Tag: romance books (Page 2 of 3)

Books I lost sleep over this spring and summer

August 11, 2020 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

Young adult book recommendations

March 24, 2020 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I burned through young adult books like they were candy a decade or so ago, then I mostly stopped reading them. But over the last nine months, I stumbled across quite a few that sucked me back in. Here are my favorites.

A Study in Charlotte is true to and at the same time better than the original Sherlock Holmes. It really worked having the protagonist be Watson rather than Holmes (the way most modern reincarnations spin it), while Holmes becomes female without losing any of the original complexities. The entire series is page-turning!

Hacking plus archaeology made Navigating the Stars a must-read for me. I particularly liked the way long travel times exacerbated the normal teenage angst resulting from a parent-mandated move.

Fast, fun, and ethically gray, The Deceivers is a bit like Harry Potter crossed with the Gallagher Girls, but a little darker than both. A thoroughly satisfying read!

Little White Lies was definitely a page turner, and I enjoyed the Gilmore-Girls-esque storyline and setting. I felt like the mystery aspect slightly took away from the emotional resonance at times, but only a little.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before felt nothing like the blurb hook and title suggested it would. Instead, the true story was a Little Women-esque tale of sisterhood. Very sweet.

Now over to you. Have you read any young adult books that gripped you recently? If so, I hope you’ll hop on over to facebook and leave a recommendation!

Four must-read romances

March 17, 2020 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

Did you run through all of my paranormal recommendations and still need something to read? Or perhaps you’re like me and crave the simple sweetness of an excellent contemporary romance when times get tough. Either way, here are four romances bound to leave you with a smile on your face.

This entire Reluctant Royals series is absolutely perfect, but you might as well start at the beginning with A Princess in Theory. The hook is awesome — a Nigerian prince scam about being the chosen husband of a prince. The heroine is even better — an ex-foster kid studying to be a scientist. Her point of view is full of scientist speak that is laugh-out-loud funny. Such a delight! Here are a few more exclamation points in case I didn’t get my point across already — !!!!!!! Read it!

Grace Burrowes can be a bit hit or miss for, but My One and Only Duke was a major hit. I’m a sucker for marriage-of-convenience storylines and this one didn’t disappoint.

Please ignore the awful, trope-heavy title and the man-chest cover. Instead, read Loving the Secret Billionaire for the hacker romantic lead and the sensuality of a blind character discovering love.

After stumbling across (and being wowed by) First Star I see Tonight, I read several other books by the author…and was less impressed. So if you’ve tried Phillips and shrugged, pick this book up anyway. It’s pretty much my perfect kind of easy read, with wounded yet strong characters, a bit of mystery/action, and a whole lot of character interaction and growth. Highly recommended.

If you can count, you’ll notice I’m now on book five of four…because This Is How It Always Is isn’t a romance. On the other hand, the book is amazing and highly, highly recommended. Transgendered kid, family, fairy tale — that’s all I can really say without spoiling it.

Now it’s your turn. I hope you’ll chime in with your own recommendations on facebook:

Aimee Easterling reading order

February 25, 2019 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

When I’ve read about 90% of the stories by a favorite author, I often get stuck trying to fill in the gaps. If that sounds like you, hopefully this page will help point you in the right direction. So, without further ado, recommended reading order:

(Books in parentheses are side stories. If you’re not a completionist and are not a fan of shorts, you can safely skip these.)

(Books in German/Bücher auf Deutsch)

Wolf Rampant Trilogy: Terra’s series

Shiftless

(The Complete Bloodling Serial — Wolfie’s novel-length serial)

(Paradigm Shift — another short story from Wolfie’s point of view, included in the Hot Shift anthology)

(Scapegoat — Chase’s novelette, found in Street Spells and the Hot Shift anthology and available in audio)

(Pool Party — Chief Wilder’s tale, available by signing up for my newsletter and in the Hot Shift anthology)

Pack Princess

Alpha Ascendant

(The Tail End of Love — a short from Terra’s point of view, in the Hot Shift anthology)

(Bloodling Song — a different bloodling finds his voice in this flash fiction story, included in the Thirteenth Werewolf anthology and the Hot Shift anthology)

Alpha Underground Trilogy: Fen’s series, minor spoilers for Wolf Rampant

(Tough as Nails — Fen’s prequel, originally part of the Beyond Secret Worlds anthology and now available in the Thirteenth Werewolf anthology and the Hot Shift anthology)

Half Wolf

(Dark Wolf Adrift — Hunter’s prequel novella)

Lone Wolf Dawn

Wolf Landing

(Yule Moon — five flash fiction stories, found in the Alpha Underground box set and in the Hot Shift anthology)

(Werewolf Recipe Swap — two recipes sent from Wolfie’s pack to Fen’s pack, in the Hot Shift anthology)

(When the Wolf Catches the Car — a link between Alpha Underground and Huntress Born, included in Wolf Landing and the Alpha Underground box set as well as in the Hot Shift anthology.)

Wolf Legacy Quartet: Ember’s series; chronologically, this series is set after Moon Marked and before Moon Blind but I’m including it here in the order in which it was written and published; minor spoilers for Wolf Rampant

(First Blood — a link between Alpha Ascendant and Huntress Born, available to read on this website and part of the Hot Shift anthology)

(Hot Shift — Terra’s 50th birthday party, in the Hot Shift anthology)

Huntress Born

Huntress Bound

(In the Kitchen With Werewolves — short story about Ember’s childhood, available by signing up for my newsletter and in the Hot Shift anthology)

Rogue Huntress

(Macaroni Dreams — a peek into Sebastien’s history, available to read on this website and part of the Hot Shift anthology)

Huntress Unleashed

(Muffins & Moonlight — spoiler-filled short story involving Ember, told from the point of view of Claw in the Moon Blind series, available in Huntress Unleashed, in the Wolf Legacy Quartet, and part of the Hot Shift anthology)

Wolf’s Pack is a massive box set that contains everything above this point. (Yes, extras too.) Due to its size, Wolf’s Pack is not available on Amazon, Hoopla, or on paper. But the box set is available in ebook form everywhere else.

Hot Shift & Other Stories includes all of the short stories above this point.

Moon Blind Duology: Olivia’s series; minor spoilers for Wolf Legacy

Wolf Dreams

(First Sight — a newsletter-only scene from Claw’s point of view)

Moon Dancer

Matebranded

Rune Wolf: Elspeth’s series; no spoilers or overlapping characters (a great alternative entrance point!); Available in German/Auf Deutsch erhältlich

(Paws & Claus — a short story from Orion’s point of view)

(Transit of Orion — a short story from Orion’s point of view, available in the Rune Wolf, Volume 2 omnibus)

(Off Leash — a short story from Hailey’s point of view, available as a bonus to newsletter subscribers)

Mate Market

Ghost Pack: Wren’s series; minor spoilers for Rune Wolf; Available in German/Auf Deutsch erhältlich

(Alpha’s Guide to Lost Wolves — a short story from Locke’s point of view)

Mate Market

Wolf Weaver

Bond Breaker

Moon Marked Trilogy: Mai’s series; no spoilers or overlapping characters (a great alternative entrance point!); Available in German/Auf Deutsch erhältlich

(Fox Hunt — prequel novella found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

Wolf’s Bane

(Library Werewolf — flash fiction found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

(Kira’s Tale — flash fiction found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

Shadow Wolf

Fox Blood

(Outfoxed — 20 page bonus epilogue bundled into both Fox Blood and Moon Marked Trilogy ebooks. The story is also available as a standalone audiobook and paperback as well as in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology.)

No Fox Given Trilogy: Kira’s series; some spoilers for Moon Marked; Available in German/Auf Deutsch erhältlich

Full Moon Saloon

Rogue Moon

Moon Duel

(Slaying Solstice — a text exchange between Kira, Grub, and Mai, found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

(The Alpha Puzzle & Broke Truck, Lost Pup — two short stories from Thom’s point of view, available as a standalone in audio and paperback, bundled into the No Fox Given collector’s edition hardback, and available as an ebook in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

(A Dog’s Dinner — short story from Pet’s point of view, can be read as a standalone but contains major spoilers for Moon Duel, available as a standalone in audio and paperback and available as an ebook in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

Time Bites Trilogy: Tru’s series; some spoilers for No Fox Given; Available in German/Auf Deutsch erhältlich

Wolf Trap

(Undelivered Correspondence — letters between Tru and Drake, found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

Wolf’s Curse

(Family FTW — short story from Lynette’s point of view, found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

Wolf’s Choice

(Epilogue from Jack’s point of view — found in the A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories anthology)

Fox Pack is a massive box set that contains everything in the Moon Marked, No Fox Given, and Time Bites series. (Yes, extras too.) Due to its size, Fox Pack isn’t available on Amazon, Hoopla, or on paper. But the box set is available in ebook form everywhere else.

Meanwhile, if you’ve already read the novels and just want the shorts, you can find those in A Dog’s Dinner & Other Stories.

Moon-Crossed Wolves Trilogy: Honor’s series; no spoilers or overlapping characters (a great alternative entrance point!); Available in German/Auf Deutsch erhältlich

(Thirteenth Werewolf — available in the Thirteenth Werewolf anthology)

Moon Stalked

Alpha’s Hunt

Stray Shifter

(Reunion: Through Justice’s Eyes — newsletter-only bonus scene)

Samhain Shifters: standalone adventurous romances following side characters from other series; very minor spoilers as listed below

(Ambush — a scene included in the Shifter Secrets newsletter and the Fae Lights anthology, from Tank’s point of view with minor spoilers for the Moon Marked series)

Moon Glamour — Tank and Athena’s novel (very minor spoilers for the Moon Marked series)

(A Snowball’s Chance — short story from Rune’s point of view with minor spoilers for Moon Glamour, newsletter extra and also in the Fae Lights anthology)

Charmed Wolf — Tara and Rune’s novel (minor spoilers for Moon Glamour)

Fae Wolf — Storm and Ryder’s novel (minor spoilers for Charmed Wolf)

(Beastly — a standalone short story about an ordinary widow who shows up for a job interview and finds something extraordinary. Audio and paperback versions are available on retailer sites, ebook version included in the Hot Shift anthology.)

(Inappropriate — a bonus epilogue for Fae Wolf, included in the Fae Lights anthology)

(Fae Lights anthology – in addition to the three bonuses mentioned above, this collection includes three standalone short stories: Briar Moon, Small Change, and Second-Generation Changeling)

Seahorses & Sensibility

Disgraced Dukes: Neurodivergent Regency romance; no spoilers or overlapping characters to other series

Seahorses & Sensibility — Lydia and Dominic’s story

Dragon Mage Chronicles: standalone dragon shifter romances; no spoilers or overlapping characters to other series

(Biological Clock — how plants came to take over the world; website flash fiction)

Incendiary Magic — Fee’s novella (was part of the Fire Kissed box set)

Verdant Magic — Amber’s novel

Cerulean Magic — Sabrina’s novel

(Flight of Fancy — I use a time machine to visit with the cast of the Dragon Mage Chronicles; website short story)

(Mop Magic — a wind witch finds her powers; available in the Thirteenth Werewolf anthology)

Cuddle up with some romantic fantasy and fantasy romance

November 28, 2018 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

The nights are so long at this time of year…which means more time for reading! So I pulled together my favorite books since I last regaled you with recommendations. They start out closer to urban fantasy and get more romantic as you delve deeper into the post. Without further ado — good books!

Anne Bishop’s Written in Red is one of those books that make me wonder “how in the world did I skip over reading this for so long?”. In my own defense, the cover is terribly off genre and does the interior no justice. There are werewolves that push all the right buttons while still managing to be different and fresh, a sci-fi first-contact feel, an innocent yet strong heroine, and a vivid, snowy world that could have been one of the characters (and kinda was). Read it.

Minimum Wage Magic is my new favorite Rachel Aaron book, with strong shades of Ilona Andrews. I was hooked from page one, loved the slowly doled out backstory and world-building, and am very intrigued by the love interest. Currently FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan is pure fantasy romance with a healer as the heroine and an alpha-male lead who (spoiler!) turns out to be less cave mannish than he initially appears. If you enjoyed Amanda Bouchet’s A Promise of Fire, this book has a very similar feel.

Melissa McShane’s Servant of the Crown was such an unexpected treat! At its heart, the novel is a historicalish fantasy romance in the vein of Court Duel. Add in old books plus a heroine who loves them and I was entirely hooked.

Meljean Brook’s Riveted is full of of steampunk awesomeness that requires no knowledge of what came during previous books in the series. This installment, in particular, was that perfect blend of action and romance, with a wounded but strong hero, a heroine on a mission, and a setting in Iceland that made me feel like I’d really been there. Highly recommended!

K.F. Breene’s Sin & Chocolate slid down my gullet like a smooth gulp of dark, hot chocolate. The heroine raising down-on-their-luck street kids, the intriguing magic, and the tantalizing love interest keep me turning pages way too late. My only issue is that I *needed* book two immediately and it isn’t out yet…. (Currently FREE with Kindle Unlimited!)

I hope that gives you a few new authors to try out to keep you busy during long winter nights!

“What should I read once I’ve read all your books?”

February 23, 2018 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

Aimee Easterling's books

So, you’ve read all of my books already. What should you try next?

One way to look at this is using a tool like yasiv.com that shows how readers have branched out from my titles into other urban fantasy or paranormal romance novels. I’ll let you play with that tool yourself if you haven’t already.

This post is intended to be more like the librarian who notices that you read in five different genres but that every time you come scurrying back with flushed cheeks and a sparkle in your eyes, the book you’re returning contains a thief, a rottweiler, and three passenger pigeons. So, without further ado, genre-unspecific books that will (hopefully) leave you with a similar glow….

Patricia Briggs is the classic by which all other werewolf-related urban-fantasy series are measured. If you like my books, you’ll love hers, especially the Mercy Thompson series about a coyote-shifter VW-mechanic making her way within the territory of a bunch of overbearing werewolves.

Next up, T.S. Joyce’s books are pure romance rather than being heavy on the adventure. But there are shifters and wounded heroines who grow into their true strength and plenty of feel-good happily ever afters. My favorite is the Wolf Bride series, set in the Wild West…but with werewolves.

Ilona Andrews is another obvious recommend since her books involve shifters and adventure and hints of romance. But I’ll go out on a limb here and send you toward the Innkeeper Chronicles rather than toward her more mainstream books. This self-published series has a strong but nurturing protagonist who creates the feel of a werewolf pack even though she’s not part of one.

While I’m on the topic of really awesome urban fantasy, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Nice Dragons Finish Last, about which the title really says it all….

…and Ill Wind by Rachel Caine, which mixes djinns and wind magic to very good effect.

Moving on to second-world fantasy, I suspect even urban-fantasy-only fans will enjoy Balanced on the Blade’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker. The author has such a straightforward, adventurous story-telling style that you definitely won’t get bogged down in irrelevant world-building details and will stay up way too late reading.

And if you like that, A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet is bound to float your boat. This is swashbuckling fantasy at its best, with some romance and plenty of magic. A definite favorite!

I’m going out a bit further on a limb here recommending A Brother’s Price by Wen Spencer. This fantasy novel isn’t for everyone, but I have a feeling it’ll appeal to those of you who enjoy seeing how the imbalances of power within a werewolf pack — or, in this case, within a matriarchal society — create all kinds of room for interesting character growth.

Steampunk favorites

I saved myself two slots for books in genres you might not have considered but that I simply can’t finish this post without recommending. I’ll start with steampunk, which people seem to either love or hate. I couldn’t narrow my recommendation here down to one book, though, so I’ll write three titles really fast and see if maybe you won’t notice: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, and Lady of Devices by Shelley Adina. Phew! There, that really only counts as one recommendation, right?

Which leaves me room for one more completely outside-the-box suggestion. How about Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen? This book does lean more toward literary fiction, but the subtle magic in the real world completely sucked me in. Like the plant equivalent of Chocolat. Enjoy!

Need more? I sum up my favorite recent reads a few times a year. Check out those blog posts here.

Huntress Born, Chapter 1 Scene 2

September 10, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

(Did you miss the first scene? Click here to start at the beginning.)

The Uber app reported that my ride was still several miles out and my stomach ached with the enforced distance from pack. So I sank down onto the curb and succumbed to that most lupine of yearnings—the necessity of calling home.

“Ember.” The voice of my father—who wasn’t biologically related but who was very much my alpha—crept over me like the scent of a newly mown meadow. Shoulders that had hunched up around my ears for the last eighteen hours drifted gradually downward and I eyed the cupcake bin strapped to the top of my suitcase with renewed longing.

Not yet, I chided myself. Hearing Wolfie say my name might have made me feel at home, but I hadn’t actually reached a safe harbor. Which meant it wasn’t time for my much-anticipated treat. Not quite yet.

“Dad,” I answered instead, trying to sound like a capable twenty-five-year-old woman rather than like a scared little girl. Despite my fanged alter-ego, this was the first time I’d left Haven under my own volition. No wonder I felt as jumpy as a newborn colt.

And my father must have sensed the worry imbuing that lone word. Because he dove right into the heart of the issue with all the single-mindedness of a born wolf. “Trouble?” he asked.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” My tone was firm but I knew Wolfie heard the lie in my voice as easily as I’d picked out the pride and affection in his. So I strove to make the next sentence true by recalling the way the scent of fur had faded almost as soon as it entered my nostrils. “I’m fine,” I added, focusing on the fact that the trouble really was gone. I had handled the potential problem. So my initial words weren’t really a falsehood after all.

And the evasion seemed to work. Unfortunately, my father moved on to a question that was much harder to sidestep. “Are you eating your cupcake yet?” Wolfie asked next, his deep rumble the lupine equivalent of a relaxing purr.

This time I hesitated, unwilling to fudge a question so tightly tied to a beloved childhood ritual. Because Dad had been baking gift cupcakes ever since I’d reached my teens, using the unique pastries to celebrate hurdles overcome and milestones achieved. In today’s case, the pastry Wolfie had concocted with his own two hands—unlike the more numerous ones I’d made myself—was tucked away deep within my suitcase, a single-serving bin hiding what was bound to be a work of art.

I hadn’t even seen my present yet. Was saving that particular boost for the moment when I was finally able to let down my guard and relax into my bed tonight. I wanted to eat the gift with care while feeling the pack bond encircle me just like my father’s arms had done so many times before. I wanted to use Dad’s cupcake to remember I was loved.

So, in the end, I didn’t even attempt a lie as I answered my father’s second question of the evening. “Not yet,” I admitted. Then, remembering my supposed independence and the very real distance separating me from my home pack, I added: “But you can go to sleep anyway. I have this covered.”

Wolfie hummed acknowledgement of my honesty, but that didn’t mean he was willing to let me off the hook just yet. “If you’re not eating, then I’m not sleeping,” my father murmured, his words warming my belly far more than a mere morsel of chocolate might have done.

But then the silence between us turned brittle, and I sighed, knowing which often-repeated conversation was coming next. “You don’t have to say it,” I interjected, cutting my father off at the pass. “This might be a wild-goose chase and Derek might not want to be found. If my brother really intended to get to know me, he would have come to visit in person rather than sending cryptic messages that resulted in me crossing territory lines. That all makes just as much sense as it did the first time you said it…but I’m willing to take the chance. I can’t leave my brother dangling if he’s really in trouble.”

“I know,” Dad rumbled, his voice just as warm now as it had been a moment earlier. He didn’t correct my semantics, either. Didn’t mention that Derek was only a half-brother or that our shared mom had chosen to abandon me at birth. Instead, Dad’s next words proved that my adopted father, at least, would always be on my side even if he disapproved of my current actions. “That wasn’t what I was going to say at all.”

The phone went silent as my father paused, and I closed my eyes to better sense his presence. Despite the hundreds of miles that separated us, merely breathing in tandem revitalized exhausted muscles and soothed traveling jitters. I would have gladly sat there all night, soaking up Wolfie’s strength and reveling in the connection of pack.

But I had places to go. Brothers to meet. Alphas to charm. So, at last, I prodded my father back onto track. “Dad?”

Immediately, Wolfie’s deep rumble filled my ears once again. “No matter what happens, Buttercup, I’ll be here to back you up. You can always come home.”

A human twenty-something would have responded with an agitated eye roll. There were even some shifters who might have felt stifled by an adopted parent’s clear obsession with their continued well-being.

But I wasn’t one of the latter. For me, family was everything. As such, I had every intention of finding the half-brother I’d never before met, making sure he wasn’t in trouble, then high-tailing it back the way I’d come as quickly and carefully as possible.

Unfortunately, now wasn’t the time to bask in familial reassurances. Because the scent of fur had returned, filling the air more strongly than ever. And this time, it was all I could do to swallow down a lupine growl.

“I’ve gotta go,” I said instead, disconnecting the call without waiting for a reply and slipping my phone into a pants pocket for safekeeping. Then clambering to my feet, I stared out into the darkness in search of a wolf.

Click here to read the next scene. Or grab a copy here now.

Fairy tales and urban fantasy thrillers

August 7, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I seem to have gotten on a couple of unique reading kicks this summer. Just in case you want to play along, here are the books that hit the spot in each category.

I’ll start with fairy tales because, depending on the author, these can feel awfully close to either urban fantasy or to fantasy romance. Traitor’s Masque by Kenley Davidson is a good example of a fairy tale that twists and turns enough to please most readers of character-driven fantasy. The book is very richly written without being overwritten, and I’m forcing myself not to dive into Davidson’s other books immediately so I can savor them the way they deserve. (This series is all FREE to borrow with Kindle Unlimited.)

Next up, the anthology Once Upon a Kiss (FREE with Kindle Unlimited) is a great way to try out a variety of authors with bite-size stories just long enough to get you hooked. Hailey Edwards’ contribution was the sweetest morsel, fantastical and romantic all at once. I need to remember to check out more of Edwards’ urban fantasy!

Thrillers by UF authors

Speaking of urban-fantasy authors branching out into other genres, I read two non-fantastical thrillers this month by women who usually add magic to their tales. Rachel Caine’s Stillhouse Lake and V.J. Chambers’ Child of Mine both kept me up way too late and didn’t let me go until the bitter end. I don’t even like thrillers (or so I thought), but the psychological subgenre clearly hits the spot. (Both of these books are also FREE with Kindle Unlimited.)

How about you? Which books surprised you this summer because they were in genres or by authors you thought you didn’t enjoy? I hope you’ll join in the discussion over on facebook by clicking on the link below!

Fire Kissed is now live!

August 1, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

I’m excited to announce that the Fire Kissed anthology is now live on Amazon and FREE to borrow with Kindle Unlimited! This box set contains a lucky thirteen never-before-published novellas by urban-fantasy and paranormal-romance authors…including myself.

My contribution is Incendiary Magic, a short but action-packed prequel to the Dragon Mage universe. Fee is a fire mage with an impossible mission — infiltrate the home base of her dragon overlords and destroy them. You can try out the first chapter here.

But I hope you don’t just buy the box set and skip straight to my story. I haven’t read all of the other contributions yet, but the blurbs alone have me waiting with baited breath to sit down with my kindle this evening and give them a try. There’s a high-stakes poker game, an accidentally kidnapped not-quite-bride, and lots and lots of dragons. Plenty to keep me busy long into the night!

The anthology is only up for three short months, so don’t delay. Grab your copy here and enjoy!

Fantasy romance book recommendations

June 30, 2017 / Aimee Easterling / 0 Comments

Branching out a little further from the urban fantasy and paranormal books I recommended last time, today’s post is all about top reads in other subgenres of fantasy (notably fairy tales and romantic fantasy).

Death Sworn by Leah Cypress is a perfect fantasy read, with a strong but flawed heroine, an intriguing setup, and enough moral ambiguity to keep me guessing. Plus assassins. Who doesn’t love assassins?

Out of Time by Monique Martin is time-travel fantasy that feels like historical fiction. How can you not enjoy reading about a modern grad student having to get a job in a Depression-era speakeasy in order to pay the rent? (At the time of this post, this title is FREE.)

Cinderella and the Colonel by K.M. Shea feels less like a Cinderella story and more like a fantasy with interesting worldbuilding and a good moral conundrum to work through. Recommended for fans of fairy tales and romantic fantasy alike. (At the time of this post, this title is in Kindle Unlimited.)

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is probably the most believable Beauty and the Beast retelling I’ve ever read. There’s fascinating, history-based world-building that really matches the fairy tale…but I’ll warn you, the story goes to some pretty dark places.

How about you? What’s the best fantasy book you’ve read so far this summer? Click on the facebook link below and let me know!