GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Sheep Reviewer Bianca Greenwood's Top 5 reading discoveries of 2019 + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Sheep Reviewer Bianca Greenwood's Top 5 reading discoveries of 2019 + giveaway

My Top 5 Reading Discoveries of 2019 

Sheep Bio
2019 was a year of personal game-changing discovery. I’ve embraced a fitness tracker, menstrual cup, and facial serum, all the while sharing my discoveries with an evangelical fervor. This year has also been one of my favourites in books. I was captivated by several series and compelled to read like a fiend, completing over 51 books this year. I’m so excited by some of this year’s reads, I wanted to share my top picks with I Smell Sheep community. So while not all these book/series were released in 2019, they were new to me this year. 



#5 Touch of Smoke, Karissa Laurel
Released in February this year, Touch of Smoke is a standalone novel that had me enthralled from start to finish. It’s part paranormal romance, part mystery. The characters in this book are superbly developed and the storyline is imaginative. Laurel is a first-rate storyteller. I’ve always enjoyed Laurel’s strong female characters. The author’s Norse Chronicles is another great series to check out.

#4 The Girl in Red, Christina Henry
This book is part of Henry’s anthology series, wherein she re-writes classic fairy tales or folklore. It can be read as a standalone. Each entry in this series has been a fabulous read and Girl in Red is no exception. It’s a post-apocalyptic rewrite of Little Red Riding Hood. It’s suspenseful, dark, heartbreaking and heartwarming. While the post-apocalyptic trope is not my fave, Henry won me over with her complex, non-linear storytelling, and formidable main character, Red.

#3 Dark Court Rising series, by Bec McMaster
McMaster’s brand-new series premiered with book one, Promise of Darkness, released this year. This was perhaps the most entertaining book I read all year with memorable characters and a complex storyline. It’s a fantasy story loaded with fae court intrigue. It’s also sexy as hell and features my favourite new book boyfriend. I am impatiently waiting for the rest of this series to roll out. 

#2 Dark Maji series, by Kel Carpenter and Lucinda Dark
I discovered this dark fantasy series last July and was most pleased the entire series was included with my Kindle Unlimited subscription. There are currently three books released in this series, with the fourth due in early 2020. I adore the relationship dynamics in this series. The plot and setting are immensely creative and unique. The action is riveting. The series is quite dark at times, particularly book three. For me, however, it’s just the right amount of dark. I’m eagerly anticipating book four. 

#1 Gaslamp Gothic series, by Kat Ross
Gaslamp Gothic is another series, while not new in 2019, I discovered this past summer. It’s a smart, imaginative Victorian-era collection. There are five books in the series. I’m currently reading the most recent installment, Dead Ringer. Gaslamp Gothic is a masterclass in genre-blending; combining horror, mystery, crime, comedy, fantasy, history, and romance in a wonderfully addictive read. I ran the gambit of emotion while reading this series and was wholly riveted the entire time. There is something within Gaslamp Gothic for every reader. This is fresh historical fiction with contemporary relevance. For its entertainment value, complexity, and intelligence, it’s my top pick for 2019.

GIVEAWAY
One winner will get an ecopy of their choice from Bianca's top five list.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

8 comments:

  1. I lvoe the books featured. This year I did not discover a new author.

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  2. I had a couple of authors that I knew but had not read yet that I finally did this past year that I was mad I had waited as long as I did - Michelle Sagara and Seanan McGuire. I also read a couple that were completely new to me that I was taken with - Laura Thalassa and Miranda Honfleur.

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  3. Yes, Kerri Maniscalo. She's the author of the Stalking Jack the Ripper series.

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  4. I have just discovered Luanne Bennett and her Katie Bishop series. I am on book 3, read straight through from book 1. I am really enjoying her books

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  5. I recently discovered Anne Bishop and her Others series.

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  6. I discovered a lot of well-written historical fiction by Amor Towles and Kate Quinn.

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  7. This was last holiday season, Louise Penny and her Inspector Gamache mystery series. Read them all over the Christmas and New Years holiday. I'm reading new works by a lot of my old favorite UF authors, but haven't gotten into anyone new that I can recall.

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