Archives de catégorie : Fantasy

THE SHATTERED CROWN de Maxym M. Martineau

Dark magic, mythical beasts, undying assassins, and forbidden love—this thrilling final installment in the epic Beast Charmer series is perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas and Claire Legrand.

THE SHATTERED CROWN
(The Beast Charmer Book 3)
by Maxym M. Martineau
Sourcebooks Fire, December 2021

Leena Edenfrell never dreamed of igniting a war, and her pair bond, Noc Feyreigner, never wanted to set foot on a battlefield again. But when their enemies combine forces, they have no choice but to fight. While Noc makes moves to reclaim his throne, Leena acts as the new Crown of the Charmer’s Council, searching for a way to stop the enemy from raising an ancient dragon destined to burn their world to ash. But no matter how hard Noc and Leena fight, the odds are stacked against them, and soon a winged shadow reigns over Lendria. It’s then they learn the true price of victory: in order to tame the terrifying beast, Leena will have to sacrifice her own heart…and perhaps lose herself in the process.

Maxym M. Martineau is an article and social media writer by day and a fantasy romance author by night. When she’s not getting heated over broken hearts, she enjoys playing video games, sipping a well-made margarita, competing in just about any sport, and of course, reading. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Arizona State University and lives with her husband and fur babies in Arizona.

THE FORGOTTEN MEMORIES OF VERA GLASS de Anna Priemaza

A mind-bending YA novel about a world where everyone has a bit of magic in them—but some magic is being used to change the world in unspeakable ways

THE FORGOTTEN MEMORIES OF VERA GLASS
by Anna Priemaza
Amulet Books, November 2021

Vera has a nagging feeling that she’s forgetting something. Not her keys or her homework—something bigger. Or someone. When she discovers her best friend Riven is experiencing the same strange feeling, they set out on a mission to uncover what’s going on. Everyone in Vera’s world has a special ability—a little bit of magic that helps them through the day. Perhaps someone’s ability is interfering with their memory? Or is something altering their very reality? Vera and Riven intend to fix it and get back whatever or whomever they’ve lost. But how do you find the truth when you can’t even remember what you’re looking for in the first place? The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass is a cleverly constructed, heartbreaking, and compelling contemporary YA novel with a slight fantasy twist about memory, love, grief, and the invisible bonds that tie us to each other.

Anna Priemaza is the author of Fan the Fame and Kat and Meg Conquer the World. This is her first piece of speculative fiction. She lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

THE ANTI-BOOK de Raphael Simon

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Secret Series comes a darkly funny middle-grade novel about a boy who wants the world to disappear. This fantastical quest for comfort and belonging is perfect for fans of classics like The Phantom Tollbooth and Coraline.

THE ANTI-BOOK
by Raphael Simon
Dial Books, April 2021

Mickey is angry all the time: at his divorced parents, at his sister, and at his two new stepmoms, both named Charlie. And so he can’t resist the ad inside his pack of gum: « Do you ever wish everyone would go away? Buy The Anti-Book! Satisfaction guaranteed. » He orders the book, but when it arrives, it’s blank—except for one line of instruction: To erase it, write it. He fills the pages with all the things and people he dislikes . . . Next thing he knows, he’s wandering an anti-world, one in which everything and everyone familiar is gone. Or are they? His sister soon reappears—but she’s only four inches tall. A tiny talking house with wings looks strangely familiar, as does the mysterious half-invisible boy who seems to think that he and Mickey are best buds. The boy persuades Mickey to go find the Bubble Gum King—the king, who resides at the top of a mountain, is the only one who might be able help Mickey fix the mess he’s made.
Full of humor and surprise, and slyly meaningful, this is a Wizard of Oz for today’s generation—a fantastical quest for comfort and belonging that will resonate with many, many readers.

Raphael Simon is an author who lives in Pasadena, CA, with his husband and twin daughters. He is definitely not the alter ego of infamously anonymous author Pseudonymous Bosch, writer of the New York Times bestselling Secret Series and the Bad Books.

DUNGEONEER ACADEMY de James Parks & Ben Costa

This awesomely illustrated new middle-grade trilogy from the creators of Rickety Stitch is Dungeons & Dragons meets The Last Kids on Earth and Fablehaven!

DUNGEONEER ACADEMY
by James Parks & Ben Costa
Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Summer 2022; 2023; 2024

Coop Cooperson is the only human kid at Dungeoneer Academy, a school for future explorers in the Land of Eem, a world of monsters, mazes, mayhem—and even magic! Coop is surrounded by great friends—Oggie (hulking, sensitive bugbear), Mindy (whiz kid imp), and Daz (would-be class superstar boggart, if she only applied herself). Together, they become literal lifesavers when a school-trip-gone-wrong flings the kids into an adventure that puts all their Dungeoneer skills to the test. As Coop and his misfit friends try to find their way home, they’ll face more than their own fears to overcome a menagerie of dangerous creatures, obstacles, and a mysterious enemy from the Academy’s past.

James Parks & Ben Costa have been friends since the 2nd grade, and always loved making stuff together. It all began in grade school, drawing superhero comics with crayons and construction paper. In high school, they spent hours making wacky homemade movies, and as college roommates, they wrote comics and short fiction, coming up with the idea that would become Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo, their first published graphic novel series. They love fantasy, and strive to craft tales that celebrate the adventures of unlikely heroes. They grew up playing tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons and Dragons, creating countless characters and collaborative worlds. It’s a pastime that’s paved the way for their creative careers, and they still play with the same friends to this day.

SKIN OF THE SEA de Natasha Bowen

Sold at auction in a 7-figure deal, SKIN OF THE SEA is an unforgettable fantasy duology from #DVpit-winning debut author Natasha Bowen. Inspired by West African mythology, this is Children of Blood and Bone meets The Little Mermaid, in which a mermaid takes on the gods themselves.

SKIN OF THE SEA
by Natasha Bowen
Random House, November 2021

Credit: Natasha Bowen

A way to survive. A way to serve. A way to save.
Simi prayed to the gods, once. Now she serves them as Mami Wata—a mermaid—collecting the souls of those who die at sea and blessing their journeys back home. But when a living boy is thrown overboard, Simi does the unthinkable—she saves his life, going against an ancient decree. And punishment awaits those who dare to defy it. To protect the other Mami Wata, Simi must journey to the Supreme Creator to make amends. But something is amiss. There’s the boy she rescued, who knows more than he should. And something is shadowing Simi, something that would rather see her fail. . . . Danger lurks at every turn, and as Simi draws closer, she must brave vengeful gods, treacherous lands, and legendary creatures. Because if she doesn’t, then she risks not just the fate of all Mami Wata, but also the world as she knows it.

Natasha Bowen is a writer, a teacher, and a mother of three children. She is of Nigerian and Welsh descent and lives in Cambridge, England, where she grew up. Natasha studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa University before moving to East London, where she taught for nearly ten years. Her debut book was inspired by her passion for mermaids and African history. She is obsessed with Japanese and German stationery and spends stupid amounts on notebooks, which she then features on her secret Instagram. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, watched over carefully by Milk and Honey, her cat and dog.