Due to my distinct lack of ability to do wrap-ups regularly, I’ve decided this year that quarterly wrap-ups might be a little better for me. I can do four bulk posts to keep you all informed on how I’ve done. Plus, it means I’ll keep posting!
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In the run-up to the release of J.S. Carol’s new novel, Kiss Me, Kill Me, I spoke to James about his writing soundtrack and what he listened to when writing this book!
When I’m writing I need to have something playing on the stereo. Silence drives me insane. It’s too distracting; there’s too much space to lose yourself in. A large part of Kiss Me, Kill Me was written during 2017.
Here are some of the things I was listening to back then…
Kiss Me, Kill Me is out now on ebook, available to buy from Amazon and paperback release is 31st May via Amazon and Book Depository!
When the love has gone who can you trust?
When Zoe meets Dan, he’s everything she is looking for in a man – intelligent, charming, supportive. It’s only after they’re married that she realises that he’s controlling, aggressive, paranoid. And there’s no way out.Or is there?
Zoe knows she has to escape, but Dan’s found her once before, and she knows he can find her again. But Dan has plans of his own. Plans that don’t necessarily include Zoe.
Be careful who you trust . . .
2017 has been a year of big changes for me. I’d like to think I’ve done quite a lot; wrote a 10,000-word dissertation on Medea, graduated university with a 2:1, moved out of my childhood home and into a completely new city with my boyfriend, gained a job with a salary, started a blog, started writing my novel more regularly, read more books than last year. Personally, I think it’s been pretty successful!
But you’re not here to listen to me talk about my personal life, you want to know what I’ve read and what my top ten reads of the year were! Due to my being at uni, the first half of the year was quite slow and I read a lot of trashy romance ebooks when I’m busy so my year was taken up by a surprising amount of Bella Andre and other mind-numbing, escapist romance/paranormal. However, you can tell the moment uni work started letting up and I hit my stride around my summer holiday in Madiera!
Without further ado, here’s everything I read this year…
I have read 73 books this year, smashing my original goal of 60 and then my secondary goal of 70! Below are the ten books, in no particular order, which stand out to me from those 73 as my favorites.
Vicious by VE Schwab | A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas | A Conjuring of Light by VE Schwab | Invictus by Ryan Graudin | The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven | Our Dark Duet by VE Schwab | The Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes | Without Merit by Colleen Hoover | Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher | Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
And of these top ten, I have chosen a few special reads which I will talk to you about in a tiny bit more detail.
S P E C I A L M E N T I O N
I have to give Samantha Shannon’s The Song Rising a special mention when talking about my favourite books of the year. You may notice that it’s not in my top ten, simply because I actually read an ARC at the end of 2016 and did not have time for a reread this year after it’s release in March. However, I have to talk about how incredible the third installment of this beautiful septology is. If you haven’t read any of this series yet, please pick it up. It’s one of my all-time favourites and Paige Mahoney is glorious.
B E S T S E R I E S C O N C L U S I O N
Best series conclusion goes to both of Schwab’s conclusions because I cannot separate the two and pick one over the other. Victoria Schwab has an incredible gift and both of these series are flawless from start to finish. The final books do not disappoint.
B E S T F A N T A S Y
If you haven’t heard of this book this year, then I’d ask where the hell you’ve been. Strange the Dreamer is the first in Laini Taylor’s new series about gods and monsters and it has the most stunning and lyrical writing and world building. It had to be the best fantasy of the year.
B E S T S C I – F I
If you like time-travel, heists, and Ancient Rome, this book is 100% for you. A stand-alone set in both futuristic and Ancient Rome which is fun, exciting and unputdownable. The friendships are great and the action is perfect. Invictus definitely deserves best sci fi for me!
B E S T W R I T I N G
I’ve always been a fan of Colleen Hoover and I read a bit of Tarryn Fisher before this year, but as soon as I picked up Mud Vein there was no going back. This book ruined me and repaired me, it consumed my brain for days after I’d finished it. The words within were so beautiful and I know that they came straight from Fisher’s heart. If you haven’t read anything by her, pick this up right now.
B E S T 2 0 1 8 R E L E A S E
Hilarious, laugh out loud funny and yet about an incredibly important and serious topic. Laura Steven’s debut releases in March and I will advocate and shout about this book from the rooftops right up until it’s release. I’m even hosting a giveaway to win a pre-order right now on Instagram!
N U M B E R O N E R E A D O F T H E Y E A R
I didn’t actually realise this was my favourite read until I took all these photos and really thought about it. This book is powerful and yet I would say it’s probably more on the younger side of YA so it still has a lightness to it. There are lessons to be learned and adventures and every second of this book meant everything to me. Please pick it up.
Did you meet your reading goal for the year? What’s your 2018 goal? What was your favourite book of the year?
So the end of October got a little manic and then NaNo took over November so I never got around to doing my wrap up last month, so now you have a double bill! October was been a month of book slumps, fanfiction and starting work. I ended up in a weird vampire mood (maybe it was due to Halloween), but I actually read quite a few books in the end and even extended my goodreads goal to 75! Then, this month, NaNo meant that I didn’t read as much as I wanted at first but then when my writing brain started shutting down, I picked up reading again. I really wish I could balance it out better.
So here’s my October/November double bill wrap up…
O C T O B E R
Solis Invicti series by Josie Jaffrey ★★★★☆
A Bargain in Silver (Solis Invicti #1), The Price of Silver (Solis Invicti #2), Bound in Silver (Solis Invicti #3), The Silver Bullet (Solis Invicti #4)
KEYWORDS: Vampires, Zombies, End of the World, Roooooomance + Bonds + Love Triangles.
This series was the perfect thing to drag me out of my reading slump. The vampire premise was original and interesting, I enjoyed the character arcs and I shipped a couple like mad, and that’s a definite plus. I would thoroughly recommend this series to anyone who likes paranormal romance, vampires, and zombies.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead ★★★★★
Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4), Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5), Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)
KEYWORDS: Vampires, Sassy/Badass Female Heroine, Romance.
After reading the Solis Invicti series, I was in a vampire mood so I finished off my Vampire Academy reread. I will always adore these books and this reread only reminded me of my love.
Without Merit by Colleen Hoover ★★★★★
KEYWORDS: Dysfunctional family, Mental health, Love at first sight.
Coleen Hoover’s 2017 release is a return to her YA roots, exploring the lives of one family – the Voss family both reminds you of your family and makes you glad that your family is nothing like them. I connected with Merit from the start and it’s a truly beautiful novel. Read it.
See my spoiler-free review here.
Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher ★★★★☆
KEYWORDS: Psychopath, Villainous Women, Motherhood.
Yet another look into Tarryn’s messed up mind and yet again, I loved it. Bad Mommy is a look into the mind of a stalker/psychopath, the mind of a sociopath and the mind of an author trapped in between the two of them. I loved the unreliable narrators and it was really intriguing. Everything Tarryn writes is fantastic.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
N O V E M B E R
Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare ★★★★★
KEYWORDS: Shadowhunters, Demons, Badass Females, Forbidden Love, Investigating.
Another fantastic book from the Shadowhunter universe. I loved the characters, the mystery and I should really read more urban fantasy because I do love it. Also, Emma Castairs is wonderful.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff ★★★★★
KEYWORDS: Outerspace apocalypse, Non-Prose.
My best friends have been pestering me to read this on and on and on for ages and I finally got around to it. I know now why they wanted me to read it! A fantastic story and an incredibly intriguing way to tell it. All through IMs and surveillance footage. It somehow makes it seem more real and I LOVED it.
Spoiler free review coming soon!
As you can see, November didn’t go quite as planned but hopefully December will be the month where I hit my goal and smash it out the park! Wish me luck!
What books have you read this month? What was your favourite? Let me know in the comments!
Name: Bad Mommy
Author: Tarryn Fisher
Genres: New Adult, Thriller
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Paperback
Source: Amazon
Rating: ★★★★☆
GOODREADS | BUY
When Fig Coxbury buys a house on West Barrett Street, it’s not because she likes the neighborhood, or even because she likes the house. It’s because everything she desires is next door: The husband, the child, and the life that belongs to someone else.
KEY WORDS: Psychopath, Villainous Women, Motherhood.
TW: Miscarriage, Adultery, Abuse of Power.
So ever since I read F*ck Love a few years ago and decided I kinda loved Tarryn Fisher, I made it my mission to read all her stuff. This was, however, in between university and a hefty TBR so it’s taken me longer than anticipated. I started with the Love Me With Lies series which was her first few books and they were so different from FL that I only became more intrigued. When I read Mud Vein, though, I knew I was lost and thoroughly in love with Fisher’s incredible, lyrical writing style and insight into the human mind, making me question my own feelings, morals and leaving me a mess of overthought for the days to follow. Bad Mommy was no exception.
This book has three unreliable narrators. Not one, not two, but three people who tell you completely different sides to the story just to mess with your head and leave you constantly wondering who is telling the most truthful version of the story. The three sides of the story are told by a psychopath, a sociopath and an author, all well trained in telling stories, bending truths and saying what you want to hear. And by hell, do they do that!
As ever, Fisher’s writing is flawless, flowing and lyrical, making you want to curl up within the pages of the book and stay there forever. It’s told in first person from each perspective and you feel so deep inside each character’s head that you almost feel like you’re just as insane as they are. I loved every second.
I really loved the characterisation of each of the main characters. Fig was truly fascinating and I almost found myself sympathising with her at times, while at other points shouting out loud about how absolutely insane she was. Darius was intriguing because we meet him first from Fig’s obsessive perspective before seeing him for who he really is and I loved that. Finally, Jolene. I saw so many similarities between Tarryn and Jolene throughout the novel and I will always love the way she inputs a part of who she is as a person into her characters, just to make you question who you are. I couldn’t tell you who I am. I probably am a little bit Fig-like, and a bit of Jolene. Maybe a bit of all three. Is that an unhealthy balance? Who knows?
Tarryn has produced another masterpiece that displays the inner workings of the human mind in an extraordinary way which has, yet again, made me wonder who the hell I am. Now I’m going to go and reread Mud Vein and be numb for a few days… before FINALLY reading Atheists Who Kneel and Pray, of course.
Tarryn Fisher’s completely varied novels pick apart your brain:
Have you read Bad Mommy? Let me know in the comments!
Genres: New Adult, Thriller
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Paperback
Source: AmazonWhen Fig Coxbury buys a house on West Barrett Street, it’s not because she likes the neighborhood, or even because she likes the house. It’s because everything she desires is next door: The husband, the child, and the life that belongs to someone else.
What are you reading right now? Are you enjoying it? Tell me in the comments!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish and I love a good list so here goes!
I have so many books on my TBR that I actually have a spreadsheet detailing what I need to read and by when. It’s long and organised and mad but these ten books below are the ones I’m most looking forward to!
Ringer (Replica #2) by Lauren Oliver
Release: 3rd October 2017
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of Replica this time last year and absolutely adored it, so when Ringer was released on Edelweiss, I snapped it up! It’s next on my TBR once I finish Tower of Dawn!
The Replica series tells the story of two girls, Lyra and Gemma, when their lives become intertwined after Lyra and a boy known only as 72 escape the Haven Institute, a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed.
The Fandom by Anna Day
Release: 5th October 2017
I somehow managed to get this beautiful paperback ARC at YALC, moments after I walked into the convention hall. I am really intrigued by the concept and will definitely be reading this one soon.
A YA fantasy, set within a YA fantasy. Cosplayers go to comic-con and, after a freak accident, find themselves trapped within the fantasy world from their favourite fandom.
A Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo
Release: 26th September 2017
I am unbelievably excited to be transported back into the incredible Grishaverse. Leigh Bardugo is one of the best world-builders out there right now and I have loved everything she has written. Give me more.
Six short stories set within the Grishaverse which explore familiar lands and new, inspired by myth, fairytale and folklore.
Without Merit by Colleen Hoover
Release: 3rd October 2017
I have read every CoHo book, some more than once, and her books mean so much to me. They tear me apart and stitch me back together. I cry a lot. They are my catharsis and I’ve heard lots of good things about her next novel, her first YA since Losing Hope.
Without Merit explores family dynamics and the layers of lies that tie a family together through the eyes of the imperfect daughter, Merit Voss.
Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher
Much like Colleen, I love Tarryn’s writing. Plus, sometimes it hard to like one and not the other considering what a double act Hoover/Fisher are. Bad Mommy is one of the few that I haven’t yet read along with the new release Athiests Who Kneel and Pray. Both are on my bookshelf begging to be read.
When Fig Coxbury buys a house on West Barrett Street, it’s not because she likes the neighbourhood, or even because she likes the house. It’s because everything she desires is next door: The husband, the child, and the life that belongs to someone else.
Illuminae series by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
My friends kept going on and on at me telling me I would love this series so I decided to buy them and now they’ve been sat on my shelves a month or so, waiting to be read. I guess I’d better get on with it!
Kady’s planet has been invaded and she and her ex-boyfriend need to work together to fight their way to an evacuating fleet. Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews and more.
False Hearts by Laura Lam
Having read the Micah Grey trilogy and fallen in love, I figured I should add Laura Lam’s other novels to my TBR. I’m sure I’ll love this adventure just as much as the last.
Two formerly conjoined sisters are ensnared in a murderous plot involving psychoactive drugs, shared dreaming, organized crime, and a sinister cult.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Top of the NY Times bestseller list since its release, The Hate U Give, has been widely recognised as the book to read in 2017… so I read it I must!
A young, black girl, trapped between the two worlds of her poor neighbourhood and surburban preparatory school, has her life turned upside down after she witnesses the fatal shooting of her unarmed, childhood best friend by a police officer.
And I Darken by Kiersten White
I purchased this and its sequel, Now I Rise, at YALC having had it on a long list of books I should get for a while. Yet, since its purchase, I have had more pressing things to read. It sounds just like my kind of book so I would love to get around to this soon.
A gender-swapped, historcal YA retelling the story of the Prince of Wallachia, also knowsn as Vlad the Impaler. Political and historical with a ruthless heroine, stabbing, murder and volatility.
One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Another novel that I haven’t stopped hearing about since it’s release so I feel the need to see what all the fuss is about. Especially with the tv series going ahead, I want to read it before that comes out.
A murder mystery surrounding five high school students who have detention together, but only four come out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
What’s on your Autumn TBR? Have you read any on my list that I should read sooner? Let me know in the comments or link me to your TTT for me to check out!
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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish and I love a good list so here goes!
I’m a pretty fast reader and there are only a few reasons a book takes me more than a week max. These are either because I’m not invested in the same way that I usually am, I’m crazy busy, or I need time to digest the heavy plot or how it is written *cough 18th/19th Century authors *cough*. Here’s a list of the books that took me longer than they should have. Again, I’m struggling with ten, but you’ll forgive me, right?
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
KEY WORDS: Magicians, Pure Magic, Old World Fantasy.
I really loved Uprooted but it took me about four months to read. Now, that was mostly because it was a busy time at uni but also during that time, I found time to do so many other things when I could have been reading this. It didn’t enthrall me enough to want to read it instead of doing everything else which is how I like my books.
Snow Like Ashes series by Saraa Raasch
KEY WORDS: Resistance, Dictatorship, Fantasy, Suppressed Magic.
I read the first novel in the series and loved it but having read one chapter of the second, I put Ice Like Fire down and haven’t picked it up since. I still haven’t finished book two, or the rest of the series and I have no idea when I will get back to it.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
KEY WORDS: Classic British Romance.
Jane Austen is one of the most incredible classic British authors and I love reading romantic classical 18th and 19th Century novels like Austen, Brontë and the like. However, as lovely as it sounds, they are hard to get through. I started Pride and Prejudice after I received a beautiful leatherbound classic for Christmas a few years ago. I got halfway through and put it down to do uni work and never picked it up again. It’s still on my bedside table!
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
KEY WORDS: Super-hype, Thriller, Intense.
I read this novel back in 2016 and it was without a doubt one of the best of that time. I hadn’t read a lot of thrillers then and all the twists were fanatstic. But it did take me a good few months. The first half dragged a lot but as soon as I got to the second, I’d finished it in a matter of hours. It’s strange how that happens.
Which books have you read that took you longer than expected? Let me know in the comments or link me to your TTT for me to check out!
I’ve done pretty well this August, making my way through quite a few books on my TBR, those I managed to buy/scavenge/win at YALC and all while holidaying in Madeira, enjoying the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, house hunting and actually packing up to move! Check out my August wrap up to see what I managed to devour this month…
Because You Love to Hate Me edited by Ameriie ★★★★☆
KEY WORDS: Villains, short stories, fairytales, retellings.
I really enjoyed the concept behind this anthology and the execution was delightful, leading me to find some new favourite authors as well as falling in love again with the writing styles of my faves (hi there, Say Sha and Schwab). Having the stories followed by the booktubers’ prompt and commentary made this a more intriguing read as well as meaning I got to try and guess each prompt as I read the tale. Highly enjoyable.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
The Exact Opposite of Okay by Laura Steven ★★★★☆
KEY WORDS: Feminism, high school, slut shaming, guys are douchebags.
While not being released until March 2018, The Exact Opposite of Okay was exactly what I needed to read in the heat of a summer holiday. It was laugh out loud funny while still tackling important issues of high school bullying, slut shaming and revenge porn. Read this book when it comes out in March. Just read it.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Micah Grey series by Laura Lam ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Intersex, queer, magical, circus, adventure, coming of age, SO SO GOOD.
This series was everything I have ever wanted, but didn’t know it. At this time, I would say that all three novels in the Micah Grey series are up there in my favourite books I’ve read this year. If you love fantasy and adventure, read these books because they made my life infinitesimally better.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James ★★★☆☆
KEY WORDS: Diary entries, emails, space travel, easy reading.
Easy reading and fast paced leading to a pretty chill day. And it releases today! Happy Release Day to Lauren James – head on down to Waterstones! Worth a read and perfect for younger readers in the YA category.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
The Treatment by C.L. Taylor ★★★☆☆
KEY WORDS: Mystery, adventure, adolescents vs. government, psychology, brainwashing.
The perfect thriller for younger readers. Intriguing story with great writing, making it a good read for all ages but especially perfect for those a little too young to get stuck into Paula Hawkins and Gillian Flynn just yet. If you’re a fan of these authors but not YA then check out Cally’s adult novels (I’m yet to read them but after reading this, they’re next on my list).
See my full spoiler-free review here.
The Arsonist by Stephanie Oakes ★★★★★
KEY WORDS: Adventure, thriller, mystery, Berlin Wall, Cold War, friendship, family.
Probably my favourite book of the month. A beautiful stand-alone mystery which follows the lives of three seemingly unrelated people who are thrown together one summer. Molly Mavity, a soon-to-be-orphan whose mother committed suicide and whose father is on death row for commiting arson. Pepper Al-Yusef, a boy failing out of High School who struggles to speak to girls. Ava Dreyman, known as “The Anne Frank of the Cold War”, whose diary and death incited revolution in East Berlin leading to the destruction of the Berlin Wall.
I loved every second of this beautifully written mystery.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Prisoner of Ice and Snow by Ruth Lauren ★★★★☆
KEY WORDS: Mystery, adventure, sisterhood.
My first middle grade novel in what feels like forever, but still a very enjoyable read. A lovely little fanatasy that seld-describes as ‘Frozen meets Prison Break’ – Valor is on a mission to save her sister and break her out of the most secure and cruel prison in the land.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Wunderkids Part 1: Wildwood Academy by Jaqueline Silvester ★★★★☆
KEY WORDS: Adventure, boarding school, mystery.
An intriguing boarding school adventure which leaves you on a crippling cliffhanger as you wait for the second installment, due to release in March 2018. When Nikka is accepted to Wildwood Academy for Talented Youth she thinks it’s heaven, then things start going wrong.
See my full spoiler-free review here.
Books read: 10
Pages read: 3,728
Approximate words read: 932,000
Books bought: 4
ARCs recieved: 6
NEW
New authors read: 16 | New series started: 4
FORMATS
Hardbacks read: 0 | Paperbacks read: 9 | eBooks read: 1
TYPES
Standalones read: 3 | Books within series read: 6 | Anthologies read: 1
GENRES
New Adult: 0 | Young Adult: 9 | Middle Grade: 1
Fantasy: 4 | Sci-Fi: 2 | Thriller: 2 | Contemporary: 1
What books did you read in August? What was your favourite? Let me know in the comments!
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish and I love a good list so here goes!
This was a lot more difficult this week because, to be honest, I’m a bit of a mainstream reader. HOWEVER, these are books which I haven’t heard loads of buzz about in the same way that certain series have become almost household names within the book-lovers sphere. Maybe you don’t think they’re hidden but either way, have a list!
Micah Grey series by Laura Lam
KEY WORDS: Intersex, queer, magical, circus, adventure, coming of age, SO SO GOOD.
I’m definitely going to be talking about this series for some time because I cannot believe that I’d never heard of it until I met Laura Lam in March. Now I’m completely mad for her writing. These books were beautifully written and one of my favourite series. If you are a fan of fantasy, magicians, circus and some good old LGBT+ representation, this is for you.
Shadow Falls series by C. C. Hunter
KEY WORDS: Supernatural, summer camp, teen drama, trashy but great.
I am an absolute sucker for boarding school/summer camp supernatural novels. Vampire Academy is a long-time favourite so when my lovely friend Alys recommended Shadow Falls to me I was all in. It’s a little trashy teen drama but sometimes that exactly what I fancy. Vampires, werewolves, witches, fae, every kind of supernatural you can imagine all in a summer camp for ‘delinquents’. It is fantastic. Plus, with around twelve novels including the novellas and spin offs, it’ll keep you busy for a while.
Shades of London series by Maureen Johnson
KEY WORDS: Ghosts, investigation, London, murder, mystery.
It’s been a while since I read Shades of London (and we’re still waiting on the fourth book) so maybe that’s why I haven’t heard a lot of buzz. Come on, Maureen, where have you been? Ghosts are all over London and Jack the Ripper is back – contemporary London, plus Victorian London, plus boarding school, plus ghosts. What more do you need, well, except the end of the series…
The Elemental Trilogy by Sherry Thomas
KEY WORDS: Elemental magic, adventure, Victorian London, Middle East.
I can’t actually remember how I found out about this trilogy but I have to say, I haven’t heard very much about it since I started it. I loved this magical series – Victorian London (can you tell I like the Victorians?) crossed with mages in middle eastern desserts. Iolanthe Seabourne is my angel. It’s pretty great, I have to say.
Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin
KEY WORDS: Psychological, mystery, adventure, mind powers, head fuck.
Another great trilogy which I read a while ago but I will be all over The Becoming of Noah Shaw, a spin off from this series, when it releases at the end of this year. Paranormal, weird mind powers and psychological thriller all rolled into three mysterious novels. To be honest, I think a re-read might be in order…
Law of the Lycans series by Nicky Charles
KEY WORDS: Supernatural, werewolves, trashy, romance.
Welcome to my wildcard entry. Imi will now tell you about her childhood. So I first read The Mating when I was about 15 on my phone in Biology because I hated listening to Dr Penny droning on about something I didn’t understand. I read the trilogy with ease and loved every second. Werewolves + romance = guilty pleasure. I continued to re-read them almost every year since AND THEN Nicky Charles kept writing spin offs and prequels and now there’s around ten of them! They’re all short and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for them.
Rebellion series by Josephine Boyce
KEY WORDS: Dystopia, Europe, A* female protagonist, fast paced.
Josie is a self-published author who has done the most amazing job at producing a new and interesting dystopian series set in Europe. It seems so real and the politics within it reflect the world we live in now, making it seem all the more like it could actually happen. Due to her self-published status, this series is probably the most hidden of my hidden gems, but definitely a favourite. The first two books which are currently out work well as a duology, though there is a third novel on the way.
Love Me With Lies series by Tarryn Fisher
KEY WORDS: Romance, amnesia, suspense, all the draaaaamaaa.
I heard of Tarryn Fisher due to my love of Colleen Hoover and if anyone knows Colleen, you’ve probably heard of her and Tarryn’s antics. Now, as much as I love CoHo, I have now become probably more fond of Tarryn’s writing now. She puts so much of herself into her novels and characters and I relate to so much of what she writes. The Love Me With Lies series was her first published novels and her only romance until the recently published Atheists Who Kneel and Pray. If you don’t mind having your heart shattered, repaired and then shattered again, give it a go because I loved this series. A lot of drama, hurt and emotion as well as love.
I know that’s only eight, but I guess that means I’m failing this week…
Imi Reviews Books 