Fifteen Favorite Fantasy Reads 2024
It’s time to reveal my fifteen favorite fantasy reads of the past year!
This is always one of my favorite blog posts of the year… even though it’s usually the toughest one to write.
How does one really “rank” favorite reads? So many of these books were my all-time favorite as I was reading them. And that’s such a wonderful feeling. Like that moment when you realize you’ve just met a kindred spirit. Or when you quote a movie and someone replies with the next line from that same movie.
That’s what reading a new favorite book is.
And that’s what each of these books was like for me.
So, while I have to put them in a list to make this post legible for you… please understand that my ranking system is looser than it might seem. At the time of reading, I enjoyed each of these books immensely. These are all 4 or 5-star reads. These were all books I would happily read again.
It’s such a fun time, perusing my Goodreads challenge and reminiscing over all the books I read this past year.
Unlike last year, I did NOT post a “these are the books I want to read” reel. That was dumb. I did horribly when it came to actually reading the books on that list. This year, I just read what I wanted to read. And I prefer it that way.
But you want me to stop yammering about how much I love writing this post so you can get to the actual book recommendations, right?
Stats
Number of books read:
I set myself a goal of reading 75 books this year on Goodreads. I ended up reading 81.
Pages Read:
Goodreads says that I read 21,849 pages across those 81 books. But it doesn’t really have stats on a couple of the books since they aren’t published yet. The shortest book I read was Christmas Eve by Jim Butcher which was 10 pages. The longest book I read was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which clocks in at 759 pages.
Average Rating:
My average rating was 4.5, not as high as last year, but still a good indicator that I’m good at picking books I’ll like.
Non-Fantasy Reads:
19. This is a pretty average number for me since as a homeschooling mom I do read a lot of non-fiction books out loud to my kids throughout the school year.
My favorite non-fantasy read of the year:
Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm
re-Reads:
15 of the books I read this year were re-reads.
New-To-Me Authors:
In keeping with last year, I once again read 12 new-to-me authors, all of them indie or small press.
Short Stories:
I also read two short story anthologies: The DOSA Files and The Realms Beneath and I enjoyed every single story in both anthologies, which is saying rather a lot as I tend to be quite a bit pickier and hard to please when it comes to short stories.
On to the Favorites!
As usual, there aren’t a ton of rules for picking my favorites… and what rules exist are there to help me narrow it down.
Books must be speculative fiction. Sci-fi is allowed, even though the title of the post clearly states “fifteen favorite fantasy reads” <—that is because: alliteration is nice.
Books must be full-length to make the list.
Books must be new-to-me reads. Because otherwise the list would constantly be dominated every year by Tolkien, Lewis, Zahn, Lawhead, and the like.
Books must be “clean” as defined by me (books I recommend will not include: excessive crude or foul language, bedroom scenes, spice if there’s romance, graphic violence, or LGBTQ content)
For each of the books below, if you’d like more information or something in my mini review makes you desperate to read it right now, clicking on the title will take you to the amazon page for that book. A lot of these are also in Kindle Unlimited, most of them have paperback or hardcover options, and a few are available in audio!
15
A Rose Gold Summer by Trista Shaye
This was a fun original fairy tale to listen to. I enjoyed following the adventure with Mirabel and Alexander and watching them go from kind of annoyed-at-each-other acquaintances to friends, and I appreciated that while I could potentially see the possibility of romance in their future, it's not guaranteed or even the ultimate goal of the story. It was interesting to read a fairy tale where the end relationship status was friendship.
Though the stakes were high, the tone stayed pretty light throughout. I enjoyed the world-building and the information about the fairy politics, and appreciated that it didn't get too heavy on those things, either.
I appreciated that I was sort of right about the "Stone of Endless Worth" but there was a twist I didn't see coming, as well, so I felt smart, but I was also surprised. Always a good thing in a read.
SPOILER ALERT
The only thing about the story that kind of had me scratching my head was that the stone when they found it was described as being, "As big as Alexander's torso" and then the characters are handing it back and forth and carrying it long distances and throwing it over a wall and I felt like I couldn't quite comprehend how that was possible. But that was a minor niggle in an otherwise very entertaining read.
END SPOILER
Overall, highly enjoyable. If you love old fairy tales but want a new story with that kind of feel, then you will love this one.
14
Cursed for Keeps by E.J. Kitchens
I have been so excited to read this book, and I finally got to. A mash-up fairy tale retelling that combines The Frog Prince and Snow White?!?!?
I know, that might sound weird. But Kitchens makes it work!
Duke Robert has more curses than he can count… but he doesn’t mind much, except that the latest one requires him to kiss a lady every day or spend his waking hours as a frog. That wouldn’t be so bad, except that the one girl he wants to kiss seems to hate his guts. They used to be friends, until she stopped returning his letters. Doesn’t mean he stopped writing and hoping… but he can’t deny that losing her friendship stings.
Princess Snow only bears one curse: her kisses are poison. And she’s not sure she wants to kiss Duke Robert, because he abruptly stopped writing her letters right when she most needed a friend. She’s pretty sure he can’t be trusted with her heart.
If that summary doesn’t make you want to read this story, nothing will. But I’ll give it a shot.
This book is full of really fun characters. Instead of seven dwarves, you have seven semi-absentminded enchanters, which is probably my favorite thing about the book. But Snow and Robert are wonderful, and even though I wanted to shake them at times and scream, “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!” the fact that curses come with an, “I am physically incapable of talking about my curse” clause, that helped me not be as frustrated as I usually am with plots that rely on lack of communication.
This book has all the humor you would expect from such a mash-up of tales and characters. And Robert is just such a good-natured character… like… the fact that he’s cursed only bothers him because it means he can’t be out slaying monsters, and that’s so hilariously charming.
Anyway, an all-around fun read with all the depth of character and fabulous world-building and twisty-complex plots I have come to expect from Kitchens.
13
Wishing on a Supervillain by H.L. Burke
I knew I was going to like this one. I just didn't know how much.
Switch is such a fun supervillain, and despite the often poorly timed humor that he exhibits, there's a level of serious and introspective to him that makes his arc incredibly believable.
And Nixie is just the sweetest thing ever. I love how Burke created a character who was extremely innocent (naive, the world might call her) and managed to portray that as a strength. The world needs more heroes like Nixie: strong because of their wide-eyed innocence.
Oliver is just the dearest bean. I love him to bits and want to hug him.
Another "super" fun romp through this world that I have grown to love visiting.
Favorite quote:
“This world is awful to beautiful things.”
12
Mask of Scarlet by Sarah Pennington
I just really enjoy Bastian Dennel as a character. And of course, I am pretty much guaranteed to love everything Sarah Pennington writes. So it’s no surprise this book made it onto my top favorites list.
This was such a fun take on Cinderella, a story that never gets old, and I loved reading about it from the perspective of a private investigator sent off to find the girl who disappeared from the ball! What a fun twist! It was also so fun to see Bastian getting more page-time after he was a more minor character in the previous book.
Of course, the “Families” got involved (the fae of this world) and that made everything more complicated… which also means more fun!
As one whose favorite genres are crime shows and fantasy: I love the blending of detective noir and fantasy fairy tale elements in this series.
11
Rise of the Anointed by Jason C. Joyner
When your Warrior-cats-obsesssed daughter shoves this series at you and says, "This is better than Warrior Cats" you pay attention!
I haven't read Warrior Cats, but I'm fairly certain that this series and that series have nothing in common. However, the high praise (and the fact that I loved Interstice Undone and wanted to get to know the Anointed characters better) made this the next series I picked up.
What a fun ride this trilogy was! I'm so glad my daughters encouraged me to read it. Loved watching the characters grow after all the mistakes they made in book 2. Loved the twists and turns... and so satisfied that the one big twist I THOUGHT I saw coming and HOPED was coming actually DID! (No spoilers here, but it's epic).
Beautifully written and executed, this trilogy about superpowered teens gifted with special talents by God manages to walk the line of being overtly Christian without ever once feeling preachy. The elements of faith are woven in so intricately that they never knocked me out of the story or felt out of place. Highly recommend!
10
A Bond of Ice and Sunshine by Sarah Beran
This was just beautiful. I really enjoyed how the author blended the elements of King Thrushbeard and The Snow Queen so well into one cohesive story. It was a quick, short read, but I felt like I had plenty of time to get to know the two main characters: Lizzie and Freddy, and I was rooting for both of them.
A lovely tale, perfect for curling up with a cozy blanket and a mug of something warm while snow falls outside.
Favorite quote:
“The tears of a woman are dried with a snack and her anger soothed with a soft pillow.”
9
This was a really fun listen on audio, though it did keep me up a bit late a couple nights in a row, because I was very worried about how it would all turn out.
The first half of the book is kind of reminiscent of Wall-E, but then it quickly turns into a more Terminator/I, Robot sort of story and the blend was interesting and worked well. I really cared a lot about 404, Sam, and Wes... Wes quickly became my favorite, I love him to pieces.
8
No Man Left Behind by W.R. Gingell
This book.
This series.
It was everything I needed it to be. It was everything I needed to read after the City Between series in which Athelas ripped out my heart and left it bleeding.
Athelas.
Without giving spoilers it just absolutely HEALED everything that was broken inside of me after the way City Between ended, and it was beautiful, and.... hugs it forever. It was everything I needed it to be.
And it did so very slowly. Which I also needed, though I didn't know it. You get all sorts of heartwrenching backstory, and then there's Athelas trying to be all Athelas and sneaking his way into redemption while still 100% believing that he can't be redeemed and also 100% believing that redemption isn't even worth working towards because he's so sure he can't change... and then, well... learning what redemption and forgiveness really is, and then learning that maybe he can change, and that he actually wants to, and.... oh, my heart.
If you read and were at all damaged by The City Between series… you NEED to read The Worlds Behind.
Favorite quote:
“Don’t get it wrong,” she warned him, turning back briefly. “I’m not part of your family. You’re part of mine.”
7
Up until now, Power Play was my favorite book in the SVR universe… until I read this one. Game On swooped in and stole the show.
Of course, as I’ve been reading along with the SVR since the beginning, I’ve also been begging for a next-generation story, and this one is everything I hoped it would be! I loved getting to know some of these characters as teens whom I have only known as toddlers/kids so far. I loved how the author wove in the family ties, the difficulties and thrills of feeling like you’re shouldering a legacy. This is a coming-of-age story in every best sense of the term. It’s also a bit of a sports story. And of course, it’s also a superhero story.
And it was epic!
Favorite quote:
“All those other DOSA kids, sure they might know what it takes to be a hero, but you’ve got villain blood in you too. Never underestimate what an advantage that can be.”
6
Is it a coincidence that I picked this book up to read it while at a ladies’ retreat where the topic was “Finding Your Identity in Christ”?
Probably not.
This book is kinda trippy, to be perfectly honest. In some ways, it might be a bit of a cheat to call this “fantasy” as it’s a little bit more supernatural/inspirational fiction? It would sit well alongside pretty much anything Frank Peretti writes, and he’s usually considered fantasy so I’ll allow it.
In this book, Micah, the main character, has everything he could ever want… he’s worked his way up the ladder and is the owner and CEO of a multi-gazillion dollar company… from the window, he appears to have the perfect life.
But then an uncle he didn’t know he had passes away and leaves him a brand-new, custom-built house that… has some unusual elements. For example, room appear and disappear, and each one carries a lesson of sorts. Slowly, the house forces him to face the darker parts of his past, the disappointments of his life, the dreams he abandoned, and the God he turned his back on many years ago.
I really enjoyed this book, as evidenced by the fact that it’s on this list. It was a fun read. A weird read. A thrilling, pull you in, won’t let you put it down read.
And it was made infinitely more fun because I’ve actually BEEN to Cannon Beach where the story is set.
5
Interstice Undone by Steve Rzasa, Jason C. Joyner, and J.J. Johnson
Interstice Undone is the most fun I have had while reading in a long time. An epic crossover team up, this story will knock you right into another dimension. All three authors manage to weave their characters and voices together for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. Snark, fast-paced action, and just a whole lot of fun are the order of the day in this story that you will not want to put down until you reach the very last page. An absolute blast of a read.
4
Dragons of Kellynch / Dragon Persuasion by Maria Grace
This series just continues to be delightful. I was a little more nervous going into this one, as Persuasion is my favorite Jane Austen novel, but I needn’t have worried.
This duology was such a fun take on the original, with plenty of twists and turns along the way that made the story its own unique thing. Also, when Anne and Elizabeth (from Pride and Prejudice/the first trilogy) started writing letters back and forth… well, that was unexpected and yet so very satisfying. For some reason… even though it’s technically all one series… I wasn’t expecting the first trilogy story to be woven into this next one and so I was pleasantly surprised when the two came together.
This is my audiobook series at the moment, and I’m loving the whole thing, Benjamin Fife does such a good job with the narration, and especially the dragon voices! I can definitely say that it’s one I will both re-listen to and read in paper form at some point.
3
Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick
I’ve been wanting to read this book for …. goodness, so many years! I can’t believe it took me so long to get around to it!
This adventure story is reminiscent of The Prydain Chronicles meets The Chronicles of Narnia… maybe? It’s not portal fantasy, but it feels like it. I absolutely loved this book and enjoyed all the characters. It was such a fun read.
Only disappointment is knowing the author seems to have removed this book from print, has never published book 2, and has no plans to as far as I can tell.
2
I must have highlighted half the book as I was reading, there were so many epic quotes and memorable moments in this story. Edwardson’s writing continues to take my breath away with its beauty and relatable themes.
Kion is reeling a bit from book 2 (as he definitely deserves to be… book 2 was rough on him), and this book has its own share of heart-stopping moments. But we also get to see Kion shouldering the responsibilities we’ve been hoping he would take up since book 1. And as he steps into his rightful role as a leader, he pulls others along with him as all good leaders should.
This series just continues to grow more epic, thematically deeper, and the characters are so real they step off the page. I didn’t just read this book… I lived it.
Favorite quote:
“The dragon swooped down loud as thunder and swift as lightning. Fister barely had time to think. But barely any time is more time than no time. And when you’re about to be swallowed by a dragon, barely any time can mean an awful lot.”
But seriously, I can’t pick a favorite quote, so if you want to read more snippets and get a feel for how absolutely epic this story is and how beautifully written it is… click HERE
1
The Secrets of Ormdale 5-book Series by Christina Baehr
I can’t pick just one book here for my favorite read of the year. This series just kind of swooped in out of nowhere and absolutely entranced me. It’s been a while since I plowed through a whole series in such a short time… partially because I usually end up starting series before the author is finished with them… as was technically the case with this one, but by the time I finished book 4, Christina Baehr was about to release the 5th and final book, so it worked out well.
Have you ever read a book that just felt like it was written exactly for you? Like the author looked into your heart and soul and then wrote a story tailor-made to your exact preferences and loves? That’s how I felt reading this series. I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like about the story. Everything, from the setting to the spunky protagonist, to the super sweet and squeaky clean romance threads, to the mysteries, to the DRAGONS, to the beautiful depiction of a family that has love and Christ at its heart… everything was gorgeous.
That’s not to say that it was a story that didn’t yank my heart out at times. And there’s definitely some gripping YIKES! moments. So there’s plenty of action and adventure, but in a kind of rolling moors, Dragnet meets Austen and the Bronte sisters meets How to Train Your Dragon meets The Princess Bride meets something so very unique and beautiful in this series that I know I will read over and over again.
Read my review of book one HERE
Favorite quote:
“Yesterday I had fancied myself becoming a character from a fairy tale. Now I discovered I already was one.”