Almost there… Here’s the second to last round of cuts for SPFBO 10!
As always, let me preface this with the fact that all reading is subjective. So, what we didn’t like might be someone else’s favourite book, and if what you read here sounds like something you’d enjoy, please check them out!
Even if we are a bit critical, these books are already in the upper half of our batch, so worth a look, cut or no!
Thank you very much to all the authors who entered, we know it is tough to get judged like this, and we definitely appreciate the courage to put your work forward to a contest!
If you have no idea what we’re talking about, you can read more about the contest here.
Bone Traders by Rachel Ford
A missing giant. A sinister conspiracy. A decision that will change the fate of a jarldom.
The bone trade is big business. Black market buyers will offer many silvers for fresh giant bone, to carve into charms or use in dark enchantments.
When cloaked men kidnap the giant Njal Frostborn, everyone knows why. He’s destined to be murdered and sold in that terrible trade.
His best friend, apprentice wizard Idun Wintermoon, is determined to save him from that terrible fate. But to do so, she must defy the head of her order, and face powers far beyond her ability. To survive, she’s going to need an ally. Luckily for her, Lissette Forlatt – a down-on-her-luck sellsword – is on the case. Together, they’ll brave worse than the elements and rogue mages in their quest to save Njal. What they discover might shake the jarldom to its core.
If they live long enough to tell the story.
Our Thoughts:
Kerry: This would’ve been a book I’d have liked as a younger teen. Has a nice message that some things that you consider important in the grand scheme of things may not be if a very, very good friend is in trouble. Two MCs both flawed which was good; each one’s strengths are the others weakness so they balance nicely. Writing was on the easier side so whipped through the whole book fairly quickly.
Patrick: This book had a good, strong voice with plenty of humour and decent writing and a good pace. It was enjoyable, light read, but I didn’t think it had that extra level needed to make the semifinals. If you’re looking for an easy, entertaining read, you won’t regret trying Bone Traders.
Julia: A quick and easy read I quite enjoyed. Definitely lacking the depth to be a finalist, however the tone hooked me quickly and I breezed through it in just two days.
Biggest plus for me was the friendship and humour. Extra points for LGBT inclusion!
Calvin: This one was a quick read, but I’m not sure I’d call it enjoyable, for me. It lacked depth and complexity. I appreciated the humour and the tone seemed to work for the story. I was never hooked by the story and never felt compelled to read, though there also wasn’t anything specific that turned me off.
Adawia: This is a super easy, kinda fun read, and while I like the premise of this story it lacks nuance and needs a little complexity to elevate it. The story is told in a very linear way and though enjoyable enough, it’s a little too simple to progress further in the competition in my opinion.
Knights of the Alliance by Stefanie Chu
Peace between three mighty empires hangs in the balance, and only the Knights can tip the scale.
Finding herself embroiled in a bloody conflict, Mirari is faced with a decision: make a pact to dedicate herself to a life of servitude to save her childhood friend from the executioner’s sword… or retreat back into hiding, mired in vengeance for a lost brother. Though the decision seems clear, the deal may end up costing more than she is willing to pay.
Our Thoughts:
Julia: I did like this enough to finish it, however it just didn’t set itself apart enough from other, similar stories.
At times it felt like it was missing something, which might be due to there being a prequel novella, which might have made it easier to start into this new world.
I did really enjoy how the setting felt a bit more mixed up than the same / same western mediaeval standard. It Could have been fleshed out a bit better at times, but overall it was fun to explore this world.
Bits of the writing did throw me out of story though, with way too modern words / phrases here and there. It didn’t really fit the rest of the tone in my eyes.
Which leads me to the prose itself could have used another round of tightening up. I prefer to learn through the story, character actions and dialogue, rather than being told things.
The characters had a similar problem for me, where they were good enough to keep me engaged but just a bit too close to the usual tropes to feel fully real.
This has a lot of promise, and I’m curious how future books will shine!
Patrick: Weak writing with often the wrong word used made this a hard read, but more importantly, I didn’t believe the set-up and the way the world was arranged socially and politically.
Kerry: Another book with a common enough plot of which I’ve read both better and worse. There was nothing new here that wowed me, though a couple of characters stood out enough that I can recall them 4 months after putting this book down.
Strangers in our Heads by Bri Eberhart
Gemma, a seventeen-year-old orphan and empath, wants nothing more than to be normal. But after her older sister is killed in a hit-and-run, she discovers she can drain the energy out of any living thing. Fearing she might hurt someone with the faintest touch, Gemma flees from her foster home—guided by a boy she’s dreamed about for years but doesn’t believe is real.
Meanwhile, Theo, the eighteen-year-old astral-projecting leader of a ragtag group of magical misfits, is doing everything he can to protect his found family after he failed to keep his little sister alive. From rummaging through dumpsters for food, stealing from convenience stores, and throwing punches in illegal fighting rings for extra cash, there’s nothing he won’t do to keep the crew safe from the Authorities who are hunting kids like them.
When Gemma shows up in Theo’s world, their dreams become a shocking reality. The problem is that neither thought the other truly existed. Now they have to learn how to trust each other in person, as much as they had in their fantasies, if they want their secrets to remain hidden. What’s worse, Theo didn’t guide her there. Instead, a vengeful entity hell-bent on stealing Gemma’s powers did. She and Theo must work through their grief to banish him or risk losing each other for good. But doing so won’t be easy when kids with powers are being hunted by something far, far worse than a ghost.
In a cruel, contemporary world, can a handful of teens rely on one another to beat the odds?
Our Thoughts:
Patrick: Maybe it’s because I’ve read too many terrible books in a row, but I’m impressed by the writing in this one. Interesting characters, good prose. Contemporary YA fantasy, which isn’t my usual genre, and first-person present tense, which I usually dislike, but which I don’t here. I think this is the best YA fantasy in our group.
1. It’s original. Not just another spoiled princess stropping around.
2. It actually feels like a YA, not a middle grade pretending to be a YA.
3. It’s well-written.
4. It deals realistically with grief in a way that will resonate with its audience.
On the downside, it loses a bit of momentum towards the end, and “Draven” is both the most YA and the most annoying name ever. I also found it irritating how the characters got themselves into shit through being stupid, but I’m not knocking any marks off for that, because it was very realistic for teenagers, and this is a teen book.
Julia: A YA romance with an interesting twist. I really enjoyed the foster family background, and the found family aspect of the book. As Patrick already mentioned, there’s grief to struggle through, and I thought it was very well handled. Not taken too lightly, but also not overtaking the whole story or characters.
There’s quite some dark parts, so beware trigger warnings if you don’t like dark themes. I thought it gave the story a good depth that is often missing in similar stories.
I was quickly drawn in both by the tone and voice, as well as the mystery behind it all.
Stakes and Bones by Ken Bebelle & Julia Vee
Roxy’s got two hammers, a bit of Breaker magic, and the deathbed promise she made to her father. The Seattle Slayers, an elite cadre of fighters dedicated to protecting the city, is having their Trials for new initiates. My dad was a Slayer–one of the best. I thought his legacy might give me an edge in the Trials, but I was wrong. If anything, it made them harder on me.
But joining the Slayers is my best chance to save my mom. And, maybe, I need to see if I can fill my dad’s shoes.
The only things standing between me and my dreams are all the other elite fighters and magic users who want their spot on the Slayers too. I will battle them all–fae warriors, river demons, and a vicious animage who hates my guts.
I’ve got my hands full but a certain vampire princeling further complicates my life even as he saves it. He’s powerful, handsome, and deadly–a combination I find hard to resist.
If you enjoy slow-burn romance and rooting for the underdog, cross over to Twilight Veil, where life is cheap and vampire blood spends the best.
Our Thoughts:
Lana: I read the whole thing. The cover made it look like a paranormal romance but it is an Urban/ Dystopian Fantasy with a small hint of romance. The start could’ve been stronger, maybe more world building would have immersed me more initially? But overall I liked it. I’m a sucker for trials and a fun ensemble of characters thrown together. There were a few holes and things that were too easy or didn’t have a why. Eg you don’t get a ride or die cause they just picked you randomly and were like, “Yes, I like this one” and bail you out of situations just cause. But overall, this was fun and something I would read as a palate cleanser.
Julia: I was so looking forward to a female led urban fantasy!
While this book didn’t have a lot of romance, it is definitely the set up for an enemies to lovers story.
It technically is urban fantasy, but I found it quite annoying how the female lead was supposed to be a trained fighter, but still can’t help but think about just how hot the vampire is…
I mean, I find the male gaze in some UF books horrible, when female characters are described in detail by boobs and waist, while male characters just get a quick glance. The chiselled chins and rock hard muscles are just as bad to me.
Aside from that aspect, I found the plot a bit too similar to many other books I read before, and the main character just seems to get through things by sheer luck a lot of the time.
I would have liked more depth to the character, aside from having a sick mum, and more cohesion for the overall story.
Patrick: Starts out as a by-the-numbers urban fantasy. The action and tension are often good, but the writing is weak and a lot of stuff doesn’t feel thought-through.
Kerry: A “tick off the tropes” urban fantasy with ambiguous enemies to lovers (they don’t but maybe in the sequel) undercurrent. It certainly isn’t the worst UF I’ve ever read but there’s nothing here that would have me highly recommending it. Pacing and writing were fine and I read this in a couple of hours. Plot was a bit sketchy. As Lana put it ‘a palate cleanser’ or popcorn read.
Adawia: I feel like I say this a lot lately – once again I like the premise of this story, but the execution left me feeling a little less than enthralled. The narration just feels a little staccato – we get the narrative, which sometimes feels like mini info dumps, interspersed with a few lines of dialogue. The flow is not smooth, it tries a little too hard to be prosaic and the narrative is a little repetitive. Some events also felt like they were cut off or just not finished properly, and reactions to some of the things that happen seem not quite right, or fitting for the characters.
All that said (and back to my original point) I think this story has good ‘bones’. Though I sometimes struggled to reconcile armoured sword wielders and flowy-garmented fae, with Shaolin monks and spectral bear shifters in a post apocalyptic Seattle where vampires rule and slayers protect, I actually like this book overall.
Kings Imitation by Erin Grunke
Four. The number of people who know Gavin is the real heir to the throne.
The first is the former heir, Princess Andrea, a sword-wielding woman who would attack first and ask questions later.
The second is Captain Victoria Azen, the youngest female officer in the king’s army, on the run for a crime she didn’t commit.
Third is Phineas, the wise palace blacksmith, whose strength and knowledge are like a light in the darkness.
Last is Danathen, a thief lord who holds the respect and command of the low borns in the capital city, and he keeps more secrets than he gives.
These four are the only ones who can help Gavin claim his birthright, despite the unravelling of their lives and the discovery of the one mystery that could change everything.
Our Thoughts:
Julia: This is an interesting YA fantasy, which can easily appeal to older readers looking for an easier read.
There’s a handful of characters, so enough to feel epic, but not so much as to be confusing. There are some of the typical coming of age tropes, but I really enjoyed there not being a big romance arc or love triangle! There is just a dash of romance, not more than in series like Wheel of Time for example.
The world building was intriguing, but could have done with a bit more depth here and there. As the plot was easy to fall in, and the voice was catchy, I didn’t overly mind it. I did like the different “races” who have special talents, but the twists were just a tad too obvious and predictable for me. In a YA novel I’m way more forgiving about that sort of thing than I’d be in adult fantasy, as the target audience probably hasn’t read hundreds of fantasy books before, so will not see it coming nearly as soon as a “veteran reader”.
I liked most of the action scenes, and especially how magic was included, just at the end it seemed to get a bit unfocused.
All in all, this was a good story that kept me hooked all the way through!
Patrick: I feel like I’ve read three or four versions of this story in just this batch. Spoiled, rebellious princess who apparently is allowed to run free doing whatever she wants and acts like a brat? Check. As with the other similar books, very little thought seems to have gone into the world-building or the concrete detail. My credibility was stretched to breaking almost every other page. Maybe I’m not the right audience for YA princess fantasies. I just don’t see there being enough in this or any of the other versions to make the semi-finals. On the plus side, the writing was all right and it would be an easy read for someone who didn’t share my issues.
Kerry: This book would be fine for YA readers who like assassins, palace intrigue and some murder or an adult reader wanting something to read without getting into anything deep. However I have read plenty of books like that over the years and King’s Imitation is just another one to add to that pile. My credulity was strained the more I read this book. I got to the 35/40% mark and then skimmed over the rest; reading only bits that stuck out.
We have a YA female who has been brought up thinking she’s a princess but suddenly, out of the blue, she’s told that she’s not really a royal but a substitute for the real heir and he lives a few days away by horseback! To cope with this news our intrepid heroine Andrea leaps on her horse to go bring the rightful heir back. This felt all wrong – so even if she’s not real royalty, she’s been raised to take over the throne and what would happen when she found the King-to-be and something happened to him? Wouldn’t she then inherit as there are no siblings and IIRC people do think Andrea is the real thing as there had been assassination attempts on her life. A bit risky for the current Royals to let her go.
Then there’s the attempted murder of King, – oh how convenient that the killer is in town just as Andrea leaves – by the respected Captain. I know “she” was seen and there is circumstantial evidence (+ the setting is mediaeval) but surely more questions would be asked once the King started acting strange.
This certainly wasn’t a book for me as there were also other parts of the story that annoyed me.
Geoff Matthews