Buckle up, folks, it’s listicle time!
As we come to the end of the month, it’s always the best time to reflect back upon the things we’ve achieved. Or for the case of this post, the books I’ve read.
Now, I’ve read A LOT of books. I’m currently a Reviewer on Reedsy Discovery, which means that I get a heck of a lot of books to read and review for free. This month alone, I’ve read more than 10 books, even if the reviews won’t be published until the official book publication date. So, for that reason, this list is going to focus on the books I’ve read and that you can actually get hold of this month.
1. The Fabric of Chaos – Helen Scheuerer.
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
Those who know me, know I adore Helen. I’ve read all of her books to date, and not one of them have disappointed me. The same goes for The Fabric of Chaos.
“Helen takes on a journey through the Lower Realm as the sextet travel through dangerous landscapes and endure terrifying trials. Then there’s the mystery surrounding Roh’s birth, her strange power and her link to the Sea Drake Hatchling. It’s not a straightforward journey from Akoris to Csilla; the companions facing tribulations and horrifying decisions as Roh battles for the Birthstone and the right to sit the throne.
2. Whisper of the Darksong – Lisa Cassidy.
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
I was lucky enough to be sent an ARC of this amazing book, the third in the Heir of the Darkmage Series. I’d binged all of Lisa’s books before this was released, and fell in love with her clear, bright style. There’s humour in her writing, as well as sorrow, love and loss. Honestly, Whisper of the Darksong is a triumph.
“Lira is one of those delicious characters who battles with her morality. She desperately wants to shed the cloak of her grandfather’s legacy; just wanting to be seen for who she is. She desires to prove herself to be a person outside of his influence, to be recognised as someone with power, talent and her own beliefs. Trying to shed prejudice is difficult though, and before long, Lira finds herself becoming disillusioned, used and hated just because of her long dead grandfather.”
3.Nomads of the Sea – Coby Zucker
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
I reviewed this Nomads of the Sea as part of the Reedsy Discovery ARC program, and well, what a treat it was. An epic fantasy, of over 200,000 words. He wrote it in four months, during one of the lockdowns. I mean, how incredible is that alone?
“By the time I reached the end of the prologue, I was hooked. I actually snorted out loud at the prologues last line; the wry observation delivered with such dry humour had me thirsting for more. I also found it hard to believe that Zucker is a mere 24 years old and that this is his debut offering.”
4.A Signal For Redemption – A.C. Meehan
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Another corker from Reedsy Discovery, and A Signal For Redemption should not have worked. A spaceship from a presumably destroyed earth orbiting a feudal new world populated with people who know nothing about technology? Who’d have thought I would love it this much?
“From the very first page, I was swept into the story, compelled to keep reading. The prologue, even if I didn’t realise it at the time, had plenty of answers and light bulb moments when I hesitantly flipped back to check – always a sign of a well thought out, intricately planned book.”
5. A Merry Life – Sarah Branson
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
And, another from Reedsy Discovery, and A Merry Life was the second book from the program I read. The world as we know it has been ravaged by storms, natural disasters and pandemics, and is now a dangerous place. It might be the typical trope for a dystopian story set in the future, but this one is different on so many levels.
“As the book reached its climax, I was sobbing. A testament to how beautifully written this was. It was a true rollercoaster – with soaring highs, a few belly laughs, true desperation and overwhelming sadness. I sincerely look forward to the next instalment in Kat’s story.
6. The Lore of the Wind Drivers – J T Stadd.
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
This was my first book from Reedsy, and don’t let the three stars confuse you. The Lore of the Wind Drivers is superbly written and will make you question your own reality.
“J.T. Stadd has built a world that most people would dream of; a world where people live in beautiful treehouses and children can race down rivers on huge lily pads. A world free of pollution and free of electronics; a peaceful haven with no background noises other than birdsong. But this world holds its own secrets, are the occupants as peaceful and harmless as they seem, or are they darker – hiding their true nature in the deep past? “
7. The Voyage of the Dream Maker – Yogi Yasha *
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
*Although this review is for The Voyage of the Dream Maker, the above links to book 2 in the series, mainly because I couldn’t find book one on Amazon.
This was a strange one, another beauty from Reedsy Discovery, and one that slightly blew my little mind. The Voyage of the Dream Maker isn’t an ordinary book by any means, and starts with a glossary of sorts.
“We weave in and out of a strange narrative then. Yasha keeps the perspective from the first person, but in some chapters, there’s no way of knowing who the narrator is. It keeps you on your toes in a trope that’s been written a million times before.”
And, that’s it, folks! Although I’ve read many more books this month, only some of them have actually been officially released. So… All I can say is happy reading! You may have noticed that most of these books are available on Kindle Unlimited, which is always a bonus, in my opinion, because the author is paid per page read. Which is cool.
Anyway…
Be sure to come back next month for more reviews (there’s A LOT!), more listicles, and more blog posts. Until then, happy reading!
S. A