Five Books Everyone Should Read: Author Samantha Young

Posted November 1, 2015 by Holly in Features | 2 Comments

Five Books Everyone Should Read is a feature we’re running in 2015. We’ve asked some of our favorite authors, readers and bloggers to share five books that touched them or have stayed with them throughout the years.

5 Books Project

Today we have contemporary New Adult and romance author Samantha Young here to share her list of five. I adore Young’s books and I think her list is well-rounded.Samantha Young


The Knife of Never Letting Go
1. The Knife of Never Letting Go (Chaos Walking #1) by Patrick Ness.

The riveting Chaos Walking trilogy by two-time Carnegie Medalist Patrick Ness, reissued with compelling new covers — and a bonus short story in each book.

Todd Hewitt is the only boy in a town of men. Ever since the settlers were infected with the Noise germ, Todd can hear everything the men think, and they hear everything he thinks. Todd is just a month away from becoming a man, but in the midst of the cacophony, he knows that the town is hiding something from him — something so awful Todd is forced to flee with only his dog, whose simple, loyal voice he hears too. With hostile men from the town in pursuit, the two stumble upon a strange and eerily silent creature: a girl. Who is she? Why wasn’t she killed by the germ like all the females on New World? Propelled by Todd’s gritty narration, readers are in for a white-knuckle journey in which a boy on the cusp of manhood must unlearn everything he knows in order to figure out who he truly is.

The unique narrative and overall writing style, young hero and heroine Todd and Viola, the worldbuilding… I could go on and on about the many reasons everyone should read The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. The book is as beautiful as its title. Even if it wasn’t packed full of originality and exceptional style, TKNLG would be a winner because of its characters. They are characters you fall in love with and root for throughout the book, they develop and grow up during book one and the trilogy overall, and you feel like you’ve lived months, years even, with them in the course of three books. Gripping, thought-provoking and extraordinary—one of my favourite novels of all time.

Archer's Voice
2. Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan.

A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling book. Archer’s Voice is a full-length, standalone romance.

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer’s Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.

THIS IS A STANDALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY SAGITTARIUS. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

One word: Beautiful. Mia Sheridan’s Archer’s Voice is hauntingly lovely. It’s a romance for the ages with a carefully crafted hero and heroine that truly touched me. There aren’t many romances out there with swoon-worthy mute heroes with epically tragic backstories and even if there were I’m sure Archer would still stand out strong among them. He’s one of the most well-drawn romantic heroes ever and one of my favourites. If you want a book to get lost in for hours, this is definitely the one.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone
3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages–not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.

When one of the strangers–beautiful, haunted Akiva–fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Epic. Imaginative. Did I say EPIC?? Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor is one of my favourite modern fantasy novels ever. Vivid, luscious world-building and a kick-ass blue-haired heroine are just two of the reasons to read this book. Every character, every location, every piece of dialogue and the stunningly crafted original mythology draw you into the pages. Taylor is an incredibly vibrant writer and this is my go-to for fantasy! Every fantasy fan should have this on their favourites shelf.

Unholy Ghosts
4. Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane.

THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

Gritty, darkly humorous, fantastical and yet incredibly real, Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane is one of the most truly original urban fantasy/dystopian series I’ve ever come across. Ghosts, drug dealers, drug enforcers, murderers, thieves and fraudsters, the world of the downside ghosts has it all… including Chess, church witch, drug addict and heroine extraordinaire. Expect the unexpected with this book. It’s fast-paced, filled with action, chemistry and the most perfectly flawed heroine in adult UF dystopian (and that makes her my favourite)! I adore this series and everyone should read it so we can fangirl together.

the hooker and the hermit
5. The Hooker and the Hermit by LH Cosway and Penny Reid

New York’s Finest
Blogging as *The Socialmedialite*
April 22
LADIES AND GENTS! I have an announcement!
You know that guy I featured on my blog a few months ago? The really, really hot Irish rugby player who plays the position of ‘hooker’ in the RLI (Rugby League International)? The one with the anger management issues, the body of a gladiator and the face of a movie star? The one with the questionable fashion choices leading me to ask whether he was the lovechild of a leprechaun and a hobbit? Ronan Fitzpatrick? Yeah, that guy. Well, I have a confession to make…

THE HERMIT
Annie Catrel, social media expert extraordinaire at Davidson & Croft Media and clandestine celebrity blogger, can make anyone shine in the court of public opinion. She is the Socialmedialite, anonymous creator of New York’s Finest and the internet’s darling. Virtual reality is Annie’s forte, but actual reality? Not so much.

THE HOOKER
Ronan Fitzpatrick, aka the best hooker the world of rugby has seen in decades, despises the media—social or otherwise. The press has spun a web of lies depicting him as rugby’s wild and reckless bad boy. Suspended from his team, Ronan has come to Manhattan to escape the drama, lay low, fly under the radar. Only, Ronan isn’t easy to overlook, and he can’t escape the notice of the Socialmedialite…

THE PLAN
When Ronan is sent to Davidson & Croft Media to reshape his public image, he never expects to cross paths with shy but beautiful Annie, nor does he expect his fierce attraction to her. He couldn’t be happier when her boss suggests pairing them together.
What lengths will Annie take to keep her virtual identity concealed? And what happens when the hooker discovers who the hermit really is?

The Hooker and the Hermit is a collaboration between authors L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid, is a full length 110k word novel, and is a standalone.

Take two funny, witty, smart romance writers and this is what you get: a funny, witty, smart, sexy contemporary romance. Irish author LH Cosway and American author Penny Reid are individually two of my favourite contemporary romance writers and I first discovered them when I came across The Hooker and the Hermit. The hilarious title caught my eye and then I was drawn in by the seamless dual POVs (the hero is written by LH and the heroine by Penny Reid)

About Samantha Young:

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Scotland. She’s been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestselling novel ON DUBLIN STREET. ON DUBLIN STREET is Samantha’s first adult contemporary romance series and has been sold in twenty eight countries.

Check out her latest release:

One Kings Way (An On Dublin Street Novel)

One Kings Way

The New York Times bestselling author of On Dublin Street returns to the bar where it all began with Braden and Joss for a white-hot new novella full of passion and drama.

When he’s not working at the club, Craig Lanaghan looks out for his mother and little sisters. So when it comes to women, all he wants is a good time. But once Rain Alexander walks into his life, there’s no denying that this woman could be worth much more than a one-night stand….

Rain’s lifelong regret is having left her sister Darcy alone years ago with a guardian who turned out to be abusive. So when Darcy’s boyfriend publicly humiliates her in a cruel way, Rain’s overprotective instincts kick in and she follows him to Club 39—where she meets a guy who just might be her perfect match.

The chemistry between Rain and Craig is explosive, but Rain is out for revenge, and refuses to be sidetracked by flirtation. As things between them heat up, she’ll have to make a heartbreaking choice between giving in to the man of her dreams or putting her sister’s happiness first….


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2 responses to “Five Books Everyone Should Read: Author Samantha Young

  1. Kareni

    Thanks for an intriguing list of books; I’ve only read one of them, but now I want to read more! Thanks, too, for your books, Ms. Young, which I’ve enjoyed reading.

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