So, here we are, at the end of round one…
4 semi finalists, all very different from each other, but which one will win?
This year was the most undecided year I ever was a part of, with no clear favourite for most of the judges. Each book had some who loved it, and others who didn’t quite get why the rest loved it.
While this kept things interesting to the very end, when we started posting semis we didn’t even know who’d win ourselves. It also made for quite some discussion behind the scenes!
Obviously reading is very subjective. It all depends on our very own tastes, experiences, current mood, preferences, and so many more things. Stories will always resonate with some, and not with others. The unevenness of our scoring is a perfect example of that!
In the end we went with the highest overall score, with the most judges who enjoyed it.
So let me rehash things:
We have these four for semi finalists, all well worth a look.
The First Scars by Ivor K. Hill
A dark fantasy, which is delightfully twisty at times, but can get a bit confusing due to that complicated plotting.
The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage by Hiyodori
A low-key sapphic romance with a focus on world building, past trauma and the characters being the biggest draw.
Beyond the Burning Sea by T.B. Schmid & R.Wade Hodges
A complex and sprawling world, a diverse cast, and a couple of POVs to always keep things interesting.
Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano
A super wild cosy-dark mix of romance, necromancy, comedy and action. A mix which wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but – to widespread surprise, especially mine – turned out to be my personal favourite.
As you can see, the books covered a wide variety of styles and content, which explains how hard it was for us to agree!
So, which of those managed to win? By just a 0,5 point margin I might add?
*Drumroll*
With a score of 8/10
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Congratulations to:
The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage by Hiyodori
