From #1 NYT bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout! Alex and her mom have spent years on the run from the Covenant, a school where the pure descendants of gods hone their powers and half-mortal teens train to kill daimons for them. When her mom is murdered, Alex has two options: become a servant for the pures or work twice as hard to catch up in her training. The second option seems easier, but gets complicated when pure-blood Aiden becomes her personal trainer. Falling for Aiden isn’t her biggest problem. As daimons close in, she must fight to stay alive…even while others around her are ..read more

A year ago, I hadn’t even heard of the term “romantasy.” I don’t know if I’d clocked how popular this hybrid genre had become until I saw the separate category in the Goodreads Choice Awards last year. But despite only recently learning the term, I’ve become a huge romantasy reader. In fact, in the last eight months, romantasy makes up about 90% of what I’ve read. This category took over all my online and offline reader communities last year. And I don’t think it’s going to decline in popularity anytime soon. If you are intrigued by this newest literary trend but haven’t dipped your toe in yet ..read more

Currently, I’m watching Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour on TV, and I find the Reputation era to be apt for this post. Oh, the deliciousness of doing the bad thing, of going against the grain despite it all. Forbidden romances really dig under the skin of the idea of this, with characters often jumping headlong into a relationship that goes against everything they’ve ever known or been taught. Forbidden Romance in Fantasy The relationships in a fantasy forbidden romance are either banned by authority figures, and/or are considered forbidden due to societal or political standings, race, or species.&nb ..read more

There’s something about summer books that just hits different. The folks at Goodreads know we’re dream about long, sun-soaked days (so much extra time for reading!) and the vacations/staycations/breaks in routine that the season brings, so they’ve released a list of the most anticipated new books of summer. The list is comprised of the titles that Goodreads users have added to their Want to Read shelves most often. Variety being the spice of literary life, the list spans just about every genre you can think of, though I have to note I’m surprised there isn’t a standalone romantasy section. Fea ..read more

Today’s pick is a Korean space opera about love, grief, and the struggle to find one’s place in the solar system. Ocean’s Godori by Elaine U. Cho It’s the twenty-third century: Korea has long since united and has cultivated the pinnacle of space exploration. Korea is also the genesis of the Alliance, which is the space military that oversees the safety and order of the solar system, also referred to as “the solar.” Ocean Yoon is a space pilot who has had a major demotion because of a past incident, and we find her working on a much lower-class ship than she once did. When Ocean was eight ..read more

It may only be April, but I think it’s fair to say “romantasy” is the book world’s word of the year. It’s got readers and publishing professionals all fired up, and it’s not going away any time soon. Honestly, no one should be surprised by this! Crossover between romance and fantasy is not new, even if it’s got a fancy new name. Readers have been thirsting for fantastical love stories for a long time, whether they’re of the dragon, werewolf, vampire, or fae variety. Are you ready to tell the world about your love of romantasy? Then these gifts for romantasy readers are for you! As someone who ..read more

Ever since the news was released that the legendary Hayao Miyazaki had come out of retirement again to make the incredible film The Boy and the Heron, I began counting down the days to watch it. There’s nothing quite like the promise of a new Miyazaki movie. All of my years of growing up watching Studio Ghibli marathons led me to this moment. From the summers the films aired on Cartoon Network to stocking our family DVD collection with Ghibli classics, to perpetually streaming them on Max now, the worlds of Hayao Miyazaki have stolen my heart from an early age. Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron ..read more

Readers of science fiction and fantasy–or those curious to dive into the genres–it’s time to rejoice. The finalists for the 2024 Locus Awards are here. Finalists below were selected based on public votes, which ran from February 1 to April 15, 2024. The winners in each of the categories will be announced June 22, at the Locus Awards Ceremony. Held in Nile Hall at Preservation Park in Oakland, California, the awards ceremony can be attended by anyone, and this year’s event will be hosted by MC Henry Lien and feature special guest Connie Willis. Tickets are available here. Ten finalists are na ..read more

Publishing has always been white, and this is reflected not only in the workforce but also in the books that are being published. Fortunately, publishers have been making an effort to include BIPOC authors in traditionally white spaces. I review fantasy books for Publishers Weekly, and I’m glad I get to read fantasy books by Asian authors, like myself, set in Asian settings, and that there’s a steady stream of Asian-authored fantasy books in the works. Although it’s still a long way to go for some real change, I find this a welcome development. As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Island ..read more

In this epic fantasy debut for fans of Scott Lynch, academy dropout slash disgraced heir Lukan Gardova’s life is in shambles. All he's got going for him is one: He’s a cardsharp of considerable skill and two: Wine. When the bizarre murder of his father robs him of even the chance of redemption, Lukan finds a new way to make amends. He’s going to unravel the mystery, even if it takes him to the underbelly of Saphrona: city of danger, secrets, and merchant princes. Finding the truth is one thing. Doing that and staying alive? Well — that’s much more costly. Excellent epic fantasy debuts ..read more