I am so thrilled to announce that Dawn of Chaos, the second book in The Sapeiro Chronicles, has won Gold in the Literary Titan Book Award!
I received the news over the weekend and am over the moon. The first book in the series, A Forgotten Past, had previously won Silver when it first came out. So to have one-upped myself with the sequel is a really fantastic feeling. This also means that so far, The Sapeiro Chronicles is an award-winning series!
To celebrate, I’m putting both A Forgotten Past AND Dawn of Chaos on sale! Now’s your chance to get both books in the series for a superb price!
As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the books that left a mark. I slightly exceeded my reading goal by reading 36 books in total, mostly some shade of fantasy or science fiction, which have always ben my go-to’s.
Lots of strong contenders this year, but below are the top five books that I found riveting, exhilarating, or that just kept knocking about my head long after the last page was done.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Pierce Brown’s “Red Rising” is a riveting space opera that thrusts readers into a dystopian future on Mars. Darrow, a Red miner, discovers a world of oppression and deception after he infiltrates the Gold elite. The narrative unfolds with breathtaking intensity as Darrow battles for justice and equality. Brown’s masterful storytelling, coupled with complex characters and a richly developed world, makes “Red Rising” an absolute page-turner. Prepare for a rollercoaster of emotions as you navigate the twists and turns of this epic adventure.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Did I jump in on the hype? You bet your talons I did. Rebecca Yarros takes readers on a thrilling ride in “Fourth Wing,” a gripping tale that seamlessly weaves together romance, suspense, and a touch of the supernatural. As secrets unravel and the stakes heighten, Yarros skillfully builds tension, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Is it the best book ever written? No. Is some of the romance cringy? Yes. But ultimately, this is an engaging read that kept me glued to the page and wanting more. Thank goodness I didn’t have to wait long for the sequel, Iron Flame!
Songs for the End of the World by Saleema Nawaz
In “Songs for the End of the World,” Saleema Nawaz explores the complexities of human relationships against the backdrop of a global pandemic. The novel follows a diverse cast of characters as they navigate the challenges and uncertainties of a world in crisis. Nawaz’s poignant prose captures the essence of resilience and the enduring power of human connection. This book was thought-provoking and really on the money. It came out shortly before the actual Covid-19 pandemic that upended our lives, and makes you wonder if Nawaz had some sort of crystal ball to see into the future.
Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
John Scalzi’s “Kaiju Preservation Society” is a delightful blend of science fiction and humor that brings giant monsters into the limelight. The novel introduces readers to a world where humanity coexists with colossal creatures, and a group of dedicated individuals strives to protect these behemoths. Scalzi’s witty writing style and inventive world-building make “Kaiju Preservation Society” a standout in the genre. Prepare for a journey that is equal parts thrilling and amusing as you dive into this unique and imaginative tale.
Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman
“Illuminae” by the dynamic duo Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman is an epic space opera combines breathtaking action, intricate plotting, and a cast of lovable characters. As the stakes reach their zenith, the narrative unfolds with heart-stopping intensity, leaving readers on the edge of their seats.
In conclusion, 2023 was a great year with many great reads, each offering a unique and unforgettable reading experience. Whether you’re drawn to the depths of dystopian Mars, the mysteries of supernatural abilities, the intricacies of human relationships in a pandemic, the humor of kaiju-filled worlds, or the grandeur of epic space adventures, these novels have something for every reader. Happy reading, and here’s to another year of literary discoveries!
Why, hello there. How’s it going? Are you glad that we’re now switching gears into fall?
So I did a funny thing. At least, I choose to see it as funny.
A couple months ago, I acquired the rights back to A Forgotten Past. Commissioned a cover, re-wrote the whole thing, and even set a publishing date.
And then? I forgot to tell anyone about it.
To be fair, I was busy. I got married! I thought I could organize a wedding and launch a book, but seems I was a smidge overconfident. But now everything is signed and done, and hubby and I have returned from our honeymoon. Which means, I can launch A Forgotten Past properly!
To celebrate, I’m putting both A Forgotten Past AND Dawn of Chaos on sale! Now’s your chance to get both books in the series for a superb price!
The one downside of relaunching A Forgotten Past has been that I’ve lost all of my reviews from the first edition. If you’ve already read the book, consider leaving a review on Amazon! Every review counts, and every single one brings me immense joy.
So much has happened, and I am SO excited to share the good news.
A few months ago I announced I had re-acquired my rights to A Forgotten Past, the first book in The Sapeiro Chronicles. After months of editing and tinkering, I’m so happy to reveal the beautiful new cover, as well as announce that the book will be republished on August 29!
The new book has a STUNNING new cover, new re-formatted interior, and a re-edited story.
Here’s the new cover for A Forgotten Past! I’m so very happy with it. I find it really sets the vibe for the story and for Lily’s struggles.
In the land of Sapeiro, everyone has a touch of magic.
Lily lives a quiet life with her adoptive parents in the small village of Basolt. But everything changes when she discovers she has a power that hasn’t been seen in centuries. Suddenly, her very identity comes under scrutiny. Problem is, she has no memory of her life before Basolt. As Lily desperately tries to uncover her forgotten past, she suddenly finds herself at the center of a power struggle she never knew existed.
But forgetting your past doesn’t mean you can’t choose your future. And Lily will need to decide if her secrets are worth dying for.
I am so excited for this launch, and I hope you are too!
While you’re waiting for book 1 to come back out, make sure to get your hands on Dawn of Chaos! And remember, If you’ve enjoyed the story, make sure to leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon!
Reviews are SO important to authors, and every one counts!
I hope your summer has been good so far! Have you picked up any interesting books to read?
I’ve been sitting on a major announcement these past few months, but I’m finally ready to spill the beans.
Earlier this year, I re-acquired my rights to A Forgotten Past, the first book in the Sapeiro Chronicles! It was a decision I’d been grappling with for a while, and I am so happy to have made the plunge.
So, what does this mean?
Well for one, a brand-spanking new cover, which I’ll be getting soon. It also means a completely re-edited story and re-formatted interior.
I’m partway through re-editing the manuscript, and will be sharing more news soon regarding publication day. For now, the book is currently unavailable on all platforms, but I’ll be sharing news of the re-publishing day soon.
I am so excited for this next step!
While you’re waiting for book 1 to come back out, make sure to get your hands on Dawn of Chaos! And remember, If you’ve enjoyed the story, make sure to leave a review on Goodreads and Amazon! Reviews are SO important to authors, and every one counts!
I recognize that updates have been sparse for a while. But I promise that it was for a good reason – and now, I can explain why.
I’ve been struggling with trying to decide on what direction to bring The Sapeiro Chronicles in. Specifically, regarding book 2 in the series, Dawn of Chaos. After a lot of hesitation, peppered with moments of intense motivation, I’ve made the terrifying and exciting decision to strike it out on my own and continue the series as a self-published author!
This is the first time I’ll be responsible for every facet of a project, from beginning to end. Although daunting, the creative freedom this decision comes with is also thrilling, and I am so excited to share my vision of what Dawn of Chaos is about with you!
Stay tuned for more news about Dawn of Chaos, coming this April 2023! The blurb, cover reveal and exact publishing date will follow soon.
Now that the news is out, I am also happy to open applications for ARC readers! These readers would get an advance copy of the book, with the promise of leaving an honest review on Amazon, Kobo, Goodreads, and any other platforms they feel like.
My personal goal was 25. It had been a long, long time since I’d read that many books in a whole year, mainly because I just didn’t have that many available and didn’t quite know where to start. That changed recently. For one, book-buying has become one of my pandemic hobbies and comfort purchases. And secondly, I recently moved and acquired beautiful bookshelves that needed to be filled. Two birds, one stone, right?
All that to say, this year I nearly doubled my goal and read a whopping 46 books. I don’t think I’ve ever read this many in a single year! So let me tell you: when it came to picking the top six, it was both very hard and very easy. Some stellar reads stood out from the first page, while for others, it was a tossup.
Without further ado, here is the list of the top books I read in 2021:
Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel
Set in the days of civilization’s collapse, Station Eleven tells the story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.
One snowy night a famous Hollywood actor slumps over and dies onstage during a production of King Lear. Hours later, the world as we know it begins to dissolve. Moving back and forth in time—from the actor’s early days as a film star to fifteen years in the future, when a theater troupe known as the Traveling Symphony roams the wasteland of what remains—this suspenseful, elegiac, spellbinding novel charts the strange twists of fate that connect five people: the actor, the man who tried to save him, the actor’s first wife, his oldest friend, and a young actress with the Traveling Symphony, caught in the crosshairs of a dangerous self-proclaimed prophet.
Without a doubt, this book was beautiful to read. The prose and wordsmithing were like nothing I’d ever seen before. This is not your typical ‘fighting for survival after a catastrophic worldwide collapse’ story. It is hopeful, it is optimistic in its own way. Reading it during a global pandemic was cathartic, but Station Eleven was a beautiful reminder that life goes on, and that even in the darkest days there is always an ‘after’.
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn’t matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.
When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it’s to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister’s death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.
To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.
Pacific Rim meets The Handmaid’s tale in this futuristic story, set in a world inspired by Chinese cultural elements. Iron Widow is fast-paced, edgy, and unabashedly feminist. Zetian does not mince words, and has no problem with taking down those who she feels have crossed her. As she becomes more powerful, and therefore more dangerous to those who wish to maintain the status quo, Zetian will have to decide if she wants to change the world, or burn it down to the ground. I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down. The story was like nothing I’d ever read before, and it reads almost like a villain origin story, which was different from what you usually find in the YA genre. There is nothing soft about this book, it’s full of rough edges and hard truths. I highly recommend!
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Alone on this tiny ship that’s been cobbled together by every government and space agency on the planet and hurled into the depths of space, it’s up to him to conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And thanks to an unexpected ally, he just might have a chance.
This book was an automatic five-star read for me. The story is told in two timelines: the present, where the MC, Ryland Grace is on the Hail Mary, and the past, which come in the form of burst of his memories. These memories also happen to contextualize what is happening in the present, and I found it a brilliant way to show the reader what happened, without telling them outright. The back and forth also did a great job in cranking up the tension, especially as it becomes clear that Earth’s position is even more dire than initially thought.
And, without giving any spoilers…the ending of the book was one of the most beautiful I’ve read in a long time. I teared up reading those last few pages, and was completely taken by surprise. This is for sure going to become a classic in the sci-fi genre!
Kingdom of Ash, Sarah J. Mass
Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people ― but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day…
With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.
I finished reading the whole Throne of Glass series for the first time this year, and I finally understood the hype around Aelin and her adventures. The series as a whole was so good, and the finale, Kingdom of Ash, is a fantastic end to the series, where all the different plots converge and come together to form a beautiful tapestry of storytelling. This series has redefined how I think of good storytelling, and the importance of worldbuilding to push the narrative forward.
The Cruel Prince (series), Holly Black
One terrible morning, Jude and her sisters see their parents murdered in front of them. The terrifying assassin abducts all three girls to the world of Faerie, where Jude is installed in the royal court but mocked and tormented by the Faerie royalty for being mortal. As Jude grows older, she realises that she will need to take part in the dangerous deceptions of the fey to ever truly belong. But the stairway to power is fraught with shadows and betrayal. And looming over all is the infuriating, arrogant and charismatic Prince Cardan.
I’m always down for a story that incorporates politics and political intrigue. The Folk of the Air series does exactly that, and it does it very well. I was really impressed with the storytelling, plot, and love story. It felt like one of the most genuine enemies to lovers stories I’ve read, and I really liked how the immortal love interest was an authentic idiot kid, at the beginning of his long immortal lifespan.
There’s so much I enjoyed in this trilogy, from the political intrigue and subterfuge to the MC needing to acquire power in impressive ways to make up for her otherwise lackluster defenses as a human in a world of magic. Overall, it was *chef’s kiss*.
The Grace Year, Kim Liggett
No one speaks of the grace year. It’s forbidden. In Garner County, girls are told they have the power to lure grown men from their beds, to drive women mad with jealousy. They believe their very skin emits a powerful aphrodisiac, the potent essence of youth, of a girl on the edge of womanhood. That’s why they’re banished for their sixteenth year, to release their magic into the wild so they can return purified and ready for marriage. But not all of them will make it home alive.
Sixteen-year-old Tierney James dreams of a better life—a society that doesn’t pit friend against friend or woman against woman, but as her own grace year draws near, she quickly realizes that it’s not just the brutal elements they must fear. It’s not even the poachers in the woods, men who are waiting for a chance to grab one of the girls in order to make a fortune on the black market. Their greatest threat may very well be each other.
With sharp prose and gritty realism, The Grace Year examines the complex and sometimes twisted relationships between girls, the women they eventually become, and the difficult decisions they make in-between.
This book came in just under the wire to be able to count in my 2021 reading tally. I’d heard a lot about The Grace Year, and so my expectations were pretty high. Yet still, I was floored by how amazing this story was. I was tense reading it the entire time, waiting to see what would happen next. The plot kept me on edge and I was always questioning myself on what was happening, and whether anything was really real. It was SO good and was one of the rare stories that I can call jaw-dropping.
So tell me in the comments: what were some of your top reads in 2021?
In The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna, girls who are found to have golden blood are sentenced to death for being impure. Except, as sixteen-year old Deka will find out, there’s more to her golden blood than has been shared with her.
This is Forna’s debut novel. Initially, it was supposed to be published last year, but due to the pandemic the publishing house opted to wait. The Gilded Ones is a good debut novel, but it felt clunky and clumsy at times. I wanted to like this book, I really did. It had some strong aspects to it that I found particularly interesting, but ultimately, there were some aspects that I couldn’t move past.
Here’s a quick synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the color of impurity–and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Then a mysterious woman comes to her with a choice: stay in the village and submit to her fate, or leave to fight for the emperor in an army of girls just like her. They are called alaki–near-immortals with rare gifts. And they are the only ones who can stop the empire’s greatest threat.
Knowing the dangers that lie ahead yet yearning for acceptance, Deka decides to leave the only life she’s ever known. But as she journeys to the capital to train for the biggest battle of her life, she will discover that the great walled city holds many surprises. Nothing and no one are quite what they seem to be–not even Deka herself.
THE WORLDBUILDING
One of the strongest aspects of The Gilded Ones was the worldbuilding. Forna built a beautifully diverse world with creatures that are both fantastical and terrifying, with an intricate culture and belief system that guides the character’s actions in their everyday lives.
Forna clearly spent a lot of time delving into the culture and fleshing out what this world would look like. It is rich, and complicated, and interesting, with all the hallmarks of high fantasy writing. However, it happened a few times where things were mentioned and spoken about, only to never be mentioned again. As a reader, this made it difficult to decipher what information was important to the plot, and what was only a passing element that we wouldn’t see again.
The world of The Gilded Ones is an intensely patriarchal society that is unabashedly misogynist. Girls are tested for their purity, and are forced to always be accompanied by a male relative after reaching adult age. There isn’t anything inherently wrong with including this in a story. However, what is odd is that The Gilded Ones is often touted as a feminist work. Although a case can be made as such, seeing as there are quite a few strong female characters, the story reads more as a dystopia akin to the Handmaid’s tale.
CHARACTERS
Whereas the worldbuilding was one of the strong suites of the book, I found that the characters were one of the story’s weaknesses.
The main character, Deka, was very two-dimensional, which is interesting considering the story was entirely told from her perspective. I found Deka’s character arc was not nearly as pronounced as it could have been. For a long time she remained stagnant as the narrative moved forward. It’s really only in the very few last pages that suddenly, her character flourishes in a surprising way that would have been nice to see earlier in the story. Ultimately though, I found it difficult to care for her, and never really got the impression that the reader got to actually know her very well. Her struggles through training were only glanced upon, which is a shame.
The book also bounced around between being so slow and introspective that it didn’t feel like anything was happening, to so fast that it was difficult to understand what was going on.
AIMED FOR THE RIGHT AUDIENCE?
The Gilded Ones was a very brutal and violent book. Although violence isn’t outside of the scope of YA literature, the violence in The Gilded Ones was often of a sexual nature that seems at odds with the YA genre.
Frankly, with a few changes to the quality of the dialogue, and with slightly older protagonists, this would have made a really great New Adult book. And with an older, more mature audience in mind, the dark themes of this work could have been thoroughly explored without the constraints of the YA genre.
Ultimately, I’m so far divided on this book. On the one hand it was refreshing and interesting to read a book with so many cultures and diverse characters. But then again, it also fell into many of the pitfalls that YA is critiqued for, and clumsily at that.
It’s a book worth reading, and I’m not giving up on the series just yet. But I think there are other books who deal with these very serious issues in a better manner.
House of Salt and Sorrows (HoSS) is a Young Adult fantasy novel written by Erin A. Craig. It is a dark and twisted fairy tale retelling, with elements of mystery and horror woven through that keep you wondering what’s really going on the whole time.
Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.
Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?
When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.
HoSS is one of the best standalone YA Fantasy books I’ve read, and is one of my top picks so far for this year. Unsurprisingly, I was first drawn to the book because of the title and the beautiful cover. The blurb also had me hooked – it seemed full of mystery and intrigue, and I immediately wanted to know more.
I had high expectations for this story for a few reasons, mainly because of the amount of positive reviews on Goodreads, but also because I’d heard so much about it from other fans in the genre. I’m very happy to say I was not disappointed. HoSS is a beautiful read that incorporates elements of magic effortlessly. These elements become so infused with the story as your progress that it’s easy to miss when this book goes from a creepy thriller to a full-on low fantasy novel, with mischievous forces hovering nearby, wreaking havoc.
Even if the novel is aimed at a YA audience, it deals with very real and very raw issues, such as the loss of a sibling (or rather, several siblings), the death of a parent, and what to do when the remaining parent remarries.
Craig masterfully created tension, friction and emotion through the character of Morella, new wife of Orton Thaumas and now stepmother to his collection of daughters. Morella instantly ignites frustration within the reader, after co-opting the funeral of one of Annaleigh’s recently deceased sisters to announce the happy news that she is pregnant with Orton’s child. She then continues to spark ire when she assumes that her son – as she is positive she is pregnant with a boy – will inherit the Thaumas fortune and estate.
Morella becomes an early target of dislike, however, as tragedy strikes the Thaumas household over and over again, it becomes apparent that there is more to this tale than just an evil stepmother. Soon, Annaleigh finds herself at the center of a high-stakes game played by mischievous divinities, where the veil between what is real and what is imagined wears thinner and thinner.
And as Annaleighs comes closer to solving the mystery of what evil is beseeching her family, her grip on reality also begins to loosen, leaving the reader confused as to what is actually happening. This is emphasized by the fact that Annaleigh is the only character through which we see the story – meaning her perceived reality, be it true or false, is the only one we are subjected to.
As mentioned, HoSS is a wonderfully crafted story with a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. One note, however, is that is can sometimes be confusing to remember which sister is which, and distinguish between their personalities. But even with this confusion, it isn’t terribly difficult to keep the characters separate from one another.
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