Four Fall Great Reads
It’s time for a list of awesome books to read.
Spellsmith & Carver:
H. L. Burke is a favorite in our household. Anything by her is a definite must read. I read the first Spellsmith book and loved it. Just saw a post that book 3 is on pre-order and had to nab it and pass it along to you all.
In a realm of steampunk fantasy, Spellsmith has gone off to the university to train in the ways of the latest spell casting. When he returns home, he finds the new apprentice has taken over his father’s shop and his sister’s heart. When his father disappears, Spellsmith and the apprentice, Carver, make a tentative agreement to try to find the senior Spellsmith.
I’ve yet to read book two, but I did purchase it when I pre-ordered book three. Can’t wait to see how the two work things out.
Aranya:
I first read Marc Secchia’s Dragonfriend in March of this year and fell in love with his cloudlands world and his writing. He has a way with words that few have. The rhythm of his words sunk deep into my psyche so my thoughts resounded in a similar pattern. He also has the honor of being the first author that I read book one and went and immediately purchased book two. When I saw a post early in September that he had a sale for the book Aranya, I didn’t hesitate to go purchase it. I wasn’t disappointed. Aranya takes place in the cloudlands world several hundred years after Dragonfriend. It’s another shapeshifter book with an interesting twist and romance thrown in.
Annals of Alasia:
After reading book one of the Annals of Alasia, which I enjoyed, I was a little skeptical about reading books two and three. How could an author tell the same story three times and not make the reader bored? Annie Douglass Lima proceeded to do just that. Each of the three books is from a different point of view and brings new facets of the plot to light. Book one follows the prince of Alasia as he flees for his life on the night of the invasion from Malorn. Book two tells the story of a young girl who finds herself captured by the Malornian army and forced to serve at the former Alasian palace. Her spying intertwines with book one and gives back story or the other side of several scenes from book one. Book three was my personal favorite. In this story, we hear the other side of the tale–that of the enemy prince. I highly recommend all three for any young reader and young-at-heart reader.
White Wolf and the Ash Princess:
If you love a good tale this is a book for you. I read it in September for Fellowship of Fantasy’s Book Club book of the month. I immediately was pulled in with the suspense and question of what happened when Izzy was younger. While I read, I wondered where the fantasy was but never found it. Instead, I discovered a wonderful blend of genres from steampunk elements to New World era fiction, along with Native American tales and life on the high seas, all from a Christian perspective. The present tense telling caused some issues with me understanding it, but it was worth staying with it. The lessons Izzy and Jonathan learn along their journey are pertinent for modern-day readers.
A fantastic list! I definitely second your thoughts about White Wolf! Such a good story!
Glad you enjoyed White Wolf. It was a fun read.