Happy Blogmas!!

At the end of 2023 I posted my most anticipated books for 2024 so thought it would be good to look back and see if I read them (maybe not good for me!)

You can see my post here!

I only actually picked 6 books and not sure why as I *think* I normally go for 10….or maybe I’m getting confused with Top Ten Tuesday! Christmas brain!!!! But anyway…..I’m pleased to say I read 5 – whoop!

I haven’t read Heavenly Tyrant because the release date changed to 24th December! Maybe I’ll add to next year’s list!

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett ✔️
Crescent City 3 by Sarah J Maas ✔️
Bride by Ali Hazelwood ✔️
The Prisoners Throne by Holly Black✔️
Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff✔️
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao ❌️

Did you set a list of books you want to read this year? Did you read them?

I’ve done Blogmas for 6 years running now and have absolutely loved doing it (and reading other peoples posts) so decided to do it again!

I’m hoping this will be a fun series of posts on the blog starting on 2nd December and ending on Christmas Eve!

I know that’s more than 12 days………..

I’ve seen most bloggers participate in Blogmas and post on consecutive days but I didn’t want to pressure myself that much over the Christmas lead up so I’ll be posting Blogmas posts every other day. I won’t be posting any book reviews (sorry in advance for when I post them all in January!!)

Anyway, the prompts I’ll be using for Blogmas are:

HAPPY BLOGMAS!

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!

Happy December!!!! My son had an inset day and I had the day off work on Friday so we couldn’t resist any longer…..we went to a Christmas display and put up our Christmas tree…..sort of! We have a new tree so I ordered new baubles for it and they didn’t arrive so the tree is stood there just with lights and 6 very sad tree chocolates!!!!!

I also went on my first Christmas meal and it was lovely albeit a bit spicy, the dessert was beautiful though!

It was also a great reading week – may it continue!

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What I’ve Read

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my reviews soon!

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You might have missed…..

Mini Review – Januaries by Olivie Blake
Calendar – Happy Thanksgiving
Review – A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

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What have you read lately?

Happy December!

I’m on the countdown to Christmas now! Look out for my blogmas posts starting tomorrow!

May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.

‘Mankind is a great, an immense family. This is proved by what we feel in our hearts at Christmas.’
– Pope John XXIII

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.”
– How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Dr. Suess

Title: A Fire in the Sky

Series: A Fire in the Sky #1

Author: Sophie Jordan

Dragons are extinct. Witches are outcast. Magic is dying.

But human lust for power is immortal.

Dragon fire no longer blisters the skies over Penterra, but inside the lavish palace, life is still perilous…especially for Tamsyn. Raised in the glittering court alongside the princesses, it’s her duty to be punished for their misdeeds. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard…though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship.

When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, descends on her home, Tamsyn’s world becomes even more dangerous. To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, she is commanded to don a veil and marry the brutal warrior. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind.

The wedding night begins with unexpected passion—and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed. Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride…but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors—secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone.

Magic is not dead…it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

Oh my. I really enjoyed this! It is what a romantasy should be!

~ Politicial marriage
~ Treachery
~ A love triangle I could deal with
~ Dragons and witches
~ Twists (and 1 that made my jaw drop!)
~ Secret secrets!
~ Huge chemistry
~ A sacred mating mark

Tamsyn is the whipping girl for the Princesses and has never really known a life out of the palace until Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, comes looking for a royal wife…..but gets Tamsyn instead.

The wedding night! Oh my God. It was…I can’t even describe it but I couldn’t look away!!!!! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cringe!

Some parts reminded me of Game of Thrones! Maybe it was the Northern accent of Fell on the audio?

I know this is very vague but I really enjoyed it so if you love all of the above – dive in!

I really need book 2 because I want ANSWERS!

Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Hope it’s full of family, food and fun ❤️

Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.

Nigel Hamilton

Title: Januaries

Author: Olivie Blake

Januaries is a collection of new and iconic short stories and novellas from New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake.

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, the tutelary spirit to a magical bridge rapidly approaches burnout. Meanwhile, congress enacts a complex auditing system designed to un-waste your youth, a banished fairy answers a Craigslist ad, a Victorian orphan gains literacy for her occult situationship, and a multiverse assassin contemplates the one who got away. Escape the slow trudge of mortality with these magical ruminations on life, death, and the love (or revenge) that outlasts both, featuring modified fairytales, contemporary heists, absurdist poetry, and at least one set of actual wedding vows.

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories! They were literally stories of love, magic and betrayal!

The writing was exquisite and the different types of stories were so far ranging, is there nothing this author can’t write?!

My favourites were Sucker for Pain, To Make a Man and The Animation Games!

I listened to the audiobook but also have a physical copy and the illustrations inside were beautiful!

Would defo recommend for anyone not wanting the time commitment of a full novel as most of these are short reads!

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: Thanksgiving Freebie

We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in England but I wish all my American friends a very happy Thanksgiving and hope you have a day of love, laughter, family and good food!

So not really 100% bookish but here is my list:

My son ❤
My family 💓
Good health 🩺
Laughter with my friends and work colleagues 🤭
Good books (and not so good books!) 📚
My bookish friends (also with laughter!)📖
My job – love being a project manager 👩‍💼
And finally, a special shout out to coffee! ☕

What are you thankful for this year (or any year!)

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 actually mood read this week and it has been the best week! Why I’ve deviated from this in the past few months, I don’t know, but it will continue as it’s felt like I’ve had a much healthier reaction to reading!

This week was also a dental check-up for me and work, so nothing special! 

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What I’ve Read

Januaries by Olivie Blake
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Eternal Reign by Caroline Peckham
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my review soon!

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You might have missed…..

Review – The Songbird and the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent
Review – Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
Review – The Thirteenth Child by Erin A Craig
Review – The Blood Orchid by Kylie Lee Baker

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What have you read lately?