89 books like A Storm of Sisters

By Michelle Harrison,

Here are 89 books that A Storm of Sisters fans have personally recommended if you like A Storm of Sisters. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of A Girl Called Owl

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why did Tamsin love this book?

This story sparkles with intrigue and winter magic—it has all the delight of the first fat flakes of snow falling on a December morning. I love that the story feels so utterly grounded in the real world, before the magic begins to creep in. What would you do if frost patterns appeared on your skin? Try to ignore it, or follow the call of adventure? A frosty tale with a huge warm hearthighly recommended.

By Amy Wilson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Girl Called Owl as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A glittering story of frost and friendship, with writing full of magic and heart, the Branford Boase-longlisted A Girl Called Owl is a stunning debut about family and the beauty of the natural world.

It's bad enough having a mum dippy enough to name you Owl, but when you've got a dad you've never met, a best friend who needs you more than ever, and a new boy at school giving you weird looks, there's not a lot of room for much else.

So when Owl starts seeing strange frost patterns on her skin, she's tempted to just burrow down…


Book cover of The Thief Who Sang Storms

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why did Tamsin love this book?

This book reads like a modern-day mythcompletely fantastical, but utterly grounded in the very real wants, needs, and challenges of one young girl, Linnet. The core theme of this magical story is that we have more in common than that which divides us. It feels like an essential message right now, but it’s delivered with a deft lightness of touch and wrapped in beautifully imagined magic. Oh, to be able to sing magic!

By Sophie Anderson, Joanna Lisowiec (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Thief Who Sang Storms as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

"A timely quest infused with magic." The Times, Children's Book of the Week

The hugely-anticipated, brand-new fairytale adventure from Sophie Anderson, the bestselling author of The House with Chicken Legs.

The Island of Morovia is shaped like a broken heart. The humans live on one side of the island, and the alkonosts - the bird-people - live on the other. But it wasn't always this way...

Linnet wishes she could sing magic. But magic is forbidden and she has been banished with her father to the Mournful Swamp. She misses her old life, and dreams of reuniting with her friends.…


Book cover of Rainbow Grey

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why did Tamsin love this book?

Weather, magic, the power to control the weather, and the power of friendship… This story has all the ingredients I love. Perfect for slightly younger readers, it’s packed with quirky cartoony illustrations and has a wonderful cast of characters, including my favourite: the farting cloud cat, Nim. A gentle magical adventure that will leave young readers looking up at the sky and wondering…

By Laura Ellen Anderson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Rainbow Grey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

A magical new series from best-selling author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson!

Ten-year-old Ray Grey lives in the magical Weatherlands, high in the sky. Ray is surrounded by Weatherlings with astounding weather power at their fingertips . . . but she doesn't have ANY magic!

Then, after a trip to Earth, Ray's life changes forever. She is transformed from Ray Grey into RAINBOW GREY! With the help of her best friends (and exploding cloud cat, Nim) now all Ray has to do is master her powers AND save the world from a mysterious, powerful enemy . . .


Book cover of Ghostcloud

Tamsin Mori Author Of The Weather Weaver

From my list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since I was small, I’ve been fascinated by weather magic. Whenever we visited our Shetland family, I’d spend the last few days trying to conjuring fog, to ground the planes, and keep us there a little longer. Reader, it worked! My parents were not happy. I was over the moon and thereafter, utterly convinced that I had magical powers. This is a list of magical middle grade books guaranteed to delight anyone who’s ever been told they have their head in the clouds. Up with sky gazing, daydreaming, and chasing rainbows!

Tamsin's book list on middle grade with wonderful weather magic

Tamsin Mori Why did Tamsin love this book?

This is an edge-of-the-seat mystery that will keep you reading long past bedtime. The story begins in a grimy underworld beneath the Battersea power station, but rapidly expands into the sky. I’d recommend this book to readers who like their magic with a thrillthe stakes are high and it’s an absolute page-turner. I particularly love the fact that Alma (a friendly ghost who befriends the main character), can change the shape of clouds. How many hours have I spent trying to do that through sheer willpower!

By Michael E. Mann,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ghostcloud as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

'A superbly inventive and magical debut'
Piers Torday

'Beautifully written and filled with unforgettable characters ... a diamond of a book'
Ross MacKenzie

'Utterly original, thrilling, strange and cracking good fun ... every chapter is packed full of wild imagination'
Liz Hyder

Catch the wind. Find your freedom.

A riveting, magical adventure set deep underneath a richly reimagined London for 9+ readers.

Kidnapped and forced to shovel coal underneath a half-bombed, blackened power station, 12-year-old Luke's life is miserable. Then, he discovers he can see things others can't. Ghostly things. Specifically, a ghost-girl named Alma. Alma, who can ride clouds…


Book cover of Widdershins

W. L. Hawkin Author Of To Charm a Killer

From my list on mythic fiction exploring complex psychology.

Why am I passionate about this?

All of us bear the scars of emotional wounds, as complex psychology beats at the heart of all relationships. I’ve personally survived the betrayal of a parent, the loss of a child, emotional abuse, and life with an addict who could look me in the eye and lie. These themes resound in my stories. Literature is a safe place to explore and heal our own traumas through the dramatic interactions of our characters. My witch killer is not just “crazy” he’s unraveling a complex psychological past. In standing with our heroes as they meet and conquer evil, in its many guises, we find our way to healing our own trauma. 

W. L.'s book list on mythic fiction exploring complex psychology

W. L. Hawkin Why did W. L. love this book?

I can’t talk Mythic Fiction without a shout-out to the man who penned the phrase. It’s beyond Urban Fantasy—mythic archetypes, mystery, magic, and toe-curling mayhem. When Celtic fiddler, Lizzie Mahone, gets stranded on a lonely country road at midnight, she has no idea how her life will change. Widdershins is a dark dip into the faerie realm that brings us face-to-face with freakish Bogansnasty-pants faeries with sewer-mouths—faerie courts in shopping malls, and gripping psychological terror when Jilly Coppercorn gets trapped in a sinister world with her childhood abuser. Politics is rampant. At its core is the conflict between the settler fae and the Indigenous animal people. Behind it lurks love and hope. 

By Charles de Lint,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Widdershins as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Widdershins, fantasy author Charles de Lint has delivered one of his most accessible and moving works of his career.

Jilly Coppercorn and Geordie Riddell. Since they were introduced in the first Newford story, "Timeskip," back in 1989, their friends and readers alike have been waiting for them to realize what everybody else already knows: that they belong together. But they've been more clueless about how they feel for each other than the characters in When Harry Met Sally. Now in Widdershins, a stand-alone novel of fairy courts set in shopping malls and the Bohemian street scene of Newford's Crowsea…


Book cover of The People Could Fly: The Picture Book

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Author Of The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore

From my list on children’s books about freedom.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a former children’s librarian who writes books for children and young adults. I love history, especially black history. We didn’t get much in school when I was a child, so I’ve been catching up on some of what I missed. I am particularly drawn to under-told stories about people who deserve more recognition for their contributions. I’m proud that some of those people are members of my own family.

Vaunda's book list on children’s books about freedom

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson Why did Vaunda love this book?

“They say the people could fly. They say that long ago in Africa some of the people knew magic. And they could walk up on the air like climbin on a gate. And they flew like blackbirds over the fields.” These beautiful words and those that follow have remained in my heart from the moment I first discovered this story in Hamilton’s 1985 folktale collection. The inspiring messages of hope, faith, and the innate desire for freedom are powerfully conveyed through Hamilton’s fine storytelling and the Dillons’ elegant art. I love the feeling of triumph as “old and young who were called slaves” join hands, rise in the air, and fly away to freedom.

By Virginia Hamilton, Leo Dillon (illustrator), Diane Dillon (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The People Could Fly as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Virginia Hamilton's Coretta Scott King Honor book is the breathtaking fantasy tale of slaves who possessed ancient magic that enabled them to fly away to freedom. And it is a moving tale of those who did not have the opportunity to “fly” away, who remained slaves with only their imaginations to set them free as they told and retold this tale.

Leo and Diane Dillon's powerful illustrations accompany Hamilton's voice as it sings out from the pages with the soaring cadences that echo the story tellers of her childhood as the granddaughter of a fugitive slave. 

Awards for The People…


Book cover of State of Sorrow

Kesia Lupo Author Of We Are Blood and Thunder

From my list on fantasy with female main characters and magic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the author of two YA fantasy novels – We Are Blood and Thunder and We Are Bound by Stars. They’re set in a fantasy world, Valorian, governed by a (literally) colorful magic system and a pantheon of gods, and are all about power, fate, and discovering your true self. Both novels are dual narrative and feature a host of female main characters, who I think are complex, flawed, and relatable. As a child, I was obsessed with Lord of the Rings but always wondered why all the real heroes were men, which inspired me to write these books – partly, too, because of the wonderful female-led fantasies which have come out in the interim. 

Kesia's book list on fantasy with female main characters and magic

Kesia Lupo Why did Kesia love this book?

Our enigmatic heroine, Sorrow, rules the Court of Tears, covering for her grief-maddened father, who has turned their once celebrated land into a living monument for the brother who died before she was born. Joy is literally forbidden. But in this twisty turny political tale – in which the magic slowly blooms – nothing is as it seems… I loved it!

By Melinda Salisbury,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked State of Sorrow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

Sorrow all but rules the Court of Tears, in a land gripped
by perpetual grief, forever mourning her brother who died just
days before Sorrow was born.
By day she governs in place of her father, by night she seeks
secret solace in the arms of the boy she's loved since childhood.

But when her brother is seemingly found alive,
and intent on taking control, Sorrow has to choose whether to step
aside for a stranger who might not be who he claims to be, or
embark on a power struggle for a position she never really
wanted.


Book cover of The Dragonbone Chair

John Morris Author Of The Gatekeeper and the Guardian

From my list on fiction for curious minds.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love to read a good story, but I also get the greatest satisfaction from writing one, or several. I believe good fiction can say what factual books cannot, and done right, they can offer differing perspectives to any accepted norm. The trick is to let the characters speak, regardless of whether I agree with what they say, or not. The secret to good presentation is to offer the reader the choice to think about what has been said, consider and delve deeper, or not and pass by.

John's book list on fiction for curious minds

John Morris Why did John love this book?

This book introduces a very good series and was responsible for encouraging my love of science fantasy – some of which I write. While I have tried to keep away from more famous authors, this one got through because it really is that good.

As with all good science fantasy, it has various levels, some of the deepest making one think, or you can just go with the flow and enjoy the yarn. That is something I also strive to do with readers, well, I try to.

By Tad Williams,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Dragonbone Chair as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first book of the trilogy "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn" tells the story of Simon, a kitchen boy and sorceror's apprentice, who must find the solution to the riddle of the long-lost swords of power, in order to combat the evil of the undead Sithi Ruler, the Storm King.


Book cover of The Path of Thorns

Jelena Dunato Author Of Dark Woods, Deep Water

From my list on folklore and fairy-tale inspired fantasy for dark winter nights.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am an art historian, curator, and speculative fiction writer from Croatia, and I’ve always been in love with folklore, mythology, and all things ancient. In my work, I always try to blend real historical details with magic, and I adore secondary worlds that are immersive and solid enough to walk into yet different from our own.

Jelena's book list on folklore and fairy-tale inspired fantasy for dark winter nights

Jelena Dunato Why did Jelena love this book?

This book is a deliciously dark and devious story about a clever governess bent on revenge trapped in a haunted mansion.

The author plays with so many dark folklore elements, like witches, werewolves, and ghosts, in a masterful way. This was a page-turner for me; it was enchanting and entertaining, and it had a dark feminist bent, where women are just as bad as men.

By A.G. Slatter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Path of Thorns as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A lush and twisted dark fairy tale suffused with witchcraft, dark secrets and bitter revenge from the award-winning author of All the Murmuring Bones. Exquisite, haunting and at times brutal, readers of Naomi Novik and Erin Morgenstern will be entranced.

Asher Todd comes to live with the mysterious Morwood family as a governess to their children. Asher knows little about being a governess but she is skilled in botany and herbcraft, and perhaps more than that. And she has secrets of her own, dark and terrible - and Morwood is a house that eats secrets. With a monstrous revenge in…


Book cover of Tapping the Dream Tree

A.M. Geever Author Of Love in an Undead Age

From my list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write action-packed post-apocalyptic and dystopian adventures—with a dash of romance. An avid reader of science fiction and fantasy from an early age, the only job I ever wanted—besides being a writer—was to be a Star Fleet Officer. I owe my love of all things zombie to my older brothers, whose influence in books, music, and film continues to this day, although my tolerance for puns and movies that are "so bad they're good" is a whole lot lower than theirs. The idea of becoming a zombie because my car runs out of gas gets me to the gas station when I'd rather not bother.

A.M.'s book list on science fiction, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic

A.M. Geever Why did A.M. love this book?

Charles de Lint is one of my favorite authors, and this book of short stories is set in Newford, his fictional city. It’s a fully-formed universe where there's always more to discover. You can read any of his books at any time; there’s no order they must be read in. I guarantee that the more you learn of his worlds—and especially Newford—the more you’ll want. I read Pixel Pixies (my favorite short story of all time) to my mom and dad when my mom was dying of cancer. I could barely read the last paragraph for wanting to cry; not because the story is sad, but because it's so beautiful, so hopeful, so abso-freaking-lutely wonderful. I still get teary-eyed thinking about that evening of reading that story to my mom and dad.

That’s what de Lint does. He transports you not only to a world, but indelibly marks the feelings…

By Charles de Lint,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tapping the Dream Tree as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

World Fantasy Award-winning author of The Onion Girl

The city of Newford could be any contemporary North American city...except that magic lurks in its music, in its art, in the shadows of its grittiest streets, where mythic beings walk disguised. And its people are like you and me, each looking for a bit of magic to shape their lives and transform their fate.

Here are a bluesman hiding from the devil; a Buffalo Man at the edge of death; a murderous ghost looking for revenge; a wolf man on his first blind date; and many more. We're reunited with Jilly,…


Book cover of A Girl Called Owl
Book cover of The Thief Who Sang Storms
Book cover of Rainbow Grey

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