About Books

  • Fantasy books in my TBR pile …

    Is it just me or has this been a really good year for fantasy books? Here are some fantasy books that are on my TBR pile and that I’m looking forward to reading later this year. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon.

    Age of Myth by Michael J. Sullivan

    Out now

    One of fantasy’s finest next-generation storytellers continues to break new ground.

    Michael J. Sullivan’s trailblazing career began with the breakout success of his Riyria series: full-bodied, spellbinding fantasy adventures whose imaginative scope and sympathetic characters won a devoted readership and comparisons to fantasy masters Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch, and J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Now Age of Myth inaugurates an original five-book series.

    Since time immemorial, humans have worshipped the gods they call Fhrey, truly a race apart: invincible in battle, masters of magic, and seemingly immortal. But when a god falls to a human blade, the balance of power between humans and those they thought were gods changes forever.

    Now only a few stand between humankind and annihilation: Raithe, reluctant to embrace his destiny as the God Killer; Suri, a young seer burdened by signs of impending doom; and Persephone, who must overcome personal tragedy to lead her people. The Age of Myth is over. The time of rebellion has begun.

    My thoughts: I bought Wheezley the first book in Sullivan’s Riyria Revelations earlier this year. Wheezley really enjoyed it, and he’s read the rest of the Sullivan’s books. So I’m hoping to read some of Sullivan’s books as well.

    Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

    Out now

    The highly anticipated, entirely new coming-of-age story for the world’s greatest super hero: WONDER WOMAN by the # 1 New York Times bestselling author LEIGH BARDUGO.

    She will become one of the world’s greatest heroes: WONDER WOMAN. But first she is Diana, Princess of the Amazons. And her fight is just beginning. . . .
     
    Diana longs to prove herself to her legendary warrior sisters. But when the opportunity finally comes, she throws away her chance at glory and breaks Amazon law—risking exile—to save a mere mortal. Even worse, Alia Keralis is no ordinary girl and with this single brave act, Diana may have doomed the world.
     
    Alia just wanted to escape her overprotective brother with a semester at sea. She doesn’t know she is being hunted. When a bomb detonates aboard her ship, Alia is rescued by a mysterious girl of extraordinary strength and forced to confront a horrible truth: Alia is a Warbringer—a direct descendant of the infamous Helen of Troy, fated to bring about an age of bloodshed and misery.
     
    Together, Diana and Alia will face an army of enemies—mortal and divine—determined to either destroy or possess the Warbringer. If they have any hope of saving both their worlds, they will have to stand side by side against the tide of war.

    My thoughts: I’ve always been a Wonder Woman fan, and I also liked Bardugo’s Six of Crows series. Count me in.

    A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne

    Out on Oct. 17

    From the author of The Iron Druid Chronicles, a thrilling novel that kicks off a fantasy series with an entirely new mythology—complete with shape-shifting bards, fire-wielding giants, and children who can speak to astonishing beasts

    MOTHER AND WARRIOR
    Tallynd is a soldier who has already survived her toughest battle: losing her husband. But now she finds herself on the front lines of an invasion of giants, intent on wiping out the entire kingdom, including Tallynd’s two sons—all that she has left. The stakes have never been higher. If Tallynd fails, her boys may never become men.

    SCHOLAR AND SPY
    Dervan is an historian who longs for a simple, quiet life. But he’s drawn into intrigue when he’s hired to record the tales of a mysterious bard who may be a spy or even an assassin for a rival kingdom. As the bard shares his fantastical stories, Dervan makes a shocking discovery: He may have a connection to the tales, one that will bring his own secrets to light.  

    REBEL AND HERO
    Abhi’s family have always been hunters, but Abhi wants to choose a different life for himself. Embarking on a journey of self-discovery, Abhi soon learns that his destiny is far greater than he imagined: a powerful new magic thrust upon him may hold the key to defeating the giants once and for all—if it doesn’t destroy him first.

    Set in a magical world of terror and wonder, this novel is a deeply felt epic of courage and war, in which the fates of these characters intertwine—and where ordinary people become heroes, and their lives become legend.

    My thoughts: I’ve enjoyed Hearne’s Iron Druid series (although I am several books behind), so I’m interested to see his take on epic fantasy.

    What about you guys? Which fantasy books are you looking forward to reading?

  • · ·

    Mythos Academy and Black Blade ebooks on sale through Sept. 4 …

    The first three ebooks in my Mythos Academy YA series and all three ebooks in my Black Blade YA series are on sale now through Sept. 4.

    The sale began at Kobo, but it should be price-matched at other retailers, and the discounted ebooks should be available on most sites, like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. The following books are on sale for these prices:

    Touch of Frost — Mythos Academy #1 — $2.99

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

    Kiss of Frost — Mythos Academy #2 — $4.99

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

    Dark Frost — Mythos Academy #3 — $4.99

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

    Cold Burn of Magic — Black Blade #1 — $2.99

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

    Dark Heart of Magic — Black Blade #2 — $4.99

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

    Bright Blaze of Magic — Black Blade #3 — $4.99

    Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

    So if you’ve been wanting to check out my YA books, now is the time. Happy reading!

  • · · ·

    Kill the Queen epic fantasy series …

    I’m thrilled to announce that I will be writing an epic fantasy series. Woot! Woot!

    The first book in the series is called Kill the Queen, and I believe that the series name will also be Kill the Queen.

    As of right now, there will be three books in the series, which will be published by HarperVoyager. Kill the Queen is tentatively scheduled to be published in September 2018, but that is subject to change.

    Here’s my pitch for Kill the QueenGladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kick-ass heroine.

    Kill the Queen will be similar in some ways to my Elemental Assassin and other series. The books will be written in first-person from the heroine’s point of view. There will also be lots of action, magic, and fight scenes. The first book will also have some flashback scenes. But everything will be on a bit of a grander scale, since, you know, it’s epic fantasy.

    I’m really excited about the new series. I’ve always loved reading epic fantasy, and the very first book that I ever wrote was an epic fantasy. So writing an epic fantasy series myself is a dream come true for me. 🙂

    I’ve set up a Kill the Queen page for the series on my website, and I’ll share more information — cover art, blurbs, excerpts, etc. — as it becomes available.

    So this means that I am currently juggling three series — Kill the Queen, Elemental Assassin, and Mythos Academy spinoff. Three series is a lot to keep track of and work on, so you guys might have to wait a little longer in between books, depending on which series you like/follow. I will not be writing any more Bigtime books in the foreseeable future. I just have too many other books/series to work on. I’ll be sharing release dates, cover art, and more for these three series as well, as they become available.

    So be patient. I am writing/working on all three series as fast as I can. Thanks!

  • Whittling down the TBR pile …

    One of my goals this summer is to whittle down my book TBR pile, along with my movies/TV TBW pile.

    I know, I know, I say this every year — but this year I mean it!

    Yeah, I say that too every year. LOL. Anyway, here are some of the books that I’m hoping to read this summer. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon.

    About a Dog by Jenn McKinlay

    Fall in love with a little help from man’s best friend in New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s contemporary romance debut.

    Mackenzie “Mac” Harris fled her hometown of Bluff Point, Maine, after being left at the altar—and seeking solace in the arms of her best friend’s off-limits brother. Now, seven years later, she’s back to attend her best friend’s wedding—safe, or so she thinks, from the mistakes of her youth.

    But Gavin Tolliver has never forgotten the woman who has always held his heart. And when Mac rescues a stray puppy named Tulip, only Gavin, the town’s veterinarian, can help. With a little assistance from Tulip, Gavin vows to make Mac realize that their feelings are more than just puppy love…

    My thoughts: I’m always looking for new contemporary romance authors to try, and this looks like a fun book/series.

    Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames

    GLORY NEVER GETS OLD.

    Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best, the most feared and renowned crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld.

    Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk, or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay’s door with a plea for help–the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for.

    It’s time to get the band back together.

    My thoughts: Wheezley and I both like to read epic fantasy, and this sounds like an interesting take on the genre. I’m going to get it for Wheezley, but I’ll probably read the book at some point too.

    The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro

    In the second brilliant, action-packed book in the Charlotte Holmes trilogy, Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are in a chase across Europe to untangle a web of shocking truths about the Holmes and Moriarty families.

    Jamie and Charlotte are looking for a winter break reprieve in Sussex after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But nothing about their time off is proving simple, including Holmes and Watson’s growing feelings for each other. When Charlotte’s beloved Uncle Leander goes missing from the Holmes estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring—the game is afoot once again, and Charlotte throws herself into a search for answers.

    So begins a dangerous race through the gritty underground scene in Berlin and glittering art houses in Prague, where Holmes and Watson discover that this complicated case might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other.

    My thoughts: I like different takes on the Sherlock Holmes mythology, and I enjoyed A Study in Charlotte, the first book in this series.

    What books do you guys want to read this summer?

  • · · ·

    Rob-Con 2017 appearance on July 29 …

    I will be one of several authors, artists, and more appearing at Rob-Con 2017. The convention runs from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 29-30, at Viking Hall in Bristol, Tenn.

    I will be signing books Saturday only — July 29 — from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. I will have copies of Snared to sign, as well as copies of my other books.

    Also, T-shirts are available featuring the Rob-Con graphic, created by artist John Hairston Jr.

    A one-day pass is $10; a two-day pass is $15; kids under 10 get in free. A costume contest will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday. More information is online here.

    Also, one of the special guests this year is Timothy Zahn, who writes Star Wars novels and more. An event will be held with Zahn on Friday, July 28. Visit the Rob-Con website; the Rob-Con Facebook page; or email the organizers for more details.

    Hope to see you there! 🙂