TL;DR Review: Cozy, heartwarming, and instantly engaging. A great look at a “second act/second career” so many of us can resonate with. Synopsis: When life gives you lemons, squeeze them into a stiff drink and stir. After twenty years defending the frozen north against some of the most dangerous threats in the nine kingdoms, […]
Fantasy Books
Book Review: The Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher
TL;DR Review: Fun, easy reading. Cozy fantasy that becomes wonderfully epic by the end. The perfect binge-reading book. Synopsis: Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable […]
Book Review: The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston
TL;DR Review: Grueling, gritty, and grimdark as hell. A main character who takes badass and resilient to a whole new level. Synopsis: A gender-flipped Die Hard set in a mysterious castle, Cameron Johnston’s The Last Shield is an engaging fantasy read, perfect for fans of John Gwynne and Mark Lawrence. The ancient forest realm of […]
Book Review: Hell for Hire (Tear Down Heaven Book 1) by Rachel Aaron
TL;DR Review: Lovable characters, a fascinating world, and epic action. Had me hooked from Page 1. Synopsis: The CrewA hulked-out wrath demon who eats gamer rage and loves cats, a shapeshifting lust demon who enjoys their food a bit too much, and a void demon who doesn’t see the point of any of this. They’re not the […]
Book Review: Easy Guide to Escape Hell by Elisa Menz
TL;DR Review: Urban fantasy that strikes an excellent balance between cozy and epic. An insightful exploration of healing from parent-inflicted trauma. Synopsis: You inherited a house, but it has a minor demon problem… Dagon Gunthersson—a powerful demon warrior and a renowned member of Hell’s nobility—stands accused of treason by his commander. His abrupt escape leads […]
Book Review: Outlaw Mage by (The Dageian Puppetmaster Book 1) K.S. Villoso
TL;DR Review – A wonderfully complex examination of cultural whitewashing and complicated families. Synopsis: Despite Rosha’s best efforts, she will never fit in. To her classmates, she is forever an outsider, a girl from the fringes of the empire just lucky enough to have well-off parents. To her teachers, she is either a charity case […]
Cover Reveal: A Shadow Over Haven (Nick Holleran Urban Fantasy Series Book 3) by David Green
Hey FanFiAddicts, we’ve got a treat for you today! David Green’s got a new Nick Holleran adventure (think Harry Dresden, but without the trench coat and angst) coming, and a brand new cover to show off! The cover that started it all: The Devil Walks in Blood I’ve read the prequel and Book 1 and […]
Book Review: Of Thieves and Shadows by B.S.H. Garcia
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. […]
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 […]
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 […]
Cover Reveal – Claws Of The Collector (Shade the Collector #1) by Douglas Lumsden
Douglas Lumsden is the author of the brilliant (in my opinion) Alexander Southerland series which consists of seven books plus the sharp and gloriously nasty novella The Demon’s Dagger which is set in the same world. That series came to an end with the seventh book A Specter Raps on My Windowpane. He is now […]
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 […]