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The Reading Beard

@thereadingbeard

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🧔 The Beard LOVES sci-fi & fantasy
📖 Honest reviews • ARCs • Special editions
📷 Creative book photography
🐶 Ozzie is my right-hand dog

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Friday Night Feature!!

This post is overdue, but I was waiting for a new background I thought would work for this shot. I was very interested in reading Embers of the Empire, and being the book snob that I am I reached out to @logandirons to ask if he had a hardcover special edition I could buy.

Logan had told me at the time there were only paperbacks, so I placed an order for one. Lo and behold, a special edition hardcover shows up in addition to the paperback, both signed and personalized to The Reading Beard (you all know how much I love that!) Logan sent the hardcover to me at his own expense! How awesome is that?

I’ve been slow reading lately but ramping things up and will post a review once I’ve read it, but I just wanted to spotlight Logan and really the whole indie author community. Logan is just another example of how awesome indie authors are. I’ve had such outstanding interactions discussing their work, learning about them and future works and Logan was no exception. A total pleasure to talk to.

It doesn’t hurt that this book has incredible artwork by @ortizfreelance either, beautiful!

So maybe reach out to Logan to ask him about his book, he’s a great guy and an indie author you can help support by reading his work! You can go to his bio if you want to subscribe to his newsletter.

Thanks again, Logan! I’ll be reading your book soon!

#EmbersOfTheEmpire #FantasyBookstagram #DarkFantasyBooks #SpecialEditionBooks #BookPhotography by @thereadingbeard

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4 hours ago

📚 COVER ART THAT DESERVES TO BE FRAMED | PART 1 🎨

💬 QUESTION: What book cover made you fall in love with a book before you’d even read a single page? 👀📖

They say never judge a book by its cover, but when books look THIS good, how are we supposed to resist?! 😍🔥

I thought it was about time I showcased some of my favourite covers from my collection, and what better way to start than with these absolute beauties! 📚✨

From breathtaking illustrations and vibrant colours to intricate naked hardbacks and stunning sprayed edges, these editions are works of art in their own right. 🎨💛

One of my favourite things about collecting special editions is seeing how much creativity and attention to detail goes into bringing these stories to life beyond the pages.

And believe me, narrowing down my favourites was no easy task! 😂

This is only Part 1, because there are far too many gorgeous editions sitting on my shelves to squeeze into one post! 👀

👇 Which of these covers is your favourite? And what book should I feature in Part 2?

I have tagged some of you to take part 😈 by @thereadingbeard

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3 days ago

October is a good excuse to break out the spooky books. 🎃📚

I looked through my library and found these five books, added a haunted-looking window, some blue moonlight, and enough fog to make the neighbors wonder what the hell I’m summoning in my studio. 😂

Had a lot of fun putting this shot together with actual lighting and practical smoke effects. (I even included some BTS shots - although not sure if anyone really cares about that part? At least you know it’s not AI 🤣)

Now the important question: Which of these five would you grab for a dark and stormy October night? Or which have you read?

Two of these books are @thebrokennbinding SE’s and are just beautiful (thanks @k_reads2much for the featured book).

Christopher Buehlman — Between Two Fires
Bonnie Quinn — How to Survive Camping
Stephen Graham Jones — The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
Sam Hughes/qntm - There Is No Antimemetics Division
RJ Barker - Mortedant's Peril

#SpookyReads #HorrorBooks #BookstagramPhotography #OctoberReads #bookstagram by @thereadingbeard

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6 days ago

Well, damn, @thebrokennbinding - you really outdid yourself with this book wrapping! I’ve never seen that before although I’m not as experienced in the TBB game as others. What a fun surprise!

Super excited about “A Tide of Black Steel” by @anthonyryan286 - what a beautiful book. Can’t wait to read it!

For all you fellow book collectors, have you received a TBB book wrapped similar to this?

#specialeditionbooks #thebrokenbinding #anthonyryan286 #bookstagram by @thereadingbeard

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11 days ago

Time to catch up on book reviews!

I don’t normally read a lot of YA novels, but Shami Stovall has been such a pleasure to communicate with and so accommodating-especially when it comes to my affinity for authors willing to personalize signings to The Reading Beard-that I had to give The Last Rift Dragon a read. The realm of Bridgehaven is locked in an endless conflict with a neighboring country. Bridgehaven relies on dragons for their protection. Their enemies, meanwhile, ride giant centipedes, see dragons and magic as abominations, and are determined to wipe them both out. With Bridgehaven down to three dragons, Richter and his fellow trainees are preparing to become the next generation of dragon riders-until an act of betrayal brings tragedy to the dragon program and forces Richter and a small group of trainees to journey into unknown lands in search of new dragons before Bridgehaven falls.

This story jumps into the action almost immediately, and I really appreciated how quickly the plot moved. It was exciting, fun, and a very fast read for me without feeling like the world itself had been shortchanged. Shami especially hooked me with the variety of dragons she created, several of which are VERY different from the stereotypical fantasy dragon. The tomb dragon in particular was nasty. Each type has its own characteristics and abilities, and that made the world much larger than the book’s shorter length. There’s betrayal, consequences, danger and a group of young adults willingly taking on an enormous responsibility. If they fail, their entire community may fall. Richter and his companions aren’t simply going on an adventure - they’re putting their lives on the line.

Overall, The Last Rift Dragon was a very enjoyable read, and with the second book coming soon, I’m interested in seeing where Richter and his dragon’s adventures go next. I can’t finish without mentioning that cover art, because it’s fantastic! If you enjoy dragon stories, there’s plenty here to like between the fast-paced story, unusual dragons and a world I’m looking forward to exploring more. The writing got me to read it, but that cover doesn’t hurt!

#shamistovall #thelastriftdragon by @thereadingbeard

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13 days ago

Although every book I’ve received from @thebrokennbinding has been very impressive, the Hyperion Cantos by the late great Dan Simmons has blown me away. It may be the most beautiful set of books I’ve ever received (there’s another TBB set of four that’s a prime contender but that’s for another post).

Every time I come home to a black and yellow box on my porch I’m excited, but unboxing this set was a special treat. Unwrapping and admiring all the art from Raymond Swanland was just amazing. His vision of the Shrike, the colors and imagery - just beautiful. I’ll share more of each book as I read them, but I wanted to share the set as a whole, it felt like a great Friday evening post.

What about you? Have you read the series? Did you enjoy it?

What is the most beautiful book or set that you own??

#thebrokenbinding #hyperion #raymondswanland #bookstagram #thereadingbeard by @thereadingbeard

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14 days ago

Excited to be part of the cover art reveal team for @dl.jennings upcoming new book “Dreams of Blood and Shadow”! This is the first book in his second ever series and looks to be an exciting read. I mean, just look at the cover! Amazing!!

Stay tuned for the pre-order link to be live soon!

#coverreveal #dljennings #dreamsofbloodandshadow #bookstagram by @thereadingbeard

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14 days ago

I am way behind on posting book reviews and thanking generous people, so I plan on catching up quickly. I’m going to start by thanking @lkwintur for sending me a copy of “The Engineer’s Mechanic” to me. I love signed copies, and when I reached out to them asking if they would sign a copy of their book if I placed an order, they not only said yes but sent this to me at their own expense, signed to The Reading Beard!

I first heard about this book when I watched @bibliophile_mike do one of his fantastic reviews and it sounded super interesting. This sci-fi/cyberpunk story follows Ren, a gifted young mechanic in MetiCity-6 whose talent with machines and droids draws him into a fight against the powerful corporation controlling the city. It sounds like a mix of futuristic tech, rebellion, dystopian politics, and plenty of mechanical ingenuity — definitely looking forward to diving in.

I’m excited to start this one soon! Also of note, when I say “they” for the authors, it’s because the book is a tandem writing effort between husband and wife! And more exciting news, it’s part of a trilogy and book two is nearing completion!

I’ve truly enjoyed meeting new indie authors and talking about their books. Most of them are extremely friendly, super enthusiastic about their writing, and just so appreciative that they have someone who shows genuine interest in their work. Indie authors are great!!

I have more indie authors to get to in subsequent posts, so stay tuned, but maybe in the meantime give @lkwintur a look!

Plus… that cover is just so cool, right?

(Yes this image is from my own photography and not AI!)

#TheEngineersMechanic #ScienceFictionBooks #CyberpunkBooks #IndieAuthor #Bookstagram by @thereadingbeard

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15 days ago

Doing a little self-help this Friday with some IV therapy from @restorehyperwellness and continuing Song of the Broken by @eastonjthomson - goal is to walk out of here feeling a million bucks and further into my Indie Author September!

Have you ever tried IV Therapy?

What are your Friday plans?

#ivtheraphy #indieauthor #songofthebroken #eastonjthomson #thereadingbeard by @thereadingbeard

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21 days ago

500?! Apparently Ozzie is pretty excited about this. 😂

Seriously though — 500 of you are now hanging around here talking books, enabling my special-edition problem, judging my questionable reading decisions, and occasionally showing up just to see Ozzie.

I started this account just to have a place to talk sci-fi and fantasy, and I’ve had way more fun with it than I expected. Thanks for being here. 🍻

So thank you to all the book lovers, dog friends, indie authors, trad powerhouses, book publishers and just plain good ol’ people who stop by. It really means a lot to me.

Oh, and just as a side note, Ozzie and I have something really fun planned for when we hit 1,000. Based on my growth, that may be 2028, but I promise that it will be weird, different, fun and unlike any other giveaway (and yes, a pretty awesome prize package or two). So stay tuned!!

Also… I’m super chatty, so please feel free to message me and start up a conversation… about books or dogs or life!

#Bookstagram #BookstagramCommunity #DogsOfBookstagram #SciFiFantasyBooks #TheReadingBeard by @thereadingbeard

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22 days ago

Nothing like getting a special edition hardcover! Especially when it’s book two in a series by an indie author you have already started and love. “A Banishing of Kings” by @jasmineyoungofficial follows suit of “A Breaking of Realms” - what an amazing cover and beautiful book!

There’s just something special about holding these books with the dragon on the front, doesn’t it just make you want to pick it up and read it?? The naked cover, sprayed edges, map and end page art are gorgeous!! Even the bookmark is fantastic.

You can still order the special edition signed hardcover st the link in Jasmine’s bio! Looks so good on the shelf!!!

#bookstagram #indieauthorsofinstagram #indieauthor #abanishingofkings #jasmineyoungauthor by @thereadingbeard

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23 days ago

Well, here is my September Stack, per the tag of @bookishbugg - I’m in Oregon and the leaves haven’t quite turned yet, so I thought a nice mossy photo would work. Maybe I should have brought Moss’d In Space? Would have been perfect.

However, I committed to an all Indie Author September. I’m almost done with my second book, so half the stack down and half to go. And let me tell you, it’s been fantastic so far. Kinda makes me want to make every month Indie month!

I think here is where I tag a few fellow readers to see what their stack is… @author_skhansen just posted her stack (go check her post), but let’s see @j.s.lanternlibrary @chaptergoblin @booksinthebarnyard @theneverendingbookdragon @mdominiak3 @samcastellanos247 are reading, to name a few of my favorites.

#bookstack #septemberreads #indieauthorsofinstagram by @thereadingbeard

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a month ago