Skip to content
Answering Your Questions About Reactor: Right here.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Everything in one handy email.
When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

Reactor

Omnibuses (omnibi?), retellings, series-enders and more make up this month’s 33 fantastical new reads. Victoria Aveyard presents book three of the the Red Queen series; Jacqueline Carey transforms The Tempest into the story of Miranda and Caliban; Chuck Wendig returns to his Miriam Black series. V.E. Schwab winds up the Shades of Magic with A Conjuring of Light, S. Jae-Jones introduces her Goblin King, and this little author you might have heard of puts his spin on Norse Mythology.

Fiction Affliction details releases in science fiction, fantasy, and “genre-benders.” Keep track of them all here. Note: All title summaries are taken and/or summarized from copy provided by the publisher.

 

WEEK ONE

King’s Cage (Red Queen #3)—Victoria Aveyard (February 7, HarperTeen)
Young adult. In this breathless third installment to Victoria Aveyard’s bestselling Red Queen series, allegiances are tested on every side. And when the Lightning Girl’s spark is gone, who will light the way for the rebellion? Mare Barrow is a prisoner, powerless without her lightning, tormented by her lethal mistakes. She lives at the mercy of a boy she once loved, a boy made of lies and betrayal. Now a king, Maven Calore continues weaving his dead mother’s web in an attempt to maintain control over his country—and his prisoner. As Mare bears the weight of Silent Stone in the palace, her once-ragtag band of newbloods and Reds continue organizing, training, and expanding. They prepare for war, no longer able to linger in the shadows. And Cal, the exiled prince with his own claim on Mare’s heart, will stop at nothing to bring her back. When blood turns on blood, and ability on ability, there may be no one left to put out the fire—leaving Norta as Mare knows it to burn all the way down.

With Blood Upon the Sand (Song of Shattered Sands #2)—Bradley P. Beaulieu (February 7, DAW)
Çeda, a Blade Maiden in service to the kings of Sharakhai, trains as one of their elite warriors. She knows the dark history of the asirim—that hundreds of years ago they were enslaved to the kings against their will—but when she bonds with them as a Maiden, chaining them to her, she feels their pain as if her own. Çeda could become the champion they’ve been waiting for, but the need to tread carefully has never been greater. After their recent defeat at the hands of the rebel Moonless Host, the kings are hungry for blood. Çeda’s friend Emre and his new allies in the Moonless Host hope to take advantage of the unrest in Sharakhai. When Çeda and Emre are drawn into a plot of the blood mage Hamzakiir, they learn a devastating secret that may very well shatter the power of the hated kings. But it may all be undone if Çeda cannot learn to navigate the shifting tides of power in Sharakhai and control the growing anger of the asirim that threatens to overwhelm her…

Hungry Ghosts (Eric Carter #3)—Stephen Blackmoore (February 7, DAW)
Necromancer Eric Carter’s problems keep getting bigger. Bad enough he’s the unwilling husband to the patron saint of death, Santa Muerte, but now her ex, the Aztec King of the dead, Mictlantecuhtli, has come back — and it turns out that Carter and he are swapping places. As Mictlantecuhtli breaks loose of his prison of jade, Carter is slowly turning to stone. To make matters worse, both gods are trying to get Carter to assassinate the other. But only one of them can be telling him the truth and he can’t trust either one. Carter’s solution? Kill them both. If he wants to get out of this situation with his soul intact he’ll have to go to Mictlan, the Aztec land of the dead, and take down a couple of death gods while facing down the worst trials the place has to offer him: his own sins.

Heart of the Storm (Undertow #3)—Michael Buckley (February 7, HMH Books for Young Readers)
Young adult. After seven months as a captive of Minerva, the insane Alpha queen, Lyric Walker has escaped to the surface. Her only goal is to warn the world about the Great Abyss. When she finally arrives back in Coney Island, she discovers a world she never expected, one where humans and Alpha are finally working hand in hand to rebuild the country. But she soon discovers that an old enemy allied with an old friend may kill them all before the monsters get their turn. Where will Lyric’s loyalties, and her heart, lead her?

Magic of Blood and Sea—Cassandra Rose Clarke (February 7, Saga Press)
Omnibus. Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an ally pirate clan. She wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to a handsome and clueless man. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns that her fiancé’s clan has sent an assassin after her. And when this assassin, Naji, finally finds her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse—with a life-altering result. Now, Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work to complete three impossible tasks that will cure the curse. Unfortunately, Naji has enemies from the shadowy world known as the Mists, and Ananna must face the repercussions of betraying her engagement that set her off on her adventures. Together, the two must break the curse, escape their enemies, and come to terms with their growing romantic attraction. Contains The Assassin’s Curse and The Pirate’s Wish.

Disruptor (Seeker #3)—Arwen Elys Dayton (February 7, Delacorte Press)
Young adult. Quin has spent her life as her father’s pawn. She was trained to kill and manipulated to guarantee her family’s power. And now that she’s broken free of that life, she’s found herself trapped again, hostage to a plot that has been centuries in the making. It’s taken generations for the pieces to come together, and finally all is in place. Her best friend Shinobu’s mind has been corrupted, the Young Dread has aligned with her enemy John, and the bloodthirsty Watchers are being awakened and gathered. Now there is nothing that can stop the force of time. But Quin will no longer be a pawn. Quin is a Seeker. She stands for light in a shadowy world. She will face the vengeance of the past and its enemies and save herself and the ones she loves, or she will die trying.

Norse Mythology—Neil Gaiman (February 7, W.W. Norton)
Neil Gaiman presents a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman stays true to the myths in envisioning the major Norse pantheon: Odin, the highest of the high, wise, daring, and cunning; Thor, Odin’s son, incredibly strong yet not the wisest of gods; and Loki—son of a giant—blood brother to Odin and a trickster and unsurpassable manipulator. Gaiman fashions these primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds and delves into the exploits of deities, dwarfs, and giants. Through Gaiman’s deft and witty prose emerge these gods with their fiercely competitive natures, their susceptibility to being duped and to duping others, and their tendency to let passion ignite their actions, making these long-ago myths breathe pungent life again.

Wintersong—S. Jae-Jones (February 7, Thomas Dunne Books)
Young adult. All her life, Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, dangerous Goblin King. They’ve enraptured her mind, her spirit, and inspired her musical compositions. Now eighteen and helping to run her family’s inn, Liesl can’t help but feel that her musical dreams and childhood fantasies are slipping away. But when her own sister is taken by the Goblin King, Liesl has no choice but to journey to the Underground to save her. Drawn to the strange, captivating world she finds—and the mysterious man who rules it—she soon faces an impossible decision. And with time and the old laws working against her, Liesl must discover who she truly is before her fate is sealed.

Rise of Fire (Reign of Shadows #2)—Sophie Jordan (February 7, HarperTeen)
Young adult. Luna and Fowler have escaped the kingdom of Relhok, but they haven’t escaped the darkness. When a battle against the dark dwellers mortally injures Fowler, Luna is faced with a choice: put their fate in the hands of mysterious strangers or risk losing Fowler forever. Desperate to keep the one bright part of her life alive, Luna accepts the help of soldiers from a nearby kingdom. Lagonia’s castle offers reprieve from the dangerous outside world—until the King discovers both Fowler and Luna’s true ties to Relhok and their influence over the throne. Now pawns in each kingdom’s political game, Luna and Fowler are more determined than ever to escape and build the life they’ve been dreaming of. But their own pasts have a tight hold on their hearts and their destinies. Luna must embrace the darkness and fire within her before she loses not only Fowler but the power she was destined to inherit.

Jonah (Styclar Saga #3)—Nikki Kelly (February 7, Feiwel & Friends)
Young adult. Jonah is the vampire who saved Lailah from the appetites of even darker evil: the vampire Purebloods. Now he must decide whether he will give up his existence so that Lailah will survive—even if it means that she will spend eternity with his friend and rival, the angel Gabriel. This stunning conclusion to Nikki Kelly’s Styclar Saga will have fans deciding once and for all: Team Jonah or Team Gabriel?

King of the Grey (City of Shadows #1)—Richard A. Knaak (February 7, Permuted Platinum)
The Grey are the shadows we see out of the corner of our eyes, the visions flickering past in the middle of the night. They are the elves, the fairies, and the other legends of our minds. They are the Grey. They are all around us, and they are a part of us, forever tied to our innermost thoughts. They seek to be truly real, to truly live, and for that they need a human anchor, a false king–one who can give them substance. In Chicago, unsuspecting Jeremiah Todtmann has been chosen for that role. But even as he tries to come to grips with the existence of the Grey themselves, he will soon discover that while some represent the harmless dreams of men—there are others that are men’s most deadly nightmares.

Grave (Queen of the Dead #3)—Michelle Sagara (February 7, DAW)
Emma and her friends have survived the Necromancers sent to the city to kill them. They’ve gone to ground in a cottage north of the city, but time is not on their side. There are no barriers that can keep the dead out, and the dead obey their Queen. It’s only a matter of time before they’re found. Nathan has been blessed by the Queen of the Dead. She has granted him a physical body. He can eat, he can breathe, he can speak and be heard. The Queen calls this resurrection. Nathan calls it Hell. The living think he’s alive. He’s not. He’s trapped in the citadel that the Queen of the Dead calls home. Emma wants to free him. To do that she has to survive long enough to reach the City of the Dead, and face its ancient Queen. But the city of the dead is the heart of the Queen’s stronghold—and her power. Emma can’t do it alone. She’s not alone. But even with hunters and her own dead at her side, what hope does she have against a woman who has lived so long, and grown so powerful, she’s almost a god?

Idle Ingredients (Sin du Jour #4)—Mat Wallace (February 7, Tor.com Publishing)
Catering for a charismatic motivational speaker, the staff of the Sin du Jour catering agency find themselves incapacitated by a force from within their ranks. A smile and a promise is all it took. And for some reason, only the men are affected. It’s going to take cunning, guile and a significant amount of violence to resolve. Another day of cupcakes and evil with your favorite demonic caterers.

 

WEEK TWO

In Calabria—Peter S. Beagle (February 14, Tachyon Publications)
Claudio Bianchi has lived alone for many years on a hillside in Southern Italy’s scenic Calabria. Set in his ways and suspicious of outsiders, Claudio has always resisted change, preferring farming and writing poetry. But one chilly morning, as though from a dream, an impossible visitor appears at the farm. When Claudio comes to her aid, an act of kindness throws his world into chaos. Suddenly he must stave off inquisitive onlookers, invasive media, and even more sinister influences. Lyrical, gripping, and wise, In Calabria confirms Peter S. Beagle’s continuing legacy as one of fantasy’s most legendary authors.

Winter of the Gods (Olympus Bound #2)—Jordanna Max Brodsky (February 14, Orbit)
Manhattan has many secrets. Some are older than the city itself. Winter in New York: snow falls, lights twinkle, and a very disgruntled Selene DiSilva prowls the streets, knowing that even if she doesn’t look for trouble, it always finds her. When a dead body is discovered sprawled atop Wall Street’s iconic Charging Bull statue, it’s up to Selene to hunt down the perpetrators. Her ancient skills make her the only one who can track a conspiracy that threatens the very existence of the gods, Selene – once known as Artemis – among them. Winter of the Gods is the much-anticipated new novel from the author of The Immortals.

Miranda and Caliban—Jacqueline Carey (February 14, Tor Books)
We all know the tale of Prospero’s quest for revenge, but what of Miranda? Or Caliban, the so-called savage Prospero chained to his will? In this incredible retelling of The Tempest, Jacqueline Carey shows readers the other side of the coin—the dutiful and tenderhearted Miranda, who loves her father but is terribly lonely. And Caliban, the strange and feral boy Prospero has bewitched to serve him. The two find solace and companionship in each other as Prospero weaves his magic and dreams of revenge. Always under Prospero’s jealous eye, Miranda and Caliban battle the dark, unknowable forces that bind them to the island even as the pangs of adolescence create a new awareness of each other and their doomed relationship. With hypnotic prose and a wild imagination, Carey explores the themes of twisted love and unchecked power that lie at the heart of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, while serving up a fresh take on the play’s iconic characters.

Portal of a Thousand Worlds—Dave Duncan (February 14, Open Road)
Dave Duncan transports us to Imperial China in an alternate nineteenth century with a spellbinding tale of rebellion, political intrigue, larceny, seduction, shape-shifting, dark magic, and murder. Ten centuries have passed since the last time the Portal of a Thousand Worlds opened, bringing chaos, upheaval, and radical change to the then-ruling dynasty, and now the mystical gateway is rumored to be on the verge of opening once more. Only the Firstborn—he who has been reincarnated through countless generations and remembers all he has ever learned—knows what the future holds, but he has been imprisoned for refusing to comply with a repressive imperial government’s wishes. Now, those hoping to seize the opportunity for wealth and position are hatching sinister plots. And as the cold-hearted dowager empress closely guards a fateful secret, and a rebel army led by a fanatical zealot gathers strength under the Bamboo Banner, the cataclysm approaches…

Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1)—Vic James (February 14, Del Rey)
Our world belongs to the Equals—aristocrats with magical gifts—and all commoners must serve them for ten years. But behind the gates of England’s grandest estate lies a power that could break the world. Abi is a servant to England’s most powerful family, but her spirit is free. So when she falls for one of their noble-born sons, Abi faces a terrible choice. Uncovering the family’s secrets might win her liberty—but will her heart pay the price? Abi’s brother, Luke, is enslaved in a brutal factory town. Far from his family and cruelly oppressed, he makes friends whose ideals could cost him everything. Now Luke has discovered there may be a power even greater than magic: revolution. An aristocrat is a shadow in the glittering world of the Equals, with mysterious powers no one else understands. But will he liberate—or destroy?

The Valiant—Lesley Livingston (February 14, Razorbill)
Young adult. Fallon is the daughter of a proud Celtic king and the younger sister of the legendary fighter Sorcha. When Fallon was just a child, Sorcha was killed by the armies of Julius Caesar. On the eve of her seventeenth birthday, Fallon is excited to follow in her sister’s footsteps and earn her place in her father’s war band. She never gets the chance. Fallon is captured and sold to an elite training school for female gladiators—owned by none other than Julius Caesar himself. In a cruel twist of fate, the man who destroyed Fallon’s family might be her only hope of survival. Now, Fallon must overcome vicious rivalries, deadly fights in and out of the arena, and perhaps the most dangerous threat of all: her irresistible feelings for Cai, a young Roman soldier and her sworn enemy. A richly imagined fantasy for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Cinda Williams Chima, The Valiant recounts Fallon’s gripping journey from fierce Celtic princess to legendary gladiator and darling of the Roman empire.

The Wish Granter (Ravenspire #2)—C.J. Redwine (February 14, Balzer + Bray)
Young adult. The world has turned upside down for Thad and Ari Glavan, the bastard twins of Súndraille’s king. Their mother was murdered. The royal family died mysteriously. And now Thad sits on the throne of a kingdom whose streets are suddenly overrun with violence he can’t stop. When Thad suddenly starts training Ari to take his place, she realizes that her brother’s ascension to the throne wasn’t fate. It was the work of a Wish Granter named Alistair Teague who tricked Thad into wishing away both the safety of his people and his soul in exchange for the crown. So Ari recruits the help of Thad’s enigmatic new weapons master, Sebastian Vaughn, to teach her how to fight Teague. With secret ties to Teague’s criminal empire, Sebastian might just hold the key to discovering Alistair’s weaknesses, saving Ari’s brother—and herself. But Teague is ruthless and more than ready to destroy anyone who dares stand in his way—and now he has his sights set on the princess.

An Impossible War—Andy Remic (February 14, Tor.com Publishing)
Omnibus. Robert Jones signed up for the British Expeditionary Force with visions of honour and glory, of fighting for king and country, of making his family proud at last. He got an eternity of muddy trenches, clouds of poison gas, and a bullet for his troubles. Despite the mundane horrors of the Great War, however, things were about to get much worse. As armies begin to shapeshift into demonic entities, a new face of war is displayed. The Great War has been chosen as the battleground in an eternal, metaphysical struggle, and Jones finds himself caught in no man’s land. An Impossible War collects in a single edition all three parts of Remic’s demonic tour de force: A Song for No Man’s Land, Return of Souls, and The Iron Beast.

 

WEEK THREE

Enemy (Book of the Seven Eyes #3)—Betsy Dornbusch (February 21, Night Shade)
Everything Draken thinks he knows is wrong. The last time Draken traveled Akrasia, he was the highest lord in the land. His journey before that was eased by royal favor and the grace of the gods. This time is different. His adopted country buckling under attack from religious fanatics and his Queen presumed dead, Draken must flee a deadly coup by an upstart lord. Bitter from fighting an insurmountable war and losing the life he’s built, he lets the ghosts of past mistakes drive him into vigilante revenge. But Draken is about to learn gods and wars have a way of catching up to a man. In the conclusion to Dornbush’s Book of the Seven Eyes trilogy, follow Draken as he tries to find peace solace in a life that has been surrounded by bloodshed. Will he avenge those he cares about, while striking down those that stand in his way?

Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1)—Nicholas Eames (February 21, Orbit)
Clay Cooper and his band were once the best of the best — the meanest, dirtiest, most feared crew of mercenaries this side of the Heartwyld. Their glory days long past, the mercs have grown apart and grown old, fat, drunk – or a combination of the three. Then an ex-bandmate turns up at Clay’s door with a plea for help. His daughter Rose is trapped in a city besieged by an enemy one hundred thousand strong and hungry for blood. Rescuing Rose is the kind of mission that only the very brave or the very stupid would sign up for. It’s time to get the band back together for one last tour across the Wyld.

The Fallen (Darkest Hand #2)—Tarn Richardson (February 21, Overlook Press)
In Tarn Richardson’s follow-up to his gripping work The Damned, the ongoing battle of a paranormal World War I threatens to engulf the Inquisition as dark forces assemble amongst the most fanatical servants of the Catholic Church. Before his murder, a desperate priest sends a secret letter to his brother serving in the Italian Army. Now this young soldier carries with him a letter which holds the key as to why terrible satanic rituals are being committed in the heart of the Vatican—and by whom. Drawn into this conspiracy and hunted by agents of The Darkest Hand, old rivals must unite to discover the contents of the letter before it’s too late. Only Poldek Tacit, the most determined and unhinged Inquisitor, can hope to push back the forces of evil and unite those for good. But what happens when Tacit finds that his mission threatens the very future of a world already on the edge of the abyss?

A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3)—V.E. Schwab (February 21, Tor Books)
Londons fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire, and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes struggle. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees the newly minted New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab reach a thrilling conclusion concerning the fate of beloved protagonists–and old foes.

Cold Counsel—Chris Sharp (February 21, Tor.com Publishing)
Slud of the Blood Claw Clan, Bringer of Troubles, was born at the heart of the worst storm the mountain had ever seen. Slud’s father, chief of the clan, was changed by his son’s presence. For the first time since the age of the giants, he rallied the remaining trolls under one banner and marched to war taking back the mountain from the goblin clans. However, the long-lived elves remembered the brutal wars of the last age, and did not welcome the return of these lesser-giants to martial power. Twenty thousand elves marched on the mountain intent on genocide. They eradicated the entire troll species—save two. Aunt Agnes, an old witch from the Iron Wood, carried Slud away before the elves could find them. Their existence remained hidden for decades, and in that time, Agnes molded Slud to become her instrument of revenge. For cold is the counsel of women.

Long May She Reign—Rhiannaon Thomas (February 21, HarperTeen)
Young adult. Freya was never meant to be queen. Twenty-third in line to the throne, she never dreamed of a life in the palace, and would much rather research in her laboratory than participate in the intrigues of the court. However, when an extravagant banquet turns deadly and the king and those closest to him are poisoned, Freya suddenly finds herself on the throne. The nobles don’t respect her, her councillors want to control her, and with the mystery of who killed the king still unsolved, she knows that a single mistake could cost her the kingdom—and her life. Freya is determined to survive, and that means uncovering the murderers herself. Until then, she can’t trust anyone. Not even her own father, who always wanted the best for her but also wanted more power for himself. As Freya’s enemies close in and her loyalties are tested, she must decide if she is ready to rule and, if so, how far she is willing to go to keep the crown.

The Dragon’s Prince (Transference #1)—Bethany Wiggins (February 21, Crown Books for Young Readers)
Young adult. When two warring kingdoms unified against a deadly menace laying waste to both their lands, they had to make a choice: vow to marry their heirs to one another, or forfeit their lives to the dragon. Centuries later, everyone expects the sheltered princess Sorrowlynn to choose the barbarian prince over the fire-breathing beast—everyone, that is, except Sorrow, who is determined to control her own destiny or die trying. As she is lowered into the dragon’s chamber, Golmarr, the young prince she just spurned, follows her with the hopes of being her hero and slaying the dragon. But the dragon has a different plan. If the dragon wins, it will be freed from the spell that has bound it to the cave for centuries. If Sorrow or Golmarr vanquish the dragon, the victor will gain its treasure and escape the cave beneath the mountain. But what exactly is the dragon hiding? There are no safe havens for Sorrow or Golmarr and the stakes couldn’t be higher as they risk everything to protect their kingdom.

 

WEEK FOUR

Freedom’s Slave (Dark Caravan Cycle #3)—Heather Demetrios (February 28, Balzer + Bray)
Young adult. After three long years in exile, Nalia is ready to return to her homeland and sit on the throne that is rightfully hers. But the gods might have other plans. Forced to endure untold horrors on the journey to Arjinna, Nalia learns that it will take more than cutting down the tyrant Calar to get her crown. Meanwhile, Raif’s return to Arjinna as the commander of the revolution against Calar and her army isn’t as smooth as he’d hoped. Though he has more soldiers than ever before, his love for Nalia is losing him the trust of his comrades … and the war. But little does the resistance know that insurrection is brewing among Calar’s own ranks—and from the one person she trusts the most. Is Nalia and Raif’s enduring love enough to transform and rescue their homeland? Will they be willing to save the realm, no matter the cost?

Game of Shadows—Erika Lewis (February 28, Tor Books)
Thousands of years ago in Ireland, an ancient race fought a world-changing battle—and lost. Their land overrun, the Celtic gods and goddesses fled, while the mythical races and magical druids sailed to an uncharted continent, cloaked so mankind could never find it. This new homeland was named Tara. In modern day Los Angeles, Ethan Makkai struggles with an overprotective mother who never lets him out of her sight, and a terrifying secret: he can see ghosts. Desperate for a taste of freedom, he leaves his apartment by himself for the first time—only to find his life changed forever. After being attacked by dive-bombing birds, he races home to find the place trashed and his mother gone. With the help of a captain from Tara who has been secretly watching the Makkais for a long time, Ethan sets out to save his mother; a journey that leads him to the hidden lands, and straight into the arms of a vicious sorcerer who will stop at nothing until he controls Tara.With new-found allies including Christian, the cousin he never knew he had, and Lily, the sword-slinging healer who’d rather fight than mend bones, Ethan travels an arduous road—dodging imprisonment, battling beasts he thought only existed in nightmares, and accepting help from the beings he’s always sought to avoid: ghosts. This L.A. teen must garner strength from his gift and embrace his destiny if he’s going to save his mother, the fearless girl he’s fallen for, and all the people of Tara.

Worldshaker (Grudgebearer #3)—J.F. Lewis (February 28, Pyr)
Uled, the creator of the carnivorous Aern, the plantlike Vael, and the multitudinous varieties of the reptilian Zaur, has completed his plan to return from the dead, creating the possibility of “undeath” in the process. Prince Rivvek has achieved peace between his people and the Aern, but at the cost of his capital city and the departure of a large portion of his military on a suicide mission to attempt the rescue of the Lost Command (a group of one thousand Armored Aern, who carried their assault into the Never Dark as a gambit to help win the last Demon War). The goal is to gain the forgiveness of the Aern and to be accepted as something other than Oathbreakers by Rae’en, the leader of the Aern and daughter of Kholster. Kholster, having replaced Torgrimm as the god of death, must work together with other new deities to determine the extent of Uled’s plans. He intends to stop them from going any further and somehow bring balance to the heavens while preventing holy wars from raging out of control on the mortal plane.

One Blood Ruby—Melissa Marr (February 28, HarperCollins)
Young adult. In this gripping follow-up to Melissa Marr’s lush Seven Black Diamonds, Lily and her friends are forced to reckon with the truth of their own lineage and to protect one of their own, no matter what—or who—comes between them. Now that Lilywhite Abernathy is the heir to the Hidden Lands, everything is about to change. The Queen of Blood and Rage wants Lily to help broker peace with the human world, but Lily knows that harmony won’t come easily. After decades of waging war on the humans, who cost the queen her firstborn daughter, the fae are struggling to accept Lily, a half-human monarch. And the humans, while no match against faery affinities, will hardly agree to the queen’s détente without resistance. Lily wants to be a fair ruler but fears having to abandon the life she’s known. Now that she and Creed are more than just fellow Black Diamonds—operatives for the queen—her priorities have shifted. But her worries about assuming the throne are derailed when it becomes clear that someone—or some fae—is masterminding violent attacks to discourage peace. Who can end the war between humans and fae?

Frogkisser!—Garth Nix (February 28, Scholastic)
Young adult. Poor Princess Anya. Forced to live with her evil stepmother’s new husband, her evil stepstepfather. Plagued with an unfortunate ability to break curses with a magic-assisted kiss. And forced to go on the run when her stepstepfather decides to make the kingdom entirely his own. Aided by a loyal talking dog, a boy thief trapped in the body of a newt, and some extraordinarily mischievous wizards, Anya sets off on a Quest that, if she plays it right, will ultimately free her land-and teach her a thing or two about the use of power, the effectiveness of a well-placed pucker, and the finding of friends in places both high and low.

Thunderbird (Miriam Black #4)—Chuck Wendig (February 28, Saga Press)
In the fourth installment of the Miriam Black series, Miriam heads to the southwest in search of another psychic who may be able to help her understand her curse, but instead finds a cult of domestic terrorists and the worst vision of death she’s had yet. Miriam is becoming addicted to seeing her death visions, but she is also trying out something new: Hope. She is in search of another psychic who can help her with her curse, but instead finds a group of domestic terrorists in her deadliest vision to date.

About the Author

About Author Mobile

Tor.com

Author

Learn More About Tor.com
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
5 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments