2018 – Best reads so far….

Six months in and I’m way off target for my reading goals, but I’ve still managed to read some great books.

Here’s my top 5:

The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett
Synopsis –
As darkness falls after sunset, the corelings rise–demons who possess supernatural powers and burn with a consuming hatred of humanity. For hundreds of years the demons have terrorized the night, slowly culling the human herd that shelters behind magical wards–symbols of power whose origins are lost in myth and whose protection is terrifyingly fragile. It was not always this way. Once, men and women battled the corelings on equal terms, but those days are gone. Night by night the demons grow stronger, while human members dwindle under their relentless assault. Now, with hope for the future fading, three young survivors of vicious demon attacks will dare the impossible, stepping beyond the crumbling safety of the wards to risk everything in a desperate quest to regain the secrets of the past. Together, they will stand against the night.
– Goodreads

This is one of the most original, engaging, compelling books I have read in a long time. Its a must read for any fantasy lover. You can see my review –  The Painted Man by Peter V. Brett

 

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
Synopsis –
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.
Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.
-Goodreads

This is an emotional read, it will have you laughing and crying at the same time. It will make you feel all the emotions. A wonderful, heartwarming, contemporary read. You can see my review here – They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

 

Age Of Assassins by R.J. Barker
Synopsis –
To catch an assassin, use an assassin…
Girton Club-foot, apprentice to the land’s best assassin, still has much to learn about the art of taking lives. But his latest mission tasks him and his master with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone, or many someones, is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton and his master to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince’s murder.
In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire kingdom.
-Goodreads

I’ve read some brilliant fantasy in my life, this bad boy is easily in my top 10 of all time fantasy favourites. It’s a book that has everything and the writing is utter perfection. I’ve been told book two in the series is even better, I even have it, but I’m nervous. How can you beat perfection? My thoughts on this one can be found – Age Of Assassins by RJ Barker

 

Saga, Vol. 1 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Synopsis –
When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.
-Goodreads

This was my first real foray into the whole comic/graphic novel world and it was flawless. The art, the story. I don’t know how they managed to pack so much feeling and humour into it.

 

The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles
Synopsis –
An incandescent, soul-searching story about a broken young woman’s search for a truth buried so deep it threatens to consume her, body and mind.
‘Since I blacked out, the slightest thing seems to aggravate my brain and fill it with fire’
These are the things Lux knows:
She is an Artist.
She is lucky.
She is broken.
These are the things she doesn’t know:
What happened over the summer.
Why she ended up in hospital.
Why her memories are etched in red.
‘The nightmares tend to linger long after your screams have woken you up …’
Desperate to uncover the truth, Lux’s time is running out. If she cannot piece together the events of the summer and regain control of her fractured mind, she will be taken away from everything and everyone she holds dear.
If her dreams don’t swallow her first.
-Goodreads

This one delivers punches straight in the heart one after the other. It’s an intense read that delves into the murky depths of mental illness and the way our brain protects us. My full review can be found here – The Taste of Blue Light by Lydia Ruffles

What are your favourite reads so far?