Fantasy Romance Christmas Gifts

 

I’m hearing Last Christmas at least once a day, my Netflix recommendations are 95% holiday movies, and people are skating on the canals of the lovely Dutch city where I’m living. I’m ready for Christmas, in other words, and that means I’m ready for gifts, too!

For this week’s blog, I’d like to chat about a couple of fantasy romances I consider perfect gifts for yourself the readers among your friends and family. 

Once Upon A Forbidden Desire

First of all, for everyone who loves fairy tales but prefers them with an adult flavour: check out the Once Upon A Forbidden Desire anthology. With twenty retold fairy tales, this collection is the perfect bedtime read for fantasy lovers. The stories range from sweet and swoony to deliciously spicy, so there’s something for everyone here!

Some of my favourites are an intensely romantic fae Cinderella by AJ Lancaster, a dark and steamy Pied Piper by Zoey Ellis, and Vela Roth’s Twelve Dancing Princesses with a vampire twist. But each story is a gem, and I strongly recommend savouring them one by one rather than tearing through the full book at once.

Court of Blood and Bindings

For fans of longer books, I’d like to shamelessly plug my own Fae Isles series! The first book, Court of Blood and Bindings, is an epic fantasy romance with plenty of creative worldbuilding and plenty of steam and banter. If you enjoy enemies to lovers stories, fae fantasy, and books where the villain gets the girl – this one is for you.

When the deadliest assassin of the fae empire catches twenty-year-old Emelin using forbidden magic, she believes her hour has come. Instead, the Silent Death carries her off to his home to offer her a dangerous bargain. If she agrees, she could free all of humanity. But can she trust a man with so much blood on his hands?

Worse, when his smouldering dark eyes and dangerous secrets reveal glimpses of the heart behind his murderer’s mask… can she trust herself?

Court of Tricksters

As a final recommendation, I would like to give the spotlight to an author buddy who has saved my sanity several times this year and deserves all the holiday love for her newest release.

SL Prater’s Court of Tricksters is an utterly delightful Gaslamp romance featuring the sexy fae duke of Night, a shy but stabby forest witch named Rain, and a scheming, backstabbing court where war is always looming. Set in a gorgeously atmospheric world, it’s the start of a brand new series I can’t wait to see more of.

Court of Tricksters releases in January (I got my grabby hands on a review copy), but thankfully it’s already up for pre-order! And even better, it’s only 99c until release – so I strongly suggest getting it now 😊

Lisette Marshall is a fantasy romance author, language nerd and cartography enthusiast. Having grown up on a steady diet of epic fantasy, regency romance and cosy mysteries, she now writes steamy, swoony stories with a generous sprinkle of murder.

Lisette lives in the Netherlands (yes, below sea level) with her boyfriend and the few house plants that miraculously survive her highly irregular watering regime. When she’s not reading or writing, she can usually be found drawing fantasy maps, baking and eating too many chocolate cookies, or geeking out over Ancient Greek.

Find her at https://lisettemarshall.com/.

Medical Sci-fi with Romance for Christmas!

It’s nearly Christmas and I finally got around to wrapping presents for our kids and put them under the tree. I’m behind this year, but I’ve got lots of holiday cheer! And that’s what’s important. 

Are you done holiday shopping? Do you need some book recs for those on your list? *cough* or yourself *cough* This week we’re sharing our holiday book buys! 

Jeffe and KAK shared some excellent choices. I’ve read them, I can say that. So if you’re in the mood for some erotic romance, fantasy romance, or urban fantasy they have you covered! If you’re looking for some sci-fi with a romantic sub-plot, check out my audiobook—The Mars Strain!

We’ve colonized Mars, but we never should’ve come back.

When the first astronauts of the Mars Colony returned to Earth, they brought a mysterious, metal box they had found half-buried in the red dirt, called the Mars Cube. The scientists assigned to uncover its secrets tested it, scanned it, tried to blow it up, and everything in between. Then they accidentally opened it.  

Biosafety level-4 laboratories, BSL4, hold the most deadly viruses on the Earth, and Juliet handled them daily. Her research at the CDC landed her a position on the Mars Cube Investigative Team in the world’s only BSL-5 lab. The only drawback: Her ex was one of the astronauts that brought back the Cube. 

What was held inside the Cube shouldn’t have gotten out. It shouldn’t have ever been exposed to our planet because the Mars Strain is now loose and killing at a 100 percent mortality rate. Juliet is fighting for our very existence, Jake is working with the Mars Colonists to decipher the Cube’s holographic message for a clue, and someone wants to take over the Mars Program for themselves. They’re all watching the clock, and it's about to run out.

Happy wrapping and book indulging! 

Alexia's Guide to Holiday Book Giving ~ 2020!

 Book Promo: shouting/beaming/gushing about your newly 

(or not so newly) released book in order to get people to know about it! 

I’m not going turn into a claymation wiseman and burst into song—I’ll save that torture for my sweet family—but we’ll see how I feel about promo-ing my own book come summer 2021 when THE MARS STRAIN releases on audio! 

What I am going to share with you today is a peek at my recent library haul that also doubles as a Guide To Holiday Book Giving! 

I had 19 books on hold for me—19! I either really impressed or shocked my local librarian…I’ll go with impressed. But hey, winter is coming to Minnesota and that means I must be stocked at all times. And now I know which books are going on my wish list! 

So, if you're looking for a book gift for someone check out these recs (genre is in bold and links to Goodreads for easy browsing). Enjoy!

THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS by Chloe Gong is a Historical Fantasy that gives the classic Romeo and Juliet new life! The writing grips you from the very beginning and fills you with the character’s hate, love, and loyalty. I absolutely MUST own a hardcover copy of this book! 

DECEPTION BY GASLIGHT by Kate Belli is a Historical Murder Mystery with a twist on Robin Hood in the Gilded Age. Intrigued? You should be, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough for these two sleuths to solve the murder!!

MURDER ON COLD STREET by Sherry Thomas is book five in the Lady Sherlock series which are Historical Mysteries. I adore Charlotte Holmes and can't get enough of this brilliant, quirky character. If you enjoy Sherlock spins, you'll love these—though these really should be read in order.

MISTLETOE & MR. RIGHT by Sarah Morgenthaler is a perfect, quirky, funny, Contemporary Romance set in Alaska. Her writing makes you feel as if you're in the middle of nowhere gorgeousness and only waiting for a Growly Bear drink to appear in your hand. If you/your loved one need a laugh and some Christmas romance—this is it!

A RITCHIE BOY by Linda Kass is a WWII Historical Fiction based on the group of young men, mostly Jewish German-speaking immigrants, who were sent undercover to aid the Allies. An uplifting story about these selfless young men.

THE HEIR AFFAIR by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan is pure, Chick Lit fun. If you're looking for a little drama, love, backstabbing to take your mind off the same four walls you've likely been staring at for the past eight months—read this series.

WHERE DREAMS DESCEND by Janella Angeles is YA Fantasy that mashes up The Phantom of the Opera and Moulin Rouge with loads of magic! If any of that hits a high note with you—go buy this book! This is another MUST add to my personal library.

BROKEN WISH by Julie C. Dao is a YA Historical Fantasy—that's right, all that thrown into one glorious book! Magical powers, a Witch of the Wood, and in Dao's own words: a dark fractured fairy tale. Dao has quickly become one of my go-to authors as her writing never fails to transport me. The cover is beautiful, the words inside even better, which means—it's a must buy!

STARTING AND SAVING SEEDS by Julie Thompson-Adolf is my only Nonfiction rec, but it's a Gardening rec! If you or your loved one is in to growing things—and it's possible to be in to growing things and still not be great at it BTW—I've found this little gem full of helpful tips! 

Honorable Mention 

(because I didn't have the book handy to add in the picture

—but is great nonetheless!)

A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A. Brown is a YA Fantasy based on mythology. Brown's writing brought her West African mythology inspired world to life! So, so good and a high recommendation if YA fantasy is your thing.

Science Fiction—sci-fi thrillers are noticeably absent from my list this year. Can anyone help a girl out? Got any SF gift suggestions?