I've been in a fantasy sort of mood lately, and I swear that these books have been very hit or miss for me lately. So, as you might imagine, my literary craving has been a bit of a double-edged sword. Luckily for all of us though, it seems like 2015 might just be the year for fantasy because some of the books I've seen floating around look like they might just be to die for.

Title: Red Queen
Author: Victoria Aveyard (Twitter)
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publish Date: February 10, 2015
Genre: YA, High Fantasy
Pages: 320

Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with red and those with silver. Mare and her family are lowly Reds, destined to serve the Silver elite whose supernatural abilities make them nearly gods. Mare steals what she can to help her family survive, but when her best friend is conscripted into the army, she gambles everything to win his freedom. A twist of fate leads her to the royal palace itself where, in front of the king and all his nobles, she discovers a superhuman ability she didn’t know she had.

Except...her blood is Red. To hide this impossibility, the king forces her into the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks her new position to aid the Scarlet Guard—the leaders of a budding Red rebellion. Her actions put into motion a deadly and violent dance, pitting prince against prince and Mare against her own heart.

Yes. Yes yes yes yes yes. I find it extremely hard to put into words just how amazing Red Queen sounds to me. There's something about a novel that embraces royalty, deceit, powers, the lust for dominion and a strong female protagonist that just speaks to me, and it sounds like this novel has it all. I have to say that it sounds like fantasy is erring on a darker, more devious sort of note these days, and the tricky side of me is just loving it. Sign me up for this one! What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature from Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Troubled Waters
Author: Sharon Shinn
Publisher: Ace
Publish Date: October 5, 2010
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 391
Source: Personal Copy

Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king's fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river.

It's there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood—and the secrets of the royal family—she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.

Perhaps the most important part of an epic fantasy novel is the complexity and thoroughness of the world-building. Troubled Waters is the type of novel that completely excels in that department, giving readers a world that is accessible, tangible and powerful. Every element within the novel is thought out, well-crafted and offers us more than just the basics. From class divisions, to magic,  to alternate realities, Troubled Waters embraces all and somehow manages to make each part mesh together perfectly to create the type of fantasy story that you can't help but read.

Ms. Shinn, however, goes a step further and also ensures that the setting is of equal importance to the novel as the world-building. I could sense the stench of despair in the slums by the river, and I was enamored by the well-described opulence of the grand palace, as well. Zoe, our protagonist, is the reason why this story will remain with me though. She's beautifully flawed, and it's her imperfections that make her relatable and powerful. Furthermore, she had an aura of grace about her, as well as a rationale, intelligence and wit that fuels the adventurous plot.

A fantasy novel often has the ability to spin readers into the world in which its created, but Troubled Waters goes a step further, offering us glimpses of each caste, as well. I found it incredibly powerful that our characters actually fueled the plot, as well, which made them all the more valuable to the reader. With touches of political drama, as well as a thorough exploration (that manages to not be tedious) of power plays and the world of the King's court, there was simply so much going on that there never seemed to be a dull moment in the novel.

While romance seems to take center stage in many of the books I've read as of late, it was incredibly refreshing to read a story in which our protagonist is too level-headed to get swept away in the throes of passion. Yes, there is love, and there are delicate hints at a romance which serve to heighten the stakes of the story, but it's not the end-all, be-all of the novel. Rather, it's an added element which serves only to give readers a glimpse of compassion and a slow-building companionship.

Overall, I can't believe I've had this novel on my shelf for over 3 years, and I didn't pick it up. It's the type of fantasy novel that begs other such novels to pay attention to the details and give readers more of the world - and perhaps a little less drama. And, most of all, it's the type of book that I will most definitely re-read and recommend. I give this book a 5 out of 5, and I highly recommend it to fans of upper YA, especially those who enjoy strong fantasy novels. 

Title: Lark Rising
Author: Sandra Waugh (Twitter)
Publisher: Random House BYR
Publish Date: September 23, 2014
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 400

Lark has foreseen two things—she will fall for a young man with sage green eyes,and he will kill her. Sixteen-year-old Lark Carew is happiest close to home, tending her garden and gathering herbs for medicines. But when her Sight warns her that monsters called Troths will soon invade her village, Lark is summoned on a journey to seek help from the legendary Riders of Tarnec.

Little does she suspect that one of the Riders, Gharain, is the very man who has haunted her visions. Or that the people of Tarnec have called her there for another reason: Lark is the Guardian of Life, the first of four Guardians who must awaken their powers to recover four stolen amulets. Together, the amulets—Life, Death, Dark, and Light—keep the world in Balance. To take back the Life amulet, Lark will have to discover her true inner strength and give in to a love that she swears will be her downfall.

It's been a good long while since I read a legitimate high fantasy novel, and I must say that Lark Rising sounds exactly like the perfect book to get me back in the saddle. I love learning about new worlds, new cultures, new places and characters that are so vastly different from the people we see every day, and this seems like it will offer all that and more. With an element of drama and seemingly insatiable plot, you'd better believe I'm sold! What do you think, and what are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature from Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Title: Witchlanders
Author: Lena Coakley
Publisher: Atheneum
Published: August 30, 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 411
Source: Publisher

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned — Are about him.

Ryder doesn't believe in the power of the Witches that govern his mountain homeland. He longs to escape the hard labour of his family's farm in favour of a life by the sea, but his plans change drastically when he loses his father. Left to manage the farm, care for his eccentric mother and younger sisters, he is forced to accept the life he doesn't want. Falpian lives a very different life with the Baens. While mourning the loss of his twin brother at sea, he's sent to live alone in a tiny cottage during the winter. Fighting both his own grief and his father's discontent at his inability inherit the family's abilities, he finds his luck changes when a man appears with a scroll and tells him to open it in fifty days. Both Ryder and Falpian are set on a collision course that will ultimately define who they are as individuals and in their societies.

I don't read too much high fantasy. Honestly, I find a lot of it to be a bit too high-brow for me, and I want to feel like I'm becoming a part of the story. Witchlanders by the amazing Lena Coakley is one of those stories that allowed me to do so. Rich and engrossing, Witchlanders combines the enthralling nature of fantasy with powerful themes of tolerance, racial tension and religion. A single misstep could have unwound the delicate thread of this novel, but strong characters, a vibrant plot and a fabulous world within the pages kept the story alive and breathtaking. The world of Witchlanders is sure to live in my imagination for a very long time.

Alternate narration is always a bit tedious for me to read, but I have to say that Witchlanders manages to portray two very different boys with two entirely distinct voices with ease. By adding dual narration with views from both Falpian and Ryder, we're allowed insight into both character's minds, thus giving us insider perspectives to two very different and warring civilizations. Furthermore, it helped me develop a bond with both characters through Witchlanders, and it helped me feel like I understood where both characters were coming from with every action and inaction. The dynamic between the two (when they finally meet) also heightens the story astronomically. Truly, the nature and complexity of their interaction was tense, and true-to-life, as Witchlanders did not shy away from portraying their warring beliefs while feuding with their inner turmoil. Through it all, the prose is magical and picture-perfect, drawing you into a new world in Witchlanders.

All in all, Witchlanders was a beautiful and poetic read. The only thing I would wish to change would be the ending of the story. Though the ends are tied up, it's still a bit open-ended. Not quite a cliffhanger, mind you, but still a bit raw. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I'd recommend this to both YA and adult fans, especially those who enjoy high fantasy novels.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.