This remarkable emotional short story has the power to absolutely break your heart and then knit it back together again. Lost: a Christmas novella is a science fiction tale of a retiring space soldier rejected by his earth based family because of the wars damage turned him cyborg. And the diverse found family that gave him and them a potential future.
It’s sheer serendipity that I found this story shortly after finishing this author, Jenny Schwartz ‘s fantastic book, Stars Die, the first in her new Caldryn Parliament science fiction series.
A short poignant holiday read, its emotional context is rooted in past events and even more importantly, in our own connections with people, veterans within our communities and families. It’s real and lastly, gives the characters and readers a sense of hope for a better future.
I honestly don’t know how I missed this author before but she’s now finally on my list of writers to read. She should be on yours too.
Stuck on Central Transit Station, Sergeant Ryan Dabrowski receives a Dear John letter from his family. The home he fought to protect doesn’t want him. He’s left too much of his body out among the stars. The aug-doctors patched him up better than new, but cyborg freaks aren’t welcome on Earth.
“Don’t ruin your sister’s life.”
But what about Rye’s life?
***
Lost is a short Christmas novella about found family, new beginnings, and believing that anything is possible. Merry Christmas! Happy Wishing Tree!
Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher reads like a the type of fairy tale that you would expect from the a grimmer or perhaps Grimm era of fantasy fiction. Dark, magical, full of secrets and royal kingdoms gone awry.
There’s a terrible prince, several sister princesses whose awful fate has been sealed by their small Kingdom’s geography, and their younger sister who finally decides on a journey of revenge.
Kingfisher’s incredible tale brings us bone dogs, fairy godmothers, ghosts and a journey full of unexpected adventures, overwhelming odds, and , at the end , love in a number of different forms.
I don’t think I’ve read anything by T. Kingfisher before but now I’m on a mission to discover everything this author has written. The imagery and beauty of this book, the fantastic characters and unsettling but gripping story just thrilled me as a reader.
Dark, magical, fabulous.
No real romance but ends on the promise of a potential romance in the future for the main character of Marra.
Winner of the Hugo award for Best novel of 2022 (a fact I wasn’t aware of before I read it) , this book absolutely deserved it.
An NPR Best Sci Fi, Fantasy, & Speculative Fiction Book of 2022
A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award Nominee
From Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes an original and subversive fantasy adventure.
*The very special hardcover edition features a gold foil stamp on the casing and custom endpapers illustrated by the author.*
This isn’t the kind of fairy tale where the princess marries a prince.
It’s the one where she kills him.
Marra ― a shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter ― is relieved not to be married off for the sake of her parents’ throne. Her older sister wasn’t so fortunate though, and her royal husband is as abusive as he is powerful. From the safety of the convent, Marra wonders who will come to her sister’s rescue and put a stop to this. But after years of watching their families and kingdoms pretend all is well, Marra realizes if any hero is coming, it will have to be Marra herself.
If Marra can complete three impossible tasks, a witch will grant her the tools she needs. But, as is the way in stories of princes and the impossible, these tasks are only the beginning of Marra’s strange and enchanting journey to save her sister and topple a throne.
Yes, Magic Burns (Kate Daniels Book 2) by Ilona Andrews is exactly what I was looking for when I saw llona Andrews recommended (a wife/husband writing duo) as a author I should check out for great female characters. Andrews has created a vividly wild universe of familiar,crumbling destroyed landscapes, whether skyscrapers or city high lines. Setting’s believable and terrifying, that between them, the incredible characters, compelling stories and a world constantly being explored and warped by the magic of recently historic world events, then you’ve got a series that hard to put down.
Kate Daniels is a merc in a changed world, one where the world pendulum between mech and magic has swung catastrophically out of control, causing universal destruction, where magic is causing cities to crumble, eliminating all but the occasional uses of electricity when the magic fluctuates. Cars out, horses and mules in, trodding the highways and overpasses, faepowered lanterns lighting buildings. It’s a strange, complicated world. And it’s one that’s expanding into other areas and places of mythology and power as new events and storylines emerge.
This storyline gives us a great introduction to her character, glimpses into her past life and powers. It’s the beginnings of important relationships and her journey into a more complex and involved life.
I’m burning through this series, each of these stories is extremely well developed and engaging.
It’s a huge winner for me and one I’m really excited to recommend.
Cover art by Juliana Kolesova
Cover design by Jason Gill
Kate Daniels (10 book – complete series):
Magic Bites #1
Magic Burns #2
Magic Strikes #3
Magic Bleeds #4
Magic Slays #5
Magic Rises #6
Magic Breaks #7
Magic Shifts #8
Magic Binds #9
Magic Triumphs #10
The World of Kate Daniels
gunmetal magic
“A Questionable Client” was previously published in the anthology Dark and Stormy Knights.”
Ilona Andrews invites you to experience the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series featuring the intriguing fantasy world of mercenary Kate Daniels…
Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way our of her league—but she wouldn’t want it any other way…
This edition includes in-depth information about the world of Kate Daniels with descriptions of its characters and factions. Explore Kate’s Atlanta like never before with a quiz to find your place there and with answers to frequently asked questions. And don’t miss the prequel story “A Questionable Client” as well as scenes of events in Magic Bites from Curran’s point of view.
The Cat Lady Chronicles returns with a fabulously funny and well written book, The Dark Hiss of Magic by Helen Harper.
I fell in love with the fascinating character of Kit McCafferty, retired assassin, now trying to remain low key as a jumper-wearing older neighborhood cat lady, albeit one hiding a very unique trait. She’s a rare cat sith.
The first mystery novel introduced her character, the paranormal town of Coldstream she lives in, and its many characters and supernatural communities that coexist within its boundaries.
But it’s Kit herself that’s so compelling and complex. Kit and her group of cats, that supply a sense of family, comfort, and advise her when mysteries come into her life. From She Without an Ear to He Who Crunches Bird Bones, to He Who Wanders Wide and the others, it’s a feline cast that’s endlessly entertaining and intriguing. Yes, they name themselves.
There’s others too. Thane, a werewolf, with a new demon kitten and neighbor Dave, who I haven’t figured out yet.
Harper keeps us guessing about mainstay characters. Their roles, true identities, and whatever they are really important to Kit in the over arc storyline. And as the various murders and mysteries occur, the investigations roll along, and everyone gets involved, the narrative continues to build into this amazing adventure.
It’s got great dialogue, wild moments, fight sequences, and loads of engaging cats and unusual personalities. And magic.
I wanted the next book immediately. And because I so thoroughly enjoyed this one, will reread it again soon.
Beautifully executed storytelling? Check. Fantastic female main character? Check! Great world building and mystery? Check and check.
Another great book and winner of a series. Check it out now.
There will be no pussy-footing around. Not when Kit McCafferty is involved.
When Kit rescues a wealthy witch from the treacherous, monster-filled waters of the River Tweed, she reckons she’s completed her fair share of good deeds for the day. But when a second anonymous body is pulled from the same river, Kit is dragged into a mystery as murky as the water itself. The corpse has no identification, no personal possessions and no one who cares.
Kit is determined to change that.
At least Thane Barrow, the copper-haired werewolf who sees the world in a similar way to Kit, is happy to also get involved. Together, they navigate Coldstream’s magical streets and mysterious secrets, determined to uncover the truth about John Doe.
Alas, it soon becomes clear that his death was no accident. Kit finds herself investigating a complex crime with more than one victim. She will have her claws full if she’s going to get to the bottom of what’s happened.
One thing is for certain – when death threatens, Kit McCafferty doesn’t back down. She pounces.
So adorable and hilarious. It’s the last one in the series but what a wonderful story to see where our favorite characters are in life and heartwarming story to see them out.
Ivy and Winter are an established couple, settled and happy in their own ways, living together and each having their own unique identity in the Order, he as the Ipsissimus, Head of the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment and she as the head Ghost Whisperer, not the title . Plus their familiars. And all the other great characters we’ve met the other books in this series.
It’s a short story about their pending first Christmas together and the chaos at the Order. And it will make you yearn for more novels about this fantastic woman and her unique universe.
A absolutely wonderful story and a winner for the author and readers.
Cover by Yocla Designs. an accurate representation actually . She’s a fantastic character.
You would think December would be Ivy’s ideal time of year. After all, festivities abound and witches everywhere are encouraged to put their feet up and relax. That’s not quite the case when she has various Order members attempting to finagle her into Christmas activities and a special artefact from the top of the Christmas tree goes missing. Either someone is attempting to sabotage Winter or something very strange is afoot indeed.
Cajole is the penultimate book in The Adventures of a Xeno-Archaeologist by Jenny Schwartz and I’m finding it very entertaining, while making me think a bit more about how some of the more “familiar” Earth elements made the passage through the gate and successfully established themselves in the new Human Section.
Donkeys, horses, many types of earth fauna as well as fauna is essentially as well known as they are as an Earth species. Which given the history, as colony ships so long ago, seems unusual. I wish their background had been explained as fully as some of the other “alien elements “ that Schwartz does so vividly.
The relationship dynamics, the Forgotten, those people in hiding, the entire storyline of how and why they are used and acquired through the galaxy is a fascinating story, and emotional one. It drives many of the characters and their interactions here.
And it’s also the hidden aspects behind the power of the thrones.
Driving the characters , the need to cage and the equal opportunity to flee for freedom.
Another exciting story and move towards the finale. Throughly entertaining.
If life on the border was complicated, life on Capitoline is insane. Nora and Liam struggle to reconcile her abilities and his duty, while caught up in the dangerous games of the powerful.
Political intrigue, family drama, and ancient alien technology combine in the fourth novel of the Human Sector.
Jenny Schwartz is really such a great go to author for me lately. And I’m having a blast reading this science fiction series about a strong woman building a new family and eventually a new life together for a found family clan that also includes a alien AI , an adopted daughter, and now a military or ex military war hero as a husband.
The science fiction and world building is a fascinating combination of familiar elements and imaginative burr alien science, one that includes intergalactic space currents that ships travel like rivers , space arrays that operate like doorways , and a veritable explosion of complex environments and scientific knowledge that builds, book upon book as the series progresses.
It’s interesting to see how Schwartz balances what’s essentially a galactic monarchy system so familiar with readers, along with its inherently continuous plotting of heirs, powers, and connections with that of a alien science, unknown realms, and potentially a unknown human world they’ve been unable to reconnect with.
The found family of Nora, Jonah, and Liam remain my favorite elements. Jonah being an alien IA.
Each book is around 14 to 15 chapters, so they go quickly. And it’s great to binge read them, one after another.
Which I’ve done.
Fabulous work. Creative, entertaining, and the universe is one that could be easily explored further with secondary characters.
Life is complicated along the Hadrian Line. Decisions made on the border will decide the fate of the entire Human Sector.
Nora is adjusting to her new role as a player in the games of the powerful. She’s gained some interesting enemies and some even more dubious allies. She has also been presented with a unique opportunity, courtesy of Jonah. The question is, who can she trust to explore it with her?
Independent action is a necessity for the sole Royal Capitoline Navy captain patrolling the border region. But Liam will have to defend his actions later in front of the Admiralty board. How can he best serve his realm? By a rigid definition of duty and defense of the status quo, or is there a greater cause, one worth his career and his very life?
This author continues to amaze me with the depth of his writing. It’s a fast paced science fiction/game Lit story, so jam packed with mind boggling elements, new technology gifted or created, and incredible characters who at this point it doesn’t even matter what species they or were after the alterations made to their bodies during the game.
It’s a brutal, messy, murderous and very sad slog from point to point as the players, including now the NPG players, try to keep going, until they get the chance to reach the next stage and level of the game.
Each book is one travel experience to the next level, with enormous losses, some wins with explosive attacks and equally devastating consequences.
The players we know and are familiar with can level up their skills and equipment, get sponsors, and also find a bigger bounty on their heads as they become popular. Carl, Princess Donut, Donut’s pet raptor Mongo, new player Katia have formed a team, albeit temporarily until Katia gets reunited with her old team of women players. One with a leader of many agendas.
This time the focus is on trains and subways. That’s how the players must travel to the next destination, their safe spaces, and the elevators to the next level when the designated time comes.
It’s full of new horrors, so so many body parts, and just when it’s a bit too much, things like this happen.
Carl is speaking to a NPG who just wants to read and has only a few books.
“I’ll tell you what,” I said. I pulled five Louis L’Amour books from my inventory. I’d read each of them already, from Sackett’s Land to Lando. I’d actually read almost all of them already, but I didn’t want to give them all up. “I’ll trade you these five for five of your books. Straight-up trade.””
So happens I love these myself. And some of the books Carl chooses? The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin and The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. All beloved reads of mine.
The narrative of quietly familiar scenes offset those that can immediately flow from high action intense scenes to the dramatic ones of fear, frustration or rage when Carl has a raw break alone to react with the reality of their situation and the insane amount of loss that they have suffered and will continue to endure going forward.
It hits the reader then equally hard. Keep the tissues nearby.
It’s hard not to care about the players. But this game is one where you find it hard to believe anyone will survive it.
I’m heading quickly to the next level and story.
The cover illustration is incredible. It’s so well done and exact to the characters and storyline. Honestly, you rarely see this fantastic artwork these days.
Cover Illustration by Luciano Fleitas Cover Design by Toby Dinniman
The top ten list is populated. The sponsorship program is open. The difficulty is ramping up. The first three floors were nothing compared to what Carl and Donut now face.
The Iron Tangle. An impossibly-complicated subway system built out of the world’s subterranean railway systems, all combined and then tied together into a knot. Up is down. Down is up. Close is far. The cars are filled with monsters, the railway stations are less than safe, and the exit is always just a few stops away.
But there is hope. For the first time, the crawlers are all working together. The loot is better than ever. And the secret to unraveling it all may be hidden in the pages of a seemingly-useless book. Welcome, crawlers. Welcome to the fourth floor of the dungeon
Kennedy is another new to me author on my search for new writers of strong female characters and great stories.
Green Gryphon is the first book in Kennedy’s Mackenzie Green series, a novel set 50 years after magic drastically reappeared in the world, resulting in the death of billions, loss of the then governments of countries and chaos. Cities crumbled, anything created of plastic or non natural materials dissolved, leaving destruction and disaster behind. And magical beings that formed from some of those who were left.
Several aspects of this book surprised me. Not the foundation whereby a reappearance of magic destroys the world’s technology as well as its current countries structures, that’s a well established concept.
What caught me was the main character of MacKenzie Green and her small family. In a world of fantasy characters, dragons, gryphons, vampires, werewolves, and other mythical beings that this magical shift created, the book adds another element with her.
This is actually a darker story than I expected. Far from the sort of light tone that we get from the book’s blurb.
It’s far better than that.
It’s got a tinge of horror, that riding the edge of terrifying science fiction mixed with a fantasy vibe that makes this a fascinating and exciting story.
Plus dragon shifters and found family.
However, I’m thinking this novel should have trigger warnings as there’s plenty of bodies, bloodshed, and in the future stories, torture.
Mackenzie is a plant mage who’s hiding plenty of secrets. Those are slowly revealed towards the end of this book.
The world building is slowly coming together, as the author gives us the new structure as it pertains to this city and how humans and the otherworldly beings are governed. And the newly formed purity rights group that has formed within certain communities.
It’s highly suspenseful, action packed, and full of character driven storytelling.
I’m so invested in this character and series. Also thrilled it’s a complete one so I can binge through.
Mystery, magic, and more hidden secrets. That’s what Relics of the Wolf is focused upon.
Luna has, with all the betrayals, attacks, and bad news about her mother arriving together, decided to go full force with her wolf. It being the best way to ensure her safety and others survival.
The complex dynamics within Luna’s mother’s pack is one that is more feral, and less humanized than many other stories I’ve read. I appreciate this aspect even more because the Alpha is female, ruthless in running the pack as she works towards its future.
The story lines that Buroker is building, ones that include Luna and her pack, are among the strongest in the series. From the pack dynamics to the werewolves and their own history, the author is developing this element with each character and book. She’s revealing more about their mythology, genetics, and connections to other paranormal beings.
Luna is still a strong character, evolving her story and her wolf into a powerful role and magical being. I can’t wait to see more.
Duncan just continues to be an issue. He’s not a consistently well defined character, and I need that to be invested in him. For his part in Luna’s journey and me as a reader. The author does supply him with a newly revealed history but oddly, it didn’t make him any more believable here. It’s not a well constructed element. I’m just not connecting with him. Or this part of the story. It’s all too apparent.
Bolin remains outstanding. More of Bolin. Maybe let us in on his parents, too.
The shifter elements are exciting, Luna is fabulous, the Pack itself is full of complicated characters and hidden inter-pack political elements that add suspense and depth to the scenario.
Moving swiftly to the next book to see how the story develops.
Another winner for lovers of paranormal werewolf fiction and urban fantasy thrillers.
When Luna decided to reclaim her werewolf heritage, she had no idea what she was in for.
Frustrated, angry, and betrayed, she must find the mysterious artifact she lost, unravel the politics of the pack, and defend against attempts on her life.
With everything intertwined, she has a daunting road ahead, and her conflicting feelings about the lone werewolf, Duncan, aren’t helping anything. She doubts she can trust him, no matter how charming he is, but she may need to if she wants to get to the bottom of her troubles—and survive the week.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 