Title: The Ones We Burn

Author: Rebecca Mix

Monster. Butcher. Bloodwinn.

Ranka is tired of death. All she wants now is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill.

Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister—the wickedly smart, infuriatingly beautiful Princess Aramis—who seems to be the real threat.

But when witches start turning up dead, murdered by a mysterious, magical plague, Aramis makes Ranka an offer: help her develop a cure, and in return, she’ll help Ranka learn to contain her deadly magic. As the coup draws nearer and the plague spreads, Ranka is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her power, her past, and who she’s meant to fight for. Soon, she will have to decide between the coven that raised her and the princess who sees beyond the monster they shaped her to be.

But as the bodies pile up, a monster may be exactly what they need.

Firstly apologies if I have spelt names incorrectly. I listened to the audiobook but *think* I have them right!

Ranka, a blood witch whose magic compels her to kill, infiltrates the home of Prince Galen due to being promised in marriage and fully intending not to like him, his sister Aramis or his friends. Her mission is to end them.

But the problem is she does like them and wants to help them in their mission to cure a plague. Ranka begins to question what she’s always been told and battles with herself about what is right.

This was a good fantasy read with a little bit of romance, found family trope and some jaw dropping revelations. My only complaint is that it dragged in places and I found myself becoming a bit disinterested so was a stop and start book for me but the writing was beautiful.

I would say that this book could be classed as older YA but it is quite dark and gory so prepare!

I grabbed this idea from Lucy (with permission!) from Bookworm Blogger! Go check out her blog!

I always hope that I read new-to-me authors every month and getting book box subscriptions, access to library borrows, Netgalley and also KU really helps with that so thought it would be nice to look back and see what new authors I’d read this month.

By the end of September I’d read 38 new-to-me authors and now I’ve read 44 so far this year!

Lenny Henry
Joan He
Dianna Wynne Jones
Catherine Doyle/Katherine Webber
Travis Baldree

Have you read any new to you authors this month?

Title: Strike the Zither

Series: Kingdom of Three #1

Author: Joan He

The year is 414 of the Xin Dynasty, and chaos abounds. A puppet empress is on the throne. The realm has fractured into three factions and three warlordesses hoping to claim the continent for themselves.

But Zephyr knows it’s no contest.

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the best strategist of the land and serving under Xin Ren, a warlordess whose loyalty to the empress is double-edged—while Ren’s honor draws Zephyr to her cause, it also jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed. When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp to keep Ren’s followers from being slaughtered, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, an opposing strategist who is finally her match. But there are more enemies than one—and not all of them are human.

Stop what you are doing and go and buy this book! It was so good and is one of my best books of 2022 – all the stars!

Let me start off by saying that I didn’t know what a zither was so I looked it up before I started reading and when the significance entered the story I was in awe!!!! It was beautiful, utterly beautiful!

Zephyr is a strategist for a warlordess, Ren and she’s good at what she does. When her plans take her on the wrong side of the war she puts her plans into action. There she also meets fellow strategist, Crow and sparks fly……

There was war, politics, found family, schemes, women working together (and against each other!). It was an action packed masterpiece!

‘May we meet in another life.’

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: Unlikable Characters You Can’t Help but Love!

I mean I always go for the evil bad boy so making this list wasn’t a stretch for me!!!!

Celestial Heirs – Zodiac Academy
Serapio – Black Sun
Andrew Minyard – All for the Game
The Darkling – Grishaverse
Jacks – Once Upon a Broken Heart

Lord Sorcier (Elias Wilder) – Half a Soul
Wrath – Kingdom of the Wicked
Ryder – Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac
Rhysand – ACOTAR
Kieran Kingson – Shadowhunters

Who would you have picked?

Happy November – have a great month!

“Fear not November’s challenge bold—
We’ve books and friends,
And hearths that never can grow cold:
These make amends!”
— Alexander Louis Fraser, “November”

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.” – Jim Bishop

Happy Halloween!

‘When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween.’

‘When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers, ‘tis near Halloween.’

— Unknown

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.

Hi everyone, hope you’ve had a good week? Celebrated Halloween early? 🎃

School was out this week and I booked the week off work too! We did some shopping, carved pumpkins, my son had his booster and he is not happy he has to go to school on Halloween!

I am still mopping up my over reservations on library holds, had the time to read an arc and took part in a readalong!

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What I’ve Read

🎧Beach Read by Emily Henry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here.

🎧 A Darkness at the Door by Intisar Khanani
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here

Tread of Angels by Rebecca Roanhorse
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
See my review here.

The Wicked King by Holly Black
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here

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You might have missed….

Review – The Hedge Witch by Cari Thomas
Feature – Halloween funnies!
Series Review – City of Ghosts by VE Schwab

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What have you read lately?

Happy Halloween 🎃

If you want a great spooky MG series then this series is for you. Also perfect for Halloween!!

I thought I’d do a series review out of respect for Halloween!!!!

Series: Cassidy Blake

Title: City of Ghosts/Tunnel of Bones/Bridge of Souls

Author: Victoria Schwab

City of Ghosts

I loved the Monsters of Verity, I haven’t read a middle grade book before and the blurb grabbed me (and it’s nearly Halloween!)

Ghosts, ghouls and spectres…..and Cassidy ‘A little special. A little strange. Not quite alive but definitely not dead’. And she has a sidekick. A best friend. Jacob. Who isn’t alive.

I can’t tell you how much I loved this read. I flew through it! It was spooky and filled with facts that pulled me in and made me want to look up the actual history, I don’t think a book has ever made me want that! And was that may be a hint of more adventures to come?

Tunnel of Bones

THE INSPECTERS EPISODE TWO

LOCATION: Paris, France

And here we are again with Cassidy Blake, the girl who can cross into The Veil and help the dead move on.

Cassidy and her parents have travelled from Edinburgh to Paris with her trusty ghost best friend, Jacob and of course Grim the cat!

As in the first book I was hooked on the history and this one has a kid ghost! Does it get scarier than that? It does not. I was terrified…but still hooked!

I discovered my love for Jacob in this book. In book 1 I liked him but he really came into his own here and my heart went out to him. I love his friendship with Cassidy.

And……

Oh my giddy ant, that ending!

Bridge of Souls

‘Look and listen.
See and know.
This is what you are.’

Back in the world of Cassidy Blake and this time we are in New Orleans but someone, or something, is hot on the heels of Cass.

‘You cannot win without losing too.’

I know the books in this series are MG reads but I admit I was spooked! But I couldn’t stop reading. It has that same pull as Percy Jackson and Harry Potter!

Mystery, death, ghosts, an emissary and the Society of the Black Cat. This book has it all. And as a side note the Thread and Bone is somewhere I want to visit!

I’m wondering if this this end to the series? I really hope not because I love it!!!

Yes I’ve rolled them out again this year because they never get old 🤣🤣

What are your plans for Halloween?

Decorating your house?
Halloween party?
Going trick or treating?