Jun
01

New Fantasy Books for June 2011

Here are some fantastic new fantasy books set to be released this month. Karen Chance the author of a New York times bestselling series and other bestselling novelists are coming out with their latest novels this June. Check it out!

Hexed: The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne Hexed: The Iron Druid Chronicles
by Kevin Hearne

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor’s rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal Shades of Milk and Honey
by Mary Robinette Kowal

Shades of Milk and Honey is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth, a woman ahead of her time in a world where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. But despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester’s society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody’s lives still revolve around vying for the attentions of eligible men.

Jane resists this fate, and rightly so: while her skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of face, and therefore wins the lion’s share of the attention. At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Jane has resigned herself to being invisible forever. But when her family’s honor is threatened, she finds that she must push her skills to the limit in order to set things right–and, in the process, accidentally wanders into a love story of her own.

This debut novel from an award-winning talent scratches a literary itch you never knew you had. Like wandering onto a secret picnic attended by Pride and Prejudice and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, Shades of Milk and Honey is precisely the sort of tale we would expect from Jane Austen…if only she had been a fantasy writer.

Chicks Kick Butt by Rachel Caine, Kerrie Hughes Chicks Kick Butt
by Rachel Caine and Kerrie Hughes

Chicks are awesome–and never more so than when they are kicking some serious vampire/werewolf/demon/monster butt.

Chicks Kick Butt is an anthology that features one of the best things about the urban fantasy genre: strong, independent, and intelligent heroines who are quite capable of solving their own problems and slaying their own dragons (or demons, as the case may be).

Edited by Kerrie Hughes and Rachel Caine, Chicks Kick Butt features original stories from thirteen authors, eleven of whom are New York Times bestsellers like: Rachel Caine (with a story from her bestselling Weather Wardens universe), L.A. Banks, Rachel Vincent, Karen Chance, Lilith Saintcrow, Cheyenne McCray, Susan Krinard, Jeanne Stein, Jenna Black, Susan Krinard, Jeanne Stein, Jenna Black, Elizabeth Vaughan, Carole Nelson Douglas, P.N. Elrod and Nancy Holder.

Pinion by Jay Lake Pinion
by Jay Lake

Rejoin the adventure in the third novel of Lake’s Clockwork Earth series. Paolina Barthes, young sorceress, is crossing the Equatorial Wall, attempting to take herself and her magic away from the grasp of powerful men in the empires of the north.

Emily Childress is still aboard the renegade Chinese submarine, along with her devoted Captain, and the British chief petty officer Angus al-Wazir. They are all being sought most urgently by the powers that secretly rule the Northern Earth–the Silent Order and the White Birds. And a third power, of the Southern Earth, has its eye on Paolina; she will not be allowed to bring the political turmoil of the North into the more mystical South.

The Plain Man by Steve Englehart The Plain Man
by Steve Englehart

Magick and reality collide in a new, fast-paced Max August thriller

Max August is not invulnerable, but he never ages—a gift he earned while studying under the legendary alchemist Cornelius Agrippa. August, now an alchemist himself, is using his magickal abilities to fight the right-wing conspiracy known as the FRC, which seeks to control all aspects of society. At the top of the FRC is a nine-member cabal, each member of which is a powerful force in one area of society, such as media, politics, finance…and wizardry.

When Max learns that two members of the cabal are en route to Wickr, a Burning Man–like festival held in the American Southwest, he stages a plan to gather information from them and, he hopes turn one member against the others. Max has been careful not to leave a trail, but the cabal sees all, and an “accident” at a nuclear waste facility just 100 miles from the festival would send a clear message to those who oppose the FRC. Max may be timeless, but he is running out of time to stop the FRC and save millions of lives.

Green-Eyed Envy by Kasey Mackenzie Green-Eyed Envy
by Kasey Mackenzie

Jealousy can be a killer…

As a Fury, Marissa Holloway belongs to an Arcane race that has meted out justice since time immemorial. As Boston’s chief magical investigator, it’s her duty to solve any crimes committed by or against supernaturals.

Months have gone by since Riss discovered some unwelcome truths about her past–and managed to stop a supernatural war. Since then things have been quiet. Too quiet. But that all changes when the bodies of Bastai, shapeshifters also known as Cats, begin piling up in Boston’s magical underbelly–even though the legendary shifters are supposed to have ninety-nine lives.

One common thread ties the victims together: all were old flames of FBI Agent Harper Cruz. And since Harper and Riss’s lover Scott Murphy enjoyed a one-night stand before he and Riss reunited, the Fury has twice the incentive to crack the case wide open, before the killer’s green-eyed gaze turns in Scott’s direction…

Spectyr by Philippa Ballantine Spectyr
by Philippa Ballantine

A new adventure in the “richly detailed world” (New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh) of Geist.

Though one of the most powerful Deacons, Sorcha Faris has a tarnished reputation to overcome, which is why she jumps at the chance to investigate a string of murders in the exotic city of Orithal.

But it is there that her lover, the shapeshifting rival to the throne, is targeted by a cruel and vengeful goddess, unwittingly unleashed by the Emperor’s sister.

“One of the most vividly original books I’ve read this year.”—New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh

“An incredibly rich story…absolutely not to be missed.”—Barb Hendee

Hunt the Moon A Cassie Palmer Novel by Karen Chance Hunt the Moon: A Cassie Palmer Novel
by Karen Chance

THE LATEST IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES

Cassandra Palmer recently defeated a god, which you’d think would buy a girl a little time off. But it doesn’t work that way when your new job description is Pythia—the world’s chief clairvoyant.

Cassie is busier than ever, trying to learn about her power, preparing for her upcoming coronation, and figuring out her relationship with the enigmatic sexy master vampire, Mircea.

But someone doesn’t want Cassie to become Pythia, and is willing to go to any lengths to make sure the coronation ceremony never happens-including attacking her mother before Cassie is even born.

“Karen Chance will enthrall you.” —USA Today bestselling author Rebecca York

Titus Awakes: A Novel by Mervyn Peake, Maeve Gilmore Titus Awakes: A Novel
by Mervyn Peake and Maeve Gilmore

After fifty years-the final volume of Mervyn Peake’s classic Gormenghast novels

Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast trilogy is widely acknowledged to be, as Robertson Davies pronounced, “a classic of our age.” In these extraordinary novels, Peake created a world where all is like a dream-lush, fantastical, and vivid. Yet it was incomplete. Parkinson’s disease took Peake’s life in 1968, depriving his fans of the fourth and final volume of the series, Titus Awakes except for a few tantalizing pages, after which his writing became indecipherable. Or so it seemed.

In January of 2010, Sebastian Peake’s daughter found four composition books in her attic. They contained the fabled Titus Awakes in its entirety. Peake had outlined the novel for his wife, Maeve Gilmore, who had at last finished Peake’s masterpiece.

It starts with Titus leaving Castle Gormenghast. Peake wrote: “With every pace he drew away from Gormenghast mountain, and from everything that belonged to his home. That night, as Titus lay asleep in the tall barn, a nightmare held him.”

Fans of Peake will delight in this new, wonderful novel, published one hundred years after his birth, a thrilling and masterfully written coda to his famed trilogy.

The Stranger's Woes: The Labyrinths of Echo, Book Two by Max Frei The Stranger’s Woes: The Labyrinths of Echo
by Max Frei

The second book in the millions-selling fantasy epic

Max Frei’s novels have been a literary sensation in Russia since their debut in 1996, and have bowled over the fantasy world. The Stranger will appeal to a broad coalition of delighted readers. Strike a chord with readers of all stripes. Fantasy, horror, philosophy, and dark comedy are all ingredients in this amazing work in which a sharp wit and a bewildering web of clues opens up a Pandora’s box of secrets.

Max Frei is a twenty-something loser-a big sleeper (during the day, that is-at night he can’t catch a wink), a hardened smoker, and an uncomplicated glutton and loafer. But then he gets lucky. He contacts a parallel world in his dreams, where magic is a daily practice. Once a social outcast, he’s now known in his new world as the “unequalled Sir Max.” He’s a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases more extravagant and unreal than one could imagine-a journey that will take Max down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe.

Lightborn by Alison Sinclair Lightborn
by Alison Sinclair

AN “ENGAGING MIX OF CHAOS, ANGST, AND MANNERS” (Locus) —NOW IN MASS MARKET
THE SEQUEL TO DARKBORN

Minhorne is a city divided. An ancient curse makes darkness anathema to the Lightborn, while a touch of sunlight kills the Darkborn.

Thus its people share a home but live forever separate. Until a prince’s death turns Darkborn against Lightborn, earthborn against mage, as conspiracies and betrayals are revealed in both worlds…

“Alison Sinclair’s writing is addictive and elegant.”—Lane Robins

“Complex and engaging characters.”—SHARON SHINN, NATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF TROUBLED WATERS

Shadowborn by Alison Sinclair Shadowborn
by Alison Sinclair

From the author of Lightborn, the third book in a Regency-flavored fantasy series of magic and manners.

Magic dies with the mage, or so the Darkborn believe. That’s why Lady Telmaine Hearne has been condemned to death for sorcery.

She’s escaped but is now bound with her mageborn allies for the Borders and war. Meanwhile, her husband, Balthasar, has learned of his family connection to the Shadowborn—and is fighting for survival and sanity as magic turns him against everything he holds dear.

“Sinclair’s unique world of two societies, mortally divided by sunrise and sunset, provides a fascinating backdrop.”—Carol Berg, national bestselling author

Thistle Down by Irene Radford Thistle Down
by Irene Radford

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE GLASS DRAGON.

Dusty Carrick lived in the small town of Skene Falls, Oregon, her entire life. And, like many of the local children, she played with “imaginary” Pixie friends in Ten Acre Woods.

But the Pixies are not imaginary at all, and Ten Acre Woods is their home. Now, the woods are in danger, and if it falls, the Pixies too will die.

Only Thistle Down, exiled from her tribe and trapped inside a mortal woman’s body, can save her people—as long as she can convince Dusty Carrick to help her before it’s too late.

“Radford continues to grow in stature as a storyteller, weaving an intricate tale of magic, politics, and romance to keep us spellbound.”—ROMANTIC TIMES

The Golden Key by Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, Kate Elliott The Golden Key
by Melanie Rawn

THREE GREAT AUTHORS OF FANTASY, ONE EPIC FANTASY TALE—NOW REPACKAGED.

In Tira Virte, art is prized for its beauty and as a binding legal record of everything from marriages to treaties.

Yet not even the Grand Duke knows how extraordinary the Grijalva family’s art is, for certain Grijalva males are born with the ability to alter events and influence people in the real world through what they paint.

Always, their power has been used for Tira Virte. But now Sario Grijalva has learned to use his Gift in a whole new way.

And when he begins to work his magic both the Grijalvas and Tira Virte may pay the price.

Raising Stony Mayhall by Daryl Gregory Raising Stony Mayhall
by Daryl Gregory

From award-winning author Daryl Gregory, whom Library Journal called “[a] bright new voice of the twenty-first century,” comes a new breed of zombie novel—a surprisingly funny, vividly frightening, and ultimately deeply moving story of self-discovery and family love.

In 1968, after the first zombie outbreak, Wanda Mayhall and her three young daughters discover the body of a teenage mother during a snowstorm. Wrapped in the woman’s arms is a baby, stone-cold, not breathing, and without a pulse. But then his eyes open and look up at Wanda—and he begins to move.

The family hides the child—whom they name Stony—rather than turn him over to authorities that would destroy him. Against all scientific reason, the undead boy begins to grow. For years his adoptive mother and sisters manage to keep his existence a secret—until one terrifying night when Stony is forced to run and he learns that he is not the only living dead boy left in the world.

The Pack by Jason Starr The Pack
by Jason Starr

“Jason Starr is hypnotically good.”-Lee Child

When Simon Burns is fired from his job without warning, he takes on the role of stay-at-home dad for his three-year-old son. But his reluctance pushes his already strained marriage to the limit. In the nestled playgrounds of the Upper West Side, Simon harbors a simmering rage at his boss’s betrayal.

Things take a turn when he meets a tight-knit trio of dads at the playground. They are different from other men Simon has met, stronger and more confident, more at ease with the darker side of life-and soon Simon is lured into their mix. But after a guys’ night out gets frighteningly out of hand, Simon feels himself sliding into a new nightmarish reality.

As he experiences disturbing changes in his body and his perceptions, he starts to suspect that when the guys welcomed him to their “pack,” they were talking about much more than male bonding. And as he falls prey to his basest instincts, Simon must accept that werewolves exist if he is to turn the tides of his fortune…

Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor Who Fears Death
by Nnedi Okorafor

The critically-acclaimed novel-now in paperback.

In a far-future, post-apocalyptic Saharan Africa, genocide plagues one region. When the only surviving member of a slain village is brutally raped, she manages to escape, wandering farther into the desert.

She gives birth to a baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand, and instinctively knows her daughter is different. She names her daughter Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue.

Reared under the tutelege of a mysterious and traditional shaman, Onyesonwu discovers she possesses a remarkable and unique magic. The journey to fulfill her destiny will force her to confront nature, tradition, history, the spiritual mysteries of her culture, and eventually to learn why she was given the unusual name she bears: Who Fears Death?

City of the Snakes by Darren Shan City of the Snakes
by Darren Shan

For ten years Capac Raimi has ruled the City. Created by the first Cardinal to continue his legacy, Capac cannot be killed.

Then Capac disappears. His trusted lieutenant, Ford Tasso, suspects the mysterious villacs, ancient and powerful Incan priests. To Ford, only one man has the cunning to outwit such adversaries-Al Jeery, who has taken the guise of his father, the terrifying assassin Paucar Wami.

Al has no love for Capac and no wish to tangle with the villacs. Until Ford promises him the one thing he truly craves-retribution against the man who killed those he loved most and destroyed his life. Lured into the twisted, nightmarish world of the Incan priests, Al will learn more about the City than he ever imagined, and be offered more power than he ever desired.

But in the City, everything comes at a cost…

Hell's Horizon by Darren Shan Hell’s Horizon
by Darren Shan

In the City, The Cardinal rules, and Al Jeery is a loyal member of his personal guard. But when Al is pulled from his duties at Party Central to investigate a murder, an unexpected crime scene discovery leads him to question all his loyalties and beliefs.

Al is drawn into a terrifying mystery that features a series of corpses, the City’s Incan forefathers, the imposing figure of The Cardinal, and the near-mythical assassin Paucar Wami.

Wami is a law unto himself. A shadowy, enigmatic figure of astoundingly graceful skill, he kills anyone he chooses without fear of punishment or retribution.

And Al is about to find out that he has a lot more in common with Wami than he could ever have imagined…

Folly Beach by Dorothea Benton FrankFolly Beach
by Dorothea Benton Frank

Home is the place that knows us best. . . .

A woman returns to the past to find her future in this enchanting new tale of loss, acceptance, family, and love.

With its sandy beaches and bohemian charms, surfers and suits alike consider Folly Beach to be one of South Carolina’s most historic and romantic spots. It is also the land of Cate Cooper’s childhood, the place where all the ghosts of her past roam freely. Cate never thought she’d wind up in this tiny cottage named the Porgy House on this breathtakingly lovely strip of coast. But circumstances have changed, thanks to her newly dead husband whose financial—and emotional—bull and mendacity have left Cate homeless, broke, and unmoored.

Yet Folly Beach holds more than just memories. Once upon a time another woman found unexpected bliss and comfort within its welcoming arms. An artist, writer, and colleague of the revered George Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward enjoyed the greatest moments of her life at Folly with her beloved husband, DuBose. And though the Heywards are long gone, their passion and spirit lingers in every mango sunset and gentle ocean breeze.

And for Cate, Folly, too, holds the promise of unexpected fulfillment when she is forced to look at her life and the zany characters that are her family anew. To her surprise, she will discover that you can go home again. Folly Beach doesn’t just hold the girl she once was . . . it also holds the promise of the woman she’s always wanted—and is finally ready—to become.

The Shadow Men by Christopher Golden, Tim Lebbon The Shadow Men
by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon

From Beacon Hill to Southie, historic Boston is a town of vibrant neighborhoods knit into a seamless whole. But as Jim Banks and Trix Newcomb learn in a terrifying instant, it is also a city divided—split into three separate versions of itself by a mad magician once tasked with its protection.

Jim is happily married to Jenny, with whom he has a young daughter, Holly. Trix is Jenny’s best friend, practically a member of the family—although she has secretly been in love with Jenny for years. Then Jenny and Holly inexplicably disappear—and leave behind a Boston in which they never existed. Only Jim and Trix remember them. Only Jim and Trix can bring them back.

With the help of Boston’s Oracle, an elderly woman with magical powers, Jim and Trix travel between the fractured cities, for that is where Jenny and Holly have gone. But more is at stake than one family’s happiness. If Jim and Trix should fail, the spell holding the separate Bostons apart will fail too, and the cities will reintegrate in a cataclysmic implosion. Someone, it seems, wants just that. Someone with deadly shadow men at their disposal.

The Deadliest Bite by Jennifer Rardin The Deadliest Bite
by Jennifer Rardin

I have two choices. Carve Brude’s name into Hell’s bile-encrusted gates. Or lose my soul.

After an assassination attempt on Vayl, I find myself pulled into a tangled web that takes the gang to Romania.

So how will I save a ghost, rescue a demon, and cheat the Great Taker out of a soul he’s slavering for while defeating my nastiest foe yet so that Vayl can, at last, cherish a few precious years with his sons? With careful planning, major violence, and one (hopefully) final trip to Hell.

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