Hello everyone and welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.
This week is all about book titles featuring pets or animals so I divides my picks into three categories: Shapeshifters, animal companions and animal POVs. Let me know if I missed your favorite and what you think of my picks in the comments!
Books Featuring Shapeshifters
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie StiefvaterPublished by Scholastic Press on August 1, 2009
Pages: 392
Goodreads
For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.
Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.
Haven by Mary Lindsey
Haven (Haven, #1) by Mary LindseyPublished by Entangled: Teen on November 7, 2017
Pages: 371
Goodreads
We all hold a beast inside. The only difference is what form it takes when freed.
Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere, He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart.
Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.
Lobizona by Romina Garber
Lobizona (Wolves of No World, #1) by Romina Garber, Romina Russellon August 4, 2020
Goodreads
Some people ARE illegal.
Lobizonas do NOT exist.Both of these statements are false.
Manuela Azul has been crammed into an existence that feels too small for her. As an undocumented immigrant who's on the run from her father's Argentine crime-family, Manu is confined to a small apartment and a small life in Miami, Florida.
Until Manu's protective bubble is shattered.
Her surrogate grandmother is attacked, lifelong lies are exposed, and her mother is arrested by ICE. Without a home, without answers, and finally without shackles, Manu investigates the only clue she has about her past--a mysterious "Z" emblem—which leads her to a secret world buried within our own. A world connected to her dead father and his criminal past. A world straight out of Argentine folklore, where the seventh consecutive daughter is born a bruja and the seventh consecutive son is a lobizón, a werewolf. A world where her unusual eyes allow her to belong.
As Manu uncovers her own story and traces her real heritage all the way back to a cursed city in Argentina, she learns it's not just her U.S. residency that's illegal. . . .it's her entire existence.
The Endless Skies by Shannon Price
The Endless Skies by Shannon PricePublished by Tor Teen on August 17, 2021
Pages: 354
Goodreads
A breakout standalone epic fantasy about shapeshifting warriors perfect for fans of Adrienne Young and Wonder Woman.
High above the sea, floats the pristine city of the Heliana. Home to winged-lion shapeshifters―the Leonodai―and protected from the world of humans by an elite group of warriors, the Heliana has only known peace.
After years of brutal training, seventeen-year-old Rowan is ready to prove her loyalty to the city and her people to become one of the Leonodai warriors. But before Rowan can take the oath, a deadly disease strikes the city’s children. Soon the warriors―including two of Rowan’s closest friends―are sent on a dangerous mission to find a fabled panacea deep within enemy lands.
Left behind, Rowan learns a devastating truth that could compromise the mission and the fate of the Heliana itself. She must make a decision: stay with the city and become a warrior like she always dreamed, or risk her future in an attempt to save everyone she loves. Whatever Rowan decides, she has to do it fast, because time is running out, and peace can only last so long...
Animal Companions
Fire With Fire by Destiny Soria
Fire with Fire by Destiny SoriaPublished by HMH Books for Young Readers on June 8, 2021
Pages: 432
Goodreads
Dani and Eden Rivera were both born to kill dragons, but the sisters couldn’t be more different. For Dani, dragon slaying takes a back seat to normal high school life, while Eden prioritizes training above everything else. Yet they both agree on one thing: it’s kill or be killed where dragons are concerned.
Until Dani comes face-to-face with one and forges a rare and magical bond with him. As she gets to know Nox, she realizes that everything she thought she knew about dragons is wrong. With Dani lost to the dragons, Eden turns to the mysterious and alluring sorcerers to help save her sister. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, the sisters will do whatever it takes to save the other. But the two are playing with magic that is more dangerous than they know, and there is another, more powerful enemy waiting for them both in the shadows.
Even the Darkest Stars by Heather Fawcett
Even the Darkest Stars (Even the Darkest Stars #1) by Heather FawcettPublished by Balzer + Bray on September 5, 2017
Pages: 428
Goodreads
Kamzin has always dreamed of becoming one of the emperor’s royal explorers, the elite climbers tasked with mapping the wintry, mountainous Empire and spying on its enemies. She knows she could be the best in the world, if only someone would give her a chance.
But everything changes when the mysterious and eccentric River Shara, the greatest explorer ever known, arrives in her village and demands to hire Kamzin—not her older sister, Lusha, as everyone had expected—for his next expedition. This is Kamzin’s chance to prove herself—even though River’s mission to retrieve a rare talisman for the emperor means cimbing Raksha, the tallest and deadliest mountain in the Aryas. Then, Lusha sets off on her own mission to Raksha with a rival explorer, and Kamzin must decide what’s most important to her: protecting her sister from the countless perils of the climb or beating her to the summit.
The challenges of climbing Raksha are unlike anything Kamzin expected—or prepared for—with avalanches, ice chasms, ghosts, and other dangers at every turn. And as dark secrets are revealed, Kamzin must unravel the truth about their mission and her companions—while surviving the deadliest climb she has ever faced.
The Novice by Taran Matharu
The Novice (Summoner, #1) by Taran MatharuPublished by Feiwel & Friends on May 5, 2015
Pages: 355
Goodreads
When blacksmith apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.
As the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and the war against the Orcs.
Animal POV
Holllow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
Hollow Kingdom (Hollow Kingdom, #1) by Kira Jane BuxtonPublished by Grand Central Publishing on August 6, 2019
Pages: 308
Goodreads
One pet crow fights to save humanity from an apocalypse in this uniquely hilarious debut from a genre-bending literary author.
S.T., a domesticated crow, is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his owner Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle's wild crows (those idiots), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®.
Then Big Jim's eyeball falls out of his head, and S.T. starts to feel like something isn't quite right. His most tried-and-true remedies--from beak-delivered beer to the slobbering affection of Big Jim's loyal but dim-witted dog, Dennis--fail to cure Big Jim's debilitating malady. S.T. is left with no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into a wild and frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis, where he discovers that the neighbors are devouring each other and the local wildlife is abuzz with rumors of dangerous new predators roaming Seattle. Humanity's extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one determined to save it is a foul-mouthed crow whose knowledge of the world around him comes from his TV-watching education.
Hollow Kingdom is a humorous, big-hearted, and boundlessly beautiful romp through the apocalypse and the world that comes after, where even a cowardly crow can become a hero.
The Art of Racing In the Rain by Garth Stein
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth SteinPublished by HarperCollins on May 13, 2008
Pages: 321
Goodreads
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through.
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life ... as only a dog could tell it.
The Bees by Laline Paull
The Bees by Laline PaullPublished by Ecco on May 6, 2014
Pages: 340
Goodreads
The Handmaid's Tale meets The Hunger Games in this brilliantly imagined debut.
Born into the lowest class of her society, Flora 717 is a sanitation bee, only fit to clean her orchard hive. Living to accept, obey and serve, she is prepared to sacrifice everything for her beloved holy mother, the Queen. Yet Flora has talents that are not typical of her kin. And while mutant bees are usually instantly destroyed, Flora is reassigned to feed the newborns, before becoming a forager, collecting pollen on the wing. Then she finds her way into the Queen's inner sanctum, where she discovers secrets both sublime and ominous. Enemies roam everywhere, from the fearsome fertility police to the high priestesses who jealously guard the Hive Mind. But Flora cannot help but break the most sacred law of all, and her instinct to serve is overshadowed by a desire, as overwhelming as it is forbidden...
Laline Paull's chilling yet ultimately triumphant novel creates a luminous world both alien and uncannily familiar. Thrilling and imaginative, The Bees is the story of a heroine who changes her destiny and her world.
What About You?
What are your favorite books that include animals, be they the protagonist sidekick or an alternate identity? What do you think of my picks? Let me know in the comments!
I was a big fan of SHIVER and the author Stiefvater. Was there a shapeshifter in Racing in the Rain? My TTT favorite animals in literature
Racing in the Rain is part of my animal POV section. ☺️
Novice sounds interesting.
Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.
I really need to read Lobizona sometime!
I’ve not read any of these! Black Beauty is probably still my favourite animal protagonist book.
I absolutely put Hollow Kingdom on my list as well!
https://booksareonlythebeginning.wordpress.com/2021/04/27/ttt-animals-from-books/
I have read none of these, but I enjoyed your sections.
I listened to THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN on audio not long ago. While I didn’t love the book, I do think Enzo is a memorable pet and narrator. There were times I actually forgot he was a dog, he seemed so human!
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I haven’t had the chance to read any of these, although I would like to read Shiver at some point. I included a Stiefvater book this week too. I wonder if all of her books have animals in them?
Racing in the Rain was so wonderful! I still almost tear up when I think about that story. I totally get why it’s on your list. I haven’t read any of the other books, but the cover of Hollow Kingdom is just… STUNNING!
the books you have for animal companions are on my tbr, so i will be making them a priority. especially fire with fire.
my TTT: https://blessedmommysc.blogspot.com/2021/04/top-ten-tuesday-favorite-animals-from.html