Book picks similar to
The Varcolac's Diary by D.C. McGannon


fantasy
young-adult
paranormal
middle-grade

The Last Fallen Star


Graci Kim - 2021
    Her sister, Hattie, will earn her Gi bracelet and finally be able to cast spells without adult supervision. Although Riley is desperate to follow in her sister's footsteps when she herself turns thirteen, she's a saram--a person without magic. Riley was adopted, and despite having memorized every healing spell she's ever heard, she often feels like the odd one out in her family and the gifted community.Then Hattie gets an idea: what if the two of them could cast a spell that would allow Riley to share Hattie's magic? Their sleuthing reveals a promising incantation in the family's old spell book, and the sisters decide to perform it at Hattie's initiation ceremony. If it works, no one will ever treat Riley as an outsider again. It's a perfect plan!Until it isn't. When the sisters attempt to violate the laws of the Godrealm, Hattie's life ends up hanging in the balance, and to save her Riley has to fulfill an impossible task: find the last fallen star. But what even is the star, and how can she find it?As Riley embarks on her search, she finds herself meeting fantastic creatures and collaborating with her worst enemies. And when she uncovers secrets that challenge everything she has been taught to believe, Riley must decide what it means to be a witch, what it means to be family, and what it really means to belong.

Tomorrow is Today


Julie Cross - 2011
    The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, throws lots of parties, is interested in a girl he can’t have, and oh yeah, he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

Broomsticks and Burials


Lily Webb - 2019
    So when she gets a job offer in the middle of nowhere, Zoe jumps at the chance to make a name for herself only to find her new home is teeming with magic and paranormal beings—and those aren't its only secrets. During a heated election for Head Witch, the most powerful position in town, Zoe’s predecessor was buried alive—and accusations are flying faster than broomsticks. Despite her editor’s orders to leave the story alone, Zoe can’t resist. From the front-running witch with a secret to the mysterious vampires pulling strings in the shadows, Zoe knows the truth is just under the surface. So after she discovers she has rare telepathic abilities, Zoe realizes she's the only one who can keep digging. Will Zoe’s powers lead her to the murderer and the scoop of a lifetime? Or will they send her to an early grave? Broomsticks and Burials is the first book in the Magic and Mystery series of witch cozy mysteries. If you like witty witches, catty talking cats, and magical murder mysteries, then you’ll love this lighthearted debut in Lily Webb’s spellbinding series. Buy Broomsticks and Burials to start solving the mysteries of Moon Grove today!

Sweet Blood of Mine


John Corwin - 2012
    But as he learns the ropes of his new supernatural life, he soon realizes he's not alone.Vampires, felycans, sorcerers, Templars--they all exist, and what he doesn't know can most certainly kill him in more gruesome ways than he can count.

Secrets


Tim Mettey - 2012
    Nicholas Keller emerges out of the devastation as a shining light of hope for all. But his newfound fame comes with a price that his aunt will not let him pay. They flee into the shadows in order to protect his secret. However, as Nicholas begins his sophomore year at his fifth school in five years, strange and unexpected things begin to happen. He soon tumbles into a web of doomed love, extraordinary talents and a secret past, which threatens the lives of everyone he cares about. It’s up to Nicholas to confront the truth, even if it means his own death.Stay tuned for the release of book 2 in the series coming October 10, 2013!

Going Home,


Patti Roberts - 2013
    Whimsical, "TV" length episodes in an ongoing series. Witches, spells, ghosts, sprites, shape-shifters, wolves and more... For all those young at heart... Equal measure of both Magic and Evil.Alexandria Santorini learns as a child that she comes from a long line of Harvey witches. Now, as a teenager, Alexandria must say goodbye to Catnip Cottage and the Barnabys, her loving guardians for the last twelve years, and go home to Ferntree Falls to claim her inheritance. Witchwood Estate. The home where she was born and her parents were murdered. Her journey home becomes somewhat sinister, however, when she discovers that there are those who have other plans for her and her new friends…Grab your broomstick/dustbuster out of the closet and come along for the ride!What a delightfully magical read! For the young at heart or others who don't fear to dream. I enjoyed it so much! The wonderfully created world that you have so vividly written is easily envisaged! Katrina WhittakerBook 2 in the Witchwood Series - Ferntree Falls, is due out April 2013.

Firebug


Lish McBride - 2014
    Which would all be well and good if she weren't caught in a deadly contract with the Coterie, a magical mafia. She's one of their main hitmen . . . and she doesn't like it one bit. Not least because her boss, Venus, killed Ava's mother. When Venus asks Ava to kill a family friend, Ava rebels. She knows very well that you can't say no to the Coterie and expect to get away with it, though, so she and her friends hit the road, trying desperately to think of a way out of the mess they find themselves in. Preferably keeping the murder to a minimum, in Lish McBride's Firebug.

The Empty Throne


Austin J. Bailey - 2015
     Tabitha, whose job it is to keep an eye on things, is doing her job a little too well one night and finds herself alone with Archibald when he is kidnapped by the Queen of the Nymph Kingdom. When she tries to save him, she finds out that there is more behind the Queen's actions than meets the eye. In order to save her friend, she must navigate a series of tests, face her worst nightmare, and learn to understand the secrets of her own heart. The Empty Throne is a short story in Austin J. Bailey's Magemother series: an epic middle-grade fantasy adventure series with witches, shapeshifters, and clifhangers, and awesome kids (There are very few boring adults in this book!). This story takes place in between books 1 and 2 of the series.

Secrets of Camp Whatever Vol. 1


Chris Grine - 2021
    But her family—and fate itself—seem to have plans of their own. Soon Willow finds herself neck-deep in a confounding mystery involving stolen snacks, suspected vampires, and missing campers, all shrouded in the sinister fog that hides a generation of secrets at Camp ... Whatever it's called.

The Blackhope Enigma


Teresa Flavin - 2010
    They find themselves in a strange world of labyrinths, monsters and pirates.Can they evade their greedy pursuers? And will they ever find their way home?

The Hunted


Kristy Berridge - 2011
    The novel explores a strong, female heroin; sassy and genuine, encumbered by a severe problem with authority. Supporting characters are complimentary, humorous and with individual agendas that expand the story’s base into an exciting, horror-filled spectrum all softened with a hint of romance.

Shadows of the Gods


S.M. Schmitz - 2016
    When they trap Selena in an alleyway in New Orleans, she is ready to admit defeat. But an unfamiliar demigod rescues her, and the more she learns about Cameron, the more she discovers their common bonds may be the key to unraveling her own mysterious history. In the first book of The Unbreakable Sword series, Selena and Cameron must not only evade the New Pantheon, which is ruthlessly hunting the remaining gods and their descendants, but an angry Aztec god that wants Selena’s power to himself. And they will discover in the impending final battle of the gods, no one can be trusted.

A Shade of Kiev


Bella Forrest - 2014
    I am a vampire, and a murderer.Having betrayed the trust of my own kind and that of the enemies I sold myself to, I have three days left to live. I stare at the girl in the cell opposite mine. Mona, she calls herself. A witch born without magic.She might be my key to freedom, but I should know to stay away. I should know: some scars are etched too deep to heal.

Entrance Exam


Ivy Hearne - 2018
    It's not much of a school motto — not as inspiring as, say, "Let us give light to the world," or "Knowledge is liberty," or even just "Light and Truth." Those are all real school mottoes. So is this one. It belongs to the Hunters' Academy. And now, so do I. Since she was twelve years old, Kacela Deluca has suffered debilitating migraines. On the eve of her sixteenth birthday, she learns her headaches are the result of untapped psychic abilities. She's given a choice: continue to suffer, or leave behind everything she knows and join the Hunters’ Academy. The only catch? If she doesn’t pass the entrance exam, she’ll die. A teen with blocked psychic powers, a panther shifter who can't — or won't — shift, a secret academy, and the power to defend the entire world... if only Kacela can unleash her potential before it's too late. Fans of Vampire Academy, Mortal Instruments, Harry Potter, and Dragon School will love Hunters’ Academy! Entrance Exam is episode one of Hunters’ Academy - expect a new episode every month beginning Fall 2018!

Visions


Kimberly Readnour - 2014
    And an unsolved murder refusing to be ignored. This is where the mysteries begin...Moving to a new town, Heather Reiner struggles to keep her psychic abilities a secret and establish a sense of normalcy…at least for her overprotective mother’s sake.But when Heather starts having terrifying visions of a missing boy, she can’t simply ignore them. This time, she feels an inexplicable pull to solve the crime, and slowly begins to believe that her supernatural gifts could actually help others.After meeting Barry, the cute boy next door, Heather uncovers a few interesting facts that might help unravel the mystery. She wants his help, but getting Barry involved means exposing her “gifts” and potentially putting both their lives in danger.Because if she’s not careful, these terrifying visions might be driving Heather straight into the killer’s lair.