Title: Spin the Dawn

Series: The Blood of Stars #1

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.

Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.

And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.

‘Seize the wind’

Maia, a talented tailor, takes the place of her brother to compete for Imperial Tailor for the Emperor….but girls aren’t allowed to compete so she goes as her brother. My heart was in my mouth!

There’s scheming, drama, a lovely world that has been created and of course a little love interest! I was so there for that!

Oh Edan! I fell head over heels for him straight away!

‘Brightest star?
I meant for your tailoring skills then. And now for what you are to me.’

I love him!

In the beginning I had so many questions, guessing as to what could be going on! My head was all over the place thinking what those answers could be! I actually led awake thinking about it one night and that’s so not like me!!!!

This was a great read and now I can’t wait to read book 2 to see how it all pans out!

Back with another romancey type post and Romancing the Rake!

No surprises here! Yes it’s Bridgerton!

I haven’t read or watched any historical romances really until Bridgerton. I really didn’t think it was my thing. BUT IT WAS!

The Duke of Hastings aka Simon actually stole my heart and omg was hot as heck and not even meaning to be!

I loved the way Simon and Daphne negotiated their arrangement and then fell in love!

My fave moment was when they went before the Queen and he gave his speech about the ruse and how they actually fell in love. Heart warming!

Title: A Marvellous Light

Series: The Last Binding #1

Author: Freya Marske

Robin Blyth has more than enough bother in his life. He’s struggling to be a good older brother, a responsible employer, and the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known.

Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it—not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy, who clearly wishes Robin were anyone and anywhere else.

Robin’s predecessor has disappeared, and the mystery of what happened to him reveals unsettling truths about the very oldest stories they’ve been told about the land they live on and what binds it. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles—and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.

My first Illumicrate readalong! And an adult fantasy read!

Robin has found himself in a right old mess! A new job, no clue what’s happening and basically gets roughed up…..and he meets Edwin…..

Edwin and Robin set to finding out what has happened to Robin’s predecessor, Reggie, and for the reason Robin was attacked. Then all sorts happen in the magical world that Robin didn’t know even existed!

It was a historical setting, love the language of the 1900s and the idea of having summer seasons in the city and winter in the country!

This was a really good story with great characters, steamy moments, a fab plot and also really great settings. Penhallick House library sounds like somewhere I’d love to visit along with Sutton Cottage and its maze!

Robin and Edwin were so different in character but they worked and I loved them together. Robin was so carefree and people were happy to be around him where Edwin was totally cold and closed off (understandably when you know his story).

I admit I didn’t think this book was going to be for me before I started reading BUT IT WAS! I found myself reading the designated chapters for the day for the readalong…but then I needed to read more so finished 5 days before the readlong was meant to!

As it’s February I thought I’d do some posts about books with romances that I loved……and these 2 were sweeter than chocolate!

Lemon Fresh and Grim

It’s no secret that Lemon Fresh is one of my top loves in my life. From her name, to her personality and to her back story, I just love her! She is fizzy and rad, hence romancing the rad (yes, I’m reaching!!!!)

So because of this, I really wanted her to have a lurve interest, like really wanted it! Soon as I heard about Grim, I knew he was the man for the job! They were so sweet together! I could’ve cried!

The problem I have is that there’s hardly no fan art or stuff for Lemon yet Lemon and Grim together and I want it. I need it!

Anyway, enough of my issues! Lemon and Grim for the win!

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.

Theme: Love Freebie

I’m doing something romancey with my theme this month so thought instead of doing couples I would do…….

Characters I Love ❤

~ Lemon Fresh from Jay Kristoff’s Truelife world
~ Gabriel de Leon from EotV by Jay Kristoff (I mean, look at that specimen!)
~ Will Herondale from The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare
~ Manon Blackbeak from Throne of Glass (Sarah J Maas)
~ Nik from Illuminae Files by Jay Kristoff
~ Azriel from the A Court of world by Sarah J Maas

~ Cardan from The Cruel Prince (Holly Black)
~ Tric from Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
~ Kal from Aurora Cycle (Jay Kristoff)
~ Wrath from Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco

Who are your favourite characters?

I’m actually stealing this idea (with permission!) from Bookworm Blogger! Go check out her blog, Lucy is amazing!)

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

In January I read 5 new-to-me authors!

Freya Marske

Ali Hazelwood

J Bree

Reni K Amayo

Pierce Brown

Have you read any new to you authors this month?

No this isn’t as it seems, it’s not a book called Romancing the Radiant but a book I loved that had a romance in it where one of them was a radiant (you’ll see what I’ve done here!)

As it’s February I thought I’d do some posts about books with romances that I loved……

Auren and Commander Rip

Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy
Gild
Glint
Gleam

Gold.

Gold floors, gold walls, gold furniture, gold clothes. In Highbell, in the castle built into the frozen mountains, everything is made of gold.

Even me.

King Midas rescued me. Dug me out of the slums and placed me on a pedestal. I’m called his precious. His favored. I’m the woman he Gold-Touched to show everyone that I belong to him.

I read Gild in December 2021 after a recommendation from a friend. I ended up reading all 3 books in 2 days because I couldn’t get enough and now I’m on the countdown to book 4, Glow, which comes out here on 19th May. Commander Rip is just delish and he has fallen head over heels for Auren…..

“I’m glad you’re choosing you,” he says quietly.

“You are?”

“Yes, Goldfinch. Because I’m choosing you, too.”

You can get the candles and art prints from the pictures above from Flickerwix

Title: Year of the Reaper

Author: Makiia Lucier

The past never forgets…

Before an ambush by enemy soldiers, Lord Cassia was an engineer’s apprentice on a mission entrusted by the king. But when plague sweeps over the land, leaving countless dead and devastating the kingdom, even Cas’ title cannot save him from a rotting prison cell and a merciless sickness.

Three years later, Cas wants only to return to his home in the mountains and forget past horrors. But home is not what he remembers. His castle has become a refuge for the royal court. And they have brought their enemies with them.

When an assassin targets those closest to the queen, Cas is drawn into a search for a killer… one that leads him to form an unexpected bond with a brilliant young historian named Lena. Cas and Lena soon realize that who is behind the attacks is far less important than why. They must look to the past, following the trail of a terrible secret—one that could threaten the kingdom’s newfound peace and plunge it back into war.

I joined in with the Fairyloot readalong and can say I really enjoyed this read!

Cas returns home after being a prisoner in an enemy countries land and he is not the person he used to be. He finds his brother and some other guests in their home!

And this is where our journey begins and we find out who Cassia really is. There’s secrets, twists, history, fantastic characters and world building and the writing was fab, it flowed so well!

As I said before, this was a great standalone and I really wouldn’t say no to more in this world!

No this isn’t as it seems, it’s not a book called Romancing the Rascal but a book I loved that had a romance in it where one of them was a rascal (but in a good way!!)

As it’s February I thought I’d do some posts about books with romances that I loved……

Will Herondale and Tessa Gray

The Infernal Devices
Clockwork Angel
Clockwork Prince
Clockwork Princess

I read these books in early 2021 and I fell head over heels in love with Will! He is just so affectionate, so cheeky and up for adventure. He, Jem and Tessa made my heart swell but Will and Tessa officially own my heart.

And I am – I am catastrophically in love with you – Will to Tessa

Life is a book, and there are a thousand pages I have not yet read. I would read them together with you, as many as I can, before I die—Will to Tessa