Cheers, friends, and welcome to our Best of 2018 reviewer picks!!! And a Happy Christmas to those who are celebrating today. To those who are not, Happy Tuesday! We’re continuing the countdown to the end of the year with Lindsey’s fave reads, so enjoy and be sure to enter the Giveaway!

A Springful of Winter by Dawn Sister – I don’t honestly know where to begin with this review, because I am not sure I can do my feelings justice. Have you ever read a story that blew you away, but in such a kind and touching manner that you didn’t realize it right away? A Springful of Winters snuck up on me; I didn’t really understanding it was happening until about the halfway point.

Kit is neuro-divergent, on the autism spectrum, and the story is written fully from his POV. Rather than his diagnosis being portrayed as an impairment or hindrance, we are gifted with the beauty of his mind. The story is not about autism, though. Rather, it is one where the main character happens to be autistic, and this is his journey to falling in love. All the while we get to see and experience it all through his perspective. The autism is written in such an empathetic way, the level of detail makes it clear this subject is close to the author’s heart, and I am so grateful that Kit was shared with me.

The Rowan Harbor Cycle Series by Sam Burns – Sam Burns is quickly rising to be one of my must-read authors. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Blackbird in the Reeds since it was taking on a paranormal and fantasy plot, but I was so impressed with the author’s other books I took a chance. I shouldn’t have been worried; the story delivered a wonderful combination of world building and intriguing and unique characters, mystery in spades, and the foundation of a lovely little romance.

The story is told via Devon’s third-person POV, and I felt he carried the story well. Traveling home after a call from his Gran to Rowan Harbor on the Oregon Coast, there is a mystery surrounding the town and its occupants. Though he hadn’t been there in years, and really was never quite a resident, the town treats him as though he never left. It’s odd since he encounters people who have actually lived longer in Rowan Harbor and are still on the outside, not quite fitting into the tight-knit community. More questions start popping up, and Devon finds himself in the middle of several different mysteries. All the while, he begins to see Rowan Harbor and the townsfolk may not be exactly who and what he assumed.

Euphoria by Jane Lockwood – Euphoria has so many different components that were then expertly woven together to deliver a fascinating and, in some ways, a terrifying story. First, we have a not-too-far-off future which is the catalyst for an apocalyptic event that basically wipes humans and animals from the world in the span of one-hundred years. Next, we have alien species that finds earth in 2125, along with what is left of the humans, and they become fascinated and eventually want to save humans from their destined future. In order to change the course humans are on, the reader is pulled into a story of time travel, romance, friendships, redemption, greed and some other unforeseen plot twists which kept my attention.

The whole idea of the end of the world here, as well as the consequences of the inter-species relationship, is terrifying in that it is written in a way where it totally makes sense that something like this could happen. Dr. Lomax spent the last twenty years of his career developing a drug he believes will counteract MRSA and its growing threat. Unfortunately, his vaccination mutates and instead, Kurt inadvertently creates a superbug that with each passing generation becomes more and more powerful, eventually eradicating humans and animals in the span of just a few generations.

Blyd and Pearce by Kim Fielding – I am a sucker for a good spec fic. With a mystery, a touch of fantasy, a dash of romance, and a noir feel, Blyd and Pearce quickly grabbed my attention and kept me enthralled in the events unfolding. Kim Fielding has a gift for unique world building. Her descriptions of the city of Tangye in all its different factions, from the poverty of the lows to the opulence of the of the Royal Quarter and all that lies between, are vivid and riveting in their exquisite detail. With magic expertly woven into the setting, and plot, it is a remarkable and compelling story.

Daveth Blyd is a lowler, born and raised. He spent his childhood surviving in a place that has no compassion. In the lows, everyone is just trying to stay afloat and alive and look out for themselves. Nothing comes without a cost. The things he saw, and did to survive, caused him to become jaded and hard. He honed skills that eventually gave him the opportunity to claw his way out of the lows and into the city guard. But after being accused of theft, his position is ripped away and along with it, any hope he had held. He trusts no one. He lives his life keeping everyone at a distance and taking cases to keep food in his belly and a roof over his head. No more, no less. A nobleman arrives on his doorstep offering an obscene amount of money and weaving a tale of theft; all Blyd must do is return the ring and the entertainer who took it. Sounds easy? It becomes anything but.

Bones and Bourbon by Dorian Graves – I’m going to start this one with, if you are looking for a romantic tale with a paranormal plot, this book won’t fit that bill. Though Jarrod does have a boyfriend, Farris, there is no real physical intimacy between them except for some captured moments of cuddles and intimate conversations. But if you are looking for something unlike anything I personally have read before? Read on.

What is this story, then? I honestly don’t know how to describe it for all its individuality, but I’ll do my best without giving too much of the plot away.

Everything that happens here is one gigantic chess game with a ton of different players. Jarrod, Farris, Retz, and Nelam are at the center but are joined by a brother and sister, Aimi and Isamu. They are being moved, pushed, and forced into situations and directions for purposes unformed. I still can’t quite figure out the Harvester, Alexander or the other characters’ schemes, or the end result of everything, but I can tell you that this has got to be the set up for a series because it if isn’t, this story itself is incomplete.

Lander by J. Scott Coatsworth – I love a good sci-fi and high fantasy combination. It’s not an easy win for me, though. The world building has to be just right,with the fantasy and technology intertwined clearly enough for me to keep up with what is happening and not get lost. The plot still must be complex enough to keep me interested. Skythane, the first book in The Oberon Cycle, did just that. I couldn’t wait to catch up with Xander and Jameson and see what was in store from them in this second book of the series.

A lot happens in this book, and though I want to gush about all the cool little details and my feelings on certain things, I can’t. Or, more accurately, I won’t. I won’t be going into detail about what happens or specific plot points because part of the enjoyment of it all for me was figuring it out along the way, so in this review, I am going to try to avoid any real information about the plot.

Barricade by Lindsey Black – Barricade offers a unique twist to a post-apocalyptic/dystopian world, keeping me engaged throughout.

The Barricade is a wall which stretches from ocean to ocean separating the Northern Russian Empire from the rest of the world. On the north side are the Russian’s, who have not been infected by the population-decimating virus; the south side is filled with devastation, where the virus eradicated billions of people and toppled every other county. Towers guard the Barricade all the way across, and Tower 666 is in the unique location of what is formally known as the Russian-Ukrainian border. Sasha and his team, along with the other units assigned to the Barricade, are to keep people from the south from infiltrating the north and keep the infection out of Russia.

The weather along with the Barricade was like a living, breathing character, showing the colorless and bleak life for those living there, giving the story an overall eerie quality, the weather often mirroring the days or at times being an omen of things to come. Even the characters themselves speak and think of the Barricade as a person, an individual with a mind of its own. Despair dripped from the pages of this story, from both the characters and the setting, drawing me in completely.

Ghost of a Chance by Kris T. Bethke – I gotta throw it out there: I really enjoyed the interesting world Kris T. Bethke created. Blake Jones is a Ghostwalker, meaning he basically helps those departed souls cross over to whatever awaits them. Though this is not the first book with someone with these capabilities, I will say I have never read one as remarkable and unique as this. See, in order for Blake to help those souls cross, he has to die. And I’m not talking shut-your-eyes-and-slip-from-your-body die. We are talking painful ending, and an equally agonizing awakening once his task is complete. Despite Ghostwalkers being pretty resilient, body-wise, they still need an anchor to help their spirit get back to their corporeal form. Enter Derek Scott. Not only does he help Blake’s soul return, but he also is charged with caring for Blake during his recovery.

Their start was a little difficult. Dying and coming back takes its toll on Blake, and has some side effects he is not really comfortable with Derek witnessing. Blake’s got baggage when it comes to his talent and how it has affected his previous relationships, causing some pretty significant trust issues.  He doesn’t mind as much if it’s a friend, and someone of the female persuasion. But a male? And someone he finds mouthwatering gorgeous? Nuh uh. No way.

Plumber’s Mate Mysteries Series by JL Merrow – How much do I love this book? Let me count the ways….

The plot. How amazing is it to have a plumber by trade who has this knack for finding things; a gift of divination, if you will? Utterly brilliant. Or at least the way this carefully crafted tale is delivered. Mind you, they aren’t usually lost things. They are hidden things. And water. And sometimes people. Tom can sense secrets people don’t want others to find or know about, and in his unique case, water, which makes him a pretty fabulous plumber to have come around. Mostly what he senses is more or less harmless. Water leaks (of course), porn stashes, expensive jewelry, love letters… But sometimes his gift can be used under more dire circumstances. Like finding dead bodies. In this case, after his pal in the police requests his services in finding a dead body, Tom’s path ends up converging with Phil’s—Tom’s former bully and a now out-and-proud, gorgeous private investigator who thinks Tom’s particular talent can help him track down the murderer and, in turn, save Phil’s friend from falsely taking the fall.

Tom has got to be one of my favorite characters. He is perfectly fashioned and, in my opinion, an amazing choice in narration. He carries the story with his keen observations wrapped in witty humor and life experiences.

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js