For anyone skeptic of the boundless heights self-published fantasy can reach, it’s books like Cradle of Sea and Soil that shatter doubts and teach us that all stories are worth taking a chance on.
The Living End by Craig Schaefer
The Living End lives up to its predecessors, and then takes things to a higher level. The break neck pace, the characters, the stakes are going to drive your adrenaline level up and make you want more. The Daniel Faust series gets better by each book and I’m so here for the rest. It’s a must read for any UF lover out there. Beware, it’s highly addictive!
A Girl Made of Air by Nydia Hetherington
Nydia Hetherington’s A Girl Made of Air is a thought provoking debut, one that’s hard to put in a box or even describe. It needs a specific frame of mind to really enjoy and appreciate the complexity of the characters and the beauty of the writing. It definitely won’t be for everyone and that’s fine. I still urge you to give it a go if you like circus settings and a story about walking on a tight rope. Sometimes literally.
Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
Talking as Fast as I Can brings back nostalgic feelings toward Gilmore Girls. It gives a glimpse into the hardships of being an actress, but it lacks the depth I was hoping for.
I, Exile by David M. Samuels
Fast paced, lots of atmosphere and cool magic (phylacteries, got to love it) sprinkle that with lots of fun fights with creepy creature monsters – always my favourite when it comes to action adventure type stories, it’s worth checking out.
The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson
I have been reading for a long time, I do tend to get excited and occasionally think some big fabulous plot is happening, only to have it not be as grand as my imagination. So, when I do read something that pushes those boundaries and let’s my imagination run with possibilities, and after a few surprises, I feel that it just might be clever enough to be actually going in that way – then, I am impressed. I have a lot of praise for a story that can do that. So, here is me praising this story, for letting me, let my imagination, run wild.
Despite a rocky start, the mystery masterfully woven into the plot eventually got me hooked and then kept me glued to the pages. The Lost War is an intriguing blend of adventure, mystery and mindfuckery.
Lords of Asylum by Kevin Wright
This is a book best savored like a good wine, letting it slowly dance across your palate to drop a fiery, welcomed warmth down your throat. A warmth that settles in your core and awakens your thirst for the next glass. Like Krait, you’ll be eager to take that next sip and quickly run to open the next installment of The Serpent Knight Saga.
Dirty Fred, the Captain by Jenő Rejtő
All being said, if you are looking for a few hours of lighthearted fun without needing to think too much, I definitely recommend checking Dirty Fred, the Captain out! A Hungarian classic which I hope will steal your heart as well. Hopefully not literally. You can just never know with these guys.
13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough
13 Minutes is what would happen if someone remade the Mean Girls as a psyhological mystery thriller, so if that’s your niche, then I definitely recommend checking it out.
The Great Restoration by William Ray
Usually I prefer detective stories where I don’t know who the culprit is, or the reason they did it – the fun is uncovering the clues while investigating. But, in this, we know who the kidnapper is and we even know why they were kidnapped but things aren’t adding up and those things are what keep you turning the pages to see how it all fits.