Favourite books of 2018

Hi Lovelies! 

Long time no see, I know, but we've moved again and I've been without internet for some time...

But don't fret, now I'm back and I'm ready to show you my absolute favourite books of 2018!

The following novels are in no particular order, I adored all of them and recommend them wholeheartedly.

'Salem's Lot 

by Stephen King

The best horror book I've read last year, hands down. A vampire story that goes back to the roots of the genre, it definitely deserves to be mentioned on one page with Stoker's Dracula and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire. 

The Red Tent 

by Anita Diamant

The Red Tent showed me that a Bible story can actually be turned into an ode to women. This novel made me feel good about my own femininity and opened my eyes to my companionship with other women. A masterpiece!

Read my review of The Red Tent here.

Nothing But Sky 

by Amy Trueblood

I really walked the sky while reading Amy Trueblood's novel. A book about rightful ambition, friendship, family and love. And so much to learn about barnstorming!

Read my review of Nothing but Sky here.

 

This Witch of Willow Hall 

by Hester Fox

This was a very much anticipated title for me and it did not disappoint. It's very rare to find a well-written gothic romance these days and Hester Fox's book was a mix of so many things I usually enjoy... It was a real treat for me.

Read my review of The Witch of Willow Hall here.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer, & Annie Barrows

I was blown away by the history of Guernsey and the characters that the writers had created to tell it. The movie was good but – as always – the book was better! 

Honourable mentions:

Claire's Last Secret by Marty Ambrose

Read my review here.

Mrs Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca

Read my review here.

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

Read my review here.

What were your favourite books of 2018?

May Wrap-Up, June TBR

Summer is here folks and I'm wishing for fall (the weather is too hot for my liking already). But let's not jump ahead so fast. I'm hopeful that this is going to be a really good summer, filled with events and trips that I'm already looking forward to. 

In the month of June my focus will probably solely directed on work though. Since I'm new at the company I'll have a lot to learn this month, but hey... you gotta start somewhere.

I'm still trying to figure out a reading routine that could work now that 8 hours are taken from my day. During the training weeks I'll probably have some extra studying to do at home too, but I'll do my best to be efficent and I'll make sure to leave myself time to relax with a good book after the hard work.

I really hope I can finish at least 4 books this month too. One of these books will be a play (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee), which makes my life easier because I usually fly through plays. 

I'm very excited to join my fellow Clockblockers in a read-along of Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca. Some people had the amazing idea to start a Timeless book club (in which we read books that are related to the tv show in some way) and this is the first title that we'll discuss. I can't wait to learn more about Grace Humiston, badass female detective of the 1910s.

Here's a summary of May on Paradise Found:

I've finished four books:

Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood – Review

The Stolen Girl (The Veil and the Crown #1) by Zia Wesley – Review

Clowders by Vanessa Morgan – My review is coming soon

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman – My review is coming soon

Other posts on the blog in the month of May:

Book Tour (Excerpt) – Succubus Lips by Lina Jubilee

5 Genres of Fiction I'd Like to Read More Of

Weekly Memes:

Goodreads Monday (May 7, May 21) 

Tell Me Something Tuesday (May 22)

WWW Wednesday (May 9, May 23, May 30)

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 (May 4, May 11, May 18, May 25)   

Weekend Wrap-up (May 5, May 12, May 26)

Plans for June

I'd like to read the following books in May (in no particular order):

Bring Me Their Hearts by Sara Wolf 

(For book tour)

Winter Eternal (The River That Flows Two Ways #1) by E. Thomas Joseph

Mrs Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca 

(For the Timeless Book Club. Join here if you're interested: Lucy Preston Literary Society)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edwards Albee

Did May treat you well? Please leave a link to your monthly wrap-up post if you'd like me to read it! :)

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #17

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

  

My current read is:

Bring Me Their Hearts

by Sara Wolf

 

Synopsis:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

Book Beginning:

"King Sref of Cavanos watches me with the deadened eyes of a raven circling a corpse – patient, waiting to devour me the second I let my guard down."

King Sref seems to be a dangerous fellow. And this is a very powerful first sentence.

  

The Friday 56:

"The prince studies me, or rather, my mask. My eyes behind the mask. It feels as if he's trying to peel away the layers of my defenses, my secrets, like a bird of prey peeling back skin and muscle from a kill." 

 What is it with this book and birds? Haha :)

What are you reading this week?

 

WWW Wednesday #15

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words. 

WWW stands for three questions:

What are you currently reading?

Norse Mythology

by Neil Gaiman

  

I won't leave a synopsis here, since this book was featured in my Friday post but if you click on the title, the link will transfer you to the Goodreads page of the book.

Bring Me Their Hearts

by Sara Wolf

Synopsis:

Zera is a Heartless – the immortal, unageing soldier of a witch. Bound to the witch Nightsinger ever since she saved her from the bandits who murdered her family, Zera longs for freedom from the woods they hide in. With her heart in a jar under Nightsinger’s control, she serves the witch unquestioningly.

Until Nightsinger asks Zera for a Prince’s heart in exchange for her own, with one addendum; if she’s discovered infiltrating the court, Nightsinger will destroy her heart rather than see her tortured by the witch-hating nobles.

Crown Prince Lucien d’Malvane hates the royal court as much as it loves him – every tutor too afraid to correct him and every girl jockeying for a place at his darkly handsome side. No one can challenge him – until the arrival of Lady Zera. She’s inelegant, smart-mouthed, carefree, and out for his blood. The Prince’s honor has him quickly aiming for her throat.

So begins a game of cat and mouse between a girl with nothing to lose and a boy who has it all.

Winner takes the loser’s heart.

 

What did you recently finish reading?

Clowders

by Vanessa Morgan

My review is coming this week!

What do you think you'll read next?

Winter Eternal 

(The River That Flows Two Ways #1) 

by E. Thomas Joseph

Snyopsis:

In 1777, Captain Isaac Pearson joined the British Army when he believed the Colonial Rebellion would be dispatched with effortless haste. Taking a few American lives was an agreeable price for the pampered aristocrat who believed his actions in the conflict would afford him honor and glory. Yet, the path Captain Pearson rode was neither honorable or glorious and the price he would pay was beyond his imaginable fortunes.

Time is the enemy of all, the hunter of the hunters whom no measures of tenacity or weaponry can defeat. Yet, in the early days of America’s war for independence Phantom Regiments, ruthless shadow units, British Redcoats, American militia and crazed me of the occult race to acquire a mysterious Iroquoian artifact which offers the capacity to defeat time. Set in New York’s Hudson Valley, the contest for time will marshal tragic desperation and horrific ends. Winter Eternal, uncovered from layers of dust, deep within the archives of America’s Untold History are the tales of the soldiers and the citizens who sell their souls to pursue the mysterious Native talisman, the Kahontsi Ehnita; the Giver of Life…A revolutionary war has begun. 

Please don't forget to leave your WWW links below! Happy reading!

5 Genres of Fiction I'd Like to Read More Of

Why Horror?

As a teenager I was a scaredy cat. Truth be told though, I always felt I was missing out on something when my classmates spoke about the horror films  they'd watched. They were always so excited about them. I've been an adult for some time now and still, until recently horror didn't attract me that much. However, after watching The Woman in Black and The Exorcist in the theatre in London and reading my first Stephen King book, things changed. I feel like I want to face my fears of the supernatural, especially evil spirits and haunted houses.

One book I've read in the horror genre:

Title: 'Salem's Lot

Author: Stephen King

Goodreads

This was the first modern horror book I ever read. A small town falls under the influence of a powerful vampire and hell breaks loose. It impressed me how much inspiration Mr. King drew from the classic vampire stories, especially Bram Stoker's Dracula.

One book I'm planning to read in the horror genre: 

Title: Daughters Unto Devils

Author: Amy Lukavics

Goodreads

Actually this is only one of the books of Amy Lukavics that I'd like to read; earlier I hauled Women in the Walls which looks and sounds just as creepy as Daughter Unto Devils does. I'm really curious about this author's stories.

 

Why Western?

I always feel like I need to be in a certain mood for western, but then when I read this genre I almost always enjoy it... I like the feeling of danger that comes with it; the pistol duels and train robberies, the snake bites and the bandits that know no moral codes. If there are badass ladies in the story, I enjoy it even more. I really need to read more western...

One book I've read in the western genre:

Title: Sawbones (Sawbones #1)

Author: Melissa Lenhardt

My Review

Goodreads

Although I gave Sawbones three pineapples only, it kinda fuelled my hunger for more stories set in the wild wild west.

One book I'm planning to read in the western genre: 

Title: Lonesome Dove

Author: Larry McMurtry

Goodreads

This will take some time to go through, given this novel is almost 1000 pages long. But still, many people love it and I'm convinced this book will blow me away. Talk about high expectations...

Why Poetry?

Poetry is food for the soul. There are so many poems out there that I know would give me the feels and I have to find them. And read them. And read them again. And again. Reading a book filled with poems is a lot different than reading a novel but it's not less amazing. I have so many collections on my to-read list I'd like to dive into!

One poetry book I've read:

Title: The Complete Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe

Author: Edgar Allan Poe

Goodreads

I adore Poe's poems as much as his short stories. The man was a genius. It doesn't take much time to read this thin volume, since he didn't write many poems. The few he did though are deliciously dark and full of crazy imaginings.

One poetry book I'm planning to read:

Title: Hold Your Own

Author: Kate Tempest

Goodreads

Hold Your Own is a sequence of poems that tells the story of the blind prophet Teiresias. Since Greek myths are close to my heart I have a feeling Kate Tempest's poems will delight me to no end.

Why Mystery & Crime?

I grew up on Sherlock Holmes short stories and Agatha Christie novels, however at some point I got bored with this genre, I'm not even sure why (probably I read too much of it if that's possible at all). Recently I've been trying to find my way back to it and I hope to rediscover it in the future.

One book I've read in the mystery & crime genre:

Title: Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin #1)

Author: Jordan L. Hawk

Goodreads

This series is pretty awesome: it has Sherlock Holmes-like crime solving, a touch of the paranormal and gay romance too. It is the perfect combination of things I like to see in books.

One book I'm planning to read in the mystery and crime genre:

Title: A Death of No Importance

Author: Mariah Fredericks

Goodreads

A ladies' maid is the one who tires to figure out who dun it in this one. I like the historical setting, can't wait to lose myself in 1910, New York City.

Why Paranormal?

I can only come up with the same reason I did for horror I think. These days I'm like: Give me everyhing supernatural! Also, I like reading about creatures like vampires, werewolves and such. Paranormal romance is something I generally enjoy too, often more than plain romance. I have somehow skipped these kind of tales lately, which is a shame. I should definitely pick up more novels from this genre.

One book I've read in the paranormal genre:

Title: The Graveyard book

Author: Neil Gaiman

Goodreads

No list is complete without a Gaiman book (if you've frequented my blog in the past year you know this philosophy of mine already). This is my second favourite out of his novels; it's witty, funny, scary, sad, happy... you name it. Such an enchanting book.

One book I'm planning to read in the paranormal genre:

Title: Lord of the Dead (or The Vamypre)

Author: Tom Holland

Goodreads

Lord Byron becomes a vampire.

'Nuff said.

*Grabby hands*

What genres would you like to discover more? Is there a genre you've never tried?