Check out the latest Tour for “Children of Anzulla: Draxton & Kellan“ by Kashel Char (Other Worlds Ink Tour and excerpt)

Kashel Char has a new MM paranormal/sci-fantasy romance book out: Children of Anzulla: Draxton & Kellan.

DRAXTON:

Have you ever looked for something you know is there but can’t find it?
I was born to explore caves, and when it comes to finding the door to another reality, I become a tire-screeching, hyper-focused maniac.

When I use my charm, I know, no one can refuse me, especially when I’m wearing my sexy jean shorts and wide-brimmed hat, even if I pair them with flip-flops.

I will do anything to secure an extension to explore the Star Caves, nestled in the Cradle of Mankind, South Africa.

With my grandfather’s map in hand, I set out to barter for more time.

The plan was simple. Entice, seduce, and bribe the man responsible for my future. He accepted the bribe, my priceless map, but as soon as he started showing up at the site, he refused my body, three times!

KELLAN:

How do you keep a bubble from popping when you want to catch it? Easy, don’t try to catch it at all.

I’m so in love with Draxton that I’d do just about anything to keep him around a little longer—even if it means shoving him into another guy’s arms! It’s my way of saying, I’m not trying to build a Draxton prison over here!

But, how will I do that if I have to protect him while he’s going on all these missions to help my brother free Atlas, a dragon who was the only one who could take us back home?

Recommended pre-read: New Beginnings Trilogy.

Warnings: Themes of rescue missions, human oppression, invasion, slavery

Universal Buy Link | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

Excerpt

His eyes flicked to mine. “You know, Mr. Dubois, I call bullshit. You didn’t preserve it. You were hiding something.” He was correct. I hid my great-grandfather’s code that he had written with milk on the side of the map.

I waved off the statement. “Look, the passages on the map turn left upon entry and pass in front of the chimney, but then it turns sharply down and to the right. We need more time because we’ve been scanning that wall repeatedly. We can’t go right. We need time. Here, Tobias and I found a fine line. I call it a line, but he insists it’s a crack. It’s unusually straight and long. No human could have scraped that with a piece of rock. It’s not rock carvings. Look, the door has to be there, somewhere in this exact spot, either up or down. You know the rock carvings look just like these.” I pointed to ladders, triangles, and squares. “I know the door is there. All I need is time, Professor. Once I find the door, all the credit goes to you and your faculty. You won’t have to spend a cent. All you have to do is say yes. Let National Geographic pull out, as they planned to today. I need space to work without any interference or distractions. Give me three months. That’s all I ask. If there’s no sign other than what we’ve found up until today, I will gladly pack up and call it quits. I’ll go home and start my research all over again. Because then I’m wrong. So wrong.”

I tipped my head down to catch my breath and waited. Usually, people hated it if I stayed quiet for so long, it made them uncomfortable. My grandfather told me it’s not my fault if people got impatient and thought I was rude. The silence in the office finally doused my echoing words. When I looked back up, he sat patiently waiting for me with a smile. This man was really at the top of the food chain.

He pointed a finger at me. I wanted to sink to my knees for him. Not to beg, but to crawl closer and smell him like a dog. I bet he smelled like soap and tasted sweat. “I will give you three months, but I will be visiting and checking on your progress. No one else goes into those caves but you and Tobias. You work for me now. Without pay, of course. Anything new—be it the door, any bones, or anything, I don’t care if it’s just a hair. It belongs to the Wits, to my department.”

A broad smile spread across my face. “Thank you.” I stood up weak in the knees, to shake his hand. “You just made the best deal of your career. I won’t disappoint you.”

“Famous last words, Mr. Dubois.” He unfolded his new map, then rolled it back up and slipped it back into the protective tube.

“Famous indeed, as you’ll see. You are about to become very famous.” I chuckled. “I was about to flirt with you and persuade you with my body.” I laughed, awaiting a reaction.

“No need for that. We’ll see more of each other, Mr. Dubois.”

“Please, I asked you earlier to call me Draxton.”

“Only if you call me by my name, Kellan.” He looked like a Kellan. I liked the alliteration of the k’s.

“Professor Kellan Kilroy, I look forward to working with you.” We shook hands longer than necessary. His long, slender fingers were surprisingly callused for a man who spends his days in an office. I shivered at the thought of those rough calluses scraping against my skin down my spine on their way to separate my butt cheeks.

Gods, I have to stop gazing into his all-knowing eyes. I can’t…I can’t look away.

He beamed at me knowingly, and we paused for a moment. In that instant, for the first time ever, my entire world went silent as I made eye contact. It didn’t make me nervous—no buzzing noises urging me to find silence—just a profound and unexpected comfort that settled deep within my bones. All the usual frantic chatter in my mind faded, replaced by a singular, unwavering focus as we shared the understanding of mutual attraction.

“We’ll see each other again the day after tomorrow. Please tell Tobias I said hello.” He patted my arm, and my skin prickled where he had touched me.

Swirls of heat detonated inside me. “I…I will, until then,” I said hurriedly, opening the office door, flustered and eager to resume my trek through the Johannesburg traffic—with a victorious grin.

Author Bio

Kashel is a Canadian speculative fiction author, writing in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal.

Their writing explores who we are, where we come from, and where we are heading as a human race on Earth, by weaving unpredictable, twisted stories with a dash of humor, centered on gay characters.

Author Website: https://kashelchar.com/
Author Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KashelCharAuthor"
Author Instagram: https://instagram.com/kashelchar
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21728488.Kashel_Char
Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/51543/
Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/kashel-char/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/kashel-char

Review : Kiss My Ash: A paranormal fantasy with chaos and heart (An Umbrafore Novel) by Lara McKenzie

Rating: 5⭐️

“Grief is a squatter. You can’t evict it or reason with it, and it keeps touching your things.”

This is a story I want to share, underline, have quotes made into bumper stickers, and just absolutely love.

But it’s not an easy story to read at times. It’s emotionally draining, raw, heartbreaking, funny, full of truth and tragedy, and for many women who are struggling with their bodies, trauma, and grief, this story can only be described as a tale of recovery and healing.

Lara McKenzie always manages to balances darkness with humor in her writing, and that’s especially true here in Kiss My Ash.

Charlotte Marelli, ex-lawyer, now owner of a supernatural coffee shop in the realm of Umbrafore. Charlotte is a character we’re familiar with if you’re a reader of the connected series, Maya’s Blogs, written in the similar style.

Charlotte has been a wonderfully steady force in the lives of many beings around her but here it’s Charlotte who is in need as her life begins to shatter.

Careful to keep complete control of her life, reasons for which become apparent as the story develops, her past life begins to invade her current situation and her physically changes of perimenopause and hot flashes are making her everyday life even more difficult.

This is truly such a powerful read as Charlotte’s struggles through her tragic history, current dangers and watch as she grows into a survivor and warrior.

A remarkable book that’s relevant, quotable, and heartfelt. I highly recommend both the author , Kiss My Ass, and Maya’s Blogs too.

Cover Illustration by Mansitha.

Side story. Related to

Maya’s Blogs (5 book series)

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comKiss My Ash: A paranormal fantasy with chaos and heart (An Umbrafore Novel) eBook …

Blurb

Forty-seven, perimenopausal, and armed with a lethal wit, ex-barrister Charlotte Marelli runs a supernatural coffee shop.

Her small and carefully controlled life shatters when someone from her past reappears just as her no-strings-attached relationship becomes complicated.

Thrust into a web of surveillance and old traumas, Charlotte must unravel a conspiracy tied to her own kidnapping, forcing her to decide whether trusting anyone is worth the risk of being broken again.

February 2, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

312 pages

Women’s fantasy fiction, fantasy fiction,

Kiss My Ash contains depictions of: Mild PTSD and panic attacks Past captivity and human trafficking (not depicted on page) Alcohol as a coping mechanism Death of a parent Trauma responses Menopause and perimenopause experiences Violence and threats of violence (non-explicit) Please, take care of yourself.

Note; written for neurodivergent readers, with shortish chapters, accessible prose, and minimal filler.

Review: Jade City (The Green Bone Saga Book 1) by Fonda Lee

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Jade City is the first book I’ve read by Fonda Lee, a book and series very well known for being so remarkable in its wonderfully detailed world building and raw, yet powerful characters of the Kaul family.

I came across it by accident, as someone who was recommending it in their all time top fantasy series. Then it looked at the types of recommendations it had received.

Remarkable for a series and book that is hard to quantify. Here it’s called a fantasy novel, but alternative reality or universe, that works as well.

This is about a solitary island, Kekon, that has fought for independence from an outside country (white) and finally won, at a high cost. Its main source of wealth is jade, which can for certain individuals increase their human strength and abilities to something incredibly inhumane and frighteningly dangerous and powerful. Those people, the Green Bones, named after the Jade which gives them power, is now divided into two warring clans who control the island.

One of them is the Kaul family, the focal points of all the books.

This is an epic story, Asia-inspired tale of two crime dynasties, the Kauls and the Ayts. Its constant political manipulation and maneuvering, as well as traumatic physical, emotional, and psychological mental battles over Jade and territory. Often leading to death.

Added to this main fight between the clan giants are the smaller groups and those who covet the power they are physically unable to have. Those now trading in a new drug that has a high that gives the user Jade like ability.

All of this threatens to destabilize the Kaul family’s base of power and business. And each sibling will have to deal with their plans and place within the clan to see if and how they can make the Kaul clan survive.

It’s bloody, realistic, political, magical with the Jade being the basic element of the system that boosts their power.

And the characters are so strong, each well defined and beautifully developed.

This is only the first one and it’s so compelling and heartbreaking.

It deserves all the accolades.

It’s a World Fantasy Award winner and has been named one of TIME’s Top 100 Fantasy Books of All Time.

The Green Bone Saga

Jade City

Jade War

Jade Legacy

Buy link

Book 1 of 3: The Green Bone Saga

Blurb

In this World Fantasy Award-winning novel of magic and kungfu, four siblings battle rival clans for honor and power in an Asia-inspired fantasy metropolis.

*Named one of TIME’s Top 100 Fantasy Books Of All Time*

Jade is the lifeblood of the island of Kekon. It has been mined, traded, stolen, and killed for—and for centuries, honorable Green Bone warriors like the Kaul family have used it to enhance their magical abilities and defend the island from foreign invasion.

Now, the war is over and a new generation of Kauls vies for control of Kekon’s bustling capital city. They care about nothing but protecting their own, cornering the jade market, and defending the districts under their protection. Ancient tradition has little place in this rapidly changing nation.

When a powerful new drug emerges that lets anyone—even foreigners—wield jade, the simmering tension between the Kauls and the rival Ayt family erupts into open violence. The outcome of this clan war will determine the fate of all Green Bones—and of Kekon itself.

Praise for Jade City:

“An epic drama reminiscent of the best classic Hong Kong gangster films but set in a fantasy metropolis so gritty and well-imagined that you’ll forget you’re reading a book.” —Ken Liu, Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Award-winning author

“A beautifully realized setting, a great cast of characters, and dramatic action scenes. What a fun, gripping read!” —Ann Leckie, Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author

“An instantly absorbing tale of blood, honor, family and magic, spiced with unexpectedly tender character beats.” —NPR

The Green Bone Saga

Jade City

Review: Aurora Blazing (The Consortium Rebellion Book 2) by Jessie Mihalik

Rating: 4⭐️

The daughters of the House of High House von Hasenberg fall in the order of Hannah, Bianca, Ada, and youngest daughter Catarina. There are two brothers, the oldest brother and heir, Ferdinand, and Bianca’s twin brother, Benedict.

All the siblings have roles here in Aurora Blazing, the second book in The Consortium Rebellion series. The main focus is on Bianca con Hasenberg, her traumatic experiences upon her wedding Gerald at the command of her father, and its recuperation afterwords. And her frenemy, Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security.

Through Bianca, we learn, what a horror it is growing up under their father’s absolute control and authority. While the reader has been given a hint of the abuse the siblings have suffered, here through a horrific memory recalled, we get the picture of a cold blooded man who sees only submission or brutal punishment for those who don’t obey. No feeling only fear.

Then once married, Bianca ended up suffering as a non consenting experimental subject to her own husband’s scientific experiments suffering greatly. Only after his death was she able to return home, permanently changed for life and hiding what he’d done to her.

The revelations are shocking and constant here. The author is filling in family and characters backgrounds as well as world building with the major Houses.

And it comes with another heartbreaking crisis for the siblings. Ferdinand is missing.

Because of their upbringing, they are close to each other, knowing that they are their only source of support and love. That’s beautifully written and illustrated in every aspect of their dynamic.

Bianca is a layered, well defined woman who’s still dealing with the trauma of her marriage and the damage done to her body and spirit. She’s now carries unheard of abilities in her mind, ones only she knows about. But they come at a high physical cost which she must monitor and explain away.

It’s all folded into a high level suspense filled with, action packed story, one that carries emotional baggage and endless painful moments to fill a starship.

There’s also a slow burn relationship between Bianca and Ian Bishop, where frisson, lack of trust and their own past makes them work against each other at every step.

While I enjoyed Polaris Rising, I feel that Aurora Blazing was the better book. More layers and character development.

A third sister has the next story. That’s Catarina. Im headed there.

A definite winner and another recommendation!

Oh, and Aoife and Alexander ? Love them both and they are featured in Chaos Reigning!

The Consortium Rebellion (3 book series)

Polaris Rising #1

Aurora Blazing #2

Chaos Reigning #3

Buy link

Aurora Blazing: A Space Princess’s Quest for Family and Love in a Sci-Fi Galaxy of Secrets and Intrigue (The Consortium Rebellion Book 2)

Blurb

To save her brother and protect her family’s future, a powerful princess must join forces with a dashing man from her past in this thrilling space adventure, the second novel in the Consortium Rebellion trilogy.

As the dutiful daughter of High House von Hasenberg, Bianca set aside her personal feelings and agreed to a political match arranged by her family, only to end up trapped in a loveless, miserable marriage. When her husband unexpectedly dies, Bianca vows never to wed again. Newly independent, she secretly uses her wealth and influence to save other women stuck in dire circumstances. Information is power and Bianca has a network of allies and spies that would be the envy of the ’verse—if anyone knew about it.

When her family’s House is mysteriously attacked, Bianca’s oldest brother, the heir to House von Hasenberg, disappears. Fearful for her brother’s life, the headstrong Bianca defies her father and leaves Earth to save him. Ian Bishop, the director of House von Hasenberg security—and Bianca’s first love—is ordered to find and retrieve the rebellious woman.

Ian is the last man Bianca wants to see. To evade capture, she leads him on a merry chase across the universe. But when their paths finally collide, she knows she must persuade him to help her. Bianca will do anything to save her sibling, even if it means spending time alone on a small ship with the handsome, infuriating man who once broke her heart.

As the search takes them deep into rival House Rockhurst territory, Bianca must decide if she can trust Ian with the one piece of information that could destroy her completely . . .

Review: Polaris Rising: Consortium Rebellion Book 1 by Jessie Mihalik

Rating: 4.25⭐️

Ada von Hasenberg, middle daughter of the powerful main House of Hasenburg, is the best reason to read this book. Mihalik has created in Ada a main character who’s versatile, highly intelligent, skilled in manipulating people and spacecraft, layered emotionally and physically adaptable. The reader automatically understands and connects with her. We’re on her side every step of her journey.

And what a dangerous journey it is. She’s escaping an arranged marriage, typical of the Houses that marriages are political contracts of ownership and exchanges of money and property (this is better explained in book 2). She’s using every single bit of knowledge and experience to make her escape. Unfortunately, both her father and fiancée have offered a substantial bounty for her return.

Marcus Loch, a notorious criminal has been arrested and is in chains in his cell in a space ship when he gets a new cell companion, Ada von Hasenberg. She’s a prisoner to be released back into the custody of her family.

The dramatic story that picks up shortly afterwards is fast paced, action packed with well written suspense filled sequences and high intrigue.

As Ada and Marcus flee across the galaxy, they fill us in on their own stories and current lives. While hiding truths from each other. No instant love, although they appear to appreciate each other’s physical appearance. All good things.

And Ada gets better with every event and disaster that passes. Marcus is not as multidimensional as Ada. He’s more formulated along the lines of many other similar MMC without the author expanding on the traits she’s hinting about. Missed opportunity unfortunately.

And for ADA and her siblings, a big part of the problem with the series is the lack of background and childhood experiences. We get only one memory in Book 2 but with their own respective resources and brilliance, it’s their own House they should be turning on here given how it’s treated them. Such loyalty makes little sense.

Really, you’d think all the younger people in all the Houses would be training to take their own Houses out given how disposable they are to them. Where’s that rebellion?

Among the items that struck me as I read were:

Universal Time as a galactic time zone reference for the characters to keep readjusting to just wasn’t credible imo. As though there wasn’t, with all the other future incredible technology available, a way for everyone to have the time adjustment made automatically? Made no sense whatsoever.

Side characters arm runner Rhys and stolen goods fence Veronica are both interesting people, with Veronica having the most intriguing backstory. However she’s also the one with the most under explored or dropped storylines in her thread. She’s got a small child , an extremely important one. Who disappeared from this book and the next book with no real explanation. SMH

Earth was depleted of resources (but now looks amazingly good and is the headquarters of the Houses), so humans took to space. Instead of governments, humans created royal Houses, main and lesser houses of families with similar social structures. The Houses formed a Consortium to rule and regulate their respective countries and planets.

That’s the basis of the universe building. Three main ‘power is mine’ Houses and a bunch of ‘scrambling for power’ lesser ones. Contracts are everything, including marriage. But other than that? Knowledge is only slowly filled in, in certain circumstances where an absence in the narrative for lack of foundation is felt by the reader.

The story is a power house of a space opera! It rocks right along, with action, bloodshed, space fights, prison cell battles, and intense conflict between families.

The science fiction doesn’t always science. There’s holes in the fiction. But the relationship between the main characters works and there’s a resolution at the end that’s satisfying.

The next story picks up with another sister and a hunt for a missing brother. It’s an excellent story.

A definite pleasure to read. If space opera is your thing, here’s a series to connect with.

The Consortium Rebellion (3 book series)

Polaris Rising #1

Aurora Blazing #2

Chaos Reigning #3

Buy link

Book 1 of 3: The Consortium Rebellion

Blurb

Polaris Rising is space opera at its best, intense and addictive, a story of honor, courage, betrayal, and love. Jessie Mihalik is an author to watch.”–Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A space princess on the run and a notorious outlaw soldier become unlikely allies in this imaginative, sexy space opera adventure—the first in an exciting science fiction trilogy.

In the far distant future, the universe is officially ruled by the Royal Consortium, but the High Councillors, the heads of the three High Houses, wield the true power. As the fifth of six children, Ada von Hasenberg has no authority; her only value to her High House is as a pawn in a political marriage. When her father arranges for her to wed a noble from House Rockhurst, a man she neither wants nor loves, Ada seizes control of her own destiny. The spirited princess flees before the betrothal ceremony and disappears among the stars.

Ada eluded her father’s forces for two years, but now her luck has run out. To ensure she cannot escape again, the fiery princess is thrown into a prison cell with Marcus Loch. Known as the Devil of Fornax Zero, Loch is rumored to have killed his entire chain of command during the Fornax Rebellion, and the Consortium wants his head.

When the ship returning them to Earth is attacked by a battle cruiser from rival House Rockhurst, Ada realizes that if her jilted fiancé captures her, she’ll become a political prisoner and a liability to her House. Her only hope is to strike a deal with the dangerous fugitive: a fortune if he helps her escape.

But when you make a deal with an irresistibly attractive Devil, you may lose more than you bargained for . . .

Harper Voyager

Publication date

February 5, 2019

Language

‎English

Print length

451 pages

Book 1 of 3

The Consortium Rebellion

Review: Dragons Don’t Eat Meat: A Dark & Humorous Urban Fantasy (Valkyrie Bestiary Book 1) by Kim McDougall

Rating: 3.5⭐️

“The Flood Wars have come and gone, leaving a world at the mercy of magic. Kyra Greene is an exiled Valkyrie who finds her place in Montreal Ward as a pest controller of extraordinary creatures. She already has an apartment full of rescues, including a basilisk who thinks he’s a turkey, a banshee nanny, and a pygmy kraken. She might take care of them, but they also fill her need for family. And when that family is threatened, she’ll risk everything to save them.”

I picked this book up because I really enjoyed Kim McDougall’s The Knack series and her female characters in particular. That series was my first time reading this author and I thought to explore other books as well.

Unfortunately, I found that Dragons Don’t Eat Meat, the first book in the completed 9-book Valkyrie Bestiary series isn’t going to be nearly as interesting or entertaining as I hoped.

Written four years earlier, it has many elements and aspects of the story that I found engaging. But ultimately it comes down to the main character of this series itself that I find the least enjoyable.

First to the positive aspects. The exotic animals in her Bestiary, including Ollie, the baby dragon. While not exploring much of the dragon’s history or much of any of the other creatures in her care, they remain an important and engaging part of her life and story. Which unfortunately, comes with a negative side in the narrative as well. Another plus is Jacoby, a dervish. His plight, and need for a home made me connect to the story and situation in a way that Kyra never did.

The gargoyles, are introduced as though they were a bigger part of some previous story. So it feels like the reader is missing something, key information. Especially as one, Henry Mason a gargoyle she had a brief kiss with, doesn’t seem very layered as a character or have much chemistry with Kyra.

Things that I found needing further clarification or better explanation or just something.

Plot points or holes. Her shop which is also her home, and the home for her creatures and banshee? Not warded or alarmed. A huge question mark considering a dramatic event that occurs in the story that causes minor character deaths. FYI. That’s absolutely illogical.

One villain is easily spotted, at least by the reader. Does anyone in this story think that maybe that person is acting strangely. Yes. Do the main characters continue on course. Why yes. SMH. Keep in mind the fact that the main characters are immortal or immortal somethings.

To short it up, my last big issue is with Kyra.

She’s a Valkyrie. With an amazing soul eater sword. Powerful weapon, powerful woman. Right?

Except for the fact that McDougall has written her as an apologist. I’m so sorry for my actions. I’m so sorry for my sword’s actions. I wish I wasn’t a Valkyrie. I wish. Well, you know.

Everything I’m so over in seeing in a woman character. Haven’t women characters stopped apologizing enough. For what and who they are? This is supposed to be comedic fantasy fiction but I see nothing funny about this.

I may try to read one more book in the series to see if it gets better. But usually once it starts out with this kind of characterization it continues on in this vein.

Luckily, The Knack is different. Read that series. That’s my recommendation.

Published by Wrongtree Press.

Cover and book design by Castelane, Cover art by Pamela Francescut.

Valkyrie Bestiary (9 book series):

Dragons Don’t Eat Meat #1

Buy link

Book 1 of 9: Valkyrie Bestiary

Blurb

One lost baby dragon. One fae pest controller. And a city on the brink of civil war.

Kyra Greene is a sucker for a vulnerable critter. The exiled Valkyrie turned pest controller shares her chaotic home with a banshee roommate, a pygmy kraken, and a basilisk who thinks he’s a turkey. But when she rescues a baby dragon that swallowed a dangerous artifact, she’s stuck working with a mysterious gargoyle who kissed her a year ago and then ghosted.

With a rogue fae prince after the relic stuck in the dragon’s belly, Kyra and her irritating companion venture into the magical and lawless Inbetween to find the dragon’s elders. And as attraction brews and enemies converge, she fears they might not make it out alive without triggering a supernatural civil war.

Can she reunite the lost dragon with his thunder and save her quirky family of magic creatures? Or will Montreal fall to chaos and monsters?

Dragons Don’t Eat Meat is the laugh-out-loud first book in the now complete Valkyrie Bestiary urban fantasy series. If you like feisty female leads, smart snark, found-family fantasy, and romance that’s just right, then you’ll love Kim McDougall’s action-packed adventure.

Dive into a world of magic and fantastic beasts—buy Dragons Don’t Eat Meat today and start your adventure!

WrongTree Press

Publication date

August 15, 2020

Language

‎English

Print length

288 pages

Book 1 of 9

Valkyrie Bestiary

Review: A Knack for Metal and Bone: An Epic Fantasy Steampunk Adventure (The Knack Book 1) by Kim McDougall

Rating: 4.5⭐️

“A royal tinker and a rogue soldier must unite to stop the monsters threatening their city—and unravel the secrets lurking within it.”

I’ve been incredibly lucky lately as the books I’ve grabbed up by “new to me” authors have turned out to be fabulous novels and, in some cases, great series. This is one of those.

I wasn’t familiar with Kim McDougall before but she’s firmly in my TBR list now. A Knack for Metal and Bone, the first in her series, The Knack, is a fantastic steampunk fantasy novel. Inventive, full of magnificent characters and epic storytelling, once I started I couldn’t put it down.

The characters are richly detailed and beautifully crafted in their variety of backgrounds and forms. From mech to shifters to elves to extraordinary creatures that emerge from the Meadow, the world is full of characters the engage both mind and heart with their journey and their own unique abilities.

Rowan is one I count as my favorite character and a uniquely crafted hero in this genre. She’s a royal princess who prefers her mechanics and workshop, avoiding her role in society and court. She’s a mech engineer, with a unique talent and touch, one that comes with an own story. She lost her arm as a child in an attack, one that sent her older brother, the heir into a 20 year coma, and cost the Kingdom their father who died.

Now she works in her tower workshop, with her mech arm and mech bird as companion, visiting her comatose brother daily and beloved Aunt. Until a mission changes her life.

Rowan is a masterful character. Multilayered, believable, grounded by her intelligence and ability with machines. Brace without stupidity, thoughtful and just an impressive personality. And her equal is the wolf shifter, Conall. An ex-commander in the Kingdom’s Rangers, he’s been hiding due to his actions in a past war. But this mission brings them together with others of equally strong or strange abilities.

The mission, their journey through wildly unpredictable situations and weird environments is exciting, dangerous and compelling. It’s breathtaking reading. And watching the growth of the individuals coming together, well most of them, into a cohesive unit is everything. The relationships between them are believable, grounded and real.

Which often makes the events suspenseful and nerve wracking. Because the danger is high at each stage of the journey.

The ending sets up the next story. It’s a steady progression as they set out to continue forward on the knowledge they’ve gained.

They’ve finished one stage but the next one, the very dangerous one is just starting.

This is such a fantastic story, full of outstanding characters and epic storytelling that I’m excited to share it.

Grab it up. The second book too.

Published by Wrongtree Press.

Cover art and design by Christian Bentulan

The Knack (2 book series to date)

A Knack for Metal and Bone #1

Mech and Magic #2

Buy link

A Knack for Metal and Bone: An Epic Fantasy Steampunk Adventure (The Knack Book 1)

Blurb

A royal tinker and a rogue soldier must unite to stop the monsters threatening their city—and unravel the secrets lurking within it.

Rowan doesn’t just work with machines—she hears them. The hum of engines, the whisper of gears and wires—they speak to her through the magic that flows from her mech hand. Whether she’s fine-tuning the colossal automaton that protects New Torwood City or toiling in her workshop, being a mechanic is the only life she truly enjoys. But the Regent’s Council wants more. They demand a princess who will embrace the pomp and ceremony of royal duty, not a tinker with oil-stained hands.

When she’s unexpectedly recruited into Ranger Squad 54 for a mission deep into the wild Meadows, Rowan leaps at the chance. Finally, a way to serve her city and put her unique talents to use—far from the glittering halls of royalty.

Conall, an ex-commander, knows the dangers of the Meadows firsthand. Discharged from the Rangers when his inner wolf broke free during battle, he now makes a living running rare artifacts between New Torwood and the southern cities. But the Rangers have a new mission for him—one that could clear his tarnished record. A group of international scientists has vanished, and recovering them is critical for the future of New Torwood. Failure could push the city into a war it cannot afford.

Thrown together on a high-risk mission, Rowan, Conall, and the Rangers of Squad 54 will face unimaginable dangers in the wilderness and uncover dark secrets that could shake the foundations of the city they’ve sworn to protect. But the real menace might be at the heart of New Torwood itself.

Embark on a thrilling adventure with A Knack for Metal and Bone, the first book in an epic new fantasy-steampunk series from the author of The Valkyrie Bestiary.

December 5, 2024

Language

‎English

Print length

450 pages

Book 1 of 2

The Knack

Fantasy, steampunk/fantasy, epic fantasy adventure, steampunk science fiction/fantasy,

Review: The Knight and the Butcherbird by Alix E. Harrow

Rating: 4.5⭐️🌈

This is a harrowing excellent short story by Alix Harrow, an author I associate with imaginative, thoughtful fiction.

Set in a dystopian world, hundreds of years after a catastrophic event has permanently changed earth’s environment as well as humans beings themselves, Harrow has intriguingly narrowed down the location to a dying community of outsiders, the Appalachian community of Iron Hollow.

They, like other struggling poor people, live outside the walled compounds of the rich. High in the Mountains, living in the hollers near the poisonous streams and changed vegetation, they live life hard, dying young and often, sometimes from the very monsters emerging from the mountains itself.

Harrow creates, in the richly colored, sometimes horrifying world, a tale of love lost, love deeply mourned, and finally, love changed and found again.

It’s not a romance. Each main character has lost their wives. Both Shrike the Secretary, the young mountain woman and the legendary Knight who’s come to slay the monster.

What follows is an amazing story. One of anger, ruthless determination, dedication and finally, deep love.

I absolutely love that ending.

Highly recommended, both story and author.

Cover design by Tree Abraham Cover illustration by Colin Verdi

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Knight and the Butcherbird: A Short Story eBook : Harrow, Alix E.

Blurb

In this dystopian fairy tale from the New York Timesbestselling author of Starling House, a small town’s storyteller struggles to protect a local demon from the knight hired to kill it.

Hundreds of years after the end of the world, the Appalachian community of Iron Hollow finds itself beset by demons. Such horrors are common these days in the outlands, where most folks die young—if they don’t turn into monsters first.

When a legendary knight is summoned to hunt down the latest unearthly beast to haunt their woods, the town’s new oral historian, Shrike, has more reason than most to be concerned. Because that demon was her wife. And while Shrike is certain that May still recognizes her—that May is still herself, somewhere beneath it all—she can’t prove it.

Determined to keep May safe, Shrike stalks the knight and his demon-hunting hawk through the recesses of the forest. But as they creep through toxic creeks and overgrown kudzu, Shrike realizes the knight has a secret of his own. And he’ll do anything to protect it.

Check out the Tour for “The New Worlds“ by Jaye C. Watts (excerpt from Other Worlds Ink tour )

Jaye C. Watts has a new queer sci-fi book out (transgender, poly, non-binary, pansexual, lesbian): The New Worlds.

The year is 2293 and the Truth no longer exists. In the future there are many truths, giving rise to many worlds, but each must be kept separate.

Born to protect these truths, Axton Bryce patrols the New Worlds Star System—to observe, participate, and gather information. But as she learns the ways of each world, she must also hunt for those who defy their world’s truth: the Outliers.

While stationed on a nearby planet, Axton meets the charming Ambassador Bray Wilde. As the two become close, Axton reveals a painful secret—the loss of her first love, exiled as an Outlier.

Longing to see beyond their own world, the ambassador proposes a rescue mission—one that will bring both friends and foes, and ultimately a fight for freedom. But first, Axton must make a choice: between a life-long allegiance… and the chance to claim a truth of her own.

Warnings: indoctrination, brainwashing, threatening with a weapon (guns & a bomb)

Universal Buy Link

Excerpt

I clenched my fists. “Focus,” I told myself. Grabbing my communication cuff, I fastened it around my wrist. “INS communications, activate.” I opened my wardrobe and reached for a freshly pressed uniform. “Aurelia, give me today’s briefing.”

It lit up and responded. “Your next assignment will be on the Amorous World for a standard duration of three months. You are scheduled to depart today at zero six hundred Geo Time and arrive at zero eight-forty Geo Time. The latest reports on the Amorous World are available for your review. Do you wish to accept, Mediator Axton Bryce?”

I crouched to lace up my boots. “I accept.”

“On behalf of Chairman West and the Individual Nations Secretariat, we thank you, Mediator Axton Bryce, for your work in protecting the Truth of many truths.”

I rose to my feet, skin prickling at the back of my neck. Though I couldn’t see it, I could feel it: two lowercase t’s under one capital T, branded at the top of my spine—a permanent part of me ever since my Veneration five long years ago.

I reached back, digging my nails in, tempted to tear the tattoo right from my skin. “She should have been there,” I whispered. If only she’d kept those thoughts to herself.

I grabbed my utility belt and wrapped it around my waist, ensuring the gun was secure. Staring at myself in the mirror, I straightened the collar of my shirt. I’d never been to the Amorous World before. Perfect, I thought. Some fresh scenery was just what I needed.

* * *

I checked my cuff—zero five fifty-five, right on schedule. Marching across the launch deck, I carried one efficiently packed piece of luggage. I never glanced back when boarding my ship; Brokazaria’s endless acres of skyscrapers would still be here when I returned. Instead, I looked up. The early-morning sky was just waking. Aside from Primus B—the Middle World’s secondary, and thus miniature, sun—not a star was in sight. As I approached my ship, the roar of its engine reminded me that soon the stars would be all around me.

I turned and gave the official salute to a line of NI Security standing at attention. In unison, the humanlike Machines returned the gesture, crossing their arms to form a lowercase letter t. Sergeant L43 pumped his eyebrows, prompting me to raise one of mine in response. Hard to believe they were once called “AI.” New Intelligence, we were told, was a much more appropriate term.

L43 stepped forward. “Afternoon, miss.” He grabbed my bag, allowing me to ascend the ladder.

“Thanks,” I said. I climbed to the top and crawled through the hatch.

“Catch!” the NI yelled, tossing up my luggage.

With a reflex just quick enough, I caught the bag. “Sergeant!” I scolded. “What if there was something fragile in there?”

“You humans,” he replied. “Always afraid something’s gonna break. Your luggage, your bones, your bodies… not to mention your hearts and minds.”

I rolled my eyes at the cheeky Machine. “Watch it, L, or I’ll get them to reboot you.”

Unperturbed, the Machine grinned and waved. “I’ll miss you, too. Bon voyage!”

“See you in three months,” I muttered, closing the hatch behind me. I immediately got busy flicking switches and hitting buttons. Muscle memory took over as I continued the launch prep with complete focus. Not a moment later, a blue light illuminated my cuff, drawing my attention. Blue indicated a direct message from Chairman West himself, Secretary-General of the Individual Nations Secretariat.

“Play address,” I said, eager to hear our leader’s words.

A ghostlike image projected from my arm, transporting the man’s titanic figure into my control room. Neatly trimmed grays blended inconspicuously into the rest of his dark hair, swept back to frame a chiseled face. Salt-and-pepper stubble outlined a pair of smiling lips—the beginnings of a goatee that never quite came to fruition. As always, a perfectly pressed suit hugged every one of his bulging muscles.

“Greetings, my children!” The chairman’s voice rumbled from a gaping grin, complete with gleaming teeth. “Today is a very special day, not only for the New Worlds Star System but for some of our most dedicated Mediators.”

My ears perked up as I waited for more.

“Today marks two hundred and fifty years of living in an interplanetary alliance, free from the terrors of war, safe from the dangers of Plurality! A quarter of a millennium since the United Nations of the Old World became the Individual Nations of the New Worlds, marking humanity’s Great Dispersion!”

A swell of pride surged in my chest. I was part of something big and important.

“All of this would not be possible without you,” he declared, “our magnificent Mediators. You have been instrumental in our coordination with each world, fostering the cooperation necessary to manage the complexities of a resource-based economy spanning a system as vast as ours. And!”—the chairman raised a finger, flashing one of his many gold rings—“most importantly, you have upheld the sovereignty of every truth within it.”

I gave a humble nod, as though he could see me.

“Lastly,” the chairman said, “further congratulations to the Mediators of unit 245. Tomorrow is your quinquennium! Five years of serving as peacekeepers, saviors, Mediators! Father Chairman West and the INS commend you.” His thick forearms crossed in a salute, only to vanish as the feed cut out.

I took a moment to absorb his words, stunned by how many years had passed. Then I checked my cuff—Time to go.

I finished preparing for the launch, my movements steady and certain. We had done it. Peace among the planets for over two centuries.

I paused, letting my mind drift…

It had to be worth it.

Author Bio

JAYE C. WATTS (he/they) is a queer and trans sci-fi writer living on Lək̓ʷəŋən territory in Victoria, BC, Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, with a minor in Technology and Society, as well as a diploma in Professional Recording Arts from the Art Institute of Vancouver.

When he isn’t writing, Jaye can be found falling down rabbit holes of all kinds thanks to an unquenchable curiosity and lust for learning – homeschooling will do that to you.

Jaye also loves classic jazz, mixing cocktails, biking all over the city, and of course, people watching.

Author Website: https://www.jayecwatts.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jayechristinwatts/

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jayecwatts/

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayecwatts/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/156707355-jaye-c-watts

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jaye-C.-Watts/author/B0FVL8XMKW

Review: Rogues Lie (Caldryn Parliament Book 3) by Jenny Schwartz

Rating: 5 ⭐️✨

Jenny Schwartz’s Caldryn Parliament series is one of those series where the books just get more brilliant and more highly complex as the series progresses. The writing, the incredible characters, and this labyrinthine storytelling is beyond amazing.

The formidable character of Vanda Kavanagh, Warden of Caldryn Parliament, is one of the most compelling, powerful portraits of a woman who is secure with herself, her intelligence, integrity and her ability to navigate the intricacies of intergalactic politics, hundreds of years of internalized/weaponized familial legacies and the current cultural environment. All to further the ideals and hidden plans she’s been formulating all along.

Vanda isn’t flashy or dramatic. She’s controlled, a knife of a woman, in flawless grey colors, forming alliances and brilliantly devising scenarios to forward her ideas and plans for progress and protection of the Realm. Schwartz , with incredible craft,builds this magnificent character and then allows the reader to watch , in intriguing detail, as she continues her labyrinthine path towards her goals and own individual development. It’s a journey that is impossible to begin and then stop without seeing it through. The twists and unexpected changes in plot are fabulous. And continue to the end.

What a character and series!

There’s a no spice romance that’s evolving from friendship into a something more. Just a fantastic science fiction thriller, multiple magical mysteries, a cast of incredibly powerful multidimensional characters, and enough hidden political agents and agendas for a number of galaxies.

Vanda Kavanagh, the Warden of Caldryn Parliament, has fast become one of my all time favorite characters.

There’s no way to go about describing the complexities and depths of world politics here that Schwartz has and continues to craft. Utterly brilliant. Contains science fiction, magical systems, mythology and more. And it all works perfectly alongside political and military power dynamics.

To follow this character of Vanda in her increasingly complex journey, the reader must absolutely start with the first book and continue reading forward. But the path is full of action, mental agility, politics and scheming but never at the expense of forgetting about the human factor. A fantastic series on every level.

The only drawback? Waiting until the next book is released.

Cover by Jenny Schwartz . I adore these covers!

Caldryn Parliament:

Stars Die #1

Hexes Fly #2

Rogues Lie #3

Ghosts Cry #4 – June 30,2026

Buy link

Book 3 of 4: Caldryn Parliament

Blurb

A whisper campaign threatens Vanda Kavanagh’s hard-won position as Warden of Caldryn Parliament, but are the malicious rumors a personal attack or do they mask an uglier plot?

As Vanda investigates, long-hidden truths are revealed leading her to question everything she believed about herself.

In a city steeped in magic and political intrigue who can Vanda trust?

November 29, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

318 pages

Book 3 of 4

Caldryn Parliament

Universal Buy Link | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

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