The night Theia Alderson watches a burning man fall from the sky, her sheltered life is changed for good. Now she spends her days trying to understand the new boy in town, Haden, who adopts a much more capricious and wickedly seductive attitude when he also shows up in her dreams. Alternately attracted and repelled, Theia falls for him, even after discovering his true nature and intentions towards her. She’s the target of an otherworldly plot, with life and soul at stake. Can she win free, even with the help of her friends, or will she be altered irrevocably? Dark and compelling, this tale of forbidden love maintains its individuality thanks to engaging supporting characters and a memorable concept.
Posts Tagged Realms of Fantasy
Alex has spent most of his seventeen years hunting angels, extra-dimensional energy vampires who feed from humans and leave illness in their wake. As the angels flood into our world, their influence rapidly grows, inspiring a new religion, with only a very few realizing the awful truth and fighting back. Willow is a psychic teen whose unique heritage holds the key to stopping the angels, so they target her for death. In a last-ditch effort to survive and save humanity, Alex and Willow desperately team up, fleeing cross-country in search of allies. As they race against the clock, the peril intensifies, leading to one electrifying confrontation after another, and an explosive climax. High octane action meets newfound love in this adrenaline-fueled thriller.
In search of a summer job, Kelsey Hayes takes a temporary position with a visiting circus, responsible for helping the animal trainer. She immediately bonds with Ren, an unusually intelligent white tiger. Soon, she learns that Ren is actually a centuries-old Indian prince suffering from a curse, and that she may be the only one able to help him break the curse and permanently regain his human form. Their quest takes them back to India, where they brave all manner of dangers. But will their mutual attraction make the job easier, or will it tear them apart? This is a treat for the senses, with lush details leaping off the page at every turn. Steeped in Indian culture and mythology, it’s an unusual and engaging story.
Filled with anger, obsessed with maintaining control, Melissa Miller cuts herself for a multitude of reasons. The object of scorn and derision and targeted by bullies, she’s the butt of a vicious prank which tips her over the edge, prompting her to accept the role of War, one of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Now the embodiment of human aggression, she struggles to understand her new role even as she tries to balance out her normal life. If she can’t cope with her own feelings, the human race will suffer. Like Hunger before it, Rage tackles a vital teen issue with delicacy and intelligence without preaching. Raw, visceral, pulling no punches, this story strikes home like a razor blade. It’s unforgettable, heart wrenching, and enlightening.
Twenty top-notch authors explore the concept of the vampire in stories and poetry, reintroducing elements of danger, mystique, allure and passion to a topic seemingly bled thin in recent years. From those who love vampires to those who hunt them, from those attracted by immortality to those seeking it, drawing inspiration from a dozen different vampire myths, this collection is filled with gems. Some stories explore love, others life and death, others family and friendship. Freedom and imprisonment, change and stagnation, the duality of the vampiric nature is in full bloom here. This collection masterfully conveys the complexity of the concept, with nary a clunker to be found, and is a must-have for any vampire fan out there.
What do a clockwork house in a steampunk setting, the Cthulhu Mythos, the Fae, and a girl engineer all have in common? They factor into Kittridge’s endlessly entertaining YA debut, a delightful juxtaposition of unlikely elements and high adventure. When Aoife Grayson receives a plea for help from her long-lost brother, she runs away from the strict school she calls home, accompanied by her best friend and guided by a dashing rogue. Encountering airship pirates, flesh-eating ghouls, untrustworthy Fae and more, Aoife must unlock the secrets of her family, even as her world is torn apart by betrayal, revelations. With its unique blend of steampunk science, eldritch horror, dark magic and Gothic atmosphere, this book draws you like a shoggoth’s tentacle and doesn’t let go.
I just got my contributor’s copy of the new issue of Realms of Fantasy. As you may recall, this is actually its landmark 100th issue, after surviving several “deaths” and publisher transitions. And I have to say, it looks fabulous. I’m pleased as punch to be a part of this magazine (going on five and a half years now!) and I’m hoping it’ll continue to stay strong in the years to come.
In this issue, I look at eight YA books:
The Iron Thorn, by Caitlin Kittredge
Teeth, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling
Rage, by Jackie Morse Kessler
Tiger’s Curse, by Colleen Houck
Angel Burn, by L.A. Weatherly
Falling Under, by Gwen Hayes
After Midnight, by Lynn Viehl
A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
Fiction in this magazine includes work from Ursula K. LeGuin, Leah Bobet, Josh Rountree & Samantha Henderson, Sharon Mock, Thea Hutcheson, Patrick Samphire, Euan Harvey, and David D. Levine.
As per my usual policy, reviews from the previous issue may now be found archived on my website. They include:
The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens
The Iron Queen, by Julie Kagawa
The Painted Boy, by Charles de Lint
Out for Blood, by Alyxandra Harvey
The Goddess Test, by Aimee Carter
Fallen Angel, by Heather Terrell
Night School, by Mari Mancusi
Hexbound, by Chloe Neill
Go forth, enjoy, and as always, let me know what you think. I’m always interested to hear when my reviews turn people on to good books.
Struggling to master her newfound magical abilities, Lily continues to work with the Adepts, a secret group of mages dedicated to protecting the innocent and battling the Reapers, mages who exploit others for power. With Chicago as their battleground, the two factions clash repeatedly. Meanwhile, stranger things than mages are stalking the streets at night, threatening to cause real trouble. Lily’s also determined to uncover her parents’ secrets, and still find time to date here werewolf boyfriend. With so much on the line, something’s bound to give. With an interesting premise and a host of memorable characters, this series fails to disappoint. I’m looking forward to each new entry.
Twins Sunny and Rayne are anything but normal. They’re both dating vampires, while Rayne is both vampire and slayer at the same time. And now, according to their parents, they’re both fairy princesses … and that part of the family’s come to collect them. For their own safety, the girls are sent to stay at the remote Riverdale Academy, a school for slayers. As Riverdale proves full of surprises, Rayne’s forced to hide her true nature with no way to feed. With fairies, vampires, and traitors galore, disaster is inevitable. Only Mancusi could make this increasingly bizarre set of circumstances work so well, as one twist after another is introduced. The end result is a past-paced, quirky, fun continuation of the series that’s sure to keep fans amused.
When Ellie meets Michael, they discover an immediate connection, and a mutual attraction. To their surprise, they both possess superhuman powers, including flight, persuasion, and an affinity for blood. They’re not vampires, but something much older, and their parents have hidden the truth all their lives. Now, as the manipulative Ezekiel comes to exploit them for his own shadowy agenda, they‘re determined to uncover the truth on their own.. But will what they learn strengthen their love, or tear them apart? While we’ve seen a number of forbidden love/fallen angel-themed books of late, this one’s pretty strong, taking some unexpected twists along the way. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next.