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2017’s Accepted Review Copies!
Here on Opinions of a Wolf, I accept submissions of review copies via a form between February and December. The books I accept will then be reviewed the following year. So, the books accepted for review here in 2017 were submitted in 2016. You can view more about my review process here. You may view the accepted review copies post for 2014, 2015, and 2016 by clicking on the years. I view the submissions I receive as my own mini-bookstore of indie books. I browse the shelves and pick up however many spark my interest.
This year there were 60 submissions, and I accepted 2 books. This means books featured on this post only had a 3% chance of being accepted.
I actively pursue submissions from women and GLBTQA authors, as well as books with GLBTQA content.
Before getting to the accepted books, I like to show the demographics of books submitted to me. This helps those submitting this year for review in 2018 see what I had an overload of and where they might stand a better chance of getting accepted. It also allows for a lot of transparency of my review acceptance process.
Although there are still fewer women authors submitting to me than men, the proportion of women is up from last year’s 38.7%. I would really like it if this could hit at least 50/50 next year. Of the two books I accepted, one is by a woman author.
This went way down from last year’s 24.2%. I would very much appreciate any help getting the word out to LGBTQA authors that I’m actively seeking their submissions. Of the two books I accepted, one is by a GLBTQA author.
This also went down from last year’s 29%. One of my top three genres of books read last year was GLBTQA lit, so I obviously would hope for more of this in the future. Also of note: both of my accepted books have GLBTQA content.
The top three most frequently submitted genres were:
1) Fantasy (including urban) 31.7%
2) Horror 30%
3) Scifi 28.3%
Note that books fitting into multiple genres had all genres checked off on their submission. I actually didn’t accept any scifi or fantasy books so remember when submitting that the most frequently submitted genre doesn’t necessarily correlate to most likely to get accepted.
The review copies are listed below in alphabetical order by title. Summaries are pulled from GoodReads or Amazon. Both books will feature giveaways thanks to the author at the time of review. These books will be read and reviewed here in 2017, although what order they are read in is entirely up to my whim at the moment.
The Eighth Day Brotherhood
By: Alice M. Phillips
Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery
Notable GLBTQA Content
Summary:
In Paris, 1888, the city prepares for the Exposition Universelle and the new Eiffel Tower swiftly rises on the bank of the Seine. One August morning, the sunrise reveals the embellished corpse of a young man suspended between the columns of the PanthEon, resembling a grotesque Icarus and marking the first in a macabre series of murders linked to Paris monuments. In the Latin Quarter, occult scholar Remy Sauvage is informed of his lover’s gruesome death and embarks upon his own investigation to avenge him by apprehending the cult known as the Eighth Day Brotherhood. At a nearby sanitarium, aspiring artist Claude Fournel becomes enamored with a mesmerist’s beautiful patient, Irish immigrant Margaret Finnegan. Resolved to steal her away from the asylum and obtain her for his muse, Claude only finds them both entwined in the Brotherhood’s apocalyptic plot combining magic, mythology, and murder.
Why I Accepted It:
It struck me as a queered up historical version of The DaVinci Code, and what’s not to like about that? Plus the excerpt was well-written.
Peacefully, In Her Sleep
By: Milo Bell
Genre: Mystery
Notable GLBTQA Content
Summary:
June Godfrey is a widowed crime writer living a well-ordered life in Barling, a village in Sussex, England. An anonymous letter, received by June’s friend Angela, reveals that the peacefulness of the quiet community may be illusory.
The letter’s author alleges that Angela’s aunt, Jacqueline Sims, was murdered. June is doubtful, yet when she begins a tentative investigation into the letter’s origins, she discovers that Jackie Sims was no sweet old lady. Jackie had been an unscrupulous blackmailer, and many could have wished her dead.
June uncovers startling secrets, and becomes entangled in the disappearance of an enigmatic teenaged girl. She crosses paths with the kindly, gentle Detective Inspector Guy Taverner, and when they join forces, they uncover a staggering and unexpected truth.
Why I Accepted It:
What struck me first was how well-written the excerpt was. When I saw that it’s a mystery set in an English village and had notable GLBTQA content, well, I had to read it.
Congratulations again to the accepted authors for 2017!
Interested in submitting for 2018? Find out how here.
2016’s Accepted Review Copies!
Here on Opinions of a Wolf, I accept submissions of review copies via a form between February and December. The books I accept will then be reviewed the following year. So, the books accepted for review here in 2016 were submitted in 2015. You can view more about my review process here. You may view the accepted review copies post for 2014 and 2015 by clicking on the years. For 2016, I decided to require authors to submit an excerpt along with their request, and I for the first time ever did not give a set number I would accept. Instead I accepted only those books that sparked my interest. Books I would have picked up anyway browsing in a bookstore or library, a thing that is difficult for indie authors to have happen. I basically view the submissions I receive as my own mini-bookstore of indie books.
This year there were 62 submissions. I accepted 7 books. This means I only accepted 11% of submitted books (down 5% from last year). Put another way, each book only had a 11% chance of being accepted.
I actively pursue submissions from women and GLBTQA authors, as well as books with GLBTQA content.
As you can see, 38.7% of authors submitting to me were women. I am disappointed to say this was not an increase from last year, in spite of my promotion efforts. Of the 7 books I accepted, 6 (86%) are written by women authors. Now, I do not preferentially choose books by women authors. My one rule is that I must not accept more books by male than female authors. This means the male authors submitting to me really failed to wow me, as I could have accepted 6 of them but ultimately only 1 appealed to me out of 38.
24.2% of authors submitting to me self-identify as GLBTQA. This is up from only 14% last year, a fact I am very happy about. Of the books I accepted, 4 (57%) were by GLBTQA authors. The GLBTQA authors really impressed me, you guys.
Interestingly, 29% of the books submitted to me have GLBTQA content. Again, this means cis-heterosexual authors are also writing about GLBTQA issues, which I appreciate. Of the books I accepted, 4 (57%) have GLBTQA content, and no, they are not the exact same 4 that have GLBTQA authors. Authors of all gender and sexual orientations write about people of all gender and sexual orientations, and this is definitely reflected in what was submitted to me.
You can see that the overwhelming majority of the books submitted to me were a scifi (37.1%) or thriller (32.3%) with horror a close third (22.6%). At the other end of the spectrum, nonfiction GLBTQA, nonfiction health and fitness, and nonfiction cookbook all had zero submissions. For fiction, cozies had the fewest submissions (3.2%), followed by a tie between paranormal or western romance and historical fiction with 6.5% each. Keep in mind that I let authors check off more than one genre, if their book fits in more than one.
Of the 7 accepted books, 3 are scifi, 2 urban fantasy, and 2 paranormal or western romance, along with 1 fantasy, 1 cozy, and 1 thriller. This means that only 5% (1 out of 20) of thrillers was accepted, whereas 50% (2 out of 4) of paranormal or western romance was.
I provide these stats for two reasons. First to give everyone an idea of the competition the accepted books were up against. It’s an accomplishment to be accepted for review here! Second, I want those considering submitting to me this year to look at these stats and take them into consideration when submitting. Consider the fact that I don’t want to read only scifi all year. If you have a nonfiction or a romance waiting to be reviewed, it has a higher chance of being accepted. But enough stats! It’s time to get to the accepted review copies!
The review copies are listed below in alphabetical order by title. Summaries are pulled from GoodReads or Amazon, since I have yet to read them myself and so cannot write my own. These books will be read and reviewed here in 2016, although what order they are read in is entirely up to my whim at the moment.
Black Magic and Mojitos
By: A.A. Chamberlynn
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Notable GLBTQA Content
Summary:
Zyan Star’s latest job is turning into a real Nightmare. Actually, a whole herd of them.
When supernatural bounty hunter Zyan Star jets down to Rio to meet a prospective client, everything goes as planned initially. That is, until she finds out the person hiring her is Raoul Cabrera, the half demon/half faery supernatural overlord of Brazil, who rubs elbows with Lucifer himself. And that he’s hired another bounty hunter, Donovan McGregor, to work with her.
Their target is a herd of Nightmares, horse spirits that torment people with visions of their worst fears before devouring their flesh. Zy and Donovan head out on the hunt, but it quickly becomes apparent that their client hasn’t given them all the facts. There’s a pissed-off, powerful witch summoning the Nightmares, and she’s out to exact some serious revenge on Raoul. Zy soon realizes she’s caught in the middle of a lover’s spat between two immensely powerful supernaturals, and it’s not clear whose side she should stand on. As if that weren’t enough, pulling off this job is going to require her to relive her worst fears and summon her own long-suppressed magical powers.
Let the supernatural Carnival begin.
Why I Accepted It:
It’s urban fantasy with evil horse spirits set in Brazil. Just typing that sentence gives me chills of excitement. And the excerpt I was given blew me away. And can I just say that cover (which I didn’t see when going through my submissions) is dynamite.
City of Roses Season One: Autumn Into Winter
By: Kip Manley
Genre: Paranormal or Western Romance, Urban Fantasy
Notable GLBTQA Content
Summary:
City of Roses is a serialized epic very firmly set in Portland, Oregon–an urban fantasy mixing magical realism with gonzo noirish prose, where sinister high-rise riverfront condos are fought by a sprawling tea-house constructed from scrap lumber and old windows, and ancient sea-gods retire to close-in Southeast apartments with lovely views. It’s the story of Jo Maguire, a highly strung, underemployed telemarketer, and what happens when she meets Ysabel, a princess of unspecified pedigree. Jo rather unexpectedly becomes Ysabel’s guardian and caretaker, and now must make a place for herself among Ysabel’s decidedly unusual family and friends–which involves rather more sword-play than most of us are used to.
This omnibus ebook collects the full first season of the critically acclaimed serial, chapters 1 – 22, also available in volume 1, “Wake up…” , and volume 2, The Dazzle of Day.
Why I Accepted It:
It just seemed so quirky. Much like Portland. And the excerpt, again, was great.
The Crow Box (Not released yet)
By: Nikki Rae
Genre: Paranormal or Western Romance
Summary:
The small wooden box is dirty, the size of a human fist, and sealed with wax. When Corbin takes it upon herself to clean it and break the seal, a voice she has tried to ignore gathers strength. Shadows play on the walls at night, and with a family history of mental illness, Corbin fears the worst. But the voice tells her it is real. That its name is Six and it will prove it in time.
Drawn to this mysterious entity, Corbin isn’t sure what to believe and the line between reality and her imagination blurs more every day.
Some doors should not be opened; can this one be closed?
Why I Accepted It:
The combination of the eerie foreboding nature of the summary with the author’s identifying it as a paranormal or western romance intrigued me. Plus the mental illness aspect fits right in with my ongoing Mental Illness Advocacy Reading Challenge.
The Fair & Foul
By: Allie Potts
Genre: Scifi
Summary:
Juliane has a supercomputer for a brain and she isn’t afraid to use it. Perhaps she should be.
Juliane Faris is a brilliant programmer determined to change the world through scientific and technical advancement. Blinded by ambition, she will do whatever it takes to secure her legacy including agreeing to participate in an experimental procedure. The procedure grants her unprecedented knowledge and cellular control over her body but threatens everything she holds dear including her sanity. When others undergo the same modifications it becomes apparent that not everyone can afford the price that this technology demands
Set in the not too distant future, The Fair & Foul is earth-based science fiction dealing with the next era of human evolution. The line between humanity and technology is blurring, and what seems like magic is only a scientific discovery away.
Why I Accepted It:
I’m a sucker for anything transhumanism, and this one stars a woman.
A Harvest of Ripe Figs
By: Shira Glassman
Genre: Cozy, Fantasy
Notable GLBTQA Content
Summary:
Esther of the Singing Hands is Perach’s Sweetheart, a young and beautiful musician with a Girl Next Door image. When her violin is stolen after a concert in the capital city, she doesn’t expect the queen herself to show up, intent upon solving the mystery.
But Queen Shulamit–lesbian, intellectual, and mother of the six month old crown princess–loves to play detective. With the help of her legendary bodyguard Rivka and her dragon, and with the support of her partner Aviva the Chef, Shulamit turns her mind toward the solution–which she quickly begins to suspect involves the use of illegal magic that could threaten the safety of her citizens.
Why I Accepted It:
It’s a cozy starring a happily partnered lesbian plus it has a dragon. I mean, how could I not?
Life First
By: RJ Crayton
Genre: Scifi, Thriller
Summary:
Strong-willed Kelsey Reed must escape tonight or tomorrow her government will take her kidney and give it to someone else.
In this future forged by survivors of pandemics that wiped out 80 percent of the world’s population, life is valued above all else. The government of “Life First” requires the mentally ill to be sterilized, outlaws abortions and sentences to death those who refuse to donate an organ when told.
Determined not to give up her kidney, Kelsey enlists the help of her boyfriend Luke and a dodgy doctor to escape. The trio must disable the tracking chip in her arm for her to flee undetected. If they fail, Kelsey will be stripped of everything.
Why I Accepted It:
It hits on a lot of issues I like seeing looked at in scifi — organ donation, mental illness, and reproductive rights and issues.
Rymellan 1: Disobediece Means Death
By: Sarah Ettritch
Genre: Scifi
Notable GLBTQA Content
Summary:
Lesley and Mo can’t imagine life without each other. If it were up to them, they’d settle down, raise daughters, and lead happy, fulfilled lives. But they live on the planet Rymel, in a strict society that selects life-mates for its citizens and executes those who violate their life-bonds. Girlfriends since their teens, Lesley and Mo know they should break up but can’t let each other go. They dread the day the state summons them to meet their selected mates. Meet Lesley and Mo when they’re young adults in love and follow them until their time together runs out. Will they do what their society expects of them, or will they sacrifice their lives for their love?
Why I Accepted It:
The blurb and excerpt were just so cute, I couldn’t resist!
Reading Goals and Changes for 2016
Source: yenn87 on DeviantArt
Hello my lovely readers!
As I mentioned in my 2015 reading stats wrap-up, I decided to break out my reading goals into a separate post this year because I also have some changes to announce.
As long-time readers know, I had two big life events in 2015. I married my best friend and my father passed away. You may not know that in 2016 I’m turning 30. These three personal events have combined to make me really evaluate my life, my time, and my goals.
I feel a real sense of both how fleeting time is and how important it is to me to build a good life and family with my husband. I want to live with intention and forethought, while holding on to the new ability I’ve found with my husband to embrace the unexpected and do things that are not planned. That’s a pretty wordy way of saying I want to live mindfully.
My sense of time passing has made me realize that I don’t have forever to write the books I want to write in my lifetime. And that means I need to stop claiming all of my reading time is contributing to my writing. While it’s true that a writer must read, a writer must also consistently write. A writer cannot simply read. I have writer friends who have said before they had to dial back some of their reading to make time for writing, and I now understand why that is so.
This same sense of time passing has made me realize that I no longer wish to spend my time reading books I don’t enjoy. My whole life I have almost always finished not just every single book I’ve started but most books I’ve acquired as well (with a few exceptions that I got rid of when my now husband moved in with me). Since my father passed away, I realized life is too short for that. I went through my books and got rid of any that didn’t make me feel the spark of a happy reader when looking at them or their description. I’ve also started a few books that I simply stopped reading and got rid of. I’ve also finally been honest with myself about certain types of books I enjoy that I was once a bit ashamed of.
What does all of this mean for Opinions of a Wolf? Well, many things, actually.
1) Expect there to be far fewer 2 and/or 1 star ratings.
With the exception of books I accept for review (ARCs), if I start a book and am not enjoying my time reading it at any point, I am going to put it down (for good). I am still not comfortable reviewing books that I haven’t read in their entirety. So I will simply not be reviewing these books. Don’t take the sudden lack of lower star ratings to mean that I am no longer being honest. I am just choosing to spend my time in a different manner. It is still possible for there to be low ratings, though, if a book disappoints me at the end (goes off the rails, as it were) or if I’m reading it because it’s akin to watching a train wreck, haha. I will still finish any ARCs I accept, however. To this end…..
2) Books submitted to me for the annual review were accepted in a different manner this year.
This year instead of setting a number I would accept, I only accepted however many books actually appealed to me. I also required submissions with excerpts, so I could read the first few pages and see how I felt about the writing. I am hoping the combination of these two means that my review of indie ARCs will serve both for me to find more obscure books I will enjoy and to offer good indie authors beneficial reviews. Again, though, if a book winds up disappointing me, I will finish it (since it is an ARC), and I will give an honest review.
3) The genres I read are going to change. Some.
I’ve always had a secret thing for humorous (usually British) chick lit. In fact, the last two books I read this year fit in this category perfectly. I am not just done hiding this genre, I am also done hating on it. I feel a lot of the hate comes from a culture-wide judgment of femme things (because of judging women). I would rather build it up as the respected (albeit silly/not serious literature) genre it should be, rather than participate in ignoring it. Similarly, before I started the book blog, I read quite a bit of self-help. I still read it sometimes but I didn’t want to read it too much, worried about what people might think of me. I’m not going to seek it out, but if one appeals to me, I am going to pick it up and not worry about what people might think. One thing that won’t change is the love of scifi/fantasy, that will stay. However, my husband noticed my growing collection of older scifi/fantasy paperbacks by women authors and commented on how cool that was. I hope to feature these books more in some way yet to be determined on this blog. I’m even going to be dedicating a whole bookshelf in our studio apartment to it. I also will be doing more reading of nonfiction I need to read to research my writing, rather than reading things that I think will help make me look smart or that I think I *should* read. Basically this whole section is saying: I’m done caring about what people think of me. I’m gonna be real. Fuck it.
4) I’m going to be spending more time writing.
Whether this will impact how much I read is yet to be seen, since I tend to read faster when I actually enjoy what I’m reading. I am working on incorporating writing into being a daily habit and, if I have enough material, I may start publishing some shorts or flash on here. Alternatively, there may just be a few more publication announcement posts. Or, I might just do a recap of writing accomplishments in some fashion.
5) I’ve adjusted the Mental Illness Advocacy Reading Challenge to be more flexible.
You may now sign up for ongoing or annual versions of the challenge. I realized for me personally reading books featuring characters with a mental illness in a positive light has become just something I seek out in my reading. It’s not a number I strive for annually. I figured, why not add that as a more casual option for folks. You can see more details on the dedicated page.
So that’s what to expect in 2016.
Expect things to be a bit more real around here and hopefully to see more of a mix of reading and writing. I’m excited to see what 2016 will bring.
November Updates and October Reflections
That’s my feet (and my view!) while relaxing on a beach in Mexico on our honeymoon!
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you didn’t mind too much the influx of wedding this month. It was so hard for me to not talk about it all in the months leading up to it, and I really enjoyed getting to finally talk about it. I also really hope my insight helps some future brides and/or grooms out! Thanks so much for your patience in the slow-down on the blog in the last few months and for all of your awesome congrats and support.
The book of the month for November will be:
Deadly Row to Hoe by Cricket McRae
First reviewed in November 2012
“McRae successfully pulls together everything that makes a cozy great.”
How was my reading, reviewing, and writing this month?
October books read: 3 (1 scifi, 1 horror, 1 nonfiction) I was on my honeymoon for half the month, you guys.
October reviews: 4
Other October posts: 1 announcement (MY WEDDING), 2 wedding planning tips posts
Most popular post in October written in October: Announcement: I Am Married!!! Well, I would hope so! 😉 Thanks so much for all the congrats and support, you guys!
My favorite post of October: It obviously has to be the post where I got to announce my marriage, so we agree this month! I also really enjoyed writing up my wedding planning tips for everyone. I really hope future wedding planning brides/grooms will find them useful.
Most popular post in October written at any time: Book Review: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
October writing: When I got back from my honeymoon, I started working on building writing back into my daily routine again. My goal for November is to finish up two parts of the multi-part miniseries I’m working on.
Coming up in November: I have 4 books to review, plus I plan on participating in Nonfiction November as much as possible. Also stay tuned for the promised post about my honeymoon!
Happy November and happy reading!
September Updates and August Reflections
A lovely pond my fiancé and I rested near on one of our hikes.
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you enjoyed the variety of genres on the blog this month. I know I enjoyed reading them! I also just wanted to let you know not to expect a huge influx of product reviews. I at most will have one a month, and then only if I’ve won an item from another blog (I like to give them the links back as a thank you) or if I receive an item for review. Again, though, I will keep it to one a month at most.
The book of the month for September will be:
The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler
First reviewed in September 2011
“Marlowe is someone whose presence it is always worth being in, regardless of whether his surroundings are perfect or not. I recommend this to noir fans, highly.”
How was my reading, reviewing, and writing this month?
August books read: 4 (1 historic urban fantasy, 2 ya dystopian scifi, 1 historic fantasy)
August reviews: 7
Other August posts: 1 product review
Most popular post in August written in August: Product Review: Squatty Potty
My favorite post of August: Book Review: Anarchism and Other Essays by Emma Goldman. I really enjoyed the discussion in the comments of this review. It was a difficult review to write, and I was really glad it stirred such a positive response!
Most popular post in August written at any time: Book Review: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (Bottom of TBR Pile Challenge)
August writing: I put my writing energy into the blog this month, as well as my reading. This was intentional, as I was very limited on time, and I wanted my blog in tip top shape before fall.
Coming up in September: I have a 2015 ARC with a giveaway to post, as well as reviews for the reads named above. For the first time in years, I won’t be participating in the R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril challenge. Instead, I chose to participate in the Once Upon a Time fantasy challenge in the spring. But I encourage you all to consider participating in R.I.P. X!
Happy September and happy reading!
August Updates and July Reflections
We went hiking in a state forest for the 4th of July. This is a brook that the trail led us to wade across.
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you enjoyed the variety of genres on the blog this month. I know I enjoyed reading them!
The book of the month for August will be:
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
First reviewed in August 2010
“Between the character building, the steampunky feel, and the humorous slapstick scenes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
How was my reading, reviewing, and writing this month?
July books read: 7 (3 scifi, 1 urban fantasy, 1 historic nonfiction, 1 foodie nonfiction, 1 historic fiction, 1 contemporary romance)
July reviews: 5
Other July posts: 1 writing announcement, 1 giveaway, 1 blog announcement
Most popular post in July written in July: Giveaway: Everlasting: Da Eb’Bulastin by Rasheedah Prioleau (INTERNATIONAL)
My favorite post of July: Book Review: Fated by S.G. Browne
Most popular post in July written at any time: Book Review: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (Bottom of TBR Pile Challenge)
July writing: I got started on the fourth part of the multi-part series I’m writing, so that’s good! I’ve started carrying a notebook with me to work so I can write on my lunch break away from my office. I think that is helping.
Coming up in August: I have two 2015 ARCs I’ve read to review, as well as a giveaway for one of them. You can also tell from my genres I’ve read recently that I have a variety of nonfiction, as well as some romance coming up. We’ll see how much of it I have time to review this month!
Happy August and happy reading!
Announcement: I Am Open to Review Requests Now Through December 30th for Review in 2016
Hooray!!
I am happy to announce that as of now I am open to review requests for books to be reviewed in 2016!!!
Now through December 30th, feel free to fill out the submission form if you are interested in being reviewed right here on Opinions of a Wolf at some point during 2016.
Here’s how it’s going to work:
- You lovely indie authors and indie publishers read my review policies to determine if your book is a good match for me.
- If it is, fill out the submission form. I do NOT accept submissions via comments or emails.
- Between December 1st and 30th, I go over the submissions and determine which ones I will accept. The number I accept will depend upon both the number that interest me, and the number I feel comfortable committing my time to in 2016.
- I send out acceptance emails to all the accepted authors/publishers anytime between December 1st and January 8th.
- By January 15th, accepted authors/publishers reply to this email either with a copy of the ebook or confirmation that they have sent out the print book to me. If I do not hear back from accepted authors/publishers by January 15th, the review acceptance will be rescinded.
- By January 31st, I will write a post right here announcing the books I have accepted for review. This means that if you are accepted for review, you have the potential for three instances of publicity: 1) the announcement 2) the review 3) a giveaway (if you request one AND your book receives 3 stars or more in the review). You may view 2015’s announcement post here. I highly recommend checking it out, as it reveals some interesting data on genres that have many versus few submissions.
I would like to note that I strongly encourage women writers and GLBTQA writers to submit to me, particularly in genres that do not normally publish works by these authors. I was quite disappointed last year to get only 38% of my submissions from female authors. I would like to get at least 50% of my submissions from women authors. Although I received 14% of my submissions from authors who self-identified as GLBTQA, I would like to see this grow to at least 25%. Please help me get the word out that I am actively seeking works by these authors.
If you are interested in the full breakdown of submissions I received last year and what was ultimately accepted, check out my 2015 accepted review copies post.
Thank you for your interest in submitting your books to Opinions of a Wolf! I’m looking forward to reading through all of the submissions, and I can’t wait to see what review copies I’ll be reading in 2016!
July Updates and June Reflections
I got to go to the track this month to watch my fiancé race. I only got video of his races, but here is a photo of a supermoto race from the same weekend.
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you enjoyed the influx of fantasy this month thanks to my participation in Once Upon a Time IX. It will continue through at least part of July, as I have a bit of a backlog of reviews to write for the books I read for that challenge.
The book of the month for July will be:
My Big Fat Demon Slayer Wedding by Angie Fox
First reviewed in July 2014
“It tackles the wedding of the main character with a joyful gusto that leaves the reader full of wedding happiness and perhaps breathing a sigh of relief that no matter what may go wrong at their wedding, it couldn’t possibly be as bad as what can go wrong at an urban fantasy wedding.”
How was my reading, reviewing, and writing this month?
June books read: 5 (3 fantasy, 1 urban fantasy, 1 historic fiction)
June reviews: 3
Other June posts: 1 reading list for pride, 1 reading challenge wrap-up
Most popular post in June written in June: Book Review: Cycle of the Werewolf by Stephen King
My favorite post of June: Celebrate Pride! 5 Unexpected Fantasy Reads Featuring Bisexual Main Characters
Most popular post in June written at any time: Book Review: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (Bottom of TBR Pile Challenge)
June writing: I’m having a real “find the time to write” problem, and even as I type that, that sounds like an excuse. I know you just have to make the time to write and make it a priority, so my goal for the month of July is to make my writing a top 5 priority again. (I generally always get my top 5 done). Tips from other authors on how to find the time/make the time are appreciated!
Coming up in July: I have a 2015 ARC I’ve read to review and host a giveaway for, as well as one piece of nonfiction (featuring a pet many readers have) and a piece of classic women’s studies literature that also gave birth to the soap opera in America.
Happy July and happy reading!
June Updates and May Reflections
View of the Colorado River and Austin, Texas, where I went this month for work.
Hello my lovely readers!
I hope you enjoyed the variety of genres reviewed here in May.
The book of the month for June will be:
A Queer and Pleasant Danger: The True Story of a Nice Jewish Boy Who Joins the Church of Scientology and Leaves Twelve Years Later to Become the Lovely Lady She is Today by Kate Bornstein
First reviewed in June 2013
“I strongly recommend this book to everyone, really, but especially anyone with an interest in GLBTQ history/theory/studies or an interest in the first few decades of Scientology.”
How was my reading, reviewing, and writing this month?
May books read: 5 (2 nonfiction, 3 fantasy)
May reviews: 5
Other May posts: 1 response to current events
Most popular post in May written in May: On Josh and Anna Duggar and the Fundamentalist Christian Culture of Forgiving Molesters and Abusers
Most popular post in May written at any time: Book Review: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells (Bottom of TBR Pile Challenge)
May writing: This was a rough writing month for me. It was an incredibly busy month, including a business trip that meant I wound up working twelve days in a row. I also this month really felt the stress of planning my wedding more so than other months. So that meant a lot of evenings (when I usually write) I was too stressed out to get into the zone. I hope that this month I can handle my stress better so I can get back into the groove. I would like to finish the first draft of my current project by the end of June.
Coming up in June: I have three fantasy reads for Once Upon a Time IX to post reviews for. I also have a review of a nonfiction book I got through NetGalley to post. I also participated in the book blogger interview swap for Juneterviews over on Book Bloggers International, so be keeping an eye out for a link to that.
Happy June and happy reading!
This work by Amanda Nevius is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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