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 and Netgalley books 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 June I’d read 23 new-to-me authors and now I’ve read 29 so far this year!
Sangu Mandanna Casey McQuiston Elise Kova Rebecca Roanhorse Harper L Woods Juno Dawson
Sitting side by side on the clifftop, he turns to her solemnly and says, ‘The water witch is real.’ She rolls her eyes and grins, teasing him. ‘Sure. A psycho mermaid. Got it.’ But now he’s gone forever… will she find the truth beneath the waves?
Brittany, France. Ariadne Walker’s fiancé Simon drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean doing what he loved: searching for the lost underwater city of Ys. Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago when the princess of Ys became a water witch, cursing the name of the man who betrayed her.
Ari never believed these tall tales. And the letter Simon sent before he died finishing their relationship is a devastating secret she’ll take to the grave. But arriving in Brittany, Ari encounters a man emerging from the sea in a rocky cove, saltwater dripping from his dark hair. Rafael swears the legends are true: and his ancestor was cursed by the water witch. Now, his own life is in terrible danger. And the secret to breaking the curse lies hidden in the lost city.
When Ari finds a cryptic map and a golden mask of a woman’s face amongst Simon’s things, she has no choice but to believe Rafael’s plea. Can they follow the trail and save Rafael’s life? Pouring over the map by candlelight, the flickering flames only add to the heat between them… but will Ari’s fragile heart soon be shattered all over again? And will they ever find Ys and break the curse – or will the water witch demand another sacrifice?
This was amazing! I was absolutely hooked!
I listened to the audio and the narrator was fabulous so can totally recommend!
Ari goes back to where her fiance, Simon drowned in France to help her brother come closer to finding the mysterious lost city called Ys and discovers more about a water witch curse, herself and she also meets the enigmatic Rafael.
It was full of local legend, drama, betrayal and a twist I didn’t really see coming! I especially loved the romance between Ari and Rafael even though that wasn’t the centre of this tale.
My stepbrother hates me. I need his help. What he expects in return is unthinkable.
Somewhere in the night there’s a predator called Casanova. He’s transformed a beautiful university campus into his hunting ground. A lone lavender rose marks me as his next victim…unless I’m willing to turn to the most powerful person I know.
Shane Moran is devastatingly gorgeous. And secretly dangerous. Our poisonous past has him bent on revenge, so if I want his protection, I’ll have to submit to his dark demands. And this time, we’ll go too far to ever turn back.
I really enjoyed this read, couldn’t put it down and read in 1 sitting!!!
Shane and Avery have a past and as a result all parties were hurt and estranged. But now they go to the same university so when Avery is contacted by a serial killer she goes to Shane for help. And he has a proposal for her…….
Shane is alpha, protective, has links to the mafia and questionable business practices but he’s actually a good guy. ..and I loved him!!!
‘It means… she’s the one, and she knows it.’
Avery did get on my wick a few times but her character growth was written so well.
This author is a first for me and wont be the last! I think Declan is next and I can’t wait to read it!
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: Hilarious Book Titles
I found this weeks topic quite hard! I mean I wouldn’t say these are hilarious, just fun and/or quirky!
📚 Heartstopper by Alice Oseman 📚 Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black 📚 Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon 📚J osh and Hazels Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren 📚 Literally any book by Lani Lynn Vale!!
In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.
Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.
‘Charlie Hall, Maker of Mistakes, Patron Saint of Disaster.’
I don’t really know what I was expecting with this story. It was slow going at first, it was odd and it was dark and gloomy. But after the initial 12 chapters it got going and held my interest. I was invested enough to see where all this was going. So I guess my advice would be to keep at it if you felt like me at first!!
I did applaud Charlie for trying to make a better life for her and her sister. Oh and she really has made a hash of her life….not that it’s all her fault!
Vince was actually the only character that I was invested in though (me, invested in a male character? Surely not!) I really felt for him and was really rooting for him and Charlie!
I’m confused whether this is a standalone or a series after that ending but I’d like to read more set in the world!
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?
August is upon us and I cannot wait to see the back of Summer!!! Bring on falling leaves, pumpkins, jumpers and cooler temps!
Back to work for me after a week off and we also had the utter joy of school shoe shopping. Every time it’s a joy to behold (my sarcasm gets stronger every year too!)
What I’ve Read
Cornucopia by Alek L Cristea ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ See my review here
Mindwalker by Kate Dylan (arc) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ See my review here
🎧 Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ See my review soon!
New arrivals
I’ve put myself on a book/merch buying ban until November so let’s see how long I last 😅
You might have missed…..
Review – Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Review – Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse Review – The Merciless Ones by Namina Forna Unboxing – Fairyloot Adult: July 2022
It’s been six months since Deka has freed the goddesses and discovered who she really is. There are now wars waging across the kingdom. Otereans now think jatu are traitors to the nation. Deka is called a monster.
But the real battle has only just begun and Deka must lead the charge. Deka is tasked with freeing the rest of the goddesses. Only as she begins to free them, she begins to see a strange symbol everywhere in places of worship and worn on armor. There’s something unnatural about that symbol; just looking at it makes Deka lose her senses. Even worse, it seems to repel her powers. She can’t command or communicate with the new deathshrieks. In fact, she can’t even understand them when they speak.
Deka knows freeing the goddesses is just the beginning. She can tell whatever dark force out is powerful and there is something sinister out there threatening the kingdom connected to that symbol–something merciless–that her army will need to stop before humanity crumbles. But Deka’s powers are only getting stronger…and her strongest weapon could be herself.
I absolutely loved The Gilded Ones and was lucky enough to read early in my Fairyloot box so it’s felt like a long wait for The Merciless Ones! I found it easy to jump back in and this brilliant world all came flooding back.
So we have Deka and her friends and they are on a quest of sorts. Deka is getting stronger as the group begin to question what they have been told from all sides.
The writing was good and descriptive, the pacing was a bit slow in places but it’s the relationships here that I absolutely loved! Deka’s friendships, sisterhood and Keita (love him!!!) It was truly beautiful.
Ixa was another huge favourite for me. He was so cute! Another fave animal companion!!!
There were twists and betrayals everywhere! Just who to believe??!!!
For some reason I thought this was a duology but it’s not, it’s a trilogy so now I have to wait for book 3!
A god will return When the earth and sky converge Under the black sun
In the holy city of Tova, the winter solstice is usually a time for celebration and renewal, but this year it coincides with a solar eclipse, a rare celestial event proscribed by the Sun Priest as an unbalancing of the world.
Meanwhile, a ship launches from a distant city bound for Tova and set to arrive on the solstice. The captain of the ship, Xiala, is a disgraced Teek whose song can calm the waters around her as easily as it can warp a man’s mind. Her ship carries one passenger. Described as harmless, the passenger, Serapio, is a young man, blind, scarred, and cloaked in destiny. As Xiala well knows, when a man is described as harmless, he usually ends up being a villain.
‘A god will return When the earth and sky converge Under the black sun.’
I did wonder if this was going to be my ‘thing’ but it was so good I don’t even know where to start reviewing it! I am a bit gobsmacked!
Ok, so this book follows:
~ Xiala, a ships captain who can control the water with her Song, ~ Nara, the Sun Priestess, ~ Serapio, a man who has been told he will be a god, ~ Okoa, the Crow Clan matron’s son, trained warrior.
Our journey with them takes us from the early part of Serapio’s life, to the Tova city where Nara is, to Xiala given her next shipping route complete with cargo, to Okoa who finds himself back where he belongs.
The build up was slow setting the scene, the world building exquisite and the story line absolutely perfect. I was absolutely hooked!
Okoa was one of my fave characters and I really hope to see more of him in the next book!
Serapio, omg loved him. His innocence, what he is learning about life, his wants. I could cry!
I also found Xiala’s chapters to be the most enthralling. Down to earth, never judging and just loved and got on with life!
Would totally recommend this read and, if you’re like me and didn’t think it would be your thing, give it a go and you’ll hopefully be pleasantly surprised!
