Book cover of Finnikin of the Rock

Book description

2008 Printz Award Winner Melina Marchetta crafts an epic fantasy of ancient magic, exile, feudal intrigue, and romance that rivets from the first page. (Age 14 and up)

Finnikin was only a child during the five days of the unspeakable, when the royal family of Lumatere were brutally murdered, and…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Finnikin of the Rock as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I first experienced this book in 2017, and it’s stayed in my top 5 all-time favourite reads ever since.

This is a well-crafted, beautifully told story. The world-building is meticulous, the characters are complex and real, and the plot is enthralling. The story of the Lumatere people is so heartbreaking that when hope finally comes, it's impossible not to be caught up in it.

What makes this book so exceptional are the characters and their relationships, and the way Marchetta captures the best and worst of human nature. The most compelling relationship is the engaging and complicated romance that builds…

A kingdom cursed after the murder of the royal family is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the immersive world-building in this series. Even with all the details, the pacing of the story never falters. But it’s the dynamic and complex characters like Finnikin and Evanjalin that are so richly portrayed, I was willing to follow them on any adventure.

If you love Finnikin of the Rock...

Book cover of The Rosewood Penny

The Rosewood Penny by J.S. Fields,

2023 Queer Indie Award Nominee!

The dragons of Yuro have been hunted to extinction.

On a small, isolated island, in a reclusive forest, lives bandit leader Marani and her brother Jacks. With their outlaw band they rob from the rich to feed themselves, raiding carriages and dodging the occasional vindictive…

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