Crown of Crimson by Karina Halle

Crown of Crimson by Karina Halle -- 460 pages

All Hanna Heikkinen wants is to be reunited with her father again. After all, that's why she ventured into the dark and dangerous fantasy world of Tuonela, the Land of the Dead, in order to save his life. But this time her devotion to her father comes at a cost---her growing relationship with Tuoni, the God of Death himself, who held Hanna captive in exchange for her father's life. The last thing she expects is to feel remorse at how she left things with Death, yet the dark and sexy God is all she can think about.

Death has always prided himself on never trusting the living, but Hanna's apparent betrayal has left a scar fathom's deep. Vowing revenge on his future bride, and making sure she upholds her end of the bargain, Death sets out across his realm to steal Hanna back, which only fans the flames between them. But Death and Hanna aren't just fighting each other---malevolent Old Gods are rising to power within the realm, magic is being poisoned, and buried secrets are brought to light, secrets that may cause Hanna to lose everyone she loves dear once again.

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi

These Infinite Threads by Tahereh Mafi -- 416 pages

With the heat of a kiss, the walls between Alizeh, the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, and Kamran, the crown prince of the Ardunian empire, have crumbled. And so have both of their lives.

Kamran’s grandfather, the king of Ardunia, lays dead, the terrible secret of his deal with the devil exposed to the world. Cyrus, the mysterious copper-haired royal, has stolen Alizeh away to Tulan, the neighboring kingdom where he rules. Cyrus has made his own deal with the devil—one that would require Alizeh to betray her feelings for Kamran if she’s to reclaim the Jinn throne.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus, or his deal with Iblees. But with no means of escaping Tulan, and with the tantalizing promise of fulfilling her destiny as the heir to the Jinn, she’s forced to wonder whether she can set aside her emotions—and finally become the queen her people need.

Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces of his broken kingdom. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows for certain is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she’s not yet become queen of Tulan.

The Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

The Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi -- 512 pages 

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

River of Shadows by Karina Halle

River of Shadows by Karina Halle -- 354 pages

When 24-year old Hanna Heikkinen's estranged father dies, she reluctantly makes the trip to Northern Finland for his funeral. Being in the enchanting land of ice and snow feels miles away from Hanna's busy life back in Los Angeles, especially under the complicated circumstances.

But when Hanna discovers that her father's body is missing, that's when things really get weird. A mysterious man, Rasmus, tells Hanna the truth: her father was a powerful shaman who went into Tuonela, the Realm of the Dead, in order to barter for more life, and has been held captive by Tuoni, the God of Death. The only way her father can be freed is if she travels with Rasmus into the mythical underworld to rescue him.

Willing to do anything to have a second-chance with her father, Hanna accompanies Rasmus into the dark and bloody realm, traveling via the River of Shadows, stalked by dangerous creatures, monsters, and the living dead, until they finally come into the haunted kingdom ruled by Death and his family. Only for her to be captured and held prisoner by the God of Death himself.

Turns out Death is intrigued by Hanna's beauty and fierceness and makes a bargain with her. If she marries him, and spends an eternity in the Realm of the Dead as his wife, he'll set her father free. But even the most noble sacrifices come with hidden costs, and Hanna's might involve the most unexpected of all things: her heart.

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young

The Girl the Sea Gave Back by Adrienne Young -- 327 pages

For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.

For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.

Lore by Alexander Bracken

Lore by Alexander Bracken, 480 p.

"Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family's sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory. For years she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man--now a god--responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods. The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to bind her fate to Athena's and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost--and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees."--Goodreads

The synopsis of this book doesn't really fit the feel of this book. It's a great urban mythological fantasy with fun characters, great dialogue, and good twists and turns. This awesome cover drew me to the book, but it was definitely worth the read.

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec, 359 p.

"Angrboda's story begins where most witches' tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love.

Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin's all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger.

With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she's foreseen for her beloved family…or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age."--Goodreads blurb

This was a slow-burn book, but somehow every time I stopped reading my mind would drift to the story. I couldn't stop thinking about it. Man am I glad we don't live with Gods and Goddesses, because they are brutal, dumb, and did I mention brutal? I always love hearing well-known stories from a different perspective, and Angrboda's story makes you look at many mythological stories you know from a different angle for sure. 

 

This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi

This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom #1) by Tahereh Mafi, 512 p.
 

"To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world. Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology." -- Goodreads blurb

This is my first Mafi book and I will be delving into her books. What a fantastic writer. This book had a real Daevebad trilogy feel, and not just because of the djinn through line, but the captivating writing style, excitement, and emotion. There was some humor in it as well. I am excited to have found a new series I'm excited about, but even more a new author.

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa

 

Rhapsodic by Laura Thalassa - 423 pages

Callie is a siren with a dark secret. When she was fifteen, she killed her stepfather. In order to wash away this crime, she called upon the Bargainer to clean her slate. Soon enough, she finds herself more and more in debt to the Bargainer - so in debt that she begins to give him her heart. But when the Bargainer leaves with no notice, she is left to deal with the heartbreak for seven years until the Bargainer shows up in her house to collect on her debts. 

I've heard great things about The Bargainer series, especially as a big fan of New Adult fantasy. I was definitely not disappointed by the first book! In fact, I couldn't put it down and finished it in one day. It was funny, dramatic, and crafted very well. 5/5 stars.

Water (Water #1) by Emory Gayle

Water (Water #1) by Emory Gayle -- 402 pages

Cora Reed is haunted by the night her twin sister drowned. Seven years later, she’s still afraid of the water, and can barely keep herself from falling apart completely. The last thing that Cora wanted was to fall in love. But she couldn’t have prepared herself for Darrien Locke, the handsome swim instructor at Camp Crystal.

Unbeknownst to Cora, they are already connected in unimaginable ways. Mysterious things begin to happen to her, plunging her into a whirlwind of danger and chaos. Only one thing remains steady…Darrien. But he’s not at all what he seems.

Darrien must help Cora discover who she really is, before a terrible power in the deep reaches her. To do that, Darrien must commit the ultimate betrayal.

In a stunning reimagining of mermaid lore, Water is the perfect combination of suspense, mystery, humor, and romance. Its gripping tale of love and danger, combined with a terrifically detailed world below the waves, will have readers breathless and begging for more. 

Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe by Madeline Miller - 391 pages

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. 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. 

This book was really good. I found myself invested in the life of Circe. It was the kind of book that had my emotions all over the place. This is a version of Circe I have never heard and would recommend.  

Spellbound Falls by Janet Chapman

Spellbound Falls by Janet Chapman -343 pages

Olivia has been running her in-law's family camp for years when she is convinced to let Max and his son come a month early.  This is teh first of many changes for Olivia including her in-laws wanting to sell the camp, a new employee who seems to know a little too much about her, and the chance of romance with Max.  But Max has some pretty magical secrets that Olivia needs to know before they can make a future together.

This is the first in the Spellbound Falls series.  It is a great supernatural romance which includes characters from the lost island of Atlantis.

The Gate Thief by Orson Scott Card

The Gate Thief by Orson Scott Card -- 380 pages

Here on Earth, Danny North is still in high school, yet he holds in his heart and mind all the stolen outselves of thirteen centuries of gatemages. The Families still want to kill him if they can't control him…and they can't control him. He is far too powerful.

And on Westil, Wad is now nearly powerless—he lost everything to Danny in their struggle. Even if he can survive the revenge of his enemies, he still must somehow make peace with the Gatemage Daniel North.

For when Danny took that power from Loki, he also took the responsibility for the Great Gates. And when he comes face-to-face with the mages who call themselves Bel and Ishtoreth, he will come to understand just why Loki closed the gates all those centuries ago.

This is book #2 of the Mither Mages series. This one just didn't work for me. I'm hoping the third and final book in the series picks things back up. 

Reawakened by Colleen Houck

Reawakened by Colleen Houck  393 pages

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification. And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe. But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan - 387 pages

Percy Jackson has been recruited to write another book explaining Greek mythology -- this time focusing on Greek heroes.  He tells us the stories of several Greek heroes including Psyche, Perseus, Otrera, Hercules, Jason, and Atalanta.

I listened to this on audio.  For the most part I enjoyed it.  The slightly disrespectful take on the Greek myths are interesting and humorous for the most part.  I did find towards the end I was becoming a little tired of the very unhappy endings to the stories -- but that is the Greek myths for you.  Very few of them had happy endings.

Trigger Warning - Neil Gaiman

Trigger Warning: Short Fictions and Disturbances by Neil Gaiman

352 pages

Neil's written a beautifully crafted collection of short stories and poetry and put them all together under the guise of being edgy and pushing the boundaries of people's psychological, mythological, and emotional boundaries.  But, while mesmerizing in their way (the last piece in particular is fantastic if you enjoyed American Gods), I'm still sleeping at night.  Fantastic read, but more subtly disturbing than super scary.

I did especially like that the author included a foreword that gave the stories, well...backstory.  It was a nice touch; like Gaiman, I also enjoy peeping in the mental window of the writer's process, and it was one of the most enjoyable parts of this read.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan - 516 pages
The Heroes of Olympus - book 5

This is the final book in The Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan.  Reyna, Nico and Coach Hedge are taking the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half Blood - if they can make it there.  Both Reyna and Nico are going to have to face their ultimate fears -- Reyna's past and Nico's loneliness.  Meanwhile, Piper, Jason, Annabeth, Percy, Hazel, Frank, and Leo continue on to Athens to try to stop Gaea from rising.  They too will have to face their fears to finally defeat Gaea.

This was a good end to the series.  It was much better than the last book which was slow and boring.  This kept the action going the entire time.  I particularily enjoyed Reyna's and Nico's stories as they were the characters we did not know as much about.  A great series ender.

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones

The Game by Diana Wynne Jones - 181 pages

Hayley has been exiled to her aunt's house by her grandmother.  She's not quite sure what she did to warrant this exile, however it's the best thing that's ever happened to her.  For the first time she realizes she has family.  They introduce her to The Game.  The Game is a competition among the cousins to complete quests in the mythosphere.  But unknown to Hayley, her playing of The Game will lead to a showdown with her Uncle Jolyon who has been terrorizing the world for thousands of years.

This was a very interesting book.  At first glance it seems to be a family story - of an orphaned girl finding out about her past.  But once they introduce The Game you realize that the book is actually a modern retelling of Roman myths.  This book requires more thought and knowledge than most current mythology-based children's fiction. 

Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas, 449 pages (plus notes)

Boring would be the best word to describe this book. It has a promising storyline but maybe it's just that it has been done too many times. Prince Titus is told by his seer mother that he will die for an elemental mage that will take down the Bane and Atlantis (ruling tyranny). He is to guard said mage and protect them at all times so they can become what they were destined to be. The mage comes in the form of a young teen girl, Iolanthe, who has been raised by her guardian flitting from place to place as he loses job after job. He cautions her to not use her magic so freely but she doesn't heed his words. She draws lightning from the sky which in turn calls the attention of the prince and the inquisitor of Atlantis. Prince Titus rescues Iolanthe and, as he has already created a fictitious persona, "Fairfax" for her at his school, forces her to dress and behave as a boy and attend school with him. From that point on it is a slow dance as everyone at the school believes they know "Fairfax", who has been gone from school for 3 months to recover from an injury. Toss in games of cricket, reliving fairytales inside a book to develop Iolanthe/Fairfax's magic, and the constant threat of Atlantis discovering who Fairfax really is... and you pretty much have the whole book. Very slow moving and no satisfying end. I did enjoy the notes at the end of the book, however. I guess that's something.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan - 586 pages
The Heroes of Olympus, book 3

The Greek demigods have just shown up at Camp Jupiter when Leo is possessed and attacks the camp.  The demigods, both Greek and Roman, have just enough time to jump about the ship and fly away before the Romans hurt them.  Now they are off on the Great Prophecy.  They are the Seven who must unite to defeat Gaea and her giant children.  This quest will take them to Rome by way of Kansas, Atlanta, and Charleston.  It will be a challenge to keep them all together and united.

This book has been sitting by my bed to read for over a year.  I don't know why I haven't picked it up before now.  As I had a day at the auto shop to sit through I decided that it was finally time to read the book.  I'm glad I did.  It was a great way to pass the time.  In fact, I was a little annoyed when my car was done about 30 pages before the end.