Geetha Krishnan's Blog

Blurb

‘IT WAS JUST A MYTH. JUST A DAMN LEGEND PASSED DOWN FROM CORRUPTED DATABANKS…’

A mysterious probe from a long-forgotten satellite network appears in the heart of the Maldaccian Empire, warning about the return of a mythological evil.

After being downloaded by the plucky but inexperienced crew of the imperial flagship, the consciousness of the ancient satellite, Unit-17, embarks on a galactic adventure to bring the empire back from the brink of an interstellar war they are not equipped to fight.

The Qesh’kal’s aging commander, Da’kora Corasar, trusts Unit-17’s intel implicitly, but not everyone aboard agrees. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as they are thrust into conflict with an enemy of unimaginable power and malice.

A finalist in the first annual Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship (SFINCS)!

AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE BIG REVEAL!

Where you can find The Re-Emergence

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/the-re-emergence

Itch-io: alankdell.itch.io/the-re-emergence

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/219729400-the-re-emergence

Website: www.alankdell.co.uk

Accolades for The Re-Emergence

Meet the Author

Alan K. Dell is a British sci-fi author and creative person with far too many hobbies. He writes science fiction described as “by, and for, sci-fi geeks” and loves to explore interesting high-tech concepts in his work.

Outside of writing, he is a book blogger and reviewer, avid videogamer, archer, photographer, musician, husband, and father.

Website: www.alankdell.co.uk

Bluesky: alankdell.bsky.social

Threads: threads.com/alandell88

Instagram: instagram.com/alandell88

Facebook: facebook.com/alankdell

You can find my review of The Re-Emergence here!

Blurb

The Great War is over. Europe is at peace, Germany’s scuttled fleet lies rusting in Scapa Flow, and Britannia once again rules the waves. Yet in the cold grey ocean north of Scotland, fishing boats and cargo steamers are vanishing, leaving no trace of wreckage or survivors.

The Royal Navy dispatches HMS Pathfinder to investigate, suspecting treachery by a rival foreign power. Seconded to the mission are Lucas Avery and Sam Carter, two specialist agents from the Crown’s newest and strangest department, who believe the disappearances may have a more unnatural cause. Amid the rocky archipelagos and isolated fishing villages of this distant sea, they soon find there are darker secrets at work than the Admiralty could have imagined – secrets the islanders will keep at any cost…

My Review

 I’ve read and loved all the other books in this series, so when I saw this book, I had to grab it. It didn’t disappoint at all.

Set some time after the events of the last book, both Carter and Avery are working in the same office, a new one opened just to handle supernatural investigations. Carter is away with Emily, though, and Avery is waiting for his superior to finish a meeting before going home when the book opens.

Carter returns unexpectedly and as the two catch up and have a drink together, Avery gets a phone call from his boss, that demands he and Carter leave for Scotland immediately, to meet the only other man to have met a vampire and survived. There’s a mission, and he will provide the details. Though initially apprehensive that Sir James might recognise his affliction, Avery has no choice but to leave for Scotland.

But the case is far stranger than either Avery or Carter expected, and their mission will take them to the treacherous oceans and to little known islands, where unknown horrors lurk both under the water and in the hearts of men.

Honestly, I adore Avery. Really I do. I get Carter is the more pragmatic of the two, and Avery having had a privileged upbringing doesn’t often see things the same way, but there’s something about him that draws me in. It also helps that he’s queer as fuck and I guess it must have been a hanging offence in those days, because he has to keep it under wraps. It’s a bit amusing that he still finds sexual partners even in a ship at sea. (Glares at all the people who think gay people came into existence with the internet)

The adventure was thrilling, but it lacked the same atmospheric horror that the first two books had, and the enemy, though extremely powerful seemed a bit lacklustre after the Mummy they encountered. Which is not to say, this was bad. I enjoyed it a lot, and finished it in one go, foregoing sleep yet again. Sleep is overrated anyway.

If you enjoy adventures, espionage, historical settings, and very likeable and real characters, you will love this book. Very highly recommended.

Find the book here.

Check out my review of Vampire on the Orient Express

Check out my review of Werewolf on the Western Front

Check out my review of The Heart of the Mummy

Blurb

Ticktock.
Betrayal still sits heavy in Neoma’s heart but the Tour must go on. Months have gone by with not a child saved. Being the bait might be the last hope of ever finding those missing kids.

Ticktock.
Not everything is doom and gloom. Nightwood, the city of trees, is the haven Neoma dreamed it would be. She finds people who share her love for the woods and her joy of running through the trees. Maybe, just maybe, she can finally start to heal.

Ticktock.
But war draws ever closer and the shadowy organization continues to dog Neoma’s every step. Everything changes when a prophecy purposely kept from her comes to pass. Destiny is put into motion but will it lead her to the missing children or a fate much worse?

Ticktock.
The clock is running out.

Child of the Sun is book 3 of the Child of Prophecy series. It’s perfect for fans of epic fantasy, deep world building, character driven stories, meddling deities, too many prophecies, angst, and found family. Continue the adventure now!

Though Child of the Sun can be enjoyed by adults and young adults, it deals with some darker themes. Check the content warnings below.

Child of Prophecy is a continuous series and should be read in this order:

Child of the MoonChild of the ForestChild of the SunMy Review

Ngl, I’m a big fan of this author, and I would read everything they write. I’ve been a fan of this series from the start and was eager to delve back into Neoma’s story.

Neoma, Luca, Hemi, and Vivia are still on tour, making their way to Nightwood. Neoma is traumatised by the ordeal with Lieutenant Teb and is still unable to pick up a staff or do any of the things she used to be able to, including forest walking. To her, the state of affairs is worse than being dead, but her deepening relationship with Luca and the understanding of her friends are a comfort.

The weight of multiple prophecies bear down on her, and she feels like her time with Luca and her friends is drawing to a close. When the priestess of Sigar in Nightwood is able to heal her arm to the extent she can use it again, and she finds kindred spirits in the rangers there, Neoma feels like she can breathe again.

But destiny is not to be thwarted, and it’s inexorably drawing closer.

This book was so good. I loved the depiction of Neoma’s struggles, and how she’s still healing from a childhood spent with a drunk angry father and lack of a mother. The way she reacts to situations, the way she behaves with everyone, her abandonment issues, are all brought out really well.

What didn’t work for me is her relationship with Luca. It felt like it was being rubbed in our faces all the time lest we forget these two are so in love, fated in stars, soulmates kind of thing. I would have preferred less ardent declarations that sounds artificial and more spontaneity. Idk, it might just be me. As I keep saying, I’m NOT a big romance person, and realising I’m aro might have something to do with how I don’t feel romances all that much.

In any case, that was a minor gripe. Luca is like the perfect boyfriend, always knowing what Neoma needs before she ever articulates it, and let’s be honest, she has never learned to articulate her needs or ask for what she wants, so this trait is invaluable. I hope she learns to communicate in time, and don’t fear asking for what she wants.

The shadow of the people who wants to kidnap Neoma and the growing power of the Aurinkan empire, interspersed with extracts from the religious texts about how Aurinkus gained his foothold in the human world, are all brought out well.

There’s a certain foreshadowing that seemed a bit heavy handed to me, but once again, it could be me. I feel like subtle hints would have worked better, but there may be readers who need to be hit on the face with it to get it, so it’s understandable the author chose the path.

Once again, these are minor gripes due to my own personal preferences, and nothing at all to do with the author’s craft or characterisation, all of which are excellent.

If you love high fantasy that reminds you of the best classical fantasy, characters that feel real and relatable, queer rep in spades, mental health and neurodivergent rep, real world issues and prejudices masked in a fantasy veneer, you would love this book.

Can’t wait for the next one!

Imagine me shaking the author demanding the next book here.

Check out the book on Bookbub

Check out my review of Child of the Moon and Child of the Forest here.

Reading Round Up

It’s only 3 more hours to midnight, and I’ve left this far too long! According to Goodreads I’ve read 524 books this year from a target of 36. Let me be clear, I didn’t read 523 books. My review folder says I’ve read 89, which is closer. I may have read around 100 books and the rest are all fanfics that I sideloaded to my kindle app to read.

I started strong this year, but lost steam soon after to the point all I could read was fanfics, and now I’m back to reading anything and everything except fanfics. Go figure.

I enjoyed nearly every book I read this year, but the ones that stayed with me after I’ve finished are the ones I consider the best. That’s also not a short list, sadly.

Even if We’re Broken by A.M. Weald is a contemporary romance but also deals with trauma, abuse, grief, healing, and yes, love.

The Seaglass Blade by J.C. Snow is a cultivation fantasy set in the same world as the Crane Moon Cycle, happening long after the end of the duology. I adored it!

Beyond Light’s Reach by Darby Harn is a queer sci fi tale following the events of Stargun Messenger, and this was as good as Stargun Messenger.

On Demon Wrangling and Interpersonal Relationships by Rebecca Crunden is a short queer book about a witch and a vampire.

Loyalty to the Max by Maya Darjani is a queer book, and sequel to Ancient as the Stars but can also be read as a standalone or a different entry point to the series.

Rotten Roots by Susanne Schmidt is set in the same world as the Order of the Strawberry Circle and geared for a more adult audience. It made me read the other two books in the main series because it was that good!

By Blood By Salt by J.L. Odom, Book 1 of Land of Exile is a middle eastern inspired fantasy which won the SPFBO this year. I went on to read Book 2 because this was so good!

Heart of Dust by H.L. Moore is the first book in the Death’s Embrace series, a queer fantasy series set in a grimdark world. I binged this series, reading all four books released till now.

Fear the Woods Thin the Trees by Jeremy Rayne is a spicy, queer fantasy with fae and humans and their conflict and a trick marriage.

Cult of the Kraken by Shane Carrow, the fourth book of Avery and Carter series continues the adventures of the protagonists as they battle the supernatural in England after the first world war.

Child of the Sun by Audrey Simmons is the third book of The Child of Prophecy series, continuing the adventures of Neoma, Luca, Hemi, and Vivia

Coal Gets in Your Veins by Cat Rector, Book 1 of Vampires of Coal Dust is a paranormal romance slash gothic horror dealing with trauma, abuse, healing, and love.

The Assassin of Grins and Secrets by K.E. Andrews, the first book of The Grinning Assassin series is a high fantasy featuring morally grey characters, and political intrigue.

My Boss is the Devil by Ben Schenkman is a light hearted urban fantasy, and the first in a series featuring an MC who has sold his soul to the devil. I binged this series and signed up and read an ARC of the author’s next book in a different series.

Memories of Sorcery and Sand by Joanna Maciejewska is a standalone high fantasy with an intriguing and fun plotline.

And last but not the least are three books by R.M. Olson, who has quickly become one of my favourite authors.

Inhuman, the first book of The Dark Between Stars was the first one I read, a queer sci fi series set in an intriguing world featuring a diverse cast with compelling plotlines and unforgettable characters.

Devil To Pay, Book One of The Devil and the Dark, is set in the same world and happens a few years before the incidents of The Dark Between Stars.

Both these series are ongoing and I’ve read every book that’s been released and have also grabbed an ARC of the next book in The Devil and the Dark.

Zero Day Threat is book one of The Ungovernable, a completed queer sci fi series where a crew of scrappy underdogs take on the system. I may have binged this series.

You can check out all the books I read and my reviews on my Goodreads and Bookbub.

Blurb

Ander Forrest renounced blood magic to become a nurse-healer in his rural hometown, far from the drama of wizardry and espionage his sister Kate craved. When Kate goes missing in action, Ander finds himself the legal guardian of her gifted twins and receives a cryptic warning from Kate’s husband to protect them before he, too, disappears.

Six months later, his former lover crash lands in the kids’ bedroom via a spell only Ander’s sister could have cast. Druid Cai Piper doesn’t remember how he got there, but he knows he never stopped loving Ander, and that he was sent to protect him and the twins. Cai is strangely drawn to Forrest House and the land it stands upon.

With the secrets of a clandestine wizards’ order hanging between them, Cai and Ander must remember how to trust each other as sinister forces move against the Forrest family—magical terrorists who want to exploit their rare sorcery and bring the world to its knees.

My Review

Let me preface this review by saying I love this author’s books. I’ve read their Sci Fi books before and was curious about how their fantasy books would be.

Just as good if not better!

Ander is a nurse, living in rural US with his niblings who were sent to him by his sister Kate, who has gone missing. Ander comes from a line of mages but his magic is healing and he has never been able to learn the ways of magic that everyone else in his family could do. His magic is instinctual rather than learned but training by his abusive grandmother has him fear his blood magic gifts which he refuses to use.

Kate, her husband, and his brother, Cai were all part of a secret organisation, which Ander tried to join, but since they were only interested in using his blood magic as a weapon and not his healing skills, he rejected them. At his request, his gifts were kept a secret and everyone believed Ander failed the test.

The mandatory secrecy shrouding the organisation’s work causes Ander to be estranged from Cai, who was his boyfriend. He left Wales and returned to the US, to Forrest House where he lives alone and working as a nurse in the ER of a nearby hospital. Till Kate sends her twins to him in mysterious circumstances.

When Cai lands in the twins’ bedroom by the same spell that sent the twins to him, covered in blood, and missing memories of the time immediately prior to his arrival, Ander realises that to protect his family, he may have to embrace the heritage he has tried so hard to forget.

This is at one level a romance about second chances and redemption, but at another level, it’s about trauma, the consequences of abuse, grief, healing, and the strength of family bonds. The double meaning of the Forrest family motto where blood is said to be stronger than magic refers both to the ties of blood and to the gift of blood magic that is stronger than any other kind.

The characterisation of Ander, Cai, Kate, her husband, Remy, Raven and all the assorted allies were top notch. The villains, on the other hand, come across as rather cartoonish and one dimensionally evil, but for people who don’t baulk at genocide, there can be no other portrayal.

While the story is set in the real world, it’s a world where magic is accepted and known, and the rural setting and Cai’s druidic powers give it an otherworldly feel.

If you love queer fantasy with realistic characters, personal stakes, beautiful prose, and a plot that keeps you glued to the page, you need to read this book.

You can find Forrest House here!

The Assassin of Grins and SecretsBlurb

Once the infamous assassin who killed with a smile, Serein now waits for death in the fighting pits of the Harpy’s Chest. When the crown prince of Sarddon, Rameses al-Amirmoez, seeks her out with an offer of freedom if she serves as his guard, she must decide whether to work for those who ravaged her homeland or die.

Rameses wants to believe that the war his father started was justified, but he has heard rumors and seen a cruelty in his father that causes him to question everything he’s been told. To find answers, he needs Serein.

Uriah Stormheir, Captain of the Oyon’s city guard, finds himself caught between his duty to the crown and his friendship with Rameses. His distrust for Rameses’ new guard runs deep. As Uriah wrestles with guilt from his past, he must work alongside the dangerous assassin whose true motives are hidden underneath her scars and dark grins.

In a land of hot sands and dying magic, Serein plays the game of secrets with Uriah and Rameses, knowing one wrong step could end her life. As the shadows of her past catch up with her, she has to choose between pursuing vengeance and protecting a secret only she knows.

Trigger warning
Please be aware that this book contains scenes of gore, violence, torture, physical abuse, sexual assault, mentions of rape, gaslighting. This book might not be suitable for younger readers.

My Review

Once again, this is a book that’s been on my TBR but I never got around to it. And yet again, I signed up for an ARC of Book 2, so I had to read Book 1.

Serein is an assassin, well known as the Grinning Assassin because she kills with a smile. When the book starts, she’s in prison, and the warden is sending her with a guy called Jabir for fighting in the pits. He’s created records that she’s dead and had taken money from Jabir, which is a common practice of his with prisoners.

Things take a turn when the prince, Rameses approaches her with a proposition. He wants her to be his guard and in return, he’ll set her free after five years. Serein accepts since it’s a chance for freedom and to see someone she refers to as “my sun and stars”. But her path is not easy. Rameses is the son of Sethos, the king responsible for the destruction of her kingdom and the death of her family. Adding in the hostility of Uriah, Rameses’ friend and Sethos’ captain of guards, Serein has to step carefully or she’ll lose her life.

But even she is not prepared for what Rameses really wants her for, and if she’s not to risk the secrets she’s hiding, she’ll need to be prepared for every unknown.

This book was a wild ride. I’ve never read any other books by K.E. Andrews, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had heard good things, so I expected a good book, but this one was more than good. It was great. The worldbuilding was superb, the characters relatable, and the prose was evocative.

My only complaint is the food descriptions, like man, they were so good I was salivating! Sadly, most of the described foods are not available in India, and even if they were, my diabetic arse shouldn’t be eating most of those.

So, I would really have appreciated a tone down of the food descriptions for the sake of people like me who have no impulse control.

I guessed Serein’s secret from the start, so good job of foreshadowing by the author.

I loved the multiple perspectives, but honestly, I would have liked Uriah not to distrust Serein so much just because she’s an assassin. Like yes, assassins kill, but they are not serial killers you need to be wary of constantly. They’re usually paid money and hired to kill. Not like they go on killing sprees for the fun of it. Get over it, Uriah. Read some books. Get some knowledge.

Rameses was too idealistic and naïve but I guess it’s understandable given his sheltered upbringing as a prince, and the crown prince at that. I’m not sure what to think of Rasima yet, because ngl, I don’t trust her fully yet.

Nala, of course, is the best.

I loved the portrayal of Serein’s Synesthesia where she sees colours when she hears any sound, and how each sound is a different colour.

The book ends in a cliffhanger, but luckily I have book 2. Off I go to read that.

If you love high fantasy with darker themes, strong female leads, and high stakes, you will love this book. I can’t recommend this enough!

The Woman of Steel and Scars Blurb

After surviving her fight in the Aikhtiar tournament, Serein picks up her blades again—this time as King Sethos’ assassin. With each enemy she hunts down, she wades deeper into a world of death and secrets, faking the deaths of those who could be potential allies and help Rameses overthrow his father. Lurking around every corner is the threat of discovery and Xansas’ shadow.

Beneath the mask of loyalty, Serein plots against Xansas and Sethos while old magic stirs and hidden forces make their move. She and Uriah follow leads to track down the leader of the Bone Vipers, who evades capture. Rameses faces an impending betrothal that forces him to decide when to make a move against his father. Rebel attacks increase, striking at the heart of the city. With each dangerous mission Serein undertakes, more pieces of the Malik’s plans are revealed, but with them come more questions.

Success balances on a knife’s edge, and one wrong move could destroy Serein’s chance to kill her enemies and finally be free.

My Review

This continues Serein’s story. This was a much longer book than the 1st, and I struggled to finish it not because of any reason but I had just way too many things on my plate and they took way too much time than I expected.

I finished it late last night, and immediately DM’ed the author with d**th threats because it ends in a cliffhanger! Where is BOOK 3?

Anyway, back to this one. Serein has survived the Aikhtiar but she’s now Sethos’ muharib and he uses her to assassinate his enemies. She and Rameses are trying to depose Sethos which means she’s saving anyone who can be useful for that, by faking their deaths and replacing them with similar looking corpses.

Uriah is beginning to trust Serein, after everything he has learned of her, but his loyalties to Sethos forces him to stay neutral to whatever Serein and Rameses are doing. An assassination attempt on Rasima’s nameday has the princess shaken and keeps Serein and Uriah busy.

Investigation into Sethos’ secrets and the shadow of Xansas both cause Serein, Rameses and Uriah having to make choices they wouldn’t otherwise have made.

When an assignment takes Serein closer to where her secrets are, and Uriah is assigned to follow her, Serein has to decide if she trusts the captain enough or if she should end his life.

As I said, this one ends in a cliffhanger and I don’t want to spoil anyone, so just go read it. Honestly, this was so so good! Serein as a character is someone I adore. Luca and Astra are breaths of fresh air, and I loved to see who Serein is when with them. Nala, as always, is there, the fierce protector.

Imma go count the days before release of book 3.

If you love a darker fantasy tale with assassinations, political intrigue, morally grey characters, hard choices, both personal and high stakes, you will love this book.

Coal Gets in Your Veins (Book 1)Blurb

Penny Harbour was once a booming coal mining town, full of industry and possibility. But jobs like that come at a price. Accidents. Cave-ins. Explosions. The residents fed the ground with their blood, and coal dust settled inside them. Eventually, the world moved on from coal. The mines closed, the jobs left, and the grief stayed rooted in the people.  

Laurel is trying to carve out a decent life in what remains of the town. Her family has lived in the Harbour for generations. She’s seen the best and worst it has to offer. But no matter what she wants for herself, her husband’s boot is still on her neck. She’s survived him for two decades, and she’s just about out of reasons to stay. 

Just up the hill, Spencer is wading through his eternity mourning the deaths of his great loves. Penny Harbour is his own personal purgatory. He’s a queer vampire in a dying, conservative rural community, and everyone’s blood is full of grit and ashes. It’s the perfect place to slip into isolation and punish himself for all he’s lost.  

But Penny Harbour has a life all its own. Children with a penchant for lighting fires. Unmarked graves when mines used to be. Traditions built to lift each other out of grief. Personal hells that live behind closed doors. And when the town sinks its teeth into someone, it would sooner rip their throat out than let them go. 

Part romantic vampire horror, part rural Atlantic Canadian memorial pyre, Coal Gets In Your Veins is a novel about generational trauma and what it will do to keep its claws in you. —

This book is part of a queer paranormal horror series with romantic themes and handles heavy, complicated topics such as generational trauma, spousal abuse, grief, and cheating. A full list of trigger warnings can be found on Cat’s website

My Review

This book has been on my TBR for a while, but I read it only now, mainly because I got an ARC for book 2. I’ve heard a lot of good things about this book, though I’ve never read anything from this author before, so I went into it with some expectations.

And this book was just as good as everyone said it would be. On one level, this is a paranormal romance, but on the other, this is a treatise on abuse, healing, grief, and trauma.

Laurel lives in the little known town of Penny Harbour, which was a coal mining town, and everyone has suffered from the environmental impact of mining as well as deaths that happened due to the risks associated with it. It’s a conservative place which holds on to its traditions and values.

Laurel is in an unhappy marriage, and her husband is emotionally and verbally abusive. She has learnt to survive and to carve out her own space with her work as a handyman and coffee with friends, while she dreads being home, especially when it’s close to the time Greg will be there.

Stumbling on to a man in the woods one night, Laurel learns Spencer is new to the place, and though she knows it’s a bad idea, she becomes friends with him, but she doesn’t know the secrets he’s hiding.

Spencer is a vampire, and queer, and he is still reeling from the loss of his lovers whom he has been grieving for more than a century. Penny Harbour is his self-inflicted punishment since he can’t drink any of the locals due to how their blood tastes like shit. Growing close to Laurel was not in his plans, but he can’t help it, even when he knows it’s a risk to both of them.

Little do they know that Spencer’s vampirism and Laurel’s husband is the least of their worries. For there’s something in Penny Harbour and they won’t let Laurel go that easily.

This book was an extremely difficult read due to its themes. Grief and abuse, even in fiction, especially when handled well, are never easy to read. Laurel’s plight and Spencer’s grief are both felt very viscerally. The author has done an amazing job of portraying these two characters and how they’re dealing with their own respective traumas.

Penny Harbour feels real and lived in, and not just because it’s set in the real world. The town, the atmosphere, and the people all feel real. Laurel’s friendships and her growing closeness to Spencer, her attitude towards her husband, are all portrayed with depth and clarity.

I had to pause reading to sit and breathe to process for several minutes while I was reading. This is an impactful book, and I loved everything about it.

If you love paranormal stories on the darker side, with real world themes, relatable characters, and a grim world, you will love this tale. Highly recommended.

Learning to Bleed (Book 2)Blurb

You can take the girl out of Penny Harbour, but you can’t take the monster out of the girl.

When Spencer and Laurel left Penny Harbour after her death, he promised she could learn to control her hunger. Once she stops being a danger to the people she loves, he can bring her home. His centuries as a vampire should have prepared him to guide her, but every night, he cleans the blood from her hands and hides the corpses she’s made. No amount of careful planning stops the inevitable, and Spencer can’t figure out why.

Laurel is lying. The monster that took root in her veins never left. It whispers to her, robs her of reason, and twists the truth. Out in the big, broad world for the first time, she’s overwhelmed by cities, her own queer reckoning, and the monsters waging war inside her. Terrified of what will happen if she tells Spencer, Laurel has decided to push through in isolation. Things were supposed to get easier, after all. With practice, she should have been in control by now.

Will Laurel be able to overcome the rage long enough to take advantage of her new freedom, or will the violence destroy everything she’s fought so hard to get?

This book is the second part of a queer gothic horror series with romantic themes and handles heavy, complicated topics such as generational trauma, spousal abuse, and grief. A full list of trigger warnings can be found on Cat’s website

My Review

This was the ARC which made me read Coal Gets in Your Veins. This one didn’t feel as heavy to me as the first, so I could finish it in one go, pulling a near all nightery (It was 4 am when I finished).

Laurel and Spencer have left Penny Harbour, but Laurel is grieving losing her home and dealing with her new status as a vampire. Worse than all, the entity that had hold of her in Penny Harbour is still within her, and it’s determined to make her lose control over her vampirism.

Spencer is struggling to know how to help Laurel as she loses control every time she feeds and bodies are piling up. Sooner or later, it’s bound to attract the attention of what passes for law enforcement in the supernatural world, who would rather kill Laurel than risk attracting attention from humans.

But even the best efforts are for naught when there’s a god-like entity determined to spill blood.

As I said I finished it in one go, and this was a ride. On the surface, it’s about Laurel struggling with the entity inside her, and not knowing how to tell Spencer, but it’s also about how trauma impacts a person, and healing is not an automatic process. Laurel may have left her abusive relationship, but breaking out of the patterns of thoughts and behaviours she had learned to survive that relationship is not easy. It takes more than a day or a week or a month. Spencer is doing his best but there’s only so much he can do.

There’s also Laurel’s bi awakening, and the morality around having to harm others to stay alive. Laurel didn’t have an issue with Spencer’s past, but doing it herself doesn’t sit well with her, and it breaks her a little more every time she kills someone because she can’t control her hunger.

The book ends in more or less a cliff hanger, and I’m more than eager to get the next one when it releases.

If you love darker paranormal stories with heart, healing, and adventure, you will love this book.

Yes, our team is called ZAPS

What is the SPSFC?

It’s an annual competition for self published science fiction books, the Self Published Science Ficion Competition, where sci fi readers form teams to judge the entries and select a winner from the pool of entrants.

This is the 5th year of SPSFC and I’m the Team Lead of Team Zombies and Pirates in Space.

Team ZAPS

Without further ado, let’s meet the team!

Cory Rathbun

Cory reads constantly, mostly Sci-fi and Fantasy though there are a LOT of LitRPG, GameLIT, and progression fantasy lately.  He also does ARC reviews for self published or independent authors, enjoys all manner of gaming and nerdery, and wants to see more books featuring Eastern Philosophy.

Cory has been a judge last year for another team, and he’s back for another stint this year.

You can find Cory at Goodreads and Bluesky.

Daniel Ruffolo or Dan 1

Dan goes by he/him, and is a lifelong SFF reader, giant dork, and huge nerd. After spending most of his younger years working in bookstores, he had a run as the owner of a boardgame and cardgame shop, and has spent time in game design, and production/copy editing, before going back to school and becoming a paralegal and law clerk. Outside all the reading, and writing, he’s a musician and gamer, though wishes he could do more of both of those than he’s had time for lately. Dan can’t wait to get into a whole pile of cool and interesting indie fiction!

Dan prefers character driven books, and if they involve marginalized communities, all the better! He reads during his commute, and this is his first year judging SPSFC and he has been a judge for Small Spec Book Awards previously.

You can find Dan on Bluesky and at his website, Strange Currencies.

Dan Roop or Dan 2

Dan goes by he/him, and is a retired public school educator, having taught high school mathematics for 11 years and served as a school administrator for the last 19 years. He teaches a couple of college courses part-time, but otherwise loves to read! He is married to a wonderful, supportive woman and they have two adult children.

Dan loves high stakes books with action and adventure and his dream job is to be a spaceship mechanic/engineer. He’s an avid Sci Fi and fantasy reader and this is his first time judging the SPSFC.

You can find Dan on Instagram, Threads, Twitter/X, and Bluesky.

Devin Ford

Devin goes by He/Him. Dad of 2 amazing little girls, he enjoys reading fantasy, sci-fi, and romantasy. He runs bromantasy.com which is aimed at bridging the genre gap between traditional fantasy/sci-fi and Romantasy by focusing on the stories instead of the genre tag. He’s also trying to use the platform to showcase the incredible stories from self published authors that don’t have the “machine” of traditional publishing behind them.

Devin loves high stakes character driven fiction and a special love for grimdark. This is his first year as an SPSFC judge.

You can find Devin on Instagram and Twitter/X and on hisBromantasy site.

Rari aka Niranjan aka Zombie

(Did I name the team after me? Yes, I did!)

Rari goes by both she and they and she loves reading. She has been reading nearly all her life, and while she used to read just about anything, of late, she finds unable to read anything other than SFF.

Rari loves character driven books and the queerer the better. She rarely reads traditionally published books these days and is a voracious reader of indie SFF. This is her second time as a judge in SPSFC and the first time as a team lead.

You can find Rari on Bluesky and Instagram and her reviews on her blog.

Rari is also an indie author in her spare time.

Blurb

Azetla has served the Maurowan Army for thirteen years. There are seven left to pay. A pariah and a debt soldier, he is a commander with no rank, a soldier without citizenship, and wears a sword that it is unlawful for him to either own or use. He has learned to hold his tongue or risk losing everything.

When Azetla’s battalion is sent into the desert to catch a Sahr devil—one of the famously brutal inhabitants of the region—his tenuous position is threatened. He discovers that there is far more to this mission than catching a fiend. For the Emperor of Maurow, it is a way to prove that he fears nothing, not even devils. For the Emperor’s brother, it is a stepping-stone to rebellion. For Azetla it could be deadly either way, as he is cornered into choosing a side in the coming coup.

But the devil that Azetla finds in the desert is not what anyone expects or wants. As the conspiracy against the Emperor becomes entangled with the simmering ambitions of the desert tribes, Azetla must decide if he’s willing to strike a bargain with a devil in order to survive.

Naturally, she is not to be trusted. But then again, neither is he.

My Review

I read this as part of the SPFBO Champions Edition. I knew this was this year’s SPFBO winner and I was planning to read it anyway, but I was on a bad case of reader’s block, so was putting it off.

But then I had to read it for the Champions Edition. I had read a few reviews of this while the competition was going on, and it was described as slow paced which worried me. As I said, I was coming out of a readers block and wasn’t sure how I’ll be able to handle a slow paced book.

Well, apparently, by not putting it down and by grabbing book 2 of the series and devouring it and nagging the author for book 3.

This is a book set in a Desert World very reminiscent of the Middle East in the days of the Old Testament. The Maurowan Empire rules by Divine Right, and the Emperor Riada is the current representative of the divine.

Not everyone is happy with Riada, and disaffected elements are planning a coup in the shadows with James, Riada’s bastard half-brother as their figurehead.

Azetla, the main character is a Mashevi, a people contemptuously called jackals by the Maurowans who have annexed their kingdom to the empire. The Mashevi has no rights in the empire and there is a festival where Mashevi criminals are sacrificed to the Maurowan gods. When you consider Mashevi has no rights and that no proof is needed for their crimes, it’s doubtful if the criminals are actually such.

Azetla is a debt conscript to the Maurowan army and has served for thirteen years already with seven more to go. When James and his accomplices and Riada engage in a subtle powerplay that involves his brigade, he has to cross the desert to the wild lands of Sahr to capture one of the Sahr devils. Though a jackal, Azetla is respected and treated as the second in command, but if James or his cronies learn of it, not only him, but the captain who has treated him as a son and the friends he has will all suffer.

And that was before the Sahr devil starts picking them off one by one.

I have to say, I haven’t loved a protagonist recently as much as I love Azetla. The Mashevi religion and history reminded me strongly of Judaism in the Old Testament and the travails of the Jewish people under various empires. The world is grim, dark, and bleak, and the lives of the people even more so. Despite the wealth and power of the empire, the soldiers and the common people are alike suffering, with the Mashevi a convenient whipping boy and target for everyone’s ire.

The characterisation is top notch as well and I loved the political intrigue as well as the push and pull in the army, and how even when he’s treated as one of their own, many soldiers still treat Azetla as less than unconsciously. The prejudices against the Mashevi and the mindset of the people that the Mashevi should be grateful if they’re treated with basic decency all resonates with a world that isolates those who are different.

If you love character driven fantasy with militaristic vibes and political intrigue, you’ll love this one.

I had finished this book back in August and my review has been ready for ages but I was waiting for the team review of By Blood By Salt to go up.

You can find By Blood By Salt on Goodreads and Bookbub

Blurb

A home at the end of the world. The bonds that shape a family. The sacrifices demanded by love.

Aili Fallon has spent three hundred years of her unexpected immortality building a safe place for all those she cares about – her phoenix lover; their dragon son; their renegade demon daughter; and the shape-shifting spiritual creatures who come to Aili to learn the sword. She’s determined to protect them from human captivity and demonic corruption.

But the patterns of the natural world, the source of spiritual power, are inexplicably failing. When Aili’s lover is attacked, her phoenix healing disappears. A curse killing dragons targets their son, while growing demonic power threatens to destroy their daughter. 

And hidden deep, a traitor is waiting.

Piece by piece, a long-laid plot of vengeance, betrayal, and cruelty is tightening around Aili and her family. The home that’s been a sanctuary is now a trap, and Aili will risk everything she’s built, and everything she is, to break them free.

Everything will not be enough.

My Review

I’d previously read and loved The Crane Moon Cycle which is a queer cultivation fantasy duology by this author and had loved it. When I saw this kickstarter, and the author shared the early chapters in her newsletter and asked me if I wanted to be an early reader, I was like fuck yeah!

And!

This book! This amazing, brilliant, masterpiece of a book!

The story takes place 300 years after the end of the duology, and there are not many references to the earlier series, so readers who haven’t read it can also read this and enjoy it, but me, I re-read the duology and cried a lot yet again before starting this.

Let me just say that if your book makes me cry, it’s gonna be my comfort read for all time. I love books that makes me feel, that makes me cry so much I have to stop reading because I can’t see the words anymore.

So, on to the review for The Seaglass Blade.

300 years after the end of The Crane Moon Cycle, Aili and Liu Chenguang are still married, still in love, but living apart. Aili runs a Sect for spiritual creatures, teaching them cultivation, while Liu Chenguang spends her time in Easterly, being a doctor. Yisue, the dragon child they had adopted is all grown up now, and they have also adopted a demon child called Sanmer who wanted to escape her demonic roots, to be able to love, to find peace, to cultivate spiritual energy instead of corrupted one.

Liu Chenguang is coming home and Aili is eager to see her, but everything goes haywire when demons attack Liu Chenguang just outside the wards of the new Crane Moon Sect and stabs her with a crystal dagger that vanishes but Liu Chenguang doesn’t heal. Searching for answers, Yisue goes to visit Beilong, and learns that there’s a demonic spell targeting dragons. A Cat spirit called Majen helps Yisue despite being a demonic spy. Aili accepts Majen as a disciple, and with the information from Majen, Zhu Guiren is able to create a counterspell that wakes Liu Chenguang and heals her.

But when Yisue learns he may be the only dragon left, and Tainu and Liu Chenguang comes up with a risky counterspell to the demonic one, it’s only the start of events that cascade to tear apart the lives of everyone in Crabe Moon.

Fuck, I loved Yisue in this, and I loved his dynamic with Majen too. Majen is pretty much a cinnamon roll, and I adore him. Zhu Guiren is still my favouite though Yisue comes close now! Aili and Liu Chenguang and their love for each other is transcending everything once again, and I loved how everything resolved for them.

And Sanmer! Omg, her character arc had me in tears, and I don’t want to spoil things, but her last conversation with Majen had me tear up. I want to see more of her, and I hope we get a book that’s focussed on her next.

At many times, I had to stop reading because I was getting so anxious for the characters and was tempted to ask the author for spoilers, lol.

This is queer cultivation fantasy at its finest and is both heart wrenching and gut churning.

Go read it! You won’t regret it AT ALL.

You can find the Kickstarter here!

You can read my review of The Phoenix and the Sword here!