Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Vane Weston is the "Miracle Child" who survived a freak tornado that killed his parents and several other people. He doesn't remember anything from that day, except the face of a girl who haunts his dreams. But the girl in his dreams - Audra - is real and she is a guardian who has pledged to keep him safe from warriors who seek him. When a mistake reveals Vane's location, Audra has to tell him the truth: she's a sylph and so is he. Now they have a limited amount of time for Vane to come to terms with his heritage, learn the skills he needs to survive, and to remember the past, before it catches up with him.

The sequel, Let the Storm Break, will be released in March 2014.

This story is told from both Vane's and Audra's points of view, which gives each of them quite a bit of depth throughout the book. I found it interesting that the air elementals are the main characters and I was curious to find out what would happen, although parts of the story are a little predictable. I would recommend this series to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about magical creatures in the real world and romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Living Violet, the Trylle trilogy, Wicked Lovely, or Carrier of the Mark

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

My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Savannah's having a rough time after her boyfriend, Hunter, dumps her for her older sister, Jane. Things should have been looking up when she gets three wishes from a fairy godmother, except that she gets stuck with Chrissy - and she's only a "fair" godmother because she only made average grades in fairy godmother school. Chrissy's misunderstandings send Savannah back to the Middle Ages, first as Cinderella, then as Snow White. As if that isn't bad enough, her third wish sends Tristan - her current crush - to the Middle Ages where he is faced with a series of life-threatening challenges. Now Savannah must figure out how to get both of them back to modern times...and survive her godmother's "help."

This book was a fun change from the usual "fairy godmother" stories and put a bit of a spin on the retelling of the fairy tales into which Savannah is thrust. I personally found the prologue material (including the narrative from Chrissy, correspondence from her teachers, etc.) to be a little tedious even though it does provide some context, but I enjoyed the story once I got to the main narrative. I also liked the way that the story mixed some Middle Ages realism with various aspects of magic. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy slightly-twisted fairy tales, or stories about magic in the real world.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Prophecy, Dark Lord of Derkholm, The Frog Princess, or A Kiss in Time

Slayed by Amanda Marronne

Daphne Van Helsing comes from a long line of slayers, but she isn't happy about the family business. She'd much prefer a real home and an ordinary life to traveling around the country with her parents killing vampires. But something is different when they get to South Bristol, Maine; not only do the vampires seem stronger than usual, strange occurrences are plaguing the town. Meanwhile, her family is forced to work with the Harkers, a rival slayer father and son team. Between the bad blood between the families, the problems facing all of the slayers, and Daphne's inconvenient crush on Tyler Harker - among other complications - this job is shaping up to be anything but straightforward.

This book was a quick read and I enjoyed the story. The point of view provided a realistic aspect to the "romantic" profession of vampire slaying; the characters were relatable and had quite a bit of depth. Even though a lot of elements were introduced throughout the book, they were balanced well. I would recommend this book to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about vampires and magic in the real world and who like a bit of romance.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Fairy Bad Day, the Dark Mirror series, Sweet Venom, or Young Warriors

Kisses From Hell

This is a collection of short novellas:

• Sunshine by Richelle Mead - Eric Dragomir is a Moroi (a living vampire); his dad has been pressuring him to marry and start producing heirs to carry on the royal line. But first, Eric is going to a week-long party with his friends to celebrate their high school graduation.
• Bring Me to Life by Alyson Noël - Danika is moving to boarding school in the UK to study painting. But when she arrives, the school isn't quite what she expected.
• Above by Kristin Cast - Rheena dreams of going to the the world Above, where the men hunt, but if she gets her wish, will it truly be what she hoped?
• Hunting Kat by Kelley Armstrong - Katiana is a newly-turned, genetically-modified vampire living with her vampire guardian, Marguerite. On a road trip to attend a party, Kat runs into trouble when people come looking for her.
• Lilith by Francesca Lia Block - Paul Michael isn't like the other students at his high school; he spend more time thinking about his imaginary world than living on Earth. Then he meets a new student, Lilith, and he thinks that perhaps she might finally be someone who can understand him.

I thought this collection of stories was ok, but I had trouble connecting with some of the characters. I would recommend these stories to fantasy fans who prefer stories that are a little odd or thought-provoking.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Tantalize, Half-Human, Cursed, or Sunshine

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

Cursed by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Ember McWilliams is having a rough time. After dying in a car crash, her gifted little sister, Olivia, brought her back to life - but now everything that Ember touches dies. Meanwhile, their mother has never quite recovered from the accident, so Ember is trying to keep house and take care of Olivia while still passing high school. Things start to change when she meets Hayden Cromwell, who claims that her new ability is really a gift. But when she and her family are spirited away to a tiny town run by Hayden's adoptive father, she starts to question their motives, and to reevaluate her own life.

This book had some good moments, but the story felt a little stilted - the romance was a little forced and there seemed to be several things going on in the background that we never really find out about. There were also events that seemed implausible, but most of them are explained by the end of the book. However, I did like Ember and seeing her personal growth throughout the book as she learns to deal with her "gift." Overall, this was an interesting book, although it won't make my list of personal favorites. I would suggest it to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about teens with special abilities.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Summoning, Gifted: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Immortal Beloved, or Swoon

Haven by Kristi Cook

When Violet arrives at Winterhaven School, she knows it's the right place for her, even though she isn't sure why. But she soon discovers that all of the students have psychic gifts - the same way that she has visions of the future. Things get complicated by her strong attraction to Aiden, a mysterious boy in her class. Violet starts to have visions predicting Aiden's death and she worries that there will be no way to stop it and worse, that she may be responsible.

I enjoyed this book well enough. In some ways, it felt like a lot of other, similar books, but the story is well-written, and it is easy to relate to the characters. I am definitely curious to find out what happens in later books (the series continues with Mirage and Eternal). I would recommend this book to older fantasy fans who enjoy supernatural romance stories.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, the Morganville Vampires series, Dead Beautiful, or the Dark Mirror series

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

The Mermaid's Mirror by L. K. Madigan

Lena has always been drawn to the ocean; living in Diamond Bay, a small town on the San Francisco Bay, the water is practically in her backyard. She desperately wants to surf with her friends, and, as her sixteenth birthday approaches, Lena decides that it may be time to learn. Her father, who nearly died while surfing before Lena was born, has never allowed her to take lessons, but Lena doesn't want to watch from the shoreline any longer. Her life starts to change in other ways as well, particularly when she discovers a hidden trunk containing her mother's things; she decides it's finally time to know more about her mother's suicide while she was young. As Lena searches for the answers to her questions, she will begin to learn more about her family -- and about herself.

This was an interesting story, though parts of it were fairly predictable and occasionally a little slow. Lena's character has to deal with many changes and difficult choices, which make the story more realistic. I would recommend this to fantasy fans who enjoy stories about mermaids and heroines finding themselves.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Lost Voices, Half-Human, Trylle trilogy, or Water Steps

Immortal Beloved by Cate Tiernan

Nastasya is 459 years old. As an immortal, it's nearly impossible for her to die. She and her friends are living the good life - constant drinking and partying, moving from city to city and changing identities whenever necessary to blend in. But, for some reason, Nastasya doesn't find it enjoyable any more. In an attempt to make a change, she goes to River's Edge, a place for immortals who need to be away from the rest of the world. Doing farm chores and taking classes at River's Edge is a difficult change for a party girl, but all of the lives that she has lived and the things that she has witnessed are starting to weigh heavily on Nastasya. She will have to learn how to live with her past - and her present.

This is the first book in the Immortal Beloved trilogy (followed by Darkness Falls and Eternally Yours). It was definitely an interesting book and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series, to find out what happens to the characters. The concept is interesting and the characters are well developed; however, if you enjoy lots of action, this book may not be for you. There are lots of flashbacks to various times in Nastasya's life - some of which have plenty of action - but the main story is a bit slower and focuses on her personal growth. However, it's told in first person and the descriptions/commentaries are often creative, wry, and incredibly funny. I would recommend this to older fantasy fans who enjoy books about persons with magic in the real world and stories of characters who are finding themselves.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Wicked Lovely, Warbreaker, Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side, or Daughter of the Flames

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr

This is a collection of short stories by Melissa Marr that includes:

• Where Nightmares Walk, Winter's Kiss
• Transition
• Love Struck
• Old Habits
• Stopping Time
• The Art of Waiting
• Flesh for Comfort
• The Sleeping Girl and the Summer King
• Cotton Candy Skies
• Unexpected Family
• Merely Mortal (This story is also included in Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions edited by Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong)

I really enjoyed this collection. The stories discuss a variety of topics, though many of them are a bit dark, and range in length from a couple of pages to a novella that takes up around a third of the book. I will mention that about half of the stories (including the novella) are about characters from Marr's Wicked Lovely series. Readers who are unfamiliar with the series may not recognize all of the context; also, there are spoilers for the series for readers who have not read all of the books or who are thinking about reading the series. However, I would recommend this book to older fantasy fans who enjoy stories about fairies in the real world and the darker edges of fantasy.

An aside: if you are interested in reading the Wicked Lovely series, it is now complete -- Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange, Fragile Eternity, Radiant Darkness, and Darkest Mercy.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: Black Pearls: A Faery Strand, Sweet Venom, or Sisters Red

Rapunzel: The One with All the Hair by Wendy Mass

Rapunzel's twelfth birthday was supposed to be special - and not because a witch kidnapped her and left her in a tower, but that's what happened. She dreams of a way out of the towner and works to find out more about why she has been imprisoned. Meanwhile, Prince Benjamin is starting to feel as though he'll never measure up to the expectations of his parents, or the kingdom. He is desperate to find a way to prove himself, and to start living the life that he wants. Neither of them is happy, but perhaps together they will be able to break free of their prisons.

This was a cute story and a quick read. The plot had some interesting elements, but overall it felt like a fairly straightforward retelling of Rapunzel, told from both Rapunzel's and Benjamin's points of view. Both characters are well developed throughout the book as the story unfolds. I would recommend this book to fantasy fans who enjoy retellings of fairy tales. It is the first in a series of "Twice Told Tales."

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Stories, The Prophecy, or The Two Princesses of Bamarre

Hidden by Marianne Curley

Ebony lives with her family on a farm in a small valley; she's happy, but dreams of bigger things. Jordan lives in the same valley, but he has been moving through a series of foster homes and dreams of a happy life, anywhere. One night they meet and the sudden, intense connection is unmistakable. Not long after, both of their lives fall apart. Jordan ends up with the mysterious Nathaneal who wants Jordan's help to convince Ebony of her true birthright. But it won't be easy for any of them...

Although the premise for this story was interesting, I didn't enjoy the book very much. The characters did not always seem realistic and many of the major plot points seemed predictable. However, it is possible that the next books in the Avena series will improve. Also, I would mention that the author is Australian, so it has some British English in it - I don't have anything against it, but it is occasionally disconcerting for readers that primarily read American books. Overall, I would not highly recommend this book; however, fantasy fans may consider this series if it sounds interesting, particularly those who enjoy paranormal romances and stories about teens who discover that they have abilities or non-human heritage.

• If this book sounds interesting, consider these: The Fairy Path, As You Wish, Wings, or How to Ditch Your Fairy