#SPFBO : My Second Batch of Books – Update
Today I’m posting an update for my second batch of SPFBO books (which can be found here). This year I’m teaming up with the lovely ladies from the Critiquing Chemist and we split the batch of books equally – which gives me a little more time this year.
This month I read and reviewed all four books from my second batch and today I’m providing my feedback on which books will be cut or rolled forward. At this point I’m not making any decisions on semi-finalists as the semi finalists will be decided by both blogs before agreement on a finalist is reached. We will each put forward hopefuls and then take it from there.
I would mention that this is ultimately the most difficult part of the competition for judges and authors. I don’t find making cuts easy to be honest however it’s the nature of the competition. There can be only one. I would also like to thank the authors of the books that are highlighted today for taking the decision to throw their hat into the ring. It can’t be easy and I definitely applaud you for taking this step.
Without further ado here is my feedback from the second batch of books:
Berserker (Apocosmos #1) by Dimitrios Gkirgkiris
Alex is a game developer though he’d much rather stream RPG classics or spend time with Louie. That’s his adorable corgi. He also hates people. Not in a homicidal way but rather in an extremely-antisocial one.Unless you hurt Louie.
In such an instant, Alex is pulled in the Apocosmos, where our whole world is just a blip in a colorful tapestry of million others. A multiverse ruled by a strict system. Where Norse, Greek, and Celtic pantheons clash. Where dwarves craft, dragons hoard, and vampires don’t glitter. A world that is as cruel as epic.
Alex wants none of that though. He just wants to earn an early retirement somewhere in Spain. There’s money to be made in the Apocosmos. Alex will take advantage of the market just like he did in his MMORPG days, in what seems like an error-proof plan. But it’s a zero-sum game and some would do anything to eliminate competition.
My review is here.
In a nutshell, I had fun with Berserker, it was an enjoyable read that I had a few issues with but nothing that really spoiled the read. If you like litRPG this could be your next read, I would certainly be interested to see what happens in the next instalment.
Conclusion: Cut
***
Stone Magus (Hidden Gems Saga #1) by Stephanie C. Marks
In life, love, and family, there is always strength in numbers.
Something is off balance between the Windsong Sisters, and for Opal and Ruby, the terrible might of their powers may just lead them to catastrophe—or clarity. As half-elf mages in the service of the Order of Aiuna, the sisters spend their days collecting and preserving anything that magic touches, and as their mission takes them further back into their past, the darkness that awaits them there threatens to destroy everything they hold dear.
Despite the dark smoke rising around them, Opal is finding it hard to ignore the flames flickering between herself and Baerdun. There’s just something about it that makes her feel weak, and not just in the knees. With so much happening around them, it’s becoming much harder to keep her head above water and her heart her own.
After everything they’ve lost—what if they lose themselves as well?
Enter a world where shadows exist within and without, and follow Opal, Ruby, and Baerdun down a path that will either bring them together or force them apart.
In a nutshell, this is fantasy and romance combined. It has a very unusual and unique concept and was easy to get along with. I think readers of romance who like a fantasy setting may enjoy this one – warning: it does become a little ‘steamy’ as the storyline progresses.
Conclusion : Cut
***
Book of Secrets (Merged Series #1) by Claudia Blood
Joshua Lighthouse never wanted to save the world, but now he has no choice.
Three hundred years ago, the human world and the world of Myth underwent a cataclysmic Merge. Those who survived – both human and Others – formed factions. Joshua led one faction, the Human Protection Agency, which is charged with maintaining the safety of the humans in his city. He secretly protects an artifact more powerful than even he knows…
My review is here.
In a nutshell, urban fantasy that manages to deliver a unique idea in terms of the Merge. It felt a little rushed in parts that made it difficult to connect to the central characters but for UF lovers this could be the start of an interesting series.
Conclusion : Cut
***
Dragonbirth byRaina Nightingale
In a world where dragons are considered demons and Dragonriders are hunted and killed as witches…
A devout village-girl, Silmavalien, meets a dragon hatchling and discovers a love she could never have dreamed. At the same time, her world is ripped apart as she discovers the gods she has worshipped and everything she has ever been taught or believed is a monstrous lie. Not knowing what to believe – or even if she can trust her engaged, Noren, with her new secret – she must find a way to care for herself and her dragon, Minth, in a wild and hostile world, a world which only grows stranger as the days pass.
My review is here.
In a nutshell this reads like a coming of age story about a young girl who bonds with a baby dragon and must then leave behind everything and everyone she knows in order to keep them both alive. The writing didn’t quite work for me with this one and the repetition prevented me from connecting to the characters as much as I would have liked. There are plenty of dragons though and maybe this is aimed more at a MG audience.
Conclusion : cut
My thanks again to the authors.
I will be posting my third batch of books very soon.
Booking Ahead/Weekly-Monthly Wrap Up
1 August 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Booking Ahead, Caffeinated Reviewer, Monthly recap, Weekly wrap up, What's on my Plate
I’m trying to get back into the habit of doing a round-up of the week just completed and also take a look at my plans for the forthcoming week. I rather got out of the habit of doing this last year but I would like to reinstate this type of post as I feel it keeps me on track. So, I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Last week:
This week was a bit poop. My internet is absolutely pants so whilst I’ve managed to post things to the blog this has been achieved by using my mobile data. Consequently I haven’t been blog hopping because this would just wipe me out. Hopefully an engineer is paying a visit in the next few days so normal service may be resumed (fingers crossed). I have posted four reviews this week though so all good on that front, I completed my second batch of SPFBO books and also read Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce. My buddy reads were a disaster this month (apologies to my lovely blogger buddies – I will do better this month).
Continue with Empire’s Ruin by Brian Staveley (which unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to pick up this last week) and also pick up Mrs Rochester’s Ghost by Lindsay Marcott or Paper and Blood by Kevin Hearne. I will also be posting about my next four SPFBO reads.
- Come With Me by Ronald Malfi
- Stone Magus by Stephanie C Marks
- Book of Secrets by Claudia Blood
- Dragonbirth by Raina Nightingale
- Murder of Crows by Anne Bishop
- Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce
Books read during July:
- Meet Me In Another Life by Catriona Silvey
- The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
- The Past is Red by by Catherynne M Valente
- The Retreat by Elisabeth de Mariaffi
- Come With Me by Ronald Malfi
- Stone Magus by Stephanie C Marks
- Book of Secrets by Claudia Blood
- Berserker by Dimitrios Gkirgkiris
- Dragonbirth by Raina Nightingale
- Triflers Need Not Apply by Camilla Bruce – rtf
What’s on my Plate for August
#SPFBO Review : Dragonbirth by Raina Nightingale
31 July 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Dragonbirth, Raina Nightingale, Review, SPFBO
Dragonbirth by Raina Nightingale is the fourth and final book from my Second Batch of books that I’m aiming to read and review this month which will be followed by my update post on Monday. I have seven books remaining and will post my third batch of books during the forthcoming week. My reviews so far are linked below and you can find feedback from my first batch of books here and further information on SPFBO here.
As the title suggests, this is a book of dragons. A young village girl, Silmavalien, finds what she thinks is an unusual stone that eventually hatches into a dragon that bonds with her. In a world where dragons are thought of as demons the birth of this dragon must be kept secret and the obvious and only course for Silmavalien seems to be to leave her village and family behind and go into hiding with her new companion.
Essentially this book is about Silmavlien’s journey with her dragon and her struggles to keep them both alive along the way.
This one reads almost like a journal with a lot of focus on the everyday essentials of survival whilst keeping a young dragon with a large appetite alive. To be honest, in some respects there is such a lot of attention paid to these everyday tasks that it makes it difficult to form any real attachments to either the dragon or the young girl and in fact the plot feels a little thin with a lot of repetition.
To be fair to the author she mentions in her foreword that she wrote this story when she was in her early teens and in that respect this is an achievement but, for me, it feels unpolished in its current form and not a book that I would really recommend.
I do love dragons and so I really wanted to love this one but it didn’t quite work out for me.
My thanks to the author for providing a copy. The above is my own opinion.
Books already reviewed for SPFBO :
- Deathborn by CE Page
- Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned by Ashley Capes
- Stranded by Rosalind Tate
- One of Us by ML Roberts
- Berserker by Dimitrios Gkirgkiris
- Stone Magus by Stephanie C Marks
- Book of Secrets by Claudia Blood
Friday Face Off : Chaos
30 July 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books by Proxy, Friday Face off, Jeff Salyards, Veil of the Deserters
Here we are again with the Friday Face Off meme created by Books by Proxy . This is a great opportunity to feature some of your favourite book covers. The rules are fairly simple each week, following a predetermined theme (list below) choose a book (this doesn’t have to be a book that you’ve read), compare a couple of the different covers available for that particular book and choose your favourite. Future’s themes are listed below – if you have a cover in mind that you’re really wanting to share then feel free to leave a comment about a future suggested theme. I’ve also listed events that take place during the year, that I’m aware of, so you can link up your covers – if you’re aware of any events that you think I should include then give me a shout.
I just would mention that I’ve not been very active blog hopping this week. I have a problem with the internet and have someone due out to try and fix things in the next couple of days. I’ve been managing to post by simply using my mobile data but it runs out so quickly so I’m being careful. Anyway, hopefully, fingers crossed, wi-fi will be back to normal shortly.
This week’s theme:
Chaos – maybe too much going on in this one?
Okay, I’ve gone for a cover that I really like for this theme which seems contradictory. Veil of the Deserters is the second book in the Bloodsounder’s Arc series by Jeff Salyard. I haven’t read this one yet even though I really enjoyed the first and do own a hard copy of this one. The cover I was recalling is crazily chaotic and really stands out. There are only two covers for this one. Take a look:
My favourite:
I just love it – the colours, all the action, there’s such a lot going on here but in a good way.
Do you have a favourite?
I’ve updated the list now to include themes for next year. If you know of an event that’s coming up let me know and I’ll try and include covers that work for the event itself so that you can link up to the Friday Face Off and, as always, if you wish to submit an idea then leave me a comment – or if you’d like to host a week then simply let me know. Also, I would just mention that it’s very possible that some of these might be repeats from previous FFOs although I have tried to invent more ‘open ended’ prompt that can be interpreted differently and also prompts that relate to emotions. Finally, don’t struggle with any of these, this is meant to be a fun way of highlighting books. If you can’t come up with a book you think fits for a particular week use a freebie – perhaps a recent read for example:
Next Week : The Motel
2021
August
6th – “They cluck their thick tongues, and shake their heads and suggest, os so very delicately!” – The Motel
13th – A favourite holiday read
20th – Dressed to kill (could be literally someone dressed to kill, or someone dressed up for a big night out
27th – Sunbathing or on the beach
September (RIP event)
3rd – 1920s feel, noir detective
10th – I’m Henry the Eighth I am – let’s look at Kings or other Emperors/rulers
17th – Books with ‘Murder’ in the title
24th – A favourite thriller
October
1st – A Halloween read
8th – Chills – anything at all that almost makes you too scared to pick up the book (your own pet hate)
15th – Your favourite book of magic
22nd – Books with ‘Queen’ in the title
29th – Must be gothic
November – Sci Fi Month
5th – Your earliest sci-fi read or the first sci-fi you reviewed
12th – A book with ‘star’ in the title
19th – Futuristic vista
26th – A Black Hole – in the universe or going deep into the ground
December
3rd – Windswept, the classic figure, stood majestically, with wind blowing out in a fetching way
10th – A fairytale retold
17th – Winter Solstice approaching – anything cold and seasonal
24th – All things fire – red hair, red covers, fire breathing dragons, simply fire?
31st – What’s your catnip – if it’s on a cover you have to pick it up
#SPFBO Review : Book of Secrets (Merged Series #1) by Claudia Blood
29 July 2021
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book of Secrets, Claudia Blood, Merged Series #1, SPFBO
Book of Secrets by Claudia Blood is the third book from my Second Batch of books that I’m aiming to read and review this month (my fourth and final book from this batch will be posted on Saturday followed by an update post on the following Monday. I have read the fourth book now so I have eight books tucked under my belt and 7 more remaining. You can find feedback from my first batch of books here and further information on SPFBO here. (Links to all reviews so far are posted below).
Joshua Lighthouse is the main character of Book of Secrets and also the reluctant hero. Almost 300 years ago the world as we know it experienced an event that has become known as the Merge. During a meteor shower the earth and the world of myth collided. Since that time humans and those known as Others (a term that covers many species of fictional supernatural characters) have existed on the same plane – although not amicably so.
As a result of tension the Human Protection Agency was established, as the name suggests, to protect humans. Over the course of the years Joshua worked his way to the top of the Agency, always closely guarding a secret that could change his fortune – at the same time becoming (ironically) responsible for a powerful book known as the Book of Secrets. With the 300th anniversary of the Merge fast approaching it seems that this knew world is under threat from those who want to see their fortunes reversed. Joshua finds himself discredited and the Book of Secrets stolen out from under him. He’s in a race against time before the world he now knows is unmerged and his unlikely ally is a Pack member called Serene – herself one of the ‘most wanted’ from the Human Protection Agency.
I would describe Book of Secrets as urban fantasy. I quite liked the idea of the merge although I did find the execution a little clunky as the book began and also maybe a little rushed as we immediately jump forward almost 300 years to reconnect with Joshua – who has matured and is now an adult, but clearly an adult with an unusually long lifespan – this is accounted for but I won’t share the explanation here.
We largely follow Joshua as he is dragged unknowingly into a string of events that will bring everything he knows crashing down – at the same time he meets Serena who has experienced the loss of her pack and is determined to find out who is responsible and why. This element of the story develops into a romance although this doesn’t take over the main story.
Book of Secrets is, I felt, quite plot focused. The pacing is fast, you’re thrown into Joshua’s new world and expected to hit the ground running. Having read a good deal of UF in the past I didn’t particularly find this a problem, I didn’t mind the fast pace and thought the author came up with some original ideas which is quite an achievement given that this is a popular genre of fantasy.
However, I did have a few issues. I felt like the characters were a little flat and this made it difficult for me to connect with them or really invest in any potential threats and I struggled in some ways to visualise the world – in my head I was picturing this as a modern world but then in others I was wondering how the Others fit in – what did their part of the world look like, and what developments had occurred in the time that had expired (300 years is a long time after all). I guess in some respects it felt as though plot dominated the other elements but at the same time I recognise that this is a first in series and I always feel with UF that the first book is usually trying to hook readers and more substance and backstories will follow in later editions.
Book of Secrets didn’t completely win me over in the way I’d hoped, mainly due to the intense pace of the story which prevented other areas from being fully explored or attachments to form but, I think, if you like urban fantasy with a hint of romance and a story that bursts out of the starting blocks then maybe this could be the one for you.
My thanks to the author for providing a copy. The above is my own opinion.
Books already reviewed for SPFBO :
- Deathborn by CE Page
- Graves Robbed, Heirlooms Returned by Ashley Capes
- Stranded by Rosalind Tate
- One of Us by ML Roberts
- Berserker by Dimitrios Gkirgkiris
- Stone Magus by Stephanie C Marks
