Did you know that Amazon has a list of the top-selling and free sci-fi and fantasy books? The list changes constantly — authors and publishers set their books to free temporarily to promote their work, and, of course, books move up and down in the rankings. Read on to find your fun free read for this weekend! And grab the books quickly because they don’t always stay free for long.
This week’s list is completely different from those of the previous weeks. So if you’re a fan of free books, there are going to be new things to read all the time. If you want to get this list in your inbox every Friday afternoon, subscribe to the MetaStellar weekly newsletter.
There are a lot of books to go through, so this week I’m being helped out by a couple of other members of our MetaStellar community. If you’d like to join me in doing these reviews — and taping our regular Free Friday videos — email me at maria@metastellar.com.
5. Fenrir by Demelza Carlton
This is the first of five books in the Heart of Ice Series of romantic fantasy. The other books are $2.99 to $6.99 each, and are not in Kindle Unlimited. Book five is due out this coming December and is available for pre-order. This USA Today bestselling author has been on our Free Friday list before, many, many times.
From Maria Korolov:
First, my standard disclaimer. I’m not a fan of sexy guys with bare chests on book covers. Or of love in general. Give me murder and mayhem any day, I say, and I don’t care what it says about my mental health!
But, since the majority of humanity does appreciate romance, and finds sexiness sexy, I’m just going to jump right in.
The book opens in a medieval Norse setting, with the titular Fenrir, who has promised Astrid’s father that he would protect her. So he now acts as her guard, brings her firewood, and tells her stories. Astrid is being kept out of sight, for her own protection, because she might get kidnapped. But she begs him to let her take a walk on the beach. Everyone is off at a feast, and they could go and be back before anyone knows they’re gone. And, on the beach, alone, they kiss. They they see dozens of boats gliding in. Fenrir cannot fight hundreds of men and win, so the two of them hide.
The invaders’ sneak attack is unsuccessful, but Fenrir is accused of stealing Astrid away during the battle. He tries to tell them that he was only trying to protect her, and promises to pledge his entire life to her. Then a witch turns him into a wolf man and has Astrid cut out Fenrir’s heart to bind him. Much later, to escape marriage to someone who will kill her, Astrid joins Fenrir in his curse and the two of them sleep under the witch’s spell for many years.
And when they wake up they’re no longer in medieval times, but in the modern world.
So that was the first eight chapters of the book. The chapters are short, and move quickly. And I have to say, I’m kind of interested to see how they do in the modern world. So maybe I’ll stick with it this weekend.
Get the Kindle ebook free from Amazon here.
4. Wicked Moons by Ruby Raine
This is the first of four books in the Wicked Good Witches paranormal urban fantasy series. The other books are $3.99 each, and the series is not in Kindle Unlimited. The author has been on our Free Friday list before. If you like her style, all three of her completed steamy witch series — ten book in total — are currently available as a single set for $9.99.
From Christina Brown:
The story focuses on three sibling witches who duty it is to protect their community and keep their magic safe, living in a mansion on Demon Isle. One is half werewolf and trying to keep the family together. The sister is riddled with anxiety and her desire for her vampire friend. One of the brothers is ready to ditch town because he wants a real life and he’s super sexy and everyone is in love with him, how annoying.
The story shifts point of view a lot and it seems to follow the three siblings equally. Michael, the younger of the two brothers is an empath and also has the ability to read death. He lays his hand on a body and can tell how they died. Except this time, in his vision he sees his mother potentially involved, but she’s been dead for a number of years.
It’s an interesting story line with a bit of a Practical Magic feel with an old enchanted mansion in a quaint town, but the shifting point of view is hard to follow and I’m having a hard time finding a character I want to stick around with. I might give this one a few more pages and see where it goes.
Get the Kindle ebook free from Amazon here.
3. A Tempest of Discovery by Sarah M. Cradit
This is the first of four books in the Midnight Dynasty paranormal romance series. The other books are $4.99 each, and the series is not in Kindle Unlimited. The author has been on our Free Friday list before. In fact, this is the second week in a row that this book has been on our Free Friday list.
From Maria Korolov:
According to the preface, this particular series is related to another series by the same author, the 12-book The House of Crimson and Clover, the first book of which is also free today. But the author says that you don’t have to read those first because these books stand on their own.
The book starts with a list of characters and several family tree diagrams, which worries me because I’m not a fan of family epics. Those tend to be full of drama, and I don’t like drama.
It starts in New Orleans, in the present day — of 2007. So, a lifetime ago.
Nicolas is an heir to the Deschanel dynasty, a family of witches and wizards. He used to be a depraved rogue but wants to change and no longer be a man afraid of commitment or family. And he wants to show his family that he’s changed. The only one who believes him is his aunt Colleen. She’s the closest thing he’s got to a parent. His aunt wants him to investigate another powerful witch family.
Oh, and he’s paired up with a woman he’s in love with, Lauren, but she just knows him as the idiot he used to be.
There’s also a bunch of backstory about what’s happened with the family so far.
Then, in the next chapter, we switch to the point of view of Charlotte, who’s just resigned a legal internship for the Louisiana ACLU and asked for a leave from her law studies. Then she went to the firing range to practice her shooting. Aunt Colleen is Charlotte’s father’s cousin. And Colleen has an assignment for Charlotte as well, which includes a trip to Paris with someone named Julian, whom she loves, but who’s too young, sweet, and innocent to go on an assignment like this. They’re supposed to investigate an illusionist and her brother, who are able to change their appearances, and Colleen wants to know if they’re going to be allies — or enemies. And the illusionist’s brother’s picture captures Charlotte’s eye, and she’s immediately drawn to him.
And there’s more back story.
Then we switch to the point of view of Lauren. She and Nicolas are getting ready for their assignment, and they’re discussing family issues. Lauren has a sister that she doesn’t get along with but still sees regularly. Nicolas’ sister is pregnant, and he’s going to be an uncle to a kid whom he might someday make his heir. Then they go and investigate that other witch family.
It’s a slow beginning — too slow for me. There are too many potential romantic couples. There’s too much family backstory.
If you like family sagas with a magical twist, you should pick this up — and pick up the first book in that other related series as well and read that first.
Get the Kindle ebook free from Amazon here.
2. The Dragon of New Orleans by Genevieve Jack
This is the first book in a ten-book series, The Treasure of Paragon, by a New York Times-bestselling author. The other books are $4.99 each and are not in Kindle Unlimited. The author has been on our Free Friday list before. In fact, this is the second week in a row that this book has also been on our Free Friday list.
From Maria Korolov:
Gabriel Blakemore is an immortal dragon. Or, at least, he used to be immortal. A voodoo curse is making him sick.
Ravenna Tanglewood is in a hospice, dying of brain cancer. The only thing she’s happy about is that she can donate her organs. She’s half-paralyzed, on a morphine drip. She’s had the chemo, she’s had the surgeries. This is the end. And death himself shows up. Or, at least, a guy who isn’t wearing medical scrubs. And time stops — literally — the IV stops dripping, and the clock stops. This is the end. One thing that surprises her — death is a hunk. Dark, brooding, scruffy. Judging by the book cover and Ravenna’s description, I’m picturing him to look like Tom Ellis in the TV show Lucifer. And the visitor turns out to be Gabriel.
Yup, Gabriel saw an old newspaper article where she’d had a premonition of a fire, causing her parents to buy a new fire extinguisher, thus saving their business and their lives. Now he thinks she’s psychic.
Now we switch back to his point of view, and he’s a little shocked by how awful she looks. Nothing at all like her newspaper picture. But she did used to be an honors anthropology student with a minor in history. So he offers her a job. If she consents, he can use what little magic he’s got left to bind her. Unless the cancer has taken so much of her mind that she can no longer consent, then it wouldn’t work. And she says yes. So he pulls out a tooth — a giant dragon tooth — out of his mouth. He turns the tooth into a pill and tosses it down the back of her throat like I do with my cat. Then he leaves and time starts moving again.
Okay, I’m caught up in the story. I want to know why he needs her specifically. Also, the writing is really good.
Update: I went back last weekend and continued reading the book.
Get the Kindle e-book free from Amazon here
1. Snow So White by C. Gockel
This is the first of five books in the Urban Magick & Folklore romantic fantasy series by a USA Today-bestselling author. The other books are $2.99 to $4.99 each and are not in Kindle Unlimited. The author has been on our Free Friday list before. And, yes, this book is also a carry-over from last week, though it’s now moved to first place!
From E.S. Foster:
The story opens with Cherie, a young woman seemingly being held hostage by two men on a bus. She needs to convince them that she has Magick just like them, but suddenly a mysterious creature steps in front of the bus and the men begin shooting at it.
It then cuts back to Cherie attempting to get some food that morning. Her grandmother has just passed away, and she’s struggling to cope.
It’s revealed that a mysterious force swept over the world years ago, destroying almost all modern technology. Now mythical creatures roam the lands and people possess all kinds of magic. The Fae regularly travel through the sleepy town Cherie lives in. Jack Frost also exists, and he acts as a protector of sorts to the entire town.
One of the shopkeepers mentions that it’s likely that the Queen will now be able to see the town through her magick mirror. She’s been searching for more magickal people and animals to use during the war in the south. Cherie hopes that Jack can keep her and her friends safe as the Queen draws closer.
The story then shifts to Jack’s perspective. He’s trapped in a dream, forced to use mirrors to see and talk with people in the real world. He came across Cherie and her grandmother years ago, after he had woken from a curse the Queen had placed on him.
While wandering through the dream world and checking the mirrors, he realized that the spell he placed on the Queen in return to keep the town safe is now weakening. Soon the Queen will know where the town is, and she’ll be ready to harvest all its magical people.
As the Queen comes closer, Cherie must strike a bargain to keep the town safe, and Jack must figure out how to stop the Queen.
I really enjoyed the premise of this story. All the magical creatures, the idea of a dream world, and details about things like a Vampire War sounded amazing! There were a few places where I wasn’t sure what was happening, but the pace was steady, and the prose was really good. I also haven’t read much urban magical fantasy before so this might be my new favorite genre. I’m definitely going to keep reading this series!
Get the Kindle ebook free from Amazon here.
See all the Free Friday posts here. Do you have other free books for us to check out? Comment below or email me at maria@metastellar.com.
Have you read any of these books? Are you planning to? Let us know in the comments!
Or watch Maria and Emma discuss all five books in the video below:
MetaStellar editor and publisher Maria Korolov is a science fiction novelist, writing stories set in a future virtual world. And, during the day, she is an award-winning freelance technology journalist who covers artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and enterprise virtual reality. See her Amazon author page here and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, and check out her latest videos on the Maria Korolov YouTube channel. Email her at maria@metastellar.com. She is also the editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business, one of the top global sites covering virtual reality.
Christina Brown is a speculative fiction writer and a freelance editor. She can be found on Instagram at @christinaiswriting.
E. S. Foster is a writer and graduate student at the University of Cambridge. Her work has been featured in a variety of literary journals and small presses. You can find out more about her and what she does at her blog, E. S. Foster.