The Secrets Of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel Series
No, this isnt a fantasy series about that particular Nicolas Flamel, close friend of Albus Dumbledore. However, both Rowling and Scott are inspired by the same historical source.
In this series, Nicholas Flamel is hailed as one of the greatest alchemysts of all-time. However, while supposedly dying in 1418, we soon find out he is still very much alive. This is thanks to him discovering the secret of eternal life via The Book of Abraham the Mage.
This Book is so powerful that Nicholas has spent his long life protecting it from falling into the wrong hands.
And, as it turns out, there is someone who wishes to steal the book for evil deeds. To fight this dark enemy, Flamel enlists the help of Sophie and Josh Newman two teenagers whom he believes are the prophesized saviors meant to right the impending wrong.
Ill admit it. When I first picked up The Alchemyst , I wasnt fully sold. Some of the characters felt a bit flat and inconsistent to the point I almost stopped reading.
However, Im glad I pushed through! From the second book onwards, the story develops nicely as more interesting historically-inspired characters are introduced . Scott also gets the hang of cleverly merging history with mythology, creating a truly epic scope.
Overall, if youre eager for more books like Harry Potter, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamelis a book series Id recommend. I picked it up for Nicholas and stayed for everything else!
Dominion Of The Fallen By Aliette De Bodard
Book one: The House of Shattered Wings
Paris has suffered from the war in Heaven. The city lies in destruction, its people learning to live besides haunted ruins. But even then, the Great Houses still want dominion over the capital.
House Silverspires lies in disarray. Its founder is missing, monsters lurk in the dark. Therefore three different people will team up to save or break this House: a Fallen, an alchemist, and a resentful man.
The Uncommoners By Jennifer Bell
A recently released treat for the younger crowd, Bells Uncommoners series is a bit of an elementary-appropriate Neverwhere: it too takes us on a journey to a mysterious city under London . The subterranean city of Lundinor is full of enchantments and oddities and even as our young protagonists Ivy and Seb struggle to navigate this secret world, they find that Lundinor may also hold answers to all their questions.
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His Dark Materials Series
Never heard of His Dark Materials? Well, maybe the title of the first book The Golden Compass will ring a bell. It was made into a 2007 movie starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.
If youve seen that movie and hated it, fret not. The books are much, much better! Fun fact: His Dark Materials was recently adapted into a new TV series, which has received generally favorable reviews.
His Dark Materials begins with Lyra Belacqua as she journeys to the frozen North to save her friend, Roger, from a group of child-snatchers known as the Gobblers. Along the way, she stumbles upon a deeper mystery surrounding her rebellious uncle, Asriel specifically, his research on strange particles known as Dust.
Lyra soon discovers that there are some truly sinister forces at work to which only she can bring balance back from the brink of chaos.
Above all, I think Philip Pullman has created a truly captivating world entwined by enchanting magic and mythical creatures. I also love how the series begins with a simple rescue mission but rapidly dives into a profound look at morality, spirituality, and the conflict between science and religion.
Often included in many best of fantasy lists, His Dark Materials is by far one of my favorite series of all-time of any genre! Dont miss out on these marvellous books like Harry Potter.
Psst! Be sure to also check out our thrilling list of paranormal romance books.
The Mysterious Benedict Society By Trenton Lee Stewart
The Mysterious Benedict Society books start with dozens of children responding to a strange newspaper advertisement. They are subjected to a series of mind-bending tests, but only four come away successful. The quartet is then sent on a secret mission for only the brightest and most inventive children.
The story about misfits struggling to save the world from dark forces might sound familiar, but the writing is fresh, witty and beautifully descriptive, raves one reviewer on Amazon. It has two brave, brilliant boys and two tough, resourceful girls who overcome complex social and governmental obstacles as they combine teamwork, bravery, and investigative adventure to fight for what is right and sane for all, says another.
The four-book series, recently adapted as a Disney+ television series, begins with The Mysterious Benedict Society and is followed by The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoners Dilemma, and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages.
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The Little White Horse By Elizabeth Goudge
While The Chronicles of Narnia were undoubtedly inspirations for the Harry Potter books, one book in particular might have inspired a specific style of writing in the novels. Elizabeth Goudge’s children’s book The Little White Horse remains a favorite of J . K. Rowling’s.
Specifically speaking, the way that Goudge writes about and describes food captured Rowling’s imagination. The incredibly detailed descriptions in the Harry Potter books of food and material objects can be linked directly with Goudge’s book.
The Secrets Of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel By Michael Scott
Turns out J.K. Rowling didnt invent the character of Flamel, but based him on an actual person! And she wasnt the only one to find him a fascinating figure, as evidenced by the depth and intricacy of this six-book series by Michael Scott .
Secrets begins with a pair of teenage twins, Sophie and Josh, who realize their employer Nick is none other than 700-year-old alchemist Nicholas Flamel and that their lives are prophetically intertwined with his. As the series unfurls, many more shocking truths come to light about the twins destinies and the nature of mortality, all of which are made particularly resonant by Scotts connections to the real historical legend of Flamel.
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Mythos Academy By Jennifer Estep
Gwen Frost is out to solve her classmates murder, especially since she thinks she should have been the one who died. Gwen is a 17-year-old student at Mythos Academy, a school of myths, magic, and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebodys head with a sword.
When students start dying and the second Chaos War is at hand, Gwen uses her power of touch magic to set things right in the first novel, Touch of Frost. Five novels round out the Mythos Academy series, which is aimed at readers 14 and up. In order, they are: Kiss of Frost, Dark Frost, Crimson Frost, Midnight Frost, and Killer Frost.
Pennyroyal Academy By Ma Larson
The Pennyroyal Academy series are books like Harry Potter but set in a classic fairy tale world. Instead of Hogwarts, the characters in this three-book series attend Pennyroyal Academy, where they learn to become knights and princesses under the direction of instructors Fairy Drillsergeant and Rumpledshirtsleeves. The Pennyroyal Academy books combines adventure, magical mischief, and humor to create an unforgettable fantasy world where a young girl named Evie and her friends battle dragons and witches. Its appropriate for middle-grade readers looking for books similar to Harry Potter. It is a breathtakingly exciting novel, and Evie deserves a special place in the new pantheon of capable, feisty and, yes, admirable literary princesses, raves The New York Times.
The first book, Pennyroyal Academy, is followed by two sequels: The Shadow Cadets of Pennyroyal Academy and The Warrior Princess of Pennyroyal Academy.
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Children Of Blood And Bone By Tomi Adeyemi
In this series lauded by readers and critics, heroine Zélie Adebolas mother is killed by a ruthless monarch set on eradicating magic from the West African-inspired land where the story takes place. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie seeks to restore magic, discovering a lot about her own abilities in the process. Teen Harry Potter fans should love these books. After all, as Entertainment Weekly says, Meet Tomi Adeyemithe new J.K. Rowling. . The first book in the Legacy of Orisha series, Children of Blood and Bone, debuted to nearly unanimous praise in 2018. It was followed by Children of Virtue and Vengeance. A third book is expected in 2021.
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness is a wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight.
People Magazine
The Harry Potter Books Collection
Be it the special edition boxed set, the Harry Potter paperback books, or the hard-cover ones, having the Harry Potter books on their bookshelf is the ultimate dream of all Harry Potter fans. Buying them their Harry Potter collection will make a perfect gift for any occasion.
And if you wish, you can go the extra mile to get them some complimentary books apart from the main 7 books. To know more about all the Harry Potter books, read: How Many Harry Potter Books are There: 1, 2, 3, or More?
Add the Harry Potter bookends, and youll never be able to up this gift for them.
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Rowlings Imagination Stirs Our Own
Not only does it stand up, but its still just as rich. The books are layered with so much detail that its easy to forget it all, no matter how big of a fan you are. I also rediscovered parts of the wizarding world that once seemed like lighthearted minutiae . Twenty years later, the books still thrilled this reader, the same way a new smartphones features can cause a stir of excitement: each page felt innovative, like something incredible I never knew I wanted but made life that much richer.
Magical Abilities And Skills
Throughout the series, Harry Potter is described as a gifted wizard apprentice. He has a particular talent for flying, which manifests itself in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone the first time he tries it, and gets him a place on a Quidditch team one year before the normal minimum joining age. He captains it in his sixth year. In his fourth year , Harry is able to confront a dragon on his broomstick.
Harry is also gifted in Defence Against the Dark Arts, in which he becomes proficient due to his repeated encounters with Voldemort and various monsters. In his third year, Harry becomes able to cast the very advanced Patronus Charm, and by his fifth year he has become so talented at the subject that he is able to teach his fellow students in Dumbledore’s Army, some even older than him how to defend themselves against Dark Magic. At the end of that year, he achieves an ‘Outstanding’ Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L., something that not even Hermione achieved. He is a skilled duellist, the only one of the six Dumbledore’s Army members to be neither injured nor incapacitated during the battle with Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He also fends off numerous Death Eaters during his flight to the Burrow at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
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Harry Potter Is Top Of The Class
JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series of books are the ones most adults say every child should read, a BBC local radio poll for Awesome Authors and Love to Read reveals. The survey suggests 26% of British adults think Harry Potter is the book children should read, closely followed by Roald Dahls The BFG.
Over a thousand adults were questioned for the poll and when asked the reason why they chose any particular book the most common explanation was because it expands imagination , followed by the desire to pass on the pleasure they got from reading it.
To Kill a Mockingbird was chosen because it provides lessons about the world and because it helps to develop good moral character.
Only 10% of 18-34-year-olds selected the Bible as the book theyd most like to recommend to children, meanwhile 19% of those aged over 55 nominated the Bible.
The top choices of books varied across the generations. Harry Potter and The BFG are the runaway favourites among 18-34 year olds.
However, The Famous Five and The Wind in the Willows are the most common recommendations for those aged 55 plus.
For the most part, choices are evenly split between the genders however, The Famous Five is a more popular recommendation among women than men , while The Lord of the Rings is more likely to be recommended by men than women .
Technology Takes A Back Seat
The only bit of electronics we see in the series are video games played by Harrys cousin Dudley, a Muggle whos not actually in the wizarding world. Instead, in Harrys world, there are gold coins where there would be credit cards, traveling fireplaces where there would be traffic jams, owls delivering letters on parchment where there would be email, floating candlesticks where there would be twinkling lights and so on and so on. This vintage feeling gives readers a pleasurable break from reality, where a simple tweet can spur a news cycle.
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Inspiration And Mother’s Death
Rowling worked as a researcher and bilingual secretary in London for Amnesty International, then moved with her boyfriend to Manchester where she worked at the Chamber of Commerce. In 1990, she was on a four-hour delayed train trip from Manchester to London when the idea “came fully formed” into her mind for a story of a young boy attending a school of wizardry. When she reached her Clapham Junction flat, she began to write immediately.
In December 1990, Rowling’s mother Anne died after suffering from multiple sclerosis for ten years. Rowling was writing Harry Potter at the time and had never told her mother about it. Her mother’s death heavily affected Rowling’s writing, and she channelled her own feelings of loss by writing about Harry’s grief in greater detail in the first book.
A Discovery Of Witches By Deborah Harkness
People magazine calls the All Souls series by Deborah Harkness a wonderfully imaginative grown-up fantasy with all the magic of Harry Potter and Twilight. That makes it the perfect choice for what to read after Harry Potter, especially if youre a fan of witches and vampires.
In the first book, A Discovery of Witches, Oxford scholar and witch-descendant Diana Bishop finds an enchanted alchemical manuscript that unleashes evil on the world. Along with her vampire boyfriend, Diana must hold the evil at bay. The All Souls series continues with Shadow of Night, The Book of Life, and Times Convert. The books have also been adapted as a television series.
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The Jumbies By Tracey Baptiste
Based on a Haitian folktale, The Jumbies series by Tracey Baptiste focuses on Corinne Le Mer, an 11-year-old girl who lives on an island in the Caribbean. Corinne must use her bravery and a little magic to stop an evil spirit from invading her home.Its refreshing to see a fantasy with its roots outside Europe, says Kirkus Reviews. This is a book worth reading simply for its originality. Its a good option for kids in grade level three to six. As one teacher wrote on Amazon, This book is real deal literature for children!The first book in the series is The Jumbies, followed by Rise of the Jumbies and The Jumbie Gods Revenge.
The Poppy War By Rf Kuang
In The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, you will find a military fantasy with an orphan girl at the center of it all. Based on historical events, The Poppy War, brilliantly written, shows you how this war orphan aced the Keju, a test that finds the most talented youth, entered the most elite military school, and discovered her unknown power!
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Kingmaker Chronicles By Amanda Bouchet
Book one: A Promise of Fire
How many books in the series? 3
She is a Kingmaker. Therefore she divines the truth through lies. She disguises herself inside a circus, far away from her fate and destiny the Gods have placed in her. But one day Griffin, a warlord, crosses paths with her and he wants her for himself.
Book one: A Discovery of Witches
How many books in the series? 3
Because she calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript, young scholar Dianas life changes forever. She has found the mysterious, thought-to-be-lost manuscript hence all the creatures of the underworld want it. Shes the only one who can break its spell though.
All Souls trilogy is one of the most beautiful stories told. Time-traveling, vampires, witches, magic. Above all, love. Everything is perfectly put together to tell the story of a lifetime.
Redwall By Brian Jacques
Redwall is a charmingly British young adult fantasy that makes great use of pastoral settings and populates a magical world of noble, talking mice, benevolent badgers, and evil rats.
I have a special adoration for these novels since I grew up reading them before moving on to things like the Wheel of Time.
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