Series Synopsis: Not all magicians go to schools of magic. Adam Binder has the Sight. It’s a power that runs in his bloodline: the ability to see beyond this world and into another, a realm of magic populated by elves, gnomes, and spirits of every kind. But for much of Adam’s life, that power has […]
Review: The Burning God (The Poppy War #3) by R.F. Kuang
Synopsis: After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead. Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially […]
Review: The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) by R.F. Kuang
Synopsis: The war is over. The war has just begun. Three times throughout its history, Nikan has fought for its survival in the bloody Poppy Wars. Though the third battle has just ended, shaman and warrior Rin cannot forget the atrocity she committed to save her people. Now she is on the run from her […]
Review: A Necromancer Called Gam Gam (Chronicles of Gam Gam #1) by Adam Holcombe
Synopsis: A grandmotherly necromancer seeking resolution for her past with the help of her loyal entourage: an undead cat and a spectral knight. A girl on the run from the Eternal Empire for the mysterious power she possesses. When a chance encounter pulls them together, Gam Gam will do what it takes to protect Mina […]
Review: Silence of the Song Trees by Branwen O’Shea
Synopsis: When everyone he loves dies, he becomes the Ghost to save his planet. Young Cerulean’s carefree life as a Firth is shattered when a planet-wide disaster wipes out all of his kind except him. The song trees that once harmonized to maintain the ecological balance of their shared planet Lenglood are silenced by the […]
Review: Shadows Under the Shade (Elysia Dayne #2) by Wil Chan
Synopsis: If you love somebody enough, you will do anything to claw your way back to them… After a traumatic duel to the death against a malevolent sword master, Elysia is left desperately clinging to life. Isabella, the princess that she was tasked to rescue, nurses her back to health in the wilderness, many miles […]
Tears of the Maelstrom (The Legacy of Boulom #2) by Timothy Wolff
Synopsis: The realm has been saved, but at what cost? With Vaynex on the brink of civil war, Tempest Claw struggles for peace among his people, many of whom seek vengeance for their lost deity. As the recession grows deeper, one thing remains clear: Tempest will either find common ground with his brethren, or a […]
Review: Black Market Heart (Eververse #4) by Darby Harn
Synopsis: The Interdictor searches for his heart. It may cost him his soul. Nathan Regan thought himself a god, but a battle with a powerful sorceress left him a heartless zombie. When his father draws him into his growing ambitions in the criminal underworld, The Interdictor discovers a possible escape from his cold hell: sling […]
Review: Devil to Pay (The Devil and the Dark #1) by R.M. Olson
Synopsis: In a world of pirates and murderous ghosts, one naval cadet must choose between loyalty and survival. In the Level’s Naval Academy, officer candidate Silas Hunt stumbles across a secret that could get him hanged for treason. The only hope he has to save his own life and to find justice is to join […]
Review: Truth of Crowns (The Ash Eternal #1) by Carl D. Albert
Synopsis: “Secrets, secrets are so fun. Secrets, secrets – cut my tongue.” In a land where magick is heresy and ancient forces manipulate human whims, secrets will tear a fragile peace asunder. Four people stand at the heart of this burgeoning war. An unproven prince who married a woman forbidden to him. A sickly boy […]
A.J.’s Top 10 Reads of 2023
It was hard to narrow down my top reads of the year. For anyone who has followed me on social media or through my blog, you know I read a lot. This year’s total was 70 books, which I think is a record for me. And it was tough to pick only 10. I’m a […]
Review: The Hungry Fire (Serpentstone #1) by A.M. Obst
Synopsis: Her parents died as heroes. When their murderous enemy returns for revenge, she must learn to handle the truth before she can save her world. Betharad’s devotion to her family’s legacy will never fade. The newly elected leader of her town is determined to do her best for her community and orphaned siblings. But […]