September’s (Belated) Top Three Reads: Killer Nuns, Time Travel, and Wild Dreams

Hello Book Fiends of Bloglandia!

Yes, yes, I’m a little late with this month’s gushing over books I read in the previous month.

What can I say? Posting vacation photos took precedence over trying to pick my top three favorite reads.

And if you pop over to last week’s post, I don’t think you’ll blame me.

Speaking of vacations…

My proverbial vacation road is usually paved with good intentions of reading a ton. 

Unfortunately, that road often turns out to be poorly paved…with lots of potholes and roadkill along the way…and I barely get through half a book.

But for once, I did actually make my way through a few books while on my journeys… one of which turned out to be terribly disappointing, one of which turned out to be surprisingly not that bad, and a few of which ended up being too fabulous not to share with you.

So let’s get to those top three reads and a special announcement for the bargain hunting book lovers out there.

#1 Sister Agatha by Domhnall O’Donoghue

This is by far and away my favorite book of the month!

If you feel the quirky-senior-who-goes-on-adventures has become a wearisome and predictable trope, you haven’t met Sister Agatha.

Sister Agatha has one goal in life and that’s be the oldest person in the world. At 118, she’s done pretty well, but there’s four other people ahead of her in the age line.

So what’s a goal-oriented nun to do?

That’s right, steal the nunnery’s credit card and jet around the world so she can kill off her competition.

The concept is ridiculous, but Sister Agatha is completely believable (and wonderfully devious) as she sets about her task.

Happenstance plays a huge part in her aims, and it was delightfully hilarious watching all the pieces fall into place.

Throughout the story, you get snippets of Sister Agatha’s past and learn why she became a nun and why she invented this goal for herself.

The book is short, full of laughs and charm, and is bound to entertain. I’ll definitely be seeking out more from this author : )

#2 Lost In Time by A.G. Riddle

I absolutely devoured this book, it was that good.

When a woman turns up dead, a father (Sam) and daughter (Adeline) are both on the line for her murder. To save his daughter, the Sam confesses. His punishment is to be sent back to the time of the dinosaurs (the standard punishment for criminals).

Meanwhile, his daughter tries to solve the mystery of the murder, and what she discovers sets off a whole slew of wonderful twists that I didn’t see coming.

The first part of the book goes back and forth between Sam and Adeline’s perspective. I might have liked to see a bit more of Sam’s struggles because, I mean, man against dinosaur? Who doesn’t want to see more of that. But the fast pace of the chapters kept me turning the pages.

The majority of the book is then told through Adeline’s perspective…and here I can’t say much without revealing spoilers, but let’s just say it’s an intriguing spin on the time travel paradox.

As mentioned, I loved this book, but would say it’s 4.5 stars, not a full 5. The characters aren’t the deepest, some of Sam’s introspection felt a little tedious and repetitive, and the end dragged on a little longer than needed (especially given how perfectly paced the rest of the novel is).

Still, I loved the concept, I loved the story, and I loved all those twisty plot twists!

I think even if you don’t normally like time travel books (they’re not my favorite), but you do like a good mystery, you’ll enjoy this clever tale.

# 3 The Hollow Boys by Douglas Smith

Indie pick of the month!

This was a book that, while I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy it at first, just kept pulling me through to a terrific end.

At 17, Will is insanely wealthy partially to the comic book series he created. A comic book series based on his real-life ability to step into a world of dreams where he can interact with other people who are dreaming…and so much more.

When he learns some street kids, all boys, have gone missing, he offers to use his special talent to do what he can to find them.

Meanwhile, street kid Case has just had her baby brother kidnapped. Her escape from the bad guys brings her right to Will’s doorstep.

While I enjoyed this book and did find it a real page-turner, some aspects of it aren’t perfect. The bad guys felt a tad cookie cutter to me, the relationship between Will and Case moved too fast (would have liked a little more “will they/won’t they”), and some of the dialogue came across as a tad stiff.

Still, I loved Will as a character. His flaw (agoraphobia) is an intriguing one for our “hero” who has to chase down the bad guys, his gentle humor lightens up what could be a heavy novel, and his interactions with Case were always fun to read.

Plus, I always like a Batman-like hidden identity. And hey, what a story! Overall The Hollow Boys is a great read for anyone looking for a fast-paced adventure novel with a graphic-novel “feel” to the prose.

Hollow Boys comes out 15 October on Amazon and most other retailers

What about you? What did you read in September? Anything good? Anything great? Anything so horrible you’re still cursing your wasted reading time? Reply and let me know!

 

If You’re Still Looking for Something to Read…

Domna: The Complete Series is Half-Off

In a surprise bit of good news, Barnes & Noble selected this historical fantasy boxset for their Bundle Up Special, which runs 11 to 17 October.

But I figured why should B&N readers get all the fun (or well, tragedy, as this novel does feature some tough moments for our heroine)?

So, I threw caution to the wind and I set this six-book collection that’s full of passion, intrigue, revenge, betrayal, and all sorts of good stuff to half-price across most ebook retailers.

If you’re not familiar with this older series of mine, details are below, but if you’re ready to grab your copy, here are the links you’ll need…

Domna on my Payhip Bookstore

Domna: The Complete Series on other retailers

(note: not all retailers in the second link above feature the discount)

About the Book

​Destiny isn’t given by the gods, it’s made by defying them.

• “The plot was phenomenal!…a Greek tragedy that will break your heart over and over again…”
• “I’m loving this story!…a unique and imaginative work..”
• “…a satisfying mix of fantasy and history.”
• “So much political intrigue, betrayal and backstabbing that I just HAD to keep on reading.”

Domna: The Complete Series includes all six parts of this “Highly recommended…” tale, plus exclusive bonus content.

Sofia Domna has her future planned. She will follow in her father’s footsteps and lead the Temple of Apollo. She’ll marry her childhood love, Papinias. She’ll have respect, status, and power.

But when her father bitterly forces her betrothal to a stranger and orders her from the life she’s always known, Sofia is thrown into a new world where any wrong move could mean her demise.

Thrown into a world of full of political turmoil, violent ambition, and dangerous temptation, Sofia discovers her only chance of survival is to stay one step ahead of her enemies, but in Osteria new perils lurk around every corner and plots don’t always strike down their intended victims.

As Sofia’s life moves through the trials of a forced marriage, motherhood, and yearning temptation, she learns that destiny isn’t given; it’s made by cunning, endurance, and, at times, bloodshed.

With every option having dire consequences to those closest to her, when it comes down to the choice between love and power, which will win out?

 

Note: Some links above are affiliate links. If you buy something after clicking the link, i get a teeny tiny commission to keep this site running, but it costs you NOTHING extra. What a deal, right?