Title: Sword Catcher

Series: Sword Catcher #1

Author: Cassandra Clare

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword-Catcher—the body-double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are close as brothers, but Kel knows he has one destiny: to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community who still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls in the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend Mariam without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces. As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will Lin and Kel’s discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

Well I can, with absolute certainty, say that I loved this book!

This is the authors first adult book and she has nailed it but she also brings with her the same addictive storyline as the Shadowhunters did. 

Kellian Saren is bought from the orphanage to the Palace when he is 10 to see if he is suitable to be Prince Conors, Kiralar, aka bodyguard, aka Sword Catcher.

Now grown, Kel and Conor find themselves involved in all sorts of trouble!

We also meet Lin Caster who is an Ashkar (magic user) and the only woman physician of her people. Something that she thinks many think of her as ‘peculiar’!

Their paths meet and it basically all kicks off! Secrets are revealed, drama ensues, court politics are everywhere and it’s a case of trust no one, I suspected everyone!!!! I have so many questions that I need answering!

One thing I will say is that I absolutely adored the romance! Shocker I know but not for the reasons you think, because this was cleverly written! You make assumptions in your head thinking it’s going one way but it’s not! Well I didn’t think it was but it remains to be seen!!!

So, in short, this is a fabulous book and I urge you to read it to get pulled into the rich, lavish world of Castellane. Although there is 1 person who reeks of deception to me but I now have a long wait for book 2 to find out!

‘Come inside, we have a great deal of work to do.’

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: Ten Books I Nearly DNF’d But So Glad I Didn’t!

So I’ve changed this as I don’t keep a note of books I DNF and also didn’t want to be too negative so I’m doing books I nearly DNF’d but so glad I didn’t because I loved them in the end!

Flatshare
Icebreaker
Thorns Remain
Ninth House
Thread of Angels

Mind Walker
River Enchanted
Poppy War
Red Rising
City of Brass

What about you?

I’m on holiday!

Me, my son and my parents are off on holiday until the 30th and the last time we went there the internet was atrocious!!!

I have scheduled some posts in but the likelihood is that I won’t be blog hopping and commenting but will try my best to catch up when I get back!

Hope you have a great week!

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’m going on holiday tomorrow! Can’t wait for no alarms, pool time, beach time and a slower pace of life!

This week was the last week of school for the summer for my son and work for me along with an office day.

We went to the shops yesterday and was amazed to see all the summer stuff on sale and heard a worker telling someone they need it all cleared to make room for the Autumn, Halloween and Christmas stuff – I couldn’t have been happier!!!!!

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New Arrivals

A Fall of Ruin and Wrath by JLA
Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Beldree
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske
A Demons Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley

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What I’ve Read

A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas
Reread – all the stars!

🎧 Penmort Castle by Kristen Ashley
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🎧 Our King: Charles III by Robert Jobson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Happyhead by Josh Silver
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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You might have missed…..

Review – My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey
Feature – Books releasing August
Review – The Curse of Saints by Kate Dramis
Review – Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by Carissa Broadbent

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What have you read lately?

Title: The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King

Series: Crowns of Nyaxia #2

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power – and the devastating love that could be her downfall.

‘Maybe the king always knew that his greatest love would be his ruination. Maybe he knew it the moment he met her. He’d know it the second time he died, too.’

As in book 1, I was hooked on this story! Enemies to lovers part 2 at its finest!

All I can say is Raihn and Oraya really bit off more than they could chew here and were certainly put through the ringer! There was deception, unlikely allies, a lot of action, secrets, deliciousness and Raihn, god love him!

Apart from the devour worthy story there were 2 things that deserve a special mention:

The flashbacks, omg the flashbacks! I am a sucker for them in any book but these, basically from 2 points of view, made my life!

Then there were the quotes. I must have highlighted around 100 different quotes but, of course, I won’t bore you with them all, so here’s a couple:

‘It was all her. Deadly and stunning. Even her hatred was fucking beautiful.’

‘There she is.’

Title: The Curse of Saints

Series: Curse of Saints #1

Author: Kate Dramis

Has she been sent to save the realm or destroy it?

As Spymaster to the Queen, Aya’s blood oath ensures she protects those she fights alongside – including Will, the Queen’s Enforcer and Aya’s bitter rival.

When rumors of dark magic rise in a nearby kingdom, both are sent to investigate.

But when Aya’s power acts beyond her gods-given affinity, she risks being turned into a weapon in a war she doesn’t know how to win.

And when her relationship with Will unexpectedly shifts, neither knows the danger that will follow . . .

Total 5 star read and up there with my fave books of the year. Yes I said it!

Aya, Will and Tova are the Tria, the Queens advisers and ‘doers’…..all with their own special powers. Until it all goes a bit awry!

This book has everything I’m looking for in a romantasy: political intrigue, hate to love, very morally grey characters, tension and the ‘I will do anything and everything for you’!!

Special shout out to Will who most on the readalong I did were not a fan of but I adored him from the start! (I did question myself as to what was wrong with me!)

The quotes in this book had me tapping on my phone like a mad person trying to get them all down! So many fabulous quotes!

The angst and the emotional rollercoaster this book put me through! I can only pray the author is more merciful in the next book!!!

‘No matter how far the fall.’

Here’s what’s tantalising me that’s releasing in August (that I’ll probably buy!!)

Love Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
This Cursed Light Emily Thiede
Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
The Cursed Harper L Woods
Never a Hero by Vanessa Len

Will you be getting any of these?

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: Books With One-Word Titles

Gothikana
Ledge
Ambrosia
Reputation
Revelle

Unseelie
Godkiller
Belladonna
Thorn
Heartstopper

What would you choose?

Title: My Killer Vacation

Author: Tessa Bailey

It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just me and my beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in our rental house really throws a wrench into our tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe I can be helpful, despite countless hours of true crime podcast listening. Not to mention a fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders.

A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary schoolteacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on my life, we’re stuck together, come hell or high tide.

I’m just here to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although… it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have her around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds me of the home I left behind three years ago. In other words, the painful hunger and protectiveness she is waking up in me is a threat to my peace of mind. Before I sink any deeper into this dangerous attraction, I need to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take her from me before I realize the road has been leading to her all along?

Taylor and her brother, Jude, are on holiday – they both need it. What they don’t need is finding a dead dude in their holiday home!

Enter Myles, bounty hunter. Taylor decides to spice her life up and armed with her crime docus knowledge, she can’t resist helping!!! Much to Myles annoyance!!!!!

I absolutely loved this book! It was a light-hearted whodunit with humour, banter and segsual tension that nearly drove me over the edge, it was off the charts! Those 2, although polar opposites, are made for each other!

Also Myles’ internal monologue had me laughing out loud (and feeling a bit sorry for him as he experienced all those emotions!!!)

‘That nosy school teacher wants it down and dirty.’

I had an inkling of who I thought was the baddie and I was completely wrong!!!!!