643 ratings | 407 reviews | avg rating:4.23

B.J.’s Year In Books

B.J.’s 2025 Year in Books

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B.J. Sikes’s Followers (18)

B.J.’s Bookshelves

to-read (358)
currently-reading (3)
read (725)
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B.J.’s Friends (25)

Betsy Miller

450 books | 126 friends

Marian Thorpe

249 books | 299 friends

Vince

882 books | 24 friends

Intisar Khanani

1,057 books | 363 friends

Sharon

3,732 books | 878 friends

Danielle

1,231 books | 52 friends

Anthony Francis

361 books | 111 friends

Shweta

749 books | 23 friends

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2026 Reading Challenge

2026

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B.J. Sikes has read 41 of 60 books.

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B.J. Sikes

Goodreads Author

Born

in London, The United Kingdom

March 13

Website

https://bjsikeauthor.com/

Genre

Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Horror

Influences

Mary Robinette Kowal Colette, Jane Austen ...more

Member Since

May 2016

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/bjsikesauthor

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I am a 5'6" ape descendant who is inordinately fond of a good strong cup of tea, Doc Marten boots & fancy dress.

I write fantastical history with a modern feminist lens, a touch of heartbreak, and a little bit of steampunk. And maybe a little sci-fi.
My debut novel, The Archimedean Heart begins the Roboticist of Versailles series, a steampunk world.
A novella that follows the events of The Archimedean Heart appears in the 2017 anthology The Clockwork Oracle. The full-length sequel, The Vitruvian Mask continues Adelaide's story.
The Cultist's Wife is a gothic horror inspired by a childhood experience.
Her Runaway Lady, a sapphic historical romance is a cosy story set in Paris 1882.
Bermondsey Girl, a dystopian climate fiction story published by ...more

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B.J. Sikes’s books

Average rating: 3.83 · 150 ratings · 100 reviews · 14 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Cultist's Wife 3.43 avg rating — 44 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Vitruvian Mask (The Roboticist of Versailles, #2) 4.30 avg rating — 23 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Her Runaway Lady 3.77 avg rating — 26 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Archimedean Heart really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 12 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Twelve Hours Later: 24 Tales of Myth and Mystery 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bermondsey Girl 4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Her Runaway Lady, a sapphic historical romance by B.J. Sikes (Goodreads Author), Aj Sikes (Editor) 3.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Archimedean Heart (The Roboticist of Versailles, #1) by B.J. Sikes (Goodreads Author), A.J. Sikes (Editor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2016	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Archimedean Heart: The Roboticist of Versailles, #1 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Vitruvian Mask: The Roboticist of Versailles, #2 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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B.J. Sikes's Blog

New Release: Bermondsey Girl

Bermondsey Girl, my first novel published by an actual publishing house, Water Dragon Publishing, is due to release July 22nd! You can preorder right now on Kindle, and it will go wide later this month, with print books also available. Go to the publisher’s website for those marketplaces.

It’s a funny thing, going from being a fully independent author to a hybrid one. I’m used to being in control o

B.J. is Currently Reading

B.J. Sikes is currently reading

The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture

by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 11, 2026 11:19PM

B.J. Sikes is currently reading

The Millay Illusion

by Sarah Pinsker (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 09, 2026 07:46PM

B.J. Sikes is currently reading

Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe

by Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Aug 17, 2024 09:19PM

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B.J.’s Recent Updates

B.J. Sikes finished reading She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor, #1) by Shelley Parker-Chan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23 hours, 3 min ago · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
B.J. Sikes rated a book it was amazing Never Eaten Vegetables by H.H. Pak	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 12, 2026 08:10PM · like
B.J. Sikes rated a book liked it Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy (The Murderbot Diaries, #2.5) by Martha Wells (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 11, 2026 11:19PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Rapport by Martha Wells. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Rapport by Martha Wells <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
B.J. Sikes started reading The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 11, 2026 11:19PM · like
B.J. Sikes has read Next Stop on the #13 by Katherine L. Morse (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 11, 2026 04:31PM · like
B.J. Sikes made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Please delete the new profile with my name that has appeared topic " Hi there, I just noticed that a new profile page has appeared with my name (well a variant) that includes all my books plus my new release. This is the ...more "
Jul 11, 2026 04:28PM
B.J. Sikes wants to read A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Fantasy, Readers' Favorite Debut Novel	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 11, 2026 10:39AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
B.J. Sikes rated a book really liked it Kaiju Agonistes by Scott Lynch (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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B.J. Sikes rated a book liked it When He Calls Your Name by Catherynne M. Valente (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3.5 stars Not really a fan of swamp Gothic
Jul 09, 2026 08:45PM · like · see review
B.J. Sikes is currently reading Kaiju Agonistes by Scott Lynch (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 09, 2026 07:47PM · like

More of B.J.'s books…

Quotes by B.J. Sikes (?)

“John's mother lay dying. Her once‐delicate nose jutted from her shrunken cheeks, spider‐
webbed with wrinkles and spotted with age. She turned her face into the shadows, seeming to be
unwilling to show him the wreck that had once been a lovely face.”
― BJ Sikes, The Archimedean Heart

tags: alternate-history, historical-fiction, steampunk

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Review / Write / ...: [archived] Round_6 "General, GR+ (NOT Amz)" -Done!-	53	18	Apr 27, 2023 06:04PM
Review / Write / ...: [archived] Chain_7 "Mature" -CLOSED-	117	24	May 06, 2023 07:17AM
Review / Write / ...: [archived] Chain_9 “Speculative” -Done!-	67	18	May 08, 2023 08:24AM
Review / Write / ...: [archived] Round_14 "Speculative, GR+Amz" -Done!-	29	21	May 31, 2023 10:55AM
Review Group: Group 329 18+ - Mod. Gene	180	80	Jul 18, 2023 04:31PM
Review Group: * Group 347. Out of This World - Mod. Kat	226	59	Feb 23, 2024 02:03PM

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B.J.’s Quotes

“I can imagine no greater bliss than to lie about, reading novels all day.”
― Julia Quinn, Ten Things I Love About You

tags: books

235 likes

“It's not about adding diversity for the sake of diversity, it's about subtracting homogeneity for the sake of realism.”
― Mary Robinette Kowal

tags: diversity, twitter

26 likes

“You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.”
― Colette

tags: enthusiasm, foolishness, silliness, wisdom

3938 likes

“I would say your passion, but that’s part of being headstrong. Or your conviction, but that’s related to being obstinate. Fearless, but that is a combination of both. Perhaps, then, I shall cite your love of Brussels sprouts.”
― Mary Robinette Kowal, Ghost Talkers

tags: evaluation, strengths-and-weaknesses

3 likes

“Put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it."

(Casual Chance, 1964)”
― Colette