llip has suddenly developed pointy teeth; he’s getting really wary of daylight and to top it off … he can no longer see his reflection in the mirror. Well, what does he think has caused that? Perhaps its an STD, he surmises … and that, reader, is completely on brand for a book in The Stranger Times series, it had me roaring from the get-go and is utterly, utterly entertaining. It’s certainly for fans of Pratchett and other comedic novels, but really does cut its own shape in the genre with a heavy focus on fantasy, world-building and urban-central storytelling. I loved this and it continues to be a series I look forward to.
Fantasy
Review: Early Years (The Beginning After The End #1) by TurtleMe
Synopsis King Grey has unrivaled strength, wealth, and prestige in world governed through martial ability. However, solitude lingers closely behind those with great power. Beneath the glamorous exterior of a powerful king lurks the shell of man, devoid of purpose and will. Reincarnated into a new world filled with magic and monsters, the king has […]
Review and Book Tour: Shadow of a Dead God (Mennik Thorn #1) by Patrick Samphire
Synopsis I was a grown man, damn it, and a mage of Agatos. Armies fled before me. Demons quaked in fear. Small animals gave me a wide berth. Babies cried when I smiled at them. Mennick Thorn is a broke mage for hire with an attitude problem and a tendency to make all the wrong […]
Review: Jade Legacy (Green Bone Saga #3) by Fonda Lee
Endings are a tricky thing. A good ending can reframe an entire story or bring home the points that an author was making. A bad ending can sour the experience of a whole series or story. Thankfully, Jade Legacy, the third and final book in the Green Bone Saga, is a smashingly good ending.
Book Tour & Review: Second Star to the Left (Reimagined Fairy Tales #1) by Megan Van Dyke
Overall, I really loved Second Star to the Left and I cannot wait for the next book in the Reimagined Fairy Tales series! The subtle ways in which the author changed the core characters to meet the narrative were the perfect choices to tell the story she wanted to tell. A beautifully written love story is at the core of this novel, but surrounding it is grand adventure, found family, and pirate ship battles. Can you think of a greater pairing?
Review: The Justice of Kings (Empire of the Wolf #1) by Richard Swan
Synopsis The Justice of Kings, the first in a new epic fantasy trilogy, follows the tale of Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice – a detective, judge and executioner all in one. As he unravels a web of secrets and lies, Vonvalt discovers a plot that might destroy his order once and for all – […]
Review: Vengewar (Wake the Dragon #2) by Kevin J. Anderson
Vengewar is the second release in Kevin J. Anderson’s Wake the Dragon series, a story for which I had high hopes coming in. If you read my review of book 1 (if you have not, you can do so HERE), you know that I was disappointed but ultimately decided the series had enough potential to continue with it. I am mostly happy about that decision, as I did enjoy book 2 more and the setup going into book 3 is very intriguing.
Shattered Dreams (Light in the Dark #1) by Ulff Lehmann
Synopsis – Epic Fantasy filled to the brim with Grimdark Reality If one looks too long into the abyss, the abyss looks back. Drangar Ralgon has been avoiding the abyss’s gaze for far too long and now he turns to face it. For a hundred years the young kingdom of Danastaer has thrived in peace. […]
Review: The Justice of Kings (Empire of the Wolf #1) by Richard Swan
Synopsis As an Emperor’s Justice, Sir Konrad Vonvalt always has the last word. His duty is to uphold the law of the empire using whatever tools he has at his disposal: whether it’s his blade, the arcane secrets passed down from Justice to Justice, or his wealth of knowledge of the laws of the empire. […]
Review: Unsouled (Cradle #1) by Will Wight
Unsouled was a book that gripped me right from the start; reader, I read this book voraciously in two sittings whilst on my honeymoon. It’s the perfect storm of everything I love: anime, manga, Asian-inspired fantasy novels, tv shows … the list really does go on.
Review: Spine of the Dragon (Wake the Dragon #1) by Kevin J. Anderson
Spine of the Dragon is the first release in Kevin J. Anderson’s Wake the Dragon series. I was really excited going in to this book, as the synopsis mentions many of the aspects I love about fantasy novels: ancient gods, big battles, and dragons. Unfortunately, though, it missed the mark for me.
Review: Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton
Synopsis A finalist for the 2020 Thurber Prize for American Humor! “The Secret Life of Pets meets The Walking Dead” in this big-hearted, boundlessly beautiful romp through the Apocalypse, where a foul-mouthed crow is humanity’s only chance to survive Seattle’s zombie problem (Karen Joy Fowler, PEN/Faulkner Award-winning author). S.T., a domesticated crow, is a bird […]