Epic fantasy

  • Books to add to my TBR pile …

    5 Comments
    It’s time to check in with the old TBR pile. Here are some upcoming books that I’m looking forward to reading. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon.
     
     
    Out on Aug. 28
     
    A standalone epic fantasy adventure featuring a band of legendary mercenaries set in the world of Kings of the Wyld from author Nicholas Eames, who has been hailed as “the voice of modern fantasy” by Michael R. Fletcher.
     
    Live fast, die young.
     

    Tam Hashford is tired of working at her local pub, slinging drinks for world-famous mercenaries and listening to the bards sing of adventure and glory in the world beyond her sleepy hometown.

    When the biggest mercenary band of all rolls into town, led by the infamous Bloody Rose, Tam jumps at the chance to sign on as their bard. It’s adventure she wants – and adventure she gets as the crew embark on a quest that will end in one of two ways: glory or death.

    It’s time to take a walk on the wyld side.

    My thoughts: I’m going to buy this one for Wheezley, who loved Kings of the Wyld, the first book in the series.
     
    Toil & Trouble anthology by various authors
     
    Out on Aug. 28
     
    Scorn the witch. Fear the witch. Burn the witch.

    History is filled with stories of women accused of witchcraft, of fearsome girls with arcane knowledge. Toil & Trouble features fifteen stories of girls embracing their power, reclaiming their destinies and using their magic to create, to curse, to cure—and to kill.

    A young witch uses social media to connect with her astrology clients—and with a NASA-loving girl as cute as she is skeptical. A priestess of death investigates a ritualized murder. A bruja who cures lovesickness might need the remedy herself when she falls in love with an altar boy. A theater production is turned upside down by a visiting churel. In Reconstruction-era Texas, a water witch uses her magic to survive the soldiers who have invaded her desert oasis. And in the near future, a group of girls accused of witchcraft must find their collective power in order to destroy their captors.

    This collection reveals a universal truth: there’s nothing more powerful than a teenage girl who believes in herself.

     
    My thoughts: I like to read anthologies since they let me check out several different authors at once, and this one sounds really interesting.
     
     
    Out on Nov. 6
     
    A spy is dead. A legend is born. This is how it all began. The explosive prequel to Casino Royale, from bestselling author Anthony Horowitz. 

    Forever and a Day is the story of the birth of a legend, in the brutal underworld of the French Riviera, taking readers into the very beginning of James Bond’s illustrious career and the formation of his identity. 

    M laid down his pipe and stared at it tetchily. “We have no choice. We’re just going to bring forward this other chap you’ve been preparing. But you didn’t tell me his name.”

    “‘It’s Bond, sir,’” the Chief of Staff replied. “James Bond.”

    The sea keeps its secrets. But not this time. 

    One body. Three bullets. 007 floats in the waters of Marseille, killed by an unknown hand. 

    It’s time for a new agent to step up. Time for a new weapon in the war against organized crime. 

    It’s time for James Bond to earn his license to kill.

    My thoughts: I love the James Bond books and movies, so I’m looking forward to checking out this new Bond story.

    What about you guys? What books do you want to check out this summer/fall?

  • · · ·

    Enter to win an ARC of KILL THE QUEEN, Crown of Shards #1, Oct. 2 …

    135 Comments

    I have 5 print ARCs (advanced reading copies) to give away for Kill the Queen, which will be out on Oct. 2. Woot! 🙂

    To enter the giveaway, fill out the form at the bottom of this post.

    Kill the Queen is book #1 in my Crown of Shards epic fantasy series. As of right now, there will be three books in the series.

    PRE-ORDER LINKS

    Ebook: $10.99 at these sites:

    Amazon Kindle / Barnes & Noble Nook / Google Play / iBooks / Kobo

    Print book: $16.99 at these sites:

    Amazon print / Barnes & Noble print / Books-A-Million / IndieBound

    If you pre-order the print book, you can probably get it a little cheaper since retailers usually give customers the lowest price before release day.

    Audiobook: The audiobook will be available in digital and CD formats:

    Amazon audiobook / Audible audiobook / Amazon MP3 CD

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.
     
    ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

    The giveaway is open to those 18 and older and U.S. addresses only, due to postage costs. Void where prohibited. To enter the giveaway, fill out the form below.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • · · ·

    Pre-order Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1, Oct. 2 …

    In case you missed it, here is the cover art for Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1. Woot! 🙂

    Fun fact: Tony Mauro, the cover artist for my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, also worked on this cover. However, this is not the model from the Elemental Assassin series.

    Kill the Queen will be out on Oct. 2. As of right now, there will be three books in the series.

    PRE-ORDER LINKS

    Ebook: $10.99 at these sites:

    Amazon Kindle / Barnes & Noble e-book / Google Play / iBooks / Kobo

    Print book: $16.99 at these sites:

    Amazon print / Barnes & Noble print / Books-A-Million / IndieBound

    If you pre-order the print book, you can probably get it a little cheaper since retailers usually give customers the lowest price before release day.

    Audiobook: There will be an audiobook, and I will share those links as soon they become available.

    Amazon MP3 CDs

    Epic fantasy: I’ve gotten some questions about the book genre. Kill the Queen is adult epic fantasy — NOT YA fantasy.

    There is sex, language, and violence in Kill the Queen, just like there is in my Elemental Assassin series.

    That being said, if you like my YA books, especially my Mythos Academy series, you will probably enjoy this one too. There are some nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies in the book, but this is much more of an adult read than my YA series. And like all my other books/series, Kill the Queen features a strong heroine, lots of action/fight scenes, a hint of romance, and magic/worldbuilding, among other things.

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

    KILL THE QUEEN is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen. — Ilona Andrews #1 New York Times bestselling author

    KILL THE QUEEN rocked my world! With court intrigue, a cast of fantastic characters, epic political sweep, and a slow-burn romance to die for, this book had me rapt. I only regret I devoured it so fast. And that I didn’t write it. More please! — Jeffe Kennedy, RITA® Award winning author of The Pages of the Mind

    Jennifer Estep takes the world of high fantasy by storm with a book so perfectly plotted and executed that I gasped out loud at each new reveal and unexpected turn. Evie is the heroine we all want to read about: as compassionate as she is ruthless, as cunning as she is kind, and as fierce and focused as anyone must be in order to KILL THE QUEEN.
    — Amanda Bouchet, USA Today bestselling author of The Kingmaker Chronicles
     
    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.
     
    I hope that everyone enjoys the look at the cover art and other info. Thanks!
  • · ·

    Check out the cover art for Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1 …

    I am thrilled to finally share the cover art for Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1. Woot! 🙂

    Fun fact: Tony Mauro, the cover artist for my Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series, also worked on this cover. However, this is not the model from the Elemental Assassin series.

    Pre-order the book: Kill the Queen will be out on Oct. 2. As of right now, there will be three books in the series. Here are the pre-order links:

    Amazon Kindle / Amazon paperback / Barnes & Noble e-book / Barnes & Noble print book / Books-A-Million / Google Play / iBooks / IndieBound / Kobo

    Book prices: The e-book is $10.99, and the print book is $16.99. However, if you pre-order the print book, you can probably get it a little cheaper since retailers usually give customers the lowest price before release day.

    And please do not complain to me about the book prices, especially the ebook price. My publisher sets those, not me, and I have zero control over them. Zero control!

    Audiobook: There will be an audiobook, and I will share those links as soon as they are online.

    Epic fantasy: I’ve gotten some questions about what genre this book is. Kill the Queen is adult epic fantasy — NOT YA fantasy.

    There is sex, language, and violence in Kill the Queen, just like there is in my Elemental Assassin series.

    That being said, if you like my YA books, especially my Mythos Academy series, you will probably enjoy this one too. There are some nods to Roman, Norse, and other mythologies in the book, but this is much more of an adult read than my YA series. And like all my other books/series, Kill the Queen features a strong heroine, lots of action/fight scenes, a hint of romance, and magic/worldbuilding, among other things.

    Book description: And here is the book description.

    The thrilling first novel of the Crown of Shards epic fantasy series combines magic, murder, and adventure when a member of the royal family becomes a contender in a clash for the crown… 

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    In other words: I’m pitching the book as Gladiator meets Game of Thrones with a kickass heroine.

    Praise for the book: Here is what some folks are saying about the book.

    KILL THE QUEEN is the definition of epic fantasy: exciting, original, and filled with characters who jump off the page. Jennifer Estep enters the arena and takes no prisoners. Long live the Winter Queen. — Ilona Andrews #1 New York Times bestselling author

    Kill the Queen rocked my world! With court intrigue, a cast of fantastic characters, epic political sweep, and a slow-burn romance to die for, this book had me rapt. I only regret I devoured it so fast. And that I didn’t write it. More please! — Jeffe Kennedy, RITA® Award winning author of The Pages of the Mind

    Read the first chapter: To read the first chapter, go here, scroll down, and click on the Read Excerpt tab.

    I hope that everyone enjoys the look at the cover art and other info. Thanks!

  • · · ·

    Updates and description for Kill the Queen, Crown of Shards #1, Oct. 2 …

    2 Comments

    I have some updates to share for Kill the Queen.

    1) The book title is still Kill the Queen, but the series title has changed to Crown of Shards. Also, the release date has been pushed back a week to Oct. 2.

    2) The book is up for pre-order:

    Amazon Kindle / Amazon paperback / Barnes & Noble e-book / Barnes & Noble print book / Books-A-Million / Google Play / iBooks / IndieBound / Kobo

    The ebook is $10.99, and the print book is $16.99. There will be an audiobook, and I will share those links as soon as they are online.

    3) Here is the book description:

    Gladiator meets Game of Thrones: a royal woman becomes a skilled warrior to destroy her murderous cousin, avenge her family, and save her kingdom in this first entry in a dazzling fantasy epic from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Elemental Assassin series—an enthralling tale that combines magic, murder, intrigue, adventure, and a hint of romance.

    In a realm where one’s magical power determines one’s worth, Lady Everleigh’s lack of obvious ability relegates her to the shadows of the royal court of Bellona, a kingdom steeped in gladiator tradition. Seventeenth in line for the throne, Evie is nothing more than a ceremonial fixture, overlooked and mostly forgotten.

    But dark forces are at work inside the palace. When her cousin Vasilia, the crown princess, assassinates her mother the queen and takes the throne by force, Evie is also attacked, along with the rest of the royal family. Luckily for Evie, her secret immunity to magic helps her escape the massacre.

    Forced into hiding to survive, she falls in with a gladiator troupe. Though they use their talents to entertain and amuse the masses, the gladiators are actually highly trained warriors skilled in the art of war, especially Lucas Sullivan, a powerful magier with secrets of his own. Uncertain of her future—or if she even has one—Evie begins training with the troupe until she can decide her next move.

    But as the bloodthirsty Vasilia exerts her power, pushing Bellona to the brink of war, Evie’s fate becomes clear: she must become a fearsome gladiator herself . . . and kill the queen.

    4) And that’s it for now. I should have the cover art to share soon. In the meantime, I hope everyone enjoys the book description. 🙂