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

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

A Hat Full of Sky by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching is leaving home for the first time to be an apprentice learn how to be a witch. Although she is excited to do something new, she soon discovers that witches spend much of their time doing chores and tending people, rather than spells and charms. What Tiffany doesn't realize is that a hiver -- a malicious entity -- is pursuing her because it needs to take over other creatures in order to have a body. She will have to find the will within herself to fight the hiver and to find a way to defeat it, before it destroys her or those she holds dear.

This is the second book in the Discworld series about Tiffany Aching, preceded by The Wee Free Men.

This book was light and amusing, but also had an interesting plot and world-building. The characters were believable, and well developed throughout the story. I have not read the first book about Tiffany Aching, and there are quite a few references to the events from that book, however, I did not feel as though my understanding of the story or my ability to enjoy it were affected by reading this book alone. The book also has some explanatory notes, mainly about the Feegles (the small, fae creatures from the previous book), but not enough to disrupt the story. I would recommend this book to fantasy fans looking for a less-serious read or who want a book about using magic and magical creatures.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dark Lord of Derkholm, The Last Apprentice, Unfamiliar Magic, or Howl's Moving Castle

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

Prophecy by Ellen Oh

Kira is the daughter of a general and the only female soldier in the kingdom. She's the prince's personal bodyguard and has special abilities that let her see people who have been possessed by demons and the strength to kill them. But she is feared by the people because of her yellow eyes and her reputation, since the king will not make knowledge of demons public. A threat to the royal family sends Kira and the prince out into the wilderness, on a trek to a safe haven, but the plan goes awry almost immediately. Signs are pointing to an ancient prophecy; it may save their kingdom from the Demon Lord...but only if they can stay alive.

This was a really interesting story with rich details for the setting. I was a little frustrated with the main characters on occasion, for not being open-minded or really thinking about what was going on. But other than that, the characters were pretty well developed and the plot moved forward in logical ways with quite a bit of action. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who like "epic" sorts of stories that center around a hero's journey.

This is the first book in the Dragon King Chronicles, followed by Warrior.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Sisters Red, Spirit Fox, the Song of the Lioness quartet, or Sweet Venom

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

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

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Tamsin feels out of place in her own family. All of them have magical talents and, at her birth, her grandmother claimed that she would be one of the most powerful witches they'd ever seen. Except that she's never had a Talent. Instead, she's going to a boarding school in Manhattan and trying to pretend that she's a normal teenager. But while she's home, working in the family bookstore, a professor mistakes her for Tamsin's extremely Talented older sister, Rowena and she doesn't correct him. Instead, she agrees to track down a family heirloom, lost more than a century before. But it turns out that the request is not so simple; Tamsin will learn more about herself, her magic, and her family on her quest. The story concludes in Always a Witch.

For the most part I really enjoyed this story. At times, the plot seemed a little convoluted, but generally the characters were well developed and it was easy to like Tamsin and sympathize with her situation. Also, I did like the way that everything tied up neatly at the end of the second book. I would recommend these books to fantasy fans who enjoy books about magic in the real world, or time travel.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: the Dark Mirror series, Immortal Beloved, Now You See It, or Unfamiliar Magic

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

Evie works for the semi-secret International Paranormal Containment Agency, tracking down creatures of legend and myth, to keep humans unaware and safe from vampires, trolls, hags, and other paranormals. She has lived and worked at IPCA since she was young because she has a special talent - she's the only one who can see through the glamours of every paranormal. Evie longs for regular, teenage experiences, but she's happy to have her mermaid best friend and to help keep the world safe. But then paranormals start to die mysteriously and pieces of a strange faerie prophecy may point toward Evie as the source. Now it's up to her to find a way to save all of the paranormal creatures she's been tracking down. The story continues in Supernaturally and Endlessly

These books are surprisingly serious, even though the tone is fairly light and humorous (told from Evie's point of view). Evie's character is well developed and it's easy to sympathize with her and some of the difficult choices she has to make. I will mention that this series ends rather abruptly; if you like to have all of the loose ends tied up or a "happily ever after" ending, you won't get it from these books. However, I did enjoy the books and I would recommend them to fantasy fans who enjoy stories of magical creatures and the paranormal in real life.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Sisters Red, or Princess for Hire

Steel by Carrie Vaughn

After losing an important fencing competition, Jill starts to rethink her future and what she wants out of life. While her family is on vacation in the Bahamas, she finds an old, corroded spear tip in the sand and puts it in her pocket. But when it sends her back in time, she ends up on an actual pirate ship and has to sign on as a crew member. Pirate life is less glamorous that she expected - and dangerous, as she finds herself holding a live rapier for the first time. But Jill is determined to get home one way or another, if only she can figure out how...

I enjoyed this story and it was a fairly quick read. The characters and settings are very realistic, but not entirely predictable. I would recommend this to fantasy fans of all ages who enjoy stories about pirates, time travel, or strong female characters.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: A Posse of Princesses, Young Warriors, The Two Princesses of Bamarre, or Rampant

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

After the Voodoo Wars, life went on, but monsters lurk in corners. Sunshine is happy being the baker at Charlie's, her stepfather's restaurant. It isn't exciting, but she has a comfortable life, and she thought that it would be enough. Everything changes when she is kidnapped by vampires. Though she manages to escape, going back to her ordinary life may be impossible, and her time as a captive continues to haunt her. Slowly, she must learn about her heritage and who she truly wants to be - assuming that she can survive what's coming.

This is told from Sunshine's point of view, which gives it a wry tone even though the story is often a bit dark. It felt a little bit slow to me, particularly since there are often asides with further explanations of how magic functions in that world. However, I did enjoy reading this book and it's an interesting way of approaching a reluctant human-vampire cooperation. I would recommend this book to older fantasy fans who enjoy books with magic in alternate realities or serious, dangerous vampires.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Enthralled, Howl's Moving Castle, Morganville Vampires, or Tantalize

Living Violet by Jaime Reed

Samara Marshall is convinced that something is not quite right about her co-worker, Caleb Baker. No one else seems to notice the way that his eyes glow, or the effect that he has on women - or, more importantly, the fact that too many of those women seem to end up in the hospital. When Caleb starts to show interest in Sam, she tries to avoid him, but somehow they keep ending up together. But regardless of how much fun they have, Caleb has secrets - secrets that could put Sam and her family in danger.

I enjoyed reading these books; the story was interesting and the characters were well developed. I particularly liked the fact that Sam didn't magically fall in love with Caleb once she found out his secrets - their relationship still takes a lot of work. I will say that it occasionally felt as though the author was trying a little too hard to use slang and sound "natural," but most of the time the writing was fine. I would recommend this series to older fantasy fans who enjoy supernatural romances.

The Cambion Chronicles series continues with Burning Emerald and Fading Amber.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Dead Beautiful, the Morganville Vampires series, As You Wish, or Wicked Lovely

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Sydney Sage is an alchemist, a member of a secret society of humans dedicated to keeping vampires a secret from the rest of the world. She has been out of the field following a series of events in which she was caught up in vampire politics, but she has been doing her best to lie low and get back in the Alchemists' good graces. Unfortunately, her new assignment involves rooming with Jill Dragomir (a mortal Moroi vampire and half-sister of the Moroi queen) while pretending to be a high school student at a boarding school in California. Although everyone expects them to be safe at Amberwood Prep School, they will have to be on guard for assassins and other dangers; Sydney will also have to do her best to stay professional and not to get too friendly with any of them - but how hard could that be?

Even though the first book is fairly predictable, I enjoyed the story and the characters, and the series definitely gets more interesting in the later books. These books are a spin-off of the Vampire Academy books and reference many events that happen before this series. However, I haven't read any of the Vampire Academy books and felt as though there was enough background that it isn't necessary to read the other series first (unless you want to). I would recommend this series to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about vampires in the real world and books that have a bit of romance.

The Bloodlines series continues with The Golden Lily, The Indigo Spell, The Fiery Heart, Silver Shadows, and The Ruby Circle.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Resenting the Hero, the Dark Mirror series, or Sweet Venom

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Nikki Beckett has returned home after mysteriously disappearing for six months. What she can't tell her family and friends is that during that time, she spent 100 years in the Everneath, allowing Cole - an Everliving - to feed off her so that he can continue his immortal lifestyle. The humans in the Feed were not expected to survive, but thoughts of her mortal boyfriend, Jack, kept Nikki sane. Now she's trying to regain some semblance of her previous life and reestablish relationships with her family, and with Jack for six months...before she has to go back.

Although this book is not really a retelling, it does make allusions suggest an alternate interpretation to Greek myths, particularly the stories of Orpheus and Eurydice, and of Persephone. The plot and characters are compelling and gain quite a bit of depth in the second book; Nikki turns out to be a surprisingly strong heroine. I would recommend this to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories in the real world that have a darker edge.

This book is followed by Everbound and Evertrue (will be released in January 2014).

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Ever, Radiant Darkness, or Trylle trilogy

Young Warriors edited by Tamora Pierce and Josepha Sherman

This is a collection of short stories around the theme of young warriors, including:

• The Gift of Rain Mountain by Bruce Holland Rogers
• The Magestone by S. M. and Jan Stirling
• Eli and the Dybbuk by Janis Ian
• Heartless by Holly Black
• Lioness by Pamela F. Service
• Thunderbolt by Esther Friesner
• Devil Wind by India Edghill
• The Boy Who Cried "Dragon!" by Mike Resnick
• Student of Ostriches by Tamora Pierce
• Serpent's Rock by Laura Anne Gilman
• Hidden Warriors by Margaret Mahy
• Emerging Legacy by Doranna Durgin
• An Axe for Men by Rosemary Edghill
• Acts of Faith by Lesley McBain
• Swords That Talk by Brent Hartinger

Although these stories have a common theme, they all approach it differently with settings across many places on Earth and beyond, and throughout time as well. Some of the stories are historical (not fantasy) but most of them have magic or fantasy elements. I found it interesting to see the ways in which different authors approached the idea of "warriors" - not all of the characters fight with weapons, but all of them fight for something. I would recommend this collection to fantasy fans who enjoy thought-provoking stories and coming-of-age tales.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Rampant, Dark Mirror series, Knight & Rogue novels, or The Seer and the Sword

Fairy Bad Day by Amanda Ashby

Emma is a student at a special high school that trains teenagers with abilities how to slay magical creatures, so that they will no longer menace regular humans who cannot see their real forms. There's no question that Emma is going to be the only dragon slayer from her class, following in the footsteps of her very famous mother, who died years before. Except, then Curtis Green is assigned to be a dragon slayer instead, and Emma gets assigned to...fairies. Not only is it embarrassing, but the fairies like to taunt Emma and evade her at every turn. As if that isn't bad enough, there's a giant, evil fairy on the loose and the only other person who can see it is her nemesis, Curtis. Emma will have to learn to trust her friends - and perhaps even Curtis - to deal with the crisis and survive her "fairy" bad day.

So, I picked this book up expecting it to be very fluffy and likely a bit silly, but I was pleasantly surprised. Although the tone is lighthearted and often amusing, the plot and characterization have much more substance than the title may suggest. It was a quick read, but I enjoyed it very much; I don't know if there will be a sequel, but I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about magical creatures in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Minds series, Magic Can Be Murder, Dark Lord of Derkholm, or Janitors