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98 ratings | 20 reviews | avg rating:4.71

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S.M.’s 2025 Year in Books

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Tanya Sykes

1,262 books | 39 friends

Dawnn Sykes

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S.M. Sykes

Goodreads Author

Website

https://amazon.com/author/s.m.sykes

Genre

Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Member Since

July 2022

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S.M. Sykes is a multi-genre author with a relentless imagination, a taste for the catastrophic, and a deep love for the strange corners of speculative fiction. Whether it’s a world-ending apocalypse, invading dragons, twisted fairy tales, or the quiet terror of what lurks in the dark, Sykes crafts stories that pull readers to the edge of the unknown—and dares them to look over the side.

Best known for The Blue Series—including Eyes of Blue, A Dim Blue, Loss of Blue, and A Faded Blue—Sykes blends post-apocalyptic grit, emotional depth, and character-driven tension into an expansive universe filled with Deaders, spores, survivors, and the haunting cost of memory. The series has grown into a reader-favorite world with spin-offs like Lives of Bl S.M. Sykes is a multi-genre author with a relentless imagination, a taste for the catastrophic, and a deep love for the strange corners of speculative fiction. Whether it’s a world-ending apocalypse, invading dragons, twisted fairy tales, or the quiet terror of what lurks in the dark, Sykes crafts stories that pull readers to the edge of the unknown—and dares them to look over the side.

Best known for The Blue Series—including Eyes of Blue, A Dim Blue, Loss of Blue, and A Faded Blue—Sykes blends post-apocalyptic grit, emotional depth, and character-driven tension into an expansive universe filled with Deaders, spores, survivors, and the haunting cost of memory. The series has grown into a reader-favorite world with spin-offs like Lives of Blue: Stories from the Unseen and Starfall: First Days of the Apocalypse.

Outside of the Blue universe, Sykes continues to push genre boundaries. He’s tackled dark fantasy with Fantasy Slayer, a sword-and-dragon saga set in a broken, high-magic Earth; psychological horror with First Snow a dark Oz retelling in Blood Stained Bricks; a locked-room thriller in The Countdown; and cosmic-leaning monstrosities in Living Adjacent, his original anthology series showcasing new voices in horror.

Sykes is also the creator and editor behind SMSykes Anthologies, an emerging imprint dedicated to curated collections of horror, fantasy, and speculative fiction from independent and up-and-coming writers. He is passionate about building spaces for community, collaboration, and fresh storytelling—especially stories that explore fear, survival, and the human spirit under impossible pressure.

When he’s not writing, Sykes is usually building something—crafting new worlds, 3D-printing models for upcoming releases, designing promotional art, or supporting local events and libraries across Delaware. He works closely with his wife Tanya, who runs LetMeTryItCrafts, to bring bookish gifts, handcrafted art, and limited-edition collectibles to readers at conventions and fairs.

With dozens of projects in development, Sykes shows no signs of slowing down. He doesn’t pick genres—he picks catastrophes—and his readers have learned to expect the unexpected.
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S.M. Sykes’s books

Average rating: 4.25 · 51 ratings · 31 reviews · 20 distinct works • Similar authors

	Eyes of Blue 4.58 avg rating — 19 ratings — 6 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
	A Dim Blue 4.75 avg rating — 8 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
	Blood Stained Bricks 3.11 avg rating — 9 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
	It's my Body, I'll Haunt if I want to 4.75 avg rating — 4 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
	Loss of Blue 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
	Life of a Lycanthrope really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 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
	Flame of Sepheron (Saviors of Seledon Book 1) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 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
	A Faded Blue really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 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
	Living Adjacent: That wasn't in the Movies! by S.M. Sykes (Goodreads Author), Donald Cook, Mia Dalia (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 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 Day the Air Froze really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — 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

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S.M. Sykes's Blog

The Rot and the Routine

The Rot and the Routine
Frederick is a normal middle-aged man in America. That's to say, he lives a boring life where work takes up most of his time and sleep takes up the rest. He doesn't have a wife or kids, and he moved away from his family farm years ago to pursue his dreams in the city. Those dreams, you ask? Well, they flew away faster than his rent increased last year.
Nowadays, Frederick go Read more of this blog post »

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Published on June 20, 2025 18:44 • Tags: school, short-story, summer-break, zombie

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S.M. is Currently Reading

S.M. Sykes is currently reading

A New Lease on Death (Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries #1)

by Olivia Blacke (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Jun 10, 2025 11:09AM

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S.M.’s Recent Updates

S.M. Sykes liked Darren Gray's review of A Thrilling Year in Short: 13 Stories to not Read in the Dark: "This collection of 13 horror short stories, each tied to a month of the year (with two for December) offers a fascinating and creative framing device. I chose to read one story per month, and it added an extra layer of enjoyment seeing how each story" Read more of this review »
Oct 06, 2026 04:21PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Thrilling Year in Short by S.M. Sykes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Thrilling Year in Short by S.M. Sykes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
S.M. Sykes rated a book it was amazing October Rust by Ray Van Horn	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
I really enjoyed October Rust. It’s a strong, engaging story that builds tension steadily from beginning to end. The opening pulls you in right away and keeps that momentum going throughout. I especially liked how the main character’s life—and the li ...more
Apr 16, 2026 05:57PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of October Rust by Ray Van Horn. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — October Rust by Ray Van Horn <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
S.M. Sykes wants to read Serenity by Keith R.A. DeCandido (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
Mar 17, 2026 09:59AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Serenity by Keith R.A. DeCandido. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Serenity by Keith R.A. DeCandido <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
S.M. Sykes is now following Máximo César Castellanos Author of Kingsley: First Act
Feb 14, 2026 09:50AM · like
S.M. Sykes rated a book it was amazing Deuces Wild: Beginners' Luck by L.S. King (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
L.S. Sold me on her book with the hook that’s was similar to Firefly. This held true. The story and interaction between the two main characters was wildly fun and engaging.
Jan 19, 2026 12:57PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Deuces Wild by L.S. King. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Deuces Wild by L.S. King <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
S.M. Sykes is now following L.S. King Author of Sword's Edge (Sword's Edge Chronicles #1)
Jan 19, 2026 12:56PM · like
S.M. Sykes is now following Amanda Foster's reviews
Jan 05, 2026 08:43AM · like
S.M. Sykes liked Amanda Foster's review of Eyes of Blue: "This book completely stunned me. S.M. Sykes doesn’t just tell a post-apocalyptic story, he makes you live inside it. The loneliness, the fear, the quiet strength of survival, and the haunting mystery of the creatures with those blue eyes stayed with m" Read more of this review »
Jan 05, 2026 08:43AM · see review
S.M. Sykes rated a book really liked it Devil's Spider: Journey Through Devil Spider Island by Jordan Encee (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
Oct 30, 2025 06:26PM · 1 like · like
S.M. Sykes liked Jordan Encee's review of A Faded Blue: "The apocalypse after the apocalypse From the wild, adventures of the first three book to a this different turn of this book. To my surprise it was far more enjoyable than I expected. It was sad but yet a great journey. A great end to a great series. " Read more of this review »
Oct 30, 2025 06:24PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Faded Blue by S.M. Sykes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Faded Blue by S.M. Sykes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">