I got through six books in September, which was a pretty big deal for me because I felt like I had a ton going on. I only read one stand-alone, and the rest were part of the Three Dark Crowns series (see below). I just wish I could get through six books each month. Reading's felt so slow for me this year, so I'm hoping to pump out some great months to end 2019.



The Best of Crimes* by K.C. Maher ★★★☆☆
Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: N/A

Brief synopsis: Walter is a bit of a prodigy. A child genius, if you will. Before turning 20, he'd earned two doctorates and had a job in the legal big league. Within years, married with a daughter. His childhood had flashed right before his eyes, so watching his daughter and her best friend, the neighbor girl, grow up became a pleasant experience for him. But his relationship with his daughter's best friend begins to grow and blossom in a way he never expected. Which could mean trouble for him.

Overall thoughts: I was not a fan of this book. I thought it was creepy and weird. The writing was great - easy to understand, which I really like. And while I typically enjoy books with controversial topics, this one was just a bit too out of range for me.  Full review here.






Three Dark Crowns (complete series) by Kendare Blake ★★★★☆
Three Dark Crowns, One Dark Throne, Queens of Fennbirn, Two Dark Reigns, Five Dark Fates*
Popsugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with a plant in the title or on the cover (book one), A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, and South America (book two)

Brief synopsis: The four-novel series focuses on three triplet queens, born to rule and on their sixteenth birthday, two must die so the other can rule. Each sister possesses a gift - Mirabella is an elemental, Arsinoe is the naturalist, and Katharine is a poisoner. For the past several generations, poisoners have ruled. But the rule is not just given. The sisters must fight for the crown. They must fight to the death. The two novellas (both combined to make Queens of Fennbirn) within the series are prequels - The Young Queens focuses on the sisters as children, before they were taken to their adoptive families. The Oracle Queen tells the tale of Queen Elsabet, the oracle queen who killed three whole families based only on a vision.

Overall thoughts: I didn't expect to love these books so much. They all started off slow, but the character development was out-of-this-world. I become so connected to each of the characters and just had to know what was going to happen next. The worlds created were so imaginative, but easy to envision. I definitely recommend this series. Full review here.




















* denotes book was received free in exchange of an honest review. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.