My book recommendations for March 

Small Gods of Calamity by Sam Kyung Yoo (March 4) is just 144 pages long.

Kim Han-Gil, the novel’s protagonist and a spirit detective with the Jongro Police Department, is investigating a string of suicides. Kim suspects a spirit that no one believes exists, a spirit that claimed his mother’s life when he was young. The spirit in question has returned and taken control of a young woman, using her body to dispose of everyone who wronged her.

Despite its short length, early reviews have commended the novella’s pacing. The Hidden Queen by Peter V Brett (March 5) is the second novel in the ‘Nightfall Saga.’

Humanity fought demonkind and thought it had won. But reports claim that The Spear of Ala, the fortress at the gates of the demon hive, may have fallen. Olive has no interest in embracing her father’s legacy. However, Ahmann Jardir’s blood flows through her veins, and she is destined to lead the fight against demonkind.

Meanwhile, Darin Bales is on a mission to save his mother from the clutches of the demon king. His supernatural senses may prove invaluable to Olive’s quest. If you are familiar with Brett’s previous work, The Hidden Queen is set 15 years after book 5 of The Demon Cycle.

Those Beyond The Wall by Micaiah Johnson (March 12) is set in the same universe as The Space Between Worlds, the author’s debut novel. But the protagonist is different; so, you can’t call it a sequel. Some reviewers think the book is comparable to its predecessor in quality.

Others think Johnson’s attempts at tackling real-world issues within a sci-fi setting are clunky and lacking in subtlety. Scales, the protagonist, is an enforcer who maintains order in the desert town of Ashtown. When mutilated bodies are discovered in Ashtown and the wealthier Wiley City, Scales joins forces with an infuriating by-the-books partner and a brilliant scientist to find an invisible killer.

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene (March 12) is adult/fantasy/romance and the first book in the ‘Fair Folk’ series. Set in a world where magic was lost, Fia is a rare creature, a changeling of fae blood left behind when the wicked Fair Folk kidnapped the High Queen’s daughter and went into hiding.

Even though others despised her fae blood, the queen raised Fia as a daughter and trained her as a spy. Meanwhile, Princess Eala was cursed and forced to spend her days as a swan. Fia’s opportunity to right the wrongs of her kind finally came when she was tasked with sneaking through a hidden gate to retrieve Eala.

But then Fia complicated matters by developing romantic feelings for Prince Rogan, her partner, and Eala’s betrothed. Some reviewers have praised this book for the author’s lyrical style. Others have dismissed it as “smut” and “saerie porn”. Empire Of The Damned by Jay Kristoff (March 12) is the sequel to the insanely popular ‘Empire of the Vampire.’

Empire of the Damned is adult fiction, and it endeavors to solve the mysteries and reveal the secrets first hinted at in book one. Gabriel de Leon is back. He saved the Holy Grail, but the endless night continued. Gabriel will join forces with a mysterious vampire and navigate the Blood Dyvok/ Duskdancers conflict while fighting to stay ahead of the Blood Voss.

Book one glued the reader to Gabriel’s POV. Book two adds his sister Celene’s perspective to the mix. The Siege Of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed (March 12) is a sci-fi fantasy novel set in a world where two Empires (Varkal and Med’ariz) have always been at war. Alefret was following his conscience when he created Varkal’s pacifist resistance.

His government rewarded him by locking Alefret in a secret prison and torturing him. Now, he has a chance at freedom, but only if he infiltrates Med’ariz’s flying cities and provokes an uprising.
Happy reading!

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