Fantasy-Faction

Learning the Rules by Tom Matheson Sometimes the hardest lessons aren’t taught in classrooms Mike Beckett has a plan— Well… he had one. Once a freelance writer with a steady girlfriend and a comfortable (if unreliable) Ford Fiesta, Mike suddenly finds himself jobless, single, and desperate for a fresh start. So, he dives into a year of training, a regular income, and maybe—just maybe—a chance to rewrite his life. What he doesn’t expect is that secondary school will feel like an alien planet. Welcome to High Stow, where the Headteacher, Mr. Palmer, runs the place as if he’s selling vacuum cleaners instead of shaping young minds, and the English department has become Mike’s accidental family. There’s Mrs. Nolan—the battle-hardened leader who’s allergic to nonsense; Mr. Grace, whose love of sci-fi outshines his love of marking; Mrs. Rogers, the mentor who somehow performs real magic every time she steps into a classroom; and Bright—sharp-witted, green-eyed, and absolutely off-limits… or so Mike keeps telling himself. Then there’s Mitchell—foul-mouthed, furious at the world, and one skipped lesson away from expulsion. Reaching him might be impossible. But giving up on him feels worse. As Ofsted inspections loom, lessons unravel, and disastrous dates try to be forgotten, Mike must battle his own awkwardness, the politics of school life, and the quiet fear that he’s in way over his head. Somewhere amidst spilled wine, school trips, and a guitar performance he didn’t mean to agree to, he begins learning the real rules—of teaching, of love, and of starting over. Because sometimes the biggest victories aren’t grades or promotions—they’re the people who believe in you before you believe in yourself. Heartfelt, funny, and full of hope, Learning the Rules is a story for anyone who’s ever had to rebuild their life from scratch… and found unexpected joy along the way.

A Good Way to Die by G.R. Matthews Never leave an enemy alive. In the shadowed towns of Esadale, betrayal cuts deeper than any blade. Rawlins—thief, murderer, outcast—has been left to die by the friends he once trusted and he is going to make them regret it. But revenge is never that simple. Hounded through city slums and noble halls alike, Rawlins uncovers secrets of his Fenland heritage, a rising drug trade that threatens to enslave his people, and a guild of thieves whose power rivals kings. With every step, he is drawn deeper into a grim struggle of sorcery, corruption, and bloodshed. Aided by Wilone, a herbalist with secrets of her own, and the hidden network of his despised kin, Rawlins must decide whether vengeance alone will satisfy him—or whether he will become something far darker. As civil war brews, nobles clash with the Church, and the streets burn with rebellion, Rawlins faces the ultimate question: Will he rise as a weapon of justice… or be consumed by the very revenge he craves? Perfect for readers of Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence, and The Witcher series, this dark fantasy revenge tale blends brutal action, and twisted magic. Note: A GOOD DAY TO DIE is set in the same world as SEVEN DEATHS OF AN EMPIRE from Rebellion / Solaris, but is a stand alone novel.

Anyone on my friend list interested in an ARC of either or both of these, let me know and I'll get you the link / book!

I read and enjoyed both, you can guess they are slightly different 😂

Teacher romcon and grimdark / dark fantasy

More info in the Alt Text, along with the title info and such!

The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang

Latest #SPFBO review

A quiet storm of duty, loss, and snowbound strength. Most of us were swept up all over again. Full team review here:

fantasy-faction.com/2025/the-swo...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

@marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social one for the scoreboard!

A Study in Sirens by Suzannah Rowntree

A quick, charming, and fun installment that will leave you eager for the next full adventure. Perfect for when you need a little taste of werewolves, vampires, sirens, and snarky heroics.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/a-study...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

UK cover premiere for Butter Cookies and Demon Claws, available now for pre-order, on sale Dec. 4!

harpercollins.co.uk/products/but...

SPFBO Champions: By Blood, by Salt by J.L. Odom Team Asylum reviews our eight SPFBO Champion, BY BLOOD, BY SALT by J.L. Odom. Reviews are from Arina, Drew, Rari, and Tru.

Team Asylum reviews our eight SPFBO Champion, BY BLOOD, BY SALT by J.L. Odom. Reviews are from Arina, Drew, Rari, and Tru.

#SPFBOCL #SPFBOreviews #TeamAsylum #SPFBO

50% OFF Dead Things Follow necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts in this dark urban fantasy series kick-off. Necromancer is such an ugly word, ...

Hey! The narrative audiobook of DEAD THINGS, the first in the Eric Carter, Necromancer series is 50% off until 12/1 if you like that sort of thing.

www.audiobooks.com/promotions/p...

The Chosen One Con The Chosen One Con is the first book in the Lost in the Aether duology—a queer gaslamp fantasy of industrial magic in a world of designer enchantments and celebrity-branded potions from the author of ...

My crowdfund is now LIVE!

www.backerkit.com/c/projects/t...

A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

...a fine pick for a cozy filler read, especially if you don’t mind your fantasy leaning more toward fluff than depth.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/a-pirat...

November 2025 Win Deluxe Edition Epic Fantasy Books Giveaway #win #giveaway #amreading #fantasybooks #epicfantasybooks #deluxefantasyeditions #deluxeeditionbooks Welcome! Enter the Deluxe Edition Fantasy Giveaway, and go in the draw to win one deluxe edition ep...

Do you like pretty books? Fantasy Hardcovers? Fancy special editions?

Then you should enter this awesome give away!

There's also free ebooks for everyone, even those who don't have enough luck to win a hardcover.

www.eileenmuellerauthor.com/giveaways/no...

I’m currently reading The Keeper of Magical Things by @julieleong.bsky.social It’s giving me such strong studio Ghibli vibes & is super warming to read. Loving it!

Also reading Blood for the Undying Throne by @sung-il-kim.com & translated by @antonhur.com which so far is a fascinating sequel!

Go look for Bluebrixx Star Trek, which sadly has been stopped as Lego has bought the license now, but their models are fantastic!

The Minifigures are super hard to get a hold of though, as they just finished when Lego took over. But the ships are great!

If you can still get a hold of them, Bluebrixx did a lot better version (they did a lot of Star Trek models) for a lot cheaper (all officially licensed, Lego has just gone insane with most of their pricing and now have bought the license)

No stickers, all parts printed and they are amazing!

The Lost War by Justin Lee Anderson

The latest #SPFBO review:

A mix of mystery, adventure, and heart, The Lost War brings classic quest fantasy to life with warmth, humour, and a twist that still stuns on reread.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/the-los...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction

@marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social one for the scoreboard!

Anji Kills a King by Evan Leikam

Today's review:

A sharp, magic-tinged fantasy with a strong opening, a welcome lack of romance, and a prickly protagonist you can’t help but root for.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/anji-ki...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

A fierce and clever reimagining of history, full of action, heart, and a heroine you won’t forget. I’m already reaching for the sequel.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/dread-n...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

First of Shadows by Deck Matthews

Fast, fun, and flawed, with great characters, smooth prose, and one unforgettable blind POV. The ending may have cheated me of closure, but I was still hooked, entertained, and left eager for more.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/first-o...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

What Moves the Dead by T Kingfisher

Latest review by @powjay.bsky.social

Perfect for those of us that aren’t wanting nightmares but need a little change.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/49216

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

Yes! It was great to see the both of you, and get some signed swag!

I promise I won't eat the pie.. Though that's a hard thing to do 😉

If you want (or need 😉) a closer look at all the titles from my convention adventure bookhaul, here's the post with all the books in detail (go though the comments are well, alt text provided)

Book haul, 29 books all in all, from BristolCon and WorldFantasyCon 2026

A panel about Writing Fighting

A group of us having fun in an upside down house

Raid on Goldsboro Books bookstore with all the pretty special editions

Sorry for the radio silence, I was on 2 conventions on 2 weekends without a break in between, so late to bed and up early for 11 days in a row.

All the books, all the authors, all the drinks, so many new & old friends!

I shall try to catch up with the blog posts I haven't posted on here tomorrow!

We just arrived in Brighton today, looking forward to it!
Longest con "weekend" ever from Bristol to Brighton 😉

Me and a stegosaurus! (JE Hannaford in a stegoraus costume)

Me holding a copy of Magic, Maps and Mischief, with David Green

T.O. Munroe sitting on a panel

Me and and Bav (Chair of the convention)

Well another @bristolcon.bsky.social has been an utter blast, even if it was a bit smaller than usual.

So many books, so many drinks, so many amazing people, old and new friends and just so much fun!

Tomorrow it is off to Brighton, to another long Convention weekend!

#BristolCon

Me with Luke Scull & Tammy, Patrick Samphire and Mark Lawrence in the background

To Munro, me, JE Hannaford and Patrick Samphire

Oh, there's picture proof of me surviving a panel on #SPFBO at #BristolCon!

The wonderful guest of honor
@hannafordjenny.bsky.social moderating, @tomunro.bsky.social and @patricksamphire.bsky.social jumping in at the very last minute!

The whiskey definitely helped with smoothing nerves...

The Ashen Orb Bounty by Patrick Dugan

And another one!

The Ashen Orb Bounty is a great pick if you’re after a quick, entertaining, and familiar-feeling fantasy adventure with strong “D&D campaign” energy.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/the-ash...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation

Rob J. Hayes – Where Loyalties Lie

The latest #SPFBO review:

This brutal, sea-sprayed tale of pirates, betrayal, and uneasy alliances showcases the grit and moral ambiguity that have become Hayes’ trademark.

fantasy-faction.com/2025/rob-j-h...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction

@marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social one for the scoreboard!

The Tale of Gurion Thricebound by Angela Holder

One for the "don't judge a book by its cover" pile:

If you’re interested in a thoughtful exploration of societal structures, privilege, and revolution, seen through the eyes of one family living through the upheaval...

fantasy-faction.com/2025/the-tal...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction

A day late, but we can't recommend this book enough, which was released yesterday!

✓Cosy fantasy feels
✓Autism rep done right
✓Queer-inclusive
✓Found Family
✓Best owl sidekick
✓Friendship, belonging
✓Fash of chaos & adventure

Full review:
fantasy-faction.com/2025/magic-m...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction

Always a good idea! 😂

Unfortunately I never watched the series, so I do not know!
@powjay.bsky.social do you know?

Yes you should! 😂