Urban Fantasy recommendations

[Robinne Weiss]

I'm looking looking for urban fantasy recommendations. By urban fantasy, I don't mean fantasy set in a city, rather fantasy set in the modern day world, and I'm not interested in paranormal romance (though a romantic subplot is fine). Just trying to feel out comps for my WIP (a fairly light adult urban fantasy with a non-paranormal romantic subplot) and coming up with very little that comes close.

 

[RK Wallis]

I can't say I've seen anything that fits your bill. I've got, set in a modern world: HP. That's MG (and an outlier); Cassandra Clare books (set in a city); Erin Morgenstern - The Night Circus or The Starless Sea (but they're set around cities too), VE Schwab The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue (set in cities too)

 

[Hannah F]

What does your fantasy element entail?

 

[Robinne Weiss]

What does your fantasy element entail?

My protagonist accidentally summons a demon and needs to get rid of it somehow. None of the characters except the demon have magical powers, and their solution to the problem involves finding a tech-based way to 'do magic' to banish the demon. So, no shape shifters, no vampires, no undercover witches and wizards ... none of those urban fantasy tropes involved. The base storyline is probably more in line with some horror novels, but mine isn't horror--there are some tense moments, and the demon is dangerous, but my treatment of it is more lighthearted and focused on the emotional journey of my MC rather than on the demon munching its way through the neighbourhood's pet cats and dogs.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

I can't say I've seen anything that fits your bill. I've got, set in a modern world: HP. That's MG (and an outlier); Cassandra Clare books (set in a city); Erin Morgenstern - The Night Circus or The Starless Sea (but they're set around cities too), VE Schwab The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue (set in cities too)

Hm. I should re-read Cassandra Clare's stuff. They're older, but probably still relevant. I should probably also re-read The Starless Sea. The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue is sitting on my Kindle, but my husband read it first and said I probably wouldn't like it, so I haven't read it yet. LOL! I should probably read that one, too, eh?

 

[Brayati]

You could use 'comps' that state an author, rather than a book: for readers of Cassandra Clare, etc.

 

[Hannah F]

It's YA, but I recommend All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue. The protagonist is doing tarot card readings to impress her friends at school and accidentally summons a tarot demon which makes her ex best friend disappear. She spends the rest of the book trying to work out how to bring her back again, along with the sister's brother. It's set in a little village in Ireland in the present day and, like yours, focuses on the MCs' emotional journeys. The demon doesn't munch any domestic animals.

 

[RK Wallis]

You could use 'comps' that state an author, rather than a book: for readers of Cassandra Clare, etc.

When you find the author most like your book, this is a way to go. I'm trying it myself one day.

With Addie, it's popular, but your husband will know your tastes, so it mightn't be the book for you. It's probably worth analysing as much as you can tolerate reading, just from a craft level. From the epigraph, almost every word relates to Addie's deal with the devil. There's poetry to Schwab's writing, which you'll either love or hate. Most bits I loved, some bits I didn't like as much but tolerated because I felt the story concept strong. It jumps around times like The Time Traveller's Wife. Many love that. I found it so boring and as much as I tried I couldn't care enough to finish, but I couldn't finish Addie fast enough. Each to their own. Nothing wrong with that

 

[Robinne Weiss]

It's YA, but I recommend All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O'Donoghue. The protagonist is doing tarot card readings to impress her friends at school and accidentally summons a tarot demon which makes her ex best friend disappear. She spends the rest of the book trying to work out how to bring her back again, along with the sister's brother. It's set in a little village in Ireland in the present day and, like yours, focuses on the MCs' emotional journeys. The demon doesn't munch any domestic animals.

I'll have to pick that one up. Sounds about right.

 

[izi 出久]

accidentally summons a demon and needs to get rid of it somehow.

Yea I'd be going through an emotional journey, too.