Book picks similar to
The Swordswoman by Malcolm Archibald
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The Unsuspecting Mage
Brian S. Pratt - 2005
When on-the-job training entails battling demons, learning magic through trial and error, and living in a world without toilet paper, things could get rough. But to be dropped in the middle of a forest and having to do it on your own with no instruction…welcome to James’ world.It all gets started when his grandfather suggests to James, a young man on the verge of graduating high school, that he check out the following advertisement for a job. “Magic! Real Magic! Ever wanted to learn? We require someone with intelligence and a disciplined mind. Those well versed in fantasy novels and role playing games a plus. May need to travel.”Sounded like the perfect job for a veteran role-player and avid fantasy reader. James had no idea he’d be whisked to another world, completely cut off from friends and family. Arriving in a meadow in the middle of a forest, he’s greeted by a creature not entirely human. He was then told three things:Magic works here…Don’t try to go home…Get to the village of Trendle…Then the creature vanished.Which way was Trendle? Where was he? What might inhabit the forest that will seek his ruination? These were but a few of the questions needing to be unraveled. Alone with only his wits and knowledge gleaned from hundreds of books and dungeon campaigns, he started out just trying to survive. He soon learned that one mistake, one lapse in judgment could mean his death. Not long after arriving, he made the acquaintance of Miko, a street-wise kid who quickly became his friend and companion. Little did he know that the strength within this child from the streets of Bearn, a strength that would be tested again and again as they waded through battle after battle, delved in hidden passages deep beneath the earth, and faced off against an the might of an Empire, would be invaluable in the trials ahead.The Unsuspecting Mage is the first book of The Morcyth Saga, a seven book epic fantasy adventure. It follows James as he seeks first to master the art of magic then to uncover the reason why he had been brought to this strange new world where armies are on the move and gods meddle in the affairs of men.
The Raven
Aderyn Wood - 2020
But dangerous omens brand her an Outcast, and the Elders name her Iluna.As Iluna comes of age, dark magic, war, and treachery soon jeopardize the life of every clan member; many suspect Iluna and her gift. Is she to blame? Or is she salvation?Iluna must decide: save the clan, or save herself. 'The Secret Chronicles of Lost Magic' is a collection of standalone epic fantasy novels rather than a series. Each novel is a complete story that invites readers to fully immerse into a rich fantasy world. Each ‘Chronicle’ is set in a different era within the same world and can be read in any order, but here’s the chronology for interested readers:#1 The Raven – a ‘prehistoric’ era#2 Dragonshade – a ‘Bronze Age’ era BONUS CONTENT If you enjoy The Raven and would like to read a follow-up short story trilogy, you can sign up to Aderyn's monthly newsletter to get your free copy of the first story, The Doom of Arlg-Teg. Visit aderynwood(dot)com to learn more.
Hall of Smoke
H.M. Long - 2021
Banished for disobeying her goddess's command to murder a traveller, she prays for forgiveness alone on a mountainside.While she is gone, raiders raze her village and obliterate the Eangi priesthood. Grieving and alone, Hessa - the last Eangi - must find the traveller, atone for her weakness and secure her place with her loved ones in the High Halls. As clans from the north and legionaries from the south tear through her homeland, slaughtering everyone in their path, Hessa strives to win back her goddess' favour. Beset by zealot soldiers, deceitful gods, and newly-awakened demons at every turn, Hessa burns her path towards redemption and revenge. But her journey reveals a harrowing truth: the gods are dying and the High Halls of the afterlife are fading. Soon Hessa's trust in her goddess weakens with every unheeded prayer.Thrust into a battle between the gods of the Old World and the New, Hessa realizes there is far more on the line than securing a life beyond her own death. Bigger, older powers slumber beneath the surface of her world. And they're about to wake up.
Reap
Casey L. Bond - 2014
From five enormous, technologically-advanced cities, the Greaters rule over the Lessers. In the Lesser village of Orchard, things are not as perfect as Abby Kelley thinks they are. When the apple harvest draws near and the Greater’s engineered fruits become too much for one village to handle alone, reinforcements from neighboring villages are called upon. Having to choose between her best friend, whom she has no romantic feelings for, and mysterious newcomer Crew, Abby finds herself in the middle of a harvest that she had no intention of becoming a part of. She becomes involved in a situation that threatens the strict rule of the Greaters, and just might give the Lessers hope for a better tomorrow. But, can she help the Lessers without losing Crew? And if she chooses Crew, will she lose her best friend?
The Royal Dragoneers
M.R. Mathias - 2010
He and his Nightshade are rallying the trolls to defend their lands.With the help of the dragons, goblins, and orcs they plan on rendering the wall the humans have built useless, so that they can drive man back to the islands from where they came.When stubborn King Blanchard finally accepts that the kingdom really is under attack it may be too late, and the only ones who can save the people on the Mainland have been locked away in the dungeon.Join some brave young men and their mentor, a grizzled old King’s Ranger, and a particularly clever young magic wielding woman, as they traverse the wild frontier, and sail to King’s Island to warn the King of the warring trolls. Then hold on for your life as you tear through the pages, because the pure blooded dragons they have befriended have another plan all together.
Artful
Peter David - 2014
Throw in some vampires and a plot to overthrow the British monarchy, and what you have is the thrilling account that Charles Dickens was too scared to share with the world.From the brilliant mind of novelist and comic book veteran Peter David, Artful is the dark, funny, and action-packed story of one of the most fascinating characters in literary history.With vampires.
Muse
Kylie Quillinan - 2015
A wise woman with power she never wanted. Each has a quest and they'll need each other to succeed.Diarmuid is not a typical bard. His tales aren't about hope and heroism, but instead reflect the darkness he feels inside. When he inadvertently brings his imaginary muse to life, everything she knows comes from Diarmuid's melancholic tales. Desiring her own life, she leaves Diarmuid and sets out to live in the only way she knows how.Brigit tries to be a good wise woman like her mother, but feels like she's wasting her life dispensing charms and cures. She spends her days longing for danger and adventure. When she encounters a fey and becomes the victim of a cruel curse, she gets more adventure than she ever wanted.As the pair cross paths, they soon realise that the only way to succeed in their quests is to join forces. Together, they discover the true nature of Diarmuid's bond with his muse. While the world will never be safe with her loose in it, destroying her could have fatal consequences…Muse is the first book in a series of dark fantasy novels set in pre-Roman Britain. For readers who like lush historical backdrops with a fairytale feeling, a fantasy quest and characters who fight their destiny.
The Last Will of Moira Leahy
Therese Walsh
So busy that she leaves little time for memories of her lost twin, Moira; her fractured family in Castine, Maine; and the music she left behind in the wake of tragedy nine years ago.Until a childhood relic and a series of anonymous notes resurrects her dreams, a lost language, and her most painful recollections; and prompts her to cross an ocean in search of ancient history. There, Maeve will learn new truths about her past, and come face to face with the one thing she truly fears. Only then can she choose between the safe life she's built for herself and one of risk, with bonds she knows can be both wrenchingly delicate and more enduring than time.
Everblue
Brenda Pandos - 2011
he wanted his to stay the same.Best friends share everything with each other. Or do they? Seventeen-year-old Ashlyn Frances Lanski is tired of her boring, single life. Spending time with her best friend Tatiana, dreaming about kissing Tatiana's twin brother Fin, and swimming competitively are her only sanctuary. The girls plan to leave their drab lakeside town far behind for college. But when Tatchi fails to return home after a family emergency, and no one knows where the family has gone, Ash chooses to do something drastic to find them. Ashlyn is about to discover what she'd thought to be true her whole life, wasn't, and the truth, too fantastical to imagine. Secrets lurk beneath the deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe, secrets that will change Ashlyn's life forever.
Sword Bearer
Teddy Jacobs - 2012
Then you go on all kinds of adventures - fighting monsters, casting spells and saving damsels in distress. At least that's how it's supposed to work, but I didn't believe a word of it.BOOK ONE OF THE EPIC FANTASY SERIES RETURN OF THE DRAGONSLocked in his room in the castle, young Anders yearns for adventure. Until the day he opens a magic portal and a girl bursts into his locked room with a chemical warlock hot on her trail. And adventure finds him -- an adventure full of danger, full of blood, fire, demons and evil. To face it, he'll need the sword given him by his blademaster, need the ancient words his grandfather gave him on his deathbed. Need the song that runs in his own blood, in his veins.A sword will be reforged, magic words discovered, battles fought, friends made and lost, secrets revealed. And blood will be spilled. But will blade, word and blood be enough?
Last Resort
Jill Sanders - 2015
He has been trying to run her business into the ground so his family can snatch up the land for cheap. But, how can she turn him away when just the sight of the man makes her heart jump out of her chest?Luke was sent by his father, owner of the swankiest and longest-operating resort along the Florida's Gulf coast, to gain one of the best properties at any cost. But when he sees the owner of the bar and grill, he’s torn between his duty to his family and his desire for the silver-eyed beauty.
Reclaimed: A Highland Historical Trilogy (Highland Historical, #4-6) (The MacKays, #1-3)
Kerrigan Byrne - 2013
He's a Laird with enough sins to stain his soul, but he's cursed for the crimes of another. With a clan divided, an impending marriage, and whispers of dark magic threatening the Highlands, a tempting Banshee is the last thing he needs in his chambers.Kylah - She was brutalized and burned alive, but denied her vengeance by a cruel twist of fate.He's a ruthless and brilliant Druid driven mad by his quest for retribution.Two Souls have lost themselves in the tormented secrets of the past and can only find redemption in the dangerous desires they thought long dead. Kamdyn -She's a Banshee assassin who's not yet killed a man, and her first mark had a carnal proposition too seductive to resist. He's the notorious Laird of Shadows, a rogue Berserker terrorizing the Highlands in search of a warrior's death.When a mistaken kiss binds their souls together, she must prove that love, not fear, changes the course of destiny. Because if she doesn't, she'll have to slay him or face unthinkable consequences.
Beautiful Exiles
Meg Waite Clayton - 2018
Headstrong, accomplished journalist Martha Gellhorn is confident with words but less so with men when she meets disheveled literary titan Ernest Hemingway in a dive bar. Their friendship—forged over writing, talk, and family dinners—flourishes into something undeniable in Madrid while they’re covering the Spanish Civil War.Martha reveres him. The very married Hemingway is taken with Martha—her beauty, her ambition, and her fearless spirit. And as Hemingway tells her, the most powerful love stories are always set against the fury of war. The risks are so much greater. They’re made for each other.With their romance unfolding as they travel the globe, Martha establishes herself as one of the world’s foremost war correspondents, and Hemingway begins the novel that will win him the Nobel Prize for Literature. Beautiful Exiles is a stirring story of lovers and rivals, of the breathless attraction to power and fame, and of one woman—ahead of her time—claiming her own identity from the wreckage of love.
The Tinkerer's Daughter
Jamie Sedgwick - 2011
Breeze is left in the care of a strange old Tinkerer, where she soon learns that the world is not as simple -or as safe- as anyone would like it to be. With a little help from the Tinkerman and his amazing discoveries, Breeze just might be able to change her world for the better. Unfortunately, peace is never easy and war always looms just over the horizon.What reviewers say:Five Stars - "WOW... This book drew me in instantaneously... beautifully written and wholly captivating." -Semisweet Book BlogFour Stars - "captivating... Sedgwick beautifully creates this other world that as a reader you totally get into." -Goodreads reviewerFive Stars - "...a beautifully written book with an intriguing plot and a loveable main character. This is certainly one that I will reread!" -Goodreads reviewerFive Stars: "...an incredible, adventurous read!" Amazon Review
Sinful Cinderella
Anita Valle - 2015
I'm not who they think I am. A docile girl who meekly obeys her stepmother and stepsisters. Some kind of sick angel who cheerfully bears their mistreatment. That's what I WANT them to think. Because then they won't suspect what I'm really up to.The ball, the prince - it's all part of my plan to come out on top. Stepmother and her demented daughters will pay for every floor I have scoured, every sneer I have borne. They don't know about the white magic, how I use it to enhance myself. They can't see that my heart is black as midnight, rotten as a poisoned apple.They're about to find out. Book Details
Length: Approx. 150 pages
Genre: Fractured Fairy Tale
Mood: Dark / Humorous
Content: Moderate violence. A few mild sexual references. No sex scenes or erotica.
Audience: Teens and Adults
Author's Note: For anyone who enjoys a dark fairy tale retelling. This Cinderella book has all the elements of the original story: beauty, magic, glass slippers, and a handsome prince. But like any "Grimm" fairy tale it gets twisted into dark places. Sinful Cinderella is the first book in the Dark Fairy Tale Queen Series. Other books by Anita Valle
SNEAKY SNOW WHITE (Coming Soon!)
MAELYN: The Nine Princesses Book 1 (FREE TO DOWNLOAD)
CORALINA: The Nine Princesses Book 2
HEIDEL: The Nine Princesses Book 3
BRIETTE: The Nine Princesses Book 4 (Coming Soon!)
THE BULLY MONSTER (A novel for kids)
A fractured fairy tale that twists the story of Cinderella into a dark and sinister retelling.