#advanced review copy

[author-a-holmes]

A Captured Cauldron - ARC Review

A Captured Cauldron is the second book in this series, and once again RK Ashwick didn't disappoint.

It was a delight to return to Rosemond Street and reconnect with the bright, original, characters that inhabit it (Although, personally, I missed Ambrose the most!)

This time, there's a Potions Convention, and it brought back many fond memories of my own visits to Con's, so much so that even though I knew to expect the imminent kidnapping from the blurb, I was STILL shocked when it actually happened.

Book Two also has a new POV in the form of Dawn, the lovely wandmaker of Rosemond and Ambrose's best friend. I'm not always a fan of additional POVs in later books, but in this instance, it worked wonders. It gave us the opportunity to see how other people in Rosemond Street were handling Ambrose being missing, other than Eli who, for obvious reasons, was a mess.

It was also lovely to watch Dawn try and navigate the guilt she felt handling a new crush, while her best friend is missing. Overall, A Captured Caldron was a delight from start to finish. I finished the entire book in under five hours, and I can't wait to get my hands on a paperback so I can coo over that glorious cover.

I received an ARC of this book from the author, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[author-a-holmes]

One thing? I completed an ARC review for an author whose works I love.

It's the 4th book in the series and I've been ARC reviewing for them since their debut. I didn't think I've have time this month, and his release date is December 4th, so I was happy I got to it early for him.

Managed to write my review, and have it scheduled to go out on Dec 1st on all my socials. Posted it to Goodreads, since that's the only place the book is up for review right now, and I'll copy/paste that review on all the other store/review platforms at the end of the month after Nano is finished.

you! the person reading this! please tell me one good thing that happened to you today

[ezichiny]

Audiobook Review: The Expiration Date by Kimberly Brown

TITLE: The Expiration Date by Kimberly Brown Release Date: February 13, 2024 by Dreamscape Media Genre: Contemporary Romance; Black Romance Format: Audiobook (6 hrs and 18 mins); Kindle Edition (230 pages) Narrated by: Jaime Lincoln Smith, J. Shani Michaels My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars Blurb: Audrey Pilar is a master in the art of breaking up. Her friends have dubbed her ritual of leaving men as…

[theheelerbooklifereads]

Thank you so much, Celadon, for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♾️ Stars

Mercury is like a warm hug that you do not know you need. It leaves you feel super connected to these characters to the point that you feel like you are a part of their family.

I could not get enough of Mercury since I needed to know everything about these cbaracters and their lives. Even when I was not reading it, I would constantly think of the characters, and at one point, I dreamed of the town and the characters. I have not had that experience in a while where I need to devour a book and then later find myself dreaming of the book.

All the characters are flawed in one way or another to the point they feel extremely real. Some of the characters focus on these flaws of the other characters to the point that it causes resentment or indifference to one another. But each character has these amazing attributes that they bring to the table that allows each other to lean on one another even when the family feels divided. When hardships and grief strike this family, they all find themselves looking at their life in a different way, which ultimately makes these characters grow in so many way. Honestly, from beginning to end, the character growth is immensely seen and very satisfying.

Mercury is beautifully written to where I was rooting for each other characters. I felt joy in the accomplishments, heartbreak for the hardships and the grief the family goes through, and great love for each of the characters. Then, I found a lot of heartwarming moments in this book and especially in the last few pages.

Once January 2024 rolls around, you all need to run out and grab this amazing book. I feel like I did not put my thoughts into the most coherent way and could not say all the ways I loved this book because for me sometimes I struggle with finding the right words to express how much I love something.

But, I can truly say that I didn't know how much I needed this book in my life. I am so beyond thankful that Celadon surprised me with this book to review. I can say with certainity that this book is one of my top 5 favorite books of 2023. Without a doubt in my mind, I just know this will become a favorite of many in 2024, so like I said go get this book because you will fall in love with the writing and the characters.

[ckatwriter]

SIGNUPS ARE LIVE FOR ARCS OF MY DEBUT NOVEL ♤PURGATERRY♤

Help get the word out by reblogging and maybe sign up for a free copy in exchange for an honest review 🤗

PurgaTerry synopsis:

[jpagaduanauthor]

Savior of the Damned ARC announcement

Savior of the Damned is done. The ARC is mostly ready now too, I’m just waiting on the cover. And let me tell you folks it has been an absolute rush of feelings. It’s not quite done yet, of course. I still have to format the actual book, and I have to send out the ARC copies once the cover is in, and then after that I can put it up for preorder, which is just the most exciting thing ever.  I…

[galina]

Just finished: The Amendments, Niamh Mulvey. I was sent an advance review copy by picador. It took me a while to warm up to this one, but in the end I really enjoyed the way Mulvey delivers complex difficult emotions using straightforward language, not wallowing in grief but also not flinching away from some of the hardest conversations around birth, death and religion. And I do have a soft spot for Irish writers, and multi-generational stories

[duckprintspress]

Become an Advance Reader for Duck Prints Press!

Reviews are essential for showing prospective readers that we’re publishing awesome books that they want to buy and read. We’re looking to recruit an active group of people who post reviews of our work, and to do that we need your help! For the first time, we’re offering Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of one of our projects: Aether Beyond the Binary, our most recent anthology, featuring 17 stories of characters outside the gender binary exploring modern-esque aetherpunk worlds.

How it works: You see this post. You think, oh, I love reading! I love leaving reviews! I want to join the Duck Prints Press Reviewer Program! Then, you go and read the rules for our Reviewer Program. And, if everything there sounds like something you can do, you fill out the form, and – we’ll be in touch! Even better: this program isn’t only for Aether Beyond the Binary, and isn’t only for “advance” titles. Our reviewers are encouraged to claim titles that are currently released, too, to help build up a robust collection of reviews of Duck Prints Press titles!

Requirements:

You must be over 18 years old.

You must be prepared to post reviews on Goodreads and/or Storygraph.

You must also post the review on the appropriate listing on the Duck Prints Press webstore (for advance titles, you’ll have to wait ’til we list them there).

Upon acceptance to the program, you must join the Duck Prints Press Book Lover’s Server.

Reviews must be at least 100 words long must and engage with the actual content of the work being reviewed.

Reviews must be left within 6 months of claiming a title, or you will be removed from the program.

What isn’t Required:

That the reviews be positive. Reviews are for readers. We require that reviews be honest to your own experience of the work, not that they be glowing.

That you post the reviews to social media. Doing so is definitely a bonus, but you don’t have to.

That you associate yourself publicly with the review-leaving (beyond using a valid Goodreads and/or Storygraph account). As in, you don’t have to say, “I, (your name here), reviewed this book” or link your book website accounts with your existing social media presence or anything like that, nor do we request any demographic information beyond confirmation of your age.

That you purchase anything. Absolutely no purchase necessary!

What You Get:

A e-book copy (ePub and/or PDF) of the work you’re reviewing. We do not provide physical ARCs.

After you post your first review, you’ll get a coupon for 10% off a purchase from the Duck Prints Press webstore!

For every ten reviews you post, you can claim a freebie sticker from among our sticker offerings, if you want. (You’ll have to provide a snail mail address to get this, of course.)

A community of fun book-lovers to hang out with! (You can get that even without joining the ARC program, though – our Book Lover’s Discord is open to everyone.)

We’re accepting applicants for claiming Aether Beyond the Binary ARCs through April 10th, 2024. On the 11th, we’ll randomly select 25 of applicants to receive ARC copies of Aether Beyond the Binary. Everyone else will still be entirely welcome in the program and invited to start with a different, back-catalog book or story to review. We’ll make another pool of Aether Beyond the Binary ARCs available in May.

So… those are the basics. Interested? Go read the full rules, then apply to be a Duck Prints Press ARC reader TODAY!

[leechjuice]

looking for an intimate, bloody lesbian horromance to sink your eager teeth into this summer?

e-ARC applications for my debut novel, IN THE END, YOU KILL US BOTH are now OPEN, and will remain open until JULY 19TH.

full synopsis + cws can be found on the application page! due to graphic content, please do not apply to receive an e-ARC if you are under eighteen years old!

click here to apply!

[author-a-holmes]

I've got my ARC-read arranged for December, but I'll boost <3

If you're happy to wait for a review until January, feel free to drop me a link to download a copy and I'll give it a read. <3

I usually post my reviews on all storefronts I can find for the book, Bookbub, Goodreads, Storygraph, and all my socials, including my newsletter.

Would anyone like a review copy of "Over the Dragon's Gate"?

If a few people wanted review copies of my co-written dark fantasy novella in exchange for an honest review on Amazon or Smashwords, I would be happy to give some out! DM me if the summary sounds like your jam or you want more info.

Summary: Treya has everything he needs in his pond: food, shelter, and other fish to swim with. It’s painful to wonder if he had another life once, so he ignores the fragments of disturbing dreams that plague him.

But when a boy falls into his pond, Treya discovers he’s more than a fish. He can also become a boy, and now he has a friend: the irrepressible Eli. During secret meetings in the garden surrounding the pond, Treya and Eli forge a bond that even dark magic can’t break. But when Eli starts asking questions about who and what Treya is, the two of them discover that questions are dangerous, answers have a cost, and their fates depend on unraveling the mystery of Treya’s past.

Word count: 44k

Smashwords

Kindle

Content warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, death, gaslighting, memory loss, amnesia, mind manipulation, mind control, implied noncon (in the background, due to the mind control), crying (a lot of crying), vomit, underage drinking, implied/referenced drug use, car accidents, child neglect, child abuse, murder, kidnapping, imprisonment, magical imprisonment, trauma, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt (planned but not carried out), death threats, fantasy racism

Soundtrack

I feel like we released it just as Twitter shit the bed but before I was really back on Tumblr, and I’m at a loss for ways to promote it, so if you have indie book promo advice hit me up! Thanks in advance and have a lovely afternoon!

[author-a-holmes]

Over The Dragon's Gate by Juliana Jones & Riley Sanderson

While ‘Over The Dragon’s Gate’ starts off a little slower than I’d usually like, this co-written story gives you enough hints, enough clues, and enough thoughtfully teased out tidbits to keep its readers engaged and invested.

Much like one of our main characters, Treya, there’s an underlying sense that there’s more to this than meets the eye, and the authors cleverly reveal it all to the reader alongside Treya as he discovers the parts of himself that he’s forgotten.

All the while Treya is rediscovering his past, he’s learning about his future and the possibilities that his friendship with Eli opens up for him.

‘Over The Dragon’s Gate’ is a delightful read, full of magic and touching moments of humanity in the face of darkness we can all find ourselves facing. It had me scowling at the villian, and grinning at the clumsy exploration of teenage affection, and by the last lines I found myself smiling at the screen.

It’s a feel good book, that I immediately have a handful of people I want to recommend it too, and future stories from either of these authors will be getting added to my TBR piles.

I received a free copy of this book from the authors and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[bibliomars]

'Queer as Folklore' by Sacha Coward

With a clever title and an engaging tone of voice, queer historian Sacha Coward expertly intertwines ancient folklore with contemporary pop culture, creating a web of associations that will resonate with most contemporary queer people in Western countries. From mermaids to aliens, new and old legends come together to explore why queer people seem to have an innate tendency to be drawn to the fantastical from a young age. Although this book is heavily written through a Western lens, other folklore is mentioned and explored with respect for the cultures they belong to, taking the reader on a breathtaking journey through time, places, and myths.

Coward is a talented writer and meticulous historian, and that shines through his work. With each word he writes, the reader is both transported in time and invited into an ongoing conversation with the author. Reading this book feels like being in that one fun class you look forward to every week, with the engaging teacher who values input and talks about history as though it's a story, giving flesh and voice to ancient humans and making them feel so much closer to us. I had the pleasure of attending the ‘Queer as Folklore’ book release event in London, which really solidified my review of the book. It was an enriching experience, and hearing the voices of other queer people, researchers, and storytellers building up momentum to the main conversation culminated in a memorable and well-spent evening.

This is a book I highly recommend to lovers of history and the fantastical, or to anyone who fancies an engaging and fun non-fiction read to get them out of a reading slump!

Thank you Unbound for providing an ARC for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[ezichiny]

Audiobook Review: The Women by Kristin Hannah

TITLE: The Women by Kristin Hannah My rating: 5 of 5 stars Format: Audiobook (14 hrs and 57 mins) by MacMillan Audio; Kindle Edition (480 Pages) Genre: Historical Fiction, Vietnam War Blurb: From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah’s The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided. Women…

[scifrey]

Okay, so remember how I've been Ded Of Editing this last year and just absolutely consumed by bookish stuff?

The bookish stuff is now out in the world.

TIME AND TIDE

Releases November 2024.

Exciting news: the eGalley is up on NetGalley and Edelweiss! This means, with the promise of an honest review, you could potentially read the book right now. However, if you're not interested in an ARC, you can preorder your Copy Here.

*

Historical fiction with a touch of time travel, for fans of Diana Gabaldon, Alexis Hall, and Olivia Waite’s Feminine Pursuits series, where a modern bisexual woman is thrown into Regency England and must figure out how to survive, while she falls in love with a woman who will become a famous author.

Just a twenty-first century gal with nineteenth-century problems…

When Sam’s plane crashes catastrophically over the Atlantic, it defies all odds for Sam to be the sole survivor. But it seems impossible that she’s rescued by a warship in 1805. With a dashing sea captain as her guide, she begins to find her footing in a world she’d only seen in movies.

Then Sam is betrayed. At the mercy of the men and morals of the time, and without the means to survive on her own, she’s left with no choice but to throw herself on the charity of the captain's sisters. She resigns herself to a quiet life of forever hiding her true self. What she doesn't expect is that her new landlady is Margaret Goodenough—the world-famous author whose yet-to-be-completed novel will contain the first lesbian kiss in the history of British Literature, and a clever woman. Clever enough to know her new companion has a secret.

As the two women grow ever closer, Sam must tread the tenuous line between finding her own happiness in a place where she doesn’t think she’ll ever fit in, and possibly (accidentally) changing the course of history.

[hangfiretales]

💙 ARCs for Rare Birds are available! 💙

Before the book's print and eBook release in July, I'm giving away some advance copies. Check my pinned post for full info about the book, including the blurb and presale links.

How does it work?

Comment on this post with a blue heart and at the end of the month (April 2024) ten readers will be chosen at random. I'll DM you with the link for Booksirens where you'll be able to safely download your eBook ARC (advance reader copy) and can later leave a review if you want to.

Is the review required?

Nope! For a start, many book review sites discourage paid reviews. But mostly I don't think reviews should be a chore or obligation. If you're in the mood to tell the world how you felt about the book, please do so! Your absolute honesty is highly valued. But otherwise this is just a free copy.

Is an ARC the real actual book?

Yes - it's the final version of Rare Birds. But just in case there's any last-minute typos to tweak, publishers usually reserve the right to make changes in the final *final* copy.

I can't wait to see what you think of it 💙

[rynreads91]

absolution by jeff vandermeer review

I want to thank @fsgbooks and NetGalley for the ARC of Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer to read before it's released!

I rated this five stars, and honestly, it's almost a six star read for me. But jesus, Lowry, what the actual fuck? (Spoilers below)

I loved Old Jim's POV. I loved his heartbreak and how angry he was at the replacement Cass, who he does come to love. I loved Cass, too, or the fake one anyway, for not really pushing Jim to love her but just to work with her. Just to adhere to their mission from Central. Fuck Jack and Jackie, though, like jesus christ. I loved his thoughts on the OG expedition of biologists into the Forgotten Coast/Dead Town. I loved the descriptions of everything; as usual, VanderMeer has a way with words.

And then...then we get to Lowry. And fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. I???? Hate this guy. Hated him with every fiber of my being, but for some reason, kept hearing my friend Brandon's voice in my head as I read his POV. And I love my friend Brandon, he's like a brother to me. I...the cannibalism...I read that section at like midnight and was so incredibly grossed out, but not grossed out enough to put it down and finish it later. It just kind of spurred me on.

I was SO GLAD to see Karen/Cass back at the end and then she kills Lowry which I was like "THANK FUCK". But it was so good. I enjoyed this. It felt like an ending to the series. So. If you liked the first three, I think you might enjoy this one. It might not be a five star for you, might not even be a four star, but I think it sheds light on the before times, on the early Southern Reach, and that was interesting to me.