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5 YA Books to Pick Up If You’re Missing Diana Wynne Jones
Diana Wynne Jones was an inimitable voice, not just in children’s fiction, but in fantasy overall. Her way of gently (and not-so-gently) subverting established tropes while working within the established framework of the genre left an indelible mark on literature, and her combination of whimsy, wry humor, and heart make her books beloved of many readers. Wynne Jones’s passing left large shoes to fill, but hopefully these 5 books will ease the sting.
Tell the Wind and Fire by Sarah Rees Brennan
Witty banter and gut punches to the feels are the Rees Brennan trademark, but it’s her playful (and sometimes gleeful) subversion of tropes that makes her one of Wynne Jones’s literary successors. Both The Demon’s Lexicon and The Lyburn Legacy trilogies are delightful, and her latest book is a retelling of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, wherein Lucie Manette is reimagined as the heroine at the center of the story. In a world where magic is divided into the Light and the Dark, Lucie straddles the line between them.
Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog
Ysabeau S. Wilce
eBook
$7.99
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Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce
You want whimsy? Wilce has whimsy in spades. The Flora Segunda books are set in an alternate, magical version of what appears to be late 18th-century California, featuring kilt-wearing, makeup-loving, glass-gazing boys who also don’t think twice about getting a little rough; a house with a traveling library; and a funny, strong-willed heroine who is determined to set her own destiny.
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The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker
If Buffy Summers hunted witches instead of vampires in an alternate 16th-century England, you would have Elizabeth Grey. One of the premiere witch hunters in the land, Elizabeth’s fortunes are turned around when she herself is accused of being a witch. With fun banter, a nascent Scooby Gang, and memorable (and slightly ridiculous in the best way) characters, The Witch Hunter is fast-paced and enjoyable read.
Palace of Spies by Sarah Zettel
While Palace of Spies may not have any magic, it has plenty of whimsy, wit, and heart. Peggy Fitzroy is recruited to become a lady-in-waiting to the court of King George I, using her exalted position to become a spy and foil Jacobite plots. She’s a heroine as resourceful and funny as Sophie Hatter, and just as lovable.
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
Necromancy, zombies, and an occult society of paranormal investigators? What’s a well-bred girl to do? Join them and help defeat the rising Dead, of course. When Eleanor Fitt receives a plea of help from her missing brother—delivered by a zombie—she takes matters into her own hands. Even with a horror-filled premise like “zombies in 1876 Philadelphia,” Dennard’s deft hand at characterization and dialogue keeps this story both charming and scary.