Happy July!!!

Just a short post to wish you a great month and leave you with a couple of quotes!

“If you’re not barefoot, then you’re overdressed.” – Unknown

“July: Just take me to the Ocean.” – Unknown

Aaaah, books, don’t we just love them (hellz yes!)

What better way to spread that love by posting….well, about how much we loved them!

Each year I do a halfway through the year post and a Blogmas post about the best books I’ve read this year….so here is my halfway post!

These are my ‘best books’ of 2022 (not necessarily released then, I read then!)

Zodiac Academy (books 2, 3 and 4) by Caroline Peckham
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni
All for the Game Trilogy by Nora Sakavic

What have been your best books so far this year.

A little mid year update to see if I am on track!!

The Audiobook Challenge is ran by The Caffeinated Reviewer and she asked us to choose our level and rock our ears off!

#2022AudiobookChallenge


I listened to 12 audios in 2021 so I wanted to beat that so I said I wanted to go for 15 listens! (10 to 15 – Stenographer – can listen while multitasking!!!)

Well hold on to your horses because…..I HAVE REACHED MY GOAL ALREADY!!!!!

So in true bookworm style, I am moving the goalposts and now I am aiming for Binge Listener (Why read when someone can do it for you) – 20-30 audios!!!!

Here are the 15 I listened to from January until now:

1) Red Rising by Pierce Brown
2) Evershore by Brandon Sanderson
3) Daughters of Nri by Reni K Amayo
4) Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco
5) Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

6) The Poppy War by RF Kuang
7) Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin
8) Black Witch by Laurie Forest
9) Iron Flower by Laurie Forest
10) Shadow Wand by Laurie Forest

11) Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
12) Becoming his Monster by Amelia Hutchins
13) Crave by Tracy Wolff
14) The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
15) A Destiny of Dragons by TJ Klune

Did you take part in this challenge? How are you doing?

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 On My Summer 2022 To-Read List

I find these hard to write, well maybe not write but to stick too as I’m such a mood reader but these are books I want to read soonish…..maybe, probably!!!!

Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Heat Wave by TJ Klune
Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco
Steelstriker by Marie Lu

Penmort Castle by Kristen Ashley
Untethered by Kaylynn Flanders
Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko
Namesake by Adrienne Young
Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

What books are on your summer reading list?

Title: Stealing Infinity

Series: Stolen Beauty #1

Author: Alyson Noel

My life goes completely sideways the moment I meet the mysterious Braxton. Sure, he’s ridiculously hot, but he’s also the reason I’ve been kicked out of school and recruited into Gray Wolf Academy—a remote island school completely off the grid. I never should have trusted a face so perfect.

But the reality of why Gray Wolf wanted me is what truly blows my mind. It’s a school for time travelers. Tripping, they call it. This place is filled with elaborate costumes and rare artifacts, where every move is strategic and the halls are filled with shadows and secrets.

Here, what you see isn’t always what it appears. Including Braxton. Because even though there’s an energy connecting us together, the more secrets he keeps from me, the more it feels like something is pulling us apart. Something that has to do with this place—and its darker purpose. It’s all part of a guarded, elaborate puzzle of history and time…and I might be one of the missing pieces.

Now I have all the time in the world. And yet I can’t shake the feeling that time is the one thing I’m about to run out of…fast.

‘When you can’t go back, the only choice left is to move forward.’

This is what Natasha is left with after she is framed and finds herself with a choice. Her Dad has gone, her mum is just vacant and Natasha has spiralled downwards. So she opts for a new life at Gray Wolf Academy, owned by mega rich recluse, Arthur Blackstone. And it is beyond anything she knows!

What follows is Natasha’s huge character growth with an evil genius and his minions at her side doing things she would have never dreamed of!

This was a unique, fast paced plot which left me on the edge of my seat!

I absolutely love the idea of Gray Wolf Academy and would love to visit it! I loved seeing Nat coming into her own, the scheming and I actually really liked how all the characters were written. As I said, the plot was unique so that’s a plus and and going back to all those historical places was magical.

Braxton has a place in my heart and I am hoping my trust isn’t misguided!!! Also I am very, very curious about Killian so am hoping well see more of him in the next book!

Title: The Dragons Promise

Series: Six Crimson Cranes #2

Author: Elizabeth Lim

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win.

Let me just start by saying this……I’m not up for triangles. The reason I’m not is because normally my fave guy loses!! So imagine my surprise in SCC when I loved both. Equally. What would this book do to my heart?

Well lets find out!

‘Make sure he deserves you.’

In this book we went from the dragon city of Ai’long back to Kiata then to a forbidden land with Shori on her adventures to reunite the pearl with its owner and stop the evil Bandur. With him haunting her every step!

Although I found this book slower than the last there were so many things I loved…..

~ Seryu – my dragon prince!
~ Ai’long, the dragon world, it was described so beautifully!
~ A familiar character who bought me a lot of joy!
~ Takkan, what a heartthrob!
~ Kiki – she is up there with my fave sarcastic animal sidekicks with her keeping it real attitude!

And one last mention of a new someone who is a totally new fave! Elang……

‘You’d do well to remember this: your heart is your home. Until you understand that, you belong nowhere.’

I’m hoping next for a book about Elang? Finding his pearl and his HEA?! Please!

In conclusion, my heart wasn’t broke and this was a good read!

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!