Fantasy

The Last Best Quest Ever by F. T. Lukens

This was such a cute and cozy YA fantasy that I smiled the entire time I read it. Ellinore is only 17 years old but has the best questing record of anyone in the kingdom. But, it’s all built on lies and Ellinore is tired of being a fraud. After she wins another quest, she shocks everyone by officially retiring at the royal feast. She goes home only to find her twin brother Zig has gambled his life by betting that Ellinore can retrieve the horn of the mythical Elder Beast, an almost impossible quest.

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June 14, 2026 0

Grave Empire (The Great Silence, #1) by Richard Swan

Wow. Just, wow. I don’t even know what I just read. It’s fantasy, it’s horror, it’s supernatural, it’s steampunk, it’s insanely, scarily, good. I don’t even like the horror genre and typically can’t read it because I’m a big scaredy cat, but Swan lulls me into a wonderful fantasy haze and then BAM. Horror. Lots and lots of horror. Not gonna lie. Scared the crap outta me. And yet. I can’t stop reading.

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June 14, 2026 0

The Silverblood Promise (The Last Legacy, #1) by James Logan

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I enjoy his writing style. This book develops more slowly than I normally enjoy, but the narrator did such a great job that I found myself just going with it. Initially the book focuses more on character development, worldbuilding, and political intrigue rather than the typical fantasy elements, but the author eventually gets there. I appreciated the author incorporating the world building through conversations and observation throughout the book rather than a big info dump. It made it much easier understanding the world and how the various characters fit into it.

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June 14, 2026 0

Seek the Traitor’s Son (The Burning Empire, #1) by Veronica Roth

4.5 stars

This is the dystopian book I’ve been looking for the last couple of years! Earth has been ravaged by a fever that took more than half the population. Now the world is separated into two warring countries. Cedrae who shun the fever and do everything they can to avoid it and Telusar, who embrace the fever and worship it. All Telusar citizens are subjected to the fever. Those that survive the fever are gifted with powers. The powers are unique and varied.

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May 10, 2026 0

Empire of Flame and Thorns (Flame and Thorns #1) by Marion Blackwood

4.5 stars

Wow. What a wild ride!! I lost a lot of sleep reading this one. This is the first book in an enemies-to-lovers romantasy series featuring fae, dragons, and magic. I love books that have trials that the main character must endure to achieve a goal. In this case, Selena is a fae trapped in the Seelie Court and controlled by dragon shifters. She’s part of a rebel alliance determined to free all trapped faes. Her only chance to gain her freedom is by entering the Atonement Trials: a deadly competition that pits fae magic users against each other. Only three people can win, and Selena intends to be one of them.

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May 10, 2026 0

We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune

4.5 stars (release date 4/28/26)

This is a beautiful, emotional, heartwarming, sad book that will give you all the feels. I love this author’s writing and I’m not surprised that he made a story about the end of the world feel like a warm hug.

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April 26, 2026 0

Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate, #1) by L.J. Andrews

This is a great first book in a new fantasy series. Lyra lives a quiet life in a small village. It allows her to hide her magical abilities – abilities that are not allowed to exist outside the authority of the King. Roark, the Prince’s guard and rumored assassin for the crown, invades her village. In order to save her best friend, she reveals her rare ability, is taken captive by Roark, and taken to the King where she’s forced to use her magic on his behalf.

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April 12, 2026 0

Crown of War and Shadow (Kingdoms of the Compass #1) by J.R. Ward

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and enjoyed it. Sorrell is an outcast in the small village she’s lived in her entire life. She’s got magical abilities that everyone pretends she doesn’t. Events occur that force her to flee her small town and seek out a destiny she never knew she had. She makes a deal with a handsome mercenary, Merc, to help her on her quest. He’s got his own reasons for accepting her offer, and together they make a good team.

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April 12, 2026 0

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

4.5 stars

Fairytale retellings is not my thing, but I thoroughly enjoyed this Cinderella retelling through the eyes of the “evil” stepmother. If more retellings were like this, I’d read more of them. In this book, Etheldreda, or Lady Tremaine, is a twice-widowed woman left with no money and saddled with a decrepit house, two young daughters, a priggish step-daughter (Cinderella – who can’t be bothered to help the family in anyway whatsoever), and a razor-taloned peregrine falcon that helps her hunt to put food on the table.

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April 5, 2026 0