Book picks similar to
Where Carpets Fly by Elise Edmonds
fantasy
young-adult
spfbo3
indie-books
The Unhappening of Genesis Lee
Shallee McArthur - 2014
As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically-enhanced humans—Gena remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve memories perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.Anyone could be next. Which is why Gena is less than pleased to meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims that they’ve not only met, but that Gena knows who the thief is.The problem is, Gena doesn’t remember Kalan, she doesn’t remember seeing the thief, and she doesn’t know why she’s forgetting things— or how much else she might forget. As growing tensions between Mementi and ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they have to solve the mystery fast.Because Gena’s life is unhappening around her.
Unbound Enchantment
Kara Jaynes - 2014
Not many stories got back to the nomad people about those who were captured, but from the few stories we heard, a collar meant being enslaved to the Oppressors. I was a slave. I felt numb inside. It was a fate said to be worse than death, to lose one's freedom, to live under the rule and control of someone else. The stories were horrible. Slaves were worked hard and mercilessly. They were required to obey without question, and any dissension was met with swift punishment." Adaryn has been captured and enslaved by an Oppressor. Her captor is handsome, agreeable and intelligent, if a little absent-minded and completely unlike the cruel master she had expected, but Adaryn is ready to do whatever it takes to gain her freedom. A 25,000 word novella.
The Cornerstone
Nick Spalding - 2011
literally, if you're not careful.On a gloomy Thursday afternoon, Max Bloom enters his local library in a last ditch attempt to stave off an epic case of teenage boredom. Among the hushed stacks he discovers The Cornerstone, an ancient book tucked away on a dusty, forgotten shelf. Opening the cover, Max is instantly transported to an alternate dimension full of things intent on killing him - thus avoiding boredom with remarkable success.He meets a beautiful girl called Merelie (brilliant), who tells him he could be a Wordsmith, a sorcerer able to craft magic from the written word itself, one strong enough to save both their worlds from the Dwellers - hideous monsters from beyond the universe (not so brilliant).This all sounds completely unbelievable. The kind of thing you'd read in a fantasy novel. But The Cornerstone doesn't lie... and the danger is very real.In a world threatened by monsters, where books are worshiped and powerful magic exists, Max Bloom must make a choice: close The Cornerstone and run home - or trust Merelie, become a Wordsmith, and save two worlds from certain destruction...
Year of the Reaper
Makiia Lucier - 2021
But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness.Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer… one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.
Dimwater's Dragon
Sam Ferguson - 2015
She has seen the noblemen coming to her home, sneaking off to the parlor with her father for hushed conversations. They were suitors, she knew, but it didn't matter. Her father had long ago decided to whom she would be betrothed. These meetings were nothing more than his pitiful attempt to increase the price for her hand in marriage. Kyra pretended not to notice them, turning instead to her book of spells that her mother had given her to practice before her inaugural year at Kuldiga Academy. She knew magic was the only way to take control of her life. Upon her birthday, Kyra's father would announce the chosen groom, and then she would have only four years at Kuldiga Academy before she would be delivered to the altar. Such was the way of noble-born girls. When she arrives at Kuldiga Academy, Kyra's world collapses when she discovers that her betrothed works there as an instructor. As if his presence wasn't suffocating enough, rumors abound and the other apprentices soon ostracize her. There were other girls in similar circumstances, but Kyra was different. She was the only one betrothed to an instructor at the Academy. At least the others were betrothed to young men closer to their own age. She would have to use her wits, in addition to her budding magic skills, in order to escape and create some semblance of freedom in a world ruled by noblemen. On one such adventure Kyra finds a dragon egg, something not seen for centuries in the Middle Kingdom. She knows to hide it is an offense against the crown. There is a dark danger with all dragons, and they are to be exterminated upon sight. Kyra, however, cannot bring herself to destroy it. In that oblong egg she sees not the monster others did, but a creature deserving of freedom and a life of its own making. She seeks advice from an outlawed wizard and enlists his help to care for the egg. As the dragon hatches and grows, Kyra fights to hide and protect the fledgling dragon, all the while dodging her betrothed and the others at the academy who would surely condemn the dragon to death. The bond between lady and dragon grows fierce and strong, but will it survive, or is the dark curse destined to conquer the beast?
City of Islands
Kali Wallace - 2018
But as a servant for the powerful Lady of the Tides, Mara must earn her keep by searching for magical treasures deep in the murky ocean.Then Mara finds the skeletons of strange hybrid creatures that haven’t existed in the city for centuries—all humming with a powerful spell-song. Convinced her discovery will earn her the opportunity to study magic, Mara shares them with the Lady. But instead of a reward, the Lady gives Mara a new challenge: to sneak into the island fortress, the Winter Blade.Now Mara must dive deeper than ever before to survive her mission. The chilling truths that Mara uncovers along the way, about her past as well as about the secrets of her beloved city, are more dangerous—and magical—than she ever imagined.
The Girl who Sang with Whales
Marc Secchia - 2013
Only on the wings of Bardsong can ships avoid the Sea-Dragons and travel the great gulf between the Atolls scattered across the World-Sea.I sang to the Sea; She sang back to me,Tales and travails wreathed in mystery.Zhialeiana has an astonishing gift of song. She can sing the unique songs of the mighty and magical creatures of the World-Sea. She can touch their souls. When her gift is discovered at her mother's funeral, the current of her life begins to sweep her to a future that she could never have imagined. She must navigate both opportunity and danger, and lay her life on the line for the Whales she loves. But Zhialeiana also has a toxic secret - a secret that will force her to undertake a journey beyond faith, beyond all hope, and beyond the World-Sea.Richly imagined and evocative, the first volume in the IsleSong series The Girl who Sang with Whales, will transport you to an unspoiled island world where danger can, and does, lurk beneath every wave.
Inked
Eric Smith - 2015
Now they decide your destiny the moment the magical Ink settles under your skin. And in a world where Ink controls your fate, Caenum can't escape soon enough. He is ready to run from his family, and his best friend Dreya, and the home he has known, just to have a chance at a choice. But when he upsets the very Scribe scheduled to give him his Ink on his eighteenth birthday, he unwittingly sets in motion a series of events that sends the corrupt, magic-fearing government, The Citadel, after him and those he loves. Now Caenum, Dreya, and their reluctant companion Kenzi must find their way to the Sanctuary, a secret town where those with the gift of magic are safe. Along the way, they learn the truth behind Ink, its dark origins, and why they are the only ones who can stop the Citadel.Eric Smith takes you on a high-octane fantasy adventure, perfect for anyone who has dreamed of being different… only to discover that fate is more than skin deep.
Dragon Defender
J.A. Blackburn - 2013
But he can’t figure out why his mother left or why his grandma refuses to talk about her. When Uncle Dominick shows up on Peter’s twelfth birthday with a letter that hints at answers and an incredible story about dragons, Peter follows him, determined to find out the truth about his mother’s disappearance. What he finds is a reality far different from what he ever could have imagined – where dragons live in hiding, hunted by poachers for their magical parts, and a small group of men and women work tirelessly to protect them. These are the Dragon Defenders. Peter’s uncle is one. So was his mother. Now it’s Peter’s turn.
Cradle of the Gods
Thomas Quinn Miller - 2013
A thousand years later, the remaining humans eke out an existence on the fringes of a vast dwarven empire. In a human settlement known as the Cradle of the Gods, a young man named Ghile is preparing for a Rite of Attrition, used by the dwarves to seek out potential vessels for their god’s return. Meanwhile, Almoriz the Sorcerer and his apprentice Riff arrive in Ghile’s village for one of their annual visits, beginning a series of events that will change Ghile’s life forever. He is marked as the Stonechosen, and wields powers of the gods themselves. But Ghile is not alone. Others chosen to fulfill the prophecy are also traveling to the Cradle to seek out and destroy him. The time of the Stonechosen has come. First novel in The Soulstone Prophecy series, Cradle of the Gods is a well-crafted, gripping journey of fantasy, magic, discovery and peril.
To Best the Boys
Mary Weber - 2019
Survive the Labyrinth. Best the boys.In a thrilling new fantasy from the bestselling author of the Storm Siren Trilogy, one girl makes a stand against society and enters a world made exclusively for boys.Every year for the past fifty-four years, the residents of Pinsbury Port have received a mysterious letter inviting all eligible-aged boys to compete for an esteemed scholarship to the all-male Stemwick University. The poorer residents look to see if their names are on the list. The wealthier look to see how likely their sons are to survive. And Rhen Tellur opens it to see if she can derive which substances the ink and parchment are created from, using her father’s microscope.In the province of Caldon, where women train in wifely duties and men pursue collegiate education, sixteen-year-old Rhen Tellur wants nothing more than to become a scientist. As the poor of her seaside town fall prey to a deadly disease, she and her father work desperately to find a cure. But when her mum succumbs to it as well? Rhen decides to take the future into her own hands—through the annual all-male scholarship competition.With her cousin, Seleni, by her side, the girls don disguises and enter Mr. Holm’s labyrinth, to best the boys and claim the scholarship prize. Except not everyone is ready for a girl who doesn’t know her place. And not everyone survives the deadly maze.Welcome to the Labyrinth.
The Season of Lightning
Kate Avery Ellison - 2015
She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady's companion, and being tormented by the family's handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvras, the oppressed lower class, Verity's world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
It Wasn't Always Like This
Joy Preble - 2016
After sampling an experimental polio vaccine brewed on a remote island off St. Augustine, Florida, she and her family stop aging—as do the Ryans, her family’s business partners. In a way, this suits Emma fine because she’s in love with Charlie Ryan. Being seventeen forever with him is a dream. But soon a group of religious fanatics, the Church of Light, takes note. Drinking the elixir has made the O’Neills and Ryans impervious to aging, but not to murder—Emma and Charlie are the only ones who escape with their lives.On the run, Emma is tragically separated from Charlie. For the next hundred years, she plays a cat-and-mouse game with the founding members of the Church of Light and their descendants. Over the years, a series of murders—whose victims all bear more than a passing resemblance to her—indicate that her enemies are closing in. Yet as the danger grows, so does Emma’s hope for finding the boy she’s certain is still out there . . .
City of Halves
Lucy Inglis - 2014
Girls are disappearing. They've all got one thing in common; they just don't know it yet... Sixteen-year-old Lily was meant to be next, but she's saved by a stranger: a half-human boy with gold-flecked eyes. Regan is from an unseen world hidden within our own, where legendary creatures hide in plain sight. But now both worlds are under threat, and Lily and Regan must race to find the girls, and save their divided city.
The Bird and the Blade
Megan Bannen - 2018
On the run, with adversaries on all sides and an endless journey ahead, Jinghua hatches a scheme to use the Kipchaks’ exile to return home, a plan that becomes increasingly fraught as her feelings for Khalaf evolve into a hopeless love.Jinghua’s already dicey prospects take a downward turn when Khalaf seeks to restore his kingdom by forging a marriage alliance with Turandokht, the daughter of the Great Khan. As beautiful as she is cunning, Turandokht requires all potential suitors to solve three impossible riddles to win her hand—and if they fail, they die.Jinghua has kept her own counsel well, but with Khalaf’s kingdom—and his very life—on the line, she must reconcile the hard truth of her past with her love for a boy who has no idea what she’s capable of ... even if it means losing him to the girl who’d sooner take his life than his heart.The Bird and the Blade is a lush, powerful story of life and death, battles and riddles, lies and secrets from debut author Megan Bannen.