2018 draws to a close and I find myself looking back on my reads for the year.
I have to admit, it’s pretty pitiful.
Prior to becoming an author, it was not unusual for me to read 2 books a week. That didn’t happen often, but it did, and I usually finished the year having read 75 books or so.
This year, I barely read 20. There’s just not enough time in the day to read and write at the same time. But of those books I did read, some of them were fantastic, and could easily become my favorite books of all time.
So I thought I’d share those books with you in case you’re looking for a fantastic new read for 2019. These are in no particular order.
1. A Threat of Shadows by JA Andrews
A Threat of Shadows is the debut novel of J.A. Andrews. It’s about a Keeper named Alaric on his search to save his wife and save the world from certain destruction.
I wrote a full review on my blog back in January and will be reviewing the sequel, Pursuit of Shadows, here in the next few days.
Ms. Andrews is a master with words and all of her books are not to be missed. Her characters are engaging, her plots are intricate, and her twists are deceptively hidden until just the right moment to leave you wondering why you hadn’t seen it sooner.
2. Sufficiently Advanced Magic by Andrew Rowe
I put off Sufficiently Advanced Magic for far too long. I had downloaded it, read the first chapter, put it down, and then walked away for months. When I started it again I was really kicking myself for not finishing it sooner.
This book might just be my favorite read this year, but really all 3 of these I have listed are phenomenal. This is the first LitRPG I had ever read and I immediately fell in love with the genre thanks to Andrew Rowe.
SAM is the opposite of a dungeon crawl, it’s a tower climb, and the whole book is a treat. Give it a try, you won’t regret it.
3. Death March by Phil Tucker
Death March was recommended to be through the Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO). It was the third LitRPG that I read. This book, more than any other, confirmed my new devotion to the LitRPG genre.
Euphoria Online follows a young man who enters a game world in Death March mode to earn his brother’s freedom. Typically, if you die in the game, you respawn without your armor, but in Death March, death in the game means death in real life. Those that survive 60 days are granted the prize of their choice.
But when our hero enters the game, he finds himself alone in a high level area far beyond the skill of a level one noob. Can he survive? You’ll have to find out for yourself.