Review: Playing With Fire by LJ Shen

09/14/202009/13/2020 | CJRTB Books

Title: Playing With Fire

Author: LJ Shen

A broken boy on the path to destruction.
A scarred girl without direction.
A love story carved in secrets, inked with pain and sealed with a lie.

Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites.
She is the strange girl from the food truck.
He is the mysterious underground fighter who stormed into her sleepy Texan college town on his motorcycle one day, and has been wreaking havoc since.
She is invisible to the world.
He is the town’s beloved bad boy.
She is a reject.
He is trouble.
When West thrusts himself into Grace’s quiet life, she scrambles to figure out if he is her happily-ever-after or tragic ending.
But the harder she pushes him away, the more he pulls her out of her shell.
Grace doesn’t know much about anything beyond her town’s limits, but she does know this:
She is falling in love with the hottest guy in Sheridan U.
And when you play with fire—you ought to get burned.

When I saw small town romance, I must admit that my heart skipped a beat. I haven’t really read one of those for a while…..and I needed it!

Here we have West St Claire – the ultimate bad boy and just delish in so many ways!

We also have Grace, lovely, fiery but is struggling……and then West finds her. I fell in love with them absolutely instantly.

This story is just beautiful. Beautiful, but raw, real and at times, ugly. My heart! My actual heart.

You need this book in your life!

Review: Court of Lions by Somaiya Daud

09/12/202009/02/2020 | CJRTB Books

Title: Court Of Lions

Series: Mirage #2

Author: Somiya Daud

Two identical girls, one a princess, the other a rebel. Who will rule the empire?

After being swept up into the brutal Vathek court, Amani, the ordinary girl forced to serve as the half-Vathek princess’s body double, has been forced into complete isolation. The cruel but complex princess, Maram, with whom Amani had cultivated a tenuous friendship, discovered Amani’s connection to the rebellion and has forced her into silence, and if Amani crosses Maram once more, her identity – and her betrayal – will be revealed to everyone in the court.

Amani is desperate to continue helping the rebellion, to fight for her people’s freedom. But she must make a devastating decision: will she step aside, and watch her people suffer, or continue to aid them, and put herself and her family in mortal danger? And whatever she chooses, can she bear to remain separated, forever, from Maram’s fiancé, Idris?

‘All of us have suffered one loss or another. All of us live in the shadow of that. And those losses do not absolve us of the choices we make.’

Having just finished Mirage, I could not wait to dive into this. Did I love it as much as Mirage? Yes and no.

• The culturism was fabulous…..

• It was a slower pace but the middle sort of dragged for me…..

• My heart bled for Amani and what she had to do in the line of (forced) duty, that girl is so strong……

• The trio plotting….fabulous……

• My love for Maram grew with every page. I lived for her pov but I wanted more……

• Maram and her love interest made my heart soar……

• Idris and Amani….LOVED!

This was still a fabulous sequel but I didn’t get all the feels I did with Mirage but I would defo reread!

Review: Shielded by Kaylynn Flanders

09/10/202008/29/2020 | CJRTB Books

Title: Shielded

Series: Shielded #1

Author: Kaylynn Flanders

The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It’s losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.

As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn’s–her brother’s–magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.

Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong–the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it’s too late–for her and for her entire kingdom.

Firstly, I got a special edition of this book from Fairyloot and let me tell you, it smelled amazing! I spent a lot of time smelling this bad boy #weird.

Anyways….Halendi is in trouble and whilst her brother rides off to the front, Princess Jenna rides towards her betrothed, who she has never met, to seal a deal for troops. But she doesn’t get there without trouble. Hiding her identity, she carries on alone to get answers and bumps into 2 palace guards…

But everything isn’t as it seems….on both sides.

This book was so good! I fell in love with the story, the world, the characters….all of it!

I must say I am a sucker for romance when it’s done right….and this was done right! I had a little nervous bud in my belly when Jenna met Teren and that bloomed into a massive, beautiful flower!

But this story isn’t just about romance. It’s so much more and implore you to read it, read it now, what are you waiting for?

I need the next book and I need it now!!!

TTT – Books for My Younger Self

09/08/202008/29/2020 | CJRTB Books

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl It was born from a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Books for My Younger Self

One day I will do this and i will actually get a selection of 10…but today is not that day!

These are books I have read and i wish they had come out when I was much younger…..

Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

The Affiliate by KA Linde

Fallen by Lauren Kate

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

What books would make your list?

Fairyloot Unboxing: August 2020 – Let The Games Begin!

09/06/202008/29/2020 | CJRTB Books

Fairyloot – August 2020

Theme = LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

‘The stakes are high and the games are on – make sure you come prepared! This month is all about games; whether they are physical or mental, magical or non-magical. These games will test your mettle and have your adrenaline soaring!’

Items inspired by An Ember in the Ashes, Hunting Prince Dracula, Nevernight, Scythe, Aurora Rising and Harry Potter.

Included was:

🖤 Mia and Mr Kindly Metalmark designed by @taratjah

🖤 Aurora Rising Pin by @ironandinkdesigns

🖤 Scythe Magnet designed by @taratjah

🖤 5 and 6 of Swords tarot cards (Nevernight)

🖤 Golden Egg Bath Bomb by @littleheartgifts

🖤 Prince Dracula Notebook designed by @noverantale with artwork from @taratjah

🖤 Laia and Elias Book Sleeve designed by @monolimeart

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

SHIMMERY SPRAYED EDGES ✔

ARTWORK ON DUST JACKET ✔

SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR ✔

Not a Book Blogging Newbie Tag

09/05/2020 | CJRTB Books

I wasn’t tagged by anyone but saw Destiny had done this tag so decided to do, go check out Howling Libraries,you won’t regret it!

This tag was originally for booktubers but was adapted for bloggers by Heather.

Questions……

1. How old is your blog?

I actually started my blog in 2015 but predominantly posted PR companies material about cover reveals, releases etc for romance books until I moved that to my Facebook page as I wanted my website to be my ‘own voice’.

2. What are your favorite posts to make?

I really like creating the next month’s releases that I want. I comb through Goodreads lists, Bookbirds list and several romance blogs and marvel at all the books I want!!!!

3. What is one piece of advice you would give to someone wanting to start a book blog?

Have fun.
Roll with it.
Talk to fellow bloggers by reading their posts and commenting. You’ll meet some great people.

4. Since joining have you run into any unforeseen challenges?

No, not really. Maybe the WordPress new editor will be a challenge…..but I know it’s coming 😂😂

5. What is a favorite book/series you’ve read because of blogging?

Anything Sarah J Maas. I read her ToG and ACO series late and kicked myself in the bum that I didn’t read earlier!

6. Overall, what is your favorite aspect about book blogging?

I love reading people’s comments on my posts and love reading other bloggers posts and commenting. I put aside an hour every evening to do this and it’s normally the most interesting, relaxing hour of my day!

I won’t tag anyone but feel free to join in!

Need help! On My Shelf book tag!

09/04/202008/23/2020 | CJRTB Books

I saw this somewhere, I don’t even think it was a tag but me being me, didn’t write down where I saw it. Originator, if you are reading this please know I am very sorry!

But I loved the sound of it.

It’s called the ‘On my shelf’ tag.

You count the number of books on your shelf, say 50 and then ask people to give you a random number between 1 and 50.

Then once the number is chosen, count along until you get to that number and write about the book. Why did you buy it? Does it mean anything to you?

So here we go……..

I have 70 books on my Goodreads tbr shelf.

Please add in comments a number between 1 and 70 and next week I will post all about that book!

Oh yes….a September reading list!

09/02/202009/02/2020 | CJRTB Books

In August I tried to read all my Fairyloot books that I had backed up. I didn’t call it a reading list but I guess it really was!

And I did really well! I guess sometimes I just need some structure to my reading month!

So I thought if it worked in August, it might work in September!

I plan on reading the 4 books off my Netgalley shelf so then I can try and keep it all up to date going forward (yeah, good luck with that future me!) and I’ve snuck in a new release that I cant wait to read!

Anyway, these are the books: