Kylie’s favorite reads are usually horror/thrillers, which matches her taste in films as well. When she’s not cracking bad jokes she can often be found curled up with a cup of coffee and her cat, Gideon.
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens was everything I wanted and more! As most people are, I am way too obsessed with Ru Paul’s Drag Race, so when the description of this book compared it to a mixture of Judy Blume and Ru Paul I was completely sold.
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens, an #ownvoices novel, is told from the perspective of Nima Kumara-Clark, an awkward teenager who has reached that time in her life where she feels the pressure to discover who she is, who she wants to be, and what she wants to do with her life. Overwhelmed by these big decisions in her small-town, she finds inspiration in the most unlikely place – a drag show.
The main character, Nima, was way too relatable to me with the way she second-guessed everything she did and said, constantly worried about things that may not even happen, and was her own worst critic. These are all feelings that I’m sure most of us felt as awkward teenagers trying to navigate that grey area between being a kid and becoming an adult.
Listening to Soneela Nankani narrate this fabulous story made it so easy to get lost in Nima’s world. Each character was so real and after being introduced, it didn’t take long to visualize a fully-developed, well-rounded person that I was already attached to. I’ll be honest, when I got down to the final few chapters I almost didn’t want to finish them because I didn’t want to say goodbye to Nima and her friends.
The realness of these characters and the story that unfolds likely comes from Boteju’s personal experience with being a queer woman and also delving into the world of drag herself. This allowed her to paint the perfect picture of Nima trying out a new persona (or two) on her path to self discovery.
Giving the spotlight to an array of characters with different sexual and gender identifications, Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens is the perfect listen if you’re in need of a diverse, and heart-warming coming-of-age story.
Publisher’s Summary:
“Poignant and important.” —Refinery29
Judy Blume meets RuPaul’s Drag Race in this funny, feel-good debut novel about a queer teen who navigates questions of identity and self-acceptance while discovering the magical world of drag.
Perpetually awkward Nima Kumara-Clark is bored with her insular community of Bridgeton, in love with her straight girlfriend, and trying to move past her mother’s unexpected departure. After a bewildering encounter at a local festival, Nima finds herself suddenly immersed in the drag scene on the other side of town.
Macho drag kings, magical queens, new love interests, and surprising allies propel Nima both painfully and hilariously closer to a self she never knew she could be—one that can confidently express and accept love. But she’ll have to learn to accept lost love to get there.
From debut author Tanya Boteju comes a poignant, laugh-out-loud tale of acceptance, self-expression, and the colorful worlds that await when we’re brave enough to look.
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There’s nothing more intriguing and mysterious than the pseudonym. Why do authors use them? There’s no real cut and dry answer to this and their reasoning could be anything from wanting to break into a new genre to hiding from the law! Whether you call it a pen name, pseudonym, or nom de plume, these authors have mastered the art of distinguishing themselves as multiple people and finding success in (sometimes) countless aliases.
Jayne Castle is a New York Times bestselling author of over 120 titles. Castle writes under her maiden name (Castle), married name (Krentz), and a pen name (Quick). She pens her contemporary romance-suspense novels under her married name, Jayne Ann Krentz, while her futuristic romance-suspense titles are written under her maiden name, Jayne Castle. Finally, her historical romance-suspense novels are written as Amanda Quick. Most recently, Quick released Tightrope, a story of an unconventional woman and a man shrouded in mystery racing against a killer.
J. D. Robb is the author of the In Death series, in which every release has been a New York Times bestseller. Robb was created by Nora Roberts by taking the first letters of her sons’ names (Jason and Dan) and combining it with a shortened form of Roberts to make J. D. Robb. Everyone’s favorite cop, Eve Dallas, and her billionaire husband return in Robb’s 59th book in the In Death series, Connections in Death.
J. K. Rowling is undoubtedly a household name and after her hugely successful Harry Potter series, which is actually the best-selling book series in history (whoa!), Rowling wanted to branch out. In 2013, she released The Cuckoo’s Calling under the moniker, Robert Galbraith. Since this first detective novel in the Cormoran Strike series, she has released three more titles – The Silkworm, Career of Evil, and, most recently, Lethal White.
Lemony Snicket is an interesting character! Not only is he the author and narrator of the best-selling children’s novels, A Series of Unfortunate Events, but he is also a character in the books with an intimate connection to the three main characters’ mother, Beatrice. Plus, did we mention that Lemony Snicket, the author, is actually a pseudonym created by Daniel Handler? Yes, this man of mystery has published titles under both names, but it is the 13 Series of Unfortunate Events titles that rocketed him to stardom and resulted in a feature film in 2004 and a Netflix adaptation released in 2017.
You can’t think about horror without Stephen King coming to mind. At the beginning of his career, it was suggested that he only release one book a year, thus his pen name, Richard Bachman, was born. Under the Bachman name, King published five novels before being outed in 1985. After this, two more novels were released in 1996 and 2007 after being discovered in the papers “left behind” by Bachman. King still draws on Bachman for inspiration every now and then, especially in his 2016 novel, The Dark Half, in which a writer’s pseudonym takes on a life of its own and is hellbent on destroying everything in pursuit of its creator.
Anne Rice is, of course, known for her Vampire Chronicles series, which follows the character of Lestat. Interview with the Vampire, Rice’s debut novel and the first installment of The Vampire Chronicles series was adapted to a feature film in 1994 starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Rice branched out into erotic fiction under the names Anne Rampling and A. N. Roquelaure. Roquelaure’s bibliography boasts The Sleeping Beauty Quartet, with the most recent release of Beauty’s Kingdom in 2015, set 20 years after Beauty’s Release.
Best known for his best-selling science-fiction novel, Jurassic Park, which was later made into a hit blockbuster movie, John Michael Crichton hasn’t always gone by Michael Crichton. At the start of his writing career he was still in medical school and didn’t want his writing to affect this – which lead to the creation of John Lange. Under this pen name, he released eight titles, the latest being Binary (1972). Prior to adopting his final nom de plume, Michael Chrichton, he also released a novel with his brother titled, Dealing, under the name Michael Douglas (both of their first names) and a medical thriller titled A Case of Need under the name, Jeffery Hudson.
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Did you know that some of the most well-known broadway shows are often based on books? It’s true, before the catchy show tunes and choreographed numbers, these stories lived on pages instead. Before heading to the theater, or if you can’t snag a ticket to these popular shows, why not listen to the work that inspired it all?
After a soundtrack that went viral and a successful run Off Broadway, Be More Chill just debuted on Broadway in March of 2019. Based on Ned Vizzini‘s novel of the same name, Be More Chill is a sci-fi story that focuses on the importance of being yourself.
Publisher Summary:
Jeremy Heere is your average high school dork. Day after day, he stares at beautiful Christine, the girl he can never have, and dryly notes the small humiliations that come his way. Until the day he learns about the ‘squip.’ A pill-sized supercomputer that you swallow, the squip is guaranteed to bring you whatever you most desire in life…
In 2015, Hamilton: An American Musical, by Lin-Manuel Miranda, took the world by storm with its refreshing cast and innovative use of rapping to tell the story of one of America’s founding fathers. Since then, it has been critically acclaimed and has won countless awards including a Grammy, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and 11 Tonys.
Publisher Summary:
In the first full-length biography of Alexander Hamilton in decades, National Book Award winner Ron Chernow tells the riveting story of a man who overcame all odds to shape, inspire, and scandalize the newborn America…
Les Misérables was adapted into a French Broadway musical in 1980 and then later translated to English in 1985. Often fondly called, Les Mis, it is the second longest running musical in the world and was the recipient of 8 Tony awards. Most recently, a film adaptation was released starring Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russel Crowe, Eddie Redmayne, and many other notable stars.
Publisher Summary:
Considered to be French novelist Victor Hugo’s masterpiece,Les Misérables, which was published in 1862, is a sprawling historical and philosophical epic that covers from 1815 through the Paris Uprising in 1832…
Maguire travels back to Frank L. Baum’s land of Oz for this absorbing fantasy that delves into the background if the famed Wicked Witch of the West, a misunderstood creature who challenges the preconceived notions of good and evil.
Based on the beloved children’s book of the same name, Matilda: The Musical, tells the classic tale of Matilda, an amazing girl with the power of telekinesis. Matilda: The Musical saw its Broadway debut in 2013 and since then, has received five Tony Awards and boasts the most Olivier awards held by a musical, tying only with Hamilton.
Publisher Summary:
Matildais a sweet, exceptional young girl, but her parents think she’s just a nuisance. She expects school to be different but there she has to face Miss Trunchbull, a kid-hating terror of a headmistress. When Matilda is attacked by the Trunchbull she suddenly discovers she has a remarkable power with which to fight back. It’ll take a superhuman genius to give Miss Trunchbull what she deserves and Matilda may be just the one to do it!
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If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes while narrating an audiobook, take a listen to our interview with audiobook narrator, Andrea Emmes, where she chats about her favorite titles, how she gets into character, and sheds some light on the audiobook recording process.
Audiobooks.com: Let’s start out with how you got into narrating audiobooks.
Andrea: That’s a good question. I’ve been a performer for most of my professional life, actress or dancer. In 2006, I actually was in a bad accident in a stage show I was in and ended up getting a pain disorder, so I had to regroup and find something else to do. So, I went back to college, got a degree in video game design and art design and was a Game Designer at Disney Interactive for a couple years, but then got laid off.
I was like, “Oh my gosh, what am I going to do?” It’s so hard to find another job, especially with my pain disorder. I don’t even remember how exactly I was looking and my husband went, “Well, why don’t you look into audiobooks?” Because he listens to audiobooks all the time. “Oh my god, that’s a great idea.” because I have my voice over equipment and my mic—I still had all my equipment, so I started researching it and I found an article on ACX that Sean Allen Pratt, who is a coach and a narrator, wrote, reached out to him, and kind of started from there.
Audiobooks.com: Very cool. So, when it comes to recording audiobooks, what is your process for getting into character?
Andrea: Ou, that’s a good question. It’s so interesting because when you’re doing a book you’re every character, right?
Audiobooks.com: Right!
Andrea: So, we have to flip flop back and forth constantly kind of like Sybil, if you know that movie reference? I might’ve dated myself.
I do a lot of prep work beforehand. I have this whole spreadsheet where, as I’m reading the book, I write down all the characters—information about them, their quirks, their age, certain vocal qualities or accents that are listed in the book, or other attitude attributes. So, I have them kind of locked in at least there, so I have an idea of who everyone is before I actually go into the recording studio. Because it’s kind of a constant switch back and forth, sometimes there’s a lot of stopping and I have to go back to my spreadsheet, take a moment, “Oh yeah, that’s right, where we are in the scene,” until you finally get into the flow of being able to switch back and forth.
A lot of times it’s just a matter of, “Okay, I’ve got this one character who is quirky, but she’s a little bit jealous of the main character because she wants that guy or whatever.” Then, I try to just say, “Where would I find that emotion?” Or, I’ll actually have this list of character references to say, “Maybe it’s Rachel McAdams from Mean Girls that I’ll kind of pull that attitude from.” Or Reese Witherspoon from Legally Blonde if I’m looking for something that’s really bubbly and positive.
Audiobooks.com: That’s very cool and on our end, when you listen to it, it just sounds like a natural flow from character to character. Sometimes you don’t think about what goes into it.
Andrea: Yeah, and that’s the hard part. To me, it’s slow, and sometimes it’s a matter of the editing part. Sometimes like, “Oh, wait,” I have to stop, pause a second because I went out of voice. Sometimes it’s easy to blend the voice from one to the other when you’re going back and forth [between] accents. If I’m speaking in an Irish accent and then the next character is Texan I might leak that Irish into the Texan. I’m like, “Okay, hold on a second,” Let me pause, say a little sentence to get myself back into it and then dive right back in and then make sure that the edit is nice and clean. Of course, the professional editors clean all that stuff and make it really pretty. Yeah, it’s an art and a science.
Audiobooks.com: Yeah, it sounds like it! What are some of your favorite titles that you’ve narrated so far?
Andrea: That’s a good question and there’s many, but if I had to narrow it down to a couple…I’m very much into the geeky stuff, having been a Game Designer in my previous life, if you will, before I got into audiobooks. I was also big into comic books, so one of the books I did not too long ago was The Frame-Up by Meghan Scott Molin, which is this amazing book where you’ve got the strong female character, MG, who is a comic book artist, but she also ends up becoming a consultant for the police to help find this vigilante who’s going around and causing all kinds of havoc. It’s a really great, funny, light-hearted, but yet action-packed book. That was super fun!
I also has a really good time doing Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein, which is for middle graders. That was such an awesome book because you’ve got Maxine Einstein, or Max, who’s a 12 year-old genius and she ends up working with a whole bunch of other kid geniuses from all over the world. They’re doing good deeds around the world and helping…I’m trying not to give away the book…doing a lot of great things for the world using their genius, which is in different areas. Of course, there’s an evil villainy guy that’s trying to muck everything up. It’s just a really great book for kids, I think, and hope it’s inspiring, not only for them to read more, but to get into science and be excited about doing things for their community or their world or trying to make the world a better place. So, I think that’s probably one of my favorites.
I guess, lastly, this is kind of on the flip side of this. I also really likeFlights of Fancy by Jen Turano, which is a historical, clean, Christian novel. It’s just a beautiful love story back in the 1800s that’s very funny and whimsical and also very light, but romantic.
Audiobooks.com: For sure! It sounds like you’ve done a variety of things.
Andrea: Yeah, which is nice because it kind of changes up things. Not too long ago I did a LitRPG and then I’m back to doing another Christian romance and then back to doing a mystery or a non-fiction book. That’s exciting for me because it keeps things from getting too monotonous.
Audiobooks.com: Yeah, exactly. Something new each time.
Andrea: Yeah, yeah!
Audiobooks.com: I guess this is kind of a related question. If you could narrate any book, which would you choose?
Andrea: Something, I think, geeky. I mean, I love the YA genre a lot. I feel like that’s my jam. I feel I can really get into the snarky angst place that they live in and I just love how things are just worked out in a different way, especially if you do something that’s paranormal because I love the paranormal kind of stuff.
I did a LitRPG series, which is wonderful, but really, honestly, when it boils down to it I just want a really good story. If a really good story happens to be a cozy mystery I’m all over it.
Audiobooks.com: For sure, yeah. Okay, coming down to a few of the end questions. What’s something about the audiobook production process that listeners might find surprising?
Andrea: That listeners might find surprising? How much I belch during recording, but that never gets in. You know, and that’s actually a true statement.
It’s very tedious. You start the prep where you get the book and then you should read it and go through it, make all your notes and make sure you, especially if there’s a bunch of words you don’t know how to say, make sure you look them up and you have that for reference, check with the author or publisher if you have any questions.
Then, the recording process—you’re sitting in front of this computer screen and you have your editing software. I use Studio One recording program. I don’t just go in there and record and don’t have to worry about any of the editing stuff when I’m doing home studio working from home, so I have to be sort of Engineer, Director and Audiobook Narrator, so it’s a long process.
There’s a lot of mistakes, there’s belching, sometimes there might be cursing if you mess up that is is all wonderfully edited out. Yeah, I guess that’s really it is just it’s a longer process.
It’s not just get up to the mic and read because there’s a lot of acting you have to put forth or making sure like, “Oh no,” like I said before, “what was that voice again? Let me stop.” Especially if I’m doing a series and I’m like, “Oh, Jack was in book one, but he didn’t show up again until book three. What was his voice again?” Then I have to go back to my archives and find out what was his voice.
Or a lot of times, like in Max Einstein, I had 12 different accents I had to learn, so I had to spend a lot of time with Kenyan, Swahili, Chinese, Irish, Mumbai, and Texan…I’m telling you, there was a whole bunch. Taking the time before I even get into the booth to do and listen and study all I can to do the best that I can for that accent. It’s a lot, a lot of work that goes into it. It’s fun!
Audiobooks.com: It sounds super fun and it’s like you said, “an art and a science.” It’s not like rolling up to a microphone.
Andrea: Yeah, I mean, those moments are awesome. If you go into a studio and they have everybody over there at the publishing office and all you have to do is just perform, it actually is a lot more freeing, but when you’re in the studio yourself at home sometimes it’s hard to focus. You have to really work to not over micro-manage yourself, so you can stay in the moment and be the moment. Like, “Ah, man. There was a weird gurgle my stomach did. Let me stop, go back, delete that, and start over.”
Audiobooks.com: That seems like quite the process, but it turns out well, so that’s good.
Andrea: It does! It’s amazing to me to know an eight hour book might take 20 hours in the studio to record. When you hear it all done, especially once the editors and the proofers have all tightened things up, the end result is like, “Ah, man, that’s awesome and fulfilling!”
Audiobooks.com: Exactly, so cool to hear the end product all shiny. Okay, then finally, do you have any other projects on-the-go that you can tell us about?
Andrea: Sure, well, I just mentioned another Christian book. I’m doing the Amish of Pontotoc series by Amy Lillard. I just recorded books one and two, A Home for Hannah and A Love for Leah. Not sure when those are coming out because I just finished them.
I’m excited about that and on the docket, Max Einstein, book two is coming out…Oh, oh, oh, you know what, talk about geeky stuff sort of, The Hashtag Hunt, by Kristina Seek. I’m super excited about that. Actually, I start that in two weeks, which is about this character who is trying to win $10,000 to help her with her business by doing this contest called The Hashtag Hunt. She ends up getting these text messages saying, “I need you to find a hottie in the wild.” There’s a bunch of rules she has to do and in doing so, she ends up on this grand adventure that’s kind of out there and crazy and there’s a little love involved. Super fun! I can’t wait to start that.
Audiobooks.com: Super cool. It sounds like a good listen.
Andrea: I hope so! It was a great read because I’ve already prepped the book.
Audiobooks.com: Yeah, that sounds amazing. Okay, well that’s all the questions I have. You went into great detail and I’m very excited to listen to anything upcoming from you!
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Girls With Sharp Sticks, by Suzanne Young, New York Times bestselling author of The Program was an exciting new addition to Audiobooks.com in March. I have to admit, it was the intriguing cover of this book that drew me in and then with a description likening it to Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale, I was ready to dive right in. This comparison made me wonder if Girls with Sharp Sticks could go toe-to-toe with such hard-hitters, but it definitely held its own!
Girls with Sharp Sticks is set at Innovations Academy, an old technology factory turned finishing school for girls. From the moment the story opens, there is the looming feeling that there’s more to this academy and these girls than meets the eye.
The protagonist, Philomena (Mena for short), is a model student at Innovations Academy, but begins to question certain practices and suspects that there’s something that they aren’t telling the students. This leads to lots of shocking revelations and twists and turns that keep you hooked.
I saw myself in Mena with the way she was vulnerable yet strong and her unfaltering dedication to her friends was what drew the strongest connection for me. Listening to this book was exciting, suspenseful and it made me want to yell “GIRL POWER!” from the rooftops.
It helps that the narrator, Caitlin Davies, portrays the characters distinctly, so that you are immersed in the shut off academy in the mountains. There are definite times where I got lost in Mena’s world so much so, that I didn’t even realize it was one single person narrating each one of the characters. This is especially true for the creepy feeling I got every time Davies would read the lines from the Guardian, one of the staff at Innovations Academy.
If you’re a fan of The Program series from Suzanne Young, then this listen is right up your alley. Girls with Sharp Sticks has many of the same themes throughout it and a similar dark, dystopian-type setting to it that you will find all too familiar.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced, mystery/thriller that will have your ears glued to your headphones, Girls with Sharp Sticks is the perfect next listen for you. I think there’s definitely more to this story, so I’m looking forward to the next installment from Young to see what other twists she can throw into the mix.
Publisher’s Summary:
Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this start to a thrilling, subversive near future series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young about a girls-only private high school that is far more than it appears to be.
Some of the prettiest flowers have the sharpest thorns.
The Girls of Innovations Academy are beautiful and well-behaved—it says so on their report cards. Under the watchful gaze of their Guardian, they receive a well-rounded education that promises to make them better. Obedient girls, free from arrogance or defiance. Free from troublesome opinions or individual interests.
But the girls’ carefully controlled existence may not be quite as it appears. As Mena and her friends uncover the dark secrets of what’s actually happening there—and who they really are—the girls of Innovations Academy will learn to fight back.
Bringing the trademark plot twists and high-octane drama that made The Program a bestselling and award-winning series, Suzanne Young launches a new series that confronts some of today’s most pressing ethical questions.
New to Audiobooks.com? Get a free audiobook when you sign up for our one month free trial. Digital audiobooks make audible stories come to life when you’re commuting, working out, cleaning, cooking and more! Listening is easy with our top-rated free audiobook apps for iOS and Android, which let you download & listen to bestselling audiobooks on the go, wherever you are. Click here to get your free audiobook!
While everyone else has spring cleaning and nice weather on the mind, we know what time it actually is…winter is finally here! AKA a new season of Game of Thrones! I have to admit, I was a little late to the Game of Thrones bandwagon. As in, I wasn’t caught up until half-way through the seventh season airing, but the obsession is still real! Plus, who doesn’t love a good binge-watching session, am I right?
With the debut of the greatly-anticipated eighth and final season of Game of Thrones, we can only assume that you’re all caught up on what’s happened in Westeros thus far. If you’re just not ready to leave the fantasy world behind, don’t fret! We’ve pulled together an incredible book list of listens similar to the epic Game of Thrones series that’ll ease that “end-of-an-era” pain. Click here to view the full Fans of Game of Thrones book list.
A little on the nose with a title like The Raven Tower, and while this listen does have a similar setting complete with an usurper claiming the throne, blood rituals, invaders, and an all-seeing “Raven,” this award-winning and best-selling tale delves into a world where men and gods collide. A great gateway listen for sure!
Publisher’s Summary: Gods meddle in the fates of men, men play with the fates of gods, and a pretender must be cast down from the throne in this masterful first fantasy novel from Ann Leckie, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Awards. For centuries, the kingdom of Iraden has been protected by the god known as the Raven. He watches over his territory from atop a tower in the powerful port of Vastai. His will is enacted through the Raven’s Lease, a human ruler chosen by the god himself. His magic is sustained via the blood sacrifice that every Lease must offer. And under the Raven’s watch, the city flourishes. But the power of the Raven is weakening. A usurper has claimed the throne. The kingdom’s borders are tested by invaders who long for the prosperity that Vastai boasts. And they have made their own alliances with other gods. It is into this unrest that the warrior Eolo–aide to Mawat, the true Lease–arrives. And in seeking to help Mawat reclaim his city, Eolo discovers that the Raven’s Tower holds a secret. Its foundations conceal a dark history that has been waiting to reveal itself…and to set in motion a chain of events that could destroy Iraden forever.
In The Name of the Wind you follow orphan, Kvothe, who grows up to be a very powerful wizard. Kvothe’s story reminds me of Jon Snow’s similar yet unlikely rise to power despite his past. This is the first book in The Kingkiller Chronicle, so if you’re looking for another fantastic fantasy series to jump into look no further.
Publisher’sSummary: My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me. So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
Death, betrayal, secret powers, and the end of the world? Sign me up! N. K. Jemisin was the first author to win three consecutive Huge Awards for each novel in this epic fantasy trilogy. Plus, the Fifth Season is currently being adapted into a TV series to be aired on TNT. If you’re transfixed by all of the Lannister’s family secrets, this read will have you hooked.
Publisher’sSummary: This is the way the world ends…for the last time. A season of endings has begun. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world’s sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
Sins of Empire follows multiple character’s stories and as the novel progresses you get to see how each story is intertwined with one another. The setting of Fatrasta, a magical world in turmoil, is all-too familiar to Game of Thrones buffs.
Publisher’sSummary: A new epic fantasy series from highly acclaimed fantasy author, Brian McClellan, set in the same world as The Powder Mage trilogy.
A world on the cusp of a new age… The young nation of Fatrasta is a turbulent place — a frontier destination for criminals, fortune-hunters, brave settlers, and sorcerers seeking relics of the past. Only the iron will of the lady chancellor and her secret police holds the capital city of Landfall together against the unrest of an oppressed population and the machinations of powerful empires.
Sedition is a dangerous word… The insurrection that threatens Landfall must be purged with guile and force, a task which falls on the shoulders of a spy named Michel Bravis, convicted war hero Mad Ben Styke, and Lady Vlora Flint, a mercenary general with a past as turbulent as Landfall’s present.
The past haunts us all… As loyalties are tested, revealed, and destroyed, a grim specter as old as time has been unearthed in this wild land, and the people of Landfall will soon discover that rebellion is the least of their worries.
This exciting debut novel from Erika Johansen sets in motion an intense trilogy that follows the rightful heir to her mother’s throne, princess Kelsea. For Game of Thrones enthusiasts, you’ll be pleased with the politics of ruling a kingdom and the bits of magic peppered throughout this read.
Publisher’sSummary: Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her. On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown. Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust. But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.
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