FORMAT/INFO: Enchanting the Fae Queen was published on January 27th, 2026. It is 304 pages long and available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook editions.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: For years, the chaotic Queen Lorelei has flirtatiously sparred across ballroom floors with General Gerard de Moireul, the hero leader of a rival kingdom's army. Lorelei believes that underneath the stiff exterior and strict rule-following is a man who wants to do good - he just needs Lorelei to give him a little shove. So when tensions between the two kingdoms reach a breaking point, Lorelei does the only logical thing: she kidnaps Gerard to finally seduce him away from his king. As the two get caught up in a deadly fae tournament, they realize that their opposite personalities make them a perfect match - and only together can they stop Gerard's kingdom from spreading its cruel ways across the continent.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: For years, the chaotic Queen Lorelei has flirtatiously sparred across ballroom floors with General Gerard de Moireul, the hero leader of a rival kingdom's army. Lorelei believes that underneath the stiff exterior and strict rule-following is a man who wants to do good - he just needs Lorelei to give him a little shove. So when tensions between the two kingdoms reach a breaking point, Lorelei does the only logical thing: she kidnaps Gerard to finally seduce him away from his king. As the two get caught up in a deadly fae tournament, they realize that their opposite personalities make them a perfect match - and only together can they stop Gerard's kingdom from spreading its cruel ways across the continent.
Enchanting the Fae Queen is a solid fantasy romance bolstered by the madcap energy of its lead heroine, Queen Lorelei. She's one of my favorite character archetypes: a person of seemingly pure whimsy and chaos who secretly has a crafty plan underneath. Her unpredictability and randomness mask her true actions and goals, outwitting many of her opponents until it's too late. I absolutely loved watching her work and found her a definite highlight of the book.
General Gerard is a great foil, exceedingly polite even while adhering to his unwavering moral code. Due to some past trauma, he believes he cannot put a single toe out of line, lest he bring dishonor on his family name. It takes the whirlwind force of Lorelei to force him to confront that goodness and blindly following the rules don't go hand in hand.
Although the characters themselves are enjoyable, I thought the romance itself was simply serviceable. I find it's hard to pull an audience into a romance where the characters have already been building romantic tension before the story begins. I like watching the build-up of a relationship, but here they're already halfway in love when we meet them - they just don't realize it yet. It made the story a pleasant escape, but not a romance that swept me away.
So far the Queens of Villainy romance stories have been a delight: powerful women refusing to be "put in their place" and finding men who whole-heartedly support them on that journey. I'm definitely looking forward to the upcoming third and final installment - a sapphic story no less!
General Gerard is a great foil, exceedingly polite even while adhering to his unwavering moral code. Due to some past trauma, he believes he cannot put a single toe out of line, lest he bring dishonor on his family name. It takes the whirlwind force of Lorelei to force him to confront that goodness and blindly following the rules don't go hand in hand.
Although the characters themselves are enjoyable, I thought the romance itself was simply serviceable. I find it's hard to pull an audience into a romance where the characters have already been building romantic tension before the story begins. I like watching the build-up of a relationship, but here they're already halfway in love when we meet them - they just don't realize it yet. It made the story a pleasant escape, but not a romance that swept me away.
So far the Queens of Villainy romance stories have been a delight: powerful women refusing to be "put in their place" and finding men who whole-heartedly support them on that journey. I'm definitely looking forward to the upcoming third and final installment - a sapphic story no less!
3:00 AM | 
Posted by
Caitlin G. |
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Lord Z. B. Steele (as seen in his gracious avatar above) has deemed us worthy to take part in the cover reveal for book 2 in his debut series Song Of The Damned. Checkout the amazing cover below...
OFFICIAL BLURB: My execution draws near...
The noose beckons. My days dwindle. And still, my story is unfinished.
Tears are left to be shed. Blood has yet to be spilled. Lend me your ear once more to hear of sins and failures. Of swords and shadows. Of violet lightning and black blood.
For it was I who began the war of the gods.
The time has come to make choices. Not always comfortable, not always happy for all concerned, but such is the nature of this bloodbath competition.
FBC Judging Process
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Raymond St. Elmo is a programmer of artificial intelligences and virtual realities, who has no time for literary fabrications of fictitious characters and world-building. And yes, that was meant to be ironic.
A degree in Spanish Literature gave him a love of Magic Realism. Programming gave him a job. The job introduced him to artifical intelligence and virtual realities; as close to magic as reality is likely to get outside the covers of a book. And yes, that was meant to be cynical.
The author of several first-person comic-accounts of strange quests for mysterious manuscripts, mysterious girls in cloaks whose face appears SUDDENLY IN THE FLASH OF LIGHTNING. And yes, that was meant to be dramatic.
Publisher: Raymond St. Elmo (January 18, 2026) Page count: 181 pages Formats: ebook, paperback
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Book review: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Philip Fracassi is the Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award-nominated author of the novels Don’t Let Them Get You Down, A Child Alone with Strangers, Gothic, and Boys in the Valley. His upcoming books include the novels The Third Rule of Time Travel, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre, and Sarafina.
Publisher: Tor Nightfire (September 30, 2025) Page count: 416 Formats: audiobook, ebook, paperback
FORMAT/INFO: The Trident and the Pearl will be published February 24th, 2026. It is 464 pages long and available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: With a storm threatening to wipe out her people, Queen Coralys strikes a desperate bargain: she will marry the first person to step foot on her island's pier, in return for an end to the disaster. Unfortunately, the first person to arrive is not the hoped for prince from a neighboring kingdom, but a lowly, smelly fisherman. But Queen Coralys honors her word, marries the fisherman, and sails off to her new home. What she doesn't know is that her new husband is actually the god of the sea - and he believes Queen Coralys is the key to stopping a dark threat facing mortals everywhere. Unfortunately for the sea god, Queen Coralys may have obeyed her bargain, but she secretly harbors revenge in her heart against the gods themselves.
Despite a strong start and lovely prose, The Trident and the Pearl completely flounders in creating romantic tension. That's quite a big thing to stumble over, given that this book is being marketed as a romantasy. While I could believe the sea god Okeanos had fallen for Coralys, I didn't for a second believe the reverse was true at any point in the story. Any tender moments towards the end of the story struck me as false.
I will give the book credit for having some high points that made me wish I liked it more. I was really pulled into the beginning of the story, with the initial introduction of Coralys's island nation, their culture, and the bargain she strikes with the gods. I enjoyed the turn the plot took at the midpoint, and thought it was taking the story into a genuinely interesting direction. The overall atmosphere is well done, and I loved the style of writing that felt appropriate for a story about a woman caught in the machinations of gods.
But overall, the plot just felt a bit of a mess. Characters refuse to divulge information to a frustrating degree, stalling out story momentum. Other characters seem deliberately obtuse. Even allowing for the emotions at play, the sheer refusal to consider evidence that they are being lied to or manipulated made me want to scream. The last third of the book felt scattered and meandering, and I ultimately lost interest in the plot.
I really wanted to like The Trident and the Pearl, and for the first several chapters it seemed like it would hit all the right boxes. Unfortunately, the plot completely stalled and characters behaved in a way that was frustrating to watch. I sadly cannot give this book a recommend.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: With a storm threatening to wipe out her people, Queen Coralys strikes a desperate bargain: she will marry the first person to step foot on her island's pier, in return for an end to the disaster. Unfortunately, the first person to arrive is not the hoped for prince from a neighboring kingdom, but a lowly, smelly fisherman. But Queen Coralys honors her word, marries the fisherman, and sails off to her new home. What she doesn't know is that her new husband is actually the god of the sea - and he believes Queen Coralys is the key to stopping a dark threat facing mortals everywhere. Unfortunately for the sea god, Queen Coralys may have obeyed her bargain, but she secretly harbors revenge in her heart against the gods themselves.
Despite a strong start and lovely prose, The Trident and the Pearl completely flounders in creating romantic tension. That's quite a big thing to stumble over, given that this book is being marketed as a romantasy. While I could believe the sea god Okeanos had fallen for Coralys, I didn't for a second believe the reverse was true at any point in the story. Any tender moments towards the end of the story struck me as false.
I will give the book credit for having some high points that made me wish I liked it more. I was really pulled into the beginning of the story, with the initial introduction of Coralys's island nation, their culture, and the bargain she strikes with the gods. I enjoyed the turn the plot took at the midpoint, and thought it was taking the story into a genuinely interesting direction. The overall atmosphere is well done, and I loved the style of writing that felt appropriate for a story about a woman caught in the machinations of gods.
But overall, the plot just felt a bit of a mess. Characters refuse to divulge information to a frustrating degree, stalling out story momentum. Other characters seem deliberately obtuse. Even allowing for the emotions at play, the sheer refusal to consider evidence that they are being lied to or manipulated made me want to scream. The last third of the book felt scattered and meandering, and I ultimately lost interest in the plot.
I really wanted to like The Trident and the Pearl, and for the first several chapters it seemed like it would hit all the right boxes. Unfortunately, the plot completely stalled and characters behaved in a way that was frustrating to watch. I sadly cannot give this book a recommend.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Publisher: Page count: Formats: audiobook, ebook, paperback
Buy The Red Winter
FORMAT/INFO: The Red Winter was published by Tor Books on February 24th, 2026. It is 544 pages long and available in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats.
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: Twenty years ago, Professor Sebastian Grave killed the Beast. At least, that's what he hoped. But when word arrives that the Beast is stalking the French countryside once more, Sebastian resigns himself to returning to Gevaudan to finish the Beast once and for all. Returning to Gevaudan means facing the ghosts of his past, but also the chance to reconnect with an estranged lover Sebastian hasn't seen in two decades. But as Sebastian draws near to his destination, he realizes the situation is far more complicated than he realizes. As Frances teeters on the brink of revolution, can he slay the Beast without plunging the country into war?
The Red Winter is a fantastic reimagining of the story of the Beast of Gevaudan, one sure to appeal to fans of European-style monster-slaying adventures. It is fantastically atmospheric and does a great job of envisioning a supernatural layer to the world, creating a version of Europe closer to The Witcher in feel than standard history. There are ghosts and small monsters alongside powerful forest spirits who can grant boons - or curses. There are immortal beings who play power games from the shadows, using humans as pawns. And at the center of it all is Sebastian Grave, a man caught up in these power games by a quirk of fate.
And it is Sebastian Grave that I wrestle with the most as I wrap my head around how I feel about this book as a whole. On the one hand, Sebastian is your classic grizzled monster hunter character, one who is exceedingly good at his job and does it all with the wry weariness of someone who has seen humans be idiots far too many times in his life. But he is also morally gray, someone who proves that just because you hunt monsters, you aren't automatically a good person.
Sebastian is driven by a quest for power and by complicated feelings for a man he, despite everything, still loves. But as the book came to a close, I struggled with whether this was enough to make me interested in the character's fate. Sebastian wants power...and then what? Does anything else drive this man? There are moments in the book that raise this very question and suggest the purposelessness is part of the struggle of the character...but towards the end I found myself not quite caring.
I will also admit that I occasionally found it easy to get muddled over what events happened in which timeline. Large parts of the book take place in the same area with some of the same characters, just twenty years apart. Unlike a visual medium like film, I didn't have a constant reminder that a character has visibly aged and therefore we're in 1785, not 1765, or vice versa. It's a small note, one that is admittedly more of a personal problem, but it happened often enough I wanted to mention it.
The Red Winter is a well-crafted dark fantasy tale. Although I'm not sure how I feel about lead character Sebastian Grave, the fact that I'm still thinking about him weeks after finishing the book is a testament to how much this story got inside my head.
The Red Winter is a fantastic reimagining of the story of the Beast of Gevaudan, one sure to appeal to fans of European-style monster-slaying adventures. It is fantastically atmospheric and does a great job of envisioning a supernatural layer to the world, creating a version of Europe closer to The Witcher in feel than standard history. There are ghosts and small monsters alongside powerful forest spirits who can grant boons - or curses. There are immortal beings who play power games from the shadows, using humans as pawns. And at the center of it all is Sebastian Grave, a man caught up in these power games by a quirk of fate.
And it is Sebastian Grave that I wrestle with the most as I wrap my head around how I feel about this book as a whole. On the one hand, Sebastian is your classic grizzled monster hunter character, one who is exceedingly good at his job and does it all with the wry weariness of someone who has seen humans be idiots far too many times in his life. But he is also morally gray, someone who proves that just because you hunt monsters, you aren't automatically a good person.
Sebastian is driven by a quest for power and by complicated feelings for a man he, despite everything, still loves. But as the book came to a close, I struggled with whether this was enough to make me interested in the character's fate. Sebastian wants power...and then what? Does anything else drive this man? There are moments in the book that raise this very question and suggest the purposelessness is part of the struggle of the character...but towards the end I found myself not quite caring.
I will also admit that I occasionally found it easy to get muddled over what events happened in which timeline. Large parts of the book take place in the same area with some of the same characters, just twenty years apart. Unlike a visual medium like film, I didn't have a constant reminder that a character has visibly aged and therefore we're in 1785, not 1765, or vice versa. It's a small note, one that is admittedly more of a personal problem, but it happened often enough I wanted to mention it.
The Red Winter is a well-crafted dark fantasy tale. Although I'm not sure how I feel about lead character Sebastian Grave, the fact that I'm still thinking about him weeks after finishing the book is a testament to how much this story got inside my head.
Friday, January 9, 2026
This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie The Undying #1) by Ilona Andrews (reviewed by Mihir Wanchoo)
Preorder This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me over HERE
AUTHOR INFORMATION: Ilona Andrews is the
pseudonym for the husband-and-wife writing team of Ilona & Gordon. Together, they are
the co-authors of the New York Times bestselling Kate Daniels urban
fantasy series, Hidden Legacy series, The Innkeeper Chronicles and a few other series. They live in Texas and enjoy
plotting more adventures for the BDH to gorge on.
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Book review: Sister Svangerd and the Not Quite Dead (The Loyal Opposition #1) by K.J. Parker
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: K.J. Parker is a pseudonym for Tom Holt.
According to the biographical notes in some of Parker's books, Parker has previously worked in law, journalism, and numismatics, and now writes and makes things out of wood and metal. It is also claimed that Parker is married to a solicitor and now lives in southern England. According to an autobiographical note, Parker was raised in rural Vermont, a lifestyle which influenced Parker's work.
Publisher: Orbit (January 27, 2026) Page count: 352 pages Formats: audiobook, ebook
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