May 2026
Theme = Fatal Fortunes

Fortune favours the brave and the bold, but some fortunes may be fatal for all those involved.

Items inspired by The Knight and the Moth, Immortal Consequences, The Raven Scholar, and the monthly book.

💛 Divine Omens Book Jacket – inspired by Knight and the Moth with artwork from @marymetzgr
💛 Stuck Behind the Gates Sticker Book – artwork by @rosdottir inspired by Immortal Consequences
💛 Favoured Contenders Keyring – inspired by Raven Scholar with artwork from @thebitterseason
💛 Bound by Blood Sticker Set – artwork from @artbysarahmason

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter

✨ An exclusive redesigned cover (art by @yasu.art.studio, design by @chattynora)
✨ Full colour artwork on the hardback with foil details (art by @mad_brake)
✨ Digitally printed fore-edge (by @isvoc) with block-sprayed top & bottom edges⁠
✨ Illustrated endpapers—different front and back—and artwork on the reverse of the endpapers (by @palinlineart)
✨ Bonus content
✨ Bound-in author letter with a digital signature

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BLURB

You duel or you die.

Astrid has always known she is destined to die. She is the last Nachstern witch and heir to the Queendom of Arturea, cursed by a centuries-old covenant to duel the heir to the Kingdom of Vatra for the source of all magic: the Heart. And now Astrid’s time is up. She is heading into enemy territory to face Prince Zryan, the most powerful dragon rider in eons, with only her familiar, her potions, and her wits to aid her. She is going to die, and any chance her queendom has of curing the Blight that’s ravaging the lands and killing her people will die with her.

Meanwhile, deep in dragon country, Skylar and her travelling troupe arrive in Vatra’s capital, ready to profit off the legions of spectators swarming to the city ahead of the duel. She despises the royals and all they stand for, especially as the King’s guard murdered her mother. But when her best friend disappears, suspected to have been taken in the conscription, her search takes her closer to the royals than she ever could have imagined.

As the duel looms over the kingdom, Skylar and Astrid’s fates intertwine. They must battle a growing rebellion, their inner demons, and ultimately, those they love most, to determine if together they will save—or doom—their world.

I always keep track of my books read in the year but, for 2026, I decided to keep track of my monthly reading stats as they help me understand my reading habits and to try and help me stay motivated.

May was an average reading month for me! I still feel a little slumpy but now I’ve got all my arcs out the way so it’s mood reading from here on out!

• Books read: 4
• Pages read: 1,390
• Average rating: 4.5/5
• Type: 75% audiobook
• Average time to finish a book: 5 days
• Most read genre: Fantasy romance (shock!)

It’s always satisfying when you’ve read 4 books and 3 of them have 4.5 ratings!

Lets see what I can do in June!


How many books did you read in May?

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 Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read

I was thinking about this…years ago I read classics, The Brontes, Jane Austen some Agatha Christie but not Mary Shelley because the story of Frankenstein honestly just scared me!

So I’ve gone for more recent-ish books rather than the classics! 

Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward
I read the first 4 books and then didn’t carry on (this was mostly about the cost – back in 2012 these kindle books were £10 when most at that time were no more than £4!)

Hocus Pocus
I LOVE the film. I’ve watched it every year since my son was about 7. I own the book. But have never read it.

Lore Olympus
I bought it because of the fomo. I read at least 2 pages. Then closed it. And have never picked it back up!

Iron Flame/Onyx Storm
I know. Gasp. One day I’ll get to them. Because I love Xaden Riorson.

The next books I bought because my book friends said I simply must read them. So I bought them. And still haven’t read them!!

What the River Knows
Powerless
Butcher and Blackbird
Dragonfall
Silvercloak
Quicksilver

What are yours?

‘Far up in the deep blue sky, Great white clouds are floating by; All the world is dressed in green; Many happy birds are seen, Roses bright and sunshine clear Show that lovely June is here.’ ~ F. G. Sanders

‘In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.’ ~ John Steinbeck

Happy June!

Have a great month!

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!

We had a heatwave, it was absolute hell! Luckily I had a week off work and managed to escape into shops with air-conditioning most days!

It was my birthday yesterday so celebrated with a lemon meringue cake – it was delish!

What I haven’t done this week, is read much. I’ve slowly been working my way through an anticipated sequel so will have an update on that next week! 

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Books I Bought
Fallen Gods by Rachel Van Dyken
Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen
Bullet Proof by KM Moronova
Broken Dove by Dani Francis
Verity Guild by Mai Corland
Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter

Advanced Reader Copies
Ravenous by Kresley Cole

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Book Review – The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy: May 26

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Calendar – Hello June
Feature – May reading stats
Unboxing – Illumicrate – May 2026

What have you read lately?

Fairyloot Romantasy – May 2026

Prophecies and Schemes

Perfect for readers that love:
❤️‍🔥 Enemies-to-Lovers
💫 Forbidden Magic
🗡️ Murder and Mystery

Verity Guild by Mai Corland

🖤 An exclusive redesigned cover with foil by @marymetzgr and design by @aeadraws
🖤 A reversible dust jacket featuring a colourway variation of the trade cover
🖤 Character artwork on the hardcover with foil by @rakasademon and design by @aeadraws
🖤 Character artwork on the endpapers by @im_arc with foil by @blanca.design (different front and back)
🖤 Digitally sprayed edges on all three edges by @marymetzgr
🖤 Author letter with a digital signature bound into the book.

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BLURB

Secrets built this republic; one truth could burn it down.

High Priestess Kerasea Vestal has spent her life hiding the truth―that she’s the last surviving heir of the magical bloodline the republic slaughtered. One wrong step could be fatal. But when a senator is brutally killed and a temple blade is found at the scene, all eyes turn to her.

Praetorian Torren Morvane has made a career of dragging liars into the light, and Kerasea is the one person he’s vowed to ruin. But locked on a mountain with a murderer, scheming senators, and a prophecy of death, he’s forced to work at her side. The closer he gets, the more dangerous the truth―and their attraction―becomes.

With traitors closing in and a nation on the verge of shattering, Kerasea and Torren must risk everything to uncover the real killer…even if it means trusting their sworn enemy.

Sound like something you’d like?

Title: The Faraway Inn

Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Genre: Cozy Fantasy

Year of publication: 2026

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BLURB

Sixteen-year-old Calisa is desperate for a change of scenery after her lying ex ruins her perfect Brooklyn summer. When her parents suggest she head to rural Vermont to help her great-aunt run her cozy bed and breakfast for a few months, she jumps at the chance.

But when Calisa arrives at the B&B, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn with only a handful of guests. And to make matters worse, upon meeting with her great-aunt it quickly becomes clear that Calisa was not invited. Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn…even if it is clear she needs the help.

To earn her keep, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the more it becomes evident that there is something strange about the B&B—and its residents. Something almost…otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she’s come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth of it, and her aunt, before it’s too late.

Calisa has suffered a heartbreak so off she trots to her great auntie’s place, The Faraway Inn. There she finds a bit of a dilapidated building, a great aunty who doesn’t want her there, a cute guy and strange goings on.

I love this authors work, not one thing I’ve read by her has disappointed me…and this book was no exception!

We see magical guests, portals, adorable creatures, a mystery to solve….and a place to save.

The blurb says Calisa is 16 but I did get the impression that she was older, or maybe I wished it! I absolutely adored Jack and also Steve, the lizard!

It was cute, fun, cozy and made me smile. Not one to miss!

⭐ Rating: 4.75 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: My Favourite Books by My Favourite Authors

Empire of series by Jay Kristoff
Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig

Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley
Davina by Tijan
Heir of Fire by SJM
Cash’s Fight by Jamie Begley
The Extraordinairies by TJ Klune

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 did skip last Sunday as I didn’t read any books! But this week I’ve read 1 and a half books!!!

My son is still taking his GCSE’s and I’ve worked all week. It was hectic and crazy and I cannot wait to have this week off! We don’t have anything planned really apart from I have an eye test and I want to go to Costco!

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One Small Echo by Jane Washington
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

See my review soon!

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Feature – June Book Releases
Book Review – We Burned So Bright by TJ Klune

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Book Review – The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst
Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy: May 26

What have you read lately?