and miss some of the satire. My favourite is Soul Music where Death resigns and someone else has to do his job. Ha ha.

May 11, 2009, 2:38pm (top)Message 63: jnwelch

Agree re The Dark is Rising. What a good book!

Another good one by Susan Cooper, a standalone that isn't part of this series, is King of Shadows, a time travel book involving a present day production of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, and one in Shakespeare's time, with the main character Nat working closely with Shakespeare.

May 11, 2009, 6:28pm (top)Message 64: EdGoldberg

Eon: The Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
Graceling by Cashore

May 12, 2009, 6:31pm (top)Message 65: Tid

I know absolutely nothing about The Dark Is Rising, except that it's an awesome track by Mercury Rev on their All Is Dream album.

Jul 20, 2009, 1:44pm (top)Message 66: ngbugg

http://terraem.com/

Book Summary:
Fourteen year-old Menaha Ohlend has never quite felt as if she fit in. She spends most of her time alone trying to ignore the strange noises and voices she often hears inside her head. After winning a sponsored essay contest, Menaha can hardly believe her luck as the grand prize is a trip to Camp Squamish, a place she has dreamt of going her entire life. Yet, Camp Squamish will have to wait, for Menaha will soon enter a world beyond her wildest imagination. The van waiting in the parking lot will not be taking her to summer camp, but will instead be the first step on a journey to Terraem, eight light years away, where she was not only born, but where her father, someone she has not seen for years, has been living all her life. With the help of her new Terraemi friends Sananda and Soter, will soon learn to grow and understand her natural gifts, both as a young Terraemi put onto Earth for a specific purpose, and as a normal teenage girl growing up in North America.

Jul 20, 2009, 4:17pm (top)Message 67: ragulto101

if you like fantasy then you should check out:

Bras and Broomsticks by Sarah Mlynowski

Frogs and French Kisses by Sarah Mlynowski

Spells and Sleeping Bags by Sarah Mlynowski

Parties and Potions bySarah Mlynowski

Jul 20, 2009, 4:59pm (top)Message 68: CurrerBell

Just recently published, you might want to try Ellen Jensen Abbott 's Watersmeet. Although sometimes the characters' motivations change awfully quickly, and although the ending is a little bit contrived, it's takes an interesting look at issues of racism in a fantasy setting.

My possibly Number One book of 2008 was Philip Reeve's Here Lies Arthur, which I see shows up in the touchstone listing to the right, but I don't find it actually mentioned in a post. It's a very interesting take on the Arthurian legend, told from the perspective of a young girl whose village has been burned and whose family has been murdered by a bandit gang, and there are also some interesting transgender twists involved. I'll say no more to avoid SPOILER.

Message edited by its author, Jul 20, 2009, 4:59pm.

Jul 23, 2009, 12:23pm (top)Message 69: Rippy1234

The singer of all songs by Kate Constable along with the waterless sea and the tenth power

Jul 26, 2009, 7:40pm (top)Message 70: Calwise

This message has been deleted by its author.

Jul 26, 2009, 7:42pm (top)Message 71: Calwise

The Redwall series is amazing and you don't have to read them in any certain order.

Jul 27, 2009, 1:22am (top)Message 72: CurrerBell

Just finished reading Libyrinth by Pearl North and I'd highly recommend it. (That's the correct spelling, BTW. It's a word play on "library" and "labyrinth.")

Jul 27, 2009, 5:22pm (top)Message 73: silver4lady

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and Luthiel's Song by Robert Fanney.

Aug 5, 2009, 10:36am (top)Message 74: pwaites

I found Redwall kind of boring.

I loved the Ruby Key!

Message edited by its author, Aug 5, 2009, 10:37am.

Aug 5, 2009, 1:11pm (top)Message 75: Calwise

pwaites, Redwall is definetly not the best of the series, but they get really good if you give them a chance. I didn't really like Redwall either, but some of them like Martin The Warrior, Loamhedge, and The Outcast of Redwall are really worth the read.

Aug 5, 2009, 1:38pm (top)Message 76: mamzel

Everyone knows about Orson Scott Card's Ender series but another of his series is in the fantasy genre with alternate history thrown in. The Alvin Maker series, starting with Seventh Son (1987) was reviewed very well and is worth searching for.

Aug 5, 2009, 5:48pm (top)Message 77: shadrach_anki

Re: Redwall

I suggest you give the series another chance, but start with a different book. Redwall, Mossflower, and Mattimeo were the first three Redwall novels Brian Jacques wrote, and the writing and pacing are rather rough. He was, stylistically speaking, a young author at that point, and it shows in the writing. His style starts settling in Mariel of Redwall, and by the time he wrote Martin the Warrior things were pretty polished.

So I'm seconding Calwise's suggestion of Martin the Warrior as a good starting point. Mariel of Redwall is quite good as well, and her story is continued in The Bellmaker (one of the few points in the series where paying attention to chronology is rather important).

Oct 31, 2009, 2:49pm (top)Message 78: samsamvs13

there is a series by Madeline L'Engle called a wrinkle in time.
the books in the series are:
-A Wrinkle in Time
-A Wind in the Door
-A Swiftly Tilting Planet
-Many Waters
-An Acceptable Time
i LOVE those books!!
they are so good!
hope u can get ur hands on them!

Nov 4, 2009, 9:19am (top)Message 79: Jenson_AKA_DL

I just finished a more obscure book called The Crystal Throne by Kathryn Sullivan which fits your description. It was pretty enjoyable.

Nov 4, 2009, 6:26pm (top)Message 80: librarianmom26

Have you tried the Septimus Heap series by Angie Sage? That one is lots of fun!

Nov 13, 2009, 8:46am (top)Message 81: cnposner

How about this?

The Green Bronze Mirror By Lynne Ellison

Karen is playing on the beach when she finds an ancient mirror buried in the sand. She looks into it, and is transported back in time to the Roman empire. Finding herself a slave, she faces many hair-raising adventures in her struggle to return to her own time.

Nov 13, 2009, 2:05pm (top)Message 82: jambavat

try the Warlocks of Talverdin series by K.V. Johansen. Bk 1 is Nightwalker.

Nov 13, 2009, 2:41pm (top)Message 83: twylah

A Great and Terrible Beauty is my favorite!
City of Bones - Clare
Uglies - Pretties - Specials - Extras - Westerfeld
Poison Study - Magic Study- Fire Study - Snyder
Storm Glass - Sea Glass - Snyder
GREAT BOOKS!

Also think about Inkheart

Message edited by its author, Nov 13, 2009, 2:43pm.

Nov 13, 2009, 2:42pm (top)Message 84: twylah

My favorite Orson Scott Card series is The Homecoming Series.
I love his futuristic SCI-Fi - Folk on the Fringe

Nov 19, 2009, 9:27am (top)Message 85: cnposner

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Nov 19, 2009, 10:01am (top)Message 86: cullen21

ya twilight series is really good

Nov 19, 2009, 5:15pm (top)Message 87: pwaites

cullen21, did you read the description of the books I like? Did you see where I said 'I do not like romance'? It is largely referring to twilight.

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