In literature, there are numerous books that showcase characters with highly developed magical skills. These characters possess extraordinary capabilities that enable them to bend and manipulate the laws of nature. Their magical abilities are portrayed through spells, incantations, and mystical artifacts that help them in their quests and adventures. One key example of a book with highly developed magical skills is the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling.
What started out as a fun discovery turns into a race against time as the girls try and sort out their new abilities in an attempt to combat this coven and save London.
What started out as a fun discovery turns into a race against time as the girls try and sort out their new abilities in an attempt to combat this coven and save London. After being forcibly relocated to the planet of Korwar when his home planet was made into a military base, he learns a very important and mysterious truth He has the power to communicate with the animals from Terran.
Rowling. The protagonist, Harry Potter, is a young wizard who attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throughout the series, Harry and his friends learn complex spells, potions, and magical knowledge that enable them to overcome various obstacles and challenges.
20 Fantasy Books Featuring Teens with Magical Abilities
It's a whole new world for these teens navigating the rocky road of growing up while learning how to control their newfound powers.
Promoted by Epic Reads | By Carolyn Cox & Nick Sweeney | Updated Feb 11, 2020 | Published Apr 11, 2019
Being a teenager is tough. Pair everyday struggles with superhuman powers, and it can be an incredibly confusing time. One day, you’re just a normal kid; the next thing you know, you can lift a car or magically transport yourself to another world. Magic often has a price, and these awesome powers usually come with some sort of dark catch.
Fantasy books never fail to transport us to exciting new worlds, or provide us with characters we aspire to be — or at least, befriend. So, if you’re an aspiring wizard, a young superhero in training, or just looking for a little magic in your life, these 20 fantasy books featuring magical teens will make you feel right at home.
Cloak of Night
As trained warriors of the Society of Taigas, Sora and Daemon have prepared to bring their combat skills and magical talents into battle.
Anointed by the gods for their warrior role, it is Sora and Daemon’s destiny to protect the kingdom of Kichona. In the first book in the duology, Circle of Shadows, students Sora and Daemon uncover a dangerous plot against the empire, led by a cunning prince who was believed dead.
In Cloak of Night, the sequel to Circle of Shadows by New York Times-bestselling author Evelyn Skye, Sora realizes they are up against a foe with a far greater power than they'd ever dreamed. Sora and Daemon must rely on each other, and on their group of comrades, to save the empress, the kingdom, and each other.
If you love sweeping fantasy, strong female characters, and fantasy fueled by contests for the crown, then this duology by Evelyn Skye is tailor-made for you.
The Hero and the Crown
By Robin McKinley
You can’t control where you came from, but you can control where you go. The story of Aerin, the outcast daughter of the king, is one of intense magic and destiny. She is constantly shadowed by the rumors that her birth mother is a witch. Aerin befriends and trains her father’s retired warhorse, Talat, and learns of a forgotten recipe for dragon fire repellent… just in case the need ever arises.
When a dragon attacks a nearby village, Aerin sees her opportunity to be a hero. Running head first into battle, she realizes that she might have bitten off more than she can chew, as the dragon she attempts to protect her people against is one of the great dragons of ancient times—a dragon that might frighten even the boldest of kings.
Want more great fantasy? Sign up for The Portalist's newsletter and get our recommended reads sent straight to your inbox.
Subscribe Yes! I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks.Gidion's Hunt
In the Keep household, hunting vampires is all a part of the family business. But after his mother was killed, Gidion’s father wants nothing to do with vampires anymore.
Luckily for Gidion, his grandfather still knows a thing or two, and passes down the family tradition. Gidion then goes on to discover that there’s a coven of vampires in his town, and decides to pursue them as his next hunt.
In between his investigation, Gidion also goes through the awkward motions of being in high school, all while keeping a major secret about himself. As Gidion delves deeper into the coven, he learns that one of his best friends might be essential to destroying the vampire clan. But can Gidion trust him?
A coming-of-age story with a bloody twist, Gidion's Night will leave you thirsty for more.
Only Begotten Daughter
By James Morrow
A new savior has come, and her name is Julie Katz. Julie was born to a celibate father named Murray Katz who tries to raise Julie as normally as possible in order to hide her true identity: she’s actually Jesus’ half-sister!
While Julie can perform all sorts of miracles, ranging from walking on water to resurrecting dead animals, navigating the life of a teen is a department in which her divinity can’t save her.
As Julie grapples with her identity, she is constantly bombarded by temptations from the Devil and awful tirades from Christian extremists.
Being the daughter of God is rough, especially since Julie has zero clue as to what her purpose on Earth is. But with a little bit of guidance, Julie starts to realize her destiny.
The Secret Witch
By Alyxandra Harvey
The first installment in the Witches of London Trilogy opens with Emma and her cousins Gretchen and Penelope living a bleak life in 1814 London. But their constrained lives suddenly take a witchy turn when Emma accidentally shatters a glass object left by her mother, giving all three women magical abilities.
While this definitely adds some excitement to their previously dreary lives, the three teens unknowingly catch the attention of a coven that gains power from killing young witches.
What started out as a fun discovery turns into a race against time as the girls try and sort out their new abilities in an attempt to combat this coven and save London.
The first in a captivating series, The Secret Witch will fulfill your cravings for historical romance and witchy escapades.
The Hex Witch of Seldom
By Nancy Springer
It’s one thing to be raised in the rural mountain ranges of Pennsylvania by a grandparent, it’s another thing to do so knowing that you might go “all the way crazy” like the rest of your family. This is what keeps Bobbi Lee Yandro up at night.
After receiving the journals of her deceased father, Bobbi begins to see a change. When she’s given a horse, and names it Shane, the two of them set out as fugitives and meet Hazel—the Hex Witch of Seldom.
Hazel introduces Bobbi to the Twelve of the Hidden Circle, a group of otherworldly characters (one of whom is out to steal Shane’s soul). Soon, Bobbi realizes she has a very special bond with her new horse, and that she’ll have to use special gifts of her own if she hopes to save him.
Catseye
By Andre Norton
Troy Horan has learned to make the best with what he has. After being forcibly relocated to the planet of Korwar when his home planet was made into a military base, he learns a very important and mysterious truth: He has the power to communicate with the animals from Terran.
Soon, a murder causes Troy and his newfound animal friends to retreat to the Wild and confront the dark and ancient history of his new home planet.
Black Trillium
By Andre Norton, Julian May and Marion Zimmer Bradley
Being a teenager is hard enough, but going through it at the same time as your sisters adds a whole new layer of trouble. And that’s just for normal sisters, in a normal world, with normal responsibilities.
But life in Ruwenda is anything but normal. Protected by the Archimage Binah, the land is safe for all. But when Binah’s power begins to fade, she transfers it to the three princesses of the royal house: Haramis, Kadiya, and Aingel. The sisters must quickly learn and master their new powers for the sake of their people.
Soon, they are separated and must travel on different roads to do their part in saving their kingdom, their friends, and their future. The first book in a magically thrilling series, this is a story of sisterhood, family, and a quest not to be missed.
Gift
By Andrea J. Buchanan
Daisy Jones tries her best to not make any waves, but it doesn’t help that she’s the new girl and doesn’t exactly have the economic stability of her peers. That might be a sour spot for some, but for Daisy, it’s not all bad. She’s more concerned about keeping her unpredictable superpower under control.
Soon, she realizes that she’s not the only one: her classmate Vivi has a secret, too. In addition to figuring out what her gift is really meant for, Daisy still has to deal with normal high school antics—including figuring out her feelings for the very attractive Kevin.
As Daisy's connections to her peer grow stronger, her abilities become more potent than ever before.
Want more great fantasy? Sign up for The Portalist's newsletter and get our recommended reads sent straight to your inbox.
Subscribe Yes! I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks.Assassin
For young people, 'normal' is a somewhat relative term. When Jimmy Coates wakes up one morning to find that he can jump higher, run faster, and fight more skillfully than ever before, he knows that his 'normal' has changed forever.
What he comes to realize, however, is that these new perks come at a terrible cost— most normal teenagers don’t have helicopters and men in strange suits chasing them every moment of the day. If Jimmy wants to survive, he'll have to learn to master his newfound powers.
Red Queen
By Victoria Aveyard
'Blood type' takes on a whole new and magical meaning in Victoria Aveyard’s story of royalty and rebellion. In Mare Barrow’s world, you are either a Red or Silver, which corresponds to the type of blood you have. As a Red, you live to serve Silvers. These ruling Silvers don’t serve anyone because they have incredible powers—each family possessing different abilities.
When Mare, a Red, somehow manages to find herself in front of the Silver court, she realizes that she, too, has a magical ability—something both baffling and alarming to the Silvers.
Attempting to cover up a terrible exception to the rules by which they’ve lived their life, the king forces Mare to pretend to be a lost princess—even betrothing her to his youngest son. But with a Red resistance rising, Mare will have to decide where her loyalties lie.
Shadow and Bone
By Leigh Bardugo
There are times when young adults feel powerless, without agency, without a future. Alina Starkov knows, like most kids, that she’s never been the heroine of any story. But all that changes when she reveals a dormant power and is to be trained to join the Grisha—a magical special forces unit tasked with defending the kingdom from what lies past the Shadow Fold.
The first in a stunningly creative series, Anita will be forced to grow up fast and learn how to harness her new powers. Not only is she the heroine of her own story, but that of an entire realm of people. No pressure though, right?
A series adaptation of Shadow and Bone is on its way now from Netflix, so this is the perfect time to discover Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse.
Harry Potter series
How many people do you know, including yourself, who quote the story of The Boy Who Lived? Or anxiously awaited their acceptance letter to Hogwarts? The true magic of this series is in the universality of Harry's struggles. We’ve all felt alone and alienated, we’ve all dealt with the awkwardness of young love, and most of us have also unfortunately learned to adapt to grief.
If you’re not familiar with the series, it follows Harry Potter and his friends, wizards and witches born with magical powers who attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Over the seven fantastical books, J.K. Rowling brings many issues that face Muggles (that’s us: people lacking magical abilities) to the forefront, as Harry learns how to cope with both real-life and magical issues facing young adults.
The Queen of Blood
By Sarah Beth Durst
Young people aren’t usually familiar with the incredible weight of actual responsibility. But Daleina, a rather bookish and observant student, knows how important real responsibility is to the adults around her. She understands that the battle between the spirits and humans is coming to a head and that something must be done to end the conflict.
In the world of Renthia, the queen alone possesses the power to prevent the spirits from destroying her people. But with great power comes danger, which is why young women are chosen to train as heirs…in case the worst happens.
Daleina is one such heir and, with the help of a veteran champion Ven, she’ll set out on a mission to find out why the spirits are bent on destroying them.
Uprooted
From the award-winning author of the Temeraire novels comes a standalone book about a young woman determined to save her village and friends at whatever the cost. Every ten years the Dragon, a local wizard, requires a very unique and special fee for the village’s protection: A 17-year-old girl must serve him for the next decade.
Born during the right (or rather, wrong) year, Agnieszka has known her whole life that she will be eligible to be chosen when she’s 17. But she also knows that her beautiful best friend, Kasia, is likely to be picked for this terrible duty, as the Dragon always chooses the prettiest girl.
But when Agnieszka is chosen instead, and she learns she has magical powers of her own, she’ll have to learn how to use them in order to protect her loved ones from the evil that lies in the Wood.
Combining romance, dark fantasy, and military intrigue, Uprooted is a truly memorable standalone fantasy.
The magic system is interesting – there are two sides of the source of magic: One side of the source is accessable and used by women; the other half is accessable by men, however it was tainted by the Dark One, so any man who uses this magic will eventually go mad.
The book vividly describes the intricate details of the magical world and the vast array of spells used by the characters. Another remarkable book with highly developed magical skills is "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. While the focus of the story is primarily on the journey, the characters possess impressive magical abilities. Characters like Gandalf, Saruman, and Galadriel showcase their mastery over enchantments, illusions, and divination. These magical skills prove to be crucial in their battle against Sauron and the forces of evil. "The Chronicles of Narnia" series by C.S. Lewis is also known for highlighting characters with highly developed magical skills. Aslan, the majestic lion, possesses incredible powers that extend beyond conventional magic. He can create and transform entire worlds, breathe life into inanimate objects, and perform miraculous feats. The series showcases the awe-inspiring magic of Aslan as he guides the protagonists through their adventures. These books, among many others, incorporate highly developed magical skills as an integral part of their storytelling. The characters' abilities not only add depth and intrigue to the narrative but also provide readers with a sense of wonder and escapism. Understanding and exploring the intricacies of these magical skills transports readers to enchanting worlds where anything is possible..
Reviews for "Beyond Hogwarts: Discovering New Realms in Books with Highly Developed Magical Skills"
- Jane - 2 stars - I was really excited to read this book as I am a big fan of fantasy and magic. However, I was disappointed with the portrayal of the magical skills in the story. The author didn't provide enough explanation or development of the magical powers, making it difficult to understand how they worked. It left me feeling confused and disconnected from the story.
- Mark - 3 stars - As someone who loves books about magic, I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, I found the book with highly developed magical skills to be lacking in originality. The concept of the magical skills felt uninspired and similar to what I had already read in other books. Additionally, the characters were poorly developed, making it difficult to connect with them or feel invested in their journey.
- Emily - 2 stars - I found the world-building in this book to be severely lacking. While the magical skills were said to be highly developed, there was little explanation or exploration of their origins or the rules that govern them. This made it hard to fully immerse myself in the story and connect with the characters. The lack of detail and depth left me feeling unsatisfied and uninterested in continuing the series.