<img src="https://irresponsiblereader.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/irr-logo.png"> The Irresponsible Reader

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.
Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

In Books, Fiction, Miscellany, News/Misc., Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, Urban Fantasy

(updated 7/23/26

From the first moment that people did the strange thing of asking me to talk about their books on my blog, I’ve been impressed by the quality of a lot of what’s been published by authors going out on their own, taking all the risks, shouldering all the responsibility, and doing all the work to get their words, their dreams, their blood, sweat, and tears on to the page (paper or electronic). This should be celebrated—it’s definitely appreciated, as we’re trying to show this week.

As part of this week-long celebration, I’m continuing my habit of highlighting the self-published works that I’ve blogged about over the last few years (or meant to blog about, but at least read)—just a sentence or two. Hopefully, this’ll be enough to make you click on the link to the full post. Beyond that, it’d be great if I inspired you to add a few of these to your TBR. Also, be sure you check out the other posts over at the SPAAW Hub.

Today I’m focusing on Self-Published Urban Fantasy. Magic-users of various stripes, creatures that’ll push your imagination, and more dragons than show up on my Self-Published Fantasy list, believe it or not. There’s a lot to dig into here.

bullet Nice Dragons Finish Last by Rachel Aaron—A nice-guy dragon learns how to get by in a dragon-eat-dragon world with the help of a human mage on the lamb from the mob. (my post about it)
bullet Spirelli Paranormal Investigations: Episodes 1-6 by Kate Baray—a fixer for the paranormal community and debunker of paranormal frauds takes on an assistant, just in time for some real hairy cases (apparently I haven’t written about this one yet)
bullet Justice Calling by Annie Bellet—a magic user on the run, living among a bunch of shape-shifters, is accused of killing some. She works to clear her name, save her friends, and stay off the radar of those hunting for her. (my post about it)
bullet Vale Investigations by Cristelle Comby—a P.I. who is the emissary of Hades’ daughter on Earth investigates mysterious deaths and other happenings.
bullet Hostile Takeover (my post about it)
bullet Evil Embers
bullet Bad Little Girls Die Horrible Deaths and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy by Harry Connolly—a collection of short stories that I still think about. (my post about it)
bullet Twenty Palaces by Harry Connolly—I loved this UF series, but sadly was one of the few who read it. After the publisher declined to keep going with it Connolly has published a prequel and a sequel—with more on the way.
bullet Twenty Palaces—the prequel to the whole thing (my post about it)
bullet The Twisted Path (my post about it)
bullet The Iron Gate—catches up with our heroes and throws them into a life-changing situation (even for people in their…circumstances), a great way to resume the series. (my post about it)
bullet Ella Grey Series by Jayne Faith. A minor demon hunter in a slightly-futuristic Boise finds herself tangling with some major powers.
bullet Stone Cold Magic (my post about it)
bullet Dark Harvest Magic (my post about it)
bullet Demon Born Magic (my post about it)
bullet Blood Storm Magic (my post about it)
bullet Soul Fraud by Andrew Givler—stories about someone selling their soul to a demon are as old as fiction, but a demon forging a signature? Well, that’s a little different. Our victim teams up with some supernatural heavy hitters to fix the situation–while extraordinarily great things are happening to him otherwise. (my post about it)
bullet Bloodlines by Peter Hartog—an Urban Fantasy/Science Fiction/Detective mashup in a world that looks not dissimilar from Scott’s Blade Runner, powered by magic, and that has pan-dimensional aliens walking around. (my post about it)
bullet Pieces of Eight by Peter Hartog—the sequel to Bloodlines and continues to expand our understanding of this world while delivering a great story. (my post about it)
bullet Fred, The Vampire Accountant by Drew Hayes. The misadventures of a vampire accountant and his increasingly diverse and lethal band of friends trying to make their way in the world.
bullet The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant (my post about it)
bullet Undeath & Taxes (my post about it)
bullet Bloody Acquisitions (my post about it)
bullet The Fangs of Freelance (my post about it)
bullet Deadly Assessments (my post about it)
bullet Undeading Bells (my post about it)
bullet Out of House and Home (my post about it)
bullet Posthumous Education (my post about it)
bullet All Accounts Settled (my post about it)
bullet Terra Chronicles by JC Jackson. Another SF/Urban Fantasy mix (I didn’t realize how many of these I read until I did this post) about the adventures of an Elven arcanist and her paladin partner working for a Law Enforcement agency.
bullet Twisted Magics (my post about it)
bullet Shattered Illusions (my post about it)
bullet Twice Cursed (my post about it)
bullet Conjured Defense (my post about it)
bullet Mortgaged Mortality (my post about it)
bullet Divine and Conquer (my post about it)
bullet Cutthroat Cupcakes by Cate Lawley—a candy maker discovers she’s a witch when she’s arrested of murder by magic. Fun ensues. (my post about it)
These next three series are hard to talk about, they’re sort of one series, sort of separate (actually, there are four threads, but I haven’t gotten to the last one yet)…
bullet The Guild Codex: Demonized by Annette Marie. A woman with plenty of theoretical and no practical magical knowledge finds herself bound to a rare and very powerful demon.
bullet Taming Demons for Beginners (my post about it)
bullet Slaying Monsters for the Feeble (my post about it)
bullet Hunting Fiends for the Ill-Equipped (my post about it)
bullet The Guild Codex: Spellbound by Annette Marie. A bartender with an anger-management (and therefore staying employed) problem finds herself working for a Mage Guild.
bullet Three Mages and a Margarita (my post about it)
bullet Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (my post about it)
bullet Two Witches and a Whiskey (my post about it)
bullet Demon Magic and a Martini (my post about it)
bullet The Alchemist and an Amaretto (my post about it)
bullet Druid Vices and a Vodka (my post about it)
bullet Lost Talismans and a Tequila
bullet The Guild Codex: Warped by Annette Marie, Rob Jacobsen. A former two-bit criminal gets pulled into helping the MPD police magic users.
bullet Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors (my post about it)
bullet Hellbound Guilds & Other Misdirections (my post about it)
bullet Pure of Heart by Danielle Parker—a sole werewolf and her family try to keep her secret under wraps and keep her wolf side from hurting anyone in this small Colorado town. (my post about it)
bullet Electric City Switches by M.D. Presley—the third Inner Circle novel throws more new concepts at the reader–and they’re all great. We get some good backstory and some better action and magic on display. (my post about it)
bullet Rites of Passage by M.D. Presley—An atypical magic system fuels this intricate UF series debut (my post about it)
bullet Ghost Stations by M.D. Presley—Corbin finds himself in NYC and spending time with a group of rich teens (as magic as he is) who go hunting for makers of a new drug wreaking havoc on the magic subculture. (my post about it)
bullet Time-Marked Warlock by Shami Stovall—a PI/Warlock is pulled out of retirement by a twelve-year-old who needs her mother’s killer and father’s kidnapper brought to justice. Adair Finch’s abilities include the power to reset time up to 24 hours previously–and he’s going to need to make several attempts at almost every interaction he has while on the hunt just to stay alive. (my post about it)
bullet Chronos Warlock by Shami Stovall—Finch is back, forced to work for an old client to find a missing woman and to solve the murder of a social media star.(my post about it is forthcoming)
bullet Ree Reyes series by Michael R. Underwood. Ree’s a barista and comic shop worker with ambitions of becoming a screenwriter. She inadvertently finds herself in a world of magic powered by Geekomancy “A style of magic where your love of pop culture becomes the source for amazing abilities – from bringing props to life to borrowing amazing skills from your favorite movies.” These were originally published by others, but Underwood has the rights back and is putting them out in new editions.
bullet Geekomancy (This came out before the blog, so check out my Goodreads review)
bullet Celebromancy (This came out before the blog, and I apparently didn’t write anything about it)
bullet Attack the Geek (my post about it)
bullet Hexomancy (my post about it)
bullet The Nameless Restaurant by Tao Wong—an unspeakably good restaurant (with lousy service) that caters to the supernatural set. The descriptions of the food will make you wish you lived in a UF world more than anything else on this list will. (my post about it)
bullet Arcane Casebook series by Dan Willis—This series is set in the 1930s about a P.I. who practices rune magic. Think Depression-era Harry Dresden mixed with Al MacBharrais.
bullet In Plain Sight (my post about it)
bullet Ghost of a Chance (my post about it)

If you're a self-published author that I've featured on this blog and I didn't mention you in this post and should have. I'm sorry (unless you're this guy). Please drop me a line, and I'll fix this. I want to keep this regularly updated so I keep talking about Self-Published Authors.

The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

A Murder Most Fungal by Adrian M. Gibson: Survival Does Not Equate to Freedom

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Science Fiction, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week

A Murder Most Fungal

by Adrian M. Gibson

DETAILS:
Publication Date: June 16, 2026
Format: e-Book
Length: 232 pg.
Read Date: July 6-8, 2026

…for all the damage the Coprinian humans have done to his homeland of Hōppon, they have introduced the fungal peoples to marvels of their colonial culture: Orchestras and operas, films and theater, new genres of music and literature.

What’s A Murder Most Fungal About?

Following the events of Mushroom Blues, the occupation forces have really clamped down on the Hōpponese (aka fungals). Life seems truly miserable for most of them.

But some of them get some perks, a life that’s slightly less oppressive. For example, the chef and his kitchen team who prepare the food for the Military Governor, Duncan MacArthur. MacArthur is of the opinion that to understand his enemy (and that classification tells you a lot about his attitude towards the fungals), he must understand their culture—and the easiest way to do that is by eating their food. So day after day, Pocho Jiro and his small staff prepare the best meals possible for MacArthur and his staff and commanders—and his personal taster (because you can’t trust these people). It should be noted that MacArthur is the only one who tries to enjoy the food, the rest of the humans spend their mealtimes complaining about the food and insulting the cooks (when they’re not ignoring them)—although one new officer arrives who might share MacArthur’s interest partway through the book..

Then one of the many resistance groups threatens the life of Pocho’s only remaining family. Get this intelligence for us and we’ll let her live. And then they come back with another task—kill MacArthur.

The Food

There is harmony in these component parts, in the commingling of delicious flavors that he knows MacArthur and his guests will soon experience. If only things in a kitchen were that easy… Food never holds grudges, nor does it talk back. Food does not disrupt the flow of the song, and instead makes its rhythms possible.

Okay, I don’t have an adventurous palate—there is no way that I’d eat 98% of the dishes described in this book, I know that. But I tell you what—when I read the descriptions of the food that Pocho and his team prepare, the care they put into it, and the way that Gibson and/or Pocho describe it? I wish I could give it a taste, or even just smell and see the meals.

Even better is the way the book depicts the preparation of the food, what it means to the people working in the kitchen to do so, or even just the procurement of the ingredients. It’s just magic. It’s why people watch cooking shows—yeah, I have no idea what the things on Iron Chef or Alex Versus America or whatever taste like—but I love watching them prepare the food. This is like that, but better (if only because the chefs have had time to think about the courses and prepare them without a ridiculous time restriction).

Really, Gibson could abandon the whole Hofmann Report report to just write about fictional chefs (or maybe the occasional passionate fry cook) and I’d be in for it. Sure, Tandri or Viv can brew a heckuva cup of coffee—but Pocho’s fungalfin dishes are works of art.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

If we keep it to humans strictly—the book tells us nothing good. But there is some hope for the species if we treat the fungals Hōpponese as representatives of humanity (as the book wants us to believe).
The humans in the book are utterly despicable—and there are maybe two with a trace of decency (and one of them you have to wait for almost the entire book to encounter). They are hateful toward the Hōpponese, speak of them as animals in their presence (while barely acknowledging that presence), and harass them (at best) constantly.

Now, the Hōpponese, on the other hand. They resent their chains, resent the occupiers, and do what they can to survive under the occupation. Some try to do more than survive—but it has to be done in secret, worried about exposure. We get glimpses of their rich culture from before the occupation—which just makes the current state all the worse.

Then there are the those fomenting rebellion, and well, they’re basically what you think.

If nothing else—we get the idea that those who see people as people who treat them with respect and decency (even if they find themselves on opposing sides of a war/occupation), and those who don’t…well, they’re inhuman at best.

So, what did I think about A Murder Most Fungal ?

the restaurant industry is one that drowns in vices and addictions. Alcohol, drugs, sex, long hours, infidelity; Pocho has seen it all, done it all. But the worst offender is obsession. The addiction to pouring everything you have into an idea, a dream, a project, a craft. Pocho’s experience has taught him that his addiction to cooking has given him everything he ever wanted— success, recognition— but left little room for anything else. Friendships. Family. Love.

As good as I thought Mushroom Blues was, this is better—didn’t Gibson get the memo that second novels are supposed to be a drop in quality? Pocho is just a brilliantly conceived character, and his friendship with/mentorship of Mori is fantastic. I really wish that the circumstances of the novel let us see more of that before we had to get to the nastier stuff. But Gibson gives us enough of a taste of it that we can imagine the preceding years for their friendship—and the rest of the found family. Which makes it worse when things come to disrupt it.

I don’t think I have a criticism of this book—just glowing compliment after glowing compliment. The closest I can come is that I wanted more of everything that wasn’t the plot. More of the street market and Pocho shopping for food, more time in the kitchen with his staff—just them interacting with him and each other. The day to day stuff.

Maybe a little bit with the one officer who seemed to truly want to understand and appreciate the Hōpponese culture and language—let us see him get through to Pocho and start to form some kind of understanding. That’d have raised the stakes for the end game, too.

But that’s just me wishing for more frosting on an already wonderful cake. (and here is where we all understand my struggles keeping my A1C in check).

This is a great SF novel (I think that’s where to categorize these Fungalverse books). It’s a gripping thriller. It’s a fantastic character study of a man with great passions stuck in horrible circumstances. It’s really something you need to read.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon

SPAAW ’26: M. D. Presley Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

I had a longer intro written for this series of posts, but it ended up too long. (If you’re curious, it makes up a couple of paragraphs in my Welcome to Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week post). Here’s the compressed version:

One of the things that’s impressed me over the years is seeing the way that Self-Published Authors all tend to support each other. They don’t come across as competitors, you’re colleagues—teammates, almost. Once again this year for SPAAW, I’m exploiting that.

As an expression of that, I’ve asked some authors to promote 1-3 self-published works by someone else—to just give me a quick elevator pitch for them to help get the word out. Several of them replied with those lists (a few have resisted the call for particular titles and have just talked about some other authors–which is close enough for me). Naturally, I’ve asked them all for a quick bit about one of their books/series, too—they should get some attention as well, don’t you think?

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'M. D. Presley Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The City that Would Eat the World

by John Bierce
The City that Would Eat the World by John Bierce. This is progression fantasy for people who aren’t prog fantasy fans like me. Insanely intricate and well thought out worldbuilding that also happens to be a thoughtful inspection of our current economic reality. Plus, it’s loads of fun, especially for fans of Pratchett.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

The Redemption of Howard Marsh series

by Bob McGough
A down and out magician who can only use his powers when he’s drugged up (a methgician, if you will) reluctantly solves small crimes out of his storage unit in rural Alabama. He’s not saving the world, but hopefully might save himself along the way. The author has done a great job making this fictitious county feel more real than a lot of real cities in other urban fantasy. Plus, possum familiar and zombie turkey. Need I say more?

Website ~ Linktree ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Soon Enough

by Magnus Watt
(series: Thin Places). Authors pitch new UF on the subreddit all the time, but this one hooked me by invoking ghost tours in Edinburgh (I highly recommend them!. What starts out as a failed comedian actually seeing a ghost on one ends in a century old war among the Scottish supernatural community. Watt mixes myth, mundane life, and even fairies in a way that feels very unique. This is very much a debut novel, and has some growing pains because of it, but in some ways it epitomizes the indie scene in that we get to watch a new talent develop right before our eyes.

Website ~ Instagram ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by M. D. Presley
(technically, I copied and pasted from his pinned Bluesky post here, he’s been so busy I didn’t want to point out to him that he didn’t give me anything for his own work.)

Electric City Switches

Armed with only a pen, Corbin must disarm deadly enchantments left by his mentor’s ex while uncovering what she stole and why in this stand alone mystical mystery.

Includes ghosts, gods, and a… whip sword?

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Feel free to head over to my Bookshop.org page to see all the books I’m featuring this week (this may spoil some of the other lists, you’ve been warned). At least as many of them that Bookshop.org sells, anyway.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Nikki McCormack Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Nikki McCormack Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Cozy Cottage Series

by Liz Delton
What do you get when you mix a cottage that grants wishes, a cast of charming characters, and a cat? A really delightful reading experience. Each book in the cozy cottage series follows a different character who discovers the magical cottage with its resident cat and makes something wonderful of it. A witch helping people with her brews. A young man curating a library for the locals. And the newest installment sees the cottage taking on the role of a tea shop. If you need a cozy escape from the real world, these books a delightful.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Beyond the Humming Downs

by Ellen Starsmore
A well-written, immersive fantasy tale of Adehl and Roh, a pair of star-crossed lovers willing to fight for their unexpected bond despite the odds stacked against them. With magic based on the concept of ellir, the energy within the world, and a richly imagined culture built around it, the setting is as engaging as the characters. If you enjoy an inspiring romance with plenty of nail-biting tension and excellent world-building, look no further.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by Nikki McCormack

The Warden’s Son (series)

At five years old, Kasiel was found with the pointed ends of his ears cut off. Despite that brutal start, he’s lived twelve peaceful years with the man who took him in. Keeping his hair long over his mutilated ears helps him hide the fact that he is Vanrian, a child of the enemy. Or so he believes until the day mercenaries arrive hunting for him. An epic fantasy series for readers who love psychic magic, creature companions, and found family set against the backdrop of a land torn by war between those who have magic and those who do not.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Paul Regnier Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'Paul Regnier Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

Jewel of The Stars. Season 1 Episode 1: The Remnant

by Adam David Collings
He has a sci-fi series called Jewel of the Stars. Imagine Battlestar Galactica meets Love Boat.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by Paul Regnier

The Agency of Magic and Mythical Creatures

I published a middle grade fantasy last year called The Agency of Magic and Mythical Creatures. It’s a portal fantasy where 12 year old twins Kyle and Kenzie get pulled into a fantasy world. They must survive mythical beasts and dark magic to find a way back to their world.

Website ~ Instagram

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

HC Chats with Michael R. Fletcher about Self-Publishing and some other stuff

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

In Uncategorized

Each year–at least each year that I remember–one of the things I try to talk about is the Publishing side of Self-Published Authors Appreciation. The Authoring bit gets all of the attention–and it’s easy to understand why. But–as I say in the videos this week–it’s the Publishing side that makes me admire and appreciate these authors more. This week I’ve been able to convince 4 (maybe 5–we’ll see how the week goes) authors to sit down with me and talk about their approach to the parts where they take their creative efforts and get them into the hands of the readers.

This evening, I’m chatting with Michael R. Fletcher, man of many genres, multiple series, and quite the experience in Self-Publishing. I enjoyed the conversation a lot and I appreciate his depth of experience. I hope you enjoy this chat almost as much as I did:

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

Eternal Blades by Vlad V. Imakaev: A Tale of Wielders and Watchers

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

In Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Locals, Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, YA/MG/Children's Books

Eternal Blades

by Vlad V. Imakaev

DETAILS:
Series: Maks Kolba, #1
Publication Date: October 5, 2025
Format: Paperback
Length: 252 pg.
Read Date: June 20-22, 2026

What’s Eternal Blades About?

In the middle of a nasty snowstorm, Maks Kolba tries to drive home from work and comes across dragon and a winged warrior of some sorts in the middle of an epic combat. He can’t believe his eyes, but he also has to get out and see what’s happening. He perhaps got a little too close—but no matter.

He wakes up the next day in his room—completely unscathed, but with a voice in his head. He’s apparently replaced the winged warrior in their multi-dimensional war against that dragon and its ilk.

Poor Maks now has to get used to this seemingly-permament voice in his head (think Roen and Tao) as he tries to understand his new abilities and powers, learns to combat his foes, successfully get the police to stop asking questions about that night in the storm, and to try to figure out what he’s going to do after he graduates from high school.

Senior years are just never easy…

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I met Imakaev at the Nampa Library’s Book Fair and not only was it a fun chat, his book seemed like it’d be plenty of fun.

I kept with it because it was a fast and engaging read—it didn’t take itself too seriously and had some fun with things—but it still treated the stakes as important. It was just an entertaining read.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

One of the things I appreciated most was the way a bunch of people got together to address a looming calamity. These people had little in common (some were open antagonistic toward each other), not all of them believed in the supernatural forces before their eyes—or that there was anything good that possibly could come from them. But a threat was there, and obvious, and they were able to set all of that aside to work for a common goal, and form some sort of bond over it. Bonds that might be tested—probably will be—and some may not stand up to the pressure. But still—a common goal was faced.

It’s easy to focus on division right now. It’s nice to see an example of the alternative—and a nice reminder that humans frequently act that way.

So, what did I think about Eternal Blades?

This was fun! A solid action-adventure for younger YA readers* with some cool supernatural aspects.

It’s easy to like these characters—even those who are a bit prickly. The supernatural system is pretty cool. The action scenes are well excuted and will keep you turning the pages as fast as you can. It took me very little time to decide that I could’ve read this in one sitting if I just had the time.

It feels like I should have a lot more to say, but…I really don’t. It’s a great intro to this universe, we get just enough of the supernatural world to entice and satisfy for the purposes of this book and to still have questions, and, welllll…basically, I want more of these, and I want them soon.

* Or readers who don’t get hung up on that kind of thing.

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Literary Locals logo

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: JCM Berne Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'JCM Berne Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

The Prophet of Edan

by Philip Chase
An epic fantasy that seems to do what you expect until it absolutely doesn’t. The kind of deliberate pace, lavishness of description, and extensive worldbuilding you see in epic fantasy but with stunning twists that will knock your socks off.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

The Execution of Rooker Flynn

by AR Witham
This is a pirate adventure inside a portal fantasy that won’t let you go. Wonderful characters, fascinating story. The prequel novel (Legend of Black Jack) is almost YA but the Rooker Flynn trilogy definitely isn’t.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Discovery

by J.A.J. Minton
Cosmic horror near-future story with incredible characters operating across a broad swath of a story. Jerry Springer meets Chthulhu. You won’t regret it.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by JCM Berne

Hybrid Helix

Rohan just wants a peaceful life after a decade of combat, acting as a living weapon of mass destruction for the il’Drach Empire. Of course, that doesn’t happen, because that wouldn’t be much of a series, would it?

Website ~ Linktree ~ Buy the First Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: A.J. Calvin Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion

Visit the SPAAW 2026 Hub to see what other Self-Published Appreciation Posts are out there.

An image of a pair of speech bubbles. The upper one reads 'A.J. Calvin Engages in:' and the lower reads Shameless Other-Promotion' with the Self-Published Author Appreciation raven circle in the upper left corner, and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow Icon in the lower left corner.

Other-Promotion:

Far Removed

by CB Lansdell
One of the most unique sci-fantasy books I’ve read in a long time. It’s dark and dystopian, but not without hope, and not a single character in the duology is human. There’s some pretty cool science/magic involved too. The second book just came out in June, and it’s excellent.

Website ~ Instagram ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Metal

by J.F. Lawrence
I actually read this one a couple years ago, but it has stuck with me. It’s an apocalyptic story, where societal collapse occurs due to a metal-consuming strain of bacteria. Metal is a crucial component of our infrastructure and so many devices…imagine if all of that suddenly failed. It’s a book that makes you think, but also one that tells a great story.

Website ~ Twitter

A Black Dragon on Red

by P.L. Stuart
Usually when a series gets to book 6, I have a good idea of how the story is going to go. But this one surprised me (in a great way!) I fell in love with the series during book 1 – the Atlantis-inspired story drew me in, but the character work kept me coming back for more. A Black Dragon on Red wasn’t at all what I expected it to be going in, but it might be my favorite of the series so far.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

A Bit of Self-Promotion by A.J. Calvin

The Caein Legacy

The Caein Legacy is a complete, 4-book series that begins with Exile.

Andrew and Alexander both harbor secrets that, if exposed, would land them in line for the headsman’s axe. The kingdom’s laws regarding both magi and dragon-kind have rarely been enforced, but when the new king ascends the throne, the lax policy quickly begins to change. The king is uncompromising in the enforcement of the laws, even when those affected are blood relatives—his brother, Alexander, and his half-brother, Andrew.

When Alexander’s secret is revealed, Andrew must find a means to save him. The only option he is left with is making his own secret—that he is half-dragon—known to the world. When the kingdom learns the truth of their origins, the brothers are forced to flee. Their exile sparks a war, as others like them begin to fight for their right to exist.

Signed copies available at my website: https://ajcalvin.net/shop/

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Buy the Book on Bookshop.org

Be sure to check out these books and show these Self-Published Authors some appreciation! They’re available at the links above or at the retailer of your choice!

Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week circle logo and the Irresponsible Reader Pilcrow in front of an open book

Image by OpenIcons from Pixabay
The 2026 Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week Logo was made by Witty and Sarcastic Book Club

SPAAW ’26: Shannon Knight Engages in Shameless OTHER-Promotion