Saturday, July 29, 2017

10 (Not as Well Known) Fantasy Books To Add To Your TBR



Yes, it is Saturday and not Monday. BUT DON’T WORRY. I haven’t completely lost my mind. (Though I usually am doing good if I even know what day of the week it is…) I’m purposely posting my weekly post a couple of days early. Becaaaause… Today is the 63rd birthday of the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring! To celebrate and to end The Silmarillion Awards you may have seen sweeping the blogosphere this month, Jenelle Schimdt and many others are throwing a big fantasy celebration today in which we can rave about Tolkien and/or fantasy on our blogs or anywhere on social media! Thus the Saturday-instead-of-Monday post.


Last year I did a post on what Tolkien means to me, and around the same time also posted about how fantasy is infinite and why I love to write it. I didn’t want to repeat myself, sooo I decided to go in an entirely different direction this year.


Instead, I’m going to pile up everyone's TBRs (“to-be-read piles” if you aren’t sure what I’m talking about) with delightful fantasy books. Because it’s not like your piles are already so large they’re probably going to crush you any day now. Nooo. You need even more books.


YOU’RE WELCOME.


I’ve purposely chosen to not list the over popular books, because, well, you all already know about Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Peter Pan, etc. (Though if you haven’t read those then WHY ARE YOU READING MY BLOG??? GO READ THOSE BOOKS INSTEAD.) Annnd I would list Howl’s Moving Castle but I’m pretty sure I manage to squeeze my utter unhealthy love for that book in every post I write, so… I’ll try to stick to some I may not have mentioned here before.


There are so many amazing books in the world, and as hard as we try, we don’t always know about all of them. Thus I’ve chosen some not quiiite as well-known and/or pretty obscure books to share. Because some books just deserve more love than they get! I’m also making this a variety of different types of stories so there will (hopefully) be something for everyone.


(And because I’m nice, all titles link to their GoodRead’s pages.)


. . .

 

THE BEAST OF TALESEND
By Kyle Robert Shultz


I just read this a few weeks ago and OH MY GRACIOUS, GUYS. THIS BOOK.

Imagine a 1920s detective story set in another world where fairytales is the world’s history instead of boring politics. Then add a grumpy detective who is determined that fairytales aren’t actually real, a mad girl who happens to have magic, and the grumpy detective’s happy-go-lucky brother all working together to stop a crime lord from ruining the world. And there you have this story! I KNOW, RIGHT?


It was seriously one of the most unique and FUN settings I’ve ever read. AND THE HUMOR. This book is chock full of hilarious mishaps. But it’s also just fascinating! I loooove 1920s detective settings. I always have. So add that in a fantasy world and you make A VERY HAPPY CHRISTINE.


Oh, and did I mention this was a BEAUTY AND THE BEAST RETELLING???? Because YES. It’s probably my favorite B&B retelling to date!


Just…just read this story.

 

BEAUTY
By Robin McKinley


This probably isn’t all that obscure, but I never really see anyone talk about it? SO HERE I AM TALKING ABOUT IT.


I’ll be honest, I haven’t read this in…probably a decade or so? o.O BUT. I do remember absolutely loving it.


This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling as well (I’m obsessed, okay?). But what’s kind of neat about it is…it’s not exactly a retelling but more a novelization of the very short original Beauty and the Beast story. It’s like the actual story but lengthened and elaborated into a full novel. Which I thought was fantastic! Because I, for one, always wish fairytales were longer than like…3 pages. Not to mention wish they were sooometimes a bit more logical. Heh. So with Beauty, you get just that! The Beauty and the Beast story in a lengthened, logical format. Not to mention it has this slightly dark, chilling feel which I love. Especially for fairytales.


If you’re a fan of the Beauty and the Beast story or just dark fairytales in general, I’d definitely recommend this one!

 

BONES OF FAERIE
By Janni Lee Simner


I had never heard of this, but one day my best friend and I were secondhand bookstore shopping (like we do) when she found it and thought it looked intriguing. She read it right away and then proceeded to yell at me to read it as well (like good bookworm friends do). So I did. And then I understood why she demanded I read it.


This book was fascinating. I read the whole thing in one day (something I sadly can’t do much anymore these days, but I could not put it down!).


What absolutely made this book shine was the worldbuilding. The gist is, faerie folk came into the world and there was this huge war between humans and faeries, and it devastated both sides. So now people are living without much technology and lots of the world is taken over by faeries. (Such as trees that come alive and try to eat people, and all sorts of fun.) The world just had SO. MUCH. EPICNESS. I was blown away by the worldbuilding.


Honestly, the story itself was almost too simple for the huge, fascinating world it was set in. It’s mainly a story of a girl going on a little quest to save her village. And it’s good. But, it also was so simplistic. I wanted this humongous, epic series to go with this world. (Though it is a trilogy and I haven’t read the other two books yet, but I think they stick with the simple storyline as far as I can tell.)


Still, the story was fun, the writing beautiful, and the world so dangerous and creepy and intriguing. Fair warning though, it is quite a dark book. It’s not exactly the feel-good book of the year. There’s a smidge of domestic abuse, and, if I remember right, a guy isn’t dressed in one scene. But otherwise it was clean and fine.


I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who loves evil, creepy fae and chillingly dark and unique stories.

 

A DRAGON’S GUIDE TO THE CARE AND FEEDING OF HUMANS
By Laurence Yep & Joanne Ryder


This one is a bit different because it’s intended for a much younger audience. BUT THAT’S NEVER STOPPED ME FROM READING A BOOK BEFORE. #NeverGrowUp And, come on, look at that title! Do you seriously think I’d pass up a book with that title? I THINK NOT.


The story follows Miss Drake, a rather disgruntled but perfectly ladylike dragon, and her new "pet", the clever but reckless Winnie. It’s set in our world but where dragons and all sorts of magical creatures and things exist. Just no one knows it because the magical creatures are good at disguising themselves. Such as Miss Drake can shapeshift into a human. (GIMME A SHAPESHIFTING DRAGON ANY DAY.)


Since this is juvenile fiction, the storyline was pretty straightforward, but really, it added to the charm of the story. And, unlike a lot of books meant for a young audience, this one did not skimp on character development. Miss Drake and Winnie’s relationship grows throughout the story. And there was even some emotional depth as they both had to deal with losses in their lives.


The whole thing was absolutely precious and fun. AND THE ENDING. The ending was PERFECTION.


If I had children, I’d totally be reading this out loud to them. But hey, even in my 20s I adored it. I think everyone occasionally needs a cozy, juvenile read now and again. This one is perfect for that.

 

DRAGON SLIPPERS
By Jessica Day George


I read this book years ago and it became an instant fave. It’s just FUN. It takes a ton of fairytale cliches and flips them over. Such as the damsel in distress refusing help from the knight in shining armor and leaving the dragon’s den herself. XD


Our main character, Creel, is not a force to be reckoned with. BUT she is not a warrior. Instead, she escapes mayhem using her wits, and she’s a seamstress. That’s her thing, she loves to sew, and makes gorgeous dresses and things. I loved how we had a heroine who was both strong and yet still feminine.


The whole story itself is such a fun ride. We go from dragon dens to quaint dress shops to castles and everything in between. And the spin on the dragons themselves was my FAVE. Instead of hoarding gold and jewels like everyone expects, these dragons each hoard something different. One collects slippers, another collects dogs…like, live dogs. Yes. A dragon with a brood of dogs, it’s the BEST. Each dragon has their own interest! There’s just so much fun stuff going on!


This story is for all those who enjoy light, fun, and unexpected fairytales. (Also I remember liking the sequel Dragon Flight just as much. I haven’t read the third book yet BUT I NEED TO.)

 

ENTWINED
By Heather Dixon


All right, so I kinda think everyone has heard of this book. I don’t think it’s obscure at all. But I had to add it to the list juuuust in case someone out there hasn’t read it. BECAUSE EVERYONE MUST READ THIS BOOK.


This is a 12 Dancing Princesses retelling (which is my 2nd favorite fairytale after Beauty and the Beast #FunFact), and probably my favorite fairytale retelling I’ve ever read. THAT’S HOW GOOD IT IS.


The thing about a lot of 12DP stories is it can get overwhelming because there are essentially 12 main characters. But this book magically balanced every single princess perfectly while still giving them each their own personality, and not even confusing the reader on who was who!


The world was fantastic, the magic system was one of my favorites, and the VILLAIN. Ooooh, the villain. Literally one of my top favorite villains of ever. He was CREEPY. But…just…AGH. THAT VILLAIN.


The whole story was just gorgeous and so vivid. I could see everything. Sometimes I’d forget I was even reading. It all felt so real. Each and every character was lovable in their own way, the storyline kept me glued to the page, and the writing made me jealous of its pure gorgeousness. It had a slight dark feel which, as we’ve established, is my favorite for fairytales. And yet, at the same time, it had a ton of light and downright hilarious moments. It was the perfect balance! I honestly don’t think I had a single complaint with this story. And, let me tell you, that does not happen often! This is literally one of my most favorite stories in existence.


BUT. As I mentioned, the villain is soooo creepy. There’s a couple of very chilling scenes and use of dark magic from the villain. I’d recommend this for a slightly older audience (I’d say 15 or 16+) because of that.

 

THE PECULIAR
By Stefan Bachmann


For all you steampunk lovers, this one’s for you!


One day someone brought this to the secondhand bookstore I work at and it looked so intriguing—a steampunk world with fairies? YES PLEASE—I just had to buy it. (Perks of working at a bookstore—first dibs.) I was not disappointed in my purchase!


This one actually sorta kinda reminded me of Bones of Faerie in that there’s a constant feud between humans and faeries (apparently I’m totally in love with the fairies vs. humans storyline???), the worldbuilding is some of the best I’ve ever seen, buuut the storyline seemed a smidge too simple for the epic world. BUT STILL. The plot was still EPIC, even though I feel like it could have been even bigger. (But I’m super picky in that I want a huge, epic, complex storyline so…this is probably just a Christine problem.)


The feel of this story is what really drew me in. It’s so very steampunkish but with all manner of weird fairy folk (TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS), and it just felt so…British! I don’t know, something about the style had this witty, snarky British tone which I absolutely adored. And it also had a slightly creepy but intriguing odd feel to it. To me, it so felt like a Tim Burton movie. Dark and weird but fascinating all rolled into one. (Seriously, Tim Burton needs to pick this one up!)


The characters were all odd and lovable and unique, the setting was just so bizarrely fun, and the strange mystery of it all kept me reading and reading. This book was amazing, guys! BUT, make sure you have the sequel, The Whatnot (which is just as good), on hand because THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING. *collapses*

 

PETER PAN IN SCARLET
By Geraldine McCaughrean


I think I’m an uneducated porcupine, because I had no idea there was an official sequel to Peter Pan until my bookfairy Celti told me about it. But GUYS. THERE’S AN OFFICIAL SEQUEL TO PETER PAN. Apparently there was some big contest for someone to write the official sequel and Geraldine McCaughrean’s story won. AND WITH GOOD REASON.


At first I was suuuuper dubious about this story. I’m a Peter Pan purist and was not sure about someone other than J.M. Barrie himself writing something canon for Peter Pan. Peter Pan was my CHILDHOOD. What if this book somehow ruined it for me???? I’m not a fan of classics being turned into something new. But I thought I’d at least give this book a try. AND I’M SO GLAD I DID.


Geraldine McCaughrean did an AMAZING job capturing the magic of Peter Pan. Honestly, it felt like J.M. Barrie penned this tale, it really did. It perfectly captured his style, humor, and wonder. And the characters were PERFECTION. Wendy especially was precisely the Wendy I know and love. It didn’t try to change anything, it kept true to the characters (most remakes or sequels of classics destroy the original characters, ugh), and felt respectful toward the original story (again, most remakes/sequels/what-have-you so disrespect the original authors). Honestly, I loved every little thing about it. It was a delight, and I happily accept it as canon to the original Peter Pan story.


So if you’re a rabid Peter Pan fan like me, YOU NEED THIS STORY.

 

SENTINEL
By Jamie Foley


This series is a new obsession of mine because OOOOOH MY GOODNESS. IT’S SO GOOD.


Now, this isn’t exactly heavily fantasy in any way. It’s set in a different world where there are specific mental powers, but otherwise it very much feels like our world—cars, cell phones, and the like reign. BUT IT’S STILL SO GOOD.


How do I even describe this book? It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s like an apocalyptic setting with mind powers and government conspiracies and military intrigue and immense amounts of action and suspense and snarky characters for daaaaays. IT’S SO UNIQUE.


Not only is it packed full of action (seriously, get ready for nail-biting, heart-pounding scenes), it’s got humor as well and the CHARACTERS. The characters make the story. Namely our main character Darien, whose constant confusion on what was going on made me crack up. And JET. JETTTT. He’s officially now one of my top, TOP favorite characters in existence. Basically the opposite of Darien in that he’s always in control, deadly, and serious, but will certainly sass you to death if the need arises. HE WAS THE BEST. And then you team them up and SKDJLFSJLJDF. HILARIOUSNESS.


And did I mention there’s mind powers? BECAUSE MIND POWERS. Mind powers are amaziiiing! Some people could control your emotions, others could make invisible walls appear, others could hurl a striking force. Just…MIND POWERS.


Something about this book actually reminded me of the Final Fantasy video games. I have no idea if any of you play those games, but if you do, I think you’ll like these books! Just the setting and style reminded me of the unique setting those games have. (And I loooove the Final Fantasy games, so that was a huge plus for me!)


But anyway, if you like apocalyptic worlds with mind powers and action galore, GIVE THIS BOOK A TRY. And the sequel, Arbiter, is just as good (and has even more fantasy-type things in it)! Maybe even better. I don’t knoooow! THEY’RE BOTH AMAZING. And I’m desperate for the third book but it’s not out yet. *writhes on the floor moaning*

 

VALLEY OF THE DRAGONS TRILOGY
By Donita. K. Paul


(Yes, I’m cheating and putting a whole trilogy. Shhhh.)


Okay, so I’m pretty sure most of you have read or heard of The DragonKeeper Chronicles by Donita K. Paul (and if not, IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE SERIES GO READ IT.) But I hardly see anyone talk about the spinoff trilogy, Valley of the Dragons. I’d actually highly recommend reading The DragonKeeper Chronicles first. This trilogy kind of felt like it was intended more for people who were already familiar with the complex world, even though this is actually a prequel to The DragonKeeper Chronicles. It just didn’t have quite as much in the way of details and explanations of how the world works (Mrs. Paul’s worldbuilding is #Goals). But anyways. THIS TRILOGY WAS STILL AMAZING. If I’m being honest, I almost enjoyed it just as much as The DragonKeeper Chronicles. Which is saying a LOT.


These books have the most lovable characters and hilarious mishaps and epic plots and the world is amazing. I LOVE THESE BOOKS. I honestly can’t even tell you much about them because the plots are all so crazy and unique and fantastic.


Also DRAGONS. Dragonssss. DRAGONS!!!!!!!! Big dragons and adorable kitten-sized dragons (I’m serious) and just DRAGONS. Mrs. Paul is not shy about dragon-usage with her stories. SO. MANY. DRAGONS.


If you like rollicking fun fantasy stories with hilarious and precious characters, GET THESE BOOKS. They’re clean reads and great for young and old readers alike.


. . .


THERE YA HAVE IT. Some fairytales, some steampunk, some mind powers, some dark fiction, juvenile fiction, DRAGONS. And all fantasy! I hope I’ve succeeded in connecting you to some books you may have not heard about (and made your TBR uncontrollable *cackles*).


And don’t forget we’re celebrating the Fellowship of the Ring’s anniversary today! So if you have something Tolkien and/or fantasy related you want to share via your blog or any other social media outlet, GO FOR IT. And you can use the hashtag #SilmAwards2017. Let’s show our dear fantasy some love!

 

TALK WITH ME. Have you heard of/read any of these books? (Because if so I want to flail with you!!!) Did I list any that piqued your interest? And, IMPORTANT HERE, what are some lesser known fantasy reads you love??? (Because I obviously need even more books out of my hundreds that I don’t have time to read. Eheheheheheh…heh heh…heh. *collapses*)

61 comments:

  1. YES TO ALLLLLL OF THESE BOOKS!!! I actually just checked out Dragon Slippers from my library because I remember reading it when I was twelve!

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    1. THEY ARE SOME OF MY FAAAVES! :D Oh my goodness, you did? THAT IS SO COOL. It is HIGH time I reread it myself. It's been yeeeeears since I last read it.

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    2. I just finished the first chapter and I AM IN LOVE ALL OVER AGAIN!!! You need to re-read it, it's SO perfect!

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    3. GAH. Now I really, really, REALLY want to! *flails*

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  2. This is an awesome list. The only book I've read from it is Entwined (don't kill me k) but It was pretty good. One of my favorite obscure fantasy books is Five Children and It. I LOVE that book.

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    1. That is PERFECTLY okay that Entwined is the only one on the list you've read! That was the point of this list was to find some books I lot of people HAVEN'T read, so I'm glad I succeeded. ^_^

      Oh my goodness, I think I saw that book at the bookstore I work at. I've never read it though, but I do remember thinking it looked cool when I was shelving it. I wonder if it's still there! I apparently need to read it!

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    2. It's a kind of juvenile book, but it's a classic and very cute XD

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    3. That's okay! I love the occasional juvenile read! :D

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  3. Thank you Christine for adding so many books to my TBR. Haha I am really looking forward to reading these. I'm most excited to find the Twelve Dancing Princesses one. I love that fairytale!!!!

    -Lia
    catholicgirlstuff.blogspot.com
    lilahsmusicals.blogspot.com

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    1. You're very welcome! That's what I'm here for. *grins* Oh man, if you like the 12DP fairytale I think you'll LOVE Entwined. IT'S SO GOOD!

      And if you're looking for more 12DP retellings, Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George is another REALLY good one. It was just a gorgeous book!

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    2. Ooooooh I shall have to find that one also. Thanks!

      -Lia

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  4. This is so much fun! Thanks so much for sharing Christine, they all look super cool! <3

    Anna - www.worldthrougherheart.blogspot.com

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    1. You're absolutely welcome! Sharing books is my most favorite thing to do! I could talk about my favorite books 'til the end of time. XD

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  5. I've actually seen most of these around but I haven't read any except the Dragons of Chiril. The Dragon Keeper Chronicles are some of my favorites!!! And the Dragons of Chiril are really good! The worst part was I DIDN'T GET TO SEE TIPPER'S WEDDING AND I WAS WAITING FOR IT THE ENTIRE SERIES. But still it's great. And the last book was adorable <3

    lisa @ inkwell

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    1. EEEEEEEEE!!! THE DRAGONKEEPER CHRONICLES IS THE BESSSST. Literally one of my TOP favorite series! They're so fun!

      I SO agree about missing Tipper's wedding! It was such a disappointment that we didn't get to see that part. *pouts* Still, the books were too fun!

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  6. The Beast of Talesend sounds really good! I also want to read Entwined and Sentinel.

    I love the King of the Trees series, the Wilderking Trilogy, and of course the One Hundred Cupboards Trilogy and Ashtown Burials.

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    1. Oh my gracious, I honestly can't stress enough how much I loved that book. And I'm currently reading the sequel, The Tomb of the Seawitch, and it's JUST as fun and hilarious as The Beast of Talesend!

      Entwined and Sentinel are so good tooooo! I could literally fangirl all day!

      OH. I read the First 100 Cupboards book and LOVED it. I've been meaning to read the other two books for AGES now. I must do that! And I actually have the first book of the Wilderking trilogy but haven't read it yet. I've heard only good things about it though so it's definitely something I need to read!

      I've never heard of the King of the Trees books or Ashtown Burials, but I just looked them up on GoodReads and they both look really, REALLY good! I need to find these books!

      Thanks so much for the suggestions. I'm ALWAYS happy to have more book recommendations! :D

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  7. Agh! I was just telling Tracey Dyck about not finding any good fantasy reads! Seems you have solved that problem for me, Christine!

    Catherine
    catherinesrebellingmuse.blogspot.com

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    1. Really??? :O EEP. I'm so happy to have helped! Nothing brings me more joy than sharing book recommendations! :D I hope you find some you like!

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  8. Donita K. Paul is one of my favorites! DragonSpell introduced me to the world of Christian fantasy, and I love her Dragons of Chiril series (although, of course, The DragonKeeper Chronicles is still my favorite of her series).

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    1. Really? That is so special!!! Her books are just spectacular!

      I think I like The DragonKeeper ones best as well. I really think the other series is just as good, I'm just more fond and nostalgic over the DragonKeeper characters and story.

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    2. Yes, I happened upon DragonSpell in a very large bookstore and thought, huh, dragons, this looks like fun. And then I read it and fell in love.

      Exactly! :)

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    3. Aaaahh! I love it when we find some of our favorite books on accident. That is the BEST. I did that exact thing with Anne Elisabeth Stengl's book Heartless. And it's been one of my favorite series ever since!

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  9. Yaaas, Entwined!!!! That's the only one I've read of these. I've heard lots of good things about The Beast of Talesend and Sentinel, and I may have those on Kindle? Either way, they're both moving up my TBR. :D Great post!

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    1. I LOVE ENTWINED SO MUCH!!! And oh my goodness, if you do have The Beast of Talesend and Sentinel I HIGHLY recommend moving them up your list. THEY'RE SO GOOD!

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  10. I definitely want to read Sentinel and The Dragons or Chiril! They both sound like something I'd really enjoy :-)

    I'm not sure how "lesser known" this one is... But I hardly ever see people talk about it, so it totally counts. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turnee! This is basically about a boy who brags so much about his thieving skills, he gets dragged to prison for it. But then the king asks him to find (and steal) a supposedly mythical artifact... and it's amazing. The story and the characters are SO GREAT and the sequels are even better than the first one. Highly recommended, lol.

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    1. *fangirl squeak* They're both soooo good! I can't imagine anyone NOT liking The Dragons of Chiril especially, or any of Donita K. Paul's books. They're just a DELIGHT.

      Oh my goodness, I HAVE HEARD OF THIS. I've had multiple people tell me I should read it now. I think it's a sign. I NEED THIS BOOK IN MY LIFE. And I have this weird obsession with thieves in fiction so...I NEED IT.

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  11. Oh my gosh, Beauty!! I remember that book! It was so fun and I LOVED it! :D

    ENTWIIIIINED. So. good. And yes, that villain is...CREEPTASTICAL. *shivers*

    I AM IN LOVE WITH THE PETER PAN SEQUEL. I just recently reread it and OH MY GOSH I LOVE IT SO. :D It really does feel like J.M. Barrie wrote it himself!

    I'm reeeeeally interested in The Beast of Talesend! Kyle did a great job presenting for the Silmarillion Awards, and I really want to read his book now! Ooh, and Sentinel looks good too! MIND POWERS ARE AWESOME. *high-fives* <3

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    1. MEEP. You've read it, too? SO COOL. I desperately need to give it a reread. It's been SO long since I read it!

      ENTWINED IS THE BEST EVER. AGH. *flails*

      So I'm not alone in this??? THAT IS AWESOME. That story just makes me ridiculously happy. I need to give it a reread myself!

      You NEED The Beast of Talesend in your life NEED. Trust me, you won't regret it. It's one of the funniest stories I've ever read! And not JUST funny though, it's also totally epic!
      Sentinel is so awesome too. Seriously unlike anything I've ever read. AND YES. You can never go wrong with mind powers! *high-fives back*

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  12. *screams and adds these all* OH GOODNESS THESE ALL LOOK SO COOL, HELP I NEED TO FIND THEM NOWWWW.

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    1. Oh my goodness, your reaction. XD YOU ARE THE BEST, JANE! BUT YES. YOU NEEDS THEM ALLLLLL! :D

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  13. I loved this post so much!!!

    I REALLY need to read Beast of Talesend. Like... really! I won the sequel over at the Fellowship of Fantasy #DragonWeek thing, so that bumps it up on my To-Get-SOON pile!

    I also love Beauty. *hugs it*

    THERE IS AN OFFICIAL SEQUEL TO PETER PAN!??!?!?!? How did I not know this was a thing??! I LOVE Peter Pan!

    I actually didn't really like The Care and Feeding of Humans. I wanted to, so badly. I love Laurence Yep's "Dragon of the Lost Sea" and was really expecting to love this one, but it kind of fell flat for me. [shrug] glad you enjoyed it, though!

    I really need to read the rest of these. They all look amazing!

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    1. *squeaks* Thank you, Jenelle! I really enjoyed writing it! :D

      Oh my goodness, you would LOOOOVE The Beast of Talesend! There is just nothing NOT to love about it! And that is fantastic you won the sequel. 'Cause you're gonna want it once you finish the first book! One book is not NEARLY enough of those precious characters.

      Beauty was a really great book. It is HIGH time I give it a reread. It was so long ago when I read it.

      So I'm not the only one that didn't realize? That makes me feel better! BUT YES. THERE IS. And it's a fantastic sequel!!! I absolutely adored it!

      It was actually my first Laurence Yep book (as far as I know), so maybe if I read some better ones by him I wouldn't like this one as much? I don't know! Lol. I did think it was really cute though. ^_^

      If you ever do you'll have to let me know!

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  14. Great list, these all sound fantastic. I would trust your opinion on any book, so therefore I must read all of them!

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    1. Oh my! *blushes* Well, I can have really weird taste sometimes. One minute I'm reading a super dark fantasy book, and the next a fluffy juvenile story. XD But thank you, Skye! Hopefully my strange book recommendations won't lead anyone astray. Lol.

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  15. The only one from this list that I've read is Beauty, but I remember loving it! (also I actually haven't read many staple fantasy books? like...LOTR? *hides*)

    *glances over shoulder to see TBR multiplying at a crazy rate*

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    1. Beauty was great! I desperately need to reread it. Man, it was so long ago when I read it. o.o

      Lol. Don't worry. I really do understand! It's ridiculous how many classics I haven't read that like...EVERYONE on the earth has read. Those types of books just tend to get left on the backburner while we get distracted by newer, shinier ones. You're forgiven. ;)

      The TBR never eeeends. *collapses under it*

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  16. Ooh, these all sound wonderfully unique!

    I've been wanting to read Entwined for a while now. Thanks for the reminder that I need to get it and read it. :P

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    1. They're all really good!

      EMILY. YOU MUST READ IT. IT'S SO GOOOOOD. *flails*

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  17. Fun post!
    I've had Entwined on my reading list for a while and can't wait to read it!! That cover is soooo gorgeous

    Definitely gonna add Bones of Faerie, it sounds so intriguing! Though I have to ask... Any precautions you'd give?

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    1. Thanks! ^_^
      ENTWIIIIINED. I love it SO. VERY. MUCH. I'm a bit obsessed. *sheepish grin* And yes, THE COVER.

      Bones of Faerie was such a cool book! It was mostly clean, no language or anything that I can remember. At one point there was a guy with no clothes on but I don't think it lingered on that much. But it is a super creepy book. Kinda sad, and the main character's dad is somewhat abusive. Definitely not a fluffy book, but so, so good!

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  18. Great, I'll definitely be buying that :)

    I actually really like dark, creepy stories so I'm even more intrigued! Thanks so much

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    1. If you like dark, creepy stories than you're bound to love it! :D

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  19. You're AMAZING. Out of these you listed, I've only read THREE!! AHHHH!!! *hurriedly adds all the lovelies to GoodRead's to-read list* I loved "Beauty"! It was such a lovely retelling and I very much enjoyed the writing style. "Entwined" is one of my faves also, and I love ANY of Donita K. Paul's books!!!!!!!!!! A great list! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Oh good, I'm glad I found some people haven't read! :D That was the goal. Beauty was great, I really must reread it! And oh my goodness, ENTWINED. I am obsessed. That story was so good. Aaaahhhhhh!!!!

      Donita K. Paul's stories are so fantastic. Definitely some of my favorite books EVER. Her fun plots and crazy characters are just the greatest!

      You're so welcome! I LOVE sharing book recommendations! :D

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  20. Hello!!!! Newbie follower, here, but I must say that OH MY WORD YOUR BLOG IS AMAZING!!! And these books look absolutely wonderful... I literally scrolled through the list and practically added every single one to my TBR...

    And I refuse to think of this as a bad thing... XD

    I am so excited to read these, though, because I am always on the hunt for good fantasy stories. Or just any story in general, really. It's like I have this curse where I always pick the really boring, or just really bad books. It's a curse, I tell you! A CURSE!!! So I must thank you a thousand times over for such an extensive list of amazing-looking books to read!!! I am SO excited to read these!!!

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    1. HIIII!!! Welcome to my little corner of the interwebs. I love meeting new blogging friends! *hands you welcome cookies* And OH MY GOODNESS. YOU ARE THE NICEST. I...I don't know what to say. Thank you so much!!! I'm so ridiculously happy you like my blog. I CAN'T STOP GRINNING.

      I'm thrilled to know I connected you to some more books to add to your TBR (and no, having an overflowing TBR is NEVER an actual bad thing, it's the best bookworm problem we could have ;D). It's my favorite thing recommending books! That is so sad you always end up with boring or bad books! D: I so hope you find some you love!

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    2. Oh my word!!! I LOVE cookies! I actually call myself the cookie queen on my blog, so you must have read my mind, hahaha! XD *munches cookies happily*

      And exactly! There is no such thing as too many books. And I actually literally just started reading this book called Inkheart, and I absolutely ADORE it??? I think...I think my curse has been broken...? THIS IS A GLORIOUS DAY, INDEED!! I think it's more of a Middle grade-ish novel, but I am totally okay with that! XD

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    3. Seriously? That is the best! Well then, have more cookies! *shoves a platter of them at you*

      Oh! I've read some of Inkheart. I started it yeeears ago, but it had to go back to the library and...I wasn't too terribly wild about it, so I never finished. (Those were the dark days where I didn't always finish books. I don't do that anymore. XD) But I'm really, really glad you found something you're enjoying!!! I've been wanting to give that book another try and see if I like it better now. And hey, middle grade books ROCK. I'm 25 and love them, so...yeah. #NeverGrowUp

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    4. Eeek! Thank you so much!!!! XD

      Oh man, if I had a dime for every time I started reading something and then didn't finish it because either A) it had to go back to the library, or B) I got bored, I would have...a lot of dimes... Hopefully I shall grow out of this??? It is rather annoying. XD

      YESSSS!! EXACTLY!!!

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    5. Sometimes I WISH I could stop reading a book, because a lot of the time I'll start one and it's not good and I don't enjoy it but...I keep reading it anyway. >.> I've just gotten really OCD about finishing books and it's kinda irritating. XD

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  21. MUCH RESPECT FOR HOW MANY DRAGONS WERE MENTIONED IN THIS POST <33333 this is a fabulous list thank you!! Also PLEASE DON'T HATE ME but I haven't read Lord Of The Rings?? I NEED TO. I REALLY NEED TO :') also for some reason I've never been on your blog?? IT IS WONDERFUL I'LL BE STAYING FOR A WHILE JUST SO YOU KNOW <3

    rock on,
    abbiee

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    1. DRAGONS = LIFE!!!!

      I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed my list! Shoving books in peoples faces and demanding they read them is my favorite thing to do. ;D

      I DON'T HATE YOU. IT'S OKAY. You'd probably be shocked at some of the classics and things I've never read. I get terribly distracted by newer, shinier books so I really do understand!

      Oh my goodness, I am completely honored you like my blog. (Because I adore your blog, just so you know.) Like...my day is utterly made! THANK YOU, ABBIEE! <333

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  22. WELL THANKSALOT CHRISTINE!!! AS IF MY TBR WASN'T ALREADY FROWNING AT ME IN VAGUE DISLIKE.

    I neeeeeeeeeddd Bones of Faerie. Okay??? Right. Now!!!

    Also Sentinel looks like my kinda story.

    And, ummmm, I have never read Peter Pan???? But I loved what you had to say about sequels by not-the-original-author because that is SUCH A BIG ISSUE FOR ME like Little Women Letters (sequel to Little Women) or Scarlett (sequel to Gone With The Wind) and they were just so disrespectful and irked me muchly.

    I NEED TO GO READ ALL THESE NOW. FAREWELL. *dies*

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    1. BWAHAHAHAHA! YOU'RE WELCOOOOME. *wicked grin*

      OH MY GOODNESS. YOU DOOO. You would LOVE it. LOVE IT. It seems like something toootally up your alley. Sentinel, too. It's so fun!

      :O :O :O But but but...it's Peter Pan! Okay, okay. I won't yell at you. ;) You'd probably be surprised at some of the classics I've never read. They just always get pushed aside for newer, shinier books. So...yeah. I understand. But yes! It reeeally makes me uncomfortable when all these other people try to make sequels or remakes of my beloved stories. But this Peter Pan sequel is amazing!
      I've never actually heard of that Little Women sequel. o.o But I love Little Women so I think I should avoid this. I have heard Scarlet was pretty awful. (Though...Gone With the Wind is one of those classics I've never actually read, so... *cough* I do love the movie though!)

      Have fun being toppled over by your TBR! >:D

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    2. BAD CHRISTINE!!! BAD!!! BAD!!!

      Yesssssssss!!!

      I knooooooooow!!! I need to read it. I think as a little kid I read little kid versions of all these books AND MISTOOK THEM FOR THE REAL THING and now I'm having this crisis because I haven't read any of the books I thought I had read!!

      Yeah, it's not worth your time. Yuck. Gone With The Wind is a good book, but Scarlett...

      THANKS. *frowns at you*

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  23. Aww, I remember loving McKinley's Beauty! I think I read another by her, a Sleeping Beauty retelling? It might have been called Spindle? I can't remember, I was quite young, but I do remember loving them!

    OK but confession ... I haven't actually read Peter Pan. At least, I don't think I have? I may have done, when I was quite young? But I'm not actually sure? ~hides face~ I need to sort myself out!

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    1. I have been meaning to read more of her for YEARS. But Beauty is the only one I've ever read thus far. I have a few other of her books though, and I really must give them a try! I do think there's one called Spindle...maybe? Sometimes it's so hard to keep up with all these books! XD

      IT'S OKAY. I WON'T BITE. You'd probably be shocked at the classics I haven't read. Those types of books can so easily get put on the back burner when there are newer things to read. So I do understand!!! But I will say, Peter Pan is a totally delightful story if you ever do give it a read. ;D

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  24. My TBR is mountainous already, so thanks a lot! XD But actually a lot of these have been on my TBR for a while.

    What a happy coincidence, I just started The Beast of Talesend today! :D

    Beauty--I find it so interesting that the author went with such a faithful approach. Most retellings seem to make up some new twist to explain the illogical bits, you know? This sounds really good, though!

    Bones of Fairy, The Care and Keeping of Humans, and Peter Pan in Scarlet all sound like just my cup of tea! (Albeit very different from each other.)

    Dragon Slippers! That was such a fun book. So were the next two, even if I remember more from the first instalment. :P I just loved Creel and her sewing, and Shardas with his glass windows!

    Gahhh, I'm kicking myself for not buying a copy of Sentinel at Realm Makers. Your review on Goodreads (and Celti's too, if I remember correctly) convinced me that it's a good book. :)

    I HAVE BEEN MEANING TO READ ENTWINED FOR YEARS. YEARS, I TELL YOU. *faints from lack of it in my life*

    And I should reread Donita K Paul's books sometime. I loved The Dragonkeeper Chronicles, but for some reason remember having mixed feelings about Dragons of the Valley. Don't know why!

    But anyway, brilliant post! My TBR grew another few inches today. XD

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    1. *polishes halo* You're welcoooome!

      AAAAHHHHH!!! THAT IS FANTASTIC. It's SUCH a hilarious and fun story. You must tell me your thoughts when you finish!

      Yeah, it was really cool! I guess I wouldn't want ALL retellings to be that way because, well, then you'd be reading the same story over and over. But it's great to have one because, like I said, I always want fairytales to be longer and a bit more...logical. Lol. So it's really cool to basically have a novelization of my favorite fairytale!

      LOL. Yes, those three are quote a mix of books there, but also things I think you'd really, really enjoy!

      DRAGON SLIPPERS IS SO GOOD. I really must read that third book! I only ever read the first two. I think it's time for a reread...

      OH. Was Jamie Foley at Realm Makers? That is so cool! It is such an awesome book! But I understand you could only buy so many! I can only imagine the difficulty of choosing which books to bring home.

      YES TRACEY YOU NEED ENTWINED IN YOUR LIFE. NEEEEED.

      I've been wanting to reread them, too! Even though I think I've read through all the DragonKeeper books 3 times now. XD I'm obsessed. You know, I was actually surprised how much I liked the Dragon of the Valley ones. I loved the cast of the first series SO MUCH, I was a bit dubious about having new people. But I just found them really, really fun!

      Thank you! My work here is done. *maniacal laughter*

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