The Queen of Days released on 24 October 2023 and it’s an epic adventure that weaves together a flawed-but-lovable family of thieves, a battle between fallen gods, and stakes high enough to cause vertigo.

The allure of the trickster is always rooted in the will-they-won’t-they pull of right versus wrong. It’s what makes watching the new Loki series so irresistible. It’s not just the gleefully mischievous mayhem wrought by Asgard’s second son, but also the question of whether he will ever manage to do the right thing. And the secret hope that he will keep skipping gleefully into the shadows. So, if morally grey is your favorite color, read on to find five books that might scratch that trickster itch.

THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF by Christopher Buehlman

Kinch Na Shannack is no one’s idea of a hero. Deeply indebted to the Taker’s Guild that trained him, he makes the ill-fated choice to steal from a lone woman on the road. Except the woman is a knight on an epic journey across monster-infested lands and Kinch is going to help her whether he wants to or not. Delightfully irreverent and brimming with all the banter you could ever hope for, THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF is an instant classic that had me laughing out loud time and again.

GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner

The world of GODKILLER is rife with gods, but that doesn’t make them welcome. Or invincible, thanks to godkillers like Kissen. But when Kissen discovers that Skedi, the God of White Lies, has bonded himself to a young girl named Inara, Kissen finds herself unable to do her job. For a God of White Lies, Skedi’s point of view chapters reveal him to be surprisingly devoted to young Inara, and the mystery of how they became connected will keep you turning pages. In addition to some unique worldbuilding, this fantasy quest story also has some major Witcher vibes thanks to the friendship that grows between Kissen and Inara. This is a highly unique tale and a must-read for those who enjoy books with no easy answers.

ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART by Stephanie Garber

Calling all YA readers! When broken-hearted Evangeline makes deal with Jacks, the Prince of Hearts, to stop her boyfriend’s wedding, you just know things are going to end badly. Garber fans will recognize Jacks from the CARAVAL series, but by some mysterious authorial alchemy, the often-villainous, always untrustworthy, and occasionally heroic Jacks becomes someone that you want to root for. Just don’t think you can ever guess what he will do next. Or why.

AMONG THIEVES by M.J. Kuhn

This high-stakes fantasy heist novel is positively chock-full of trickster-type characters. Like many a heist novel, this crew is out to make the score of a lifetime. Unlike many, every single member of the crew goes in planning to betray the others. Readers will have their pick of morally grey rascals to root for: from the slightly bumbling Tristan, an assassin with a surprising secret, to the terrifyingly and shark-like Callum. This multi-point of view tale is intricately plotted and makes for a fast-paced page turner that will have you immediately grabbing for book two.

LOKI by Melvin Burgess

What list of books featuring morally questionable characters would be complete without an appearance by the original trickster himself, Loki? Burgess’s debut into the adult space, LOKI has something of an experimental and quasi-autobiographical feel to it. Sharply funny, Loki paints a portrait of Norse mythology that is rife with intensely human-like gods and a Valhalla that doesn’t seem quite so heavenly as we’ve been led to believe. This book is a fantastically weird take well-known source material, with a voice that will leave you laughing. 

Bonus Reading! The Old Kingdom Series, by Garth Nix

Okay, so this one is a deep cut (hence the bonus entry), but can we all just remember how cool Mogget is? First appearing in SABRIEL, and returning many times since, Mogget is introduced as a talking cat begrudgingly bound to serve the line of Abhorsens—necromancers tasked to put down the dead. But Mogget isn’t a docile house pet, he’s more like a fallen god/demon in disguise. And in Mogget, Nix just spells out what we are all thinking: all tricksters are cats at heart. Though Mogget may serve the Abhorsens, and might be wooed with promises of fish, only a fool would test that theory by removing his collar.

The post 5 Books To Read If You Love A Good (Or Not So Good) Trickster appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I’m not sure what it says about me, but any time I see a title involving some sort of thievery, heist, or the like, my black little heart skips a few beats, and I immediately add it to my TBR with a grin that would do the Joker proud.

Now, I may be dating myself when I say this, but when I first saw Among Thieves by MJ Kuhn land in my Kindle library, I straight up Bring It On spirit-fingered my excitement (like the OG Bring it On, not the twenty spin-offs) and then promptly dove in.

Having read more than my fair share of debut novels thanks to my tenure in this industry, I typically try (try being the operative word here) to temper any expectations I form after I read the blurb of the book. And no, I don’t do this because I don’t have faith in any of the authors, I do this for my own reading brain sanity because I am that reader that will not DNF a book unless something truly triggering or wretched happens.

That being said… M.J. Kuhn didn’t shyly inch her way onto the fantasy scene with this debut novel… Oh, no, she straight up pulled an Angelina Jolie in her 2012 Oscars dress and made an entrance that won’t soon be forgotten with Among Thieves. Full of tightly written action sequences that would make even the most seasoned of Hollywood stunt crews heart’s pump with adrenaline, I couldn’t tear myself away from this book until I flipped to the very last page.

And the best part is… this is the first book in a series, so we can look forward to even MORE of the five kingdoms of Thamorr with our new favourite thief, Ryia Cautella leading her merry band of liars and rogues.

How’s that old expression go again? A thief, an enforcer, a master forger, a fast-fingered card dealer, and a smuggler all walk into a bar? Just kidding, clearly that’s not the saying, but it totally works for this book. If you’re a fan of morally grey characters and plotlines where the boundary between good and bad has been completely swept away, or chopped to bits by an axe in this case, you’re not going to want to miss this one.

I’ve seen this book compared to Six of Crows, as well as The Lies of Locke Lamora, and while it definitely has some of the same beats, such as a group of young criminals who all have secrets they wish to keep buried deep and more hidden agendas than the number of cards in a loaded deck—Kuhn really put her own unique spin on a tried and true trope, and created a world which I’m sure is quickly going to become a fan favourite in the genre.

Full of sharp witted remarks, a gritty and complex magic system, a tangled mass of individual agendas that keep you guessing as to whether or not each of the scheming characters is truly on Ryia’s side, and a heist that’s got higher stakes than the tallest ship’s mast on the dockside of Carrowwick—Among Thieves is any morally grey character lover’s fantasy dream book come true.

I will note that there were quite a few point of views in the story, which at times, took me out of the story for a few moments so I could refocus (thank you, ADHD brain chemistry)—but even with that small “issue” that’s not even really an issue, I’m happy to say, Kuhn’s characters didn’t blend together, as sometimes happens with larger casts in fantasy novels.

Fully fleshed out, diverse AF, and realistic, each and every character got the time and space needed to fully develop and allow the reader to connect with and their unique backstories as well as their charming, if not dysfunctional, dynamic within the group, and outside of it too. To say I was impressed with the way I both rooted for and despised each of the characters at times throughout the novel, is an understatement.

As mentioned above, this is the first book in a series, and while it does end on a sort of happily for now-ish moment, there are still a million questions left unanswered and spinning through my head. The most important being… When can I get my greedy little hands on book two? And a plea for a map of the five kingdoms included in book two, so I can keep my landmarks straight, pretty please and thank you.

Among Thieves is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of

Will you be picking up Among Thieves? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

A high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice

In just over a year’s time, Ryia Cautella has already earned herself a reputation as the quickest, deadliest blade in the dockside city of Carrowwick—not to mention the sharpest tongue. But Ryia Cautella is not her real name.

For the past six years, a deadly secret has kept her in hiding, running from town to town, doing whatever it takes to stay one step ahead of the formidable Guildmaster—the sovereign ruler of the five kingdoms of Thamorr. No matter how far or fast she travels, his servants never fail to track her down…but even the most powerful men can be defeated.

Ryia’s path now leads directly into the heart of the Guildmaster’s stronghold, and against every instinct she has, it’s not a path she can walk alone. Forced to team up with a crew of assorted miscreants, smugglers, and thieves, Ryia must plan her next moves very carefully. If she succeeds, her freedom is won once and for all…but unfortunately for Ryia, her new allies are nearly as selfish as she is, and they all have plans of their own.

The post Review: Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet in this defiantly joyful adventure set in California’s San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts.

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman, Isabel Allende, and Sarah Addison Allen, this is a gorgeously written novel about a family searching for the truth hidden in their past and the power they’ve inherited, from the author of the acclaimed and “giddily exciting” (The New York Times Book Review) Brooklyn Brujas series.

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Once Upon a Broken Heart marks the launch of a new series about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after from Stephanie Garber, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Caraval.

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic, comes Certain Dark Things, a pulse-pounding neo-noir that reimagines vampire lore.

Among Thieves by M.J. Kuhn
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A thrilling fantasy debut—a high-stakes heist novel set in a gritty world of magic and malice, and perfect for fans of Six of Crows!

Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales by Soman Chainani
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani respins old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era and creates a world like no other. These stories know you. They understand you. They reflect you. They are tales for our times. So read on, if you dare. 

Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this stunning new fantasy novel from international bestselling author C. S. Pacat, heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war are reborn and begin to draw new battle lines. This epic fantasy with high-stakes romance will sit perfectly on shelves next to beloved fantasy novels like the Infernal Devices series, the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and the Red Queen series.

Gutter Mage by J.S. Kelley
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

J.S. Kelley weaves epic fantasy and hardboiled noir in this fast-paced, twisting tale of magic, mystery, and a whole lot of unruly behaviour.

She Who Rides the Storm by Caitlin Sangster
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this atmospheric YA fantasy that is Wicked Saints meets There Will Come a Darkness, four teens are drawn into a high-stakes heist in the perilous tomb of an ancient shapeshifter king.

The Actual Star by Monica Byrne
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas meets Octavia Butler’s Earthseed series, as acclaimed author Monica Byrne (The Girl in the Road) spins a brilliant multigenerational saga spanning two thousand years, from the collapse of the ancient Maya to a far-future utopia on the brink of civil war.

The Body Scout by Lincoln Michel
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Diamond-sharp and savagely wry, The Body Scout is a timely science fiction thriller debut set in an all-too-possible future.

The Escapement by Lavie Tidhar
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In this dazzling new novel evoking Westerns, surrealism, epic fantasy, mythology, and circus extravaganzas, World Fantasy Award winner Lavie Tidhar (Central Station) has created an incomparable dreamscape of dark comedy, heartbreak, hope, and adventure. Chronicling a lone man’s quest in parallel worlds, The Escapement offers the archetypal darkness of Stephen King’s The Gunslinger within the dark whimsy of a child’s imagination.

The Last Legacy by Adrienne Young
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

New York Times bestselling author Adrienne Young returns with The Last Legacy, a captivating standalone about family and blood ties, reinventing yourself, and controlling your own destiny.

The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Cassandra Khaw’s debut novel is a page-turning exploration of humans and machines that is perfect for readers of Ann Leckie, Ursula Le Guin, and Kameron Hurley.

From the Neck Up by Aliya Whiteley
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

The new collection of beautiful, strange and disarming short stories from the award-winning Aliya Whiteley, deftly unpeels the strangeness of everyday life with her trademark wit. Witness the future of farming in a new Ice Age, or the artist bringing life to glass; the many-eyed monsters we carry and the secret cities inside our bodies.

No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

One October morning, Laina gets the news that her brother was shot and killed by Boston cops. But what looks like a case of police brutality soon reveals something much stranger. Monsters are real. And they want everyone to know it. As creatures from myth and legend come out of the shadows, seeking safety through visibility, their emergence sets off a chain of seemingly unrelated events.

What September 2021 fantasy and sci-fi book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post September 2021 Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.