What's in my TBR?

Asked no one. But I'm telling you anyway.

I’m a pretty loyal Fantasy/Romantasy reader. I rarely read mysteries, but I recently finished Nita Prose’s THE MAID and want more murder in my life. Below, I will dive into what I’m most hyped for in my TBR. These are the books that stand out on my list currently. Even though I haven’t read them, I can’t stop thinking about them! You’ll find it’s a mix of fantasy, romance, and my new interest: murder mystery.

I do love some contemporary fiction and romance thrown in, but nothing has been eye-catching recently. Mhairi McFarlane’s COVER STORY isn’t out in Canada yet and I’m not dying for Emily Henry’s GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE to pop up in my Libby holds. Writing this, I feel more and more like a mood reader.

Onwards and upwards, more fantasy from here on out.

As a bonus, I think the cover art is beautiful on all of these!

Paladin’s Grace

T. Kingfisher

After hearing many great things about Kingfisher’s humour and rich prose, I am ready to dive into the Saint of Steel series. Ideally, I will read all of T. Kingfisher’s works because they sound right up my alley with cozy, charming fantasy vibes.

PALADIN’S GRACE is a darkly whimsical story following a godless paladin thrown into hijinks after a run-in with Grace, the fugitive perfumer. It largely focuses on romance between them and is set in the same fantasy world as her other novels.

The Tainted Cup

Robert Jackson Bennett

I love Clue, I love Sherlock Holmes, what could go wrong with another detective duo in a fantasy world? Lots of chaos, I hope! Another humorous and inventive series added to my list.

There’s been a murder in a mansion and the eccentric Ana Dolabra is called to investigate. I’m in for a new whirling, spellbinding mystery! This one is high fantasy in a bio-punk setting, supposedly, with an intricate plot that tangles with complex characters.

Saint Death’s Daughter

C.S.E. Cooney

I am unsure if this is YA or Adult fantasy. I’ve seen it classified as too dark to be YA, but to others, the tone, characters, and plot align perfectly with YA. Perhaps it is New Adult, but I’d like to read it nonetheless and form an opinion.

The youngest daughter in a family of assassins opposes violence, yet finds she has the power of necromancy. Her family’s debt needs to be paid, or her familial home will be lost. Promises of court politics, forbidden love, ghosts, and murder. It’s entirely different from GIDEON THE NINTH and I’m intrigued to read another necromancer story with a less-gritty tone. Instead, I’ve seen Cooney compared to Robin Hobb, which makes me want to double down and explore this author.

Dance of Thieves

Mary E. Pearson

Reviews of Pearson’s work promise high personal stakes that explore the interiority of her characters. From my web perusal she attacks plots of political intrigue with a lyrical style and we can’t forget the romantic subplots. This is another YA series I am down to start, rare for me because I don’t usually gravitate to YA.

DANCE OF THIEVES follows a thief and the new leader of an outlaw dynasty through a web of court drama. It’s advertised as enemies to lovers, but from my understanding, it is not a slow burn. In fact, the enemy storyline is not long-lived at all, and it turns more towards an insta-love romance. Nothing wrong with that, sometimes that’s the tension we need. I haven’t read her prequel series, The Remnant Chronicles, which some say will benefit this setting. But I think I’ll jump into this one anyway.

The Bridge Kingdom

Danielle L. Jensen

This has been making the rounds for a while, and I am late to the game. It’s on my shelf and I am ready to dive in after having devoured “A Fate Inked in Blood.” I made it up to chapter 4 this morning, and I’m hooked.

Medieval fantasy romance, forced marriage, here we come! Lara is a warrior princess ready to fracture the Bridge Kingdom with her brokered union. When she begins to question herself and her feelings for the enemy, she must choose which kingdom to save.

Straight from the first chapter, it’s fully believable Lara is ruthless and that this world is cruel. I can’t wait to see where the story goes. Jensen is proving herself to be great at writing strong female MCs. I hate her father already.