Sworn Oaths, Goddess Debts, and Ghosts Caught with Coffee

by Jonathan Maberry

Kagen Vale is the feared captain of the palace guard, sworn to protect the royal children of the Silver Empire, and the blurb makes it clear that oath gets tested hard. This is dark epic fantasy, so expect grit over whimsy. It sits at 3.93 with more than 2,600 readers, which is solid but not glowing, so I'd call it a good pick for grimdark fans who don't need perfection.

by Jennifer Cody

Bishop to Knight One opens the Diviner's Game series with a romance-forward story about Deejay and Matt. The opening praise is all about their chemistry and how different the two are. It holds a 4.2 with nearly 1,400 ratings, so if you like your fantasy worldbuilding wrapped around a slow burn, this is worth the download.

by James Russell

This is middle grade, and I think it's the best one here to read aloud. One parent read it to kids aged 3 and 7 and called it quick and engaging, with a mildly scary climax, and there's an AR app that goes with it. At 4.33 from over 700 readers, it's a nice find for families who want dragons without the heavy stuff, though one reviewer landed at 3.5 stars, so don't expect a masterpiece.

“3.5 Stars ✨ Fun and exciting start to this middle grade dragon series. I picked this up to check out for my kids and I think they’ll really enjoy it. It has a Swiss Family Robinson feel to it but with dragons! Love the family dynamic- looking forward to checking out more books in this series. Would ”

by Marc Alan Edelheit

Quick warning: this is book five of the Eli Chronicles, so don't start here. But if you're already in, Eli is bound by a debt to Nyx, the dark goddess who spared him, and readers are raving about a jaw-dropping turn of events. A 4.64 from 458 readers is the highest rating on this list, and that tells you how happy the existing fanbase is.

“After their escape from the goblins and their dark god; Eli, Mae and their Ranger-in-Training Kora have to divert their pursuit of Mik'Las. Eli'Far has a debt to pay, and Nyx means to extract her payment. Sending Eli (and his friends) north into hostile territory, Eli finds opportunities to get that”

by Charity Tahmaseb

Katy takes over her grandmother's ghost-hunting business, and yes, the ghosts are caught with coffee. One reader loved the concept so much she wanted coffee by the end, while another admitted being a bit weary of it by the end of the books, which feels fair. It sits at 3.92 with over 1,300 ratings, and I'd call it cozy and quirky rather than scary.

“This collection is strange. It is the story of a young woman who catches ghosts with coffee, I love coffee by the end of the book(s) I was weary of the words Kona and the 3 black, 3 sugar only, 3 cream only and 3 extra sweet and light. WEARY! I was also tired of her getting burned, scalded, scarred ”

by Liz E. Cooper

Omega faerie Jalisa gets pulled into a fake marriage with the ex who broke her heart, and then threats against their lives push them on the run. It's an omegaverse romance with a dragon alpha, so you probably already know if it's for you. It's sitting at 4.39 with 234 readers, which is a strong score for a smaller crowd.