20 Books of Summer is on again!

I’ve done this challenge for the last 2 years (or is it 3, I forget!) so wanted to join in again!

Cathy746books is running it and you can see her original post here.

Basically it starts on 1 June and finishes 1 September and all you have to do is read 20 books, easy right?!

So for the books……well……

I’ve chosen to read my backlist books from Helena Hunting, all 11 of them!

All In Series

A Lie for a Lie #1

A Favour for a Favour #2

A Secret for a Secret #3

 

 

Shacking Up series

Shacking Up #1

Hooking Up #2

I Flipping Love You #3

Making Up #4

Handle With Care #5

 

Standalones

Pucks and Penalties 274

Meet Cute 385

The Good Luck Charm 353

 

 

For the other 9 books I’m going to do a bit of a cop out and not choose any.

Hear me out!

In the spirit of not making any reading lists for the year I’m going to pick the last 9 books depending what I’m in the mood for. Also I think it takes the pressure off. What I’m in the mood for now, I might not be in July or August so pressure taken off!

 

Will you be joining in this year?

Title: Bound By The Past

Series: Born in Blood #7

Author: Cora Reilly

Dante
My life is a tale of betrayal.
I killed so many because they betrayed our cause, because they betrayed the Outfit.
A hypocrite. A liar. A murderer.
That’s what I am.
Five times I betrayed the Outfit. With my blood I made a vow to our cause, swore my life to it, promised to put the Outfit first. Above all else.
Five times I chose a woman over the good of the Outfit. I betrayed my father. My vow. My men.
You reap what you sow.
Would my betrayals destroy everything I swore to protect?

Valentina
On our wedding day I made a vow to stand by Dante’s side.
In good and in bad times.
To love him through it all.
Growing up in the mafia, I knew the challenges in our life would be numerous. I never expected them to tear at the very base of our family, of our existence.

I’m going to make a bold statement here. Dante and Val were my favourite original couple!

So, as you can imagine, the thought of the contents of this book had me very eager to read!

‘My love for her hadn’t been born in a single heartbeat but it didn’t burn less fiercely I realized now.’

We get the events we already know but from Dante and Valentina’s point of view. Who knew Mr Cold Fish himself could be so…..human! I just love them and their family. It was delish.

Reading this cemented the fact that D & V are defo my favourite couple.

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm, see her original post here.

Rather selfishly I thought I would write the opening lines of the next 5 books I want to read…..and then maybe that will help me choose what to read next (although you can’t really tell much from 1 line!!!)

Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

‘The Magician stood at the edge of his world and took one last look at the city.’

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The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon

‘They shouldn’t have climbed for so long, but they’d been convinced that if they reached the top of Shinway, they would be able to look out over the sea, all the way to Eastlandia.’

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How To Love Your Elf by Kerrilyn Sparks

‘In another time on another world called Aerthlan, there are five kingdoms.’

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Embracing Destiny by Amelia Hutchins

‘An eerie, deafening silence had fallen over Faery since Ryder and I returned home.‘

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Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

‘By the time Alex managed to get the blood out of her good wool coat, it was too warm to wear it.’

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I must admit, now I’ve seen these I want to read Ninth House first!!!

Have you read any of these?

Well this snuck up on me!!!

I literally just had this notification and I didn’t even realise today was my blogiversary!

5 years, 5 great, happy blogging years….and it has been that way because of all of you so I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to you all.

❤❤❤❤❤

Title: The Hunter

Series: Boston Belles #1

Author: LJ Shen

Hunter

I didn’t mean to star in a sex tape, okay?
It was just one of those unexplainable things. Like Stonehenge, Police Academy 2, and morning glory clouds.
It just happened.
Now my ball-busting father is sentencing me to six months of celibacy, sobriety, and morbid boredom under the roof of Boston’s nerdiest girl alive, Sailor Brennan.
The virginal archer is supposed to babysit my ass while I learn to take my place in Royal Pipelines, my family’s oil company.
Little does she know, that’s not the only pipe I’ll be laying…

Sailor
I didn’t want this gig, okay?
But the deal was too sweet to walk away from.
I needed the public endorsement; Hunter needed a nanny.
Besides, what’s six months in the grand scheme of things?
It’s not like I’m in danger of falling in love with the appallingly gorgeous, charismatic gazillionaire who happens to be one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors.
No. I will remain immune to Hunter Fitzpatrick’s charm.
Even at the cost of losing everything I have.
Even at the cost of burning down his kingdom.

‘The girl wondered what would happen if the sun kissed the moon. She had no idea she’d find an answer to that question one day.’

Scandal…..and Hunter’s Dad decides to save him from himself and Sailor Brennan was going to be his babysitter. (Hello Troy Brennan!)

Boredom is bread from knowing what to expect so when opposites attract, you know it’s going to be good!

Sailor and Hunter are both uniquely amazing, their insecurities made them who they were. Their banter and their inner monologue made my life and I fell in love with Hunter with every passing chapter

This is a yes book.

Yes, I was Googling gaelic words,

Yes, you will want to read this,

Yes please,

Yes to it all.

As we all know the outbreak caused most factories around the world to temporarily close for several weeks and shipping is now slower due to reduced flights so it was understandable that boxes were going to be late.

BUT I RECEIVED MARCH’S BOX!!!

And let me tell you, it was a corker! I love every item in it!

Theme = Break the Curse

Raven Boys Headband – Illustrated by @tatatjah

Wonderland Passport Cover – Designed by @noverantale

Queen of Nothing Tumbler – Designed by @noverantale

Caraval Lanyard – Illustrations by @catarinabookdesigns

Genie Notepad – Illustrated by @catarinabookdesigns

 

Cursebreaker Book Sleeve – Designed by @eviebookish

Tarot Cards (Throne of Glass) – Designed by @Gabriella.bujdoso

 

I also wanted to give special mention to the postcard that was sent from Fairyloot hopong it would brighten our day….and it certainly did.

 

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Bone Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie

Shimmery sprayed edges ✔

Foil on the title ✔

Artwork on reverse of dust jacket ✔

Signed ✔

 

* the Fairyloot Readalong starts 4th May*

 

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm, see her original post here.

Top 5 Worst Rulers

I thought this was going to be hard but once I sat down to think about it, it really wasn’t!

Dolores Umbridge

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Ok, not strictly a ruler but headmistress. I can safely say that I have never hated anyone more than I hated Umbridge and she was the WORST headmistress (and person!)

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Ace Anarchy

Supernova by Marissa Meyer

I really wanted Ace to make a comeback but when I realised he absolutely didn’t give a crappola about Nova, only what she could do to make him the ‘ruler’ of Gatlon, he went right down in my estimations!

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Joffrey Baratheon

Game of Thrones by George RR Martin

I don’t need to explain this surely? This weasley little git was vile!

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Queen Lilith

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

Eva’s mum was just pure evil.

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King Eldred Greenbriar aka Cardan’s Dad

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Useless, just useless!

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Who makes your list?

Title: Illuminae

Series: The Illuminae Files #1

Author: Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the worst thing she’d ever been through. That was before her planet was invaded. Now, with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra are forced to fight their way onto one of the evacuating craft, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But the warship could be the least of their problems. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their biggest threat; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady plunges into a web of data hacking to get to the truth, it’s clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: Ezra.

‘First. Survive. Then tell the truth.’

Ok, the audio was just totally amazing. If you have the chance, listen to it! I did laugh how they blanked out the swears though!!!

I need to see the physical book now as the events in this story are told through logs, IM’s, interviews, comms etc and this came through on the audio so well so want to see what the book looks like!

Kady Grant and Ezra Mason have just gone through a break up and then the world starts to end! Attacked and separated, they fight to get back together and try to survive the virus, affected people and an AI that is trying to kill, I mean protect everyone on board!

I must admit, at first, I didn’t know if I was enjoying this story but about a quarter through I was hooked, it was so cool!

Kady and Ezra were just so sweet. I listened to this book with such a massive feeling of dread, I was so worried about these characters!! Listening to Ezra made me tear up, he cannot bear the thought of leaving Kady behind. Gah heart in mouth!

To sum up, this was a totally fabulous story, I was worried that with the format of this that I wasnt going to like to characters, like it was too impersonal or something but my worries were brushed away with the swipe of a hazmat suit! I cant wait to see what comes next!

Now my reading mojo is firmly back, I feel much better about wanting allllll the books but believe it or not there are only 2 that I want need that are releasing in June!

(If I can stick to this then I’ll be amazed!)

Hood by Jenny Elder Moke

The daughter of Robin Hood? OMG, yes please!

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The Damned by Renee Ahdieh

I was actually granted an arc of this but I need that hardback to go with The Beautiful!

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Do you want any of the above?

What others are you looking forward to?