Title: A Witches Guide to Magical Innkeeping

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Genre: Cozy fantasy

Year of publication: 2025

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BLURB

Once, Sera Swan was one of the most powerful witches in Britain – until she sacrificed most of her magic to resurrect her beloved aunt. Now she runs an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans and longs for a future that seems entirely lost.

Then she meets Luke Larsen, the handsome and icy magical historian who could hold the key to restoring her power. Luke has no interest in the inn’s goings-on or letting a certain witch past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he when he agrees to help. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

But as the two work together alongside the family Sera has built, she begins to wonder . . . could love be the best magic of all?

Fifteen years ago, Sera lost most of her magic and was exiled after using forbidden magic but what she got out of it was her Aunt, The Battyhole Inn (the best name ever!) and some pretty spectacular guests if you ask me!

Now, news has turned up about a spell that could replenish the magic Sera lost. Who also turns up at the Inn is Luke and his adorable sister, Posy. So….they set about finding the stuffs that she needs for the spell.

What you have here is a story about redemption, finding yourself but standing up for what’s right and realising what you had all along was just….enough.

~ Cozy fantasy
~ Double grumpy energy!
~ Found family
~ An amazing skeleton animal companion
~ Emotionally darker than the previous book
~ A cute love story

⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Sound like something you’d like?

Title: Daybreak

Series: Sorrowsong University #2

Author: Autumn Woods

Genre: Dark Academic Romance

Year of publication: 2026

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BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Nightshade – review

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BLURB

LOVE. LIES. BETRAYAL. WELCOME BACK TO SORROWSONG UNIVERSITY . . .

Alex Corbeau-Green left his heart behind.

Now his world is burning down, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t strike the match. When she first joined Sorrowsong University, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his high-powered family. But that was before she knew him – before she fell for the man behind the reputation.

In the face of an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, hoping to forget what he had with Ophelia and to undo the damage done to his family.

In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched. With a new anonymous tormentor threatening them both, the pair find themselves drawn back to one another. But can they rebuild the love and trust between them? And, even if they can, will it be enough to keep them alive?

I came to a realisation as I started this book…..I LOVE ALEX CORBEAU-GREEN!!!

He’s flawed and so intense but he loves his family, his friends and Ophelia more than his own life. His love for her is obsessive but I loved it.

‘Falling in love isn’t the right description. I’ve been plummeting since I met her, haven’t stopped since. Each day when I think I might find the bottom, that my feelings for her couldn’t intensify any more, she does something else that sends the ground flying away from me again.’

The banter, the aching and the longing, there was so much! I gorged on every yearn!!

This book was dark and devastating but incredibly beautiful. It doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of mental health problems but it does so with care and respect and made the story more powerful and deeply moving.

The epilogue and the bonus chapter made my heart sing, and to put it simply, this duology is pure perfection!

⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5

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Sound like something you’d like?

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Book Series I Want to Catch Up On

I could’ve picked sooooo many!

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
All for the Game by Nora Sakavic
From Blood and Ash by JLA
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer
Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir
My Vampires by Jenna Levine
Sins of the Zodiac by Caroline Peckham
Dearly Beloathed by Brigitte Knightley

What are yours?

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hope you’ve had a good week!

Another week, another heatwave. And it was horrible. Even worse because my quest of finding a portable ac unit failed because they are all sold out!

This week, I started a book. I got halfway through it and realised it just wasn’t for me. Nothing to do with the writing, it was the genre! Sometimes it happens eh!

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🎧 Fruit Fly by Josh Silver
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See my review soon!

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Book Review – Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Feature – September Releases

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Book Review – Day Break by Autumn Woods
Book Review – A Witches Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

What have you read lately?

Here are some new books releasing in September 2026 that I’m most excited for…and yes, I have preordered some and another (I think) is going to be in a book box – gawd, I’m going to be so skint.

The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig
Blightfall by Brandon Sanderson
Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo
Turncloak by LK Steven
Sweetest Fiend by Raven Kennedy
Kiss of the Black Flame by Helen Scheuerer

Will you be getting any of these?

Title: Mate

Series: Bride #2

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Genre: Pnr Romance

Year of publication: 2025

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BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Bride – my review

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BLURB

Serena Paris is orphaned, pack-less, and one of a kind. Coming forward as the first Human-Were hybrid was supposed to heal a centuries-long rift between species. Instead, it made her a target, prey to the ruthless political machinations between Weres, Vampyres, and Humans. With her enemies closing in on her, she has only one option left – if he’ll have her.

As Alpha of the Northwest pack, Koen Alexander commands obedience. His authority is so absolute, only a fool would threaten his mate. It doesn’t matter if Serena doesn’t reciprocate his feelings, nothing will stop him from keeping her safe.

But power-hungry Vampyres and Weres are not the only threats chasing Serena. Sooner or later, her past is bound to catch up with her – and Koen might be the only thing standing between her and total annihilation…

I am not an Ali lover like everyone else seems to be. I loved The Love Hypothesis but not any of her others. And that made me sad. That was until Bride came out. A paranormal romance from Ali AND I LOVED IT!  So, of course, I needed Mate!

A human hybrid – Serena
An alpha were – Koen
Mates.
Superb.

The blurb, the characters, the story, the spicy, the banter; I was obsessed. It was such an addictive, easy read.

This author needs to write more pnr romance/romantasy and soon!

⭐ Rating: 5 out of 5

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Sound like something you’d like?

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Books I Was Reading On This Day Over the Last Ten Years

Goodreads to the rescue!!!!

2025 Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon
2024 Variant Lost by Kaydence Snow
2023 House of Hades by Rick Riordan
2022 Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
2021 Fire with Fire by Destiny Soria
2020 Moti on the Water by Leylah Attar
2019 Forever Immortal by Amelia Hutchins
2018 This Savage Song by VE Schwab
2017 The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh
2016 Six by Ker Dukey

What are yours?

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hope you’ve had a good week!

I’ve only gone and read a book again this week, and I’ve started another! Get me and all this reading malarkey!

I haven’t been posting on Bookstagram, haven’t requested any arcs or consulted my tbr list and it feels like loads of pressure has been taken off and I’m reading for fun again. It’s so refreshing!

All I did this week was work and I got a pedicure so it was a run of the mill week!

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🎧 A Witches Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

See my review soon!

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Stats – Storygraph stats: July
Feature – Stacking the Shelves: July

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Book Review – Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Feature – September Releases

What have you read lately?

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!

In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.

The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. It is currently hosted by Reading Reality.

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I’m actually quite impressed (of myself!) Only 2 books!

Books I Bought

Daybreak by Autumn Woods
The Book Binder by Helen Scheuerer  

Advanced Reader Copies

None, zero, zilch!

I’d better get reading!