Synopsis “A bard never reveals her secrets, only everyone else’s.”There is no place for elves in this world, but Sylvaine knows she’s destined for greatness—a world-famous bard entertaining the finest nobility as far as Lindale. Unfortunately, performing in her local tavern off the beaten path lends scant opportunity to distinguish herself. Until a group of […]
Fantasy
Review: City of Others (The DEUS Files #1) by Jared Poon
Synopsis Dive into a world where magic lies hidden just below the surface in this charming urban fantasy full of workplace found family, queer romance, and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore, from debut author Jared Poon. In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything—even the weird stuff. Benjamin […]
Review: Child of the Night Guild (Queen of Thieves 1) by Andy Peloquin
Synopsis They killed her family. They ripped apart her home. But to repay her debts, she’ll have to sacrifice her innocence. Robbed of everything she loves, Viola mourns the sudden loss of her mother. Now burdened with an impossible debt to the Night Guild, she’s forced to train as a cunning thief. Subjected to cruelty […]
Review: A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes by Jake Halpern & Peter Kujawinski
Synopsis: Every scent tells a story. The last thing Nia wants is to be branded a “Sinsory.” Where she comes from, that’s just as deadly as the devastating plagues that sweep through their land. That’s why she keeps her unusually keen sense of smell a secret. Only two people in the city of Yerat know […]
Review: Five Broken Blades (The Broken Blades, #1) by Mai Corland
Synopsis: The king of Yusan must die. The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon. He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined . . . […]
Review: Shield of the Mothership (The Hybrid Helix #7) by J.C.M. Berne
Synopsis Sometimes the enemy of your enemy is still your enemy. Rohan swore he’d never work for the il’Drach again, never again be called Lance Primary, never again kill or risk the lives of his friends on behalf of the Empire. But when the safety of the sector is at risk, when inaction could lead […]
Review: Copper Skin, Oaken Lungs by Adam Bassett
Synopsis: For a thousand years, The Old Town has stood as humanity’s last bastion against the maalkonis, malignant black mists that reduced the rest of the world to ash. They are kept at bay by rusty machines on the town’s walls. In order to survive, the dwindling population depends on one another. Since a young […]
Review: Legacy of Brick & Bone (Tainted Dominion #2) by Krystle Matar
Synopsis: Follow the law and you’ll stay safe. But what if the law betrays you? It all started with the girl from the river: mutilated, tattooed, murdered. Tashué couldn’t help but look for answers and in the process, he uncovered the ugly truths being hidden by the very law he used to believe in—the law […]
Review: Ink & Intent: The Glyphwright Chronicles
Synopsis Marcus Fairwind remembers every symbol he’s ever seen. Too bad that talent is useless for a merchant’s son—until he starts treating magic like a supply chain problem. After disappointing his father one too many times, Marcus begs Millbrook’s irritable glyphwright for an apprenticeship. Erasmus reluctantly takes him on, teaching him glyphwriting—magic through written symbols. […]
Review: To Bargain with Mortals by R. A. Basu
Synopsis An outcast heiress. A notorious gang leader. A country on the brink of revolution. In the colonized nation of Viryana, Poppy Sutherland lives between cultures. As the brown-skinned adopted daughter of the Viceroy, she is both rejected by white high society and alienated from the people of her native island. When she discovers her […]
Review: ShadowBane (A Schism of Souls #1) by Cal Logan
Synopsis: One womb, one soul, two fates. One will rise. One will fall. Shura and Jin are the last of a divine bloodline, operating at the bloodiest fringes of society where they wield might and magic against the demons they are sworn to destroy. For Shura, it’s the only way to restore honor to her […]
Review: This Gilded Abyss (The Titan’s Wrath Trilogy #1) by Rebecca Thorne
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you have played and loved Bioshock, you will love this. It has the same vibe, scope and darkness of that series, plus the addition of seeing how this huge submarine fell.