I’m so excited for the release of The Alchemyst’s Mirror on October 27th! This steampunk/gaslamp fantasy novel is the first in the Everturn Chronicles, but is a standalone story, so you don’t have to worry about cliffhangers or catching up for the next book.
Check out all the stops along the Blog & Bookstagram tour with some great features; this post will be updated daily.
10/26/2020
C.O. Bonham’s blog~ featuring a review of the book and a recipe for chocolate strawberry scones
As you probably know, I’m a huge tea drinker myself, and since the main setting of The Alchemyst’s Mirror is a tea shop, it seemed almost required that I make up some custom tea blends.
I created the blends using Adagio Teas’ Signature/Fandom Blends function. It’s a really cool section of their website where anyone can come up with a tea blend, design artwork for the tins and bags, and put it up for other people to purchase. Adagio handles all the tea. Or you can even create blends and keep them private.
The person who designs it earns “points” with each sale which can be redeemed for a gift certificate, which is pretty cool. Adagio also rewards points for purchasing tea, and leaving reviews.
These seven teas are all mentioned in The Alchemyst’s Mirror
I first started by making a list of all the teas mentioned in the book. There happened to be seven, which was perfect considering all of the implications of the number seven in alchemy. Two of the teas are the favorites of the main characters. Petra’s is Hazelnut Midnight, and Maisie’s is Rose Oolong.
Next I went to Adagio’s Signature blend creator. Here you have to choose at least 2 teas to blend. You can also add fun little additions like rose petals, orange peels, (you can even add sprinkles if you want!). So then I figured out what each tea was made out of.
Then there needs to be artwork!
I will say when I received the tins, the designs were much darker than the original art, so I’ll have to keep that in mind for the future! But the sample tines (which are only $5 each) are a very adorable size and perfect for trying a sample or giving as a gift.
Each tea gets its own product page, and you can purchase them in the sample tin size, the 3 ounce pouch, or a 5 ounce tin.
This is a blend of a vanilla oolong tea with a lychee rose green tea, with extra rose petals. I thought the lychee would add a little something extra to the rose flavor. Oolong tea is about halfway between green tea and black tea in terms of caffeine.
Why gunpowder? Not just because it sounds cool and steampunky, it’s actually a type of green tea. Gunpowder green tea is named so because of the shape of the tea leaves after they’ve been processed, forming little pellets. Here it’s blended with blood orange herbal tea, with extra orange peels added.
Did you know that chai just means “tea”? It’s come to be known for spicy cinnamony type teas these days, and the Scitican Chai is a blend of spiced apple chai and masala chai. In the world of The Alchemyst’s Mirror, Scitica (I pronounce it “skit-ika”) is one of the other countries that the Everturns often refer to in regards to exploring for interesting artifacts. This is made with black tea, so it has some caffeine.
This is another tea named after a country in the world of the book- Amaryllia. It’s fairly close to Adonia, where our main characters live, only a three day journey by ship. The tea isn’t just a mint tea, it’s green tea blended with vanilla and chocolate flavors as well as spearmint and peppermint. Green tea is usually about 5-10% the amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.
A classic “breakfast” tea, this is a blend of an Irish breakfast with straight rooibos tea. Rooibos is sometimes called a red tea, and originates from South Africa, giving the tea more of a reddish hue.
This is one of the plainer, straight-up teas of the collection, and a black tea with caffeine.
Petra Everturn’s favorite tea, this is a blend of mostly black tea, with some hazelnut flavor. It’s bold and simple, with a good amount of caffeine (black tea is usually equal to about 20% the caffeine in a cup of coffee)
It’s also based off of one of my favorite teas, too!
A sweet and fruity tea, extremely low on caffeine, this is a blend of white tea with a peach herbal tea. Adagio’s herbal teas always have lots of flavor, and this peach one even includes pieces of apple, mango and pineapple.
Also, fun fact: It’s almost impossible to scoop tea out of these tins without spilling it!
What do you think? Are you a tea drinker? Or would you ever make a tea blend for your own fandom?
Welcome to my new blog series featuring a roundup of select fantasy books of all sub-genres that are published this month. Looking for new fantasy books to read? Keep reading to see what’s new this month, in order of release date.
This month we’ve got a variety of sub-genres: Steampunk, Mythology & Mythical Creatures, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult and more. Content ratings are given by the author. This post contains affiliate links.
Release date: October 1, 2020 Sub-genre: Young Adult Content rating: PG-13
Build more than you break. Heal more than you destroy.
But what if chaos can’t be tamed?
For centuries, the Legion of Pneumos has lurked behind the seat of power in Loren. To preserve order across worlds, they are charged with battling chaos in all its forms, no matter the cost.
Keira Altman, the newest Legionnaire, has spent years perfecting the art of wielding pneuma and channeling order out of chaos. Ripped from her own world and into one she barely understands, the only thing Keira knows for certain is that she has a purpose. Now, if only she knew what it was.
Yet when word arrives that the Regio lies on his deathbed, Keira’s new world begins to crumble around her. As the specter of a peasant uprising looms large, and political maneuvering threatens to unravel the fabric of society, Keira realizes that her only hope of avoiding the coming turmoil may lie in the very institutions she’s fought so hard against. But can she master the forces of chaos without losing herself to the chaos within? And what if the price of order proves too high to pay?
A phantom rider in the night. A magic bracelet hidden below the earth. An alabaster throne in a fiery palace.
If you stumble upon a well-kept secret in the woods, you can bet that life is bound to become…well, otherworldly.
Sage Sallow is a quiet girl with a mission. Determined to solve her brother’s mysterious disappearance, Sage soon discovers more than she could have ever dreamed of in the off-limits woods behind Manorport Academy.
But when a seance goes awry one stormy Halloween night, dark gods arrive with an agenda of their own. And portals that were once closed are now open. It’s up to Sage and her magical new friends to find her brother— and to save more than just one world.
Magic? Easy. But when you’re the owner of a powerful torc with godlike powers, things can get a little complicated.
Release date: October 14, 2020 Sub-genre: YA Urban Fantasy Content rating: PG-13
A magical key, a sassy mouth, and wicked ninja skills have made me a legend among thieves.
I can unlock the past and steal anything, anytime, anywhere.
But solving my father’s murder? Two years later I still have zero leads.
Thanks to my father’s debt, The Thieves’ Guild has me working shady jobs that bring me no closer to the truth. Instead, I’ve got my hands full with dangerous magical artifacts and my ex-turned-rival who is desperate to see me fail.
Nineteen years in this world of magic and thievery have taught me to trust no one. But I can’t do this alone, and if I don’t figure out who spilled my father’s blood, there’s a good chance I’ll be the next one to turn up dead.
The clock is ticking, and the only thing I can’t steal is more time.
Release date: October 15, 2020 Sub-genre: Young Adult Content rating: PG-13
One prince wants her out. Another wants her as a pawn. Someone wants her dead.
Zora wants to win the cup and tell them all to screw themselves.
Yes, 17-year-old Zora cheated her way into the Royal Games, but it was for a very good reason. Her ex-boyfriend thought she couldn’t attain glory on her own. Just because she was a girl. And he was the real cheater. So she took his place.
Now she’s competing for the legendary Blood Cup, representing the Dark Valley. It’s her chance to prove her worth and bring glory for her people. If she wins, of course.
But winning is far from easy. The younger prince thinks she’s a fragile damsel who doesn’t belong in the competition. Determined to eliminate her at all costs, he’s stacking the challenges against her. Zora hates him, hates him, hates him, and will do anything to prove him wrong.
The older prince is helping her, but the cost is getting Zora entangled in dangerous flirting games. Flirting, the last thing she wanted.
Release date: October 15, 2020 Sub-genre: Coming of Age Content rating: PG
Finding out you’re a princess destined to stop a war sounds great, until it actually happens.
Running isn’t new to Azlana. She ran from the harsh words of the kids back home. She ran from certain death when she fled the human city as heir to the elven throne. “It only makes sense to run again.” The Darkness whispers to her when she’s swept away to a hidden school and thrust into a role she doesn’t understand. And that isn’t all this new voice brings. Images of death fill her dreams until she can’t tell where her thoughts end and The Darkness begins. What if its showing her the future of her kingdom?
She has to run to save everyone she loves. But if she runs, she dooms them to a war that may never end.
If she doesn’t assume the throne and unite elves and man, war will end magic forever. But if she stays, the Darkness may overcome all.
Release date: October 20, 2020 Sub-genre: Dark Fantasy Content rating: PG
A boarding school at war. A cursed book calling her name.
As supernatural forces of the Transitioned World prepare to unleash havoc onto the grounds of the boarding academy, Izara and Kain find themselves pulled in opposite directions.
But time is running out. Every second, Credan’s power grows from within his grave threatening to possess them entirely.
Will the twins be able to conquer their inner demons before the final battle crashes down on them killing everyone they know and love?
Release date: October 27, 2020 Sub-genre: Steampunk / Gaslamp Fantasy Content rating: PG
A missing brother. A secret society. And a mysterious artifact that’s worth more than gold.
Petra and Maisie Everturn just want to run their family’s tea shop, but when their explorer brother Jiordan goes missing while looking for an alchemycal artifact, none of them are safe.
The sisters must enlist the help of another explorer in order to find Jiordan or the artifact—before the mysterious alchemyst society finds them first.
However, when one of the sisters stumbles into the clutches of the most dangerous alchemyst in the city, the race to unravel the clues becomes desperate. And when they discover the truth about the artifact, their quest to infiltrate the alchemyst’s secret society becomes a matter of life and death.
Release date: October 31, 2020 Sub-genre: Paranormal Content rating: PG
The stakes are higher than ever…
As I recover from my last trial where I was confronted by the darkest creatures in history, I hoped things would return to my normal, peaceful life.Not a chance.With my return to Oklealia academy and the arrival of a new headmistress whose inhuman ways turn the academy into a jail, my plate is full enough, but signs of an upcoming threat awaken my fears once more.
Time is running out— for me and the world. When the final battle arrives, will I make the right choice?
To celebrate the release of my two upcoming steampunk stories, I’ll be hosting a virtual book launch party via Facebook Live! Join us Tuesday, November 10th at 8pm EST for giveaways, tea drinking, book reading, and more fun.
I’ve been in a reading slump for a while now. I don’t know whether I’ve just been busy with my new fall releases, or if it’s the social/political/health climate, or what. But I finally finished a book!
I chose this one because H.L. Burke writes fun and snarky characters, and I figured it would keep my interest until the end. And it definitely did. So today I have a book & tea review for you; keep reading to see which tea I chose to go with it and why!
Key points: 🌇 Awesome world building 👥 Great characters 🎭 Theater 🪄 Magic ⚙️ Steampunk 🥐 Pastries 🐌 Snails
Having read this author before, I knew I was going to be in for a fun yet heartfelt tale. And it was set in a theater, with characters who can do magic? Sign me up.
Leo and Muse find a home in The Curiosity Theater, their respective “knacks” (little magics) giving them jobs as a dancer (Muse can levitate) and a professional audience member (Leo can influence other people’s emotions).
When the theater becomes in danger of closing after a tragedy, their livelihoods, their home, and their happiness are all threatened.
Leo is a great main character, her scruples about using her knack on other people an excellent point of character development. And her love of pastries… Comes close to her growing love for another certain someone at the theater.
There are so many interpretations of what the title could really mean as you read the book; there is so much heart in this story and these characters. I definitely found myself actually smiling the last two chapters.
Where do the snails come in? I’ll let you read it to find out!
“Yes, people need food and shelter and goods and services, even buttons, but they need art as well. They need to smile and laugh and cry and see ideas expressed in ways that make them think and feel. They need The Curiosity, or at least what it stands for.”
– (Paxton) H.L. Burke, The Heart of the Curiosoty
☕ The tea: Rooibos Lemon Cloud by Adagio Teas
Tea choice inspired by the somewhat magical pastry shop that Leo frequents, this tea has a bold rooibos flavor with the right amount of creamy lemon. Great hot in this cool weather!
I’m careful not to oversteep this tea, because as with most rooibos teas, the hearty rooibos will overpower any flavor if left too long. I also like to use my disposable tea bags, because, again, the rooibos flavor can get intense, and I’m far too lazy to clean my usual teamaking stuff with soap everytime I use it!
The only thing this tea could be wanting is maybe some lemon peels for added flavor and vibe. But it’s a great decaf tea for anyone who likes lemon, with a hearty rooibos base.
Today I’ve got some big news on a holiday story I’ve been working on! Coming November 10th, The Clockwork Ice Dragon is a steampunk Christmas novella, a standalone story that will transport you to the city of Soldark, where the sun always shines…
An invention gone wrong. A city buried in snow. And she only has ‘til Christmas to make it right.
Aurelia Sundon has an idea for a brilliant invention that will ensure her family’s financial future. But the elite inventor’s guild has imposed a ridiculous deadline for invention applications: Christmas Day. With only four days until the deadline, Aurelia thinks she can finish it in time.
Until her old love Frederick Grandville steps back into her life when he enters the competition with his own invention. Frederick could be the downfall of Aurelia’s career. Again. But when his invention goes out of control, the wondrous snow it brings down on the ever-sunny city of Soldark turns into an outright blizzard.
With a broken promise between them, she’s not so sure she wants to help him. But the clock is ticking, the snow is getting deeper, and Aurelia must find a way to team up with her rival or risk losing her one chance at a better life.
Today I’ve got a closer look at a brand new book by H.L. Burke: Ashen. It’s a Cinderella retelling with a unique perspective that I’m excited to share with you!
Stealer of warmth, bringer of death. What if Cinderella had a secret that kept her locked away?
Unable to make her own body heat, foundling Lizbete survives in the tavern kitchen, drawing warmth from the fires, the sun—and sometimes, other living beings. Her days are spent cooking alongside the tavern owner and avoiding the suspicious gazes of the villagers in her small northern town. While she quietly longs for the handsome Brynar, she knows she has no chance with the mayor’s son, even if he invites her to the First Frost festival.
When sudden earthquakes strike Brumehome, blame falls upon Lizbete, and not even her friendship with Brynar can protect her. She finds shelter in the dangerous caverns of nearby Ash Mountain. There she discovers mysterious people with her same ability to draw heat—and a fiery doom in the mountain that slowly awakens with every quake. Now the festival Lizbete thought to avoid is her only chance to warn the villagers. Yet even with Brynar at her side, can the strange girl dubbed the Ash Lizard hope to save the town that fears her?
A rugged YA Cinderella retelling set in a fantasy world with light steampunk elements.
Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic. Her obsessions include dragons and tales about inner beauty and character overcoming extreme circumstances. Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
Welcome to my new blog series featuring brand new fantasy releases! Each month I’ll be doing a roundup of select fantasy books of all sub-genres that are published that month. Love checking out new books? Keep reading to see what’s new, in order of release date.
This month we’ve got a variety of sub-genres: fairytale retellings, urban fantasy, royal fantasy, young adult, contemporary, and fae. Content ratings are given by the author.
Release date: September 15, 2020 Sub-genre: Fae Content rating: PG-13
Enchanted forests. Deadly bargains. Welcome to the magic of Faerie.
Realms of Fae and Shadow is a breathtaking fantasy anthology featuring eight exclusive tales. Discover magic, romance, and betrayal as you lose yourself in the faerie world…
Can a human girl rescue a cursed fae prince before she’s shackled to a dull mortal life?
When the heir to the Unseelie Court is confronted with an unsettling fate, does he embrace the dark magic of the crown or turn his back on duty forever?
A fae princess is set to inherit a kingdom… only to discover devastating secrets lurking beneath the legacy of her throne.
Experience these stories (and more!) unfold as you journey through a portal to Faerie where danger meets beauty and the darkest shadows face the light.
If you love brooding royals, glittering courts, and fierce heroines, then you’ll adore this dazzling selection.
REALMS OF FAE AND SHADOW is a limited edition collection featuring stories by: Stacey Trombley Kay L Moody Clarissa Gosling Tessonja Odette Joanna Reeder, USA Today Bestselling Author Alison Ingleby, USA Today Bestselling Author Valia Lind, USA Today Bestselling Author Hanna Sandvig
Release date: September 15, 2020 Sub-genre: Time Travel
In a town where magic rules, how do you keep it from destroying everything precious?
Salem, Massachusetts is more famous for its hysteria than its magic, but on the other side of the bespelled barrier, witches do exist, an entire community where those with the most magic wield the most power.
Emma Goodwinter has lived there all her life but has always questioned the way things are. Now a young witch of 50 on the brink of converting into her full sorcerer’s powers, she has no idea that those questions will be turned into outright rebellion, all brought on by the arrival of an unscheduled steam train.
Physician Dr. Frederick Everly is used to his mundane life in 19th-century Boston, but when the train he is in derails and he must confront evil magic to save an infant’s life, he’s suddenly thrown into a confounding world almost a century and a half away from where he started.
Drawn to this unwilling time traveler from the start, Emma quickly realizes that Frederick, too, is becoming a sorcerer. But his is a wild conversion, entirely untrained–the type which legends say can only lead to madness or death.
Quickly discovering themselves in a life-and-death struggle with Frederick’s all-too-magical, and far too malevolent, family, Emma and Frederick must help him survive his conversion and find a way to fight the conspirators, all while facing terrifying new truths about Emma’s past. But how will two unconverted sorcerers stop a conspiracy which began before their births and has already infected the lives of four different generations?
Release date: September 16, 2020 Sub-genre: Young-Adult ContemporaryFantasy Content rating: G
Mer. Magic. Adventure.
After escaping from Rushton, April is ready to fight for peace.
However, in the wake of the tragic death of Queen Freya, the Royal Family is tearing at the seams. The Queen’s secrets threaten to unravel the family when they need to come together to stop the impending war.
Legged terror attacks plague the ocean and in retaliation Kayla plans to weaponise April. To keep the mer’s hope for peace alive, April flees.
Following her pearl visions, time is running out for Princess April Meridia to unravel the pearl secrets and gain control over her powers so she can stop the impending war between the mer and the legged.
With new secrets, new characters and new problems this epic page-turning sequel will not disappoint.
Release date: September 19, 2020 Sub-genre: Royal Fantasy Content rating: PG
She was born an ill-fated princess. She was destined to be a savior.
Princess Kumud Maudlin of Treoles is a rescued prisoner of her own castle after twenty-three years of seclusion. Now that she has a second chance of life, thanks to her rescuer–and sister-Queen Aymeri, she must learn to speak with her words and control the wayward magick inside of her.
Meanwhile, the evil Empress Dimia is advancing toward Treoles with a vengeance for the magick guarded by Kumud’s sentinel sister, and ruler of Treoles.
Will Princess Kumud control her magick and help Treoles retaliate or will Treoles fall before it even stands a chance?
Release date: September 21, 2020 Sub-genre: UrbanFantasy Content rating: PG-13
An empath witch should be able to keep everyone happy, right?
Hazel has put magic and men out of her mind. A break-up meant her own thoughts were bad enough, without sensing everyone else’s emotions too. The ghost in the attic and her sarcastic dog familiar would be way too much to explain to any partner.
Instead, Hazel put all her energy into her job promoting the city she loves – Dunedin, New Zealand. And she is pretty good at it, too. When her neighbour, Joel, needs her expertise to save his woodworking business and stop the sale of his family land, she can’t resist getting involved. But the more time they spend together, the more stubbornly locked away his thoughts are.
Then her powerful aunt is attacked, and Hazel has to find a way to get through to her and discover who or what is behind it. It seems as if her psychic powers are the key to everything.
Can she bear to let magic – and love – back in?
A contemporary witchy fiction story – with a dash of romance!
Release date: September 21, 2020 Sub-genre: Urban Fantasy Content rating: PG-13
A promise made in blood cannot be undone….
Those are the words that have royally effed up my entire life. The promise my mother made to the coven before she died and the one the witches are hell bent on me fulfilling. They think they own me.
Nobody, I repeat, NOBODY owns me.
Not the GRIMMS who want me to be their obedient little soldier. If they knew who I really was, I’d be next on their hunting list.
Certainly not the coven who has some crazy agenda to use me as a pawn against the GRIMMS. They already have the shifters on their side, and now vampires. These witches want a war. Supernaturals against humans, you know, the usual story.
I don’t want any part of it. I just want my freedom.
To get it, I’ll have to make a deal with the werewolf mafia so they can help me locate the only thing more powerful than both the witches and the GRIMMS—a wizard. When their help leads to a vampire attack, a dead witch, and a dead end, Javi and my friends (including the infuriatingly hot and cold Grayson) swoop in to save the day.
But can I risk their lives to save my own? When they find out my real identity, will they still be on my side?
I’ve already lost my parents, I can’t lose them too.
Vampires and Werewolves is the second book in an upper YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal academy series set in the Inner World universe filled with snark (sometimes swearing), lots of supernatural beings, and a low steam romance.
Release date: September 21, 2020 Sub-genre: YA Fantasy Content rating: PG-13
Return to the world of The Raven and the Dove, where winged people rule the skies, a lost kingdom lives at sea, and two star-crossed lovers hold the fate of each in their palms. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Sabaa Tahir, and Leigh Bardugo!
A mage written in prophecy…
When Lyana wakes in the Sea of Mist, adventure is the first thing on her mind. But between her unruly new magic and an unyielding young king, the world below comes with more responsibility than she ever dreamed. An entire civilization exists within the fog, and its survival depends entirely on her.
A hunter forged in blood…
Adrift at sea on a ship full of strangers, Rafe fights to cope with his new reality. He’ll do anything to return to the sky and the people he left behind. When a surprising offer comes his way, he instantly accepts, sparing no time to consider the consequences.
Loyalties are tested and an ancient war begins anew…
With rebellion in her heart, Cassi defies her king and befriends the prince she’s been ordered to kill. Oblivious to the threat, Xander welcomes her into his inner circle, determined to rescue his mate. As one works to help and the other to hinder, an ancient enemy stirs, forcing Cassi to choose between trusting the man who broke her heart and turning her back on everything she’s ever known.
Stealer of warmth, bringer of death. What if Cinderella had a secret that kept her locked away?
Unable to make her own body heat, foundling Lizbete survives in the tavern kitchen, drawing warmth from the fires, the sun—and sometimes, other living beings. Her days are spent cooking alongside the tavern owner and avoiding the suspicious gazes of the villagers in her small northern town. While she quietly longs for the handsome Brynar, she knows she has no chance with the mayor’s son, even if he invites her to the First Frost festival.
When sudden earthquakes strike Brumehome, blame falls upon Lizbete, and not even her friendship with Brynar can protect her. She finds shelter in the dangerous caverns of nearby Ash Mountain. There she discovers mysterious people with her same ability to draw heat—and a fiery doom in the mountain that slowly awakens with every quake. Now the festival Lizbete thought to avoid is her only chance to warn the villagers. Yet even with Brynar at her side, can the strange girl dubbed the Ash Lizard hope to save the town that fears her?
A rugged YA Cinderella retelling set in a fantasy world with light steampunk elements.
An outcast prince. A captive healer. A single night that changes their destinies.
She lives a nightmare.
As a Mender, Renna is held captive to an endless cycle of receiving and recovering from the physical ailments of others—a cycle that led her mother to an early grave. When her father becomes deathly ill, Renna is desperate to save her only remaining family. Even if it means allying with criminals and taking an illegal mission into the royal palace on the night of their greatest ball.
He’s haunted by dreams.
Unable to be Mended, Prince Jaric’s existence is a curse to his family’s façade of health and security. Marrying him off at the ball and sending him to a distant dukedom is the royal solution—but Jaric has his own plans. For years he’s dreamed of a young woman, a strong-hearted Mender he would give everything for. When she arrives the night of his betrothal, he’s determined to discover her true identity.
Met by midnight, their fates are entwined.
While escape seems the only answer, powerful forces conspire to keep Renna and Jaric within their cages. Forces that undermine the foundations of the kingdom itself—and threaten any hope of a future together.
This YA romance features Cinderella in an original fantasy world with a dystopian twist.
Release date: September 24, 2020 Sub-genre: Epic Fantasy Content rating: PG-13
Sabine Rhyonselle, once a healer in the Human village of Khapor, is running for her life. Aided by a fey race she’s been conditioned to hate, Sabine has escaped the Ruddan who enslaved her. Sabine must overcome a history of animosity and lies in order to save Humanity from extinction. Now half a world away, she joins the Aethel Prince Aodhan and his companions to find the one thing that can secure Humanity’s freedom: the godson Fyrleoht. Can she get to it before the Ruddan do?
Release date: September 25, 2020 Sub-genre: Urban Fantasy Content rating: PG-13
Shapeshifters exist. Monsters are real. And no good deed goes unpunished.
Nursing student Ellie St. James didn’t mean to get involved in a war between rival gangs of shifters, but saving the life of a local mob boss’s child has dragged her into one. When Ellie’s life is threatened because of her involvement, she’s forced to go on the run, protected by Carter Ballis, head of security for the mobster’s family, and a lethal shifter himself.
Blood, fire, and warfare weren’t part of Ellie’s plans, but even if she survives, her life will never be the same. The world is more than she knew, and she’s seen too much. People capable of morphing into deadly creatures from legends and folklore around the globe are coming for her.
The cost of staying alive means trusting Carter to defend her, and he’s every bit as frightening as the creatures that want her dead…
Release date: September 29, 2020 Sub-genre: Urban Fantasy Content rating: PG-13*
She’s falling apart. He’ll do anything to put her together again.
After a brutal shifter attack, Nathra City’s Fae are driven underground, forced to become fugitives. To save them, Reagan, Tarik, and their rebellion friends embark on a mission to the Fae realm. But finding allies might be harder than they thought.
While Reagan continues to struggle with guilt and nightmares from the attack, Tarik must set aside vengeance to keep everyone alive.
None of them are equipped to face the unknown challenges on this perilous journey. And the more they fight to stay together, the more fate seems determined to tear them apart.
Fall of Night is book two in the Genesis Crystal Saga, a New Adult Urban Fantasy Adventure Romance, perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Sarah J. Maas. *17+ recommendation
Have you read any of these yet, or plan to?
Are you an author with an October release?Click here to apply to be listed in the October post.
📚The book: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black 🍵The tea: Dragon Fruit Dream by Adagio Teas
📚 The Cruel Prince is an exceptional story that draws you in just like getting tricked into a bargain to go into the land of Faerie! I could not put it down, and I have really been meaning to get the rest of the series.
I hadn’t read anything by Holly Black since reading Tithe as a teenager. I remember it being one of my favorite books.
I was fortunate enough to meet Ms. Black at a convention in February (one of the last public things I’ve gotten to go to! So glad I went) at Boskone in Boston.
The characters of The Cruel Prince are complex and I really enjoy that a lot of them are morally grey. The fae characters are very grey, and though they can be dark sometimes, I think it’s “realistic”, as realistic as writing fae can be.
I can’t wait to read the next one and see where all the scheming goes!
It pairs nicely with Dragonfruit Dream tea, an intoxicating fruit herbal tea from Adagio Teas.
I picked it because it has these cute little apple pieces which reminded me of the sweet fruit of the realm of faerie. It makes a great iced tea, and I used my Teavana Teamaker to steep it in.
Petra and Maisie Everturn just want to run their family’s tea shop, but when their explorer brother Jiordan goes missing while looking for an alchemycal artifact, none of them are safe.
Now only 2 months away, I’m excited to share the gorgeous cover for The Alchemyst’s Mirror!
