Epic fantasy

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    Kill the Queen epic fantasy series …

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    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 Queen — Gladiator 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 …

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    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?

  • The weather might be frightful, but winter reads are quite delightful …

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    The holidays are a distant memory, and we are well into winter now. That means cold temperatures and snow for many of us.

    Me? I love the cold weather, and I hope that we get buckets of snow this year. 🙂

    But I also find that the cold weather affects my reading habits. In the warmer months, I often find myself reading shorter books with lighter themes — things like contemporary romance or comics/graphic novels. Books that I can usually read in a night or two, in between all my other work and commitments.

    crooked-kingdomBut in the winter, I like to read longer, more involved books — things like epic fantasy and large collections of comics that often take me several nights to read. All the books that I never seem to have time to read during the rest of the year, like Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo.

    So why is that? I think a large part of it is the weather. The cold temperatures, the short days, the long nights — it all makes me want to stay inside where it is warm and toasty. Plus, once I sit down on the couch with my book, a microfleece blanket, and perhaps a mug of hot chocolate, I want to stay there for a while.

    Also, the winter months, especially January, always seem to feel a little less hectic, especially after all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. It just seems like a good time to slow down, rest, recharge, and read a book.

    Here are some more books on my TBR this winter:

    The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

    The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst

    Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake

    What about you guys? Do you find yourself reading different kinds of books at different times of the year? Why or why not?

  • Winter reads …

    The holidays are over for another year, so let’s talk about the fun stuff — books. 🙂

    What books did you guys get for Christmas? Here are some of the books that I got for the holidays that I’m looking forward to reading this winter. Note that the descriptions are from Amazon:

    Black WidowBlack Widow Vol. 1: S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Most Wanted by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee

    They wowed you with Daredevil, now the Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee take Black Widow to new heights -by forcing her to go on the lam! Natasha has a lifetime of secrets, and when some of the darkest ones are made public, nobody is safe. As S.H.I.E.L.D. turns on its once greatest asset, she seeks out her own answers in a knockdown drag-out tale of action and espionage! But will the Widow’s hunt for the Weeping Lion send her back to the one place she never wanted to go? And, when a S.H.I.E.L.D. funeral makes the assembled top brass an attractive target, it’s lucky for them that the Black Widow is still on their side, even if they aren’t on hers.

    COLLECTING: BLACK WIDOW 1-6

    My thoughts: I’m always up for a Black Widow story, and I’ve heard good things about this series.

    dc-comics-bombshellsDC Comics: Bombshells Vol. 1: Enlisted by Marguerite Bennett and Marguerite Sauvage

    The incredibly popular DC Collectibles line is brought to life in these stories that reimagine the course of history!

    As Word War II rages across Europe, the Allied forces issue a call to arms for the greatest heroines the world has ever known: THE BOMBSHELLS!

    KATE KANE, the all-American Batwoman; DIANA OF THEMYSCIRA, warrior Princess of the Amazons; KARA STARIKOV and KORTNI DUGINOVNA, defenders of Mother Russia; and MERA, royal daughter of the legendary Atlantis! With aid from their allies at home and abroad, these mighty women will turn the tide of war and defend those inviolable rights of Truth, Justice and Freedom.

    From writer Marguerite Bennett (BATGIRL, EARTH 2: WORLD’S END) and featuring artists including Marguerite Sauvage (HINTERKIND), Laura Braga (Witchblade), Bilquis Evely (Doc Savage), Mirka Andolfo (Chaos) and Ming Doyle (CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER) comes DC COMICS: BOMBSHELLS VOL. 1: ENLISTED. Collects DC COMICS: BOMBSHELLS #1-6.

    My thoughts: This looks like an interesting and different take on Wonder Woman and other classic comic book heroines.

    the-demon-kingThe Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

    One day Han Alister catches three young wizard setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet away from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to ensure the boy won’t use it against him. The amulet once belonged to the Demon King, who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece so powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

    Meanwhile, Princess Raisa ana’Marianna has her own battle to fight. She’s just returned to court after three years of riding and hunting with her father’s family. Raia aspires to be like Hanalea, the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But it seems that her mother has other plans for her-plans that include a suitor who goes against everything the Queendom stands for.

    The Seven Realms will tremble when the lives of Han and Raisa collide in this stunning page-turner from best-selling author Cinda Williams Chima.

    My thoughts: I’ve heard a lot of good things about this series, and I’ve been wanting to try it for a long time.

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

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    Fall reads …

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    Today, I thought that I would share some of the books that I’m looking forward to reading this fall. Note that the descriptions are from Goodreads.

    Sunset in Central ParkSunset in Central Park

    by Sarah Morgan — out now

    In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it’s been right under your nose all along…

    Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents’ divorce, she’s seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt—but that’s strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race…

    Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he’s known forever and doesn’t want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?

    My thoughts: I enjoy reading contemporary romance (I’m a sucker for a good rom-com movie), and this is the second book in Morgan’s new contemporary romance series, after Sleepless in Manhattan.

    Three Dark CrownsThree Dark Crowns

    by Kendare Blake — out now

    Every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born: three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

    But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins. The last queen standing gets the crown.

    If only it was that simple. Katharine is unable to tolerate the weakest poison, and Arsinoe, no matter how hard she tries, can’t make even a weed grow. The two queens have been shamefully faking their powers, taking care to keep each other, the island, and their powerful sister Mirabella none the wiser. But with alliances being formed, betrayals taking shape, and ruthless revenge haunting the queens’ every move, one thing is certain: the last queen standing might not be the strongest…but she may be the darkest.

    My thoughts: I love reading epic fantasy young adult books, and this one sounds really interesting.

    Black WidowBlack Widow Vol. 1: S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Most Wanted

    by Mark Waid and Chris Samnee — out on Nov. 8

    They wowed you with Daredevil, now the Eisner Award-winning team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee take Black Widow to new heights -by forcing her to go on the lam! Natasha has a lifetime of secrets, and when some of the darkest ones are made public, nobody is safe. As S.H.I.E.L.D. turns on its once greatest asset, she seeks out her own answers in a knockdown drag-out tale of action and espionage! But will the Widow’s hunt for the Weeping Lion send her back to the one place she never wanted to go? And, when a S.H.I.E.L.D. funeral makes the assembled top brass an attractive target, it’s lucky for them that the Black Widow is still on their side, even if they aren’t on hers.

    COLLECTING: BLACK WIDOW 1-6

    My thoughts: I’m always up for a Black Widow story, and I’ve heard good things about this storyline.

    What about you guys? What’s on your TBR pile this fall?