Review: Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Title: Red, White and Royal Blue

Author: Casey McQuiston

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

Omg. Fabulous. Why didn’t I read this sooner! This will be one that I reread and relisten to over and over again!

The banter,
The humour,
The turkey bit,
The dancing at the new years party,
The wet spot,
The emails,
Alex and Henry,
Son of the president and an English Prince!

Apart from the beautifulness of everything Alex and Henry, all I can say is politics and this world is an utter disgrace if this is what people have to go through.

‘I love him. On purpose.’

TTT – Books set in a place I’d like to visit!

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 Set In a Place I’d Love to Visit (real places or fictional)

📚 Velaris – A Court of by Sarah J Maas
📚 Prague – Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
📚 Italy – Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco
📚 Nevermoor – The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
📚 Vlads Castle, Romania – Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

📚 New Zealand – Lord of the Rings
📚 Marsyas Island – House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
📚 Katmere Academy – Crave by Tracy Wolff
📚 Hawkvale – Fantasyland by Kristen Ashley
📚 Victorian England – The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

Where would you choose?

Happy August!

Just a little post to wish you a happy August!

“Leaving any bookstore is hard, especially on a day in August, when the street outside burns and glares, and the books inside are cool and crisp to the touch.” ―Jane Smiley

“Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.” ―Denise Levertov

The Sunday Post – 31st July 2022 (post-hols issue!!)

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?

We’re back from our holiday and we had such a great time (but now the size of the washing pile is making me want to cry!!!)

The weather was so so but at least it didn’t rain! We went to a water park and then different beaches each day. The sea was so cold one day that I couldn’t feel my knee caps 🤣


What I’ve Read

A Restless Truth by Freya Marske
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review soon!

Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review soon!


New arrivals

The Darkening by Sunya Mara
The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones


What have you read lately?

Review: Air Awakens by Elise Kova

Title: Air Awakens

Series: Air Awakens #1

Author: Elise Kova

A library apprentice, a sorcerer prince, and an unbreakable magic bond…

The Solaris Empire is one conquest away from uniting the continent, and the rare elemental magic sleeping in seventeen-year-old library apprentice Vhalla Yarl could shift the tides of war.

Vhalla has always been taught to fear the Tower of Sorcerers, a mysterious magic society, and has been happy in her quiet world of books. But after she unknowingly saves the life of one of the most powerful sorcerers of them all—the Crown Prince Aldrik—she finds herself enticed into his world.

Now she must decide her future: Embrace her sorcery and leave the life she’s known, or eradicate her magic and remain as she’s always been. And with powerful forces lurking in the shadows, Vhalla’s indecision could cost her more than she ever imagined.

So it appears I’m starting a new series but this is on audio and I do have the complete series so it doesn’t really count!!!

Vhalla works in an old library and helps the arrogant, mostly hated, Crown Prince Aldrick back to health and finds she has powers. And serious powers at that!

Her journey takes us on Val accepting who she is and maybe finding someone who is much like her but it’s difficult. Isn’t it always!

I loved the world created here and absolutely loved the cover! I really liked the story line and I did love the romance, can’t wait to see this blossom to more although I may have just jinxed them here however!

On to book 2!

Review: Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Kingdom of the Cursed

Series: Kingdom of the Wicked #2

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she’s introduced to a seductive world of vice.

She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria… even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons.

The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world… or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature?

Emilia will be tested in every way as she seeks a series of magical objects that will unlock the clues of her past and the answers she craves…

One sister.
Two sinful princes.
Infinite deception with a side of revenge… Welcome to Hell.

I loved Kingdom of the Wicked and after the jaw drop at the end, I couldn’t wait to read this!

Wrath made this book for me. His moments with Emilia were fabulous!!! The anticipation!!!! I also loved the world created in the underworld and the Prince brothers and their skills! The ending was so good with the revelations revealed!

I can report however that I was gutted! Emilia was just so whiney, annoying and made such bad decisions in this book that she drove me potty. It really ruined the story for me.

So just a short review summed up to say it was ok and I will read the next book as I want to see how this ends!

Fairyloot YA Unboxing – June 2022: Chosen Ones

June – Chosen Ones

The weight of the world is heavy, but some are chosen to carry this burden to protect others. This box is dedicated to the characters that are chosen to defy the odds and rise up against them!

Items inspired by The Young Elites, The Poppy War, The Atlas Six and The Lord of the Rings.

🖤 Rin Trinket Dish – with art by @arz28 based on The Poppy War
🖤 The Atlas Six Booksleeve – designed by @chattynora
🖤 Adelina (Young Elites) Art Print – art by @damian.in.the.den
🖤 Sting (LotR) Dagger Tabs – designed by @jezhawk
🖤 Tarot Cards – inspired by From Blood and Ash (Poppy, Casteel and Kieran) illustrated by @arz28
🖤 Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber with redesigned cover, digitally sprayed edges and digital signature

BOOK OF THE MONTH

This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede

Exclusive cover ✔️
Stencil sprayed edges✔️
Hardcover foil by @gabrielleragusi ✔️
Endpaper artwork by @gabrielleragusi✔️
Signed✔️

TTT – Books From My Past Seasonal TBR Posts I STILL Haven’t Read

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 From My Past Seasonal TBR Posts I STILL Haven’t Read

Untethered by Kaylynn Flanders
Namesake by Adrienne Young
Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters
Deal with Elf King by Elise Kova

And about 200 others I didn’t have room for!!!!!

The Sunday Post – 24th July 2022 (pre-hols issue!!)

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?

I’m going on holiday tomorrow! Haven’t been on holiday since the year before the pandemic started so am really looking forward to spending some quality time with my family away from the humdrum of normal life!

I’ve scheduled in some posts today for the coming week but I don’t know how much time I’ll be able to spend blog hopping/commenting but I will try my best!

It’s been so hot here this week that I couldn’t concentrate on much so only 1 book read and an audiobook listened to!


What I’ve Read

Indecent Demands by Marlee Wray
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here

Heat Wave by TJ Klune
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here


New arrivals

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen



What have you read lately?