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As always, this is not a comprehensive list, but only includes all the books I have heard about so far.
If you have a fantasy novel you are self publishing in December or beyond, let me know by filling out THIS FORM, and I shall add it to the page. There are but 3 requirements:
1) It must be a self published fantasy novel.
2) It must have a Goodreads page.
3) It must have a cover.
1st December – Climbing the Ranks #1 by Tao Wong
Epic Fantasy, Progression/Cultivation, LitRPG
When the Towers arrived, without warning, without communication of intent or indication of reasoning, chaos ensued…
Decades later, enchantments from the Tower and mana cores from the creatures within power the most advanced technologies in the real world. What was once a puzzling mystery has become a necessary part of economic growth.
For Arthur Chua, the Malaysian Beginner Tower has always been his objective. Climbing the Tower is the only form of escape available for one without money or connections. He’s not looking to be a hero or famous, just a survivor. Fate, on the other hand, has other plans for him.
At long last, the reason for the arrival of the Towers will be revealed, and humanity will once again experience a seismic shift when the truth appears.
Of course, Arthur’s going to have to survive long enough for that to happen…
1st December – Help! My Dog is the Chosen One by Ronit J
Urban Fantasy
Kunal is forced to adventure…
Because his dog is the Chosen One!
Kunal is just your average guy living on rent in Mumbai, working from home, and suffering from anxiety. His world is turned upside down when his girlfriend asks him to foster a rescued street dog. Despite his qualms, Kunal agrees because ‘What’s the worst that can happen?’
That’s when the extra-dimensional dark lord attacks.
The dog is the only one who can stop the dark lord, but he can’t do it without Kunal’s help. Can Kunal overcome his many anxieties or will our world suffer for eternity?
3rd December – Spark of the Divine (The Kalaraak Chronicles #1) by Louise Holland
Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery
SAVE THE GODS. SAVE THEIR REALM.
As a Divine, Mae wields her strange gifts quietly as a mercenary—until a simple rescue job sees the crew uncover a plot to steal divinity from the gods themselves. When the god Mae serves is attacked, she must restore their power before the seven realms are thrown into chaos.
With the kingdom of Altaea already on the edge of war, and the divinity of all gods at stake, the crew must travel beyond their country and their realm to save it. But each member has their own agenda, and secrets of romance and betrayal threaten to break them apart.
Originally inspired by a years-long Dungeons and Dragons campaign; and the first instalment in fantasy series The Kalaraak Chronicles, SPARK OF THE DIVINE follows a group of reluctant heroes on a quest to save a god while the fate of the realms hangs in the balance. Will they each find what they desperately seek, or will the secrets they keep from one another be their undoing? Can they master their fears to defeat an evil their world has never seen?
Is it the strength of the god that matters, or the belief of the Divine?
3rd December – Blood Mage (The Shards of Etherious #2) by Colin J.D. Crooks
Epic Fantasy, Grimdark, Sword & Sorcery
I stand over my daughter’s grave, haunted by the ruin I have caused. A dead city, the armies of three nations gathered upon its ashes. Their god-kings were saved by my hand from the very weapon I created to kill them.
To blame it on fate would be a kindness. Hubris drove me to murder a goddess, branded me a traitor and sent me to the Void. If the Spiral had any justice, I would have stayed dead.
Now I am left with a betray everything I once stood for and march on my homeland. Turn my sword, my blood magic on those I swore to protect. Slay my former god, Khyber, and any who prop up his corruption. Or fulfill my daughter’s final wish and extinguish my soul.
The coming conflict will be long and bloody. The allies cry for vengeance. The resurrected Mother Tree seeks the blood of my kinsmen. Khyber has long prepared, and his former comrades will find no easy meat.
A new chapter of the Ascendancy War has begun. Nations will clash, cities will burn and I will stand at its heart. Can I walk the path, resist the thirst, or will I give in to my nature and devour the souls of innocent? I am Rodrick Corwyn, and my crimes are unforgivable. Traitor. Arisen. Harbinger of the Void. An ocean of dead can be laid at my feet and nothing I do will balance the scales. But if I can steer the course of war, then perhaps I can prevent another genocide.
3rd December – The Traveler’s New World (The Lord of Lords #1) by Jared R Mooreland
Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, LitRPG
In this new tale of reincarnation, Jared must navigate and fortify himself from unimaginable dangers through this new world of mystifying magic, where his life can be taken in a flash by creatures of legends.
An advanced race sees him as a person of worth or perhaps a plaything. His own kind has subjugated everyone who they deem as weak. He must face these challenges or turn his gaze elsewhere.
Stricken with an incurable disease, Jared unwillingly leaves the modern world, traversing through unceasing darkness and undeniable anguish.
But at the end of his long travels, the light of life beams at him. Through his beautiful new world, he must acquire power, a tremendous amount, for he will lose and lose the life of his companions and the ones he holds dear.
He meets an intriguing little fairy who shall, without question, travel with him. He meets a large white cat who feels indebted to his kindness. Together, they will find thrilling adventures of the unknown and venture into a life worth living in the world of Myrgarrien.
Emblazoned by his own beliefs, this modern human will decide if he wishes to be a common man or a man who stands upon a pillar of hope and dreams.
4th December – Sin and Sorrow (City of Sacrifice #3) by Michael R. Fletcher
Epic Fantasy, Grimdark
Cloud Serpent spoke in death and venom.
Half Bastion’s pantheon are dead, and more gods fall with every passing day. The underworld is ash, seared clean of souls by the Staff of the Fifth Sun. The nahual war among themselves, each sect battling to bring their deity to dominance. The veil is torn, the ghosts of dead gods, demons, and banished sorcerers clawing their way back into the city. Eternal Bastion is divided, her ancient stone crumbling.
Left brittle and cracked by the death of her friends, Nuru swears to rid Bastion of parasitic gods. Wielding the Staff of the Fifth Sun, the deranged Mother Death riding her soul, she stalks the pantheon one by one.
Fleeing his failures, riding the ragged edge of brain-burn, Akachi pursues his prey into the inner rings. If he doesn’t catch them before they murder the last god, all Bastion is doomed. For religion does not play a part in a civilization, it defines it.
4th December – Queen of Blood and Blasphemy (Tidecaller Chronicles #4) by Levi Jacobs
Epic Fantasy
The floods are here, and though she has learned of an artifact that can stop them, Aletheia is no closer to finding it. Worse, a newly-destroyed city may be proof her enemies have found the artifact first, and are using its power to reshape the world.
There’s only one solution:infiltrate their temples and palaces and floating cities, steal the artifact if they have it, and kill them if the chance arises. It’s a team of five against an empire, but they’ve faced worse.
Unless the floods are not the work of man, and all Aletheia has learned since she fled the temple is not enough. Unless her god is testing her, to see if she is worthy of calling the tides. The answer she finds, in the darkness of her heart, will be the salvation of the world—or the thing that condemns it to drown.
5th December – Choosing the Slain (Ghosts of Valhalla #1) by Amy Cissell
Urban Fantasy
Life sucks, and then you die. Usually.
Last week, Frankie had a great job and an amazing fiancée. Now she’s sleeping in a storage closet and taking advice from a talking cat.
A timely warning sends her rushing into a burning building. Choosing to save the woman she loves and condemning an innocent to death wakes the Valkyrie power she never knew she had.
Frankie can choose who lives and who dies, and that draws the attention of exiled gods looking for a way back to Earth. If she doesn’t learn the rules and choose sides fast, the world will burn, and Ragnarok will begin.
5th December – Two Worlds (The Dawn of Forest Black #2) by Amanis Ar-feinial
Sword & Sorcery, YA
Quarala’s journey takes an unexpected turn as she finds solace in the arms of an enchanting researcher named Lorana. The allure of their culture captivates her, but the looming threat of the plague in Malitu threatens to pull her into harm. Will she risk it all for love, or succumb to the plague that nearly claimed Anaergienne’s life?
5th December – The Engineer (The Last Horizon #2) by Will Wight
Sci-Fantasy
“I can’t juggle starships. I make the ones who can.”
The battle with the Iron Legion has left The Last Horizon battered and broken, drifting in space. Varic needs an exceptional Engineer to fix his ship, and there’s only one person for the job: Mell, the master Aether Technician.
But first, they have to break her out of prison.
Mell has been captured by the Advocates, a group of super-powered vigilantes who dominate their corner of the galaxy. They are led by Starhammer, an invincible champion with a personal obsession with Mell.
The Last Horizon may be crewed by the greatest heroes in the galaxy, but even they have to be careful with Starhammer. Every time he survives a battle, he grows stronger.
In another life, Varic saw the end of that road. If he lets Starhammer become too powerful, the galaxy is doomed.
7th December – The Jaws of Hell (Titan wars #4) by Samuel Gately
Epic Fantasy, Grimdark
Step into the Jaws of Hell. Only the Lucky Survive.
Scott Flawless was certain a return to the friendly confines of the ring was what he needed. But he didn’t count on the murderers’ row sharing this tournament bracket with him. The underground circuit is a dangerous place, and with titans like the scheming Dursham Brothers, the mighty Bell King, and the savage Fog of War, he’ll be lucky to make it out of the Jaws of Hell alive.
8th December – The Awakened Prince (Once Upon a Prince #11) by Constance Lopzez
YA, Romance, Cozy Fantasy
A betrothed prince. A mysterious maiden. A s ecret that could destroy the kingdom.
After failing in every attempt to prove his worth, Killian’s betrothal contract seems to be the only reason his father tolerates him. Uniting the kingdoms will save their struggling lands, but the princess he is supposed to marry has been in hiding from a wicked fairy for almost 18 years—or she’s missing for good. Desperate to escape the chaos of the court and his father’s suffocating expectations, Killian trespasses into the Forbidden Forest. There he stumbles into more than he bargains magic and mystery and a beautiful woman who embodies both.
As a Guardian of the Forest, Raela’s duties are honor the sentient elements, foster the life of the forest, and protect them all from the danger of fairy circles. Yet, she finds herself aching for more. After the first man she has ever seen stumbles into her meadow, she begins to wonder questions that she should have had answers to all Where are her parents? What are her aunties hiding? And is there more out there for her after all?
When the fairy returns for revenge, Killian must overcome his fears and fight for his father, his throne, and the woman he loves. He cannot afford to fail now, or he will lose them all.
10th December – The Pale Blade (Empire of Flame & Fang #1) by Alec Hutson
Epic Fantasy
On scaled wings they crossed the trackless sea, conquerors from distant lands. None could stand before them – not the queen, surrounded by her bright legions, or the sorcerers steeped in the power of the jade moon, or even the paladins with their swords fashioned from the tears of the Silver Mother.
Only one who had already lost everything would dare to challenge these invaders. And so a shepherd girl, her will forged in the same fire that consumed her heart, became the last hope of a shattered realm.
Only she can defy the Empire of Flame and Fang.
12th December – The Sapphire Stratagem (The Crystal Halls #3) by Thomas K. Carpenter
Urban Fantasy
After Razor clan’s destruction, the remaining members join the Drops clan, keeping alive the hope that they might survive the ascendant Alliance. The newest clan in the Undercity has all the advantages—warriors, weapons, and a cunning maetrie leader that has outmaneuvered them at every turn.
The leaders of Drops clan believes they have one shot to end the upstart clan’s hold on the Undercity.
A strike, right into the heart of the enemy, could put an end to the Alliance. But achieving that goal will require them to overcome not only magical fortifications, but each other, as old enmities bubble to the surface under the stress of achieving something most think impossible. If Kuma, Pandora, and the other young waku can’t come together as a team, then they’ll lose the Undercity—and their clans—forever.
12th December – Apple Seeds in the Snow (The Zemkroska Chronicles #2) by Helen Rygh-Pedersen
Romance
A pampered princess.
A killer king.
The seeds of ruin.
Now that her schooling is over, pampered princess, Ouna Domonov must turn her attentions to the needs of the realm; such as marrying a Waterborn Descendant of the Naiads to help uphold the Balance.
But she doesn’t want her hideous intended, nor her responsibilities. All she wants is to have fun with her best friend, who must soon face her own royal duties. As a last hurrah before the wedding bells sound, the friends head north for Vinterfest. There is just one problem: L’adu. The grumpy guardsman her intended has hired to protect his “interests”, seems intent on spoiling her fun and shielding her from the only man she deems worthy of her hand, the dashing King Olaf von Oderberg.
But when intentions are misconstrued, the merrymaking ends. Ouna’s freedom is under threat and the destruction of her country at stake. Can she put her naivety and prejudices aside to fight for what and who is truly important?
12th December – Boy of Shadows (Stories of Gereon #2) by Camilla Vavruch
YA, Romance
A scarred boy.A power struggle.A unique bird.
And painful longing for love.
Tristan’s father has abused him since he was a small child, leaving his body scarred and in constant pain. But no matter much Father tries, torture doesn’t keep Tristan from falling in love with simple field worker Will. Falling in love? Easy. But showing Will his flaws? No. Damaged in both body and mind, he sends Will away, unwilling to let him see more weakness.
Alone and filled with self-hatred, Tristan must face the ambitious Overster Garrensor and his disdainful son—but all he wants is Will.
12th December – Tomb of Heart and Shadow by Cara N. Delaney
Romance
Their marriage was a simple bargain. Love was not supposed to complicate things.
When her reputation-obsessed family issues her an ultimatum – get married or be disinherited – Saria seizes upon what seems like a most convenient solution. She strikes a deal with a stranger – marriage and a child in exchange for freedom and security, away from her manipulative family. That her bride is a sorcerer from the mysterious city of Neeth is not a problem. Or so Saria thinks.
Divorced after a personal tragedy, Taleysin doesn’t expect much from her second marriage. A child and heir to carry on her sworn duty to the city of Neeth, and more importantly, a wife who won’t ask too many questions. The deal with Saria seems to be everything she wants – and nothing more. She will have her heir, and Neeth will remain safe for another generation.
But as the newly-weds slowly get to know each other, their resolve over their practical decision begins to crumble. While Saria becomes ever more curious about Neeth’s magical secrets, Taleysin finds herself growing closer to a woman who was supposed to be nothing more than a means to an end. When a mysterious assailant begins to hunt Neeth’s sorcerers, endangering its secrets and the safety of all, Saria and Taleysin must find a way to work through this shift in their relationship – to save both their marriage and the city.
15th December – The Winter Prince (Once Upon a Prince #12) by Constance Lopez
YA, Romance, Cozy Fantasy
A beastly prince. A cursed land. One last hope.
Breaking his bargain with another fae has earned Revi, Prince of the Winter Court, a terrible he lives as a beast and must watch his people suffer under a withering blight. The only cure? A heart freely given.
When a human patrol steals one of Revi’s magical roses, a sliver of opportunity strikes. He agrees to spare their lives in return for a woman who must live in his castle for a year and a day. But could such a beauty learn to love a beast like him?
Although Kienna was warned of conniving fae before her arrival at the Winter Court, the Winter Prince, while beastly, is not the monster she expected. Her dreams plague her—or more specifically, the enigmatic silvery man who walks them does. She’s determined to find him in the waking world and free him from his imprisonment. Her dream prince begs her not to trust her eyes. But… can she trust her heart?
19th December – House of Boreal (The Haidren Legacy #3) by K.L Kolarich
Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Progression/Cultivation
BEHIND THE MASK OF TRUTH AND HONOR, LIES SOW A CORRUPTED CREED…
Hunted and horrified, the Quadren escapes to the mist-choked House of Boreal—a remote highland citadel shrouded by harrowing tales of the occult. Meanwhile, mortal lies flood the crown city and propaganda plagues the streets. Insurgents infiltrate Bastiion, each lobbying for the vacant throne.
When Luscia returns to her homeland, she must convince the Elder Enclave to relinquish their elite warriors to Dmitri’s cause. In playing politics with her own people, the line between faith and zealotry quickly erodes, as does Luscia’s trust in her secretive aunt. As disappointment and rancor batters her from all sides, Luscia commits sacrilege and searches the brilliant power she’s struggling to control for the answers her mentor refuses to give, desperate to save Orynthia’s king before it’s too late.
Zaethan never thought he’d march his kinsmen into their place of nightmares. Yet marked a bastard refugee, he wears the issue of his heritage like a brand. Within the storied fortress of Roüwen, he and the Darakaians are met with untried hostility, and when a woman goes missing, the already fragile peace fractures. Persecution endangers everyone he loves. As loyalties splinter, Zaethan battles to prove his leadership to his prydes. Even more to himself.
Rivals turned reluctant rebels, both haidrens share a naivete to the changing shadow, to evil taking form. For it is the highlands where legend streams into reality—and in Boreal where when an ancient wrath is reborn, a more dangerous bright awakens.
19th December – Shadecursed (The Bestiary #1) by Aeryn Christie
Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, Sci-Fantasy
What if you were accidentally the only person who could save the whole planet?
That’s the conundrum that’s landed on Meadow’s lap. See, Meadow’s a faun, and he’s never wanted to do anything except play, eat, occasionally shake his fist at the gods, and play in a band with his friends.
But when a goddess dies, Meadow finds out that a mistake in his past might have put him in the unique position to be the world’s savior. So now what? Does he spurn his responsibilities? Hide away from his destiny? Of course not! He gets his friends together to go on an adventure, and maybe even wash his hooves in some sacred fountains along the way. After all, you can play in a band AND save the world, right? It’s easy.
With Benji the manticore as his muscle, Ptery the banshee as his healer, and Luka the human as… Well, no one’s really sure why Luka’s around, but she’ll probably come in handy— and she plays a mean riff on the guitar, so there’s that. In any case, there’s no way they can possibly fail their quest. Never mind that the Shade that killed the goddess seems to be all-powerful with full control over the planet’s very life essence. No big deal!
It sure would be nice if that pack of deadly gnolls would stop stalking them, though…
22nd December – Isaree of the Wild Isles by Noor Al-Shanti
Epic Fantasy
Sandwiched between the mighty High Kingdoms and the great Land of Sunsets, the Upland villages did not have much claim to greatness or power. Many of these villages did not even have names. When an army of Sorcerers from the High Kingdoms was mobilized to invade the Land of Sunsets it was these small villages, stuck in the middle, that bore the brunt of that army’s march.
In one of these villages Isaree has just discovered her own magical power, but even dreaming of what this could mean for her is made impossible by the presence of the sorcerous armies. When they hear that the Sorcerers have begun to forcibly take anyone with power, the village elders decide that those most likely to be taken must flee.
In the blink of an eye, Isaree finds herself at the head of a group of runaways, responsible for leading them to safety, with nothing to rely on except her knowledge of the nearby woods and caves and the food that their families have lovingly packed for them.
Isaree and her friends must stick together and survive in a world much bigger than any of them could have imagined. A world full of wars and empires, sorcery and power, and – tucked away in forgotten corners – impossible creatures of legend.
In this vast, frightening world, Isaree must learn not just how to survive, but who she wants to be.
The Haidren Legacy series sounds interesting! I’ve never heard of it.