TL;DR Review: A breathtakingly epic world and high stakes adventure with an intriguing cast of complex, well-developed characters. Synopsis: Some secrets are best left to the shadows. But shadows have a mind of their own. The ancient land of Quinaria teeters on the brink of war, as its most precious resource is unearthed and exploited. […]
Fantasy
Review: The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi
This is a beautiful, uplifting story exploring a kind of ‘in-between’ place where the dead go to view their memories before they move onto the afterlife. It’s a story that deals with death and grief without actually touching on those subjects directly. You feel for all these people and those they’ve left behind, but it’s also a celebration of their life and what they achieved. The outlier here is the final character, Mitsuru, who tragically dies at the hands of her parents, but ultimately she gets her happy ending still.
Book Review: The Bartender Between Worlds by Herman Steuernagel
TL;DR Review: A dimension-hopping exploration of friendship, love, and the magic of a well-mixed cocktail. Synopsis: Low-stakes magic, crafting cocktails, and discovering the power of who we truly are. Emma grew up as a Hunter of the Cursed—those charged with eradicating monsters and magic from the Kingdom. She’s revered as one of the King’s most […]
Review: Horus Rising (The Horus Heresy book 1) by Dan Abnett
Synopsis Under the benevolent leadership of the Immortal Emperor the Imperium of Man has stretched out across the galaxy. On the eve of victory, the Emperor leaves the front lines, entrusting the great crusade to his favorite son, Horus. Promoted to Warmaster, the idealistic Horus tries to carry out the Emperor’s grand design, all the […]
Book Review: Mistlight (The Aenigma Lights #2) by JA Andrews
TL;DR Review: More mysteries, and bigger. The fate of a world hangs in the balance, and can only be saved by a truly ragtag, lovable crew. Synopsis: Keeper Kate has spent weeks searching for her missing brother. Following his trail, studying clues, using the mysterious aenigma box to help reconstruct the story of what had […]
Review: Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen #4) by John Gwynne
Synopsis: It’s time to brave the final battle. King Nathair has seized the fortress at Drassil, and now possesses three of the Seven Treasures. And with Calidus and Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the rest. They will allow him to open a portal to the Otherworld—so Asroth and his demon-horde can break […]
Book Review: Amethysts and Alchemy by Rachel Rener
TL;DR – A grumpy/sunshine match made in neurospicy heaven, and a singularly ADORABLE animal companion. Synopsis: I used to eat rocks as a child. The family doctor diagnosed me with pica, dooming me to years of intensive therapy and extensive dentistry work. It wouldn’t be until much later that I would understand the all-consuming, insatiable […]
Review: A Pocket of Lies by R A Sandpiper
The one time you won’t mind paying the Piper Synopsis BLOOD BOUND AND PENNILESS. EXILED INTO CURSED LANDS. HUNTED BY DEATH. When the thief Suri suffers a humiliating robbery, she has one day to pay off an ugly debt. Her solution: abduct and impersonate a foreign princess at the royal ball. But the wickedly handsome […]
Trollgrave by Alex S. Bradshaw
Synopsis God-Speaker Alvir Einarson couldn’t save everyone. Alvir enjoys traveling the country side doing the work of God-Speaker. Helping people physically and spiritually is the most important thing to him. But deep in the Forest of Broken Trolls something threatens to destroy everything Alvir loves and gods he serves. Trollgrave is a standalone Norse fantasy […]
Review: House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen #4)
Synopsis In Northern Genabackis, a raiding party of savage tribal warriors descends from the mountains into the southern flatlands. Their intention is to wreak havoc amongst the despised lowlanders, but for the one named Karsa Orlong it marks the beginning of what will prove to be an extraordinary destiny.Some years later, it is the aftermath […]
Book Review: The Dissonance by Shaun Hamill
TL;DR Review: Stranger Things meets The Magicians, as written by Stephen King. A dark, brooding, mysterious urban fantasy story of fate-defying friendships. Synopsis: From the acclaimed author of A Cosmology of Monsters comes an epic contemporary fantasy: a story of dark magic, terrible mistakes, and second chances. “You can never go home again,” the saying goes—but Hal, […]
Review: Ruin (The Faithful and the Fallen #3) by John Gwynne
Synopsis: The Banished Lands are consumed by war. Calculating Queen Rhin has conquered the west and high king Nathair holds the cauldron, most powerful of the Seven Treasures. At his back stand the scheming Calidus and a warband of Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. They plan to bring Asroth and his host of Fallen […]