Synopsis: Princess Eirian Altira has always walked on a knife’s edge with flowers chasing her footsteps. Born with magic, she struggles to balance her ability to give life with the desire to kill. Raised by mages, the day comes when she must return home to a kingdom she left as a child, and a father […]
Fantasy
Review: Return of the Crimson Guard (Novels of the Malazan Empire #2) by Ian C. Esslemont
Synopsis: The returning mercenary Crimson Guard are sworn to oppose the Empire. Some elite Avowed scheme to open paths to power. Ascendants, ancient powerful entities, seek to exploit all sides for gain. “Traveller”, a swordsman, and his companion Ereko, confront successive enemies until the last from which none have returned. “Old Hands”, generals and mages […]
Book Review: Play of Shadows (Court of Shadows #1) by Sebastian de Castell
TL;DR: True to the spirit of the Greatcoats, but fresh and unique. Thrilling, complex, and absolutely addictive. Synopsis: Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first volume in the new swashbuckling fantasy series set in the universe of THE GREATCOATS. Damelas Chademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel. He has […]
Review: Ruins of Smoke: (The Smokesmiths # 0.5) by João F. Silva
Synopsis The Usharian Empire rules the Known World with an iron fist. Imperials protect their world from the tainted hand of the Deceiver, but he is back with an avatar capable of breaking the Empire and grounding humanity into ash. JEHA is a sentinel of the Empire, willing to fight and die for kinship and duty. […]
Review: Collapse Years by Damir Salkovic
Synopsis Extreme weather, natural disasters, and violence have turned much of the world into a wasteland. The fabric of society is fraying with rampant polarization, the crumbling of democratic institutions, and the rise of corporate-driven totalitarianism. Unchecked technologies are deepening existing rifts and opening up new arenas of exploitation. Yet life goes on. The stories […]
Review: The Hallows by HL Tinsley
TL;DR Version: Nuns with machine guns, a grim and gritty flavor, and a bizarre mystery I had to solve. An unforgettable reading experience! Synopsis: The Hallow serum was once sacred to the Auld Bloods. Used to gain access to their lost ancestral powers, now it is regulated and administered by the powerful Providence Company. Evolved […]
Review: Dragon Rider by Taran Matharu
FROM THE ASHES OF AN EMPIRE, A HERO WILL RISE… ‘A dazzlingly epic and richly complex world of dragons, magic, and rebellion’ Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night ‘A classic fantasy adventure that reminds me of the novels I loved growing up, but with a flair of cultivation from the novels […]
Review: The Fall is All There Is (Four of Mercies #1) by C.M. Caplan
Synopsis SPSFC 3 SEMIFINALISTSPFBO 9 FINALISTINDIE INK AWARDS FINALIST All Petre Mercy wanted was a good old-fashioned dramatic exit from his life as a prince. But it’s been five years since he fled home on a cyborg horse. Now the King – his Dad – is dead – and Petre has to decide which heir to […]
Review: The Storm Beneath the World by Michael R. Fletcher
We’re going to need a bigger fly swatter Synopsis Cursed by the gods, the insectile ashkaro live on flying islands travelling the eternal River of Days while a hellish firestorm devours the world below. Collected into queendoms, the higher caste brights live in the luxurious windward rain-forest while the servile dulls scrape out a desperate […]
Review: Shattered Fate (Zodiac #3) by Azshure Raine
Synopsis: War is on the horizon after the devastation wrought by the wayward power of death. The Wicked King’s blood remains unchecked. A new Titan walks Gaea and a Clock buried deep beneath the sands of a city lost to time counts down. Eternity sleeps. Fate remains locked away. And the thirteenth cycle edges ever […]
Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (Cecelia and Kate) by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Synopsis A great deal is happening in London and the country this season. For starters, there’s the witch who tried to poison Kate at the Royal College of Wizards. There’s also the man who seems to be spying on Cecelia. (Though he’s not doing a very good job of it–so just what are his intentions?) […]
Review: Leafdust & Deadwood (The Garden Knight #0.5) by Justin Greer
Synopsis Welcome to the world of The Garden Knight. Derry is a gardener who has made his home in the quiet woodland village of Haverdell. Accompanied by his faithful dog Barrow, Derry intends to spend all his days tending to his gardens, roving the wilds, helping his friends in town, and enjoying the peaceful solitude […]