Fantasy Book Reviews

The sequel to A Divine Invite and the second book in the Ancients series, Divinely Trained by Maggie Havoc is epic in its scope and labyrinthine in its plot. A sprawling, theologically-tinged work of imagination, this installment expands on the world built in the first novel, for an enormously creative and original take on Christian imagery and mythology, in which the human relationships are nevertheless the heart – and indeed soul – of the story, driving the narrative forward.

Ellie is back, escaping from the trap set for her by the demonic Kokabi with the help of Johnny, who she […]

Launching herself into a journey of self-discovery, with full pockets and a swelling growth of magic within her, Kori Ember is the dynamic heart at the center of The Ember Stone by Shari Marshall, the first book in The Ember Files series.

When her sister goes missing, this heir to a dominant family of magic users must tap into her powers to end a generations-long feud, but it will require more sacrifice than Kori could have ever expected. Past lovers, betrayal, long-kept secrets, unique magic rules, and malicious secret societies converge in a rapid-fire adventure that defies genre labels, touching […]

A swirling return to the dark whimsy of a familiar setting, Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham details Alice’s fourth adventure to the time-spinning world of Cheshire cats and mad queens, and is as inventive and immersive as all of her previous trips.

As ever, the lessons learned on the other side of the looking glass have impacted her normal life. Her lost love, Jack Door, the black-feathered boy from her third trip, has never had an equal among Alice’s real-world suitors, so she longs to return. A tense family trip to the seaside yanks this older and wiser […]

A period novel elevated with magical powers, fantasy tech, and covert intelligence drama, The Accidental Empress by Justin K. Smith is a Shakespearean farce wrapped in the inventive shell of an alternate timeline.

Battling storms of doubt from within and without, Kristin is chosen as Iceland’s very first representative to the Temple of Knowledge and Miskatonic University. However, a terrorist attack on her airship plunges Kristin into the dark heart of European geopolitics, where this sheltered genius is coerced into temporarily taking on the body-double role of a freshly deceased Princess, heir apparent to the Iron Throne of Germany. Kristin […]