The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee

As The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee begins, a curse is sweeping across the Seven Kingdoms, starting in the east and slowly trickling westwards across the land. Anyone who drinks curse-tainted water becomes a mindless, bloodthirsty monster, attacking friends and family alike. There’s only one way to stop the curse: a royal who is also descended from witches must touch and spill some blood on three stones spread throughout the land. Unfortunately, witches are considered monsters by most of the Seven Kingdoms: victims of an unfounded prejudice that thinks them guilty of a list of unlikely crimes, including blood sacrifice and bestiality. Because of this, it comes as a surprise when a diplomatic delegation of witches arrives at the royal court of King Esger, announcing that one of Esger’s sons, Prince Harkeld, has the blood of witches in his veins. Harkeld is forced to flee ... Read More

Thief With No Shadow by Emily Gee

Ah, Thief With No Shadow. Add this one to the ever growing list of books that leave me utterly baffled as to what the term "romantic fantasy" is supposed to mean. Whatever else it is, this delightful little romp of a fantasy tale is no romance novel.

Though Thief With No Shadow is of a serious nature, it has the benefit of not being extremely bogged down and dreary as seems to be the current fantasy trend. There's no hoards of starving peasants living in mud and dung and no evil overlords acting in ways that really ought to get them killed but don't due to contrivance. The book focuses more around its characters than its world-building, making for a delightfully light, easy read.

Thief With No Shadow centers mainly around Melke and Bastian, but also involves Melke's brot... Read More

The Laurentine Spy by Emily Gee

Saliel is in over her head. Masquerading as a noble lady in the fortress of Laureant’s greatest enemy, she sneaks into the old disused catacombs every other night to meet One, Two, and the Guardian, other Laurentine spies whose true identities she doesn't know.

After foiling an enemy plan to take over another fought-over land, Saliel learns that the Prince and his consort know there are spies in the fortress and have hired a notorious and feared spycatcher. Saliel and the other spies still have work to do however, and must stay one step ahead of him in order to accomplish their goal. All the time Saliel must play a part — a part she know she has no business playing — and longs to be back home in Laureant, independent and finally free from playing roles. And free from her past.

I could not put down The Laurentine Spy. From the fi... Read More