Kelly Lasiter | Fantasy Literature: Fantasy and Science Fiction Book and Audiobook Reviews

Author: Kelly Lasiter

Bitter Night: An urban fantasy that takes a lot of risks

Bitter Night by Diana Pharaoh Francis

In Bitter Night, Diana Pharaoh Francis introduces an unusual urban-fantasy heroine. Max is a Shadowblade, a super-powered warrior bound to serve a witch and her coven. Enslaved against her will, Max has loathed Giselle, her witch, for decades. Yet she finds herself working alongside Giselle, and other unlikely allies, when the Guardians (gods) plan an attack on the human race and threaten to destroy any coven that won’t help them.

What I liked about Bitter Night: First of all,

November 6th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 3 | Diana Pharaoh Francis | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Queen of Song and Souls: A moving set-up novel

Queen of Song and Souls by C.L. Wilson

Queen of Song and Souls, the much-anticipated fourth book in C.L. Wilson’s Tairen Soul series, continues the story of Rain and Ellysetta’s quest to complete their bond and defeat the sinister Mages of Eld. In this volume, they attempt to enlist allies in their war against Eld.

First, this means a return to Celieria City. We learn more about the consequences of the weave Ellie inadvertently spun at the end of Lord of the Fading Lands;

October 28th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | C.L. Wilson | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |

Tainted: Gutsy

Tainted by Julie Kenner

The premise of Tainted is this: A young woman, Lily, is killed while carrying out vengeance against a rapist who attacked her sister. Lily is sure she’s going to hell for all the things she did in her short life, but instead she comes back from the dead…in someone else’s body. Her mission: to hunt demons for God. Her reward, if she succeeds, is redemption.

At first, I was reminded of a couple of other urban fantasy series. The wrong-body plotline and the theme of sisterly love reminded me a bit of Vicki Petterson’

October 27th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | Julie Kenner | SFF Reviews | no comments |

King of Sword and Sky: Can’t wait for the sequel!

King of Sword and Sky by C.L. Wilson

King of Sword and Sky is longer than either of the previous two Tairen Soul books, but for me, it breezed by so quickly, I could hardly believe it. King of Sword and Sky continues several plotlines from the earlier books, resolves a really huge one, and ends with a heck of a bang.

We follow Rain and Ellie as they travel to the Fading Lands, where they set out to prepare the Fey for war with the Eld and attempt to save the tairen from the mysterious decline they’ve been suffering.

October 23rd, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4.5 | C.L. Wilson | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Lady of Light and Shadows: Had me misting up

Lady of Light and Shadows by C.L. Wilson

Lady of Light and Shadows is the second volume in C.L. Wilson’s romantic fantasy epic, Tairen Soul. Like the previous novel, Lord of the Fading Lands, Lady of Light and Shadows is a fun guilty pleasure. Ellysetta and Rain may be a little over the top in terms of their powers, treading close to Mary Sue territory, but I’m enjoying the heck out of their story anyway.

October 16th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 4 | C.L. Wilson | SFF Reviews | no comments |

Ash: A promising and creative debut

Ash by Malinda Lo

Malinda Lo combines several highly creative ideas in her debut novel, Ash. We all know the tale of Cinderella, but it’s never been told quite like this. Cinderella (here called Aisling, Ash for short) falls for a young woman instead of the prince. And the fairy who helps Ash break free of her stepmother is no rosy-cheeked godmother, but a coldly beautiful fairy lord right out of the older, darker legends of the fey folk, and he demands a steep price for his aid.

Ballad: Now is a good time to read Stiefvater’s Ballad

Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater

“James Antioch Morgan,” the king of the dead said, and when he sang out James’ name, it sounded like music. “You will be called to make a choice. Make the right one.”

James’ eyes glittered in the darkness. “Which is the right one?”

“The one that hurts,” Cernunnos said.

No one walked away unscathed from the events of Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception. James bears physical scars, along with a persistent torch for Deirdre, who only sees him as a friend.

The Vampire is Just Not That Into You: A fun YA parody

The Vampire Is Just Not That Into You by “Vlad Mezrich”

“Vlad Mezrich” is a pseudonym for a team of Scholastic writers who pooled their satirical talents to create this fun little book (David Levithan is the editor). The Vampire Is Just Not That Into You parodies dating guides, teen-magazine quizzes, and most of all, current tropes in vampire literature. Twilight gets the lion’s share of Vlad’s snark, but there are references to Anne Rice,

On the Edge: Ilona Andrews’ protagonists are true heroes

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

As I started reading On the Edge, my biggest question was, would lightning — or magic — strike twice? Could Ilona Andrews write something just as great as her Kate Daniels series, in a completely different universe? The answer, it turns out, is yes!

The world-building is a little more familiar, but Andrews puts an original spin on it. There’s an Otherworld full of magical beings, called the Weird, and there’s our mundane world,

September 30th, 2009. Kelly Lasiter and John Hulet´s rating: 4.5 | Ilona Andrews | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |

Mythangelus: Strange, haunting stories that will draw you in

Mythangelus by Storm Constantine

Storm Constantine has frequently taken inspiration from the legends of the angels. Mythangelus is a collection of her angel-themed short fiction. The stories deal with issues of religion, gender, and sexuality; and are filled with lush prose:

At first light, a flock of birds known as the guardabarrancas, the guardians of the ravine, wake Silva with their tinkling song. It sounds as if a thousand wind chimes are being subtly excited by a tantalising breeze. The light, when Silva opens her eyes,

Bill Capossere on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 3, 2025
We’re in total agreement David!
David C Walton on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 3, 2025
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Marion Deeds on Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil: Ambitious, atmospheric, and ultimately unevenJuly 3, 2025
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.
Sandy Ferber on The Druid Stone: Ugony and the EcstasyJune 30, 2025
COMMENT Was I hinting that? I wasn't aware of it. But now that you mention it.... 🤔
Paul Connelly on The Druid Stone: Ugony and the EcstasyJune 30, 2025
So it sounds like you're hinting Fox may have had three or so different incomplete stories that he stitched together,…

Author: Kelly Lasiter

Bitter Night: An urban fantasy that takes a lot of risks

Queen of Song and Souls: A moving set-up novel

Tainted: Gutsy

King of Sword and Sky: Can’t wait for the sequel!

Lady of Light and Shadows: Had me misting up

Ash: A promising and creative debut

Ballad: Now is a good time to read Stiefvater’s Ballad

The Vampire is Just Not That Into You: A fun YA parody

On the Edge: Ilona Andrews’ protagonists are true heroes

Mythangelus: Strange, haunting stories that will draw you in

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