Category Archives: Self publishing

The Last Descendant (Sanyare Chronicles #1) by Megan Haskell – My Review!!

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The Last Descendant – My Review!!

The Last Descendant Cover

I found The Last Descendant (Sanyare Chronicles #1) on Indie Brag, a site that showcases the best of Indie Authors. After reading the blurb, I added it to the TBR list. Here’s my review!

Synopsis (from the author):

Raised in a realm where humans are no better than slaves, Rie Lhethannien has struggled for decades to earn a meager post in the High Court messenger service. Even training as an elite fighter isn’t enough to earn the respect she craves. Scorned by the high elves who rely on her loyalty, Rie’s closest allies are the fierce carnivorous pixies who travel by her side.

When she’s attacked on a routine delivery by assassins from the enemy Shadow Realm, Rie’s martial prowess keeps her alive…and frames her as a traitor. Facing execution at the hand of an unmerciful high elf king, Rie must forsake her oaths and flee into enemy lands to prove her innocence. The secrets she uncovers may threaten more than her honor or even her life…for war is looming in the nine faerie realms. 

What I liked about The Last Descendant:

The Last Descendant has all the great fantasy elements. Rie, a human coming into unknown powers, intrigue, battles, magic, elves, a forbidden realm, and a quest to uncover the truth. What more can a fantasy reader ask for? In addition, it’s a well-written and well-paced book. Fantasy lovers a series to keep them occupied. Well done, Megan Haskell!

What I didn’t like about The Last Descendant:

I’m not asking for an info dump, but more background on the Shadow Realm would help. I’m sure it comes out in the subsequent books, though, so I’ll have to wait.

Overall impression:

As with all the books I’ve read with Indie Brag Medallions, The Last Descendant (Sanyare Chronicles #1) is well-written and entertaining! Good characters, nice battles scenes, intrigue, and a touch of romance make it a book worth reading! I recommend this one to anyone who likes fantasy!

My rating:

5 Stars

Connect with Megan Haskell:

Find out more about Megan Haskell and her books on her website or her Amazon Author page! While you’re there, please consider leaving a review or a comment (and maybe buy a book or two)!

Connect with me:

I’m always interested in meeting new friends. Find me on the socials on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, Google+, and Tumblr. Say hi and let’s start a conversation!

 

An AWOL Stardrives: Fleet of Man by Merv Miller – My Review!!

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An AWOL Stardrives: Fleet of Man – My Review!!

Stardrives

As many of my readers know, I spent time in the US Navy running nuclear power plants. I’m also a member of a Facebook group for people who graduated from Naval Nuclear Power School. In that group, I saw a discussion of An AWOL Stardrives: Fleet of Man by Mervin Miller. Mervin Miller is a former Navy Nuke, too, so I decided to check out the book. Read on for my thoughts!

Synopsis (from the author): The Fleet of Man departed Earth a long, long time in the past. The location of Earth has been lost for nearly as long. Through a series of incidents a single man has stumbled upon clues to the location of this fabled world and begins a quest to find the lost Man Home. His actions trigger consequences beyond his understanding or control.

What I liked: I enjoyed the book! The hero, a NewMan, is a Stardrives, meaning he is responsible for the engine on the starship. He gets transferred to another post and discovers a path to the long-lost ManHome. From there, the story gets interesting, especially when he finds a woman. But, no spoilers from me. An AWOL Stardrives: Fleet of Man has cool technology, an intriguing quest, and pretty memorable characters. All told, a good sci-fi read!

What I didn’t like: I’ll do my best to avoid spoilers, but a couple of things took me out of the story. First, if there weren’t women, where did the NewMan originate? Secondly, where did the OldMen come from? A few plot holes also detracted from the story, but I can’t tell them without spoilers.

Overall impression: Mervin Miller’s An AWOL Stardrives: Fleet of Man is worth a look. If you enjoy sci-fi and a different take on space travel and adventures, this is a book for you.

My rating: 4 Stars

Connect with Mervin Miller: Find Mervin Miller and his books on his Amazon Author Page and his Goodreads page. While you’re there, please consider leaving a comment or a review and let him know your thoughts on his book. Maybe pick up the next books in the series, too!

Connect with me: Find me on the socials and let’s connect! I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblr, and Pinterest. Stop by and say hi! As always, shares and comments are greatly appreciated!

The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker – My Review!!

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The Emperor’s Edge – My Review!!

Emperor's

 

 

Steampunk is a genre I’m beginning to like more as I read it more often. I enjoyed the mix of fantasy and steampunk elements in Lindsay Buroker’s The Emperor’s Edge quite a lot. Here are my thoughts.

Synopsis (from the author): Imperial law enforcer Amaranthe Lokdon is good at her job: she can deter thieves and pacify thugs, if not with a blade, then by toppling an eight-foot pile of coffee canisters onto their heads. But when ravaged bodies show up on the waterfront, an arson covers up human sacrifices, and a powerful business coalition plots to kill the emperor, she feels a tad overwhelmed.

Worse, Sicarius, the empire’s most notorious assassin, is in town. He’s tied in with the chaos somehow, but Amaranthe would be a fool to cross his path. Unfortunately, her superiors order her to hunt him down. Either they have an unprecedented belief in her skills… or someone wants her dead.

What I liked: In addition to the fantasy and steampunk I mentioned above, I simply liked the story. Amaranthe is a nice character, with tons of self-confidence (and a bit of self-doubt), Sicarius is a believable villain/hero with a mysterious side, and the rest of the supporting cast plays their roles well. Filled with enough action and intrigue to keep me turning pages, The Emperor’s Edge was a most enjoyable book!

What I didn’t like: The Emperor came across as an idealistic simpleton, and the regent was a bit stereotypical. Likewise, the gang Amaranthe negotiated with was too easy for a tough street cabal.

Overall impression: The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker was a fun steampunk read. I liked the characters, the action, and the way the villains ended. All in all, a good book for those who enjoy fantasy and steampunk!

My rating: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Have you read The Emperor’s Edge by Lindsay Buroker? What about any of her other books (and there are a bunch)? If you have, or plan to, please consider leaving a review. It only takes a few minutes and authors love them!! Another thing authors like is to connect with their readers and fans. You can find Lindsay Buroker on her Amazon Author page or her website.

Speaking of connecting, you can connect with me on the socials! Don’t be shy, just stop by and say hi. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, Tumblr, and Pinterest. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe. Lastly, if you want to email me, drop me a line at bill@williamlstuart.com!

 

Book Marketing Update – New Sites I have Discovered!

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I wanted to provide a book marketing update on some new sites (at least new to me) that I have discovered and how things are going on the marketing front. I hope some of this will be helpful to you, too!

The first new site I want to talk about is YA Books Central. I found the site through a tweet that showed up in my feed. Since The Gemstone Chronicles is written for middle grade/YA and up, I decided to check it out to see if I could reach more of my target audience (not that I mind getting reviews from adults). I was impressed by what I found. Here are some interesting things I found out about the site:

  • The site has a ton of books and it has a separate place for Indie books. It makes it easier to find works by Indie authors
  • @yabookscentral has over 33K followers on Twitter
  • The site does offer reviews for traditionally published authors, and may review Indie books on occasion
  • YABC on Facebook has over 14000 likes
  • YABC is on Tumblr, too!
  • Once you submit your book and it is approved (it cost me $3.99 to list my book), it is listed on the site with a cover photo and a link for sales. In the 3 days (as of April 3) since I posted my book, I have had over 50 views of the book.
  • They also have a separate page for Kid’s books

Update! All four of The Gemstone Chronicles are now on YABC! In fact, Book One: The Carnelian is HOT on the site.

If you are a YA or Kids author, this might be a great place to list your book! To give you an idea of what the site looks like, here is a link to my book: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yaindie/17879-the-carnelian-the-gemstone-chronicles-series-1

IndieBRAG: I found this site after seeing a fellow author’s BRAG medallion. BRAG stands for Book Readers Appreciation Group and they will award a BRAG Medallion for books that have passed the rigorous standards for their reviews. Here are some facts about IndieBRAG:

  • IndieBRAG is not a free site to submit a book. It costs $20 for a book to be considered for a review. Since I made a little money from the Augusta Literary Festival, I decided I would submit. We will see what happens!
  • IndieBRAG has over 9400 Facebook Likes
  • IndieBRAG has over 5300 Twitter followers

Update! I did submit my book to the site and guess what – The Carnelian was awarded a BRAG Medallion!

THE-GEMSTONE-CHRONICLES-BRAG-for-Web 1

The last new place I want to tell you about is Cold Coffee Cafe. I stumbled across this site on Twitter. It’s a free site for authors to join and list their books and trailers. I signed up and haven’t finished setting everything up yet, but I do have The Carnelian listed and its trailer is linked there, too. More information on Cold Coffee Cafe:

  • Just over 600 Twitter followers
  • Just over 650 likes on Facebook
  • Offers promotional packages

My page link at Cold Coffee Cafe is: http://coldcoffeecafe.com/profile/WilliamlStuart

As far as my marketing efforts are concerned, things have picked up since I have been implementing my own marketing plan. I continue to refine my strategy and, once I stumble on the key(s) to successful (and low-cost) book marketing strategies, I will share!

In conclusion, here is my Book Marketing update! I don’t know how well any of these might work within your advertising and promotional budget and strategy, but give them a look!

Connect with me:

If you want to connect with me, I can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, or send me an email at bill@williamlstuart.com. Feel free to connect!!

 

 

 

Suwanee Fest 2016 – A Great Weekend – Even With the Rain!!

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Sorry I’m a little bit behind on my posts. Been a crazy couple of weeks! And the crazy weeks started with Suwanee Fest 2016!

Suwanee Fest? What’s Suwanee Fest? Well, as many of you know, I live just north of Atlanta, GA in Buford, GA. Just south of Buford is Suwanee, GA, Suwanee is a small city of about 18,000 people. Every year, the city hosts Suwanee Fest. The event website refers to the festival as “Two days of family, friends, food, and fun!” I can attest to the fact it was all of that!

There was a ton of entertainment (including my favorite Who’s Bad – The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band), great food, almost too many amazing exhibitors to count, and The Gemstone Chronicles!

Yep, I was there with books in hand to meet and greet new friends and readers of the series. And it was a blast! Not only did I sell a few books, but I also met so many awesome people. I talked about gemstones for hours, referred a few to my favorite gem hunting spot (Gold n’ Gems Grubbin’), and got to spend a couple of hours with my brother John and my niece Aidia. Overall, not a bad way to spend a Saturday! Below is the picture of my booth before the fun began.

Suwanee Fest Booth

Book interest was at an all-time high, and my editor extraordinaire Abby (who doubles as the City of Suwanee Public Information Officer) tried to stop by a few times to say hello. Every time she tried to stop by, though, I was interacting with new friends! Like I said, not a bad way to spend a Saturday!!

Unfortunately, Sunday was not the best day. Despite the great entertainment, the rains came and wouldn’t go away! Nonetheless, The Gemstone Chronicles staffed the booth in hopes of meeting more new friends. Alas, it wasn’t to be as the rains kept visitors away. On the plus side, though, John came by (and helped me pack up during one of the few breaks in the rain) and I had the chance to talk with Abby for a few minutes.

Suwanee Fest 2016 was a great event and I hope to attend again next year! If I met you, sold you a book (or 4), gave you a gemstone, or simply talked about gemstones, thanks for stopping by the booth! I truly appreciate each and every person who took time out of their celebration to visit with me and buy a book. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! If we did interact, and you have my contact information, give me a shout and let me know.

Connect with me:

In case you didn’t pick up a card or a bookmark, you can connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, or Tumblr. You can also email me here at bill@williamlstuart.com!

Shield of Skool by Gordon Brewer – My Review!!

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Shield of Skool – My Review!!

 

Shield of Skool Cover

 

Epic fantasy is one of my favorite genres. I saw the Shield of Skool by Gordon Brewer and liked the way it sounded. Read on for my review!

Synopsis (from the author): In this epic fantasy, a modest mission from his overlord turns into a perilous trek and personal quest for Urith, known as the Clovel Destroyer. Leading his nephew Oslaf across enemy lands, the warriors find allies in the demigod Mivraa and a beautiful young prophetess named Fedelm. As told by mystic visions, one of the group is destined to discover the first piece of the lost Skool, an ancient weapon of the gods, long thought destroyed.

On their quest to recover this powerful weapon, they must battle mortal enemies, both human, and monster, who will stop at nothing to terminate them. The overlords who rule the lands of Kamin are against them, and chaos begins to creep into the mortal world. The realms of the gods start to become a battleground for control of the terrifying weapon. All sides learn they have much to fear about their future when enemies create shifting alliances. The powerful and the weak become treacherous partners in the race to find the Shield of Skool.

What I liked: The Shield of Skool is my kind of epic fantasy! Full of battles, an honor code among warriors, gods interfering with humans, intrigue, and a cool world, the Shield of Skool has it all. I enjoyed Urith as a character, and Oslaf is a good sidekick to the more experienced warrior. The budding attraction between Oslaf and Fedelm (and between Mivraa and Urith) add an interesting flavor to the story. The underworld god and goddess are delightfully evil. All told a nice start to the Clovel Sword series!

 

What I didn’t like: As much as I enjoyed the story, the Shield of Skool needs another review by an editor. I found many errors that detracted from the tale.

Overall impression: The Shield of Skool was an enjoyable read. With a review by an editor, and some corrections, this would be an excellent start to an epic fantasy series! I rounded it to 4 stars (since Amazon doesn’t allow half-stars).

My rating: 3.5 Stars (rounded to 4)

Connect with the author:

If you read Shield of Skool by Gordon Brewer, please consider leaving a review. And check out his other books through his Amazon Author Page or his website.

Connect with me:

Did you like my review? Leave me a comment and let me know. If you prefer, you can email me at bill@williamlstuart.com, or connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, or Tumblr. I look forward to meeting new friends!

Blott (The Canvas Chronicles Book 1) by Daniel Parsons – My Review

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Blott (The Canvas Chronicles Book 1) – My Review!!

Blott Cover

 

 

I saw the cover for this book (recommended to me in my Amazon feed) and was intrigued. I read the blurb and liked what it said, so I picked it up. I’m glad I did!

Synopsis (from the author): When a devastating famine forces Blott to disobey his parents and leave his remote village in search of food, he learns three things that change his life forever.

1. The world outside his village is made up of a giant canvas that stretches all the way to the horizon.

2. A freakish ability that he has kept secret for years means that he can paint life into the fabric, and shape new land around him to save his people from extinction.

3. A sinister voice inside his head has other ideas, threatening to consume him and unleash an untold evil onto the community.

Will Blott create a perfect world, or will he let his inner demon paint with darker colours?
The fate of his people rests in the balance.

What I liked: This book started with a bang! Blott running for his life! The action continued throughout the book and kept me in the story. Daniel Parsons did an excellent job of building a strange world and filling it with interesting characters. Blott, the awkward teen who bleeds ink, Seraph, his best friend, and Arcana, the leader of the town, are instrumental in the book. I connected with Blott and sympathized with his plight. And the evil Alkali was cool! All said, a good read!

What I didn’t like: I thought Seraph could have played a bigger role than she did. Another thing that didn’t make sense to me was Blott’s reluctance to his creations. Blott was brave enough to strike out to find food for the town, but waited until others died at the hands of his creations before fighting them.

Overall impression: I liked this book! The story is original, the characters easy to identify with, and the action well done. I recommend this book to any reader who enjoys a different kind of fantasy world!

My rating: 4 Stars

Connect with the author:

If you read Blott, please consider leaving a review where you purchased the book. Authors always like to hear from readers! You can also connect with Daniel Parsons on his Amazon Author Page or at his website.

Connect with me:

If you want to leave me a comment on my review, I can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, and Tumblr. You can drop me a note at bill@williamlstuart.com or just leave a comment below. If you don’t want to miss a post, please subscribe to the blog. I look forward to hearing from you!

Blast of the Dragon’s Fury by L.R.W. Lee – My Review

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Blast of the Dragon’s Fury by LRW Lee is one of my latest reads. I found the book through the Independent Author Network and I loved the cover and the blurb sounded like my kind of book. Read on to see what I thought!

Blast of the Dragon's Fury Cover

Synopsis (from the author): Ten-year-old Andy Smithson believes he is merely a kid too often in trouble with his overambitious parents–until his destiny as the Chosen One to break a 500-year-old curse is revealed. Swept away to the land of Oomaldee of medieval times, he discovers he must collect several ingredients for a magic potion to defeat the oppressive curse that plagues the land, the first of which is the scale of a red dragon, the fiercest of all dragon species. There’s just one tiny problem, he’s never battled dragons, except in his Dragon Slayer video game. Armed with only his wits, an ancient sword and a magic key, he must overcome grave peril at every turn before he can even attempt the feat. No pressure, but it’s his skill alone that will save – or condemn – the kingdom forever.

What I liked: This book, the first in a series, is a unique twist on the hero tale. The hero, in this case, is a ten-year-old boy who is transported to a kingdom that is under a curse. Andy is a good character, and fits the typical kid profile. His parents are both CEOs, so he feels neglected. The king – who wears jeans and t-shirts – was an interesting take on the ruler who needs help, and Mermin (Merlin’s brother) is a bumbling sort of wizard. My favorite character was Alden, the servant boy who befriends Andy and shares his adventures. The story moves along nicely, with action appropriate to the age group. The book entertained me with its humor and was a good read!

What I didn’t like: The one complaint I have is that the King doesn’t reveal what caused the curse or why Andy must be the one to break it. I realize the story will be revealed later in the series, but a little more information would have helped!

Overall impression: The first book of the Andy Smithson series, Blast of the Dragon’s Fury is a good middle grade and above read. It’s entertaining enough for adults, and younger readers will enjoy the unique use of cow farts! Full of humor, adventure, magic, and heroes, the story flowed nicely and kept me entertained! I will add the rest of the series to my TBR list!!

My rating: 5 Stars

Connect with the author:

If you read Blast of the Dragon’s Fury by L.R.W. Lee, please consider leaving a review! And connect with L.R.W. Lee on her site at LRWLee.com!

Connect with me:

Want to leave a comment on my review? Please do! I love to hear from readers! If you want to connect with me, find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Google+, or Tumblr. You can also email me at bill@williamlstuart.com. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to the blog!

 

The Ruby of Helios by Scott Collins – My Review!!

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The Ruby of Helios – My Review!

After a long hiatus, I have decided to resume posting my reviews to my blog! I think the last time I posted a review was in 2013, so it just seemed the time to start again. I’m proud to relaunch my blog review posts with The Ruby of Helios by Scott Collins!

The Ruby of Helios Web Cover

 

I read the first two books of this series (gave them both 5 star ratings), so it was only natural for me to read the third installment. As with the first two, this one was also an excellent read!

Synopsis (from the author): In their quest to overthrow the reign of the evil King Argyle so they can free their parents and the rest of his slaves, a small clan of youngsters has banded together to reunite the jewels of the Scepter of Harmony.

Having stolen the Emerald of Phaunos and reuniting it with the scepter, they must once again test their skills and resolve as they face the challenge of grabbing the Ruby of Helios from a ruthless band of raiders.

With the diegylis still hot on their heels, the band of rebels navigate the waters of the Great Lake, as well as the scorching desert of the Land of Sands, before facing a tribe of reptilian beasts who would rather die than relinquish the power of the ruby.

Though unexpected help comes from two powerful sources, will it be enough to save one of them from certain death, and the others from overwhelming odds?

Failure is not an option, for if they don’t succeed, Argyle will destroy the scepter, and the kingdom will collapse into ruin.

What I liked: The characters of Daniel, Aidan, Lilly, Olivia, and Zack are familiar and ones with which I connected early in the series. I enjoyed this particular set of trials, from pirates, and merpeople, to the diegylis, and the threat of Argyle himself. The ingenuity of the characters to exploit their own abilities to help get out of scrapes makes for a fun read.

What I didn’t like: Argyle, the evil King, seems a little one-dimensional to me. I understand the need to portray the villain as purely evil, but a little more depth, or even some additional background on the King would help frame him better. Other than that, not much to dislike.

Overall impression: Like the first two books of this series, I truly enjoyed the read. The familiar characters, interesting situations, and the continuing quest to free their world from the clutches of King Argyle make this book an excellent addition to the series. Recommended for fantasy readers of all ages!

My rating: 5 Stars

Connect with the author:

Give this book a try, but I would say that it would be most helpful to read the first two books of the series first. If you do, please consider leaving a review. I know Scott will appreciate it! Find out more about Scott on his Amazon author page or on his website!

Connect with me:

If you want to leave me a comment on my review, please do! If you want to connect with me on social media, I can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Goodreads, Tumblr, or just email me at bill@williamlstuart.com!

2015 – A Year in Reviews!!

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2015---A-Year-in-ReviewWeb

2015 – A Year in Reviews! 2015 was a busy reading year for me. As an Indie author, I realize the importance of reviews. Reviews provide feedback from readers, gives the author a chance to interact with readers, makes new friends, and generally improve his/her writing. In 2015, I decided I would write reviews for all the books I read, post them to as many sites as I could, and try to give constructive feedback to the authors.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I typically buy the books I read so I don’t create any obligation to provide a “good” review. However, since I am trying to help authors, if I cannot give at least a 4 Star review, I try to contact the author directly to offer my comments, rather than post the review. In this post, I wanted to list all my reviews, a link to the Amazon.com review, and the star rating I gave each book. So, without further ado, here is my 2015 review list from newest to oldest!

Darkspire Reaches by C N Lesley: 4 Stars

Scroll Back by Jay Stamatis and Steven Stamatis: 4 Stars

We Journey No More by Sahara Foley: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Lodestone Book 1: Witch Hunt by Wendy Scott: 5 Stars

Necessary Evil of Nathan Miller by Demelza Carlton: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Rys Rising by Tracy Falbe: 5 Stars

Daniel’s Fork: A Mystery Set in the Daniel’s Fork Universe by Zeece Lugo: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

The Wanderer: Book One of the Godsend Series: Section One by Timothious Smith: 4 Stars

The Battle for Brisingamen by Harmony Kent: 4 Stars

Timelapse by Lorrie Farrelly: 5 Stars

Halfway Dead by Terry Maggert: 5 Stars

A Pink Zombie, With a Mist by Jada Ryker: 4 Stars

Hero For Hire (Eno The Thracian Book 1) by C B Pratt: 5 Stars

Think Murder by Cassidy Salem: 4 Stars

The Dark Masters: Tales of Nevaeh: Volume II by David Wind: 5 Stars

Worlds of the Never (Tales of the Neverwar 2) by C J Rutherford: 5 Stars

Haunted Hearts – #1: A Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery by Kim Cox: 4 Stars

The Soldier’s Secret by Heather Anne Osborne: 5 Stars

Simple by Dena Nicotra: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

I Hero: The Beginning by Jason Zandri: 4 Stars

The Dry by Rebecca Nolen: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Glitter of Magic: The Knight and the Fairy (Myth Retold, Book 1) by J. R. Biery: 4 Stars

Dragon Fireside Tales: The Dragon Chronicles by Adam Boustead: 4 Stars

The Revelation Room (The Ben Whittle Investigation Series Book 1) by Mark Tilbury: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Everwud Book 3: Revolution by Marilyn Dieckmann: 5 Stars

Edge of the World: A Dystopian Story Set in the Daniel’s Fork Universe by Zeece Lugo: 4 Stars

Doom (The Heart of the Staff Book 6) by Carol Marrs Phipps: 5 Stars

Crystal Conquest by Doug J. Cooper: 5 Stars

Birth of an Assassin by Rik Stone: 4 Stars

Born To Magic: Tales of Nevaeh: Volume 1 by David Wind: 5 Stars

Bound to Survive: The Magic Within (The Magic Within Series Book 1) by Sharon Gibbs: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Forever Boy (Clockpunk Wizard Book 1) by Lita Burke: 4 Stars

Origins of the Never (A Prequel to The War of the Neverwar Series) by C J Rutherford: 5 Stars

The Unknown Sun by Cheryl Mackey: 5 Stars

The Reaper Witch (Heart of the Staff Book 5) by Carol Marrs Phipps: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Kyrathaba Rising (Kyrathaba Chronicles Book 1) by William Bryan Miller: 5 Stars

Elevation of the Marked by March McCarron: 5 Stars

The Secret of Excalibur by Sahara Foley: 4 Stars

Crystal Deception by Doug J Cooper: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Alien Nightmares by Sharon Delarose: 4 Stars

A Demon’s Quest: The Beginning of the End by Charles Carfagno: 4 Stars

Riddle of Prague (QuickSlver Legacy Series Book 1) by Laura DeBruce: 5 Stars

Tredan’s Bane by Lita Burke: 4 Stars

Division of the Marked by March McCarron: 5 Stars

Hunter’s Haven by Linda Thackery: 4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Forest Bull (The Fearless Book 1) by Terry Maggert: 4 Stars

There you have my 2015 – A Year in Reviews list. Everything from fantasy, science fiction, paranormal romance, mysteries, thrillers, adult to middle grades, and a bit of dystopia thrown in for good measure. I hope maybe you can find a new author to read in 2016 based on this list.

If you do decide to read one of these books, or if you decide to read one (or more) of The Gemstone Chronicles, please consider leaving a review. And, if you do find something interesting to read, leave me a comment, send me an email, or connect with me on social media and let me know! I would love to read your review of the books!

Connect with me:

On social media, I can be found on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Goodreads, Tumblr, or just email me at bill@williamlstuart.com! Or, if you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to the blog!

Happy New Year and best wishes for a fantastic 2016!