Greg van Eekhout
Happy Town
A solid entry into magical realism for teens who find pure fantasy too fantastical; the mystery pacing keeps it moving without dragging.
Read this next
All picks after this →
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
by Garth Nix
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 820L · 2021
A sharply written urban-fantasy mystery with a nonbinary protagonist and queer romance; strong worldbuilding and atmospheric London magic, though the plot meanders slightly in the middle.
Akarnae
by Lynette Noni
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 820L · 2018
A solid magical-academy entry point for teen fantasy readers—strong premise, genuine friendships, and a protagonist who earns her confidence rather than starting with it.
Us Dark Few
by Alexis Patton
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 850L
Solid YA with genuine stakes around identity and belonging; identity-exploration arc resonates, though the pacing lags in the middle.