Finished my Y. R. Liu's The Whisperer in White for #SPFBO! Now, on to the next!
(Ben Moxon's The Redstone Rescue). Banger opening line, so we're off to a good start!
www.goodreads.com/book/show/23...
#SPFBOX
Landbringer by Karen Lucia
Day 72 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Covers with Cassidy)
I wanted to read more of a voice-driven dystopian steampunk. A gang of miscreant youth raid a passenger airship in a world above the mist covering the surface of the planet in Karen Lucia's Landbringer.
@karenlucia.bsky.social
Cover of Moon Bitten
Cover of Evil's Unlikely Assassin
Day 71 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Covers with Cassidy)
A statement against AI Narration.
I also wanted to read more of two urban fantasies with women MCs, one featuring werewolves in a *the monsters are real* revelation opening, the other starring an evil-hunting vampire with celestial handlers
Cover of A Rose Among Thorns by Ash Fitzsimmons
Cover of Fires of Caprica by Mandy O'Dell
Day 70 of my #SPFBOX opening reads
(Covers with Cassidy)
Two openings with young woman MCs made me want to read more to discover just where the story would go. One was a fun, fae-ish contemporary fantasy, the other a gothic, plague-ridden Venice-like city medical drama.
Day 69 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Covers with Cassidy)
A medieval fae-world knight transported to the 19th century mortal realm MM romance caught my attention, and an opening with a girl locked in an asylum with her living shadow, Dread, absolutely blew me away! #booksky
Day 68 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words) 📚💙
Rejoice! An author returned my inquiry with a copy of her Dinosaur opening, and I wanted to read more of it. Another terrific fantasy opening of a failed assassin caught my eye.
(This concludes the Captured In Words group!)
Day 67 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words)
I wanted to see more of 2 books: a lovecraft university story & an about two forlorn soldiers forced to march on an elven wood, reminding me more than a little of The Lord of the Rings, but in a very different light.
@areaernovels.bsky.social
Day 66 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words)
Four or five openings today, but only one of which I felt compelled to read more of and recommend to your attention: a fun UF of a young woman who can see faeries but just wants to be a journalist and afford a living!
With #SPFBOXI underway, I'm still working through all 300 openings of #SPFBOX - behind for life reasons, but still enjoying the openings.
I plan to try to get caught up to the current blog-off in the next two months, because I really enjoy being a part of it!
Follow along!
subscribepage.io/wuOG1f
Day 65 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words)
I wanted to read more form the SPFBOX champion and a quaint fieldmouse story. A third opening from a romantic fantasy didn’t quite do enough to hook me.
Day 64 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words)
I wanted to see more of two more fantasy openings: an action anime fantasy, and a contemporary YA Alice in Wonderland riff. A 3rd European Fantasy was too locked into its MC's head and didn't keep my interest.
tommock.com/2025/11/25/s...
I got a new cover made for #SPFBOX semifinalist The Glorious and Epic Tale of Lady Isovar. The artist is Laurent Reis. I couldn't be happier - I think it better expresses the silliness of the story.
The book is a humorous fantasy with an over-the-top lady knight and her long-suffering squire.
146)
@angelikarust.bsky.social Angelika Rust, My Name Is Not Alice
A slow, ordinary beginning - a teen drama - teasing a fantastical turn.
#SPFBOX #OpeningReads
Day 63 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words)
I wanted to see more of two unique stories: a stranded moon amnesia colony and a contemporary fantasy where merfolk are a corporate waterpark attraction.
By Blood, By Salt by J.L. Odom
Here's our next review for #SPFBOX !
...a fantasy about people and the situations politics and bigotry put them in. I found it a highly compelling read.
fantasy-faction.com/2025/spfbo-1...
💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SPFBO #SFFbookRecommenfation
@marklawrenceauthor.bsky.social one for the scoreboard!
Day 62 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Captured In Words)
A pirate quest with a young female MC hooked me fast and kept me turning the pages. A second opening left me wondering what was happening.
#booksky
Day 61 of my #SPFBOX opening reads
(Captured In Words)
I wanted to read more of a thief fantasy today that really took off after a much less engaging prologue. A second opening, though it introduced some interesting story ideas, didn't quite keep my interest.
tommock.com/2025/08/12/s...
Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang
And here's the latest SPFBO review!
A very well-written story with plenty of atmosphere, and the relationships – both new and old – being particularly well done.
fantasy-faction.com/2025/spfbo-1...
💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation #SPFBO #SPFBOx
"Months passed before Tiller Koya discovered the first draft of her dead grandmother's will." —Hiyodori, The Forest at the Heart of Her Mage #FirstLineFriday
This first line seems so simple but is accomplishing so much. #FirstLineFriday #Hiyodori #fantasy #romantasy #SPFBOX
Day 60 of my #SPFBOX opening reads (Before We Go Blog)
I’m back with the last 3 books left on my list from BWGB. All 3 were interesting and active, but they didn’t quite hold my interest, even tho one has been super popular. I go on and on about why linked below.
The Thief Who Pulled on Trouble's Braids by Michael McClung
And here we are, our first review for #SPFBO champions league has just gone live!
For the first review, we went for the first ever winner... Can it still hold up? See our judges thoughts here:
fantasy-faction.com/2025/spfbo-1...
💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SPFBO10 #SPFBOX
Happy Independence Day!
Between BBQs and fireworks, catch Episode 35 of Author Adjacent!
Fantasy author & #SPFBOX winner JL Odom and I to discuss crafting complex characters and why they captivate us.
Full episode linked below 👇
Episode 34 is now live!
In this episode, I sit down with fantasy author and #SPFBOX winner JL Odom to discuss navigating the challenges of going from writer to published author.
Full episode linked below 👇
I had a great time in #SPFBOX and will be entering The Ruined for the next time around! It's being moved to start in January now, right?
I'm in the presence of a champion!
My copy of #SPFBOX champion By Blood By Salt, by J.L Odom, has arrived.
It's a book with very few readers that beat 299 other fantasy novels to win the 10th #SPFBO - give it a shot, let's make a difference!
With #SPFBOX. At an end, huge congratulations to @jlodom.bsky.social and @adrianmgibson.bsky.social for the tied win. Ultimately winner of the tie break - Of Blood and Salt.
My big takeaways are a group of new friends, and the fact that apparently I should really be comping my book to Sanderson.
In case you missed it: The new #SPFBO champion!
#SPFBOX
It has the fewest Goodreads ratings of any champion in our 10 years. Just over 100...
So it's a true discovery.
Let's do what this contest was designed to do and go change its fortunes. Buy a copy. Do now, before you forget!
Here are the results from #SPFBOX
SPFBO takes 300 books, distributes them among 10 blogs, we each nominate a finalist, and then we read each other's finalists to pick a winner!
mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/2024/09/spfb...
From epic quests to heartfelt character arcs, #SPFBOX celebrates the diversity and creativity of indie fantasy.
The camaraderie, support, and passion for storytelling make it a true gem, fostering connections that inspire and uplift everyone involved.
