Well, it certainly has been an amazing month over here at Whispers & Wonder. With the launch of the blog, a bunch of great books, some fun contests, and SPFBO excitement, it’s been a wild and insanely fulfilling ride!
Launch
Launching my own book blog is something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time now, and I can’t tell you how excited I am that this dream has finally come to fruition. It was a long haul, and my need to make everything perfect certainly slowed me down, but Whispers & Wonder is finally out there in the world! I couldn’t be happier with the outcome, and the feedback I’ve received has made all the blood, sweat, and tears completely worth it.
We’ve had some book reviews, and a couple of fun and/or interesting battles on Twitter for the Call to Arms Indie Giveaway Giffing Tourney. I’ve got more things planned for the future, so be sure to stay tuned.
I just want to thank you all for making this a wonderful experience for me – you have no idea how much I appreciate your support!
Reviews
While I didn’t get to read much this month, the books I did read were absolutely incredible. I managed to get my hands on advanced copies of a few of my most-anticipated of 2019, along with a hilarious novelette I never knew I needed in my life.
Crowfall by Ed McDonald
Crowfall is a magnificently striking and emotional conclusion to the Raven’s Mark series, which I absolutely adore. A story of finding purpose, persevering in the face of failure, and choosing your own side. Characters with profound strength, intriguing and intelligent landscapes, and beautifully sentimental prose. A must-read series.SEE FULL REVIEW
Ioth, City of Lights by D.P. WoolliscroftIoth, City of Lights is a wildly emotional and compelling ride, and Woolliscroft’s best yet. It’s a tale that tackles the plagues of unbalanced power and corruption, as we’re transported to the beautifully vivid Venetian-inspired city of Ioth. With incredible character metamorphoses, and enthralling action, it’s the perfect addition to The Wildfire Cycle.SEE FULL REVIEW
Priest of Lies by Peter McLean
Priest of Lies is a story perfectly highlighting the consequences of secrets and lies, and is a true attestation of the corruption that results from achieving too much power. Clever story telling and beautifully immersive prose, we finally begin to see everyone’s true colors. War for the Rose Throne is shaping up to be one of my favorite series.SEE FULL REVIEW
The Last God by Michael McClung
The Last God follows the misadventures of Sage Lhiewyn det Sardeth – snarky, crotchety, and sweary high priest of the god of knowledge. It’s a novelette that contains three parts that weave seamlessly together to create one hilarious and entertaining tale. A small glimpse to build upon on the amazing Amra Thetys world.SEE FULL REVIEW
Call to Arms
I’ve personally found tons of hidden gems in the self-published/indie SFF world, and wanted to find a fun way to raise awareness for the many talented authors that don’t get the marketing backing of a publisher. Call to Arms: The Indie Giveaway Giffing Tourney was born! What I planned as a monthly Twitter contest, has evolved into a bi-weekly offering of some amazing indie books.
During the month of its inception, we had two great contests – a bunch of people entered, and some pretty sweet goodies have been shipped across the world. It seems people are enjoying it, and I’ve had some interest from a few authors to participate, so it looks like it’s here to stay! For more details, check out the Call to Arms hub, and also visit our Circle of Champions, where the coats of arms of our winners will live on forever.
Here’s what went on this month:
Kingshold by D.P. Woolliscroft
THEME: Retirement
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CHAMPION: Holly the Grimdragon
WINNING GIF:
MORE DETAILS
River of Thieves by Clayton Snyder
THEME: Thieves & Rogues
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CHAMPION: Quenby O.
WINNING GIF:
MORE DETAILS
A huge thank you to both D.P. Woolliscroft and Clayton Snyder for taking part in this, it’s been a blast!
SPFBO
July 1st marked the commencement of SPFBO and I’m honored to be a part of the Fantasy Book Critic team of judges. We’ve been assigned a great batch of books, and I’m excited to make my way through them in hopes of finding the winner of SPFBO5! You can check out our introductory post, which outlines our structure and goals for the competition, presents short bios of all the FBC reviewers, and reveals our finalists for the cover competition.
Make sure to keep an eye on the Fantasy Book Critic blog for more info throughout!
That’s about it, folks. It’s been a wonderful month, and I’m so grateful you’ve decided to take this journey with me. July is already shaping up to be amazing, and I’m looking forward to sharing new things with you in the near future.
Happy Reading!
🖤