The Qwillery

Happy Monday! There are 4 debuts this week: She Wouldn't Change a Thing by Sarah Adlakha; The Manningtree Witches by A. K. Blakemore; They Met in a Tavern by Elijah Menchaca; and The Shimmering State by Meredith Westgate. From formerly featured DAC Authors: Spirits Abroad: Stories by Zen Cho; Paper & Blood (Ink & Sigil 2) by Keven Hearne; The Maleficent Seven by Cameron Johnston; and Citadel (Palladium Wars 3) by Marko Kloos.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green. August 8, 2021

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Seasons Between Us: Tales of Identities and Memories	Susan Forest (Ed) Lucas K. Law (Ed)	SpecFic - Laksa Anthology Series: Speculative Fiction

August 10, 2021

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
She Wouldn't Change a Thing (D)	Sarah Adlakha	W/SF/TT
World Engines: Destroyer	Stephen Baxter	SF/HSF/SO
Afterland (h2tp)	Lauren Beukes	Sus/Dys
The Manningtree Witches (D)	A. K. Blakemore	Occ/Sup/Medieval/Feminist
Spirits Abroad: Stories	Zen Cho	F/SF/LF/GH - Collection
Quiet Village	Eden Darry	H
Daughter from the Dark (h2tp)	Marina & Sergey Dyachenko	DF
Axiom's End (h2tp)	Lindsay Ellis	SF/SC/Th - Noumena 1
The King of Infinite Space	Lyndsay Faye	LF/MR
Paper & Blood	Kevin Hearne	CF/P - Ink & Sigil 2
The Rookery	Deborah Hewitt	CF/P - The Nightjar Duology 2
The Other Me	Sarah Zachrich Jeng	Sus/W/SF/TT
Trouble the Saints (h2tp)	Alaya Dawn Johnson	HistF/LF
The Loop (h2tp)	Jeremy Robert Johnson	SupTh
The Maleficent Seven	Cameron Johnston	F/DF
Citadel	Marko Kloos	SF/SO - Palladium Wars 3
Madame Cruller's Couch and Other Dark and Bizarre Tales	Elizabeth Massie	Occ - Collection
War of the Maps	Paul McAuley	SF
They Met in a Tavern (D)	Elijah Menchaca	F
The Ankh-Morpork Archives: Volume One	Terry Pratchett	F
Jenny Villiers	J. B. Priestley	GH
From the Caves	Thea Prieto	Dys/CoA/SF/AP/PA
Plan for the Worst	Jodi Taylor	SF/TT/HistF/Hist/SF - Chronicles of St. Mary's 11
The Echoed Realm	A. J. Vrana	DF
The Shimmering State (D)	Meredith Westgate	LF
Sword & Citadel: The Second Half of The Book of the New Sun	Gene Wolfe	Science Fantasy - The Book of the New Sun 2

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
Illus - Illustrator
Ke - Kindle eBook
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
BHU - Black Humor
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CM - Crime & Mystery
CoA - Coming of Age
CrM - Crime and Mystery
CW - Contemporary Women
CyP - CyberPunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
GothicR - Gothic Romance
GW&CC - Global Warming and Climate Change
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HistM - Historical Mystery
HistR - Historical Romance
HistTh - Historical Thriller
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LC - Literary Criticism
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
M - Mystery
Med - Medical
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
MU - Mash-Up
NF - Near Future
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PF - Paranormal Fantasy
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PolTh - Political Thriller
PopCul - Popular Culture
PP - Police Porcedural
Psy - Psychological
R - Romance
RF - Romantic Fantasy
ScF - Science Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SFTh - Science Fiction Thriller
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
STR - Small Town and Rural
Sup - Supernatural
SupM - Supernatural Mystery
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
TTR - Time Travel Romance
UF - Urban Fantasy
VM - Visionary and Metaphysical
WS - Women Sleuths

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

Zen Cho (2015) Spirits Abroad: Stories
Small Beer Press, August 10, 2021
Trade Paperback and eBook, 288 pages

A new expanded edition of Zen Cho’s award-winning debut collection.

Nineteen sparkling stories that weave between the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. Spirits Abroad is an expanded edition of Zen Cho’s Crawford Award winning debut collection with nine added stories including Hugo Award winner “If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again.” A Datin recalls her romance with an orang bunian. A teenage pontianak struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love, and eating people. An earth spirit gets entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord, and Chang E spins off into outer space, the ultimate metaphor for the Chinese diaspora.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound : Powell's
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Kevin Hearne (2011) Paper & Blood
Ink & Sigil 2
Del Rey, August 10, 2021
Hardcover and eBook, 304 pages

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes book two of an “action-packed, enchantingly fun” (Booklist) spin-off series, as an eccentric master of rare magic solves a supernatural mystery Down Under!

There’s only one Al MacBharrais: Though other Scotsmen may have dramatic mustaches and a taste for fancy cocktails, Al also has a unique talent. He’s a master of ink and sigil magic. In his gifted hands, paper and pen can work wondrous spells.

But Al isn’t quite alone: He is part of a global network of sigil agents who use their powers to protect the world from mischievous gods and strange monsters. So when a fellow agent disappears under sinister circumstances in Australia, Al leaves behind the cozy pubs and cafes of Glasgow and travels to the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria to solve the mystery.

The trail to his colleague begins to pile up with bodies at alarming speed, so Al is grateful his friends have come to help—especially Nadia, his accountant who moonlights as a pit fighter. Together with a whisky-loving hobgoblin known as Buck Foi and the ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan, along with his dogs, Oberon and Starbuck, Al and Nadia will face down the wildest wonders Australia—and the supernatural world—can throw at them, and confront a legendary monster not seen in centuries.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound : Powell's
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Book One

Devin Madson (2020) We Cry For Blood
The Reborn Empire 3
Orbit, August 3, 2021
Trade Paperback and eBook, 624 pages

"A complex tale of war, politics, and lust for power." —The Guardian

Alliances fracture and hope wanes in a ravaged empire caught between three factions in the heart-pounding continuation of Devin Madson's bold epic fantasy series, The Reborn Empire.

Ambition and schemes have left the Kisian Empire in ashes. Empress Miko Ts’ai will have to move fast if she hopes to secure a foothold in its ruins. However, the line between enemies and allies may not be as clear-cut as it first appeared.

After failing to win back his Swords, former Captain Rah e’Torin finds shelter among the Levanti deserters. But his presence in the camp threatens to fracture the group, putting him on a collision course with their enigmatic leader.

Assassin Cassandra Marius knows Leo Villius’s secret—one that could thwart his ambitions to conquer Kisia. But her time in Empress Hana’s body is running out and each attempt they make to exploit Leo’s weakness may be playing into his plans.

And, as Leo’s control over the Levanti emperor grows, Dishiva e’Jaroven is caught in his web. She’ll have to decide how many of her people are worth sacrificing in order to win.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound : Powell's
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Book One

Book Two

Zen Cho (2015) Black Water Sister
Ace, May 11, 2021
Trade Paperback and eBook, 384 pages

“A sharp and bittersweet story of past and future, ghosts and gods and family, that kept me turning pages into the dark hours of the night.”—Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of A Deadly Education

“Ghosts, gods, and supernatural vengeance collide in vividly-depicted modern day Malaysia to create a contemporary fantasy story that’s full of voice and heart.”–Fonda Lee, author of The Green Bone Saga

A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.

When Jessamyn Teoh starts hearing a voice in her head, she chalks it up to stress. Closeted, broke and jobless, she’s moving back to Malaysia with her parents – a country she last saw when she was a toddler.

She soon learns the new voice isn’t even hers, it’s the ghost of her estranged grandmother. In life, Ah Ma was a spirit medium, avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a business magnate who has offended the god—and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it, whether Jess wants to or not.

Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business, but dealing with her grandmother is just as complicated. Especially when Ah Ma tries to spy on her personal life, threatens to spill her secrets to her family and uses her body to commit felonies. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny – or the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Sarah Pinsker (2019) We Are Satellites
Berkley, May 11, 2021
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

ONE OF BUZZFEED’S BEST SCIENCE FICTION BOOKS OF SPRING

From award-winning author Sarah Pinsker comes a novel about one family and the technology that divides them.

Everybody’s getting one.

Val and Julie just want what’s best for their kids, David and Sophie. So when teenage son David comes home one day asking for a Pilot, a new brain implant to help with school, they reluctantly agree. This is the future, after all.

Soon, Julie feels mounting pressure at work to get a Pilot to keep pace with her colleagues, leaving Val and Sophie part of the shrinking minority of people without the device.

Before long, the implications are clear, for the family and society: get a Pilot or get left behind. With government subsidies and no downside, why would anyone refuse? And how do you stop a technology once it’s everywhere? Those are the questions Sophie and her anti-Pilot movement rise up to answer, even if it puts them up against the Pilot’s powerful manufacturer and pits Sophie against the people she loves most.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
Google Play : iBooks : Kobo

Cat Rambo (2015) Exiles of Tabat
The Tabat Quartet 3
Wordfire Press , May 12, 2021
Hardcover, Trade Paperback, and eBook, 324 pages

Return to a beautifully wrought and immersive world where intelligent magical creatures fight for their right to be free.

Revolution.

Riot.

Enslaved magical creatures and an exiled, reluctant hero.

Bella Kanto finds herself aboard a hostile ship bound for a frontier town. When she encounters an old lover along the way, she has a chance to escape-but does she really want to take it?

Meanwhile apprentice Lucy and her friend Maz have been kidnapped from Tabat and taken to the Southern Isles in search of ancient magic. They fear what will happen when they get there, particularly when their kidnapper realizes he's wrong about Lucy's identity.

Return to a world where magical creatures fight for their right to be free in a system that makes use of their work and sometimes their very bodies in a city full of revolution and riot, ready for the return of its lost champion: the reluctant Bella Kanto.

Amazon : Barnes and Noble : Bookshop : Books-A-Million : IndieBound
 iBooks : Kobo

Book 1

Book 2

It is the penultimate Monday in June.

There are 3 debuts this week:

Block Seventeen by Kimiko Guthrie;

We Ride the Storm (Reborn Empire 1) by Devin Madson;

and

The Kingdom of Liars (The Legacy of the Mercenary King 1) by Nick Martell.




From formerly featured DAC Authors:

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho;

Blood of Empire (Gods of Blood and Powder 3) by Brian McClellan is out in Trade Paperback;

and

A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians (Shadow Histories 1) by H.G. Parry.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.

June 23, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Angel of the Crows	Katherine Addison	HistF/AH
Pure Invention: How Japan's Pop Culture Conquered the World	Matt Alt	Japanese History/PopCul
Bennytown	Matt Carter	SupTh
The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water	Zen Cho	F
Shadow Fall	Alexander Freed	SF/SO/MTI - Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron 2
Block Seventeen (D)	Kimiko Guthrie	LF/SpecFic
All Together Stranger	Lara Hayes	PF - Redamancy 2
We Ride the Storm (D)	Devin Madson	F/DF - Reborn Empire 1
The Kingdom of Liars (D)	Nick Martell	F - The Legacy of the Mercenary King 1
Blood of Empire (h2tp)	Brian McClellan	F/HistF - Gods of Blood and Powder 3
Tokyo Ueno Station	Yu Miri	FL/GH/CL
Death in Her Hands	Ottessa Moshfegh	LF/Psy/Occ/Sup
Obliteration	James S. Murray Darren Wearmouth	SupTh - Awakened 3
A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians	H. G. Parry	HistF/Occ/Sup/ FairyT/FolkT/LM - Shadow Histories 1
The Wounded Ones	G.D. Penman	UF/F - Witch of Empire 2
Barnabas Collins	Marilyn Ross	Occ/Gothic - Dark Shadows the Complete Paperback Library Reprint Volume 6
Strangers at Collins House	Marilyn Ross	Occ/Gothic - Dark Shadows the Complete Paperback Library Reprint Volume 3
The Curse of Collinwood	Marilyn Ross	Occ/Gothic - Dark Shadows the Complete Paperback Library Reprint Volume 5
The Mystery of Collinwood	Marilyn Ross	Occ/Gothic - Dark Shadows the Complete Paperback Library Reprint Volume 4
Boundless: A Drizzt Novel (h2tp)	R. A. Salvatore	F - Generations 2
The Fall of Deadworld Omnibus	Matt Smith	SH
Becoming Superman: My Journey From Poverty to Hollywood (h2tp)	J. Michael Straczynski	Biography
The Buried World	Jeff Wheeler	F - Grave Kingdom 2

June 24, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Night Soil Salvagers: A Tor.com Original (e)	Gregory Norman Bossert	F

June 25, 2020

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again (e)	M. John Harrison	SF

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
Ke - Kindle eBook
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AC - Alien Contact
AF - Afrofuturism
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
BlHu - Black Humor
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CoA - Coming of Age
CW - Contemporary Women
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FL - Family Life
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humorous
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
LMF - Legends, Myths, Fables
M - Mystery
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Paranormal Cozy Mystery
PF - Paranormal Fantasy
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PopCul - Popular Culture
Psy - Psychological
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
RF - Romantic Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
TT - Time Travel

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

Zen Cho (2015)

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water
Tor.com, June 23, 2020
Hardcover and eBook, 160 pages

“Fantastic, defiant, utterly brilliant.” —Ken Liu

Zen Cho returns with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, a found family wuxia fantasy that combines the vibrancy of old school martial arts movies with characters drawn from the margins of history.

A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.

K. A. Doore (2019)

The Unconquered City
Chronicles of Ghadid 3
Tor Books, June 16, 2020
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

The final volume in K. A. Doore's critically-acclaimed assassin fantasy series, praised by Publishers Weekly as “a hit with fans of Sarah J. Maas and George R.R. Martin” (starred review)

Seven years have passed since the Siege—a time when the hungry dead had risen—but the memories still haunt Illi Basbowen. Though she was trained to be an elite assassin, now the Basbowen clan act as Ghadid's militia force protecting the resurrected city against a growing tide of monstrous guul that travel across the dunes.

Illi's worst fears are confirmed when General Barca arrives, bearing news that her fledgling nation, Hathage, also faces this mounting danger. In her search for the source of the guul, the general exposes a catastrophic secret hidden on the outskirts of Ghadid.

To protect her city and the realm, Illi must travel to Hathage and confront her inner demons in order to defeat a greater one—but how much can she sacrifice to protect everything she knows from devastation?

The Chronicles of Ghadid
#1: The Perfect Assassin
#2: The Impossible Contract
#3: The Unconquered City

Chronicles of Ghadid 1

Chronicles of Ghadid 2

Peter Higgins (2013)

Dragon Heart
Waldenau 1
Gollancz, June 2, 2020
Trade Paperback and eBook, 416 pages

For readers of Cormac McCarthy and Justin Cronin, this is the story of one family's battle for survival in a world where evil has already won.

As they fight their way across a dying land, Shay and Cass will do anything to keep their daughter, Hope, alive. The family faces unimaginable dangers as they try to stay together, and stay alive, long enough to reach safety. But when the heart of a dragon starts to beat in Hope's chest, they fear they'll lose her to a battle they can't possibly help her win . . .

Critically acclaimed author Peter Higgins has written a richly evocative post-apocalyptic fantasy novel about how, even in the darkest of times, we have so much to lose.

Happy Monday!

There are 4 debuts this week:

If, Then by Kate Hope Day;

The Widening Gyre by Michael R. Johnston;

The Woman in the Dark by Vanessa Savage;

and

Titanshade (The Carter Archives 1) by Dan Stout.




From formerly featured DAC Authors:

A Veil of Spears by Bradley P. Beaulieu is out in Trade Paperback;

The Golgotha Series: The Six-Gun Tarot, The Shotgun Arcana, The Queen of Swords by R. S. Belcher is out in eBook Bundle;

Semiosis (Semiosis Duology 1) by Sue Burke is out in Trade Paperback;

The True Queen (A Sorcerer to the Crown 2) by Zen Cho;

Mr. Flood's Last Resort by Jess Kidd is out in Trade Paperback;

Will Haunt You by Brian Kirk;

The Near Witch by V. E. Schwab;

A Gathering of Shadows Collector's Edition (Shade of Magic 2) by V. E. Schwab;

New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color edited by Nisi Shawl;

and

The Forbidden City (Dragon's Legacy 2) by Deborah A. Wolf.

Debut novels are highlighted in blue. Novels, etc. by formerly featured DAC Authors are highlighted in green.

March 11, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Nightwalker (e)(ri)	Heather Graham	GH/Sus
Harrison Investigation Series Volume 3: An Anthology (e)	Heather Graham	H - Harrison Investigation

March 12, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Mars: Stories	Asja Bakić Jennifer Zoble (Tr)	SF/HU/SF/AP/PA/AB/SS - Collection
Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories (h2tp)	Kelly Barnhill	F/SS - Collection
A Veil of Spears (h2tp)	Bradley P. Beaulieu	F/DF - Song of Shattered Sands 3
The Golgotha Series: The Six-Gun Tarot, The Shotgun Arcana, The Queen of Swords (e)	R. S. Belcher	HistF/DF/SP - Golgotha
Semiosis (h2tp)	Sue Burke	SF/AC/HSF - Semiosis Duology 1
The True Queen	Zen Cho	HistF/F - A Sorcerer to the Crown Novel 2
Tor.com Publishing Editorial Spotlight #3: A Selection of Novellas (e)	Ellen Datlow (Ed)	SpecFic
If, Then (D)	Kate Hope Day	LF/VisM/SF/AP/PA
Ruin's Wake	Patrick Edwards	CF/SF
The Willful Child Series: Willful Child, Wrath of Betty, The Search for Spark (e)	Steven Erikson	SF - Willful Child
Winter's Web (e)	Jennifer Estep	UF - Elemental Assassin Novella
Toxic Game	Christine Feehan	PNR/GenEng - GhostWalker 15
The Dazzle of Day	Molly Gloss	SF/HSF
Blood of the Four (h2tp)	Christopher Golden Tim Lebbon	F
Dawn of the Exile	Mitchell Hogan	F - Infernal Guardian 2
If Cats Disappeared from the World	Genki Kawamura Eric Selland (Tr)	LF/MR
Mr. Flood's Last Resort (h2tp)	Jess Kidd	LF
AHistory: An Unauthorized History of the Doctor Who Universe (Fourth Edition Vol. 3)	Lars Pearson Lance Parkin	PerfArts/TV/HC
White Light (ri)	Rudy Rucker	SF
Saucer Wisdom (ri)	Rudy Rucker	SF/AC
The Woman in the Dark (D)	Vanessa Savage	PsyTh/H/Sus
The Near Witch (ri)	V. E. Schwab	RF/FairyT/FolkT/LM/HistF
A Gathering of Shadows Collector's Edition	V. E. Schwab	HistF/Gaslamp - Shades of Magic 2
New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color	Nisi Shawl (Ed)	SpecFic - Anthology
Titanshade (D)	Dan Stout	UF/DF - The Carter Archives 1
The Rosewater Insurrection	Tade Thompson	SF/AC/AP/PA - Wormwood Trilogy  2
The Spirit Photographer (h2tp)	JonMichael Varese	HistF/GH/Occ/Sup
A Pathfinder Tales Collection: Lord of Runes, Liar's Island, Beyond the Pool of Stars, Bloodbound, Pirate's Prophecy, Hellknight, Liar's Bargain, Starspawn, ... Through the Gate in the Sea, Gears of Faith (e)	Various	F - Pathfinder Tales
The Bird King	G. Willow Wilson	HistF
The Forbidden City (h2tp)	Deborah A. Wolf	F - Dragon's Legacy 2

March 13, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
To Catch a Witch (h2tp)	Heather Blake	PCM - A Wishcraft Mystery 8

March 14, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Wolf Land	Jonathan Janz	H - Fiction Without Frontiers
The Widening Gyre  (D)	Michael R. Johnston	SF/SO - Fiction Without Frontiers
Will Haunt You	Brian Kirk	H/DF - Fiction Without Frontiers
Child Of Thunder (e)(ri)	Mickey Zucker Reichert	F - Renshai Chronicles 3
Beyond Ragnarok (e)(ri)	Mickey Zucker Reichert	F - Renshai Chronicles 4

March 15, 2019

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Sins of the Lost (e)	Lydia M. Hawke	SupTh - The Grigori Legacy 3

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - Editor
h2mm - Hardcover to Mass Market Paperback
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
ri - reissue or reprint
tp2mm - Trade Paperback to Mass Market Paperback
Tr - Translator



AB - Absurdist
AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternative History
AP - Apocalyptic
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CoA - Coming of Age
Cr - Crime
CyP - Cyberpunk
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
FairyT - Fairy Tales
FolkT - Folk Tales
FR - Fantasy Romance
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost(s)
H - Horror
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HSF - Hard Science Fiction
HU - Humor
LF - Literary Fiction
LM - Legend and Mythology
M - Mystery
MR - Magical Realism
MTI - Media Tie-In
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PCM - Parnormal Cozy Mystery
PerfArts - Performing Arts
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Psy - Psychological
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
RF - Romantic Fantasy
SE - Space Exploration
SF - Science Fiction
SFR - Science Fiction Romance
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
Spec - Speculative
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
SS - Short Stories
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
UF - Urban Fantasy
VisM - Visionary and Metaphysical

Note: Not all genres and formats are found in the books, etc. listed above.

TJ Berry (2018)

Five Unicorn Flush
The Reason 2
Angry Robot, May 7, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

Only one woman with a magical parasite can unite the galaxy, in the mind-blowing SF sequel to Space Unicorn Blues

The Bala, magical creatures, have hidden themselves from cruel and destructive humanity, leaving the galaxy in shambles. Without unicorn-powered faster-than-light travel, mankind is scattered, starving and isolated across the stars. Cowboy Jim has the sole surviving FTL drive, and he and his Reason soldiers are determined to track down and re-enslave the Bala. But on their new planet, the Bala are on the brink of civil war: should they accept Unicorn rule, or follow necromancer Bao Zhi and exact revenge on their human oppressors? Only Captain Jenny, with her new elfin parasite, can return peace to the galaxy.

File Under: Science Fiction [ Elves on the Brain | Lust for Magic | Best Served Hot | FTL Hell ]

Zen Cho (2015)

The True Queen
A Sorcerer to the Crown Novel 2
Ace, March 12, 2019
Trade Paperback and eBook, 384 pages

In the follow-up to the “delightful” Regency fantasy novel (NPR.org) Sorcerer to the Crown, a young woman with no memories of her past finds herself embroiled in dangerous politics in England and the land of the fae.

When sisters Muna and Sakti wake up on the peaceful beach of the island of Janda Baik, they can’t remember anything, except that they are bound as only sisters can be. They have been cursed by an unknown enchanter, and slowly Sakti starts to fade away. The only hope of saving her is to go to distant Britain, where the Sorceress Royal has established an academy to train women in magic.

If Muna is to save her sister, she must learn to navigate high society, and trick the English magicians into believing she is a magical prodigy. As she’s drawn into their intrigues, she must uncover the secrets of her past, and journey into a world with more magic than she had ever dreamed.

Elle Katharine White (2017)

Dragonshadow
A Heartstone Novel 2
Harper Voyager, November 20, 2018
Trade Paperback and eBook, 400 pages

The author of Heartstone once again infuses elements of Jane Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of magic in this addictive fantasy that brings back sparring lovers Aliza and Alastair: fierce warriors who match wits, charm, and swords as they fight an epic war to save their world.

The Battle of North Fields is over—or so Aliza Bentaine, now a Daired, fervently wants to believe. But rumors are spreading of an unseen monster ravaging the isolated Castle Selwyn on the northern border of the kingdom. When she and Alastair are summoned from their honeymoon by the mysterious Lord Selwyn, they must travel with their dragon Akarra through the Tekari-infested Old Wilds of Arle to answer his call.

And they are not alone on this treacherous journey. Shadowing the dragonriders is an ancient evil, a harbinger of a dark danger of which the Worm was only a foretaste. And soon Aliza realizes the terrible truth: the real war is only beginning.

Happy Monday!

There are 3 debuts out this week -

The Devourers by Indra Das

Arabella of Mars (The Adventures of Arabella Ashby 1) by David D. Levine

and

The Last One by Alexandra Oliva.



From formerly featured DAC Authors:

New:

Time Siege (Time Salvager 2) by Wesley Chu;

The Stars Askew (Caeli-Amur 2) by Rjurik Davidson;

Outlaw (On the Bones of Gods 2) by K. Eason;

The Returned (An American Faerie Tale 3) by Bishop O'Connell is out in digital format;

Life Debt: Aftermath (Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy 2) by Chuck Wendig.



Format Change:

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (Song of Shattered Sands 1) by Bradley Beaulieu is out in Trade Paperback;

Sorcerer to the Crown (A Sorcerer Royal Novel 1) by Zen Cho is out in Trade Paperback;

Shadow of the Void (Sundered World Trilogy 2) by Nathan Garrison is out in Mass Market Paperback;

and

A Brush of Darkness (Abby Sinclair 1) by Allison Pang is reissued in Trade Paperback.







July 12, 2016

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
The Razing of Prospero	Dan Abnett Aaron Dembski-Bowden Guy Haley Graham McNeill Chris Wraight	SF - Horus Heresy Omnibus
Deceptions (h2tp)	Kelley Armstrong	CF/M/Occ/Sup - Cainsville 1
The Great Ordeal	R. Scott Bakker	F - The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy 3
Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (h2tp)	Bradley Beaulieu	F - Song of Shattered Sands 1
The Time Train	Eric M. Bosarge	SF/TT
The Hauntings of Hood Canal	Jack Cady	SupTh
Sorcerer to the Crown (h2tp)	Zen Cho	HistF/RR - A Sorcerer Royal Novel 1
Time Siege	Wesley Chu	SF/TT - Time Salvager 2
The Devourers (D)	Indra Das	DF/HistF
The Stars Askew	Rjurik Davidson	F - Caeli-Amur 2
The Real Peter Pan: J. M. Barrie and the Boy Who Inspired Him	Piers Dudgeon	Biography
Outlaw	K. Eason	F - On the Bones of Gods 2
"Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman (e)(ri)	Harlan Ellison	SF
A Boy and His Dog (e)(ri)	Harlan Ellison	SF
Path of Honor (e)(ri)	Diana Pharaoh Francis	F - Path Trilogy 2
Path of Blood (e)(ri)	Diana Pharaoh Francis	F - Path Trilogy 3
Path of Fate (e)(ri)	Diana Pharaoh Francis	F - Path Trilogy 1
Shadow of the Void	Nathan Garrison	F - Sundered World Trilogy 2
The Iron Assassin (h2tp)	Ed Greenwood	SP
The Ghoul King	Guy Haley	F - The Dreaming Cities 2
Red Queen	Christina Henry	DF/HistF - Chronicles of Alice 2
Buried and Shadowed	Alexandra Ivy Carrie Ann Ryan	PNR - Branded Packs 2
Sherlock Holmes and the Servants of Hell	Paul Kane	H
The Captive Condition	Kevin P. Keating	LF/Cr/H
The Devouring God	James Kendley	F/P - Tohru Takuda 2
Deserts of Fire: Speculative Fiction and the Modern War	Douglas Lain (Ed)	SF - Anthology
Arabella of Mars (D)	David D. Levine	AH - The Adventures of Arabella Ashby 1
It Happened One Doomsday	Laurence MacNaughton	UF
1995	D.A. MacQuin	Sup/Occ/UF - 1995 Book 1
The Drifter	Stephen A. North	SF
The Returned (e)	Bishop O'Connell	UF - An American Faerie Tale 3
The Last One (D)	Alexandra Oliva	LF/Sus/SF/AP/PA
Spirit Animals	E. E. Richardson	UF - Ritual Crime Unit 3
The Hundred Names of Darkness	Nilanjana Roy	LF/F - The Wildings 2
Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights (h2tp)	Salman Rushdie	MR
Drowned Worlds	Jonathan Strahan (Ed)	SF - Anthology
Lawless and the Flowers of Sin	William Sutton	HistTh - Lawless 2
A Symphony of Echoes	Jodi Taylor	SF/TT - Chronicles of St. Mary's 2
The Big Book of Science Fiction	Ann and Jeff VanderMeer (Eds)	SF - Anthology
Necessity	Jo Walton	F - Thessaly 3
Life Debt: Aftermath	Chuck Wendig	SF/SO - Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy 2

July 13, 2016

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
Once More Into The Abyss: A Tor.Com Original (e)	Dennis Danvers	SF - Stan 3

July 16, 2016

TITLE	AUTHOR	SERIES
A Brush of Darkness (ri)	Allison Pang	UF - Abby Sinclair 1
The Clockwork Wolf (ri)	Lynn Viehl	SP- Disenchanted & Co. 2

D - Debut
e - eBook
Ed - editor
h2tp - Hardcover to Trade Paperback
ri - reissue or reprint



AC - Alien Contact
AH - Alternate History
AP - Apocalyptic
CF - Contemporary Fantasy
CoA - Coming of Age
CM - Cozy Mystery
Cr - Crime
DF - Dark Fantasy
Dys - Dystopian
F - Fantasy
GB - Genre Bender
GenEng - Genetic Engineering
GH - Ghost
GN - Graphic Novel
GO - Gothic
H - Horror
HC - History and Criticism
Hist - Historical
HistF - Historical Fantasy
HistTh - Historical Thriller
HU - Humor
LF - Literary Fiction
M - Mystery
MR - Magical Realism
Noir - Noir
Occ - Occult
P - Paranormal
PA - Post Apocalyptic
PM - Paranormal Mystery
PNR - Paranormal Romance
Pol - Political
PsyTh - Psychological Thriller
R - Romance
RR - Regency Romance
SF - Science Fiction
SH - Superheroes
SO - Space Opera
SP - Steampunk
SpecFic - Speculative Fiction
Sup - Supernatural
SupTh - Supernatural Thriller
Sus - Suspense
TechTh - Technological Thriller
Th - Thriller
TT - Time Travel
UF - Urban Fantasy
Z - Zombies

Note: Not all of these genres are represented in the book above.

Catherine Chanter (2015)

The Well
Washington Square Press, March 1, 2016
Trade Paperback, 400 pages
Hardcover and eBook, May 19, 2015

Set in a modern-day Britain where water is running out everywhere except at the farm of one seemingly ordinary family whose mysterious good fortune leads to a shocking act of violence, The Well is “extraordinary...a mesmerizing read…combining a gripping mystery, nuanced psychological drama, and striking prose” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

When Ruth Ardingly and her family make that first long drive up from the city in their grime-encrusted car and view The Well, they are enchanted by a jewel of a farm that appears to offer everything they need: an opportunity for Ruth, an escape for her husband, and a home for their grandson. But when the drought begins, everything changes. Surrounded by thirty acres of lush greenery, the farm mysteriously thrives while the world outside crumbles under the longest dry spell in recorded history. No one, including the owners, understands why.

But The Well’s unique glory comes at a terrible price. From the envy of their neighbors to the mandates of the government, from the fanaticism of a religious order called the Sisters of the Rose to the everyday difficulties of staying close as husband and wife, grandmother and child—all these forces lead to a shocking crime. Accusations of witchcraft, wrongdoing, and murder envelop the family until their paradise becomes a prison.

A beautifully written debut novel that “channels Margaret Atwood and Gillian Flynn, creating a story that’s speculative and suspenseful” (Minneapolis Star Tribune), The Well is an utterly haunting meditation on the fragile nature of our relationships with each other and the places we call home.

Kristi Charish (2015)

Owl and the City of Angels
Owl 2
Pocket Star, October 5, 2015
    eBook, 304 pages
Gallery Books, March 1, 2016
    Trade Paperback, 432 pages

The wild second adventure for unforgettable antiquities thief Owl—a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world—from the pen of rising urban fantasy star Kristi Charish. For fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, Jennifer Estep, Jenn Bennett, and the like. The series also includes Owl and the Japanese Circus and Owl and the Electric Samurai.

Alix Hiboux, better known as Owl, international antiquities thief for hire, is settling into her new contract job for Vegas mogul Mr. Kurosawa, a red dragon with a penchant for ancient, supernatural artifacts. And now he has his sights set on some treasures of the mysterious Syrian City of the Dead that are sitting in a recluse’s private collection.

There’s just one wrinkle. To stop the resurrection of an undead army that could wreak havoc on Los Angeles, Owl must break into a heavily guarded archaeological sight [sic] in one of the most volatile regions in the world. A detour through Libya and a run-in with Somali pirates sends the clock ticking hastily toward total paranormal disaster.

Meanwhile, Alexander and the Paris vampires have stopped stalking Owl’s apartment, but they have by no means forgotten their death grudge against her. To top everything off, Owl finds out the hard way that there is nothing heavenly about the City of Angels...

Zen Cho (2015)

Sorcerer to the Crown
A Sorcerer Royal Novel 1
Ace, July 12, 2016
Trade Paperback, 384 pages
Hardcover and eBook, September 1, 2015

Magic and mayhem clash with the British elite in this whimsical and sparkling debut.

The Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers maintains the magic within His Majesty’s lands. But lately, the once proper institute has fallen into disgrace, naming an altogether unsuitable gentleman as their Sorcerer Royal and allowing England’s stores of magic to bleed dry. At least they haven’t stooped so low as to allow women to practice what is obviously a man’s profession…

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers, ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up, an adventure that brings him in contact with Prunella Gentlewoman, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, and sets him on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

Gerrard Cowan (2015)

The Strategist
The Machinery Trilogy 2
Harper Voyager (UK), May 5, 2016
eBook, 400 pages

Ruin is coming.

The Strategist rules from the depths of See House, searching for the omnipotent Machinery that once chose the Overland’s rulers, to ensure it is broken beyond repair. Only then will the Prophecy be fulfilled. Only then will Ruin come for everyone.

But only the Dust Queen knows where the Machinery resides. She is the oldest creature in creation, and she bows to no one, especially not the Strategist. She has built an army of the dead, and she is heading north.

It was the Dust Queen who made the Prophecy, and she knows its true meaning. Before the Machinery is finally broken, the immortals will play their favourite game one last time. A game from darker days. A game in which mortals are nothing more than pawns.

And this time, the Dust Queen wants to play.

Seth Dickinson (2015)

Please Undo This Hurt
A Tor.com Origianl
Tor Books, September 16, 2015
eBook, 32 pages

Ever feel like you care too much? After a breakup, after the funeral...it feels like the way to win at life is to care the least.

That's not an option for Dominga, an EMT who cares too much, or her drinking buddy Nico, who just lost his poor cat. Life hurts. They drink. They talk:

Nico's tired of hurting people. He wants out. Not suicide, not that - he'd just hurt everyone who loves him. But what if he could erase his whole life? Undo the fact of his birth? Wouldn't Dominga be having a better night, right now, if she didn't have to take care of him?

And when Dominga finds a way to do just that, when she is gifted or armed with a terrible cosmic mercy, she still cares enough to say:

I am not letting him have this. I am not letting Nico go without a fight.

Note: The Traitor Baru Cormorant will be published in Trade Paperback in November 2016.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends and readers of this post. I hope you all had a wonderful day and lovely, delicious meals with friends and family. I need to get myself invited to someone's house for Thanksgiving as I miss pumpkin pie as it really isn't a British dessert. Feel free to send me one in the post. Anyway back to books.  What did I read?


You may remember a few weeks ago that I had started Raptor which is the 6th book in Lindsay Buroker's Dragon Blood series. In this instalment Lieutenant Caslin Ahn feels that she should be punished rather than praised for the events at the end of book 5. The last thing she wants to do  is pick up the soulblade that ended her friend's life. On the command of the King Ahn has no alternative but to pick up the evil sword to defend her friends and country. Will she survive....will they survive? well you will have to read it to find out.

I have been rather disappointed with the later books in this series as the dialogue between some of the characters has been too flippant and 'kooky' which hasn't been consistent with the plotline or the environment. Raptor slightly improves but not until much later in the story. I had been struggling to get back in the plot and found the story a bit slow moving at first. It was still slower than I would have liked but did pick up towards the end with a bit of a cliff hanger. Luckily the series finishes soon with the release of the final book in a few weeks.


In an attempt to tidy up my NetGalley shelves I realised that I hadn't yet finished Sorcerer to the Crown (Sorcerer Royal 1) by Zen Cho. This is one of books from September's Debut Author Challenge and I had been remiss in reading it in time for that. I really enjoyed this story and thought that Cho got the balance between story and characterisation just about right. Cho explores a few key themes throughout the story but it mainly centers on discrimination - discrimination based on race and discrimination based on sex. Zacharias Wythe is the rightful Sorcerer Royal but his fellow sorcerers don't believe he deserves the position as he is black and a former slave. The other main character, Prunella discovers she has magical powers but isn't allowed to reveal them as she is a woman. Set in the late 1800's women are far too delicate to be considered strong enough to wield any magic more powerful than what is required to make sure that dinner is cooked properly or the linens are well laundered.

I found this an enjoyable read even though the plot was a bit slow in parts. I think that Cho could have spent a little less time setting up Zacharias at the beginning of the story and more time developing his relationship with the other sorcerers towards the end of the story. Overall, this was as an excellent debut novel and I am looking forward to reading more of this series. (You may read an interview with Zen Cho here.)


Finally, a couple of short stories to finish off my week. I chose this book from my Amazon recommendations - Beneath a Waning Moon: a Duo of Gothic Romances. I am not the biggest fan of Elizabeth Hunter but I have enjoyed Grace Draven's novels. I was also inexplicably drawn to the cover. I loved the woman's long flowing gown and the way the folds ripple and cascade down the steps. I thought it was rather painterly.

There are two short stories - The Very Proper Monster by Elizabeth Hunter which tells the story of Josephine Shaw who is full of live and energy yet, dying of tuberculosis. Everything changes when she marries Tom Dargin, a vampire unbeknownst to her, to save her father's legacy. This a good old fashioned story of how love comes in the most unsuspecting forms and and the most unsuspecting times.

Story 2 - Gaslight Hades has hints of Jane Austen's Persuasion to it but this time the Captain Frederick Wentworth character is a monster - the soul of one man in the body of another. Nathaniel Gorden thought his life had been reduced to guarding Highgate cemetery until one day his lost love Lenore Kenward strolls back into his life. Once dead, now Nathanial is very much alive and so is his love of Lenore.

Short stories need only short reviews (in my humble opinion). Hunter's short story can only be described as 'twee'. Josephine was fairly one dimensional and I felt Tom was a bit of a whiner. I ended up skipping some pages at the end. Draven's story had much more depth to it and I liked both of the lead characters. Not an unpleasant end to the week but just a teeny tiny bit dull.


That is all for me this week. I hope you all have a great week ahead and Happy Reading.

Raptor
Dragon Blood 6
Lindsay Buroker, October 27, 2015
eBook, 354 pages

Responsible for her friend’s death, Lieutenant Caslin Ahn wants nothing more than to be left alone. She no longer deserves the company of comrades or the fulfillment she felt as a Wolf Squadron fighter pilot. But a summons from the king leaves her with no choice but to rejoin her teammates. An ancient evil has been unleashed, bringing death and destruction to the nation, and they are the only ones with a chance of stopping it.

Dragon Blood 6 brings back Cas, Tolemek, Ridge, Sardelle, Kaika, and Tylie, as well as her dragon, for a new epic fantasy adventure.

Sorcerer to the Crown
Sorcerer Royal 1
Ace, September 1, 2015
Hardcover and eBook, 384 pages

In this sparkling debut, magic and mayhem clash with the British elite…

The Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, one of the most respected organizations throughout all of England, has long been tasked with maintaining magic within His Majesty’s lands. But lately, the once proper institute has fallen into disgrace, naming an altogether unsuitable gentleman—a freed slave who doesn’t even have a familiar—as their Sorcerer Royal, and allowing England’s once profuse stores of magic to slowly bleed dry. At least they haven’t stooped so low as to allow women to practice what is obviously a man’s profession…

At his wit’s end, Zacharias Wythe, Sorcerer Royal of the Unnatural Philosophers and eminently proficient magician, ventures to the border of Fairyland to discover why England’s magical stocks are drying up. But when his adventure brings him in contact with a most unusual comrade, a woman with immense power and an unfathomable gift, he sets on a path which will alter the nature of sorcery in all of Britain—and the world at large…

Beneath a Waning Moon: A Duo of Gothic Romances
Hunter/Draven, September 29, 2015 (eBook)
CreateSpace, October 20, 2015 (Trade Paperback)

Two delightfully dark tales of Gothic romance from Elizabeth Hunter and Grace Draven.

In A VERY PROPER MONSTER, Josephine Shaw spends long nights filling the pages of her Gothic stories with the fantastic and the macabre, unaware that the suitor her father has arranged is one of the dark creatures she’s always dreamed. For Tom Dargin, courting an ailing spinster was only one duty in a long life of service to his sire. But after he meets the curious Miss Shaw, will Tom become the seducer or the seduced? Can a love fated to end in tragedy survive a looming grave?

In GASLIGHT HADES, Nathaniel Gordon walks two worlds—that of the living and the dead. Barely human, he's earned the reputation of a Bonekeeper, the scourge of grave robbers. He believes his old life over, until one dreary burial he meets the woman he once loved and almost married. Lenore Kenward stands at her father’s grave, begging the protection of the mysterious guardian, not knowing he is her lost love. Resolved to keep his distance, Nathaniel is forced to abandon his plan and accompany Lenore on a journey into the mouth of Hell where sea meets sky, and the abominations that exist beyond its barrier wait to destroy them.