Outlaw Saints
2 / 2 books Complete
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Daniel José Older's music-and-magic-filled YA urban fantasy about two teens who discover each other and their powers during a political battle within a unique diaspora community.
"Brimming with mystery, mayhem, and heart, Ballad and Dagger gives us wondrous new magic steeped in deep traditions. It's a gorgeous romance, a wild adventure, and a powerful story that unravels not only the pain of diaspora, but the strength of community and the ways we provide refuge for one another."--Leigh Bardugo, New York Times #1 best-selling author of Shadow and Bone
Almost sixteen years ago, Mateo Matisse's island homeland disappeared into the sea. Weary and hopeless, the survivors of San Madrigal's sinking escaped to New York.
While the rest of his tight-knit Brooklyn diaspora community dreams of someday finding a way back home, Mateo--now a high school junior and piano prodigy living with his two aunts (one who's alive, the other not so much)--is focused on one thing: getting the attention of locally-grown musical legend Gerval. Mateo finally gets his chance on the night of the Grand Fete, an annual party celebrating the blended culture of pirates, Cuban Santeros, and Sephardic Jews that created San Madrigal all those centuries ago.
But the evil that sank their island has finally caught up with them, and on the night of the celebration, Mateo's life is forever changed when he witnesses a brutal murder by a person he thought he knew.
Suddenly Mateo is thrust into an ancient battle that spans years and oceans. Deadly secrets are unraveled and Mateo awakens a power within himself--a power that not only links him to the killer but could also hold the key to unlocking the dark mystery behind his lost homeland.
From the author of the award-winning Shadowshaper Cypher series comes the first novel in the Outlaw Saints duology--a brilliant story that will transport readers to a world where magic, myth, and gods reign over the streets of Brooklyn.
Loresmith
3 / 3 books Complete
Games of Thrones meets Shadow and Bone in this action-packed fantasy from the internationally bestselling author of the Nightshade series.
Ara has always known the legend of the Loresmith: the blacksmith who served alongside the kings and queens of Saetlund, forging legendary weapons to arm warriors and protect the kingdom. She's been told it's her fate to inherit the title and become the next Loresmith. But since the monarchy's downfall in a vicious conquest years before, Ara has never truly believed she would be able to take up her duty.
But when the lost Princess Nimhea and Prince Eamon steal Ara from her quiet life with a mission to retake the throne and return Ara to her place as the Loresmith--Ara's whole world turns upside down.
Suddenly, Ara must leave her small mountain village and embark on a dangerous adventure where she will uncover new truths about her family's legacy, and even face the gods themselves. With a mysterious thief as an unexpected companion, and dark forces following their every move, Ara must use all her skills to forge the right path forward--for herself, her kingdom, and her heart.
From internationally bestselling author Andrea Roberston comes a gorgeously written new fantasy series perfect for readers of Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone or Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series.
Praise for Forged in Fire and Stars:
"An epic and classic fantasy." --School Library Journal
"Epic fantasy isn't usually my thing, but Forged in Fire and Stars made me a believer." --TOR.com
Wind-up Garden
2 / 2 books Complete
Twins imbued with incredible magic and near-immortality will do anything to keep their family in power—even if it tears the family apart—in the first book of a mythic epic fantasy duology from the New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls.
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2022—BookPage
Rhea and Lexos were born into a family unlike any other. Together with their siblings, they control the seasons, the tides, and the stars, and help their father rule their kingdom. Thanks to their magic, the family has ruled for an eternity, and plan to rule for an eternity more.
But Rhea and Lexos are special: They are twins, bonded down to the bone, and for the past hundred years, that bond has protected them as their father becomes an unpredictable tyrant—and his worsening temper threatens the family’s grip on power.
Now, with rival nations ready to attack, and a rebel movement within their own borders, Rhea and Lexos must fight to keep the kingdom—and the family—together, even as treachery, deceit, and drama threaten to strand the twins on opposite sides of the battlefield.
In a Garden Burning Gold is a vividly written, atmospheric saga that explores the limits of power and the bonds of family—and how far both can be bent before they break.
Iron Fey: Evenfall
3 / 3 books Complete
The Iron Raven is the start of a new trilogy in The Iron Fey series and will stand alone, even as it brings back the original three characters.
Puck, AKA Robin Goodfellow, AKA the Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, is a rogue faery, prankster, and Oberon’s right-hand man, often found in the form of a giant raven. He’s never met a faery he couldn’t best with a prank, or anyone at all who didn’t recognize his name.
Until now.
As humans’ dreams of the future turn to rage and pain and despair, ancient beings are stirring, more dangerous and powerful than the kings and queens of Summer, Winter, Iron, and the Forgotten realms alike. The fabric of the worlds will be torn asunder and no man, beast, or faery creature will survive without a miracle… or three friends and one new, mysterious faery, bound together by adventures, danger, and love, who learn that together we are all stronger than when we try to fight alone.
The Final Architecture
3 / 3 books Complete
From the author of the thrilling science-fiction epic Children of Time, winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award. Shards of Earth is the first high-octane, far-future space adventure in Adrian Tchaikovsky' Final Architecture trilogy.
'One of the most interesting and accomplished writers in speculative fiction' – Christopher Paolini
The war is over.
Its heroes forgotten.
Until one chance discovery . . .
Idris has neither aged nor slept since they remade his mind in the war. And one of humanity’s heroes now scrapes by on a freelance salvage vessel, to avoid the attention of greater powers.
Eighty years ago, Earth was destroyed by an alien enemy. Many escaped, but millions more died. So mankind created enhanced humans such as Idris – who could communicate mind-to-mind with our aggressors. Then these ‘Architects’ simply disappeared and Idris and his kind became obsolete.
Now, Idris and his crew have something strange, abandoned in space. It’s clearly the work of the Architects – but are they really returning? And if so, why? Hunted by gangsters, cults and governments, Idris and his crew race across the galaxy as they search for answers. For they now possess something of incalculable value, and many would kill to obtain it.
Praise for Adrian Tchaikovsky:
'If Homer had written space opera . . . Enthralling, epic, immersive and hugely intelligent.' – Stephen Baxter on Shards of Earth
'He writes incredibly enjoyable sci-fi, full of life and ideas' – Patrick Ness
‘Brilliant science fiction’ – James McAvoy on Children of Time
The Blood Gift Duology
2 / 2 books Complete
Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.
It’s all about blood.
The blood spilled between the Republic of Mareen and the armies of the Blood Emperor long ago. The blood gifts of Mareen’s deadliest enemies. The blood that runs through the elite War Houses of Mareen, the rulers of the Tribunal dedicated to keeping the republic alive.
The blood of the former Legatus, Verne Amari, murdered.
For his granddaughter, Ikenna, the only thing steady in her life was the man who had saved Mareen. The man who had trained her in secret, not just in martial skills, but in harnessing the blood gift that coursed through her.
Who trained her to keep that a secret.
But now there are too many secrets, and with her grandfather assassinated, Ikenna knows two things: that only someone on the Tribunal could have ordered his death, and that only a Praetorian Guard could have carried out that order.
Bent on revenge as much as discovering the truth, Ikenna pledges herself to the Praetorian Trials—a brutal initiation that only a quarter of the aspirants survive. She subjects herself to the racism directed against her half-Khanaian heritage and the misogyny of a society that cherishes progeny over prodigy, all while hiding a power that—if found out—would subject her to execution…or worse. Ikenna is willing to risk it all because she needs to find out who murdered her grandfather…and then she needs to kill them.
Mareen has been at peace for a long time…
Ikenna joining the Praetorians is about to change all that.
Magic and technology converge in the first part of this stunning debut duology, where loyalty to oneself—and one’s blood—is more important than anything.
Drowning Empire
3 / 3 books Complete
'One of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time...This book is truly special' Sarah J. Maas
'Epic fantasy at its most human and heartfelt . . . inventive, adventurous and wonderfully written' Alix E. Harrow
'Brilliant world-building, deep intrigue and incredible heart' Megan E. O'Keefe
The Sukai Dynasty has ruled the Phoenix Empire for over a century, their mastery of bone shard magic powering the monstrous constructs that maintain law and order. But now the emperor's rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire's many islands.
Lin is the Emperor's daughter, but a mysterious illness has stolen her childhood memories and her status as heir to the empire. Trapped in a palace of locked doors and old secrets, Lin vows to reclaim her birthright by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.
But the mysteries behind such power are dark and deep, and wielding her family's magic carries a great cost. When the revolution reaches the gates of the palace itself, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her throne - and save her people.
The Bone Shard Daughter is an unmissable fantasy debut for 2020 - a captivating tale of magic, revolution and mystery, where a young woman's sense of identity will make or break an empire.
'A bold, ambitious debut' M. R. Carey
'Utterly absorbing. I adored it' Emily A. Duncan
'A triumph. Memorable characters and bone-chilling secrets that keep you turning the pages' K. S. Villoso
'Begins with a spark of intrigue that ignites into a thrilling adventure' Hafsah Faizal
'Intricate and expansive, incisive and thoughtful - a complex web of political and personal intrigue' Kerstin Hall
'A thoroughly fantastic read and I eagerly await the sequel' Kevin Hearne
'Groundbreaking epic fantasy for a new age' Tasha Suri
Obsidian Queen
5 / 5 books Complete
Previously published under Shari's pen name, Shannon Lynn Cook, the Obsidian Queen series returns in an updated edition. This contemporary fantasy is full of magic and humor, perfect for readers who enjoy swoony romance and sparking chemistry.
If twenty-two-year-old Madeline Bennet knows anything for certain, it’s that she’ll get her desired apprenticeship with the Royal Guild. After all, her family is well-connected, and she’s all but dating the grand duke’s nephew.
But Madeline does not get her apprenticeship. Instead, she finds herself working with a trio of knight marshals, traipsing around the US, arresting all manner of magical miscreants. And if tracking trolls, running from murderous pixies, and stumbling into a dangerous web of criminal activity isn’t enough to keep her occupied, there’s also Gray, Jonathan, and Eric—the knights themselves.
They’re strong. They’re skilled. They’re ridiculously handsome. And they don’t want her on their team.
The four must play nice for six months, but can they even manage a week? And what will happen if the knights realize the royal advisor’s daughter isn’t just a prissy girl in heels? She’s harboring a dark secret—one that could prove to be more dangerous than even Madeline imagined.
Author's Note: This spicy-sweet series is intended for adult audiences. Also, while the books have multiple potential love interests, at the end of the series, Madeline will end up with ONE man only.
Kingdom of Souls
3 / 3 books Complete
THERE'S MAGIC IN HER BLOOD.
Explosive fantasy set in a West African world of magic and legend, where one girl must sacrifice her life, year by year, to gain the power necessary to live up to the expectations of the mother she has never been good enough for.
Perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Tomi Adeyemi and Black Panther
Arrah is a young woman from a long line of the most powerful witch doctors in the land. But she fails at magic, fails to call upon the ancestors and can't even cast the simplest curse.
Shame and disappointment dog her.
When strange premonitions befall her family and children in the kingdom begin to disappear, Arrah undergoes the dangerous and scorned process of selling years of her life for magic. This borrowed power reveals a nightmarish betrayal and a danger beyond what she could have imagined. Now Arrah must find a way to master magic, or at least buy it, in order to save herself and everything she holds dear.
An explosive fantasy set in a West African world of magic and legend with a twist you will never see coming.
The Gods-Touched Duology
2 / 2 books Complete
Long ago, shapeshifting monsters ruled the Commonwealth using blasphemous magic that fed on the souls of their subjects. Now, hundreds of years later, a new tomb has been uncovered, and despite the legends that disturbing a shapeshifter’s final resting place will wake them once again, the Warlord is determined to dig it up.
But it isn’t just the Warlord who means to brave the traps and pitfalls guarding the crypt.
A healer obsessed with tracking down the man who murdered her twin brother.
A runaway member of the Warlord’s Devoted order, haunted by his sister’s ghost.
A snotty archaeologist bent on finding the cure to his magical wasting disease.
A girl desperate to escape the cloistered life she didn’t choose.
All four are out to steal the same cursed sword rumored to be at the very bottom of the tomb. But of course, some treasures should never see the light of day, and some secrets are best left buried…
The Nightborn Duet
2 / 2 books Complete
For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.
The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.
But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.
Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.
But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.
The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.
The London Charismatics
4 / 4 books Complete
London, 1914. Lily's visions could stop a killer... if she'll trust a reclusive aristocrat with her darkest secret.
A monster stalks the gaslit streets of Edwardian London, draining the blood of the city's mediums. Lily Albright knows who's next.
Lily is plagued by visions of the future she can never change. When a mysterious fiend threatens someone she loves, she's determined this time will be different.
But she can't do it alone. To save a life, Lily must reveal her darkest secrets to someone she has little reason to trust—the reclusive Lord Strangford, a man haunted by his own unusual powers.
From the glittering galleries of Bond Street to the rookeries of Southwark, Lily and Strangford plunge into a dark conspiracy that lies at the heart of England's rising eugenics movement.
To thwart it, Lily must face a past rife with betrayal—and embrace the power she has spent her entire life trying to escape.
This gripping historical fantasy is perfect for those who love supernatural suspense and slow-burn romance.
Witch Walker
3 / 3 books Complete
Every harvest moon, the Witch Collector rides into our valley and leads one of us to the home of the immortal Frost King, to remain forever.
Today is that day—Collecting Day.
But he will not come for me. I, Raina Bloodgood, have lived in this village for twenty-four years, and for all that time he has passed me by.
His mistake.
Raina Bloodgood has one desire: kill the Frost King and the Witch Collector who stole her sister. On Collecting Day, she means to exact murderous revenge, but a more sinister threat sets fire to her world. Rising from the ashes is the Collector, Alexus Thibault, the man she vowed to slay and the only person who can help save her sister.
Thrust into an age-old story of ice, fire, and ancient gods, Raina must abandon vengeance and aid the Witch Collector or let their empire—and her sister—fall into enemy hands. But the lines between good and evil blur, and Raina has more to lose than she imagined. What is she to do when the Witch Collector is no longer the villain who stole her sister, but the hero who’s stealing her heart?
The Witch Collector is book one in a thrilling romantic fantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Sarah J. Maas, and Jennifer L. Armentrout.
Lady of Darkness
5 / 5 books Complete
SHADOWS ALWAYS RETURN TO THE DARKNESS.
A CAGE.
Owned by a ruthless Assassin Lord, Scarlett Monrhoe and her two sisters have been trained since they were children to torture and take life. They are the most feared trio on the continent, but they are also wild and unpredictable. A tragic night has Scarlett finding herself locked away in a noble's household, trapped and forgotten, until she's ready to fall into line.
A CHOICE.
Until the day she is presented with a job. If she completes the assignment, her payment will be something she has coveted for ten years. Revenge against the Fae Fire Prince who brutally killed her mother ten years ago. Is she willing to sacrifice her ideals for retribution?
A MYSTERY.
But when children begin disappearing from her home, all her plans are put on hold as she races to save the most innocent. With the help of old friends, a jilted lover, and a mysterious newcomer who claims the magic of the Fae is possible in the mortal lands, Scarlett delves into the darkest corners of the world. Forgotten secrets will come to light, and she will discover the darkness extends far beyond her own kingdom.
Lady of Darkness is book 1of 5 in the Lady of Darkness series. It is a new adult, dark fantasy romance novel. It features slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers troupes and may have triggers of love-hate themes, sexual scenes, references to sexual trauma, violence, and jealous/possessive themes. It is part of a series and does end on a cliffhanger. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, and Raven Kennedy will fall in love with this series.
Reborn Empire
4 / 4 books Complete
'Madson is an exciting new author in fantasy' Mark Lawrence
'A complex tale of war, politics and lust for power' Guardian
AS AN EMPIRE DIES, THREE WARRIORS WILL RISE. THEY MUST RIDE THE STORM OR DROWN IN ITS BLOOD.
The kingdom of Kisia is divided, held together only by the will of the god-emperor. When an act of betrayal shatters an alliance with the neighbouring land of Chiltae, all that has been won comes crashing down.
Now, as the fires of war spread, a warrior, an assassin and a princess must chase their ambitions, no matter the cost.
War built the Kisian Empire. And now war will tear it down.
'A visceral, intriguing, intense and emotionally charged ride'
Grimdark Magazine
'Breathtakingly triumphant . . . it has become one of my favourite books of all time'
Novel Notions
'Buckle your seatbelts and prepare for a hell of a ride' Fantasy Book Critic
'Complex and immersive . . . doesn't let go until the final electrifying pages' Fantasy Book Review
Books by Devin Madson
The Reborn Empire
We Ride the Storm
We Lie with Death (coming Jan '21)
The Vengeance Trilogy
The Blood of Whisperers
The Gods of Vice
The Grave at Storm's End
Unmarked
2 / 2 books Complete
ALL RAVEN WANTS IS PEACE. BUT IN A MAGICAL REALM PLAGUED BY DECEPTION, THE ONLY THING HER WORLD KNOWS IS TURMOIL.
A land where witches wear their spells like tattoos is no place for a woman without a single magical mark-except for Raven, whose unblemished skin contradicts the truth of her power. Surviving under the scowls of her fellow witches has carved indelible scars into her mind over the years—just as the day she watched the Dark King's men murder her grandmother in cold blood.
But the Dark King's reign of terror is far-reaching, and Raven's grandmother won't be the last witch to die under his rule. After the death of a coven leader heralds the start of the infamous Witch Trials, Raven finds herself dodging death to triumph. The journey quickly descends into perils far greater than she'd ever imagined, including a war on her heart from a man she'd only ever known as a villain.
Still, trust is always fragile in kingdoms ruled by magic, especially when love enters the fold. Yet, something else is awry in the land of spells and shadows and Raven must decide whether she trusts her gut or her heart.
The Unmarked Witch is the first gripping book in the seductive and intriguing duology, Unmarked.
From the author of the heart-pounding fantasy series, Fae Rising comes this new darkly ambitious tale.
The Blackwood Cycle
2 / 2 books Complete
One raven. One boy. One destiny.
From the USA Today and International Bestselling Author of Kingdom of the White Sea comes a new series set in the same vibrant world: The Book of All Things. Escape into this story of destiny and forbidden love weaving together a fate bigger than man, bigger than magic.
Evrathedyn Blackrook whiles his days away at university, blissfully oblivious to the horrors afflicting his homeland. He escapes into dusty books, content as a second son.
Rhosynora Ravenwood spends her sleepless nights fantasizing of ways to escape her icy, suffocating dynasty. To flee her birthright is to invite a traitor's penance. To stay is another kind of death.
But time and fate have a way of mending all mistakes.
Evra soon finds himself the new Lord Blackrook. His inheritance is a plague-ridden land, the pyres from his late father's campaign against magic still smoldering.
His realm's future in the balance, he travels beyond his borders to a remote northern hamlet, where he meets Rhosyn. The spark between them is immediate; the suspicion even stronger. In Rhosyn, Evra sees her rare magic as the perfect answer to his troubles. In Evra, Rhosyn sees everything wrong with the depraved world of men.
But Evra is out of options. And Rhosyn is out of time.
As they resist the undeniable, forbidden bond growing between them, Evra's dawning horror of Rhosyn's fate brings him to an impossible choice.
His home, or her?