Fableman by Brad Carsten

SPFBO7

People say that if Charlie Pratt had a penny for every blunder, he'd fill his pockets and then misplace his trousers. When Charlie tries to learn more about Dalia Addair, the peculiar girl who lives in the haunted manor on the edge of town, he accidentally slots himself into her magical trial—a trial that she has spent her whole life preparing for; he gets a day. But something's wrong; the trial is unleashing monsters that haven't been seen for centuries, and powerful forces are determined to stop them at any cost. Without knowing whom they can trust, Dalia and Charlie must work together to survive, and finish the trials, if they don't strangle each other first. Quirky, fast-paced, and brimming with action, Fableman is a middle-grade fantasy adventure that proves how even the most unlikely of heroes will step forward... when there's a ten-foot troll screaming after him.

The Wretched (The Fateless Throne Book 1) by Brad Carsten

No one knows what happened at Almswick, except that the King took an arrow to his chest, and his hundred-strong elite guard was slaughtered. Strangest of all, there was no indication that they had even faced an enemy. King Roderic 8th brought the kingdom of Thamaria into a golden age. It boasts the greatest scientists, physicians, soldiers, and artisans. For over a thousand years, nothing could approach its wealth and might for one reason: Thamaria could assess a child's potential, and then throw its resources into sculpting them into that which they were meant to be. Liam, a gifted tracker and archer, missed his first two assessments, and now at the age of twenty-five is too old for selection into the kingdom. He is left to make his own way in life with no hope of a better future until he meets Jaylene after her escort is attacked in the Dourbern forest. There's something "off" about her, and Liam is soon thrust into a plot that reaches into the heart of the kingdom—a plot that threatens to tear the immortal kingdom apart as well as everything else he cares about. But with war closing in, he may also have one last chance to prove to himself and the kingdom that he has what it takes to finally be somebody. Fast-paced with deep, likeable characters set in a rich and compelling world, The wretched will keep you guessing until the explosive conclusion.