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| Crossroads of Canopy by Thoraiya DyerFantasy. The realm of Canopy is divided into 13 kingdoms, each ruled by a different god or goddess. The privileged Upper Canopians enjoy sunlight and fresh fruit, while Understorey denizens subsist on grubs. When her destitute parents decide to sell her into slavery, 13-year-old Unar runs away and dedicates herself to the goddess Audblayin. With her affinity for magic, she hopes to serve as the personal bodyguard of Audblayin's next avatar, thus rising above her humble origins. Detailed world-building and a realistically flawed heroine distinguish this debut by an Australian writer, which is the 1st book in a projected series. |
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| Bookburners by Max Gladstone (creator), Margaret Dunlap, Mur Lafferty, and Brian Francis SlatteryUrban Fantasy. NYPD detective Sal Brooks is shocked to learn that her brother has been dabbling in demonology. Is this stuff even real? It is, confirm the Bookburners, a group of occult investigators for the Vatican Black Archives. Working with martial artist Grace, tech wizard Liam, archivist Asanti, and priest Father Menchú, Sal enters a world of cursed tomes and conspiracies. With its blend of supernatural chills and dark humor, this collaborative novel, which began life as an online serial, may appeal to fans of classic paranormal-themed television series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files. |
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| Gilded Cage by Vic JamesFantasy. In an alternate England, "commoners" without magic must serve the Equals (magic-wielding aristocratic families) for a period of ten years. Considering the alternatives, the Hadleys are fortunate: the entire family has been assigned to Kyneston, the estate of the powerful Jardine family, where they'll complete their compulsory service requirement together. But that dream is shattered when brother Luke is sent to the workhouse in Millmoor, where he becomes involved with a group of radicals. Meanwhile, eldest daughter Abi is drawn into a web of intrigue involving the most powerful families in the country. Fans of Dan Vyleta's Smoke should appreciate this atmospheric and intricately plotted novel that describes a rigid class system reinforced by magic. |
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| Heartstone by Elle Katharine WhiteHistorical Fantasy. To halt the onslaught of gryphon attacks that plague the town of Hart's Run, the Lord of nearby Merybourne Manor hires an elite band of dragon-mounted Riders. Aliza Bentaine, whose beloved younger sister was killed by gryphons, rejoices at the arrival of their saviors -- well, except for handsome but arrogant Rider Alastair Daired, whose disdain for Aliza and her family is palpable. Although she'd rather avoid the man, circumstances keep throwing them together until they're forced to work with each other to save the town. Think Pride and Prejudice with dragons and you'll know what to expect from this debut. |
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The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel
by Katherine Arden
Fairy Tale Fantasy. Raised on a steady diet of stories, "wild maiden" Vasilisa Petrovna, affectionately known as Vasya, has grown up wandering the grounds of her father's rural estate, befriending the spirits of the natural world. But when Vasya's pious stepmother joins forces with an ambitious young priest to force the villagers to forsake the old ways (and the old gods), they set in motion a tragedy that only Vasya can avert. With its allusions to classic tales such as "Morozko" and "Vasilisa the Beautiful," The Bear and the Nightingale is an "earthy, beautifully written love letter to Russian folklore" (Publishers Weekly).
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Eleventh grave in moonlight
by Darynda Jones
Struggling to make peace with her goddess powers and her daughter's destiny to save the world, Charley finds herself targeted by forces from hell who would see her banished to another dimension. By the RITA Award-winning author of First Grave on the Right.
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| The Silver Witch by Paula BrackstonCeltic Fantasy. Seeking a change of scene after her husband's untimely death, ceramic artist Tilda moves to a secluded cottage in Wales -- and begins to manifest magical powers. A chance encounter with archaeologist Dylan leads her to explore local legends of a medieval shaman tasked with protecting a Welsh prince. Those stories, it turns out, could be the key to protecting the community from a powerful supernatural adversary that has recently resurfaced. The Silver Witch is the 3rd stand-alone installment in the Shadow Chronicles, a series that includes The Witch's Daughter and The Witch's Return. |
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| Dreamer's Pool: A Blackthorn & Grim Novel by Juliet MarillierCeltic Fantasy. To avoid execution, imprisoned healer Blackthorn strikes a bargain with one of the fae: her freedom in exchange for seven years' service in the kingdom of Dalriada. Accompanied by fellow ex-convict Grim, Blackthorn travels to Winterfalls, the seat of Crown Prince Oran's royal court, where she soon discovers that something's rotten in Dalriada. Dreamer's Pool is the 1st book in the Blackthorn & Grim series, which follows a pair of flawed but sympathetic protagonists on adventures inspired by Irish mythology. |
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| The Swan Maiden by Jules WatsonCeltic Fantasy. Raised in seclusion, Deirdre has been betrothed since birth to Conor, the aging ruler of the Kingdom of Ulster. What her husband-to-be doesn't know is that Deirdre is cursed: a prophecy predicts that she will cause Ulster's downfall. That prophecy seems especially likely to come true once Deirdre meets (and subsequently elopes with) handsome warrior Naisi, prompting the king to pursue the lovers. Based on the legend of Deirdre of the Sorrows, this novel by the author of the Dalriada trilogy (The White Mare) is a lush and dramatic reimagining of Irish legend. |
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The crow of Connemara
by Stephen Leigh
Paranormal Fantasy Fiction. A young Irish-American musician from Chicago, while in Ireland to learn about traditional Irish music, discovers that he is connected to Maeve Gallagher, an "Islander" and an outcast treated with suspicion by the locals, in a way he never could have imagined.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Central Mississippi Regional Library System
100 Tamberline Street
Brandon, Mississippi 39042
601-825-0100
http://www.cmrls.lib.ms.us
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