Books elicite joy and bring tears; they make you laugh and plunge you into new worlds. Since at least the third grade, I’ve had a love affair with books. I remember roaming second hand stores looking for specific covers and publishers for me and my mom. Since writing took presidence, my reading has faltered, but not as much as I had at first thought. This year alone, I’ve read thirteen books and listened to three and a half books on audio! I can’t believe I’ve done that in just four months!

Today is World Book Day. I decided to share some of those books I’ve read or listened to with you. I’m trying to keep these as all new to my blog, but a few of them may have been mentioned before. Without further ado, here are some awesome books for World Book Day.

1. Ascension by Morgen Rich and Brian Rathbone

Okay, I’ve mentioned Brian Rathbone and his Godsland series numerous times. He’s just such an awesome author and his books transport you in time and place. If you haven’t checked out his work or his Facebook feed, go do so.

Now that you have that taken care of, let me tell you about the prequel to the Godsland series. I haven’t finished reading it, but even as I went to look through my Kindle books to figure out which ones to share with you, I found myself drawn into the story and almost not able to put it down. (Happily for you, I hit close on the program and returned to this blog post.)

Ascension is a standalone that tells the story of Gwendolyn, the daughter of a butcher, who loves plants and herbs. Gwen is forced to choose between marriage or the monastery. Since she doesn’t love anyone in her little village, and her father won’t let her become the next hedge witch, she decides to go to a monastery. That decision sets her on a dangerous course. I was about a fourth of the way into the book, when I smiled and thought, “I know who this is!” My suspicion was proven correct when a character from Call of the Herald walked into the story.

 

2. Prince of Alasia by Annie Douglass Lima

Yes, you’ve heard of this author before as well. I don’t believe, though, that I’ve told you about the Prince of Alasia. This is a non-stop action book which teaches about forgiveness and understanding.

Prince Jaymin’s life is changed forever when his bodyguard and best friend Erik awakens him in the middle of the night and leads him out of the palace moments before a coup occurs. With his identity a danger to himself and anyone around him, Jaymin becomes a commoner and tries to decipher what happened that night.

I loved reading the book and will add the rest of the series to my to-be-read list.

3. Soul Survivor by Susan Faw

This author is new to me. She just recently received the Dante Rossetti for Best Young Adult Fiction of 2016 for Seer of Souls, the first book in this series! Besides that, she was the Grand Prize Winner. I’d say that was quite an achievement.

So, what’s all the fuss about? It’s a mythology story that starts out with a war between the gods. One wants to use the moon to channel energy, while another god wants to protect the humans who would end up in the middle of everything. Soul Survivor is the prequel to Seer of Souls. It’s skillfully written and has unique and interesting characters. It’s also available for a free download.

 

 

 

4. The Lost Heir by Allison Whitmore

Being an author has some unique privileges. One of which is knowing other authors. Over the course of the last two years, I’ve met authors online, through my publisher, through Facebook groups, and on Twitter. I met Allison through a group online that enables writing sprints. We work together to encourage each other to get words on paper. So, when I opened up The Lost Heir I was surprised to see a name I recognized on the front.

The story is an engaging fantasy set in the real world in Los Angeles. However, there’s a whole nother realm underneath the city that Isabella Foxworthy discovers on the brink of her birthday. This whole other realm consists of unique beings and traps for the unwary.

5. Delivered by Angels by Emerald Barnes

This sequel to Entertaining Angels focuses on new characters with real issues. I almost couldn’t read the opening chapter due to the content of cutting and the suicidal thoughts of the main character, Lexi. I knew the book itself would end well, and that’s the only thing that kept me going. Suicide is such a raw spot with me since I’ve personally known two young people who took their own lives.

I love how the author shows us the unseen side to the battle of suicide. The angelic realm becomes real in this book as angels battle to keep humans alive and try to help humans realize there is One who does love them.

You can read an interview with Lexi on my blog.

 

 

 

6. Leandra’s Enchanted Flute by Katy Huth Jones

This fun story takes a cancer patient and places her as the heroine capable of saving a world. The tenacity of a cancer patient is needed to save Finian Johndra from the canker. If you loved The Neverending Story, you’ll love Leandra’s Enchanted Flute. I listened to this story. At first, I wasn’t sure I was going to like the narrator, but as the tale progressed, the narrator became the perfect voice for the story. I was sad when the audio came to an end. This is the perfect story for any band member, people who love happy endings, and the fantasy lover in your home.

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Here are a few of the books I’ve read this year. What are you reading? I’d love to hear.