Fairyloot – July 2020

Theme = RESILIENT ROYALS!

‘Prepare your crown, and don’t forget to sharpen your sword − you might need it! This month is all about royals that always hold their ground and are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their kingdom and the ones that they love.’

Items inspired by Crescent City, The Lunar Chronicles, Ash Princess, The Queen’s Rising, Woven in Moonlight and The Bear and the Nightingale.

The cushion cover is just beautiful, the candle smells amazing, the art print is out of this world and the card holder is something I really needed.

Included was:

🖤 Food Tray – artwork from @eviebookish

🖤 Royal Card Holder designed by @jezhawk

🖤 Magnetic Bookmarks (Woven in Moonlight)

🖤 Ash Princess Candle handpoured by @inthewickoftime

🖤 Crescent City Cushion Cover designed by @chattynora

🖤 Art Print by @dominiquewesson (Vasya and Morozko from The Bear and Nightingale

Shielded by Kaylynn Flanders

EXCLUSIVE COVER ✔

SPRAYED EDGES ✔

SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR ✔

I thought I would change it up this month and do a Top 10 Tuesday which is hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl go check her blog out, you will love it.

For me 10 might be a struggle but I promise to do the best I can!

Topic = Books with Colours In the Title

These are all books I own and had fun combing my shelves!

The Silver Swan by Amo Jones

Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

Midnight Blue by LJ Shen

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

 

What books would be on your list?

Title: Mirage

Series: Mirage #1

Author: Somaiya Daud

In a star system dominated by the brutal Vathek empire, eighteen-year-old Amani is a dreamer. She dreams of what life was like before the occupation; she dreams of writing poetry like the old-world poems she adores; she dreams of receiving a sign from Dihya that one day, she, too, will have adventure, and travel beyond her isolated moon.

But when adventure comes for Amani, it is not what she expects: she is kidnapped by the regime and taken in secret to the royal palace, where she discovers that she is nearly identical to the cruel half-Vathek Princess Maram. The princess is so hated by her conquered people that she requires a body double, someone to appear in public as Maram, ready to die in her place.

As Amani is forced into her new role, she can’t help but enjoy the palace’s beauty—and her time with the princess’ fiancé, Idris. But the glitter of the royal court belies a world of violence and fear. If Amani ever wishes to see her family again, she must play the princess to perfection…because one wrong move could lead to her death.

‘There is no escape from what they want. Only survival.’

Loved it! This was such a great read. I was so interested in the characters, their pull, the way they were and why, just everything! I am literally kicking myself for not reading this when I first got it at release!

Amani is taken from her family and world because she looks uncannily like the hated Vathek, Princess Maram who is being targeted by a rebel group and the cruel Vathek want to use Amani to impersonate Maram.

The writing was a joy to read, I really enjoyed the world, it sort of reminded me of the world in the Lunar Chronicles, so good.

But what I really loved were the relationships. The author did a top job here. The relationship between Amani and Maram fascinated me and tore at my heart. Then there was Tala. And then Idris. Oh Idris, how I loved thee! Now I’m not a cutsey, warm girl but Idris and Amani together were so cute together I thought I might combust!

It was perfect. So good. I really need book 2!

In the spirit of me not making a reading list, I’m not making one, well not really!

I’ve decided that August is going to be a theme month for me…….Fairyloot reads month!

I am behind on 9 books (how did that happen?!) I’m under no illusion that I’ll be able to read them all in a month….but I’m going to have a good go!

Without further ado these are the books I have…….

 

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

 

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The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

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Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova

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The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

 

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Bone Criers Moon by Kathryn Purdie

 

 

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Forest of Souls by Lori M Lee

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The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

 

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Viper by Bex Hogan

 

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Mirage by Somaiya Daud

 

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Have you read any of these?

Which would you recommend to read first?

I know there has been contraversary about this authors very wrong views lately and please know I totally disagree with her.

I love this series, it has bought me so much joy over the years and I can’t let it go. I saw that someone said you can separate author from work so this is what I decided to do.

I couldn’t let this day pass without wishing Harry a Happy Birthday.

Of course to celebrate you could do a reread:

You could also find your house (Ravenclaw here!):

https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/discover-your-hogwarts-house-on-wizarding-world

If you want to splash out you can buy tons of stuff on Etsy and support local sellers.

I ordered this for my son from WeLove3D on Etsy:

PS, this isn’t my sons name!

Welcome to Closing the Chapter! I hope you had a great reading month?

Firstly, can you believe July is nearly over? Here things have started to open up again but it just feels really strange being out the house. Does anyone else feel like that? It sort of feels like another world. So strange and so surreal.

After my slump at the end of June I had to have a word with myself and pull myself together…..and I did just that with the help of some great books!

I knew I wasn’t going to hit the dizzy heights of reading 12 books like I did in May and June but I did manage 6 and a dnf!

 

Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley (reread to kick out my slump and I won’t bore you with yet another reread review for this!)

A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting

See my review here.

A Favor for a Favor by Helena Hunting

See my review here.

The Beginning of Everything by Kristen Ashley

See my review here.

The Plan Commences by Kristen Ashley

See my review here.

Audio

Elementals: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman

See my review here.

 

Unfortunately The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson was a DNF for me.

What did you read in July?

I have been very bad. Very. Very. Bad.

I set myself a goal.

To buy 3 books a month only.

I’ve trampled all over that.

Trampled until my goal was a mere memory.

And then I got 3 months free Kindle Unlimited……..(my tbr is sobbing)…..

📚

 

The Beginning of Everything by Kristen Ashley

The Plan Commences by Kristen Ashley

The Dawn of the End by Kristen Ashley

The Rising by Kristen Ashley

 

Nightfall by Penelope Douglas

 

🎧 Audio

Stain by AG Howard

Final Empire: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

 

City of Brass by SA Chakraborty

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

 

 

🧚‍♀️ Fairyloot

Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

The Forest of Souls by Lori M Lee

Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

 

Pray for me and my tbr……

What books did you haul in July?

With Shanah being super busy and taking a well deserved blog break, there is no Top 5 Tuesday for July so I thought I’d have a go at doing my own (not all the time, I struggled to come up with this!!!)

So this week I thought I’d share with you books by my favourite authors I still have to read on my tbr and why!

Becoming his Monster by Amelia Hutchins

I’ve put this off. Purposefully put this off. I loved the first book so much and the 2nd book broke my heart and I know this one is going to rip it out. One day. One day I’ll pull my big girl pants up. But today is not that day!

 

Three Wishes by Kristen Ashley

This is one of my fave authors, probably right there at the top but I haven’t read this. I bought it because of the blurb and the fact that the great KA wrote it but just haven’t got round to it. (Seriously, read that blurb!)

 

Obsidio by Jay Kristoff

Loved Illuminae and Gemina when I listened to them but couldn’t find this on audio yet here in the UK so I bought the ebook. But I really, really want it on audio so have put off reading it! Isn’t it weird these quirks we have!

 

My Maddie by Tillie Cole

Souls Unfractured stomped all over my heart and made me nearly blub so knowing this is going to be emosh, I need to be in the proper headspace!

 

Gavin’s Song p1 by Jamie Begley

This is going to be a trilogy so I’m doing something I’ve never done before…I’m waiting for all 3 books to come out so I can devour all 3 in a row!

Title: The Plan Commences

Series: The Rising #2

Author: Kristen Ashley

Once upon a time, in a parallel universe, there existed the continent of Triton. The land was filled with beauty, but it was also splintered by war. Out of the chaos grew a conspiracy to reawaken the Beast, a fearsome creature who wrought only tragedy and devastation. The only way to stop him was to fulfill an ancient prophecy: Triton’s four strongest warriors must wed its four most powerful witches, binding all nations together and finally bringing peace to the land.

This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake….

This book was just captivating. I was hooked, blinkin hooked and I didn’t want it to end!

I fell in love with the characters more and more. The couples, them getting to know each other, accept each other and the feelings that are brimming.

But my gosh it infuriated me that some of these girls cannot say what is actually on their minds! It drove me crazy in some parts! And that is the mark of a great read. Pulling those extreme emotions from me and left me wanting more and more!

Elena is still my fave! And to see the fab 4 (well 8!) from the Fantastical series again rallying to the cause made my heart leap!

This is a big book but my gawd, I can’t wait for the next installment!