BBNYA 2022 Finalist Tour: Sacrifice by Vicky Walklate

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Hello, reader!

It’s time to kick off the blog tours for all of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2022 finalists! I’ve been a panelist for the last three years and, I have to say, the crop of books we got in 2022 were some of the best I’ve read so far. It’s always exciting to discover new indie authors through this competition and new favorite reads!

But, before I go on, let me tell you more about this award. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

And, now, let me tell you more about the book that took 15th place last year: Sacrifice by Vicky Walklate!

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Dragon gods rule the realm, demons lurk in the shadows, and a sorcerer hides a dangerous secret. A war is brewing in Jothesia, and the gods have no idea.

Being selected as human sacrifice to the immortal dragon shifters is supposedly an honor, but rebellious Libby doesn’t see it that way. When the sacrificial ritual goes badly wrong, she finds herself in a reluctant alliance with eldest god Rhetahn. He’s grumpy, cynical, and utterly exasperating …and she can’t get him out of her head.

Rhetahn knows there’s something wrong with this sacrifice, and it’s not just her infuriating stubbornness or the way she makes his jaded heart skip a beat. When terrible misfortune befalls his brothers and renders him powerless, his only choice is to unite with Libby to seek answers.

As they set out on a dangerous quest across the realm, the compelling attraction between them is undeniable, yet doomed. To recover his magic, regain his strength, and prevent the demons from seizing power, Rhetahn needs her blood. He must kill her at the end of their journey, even if it breaks his heart to do so.

But a terrible power lies hidden in Jothesia, one that could destroy everything the gods have built. Libby and Rhetahn’s forbidden relationship may be the realm’s only hope against utter ruin.

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Author Links

Website::Facebook::Instagram::Twitter::Goodreads

Vicky is a romance, fantasy and historical fiction author from Norfolk, UK. Along with Sacrifice, she also published a monster romance novella last year, and her latest book, a Regency mystery with romantic elements, is out now.

When she’s not writing she transforms into a giant bookworm, eagerly devouring books of all kinds, especially romance.

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Thank you to BBNYA, The Write Reads, and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.

As a BBNYA panelist, I get to read a lot of amazing excerpts and books, but I get to hear about so many more! I heard people talking about Sacrifice and knew I would want to read it once it was time for the tours to begin. Dragons? A rebellious heroine who refuses to die quietly? Interesting magic in a strange, new world? Sign me up!

In this novel, we are introduced to the world of Jothesia, where the Shifterlands are ruled by three dragon shifters who have become gods. To maintain the peace and the power of these gods, a human sacrifice is offered every twenty-five years. But when Libby is chosen as the sacrifice, she feels anything but honored. When the ritual to renew the gods’ power goes horribly wrong, she finds herself reluctantly teamed with one of the very gods that wants her dead, Rhetahn. As they embark on a quest to prevent a war, sparks start to fly and they are both powerless to deny them.

I can see why this book made it into the final round of BBNYA! The worldbuilding in this was incredible! I loved learning about the magic, the people, and the twisty politics. Walklate does a fantastic job of teaching you about her world in a way that feels organic and natural, instead of just dumping info on top of you. Not everything is explained in this first novel, which makes sense as it is just the first in a series, but you get enough information that you feel invested in the world. The writing is lush and evocative, which makes it easy to fall into the world and not want to come up for air until you’ve turned the last page.

I thought the author did a great job with the characters, as well. Libby and Rhetahn were a compelling couple and their chemistry was electric. There were times when I wanted to shake the both of them and some of the stunts they pulled to try and push one another away were a bit… over the top, but I could still get behind the romance that sizzled throughout this novel. I will say that it was a bit insta-lovey at the beginning, but I liked how the connection obviously deepened as they travelled together.

I think my one gripe with this book was that the ending left me feeling like I had whiplash. There were so many key plot points dropped on us right at the end and then it was just… done, haha. The cliffhanger certainly makes me want to pick up the next book in the series, but I wish that some of the things we learned right at the end had been spread more evenly throughout the story. Overall, though, this was an incredibly fun and quick read that I enjoyed from page one! I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel to see what fate befalls Jothesia.

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