Reading lists - Olympics

It's almost time for the 2012 London Olympics (July 27 to August 12)! Here's a list of books to read to get us all in the Olympic spirit. Don't forget that we have biographies of many athletes available too, as well as more extensive books about individual sports.

Fiction

Biting the Apple by Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Eve Glass was once an Olympic sprinter and now a motivational speaker. The problem is, her own endurance is waning and her confidence in her expertise on grace is paling. Even worse, her kleptomaniac tendencies are intensifying, and a friend from her childhood has begun stalking her. Glass, a product of other people's dreams her entire life, is now a woman in search of authenticity. (F Ble)

Bliss, Remembered by Frank Deford

Now an elderly woman, Sydney Stringfellow recounts for her son her experiences as a swimmer at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where she had an unforgettable and forbidden love affair with the son of a Nazi diplomat. (F Def)

Flight from Berlin by David John

As Berlin welcomes the world to the Summer Olympic Games in 1936, British journalist Richard Denham and American reporter Eleanor Emerson are drawn into a deadly game involving the Gestapo and the British Secret Intelligence Service. (F Joh)

The Games by Ted Kosmatka

Silas Williams is the brilliant geneticist in charge of preparing the U.S. entry into the Olympic Gladiator competition, an internationally sanctioned bloodsport with only one rule: no human DNA is permitted in the design of the entrants. As his fast-growing gladiator demonstrates preternatural strength, speed, and—most disquietingly—intelligence, Silas and Vidonia find their scientific curiosity giving way to a most unexpected emotion: sheer terror. (F Kos)

Garden of Beasts by Jeffery Deaver

Reputed for his vow to take only morally righteous assignments in 1936 New York City, a German-American hit man is forced by the government to pose as an Olympic contender and kill a member of Hitler's regime. (F Dea)

Gold by Chris Cleave

Kate and Zoe have been friends since they met training for track cycling at the age of 19. Now, at 32, they are facing their last and biggest race—the 2012 Olympics. Kate is the more naturally gifted, but her daughter is fighting leukemia, and she has to balance that with her intense training. Zoe has a compulsive need to win at any cost, and her obsession may threaten her relationship with Kate. (F Cle)

The Long Journey Home by Don Coldsmith

A Native American track star training for the Olympics in the early part of the 1900s meets 1912 gold medal winner Jim Thorpe and Bill Pickett, the black cowboy who invented steer wrestling. (F Col)

No Mark upon Her by Deborah Crombie

When an Olympic rowing hopeful and a detective with the Met is found dead in the Thames, Scotland Yard Superintendent Duncan Kincaid, along with his wife and his team, is submerged in a complex case involving political and ethical issues that put both his career and reputation on the line. (F Cro)

Once a Runner by John L. Parker

Distance runner Quenton Cassidy is suspended from the track team for his involvement in an athlete protest and risks his future prospects to train on a monastic retreat with an Olympic medalist. (F Par)

Private Games by James Patterson

Private, the world's most renowned investigation firm, has been commissioned to provide security for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The opening ceremony is still hours away when Private investigator Nigel Steele is called to the scene of a ruthless murder. Newspaper reporter Karen Pope receives a letter from a person who calls himself Cronus claiming responsibility. Karen hires Private to examine the letter, and she and Nigel uncover a criminal genius who won't stop until he's ended the games for good. (F Pat)

See How They Run by James Patterson

A long-germinating plot for revenge, first conceived in the extermination camps of Nazi Germany, erupts in full force during the 1980 Olympics in Moscow when a group of terrorists delivers a shocking ultimatum. (F Pat)

Swift Edge by Laura DiSilverio

Hired by a world-class figure skater to find her missing pairs partner in time for the upcoming Olympics, Charlie Swift and Gigi Goldman tackle complications in the form of a smitten teen, an attack on the pair's coach, and the murder of the missing athlete's colleague. (F DiS)

Swimming by Nicola Keegan

Haunted by an agoraphobic mother, a lost father, and a drug-addled sister, Philomena, reluctantly known as Pip, transforms her suffering and rage into beauty, grace, and purity in the swimming lane as she rises to the Olympic level. (F Kee)

Trial Run by Dick Francis

Someone or something called Alyosha is linked to the mysterious death of a member of the German Riding Team and threatens the safety of England's prime equestrian who is competing in the Moscow Olympics. Randall Drew is sent by the British Royal Family to Russia to investigate. (F Fra)

Non-fiction

Athens to Atlanta: 100 Years to Glory

This book, an official publication of the U.S. Olympic Committee, highlights great achievements at the Summer Games. (794.4 At)

The Complete Book of the Olympics by David Wallechinsky

This book is a treasure trove of lore, drama, and anecdote from 116 years of Olympic history. It includes full descriptions of rules and scoring for every event included in the London Olympics, plus the top eight finishers in every Summer Olympic event since 1896. (796.48 Wal)

Gold in the Water by P.H. Mullen

Mullen examines the psyches, backgrounds, and motivations of the United States 2000 Olympic swim team and describes the journey theses swimmers must take to compete in the Olympics, including training and competitions. (797.21 Mul)

How to Watch the Olympics by David Goldblatt and Johnny Acton

As the subtitle suggests, this is the essential guide to the rules, statistics, heroes, and zeroes of every sport. (796.48 Gol)

Munich 1972 by David Clay Large

Large relates the compelling story of the most controversial of all modern Olympiads within the turbulent context of simmering global tensions. The 1972 Games will forever be remembered for the murder of eleven Israeli Olympians by Palestinian terrorists: a grisly episode that ruined a much-anticipated coming-out party for newly democratic West Germany and for "new Munich" itself, the erstwhile "capital" of Hitler's Nazi movement.364.1523 Lar)

The Olympic Games: Athens, 1896 – Sydney, 2000

Each Olympics boasts a recap of the major events and personalities that defined it, followed by several pages of portraits and action shots with informative captions. The book's last 100 pages are devoted to results and statistics— including every gold, silver, and bronze medalist and the lighter of each Olympic torch. (796.48 Oly)

The Naked Olympics by Tony Perrottet

Peeling away the layers of myth, Perrottet lays bare the ancient sporting experience—including the round-the-clock bacchanal inside the tents of the Olympic Village, the all-male nude workouts under the statue of Eros, and history's first corruption scandals involving athletes. Featuring sometimes scandalous cameos by sports enthusiasts Plato, Socrates, and Herodotus, The Naked Olympics offers essential insight into today's Games and an unforgettable guide to the world's first and most influential athletic festival. (796.48 Per)

Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics by Jeremy Schaap

At the 1936 Olympics, against a backdrop of swastikas and goose-stepping storm troopers, an African-American son of sharecroppers won a staggering four gold medals and single-handedly demonstrated that Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy was a lie. The story of Jesse Owens at the Berlin games is that of an athletic performance that transcends sports. It is also the intimate and complex tale of one remarkable man's courage. (Bio Owens Jesse)

Which books should you read this summer?

As you may have guessed from my post about NPR's Top 100 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novels, I love flow charts, especially ones that involve books. This is a fabulous group of summer reading suggestions from Teach.com. I'd be surprised if you can't find something perfect for your summer reading here, but if you can't, you know what to do—please come ask for a suggestion at the reference desk!

Via Teach.com and USC Rossier Online

Reading lists - Paranormal romance

There have been lots of young adult fantasy series taking readers by storm lately. If you're one of those readers, and you're ready for something more "grown up" than the chaste kisses of books geared toward teens, you're in luck! One of our displays this month is a collection of paranormal romance novels. I knew we’d never be able to display every book in the list we created, so I decided to share them here, along with brief plot summaries. Most of these books are the first in a series, which is noted in parentheses next to the title. In these books you’ll find plenty of tough women, sexy men, and steamy love scenes—not to mention vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, zombies, shifters, fey, telepaths, and more! Keep in mind that this is far from every paranormal romance series out there—it's probably not even every paranormal romance series we own. As always, feel free to ask at the reference desk if you're looking for more! 

Novels 

Daughter of Darkness by V.C. Andrews

One night, with the sound of a young man's scream, high school senior Lorelei discovers that her stern but loving father, who adopted Lorelei and her sisters as infants, is no ordinary man. He has raised his beautiful girls for one purpose: to lure young men into their world of shadows. Like her sisters, Lorelei has been trained in the art of seduction and warned to never fall in love. But when she meets a handsome and charming classmate, she boldly defies her family and follows her heart—even if love is a poison. (F And / PB Fantasy A)

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong (Women of the Otherworld #1)

Elena Michaels is a self-described "mutt," a werewolf who left her secretive pack in upstate New York for a normal life among humans in Toronto. All this is jeopardized when she agrees to help her old packmates hunt some troublesome mutts who are converting common criminals to werewolves and leaving a trail of conspicuous carnage. Reunited with her former lycanthrope lover and forced into brutally predatory confrontations, Elena finds the call of the wild subtly reasserting itself. (F Arm)

I’m the Vampire, That’s Why by Michele Bardsley (Broken Heart, Oklahoma #1)

Now one of the undead, single mother Jessica Matthews, who is delighted with the disappearance of her stretch marks and her newly improved vision, has trouble dealing with the fact that she is now bound to a sinfully sexy Irish vampire for several hundred years. (PB Fantasy B)

Real Vampires Have Curves by Gerry Bartlett (Real Vampires #1)

Eternally full-figured Gloriana St. Clair struggles with her centuries-old relationship with Scottish vampire Jeremy, opens a vintage clothing store, and falls under the spell of a billionaire techno-freak immortal. (OverDrive ebook)

The Silver Wolf by Alice Borchardt (Legends of the Wolves #1)

Regeane, a female werewolf, wanders Rome during the Dark Ages and tries to escape being burned at the stake. Her guardian and his son plan to recoup their fortunes by marrying her to a wealthy bridegroom, even though she might inadvertently make him into a bedtime snack. (F Bo)

Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #1)

After years at the bottom of the pack, Anna has learned never to trust dominant males, until Charles Cornick, the enforcer and leader of the North American werewolves, declares her his mate, revealing her destiny as an Omega wolf. (F Bri)

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs (Mercedes Thompson #1)

Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself. (PB Fantasy B)

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook (Iron Seas #1)

When a dead body is dropped from an airship onto Rhys Trahaearn's doorstep, Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth uncovers the victim's identity--and stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans. (F Bro)

Insatiable by Meg Cabot (Insatiable #1)

Meena Harper, forced to write about vampires even though she doesn't believe in them, falls in love with Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for. The problem is: Lucien's already dead! And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare. (F Cab / BCD Cab)

Firelight by Kristen Callihan

After she is forced to wed Lord Benjamin Archer, London's most nefarious nobleman, Miranda Ellis, who is gifted with exceptional abilities, comes to love her new husband, but his dark curse soon leads them both into deadly danger. (F Cal)

Goddess of the Sea by P.C. Cast (Goddess Summoning #1)

After her plane crashes into the sea, an Air Force Sergeant finds herself occupying the body of the mythic mermaid Undine—and falling for a sexy merman. (F Cas)

Lessons after Dark by Isabel Cooper

Olivia Brightmore didn't know what to expect when she took a position to teach at Englefiend School, an academy for 'gifted' children. But it wasn't having to rescue a young girl who levitated to the ceiling. Or battling a dark mystery in the surrounding woods. And nothing could have prepared her for Dr. Gareth St. John. He knew all about her history and scrutinized her every move because of it. But there was more than suspicion lurking in those luscious green eyes. Even with all the strange occurrences at the school, the most unsettling of all is the attraction pulling Olivia and Gareth together with a force that cannot be denied. (PB Romance C)

Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davison (Queen Betsey #1)

After being killed in a car accident, fashion savvy Betsy Taylor becomes one of the undead and, with the help of her newfound friends, the lure of designer shoes, and a sexy vampire, must destroy a dark enemy and fulfill her destiny as the prophesied vampire queen. (F Dav)

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich (Lizzy & Diesel #1)

Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston's North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn't always better, as they battle the first of the deadly sins. (F Eva / MP3 CD Eva / OverDrive e-audio)

Dark Dreamers by Christine Feehan and Marjorie M. Liu

Sara Marten finally meets the vampire who is both angel and demon and meant to become her mate; and, Charlie, a gargoyle, senses that the beautiful and sweet Aggie Durand could be his salvation. (PB Romance F)

Dark Prince by Christine Feehan (Dark #1)

A telepathic hunter of serial killers, Raven Whitney embarks on a vacation far from home. The powerful leader of the Carpathians—a wise and secret ancient race that thrives in the night—Mikhail Dubrinsky is engulfed by despair, fearful of never finding the mate who can save him from the encroaching darkness.

From the moment they meet, Raven and Mikhail are helpless to resist the desire that sparks between them. But just as fate unexpectedly brings these life mates together, malevolent forces threaten to destroy them and their fragile love. (F Fee)

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Night Huntress #1)

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield pursues the undead with a vengeance in the hope that one of her prey will be the father who ruined her mother's life, but her plans go awry when she is captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter.  (PB Fantasy F / OverDrive e-audio)

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham (Krewe of Hunters #1)

Heading a group of paranormal investigators for the government, Jackson Crow—part English, part Cheyenne—uses his link to the realm of spirits to help solve the mysterious death of a senator's wife with the help of Angela Hawkins, a police officer with paranormal intuition. (F Gra / OverDrive ebook)

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake #1)

When innocent vampires are found murdered, the city's most powerful vampire hires Anita Blake, a vampire hunter known as "The Executioner," to investigate the crimes. Along the way she meets Jean Claude, the master vampire destined to become not only her biggest nemesis, but her greatest lover. (F Ham)

Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Sookie Stackhouse #1)

Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana, but she keeps to herself and doesn't date much because of her "disability" to read minds. When she meets Bill, Sookie can't hear a word he's thinking. He's the type of guy she's waited for all of her life, but he has a disability, too—he's a vampire with a bad reputation. When one of Sookie's coworkers is killed, she fears she's next. Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea. (F Har / OverDrive ebook)

Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison (Rachel Morgan #1)

Sexy bounty hunter and witch Rachel Morgan prowls the dark streets of Cincinnati, keeping tabs on the vampires and other creatures of the supernatural who prey on the city's innocent and vulnerable inhabitants. (PB Fantasy H)

Silver by Rhiannon Held

Andrew Dare is a werewolf, the enforcer for the Roanoke pack. The lone Were he's tracking doesn't smell or act like anyone he's ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn't get any better. She's beautiful, she's crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she's lost her wild self and can't shift any more. Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other. (F Hel)

The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn (Kismet Knight #1)

Kismet Knight, PhD, doesn't believe in the paranormal. She especially doesn't believe in vampires, but she begins to wise up when she is introduced to a handsome man named Devereux who claims to be 800 years old. Kismet doesn't buy his vampire story, but she also can't explain why. (F Hil)

Blood Born by Linda Howard and Linda Jones (Vampire #1)

Blood-born vampire Luca Ambrus is an agent for the Council, the centuries-old clan that governs the vampire race. When a leading Council member is murdered, Luca investigates, eventually uncovering a group of rogue vampires determined to overthrow the Council and humankind. In an effort to defeat the rebel vamps, Luca teams up with Chloe Fallon, a human able to channel spirit warriors and thus protect people from vampires. As Luca and Chloe work together, a passionate romance develops. (OverDrive ebook)

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson #1)

Using her ability to see ghosts in her work as a private investigator, grim reaper Charley Davidson begins experiencing intense sensual dreams about a mysterious entity that has been following her throughout her life. (F Jon / OverDrive e-audio)

Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner (Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom #1)

Retired demon hunter Kate Connor must go back to work when she spots a demon lurking in the local Wal-Mart. She tries not to arouse suspicion because this kind of thing could really hurt her husband's political career. (PB Fantasy K / OverDrive e-audio)

Born of Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon (The League #1)

He was born and trained to kill. Command Assassin Nykyrian Quiakides once turned his back on the League—and has been hunted by them ever since. Though many have tried, none can kill him or stop him from completing his current mission: to protect Kiara Zamir, a woman whose father's political alliance has made her a target. (F Ken / OverDrive e-audio)

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark Hunter #1)

He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance. Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win. (F Ken)

Copper Beach by Jayne Ann Krentz (Dark Legacy #1)

Within the pages of very rare books some centuries old lie the secrets of the paranormal. Abby Radwell's unusual psychic talent has made her an expert in such volumes—and sometimes taken her into dangerous territory. After a deadly incident in the private library of an obsessive collector, Abby receives a blackmail threat, and rumors swirl that an old alchemical text known as The Key has reappeared on the black market. Convinced that she needs an investigator who can also play bodyguard, she hires Sam Coppersmith, a specialist in paranormal crystals and amber—"hot rocks." Passion flares immediately between them, but neither entirely trusts the other. When it comes to dealing with a killer who has paranormal abilities, and a blackmailer who will stop at nothing to obtain an ancient alchemical code, no one is safe. (F Kre)

Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney (Tales of an Urban Werewolf #1)

Sophie Garou's wonderful life suddenly becomes complicated when a sexy new werewolf arrives in town, causing her more trouble than usual in hiding her true werewolf nature from her human lawyer boyfriend. (PB Fantasy M)

Touch of a Thief by Mia Marlowe (Touch #1)

Lady Viola Preston can relieve a gentleman of the studs at his wrists without his being any the wiser and pick any lock devised by man in less than a minute. But she's careful to wear gloves when she steals jewels. When Viola touches a gemstone with her bare skin, it “speaks” to her, sending disturbing visions. Still more disturbing is the handsome rogue who catches her red-handed and forces her to join him on the most dangerous and thrilling adventure of her life. (F Mar)

A Date with the Other Side by Erin McCarthy (Cuttersville, Ohio #1)

While leading a tour of haunted houses in Cuttersville, Ohio, Shelby Tucker discovers s sexy naked man in the bedroom of a supposedly vacant cottage, an encounter that shakes up her life when some feisty matchmaking spirits decide to bring her together with local bad boy Boston Macnamara. (OverDrive ebook)

Venus Envy by Shannon McKelden (Venus #1)

Tired of being a failure at love, Rachel Greer decides to dedicate her life to meaningful pursuits, filling her life with work and volunteerism, until the goddess Venus, forced into the role of fairy godmother by her father, Zeus, decides to turn Rachel's orderly--but boring--life upside down by finding her the perfect man. (F McK)

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

All hope for stopping the vampiric elite from controlling earth depends on human SOFs (Special Other Forces) and the success of their attempt to recruit Sunshine, the daughter of legendary sorcerer Onyx Blaise. (F McK)

Storm Born by Richelle Mead (Dark Swan #1)

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world... Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy, one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it. (PB Fantasy M)

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead (Georgia Kincaid #1)

Being a succubus sounds pretty glamorous. Shape-shifting, killer wardrobe, what's not to like? But Georgina Kincaid's life is far from exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies, and she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life, which means her crush on sexy writer Seth Mortensen is going nowhere fast. (F Mea / OverDrive ebook)

Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill (Chicagoland Vampires #1)

When graduate student Merit was attacked by a vampire, her life was saved by yet another who decided to turn her into the walking dead. Trying to figure out her place at Hyde Park mansion amongst her new vampire friends is becoming quite challenging, especially after she determines that she is still being targeted by an unknown entity. (F Nei)

Stolen Magic by Mary Jo Putney

Heir to an ancient title, Simon Malmain, the Earl of Falconer, is well known among the Guardians, humans with magical powers derived from nature. A routine mission to confront a rogue Guardian who has misused his powers turns disastrous when Simon's quarry, Lord Drayton, captures his pursuer in a transformation spell, turning him into a unicorn. Aid arrives in the form of Meg, a fey young woman who first traps Simon, then frees him. (F Put)

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick (Ladies of Lantern Street #1)

Moving to a country cottage where she seeks refuge in a paranormally charged garden, Evangeline Ames is rescued from a would-be assassin by the garden's owner, Lucas Sebastian, who taps Evangeline's detective skills to solve a buried-treasure mystery and stop a common enemy. (F Qui)

Second Sight by Amanda Quick (Arcane Society #1)

Venetia Milton earns big bucks photographing the artifacts owned by the brooding Gabriel Jones, whom she also manages to seduce, but after hearing that he is dead, she is stunned when he winds up on her doorstep very much alive and afraid for his life. (F Qui)

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts (Sign of Seven Trilogy #1)

Every seven years, on the seventh day of the seventh month, strange things happen, and three friends—Caleb, Fox, and Gage—must battle against evil with the women who love them by their sides. (PB Romance R / LP Rob / OverDrive ebook / OverDrive e-audio)

Morrigan’s Cross by Nora Roberts (The Circle Trilogy #1)

As the powerful vampire Lilith prepares to quench her thirst for destruction by unleashing her fury in battle, a medieval sorcerer, one of the circle of six charged by the goddess Morrigan, must travel through time to stop her. (F Rob / LP Rob / OverDrive ebook)

Tall, Dark, and Hungry by Lynsay Sands (Argeneau Family #4)

Terri, a beautiful Englishwoman, arrives in New York to help plan her cousin's wedding and is powerfully drawn to Bastien, a relative of her cousin's fiancé, who, unbeknownst to Terri, is a vampire thirsty for love. (PB Romance S)

Beauty Dates the Beast by Jessica Sims

When a problem at the supernatural dating agency where she works leads to Bathsheba Ward going on a date with were-cougar clan leader Beau Russell, she resists the subsequent attraction between them as she hides a secret. (PB Fantasy S)

Primal Desires by Suzan Sizemore (Primes #7)

A master magician known as "The Beast Master" for his Las Vegas performances with big cats, Jason Cage, the Prime of his vampire family, uses his remarkable telepathic skills to rescue beautiful Sofia Hunyara from a werewolf attack and sets out to teach her about her family's secret history as wolf tamers and about her role as his destined bondmate. (PB Romance S)

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks (Love at Stake #1)

On the run from the Russian mob after witnessing a brutal murder, dentist Shanna Whelan is rescued from certain death by Roman Draganesti, a charming and wealthy vampire in search of a dentist who can repair his broken fang. (PB Fantasy S)

The Becoming by Jeanne C. Stein (Anna Strong #1)

Trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead, Anna Strong, a vampire and trained warrior, is torn between two men—a human DEA agent and a Night Watcher—as she wages war on evil. (PB Fantasy S)

The Midnight Guardian by Sarah Jane Stratford (Millennial Novels #1)

Remembering the devastation of World War I on the vampire communities, ancient vampires break their policy against interfering in human affairs upon the outbreak of World War II, but find the Nazi war machine more formidable than anticipated. (F Str)

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville #1)

When Kitty Norville, a DJ for a Denver radio station and a secret werewolf, accidentally launches a late-night advice show for the supernaturally disadvantaged, she becomes the target of a werewolf hunter and several homicidal undead. (PB Fantasy V)

Stray by Rachel Vincent (Werecats #1)

After narrowly escaping an attack by a Stray, Faythe, a shape-shifting young werecat and rebellious member of a Pride, discovers that two of her fellow female werecats have disappeared and launches a personal campaign to find her missing friends and stop the kidnappers before it is too late. (F Vin)

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1)

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. When one of his most trusted fighters is killed—leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate—Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams. (PB Fantasy W / OverDrive ebook)

Story Collections

By Blood We Live

Gathers together the best vampire literature of the last three decades from many of today's most renowned authors of fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror. (SC By)

Chicks Kick Butt

An urban fantasy anthology of original stories features heroines who combat supernatural adversaries from dragons to demons. (SC Chi)

Death’s Excellent Vacation

Presents a collection of twelve original tales featuring supernatural beings going on vacation. (SC Dea / OverDrive e-audio)

Home Improvement: Undead Edition

A collection of paranormal do-it-yourself stories. (SC Hom)

Many Bloody Returns

A collection of vampire birthday tales. (SC Man)

Songs of Love and Death

Presents a collection of original tales that explores crossover themes of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. (SC Son)

Strange Brew

An anthology of nine urban fantasy tales with a mixed bag of wizardry/witchcraft, mystery and glamour. (SC Str)

The Other Side

A collection of five romantic novellas involving ghosts. (SC Oth)

Vampires: The Recent Undead

Slake your insatiable thirst and drink deeply of 25 of the best sanguinary stories of the new millennium: terrifying or tender, deadly or delicious, tough or tame, romantic or rude, funny or frightening, wily or weary, classic or cutting edge… (SC Vam)

What Dreams May Come

Dreams come true in the most unlikely and magical ways in this trilogy of novellas. (SC Wha)

Wolfsbane and Mistletoe

Lycanthropy is the theme of a special anthology of holiday tales featuring a collection of werewolf stories. (SC Wol)

Samuels Says - "Which books would you want if you were stranded on a desert island?"

This month for our display, we asked the staff: "Which books would you want to have with you if you were stranded on a desert island?" (This is assuming that we have the foresight to pack a suitcase full of books or a solar-powered e-reader on every trip...) Here are our picks—we'd love to hear yours too!

Kristin:

The Pillars of the Earth, World without End, and the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (F Fol)

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (F Mit) - I’ve read it 10+ times… I could read it forever!

His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman (YAF Pul)

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (F Tol)

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (YAF Row)

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (823 Bar)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (F Mor)

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (F Gab)

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (F Gru)

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (YAF Col)

Blue Latitudes by Tony Horwitz (910.92 Hor), The Tattoo Artist by Jill Ciment (F Cim) and Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (F Cri) - to remind me that it could be worse!

Time Windows by Kathryn Reiss (YAF Rei)

The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith (F Gol)

East of Eden by John Steinbeck (F Ste)

The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes (811.52 Hu)

And anything by: Tana French, Michelle Moran, Philippa Gregory, Deanna Raybourn, Rosalind Miles, Colleen McCullough (especially Morgan’s Run), Edward Rutherfurd, Bill Bryson (non-fiction), Sarah Addison Allen, Linda Howard, Charlaine Harris (especially the Sookie books),  Jane Green (early books), and Helen Fielding. (All but Bryson available in adult fiction.)

Joan:

All Agatha Christie (F Chr)

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (F Mit)

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (F Du)

The #1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith (F McC)

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett (F Pat)

Defending Jacob by William Landay (F Lan)

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (F Kin)

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski (F Wro)

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett (F Fol)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (F Lee)

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (F Tol)

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (F Hos)

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (967.6 Di)

The Flavia de Luce books by Alan Bradley (F Bra)

Anything by: P.D. James, Elizabeth George, or Mark Twain.

And just to be practical: The Sierra Club Guide to Safe Drinking Water (363.61 Le)… some survival books...can I just take the whole library with me?

Jeanne:

Edible: An Illustrated Guide to the World’s Food Plants (581.632 Edi)

The Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn (PB Romance Q, F Qui)

613.69—Any and all!

Canoeing: Outdoor Adventures by Pamela S. Dillon (797.122 Dil)

Poetry: American Folk Poetry (811.04 Emr), Top 500 Poems (821.008 Top), Come Hither (821.008 De)

Animal Traps and Trapping by James Bateman (799.2 Bat)

The Happy Camper by Kevin Callan (796.54 Cal)

The Successful Retirement Guide by R. Kevin Price (646.79 Pri)

Nature as Spiritual Practice by Steven Chase (248 Cha)

Saints by Tom Morgan (282.092 Mor)

Go In and Go Out the Window (J 784.6 Go)

The New Painting (759.4 New)

Dr. Dog by Babette Cole (J 613.4 Co)
Sophie: the Incredible True Story of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse (636.737 Pea)

Katie:

“I decided to take this literally—I couldn’t live without these.“ :)

Just in Case by Kathy Harrison (613.6 Har)

The Survivors Club by Ben Sherwood (613.69 She)

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven (613.69 Piv)

Stalking the Wild Asparagus by Euell Gibbons (581.6 Gib)

Stalking the Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons (581.6 Gib)

Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants by Bradford Angier (581.6 Ang)

Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants by Bradford Angier (581.6 Ang)

The Backyard Homestead (641 Bac)

Made from Scratch by Jenna Woginrich (640 Wog)

Show Me How by Lauren Smith (640 Smi)

Kathy J.:

The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (J Wil, E Wil, J PB W, J Bio Wilder Laura Ingalls, 813.52 Wil)

Nicki:

Table of Contents (814 Mc) and The Pine Barrens (974.9 Mc) by John McPhee

Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley (F Mor)

Anything by John Muir, i.e. Travels in Alaska (917.98 Mu) and Nature Writings (Bio Muir John)

Any encyclopedia—pick any letter!

Newest edition of The World Almanac and Book of Facts (031 Wor)

A dictionary—especially with word origins, like Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins (422 Mo) or the Oxford English Dictionary

Michal:

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (F Gol)

The Original Adventures of Raggedy Ann by Johnny Gruelle (J SC Gru)

The Encyclopedia of Herbs by Arthur O. Tucker (635.7 Tuc)

Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume by Mandy Aftel (688.54 Aft)

The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot (530 Ta)

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir (640.052 We)

The Life of Elizabeth by Alison Weir (Bio Elizabeth I)

A Favorite of the Queen by Jean Plaidy (F Pla)

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (YAF Fun)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (F Twa/Classic PB Twa/J F Twa)

John:

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (F Ham)

Roughing It by Mark Twain (818.4 Twa)

My Life and Hard Times by James Thurber (Bio Thurber James)

A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh (F Wa)

Four Novels of the 1960s by Philip K. Dick (F Dic)

Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse (F Wod)

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (F Hel)

Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald (F Fit)

Any (or all) Calvin and Hobbes books by Bill Watterson (741.5 Wat)

Three Men in a Boat: (To Say Nothing of the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome (F Jer)

The Annotated Alice: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll (823.8 Car)

Half Magic by Edward Eager (J F Eag)

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (F He)

Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe (818.309 Poe)

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (Bio Eggers Dave)

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (J F Jus)

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson (Classic PB Ste)

Age and Guile Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut by P.J. O’Rourke (814.54 O’R)

Freddy the Detective by Walter R. Brooks (J F Br)

The Illustrated Woody Allen Reader by Woody Allen and Linda Sunshine (812.54 Al)

Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s and 40s and Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1950s  (813.0872 Cr)

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

And I would finally have time to read all those 800-page Charles Dickens novels I’ve been wanting to read, like Bleak House, Our Mutual Friend, Nicholas Nickleby, and Dombey and Son (F Dic/ Classic PB Dic)

Boo:

“If I don’t have an extra pair of contacts and/or glasses, I won’t be reading anything.” :(

Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss (J F Wys)

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel DeFoe (F DeF)

Life’s a Beach by Claire Cook (F Coo) :)

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson (158.1 Car)

From the Jaws of Death by Brogan Steele (910.4 Ste)

Emergency Food Storage and Survival Handbook by Peggy Layton (613.69 Lay)

Heloise from A to Z by Heloise (648 Hel)

NTA Trapping Handbook by Tom Krause (799.2 Kra)

Wildlife Atlas by John Farndon (J 591.7 Far)

Dorling Kindersley Animal Encyclopedia (J 590 Dor)

The Camper’s Companion by Rick Greenspan (796.54 Gr)

The Wilderness Notebook by Herb Gordon (796.54 Go)

Just in Case by Kathy Harrison (613.6 Har)

A Healing Word by John Flanagan (248.8 Fl)

Lord, I Haven’t Talked to You Since the Last Crisis, but— by Lorraine Peterson (242.6 Pe)

Heroes and Pioneers (Ref 920 Her)

The Hot Flash Club by Nancy Thayer (F Tha)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney (J Kin)

A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffet (F Buf)

Any Danielle Steel book (F Ste)

Jessica:

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (YAF Row)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams (F Ada)

Anything by Francesca Lia Block (YAF Blo, F Blo)

The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff (YAF Yov)

The Sevenwaters Trilogy by Juliet Marillier (F Mar)

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (YAF Jo)

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray (YAF Bra)

The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander (J F Ale)

Stardust by Neil Gaiman (F Gai)

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (F Gai)

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (J F Car, 823.8 Car)

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (J F Sai)

Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan (YAF Bre)

Tithe by Holly Black (YAF Bla)

White Cat by Holly Black (YAF Bla)

The Septimus Heap books by Angie Sage (J F Sag)

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (F Mar)

Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You by Peter Cameron (YAF Cam)

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain (YAF Des)

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (YAF Gar)

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (YAF Rya)

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (YAF Cas)

Wither by Lauren DeStefano (YAF DeS)

Melissa:

U.S. Army Survival Manual (613.69 US) - A book about how to survive on a desert island :)

Just in Case: How to Be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens (613.6 Har)

How to Stay Alive in the Woods by Bradford Angier (613.69 Ang)

The Art of Dying by Patricia Weenolsen (155.937 We)

The Holy Bible (220.5 Hol)

The Life of Pi by Yann Martel (F Mar)

Betty:

The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel (613.69 Piv)

The latest Janet Evanovich books (F Eva)

The Me and Mr. Jones series by Jo-Ann Power (F Pow)

Lisa Lutz books (F Lut)

Wyatt:

A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick (in Five Novels of the 1960s & 70s—F Dic)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson (Bio Thompson Hunter S)

Batman: Hush by Jeph Loeb (741.5 Loe)

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne (J Mil, E Mil, and there’s even a Latin version in  870 Mil!)

Foundation by Isaac Asimov (F As)

Cheryl:

Vertical Run by Joseph Garber (F Ga)

The Meg series by Steve Alten (F Alt)

Anything by: Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Johanna Lindsey, Jon Katz (non-fiction), Patricia Briggs, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Teresa Medeiros, and Linda Lael Miller. (All but Katz available in adult fiction or paperback collections.)

Tamara:

Anything by Terry Pratchett (F Pra)

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (J F Mon)

Andrew Lang’s fairy tales (J 398 Lan)

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (F Gai)

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (J F Car, 823.8 Car)

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (J F Bau)

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott (J F Al)

Various books in the Sweet Potato Queen series by Jill Connor Browne (LP F Bro, 818.54 Bro)

The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Travel (613.69 Piv)

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith (F Aus)

J.D. Robb’s In Death series (F Rob, PB Mystery R)

Stitch & Bitch knitting handbooks by Debbie Stoller (746.432 Sto)

The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden (J 031.02 Igg)

The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher (F But, PB Fantasy B)

Foxfire books (mostly 917.58 Fox)

The Ashley Book of Knots by Clifford W. Ashley (623.88 As)

Anything by Diane Mott Davidson (F Dav, PB Mystery D)

The Den of Antiquity series by Tamar Meyers (F Mey, PB Mystery M)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide series by Douglas Adams (F Ada)

Books by Patrick F. McManus, including the Bo Tully series (F McM)

Calvin & Hobbes books by Bill Watterson (741.5 Wat)

Ben:

The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks (YAF Bro)

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Davis Wyss (J F Wys)

Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (E Wil)

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (F Mar)

The Prince by Machiavelli (320.1 Mac)

Dinosaur vs. the Library by Bob Shea (F She)

Redwall by Brian Jacques (YAF Jac)

A Fault in Our Stars by John Green (YAF Gre)

The Robot by Paul E. Watson (YAF Wat)

Duck for President by Doreen Cronin (E Cro)

Read-alike Guides - Nora Roberts

If you like the romance novels of Nora Roberts, you might enjoy of these books:

A Woman’s Heart by JoAnn Ross

Quinn Gallagher is a jaded writer who comes to Ireland for the filming of one his famous novels.  There he meets Nora Fitzpatrick, a beautiful widow who is unlike any woman he has ever met.  Fans of Nora Roberts’s Irish-themed novels will delight in the setting and memorable characters of this tender and lyrical book.  

 Kill and Tell by Linda Howard

When Karen Whitlaw receives a notebook from the estranged father she hasn’t seen in twenty years, she thinks nothing of it until learning he has been the victim of a murder on the streets of New Orleans.  Detective Marc Chastain, assigned to the case, begins to warm to Karen just as he discovers her life is in grave danger.  Like Roberts, Linda Howard is a master of the romantic suspense novel, and Kill and Tell is one of her best.

Chill Factor by Sandra Brown

Romantic suspense lovers may also enjoy Chill Factor, a gripping thriller about Lilly Martin, a woman trapped in a cabin during a blizzard with a man who is possibly a wanted serial killer.  Romance heats up as the storm rages, while Lilly’s ex-husband, the town’s police chief, desperately pursues the man he unquestionably believes to be the culprit.

Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann

Followers of Roberts’s output under the J.D. Robb pen name might want to try reading Suzanne Brockmann.  Gone Too Far is from the author’s Troubleshooter series, which mixes military expertise, nail-biting suspense, and steamy sexual tension. This entry focuses mainly on the relationship between Navy SEAL Sam Starrett and FBI agent Alyssa Locke.  

One Summer by Karen Robards

Readers who fancy a good bad-boy hero will love Johnny Harris, the male protagonist of One Summer. Johnny’s an ex-con who returns to his hometown after a stint in prison, only to find himself the main suspect in a murder investigation.  The only person willing to defend his innocence is his former teacher, Rachel Roberts, who begins to develop deeper feelings for Johnny.

Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan

Joley Drake is one of seven sisters who possess magical powers.  Her talent of spell-singing has gained her fame as a rock star, but when her life is jeopardized by a violent stalker she must place her trust in the hands of her handsome bodyguard, who may or may not be a hit man for the mob.  A must read for paranormal romance enthusiasts.     

Light In Shadow by Jayne Ann Krentz

Zoe Luce, an interior designer with psychic powers, enlists the help of private investigator Ethan Truax when she suspects one of her clients of murder.  Krentz seamlessly blends romance, suspense, and paranormal elements to create a style uniquely her own.

Virgin River by Robyn Carr

Midwife and recent widow Melinda Monroe moves from Los Angeles to Virgin River in search of a new start.  Unimpressed with the town at first, Mel is set upon leaving until she finds an abandoned baby on her doorstep.  She then begins to reluctantly kindle friendships in Virgin River, especially with Jack, the sensitive bartender.  Fans of small town romances, such as Roberts’s recent Inn Boonsboro trilogy, will be touched by this sweet and emotional story.

Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Night Pleasures is an imaginative paranormal romance in the style of Roberts’s The Circle Trilogy. Kyrian of Thrace is a Dark-Hunter who roams the earth providing protection from the evil Daimons.  Amanda Devereaux is an accountant who wants nothing more than a quiet, normal life.  Watch the sparks fly when they awake one morning in a strange bed handcuffed together.

Amber Beach by Elizabeth Lowell

Elizabeth Lowell writes detail rich novels that often feature strong female characters. In Amber Beach, the first of The Donovans series, Honor Donovan determinedly searches for her missing brother despite being warned by the rest of the Donovan men to mind her own business.  What follows is a pulse-racing combination of romance, adventure, and family drama.

Books by Nora Roberts you might also like:

Naked In Death (writing as J.D. Robb)

The first book in the In Death series follows Eve Dallas, a New York police lieutenant in the year 2058, as she investigates the murder of a prostitute granddaughter of a U.S. senator. Will the investigation be compromised when Eve begins to fall in love with dashing Irish millionaire (and lead suspect) Roarke?

Remember When by Nora Roberts and J.D. Robb

Roberts collaborates with her alter ego in this two-part novel that “blends present-day romance and futuristic suspense.”  Part One involves a hidden fortune of stolen diamonds and a pawn shop owner with a mysterious past, while Part Two has Lt. Eve Dallas continuing the search for the missing diamonds 56 years later.

New York to Dallas (writing as J.D. Robb)

Lt. Eve Dallas must face her inner demons when she returns to her home city on the trail of escaped convict Isaac McQueen, a man she put behind bars in the early days of her career.  As she gets closer to catching this unhinged maniac, Eve realizes that he is bent on seeking revenge and she may be his next target.

Read-alike Guides - A Game of Thrones

If you liked A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, you might enjoy one of these books:

Acacia by David Anthony Durham

Durham’s trilogy features a battle between good and evil where the line between the two is vague, and he writes about brutality quite frankly. Leodan Akaran, the powerful ruler of an idyllic empire, hides the dark realities of their prosperity from his four children, until an assassin from the Mein strikes him down and frees his children.

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Hobb's three series—the Farseer Trilogy, the Liveship Traders and the Tawny Man—combine into a lengthy, convoluted, political, and dark saga. She keeps her magic off-stage, provides a wealth of very diverse characters, places her stories firmly in a medieval landscape, and explores the pain of her characters. Fitz in particular will resonate with fans of Martin's character Jon Snow.

The Briar King by Greg Keyes

The first in the Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone series is high fantasy that strains against the confines of the genre in some interesting ways. Set in a realm  threatened by forces both earthly and existential, The Briar King toys with reader expectations in a way Martin’s readers will appreciate, and indulges in both pitched battles and the equally deadly intricacies of the realm’s internal politics.

City of Golden Shadow by Tad Williams

In a strange world of the near future, where virtual reality encompasses all aspects of society and boundaries are limited only by the power of the imagination, a dark conspiracy involving the world's most powerful individuals threatens to destroy everything. Martin fans will enjoy the intensity and some gruesome character ends.

The Dragon’s Path by Daniel Abraham

Mercenary Marcus wants no part of the war looming between the Free Cities and the Severed Throne, so he enlists a group of traveling players to act the part of guards in a caravan leaving a city in the danger zone. Cithrin, an heiress, and Geder, a scholar, join the party. Warfare, political intrigue, and moral ambiguity ensue.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Jordan’s Wheel of Time series features more explicit magic and a traditional quest plot, but the elements of politics, adventure, and battle make the complex and multi-layered series a must read. The first entry relates a tale of the bestial Trollocs, the witch Moiraine, and three boys, one of whom is fated to become the World's only hope.

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

When the last of the free cities of the Malazan Empire is targeted by the forces of the Empress Laseen, Bridgeburner squad leader Sergeant Whiskeyjack and the mage Tattersall confront dark gods to protect the citadel of Darujhistan. This epic series is perfect for readers who enjoy detailed world building.

I, Claudius by Robert Graves

Try I, Claudius for a saga that matches the tone, complexity, and assassination rate of A Song of Ice and Fire. The lame, stuttering Claudius will remind readers unswervingly of the King's Hand, dwarf Tyrion, who hides his honorable soul under an awkward, misshapen body. Incest, patricide, and poison add to the drama of Graves' famous novels.

The Immortal Prince by Jennifer Fallon

When a routine hanging goes wrong and a murderer somehow survives the noose, the man announces he is an immortal—and not just any immortal, but Cayal, the Immortal Prince. Arkady Desean is sent to interrogate the man, hoping to prove he is a spy or a madman. The gods of legend rise again on the world of Amyrantha in this tale of court intrigue and human-animal half-breeds.

Niccoló Rising by Dorothy Dunnett

The first in an epic series, this novel takes an unflinching look at the rise to power of a young man who will take on any adventure—political, economic, or romantic—no matter the consequences to others. Dunnett artfully depicts the political power structure of the Low Countries in the late medieval period, doing for an actual society what Martin does for the imaginary Westeros.

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

After witnessing the murder of his mother and brother and leading a band of bloodthirsty thugs, Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath returns to his father's castle and his birthright, but faces treachery once he arrives. Dark sorcery and fierce combat are the hallmarks of this action-packed novel of revenge and intrigue set in a darkly somber medieval world. This morbidly gripping, gritty fantasy tale is not for the squeamish.

Tracing the Shadow by Sarah Ash

The kingdom of Francia has purged its magi. When a young Guerrier rescues an orphaned street waif, little does he know that she is the daughter of a magus who died on their pyres—or that she is guarded by an aethyric spirit and driven to avenge her father’s fiery end. With the gift of song infused within her, Klervie’s voice will bring her before the most powerful heads of state, and she will craft herself into a weapon—aimed at the heart of the man she despises.

The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

This novel is both character-driven and intricately-plotted, with plenty of quests, battles, magic, and fantastical beings. Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero as he attempts to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, he is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, forced to reclaim the honor of the Edema Ruh, and travels into the Fae realm.