Hey gang – I decided that I should share some of the awesome stuff I’ve been reading recently, so I’ll try to keep y’all updated. I don’t do the whole Goodreads thing, and Amazon doesn’t like writers reviewing other writers’ work, which is fine, because I won’t be doing any reviews. I’ll just post images and links every once in a while to stuff I’ve read that I enjoyed.
Let’s start with this one.
I’m not a huge mil SF guy. I just haven’t read a ton of it. But I really enjoyed Cartwright’s Cavaliers by Mark Wandrey. It’s got a great sad sack turns tough protagonist, with a lot of heart, and I found the book to be very enjoyable. It’s a tight, fast read, without a ton of subplots, but there’s plenty of behind the scenes machinations going on to keep stuff moving. It’s set in a world that is well-established, but I had no problems getting everything I needed to know about the world (and universe) without reading anything else in the setting. I think Mark knocked this one out of the park and I really enjoyed it.
I’ve mentioned on Facebook that I’m totally addicted to Melissa Olson’s urban fantasy stuff right now. I’ve been kinda off reading UF for a little while because I felt like I’ve read it all before, but these series push back against that mold for me. They’re very “closed-world” in that the supernatural beings want to keep their shit secret, at any cost, which I like, and the protagonists are well-rounded women with flaws and issues, but they aren’t totally broken (always), which is another trope that gets a little old. These are tough, strong women, but not heartless, and not cold. I really like the characters a lot. There’s some romance, but not much, just enough to where you feel like people can like each other, which is nice. I’ve read the first three Scarlett Bernard books, and moved on to the first Boundary Magic book. There will be more. Oh yes, there will.
My favorite book I’ve read in months is the first Soulwood book by Faith Hunter. Holy shit, Betty, this is a kick-ass novel. It’s so very Southern, and so very Faith, and so very tough, and has soooo much heart. I really love this character – there’s something so sweet and childlike about her that I adore. I can’t wait to read the next books in the series. For real, I’m late to the party on this one, just like with Melissa’s books, but goddamn this is a killer novel. I’ve read a bunch of Faith’s work, and this is the best thing I’ve read by her. Seriously fantastic blend of Southern Gothic with Urban Fantasy. I love it.
And yeah, because I’m a huge whore, I won’t hesitate to remind you that I have a new book out, Fireheart, which is very different from anything else I’ve released. It’s a YA standalone with dragons, and kissing, and a love triangle. Maybe even a little bit of a love rhombus. But I’m pretty proud of it.
