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Month: March 2021

Book Review: Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (Song of the Shattered Sands, #1) by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Book Review: Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (Song of the Shattered Sands, #1) by Bradley P. Beaulieu

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Cover art illustrated by: Adam Paquette

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai by Bradley P. Beaulieu

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Series: Song of the Shattered Sands (Book #1 of 6)

Genre: Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 584 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 3rd September 2015 by Gollancz (UK) and 1st September 2015 by DAW (US)


For me, Twelve Kings in Sharakhai has everything except the most important one: characters to care for.

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Cover Reveal: Faith Lost (Pandemonium Rising, #3) by Michael Sliter

Cover Reveal: Faith Lost (Pandemonium Rising, #3) by Michael Sliter

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Hi everyone! Petrik from Novel Notions here.

Today, we’re here to bring you a beautiful cover reveal of Faith Lost, this is the third book in the Pandemonium Rising series by Michael Sliter. I’ve read and enjoyed the first two books + a novella in the series, Solace Lost, Wisdom Lost, and Valley of the Free. I personally think that this is one of the most underrated grimdark fantasy series right now. If you love character-driven grimdark fantasy series, and yet haven’t read this one, I highly recommend this series to you! Without further ado, here’s the cover reveal to Faith Lost!

Cover art: Rene Aigner

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Book Review: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Book Review: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

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Cover art illustrated by: Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Self-help, Philosophy

Pages: 128 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 10th October 2019 by Ebury Press (UK) and 22nd October 2019 by HarperOne (US)


Well, isn’t this just incredibly wholesome and hopeful.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy was a book that I spotted several times on many best-sellers list. However, I was never interested in it; I never expected or planned to read this book. This was a book gifted to me by my co-blogger, TS; she insisted her co-bloggers receive this wonderful gift, and I’m really thankful for her generous gesture. Why? Because I surprisingly loved it. It arrived at my doorstep earlier today; I took a peek and ended up being charmed thoroughly to the end.

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Book review: The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne

Book review: The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by: Marcus Whinney

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Bloodsworn Saga (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 496 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 6th May 2021 by Orbit (UK) and 4th May 2021 by Orbit (US)


The Shadow of the Gods is the new benchmark in Norse mythology-inspired stories. This is the fantasy I’ve been waiting for.

In all honesty, this book had as good a chance as possible of becoming a favourite of mine, for I am without a doubt an ardent reader and supporter of John Gwynne and his books, having read and loved all of his previous works. Both The Faithful and the Fallen and Of Blood and Bone are masterpieces in my estimation and occupy treasured spaces on my shelf and within my heart. Nevertheless, no book is a certain thing as writers are only human beings, but I could not contain my excitement when I read that this latest venture of Mr Gwynne was another epic fantasy story, this time with Norse ink in its veins. I believe that mythologies always appeal to a wide fan base, with Norse and Greek, in particular, being personal favourites. And while I am nowhere near well-read on the subjects, I squeed like any fan worthy of the title at the idea of a favourite author shaping a story from the fertile ground that is the Norse culture. On such a foundation The Shadow of the Gods had much to live up to and I tried to curtail my hopes a little. There was no need though. At the end of this story, I was once again in awe at witnessing a master completely comfortable in executing an epically captivating and exciting tale.

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One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers, #2) by Rachel Aaron

One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers, #2) by Rachel Aaron

One Good Dragon Deserves AnotherCover art by Anna Steinbauer

One Good Dragon Deserves Another by Rachel Aaron

My rating5 of 5 stars

Series: Heartstrikers (Book 2 of 5)

Genre: Urban fantasy

Published: 1st August 2015 (Aaron/Bach, self-published)


One Good Dragon Deserves Another is simply a sublime sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed book one in The Heartstrikers series and was eagerly looking forward to more of the same with Rachel Aaron’s follow up book, One Good Dragon Deserves Another. Lucky for me, the author not only delivered on this expectation, but she also blew it out of the water! This book has every chance to be in my top ten at the end of the year! I LOVED IT.

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Book Review: Sword Song (The Last Kingdom, #4) by Bernard Cornwell

Book Review: Sword Song (The Last Kingdom, #4) by Bernard Cornwell

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Sword Song by Bernard Cornwell

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Last Kingdom (Book #4 of 13)

Genre: Historical fiction

Pages: 387 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 3rd September 2007 by HarperCollins


This was so good and addictive. Definitely my favorite volume in the series so far.

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Book Review: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Book Review: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

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ARC provided by Goodreads and the publishers—Ballantine Books, Cornerstone—in exchange for an honest review.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Science fiction, Space Opera, Hard Sci-fi

Pages: 496 pages (Kindle edition)

Published: 4th May 2021 by Ballantine Books (US) and Del Rey (UK)


Andy Weir is back with a new novel suitable for fans of The Martian.

“Stupid humanity. Getting in the way of my hobbies.”

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Book Review: Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle, #3) by Jay Kristoff

Book Review: Darkdawn (The Nevernight Chronicle, #3) by Jay Kristoff


Darkdawn by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am completely blown away by this trilogy. Finding a series that I love all the way through is rare for me. And I just found one to add to that very exclusive list. There’s a bloody beauty to Mia’s story. A vulgar elegance, if you will. The world Kristoff created here managed to be both stark and lush in equal measures, and something about that dichotomy resonated strongly with me. As did Mia. Her heartache, her rage and fear and determination, all felt honest. I found her and her journey utterly captivating.

“I am a daughter of the dark between the stars. I am the thought that wakes the bastards of this world sweating in the nevernight. i am the vengeance of every orphaned daughter, every murdered mother, every bastard son. I am the war you cannot win.”

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Book review: The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne

Book review: The Shadow of the Gods (The Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne

I have a Booktube channel now! Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/petrikleo

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit—in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by: Marcus Whinney

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Bloodsworn Saga (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy

Pages: 496 pages (Hardcover edition)

Published: 6th May 2021 by Orbit (UK) and 4th May 2021 by Orbit (US)


Reading The Shadow of the Gods is equivalent to witnessing a new brilliant legendary Norse-inspired epic fantasy series in the making.

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Book Review: Master Artificer (The Silent Gods, #2) by Justin T Call

Book Review: Master Artificer (The Silent Gods, #2) by Justin T Call

ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Master Artificer by Justin T Call

My rating: 4 of 5 stars.

Series: The Silent Gods (Book 2 of 4)

Genre: Fantasy, epic fantasy, high fantasy

Publication date:  6th May 2021 by Gollancz (UK) and 18th May 2021 by Blackstone Publishing (US)


Master Artificer is a bigger and bolder sequel in every way possible; Call has taken The Silent Gods to new heights with an explosion of lore, worldbuilding and compellingly darker characterisation.

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