Title: Becoming His Monster

Series: Playing with Monsters #3

Author: Amelia Hutchins

Sacrifice your soul?
Check.
Die to protect those you love?
Check.
Come back as something the world hasn’t seen since the dawn of mankind?
Check.
Make those who hurt me wish the Gods had never created them?
I’m still working on this one…
Are you ready to play? I’m coming back. I’m more, darker, deadlier, and I’m pissed.
Heaven has fallen, Hell has risen and the walls that once protected man from monsters are down. Foe’s become friends, enemies become lovers, and this world is thrown into chaos unlike anything it’s ever seen before. I’m ready to play now, I’m ready to win.

It’s taken me a while but I’ve got here!

For the first time ever I thought I’d listen to an Amelia book and LOVED it! Can totally recommend the audio! I must admit I was a bit confused in the beginning about what was going on. Maybe I should have done a skim read of the last book to remind myself of details!

So we know what Lena sacrificed at the end of the last book (heartbreaking!) and now Lucifer and his creatures are free. So what would happen next? (I won’t tell!!!)

I really didn’t gel with the new Lena and that made me sad after what she had been through, she got right on my wick but I did like that she makes Lucian work for it! Poor old Lucian (he’s my fave!)

Loved seeing Synthia, Ryder, Ristan and Spyder! I vote myself as tribute for Spyder’s HEA!!!!

Another cliffy, but not so brutal but jaw dropping…..there will be trouble ahead! And I still don’t know what Lucian is!

Title: The Darkening

Series: The Darkening #1

Author: Sunya Mara

Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father’s book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

Even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there’s more to the story of her mother’s death, she’ll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the Storm.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator so would recommend!

Vesper is the daughter of parents who failed a rebellion against the ruler of their country, the Regia. Her mum gone and her dad is in hiding until he is caught by Prince Dalca and taken to prison. So Vesper makes it her mission to save him but then begins to question a lot of things.

I really enjoyed this book! The story was fast paced, the writing was beautiful and I loved the bond between the characters.

The pacing felt off in a few places but it didn’t bother me that much as I was eager to know what happened next!

Vesper’s growth was so lovely to see and it might surprise you to know that I loved Dalca! Morally grey, hot and amazing! My kind of fave character!!!

Now I need that next book!

I’M BACK!!!

I did disappear so my apologies! My website went down last week and all because I lost track of the renewal and the email linked to my account was one that got hacked (3 years ago!) so I didn’t get reminders for payment!

But, very slowly, I have been talking to the powers that be and now it’s all sorted!

This was such a pain as it’s a really busy time of year for me what with end of school events, ferrying my son here, there and everywhere, getting ready for my holiday and also it’s a busy time at work for me too. But I really only have myself to blame!

Anyhoo, my website is back, I’m back so I’ll be back to blog hopping, seeing everyone’s posts, commenting and posting so everyone can actually see my posts!

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: Book Covers That Feel Like Summer

I think my picks mainly make me think of summer because of the vibrant colours or the fact they feature flowers!

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
In the Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh
These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Chan
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Moti on the Water by Leylah Attar

What books would you choose?

I grabbed this idea from Lucy (with permission!) from Bookworm Blogger! Go check out her blog!

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

By the end of May I’d read 17 new-to-me authors and now I’ve read 23 so far this year!

Emily Thiede
JT Williams
Alexi Blake
Alyson Noel
Kora Knight
Nikki St Crowe (The Never King)

Have you read any new to you authors this month?

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 don’t even know if anyone will see this but last week I suddenly couldn’t get into my website and nor could anyone else. I think my posts can be seen from the reader but I’m not 100% sure!

I contacted my provider and had to give them ID to secure my account, that was all sorted and I have reactivated but it still doesn’t appear to be live. I thought I’d give them until Tuesday before I contact them yet again!

I’ve spent so much time on this blog, it’s my baby, my creative outlet so this is really quite frustrating and a bit upsetting. Also using time I don’t have to sort out!!!

So just a short one today for anyone who actually can see this – this has been my reading week…..

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What I’ve Read

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review here


The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review here


Tragic Bonds by J Bree
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review here

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What have you read lately?

Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Firstly let me say….you ALL have to read this! This isn’t a kids book, I’d say it’s defo adult!

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….

I inhaled this book! This was an amazing read filled with magic, found family, humour around every corner mixed in with a little bit of heartbreak and of course, heart warming times!

Mika Moon is a witch and part of a secret group of witches who look down on her online past times!

‘Witchcore. Not quite as popular as cottagecore or fairycore, but it’s up there.’

Because of her online presence she gets offered a job to teach 3 young witches in Nowhere House how to control their power. So of course, in the interests of secrecy, she takes the job!!!!

We have…..

* Irritable librarian, Jamie with the dab forearms
* Ian, once actor (and my fave!)
* Lucy, housekeeper
* Ken, gardener
* Rosetta, kid witch
* Terracotta, kid witch
* Altamira, kid witch

And of course now, Mika!

The recipe for a great potion consists of a dollop of magic, 2 fabulous old gents, a few secrets, a spoonful of drama, and of course, a pinch of romance!

And if this book was a potion, it would be a powerful one. Utterly fabulous!

Title: The Lightning-Struck Heart

Series: Tales from Verania #1

Author: TJ Klune

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King’s Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam is fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle. Sir Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell through the years when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can’t control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan’s boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or so he thinks.

Omg this was a blast.

Hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. And utterly fabulous.

Here we have:
Sam, wizards apprentice,
Gary, the unicorn with no horn,
Tiggy, the half giant,
Morgan, the wizard trainer,
Ryan Foxheart, the beautiful knight,
A sex crazed dragon,
A couple of amazing parents,
The King and his son.

It was full of innuendo, banter, sass and as with The Extraordinaires, I laughed until I was crying, it was glorious!

I loved Sam. He is a ruder, wafflier Nicky and of course, a wizard. He is hopelessly in love (and a fair bit of lust!) with Ryan but as it turns out, Ryan is betrothed to the Prince!

The narrator was so good! I know I will listen to this book over and over! And now I need more so going to get book 2!

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: Most Anticipated Books Releasing In the Second Half of 2022

Heat Wave by TJ Klune
Dragons Promise by Elizabeth Lim
Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer
Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo

Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
Cursed by Marissa Meyer
A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L Armentrout
Zodiac Academy book 8 by Caroline Peckham

What books are you looking forward to?