Waiting on Wednesday – Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

On March 2, 2022September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday, Young Adult6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday I take a look at a cool upcoming young adult thriller from a very talented author that I already know I am going to love, Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.

Friends Like These Cover

Amazon Book Depository

Last year I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Lies Like Wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, a brilliant young adult thriller that saw a group of friends forced into an impossible situation when they accidently start a wildfire that destroys their town, forcing them to lie to save themselves from legal retribution. This was an incredible read that perfectly blended character arcs with an intense narrative and some major twists, and it was easily one of the best debut novels of the year. I had so much fun reading this cool novel that I have been keeping an eye out for any detail about the author’s next novel, and I was very happy when I saw she had another intriguing young adult thriller coming out later this year.

This book is Friends Like These which is currently set for release in November 2022. Friends Like These is another intriguing and cool young adult read that will set teenage protagonists against each other as they attempt to navigate a terrible situation. This time the new protagonists will have to uncover a killer and hide their involvement in a crime when a body is discovered at their beach party after they pull off a video prank. Sure to be filled with some intense moments and exquisite storytelling, I am already extremely excited for Friends Like These and I am exceedingly confident that this is going to be one of the best young adult books of 2022.

Synopsis:

Twisted secrets that will have readers guessing with every flip of the page. Perfect for fans of GONE GIRL and Karen M. McManus.

Tegan Sheffield’s annual end-of-summer beach party is the only way to start their senior year. At least that’s what Jake Healy tells his girlfriend Jessica Sanchez.

But when a video prank from the party goes viral and a body is discovered at the beach, Jake and Jessica find themselves at the centre of a national media storm and a police investigation.

It’s a race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

Waiting on Wednesday – Flames of Mira by Clay Harmon

On February 23, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday2 Comments

Readers of this blog will know that I am a major fan of checking out debut authors when they produce their first foray into full-length fiction. This is mainly because I have read some incredible debut novels over the years, with some of the very best featured in my 2020 and 2021 top ten debut lists. As such, I keep a close eye on all the best upcoming releases and I recently found out about a fantastic sounding fantasy debut coming out later this year that I am quite excited about, Flames of Mira by Clay Harmon, a fascinating novel with a ton of potential.

Flames of Mira Cover

Flames of Mira, which will be released in July 2022, will be the very first novel in Harmon’s planned The Rift Walker series. This cool upcoming novel sounds extremely fun and not only does it have a pretty awesome cover at the moment, but there is also an intriguing and exciting plot synopsis that has really grabbed my attention. Filled with elemental power, magical slavery, violent revolution, and a damaged protagonist with a magical death-sentence hanging over his head, Flames of Mira looks set to be a pretty epic read, and it is one that I will be very eager to check out.

Synopsis:

An epic new fantasy in a world of ice, magma and magic!

Among the volcanoes beneath Mira’s frozen lands, people like Ig are forced to undergo life-threatening trials that bind chemical elements to the human body. One of Mira’s most powerful elementals, Ig works in secret as an enforcer for the corrupt Magnate Sorrelo Adriann, but is cursed with flesh binding magic — magic that will kill him at the first sign of disobedience. His days are spent hunting down anyone who would oppose the magnate, a shell of his old self who clings to old memories and his budding friendships with the magnate’s son and daughter.

When Sorrelo is overthrown in a coup and the country is thrown into chaos, Ig quickly learns he can do far worse than what Sorrelo has asked from him so far. If he can’t rediscover the person he was and escape the flesh binding in time, he will have to kill countless innocents as Sorrelo and his allies seek to reclaim the throne, or sacrifice himself trying.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik

On February 16, 2022August 13, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the incredible upcoming final entry in Naomi Novik’s epic Scholomance series, The Golden Enclaves.

The Golden Enclaves Cover

Without a doubt, some of the best pieces of fantasy fiction I have read over the last couple of years has been the clever and addictive Scholomance novels by acclaimed author Naomi Novik. Novik, who has previously impressed with her Temeraire series and standalone books like Spinning Silver, has created an incredible series here, filled with dark magic, complex characters, and an unbelievable setting.

The Scholomance novels are primarily set within the Scholomance, the world’s premier magic school which traps hundreds of magical children in its self-sustaining magical grounds for years, forcing them to face a gauntlet of monsters, treachery and dangerous lessons for their own good. This all changes when protagonist El Higgens arrives and finds herself in all manner of trouble. El, who has incredibly destructive magical abilities and a dark prophecy about her future hanging about her, finds herself forced to turn her abilities to destroying the school’s invading monsters when she meets up with moody monster hunter, Orion Lake. This results in a deep, clever and incredibly entertaining narrative that perfectly twists the classic magical school story around into a brilliant tale.

The series is so far made up of A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate, both of which were among my favourite books of 2020 and 2021 respectfully. A Deadly Education perfectly introduced the characters and the settings, as well as some of the deadly issues that were impacting the school (well, deadlier than usual). This was followed up with the even more impressive The Last Graduate, which expanded several of the great storylines from the A Deadly Education, and saw the protagonists embark on an elaborate plan to alter their world for good. While the plan was successful, destroying the school, it ended on a massive and shocking cliff-hanger that shook me to my very core. Due to how deeply moving and heartbreaking this cliff-hanger was, I have been very eagerly looking forward the third novel while mildly cursing Novik for making me wait to resolve the story. Luckily, I finally have some details about the final book which will whet my appetite for the moment.

This third and final book will be The Golden Enclaves, which is currently set for release in September 2022 and will apparently wrap up the series, bringing the entire story together. A cover and plot synopsis has just been released and I have to say that I am exceedingly excited by what they contain.

Synopsis:

Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.

The one thing you never talk about while you’re in the Scholomance is what you’ll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it’s all we dream about, the hideously slim chance we’ll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls.

And now the impossible dream has come true. I’m out, we’re all out–and I didn’t even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother’s prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn’t kill enclavers, I saved them. Me, and Orion, and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: we saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves of the world.

Ha, only joking! Actually it’s gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war on the horizon. And the first thing I’ve got to do now, having miraculously got out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.

Ooh, now that is very interesting synopsis that reveals some potential clues about how the plot of The Golden Enclaves is going to turn out. I love the tone of this synopsis which really carries all the angst and frustration of the point-of-view protagonist El, especially as it sounds like all her plans to survive and to keep her fellow students and their families safe has failed. The fact that someone else is out there destroying enclaves (elite magical communities), is pretty interesting, especially as that was El’s prophesised destiny that she was trying to avoid (I’m sure she’ll get blamed for it anyway). Having an atmosphere of war, suspicion and carnage out in the world should result in some intense storylines, especially as everyone is going to be looking at El, who is generally considered to be the perfect weapon. I am very curious to find out the identity of whoever is destroying the enclaves, especially if it ties into the events El experienced in the supposedly separate and isolated Scholomance.

I do think that The Golden Enclaves is going to be a very different book from the last two entries in the series. The entirety of A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate took place within the confines of the Scholomance, while this novel will be set out in the wider world. This really will change the feel, atmosphere and character dynamics of the entire story, especially as the protagonist no longer has to worry about lessons, lurking monsters and scheming classmates. It does sound like El is immediately going to try and get back into the Scholomance, so we might see a bit of it in the novel, which should prove interesting considering how its destruction led to the big cliff-hanger in the previous book. I will admit that I am going to miss the whole magical school element of this book, especially as that was one of the things that drew me to the series in the first place (I love magical school stories). However, I don’t think it will matter too much as at this point, I am far too invested in the overarching narrative and the characters of this series, that I cannot wait to see what happens to them no matter where they are.

Look, lets be honest here, there is no way in hell that I will not be reading this book this year, especially after how The Last Graduate ended. I am fully committed to finding out how this excellent series concludes, and the above synopsis hints at some cool and interesting developments that should result in a great story. I am exceedingly confident that Novik will provide an exceptional wrap up to this brilliant trilogy and I am just so excited to see how everything ends. I am 100 per cent confident that this will end up being on of my favourite books of 2022, and I am so damn excited to see how The Golden Enclaves turns out.

Amazon Book Depository

Waiting on Wednesday – Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

On February 9, 2022September 1, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, LGBT+, Science Fiction, Waiting on Wednesday6 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this week’s Waiting on Wednesday I take a look at an incredibly cool upcoming novel with a ton of potential, Nona the Ninth.

Nona the Ninth Cover

Amazon Book Depository

Over the last few years I have been deeply impressed with the first series from exciting author Tamsyn Muir. Muir, who debuted back in 2019, has so far produced two amazing novels that are part of her Locked Tomb series of science fiction/fantasy novels. Set in the future, The Locked Tomb series follows a group of space-faring necromancers who seek awesome power by conducting dangers and mind-bending rituals. The first novel in this series, Gideon the Ninth, was a brilliant introduction to this series and it was one of my favourite debuts of 2019. Muir then followed it with the exceptional sequel, Harrow the Ninth, which brilliantly continued the series with some intense and clever twists and ended up being even better than Muir’s first outing. I absolutely loved Harrow the Ninth and it ended up being one of the best books and audiobooks I read in 2020.

Ever since the epic ending of Harrow the Ninth I have been eagerly waiting to see how Muir would continue this fantastic series, and it looks like we are getting close to finding out as details of the third book have just been released. The third book in this series will by Nona the Ninth, which is currently set for release in September 2022. Already equipped with another epic cover and a fascinating plot synopsis, Nona the Ninth has really grabbed my attention and I am very excited for it.

Synopsis:

Her city is under siege.

The zombies are coming back.

And all Nona wants is a birthday party.

In many ways, Nona is like other people. She lives with her family, has a job at her local school, and loves walks on the beach and meeting new dogs. But Nona’s not like other people. Six months ago she woke up in a stranger’s body, and she’s afraid she might have to give it back.

The whole city is falling to pieces. A monstrous blue sphere hangs on the horizon, ready to tear the planet apart. Blood of Eden forces have surrounded the last Cohort facility and wait for the Emperor Undying to come calling. Their leaders want Nona to be the weapon that will save them from the Nine Houses. Nona would prefer to live an ordinary life with the people she loves, with Pyrrha and Camilla and Palamedes, but she also knows that nothing lasts forever.

And each night, Nona dreams of a woman with a skull-painted face…

Now that is a pretty cool synopsis that provides a lot of hints about what is to come. It looks like Muir is planning to do another trippy, out of body novel with Nona the Ninth, especially as her new main character is likely possessed by the protagonists of the previous two novels (trust me on that). Thrust into the middle of a necromantic war zone with a monstrous, deep-space entity out on the horizon, this will probably force the protagonist to make some dangerous, reality-altering decisions as she battles with the multiple personalities in her head. Throw in the already cool space necromance magical system and the return of some of the elaborate antagonists from the previous novel and I am sure that Nona the Ninth will have another exceptional story to it.

Look, there was honestly no way that I was going to pass this book up, especially after how deeply impressive and cool the previous two novels are. I am really hoping that Muir will continue to grow as an author here and if she manages to produce something that is as good, or even better than Harrow the Ninth, then this will end up being one of the best books of the year. I have some very high expectations for Nona the Ninth and I cannot wait to see how this complex and deeply addictive series will continue.

Waiting on Wednesday – Fairy Tale by Stephen King

On February 2, 2022September 6, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday7 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I check out the next upcoming novel from legendary author Stephen King, Fairy Tale, a twisted and inventive dark fantasy novel that I am extremely excited for.

Fairy Tale Cover

Amazon Book Depository

After a reading career spent mostly devoid of the works of iconic author Stephen King, 2021 was the year that I started getting into this talented and twisted writer. This was made easy by the fact that King released two particularly awesome novels, both of which were extremely cool and fun to read. The first was the horror thriller, Later, a unique coming-of-age story that followed a young boy who can see the dead, and who finds himself thrust into dangerous and terrifying situations as a result. Kings second book was the incredible Billy Summers, a powerful thriller that followed a titular assassin whose entire life is changed by his final job and a fateful encounter that followed. I deeply enjoyed the captivating and deep Billy Summers and it ended up being one of my favourite books of 2022. As such, I am extremely keen to read more of King’s work, and while I am considering diving into previous impressive books, I have also been keeping an eye out for his next upcoming book.

Well, I just found out some details about King’s next book and boy does it sound like it is going to be one heck of a unique read. This new book, which is currently set for release in September 2022, is Fairy Tale, which will take another teenage protagonist on a powerful and intense journey to the dark side of reality where he comes face to face with an ancient evil.

Synopsis:

Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for their world or ours.

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was ten, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. Then, when Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and his aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale about another world than ours, in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

Ok, now this sounds like it is going to be something special. I love the various intriguing elements that Fairy Tale’s synopsis hints at, especially as it will pit King’s typical young adult protagonist against a mysterious evil from another realm. The idea of a young man being thrust into a struggle between good and evil in an alternate, dark fantasy dimension has a lot of potential, especially when combined with King’s extremely well proven writing style and ability to craft great characters. I am really intrigued by this idea of another realm, and from the sound of some of the quotes from King that are being released as marketing for this book, it looks like the author really went out of his way to make it as inventive and crazy as possible.

Look let us be honest here, we already know that Fairy Tale is going to be a great book. King has been on a role lately, and after 40 years of writing some of the best books out there, he really knows how to create an exceptional read. I am particularly drawn to the synopsis above and I think that a cool, alternate fantasy realm storyline helmed by this great author has an unbelievable amount of potential. This is easily going to be one of the best books of 2022 and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Omega Factor by Steve Berry

On January 26, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday5 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For my latest Waiting on Wednesday, I look at a cool upcoming thriller centred around a historical conspiracy that I know is going to be a ton of fun, The Omega Factor by Steve Berry.

The Omega Factor Cover

Over the last few years, I have been having an awesome time reading the extremely clever and entertaining novels from thriller author Steve Berry. Berry, who has been writing for nearly 20 years, is best known for his Cotton Malone series, which follows the titular protagonist as he investigates multiple crazy conspiracies and mysteries from histories which have the potential to impact the modern era. His last three Cotton Malone novels, The Malta Exchange, The Warsaw Protocol and The Kaiser’s Web, have all been extremely amazing, and I had a lot of fun exploring their complex and fascinating narratives and historical content.

As such, I was very excited when I saw that Berry had a new novel coming out in 2022, The Omega Factor. This new novel is not part of the Cotton Malone series, but instead will introduce a new protagonist, UNESCO investigator Nicholas Less, who will get caught up in a conspiracy involving the Ghent Altarpiece and a civil war between a secret order of nuns and the Vatican. Naturally, this crazy plot idea is extremely appealing to me, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out. The Omega Factor has a current release date of 7 June 2022, and I will probably try and grab an audiobook version of it. Based on my prior experience with Berry’s great writing, and the crazy synopsis below, I already know I am going to have an incredible time with this upcoming thriller, and I am very excited to fully explore The Omega Factor’s unique and entertaining historical conspiracy storyline.

Synopsis:

The Ghent Altarpiece is the most violated work of art in the world. Thirteen times it has been vandalized, dismantled, or stolen.
Why? What secrets does it hold?

Enter UNESCO investigator, Nicholas Lee, who works for the United Nations’ Cultural Liaison and Investigative Office (CLIO). Nick’s job is to protect the world’s cultural artifacts—from countless lesser-known objects to national treasures.

When Nick travels to Belgium for a visit with a woman from his past, he unwittingly stumbles on the trail of the twelfth panel for the Ghent Altarpiece, stolen in 1934 under cover of night and never seen since. Soon Nick is plunged into a bitter conflict, one that has been simmering for nearly two thousand years. On one side is the Maidens of Saint-Michael, les Vautours, Vultures, a secret order of nuns and the guardians of a great truth. Pitted against them is the Vatican, which has wanted for centuries to both find and possess what the nuns guard. Because of Nick the maidens have finally been exposed, their secret placed in dire jeopardy—a vulnerability that the Vatican swiftly moves to exploit utilizing an ambitious cardinal and a corrupt archbishop, both with agendas of their own.

From the tranquil canals of Ghent, to the towering bastions of Carcassonne, and finally into an ancient abbey high in the French Pyrenees, Nick Lee must confront a modern-day religious crusade intent on eliminating a shocking truth from humanity’s past. Success or failure—life and death—all turn on the Omega Factor.

Waiting on Wednesday – The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish

On January 19, 2022January 19, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday4 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday I check out an upcoming fantasy novel with immense potential, The Bladed Faith by David Dalglish.

The Bladed Faith Cover

I recently mentioned that I thought 2022 was going to be an awesome year for fantasy fiction, especially with so many cool and impressive novels coming out. Well, one of the upcoming fantasy novels that I am most excited for is The Bladed Faith by established author David Dalglish. Dalglish is an exciting fantasy writer whose novels I have been meaning to check out for the while, especially with interesting works like his Half-Orc, Shadowdance and Paladins series. It looks like I will finally have the opportunity to try one of Dalglish’s books this year as he is starting a brand-new series with the epic sounding The Bladed Faith.

Set for release in April, The Bladed Faith will be the first book in the planned The Vagrant Gods series. I have had my eye on The Bladed Faith for a while and I was mostly just waiting for the cover to be released before I featured it in a Waiting on Wednesday article (it did appear on my recent most anticipated reads of 2022 list). Well, the wait is finally over as Orbit just released the official cover for The Bladed Faith and I must admit it looks pretty impressive and definitely matches the outstanding and exciting narrative.

Synopsis:

A usurped prince prepares to take up the mantel of a deadly assassin and reclaim his kingdom, his people, and his slain gods in this epic fantasy from a USA Today bestselling author.

Cyrus was only twelve years old when his gods were slain, his country invaded, and his parents—the king and queen—beheaded in front of him. Held prisoner in the invader’s court for years, Cyrus is suddenly given a chance to escape and claim his revenge when a mysterious group of revolutionaries comes looking for a figurehead. They need a hero to strike fear into the hearts of the imperial and to inspire and unite the people. They need someone to take up the skull mask and swords and to become the legendary “Vagrant”—an unparalleled hero and assassin of otherworldly skill.

But all is not as it seems. Creating the illusion of a hero is the work of many, and Cyrus will soon discover the true price of his vengeance.

Wow, this sounds like such an incredible book. The entire story of The Bladed Faith is just so epic, and with a ton of cool suggested content, from the murdered gods to the upcoming rebellion. The whole deposed prince who takes on the mantle of a mysterious, mystical assassin storyline is loaded with potential, and I cannot wait to see what kind of awesome carnage and intrigue this entails. I love the hints that his attempts to get vengeance and taking on the mantle of the Vagrant are going to have some major consequences, and it will be fascinating to see who betrays who and what issues the protagonist will have to fight with. An overall extremely amazing story, this plot synopsis alone is one of the main reasons that I have been really excited for this upcoming book.

The-Bladed-Faith-Cover-2

Based on the awesome story, impressive cover and some of the pre-release buzz I am already hearing about it, I think that The Bladed Faith is going to be an epic and incredible read that I am extremely confident I am going to enjoy. This great novel has loads of potential and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Sure to be one of the best books of the year, I honestly believe that The Bladed Faith and The Vagrant Gods series will be a cornerstone of the fantasy genre for years. A final callout to the cover art associated with this upcoming novel which looks absolutely gorgeous. Thanks to Petrik at Novel Notions for showcasing the extended covers on Twitter after hosting the cover art reveal on his blog earlier in the week.

The-Bladed-Faith-Cover-3

Waiting on Wednesday – The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi

On January 12, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday1 Comment

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For my latest Waiting on Wednesday I check out The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi, an awesome upcoming fantasy novel from an intriguing author that I think has a great deal of potential.

The Collarbound Cover

I have mentioned multiple times in recent weeks that there are some really great fantasy novels coming out in 2022. This includes several fantastic and compelling fantasy debuts that will no doubt introduce some brilliant new talents. One of these upcoming fantasy debuts that has really caught my attention is an interesting novel from relative newcomer Rebecca Zahabi. Zahabi, who previously wrote the young adult fantasy book The Game Weavers, is presenting her first adult fantasy novel, The Collarbound, which features an intriguing story filled with complex characters.

The Collarbound is a fascinating and awesome sounding book that is currently going to be released in May. Set in a war-torn fantasy world where a rebel movement is set to attack a fortress full of mages, The Collarbound will tell an epic story of revolution, war, freedom and a bold partnership between a slave and branded mage. I really like the sound of this cool book, as well as its fantastic cover, and I think that this could be one of the more captivating and unique fantasy reads of 2022. I look forward to seeing how its interesting story turns out and I am very curious to see if The Collarbound lives up to all its potential.

Synopsis:

As the world faces rebellion and chaos, two people – one an escaped slave, one an amnesiac mage – will discover that their pasts are entwined, and their futures destined to collide.

A MAN MARKED BY MAGIC. A WOMAN MARKED BY HER PAST.

On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities.

When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her Kher tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can’t remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived. She doesn’t intend to give up now.

Tatters, who wears the golden collar of a slave, knows that this rebellion is different from past skirmishes. He was once one of the rebels, and technically, they still own him. He plans to stay in the shadows, until Isha appears in his tavern. He’s never seen a human with a tattoo, and the markings look eerily familiar . . .

As the rebellion carves a path of destruction towards the city, an unlikely friendship forms between a man trying to escape his past and a woman trying to uncover hers, until their secrets threaten to tear them apart.

Waiting on Wednesday – Stay Awake by Megan Goldin

On January 5, 2022 By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Thriller, Waiting on Wednesday4 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. This week I look at one of the more intriguing thrillers set for release in 2022 with Stay Awake by Megan Goldin.

Stay Awake Cover

Over the last few years one of the more interesting thriller writers has been Australian author Megan Goldin who has been killing it with some captivating and thought-provoking novels. Debuting in 2017 with The Girl in Kellers Way, Goldin first came to my attention when I was lucky enough to receive a copy of her 2018 book, The Escape Room, which I read in one sitting. The Escape Room, which subsequently gained substantial popularity following its release in America, was a fantastic and intriguing read that imagined an elaborate revenge plot against a highflying Wall Street investment team. I deeply enjoyed The Escape Room and it led to me checking out Goldin’s next book, The Night Swim, which ended up being one of the best Australian books of 2020. The Night Swim was a powerful and intense novel that detailed the harrowing aftermath of two controversial rape cases from various parts of a town’s history. Both of these novels were really good and I have been eagerly waiting to see what Goldin comes up with next.

Well, my wait is over as Goldin has a fantastic sounding new novel coming out in August 2022 with Stay Awake. This excellent and intriguing novel has an amazing plot that sees a women awaken in a terrible situation, with murder, memory loss and deadly surprises.

Synopsis:

Liv Reese wakes up in the back of a taxi with no idea where she is or how she got there. When she’s dropped off at the door of her brownstone, a stranger answers—a stranger who now lives in her apartment and forces her out in the cold. She reaches for her phone to call for help, only to discover it’s missing, and in its place is a bloodstained knife. That’s when she sees that her hands are covered in black pen, scribbled messages like graffiti on her skin: STAY AWAKE.

Two years ago, Liv was living with her best friend, dating a new man, and thriving as a successful writer for a trendy magazine. Now, she’s lost and disoriented in a New York City that looks nothing like what she remembers. Catching a glimpse of the local news, she’s horrified to see reports of a crime scene where the victim’s blood has been used to scrawl a message across a window, the same message that’s inked on her hands. What did she do last night? And why does she remember nothing from the past two years? Liv finds herself on the run for a crime she doesn’t remember committing as she tries to piece together the fragments of her life. But there’s someone who does know exactly what she did, and they’ll do anything to make her forget—permanently.

A complex thriller that unfolds at a breakneck speed, Stay Awake will keep you up all night.

I am deeply intrigued by this awesome and impressive sounding novel, especially as it looks like Goldin has come up with a really complex plot here for Stay Awake. I love the idea of an amnesia laden plot that involves a shattered mind, secret instructions written on skin, murder and dangerous predator. I honestly think that this novel has a load of potential, especially in Goldin’s exceedingly capable hands, and I reckon I will probably power through this book in no time at all.

Waiting on Wednesday – Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry

On December 29, 2021 By The Unseen LibraryIn Fantasy, Waiting on Wednesday10 Comments

Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. For this latest Waiting on Wednesday I check out one of the more interesting fantasy novels coming out in the new year, Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry.

Kagen the Damned Cover

2022 is shaping up to be a very good year for epic fantasy novels, with some incredible and cool-sounding new books set for release, especially in the first six months. One of the things that I particularly like about some of these upcoming fantasy novels is the fact that they are being written by several authors I generally associate with other genres. This includes one of my absolute favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry, who is jumping into the fantasy genre for the very first time with his intriguing upcoming novel, Kagen the Damned.

Jonathan Maberry is an awesome author whose work I have been deeply enjoying over the last few years. Maberry is an author primarily known for his horror work, having written several scary and intense series, including his Pine Deep trilogy, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series and the V-Wars anthology/comic series. I best know Maberry for his incredible Joe Ledger series, which combines fast-paced spy thriller storylines with intriguing science fiction and horror elements. Every entry in this series was pretty amazing, with some of my favourites including The Dragon Factory, Code Zero, Predator One and Dogs of War. I also deeply enjoyed his Rogue Team International sequel series, which included Rage (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2019) and Relentless (which I just listed as one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), as well as the standalone horror novel Ink (one of the best books and audiobooks of 2020). As such, I am a pretty big fan of Maberry, and while I was a little disappointed that his Rogue Team International series wasn’t getting a sequel next year, I am quite intrigued about his first dive in fantasy fiction.

This new fantasy novel, Kagen the Damned, is the first book in a series of the same name from Maberry. Currently set for release on 10 May 2021, Kagen the Damned is an intriguing-sounding read with an amazing plot that I am extremely excited for and which has a great deal of potential.

Synopsis:

Sworn by Oath
Kagen Vale is the trusted and feared captain of the place guard, charged with protection the royal children of the Silver Empire. But one night, Kagen is drugged and the entire imperial family is killed, leaving the empire in ruins.

Abandoned by the Gods
Haunted and broken, Kagen is abandoned by his gods and damned forever. He becomes a wanderer, trying to take down as many of this enemies as possible while plotting to assassinate the usurper–the deadly Witch-king of Hakkia. While all around him magic–long banished from the world—returns in strange and terrifying ways.

Fueled by Rage
To find the royal children and exact his vengeance, Kagen must venture into strange lands, battle bizarre and terrifying creatures, and gather allies for a suicide mission into the heart of the Witch-king’s empire.

Kings and gods will fear him.

Now this sounds like it is going to be a pretty damn incredible read. I love the cool story above, especially as it is going to follow a broken and desperate man who goes on an epic revenge mission against an insanely powerful magical foe. Now if my love of the Joe Ledger novels has taught me anything it is that Maberry is an author who excels at writing a damaged and complex central protagonist, and it sounds like Kagen is going to be pretty special. In addition, thanks to Maberry’s 2021 release Relentless, I also know that the author can write an extremely mean revenge story, and I am prepared for an exceptional narrative filled with bloody vengeance and a highly determined protagonist.

I am also extremely intrigued by this new fantasy world. As I mentioned before, I have never had the pleasure of seeing Maberry dive into fantasy before and I think that this will be an interesting change of pace for him. I do like the sound of the dark fantasy world mentioned in the synopsis above, from the shattered kingdom, the dangerous Witch-king (you have to love a villain known as the Witch-king), the mysterious allies, the destructively returning magic, and so many other cool elements. All this has buckets of potential, and if Maberry transfers all his usual attention to detail and talent for world building to the fantasy genre, I think we are in for a really cool setting and backdrop to the main revenge narrative. I am extremely keen to check this new novel out and find out just how awesome a Maberry fantasy book can be.

Overall, I have to say that I am really very excited for Kagen the Damned. I have made no secret in the past about how I will eagerly grab any new Jonathan Maberry novel that comes out, so Kagen the Damned was always going to be on my 2022 to-read list. However, I am very intrigued about the cool plot above, as well as Maberry’s transition to the fantasy genre, and I really want to see what happens in this new book. I think that Kagen the Damned has a lot of potential, especially with the talented Maberry at the helm, and I honestly believe that this could end up being one of the top fantasy books of 2022. I look forward to finding out if I’m right, and no matter what I am sure that I am going to have an incredible time reading Kagen the Damned.