College roommates attempt to give themselves super powers. Things go wrong. Now one is a hero, and the other is a villain, and only one can survive.

(Already read this? Check out the sequel.)

There are three Londons: One in our world;  one with so much magic that it's poisoned; one caught in the middle. Kell, a smuggler with a rare ability to travel between all three, and Lila, a pirate, must fight for their own lives if they have any hope of saving their own world.

(This is the first in a trilogy. Check out book 2 and book 3 next!)

P.S. The audiobook is excellent.

"I decided that Orion Lake had to die after the second time he saved my life."

Galadriel is no one's idea of a hero. In fact, everyone expects her to go bad someday anyways. So why shouldn't she do what it takes to survive in a school where everything wants her dead?  There's just one person in her way: Orion Lake, The Chosen One.

(See also book 2 and book 3.)

An assassin enters a competition to win her freedom. But when the other 23 competitors--all killers, thieves, and warriors themselves--begin dying one by one, her fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival and a quest to save her world from evil. 

(This is the first in a 7-book series.)

The myths call her a witch. She curses sailors who land on her island, turning them into pigs. They say she imprisoned Odysseus, keeping him from returning home to his wife. In the stories, she's a villain.

But that's not how Circe would tell it.

Patroclus, an awkward young prince who has been disowned and exiled, has become the best friend of legendary hero Achilles. He's happy to be the sidekick and let Achilles be the star. But when Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, the young men go to war, and the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Maybe you've heard the story of The Wizard of Oz--how Dorothy defeated a tyrannical witch and freed the good citizens of Oz. But what if Dorothy isn't the hero we all think she is? What if all that power went to her head?

(This is the first book in a series, with 3 more books and 7 short story/novellas.)

France, 1742: In a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a deal with the devil--she will live forever, but in exchange, she will be forgotten by every person she meets.

Nearly 300 years later, after several lifetimes of loneliness and invisibility, she meets a man in a bookstore, and he remembers her name. But he's carrying a curse of his own...

This is the women's war, just as much as it is the men's. 

The stories of the Trojan war have always focused on the men. These are the stories of the women whose lives, loves, and rivalries were forever altered by this long and tragic war.

In every generation, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all in possession of great magic. But only one can rule. On their sixteenth birthday, the battle begins. Only one sister can survive.

An East Asian retelling of Snow White, from the perspective of the Evil Queen.

Xifeng is beautiful, and the prophecies say she is destined for greatness. But in order to rise to power, she must betray the boy she loves and give in to the cruel magic that runs in her family, fueled by eating the hearts of those she kills. 

A vengeful princess seeks to murder her brother and take the throne. A priestess searches for her family. Together, they will change the fate of a kingdom.

Once every twenty years, the Blood Moon rises. And seven children from the seven great families of Ilvernath enter the Tournament: a fight to the death. The last one standing, who has the most blood on their hands, will control the store of high magic for the next generation. And they'll do anything to win. 

Sloane is a scion--a descendent of the ancient Orisha gods, with the power to incinerate her enemies at will. Under the law, if her powers are discovered, she will be put to death. When she is forcibly drafted into the army, she sees an opportunity to destroy them from within and overthrow the monstrous oppression of the government. But she risks becoming a monster herself.

Don’t forget the rule. No one can know what you are. What we are. You must never tell anyone about monsters.

Joan has just learned the truth: her family are monsters, with terrifying, hidden powers.

And the cute boy at work isn’t just a boy: he’s a legendary monster slayer, who will do anything to destroy her family.

To save herself and her family, Joan will have to do what she fears most: embrace her own monstrousness. Because in this story…she is not the hero.

In Awara, where gods, monsters, and humans exist side by side, Miuko is an ordinary girl. But when she is transformed into a demon with a deadly touch, she embarks on a quest to reverse the curse and return to her normal life. 

With her transformation comes new power and freedom, and she’ll have to decide if saving her soul is worth trying to cram herself back into an ordinary life that no longer fits her… and perhaps never did. 

You know the story of Katniss Everdeen, the Mockingjay who led a revolution to end the Hunger Games. But this is a story about the man who ran them. Before he was President Snow, he was a mentor to a tribute from District 12. It's his one shot at glory. And he'll do anything to win.

Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship surrounded by corpses, with no memory of his name or how he got there. He doesn't remember that this mission will decide the survival of humanity and the earth itself. Can he solve the mystery in time to save the world?

Johannes Cabal sold his soul years ago. And now he wants it back. Amused and slightly bored, Satan offers him a bargain: If Johannes can persuade one hundred people to sign over their own souls to the devil, Johannes can have his back. If he fails, he will be damned forever. 

Johannes has a year to make it happen. Mayhem ensues. 

Once upon a time, a wicked fairy cursed a beautiful princess to die, unless a prince kisses her. 

The princess isn't supposed to fall for the evil sorceress. 

Because we all know how this story ends, don't we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I? I am the villain. 

Mia is officially a Troubled Teen(TM)-- she gets bad grades, drinks too much, and has probably gone too far with too many guys.

But she doesn't realize how out of control she is until she is sent away to Red Oak Academy, a therapeutic girls' boarding school in the middle of nowhere.

While there, Mia is forced to confront her painful past at the same time she questions why she's at Red Oak. If she were a boy, would her behavior be considered wild enough to get sent away?

A young man travels across Ukraine, searching for the heroic woman who saved his grandfather from the Nazis 50 years before.

This novel blends elements of magical realism with the real story of the author's grandfather's survival during the Holocaust.

Afghanistan, 1975: Amir is determined to win the kite flying competition, and his best friend Hassan has promised to help. But when something horrible happens to Hassan, Amir selfishly chooses to stay silent. Years later, he returns to Afghanistan seeking redemption.

Please check the content warnings for this book.

A reimagining of the life of Joan of Arc, the real-life historical heroine who led the French army to victory.

(Looking for the true story of Joan of Arc? Check the nonfiction section below.)

Sometimes life isn’t as simple as heroes and villains.

When Zelda, a 21-year-old Viking enthusiast, finds out that her older brother Gert has resorted to some questionable—and dangerous—methods to make enough money to keep them afloat, Zelda decides to launch her own quest to save her small family. Her mission: to be legendary.   

In a peaceful retirement village, four elderly residents meet up to investigate unsolved murders. But when a local property developer shows up dead, they find themselves in the middle of their first live case. 

Based on the real history of the mill worker strikes in Gaston County, North Carolina in 1929.

Ella May Wiggins works 72 hours a week in a mill, earning only $9 per week. It's a terrible job, but it's the only opportunity she has. Her deadbeat husband has run off again, and she has four children to feed. So when the labor unions begin stirring in Bessemer City, Ella May sees a spark of hope and joins the movement, becoming its voice through her songs. But the consequences will rock her family, her friends, and her town--everyone she loves.

A retelling of real history with a fantasy twist. 

In 1345, in a famine-stricken village in China, a prophet foretells that the eighth son of the Zhu family will rise to greatness, while the second daughter will (predictably) be nothing at all. But when the entire family dies except for the second daughter, she takes on her brother's identity and seeks to claim his greatness for herself.

Oliver Marks has served 10 years in prison for a crime he claims he did not commit--but he would never admit who was really guilty. Now that he has been released, he has agreed to tell the detective who locked him away the real truth of what actually happened 10 years before, when he and his fellow theater students were accused of murdering one of their own.

Nora's had a lot of identities. As the daughter of a con artist who ran away from home, she's been trying to live a normal life. But when a boring bank trip turns into a hostage situation, she'll have to draw on her past skills to get out alive. These bank robbers have no idea who they're really dealing with.

In a town on the Texas-Mexico border, a man finds a truck full of cash and drugs, surrounded by dead bodies. He takes the money, setting off a string of violence and tragedy.

After the shocking murder of senior Emma Baines, three of her classmates are at the top of the suspect list: Claude, the notorious partier; Avery, the head cheerleader; and Gwen, the valedictorian.

But appearances are never what they seem. As long buried secrets come to light, the clock is ticking to find Emma's killer--before another good girl goes down.

Vera's mother is dying. So despite her long estrangement and the horrible memories, Vera has returned to the infamous Crowder House, the home where her serial killer father tortured and murdered his victims. But something sinister is lurking in the house. And Vera can't leave until she uncovers its secrets.

In the fall of 1888, Jack the Ripper slaughtered five prostitutes in London. And then he disappeared. He was never caught. 

This is a reimagining of the infamous serial killer's personal story, entwined with the story of an Irish journalist who led the investigation. 

John Wayne Cleaver is dangerous, and he knows it. He's spent his whole life doing his best not to live up to that potential. He's obsessed with serial killers, but he really doesn't want to be one. So he lives by strict rules, for everyone's safety.

But when a dead body turns up at the laundromat, he knows there's something different than usual going on. Now he has to confront a danger outside himself.

Ten strangers who seem to have nothing in common are summoned to a remote island with the promise of a luxury vacation. But on the first night, a mysterious voice sounds throughout the mansion, accusing each of them of harboring a dark secret. And the next morning, one of them is dead. One by one, the guests are picked off. But who is the killer? And what is everyone hiding?

A fair-skinned black woman in the 1930s south sets out to become her own person and gain the life she wants, in spite of everything society puts in her way.

The story of political revolution and human survival in a Communist dictatorship. Inspired by the author's own experiences living in post-revolution Russia.

Overworked, mistreated farm animals rise up against the humans oppressing them and set out to form a utopian society. But power corrupts...

Bilbo Baggins never asked for an adventure. He likes his cozy home and his comfortable life. He has no interest in excitement or danger or fame.  But when a band of displaced dwarves invade his home and ask him to help them regain their kingdom, he finds that he can't say no. 

(Already read this? Check out the Lord of the Rings trilogy, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring.)

A gothic mystery in which a lawyer investigates the strange behaviors of his friend, the good Dr. Jekyll, and the villainous Mr. Hyde--who are somehow connected, yet never appear in the same place at the same time...

In a future world where individuality has been eradicated and collectivism has become the law, a man rebels against the system to stand apart as an individual with his own, unique identity.

An American spy during World War II is now on trial as a Nazi war criminal. But is he really guilty? 

The story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty, setting him on a path of ultimate moral corruption. Is he a tragic hero, an unintentional villain, or the victim of manipulation by the forces of good and evil?

When Jonathan Harker visits Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase a London house, he makes horrifying discoveries in his client's castle. Soon afterwards, disturbing incidents unfold in England: an unmanned ship is wrecked; strange puncture marks appear on a young woman's neck; and a lunatic asylum inmate raves about the imminent arrival of his 'Master'.  

Also available as a graphic novel.

One of the oldest stories ever written in the earliest English language (Old English), Beowulf is the story of a great warrior who travels to a distant land, battles monsters and dragons, and becomes king. 

The cover art and link above are to the most recent translation, which uses modern poetry and rap techniques to bring the story to life for contemporary audiences. (There's an audiobook for it too.) There are many other translations you can choose from instead, including this one available for free online. There's also a graphic novel version.

A retelling of the epic tale Beowulf, from the perspective of the monster. 

Jean Valjean, a French peasant, has been imprisoned for 19 years: five for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving children, and fourteen more for his attempts to escape. Marked as a former convict, he is an outcast from society. Using silver stolen from a priest, he reinvents himself as a wealthy man and tries to do good in his community. But a police inspector recognizes him from his former life and makes it his mission to put him back in prison, where society says he belongs.

It is 1424. France and England are locked in the Hundred Years War. And Joan of Arc has just had a vision from God, calling her to join the army and lead France to victory. But not everyone believes in her; in fact, some people want her burned at the stake.

When Edward VI, son of Henry VIII died in 1553, there was no man left to claim the title of King of England. For the first time, all the heirs to the throne were female. But female rule in England had a long past. This book explores the histories of women who held power in England, who rose above the limits that men placed on them.

In 1933, William E. Dodd becomes America's first ambassador to Nazi Germany. He's been instructed to play nice and avoid conflict with Hitler while trying to sway him away from genocide. But as the Nazi persecution of Jews becomes more extreme, Dodd tries to persuade President Roosevelt to act. 

You'll think this book is fiction, but everything in it is true.

Two men, equally handsome and experts in their work, are at the center of this story. Daniel Hudson Burnham, the brilliant architect who designed the World's Fair in Chicago, overcame tremendous obstacles and tragedy to turn swampy Jackson Park into the glorious White City. Meanwhile, Henry H. Holmes, a young doctor and serial killer, built a torture palace where he lured young women to their deaths.

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch woman who, along with her entire family, joined the Dutch Underground during the Nazi occupation of Holland, hiding Jewish people in their home and helping them to escape. The entire family was eventually caught, and all but Corrie died in a concentration camp. This is her autobiography about her family's choice to risk their lives for others. 

The bombing of Tokyo on the deadliest night of WWII was the idea of General Curtis LeMay, whose brutally practical scorched-earth tactics cost the lives of thousands of Japanese civilians, but may have spared more lives by avoiding a planned US invasion of Japan. In this book, the author asks, "Was it worth it?"

On Winston Churchill's first day as prime minister, Hitler invaded Holland and Belgium. For the next year, Hitler relentlessly bombed Great Britain. It was up to Churchill to hold his country together and persuade America to defend its allies.

This biography of Churchill goes beyond his public leadership and explores who he was to his family as well.

J. Robert Oppenheimer was a brilliant physicist who led the Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bomb. At first motivated by his desire to develop a weapon that could end all war, he later found himself questioning whether he should have ever created something so destructive. 

Booker T. Washington, one of the most important Black leaders in the 20th century, emerged from slavery in the deep south. He worked tirelessly for the betterment of African Americans during the post Reconstruction era. He was a controversial figure for many African Americans of his time, due to his opposition to the tactics of the Civil Rights Movement, but despite this disagreement, he is still regarded today as one of the most influential leaders for the advancement of people of color in our country.

Du Bois was a prominent sociologist, author, and reformer, recognized as one of the most important Black leaders of the 20th century. In contrast to Booker T. Washington, Du Bois advocated for direct action for African Americans to achieve civil rights. This book explores his life, relationships, and influence on other well-known civil rights activists, including Martin Luther King, Jr. 

At age 14, Malcolm Little was a top student and class president. At age 20, he was in prison. There, he began the journey to become Malcolm X, the civil rights leader who is often contrasted with Martin Luther King, Jr. Malcolm X's role has often been vilified or erased in lessons about the Civil Rights movement, but his revolutionary spirit was an important asset in the fight for equality for all Americans.

This graphic novel tells the story of 3 American citizens of Japanese descent who stood against the US Government's discrimination of Japanese people during World War II, at great personal risk.

This is a memoir of Melba Patillo Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine--the group of nine African American teenagers who integrated a public high school. This book tells the story of her journey to become a champion for equal rights, a journalist, a best-selling author, and recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal.

Dorothy Height marched at civil rights rallies, sat in White Houes meetings, and witnessed every major victory in the Civil Rights movement. But as the only woman in a group of powerful, charismatic men, she has often been overlooked in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. In this memoir, written when the author was 91, she reflects on her life of service and leadership.

Malalai Joya, raised in refugee camps in Iran and Pakistan, became a teacher in secret schools for girls and helped establish medical clinics and orphanages. In 2005, at 27 years old, she became the youngest person elected to Afghanistan's parliament. In 2007, she was suspended for her criticism of corrupt warlords and drug barons in her country. She has survived four assassination attempts.

When the Taliban took control of Swat Valley in Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai fought for her right to an education. When she was fifteen, she was shot in the head while riding the bus home from school. Following her miraculous recovery, she became a global symbol of peaceful protest and advocate for human rights worldwide.

This biography of Jane Goodall tells the story of how the trailblazing scientist's work with chimpanzees in Africa have changed the world.

Freedom fighter. Fugitive. Prisoner. President. Nelson Mandela fought relentlessly to liberate South Africa from Apartheid. This is a graphic novel biography based on Mandela's memoir, Long Walk to Freedom.