Posted by Ever since I read Senlin Ascends last year I’ve been reading a ton of indie published books. They’re so cheap, they’re so fun, and it’s lead to a ton of awesome discoveries and favorite books I never would have tried.
When I saw the list of SPFBO books I realized that I had already read a bunch on the list, and loved the majority of them. At first, I was like, “I’ll read 30 spfbo books before the contest ends for shits and giggles”. But, I hit that goal almost within a month, leaving me over 6 months to get as many of these books done as possible.
Ultimately, I’ve decided to read 10 entries for each blogger, I’ll try and include some of their semi-finalists and some that got eliminated to get a well-rounded taste of what was in their bracket.
At the end of this, I’ll be doing a give away on r/fantasy, it’ll probably be ebooks and I’ll need to figure out the logistics, but the goal is about 30 – 45 ebooks given away.
The books I’ve already read are in blue. I’ll be updating this post as I read through them. Pink means I’ve locked in the author for one of the ten spots per blogger. Books I’m currently reading are in orange. +++ means it’s been picked as a top 30.
You can follow me on Twitter @EsmeWeatherwax8 I update everything and there and on Goodreads first, Reddit reviews get posted more slowly because I don’t want to spam the sub.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/44110461-esmerelda-weatherwax
- Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe – [Bookworm Blues] {Semifinalist} +++
- Valley of Embers by Steven Kelliher [Bookwork Blues] {semifinalist}
- The Crimson Queen by Alec Hutson [Fantasy Book Critic] {semifinalist}
- Path of Man by Matt Moss [The Qwillery] {semi finalist} +++
- Faithless by Graham Austin-King [Ventureadlaxre]{semifinalist} +++
- The Eagles Flight by Daniel E Olesen [Ventureadlaxre]{semifinalist]
- A Star Reckoners Lot by Darrell Drake [Booknest.eu] {semifinalist} +++
- Souls of Astraeus by Jeramy Goble [ventureadlaxre] {No feedback yet}
- Moroda by L.L McNeil – waitlisted
- Jaeths Eye by K.S. Villoso [Fantasy Faction] {No feedback yet} ++++
- Destiny of the Wulf by Harrison Davies [Ventureadlaxre]{eliminated}
- The Heart of Stone by Ben Galley [Kitty G]{semifinalist} +++
- The Exercise of Vital Powers by Ian Gregoire [Kitty G]{semifinalist}
- The Woven Ring by MD Presley [Fantasy Book Critic] {No Feedback yet}
- Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron [The Qwillery] {No Feedback yet} +++
- Ascend Online by Luke Chmilenko [Bookworm Blues] {No Feedback yet}
- The Half Killed by Quenby Olsen [Fantasy Book Critic] {No Feedback yet} +++
- Where the Waters Turn Black by Benedict Patrick [Fantasy Book Critic]{Cover Winner} {semifinalist}} +++
- Cage of Deceit by Jennifer Anne Davis [Fantasy Book Critic] {No feedback yet}
- Knight and Wizard by Bailey Montagne [Fantasy Book Review] {No Feedback yet}
- The Killing Jar by R.S. McCoy [Ventureadlaxre]{semifinalist]
- The Censors Hand by Adam Steiner [Ventureadlaxre] {semifinalist}
- The War of Undoing by Alex Perry [Pornokitsch]{FINALIST}
- The Devils Library by Watson Davis [Pornokitsch]{eliminated}
- Winter’s Reach by Craig Schaefer [Fantasy Book Review] {Semifinalist} +++
- Anaerfell by Joshua Robertson [Bookworm Blues] {semifinalist}
- Magic Comes to Whitepost by S.J. Madill [Ventureadlaxre] {semifinalist}
- The Shattered Orb by Samuel E Green [Booknest.eu] {semifinalist}
- Darkstorm by M.L. Spencer [Kitty G]{semifinalist} +++
- A Threat of Shadows by J.A. Andrews [Fantasy Book Review] {semifinalist]
- Torics Dagger by Jamie Edmunson [Venturelaxread]{eliminated}
- War Witch by Layla Nash [Lynns Books] [semifinalist]
- The Glass Gargoyle by Marie Andraes [bookworm blues]
- Soulbound by Bethany Adams [Bookworm Blues] {eliminated}
- Valhalla Online by Kevin O McLaughlin [Fantasy Book Review] {eliminated}
- Twin by Howard Gurney [bookworm blues] {eliminated}
- M.M. Perry – Whom The Gods Love [Bookworm Blues] {eliminated} CURRENTLY READING
- An Ominous Book by Nancy Foster [bookworm blues] {eliminated}
- Glenn G. Thater – Gateway to Nifleheim [Bookworm Blues] [eliminated]
- The Dragon Hunter and the Mage by V.R. Cardoso [Fantasy Faction] {No Feedback yet}
- Brian D. Anderson & Steven Savile – Akiri: The Scepter of Xarbaal [Fantasy Faction] {eliminated}
- Chaos Trims my Beard by Brett Herman [Fantasy Faction] {No Feedback yet} +++
- Shattered Dreams by Ulff Lehmann [Fantasy Faction] {No Feedback yet}
- Zeroth Law by Guerrie Hacho [Fantasy Faction] {No Feedback yet}
- Drawn In by Nigel Bird [Fantasy Faction] {eliminated}
- The Zero Blessing by Christopher Nuttall [Fantasy Faction] {No Feedback yet}
- Pagan Heart by Gus Campbell [Fantasy Faction] {eliminated}
- Nefertiti’s Heart by A. W. Exley [Fantasy Book Critic] {semifinalist}
- The Songweaver’s Vow, by Laura VanArendonk Baugh [Fantasy Book Critic] {No Feedback yet}
- Corruption by Adam Vine {The Qwillery} {eliminated}
- Ballad of the Beanstalk by Danielle Shipley {Fantasy Book Critic} {eliminated}
- Wings of Justice Michael Scott Earl {Fantasy Faction} [semi finalist]
- Gods of Color by C. H. Baum [Fantasy Book Critic] {No Feedback yet}
- Jack Bloodfist by James Jakins [Lynns Books] {No Feedback Yet}
- Josh Rhoades & Mike Rutledge – The Apotheosis Break [Lynns Books] {No Feedback yet}
- The Empire of the Dead by Phil Tucker [Lynns Books] {No Feedback yet}
- Dungeon Crawl by by Skyler Grant [ventureadlaxre] {eliminated}
- Clayton D Baker & Michael H Kuecker – The Sage of Dirt and Poncho [Lynns Books] {semifinalist}
- The Age of Mages by Ilana Waters [Lynns Books] {No Feedback yet}
- Ken Lozito – Road to Shandara [Lynns Books] {No Feedback yet}
- Cursefell by C.V. Dreesman [Lynns Books] {No Feedback yet}
- The Archbishops Amulet by Watson Davis [Lynns Books] {No Feedback yet}
- Son of Thunder by James Jakins [Qwillery] {No Feedback yet}
- The Dead Gods Due by Matt Gilbert [Qwillery] {No Feedback yet}
- Pilgrimage to Skara by Jonathon Pembrose [Booknest] [FINALIST]
- Threads of an Empire by Simon Rudman [Qwillery] {No Feedback yet}
- Sonja Black – The Snow White Files [Qwillery] {No Feedback yet}
- Thunder Hunter by Rachel Medhurst {Fantasy Book Critic} [eliminated]
- Magic Awakens by Lucia Ashta [Qwillery] {No Feedback yet}
- The Blood of Whisperers by Devin Madson [Pornokitsch] {eliminated}
- The Grey Mage by Aiden Hennessy [Pornokitsch] {eliminated}
- Antonio Urias – Irons In the Fire [Pornokitsch] {eliminated}
- Trail of the Necromancer by Lucas Thorn [Pornokitsch] {eliminated}
- Dominick Murray – Red Season Rising [Pornokitsch] {eliminated}
- Benjamin Descovich – Dead Letter [Pornokitsch] [semifinalist]{eliminated}
- Maria Schneider – Under Witch Moon [Pornokitsch] {eliminated}
- Kay Ling – Beyond The Forest [ventureadlaxre] {eliminated}
- Harry Connolly – The Way Into Chaos [Ventureadlaxre] [semifinalist]
- V.B. Marlowe – A Girl Called Dust [Ventureadlaxre] {eliminated}
- Rob J Hayes – Where Loyalties Lie [Fantasy Book Review] [semifinalist] +++
- Catharine Glen – The Rose Crown [Fantasy Book Review] {eliminated}
- Blood of the Sire by Andrea L Staum [Fantasy Book Review] {No feedback yet}
- Aldrea Alien – Dark One’s Mistress [Fantasy Book Review] {No feedback yet}
- Alexa Grave – Mind Behind The Mind [Fantasy Book Review] {No feedback yet}
- The Lord of Dreams by CJ Brightley [Fantasy Book Review] {No feedback yet}
- Christian Ellingsen – The Silver Mask [Fantasy Book Review] [semifinalist]
- Rebecca Thorne – Mage Slave [fantasy book review] [no feedback yet]
- Reign of Blood by Alexia Purdy {Pornokitsch} [eliminated]
- Ever Shade by Alexia Purdy {Fantasy Faction} [eliminated]
- Benjamin Ashwood by A.C. Cobble [booknest.eu] {No feedback yet}
- The White Tower by Michael Wisehart [booknest.eu] {No feedback yet} +++
- Stolen Magic by Marina Finlayson (fantasy faction) (no feedback yet)
- Tara Saunders – Requiem for the Wolf [booknest.eu] {semifinalist}
- V.B. Marlowe – Naomi Grim [Kitty G] {eliminated}
- Gavin Poludniowski – The Fall of Rath [Kitty G]{No feedback yet}
- T.H. Paul – The Legacy Chronicle: The Sword [Kitty G] {No feedback yet}
- Devils Night Dawning by Damien Black [Kitty G] {semi finalist} +++
- The Eighth God by Paul S. Lavender [Kitty G] {No feedback yet}
- Mercenary by Jon Kiln {Booknest} [eliminated]
- The Sound of Stones by Beth Hammond [KittyG] {No feedback yet}
- Fantasy Online by Harmon Cooper [ventureadlaxre] eliminated (whoops, I picked a book from a group I already had 10 from)
- Joss of Seven by Jay Philip Horne {Pornokitsch} {eliminated}
- Halcyon’s Wake: Faith by Dale Triplett {Bookworm Blues} [eliminated]
- Of Angels and Men by Jonathan Yanez {Bookworm Blues} [eliminated]
Edit:
At first I was going to read 10 books from each blogger group, but halfway through I started to fall behind and I had to start doing audiobooks on top of reading to keep up – and it did more than catch me up, I’m far beyond what I need to be. However, it did royally screw up my list.
I bow to you. With my goal of thirty I feel like a total amateur 🙂
I hope you enjoy the Grey Mage – thanks for giving it a go.
Thanks for checking out the blog post! Look who just got bumped up the tbr list!
Oooh…
PS: Always happy to meet a fellow Discworld fan.
I like to think of myself as r/fantasy resident pratchett enthusiast, i don’t stfu about discworld on that sub.
Respect. You are one dedicated reader!
thanks!
Witchy hats off to you! Thank you for supporting the contest! Looking forward to reading the reviews (even if mine didn’t make your cut).
any author who wants to can make a request and i’ll change around my list. i haven’t bought all 100, i’m going in batches so there’s a lot of wiggle room at the moment
I’d love to get on the list, but I can also wait. If you get curious about Dragon’s Treasure, I will gladly send a copy your way.
i just got it since you were commenting here – if i cant get to it by the end of the competition i’ll get to it eventually! your set is an easy swap though. i’ll go through and edit the list as things change and as i read through the list
Respect!
If you have time for a hundred and first I’d love for you to add Requiem for the Wolf to your list. I’d be happy to send you a copy.
huh, well you’re supposed to already be on the list because you’re a semifinalist, i don’t know how that happened, just so many names i guess. booknest is one where i haven’t read too many so my list there is open. i do want to keep it to ten books per blogger, but right now i’ve got room to shift things around in her set.
That’s fantastic, thank you.
Let me know where you want me to send the book.
I’m not in your league as a Pratchett fan, but I do think his books just got better and better throughout his life. I’m in the process of a major re-read at the moment, I’m up as far as Soul Music.
i think my email is in the contact info if not i’ll dm you
Amazing reading progress!
If The General’s Legacy – Part One: Inheritance makes it to the semi-finals with Fantasy Book Critic would you give it a shot?
this list will be subject to minor changes as the competition moves along. i’ll absolutely be reading every finalist, and i’ll try and get to as many semi finalists as i can, it’ll depend on how many people choose and how different they are from this list. i’ve already bought your book though, so i’ll get around to it at some point!
Another discworld fan!
100 books is quite the goal. I’m currently in awe that you did 30 in a month.
i’m a mega huge discworld fan. i read a lot, and sir pratchett is at the top of my list by a wide margin as my favorite author
I’m really pleased you have Twin on your list. I rarely have time to market the book so I’m happy it has filtered through somehow.
I think it about to be reviewed by bookworm blues. Fingers crossed
Thanks so much! I appreciate the reads. And if you need more books to review, just to let me know!
First let me say that I hope you liked The Devil’s Library, and second let me say, I’d love for you to make sure to read The Archbishop’s Amulet (which is at #62 on the list.)
i’ll go ahead and lock it in
The bomb. You are.
Amazing to try to get through so many. My novel The Shard was in the very first SPFBO and was reviewed by Bookworm Blues. It got the same rating (4/5) as the title that she passed on to the next round, so it was close. Not sure if the story is appealing to your tastes, but if it is, I’d gladly send you a copy.
i dont see the shard listed, or anyone under ted cross, was this last year?
It was in the first SPFBO, which I understand you may not be interested in checking out with all that is on your plate already. Here was the review – https://www.bookwormblues.net/2015/04/08/the-great-self-published-fantasy-blog-off-first-five-book-mini-reviews/
Thanks for adding The White Tower. <> books…Wow! It’s one thing to review a 100 books in SPFBO fashion. It’s quite another to vow to read each to completion, especially when some of them (like mine) are real door-stoppers. I really appreciate the service you are doing here for the author community. Best of Luck!
Thanks! Finished up Alex Perry’s The War of Undoing this morning and it was 600 pages, one of the longer one’s I’ve read. Most, thankfully given this situation, are less than 400 pages.
Yeah, mines about 650. -Sorry!
lol it’s fine, i like doorstoppers
Reblogged this on Joshua Robertson.
Thank you for reading Anaerfell: The Blood of Dragons. I hoped you enjoyed it! We just received the Bronze in the International Book Awards from Reader Favorites this month!
the review will be up soon!
That is very kind of you. Thank you!
Thank you for adding my book to the list! I hope you like it when you get around to it.
P.S. I, too, love Terry Pratchett, and I dream of one day writing an expansive humorous fantasy world as he did, though I know full well it will never be as great as Discworld. 😉
Terry Pratchett is god level to me, there’s terry and everyone else, basically. i have an unhealthy obsession with discworld, and really enjoy comedy SFF
Esme. Yowza. Any reason for numbering the books in the way you did? Is that your chosen order? Are the blues listed according to your favorites?
Good luck, and enjoy.
blues are books i’ve already read. pink are books authors have requested i lock in to my reading schedule. 100 just sounded like an impressive number of books, and went into the contest evenly as 1/3 of the books, just felt like a good number. the order is just the books i’ve read, and then after that it’s just each bloggers list of books i haven’t gotten to yet.
I’m very excited to see Chaos Trims my Beard on there. Thank you so much for considering reading it. I’d love to lock it in if Fantasy Faction hasn’t filled up yet!
locked you in, look forward to reading it!
I’m vastly surprised you chose to list my book instead of entrees by already established authors. I don’t know if you will enjoy An Ominous Book (readers seem to be divided regarding if they love or hate the ending), but who knows!
So… Do you just not sleep? Ever?
lol no not really, i’m regularly up until the sun rises, i have a sleeping disorder, literal diagnosed insomniac. it’s nice and quiet to read through the night, pretty peaceful. sleep would be nice, but books are okay too i guess.
That explains a lot! I couldn’t think of much better company than books ^_^
I’d love for you to review Whom the Gods Love from the BookWorm Blues set. I didn’t make the semi-finals for them, but they did give me 4 stars. 🙂 Or if you’d prefer, I have The Arbiter in the FBC set. It hasn’t been reviewed yet. WTGL is a bit lighter, closer to Princess Bride in mood. The Arbiter is a little darker, closer to the Sabriel end of fantasy in terms of the grim mood.
I believe I still have room in Bookworm Blues category so I can switch things around for you
I’m always down for lighter more comedic books.
Thank you! I hope it’s an enjoyable read for you.
(Your name is going to make me start saying waily again. 😉 )
Enjoying your reviews, and truly awed by your reading prowess combined with the actual process of review writing, and they’re not short reviews either. My wife is also a long-term insomniac, and I’m wondering if I should suggest blogging! Thanks again for including Pagan Heart in your 100, and I hope it proves enjoyable whatever time you read it, but night would be best, accompanied by candlelight, with a storm wind blowing and a dram or two of single malt by your side. Slàinte!
Thanks! It’s a lot of work but i have fun with it, lots of really awesome books in spfbo this year. slowly working through the 100, hopefully i can get to Pagan Heart when I finish up the last few i’m currently on
And thanks for locking Pagan Heart in, much appreciated.
i had the notes written down but just hadn’t updated yet 🙂
I’m also an insomniac so that’s how I put the reading and reviews in for FBR. I get distracted easily by Youtube though lol
Wow, I just stumbled on to this post looking for news on SPFBO, and I’m honored to see my book “The Dead God’s Due” on your list. This endeavor is a real service to the community.
Thanks, so far I’m having a lot of fun with it, a lot of really good books. That’s funny that my blog popped up under that search, kinda awesome.