Recommendations based on "Year of the Reaper"

New York Times BestsellerSpring 2013 Kids' Indie Next ListSybella's duty as Death's assassin in 15th-century France forces her return home to the personal hell that she had finally escaped. Love and romance, history and magic, vengeance and salvation converge in this thrilling sequel to Grave Mercy. >Sybella arrives at the convent’s doorstep half mad with grief and despair. Those that serve Death are only too happy to offer her refuge—but at a price. The convent views Sybella, naturally skilled in the arts of both death and seduction, as one of their most dangerous weapons. But those assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to a life that nearly drove her mad. And while Sybella is a weapon of justice wrought by the god of Death himself, He must give her a reason to live. When she discovers an unexpected ally imprisoned in the dungeons, will a daughter of Death find something other than vengeance to live for?

Filled with political intrigue, violent magic, and malevolent spirits, the mesmerizing second book in Sarah Beth Durst’s Queens of Renthia epic fantasy trilogy that started with the award-winning The Queen of Blood.Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .And those spirits want to kill you.It’s the first lesson that every Renthian learns.Not long ago, Daleina used her strength and skill to survive those spirits and assume the royal throne. Since then, the new queen has kept the peace and protected the humans of her land. But now for all her power, she is hiding a terrible secret: she is dying. And if she leaves the world before a new heir is ready, the spirits that inhabit her beloved realm will run wild, destroying her cities and slaughtering her people.Naelin is one such person, and she couldn’t be further removed from the Queen—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her world is her two children, her husband, and the remote village tucked deep in the forest that is her home, and that’s all she needs. But when Ven, the Queens champion, passes through the village, Naelin’s ambitious husband proudly tells him of his wife’s ability to control spirits—magic that Naelin fervently denies. She knows that if the truth of her abilities is known, it will bring only death and separation from those she loves.But Ven has a single task: to find the best possible candidate to protect the people of Aratay. He did it once when he discovered Daleina, and he’s certain he’s done it again. Yet for all his appeals to duty, Naelin is a mother, and she knows her duty is to her children first and foremost. Only as the Queen’s power begins to wane and the spirits become emboldened—even as ominous rumors trickle down from the north—does she realize that the best way to keep her son and daughter safe is to risk everything.Sarah Beth Durst established a place of dark wonder in The Queen of Blood, and now the stakes are even higher as the threat to the Queen and her people grows both from within and beyond the borders of Aratay in this riveting second novel of the Queens of Renthia series.

"Hailed as "epic fantasy on a George R. R. Martin scale, but on speed,"* the Broken Empire trilogy introduced a bold new world of dark fantasy with the story of Jorg Ancrath's devastating rise to power. Now, Mark Lawrence returns to the Broken Empire with the tale of a less ambitious prince... The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister--unseen by most and unspoken of by all. The Red Queen's grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth--drinker, gambler, seducer of women--is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it's all a rumor--nothing that will affect him--but he is wrong. After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war--and the Red Queen controls the board. *Fixed on Fantasy"--

Once a servant, now a princess, a young woman thrust into power challenges everything about the underground Fae realm in the next installment of Sarah Hawley’s new romantasy series.Kenna Heron is still reeling from her lover’s betrayal and the threat of an impending war. With only her two closest—and most powerless—friends by her side, she must navigate the treacherous politics of Mistei while coming to terms with her new identity as not just Fae, but princess of her own house.With the king dead, three candidates are vying for the right to wear the crown next. A princess who claims the throne as her birthright and two rebel princes, both of whom are depending on the support of Blood House to break the stalemate between them. Old loyalties fray as new, dangerous alliances form, and Kenna finds herself caught in a web of violence, deceit, and unexpected passion.Kenna has the power to shape Mistei’s future… but someone’s willing to kill to make sure she never gets the chance.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • MacKayla Lane faces the ultimate threat when war breaks out between the kingdoms of shadow and light, as the Fever series races to an explosive revelation.From the moment MacKayla Lane arrived in Dublin to hunt her sister’s murderer, she’s had to fight one dangerous battle after the next: to survive, to secure power, to keep her city safe, to protect the people she loves.The matter of who’s good and who’s evil can be decided by the answer to a single question: Whose side are you on?Now, as High Queen of the Fae, Mac faces her greatest challenge yet: ruling the very race she was born to hunt and kill—a race that wants her dead yesterday, so they can put a pure-blooded Fae queen on the throne.But challenges with her subjects are the least of her concerns when an ancient, deadly foe resurfaces, changing not only the rules of the game but the very game itself, initiating a catastrophic sequence of events that have devastating consequences and leave Mac questioning everything she’s ever learned and everyone she’s ever loved. Now begins an epic battle between Mortal and Fae, Seelie and Unseelie, would-be kings and would-be queens, with possession of the Unseelie King’s virtually unlimited power and the fate of humanity at stake.From the exquisite, deadly gardens of the High Queen’s court, to long-forgotten truths found in the Sacred Grove of Creation, from the erotic bed of her enigmatic, powerful lover to the darkest, seductive reaches of the Unseelie kingdom, Mac’s final journey takes her places no human has been before, and only one human could possibly survive . . .One who’s willing to sacrifice everything.

In fifteenth-century France, the convent of Saint Mortain provides sanctuary to girls seeking refuge from the cruelty of the outside world. But sanctuary comes at a price—and each of Death’s handmaidens pays it in blood.   Grave Mercy is where the story begins, when seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes the brutality of an arranged marriage by joining the convent. An assignment brings her to the high court of Brittany, where she must navigate treason and temptation—especially when the master she serves demands the life of the man she loves.   In Dark Triumph, after training as an elite killer to escape her past, Sybella must return to the home she thought she’d never see again. Her quest for justice against her violent family will bring nothing but destruction—until she meets a prisoner who gives her a reason to live.   Annith yearns to serve Saint Mortain, but has spent her life watching her far more gifted sisters dole out Death’s vengeance from the safety of the convent. In Mortal Heart, her destiny is finally revealed, and it is the one she feared most: a life as a seeress, not an assassin. But Annith refuses to give up on her dream and decides that nothing will stand in the way of her ambitions . . . not even the convent itself.   Together, these three novels make up the New York Times best-selling His Fair Assassin trilogy, where romance, magic, and political intrigue collide. Fans of Marie Lu’s The Young Elites and Kiersten White’s And I Darken will love this seductive dark fantasy collection.  

An inter-connected romantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas from the multi-million USA Today bestselling author A family with a dark history... Lucien Thorne is the most vile monster in all of Thorngate. As Winter King, he rules our land with an iron fist and a cold, dead heart. And my father has just informed me that I am betrothed to marry him... As the Princess of Fall, it is my duty to marry whatever suitor my father chooses for me, but even duty can't make me spend the rest of my life with someone like Lucien. However the more time I spend with this mysterious man, the more I wonder if the rumours about him are even true. As I get to know the real Lucien, I start to discover the secrets and dark history of his family. A history that explains his ruthless behaviour... And one I plan to expunge if I am ever to live out my life in the Winter Palace in peace. As much as I want to hate Lucien Thorne and everything he's done to our realm... I cannot deny my heart. The Ruthless Fae King is book THREE of FOUR in the Kings of Avalier series. It's a full-length enemies-to-lovers standalone fantasy romance about the Winter King Lucien Thorne. Readers LOVE The Ruthless Fae King 'If you like books that have you hooked and invested in the characters from the beginning then please read these books' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Really enjoyed this one as I found Lucien to be a much more complex character than I expected' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Can't recommend these books enough!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brilliant! Couldn't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A hundred years have passed since the Faerie woman Lara last saved the world of Hetar from the darkness. Her youth and her beauty remain as always. The passing years, however, have taken many of her friends and kin. Her influence has waned. Those who remember her heroism in times of peril are few. Even her great-grandson, Cadarn, Dominus of Terah, denies her strong magic. And all the while Lara's son, the charming but nefarious Twilight Lord, Kolgrim, waits patiently for his moment. But Kolgrim will not make his father's mistakes by waging war. His way is more subtle, and sinister. Despite Lara's formidable powers she fears there is little to be done. Yet before all is lost she will fulfill the long-ago prophecy of her daughter Anoush to unite the world of Hetar. And as the darkness falls Lara finds that more than ever she needs the wisdom, the love and the support of the great Shadow Prince, Kaliq. While her youngest daughter, Marzina, will prove to all that she is more than just her mother's daughter. In her greatest trial yet, Lara and Kaliq will finally meet her long foretold destiny together.

Perfect for fans of Graceling and Game of Thrones, this is the breathtaking conclusion to the Age of Legends trilogy—from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.The empire rests on the edge of a knife, and sisters Ashyn and Moria are the handle and the blade. Desperate to outmaneuver the evil Alvar Kitsune, whose hold on the people grows stronger every day, Emperor Tatsu begs Moria to put aside past grievances and ally with Gavril—at least long enough to make an attempt on Alvar's life. Meanwhile, reunited with her long-lost grandfather, Ashyn discovers that she is the key to a ritual that could reawaken an ancient dragon and turn the tide of the coming battle in their favor.But with lies and betrayal lurking around every corner, Ashyn and Moria will have to decide once and for all where their allegiances lie. And it may not be where their hearts would lead them. . . .In this third and final book in her epic and enchanting trilogy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong blends fantasy, action, and romance to give readers the unforgettable ending they've been waiting for.

War brought them together. Love will tear them apart. Auranos has been conquered and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now unwillingly united as one country called Mytica. But alluring, dangerous magic still beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world. . . .    •  CLEO is now a prisoner in her own palace, forced to be an ambassador for Mytica as the evil King Gaius lies to her people    •  MAGNUS stands to eventually inherit the new kingdom but is still obsessed with his feelings for his adopted sister, Lucia    •  LUCIA is haunted by the deadly outcome of her breathtaking display of magic that allowed her father to capture the kingdoms    •  JONAS watches at the palace gates, a troop of rebels behind him, waiting for him to tell them how he plans to overtake King Gaius When Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of cataclysmic events that will forever change the face of this land. Praise for Falling Kingdoms “From an opening dripping with blood, magic, and betrayal through complex interweaving plots detailing treachery, deceit, and forbidden love, this novel . . . will immediately engage readers and keep them intrigued.”—Booklist   “[It] will gut you emotionally . . . make you ache, cry, and beg for the sequel as you turn the last page. I absolutely loved it.”—Julie Kagawa, New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Queen “This triple-layered tale of bloodshed, heartbreak, and tangled court intrigue kept me turning pages very late into the night.”—Lesley Livingston, author of Wondrous Strange and Starling