| The Girl in the Tower: A Novel by Katherine ArdenStarring: Vasilisa "Vasya" Petrovna, first introduced in The Bear and the Nightingale, who disguises herself as a boy and sets out to see the world -- accompanied by faithful steed Solovey and aided by frost demon Morozko.
Why you might like it: This 2nd book in the Winternight trilogy boasts a strong heroine determined to choose her own path in life.
Try this next: Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy is a similarly lush and descriptive fantasy series inspired by Russian folklore. |
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| The Spark by David DrakeWhat it's about: Country boy Pal of Beune, a "Maker" who can shape the ancient artifacts of a fallen civilization, travels to Dun Add, the "capital of the human universe," in the hope of becoming a warrior in the service of the Leader.
Read it for: an inventive take on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, set in a far-future world in which magic and advanced technology are one and the same. |
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All Systems Red: The Murderbot Diaries
by Martha Wells
SF. "As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure," confesses the AI narrator of this fast-paced SF adventure. After hacking its own governor module and overriding its programming, security droid "Murderbot" ends up saving lives instead of ending them -- but only because letting all the humans die would interfere with its favorite activity: binge-watching some 35,000 hours' worth of entertainment media. All Systems Red's snarky protagonist and suspenseful, action-packed plot should have readers eagerly anticipating future installments of the Murderbot Diaries.
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An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors
by Curtis Craddock
Steampunk. In a retrofuturistic world of skyships and sorcerers, Isabelle des Zephyrs prepares to marry a man she's never met -- one whose two previous fiancées were assassinated. Determined not to meet the same fate, Isabelle must rely on her wits as well as the aid of her swashbuckling guardian, musketeer Jean-Claude. An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is the opening volume in the Risen Kingdoms.
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At the Table of Wolves
by Kay Kenyon
Historical Fantasy. At the end of the Great War came the "bloom" and, with it, paranormal abilities in the form of "Talents." Now it's 1936 and England is on the verge of war with Germany. Kim Tavistock's Talent, the "spill," causes others to confide their secrets to her, which makes her an ideal spy. For another WWII-era historical fantasy featuring espionage and super-powered individuals, try Ian Tregillis' Milkweed Triptych, which begins with Bitter Seeds.
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| Midnight Riot by Ben AaronovitchWhat it's about: Rookie constable Peter Grant's ability to communicate with the dead attracts the notice of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who recruits him for a special branch of London's Metropolitan Police dedicated to investigating the paranormal.
Read it for: a snarky protagonist, a diverse cast of characters, and an atmospheric London setting.
You might also like: This fast-paced 1st entry in the Rivers of London series may appeal to fans of Mike Carey's Felix Castor series. |
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| The Invisible Library by Genevieve CogmanStarring: Librarian Irene, who travels between worlds to acquire books of power, and her new apprentice Kai, who's not quite what he seems.
Series alert: If you enjoy this opening installment of the Invisible Library series, check out its three sequels, including the forthcoming The Lost Plot.
For fans of: dimension-hopping fantasy adventures such as Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next novels or Jodi Taylor's The Chronicles of St. Mary's series. |
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| Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. CoreyIn a world... where Earth has colonized the solar system, diplomatic relations between Earth, Mars, and the unincorporated settlements of the asteroid belt are strained, to say the least.
What it is: A hard -- and hard-boiled -- geopolitical space opera with a dash of noir detective story.
Book buzz: This ongoing series provides the source material for the Syfy television series The Expanse. |
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| Half-Resurrection Blues by Daniel José OlderWhat it's about: Neither fully alive nor fully dead, "inbetweener" Carlos Delacruz, an agent of the New York Council of the Dead, must apprehend a malevolent sorcerer who plans to open an entrada to the Underworld, literally unleashing Hell upon an unsuspecting city.
Crossover alert: This 1st book in the Bone Street Rumba series is loosely linked to the author's YA Shadowshaper Cypher series.
Try this next: For more urban fantasy about the thin line between life and death, check out Doug Dorst's Alive in Necropolis. |
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| Hope and Red by Jon SkovronStarring: Bleak Hope, a young assassin bent on revenge for the murders of her family, and Red, the street urchin and thief who becomes her accomplice as they plot to take down a corrupt empire.
Series alert: This opening installment of the Empire of Storms series continues with Bane and Shadow, followed by Blood and Tempest.
You might also like: Hope's transformation from traumatized orphan to cold-blooded killer should appeal to readers of Mark Lawrence's Book of the Ancestor series, while fans of Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastards novels will follow Red's path with anticipation. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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