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Happy 2018! | MGW’s Best of 2017

Best of 2017 graphic

Happy 2018!!

 

Today, at Mother/Gamer/Writer, I am revealing my favorite audiobooks of 2017. Since many of my reviews were not posted due to time constraints, I thought it would be fun to share what I enjoyed this year while on the go.

 

 

New Listens…

First on my list of favorite listens are the amazing novels, The Hundredth Queen (The Hundredth Queen #1) by Emily R. King, and its sequel, The Fire Queen (The Hundredth Queen #2). Both are narrated by Lauren Ezzo as Kalinda, with Scott Merriman joining in as our leading man Deven in book two.

 

These books are flipping amazing y’all. The words are elegantly written. The narrator, Lauren Ezzo, has a beautiful voice. Her cadence, pitch, how she coveys the words. *fangirl time* Trust me you guys, you will not be disappointed. If you love magical romances, strong bonds of friendship, and a narrator who will transport you to faraway places, check out this trilogy!

 

 

The Hundredth QueenAbout The Hundredth Queen:

He wanted a warrior queen. He got a revolutionary.

As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she’s an unlikely candidate for even a servant’s position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood’s mountain temple.

But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda’s life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home, set on a desert trek, and ordered to fight for her place among the rajah’s ninety-nine wives and numerous courtesans. Her only solace comes in the company of her guard, the stoic but kind Captain Deven Naik.

Faced with the danger of a tournament to the death—and her growing affection for Deven—Kalinda has only one hope for escape, and it lies in an arcane, forbidden power buried within her.

 

 

 

 
For my third pick, this book should come as no surprise since most of you know I am a HUGE Gena Showalter fan. The Darkest Promise is book #13 (yes 13!) in the Lords of the Underworld series. Let’s face it, demons, angels, alpha males, sexy storytelling, bloodshed, amazing leading ladies, epic adventures. These books have it all! And, if you crave a narrator that will melt you into submission then Max Bellmore is your guy. His voice is like creamy butter (yes it’s that good). As always, you MUST start from book one, The Darkest Night, if you want the complete Gena Showalter experience. In this installment, we follow the demon of Misery, Cameo as she finds her HEA. Check it out…

 

 

The Darkest PromiseAbout The Darkest Promise:

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn’t allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him – until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they’ve forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever

 

 

 

 

The fourth novel that blew my mind in 2017 is the glorious A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J. Maas. Maas, if you didn’t know, is probably one of the best fantasy writers on the planet right now. Yup, with most of her books being between 400 and 700 pages there is A LOT to love about the worlds she creates. In this third installment of the Court of Thorns and Roses series, our story picks up right where we left off in book two, A Court of Mist and Fury, with Feyre back in the Spring Court and turning their court upside down.

 

This book is devilishly good.

 

Maas has a knack for making you constantly fall in and out of love with her characters. Everything is gray. There is no pure black and white in her worlds, which is why as a fantasy writer she tops the charts with writing well-developed characters who can stir the best and worst emotions in all of us. I highly recommend this series — and all of her books — to anyone who craves a fantasy that leaves you asking for just one more story after each one is over.

 

 

A Court of Wings and RuinAbout A Court of Wings and Ruin:

Looming war threatens all Feyre holds dear in the third volume of the #1 New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit – and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords – and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the earth will be painted red as mighty armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy them all.

 

 

 

 

Book number five on my list is a novel that I waited sooooooooooooo long to read. Not because I didn’t own it, or because I was disinterested. I simply wanted to wait until I had two books I could read back to back. But no, the next book in the series will not be available until 2018. *sad face* So, I had to put my big girl pants on and bite the bullet.

Gosh was Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms, #5) by Morgan Rhodes freaking insane — insane!

Two words, MAGNUS and CLEO. Can we all just stop for a moment and appreciate what a powerhouse they are? READ the Falling Kingdoms series, you guys! Read it or, better yet, listen to the audiobook and let the captivating, Fred Berman, carry you away to the kingdom of Mytica on an adventure of a lifetime.

 

Crystal StormAbout Crystal Storm:

An epic clash between gods and mortals threatens to tear Mytica apart . . . and prove that not even the purest of love stands a chance against the strongest of magic.

MAGNUS and CLEO are forced to test the strength of their love when Gaius returns to Mytica claiming he’s no longer the King of Blood but a changed man seeking redemption.

LUCIA, pregnant with the child of a Watcher, has escaped the clutches of the unhinged fire god. Her powers are dwindling as she goes forth to fulfill a prophecy that will keep her baby safe . . . but could mean her demise.

JONAS treks back to Mytica with a plan to overtake Amara, but fate takes hold when he runs into the beautiful Princess Lucia and joins her on her perilous journey.

AMARA has taken the Mytican throne, but with no way to unleash the water magic trapped within her stolen crystal, she’ll never be able to seize glory and get sweet revenge.

And what kind of darkness will descend–and who will be safe–after Prince Ashur reveals the dangerous price he paid to cheat death?

 

 

 

 




Favorite Re-listens…

 

My go-to audiobook will always and forever be, Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi, narrated by Kate Simses. Warner will always hold a special place in my heart. I love everything about this trilogy and now she’s announced a FOURTH BOOK!!!!!! OMG! *dies*

 

Restore MeRestore Me (Shatter Me #4) comes out March 6, 2018!

About the Book:

Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she’s still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she’s got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

 

 

 

My second favorite re-listen is not just one book, but the first four books in a series. Yup, you guessed it, Falling Kingdoms, Rebel Spring, Gathering Darkness, and Frozen Tides by Morgan Rhodes. In preparation for Crystal Storm, I had to revisit my favorite characters. Listening to their lives unfurl all over again, left me in awe of Rhodes ability to write such passionate characters. To me, this series will never get old!

 

Gathering Darkness

About the Book:

In GATHERING DARKNESS, book three of the New York Times bestselling Falling Kingdoms series, the stakes have never been higher as three teams push forward on a race to find the Kindred, the four elemental crystals possessing ancient all-powerful magic, first:

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred – the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic…

• THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

• THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia’s overpowering magic – all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

• THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia’s powers to unveil the Kindred.

The only certainty in the dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica… but fate can be fickle when magic is involved.

 

 

 








Here’s to a great 2018 everyone! Tell me, what were your favorite reads of 2017?