TL;DR Review: Ambitious, imaginative, and incredibly compelling. The most epic grimdark world I’ve read since Abercrombie. Synopsis: Treachery looms across the land. The Scarborn have deposed the once-great Ironlight family. With scores to settle, the lowborn shake rust from their knives and trade allegiances for a promise of blood while the highborn rally their armies. […]
About Andy Peloquin
Book Review: Words of Power by Shami Stovall
TL;DR Review: A new approach to leveling up and gaining power. A progression fantasy hero unlike any other, and a fresh addition to the genre. Synopsis: Power is not given. It’s taken. In the Tze Empire, spirits and demons rule the wilds, but Ring Warlocks control civilization. For Rimon, the son of a courtesan and […]
Book Review: Death on the Caldera by Emily Paxman
TL;DR Review: Murder on the Orient Express meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and A Discovery of Witches. Synopsis: It’s Murder on the Orient Express – with witches!A thrilling blend of fantasy and classic murder mystery, this rollicking adventure with a wide cast of suspects is ideal for those who love both Agatha Christie and […]
Author Interview: Andrew Johnston
Andrew Johnston is a fantasy author from southwestern Pennsylvania. He began writing at the age of twenty-five after reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Each novella or novel he writes has autistic representation. He studies history and hangs out with his nephew when not writing. His novella, The Discarded Knight, is his […]
Book Review: The Palace of Illusions by Rowenna Miller
TL;DR Review: Slow in pace but rich in wonder. A quirky character you’ll enjoy following as she discovers the world of magic is real—and there is a threat only she can stop. Synopsis: The Palace of Illusions brings readers to a Paris breathless with excitement at the dawn of the twentieth century, where for a select […]
Book Review: Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me (Dark Lord Davi #2) by Django Wexler
TL;DR Review: Beautifully balanced between epic and cozy, it’s an adventure as action-packed as it is heartwarming. Synopsis: Dark Lord Davi rules the kingdom, but she must now break the time loop that binds her in this hilariously bloody conclusion to the Dark Lord Davi duology. After countless failures (let’s not dwell on it), Davi […]
Book Review: Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove
TL;DR: Van Helsing, but as played by a Murderbot-style ship’s AI, with the delightfully cozy and heartwarming flavor of Becky Chambers The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. Synopsis: Spaceships aren’t programmed to seek revenge—but for Dracula, Demeter will make an exception. Demeter just wants to do her shuttling humans between Earth and Alpha […]
Book Review: Crueler Mercies by Maren Chase
TL;DR Review: Rapunzel meets Man in the Iron Mask. A helpless, naïve prisoner becomes a cunning, revenge-driven queen. Synopsis: “Vita’s rage overflowed until she was prepared to drown in it, and she knew that she would never again dam this anger to please another.” After nine years as the people’s beloved princess in the sun-soaked […]
Book Review: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
TL;DR Review: Razor-sharp dialogue, a wildly imaginative alt-history fantasy world, and wonderfully extravagant characters result in what may be Joe Abercrombie’s best work to date. Synopsis: Holy work sometimes requires unholy deeds. Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his […]
Book Review: Anji Kills a King (The Rising Tide #1) by Evan Leikam
TL;DR Review: A grimdark fantasy adventure, an indefatigable character, and cleverly woven mysteries that had me spellbound until the last page. Synopsis: An unlikely assassin struggles to escape a legendary bounty hunter in this breakneck fantasy debut that will grab you by the throat―perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie, R.F. Kuang, and Christopher Buehlman. She […]
Book Review: A Clockwork’s Dreaming by Scott Oden
TL;DR Review: The cozy flavor of Beatrix Potter’s animal tales, but taken to new prosaic heights of wonder by the addition of magic and color. Synopsis: In Claude Moreau’s Garden, magic blooms between dewdrops and dreams, where scholarly mice debate proper tea service in a library housed within an ancient teapot, and frost spirits dance […]
Cover Reveal: Cold Silver for Souls by Tori Tecken
Oh boy, I am SOOOOO excited because I’ve got a hell of a cover for you today! This one comes from the amazing Tori Tecken (a.k.a. Tori Talks), the author of Phased and The Blood Stones, among other great books. Let me show you the cover, but first… Bounty Hunter. Necromancer. Outcast. She goes on […]