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Tag: fantasy series

  • Brave The Treacherous Roads Of Lucia Damisa’s A Winter Of White Ash

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    We’re so back! If you’ve been following THP’s book team for the past year, then you’ll recognize this incredible West African-inspired historical fantasy series by Lucia Damisa. We just finished reading book two of the series, A Winter of White Ash, and can’t wait for you to see what’s in store!

    If you thought we had an adventure in the first book, A Desert of Bleeding Sand, then be prepared for so much more action and angst in the sequel! Zair and Dathan travel across the seas to faraway kingdoms in the hopes of forming alliances in the war against Albion and the wraiths.

    A Winter of White Ash is a bit of a longer read, but we think it was absolutely worth it! Here are three things we love about the sequel to Lucia Damisa’s A Desert of Bleeding Sand series!

    A Winter of White Ash by Lucia Damisa
    Image Source: Darkan Press

    Book Overview: A Winter Of White Ash

    Content warnings: murder, death, graphic violence, serious injury, gore, torture, slavery, racism, PTSD, forced captivity, attempted rape and sexual assault, bodies, decapitation, human bones, skulls, poisoning, warfare, terrorism, vomit, and weapons (Please read at your discretion!)

    Summary: My kingdom, Thalesai, stands at the edge of a great war as the king of the darkness steers his forces against us. Within our own borders, a rebellion simmers as tribes threaten to split and rulers start to take sides, leaving the wounds the kingdom suffered at the coronation still open and bleeding.

    Dathan and I are no longer aligned.

    He’s been sent across the sea on a mission shrouded in secrecy, tasked with stealing fragments of an ancient weapon lost to myth.

    And me? The Commandant has given me orders that place me directly in his path. Once again, we’re rivals—our missions at odds. And yet…how do I stop a man who once fought by my side? Whose touch still lingers like fire on my skin? How do I stay cold when our hearts burn for more?

    The World-Building Expands

    With a total of five books in the series, we knew that A Winter of White Ash would share the bulk of expanding the world that was set up in book one. Zair and Dathan travel outside of their homes in Thalesai to Dahomey and Sariq. On the surface, they attempt to form military alliances in the impending war against Albion. But Zair and Dathan must also carry out covert operations under the Queen and King’s orders, respectively. There are new players in this war now. As such, we even get an added perspective, someone whose role and even timeline has not been fully revealed.

    Zair & Dathan’s Push-Pull Romance

    Oh, Zair and Dathan, our beloved main characters! They pushed and pulled on our heartstrings so much in A Winter of White Ash. Their whirlwind engagement paired with their increasingly strong yet conflicting feelings for each other had us in a chokehold. Zair’s Esan traits are ostracized by other tribes and make her unwilling to ruin Dathan’s life if they married. Dathan wants nothing more than a life with Zair, but his loyalty to the king keeps him from letting her in. But as they both grow in this book, they find their way toward each other and a future together.

    An Ending That Changes Everything

    Whatever the future holds for Zair and Dathan, however, has been suspended until further notice after that cliffhanger ending. The last several chapters were fast-paced and volatile, blowing up everyone’s plans, including our own predictions. It’s the kind of chaos that we live for in fantasy novels, the kind that continues to raise our excitement for the books to come. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long for book three, which is due to release this March! We’re hoping it’s a bit kinder to our feelings and beloved characters, but we won’t be surprised if it’s not…

    Brimming with action, espionage, and a whole lot of angst, Lucia Damisa’s A Winter of White Ash absolutely blew us away. We’d risk the heartache just to read it all over again!

    A Winter of White Ash is on sale now, and you can order a copy of it here!

    What do you think of Lucia Damisa’s new sequel? Have you already read A Winter of White Ash? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter! You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LUCIA DAMISA:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Julie Dam

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  • THP’s Top 5 Fantasy & Romantasy Novels Of 2025

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    We at THP cannot fully believe how incredible this year has been with all new book and audiobook releases. Our reading list continues to grow month after month. But today, we wanted to take a moment to recognize our favorite fantasy and romantasy novels of this year.

    From a “why choose?” romantasy to a queer paranormal fantasy, there is something for everyone. Along the lines of diverse books and representation, we also got fantasies inspired by Ancient Egyptian mythology, Vietnamese folktales, Chinese folktales, and so many more!

    We won’t keep you waiting any longer. 2025 is almost done, and here are the top five fantasy and romantasy novels we’ve read this year.

    Content warning: The Honey POP encourages mindful reading and checking the author’s website for content warnings.

    The Never List By Jade Presley

    Image Source: Entangled Publishing

    Starting off our roundup of top 2025 romantasy novels is Jade Presley’s The Never List! It is absolutely the spiciest book on this list and features a reverse harem, “why choose?” romance between Rylee Gray and the four immortal princes of Lumathyst. We loved this romantasy so much that we felt inspired to make a character quiz matching you with your ideal love interest. Between Kal, Axl, Pierce, and Jax, we can understand why Rylee didn’t want to choose!

    Order The Never List here!

    Content warnings: sexual harassment, death, torture, violence, mentions of family member deaths, disappearance of a loved one, sexually explicit scenes with one or multiple consenting partners

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JADE PRESLEY:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

    Love At Second Sight By F.T. Lukens

    Love at Second Sight by F.T. Lukens
    Image Source: Simon & Schuster

    Our next favorite fantasy novel is F. T. Lukens’ Love at Second Sight! It’s part supernatural fantasy and part mystery. With a diverse cast and a queer romance at its core, we ate this book up. F.T. Lukens’ latest novel follows Cam Reynolds, a clairvoyant teen whose first glimpse shows a girl on the verge of death. He and his chaotic, paranormal friend group set out to rescue her and find the perpetrator before they’re too late. Cam faces not only a potential murderer, but also shocking betrayals and his parents’ prejudice.

    Order Love at Second Sight here!

    Content warnings: violence, blood, serious injury, racism, vomiting, forced captivity, hospitalization

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT F.T. LUKENS:
    INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

    His Face Is The Sun By Michelle Jabès Corpora

    His Face is the Sun by Michelle Jabes Corpora
    Image Source: Sourcebooks

    This next novel is a series starter for an epic fantasy trilogy inspired by Ancient Egypt called the Throne of Khetara. We would argue that His Face is the Sun by Michelle Jabès Corpora is one of the best fantasies we’ve read since THP’s book team started! It’s got multiple points of view between four key players who are fated to fulfill a dark and ancient prophecy: Princess Sita, the priestess Neff, a rebel named Rae, and a thief named Karim. The author does a beautiful job of weaving their tales together, and we cannot recommend it enough!

    Order His Face is the Sun here!

    Content warnings: deaths of loved ones, murder, decapitation, graphic violence and gore, corpses, animal violence, human bones and skulls, childbirth, serious injury, poisoning, vomiting, drinking, hunting, weapons

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MICHELLE JABÈS CORPORA:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

    The Lost Queen By Aimee Phan

    The Lost Queen by Aimee Phan
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    It wouldn’t be a list of our top five fantasy novels of 2025 without a diverse fantasy on it! Aimee Phan’s The Lost Queen is a Vietnamese-inspired fantasy blended with a contemporary coming-of-age story. When social outcast Jolie Lam befriends Huong Pham, the most popular girl in school, her entire world changes. With reincarnation, dream realms, magical dragons, and a heroic tale of two sisters, The Lost Queen is everything we’ve been waiting for. And the best part is that it’s only the first part of a duology!

    Order The Lost Queen here!

    Content warnings: deaths of family members, suicide, violence, slight gore, bullying, cyber bullying, warfare, weapons, vomiting, natural disaster, plague

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AIMEE PHAN:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | WEBSITE

    A Forgery Of Fate By Elizabeth Lim

    A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    To round out our top five 2025 fantasy and romantasy novels, we have A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim! This romantic fantasy draws inspiration from classic fairytales like “Beauty and the Beast,” along with Chinese folktales like “The Magic Paintbrush.” A Forgery of Fate tells the story of Tru, a quick-witted girl with the ability to paint prophecies. She enters a marriage contract with Elang, a dragon prince who needs her help overthrowing the Dragon King. They travel between the mortal and dragon realms, revealing family secrets and fated encounters that we live for!

    Order A Forgery of Fate here!

    Content warnings: blood, violence, animal death, animal violence, forced captivity, serious injury

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ELIZABETH LIM:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

    Did your favorite 2025 fantasy and romantasy novel make the list? What are some of your top picks? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    Want to hear some of our audiobook recommendations? Here’s the latest!

    Need some more book recs? We got them!

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    Julie Dam

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  • Immortal Dark: Eternal Ruin – A Vampire Saga Worth The Haunting?

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    Book Overview: Immortal Dark: Eternal Ruin

    Content Warnings: violence, gore, dark themes, strong language

    Summary: Like all ruinous things, he came from the abyss.
     
    Kidan Adane has finally embraced her darkness. She’s killed without remorse, lied, and broken Uxlay University’s most sacred law by inviting elusive rogue vampires, the Nefrasi, into Uxlay.
     
    Trapped with a violently unstable vampire and reeling from her sister’s return, Kidan wields her anger like a weapon. She vows to master her house and protect the sacred artifact hidden inside, even if it means forging an alliance with the depraved leader of the Nefrasi, Samson Sagad–and betraying Susenyos.

     
    A dangerous new philosophical text seems to hold the answers and promises the very thing Kidan has lost: control. Even as the dark pages consume her, Kidan knows no soul at Uxlay is trustworthy—least of all Susenyos. For Kidan and Susenyos, the lines of loathing and attraction may blur, but the quest for power rules them both. And neither is willing to surrender.
     
    As devastating secrets resurface from the past, Kidan and her sister, June, must finally confront each other and take their rightful places in the looming war.

    Image Source: Courtesy of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

    Kidan’s Journey Into Darkness

    Kidan Adane is not the same eager student from before. In Eternal Ruin, she’s taken the helm of her own fate, and it feels electric. Imagine your favorite character leveling up into a darker version you still root for. From page one, the stakes are sky high as Kidan grapples with new powers and old mistakes. She’s killed without remorse and now faces the fallout. Every choice she makes clangs like a warning bell: will she save her world or watch it burn? You can practically feel the tension seep off the page.

    Vampires, Villains, And Wild Alliances

    Think vampire drama only happens in ancient castles? Think again. The Nefrasi vampire clan, led by the volatile Samson Sagad, crashes the party in a way that feels fresh and dangerous. This isn’t a typical fangs and moons story. Samson is dangerously charming in a twisted way, making you think “uh oh, here we go” on every page. Kidan has to make a deal with this wild card, which leads to backstabbing feints and power plays worthy of the coolest supernatural TV series. One moment, Kidan’s enemy Susenyos is on her side; the next, she’s out for blood. The tension is so thick you’ll want to rewash your hands!

    Love, Hate, And Everything In Between

    Okay, we all love a little romantic chaos, right? The chemistry between Kidan and Susenyos is a magnetic tug-of-war. These two swing from savage arguments to sizzling looks faster than you can say “vampire kiss.” It’s like their hearts and hate grow stronger with every chapter. Imagine your favorite Romeo and Juliet in a supernatural hustle: one minute they’re trading flame sparks, the next they’re leaning in for a fight or a kiss, and honestly, you’re here for it! Every twist is messy and affectionate without ever feeling syrupy; perfect for fans of slow burn enemies to lovers.

    Sister Spells And Savage Secrets

    Grab your tissue box, because family feuds get epic here. Kidan’s sister June returns with a bang, and their sibling bond is as twisted as it is tender. Think of it like a heated family game night gone wild: every move could hurt or heal. No spoilers, but secrets from Kidan and June’s past are leaking out, and it adds layers of suspense. There’s betrayal at the dinner table and then some. These sisters fight like hell and care like hell, and watching that pull between them is intense!

    Magic, Mayhem, And Ancient Mysteries

    If you like lore and hidden puzzles, you’re in luck. Uxlay University isn’t just a school; it’s practically a haunted mansion full of secrets. A creepy old philosophical text holds clues to Kidan’s lost control; imagine unlocking a secret app on your phone you didn’t know existed. Every chapter has something uncanny: a corridor that shouldn’t exist, a midnight monster hunt, or an artifact with a mind of its own. Reading this feels like stealing a flashlight to sneak through an old library… deliciously eerie yet oddly comforting.

    Why We Can’t Stop Turning Pages

    Finally, why does this book wring out our souls and leave them begging for more? Picture finishing your favorite late-night series on an absolute cliffhanger. Each chapter of Eternal Ruin makes you gasp, then flips the scene before you can catch your breath. The pacing is wild but controlled, driven by Kidan’s raw grit and determination. It’s polished in writing but feels chatty and urgent like a friend texting, “Wait, what happens next?!” You’ll stay glued to the pages with your heart in your throat. By the time the final scene ends, you’re salivating for the next book!

    In the shadows of Uxlay, Kidan’s journey becomes a wild ride through darkness and light.

    What are your thoughts on Immortal Dark: Eternal Ruin? You can get a copy here if you don’t have one already! Let us know all your thoughts in the comments below or over on TwitterInstagram, or Facebook!

    Want more book reviews? Check out our library!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TIGEST GIRMA:
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    Asia M.

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  • Book Review: Of Jade And Dragons By Amber Chen

    Book Review: Of Jade And Dragons By Amber Chen

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    On behalf of YA fantasy lovers everywhere, we are getting fed this year! We’ve gotten sequels like Sound the Gong and Blood & Fury, along with conclusions to trilogies like All This Twisted Glory and Burning Crowns. And today, we’re reviewing a YA fantasy series starter: Of Jade and Dragons, Amber Chen’s debut novel.

    Inspired by Qing Dynasty China, Of Jade and Dragons follows Aihui Ying, a girl who’s determined to find her father’s killer and avenge him. She disguises herself as her brother to infiltrate the Engineers Guild and even makes an unlikely ally of Aogiya Ye-yang, the eighth prince.

    Of Jade and Dragons is the first book of the Fall of the Dragon duology. Let’s just say we’re already eager to get our hands on the second book! But we’re willing to wait as long as it takes to see the conclusion to Ying and Ye-yang’s story. So until that time comes, we’ll share three of our favorite things about Amber Chen’s Of Jade and Dragons!

    Cover: Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen
    Image Source: Penguin Random House

    Book Overview: Of Jade And Dragons

    Content Warnings: parental death, murder, violence, blood, mentions of war, descriptions of weapons of war, misogyny as is typical of a society entrenched in patriarchy

    Summary: Eighteen-year-old Aihui Ying dreams of becoming a world-class engineer like her father, but after his sudden murder, her life falls apart. Left with only a journal of her father’s engineering secrets and a jade pendant snatched from the assassin, a heartbroken Ying follows the trail to the capital and the prestigious Engineers Guild—a place that harbors her father’s hidden past—determined to discover why anyone would threaten a man who ultimately chose a quiet life over fame and fortune. 

    Disguised as her brother, Ying manages to infiltrate the guild’s male-only apprenticeship trial with the help of an unlikely ally—Aogiya Ye-yang, the taciturn eighth prince of the High Command. With her father’s renown placing a target firmly on her back, Ying must stay one step ahead of her fellow competitors, the jealous guild masters, and the killer still hunting for her father’s journal. Complicating everything is her increasingly tangled relationship with the prince, who may have mysterious plans of his own. 

    The secrets concealed within the guild can be as deadly as the weapons they build—and with her life and the future of her homeland at stake, Ying doesn’t know who to trust. Can she avenge her father even if it means going against everything he stood for, or will she be next in the mastermind’s line of fire?

    C-Drama Vibes

    Part of our love of fantasy comes from our love of Chinese historical and fantasy dramas! And we can easily imagine Of Jade and Dragons as an action-packed C-Drama with plenty of palace intrigue. With the question of the High Commander’s heir apparent still undecided, all the princes must prove their worth. It even played like a TV show in our heads as we were reading. We can’t get enough of this book, and the writing fully immersed us in the story.

    Ying’s Courage

    There’s no denying that Ying has main character energy. She’s willing to bet her life by disguising herself as a boy in order to gain access to the Engineers Guild. Everything will be worth it, as long as she can find her father’s killer and take revenge. Granted, Ying completely goes against her father’s dying wishes to get here. But she barrels her way through the training and tests, surrounded by people who stop at nothing to bring her down. Ultimately, the cost of revenge may have been worth more than she expected.

    Good Ol’ Angst

    We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: we don’t want to make ourselves sad or frustrated all the time. But it’s hard to believe with all the angst we’ve read this year. The plot twists with Ye-yang’s true political role and arranged marriage had us punching the air. Ying and Ye-yang have crossed too many lines not to be fated together. Of course, everything is much easier said than done when the love interest is 1) royalty and 2) most favored to be the next ruler. We won’t give up on them yet!

    With an intricately woven plot and an ill-fated entanglement, Amber Chen’s Of Jade and Dragons has the makings of one of our favorite YA fantasy series openers yet!

    Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen releases June 18th, and you can preorder a copy of it here!

    What do you think of Amber Chen’s Of Jade and Dragons from our review? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AMBER CHEN:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

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    Julie Dam

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