The Holding by Claudia Dain

The Holding by Claudia Dain - 358 pages

Cathryn and Greneforde are as one; to possess the woman is to possess the land. William, a knight under King Henry, has been gifted Greneforde Tower as a reward for his service to the king. Greneforde, and Cathryn, are now William's. They marry within the hour of his arrival, and Cathryn is outwardly obedient to the combined wills of God, King, and husband.

But is she truly so? William thinks not. He begins to believe that some treachery is brewing in his beautiful wife's heart, that she plans to resist consummating their marriage, thereby nullifying it and denying him Greneforde, the home he has fought for through long years. He is determined that Cathryn will deny him nothing; not her land, and not her body. 

Avalon Rising by Kathryn Rose

Avalon Rising by Kathryn Rose  352 pages

In the aftermath of Morgan le Fay's war on Camelot, the once great kingdom struggles to rebuild. Knights scour the world, attempting to restore the Round Table's glory by locating Avalon and the Holy Grail before the dreaded Black Knight can do so first.
Vivienne, Merlin's former apprentice, toils in secret day and night on orders from the Lady of the Lake to build an aeroship. The Lady has seen the future and promised that the ship will ensure Camelot's knights succeed in their quest.
But when a company of knights goes missing―including Owen, Vivienne's brother, and Marcus, her beloved―Vivienne changes the plan and commandeers the aeroship for a rescue mission, altering the fates of all involved. Now, the Lady sees danger in Vivienne's future. And for Marcus, either betrayal or death.

Endure by Sara Larson

Endure by Sara Larson  310 pages

At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.

When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers, and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?

Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin Trilogy Book 3), by Robin LaFevers

Mortal Heart (His Fair Assassin Trilogy Book 3), by Robin LaFevers, 464 pages

Annith has watched the daughters of Mortain (god of death) be given assignments, even those not as highly skilled or hardworking as she is. When the abbess surprises Annith by sending out a younger initiate, she passionately challenges the order knowing it will end in the very young child's death.When the abbess says that Annith will never be sent out but become the next Seeress forever fated to stay on the island, Annith balks at the horrible life awaiting her and sets out on her own to serve as Death's Handmaiden. Her first night out, she is captured. But Death has plans for Annith, and not what Annith has trained for all her life. This was a grand finale to the fabulous trilogy. I look forward to reading more from the Author. 

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne 376 pages

Growing up on Forge's streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that's not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs.
But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she's not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he is persistent-and darkly attractive-and Kyra can't quite resist his pull.
Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by the Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.
When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival-and vengeance-might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra's past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley

Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley, 278 pages

Told from the perspective of just about every character, the book unfolds the history of Bella who was born a knight's daughter but raised a peasant. When her mother dies in childbirth, her father wants nothing to do with her or her mother's family. Poor Bella is rescued by her mother's sister who drops her off with a peasant woman who was the Prince's wet nurse. Bella grows up into a beauty with a heart to match, but soon her father comes back into  her life to steal her away. Through hardships and trials, Bella becomes everything she was destined to be and more -- (with the help of some very magical gifts). It was, unfortunately, very hard for me to finish the book because of the differing viewpoints and jumping timelines.

The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated by Gerald Morris

The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated by Gerald Morris, 94 pages
(Book 4 of "The Knights' Tales" series)

What would you do if you were given a prophecy that you would: 1. Become the noblest knight, but your greatness would only bring calamity. 2. You'd never refuse an adventure and be bravest of all knights, but you'd destroy the knight you love most in the world? When the prophecies start to come true one by one, Balin panics and tries to flee from his destiny. The result is a silly story that will keep young kids laughing at Balin's antics. Each story in the series is about different knights. They are: "The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great", "The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short" and "The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True"

A Game of Thrones, by George R.R. Martin

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1), by George R.R. Martin, 835 pages

Here is a story of kings, knights, ladies and dragons, but it feels like reading historical fiction. For that reason, I think this could have appeal to readers other than those who stick to fantasy   The story is told from several different characters, all living in a fantasy realm where winter can last years, dead men can walk, dragons are thought to be extinct, and there is no end to the scheming of nobles when it comes to who sits upon the realm's throne.  It's definitely lengthy, but it has the feel of a wide-reaching saga that keeps the reader enthralled and waiting to find out what happens next.  The sex and violence is definitely not glossed over, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to any squeamish readers.