Book picks similar to
Shadows of Kings by Jack Whitsel


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Edge of Shadows


Cege Smith - 2011
    Darkness has been a constant companion since her parents’ untimely death, and she harbors a secret that never fails to remind her that she’s different.Ellie's protective bubble includes nothing but her coffee shop, her few friends, and her dog. The attention of a handsome young doctor, David Mitchell, pushes her out of her comfort zone, and Ellie warms to the idea that she may have found another risk worth taking.Then one of Ellie’s friends abruptly leaves town; entrusting her home to Ellie’s care. The house has its own mysterious past that draws Ellie into a new darkness. Her ex-husband resurfaces with premonitions of Ellie’s death. And suddenly Ellie’s life is being turned upside down yet again, and even David can’t help her make it right.Ellie is running out of time. Something old and evil has awakened and it wants Ellie all to itself. She must solve a century-old mystery and keep a grip on her sanity in order to survive.

Surrender


Rhiannon Paille - 2011
    One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Dragon's Awakening


Sean Fletcher - 2017
    No, not hands. Claws. She had claws. “What am I?” “You’re a freak. An abomination. You never should have existed.” For Kaylee Richards, starting high school is hard enough. Growing dragon scales and blasting her date with lightning just makes it that much harder. But when the creep pulls a sword on her, what’s a girl to do? Turns out Kaylee is a dragon-kin, a half dragon/half human with the rare power to summon storms. The problem? She’s attracted the wrong kind of attention: Slayers, an ancient order dedicated to eradicating all dragon-kin. They’re planning something big. Something deadly. And they need Kaylee to do it. But Kaylee isn’t alone. She has her martial arts-wielding best friend, a bumbling wizard, and his hot, air-headed Protector by her side. Together they’ll try to stop the Slayers before their plans are complete. Or they’ll die trying. But hopefully not. Ready for a young adult urban fantasy full of magic, wizards, dragon (kins) and romance?

Cosmic Passions


Meg Ripley - 2015
    Adult readers only!

The Conduit


Stacey Rourke - 2011
    And maybe to spend some time with the hot cameraman she just met. Instead, because of a pact her ancestors made in the 17th century with a mythical creature, she has to save the world. While normal kids are slamming energy drinks and cramming for exams, Celeste will get her adrenaline rush fighting a fire breathing dragon. She wants to meet friends in the quad to exchange lecture notes, but first she must exchange blows with a shapeshifting demon on the rooftop. Life isn’t always fair for a superhero, but at least she doesn’t have to do it alone. With her brother and sister as sidekicks, they alternate between saving lives and getting on each others’ nerves. Together the trio encounters unspeakable odds, mystical forces and comes face-to-face with an image that will haunt them forever—their grandmother in a leopard print bikini. Okay, little side note here. If a psychopathic killer asks if you want to see a trick, say no. That’s the smart thing to do. I, on the other hand, responded, “Bring it.”-excerpt from THE CONDUIT

Mark of the Mage


R.K. Ryals - 2013
    Medeisia is a country in turmoil ruled by a blood thirsty king who has outlawed the use of magic and anything pertaining to knowledge. Magery and scribery are forbidden. All who practice are marked with a tattoo branded onto their wrists, their futures precarious. Sixteen year-old Drastona Consta-Mayria lives secluded, spending her spare time in the Archives of her father's manor surrounded by scribes. She wants nothing more than to become one of them, but when the scribes are royally disbanded, she is thrust into a harsh world where the marked must survive or die.

Briarheart


Mercedes Lackey - 2021
    She's the child of Alethia and her previous husband, the King's Champion, who died fighting for the king, and she has no ambitions to rule. When her new baby sister Aurora, heir to the throne, is born, she's ecstatic. She adores the baby, who seems perfect in every way. But on the day of Aurora's christening, an uninvited Dark Fae arrives, prepared to curse her, and Miriam discovers she possesses impossible power.Soon, Miriam is charged with being trained in both magic and combat to act as chief protector to her sister. But shadowy threats are moving closer and closer to their kingdom, and Miriam's dark power may not be enough to save everyone she loves, let alone herself.

The Woodcutter


Kate Danley - 2010
    Not a mark on her body. No trace of her murderer. Only her chipped glass slippers hint at her identity.The Woodcutter, keeper of the peace between the Twelve Kingdoms of Man and the Realm of the Faerie, must find the maiden’s killer before others share her fate. Guided by the wind and aided by three charmed axes won from the River God, the Woodcutter begins his hunt, searching for clues in the whispering dominions of the enchanted unknown.But quickly he finds that one murdered maiden is not the only nefarious mystery afoot: one of Odin’s hellhounds has escaped, a sinister mansion appears where it shouldn’t, a pixie dust drug trade runs rampant, and more young girls go missing. Looming in the shadows is the malevolent, power-hungry queen, and she will stop at nothing to destroy the Twelve Kingdoms and annihilate the Royal Fae…unless the Woodcutter can outmaneuver her and save the gentle souls of the Wood.Blending magic, heart-pounding suspense, and a dash of folklore, The Woodcutter is an extraordinary retelling of the realm of fairy tales.

The Gifted Box Set


Amira Rain - 2016
    Something that seems to attract the attention of hunky shapeshifters. Themes include Paranormal Pregnancy, Shifter Menages, love triangles and one on one action! Book 1: GIFTED TO THE BEAR Avery Clarke has just discover she is one of the gifted and now the FBI are hunting her. Handsome WereBear Jim Duncan is the only one who can help her but his kindness will come at a price... Book 2: GIFTED TO THE DRAGON A one night stand with a handsome stranger leaves young Madison Bennett pregnant. Little does she know, that stranger was a dragon shifter and being pregnant has now activated her “gift”...Book 3: GIFTED TO THE WOLVES Jayme Adler is well aware of her gift and has been sent to infiltrate a wolf pack and the two Alphas in particular. That is if they do not infiltrate her first...Book 4: GIFTED TO THE LION Paulina Mars has always used her gift to fight. However, a handsome WereLion named Mark was about to enter her life and show her things she never even imagined were real...Book 5: GIFTED TO THE ANGEL Lauren Grant has just been kidnapped. The man says he is an angel and he also tells her that she is already pregnant with his future child... even though they have never met before! You simply will not be able to put these books down! Scroll back up and start reading the whole package right away!

The Bone Witch


Rin Chupeco - 2017
    Her gift for necromancy means that she’s a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha—one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice. The Bone Witch Trilogy: The Bone Witch (Book 1)The Heart Forger (Book 2)The Shadowglass (Book 3)

The Defender of Rebel Falls


Erik Christensen - 2017
    As a librarian—a reluctant one—his reports catch the eyes of a powerful nobleman, who selects William for an important mission. As he faces danger after danger, he soon realizes that having the right weapon is one thing, but having the wits to use it is quite another. Because when he faces his ultimate challenge, it's more than just his own life at stake.

Colin McCool and the Vampire Dwarf


M.D. Massey - 2012
    Now, they've been recruited by a leprechaun who loves IKEA and a centuries-old wizard (who may or may not think he’s Gandalf) to break the evil vampire dwarf’s curse and save the town… The thing is, there are a lot of weird and frightening things sneaking around their town, and not all of them are friendly. Cats the size of ponies. Ponies that eat people. Little people that eat people, and who have horrible taste in hats. And, pom-pom girls with goat feet. All-in-all, it’s a pretty messed up situation, and it looks like Colin and Jesse are the only ones who can do anything about it – which makes it even more messed up. But if they fail, it could mean an end to their town… and an even bloodier end for Colin and Jesse. About “Colin McCool and the Vampire Dwarf”: “Colin McCool and the Vampire Dwarf” is an exciting new entry among fantasy adventure books for kids 9-12, and is a unique and entertaining addition to the YA books genre. If you enjoy vampire books for kids or kids adventure books, then you’ll love the Colin McCool children’s fantasy book series. “Colin McCool and the Vampire Dwarf” classifies as middle grade fiction for ages 9 and up, grade levels 4 and up.

The Other Side of Elsewhere


Brett McKay - 2018
    He and his friends have the perfect summer planned before they start sixth grade, and his new job at the local mortuary promises enough pocket money for all the sodas they can drink. A dare from an older boy quickly ruins their plans. Everyone knows to stay away from the Crooked House, but after Ret and his friends take on the dare to spend the night in the abandoned house, they become caught up in the house’s dark history. Later, an outsider buys the house. When people start to disappear, Ret is determined to solve the mystery before it swallows the entire town. His obsession with the Crooked House and its strange new owner threatens to put him and his friends in danger more terrifying than anything they could have imagined.

Dark Promise


Julia Crane - 2012
    But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.

The Captive Flame


Richard Lee Byers - 2010
    Aoth and his band of mercenaries, the Brotherhood of the Griffin, are hired to put a stop to a disturbing series of ritualistic killings. While they manage to defeat the perpetrators, Aoth can't seem to shake the feeling that there's more to these mysterious murders than meets the eye. Still, he resists the urge to investigate. After all, it's just business. Until an assassin's knife almost finds a home between his shoulder blades, and Aoth finds himself tangled in a lethal web of intrigue. "The Captive Flame" features the return of popular character Aoth and his mercenary band, the Brotherhood of the Griffin, introduced in Richard Lee Byers's trilogy The Haunted Lands. Deluxe, trade paperback packaging and Byers's signature twisted plots make this a must-have for all true Forgotten Realms(R) fans.