Title: Longshadow

Series: Regency Faerie Tales #3

Author: Olivia Atwater

Proper Regency ladies are not supposed to become magicians – but Miss Abigail Wilder is far from proper.

The marriageable young ladies of London are dying mysteriously, and Abigail Wilder intends to discover why. Abigail’s father, the Lord Sorcier of England, believes that a dark lord of faerie is involved – but while Abigail is willing to match her magic against Lord Longshadow, neither her father nor high society believe that she is capable of doing so.

Thankfully, Abigail is not the only one investigating the terrible events in London. Mercy, a street rat and self-taught magician, insists on joining Abigail to unravel the mystery. But while Mercy’s own magic is strange and foreboding, she may well post an even greater danger to Abigail’s heart.

I absolutely loved Half a Soul so when I saw this I knew I needed to dive right in!

Here we have Elias Wilder and Dora’s adopted daughter, Abigail, and if you’ve read Half A Soul, you’ll know who she is.

Abigail has mortal and faerie magic and is on the trail to find the murderer of young girls. Along with her brother who is a ghost (Hugh) and a girl they find along the way, Mercy, they investigate and all fingers point to a faerie, Lord Longshadow.

* As in HaS, I loved the time period and the descriptions of the places they went in London, I want to go back there to soak it all up!

* The magic was magical! Loved the faeries!

* Absolutely loved Hugh. He is so sweet, I want to Mumma hug him!

* Loved seeing Elias and Dora again (especially Elias!)

*Abigail and Mercy = so cute together and made my heart sing!

I am now aware that I’ve missed a book in the middle of this series but I don’t think it affected my ability to follow along with this book, not that I realised anyway! So I’m off to get that!

July theme – IN TOO DEEP!

Sometimes we find ourselves in a bit of hot water (literally or figuratively!) and need a bit of creative thinking to work our way out.

Items inspired by A Darker Shade of Magic, Black Sun, and an officially licensed Folk of the Air item! There is also a fandom neutral item!

💛 Beneath the Waves Towel – inspired by Folk of the Air with artwork by @yoshiyoshitani
💛 Night Spire Travel Toothbrush and holder – artwork by @no0nedesigns (ADSoM)
💛 Flow Like a River Water Bottle – designed by @rosdottir
💛 Black Sun Straw Set – straws representing the four clans

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Exclusive cover ✔️
Stencilled edges ✔️
Reverse dust jacket art by Niall C Grant ✔️
Foil embossing by Niall C Grant ✔️

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 I Love That Were Written Over Ten Years Ago

Until Sun Falls From the Sky by Kristen Ashley
Lacybourne Manor by Kristen Ashley
Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
Angelfall by Susan Ee

Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

What would your picks be?

Did we all predict that my only getting 3 books a month would come crashing down round my ears in September?

Well your prediction was correct!!!

I have preordered them all 🤣

Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber
Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco

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What books are you looking forward to?

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?

The heatwave has returned. And it’s stayed longer. And I am not happy about it! Time to see how much it costs to have air conditioning put into my house!!!!

One bit of good news is we have school shoes! It only took us 10 days and umpteen shops to find a pair deemed ‘suitable’!!!!

Reading wise I read 2 arcs and finished off a couple of audiobooks I had started but didn’t get finished in time for my last update so I did really well!

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What I’ve Read

Last of the Talons by Sophie Kim
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here


The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here


🎧 The Water Witch by Jessica Thorne
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review here


🎧 The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See my review soon!

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New arrivals

Still on my buying ban and have been so good which totally isn’t like me!

You might have missed…..

Review – Book of Night by Holly Black
Review – Indecent Demands by Marlee Wray
Feature – New-to-me authors: July
Unboxing – Fairyloot YA unboxing July 22

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What have you read lately?

July Young Adult theme – TRIALS & RETRIBUTION!

Some of us battle storms, facing trial after trial with the hope of achieving peace… others only want retribution. This box is dedicated to characters that are willing to do whatever is needed to achieve their goal!

Items inspired by A Darker Shade of Magic, Dance of Thieves, Gideon The Ninth, Greek mythology and a fandom neutral item.

🖤 Metal Straws with a Greek pattern
🖤 Letter Opener – inspired by Lila from A Darker Shade of Magic designed by @jezhawk
🖤 Print Album with a design by @chattynora
🖤 Pin Banner designed by @blanca.design inspired by Dance of Thieves
🖤 Gideon Socks designed by @forensicsandflowers
🖤 Tarot Cards – Sloane and Dane from Blood Scion, illustrated by @arz28

BOOK OF THE MONTH

The Darkening by Sunya Mara

Exclusive cover ✔️
2 colour stencilled sprayed edges ✔️
Foil on hardcover by @taratjah ✔️
Artwork on endpapers by @taratjah✔️
Signed ✔️

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 Netgalley books 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 June I’d read 23 new-to-me authors and now I’ve read 29 so far this year!

Sangu Mandanna
Casey McQuiston
Elise Kova
Rebecca Roanhorse
Harper L Woods
Juno Dawson

Have you read any new to you authors this month?

Title: The Water Witch

Author: Jessica Thorne

Sitting side by side on the clifftop, he turns to her solemnly and says, ‘The water witch is real.’ She rolls her eyes and grins, teasing him. ‘Sure. A psycho mermaid. Got it.’ But now he’s gone forever… will she find the truth beneath the waves?

Brittany, France. Ariadne Walker’s fiancé Simon drowned in the stormy Atlantic Ocean doing what he loved: searching for the lost underwater city of Ys. Local legend says it was destroyed centuries ago when the princess of Ys became a water witch, cursing the name of the man who betrayed her.

Ari never believed these tall tales. And the letter Simon sent before he died finishing their relationship is a devastating secret she’ll take to the grave. But arriving in Brittany, Ari encounters a man emerging from the sea in a rocky cove, saltwater dripping from his dark hair. Rafael swears the legends are true: and his ancestor was cursed by the water witch. Now, his own life is in terrible danger. And the secret to breaking the curse lies hidden in the lost city.

When Ari finds a cryptic map and a golden mask of a woman’s face amongst Simon’s things, she has no choice but to believe Rafael’s plea. Can they follow the trail and save Rafael’s life? Pouring over the map by candlelight, the flickering flames only add to the heat between them… but will Ari’s fragile heart soon be shattered all over again? And will they ever find Ys and break the curse – or will the water witch demand another sacrifice?

This was amazing! I was absolutely hooked!

I listened to the audio and the narrator was fabulous so can totally recommend!

Ari goes back to where her fiance, Simon drowned in France to help her brother come closer to finding the mysterious lost city called Ys and discovers more about a water witch curse, herself and she also meets the enigmatic Rafael.

It was full of local legend, drama, betrayal and a twist I didn’t really see coming! I especially loved the romance between Ari and Rafael even though that wasn’t the centre of this tale.

I look forward to reading more of this author!

Title: Indecent Demands

Series: Dark Knights

Author: Marlee Wray

My stepbrother hates me. I need his help. What he expects in return is unthinkable.

Somewhere in the night there’s a predator called Casanova. He’s transformed a beautiful university campus into his hunting ground. A lone lavender rose marks me as his next victim…unless I’m willing to turn to the most powerful person I know.

Shane Moran is devastatingly gorgeous. And secretly dangerous. Our poisonous past has him bent on revenge, so if I want his protection, I’ll have to submit to his dark demands. And this time, we’ll go too far to ever turn back.

I really enjoyed this read, couldn’t put it down and read in 1 sitting!!!

Shane and Avery have a past and as a result all parties were hurt and estranged. But now they go to the same university so when Avery is contacted by a serial killer she goes to Shane for help. And he has a proposal for her…….

Shane is alpha, protective, has links to the mafia and questionable business practices but he’s actually a good guy. ..and I loved him!!!

‘It means… she’s the one, and she knows it.’

Avery did get on my wick a few times but her character growth was written so well.

This author is a first for me and wont be the last! I think Declan is next and I can’t wait to read it!