Here are 22 books that Fablehaven fans have personally recommended once you finish the Fablehaven series.
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I have always been interested in feminine culture and how we move through loss & disappointment, build self-worth, find beauty, make and keep friendships, handle family strife, love the natural world, and value a rich imagination. I love creating fantasy worlds. My fantasy world is fueled by a lifetime of lucid dreaming and a group of animal spirits who always find a place in my stories. Music is my lifelong passion and profession, so original songs are a part of my storytelling package. I am steeped in the expression of the many facets of being a girl and practiced at the myriad of ways to explore them creatively.
I was pulled into this story immediately. I liked the fast-paced plot, with fun twists and magical surprises. I was inspired by the strength and determination of the young female heroine. She is forced to grow up and step up quickly and unexpectedly. The bigger the challenge, the more fearless—and quick-witted—she becomes, which, as a reader, is contagious. I found myself rooting for Celie to triumph while laughing at the silliness and camaraderie with her siblings.
This charming fantasy adventure has it all: fast-moving action, likable characters, a magical castle, dangerous enemies, formidable challenges, and a sprinkle of humor to lighten the mood. As a fresh, positive, and charming coming-of-age story, it made me smile, laugh, and rejoice in Celie’s journey and victory.
Tuesday is Princess Celie's favourite day. Castle Glower magically grows a new room, a turret or sometimes an entire wing! No one quite knows how, or why, but luckily, Princess Celie has mapped out the Castle's many twists and turns.
When the king and queen disappear and Councillors from neighbouring kingdoms arrive to advise Celie, a new tower and a secret passageway appear just as Celie needs them. The Castle is definitely trying to tell her something. But it's down to Celie to find her parents, hold on to the kingdom and protect her home before it's too late.
The…
I’m a former middle school teacher and high school athletics coach. I’ve spent so much time trying to nurture many students as they try to navigate growing up and figuring out who they are. I draw from their tragic stories in hopes of showing students that they’re not alone in their struggles. I also draw snippets from my challenging childhood that, in recent years, I realized I had to cut my father and stepmother out of my life because of how psychologically abusive and manipulative they are. The upside is my self-worth has significantly improved. I hope to empower others through my books.
You don’t need to have read any Jane Austen books to fall in love with Maria Grace’s fantastical spin on the old classic.
You can’t go wrong with adding dragons to a good story, especially when they exhibit catlike behavior from time to time. Her stories are rich in detail and backstory that really make her books sing.
England is overrun by dragons of all shapes and sizes. Most people are blissfully unaware of them and the Pendragon Treaty that keeps the peace between human and dragon kind. Only those born with preternatural hearing, like Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are able to hear and converse with dragonkind.When the first firedrake egg laid in a century is stolen from Pemberley, the fragile dragon peace teeters on collapse. Darcy has no choice but to chase down the thief, a journey that leads him to quaint market town of Meryton and fellow Dragon Keeper, Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth shares a unique…
I’m a former middle school teacher and high school athletics coach. I’ve spent so much time trying to nurture many students as they try to navigate growing up and figuring out who they are. I draw from their tragic stories in hopes of showing students that they’re not alone in their struggles. I also draw snippets from my challenging childhood that, in recent years, I realized I had to cut my father and stepmother out of my life because of how psychologically abusive and manipulative they are. The upside is my self-worth has significantly improved. I hope to empower others through my books.
Ragnarok Unwound by Kristin Jacques is an incredible storyteller that paints vivid pictures and builds an engaging cast of characters.
I love how her stories compel me to keep reading to find out what happens next. The stories are real, raw, and relatable. You’ll find yourself rooting for the hero to overcome all obstacles.
Just ask Ikepela Ives, whose estranged mother left her with the power to unravel the binding threads of fate. Stuck with immortal power in a mortal body, Ives has turned her back on the duty she never wanted.
But it turns out she can't run from her fate forever, not now that Ragnarok has been set in motion and the god at the center of that tangled mess has gone missing. With a ragtag group of companions-including a brownie, a Valkyrie, and the goddess of death herself-Ives embarks on her first official mission as Fate Cipher-to…
I have always been interested in feminine culture and how we move through loss & disappointment, build self-worth, find beauty, make and keep friendships, handle family strife, love the natural world, and value a rich imagination. I love creating fantasy worlds. My fantasy world is fueled by a lifetime of lucid dreaming and a group of animal spirits who always find a place in my stories. Music is my lifelong passion and profession, so original songs are a part of my storytelling package. I am steeped in the expression of the many facets of being a girl and practiced at the myriad of ways to explore them creatively.
I love this book for its keen originality, which turns tropes on their heads while telling a story that both kids and adults enjoy. It is set in a strange, whimsical, and fragmented fairyland. I simply cannot get over how wonderfully surprising Valente's tone and writing style are.
It's both fluid and fun, yet matter-of-fact in its telling of September, a brave and stubborn heroine as she navigates a mostly broken Fairyland and its cadre of colorful and unexpected creatures, such as a soap golem, centipedes, and a spoonless witch, to name a few.
"One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century."—Time magazine, on the Fairyland series
Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can…
A profound love for fantasy took hold of me at a young age, the inception being when my mother scattered a rotating collection of books around our house for me to find and devour. Several of the novels leaned against the walls of my childhood home ended up on this list, and inspired me to craft my own stories. My writing has appeared across many different mediums such as comics, trading cards, and video games. Currently working as a Lead Narrative Designer, I have the pleasure of directing narratives for several exciting video games while also continuing to pen fantasy novels and original TV pilot scripts in my spare time.
An astoundingly creative world fashioned by Australian author Emily Rodda, the unique and thrilling creatures roaming the land of Deltora quickly captured my imagination as a young reader. From the fearsome vulture-like Ak-Baba carrying out the Shadow Lord’s will to the tyrannical lizard-esque Wennbar demanding food offerings from the Wenn, Rodda has a talent for conceiving creatures that both excite and terrify readers. These creatures are further brought to life by the vivid illustrations from the talented Marc McBride, and an anime series that I only just learned the existence of while writing this article, but am now thrilled to check out!
The international bestselling series returns for a new generation with a fresh look and bonus content from the legends of Deltora.The evil Shadow Lord is plotting to invade the land of Deltora and enslave its people. All that stands against him is the magic Belt of Deltora with its seven stones of great and mysterious power.In secrecy, with only a hand-drawn map to guide them, two unlikely companions set out on a dangerous quest. Determined to find the lost stones and rid their land of the Shadow Lord, they struggle toward their first goal--the sinister Forests of Silence.
I’ve been reading middle grade and young adult science fiction and fantasy books via visits to local library branches (thanks, Mom!) and bookmobiles (anybody under 40 remember those?) since I was in grade school and writing in those same genres since 2005. That was when I tapped into my love of MG/YA fantasy novels and began writing about dragons between gigs as a professional animation writer.
The Sea of Trolls is an excellent and satisfying read that immersed me in the fascinating Norse/Saxon world of 793 A.D. It’s the first book in one of the best series I've read in a long time—featuring rich world-building, magic at all levels, bold deeds, and a dry sense of humor.
Jack is an apprentice bard and just beginning to learn the secrets of his mysterious master, when he and his little sister are captured by Viking chief, Olaf One-Brow, and taken to the court of Ivar the Boneless. Ivar is married to a half-troll named Frith, an evil and unpredictable queen with a strange power over her husband's court. Jack is sent on to the kingdom of the trolls, where he has to find the magical well and undo the charm he has cast on Frith. He is accompanied by Thorgill, a shield maiden, aged 12, who wants to be…
I rediscovered my love of romantic fantasies when my mother went into the hospital, and I needed a place to go to escape the horror of watching a parent’s health fail. I not only buried myself in reading fantasies filled with magical love stories, I started writing them again. Throughout my life, I’ve reached for fantasy novels whenever life got tough. As a child, I would read nearly every fantasy I could find. As an adult, my tastes have changed, and I’m looking for fantasy novels with a romantic twist. But still, it’s the heroine overcoming adversity despite the worst odds that gives me hope and comfort exactly when I need it.
Legendborn is a King Arthur tale set in modern-day Georgia. With that description, how could I not love this book?
Tracy Deonn is a master at blending Southern folk traditions and African lore with Arthurian legends. I fell in love with Bree, the typical Southern teenager starting out at UNC-Chapel Hill. She has magic, but it’s not the same magic as the mages who are gearing up for a magical war.
The tale is a clash of magical cultures topped off with a Romeo and Juliet romance. It grabbed me from the first page, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
An Instant New York Times Bestseller! Winner of the Coretta Scott King - John Steptoe for New Talent Author Award
Filled with mystery and an intriguingly rich magic system, Tracy Deonn’s YA contemporary fantasy reinvents the King Arthur legend and “braids together Southern folk traditions and Black Girl Magic into a searing modern tale of grief, power, and self-discovery” (Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles).
After her mother dies in an accident, sixteen-year-old Bree Matthews wants nothing to do with her family memories or childhood home. A residential program for bright high schoolers at UNC–Chapel Hill…
I’m a former middle school teacher and high school athletics coach. I’ve spent so much time trying to nurture many students as they try to navigate growing up and figuring out who they are. I draw from their tragic stories in hopes of showing students that they’re not alone in their struggles. I also draw snippets from my challenging childhood that, in recent years, I realized I had to cut my father and stepmother out of my life because of how psychologically abusive and manipulative they are. The upside is my self-worth has significantly improved. I hope to empower others through my books.
This series grabbed me from page one. I don’t make a habit of reading books including the Fae, but I absolutely fell in love with everything she’s written after that.
You can tell she does her research on fae mythology, yet adds her own touches to it, including blending their world with ours.
In the realm of very scary faeries, no one is safe.
Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother's rock band until an ominous attack forces the sixteen-year-old back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms—a struggle that could very well mean her death.
Holly Black's enormously powerful voice weaves teen angst, riveting romance, and capriciously diabolical faerie folk into an enthralling, engaging, altogether original reading experience.
As a fantasy writer, I love to play with possibilities and invent new words for our experiences. I find that humorous fantasy is especially powerful in this regard because it pairs possibilities with absurdity, coming at reality sideways or backwards, putting everyday life into a new and more interesting light. Humor has the unique ability to transcend genres, from thrillers to cozy mysteries. It helps you process difficult emotions, or lift your spirits when the world feels a little too dark. These are some of my favorites within this category, and they all happen to be the first books in a series (you’re welcome). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
This is possibly the best known book on my list, yet it took me a long time to discover it.
This is a thriller-style adventure that follows Nathaniel, a young magician’s apprentice on a quest for revenge, who summons Bartimaeus, an all-powerful djinni. Nathaniel (unwittingly) and Bartimaeus (unwillingly) get caught up in a tangled plot of magic-fueled mayhem in which they have to work together to survive.
Bartimaeus’ sarcastic observations and side tangents add an element of humor that keep it from staying dark and somber, while also highlighting the underlying threads of slavery and social injustice in this fantasy world.
The first volume in the brilliant, bestselling Bartimaeus sequence.
When the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus is summoned by Nathaniel, a young magician's apprentice, he expects to have to do nothing more taxing than a little levitation or a few simple illusions. But Nathaniel is a precocious talent and has something rather more dangerous in mind: revenge. Against his will, Bartimaeus is packed off to steal the powerful Amulet of Samarkand from Simon Lovelace, a master magician of unrivalled ruthlessness and ambition. Before long, both djinni and apprentice are caught up in a terrifying flood of magical intrigue, murder and rebellion.
Fantasy has been at the heart of our friendship for as long as we can remember. We are Adelina Cortese Pons and Valentina Branca, co-authors of our book, listed below, and our journey as writers began when we were eleven, sharing a single copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, reading it aloud, taking turns with each chapter. That love for fantasy only grew stronger over the years—through travels, studies in International Relations, and countless late-night writing sessions. Today, despite living an ocean apart, we still meet every Friday to write together, crafting new worlds and unforgettable stories because, for us, fantasy is more than a genre—it’s home.
While you read this story, you step into a world where magic and science intertwine, where armored bears rule the icy north, witches soar through the skies, and every person has a daemon—a living reflection of their soul. The adventure takes us across breathtaking landscapes, from the bustling streets of Oxford to the frozen wastelands of the Arctic, uncovering secrets that shake the very foundation of reality.
Lyra’s journey is thrilling, full of mystery, danger, and a sense of wonder that never fades. Philip Pullman weaves a story so immersive and thought-provoking that it makes us question everything we think we know. It’s a book that sparks curiosity, adventure, and just the right amount of rebellion.
Philip Pullman invites you into a dazzling world where souls walk beside their humans as animal companions and powerful forces clash over the nature of the universe.
When fearless young Lyra uncovers a sinister plot involving kidnapped children and a mysterious substance called Dust, she sets out on a daring quest from Oxford to the frozen Arctic. With armored bears, witch queens, and a truth-telling compass as her allies, Lyra must face choices that will shape not just her destiny—but that of countless worlds. A thrilling blend of adventure, philosophy, and wonder, perfect for curious minds.
