#advanced review copy

[lenialenient]

AMBROSIA ARCS, BABY

It's now just a bit over a month until AMBROSIA is unleashed upon the world, and - that's right - this time I'm doing an ARC campaign about my upcoming book.

What is an ARC?

An Advanced Reader Copy (or Advanced Review Copy) is an early-access copy of a book that is distributed to a limited pool of readers for free - with the hope that those readers will then go and post an honest review on Goodreads/Amazon/somebody's blog about it. Especially for indie publications like this one, early reviews can help out a ton with getting some traction and not being swept away by the endless online depths.

About AMBROSIA

AMBROSIA is a lesbian psychological-horror girlgroup novel - that's right.

It follows a semi-reliable narrator through seven years of management-dictated shower times, dystopian celebrity training programs, and performance-enhancing drugs as she loses herself in her big diva persona of Ambrosia. Eventually, of course, a life in service of being looked at translates into the urge to a) shave your head and b) claw out eyes. Ill-advised affairs with beloved and behated group-mates included.

You can apply for an AMBROSIA ARC via THIS FORM! You'll probably get it, unless you tell me that you hate reading or hate me specifically in it.

You can also learn more about AMBROSIA here or read the first three chapters here, if you are so inclined!

[author-a-holmes]

A Captured Cauldron - ARC Review

A Captured Cauldron is the second book in this series, and once again RK Ashwick didn't disappoint.

It was a delight to return to Rosemond Street and reconnect with the bright, original, characters that inhabit it (Although, personally, I missed Ambrose the most!)

This time, there's a Potions Convention, and it brought back many fond memories of my own visits to Con's, so much so that even though I knew to expect the imminent kidnapping from the blurb, I was STILL shocked when it actually happened.

Book Two also has a new POV in the form of Dawn, the lovely wandmaker of Rosemond and Ambrose's best friend. I'm not always a fan of additional POVs in later books, but in this instance, it worked wonders. It gave us the opportunity to see how other people in Rosemond Street were handling Ambrose being missing, other than Eli who, for obvious reasons, was a mess.

It was also lovely to watch Dawn try and navigate the guilt she felt handling a new crush, while her best friend is missing. Overall, A Captured Caldron was a delight from start to finish. I finished the entire book in under five hours, and I can't wait to get my hands on a paperback so I can coo over that glorious cover.

I received an ARC of this book from the author, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[author-a-holmes]

One thing? I completed an ARC review for an author whose works I love.

It's the 4th book in the series and I've been ARC reviewing for them since their debut. I didn't think I've have time this month, and his release date is December 4th, so I was happy I got to it early for him.

Managed to write my review, and have it scheduled to go out on Dec 1st on all my socials. Posted it to Goodreads, since that's the only place the book is up for review right now, and I'll copy/paste that review on all the other store/review platforms at the end of the month after Nano is finished.

you! the person reading this! please tell me one good thing that happened to you today

[flaviathebibliophile]

Old Romantics by Maggie Armstrong (ARC Review)

Title: Old Romantics Author: Maggie Armstrong Type: Fiction Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Short Stories Publisher: Biblioasis Date published: April 1, 2025 A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Biblioasis in exchange for an honest review. Like Dubliners, if Dubliners were “Cat Person” as a feminist mock-epic about a writer’s coming of age—and every Dubliner was named…

[ezichiny]

Audiobook Review: The Expiration Date by Kimberly Brown

TITLE: The Expiration Date by Kimberly Brown Release Date: February 13, 2024 by Dreamscape Media Genre: Contemporary Romance; Black Romance Format: Audiobook (6 hrs and 18 mins); Kindle Edition (230 pages) Narrated by: Jaime Lincoln Smith, J. Shani Michaels My rating: 4.25 of 5 stars Blurb: Audrey Pilar is a master in the art of breaking up. Her friends have dubbed her ritual of leaving men as…

[theheelerbooklifereads]

Thank you so much, Celadon, for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♾️ Stars

Mercury is like a warm hug that you do not know you need. It leaves you feel super connected to these characters to the point that you feel like you are a part of their family.

I could not get enough of Mercury since I needed to know everything about these cbaracters and their lives. Even when I was not reading it, I would constantly think of the characters, and at one point, I dreamed of the town and the characters. I have not had that experience in a while where I need to devour a book and then later find myself dreaming of the book.

All the characters are flawed in one way or another to the point they feel extremely real. Some of the characters focus on these flaws of the other characters to the point that it causes resentment or indifference to one another. But each character has these amazing attributes that they bring to the table that allows each other to lean on one another even when the family feels divided. When hardships and grief strike this family, they all find themselves looking at their life in a different way, which ultimately makes these characters grow in so many way. Honestly, from beginning to end, the character growth is immensely seen and very satisfying.

Mercury is beautifully written to where I was rooting for each other characters. I felt joy in the accomplishments, heartbreak for the hardships and the grief the family goes through, and great love for each of the characters. Then, I found a lot of heartwarming moments in this book and especially in the last few pages.

Once January 2024 rolls around, you all need to run out and grab this amazing book. I feel like I did not put my thoughts into the most coherent way and could not say all the ways I loved this book because for me sometimes I struggle with finding the right words to express how much I love something.

But, I can truly say that I didn't know how much I needed this book in my life. I am so beyond thankful that Celadon surprised me with this book to review. I can say with certainity that this book is one of my top 5 favorite books of 2023. Without a doubt in my mind, I just know this will become a favorite of many in 2024, so like I said go get this book because you will fall in love with the writing and the characters.

[ckatwriter]

SIGNUPS ARE LIVE FOR ARCS OF MY DEBUT NOVEL ♤PURGATERRY♤

Help get the word out by reblogging and maybe sign up for a free copy in exchange for an honest review 🤗

PurgaTerry synopsis:

[jpagaduanauthor]

Savior of the Damned ARC announcement

Savior of the Damned is done. The ARC is mostly ready now too, I’m just waiting on the cover. And let me tell you folks it has been an absolute rush of feelings. It’s not quite done yet, of course. I still have to format the actual book, and I have to send out the ARC copies once the cover is in, and then after that I can put it up for preorder, which is just the most exciting thing ever.  I…

[galina]

Just finished: The Amendments, Niamh Mulvey. I was sent an advance review copy by picador. It took me a while to warm up to this one, but in the end I really enjoyed the way Mulvey delivers complex difficult emotions using straightforward language, not wallowing in grief but also not flinching away from some of the hardest conversations around birth, death and religion. And I do have a soft spot for Irish writers, and multi-generational stories

[smile-files]

hello everyone, sorry again for being out for a few days! passover has been very lovely so far... the seders were fun (i hid the afikomen the first night!), i've got to spend time with my family, and i've read a good chunk of this intriguing murder mystery. i'll try to comb through my notifications and catch up on pl bluesky! i hope everyone's doing well <3

[duckprintspress]

Become an Advance Reader for Duck Prints Press!

Reviews are essential for showing prospective readers that we’re publishing awesome books that they want to buy and read. We’re looking to recruit an active group of people who post reviews of our work, and to do that we need your help! For the first time, we’re offering Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of one of our projects: Aether Beyond the Binary, our most recent anthology, featuring 17 stories of characters outside the gender binary exploring modern-esque aetherpunk worlds.

How it works: You see this post. You think, oh, I love reading! I love leaving reviews! I want to join the Duck Prints Press Reviewer Program! Then, you go and read the rules for our Reviewer Program. And, if everything there sounds like something you can do, you fill out the form, and – we’ll be in touch! Even better: this program isn’t only for Aether Beyond the Binary, and isn’t only for “advance” titles. Our reviewers are encouraged to claim titles that are currently released, too, to help build up a robust collection of reviews of Duck Prints Press titles!

Requirements:

You must be over 18 years old.

You must be prepared to post reviews on Goodreads and/or Storygraph.

You must also post the review on the appropriate listing on the Duck Prints Press webstore (for advance titles, you’ll have to wait ’til we list them there).

Upon acceptance to the program, you must join the Duck Prints Press Book Lover’s Server.

Reviews must be at least 100 words long must and engage with the actual content of the work being reviewed.

Reviews must be left within 6 months of claiming a title, or you will be removed from the program.

What isn’t Required:

That the reviews be positive. Reviews are for readers. We require that reviews be honest to your own experience of the work, not that they be glowing.

That you post the reviews to social media. Doing so is definitely a bonus, but you don’t have to.

That you associate yourself publicly with the review-leaving (beyond using a valid Goodreads and/or Storygraph account). As in, you don’t have to say, “I, (your name here), reviewed this book” or link your book website accounts with your existing social media presence or anything like that, nor do we request any demographic information beyond confirmation of your age.

That you purchase anything. Absolutely no purchase necessary!

What You Get:

A e-book copy (ePub and/or PDF) of the work you’re reviewing. We do not provide physical ARCs.

After you post your first review, you’ll get a coupon for 10% off a purchase from the Duck Prints Press webstore!

For every ten reviews you post, you can claim a freebie sticker from among our sticker offerings, if you want. (You’ll have to provide a snail mail address to get this, of course.)

A community of fun book-lovers to hang out with! (You can get that even without joining the ARC program, though – our Book Lover’s Discord is open to everyone.)

We’re accepting applicants for claiming Aether Beyond the Binary ARCs through April 10th, 2024. On the 11th, we’ll randomly select 25 of applicants to receive ARC copies of Aether Beyond the Binary. Everyone else will still be entirely welcome in the program and invited to start with a different, back-catalog book or story to review. We’ll make another pool of Aether Beyond the Binary ARCs available in May.

So… those are the basics. Interested? Go read the full rules, then apply to be a Duck Prints Press ARC reader TODAY!

[eggcatsreads]

𝘖𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩, 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴.

Gory. Terrifying. Haunting.

𝑩𝒂𝒕 𝑬𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 by Kylie Lee Baker is a horror novel that will yank you in from the first page and won’t let up until you’re gasping for air by the end.

Taking place in New York during the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns with a focus on the rising anti-Asian racism - our main character Cora soon realizes that the supernatural might not be the biggest danger she faces.

A juggernaut into the horror genre, I truly believe this book is best gone into almost entirely blind to allow the story to drag you on the journey.

Releasing April 29 in the US, pictured is my Illumicrate Evernight edition!

I was originally given a copy of this novel as a digital ARC - thank you, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing!

[Also posted to my Instagram]

[author-a-holmes]

Over The Dragon's Gate by Juliana Jones & Riley Sanderson

While ‘Over The Dragon’s Gate’ starts off a little slower than I’d usually like, this co-written story gives you enough hints, enough clues, and enough thoughtfully teased out tidbits to keep its readers engaged and invested.

Much like one of our main characters, Treya, there’s an underlying sense that there’s more to this than meets the eye, and the authors cleverly reveal it all to the reader alongside Treya as he discovers the parts of himself that he’s forgotten.

All the while Treya is rediscovering his past, he’s learning about his future and the possibilities that his friendship with Eli opens up for him.

‘Over The Dragon’s Gate’ is a delightful read, full of magic and touching moments of humanity in the face of darkness we can all find ourselves facing. It had me scowling at the villian, and grinning at the clumsy exploration of teenage affection, and by the last lines I found myself smiling at the screen.

It’s a feel good book, that I immediately have a handful of people I want to recommend it too, and future stories from either of these authors will be getting added to my TBR piles.

I received a free copy of this book from the authors and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[leechjuice]

looking for an intimate, bloody lesbian horromance to sink your eager teeth into this summer?

e-ARC applications for my debut novel, IN THE END, YOU KILL US BOTH are now OPEN, and will remain open until JULY 19TH.

full synopsis + cws can be found on the application page! due to graphic content, please do not apply to receive an e-ARC if you are under eighteen years old!

click here to apply!

[flaviathebibliophile]

Swordcrossed by Freya Marske (ARC Review)

Title: Swordcrossed Author: Freya Marske Type: Fiction Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ+ Publisher: Bramble Date published: October 8, 2024 A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Bramble in exchange for an honest review. Mattinesh Jay, dutiful heir to his struggling family business, needs to hire an experienced swordsman to serve as best man for his arranged…

[ezichiny]

Audiobook Review: The Women by Kristin Hannah

TITLE: The Women by Kristin Hannah My rating: 5 of 5 stars Format: Audiobook (14 hrs and 57 mins) by MacMillan Audio; Kindle Edition (480 Pages) Genre: Historical Fiction, Vietnam War Blurb: From the celebrated author of The Nightingale and The Four Winds comes Kristin Hannah’s The Women—at once an intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided. Women…