We’re partway through summer break and everyone is probably starting to get a little antsy, looking for new things to do, new ways to bide their time, and we all could use a little bit of an escape. To help with that escape, we’ve curated an exciting mid-summer reading list. Read one, read them all! And brownie points go to the person who sees the common theme running throughout our choices this season. Happy reading!
Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater
It's been years since Merida of DunBroch broke the spell she accidentally placed on her mother, Queen Elinor, and the family's reign has been peaceful ever since. Maybe too peaceful, Merida thinks; she dreams of adventure instead of all this sameness. But when her discontent manifests Feradach, a supernatural creature that roots out stagnation — at any price — only an intervention by another fearsome entity, Cailleach, saves DunBroch... for now. Merida has four seasons to convince her family to change or the kingdom will be destroyed. To save everything she loves, Merida takes her family on epic journeys to inspire them — but perhaps she herself needs to change too. This compelling young adult sequel to the hit movie Brave, written by a critically acclaimed author, follows an older Merida as she has four seasons to save DunBroch — or see it destroyed forever.
Wizards Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher
Fourteen-year-old Mona isn't like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can't control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt's bakery making gingerbread men dance.
But Mona's life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona's city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. In an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona's worries.
Queen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
When her sister seizes the throne, Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island off the coast of her kingdom, where the nuns of the convent spend their days peacefully praying, sewing, and gardening. But the island is also home to Margaret, a mysterious young orphan girl whose life is upturned when the cold, regal stranger arrives. As Margaret grows closer to Eleanor, she grapples with the revelation of the island’s sinister true purpose as well as the truth of her own past. When Eleanor’s life is threatened, Margaret is faced with a perilous choice between helping Eleanor and protecting herself and her island family. In a graphic novel of fictionalized history, Dylan Meconis paints Margaret’s world in soft greens, grays, and reds, transporting readers to a quiet, windswept island at the heart of a treasonous royal plot.
Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
The witches of Discworld usually don't get involved in royal intrigues... but sometimes, you don't have a choice! Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, and Magrat Garlick get forced to take action when the king of Lancre is murdered by his cousin Felmet, and the King's crown — and infant child — are dropped at their feet. Their plan is to hide Tomjon until he comes of age, but it soon becomes obvious that Felmet's rule will do nothing but damage. Fortunately, the witches have a few spells up their sleeve that might just help the right man end up on the throne. This hilarious novel, which parodies multiple beloved Shakespeare plays, will delight readers with its twists and turns.
Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard
Corayne an-Amarat has spent her life overprotected and hidden away in a small town by the sea — but all that changes when danger threatens the land of Allward. Corayne soon discovers that she is the last of an ancient lineage, a descendant of humans who came from another realm. Together with a group of unusual companions — some human, some immortal — she will play a critical role in preventing a wizard and a thief from tearing a passage between the worlds... one which could destroy them all. Full of action and magic, this exciting series opener from the best-selling author of the Red Queenseries is packed with epic adventure and shocking twists and turns that will leave readers eager for the next volume.
Jo & Laurie by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz
It's 1869, and Jo March's first novel has become an unexpected best-seller... which means she's feeling the pressure for a sequel from both her publisher and her readers. Her first stories were inspired by real life, but she can't base a novel on things that haven't happened yet! A New York trip provides inspiration and an unexpected marriage proposal from Laurie; while Jo has feelings for him too, she wants to be independent. But when Laurie returns from college with a new girlfriend, Jo faces a lifetime without the person she loves... unless she can find a way to tell him how she really feels. Based in part on Louisa May Alcott's life and letters, this is a charming and romantic retelling of an American classic.
Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Pamela Smith Hill
Hidden away since the 1930s, Laura Ingalls Wilder's never-before-published autobiography reveals the true stories of her pioneering life. Some of her experiences will be familiar; some will be a surprise. Pioneer Girl re-introduces readers to the woman who defined the pioneer experience for millions of people around the world.
Through her recollections, Wilder details the Ingalls family s journey from Kansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, back to Minnesota, and on to Dakota Territory sixteen years of travels, unforgettable stories, and the everyday people who became immortal through her fiction. Using additional manuscripts, diaries, and letters, Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography builds on Wilder's work by adding valuable context and explores her growth as a writer.
Author of an award-winning Laura Ingalls Wilder biography, editor Pamela Smith Hill offers new insights into Wilder's life and times. In an introduction, Hill illuminates Wilder's writing career and the dynamic relationship between the budding novelist and her daughter and editor, Rose Wilder Lane. Sharing the story of Wilder's original manuscript, Hill discusses the catalysts for Pioneer Girl and the process through which Wilder's story turned from an unpublished memoir into the national phenomenon of the Little House series.
Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography also explores the history of the frontier that the Ingalls family traversed and the culture and life of the communities Wilder lived in. This groundbreaking volume develops a fuller picture of Wilder's life and times for the millions of readers who wish to learn more about this important American author. It contains one hundred and twenty-five images, eight fully researched maps, and hundreds of annotations based on numerous primary sources, including census data, county, state, and federal records, and newspapers of the period.
The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu
Two siblings. Two brilliant talents. But only one Mozart. Born with a gift for music, Nannerl Mozart has just one wish--to be remembered forever. But even as she delights audiences with her masterful playing, she has little hope she'll ever become the acclaimed composer she longs to be. She is a young woman in 18th century Europe, and that means composing is forbidden to her. She will perform only until she reaches a marriageable age--her tyrannical father has made that much clear. And as Nannerl's hope grows dimmer with each passing year, the talents of her beloved younger brother, Wolfgang, only seem to shine brighter. His brilliance begins to eclipse her own, until one day a mysterious stranger from a magical land appears with an irresistible offer. He has the power to make her wish come true--but his help may cost her everything. In her first work of historical fiction, #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu spins a lush, lyrically-told story of music, magic, and the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
Beauty dislikes her nickname: she feels far more awkward than her lovely and mature older sisters. Instead, she takes pride in her intelligence and love of learning. When her father returns from a trip with the news of the terrible promise he made to the Beast, Beauty doesn’t hesitate: “Cannot a Beast be tamed?” she asks. She and the Beast gradually become closer, bonding over their love of literature, and when the moment comes that she realizes her feelings for him are love, it’s not just the Beast who will be transformed. This intriguing reimagination of the classic fairy tale by beloved author Robin McKinley has delighted readers for decades.
Hamilton and Peggy: A Revolutionary Friendship by L.M. Elliott
Drawing from historical journals and letters, New York Times bestselling author Laura Elliot weaves a richly detailed tale about the extraordinary Peggy Schuyler and her revolutionary friendship with Alexander Hamilton. Perfect for fans of the smash musical sensation Hamilton.
Peggy Schuyler has always felt like she’s existed in the shadows of her beloved sisters: the fiery, intelligent Angelica and beautiful, sweet Eliza. But it’s in the throes of a chaotic war that Peggy finds herself a central figure amid Loyalists and Patriots, spies and traitors, friends and family.
When a flirtatious aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton, writes to Peggy asking for her help in wooing the earnest Eliza, Peggy finds herself unable to deny such an impassioned plea. A fast friendship forms between the two, but Alexander is caught in the same war as her father, and the danger to all their lives is real.
Everything is a battlefield—from the frontlines to their carefully coded letters—but will Peggy’s bravery and intelligence be enough to keep them all safe?