Supernatural YA Fiction

Magical Realism in Young Adult Fiction
Do you enjoy leaving your world to inhabit a world of wonders, where magical powers exist and battles between good and evil are constantly being fought? Do you love the idea that magic exists in the modern world, but mostly without dragons, elves, and orcs? If so, you should check these authors out!!! 
All of these books contain the element of magical realism, which basically means that magic and the supernatural are a normal part of the world of the characters, whether the world created is just like the modern world or is something close to it. Usually, at least concerning young adult fiction, magical realism is considered to be a subset of fantasy fiction; however, there are elements of magical realism that set it clearly apart from fantasy fiction.  One is the idea readers and characters can find magic in the natural, modern world. Another is that mysteries exist in everyday things and in the lives of everyday people.  Characters in this genre are meant to be ordinary people who find deeper meaning in the mundane, realistic settings in which they live.  If you are confused about what you should read if you like books about magic, but not really dragons, check out PETA's blog HERE! She does a GREAT job of explaining the origins of the genre!   
To see more about the authors, their websites and their other works or movies (!), click on the links at the top of the page or by using the 'More...' sidebar to the right.  For yet more recommendations OR a way to search for other books like your favorites, try going to http://www.tastekid.com/.com, http://www.goodreads.com/, or http://www.teenreads.com/

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

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Pretty much everyone on the planet has at least heard of the Harry Potter series!  The Sorcerer's Stone begins the journey of Harry Potter, the young wizard who enters Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with almost no knowledge of his past or his talents, but with the heavy burden of fame upon him.  He must learn his craft, make friends, and learn about his family history, all at the same time as finding the solution to a mystery!  This page turner will lead you on a merry journey you won't want to miss!

       If you like the Harry Potter series, try these: Ursula LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea, William Golden's The Princess Bride, J.R.R.Tolkein's The Hobbit  and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

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Clary Fray has a problem; well, really more than ONE problem.  Her first, smaller problem is that she witnessed a murder. Her second, rather BIGGER problem is that she is the only one who seems to be able to see the murderers!  Oh, and by the way, there IS no body.  It vanished.  What could be worse?  Try the existence of 'Shadowhunters,' demons, werewolves, and vampires, her mother disappearing, her newfound knowledge of the Sight...

  If you liked City of Bones, you HAVE to finish the series by reading City of Ashes and City of Glass!  Then you can move on to Clockwork Angel.  After that, try the Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz or the Immortals Series by Alyson Noel!

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld

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Bixby, Oklahoma at night is NOT the town it is during the day.  For one secret hour beginning at midnight, this town belongs to the creatures that rule the dark.  Most of Bixby's inhabitants are frozen for that magical hour when the darkness rules.  Jessica Day, new arrival, finds that she is one of a very special group of individuals called 'Midnighters', who are free to move during the 'frozen hour'. Most of the time, the Midnighters enjoy the freedom and easily avoid the dark creatures.  The problem is, Jessica attracts them.  They want her...but why?

    If you liked The Secret Hour, continue reading the series, or pick up The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare!  The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins is great, too!

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

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At the age of sixteen, Gemma Doyle feels utterly lost.  Her mother has sent her away and has died under mysterious circumstances, and she is stuck at a finishing school near London called Spence Academy for Young Ladies. What's more, she has visions that have a eerie tendency to come true, and a mysterious young man seems to be stalking her!  As Gemma makes powerful new friends at the Academy, she learns of the Order, her own innate powers, and the unusual role she is meant to play in Victorian society.

 If you liked A Great and Terrible Beauty, you should definitely finish the series by reading Rebel Angels and A Sweet Far Thing!  Next, try The Year of Secret Assignments, by Jaclyn Moriarty, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Graceling by Kristin Cashore, or Pretties by Scott Westerfeld.

Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce

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Aly, daughter of the famous woman-knight Alanna the Lioness, wants to be a spy.  She has everything required for the job, too - she has intelligence, magical talent, an adventurous spirit, not to mention a lifetime's worth of advice and knowledge passed down to her by her father.  Unfortunately, her adventurous spirit gets her captured by pirates and sold as a slave to the family of an outcast lord.  Can Aly be a spy, a friend, a mentor, AND  serve a capricious god well enough to earn her freedom?  Find out!


    If you liked Trickster's Choice, try the sequel, Trickster's Queen or any of the other Tamora Pierce books!!!  You could also pick up: The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray, or Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley

Evermore by Alyson Noel

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Ever has lost everything.  Her parents, her sister, her dog, her LIFE.  Just when she thought the pain was over, she woke up.  Suddenly and quite confusingly, Ever has a new life, a new school, new friends, and new talents that she wished would go away.  She can see the auras of all those around her and hear their thoughts. She hates it, until Damen Auguste shows up.  Damen, the mysterious, handsome new student, makes her feel at peace instead of like a freak.  The problem is, he is a little freaky himself.  Despite her misgivings about him, Ever is more and more drawn to him - but can she really allow herself to fall in love?

    If you liked Evermore, try the House of Night Series by Kristin and P.C. Cast, The Evernight Series by Claudia Grey, The Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong, Bury Me Deep by Christopher Pike, Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult, or finish off the story of Ever in the rest of the Immortals Series by Alyson Noel.

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

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Tamsin is a daughter of a magical family without any magic!  She was supposed to be the daughter with the greatest Talent, but at the age of 17, she is Talentless and frustrated.  One night, while working at her family's bookstore/magic shop, Tamsin encounters a handsome young professor she can't help but try to impress by pretending to be her VERY Talented older sister Rowena.  This little fib leads Tamsin on a sinister journey through time to save her sister, herself, and ultimately her entire family.

If you liked Once a Witch, read Always a Witch, or you might pick up: Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty, City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, Magic Can Be Murder by Vivian Vande Velde, or The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong.

Legacies by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill

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Spirit White is an orphan.  Apparently, a magical one, to boot.  After the tragic deaths of her parents and baby sister, Spirit finds herself suddenly a student/permanent resident of Oakhurst Academy along with other magical 'legacies'.  Not only has her life changed dramatically, Oakhurst itself proves to be dramatic, as well.  The puzzling disappearances of fellow students have Spirit and her new friends trying desperately to learn their magical skills, solve the mysteries of the school, and stay alive in the process!

    If you liked Legacies, read Conspiracies, which is the next in the series, or try: My Way to Hell, by Dakota Cassidy, The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, or A Demon Day, by Penelope Fletcher.

Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey

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Sadima lives in a world where magic is feared, and her gifts with animals are bound to get her into trouble.  Desperate to find a place where she can fit in, she joins Somiss and Franklin, a wealthy nobleman and his servant, in an attempt to recover lost magical knowledge.  Centuries later, Hahp, the second son of a merchant, is placed in a magical academy that is not what it seems.  Hahp and his roommate Gerrard must survive the trials that await them in order to become wizards.  Even though Sadima and Hahp's worlds are separated by generations, their stories intertwine in unexpected ways.

    If you liked Skin Hunger, read the sequel, Sacred Scars.  After that, try The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan or Ursula LeGuin's Earthsea Series!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

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Katsa is a Graceling.  She is blessed with bi-colored eyes and a powerful skill - killing. Her uncle, King Randa, uses her as his hired thug. Though Katsa is generally obedient, she finds ways to do what heart says she should do instead.  Her whole life changes when she meets the Graced Prince Po, and they embark on a journey of mystery, adventure, rescue, self-discovery, and love.


    If you liked Graceling, finish the series by reading Fire, and then Bitterblue. Then try the Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray, The Mediator Series by  Meg Cabot, The Immortals Series by Alyson Noel, The Darkest Powers Series by Kelley Armstrong, or the Poison Study Series by Maria V. Snyder.