Can you believe we are already halfway through the year?

For me it’s been an up and down year, reading wise. I’ve had the mother of all slumps but I still have read some great books.

I saw the Mid Year Freak Out tag on Booked Hooked Nook and thought it was right up my street….so here goes!

1: The best book that you’ve read so far in 2019?

Only Work, No Play by Cora Reilly

I read this earlier on in the year and I remember being so, so hooked! I’d read this author’s mafia series but this book made me realise she can write anything!

 

2: Best sequel that you’ve read so far in 2019?

Finale by Stephanie Garber

OMG I loved it so much! This was different to the first 2 books but totally captured my heart!

 

3: New release that you haven’t read yet but want to?

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

I ‘think’ I’m getting this in a book box so I’ve been holding out. But I really want it now!!!!!!

4: Most anticipated release for the next half of 2019?

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

I need Cardan back in my life! *cuddles plushie Cardan*

5: Biggest disappointment in 2019?

I hate these types of questions. I’m a people pleaser but I am forcing myself to answer this…..but know it hurts me to do so!!!

Legend by Marie Lu

I love this author so I spent a few days guilting myself over not liking this at all. I’m not adding a picture as I will just guilt myself all over again!

6: Biggest surprise in 2019?

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufmann

I didn’t know if loving Skyward last year was a flook and I really wasn’t really a sci-fi fan. But after reading this I can confirm I really am a sci-fi fan!!!

7: Favourite new author (debut or new to you)?

Nadine Brandes

I fell absolutely in love with Romanov. I need more!

8: Newest fictional crush?

Ezra from King Hall by Scarlett Dawn

I should be ashamed as I’m old enough to be his Mum…..but I dont care 😂

9: Newest favourite character?

Fin from Aurora Rising

He lives for sarcasm and rude jokes. He is my spirit animal.

10: A book that made you cry?

Well….none. I’m not a cryer, like at all. My friends say I am dead inside!!!! 😂😂

11: A book that made you happy?

Repeat by Kylie Scott

This book made me realise the heart wants what the heart wants…and I love that.

12: The most beautiful book you’ve bought or received in 2019?

A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

LOOK AT IT!!!!

13: What books do you need to read by the end of 2019?

I don’t even think there is room to add them all here!!!

However I am doing Beat the Backlist this year so I need to read those. My original post is here.

Thats it! I’m not tagging anyone but join in if you want to!

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm – you can find her June topic post here.

Today’s topic is – Top 5 Main Males

I’m basically a romance queen so I had to pick through all my fictional bbf’s to narrow down to just 5….. *4 hours later*

• Picks list.
• Changes list.
• Picks list.
• Remembers someone.
• Changes list.
• You get the gist!

 

Sirius Black from Harry Potter

 

 

I LOVED him and I cried so hard when he was bumped off!  Plus Gary Oldman…mmmmm!

 

Rhysand from the ACO series

 

 

I mean I don’t really need to say anymore do I? RHYSAND IS KING!

 

Ruger from Reapers Legacy by Joanna Wylde.

 

 

He embodies everything I love, big, strong, clever and has lots of patience (and dare I say it, sexual powers!!!)

 

Joker from Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley  

 

 

His story (and Carissa’s) stole my heart! Just the mental picture I have in my head of him sends me in a spin!  One of the reasons, ok all the reasons, that I have re-read this book a lot!

 

Bull from Out of the Ashes by Anne Malcom 

 

 

Big, broken and silent.  His backstory made me fall in love instantly! I don’t even have a picture in my head of him – this is purely a mental love!

 

Now I’m off to calm down!

Who are your top 5 main men?

You know one of those books that you have had for ages and you’ve never read….and then when you do, you want to kick your own ass for not reading sooner?

I present King Hall by Scarlett Dawn…..

King Hall — where the Mysticals go to learn their craft, get their degrees, and transition into adulthood. And where four new Rulers will rise and meet their destinies.

Lily Ruckler is adept at one thing: survival. Born a Mystical hybrid, her mere existence is forbidden, but her nightmare is only about to start. Fluke, happenstance, and a deep personal loss finds Lily deeply entrenched with those who would destroy her simply for existing — The Mystical Kings. Being named future Queen of the Shifters shoves Lily into the spotlight, making her one of the most visible Mysticals in the world. But with risk comes a certain solace — her burgeoning friendships with the other three Prodigies: a wicked Vampire, a wild-child Mage, and a playboy Elemental. Backed by their faith and trust, Lily begins to relax into her new life.

Then chaos erupts as the fragile peace between Commoners and Mysticals is broken, and suddenly Lily realises the greatest threat was never from within, and her fear takes on a new name: the revolution.

A book friend recommended this to me and I’m ashamed to say it has sat on my Kindle since release!

You know when you read a story and you think you know what will come to pass? The promise of what I thought was coming was so good, love that feeling….but what I thought didn’t really happen but I know that it will…..it’s like I’m being kept dangling on a string here!!!

The 4 future Kings and Queens of the Mys word….their bond and their friendship was beautiful. They are going to change the world!

I was loving it, flying through (Ezra defo holds my heart!) but halfway through some of that fell away. It felt like there was a lot in there that didn’t need to be, I hate that word filler but that’s it. But then it hooked me back in again….and then I realised this book is like crack!

I have other book plans but you know I’m diving into book 2 very, very soon!

Welcome to The Weekly Epilogue!

Hope you all had a good week?

I had it all planned out….my reading week.

Never happened!

But I’m really enjoying picking up what I am in the mood to read at the moment but I’m wondering if I will craving the control back soon!

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff

I read a chapter of this for a feature called Try a Chapter….and then couldn’t put it down! See my review here.

My Monster by Ellie Jean (no pic as cover not revealed)

A new to me author who approached me and asked if I would beta her book. I was so honoured! I dont think there is a set release date but coming soon!

If She’s Wicked by Amelia Hutchins

Teardrop Shot by Tijan (arc)

My favourite post from the blogosphere this week from Trisy at Bobo’s Book Bank.

Sunday Song!

I look forward to these posts to see what song she comes up with next! Go check out her blog. This week was Green Day….how I love them!

And finally…..look what turned up this week….I LOVE IT!!

How was your reading week?

What books did you read?

My stroll into the sci-fi genre has gone like this in a little less than 6 months….

• Me: I don’t like sci-fi, I don’t read it.
• More me: Hmmm Skyward looks good I might read it.
• Even more me: OMG Skyward was so good, I must read Aurora Rising.
• Yes, more me: Aurora Rising was FABULOUS
• Now me: GIMME ALL THE SCI-FI!!!

I am so glad I opened my eyes to more reading possibilities!

Anyway….on to the blurb…

The year is 2380, and the graduating cadets of Aurora Academy are being assigned their first missions. Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm

A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates

A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder

An alien warrior with anger management issues

A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

And Ty’s squad isn’t even his biggest problem – that’d be Aurora Jie-Lin O’Malley, the girl he’s just rescued from interdimensional space. Trapped in cryo-sleep for two centuries, Auri is a girl out of time and out of her depth. But she could be the catalyst that starts a war millions of years in the making, and Tyler’s squad of losers, discipline-cases and misfits might just be the last hope for the entire galaxy.

NOBODY PANIC.

Wow! I’ve never read these authors before and since I read the first line I knew, knew it in my bones that this was a book I was going to love.

And I wasn’t wrong.

The writing style gripped me from the first chapter along with the characters and plot.

I fell in love with the world building and the characters, especially Fin and Kal…..so different but oh so complex and loveable.

‘Squad 312, forever’

This book affirms 100% to me that sci fi is a genre that I love. I need to know what happens next. I’m off to search for the release date of the next book!

The working week is over for me and I feel like I need a bit of humour to finish off the week….and what’s better than bookish humour?!

Sit back, relax, and chuckle along!

 

Fairyloot – May 2019

Theme = Unlikely Romances

 

Bamboo Travel Mug inspired by Tahereh Mafi’s Ignite Me with design by KDPLetters.

I haven’t read this book but this mug is eco-friendly and it’s so lightweight! I love it!

A Pencil Case designed by Literary Lifestyle featuring a quote from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

I screeched! Pencil cases are so well received in my household!

Crown Keychain inspired by The Cruel Prince by Holly Black.

This is beautiful but now I am at war with myself. Do I put it on my bag and risk it falling off at some stage or do I put on my book shelves? Decisions, decisions!

The Wrath and the Dawn magnetic bookmarks designed by LexaArts.

I have so many magnetic bookmarks now and I don’t use them. I’m going to have to do something about the pile I have building up!

Tea Towel drawn by Taratjah with lettering by Catarinabookdesigns featuring characters from The Selection by Keira Cass.

I have a love/hate thing going on with this series. The triangle killed my love for this series off and I stopped reading. But I will defo use this tea towel!

Starfall candle by Little Hearts Gifts.

Anything ACOTAR hits the spot with me. Win!

Notepad featuring a quote from Girls of Paper and Fire

STATIONERY! Win, win for me!!!

Mint Tin by Fairyloot

OMG, LOVE!!!!! And you know I’m keeping that tin!

 

BOOK OF THE MONTH

The Beholder by Anna Bright

Sprayed edges ✔

Foiling ✔

Signed ✔

 

July = my holiday month.

Kids break up and I have 2 holidays booked so I really don’t expect to have a lot of money to spend on books….but we all know the life of a bookworm is hard, well not life…trying to balance the bank account so that you can buy ALL the books that you want need!

Luckily for me, there are only 2 books I want in July!

Making Up by Helena Hunting

Trapping Her by Aurora Rose Reynolds

 

What books do you want in July?

(Please don’t tell me there are any I have forgotten about!!!)

 

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm – you can find her June topic post here.

Today’s topic is – Top 10 All Time Faves

You would not believe how hard it was to pick these!

I went through all the books I had read (Kindle and physical) to remember the feelings I had when I read.  Not all those feelings were nice (some were down right shocked!) but these are the books that stayed with me.  I was amazed about the different genres, but then decided to be happy as I have a broad taste!

 

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Come on – this wouldn’t be a list without a HP mention!!!

Flowers in the Attic by VC Andrews

Gross choice I know but this book haunted me and stayed with me for years but I can never bring myself to do a re-read!

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Yes I went there! I fully admit I loved this book, and the series, and the films!!!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

1 word. Rhysand.  That is all!

 

Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley

I remember reading this book and being shocked but then there are a lot of factors to take into consideration when reading a fantasy………but I have gone on to re-read this so many times!

Finale by Stephanie Garber

I did only read this a few weeks ago but it completely captivated me and I know this is up there with my all time favourites!

Hells Knights by Bella Jewel

One of the first ever MC romance reads I read (there were many more after!)

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Gah, just remembering this makes  me want to read all about Cress and Carswell all over again!

 

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Totally and utterly fell in love with this read!  I didn’t think this would be my thing but I am so glad I picked it up as it’s right up there with my faves!

Untouchable by Sam Mariano

A shocking read….but somehow the author made me fall in love with the guy.  I still don’t know how it happened after what he did.

 

What are your top 10 reads?

Have you read any from my list?