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September's Indie Books with Jas Phoenix
My guest this month is Jas Phoenix. Her debut novel Berkano has been recently published by Tepris Press.
Before we look at the book Jas has chosen. I wanted to share this series that I have been reading.
The Courts’ Series by Henrietta Edwards
I love this series. Henrietta Edwards has done a fine job of reeling me in. It had me lost in a world that made me think what if? There is so much complexity. It seems every wish to act is met with but?
Often in books I have favourite characters, in this case I don't. It's a compliment to the author that I can't choose (from the good guys of course). Each character has their own qualities and they work so well together as a team this feels very much like an ensemble piece.The courts series is something we big kids can enjoy too.
Now over to Jas who chose three series that I have already mentioned here as well as those listed below. It was hard for her to choose which ones to include when we were limited for space. So if your book isn’t listed it’s purely a lack of space or your series has already been mentioned in previous lists. I try to include as many different books as I can so hopefully you can find something that appeals to you.
The Archers of St. Sebastian series by Jeanne Roland
From book one - A barracks full of beautiful boys. A girl in disguise, living among them.
It’s the 14th century, and the longbow is king. But in the northern European principality of Ardennes, archery isn’t just the nation’s defense. It’s the national obsession.
MEET THE JOURNEYS
12 young Journeyman archers, the best in the country
2 years of public competitions, in which looks count almost as much as ability
6 will win a coveted membership in the Archers’ Guild of St. Sebastian
1 will become the prince’s new Guardsman
MEET MARIEKE
15-year-old Marieke is as obsessed with St. Sebastian’s as everyone else in Ardennes. Only it’s the middle ages, and girls just don’t become elite archers. Except Marieke's prospects as a girl aren't promising either, after a well-timed kick from a mule has left her with a face that’s badly scarred and ruined for marriage. But when circumstances force her to leave her old life behind and flee to the guild for refuge, there are only two things Marieke really knows about the place. One is that a mysterious accident ended her own father’s time as a Journey. The other?
There are no women allowed inside St. Sebastian’s.
Marieke knows disguising herself as a boy and infiltrating the guild means embarking on a dangerous deception. But it may be her only chance to find out the truth about her father’s past and to stop a murderous plot from coming to fruition. When the dashing young Journeyman Tristan takes her under his wing as his squire, she’s got to stay – at least long enough to help him beat out his brutal arch-rival to win the competitions.
Keeping her identity a secret will be hard. Living in close quarters with a pack of gorgeous boys? That will be harder still. But the hardest thing of all will be keeping the vow she makes for herself: to see Tristan become the next Guardsman, without ever letting him find out she’s a girl - a girl, who loves him.
Part Robin Hood and part Princess Bride, with a pinch of Mulan and a dash of Cyrano de Bergerac in the mix, The Archers of St. Sebastian I: Journeys is a humorous action and adventure saga inspired by late medieval/early Renaissance Belgium and packed with romance, wit, and longbow archery. Perfect for adults who love young adult themes, Journeys is an escape into the past that reads more like romantic historical fantasy than pure historical fiction.
Unrequited love? Ugly heroines who stay ugly? Friendship, coming of age, romance, adventure, and plenty of archery competitions? A unique setting inspired by the glorious city of Bruges, with a richly imagined, immersive world set within the walls of a male-only archers' guild? Journeys: The Archers of Saint Sebastianhas it all, so if you're looking for a great escape, don your disguise and join Marieke as she enters the forbidden world of Saint Sebastian's, and prepare to fall in love with the Journeys - that is, the twelve best and most beautiful archers in all of Ardennes, the Journeyman archers of St. Sebastian's.
My F in Life by Jaye Troop
This uplifting, fast-paced story tackles the challenges of middle-age and will have you laughing, crying, and wondering how many Fs rule your life too.Jaye never expected everything to fall apart when she turned fifty, but Fs are back in charge and ruining her life again.
Fitness… Her spare tyre’s self-inflating but she’s allergic to exercise, unless it’s wine bottle unscrewing where she’s fast becoming an Olympic athlete.
Frustration… Why has her soulmate of 30 years shacked-up with his young, blonde, skinny (except for his baby-bump) mistress?
Family… One child has flown, the other two are flapping their wings, and Jaye’s left hugging the half-empty biscuit tin and her precious stash of chocolate.
Friends… Bestie Didi is fun with a capital F, but she’s pushing Jaye into online dating, reinvention, and ridiculous risk taking.
As Jaye fights to hold everything together, she’s forced into deciding whether to return to her safe but imperfect life, or explore a new frightening (or is that exciting?) alternative.
This hilarious, sharply observed novel is perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Fiona Gibson and Milly Johnson.
Taggak Journey series by Anne M. Smith-Nochasak
From Book 1 - The year is 2036, and the land once known as North America is ravaged by environmental decay and ruled with an iron fist by the oppressive Millennial cult known as The Elect. Seventy-eight year-old Flo is documenting what might be, in her opinion, “the last history of the world,” while managing the diverse, odd, and sometimes dangerous individuals hiding out in her rural Nova Scotian swamp. Flo clings to her granddaughter River, the only light left in this otherwise dark existence. Her Inuit-born son and his Salish partner, River’s parents, have escaped to Quebec to lead the resistance. There is no one left for Flo to trust now, but she holds onto the belief that change is possible and she diligently prepares for the revolution.
As River approaches her twelfth birthday, the Elect’s sinister plans threaten to tear them apart. Forced into a breeding program euphemistically dubbed “The Resurrection,” River faces a grim fate. Determined to defy the tyranny, Flo and River race against time to ensure River’s escape. At times irreverent and always honest, Flo draws us into a dark world, shocking us while summoning us to hope, and sometimes even to laughter.
This is her story: the story of a rebel grandmother, in which saving her granddaughter River will be the key to all. River Faces North marks the first novel of a new trilogy, delivering readers a dystopian tale of survival, sacrifice, resilience, and the enduring power of hope and love.
Dancing with Tolstoy by L.M. Ford
On her university spring break, Alice visits her grandmother and launches into an adventure where nothing is quite as she might have expected. Nor does she behave according to convention."You wouldn't believe how many witches there are in this world, so we need to know their classifications.""This way, I can whisper in your ear if I don't want anyone else to hear me.""I don't see anyone.""That doesn't mean they aren't there. Sometimes it's the people you can't see that are the most dangerous.""Or the ones you can only see on the news."Join the adventure and have some fun in this little satire.
Stay by Ash Knight
A quiet coffee shop gives two men who have lost too much a chance at love.Joe Calloway has been on the run since he was sixteen, homeless and alone. He never lets anyone close. Between his traumatic past and his autism, he isn’t used to people taking the time to understand him.Even so, when a stranger offers him a way to build a better life for himself, Joe finds the strength to go for it.Madden Fields is fully devoted to his older sister, her autistic son, and his job as a nurse, but when he meets Joe, his carefully ordered life begins to pick up speed.As their connection deepens, Madden realizes he’s going to have to hold on tight if he wants to be an anchor strong enough for Joe to stay.“Stay” is a 88,000 words gay hurt/comfort romance novel.Sensitivity Warning: There are some scenes where violence is depicted or remembered, some adult language, and consensual male/male sex scenes.
This week’s Free Book Friday is My Father’s Daughter. This is my first poetry collection and the first book I ever published back in 2020. The book that made me ‘The non-poetry lovers’ poet’.
I’ve included some review quotes on the image but I can’t resist one more -
‘Lily Lawson brings us a beautiful collection of poems that are witty, inspiring, and empathetic to what it means to be human....There are so many poems that resonate with a feeling which I previously had no words for....It's poetry that describes universal human experiences, so there's something for everyone.’
If you are new to my poetry this book is a good place to start and as it’s FREE atm …
Happy Reading
Lily x
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