Discover new books on Goodreads

See if your friends have read any of Maris McKay's books

1253 ratings | 254 reviews | avg rating:4.19

Maris’s Year In Books

Maris’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Maris’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Maris’s 2025 Year in Books

Maris McKay’s Followers (21)

Maris’s Bookshelves

to-read (1080)
currently-reading (3)
read (1273)
did-not-finish (64)
have-read-selections (18)
audiodrama (2)
beauty-and-the-beast (24)
children-s-books (30)
christian (104)
classics (118)
See all bookshelves »

Maris’s Friends (20)

Meg(z)han

3,788 books | 78 friends

Jobins M J

982 books | 3,907 friends

Alissa Yarbrough

195 books | 7 friends

LBR

81 books | 901 friends

Charity

1,228 books | 82 friends

Ivona

963 books | 75 friends

Steven Trapp

1,105 books | 20 friends

Nathan Baker

76 books | 32 friends

More friends…

2026 Reading Challenge

2026

READING

CHALLENGE

Maris McKay has read 86 of 100 books.

86%

Maris McKay

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://marismckay.com

Twitter

maris_mckay

Genre

Fantasy, Science Fiction

Influences

J.R.R. Tolkien
Robin McKinley
C.S. Lewis
Patrick Rothfuss ...more

Member Since

December 2013

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/maris_mckay

edit data

Maris McKay is a dreamer, writer, and full-time nerd with a passion for speculative fiction. She lives in Ohio with a neurotic cat who loves the smell of old books.

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Maris McKay questions, please sign up.

Combine Editions
Maris McKay’s books

Average rating: 4.33 · 12 ratings · 7 reviews · 5 distinct works

	Women of Kern: Book One (Women of Kern, #1) 4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Women of Kern: Book Two (Women of Kern, #2) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Women of Kern: Mbetta (Women of Kern, #0.5) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Pirate's Spell: Ari's Story 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Substitute Bride: Rachele's story 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Maris McKay…

52 posts
Maris McKay's Blog

Slap Some Sense – Writing Wednesday Prompt

I recently wrote a scene where a human woman slapped a fae lord (he deserved it and she knew she couldn’t actually hurt him, just startle him), so I decided to turn it into a prompt.

Slapping some sense into an immortal, supernatural creature when you’re half their size probably isn’t a great idea. But sometimes they need it.

[image error]

Join My Mailing List

You’ll get a free Women of Kern

Maris is Currently Reading

Maris McKay is currently reading

Red Siren (Charles Towne Belles, #1)

by MaryLu Tyndall (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Sep 22, 2026 07:20AM

Maris McKay is currently reading

Winter's Heart (The Wheel of Time #9)

by Robert Jordan

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Aug 19, 2026 06:25PM

Maris McKay is currently reading

The Silmarillion

by J.R.R. Tolkien

bookshelves: fantasy, currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jul 25, 2017 09:42AM

rss
Maris’s Recent Updates

Maris McKay rated a book it was amazing A Shattered Reign (Heartsong Book 3) by Deborah Grace White (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Such an amazing series! I'm so glad I read read these and am looking forward to reading more of White's books. ...more
Sep 25, 2026 07:09AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Shattered Reign by Deborah Grace White. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Shattered Reign by Deborah Grace White <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maris McKay wants to read Babel by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 23, 2026 04:43PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Babel by R.F. Kuang. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Babel by R.F. Kuang <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maris McKay did not finish The Barefoot Barmaid (Belles & Bullets, #1) by Caylen McQueen	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:51PM · like
Maris McKay did not finish Dead Blood City (Saoirse Reilly #1) by Jo Denning (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:51PM · like
Maris McKay did not finish Longshadow (Regency Faerie Tales, #3) by Olivia Atwater (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:51PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Longshadow by Olivia Atwater. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Longshadow by Olivia Atwater <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maris McKay did not finish Blade & Rose (Blade and Rose, #1) by Miranda Honfleur (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:51PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Blade & Rose by Miranda Honfleur. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Blade & Rose by Miranda Honfleur <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maris McKay did not finish Beauty's Curse (Once Upon a Princess, #1) by C.S. Johnson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:50PM · like
Maris McKay did not finish Bound by Treason by Eliza Tilton (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:50PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Bound by Treason by Eliza Tilton. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Bound by Treason by Eliza Tilton <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Maris McKay did not finish The Shepherds of the Sunstone by Nicolin Odel (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:50PM · like
Maris McKay did not finish Entrusted (Knights of Brethren #6) by Jody Hedlund (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 22, 2026 02:50PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Entrusted by Jody Hedlund. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Entrusted by Jody Hedlund <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Maris's books…

“Reading was my escape and my comfort, my consolation, my stimulant of choice: reading for the pure pleasure of it, for the beautiful stillness that surrounds you when you hear an author's words reverberating in your head.”
― Paul Auster, The Brooklyn Follies

6081 likes

“How absurd it was that in all seven kingdoms, the weakest and most vulnerable of people - girls, women - went unarmed and were taught nothing of fighting, while the strong were trained to the highest reaches of their skill.”
― Kristin Cashore, Graceling

tags: katsa, power, strong, unfair, weak

1288 likes

“Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters.”
― Neil Gaiman

tags: writing

3006 likes

“It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane.”
― Philip K. Dick, Valis

tags: qotd

9100 likes

“The great thing about fantasy is that you can drag dreams and longings and hopes and fears and strivings out of your subconscious and call them 'magic' or 'dragons' or 'faeries' and get to know them better. But then I write the stuff. Obviously I'm prejudiced.”
― Robin McKinley

Maris’s Year In Books

Maris McKay’s Followers (21)

Maris’s Bookshelves

Maris’s Friends (20)

2026 Reading Challenge

Maris McKay

Goodreads Author

Learn more
Ask the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine Editions
Maris McKay’s books

52 posts
Maris McKay's Blog

Slap Some Sense – Writing Wednesday Prompt

Maris is Currently Reading

rss
Maris’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — A Shattered Reign by Deborah Grace White

See a Problem?

Preview — Babel by R.F. Kuang

See a Problem?

Preview — Longshadow by Olivia Atwater

See a Problem?

Preview — Blade & Rose by Miranda Honfleur

See a Problem?

Preview — Bound by Treason by Eliza Tilton

See a Problem?

Preview — Entrusted by Jody Hedlund

Maris’s Quotes

recent posts
Maris’s Groups

Maris’s Friend Comments

Maris McKay’s Followers (21)

Maris McKay

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssMaris’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — A Shattered Reign by Deborah Grace White

See a Problem?

Preview — Babel by R.F. Kuang

See a Problem?

Preview — Longshadow by Olivia Atwater

See a Problem?

Preview — Blade & Rose by Miranda Honfleur

See a Problem?

Preview — Bound by Treason by Eliza Tilton

See a Problem?

Preview — Entrusted by Jody Hedlund

rss
Maris’s Recent Updates