My 2022 /r/Fantasy bingo card
This is the third time I'm participating in /r/Fantasy bingo. The idea is to expand your reading by filling 5-25 squares. Each square has an easy mode and a hard mode with additional restrictions. I added my own extra criteria for this year's card — Kindle Unlimited books and minimum of 4 stars (out of 5). Note that some of these books are no longer part of Kindle Unlimited.
I have already made separate review posts for each of these books. I'll post shortened reviews here and add a link to the full reviews. Hard mode squares are indicated as (HM) and ratings are provided as (4/5) or (5/5).
First row
1. A Book from r/Fantasy's Top LGBTQIA List
The Silence of Unworthy Gods by Andrew Rowe (4/5)
As prepartion for this book, I re-read the third one. Overall, this book had all the things I love about this series. Corin learning and experimenting with magic (this invariably ends up energizing my own learning experience), lots of cool fights and twists. However, the ending was darker than I expected from this series and I didn't like some of the sub-plots.
2. Weird Ecology
Bondsfungi by Sarah Lin (HM) (5/5)
I had binged the first three books in the Weirkey series at the start of 2022 and then read the fourth one on the day of release. I re-read the fourth one to get myself immersed in this setting in preparation for Bondsfungi.
Overall, this was another great addition to the series. We got to see the repercussions from the events in Chasmfall, especially Nauda's struggle to salvage her battered Soulhome and Guchiro trying to connect with Fiyu after receiving the altered message. I was getting bored of Fithan politics, so the twist was a welcome surprise. The world of Slest and especially the introduction of Krikree's character was great.
3. Two or More Authors
Secret Agent Mom by Martha Carr and Michael Anderle (4/5)
This was a short, lighthearted and fun read. Some of the worldbuilding details about the hidden magical world will strongly remind you of "Harry Potter". And the magical family will likely remind you of "The Incredibles". Pacing was good, something keeps happening to make you turn the pages.
I especially liked the slice-of-life scenes involving food, exercises, school, small talk with colleagues, etc. Not much to write about the main antagonist other than helping the plot to move forward. Overall, I'd recommend the book if you are looking for a light read featuring a happy and supportive magical family.
4. Historical SFF
Miss Percy's Travel Guide to Welsh Moors and Feral Dragons by Quenby Olson (4/5)
This was a good sequel, especially the revelations and hints in the last quarter of the book. Lots of travel, consumption of delicious food, worldbuilding tidbits in the epigraphs and enough action to keep you interested (asides were a bit overdone though). Return of some side characters from the first book was a surprise, and one of them turning a new page was even more unexpected.
The older protagonists shone in this book as well and the slow burn romance continued. I liked many of the newly introduced characters. Fitz continued his entertaining antics and got new friends too. The ending had me looking forward to the third book.
5. Set in Space
For We Are Many by Dennis E. Taylor (4/5)
As the book title accurately indicates, there were just too many Bobs. There's a glossary at the end of the book, but I didn't bother trying to keep track of them. And surprisingly, the book still read well. After a few chapters, it was easy to get immersed in the particular part of the galaxy and not worry about the overall plot. I didn't really have a preference for a particular Bob as most of them had something new to explore. The Earth subplot was definitely my least favorite due to the politics and sabotage.
Second row
6. Standalone
Axtara - Banking and Finance by Max Florschutz (HM) (4/5)
A nice and relaxing read, with a generous amount of scenes focusing on consuming good food and beverages. Axtara is a dragon and experienced enough to open her own bank in a newish kingdom. The people are wary of change and dragons though. Amidst a series of incidents, Axtara and the eldest princess get to know each other and become best friends. With the stamp of approval from royalty, Axtara gets her first few customers. However, the rumors against Axtara continue to grow and the resolution becomes the main focus of the story.
The book was well written, especially when it came to Axtara interacting with the princess and her potential customers. I was impressed with the glimpses of rural industry and the people who ran them. Overall, I enjoyed this slice-of-life story and would recommend to those looking for a comfort read.
7. Anti-Hero
Stout by Taylor Small (4/5)
When I started reading, I immediately noticed there were no chapters. As I kept reading, I realized it was perhaps a delibrate choice, given all the Discworld vibes I was noticing. After finishing the novel, I was more confident that the entire novel was some sort of a love letter to Terry Pratchett. I'd say humor, puns, worldbuilding and characters were all well written. Not just the main characters, but every side character too.
There were plenty of sub-plots in this book that came together at the end. Some of these resulted in character growth, powerful emotional scenes, etc. With so much packed into this novel, I feel that a re-read would be very rewarding too.
8. Book Club OR Readalong Book
The Hidden Blade by Marie M. Mullany (HM) (4/5)
The best thing I liked about this book was the worldbuilding — mannerisms, terms, cultures, creatures, magic, lore, etc. Epigraphs were used to good effect and there's a glossary at the end of the book as well. Characters were well written too. Louis, the sole POV character, dons various roles (assassin, merchant, mercenary, bard, etc) to good effect. There was some sort of fate at play, bringing people together across different lifetimes.
There were plenty of dark moments, which were to be expected given assassin main character and forbidden magic being the heart of conflict. Worldbuilding, Louis going about his tasks by choosing and playing different roles and some slice-of-life scenes (especially those at the end) kept me reading (as opposed to giving up due to the dark moments).
9. Cool Weapon
Dreadgod by Will Wight (HM) (5/5)
Phew! This was an intense experience. Plenty of action, cool moments and top notch humor. A few more breather chapters/scenes would've made it perfect.
Every chapter had something important going on. I loved that Lindon saw opportunities to learn at every turn. I prefer the team to stay together, but it was understandable why they had to go off to complete different things. Some of the side plots could've been novels on their own. With the series nearing the end, a few character deaths were to be expected and I'd say Will handled them well (even the one that much of the fandom thought was poor).
The ending got me really hyped for the final book.
10. Revolutions and Rebellions
Rogue Dungeon by James A. Hunter and Eden Hudson (4/5)
The first few chapters set up the overarching story. The writing was good, just a few scenes were good enough to establish the conflict and the characters involved. And then the twist happens — main character (Roark) from a high fantasy world is transported to a gamelit world. Roark was a skilled mage, but spawns as a lowly troll. The rest of the story in this book deals with how he makes best of the situation, with an aim to return powerful enough to help with the conflict back in his homeworld.
Along the way, he picks up friends and familiars whom he can trust. These were some of the best parts of the book, and a few scenes from their POV would've been great.
Third row
11. Name in the Title
Eight by Samer Rabadi (4/5)
This book had some of the usual tropes and plot points common in portal fantasy with game like mechanics. What made it interesting was the execution. Right from the first chapter, the author weaved a nice balance between character growth, worldbuilding and tension. Add some slice-of-life moments, loveable side characters and humor to the mix and you get an enjoyable read.
The magical creatures and spirits were my favorite parts of the worldbuilding. They weren't just info dumped, but organically integrated with the story. The ecosystem felt believable, instead of something like "it's a fantasy world, anything is possible". Apart from magical progression and stuff, it was also nice to see scenes focused on overcoming communication barriers.
12. Author Uses Initials
Ascendant by Michael R. Miller (4/5)
Dragon bond is one of my favorite trope. The relationship between Holt and Ash in this book was good, especially their beginning bonding process, magical progress and adapting to Ash's blindness. I also enjoyed the progression magic system and food based identification of a dragon's magic type. Props to the author for showing how Holt relates some concepts based on his cooking knowledge.
Apart from Holt, I also liked the world weary mentor character, providing knowledge and wry humor. Pacing was fast throughout the book, given the abundance of action scenes.
13. Published in 2022
Phoenix Down by Brooke Hatchett (4/5)
The story started with Remy, a 14 year old boy, working at a supply shop (with secret items for special customers). Things take an interesting turn when a noble girl arrives at this remote Northern town where it is too cold to talk. Incidents lead Remy to discover that he can communicate with magical creatures.
The writing was easy to follow and I feel the author did a good job of making the readers wonder about certain things, and then go "oh, that's why" later. I'd say the characters and world building were well done. I especially enjoyed the moments when Remy communicated with the magical creatures.
14. Urban Fantasy
Warping Minds & Other Misdemeanors by Annette Marie and Rob Jacobsen (4/5)
A fast paced, fun and light hearted read that can be finished in less than a day. I enjoyed Kit's POV (even though I didn't get 95% of the film references) and the slow tease/reveal about his magical power was done well. I liked Lienna's character too, would've liked better if some of the scenes were from her POV.
I suppose romance and focus on physical attractions are common tropes in urban fantasy. I don't mind romantic banter, but I wanted to roll my eyes at the physical descriptions and teasing present in almost every chapter.
15. Set in Africa
The Windweaver's Storm by Antoine Bandele (HM) (4/5)
Similar to the first book, the main plot was set up in the first few chapters. After some preparations and scares, TJ and his friends finally reach the Ifa academy. I'd say the author did a great job with the magical institution. Not so much with instructors and classes though, only some were interesting enough.
I was enjoying the book until halfway when teen drama spoiled the plot a bit. It was probably realistic, but I'd rather read about friends sticking together and solving the bigger threat at hand. It also didn't help that TJ had trouble trusting people after the debacle in the first book. To be fair, the author did handle these issues well later on.
Fourth row
16. Non-Human Protagonist
Cleaver's Edge by Actus (4/5)
Light hearted and a fun read. The various cooking bets and recipes were a blast to read. Even though I'm a vegetarian, I could easily imagine the pleasure of eating good food.
Apart from all the cooking, this is a dungeon based adventure book too. Arek gets recruited to cook for an adventure team and I loved their powers and dynamic. I especially liked Ming's character, reminded me of Lift from Stormlight Archives. Plenty of humor sprinkled throughout the book as well.
17. Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey
Crafting Magics by Adam Sampson (4/5)
I was close to dropping the book after a few chapters — writing was average, not properly edited, not-so-likeable main character and a few deaths (was afraid the book would turn overly dark). However, it had been more than a month since I last read progression fantasy and even the small power up at the start got me hooked. And it helped that the time-loop had a nice twist.
I liked the magic system and I feel academy settings always enhance the learning/discovery process. Along with better power progression due to time-loops, the main character also became a bit more likeable. Some of the side characters were interesting, but their impact was muted due to Hugo getting most of the attention. I'm still hesitant to recommend the book, but overall I did enjoy it and would likely give the sequel a shot.
18. Five SFF Short Stories
Wyngraf Issue #1 by Nathaniel Webb (editor) (HM) (4/5)
- "The Perils of Living with Your Human" by Nathan Slemp
- "The Road to Fjallmark" by Natasha Inwood
- "What We Buried" by J.A. Prentice
- "Your Own Beeswax" by Dan Crawford
- "Weaving Serenity" by Amanda Cook
- "Vigil" by Nathaniel Webb
- "Dragonsmith" by Angelica Fiori
- "A Petrified Heart" by Katherine Quevedo
- "Epilogue" by Rajiv Moté
My favorite was "Dragonsmith" by far — the characters, the whimsical nature of magic and the plot (a smith making toys for a festival) hit all the right notes for me. "Vigil" was my next favorite (a cadet taking the test for a messenger job, which conflicted with the desire to stay with her friend) — loved the magic, reminded me a bit of "City of Stairs".
19. Features Mental Health
The Enchanter by Tobias Begley (HM) (4/5)
This was an engaging read right from the first chapter. The first half was mostly slice-of-life — introducing characters, world building, start of a new academic year and so on. I enjoy this sort of set up at the beginning of a series, and it was well done here. The stakes increased a lot in the second half — magical experiments, end of year competitions, extraplanar horrors, etc.
Evander suffers from agoraphobia, social anxiety and crowded areas. I felt like the author did a good job of showing how it affects everyday living. There were other characters as well with their own quirks and issues.
20. Self-Published OR Indie Publisher
The Lord of Stariel by A.J. Lancaster (4/5)
I finished this book in less than a day. The opening chapter was interesting and I made a few obvious guesses right away. While some of them came true, I was glad to see the twists that came later.
The plot was mostly slice-of-life, which is one of my favorite subgenre these days. The series itself seems to be moving towards larger stakes though. Some of the slice-of-life pay-offs I had been expecting didn't materialize in this book. I'm hoping they'll be in the sequels even if the plot goes big.
Fifth row
21. Award Finalist, But Not Won
Shadow of a Dead God by Patrick Samphire (HM) (4/5) — SPFBO6 and BBNYA
The main character wasn't the noblest of heroes, but it was easy to root for him. Told from Mennik's POV, we get to know he's a mage who knows how to get the best out of his power level (which was much below compared to those who held authority positions). His best friend and adapted family was a thief and his eleven year old daughter (who was outlandishly good with knives and would do anything for her dad).
The magic system was based on drawing the power of gods. Couldn't say if it was a hard magic system, but there were a lot of cool details and I liked some of the ways it was applied. There was even magic to nullify every other magic, which led to the formation of Ash Guard to keep mages in check.
22. BIPOC Author
Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen (4/5)
This was an emotional and heartwarming read (think "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Inside Out"). And the illustrations were superb.
The plot switches between the present and flashbacks to good effect (though it confused me a bit at the start). Willow loves the woods, thanks to her father's work. After certain events, she struggles with her emotions and ends up in the woods in the company of her faithful (and cute) dog. While trying to come to terms, Willow meets Pilu (another runaway) and together they end up helping each other. Along the way, Pilu (a woodland creature) learns a few tidbits about mushrooms (which were educational for me as well).
23. Shapeshifters
The Book of Zog by Alec Hutson (HM) (4/5)
This was a nice mix of cozy and powerful cosmic beings. Zog is an Eldritch Horror, but grows outside the influence of Old Ones. With experimentation and experiences, he adapts to the world he landed in. Along the way, he gets to meet and become companions with other kinds of cosmic beings. Good things rarely last. Zog and friends have to work together and get help to avoid the destruction of this planet. Though things get dark a few times, overall the book is lighthearted. It even ends with a nice laugh.
24. No Ifs, Ands, or Buts
Daros by Dave Dobson (4/5)
The humor, especially the chapter titles, worked well for me. Add a mysterious creature, a sassy AI, a fast paced plot with good amount of action to the mix, and you get an enjoyable read.
At the heart of the plot was a powerful artifact with different groups vying to gain access for different reasons. Brecca, a teenager working for her father on a merchant ship, found herself landing in Daros after the ship was damaged by an invading force. Frim, navigator of this invading fleet, doesn't want the mission to succeed as an attempt to derail the cruel hegemony. Their POV chapters worked well to present the situation from both angles (as well as other side plots). Some of the chapters were really short, but I got used to it and in some cases they contributed to the feeling of a fast paced plot.
25. Family Matters
Soul Relic by Samuel Hinton (5/5)
Have you ever read a fantasy book where the main character's parents and siblings were alive and the entire family loved each other?
The overall plot had a good balance between adventure, slice-of-life scenes and action. The travelling portions (which included visits to natural and man-made wonders), training, tidbits about the magic system and the various scenes involving the sibling duo discussing about gifts were some of the best I've read. The light banter, puns and bickering had me laughing often. I was so invested in their lives that I didn't want action scenes to intrude.
The best thing I liked about the magic system was how flexible it was. It is very rare for progression fantasy novels to lead with female main characters. There were POV scenes from other characters too, but Raysha's were by far the most. The two old mentors were an instant hit with me, and that extended to some of the side characters too.