The best fantasy fiction books from dragons to ghosts that can take your imagination on an epic journey

Why am I passionate about this?

Since I was a child I have viewed the world differently. I dreamed of magical worlds, and I always was curious to find answers to questions that were hard to find. When I began to question a local legend about the Lady in White, I had to know more. I spent countless days researching to find anything about this mystery lady. Unfortunately, I never did find out who the Lady in White was, but I did find information on every one of her so-called victims. With a handful of real-life events, and a lot of imagination, my Lady in White series was born. 


I wrote...

The Lady in White: Based on the Legend of

By Jodee Patel,

Book cover of The Lady in White: Based on the Legend of

What is my book about?

Based on a late 1800’s urban legend of the Lady in White, that started in the small town of Marceline, Missouri, of a ghost that is believed to have caused the death of many railroad engineers. The author takes you on a journey through the life and death of a woman who will come to be known as “The Lady in White” and the circumstances that led to the engineers’ untimely demise. Included in this book are real newspaper clippings of the victims' deaths and many other articles as well as maps of Marceline during this time period.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Eragon

Jodee Patel Why did I love this book?

After I was taken on an adventure with Eragon, I now compare all the stories I read with this book, it will be hard to find a book that can stand up to the emotions this story brought out of me. The story kept my mind captivated with every flip of a page, and I couldn’t wait to open the next book of this series once I finished.

Eragon will bring you to a world where dragons once roamed, and maybe one day where dragons may live again. If you enjoy stories about dragons, magic, battles, and where anything is possible, this is the book for you.

By Christopher Paolini,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Eragon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The first book in The Inheritance Series

When poor farm boy Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it's a lucky discovery. Perhaps, he will be able to buy his family food for the winter.

But, when a baby dragon hatches out of the stone, Eragon realises he's stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

His simple life is shattered, and he's thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. To navigate this dark terrain, and survive his cruel king's evil ways, he must take up the mantle of the…


Book cover of Took: A Ghost Story

Jodee Patel Why did I love this book?

I love stories that are based on legends, myths, and folklore. This one is the latter.

Took is the first book that opened my mind to folklore of witches and witchcraft. If finding a cabin in the woods with bones and artifacts inside didn’t bring chills down my spine, then the mysterious storyline that followed definitely did. The suspense of the book kept my mind captive till the very end!

By Mary Downing Hahn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Took as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

Thirteen year old Daniel Anderson doesn't believe Brody Mason's crazy stories about the ghost witch who lives up on Brewster's Hill with Bloody Bones, her man eating razorback hog. He figures Brody's probably just trying to scare him since he's the new kid ...a "stuck-up snot" from Connecticut. But Daniel's seven year old sister Erica has become more and more withdrawn, talking to her lookalike doll. When she disappears into the woods one day, he knows something is terribly wrong. Did the witch strike? Has Erica been "took"?


Book cover of Serafina and the Black Cloak

Jodee Patel Why did I love this book?

This story brought me back in time to 1899. It didn’t take long for me to gather emotional ties with the main character, Serafina.

She had a very hard childhood that any parent would wish they could protect their child from. I was soon thrown into magic and mystery, suspense, and intrigue. I love that this book shows that we are not all created or grow up the same way, but our differences when used together will only make us stronger.

This book had me on the edge of my seat guessing what could possibly happen next!

By Robert Beatty,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Serafina and the Black Cloak as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?



A brave and unusual girl named Serafina lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate amidst the splendor of the Gilded Age. Serafina's pa, the estate's maintenance man, has warned her to keep herself hidden from the fancy folk who live on the floors above, but when children at the estate start disappearing, Serafina and her friend Braeden Vanderbilt must work together to solve a dark and dangerous mystery. This page-turning thriller from Disney-Hyperion is a #1 New York Times Bestseller, has been on the bestsellers list for more than 50 weeks, and is already being taught in…


Book cover of The Girl from the Well

Jodee Patel Why did I love this book?

This story didn’t waste any time grabbing my attention. From page one it had me intrigued, by the middle I was captivated, and at the end I was at peace with how the story concluded.

The storyline played in my head for days to follow, but I always came back to the same conclusion. Everything in life happens for a reason, and in the end we have to look for the most sensible solution. I love that The Girl from the Well is based off of a Japanese legend.

There is something about an old legend that peaks my curiosity, as I hope it does with you.

By Rin Chupeco,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Girl from the Well as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

"[A] Stephen Kinglike horror story...A chilling, bloody ghost story that resonates."- Kirkus
From the highly acclaimed author of the Bone Witch trilogy comes a chilling story of a Japanese ghost looking for vengeance and the boy who has no choice but to trust her, lauded as a "a fantastically creepy story sure to keep readers up at night" (RT Book Reviews)
I am where dead children go.
Okiku is a lonely soul. She has wandered the world for centuries, freeing the spirits of the murdered-dead. Once a victim herself, she now takes the lives of killers with the vengeance they're…


Book cover of City of Ghosts

Jodee Patel Why did I love this book?

What could go wrong with having a best friend that is a ghost? Apparently a lot!

This story kept me guessing and wondering what could possibly happen next. This author did an amazing job at giving me a glimpse into what may be on the other side of the living, behind the veil. I felt as if I was walking right alongside Cassidy, the main character, through the book.

I really got lost in this book, and I did not want to put it down.

By Victoria Schwab,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked City of Ghosts as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't
like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates
the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits.
Her best friend is even a ghost.

So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much
stranger.

When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most
haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here,
graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless
phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift,"…


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Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

By PJ Davis,

Book cover of Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

PJ Davis

New book alert!

What is my book about?

Featured in "Best Middle Grade Fantasy Books" - Reedsy Discovery

"Fun & Fast Paced, This is Middle Grade Fantasy at its Best!" — Shaun Stevenson

"If you know any middle-grade readers who enjoy science fiction/fantasy with a mix of action, danger, and humor - recommend this book to them, or just go ahead and give them a copy." — The Fairview Review

“With elements of adventure, exploration, other worlds, and fantastical science, Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time is an exciting middle-grade novel with plenty of suspense… Behind the adventure are important messages about believing in oneself and finding inner strength.” — The Children's Book Review

"The plot of Nemesis and The Vault of Lost Time is a tapestry of surprises characterized by its unforeseen twists and turns. It’s this element of suspense that grips the readers, while the vivid descriptions create immersive visual experiences. Beyond its adventurous core, this mystery novel delves into themes of friendship and the nuanced dynamics of father-son relationships, offering a multi-layered reading experience." — The Literary Titan

Nemesis and the Vault of Lost Time

By PJ Davis,

What is this book about?

Thirteen-year-old Max is a daydreamer. It gets him into trouble at school, but his restless curiosity really turns problematic when he runs into a mysterious professor at his uncle's bookstore.

The old man informs Max that time is being sucked out of the planet by invisible bandits, stolen from unsuspecting people one breath and one sneeze at a time, and is being stored in a central vault. Once full, the vault will fuel a hungry horde of invaders looking to cross into earth, and cross out all its people.

What's more, the professor claims he knew Max's missing scientist father.…


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