Today I have something a little different for my Friday Favorite Five–I’m talking a bit about what I love about The Tarot Sequence books by K.D. Edwards. This is such a fun series and I want everyone to read it so I guess I’ll keep pimping it until you all pick it up. NO PRESSURE. 😀

1. Interesting World Building

I’m usually not one that gets super into world building, but the world of New Atlantis is so cool and unique! First you have Atlanteans who have taken over the island of Nantucket. They’ve taken dilapidated historical buildings and magcially transported them to the island to create an entirely new city that is, as a result, a weird mish-mosh of things that somehow works. Then you have cool magic system based on sigils and some other stuff thrown in. And on top of that you have the rulers of the society having different clans or houses based on the major arcana of the Tarot. And somehow all of this works together really well! I just love the creativity that went into crafting this world.

2. Fantastic Characters

Those of you that have been following me for a while know that I’m ALL about characters. They’re the most important thing in a story for me. Here we have a really fun cast of them. Rune, our main character, has got a lot of depth. He’s got a lot of trauma that he’s going to have to deal with eventually, but for now he’s doing his best to survive and I think a lot of his humor is like an armor that protects him–he’s good at keeping most people at a distance but we’re seeing that start to change. I also love the relationships between the characters, through that is where all their growth occurs. Love them. ❤

3. So. Much. Snark.

These books are actually quite funny and I’ve found myself laughing out loud several times. One of my favorite things is snarky characters, sassy characters, witty banter, etc. This series has that in spades. Especially loved is the banter between Rune and Brand–they have such a comfortable relationship in some ways that they just talk to each other whatever what they want. It’s hilarious. Here is one of my favorite quotes:

“I will shoot you in the ass, the goddamn ass! I will shoot you in the ass, and you’ll be shitting through an inner tube for weeks!”

“I’ll be right back,” I said.

“In! The! Ass!”

4. A New Kind of Urban Fantasy

I’ve been a fan of urban fantasy for years and years and, lets be honest, the genre has gotten a little stale because it’s all become very same-y. This is something new and different. Not only the world building, which is incredibly fresh, but also the mysteries that have to be solved and the problems the characters are facing. Also, it’s not just your standard vampires/fae/were-creatures that are so prevalent in the genre. I’m really keen on series that are doing something new with the feel and tone of urban fantasy and this is definitely one of them.

5. The Fans Are Awesome

Everyone I’ve met that’s a fan of this series has just been awesome. They’re creating artwork, they’re interacting with each other and spreading the love of the series…it’s just been great. I’ve been a fan of books for a long time and have even joined in some fandoms over the years but the fans of this series are really championing it and I couldn’t be more proud to count myself among them. You should consider joining us!

Well, that’s it for this week! Have you read this series yet? If not, you should get on it. 🙂  If you have, what do you love most about it? Leave a note in the comments, I’d love to chat!