Book picks similar to
The Blade and the Bow by Mike Shelton


fantasy
young-adult
f-sword-and-sorcery
tbr-ebook

A Soul for Trouble


Crista McHugh - 2012
    When an insane stranger is murdered at the inn where she works, Trouble becomes the next Soulbearer for the disembodied god of chaos, Loku. Yes, it comes with the ability to channel the god’s limitless power, but at the cost of her sanity — literally. Now she has a sexy but cynical knight claiming to be her protector, a prince trying to seduce her to his cause (and his bed), and a snarky chaos god who offers a play-by-play commentary on it all, whether she wants to hear it or not. To make matters worse, a necromancer wants to capture the soul of Loku for his own dark purposes, and the only way he can get it is by killing her first.

Archer


Jacky Gray - 2010
    Shoot an apple off his friend’s head or lose his food, horse and clothes? Some decisions require little thought.Archer is the sort of boy things happen to. Orphaned as a baby, his gifts make him different to other kids. He doesn't understand why he's so much stronger and faster than other boys; why a sword feels so right in his hand; or how every arrow he looses at a target will hit the centre, even if his eyes are closed.At the Beltane ritual, he must fight his friends to see who is most worthy. But his real battle is with an enemy whose callous disrespect for the natural order brings dangerous consequences.This swashbuckling romantic fantasy will appeal to fans of action-adventure, jousting and magical realism.

City of Masks


Ashley Capes - 2014
    Yet the sentient bone mask, powerful enough to Compel those around her, will not speak, and Sofia, the first female Protector in a hundred years, is left defenceless.Hunted by the king, she is driven from the palace and must fight for survival, alone in the cold streets of Anaskar. There, she crosses paths with Notch, a bitter mercenary with problems of his own. Accused of murder, Notch is trying to clear his name while hunted by the city's robed assassins, the very people who are now searching for Sofia.To take back their city and cast down the tyrant on the throne, Sofia and Notch must face the blades of Anaskar's assassins, the rage of a mighty sea beast, and the mysterious Lupo, a man with a Greatmask of his own, who has masterminded vicious terrorist attacks on the city that spurned him.Their struggle threatens to tear the city – and the kingdom - into shreds.

A Dance of Dragons: Series Starter Bundle


Kaitlyn Davis - 2014
    Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Tamora Pierce! This bundle includes the prequel novella, The Golden Cage, as well as the first full-length novel, The Shadow Soul.~~~THE GOLDEN CAGE (A Dance of Dragons #0.5)In the land of Ourthuro, cruelty is a way of life. The king rules with an iron fist and no one dare defy him--no one except his daughter. Princess Leena is keeping a dangerous secret, she has fallen in love with a soldier and it would mean both of their lives if her father ever discovered their affair.But Leena will risk it all to be with the man she loves--her heart, her life, her freedom. And when her brother's birthday celebration takes a dangerous turn, Leena is forced to make a decision that will change the fate of her nation and eventually the world.THE SHADOW SOUL (A Dance of Dragons #1)When Jinji's home is destroyed, she is left with nowhere to run and no one to run to--until she meets Rhen, a prince chasing rumors that foreign enemies have landed on his shores. Masquerading as a boy, Jinji joins Rhen with vengeance in her heart. But traveling together doesn't mean trusting one another, and both are keeping a deep secret--magic. Jinji can weave the elements to create master illusions and Rhen can pull burning flames into his flesh.But while they struggle to hide the truth, a shadow lurks in the night. An ancient evil has reawakened, and unbeknownst to them, these two unlikely companions hold the key to its defeat. Because their meeting was not coincidence--it was fate. And their story has played out before, in a long forgotten time, an age of myth that is about to be reborn...

Witch


Patrick Logan - 2016
    how far would you go to make sure that you and your daughter are fed? After her husband's death, Anne LaForet is alone... alone to raise her young daughter in an area of the swamp that is too foul to grow anything. Anne is no criminal, but circumstances force her to resort to theft. When an encounter threatens to put her away for her crimes, Anne accidentally discovers that she also has another skill, one that helps women who can’t conceive become pregnant. As word of her talent spreads beyond the confines of the swamp, she receives visitor after visitor, fulfilling their dreams while at the same time finally getting the food and money she needs to raise her own child. One visitor in particular promises not only the financial freedom that Anne so desperately seeks, but also a way out… the means to leave the swamp forever. But in her haste, Anne forgets about the three things that the people of the swamp hate most of all: single mothers, thieves, and witches. Anne already has two strikes against her, and it’s only a matter of time before she is accused of all three… And so begins the legend of Anne LaForet, of MOTHER, of mater est, matrem omnium, a tightly woven tale of horror and suspense that spans four centuries. WITCH is a 30,000 word prequel novella to the best-selling Family Values Trilogy that explores the depths of human suffering and how desperation shapes not only who we are, but what we do. And how, through it all, Family is the most important thing both on this Earth and beneath it.

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?

Sunbolt


Intisar Khanani - 2013
    Orphaned at a young age, Hitomi has learned to hide her magical aptitude and who her parents really were. Most of all, she must conceal her role in the Shadow League, an underground movement working to undermine the powerful and corrupt Arch Mage Wilhelm Blackflame. When the League gets word that Blackflame intends to detain—and execute—a leading political family, Hitomi volunteers to help the family escape. But there are more secrets at play than Hitomi’s, and much worse fates than execution. When Hitomi finds herself captured along with her charges, it will take everything she can summon to escape with her life.

Valentine Witch: A Heartblaze Novelette


Shay Roberts - 2016
    Her unique appearance draws constant scrutiny and her emotions are wildly powerful. Valentine’s Day is a stressful time for her because it usually ends in disaster. Izzy keeps souvenirs of her romantic misadventures in a heart-shaped box, all symbols of hope and heartbreak. But perhaps this year will be different because she’s working on an unusual class project with her secret love … Luke, who grew from an annoying boy into a handsome, athletic man. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Luke delivers devastating news to Isabelle, confirming her worst fears about the upcoming holiday. Desperate, Izzy turns to … Millicent, a dangerous love-witch living on a mysterious island with a historic past. Millicent offers Izzy a devil’s bargain in exchange for happiness. But when the deal goes awry, Isabelle experiences a Valentine’s Day unlike any other. Are you a fan of: Twilight, A Shade of Vampire, The Vampire Chronicles, The Wolves of Mercy Falls, Vampire Academy, Vampire Diaries, The Black Dagger Brotherhood series, or Daughter of Smoke & Bone? If so, grab your copy of Valentine Witch now!

The Serpent Kings


James Somers - 2011
    Suddenly catapulted to a position of status, Gwen is chosen to assassinate Ezekiah, the prophet of the Resistance. But when she’s captured, Gwen is shown the dark side of the dragons and their utopian society and the unsuspected kindness of the man she was meant to kill. She desires to remain faithful to the Serpent Kings, but her doubts are growing, and her time with Ezekiah has awakened feelings within her she never thought to have. Once peaceful Animals are growing fierce, and zombie-like Death Walkers are attacking entire towns as prophecies long held as mere myth come to fulfillment. In Gwen’s absence, a great miracle makes this wraith dancer a costly liability to the dragons, and she cannot be allowed to live any longer. WRAITH DANCER: In Gwen’s absence, a great miracle makes this wraith dancer a costly liability to the dragons, and she cannot be allowed to live any longer. But now they have to get her back from her captors. But the Serpent Kings aren't the only ones seeking this Wraith Dancer. When the Serpent Kings are driven back to Mount Doom, Gwen is captured by Varen and his rebels. To ensure her safe release, Ezekiah agrees to lead a demolition team into the mountain to bring it down upon the dragons. But the Serpent Kings are not easily slain. In their ensuing fury they destroy the city of Babale and enslave their faithful worshippers, creating a fearless army of death walkers to cleanse the kingdom once and for all. Meahwhile, Ezekiah is sent to a city across the sea, called Haven, where he must enter the ancient Temple of Elithias and accept the fate that awaits him there. However, the dragons mean to stop him, bringing all of their resources to bear. If he fails, all of humanity will become deathly slaves to the dragons. But one lone Wraith Dancer stands in the gap willing to risk everything to see him succeed. SHADOW WALKER: Five hundred years have now passed since Ezekiah assumed control of Haven and the kingdom beyond the sea as the regent of Elithias. Most believe that the Serpent Kings were all destroyed in the battle with Ezekiah long ago. However, one young women with vengeance in her heart has been following a mysterious voice that speaks to her in dreams. This entity desires a vessel that can be used to free it from its prison and unleash its power upon the kingdom. Time is short and the coming of Elithias may finally be at hand, but will anyone survive to witness it? Praise for Fallen (Descendants Saga) Amazon Customers: "Admittedly, I am not a big reader but I wanted to start. I picked this book up and could not put it down! The story sucked me in and at the end of the book I was left wanting to know what happens next. I can't wait for the second book in the series to come out!" "From the start, James Somers made it hard to put the book down, with twists and turns to leave you spinning. It was a great read and I look forward to the next installment." Praise for "The Realm Shift Trilogy" "The Realm Shift's intrigue is second only to its action!" -- Wayne Thomas Batson, author, The Berinfell Prophecies and The Door Within Trilogy. "The Realm Shift doesn't just draw you in, it sucks you in! The story is full of mystery, adventure, danger and inspiration. I highly recommend it!" -- Brian Tubbs, Pastor, Sligo Baptist Church. "The Realm Shift is written in a grand mythic type of storytelling reminiscent of Tolkien's Lord of the Ring Trilogy.

Severed


Lizzy Ford - 2014
    Cyena and Tyana were born to powerful parents who are among the ruling class on their planet. Their lives are pampered but isolated, constricted to the city walls in which they were born. Fun loving with a rare but powerful mind power, Tyana is accustomed to being treated like a princess and using her influence to get anything she wants – including protecting her sister from the elders and students who look down on her. The opposite of Tyana in most ways, Cyena’s second-class mind skills make others view her as a blemish on the family bloodline. No one but her sister believes in her.They don’t know that a war is brewing, until it erupts. A class war tears their perfect world a part, leaving them helpless, alone and worse –severed from one another.Each girl will risk her life to find the other, and each will be challenged to hone her powers in order to survive environments unlike any they’ve ever experienced.

Foundation


Ann Aguirre - 2012
    Family hides in underground. Boy narrator grows up, falls in love with another boy.

The Riven Wyrde Saga


Graham Austin-King - 2015
    A boy and his mother, in the right place at just the wrong time, will set in motion events that will change two worlds forever.The fae were banished, locked away until the tales of them passed into myth and folklore. Now the barriers are ancient, and fading in the faltering grasp of the one man who still knows the truth.But war is coming to Anlan. Bjornmen raiders have abandoned coastal plunder for outright conquest, and their fleets surge across the icy seas. As the people of Anlan struggle to repel them, and the first battles rage, there are rumours of things in the moonlight - whispers of creatures escaped from myth and fable. An older peril has awoken and mankind must set aside their differences or perish. The fate of the world may rest in the hands of two young men, born of opposite sides of the conflict, and with no reason to trust each other.The Riven Wyrde Saga is a dark fantasy epic, where good and evil know no boundary, and the hero you imagine may well become the villain.Download this Special Edition Omnibus edition to experience epic battles, the politics and scheming of two worlds, and a race as alien as they are familiar. "Graham Austin-King puts the bite back into the world of fairy tales." - S.H. Mansouri, Grimdark Magazine. "Austin-King's writing is descriptive and layered, full of mystery and tension..." Sarah Chorn, Bookworm Blues Includes all three novels of the Riven Wyrde SagaFae - The Wild HuntFae - The Realm of TwilightFae - The Sins of the Wyrde

The House of the Four Winds


Mercedes Lackey - 2014
    As this boisterous baker's dozen approaches adulthood, the king and queen lovingly tell their daughters, "You must make your own fortune, for we cannot enrich you without impoverishing our people or leaving our lands defenceless, and that we will not do."Happily, the princesses of Swansgaard are eager to meet this challenge, for they yearn for adventures both near and far from home.Clarice, an expert swordswoman, is the first to depart. Disguising herself as Clarence, she signs on for a voyage to the New World. The captain is vile and blackhearted, and the crew soon mutinies. Clarice becomes first mate - and finds her heart captured by the new captain, Dominick, who is, to his own surprise, increasingly attracted to Clarence.Now outlaws, Dominick and his crew turn to piracy - though their hearts are not entirely in it. They soon run afoul of the Pirate Council, who orders them to retrieve the Heart of Light. All who have searched for this great treasure have vanished, with neither ships nor crews ever seen again and no sign of their fates ever discovered.But none before have carried with them the sorceress Shamal, who stakes a claim of her own on Dominick's heart.

Nightblade


Ryan Kirk - 2015
    Found by a wandering warrior, he learns he may have more strength than he ever imagined possible. A quiet child, Moriko is forced into a monastic system she despises. Torn from her family and the forest she grew up in, she must fight to learn the skills she’ll need to survive her tutelage under the realm’s most dangerous assassin. Young, beautiful, and broke, Takako is sold to pay for her father’s debts. Thrust into a world she doesn’t understand and battles she didn’t ask for, she must decide where her loyalties lie. When their lives crash together in a Kingdom on the brink of war, the decisions they make will change both their lives and their Kingdom forever. If they can stay alive.

A Neophyte's Tale: An Abbey Thorne Short Story


C.K. Dawn - 2015
    Well, one voice repeating one word over and over again. Soft and sweet with the promise of power, it calls to her. The twelve year old has no idea that the tender little word is a catalyst that serves to reveal a world hidden to most humans. Abbey has yet to discover that following the word’s call to its origin will change the course of her life forever. Abbey and her mother don’t have much, and depending on the day, sometimes they don’t even have a roof over their heads. She wants more out of life than just wondering where her next meal is. So she shouldn't be wasting her time daydreaming about going on a selfish quest, should she? Does she have the strength to leave behind what little she has? Will she have the courage to break through the illusions surrounding her and lift the cloak of shadows?