Top Five Books Featuring Wyrd and Wonder Mascots

Hello Readers!
I’ve had a busy past couple of weeks with finals, but it’s finally summer break! Now that I have more time on my hands I’m looking forward to getting back on track with my posts and starting the Wyrd and Wonder read-along book, The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay. And for today, I’m sharing my top five fantasy books featuring the Wyrd and Wonder mascots!

Every year the hosts pick a fantasy mascot to be featured on the Wyrd and Wonder graphics. This year’s mascot is a wolf, and previous mascots included the pegasus, dragon, phoenix, and raven.

This post is part of the annual fantasy event, Wyrd and Wonder, hosted by Imyril, Lisa, Jorie, Annemieke, and Ariana.

Note: the book covers are linked to Bookshop using affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure for more information.

Fantasy Books Featuring the Wyrd and Wonder Mascots

1. Pegasus: The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson #2)

*WARNING: spoilers for The Lightning Thief*

For our first mascot, the pegasus, I chose The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. Not only was this one of my favorite childhood series, but it also featured a wide variety of fantasy creatures, including pegasi.

Blackjack is a pure black pegasus who’s kept as a prisoner on the Titan Kronos’s ship. When the Son of Poseidon runs into Blackjack on the monster-infested ship, Blackjack pleas for his help. Can these two find a way to help each other?

2. Dragon: The Rage of Dragons (The Burning #1)

For the second mascot, I chose The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter, which is set in an African-inspired fantasy world in which the Omehi people have been fighting in an unwinnable war for centuries. In Winter’s brutal fantasy world, one in every 2,000 women is able to use the power within a demon realm, including the power to control dragons. But this power comes at a great cost. When a coven of women calls down a dragon, the vengeful dragon traps the weakest woman inside the demon realm until the demons tear her apart.

While the lore around dragons Winter created is more brutal than the dragon rider stories I usually prefer, his unique magic system and exciting fight scenes made The Rage of Dragons an epic dragon fantasy book.

3. Phoenix: The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1)

The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is another cruel fantasy world in which acquiring power comes at a great cost. In Kuang’s world, shamans are able to channel the power of the gods. But the gods are not kind, and all shamans are doomed to be consumed by their god.

Rin overcomes poverty and abuse to attend the most elite boarding school in Nikan, Sinegard. But making it into school doesn’t mean her troubles are over, and as Rin faces bullying from her classmates she discovers she has the ability to call on the power of the Phoenix God. Becoming a shaman for the Phoenix God may save Rin from her current troubles but at the cost of her humanity.

4. Raven: The Raven Tower

In Ann Leckie’s The Raven Tower the kingdom of Iraden is protected by the Raven God. But after centuries the Raven’s power is weakening, and other gods threaten Iraden’s peace. As the warrior Eolo attempts to help the human ruler of Iraden he discovers a dark history hidden within The Raven Tower. The secrets hidden within its foundation could destroy Iraden.

5. Wolf: Monstress Vol. 1: Awakening

For this year’s Wyrd and Wonder mascot I chose Monstress by Marjorie Liu, a dark fantasy graphic novel series.

Maika Halfwolf is the granddaughter of The Queen of the Wolves and the last descendent of the Shaman Empress. Her powerful lineage makes her a target in the war between Arcanics and humans and gave her a dark, uncontrollable power. Living within her is a Monstrum that feeds on humans and Arcanics. If Maika doesn’t feed on other people, the Monstrum will consume her instead. Is survival worth becoming a monster?

What’s your favorite Wyrd and Wonder mascot?

Check last week’s top five post: Top Five Forest Fantasy Recommendations