Books like 'Teaching the Dog to Read'
Readers who enjoyed Teaching the Dog to Read by Jonathan Carroll also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy supernatural magical-realism low-fantasy
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The Joy of Hex by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.68 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsHadley Hunter is living the good life until a group of authors shows up on Moonstone Bay, and one of them clearly has murder on their mind.Jasmine Riley was the lone female writer in a male-dominated genre, and she was on top of her game. When she winds up dead in the ditch on the highway outside of the city, suspicion turns to her competition... -
![How Aunt Tillie Stole Christmas by Amanda M. Lee]()
How Aunt Tillie Stole Christmas by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFourteen years ago, Christmas hit Walkerville with a bang. Or, rather, a big ball of fire. When a local group home for orphaned children goes up in smoke right before the holidays, Tillie Winchester volunteers her family to take in some kids – even though her arch nemesis Margaret Little is dead-set against it. Of course, that’s part of the appeal for Tillie so she’s considering it a win...Categorized as:
magical-realism low-fantasy cozy witches-wizards paranormal mystery fantasy audiobook -
![Merry Witchmas by Amanda M. Lee]()
Merry Witchmas by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s a Christmas from the past but the usual players aren’t all that different. Tillie Winchester is annoyed with the world – what else is new, right? – and she’s fraying under the pressure. Her nieces believe she’s a bad influence on the youngest Winchester generation – especially an acerbic Thistle – and they want her to set a good example... -
![Luke on the Loose by Amanda M. Lee]()
Luke on the Loose by Amanda M. Lee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLuke Bishop is the center of attention and life of the party at Mystic Caravan Circus. He’s a great guy, who just so happens to be in a bit of a funk. That doesn’t change when the circus hits Ohio, one of their least favorite stops. Since nothing ever happens in Ohio. The group believes that will hold true during another boring trip... -
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![Ghostly Images by Lily Harper Hart]()
Ghostly Images by Lily Harper Hart
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsHarper Harlow has ghosts coming out of her ears (thankfully not literally). Suffice it to say she’s got a lot on her plate, though. Between her regular jobs at Ghost Hunters, Inc. – and the secret her best friend Zander appears to be keeping – she has her hands full. Things only become more complicated when one of Whisper Cove’s oldest residents comes knocking on the police department’s door... -
![Snow Cold Case by M.Z. Andrews]()
Snow Cold Case by M.Z. Andrews
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMeet reclusive mystery writer, Johanna Hughes, and Rockland Gable Hughes, aka Rocky, JoJo’s trusty English Mastiff, loyal companion, and roommate. On a walk, just a little more than a week before Christmas, Rocky and Johanna are lured into an antique shop by an enchanting grey cat. Inside, they stumble upon a mystic snow globe hidden amongst all the antiques... -
![Chew the Bullet by Martha Carr, Michael Anderle]()
Chew the Bullet by Martha Carr, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIdina Moorfield isn’t the only one on her team with unusual powers.Her buddy, Stop remembers everything he sees, and Cake is a new kind of man of steel.That’s the last two, which means everyone in Idina’s unit has a unique talent.Why would the Army want to bring them all together?Her commander, Hines is still refusing to answer her questions...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book coming-of-age contemporary fiction humor -
![Royally Hitched: The Fae Twins by G.K. DeRosa]()
Royally Hitched: The Fae Twins by G.K. DeRosa
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe prince is in prison for a murder he didn’t commit—or did he? With all the intrigue at Spring Court, I don’t know who to trust anymore. Even my own sister is keeping secrets from me. The closer we get to Drake, the more dangerous it is for both of us. Not only because of the swirling rumors of murder but also for our traitorous hearts. We were never supposed to fall for the prince... -
![Royally Hitched: The Fae Princess by G.K. DeRosa]()
Royally Hitched: The Fae Princess by G.K. DeRosa
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFae fated mates? Really? When my twin and I started this competition, we had no idea what we were getting into. Not only did we both end up falling for the prince, but we also discovered we might be more than Fae phonies after all. Now that Drake knows the real identity of our father, will he be able to forgive us so we can discover the truth of our heritage? Doubtful... -
![Brewing Trouble by Christine Gael]()
Brewing Trouble by Christine Gael
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAfter barely escaping the business end of the hangman’s noose, Cricket Hawthorne wants nothing more than to forget it all...Maude the magical typewriter, Zoe’s stolen cauldron, Patrick the betrayer, and definitely the witch-hating, robe-wearing cult who tried to end her. Unfortunately, pressing the reboot button isn’t an option... -
![Chaos and Gunfire by Martha Carr, Michael Anderle]()
Chaos and Gunfire by Martha Carr, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIdina Moorfield is a new kind of magical with a dark and twisty lineage.Any other combat engineer in the 82nd Airborne Division would be proud of how far Idina's come, but the visions and voices in her mind are only getting worse.When it affects her work, Idina gets transferred to a new unit—a unit of misfits with their own problems...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book coming-of-age contemporary fiction humor -
![The Oversoul Seven Trilogy: The Education of Oversoul Seven, The Further Education of Oversoul Seven, Oversoul Seven and the Museum of Time by Jane Roberts, Robert F. Butts]()
The Oversoul Seven Trilogy: The Education of Oversoul Seven, The Further Education of Oversoul Seven, Oversoul Seven and the Museum of Time by Jane Roberts, Robert F. Butts
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJane Roberts has contributed to The Oversoul Seven Trilogy as an author.Roberts was considered one of the most important psychics of the twentieth century...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism adult anthologies contemporary fiction literary-fiction philosophy -
![Life's A Birch by Annabel Chase]()
Life's A Birch by Annabel Chase
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsLife's a birch and then you die in a canal wearing days-of-the-week underpants.Forty-two-year-old Mia Thorne is settling into her new life in the small riverside town of Newberry, Pennsylvania. Part of her misses the bright lights of the big city, but Mia is determined to make the best of the cottage she inherited and its surroundings gardens, as well as her blossoming love life... -
![The Good Troll Detective by Ramy Vance, Michael Anderle]()
The Good Troll Detective by Ramy Vance, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHalf-troll. Half-human. All badass.Maine doesn’t like her father. It doesn’t help that he’s a troll. As in a literal, lives-under-a-bridge troll.When her father is killed, Maine returns home to settle his estate and learns that he wasn’t any ordinary troll, but the town hero.Seems trolls can be superheroes, too...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book coming-of-age contemporary fiction humor -
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![A House for Keeping: an urban fantasy by Matteson Wynn]()
A House for Keeping: an urban fantasy by Matteson Wynn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat would you give to add some magic to your life? Finn Foster is done with the dismal, dusty desert of the Southwest, and is determined to add a little excitement to her existence... -
![Wolf Mate by M. Guida]()
Wolf Mate by M. Guida
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe final battle is here. I have to prove that I'm worthy of the crown.Everything rests on me.But I'm willing to accept the challenge.I want justice for my parents' murder and my demon wolves' enslavement.My enemy doesn't play fair, and I know it's an ambush.Bring it on, dude. Win or lose, I'm ready...Categorized as:
magical-realism low-fantasy fantasy suspense supernatural contemporary monsters dark -
![Excantation by Honor Raconteur]()
Excantation by Honor Raconteur
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeing an adult is the dumbest thing I have ever done.Our Heroine: still me. A sleep-deprived me, which, considering I’m a murder and ten cups of coffee away from showing my displeasure to the world, and there’re clans to save, is not a good combination... -
![Ladybirds by R. Raeta]()
Ladybirds by R. Raeta
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMiracles don't come free and words are binding...His miracles have a cursed edge, but he’s not the villain Sara expected. Still, she’s not exactly thrilled about being stuck with a centuries old ghost with a flair for the dramatic and a nasty habit of pushing her buttons just for the fun of it...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism romance fantasy paranormal contemporary new-adult ghosts -
![Imagineer by Honor Raconteur]()
Imagineer by Honor Raconteur
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsImagination has no limit… Our Heroine: Me. And boy, are we all in trouble. A seventeen-year-old with a love of fantasy and unmanageable hair? Hardly anyone’s idea of the knight in shining armor. I went about life with no idea the world around me was not as it seemed, until one dark night I saw glimpses of things I knew shouldn’t exist...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure book coming-of-age contemporary fae fiction -
![Royally Hitched: The Fae Prince by G.K. DeRosa]()
Royally Hitched: The Fae Prince by G.K. DeRosa
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA fight to the death… Or at least that’s what it feels like when my twin sister and I are pitted against a dozen ruthless Fae females in a competition to marry the Spring Court prince. On live television.If we can survive eight weeks on Royally Hitched, we’ll earn our freedom and a one-way ticket home to the human world. All we have to do is play nice with the mean girls and stuck up ice prince... -
![Pawsitively Secretive by Melissa Erin Jackson]()
Pawsitively Secretive by Melissa Erin Jackson
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNot all secrets are meant to be kept.After two stressful months, Amber Blackwood is determined to have a few weeks of peace before the Here and Meow Festival descends on her small town of Edgehill, Oregon. That peace doesn’t last long; when she and the committee attend a meeting at the mayor’s house, Amber is pulled aside by the mayor’s daughter, Chloe, who Amber babysat for in high school... -
![During the Dance by Mark Lawrence]()
During the Dance by Mark Lawrence
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA short story (2000 words)A story of love, loss, and the dance in between. Absolutely not a romance.A short story about a child with a gift for seeing past the world... -
![Philippa Fisher And The Fairy's Promise by Liz Kessler]()
Philippa Fisher And The Fairy's Promise by Liz Kessler
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsPhilippa is looking forward to spending New Year in the village where her new friend Robyn lives... -
![A Very Declan Christmas by Maggie Stiefvater]()
A Very Declan Christmas by Maggie Stiefvater
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratings"I’ve done a holiday short for the last few years. Here’s another one from the Raven Cycle universe...Categorized as:
magical-realism low-fantasy fantasy young-adult fiction urban-fantasy paranormal contemporary -
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![A Trip to the Stars by Nicholas Christopher]()
A Trip to the Stars by Nicholas Christopher
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsA young boy and his adopted aunt become separated when the youngster is kidnapped by his wealthy, eccentric great-uncle, but mysterious ties continue to link the two unknowingly over the fifteen-year separation... -
![Moonlight and Vines by Charles de Lint]()
Moonlight and Vines by Charles de Lint
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsReturn to NewfordFamiliar to Charles de Lint's ever-growing audience as the setting of the novels Moonheart, Forests of the Heart, The Onion Girl, and many others, Newford is the quintessential North American city, tough and streetwise on the surface and rich with hidden magic for those who can see...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism adult anthologies contemporary dark-fantasy fae fairy-tale -
![The Unlikely Heroes by Sarah Noffke, Michael Anderle]()
The Unlikely Heroes by Sarah Noffke, Michael Anderle
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMagic is real. Most mortals are seeing it for the first time. Some don’t deal with change very well. There are a few mortals who have always seen the magic. Those are the ones Liv Beaufont is hunting down. They are potentially one of the Mortal Seven. Kayla Sinclair is also on the hunt. But she’s aiming to kill. It’s a race to find the Mortal Seven before they are murdered... -
![Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set by Sarah Noffke, Martha Carr]()
Soul Stone Mage Complete Collection Boxed Set by Sarah Noffke, Martha Carr
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“Magic could be the very death of you…or it could be what saves the world.” In the Kingdom of Virgo, witches and wizards have lived peacefully for thousands of years. On the other side of the Dark Forest resides the Land of Terran. The humans of Terran treat those from Virgo as second-class citizens, disgracing and trapping them at every turn... -
![Three Scenarios In Which Hana Sasaki Grows A Tail by Kelly Luce]()
Three Scenarios In Which Hana Sasaki Grows A Tail by Kelly Luce
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThree Scenarios in Which Hana Sasaki Grows a Tail is a debut collection of stories from Kelly Luce. Hana Sasaki will introduce you to many things—among them, an oracular toaster, a woman who grows a tail, and an extraordinary sex-change operation. Set in Japan, these stories tip into the fantastical, plumb the power of memory, and measure the human capacity to love... -
![Spooky Sweet by Connie Shelton]()
Spooky Sweet by Connie Shelton
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNow that Samantha Sweet has a contract to provide her special handmade chocolates for the wealthy jet-set clients of Book It Travel, Sweet’s Sweets bakery is taking on a whole new dimension. Only problem, Sam isn’t ready. It’s almost Halloween, her pastry shop is bursting at the seams and she needs extra employees but there is no place to put them... -
![The Buying of Lot 37 by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor]()
The Buying of Lot 37 by Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the authors of the New York Times bestselling novels It Devours! and Welcome to Night Vale and the creators of the #1 international podcast of the same name, comes a collection of episodes from Season Three of their hit podcast, featuring an introduction by the authors, a foreword by Dessa, behind-the-scenes commentary, and original illustrations...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure adult book comedy contemporary dystopia -
![Flames by Robbie Arnott]()
Flames by Robbie Arnott
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsA young man named Levi McAllister decides to build a coffin for his twenty-three-year-old sister, Charlotte—who promptly runs for her life. A water rat swims upriver in quest of the cloud god. A fisherman named Karl hunts for tuna in partnership with a seal. And a father takes form from fire...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism 21st-century adult animals anthologies contemporary family -
![Twisted Treats by Cate Lawley]()
Twisted Treats by Cate Lawley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s murder when family come to visit.Great Aunt Sophia’s in town to teach Lina all of her witchy ways.No great surprise, her eccentric great aunt’s teaching methods are just as unorthodox as the lady herself. Certainly not approved by the International Criminal Witch Police.Which is a problem, since Lina’s neck deep in another murder investigation... -
![Interesting People by Matthew Storm]()
Interesting People by Matthew Storm
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt's been six months since Sally Rain shattered Earth's timeline and was banished by Artemis to the Island, a mystical prison, to live out the rest of her days alone. Oliver Jones, once called the most dangerous man in the world, still hasn't forgiven Artemis for her decision. Things are bad enough at the office when Oliver is sent to investigate two killings that seem oddly familiar to Artemis...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure adult book contemporary dragons fiction -
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![Finding Faerie by Laura Lee]()
Finding Faerie by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFINDING FAERIE is the third installment in the Karli Lane series. For Karli Lane, life used to be so simple. All she had to worry about was mixing drinks or maintaining an even tan. Nowadays her mind is plagued with things like finding a mystical portal, smelling like vampire bait, or accidentally causing destruction everywhere she goes.Oh yeah, and choosing between two irresistible men... -
![Split Sense by Barbara Ellen Brink]()
Split Sense by Barbara Ellen Brink
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSplit Sense is the winner of the 2011 Grace Awards for speculative fiction.Here is the what the judges said:"At the risk of sounding cliché, one awesome read! This speculative thriller is full of action, intrigue and a touch of science fiction... -
![Aftermath by Jim Butcher]()
Aftermath by Jim Butcher
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIncluded on Side JobsTakes place immediately after "Changes"Spoilers...Categorized as:
magical-realism low-fantasy fantasy urban-fantasy paranormal supernatural fiction audiobook -
![Sleight of Hand by Peter S. Beagle]()
Sleight of Hand by Peter S. Beagle
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAbundant with tales of quiet heroism, life-changing decisions, and determined searches for deep answers, this extraordinary collection of contemporary fantasy explores the realms between this world and the next. From the top of the Berlin Wall to the depths of the darkest seas, gods and monsters battle their enemies and innermost fears, yet mere mortals make the truly difficult choices...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism adult anthologies contemporary epic fiction literary-fiction -
![Open House on Haunted Hill by John Wiswell]()
Open House on Haunted Hill by John Wiswell
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAuthor’s Note: At the World Fantasy Convention in 2018, I went to dinner with some lovely people who let me babble about Horror. I read, watch, and play Horror every week, but I barely ever write it. Instead I tend to put Horror-y things back out as humorous stories or heartwarming stories... -
![A Red Heart of Memories by Nina Kiriki Hoffman]()
A Red Heart of Memories by Nina Kiriki Hoffman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMatilda "Matt" Black possesses the unique ability to speak with inanimate objects and witness the dreams of other people. Alone, yet never lonely, she s now found a kindred spirit in Edmund Reynolds a wandering witch of a spiritual quest to help those in need. Together, these two special people who live outside normal reality will embark on an odyssey of the imagination... -
![Interesting Places by Matthew Storm]()
Interesting Places by Matthew Storm
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOliver Jones, a man who once discovered he had the power to change reality itself, used to be called the most dangerous man in the world. Now he's joined The Araneae Group, a team of paranormal investigators under the command of Artemis, a seemingly immortal ten-year-old girl...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure adult alternate-history book contemporary fiction -
![The Ghostly Grounds: Death and Brunch by Sophie Love]()
The Ghostly Grounds: Death and Brunch by Sophie Love
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMarie Fortune, 39, a successful dog groomer in Boston, leaves the stressful life behind and heads to a small town in coastal Maine to create a new life. She remains intent on renovating the old, historic house her great-aunt left her and giving it a new life as a B&B. Yet there was one thing she couldn’t plan for: the house is haunted... -
![The Witch Squad by M.Z. Andrews]()
The Witch Squad by M.Z. Andrews
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNineteen-year-old Mercy Habernackle is a witch gone off the rails. Causing problems with the law in her hometown, she’s faced with two options. Go to a correctional institution or get shipped off to witch boarding school, or as her mother prefers to call it, finishing school... -
![Spiritwalk by Charles de Lint]()
Spiritwalk by Charles de Lint
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTamson House, in modern, urban Ottawa, is a rambling, eccentric curiosity of a house - and a place of hidden Power. Built at a point where the leylines meet, upon land that was once a sacred site, it is the gateway to a spirit-world where Celtic and Native American magicks mingle and leak into our own... -
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![Finder by Emma Bull]()
Finder by Emma Bull
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAmerican Library Association Best Books for Young AdultsVOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy & HorrorWelcome to Bordertown. A hybrid community of misfits, oddballs and runaways. Where humans, elves and halflings coexist. Where magic and the brutal realities of survival clash and mix. For Orient and Tick-Tick, it's just home. Death and dark magic hang over the city... -
![Terms May Apply by Keith A. Pearson]()
Terms May Apply by Keith A. Pearson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat would you give for a wish to come true? Your left arm? Your most cherished possession? Your last crumb of integrity?Kyle Hammond is suffering a surprise birthday party he really didn’t want. As he blows out the candles on his cake, he makes a token wish. Three days later, to his utter astonishment, that wish comes true... -
![Murder of a Werewolf by April Fernsby]()
Murder of a Werewolf by April Fernsby
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsBrimstone - a town where supernatural beings live - and where crime is on the increase. Just like her gran, Cassia Winter is a witch. The Winter witches are responsible for investigating crimes in Brimstone. The only problem is, Cassia doesn’t know she’s a witch yet. When Gran tells Cassia about her true nature, Cassia dismisses it as nonsense... -
![Colorful by Eto Mori]()
Colorful by Eto Mori
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA beloved and bestselling classic in Japan, this groundbreaking tale of a dead soul who gets a second chance is now available in English for the very first time."Congratulations, you've won the lottery!" shouts the angel Prapura to a formless soul. The soul hasn't been kicked out of the cycle of rebirth just yet—he's been given a second chance...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism 20th-century anthologies asian-mc audiobook classics contemporary -
![The Threads of the Heart by Carole Martinez]()
The Threads of the Heart by Carole Martinez
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThey say Frasquita knows magic, that she is a healer with occult powers, that perhaps she is a sorcerer. She does indeed possess a remarkable gift, one that has been passed down to the women in her family for generations... -
![Pears and Perils by Drew Hayes]()
Pears and Perils by Drew Hayes
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMost people would be overjoyed to win $50,000 and the chance to star in a nation-wide commercial, even if it was just for a fast food joint like Camelot Burger. Then again, Clint Tucker has never been like most people. Ushered to the tropical paradise of Kenowai, he and the other winners undertake an island tradition for the cameras, one meant to free a local imprisoned deity...Categorized as:
low-fantasy magical-realism action-adventure adult audiobook book contemporary fiction
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