Where Fiction and Reality Meet
Title: A Restless Truth Series: The Last Binding: Book Two Author: Freya Marske Publisher: Tordotcom Length: 400 Pages Category: Historical Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Maud Blythe is such an engaging heroine, and I loved her intrepid spirit even as I feared for her life at nearly every twist and turn of her... Continue Reading →
Title: Settle the Score Series: The Blackwarren Heists: Book Two Author: Vaughn R. Demont Publisher: Self-Published Length: 347 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: I’ve loved this -verse for a long time now, and couldn’t have anticipated it would grow, become lusher and more robust, until it did. Nick is an... Continue Reading →
Title: Samhain Secrets: World Premiere Authors: David DeMar, Chris Shaffer, Vaughn R. Demont, and Sierra Dean Publisher: Self-Published Length: 325 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: The diversity of stories and voices and characters in Samhain Secrets: World Premier is significant. Anthologies can be a delicate balance—if there's a single weak... Continue Reading →
Title: The Tank Series: The Spell Saga: Book Three Author: Cari Z Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 187 Pages Category: Steampunk, Alt-Historical Fantasy Rating: 4.5 Stars At a Glance: The Tank elevates the Spell Saga series to a new level, through more robust attention to the magic and steampunk innovations of this historical setting. I anticipate... Continue Reading →
Title: The Tower Series: The Spell Saga: Book Two Author: Cari Z Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 118 Pages Category: Fantasy, Steampunk Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: The setting has changed in The Tower, but the suspense and threats to life and limb are no less absolute or intense. More magic, more curiosities, and surely... Continue Reading →
Title: Deadbeat Druid Series: The Adam Binder Novels: Book Three Author: David R. Slayton Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Length: 323 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: While indulging my every love of lush, evocative storytelling, Slayton has also developed a cast of characters who more than undertook the responsibility of this journey; they... Continue Reading →
Title: The Train Series: The Spell Saga: Book One Author: Cari Z Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 110 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: The case is solved in this fast-paced and fun novella, but there is still a puzzle to work out. I'm looking forward to learning more about Anton's magic and... Continue Reading →
Title: Tales from Blackthorn Briar Series: Oak King Holly King: Book Two Author: Sebastian Nothwell Publisher: Self-Published Length: 302 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: From the lyrical language to the fruitful abundance of imagination, I couldn't help but feel Sebastian Nothwell poured his whole heart into the writing of these stories,... Continue Reading →
Title: Bone Weaver Author: Aden Polydoros Publisher: Inkyard Press Length: 403 Pages Category: YA/Teen, Fantasy/Folklore, Historical Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Aden Polydoros has once again penned a Teen novel that reaches beyond its intended audience and bewitches readers who love fantasy, horror, monster fiction and folklore, and he effortlessly weaves these things into... Continue Reading →
Title: Imitate the Dawn Series: Whitethorn Agency: Book Three Author: M.A. Grant Publisher: Carina Press Length: 283 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: M.A. Grant's voice is gracefully nimble, lyrical when called for in the Darkest Court series, and given to a pure grittiness when her characters are fighting... Continue Reading →
Title: A Taste of Gold and Iron Author: Alexandra Rowland Publisher: Tordotcom Length: 505 Pages Category: Fantasy, Alt-History Rating: 3 Stars At a Glance: To put a fine point on it, A Taste of Gold and Iron seems to suffer from an identity crisis, and I feel the story could have been half as long... Continue Reading →
Title: Stone Wings Series: The Gargoyles of Arrington: Book One Author: Jenn Burke Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 200 Pages Category: Contemporary Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Stone Wings hits all the romantic beats and offers the truth that sometimes love is a lightning strike, and sometimes it sneaks up like a thief of... Continue Reading →
Title: Subtle Bodies Series: PsyCop: Book Thirteen Author: Jordan Castillo Price Publisher: JCP Books Length: 305 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Castillo Price has the boos and the wigglies down cold in the PsyCop series, delivering the chills that come naturally with the territory and that readers have come to... Continue Reading →
Title: A Clap of Thunder Series: Arcane Hearts: Book Six Author: Nazri Noor Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 322 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: It's not often a Fantasy series offers an equal measure of sweet romance, delightful narration, and life-threatening encounters, and balances them so cleverly. Noor manages it effortlessly. Reviewed... Continue Reading →
Title: High Times in the Low Parliament Author: Kelly Robson Publisher: Tordotcom Length: 162 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 2 Stars At a Glance: High Times in the Low Parliament is a short novel that had potential, but in the end, I was left with too many "hows?" and "whys?" unanswered for it to satisfy. Reviewed... Continue Reading →
Title: Stolen Token Author: Felix J. Léon Publisher: Self-Published Length: 119 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: There is no doubt Felix J. Léon loved telling this story and held his characters in great affection. That sincerity endeared them to me as well, by simple virtue of realizing I was being introduced... Continue Reading →
Title: The Gumshoe, the Witch, and the Virtual Corpse Series: The Gumshoe: Book One Author: Keith Hartman Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 532 Pages Category: Sci-Fi, Murder Mystery Rating: 3 Stars At a Glance: It takes some patience and perseverance to get through the subpar editing and to the meat of this story, but I finished... Continue Reading →
Title: Emerald Earth Series: The Witch Brothers Saga: Book One Author: Adam J. Ridley Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 200 Pages Category: Fantasy Romance Rating: 3.5 Stars At a Glance: There are no surprises or unexpected turns to this story, which makes it a sweet, low-drama read, predictable but still interesting for the inclusion of the... Continue Reading →
Title: The Sins of the Orc Author: Finley Fenn Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 192 Pages Category: Fantasy Content Notes: dark situations and power dynamics causing current and past trauma (not between main love interests); intense intimate scenes (including in public); discussion and depiction of abuse and its effects; depression and suicidal thoughts; discussion of war... Continue Reading →
Title: Burning for You Author: Joel Abernathy Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 298 Pages Category: Fantasy Content Notes: Action violence, substance abuse, extreme enemies-to-lovers dynamics, nonconsensual ritual bloodletting, heat sex, knotting, technical suicide in a supernatural context (not self-harm). Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: For as angsty as it had the potential to be, the... Continue Reading →
Title: Deceiver of Minds Series: SPECTR Series Three: Book Five Author: Jordan L. Hawk Publisher: Self-Published Length: 105 Pages Category: Urban Fantasy Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: For fans of the SPECTR series, we know to anticipate the chaos and danger as well as the lovely teases at the end of each novella that... Continue Reading →
Title: The Bachelor's Valet Series: Flos Magicae Author: Arden Powell Publisher: Amazon/Kindle Unlimited Length: 148 Pages Category: Historical Romance, Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: The Bachelor’s Valet is a gentle and charming story with happy endings for all involved, short on drama and long on anticipation, waiting for Alphonse to suss out his... Continue Reading →
Title: Hell Followed with Us Author: Andrew Joseph White Publisher: Peachtree Teen Length: 412 Pages Category: YA, Fantasy, Monster Fiction Rating: 5 Stars At a Glance: Hell Followed with Us is not my story. I will never know firsthand what it means, or feels like, to walk in Benji’s shoes. That doesn’t mean I can’t... Continue Reading →
Title: Labours of Stone Author: EM Harding Publisher: Self-Published Length: 164 Pages Category: Fantasy Rating: 4 Stars At a Glance: Labours of Stone is one of those happy little accidental finds: a quick, sweet summer read that I'm glad I happened upon. Reviewed By: Lisa Blurb: Day after day, Ephra Stone labours away on trashy... Continue Reading →
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