Fantasy Archives - A Literary Escape

Daughter of the Otherworld by Shauna Lawless

Published on August 10, 2026August 9, 2026 by Celeste4 Comments

Today’s review is about DAUGHTER OF THE OTHERWORLD by Shauna Lawless. It’s the first book in the Gael Song: Era II trilogy and follows the story of Isolde in 12th century Ireland. I highly recommend reading the first Gael Song trilogy for maximum impact. Those books are THE CHILDREN OF GODS AND FIGHTING MEN, THE WORDS OF KINGS AND PROPHETS, and THE LAND OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD. This new trilogy follows some of the same characters and thus contains spoilers for the first trilogy.

Author: Shauna Lawless
Series: Gael Song: Era II, #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Head of Zeus — an AdAstra Book
Publish Date: November 11, 2025
Print Length: 448

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The Witch Below the Dreaming Wood by H.G. Parry

Published on August 3, 2026August 9, 2026 by Celeste8 Comments

Today’s review is about THE WITCH BELOW THE DREAMING WOOD by H.G. Parry. This is a standalone Arthurian novel with a dual setting between Camelot and in World War II Wales. This is a wonderful addition to the Arthurian retellings subgenre.

Author: H.G. Parry
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Redhook
Publish Date: July 21, 2026
Print Length: 448

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Strange Familiars by Keshe Chow

Published on July 27, 2026July 26, 2026 by Celeste6 Comments

Today’s review is about STRANGE FAMILIARS by Keshe Chow. It’s the first book in The Seamere College Duology. It’s set in a magical veterinary school setting with two characters competing for top of their class. However, magical surges and explosions cause these two academic rivals to team up and investigate the source of the disturbance.

Author: Keshe Chow
Series: The Seamere College Duology, #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Ace
Publish Date: May 19, 2026
Print Length: 432

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The Feywild Job by C.L. Polk

Published on July 25, 2026July 26, 2026 by Celeste8 Comments

Today’s book review is about THE FEYWILD JOB by C.L. Polk. This is a shorter review, largely because I DNF this one pretty early on. Keep reading to find out why I DNF this Dungeons and Dragons heist fantasy romance.

Author: C.L. Polk
Series: None
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Random House Worlds
Publish Date: June 30, 2026
Print Length: 352

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The Geomagician by Jennifer Mandula

Published on May 18, 2026May 17, 2026 by Celeste12 Comments

Today’s review is about THE GEOMAGICIAN by Jennifer Mandula. It’s a historical fantasy based on Mary Anning, a fossil collector in Victorian England. Though this is part one of a duology, it ends feeling like a standalone novel.

Author: Jennifer Mandula
Series: The Geomagician, #1
Age Category: Adult
Publisher: Del Rey
Publish Date: March 31, 2026
Print Length: 464

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