I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA 2026 Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for Karen Lucia’s A Second Life Worth Living! This book made it to the semi-finals, so you know there’s something good going on–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.
BBNYA:
BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (18 in 2026) and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.
Book Details:
Title: A Second Life Worth Living by Karen Lucia
Genre: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Dystopian
Age Category: Adult
Format: Paperback, eBook
Length: 186 pg.
Publication Date: June 12, 2025
About the Book:
Bennet Smith has already died once. He has no interest in a repeat act.
Caught in the crossfire of an increasingly violent revolution, Ben’s first death doesn’t stick. His bones ache. His body still feels phantom pains. Wrongfully killed, he should return ready to fight alongside the revolutionaries striving for change. Instead, he wants no part of it.
Bennet Smith is no hero. He has never been a hero. He has never wanted to be a hero. All Ben has ever wanted is to keep his head down, fly under the radar, and pass completely unnoticed. Death didn’t change that.
What is the opening line? My body ached. Every inch. Every fiber. Every bone.
What food or drink pairs best with the book? Red wine and scrambled eggs
What music pairs best with the book? Radiohead
Book Links:
Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Bookshop.org ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph
About the Author:
Karen is a science fiction and fantasy author from Minneapolis, Minnesota. A lifelong writer, reader, gamer, and all-around nerd-core enthusiast, she has published four full-length novels and four novellas, with more stories always on the way. Her reading tastes span genres, though indie science fiction and fantasy hold a special place in her heart. Her stories draw on a life of wide-ranging adventures, including time abroad, motherhood, service as an Army officer on a mass casualty response force, and work in cybersecurity. When she is not creating worlds or reading, she can usually be found chasing her children around the zoo, the playground, or a state park (and probably taking pictures of every mushroom they find).
Website ~ Bluesky ~ Instagram ~ TikTok
My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.