Another week begins.  I quickly slip into my business suit and head back into the office to save a few innocent people. While I try to fool myself into being excited about the promise of a new week and the continuation of the regular grind, deep down, I’m not, so I’m going to escape dreary reality by finishing up a book I began last week and starting a damn good looking book I just received in the last couple weeks!

Truth or Darkness by Craig Aird

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Afterworld #1

Publisher: Self-Published (April 27, 2018)

Author Information: Website

Length: 283 pages

It was the only truth the Gods feared…

Beyond the living world, a dark secret is kept from humanity. Demons guard the bridge to heaven, and cast the souls of everyone that dies to fire and ash. A group of immortal mages fight a shadow war to destroy the demons, but at a great cost to themselves and those around them. 

Within the valley of an ancient crater, the city of Elrancia is built upon the greed of kings and the blood of its people. It is a cauldron of chaos embroiled in a vicious holy war enacted by vagabond high priest, Vladnar. He searches for the Necromanex, a powerful text written by the mages. 

Leoh is a young merchant struggling with his father’s disappearance and his own inner demons. When Vladnar accuses him of hiding the Necromanex, he is chased across Elrancia in search of the reason why. With religious zealots, assassins, and powerful mages after him, Leoh fights not just to save his life in this world, but his soul in the next.

Purchase the book at Amazon

Lady Henterman’s Wardrobe by
Marshall Ryan Maresca

Genre: High Fantasy mixed with urban fantasy

Series: The Streets of Maradaine #2

Publisher: DAW (March 6, 2018)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Length: 352 pages

Mixing high fantasy and urban fantasy, the second novel of the Streets of Maradaine series follows the Rynax brothers’ crew of outlaws as they attempt their biggest heist yet and restore justice to the common people.

The neighborhood of North Seleth has suffered–and not just the Holver Alley Fire. Poverty and marginalization are forcing people out of the neighborhood, and violence on the streets is getting worse. Only the Rynax brothers–Asti and Verci–and their Holver Alley Crew are fighting for the common people. They’ve taken care of the people who actually burned down Holver Alley, but they’re still looking for the moneyed interests behind the fire.

The trail of breadcrumbs leads the crew to Lord Henterman, and they plan to infiltrate the noble’s house on the other side of the city. While the crew tries to penetrate the heart of the house, the worst elements of North Seleth seem to be uniting under a mysterious new leader. With the crew’s attention divided, Asti discovers that the secrets behind the fire, including ones from his past, might be found in Lady Henterman’s wardrobe.

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