Book Reviews by Genre: Fantasy

Seraphina is the music mistress living at court, but she has a secret. Beneath the layers of her carefully tied sleeves and around her waist are the scales of a dragon. Dragons and humans barely tolerate each other--despite their treaty--except when they fall in love. Seraphina's shape-shifting-dragon mother died in childbirth and Seraphina's human father tried to keep his daughter out of the public eye. As Seraphina becomes a teenager her intelligence, musical talent, and curiosity plunge her into the intrigues of the royal court and into the arms of a prince. How long will she be able to hide her true nature from the prince?

I was excited to read this book when I found it on the shelf. The excerpt on the back of the book had beautiful descriptive language, and it indicated a storyline full of dragons and adventure. Unfortunately the best part of the entire book was on the back of the cover to tempt in readers, but the rest of the book did not live up to it's promise. The author was attempting to write a fantasy novel, but it read like a romance. The characters were flat. They behaved in ways no person outside a romance novel would behave. Many of the conflicts set up to create tension and plot lines just fell away with no challenge to the main characters, as if the author was not sure how to resolve them in one books time. The jacket indicated that the author holds an MFA and a phD. She doesn't write like it. Stay away from this one unless you are a fan of sappy romances.

This book is perfect for any fan or sorcery, adventure, and a great medieval setting. It takes place in an interesting world that has as much detail and character it would rival that of Lord of the Rings and Dune, but in an easier to read way. (We all know Dune is practically six hundred pages long and Lord of the Rings is a collection of three books with three hundred+ pages. Deryni Rising is shorter and a real page turner.) Deryni Rising combines a sword/ sorcery era with fascinating characters and plot twists. Katherine Kurtz brilliantly writes in a way that compels you to keep going and she invites you to a world that should have been. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to enter the world of a book!

As a cyborg--part human, part technology-- sixteen-year-old Cinder is the lowest of the low and an embarrassment to her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder’s brain interface gives her the ability to tell when people are lying to her, and to access to a netlink with news, and manuals that help her be the best mechanic in New Beijing. Being the best mechanic comes in handy when the Prince needs his android repaired and this is how Cinder and Prince Kai meet. This story's contains elements familiar to the fairy tale: evil stepmother, prince, a small foot, and a ball; but the resemblance ends there and takes the story a million miles beyond the original tale. The story has one small flaw, but it is barely noticeable in this can't-wait-to-see-what-happens-next retelling.

Normally I don't read fantasy, but a book store owner and PPLD patron recommend A Discovery of Witches to me. I loved it and the other 2 in the trilogy. Although it has vampires, witches and demons, it isn't the usual blood-sucker massacre. Without giving away the plot, witches, vampires and demons are all looking for The Book of Life to discover what in their genetic makeup makes them different from humans. It is very well written. It's an adult book, but older teens would like it, too.

This book was one of those rare occurrences when the sequel is way better than the first. I almost didn't read the sequel because they first book was pretty disappointing, but boy am I glad I did. This book is so fast paced that I couldn't put it down. Every page seemed to hold a new surprise and plot twist. It was stuffed with surprises without being overdone and the ending left me panting for the next installment.

A most magical story that weaves together the lives of several seemingly incompatible characters. In the author's note, Lauren Oliver explains that she wrote this book as a manner of dealing with the loss of her best friend, and the concept of death and loss are pervasive throughout the story.

Liesl is locked in a tiny attic bedroom by her evil stepmother. Will is the mistreated orphan assistant of an alchemist. Po and Bundle are ghosts, from the Other Side. Together they embark on a touching adventure in a darkened world and learn the true meaning of magic.

Liesl & Po is a sensitive book that pretty much demands that the maturity and sensitivity of its readers accepts that it is a tale of mystery, fantasy, and magic. If you stop to question the plausibility of certain events within this story, then you've already lost the point. Let yourself be drawn into the warm embrace of Oliver's thoughtful prose and let your heart bloom with this lovely tale of friendship.

Beautiful little story, full of fantastic imagery and good feelings.

It revolves around the journey of a young man in search of a fallen star for his love. He travels through the magical land of Faerie and encounters many wonderful, strange and malicious beings. A great book with a happy ending.

Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief is maybe the most strange novel I have ever read. I started reading by the recommendation of a friend. She told me it was about the Greek gods in the modern world, and I was skeptical, yet it turned out to be one of the best books I've read. This story is fascinating and strung with believable characters, voice, intriguing plot and even villains that you care for. This story is a must-read!

Do you like fantasy? If you like fantasy weaved into every day life, you will love Raising Dragons and the rest of the Dragons in our Midst series. The book starts out with Billy Bannister who figures out he is the son of a dragon. Now, if you think this sounds strange and unrealistic, you will be surprised. Bryan Davis writes in such a convincing way that makes you almost wonder if there might be dragons in our midst.

From the moment Wendy realizes she'll grow up, to the very end when Peter stole Mrs. Darlings thimbles, this book was brilliant, sad, and filled with adventure. I loved that Tinker Bell was a a 'common' fairy and that Hook was more three dimensional and not an all evil figure. The narrative was beautiful, clever, and even a bit melancholy. Peter is the tragic figure here. But of course, he's fine and happy. I loved how Wendy's daughter and granddaughter played into the mix. Perhaps you stay young forever through your offspring.

Michael Hague illustrates this volume brilliantly.

I thought that this book had really good characters and gradual development of the plot. It's a really good read and keeps you interested.

Like the other books in the Redwall series, it gives really interesting plots to the characters. The story line isn't too fast or confusing and you can usually figure it out halfway through the book, but it is still a great read.

This book is really cool. It is about a Viking boy named Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third. It always surprises you and is very funny.

WHOA!!!! I totally LOVED this book!! I know it was written for someone a little younger than my particular age, but still...I was blown away by the characters and story. One thing that really caught me was that I liked ALL of the characters in this book. That is not something that is like me.
And I liked the MAIN character. Wowza. Great book!

The Unwanteds is the 1st book in an epic series. The story is a genre mix fantasy/dystopian stories. It starts with about twenty thirteen-year-olds condemned to death because they are creative. They are dropped off at the ominous "Death Farm", only to find that they are welcomed into the fantastical land of Artime, where creativity is both a gift and a weapon. I enjoyed spending my time on this awesome book!!

Okay...I LOVED Eragon, the first book in the Inheritance Cycle, but then I read Eldest. I feel like the author wanted to put in so much about some things I lost interest. In this book, Eragon looks at all the different religions in his world. I mean, that's alright, I guess. Just not for me. I actually didn't exactly read the Elves religion. There were highs, though.

You got to see more to some characters that I really like. It switches perspectives from Nasuada, Eragon, and Roran, which I think is good because it got old sometimes when I was reading ALL of Eragon or ALL of Roran. I enjoyed meeting new characters, such as King Orrin, but not others, like Oromis, who seemed too much like Brom, a wise, old person who knows SO much and has a depressing back story. Just not the kind of character that I like.

There are also some parts with Eragon's love interest, which I found awkward and weird. For one thing, Eragon is WAY too young for the elf girl. Then, when she tells him this, he gets morbidly depressed. Not the kind of thing that is good for a story- at least not for this one. I enjoyed the first book, but this one was just a little too bumpy for me. I still can't decide if I actually liked it, or if I just liked the parts with my favorite characters. Overall, it was ALRIGHT, but not as good as the first book.

I enjoyed this book. I like the whimsical settings and characters. I will definitely be checking out some more Oz books :) I think that both kids and adults will get enjoyment out of this classic story. I recommend it if you're a fan of The Wizard of Oz.

I love love loved this book! I've never read it before, and would recommend it for anyone! My second fave out of the Harry Potter series (first is Order of the Phoenix!)

I first read The Star Shard in my sister's Cricket magazines. It was a ten part issue with fantastic drawings and a writing style so unlike what I had read in the other short stories in Cricket. We couldn't wait till the next issues came out. Then a year or so later when we heard it was being made into a book, we bought it right away. It was even better than what we saw in the magazine.

The story is about a young girl named Cymbril who lives on a massive moving city-like wagon, called the Thunder Rake, where she is enslaved to a rich man named Rombil. As the Rake moves from town to town, she must sing at the markets to attract customers and gain money for her master. Since she is Rombil's slave and even her clothes are owned by him, her only true possessions are beautiful hair clip from her mother and a smooth turquoise stone from her father. When Rombil one day buys another slave named Loric, her life is changed. She finds that Loric is one of the Fae, a race of elvish magical people. Loric tells her that she is half-Fae and even her hair clip and stone have magical properties. Her stone is a fragment of a star that fell in Fae lands. Now, with this knowledge in her mind and her parent's gifts close, Cymbril promises herself that she will sacrifice everything to grant she and Loric freedom.

Although not too well known, I ask that you give this book a try. You will be surprised. It is a very charming and beautiful book.

Skulduggery Pleasant throws you into a magical universe where the classic fight between good verses evil is exercised. Thrown into a new world, Stephanie learns to adapt and explore magic with the help of her mentor Skulduggery Pleasant, a dry humor irish detective skeleton.
It's simplistic enough that a 12 yr old can understand but advanced enough for a teenager to enjoy as well. Kept me laughing all the way.