This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone – a Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award winner – is one of my favorite reads of 2021.
Reviews
Review: The Fall (The Bound and the Broken #0.5) by Ryan Cahill
The Fall is a prequel novella related to Ryan Cahill’s The Bound and the Broken series. It takes place approximately 400 years before the events of book 1, Of Blood and Fire, and highlights a big event in the history of Epheria that is mentioned several times in Of Blood and Fire and continues to impact current events.
Review: Falling Dark by Tom Lloyd
SynopsisIt’s the find of a lifetime – an ancient alien spaceship hanging in a forgotten corner of space. For Song this could change everything. She’s got as many problems with her finances as she does in her marriage, but maybe at last her passion for wreck-diving will pay off. One piece of unknown tech could […]
Review: The Bone Shard Emperor (The Drowning Empire #2) by Andrea Stewart
The Bone Shard Emperor is the 2nd installment in Andrea Stewart’s The Drowning Empire series. This is one of the most unique fantasy stories I have read; in fact, the first book in the series, The Bone Shard Daughter, was one of my (and many others’) favorite books of 2020 (read that review here). With all of the great elements at play in this book and the way the story progresses, I am not surprised to see The Bone Shard Emperor receiving similar accolades.
Review: Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune
This is one of those books that is hard to explain, but should be experienced.
Review: Strange Planet: The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature by Nathan W. Pyle
Synopsis Nathan W. Pyle’s first picture book in his Strange Planet series, a #1 New York Times bestseller! Based on his popular Instagram comics, Nathan W. Pyle presents a delightful, heartfelt, and clever picture book that young and old beings alike will enjoy reading together. When the nearest star rises, Lifegiver has an exciting quest planned for Offspring! […]
Review: Thunder, Blood, and Goats (Tales of the Nine Worlds #1) by Lyra Wolf
Thunder, Blood, and Goats is a novella side story in Lyra Wolf’s The Nine Worlds Rising series (previously titled The Nine Worlds Chronicles). I have been a big fan of this series (read my reviews of the previous books here, under the old series name: Truth and Other Lies [The Nine Worlds Rising #1]; Chaos Rising [The Nine Worlds Rising #2], and this latest release has done nothing to diminish that experience.
Review: The Justice of Kings (Empire of the Wolf #1) by Richard Swan
The Justice of Kings is the debut fantasy novel by Richard Swan and is a riveting mystery and political powerhouse of a book. I was given a pre-release copy of this to review from Orbit and it immediately shot up my TBR. I’m not quite sure what brought it to the top of my list, but boy was I glad read it. Now I have three months to talk about how good it is before it comes out!
I went in knowing very little about the story, only vaguely remembering the synopsis. And I was genuinely surprised along the way about the story and its scope.
The book follows the story of Konrad Vonvalt, an enforcer of the Empire’s laws, and his dispensing of Justice across the unruly nation. His protégé, Helena, is our main POV and the story is written by her far into the future. The style of writing is very similar to Farseer, an absolute favorite of mine, so that was a treat. Because of this style, we get plenty of ominous foreshadowing about the future of this world and its’ Empire.
Review: Shadow Service Vol. 1 & 2 by Cavan Scott
Shadow Service Vol. 1 & 2 is by Cavan Scott, Corin Howell (Illustrator), Trionna Farrell (Color Artist).
Shadow Service completely surprised me, I knew I was going to enjoy it but I went in mostly blind and was very surprised by where this series went! It starts out following a witch who is a PI and very quickly terrifying creatures start to appear.
Review: Blood of the Chosen (Burningblade & Silvereye #2) by Django Wexler
Blood of the Chosen is book 2 in Django Wexler’s Burningblade & Silvereye series, and the follow up to Ashes of the Sun (the first in the series, published in 2020 – a book which I also enjoyed. Read that review here). Blood of the Chosen does a great job of upping the stakes and keeping the tension high. I loved this book.
Review: Jade Legacy by Fonda Lee
renching, thoughtful and satisfying close. Each of the books in this series stands on their own in such a unique way: Jade City is a story about a city and its warring clans; Jade War broadens the scope, establishing a country on the geopolitical world stage; and Jade Legacy goes even further, as multiple generations of a family come to grips with their legacy and the future of their nation. As time progresses, as power waxes and wanes, who will finally take control of Kekon?
Review: Shackled Fates (The Hanged God Trilogy #2) by Thilde Kold Holdt
Shackled Fates is the follow-up to author Thilde Kold Holdt’s 2020 debut novel Northern Wrath (which I absolutely loved. You can read my review here.) Northern Wrath was one of my favorite books of 2020, and I honestly did not think there was any way I could like book 2 more. But something happened on my way to Niflheim…