BBNYA Spotlight: The Naseby Horses by Dominic Brownlow


Hello, reader!

It’s time for another spotlight tour for one of the semi-finalists of this year’s Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Awards (BBNYA). I’m so excited to help shine a light on some fantastic indie books. In 2022, BBNYA is celebrating the 55 books that made it into Round Two with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title. But perhaps you aren’t familiar with what BBNYA entails, so let me tell you a little about it!

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 want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA website or take a peek over on 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.

Now, let’s get to today’s spotlight post, this one featuring The Naseby Horses by Dominic Brownlow!



  • Title: The Naseby Horses
  • Author: Dominic Brownlow
  • Publication date: December 5th, 2019
  • Publisher: Louise Walters Book
  • Length: 304 pages
  • Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery
  • Age group: (Upper) Young Adult, Adult

TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

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July 2021 Wrap Up

Hello, reader!

We’ve made it to a new month, which means it’s time to wrap up my reading for the last month! July both flew and dragged by and, though I’m happy we’ve moved on the August, I’m also shocked that it’s already the eighth month of the year. I will say, though, that July was definitely a much better reading month than June! I ended up reading 11 books and I found myself really enjoying all of them! I also got away from the weird reading mood I had been in all of June. I think the fact that I was, for the most part, reading whatever I wanted certainly helped with that. I even picked up a couple books that weren’t for blog tours or buddy reads!

But enough rambling. Let’s take a look at what I got to read in the month of July.


Books Read


Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page

Book: Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: My Rivers of London readalong with some of the TWR gang continues! This was the most recent full-length novel I read in the series since we’ve started diving into the graphic novels and novellas. I really liked it, though I wish there had been more Nightingale. What can I say? He’s my favorite! Still, this was a solid addition to the series.


Book: Rivers of London: Night Witch by Ben Aaronovitch

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: Speaking of Rivers of London graphic novels, this was the next book I completed in July. Though I found myself not loving this one as much as Body Work, I still had a fun time with it. The story just felt a bit disjointed, but, once I got into the flow, I enjoyed the ride. Also, it was interesting learning a bit more about a certain Night Witch.


Book: Gargantis by Thomas Taylor

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: Aaahh, I loved this book!! I honestly can’t decide whether I enjoyed this one more than the first book in the series, Malamander. It was such a fun, eerie, exciting read and it made me anxious to snatch up the third book once it comes out. I need more Herbie and Violet adventures!

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The Last Ten Books Book Tag

Hello, reader!

It’s time for another book tag and this one looks like a lot of fun! I’ll be doing the Last Ten Books book tag, which just asks ten questions about some of the last books you picked up. I was tagged by the awesome Danni @ _ForBooksSake what feels like ages ago and I’m just now getting around to it 😅 Danni runs a fabulous bookish blog (where she just surpassed posting every day for the last year!) and she’s also an incredible artist. You should definitely check out her blog when you get the chance. I’m not 100% sure who originated this tag. If you know, please let me know so I can properly credit them.

And now, the questions!


The Questions:

The Last Book I Gave Up On

Heh… please don’t come at me for this one. But it’s definitely Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart.

Look, I haven’t given up on this book, necessarily. But of the books I’m currently reading, this is the one I would reach for last. I don’t think it’s the book’s fault, though. It has a bit of a slow start and I started it during my weird June reading mood, so I just couldn’t get into it. I’ve heard it gets more exciting as you go, so I do plan on finishing eventually. It’s just not on the top of my priority list right now.

So I guess I kind of cheated, but that’s all I got!

The Last Book I Reread

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko! I recently re-read this for two reasons:

  1. I have the audiobook and hadn’t listened to it yet.
  2. I wanted to re-read it before I start the e-ARC for the sequel!

I loved it just as much as I did the other two times I read it. Also, the audiobook was incredible! Makes me want to pre-order the audiobook for Redemptor…. like I need another copy of that book, lol. I really don’t.

…Or do I?

The Last Book I Bought

I just bought a bunch of books because my work gave me an $100 Amazon gift card and I went wild, lol. One of the many books I got was The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass! I’m so excited to read this creepy sounding YA horror! Which may or may not have influenced my team choice for the Trope-ical Readathon, even though you can read any of the team books 😅 I’m just loathe to move away from Team Mystery/Horror/Thriller!

Anyways, this book sounds incredible and I’m excited to read it next month!

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Blog Tour: Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger

Hello, reader!

It’s my stop on another Storytellers On Tour blog tour today. I’m excited to talk to you about a fantasy novel that captured my attention called Oathbreaker by A.J. Rettger! This book features knights, elves, and a heaping helping of intrigue.

Before I continue, I want to thank the wonderful folks at Storytellers On Tour and the author for providing me with a free e-book in exchange for my participation with this tour! I always appreciate being able to help promote books and that’s especially true for indie authors. Also, if you’d like to visit any of the other stops on this fabulous tour, click the banner below to go to the tour schedule:

Now, let’s get to the post! Oh, and keep reading til the end for a surprise!


Synopsis


“For thousands of years, elves and non-humans alike had lived freely until humans colonized their land and forced them into hiding and subjugation. After years of living as slaves or second-class citizens, the elves rebelled, but their uprising failed, and humans remained victorious.

Mario Deschamps, a new graduate of the Knight’s College, sets off to complete his first deed, an accomplishment that will grant him knighthood and into the ordo equestris. But he has huge boots to fill. His late father, a famous knight and considered the Scourge of Bandits, single-handedly ended the Elven Uprising. Mario’s youthful confidence, vanity, and naivety don’t get him far in the real world, and he quickly finds himself trapped in a political climate where tensions are on the rise and war is inevitable.

In a world filled with monsters, outlaws, bounty hunters, demons, and murderous bandits, Mario is forced to make tough moral decisions. In a world fuelled by violence, hate, and bigotry, things are not as clear cut as he once thought. Lines have been drawn, but to complete his task, he must cross them all. With every choice, the consequences weigh greatly on him, leaving him full of guilt and doubting his path . . . and all the while, in the darkness, someone-or something-is waiting for him to break . . ..

A.J. Rettger weaves an epic tale of politics and prejudice, war and depravity, and legacy and destiny in his action-packed debut fantasy Oathbreaker….”

Book Details


  • Author: A.J. Rettger
  • Publisher: Friesen Press
  • Publication date: November 7th, 2020
  • Genre: Dark Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, gore, sexual assault, rape, coarse language, torture

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Friesen::Goodreads

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Blog Tour: The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King

Hello, reader!

It’s my stop today for the blog tour of the winner of BBNYA 2020! We’ve finally gotten around to the book that nabbed the number one spot: The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King. As a panelist, I never got a chance to read the excerpt or the full book during the judging, so I snagged a chance to be a part of the tour! I had to know what everyone was raving about. The FOMO was real, y’all!

But, before I get to the tour post, what is BBNYA? BBNYA (Book Blogger Novel of the Year Award) is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors. If you are an author and wish to learn more about the 2021 BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website (https://www.bbnya.com/) or our Twitter account, @BBNYA_Official. If you would like to sign-up and enter your book, you can find the BBNYA 2021 AUTHOR SIGN UP FORM HERE. Please make sure to carefully read our terms and conditions before entering. 

BBNYA is brought to you in association with the Folio Society (If you love beautiful books you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group TheWriteReads.  I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA 2020 competition organized by the @The_WriteReads tours team. I want to thank them so much for sending me a free copy of the e-book so I could participate in the awards! All opinions are my own, unbiased, and completely honest.

Now, let’s get to the post!


Synopsis


“John Carver has three rules: Don’t drink in the daytime, don’t gamble when the luck has gone, and don’t talk to the dead people who come to visit.

It has been almost five years since the incident in Kabul. Since the magic stirred within him and the stories began. Fleeing the army, running from the whispers, the guilt, and the fear he was losing his mind, Carver fell into addiction, dragging himself through life one day at a time.

Desperation has pulled him back to Afghanistan, back to the heat, the dust, and the truth he worked so hard to avoid. But there are others, obsessed with power and forbidden magics, who will stop at nothing to learn the truth of his gifts. Abducted and chained, Carver must break more than his own rules if he is to harness this power and survive.”

Book Details


  • Author: Graham Austin-King
  • Publisher: Fallen Leaf Press
  • Publication date: November 30th, 2018
  • Genre: Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/Military Thriller
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: To see a full list of this books possible content and trigger warnings, check out it’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Book Links

Bookshop::TBD::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

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January 2021 Wrap Up

Hello, reader!

We’re into the second week in February, so I figured it was about time I wrapped up my reading in January. I’m planning on doing things a little bit differently this year. I’m not going to be including my year-long reading challenges in my wrap ups anymore because all it did was cause me stress 😅 It felt like I was barely doing anything because I would only have one or two books a month in that section! I’ll be keeping track of that separately and talk about it in a dedicated post, I think. I’m also only going to focus on my best book of the month as opposed to doing highs and lows. This is because what may be a low for me might be someone else’s favorite book and I always felt bad drawing attention to the fact that I just didn’t jive with it. We’re focusing on the positive in this blog! Of course, that’s not to say that I’ll never talk about books I didn’t like (it’s part of being a reviewer… you can’t enjoy every book!) but I’m not going to make it such a feature, ya know?

Alright, enough blabber. Let’s get to my first wrap up of the new year!


Books Read


Click on the covers to be taken to the book’s Goodreads page

Book: The Dragon Republic by R.F. Kuang

Rating: ★★★★★

Thoughts: This book was as good, if not better, than the first one in the series! The Poppy War hurts and this book was no different, but, for some reason, I welcome the pain. Rin’s story is just so compelling and it’s interesting to watch her rise and descent.


Book: Fly Free by Allison Rose

Rating: ★★★

Thoughts: This was a quick, enjoyable read that throws you into the land and intrigue of the land of fae. I really enjoyed the plot and the world-building, though the love interests (and the romance, in general) fell a little flat for me. You can read my full review here.


Book: Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Rating: ★★★★

Thoughts: Ahhhh, this was so CUTE! I absolutely loved the romance between Dani and Zafir 😍 This was the perfect mix of adorable and steamy. I can’t wait to get my hands on the last Brown Sisters book!

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Blog Tour Spotlight: A Sparrow Alone by Mim Eichmann

Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I’m doing something a little different. I’m doing a spotlight for a book on a #TheWriteReads tour! I’m excited to be able to share some information about a beautiful looking book called A Sparrow Alone by Mimi Eichmann. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, stick around for more details.

Thank you, as always, to Dave @ The Write Reads for letting me participate!


Synopsis


“1890’s Colorado. Desperate following her mother’s sudden death, thirteen-year-old Hannah Owens apprentices as domestic help with a wealthy doctor’s family in Colorado Springs. When the doctor declares bankruptcy and abandons his family to finance his mistress Pearl DeVere’s brothel, however, Hannah is thrown into a vortex of gold mining bonanzas and busts, rampant prostitution, and the economic, political and cultural upheavals of the era. Two of Cripple Creek’s most colorful historic characters, Winfield Scott Stratton, eccentric owner of the richest gold mine in Cripple Creek, and Pearl DeVere, the beautiful madam of The Old Homestead, come to life as this old-fashioned, coming-of-age saga unfolds, the first of two historical fiction novels by debut author Mim Eichmann — a tribute to the women who set the stage for women’s rights.”

Book Details


  • Author: Mim Eichmann
  • Publisher: Living Springs Publisher
  • Publication date: April 15th, 2020
  • Genre: Historical Fiction
  • Age group: Adult

Book Links

Bookshop::Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon:: Goodreads

Author Details


A graduate from the Jordan College of Music at Butler University, in Indianapolis, IN, Chicago-based author Mim Eichmann has found that her creative journey has taken her down many exciting, interwoven pathways as an award-winning published lyricist and songwriter, professional folk musician, ballet choreographer and now, historical fiction author. Her debut historical fiction novel, “A Sparrow Alone”, published by Living Springs Publishers on April 15, 2020, has met with extremely enthusiastic reviews and “Muskrat Ramble” which will be published on March 23, 2021, is its much-anticipated sequel.

Author Links

Website::Twitter


If the synopsis intrigues you, definitely consider checking this book out! It sounds like it could be an interesting read!

Blog Tour: The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

Hello, reader!

Back in July of 2019, my family and I had just moved cross-country to Massachusetts. We had moved into our apartment, but none of our stuff was there. We were sleeping on air mattresses and sitting in those cloth folding chairs that you can never get back into their flimsy, little holders. It was a stressful time, but I had something with me that first month that helped me relax. I had an ARC of Evan Winter’s The Rage of Dragons. I had won it in a giveaway hosted by Orbit on their Instagram, not knowing much about it beyond the fact that it was written by a Black man and it had dragons. So, when I picked up during that stressful first month in our new home, I don’t think I was fully prepared for the incredible story contained within those pages. I flew through that ARC and knew before I was even halfway through that I was going to give it five stars. I also knew that I would fight the demons of Ishihogo to get my hands on the sequel!

Fast forward to this past summer, when Shealea @ Caffeine Book Tours put a call out to the bookish community for people would like to be part of #TheBurningTour for The Fires of Vengeance, the sequel I was so desperate to read. I don’t think I’ve ever filled out a form so fast! And you could have knocked me over with a feather when I was selected to be a part of the tour! So, before we get into the meat of this post, I wanted to take a moment to thank Shealea @ Caffeine Book Tours and the publisher, Orbit, for this opportunity. There are also a lot of other incredible bookish content creators on this tour, as well, so click here to take a look at the schedule. Also, we might as well get some disclaimers out of the way.

First, as you’ve probably figured out, I did receive an ARC of The Fires of Vengeance from Caffeine Book Tours and Orbit in exchange for my participation in this promotional tour. Second, as this is a review for the second book in a series, there might be some slight spoilers for the content of the first book within my review. If you haven’t read The Rage of Dragons (um, why haven’t you?) and wish to, perhaps skip this post until you have. This review, however, will be spoiler free for The Fires of Vengeance. And, last, stick with me until after my review for information about an amazing giveaway 🎉🎉🎉

Alright, with all that said, let’s get to it!


Synopsis


“Desperate to delay an impending attack by the indigenous people of Xidda, Tau and his queen craft a dangerous plan. If Tau succeeds, the queen will have the time she needs to assemble her forces and launch an all-out assault on her own capital city, where her sister is being propped up as the ‘true’ Queen of the Omehi.

If the city can be taken, if Tsiora can reclaim her throne and reunite her people, then the Omehi might have a chance to survive the coming onslaught.”

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Blog Tour: Frozen Rage by Steve McHugh

Hello, reader!

Look who’s back with another blog tour post! This time, I’m participating in a tour run by Storytellers on Tour, a company that focuses on indie published fantasy and science fiction novels. I always know I’m going to be exposed to something fun and interesting when I sign up for one of their tours! And this is definitely the case with the fantasy novella I’ll be talking about today.

First, I want to thank SOT and the author for sending me a copy of this book so that I could participate in this tour! The cover is just stunning 😍 And I also want to encourage you to check out the other amazing content creators that are participating. Click the banner below to find links:

Alright, now let’s talk about the book!


Synopsis


“The Realm of Dreich is a getaway for the rich and powerful, a medieval-inspired town in the middle of a vast frozen wilderness. Now it’s the site of a wedding, intended to join two feuding families who have spent centuries in an uneasy truce with each other.

When Tommy Carpenter asks his best friend, Nate Garrett, to help him with the security of the wedding, Nate reluctantly agrees, knowing that it will be a long weekend of work and, in all probability, treachery. It is only a matter of time before members of each family are found murdered and it is up to Nate and Tommy to find the killer before more bodies fall, potentially reigniting a war.”

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ARC Review: Crossings by Alex Landragin

Title: Crossings

Author: Alex Landragin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publication Date: July 28th, 2020

Source: e-ARC (Netgalley)

Rating: ★★★★

Book Links: Bookshop::Indiebound::TBD::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

One Sentence Synopsis

A twisting tale that follows three seemingly very different people through seven generations and strange circumstances.

Favorite Quote

This quote is from an uncorrected copy and may change in the final version

“Perhaps there is a natural limit to remembering, beyond which it is simply impossible to bear the weight of all that remembrance.”


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