Waiting On Wednesday was a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. Each Wednesday you got to highlight a book that you were really looking forward to. Unfortunately, the original creator is no longer able to host the meme and it has now linked up with Can’t Wait Wednesday over at Wishful Endings.
This week I’ve chosen:
The Tangleroot Palace: Stories by Marjorie M. Liu Genre: Fantasy, Short Stories Expected Publication: June 15, 2021
New York Times bestseller and Hugo, British Fantasy, Romantic Times, and Eisner award-winning author of the graphic novel, Monstress, Marjorie Liu leads you deep into the heart of the tangled woods. In her long-awaited debut story collection, dark, lush, and spellbinding short fiction you will find unexpected detours, dangerous magic, and even more dangerous women.
“The Tangleroot Palace is charming and ruthless. Tales that feel new yet grounded in the infinitely ancient, a mythology for the coming age.” —Angela Slatter, author of The Bitterwood Bible
“Marjorie Liu is magic! Her writing is passionate, lyric, gritty, and riveting. She belongs high on everyone’s must-read list.” —Elizabeth Lowell, author of Only Mine
Briar, bodyguard for a body-stealing sorceress, discovers her love for Rose, whose true soul emerges only once a week. An apprentice witch seeks her freedom through betrayal, the bones of the innocent, and a meticulously-plotted spell. In a world powered by crystal skulls, a warrior returns to save China from invasion by her jealous ex. A princess runs away from an arranged marriage, finding family in a strange troupe of traveling actors at the border of the kingdom’s deep, dark woods.
Concluding with a gorgeous full-length novella, Marjorie Liu’s first short fiction collection is an unflinching sojourn into her thorny tales of love, revenge, and new beginnings.
Author of Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash Tasha Suri’s The Jasmine Throne, beginning a new trilogy set in a world inspired by the history and epics of India, in which a captive princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magic become unlikely allies on a dark journey to save their empire from the princess’s traitor brother.
Imprisoned by her dictator brother, Malini spends her days in isolation in the Hirana: an ancient temple that was once the source of the powerful, magical deathless waters — but is now little more than a decaying ruin.
Priya is a maidservant, one among several who make the treacherous journey to the top of the Hirana every night to clean Malini’s chambers. She is happy to be an anonymous drudge, so long as it keeps anyone from guessing the dangerous secret she hides.
But when Malini accidentally bears witness to Priya’s true nature, their destinies become irrevocably tangled. One is a vengeful princess seeking to depose her brother from his throne. The other is a priestess seeking to find her family. Together, they will change the fate of an empire.
June 15, 2021
The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrelsby India Holton (Dangerous Damsels #1) Historical Romance
A prim and proper lady thief must save her aunt from a crazed pirate and his dangerously charming henchman in this fantastical historical romance.
Cecilia Bassingwaite is the ideal Victorian lady. She’s also a thief. Like the other members of the Wisteria Society crime sorority, she flies around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends, and acquiring treasure by interesting means. Sure, she has a dark and traumatic past and an overbearing aunt, but all things considered, it’s a pleasant existence. Until the men show up.
Ned Lightbourne is a sometimes assassin who is smitten with Cecilia from the moment they meet. Unfortunately, that happens to be while he’s under direct orders to kill her. His employer, Captain Morvath, who possesses a gothic abbey bristling with cannons and an unbridled hate for the world, intends to rid England of all its presumptuous women, starting with the Wisteria Society. Ned has plans of his own. But both men have made one grave mistake. Never underestimate a woman.
When Morvath imperils the Wisteria Society, Cecilia is forced to team up with her handsome would-be assassin to save the women who raised her–hopefully proving, once and for all, that she’s as much of a scoundrel as the rest of them.
The Tangleroot Palace: Storesby Marjorie M. Liu Fantasy, Short Stories
New York Times bestseller and Hugo, British Fantasy, Romantic Times, and Eisner award-winning author of the graphic novel, Monstress, Marjorie Liu leads you deep into the heart of the tangled woods. In her long-awaited debut story collection, dark, lush, and spellbinding short fiction you will find unexpected detours, dangerous magic, and even more dangerous women.
“The Tangleroot Palace is charming and ruthless. Tales that feel new yet grounded in the infinitely ancient, a mythology for the coming age.” —Angela Slatter, author of The Bitterwood Bible
“Marjorie Liu is magic! Her writing is passionate, lyric, gritty, and riveting. She belongs high on everyone’s must-read list.” —Elizabeth Lowell, author of Only Mine
Briar, bodyguard for a body-stealing sorceress, discovers her love for Rose, whose true soul emerges only once a week. An apprentice witch seeks her freedom through betrayal, the bones of the innocent, and a meticulously-plotted spell. In a world powered by crystal skulls, a warrior returns to save China from invasion by her jealous ex. A princess runs away from an arranged marriage, finding family in a strange troupe of traveling actors at the border of the kingdom’s deep, dark woods.
Concluding with a gorgeous full-length novella, Marjorie Liu’s first short fiction collection is an unflinching sojourn into her thorny tales of love, revenge, and new beginnings.
June 22, 2021
The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison (The Goblin Emperor #2) Fantasy
Katherine Addison returns to the glittering world she created for her beloved novel, The Goblin Emperor, in this stand-alone sequel.
When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his father’s Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead. Thara Celehar found the truth, though it did him no good to discover it. He lost his place as a retainer of his cousin the former Empress, and made far too many enemies among the many factions vying for power in the new Court. The favor of the Emperor is a dangerous coin.
Now Celehar lives in the city of Amalo, far from the Court though not exactly in exile. He has not escaped from politics, but his position gives him the ability to serve the common people of the city, which is his preference. He lives modestly, but his decency and fundamental honestly will not permit him to live quietly. As a Witness for the Dead, he can, sometimes, speak to the recently dead: see the last thing they saw, know the last thought they had, experience the last thing they felt. It is his duty use that ability to resolve disputes, to ascertain the intent of the dead, to find the killers of the murdered.
Now Celehar’s skills lead him out of the quiet and into a morass of treachery, murder, and injustice. No matter his own background with the imperial house, Celehar will stand with the commoners, and possibly find a light in the darkness.
Are there any books that you are looking forward to this month?
Welcome to my March wrap-up. I read way more books than I thought I was going to this month. In March I finished 19 books and DNF’d 2. For the year as a whole I have read a total of 48 books and DNF’d 8, which completely blows my mind.
5 Star Reads
Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty | Self-help | Add to Goodreads
Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare | (The Last Hours #2) |Young Adult, Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
The Wolf of Oren-Yaro by K.S. Villoso | (Chronicles of the Bitch Queen #1) | Epic Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi | (Yona of the Dawn #1) | Manga | Add to Goodreads
Monstress #32 by Marjorie M. Liu | (Monstress (Issues) #32) | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
Inuyasha, Volume 02 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #2) | Manga, Fantasy, Historical | Add to Goodreads
Inuyasha, Volume 03 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #3) | Manga, Fantasy, Historical | Add to Goodreads
Inuyasha, Volume 04 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #4) | Manga, Fantasy, Historical | Add to Goodreads
Covet by Tracy Wolff | (Crave #3) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
4 Star Reads
The Heiress: The Revelations of Anne de Bourgh by Molly Greeley | Historical, Retelling, Romance | Add to Goodreads
The Whispered Word by Ellery Adams | (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #2) | Cozy Mystery | Add to Goodreads
Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams | (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #3) | Cozy Mystery | Add to Goodreads
The Moria Pearls by Rosalie Oaks | (Lady Diviner #2) | Historical Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle | (Sherlock Holmes #3) | Sherlockian, Mystery | Add to Goodreads
Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins | Self-Help | Add to Goodreads
3 Star Reads
Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken | (Dragon Kin #1) | Fantasy Romance | Add to Goodreads
The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams | (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #3) | Cozy Mystery | Add to Goodreads
Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 1 by Julietta Suzuki | (Kamisama Kiss #1) | Manga | Add to Goodreads
2 Star Reads
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins | Non-Fiction, Self-Help | Add to Goodreads
DNF
Dracul by Dacre Stoker, J.D. Barker | (Stoker’s Dracula #1) | Historical Fiction | Add to Goodreads
The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs | Fiction | Add to Goodreads
How was your reading month? Take to me below I would love to hear from you!
It’s the start of another week. It’s Monday! What are you Reading is hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, this is a weekly event to share what we’ve read in the past week and what we hope to read, plus whatever else comes to mind.
So…I know I had a reading plan for this past week but as you can see that went out of the window. lol Oh well sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
Recent Books
Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 1 by Julietta Suzuki | (Kamisama Kiss #1) | Manga | Add to Goodreads
A divine comedy!
Nanami Momozono is alone and homeless after her dad skips town to evade his gambling debts and the debt collectors kick her out of her apartment. So when a man she’s just saved from a dog offers her his home, she jumps at the opportunity. But it turns out that his place is a shrine, and Nanami has unwillingly taken over his job as a local deity!
Nanami has all kinds of new responsabilities she doesn’t understand, dangers she’s unaware of, and a cranky ex-familiar who’s… actually pretty hot. What’s a new-fledged godling to do?
Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 1 by Mizuho Kusanagi | (Yona of the Dawn #1) | Manga | Add to Goodreads
Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess of her kingdom. Doted on by her father, the king, and protected by her faithful guard Hak, she cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, Soo-won. But everything changes on her 16th birthday when she witnesses her father’s murder!
Yona reels from the shock of witnessing a loved one’s murder and having to fight for her life. With Hak’s help, she flees the palace and struggles to survive while evading her enemy’s forces. But where will this displaced princess go when all the paths before her are uncertain?
Monstress #32 by Marjorie M. Liu | (Monstress (Issues) #32) | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
Political intrigue continues as Maika is drawn deeper into the mysteries of the Dusk and Dawn Courts.
Inuyasha, Volume 02 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #2) | Manga, Fantasy, Historical | Add to Goodreads
In both the past and the present, Kagome and Inuyasha face new enemies while on their search for the shards of the Shikon Jewel. As they grow closer, Kagome learns that Inuyasha harbors a carefully guarded secret that makes him vulnerable with the rising of the new moon. Then an evil ogress plans to resurrect Kikyo. If Kikyo returns, will she seek vengeance against Inuyasha? And will Inuyasha be forced to choose between Kikyo and Kagome?
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle | (Sherlock Holmes #3) | Sherlockian, Mystery | Add to Goodreads
The extraordinary adventures of the world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes, as faithfully recounted by his comrade, Dr. Watson, have captivated readers of all ages for over a century. The stories’ blend of heartpounding, fast-paced action and mind-boggling deductive reasoning is as riveting today as it was when first published.
This deluxe illustrated edition contains Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s first twelve stories and includes such famous cases as “The Red-headed League,” in which Holmes uncovers a well-concealed, devilishly clever criminal plot; “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” in which Holmes must trap a jewel thief—with astonishing results; “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” in which Holmes and Watson find themselves dealing with treachery, violence, and deadly snakes; and nine more equally thrilling and puzzling mysteries.
Magnificently illustrated with twelve powerful watercolors by award-winning artist Barry Moser, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes features the complete text of the original collection of Doyle’s short stories and is an ideal introduction to the fascinating world of this mesmerizing detective
Inuyasha, Volume 03 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #3) | Manga, Fantasy, Historical | Add to Goodreads
Sesshomaru returns for another attack, aided by the demon Naraku. Then a terrible ogress brings Kikyo back from the dead, but her soulless state drives her thirst for revenge against Inuyasha. Dealing with the ogress reveals a glimpse into Inuyasha’s true feelings for Kikyo and makes Kagome wonder just how he feels about her. The search for the shards of the Shikon Jewel brings Kagome and Inuyasha into conflict with strange enemies and even stranger friends!
Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins | Self-Help | Add to Goodreads
A Common-Sense Guide to Living Rich….Instead of Dying Rich
Imagine if by the time you died, you did everything you were told to. You worked hard, saved your money, and looked forward to financial freedom when you retired.
The only thing you wasted along the way was…your life.
Die with Zero presents a startling new and provocative philosophy as well as practical guide on how to get the most out of your money—and out of your life. It’s intended for those who place lifelong memorable experiences far ahead of simply making and accumulating money for one’s so-called Golden Years.
In short, Bill Perkins wants to rescue you from over-saving and under-living. Regardless of your age, Die with Zero will teach you Perkins’ plan for optimizing your life, stage by stage, so you’re fully engaged and enjoying what you’ve worked and saved for.
You’ll discover how to maximize your lifetime memorable moments with “experience bucketing,” how to convert your earnings into priceless memories by following your “net worth curve,” and find out how to navigate whether to invest in, or delay, a meaningful adventure based on your “spend curve” and “personal interest rate.”
Using his own life experiences as well as the inspiring stories and cautionary tales of others—and drawing on eye-opening insights about time, money, and happiness from psychological science and behavioral finance —Perkins makes a timely, convincing, and contrarian case for living large.
Currently Reading
Covet by Tracy Wolff | (Crave #3) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
I may have reached my breaking point. As if trying to graduate from a school for supernaturals isn’t stressful enough, my relationship status has gone from complicated to a straight-up dumpster fire.
Oh, and the Bloodletter has decided to drop a bomb of epic proportions on us all…
Then again, when has anything at Katmere Academy not been intense?
And the hits just keep coming. Jaxon’s turned colder than an Alaskan winter. The Circle is splintered over my upcoming coronation. As if things couldn’t get worse, now there’s an arrest warrant for Hudson’s and my supposed crimes—which apparently means a lifetime prison sentence with a deadly unbreakable curse.
Choices will have to be made…and I fear not everyone will survive.
Prince of Secrets and Shadows by C.S. Johnson | (The Order of the Crystal Daggers #2) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
Everyone has Secrets.
PRAGUE, 1870.
After joining the Order of the Crystal Daggers, led by her dauntless grandmother, Lady Penelope, Eleanora Svobodová set out to save her kingdom from oncoming devastation.
And she failed.
Following the attack on Prague Castle, Eleanora is determined to redeem herself. She sets out to win Karl’s trust while distancing herself from Ferdy, whose secrets and lies have done nothing to stop her from falling in love with him. As she struggles to let him go, questions about the mission and her mother’s past cause a rift between Amir and Lady Penelope and add to the growing discord between Eleanora and her brother.
But when a cunning provocateur arrives in Prague, Eleanora discovers there is an even more deadly game afoot, one that reaches into Amir’s past and threatens Lady Penelope’s future. Now, the members of the Order must work together if they are to uncover the true enemy hiding in Bohemia.
Can they work together despite their divisions? Or will their division lead to even more destruction?
The Sapphire Library by Rosalie Oaks | (Lady Diviner #3) | Regency, Paranormal, Mystery, Romance | Add to Goodreads
Magics, murder, and mermaid tears…
An uncivilised vampiri has stolen the Moria Pearls, and Miss Elinor Avely and her tiny companion, Aldreda, are determined to chase the rascal to London – despite warnings to keep Elinor’s Gift a secret, and the perturbing news that a royal advisor is dead.
As the ladies investigate, they have other problems to occupy them. Elinor is unsure if she will be welcomed back into high society, and worse, Beresford is being a bit too overbearing in his attempts to protect her. Meanwhile Perry seems to have his own romantic troubles, this time with the devastatingly gorgeous Jaq.
Then a vampiri goes missing, and Elinor’s inquisitiveness leads her closer to a killer. This time, it might take all her friends’ ingenuity to save her from death.
Who killed the royal advisor? What is the Sapphire Library? And who would like mermaid tears with their tea?
Welcome to my February wrap-up. I read 17 books in the month February. I know last month I said that I was going to slow down my reading; however, I read a lot more than I anticipated but I am finally catching up with all of my “required” reads. So I am hoping to be able to do more mood reading in the upcoming months.
5 Star Reads
The Devil’s Due by Bonnie MacBird | (Sherlock Holmes Adventures #3) | Sherlockian, Mystery, Historical | Add to Goodreads
The Littlest Dinosaur by Bryce Raffle and Steven Kothlow | Children’s Book | Add to Goodreads
Monstress #31 by Marjorie M. Liu | (Monstress (Issues) #31) | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
Inuyasha, Volume 01 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #1) | Manga, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
The Key by Jennifer Anne Davis | (True Reign #1) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
ЯED by Jennifer Anne Davis | (True Reign #2) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
War by Jennifer Anne Davis | (True Reign #3) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
4.5 Star Reads
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong | (These Violent Delights #1) | Young Adult, Retelling, Historical Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
A Trial of Sorcerers by Elise Kova | (A Trial of Sorcerers #1) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
4 Star Reads
A Conventicle of Magpies by LMR Clarke | (The Bloodskill Duology Book 1) | Gaslamp Fantasy, Adventure, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra | Historical Romance | Add to Goodreads
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg | (The Paper Magician #1) | Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams | (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #1) |Cozy Mystery | Add to Goodreads
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner | Historical Fiction | Add to Goodreads
Never Call Me Vampire by Tamara Grantham | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Crush by Tracy Wolff | (Crave #2) | Young Adult, Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
3 Star Reads
Dragon Whisperer Vol. 3 by Alex Deluca | Dragon Whisperer #3 | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
DNF
Spine of the Dragon by Kevin J. Anderson | (Wake the Dragon #1) | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Midnight Desire by Shari Nichols | (Ravens Hollow Coven) | Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance | Add to Goodreads
King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist | (The Firemane Saga #1) | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
How was your reading month? Take to me below I would love to hear from you!
It’s the start of another week. It’s Monday! What are you Reading is hosted by Kathryn from Book Date, this is a weekly event to share what we’ve read in the past week and what we hope to read, plus whatever else comes to mind.
Recent Books
Midnight Desire by Shari Nichols | (Ravens Hollow Coven) | Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance | Add to Goodreads
Danger and desire collide to form an unlikely alliance between a witch with a sordid past and a special agent who might be her future.
While trying to escape her past, kick-ass witch Willow McCray dispenses her own brand of justice swiftly and without mercy, until she crosses paths with sexy Magickal Bureau of Investigations Agent, Alex Denopoulos. Now, she must use her powers for good if she wants to stay out of Hellios, the mage prison for those who have broken the Wiccan Rede of ‘Harm ye None.’
Alex will stop at nothing to catch a killer, including recruiting notorious felon, Willow McCray, to work for the agency. While under his guard, the lines between duty and passion become blurred the more time he spends with the red-haired beauty. His penchant for justice and deep-seated hatred of witches makes a future together seem impossible. But he’s not ready to let her go. Now he’ll risk more than his badge to keep her alive.
If only Willow can vanquish the evil surrounding them and give Alex what he wants—before she loses her heart and even her very soul in the process.
Soothsayer by Kathryn Amurra | Historical Romance | Add to Goodreads
Aurelia has always valued love and happiness over titles and power. Though her kind-hearted father has allowed her to turn away suitor after suitor in pursuit of a love she cannot yet define, when he dies her choices die with him. Knowing that marrying the elderly governor of a neighboring province can secure her mentally challenged brother’s safety, she gives up on her dream of finding love in return for his protection. Cassius is the ill-fated captain of the governor’s guard tasked with escorting the Lady Aurelia and her unpleasant aunt to the governor’s estate. Since the soothsayer Tullia foretold an early death for him, Cassius wants nothing more than to keep his hands busy with labor and his heart free from any connections to the world he believes he will be leaving soon. As they work through a series of misfortunes on the road to the governor’s province, the words of the soothsayer start to make sense, and together they find the courage to allow their true destiny to unfold.
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong | (These Violent Delights #1) | Young Adult, Retelling, Historical Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love…and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
King of Ashes by Raymond E. Feist | (The Firemane Saga #1) | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
The first volume in legendary master and New York Times bestselling author Raymond E. Feist’s epic heroic fantasy series, The Firemane Saga—an electrifying tale of two young men whose choices will determine a world’s destiny.
For centuries, the five greatest kingdoms of North and South Tembria, twin continents on the world of Garn, have coexisted in peace. But the balance of power is destroyed when four of the kingdoms violate an ancient covenant and betray the fifth: Ithrace, the Kingdom of Flames, ruled by Steveren Langene, known as “the Firemane” for his brilliant red hair. As war engulfs the world, Ithrace is destroyed and the Greater Realms of Tembria are thrust into a dangerous struggle for supremacy. As a Free Lord, Baron Daylon Dumarch owes allegiance to no king. When an abandoned infant is found hidden in Daylon’s pavilion, he realizes that the child must be the missing heir of the slain Steveren. The boy is valuable—and vulnerable. A cunning and patient man, Daylon decides to keep the baby’s existence secret, and sends him to be raised on the Island of Coaltachin, home of the so-called Kingdom of Night, where the powerful and lethal Nocusara, the “Hidden Warriors,” legendary assassins and spies, are trained.
Years later, another orphan of mysterious provenance, a young man named Declan, earns his Masters rank as a weapons smith. Blessed with intelligence and skill, he unlocks the secret to forging King’s Steel, the apex of a weapon maker’s trade known by very few. Yet this precious knowledge is also deadly, and Declan is forced to leave his home to safeguard his life. Landing in Lord Daylon’s provinces, he hopes to start anew.
Soon, the two young men—an unknowing rightful heir to a throne and a brilliantly talented young swordsmith—will discover that their fates, and that of Garn, are entwined. The legendary, long-ago War of Betrayal has never truly ended . . . and they must discover the secret of who truly threatens their world.
Monstress #31 by Marjorie M. Liu | (Monstress (Issues) #31) | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
The start of a new arc! Maika always knew that her decision to involve herself in the battle of Ravenna would have repercussions, and now she begins to pay the price. War isn’t the only thing she has to fear—the political intrigue of the Dusk and Dawn Courts might be far more dangerous.
Dragon Whisperer Vol. 3 by Alex Deluca | Dragon Whisperer #3 | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
Rosalinda and Prince Kip are taken to the Dragon’s Lair and meet the fearsome Obsidian, but little do they know Captain Faulk and The Gray Wyrm are close behind them.
The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg | (The Paper Magician #1) | Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane with a broken heart. Having graduated at the top of her class from the Tagis Praff School for the Magically Inclined, Ceony is assigned an apprenticeship in paper magic despite her dreams of bespelling metal. And once she’s bonded to paper, that will be her only magic…forever.
Yet the spells Ceony learns under the strange yet kind Thane turn out to be more marvelous than she could have ever imagined—animating paper creatures, bringing stories to life via ghostly images, even reading fortunes. But as she discovers these wonders, Ceony also learns of the extraordinary dangers of forbidden magic.
An Excisioner—a practitioner of dark, flesh magic—invades the cottage and rips Thane’s heart from his chest. To save her teacher’s life, Ceony must face the evil magician and embark on an unbelievable adventure that will take her into the chambers of Thane’s still-beating heart—and reveal the very soul of the man.
Currently Reading
A Trial of Sorcerers by Elise Kova | (A Trial of Sorcerers #1) | Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
Ice is in her blood.
Eighteen-year-old Waterrunner Eira Landan lives her life in the shadows — the shadow of her older brother, of her magic’s whispers, and of the person she accidentally killed. She’s the most unwanted apprentice in the Tower of Sorcerers until the day she decides to step out and compete for a spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms.
Pitted against the best sorcerers in the Empire, Eira fights to be one of four champions. Excelling in the trials has its rewards. She’s invited to the royal court with the “Prince of the Tower,” discovers her rare talent for forbidden magic, and at midnight, Eira meets with a handsome elfin ambassador.
But, Eira soon learns, no reward is without risk. As she comes into the spotlight, so too do the skeletons of a past she hadn’t even realized was haunting her.
Eira went into the trials ready for a fight. Ready to win. She wasn’t ready for what it would cost her. No one expected the candidates might not make it out with their lives.
The Secret, Book & Scone Society by Ellery Adams | (Secret, Book, & Scone Society #1) |Cozy Mystery | Add to Goodreads
Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.
When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.
Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.
Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .
Inuyasha, Volume 01 by Rumiko Takahashi | (Inuyasha VizBIG Omnibus Series #1) | Manga, Fantasy, Romance | Add to Goodreads
Kagome is a modern Japanese high school girl. Never the type to believe in myths and legends, her world view dramatically changes when, one day, she’s pulled out of herown time and into another! There, in Japan’s ancient past, Kagome discovers more t han a few of those dusty old legends are true, and that her destiny is linked to one legendary creature in particular–the dog like half-demon called Inuyasha! That same trick of fate also ties them both to the Shikon Jewel, or ” Jewel of Four Souls”. But demons beware… the smallest shard of the Shikon Jewel can give the user unimaginable power.
Welcome to my January 2021 wrap-up. I can’t believe that the first month of this year is already over. I had a pretty good reading month. I am expecting my reading to slow down as I move through the year, since I have some really big books coming up on my TBR. I completed 12 books in January and I am accepting DNFing books without guilt.
5 Star Reads
Monstress: Talk-Stories #2 by Marjorie M. Liu | (Monstress (Issues)) | Comic, Fantasy, Steampunk | Add to Goodreads
Return to Honor by Brian McClellan | (Powder Mage #1.5) | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
The Crimson Campaign by Brian McClellan | (Powder Mage #2) | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Unchosen by Katharyn Blair | Young Adult, Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick | (Rook & Rose #1) | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Lady Mechanika, Vol. 6: Sangre by Joe Benítez | (Lady Mechanika Volumes #6) | Graphic Novel, Steampunk, Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 2 by Ryōsuke Takeuchi | (Moriarty the Patriot #2) | Manga, Historical, Mystery | Add to Goodreads
4.5 Star Reads
The Lady Jewel Diviner by Rosalie Oaks | (Lady Diviner #1) | Historical Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
4 Star Reads
Warrior of the Altaii by Robert Jordan | Fantasy | Add to Goodreads
