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Fantasy
Book of the Month - Sarah J Maas: House of Sky and Breath
Published
15th February 2022
Sequel
to the #1 New York Times bestseller.
Sarah J. Maas's sexy, groundbreaking CRESCENT CITY series continues
with this second installment.
Bryce
Quinlan and Hunt Athalar have made a pact. As they process the events
of the Spring they will keep things . platonic . until the Solstice.
But can they resist when the crackling tension between them is enough
to set the whole of Crescent City aflame?
And
they are not out of danger yet. Dragged into a rebel movement they want
no part of, Bryce, Hunt and their friends find themselves pitted
against the terrifying Asteri - whose notice they must avoid at all
costs. But as they learn more about the rebel cause, they face a
choice: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight. And they've
never been very good at staying silent.
In
this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House
of Earth and Blood,
Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode -
and the people who will do anything to save it.
Sue
Lynn Tan: Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Published
20th January 2022
A
captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon
goddess.
A
young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most
powerful immortal in the realm, setting her on a dangerous path where
those she loves are not the only ones at risk…
Growing
up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is
being hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother
for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when her magic flares and
her existence is discovered, Xingyin is forced to flee her home,
leaving her mother behind.
Alone,
powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a
land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an
opportunity to train in the Crown Prince’s service, learning to master
archery and magic, despite the passion which flames between her and the
emperor’s son.
To
save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting
legendary creatures and vicious enemies, across the earth and skies.
But
when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she
must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream ―striking a
dangerous bargain, where she is torn between losing all she loves or
plunging the realm into chaos.
Daughter
of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves
ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and
magic, of loss and sacrifice ― where love vies with honour, dreams are
fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.
2000AD
Encyclopedia
Published
15th February 2022
What
are the essential Judge Dredd stories? In which progs did The
Ballad of Halo Jones run?
What year was the first appearance of Nemesis the Warlock? Just who are
the Thrillsuckers? Look no further, Earthlets! Every strip and major
character from 2000 AD’s
trailblazing 45 year history is catalogued and detailed, accompanied by
stunning artwork and illustrations. With this show-stopping hardcover
collection, must-read characters and storylines from across the cosmos
are at your fingertips!
Alice
Hoffman: The Book of Magic Volume 4
Published
6th January 2022
THE
STUNNING, UNFORGETTABLE CONCLUSION TO THE BELOVED PRACTICAL MAGIC SERIES
For
centuries, the Owens family has been cursed in matters of love. When
beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, she
knows that it is a signal. She has finally discovered the secret to
breaking the curse, but time is running out. She has only seven days to
live.
Unaware
of the family’s witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young
sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse
strikes once again, her love’s fate hangs in the balance, spurring
three generations of Owens to venture back to where it all began and
use their gifts to break the spell that has marked all their lives.
But
doing so threatens to destroy everything the family has fought so hard
to protect. How much will they give up for the greatest gift of all?
James
Rollins: The Starless Crown
Published
15th February 2022
 An
alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the
distant past and save their world in this captivating, deeply visionary
adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling
thriller-master James Rollins. A
gifted student foretells an apocalypse. Her reward is a sentence of
death. Fleeing into the unknown she is drawn into a team of
outcasts: A broken soldier, who once again takes up the
weapons
he's forbidden to wield and carves a trail back home. A
drunken
prince, who steps out from his beloved brother's shadow and claims a
purpose of his own. An imprisoned thief, who escapes the
crushing
dark and discovers a gleaming artifact - one that will ignite a power
struggle across the globe. On the run, hunted by enemies old
and
new, they must learn to trust each other in order to survive in a world
evolved in strange, beautiful, and deadly ways, and uncover ancient
secrets that hold the key to their salvation. But with each
passing moment, doom draws closer.
Laura
Pohl: The Grimrose Girls
Published
6th January 2022
 Four
troubled friends,
One
murdered girl...
and
a dark fate that may leave them all doomed.
The
Descendants meets Pretty Little Liars in this story of four reimagined
fairytale heroines who must uncover connections to their ancient curses
and forge their own paths… before it's too late.
After
the mysterious death of their best friend, Ella, Yuki, and Rory are the
talk of their elite school, Grimrose Académie. The police ruled
Ariane's death as a suicide, but the trio are determined to find out
what really happened.
When
Nani Eszes arrives as their newest roommate, it sets into motion a
series of events that no one could have predicted. As the girls retrace
their friend's final days, they discover a dark secret about
Grimrose―Ariane wasn't the first dead girl.
They
soon learn that all the past murders are connected to ancient fairytale
curses…and that their own fates are tied to the stories, dooming the
girls to brutal and gruesome endings unless they can break the cycle
for good.
Tracy
Wolff: Court
Published
1st November 2022
Protect
the kingdom at all costs―or so that’s what Grace has been told. That’s
because Grace isn’t like the others at Katmere Academy. One of the last
of her kind, Grace can either save or doom them all. And if she can’t
save herself, she can’t save the others, so now she’s in a race against
the clock, ticking down until the end of their world as they know it.
But some secrets are way too powerful to avoid, especially when war is
coming… And all who are tested might not survive.
David
Mack: Star Trek Coda Book Three - Oblivion's Gate
Published
20th January 2022
 The
crews of Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, Ezri Dax, and William Riker
unite to prevent a cosmic-level apocalypse—only to find that some fates
really are inevitable.
THEIR
MOST DAUNTING MISSION WILL BE THEIR FINEST HOUR.
The
epic Star Trek: Coda trilogy comes to a shattering conclusion as the
Temporal Apocalypse forces Starfleet’s greatest heroes to make the
greatest sacrifices of their lives.
Conn
Iggulden: Protector
Published
3rd February 2022
 Themistocles
stands as an archon of Athens: the might of the city is his to command.
Yet he is no nobleman, distrusted by many for his modest birthright.
For
his presumption.
But
those who stand against him cannot argue with two things: his victories
as a warrior and the vast Persian force heading their way.
And
so Themistocles must fight. To survive the game of politics, to make
his name, he must prove himself again and again in battle. On the sea.
On land. In the arena of public opinion.
His
enemies are legion, his allies do not trust him and the Persians would
corrupt him - but history belongs to the courageous . . .
Axie
Oh: The Girl Who Fell Beneath The Sea
Published
22nd February 2022
 Deadly storms. An ancient curse.
Will her sacrifice save them all?
For
generations, deadly storms have ravaged Mina's homeland. Her people
believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curse them with death
and despair. To appease him, each year a maiden is thrown into the sea,
in the hopes that one day the 'true bride' will be chosen and end the
suffering.
Many
believe Shim Cheong - Mina's brother's beloved - to be the legendary
true bride. But on the night Cheong is sacrificed, Mina's brother
follows her, even knowing that to interfere is a death sentence. To
save her brother, Mina throws herself into the water in Cheong's stead.
Swept
away to the Spirit Realm, a magical city of lesser gods and mythical
beasts, Mina finds the Sea God, trapped in an enchanted sleep. With the
help of a mysterious young man and a motley crew of demons, gods and
spirits, Mina sets out to wake him and bring an end to the storms once
and for all.
But
she doesn't have much time: a human cannot live long in the land of the
spirits. And there are those who would do anything to keep the Sea God
from waking . . .
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is
a magical feminist retelling of a classic Korean legend, perfect for
fans of Uprooted and
Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
The
small print: Books
Monthly, now well into its 24th
year on the web,
is published on or slightly before the first day of each month by Paul
Norman. You can contact me here.
If you wish to submit something for publication in the magazine, let me
remind you there is no payment as I don't make any money from this
publication. If you want to send me something to review, contact me via
email at paulenorman1@gmail.com and I'll let you know where to send it.
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Books
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Nostalgia
Growing Up In The 1950s
The Silent Three
The Four Marys
Living with
Skipper
Acker
Bilk Sleeve Notes
Pen and
Sword Books
Sundays with Tarzan
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