Deryni Rising by Katherine Kurtz

The classic novel that introduced the Deryni and launched Katherine Kurtz’s career.

In the land of Gwynedd, the Haldanes have long ruled and have long kept a dangerous secret: there are those of their blood who possess the magical powers of the Deryni. To be Deryni in a land ruled by the all-powerful Church is to be branded an outcast.

But now, young Prince Kelson is about to assume the throne after the mysterious death of his father. He must be told of his magical heritage. For his legacy is being challenged by a woman who does not hesitate to lay full claim to her Deryni powers. And to face her in magical combat, Kelson must learn a lifetime’s worth of magic in a few short days.

If he loses, he dies as his father did. And if he wins, he is King—but all the world will know that he is also Deryni…

My Thoughts

This was the first high fantasy book I had ever gotten my hands on and it created a long time love for the genre. the characters are richly written and the world building is amazing. I honestly could visualize the story.

Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton

Meet Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, in the first novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series that “blends the genres of romance, horror and adventure with stunning panache”(Diana Gabaldon).

Laurell K. Hamilton’s bestselling series has captured readers’ wildest imaginations and addicted them to a seductive world where supernatural hungers collide with the desires of the human heart, starring a heroine like no other…

Anita Blake is small, dark, and dangerous. Her turf is the city of St. Louis. Her job: re-animating the dead and killing the undead who take things too far. But when the city’s most powerful vampire asks her to solve a series of vicious slayings, Anita must confront her greatest fear—her undeniable attraction to master vampire Jean-Claude, one of the creatures she is sworn to destroy…

“What The Da Vinci Code did for the religious thriller, the Anita Blake series has done for the vampire novel.”—USA Today

My Thoughts

This one got me hooked on Anita quick and fast. She is a bit of a bad ass. This introduced me to the subgenre of reverse harem and it was a good read. it has a definite place on my physical bookshelf.

The Witch who trades with Death

From the author of Citadel and popular TikTokker C.M. Alongi comes a bewitching new romantic fantasy where a young witch seeks her freedom by forging a deal with Death.

A young witch forced to play concubine for her imperial captor, finally breaks free to find a life of her own, but even those with the power to call Death cannot outrun their past…

All witches must serve the cruel and immortal Emperor Yamueto. But after four years of terror and abuse, Khana not only kills one of his favorite courtiers with her magic, but also discovers the secret of his power and immortality: he’s been making deals with Death. And now, so is she.

Armed with magic that she doesn’t fully understand, Khana flees the empire and stumbles into a small mountain town filled with fierce warriors that ostracize her for being a witch, despite using her abilities to heal their sick and injured. There, her magic and courage are put to the test as she is forced to stop running and fight back against the emperor that wants her dead.

But every deal she makes with Death takes another piece of her soul. And there’s only so much Khana can give before she turns into the very monster she’s trying to destroy..

My Thoughts

the characters are richly written and the world building is amazing. the trigger warnings are very accurate – and well thought about. A very enjoyable read. I have yet to read anything from the author I have not enjoyed.

Revenge Body by Rachel Wiley

Revenge Body is Rachel Wiley’s third collection of poetry, full of the sharp wit and bold honesty we know and love from Rachel. Wiley invites her readers to join her on a journey filled with righteous anger, Black identity, magic, mental health, navigating maternal relationships, and the love and loss that comes from a breakup.

My Thoughts

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I love Poetry. This one touches my soul. The poet speaks from the heart about topics that hit close to home. They can be found reciting some of their poetry on Button poetry’s YouTube.

The Lost Boys by Orson Scott Card

Affecting, genuine, poignant, uplifting: a limpid, beautifully orchestrated” thriller about a family’s struggle with evil from a New York Times–bestseller (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
For Step Fletcher, his pregnant wife DeAnne, and their three children, the move to tiny Steuben, North Carolina, offers new hope and a new beginning. But from the first, life for eight-year-old Stevie is an unending parade of misery and disaster.
Cruelly ostracized at his school, Stevie retreats further and further into himself—and into a strange computer game and a group of imaginary friends.
But there is something eerie about his loyal, invisible new playmates: each shares the name of a child who has recently vanished from the sleepy Southern town. And terror grows for Step and DeAnne as the truth slowly unfolds. For their son has found something savagely evil . . . and it’s coming for Stevie next.
“For Stephen King fans and those who like their suspense mixed with the supernatural.” —Library Journal
“Absorbing . . . the pull of family drama with an overlayer of rising supsense.” —Publishers Weekly

My Thoughts

First let me say I am not a big fan of Orson Scott Card… His books are more science than fiction and that genre has never been my go to. That being said I found this in the library when I was in middle school. I have always been one that devoured all books whether they were my favorite to read or not.

This is a sweet ghost story. Not his usual. Plot twists and well written story makes this one well worth the read.

Outlander  by Diana Gabaldon

Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages.

One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read!

Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743.

Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives.

My thoughts:

I love this series but I don’t like the MFC. I feel like she is too easily taken to bedroom swapping. She has appeal in her personality but she is a bit annoying as well. I adore Jamie. I am quite fond of Lord John Grey. overall it is a great read.

Alanna: The First Adventure (1) (Song of the Lioness)  by Tamora Pierce

A girl disguises herself as a boy to train as a knight in this first book in Tamora Pierce’s Margaret A. Edwards Award–winning young adult series—now with a new look!

From now on, I’m Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I’ll be a knight.

In a time when girls are forbidden to be warriors, Alanna of Trebond wants nothing more than to be a knight of the realm of Tortall. So she finds a way to switch places with her twin brother, Thom, and, disguised as a boy, begins her training as a page at the palace of King Roald. But the road to knighthood, as she discovers, is not an easy one. Alanna must master weapons, combat, and magic, as well as polite behavior, her temper, and even her own heart.

So begin Alanna’s adventures—filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil—that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and make her a legend in the land.

My thoughts:

This young adult novel was far ahead of its time. A comfortable exploration of feeling trapped by social expectations for gender roles in a brilliantly told story. Strong characters (of both genders), realistic bullying in what would be seen as a school/work situation and actual consequences for the main character when she breaks the rules. Nothing is straight up handed to her to make her better, she earns it. There are layers of magic written into the world and the main character has a natural talent that scares her. Her twin has the same and rejoices about it. He was a scholar in the time when boys were expected to be knights. She is a warrior and a noble. Noble girls are expected to be worried about securing a good marriage and having babies. Her choice was unconventional and the start of an amazing saga.

TL:DR  fun story with good characters