Release: August 26, 2010

Published: Orbit, Hardcover

ISBN: 9781841499031

Blurb: Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: Five years to achieve five impossible goals.

But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

My Thoughts: Weeks’ Shadow Trilogy, though well-written, was,  sadly, something I just couldn’t connect to as a reader. However, I read the first chapters posted on the publisher’s website and I was enraptured. I’ve already ordered this book, and B&N at least is already shipping. I can’t wait to receive it! By the way, I got Green on the quiz. I always seem to get Green, for some reason.

Take The Black Prism quiz. Or buy the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson [website]

Release: August 31, 2010

Published: Tor, Hardcover

ISBN: 9780765326355

Blurb: It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable. [Read more at GoodReads.]

My Thoughts: Sanderson’s magic systems alone are reason enough to read everything he’s ever written. I’m buying this book sight-unseen* (I haven’t even read the sample chapters. It’d be torture!), and I’m 100% confident that it’ll be great. That’s how much faith I have in this author.

*I also won an ARC of this book from Tor via Twitter. I hope it gets here before Dragon*Con, as I’d love to get my copy signed!

Pre-order the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen [website]

Release: September 1, 2010

Published: Orbit, Mass market

ISBN: 9780316102865

Blurb: A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

Meet Sarah and David.

Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they’re on the verge of divorce and going to couples’ counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things – the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client’s throat.

Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn’t mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don’t eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

My Thoughts: Just a couple of months ago, I was bewailing the fact that married couples are rare in urban fantasies. Now I seem to have gotten my wish. It warms my heart to think of a husband-and-wife team beheading zombies together. Everyone say, “Awwwww!”  I know that’s just what my husband and I would be doing during the Zombiepocalypse. I’ll be shambling off to pick up this one as soon as it’s released!

Pre-order the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Blameless by Gail Carriger [website]

Release: September 1, 2010

Published: Orbit, Mass market

ISBN: 9780316074155

Blurb: {Beware: This blurb contains spoilers for book 2!}

Quitting her husband’s house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London’s vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires — and they’re armed with pesto.

My Thoughts: Carriger effectively hooked me with the end of book #2. And I returned the favor by getting a friend addicted to the series, too. Luckily for my friend, she just finished Changeless last week. I’ve been chomping at the bit for Blameless for months. I’m so glad we’re finally getting close to the release date!

Pre-order the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

The Official Trailer

A Brief Excerpt

Excerpt from The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker courtesy (and copyright) of Leanna Renee Hieber. Read more excerpts here.

Miss Persephone Parker lay deep in the honeyed thick of dreams, shifting between terrible vision and wonderful memory. The terrible vision began beautiful but ended in horror, she recalled.

She was young and powerful, standing in an endless field of perfumed flowers. The sky was what she imagined of Heaven. Eternal and wondrous, a beautiful raven-haired man held her tightly in his arms, and his great wings encircled their clinch, grazing her satin skin that ached for his touch. Phoenix was more than man or angel; he was a God, a being of sense and light, reason and truth. He was the perfect complement to her life-force of beauty, kindness, sensibility and love. Their mutual fellowship of light was blinding. Never had two beings been so suited. They loved one another not because it was destined but merely because it was right and mutually joyous. Their respective divine forces fit together as a puzzle, interlocked and stronger for it.

But jealousy set the God aflame—literally. Darkness set Phoenix on fire, and her lover died before her heavenly eyes. Screams shook the Earth. Tears enough to drown the world flooded the ground. His great form crumbled to dust, and the vendetta was born.

She turned back to the cave from whence came murder. Red eyes burned from the shadows. Vengeance flared in her heretofore peaceful breast, fueling a hallowed blue fire forged from the remnants of her one true love—and somehow the girl that was now Miss Parker knew that what she viewed here was a score she would unfortunately have to settle herself.

The scene shifted from nightmare to memory.
Here she recognized herself, her queer white skin, and remembered that friends called her Percy. A distinguished professor held her in his arms. Her body was corseted, swathed in satin, wreathed in heather. He wore a fine frock coat and waltzed with her by moonlight. His black hair lustrous in shafts of silver light, his dark eyes bright and compelling, this was her one true love. Acutely aware of the press of his hand and the curve of his lips, here was her destiny, the man who understood her, who unlocked her eerie visions and made everything strange about her beautiful.

The handsome, stoic face of Professor Alexi Rychman suddenly shifted, and in its place flashed red, angry eyes—fiery, terrible eyes—and she heard the all too familiar hissing of snakes. She bolted upright, launching herself toward consciousness before those eyes could seek her out.

Percy awoke in a large room she did not know.

Buy the Book

Pre-order Darkly Luminous at B&N or Amazon.

Let’s start with #10: Hands-down Best Cover Art of 09 is @nicolepeeler ‘s TEMPEST RISING.

#9 for Best Paranormal Romance & Gratuitous & Mysterious Use of Octopi in 09: @gailcarriger ‘s SOULLESS.

#8 Our Runner Up (really, it’s a tie) for Best YA of 2009: @lilithsaintcrow ‘s STRANGE ANGELS.

#7 is our other Best YA of 2009: Kim Harrison’s ONCE DEAD, TWICE SHY.

#6 Flat-Out Best Superhero(es) of 2009: @caitkitt & @jackiekessler ‘s BLACK & WHITE

#5 Runner Up Best Twist Ending @dianarowland ‘s MARK OF THE DEMON

#4 Best New (as in, not already incredibly over-done) Supernatural Being:: Faith Hunter’s SKINWALKER.

#3 Best Twist Ending (Um. EVER!) @rRob_Thurman ‘s TRICK OF THE LIGHT. (Also check out Cal & Niko’s series!)

#2 Forget sparkles! The Best Vampire of 2009 was @jayewells ‘ RED HEADED STEP CHILD!

#1.5 (OK, I lied about there being only 10) Honorable Mention for just plain being a cool story: @PVBrett THE WARDED MAN

And #1: The Best Traditional Fantasy of 2009: Patrick Rothfuss’ THE NAME OF THE WIND!

They can also be a doorway into hours of entertainment. Please consider the most excellent choice of a novel this holiday season. (Especially if you’re buyingfor moi.)

If you’re new to the book-as-gift buying idea, let Waiting For Fairies help you out. Here’s our guide to this season’s best stories for the giftee’s in your life.

For the Sarcastic:

I could recommend nothing more nor less than Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series. Give the gift of snark this holiday season. Your local wise-ass will thank you. Also works for: emos & goths. Trust me.

The series consists of:

1. Nightlife
2. Moonshine
3. Madhouse
4. Deathwish
5. Roadkill (forthcoming in March 2010)

Your giftee already a Thurman fan? No worries. Try Mark Henry’s Happy Hour of the Damned instead.

For the Vampire Fan:

If you’re ready to progress past stalker-vamps, why not let half-vamp, half-mage – all-bad-ass assassin – Sabina Kane cleanse your palate? This is the most unique vampire story I’ve read in a long time. Look for: Red Headed Step Child by Jaye Wells.

For the Ladies:

Have a friend who insists on opening her own doors and snorts at the thought of the Disney princesses? Then give the gift of a different side of all those sappy ‘happily-ever-after’ fairy tales. Jim C Hines’ The Stepsister Scheme is a breath of fresh air. No princesses “waiting to be rescued” here. In fact, this trio of butt-kicking ladies turn the table on convention by heading out to rescue … a prince!

For Your Favorite D&D/Sword & Sorcery nerd:

And I say that in the fondest way possible. Internet rumor has it that Jim Butcher penned this sword-and-sorcery epic on a dare. Even if it’s not true that the dare was to combine Pokemon and Roman legions into a workable story – it’s still one crazy, wild ride. And totally worth it.

Codex Alera is a complete series composed of:

1. Furies of Calderon
2. Academ’s Fury
3. Cursor’s Fury
4. Captain’s Fury
5. Princep’s Fury
6. First Lord’s Fury

For Moms & Fans of Zombies:

I know that’s a crazy couple of demographics to put together, but Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker has managed it. Single mom Briar Wilkes heads into a destroyed and barricaded alternate history Seattle to rescue her trapped teenage son. In the process, she fights zombies (aka “rotters”), meets dirigible-flying air pirates, and a crazy mad-scientist who just might be her long-dead ex-husband. Get this book for the zombie-fighting mom in YOUR life.

For the Steampunk or Jane Austen fans:

Properly-mannered spinster Alexia Tarabotti is missing something rather important. She is one of the rare people who lack a soul, giving her the unique gift of negating the otherworldly powers of the excessively-souled supernatural creatures of London. But just because she’s soulless, that doesn’t make her heartless and the ill-mannered brute of a werewolf known as Lord Conall Macon seems to have captured it. There’s no time for romance, however, as Alexia has to solve the mystery of the disappearing, reappearing vampires! Soulless is worth reading for Alexia’s flamboyant vampire friend, Lord Akeldama alone.

For the Intellectual ‘Literary fiction’ fan:

We all have those friends who would rather drop dead than be seen with a ‘genre’ novel. Do these friends a favor and buy them The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber. With the haunting prose of Dickens and the soul of a Victorian romance (with a dash of Jack the Ripper), Percy Parker is a mesmerizing tale.

For the Lover of Twist-Endings

If they loved The Sixth Sense, then they’ll love Rob Thurman’s A Trick of the Light. This book is all subtle build up followed by several successive Big Bangs of revelation and twist ending. I want to buy this book for every friend on my list. Don’t forget to buy a copy for yourself, too. Believe me, you & your friend will appreciate having someone with which to discuss this book

For the Macabre:

For the friend who thinks The Crow (or, god-forbid, if you don’t know that one, then the Saw movies) wasn’t quite bloody enough. Meet just-resurrected-from-Hell Sandman Slim. Because it doesn’t get any more bad ass than the guy who was an assassin for Satan’s highest lieutenants. Richard Kadrey should be very proud of himself. Slim is probably the most talked about book of the year.

For the CSI fan:

Written by former medical examiner Diana Rowland, Mark of the Demon combines autopsies and demons. And scary things from the past coming back to bite you on the ass. Who can’t relate to that? This is an author to watch, folks, so get in on the fandom early.

For the Comic / Superhero fan:

Black & White by Caitlin Kittredge and Jackie Kessler. Buy a copy for everyone who’s ever even watched a Marvel movie. Because these two ladies have done it better.

For the Conspiracy Theorist:

Ultra secret society of superheroes hiding out in every major city of the world, battling evil and protecting civilians while staying undercover and out of sight? If I could sum up Vicki Pettersson’s Signs of the Zodiac series in one word it would be: brutal. Pettersson doesn’t pull her punches when it comes to putting her heroine through the ringer.

Series consists of (to date):

1. The Scent of  Shadows
2. The Taste of Night
3. The Touch of Twilight
4. City of Souls
5. Cheat the Grave (forthcoming June 2010)

For Teens

I can’t recommend Kim Harrison’s Once Dead, Twice Shy enough. I loved this novel, and I’m an adult. I can only imagine how much someone who’s not quite as far from their teenage years as I am would love it. If you think they’d like something just a touch darker, then give them Lili St. Crow’s Strange Angels. The teenagers were so realistic in that one that I wanted to pick them up and shake them. You can also try the just-released sequel. (PS – I gave my favorite teenager both of these novels for Christmas. So I stand by my recommendations.)

For Kids:

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book has won so many awards I couldn’t even list them all here – including The Newbery Medal. It’s The Jungle Book,  with ghosts.

Another fun read for kids (or adults) is Brandon Sanderson’s Alcatraz series. Written from the perspective of a boy who’s ‘superhero’ power is clumsiness/klutziness/breaking stuff, we’re introduced to a world where a vast secret society of evil librarians have conspired to write an entire continent who didn’t agree with them right out of history.

Series consists of:

1. Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians
2. Alcatraz vs the Scrivener’s Bones
3. Alcatraz and the Knights of Crystallia

So there you have it, folks. A shiny new book for every person on your list. Think we missed something? Leave your own recommendations in the comments.

FTC Disclaimer: The Amazon links are for your convenience only. I am not an affiliate and make no money from any purchases you may make. With that in mind, feel free to buy from whatever your favorite store happens to be. I did not receive review copies of any of the books recommended above. Which is a sad, sad thing. Edit: I forgot that I did, in fact, receive an ARC of Miss Percy Parker. Which was the book that made me feel Most Intelligent this year. Looking forward to the sequel!

So there you go, head out and pick up some new books!

January 5th – Karen Miller – Hammer of God (Godspeaker, Book 3)
January 27th – Gail Z Martin – Dark Haven (Necromancer, Book 3)

January 27th – Lois McMaster Bujold – Horizon (The Sharing Knife, Book 4)

February 26th – Kim Harrison – White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows, Book 7)
March 3rd – Anne Bishop – The Shadow Queen (The Black Jewels, Book 7)
April 7th – Jim Butcher – Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11)
April 7th – Karen Chance – Curse the Dark (Cassandra Palmer, Book 4)
May 26th – Kim Harrison – Once Dead, Twice Shy (YA) (Madison Avery, Book 1)
June 24th – Jacqueline Carey – Naamah’s Kiss – (Kushiel, Book 7 – New series)
June 30th – Vicki Pettersson – City of Souls (Signs of the Zodiac, Book 4)

1. The Hollows / Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison – Always my favorite author, and not just because she set her books in my home town.

This series follows ‘Runner’ (a sort of private investigator) Rachel Morgan in her quest to take down the bad guys in Cincinnati. With her partners, Jenks – a pixie – and Ivy – a living vampire – Rachel does her best to thrive in a dangerous world where supernatural races live openly and demons show an interest in making her their personal familiar. Begins with Dead Witch Walking.

2. Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher – Another favorite of mine, particularly for Harry’s dry wit and sarcasm.

Harry Dresden is the only Wizard listed in Chicago’s yellow pages. He spends his time rescuing damsels in distress, fighting off vampires, and trying to avoid becoming entangled in Fairy politics. Sometimes he’s successful, and other times decidedly not. With his wickedly lecherous sidekick, spirit-stuck-in-a-skull Bob, Harry at one point even manages to resurrect a T-Rex’s skeleton and rides it rampaging through downtown. A hilarious and intriguing ride. Begins with Storm Front.

3. Rogue Mage series by Faith Hunter – An intriguing tale of post-apocalyptic America.What happens if Armageddon happens but God never shows? Too bad the demons did.

Thorn St. Croix is one of my favorite characters, a rogue mage hiding from the rest of her people in a small town in Appalachia. Knowing she’d be reviled, beaten, and quite probably killed by her neighbors if they found out what she was, Thorn still goes to battle on their behalf against the forces of evil. A great re-readable series; I feel smart just for reading it. Begins with Bloodring.

4. The Godslayer Chronicles by James Clemens – Clemens is one of the best authors out there, in my opinion. He’s never afraid to look full in the face of evil. His books always grab you by the throat and don’t let go.

In the land of Myrillia there are a hundred Gods, all bound to the land to keep it safe and prosperous. When Tylar de Noche, crippled and disgraced former Shadowknight is implicated in the murder of one of them, he is dubbed Godslayer and forced to go on the run to prove his innocence. And perhaps save the world from a bigger disaster than the death of a God. Begins with Shadowfall.

5. Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin – These books are huge, over 600 pages each. I think I read both of the available books (to date) in less than a day each. An intriguing read.

Prince Martris Drake is the second son of a King, and he’s never wanted to be anything more. But when his elder brother kills their father and seizes the throne, Martris is forced to run. With only a handful of loyal friends, he goes on a journey to gather enough resources to rid the world of the evil his brother has unleashed. His task is complicated by the realization that he can speak with the dead, and his burgeoning talent wreaks havoc on his plans. Begins with The Summoner.

6. The Codex Alera by Jim Butcher – Yes, I know Butcher is already on this list. I can’t help it if he has two excellent series. Alera is Butcher’s foray into more traditional fantasy (Something he was told he couldn’t write. They were wrong.).

Tavi is a teenage boy living in a world where it seems that everyone can call elementals – called Furies – to their aid. Everyone, that is, except for him. Through sheer wit and ingenuity, however, Tavi manages to uncover a creeping invasion by his country’s enemies to the north and is also able to assist in repelling the attack. This summary does not do the series justice, however. I highly encourage you to give it a shot. Begins with Furies of Calderon.

7. Godspeaker by Karen Miller – This story is so captivating that I lack words. So here’s the back cover blurb:

“In a family torn apart by poverty and violence, Hekat is no more than an unwanted mouth to feed, worth only a few coins from a passing slave trader. But Hekat was not born to be a slave. For her, a different path has been chosen. It is a path that will take her from stinking back alleys to the house of her god, from blood-drenched battlefields to the glittering palaces of Mijak. This is the story of Hekat, slave to no man.” Begins with Empress.

8. A Song of Ice And Fire by George R.R. Martin – What series list would be complete without ASOIAF? Especially since fans have been waiting over a decade for the series’ conclusion; and we’ve still got two more books to go.

I have to say that I have a love/hate relationship with this series. Martin is cruelly brutal to his characters; no one is safe from being psychologically harmed, physically maimed, or even killed. It’s a heart-rending, breath-stopping, can’t-wait-to-see-how-it-turns-out kind of ride. I am simultaneously furious as the events unfold and fascinated by the intricate weavings of the story. Begins with A Game of Thrones.

9. Signs of the Zodiac by Vicki Pettersson – Comic book superheros crossed with high society socialites written by an ex-Las Vegas showgirl. Who knew?

This is not your Marvel superhero universe, let’s just say that. Each city with enough population warrants their own Zodiac – twelve superheros fighting for good against their twelve dark opposites. This series focuses on the Zodiac in Las Vegas and the trials of the prophecied Kairos, Joanna Archer, who is destined to carry within herself both the powers of Light and Dark. Begins with The Scent of Shadows.

10. Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman – Tired of all those new ‘urban fantasy’/’preternatural romance’ type novels where the heroine falls into the arms of the dangerous vampire/werewolf/whatever after knowing him three days? Then this is welcome relief.

Meet Cal and Niko Leandros, half-brothers trying to make it in New York City. They escaped from their abusive mother to the big city, but there’s just one problem. Cal’s nightmarish Grendal father is looking for him to be the key in bridging their dark and evil world with ours. A very dark, wild ride. Begins with Nightlife.