Tag: BBNYA

BBNYA Finalist Blog Tour Review – Haven

biblionerdreflections1 Comment

Hello, everyone! Today I’m participating in the blog tour for the BBNYA finalist, Haven by Ceril N Domace. This was one of my BBNYA reads last year, and I had a lot of fun participating as a panelist.

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.

Book Info & Links

Print Length: 280 Pages

Publication Date: April 30, 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Science Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy

Age Category: Adult

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Blurb

Most people think the fae are gone. Most people are wrong.

Owen Williams wakes after a horrific car accident to find his wife is dead—and somehow turned into a gryphon—and his kids gone after a home invasion turned horribly wrong. Shattered and reeling, he vows to do whatever it takes to find them.

When a fae scout appears and promises to reunite him with his kids, he doesn’t hesitate before joining her. But she warns him that if he wants to protect his family, he must follow the fae to their city, the hidden haven of Tearmann.

With enemies on the horizon, Owen needs to set aside his fears and take up arms to defend their new home alongside the people he’s always been taught were monsters—or he’ll lose everyone he’s trying to protect.

My Review

***Thank you to BBNYA for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

My thoughts on this one are mixed. I enjoyed learning about the world the author created, and the characters really tugged at my heart. However, the pace of the story was just dreadfully slow at times, and the writing wasn’t always the best. For example, I had trouble tracking what was going on in some of the action scenes.

I liked the world-building. I found the struggles of the fae to be realistic, and I was fascinated, and a bit horrified, by the process of changing that turned humans into fae. There were so many different types of fae, and I enjoyed learning about each of them. My only problem with the world-building was the delivery. It was really slow and primarily delivered via lengthy dialogue. There was so much telling happening that it felt like I was reading the slowest lecture in history. I found the information on the history of the fae in this world fascinating, but it was a huge drag on the story.

The characters and the family dynamic were the things I loved most about this story. These children grasped hold of my heart and would not let go. The entire family went through so much trauma in this story, and I was in my feelings right along with them. I also liked seeing a story about a father and his kids because it is not something I read nearly often enough. Although, the father, Owen, did get on my nerves sometimes because his characterization was really inconsistent. The text kept saying he was so worried about his kids and would never leave their sight again, and then he’d be off to some new meeting by himself in the very next scene. He made quite a few choices that left me shaking my head.

The themes related to ‘othering’ were timely and important. The story illustrated how important it is to get to know people rather than demonizing entire groups based on preconceived notions and baseless propaganda. The transition of the fae and the persecution they faced afterward reminded me of the challenges facing trans people, who are often demeaned and attacked for transitioning into their true selves. I’m not sure if it was the intention of the author, but that’s what I took away from it.

Was this book perfect? No, but I still enjoyed it. The world-building was clever despite being a bit clunky in its execution, and I would die for the children in this book. I came to love them that much. Therefore, I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

About the Author

Ceril N Domace is an accountant, the owner of the feline embodiment of violence, and a dedicated dungeon master. On the rare occasions she manages to free herself from an ever-growing and complex web of TTRPG, Ceril enjoys taking walks and griping that all her hobbies are work in disguise.

BBNYA Finalist Blog Tour Review – Mercury’s Shadow

biblionerdreflections1 Comment

Hello, everyone! Today I’m participating in the blog tour for the BBNYA finalist, Mercury’s Shadow by PJ Garcin. This was one of my BBNYA reads last year, and I had a lot of fun participating as a panelist.

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.

Book Info & Links

Publisher: Rawktron Productions

Print Length: 308 Pages

Publication Date: July 5, 2020

Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Action Adventure

Age Category: Young Adult/New Adult

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Blurb

One man’s lust for power threatens the future of humanity—can a young girl from the outer system stop it all?

Imogen “Chim” Esper is thrust into the center of an interplanetary conflict when her family is torn apart by the cruel and indifferent Kardashev Corporation. Forced to run, along with her robotic best friend, Chim struggles to find her place in a society that is poised for revolutionary transformation.

The Kardashev Corporation dominates all commerce and politics in the solar system. Its megalomaniac CEO, Alton Neal, is hell-bent on transforming society by capturing the full energy output of the sun through the creation of a Dyson Swarm.

Citizens of Earth and the stations throughout the system must band together to protect access to the lifeblood of the system or risk becoming permanently enslaved to the Kardashev Corporation.

Mercury’s Shadow is a thrilling adventure that blends real science, big ideas, grand adventure and high stakes to introduce a new heroine and a deep universe that will leave readers asking for more.

My Review

***Thank you to BBNYA for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I really enjoyed this book. The prose was easy to read and engaging. There was a steady pace throughout, and I never felt bored by the story. The overall premise was interesting, and the narrative contained a good balance of systemic and personal stakes that kept me on edge for the characters.

The story was exciting with plenty of action. Although, it also had some really great personal moments, especially with Chim and her father. The plot did require a certain suspension of disbelief in regards to some of the science and the level to which the main character got wrapped up in such important events, but not enough that it completely disrupted my enjoyment of the plot. The world-building was interesting, and I found this take on the future of our solar system to be horribly relatable. I liked the themes regarding the dangers of letting one corporation have too much control, and it definitely highlighted the potential extreme consequences of that really well. I just wish maybe there had been a bit more subtlety. I also would have loved some more background on the different factions and politics of it all, especially the secret scientific consortium poised in the shadows to save the day.

The characters all had big personalities, and I liked the found family vibes the protagonist had with her friends. They made a great team, and their interactions were fun to read. I especially loved the robot! Chim’s journey was relatable and often harrowing. She was thrust into a huge conspiracy when all she wanted to do was save her father. This conflict between her personal motivations and the larger stakes at hand made her an interesting reluctant hero to follow. The villain was a bit cartoonish and over the top, though, but at least it made it easy, and fun, to root for his downfall.

Overall, I liked this book quite a bit and thought it was a good series-opener. I’d be more than happy to return to this world for more adventures. Therefore, I rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars.

About the Author

PJ Garcin has been writing stories, music and games for most of his life. He writes from the beautiful east coast of Canada where he has worked extensively in video games and technology for the past 20 years. Picking up a long running writing thread, he recently completed the first book in the Kardashev Cycle — Mercury’s Shadow.

The Kardashev Cycle follows the rise and expansion of the dominant Kardashev Corporation and its near universal control over the solar system. The first book in the series, Mercury’s Shadow, introduces the young Imogen Esper — a resourceful young girl from a mining station in the asteroid belt who finds herself caught up in an interplanetary conflict when her father is injured during a routine maintenance mission. The second book, Chimera’s Prism, continued the adventure in 2021.

PJ is a regular speaker at technology conferences on topics ranging from interactive narrative to machine learning. He has an undergrad degree in English, Rhetoric and Professional Writing as well as a Master’s degree in Communication.

He worked as Executive Producer in games on titles that sold more than 27 million units in total. He worked on large franchises such as FIFA, Madden, and Guitar Hero while helping to launch successful indie franchises like The Golf Club (now PGA Tour) and Infinite Air. He currently works as Director of Product Management for an open-source-focused SaaS company.

Twitter: twitter.com/rawktron

TikTok: tiktok.com/@rawktron

Instagram: instagram.com/pjgarcin

Facebook: facebook.com/pjgarcin

Exciting Announcement About BBNYA 2022

biblionerdreflections3 Comments

Hello, everyone! Today’s post is short but very, very exciting. I’m happy to announce that I’m a panelist for the 2022 Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award! I’ve been lucky enough to participate in the blog tours for some of the past participants and winners, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be a panelist myself this year. I’m looking forward to reading lots of fantastic indie books and getting to know some new bloggers as part of this process. If you would like to learn more about this competition, you can visit the BBNYA website. Sign-ups are still open for both panelists (until May 14th) and authors (until May 28th). So, if you fall into either category and want to participate, be sure to sign up soon!

Badge created by Jenn @JennieLy from Jenniely.com

BBNYA Ultimate Blog Tour: Book Review – The Lore of Prometheus

biblionerdreflections8 Comments

Hello! Welcome to my stop on the BBNYA Ultimate Blog Tour for the 2020 BBNYA winner, The Lore of Prometheus by Graham Austin-King. I am excited to share my review of this fantastic book with you all.

Author: Graham Austin-King

Publication Date: 11/30/2018

Length: 287 pages

Read Date(s): 04/07/2021 – 04/09/2021

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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.

My Review

What I Liked

I can see why this book was the BBNYA winner. It is full of mystery, thrilling action, exciting super powers, and intense psychological themes. The writing was great, with good dialogue that felt natural and pacing that kept me interested throughout the story. I actually lost sleep because of this book because I did not want to put it down to go to bed. The plot was intense, and, throughout the book, I found myself wondering what the author would subject the characters to next.

I liked both of the main characters. Mackenzie’s story was interesting, and I was fascinated by the exploration of how the events of the book affected her psyche. She was portrayed as a strong, capable character rather than a damsel in distress, which I appreciated. However, Carver was my favorite character in the novel, and I greatly enjoyed getting to know him. He was a serious badass but also an absolute mess from being haunted by his past, which was a compelling combination to read.

My favorite thing about this novel was the description of someone living with PTSD. The author did a fantastic job of painting a picture of what goes on inside the head of someone with this disorder. The way he incorporated the flashbacks, hypervigilance, and hallucinations was superb, and Carver’s journey throughout the book dealing with his survivor guilt was very well-written.

I also enjoyed the themes presented in this book. The characters undergo long periods of intense torture, which was difficult to read at times, but allowed for the exploration of many interesting topics. Without going into too much detail because I don’t want to spoil the book, there are critiques of the darker side of human nature paired with examples of how people can overcome extreme adversity and re-purpose trauma into a strength. I immensely enjoyed the analysis of the human condition found throughout the story, which is evident in my favorite quote from the book:

We are each of us insane. Maybe there is no true sanity. All any of us have is the control we cling to, and any one of us can be swept away.

The Lore of Prometheus, loc 5097

The humor in the book is dark, but it works to add some levity to the otherwise morbid situations in which the characters find themselves. Carver’s hallucinations were one of my favorite things about the book because they introduced a great deal of the dark comedy. I also really enjoyed the author’s descriptions of places and environments. I instantly felt transported to each locale by the excellent writing.

What I Didn’t Like

I liked almost everything about this book. However, I had some real problems with the ending. The rest of the book was paced so well, but the ending seemed really abrupt and left quite a few things unanswered. The romance element came out of nowhere and was completely unnecessary to finishing the story. I also felt as if we left behind most of the characters from the first half of the book and never got any resolution to their part of the story. Furthermore, I still don’t understand how the villain did what he did at the end and think at least some explanation of how he reached his goal was necessary. Speaking of the villain, he was the other thing I did not like about the book. There was no information about his motivations, and, while being cruel and creepy, he just came off as one-note with no depth.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Lore of Prometheus is a thrilling read that I recommend to fans of urban fantasy and/or thrillers. The book’s depictions of PTSD and the execution with which it explores themes related to human nature are some of its biggest strengths. However, the abrupt ending and lack of depth for the villain held the book back from being the best it could be. Therefore, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

About the Author

Graham Austin-King was born in the south of England and weaned on broken swords and half-forgotten spells.

A shortage of these forced him to consume fantasy novels at an ever-increasing rate, turning to computers and tabletop gaming between meals.

He experimented with writing at the beginning of an education that meandered through journalism, international relations, and law. To this day he is committed to never allowing those first efforts to reach public eyes.

After spending a decade in Canada learning what ‘cold’ really means, and being horrified by poutine, he settled once again in the UK with a seemingly endless horde of children.

To date he is the author of five novels, drawing on a foundation of literary influences ranging from David Eddings to Clive Barker.

Website: https://grahamaustin-king.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrayAustin

Blog Tour & BBNYA Info

I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA tours organized by the @The_WriteReads tours team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. 

BBNYA 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 the 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. 

If you are a book blogger or reviewer, you can apply to be part of BBNYA 2021 by filling out this form (also remember to read the terms and conditions before signing up)! 

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.