My ’10’ Favourite Books of 2022 & My Book of the Year

On Dec 29, 2022Jan 6, 2023 By Rowena AndrewsIn Lists2 Comments

Hello!

It’s that time of year again when we look back at the books we’ve read and loved this year, and while 2022 has been A YEAR, I was blessed with many fantastic books (and an evergrowing TBR from the ones I didn’t get too). It’s always difficult to narrow that down to ten (and I did sneak in an extra one), and then my absolute favourite on top of that (because I have no self control). Now these are my personal favourites, whether because of emotional resonance, sheer enjoyment, favourite characters or any one of the many criteria readers love books, and I’ve listed them in no particular order (because I can’t choose and they’re all bloody good and you should absolutely add them to your TBR for 2023 if you haven’t already read them.

This year, all the books featured are indie/self-published which reflects just how much of my reading falls into that category these days. There are wonderful trad books out there and I still really enjoy them, but indie books are just so wonderfully varied and the community so rich that I find myself leaning that way more and more.

Now without further ado…the list!

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My 10 Most Anticipated Books for 2022

On Dec 27, 2022Jan 6, 2023 By Rowena AndrewsIn ListsLeave a comment

Hello!

The first list post of the week is taking a look ahead to 2023 as Hogmany looms. This year has been a great year for books, and next year is already shaping up to be a great year with both new releases and those already on my TBR.

For the purposes of this list, I have only included books that are (a) coming out in 2023 and (b) as confirmed as they can be (allowing for life and everything else that might get in the way.

And because I have no self control I might have snuck an extra one in too…

However, before we get into that list. I also want to shout out the following who may or may not have books out in 2023, but would be on my most anticipated list if and when they do (and who I will wait however long it takes for their books). Firstly, Sarah Chorn who has the Necessity of Rain in the works which is shaping up to be one of the most emotional and beautiful books, and I am already very much in love with this book and can’t wait to see the finished product whenever it is ready. Secondly, Luke Tarzian who is currently working on a project called Atrocious Puppets, and every snippet he has shared so far has been hauntingly compelling to read. Another is Nathan Hall who is working on A Fort of Winter which is the sequel to An Altar on the Village Green which was my favourite book of 2021. And finally, Jonathan Nevair who has just released Stellar Instinct which was such a fun read, and whose Wind Tide series is absolutely fantastic, and I look forward to discovering what his next project is going to be!

And now on with the list…

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Top 10 Series 2021

On Dec 20, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Assorted, Lists1 Comment

Hello!

For my final post for today (and this week) I’m looking at my top 10 series for the year. Not all of them are complete, but the only rule was that I had to have read at least two from the series in 2021 for them to count. Again, these are done alphabetically (by series title) because I couldn’t choose an order.

Thank you again to all the authors for making 2021 such a wonderful year with your words and stories!

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Top 20 Books 2021

On Dec 20, 2021Dec 20, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Lists1 Comment

Hello!

The end of 2021 is fast approaching, so it’s the time to look back on the year of reading. This was supposed to be a Top 10 and that lasted all of five minutes, and there were so many more books I could add to this list, because 2021 has been a truly phenomenal year of reading. And I will admit… I cheated a little, because I have a second list of Top 10 series that I have read this year (they don’t have to be complete, I just had to have read at least two of the series this year) so that I could shout about more of the fantastic books that I have read this year. For this list (and the series list) I have gone alphabetically by title because it has been so hard to rank them. These lists are entirely subjective, and the only ‘rule’ I have applied is that if they are on this list they can’t be on the series, and vice versa.

I do have a top book and a top series for the year, but they will be on the 2021 rewind post on the 31st.

I also have to shout out the amazing Indie and Self-Published books that I’ve read this year. While, I have read some fantastic traditional books this year, it is the indie scene that has really blown me away this year and I have discovered so many new series and authors that my TBR for 2022 is towering high with books I can’t wait to pick up.

Thank you so much to all the authors for making 2021 such a wonderful year with your words and stories!

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10 Most Anticipated Books for 2022

On Dec 20, 2021Dec 31, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Assorted, Lists1 Comment

Hello!

Kicking off the ‘lists’ with a look ahead at the books that are coming out next year that I can’t wait to get my mitts on. This list will undoubtedly expand throughout the year as I hear about more books, read more books and am tempted by the wonderful people in the book community, but at the moment these are the books I most looking forward to in 2022.

It’s already shaping up to be another phenomenal year of reading!

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Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week: Twenty Books to add to Your TBR

On Jul 23, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Lists, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week1 Comment

Hello!

Life (or rather work) has well and truly derailed my plans for this week, so I will be extending ‘Self-published Authors Appreciation Week’ on the blog to two weeks, so that I can finish up the reviews and share them – and some more fantastic self-published books with you. However, for now here is the final post for this week (so I can use the weekend – all one day of it that I get to rest, and try and catch up), and I have twenty (one) books just to add a little more to those teetering TBRs.

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6 Self-Published Recs: Standalones

On Jul 22, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Lists, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week2 Comments

Hello!
Continuing the Six Recs series, I have some of those (seemingly) elusive standalones for you because sometimes you’re not in the mood for an entire series, or time is against you, and these six books are all brilliant ones to dive into.

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6 Self-Published Recs: Diversity is more than a Buzzword

On Jul 22, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Lists, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week1 Comment

Hello!

Continuing with this series, today I have six books that show how diversity and representation across the spectrum can and should be written. They don’t make apologies. They don’t make a spectacle of it. It’s just an integral part of each world and story, and everyone of these books is high up on my favourites shelf because of that.

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6 Self-Published Recs: Ongoing Series to Dive into NOW

On Jul 21, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Lists, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week3 Comments

Hello!

Rearranging my schedule a little as work blindsided me this week and I’m behind on the review portion of the event, so for now a second Six Recs post for today. This time taking a look at six ongoing series that you don’t want to wait around to dive into.

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6 Self-Published Recs: Series You Need to Read

On Jul 21, 2021 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Lists, Self-Published Authors Appreciation WeekLeave a comment

Hello!

Today I am bringing you another six recommendations, and this time I have six completed series for you to add to the TBR. I love the anticipation of waiting for the next book (albeit impatiently), but sometimes you want to sink your teeth into one that you know is complete so that you can devour them all at once. Please check out the series and authors below!

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