Book picks similar to
The Spirit of Things by Ben McQueeney


fantasy
ya-fantasy
fae-and-elves
fantasy-tbr

Wizard's Key


Mitch Reinhardt - 2016
    Staying alive, however... The dirt-encrusted key didn’t look like much, but when bullied teen Geoff inadvertently activates it, he is suddenly thrust into a strange and beautiful world. It doesn’t help that he’s accompanied by Sawyer, his chief tormentor at school, but there is a silver lining in that intelligent, compassionate Jane is also with them. Soon the three teenagers encounter evil orcs, majestic unicorns, dangerous trolls, and a mysterious elven druid who doesn’t care for humans. Together, they must make their way back home before the new world they find themselves in erupts in war. Along the way, they’ll be tested to the limits of their endurance—and discover hidden powers deep within. But will those powers be enough to stop the ravenous werewolf that is stalking them? * AWARD WINNING, Young Adult Fiction Book of the Year, 2017 NYC Big Book Award

Daughter of Winter


Corina Douglas - 2020
    The series draws you into a world of Celtic mythology, powerful Druids, dark magic, and fated mates.Reader discretion: Please be advised this book contains PG-13 violence and some sexual content.

Warbringer


Aaron Hodges - 2020
    But Tangata are massing in the south, and the allied armies are desperate. They will do anything to halt the enemy advance—including sending untrained men and women into battle. Determined to survive, Lukys seeks aid from the only man who seems to care: Romaine, the last warrior of an extinct kingdom.Meanwhile, the Queen’s Archivist leads an expedition deep beneath the earth. She seeks to uncover the secrets of the Gods. Their magic has been lost to the ages, yet artefacts remain, objects of power that could turn the tide of the war. But salvation is not the only thing waiting beneath the surface. Something else slumbers in the darkness. Something old. Something evil.

Heir to the Darkmage


Lisa Cassidy - 2021
    Danger thrills her. But magic always has a price.Twenty years have passed since the Darkmage was destroyed and the war between mages ended. For Lira Astor, the single living heir to the Darkmage, escaping her name is impossible. People still fear what is long dead, and they see in her the rise of another dangerous mage with deadly ambition. Desperate to claw her way free of her grandfather’s shadow, to make her own name amongst the world of mages, Lira is willing to do whatever it takes. Even if that means joining the secretive rebel group looking to restore his vision.Survival is a lesson Lira learned early and often, yet when she is abducted and held prisoner in a deadly game of cat and mouse, she finds herself facing a nemesis she may be no match for. Forced to band together with unlikely allies who challenge everything she believes about what it means to be a mage, she will have to rely on every bit of ruthlessness she possesses.Because the war may only just be beginning……and Lira Astor intends to come out on top.

The Crafter's Son


Matthew B. Berg - 2019
    But can he master his powers in time to help thwart the plans of a vengeful god? Breeden Andehar grew up the son of a boatwright in a village far from the capital city of Arlon. At sixteen, he is given a chance to receive an education at the local monastery alongside three sons of nobility, a cloth merchant’s daughter and a clever orphan. Breeden and his new friends have their education cut short when a bitter rivalry between two brother gods spawns a conflict which threatens the entire Land. The Crafter’s Son is the first book in a new coming of age epic fantasy series. If you liked The Sword of Shannara, The Wheel of Time, The Dragonbone Chair, or the Stormlight Archive, then you’ll love Matthew B. Berg’s brand new epic fantasy! Pick up The Crafter’s Son to discover this exciting new series today!

The Unforgiven


Michael Anderle - 2020
    A moment when one must decide what one is willing to accept. Death, defeat, or allow one’s carnal rage to take control and consequences be damned.” Skharr DeathEaterA lone DeathEater has forsaken his clan. Leaving behind his previous life, Skharr starts building a future next to a dangerous forest in an unknown land.He tells himself it is better than taking gold for questionable reasons.A lone old man travelling with a donkey offers him a choice: Continue this farm life, or trade him Skharr’s just finished home and tilled land for a map.A map that Skharr can use to live large for years… If he survives.The old peddler watches him. Realizing the intelligence, the polished actions of the huge man is but an act. A carefully orchestrated semblance of civility, and shudders.Of all the Barbarian hordes, the rumor was to never, ever upset a DeathEater.And he had come here to unleash this particular DeathEater back into the world.

The Art of Danger


Stuart Doughty - 2020
    Three men are murdered to get a dull, forgotten painting. A crazy, pointless heist? Or something far more sinister?In this action-packed crime-thriller, the tough ex-cop and firearms specialist Kite is up against a foreign spy who’s planning havoc and mayhem, not an art show. To complicate matters, Kite’s being followed by a kooky – and sexy – young woman. Where does she fit in? Even worse, Kite’s got a shameful secret in his past that he thinks is well hidden – until he realises someone’s on to it and the odds stack up to produce an action-packed thriller.What Kite is chasing down isn’t just a painting: it’s the most explosive art in the world. Can he stop the impending cataclysm?

Goblin


Gerhard Gehrke - 2019
    His sister is abducted and the sage vanishes.Forced to leave the ashes of his home behind, he must abandon the only place he has ever known and venture into the land of humans and monsters.Saving his sister will mean uncovering what the raiders were after.For some things are worth more than gold, and goblins, as it turns out, have secrets of their own.A fast-paced dark fantasy series. Grab a copy and join the adventure!

Troll Hunter: Witch for Hire


P.A. Mason - 2020
    Without a decent payday in months, she's close to calling it quits, and if she doesn’t come through, her reputation — and the prospect of more customers — will be ruined.Between an insolent spell book, an old friend too sick to run her favorite tavern and a new guy in town who is the object of every maiden’s desire, Gretchen scrambles to keep everyone happy.Trip trap, trip trap, this troll packs a mighty punch.A potion cocktail has unintended side effects with massive ramifications and Gretchen has no idea how she did it. If she doesn’t fix it, she’ll be forced to hang up her witches hat and serve drinks for the rest of her days.Check out these hilarious high fantasy with stories each month for a new spin on a classic tale.

Newcomer


Emilia Zeeland - 2020
    That is, until they show their teeth during class at the Academy.And then there are the hunters—the humans trying to uncover our secrets. I’m talking about Mason Fowler, my next-door neighbor with smoldering, brandy-colored eyes, who has taken a sudden interest in me.In a whirlwind of magical twists, I must learn to tell friend from foe, master my abilities before I lose them, and figure out how to hide my powers from Mason. Because revealing the truth could lead to war…No wonder they call me the harbinger of death.Newcomer is a young adult fantasy novel about a magical academy and the creatures it hides—the good, the bad and those in between. If you like complicated friendships, dark family secrets, and slow-burn romance, this story will pull you in and leave you wanting more.Step into a world of magical intrigue now!

Arcanist Fables


Shami Stovall - 2021
    New arcanists. The rise of the Second Ascension.Volke Savan has proven himself time and time again, but now the others of the Frith Guild want their opportunity. Illia wants to recover a lost runestone, Master Zelfree hopes to learn the magics of the Mother of Shapeshifters, and Adelgis surprises himself with the new depths of his dreamweaving abilities.But while the Frith Guild prepares for the coming war, the Second Ascension has grand plans for the world. When two more god-creatures are born, dastardly arcanists try their hands at braving the godly lairs. With the Dread Pirate Calisto as a ferry, men like Theasin Venrover will have to outsmart puzzles and traps that put the world serpent’s to shame.Witness stories from the viewpoints of friend and foe alike, all while the world races to find and bond with the remaining god-creatures.

Between the Sea and Stars


Chantal Gadoury - 2018
    But what’s worth spilling the queen’s blood? Gifted from Poseidon, himself, a magic shell gives any human the ability to control both land and sea. When Javelin is called to join a clan of Merrow soldiers bent on protecting their waters from human invasion, Lena resists Merrow law and ventures to the shore with no choice but to swim to land. With newfound legs, Lena is whisked away on a new adventure with new friends and new trouble. Everyone seems to want something from her as intrigue lurks around every corner. Trying her best to hide who she is and remain safe from the dangers of the human world, will Lena finally find where she belongs, or will she be swept into a strong and stormy current by lust, greed, and jealousy?

Angels Rising


Harriet Carlton - 2017
     When he arrives, he notices odd things: gates that lock at night, staff that refuse to give straight answers and most disturbing of all, a spectral creature that seems to be haunting him. Before long, Imorean finds himself caught up in a sinister plan – one created seventeen years ago – that threatens to destroy the life he knew and expose the secret truth of who he really is.

Rise of the Draman


Alexander Elliott - 2020
    When the day finally came, an accident leaves him utterly changed and bonded to a beast named Rueloo. Facing prejudice and fear, Croft builds a quiet life in the nest among his dragon friends – unaware his unique abilities would soon be needed.With a powerful foe marching towards their borders, King Augustus appeals to the dragon child for his help. Croft’s example of sacrifice, kindness, and bravery inspire the people of Spiredale to unite and overcome. With the dragons, they forge a powerful alliance and embrace an entwined future neither were expecting.In this five-story collection, join Croft and Rueloo through a series of adventures filled with intrigue, survival, love, sorrow, and triumph. Their bond is only the beginning... (Suitable for ages ten-adult.)

Sweet Blood of Mine / Dark Light of Mine


John Corwin - 2014
     Sweet Blood of Mine: Justin Slade and women don't mix, but when he discovers he has the ability to seduce any woman he wants, high school suddenly gets a lot more interesting. The more he opens his eyes to the supernatural world, the more dangerous he realizes it is. Dark Light of Mine: Justin discovers there's a lot more to the supernatural life than he could have imagine. Obsidian arches that allow instantaneous travel, pocket dimensions with complete towns, and, unfortunately, a succubus who's hunting down his father. To make matters worse, Underborn, the most notorious assassin in the Overworld, also has his sights set on Justin's father.Book 1: Sweet Blood of MineBook 2: Dark Light of MineBook 3: Fallen Angel of MineBook 4: Dread Nemesis of MineBook 5: Twisted Sister of MineBook 6: Dearest Mother of MineBook 7: Infernal Father of MineBook 8: Sinister Seraphim of MineBook 9: Wicked War of MineBook 10:Dire Destiny of Ours