Showing results by author "Melanie Karsak" in All Categories

To save the Hatter, Alice must work with the one man she despises so much that she might still love him. Alice thought she'd turned over a new leaf. No more working for Jabberwocky. No more making deals with the ruthless Queen of Hearts. No more hanging around The Mushroom with tinkers, tarts, scoundrels, and thieves in London's criminal underbelly. But she'd been bonkers to dream.

Scotland, 1026 - Gruoch, descendant of the line of MacAlpin, should have been born into a life of ease. But fate is fickle. Her father's untimely death, rumored to have been plotted by King Malcolm, leaves her future uncertain and stained by the prophecy that she will avenge her family line. Escaping to one of the last strongholds of the old Celtic gods, Gruoch becomes an adept in arcane craft. Her encounters with the otherworld, however, suggest that magic runs stronger in Scotland than she ever imagined.

Scotland, 1032. When a marriage contract calls Gruoch away from Ynes Verleath, she leaves with the hope she'll be reunited with Banquo. But fate has different plans. Lies, betrayal, and violence await her. Set on a collision course with destiny, Gruoch soon finds herself thrust into the arms of another man.

When Isabelle Hawking and her papa set out from London on a sea voyage, Isabelle is thrilled. Visiting foreign courts, learning from master tinkerers, and studying mechanicals is her dream. But Isabelle never arrives. Swept up in a tempest, her ship is lost. Isabelle survives the storm only to be shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island. The magical place, dotted with standing stones, faerie mounds, and a crumbling castle, hints of an ancient past. Isabelle may be an unwilling guest, but her arrival marks a new beginning for the beastly residents of this forgotten land.

With the dark days in Dalr behind them, Hervor and Hofund journey to Grund. Hervor’s focus turns to tracking down the sea kings and taking vengeance, but she soon finds that life in Grund is convoluted. Family grudges, secret alliances, and shady friendships abound in the capital. Everyone has their own agenda, and for some, Hervor is in the way. Hervor will find that surviving Grund is far more complicated than the bloody fields. But a blood moon is rising. Soon, Odin’s shield-maiden must clear the path to her promised future...no matter who must meet Tyrfing to ensure that fate.

The king is dead. Long live the queen. With Duncan defeated, Gruoch becomes Queen of Scotland. Now, she must rule at Macbeth's side, a difficult prospect as the new King of Scots grows increasingly unstable. To keep her son, her love, and her country safe, Gruoch must call upon the raven. Dive into the final installment of Gruoch's epic tale in Highland Queen, a Scottish historical fantasy, book four in The Celtic Blood Series by New York Times bestselling author Melanie Karsak.

Scotland, 1032. Everything Gruoch loves has turned to ash. With Gillacoemgain gone, Gruoch rides north with her newborn son and a broken heart. While she desperately clings to hope, Gruoch's new alliance with Macbeth proves more challenging than she ever anticipated. Only her unexpected reunion with an important person from her past offers solace. All may yet be well, but the raven's wary eyes cannot help but notice clouds gathering on the horizon.

Britain, AD 38, Princess Cartimandua—Carti—of the Brigantes tribe faces an uncertain future when her father’s sudden death ignites turmoil. Suspicion falls on the Crow People of the Votadini tribe, straining the fragile peace between the factions. But they’re not the only ones bearing a grudge. A tangled web of political games soon unfolds. When enigmatic Prince Cormag of the Votadini shows the princess unwanted attention, the Brigantes’ alliance with the Carvetti is shaken. Cartimandua’s dream of marrying gallant Prince Venutiux of the Carvetti is put at risk.

They say opposites attract, but there have never been two more opposite people than Stone Schneider and me. Stone, the brawny owner of the Chancellor Brewery and Biergarten, is my definition of nemesis. His noisy pub is a constant source of irritation. Where my bookshop brings beauty and stories to the world, Stone brings a Friday-night cover band. Even though Stone has the most adorable, bookish child on the planet, that handsome tapster and I cannot find a way to get along. If Stone could stop being annoying for five seconds, I might ask him out.

Iceland, 976—Freydis Eiriksdottir, born to a völva mother and berserker father, lives a quiet life on her remote farmstead. Busy dreaming of the sea and haunted by the loss of her mother, she has no idea what the Norns have in store for her. When her father, Eirik the Red, marries the daughter of a powerful chieftain, the course of Freydis's life changes forever. Deciding that Freydis would be better off with the Gothar, Eirik sends his only daughter to serve the Norse gods. Freydis learns the ancient ways and discovers that her world is endangered.

Boudica, second daughter of a Celtic king, has little concern for tribal tensions and political intrigues. Called by the gods and the stirrings of her own wild heart, she listens instead to whispers of the oaks. But Boudica would be wiser to heed the warning cries of eagles. Rumors abound that the Romans are amassing forces for another invasion. In an effort to consolidate power, Boudica’s father turns to Prasutagus, the formidable ruler of the Greater Iceni. To win Prasutagus’s aid, Boudica’s father must strike a bargain - a deal with implications beyond Boudica’s imagining.

In my dreams, Odin whispers to me. He tells me I'm destined to wield a legendary sword. He tells me my road will bring me to Valhalla. But when I wake, I'm only Hervor. Fatherless. Unloved. Unwanted. Jarl Bjartmar, my grandfather, calls me cursed. My mother, her memories stolen by the gods, has forgotten me. Everyone tells me I should have been left to the wolves, but no one will tell me why. None but Eydis, a thrall with völva magic, believes I'm meant for a greater destiny. Yet who can believe a devotee of Loki?

Under the thunder moon, the war-horn will sound, and Odin’s Valkyrie will rise. Reunited with Hofund, and with Bolmsö safe from its enemies, Hervor takes her place as jarl. But the All-Father has bigger plans for his favorite shield-maiden. When Hervor learns that Jarl Bjartmar has vowed vengeance on Leif, she knows she must stand by her cousin. To free Dalr, they must enlist the help of old allies, former enemies, and a warrior-priest called the Reindeer King. Together, they will fight to free Dalr.

Just when Ervie was beginning to break free of the shadows that plagued her, the Gauls set her world on fire. With King Harald murdered, the warhorn calls for revenge. From Skagen to Grund, the Vikings will rally to avenge the heinous attack. Ervie will soon find herself in the middle of it all—even if her heart is still in the Myrkviðr.

My name may be Alice, but Wonderland Academy is everything my real life isn't. Who wouldn't want to learn how to ride a jabberwocky, train with a vorpal sword, cast spells using a teacup, or shapeshift into a fairy? As long as no one figures out my real name, I should be fine. The only problem? Aden, the Queen of Hearts' son, is quickly becoming my best friend. And then there's Corbin. Brooding, surly, tattooed, and definitely not my type, I can't stop thinking about him. But Corbin has secrets of his own, and Wonderland and secrets don't mix.

When the gods play in mortals’ lives, the only certain outcome is uncertainty. Especially when that god is Loki. In the course of a night, I found out my entire life was a lie. Now, Yrsa, Eydis, and I will set off to recover Tyrfing. I must leave Dalr - and the dream I’d shared with Hofund - behind. Eydis is sure the gods have plans for me. I hope she’s right. For on the distant island of Bolmsö, the last of my father’s line is besieged by enemies, and only the blood of a berserker can make things right again.

An orphaned descendant of Loki. A princess without a kingdom. A shield-maiden plagued by the shadows of Valhalla. Born to rule two jarldoms, Ervie should have had a life of ease. But fate has not been kind. Her parents’ jarldoms destroyed in the wars of a previous generation, Ervie is set adrift in the world. Taking refuge in the lands of the famed King Gizer, Ervie finds a temporary retreat from her aching sense of loss. But when Gizer’s warband is summoned to defend one of his staunchest allies, the journey promises more than just battle for Ervie.

It's Penny Dreadful meets Supernatural in this exciting retelling of the classic Red Riding Hood fairy tale with hefty doses of badassery and steampunk. See how New York Times best-selling author Melanie Karsak puts her unique spin on this timeless tale, blending it into her richly-built and award-winning steampunk universe.

For Odin’s chosen, all roads lead to Valhalla. With Gudmund dead, Hervor and Hofund are crowned queen and king of Grund. The pair soon discovers that ruling a Viking land is not without difficulty. Enemies from without and within threaten the new rulers. While her dreams are the same, Hervor’s future becomes unclear. The gods have grown silent. Only Skadi whispers to Hervor now, and all her words are warnings. A dark moon is rising. Hervor must learn to rely on her inner strength to protect her family and face the tumultuous path the Norns have woven for her.

Buttercream. Vanilla. Fondant. Dark chocolate. Brown sugar. Molasses. Baking has always been my true love, but it wasn't until my mother's death, and the unexpected inheritance of Serendipity Gardens, that my bliss called me. Bittersweet. But Serendipity Gardens has more to offer than just a potential shopfront. An unusual recipe box left to me by a distant relative might be the key to unlocking my dreams. Too bad the most powerful family in Chancellor has plans that could turn those dreams to ruins - literally.