Alayna's Book'd Lists

Fantasy Faves

Created by Alayna - Updated on September 13^th 2021

Dragons, wizards, hobgoblins and beasties! I love them all, and I also enjoy pretending to be them. (Being a dragon is a lot harder than you'd think. My eyebrows never did grow back properly.) Whether you've always wanted to be a wizard, or a demigod, a werebeastie, or a tiny little green alien who lives in a swamp, this list might be for you, fellow fantasy fan!

Star wars. IV, A new hope

From the Publisher

Relive the exhilarating action, spectacular battles and ultimate triumph of good over evil that makes Star Wars the greatest space fantasy adventure of all time-and the ultimate entertainment experience for every family. Continue the saga with Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo leading the rebel alliance to claim victory over the empire win freedom for the galaxy in Star Wars IV, A New Hope.

My Thoughts

In a galaxy far far away, this was the very beginning. (Yes, yes, I know it's not the chronological beginning, but it was the beginning for most of us.)

Unearthed

Kaufman, Amie, author.

From the Publisher

Scholar Jules Addison and scavenger Amelia Radcliffe join forces to unravel secrets of a long-extinct civilization, only to discover something that could spell the end of the human race.

My Thoughts

Who are The Undying? Why did they disappear? Aliens and a mystery? (And a dash of romance.) Yes please. I read this one last night and am still thinking about it. I am also irritated that I have to wait for a sequel now. Join me!

I am number four

Lore, Pittacus

From the Publisher

In rural Ohio, friendships and a beautiful girl prove distracting to a fifteen-year-old who has hidden on Earth for ten years waiting to develop the Legacies, or powers, he will need to rejoin the other six surviving Garde members and fight the Mogadorians who destroyed their planet, Lorien.

My Thoughts

Four is an alien hiding on Earth, and this is the first book in the series. It is one of my favorite fantasy series. The later books introduce more characters but just enough to keep it interesting and not overwhelm you with trying to remember who is who. There is also an adorable animal companion, a little beagle named Bernie Kosar, who is named after a football player. I'm a sucker for animal companions especially when they save the day.

A study in Brimstone

Denning, G. S., author.

From the Publisher

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius. Warlock Holmes is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he's brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn't deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart companion. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety--and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.

My Thoughts

This is not your ordinary retelling of "Sherlock Holmes." For one thing, Warlock is a demon summoning sometimes consultant for Scotland Yard, and Watson is his roommate, helper, sometimes his conscience, and a complete novice when it comes to magic. The combination of a classic and magic is just absolutely wonderful. That this book also has a sense of humor just makes it even better.

Moon called

Briggs, Patricia.

From the Publisher

Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself.

My Thoughts

Mercedes Thompson (Mercy for short) is a coyote shifter, surrounded by magic, werewolves, and vampires. Oh my! She is also a VW mechanic. (She's heard the joke a million times, a VW mechanic named Mercedes.) I love the world Patricia Briggs has created, and not just because it takes place for the most part in Tri-Cities (although that does add a thrill.) Mercy is snarky, sometimes rude, but always interesting.

The hobbit, or, There and back again

Tolkien, J. R. R. (John Ronald Reuel), 1892-1973.

From the Publisher

Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return.

My Thoughts

The obsession with wizards began long before Harry Potter or even Harry Dresden came along. Gandalf and his antics were the beginning. Nasty little hobbitses, a greedy dragon, and grumpy dwarves? I'd go on that adventure and still do every time I re-read it, and LotR.

Eragon

Paolini, Christopher.

From the Publisher

In Aagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.

My Thoughts

Eragon has the potential to become a classic. A poor farm boy left in the dark about family secrets finds a mysterious blue stone in the woods no one else will go in. He tries to sell it for food for his family, but luckily he is unsuccessful. Behold, a dragon is born! This is the beginning of a four book series, and it's pretty impressive not even taking into account that the author wrote this when he as a teenager.

Storm front : book one of the Dresden files

Butcher, Jim, 1971-

From the Publisher

For Harry Dresden--Chicago's only professional wizard--business, to put it mildly, stinks. So when the police bring him in to consult on a grisly double murder committed with black magic, Harry's seeing dollar signs. But where there's black magic, there's a black mage behind it. And now that mage knows Harry's name...

My Thoughts

Harry Dresden, wizard PI. Comes complete with a feisty cat named Mister, Bob the talking skull who likes bodice ripper romances, and a whole bunch of snark. "Storm Front" is the first book in the series of 17 and now is the perfect time to dive on in. All hail the Za Lord!

Rosemary and Rue

Seanan McGuire

From the Publisher

The world of Faerie never disappeared; it merely went into hiding, continuing to exist parallel to our own. Secrecy is the key to Faerie's survival but no secret can be kept forever, and when the fae and mortal worlds collide, changelings are born. Outsiders from birth, these half-human, half-fae children spend their lives fighting for the respect of their immortal relations. Or, in the case of October "Toby" Daye, rejecting it completely. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage,...

My Thoughts

The 15th book in this series is about to release, and while it isn't the best in the series, Rosemary and Rue introduces a wonderfully made world with great characters and I mowed through the first three books in a day.

Discount Armageddon

Seanan McGuire

From the Publisher

First book in New York Times -bestselling Seanan McGuire's witty urban fantasy InCryptid series about a family of cryptozoologists who act as a buffer between humans and the magical creatures living in secret around us. "The only thing more fun than an October Daye book is an InCryptid book." ? Charlaine Harris , #1 New York Times -bestselling author of Sookie Stackhouse series Cryptid, noun : Any creature whose existence has not yet been proven by science. See also "Monster." Crytozoologist,...

My Thoughts

A family of cryptozoologists that try to save humans from scary critters, and sometimes save the critters from scary humans. If that's not enough to pique your interest, perhaps the talking mice will.