Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez

Daisy comes from a highly-talented family: her mother is a psychic who works with the police, and her older sisters -- Rose and Poppy -- also have psychic and telekinetic powers. Unfortunately, Daisy didn't seem to inherit any of the Giordano family talents, which means that she is often left out of family activities. But she has something of her own to investigate when the head cheerleader, Samantha, shows up for the new school year with a coffin and an unusually "dead" look. When multiple members of the cheerleading squad are attacked and end up in the hospital, Daisy decides that it's her turn to find out what's going on in the town of Nightshade, California, and whether the new fashion trend is more than it appears...

This was a short book with a light, humorous tone that was fun to read. Some parts of the story were a little predictable, but overall, the author does a good job of revealing pieces of the mystery at a reasonable pace so that it isn't too drawn out. I will also say that, even though this book clearly sets up a series -- based on what is revealed about Daisy's family and about the town of Nightshade -- I felt like this book stands fairly well on its own. Even though I enjoyed this installment, I didn't feel the need to immediately read the rest of the series to find out about all of the other hints. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a bit of mystery, some supernatural elements that aren't exceedingly dark, a slightly acerbic narrator and just a little bit of romance.

This book is the start of a series, followed by Dead is a State of Mind, Dead is so Last Year, Dead is Just a Rumor, Dead is not an Option, Dead is a Battlefield, and Dead is a Killer Tune.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fairy Bad Day, Morganville Vampires, Dark Lord of Derkholm, or The Ghost and the Goth

Stork by Wendy Delsol

Katla Leblanc is a California girl. Unfortunately, after divorcing Kat's father, her mother has decided to move them to her childhood home, a tiny town in Minnesota. Kat finds herself called to be a member of the Icelandic Stork Society, a secret group of women with special powers; she is unprecedentedly young, but is immediately given special privileges, and not everyone is happy about it. Meanwhile, fashion-conscious Kat feels out of place in the town and her social status is not helped by an unfortunate date before school started with Wade -- a creepy guy with an on-again-off-again girlfriend. When she gets recruited for the school newspaper, she discovers that Jack, the editor, seems to be constantly arguing with her and, when they touch, she feels things she can't explain. Kat is discovering that adjusting to life in a new place is more complicated than she expected...

This was a really interesting story and I enjoyed the way that the series ties in Nordic myths and traditions, which are a little less common than some others. The characters are fairly realistic, although some personality changes were a bit predictable and too perfect too quickly, in my opinion. However, the plot was engaging and moved in some unexpected directions. The rest of the series is also more robust in terms of the complexity of the storyline, and bring in more of the Icelandic mythology and a retelling of The Snow Queen. I would recommend this book to fantasy fans who looking for stories about magic in the real world and that tie in historic myths to the current day, with plenty of romance.

This is the first book in a trilogy, followed by Frost and Flock.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, Water Steps, Rampant, or the Trylle trilogy

Prom Dates From Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Maggie Quinn is a fairly ordinary high school senior with plans to be a journalist. She is involved with the newspaper and the yearbook, and has somehow been recruited to photograph prom, even though she hadn't really planned to attend. Despite her occasional preternatural dreams (and her grandmother, who has the Sight), Maggie is rather skeptical about the idea of special abilities. But something weird is happening at school: odd, life-threatening things are happening to students, especially the popular kids. Not to mention the odd sulfur-and-brimstone smell. Maggie will have to put her journalistic sleuthing skills to the test -- and perhaps come to terms with her peculiar dreams -- in order to find the truth and save her school.

I expected this book to be a bit silly and fluffy, based on the title, but it was neither of those things, and I enjoyed it immensely. In addition to the well-developed plot and characters, the narration by Maggie (which is just a bit snarky) made all of these books a lot of fun to read. There is more of a religious/Christian aspect than I was expecting, but it takes shape more in a good-vs.-evil sense than in advocating or pushing any particular brand of beliefs. I'm hopeful that the series may be continued in future books. I would absolutely recommend this to fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy stories about demons in the real world, or who enjoy books with sarcastic narrators.

This is the first book in the "Girl vs. Evil" series, followed by Hell Week and Highway to Hell.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fairy Bad Day, Drink, Slay, Love, Death and the Girl Next Door, or Celia and Kate

Torn by Erica O'Rourke

Mo Fitzgerald wakes up in the hospital after being witnessing the murder of her best friend, Verity. But it wasn't an ordinary mugging =- they were attacked by magical creatures -- and suddenly Mo's life takes a complex turn. Even though she's a "Flat" (someone with no magical abilities), she is determined to get revenge for Verity, who was secretly an Arc (magic user). She teams up with a mysterious and reluctant Arc, Luc, who is also searching for answers. In the Arc community, Verity had special abilities that were prophesied to prevent the end of the magical world; now that she is gone, Luc hopes that Mo may be able to stand in her place. Meanwhile, Mo also has to deal with family politics following the attack, since her uncle (who works for the mob) believes that it was a hit ordered by a rival family. Now, Mo will have to learn quickly and reconcile the different aspects of her new life, just to survive.

I really loved the concept behind this book and the way that it takes a standard fantasy set-up (i.e., surprise, magic is real, and there's a prophecy that our hero/ine has to save the world) and then turns it around. Mo is a compelling heroine who has to juggle complex secrets. I will say that I thought the love triangle was silly and felt a bit contrived, especially when it's introduced in the first book. Aside from that, I enjoyed the whole series and found the plot really interesting. I also liked the way that Mo grows throughout the books and finds a way to own her place in the magical community and to deal with "mundane" issues as well. I would absolutely recommend these books to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about magic in the real world, or books that have complicated interpersonal relationships and secrets.

This book is the first in a trilogy followed by Tangled and Bound.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Princess Ben, Fablehaven, Living Violet, or the Morganville Vampires series

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Donna Underwood is not an ordinary girl. She is the daughter of two alchemists, both of whom she lost when they saved her from a fey attack at age seven -- her father was killed and her mother has been institutionalized, nearly comatose. The same attack damaged her hands and arms so badly that they were only fixed through a series of magical surgeries which implanted iron in her bones and tattooed alchemical symbols from her hands to her elbows. Although she is "homeschooled" by the alchemist Order of the Dragon, she does her best to keep alchemy out of her daily life, even keeping it a secret from her best friend, Navin. But something has changed; wood elves are turning up in the city and seem to be following her. Donna has to make choices about who to trust and how to come to terms with her heritage, before it's too late.

I don't have particularly strong feelings about this book. The writing was only so-so for me: there are several "diary" entries from Donna that felt more like a literary device than an actual diary; also, there were moments when the events or dialogue seemed just a little too fabricated, and one part when the main character appears to jump to wild, unsubstantiated assumptions (I was a little annoyed when there wasn't an immediate twist, but perhaps something comes to light in the later books). However, despite this criticism, I didn't dislike the book. The characters were realistic and well developed; the concept and the plot were also really interesting - both in terms of the study of alchemy and the faerie/demon/human triple world design. It's also clear that this book was primarily setting up some bigger issues and events that I assume will be addressed in rest of the series. Overall, I would recommend this book to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about magic set in the real world, particularly those that deal with faerie or magic with a physical/alchemical component.

This book is the first in a trilogy, followed by The Wood Queen and The Stone Demon

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wings, Wicked Lovely, Bloodlines, or Young Warriors

Halo by Alexandra Adornetto

Bethany is an angel sent to Earth with her brother, Gabriel, and sister, Ivy to fight dark forces in the small town of Venus Cove. They pose as ordinary citizens; Gabriel is a teacher at the local high school and Bethany is a student, while Ivy works within the community at large. Bethany has difficulty adjusting to life among mortals, made even more complicated by the attraction that she feels to fellow student, Xavier Woods. As the tension between good and evil becomes more problematic, Gabriel and Ivy try to encourage Bethany not to be involved with Xavier, but she feels more connected to human experiences than her sibling angels and feels torn between her duties and her feelings.

This is the first book in a trilogy, followed by Hades and Heaven.

For the most part, I liked this book, and the rest of the series. The story was interesting and the plot was relatively unique and went in some directions i wasn't really expecting. I did feel that the characters were not always realistic; in particular, Xavier seemed far too perfect. Overall, I would recommend this series to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about the supernatural in the real world or books with a strong romance element.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Living Violet, Everneath, Twilight, or Death and the Girl Next Door

Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey

Hunter Wild comes from a long line of vampire hunters and she's a star student at the Helios-Ra Academy, which trains students to kill evil (Hel-Blar) vampires. Politics are more complicated, though, now that the Helios-Ra have made peace with the local Drake vampire clan. After Hunter gets a special invitation to a vampire coronation, she starts to feel conflicted about how her conscience aligns with her loyalties to her family and her colleagues. Meanwhile, students at the school start to get mysteriously ill and Hunter starts to work with Quinn Drake in an attempt to discover the cause.

I didn't realize at first that this is actually the third in the Drake Chronicles series; each book follows different main characters, so I thought that they might stand alone, but I'm fairly certain I missed out on some critical story lines by starting in the middle. However, the story was interesting and the characters were believable. This was a quick read that was relatively light, while dealing with some complex issues. I would recommend it to fantasy readers who enjoy stories set in the real world that deal with the supernatural, or who like strong female characters and a bit of action. This book reminded me of the Vampire Academy series - the world building and writing style were similar - so if you liked those, you may also enjoy the Drake Chronicles.

The Drake Chronicles books: Hearts at Stake, Blood Feud, Out for Blood, Bleeding Hearts, Blood Moon, Blood Prophecy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Bloodlines, Sisters Red, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, or Fairy Bad Day

Death and the Girl Next Door by Darynda Jones

Lorelai has lived in a small New Mexico town with her grandparents since her parents' disappearance ten years earlier. She has been leading an essentially ordinary life, except for her unpredictable talent to occasionally see visions after touching someone. However, things are starting to get complicated starting with the arrival of a new student, Jared Kovach, who calls up bizarre visions when he and Lorelai bump into each another. Even stranger, he and another student - Cameron Lusk - have an instant, mutual hatred. Cameron has always been a loner, but once Jared shows up, he suddenly takes an interest in Lorelai, bordering on stalking. Lorelai has no clue what's going on; all she wants is to be normal, but her life is about to change forever.

This is the first book in the Darklight trilogy, followed by Death, Doom, and Detention and Death and the Girl he Loves.

I thought this series was really interesting and I enjoyed it more than I expected. Although some of the bits at the very beginning seemed predictable, the overall story and how everything plays out was much more complex. The characters were also well developed and it was easy to sympathize with Lorelai, particularly later in the series. There was one small temporal discrepancy near the end of the series that I found annoying, but not enough to ruin the books for me; I was mostly just disappointed that the story was over once I finished reading the last book. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy books about the real world, "good vs. evil," and stories that are focused more on talents rather than "magic."

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Immortal Beloved, Young Warriors, Wicked Lovely, or the Trylle trilogy

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst

Pearl is a sixteen-year-old vampire, from a prominent vampire family that blithely kills human beings. They're responsible for hosting a ball for the vampire king, and for providing a human feast for all of the attendees. But her life starts to change after the night that a unicorn stabs her through the heart; suddenly Pearl can go out in the sunlight without burning to a crisp. Her family thinks she's gone a little crazy (after all, unicorns don't exist) but her parents discover a way to capitalize on her new abilities. Now, Pearl's job is to attend the local high school to acquire teenagers to serve as the king's feast. It wouldn't be a problem, except that she seems to be growing a conscience...
I really enjoyed this book and the fact that it had the best of both worlds -- evil, soulless vampires, and a touch of silliness and fantasy. The characters were well defined and the world-building was believable. Parts of the story were a little predictable, but overall, I would absolutely recommend this book to fantasy fans who like vampire stories or who enjoy stories of the supernatural in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, Rampant, Fairy Bad Day, or The Prophecy

The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver

It's 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia and things aren't great; the economy is bad, metal is stolen of the street for money, school classes meet in abandoned buildings, and demons are popping up everywhere. Riley Blackthorne is the only female apprentice in the demon Trapper's Guild, following in her father's footsteps. When a straightforward job trapping a Level One demon goes horribly wrong, it is only the start of a series of problems. After tragedy strikes, Riley will be forced to make decisions about what she truly wants, how she can make it happen, and whom she can trust.

The Demon Trapper's Daughter is the first book in the Demon Trapper's quartet, followed by Soul Thief, Forgiven, and Foretold.

This was a really interesting urban fantasy story that crosses just a bit into the futuristic/sci-fi world (though it isn't quite dark enough to be a true dystopia or post-apocalyptic story). The only thing that bothered me a bit is that, even though there is quite a bit of action, the overall story arc felt a little bit slow and a lot of the plot points were left open for the sequels (in the first book). The rest of the series does tie up most of the loose ends and keep the action moving. Although it's written in third person, the story alternates between following Riley and following Beck (a fellow trapper and Riley's father's apprentice), and the "voice" telling the story is amusing and compelling. I would recommend this series to older fantasy fans who like urban fantasy stories and strong female heroines.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Sisters Red, Enthralled, Wicked Lovely, or The Last Apprentice

Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski

Devi is a high school senior, looking forward to college. At least, she was, until Bryan - her boyfriend of three years - broke up with her and she realizes that her whole life was planned with him in mind. While at the mall, Devi accidentally drops her phone in the fountain and suddenly it only dials one number: fourteen-year-old, freshman Devi. Once they get over the shock, senior Devi realizes that she has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reorganize her life the way she wants it, if only she can convince her younger self to go along with the plan. But as her world literally changes around her, Devi starts to wonder what she actually wants, and what she's willing to do to get it.

I really enjoyed this story, which was an nice twist on the classic idea of "what you would tell yourself if you could go back in time." The way that the author handled the time distortion was interesting, since "senior" Devi could witness the changes, but hadn't experienced the time in between "freshman" Devi's actions and her reality. Overall, I liked the characters and found them very realistic, and I thought that (aside from the magical temporal paradox), the situations were also extremely realistic. So far as I know, this is a stand-alone book, and it had a fairly satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to fantasy fans who enjoy magic that happens in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Princess for Hire, My Fair Godmother, The Ghost and the Goth, or Steel

Repossessed by A. M. Jenkins

This is the story of one of the Fallen (a demon) who steals a human body to take a vacation from his job torturing souls in Hell. He has never experienced physical senses or human emotions, but he has to learn while he tries to fit in as "Shaun" -- the human boy whose life he has usurped. But time is short, so he'll have to find a way to have all of the experiences that he wants before he has to leave again.

I thought this story was interesting in the way that it examined a lot of sensations and small daily experiences from a unique point of view. It was a quick read and I did find some of the general insights about life to be thought-provoking. However, this is a fairly reflective story, without a lot of action and the main character is not terribly sympathetic, so it may not be for readers who like really strong storylines. I would recommend this book to older readers who enjoy stories about the real world or about unlikely characters and perspectives.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Wish List, Kisses From Hell, The Ghost and the Goth, or Immortal Beloved

Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Kay Wyatt lives in a city near the borderlands between human lands and the dragons' country. Although going near the border is strictly forbidden, Kay decides to go rock climbing nearby. When a dragon named Artegal saves her life, they begin a fragile friendship. Artegal wants to practice English and learn more about humans; Kay is curious about the dragons and the history of relations among their kinds. But meanwhile, the truce between the humans and dragons -- maintained by the strict border between their lands -- is starting to crumble from distrust on both sides. Kay and Artegal may be the only ones who can stop an all-out war, but it may already be too late...

I really enjoyed this story. I liked the way that the background was set up so that it was somewhat realistic to have an alternate universe in which dragons and humans live (almost) side-by-side in the modern world. The characters were well developed and the story was a bit predictable, but very realistic. In fact, I was a little disappointed when I got to the end since I wanted to know what happened "next," after learning so much about the main characters. I would definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy stories about the real world, about dragons, and about unlikely alliances.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dragon Slippers, Fairy Bad Day, Dragonhaven, or The Mermaid's Mirror

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Lindsay Scott was a famous child actress until she turned eleven and started inexplicably hearing anything that was said about her. She had what appeared to be a public nervous breakdown and left the public eye. Lindsay and her father moved to a small town in Illinois to a house that strangely shields her from the voices. But it's five years later and the fact that she rarely leaves the house has somehow been discovered by the tabloids, which are now reporting that her father is keeping her prisoner. When two well-meaning local teenagers kidnap Lindsay in an effort to save her, Lindsay's life is once again turned upside down and she is forced to reevaluate her options.

This story takes a while to get to the point, and there are parts that feel a little bit slow, but overall, the concept is good and goes in a direction that I didn't expect. The characters are also fairly well developed and I was interested to see what would happen with them; in fact, I was a little disappointed that there doesn't seem to be a sequel since I was curious to find out more about what happens to Lindsay after the conclusion of the book. (However, the story is not left hanging at the end; of the the major plot points are resolved in some way.) I would recommend this book to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about ordinary people with special abilities, or stories in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Gifted: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, The Seer and the Sword, Fairy Bad Day, or Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions

Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowan

Nikki has just moved to a new town with her mother and her mother's new - fourth - husband. As if that isn't enough, she's just found out that her father is a demon, which makes her a Halfling. Suddenly life is complicated as Nikki tries to balance the human world and the demon world (the Shadowlands), and each of them is problematic in different ways. In particular, she finds herself developing a crush on Michael, the boy that her father sent after her, even though a relationship would be forbidden. Also, Nikki is discovering that many things are different and more dangerous than they appear to be.

Overall, I liked this book; it was a quick read and the characters are fairly realistic. Some parts of the story are a little predictable, and occasionally the dialogue felt a little awkward to me, but it may get more interesting as the series continues. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy stories that take place in the real world and deal with relationships and romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: the Trylle trilogy, Entwined, The Mermaid's Mirror, or The World Above

The Ghost and the Goth by Stacey Kade

Alona is one of the most popular girls at school...right up until the day that she gets hit by a bus and dies. But she's still hanging around the world, suddenly subject to rules about being a ghost that she doesn't understand. All she really wants is to find a way to move on to a happy eternal afterlife, but first she has to find out how. Meanwhile, Will Killian is tortured by the sight and sound of ghosts that no one else can see. Even worse, one of the ghosts showing up lately is dangerous and wants to hurt Will. Will's talents have made him a social outcast and he purposefully tries to keep his head down, having nothing to do with A-list students like Alona. Slowly, Alona and Will discover that they might be able to help one another - but they'll have to work together.

This is the first book in a trilogy, followed by Queen of the Dead and Body & Soul.

This was an interesting book and I really enjoyed the character development and the plot lines in this story, which were much deeper than I expected. Even though it deals with some serious issues, it still manages to have a light-hearted tone most of the time. I will mention that the plot gets a little more complicated and odd in the second book, though I haven't finished the series. I would recommend this book to fantasy fans who enjoy good stories with strong character partnerships and supernatural elements.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Slayed, Fairy Bad Day, Entwined, or The Wish List

The Watcher in the Shadows by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

After the death of their father, Irene and her younger brother, Dorian move to a small village on the Normandy coast. Their mother, Simone, has taken a job as a housekeeper for a reclusive toymaker, Lazarus Jann, who lives in a mansion above the village. Although the entire family enjoys the change, the area is full of mysteries. Irene meets a fisher boy, Ismael, and the two of them explore a small island and lighthouse that local legend claim are haunted. Meanwhile, it starts to become clear that there is more to Jann than meets the eye. The situation gets more serious when a young girl is found murdered and suddenly everything turns dangerous.

I actually read this for a book discussion group and none of us particularly liked it (or liked it unreservedly, at least). The author does a good job of using imagery and building up the setting, but the characters are a little less developed and the "rules" governing the particular brand of magic in this universe are not clearly defined. More importantly, the story starts out as a mildly-creepy ghost story/mystery and turns into a convoluted series of stories - none of which make sense or are ever clarified by the end. And there are at least half a dozen plot points that are not resolved at all by the time the book ends. The story was definitely interesting, and not predictable, though I found the lack of cohesion frustrating and confusing. If you really like suspense and you're ok with stories that are vague or don't tie up all of the loose pieces by the end, you might enjoy this book, but I would generally not recommend it.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Poison, The Summoning, Swoon, or Flora Segunda

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Galen is a merperson, and the prince of a Syrena tribe who has come onto land after hearing from a friend about a girl who can speak to fish. Meanwhile, Emma is vacationing with her friend in Florida when she meets Galen. Although Galen is soon convinced that Emma is more than merely human, she wants nothing to do with him and refuses to believe his claims. But Galen believes that she could be important and works hard to gain her trust; it just has to be in time...

There were things I liked about this book. It was an interesting way of approaching myths about mermaids and the characters were fairly realistic. I felt like some of the pieces were a bit predictable, but it didn't detract from the story. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy books about mermaids or stories with a bit of romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Mermaid's Mirror, Half-Human, Midnight Pearls, or the Trylle trilogy

The Genie Scheme by Kimberly K. Jones

Janna is frustrated by her life and the fact that she and her mother don't have enough money to buy everything that she wants. But everything starts to change when she buys a hat for a homeless woman and her kindness is rewarded. The woman is a genie who will now grant wishes for Janna - and it turns out that the 3-wish rule is just a story; there are no limits! Except, none of Janna's wishes are going the way that she intends. Everything she wishes to have herself gets taken away from someone else, and unlimited wishes still have complex restrictions. Suddenly, having a genie around is less like winning the lottery than Janna had hoped, but she still has to use her wishes somehow...

This was a fairly good book and a quick read. It was definitely an interesting take on the "genie" concept, and well thought-out. I liked the way that the characters develop during the book and and the fact that Janna grows a bit throughout the story. I would recommend this to fantasy fans of all ages who enjoy stories that take place in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Magical Mischief, Fablehaven, Princess for Hire, or The Wish List

Cupid: A Tale of Love and Desire by Julius Lester

Psyche was the youngest princess of a kingdom a long time ago. She was so beautiful that everyone who saw her instantly fell in love, causing problems throughout the land. When Venus (the goddess of love) discovers that the people have stopped worshiping her to spend their time looking upon Psyche's beauty, she sends her son, Cupid, to find a way to turn Psyche into a laughingstock. But when Cupid sees Psyche, he falls in love, as well - with her personality as well as her beauty. Even though Cupid has inflicted love (and discord) among unsuspecting people for decades, he discovers that actually being in love is complicated.

This retelling is narrated by a modern storyteller, lending a new voice to the Greek/Roman mythology and adding some interesting asides. I really enjoyed reading this story, which has beautiful, lyrical descriptions and characters with depth. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy retellings of Greek myths and stories that have some romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Radiant Darkness, A Kiss in Time, A Tale Dark and Grimm, or Once Upon a Winter's Night