and they have plenty to tell….
Like antiheroes, morally gray characters, and vibes reminiscent of "Killing Eve" all jam-packed in a dark Jamaican-inspired fantasy book exploring the duality of heroes/villains? Ciannon Smart's evocative debut is for you.
Malice proves itself a darkly addictive, fast-paced reimagining of Sleeping Beauty that shreds the classic's beauty and innocence to forge a new life from its poisoned remains.
She Who Became the Sun offers a dazzling and exciting re-imagination of Chinese-Mongolian history, yet it stays true to its dark, blood-soaked roots. Parker-Chan deftly blurs the boundary between sweeping fantasy epic, historical fantasy, and literary fiction as she pushes the limits of said genres.
The Unbroken is a slow-burn military fantasy unlike typical entries in the genre; but it overcompensates (in a good way) for its lack of big set-piece action with a deep and emotionally engaging exploration of the personal marks colonisation leaves through the lens of a flawed protagonist, and an equally compelling character-driven romance. This is a debut quite unlike any other with devastating effect.
One of the Good Ones is a timely book long overdue, questioning how society views the worth of Black lives and their legacy.
The Books are Rising 