Books like 'The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto'
Readers who enjoyed The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by Mitch Albom also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
historical fantasy action / adventure alternate history historical-fiction magical-realism literary-fiction realistic drama family
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A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsA Breath of Snow and Ashes continues the extraordinary story of 18th-century Scotsman Jamie Fraser and his 20th-century wife, Claire.The year is 1772, and on the eve of the American Revolution, the long fuse of rebellion has already been lit. Men lie dead in the streets of Boston, and in the backwoods of North Carolina, isolated cabins burn in the forest...Categorized as:
drama family historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal action-adventure adult -
![Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell]()
Excalibur by Bernard Cornwell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsIn The Winter King and Enemy of God Bernard Cornwell demonstrated his astonishing ability to make the oft-told legend of King Arthur fresh and new for our time. Now, in this riveting final volume of The Warlord Chronicles, Cornwell tells the unforgettable tale of Arthur's final struggles against the Saxons and his last attempts to triumph over a ruined marriage and ravaged dreams...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal 20th-century action-adventure adult -
![A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson]()
A Journey of the Heart by Catherine M. Wilson
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsA Journey of the Heart Book II] shows the same strong storytelling ability of the first book. The language is still almost musical and wraps its sweet spell around you. Storylines that were just starting to grow in the first book are also very well developed here. Intrigue and conflict are fleshed out and take some surprising twists...Categorized as:
coming-of-age historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alpha-mc alternate-history book -
![The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Thief's Daughter by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsA Wall Street Journal bestseller Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a boy truly blessed by the Fountain... -
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![Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey]()
Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsMighty Kushiel, of rod and wealLate of the brazen portalsWith blood-tipp'd dart a wound unhealedPricks the eyen of chosen mortalsThe land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassed beauty and grace. The inhabiting race rose from the seed of angels and men, and they live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.Phèdre nó Delaunay was sold into indentured servitude as a child...Categorized as:
drama historical-fiction magic paranormal religion spirituality action-adventure alternate-history -
![Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore]()
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 65 ratingsThe birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday... -
![The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay]()
The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThe ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by the sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings... -
![The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley]()
The Lost Future of Pepperharrow by Natasha Pulley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 29 ratings1888. Five years after they met in The Watchmaker of Filigree Street, Thaniel Steepleton, an unassuming translator, and Keita Mori, the watchmaker who remembers the future, are traveling to Japan. Thaniel has received an unexpected posting to the British legation in Tokyo, and Mori has business that is taking him to Yokohama...Categorized as:
family friendship historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal action-adventure adult -
![Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay]()
Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsThe Thrilling Sequel To Sailing To SarantiumBeckoned by the Emperor Valerius, Crispin, a renowned mosaicist, has arrived in the fabled city of Sarantium. Here he seeks to fulfill his artistic ambitions and his destiny high upon a dome that will become the emerror's magnificent sanctuary and legacy.But the beauty and solitude of his work cannot protect his from Sarantium's intrigue... -
![Kindred Rites by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel]()
Kindred Rites by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNow that Alfreda has begun to learn the Wise Arts, she is needed at home in the village of Sun Return. The woods around the cabin are alive with poltergeists. Candles light by themselves, and even the rocks dance. There is much work for an apprentice practitioner.But a more dangerous task calls. For a new family has moved to the frontier; a family with strange ambitions and even stranger powers... -
![Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg]()
Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsDead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows in the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.England, 1895. An unsolved series of magician murders and opus thefts isn’t a puzzle to Elsie Camden... -
![The Philosopher's War by Tom Miller]()
The Philosopher's War by Tom Miller
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe second book in the thrilling series that began with The Philosopher’s Flight finds Robert Canderelli Weekes as a rookie Rescue and Evacuation flier on the front lines of World War I in France. He came to save lives, but has no idea how far he’ll have to go to win the war... -
![Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler]()
Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsDoro is an entity who changes bodies like clothes, killing his hosts by reflex--or design. He fears no one--until he meets Anyanwu. Anyanwu has also died many times. She can absorb bullets and make medicine with a kiss, give birth to tribes, nurture and heal, and savage anyone who threatens those she loves. She fears no one--until she meets Doro... -
![Φάκελος Ανάσταση by Og Mandino]()
Φάκελος Ανάσταση by Og Mandino
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn front of eight million TV viewers, "The Greatest Mystery Writer in the World" bragged he could prove Christ was actually stolen from the tomb and never really rose from the dead . . . if he were given just one week back in ancient Jerusalem. That night author Matt Lawrence got his wish. A knock-out punch took him right out of this world and landed him in Biblical Judea in 26 A.D...Categorized as:
christian historical-fiction religion spirituality action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
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![The Naturalist Society by Carrie Vaughn]()
The Naturalist Society by Carrie Vaughn
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this magical tale of self-discovery from New York Times bestselling author Carrie Vaughn, a young widow taps into the power that will change the world—if the man’s world she lives in doesn’t destroy her and her newfound friends first.In the summer of 1880, the death of Beth Stanley’s husband puts her life’s work in jeopardy...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magical-realism magic paranormal romance fantasy fiction historical -
![The Silver Hand by Stephen R. Lawhead]()
The Silver Hand by Stephen R. Lawhead
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThe great king, Meldryn Mawr, is dead, and his kingdom lies in ruins. Treachery and brutality rule the land, and Albion is the scene of an epic struggle for the throne. Lewis Gillies returns as Llew, seeking the true meaning behind a mysterious prophecy - the making of a true king and the revealing of a long awaited champion: Silver Hand... -
![Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay]()
Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsCrispin is a master mosaicist, creating beautiful art with colored stones and glass. Summoned to Sarantium by imperial request, he bears a Queen's secret mission, and a talisman from an alchemist...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal religion spirituality 20th-century action-adventure adult -
![Spiral Path by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, Cat Kimbriel]()
Spiral Path by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel, Cat Kimbriel
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"The world is woven of secrets." Ritual magic mixes dangerously with wild magic. Yet Alfreda Sorensson's talent has grown until she becomes a target for worldly and unworldly powers... -
![Night Calls by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel]()
Night Calls by Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe werewolves came shattering the peace of the village of Sun Return. Five were taken before the girl's parents agreed to give her up. They called in Cousin Cory, Aunt Marta, all the known practitioners. The ones who could teach me how to hide in a leaf, dip into minds, and find the secret herbs that heal. Her childhood now over, the girl must face the Dark of the Other Side... -
![Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers]()
Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsI lean forward, pushing my body out past the battlements. The wind plucks at my cloak, buffets against me, as if it would carry me off in flight, just like the birds or the knight's soul. Let go, it cries, I will take you far, far away. I want to laugh at the exhilarating feeling, I will catch you, it whistles seductively.The convent has returned Sybella to a life that nearly drove her mad... -
![Stolen Magic by Stephanie Burgis]()
Stolen Magic by Stephanie Burgis
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen Kat’s family travels to a grand country house on the Devon coast for her sister Angeline’s wedding, Kat is stalked by a dangerous magical enemy - and finds everything she thought she knew about her late mother called into question...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure alternate-history book children -
![The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker]()
The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsChava is a golem, a woman made of clay, able to hear the thoughts and longings of the people around her and compelled by her nature to help them. Ahmad is a jinni, a perpetually restless and free-spirited creature of fire, imprisoned in the shape of a man... -
![The Archer's Tale by Bernard Cornwell]()
The Archer's Tale by Bernard Cornwell
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsFrom New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell, now available in paperback—the first book in the Grail Series--a spellbinding tale of a young man, a fearless archer, who sets out wanting to avenge his family's honor and winds up on a quest for the Holy Grail... -
![Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood]()
Sisters' Fate by Jessica Spotswood
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA fever ravages New London, but with the Brotherhood sending suspected witches straight to the gallows, the Sisters are powerless against the disease. They can’t help without revealing their powers—as Cate learns when a potent display of magic turns her into the most wanted witch in all of New England. To make matters worse, Cate has been erased from the memory of her beloved Finn... -
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![Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood]()
Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWith the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves...Categorized as:
family friendship historical-fiction magic paranormal religion spirituality 20th-century -
![The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede]()
The Far West by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWhen the government forms an expedition to map the Far West, Eff has the opportunity to travel farther than anyone in the world. With twin Lan, William, Professor Torgeson, Wash, and Professor Ochiba, she finds that nothing on the wild frontier is as they expected... -
![The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi]()
The Secret of the Nagas by Amish Tripathi
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 60 ratingsToday, He is a God. 4000 years ago, He was just a man. The hunt is on. The sinister Naga warrior has killed his friend Brahaspati and now stalks his wife Sati. Shiva, the Tibetan immigrant who is the prophesied destroyer of evil, will not rest till he finds his demonic adversary. His vengeance and the path to evil will lead him to the door of the Nagas, the serpent people. Of that he is certain...Categorized as:
drama friendship historical-fiction magic paranormal religion spirituality action-adventure -
![Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay]()
Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsThe bestselling author of the groundbreaking novels Under Heaven and River of Stars, Guy Gavriel Kay is back with a new book, set in a world inspired by the conflicts and dramas of Renaissance Europe. Against this tumultuous backdrop the lives of men and women unfold on the borderlands—where empires and faiths collide... -
![The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates]()
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 66 ratingsAn alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here and here.Young Hiram Walker was born into bondage. When his mother was sold away, Hiram was robbed of all memory of her—but was gifted with a mysterious power. Years later, when Hiram almost drowns in a river, that same power saves his life...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama family grief historical-fiction literary-fiction magic magical-realism -
![The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler]()
The Queen's Poisoner by Jeff Wheeler
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsKing Severn Argentine’s fearsome reputation precedes him: usurper of the throne, killer of rightful heirs, ruthless punisher of traitors. Attempting to depose him, the Duke of Kiskaddon gambles…and loses. Now the duke must atone by handing over his young son, Owen, as the king’s hostage. And should his loyalty falter again, the boy will pay with his life... -
![Nation by Terry Pratchett]()
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsAlone on a desert island — everything and everyone he knows and loves has been washed away in a storm — Mau is the last surviving member of his nation. He’s completely alone — or so he thinks until he finds the ghost girl. She has no toes, wears strange lacy trousers like the grandfather bird, and gives him a stick that can make fire... -
![Hemmed in Silver by Forthright .]()
Hemmed in Silver by Forthright .
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFairies in the garden. Frost on the pumpkins. Farmhands at the dance. Wyn Outler doesn’t talk about where he came from (or how long ago). All part of the vows he took when he and his best friend turned their backs on the In-between...Categorized as:
coming-of-age magic paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history book fiction -
![The Red Mother by Elizabeth Bear]()
The Red Mother by Elizabeth Bear
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Red Mother is a fantasy novella by Hugo Award-winning author Elizabeth Bear.Auga, a wandering sorcerer, follows his brother's fate-thread into the village of Ormsfjoll, where he expects to deliver good news and continue his travels. What he doesn't anticipate is that to meet his brother he must first contend with the truth at the heart of the volcano that wreaks havoc on Ormsfjoll... -
![Word of Honour by Michael Pryor]()
Word of Honour by Michael Pryor
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSinister plots, schemes within schemes, magical upheavals, and a world to save from evil. As always, Aubrey goes looking for trouble--and finds it, in spades.Magical genius Aubrey Fitzwilliam, along with his loyal friend George, is trying to immerse himself in his new life at university. But for Aubrey life is never straightforward...Categorized as:
family historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal action-adventure alternate-history book -
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![Regrettably, I am About to Cause Trouble by Amie McNee]()
Regrettably, I am About to Cause Trouble by Amie McNee
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratings1535, Oxfordshire. Lady Maude Shaftsberry has it all sorted. She will marry the well-connected lord, ascend the ranks of the Tudor court, and be mother to a small battalion of boys. But Maude has a secret that she carries a birthmark that stretches over her stomach and between her legs...Categorized as:
historical-fiction paranormal magic coming-of-age literary-fiction family friendship fantasy -
![The Cecelia and Kate Novels: Sorcery & Cecelia, The Grand Tour, and The Mislaid Magician by Patricia C. Wrede]()
The Cecelia and Kate Novels: Sorcery & Cecelia, The Grand Tour, and The Mislaid Magician by Patricia C. Wrede
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCourageous cousins are forced to do battle with magical foes in this series, collected here in a single volume In Sorcery & Cecelia, cousins Kate and Cecelia have been inseparable since childhood. But in 1817, as they approach adulthood, their families force them to spend a summer apart... -
![The Paradox by Charlie Fletcher]()
The Paradox by Charlie Fletcher
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSOMETIMES YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR – SOMETIMES IT LOOKS BACKThose who belong to the secret society called the Oversight know many things. They know cold iron will hold back the beasts in the darkness. They know it is dangerous to stand between two mirrors. And they know that, despite their dwindling numbers, it remains their duty to protect humanity from the supernatural. And vice versa... -
![The After-Room by Maile Meloy]()
The After-Room by Maile Meloy
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt’s 1955, and Benjamin Burrows and Janie Scott are trying to live a safe, normal life in America. It’s not easy, when they have the power to prevent nuclear disaster, and sinister forces are circling. Soon the advice of a mysterious, unscrupulous magician propels Janie and Benjamin into danger, and toward the land of the dead... -
![An Echo in Time: Atlantis by Traci Harding, Edwina Wren]()
An Echo in Time: Atlantis by Traci Harding, Edwina Wren
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe narrow stairway inside the mountain led to a door that opened into a huge marble plateau. Upon this stood a stone circle of nine of the largest hunks of polished crystal Tory had ever seen. A turbulent cloud erupted overhead, its core alive with electromagnetic activity...Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic paranormal action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook book -
![Light Perpetual by Andrzej Sapkowski]()
Light Perpetual by Andrzej Sapkowski
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsReynevan is still in trouble. All the time someone is trying to kill him or presents him with offers he cannot refuse. Secret agents stalk him as well as dark forces, which do not hide their diabolical nature..Categorized as:
historical-fiction magic religion spirituality action-adventure adult alternate-history audiobook -
![Brilliance of the Moon by Lian Hearn]()
Brilliance of the Moon by Lian Hearn
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA beautiful, haunting evocation of the medieval Japan of Lian Hearn's imagination, this thrilling follow-up to Grass for His Pillow and Across the Nightingale Floor delves deeper into the complex loyalties that bind its characters from birth... -
![Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn]()
Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsPraised for its epic scope and descriptive detail, Across the Nightingale Floor, the first book in the Tales of the Otori series, was an international bestseller and critical success, named by the London Times as "the most compelling novel to have been published this year...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal religion spirituality -
![Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold]()
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsCharles Carter—a.k.a. Carter the Great—is a young master performer whose skill as an illusionist exceeds even that of the great Houdini. But nothing in his career has prepared Carter for the greatest stunt of all, which stars none other than President Warren G. Harding and which could end up costing Carter the reputation he has worked so hard to create... -
![Tuck by Stephen R. Lawhead]()
Tuck by Stephen R. Lawhead
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 30 ratings"Pray God our aim is true and each arrow finds its mark."King Raven has brought hope to the oppressed people of Wales--and fear to their Norman overlords. Deceived by the self-serving King William and hunted by the treacherous Abbot Hugo and Sheriff de Glanville, Rhi Bran is forced again to take matters into his own hands as King Raven... -
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![A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner]()
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsSophos, under the guidance of yet another tutor, practices his swordplay and strategizes escape scenarios should his father's villa come under attack. How would he save his mother? His sisters? Himself? Could he reach the horses in time? Where would he go? But nothing prepares him for the day armed men, silent as thieves, swarm the villa courtyard ready to kill, to capture, to kidnap... -
![Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn]()
Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsIn his black-walled fortress at Inuyama, the warlord Iida Sadamu surveys his famous nightingale floor. Constructed with exquisite skill, it sings at the tread of each human foot. No assassin can cross it unheard.The youth Takeo has been brought up in a remote mountain village among the Hidden, a reclusive and spiritual people who have taught him only the ways of peace...Categorized as:
coming-of-age drama historical-fiction magic magical-realism paranormal religion spirituality -
![A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K.J. Parker]()
A Practical Guide to Conquering the World by K.J. Parker
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA Practical Guide to Conquering the World can be read by itself, but for those who like endings it can also be considered the refreshingly pragmatic conclusion to World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker’s acclaimed sequence of novels that began with Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City and continue with How to Rule an Empire and Get Away with It."Full of invention and ingenuity . .Categorized as:
historical-fiction realistic religion spirituality action-adventure adult alternate-history book -
![Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites by Chris Heimerdinger]()
Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites by Chris Heimerdinger
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsJim Hawkins has a bad attitude. What's more, he enjoys having a bad attitude about everything--especially about church. Garth Plimpton is a fanatic. He's spent so much time studying the scriptures and thick books on archaeology that that he can't carry on a normal conversation with other kids. That's why they consider him a nerd...Categorized as:
christian coming-of-age family historical-fiction literary-fiction paranormal realistic religion -
![The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby]()
The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsThree ordinary children are brought together by extraordinary events...Giuseppe is an orphaned street musician from Italy, who was sold by his uncle to work as a slave for an evil padrone in the U.S. But when a mysterious green violin enters his life he begins to imagine a life of freedom... -
![Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead]()
Scarlet by Stephen R. Lawhead
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 34 ratingsAfter losing everything he owns, forester Will Scarlet embarks on a search for none other than King Raven, whose exploits have already become legendary...
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