armedwithabook avatar armedwithabook book blogger

Book blogger, avid reader, writer. If I love a book, my gushing review can take about 10 min to read. I love working with authors and hosting them at my little place on the Internet.

https://www.armedwithabook.com/

Indie Ink Awards 2023 Judge




Reviews

THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files

THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files by T S Galindo

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

THE INSTITUTE Stolen Case Files is a great short stories collection. Each story can be analyzed on its own merit and would serve as a great point of discussion about technological advancements and living.

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Moon Soul

Moon Soul by Nathaniel Luscombe

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

Calling fans of The Psalm of the Wild-Built and Legends & Lattes: Have you read Nathaniel Luscombe's novella, Moon Soul? If you haven't, let me convince you to pick it up. It is beautiful.

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The Name-Bearer (Flowers of Prophecy #1)

The Name-Bearer (Flowers of Prophecy #1) by Natalia Hernandez

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well

Gripping start. Stellar cover. I didn’t find the second half as engaging but I liked the book enough to complete this duology when I get a chance!

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Unpainted

Unpainted by Dan Fitzgerald

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well

I was looking for something closer to real life in fantasy and this was perfect to pick up! I enjoyed all the romantic parts as well as the reflections that Tera and Aven shared about their sexuality.

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Snowlands

Snowlands by Morr Meroz

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well

This book feels like watching a movie. It is emotional, immersive, captivating with beautiful and expressive art. The story captured me from the very start.

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Overlap: The Lives of a Former Time Jumper

Overlap: The Lives of a Former Time Jumper by N. Joseph Glass

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

A thought-provoking and interesting novella on time travel with roots of The Time Machine, Dark Matter, Tell Me An Ending and the Travellers TV show. Very well done!


Second Star to the Left

Second Star to the Left by Megan Van Dyke

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

I enjoyed getting to know the characters from Peter Pan in this new light!


The Garden of the Golden Children

The Garden of the Golden Children by Ashley Hutchison

Worldbuilding: Piqued curiosity
Plot: Ambiguous
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Adequately represents the story
Content Warnings: Child abuse, sexual assault, suicide

Confusing, unsettling and uncomfortable.

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The Case Files of Sheridan Bell: The Vanishing Beast

The Case Files of Sheridan Bell: The Vanishing Beast by Em Rowene

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Adequately represents the story

What Happened on Box Hill

What Happened on Box Hill by Elizabeth Gilliland

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well

This was a fun read with so many Austen characters in real life. Drama and murder indeed.

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At the Trough

At the Trough by Adam Knight

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Descriptive
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Adequately represents the story
Content Warnings: Profanity, Suicide, Abuse, Violence, and Death

Such a thought-provoking read about the future of education.

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City Kitties

City Kitties by Rizwan Asad

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well

The illustrations are beautifully done and compliment the dialogue. This was an easy read and I can see children enjoying it!

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Dio in the Dark

Dio in the Dark by Rizwan Asad

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story

Good read! I really enjoyed seeing the gods in modern day Toronto!

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The Thirteenth Hour

The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well
Content Warnings: See Trudie's website for full list

Haven't been able to get this out of my head since I finished it. One of my longest review on the blog. :)

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The Living Waters

The Living Waters by Dan Fitzgerald

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

The Living Waters is a wonderful book I hope to revisit again. The ethereal and grounding feel of the world is like none other I have experienced. The relationships that the characters form are beautifully written.

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Goodbye to the Sun

Goodbye to the Sun by Jonathan Nevair

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: Did some research after reading
Cover: Matches the story well

Beautifully written, I enjoyed this space opera!

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Miss Percy's Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons

Miss Percy's Pocket Guide to the Care and Feeding of British Dragons by Quenby Olson

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Adequately represents the story
Content Warnings: Very mild profanity

It is fun, fast-paced and adorable. A mix of Fantasy and Regency that I was missing out on!

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Let Loose the Fallen: Book Two of Children of the Nexus

Let Loose the Fallen: Book Two of Children of the Nexus by S. Kaeth

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

This was an amazing 2nd book! Review link is now added :)

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Moon Rising

Moon Rising by Daniel Weisbeck

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story
Content Warnings: Mild references to sexual abuse, violence, and graphic language

I could not put it down and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a short (this is under 250 pages!) adventure that will lead to an epic adventure in the next book. Can’t wait to read it!

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Parasites

Parasites by Matthew Samuels

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Mostly clear
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Minimalistic
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Adequately represents the story

I enjoyed this book, the world descriptions and more! Lots of potential there.

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Between Starfalls

Between Starfalls by S. Kaeth

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Roles are clear
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Didn’t want to put the book down
Emotional Response: Strong emotions
Thought Provoking: New ideas came up
Cover: Matches the story well

One of my favourite books of 2020!

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The Eye of Ra

The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner

Worldbuilding: Aided the story
Plot: Straightforward
Characters: Some more thought out than others
Storytelling: Balanced
Immersion: Satisfying, fulfilling experience
Emotional Response: Engaging
Thought Provoking: Focus on the story solely
Cover: Matches the story well

The Eye of Ra was a trip down memory lane in its unique manner – it added experience to the place I had only visited in textbooks and non-fiction books.

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