Best I've Read In 2018 .... So Far.

As the midway point of the year is quickly approaching I figured it was time to check in with my year in reading up to this point. It's a great way to see how influential the first half of the way was to my overall reading and just a nice way to see how far I've come so far.

Sadly, I am way behind on my Goodreads reading challenge this year. I am 10 books behind schedule and I am not hopeful I'll catch up. I am going to give it my all but I am okay with possibly no making my goal this year.

I have noticed that my reading selection gets better every year and this year is no exception. I know what I like as a reader and have a better ability to pick out the books I am going to enjoy. It means my Goodreads ratings are trending really positive right now, but I am considering that a perk of the journey of discovering who I am as a reader. Does anyone else worry about being too positive sometimes, or are you just happy that you're picking books that you enjoy? Let me know.

I am reading a lot more romance than I tend to (at least for the first half the year). It's not surprising as there have been some great ones that have come out. I still think my reads lean heavily to young adult and I doubt that will ever really change.

As previously mentioned I haven't read as much as I typically have by this point in the year. This has made picking my ten favourite reads of the first half of 2018 harder in some ways and easier in others. I have less choices, but each choice feels more deliberate. Each exclusion hurts a little more than it has before.

With that said, here are my top ten of 2018 (so far) ....

*These are in no particular order* 

1 Side By Side by Jenni L Walsh

2 Royals by Rachel Hawkins

3 I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara

4 The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

5 Save The Date by Morgan Matson

6 Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

7 Legendary by Stephanie Garber

8 The Kiss Quotient by by Helen Hoang

9 Leah On The Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

10 You by Caroline Kepnes

Each book links to my review (except for The Kiss Quotient which I have not reviewed yet, but will be up next week).

What books would make your own best of lists at this point in the year? Let me know in the comments as I am always looking for new books to add to my to be read list. 

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
Release Date - April 10,  2018
Publisher Website - Harlequin Teen 

Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  416 pages
My Rating - 5/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.

Amanda Foody's debut novel originally came to my attention because of the deal announcement for her second book. I was instantly spellbound by its premise and was even more excited to dive into it after loving her writing style upon reading her first novel. Ace of Shades offers up a dazzling start to a series where secrets can be dangerous and gambling can cost you much more than money.

Amanda Foody's writing feels effortless. It's descriptive, captivating, and alluring. Its descriptive ability to conjure the most vivid pictures is tailor made for the style of novels she seems to favor. There is something whimsical but dark at the center of the worlds she creates, and that is showcased in her writing as well.

The world that these characters inhabit is so well developed and unique. It's a mix of 1920's mobster, Las Vegas, and something all its own. Everything from the history of the city, the hierarchy that exists for the people who inhabit it, and the sort of magic that thrums through everything is complex and intricately crafted. It makes for a world you can easy slip into while reading and one that is hard to leave.

This is a world where all of the characters exist on some sliding scale of moral ambiguity. It's a world where many of them are, to some extent, criminals and that made all of them feel just as complicated and fleshed out as the world. There are some truly awful people within these pages, but others are just trying to survive the only way they know how. In a world that is inherently dangerous it's something they cannot really be faulted for. It also makes Enne's character arc feel more authentic and realistic when you consider the world she is in and who she is surrounded by.

Enne is the kind of character I love. She comes into her own at the series progresses and learns so much about who she is because of what happens to her. It's very much a journey she is taking and that directly impacts who she is becoming. She proves herself to be quite capable under stress, and much stronger than I think she gives herself credit for. She slips into this world of sin much quicker than she would like, but I felt the reader could feel this part of her lurking under the surface almost immediately.

Levi's bravado hides a caring young man who just wants to do right by the people who are counting on him. His world is quickly unraveling and Enne comes in like a whirlwind to complicate it even further. He's a character who is treading water, but who knows he could be sucked under at any moment. There's something interesting about him as a character and it makes the chapters from his point of view shine just a little brighter.

The romance in this one is scorching. There is a ton of unresolved sexual tension between the characters and it is palpable. It is nothing overtly explicit, but Amanda Foody does so much with just a look or a light touch. The act of wanting is potent when done right, and this book has it in spades. The delayed gratification of these two characters is going to make the eventual payoff all the more rewarding.

The plot is a pulse pounding, rapid paced jaunt through this vivid world that has been created. It's quite obviously the first part in a larger story and it is one that I predict readers will be more than happy to continue. The reveals and twists found within these pages only serve to ramp up tension and ensure that the reader is entirely hooked.

New Reynes is a world you'll quickly become charmed by, along with the characters that call the city home. Amanda Foody has once again crafted a darkly tantalizing read that will instantly have you wishing for its sequel, and probably make you add this author to your auto buy list.

New To My Book Closet

It's that time of the week again. Time to show you what bookish goodies made their way into my home and book closet (to be saved from the evil book eating cat monster named Aria). This is inspired by the various "mailbox" posts out there (eg. In My Mailbox by The Story Siren, and Stacking the Shelves by Tynga's Reviews)

Ashley from Harper Collins Canada sent me this lovely holiday surprise! I am very excited to read Ace Of Shades as it is one of my most anticipated reads of 2018. I am also curious about Here So Far Away after I read the synopsis.

Here So Far Away by Hadley Dyer (goodreads)
Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody (goodreads)

A huge thank you to both Harper Collins Canada and Ashley for these! It's made me holiday to be read pile that much more exciting.

What books/bookish items made their way into your mailbox this week? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Weekend and Happy Reading!

2018 Most Anticipated - Ace Of Shades

The next book on my 2018 Most Anticipated list is a book that has so many of the things I like to read about in one book. A Las Vegas like setting, magic, star crossed lovers (I am guessing), and rival mafia like crime families. All of that plus it has illicit cabarets! I immediately wanted to read this the second I read the deal announcement.

Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody sounds like the type of book you can get lost in. A rich world and engaging characters. I love the idea of magic existing in a Las Vegas like setting. It's a natural fit and one I cannot wait to see explored.

The Goodreads synopsis does nothing to lessen my excitement for this novel. All of this, plus Amanda's amazing writing, should have you instantly adding it to your own list for books to read in 2018!

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.

The last line of the synopsis is what really grabs me. It sets up the tone of the book without you even having to pick it up.

Amanda was kind enough to tease a little about Ace of Shades in this Q and A!

1 Describe Ace Of Shades in three words

Cons, corruption, cabarets

2 If someone were to make a signature cocktail  in honour of your book, what might be included?

It's funny you ask this because there are original cocktails in the book, with their own names and recipes. I won't give out their recipes (yet), but here are their names: Gambler's Ruin, Snake Eyes, and Walk of Shame. Considering the Belle Epoque glamour of the world, there is no shortage of alcoholic beverages in this story! I'm a big fan of drunken shenanigans.

3 The Ace of Shades setting has a Las Vegas feel to it. Is there anything else you can tease about this incredible sounding setting?

So the original concept for this novel came from the idea of magic as currency. Once I had that, it was easy to formulate my vision: an entire city ruled by greed. New Reynes has a complicated history and political landscape: it was the first location of the world-wide revolutions to overthrow their tyrant kings, and now is the capital of the very sprawling Republic. However, the kings might be dead, but corruption still wears the crown. If you could combine post-Revolution Paris with Gilded Age/progressive era New York, you'd have something like New Reynes.

On top of this, only a few years after the Revolution, there was another war...this one in the criminal underground. It was called the Great Street War. Since then, the mafias and street gangs retain a tumultuous power over the North Side of the city, but despite all the violence in the eighteen years since this War, no one has complete control.

The story takes place twenty-five years after the Revolution, eighteen years after the War, yet all of this history is incredibly important to the central plot. The two characters, Enne Salta and Levi Glaisyer, might've teamed up to find a woman missing in this city, but they will end up caught in the center of this stormy political landscape. It's been fun for me to write, because you THINK all the history I'm throwing in is simply history...until it isn't.

4 Name a song you listed to for inspiration while writing this novel (if you didn't listen to music let me know and I can quickly send another question)

"Wicked Ones" by Dorothy has always been associated with this novel for me and a lot of my early readers. If there was a movie trailer for this book, I'd imagine this song in the background.

5 If you could travel to anywhere, in any time period, when and where would you want travel?

To be honest, I'm not very interested in time travel. I am too attached to the rights and freedoms I have today. I'm very content to read about the past in books or twist period elements (like this one, roughly 1915) into my own worlds.

6 What 2018 release are you most anticipating?

I'm very excited for THE GILDED WOLVES by Roshani Chokshi!

7 If not too spoilery, can you share the first line of Ace Of Shades?

Sure thing! It hasn't changed much since the first draft :P

If I'm not home in two months, I'm dead.

I cannot wait for those drink recipes to be released! I fully intend to try out a couple while reading this book. I am intrigued by the Walk Of Shame one in particular.

Ace Of Shades releases April 10, 2018 but you can pre-order it right now from any retailer.

Chapters // Amazon // Barnes and Noble // BAM

You can find out more about Amanda by following her on Twitter, and by visiting her her website. You can also find out more about her books on the publisher website.

Do you love novels with magic, mafia like families, and secrets? Are Las Vegas like settings as intriguing to you as they are to me? Let me know in the comments.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to find out the next book on my 2018 Most Anticipated List!

Weekly Obsessions

The awesome Kelly at KellyVision started posting a weekly post highlighting whatever she happened to be obsessed with that week. I LOVE this idea, so much in fact that I will be doing it myself every Saturday.

So many covers have been revealed as the cover season for books releasing in summer of 2018 has arrived! There have also been a ton of movie and tv show trailers that have released.

BOOK

Cover of Ace Of Shades by Amanda Foody (goodreads)

I have been excited about this book since the moment I read the deal announcement. It has a Las Vegas like setting, and what sounds like gangsters which sound make for an interesting read.

I love the cover. It matches the synopsis perfectly.I love the way the cards are incorporated and the colour scheme. It only makes me even more excited for this to be released.

Cover of Katie Cotugno's 9 Days and 9 Nights (goodreads)

Katie Cotugno's covers are always adorable, and her newest is no exception.

I love that it takes plan while the characters are on a European trip. I love that is a sequel of sorts to 99 Days. I am really excited to see what is next for these characters and just to have another Katie Cotugno book to look forward to.

Cover of Side by Side by Jenni L Walsh (goodreads)

It is no secret that I loved Jenni L Walsh's Becoming Bonnie. The sequel (which can be read as a stand alone) has a cover and it is awesome!

It instantly fits the Bonnie Parker that Jenni L Walsh has created. It also hints at the tragic ending to Bonnie and Clyde's story. I am beyond excited to both read this and add it to my bookshelf.

MOVIE/TV

New Stranger Things Season Two Trailer

IT IS ALMOST HERE! We are less than a week away from the second season of Stranger Things. It's been a long wait but this new trailer has me thinking it is going to be more than worth that wait.

The scene where Mike is telling Will that Eleven would 'understand' because she always did. My heart is already breaking at the thought of Mike telling Will about this girl that Will never met. A girl that was so important to Mike and was such a large part of Will's story. I cannot wait for Will and Eleven to eventually meet. They have a lot to discuss. I also love the perfect scene that shows the return of Steve's baseball bat! 

Trailer for My Friend Dahmer (full length)

A teaser trailer for this movie was released and I was hooked. The full length trailer has been revealed and I am even more interested in checking it out.

The buzz is that Ross Lynch gives an incredible and chill inducing performance. The movie is based off a graphic name by the same name written by guy who was friends with Jeffrey Dahmer in high school (played by Alex Wolff in the movie). The book is by Derf Backderf for those wanting to check it out.

I, Tonya teaser trailer

The Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan story is infamous. We've all heard about it even if we're not huge figure skating fans. A new movie is set to release, based of a book also titled I, Tonya, and the first teaser trailer has been released.

It immediately sets the tone of the movie. I feel like I know exactly what I am gong to get with this movie and I am excited to see a full length trailer soon!

Mindhunter

I have finished binge watching this series and cannot praise it enough. It's a slow burn that feels like it had the exact payoff that I wanted it to at the end of the season. The characters are all rich and complex. Holden Ford, Jonathan Groff's character, in particular stands out to me. You could have lengthy discussions about the journey his character takes, and the changes that happen over the season. 

There is a chilling set up for the second season (I read that they have plans for 5 with detailed story arcs for all 5 seasons) that has me already counting down the days until I can watch it. There is another serial killer for them to hunt, and plenty more for them to interview.

What are you obsessed with this week?

Waiting On Wednesday ... Ace Of Shades

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pick Ace Of Shades by Amanda Foody

Here is the Goodreads synopsis 

Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems. 

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…

And she’ll need to play.

I was immediately sold on this novel from the deal announcement. It sounds like it has a Las Vegas like setting and is filled with mafia, casinos, and sexiness. I am a sucker for books that are set in Sin City so I am really looking forward to getting my hands on this one.

The wait for this one will be long as it doesn't come out until April, but you can read Amanda's first novel, Daughter Of The Burning City, in the meantime. 

Expected release date - April 10, 2018