June 2025 – Darkly Decadent

Within the lurking darkness, decadence can always be found.

Fandoms this month include The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, House of Hollow, Hungerstone and This Ravenous Fate!

💛 Nested Soul Mug – artwork by @rosiethorns88 inspired by Last Tale of the Flower Bride

💛 Darkness Within Picnic Blanket – House of Hollow inspired with artwork by @kristinheldtart

💛 The Saint Empire Spoon Rest – artwork by @_studio_AO inspired by This Ravenous Fate

💛 For What Do You Hunger Recipe Cards – Hungerstone inspired with artwork by @julie.reinhart_

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

✨ An exclusive redesigned cover (art by @cedarcia; design by @perrycuffdesigns)
✨ Full colour art and foil on the hardback (by @peachie.mochi)
✨ Digitally printed edges (by @cedarcia)
✨ Illustrated endpapers with foil (by @kudriaken); different front and back
✨ Bound-in author letter
✨ Bonus content
✨ Digitally signed by the author

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 Set in Schools/Colleges/Academies

This week we had the pick of where we wanted our books to be set in, so I chose places of learning.

Most of the time I struggle to get 10 of anything, but this week, I’m doing a Sophie aka Beware of the Reader by adding more than 10!!!!!!

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
The Language of Dragons by SF Williamson
Iron and Embers by Helen Scheuerer
Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
Never Keep by Caroline Peckham
Blood and Steel by Helen Scheuerer
Plier by Jane Washington
The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
The Coven by Harper L Woods
Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham 

Have you read any of these?

Title: Goldfinch

Series: Plated Prisoner #6

Author: Raven Kennedy

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BOOKS IN THE SERIES

Gild / Glint / Gleam

(I think I gave up reviewing the next 2 books but I loved Gold so don’t know why I didn’t review!!!!)

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BLURB

One king caged my body.

Another has caged my mind.

War has broken out between Annwyn and Orea, though that’s not the only battle being waged.

There’s a fight inside me, and it’s one I’m determined to win, no matter how much they try to strip me down and hollow me out.

Yet they’ve forgotten one thing. The ancient magic of the pair bond. One can never truly be lost when two souls are already bound.

Because Slade and I? We are connected by more than just fated magic, and we will always find each other.

In any life.

The fae king is trying to destroy me. My heritage. My memory. But what he hasn’t realized is this: gold bends, but stone breaks.

And a Goldfinch does not fall.

It flies.

‘And a Goldfinch does not fall. It flies.’

The conclusion! It feels like I’ve been reading this series forever, and now we’re at the end!

All looks bleak for Auren. She was captured and basically had her memories wiped, but Slade is back with his promise that he will do anything, and I mean anything, for Auren, his other half. And he has an addition (which I absolutely loved!)

I really quite enjoyed this book, but there was one moment that ripped my heart out, I could’ve actually cried.

I also think Queen Malina deserved more than the ending she got. Yes, she was vile in the start but she grew, oh how she grew….and she found love in the unlikliest of places. I would’ve preferred Malina’s ending for Kaila really!

I think, for me, the side characters made books 3 to 6 for me…and on that note….please tell me that Ryatt is getting a book? I need it.

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Sound like something you’d like?

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!

The week is done, the school year has now finished until September, and we’re going to the beach tomorrow until Friday! I can’t wait!

Only 1 audiobook ticked off the list for me this week, but I am halfway through another!

Also, I got this – I was so happy! It was a goal of mine for last year and I didn’t meet it but I have now!

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Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(I’ve finished a series, woohoo!)

See my review soon!

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Challenge – Audiobook Challenge update
Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy June 2025

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

What have you read lately?

Fairyloot Romantasy – June 2025

Shackled Obsession

After a brutal war, a defeated princess is taken prisoner by those who seek to control her and she must learn to survive in a world built to break her. But even in the darkest of places, sparks of hope and rebellion begin to rise.

Perfect for readers that love:
❤️‍🔥 Forced Proximity
👑 Rival Families
🥀 Unique Magic Systems

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

🖤 An EXCLUSIVE REDESIGNED COVER by @eevientan with design by @aeadraws
🖤 A REVERSIBLE DUST JACKET featuring a colour variation of the trade cover
🖤 FULL COLOUR ARTWORK ON THE HARDCOVER with foil by @avendellart
🖤 CHARACTER ARTWORK ON THE ENDPAPERS with foil by @avendellart (different front and back)
🖤 A DIGITALLY SPRAYED EDGE by @eevientan with solid sprayed top and bottom edges
🖤 SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR ✒️
This edition also has an author letter with a digital signature bound into the book.

The 2025 Audiobook Challenge is hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer and That’s What I’m Talking About.

I’m going for 20-30, Binge Listener! #2025AudiobookChallenge

I listened to 7 audiobooks in the 1st quarter of the year – you can see my update here.

As at the end of June, I’ve listened to 20 books!

Here’s some I listened to in April to June.

The Maids Secret by Nita Prose
Gentleman and His Vowsmith by Rebecca Ide
Traumaland by Josh Silver
The Half King by Melissa Landers
A Steep and Savage Path by JJA Harwood
The Warbler by Sarah Beth Durst
Glow by Raven Kennedy
The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
We Were Liars by E Lockhart
Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Gold by Raven Kennedy
Goldfinch by Raven Kennedy

Did you join?
How are you getting on?

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 Honorifics in the Title

Wow.

This was SO hard….and I’m totally reaching with mine!

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Princess of Blood by Sarah Hawley
Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J Tuli
A Lady’s Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin
Dark Prince by Michelle Hercules
Priest by Sierra Simone

 

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!

We’ve had a heatwave again this week and I’ve sweltered in the heat, the only escape was the air conditioning in my car or the supermarket!!!

It was a slow reading week again with just 1 reread before I dive into book 2 that’s just released (see below!!!)

I’ve been hooked on the US version of Shameless, I’m obsessed! I watched 2 seasons this week and am gearing up for season 3!!!!

My apologies for not being around but have plans to catch up this week!

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Never Keep by Caroline Peckham (reread)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

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Feature – June Haul
Review – Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
Feature – August Releases I’ve Got My Eye On!

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Challenge – Audiobook Challenge update
Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy June 2025

What have you read lately?

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

It’s going to be a good month! Only 3 books and I’ve preordered them all!!!!!

The Fallen and Kiss of Dusk by Carissa Broadbent
Warrior Princess Assassin by Brigid Kemmerer
Accomplice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Will you be getting these?