Title: Family of Liars

Series: We Were Liars #0

Author: E Lockhart

A windswept private island off the coast of Massachusetts.
A hungry ocean, churning with secrets and sorrow.
A fiery, addicted heiress. An irresistible, unpredictable boy.
A summer of unforgivable betrayal and terrible mistakes.

Welcome back to the Sinclair family.
They were always liars.

‘I have been a liar all my life, you see.
It’s not uncommon in my family.’

My thoughts mostly in this book were…I don’t think our narrator is a liar. Then the last half happened and boy was I wrong!!! They all were!

Back with the Sinclair’s at Beechwood but at a different time from We Were Liars.

I don’t really want to say anything about the plot so here are some things I loved…..and loved not so much!!!

~ I love it when I read my name in a book but a main character is amazing!!

~ Simple Minds, Simon Le Bon….love hearing about those times!

~ Jaw dropping moments, betrayals and bits where I thought I knew what was coming and my heart was in my mouth yet again!

~ I was a bundle of nerves moving onto the next chapter, nervous of what would happen, what betrayal would happen next!

~However there was one character I hated. I didn’t like Penny one bit in We Were Liars so I wondered if my opinion of her would change. I can report it did not, in fact I hated her more!!!

I read this book as a readalong with Tandem Collective and the publisher, Hoy Key Books. I love a readalong because they really make you think about each event as it happens, the discussions instead of just reading the words but not really taking it all in and thinking!

Loved it, a great prequel.

Title: This Vicious Grace

Series: The Last Finestra #1

Author: Emily Thiede

Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

Alessa, the chosen Finestra, has to protect her country from a demon attack that’s coming. She hasn’t found a partner, a Fonte, due to guilt as she’s killed any previous ones due to her killer touch. She also finds herself in the middle of an assassination plot so it’s all going on!!!!

Enter Dante who Alessa finds in town and hires as her bodyguard despite his seemingly dubious background.

Alessa is a fab leading lady, her character growth was amazing and all helped along by Dante.

Their banter, what they teach each other, his protective streak. Two lost souls finding each other. It was so exciting! I wanted to shout ‘kiss’ all the time!!!

The plot was so good along with the world building. The characters were well fleshed out and I loved all the side characters too! There was a small cliffhanger that made me go and look to see when the next book is out!

Fab read, would totally recommend.

Title: Half a Soul

Series: Regency Faerie Tales #1

Author: Olivia Atwater

It’s difficult to find a husband in Regency England when you’re a young lady with only half a soul.

Ever since she was cursed by a faerie, Theodora Ettings has had no sense of fear or embarrassment – a condition which makes her prone to accidental scandal. Dora hopes to be a quiet, sensible wallflower during the London Season – but when the strange, handsome and utterly uncouth Lord Sorcier discovers her condition, she is instead drawn into dangerous and peculiar faerie affairs.

If Dora’s reputation can survive both her curse and her sudden connection with the least-liked man in all of high society, then she may yet reclaim her normal place in the world. . . but the longer Dora spends with Elias Wilder, the more she begins to suspect that one may indeed fall in love, even with only half a soul.

So, so enjoyable!

As the blurb says, Dora finds herself with half a soul and is thrust into the London ‘ton’ with her cousin, Vanessa, to find her a husband. But Dora finds more than that in the Lord Sorcier, Elias Wilder!

I absolutely loved this book, couldn’t get enough so I have ordered my physical copy to take pride of place on my shelves and know that this story will be one I read over and over again!

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: Bookish Wishes

I’ve done one of these before but it feels a bit grabby and makes me feel a bit uncomfortable so I’ve posted a few books below that are on my wishlist!! Most of these are books I’ve read and would love a physical copy and one day I will get round to buying them!!!!

Title: The Foxhole Court/The Raven King/The Kings Men

Series: All for the Game

Author: Nora Sakavic

Neil Josten is the newest addition to the Palmetto State University Exy team. He’s short, he’s fast, he’s got a ton of potential—and he’s the runaway son of the murderous crime lord known as The Butcher.

Signing a contract with the PSU Foxes is the last thing a guy like Neil should do. The team is high profile and he doesn’t need sports crews broadcasting pictures of his face around the nation. His lies will hold up only so long under this kind of scrutiny and the truth will get him killed.

But Neil’s not the only one with secrets on the team. One of Neil’s new teammates is a friend from his old life, and Neil can’t walk away from him a second time. Neil has survived the last eight years by running. Maybe he’s finally found someone and something worth fighting for.

The Foxhole Court

Oh my lord this was what I didn’t know I needed!

Neil Josten is running from his past but finds himself signed up to an Exy sports team but an element of fame comes from this so he needs to plot his escape. But the Foxes won’t let him go.

‘Hope was a dangerous, disquieting thing, but he thought perhaps he liked it.’

It was dark, it was violent, it was addictive and I was so invested!!

In their own ways,  Neil, Andrew, Kevin Aaron and Nicky were so compelling. I actually loved them all! But I’d like to know more about Aaron.

I am actually amazed as I didn’t think I’d like it! But I was actually obsessed!

Anyway, can’t stop as I’m diving into book 2 and hoping for some Neil/Andrew lurve!!!

The Raven King

Back with the band of misfits, the Foxes, trying to get past the tragic events of the last book……

I don’t even know how to review this book to do it justice!. I’m so invested in these characters and the storyline. I’m not going to say much as I want to start book 3 but……..

~ I couldn’t love Neil more. And Andrew. There is defo method to his madness.

~ This book is raw, heartbreaking and vicious but at times made my heart soar.

~ There were 2 points in this book that I was sure the colour drained from my face. So shocked.

‘He was their family. They were his. They were worth every cut and bruise and scream.’

The King’s Men

I didn’t want this to end!

It’s true that I am head over heels for this series. It is everything. Neil, Andrew, Kevin and The Foxes are everything.

I was discussing this with my book friends who also love this series and we all can’t put our finger on exactly why! But it’s a diamond.

Found family, justice, finding hope and happiness. Its also dark with a plot that was absolutely superb!

I miss it already! I really want more from this world, a look in the future and see where they all are now, if they’re still friends, their relationships…. I want it all!

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?

SPOILER – DO NOT LOOK BELOW IF YOU HAVEN’T GOT YOUR FAIRYLOOT JUNE ADULT YET AS I’VE ADDED A PICTURE!!

A few personal things this week and this is going to sound like I’m moaning. Because I am 🤣

I somehow hurt my back again and, apart from the first time I slipped my disc and trapped my nerve, this is horrible pain!

Also it’s been hot here. Like really hot for England and I am not a heat person plus my hayfever has been off the charts! I sneeze and it really hurts!

So it’s been a week full of moans and not much reading! Hopefully get back to more positivity next week 🤣

I’m probably going back to bi-weekly posts for the Sunday Post as my reading is slowing down!

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What I’ve Read

Dragons Promise by Elizabeth Lim
🌟🌟🌟🌟
See my review closer to release day!

🎧 A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab
🌟🌟🌟🌟
A relisten! See my original review here

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New arrivals

Her Majesties Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

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In case you missed it…..

Review – The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni
Review – The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries by JT Williams
Review – We Were Liars by E Lockhart
Feature – Books I’d like releasing July 22

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What have you read lately?

This might be a once in a lifetime post so please make a note in your diary!!!

The months of going rogue may be over (they probably arent!) as I only want 1 book that’s releasing in July.

But what a book it is! This series makes my life and is probably the only series that has made me laugh uncontrollably!!!!

Heat Wave by TJ Klune

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What books are you looking forward to?

Title: We Were Liars

Series: We Were Liars #1

Author: E Lockhart

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart.

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE.

I read this book as part of a readalong with Tandem Collective UK and Hot Key Books YA.

Here we have The Sinclair’s, a very well to do, keeping up appearances family from old money and their summers on their private island, Beechwood.

Cady and her cousins are collectively known as The Liars. This book centres around Cady and what The Liars get up to.

Firstly, wow that writing style, coupled with the powerful, tragic, beautiful storyline, it was a hit for me!  I knew something was up….but I didn’t know what. Just couldn’t put my finger on it. And then with those last few chapters, it all fell into place in my brain!

I’ve never read a book like this and I really, really enjoyed it!

The explanations of the island and the map in the book were so good, I could see it in my minds eye which made me feel like I was there! I was so invested in the characters, The Liars, I loved them all.

That ending. Talk about emosh! I was so invested that I had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye!

Title: Drama and Danger

Series: Lizzie and Belle Mysteries

Author: JT Williams

Set in eighteenth-century London, with all the fun and zest of Hamilton, Bridgerton fashion and inspired by real Black British historical figures.

Twelve-year-olds Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House – but they both share a love of solving mysteries.

And when their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane theatre one night, both girls are sure they’ve seen something suspicious on stage.

Lizzie and Belle soon find themselves on the trail of a mystery – and becoming best friends. But can they work out what’s going on in time to prevent a murder?

Set in London in the 1700s, Lizzie and Belle become firm friends and investigate a mystery!

Here we have Lizzie, a shop owners daughter and Belle, being raised by her wealthy aunt and uncle and their investigation in to the goings on at the Theatre Royal.

I don’t think I’ve ever read an historical MG read yet one with so many important messages that highlight the struggles and atrocities committed against black people in this time. It had a fabulous plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat!

There was friendship, kinship, messages about womens rights and lots of drama and excitement. I was hooked!

More things I loved about this book were the fact it was split into Acts like a play, the letters between Lizzie and Belle, the newspaper articles, the illustrations and drawings, all nice touches!

Me and my son both read this book and we both 100% recommend!