Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige

Yellow Brick War by Danielle Paige - 269 pages
Book 3 of the Dorothy Must Die Series

The only thing disappointing about these books is that the page count is getting smaller as the series progresses.  This series is a dark and twisted modern retelling of the Wizard of Oz that examines what good and evil truly mean in a world filled with shades of grey and no good options.  Amy Gumm from our world continues to fight for the people of Oz and for herself as she tries to vanquish the evil holding them all hostage. 

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige- 309 pages
Book 2 - Dorothy Must Die Series

Amy Gumm from Kansas continues in her quest to kill the Dorothy, the tyrant ruling over OZ.  She finds help along the way and tries to understand what being "wicked" means in this twisted version of the classic tale she knows from the movies and books back in the "real world." 

This series is dark but yet funny and fans of twisted takes on fairy tales will find much to like here.   

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
- 452 pages

Book 1 of the Dorothy Must Die series

Middle of nowhere Kansas, a girl whisked away by a tornado...stop me if you've heard this one before.  And then I'll tell you that Oz is real and everything you think you know is wrong.  This is a modern twist on the Wizard of Oz story throwing Amy Gumm from our world into the twisted nightmare that Oz has become during Dorothy's reign of terror.  At times darkly funny and also touching, this is a great read for fans of Wicked. 

Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore

Dead Things by Stephen Blackmoore - 304 pages
Book 1 in the Eric Carter series

Eric Carter is a necromancer who sees ghosts and can talk to the dead.  He's spent the past 15 years running from his past in Los Angeles but the murder of his sister has forced him to return.  He will find out who did this and make them pay if they don't kill him first.  And then, death isn't quite the barrier for Eric Carter that it is for other people.

This is dark urban fantasy along the lines of the Dresden Files.  Carter is a layered character for this genre and the world is well lived in and fully formed.  I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

The Last Dragonslayer: Chronicles of Kazam, Book 1 by Jasper Fforde - 306 pages

I enjoyed Fforde's Thursday Next series for adults so I thought I'd give this young adult series a try and it didn't disappoint.  Fforde creates a fully realized fantasy world with its own internal logic in what seems like minutes and throws the reader straight into the crazy life of Jennifer Strange who works as the office manager for one of the last great wizarding houses in the Ununited Kingdoms.  I'm looking forward to seeing Strange's further adventures in the next book,

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch - 336 pages
Rivers of London Book 5

The latest installment in the Rivers of London series doesn't disappoint.  Wizard in training / London police officer Peter Grant finds himself out of his element as part of a task force looking for missing children in a rural town with supernatural overtones.  This series is very fun and would appeal to fans of Butcher's Dresden Files.  I saw one review that called it "Harry Potter mixed with CSI" and the definitely fits. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
by J.K. Rowling
pages 309

This wonderful series starts Harry's first year of wizarding school and discovering much about his past and parents that his Aunt and Uncle would not tell him. Harry faces many dangers a boy of his age should not have to face.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by J.K. Rowling
pages 341

Chamber of Secrets starts Harry's second year at Hogwarts. He faces more problems at home and school, but with steadfast friends to back him up.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkakban
J.K. Rowling
pages 734

Harry's third year at Hogwarts kicks off with more danger and some new friends. Things are not always as they appear in the wizarding world so hold on to your knickers with this one!

Wizard at Work by Vivian Vande Velde

Wizard at Work by Vivian Vande Velde - 134 pages

The wizard is looking forward to the summer break from his students at the magic school -- to gardening, peace and quiet, and being himself.  Then he is "cursed by a witch"  who tells him he will never find happiness unless he learns to be less judgmental and to look beyond the surface of things.  And so starts a summer where he is constantly being interrupted by princesses hoping to have curses broken, princes looking to rescue princesses, and towns wanting to rid themselves of unicorns.
I believe I have read part of this book before in a short story collection.  I recognized the intro to the book as well as one of the stories.  I did enjoy reading the rest of the book though.

Cold Days by Jim Butcher

Cold Days: A Novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - 528 pages
Book 14 of the Dresden Files

This rollercoaster of action is a treat for longtime fans of the series.  Harry Dresden is forced to take on new challenges and play a different role in the battle of light and darkness then he has previously due to having bargained with Queen Mab to save his daughter.  He is now living out his end of things by assuming the mantle of the Winter Knight.  As always there is an apocalypse brewing that Harry and his Scooby gang must thwart. But this book also expands the series by having established characters grow and also be revealed as having different motivations than previously thought. The Dresden Files is a series that rewards the reader for paying attention and this book is filled with callbacks to events in previous books.  

Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch

Whispers Underground by Ben Aaronovitch, 320 pgs.

This is the third adventure for London constable and apprentice sorcerer Peter Grant.   It begins with a dead body in the London underground that turns out to be the son of an American senator.  Grant has the usual help from his master Inspector Nightingale and new assistance from an FBI agent sent over to investigate the death.  If you like Butcher's Dresden Files, seek out this series.  It has the humor, the angst and the issues with being magical in a non-believing world.  

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, 435 pages

Book 3 finds Harry, Ron and Hermione back at school and prisoner Sirius Black, has escaped from the wizarding jail, Azkaban.  The adults all believe that Black is after Harry, and soon Harry finds out the truth...that Black may have been responsible for the death of his parents.

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

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, 309 pages
Book 1 in the immensely popular series of a young buy who finds out that he is a wizard when he is invited to the magical school Hogwarts. In this adventure, Harry and his new friends Ron and Hermione discover their new surroundings, meet new friends and fight for their safety.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, 352 pages

Book 2 in the series finds harry, Ron and Hermione returning to their second year of wizards school. This year, they add new friends Dobby, the house elf, new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockheart, and resident ghost Moaning Myrtle.  The trio uncover the hidden secret at Hogwarts and go in search of a creature that is turning students to stone.

The Unwritten, Volume 1, by Mike Carey

The Unwritten: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity (Volume 1), by Mike Carey & Peter Gross, 144 pages

Imagine if JK Rowling had a son named Harry Potter.

This story features Tom Taylor, whose father wrote a series of wizarding books more popular than Harry Potter- featuring young Tommy Taylor.  Tom hates his notoriety, especially since his father mysteriously disappeared from his life.  But things get even worse when Tom is told that he might not actually be his father's son, cats might actually fly, and a madman murders a house full of writers with Tom framed for their deaths.  This is going to be an interesting series.

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronvitch - 288 pages

This is the further adventures of London constable and sorcerer's apprentice Peter Grant that began in Midnight Riot.  Grant is chasing an elusive killer of jazz magicians by chasing the song filling the air that is left behind with the corpse.  With the assistance of his mentor, Detective Chief Inspector Nightingale (the last registered wizard in England), Grant uncovers a supernatural menace that leads him to reassess his past and fear for his present.  Fans of Harry Dresden will love this series!