Synopsis Twenty years after her mother’s mysterious disappearance, Sinccah sets out to find answers in the untamed province of Ucksland. Hoping to bolster her meager magic skills, she seeks out the old mage guarding the caravan. While talking to him, she discovers that the pendant her mother left her might hold a secret. Unfortunately, before […]
Fantasy
SPFBO Review: Blackwater by Emily Blakeney
Synopsis: There is much to be done when the kingdom isn’t looking. Iona Strider is a ruthless pickpocket cursed with a disobedient shadow. Violent, too. Worse, she can’t remember who cursed her, or why. But she does know one with each passing day, her control of the shadow dwindles. In her relentless pursuit of answers, she winds […]
Review: Wolf Worm by T Kingfisher
Synopsis The year is 1899 and Sonia Wilson is a scientific illustrator without work, prospects or hope. When the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use. But soon enough she […]
Review: The Curse of Dragon Tail Island by Jonathan Nevair
Synopsis: A once-legendary pirate and his loyal crew out to retake the high seas. Captain James R. Hawk, aka Trusty Jack, and his Salty Scoundrels are do-gooder buccaneers leaving a trail of merry mayhem in their wake. Their credo: ignore the corrupt laws of the Jewel Island’s greedy regent and sail the tropical seas in […]
Review: Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead by K.J Parker
Synopsis: Not even the Church of the Invincible Sun is invincible – and somebody has to do its dirty work. Enter Sister Svangerd and her accompanying priest, both accomplished practitioners. Their mission is simple: to make a meddlesome princess disappear (permanently). To get to her, they must attend the legendary Ecumenical Council, the once-in-a-century convening […]
Book Review: The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
TL;DR Review: Daughter of Empire meets Iron Widow. A fascinating look at the making of a sociopath. Synopsis: Debut author Shen Tao introduces readers to the lush, deadly world of The Poet Empress, a sweeping, epic and intimate fantasy perfect for fans of The Serpent & the Wings of Night, The Song of Achilles and She Who Became the Sun. […]
Review: Die Slow (The Runeborn Trilogy #2) by Morgan Shank
Synopsis The Runemasters are purged. The Hound, the Tower’s secret weapon, is buried under rubble in the ocean. Most importantly, the mainlanders who ended the Runemasters—Magon, Seneka, High Priest Oath, Itula, and Princess Elthren—survived the ordeal. However, Princess Elthren suffered great loss, and she will never be the same. Itula drained her magic, and she […]
Review: The Price of Fear (The Wretched Trilogy #1) by Miles Lyon
Synopsis: For a Godless like Azreal the Wretched, peace might be a more profitable time, but it’s no less bloody… A decade into the armistice with Inath, the North, once united against invasion, finds itself a divided kingdom. Azreal – an infamous mage of the Northern military – operates in his native land as a […]
Review: Godstorm by Solitaire Townsend
Summary: A Female Gladiator’s Vow. A Stolen Child. A Storm to End Empires In a petrol-fuelled Roman Empire which never fell, Arrow, a gladiatrix turned governess must rescue the child she has loved as her own, a girl who could tear down the world. When Livy is abducted during a devastating Godstorm, Arrow must unleash […]
Review: City of Others (The DEUS Files #1) by Jared Poon
Synopsis Dive into a world where magic lies hidden just below the surface in this charming urban fantasy full of workplace found family, queer romance, and supernatural creatures straight out of Southeast Asian lore, from debut author Jared Poon. In the sunny city of Singapore, the government takes care of everything—even the weird stuff. Benjamin […]
Review: A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes by Jake Halpern & Peter Kujawinski
Synopsis: Every scent tells a story. The last thing Nia wants is to be branded a “Sinsory.” Where she comes from, that’s just as deadly as the devastating plagues that sweep through their land. That’s why she keeps her unusually keen sense of smell a secret. Only two people in the city of Yerat know […]
Review: Five Broken Blades (The Broken Blades, #1) by Mai Corland
Synopsis: The king of Yusan must die. The five most dangerous liars in the land have been mysteriously summoned to work together for a single objective: to kill the God King Joon. He has it coming. Under his merciless immortal hand, the nobles flourish, while the poor and innocent are imprisoned, ruined . . . […]