Title: The Wicked in Me

Series: Devil’s Cradle #1

Author: Suzanne Wright

No one really knows what they are. Only that they’re the first civilization. Aeons, they call themselves. They’re immortal. Powerful. Secretive.

And they’ll come for her.

Witch Wynter Dellavale knows that for certain. Because in unfairly trying to execute her, they started a chain of events they’re struggling to stop.

Needing safety, she flees to Devil’s Cradle, the home of monsters. A place for the outcasts, the fugitives, the crazies. A place ruled by the Ancients, seven beings who were once banished by the Aeons. Among the Ancients is the infamous Cain, brother of Abel and embodiment of jealousy — who, on another note, wants her in his bed.

There’s a heavy price for the safety the Ancients offer, but Wynter will have to pay it. She can’t take on the Aeons alone. And she has no intention of dying — been there, done that.

Not that she’ll be the easy prey the Aeons are expecting. They have no knowledge of the … thing that lives inside her. You see, when witches are brought back from the afterlife, they don’t always come back the same.

And they don’t always come back alone.

Wynter is banished from her Coven and picks up some stragglers and goes to a place called Devils Cradle. I can assure you this has one of the best found families I’ve ever read. They are a hoot!

Devils Cradle also comes with the Ancients who are basically trapped there and look after it, Cain being one of them and he certainly takes an interest in Wynter!

There is drama, violence, trials, schexy times, secrets and laughter, a lot of laughter!

Hattie was one of my favourite characters with her books! ‘Hattie read erotic books like it was her job—the filthier the better, in her opinion.’ I was obsessed with her!!!

I do have questions though:
Where does the story go from here?
Are the other Aeons coming?
When’s the next book out?
Did Hattie find her copy of 50 Shades?!

Fairyloot Adult – May 2023

Kiss or Kill

A spymaster to the Queen with an affinity for persuasion but a tragedy strikes and dark magic rises and she has to work with the Queen’s Enforcer, who she doesn’t like!

The Curse of Saints by Kate Dramis

Exclusive redesigned cover @monolimeart
Ombre sprayed edge
Foiled hardcover by @blanca.design
Endpaper art by @monolimeart
Signed
Bonus Chapter

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 or Covers that Feel/Look Like Summer

It would appear that I don’t read summer type books because I found most of mine are dark!!!!

The Liars Crown by Abigail Owen
Gothikana by Runyx
The Hedge Witch by Cari Thomas
This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

What’s on your list?

AFTERLIGHT – May 2023

An Afterlight add on month and I couldn’t resist!

This box included:

Fizzy Feelings Bubble Bar – designed by @ascent_bath_and_body
I would’ve loved to have shown this alas my son took it and used it in his bath!!!!!

Great Adventure Passport Cover – designed by @creativewannabe_


FEATURED BOOK/S

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

Exclusive hardback
Exclusive cover
Digitally printed edges
Foiling on the hardcover
Digital signature
Author letter – art by @nekokonut22

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’ve had a week off work and my son has been on school holidays and it’s been a great week! We went to the seaside, we had a family meal out for my birthday and we also ate a lot of cake!!!

It’s also been a slow reading week again, I just can’t get it together but it’s always this way for me in the Spring and Summer, I’m a total seasonal reader!

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What I’ve Read

🎧 Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Thornhedge by T Kingfisher
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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New arrivals

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
The Curse of Saints by Kate Dramis
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

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You might have missed…..

Review – Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs
Review – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

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What have you read lately?

Title: Lessons in Chemistry

Author: Bonnie Garmus

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.

I’ve heard that this is a marmite book, you either hate it or love it and I was the latter – loved it!

I must admit that I did not expect what happened very early on in this book so please note the trigger warnings.

I also admit that this book pulled so many emotions from me! The treatment of Elizabeth made my blood boil, it was pure injustice! I literally had to put the book down at one point because I was so utterly mad! How did we live like this?

So….this is basically the tale of Elizabeth’s life and everything she needed to fight for.

It was dark, endearing and Six Thirty owns my heart!

I was thinking about the book ages after I’d finished it, it just kept popping back in my head! The mark of a good book!

‘Far up in the deep blue sky, Great white clouds are floating by; All the world is dressed in green; Many happy birds are seen, Roses bright and sunshine clear Show that lovely June is here.’ ~ F. G. Sanders

‘In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explodes, and every sunset is different.’ ~ John Steinbeck

Happy June!

Have a great month!

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: Things That Make Me Instantly NOT Want to Read a Book

Just want to say that these are my opinions, if you like some of these, please don’t hate me (it’s my birthday!) They just aren’t for me!

These all get on my nerves so probably won’t read……in no particular order….(and no books mentioned so not to offend!!!):

Love triangles 🤢
Billionaire romance 😫
Erotica 🥴
Horror 😨
Marketed as ‘The Next Big Thing’ 😒
Violence against children ❌️
Bad editing ❌️
Lots of filler 😕
Over flowery writing 😒

What would you have picked?

Title: Ink Blood Sister Scribe

Author: Emma Torsz

For generations, the Kalotay family has guarded a collection of ancient and rare books. Books that let a person walk through walls or manipulate the elements–books of magic that half-sisters Joanna and Esther have been raised to revere and protect.

All magic comes with a price, though, and for years the sisters have been separated. Esther has fled to a remote base in Antarctica to escape the fate that killed her own mother, and Joanna’s isolated herself in their family home in Vermont, devoting her life to the study of these cherished volumes. But after their father dies suddenly while reading a book Joanna has never seen before, the sisters must reunite to preserve their family legacy. In the process, they’ll uncover a world of magic far bigger and more dangerous than they ever imagined, and all the secrets their parents kept hidden; secrets that span centuries, continents, and even other libraries . . .

I don’t know where to start! I want to express my deep and utter love for this book! I’m a bit speechless which is not like me at all!

Joanna and Esther are half sisters who are connected by more than blood. Joanna looks after a collection of magical books and Esther travels the world, never staying in one place for too long, under the threat of something she doesn’t really know about.

This book had:
~ A book about magical books!
~ A magical library,
~ An utterly fab magic system,
~The dastardly villain,
~ The unassuming heroes,
~ Characters who were relatable and loveable.

What this book also had was everything I love about a book. A scoop of fantasy, a dash of thriller, a dollop of dark academia with a tiny splash of romance. All woven together to make it a tome that is worthy of all the stars!