The Literary Lucy

I don't know if I would call this a sequel but it is set in the same universe as Doughnut and When It's A Jar so it's definitely related. Benny just wanted to take a break from studying for exams by escaping into YouSpace for a while.  Unfortunately, he has lost his doughnut and is trapped as Prince Florizel in a world that is falling apart.  The Wizard who controls everything has been outsourcing all the magical labor for his own ends to different dimensions which has begun a ripple effect towards destabilizing the entire plane.  Now, Florizel and his reluctant subjects Buttercup, a Red-Riding-Hood sick to death of having to kill talking wolves everyday, and Turquine, a knight suddenly curious about the increase in dragons and what that means for his union, must confront the Outsourcerer once and for all. Tom Holt is probably the next spiritual successor to Terry Pratchett in terms of humor.  This series blends quantum mechanics, macroeconomics, and fantasy ...

This is book three of the Pax Arcana series, following Charming and Daring .   Ex-Knight and current werewolf John Charming is called on by his old flame, the valkyrie Sig, to help protect a young man named Kevin Kichida.  Kevin has been targeted by an ancient sorcerer to be used in a blood rite and John must locate and defeat the sorcerer before that happens.  To do so, he and Sig must enter a kind of magical creatures fight club to get the sorcerer's attention. I love these books and I was really glad to find that it's an on-going series with at least two more entries already.  This one explores a lot of Japanese supernatural entities, some of whom may be familiar (the kitsune) and some not (yuki-onna).  As usual, the deeper theme of "family is something you choose" runs through the book.  Charming has spent most of his life abused and running away from those he was told were his family and his traumas influence his current relationships. ...

Do you like modern interpretations of fairy tales?  Do you like deconstructions of fairy tales?  How about examinations of art and family?  I have the book for you! Imogen and Marin grew up with an abusive and controlling mother.  Both went on to distinguish themselves in the world of art; Imogen as a writer and Marin a dancer.  Both are accepted to a prestigious artists' retreat called Melete to be mentored by some of the greatest practitioners of their respective crafts.  At first it seems like a fantasy, a dream come true.  But the longer they are at Melete, the more strange and otherworldly things become and the escape the sisters are looking for is revealed to have a dangerous price tag. At times, Kat Howard mimics the style of fairy tales so exactly it almost drowns the prose of the overarching story.  But instead of being melodramatic and affected, it feels immersive and intimate, like someone is reading the story to you. ...