Posted by Every year we’ve got to eliminate all but one of our books to send forward. For those that have followed us through the SPFBO years know we start with those we DNF’d in batches of three. If we can stay on schedule, every Monday we will have a cuts post, and Tuesday’s we will have semi finalist announcements 😀
We want to thank all of the authors in our group for their submissions, and we hope you can find readers through our reviews. Even if they weren’t our thing, maybe they’ll be your thing!
Kristen’s Cuts
Snowborn by Larema Dixon
This was a fairly well written story about a girl named Elurra. She has a nightmare about her parents getting killed by her evil aunt, and when the dream turns true, her evil aunt steals the throne and sends her out to a neighboring kingdom, presumably to start a war. She runs into some unexpected allies, and together they do their best to thwart the evil sorceress aunt’s schemes. I had trouble getting into the story because I never really found myself cheering for Elurra, but if you’re into stories where an unlikely and young hero needs to take on the big-bad, this may be the story for you!
One Nation Under Gods by Reeshi Ray
This was a very interesting story about a future USA where superpowered humans, known as Specials, have killed off the entire presidential line of succession and then taken over the country. The story follows Houston Holt, who is a fixer in one of the remaining cities where humans survive. This was a very fast paced book, with an interesting premise, but I didn’t like the main character. It’s also more sci-fi than fantasy, to me, but if you like superhero stories or post-apocalyptic America stories, this one may be of interest!
The Scars of Gaia by R.P. Lauer
This is the story of James, who lives in a country that prizes strength. He is a merchant that trades with another country next door which prizes intelligence. When he meets a woman from that country who helps him get a special trading license, the shenanigans really start. This was an interesting idea, but I found myself struggling to stay interested in what was happening, as I never really connected to the main characters. Give this one a try if you’re into unique fantasy that feels sci-fi adjacent at times.