Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm – you can find her July topic post here.

The July Theme…….

The themed topics in July are books that start with a letter of the alphabet that I’ve read!!! I’ve gone through all my books I’ve read and tried to find some books that maybe I dont choose for these types of challenges/tags typically…….so……

K to O

Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas

Oh shut the front door, I didnt think any other book in this series could get better than Corrupt (I love you Michael!)…BUT IT DID!

Lessons in Corruption by Giana Darling

This was my first book by this author and it blew me away. Teacher/student…and he is in an MC, does it get better than that?! No it does not!

Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley

Oh Tack, how I love thee. You opened my eyes to the amazing-ness that is Chaos and since then I’ve been addicted!

Nero by Sarah Brianne

Mafia at its finest. Need I say more?!

Only Work, No Play by Cora Reilly

This book proved to me that this author can write ANYTHING! Xavier ‘The Beast’ Stevens is THE man!

Have you read any of these?

I bought this book on a whim when it was on sale…and I am so glad I did!

What a great read!

Title: An Ember in the Ashes

Series: An Ember in the Ashes #1

Author: Sabaa Tahir

Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

‘Life is made of so many moments that mean nothing. Then one day, a single moment comes along to define every second that comes after.’

And that’s what happens to Laia and Elias……

Laia, a Scholar whose race is enslaved by the Empire and Elias, a Mask with the best of bloodlines. Both have defining moments that change the course of their lives forever.

This was a dark, gritty page turner full of intrigue, action and some of the best characters I’ve read in ages!

Welcome to The Weekly Epilogue!

Hope you all had a good week?

The sun is out in force and I’m having issues with #boobsweat 😂

But that hasn’t distracted me from reading LOADS (for me!) this week! I’ve read a couple of my arcs and a couple from my summer reading list….so I’m rewarding myself with reading a book not on my Summer list!

Lies by Kylie Scott (arc) – look out for my review on release day!

I Dare You by Shantal Tessier – I posted a series review earlier this week….

I Promise You by Shantel Tessier – I posted a series review earlier this week….

The Winter Court by Amelia Hutchins – look out for my review soon!

Trapping Her by Aurora Rose Reynolds (arc) – look out for my review on release day!

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

(I haven’t started yet, tonight is the night!)

How was your reading week?

What books did you read?

I can’t remember where I saw this post so I’m sorry if I haven’t credited you (let me know and I’ll add on!!)

I saw a post for Wishlist Wednesday and it had books that were coming up in the next month but I decided to change this up a bit for me.

In July I’ll be showing books that are on my Amazon wish list. The books I’ve added on but haven’t got round to buying yet….I don’t why though!!!

Cruel Intentions by Siobhan Davis

This book has been on my wish list for just over a month I think. Those that know me know I read YA and romance and I love a good dark, bully romance…and this was recommended as just that!

Have you read this yet?

Should I push it up my list?

Top 5 Tuesday is brought to you by Shanah at the Bionic Bookworm – you can find her July topic post here.

The July Theme…….

The themed topics in July are books that start with a letter of the alphabet that I’ve read!!! I’ve gone through all my books I’ve read and tried to find some books that maybe I don’t choose for these types of challenges/tags typically…….so……

F to J

Fear Me by BB Reid

One of the ULTIMATE bully romances. The anti hero of anti heroes! So, so good!

Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley

Dax Lahn. Say no more!

(I could actually say more, lots more, but I will ramble, there will be declarations of love…..and dribble!)

Hendrix by MJ Fields and Chelsea Camaron

I so enjoyed this series. The undies….consent is f***ing required! The whole series was just like reading a dream!

It Ain’t Me Babe by Tillie Cole

The start to one of the best dark, gritty MC romances out there. A feared Prez who is haunted by a crushing speech impediment and a girl raised by a cult.

Josh and Hazels Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren

What a total scream this book was. I want to be Hazel! If you haven’t read, you really need to!

What books would be on your F to J list?

A double review!!!!

I had I Dare You on my tbr for a while. My best book friend told me that this was THE best bully romance and demanded I buy it….and who am I to say no?!!! 😂

When I finished I realised that there was a book 2, a novella so I grabbed and devoured it! I hear a book 3 is planned and I NEED it!

What do you do when the devil has you in his sights?

You show him that you can play his game.

Austin Lowes is new to town. She’s running from a mom who hates her to her dad who cares nothing about her. Only a few months and she will be free, or at least, that’s what she hopes … until she meets him.

Cole Reynolds is the devil disguised as a man. He wants her fear, he wants her blood, and he wants her soul.

Just a little game, he says, I dare you.

Will Austin survive him, or will she lose herself and the game?

Secrets are revealed and justice will be served, but at what cost?

Who survives and who doesn’t?

This book started off in the darkest of ways (why am I singing hello darkness my old friend?!) and I devoured it in half a day!

The story of when Austin meets Cole…..

‘She’s too beautiful to kill. Too precious to destroy.’

But Austin has met his match…..

‘We’re like the devil is to sin. Without one, we wouldn’t have the other.’

Twists, turns, drama, secrets and the dark world of being a rich, screwed up teenager!

It was supposed to be a game.

I Dare You.

We bought her in ’cause I wanted to play with her.

Destroy her.

But plans change and she got caught in the cross fire.

Then I did something far worse. I fell in love with her, but she doesn’t know I still have secrets.

Ones that could rip us all apart.

We’re sharks.

Raised to hunt and kill.

We take what we want without asking.

We’ve never needed permission before, so I’m not about to start now.

You think you know everything, but we’re about to do what we do best and prove you wrong- I Promise You!

The ‘fill in the blanks’ story, just what I wanted (and needed!)

After the drama at the end of I Dare You I wanted more details….and I got them along with more secrets. More lies. And that ending…….gasp!

Welcome to The Weekly Epilogue!

Hope you all had a good week?

I’ve had a great week, and I can’t even explain why! The sun is out and I’ve just felt happier and just so much healthier! Maybe it’s my body returning to normal now my vitamin levels are up and my body is healing from being gluten free (damned celiac disease, I want a KFC!!!)

And….

I decided to change things up a little bit in my epilogue. I’m not going to add a ‘reading next’ anymore. I often find I put books on there and then I don’t want to read them and then the pressure sinks in…and the guilt!

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

So flipping good. See my review here!

Love, Loyalties and Mayhem Anthology

I read (so far), one story from here but that counts right? Plus all profits will be donated to Bikers Against Bullies USA. Its 99p/99c…what have you got to lose?

Tithe by Holly Black

What a totally fun story! I did find Kay a tiny bit annoying at the start but this was overrun by the total escapism of this read! See my review here!

Lies by Kylie Scott

How was your reading week?

What books did you read?

I’d had this book for a while sat on my tbr so I thought, why not give it a go?!

It was so fun!

Welcome to the realm of very scary faeries!

Sixteen-year-old Kaye is a modern nomad. Fierce and independent, she travels from city to city with her mother’s rock band until an ominous attack forces Kaye back to her childhood home. There, amid the industrial, blue-collar New Jersey backdrop, Kaye soon finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms – a struggle that could very well mean her death.

Kaye, ordinary girl finds out she isn’t so ordinary…..

Firstly….please don’t hate me!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY….BOOKISH STYLE!

I’m a certified Christmas nut! I mean it’s the most magical time of the year and whilst I dont put deccies up or swap gifts etc in July, I want to remember the magic…..but put a Summer twist on it!

Here are the things I found I could do…
and you could too!

Book Wreath

Some call it sacrilege, some call it beauty…..but wreaths are Christmas-y so I want to put one up. In fact I’d love to learn how to make these!

Credit and photo credit to Knick of Time Interiors.

Santa strawberries

Strawberries are THE summer fruit so bring a little bit of Christmas back and munch whilst reading your books!

Egg nog coladas

Ok this sounds gross, egg nog is gross. But I want a summermas drink to quaff whilst reading my book in the garden!

I found a recipe by Brit Morin here!

Book Tree

Build a book tree and add lights!

Books aren’t just for Christmas, they are for LIFE! So build that book tree, string on those lights and gaze at the beauty!

Credit and photo credit to Quirk Books

Do you celebrate Christmas in July?

Do you watch Christmas films or read Christmas themed books?