The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Written and illustrated by J.K. Rowling .
Published in Great Britain by the Children's High Level Group, 2008.

We all grew up with fairytales that we know well and love, such as Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and Peter Pan. Unfortunately, we have only experienced the joys of our muggle stories. There is a whole other world of fairytales that have been passed down through generations and generations of wizard families unseen by us non-magical beings... until now.

Well renowned author of the Harry Potter series J.K. Rowling has collected together popular tales from the wizard universe and published them in a neat little volume. Harry Potter fans will recognise titles and stories from the series and will enjoy the commentary given by Professor Albus Dumbledore, giving more depth and dimension to an already highly immersive universe. But if you aren't a fan, these stories are still enjoyable on their own, since they do take the format of classic fairytales.

Notable story: From this collection it would have to be The Tale of the Three Brothers. It is perfectly short for anyone who does not want to put themselves up for too much of a commitment, but also very engaging the whole way through. This will be the title and story that fans will recognise the most, as it plays a key role in Harry Potter's story.

More information:
Goodreads
Authors website

Autopilot

Written by Reddit user Skarjo

In day to day life as we carry out our normal routines, we don't think about the actions we are completing. Can you distinguish this mornings routine from most other mornings? There's a great chance you can't. You were most likely thinking about other things (like plans for the weekend or that new show you just started watching) while you completed the actions as you do every morning. You were on autopilot. This short story explores this concept, and what could happen when there's a slight forgotten change in the routine.

This story comes from a internet-based genre called creepypasta. These stories are short, and as suggested by the name can be pretty creepy. If you aren't looking for anything horror related, do not click below...

Read it here or

Listen to it here if you prefer.

More information:
What is creepypasta?

Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd

Edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci.
Published in New York by Little, Brown and Company, 2009.

There was a time when geek culture was heavily frowned upon, or was so little acknowledged that it may as well have not existed. This is definitely being rectified, with geekdom being seen as less and less of a bad thing as time progresses. This anthology aims to help abolish the negative stereotypes associated with geek and nerd culture, showcasing stories that feature people and their passions for all things nerdy. The collection celebrates many different types of passions: Dungeons and Dragons, Star Wars vs Star Trek, Buffy, cosplay, and of course the academic side as well. It also features single page comics between stories, keeping things light and funny.

But! Be aware that this book is chock full of references, so it will be enjoyed to its full potential if you do have some understanding.

Notable story: Wendy Mass' Stars at the Finish Line looks at a unique relationship formed through friendly geek rivalry. It can get quite deep into the astronomy side of things, but in a way that makes you want to pick up an astronomy text book, or have a bit of a Google.

More information: 
Goodreads
Editors website

Classics Mutilated

Edited by Jeff Conner
Published in San Diego by Idea and Design Works Publishing, 2010.


So we all know the classics, but how many of you have actually read them? While you might know of Huckleberry Finn and Captain Ahab, do you know their stories? You may have never found anything of interest in these stories for you. But what if we mixed things up a little bit and threw Eldritch horrors into the very same Mississippi River that Huck and Jim fled down? Or what if Anne of Green Gables was a robot? This book explores the Monster Lit and mash up movements combining some of the best stories the genres have to offer.

Notable story: Twilight of the Gods by Chris Ryall is probably one of the strangest but most interesting and definitely humorous mash ups in the menagerie. Just think Twilight, but Bella is recast as Loki. Enough said.

More information: 
Goodreads

Unnatural Creatures

Edited by Neil Gaiman.
Published in New York by Harper Collins Publishers, 2013.

The imagination is a wondrous place where all sorts of beasts and beings that have never existed before roam free. This anthology features a whole range of fantastical creatures, so whether a believer or not you should definitely find something to tickle your fancy within its pages. Werewolves, manticores, wasps, bees and Lady Death herself all make appearances. But remember while you read, that everything isn't always as it first appears.

Notable story: The first story in the book written by Gahan Wilson which does not really have a name, other than a line of scribble will keep you on your feet and very interested as it combines art and writing in a very entertaining way.

More information:
Goodreads
Editors website

Koyasan

Written by Darren Shan.
Published in Great Britain by HarperCollins Children's Books, 2006.

Have you ever played in a graveyard with the spirits? All the children in the village Koyasan lives in do, but Koyasan has always been too afraid to. When her sister's soul is stolen by the spirits, she is forced to liaise with them in order to keep her sister alive. This story combines ghosts and confronting your worst fears with sibling love and protection, staying creepy all the way through. Koyasan's love for her sister makes her incredibly relatable to all older siblings, as we have all gone above and beyond at some point to protect the younger ones we love. It is an overall suspenseful story with a warm lesson.

More information:
Goodreads
Authors website

Gothic! Ten Original Dark Tales

Edited by Deborah Noyes
Published in Massachusetts by Candlewick Press, 2006.

No, this isn't about the black-clad figures that you occasionally see walking down the street, although themes from gothic literature have been source of inspiration for much of goth culture. This anthology features selected tales which are not only of the gothic style of writing, but also modern takes on the genre, all featuring bitter darkness and eerie auras. Including witches, ghosts, vampires and haunted houses, if you're into horror you will most definitely find something in this book that you will enjoy.

Notable story: An outstanding piece from this would definitely be Endings, which aptly is the last story in the book. Garth Nix tells the tale of an old vampire, and all his Sorrows and Joys.

More information:
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Editors website

Skin

Written by Roald Dahl
Published in London by Puffin Books, 2002.

We all know Roald Dahl from his classic stories such as Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, and Matilda. With these stories having a "lighter" and more child-like tone, people often forget that Roald Dahl was a pretty dark person. From a man who finds out his tattoo is worth a great deal more than he bargained for, to a cruise ship betting pool, this collection showcases some of his best, more "grown up" works with twists and turns abound.

Notable story: Lamb to the Slaughter is a classic crime thriller with a bit of a difference. It poses the great question of what do you do with the murder weapon after the murder?

More information:
Goodreads

How They Met, and Other Stories

Written by David Levithan
Published in New York by Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2008

There are all sorts of sides to love, some of which are not always greatly explored in the common love stories we see more often. Love is a complicated emotion that we have all experienced in one form or another: from loving someone from a distance, to loving someone unconditionally and getting the same in return, to not really loving someone but being with them for the sake of it. David Levithan shows these raw sides of love and many more without any discrimination, with almost half these stories centring around homosexual relationships making for a super relatable look at an important part of growing up.

Notable story: The number of people who meet on airplanes stood out for me in this one. Very interesting look into the concepts of love, luck, fate and not believing in bad omens. Engaging from start to finish, and really heart warming.

More information:
Goodreads
Authors website

Zombies vs Unicorns

Edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier.
Published in New York by Margaret K. Elderry Books, 2010.

It's a debate everyone has had amongst their friends before: which is better? The majestic and magical beings that are unicorns? Or gnashing, thrashing, rotting zombies? Ok, so maybe those two have never come to you in the same thought process before this moment, but I'm sure you're at least now intrigued, yes?

This anthology features 2 women with 6 battle ready warrior-authors each, battling it out to prove that their side is best. These short stories are a humorous approach that will either strengthen your love for zombies or unicorns, or convert you to the other side, and settle this great debate once and for all.

Notable story: I don't feel like I can be biased in my selection since I'm team zombie unicorn, (hey, I love blood and gore, but also pretty shiny things. Best of both worlds.) but Inoculata by Scott Westerfeld is a stand out here. This story about being a teenager with zombies thrown into the mix makes for an entertaining read.

More information:
Goodreads
Book trailer
Editor website