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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Book Review: Death’s Beating Heart (The War Eternal #5) – Rob J. Hayes

On Dec 26, 2022Jan 6, 2023 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Review, Self-Published1 Comment

Hello!

I hope you all had a wonderful festive weekend! Today I am delighted to be reviewing Death’s Beating Heart by Rob J. Hayes, the fifth and final book in the War Eternal which is out in the wild TODAY!

You can find my reviews of the previous books in the series here:

Along the Razor’s Edge | The Lessons Never Learned | From Cold Ashes Risen | Sins of the Mother

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

Break Eternity.

Sirileth has broken the world. The ground bleeds, the seas rage, the skies are torn asunder.

Eska will not let her daughter face the consequences alone, but can she help without donning the mantle of the Corpse Queen once more? And will the people of Ovaeris accept help from a monster?

They might not have a choice as a stable portal to the Other World is now open, and the Beating Heart of Sevorai is ever ravenous.

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Book Review: Titan Hoppers – Rob J. Hayes

On Jul 12, 2022 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Sci-Fi2 Comments

Hello!

Today I am delighted to be reviewing Titan Hoppers, the amazing new book from Rob J. Hayes which is out in the world today!! I had so much fun reading this book, and it’s hard to do it justice in a review.

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

Courage Iro will shatter the Gates of Power to protect his fleet.

Born talentless, Iro has all but resigned himself to a life of drudgery, watching his sister hop across to the massive space titan for supplies. But when the titan explodes and his sister is killed, Iro finds a new determination to take her place. He’s not about to let weakness prevent him.

When the fleet encounters a new titan, filled with powerful monsters, deadly traps, and mysterious cloaked figures, Iro is the first to spontaneously manifest a new talent. Now sent to a different ship, to train with others far beyond his strength, Iro will have to train twice as hard just to catch up.

To protect his fleet, and to uncover the mysteries of the titans, Iro won’t just open the Gates of Power. He’ll break them.

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Book Review: Sins of the Mother (The War Eternal #4) – Rob J. Hayes

On Apr 18, 2022Apr 18, 2022 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy1 Comment

Hello!

Today I am over the moon to be reviewing Sins of the Mother by Rob J. Hayes. I love The War Eternal series, and Sins of the Mother has taken it to new heights. I have remained as spoiler free as I could manage, although in the future I may return as there are so many things I want to gush (and shout) about in this book – but in summary I LOVED THIS BOOK.

You can read my reviews of the earlier books here:
Along the Razor’s Edge | The Lessons Never Learned | From Cold Ashes Risen

Disclaimer – I received a copy in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts are my own.

Book Summary:

In her darklight the world will burn.

Eskara Helsene is missing. She left her queendom, her friends, her children, even her own name behind. No one has seen the Corpse Queen for a decade.

Someone is murdering Sourcerers, forcing them to reject their magic and opening scars in reality, and monsters from the Other World are pouring through.

When an old acquaintance turns up out of the blue, Eska has no choice but to investigate the murders and the holes in reality. Can she stop the killer before the entire world is consumed? And will the conflict reveal her true nature?

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Book Review: From Cold Ashes Risen (The War Eternal #3) – Rob J. Hayes

On Jun 5, 2020Jun 5, 2020 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, IFA Summer Challenge 2020, Review, Self-Published3 Comments

Hello!

I have spent this week getting stuck into the #IFASummerChallenge, and I am already 10 books in and my tbr is growing daily. Today, I will be reviewing ‘From Cold Ashes Risen’ the third book in The War Eternal trilogy by Rob J. Hayes that I had been sitting on just for this challenge, and tomorrow I will be doing some mini reviews for the other indie books that I have been reading as part of the challenge, and on Sunday I will be reviewing ‘The Bone Ships’ by RJ Barker.

Book Summary:

The Corpse Queen Comes.

Eskara has lost everything. The War Eternal has cost her everything she loves, and the Iron Legion has taken the rest. Yet there is something that is still hers, something that kept her warm during her time in the Pit. Anger and a lust for vengeance. First on the list of those who must pay, the Emperor of Terrelan.

Her friends counsel peace, but her inner demons push for war, and Eska finds herself caught in the middle. Will she find a way to reap her vengeance? Or will the enemies of her past catch up to her first?

One thing is certain. The world will soon know fear when the Corpse Queen ascends her throne.

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Book Review: The Lessons Never Learned (The War Eternal #2) – Rob J. Hayes

On May 10, 2020May 31, 2020 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Review, Self-Published, Wyrd & Wonder6 Comments

Hello!

Today I am reviewing ‘The Lessons Never Learned’ by Rob. J. Hayes. You can check out my review of book one ‘Along the Razor’s Edge’ (HERE), and the author wrote a post about writing this second book that people should check out HERE.

Book Summary:

I am the weapon.

Eskara is free of the Pit, but far from safe. She is beset by the ghosts of those she has killed, and plagued by the ancient horror that possesses her. Enemies dog her heels, determined to see the last Orran Sourcerer dead. Worse still, there is new player in the game, one far more dangerous than anything she has faced before.

But there is one place that might offer her both the safety she needs to survive, and the power she needs to strike back; Ro’shan, the flying home of a God.

Eska will soon learn that all power comes with a cost, and some prices are too high.

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Book Review: Along the Razor’s Edge (The War Eternal#1) – Rob J. Hayes

On May 4, 2020 By Rowena AndrewsIn Fantasy, Review, Self-Published, Wyrd & Wonder6 Comments

Hello!

Today I am reviewing ‘Along the Razor’s Edge’ by Rob. J. Hayes. After reading ‘Never Die’ and loving it, I was keen to read more, and I was not disappointed!

Book Summary:

No one escapes the Pit.

At just fifteen Eskara Helsene fought in the greatest war mankind has ever known. Fought and lost. There is only one place her enemies would send a Sourcerer as powerful as her, the Pit, a prison sunk so deep into the earth the sun is a distant memory. Now she finds herself stripped of her magic; a young girl surrounded by thieves, murderers, and worse. In order to survive she will need to find new allies, play the inmates against each other, and find a way out. Her enemies will soon find Eskara is not so easily broken.

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