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| The Frozen Crown by Greta KellyWhat it's about: Princess Askia Poritskaya e-Nimri, heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh, seeks an alliance with Emperor Amaan of Vishir against their common enemy, the Roven Empire.
Why you might like it: This opening volume of the Warrior Witch duology features a strong female lead with a dangerous secret, plentiful palace intrigue, an inventive magic system, and forbidden love.
For fans of: Erika Johansen's Queen of the Tearling novels, Jennifer Estep's Crown of Shards series, or Callie Bates' Waking Land trilogy. |
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Dark Song
by Christine Feehan
What it's about: Stolen from her home as a child and tormented for centuries, a woman too traumatized to answer the call of her lifemate is pursued by an ancient warrior whose first experiences with emotions compel him to heal her fragile heart.
Review: " This latest installment (following Dark Illusion) in an ongoing, beloved paranormal series features all the trademarks of classic Feehan; suspense, passion, and exceptional worldbuilding. A must-read for the author's many fans." --Nanci Milone Hill, Library Journal
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| Remote Control by Nnedi OkoraforMeet: fourteen-year-old "Sankofa," also known as the "Adopted Daughter of Death," who has been traveling on foot across near-future Ghana ever since she acquired lethal powers from a strange artifact.
Why you might like it: Told mostly in flashbacks, this character-driven novella slowly reveals its central mystery in folkloric style.
Want a taste? "I am Sankofa, I belong wherever I want to belong, she thought to herself, walking with her chin up and back straight." |
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The Garden of Promises and Lies
by Paula Brackston
What it's about: This third installment in the Found Things series finds Xanthe taking responsibility for inadvertently transporting the dangerous Benedict Fairfax to her own time, while learning to use her skills as a spinner to keep her and Flora safe.
Review: "Between lying to her loved ones, and developing a quick overconfidence in her abilities, Xanthe makes many of the classic blunders of a heroine fumbling with her new powers despite her best intentions, keeping readers engaged in her adventures." ~ Frances Moritz, Booklist
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Beneath the Keep : a novel of the Tearling
by Erika Johansen
What it's about: A prequel to the best-selling Queen of the Tearling trilogy finds an underworld assassin, a farm girl-turned-rebel and a manipulated crown princess struggling to save their feudal Tearling world, while local rumors prophesize the rise of a great queen.
Review: "The dramatic climax will have readers questioning who the real hero is at the end of this compelling tale of epic fantasy. Series fans will be intrigued to discover the background details of individuals who are pivotal to events in the trilogy, and those new to the series will want to find out what comes next." ~ Lucy Lockley, Booklist
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| A Queen in Hiding by Sarah KozloffIntroducing: Queen Cressa of Weirandale, and her daughter, Princess Cérulia, who are forced into exile following a coup.
Why you might like it: Parallel narratives follow Cressa, who entrusts her daughter to a peasant family before fleeing abroad to gather allies, and Cérulia, who comes of age believing she is a girl named Wren.
Series alert: A Queen in Hiding kicks off the Nine Realms quartet, which continues with The Queen of Raiders, A Broken Queen, and The Cerulean Queen. |
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Spine of the Dragon
by Kevin J. Anderson
What it's about: When a powerful ancient race reawakens with plans to remake the world, two continents at war are challenged to set aside generations of hatred to form an alliance against their common enemy.
For fans of: Erika Johansen's Queen of Tearling series and Jim Butcher's Codex Alera series.
Review: "The pages turn almost by themselves, because you absolutely, categorically have to find out what happens next." ~ Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2019
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| Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha LeeWhat happens: After the Empire of Razan annexes Hwaguk, nonbinary artist Gyen Jebi agrees to work under the supervision of prime duelist Dzuge Vei to restore mechanical dragon Arazi, a powerful weapon that doesn't want to be one.
Read it for: well-developed characters, light romance, an exciting story of resistance against imperialism, and a Steampunk-tinged setting inspired by Japanese-occupied Korea. |
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| Mazes of Power by Juliette WadeThe setting: Pelismara, one of the Eight Cavern Cites of Varin, a patriarchal, eugenics-obsessed society divided into seven castes and ruled by 12 aristocratic Families.
The plot: a high-stakes battle for succession pits teenage brothers Tagaret and Nekantor, sons of a politician, against each other.
Is it for you? While this 1st book in the Broken Trust series features in-depth world-building and abundant political intrigue, its racial caste-system and mistreatment of women, LGBTQIA individuals, and people with disabilities make it an unsettling read. |
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A Discovery of Witches
by Deborah E. Harkness
What it's about: Discovering a magical manuscript in Oxford's Bodleian Library, scholar Diana Bishop, a descendant of witches who has rejected her heritage, inadvertently unleashes a fantastical underworld of daemons, witches, and vampires whose activities center around an enchanted treasure.
Entertainment alert: Book to TV in the popular AMC television series.
For fans of: Jacqueline Carey, Katherine Howe and Elizabeth Kostova
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| The Rage of Dragons by Evan WinterStarring: Tau Tafari, a reluctant warrior-in-training who fights his way to the top of a socially stratified society to exact revenge on his enemies.
Why you might like it: This series opener (followed by The Fires of Vengeance) boasts a sympathetic protagonist and a vividly depicted, African-inspired setting.
For fans of: the inventive system of magic in Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn novels, the gritty battles of Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, and the world-building of Pierce Brown's Red Rising trilogy. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books! |
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