Elric of Melniboné: The Elric Saga Part 1 by Michael Moorcock ★★☆☆☆

Poor Cymoril.  A practical noblewoman with the misfortune to fall in love with Eric - a skinny, asthmatic philosophy major addicted to a paranormal blend of meth and dark magic.  An albino prince completely unwilling to listen to reason.  

The stories are Eric getting into trouble for not listening to Cymoril.  Eric running away and proclaiming he misses and loves Cymoril - while impregnating Oone the Dream Thief.  Eric accidentally killing Cymoril, like she told him he would.  Eric destroying everything in sadness and then sleeping around some more.   

Sometimes classics let you down :(

The Key of Ahknaton by Graeme Rodaughan ★★★★★

If Chloe is your favorite character this one’s for you.  Even if she isn’t, prologue aside, this is the best book Graeme has written.   The factions, the surprises, the violence, the body count - good times.  

The Sky Is Yours by Chandler Klang Smith ★★★★☆

"From below, the dragon does not resemble a living thing. It is an oppression, a ceiling on the world." 

The Dragon's Den: The Metaframe War: Book 3 (Metaframe War #3) by Graeme Rodaughan ★★★★☆

"Violence will be my friend,” Anton uttered, a ferocious light behind his eyes." 

American Gods by Neil Gaiman ★★★☆☆

This was not a good choice for an audiobook; there were too many POV, time, and state of being shifts.

Still, this was a highly imaginative odd ball tale.  And long.  It was interesting to hear what Gaiman, an Englishman, viewed as American gods: Media, Planes, Cars, Cancer. Pretty sure London has similar conveniences/afflictions. 

Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) by Ilona Andrews ★★☆☆☆

“...surrounded by death on both sides, as if gliding through Armageddon.” 

This series has jumped the shark.

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4) by Ilona Andrews ★★★★☆

Kate is nearly as annoying as in Book One but that’s my sole complaint. This was another excellent action oriented story with sexy time, conflict, an epic battle and extraordinary resolution. 

Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3) by Ilona Andrews ★★★★☆

The first rule of the Beast Lord is no competing in the Kumite.

Magic Burns (Kate Daniels #2) by Ilona Andrews ★★★☆☆

Serious bad guys, well paced action, epic battles, and thickening plot - what’s not to love?

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews ★★★☆☆

“You’re not as funny as you think.” 
- Nick to Kate 

No Kate you really are not.

Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber ★★★☆☆

An ethnology professor specializing in primitive superstition stumbles upon his wife’s occult hobby. As Norman (for Normal?) loses his secular certainty his life unravels. 

A Traitor's War (Metaframe War #2) by Graeme Rodaughan ★★★★☆

“If you’re expecting a ‘gloat speech’ where I reveal the details of my plan to prove how superior I am... You’re talking with the wrong girl.” 

The Rook (The Checquy Files #1) by Daniel O'Malley ★★★★☆

“You think I'm in a daze because you're handsome, I'm in a daze because I could crush you."

- Myfanwy Thomas

The Gutter Prayer (The Black Iron Legacy #1) by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan ★★★★★

“Everything’s a weapon if you’re willing to use it...” 

- Carillon Thay 

ALL THE STARS!!!
George R.R. Martin without the rape. Brandon Sanderson without the extra five hundred pages of drudgery. 

Epic fantasy has a new king: Gareth Hanrahan. Bow down nerds. 

“We’re thieves,” says Cari, “call it a heist.” 

Spectre's Rest (The Brackenford Cycle #3) by Nick Moseley ★★★★★

I’ve called in a Code Black with the Custodians...'

‘What sort of response time can we expect?’ 
'They’re guaranteed to arrive two minutes after we’re all dead,’ said Oscar. 

Hangman's Pond (The Brackenford Cycle #2) by Nick Moseley ★★★★☆

Oscar shook his head. ‘No, Trev. The fact that you’re a bad person is what makes you a bad person.’ 

Location, Location, Damnation (The Brackenford Cycle #1) by Nick Moseley ★★★☆☆

“You wanted spooky, you got it,” said Trev, a little unkindly. 

The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1) by Brandon Sanderson ★★★★☆

Half of this book is endless warfare with ninja turtles over gems inside monstrous snails told from the POV of a slave with depression.

Grimoire of the Lamb (The Iron Druid Chronicles #0.4) by Kevin Hearne ★★★☆☆

Atticus is not a cat guy but he's decided to go against Bast and her minions (cats) who banned him from Egypt.

Now why would he go out of his way to piss off a goddess, I mean besides it being Tuesday?

The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente ★★★★★

"I belong in the refrigerator. Because the truth is, I’m just food for a superhero. He’ll eat up my death and get the energy he needs to become a legend."

These are the stories of the dead: women’s voices of the Marvel/DC universe forever silenced, because after all, it was never their story. 

Until now.