Fantasy

The cover of "Yumi and the Nightmare Painter" by Brandon Sanderson features an illustrated image of a male and a female in a floating, dramatic pose.

Yumi and the Nightmare Painter

By Brandon Sanderson

Rated by Gregg W.
Feb 19, 2024

Hello and welcome to #NoWaitWednesday, where we take a peek at a great book on the New Release shelves at one of our local Library branches that's hot, fresh, and eagerly waiting for someone to take a chance on it. Normally in this space we tend to look at newer authors who are lurking just under the surface - their books might be well-reviewed, but at the same time aren't household names or endorsed by certain book group-loving celebrities and thus aren't a part of a massively long hold list. Today, however, we take a look at an author who's not only acclaimed as one of the greatest names in

Cover of "An Inheritance of Magic" by Benedict Jacka

An Inheritance of Magic

By Benedict Jacka

Rated by Gregg W.
Dec 11, 2023

Hello and welcome to NoWaitWednesday, where we take a peek at a great book that's on the shelves at one of our local Library branches just waiting for a patron to come along and check it out. Why be number 342 in line for the newest celebrity-endorsed bestseller when there's all sorts of great new books available, on the shelf, right now?

This week's pick is An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka. This first in a promising new fantasy series is set in modern-day London where magic is real, however it's tightly controlled and available only to a lucky and powerful few, as wielding magic in

Cover of "The Wonder State" by Sara Flannery Murphy

The Wonder State

By Sara Flannery Murphy
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Sep 12, 2023

Hello and welcome to #NoWaitWednesday, where we take a look at a title that's available on the New Release shelves at one of our branch libraries, just waiting for some lucky patron to place a hold on it.

With the official start of fall finally in the rearview mirror, some patrons might be looking for a novel that's a bit darker than some of the titles we've previously discussed in this space - something more moody to fit the changing weather, perhaps. Something that's written with an elegant yet gripping prose, with the kind of story where you never really know where it's going but it grabs

Cover of Lauren J. A. Bear's "Medusa's Sisters" featuring the snake-haired creatures of Greek myth

Medusa's Sisters

By Lauren J. A. Bear
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Aug 22, 2023

Hello and welcome to #NoWaitWednesdays, where we pick an item off the New Release shelf at one of our library branches that's available for a lucky reader to discover. There are always plenty of gems at the library to find that don't require a two-month wait on the hold lists, and the New Release shelves are always a great place to explore and find your next favorite read.

Medusa is a familiar figure in Greek mythology - a female monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that turns men to stone, usually presented as an antagonist to the hero Perseus, who then cuts off her head to use as a weapon

Princess Aurore asleep under a tree

Beauty Sleep

By Cameron Dokey
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Jun 26, 2023

So you know the basic idea of the fairy-tale and folklore-inspired fiction: Princess Aurore had a christening party which was interrupted by a slighted uninvited guest who casts a curse over the poor child. In the fantasy fiction curse when she turns 16 she will prick her finger and one drop of blood will fall and Aurore will die. Another guest utters a counterspell in the suspenseful tale, and the guest at least is not a fairy in this book.

Like in the traditional once upon a time, Aurore will not die, she will fall into a deep, deep sleep that will last 100 years until she is awakened by the

The left hand with a dragon's talon growing in place of the ring finger, the background showing a very muted face of a dragon staring at the reader

Dragon's Keep

By Janet Lee Carey
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
May 31, 2023

“The real dragon haunted my head and heart.”

What makes Dragon's Keep work for me is its approach: a medieval fantasy written more like historical fantasy than high fantasy.  Yet it has that sliver of magic and magical creatures (dragons, of course) to spice up the lyrical story.   In other words, the author avoids over-doing the chosen one approach, and instead creates very believable characters in a believable world.

I wasn't sure I would like this 12th century-esque story, but I was pleasantly surprised.  I would recommend this woman-of-steel protagonist for teen readers who aren't sure

cover of The Seventh Wish, has a goldfish with green eyes under the water

The Seventh Wish

By Kate Messner
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Kristen R
Apr 3, 2023

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

 

The Seventh Wish, by Kate Messner, interweaves fantasy and real life.  This middle-grade fiction novel focuses on magic, empathy, overcoming obstacles, and family/friend relationships. 

Charlie Brennan, twelve-years-old, is ice fishing when she catches her first fish.  The fish offers her a wish in trade for its freedom. 

Charlie takes up ice fishing to pay for the perfect solo dress for her upcoming Irish dancing competition.  She desperately wants to move up

A white house on a hill with a woman on a broomstick flying above. There is a yellow car in the driveway and a man in yellow standing in the lower right corner looking up at the woman.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

By Sangu Mandanna
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Michelle H
Mar 13, 2023

I loved The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches sooooo much! Everything about it sparkles with stardust. Found family, sweet romance, slow-smile humor and magical mayhem are all here for your enjoyment. The main characters are wonderfully developed and even with their secrets and flaws you want to serve them tea, give them hugs and wrap them up in soft blankets. If the villain is a bit stereotypical and the foreshadowing is occasionally obvious, these things are easy to overlook because you'll be too wrapped up in warm fuzzies to care. Highly recommend!

Book cover

The Ogress and the Orphans

By Kelly Barnhill
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Chris K.
Dec 21, 2022

Social contagion. That's what lies at the heart of this book; that's what this book is about. How thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, and actions spread from one person to another to another and so on. Trust is contagious; when one person behaves trustingly, others respond in kind and the dynamic spreads. Suspicion is contagious; when one person acts from suspicion, others respond in kind and the dynamic spreads. Everything is contagious, spreading socially through networks of people.



This book is about a town full of people. Like people everywhere, each person is somewhat good and

Princess in a white dress holding a mask

Aurelia

By Osterlund, Anne
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Oct 3, 2022

I can't believe I waited so long to read this teenage romance. This is a fantastic high fantasy about a teenage girl, but you can tell this is the author's debut book. I have confidence Osterlund will do wonderful things with the rest of this trilogy. I had a great time reading the fast-paced story. I want to see what she can do with the romantic tone when she has a little time under her belt.

I adore the character Aurelia. She is the type of woman of steel I always imagined a princess would be. Her blended family situation came across cleanly, with just a little violence.

I had a tough time

Back of a princess as she moves through the castle garden

Entwined

By Wallwork, Heather Dixon
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Sep 6, 2022

Entwined is a fairy-tale inspired fiction of the story The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It's a suspenseful retelling. If I'm honest, the folktale that inspired this fantasy fiction was never been one of my favorites. This author manages to take a rather thin story and turn it into something interesting with a hero that is a strong woman of steel! This atmospheric version is my favorite retelling.

 

As an added bonus, the romantic tone does not bore you to death describing scenery. The castle is as luscious as the cover art, but unlike other versions, it is not the main character. This was not

A Wish in the Dark book cover

A Wish in the Dark

By Christina Soontornvat
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Kristen R
May 11, 2022

“Those who are born in darkness always return.”

 

A Wish in the Dark meshes fantasy and adventure, set in a place similar to Thailand.  The journey begins for Pong, an orphan who was born in Namwon Prison, when he makes his escape when he’s 12-years- old.  The next four years Pong lives in a temple with monks, which is in a village outside the city of Chattana.  Father Cham becomes his father figure and mentor.  He teaches Pong about trusting himself and how to navigate his new freedom.

The Governor of Chattana powers the city with magic orbs that give light, heat, and power.  Who gets

Cover of NETTLE & BONE by T. Kingfisher

Nettle & Bone

By T. Kingfisher
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Apr 26, 2022

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of #NewTitleTuesday, where we take a quick look at a new title that hits the shelves of the publishing world.

A long time ago in a land far away, three princesses lived in a small kingdom. The oldest princess married the handsome prince of a neighboring kingdom. However, the princess soon died under mysterious circumstances. So the handsome prince married the second princess, to further cement the alliance. The third princess was sent off to live the rest of her live in a convent, forbidden to marry and possibly produce an heir. This third princess

Superman and the Authority

Superman and the Authority

By Grant Morrison, Mikel Janín, Jordie Bellaire, and others
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Josh N.
Mar 25, 2022

This is Grant Morrison’s superhero swan song, as they bow out of writing DC and Marvel superheroes after decades of producing some of the weirdest, most colorful, most imaginative mainstream comics. Superman and the Authority makes a good finale for their time with DC. An aging Superman, his powers waning as he gets older, his idealism tempered somewhat by a sense of practicality, assembles a group of younger, edgier supers (including one of his biggest detractors, the villain/anti-hero Manchester Black) to help him save the world in ways the Justice League would probably avoid.

Superman is G

Image of a large house located on the tip of a cliff that jets out over a beautifully blue body of water with a radiant sunrise in the background.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

By TJ Klune
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Caitlin P
Mar 18, 2022

I have not loved a book this much in a very, very long time. I have to be careful about saying that though because it immediately sets the bar at an almost impossible level. This book landed in my hands at exactly the right time. It was the first book I’d been able to read read (as opposed to listen to on audio) since having a baby. With my daughter finally sleeping through the night and in her own room, I was once again able to curl up with a book in bed and let my not-quite-as-sleep deprived brain travel to another place.

This book immediately brought up the same emotions I felt while

Cover for The Once and Future Witches with floral background

The Once and Future Witches

By Alix E. Harrow

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Dec 15, 2021

“Witchcraft isn’t one thing but many things, all the ways and words women have found to wreak their wills on the world.”

“A witch is just a woman who wants too much”.

The Once and Future Witches is a deftly told historical feminist fantasy novel about three sister witches who help bring witching back into the world. The story unfolds alongside the late 1800s suffragette movement, and the women's movement soon turns into the witch's movement as the ways of witching slowly spread through town, and women reclaim the power they lost to time.

The novel is rich with historical details but also

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee

By Fonda Lee
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Gregg W.
Nov 30, 2021

Welcome to #NewTitleTuesday, where we take a brief look at a new title that's hitting the shelves - and patrons' holds lists - at your library.

I always love spotlighting fantasy novels, however it can sometimes be a difficult thing, as fantasy novels often come in a series, so patrons rarely want to jump in to the third book in a series if they haven't read the first two yet, but in this particular case, the series is so strong, I might have to make an exception. Or, better yet, point you toward the FIRST book in the series to get you set up for the latest installment. Today markes the debut

Covers of the Shadow and Bone Trilogy-The first has a stag, the second, a sea dragon, and the third a phoenix.

Shadow and Bone Trilogy

By Leigh Bardugo

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Apr 26, 2021

Shadow and Bone, a TV adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's bestselling fantasy trilogy of the same name, launches on Netflix, April 23rd. Some are calling the show the next Game of Thrones. A huge GoT fan, I knew I had to read the books before the TV series hit the airwaves because let's face it, the books are always better than the show. 

I managed to read the entire trilogy in a month and have moved on to Bardugo's Six of Crows duology that follows. Needless to say, I'm a fan. Bardugo has created a captivating universe set in what feels like the Russia of long ago but with magic. In Shadow and

Book cover of Dimension Why #1: How to Save the Universe Without Really Trying

Dimension Why #1: How to Save the Universe Without Really Trying

By John Cusik
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Lisa N
Apr 20, 2021

Baked beans, bog mutants and interdimensional travel are the ingredients in this hilarious middle grade debut novel by John Cusik. 

I listened to the audio version of the book, which I highly recommend.  The narrator, Gary Furlong, does a remarkable job of giving life to the full cast of strange and quirky characters with the added bonus of doing so with a British RP accent. 

The story begins in the 21st century.  Lola Ray, a typical, responsible older sister, is looking forward to a vacation away from the annoyances and hassles of her everyday life.  However, at the airport something

The Goose Girl

By Shannon Hale
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Jul 10, 2020

“... If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it.”

― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

The Goose Girl is a nice Grimm fairy-tale inspired piece of fiction. The fantasy fiction is well written, and quite creative in its own way. I stayed up all night reading this leisurely paced book. This is absorbing, exciting, and has a descriptive writing style. It is a slow moving tale at first, and some might be tempted to stop reading in the opening chapters where we are introduced to the excessively timid Princess Ani. Ani is a girl taken from her position as next

The Undefeated

By Una McCormack
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Jun 24, 2020

In The Undefeated we have a lovely novella with a leisurely pace by Una McCormack. This space opera is an introspective reminiscent view of a sixty-year-old's life. The novella blends science fiction life on other planets, colonialism's rise and fall, and an eerie near-apocalyptic setting.

The science fiction novella in the far future in which a woman travels to her childhood home as war looms between humans and modified humans called "jenjers" that humans have enslaved. Much of the story is the protagonist Monica and her homecoming.  I enjoyed the lyrical writing style and the journey Monica

Akata Witch

By Nnedi Okorafor
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Jun 9, 2020

“Lesson one,” Anatov said. “And this is for all of you. Learn how to learn. Read between the lines. Know what to take and what to discard.”

― Nnedi Okorafor, Akata Witch

This young-adult culturally diverse fantasy, set within the modern times, centers on Sunny Nwazue, an adolescent born to Nigerian parents in the United States. A couple of years before our story begins, Sunny's family moved back to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where our primary woman of steel currently lives with them just outside a tiny town. Sunny “confuse[s] people,” she explains in her own voice, not only thanks to

Staying-At-Home... on the Planet of the Apes!

By Arthur P. Jacobs
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Michael K
Apr 17, 2020

Shortly before the library closed due to the novel coronavirus, my co-worker, Adam, loaned me a set with all five of the original Planet of the Apes films - three of which are currently in the Johnson County Library collection, and two of which are available to stream from home on IndieFlix. This pentalogy (five!) of films includes Planet of the Apes (1968), Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). I really only had plans to watch the first film, and maybe try out

The Way of Kings

By Brandon Sanderson

Rated by Library Staff (not verified)
Mar 4, 2020

 

Ah, the one and only Brandon Sanderson. If you are a fan of high fantasy you are probably familiar with his works and can reminisce on the first Sanderson book you experienced. I say experienced- not read- because working the way through a Sanderson novel alongside his characters is an adventure. I started digging into Sanderson’s works with the Mistborn trilogy, which I highly recommend. The trilogy is a great introduction to Brandon Sanderson’s works as it is shorter, but still provides that intricate worldbuilding and thought provoking storytelling for which he is so well known. Since I

Three Hands for Scorpio

By Andre Norton
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Feb 21, 2020

     Three Hands for Scorpio is the last adult book for young adults of Lifetime Grand Master of Fantasy, Andre Norton, who passed away on March 17, 2005 after a long and extremely fruitful career.  Her magically detailed world-building skills, upright, against-all-odds characters, and fast pace will be sorely missed.  Tor rushed a copy of this book of women-of-steel into print, so that the 93-year-old author could see it before she died.  It is the last manuscript she penned alone, and has an action-packed storyline.  I have read most of Ms. Norton's books, and especially enjoyed her women

Deerskin

By Robin McKinley
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Feb 21, 2020

     You know, sometimes you just need some escapist fantasy about self-discovery in women.  McKinley's seventeen-year-old girl Lissar was just the ticket for me last night. Deesrkin is a beautiful, haunting, and sometimes painful coming-of-age story that ends with a message of hope.  The first half of the fantasy fiction is really about the traumatic aftermath of a violent assault and rape by the heroine's own father.  These dark themes are handled appropriately, realistically, and with great compassion but they do make for some hard reading in the gateway fantasy.   

     If you have any

Dealing With Dragons

By Wrede, Patricia
Star Rating
★★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Feb 21, 2020

"Well I'm not a proper princess then!" Cimorene snapped. "I make cherries jubilee and I volunteer for dragons, and I conjugate Latin verbs-- or at least I would if anyone would let me. So there!”

I have slowly been making my way through a long list of fantasy fiction books I have wanted to read or reread.  Dealing with Dragons is one of those re-read upbeat books; possibly it was “the” book that honestly got me hooked on reading. 

I cannot sing enough praises about this fast-paced book, in particular for its excellently written main character.  This is one of the best “fractured fairy tales”

The Secret Hour

By Scott Westerfeld
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Anne G
Feb 21, 2020

     The Secret Hour has a very imaginative paranormal premise, and it was enjoyable to read; I finished this book for reluctant readers in two sittings.  I love the idea of a hidden hour after midnight where only a select few can visit, and the continuing threads of mystery and “what’s going on?” kept me reading this urban fantasy.  The characters are not all best buddies, but are unique individuals with their own motivations which are shown in the fast pace.

     The premise is original and interesting with a compelling writing style.  It is definitely written with a young adult audience in

Middlegame

By Seanan McGuire
Star Rating
★★★★

Rated by Heather C
Dec 18, 2019

I am not one that is normally drawn to the fantasy genre.  I mean, sure, I read all of the Harry Potter books (because they were fantastic!).  I am a huge fan of the Xanth series and don't even get me started with the Incarnations of Immortality series (if you haven't read that series, I highly highly recommend it) but I find myself drawn more to thrillers or mysteries or anything with vampires and witches.  So, with that being said, I love how this book drew me in from the get go.  

Just the blurb on the jacket alone got me excited to read this book:

Meet Roger.  Skilled with words