historical fantasy

The Bird and The Blade is set in the ancient Mongolian empire. Jinghua, our protagonist, is a slave in the Khipkhak Khanate, that is, until the kingdom is taken over by enemy forces and the only people able to escape are the Khan (King), the prince, and Jinghua. Together they journey across the kingdom, fleeing pursuing forces. With no other options, Khalaf plans to marry Turandokht, the cunning and beautiful daughter of the Great Khan. Easier said than done. Around 20 men that had similar intentions are already dead, killed by Turandokht’s riddles. There are three of them in total and each

The Gilded Wolves​ by Roshani Chokshi is the story of a unique and talented group of teenagers and the eclectic leader who holds them together. The characters are already a seasoned group of treasure hunters by the time the story begins, but the mission that the book sends them on is an important one. The acquisition of this ancient artifact has the power to alter each of their individual lives for the better. The story is set in 1889 Paris and Chokshi takes full advantage of the lush setting, with prose that paints a picture of a world as beautiful as it is harsh. The characters and their

Beatrice Clayborn is a young, powerful sorceress secretly practicing magic in a patriarchal world that doesn’t allow women the freedom of sorcery. Beatrice’s greatest dream is to become a Mage, but her family is relying on her to secure an advantageous marriage in order to avoid financial ruin. There’s only one problem with this — once married, she will be locked into a collar that will cut off her magical powers to protect the children she will inevitably bear. While scouring the bookshops of Bendelton, Beatrice discovers a grimoire that could help her become a Mage, but she is swindled out

Not unlike Disney's "Mulan", Rain, daughter of a Neshu grandmaster and a Neshu fighter herself, is unwilling to let her twin brother and father leave to fight in the war. Especially because when she'd been little, she and her brother had fallen sick, and Rain was accidentally given the medicine reserved for the family's only son- leaving her brother with slight cognitive scars. Certain that her brother won't return from the battlefield, Rain disguises herself as a man and goes in his place, making every move to remain undiscovered including taking a powder to hide her monthly bleed. Many of

Echo follows the stories of Otto, Friedrich, Mike, Ivy, and the mysterious harmonica that ties them together! The magical thread of music carries you through this wonderful tale. Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California are all dealing with the wrath of a war that tore countries and families apart. Friedrich is living with a birthmark that Hitler deems unsuitable, Mike will do anything to keep him and his brother together, and Ivy is learning that prejudice in America affects even the innocent. But they all find solace in music. With the help of the harmonica, someone

When Kit is mistaken for an infamous highwayman who happens to be his master, he is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders. Bound by magical law, he must complete his former master’s quest to rescue a fairy princess from an arranged marriage. His task is not easy, he must contend with the feisty princess, attacks by goblings, and a map that shows his destiny as a man hanged on the gallows.
What I really loved about this book was the secondary characters. They really did add to the story and made the already fun adventure a lot funnier. You cannot imagine how many times I burst into

"I've always been a monster," begins the jacket flap of Drift & Dagger. Mal keeps that a secret, though. More openly, he's something of a cross between a pirate, thief, smuggler, archeologist, and bounty hunter. He is a world-traveling adventurer who specializes in acquiring and selling magical artifacts, often through underhanded means. He frequents ports and bazaars, black markets and bars, dense slums and dense jungles and everything in between. He's lived his teen years in underworlds across the world learning how to survive, and lives only for the present.

It's the middle of the

London, April 1812. On the eve of eighteen-year-old Lady Helen Wrexhall’s presentation to the queen, one of her family’s housemaids disappears-and Helen is drawn into the shadows of Regency London. There, she meets Lord Carlston, one of the few who can stop the perpetrators: a cabal of demons infiltrating every level of society. Dare she ask for his help, when his reputation is almost as black as his lingering eyes? And will her intelligence and headstrong curiosity wind up leading them into a death trap?

My favorite thing about The Dark Days Club is the historical accuracy. It is very

Dodger, a stand-alone novel by Terry Pratchett, is a quirky, adventurous, and wonderfully fun read for anyone who enjoys historical novels. The story takes place in an alternative Victorian London, where the protagonist not only meets Charles Dickens, but also Queen Victoria and Sweeny Todd.  Readers get to follow Dodger into the sewers of London, and bear witness to his quest for revenge, knowledge and, quite possibly, love. This novel quickly convinces readers to root for Dodger, and engrosses them into Victorian London with dialogue that is written in appropriate dialect and witty humor