Round one of BBNYA 2024 has concluded and the semi-finalists have been announced, but we can’t discuss them yet. Out of the 23 excerpts I read only 7 made it to the next round, so of course many of those I enjoyed are out of the competition. I want to congratulate the ones that made it to round 2, but also highlight my favorite books that went out in the first round.
1. Render to Silver, by Catherine Labadie
The prose is more beige than the elaborate cover suggests. Despite it being a calm opening scene it kept me on the edge of my seat. This might’ve had the best/worst spot to stop the excerpt that I believe the author could hear my “Noooooo!” at the end.
2. Soultaming the Serpent, by Tar Atore
The prose pulled me in from the start. I liked that the older main character showed resistance to change. I was also very intrigued by the worldbuilding.
3. Spark of the Divine, by Louise Holland
This one was the closest to what I usually read and enjoy. I’d heard great things about it and the quality surprised me in a good way. I want to know MOOOAAAR!
4. Birthright, by M.A. Vice
This was the most particular one of my batch as it feels like nothing I’ve read before in fantasy, at least the POV and the moment in time when the story starts. The main character is non-human and his nature is pretty much a tabula rasa for now, so I’m not sure what to expect. It’s atmospheric and intriguing.
5. The Hunter’s Lament, by Steve Pannett
I liked the gritty vibe of this one. Several characters were introduced and they all felt different and interesting. Not sure where the story is going but I’d love to read more.
Special mention: The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle, by Steve Hugh Westenra
Ok, I couldn’t choose only five. The reason for this bonus is it was the only comedy horror one and that’s not a genre I usually read. Still, I’m all in to keep reading it as I found it funny and atmospheric. I wasn’t fully sold on this “Tyler Kyle” person, but I guess there’s a reason he’s erstwhile.
About Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award:
BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Tiny Elf Arcanist 
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