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.

I hope you had a great week!

I’m sort of back! I had my eye operation on 7th August, and let me tell you, it was awful. My eye is absolutely gruesome and I won’t be able to see out of it for a few weeks. I also had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics which landed me back in hospital with a swollen head and neck – the joy!!!!

My son has been an absolute star! He’s been cooking, putting in my drops (6 times a day!!) and just generally making sure I’m ok. What a gem.

Audiobooks have been my best friend! I amassed a stock of them before my op and I needed them. It was so boring doing nothing!

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🎧 Never the Roses by Jennifer K Lambert
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🎧 Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See my reviews soon!

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Feature – September Releases
Review – Never the Roses by Jennifer K Lambert

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Review – The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley  
Review – Tusk Love by Thea Guanzon

What have you read lately?

Title: Never the Roses

Author: Jennifer K Lambert

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BLURB

UNSTOPPABLE WAR. UNSPEAKABLE SINS. IMPOSSIBLE LOVE.

The Dread Sorceress Oneira has retired. She’s exhausted from fighting the endless wars of kings and queens, and has long accepted that her death is near. Alone at last but for a few uninvited companions―a near-mythical wolf, a goddess’s avatar, and a feline that embodies magic itself―Oneira realizes that she’s bored. On a whim, or perhaps at the behest of fate, she makes an unlikely trip to the most extensive library in existence: the home of her most powerful rival, the sorcerer Stearanos.

By recklessly stealing a book from him, Oneira inadvertently initiates a forbidden correspondence. Taunting notes and clever retorts reveal a connection neither has found―nor could ever find―in any other.

But Oneira soon learns that Stearanos, bound to a vile king, is tasked with waging war on the queen she once served. A relationship with him is far too dangerous to pursue despite their mutual desire―and yet, Oneira can’t seem to stay away.

A bond with Stearanos could alight the long-extinct flame of life within her… or it could destroy her entirely.

I listened to the audiobook as I’ve just had an eye op but wanted to leave a review!

Don’t you love a book about books?

Well, this is…..sort of!

‘His library was terribly seductive.’

This book was so cute, 2 older characters, both powerful sorcerers who should be enemies. They find they have lots in common, including that they are used at the whims of the rulers who own them.

Watching Oneira and Stearanos made me feel like a peeper and I loved every minute – they were so cute!

The letters were quite sweet and I find myself wanting to know what the roses and Oneira’s pink beach looks like!

‘Thief of my heart.’

Book 2 please!

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Sound like something you’d like?

Here’s what’s tantalising me that’s releasing in September…

It’s going to be a good month! Only 4 books and I’ve preordered them all!!!!!

Holly by Adalyn Grace
Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross 
What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller
A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal

Will you be getting 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 Guaranteed to Put an End to Your Book Slump

Some of my faves here!

One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Blood and Steel by Helen Scheuerer
Plier by Jane Washington
Seven Year Slip by Ashley Postin

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas
Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley
Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley

 

Have you read any of these?

July 2025 – Yours Hatefully

I am yours in truth and hate.

Fandoms this month: Divine Rivals, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, A Dark and Drowning Tide and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries!

💛 Enchanted Ink Plate Set – designed by @_studio_AO inspired by Divine Rivals
💛 Messenger to the Old Gods Watering Globe – inspired by The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt
💛 Ruhigburg Expedition Water Bottlr Bag – with artwork from @swanbones inspired by A Dark and Drowning Tide
💛 Notes of the Fae Sticky Notes – inspired by Emily Wilde’s, with artwork by @smugcomputer

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

✨ An exclusive redesigned cover on an acetate jacket (art by @frostbite.studios; design by @chattynora)
✨ Full colour art on the hardback (art by @frostbite.studios; design by @chattynora)
✨ Digitally printed edges (by @chattynora)
✨ Illustrated endpapers (by @flyora.art); different front and back
✨ Bound-in author letter
✨ Bonus content
✨ Digitally signed by the author

Title: Arcana Academy

Series: Arcana Academy #1

Author: Elise Kova

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BLURB

Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved for practitioners at the elite Arcana Academy.

Just when it seems her luck has run dry, the academy’s enigmatic headmaster, Prince Kaelis, offers her an escape-for a price. Kaelis believes that Clara is the perfect tool to help him steal a tarot card from the king and use it to re-create an all-powerful card long lost to time.

In order to conceal her identity and keep her close, Kaelis brings Clara to Arcana Academy, introducing her as the newest first-year student and his bride-to-be.

Thrust into a world of arcane magic and royal intrigue, where one misstep will send her back to prison or worse, Clara finds that the prince she swore to hate may not be what he seems. But can she risk giving him power over the world-and her heart? Or will she take it for herself?

Clara Greysword is broken out of prison and is sent to Arcana Academy where she finds herself betrothed the headmaster/Prince, Kaelis. But Kaelis needs her for her power for inking tarot cards and her thievery.

~ The tarot magic system was AMAZING
~ Dark Academia
~ High stakes
~ Dubious Royals 
~ A tortured, brooding Prince
~ A cunning heroine
~ Danger round every corner
~ A slow burn romance that kept me on the edge of my seat.

There were a couple of schexy scenes when I realised that Kaelis is an actual God!

I listened to the audiobook and it was such an easy listening experience and, although I found the pacing  was quite slow in places, I cannot wait for the next book!

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Sound like something you’d like?

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!

In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.

The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. It is currently hosted by Reading Reality.

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It’s been a good month because it seems I’ve been a little bit more restrained….but I was on holiday for a week!

Books I Bought
A Vow of Embers by Sariah Wilson
A Crown So Silver by Lyra Selene
Arcana Academy by Elise Kova (Fairyloot)

Advanced Reader Copies
Brigands and Breadknives by Travis Baldree
🎧 Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
Fallen City by Adrienne Young
Cinder House by Freya Marske

I’d better get reading!

 

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: Genre Freebie!

Fantasy books I still have to read from my tbr

Let’s be honest, I could’ve picked at least 80 books so I’ve added in 10 that I am looking forward to reading!

A Steeping of Blood by Hafsah Faizal
Broken Souls and Bones by LJ Andrews
A Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher
Carving Shadows into Gold by Brigid Kemmerer
Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J Tuli
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
Bone Smith by Nicki Pau Preto
A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

 

Have you read any of these?

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.

I hope you had a great week!

Sorry – this is a double update as I didn’t read anything whilst I was on holiday, so no Sunday Post last week!

Back to work for me and also had my pre-op for my eye surgery to fix that pesky hole! Passed with flying colours!

My operation is on Thursday, so I’ll disappear for a bit as I have to sit with my head face down in neck pillows for 7 days – I kid you not! I have scheduled in some posts though!

I’ve bought many audiobooks to listen to so I don’t get bored!

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Arcana Academy by Elise Kova
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

See my review soon!

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Unboxing – Illumicrate Unboxing – June 2025
Mini Review – Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy: July 2025
Review – Thorns and Fire by Helen Scheuerer
Calendar – Hello August

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Feature – July Haul
Review – Arcana Academy by Elise Kova

What have you read lately?