AustLit

'MAGIC. MURDER. MAYHEM. But keep it in the family.

'Shine’s life is usually dull: an orphan without magic in a family of powerful mages, she’s left to run the family estate with only an eccentric aunt and telepathic cat for company.

'But when the family descend on the house for the annual Fertility Festival, Shine is plunged into dark intrigue; stolen letters, a fugitive spy, and family drama mix with murder, sex and secrets, and Shine is forced to decide both her loyalties and future...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The destiny of the Three Sisters is nigh - an ancient prophecy has come to pass. The peace negotiated by the Tari has held firm for ten years, but a new demon master is rising. When Yani the Raven is kidnapped, sorceress Marigoth and her companion Ezratah are drawn into a trap set by a brutal necromancer and his insane sister. Meanwhile Elena Starchild's daughter Alyx, heir to the throne of the Mori, finds herself wounded and on the run in a forest full of dark magic; and in the company of a bitter enemy. Can the insular Tari, dreaming in the secret land of Ermora, be awoken before the demon fire consumes them? And can a Melded Child bring harmony before it is too late?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Three Tari Sisters estranged from the Society they are destined to save. Elena, more beautiful than any man can resist, is kidnapped, her destiny controlled by the men who desire her. Yani, warrior woman, brave, strong, able to pass as a man, who will do anything to find Elena. Marigoth, powerful female mage, determined to never grow up, equally determined to find her missing sister. In a country oppressed and cruelly ruled, the fate of many people lies in the unsuspecting hands of these three women.'

Source: Publisher's blurb (Clan Destine Press).

'An accomplished fantasy of maturity and depth, Routley's second novel (after Mage Heart) continues the story of Dion Holyhands, raised by a stern foster-father to develop her outstanding magical powers. Here, Dion is reintroduced to the extended family she had lost and continues her coming-of-age, including renewed battle against her lover and foe, the demon Bedazzer. Dion is a strong character, introspective but often misled by self-doubt and guilt. Aided by the gypsylike Wanderers, she finds that her magic has destined her for a central role in the government of her homeland, Moria. While many genre fantasies simply add magic to political intrigue, Routley's are noteworthy for the natural and inevitable intertwining of the two. Here, for instance, different countries prohibit and allow different magics, thereby controlling their citizens. Well-drawn backgrounds and characters add to the appeal, as Routley produces another fantasy that can be read for more than myth or pyrotechnics, accelerating her rise as one of the genre's bright new stars'.

Source: Bookseller's website.