Whew, it’s been a busy month! I had a great batch of debuts to read through, hosted some more giffing madness, dug into a bunch of SPFBO reads, aaaand revealed a project I almost couldn’t keep quiet about (yes, I’m that excited about it!). I’m thrilled I’ve gotten to share all this with you, but in case you missed anything, let’s take a look at what went on.
Dark Ends
This month ended on an exceptionally high note, as I was finally able to unveil a project that has been in the making for some time. Dark Ends is an upcoming collection of dark fantasy from the minds of the incredible Luke Tarzian, Clayton Snyder, Angela Boord, Krystle Matar, and D.P. Woolliscroft. I’m really looking forward to sharing more with you in the very near future, so be sure to stay tuned! Dark Ends will be available this winter.
For more info, check out the announcement post!
Reviews
July was filled with a bunch of fun, ambitious, and quite frankly stunning debuts from a group of authors that everyone needs to keep an eye on. This was a month of the wonderfully weird, the magically genuine, the entertainingly bizarre, and the incredibly beautiful, and I can honestly say that I highly recommend each and every one of them. I’m excited to see what the future holds for all of these extremely talented writers.
Double-Crossing the Bridge by Sarah J. SoverDouble-Crossing the Bridge is a refreshingly unique and hilarious twist on your run-of-the-mill fantasy heist story, filled with amazingly fleshed out characters – that are trolls. It’s a book that definitely embraces the weird and extraordinary, and one I feel deserves to be in the spotlight. A gripping and enjoyable read everyone needs to check out.SEE FULL REVIEW
Beasts of the Frozen Sun by Jill CriswellBeasts of the Frozen Sun is an incredible Celtic and Norse-inspired tale of forbidden, undying love, and transformation. Striking prose, and perfect pacing, I was dazzled by the world being built around me. The love emotional, the battles visceral, the mysteries awing. For lovers of myth and mystery, dark fantasy, and romance, this book is for you.SEE FULL REVIEW
Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire by G.M. NairDuckett & Dyer: Dicks for Hire is a brilliant blend of science fiction and snarky comedy, just oozing with laugh-out-loud humor and sarcasm. This book is packed to the brim with sensational and strange happenings as a result of multi-verse hopping and awesome characters. There’s a creativity throughout rarely seen, making this an extremely fun read.SEE FULL REVIEW
Fortune’s Fool by Angela BoordFortune’s Fool is an immaculate character-driven epic fantasy, governed by vengeance and the power of love. Boord has created something incredibly beautiful with her debut, with exquisite writing that meticulously immerses you in an Italian-inspired world. This is honestly one of the best things I’ve read in a long while, so just go read it. SEE FULL REVIEW
SPFBO
As mentioned in last month’s update, July 1st marked the beginning of SPFBO5 – 300 indie books, 10 judges, 1 winner. I’ve finished up three books, which are listed below, but you’ll have to wait until my comprehensive FBC update in order to see my reviews for these titles. I’m almost 2/3 done with my batch, and once I finish, I’ll be presenting my choice for semifinalist!
The images below link out to respective Goodreads pages, so give them a look!
Call to Arms
The Call to Arms giffing tourney has been well-received, and has gained interest from a wide variety of indie authors. I’m happy to announce this is here to stay!
During this month, we had another two great contests – we’re spreading to a larger audience, and two lucky winners snagged some pretty sweet loot. You can see more details about the individual contests below, or you can check out the Call to Arms hub. Also visit our Circle of Champions, where the coats of arms of our winners will live on forever.
Vultures by Luke Tarzian
THEME: Outrageous Birds
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CHAMPION: Nils S.
WINNING GIF:
MORE DETAILS
Fortune’s Fool by Angela Boord
THEME: Arms
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CHAMPION: Jon A.
WINNING GIF:
MORE DETAILS
Alright folks, that’s all I got for ya. It’s been another amazing month, and I can’t thank you enough for all your love and support. Check in often for some fun shenanigans, reveals, interviews, and more. Hope you all have an amazing August!
Happy Reading!
🖤