Have you ever felt this deep, internal calling, one you can’t escape from, that even as time goes by, it remains there, whispering in your inner mind, telling you, driving you, to create things that aren’t real? To make them into words that then form adventures? For as long as I can remember I have felt this, and feel it is what I was meant to do. I love, and try to incorporate in my own stories, elements that involve magic, uncommon or new creatures, extensive worlds, flawed characters, a pinch of love, and everything else (including, possibly, a kitchen sink) that can be found in a made-up universe.
This book brought adventure, magic, and a touch of romance, and I cannot wait for the second book to come out!
When the main character returned home after her first job as a messenger in the land of Ilbeor, she found her whole family had caught a deadly disease with no cure, and all she had left of them was a scarf that doesn’t burn in fire. The story of her adventure to find the truth kept me on my toes until the last page.
I cannot recommend this book enough if you are looking for a female lead that doesn’t back down when the harshest of obstacles have been thrown her way, some even from an evil sorcerer plotting from the shadows.
Messengers connect six races of the verdant and beautiful land of Ilbeor, and newly trained messenger Alanda feels the promise of her adult life as she steps into the world to find her fortune. Faithful dog Alis at her side, Alanda traverses the mountainous wilderness only to be punished by storm and sun before becoming the first elf-friend in generations. When she meets charming messenger Tostig and feels the spark of a connection unlike any she’s ever known, she believes her life has truly begun.
After being greeted by tragedy and a brother changed by primal magics she does not…
I really enjoyed this book for a number of reasons, three being: the world-building, the magic, and the flawed characters.
It showcased real people, one character in particular, King Akeela, who started out as a good man but descended into madness fueled by anger after he learned his adopted brother slept with his wife. The story blended an Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere love story into a fresh plot with betrayal, love, war, and magic that is different from other stories.
It had me whipping through the pages to see how the story and characters progressed and what ultimately happened to Akeela’s wife, who was wrought with leukemia.
A young king breaks with the past and makes peace with the kingdom his father has fought for years. To seal the bargain he is offered the hand of the kingdom's princess. And so begins a fast moving epic of madness, obsession, prejudice and sheer magic. John Marco has woven an intricate tale of personalities driven by love, hatred and ambition. Each character must, in the end, pay the price for their actions and THE EYES OF GOD is, at its core, an almost classical tragedy. Rich in its evocation of magical lands, detailed in its dissection of motive, compelling…
I read this book when I was younger, as the main character is fourteen, but I have recently reread it with a different view, being older. And it still had me excited to keep reading to the end, not having lost the mystique of magical components and a cute love story that it did all those years ago.
With a conquering empire invading their borders, Princess Thirrin must seek help from those she has only heard terrible tales about and gains an unlikely relationship with a witch’s son in the process. This is one of my favorite books that has me picking it up a couple times to revisit the journey Thirrin must venture, and it never lets me down.
A magnificent tale of adventure, emotion and a girl who defies an empire set in the backdrop of sublime landscape!
'A dazzling, confident debut about power and personal discovery' THE TIMES
'A wonderful, swashbuckling read and an exceptional debut.' BOOKS FOR KEEPS
When her father dies nobly in battle, fourteen-year-old Thirrin becomes Queen of the Icemark, a tiny kingdom forever caught between dangerous neighbours.
Thirrin must raise an army to protect her people from seemingly invincible Imperial invaders. Her search for allies takes her beyond her northern borders, to former enemies in The-Land-of-the-Ghosts and onwards to the frozen Hub-of-the-World.
Nothing beats a good ol’ hero saving the princess story at the end of the day. It might be cliche and old, but I still love it when two characters fall in love, destined to be together, and the male character rises to hero status, having to do everything he can to rescue the princess.
That was just one of the things that I really loved about this book, another being the evil and sadistic prince the princess, Haleine, must marry and later try and escape from. There’s always that secret pleasure of the dark, evil antagonist that, when written right, just makes the story perfect. And that’s what I found in Effigy.
The survival of a once-mighty kingdom rests in the hands of its young queen, Haleine Coileáin, as it slowly succumbs to an ancient evil fueled by her husband’s cruelty. A sadistic man with a talent for torture and a taste for murder, he is determined to burn the land and all souls within. Haleine is determined to save her kingdom and, after a chance encounter, joins forces with the leader of the people’s rebellion. She gives him her support, soon followed by her heart. Loving him is inadvertent but becomes as natural and necessary as breathing. She lies and steals…
I enjoyed this book so much, I have read it three times. I first came across The Singer’s Crown when I was much younger than I am now, but I have since then read it multiple times because the love of the main character, Prince Kattanan, was so innocent, and I just couldn’t help but fall in love with him as he held secret feelings for Princess Melisande.
The story blends betrayal, a cast-out prince, magic, and secret feelings like a perfect blend of creamy chocolate and magical peanut butter. It is one of my favorites, and it keeps pulling me back to reread the story over and over; I highly recommend it.
Prince Kattanan duRhys was in direct line to the throne—until his royal family was cruelly slaughtered by a usurping uncle who spared the life of his "favorite nephew" but left the boy mutilated and incapable of claiming his birthright.Nearly a decade on, Kattanan is a harmless wanderer—a coveted prize—serving many different masters. But now the singer's simple life is threatened by chaos and dark wizardry, by his impossible secret love for the betrothed Princess Melisande . . . and by an obligation of the blood that forces Kattanan to pursue vengeance and a crown he's not certain he wants.
When his father mysteriously disappears without a trace Chazz is forced to take the crown and lead the kingdom of Balkanos against their old enemy, the Ocreeans.
While Chazz is away fighting, his brother Brutus begins secretly courting Chazz’s betrothed Lady Velvet. But, as the betrayal unfolds and trusts are broken, old magic begins to unravel in a distant mountain that will change everything, leading to Velvet being kidnapped.
From the time I was a girl, I’ve loved stories that put a lump in my throat even as I’m laughing. As a fiction writer, that funny-sad tone is the one I go for in my own work. I gravitate toward female protagonists of all ages who break the mold—women who are intelligent and strong but who also have unconventional, quirky personalities. Women who can be hilarious, infuriating, and heartbreaking—sometimes all at once. Because they are complex and unique, these women tend to struggle with life’s challenges more than their contemporaries. That’s what makes their stories so interesting, and why I have chosen the books on this list.
When Mar’s husband divorces her, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy starting over, she’s ready for new adventures—as long as she can keep things casual. Each month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical consultant. . . and a handsome novelist who wants more than she can give. Mar learns from each encounter. But can she open herself up to true connection?
Surrounded by quirky, endearing characters, Mar navigates her…
"A fun, entertaining novel! I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book as much as I did." -Leslie A. Rasmussen, award-winning author
When Mar Meyer's husband divorces her for another woman, she reacts by abandoning everything in her past: her home, her friends, even her name. Though it's not easy to start over, Mar is young-looking, fit, and ready for new adventures-as long as she can keep things casual.
With each passing month, Mar goes from one acquaintance to the next. Among them: a fellow gym member down on her luck, a flirty hip-hop instructor, a bossy but comical…
