Book picks similar to
Insight by Terron James


fantasy
first-reads
young-adult
high-fantasy

The Barrow


Mark Smylie - 2014
    Set in the world of the Eisner-nominated Artesia comic books.To find the Sword, unearth the Barrow. To unearth the Barrow, follow the Map.When a small crew of scoundrels, would-be heroes, deviants, and ruffians discover a map that they believe will lead them to a fabled sword buried in the barrow of a long-dead wizard, they think they've struck it rich. But their hopes are dashed when the map turns out to be cursed and then is destroyed in a magical ritual. The loss of the map leaves them dreaming of what might have been, until they rediscover the map in a most unusual and unexpected place.Stjepan Black-Heart, suspected murderer and renegade royal cartographer; Erim, a young woman masquerading as a man; Gilgwyr, brothel owner extraordinaire; Leigh, an exiled magus under an ignominious cloud; Godewyn Red-Hand, mercenary and troublemaker; Arduin Orwain, scion of a noble family brought low by scandal; and Arduin's sister Annwyn, the beautiful cause of that scandal: together they form a cross-section of the Middle Kingdoms of the Known World, brought together by accident and dark design, on a quest that will either get them all in the history books, or get them all killed.

The Glass Spare


Lauren DeStefano - 2017
    Kept hidden from the world in order to serve as a spy for her father—whose obsession with building his empire is causing a war—Wil wants nothing more than to explore the world beyond her kingdom, if only her father would give her the chance.Until one night Wil is attacked, and she discovers a dangerous secret. Her touch turns people into gemstone. At first Wil is horrified—but as she tests its limits, she’s drawn more and more to the strange and volatile ability. When it leads to tragedy, Wil is forced to face the destructive power within her and finally leave her home to seek the truth and a cure.But finding the key to her redemption puts her in the path of a cursed prince who has his own ideas for what to do with her power.With a world on the brink of war and a power of ultimate destruction, can Wil find a way to help the kingdom that’s turned its back on her, or will she betray her past and her family forever?

The Fairy Boy of Calton Hill


Sean-Paul Thomas - 2015
    From the moment I began to read about Liam and his world, I was hooked. I loved the tenderness of he and Lucy. G is a remarkable fairy that enters Liam's life and what a unique and amazing adventure they have exploring each other's worlds...' Louise - Goodreads Reviewer.'I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a bit apprehensive as to whether a tale involving fairies would be my cup of tea, but the author has met a balance of believability and anticipation to keep that book in front of your eyes to see where the story goes next.' Phil - Goodreads Blogger.Liam, a young teenage boy who recently lost his father, is befriended by G, a different kind of fairy creature from what he has read about in fairy tale books, after she breaks the strict rules of her magical world and intervenes when Liam is beaten up by a gang of school bullies, outside the secret cave and magical entrance into her fantastical world.Immediately G and Liam form a deep bond of friendship which takes them on a whirlwind adventure inside her majestical but troubled land - from the great cliffs of doom and the flesh-eating forest, to the great lake and all the weird and wonderful creatures that dwell there - from fire wolves and rainbow dragons to the more sinister lurking weasel bats.Things take a darker turn when Liam, looking to impress the new girl on the block, Lucy - a young Irish girl recently moved to the city - secretly brings her into the fantastical world, unaware of the tragic and twisted events, that are about to be unleashed upon them.For G's world is no longer the tranquil haven it once was and is now a land ruled by a tyrant Fairy King and his mysterious evil wizard, Zorn. With a cannibal king of dragons under their thumb, along with an army of Wretchids at their disposal - a half goblin/half werewolf, hybrid creature, with one hell of a bite - they have no equal or challengers to the throne of their world......Until Now.

City of Stairs


Robert Jackson Bennett - 2014
    Now, Bulikov’s history has been censored and erased, its citizens subjugated. But the surreal landscape of the city itself, forever altered by the thousands of miracles its guardians once worked upon it, stands as a haunting reminder of its former supremacy.Into this broken city steps Shara Thivani. Officially, the unassuming young woman is just another junior diplomat sent by Bulikov’s oppressors. Unofficially, she is one of her country’s most accomplished spies, dispatched — along with her terrifying “secretary”, Sigrud — to solve a murder.But as Shara pursues the killer, she starts to suspect that the beings who ruled this terrible place may not be as dead as they seem, and that Bulikov’s cruel reign may not yet be over.A tale of vast conspiracies, dead gods, and buried histories, City of Stairs is at once a gripping spy novel and a stunningly original work of fantasy.

Breaking Point


Jess Jenkins - 2010
    Four will be the Masters of the Elements, fierce warriors, and with talents of immeasurable greatness."Phoebe Johnson and Ethan Smith had everything they needed: loving parents, great friends, and admission letters to Ivy League schools they’d be heading to in the fall. If only they knew that they were never going to reach the end of that summer, at least, not in the world they knew. A secret waits to be revealed on the eve of their nineteenth birthday, a secret that is going to change their lives forever when it leads them to a place they never believed existed, love they could never imagine living without, and power they never suspected they possessed. Jess Bowen expertly plunges readers into an imaginative, supernatural world that refuses to bow down to the darkness that’s all but taken over. Amidst this adventurous quest for a lost prophecy, Bowen weaves in powerful tales of love that will leave the characters and readers breathless.

Call of the Herald


Brian Rathbone - 2008
    Echoes of the ancients' power are distant memories, tattered and faded by the passage of eons, but that is about to change. A new dawn has arrived. Latent abilities, harbored in mankind's deepest fibers, wait to be unleashed. Ancient evils awaken, and old fears ignite the fires of war.

The Last Changeling


Chelsea Pitcher - 2014
    . .Elora, the young princess of the Dark Faeries, plans to overthrow her tyrannical mother, the Dark Queen, and bring equality to faeriekind. All she has to do is convince her mother’s loathed enemy, the Bright Queen, to join her cause. But the Bright Queen demands an offering first: a human boy who is a “young leader of men.” A Dark Princess In Disguise . . .To steal a mortal, Elora must become a mortal—at least, by all appearances. And infiltrating a high school is surprisingly easy. When Elora meets Taylor, the seventeen-year-old who’s plotting to overthrow a ruthless bully, she thinks she’s found her offering . . . until she starts to fall in love.

First Chosen


M. Todd Gallowglas - 2011
    In his "gratitude," the god names her his high priest and commands her to lead his people to greatness once again. However, it is now a capital crime for any of Julianna's people to worship one of the five ancient gods - the punishment is the destruction of the offender's soul. And so begins TEARS OF RAGE, a dark, epic fantasy saga about the power of faith and belief, where even though the gods can inspire these qualities in mortals, it is those same mortals that truly control the religions that form from any god's divine inspiration. It is also a swashbuckling tale of political intrigue where men scheme against each other and the gods, and how friendship, loyalty, and faith can help people persevere through the darkest times.

Over the Moon


Diane Daniels - 2010
    Her father insists they were supposed to move here for some unknown, important purpose, and the voice in her head tells her not to argue.After resigning herself to being a miserable outcast, Tiana finds that she is not only accepted by most of the students at her new high school but is also the recipient of unwelcome attention from the opposite sex. But then she meets the mysterious Andrew Martin and is soon Over the Moon crazy about him. Andrew seems to be the perfect boyfriend: protective, tender, good with her parents, and a fabulous kisser. But he also has a few unusual qualities: an intuitiveness that borders on mind reading, a touch that seems to heal, and almost superhuman strength. Tiana marvels at his talents but doesn't seriously consider the implications until she can no longer ignore the clues: Andrew does not belong on Earth. When Andrew admits his true identity, Tiana enters a world previously unknown to her and is plunged into mortal danger as it is Andrew's sworn duty to combat evil, extraterrestrial villains who wish to invade Earth and enslave mankind. Join Diane Daniels for a romantic adventure in Over the Moon, which will take you to a world where the impossible comes to life.

James Clyde and the Diamonds of Orchestra


Colm McElwain - 2012
    A strange and sinister man dressed in black is also pursuing the diamond and will stop at nothing to obtain it. James and his friends set off on a perilous journey to return the diamond to its rightful place. But they are being hunted every step of the way by the relentless man in black and his blood-thirsty army. Outnumbered, James finds he must use the power of the diamond to escape their clutches - or become another victim of their murderous quest. So begins a journey that will transport them to an alternative world where they must confront the mysterious man in black for a final, winner-takes-all battle...

Carve the Mark


Veronica Roth - 2017
    Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.Akos is the son of a farmer and an oracle from the frozen nation-planet of Thuvhe. Protected by his unusual currentgift, Akos is generous in spirit, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost.Then Akos is thrust into Cyra's world, and the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. Will they help each other to survive, or will they destroy one another?Carve the Mark is Veronica Roth's stunning portrayal of the power of friendship—and love—in a galaxy filled with unexpected gifts.

Winterspell


Claire Legrand - 2014
    Clara Stole, the mayor’s ever-proper daughter, leads a double life. Since her mother’s murder, she has secretly trained in self-defense with the mysterious Drosselmeyer.Then, on Christmas Eve, disaster strikes.Her home is destroyed, her father abducted—by beings distinctly not human. To find him, Clara journeys to the war-ravaged land of Cane. Her only companion is the dethroned prince Nicholas, bound by a wicked curse. If they’re to survive, Clara has no choice but to trust him, but his haunted eyes burn with secrets—and a need she can’t define. With the dangerous, seductive faery queen Anise hunting them, Clara soon realizes she won’t leave Cane unscathed—if she leaves at all.Inspired by The Nutcracker, Winterspell is a dark, timeless fairy tale about love and war, longing and loneliness, and a girl who must learn to live without fear.

The Deception Dance


Rita Stradling - 2012
    But while en route to Italy, Raven finds a letter in her carry-on telling her to turn back and that an agent of the devil plans to drag her to Hell.She dismisses it as a prank from her devout, elderly neighbor. Raven is determined to focus on feeding her love of art history and spending time with her older sister. But the letter is right—an agent of Hell waits for her in Europe. He’s waited for her all of her life, stalking her. At the perfect time, he will claim her. Raven is, and has always been, a pawn in a very deadly game. This is the second edition. There are substantial editing changes but no plot changes. The first edition was published in December 2012.

Solid


Shelley Workinger - 2010
    Clio Kaid may be 17 and just beginning the last summer before her senior year, but her life is anything but typical.She's just discovered she was genetically altered before birth and is now headed to a top-secret Army campus to explore the surprising results of the experiment.Follow Clio and the other teens as they develop fantastic super-abilities, forge new friendships, and find love as they search for answers.

Natural Selection


Elizabeth Sharp - 2011
    Worse, her feelings for her brother’s best friend are getting stronger.Everything changes after the brutal murder of her close friend.Suddenly, Amelia’s life is transformed and she is thrust into a wondrous and frightening new world of myths and legends. As she explores this new world hidden within the layers of her own, secrets are revealed. When her body miraculously changes overnight, Amelia is forced to hide in her home for her own protection. But as danger circles closer, Amelia has to figure out who is committing the ruthless homicides.Otherwise, she could be next.