Book picks similar to
The Darkest Unicorn by Alice Hemming


fantasy
4-star
engaging-and-enjoyable
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Suspicious Minds


Gwenda Bond - 2019
    A sinister scientist. A secret history. If you think you know the truth behind Eleven’s mother, prepare to have your mind turned Upside Down in this thrilling prequel to the hit show Stranger Things.It’s the summer of 1969, and the shock of conflict reverberates through the youth of America, both at home and abroad. As a student at a quiet college campus in the heartland of Indiana, Terry Ives couldn’t be further from the front lines of Vietnam or the incendiary protests in Washington.But the world is changing, and Terry isn’t content to watch from the sidelines. When word gets around about an important government experiment in the small town of Hawkins, she signs on as a test subject for the project, codenamed MKUltra. Unmarked vans, a remote lab deep in the woods, mind-altering substances administered by tightlipped researchers . . . and a mystery the young and restless Terry is determined to uncover.But behind the walls of Hawkins National Laboratory—and the piercing gaze of its director, Dr. Martin Brenner—lurks a conspiracy greater than she could have ever imagined. To face it, she’ll need the help of her fellow test subjects, including one so mysterious the world doesn’t know she exists—a young girl with unexplainable, superhuman powers and a number instead of a name: 008.Amid the rising tensions of the new decade, Terry Ives and Martin Brenner have begun a different kind of war—one where the human mind is the battlefield.

Tigana


Guy Gavriel Kay - 1990
    It is the tale of a people so cursed by the black sorcery of a cruel despotic king that even the name of their once-beautiful homeland cannot be spoken or remembered... But years after the devastation, a handful of courageous men and women embark upon a dangerous crusade to overthrow their conquerors and bring back to the dark world the brilliance of a long-lost name...Tigana. Against the magnificently rendered background of a world both sensuous and barbaric, this sweeping epic of a passionate people pursuing their dream is breathtaking in its vision, changing forever the boundaries of fantasy fiction.

Dragon Daughter


Liz Flanagan - 2018
    But what if the dragons are exactly what the warring city need to bring about peace?On the island of Arcosi, dragons and their riders used to rule the skies. But now they are only legends, found in bedtime stories, and on beautiful murals and ancient jewelry. When servant girl Milla witnesses a murder and finds herself caring for the last four dragon eggs, she is forced to keep them secret amidst the growing tensions in the city. But how can Milla and her friends keep the eggs safe when it means endangering everything she's ever loved? Fiery friendships, forgotten family, and the struggle for power collide as Milla's fight to save the dragons leads her to discover her own hidden past.

Nevertell


Katharine Orton - 2019
    Born in a Soviet prison camp, Lina has never seen the world outside until the night she escapes with her best friend, Bogdan. As the pair journey across a snowy wilderness, they are pursued by a vengeful sorceress and her pack of shadow wolves. The children will need every ounce of courage – and a whisper of magic – if they are to survive…

The Midnight Gang


David Walliams - 2016
    That is when their adventures are just beginning…When Tom gets hit on the head by a cricket ball, he finds himself at Lord Funt Hospital, and is greeted by a terrifying-looking porter. Things go from bad to worse when he meets the wicked matron in charge of the children’s ward… But Tom is about to embark on the most thrilling journey of a lifetime!The Midnight Gang tells an extraordinarily heartwarming and, of course, funny story of five children on a hospital ward – and on a quest for adventure! It is a story of friendship and magic – and of making dreams come true. Readers are set to be utterly spellbound by this heartfelt story that will bring magic to everyone.

Heroes of the Valley


Jonathan Stroud - 2009
    His is a peaceful society where the violence of the past has been outlawed and disputes are settled by the Council.

Harry Potter: A Journey Through A History of Magic


British Library - 2017
    Rowling, magical illustrations from Jim Kay and weird, wonderful and inspiring artefacts that have been magically released from the archives at the British Library. This spellbinding book takes readers on a journey through the Hogwarts curriculum, including Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, Divination and more. Discover the truth behind making the Philosopher's Stone, create your very own potion and uncover the secret of invisible ink. Learn all about the history of mandrake roots and dragons, discover what witches really used their brooms for, pore over incredible images of actual mermaids and read about real-life potions, astronomers and alchemists. The perfect gift for aspiring witches and wizards and any Harry Potter fan. Celebrating twenty years of Harry Potter magic, and produced in association with the British Library to support their major exhibition, Harry Potter: A History of Magic.Contents:The magical world of Harry Potter --The journey --Potions and alchemy --Herbology --Charms --Astronomy --Divination --Defence against the dark arts --Care of magical creatures --Past, present, future --The British Library --J. K. Rowling.

Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance: Collection Books 6-10


Katrina Cope - 2020
    With this power, she has a better chance to protect her friends and allies. Except, her magic has captured the dark elves' attention, and when they attack Asgard, they make the fight personal endangering her friends' lives.Desperate for help and answers, Kara discovers the elusive Loki proves harder to track down than expected. He has promised aid but fails to intervene.Enemies turn allies, and allies become enemies. Kara must decipher who is on her side before it's too late. No one is safe, not even the dragons.The dragon rider, twisted Norse tale you won't want to miss, continues. In this collection, the intensity increases. Hang onto your seat for nail-biting suspense, exhilarating adventures, entertaining dragons, and epic battles. The mischievous Loki will never cease to amaze, and with the help of her dragon, the beloved wingless Valkyrie, Kara, must rise from underdog to champion to save Asgard from Ragnarok.The omnibus edition of Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance contains books 6-10:AmbushedWarnedAbductedBesiegedDeceived

Circles in the Stream


Rachel Roberts - 2001
    There they discover a portal to another world through which strange and wondrous animals have emerged, searching desperately for the magic that will keep them alive. The animals are peaceful and good, but what follows them through the portal is pure evil. Emily, Adriane, and Kara have been chosen by magical beings called Fairimentals to protect the magical animals, though they don't know why. To save them and their world, the three girls must begin a quest to find the lost home of legendary magic, Avalon...or to perish trying. Rachel Roberts is the author of the Avalon: Web of Magic series that features a magical and adventurous storyline, with positive messages for young people ages 8-12. The twelve-book series stars three teenage girls and their animal friends that centers on themes of friendship, triumph over adversity and love for nature.

Da Vinci's Tiger


L.M. Elliott - 2015
    The arrival of the charismatic Venetian ambassador, Bernardo Bembo, introduces Ginevra to a dazzling circle of patrons, artists, and philosophers. Bembo chooses Ginevra as his Platonic muse and commissions a portrait of her by a young Leonardo da Vinci. Posing for the brilliant painter inspires an intimate connection between them, one Ginevra only begins to understand. In a rich and vivid world of exquisite art with a dangerous underbelly of deadly political feuds, Ginevra faces many challenges to discover her voice and artistic companionship—and to find love.

The Saint of Dragons


Jason Hightman - 2004
    Instead, they've moved undercover — and into human society. Now one lonely schoolboy is about to learn where the dragons have gone...Educated at boarding schools, Simon St. George has never met his parents. When a ragged-looking man shows up claiming to be his father, Simon is skeptical, and when the man kidnaps him, he's indignant to say the least.Then the man claims to be a descendant of England's Saint George and a career dragon fighter. Why should Simon believe any of this nonsense? But what if the man is telling the truth? What if the dragons know he's out there?Rich with the dragon lore of legend, the saint of dragons continues and enlarges on the tale of the centuries-old conflict between dragons and humans that rages even today.

Yoss


Odo Hirsch - 2001
    They’re hungry. People disappear into them and are never heard from again.”From an idyllic village high in the mountains, a boy of 14 sets out to encounter the world. On the plain below, a town sweats with schemes and deceptions. Merchant, mistress, trickster, thief—many are drawn to this innocent newcomer. But all who seek to possess him will pay a price.Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards’ Shortlist for YA

The Jrystal Sword: Knights of Aquinas Book 1


Dave Villager - 2020
    Now he and three friends must embark on an epic quest, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.A new epic fantasy story from the creator of the Dave the Villager series.

The Sword and the Circle: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table


Rosemary Sutcliff - 1981
    The Fellowship of the Round Table was formed, and the most famous knights in the land came to court.In a new retelling of the well-loved legend, Rosemary Sutcliff dramatically recounts their tales: the quests and adventures, jousts and loves of Gawain, Gareth, Tristan, Percival and many others.But what happened to King Arthur himself—how he got his sword Excalibur, his marriage to Guenever, the magic of Merlin and the threat of the evil Morgan La Fay—makes for the most fascinating story of all.Especially when Lancelot, the world's greatest knight, decided to come to Camelot.Contents:The Coming of Arthur --The Sword in the Stone --The Sword from the Lake --The Round table --The Ship, the Mantle and the Hawthorn tree --Sir Lancelot of the Lake --Sir Gawain and the Green Knight --Beaumains, the Kitchen Knight --Lancelot and Elaine --Tristan and Iseult --Geraint and Enid --Gawain and the Loathely Lady --The Coming of Percival.

Between the Raven and the Dove


Sophia Kingshill - 2017
    As far back as she can remember, thirteen-year-old Mag has lived with her father at a home for the mentally ill.The patients are all clearly mad, so when the usually silent Grace claims that she’s Mag’s real mother – and also a witch – Mag’s world is turned upside down.As things take a turn for the weird, and Mag sees things that others can’t, it may just be that she is a witch after all.In this new world, Mag discovers that the difference between good and evil isn’t exactly black and white…