Book picks similar to
What Glimmers in the Wood by Tim Reed


fairytale-feel
fantasy
sinister-press
young-adult

Winter Wyvern


Todd McCaffrey - 2019
    Would a dying dragon change her fate? On the outskirts of the capital, sixteen-year old Krea, is fighting to survive. She’s bullied, attacked, and some say she’s cursed. She doesn’t believe them. This girl is a fighter. In a meadow, surrounded by blue flowers, a dragon fights for her life and a chance at immortality. There’s just one problem, she needs a new twin soul. When Krea finds Wymarc, the dragon makes an offer. Is the dragon’s gift going to change her life for the better or send her to her doom? You’ll love this fantasy for its characters you care about, meddlesome gods, and the brilliant story craft. Get it now.

The Mage


A. Giannetti - 2011
    When his old enemy Drusus unexpectedly reappears, Elerian attempts to rid the countryside of an ancient danger. The resulting struggle taxes Elerian's strength and magical powers to the utmost. It also inadvertently rekindles his curiosity about his origins, which are shrouded in mystery. With his grandfather's encouragement, Elerian leaves the safe countryside where he grew up, embarking on a series of journeys to the wild lands to the north and east with the hope of finding information that will unlock the secrets of his past. During his travels, he encounters a variety of strange, sometimes magical creatures and finds himself thrust into one dangerous situation after another. Elerian discovers that the Goblins are stirring again in the Middle Realm and accidentally reveals himself to their Dark King, with disastrous consequences for himself and the two old men who raised him.If you enjoy reading The Mage, look for the release of The Warrior in August, 2012. It will be followed by The Dwarf Kingdoms, The Quest, and The War of the Rings.

Knight School


Andrew Mayne - 2013
    To win, they have to battle for control of the forest and obey a code of conduct to keep their war from spilling into the outside world.The woods between the schools are filled with dangers and dark secrets. Central among them is Venn Maddox, the youngest student to ever lead a clan in the game. Brilliant and manipulative, some think he’s a sociopath who may have killed to protect his own secrets.New kid, Marv Whitlock, already dealing with his own troubles, finds himself in the middle of the decade old conflict and has to use his wits to avoid being one more pawn.Bestselling author Andrew Mayne, brings you Knight School, an adventurous cross of Friday Night Lights and Game of Thrones.

Hell: The Necromancer


Tom Lewis - 2021
    In the year of Manson, war, riots, and societal upheaval, a new and more insidious evil stalks the city, leaving a grisly trail of dismembered corpses and horrifying phenomena in its wake. And the only lead the police have is a fifteen-year-old girl with terrifying powers.From the author of ‘Hell: The Possession and Exorcism of Cassie Stevens,’ comes a terrifying new tale of supernatural horror. Sometimes evil has a child's face.

The Spires of Dasny: Dragon Riders School


Cheryl Rush Cowperthwait - 2020
    I scrambled up the Spires of Dasny, even though I knew it once was a haven for dragons and the old Dragon Riders School. The ground thundered. I trembled in the small niche tucked into the mountain. Had the knights returned? I caught my breath as an enormous green eye peered in. A dragon!I awoke in a deep, dark cavern. Staring at me through one opened eye lay a huge black dragon. I had been taught the stories of the dragons, of the days long ago when they ruled the sky and searched for their riders, but this wasn’t at all what I had been taught. Why was I there? Suddenly, pressure built up in my head. My eyes sprung wide in fear and... I heard him.What happens when three dragon riders come together as told in the prophecy? The Blind, the Healer and the Magician…There are secrets to be uncovered, but only if Seyra is brave enough. Discover the intriguing lives of the brash young Seyra and Dreyth, the one who rescues her--or is it she who rescues him?*I loved this story. It had shades of Anne McCaffery to it - and I loved her books.**This was amazing. I loved this line because it says so much. “One dragon eye slowly opened. It is possible. Sleep now. Sleep heals all things. We will talk later.” This has the beginnings of something grand. So good.**I thought of Anne McCaffrey while reading, so you must be doing something right. I liked the way you gave us all the information we needed without it feeling like an information dump. The section on the dragon riders felt natural.*

Reborn: Apprentice: A LitRPG Adventure (Reclamation Book 1)


Luka Petrov - 2019
    Being an avid RPG player, Ed excelled at logic and reason, and when he enters the afterworld, he is met with a figure who offers him an appealing proposition, to reincarnate as Edward MacAra, a black magic user. The only stipulation, Edward must save the universe from being taken over by the Demon Lord, Abraxas. Abraxas is thought to be dormant, but he is slowly taking over the surrounding villages, and Gilmore is next. Ed risks losing his own soul in the process if he is not able to prevent Abraxas from claiming the universe. After deliberation, Ed reincarnates to the village of Gilmore as Edward MacAra, an 8-year old boy. Does Edward have what it takes to become a black magic user? Find out if Edward can save the village of Gilmore in Reborn: Apprentice.

The Complete Immortals Series Box Set


S.M. Schmitz - 2016
     Colin and Anna are sent to Baton Rouge by the Angel with only one directive: keep their past a secret, including their relationship. Believing their new mission would be short-lived, Colin agrees, but as the months pass and the demons they’ve grown accustomed to fighting defy every rule of war between Heaven and Hell, it seems more and more likely that the city has nothing to do with the unusual behavior of these demons and everything to do with this couple. Connected by a gift from the Angel, Colin and Anna have long shared a bond she promised was unbreakable, but when Anna disappears from him, Colin will discover that the demons he’d agreed to fight on behalf of Heaven are far from the most terrifying creatures to walk the Earth. Book Two: Devil's Thumb After a fateful decision in Baton Rouge, Colin and Anna move to Boulder where they hope they will get some much needed time off from hunting. But the demons who wanted retribution in Baton Rouge have followed them, and this time, they're not alone. Book Three: Garden of the Gods An earth shattering discovery means that the stakes in this battle against Hell are higher than ever for the Immortals, especially for Colin and Anna. When the powerful demons who have been pursuing them are discovered in the Garden of the Gods, it will become a race for survival for the hunters who have now become the hunted. Book Four: Angel's Alley In the final book of The Immortals series, Colin and Anna return to Baton Rouge to confront the demons who are preparing to wage war against Heaven. But they soon learn war isn’t the only thing Hell has planned, and what Colin and Anna stand to lose is far worse than anything they could have imagined.

Veiled Dagger Series: Books 1-3


Jon Kiln - 2017
     Royal assassin, Rothar, is on a routine mission. Tasked with quietly eliminating a lecherous merchant with a penchant for young children, Rothar's blade strikes without hesitation. But when more children go missing, Rothar digs deeper and discovers an insidious network that reaches high up into the echelons of nobility. What started as a simple mission has become a dangerous quest for justice. Rothar must call upon all his skill to punish those responsible, and rescue the innocent before it's too late. Contains the first three books in the series: Assassin's Quest Assassin's Shadow Assassin's Winter

The Shattergrave Knights


David M. Haendler - 2011
    The Merriwether family traditions are dark magic, devil worship and insurrection. Jack and Olive Merriwether thought they were two ordinary teenagers until they learned they were descended from the murderous sorcerer Gorgyaz. Now that the truth about their ancestry is out, the government wants to take their freedom, a witchfinder wants to take their lives and the shadowy leader of the Thirteenth Division wants to take their souls. Jack and Olive didn't intend on following in their infamous forefather's footsteps, but they'll have to learn the family traditions to survive.

Away with the Fairies


Jenny Twist - 2012
    Her mother thinks she is suffering from petit mal but Granny McCurdle says, “ Och, she's away wi' the fairies again.” Nobody takes this literally until Lucy disappears. Her sister knows where she's gone, but who would believe her? Can she really be away with the fairies?

The Riven Wyrde Saga


Graham Austin-King - 2015
    A boy and his mother, in the right place at just the wrong time, will set in motion events that will change two worlds forever.The fae were banished, locked away until the tales of them passed into myth and folklore. Now the barriers are ancient, and fading in the faltering grasp of the one man who still knows the truth.But war is coming to Anlan. Bjornmen raiders have abandoned coastal plunder for outright conquest, and their fleets surge across the icy seas. As the people of Anlan struggle to repel them, and the first battles rage, there are rumours of things in the moonlight - whispers of creatures escaped from myth and fable. An older peril has awoken and mankind must set aside their differences or perish. The fate of the world may rest in the hands of two young men, born of opposite sides of the conflict, and with no reason to trust each other.The Riven Wyrde Saga is a dark fantasy epic, where good and evil know no boundary, and the hero you imagine may well become the villain.Download this Special Edition Omnibus edition to experience epic battles, the politics and scheming of two worlds, and a race as alien as they are familiar. "Graham Austin-King puts the bite back into the world of fairy tales." - S.H. Mansouri, Grimdark Magazine. "Austin-King's writing is descriptive and layered, full of mystery and tension..." Sarah Chorn, Bookworm Blues Includes all three novels of the Riven Wyrde SagaFae - The Wild HuntFae - The Realm of TwilightFae - The Sins of the Wyrde

Dragon Riders of Elantia Complete Series


Jessica Drake - 2019
    This wild, adventurous epic fantasy series has been compared to books by Anne McCaffrey, Christopher Paolini, Robin Hobb, and more. You're sure to enjoy it if you like clever heroines, epic adventures, wild new worlds, and of course, dragon riding! From the inside flap of book one: Zara Kenrook has a nose for treasure and a knack for trouble. With her business strapped for cash, the ex-thief reluctantly accepts a job stealing a priceless artifact. But when she nabs the wrong precious object, she ends up bonded to a baby dragon for life... Forced into the rider's academy by the dragon rider she tried to rob, she trains by day and looks for a way to reclaim her destiny by night. But when she discovers that her original mission may involve magical objects and a dark purpose, Zara vows to battle a nefarious destiny.

King of Flames


Ana Calin - 2020
    He’s focused, vicious and, worst of all, he’s after me.You see, I, Cerys Dark, am the only mage who can help him regain his full power. I’ve learned to hate him long before I met him, but I'll be damned, when he comes for me it’s not a hideous demon that I face. It’s a king riddled with shadow, magic and the promise of guilty pleasures. In exchange for my help he promises me freedom from the fated mates' bond that we share - a curse in its own right. His proximity entices me in all the wrong and yet oh-so-right ways, but staying under his control would eventually consume me. I have to resist this pull no matter what. On the other hand, releasing Xerxes Blazeborn into the worlds with full power means destroying them all. So here I am, faced with a choice—Do I save myself, or do I save the realms?

True Magic


Colin Sims - 2017
    A reformed succubus. LA’s supernatural underground will never be the same … UCLA sophomore François Lemieux had thought his biggest challenge would be scoring a summer internship. Everything changes, though, when a trio of vampires tries to run his car off the road. He’s saved by a mysterious, heavily armed girl named Cassie Chu, but his troubles are far from over. It turns out Cassie is a succubus who works for the Supernatural Intelligence Agency. She informs François that he’s a wizard who was hexed at birth to prevent him from casting spells. If that weren’t enough, evil forces in a magical underground he never knew existed are out for his blood. To survive, François partners up with the beautiful yet eccentric Cassie to learn the ins and outs of magic. He barely has a chance to study the basics when a prominent alchemist goes missing and a destructive power falls into the wrong hands. If François and Cassie can’t track down the alchemist in time, the new world he’s grown to love may soon come to a bitter end … True Magic is a fun, fast-paced new adult urban fantasy novel. If you like simmering chemistry, action-packed adventure, and fantasy worlds within a Hollywood setting, then you’ll love Colin Sims’ witty coming-of-age tale. Buy True Magic to uncover an imaginative new Hollywood today!

Shattered Lands


Darren Pillsbury - 2017
     Welcome to the Shattered Lands, the first truly immersive video game where you see, hear, touch, taste, and feel the game. In this online fantasy world of dragons, elves, wizards, and magic, two best friends enter at the same time and take very different paths. Daniel desperately wants to break free of his ‘nice-guy’ life in the real world… until his choices end in tragedy. Eric wants unlimited power by any means necessary. Assassin or summoner of demons, it makes no different. Join them on their quest – both inside the game and out – as they navigate the violence, the triumphs, the treachery, and the danger… Of the Shattered Lands. Shattered Lands is the first book in a LitRPG series.