Hi everyone! It’s almost fall, my favorite season! The first official day of autumn is September 22, yet that hasn’t stopped me from shaking out my sweaters or drinking pumpkin spice lattes. More importantly I find myself transitioning into a very specific reading mood that always seems to strike when the cooler weather starts to creep in – reading all of the fantasy books I can get my hands on.

via GIPHY

I’m a very eclectic reader the majority of the time, yet when asked what my favorite genre is, fantasy is always the first thing that comes to mind. I read a lot of fantasy, but something about this time of year enhances my interest in it by 100%. I think with the cooler weather comes the slightest bit of ease. Though school starts back up, there’s less pressure to get out and be adventurous in the sun because, well, there’s less of it, and a little more time to invest in a deeper, more detailed story. That being said, I thought it would be fun this week to round up some young adult fantasies, a few that I’ve read and a few that I want to read, in case anyone else has the urge for fantasy like I do.

• Shadow and Bone (Grisha #1) by Leigh Bardugo: Orphan Alina and her best friend Mal, find themselves in the middle of a war and the targets of a powerful man known as the Darkling, when Alina displays extraordinary powers that could overthrow the darkness consuming their country. Though I don’t love everything about this trilogy *cough* MAL *cough*, it has a unique magic system, a villain you can’t help but be drawn to and a high stakes story you’ll be fully engrossed in. It’s also full of great characters that you can’t help but root for.
• Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke: A retelling of the classic Beowulf, this young adult fantasy features four female mercenaries on a mission for glory, seeking out and slaying a legendary monster. This fantasy is one I haven’t read yet, but it’s been on my list for so long. A book about legendary monsters and lady warriors, I can’t say no to a book like that! It’s been a popular one in some of my book circles and I’m really looking forward to the moment when I can finally read it. If you get to it before me, make sure you let me know how it is.
• Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake: In a world of magic and poison, three triplets are equal heirs to the crown. The eve of their 16^th birthday means one thing, the sisters go to battle against each other and the last one standing gets the crown. Holy smokes, I love this book. It’s a fairly slow-moving story, but it has some incredible world-building and the coolest magic systems. I could not put this book down when I read it and the shocking plot twists took me on a ride I won’t soon forget. I highly recommend this dark fantasy!
• Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer: Two witches from rival covens team up to track down a serial killer whose motives are infused with magic and the will of the gods. Doesn’t this sound like such a cool book? I’ve had this one on my list since before it came out and I can’t wait to have a break from school books to sit down and devour it. Not only does this book feature magic, witches and a spooky mystery, it also has LGBTQ+ rep in the form of a bisexual main character. Yay!
• City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare: Clary Fray finds herself drawn into a world of demons and demon hunters descended from angels, when she starts questioning the odd things she sees and her mother goes missing. I won’t lie, the world of Shadowhunters is one of my all-time favorites. Cassandra Clare’s books are full of magic, suspense, romance and so much excitement that you won’t be able to stop reading them. There are an impressive amount of books in this series, but this is the place to start.
• Ever Cursed by Corey Ann Haydu: A royal family suffers from living with a curse that causes them to go without – without food, without sleep and worse. In order to save her sisters, Princess Jane must work with the very witch that cursed them. This book is brand new to the library and I for one can’t wait to read it. It has wonderful fairy tale-like theme that I can’t resist and a high stakes adventure that’s sure to be pleasing. Again, let me know if you get to this one before me. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

As always, if you have any thoughts you’d like to share or feel like discussing any of these books with me, feel free to reach out. Or if you have any of your own favorite fantasies, I’d love to hear about those as well. I can be reached by email at kendall.chapman@bhpl.net.

Happy reading!