Fantasy Book Reviews

Review: The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald

The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald

The Clock in the Water by Crissi McDonald is a startlingly original take on magic realism – a mixture of mythic fantasy and romance. Set in the present day on an island in the Pacific Northwest, the novel uses the ocean in all its depth and mystery as a backdrop for a story about love, family, trust, and friendship.

The characters in this story have a profound connection with the ocean where they live – a connection that transfers to the reader, drawing you into their mystical connection with the sea. The Keykwin, an ancient people who are both men […]

2024-03-22T17:47:35+02:00August 24th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |

Review: Alpha and Omega: Awakening by Peter J.D. Woodruff

Alpha and Omega: Awakening by Peter J.D. Woodruff

A collision of realities, times, gods, and demons makes Alpha and Omega: Awakening by Peter J.D. Woodruff an eye-opening and mind-bending work of dark fantasy.

When the fabric of reality rips apart, Earth becomes a divine battlefield, and an apocalyptic hellscape of otherworldly fiends with a hunger for human flesh. As the world plunges into darkness, new heroes will be forced to rise, unlikely as their chances of victory may be, but some of the survivors feel more connected to this unearthly crisis than others.

Xavier is hearing things, seeing visions, and being called by an indescribable beacon. After meeting […]

2023-10-16T12:35:17+02:00August 22nd, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: |

Review: Kingdom Society: Broken Reality by Nathan Helm

Kingdom Society: Broken Reality by Nathan Helm

Author Nathan Helm delivers a strong second chapter of his Kingdom Society series with Broken Reality, an endlessly creative fantasy with some hard-edged twists.

The idea of a “chosen one” who must come to terms with his destiny is a rather common premise in sci-fi and fantasy sagas, but Helm manages to put a unique spin on the character development and journey – in part through the use of so many different environments and settings. Alyeth’s growing powers are impressive, and he will need those “God mode” abilities, considering that sinister forces of the universe are conspiring to eradicate […]

2023-06-13T13:39:43+02:00June 12th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews, Lead Story|Tags: |

Delos: The Moon’s Eye by Blake Miller

Delos: The Moon’s Eye by Blake Miller Propelled by Blake Miller’s rich imagination and command of the genre, Delos: The Moon’s Eye is a memorable work of fantasy that moves across different planets and dimensions. With a unique take on magical rules, Miller’s story also touches on deep topics such as love, friendship, trust, and care for the environment within a sprawling and inventive tale.

Cynthia and Kaden are twins with incredible powers, hiding on Earth while the powerful Iblis Arrayal searches for them across the galaxies. With the arrival of Sorra, Arrayal’s nephew, and her scheming mother Mirra, the twins find their enemy to be much […]

2023-06-12T14:50:25+02:00June 11th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Divinely Trained by Maggie Havoc

Divinely Trained by Maggie HavocThe 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 […]

2023-05-22T15:47:22+02:00May 19th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

The Ember Stone by Shari Marshall

The Ember Stone by Shari Marshall 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 […]

2023-05-09T13:42:41+02:00May 8th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham

Once Upon a Wonderland by DJ Stoneham

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 […]

2023-04-07T11:56:02+02:00April 6th, 2023|Categories: New Releases|Tags: |

Review: The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen by Cameron A. Straughan

The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen by Cameron A. Straughan

Taking readers beyond the pale of comedy, decency, and reality itself, author Cameron A. Straughan delivers a gobsmacking adventure of weird whimsy with The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen. Following the banal yet brain-boggling events of one man’s larger-than-life existence, this collection of loosely-linked vignettes bends the limits of normality in an outlandish spree of storytelling.

The bizarre nature of the world that Straughan has created transcends the lines of farce in some ways, but there is always some strange sliver of reality that draws readers back. The idea of colleagues growing accustomed to Anthony forgetting to wear pants, […]

2023-06-06T16:38:10+02:00April 6th, 2023|Categories: Book Reviews|Tags: , |
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