Winter Reading Picks, 2023: Top 11 Novels (Middle-Grade, Teen & Adult)
TLDR:
★★★★★ "Cleo McCarthy Time Travel and Other Impossible Things", by Michael Poeltl
★★★★★ "Journey to Jumbalot", by Ryan Wakefield
★★★★★ Seven Sisters of Avalon, "Book 7: Jasmine of Avalon" & the finale, "Book 8: Violet of Avalon", by Katrina Rasbold.
★★★★★ "Emma’s Dragon, Book 2: London and Pemberley", by M. Verant
★★★★★ "The Between State", by Joseph A White Jr
★★★★★ "Wilde Grove: Golden Heart", by Katherine Genet
★★★★★ "The Other AJ Hartford", by Addison Michael
★★★★★ "The Byways: A Novel", by Mary Pascual
★★★★★ "A Gift of Leaf", by H.A. May
Best four-star reads of the year; for when you run out of other novels:
★★★★ "Follow the Shadows: The Tales of Moerden Book 1", by Rosemary Drisdelle
★★★★ "The Possibilities", by Yael Goldstein-Love
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★★★★★ "Cleo McCarthy Time Travel and Other Impossible Things", by Michael Poeltl
"Poeltl's ability to weave romance, mystery, and pure science fiction-based subplots into one riveting adventure is what makes Cleo McCarthy: Time Travel And Other Impossible Things a one-of-a-kind reading experience." - Readers' Favorite 5-star review
The first time Cleo feared for her life was when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 23.
The second time is when she discovered she could travel back in time at 24.
While she is offered guidance from fellow time traveler Franklin, she is plagued by a fragmented message transmitted through white noise. Cleo’s best friend Bobby, a physicist, is recruited to help her and Franklin make sense of what’s happening, but despite their successes, Cleo’s constant jumping backward in time delays their progress.
Once the message is received in its entirety – and more than one harsh realization is discovered - the three friends race against time to right the wrongs disclosed in the cryptic message. But one of these friends is not like the others, offering an additional obstacle to an already impossible situation.
Burdened with an unlimited number of do-overs, Cleo McCarthy finds herself asking, how much time is enough?
Unlike some of the time travel novels coming out in recent years, this one goes a bit differently than expected, and that's a good thing.
The writing style lacks all pretentiousness, by drawing you immediately into the story. You keep guessing, and your attention is held. The characters have their own distinct personalities and motivations. Isn't it amazing how many novels in the past few years can't accomplish these simple things? If a time-travel junkie like me, or even if only slightly interested in the subject, definitely add this one to your reading list.
Another thing that's uncommon, is doing romance right in novels; avoiding that tired old instalove trope. And this novel nails it.
There's one part near the end that's just... Multi-dimensionaly beautiful. I won't spoil you any more than that.
Buy it at Kobo
Buy it at Amazon
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(I'm including some books in here which are from previous years, yet which were only put on Netgalley for Advance Reader Copy [aka: ARC] reviews this year.)
★★★★★ "Journey to Jumbalot", by Ryan Wakefield
A glowing doorway. A lost friend. Will one loyal pet turn out to be the hero of the hour?
Alby the housecat has no desire for adventure. Rescued by the kindly Professor Wizoom, he’s grateful to be safe and lazy. But when his master vanishes through a magical door, the scaredy cat summons what little courage he has and races in after him.
Stuck in a strange land of mixed-together animals, Alby teams up with an irritating froguar to locate his missing owner. But when he’s mistaken for a spy, the lonely cat finds himself caught in a war between wolvaraptor pirates and noble tigeroon knights!
Can the timid feline conquer his worries in time to save the day?
Journey to Jumbalot is an award-winning, action-packed middle grade fantasy novel. If you like talking animals, daring deeds, and enchanted worlds, then you’ll love Ryan Wakefield’s illustrated quest.
Buy Journey to Jumbalot to learn to be brave today!
Amazon, ★★★★★
GoodReads, ★★★★★
Kids’ BookBuzz, ★★★★★
Readers’ Favorite, ★★★★★
2022 Readers' Favorite International Book Award: Gold Medal for Children's Preteen Fantasy
2021 Royal Palm Literary Award Competition: Gold Award for Published Fantasy
Mom's Choice Awards: Gold Recipient for Excellence in Family-friendly Media, Products, and Services
Global Book Awards: Silver Medal for Children's Action and Adventure Category
I enjoyed this charming middle-grade / all ages fantasy adventure which is filled with strange and interesting creatures, and has just enough whimsy. The weird characters in this new world were inventive mixes of real animals. The technology is cool too.
This book is good enough that if there's a sequel, I'll read it even if I don't get an ARC.
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Seven Sisters of Avalon has been a favoured series of mine since it begun. Though it's always best to start with book one of a series, as nuance will be lost, I feel these can also be enjoyed as stand-alone novels.
This series, while not gratuitous, is for adults only.
★★★★★ Jasmine of Avalon & the finale, Violet of Avalon, by Katrina Rasbold.
The seventh book in the Seven Sisters of Avalon series follows Jasmine, the priestess who sees no distinction between magic - the world into which she was born - and her lifelong passion of science and anatomy. Sent to Dumnonia to marry the warrior king, Bledric, Jasmine’s journey takes one startling turn after another as she navigates the complicated relationships within her new family, both married and chosen. As with all the books in this series, Jasmine’s story includes elements of one of our favorite classic tales woven into the fabric of post-Arthurian historical lore, leading us solidly into book eight’s dynamic conclusion of this incredible saga.
In this, the cataclysmic finale of the Seven Sisters of Avalon series, we follow the compelling story of a woman confined to a tower prison at the mercy of a king who might be serial murderer.
To establish her value and attempt to delay her impending death, our heroine enchants the king with compelling and seemingly fantastical tales that he finds just might be true. With elements of the classic tales of Rapunzel, Bluebeard, & Scheherazade, Violet of Avalon takes us on a fast-paced journey that ultimately leads us back to Avalon and to the startling conclusion of this incredible series.
As a bonus for fans of the Seven Sisters of Avalon series, this book contains additional information about the previous stories you read and loved to add a new layer of insight about the first seven books.
This book contains spoiler information about vital plotlines of the first seven books. Although the other books in the series work well as stand-alone stories, the author and publisher recommend reading Violet of Avalon after completing the first seven books.
Seven Sisters of Avalon book series (in reading order):
The Daughters of Avalon
Rose of Avalon
Aster of Avalon
Iris of Avalon
Lily of Avalon
Dahlia of Avalon
Jasmine of Avalon
Violet of Avalon
This series follows the stories of the royal family of Avalon, starting with The Daughters of Avalon and continuing with each of the seven priestesses and their individual stories as, under the instruction of the Druid and Elder Priestesses of Avalon, they go into the Britain Beyond Avalon to negotiate with the leaders of seven different kingdoms to ensure the safety of Goddess worshipping people in Britain.
Each book draws on post-Arthurian fictional canon as well as classic fairy tales and popular fiction, including elements of Snow White, Robin Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, Mulan, Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, The Pied Piper, Frankenstein, Bluebeard, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast.
The Daughters of Avalon sets up the series, introducing Lilian, the Lady of the Lake, and Brannon, the Merlin Reborn. Their epic love story sets the stage for the adventures of their seven daughters, presented over the course of the next seven books.
It's difficult to put into words how enthralling this series was. I was hooked from book one, and deeply invested. I've read many series' incorporating Avalon, yet this is my favourite. Yes, it's better than Marion Zimmer Bradleys Avalon series, (and not just because of the controversy surrounding her.) This series kept me guessing, and like a heroin addict, wishing that other pagan novels I tried to read or re-read, could be as great. Here's an author to keep an eye out for.
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★★★★★ Emma’s Dragon, Book 2: London and Pemberley, by M. Verant
This book is great as a stand-alone, or after having read the first.
Emma Woodhouse needs a dragon. Her life depends on it. But Emma’s dragon is claimed… by Elizabeth Darcy.
When Emma Woodhouse meets newly wed Elizabeth, a brush of their gloved hands unmasks the Darcys’ fantastic secret. Emma has discovered Yuánchi, the deadly dragon coveted by both Emperor Napoleon and England’s Secretary of War.
Luckily, secrets are nothing new for Emma. She has her own: a deathbed promise, and a clever plan to achieve it. The Darcys’ power, forbidden to her, might even help.
But clever plans can go astray. As treason stalks a royal ball, an avenging queen rises to ravage England. Survival rests on a fabled alliance: Emma and her secrets, Elizabeth and her dragon, and the magical music of Mary Bennet and Georgiana Darcy.
Will Emma, Elizabeth, and Mary unravel the mystery of the great wyves in time to save England and themselves?
Emma’s Dragon is the second book in the award-winning Jane Austen Fantasy series. This boldly original story is filled with magical dragons, strong heroines, and a brilliantly reimagined Regency that challenges barriers of class, race, and love.
Don’t miss this thrilling, romantic fantasy!
As with book 1, these retellings of "Pride and Prejudice", and "Emma" with dragons are actually improvements on the classics. It's better than the other regency or victorian romances which incorporate dragons or other fantasy elements. A few surprisingly nice moments were Elizabeth and Darcy handfasting; loving the pagan vibe, plus the hint of romance developing between two who you wouldn't expect. Filled with thrills, mystery, whimsy and, of course, romance, it makes me highly anticipate the next in the series.
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★★★★★ The Between State, by Joseph A White Jr
When Jeff, a computer software professional, repeatedly awakes inside realistic dreams in which he's inside the mind of a young woman, he struggles to find a rational explanation. The woman, he discovers, is real, and he becomes an unwilling time traveler periodically thrust two years into his past, where he experiences her life through her senses. An expert logician, he battles with the limitations of logic in his efforts to uncover the explanation for why he has become immersed in this new, supranatural world. Does he have a role to play in helping this woman escape her troubled past and move towards a future of serenity and hope?
I couldn't put this book down. It ends with one question still unanswered, yet ends satisfyingly. Maybe there will be a sequel, but even if there isn't, I would consider buying other subsequent books by this author.
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★★★★★ Wilde Grove: Golden Heart, by Katherine Genet
A new wind is blowing. Selena makes the decision to take Rue to Wilde Grove, to get to the heart of her dreaming, for it is certain that Rue has lived before as a priestess of Wilde Grove. But what is the lesson Rue needs to learn? With Morghan giving Rue a crash course in walking between the worlds, the story behind Rue's dreaming cannot remain a mystery for long. She will walk the same paths she did long ago, in another skin, and find out exactly what Bryn, one of the first priestesses of the Forest Grove wants from her. Back in New Zealand, a loss is suffered, and a shock, one that brings Selena straight back home, for someone is screaming out to Clover from the spirit world for help that the child is too young and frightened to give.
Here's another Pagan novel series to really get into, which can be enjoyed as a standalone novel, yet is better when reading the series in order. Here's where it begins, and here's where it continues, leading to Golden Heart.
This series starts during the first year of covid (I know, I know, annoying, yet bear with me), and is a modern tale of an English village, and the relationships between the Christians and the Pagans. The characters are realisticly multi-faceted, and the stories of spirituality, mystery, healing and love are enthralling. There is none of that nonsense in many books where all of one side, or all of the other, are unrealistically painted as evil.
Then there's a prequel series, where we can see characters who were only mentioned, some of the original characters at younger ages, and new young people are added to the mix. There are several mature themes related to various forms abuse, and though not gratuitous, I recommend this series for teens and above.
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★★★★★ The Other AJ Hartford, by Addison Michael
A phantom on a train. A mysterious kidnapping long ago. Can she connect the dots before all her futures disappear forever?
AJ Hartford is content. With both a teaching job and a teenage daughter she adores, the thirty-something divorcée has settled away from high drama and into wonderfully normal happiness. But her ordinary days turn upside down when she’s chased by a sinister stranger… and runs into a ghostly version of herself.
Learning her doppelgänger is from another universe where she was murdered in the future, the sentimental mother panics when she discovers it triggered a lethal domino effect. And if she can’t save her uncanny visitor from being killed in yet another dimension, all the AJs who ever were and their families will be permanently erased from existence.
With the lives of herself and her beloved child on the line, can she escape into a second reality and rescue the past?
The Other AJ Hartford is an action-packed multidimensional science fiction thriller. If you like good-hearted heroines, ghostly phenomena, and nail-biting high stakes, then you’ll love Addison Michael’s mind-blowing adventure.
An entertaining time travel novel that held my attention. I liked how the romance actually adds to the story. Many novels these days, including both those for teens and those for adults, are falsely advertised as being thrillers or sci-fi, when really they are only romance novels with a bit more (too little) of real subtance added in.
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★★★★★ The Byways: A Novel, by Mary Pascual
Neurodivergent high school student CeeCee Harper has a temper and a reputation for trouble. Angry at the rumors and afraid she’ll never fit in, she makes a wrong move—and lands in the byways, a world of alleys, magic, and forgotten people . . . some that aren’t even human. And if she doesn’t escape quickly, CeeCee learns, she’ll be trapped for good.
Searching for a way out, she gets lost among monsters, drug pushers, the homeless, and political upheaval, and soon finds there are those who will stop at nothing to keep her from leaving. But the byways pull people in for a reason. CeeCee must figure out why she got stuck in the first place—before her loved ones are put in danger and she loses them forever.
A dark retelling of Alice in Wonderland meets Neverwhere , this contemporary fantasy will enchant Neil Gaiman and Christina Henry fans.
A solid fantasy adventure with a bit of thriller and a bit of whimsy. If there's a sequel, I'll read it.
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★★★★★ A Gift of Leaf (Chronicles of Leaf #1), by H.A. May
Jinny Morai, is a foundling, wrenched from her foster parents as a young child to slave in the darkness of the Library caves of the Holtanbore, the black labyrinth under the Royal Great Tree. Every night she has a strange mental visitor who begs incessantly.
One day Jinny discovers two stones, catalysts which change her life completely. One, a broken amulet hidden in a nest of leaves is much too pretty to throw away, the other, a mailed egg, is much too strange.
Incredibly, a baby dragon is hatched from the strange egg. Because of this, Jinny sees daylight for the first time accompanied by Quaryk, a young Mage, who takes her up to the Bole to meet the Triad of Mages there. While her dragon, Sprout, is growing up, they live with Quaryk’s family.
A year later, summoned by the Three, she returns to the bole and is raised to Magehood. There she is visited by the Woodspirit who identifies her as the one who may find the missing half of the amulet. But Jinny is anxious - as just a foundling and ex-slave, how can she find the lost half of the stone?And how can she rid Leaf of threat of the Necromancer, Dark Mage, and monster who wiped out the race of dragons long ago?
Finally meeting her long-lost foster family, she finds the courage to make a decision. But is she up to the task of finding the only hope, the missing half of the stone, which will restore the Talisman, the most powerful amulet known on Leaf?
And, more importantly, who is Jinny Morai, exactly?
I really enjoyed this whimsical middle-grade / teen novel. The relationship between Jinny and Sprout is really cute, and I'm curious to see what happens next in this adventure story.
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Best four-star reads of the year; for when you run out of other novels:
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★★★★ Follow the Shadows: The Tales of Moerden Book 1, by Rosemary Drisdelle
When Marise Leeson gets her hands on a crystal ball, she believes her knowledge of Wicca is about to expand. The magic, however, goes horribly wrong. In short order, she’s thrown into an alternate world, attacked by a dragon, and rescued by Javeer, a young male dragon in search of a friend.
Marise is desperate to get home alive. Instead of dabbling in scrying and spells, she must now use her Wicca skills to survive in Moerden―navigating rival dragon factions, riding Javeer without falling, and dodging unknown perils of an alien landscape. Through a series of adventures and mishaps, she learns that the dragons face slow extinction from a mysterious disease. Some see Marise as part of the cause. Some hope she’s a key to a cure.
Marise grows up fast as her focus switches from escape from Moerden to saving the dragons. She draws upon her powers, intuition, and some help from home as she and Javeer begin a quest to solve the puzzle of the stagger. If they survive, and if their trust and courage are strong, they may succeed. If they do not, the dragons of Moerden will cease to exist.
At first, the protagonist bothered me as some of her behaviour, as a teen, seemed immature. Yet there is character growth.
The dragons seem to have more distinct characterization than Marise, yet that didn't bother me much.
One of the things I really enjoyed were the funny, endearing parts between Marise and Javeer, including after they find out...well, you'll see ;). What she does for him is great. I also enjoyed how this is a story about a human helping sick dragons, and that the way the dragons and humans communicate is unusual.
Overall, this fantasy adventure novel held my attention, so whether or not I'm able to get an ARC, I'll read the sequel.
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★★★★ The Possibilities, by Yael Goldstein-Love
A new mother ventures into parallel worlds to find her missing child in this mind-bending novel that turns the joys and anxieties of parenthood into an epic quest.
"A bravura, unforgettable performance."--Namwali Serpell, author of The Furrows
What if the life you didn't live was as real as the one you did?
Hannah is having a bad day. A bad month. A bad year? That feels terrible to admit, since her son Jack was born just eight months ago and she loves him more than anything. But ever since his harrowing birth, she can't shake the feeling that it could have gone the other way. That her baby might not have made it. Terrifying visions of the different paths her life could have taken begin to disrupt her cozy, claustrophobic days with Jack, destabilizing her marriage and making her husband concerned for her mental health. Are the strange things Hannah is seeing just new-mom anxiety, or is something truly weird and sinister afoot? What if Hannah really did unlock a dark force during childbirth?
When Hannah's worst nightmare comes true and Jack disappears from his crib, she must tap into an extraordinary ability she never knew she had in order to save him: She must enter different versions of her life while holding on to what is most important to her in this one to bring her child back home.
From the intimate joys of parenthood to the cosmic awe of the multiverse, The Possibilities is an ingenious and wildly suspenseful novel that stares down into the dizzying depths of maternal love, vulnerability, and strength. I couldn't put this multiple universes novel down; it kept my attention throughout.
The only thing I would have wanted different, was how it was all resolved so quickly, with little to no explanation, and with...Well, I won't spoil you.
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