Magical Book Recommendations

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The final three months of the year are always a little magical, aren't they? You've got the paranormal spookiness of Halloween. Then there's the magic of the first winter snow. (Well, at least there's snow in my part of the world. I don't know about your section of the planet.) Then there's Santa and Christmas magic. It seems like a perfect time to create a magical book recommendation list. These books have characters with supernatural abilities or settings where magical weirdness happens.

🎩  Books With Magic  🌟

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE BY DIANA WYNNE JONES

Middle Grade Fantasy

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

Where's the magic? Everywhere! You will fall in love with these quirky characters. I literally laughed out loud at some of the ridiculous magical problems they cause. This book is a classic for a reason! I wish I'd read it as a kid. I would have adored it.

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PET BY AKWAEKE EMEZI

Young Adult Fantasy

There are no more monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. With doting parents and a best friend named Redemption, Jam has grown up with this lesson all her life. But when she meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth, and the answer to the question—How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

Where's the magic? A monstrous creature crawls out of a painting and goes on a hunt, but only Jam and her best friend can see it. This story is a fast-paced, thoroughly modern fairytale that will make readers ask tough questions.

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We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson

Adult Horror

Taking readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at their estate.

Where's the magic? Mostly in the main character's mind. She's a very creative (and very mentally ill) young woman who can't tell the difference between imagination and reality. You'll never forget this homicidal family.

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Aru Shah And The End Of Time by Roshani Chokshi

Middle Grade Fantasy

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. While her classmates are jetting off to family vacations in exotic locales, she'll be spending her autumn break at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her mom to return from her latest archeological trip. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty, traveling to Paris, and having a chauffeur?

One day, three schoolmates show up at Aru's doorstep to catch her in a lie. They don't believe her claim that the museum's Lamp of Bharata is cursed, and they dare Aru to prove it. Just a quick light, Aru thinks. Then she can get herself out of this mess and never ever fib again.

But lighting the lamp has dire consequences. She unwittingly frees the Sleeper, an ancient demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction. Her classmates and beloved mother are frozen in time, and it's up to Aru to save them.

The only way to stop the demon is to find the reincarnations of the five legendary Pandava brothers, protagonists of the Hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, and journey through the Kingdom of Death. But how is one girl in Spider-Man pajamas supposed to do all that?

Where's the magic? All over the place! A cast of eccentric characters will take your kids (or you) on a sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying romp through Indian mythology. You'll learn a lot from this book, but you'll never feel like you're learning.

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All Of Us Villains by Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

Young Adult Fantasy

The Blood Moon rises. The Blood Veil falls. The Tournament begins.

Every generation, at the coming of the Blood Moon, seven families in the remote city of Ilvernath each name a champion to compete in a tournament to the death.

The prize? Exclusive control over a secret wellspring of high magick, the most powerful resource in the world—one thought long depleted.

This year, thanks to a salacious tell-all book, the seven champions are thrust into worldwide spotlight, granting each of them new information, new means to win, and most importantly: a choice—accept their fate or rewrite their story.

But this is a story that must be penned in blood.

Where's the magic? Magic is the whole point of the story! The characters are in a fight-to-the-death competition to see whose family gets control of the city's magic supply. The book is full of plot twists, and betrayals, and forbidden romance, (and a lot of deadly magic).

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Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher

Adult Fantasy

After years of seeing her sisters suffer at the hands of an abusive prince, Marra—the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter—has finally realized that no one is coming to their rescue. No one, except for Marra herself.

Seeking help from a powerful gravewitch, Marra is offered the tools to kill a prince—if she can complete three impossible tasks. But, as is the way in tales of princes, witches, and daughters, the impossible is only the beginning.

On her quest, Marra is joined by the gravewitch, a reluctant fairy godmother, a strapping former knight, and a chicken possessed by a demon. Together, the five of them intend to be the hand that closes around the throat of the prince and frees Marra's family and their kingdom from its tyrannous ruler at last.

Where's the magic? Fairytales aren't just for kids! In this fairytale world, five loveable weirdos band together to murder an abusive prince. If you have a dark sense of humor, then this tiny book is a must-read. It'll make you laugh while giving you nightmares.

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The Diviners by Libba Bray

Young Adult Fantasy

Evangeline O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City—and she is ecstatic. It's 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult. Evie worries he'll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far.

When the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer. As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfurl in the city that never sleeps. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened.

Where's the magic? New York City is a magical place where anything can happen. In this novel, it's literally magical. The characters have psychic powers, and supernatural creatures stalk the streets. I couldn't put this book down. I love the characters and all their adventures.

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Cursed Objects: Strange But True Stories Of The World's Most Infamous Items by J.W. Ocker

History Nonfiction

They're lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes around the world. Their stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, campfire tales, books, and even chain emails. They're cursed objects, and in order to unleash a wave of misfortune, all they need . . . is you. As a culture, we can't seem to get enough of cursed objects. But never before have the true stories of these infamous real-life items been compiled into a fascinating and chilling volume.

Where's the magic? This book might make you believe in real magic. The author searches museums and the Internet for items that leave death and destruction in their wake. It's a fascinating look at random objects that have captured our imaginations.

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Please recommend magical books!