Jenn Lyons lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, three cats, and a lot of opinions on anything from the Sumerian creation myths to the correct way to make a martini. At various points in her life, she has wanted to be an archaeologist, anthropologist, architect, diamond cutter, fashion illustrator, graphic designer, or Batman. Turning from such obvious trades, she is now a video game producer by day, and spends her evenings writing science fiction and fantasy. When not writing, she can be founding debating the Oxford comma and Joss Whedon’s oeuvre at various local coffee shops.
An Accident of Dragons (2026) (Tales of Summer, book 1) Cheri Radke "Radke writes with precision and empathy, tracing a history of grief and love with exquisite care. The protagonist is wonderfully flawed, resilient, and deeply human, and I especially appreciated how Radke flirted with tropes but always did something unexpected with them. And, of course, the dragons are wonderful!"
The West Passage (2024) Jared Pechaček "Underneath The West Passage's pretty exterior is an utterly strange and alien landscape that is captivating, capricious, and full of dark places. Endlessly fascinating, beautifully written, and sublimely weird."
How to Become the Dark Lord (and Die Trying) (2024) (Dark Lord Davi, book 1) Django Wexler "Wickedly sharp, funny, and raunchy. Wexler delights in punching holes in the beloved cliches of fantasy, and I adore this. If you ever thought: if I was the villain, I'd actually be smart about things, then this is the book for you."
Someone You Can Build a Nest In (2024) John Wiswell "It is perhaps a little weird to say that a book with as much body horror as this has would also be warm, cozy, and sweet, but that's perhaps appropriate: it's a weird book. I mean that in the most positive way possible. Wiswell has crafted a story in which the monsters aren't nearly as terrible as the humans who are both their hunters and their prey, and yet Shesheshen is also unapologetically monstrous. I've never seen anyone pull that off with a fraction of the skill shown here. Besides being a masterful inversion of fantasy monster-slaying tropes, this is a fantastic examination of what it means to be family, and how that trust can be horrifically misused."
A Taste of Gold and Iron (2022) (Taste of Gold and Iron, book 1) Alexandra Rowland "Witty, clever, and often extremely funny, Rowland's tale of a prince who doesn't want power but has it anyway - and must survive all the risks that brings with it - somehow manages to be both soft and hard-edged, clever and kind. And sexy! Very much that too."
A Marvellous Light (2021) (Last Binding, book 1) Freya Marske "That sublime prose! Her astonishing gift for imagery! And, of course, her bountiful and endless talent for writing some extremely sexy scenes. A Marvellous Light is all that and more. Perfect."
Light From Uncommon Stars (2021) Ryka Aoki "Ryka Aoki's prose is sublime, the emotional connections she makes are like sparkling jewels, and I wanted to give every one of her characters hugs. Light From Uncommon Stars is fantastic, beautiful, and deeply, profoundly moving."
Son of the Storm (2021) (Nameless Republic , book 1) Suyi Davies Okungbowa "Everything I love to see in a fantasy story: masterful, fully-realised worldbuilding, morally complex characters, thoughtful and piercing interrogations of power, privilege, and all the facets of human nature. Damn good stuff!"
The Unconquered City (2020) (Chronicles of Ghadid, book 3) K A Doore "Phenomenal! Fast-paced, brutal, and fantastic in every sense of the word."
Mexican Gothic (2020) Silvia Moreno-Garcia "Lovely . . . reminded me of the old Mary Stewart romance mysteries mixed with a healthy dose of Lovecraftian horror. Moreno-Garcia is a master."
The Unspoken Name (2020) (Serpent Gates, book 1) A K Larkwood "What a glorious book! Richly detailed, enthralling, and extraordinary, with brilliant nods to such luminaries as Ursula K. Le Guin and Diana Wynne Jones . . . Fabulous, in every meaning of the word."
Miranda in Milan (2019) Katharine Duckett "If you love Shakespeare as much as I do, reading something like Miranda in Milan is a pure delight. Even more so when written by someone as brilliant as Katharine Duckett. (This is good. Really good.)"
