Books That Caught My Eye–August
Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews
No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.
Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.
Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.
Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?
As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”
Hugh and Elara may do both.
Available at: iBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Madfall by Grace Draven
A duology of dragon shifter novellas from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors Dana Marton and Grace Draven:
Grace Draven's DRACONUS:
Four years ago, Leida was the golden-voiced favorite of a dragon lord until she stole a single treasure and vanished without a word. Magnus Silverclaw is a long-lived earth dragon skilled in the ways of magic. Furious over his human mistress's betrayal, he has sworn retribution and when she is captured, he has his chance. Leida is dragged before a dragon tribunal for high treason where the punishment is death.
But time hasn't dimmed her love for Magnus, nor cooled the fires of their mutual attraction. Throwing herself at the dragon's mercy, Leida is horrified to learn her fate: a bespelled silver collar set with gems and four years of servitude to her former lord. The revenge is everything the earth dragon could wish except for one thing – his beautiful mistress refuses to divulge the reason for her deception. Leida of the Glimmer South has a carefully guarded secret that can either reunite her with Magnus, or tear them apart forever…
~Draconus was previously published by the now-defunct Amber Quill Press.~
Dana Marton's DRAGON LORD:
Draknart is the scourge of the countryside, a dragon well accustomed to defeating and devouring all the knights and sacrificial maidens sent his way. But when another maiden turns up at his cave, he finds that she's not the easy meal he expected. Einin of Downwood is fierce and unafraid… and she's armed for battle. Intrigued, Draknart realizes that not only does his intended victim arouse more than just his appetite, her arrival is could be fortuitous in more ways than one.
Flood, famine and war has ravaged the village of Downwood, and the local priest blames Draknart's evil influence. Hoping to lift the curse on her village, Einin seeks out the dragon with the aim of being a slayer rather than a sacrifice. What she doesn't know is that Draknart is a dragon under a fairy queen's curse himself, doomed to transform to a man from midnight until dawn. To her surprise, Draknart offers her a bargain, one that might help her village – but at a high cost. With few options and even fewer resources at her command, Einin has no choice but to make a deal with a dragon…
Available at: iBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik
With the Nebula Award–winning Uprooted, Naomi Novik opened a brilliant new chapter in an already acclaimed career, delving into the magic of fairy tales to craft a love story that was both timeless and utterly of the now. Spinning Silver draws readers deeper into this glittering realm of fantasy, where the boundary between wonder and terror is thinner than a breath, and safety can be stolen as quickly as a kiss.
Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.
When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.
But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.
Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.
Available at: iBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play
Ocean Light by Nalini Singh
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh dives beneath the surface of her Psy-Changeling world into a story of passionate devotion and selfless love…
Security specialist Bowen Knight has come back from the dead. But there's a ticking time bomb in his head: a chip implanted to block telepathic interference that could fail at any moment–taking his brain along with it. With no time to waste, he should be back on land helping the Human Alliance. Instead, he's at the bottom of the ocean, consumed with an enigmatic changeling…
Kaia Luna may have traded in science for being a chef, but she won't hide the facts of Bo's condition from him or herself. She's suffered too much loss in her life to fall prey to the dangerous charm of a human who is a dead man walking. And she carries a devastating secret Bo could never imagine…
But when Kaia is taken by those who mean her deadly harm, all bets are off. Bo will do anything to get her back–even if it means striking a devil's bargain and giving up his mind to the enemy…
Available at: iBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play
The Faceless Woman by Emma Hamm
Once upon a time…
A town will only suffer the presence of a witch for as long as she is useful. Aisling watches the flames lick her thighs and prays for a quick death. But when an Unseelie prince appears through the smoke, she does what any self respecting witch would do.
She curses him.
Bran should never have traveled to the human realm, and is shocked when a witch binds them together. His life is hers and he refuses to die. He saves her from the fires, casts a hex on the townsfolk for good measure, then whisks her away to safety. His only stipulation? She has to remove the binding curse.
Unfortunately for them both, she can’t. Witch and Unseelie must travel across the Otherworld to break the ties that bind them. Secrets and lies stand between them, but both will stop at nothing to save themselves.
Available at: Amazon
The Inkmaster's Silence by CJ Archer
It should be a happy time for India and Matt, but forces beyond their control conspire to ruin their future. A distraction from their troubles comes in the form of murder.
When the editor of The Weekly Gazette is killed, controversial journalist and ink magician Oscar Barratt asks India and Matt to investigate. As the recipient of threatening letters written on magic paper, he believes he was the intended target. With suspects ranging from Oscar’s brother to guild masters and London’s elite, India and Matt have a lot of investigating to do.
But the more they dig, the more dark secrets they uncover. Secrets that involve blackmail and an exclusive club of magic collectors who want to preserve the value of their collections. When one of the secrets can give India and Matt the future they desire, will they give in to blackmail or sacrifice their happiness?
Available at: iBooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play
