The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden

The Girl in the Tower: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy - Book Two) by Katherine Arden --- 362 pages with Author's Note, Glossary and Acknowledgements. 

The fantasy adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as Vasya, no longer a child, is confronted with the stark realities facing a wellborn maiden in 14th century Russia. Because she refuses to marry or to be packed off to a convent, her only other option is to flee her home, disguised as a boy.  Unprepared to face the world on her own just yet, she finds  temporary refuge with the enigmatic frost demon Marozko. The attraction between them is strong as ever but ambivalent on both sides. 

Determined to find her own way, Vasya and her great horse Solovey decide to travel on.  But when she encounters a village that has been raided by bandits, who have stolen away three young girls, Vasya impulsively decides to track the bandits and rescue the girls.

One thing leads to another and Vasya finds her masquerade could compromise not only her reputation, but the reputations and safety of her brother, sister and niece, even as she becomes aware of a sorcerous plot to assassinate her cousin,the Grand Prince of Moscow and usurp his rule. She comes to understand that she is not the only one who will pay the price for the choices she makes. 

An enticing blend of Russian history and folklore provides the foundation for this feminist high fantasy adventure.  It will be interesting to see how Arden resolves her tale in Book Three.

Click HERE to read a review from Publishers Weekly.

Click HERE to read a review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read a review from Tor.com. 

Click HERE to listen to a podcast interview with the author.

The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

The Last Namsara
Iskari Series Book 1
by  Kristen Ciccarelli
416 pages









In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness - and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn't until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari - a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she's offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend - a slave boy from her betrothed's household - Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

I enjoyed reading this book, fantasy is my favorite genre. Plus the cover is so cool.....

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

The Bear and the Nightingale: A Novel (Winternight Trilogy - Book One) by Katherine Arden --- 322 pages with Author's Note, Glossary and Acknowledgements

My favorite books often combine history, folklore and fantasy; Katherine Arden's first novel (part of a projected series) has all these elements and is off to an utterly beguiling start.

Very few authors who write in English are tackling the world of 14th century Rus' where the Grand Princes in their wooden towns paid tribute to the Mongol Khans to buy an uneasy peace. Here the medieval age lingered, and the ancient lore of the Winter King and the Bear lurked beneath the canopy of the endless Forest and competed with the Orthodox Church for the allegiance of peasants and boyars alike.

In Vasilisa we have a true daughter of the old ways, loving and valiant in defense of her people and her land; willing to accept whatever challenges Fate has in store so long as it is by her own choosing.

The second book in the series, The Girl in the Tower, is scheduled for release in January 2018.

Click HERE to read the review from the Christian Science Monitor.

Click HERE to read the review from NPR.

Click HERE to read the review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read the review from tor.com.

Click HERE to watch the trailer on Youtube. 

Cress - The Lunar Chronicles - Book 3 by Marissa Meyer

Cress
The Lunar Chronicles
Book 3
By  Marissa Meyer
552 pages







This is the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. Cinder was the first book and Scarlet was the second.

Even in the future. there are damsels in distress...

In the third installment of the Lunar chronicles, Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Levana's evil plan, has a slight problem. She's been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress a great hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

I have listened to all of these books on audio (CD's) and really enjoyed listening to Rebecca Soler as the reader.