Why am I passionate about this?

I dreamed of being a fairy tale princess at a young age, and although I never received my glass slipper, I still have a highly active imagination. This is probably why fantasy books are my favorite, and I’ve read extensively in this space. I’m also a huge Disney and Harry Potter nerd. While I might not win a trivia competition on these topics, I could definitely hold my own. To be honest, immersing myself in another world is my favorite form of escapism and the number one way I relax and unwind after work. I’ve read many, many books in my life and can quickly tell you the ones I love the best.


I wrote

Never Forgotten

By Kelly Risser,

Book cover of Never Forgotten

What is my book about?

Meara Quinn is about to find out there are worse things than moving to a tiny oceanside town before her…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Wicked King

Kelly Risser Why did I love this book?

Holly Black is the queen of fairy tales, but not the happily ever after kind. The world building is lush, from the exotic fruits, foreign, but gorgeously detailed landscapes and lush parties with Fae royalty to the variety of magical creatures: Beautiful women with horns and cloven feet, princes with tails and kissable lips, and humans who find themselves immersed in the Fae games, which could very well result in life or death.

I could choose many of her books, but Wicked King is my absolute favorite. Yes, it’s the last book in a trilogy, and sometimes that is a letdown. Not true here. There is tension, passion, intrigue, and nonstop action all the way to the end, which I won’t spoil for you, but I will say left me completely satisfied.

By Holly Black,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Wicked King as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

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 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…


Book cover of Moon Called

Kelly Risser Why did I love this book?

Moon Called is the first book in the Mercedes Thompson series. Mercedes, or Mercy to her friends, is a shape shifter who takes the form of a coyote. She was raised by a pack of werewolves, but she’s also an auto mechanic who works for a powerful Fae lord. She is a sarcastic, kick-butt, and take-no-nonsense heroine who manages to get herself in trouble quite often, but just as quickly and scrappily fights her way out of it. She is one of the most confident females I have ever read in fantasy, and she makes me laugh out loud constantly. Overall, this is my favorite urban fantasy series of all time, and the series is going strong with book thirteen coming out in August 2022.

By Patricia Briggs,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked Moon Called as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first novel in the New York Times bestselling Mercy Thompson series - the major urban fantasy hit of the decade

'I love these books!' Charlaine Harris

The best new fantasy series I've read in years' Kelley Armstrong

MERCY THOMPSON: MECHANIC, SHAPESHIFTER, FIGHTER

I didn't realize he was a werewolf at first. My nose isn't at its best when surrounded by axle grease and burnt oil . . .'

Mercedes Thompson runs a garage in the Tri-Cities. She's a mechanic, and a damn good one, who spends her spare time karate training and tinkering with a VW bus that happens…


Book cover of Guilty Pleasures: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel

Kelly Risser Why did I love this book?

Before I read this book, I’d never heard of a necromancer, or someone who could raise the dead. In this alternate reality, Anita Blake is a necromancer who lives in St. Louis and raises the dead mostly to finish unsettled business. What a fascinating idea! Imagine if you could ask your grandmother what happened to a lost family heirloom, or settle a legal dispute that would otherwise go unsolved? 

As you can imagine, someone who can control the dead would not be beloved by the undead, and there are plenty of vampires in this world, as well as werewolves, shifters, and other magical folks. The series gets grittier and becomes quite erotic as it goes on, but the first few books are some of my favorites.

By Laurell K. Hamilton,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked Guilty Pleasures as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Meet Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, in the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series that "blends the genres of romance, horror and adventure with stunning panache"(Diana Gabaldon).

Laurell K. Hamilton's bestselling series has captured readers' wildest imaginations and addicted them to a seductive world where supernatural hungers collide with the desires of the human heart, starring a heroine like no other...

Anita Blake is small, dark, and dangerous. Her turf is the city of St. Louis. Her job: re-animating the dead and killing the undead who take things too far. But when the city's most powerful vampire…


Book cover of Daughter of the Pirate King

Kelly Risser Why did I love this book?

This book can be described in one word: Fun. From a ship crewed by female pirates to a quest for treasure, it has all the witty dialogue and adventure to match the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but instead features a fierce, female captain named Alosa who has mad skills and a way of looking at the world that will make you laugh out loud and cheer her on. 

This is the first in a duology, so it’s also not too much of a commitment to read, unlike some longer series. Both books are equally fast-paced and enjoyable. If you’re like me, you’ll be ready to grab your pirate hat and strap on your sword by the end of this book.

By Tricia Levenseller,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Daughter of the Pirate King as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

If you want something done right...When her father, the ruthless Pirate King, discovers that a legendary treasure map can be found on an enemy ship, his daughter, Alosa, knows that there's only one pirate for the job - herself. Leaving behind her beloved ship and crew, Alosa deliberately facilitates her own kidnapping to ensure her welcome on the ship. After all, who's going to suspect a girl locked in a cell...But Alosa has skills enough for any three pirates, and has yet to meet her match. Although she has to admit that the surprisingly perceptive and unfairly attractive first mate,…


Book cover of City of Bones

Kelly Risser Why did I love this book?

Oh, how I love my Shadowhunters and Downworlders! I’m definitely Team Jace, although I have a deep love of Magnus Bane, too. Cassandra Clare won my heart in this first installment in the Mortal Instruments series, starting with Clary, an ordinary girl who sees something unworldly at a dance club, which thrusts her into the world of humans with angel blood, vampires, werewolves, Fae, and other magical beings. The world building is gripping, the story grabbed me and I could not put the book down. You know a book is great when it was not only made into a movie but a television series as well. Cassandra has an almost cult following and it’s no wonder, her books are addictive and unforgettable.

By Cassandra Clare,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked City of Bones as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

Discover this first installment of the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and “prepare to be hooked” (Entertainment Weekly).

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he…


Explore my book 😀

Never Forgotten

By Kelly Risser,

Book cover of Never Forgotten

What is my book about?

Meara Quinn is about to find out there are worse things than moving to a tiny oceanside town before her senior year. Like discovering there's a secret being kept from her and knowing it's a life-changer. 

After experiencing vivid visions of her absentee father, Meara decides she deserves answers. With the help of her new friend Evan, a guy she happens to be falling for, she embarks on a journey in the hopes of unlocking family history and finding her true self. But when she meets a handsome stranger at a local club who knows far more about her than he should, her world is again shaken. In him, Meara may have uncovered the key to the very secret that will reveal not only who she is... but what she is.

Book cover of The Wicked King
Book cover of Moon Called
Book cover of Guilty Pleasures: An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel

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Book cover of Glimmer of the Other

Heather G. Harris Author Of Glimmer of the Other

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Heather's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

Delve into this internationally best-selling series, now complete! A fast paced laugh-out-loud mix of Urban Fantasy and Mystery.

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time. I’m Jinx, a PI hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar–yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone. Stone…

By Heather G. Harris,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Glimmer of the Other as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time.

I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill – but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parent’s killers.

When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar – yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish…


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