If You Like Faeries, Then Read….

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here. 

Today’s “If You Like, Then Read” is a special guest post from Anne from Creativity’s Corner. Anne founded her blog in 2010 in order to promote discussion about books and is hosting the 2013 Book Bingo Challenge.  She currently works as a Cataloger for her local University Libraries.

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan (MG/YA)

When Henry Atherton’s life is falling apart around him, he takes refuge by helping to clean at Mr. Fogarty’s next door. But instead of the cranky old man he’s expecting, he finds a new friend: Pyrgus Malvae, crown prince of the faeries. Pyrgus’s world is full of faeries, demons, and danger – and he needs Henry’s help if he’s going to defeat the Faeries of the Night. (I’ll be co-hosting a read-a-thon for this series in the near future on my own blog Creativity’s Corner and we’d love for you to join us)

Wicked Lovely by Marissa Marr (YA)

Aislinn has always been able to see faeries for what they are, but has made a point of pretending she doesn’t – you don’t want to attract their attention, no matter what. Except, suddenly her rules for dealing with faeries aren’t working, and the Summer King of faeries is determined to have her for himself.

The Doubled Edge and Bedlam’s Bard series’ by Mercedes Lackey (Adult)

In the Doubled Edge series, the fae have seen two possible futures: one with an evil queen who will do everything in her power to cause pain, and one with a benevolent queen whose reign will be known as a golden age. The Seleighe Sidhe must go to war, if they want to save their queen, little Elizabeth Tudor, so she may someday become queen.

The Bedlam’s Bard shares a few characters with the Doubled Edge series (fae are incredibly long lived!) but is set several hundred years later. Eric Banyon, a traveling Renaissance Faire musician, accidentally wakes one of the noble fae who tells him that he is actually a bard – a musician mage – and enlists his help in a war against the Unseleighe Sidhe.

Once Upon a Winter’s Night by Dennis McKiernan (Adult)

A very loose retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. A young woman marries a mysterious prince, only to have him turn out to be someone very different than she thought.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman (Adult)

If you’ve seen the movie, forget all that before reading the book – though the spirit stays the same, the majority of the novel is very different. A young half-fairy boy goes on a quest to retrieve a fallen star and gets much more than he bargained for.

 

If You Like Pirates, Then Read….

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here. 

The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Buttercup, the most beautiful woman in the world, is about to marry the most handsome prince–unless the Dread Pirate Roberts can stop them.  Goldman tells the story with only the “good parts.”

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

A classic English novel about a young boy who finds a treasure map and his subsequent adventures with a band of pirates.

Magic Marks the Spot by Caroline Carlson

Hilary Westfield would rather be at sea than studying at finishing school, so, naturally, she runs away to answer an advertisement seeking for pirate crew. A middle grade adventure from Harper Collins. The book will be released in September 2013.

Pirates! by Celia Rees

Displeased with life on a Jamaican plantation, Nancy Kington runs away with a servant girl to join a band of pirates in the hopes of finding individuality and freedom.  A young adult novel from Bloomsbury.

Pirateology: The Pirate Hunter’s Companion by Dugald A. Steer

All the information about pirates you could ever want in one beautifully bound book.  It features maps, charts, a hidden treasure map, pirate letters, treasure, and more.  Part of the ‘Ology series from Candlewick.

The Gingerbread Pirates by Kristin Kladstrup

This charmingly illustrated picture book features the daring Captain Cookie as he sets off on a quest to save the other gingerbread men from being eaten by Santa Clause on Christmas Eve.  Published by Candlewick.

If You Like C. S. Lewis, Then Read…

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here. 

My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond

Lord Arkus, a self-proclaimed villain, goes to capture a gormack, an evil spirit, to help him execute his wicked deeds.  But he mistakenly captures a sparkling, a good spirit who is now bound to him for five years and has a much different interpretation of what is in Lord Arkus’s best interests.   My Sparkling Misfortune is a humorous middle-grade novel that incorporates Christian themes, which may appeal to Narnia fans.  Briana’s review.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Fans of Lewis’s science fiction The Space Trilogy might enjoy Card’s classic novel about a young boy who is trained into a formidable general in order to save humanity from an impending alien invasion.  Krysta says: “Card’s book speaks to the heart with rare power.”  Read her review.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

This seventeenth-century epic poem chronicles Satan’s rebellion and fall from heaven and then his role of seduction in the Fall of Man. Lewis wrote A Preface to Paradise Lost in 1942, and his criticism of the work continues to be admired and studied in academic circles.  Goodreads page.

Planet Narnia by Michael Ward

Ward argues against the common perception that there is no unifying theme that ties the seven Chronicles of Narnia together.  He suggests that Lewis was inspired by medieval cosmology and that each of the seven books reflects characteristics of a planet, including Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Luna, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn.  Book website.

The Handbook of Christian Apologetics by Peter Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli

In addition to his fiction, C. S. Lewis is famous for his works of Christian apologetics.  Kreeft and Tacelli continue the apologetics tradition in this well-organized question-and-answer format book.  They address such questions as the existence of God, whether faith and reason conflict, life after death, and objective truth in an intelligent yet highly readable style.  Goodreads page.

If You Like Dragons, Then Read….

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here. 

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Princess Cimorene longs to fence and learn magic, but instead must learn more traditionally feminine activities such as needlepoint and dancing.  Frustrated, she runs away only to have the dragon Kazul capture her.  Cimorene defies stereotyped roles once again by befriending her dragon and refusing to let a prince rescue her.  The first in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

When financial difficulty strikes, Creel’s aunt decides to sacrifice the girl to the local dragon in the hopes that a rich knight will rescue and marry her.  Creel has dreams of her own, however, and promptly sets off for the city bearing only a few items, including a special pair of dragonskin slippers.  Creel hopes that one day she will be able to open a dress shop of her own, but the fate of a kingdom rests in her hands–or rather, on her feet.  The first of the Dragon Slippers Books.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

When the deadly Gray Death strikes her sister Meryl, timid Addie must venture forth to find a cure.  With only a pair of seven-league boots and a magic spyglass to help her, Addie encounters spectres, spiders, and even a dragon.  Her journey teaches her courage, but may not enable her to save her sister.

Here, There Be Dragons by James A. Owen

The murder of a professor launches John, Jack, and Charles into an adventure that will change their lives.  Travelling through the Archipelago, a magical world that contains the people and places that have inspired generations of authors, the three will have to face a fearsome enemy if they want to save not only the Archipelago but also their own world.  The first in the Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Forty years ago, a treaty brought peace between humans and dragons and, ever since, the dragons have served at court as professors and scholars.  As the anniversary of the treaty nears, however, Seraphina, a musician newly arrived at court, finds herself investigating the murder in the royal family–a murder seemingly perpetrated by dragons.

The Children of Hurin by J. R. R. Tolkien, Ed. by Christopher Tolkien

In the First Age of Middle-earth, Húrin Thalion, lord of Dor-lómin, dared to challenge the sovereignty of the Dark Lord Morgoth.  Morgoth promised in return that his hate would follow the children of Húrin all their lives, bringing them ruin and despair.  Túrin, son of Húrin, sought to outrun his doom, but found he carried it in himself.

If You Like Time Travel, Then Read….

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here.  This week also marks the debut of a new feature graphic, which will match the graphic of a feature on writing we are introducing next month!

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Sixth-grader Miranda lives in New York City, poor but happy with her mother.  Suddenly, however, her best friend Sal seems withdrawn, the emergency spare key to her apartment disappears, and she begins receiving mysterious letters.  Increasingly Miranda believes the letter writer knows the future and wants her to prevent a tragic death–but she may already be too late.  The 2010 Newbery Medal winner.

Waterfall by Lisa Bergren

In this first book in the River of Time series, modern teenager Gabi Betarrini finds herself suddenly catapulted back in time to medieval Italy.  She finds the constricted role of women insulting and stifling and everyday life absurdly dangerous, but a hot Italian knight plays a huge role in convincing her the era might not be so bad after all.  Read Zita’s review.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

Twain’s 1889 novel follows the adventures of a nineteenth-century American engineer as he travels back to sixth-century England.  He utilizes his modern knowledge to convince the people of the Middle Ages that he possesses magical powers.  Though comedic in nature, the book also serves as a critical social satire addressing many of the problems of Twain’s day.

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Kate, Michael, and Emma have grown up in a series of orphanages.  When they are transferred to the mysterious orphanage at Cambridge Falls, they discover a magical book that transports them back in time to a struggle between the local people and an evil witch.  At first the three only want to return home, but they soon realize the fate of the children of Cambridge Falls rests in their hands.  The first of the Books of Beginnings.  Followed by The Fire Chronicle.  Read Krysta’s review.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone

This debut novel follows the romance of Anna, who lives in 1995 Chicago, and Bennett, who lives in 2012 San Francisco, as they attempt to battle time and space to continue their relationship.  The time travel sounds unique in that Anna and Bennett live only less than two decades apart and could actually have the opportunity to meet each other within their own timelines.  Check out Brittany’s review at The Book Addict’s Guide.

                           

If You Like Retellings of “Snow White”

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here.

Fairest by Gail Carson Levine

In this companion book to Ella Enchanted, Aza has a beautiful voice, but certainly not the most beautiful face in the land.  Will magic be able to make her pretty and help her win the princes of her dreams?  Read Krysta’s review.

Snow: A Retelling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves by Tracy Lynn

A more modern interpretation in which Jessica/Snow flees to the “jungle” of London when she realizes her stepmother hates her–and unexpectedly finds a strong group of friends.

8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown Eighth Dwarf by Michael Mullin

A creative verse retelling that introduces readers to the unknown eighth dwarf Creepy.  The other dwarves have locked Creepy in the basement, but it may be up to him to finally save Snow White. See Krysta’s review.

Snow in Summer by Jane Yolen

Yolen updates the story and sets it in a modern Appalachia.  The retelling is unique in its focus on the father and stepmother. Read my review.

Nameless by Lili St. Crow

The first in the Tales of Beauty and Madness series comes out April 2013.  The book tells the story of Cami, a human girl who cannot remember her past, who was adopted by the Family when they found her trembling on the streets as a child.  Now a teenager, Cami is beginning to discover more of her own story.  But will discovering her identify convince her she belongs someone other than with the Family who raised her?  See my review of this wildly gripping retelling.

Black as Night by Regina Doman

An exciting retelling set in the South Bronx.  Blanche has run away from home and is hiding from someone who means her harm.  She finds refuge with seven friars who help unravel a deadly plot.

         

If You Like Nature Writing, Then Read….

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here.

“Tintern Abbey” by Henry Wordsworth

Technically “Lines Written a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey , on Revisiting the Banks of the Wye During a Tour July 13, 1797.”  This poem has come to represent all of the Romantic movement for many critics.  Wordsworth describes a pastoral scene, relates how his appreciation of nature has grown and improved with age, and explains how being in and observing nature can make all our lives better.  Read it.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau spent two years living on the shores of Walden Pond in a house he built himself.  Like Wordsworth, he believed that living in nature, and paying true attention to nature, could make you a better person.  His thoughts range from details descriptions of the pond, animals, and plants to musings on the correct way to approach society, economics, and education. Review to come.

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

Abbey spent time in the deserts of Utah as a park ranger.  His descriptions of the awe-inspiring scenery are perhaps more powerful a call for us to preserve nature, and our natural parks, than all his tirades against tourists and their destructive requests for such things as roads or park trails. Review potentially to come.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Readers generally love Montgomery for her characters, but she also offers some of the most beautiful descriptions of nature found in literature—ones that make readers agree and think, “Why, yes, a sunset is that beautiful,” instead of prompting them to hastily turn the page.  She has a particular affinity for trees, and in Anne we can see that she spent a lot time attempting to invent names for natural places that would match their beauty.   See my review.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Tolkien was an avid lover of the natural world.  Some of the scenes in his books are based on actual experiences in his life, such as hiking over the mountains.  His descriptions are rich and add to the beauty of Middle Earth.  And his invention of Ents is a very strong call for us to appreciate the trees in our own lives.

                                     

If You Like Stories Inspired by Jane Austen, Then Read…

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! You can check out the rest of these lists here.

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

Sisters Jane and Melody have no inheritance, but Jane possesses great magical talent while Melody possesses an attractive face.  While Jane attempts to learn more magic from the glamour artist Mr. Vincent, Melody finds herself entangled in a disastrous romance.  Though the two envy each other for the traits they themselves do not have, Jane finds herself utilizing her skills to protect her sister from an undesirable suitor and, in the process, discovers love herself.

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Jane Hayes has accepted the fact that none of the men she dates in real life can compare to her fantasy boyfriend–Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth.  Before giving  up romantic relationships for good, she decides to have one last fling and to vacation at Austenland, an exclusive retreat where women dress up in Regency clothing and flirt with eligible men.  However, even as Jane tries to harden her heart, she finds that real romance might be blooming underneath the acting.  Followed by the companion book Midnight in Austenland.  Read Krysta’s review.

A Touch of Night by Sarah A. Hoyt and Sophie Skapsi

In England some people, known as weres, have the ability to change shape during the night.  The law mandates that all weres be killed on sight, so the rest of society can remained protected.  Elizabeth Bennett believes that weres should be treated as people and not animals. However, when a handsome dragon appears in the countryside, Elizabeth will discover that mixing with weres can prove extremely dangerous.  Read Krysta’s review.

Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Seventeen-year-old Althea’s ancestor built his dream house, a castle, on the cliffs of Yorkshire.  Time and the weather, however, have weakened the structure and penniless Althea and her mother can do little to save their home.  Convinced that the only solution to their problem lies in her marrying well, Althea determines the win the heart–and the wealth–of the newly arrived Lord Boring.  Lord  Boring’s friend Mr. Frederick, however, has a terrible habit of ruining all her plans.  Look for the upcoming review!

                                  

If You Like Creative Kids, Then Read….

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like, scheduled  once a month. If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments!  You can check out the rest of these lists here.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

Four children pass a series of tests that they were given after answering a mysterious newspaper ad and discover that they have been selected to complete a task at which only the most clever and inventive children could succeed.  They are sent to the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened to use their various gifts and thwart a terrible plot.

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Four children enter a contest to invent the most delicious and creative candy.  The winner will have their sweet manufactured for sale.  But while the children are touring a candy factory and learning the basics of making sweets, it becomes apparent that someone is trying to steal the factory’s secret ingredient–and potentially put it out of business.  The children must act quickly to figure out who it is, but first they must learn if they can even trust each other.  Read the review.

Remarkable by Lizzy K. Foley

In the town of Remarkable, every citizen has an extraordinary talent– except for Jane Doe.  Yet the girl whom everyone overlooks will discover that she does has something to offer.  Along the way, she and the readers will meet an incredible cast of characters, including her sister the math genius, her brother the artist, a pair of twins who never stop dreaming up pranks, and diverse group of pirates.  In Remarkable, being a creative kid is practically commonplace!  Review to come.

Theodosia Throckmorton series by R. L. LaFevers

Theodosia’s father is curator of the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London, but it is Theodosia who can see all the secrets the artifacts hold–including the black magic.  In Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, Theo battles a curse on an Egyptian amulet.  In Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris, she confronts the Serpents of Chaos again.  The adventures continue in Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus and Theodosia and the Last Pharaoh.

Justice for All: December 5, 1773-September 5, 1774 by Amanda Stephens

Based on the PBS television series Liberty’s Kids, these books tell the story of Sarah, a British teen, and James and Henri, Ben Franklin’s apprentices, who witness the events of the American Revolution and help report on them for Franklin’s newspaper.

If You Like Harry Potter, Then Read…

If You Like, Then Read is a feature where we offer reading suggestions based on books you already like.  This is the fifth week we are running it, and we schedule it once a month.  If you have more suggestions, feel free to tell us in the comments! 

100 Cupboards by N. D. Wilson

Twelve-year-old Henry York’s parents have been kidnapped in South America, meaning he has to go live in Kansas with his aunt and uncle and their three girls.  Due to his parent’s overprotective natures, Henry has never experienced a normal childhood: not only has he never tasted soda, but he’s never even played that quintessential American sport baseball.  Thus, even a small town in the middle of nowhere becomes enchanting as Henry learns to put aside caution and life live to the fullest.  The discovery of ninety-nine cupboards behind his attic bedroom wall only adds to the excitement.  Each door leads to a different world, tempting Henry and his cousin Henrietta to explore.  In the process, however, they awaken an ancient evil.  The first in the 100 Cupboards trilogy.

The Dragon’s Tooth by N. D. Wilson

Antigone and Cyrus Smith live in a dilapidated hotel with their older brother Daniel.  No one ever checks in, until the night a strange man requests a specific room.  That night, the man dies, the hotel burns to the ground, and Daniel disappears.  Informed that the only way to regain their brother is to join an ancient order of explorers, Antigone and Cyrus find themselves racing against time to find the order and swear their loyalty.  Not everyone in the order, however, welcomes the new initiates.  Antigone and Cyrus will have to fight enemies both from without the order and from within if they ever want to reunite their family.  The first in the Ashtown Burials series.  Read the review.

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

One night Kate, Emma, and Michael’s parents disappeared.  They have since grown up in a series of orphanages, Kate always insisting that their parents will return.  When the three are transferred to the mysterious orphanage at Cambridge Falls, they find a magical book that transports them back in time to a struggle between the locals and the evil witch.  At first the three only want to return home, but they soon realize that the fate of the local children lies in their hands.  The first of the Books of Beginning.  Read the review.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Eleven-year-old Nathaniel serves as an apprentice to a mediocre magician, but has aspirations far beyond what his master can help him achieve.  Insulted by another magician, Simon Lovelace, Nathaniel vows to get revenge by stealing from Lovelace the legendary Amulet of Samarkand. He summons the djinn Bartimaeus to carry out the deed , but Bartimaeus resents taking orders from a young boy and proves a crafty adversary, always searching for loopholes so he can end his contract.  The two will have to learn to work together, if not harmoniously, however, when they find themselves embroiled in an adventure far more dangerous than either could have imagined.  Read Briana’s review.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

Born with the ability to fly, Piper McCloud does not quite fit in with her rural community.  She finds herself instead at a  secret school for children with special powers.  Piper hopes she’ll learn how to master her flying, but her new home has a hidden agenda and she may lose her unique gift altogether.

The Serpent in the Glass by D. M. Andrews

Eleven-year-old Thomas Farrell has grown up with the Westhrops and their daughter Jessica, always keenly aware that they treat him more like a servant than their adopted son.  However, when he learns that his father provided him with the means to attend Darkledun Manor, a school for gifted children, Thomas gains new hope.  He quickly makes new friends and he feels strangely like he belongs.  Even better, Thomas soon finds himself embroiled in adventure as he struggles to unravel the secrets surrounding the teachers and the school–secrets that may help him find his past.

To read other “If You Like, Then Read” posts, click here.