Top Reads of 2018!

Back again with another rare post that is NOT an interview!

2018 was another full year of medial school, and I was able to read another (whopping!) 6 books! I actually did read a thousand more pages than last year though, because I was mainly reading novels, as opposed to short fiction, this year (4 novels, 1 anthology, 1 novella)

Regardless! I will still promote all the books I gave a rating of 4/5 or higher! 🙂

Without further ado, I am happy to announce my…

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 2. The Two of Swords series by K.J. Parker

About the Book:

The epic opening volume in The Two of Swords trilogy by World Fantasy Award-winning author K. J. Parker.

“Why are we fighting this war? Because evil must be resisted, and sooner or later there comes a time when men of principle have to make a stand. Because war is good for business and it’s better to die on our feet than live on our knees. Because they started it. But at this stage in the proceedings,” he added, with a slightly lop-sided grin, “mostly from force of habit.”

A soldier with a gift for archery. A woman who kills without care. Two brothers, both unbeatable generals, now fighting for opposing armies. No-one in the vast and once glorious United Empire remains untouched by the rift between East and West, and the war has been fought for as long as anyone can remember. Some still survive who know how it was started, but no-one knows how it will end.

The Two of Swords is the story of a war on a grand scale, told through the eyes of its soldiers, politicians, victims and heroes.

About the Book:

The second volume in The Two of Swords trilogy by World Fantasy Award-winning author K.J. Parker.

“Why are we fighting this war? Because evil must be resisted, and sooner or later there comes a time when men of principle have to make a stand. Because war is good for business and it’s better to die on our feet than live on our knees. Because they started it. But at this stage in the proceedings,” he added, with a slightly lop-sided grin, “mostly from force of habit.”

A soldier with a gift for archery. A woman who kills without care. Two brothers, both unbeatable generals, now fighting for opposing armies. No-one in the vast and once glorious United Empire remains untouched by the rift between East and West, and the war has been fought for as long as anyone can remember. Some still survive who know how it was started, but no-one knows how it will end.

The Two of Swords is the story of a war on a grand scale, told through the eyes of its soldiers, politicians, victims and heroes.

About the Book:

The epic concluding volume in The Two of Swords trilogy by World Fantasy Award-winning author K. J. Parker.

“Why are we fighting this war? Because evil must be resisted, and sooner or later there comes a time when men of principle have to make a stand. Because war is good for business and it’s better to die on our feet than live on our knees. Because they started it. But at this stage in the proceedings,” he added, with a slightly lop-sided grin, “mostly from force of habit.”

A soldier with a gift for archery. A woman who kills without care. Two brothers, both unbeatable generals, now fighting for opposing armies. No-one in the vast and once glorious United Empire remains untouched by the rift between East and West, and the war has been fought for as long as anyone can remember. Some still survive who know how it was started, but no-one knows how it will end.

The Two of Swords is the story of a war on a grand scale, told through the eyes of its soldiers, politicians, victims and heroes.

My Rating: 4/5

Why You Should Read It: A 23 part, serial novelization, that was brought together, and released in 3 separate volumes.

I wanted to be picky, and had a better memory, I could have ranked each one of these novels separately – but I read far too long ago and have many more things on my mind outside of reading this. However, I did each volume a 4/5, and I’m pretty sure each volumes short story ratings, averaged out to essential the same overall rating.

Volume 1: Read My Review

Volume 2: Read My Review

Volume 3: Read My Review

Top Reads of 2017!

I feel like it would be a sin to be running a book blog and to not make a “best of” list for the books I read every year. However, 2017 was my first full year of medial school, meaning that I did not have to read many books all (only 2 novels, 1 novella, 1 novelette, and 2 short-stories in total).

Regardless! I will still promote all the books I gave a rating of 4/5 or higher! 🙂

Without further ado, I am happy to announce my…

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 2. Infinity Blade: Redemption (Infinity Blade #2) by Brandon Sanderson

About the Book:

Long months have passed since Siris and the God King, enemies betrayed
together, were left to rot in the prison at the Vault of Tears. Their 
true enemy — the Worker of Secrets, creator of the Infinity Blade
itself — now reigns.

Upon finally obtaining freedom, Siris must unravel plots that seem to
 make no sense, lead a rebellion with no direction, and fight against the 
division within his very heart. The secrets unraveled will dig backward 
in time toward the origins of the deathless and the true nature of the 
world itself…

From #1 bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and ChAIR entertainment, creators of the blockbuster Infinity Blade video game series, comes the second novel in the epic Infinity Blade saga. This latest tale delves deeper into the fantastical world of Infinity Blade, a world of mystery and intrigue where magic and technology are indistinguishable and even life and death are not as they seem.

My Rating: 4/5

Why You Should Read It: It’s part 2 of the short-fiction duology, and the first was so much fun to read!

Read My Review

Best Read of 2016! 5 Star Book

Throughout the month of February, I will posting various “best of” lists, ranging from my top 5, 4.5 and 4 star reads of 2016!

Today, I am happy to announce my…

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 1. The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastard Sequence #1) by Scott Lynch

About the Book:

In this stunning debut, author Scott Lynch delivers the wonderfully thrilling tale of an audacious criminal and his band of confidence tricksters. Set in a fantastic city pulsing with the lives of decadent nobles and daring thieves, here is a story of adventure, loyalty, and survival that is one part “Robin Hood”, one part Ocean’s Eleven, and entirely enthralling…

An orphan’s life is harsh — and often short — in the island city of Camorr, built on the ruins of a mysterious alien race. But born with a quick wit and a gift for thieving, Locke Lamora has dodged both death and slavery, only to fall into the hands of an eyeless priest known as Chains — a man who is neither blind nor a priest.

A con artist of extraordinary talent, Chains passes his skills on to his carefully selected “family” of orphans — a group known as the Gentlemen Bastards. Under his tutelage, Locke grows to lead the Bastards, delightedly pulling off one outrageous confidence game after another. Soon he is infamous as the Thorn of Camorr, and no wealthy noble is safe from his sting.

Passing themselves off as petty thieves, the brilliant Locke and his tightly knit band of light-fingered brothers have fooled even the criminal underworld’s most feared ruler, Capa Barsavi. But there is someone in the shadows more powerful — and more ambitious — than Locke has yet imagined.

Known as the Gray King, he is slowly killing Capa Barsavi’s most trusted men — and using Locke as a pawn in his plot to take control of Camorr’s underworld. With a bloody coup under way threatening to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the Gray King at his own brutal game — or die trying…

My Rating: 5/5

Why You Should Read It: Every once in a while, I come across a book that is nothing short of fantastic – and The Lies of Locke Lamora is one of those books; The Lies of Locke Lamora is a near flawless novel.

This book is on my all-time favorites list – which only has 7 total. Normally, when I do add a book my favorite lists, this decision will take months, maybe even a year later! I made this decision the week after.

I wrote nearly 2,500 words(!) for my review, I still felt like I hadn’t even touched the surface of what this story has to offer.

Read My Review

-DJ

Top Reads of 2016! 4.5 Star Books

Throughout the month of February, I will posting various “best of” lists, ranging from  my top 5, 4.5 and 4 star reads of 2016!

Today, I am happy to announce my…

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 4. In the Shadow of the Gods (Bound Gods #1) by Rachel Dunne

About the Book:

A breathtaking talent makes her debut with this first book in a dark epic fantasy trilogy, in which a mismatched band of mortals, led by violent, secretive man, must stand against a pair of resentful gods to save their world.

Eons ago, a pair of gods known as the “Twins” grew powerful in the world of Fiatera, until the Divine Mother and Almighty Father exiled them, binding them deep in the earth. But the price of keeping the fire-lands safe is steep. To prevent these young gods from rising again, all twins in the land must be killed at birth, a safeguard that has worked, until now.

Trapped for centuries, the Twins are gathering their latent powers to break free and destroy the Parents for their tyranny—a fight between two generations of gods for control of the world and the mortals who dwell in it.

When the gods make war, only one side can be victorious. Joros, a mysterious and cunning priest, has devised a dangerous plan to win. Over eight years, he gathers a team of disparate fighters—Scal, a lost and damaged swordsman from the North; Vatri, a scarred priestess who claims to see the future in her fires; Anddyr, a drug-addled mage wandering between sanity and madness; and Rora and Aro, a pair of twins who have secretly survived beyond the reach of the law.

These warriors must learn to stand together against the unfathomable power of vengeful gods, to stop them from tearing down the sun . . . and plunging their world into darkness.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Why You Should Read It: Multiple POVs and compelling characters; intertwining plots, story with a large scope; great prose, and a vast world with wonderful and creative world building. All the ingredient you need to make a epic fantasy trilogy that fans will devour.

Read My Review

Top Reads of 2016! 4 Star Books

Throughout the months of February and March, I will posting various “best of” lists, ranging from  my top 5, 4.5 and 4 star reads of 2016, to the best quotes, and my favorite foodie quotes!

Today, I am happy to announce my…

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 4. Scavenger: A.I. (Sand Divers #2) by Timothy C. Ward

About the Book:

Hundreds of years ago a nanotech virus nearly wiped out humanity. The kernel of that technology has been locked in a buried military and guarded from warlords and tyrants by a class of sentries. Divemaster Rushing Stenson and his wife Star thought their journey underground would lead to the discovery of the ancient city of Danvar. Instead, they resurrected a power perfect for the tyrant that put them there. He plans to use this self replicating technology to rebuild America and give life eternal to those loyal to his empire.

In Scavenger: A.I., Rush, Star and their crew of survivors see an opportunity to use this power to defend their new territory and rewrite the course of their lives and country in a way that would make their children proud. However, as they discover the oddities of this power, it may be too late to reverse the evolution they’ve seen within. And some aren’t interested even if they could. Even if what they’re becoming is too much like the tyrants they’re fighting.

As the nanotech and infusion of the power source they’ve uncovered changes Rush and Star, they are tempted with the chance of bringing their deceased newborn back to life. Will this child be the one they knew, and if not, how far into dangerous territory will they go to force what shouldn’t be?

Inspired by the world of Sand by Hugh Howey and written with his permission. This stand alone series takes the action of Mad Max: Fury Road and injects it into a hostile environment catered to fans of Alien.

My Rating: 4/5

Why You Should Read It: Timothy C. Ward has talent for writing sympathetic characters and creating imaginative sci-fi technology.

Read My Review

Authors to Watch Out For: 2017 Edition

Seeing as how MyLifeMyBooksMyEscape has shifted from book reviews to author interviews, it is very rare that I get write about books and authors that I have read recently (heck, I barely even get to read a book anymore).

Doing interviews with authors about their upcoming books in my way of helping spread the word, but I still feel that a review is more personal and can have a greater impact.

Because of this, I decided to do a “Authors to Watch Out For” list. It is one the same idea and many “Best Debut” lists, except this is going consist of authors that I have read since starting this blog (in 2014), up to now.

The only criteria is that their first novel be released somewhere between 2013 and 2016, or that they have finished their series somewhere in that time frame as well.

Without further ado, here is my list of Authors to Watch Out For!

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Rachel Dunne

 

Rachel’s debut novel, In the Shadow of the Gods, was releasted in June of 2016; it was one of the best novels I read last year and was a novel that I personally thought had all the ingredients you need to make an epic fantasy trilogy that fans will devour.

Fun-fact: In the Shadow of the Gods, was a semi-finalist for the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award, and was then picked by Harper Voyager.

• Book Review: In the Shadow of the Gods (Bound Gods #1) by Rachel Dunne

Tops 10 Reads of 2015! Short Fiction

Everybody is out here announcing their “best of 2016” lists – and I still haven’t finished tell everyone what I loved from 2015!!!

I got lazy earlier this year, and the started school, and here we are now, almost a full 12 months post 2015 X… Oops! XD

Today, I am happy to announce my…

Top 10 Reads of 2015! Short Fiction

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10. Fish Night (The Time Traveler’s Almanac) by Joe Lansdale

My Rating: 4/5

Why You Should It: You ever read a book, where the ending leaving stunned, mouth hanging open… and then you suddenly burst out laughing as tears roll down your face? Fish Night has that kind of ending XD

Read My Review

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Tops 5 Reads of 2015! 5 Star Books

Throughout the month of January (more like February now, I guess) first few months of the 2016 year, I will posting various “best of” lists, ranging from the best books I read that were published in 2015, to my top 5 and 4 stars reads of 2015, to the best short fiction of 2015, and to my favorite foodie quotes!

Today, I am happy to announce my…

Top 5 Reads of 2015! 5 Star Books

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5. The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #3) by Brandon Sanderson

About the Book:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson’s epic Mistborn Trilogy continues with The Well of Ascension.

They did the impossible, deposing the godlike being whose brutal rule had lasted a thousand years. Now Vin, the street urchin who has grown into the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and Elend Venture, the idealistic young nobleman who loves her, must build a healthy new society in the ashes of an empire.

They have barely begun when three separate armies attack. As the siege tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.

It may just be that killing the Lord Ruler was the easy part. Surviving the aftermath of his fall is going to be the real challenge.

My Rating: 5/5

Why You Should It: Do I really need to give you a reason to read this? How could you not want to continue on with the Mistborn trilogy after reading Mistborn: The Final Empire? Vin? Kelsier? Elend? C’mon people!

Read My Review

Top 16 Reads of 2015! 4.5 Star Books

Throughout the month of January (more like February now, I guess) first few months of the 2016 year, I will posting various “best of” lists, ranging from the best books I read that were published in 2015, to my top 5 and 4 stars reads of 2015, to the best short fiction of 2015, and to my favorite foodie quotes!

Today, I am happy to announce my…

*Note: I would like to mention that since Goodreads does not have a “4.5” star rating, when I give a book a 4.5 rating, I will either round up to a “5” or down to a “4” when I rate it on Goodreads.

I have included all my 4.5 star books, having the GR 4 stars come before the GR 5 stars, and noted where the division happens.

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(#16 – #12 are 4.5 stars I rounded down to a Goodreads 4 star)

16. Dark Eden by Chris Beckett

About the Book:

On the alien, sunless planet they call Eden, the 532 members of the Family shelter beneath the light and warmth of the Forest’s lantern trees. Beyond the Forest lie the mountains of the Snowy Dark and a cold so bitter and a night so profound that no man has ever crossed it.

The Oldest among the Family recount legends of a world where light came from the sky, where men and women made boats that could cross the stars. These ships brought us here, the Oldest say—and the Family must only wait for the travelers to return.

But young John Redlantern will break the laws of Eden, shatter the Family and change history. He will abandon the old ways, venture into the Dark…and discover the truth about their world.

Already remarkably acclaimed in the UK, Dark Eden is science fiction as literature; part parable, part powerful coming-of-age story, set in a truly original alien world of dark, sinister beauty–rendered in prose that is at once strikingly simple and stunningly inventive.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Why You Should It:  Beckett’s writing is smooth and easy to read, and this an amazing story all by itself, but when one looks deeper, there whole other level to story, exploring sociological and psychological issues.

Read My Review

Top 12 Reads of 2015! 4 Star Books

Throughout the month of January (more like February now, I guess) first few months of the 2016 year, I will posting various “best of” lists, ranging from the best books I read that were published in 2015, to my top 5 and 4 stars reads of 2015, to the best short fiction of 2015, and to my favorite foodie quotes!

Today, I am happy to announce my…

Top 12 Reads of 2015! 4 Star Boks

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 12. Tale of Dueling Neurosurgeons by Sam Kean

About the Book:

From the author of the bestseller The Disappearing Spoon, tales of the brain and the history of neuroscience. 

Early studies of the functions of the human brain used a simple method: wait for misfortune to strike-strokes, seizures, infectious diseases, lobotomies, horrendous accidents-and see how the victim coped. In many cases survival was miraculous, and observers could only marvel at the transformations that took place afterward, altering victims’ personalities. An injury to one section can leave a person unable to recognize loved ones; some brain trauma can even make you a pathological gambler, pedophile, or liar. But a few scientists realized that these injuries were an opportunity for studying brain function at its extremes. With lucid explanations and incisive wit, Sam Kean explains the brain’s secret passageways while recounting forgotten stories of common people whose struggles, resiliency, and deep humanity made modern neuroscience possible.

My Rating: 4/5

Why You Should Read It: Besides neuroscience is awesome! And this books is packed full of fun stories about the progression of our knowledge of the brain.

Review coming soon!