Welcome to My Favourite Reads! I can’t believe it’s April already. What happened to March? It just flew past but the whole year has felt like that so far.

I had a terrific reading month and discovered some wonderful new authors. I also finally finished all my competition reading. I had two books to read for the Romance Writers of Australia’s prestigious Ruby Award and one of them was absolutely brilliant. So brilliant that it was easily my favourite read for the month but, frustratingly, I can’t tell you about it!

Ah, well. These things happen. Anyway, my favourite read for the month that I can tell you about is…

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

It seems I’m completely addicted to young adult fantasy novels at the moment. They pull all my strings – smart, brave heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, lots of action and juicy romance plots that are electric with tension.

Rebel of the Sands had all this and more. I really liked the Djinn element of the fantasy and the magic, and the harsh desert setting was wonderfully described. The opening had an old western gunslinger feel to it that was huge fun, but then the book steered more middle-eastern.

This is a trilogy and book 2, Traitor to the Throne, is out but book 3 isn’t scheduled to release until 2018, so now I’m torn whether to gobble down book 2 straight away so I know what happens next with to Amani and Jin, and the other rebels, or wait until I can read the rest of the series in one go.

Decisions, decisions…

Blood Memory by Greg Iles

I picked this up after a couple of ladies at my golf club raved about it and I can see why they did. This was my first Greg Iles book and it was a cracking read. Blood Memory is a long story but it never once felt like it was dragging. The plot was maze like, full of twists and surprises, and I thought the weaving of the heroine’s personal mystery and the serial killer plot, was skilfully done.

I’m going to read more of this author, starting with Natchez Burning.

The List by JA Konrath

This techno-thriller has been sitting on my Kindle since 2013. Oops. Why I hadn’t read it before now I have no idea. It would have stayed unread too if I hadn’t gone trawling through my ebook collection looking for something different to read while we were in Townsville last month.

Anyway, it was a hoot! The plot is completely bonkers – a group of people with tattoos on their feet start ending up dead and from there a mystery begins to unravel. I can’t tell you any more than that because it’d give the plot away but I can say that this was funny, action-packed, over-the-top and hugely entertaining.

Locked Box by Eve Dangerfield

Another blast of a book with a great premise.  Computer whizz Julia is helping to sort out the evidence room at the police station where she works when she’s accidentally locked inside. Her saviour – hunky policeman Max – comes to the rescue, only for the door to close and lock again, trapping them together.

This was sizzling hot, emotional and and funny. Loved it.

If you’re quick you can pick this up right now off Amazon for free. No excuses not to read it!

Of Fate and Phantoms by CJ Archer

When I finished From the Ashes, book 6 of the Ministry of Curiosities series, I told myself I wasn’t going to read any more because I felt the series had come to a natural end. I’d loved the journey but it was time to move on, and I still haven’t finished Archer’s Emily Chambers Spirit Medium series. Then Of Fate and Phantoms came out sounding so exciting and delicious and next thing my finger is hitting the buy button. I can’t help it. I just love Charlie and Lincoln and the gang.

Another great read from CJ Archer. Book 8, Veiled in Moonlight, releases in June. My naughty buy button finger is itching already.

Deeply Odd and Saint Odd by Dean Koontz

And so the Odd Thomas series comes to a close. I’m kinda sad because Odd was a wonderful character and I enjoyed his adventures a lot. The series was a bit hit and miss but overall I had a great time and the ending was as satisfying as I hoped it would be.

What were your favourite reads of March?

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