If you would like to be kept up to date with the upcoming lists, please subscribe to my newsletter by clicking this link. I don’t send out letters too often, pretty much once a month when this list goes out… and occasionally if I release a book or something.

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 May or beyond, let me know either in the comments, or by emailing me, 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.

28th April – The Lessons Never Learned (The War Eternal #2) by Rob J. Hayes

I am the weapon.

Eskara is free of the Pit, but far from safe. She is beset by the ghosts of those she has killed, and plagued by the ancient horror that possesses her. Enemies dog her heels, determined to see the last Orran Sourcerer dead. Worse still, there is new player in the game, one far more dangerous than anything she has faced before.

But there is one place that might offer her both the safety she needs to survive, and the power she needs to strike back; Ro’shan, the flying home of a God.

Eska will soon learn that all power comes with a cost, and some prices are too high.

Check it out on Goodreads.

28th April – Of Honey and Wildfires by Sarah Chorn

From the moment the first settler dug a well and struck a lode of shine, the world changed. Now, everything revolves around that magical oil.

What began as a simple scouting expedition becomes a life-changing ordeal for Arlen Esco. The son of a powerful mogul, Arlen is kidnapped and forced to confront uncomfortable truths his father has kept hidden. In his hands lies a decision that will determine the fate of everyone he loves—and impact the lives of every person in Shine Territory.

The daughter of an infamous saboteur and outlaw, Cassandra has her own dangerous secrets to protect. When the lives of those she loves are threatened, she realizes that she is uniquely placed to change the balance of power in Shine Territory once and for all.

Secrets breed more secrets. Somehow, Arlen and Cassandra must find their own truths in the middle of a garden of lies.

Check it out on Goodreads.

30th April – A Dark Inheritance (Hollow Fate #1) by Todd Herzman

Their parents are long dead. They were never told of the power that runs in their family. Nor the dangers that power could lure toward them…

Ruben is a prisoner. His captor, a blood mage, commands loyalty with an unbreakable bond. As Ruben tries to resist the blood mage’s pull, he realises he has a power of his own. His desire to become stronger takes him to dark places, driving him to do even darker things. If he can gain his freedom, will he be able to return to the life he once knew, after all he has done?

When Ella’s brother Ruben is kidnapped, she vows to rescue him. But Ella’s never left her village, never swung a sword. On her journey, she finds a courage she never knew she had. And something else—a strength deep within. An Affinity for magic she yearns to understand. While her newfound power buoys her confidence, the discovery of who holds her brother captive makes her wonder if it will be enough.

Marius, his brother and sister gone, doesn’t know what to do with himself. Until a Tahali monk, a man who can move things with his mind and heal with a touch, comes to town. When the monk discovers Marius’s powers—powers Marius never knew he had—he offers him the chance to become an apprentice. But the road to the Tahali mountains is no longer safe, and a dark evil hounds them on their way.

Check it out on Goodreads.

1st May – Traitor (A Crown of Lilies #1) by Melissa Ragland

A rebellious heiress. An oath-sworn warrior. A hidden princess.

Born a daughter when she should have been a son, Elivya is far from the conventional female heir. Though sword and dagger call to her, her destiny lies at court, putting to use an equally unorthodox set of skills to lure a respectable husband and assure the continuation of her dwindling House. The coveted son and heir of a powerful noble family quickly catches her eye, but securing an advantageous marriage is not the only challenge that awaits her as she enters society. An enemy has infiltrated the royal court, whispering in the King’s ear and sowing the seeds of war. What hard-won skills Elivya has accrued will be put to the test in a desperate bid to save her homeland, an endeavor that will require her to do the unthinkable: commit treason.

Check it out on Goodreads.

1st May – The Lantern-Lit City (Sovereigns of the Dead #1) by Vista McDowall

Ultimate evil is simple to denounce…unless that evil lives in you.

Cara is a monster. Inside her dwells a creature akin to the undead prowlers that roam the kingdom. When a mysterious man kidnaps her lady, Cara ties her identity to the quest to free her. If she succeeds in the rescue, it will prove that she’s not evil. But danger lurks along the way to the fabled city Riverfen. Cara’s inner beast is a benefit and a curse, saving her life and endangering her in turn. As she gives into it more and more, Cara fears what such a bonding will produce.

As Cara battles her inner self, Princess Gwen hides her forbidden sorcery from the world. After being forced to flee her home by an anti-magic Inquisition, Gwen finally has the chance to pursue her enchantments. But her spellcasting provokes the very man whom Cara pursues.
Each woman’s power could free her…or doom the lantern-lit city.

Check it out on Goodreads.

1st May – Shadows of Ivory by T.L. Greylock & Bryce O’Connor

By day, Eska de Caraval digs for ancient treasure in the dust and dirt and sweltering sun. By night, she dons the embroidered silks and jewels that are the markings of her family’s success. Spurred by a relentless thirst to lay bare the world’s secrets, Eska has led Firenzia Company to renown across the Seven Cities of Bellara, and far beyond. But when she comes into possession of a priceless reliquary with a harrowing history–one of six lost to the centuries–and the treacherous artifact within, Eska unwittingly sets off a race to uncover the other five and the powers they contain.

Bankrupt and bitter, Manon Barca supports a brother and a failing company on loans she cannot repay, all while her disgraced father rots in prison. Determined to drag her family name out of oblivion, Manon does not fear to take on the might of Eska de Caraval and Firenzia Company, even if it means sabotaging an excavation and endangering innocent lives. When her reckless decisions put her at the mercy of one of the most powerful men in the Seven Cities, Manon finds herself caught in a storm beyond her making, one that will see the sundering of alliances that have stood for three hundred years.

As the de Caraval and Barca rivalry surges, Eska must wield intellect and steel against a web of enemies and deceit, all while Manon battles tirelessly to preserve the final remnants of her family and its legacy.

Neither, however, is prepared to contend with the rising tide of an ancient menace unleashed upon the world once more….

Check it out on Goodreads.

1st May – Spirit (The Cartographer #3) by A.C. Cobble

The fate of empire is to crumble from within.

Duke Oliver Wellesley and the Priestess Samantha unmasked and destroyed a cabal of sorcerers planning an incredible sacrifice. But preventing the horrific bloodshed left lingering questions, and new attacks close to home prove the danger is not over.

Oliver must choose between his responsibilities to his family and the Crown, and seeking answers over the far horizon. As he struggles with the weight of expectation, he discovers new powers and an ancient magic that has been long forgotten. The tide of sorcery rises, and Oliver begins to understand that a sharp quill and a steel broadsword are not enough. To face the threat of the underworld, he’ll have to call upon the spirits of life.

Sam’s occult knowledge continues to grow, but in the face of new monsters, she realizes it is not enough, and the path to true strength is a dark one. Knowing the risk, she hesitates, but an unusual mentor opens the door to secrets best left unknown, and grants the opportunity to exceed what she thought was possible. But once upon it, the dark path is a difficult one to turn from, and the spirits of the underworld are treacherous allies.

The fate of empire is to crumble from within. Do not ask when, ask who.

Check it out on Goodreads.

4th May – The Apprentice in the Master’s Shadow (Legends of the Order #2) by Ian Gregoire

Sometimes Respect Has To Be Earned The Hard Way.

The end of an arduous apprenticeship is close at hand, and Kayden Jayta unexpectedly learns that being the favoured apprentice of a living legend is not conducive to gaining the respect she deserves. With little time left to change perceptions, simmering resentment persuades her that drastic action is required to redress the slights of her detractors. Measures that may jeopardise her induction into the Order, and endanger her life.

An overheard conversation presents Kayden with both the means and justification to pursue her objective. The key to attaining the respect she craves lies beyond the borders of the Nine Kingdoms. But the window of opportunity is small; the danger she must face, great; and the price of failure, greater still. Undeterred, she will allow nothing and no one to hinder her from the path she must walk.

The one-woman mission to a foreign land will test Kayden’s abilities like never before. If she is to succeed in her dangerous manhunt, she must overcome enemies new and old before facing an adversary she maybe ill-equipped to defeat. And little does she suspect that her reckless endeavour will have unintended consequences, forcing the legendary Fay Annis to confront her infamous past.

But the trials and tribulations that lie ahead must surely be worth the risk, for only unprecedented action will permit the headstrong apprentice to step out of her master’s shadow.

Check it out on Goodreads.

11th May – Guild of Tokens AUDIOBOOK – by Jon Auerbach

She wants to level up her humdrum existence. But her next quest could spell life or death.

All Jen Jacobs has achieved in life is loneliness. So when she stumbles across a real-life game of epic quests on the streets of New York, she jumps at the chance for some excitement and gold tokens. Little does she know that the items she strives to collect hold a darker purpose…

After a particularly harrowing quest pairs her up with Beatrice Taylor, a no-nonsense and ambitious mentor, Jen hopes she’s on the path to becoming a big-time player. But as she dives deeper into the game’s hidden agenda, she realizes Beatrice has her sights set on the Guild, the centuries-old organization that runs the Questing game. And the quests Jen loves are about to put both of them in grave danger.

Will Jen survive the game before powerful forces cut her real life short?

Check it out on Goodreads.

12th May – Wavebreaker (Stone War Chronicles #2 Part 2 of 2) by A.J. Norfield

The Stone King’s ships continue to spread across the known world, razing city after city. Serving High General Setra, Bronson is in the middle of it—protecting the twisted monster that holds his mother’s and twin sister’s lives in his hands.

In Aeterra, Raylan and his friends finally get their chance to warn the king and council, but with Xi’Lao imprisoned in the castle’s dungeon, Raylan doubts where his loyalty should lie. He has no intention to abandon his friend, but the king’s orders are law and not everyone in their squad is willing to risk the noose. Then, with things going from bad to worse, help arrives from the most unlikely of places.

Further south, the times of plenty have arrived on the red plains. Trista, Decan and Dalkeira do their best to fit in with the tribe, but conflict brewing beneath the surface does not make it easy. Shiri’s rivalry with the red-haired newcomer escalates and the first huntress’ actions lead to unforeseen consequences that might very well herald the end of the Minai.

Check it out on Goodreads.

15th May – Dragon’s Reach (The Keeper Origins #1) by J.A. Andrews

Sable can feel truth and lies in other people’s words. Luckily, no one can feel them in hers.

For the past ten years, Sable’s used her powers to navigate the dangerous slums of Dockside. Indebted to the ruthless gang boss Kiva, she’s been forced to steal for him, handing over every cent she takes.

Orphaned young, she’s done everything she can to protect her little sister Talia, including lying to her. Sable’s downplayed the dangers of Dockside, hid the stash of money she’s skimmed, while working tirelessly to earn their freedom.

But just when Sable might actually pay off her debt, Kiva discovers her lies, and uses them to drag Talia deeply into his web. Unable to free her sister, and pursued by Kiva’s thugs, Sable must escape the city with a traveling theater troupe, until things settle down.

As she travels and acts with a dwarf, a kobold, some book-loving magic wielders, and an overly-dramatic actress, she finds the freedom she’s longed for.

And discovers her powers are stronger than she thought.

But life outside the city is anything but safe. On the fringes of civilization, the troupe discovers an invading force, long thought to be an ally, is headed straight for her city – and everyone she had to leave behind.

The troupe returns to warn them, and Sable must play a dangerous role, exposing herself to Kiva, and defying the leaders of the city while she tries to convince the people of what is coming.

She’ll have one chance to speak the truth to the world—and hope the world will listen.

Check it out on Goodreads.

19th May – The Jealousy of Jalice by Jesse Nolan Bailey

The Realms have split apart, the Stones of Elation have been hidden, and warnings of dokojin drift among the tribes.

The land and its people are corrupted. The Sachem, chief of the Unified Tribes, is to blame.

It is this conviction that drives Annilasia and Delilee to risk their lives. Afraid of the aether magic he wields, they enact a subtler scheme: kidnap his wife. In her place, Delilee will pretend to be the chieftess and spy on the Sachem.

Unaware of this plot against her husband, Jalice is whisked away by Annilasia. Pleading with her captor proves futile, and she rejects Annilasia’s delusional accusations against the chief. After all, the Sachem has brought peace to the land.

Yet a dangerous truth hides in Jalice’s past. As she and Annilasia flee through a forest of insidious threats, they must confront the evil plaguing the tribes and the events that unleashed it.

Check it out on Goodreads.

26th May – From Cold Ashes Risen (The War Eternal #3) by Rob J. Hayes

The Corpse Queen Comes.

Eskara has lost everything. The War Eternal has cost her everything she loves, and the Iron Legion has taken the rest. Yet there is something that is still hers, something that kept her warm during her time in the Pit. Anger and a lust for vengeance. First on the list of those who must pay, the Emperor of Terrelan.

Her friends counsel peace, but her inner demons push for war, and Eska finds herself caught in the middle. Will she find a way to reap her vengeance? Or will the enemies of her past catch up to her first?

One thing is certain. The world will soon know fear when the Corpse Queen ascends her throne.

Check it out on Goodreads.

26th May – Objects of Power (Fate of Wizardoms #4) by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

Prophecy foretells the Dark Lord’s rise, sparking a desperate quest for magical relics.

A ruthless wizard lord conquers a neighboring wizardom, increasing his magic far beyond mere mortals. The more power he gains, the more he craves.

While wizardoms war against one another, the Dark Lord rises. An army of monsters invades, sending the world toward the brink of doom.

A team of misfits find themselves the fulcrum point of destiny, their world teetering upon their actions, certain to crumble should they fail. Led by cryptic passages from a dark prophecy, these heroes set off on two separate quests.

One expedition leads to the Enchanter’s Isle, rumored to hide a mysterious object known as the Band of Amalgamation. The other involves the Arc of Radiance, a sacred object protected by a lost race of elves.

What power might these two enchanted relics unlock? Will they be located before it is too late?

Check it out on Goodreads.

26th May – Plague Arcanist (Frith Chronicles #4) by Shami Stovall

Deserts. Rogues. A secret hidden in an underground maze.

Every moment counts as Volke Savan races south to the city of New Norra. His goal: find Theasin Venrover, the famous artificer who may have a cure for the arcane plague. Separated from most of the Frith Guild—and even his sister—Volke must rely on the crew of the airship, the Sun Chaser, to help him find Theasin in time.

To complicate matters, the desert city of New Norra is steeped in mystery, and the massive maze under the streets could potentially solve all of Volke’s problems. With hunters after him, and dread pirates in the port, Volke finds himself forced to choose between equally terrible options…

Check it out on Goodreads.

Space for more…