Epic fantasy

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    Listen to a sample of the audiobook for Crush the King, Crown of Shards #3, March 17 …

    The audiobook for Crush the King, Crown of Shards #3, will be released March 17. Woot!

    CLICK HERE to listen to the first few minutes of the audiobook, narrated by the awesome Lauren Fortgang.

    Amazon audio Audible Google Play audio Kobo audio Libro audioAmazon MP3 CD

     Crush the King will also be available in ebook and print book formats:

    CRUSH THE KING EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Apple Books Google Play Kobo

    CRUSH THE KING PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    CRUSH THE KING DESCRIPTION:

    A fierce gladiator queen must face off against her enemies in an epic battle in this next thrilling installment of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series—an action-packed adventure full of magic, murderous machinations, courtly intrigue, and pulse-pounding romance.

    Queen Everleigh Blair of Bellona has survived the mass murder of the royal family, become a fearsome warrior trained by an elite gladiator troupe, and unleashed her ability to destroy magic. After surviving yet another assassination attempt orchestrated by the conniving king of Morta, Evie has had enough. It’s time to turn the tables and take the fight to her enemies. 

    There is no better opportunity to strike than during the Regalia Games, a time when warriors, nobles, and royals from all the kingdoms come together to compete in various sporting events. With the help of her loyal friends, Evie goes on the attack at the Regalia, but things don’t turn out the way she hopes. Soon, she is facing a terrifying new threat, and she will have to dig deep and learn even more about her growing magic if she has any chance of defeating her foes.

    Because to secure her throne and ensure her kingdom’s survival, Evie must think like a true Bellonan: she must outsmart and outwit her enemies . . . and crush the king.

    Note: Crush the King will be the conclusion to Evie’s story. I am planning to write more books in my Crown of Shards world, although they will be from another character’s point of view. I should have more information to share on the new series soon. Thanks! 😎 

  • · · ·

    Crush the King, Crown of Shards #3, coming March 17 …

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     Crush the King, Crown of Shards #3, will be released March 17. Woot! 😎 

    This book will be the conclusion to Evie’s story. I am planning to write more books in my Crown of Shards world, although they will be from another character’s point of view. I should have more news to share on the new series soon.

    Crush the King is up for pre-order at all the usual sites. The ebook, print book, and audiobook will all be released on March 17:

    CRUSH THE KING EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Apple Books Google Play Kobo

    CRUSH THE KING PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    CRUSH THE KING AUDIOBOOK:

    Amazon audio Audible Google Play audio Kobo audio Libro audio

    Amazon MP3 CD

    The audiobook is once again narrated by the awesome Lauren Fortgang.

    CRUSH THE KING DESCRIPTION:

    A fierce gladiator queen must face off against her enemies in an epic battle in this next thrilling installment of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series—an action-packed adventure full of magic, murderous machinations, courtly intrigue, and pulse-pounding romance.

    Queen Everleigh Blair of Bellona has survived the mass murder of the royal family, become a fearsome warrior trained by an elite gladiator troupe, and unleashed her ability to destroy magic. After surviving yet another assassination attempt orchestrated by the conniving king of Morta, Evie has had enough. It’s time to turn the tables and take the fight to her enemies. 

    There is no better opportunity to strike than during the Regalia Games, a time when warriors, nobles, and royals from all the kingdoms come together to compete in various sporting events. With the help of her loyal friends, Evie goes on the attack at the Regalia, but things don’t turn out the way she hopes. Soon, she is facing a terrifying new threat, and she will have to dig deep and learn even more about her growing magic if she has any chance of defeating her foes.

    Because to secure her throne and ensure her kingdom’s survival, Evie must think like a true Bellonan: she must outsmart and outwit her enemies . . . and crush the king.

    I hope everyone enjoys the conclusion to Evie’s story when it it released. Thanks! 😎 

  • · · ·

    Giveaway for Crush the King, Crown of Shards #3, March 17 …

    49 Comments

    I am giving away three print ARCs of Crush the King, Crown of Shards #3, March 17. Woot!

    The giveaway runs through Sunday, Dec. 8. To enter, use the giveaway form below. The giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only, due to postage costs.

    CRUSH THE KING EBOOK:

    Amazon Kindle B&N Nook Apple Books Google Play Kobo

    CRUSH THE KING PRINT BOOK:

    Amazon print B&N print Books-A-Million IndieBound

    CRUSH THE KING AUDIOBOOK:

    Amazon CD

    I’ll share the other audiobook links when they are online. The audiobook will once again be narrated by the awesome Lauren Fortgang.

    CRUSH THE KING DESCRIPTION:

    A fierce gladiator queen must face off against her enemies in an epic battle in this next thrilling installment of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep’s Crown of Shards series—an action-packed adventure full of magic, murderous machinations, courtly intrigue, and pulse-pounding romance.

    Queen Everleigh Blair of Bellona has survived the mass murder of the royal family, become a fearsome warrior trained by an elite gladiator troupe, and unleashed her ability to destroy magic. After surviving yet another assassination attempt orchestrated by the conniving king of Morta, Evie has had enough. It’s time to turn the tables and take the fight to her enemies. 

    There is no better opportunity to strike than during the Regalia Games, a time when warriors, nobles, and royals from all the kingdoms come together to compete in various sporting events. With the help of her loyal friends, Evie goes on the attack at the Regalia, but things don’t turn out the way she hopes. Soon, she is facing a terrifying new threat, and she will have to dig deep and learn even more about her growing magic if she has any chance of defeating her foes.

    Because to secure her throne and ensure her kingdom’s survival, Evie must think like a true Bellonan: she must outsmart and outwit her enemies . . . and crush the king.

    I hope everyone enjoys the book when it is released. Thanks! 😎 

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  • Fantasy books in my TBR pile …

    As the fall weather gets cooler, I get in the mood to curl up on the couch and read longer books, including all types of fantasy books. Here are some fantasy books that are in my TBR pile. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon:

    The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy

    Out now

    In the Forgotten Empires magic is forbidden, dreams are destiny, and love is the greatest power of all…

    A PRISONER OF FATE
    As Queen of the island kingdom of Calanthe, Lia will do anything to keep her people free—and her secrets safe—from the mad tyrant who rules the mainland. Guided by a magic ring of her father’s, Lia plays the political game with the cronies the emperor sends to her island. In her heart, she knows that it’s up to her to save herself from her fate as the emperor’s bride. But in her dreams, she sees a man, one with the power to build a better world—a man whose spirit is as strong, and whose passion is as fierce as her own…

    A PRINCE AMONG MEN
    Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, has built an army to overthrow the emperor. But he needs the fabled Abiding Ring to succeed. The ring that Lia holds so dear to her heart. When the two banished rulers meet face to face, neither can deny the flames of rebellion that flicker in their eyes—nor the fires of desire that draw them together. But in this broken world of shattered kingdoms, can they ever really trust each other? Can their fiery alliance defeat the shadows of evil that threaten to engulf their hearts and souls?

    My thoughts: Jeffe is a friend, and I read this one for a cover blurb. If you like fantasy romance, you should check out Jeffe’s books. 😎 

    Blood of an Exile by Brian Naslund

    Out now

    First in the Dragons of Terra series, Brian Naslund’s Blood of an Exile is a fast-paced adventure perfect for comic readers and fans of heroic fantasy

    Bershad stands apart from the world, the most legendary dragonslayer in history, both revered and reviled.

    Once, he was Lord Silas Bershad, but after a disastrous failure on the battlefield he was stripped of his titles and sentenced to one violent, perilous hunt after another. Now he lives only to stalk dragons, slaughter them, collect their precious oil, and head back into the treacherous wilds once more. For years, death was his only chance to escape. But that is about to change.

    The king who sentenced Bershad to his fate has just given him an unprecedented chance at redemption. Kill a foreign emperor and walk free forever.

    The journey will take him across dragon-infested mountains, through a seedy criminal underworld, and into a forbidden city guarded by deadly technology.

    But the links of fate bind us all.

    My thoughts: I bought this for Wheezley, but I want to read it too.

    Smoke Eaters by Sean Grigsby

    Out Now

    When dragons rise from the earth, firefighters are humanity’s last line of defence, in this wild near-future fantasy.

    Firefighter Cole Brannigan is on the verge of retirement after 30 years on the job, and a decade fighting dragons. But during his final fire call, he discovers he’s immune to dragon smoke. It’s such a rare power that he’s immediately conscripted into the elite dragon-fighting force known as the Smoke Eaters.  Retirement cancelled, Brannigan is re-assigned as a lowly rookie, chafing under his superiors. So when he discovers a plot to take over the city’s government, he takes matters into his own hands. With hundreds of innocent civilians in the crosshairs, it’s up to Brannigan and his fellow Smoke Eaters to repel the dragon menace.

    My thoughts: I think the idea of firefighters battling dragons sounds really cool.

    The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

    Out on Nov. 19

    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, comes the highly anticipated and jaw-dropping finale to The Folk of the Air trilogy.
    He will be the destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne

    Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power.

    Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril.

    Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics.

    And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity…

    My thoughts: I’m looking forward to seeing how the Folk of the Air trilogy ends.

    What about you guys? What books are you looking forward to reading this fall?

  • YA fantasy books in my TBR pile …

    I can’t believe that it’s August already. Where did the summer go? I haven’t read nearly as many books this summer as I wanted to, but I’m hoping to read a few more this month. Here are some YA fantasy books that are on my TBR pile. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon.

    An Illusion of Thieves by Cate Glass

    Available now

    A ragtag crew with forbidden magic must pull off an elaborate heist and stop a civil war in An Illusion of Thieves, a fantasy adventure from Cate Glass.

    In Cantagna, being a sorcerer is a death sentence.

    Romy escapes her hardscrabble upbringing when she becomes courtesan to the Shadow Lord, a revolutionary noble who brings laws and comforts once reserved for the wealthy to all. When her brother, Neri, is caught thieving with the aid of magic, Romy’s aristocratic influence is the only thing that can spare his life—and the price is her banishment.

    Now back in Beggar’s Ring, she has just her wits and her own long-hidden sorcery to help her and Neri survive. But when a plot to overthrow the Shadow Lord and incite civil war is uncovered, only Romy knows how to stop it. To do so, she’ll have to rely on newfound allies—a swordmaster, a silversmith, and her own thieving brother. And they’ll need the very thing that could condemn them all: magic.

    At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    My thoughts: I love both YA fantasy and heist books, so this one sounds right up my alley.

    Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

    Available now

    “If you are looking for magic you will find it inside this book. Sorcery of Thorns is a bewitching gem, full of slow burning romance, loyal friendships, and extraordinary world building. I absolutely loved every moment of this story.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

    From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an imaginative fantasy about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

    All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

    Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

    As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

    My thoughts: Libraries with deadly magical books? Yes, please!

    Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

    Available now

    Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

    Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

    Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

    And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

    Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

    My thoughts: This is another YA book that sounds really interesting.

    The Wicked King by Holly Black

    Available now

    The enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince.
     
    You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.
     
    The first lesson is to make yourself strong.
     
    After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
     
    When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.
     
    My thoughts: I really enjoyed The Cruel Prince, the first book in this series, when I read it earlier this year, and I’m looking forward to reading this one too.
     

    What about you guys? What books are in your TBR pile right now?