Karin Lowachee’s worlds are immersive and visceral, every detail laid perfectly. The force of her prose and her characters leaves an impression that never fades.
This book is #3 in The Crowns of Ishia series which should be read in order. Start with THE MOUNTAIN CROWN. Also, check out this author Q&A about the series.
A COVENANT OF ICE
by Karin Lowachee
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Karin Lowachee’s website
Exceptional characters and world-building, with backstory gently woven in and a pulse of tension starting on page one. I love how Karin Lowachee’s writing is so simple yet powerful, with not one wasted or extraneous word, and never does the writing get in its own way.
Oh, and did I mention dragons?
This is my favorite read of 2024, and I can’t wait for the sequel.
THE MOUNTAIN CROWN
by Karin Lowachee
(Book two, The Desert Talon, coming February 2025!)
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Karin Lowachee’s website
I’m a bit obsessed with this mysterious, emotional, and deeply plotted story, and the intense love stories within it. With these lovable realistic characters, and their sharp dialogue and light-hearted wit during tense and brutal situations. As many reviews point out, the beginning is confusing. At about the 20% mark I had to start over and reread everything. But I persevered, and it was so, so worth it. Bonus points for one of the best bad-boy love interests ever.
JELLICOE ROAD
by Melina Marchetta
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Melina Marchetta’s website
I loved everything about this dark and hopeful one-of-a-kind fairytale. It’s witty, exciting, and emotional. Sweet, but not too sweet. Twisted, but not over the line. Moves at a tight pace while allowing important moments for the characters to breathe. And oh, the characters. They were exceptional.
NETTLE & BONE
by T. Kingfisher
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | StoryGraph | T. Kingfisher’s website
Check out my book recommendations page on Shepherd, a new place to discover your favorite books.
Shepherd is a gold mine for book lovers. I got pleasantly lost perusing the “best books” lists and ended up with about fifty open browser tabs of books to check out. My TBR is now quite a bit longer, thanks to Shepherd.
Bookshelves are also a great place to find books. Here’s the Magic-Supernatural one to get you started.
I took a few liberties with my own book recommendations list. There isn’t exactly a romance in The Gaslight Dogs, and two of my picks are sci-fi, not fantasy. But what’s important is they all have that perfect blend of elements that make them 5-star reads. I hope you check them out and get lost among the great books on Shepherd just like I did. :)
Kay Camden 