Archive for bestselling fantasy books
New Fantasy Books for June 2011
Posted by: | CommentsHere 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
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 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 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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
“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
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
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
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 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 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
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.
The Acacia Trilogy by David Anthony Durham
Posted by: | CommentsThe Acacia Trilogy is from the award winning author David Anthony Durham who is popularly known as the author of novels such as Gabriel’s Story and Walk Through Darkness. The series follows the destinies of King Leodan Akaran’s four children. Leodan is the ruler of a peaceful and prosperous empire called Acacia. Acacia is suddenly attacked by a deadly assassin who was exiled a long time ago. The surprise attack delivers a fatal blow to the empire and puts King Leodan on his death bed from where he plans his beloved children’s escape to their separate destinies. The children later embark on an epic journey to avenge their father’s death and restore the Acacian empire.
The books in the series are:
Acacia: The War with the Mein (Book 1)
Born into generations of prosperity, the four royal children of the Akaran dynasty know little of the world outside their opulent island paradise. But when an assassin strikes at the heart of their power, their lives are changed forever.
Forced to flee to distant corners and separated against their will, the children must navigate a web of hidden allegiances, ancient magic, foreign invaders, and illicit trade that will challenge their very notion of who they are. As they come to understand their true purpose in life, the fate of the world lies in their hands.
“Gripping…. Durham is a master of the fantasy epic.” —The Washington Post
The Other Lands (Book 2)
David Anthony Durham’s gripping Acacia Trilogy continues with an epic novel where loyalties are tested, new worlds are discovered, and battle lines are being drawn.
A few years have passed since Queen Corinn has usurped control of the Known World—and she now rules with an iron fist. With plans to expand her empire, she sends her brother, Dariel, on an exploratory mission across the sea to The Other Lands.
There, he discovers an alliance of tribes that have no interest in being ruled by Queen Corinn and the Akarans. In fact, Dariel’s arrival ignites a firestorm that once more exposes The Known World to a massive invasion, one unlike anything they have yet faced…
“A big, fat, rich piece of history-flavored fantasy. . . . Imagined with remarkable thoroughness.” —Time
The Sacred Band (Book 3)
With the first two books in the Acacia Trilogy, Acacia and The Other Lands, David Anthony Durham has created a vast and engrossing canvas of a world in turmoil, where the surviving children of a royal dynasty are on a quest to realize their fates—and perhaps right ancient wrongs once and for all. As The Sacred Band begins, one of them, Queen Corinn, bestrides the world as a result of her mastery of spells found in the ancient Book of Elenet. Her younger brother, Dariel, has been sent on a perilous mission to the Other Lands, while her sister, Mena, travels to the far north to confront an invasion of the feared race of the Auldek. Their separate trajectories will converge in a series of world-shaping, earth-shattering battles, all rendered with vividly imagined detail and in heroic scale.
David Anthony Durham concludes his tale of kingdoms in collision in an exciting fashion. His fictional world is at once realistic and fantastic, informed with an eloquent and distinctively Shakespearean sensibility.
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman
Posted by: | CommentsHis Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman is a series of fantasy novels for young adults. It tells the coming-of-age story of two children - Lyra Belacqua and Will Parry. Lyra and Will drift through several parallel universes where supernatural elements such as witches and armoured polar bears are not uncommon.
The series broadly refers to many ideas from subjects such as physics, spirituality, philosophy and theology. Although the books have been marketed for young adults, the author clearly also tries to talk to the adults through them. All three novels of the series have won several awards, most significantly the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year prize for The Amber Spyglass. The series also was placed third in BBC’s Big Read poll conducted in 2003.
The books in the series are:
The Golden Compass (Book 1)
In a landmark epic of fantasy and storytelling, Philip Pullman invites readers into a world as convincing and thoroughly realized as Narnia, Earthsea, or Redwall. Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford’s Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe.
He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the compass of the title. All around her children are disappearing?victims of so-called “Gobblers”?and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person’s inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.
The Subtle Knife (Book 2)
Here is the highly anticipated second installment of Philip Pullman’s epic fantasy trilogy, begun with the critically acclaimed The Golden Compass. Lyra and Will, her newfound friend, tumble separately into the strange tropical otherworld of Cittàgazze, “the city of magpies,” where adults are curiously absent and children run wild. Here their lives become inextricably entwined when Lyra’s alethiometer gives her a simple command: find Will’s father.
Their search is plagued with obstacles–some familiar and some horribly new and unfathomable–but it eventually brings them closer to Will’s father and to the Subtle Knife, a deadly, magical, ancient tool that cuts windows between worlds. Through it all, Will and Lyra find themselves hurtling toward the center of a fierce battle against a force so awesome that leagues of mortals, witches, beasts, and spirits from every world are uniting in fear and anger against it. This breathtaking sequel will leave readers eager for the third and final volume of His Dark Materials.
The Amber Spyglass (Book 3)
The Amber Spyglass brings the intrigue of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife to a heart-stopping end, marking the final volume of His Dark Materials as the most powerful of the trilogy.
Along with the return of Lyra, Will, Mrs. Coulter, Lord Asriel, Dr. Mary Malone, and Iorek Byrnison the armored bear, come a host of new characters: the Mulefa, mysterious wheeled creatures with the power to see Dust; Gallivespian Lord Roke, a hand-high spymaster to Lord Asriel; and Metatron, a fierce and mighty angel.
So, too, come startling revelations: the painful price Lyra must pay to walk through the land of the dead, the haunting power of Dr. Malone’s amber spyglass, and the names of who will live–and who will die–for love. And all the while, war rages with the Kingdom of Heaven, a brutal battle that–in its shocking outcome–will uncover the secret of Dust. Philip Pullman deftly brings the cliff-hangers and mysteries of His Dark Materials to an earthshattering conclusion–and confirms his fantasy trilogy as an undoubted and enduring classic.
Light My Fire by Katie MacAlister
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Title: Light My Fire
Author: Katie MacAlister
Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy
I started reading Light My Fire, the third book in Kate MacAlister’s Aisling Grey Guardian series, with some trepidation. In my experience the middle books in book series are usually not very good. The writer often runs out of new ideas and falls into a comfort zone. If not that, the writer goes on a “creative spree” and the characters are barely recognizable from how they were portrayed in earlier books. Thankfully, neither was the case with Light My Fire. The magic is still there and so is the humor which made me keep coming back for more of Aisling Grey’s adventures.
Aisling Grey is a professional courier, Wyvern’s mate, Guardian of the Gates of Hell, demon lord, and a pretty nice average sort of woman, if a bit clueless and clumsy at times. Aisling has a terrible habit of getting into all sorts of scrapes without having to exert any effort whatsoever. In Light My Fire, Aisling is enjoying a relatively tranquil existence in London. She’s finally found a Guardian mentor, Nora, who teaches her the basics of being a Guardian. Drake, her Wyvern mate, is nowhere in sight but she has Jim, her pet demon doggie, to keep her company.
Unfortunately, it’s not long until things start to unravel: on Aisling’s first assignment as a Guardian Jim eats the King of the Imps and the Imps do not take kindly to the fact that Aisling’s demon dog had their reigning monarch for breakfast, literally. In fact, they want revenge.
And that’s not all that’s going wrong in Aisling’s world: Nora is banned from mentoring Aisling and has to appear before a committee looking to punish her for showing Aisling some kindness. Additionally, the red and green dragon clans are at war with each other and Aisling becomes caught in the crossfire. Add a murder attempt, a kidnapping, a sexy Wyvern demanding her attention (and cooperation), and a missing toe or two and we’ve got ourselves a typical Aisling Grey adventure!
Out of all the books in the Aisling Grey, Guardian series, I have to say that Light My Fire is my favorite. The characters are all likeable, especially Jim the demon Newfoundland, and I loved how Katie MacAlister introduced new characters, developed the original ones and threw in a few new surprises without losing the essence of what made the first two books such great reads. In Light My Fire, Aisling and Drake’s relationship evolve somewhat. The sex scenes are still there (and hotter than ever) but Aisling and Drake seem to have progressed somewhat beyond the steamy hot physical aspects of their relationship to something more meaningful. Aisling, although still not the brightest bulb in the box, proves that she’s actually learned something from the events of the two previous books and from her mentoring sessions with Nora.
Light My Fire is definitely more fast-paced than the previous two books in the Aisling Grey Guardian series. There are so many things going on that it can make your head spin at times but the humor alone makes this book worth a re-read. If you’re looking for a light, funny novel with a paranormal twist (and a hot hero), read this and the rest of the books in the series. You won’t be disappointed.
You Slay Me by Katie MacAlister
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Title: You Slay Me
Author: Katie MacAlister
Pages: 32
Genre: Fantasy
Although I really love gothic fantasy novels and mysteries, I am unabashedly a sucker for a good comedy. You Slay Me, the first book in the Aisling Grey Guardian series is fanciful, funny and fabulous! You Slay Me is a supernatural thriller, romance story, murder mystery and comic novel all wrapped together and it satisfies on so many levels.
The book opens with Aisling Grey having a bad day. It’s her first day working as a courier for her uncle, a job she had to take in order to pay alimony to her ex-husband, a surfer who likes nothing better than to chase after waves and the scantily-clad girls at the beach. She is ordered to deliver a small, gold statue of a dragon to a woman in Paris. Unfortunately, the woman is dead by the time Aisling arrives at the woman’s apartment. She finds the woman’s body hanging from a chandelier with a silver dagger in her chest and strange markings on the floor: all the signs of a ritual demon slaying, according Drake Vireo, the strange but gorgeous man who happens to be at the murder scene. After making Aisling hot and heavy AND accusing her of being a Guardian, whatever that is, he makes off with the priceless statue, leaving Aisling to deal with the French police on her own.
Bummer. A day ago, Aisling was just a courier. Now she’s the French police’s prime murder suspect. Rene, a taxi driver Aisling befriends, suggests that the best way to clear her name is for her to find out who killed the woman and why, and in the process, reclaim the lost statue (and maybe get to see Drake again, too!).
Well, Katie MacAlister, a favorite author of mine, has done it again. You Slay Me is a rollicking read with plenty of near-misses, sketchy antagonists, steamy scenes and raucous humor to keep the most jaded thriller fan up all night turning pages. Aisling may be the most likeable protagonist I’ve ever met. Her self-deprecating sense of humor and dry wit, plus her apparent cluelessness (especially in the beginning) makes her an instantly loveable character. There are some protagonists that I wouldn’t want to ask over for a cup of tea, but Aisling seems like she could be one my closest friends if she were real. The way MacAlister describes Aisling’s initial reaction to Drake’s sexy dark eyes had me in fits of giggles!
You’ll be happy to know that You Slay Me is part of a series; it’s the first of the four books in the Aisling Grey, Guardian series. Although it’s intended to be a comic novel it also features a solid plot, an interesting storyline and well-written characters. I wholeheartedly recommend You Slay Me to fans of Katie MacAlister’s works and anyone who’s in need of a satisfying fantasy read.
A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin
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Title: A Feast for Crows
Author: George R. R. Martin
Pages: 784
Genre: Fantasy
A Feast for Crows is the long awaited fourth book, in the Song of Ice and Fire epic fantasy series from author George R. R. Martin. The series is one of the best epic fantasy stories we’ve had in a while. Its wide renown has lead to this book opening at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list! This series is known to have made ardent fans of even those who normally don’t care much for epic fantasies – like me! The series’ appeal, in my opinion, lies in its coarse realism. If this is the first time you’re considering books of this series, I would recommend you start with book one – A Game of Thrones.
The series has been translated to twenty different languages and has sold more than seven million copies worldwide! Its mounting fame lead to HBO adapting it into a TV series called ‘Game of Thrones’ which premiered on the 17th of April. The series has even inspired several board games, role-playing games and a video game called ‘A Game of Thrones: Genesis.’
In keeping with the tone of the series, A Feast for Crows is also filled with Martin’s bountiful imagery and sharp dialogue. After centuries of war, blood shed and deception, the seven kingdoms vying for the Iron Throne have completely destroyed one another, forcing them to declare peace… at least temporarily! The death King Joffrey has left Cersei ruling King’s Landing, and Robb Stark’s tragic end has landed a shattering blow to the northern rebels. Robb’s siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom and there’s hardly anyone left to claim the Iron Throne.
From among the ashes of this long and savage war that eventually burned out, rise the survivors – rebels and outlaws, traitors and deserters, now fighting over the spoils of war. As these human crows gather together over the corpses and the ashes in the seven kingdoms, treacherous new plots and precarious new alliances are formed. Some familiar characters and other surprising characters are seen emerging from the past to continue their struggles. This is a time for acquiring the magic, the skills and the power needed to survive the menacing times ahead. Many enter the banquet but only a few will survive the feast – truly ‘A Feast for Crows.’
Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
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Title: Pale Demon
Author: Kim Harrison
Pages: 448
Genre: Fantasy
I’ve been a huge fan of Kim Harrison’s The Hollows series, but I was kind of hesitant to read Pale Demon, the ninth installment of the fantasy book series. Why? Because I was afraid the series was about to wind down and I didn’t think I was ready to say goodbye to the world of the Inderlanders just yet. I read Pale Demon a few days ago, after weeks of hemming and hawing, and I’m both relieved and elated to learn that this series is NOT in its death throes. It’s ALIVE!
For those who aren’t familiar with The Hollows, here is a brief explanation:
The series is mostly about Rachel Morgan, a white witch living in Cincinnati, OH. In the series, Cincinnati is broken up into two parts: downtown, where normal humans live, work and play, and The Hollows, where Inderlanders live, work, play, and try to kill each other. The term “Inderlander” covers several supernatural races: witches, demons, elves, pixies, fairies, gargoyles, banshees, weres, ghosts, vampires, trolls, and leprechauns.
And now, I have to give a shout out to the Trent fans out there. Yes, Trent is back as a main character in Pale Demon and I’m SO happy about that. I’m a Team Trent gal all the way.
Now, on to the good stuff:
After the opening sequence of the book Harrison takes us on the ride of our lives… literally. You see, Rachel got into a spot of trouble concerning the use of black magic in the last book, Black Magic Sanction, but she was able to find a way to bail herself out from an eternity in the Ever-after (hell). In this book, all Rachel needs to do is get to California on time, stand trial before a counsel of witches, and clear her name. Sounds easy, right? Unfortunately, Rachel has been blacklisted from air travel, so the only way she can get to California on time is to drive there in her mom’s old Buick.
You know how tensions always seem to run high during road trips with friends or family? Rachel’s alternate-reality version of the Great American Road Trip with her supernatural friends is no exception. Keeping Rachel company is the wisecracking pixy Jenks, who’s slowly recovering from the death of his wife. Then there’s Ivy, her vampire roommate who has a thing for our protagonist but suppresses her emotions. And lastly there’s the rather untrustworthy, infuriating and absolutely GORGEOUS bad-guy-we-adore Trent.
Collectively, they all contribute to a sizable amount of chaos as they speed towards California, while being hunted by a demon, pursued by assassins, and getting into all sorts of supernatural scrapes. During the road trip Rachel and her companions run into one of the deadliest, most hellacious creatures I’ve read about in urban fantasy in a long time.
Harrison provides further insight into Rachel’s psyche and her motivations. We learn more about some of the main characters as well. As a matter of fact, people or creatures previously placed in the “bad” column may turn out to have more redeeming qualities than we thought. In Pale Demon the line between good and evil isn’t as clear as you might think. And that’s one of the reasons I absolutely freaking LOVED this book!
