Books like 'The Doldrums'
Readers who enjoyed The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary fantasy action / adventure mystery urban fantasy humor children friendship realistic family
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An Author's Odyssey by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe fifth book in Chris Colfer's #1 New York Times bestselling series The Land of Stories!In the highly anticipated continuation of the Land of Stories series, Conner learns that the only place to fight the Masked Man's literary army is inside his own short stories! When the twins and their friends enter worlds crafted from Conner's imagination, finding allies no one else could have ever dreamed... -
Neverseen by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsSophie Foster is on the run—but at least she's not alone.Her closest friends from the Lost Cities have gone with her to join the Black Swan. They still have doubts about the shadowy organization, but the only way to find answers is to start working with them. And as they settle into their new lives, they uncover secrets far bigger than anything they’d imagined... -
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 97 ratingsA magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages... -
The Enchantress Returns by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 59 ratingsAfter decades of hiding, the evil Enchantress who cursed Sleeping Beauty is back with a vengeance.Alex and Conner Bailey have not been back to the magical Land of Stories since their adventures in The Wishing Spell ended... -
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Worlds Collide by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 44 ratingsThe epic conclusion to Chris Colfer's #1 New York Times bestselling series The Land of Stories!In the highly anticipated conclusion to the Land of Stories series, Conner and Alex must brave the impossible... -
Nightfall by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.52 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsSophie Foster is struggling. Grieving. Scrambling. But she knows one thing: she will not be defeated.The Neverseen have had their victories—but the battle is far from over. It’s time to change tactics. Make sacrifices. Reexamine everything. Maybe even time for Sophie to trust her enemies... -
A Grimm Warning by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsThe Brothers Grimm have a warning for the Land of Stories.Connor Bailey thinks his fairy-tale adventures are behind him - until he discovers a mysterious clue left by the famous Brothers Grimm. With help from his classmate Bree and the outlandish Mother Goose, Conner sets off on a mission across Europe to crack a two-hundred-year-old code... -
Lodestar by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsDark schemes unfold--and Sophie's loyalty is pushed to the limit--in this thrilling fifth book in the best-selling KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES SERIES. Sophie Foster is back in the Lost Cities--but the Lost Cities have changed. The threat of war hangs heavy over her glittering world, and the Neverseen are wreaking havoc...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship action-adventure audiobook book contemporary -
Everblaze by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 46 ratingsA New York Times bestselling seriesA USA TODAY bestselling seriesA California Young Reader Medal–winning seriesSophie uncovers shocking secrets—and faces treacherous new enemies—in this electrifying third book in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series.Sophie Foster is ready to fight back... -
Beyond the Kingdoms by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsFairy tales are just the beginning.The Masked Man is on the loose in the Land of Stories, and it's up to Alex and Conner Bailey to stop him...except Alex has been thrown off the Fairy Council, and no one will believe they're in danger... -
Exile by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsSophie Foster thought she was safe. Settled into her home at Havenfield, surrounded by friends, and using her unique telepathic abilities to train Silveny--the first female alicorn ever seen in the Lost Cities--her life finally seems to be coming together. But Sophie's kidnappers are still out there... -
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 79 ratingsCaptured by a giant! But the BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater, the Bonecruncher, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor magical-realism 20th-century action-adventure -
The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 72 ratingsHe's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of having to destroy him once and for all... -
The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 67 ratingsAlex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner... -
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Flashback by Shannon Messenger
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsIn this unforgettable seventh book, Sophie must let the past and present blur together, because the deadliest secrets are always the ones that get erased.Sophie Foster doesn’t know what—or whom—to believe. And in a game with this many players, the worst mistake can be focusing on the wrong threat... -
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 46 ratings"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor realistic 21st-century action-adventure -
Between Walls by W.R. Gingell
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsDon't get too close to humans.That's rule number one. Well, it is if you're an emotionally constipated fae lord. As far as I'm concerned, the vampire could do a better job of keeping his distance, but he's never been that good at following the rules.G'day. I'm Pet. Schrödinger's Pet, these days; depends who's asking...Categorized as:
family friendship humor magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book contemporary -
Magic and Other Misdemeanors by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSabrina and Daphne Grimm are ready to tackle their own case: who is stealing the magical possesions of the most powerful Everafters in town? With Granny distracted by Mayor Heart's campaign against human residents, the girl detectives appear to be on their own... -
The Inside Story by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsAfter the shocking ending of The Everafter War, this book picks up with Sabrina, Daphne, and Puck stuck in the Book of Everafter, where all the fairy tales are stored and enchanted characters can change their destinies. The girls (and Puck) must chase the Master through a series of stories, where they’re willing to change what they need in order to save their baby brother... -
Once Upon a Crime by Michael Buckley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsSabrina and Daphne's adventures continue in their hometown of New York City as they bring Puck to Faerie to cure the wounds. With the help of Granny Relda, the girls must figure out who killed Puck's father, King Oberon, while navigating the warring factions of Everafters that make their homes in every neighbourhood of New York City... -
Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsAna Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a five-year high school that graduates the best marine scientists, naval warriors, navigators, and underwater explorers in the world. Ana's parents died while on a scientific expedition two years ago, and the only family's she's got left is her older brother, Dev, also a student at HP... -
Blue Moon by James Ponti
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMolly is ready for more nonstop, undead action in this follow-up to Dead City, which Kirkus Reviews described as “a fast-paced read for those who like their zombies with just a little fright.”When Molly Bigelow discovered that zombies shared New York with humans, she didn’t think life could get more shocking... -
Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsTHINGS FINLEY HART DOESN’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT• Her parents, who are having problems. (But they pretend like they’re not.)• Being sent to her grandparents’ house for the summer.• Never having met said grandparents.• Her blue days—when life feels overwhelming, and it’s hard to keep her head up. (This happens a lot...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship magical-realism realistic action-adventure book -
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Dead City by James Ponti
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMost kids have enough to deal with between school, homework, extracurricular activities, and friends, but Molly Bigelow isn’t your typical tween. By day, Molly attends MIST—the Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology—but it’s what she’s learning outside of school that sets her apart from her classmates. Molly is a zombie hunter, just like her mother. This, however, is news to Molly... -
Awake and Dreaming by Kit Pearson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTheo has always dreamed of belonging to a real family. Her dream seems to come true when she is mysteriously "adopted" by the warm Kaldor clan. For the first time, Theo has brand new clothes, things of her own, security, and good friends. But, as time passes, the magic of Theo's new life begins to fade--really fade. In fact, Theo herself is vanishing...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship historical-fiction magical-realism action-adventure book -
Emily Windsnap and the Siren's Secret by Liz Kessler
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsFollow the siren call to Emily's magical new adventure! Can the spunky half-mer girl pass Neptune's test--and help humans and merpeople get along? Emily Windsnap is finally enjoying a swimmingly peaceful life on Allpoints Island, hanging out with her mermaid BFF, Shona, and her new friend Aaron (half-merperson like herself )... -
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:
coming-of-age humor magical-realism action-adventure book contemporary fiction low-fantasy -
The Menagerie by Tui T. Sutherland, Kari Sutherland
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsFrom the New York Times bestselling author of the Wings of Fire series, Tui T. Sutherland, and her sister, Kari Sutherland, comes the Menagerie series, perfect for fans of Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series and The Spiderwick Chronicles.In the small town of Xanadu, Wyoming lies the Menagerie, a top secret facility filled with unicorns, dragons, phoenixes, and other fairy tale creatures...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age friendship humor magical-realism action-adventure animals anthropomorphism -
When by Victoria Laurie, Whitney Dykhouse
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsPretty Little Liars meets Medium in this fast-paced thriller and fantastic YA debut from a New York Times bestselling author.Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship magical-realism realistic action-adventure audiobook book -
Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSal and Gabi have to try to make everything right with our world when there is a rogue Gabi from another universe running loose.Sal Vidon creates wormholes. But Sal's father, a calamity physicist, is trying to shut down all the wormholes Sal creates, because Papi thinks they are eroding the very fabric of our world... -
If You're Reading This, It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsBeware!Dangerous secrets lie between the pages of this book.OK, I warned you. But if you think I'll give anything away, or tell you that this is the sequel to my first literary endeavor, The Name of This Book is Secret, you're wrong...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor magical-realism realistic action-adventure audiobook -
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... -
Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe highly anticipated third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers! Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.War has come to the supernatural world, and Amari’s two worst enemies are leading the charge...Categorized as:
children friendship family coming-of-age magical-realism fantasy middle-grade audiobook -
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In an Absent Dream by Seanan McGuire
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThis fourth entry and prequel tells the story of Lundy, a very serious young girl who would rather study and dream than become a respectable housewife and live up to the expectations of the world around her. As well she should.When she finds a doorway to a world founded on logic and reason, riddles and lies, she thinks she's found her paradise... -
Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 70 ratingsIn MAXIMUM RIDE: SAVING THE WORLD AND OTHER EXTREME SPORTS, the time has arrived for Max and her winged "Flock" to face their ultimate enemy and discover their original purpose: to defeat the takeover of "Re-evolution", a sinister experiment to re-engineer a select population into a scientifically superior master race...and to terminate the rest... -
Arcade Catastrophe by Brandon Mull
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsIt will take more than magical candy to win this war!Something fishy is going on over at the new amusement centre in Walnut Hills. The trouble seems linked to the mysterious disappearance of Mozag and John Dart, who have spent their lives policing the magical community...Categorized as:
children family realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books contemporary -
The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black, Cassandra Clare
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 43 ratingsCallum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall. It’s not easy for Call . .Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor magical-realism action-adventure animals -
Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsHow did a raw chicken get inside Yasmany's locker?When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn't under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal's office for the third time in three days, and it's still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor magical-realism realistic action-adventure -
The Girl Who Could Not Dream by Sarah Beth Durst
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSophie loves the hidden shop below her parents' bookstore, where dreams are secretly bought and sold. When the dream shop is robbed and her parents go missing, Sophie must unravel the truth to save them. Together with her best friend—a wisecracking and fanatically loyal monster named Monster—she must decide whom to trust with her family’s carefully guarded secrets... -
The Cracks in the Kingdom by Jaclyn Moriarty
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAward-winning Astonishingly originalArtistic and magicalTime slides around the world so strangely ...It's not easy being Princess Ko.Her family is missing, taken to the World through cracks in the Kingdom, which were then sealed tightly behind them.Now Princess Ko is running the Kingdom, and war is looming...Categorized as:
coming-of-age family friendship humor magical-realism action-adventure audiobook book -
Long Lost by Jacqueline West
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEleven-year-old Fiona has just read a book that doesn’t exist. When Fiona’s family moves to be closer to her older sister’s figure skating club—and far from Fiona’s close-knit group of friends—nobody seems to notice Fiona’s unhappiness. Alone and out of place, Fiona ventures to the town’s library, a rambling mansion donated to the town by the long-dead heiress...Categorized as:
magical-realism children family historical-fiction realistic middle-grade fantasy mystery -
The Mystwick School of Musicraft by Jessica Khoury, Suzy Jackson
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLength: 8 hrs and 18 minsHumor, heart, and a symphony of magic take center stage in this middle-grade fantasy, perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil series.Amelia Jones has always dreamed of attending the Mystwick School of Musicraft, where the world’s most promising musicians learn to create magic...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship magical-realism action-adventure audiobook boarding-school -
The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsYou just can't keep a good girl down . . . unless you use the proper methods.Piper McCloud can fly. Just like that. Easy as pie.Sure, she hasn't mastered reverse propulsion and her turns are kind of sloppy, but she's real good at loop-the-loops.Problem is, the good folk of Lowland County are afraid of Piper. And her ma's at her wit's end...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship humor magical-realism realistic action-adventure -
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Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend by Matthew Dicks
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsImaginary friend Budo narrates this heartwarming story of love, loyalty, and the power of the imagination—the perfect read for anyone who has ever had a friend . . . real or otherwise.Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends...Categorized as:
children coming-of-age family friendship magical-realism realistic 21st-century action-adventure -
The Eye of Zoltar by Jasper Fforde
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe Mighty Shandar, the most powerful wizard the world has ever seen, returns to the Ununited Kingdoms. Clearly, he didn't solve the Dragon Problem, and must hand over his fee: eighteen dray-weights of gold... -
The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsWarning: this description has not been authorized by Pseudonymous Bosch. As much as he'd love to sing the praises of his book (he is very vain), he wouldn't want you to hear about his brave 11-year old heroes, Cass and Max-Ernest. Or about how a mysterious box of vials, the Symphony of Smells, sends them on the trail of a magician who has vanished under strange (and stinky) circumstances...Categorized as:
children family friendship humor magical-realism realistic action-adventure audiobook -
Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsThe Evil Librarians are still up to their antics and it's up to Alcatraz Smedry to put a stop to it! This second book will take Alcatraz and company on an exploration of the Library of Alexandria, which -- despite Librarian rumors -- was never destroyed. It is a mysterious place and everyone knows that it holds dark secrets... -
Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den by Aimee Carter
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA thrilling debut in the tradition of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull about a boy who discovers a secret race of animal shape shifters.Twelve-year-old Simon Thorn’s life has never been easy or normal, but things like being bullied at school and living in a cramped Manhattan apartment with his Uncle Darrell are nothing compared to his biggest secret: He can talk to animals... -
Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia by Brandon Sanderson
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsWhen Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to the Free Kingdom city of Crystallia, the Smedry home base, Alcatraz is shocked to see that he is, in fact, a legend. When he was a baby he was stolen by the Evil Librarians, and his mother, a Librarian herself, was behind the whole scheme...
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