I wanted to try out a few book boxes to see if I want to subscribe to any others in 2019.

I saw it was Illumicrate’s 3rd year anniversary box so I expected great things! I looked at their past boxes and they were fab.

Theme = Clever Ruse

• Circus Banner inspired by The Night Circus and Caraval. These aren’t really my thing but my son had it!
• Stag Amulet Necklace designed by Fable and Black Not sure I’ll ever wear it but it’s pretty.
• Diner drink cosy to keep your drink warm, designed by @gicatam I might take this to work but not sure I will use it often.
• Mulan inspired scarf with artwork from Feifei Ruan I don’t wear scarfs but will give to my Mum!
• Warcross Woodmark with artwork by @chattynora Love this and I love Warcross so will defo use this.

Empress of all Seasons by Emiko Jean

Hardback ✔

Exclusive cover ✔

Sprayed edges ✔

Signed bookplate ✔

And a surprise book of Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce

So all in all, not great for me apart from the books. I need to have a serious think after Christmas as the past boxes looked so good.

Fairyloot – November

Theme -BATTLES & GALAXIES!

This theme is all about epic battles and galactic adventures!

THIS BOX WAS SO GOOD! I LOVE IT ALL (<– yes, shouty caps!!)

• A galaxy bath bomb by Little Heart Gifts. It smells so good, can’t wait to plop it in my bath!
• An exclusive passport cover by Fairyloot. I love this and will defo use it!
• A festive wooden ornament by Catarina’s Book Designs and features a quote from Shakespeare. This is going on my tree!!!
• A space coaster set designed by Miss Phi and has quotes based on The Lunar Chronicles (which I’ve just finished reading!)…you know I’m using them!!!
• Galaxy straws! They are metal so reusable and come with a brush to clean! Love it!
• An iron on patch designed by KDP Letters featuring a quote from Red Rising.
• A tote bag designed by Evie Bookish based on The Illuminae Files. To say I love it is an understatement!
• This box also came with a bonus item of a free ebook download of Atlas Fallen by Jessica Pierce. I’ve claimed my copy and can’t wait to dive in!

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

• Hardback ✔
• Has exclusive art illustrated by @morgana0anagrom ✔

I so wanted this book and now I have a beautiful copy, I couldn’t be happier

Novel Knight has posted her annual Beat the Backlist challenge (you can join in here).

This helped me so much in 2018 so it was a no brainer for me to join in again.

What is Beat the Backlist?

In short, this is a reading challenge where your goal is to read backlist books (published prior to the current year). For 2019, it means reading any book that was published in 2018 or earlier. You have the entire year to read as many books as you can/want. YOU set your own reading goal.

My challenge

I have 31 books I want to read for my challenge. I thought that was quite a realistic number to aim for and as it’s only 2 and a bit books a month, I still have the time to read all those lovely new releases!

I’m also going to do the Hogwarts House Mini Challenge and my House is Ravenclaw!

This is my list:

• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
• Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
• Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
• Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor
• Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
• A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab
• A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab
• A Conjuring of Light by VE Schwab
• The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
• The Heart Forger by Rin Chupeco
• The Elite by Kiera Cass
• The One by Keira Cass
• The Heir by Keira Cass
• The Crown by Keira Cass
• First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
• Darkest before Dawn by Amelia Hutchins
• King Hall by Scarlett Dawn
• Lifelike by Jay Kristoff
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
• Legend by Marie Lu
• Mirage by Somaiya Daud
• The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Darkfever by Karen Marie Monig
• Trickery by Jaymin Eve
• The Gathering by LA Fiore
• My Favorite Half Night Stand by Christina Lauren
• Archenemies by Marissa Meyer

Are you joining in this year?

Link to your post in comments ❤📚

‘Remember all those challenges you started throughout the year?

Those lists of books you were going to read, prompts you were going to tick off, goals you were going to reach?’

My new mantra this month was ‘must reach my goals’ so this was just what the doctor ordered! You can see my original post here.

I had to read The Lunar Chronicles to hit one of my goals….and I did it, so Remember November completed!

Did you do Remember November?

How did you get on?

I have done it!

I’ve finished my 2018 Beat the Backlist Challenge! I so enjoyed my first year doing this!

48 BOOKS!

HIGHS

I found some fabulous series in here. Throne of Glass, Lunar Chronicles, Rock Chick series….all going on my reread pile!

LOWS

I did DNF 10 books (in my defence most were series so I obviously couldn’t carry on after not reading book 1!)

Here is my completed list:

MIDNIGHT STAR BY MARIE LU ✔

FALLING FAST BY AURORA ROSE REYNOLDS ✔

DARKEST TEMPTATION BY RACHEL VAN DYKEN ✔

STALKING JACK THE RIPPER BY KERRI MANISCALCO ✔

CARAVAL BY STEPHANIE GARBER ✔

FIREBLOOD/FROSTBLOOD BY ELLY BLAKE (2 BOOKS) ✔

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST BY HOLLY BLACK ✔

DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING BY TRICIA LEVENSELLER ✔

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES BY RICHELLE MEAD 1✔ 2✔ 3 ✔ 4 ✔ 5 ✔ 6 ✔

HUNTING PRINCE DRACULA BY KERRI MANISCALCO ✔

ROCK CHICK SERIES BY KRISTEN ASHLEY

2 ✔ 3 ✔ 4 ✔ 5 ✔ 6 ✔ 7 ✔ 8✔

RENEGADES BY MARISSA MEYER ✔

FLAME IN THE MIST BY RENEE AHDIEH ✔

HIDEAWAY BY PENELOPE DOUGLAS ✔

OUR SAVAGE SONG/OUR DARK DUET BY VE SCHWAB ✔

AN ENCHANTMENT OF RAVENS MARGARET ROGERSON ✔

THE THRONE OF GLASS SERIES BY SARAH J MAAS (6 BOOKS) 1✔ 2 ✔ 3 ✔4 ✔ 5 ✔6 ✔

LUNAR CHRONICLES CINDER BY MARISSA MEYER (4 BOOKS) 1✔ 2 ✔ 3 ✔ 4✔

JUNIPER UNRAVELING BY KERI LAKE DNF

THREE DARK CROWNS/ONE DARK THRONE BY KENDARE BLAKE (2 BOOKS) DNF

NEVERNIGHT/GODSGRAVE BY JAY KRISTOFF (2 BOOKS) DNF

BLACKEST GOLD SERIES BY R SCARLETT (4BOOKS) DNF

HEARTLESS BY MARISSA MEYER DNF

I’m back with another review regurge! <—- (every time I type that I get visions of a mama bird feeding her baby, you know beak right down the babies throat?!!!!)

Anyway, I was on holiday when I read this and I remember being so glued to it because it was beautiful.

It was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. I saw her next book is called Echo North and is out on 15 January on Kindle so will defo be grabbing that!

BENEATH THE HAUNTING SEA BY JOANNA RUTH MEYER

You can find my original post here.

My review

I haven’t been this enthralled in a book for a while! Mystery and legend. Fave!

This was a holiday read and I had to grab chapters here and there, which saddened me as I wanted to gulp it all up at once! I found myself waking up before my family to snatch a few chapters!

It was just utterly beautiful and breath taking although I must admit the romance did irk me. A love square. <—- is that even a thing? A square? It is now! But in the end I loved them all!

The mystery of the story gripped me. It was so amazing. The questions and the ‘Oh god I can’t wait to read more’ is the mark of a fab book for me.

I love Christmas and I love Christmas read.

You know what I also love? This short, hot, Christmas collection was FREE! Yes, free!

Its only available for a limited time so if you want it, go and grab it here now: BookHip.com/QGCKHV

These are the stories:

• Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward – Sexy Scrooge
• Jodi Ellen Malpas – Big Baubles
• Emma Chase – The Naughty List
• Marie Force – Joyous—A Quantum Christmas
• Corinne Michaels – A Holiday Lift
• Susan Stoker – Best Christmas Ever

I didn’t read all the stories but here is MY REVIEW!

I loved this! I was just in the mood to read a revved up Christmas story and these hit the button!

Sexy Scrooge

Omg, loved it. I wish something like that would happen to me, maybe with less crotch grabbing!

‘With a little luck, fairy tales can come true, despite Ebenezer Scrooge!’

Christmas Baubles

A quickie shipping trip to Harrods turns in to a hot and sweet Christmas tale. ‘Lord have mercy, another minute browsing him won’t hurt. Merry Christmas eve to me.’

The Naughty List

A spicy, lost list gets Evie an early Christmas present…’Move over Grandma – let me get run over by a reindeer’

You know how you can’t resist a 50% off Book Box? That’s totally me……so I got the Book Box Club’s November box……

With Christmas coming up I can’t afford a subscription but will defo think about it in the new year.

• Kaz and Inej tea towel by Keeper of the Suns. I love anything practical so this will be used in my house!
• Jack Sparrow Magnetic bookmark by Magic Bookmarks. Love a magnetic bookmark and I love Pirates of the Caribbean so this is a hit!
• Only the Ocean flag by Sparrow and Wolf. I must admit I’m not one for flags so not quite sure what I’ll do with this……
• Peter Pan pin by Book Box Club. I like a pin and I have a booksleeve dedicated to them, so this will go on there!
• Book Thief string bracelet by Mermaid Marys. My son already took this so I’ve lost it to him!!!

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Only the Ocean by Natasha Carthew

In a water logged world, 2 girls are stranded at sea. Billed as a vivid and moving read about friendship and adventure….

I have never heard of this book before but the reviews aren’t great on Goodreads, I will certainly give it a read though as everyone’s opinion is different!

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Do you get Book Box Club?