Book Review: Sistah Samurai by Tatiana Obey

Book Review: Sistah Samurai by Tatiana Obey

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Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover art illustrated by Felix Ortiz

Sistah Samurai: A Champloo Novella by Tatiana Obey

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Champloo (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 140 pages (Paperback edition)

Word Count: 30,000 words

Publish date: 1st November 2023 by Tatiana Obey

Sistah Samurai is legit one of the most entertaining action-fantasy novellas I’ve ever read.

“We were women, and mothers, and sisters, and cousins. We were teachers, and healers, and innovators, and warriors. And we went down fighting.”

…

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Book Review: Where Darkness Dwells (Song of the Solas, #1) by Andrea Renae

Book Review: Where Darkness Dwells (Song of the Solas, #1) by Andrea Renae

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Where Darkness Dwells by Andrea Renae
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Where Darkness Dwells is a lush, beautiful story with a radiant core of hope. It doesn’t shy from darkness, but it also doesn’t revel in it. Instead, it exposes the weak underbelly of that darkness, dwelling on the fact that, no matter how thick the darkness may seem, the Light is always able to overcome it. We might not understand why the darkness has held dominion for so long, or why the Light didn’t reclaim its rightful throne sooner. But we can know that a battle between the two forces is inevitable, and we rest assured of the fact that Light will win. …

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Cover Reveal: Reckoning (Songs of Chaos, #4) by Michael R. Miller

Cover Reveal: Reckoning (Songs of Chaos, #4) by Michael R. Miller

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Hi everyone! Petrik Novel Notions here.

We’re honored to do today’s cover reveal. When Michael was last here, it was for the cover reveal of his Dragon’s Blade Trilogy plus Unbound and Defiant. This time, we will be revealing the cover art of Reckoning, the fourth and penultimate installment in the Songs of Chaos series. If you are unfamiliar with this series, The Songs of Chaos is a dragon rider epic fantasy that takes inspiration from such celebrated works as Eragon and Pern. In Michael’s own words “It’s about a serving boy who defies society to save a blind dragon from death and rises to become a dragon rider. A bit of cultivation/progression magic is sprinkled into this one.” Since the cover reveal of Defiant, I am happy to say I have made good progress on the series, and I’m about to dive into Defiant as we speak. But without further ado… check out the cover art of Reckoning!

Cover art by Randy Vargas …

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Book Review: The Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light and Shadow, #1) by Janny Wurts

Book Review: The Curse of the Mistwraith (Wars of Light and Shadow, #1) by Janny Wurts

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Cover art illustrated by Janny Wurts

The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Wars of Light and Shadow (Book #1 of 11)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 611 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 233,000 words

Publish date: May 1993 by HarperVoyager

The Curse of the Mistwraith is the start of a super ambitious epic fantasy, and it is a book that will require your 100% concentration. …

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The Mirror (The Lost Bride Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts

The Mirror (The Lost Bride Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts

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The Mirror by Nora Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an advance digital copy of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Inheritance was one of my favorite books of 2023, and it ended on a major cliffhanger. So when I was offered an advance digital copy of The Mirror, which was quite possibly my most anticipated read of 2024, I couldn’t hit the download button fast enough. And I loved every single page. There’s not a single thing I would change about The Mirror, except for the fact that I have to wait over a year to see how the story ends. …

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Book Review: Kavithri (Ghosts of Ethuran, #1) by Aman J. Bedi

Book Review: Kavithri (Ghosts of Ethuran, #1) by Aman J. Bedi

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

Cover art illustrated by Giby Joseph

Kavithri by Aman J. Bedi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Ghosts of Ethuran (Book #1 of 3)

Genre: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Pages: 448 pages (Hardcover edition)

Word Count: 111,500 words

Publish date: 16th of May 2024 by Gollancz

Imagine an engaging Indian-inspired steampunk fantasy debut reminiscent of The Poppy War with an empathetic heroine with a rein on her wrath. That’s Kavithri. …

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Cover Reveal: A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde

Cover Reveal: A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde

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Hi everyone! Petrik from Novel Notions here.

We have an incredibly exciting post today. Orbit has asked me and Novel Notions to host the cover reveal for A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde! This will be the start of a new trilogy from a debut author, and it sounds like it will be a promising epic fantasy debut. I am so looking forward to reading this, especially after reading the premise and seeing the stunning cover art illustrated by one of my favorite artists, Richard Anderson. Without further ado, here’s the cover reveal to A Song of Legends Lost by M.H. Ayinde!

Cover art illustrated by Richard Anderson

Cover design by Ben Prior …

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The Last Song of Penelope (Songs of Penelope #3) by Claire North

The Last Song of Penelope (Songs of Penelope #3) by Claire North

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The Last Song of Penelope by Claire North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore Greek myth retellings when they’re done well. Circe and The Song of Achilles, Clytemnestra and Stone Blind, Ariadne and Elektra and Atalanta are all examples of excellent retellings, beautifully written. Stone Blind and Circe are even among some of my very favorite books. But North’s Songs of Penelope trilogy has usurped them all on my shelf. It’s rare that a mythic retelling is not a standalone novel. It’s rare that such a story can stay so true to its source material while also being wonderfully original. It’s rare that every book in a trilogy merits five full stars. Songs of Penelope manages to do all three of those things brilliantly. There is nothing that I would change about any of this trilogy, but I believe this final installment, The Last Song of Penelope, is my favorite. What a note to end on. …

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Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

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A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Genre: Historical fiction

Pages: 496 pages (Kindle edition)

Publish date: 6th of September 2016 by Penguin Books

A Gentleman in Moscow is a beautifully written book with minimal suspense, conflict, or captivating drama.

“It is a sad but unavoidable fact of life… that as we age our social circles grow smaller. Whether from increased habit or diminished vigor, we suddenly find ourselves in the company of just a few familiar faces.”

…

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