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Black Water Sister
Black Water Sister by Zen Cho is $1.99! This was mention on a previous Hide You Wallet. I’ve enjoyed Cho’s historical fantasy novels and was curious about this one. However, definitely research trigger warnings, as I know there are some darker elements and scenes.
A reluctant medium discovers the ties that bind can unleash a dangerous power in this compelling Malaysian-set contemporary fantasy.
Jessamyn Teoh is closeted, broke and moving back to Malaysia, a country she left when she was a toddler. So when Jess starts hearing voices, she chalks it up to stress. But there’s only one voice in her head, and it claims to be the ghost of her estranged grandmother, Ah Ma. In life Ah Ma was a spirit medium, the avatar of a mysterious deity called the Black Water Sister. Now she’s determined to settle a score against a gang boss who has offended the god–and she’s decided Jess is going to help her do it.
Drawn into a world of gods, ghosts, and family secrets, Jess finds that making deals with capricious spirits is a dangerous business. As Jess fights for retribution for Ah Ma, she’ll also need to regain control of her body and destiny. If she fails, the Black Water Sister may finish her off for good.
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The Prey of Gods
The Prey of the Gods by Nicky Drayden is $1.99! Definitely getting some District 9 vibes from this one. Judging by Goodreads reviews, readers loved the world building and ensemble cast. Have you read this one?
In South Africa, the future looks promising. Personal robots are making life easier for the working class. The government is harnessing renewable energy to provide infrastructure for the poor. And in the bustling coastal town of Port Elizabeth, the economy is booming thanks to the genetic engineering industry which has found a welcome home there. Yes—the days to come are looking very good for South Africans. That is, if they can survive the present challenges:
A new hallucinogenic drug sweeping the country . . .
An emerging AI uprising . . .
And an ancient demigoddess hellbent on regaining her former status by preying on the blood and sweat (but mostly blood) of every human she encounters.
It’s up to a young Zulu girl powerful enough to destroy her entire township, a queer teen plagued with the ability to control minds, a pop diva with serious daddy issues, and a politician with even more serious mommy issues to band together to ensure there’s a future left to worry about.
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A Season for Second Chances
A Season for Second Chances by Jenny Bayliss is $1.99! This is a holiday romance set in a seaside town. The couple is also in their forties and they have an antagonistic relationship to start with.
A charmingly quirky seaside town offers a recently separated restauranteur a fresh start and possibly a new lease on love in A Season for Second Chances, by the author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas.
Annie Sharpe’s spark for life has fizzled out. Her kids are grown up, her restaurant is doing just fine on its own, and her twenty-six-year marriage has come to an unceremonious end. Untethered for the first time in her adult life, she finds a winter guardian position in a historic seaside home and decides to leave her city life behind for a brand-new beginning.
When she arrives in Willow Bay, Annie is enamored by the charming house, the invigorating sea breeze, and the town’s rich seasonal traditions. Not to mention, her neighbors receive her with open arms–that is, all except the surly nephew of the homeowner, whose grand plans for the property are at odds with her residency. As Christmas approaches, tensions and tides rise in Willow Bay, and Annie’s future seems less and less certain. But with a little can-do spirit and holiday magic, the most difficult time of her life will become…a season for second chances.
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Broken Destiny Complete Collection
Broken Destiny Complete Collection by Jeaniene Frost is $2.99! This is the complete Broken Destiny urban fantasy trilogy. Not bad for around $3! Have you read this series?
Experience the fan-favorite Broken Destiny series for the first time in one convenient collection. New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost takes on you a journey where mythical secrets, otherworldly danger, and undeniable passion is just the beginning…
The Beautiful Ashes
Ivy has always seen things that she cannot explain. Strange things. Otherworldly things. But when her sister goes missing, Ivy discovers the truth is far worse—her hallucinations are real, and her sister is imprisoned in a realm beyond Ivy’s reach. The one person who can help her is the dangerously attractive rebel who’s bound by an ancient legacy to betray her.
The Sweetest Burn
Conquering a supernatural realm turned out to be easier than getting over a broken heart. But her initial victory has made Ivy a target for revenge, forcing her to reunite with the dangerous — and dangerously sexy — Adrian. Ivy isn’t sure which will be harder: finding the hallowed weapon that will repair the crumbling walls between demon and human realms, or resisting Adrian, who’s decided that come hell or high water, he will make Ivy his…
The Brightest Embers
Adrian’s dark lineage has made him the most powerful of his kind, yet even his incredible abilities might not be enough now. Ivy and Adrian’s scintillating bond has been tested before, but never with so much on the line. Now fate will come head-to-head against true love, and nothing they’ve endured can prepare Ivy and Adrian for the choices they’ll face…
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I liked PREY OF THE GODS. I would have read an entire book devoted to the robots, and I’m not generally much of a robot person (Murderbot and Cargill’s SEA OF RUST excepted).
And I love, love, love that cover art. The girl/goddess’s facial expression is everything.
*THE PREY OF GODS
You had one job, brian. (That one was on purpose.)
BLACK WATER SISTER is fantastic! A gripping story plus a thinky depiction of intergenerational damage. Agreed that content warnings needed tho.
Most of our book club loved Black Water Sister but some members (myself included) struggled with the violence. The Malaysian setting is fascinating and I did enjoy learning more about the culture.
I really loved Black Water Sister. @Vasha’s description is perfect.
It is violent – there’s real world violence from a ruthless gangster and other world violence from the titular Black Water Sister, vengeful (but minor) god.
Here’s my GR review:
Engrossing, immersive queer UF set in Malaysia. Much darker than other books I’ve read by Zen Cho but really good. It’s the compelling story of a young woman facing down a god and a ghost and it also has a lot to say about immigration, generational trauma and parent-child dynamics and expectations.
This is my favorite type of UF – where an ordinary person, living an ordinary current day life, unexpectedly discovers that there’s more to the world than they realized and that things they thought were just superstitions or legends are real. In this case, Jess is a recent college grad who’s moved back to Malaysia with her parents, after growing up in the US. She’s looking for a job and struggling with how / when / if to come out to her parents. She is also the very reluctant medium to her estranged grandmother’s ghost.
_A Season For Second Chances_ was just the gentle, warm bath of a book I needed. I loved the friendships, comfort, and building layers of community. People had real economic concerns [no billionaires here], worked together, and found solutions. I spent the whole day savoring it.