Tag: Epic Fantasy

My 3 favorite books read this year

My 3 favorite books read this year

I didn’t get to read a lot this year, but I did read some great books! Some of them are quite possible my TOP favorite books now. And I may or may not have given several of these books as Christmas gifts to friends this year…

What was your top favorite this year? Or top 3 if you can’t choose? Let me know in the comments!

In no particular order (because they are all equally brilliant!) mine are:

In Solitude’s Shadow (Book 1 Empire of Ruin) by David Green

One of my new favorite authors! I really enjoyed the first two books available in series! I hear there are 2 more coming, this year I think. This is Dark/Epic Fantasy. The magic is fantastic. The characters are so human (except the ones who are elves…). This series is muuuch darker than my stuff, though, so be warned.

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

This book was so cozy and just feel-good fantasy that I really enjoyed it. Which is also no surprise as it was so popular, it got picked up by a major publisher! Superb writing and worldbuilding. This is definitely a book I can see myself re-reading for comfort, and it pretty much opened up the world of “Cozy Fantasy” to me!

Inked (Guilded Blood book 1) by Rachel Rener

This is urban fantasy at its finest! The main character is a tattoo artist, and quickly finds herself embroiled in the strange and dangerous world of Fae. This is also a new author to me, and I’ve just pre-ordered the 3rd book in the series because it is just that good.

Kingdoms of Wrath and Ice is Live!

Kingdoms of Wrath and Ice is Live!

Kingdoms of Wrath and Ice is my first short story anthology, dedicated to icy villains. Each of the fifteen stories will leave you questioning who really is the villain, or just whose side you’re on.

As the editor and publisher of this anthology, I am so excited to share it with you!

A dangerous kelpie trying to protect her sacred lands.
An ancient queen, reawakened from a long ago death.
A Nordic assassin, bent on purging his court from corruption.

And many more stories of wrath and ice!

Emily Huffman spills the tea on Shattered Souls

Emily Huffman spills the tea on Shattered Souls

Today I’ve got some fun book news to share with you, as Emily Huffman stops by to spill the tea on her fantasy book, Shattered Souls, which is currently free on Amazon until June 4th!

Ok, Emily spill it!

So I’d say I’m letting you in on a secret, but that would be a lie, because I want EVERYONE to know about this! To kick off summer and the Summer Indie Fantasy Addicts Challenge, I am making the first book in my series free.

If you love the chosen ones trope, found family, and want to get lost in a world full of magic and magical creatures, download your copy for free now!

How about some tea?

Fun fact: Collecting tea can be just as dangerous as collecting books. Just like you might have to buy new bookshelves to house your new books, you may find yourself having to reorganize your kitchen cabinets to accommodate your growing tea collection, as well as the numerous tea cups that follow. Some experts believe that you can solve this problem by not buying any new teas until you finish the ones you have, but as all of our TBR lists can attest to, this only works in theory and is not practical.

Check out the author and book on…

Website * Instagram * Facebook * TikTok

Swords, Sorcery, and Sojourns Sale

Swords, Sorcery, and Sojourns Sale

I’ve teamed up with some really spectacular authors for an epic book sale!

You can get my book Meadowcity for 99 cents, along with a ton of other great books, each for under a dollar. There’s also a free sale too!

Both sales only run a few days each, so grab them while you can.

New Fantasy Book Releases for October 2020

New Fantasy Book Releases for October 2020

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.


Chaos Looming (The Legion of Pneumos Book 1) by H.B. Reneau

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?


Seer’s Sight (Tales of Tuatha Book 1) by Whitney McKinnon

Release date: October 9, 2020
Sub-genre: Epic Fantasy/ Mythology
Content rating: PG

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.


Dragon Prince (The Royal Quest Series Book 1) by Ashley McLeo and Kelly N. Jane

Release date: October 13, 2020
Sub-genre: YA/NA Urban Fantasy, Mythical Creatures
Content rating: PG

Violet is crazy.

At least the chatter inside her head makes her think so.

She’ll follow her mother into a padded cell and live out her days lost in her own world.

When the voice of a man with intriguing cabernet eyes enters her mind, she gets drawn into danger. And he has some news for her—she’s not crazy.

She’s supernatural.

How does the mysterious stranger know this about her? He’s a dragon prince, and he needs her assistance.

War looms in Rone’s homeland. He’s the only chance the dragons have to survive, but only if he secures his precious cargo in time.

Violet is the key to saving his race. He doesn’t know how, but he can’t deny the connection between them. And neither can she.

But when the supernaturals who rule the human world catch wind of a dragon in their midst, they want Rone gone—no matter the cost.

Can they evade other supernaturals and fulfill Rone’s mission? Or will Violet and Rone die trying?


Key of Magic (The Key Collector Book 1) by Laurel Night

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.


The Cup and the Prince (Kingdom of Curses and Shadows) by Day Leitao

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. 

And then there’s someone trying to kill her. 


Amasai Rising (The Amasai Rising Trilogy Book 1) by Stevie Rae Causey

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.


Tompkin’s School: For The Resurrected (A Supernatural Academy Trilogy Book 3) by Tabi Slick

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?


The Alchemyst’s Mirror by Liz Delton

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.


The Shifters’ Revenge (The Eulogimenoi Series Book 2) by Maria Vermisoglou

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?


Are any of these on your TBR?

New Fantasy Book Releases for September 2020

New Fantasy Book Releases for September 2020

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.


Realms of Fae and Shadow (Anthology)

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


A Wild Conversion
(More in Heaven and Earth)
by Katherine Gilbert

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?


Essentia
(The Pearl Wielder Trilogy Book 2)
by Hannah Reed

Release date: September 16, 2020
Sub-genre: Young-Adult Contemporary Fantasy
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.


The Dead Daughter
(The Cursed Kingdom Book 2)
by Aimee Shaye

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?


Brand of Magic
(Redferne Witches Book 1)
by KM Jackways

Release date: September 21, 2020
Sub-genre: Urban Fantasy
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!


Vampires and Werewolves
(GRIMM Academy Book 2)
by R.L. Medina

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.


The Hunter and the Mage
(The Raven and the Dove Book 2)
by Kaitlyn Davis

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. 


Ashen
by H.L. Burke

Release date: September 22, 2020
Sub-genre: Fairytale Retelling
Content rating: PG

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.


Met By Midnight
by Janeen Ippolito

Release date: September 22, 2020
Sub-genre: Fairytale Retelling
Content rating: PG

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.


Guardian Prince
(Ceryn Roh Saga Book 2)
by Lauricia Matuska

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?


Ashes on the Earth
(Stones of Fire Book 1)
by Sarah Ashwood

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…


Fall of Night
(Genesis Crystal Saga Book 2)
by Tyffany Hackett and Becky Moynihan

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.