Frozen Tides (Falling Kingdoms #4)

Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes is the fourth book in her Falling Kingdoms fantasy series.

The land of Mythica, divided into three kingdoms has been united under King Gaius Damora of Limeros. And now that Gaius controls all of Mythica, he is setting sail for the Empire of Kraeshia to seek an alliance with the Emperor.

His son, Prince Magnus and his new wife, the conquered Princess Cleo of Auranos, are working toward an uneasy truce - both in their marriage and in their rule. They agree that as much as they annoy each other, the real enemy is King Gaius.

Rebel leader Jonas Agallon and his few remaining rebels are on the run, with their faces plastered on wanted posters throughout the land.

The real test of who holds power will not be decided in politics, it will be who finds and controls the Kindred - four stones containing elemental magic. In the race for power, and in some cases justice, Rhodes is continuing to write a fascinating series. Each book looks deeper into the land of Mythica and its people and readers will devour this book and wait impatiently for the next.

Rhodes, Morgan. (2015). Frozen Tides. New York: Razor Bill.

Zeroboxer

Zeroboxer by Fonda Lee is a novel about a whole other level of mixed martial arts fighting - fights in a glass cube in zero gravity.

Carr Luka has been training most of his life to be a professional zeroboxer. Now he is one of the youngest ever to fight for ZGFA (Zero Gravity Fight Association) on Valtego - the floating city-station on the dark side of the moon.

When Carr wins a couple of key fights ZGFA decides to make him the face of zeroboxing - always more popular with Martians than Terrans. They assign Carr a brandhelm to oversee his public image. His brandhelm is Risha Ponn - a genetically engineered Martian colonist.

With Risha's help, Carr becomes more and more popular, becoming a hero on Earth, the planet that has fallen into the background of the more advanced settlements in space. But when Carr finds out a shocking secret all will be at risk - his career and his heart.

Lee has created a gripping novel that will thrill fans of sports and science fiction alike. Her world building and characters are completely drawn and will keep readers engaged until the last punch.

Lee, Fonda. (2015). Zeroboxer. Woodbury, MN: Flux.

Salt to the Sea

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys is a heartbreaking story of refugees at the end of World War II.

In the Winter of 1945, with the Russian army marching into Poland and Prussia, Germany set up Operation Hannibal - the largest sea evacuation in history. Using dozens of ships, the plan was to move soldiers, civilians, and wounded across the Baltic into Germany and away from the fighting.

Joana is a Lihuanian nurse. She is traveling with a rag tag group of people fleeing toward the ports. She is with a shoe maker, a wandering young boy, a pessimistic large woman and a blind girl.  They have been making their way to the sea but trying to avoid the main roads.

Florian is on a secret mission. He wants no attachment but cannot help himself when he sees a Russian soldier attack a young woman. After he kills the soldier, Emilia thinks of him as the knight and keeps following them.

Emilia and Florian meet up with Joana and her group. After some grumbling, including the fact that Emilia is Polish, they travel together.

Alfred is in the German Navy. He is newly a member of the Nazi party as health concerns kept him out of the Hitler Youth. But now he is ready to help the Fuhrer in the evacuation plan. He will be assigned to a ship soon.

Told through the four viewpoints, Sepetys tells the story of refugees and the story of the ship the Wilhelm Gustloff - the worst tragedy ever at sea, much worse that the Titanic or Lusitania. The Wilhelm Gusloff disaster killed over 9,000 people. Sepetys tells of this little know incident with the stories of four people on board and she does it brilliantly. Salt to the Sea is an amazing book.

When is comes out on February 2, 2015 buy a copy.

Sepetys, Ruta. (2016). Salt to the Sea. New York: Philomel.

Truthwitch (Witchlands #1)

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard is the first book in her Witchlands series set in a world ruled by three empires that have been at war for centuries and are now almost to the end of a twenty year truce.

Safiya and Iseult are Threadsisters, their fates and emotions tied together through an earlier act that sealed their friendship. Now they do everything together - even though they are from very different backgrounds.

Safiya fon Hasstrel is a Domna (lady) of Cartorra. She has been raised to take her place in the courts with the other high born. Safi is a truthwitch - she knows when someone is telling the truth or lying. It is a rare witchery and could be used for political gain if she was found out.

Iseult is from despised people, the Nomatsi, who are wanderers. Her looks cause much prejudice in people. As a threadwitch she can see the threads coming from people, the threads that tie communities together - often made up of emotions. She can see the mindset of a crowd or if someone is scared or angry.


As the twenty year truce approaches its end, there is a summit between nations to try to continue the peace - or at least a couple people are there for peace. Others are positioning for the restart of the war.

Dennard has created a great beginning to the series. Her world building is great and her characters are wonderfully real and flawed. This is going to be an awesome series. Truthwitch comes out on January 5, 2016.

Dennard, Susan. (2016). Truthwitch. New York: Tor Teen.

Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3)

Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (a pseudonym for JK Rowling) is the third book in the Cormoran Strike series. Strike is a private investigator in London. He and his assistant, Robin Ellacott, have a lot of cases after the publicity of two previous cases.

As Robin gets to work one morning a messenger is waiting with a package addressed to her. She signs the sheet and takes it up to the office. But it is does not contain the disposable cameras she ordered - it holds a human leg.

With the police focusing on only one possible suspect, Cormoran and Robin start their own investigation into the dark and twisted world of three men who may be involved - all of whom have a reason to target Strike and the people around him.

Galbraith is a masterful storyteller. Both Cormoran and Robin are great character though very different. Mystery and suspense readers who have not discovered Robert Galbraith would be wise to run to the nearest library and start reading the first book.

Galbraith, Robert. (2015). Career of Evil. New York: Mulholland Books.