Ang's Top Five Books Read This Year (So Far)

It's June, my friends. Summer is right around the corner. And I have decided to take a moment to reflect back on what I have read this year (so far)! I am guilty of getting to the end of the year and barely remembering the books that I kicked off the year reading. No. More! This month's top five is five books I read this year (from January to April) and loved! In no particular order they are:

The Reaper's Bride by A.J. Richmond

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Full review on my blog here.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

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My GoodReads Review:

Who knew Ocean's Eleven meets

an epic fantasy novel

was what my life was missing?!

Not me. And what a fool I've been!

Man, this book was good.

Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

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My Goodread's review:

Haven't read a vampire book in a hot minute.

But I'm pretty sure this is my new favorite.

Goooood gravy, I want a monster of my own now too!

A Symphony of Dragons by Lisa Shambrook

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Full review on my blog here.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer
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My GoodReads Review:
Boasting an innovative plot and compelling characters,
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a captivating re-imagining
of the Beauty and the Beast fable.
The pages flew by despite the book's length,
making it a quick, enjoyable read.

You can find the complete list of books I have read here.

What books have been your favorite this year (so far)?
Are you on GoodReads? If so, are we friends?!
Did you know I have two GoodReads pages: author and reader?
Happy June, my friends!

A Book Review: A Symphony Of Dragons

This month's book review is the lovely Lisa Shambrook's set of short stories A Symphony of Dragons.

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Book Description: Lose yourself in the enchanting worlds of fantasy, contemporary, steampunk, and post-apocalyptic, and let your imagination soar on a chorus of dragon wings. This lyrical collection of tales embracing change and desire, love and belonging, passion, sacrifice and triumph are composed with gossamer threads of dragon fire. Seven bewitching stories, including a Hope Within finale and a prelude to the forthcoming Seren Stone Chronicles. Let the song of dragons lead you…

Stories included: A Symphony of Seasons, The Apothecary's Art, Between Ice and Fire, Beneath Freya's Dragon, Noctilite Tryst, Paroxysm, and The Legend of the Seren Stone.

Ang's Review: A beguiling set of short stories filled with magic, heartbreak, and wonder, Lisa Shambrook's A Symphony of Dragons is a charming read that I could not put down. I gobbled it up in one sitting. The Legend of the Seren Stone hooked me! And I am eager to get my hands on the first book in The Seren Chronicles.*

Pick up a copy today on Amazon and other major retailers!

*Update: Currently I am beta reading The Seren Stone (book one in the Seren Chronicles). Y'all, obviously I can't share anything. However, if you're a lover of high fantasy, this series is for you! Don't walk, run to Lisa's Twitter and follow her so you can keep up on all the awesome to come. You will not regret it!

March: A Month Of Rain, Renewal, And Reading.

The renewal of my bookish ways is freeing. There are countless reasons I stopped book blogging (some make sense, others not so much). None of the reasons matter now. Because I'm moving forward! And it is everything. Here are a few highlights!

On My E-Reader:

I'm in love with my new blog feature On My E-Reader. There are so many amazing books on my kindle I haven't read yet! The first two books I shared Marianne Hansen's The Unscripted Life of Lizzy Dillinger and Ainsley Wynter's  Kissed at Midnight (The Lost Royals) are debut novels I'm bonkers excited about. If you haven't checked them out, what are you waiting for?! Do. It.

Beta Reading:

Over the last few months I have beta read some great stories. Currently, I’m reading Lisa Shambrook’s The Seren Stone (book one of The Seren Stone Chronicles). It’s high fantasy at its best: dragons, mysterious stones, adorable talking not-lizards, and so much more. That I obviously can’t talk about since I’m beta reading and the book isn’t out yet. But I’d recommend following the lovely Lisa on Twitter and Instagram and all the places for publishing news and cover reveals and all the awesome to come!

The Reaper's Bride:

Speaking of beta reading, last month I beta read Angie Richmond's debut novel The Reaper's Bride. You. Guys. It's so good. You want it on your to read list! Angie posted the book blurb on her website this weekend (alongside a quick Twitter review I wrote for The Reaper's Bride). Check out the book blurb here and watch for a full review of The Reaper's Bride (book one of The Reaper's Chronicles) on my blog in May 2019!

The Wicked King:

In more reading news: This weekend, I finished The Wicked King by Holly Black (book two of The Folk of the Air series). It's brutal and heartfelt and had me on the edge of my seat. If you're looking for a YA fairy fantasy that will leave you speechless look no further.

Looking Ahead!

There's so much bookish awesome to look forward to this year. From novels I can't wait to read (the final Caraval book, anyone?) to my writing (subscribe to my newsletter to stay up to date!) returning to my bookworm roots was a longtime coming. And it has not only inspired me, but helped me remember why I love writing and reading and yes, even publishing!

What books did you read this month? Got a favorite?

Is there a novel coming out later this year you're excited about?