OFFICIAL AUTHOR INFORMATION: Quenby Olson lives in Central Pennsylvania where she spends most of her time writing, glaring at baskets of unfolded laundry, and chasing the cat off the kitchen counters. She lives with her husband and two daughters, who do nothing to dampen her love of classical ballet, geeky crochet, and staying up late to watch old episodes of Doctor Who.

OFFICIAL BLURB: Dorothea Hawes has no wish to renew contact with what lies beyond the veil. After an attempt to take her own life, she has retired into seclusion, but as the wounds on her body heal, she is drawn back into a world she wants nothing more than to avoid.

She is sought out by Julian Chissick, a former man of God who wants her help in discovering who is behind the gruesome murder of a young woman. But the manner of death is all too familiar to Dorothea, and she begins to fear that something even more terrible is about to unleash itself on London.

And so Dorothea risks her life and her sanity in order to save people who are oblivious to the threat that hovers over them. It is a task that forces her into a confrontation with her own lurid past, and tests her ability to shape events frighteningly beyond her control.

FORMAT/INFO: The Half-Killed is 275 pages long divided over twenty-five chapters with a prologue, and is the first entry in the Sundered Veil series. The book was self-published through World Tree Publishing in 2015 and is currently available in e-book and print formats. Cover art and design by A.J. Navarre.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: It becomes apparent from the opening of The Half-Killed that Quenby Olson is a master of mimicking Victorian prose. I would wager that she is so good, so authentic, that she could fool the literati of the time. She sets up the prologue of The Half-Killed in second-person point of view, potentially the only clue that this isn’t a book written in the late 1800s, and it is an effective prologue in the sense that it introduces us to our protagonist, Dorothea Hawes, as a young girl witnessing the death of her family. It is a gorgeous and horrific scene, and sets a gripping tone that does not let up until the last page is turned - and only then can we again safely draw breath.

Olson’s prose never wanes, never dims, and is fluid and melodic throughout the entire novel. I have not read much, particularly in the fantasy realm, that matches it. It is poetry at times, so much so that it actually gets in the way of the story. In fact, one of my only real gripes with The Half-Killed is that its language is so descriptive and beautiful that it sometimes interrupts the pacing of the book. I found myself lost amidst passages, happily so, but then confused when the action of the plot regained its footing and needing to relocate my bearings. This is actually not a bad problem to have, but it does create problems for story.

That story revolves around a sweltering Victorian London, seized in an unnatural heat that dries up the Thames and causes even some of the stuffiest citizenry in the history of humanity to loosen a button or two. Thea, who had once used her talents as a supernatural medium to become a celebrity of London, has since fallen on typically hard times. In a period when the act of convening with the spiritual realm is both scandalous and popular, Thea stands out as one of the few practitioners who can actually do the deed. But it comes with a price - voices that constantly assail her and memories she wishes she could bury in her mental graveyard. It is only when Julian Chissick arrives on her doorstep, imploring her to help him find the killer of his recently murdered sister, that Thea is drawn back into a life and to people that she would rather forget. Naturally, this leads to a host of further problems and much more death.

Walking through Victorian London with Quenby Olson is a treat. This is an author who obviously loves this time period, cherishes it, but in loving it can also see its faults and point them out piece by piece to a reader. Victorian London is disgusting - particularly in unseasonable heat. There are no air conditioned parlors to escape to here, and the aforementioned moral stuffiness of the time means that one cannot simply throw on a pair of shorts instead of their proper gown or trousers. Olson turns this era, often depicted as glamorous and clean, into what it truly is - a dim horror. Candle wax seems to be on everything, the streets are lined with all manner of refuse and excretion, and the bodies of people, described in minute detail, verge on the grotesque. At the same time, The Half-Killed does manage to capture the romance of Victorian England. The interactions between the main characters, each genuine in their own way, is decidedly proper but yearning. And London is always London, no matter how dirty it gets. The attention to detail in The Half-Killed is extraordinary and exciting.

It’s amazing how much Olson gets right with this book. The humor is dry, like the parched bed of the Thames itself, but genuinely funny. “If she’s ever been in contact with a spirit,” Thea says of one character who fashions herself Britain’s Next Top Medium, “it’s never been more frightening than one she could mix into her afternoon tea.” Or, when speaking of a former suitor’s possibility of bearing children, Thea claims that, “he’s always been something of a child himself. For him to have a son or daughter of his own... I don’t think he’d relish the competition." The delivery here is pitch perfect, and it isn’t often that I take the time to write out quotes from books these days, but I found many of Olson’s one liners to be worthy of repeat. She also gets dialogue right, which is extremely hard to do, particularly when writing about a real-world time period. Characters talk in dialect, but there is no heavy-handed apostrophe work here. Rather, the author understands how speech patterns and word choice can invoke dialect better than any attempt at trying to out-muddle Irvine Welsh.

The only thing that keeps me from declaring The Half-Killed to be the perfect Victorian fantasy thriller is the ending. ***Spoilers to follow, so beware.*** There is a Fight Club-style ending to The Half-Killed that left me unsatisfied, and I wonder if that’s mostly on me for not really understanding this type of conclusion. In Fight Club, Tyler Durden is blasted out of the narrator’s head by a well-placed gun shot that leaves said narrator still alive. Something similar happens with The Half-Killed, but I couldn’t really figure out why, in either book, this left the protagonist alive. How does approaching death’s door drive out these dark passengers? Perhaps this is something Olson will explore in the next book, and she has plenty left yet to explain. A certain set of photographs and their larger implications is also left unresolved, and even the villain of The Half-Killed is never truly unveiled. Some of these are, again, good problems to have because it means an eventual sequel to this beautiful novel, and I am here for that.

OFFICIAL AUTHOR INFORMATION: Claire North is actually Catherine Webb, a Carnegie Medal-nominated young-adult novel author whose first book, Mirror Dreams, was written when she was just 14 years old. She went on to write seven more successful YA novels. 

It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost through chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.

But those whom fortune favors may be invited to compete in the higher league... a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on the scale of a continent.

Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all...

FORMAT/INFO: This novel was originally published as three digital-only novellas: The Serpent, The Thief, and The Master. Trilogy, released on May 28th, 2019 counts 448 pages and is available in e-book, paperback and audiobook format.

THE SERPENT

THE THIEF

THE MASTER

Official Author Website
Pre-order Vultures over HERE

OFFICIAL AUTHOR INFORMATION: Fantasy Author. Long Doggo Enthusiast. Snoot Booper. Shouter of Profanities. Drinker of Whiskey. These are all titles. The Khaleesi nobody wanted and the one they certainly didn't deserve.

OFFICIAL BLURB: TRUTH FROM MADNESS

In Ariath, this is more than a simple adage. For Theailys An, they are words to live by, especially in the city of Helveden, where he and his demon brethren, the dissident, are looked upon with scorn. Viewed as cohorts of the dead progenitor of Ariathan suffering, they are outcasts.

Still, Theailys has a job to do: destroy the Heart of Mirkúr and end the war for good. Though Te Mirkvahíl is dead, its progeny leak endlessly from the Heart, sowing death with their passage. With The Keepers' Wrath, a power focus of his own design, Theailys believes there is hope to restore peace to Ariath once again.

But ending a war is easier said than done, especially for a man haunted by past tragedies and occasionally possessed by a murderous presence keen to take his body for its own. As Theailys works to forge The Keepers' Wrath, amid a creeping shadow over Helveden, one thing becomes increasingly and horrifyingly clear:

These events have played out many times before.

FORMAT/INFO: Vultures is 333 pages long divided over sixteen chapters, and is the first entry in The Shadow Twins Trilogy. The book is scheduled to be self-published by the author on June 11, 2019; it is currently available for pre-order in e-book format, and will be also be available as paperback on its publication day, as well as on Kindle Unlimited. Cover art and design is provided by the author, .

CLASSIFICATION: Dark fantasy

ANALYSIS:

The light is darkest just before the dawn.

In a world marred and preyed upon by demons, Theailys An has one goal, to reforge The Keepers' Wrath in order to end the demons' dominion over those struggling for survival. With divine intervention at every turn, an everlasting conflict between the wielders of illum and mirkúr, and a history that seems to repeat itself, Thaeilys must secure what's needed to bring peace to a land that has been plagued by a war of shadows for millennia. But are his efforts propelling him towards a predetermined conclusion, or will he take heed to the prophecies bestowed upon him as he dreams?

Vultures is a tale of balance and the war between light and shadow, law and chaos, good and evil. These opposing forces the two sides of one coin, and the balance the minuscule edge on which everything teeters. A careful exploration into the human psyche through the concept of innate fractured personalities wanting and in need of differing final results, all battling for sovereignty. It is a tale of righting wrongs and altering the effects of histories past, and the painful sacrifices needed in order to do so. It is, hands down, one of the most ambitious and sophisticated stories I have ever read. After reading the preview chapter offered by the author, I went into this with high expectations, and I cannot express how elated I am that the remainder of the book completely exceeded everything I had hoped for. If this outstanding debut is anything to judge by, Luke Tarzian is one author everyone needs to keep an eye on.

The format of this book is quite unique in which we're transported to various interesting locations through a series of timelines, allowing us to witness crucial points in history while remaining in the present. As some books are immediately heavy on worldbuilding, Vultures creates its world, rich in culture and diversity, right before your eyes. Yes, ancient events are implied through their results, such as the mention of a dead city of rot, but we also get to see firsthand how this city has come to be a desiccated shell of shadow and ash. The use of dreams and dream-like states as vehicles for worldbuilding is brilliant, constructing the masterpiece around you, rather than dropping you in blindfolded or overwhelming you with copious amounts of details. At times it may seem the purpose of these mechanisms are unclear, but as the story continues, all threads converge to build a magnificent tapestry with perfect clarity.

The bold may wisely cage a wolf that wields the power to raise an army, Behtréal thought, but it is the arrogant, the ignorant who reach between the bars to slay the wolf's cubs.

Tarzian has created a cast of intricately complex characters, each possessing of different abilities, hailing from disparate regions around the world, and each with their own strengths and downfalls. Some are controlled by avatars of wrathful gods, others are phreznic, or consumed by multiple presences that attempt to take control of the physical body, others yet are are simply haunted by the past. While the book focuses on three main characters, namely Theailys, Serece, and Behtréal, we're also introduced to different aspects or personalties of these characters, allowing us to observe critical events as they occur from every angle. There are a variety of secondary characters that perfectly flesh out the story and add a bit of levity, but as diverse as they all are, they all have one thing in common: pain - pain from loss, pain from war, pain from past decisions made, pain of loneliness - bringing them together to rise up for a common cause.

There are so many facets of this book I want to shout praise for and I only wish I could discuss them in more detail, but this story contains one jaw-dropping revelation after another. So, out of fear of spoiling, I'll just say Vultures is beautifully written, amazingly plotted (this is a severe understatement), and so emotionally raw. Tarzian's prose is gorgeous and flowing and reminiscent of an epic saga; his words a meticulously honed knife searing into your heart, preventing you from putting the book down, lest you fear leaving the characters you've become acquainted with alone in the darkness. His world is strange and awe-inspiring, one that he allows you to catch glimpses of, leaving you wanting more. And finally, peeling away the layers to learn more about the grand scheme is one highly rewarding experience.

The Demon Prime is a force of nature, a wind that begins as a whisper and evolves into a storm of madness that you cannot comprehend.

I feel that anything I say will not give this story the justice it deserves, as it's one you need to personally experience. It's earnest, tackling some pretty personal and serious themes, such as loss and depression, never skirting around the severity of their terrible effects. However, we're always reminded that there is the light of dawn on the horizon. I've mentioned this in the past, and I'll continue to express how excited I always am to dive into the works of a new author, and this is definitely no exception.

CONCLUSION: Vultures is simply one of the most stunning debuts I've ever read and a beautiful beginning to The Shadow Twins Trilogy. I highly recommend you give this one a try.

Note: A HUGE thanks to the author who provided me with an advanced copy of this book.

Read Fantasy Book Critic's review of We Ride the Storm 

AUTHOR INFORMATION: USA Today bestselling author Megan Crewe lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and son. She's been making up stories about magic and spirits and other what ifs since before she knew how to write words on paper. These days the stories are just a lot longer. Her YA novels include the paranormal GIVE UP THE GHOST, post-apocalyptic the Fallen World series, the sci fi Earth & Sky trilogy, the contemporary fantasy A MORTAL SONG, the supernatural thriller BEAST, and the urban fantasy Conspiracy of Magic series.

OFFICIAL BOOK BLURB: Each year, the North American Confederation of Mages assesses every sixteen-year-old novice. Some will be chosen. The rest must undergo a procedure to destroy their magical ability unless they prove themselves in the mysterious and brutal Mages' Exam.

Disadvantaged by her parents' low standing, Rocío Lopez has dedicated herself to expanding her considerable talent to earn a place in the Confederation. Their rejection leaves her reeling—and determined to fight to keep her magic.

Long ashamed of his mediocre abilities, Finn Lockwood knows the Confederation accepted him only because of his prominent family. Declaring for the Exam instead means a chance to confirm his true worth.

Thrown into the testing with little preparation, Rocío and Finn find themselves becoming unlikely allies—and possibly more. But the Exam holds secrets more horrifying than either could have imagined. What are the examiners really testing them for? And as the trials become increasingly vicious, how much are they willing to sacrifice to win?

The first in a new series by USA Today bestselling author Megan Crewe, Ruthless Magic combines the magic of Harry Potter with the ferocity of The Hunger Games alongside a poignant romance. Fans of Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, look no further for your next urban fantasy fix. 

CLASSIFICATION: A YA urban fantasy.

FORMAT: Ruthless Magic was self-published by the author in 2018 as a first book in  Conspiracy of Magic series. It's available in an e-book, paperback, and hardcover format. 

The book counts 352 pages and is divided into 38 numbered chapters. The cover art was done by Rebecca Kemp. 

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS (Lukasz): I rarely read YA fiction, especially when it features romance. And yet I enjoyed Ruthless Magic. Crewe draws inspiration from Hunger Games, but she does everything right.

Each year, the North American Confederation of Mages assesses magically gifted teenagers. Some will succeed and enter the Confederation while unlucky or less-talented ones will lose magic. Anyone who doesn’t qualify in the initial stage of cutting the chaff from the wheat can enter a brutal Mages’ Exam. 

The story focuses on teenagers who had to (or decided to) try themselves in the exam. It alternates between two viewpoints.  

Rocío Lopez, a gifted magician, comes from a poor family. It turns out Confederation picks Champions not only because of their talent but also because of their social standing.  

Finn Lockwood comes from an influential and wealthy family. He makes up for his mediocre magical abilities with natural charisma, charm, and good-naturedness. 

Thrown into the testing with little preparation, Rocío and Finn become allies, and more. Painfully cliche? Probably. The execution, though, thrills and entertains. 

Crewe’s characters are instantly likable and relatable. Their struggles with terrifying magical challenges felt exciting. I appreciate the twisted creativity behind the tests they undergo. Clear storytelling allows to see each situation easily, with all the details and emotional load.

YA characters often display insecurity and experience self-loathing. Rocio has a crush on Finn but she considers herself inferior to him. Despite her talent and magical skills, she still sees herself as a ghetto-trash girl. There’s no way a guy like Finn would care for her. 

In the meantime, Finn cares for her,  looks for her attention and deals with his own insecurities. As naïve as it sounds, it felt endearing. I liked them both and followed their chapters with pleasure. That said, I think Rocio‘ and Finn’s voices weren’t distinct enough. They narrated the events in a very similar way. If the chapters didn’t start with a narrator name, I would probably have to guess at times. 

Secondary characters remained underdeveloped. A pity, as I would gladly learn more about Prisha, Desmond or Lacey. A protagonist needs an antagonist. We get one. Callum is as wicked as they come - violent, calculating, utterly flat and boring.

The story develops at a breakneck pace, with short pauses for food and development of characters’ feelings toward each other. I dislike romance in books, but this one made me feel good. Crewe knows what she’s doing and even when the story becomes dark and unsettling, she smuggles hope to the events. I needed uplifting, clever story with solid character development and intriguing plot, and she delivered.

I enjoyed Ruthless Magic and I encourage you to try it. It has flaws, but it entertained me, made me feel good and engaged in the story. I even missed two metro stops while reading it, and if it’s not the best endorsement a book can get from a reader, I don’t know what else would it be.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS (David): Though I did finish Ruthless Magic, I was not very impressed with it, particularly versus some of the entries in this contest. I would not likely have let it even make the semis. The story and writing are competent, but this is one of the most unoriginal books I've ever read. Almost every plot line and even some sub plots are taken whole cloth from Harry Potter or the Hunger Games or Ender's Game, among other works. I would not say that there is plagiarism at work, but at some point borrowing crosses the border from homage into theft. I liked Rocio well enough, but she was about the only redeeming quality to the whole book. The shortened "'chantment" aggressively annoyed me every time it was used, and I found some of the character descriptions to be uncomfortable from a potentially racial standpoint. Maybe this book works for some, but I think it's average at best. 

CONCLUSION: The overall light tone makes it a quick and entertaining read. It’s not perfect (especially plot and conflict-wise), but I found the experience pleasurable. 

It's brilliant. It's, undoubtedly, one of the best books I read this year*. The hype is real and high scores are well deserved.

Kings of Paradise is a dark and gritty coming-of-age story that follows multiple characters. Some of them are secondary and their chapters, while making the narrative more colorful, serve mainly to show three main characters through the eyes of others. 

Ruka is a beast. He's a deformed, twisted genius with an eidetic memory and bright, golden eyes of a wolf. He's a ruthless killer who won't hesitate to maim others or eat them when the food is in short supply. 

All of us experienced existential isolation before. The feeling that no other human being can comprehend who you truly are, no matter how close you become. Sure, it's depressing, but it's an experience that binds us all. Ruka, though, is alone in a way no other fantasy protagonist is. 

Born in the frozen, snow-covered wasteland of the Ascom—the land of ash—Ruka was spared from death at birth by his mother’s love. His childhood was cruel, he's lost everything he loved, and all he has left is a desire for vengeance. He struggles with psychological demons, and at times he behaves as a borderline schizo. And yet, he's one of the most complex and interesting characters I've ever met. In fact, he wants a better world, and he's ready to burn and break our wicked world to change the things.

I want a world where love is not a crime, where children are not doomed to misery because they are different. I want only laws with mercy, and justice, and wisdom.

I had goosebumps while reading the scene in which he said these words. 

Kale is a fourth son of the king Farahi. He's a good, innocent and likable protagonist. He has a high drive to be something, or do something, but he doesn't know what. He believes in people, looks for what's best for them and tries to make the world a better place. 

Unfortunately, his father, King Farahi is a cunning paranoid and Kale's life will soon become very dangerous and complicated. On the other hand, Kale may have some supernatural skills that come handy when he's in danger. I don't want to spoil it for you, but I loved Kale's Monastery trials and their unexpected consequences. Suffice to say, that he plays with the powers that can alter the very fabric of the world. I was literally glued to my Kindle when these powers were demonstrated**. 

Then, there's Dala. She's an intriguing heroine who goes through hell in her youth. When she joins a religious order, she hopes to make the world a better place. She isn't prepared for the godless, power-hungry people and their cold politics. But she learns fast, and to make a change, she's ready to stir a revolution and drown the streets in blood. I'm definitely interested in more of her story, and I believe my curiosity will be satisfied in sequels. 

Secondary characters were all done exceptionally well. They all have distinct traits and voices. Every single one of them. It takes some serious skills to make a reader feel this kind of visceral connection and, sometimes, dislike towards fictional characters, and Nell does it flawlessly. Damn impressive.

I find king Farahi fascinating - while he's not a caring parent role-model, his cold and cunning mind is impressive. Asna Fetlan Isha Fetnal is a killer, but his inner monologues, carefree attitude, and sarcastic remarks were humorous and made me crack a bit in the end. The scene was far from funny mind you, but Asna's voice was hilarious.

My favorite thing about Kings of Paradise was the amount of development the characters get and evolving relationships between them and their entourage. It's a surprisingly deep and layered story that pulls no punches. Despite things getting messy and gory, I never felt the violence served to shock the reader. Actually, it's the opposite - even the grittiest scenes helped the plot or character evolution. 

There's no single villain in the story; the conflict is centered around protagonists' beliefs and dreams colliding with the corrupted world and petty, power-hungry leaders playing politics. It was especially evident in religious orders pictured in Dala and Kale's storylines in which scholars, priests, and priestesses were sullying the sacred teachings with very mortal aims.



CONCLUSION (Lukasz): It won't be a surprise to anyone, but I loved the hell out of Kings of Paradise. It's not a joyous book - at times it's tragic and sad, and Ruka's story alone can make you reach for Prozac. It is, however, intelligently written and powerful book with stellar world-building and a fantastic cast of characters. The ending of Kings of Paradise can lead to numerous explosive developments. 

* Which would mean little if I read, say, five mediocre books. This is not the case, though. So far I've read 102 books, and many of them were excellent. 
** A side-effect of my lifelong love for comic books and Marvel heroes