Tag: Books

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books personal reflection reading

MCD’s Most Anticipated Releases of 2020 (so far)

Because I like to include pretty pictures and a ton of links, I’m posting an expanded version of my February newsletter content – which will include the two giveaways I also just posted – on my blog. So for those of you who follow my blog and subscribe to my newsletter you’re getting some doubled content today, my apologies.

The links below lead to books on Amazon.com (simply replace the .com with .ca or .co.uk to find the book in your region). Also, most if not all of these books are available on all retailers, but linking to every store would take me hours, sorry!

MCD’s Most Anticipated Releases of 2020

(so far)

First, I need to mention a couple of books that just released because if I’d gotten this post written last week they would have still been on my preorder list!

Age of Deception (Firebird Chronicles 2) by T.A. White.

Intriguing world-building and driving plot! The first book in this space opera series (aka urban fantasy in space) is Rules of Redemption.

I also really enjoyed the first three books in T.A. White’s Broken Lands series (Pathfinder’s Way) (I haven’t read book four yet as it’s the beginning of a new story arc).

Alone in the Wild (City of the Lost 5) by Kelley Armstrong.

The next chapter in the City of the Lost series doesn’t release in Canada until February 11, so I haven’t gotten my hands on it yet but it’s available everywhere else. I’m a big, big fan of Kelley Armstrong’s work and absolutely adore the romance in this thrilling series.

MCD’S CURRENT PREORDERS

Releasing March 17. Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson 12) by Patricia Briggs.

I’ve just gotten all caught up on this urban fantasy series (Moon Called) via audiobook (likely my third full re-read) and pretty much love every single book!! I just need to re-read the Alpha and Omega series before March 17!

Releasing April 28. Starbreaker (Nightchaser 2) by Amanda Bouchet.

I really enjoyed the first book in this space opera series (Nightchaser) and am looking forward to the next. I also loved the author’s sexy, action-and magic-infused fantasy series, Kingmaker Chronicles (Promise of Fire).

Releasing May 5. Aurora Burning (Aurora Cycle 2) by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

I enjoyed the multiple POVs and the world-building in this YA space opera (Aurora Rising). Bonus: the book covers are outrageously gorgeous.

The authors’ The Illuminae Files (Illuminae) made my favorites list in 2019.

Releasing May 19. Chaos Reigning (Consortium Rebellion 3) by Jessie Mihalik.

Each book in this sexy, sexy, intriguing space opera series (Polaris Rising) is written from the POV of one of three exceedingly accomplished but very different sisters. Book 1 and 2 made my Best of 2019 list and I can’t wait to read book 3!!

Releasing July 28. Spells for the Dead (Soulwood 5) by Faith Hunter.

I’m a massive fan of everything Ms. Hunter writes. This is an offshoot of her Jane Yellowrock series (Skinwalker) and I thought it was going to take me a while to fall in love with the characters (I was never a fan of Rick’s) but I fell for Nell pretty quickly in book one, Blood of the Earth.

Releasing August 25. Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy 5) by Ilona Andrews.

ALL THE ANTICIPATION!! August is far too far away. I adore everything these authors write!! The first book in this action-filled, dreadfully sexy urban fantasy is Burn for Me.

What are your most anticipated releases of 2020? Comment below and let me know. I will most definitely be adding to my preorders steadily throughout the year!

Click here for A Completely Incomplete List of MCD’s Favourite Books.

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inspiration personal reflection writing

A completely incomplete list of MCD’s favourite books

[updated: January 2026]

I often get asked about my favourite books/series/authors, specifically in the urban fantasy and why choose genres. And since I find myself repeating myself a lot – I’m a rather loyal reader – I thought I’d start a list here, then add to it as it becomes necessary.

To make it easier on myself, the links below lead to book one of the series on Amazon.com (simply replace the .com with .ca or .co.uk to find the book in your region). FYI these are affiliate links. I reinvest any $$ I make into paperback (etc) giveaways.

Favourite authors

Authors who I preorder the instant I know they have a new book coming, and who I reread.

Ilona Andrews – Kate Daniels (Magic Bites), Hidden Legacy (Burn For Me), and my favourite (by a terribly slim margin), The Innkeeper Chronicles (Clean Sweep).

Patricia Briggs – Mercy Thompson (Moon Called) and Alpha & Omega (Cry Wolf).

Faith Hunter – Jane Yellowrock (Skinwalker) and Soulwood (Blood of the Earth).

Kelley Armstrong – my current favourite is the Casey Duncan thrillers (City of the Lost), but also any of her Otherworld novels, including the YA offshoots, starting with Bitten. Kelley gets bonus points for being a fellow Canadian. 😀

Hailey Edwards – I loved her Foundling series (Bayou Born). Also her Beginners Guide to Necromancy (How to Save an Undead Life) and her newest series, Black Hat Bureau (Black Hat, White Witch).

Tracy Deonn. Her Legendborn Cycle (Legendborn) is actually life-altering. I can’t wait for the next book!

Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’m absolutely in love with her The Inheritance Games series but I have now read her entire backlist.

Tijan – yep, contemporary romance! Best known for her Fallen Crest Series, my favs are Anti-Hero, Teardrop Shot, and Anti-Stepbrother.

Kathryn Moon – Omegaverse and Monster Romance. Auto buy author alert! Baby & the Late Night Howlers (Sweet Omegaverse 1), Lola & the Millionaires (Part One), Monster Smash Agency. Sexy, Why Choose, with bites, knots, and a plot! Fun, Fun!

Favourite series

Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

The Psy/Changeling Series (Slave to Sensation) by Nalini Singh. I was late picking up my first Nalini Singh book (Why? Such a terrible oversight on my part!) but I’m now all caught up! I’ve reread Mine to Possess, Kiss of Snow, Heart of Obsidian, and Shield of Winter multiple times. And loved all of the off-shoot series. I’m also a fan of her Guild Hunter Series (Angel’s Blood).

Sookie Stackhouse (Dead Until Dark) by Charlaine Harris – one of my first entry points into ‘modern’ urban fantasy. I recently picked up her Gunnie Rose Series (An Easy Death) and absolutely adored it.

Kalayna Price – Alex Craft (Grave Witch).

InCrypid Series (Discount Armageddon)[ongoing] and October Daye (Rosemary and Rue)[ongoing] by Seanan McGuire. Seanan also writes as Mira Grant, and I LOVED her Newsflesh Series (Feed).

Terry Pratchett – any Discworld book with witches in the lead POV with Wintersmith being my favourite. I own but find myself unable to read, The Shepherd’s Crown, which was published after Terry passed away. I got to a certain plot point, lost it, and had to put the book away so I could continue to function in my everyday life.

The Scholomance (A Deadly Education) by Naomi Novik. Loved! I reread, bought the audiobook, and I instantly preordered book two. Then I read that and instantly preordered book three! Big fan.

The Legend of All Wolves (The Last Wolf) by Marie Vale. Love this very different take on werewolves/magic/etc. The first and the fourth book are my favs. Sexy, emotional reads.

The Guild Codex: Demonized (Taming Demons for Beginners) [complete] by Annette Marie. Fellow Canadian!

Space Opera/Sci-fi Romance

Mercenary Librarians (Deal with the Devil) by Kit Rocha.

The Firebird Chronicles (Rules of Redemption) by T.A. White [Ongoing series]. I’m obsessively in love with this space opera/sci-fi romance.

The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (Illuminae). Also their newest collaboration, The Aurora Cycle (Aurora Rising).

The Consortium Rebellion (Polaris Rising) by Jessie Mihalik. Also, I really enjoyed her newer sci-fi romance, Starlight’s Shadow (Hunt the Stars).

The Crownchasers duology (Crownchasers) [complete] by Rebecca Coffindaffer.

All three books in the Galactic Love series by Ann Aguirre. But the first book, Strange Love, had me in tears because I was laughing so hard. Also sexy! Sexy!

And, if I’m listing fun ‘alien’ romps, I’d be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention the epic Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon. Blue aliens, mating bonds, and seriously sexy times.

Romantasy/Fantasy Romance

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses) by Sarah J. Maas. I’m also enjoying her newer Crescent City series (House of Earth and Blood).

Kingmaker Chronicles (A Promise of Fire) by Amanda Bouchet.

Forgotten Empires (The Orchid Throne) by Jeffe Kennedy [completed trilogy]. And Bonds of Magic (Dark Wizard) [ongoing].

Gargoyle Queen (Capture the Crown) by Jennifer Estep. Romantasy. This is an offshoot of Jennifer’s Crown of Shards (Kill the Queen) series but I think it can also be read separately.

Favourite Why Choose/Reverse Harem/Omegaverse:

The two-volume, Pack Darling (Part One) by Lola Rock is a great omegaverse (knots, bites, Why Choose) as well.

Pack’s Companion (House of Omega) by Roxy Collins. Roxy is pretty much an audio buy author for me. Uber alphas, mixed packs, criminal underground/underpinnings.

The Bonds That Tie (Broken Bonds) by J Bree. This series totally sucks you in and keeps you guessing, full of sexy times (Why Choose!!), magic, enemies to lovers, and traumatic histories. I also enjoyed J Bree’s Hannaford Prep series (Just Drop Out).

WITSEC (Find Me) by Ashley N. Rostek. New adult, thriller, four brothers.

Rich Boys of Burberry Prep (Filthy Rich Boys) and Adamson All -Boys Academy (Secret Girl) by C.M. Stunich. New adult, YA. Academy, bully romance (light bullying b/c/ I’m not a fan otherwise).

Influential books/series/authors:

William Gibson – his sci-fi Sprawl Trilogy (Neuromancer). The character of Molly Millions has definitely influenced how I perceive/write/create my own superhero females. [Also the namesake of my chocolate Shar Pei). I’m also a big fan of Pattern Recognition (just adding that link makes me want to reread it).

Stephen King – favourites: The Talisman, The Stand, and more.

Jane Austin – Pride & Prejudice and more.

Anne Rice – all of her early books, starting with Interview with a Vampire (of course!! and probably goes without saying). But I also really enjoyed The Mummy.

More recent great reads:

Her Vicious Beasts (complete series) by Ep Bali. WhyChoose, Magical Academy, shifters, magic.

Clash of Claws (Shifter Guardian Academy 1) by Elizabeth Dear. Loved the first book, and have already preordered book 2!

Villains of Lore (Blood of Hercules) by Jasmine Mas. Totally unique take on Greek Mythology mixed with a dystopian backdrop. Why choose. Loved the second book as well. And the audiobooks!

The Blackened Blade by Isla Davon. Academy, mysterious past/powers, shifters. Ongoing series.

What are some of your favourite books and authors?

Categories
On My Desk Today publishing self-publishing writing

The proof is in the box

The paperback copies of Time Walker finally arrived. There will now be giveaways!

Time Walker paperbacksHappy, happy Monday!

Categories
publishing self-publishing writing

Good news/Bad news…

Good news! The paperback proof for Time Walker FINALLY showed up. It was printed AND shipped on December 21st,2012 – like SO last year!

Time Walker paperback proofGood news! I love the cover, front and back.

Bad news! There’s something wonky with the indents (they’re WAY too indented).

interior Time Walker proof #1Good news! It turned out to be an easy fix.

Bad news! I will now probably need to reformat the cover, because the book is eight pages shorter – GRRR!!!!! This will delay the paperback release further.

Good news, that means I can probably lower the price!!

 

 

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ebook excerpts publishing self-publishing writing

Time Walker – Chapter One

Happy Release Day for Time Walker!! Here is a sneak peek at the first chapter. Want more? The ebook is currently available on kindle and kobo, with iTunes, B&N and others soon to follow.

View this document on Scribd

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reviews writing

A review of Blackheath by Scott Fitzgerald Gray

Blackheath – An Elathien Solo Mystery by Scott Fitzgerald Gray & Quinn Hamilton

Synopsis (via Amazon): In the great Free City of Yewnyr, the Blackheath Refuge is home to the victims of the most powerful magic in the Elder Kingdoms — those wounded in body and mind by dark mana, ancient curses, and the hunger of the undead.

When an invisible killer is unleashed within the refuge, the brash investigator Elathien Solo must contend with indifferent authorities, a spurned lover, and a young patient’s terrible secret as she searches for the truth.

And even as a dark conspiracy of murder and madness unfolds around her, Elathien is forced to cope with the still-raw scars of the time she herself spent as a patient within Blackheath’s walls…

FOR MATURE READERS

My thoughts: I really liked this story. I find it has stuck with me the next day – this rarely happens for me – and I am looking forward to more instalments in the Elathien Solo Mystery series.

Caveats: I picked up this book on a day I was seriously under the weather. It took me about four chapters to get wrapped up in the story … I was struggling with vocabulary and the formal tone of the writing for a bit. The writers had me actually looking up words, including arcane, which I was pretty sure I knew the definition of (I did), and rereading bits of information at the beginning. But around chapter four I stopped doing so and just let the story unfold for me.

I came to really like the main character, Elathien — though I have no idea if I am pronouncing her name correctly in my head — she is brilliantly flawed (I love that in a character), fearless and fearful, powerful but restrained with that power (intriguingly so) with a dark, dark past.

I don’t think I have ever read this blend of genre before – a fantasy/mystery – but I quite enjoyed the meshing of the magical dark fantasy world with the more classic mysterious medical-facility plot structure.

The main mystery of the story was nicely interwoven with the mystery of Elathien’s past with just enough of an intersection between the two to keep it interesting but not overly contrived.

Also, I must say I did enjoy the extremely tasty (!!) SEX scenes, which are explicit, but not shockingly so.

I give it a solid 4 stars. You can currently find the ebook at Amazon for FREE, though I am not too sure for how long.

*Disclosure note: I know Scott Fitzgerald Gray. He edits my writing. I have no idea who Quinn Hamilton is, except he she (how about I do a little research before post, hey?) co-wrote this novel and I liked what I read.

——————————–

EXCERPT

Elathien was forced to take a step back as Nerani turned on her suddenly. A dark strength had worked its way through the girl, giving her the tone and disposition of a different person. The thought set Elathien on edge as she called up the cantrip of detection, the incantation barely a whisper.

“She knew all their names,” Nerani hissed, pushing closer. “She knew what they did, what they needed, how they lied. She wouldn’t have told, but their fear blinded them. Made them not believe her. So I felt how long it took her to fall. How her legs broke, her spine shattered when she struck the ground. I felt her bleed to death in the dark…”

There was no magic in her. No sign of the possession or enchantment that Elathien would have sworn she was seeing, no sign of Nerani’s thoughts or actions controlled by some outside force. With a sharp cry of pain, the girl pushed past her, stumbling toward the laboratory door.

Which was open now, Elathien saw.

The white light from the corridor beyond pushed up against the pale glow of Elathien’s spell-light, shimmering along a boundary like oil and water settling slowly against each other.

The door had been closed when Nerani stepped away from it. A thousand things could have explained it opening, from the most minor incantation to a loose latch and a breath of air from the corridor beyond. Elathien felt a chill twist through her all the same, rising from the base of her spine as Nerani turned to her.

“They killed Irandis,” the girl said. “You wanted to know.”

“What?” Elathien’s voice caught as she spoke. “I wanted to know what?”

“You wanted to know why I came here. To Blackheath.”

Nerani’s steps were steady as she made her way down the corridor, bare feet silent on the stone floor…

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On My Desk Today publishing self-publishing writing

In Today’s Mail: giveaway copies of After the Virus and Spirit Binder

This lovely (and large) box arrived in today’s mail. Oh, yes, those are 10 paperback copies of After The Virus and Spirit Binder. And yes, there will be giveaways.

I’ll keep you posted.

 

Categories
reviews writing

A review of We Can Be Heroes by Scott Fitzgerald Gray

Death and Friendship. 
Love and Gaming.
Mind and Machine.
The Meaning of Life.
High School Graduation.
The End of the World.
That Kind of Stuff.

A group of teens discovers that the online game they’ve been playing has serious, life-impacting consequences. While this tight knit group seems on the edge of unraveling at the beginning of the book, the author skillfully interweaves the plot of his action-packed, sci-fi thriller with an exploration of the relationships of his characters. At times, they hate each other as much as they care, but when faced with life and death, games, guns, and secret military organizations, they choose truth and love.

This is rather obviously my kind of book.

I hesitate to elaborate further because I don’t want to give too much away about the plot, which, though it starts slowly, ramps up into glorious action and heartwarming love story. By the midpoint, I was gobbling up the novel and turning the pages as quickly as I could read. By the end, I had tears in my eyes. Unreleased, but still tears.

Normally, I would quote some of my favourite lines when reviewing a good book, but in this case I feel the reader needs to discover this world as the author has presented it, beginning to end, and not in bite-sized pieces. With that said, I will at least hint at my absolute favourite line, which is the accumulation of a running motif. This motif is almost painstakingly set up by the author as a way to describe the feelings of his main character, who also happens to be the author himself. Yes, this is written as semi-autobiographical.

Crazy stuff happens. It can’t all possibly be true. You’ll have to read it to figure it out.

I’m going to read We Can Be Heroes again. And I very rarely reread. I give it a solid 4.5 stars. You can currently find the ebook at Amazon (click the book cover picture above). The paperback version would also soon be available.

*Disclosure note: I know Scott Fitzgerald Gray. He edits my writing. I should therefore be harder on him than other storytellers, just to get back at him for tearing my words apart. So perhaps I am. Perhaps I should have given We Can Be Heroes five stars. Man, sometimes I can be a meanie.

Categories
ebook publishing self-publishing writing

Around the Web Wednesday…

This is all over Facebook this morning and, therefore, the web in general, but I thought it worth repeating.

And you know what is super cool about books? You can read them on your computer or phone or new kindle’s (also announced today) – it doesn’t get much cooler than that! These are exciting times – I know I’m gushing but I am super in love with ebook technology!!

Ooooo, while you are at it, have you bought your copy of After The Virus yet? No? Click on some links – right there on the right hand side of the page – thank you much-ly!