Blog Tour + #Review: THE SWORD AND THE SOPHOMORE by B.P. Sweany (w/ #giveaway)! #rockstarbooktours
Hello, hello! Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the Rockstar Book Tours blog tour for The Sword and the Sophomore by B.P. Sweany! I've got all the details on this YA Arthurian retelling for you below, along with my review *and* a giveaway, so let's go!
About the Book
title: The Sword and the Sophomore (The American Martyr Trilogy, Book 1) author: B.P. Sweany publisher: Th3rd World Studios release date: 9 July 2024
"Terrifically entertaining! ...a whirlpool of teenage hormones, high-school life and Arthurian magic. Hilarious and engaging!" — Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Outlander series Arlynn Rosemary Banson is an atypical sixteen-year-old—the cool, popular outsider, effortlessly straddling the line between divas and dorks. Her forever young mother, Jennifer, is dedicated to making her life awkward by trying to be her friend. Her father, Alan, is a workaholic history professor who barely acknowledges his family’s existence. Her boyfriend, Benz, the quarterback and homecoming king, has just broken up with her, while her best friend, Joslin, bears reluctant witness to Rosemary’s romantic drama. But nothing prepares any of them for a Welsh foreign exchange student named Emrys Balin. Emrys looks like a teenager, but he seems to act much, much older. Rosemary discovers she is part of the Lust Borne Tide, children born to the royal line of King Uther Pendragon who are imbued with mystical powers after being conceived in lust. Rosemary’s parents are Guinevere and Lancelot, banished by King Arthur to twenty-first century suburban America prior to Rosemary’s birth as punishment for their affair. Rosemary is the third in the Lust Borne line, after King Arthur and his son Mordred, the latter of whom has traveled to the future to continue the line of the Lust Born Tide by retrieving Rosemary and returning her to the late fifth century to conceive a child with her. But Rosemary has other plans—plans that involve training under Emrys and kicking Mordred’s butt, as long as it doesn’t interfere with prom or getting back with her boyfriend Benz. Packed with action, emotion, and humor, The Sword and the Sophomore goes beyond the Camelot you know with an Arthurian tale fit for the modern world. Combining sword fights and epic quests with the real-life teenage issues of fitting in, sexual agency, and profound personal loss; this fresh take on the classic story of what it means to wield Excalibur and all the power it entails will make you rethink the power of legend.
REVIEWS:
"A tongue-in-cheek, self-aware Arthurian fantasy set in a 21st century American suburb that’s anchored by an empathetic, hilarious, whip-smart, fierce teen protagonist. The Sword and the Sophomore almost makes me want to write a young adult novel. Almost.”— Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Red Rising Saga
"Captivating worldbuilding and an irresistible main character. I couldn't put it down."— A.G. Riddle, internationally bestselling author of The Origin Mystery Trilogy and The Lost Colony Trilogy
"What wonderful storytelling, for any age! Loved this book and especially the incredible protagonist—I would have loved to have known her in school! An excellent read!"— Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author of the Krewe of Hunters series
"Dark forces from an ancient world descend on a high school near you. The Sword and the Sophomore is funny, scary, astute, and up-to-the minute. The pages turn themselves and you'll be cheering the unforgettable heroine on every single one."— Peter Abrahams, New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar Award-winning young adult mystery Reality Check and the Agatha Award-winning Echo Falls series for younger readers
Add to Goodreads: The Sword and the Sophomore (The American Martyr Trilogy, Book 1) Purchase the Book: Books2Read.com | Or purchase via my special link to the Th3rd World Studios store and get 15% off everything in the store!
About the Author
A veteran of the publishing industry, B.P. Sweany has worked with many notable content creators, including Pierce Brown, Dean Koontz, Diana Gabaldon, Alice Walker, and Dolly Parton. The Sword and the Sophomore is the first in a projected trilogy.
Connect with B.P.: Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads
My 5-Star Review
Okay, so admittedly, I didn't know what to expect with this book. It's a debut author and a publisher with whom I wasn't familiar, but I saw the summary and thought it sounded like something I'd like and figured I'd try it out. And let me just say -- are you kidding me?? I was kind of knocked off my socks by just how good this was and how much I loved it! The writing was top-notch and seamless, the action was non-stop, and the characters were amazing. If I hadn't known from the jacket that the author was a man, I would've sworn that it was a woman based on how accurately the main character is drawn. How does this man so easily get into the mind of a 17-year-old girl? I'm not sure, but it's kind of awe-inspiring! I fell in love with every single character, I laughed out loud, I cheered at the sex positivity, and I even bawled, y'all. I was *not* expecting to bawl!
There is so much to love within these pages, and I'm already excited to see what's ahead in book two, while thrilled that book one gave me a complete story. I'm so impressed with this being the author's debut! Granted, he's worked in publishing for some years, but still, what an accomplishment. I love the imagination! If you're at all a fan of Arthurian retellings, you've got to pick this one up! Or if you like YA adventures, stories of high school life, or urban fantasy -- please, please snag this one! I really recommend it and hope that it reaches a lot of readers! I promise you that reluctant readers would love this one, too.
Clearly, I loved this one, and if you end up reading it please do DM me and let me know your thoughts! Thanks so much to the publisher and author for sending me a copy, and to them and Rockstar for having me on the tour. What a blast I had reading this!
Rating: 5 stars!
**I received a copy from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my part and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.
About the Giveaway
One (1) lucky winner will receive a finished copy of The Sword and the Sophomore by B.P. Sweany! These are gorgeous books, my friends! This one is US only and ends 23 July, so get your entries in!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
