The book gods have been kind to me lately, and Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst is no exception. It’s a strong, fast-paced fantasy standalone about two women involved in the world’s most dangerous competition (monster racing!!) who unwittingly get involved in imperial and religious intrigues while they try to take top prize. It’s a classic sports underdog narrative that morphs seamlessly into a burn-the-whole-world-down-to-save-it story. I found the combination of fantasy sports and … Continue reading Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst →
The Queen of Blood is a fantasy book that is written so beautifully and so naturally that it feels completely matter-of-fact. There’s nothing pretentious or mannered about this book, which makes its depictions of magical spirits all the more powerful. The Queen of Blood involves a world in which nature is full of spirits that long to kill and destroy. The relationship between people and spirits is summed up in a child’s jump rope chant: … Continue reading The Queen of Blood by Sarah Beth Durst →
Our series of interviews conducted by Carrie at the 2013 Nebula Awards continues. I had the great pleasure of interviewing Leah Bobet and Sarah Beth Durst at the Nebula Awards weekend. They were both up for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. Durst was up for her book, Vessel ( A | BN | K | S | iB ), and Bobet was up for Above ( A | BN | … Continue reading An Interview with Leah Bobet and Sarah Beth Durst →
Two fledgling tabletop gamers find themselves falling for each other—both in and out of their weekly D&D sessions—in this charming, fantasy-tinged romance. “Sweet, charming, and wonderful!”—Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Spellshop When Sadie Brooks unexpectedly loses her marketing job, she flees New York City to spend the summer with her best friend in small-town Texas, where joining his Dungeons & Dragons campaign is the perfect distraction while she plans her next steps. In the game, … Continue reading Roll for Romance →
New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel set in the world of The Spellshop! Follow her to The Enchanted Greenhouse, a cozy fantasy nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an … Continue reading The Enchanted Greenhouse →
A charming slow-burn romantasy featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne, and a magical ride through a world of cozy enchantment Bianca knows her duty comes before her heart. So when the threat of war looms, she agrees to marry the neighboring kingdom’s heir. But not all royal weddings are a fairytale, and Prince Aric, Bianca’s betrothed, is cold, aloof, and … Continue reading Behooved →
In the beloved tradition of Howl’s Moving Castle and The House in the Cerulean Sea, a whimsical and unforgettable cozy fantasy about adventure, common sense, and the power of love, as a cheeky butcher’s daughter, a befuddlingly handsome sorcerer, and his clever talking cat unlock magical secrets in the dark heart of their kingdom… “Down-to-earth and completely irresistible, Foss is fantastic, as is her talking cat! A Harvest of Hearts is that rare story that feels both classic and unique … Continue reading A Harvest of Hearts →
From award-winning author Sarah Beth Durst, a standalone epic fantasy set in a brand-new world of towering mountains and sparkling cities, in which a band of aging warriors have a second chance to defeat dark magic and avenge a haunting loss. Twenty-five years ago, five heroes risked their lives to defeat the bone maker Eklor—a corrupt magician who created an inhuman army using animal bones. But victory came at a tragic price. Only four of … Continue reading The Bone Maker →
It’s that time again! Hide your wallet because we’re discussing May’s awesome upcoming books. The ones listed below are the ones we’re most excited about, but here are a few others you may be anticipating: Many readers are excited about Sarah J. Maas’ new novella, A Court of Frost and Starlight . Sylvain Neuvel’s Themis Files continues with Only Human . The Death of Mrs. Westaway is the latest thriller by Ruth Ware. From Twinkle, with Love is the … Continue reading May’s New Releases →
The battle between vicious spirits and strong-willed queens that started in the award-winning The Queen of Blood and continued in the powerful The Reluctant Queen comes to a stunning conclusion in The Queen of Sorrow, the final volume of Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia trilogy. Queen Daleina has yearned to bring peace and prosperity to her beloved forest home—a hope that seemed doomed when neighboring forces invaded Aratay. Now, with the powerful Queen Naelin ruling by her side, Daleina … Continue reading Queen of Sorrow →
An order of magical-knife wielding female assassins brings both peace and chaos to their post-apocalyptic world in this bewitching blend of science fiction and epic fantasy—the first entry in a debut duology that displays the inventiveness of the works of Sarah Beth Durst, Marie Lu, and S. J. Kincaid. Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, a highly trained sisterhood of elite warriors armed with telepathic blades. Guided by a strict code … Continue reading Markswoman →
