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The Poppy War
The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang is $2.99! This is a Kindle Daily Deal, which also includes some romance. For some reason, this book isn’t available in the U.S. through Kobo. I will warn that this fantasy novel gets very graphic at some points. If you can handle that, I highly recommend picking this one up. It’s a fantastic debut.
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.
But surprises aren’t always good.
Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.
For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .
Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.
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Indecent Exposure
Indecent Exposure by Tessa Bailey is $1.99! This is the second book in The Academy series and can be read on its own. I love Bailey’s writing and have enjoyed this series so far. Content warning for the hero’s backstory. If you want to be spoiled (just to be on the safe side), check out this review on Goodreads.
Is there a problem, Officer?
Jack Garrett isn’t a police officer yet, but there’s already an emergency. His new firearms instructor—the one who just dropped every jaw in the academy gym—is the same sexy Irish stranger Jack locked lips with last night. The Olympic gold medalist and expert markswoman is now officially off-limits, but Jack’s never cared much for rules . . .
Katie McCoy’s been cooped up in a shooting range for too long. A wild love affair is just what she needs to let loose, though she never imagined it would be with her smokin’ hot trainee. She cannot get involved with Jack—but a quick fling? Perfect. Falling hard for a charismatic recruit with an equal amount of sex appeal and secrets? Bloody stupid.
Jack’s charmed the pants off plenty of women (literally), yet few have ever looked beyond his perfect surface. Until Katie. He’ll do anything to keep her in his life . . . except tell her about his past. But a tiny lie of omission never hurt anyone, right?
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The Tethered Mage
The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso is $2.99! This is the first book in the Swords and Fire series. Some people have shelved this as YA fantasy on Goodreads, while the second book in the series isn’t shelved as YA. I don’t know if it’s YA or not, sooo…if you’ve read this one, let me know! I also just realized there’s a woman’s figure in the bird.
CONTROL THE MAGIC, CONTROL THE WORLD
In the Raverran Empire, magic is scarce and those born with power are strictly controlled — taken as children and conscripted into the Falcon Army. Zaira has lived her life on the streets to avoid this fate, hiding her mage-mark and thieving to survive. But hers is a rare and dangerous magic, one that threatens the entire empire.
Lady Amalia Cornaro was never meant to be a Falconer. Heiress and scholar, she was born into a treacherous world of political machinations.
But fate has bound the heir and the mage. And as war looms on the horizon, a single spark could turn their city into a pyre.
The Tethered Mage is the first novel in a spellbinding new fantasy series.
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Blaze
Blaze by Joan Swan is $1.99! This is a romantic suspense with some paranormal elements and a second chance romance. Readers say this one is hard to put down as the pacing is nonstop. This is the second book in the Phoenix Rising series and some readers say it might be best to read the previous book.
With a man like him, every mission becomes personal. . .
Ever since FBI agent Keira O’Shay started tracking a young boy named Mateo, she’s felt a connection even her empathic abilities can’t explain. She needs to save Mateo from the cult leader holding him hostage. Nothing can interfere with that–not even the reappearance of Luke Ransom, the hot-as-hell fire captain she’s regretted walking out on for three long years.
Losing Keira left Luke vulnerable–in every way. When they were together, the powers each possesses were mysteriously enhanced. But it’s the sexy, surprising woman beneath the tough exterior that Luke’s really missed. Even if she betrayed him utterly. And even if agreeing to help her uncover a government conspiracy means watching his life and his heart go up in flames again. . .
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Tethered Mage *makes happy, squeeing noises*. This book is so good. Amalia’s mother is a kick-ass Queen and Politician. Amalia grows as a person when she becomes Zaira’s falconer (albeit unintentionally) Zaira is a POC (at least that is how I read her) and likes both men and women, – and you see her flirting with both! I really, really liked this book and everyone should go out and read it!!
Yours Until Dawn by Theresa Medieros is $1.99. Historical with a blind hero and nurse heroine (beauty and the beast theme). I absolutely adore this book.
Today at amazon-
Dumplin by Julie Murphy is $1.99. I really enjoyed this YA – I think it has deserved all of its accolades.
Some Kind of Hero (Troubleshooters #19) by Suzanne Brockmann is $1.99.
I love & have reread this Navy SEALs & FBI counterterrorists series. It’s been awhile tho – and I’m a bit behind – but am looking forward to picking it back up. As I recall, most could be read as stand-alones.
Also – for Amazon Prime members, an ebook purchase today gives you 30% off your next ebook purchase. (I managed to use a similar discount on a $0.99 purchase *sigh*.)
FYI, the 30% credit in the Amazon deal is calculated from the 1st book. If you buy a $1.99 book, you’ll get 60 cents in credit. If you buy a $5.99 book, you’ll get $1.80 in credit. Choose wisely.
I bought the Poppy War and the Tethered Mage today, but first I checked my Want to Read list at Goodreads to see if I could find anything pricier that I’ve had my on so I could best value from my 30%
I’m really looking forward to the Poppy War in particular. What was available in the Look Inside really caught my attention.
Can we be more specific on the content warnings for The Poppy War? “very graphic” could mean anything. It’s directly based on the Second Sino-Japanese War, and so it contains depictions of sexual assault and rape, torture, massacres, human experimentation, chemical warfare, and genocide. It also contains descriptions of self-harm and substance abuse. (I’m going from Kuang’s website and also what I perceived while reading it.)
If you go into it knowing something about the history of 20th Century warfare, it may not be a traumatic experience, but readers should have a sense of what they’re getting into. I would describe it as similar to The Name of the Wind if all the characters were Asians with clear motivations and if the stakes were about ten thousand times higher.
Justina Ireland’s DREAD NATION is $1.99 at Amazon US today. All of Harry Bingham’s crime novels about Welsh Detective Fionna Griffiths are also $1.99.
Also Sarah J Maas’ A Court of Wings and Ruin is 2.99. I’d grabbed the others on sale before so I can binge the whole series.
DREAD NATION is a really fun book. The heroine is kickass and the premise is really interesting – and I don’t usually read zombie fiction!
Ok, this post was hazardous to my TBR pile.
ATTN Prime members! There are big deals on digital video right now. I bought Outlander S3 for $9.99 (down from $30.99) and Killing Eve S1 for $6.99 (down from $13.99)
And I said I wasn’t going to buy anything… HA
@Ms. M: thank you for the specifics on The Poppy War. Graphic sexual violence is a no-go for me, and that book could have gotten me into quite a pickle.
I picked up Naomi Novik’s Spinning Silver for the pricey book, then applied the credit to Carrie Vaughn’s The Wild Dead. I also got Poppy War and Tethered Mage, so my gift card balance is down!
I detested The Poppy War, and I was prepared for the violence. I was ready to watch the heroine struggle. The story started out strong, I was rooting for the Rin as the underdog. I loved the echoes of history. And then 1/3 of the way in, I realize I can’t see any humanity in our heroine. Then a bunch of political stuff happens that is quite dull. I skipped to the end. At the end, she does something horrible. Other characters tell her so, but she is unrepentant.
This distaste isn’t a bias based on sexism, I wasn’t a “RoboCop” fan either. If you like a mechanical hero/heroine with no need for emotional ties, this is your book.
I grabbed Dread Nation because some time ago on Twitter, Ann Aguirre said: “Justina Ireland will absolutely rock your world with Dread Nation. I read it early, loved it, blurbed it. It’s next-level good. Must-read for those who love alt-history, zombies or just a fantastic story.”
‘Nuff said.
The “Puffin Island Complete Series” boxed set by Sarah morgan is $2.99. I loved the first book, but there was some weirdness with how subsequent books came out (if I recall correctly, in a two book bundle with an author I don’t enjoy) so I never read the rest. It’s four books for $3, each of which retails around $5 apiece.
Thirding Ms.M and Amy’s comments on The Poppy War. There are some extremely graphic scenes of violence in there (sexual violence, gory war violence, etc), and while the heroine becomes desensitized, I as the reader did not. I am honestly not sure if I want to read the sequel.
@Lara I mean, I’m gonna, but that’s because I want to see how Kuang handles Female!Magic!Mao. I’m not usually pumped about villains, but I’m curious (and also, my family is Chinese).
I should also throw out there that I’m not sure how a Japanese or Japanese-American reader would feel about this book.