Book picks similar to
Westward to Strange by Ray Litt


fantasy
mermaids
first-reads
paranormal

Valens Remembered


Sherrel Lee - 2013
    In this prequel to the Valens series myth is rewritten, fantasy and science fiction blend to create a chilling story of death, loss, and discovery

The Cathedral of Cliffdale


Melissa Delport - 2015
    Within the city of Summerfeld the last mythical creatures live out their days in peace, fiercely protected by twelve immortals: brave defenders known as the Guardians.A Guardian is dead. For the first time in one thousand years, no replacement has come forward. Following the murder of her twin sister, Quinn Harden abandons the Guardianship in order to take care of her sister’s children in the modern realm of man. Shortly after their second birthday, the children are taken, against her will, in an attempt by the Guardians to bring her back into the fold. Quinn will stop at nothing to find her niece and nephew, but as she is drawn deeper into the world of Summerfeld, she finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and the wards she has sworn to protect. As their enemies close in the Guardians must unite or Summerfeld will fall.The Cathedral of Cliffdale is the first book in the highly anticipated "Guardians of Summerfeld Series"

Undisclosed


Jon Mills - 2012
    One group was our protector, the other an enemy. Both knew the secret of human origins. Both had different agendas. Both remained undisclosed until now._____________________________Living in Los Alamos, New Mexico, a small town already shrouded in secrecy, disappearances and the unusual, Travis Marshall's life spirals out of control after a sudden and horrendous tragedy.One year later, when tragedy strikes again and this time his father, a molecular biologist at the illustrious Los Alamos Laboratories mysteriously vanishes and his own life is put in jeopardy, Travis discovers more than the truth behind his disappearance.In a race against time and aided by an unusual band of outsiders, he finds himself thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse in which the outcome could change everything. Beneath a blanket of ancient lies, global cover-ups and genetic tampering he's about to uncover not only the origins of mankind, but also come face to face with those who threaten the fate of the human race.The answers to the greatest questions of all time have never been as terrifying, exciting or troubling._____________________________AboutUNDISCLOSED is a thriller about the origins of mankind, conspiracy theories, the choices we make, and the secrets that are kept from us. Filled with suspense, adventure and a slew of characters that you will love, the book delivers an incredible thrill ride and an unforgettable original story.Book 1: UndisclosedBook 2: RetributionBook 3: Clandestine

The Frights of Fiji


Sunayna PrasadSunayna Prasad - 2013
    A sorcerer kidnaps her to an enchanted island, filled with magical creatures and technology, but also danger. It is up to Alyssa to defeat the peril and overcome the warlock.

Hybrid


Vanessa Wester - 2012
    New friends, her own digs, and an enriched learning environment. It's what she needed to get on with her life. When she meets Steven Thorn during Fresher's week she has no idea that her future is on a different kind of trajectory. The attraction they share is instant and it is no surprise that they find themselves drawn to one another. However, Steven has a secret past that is destined to reveal itself. Soon he will become a stranger to everyone and his new life in Brazil will begin. People like him are not meant to live amongst normal humans. The wheels are set in motion for his radical upheaval. But first love is a powerful thing, and the connection forged between Caitlin and Steven is not easily broken.The impossible is only the beginning...

Gifts of the Blood


Vicki Keire - 2010
    Her parents are four years dead; everyday she watches her brother Logan fight his cancer diagnosis. Things get worse for Caspia the day she draws an angry stranger framed by planes of light and violent, bloody images. That exact same stranger walks up to her out of nowhere mere hours later knowing things he shouldn't, like her name, her brother's illness, and her strange ability. That's when Caspia discovers her hometown is a refuge for supernatural beings both Light and Dark, and she and her brother find themselves caught up in a war between the two that predates their very birth. In order to protect herself and her brother, she turns to the one who seems to have started it all: the man who walked out of her sketchbook calling himself Ethan. But Ethan has his own agenda, Logan's getting sicker fast, and Caspia finds that drawing the future isn't the only strange thing she can do. Meanwhile, someone really wants all of them dead. In a town where Dark doesn't equal Evil and Light isn't always Good, Caspia and Ethan find themselves making strange alliances and even stranger sacrifices in order to protect those they love.

The Box


Christina G. Gaudet - 2012
    Although it’s not the car that her sister, Cindy, receives, Lou knows it could have been worse. She could have gotten Gran’s collection of toenails. When Lou opens the box and a guy the size of a stick of gum falls out; she changes her mind – the nail clippings would have been better.Not a day goes by that Lou doesn’t wish she could shove that guy back in the box and pretend she’d never laid eyes on him. Because of him, she discovered Gran was a sorceress and Cindy is a witch and all these years they have been keeping Lou’s magic locked away “for her own safety.” Without the magic she’s vulnerable to whoever, or whatever, is after her. With it, she’s a target for a fate worse than death.

The Seven Devils


Sara Danvers - 2011
    Ellen soon meets Neil, a gorgeous loner with a bad reputation. Her classmates warn her to stay away, but he seems to be the only one who understands her. Besides, the rumors about Neil are too far-fetched to be believed. When she is threatened by Derrick (a jealous classmate) it becomes clear that there is more to Neil than meets the eye. In this sexy page turner, Ellen must discover Neil's dark secrets and learn to stand up for herself before the plot hatched against her unfolds.

The Golden City


J. Kathleen Cheney - 2013
      When her employer and only confidante decides to elope, Oriana agrees to accompany her to Paris. But before they can depart, the two women are abducted and left to drown. Trapped beneath the waves, Oriana’s heritage allows her to survive while she is forced to watch her only friend die.   Vowing vengeance, Oriana crosses paths with Duilio Ferreira—a police consultant who has been investigating the disappearance of a string of servants from the city’s wealthiest homes. Duilio also has a secret: He is a seer and his gifts have led him to Oriana.   Bound by their secrets, not trusting each other completely yet having no choice but to work together, Oriana and Duilio must expose a twisted plot of magic so dark that it could cause the very fabric of history to come undone....

Lucky Number Six


T.J. Loveless - 2013
    Tiffany Crews is a renowned psychiatrist, a klutz, Arkansas hillbilly born and bred with her feet firmly rooted in reality. Her two best friends, Janet and Mark, keep life interesting. Add in a duck with Houdini tendencies, and Tiffany leads a wonderfully laughter filled life.One morning, they find a unicorn in the communal courtyard of their townhouse and life takes a surreal twist. It leads to burning the bacon, along with the kitchen, yet they nevertheless refuse to leave the animal in a possibly bad situation. Until they learn it talks, anything veggie causes rancid flatulence in the form of rainbows, and its grumpy attitude can only be helped by indulging his carnivorous tendencies with Shrimp Po’ Boys.Drop in Flying Granny, sporting dragonfly wings and really flies, who calls herself The Fairy Godmother, and believes she was summoned to help find their soul mates. Reality takes another twist nobody is prepped for.The three friends are on the prowl during New Orleans’ infamous Mardi Gras to find where the two myths truly belong. Every attempt to find the truth leads to hijinks and compromising situations for the three friends, and a true appreciation for the unknown. Tiffany needs to find a way for the two myths to fit into reality, and keep her sanity in one piece.If only it was that easy.

Broken Elements


Mia Marshall - 2012
    In Lake Tahoe, she only finds more trouble. An estranged best friend, a dangerously attractive landlord, and a couple of FBI agents are determined to complicate her life…and for the first time in years, she doesn’t mind a few complications.As the killer grows increasingly fixated on Aidan, her past and present begin to collide. To defeat the killer, she must learn to control her power—before her broken magic fails her for the final time.BROKEN ELEMENTS is the first book in the award-winning Elements urban fantasy series.

Everblue


Brenda Pandos - 2011
    he wanted his to stay the same.Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them. Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.

Through the Portal


Riley Dennis - 2011
    Jem goes on an adventure.

Watergirl


Juliann Whicker - 2013
    Can a foreign exchange student with more than a sexy accent free her from her fear and obsession, or does it take more than love's kiss to save a girl?

Deep Blue Secret


Christie Anderson - 2011
    She has great friends, an energetic mother she adores, and the beach practically in her own backyard. But her carefree life is turned upside down when she's rescued by a mysterious and strangely familiar boy who won't even tell her his name.Each time the boy appears, Sadie's unexplainable attraction to him deepens along with her need to unravel his secrets. The boy is there to protect her. But as wonderful and exciting as it might be to have an irresistible boy with crystal green eyes protecting her every move, every minute of the day . . . why does Sadie need one?As Sadie finds answers, she realizes her life isn't as perfect as she thought. Not only is she caught in a world of dangerous secret agents she never knew existed, but it turns out her true identity may be the greatest secret of all.