Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
banner
kitvaria.bsky.social
Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
@kitvaria.bsky.social
SFF book reviewer, SPFBO judge, fantasy addict, audioholic, ex bookseller.

Open to ARC requests (no romance!), especially Indies.

Servant to the cutest rescue pup.

Autistic & demi.

Considers "woke" a compliment.

https://linktr.ee/kitvaria
Pinned
Ok, last year I petered out at some point, and the thread got way too long and chaotic, so this year I shall try again, but have one thread for every month!

Hopefully I'll be able to add the first book today already 😉
He's such a good boy!

He had bleeding gums again, so we upgraded from occasional tooth brushing to twice a day and actual dentists scalers / scrapers.

And look at the difference!

#GalliTheExplorer #DogHealth #PumiMix #DogTeeth
#LifeOfADog #Dog
#AdoptDontShop #RescueDog
#dogs #DogSky
February 15, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
I went back to @waterstones.bsky.social Newport for the best possible reason: they'd sold out of their original copies of Wooing the Witch Queen, ordered more, & wanted me to sign the new copies! And OMG, just look at the incredible display they have up now. 😍

The fountain pen! The powders! Oskar!
February 14, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Oh my dear alien overlords, I FINALLY found an ebook app that will just TTS you a book while running in the background! I mean ideally I wanted an app that turns ebooks into TTS audio, but this works just as well.

My stupid shoddy eyes now can't stop me from reading when I can't have the screen on!
a man is dancing in a living room in front of a fireplace .
Alt: Carlton from Prince of Bel-Air doing a happy dance
media.tenor.com
February 14, 2026 at 9:46 PM
And here's my review for the series finale of the #Riftborn books by @stevemchugh.bsky.social

Highly recommended 😉
Latest review:

If you want urban fantasy with heart, found family, unapologetic power, and a crew that refuses to stop fighting until things are better, this one is hard to put down and even harder to forget.

fantasy-faction.com/2026/a-murde...

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation
February 13, 2026 at 9:49 PM
I can't wait for the audio soon.
A Fletcher book is *always* a treat.

A Fletcher book that has a good boy? 😉

*Dies in happy expectation*
I'm reasonably certain you need this in your life.

“The novel I didn’t know my year was missing!”
—Andy Peloquin, author of the Darkblade series.

www.amazon.com/dp/B0FR3VNQVN
Dogged (The Obsidian Path)
Amazon.com: Dogged (The Obsidian Path) eBook : Fletcher, Michael R.: Kindle Store
www.amazon.com
February 13, 2026 at 3:34 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
This week's Friday snippet comes from Enchanting the Fae Queen, which is out now in ebook, paper, and audiobook!

stephanieburgis.com/books/enchanting-the-fae-queen

#romancelandia
February 13, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
The shops are full to bursting with hearts and roses for St Valentine's Day this weekend, but here on the Hive we prefer showing we care with books.

Get lost in a good love story with us as we share our perfect recommendations for St Valetine's Day: tinyurl.com/27nphfyp
February 13, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Winter is Coming is so yesterday...

According to this fur ball, summer is round the corner!

That first picture is after 1 round of brushing. The next is after 2 and the third after 3 rounds

#GalliTheExplorer #CuteDog #PumiMix #DogAdventures #LifeOfADog #Dog
#AdoptDontShop #RescueDog
#dogs #DogSky
February 13, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Look, look, look what is on the way!!!
THE LORD OF THE EMPTY MIRROR, the final step on the Obsidian Path is available for pre-order!

Art by Tomasz Ryger

Release day: April 13th

www.amazon.com/dp/B0G49VB15X
February 9, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
OK...so it begins...my first review for #SPFBO XI is up on FanFiAddict. I had a Dresden-esque journey with BUTCHER BOY by Aaron Daggit. My full review: fanfiaddict.com/spfbo-xi-rev...
@fanfiaddict.bsky.social
February 9, 2026 at 9:17 AM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
ICYMI: @kitvaria.bsky.social reviews @longlukearnold.bsky.social's The Last Smile in Sunder City! - JI 🐉

"A moody, character-driven urban fantasy with a capable, sarcastic protagonist and a city full of strange, broken, and dangerous inhabitants."

fantasy-faction.com/2026/the-las... #booksky 📚🪐
February 6, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
Julia Kitvaria Sarene reviews Benedict Jacka's An Inheritance of Magic! - JI🐉

"A sharp, thrilling start to a brand new series...With fast learning curves, a ruthless magical society, and a protagonist who must match wit with strength."

fantasy-faction.com/2026/an-inhe... #booksky 📚🪐
February 4, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
Anyone fancy a very special deal?

My entire Empire of Ruin Saga now comes in one collection... and this week it's just 2.99!

That's FOUR BOOKS containing 720k words of award-nominated epic fantasy.

Get it here: mybook.to/empireofruin...
February 4, 2026 at 11:06 AM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
The Fantasy Hive has returned to SPFBO! Our resident SPFBO super-fan Theo has put together a team for SPFBO 11 - eleven?! Where has the time gone??

Meet this year's team and learn about the Hive's process here: tinyurl.com/mrab3mrk

#SPFBO
February 4, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Introduce yourself with the name your parents ALMOST gave you.

Hi I'm Bibiane.

The best and most important parental decision my dad ever made was to veto my name.
Introduce yourself with the name your parents almost gave you:

My dad is Irish and I was born the day after st Patrick's day. There is no version of this universe where I'm not named patrick.
Introduce yourself with the name your parents ALMOST gave you.

Hi, I’m Michelle.

Either way I would have ended up with the name of a Full House character.
February 4, 2026 at 7:03 AM
I hope you have someone in your life who looks at you the way this boy looks at my salad bowl. Uhm, I mean me. I'm sure he's just looking at me, because he loves me... 😉

#GalliTheExplorer #CuteDog #PumiMix #DogAdventures #LifeOfADog #Dog
#AdoptDontShop #RescueDog
#dogs #DogSky
February 3, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
It’s been a while since I’ve properly celebrated the achievements of my novel Mushroom Blues, but damn, I’m proud of my debut and the legs it’s had. 4500 copies sold. 650+ ratings on Goodreads. 180+ on Amazon. Seriously, THANK YOU to every person who’s bought, read, rated, reviewed and shared it 🍄💙
February 2, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Unfortunately, being on the wrong side of the pond, this is only supposed to be delivered to the bookshop at the end of February...
But getting it later just means I've less time to wait for Stephanie's next book 😉
February 1, 2026 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
It's cold outside so why not curl up with a nice, cozy (with a dash of dark) book.
Hills of Heather and Bone has:
💀 Necromancy
🪻 Plant symbolism
🐔 A spiteful chicken
♥️ A loving married couple
🏞️ Adventure
🏡 Cottagecore vibes
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 A Scottish-inspired world
January 31, 2026 at 11:07 PM
#JanuaryWrapUp with plenty of #SPFBO titles!

11 books in all, very different in style.

Favorites:
⚔️ Silencing of the North (not a surprise)
⚔️ Artificer's Knot (nice surprise!)

I DNFed two more, but I only share the love, not the hate.

💙📚🪐 #FantasyFaction #SFFbookRecommenfation
January 31, 2026 at 8:38 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
Check out an exclusive excerpt! Thanks so much to Jen for hosting:
January 29, 2026 at 5:03 PM
#BookHaul!

I read this book for #SPFBO last year, fully expecting to bounce, because "ewww a kissing book"

Suffice it to say, it managed to somehow slowly drag me in & never let go.

Obviously, once I saw this pretty version, I needed it for the shelf!

fantasy-faction.com/2024/semifin...

💙📚🪐
January 28, 2026 at 9:53 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
I DID A THING!

This interview is mostly about SPFBO. But I also talk about why I stepped down and also made my very first public appearance as someone who is writing a book and yikes. THAT bit made me so nervous to talk about 👀🫣 Fair warning, I rambled a lot as per usual.
This year's SPFBO officially starts on February 1.

In anticipation of that, we got in touch with veteran judge @queensbookasylum.bsky.social from Queen's Book Asylum to have her answer a few questions about the competition and what's to come.

www.readindiefantasy.com/interview-qu...

#SPFBO
January 28, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Reposted by Julia Kitvaria Sarene 📚🐉⚔️☠️
Fantasy-Faction @fantasyfaction.bsky.social is doing a giveaway on the amazing books by author G.R. Matthews @grmatthews.bsky.social as his sequel to Seven Deaths of Empire releases TOMORROW!! Be in to win these excellent books

#BookGiveaway #NewRelease #GRMatthews #Booksky💙📚 #pukapuka 📚🇳🇿
The long awaited Silencing of the North, sequel to Seven Deaths of an Empire, releases tomorrow!

We're running a give away to celebrate 🥳🎉

Win an ebook of books 1 or 2, or an audiobook of the Corin Hayes series!

Look here, or in comments below 👇
fantasy-faction.com/2026/silenci...

💙📚🪐 #Giveaway
January 28, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Tomorrow is Silencing of the North's book birthday!

To celebrate, there is a #GiveAway on Fantasy-Faction.

Win an ebook copy of Good Day to Die or Silencing of the North, or an audible code (UK/US only) for the Corin Hayes omnibus!

See what it's about and how to enter on the blog!
January 28, 2026 at 7:54 PM