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.

Theme = Reasons Why I Love Reading

This is a fab topic but one I found really hard to express! I mean I love reading but putting those feelings as to why was hard for me (that’s why there is only 8!!)

Always been a reader
Since I can remember I’ve always loved reading and having a book in my hand!

Escapism
To escape the normalities of the day and dive into a fictional world/life!

To relax
I normally read in the evening when my ‘adulting’ is done. It helps me relax!

Community
The wonderful book community, I love it here!

Feeling
There is nothing like getting lost in a book!

Experience
You can visit different worlds and see the places through the characters eyes!!

Learning
You can learn something new by reading books!

Entertainment
There is nothing like a great read!

Title: Once Upon a Broken Heart

Author: Stephanie Garber

Release Date: 30th September

Evangeline Fox was raised in her beloved father’s curiosity shop, where she grew up on legends about immortals, like the tragic Prince of Hearts. She knows his powers are mythic, his kiss is worth dying for, and that bargains with him rarely end well.

But when Evangeline learns that the love of her life is about to marry another, she becomes desperate enough to offer the Prince of Hearts whatever he wants in exchange for his help to stop the wedding. The prince only asks for three kisses. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’s pledged. And he has plans for Evangeline that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy…

So…….I inhaled this book. Like inhaled. I don’t often say this but if I could give this book a million stars, I would!

Evangeline makes a bargain with a fate……and what happens is…..just magical!

‘It didn’t just feel like the start of something, it felt like the start of everything.’

And as a Jacks lover I can tell you that he is everything!

This book is filled with magic, intrigue, suspense and gives you all the feels! The angst I felt about Evangeline and Jacks was off the charts! 

I really can’t say more at this time about the plot but I impore you all to preorder, buy and read the heck out of this because you will not regret it!

I’m in England and we don’t have Independence Day here but wanted to wish all my American friends a happy day.

I hear you celebrate with fireworks, food, and family and I can’t think of anything better!

Have a great day!

I thought I’d take a look back on some hauls that I made last year to see if I’d actually read – I’ve been crazily buying books lately and know that my hauls were smaller in 2020 so wanted to show (myself!!!) that I need to reel my buying in!

So May 2020:

The Final Empire: Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson

NOPE (this is still on my tbr, it’s a chunky read so have been putting it off!!)

Embracing Destiny by Amelia Hutchins – READ

Gemina by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman – READ

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost – READ

(I know 2 of these have the wrong pics but WordPress still hates me and wont behave so i had to make do!!)

I think that’s quite good – 3 out of 4!

Do you ever look back on hauls to make sure you’ve read?

Title: City of Fallen Angels

Series: The Mortal Instruments #4

Author: Cassandra Clare

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Back with the Shadowhunters, the ‘this era’ Shadowhunters!

Again I couldn’t get enough when I started reading and galloped through the book at the rate of knots! These books are so easy to read!

So here we have Jocelyn and Luke getting married, secret sects, murders, angst and the Shadowhunters are right in the middle of it….again!

Jace is still his fabulous sarcastic self…..’I can see why you like it here, there’s a thin layer of nerd all over it.’ Of course more is up with him but I can’t help thinking that he has been through enough and now he will really get put through the wringer!

But the star of the show for me in this book was Isabelle. I’ve always been bleh about her but in this book she shone. Shone bright. Her character development was top notch!

So some highlights from me from this book were……

The Silent Brother, Zacariah, having just read The Infernal Devices I had a light bulb moment!

Learning about Praetor Lupus and more of the history, the backstory if you will to the Shadowhunters and Downworlders world was fab.

Really want to see what’s going to happen next after that ending!

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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

Welcome to Closing the Chapter! I hope you had a great reading month?

In my personal life, June was a normal-ish month, work, school for my son, a couple of family birthdays which we celebrated outdoors with food (yum) and I also had my 2nd covid vaccine which made me ill again!

In WordPress news, has anyone been having issues with making a post? Mine has been driving me potty, it just wont work properly!

Another bit of news, WordPress told me I had 50k views on my site so that was fab news!

I read 7 books in June and considering I had a bit of a slump, I’ll take that as a win!

Physical/E-books

The Queen of Gilded Horns by Amanda Joy
See my review here

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten
See my review here

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart
See my review here.

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber
Review closer to publication date (30th Sept)

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
See my review soon!

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
See my review soon!

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Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon

See my review soon!

What did you read in June?

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.

Theme = Most Anticipated Books of the Second Half of 2021

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some but…..

Untethered by Kaylynn Flanders

God’s and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin

Cazadora by Romina Russell

Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko

Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff

Steelstriker by Marie Lu

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

And my last book is Cytonic by Brandon Sanderson but I had issues getting the cover on here (why WordPress, why?!!)

This is 100% the biggest haul I’ve ever had! 17 books!  Considering my tbr is already huge its probably not the best but I have zero regrets!!!!

Anyway….one of the reasons it’s large is because it was my birthday at the end of May and some lovely book friends bought me presents….BOOKS! I was so happy because my friends and family never ever buy me books or bookish things so I was like a kid at Christmas!

I must apologise for the layout of this post – WordPress hasn’t been playing nice so I can’t scale pictures down, I can’t even add some pictures and I cant add some blocks in – my vein is about to pop out my head!!!!

BIRTHDAY PRESENTS

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The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
Crave by Tracy Wolff
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle Jenson
Josh and Hazels Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab
Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Physical/Ebooks

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Threadneedle by Cari Thomas

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Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard

Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas
In the Ravenous Dark by AM Strickland

Arcs

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan
A Dark and Hollow Star by Ashley Shuttleworth

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten

Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Fairyloot

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Smart

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What did you haul in June?