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Six Great Bossy Fantasy Reads I knew I was reading some gooood science fiction and fantasy, but didn't and one of fantasy alone. Jess Kidd is the author of Things in Jars, a mystery I gave four Bossy stars--and listed in two Greedy Reading Lists, Six Spooky, Gothic Tales and Six Historical Fiction Mysteries Sure to Intrigue You. talking) creepy-crawlies in this middle-grade novel, you'll find a noble quest, unlikely heroes, a mysterious

excited to read this final installment in Freya Marske's Last Binding trilogy, a queer historical fiction fantasy-mystery unexpected attractions to each other and the uncovering of weighty secrets, the group works to unravel the mysterious and compromise, and Marske's storytelling is yet again charming, funny, sometimes dark, and always fantastic

Frances White's debut is a locked-room mystery on a magical ship full of uncertain alliances, deadly If you're interested in other Bossy reviews of fantasy mysteries I've enjoyed, check out the titles at

Favorite Fiction Reads Last Year Six More of My Favorite Fiction Reads from the Past Year Six Four-Star Mystery Reads I Loved Last Year Six More Four-Star Mysteries I Loved Last Year Six Four-Star Historical Fiction the suspicious circumstances surrounding Bryn's parents' long-ago deaths, and an extended family with mysterious He searches for her, then receives a mysterious note: "Still looking for your friend? But the trail Ollie finds himself on leads to darkness and danger in a mysterious underworld.

The second book in Marske's series is an irresistible queer magical mystery thriller with Edwardian England A Restless Truth is the second in Freya Marske's queer fantasy mystery Last Binding trilogy that began A Marvellous Light was full of details of life in Edwardian England, gay love, mystery, magic, wonderful By doing so, Maud aims to help her beloved older brother resolve a magical mystery that's been decades A Restless Truth is fun and quirky yet has depth, an appealingly complicated mystery, and a satisfying

, while an unorthodox, brilliant investigator and her stalwart new assistant work to solve a murder mystery fiction-feeling story, a Sherlock Holmes and Watson-type investigatory relationship, and fascinating otherworldly fantasy The leviathans are grotesque, and their natures and motivations are a mystery. Ana is Sherlock Holmes-esque in that she holds many of the answers to the mysteries that abound--but

She's been cobbling together enough to get by, but when a mysterious draw to the spooky Starling House The supporting characters are fantastically odd, fiercely loyal, and a heartwarming support for a girl

I adored the romantic setup and seemingly ill-fated attraction in Saft's young adult fantasy-mystery, I loved the setup of Saft's romantic young adult fantasy novel Down Comes the Night. Meanwhile she's desperate to solve the mystery of her fellow soldiers and friends who keep disappearing I felt dissatisfied with the logistics surrounding much of the resolving of the mystery--as well as with Saft is also the author of another romantic young adult fantasy novel, A Far Wilder Magic.

Yume Kitasei I loved the futuristic space-mission capabilities, smart and strong all-woman crew, the mystery Asuka must find the real culprit before accusations surrounding the mystery destroy her. Yume Kitasei offers plot and mystery, but this is primarily a wonderfully character-driven story--with I really liked this, but I was surprised by how light it felt on fantasy elements. She's been cobbling together enough to get by, but when a mysterious draw to the spooky Starling House

The first installment in Faizal's Blood and Tea series offers intriguing secrets, a swirling mystery, , hidden feelings, and wonderfully complex relationships in this mystery. The cover artwork, palette, and the book's title felt off to me; they seemed to indicate Cozy Mystery

Six Great Bossy Science Fiction and Fantasy Reads The Obsessive Wrap-Up of Favorite Reads continues! You can click here for other science fiction and fantasy books that I've reviewed on Bossy Bookworm. I listened to the first installment in Shannon Chakraborty's Amina al-Sirafi fantasy series, The Adventures Then a mysterious, wealthy matriarch preys upon Amina's need for funds--and her desire for one final, & Lattes (Legends & Lattes #1) by Travis Baldree The first in the Legends & Lattes series is a cozy fantasy

The mystery of why June left a past timeline is intriguing and keeps the story going.

Wang is also the author of The Sword of Kaigen  and the YA fantasy series The Volta Academy Chronicles

Novik's newest work, Buried Deep ,  is a collection of thirteen stories that span the worlds of her fantastic Naomi Novik is the author of richly wrought fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted Novik has also written a series of nine fantastic books about dragons, the Temeraire series. battles within the books' alternate history, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic

Fairy Tales and Retellings For this list, I focused on books with fantastical elements; clear good-and-evil boast forces Miryem into a position of meeting the tsar's impossible challenge, she finds that the mysterious interesting read. 05 The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo The Night Tiger is a wonderful historical fiction mystery I also listed this book in the Greedy Reading List Six Historical Fiction Mysteries to Intrigue You . and airborne dragon battles within the books, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic

The first book in Marske's duology is full of Edwardian England detail, gay love, mystery, magic, wonderful Robin and Edwin's love is romantic and sweet and heartbreaking and sexy; the mystery at the heart of

The first in the Legends & Lattes series is a cozy fantasy story about new beginnings, the transformative This is a sweet, cozy fantasy story that feels like a big hug; it's a love letter to coffee, to the beauty

I'm Reading Now I'm reading A Restless Truth, the second book in Freya Marske's historical fiction fantasy mystery duology; I'm reading Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt's novel about a widow's unlikely mystery Last Binding series that began with A Marvellous Light. A Marvellous Light was full of Edwardian England detail, gay love, mystery, magic, wonderful dialogue to an elderly woman on an ocean liner (so she can help her beloved older brother resolve a magical mystery

and the gutsy characters facing wartime struggles and challenges, but I was surprised that the book's fantasy I really liked this, but I was surprised by how light it felt on fantasy elements.

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading Down Comes the Night, a young adult fantasy story featuring magical 01 Down Comes the Night by Allison Saft I love the setup of Saft's romantic young adult fantasy novel Meanwhile she's desperate to solve the mystery of her fellow soldiers and friends who keep disappearing In Fugitive Telemetry, Murderbot attempts to solve the mystery of a murder--while generally annoyed and

uncharted territory--and suddenly finds that he has a strange new future ahead, in the Aerial Corps as master battles within the books' alternate history; and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic Naomi Novik is also the author of richly wrought fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted

Then a mysterious stranger arrives--seemingly drawn by her wavering between life and death--and promises

In this return to the world of Elfhame (Folk of the Air trilogy), Holly Black takes us deeper into the story of characters Wren and Oak as they determine whether they can trust each other as they attempt to save Madoc. As a child, Wren read lots of fairy tales. That’s why, when the monsters came, she knew it was because she had been wicked. In The Stolen Heir, the first book in Holly Black's Stolen Heir duology, the story returns to the world of Elfhame. (It's important to first read the Folk of the Air trilogy--see link below in order to understand the plot and character development). Suren (Wren), changeling child queen of the Court of Teeth, is forced to band together with the charming, untrustworthy Oak (fae brother of Jude), to try to save Madoc from Lady Nore's Ice Needle Citadel. Wren and Oak were once betrothed, and Wren isn't sure how much of Oak's appealing vulnerability and honesty is real--or if she's being played for a fool. But Wren isn't content to let her fate be shaped by a beautiful, magical prince. She's going to need to wrest control of her own destiny. I didn't feel drawn in by Wren, who feels lost throughout much of the story, and I didn't feel as though Oak was as fully developed as I wanted him to be. I loved the return of the storm hag Bogdana! I listened to this as an audiobook. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Click here for my review of Black's The Queen of Nothing; I mentioned the great Folk of the Air trilogy in the Greedy Reading List Six Royally Magical Young Adult Series.

Scholomance series and I realized I haven't posted a stand-alone review of some of Novik's other standout fantasy boast forces Miryem into a position of meeting the tsar's impossible challenge, she finds that the mysterious

in a panic, she makes a magical deal in which she lives on...in the world of her sister's favorite fantasy Sarah Rees Brennan is also the author of the fantastic character-driven young-adult fantasy In Other

with ballet, an orphan's struggles, and Depression-era Chicago, but once Nocturne shifted into dark fantasy In Alyssa Wees's slim (it's 240 pages) fantasy novel Nocturne, set in the Little Italy of 1930s Chicago The understated dark undercurrents felt powerful and mysterious. But once the fantasy elements became the focus, the story felt more like a series of ethereal concepts You can check out my Bossy reviews of other fantasy titles here.

Six More Four-Star (and Up) Bossy Mystery Reads "Is she going to just keep rehashing all the big hits I recently posted about Six Four-Star Mystery Reads I Loved Last Year. You can click here for other mysteries I've reviewed on Bossy Bookworm. What are some of your favorite mystery titles or mystery genres? A Restless Truth is the second in Freya Marske's queer fantasy mystery Last Binding trilogy that began

The cover is arresting, and the sparkles and art are a nod to the novel's fantasy genre.

He has been cursed for generations to serve a series of crooked masters and their offspring, with no I love a mix of historical fiction and fantasy, and while this novel isn't as layered and complex or

I felt like the story started off slowly, but once the world was built and the background established, I was hooked on the interpersonal relationships, the dramatic conflicts, the creatures' magical abilities, and their evolving quests. Various demons work as mercenaries in Nine Hells, and Bex trusts only them to protect her. Over time, some of these demons have evolved into grumbling lackeys for the Eternal King, or bound slaves. But when Bex and her demons team up with a new client--a powerful male witch who's got it in for the king--it could change everything. The first part of the book felt clunky to me, bogged down by explanations of how Aaron's imagined world works and the basic history of various conflicts and groups (gods, demigods, demons, free demons, witches, warlocks, East Coast/West Coast, heaven, hell--I was reeling a little bit). Eventually the story seemed to hit its stride, and the various demons, magical powers, dark histories, missions--and the Bex-Adrian friendship, client-bodyguard relationship, and growing attraction--made me wonder what would happen next. Neither Bex nor Adrian is exactly what they appear, nor are they following the scripts set out for them. Together, they are more powerful and capable and creative than alone, and they make a formidable team that reimagines reality for their kinds. Now that the world of the books has been built, I expect the second installment to move along at a nice clip; Aaron's dynamic battle scenes were a strength here. I'd love to hear your Bossy thoughts about this book! Rachel Aaron is also the author of the DFZ Changeling series, the Heartstrikers series, the Crystal Calamity series, and other books. I listened to Hell for Hire  as an audiobook.

In Blanchet's young adult fantasy debut, Herrick's End, Ollie's only friend Gwen has disappeared. He searches for her, then receives a mysterious note: "Still looking for your friend? But the trail Ollie finds himself on leads to darkness and danger in a mysterious underworld.

battles within the books' alternate history, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic

A mysterious app on her phone seems to have all of the answers she needs--but Lai isn't sure what the excited to read this final installment in Freya Marske's Last Binding trilogy, a queer historical fiction fantasy-mystery through unexpected attractions and the uncovering of weighty secrets, the group works to unravel the mysterious

Alternative Arthurian legends twist through this first in a young adult fantasy series, but what hooked Along the way, they face deathly threats, mysterious magic, a tangled web of lore and superstition, and

I listened to the first installment in Shannon Chakraborty's Amina al-Sirafi fantasy series, The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi as an audiobook, narrated by the fantastic Lameece Issaq and Amin El Gamal. Then a mysterious, wealthy matriarch preys upon Amina's need for funds--and her desire for one final, irresistible main protagonist in the feminist Muslim character of Amina; and the sea adventure with various fantastical

Only a few Antari have been born in a generation, and they have long been the only ones with the power If you've read the Shades of Magic books, you'll already be acquainted with the fantastic characters Now Kosika, a young, impressionable, fervor-driven young Antari, is taking up the mantle of the deceased

installment involves technology of the time, ancient Egyptian artifacts, revelations about Alexia's mysterious

Novik is also the author of other fantasy novels featuring main protagonists I love: Uprooted and Spinning battles within the books' alternate history, and the human protagonists are wonderfully faulted and fantastic

Paper & Blood is a quirky, lighthearted fantasy featuring copious Scottish lingo, magical creatures in , although Al developed a peaceful attitude about the ongoing mystery.

I wished for more of a focus on the character of Tess and her personal story--and less on political strategies, power plays, and the many other broad issues Hartman explores over the course of this almost-500-page sequel to Tess of the Road. In Rachel Hartman's Tess of the Road, we followed irresistible, hardheaded, wonderfully faulted Tess as she broke from rigid medieval gender roles in favor of adventure and discovery. That book was captivating, sometimes weighty, and often playful. I loved it. In the Serpent's Wake picks up where Tess of the Road left off. We're reintroduced to the story with an introductory poem written in verse that is funny, poignant--and also extremely helpful in its recap. It's the perfect reentry to the wonderfully cheeky, strong, faulted character of Tess as she tries yet again to be a loyal friend, refrain from punching people in the nose, and save the world. But the scope of In the Serpent's Wake is far broader than that of the first book. This second installation departs from a focus on Tess and her personal growth. Instead, the almost 500 pages of In the Serpent's Wake explores enormous, broad issues: colonization, persecuted indigenous people, human rights, racism, fights for autonomy, misogyny, and more. I was more eager to read more about Tess as a character than the extensive political machinations in the book and the shifting loyalties related to control of lands and attempted control of peoples and creatures. The sharing of stories and folklore through generations and cultures was a small-scale highlight. Hartman's sabanewts are fascinating creatures--and they also demand of the book's characters a new understanding of ownership, freedom, resources, and more. I loved the feminism, the complicated but steadfast friendships, and the dogged independence that various characters exhibit against all odds. I also enjoyed Tess's recognizing shades of gray where she once saw black-and-white right and wrong. But I wanted far more of a focus on Tess and for her to play a more key role in the book's events, as she did in book one. The rest of this book felt like a distraction from the character I love, and ultimately I wasn't particularly engaged with the broader story. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Click here to check out my review of the first book in this series, Tess of the Road. Hartman is also the author of Seraphina and Shadow Scale.

I was captivated by Lim's fairy tale of a fantasy novel, particularly the vivid magical realism, Shiori's Meanwhile there are odd creatures doling out questionable advice, a mysterious stepmother, a land struggling

Gwynne's epic, Norse-inspired saga tracks three fascinating main protagonists through battles, shifting alliances, strengthened resolve, and revenge journeys. I loved this. In John Gwynne's Norse-inspired saga The Shadow of the Gods , it's been a century since the gods battled themselves into extinction. Only their bones hold power now--for those brave enough to seek them out. There is talk of war's return, and three warriors will shape the future of the land of Vigrid: Elvar, a noblewoman searching for fame through battle; Orka, a huntress on a quest filled with danger; and Varg, a servant who joins the mercenaries called the Bloodsworn so that he may seek revenge. The three stories run along with plenty of steam, centered around violent battles, brutal revenge, extended searches for loved ones, and the carving out of new futures by our main protagonists. The story is always shifting--shaped by betrayals and the flipped script when fate and destiny aren't what the characters thought and they must come into their own. This is epic but never melodramatic, and I was hooked on the Viking-esque elements, the badass women who find their strength, and the perfect balance of resolution and cliffhanger to build anticipation for book two. Spoiler: a dragon appears at the very end of the book, laying the groundwork for more dragon page time in subsequent books. I loved this. I listened to The Shadow of the Gods  as an audiobook. More from John Gwynne: Gwynne is also the author of book two in this series, The Hunger of the Gods , the series Of Blood and Bone, and The Faithful and the Fallen series. Gwynne is also a Viking reenactor.

Riley has crafted a middle-grade fantasy book with humor, adventure, characters to root for, and heart In James Riley's middle-grade fantasy book Story Thieves, young introvert Bethany and impulsive Owen I was surprised by the heart and depth in this fantasy book. and their allies, and loved the twists and turns and realizations--as well as the resolutions and the fantastic

You can click here for other mysteries I've reviewed on Bossy Bookworm. What are some of your favorite mystery reads? This is a character-driven mystery with a twist. This is a character-driven mystery with an interesting twist. Exiles was the right mystery at the right time for me.

In The Awakening, the first book in Nora Roberts's Dragon Heart Legacy series, she set up a romantic fantasy Why not take this fantasy all the way, after all?).

In Thistlefoot, estranged siblings Bellatine, a woodworker with mysterious powers, and Isaac, a con artist and street performer with his own magic, are reunited to claim a mysterious, bizarre inheritance: a and Isaac find their way back to each other, bonded by trying to untangle the dangerous, sentimental, mysterious

abandoned airplane are found in his quiet, coastal North Carolina town, Winston must try to unravel the mystery underbelly of their rural North Carolina town, and basically everything about this intricate literary mystery-thriller The Last Child appears in the Greedy Reading List The Six Best Mysteries I Read Last Year.

ICYMI: My recent review of Natalie Haynes's entertaining A Thousand Ships brought to mind this wonderful title by Madeline Miller that I adored. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from or the mortals she has come to love. Circe, daughter of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, is an odd child. She's not striking and in fact, she's seemingly without power. But she grows into her glorious witchy wonder, and her abilities to transform her foes are revealed--along with her dangerous potential to threaten the gods. When Zeus, fearful of what she might be capable of, banishes her to a deserted island, Circe perfects her witchy powers, tames beasts, considers the world and her place in it, simmers and plans, and entertains well-known figures from mythology, including Icarus, the Minotaur, Medea, and Odysseus. We are sorry, we are sorry. Sorry you were caught, I said. Sorry that you thought I was weak, but you were wrong. Circe is a wonderfully faulted, curious, powerful witch. I was in for this book hook, line, and sinker. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? I mentioned Circe in the Greedy Reading List Six Wonderfully Witchy Stories to Charm You, and I recently mentioned it again in my review of Natalie Haynes's A Thousand Ships, a woman-centered retelling of events surrounding the Trojan War.

I listened to this romantic fantasy about a chosen one, a long-lost family, portals to a magical world But possibly the most fantastical aspect of the story is the ease with which she secures an agent and

Historical Fiction Mysteries I adore historical fiction and mystery books, and I love the intersection Something about detailed settings from the past just sets off a mystery beautifully for me. Here's a greedy reading question: What other historical fiction mysteries should I read? I’m glad the circumstances of what led to the mystery—yikes! The Jackaby story is dark, mysterious, and feels Gothic, yet there's humor too.