So, as part of the SPFBO (details here) I chose my first five books to look at during the course of May.  I’m going to be honest and say from the start that I’m taking a different approach to the way I tackle the competition this year.  I’m aiming to read about a fifth (or five chapters) of each book.  Thats not to say that I’m not giving all the books a fair chance, I’d say I’ve read about 20% of each book (more for some) but, if one of the books is impressing me more than the others then really it’s time to leave the others behind.  That probably sounds harsh because with a ‘reviewer’ head on I would try and complete all the books that I’m enjoying, however, with my ‘publisher’ head on I’m taking the view that if one of the bunch of five stands out – that’s the one I’m reading – like I keep saying, there can be only one so it really is a determined process of elimination.  And, if none of the bunch of five really appeal to me I will move on to the next five, and so on.

Last month I made my five choices which are below.  I’ve added underneath each synopsis (taken from Goodreads) my thoughts, albeit brief because I haven’t completed any of these at this stage) – I’m not providing full reviews because I haven’t read the whole book and also i don’t mean to be blunt or mean with any of my comments so I hope they don’t come across that way.

The book that held my attention, and kept me reading well beyond my established cut off point, was Rebel’s Honor.  I’m enjoying this so far, so we’ll see how that goes.  With that in mind my choice for the month of May is Rebel’s Honor – now I need to complete this and see how it pans out.  Review to follow.

Rebel’s Honor by Gwynn White:

Heaven has fallen.
The legions of Chaos have overrun the world.
Uërth is in ruins.With the Heavenly Host’s fall, Angel Swords rained from the heavens, littering the world in what was.Only the most honorable and purest of heart are able to take up the Angel Swords and wield them against the throngs of Chaos. These mighty Empyrean Knights are all that stand between Uërth and annihilation.Saedeus is neither pure of heart nor honorable. Nor does he wish to wield an Angel Sword.
He just wants to be left alone with his mushrooms.
And his pet rock.
But he might not have a choice.

When he inadvertently takes the soul of a dying Empyrean Knight into himself, his world, and his obligations, grow forever larger.

With the help of his pet rock, the spirit of a heavenly knight, and the sword of a fallen angel, he might be able to make all the difference.

If he doesn’t die first.

Soul Stealer is a dark fantasy

Royal assassin, Rothar, is on a routine mission. Tasked with quietly eliminating a lecherous merchant with a penchant for young children, Rothar’s blade strikes without hesitation. 

But when more children go missing, Rothar digs deeper and discovers an insidious network that reaches high up into the echelons of nobility. 

What started as a simple mission has become a dangerous quest for justice. Rothar must call upon all his skill to punish those responsible, and rescue the innocent before it’s too late. 

“A fast-paced, full length, heroic fantasy novel.”

Paperback, 250 pages

Published June 30th 2015

Original Title

Assassin’s Quest (Veiled Dagger, #1)

Again, it’s a book that I had no problem reading past my cut off point and indeed I’m curious about what’s going to happen next. My issue with this book is that the main character reads a little bit like a ‘wishlist’ character, he doesn’t seem to have any flaws and the ‘bad’ characters seem too easy to identify at this point.  A bit cliched and the setting feels a bit generic.

Into the Sky by Erica Converso

“Five gems there are to act as keys
For the gate to the land of death.
In silver, over mountain, beyond the trees,
At journey’s center, across the seas,
To pass the door where no man draws breath.”Alcione wants more than anything to join her father and brother as one of the Talaria, the riders who defend the King on their flying mounts, the arion. She dreams of soaring up into the sky to protect her land. But as a girl, she will never have a chance to become a hero.After her family is killed in a revolution, Alcie is determined to bring them back. She sets out with Romi, her brother’s arion, towards the capital, where it is said rests a legendary crown with the power to enter the land of the dead. But if she can’t conceal her identity as a former noble, her quest could end before it even begins. Alcie must hide everything she is to survive in this new, dangerous world. But only as her true self can she ever hope to find the crown of five stones and bring her family home.Kindle Edition, 256 pages

Published February 17th

This book got off to a fairly quick start.  However, elements of it felt a little predictable to me which makes me wonder if this is aimed at a younger audience.  A quest adventure with a young girl at the centre trying to recover her family.  For the portion I read it was quite interesting although the dialogue felt a little bit ‘clunky’.

The Tarot Cards by Christina Maharaj

The cards have been released.

They’re draining the world of its magic.

A new master has been chosen.

Only she can capture the cards.High schooler Clara Marsters was on Summer break when it happened. She found the card that would change her destiny. Thrust into Gaia, a dying world filled with magic, she meets Alex, the mysterious yet familiar talking tiger, who came to assist her on her journey.

In order to save the world and get back home, they must travel through the kingdom of Burkhart, solving puzzles and braving the trials of the cards. It’s not just the trials she has to worry about though. Others want the cards magical power, and they’ll stop at nothing to get it.

How far would you go, to save a world that isn’t your own?

Kindle Edition, 173 pages

Published June 30th 2015