Urban Fantasy Books I Look Forward to Reading in 2021

Blood Heir (Kate Daniels World Book 1) by Ilona Andrews

In 2020, I read the entire Kate Daniels series, Iron and Magic, the Innkeeper series, and just about everything I could find written by the writing couple who go by the pen name Ilona Andrews. Professors could teach an entire creative writing class using IA's world building and magic systems, character arcs, dialogue, and actions scenes.
I cannot wait to see what Julie, Kate and Curran's adopted daughter, is like as an adult, to see her on her own, but I also hope to get a glimpse of Kate and Curran's life and see what their baby boy is like now.

Keepers & Destinies by Carl F Brothers

"Armageddon wasn’t a figment of some ancient society’s imagination. It isn’t centuries away, either. It’s on our doorstep. And our fate hinges on a young, overlooked angel who is desperate to prove her worth to Heaven and herself.
A Guardian Angel, Andrea, journeys to Earth on a mission to find the key to winning the final battle between good and evil. She enlists the help of James, an embattled veteran who is dealing with his own demons from the past. With threats—both human and supernatural—at seemingly every turn, the repercussions of James and Andrea’s alliance is far beyond what they bargained for.
James’ life would be so much simpler if his path diverged from Andrea’s. But he can’t shake the feeling that the impending battle is not only about settling the eons-old score between Heaven and Hell, but also for the rights to his world. Matters are further complicated when he and Andrea discover that she is not merely a chess piece but a central player in the looming apocalypse.
Time is running out, and the stakes have never been higher. Earth is the prize. The angels already had their turn, and so has mankind. Who’s next?"

With a cover and blurb like that, who wouldn't be excited to read this debut author? Technically, this book is already out, but the sequels are coming out this year so it will be a nice to delve into a new world and binge read them all.

The One and Only Crystal Druid (The Guild Codex: Unveiled Book 1)

In 2020, I read Annette Marie's entire Guild Codex: Spellbound and Demonized series, Steel and Stone series gobbling them up like book candy. Her descriptions and action scenes are vivid and cinematic, not boring dappling light through the leave crap. I suppose it's because she's also an artist. Marie does her covers and her Instagram is filled with character art. I love reading and following her work.

I cannot wait for Zak's story. His backstory intrigues me, and his wayward- mythics-rehab farm endeared me to the character. He didn't get the girl in the Spellbound series, but he definitely deserves a series of his own.

If you haven't read any of Annette Marie's books, get started. You're in for a ride!

Magical Midlife Love: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Leveling Up Book 4)

Technically, this book is Paranormal Women's Fiction, but that's just a fancy name for a growing subgenre of Urban Fantasy. The main ingredients for the subgenre PWF which makes this and stories by the Fab13 authors who came up with the category different than typical UF is that the protagonist is a woman in her forties in the middle of a midlife crisis with supernatural or paranormal elements involved.

This series is about a middle-aged woman recovering her life after her divorce and her kid going off to college. She becomes a caretaker of Ivy House, a magical, sentient house, with a hilarious support staff: an aged gargoyle, a vampire past his prime, and a...crap, I forget what Niamh is, but it's nasty. There's an alpha, who isn't an UF "alpha hole" but is definitely an interesting character. The best part about this series is that it is hilarious, magical, and relatable.

Follow this blog or come back tomorrow to read tomorrow's post for the 2021 Fantasy reads I'm looking forward to.

My own Urban Fantasy book, Eastside Hedge Witch, will debut in 2021. Follow this blog for cover reveals and launch dates. Also sign up for Mad Raptor Productions newsletter for updates on Eastside Hedge Witch and new Urban Fantasy reads coming out this year: https://madraptorproductions.com/newsletter/

Are you looking forward to any Urban Fantasy books coming out in 2021? Please comment with your recommendations below.

©TJDeschamps 2020