20 Books of Summer – the end!

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I came across 20 Books of Summer from the lovely Cathy at 746 Books and gave it a go! It was my first-time doing a challenge like this and I hope to do more like it as it certainly helped me knock books of my tbr!

The challenge started on 1 June and ran until 3 September.

I am happy to report that I DID IT!

Here are the books I chose for the challenge:

  • An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
  • By a Charm and a Curse by Jaime Questell
  • Knuckle Down by Chantal Fernando
  • Daughter of the Siren Queen By Tricia Levenseller
  • Hothead by Stella Rhys
  • Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
  • Legendary by Stephanie Garber
  • A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A Cole DNF
  • Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
  • From Here to You by Jamie McGuire
  • Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
  • One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake
  • Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
  • Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
  • Beneath the Haunting Sea By Joanna Ruth Meyer
  • Ink, Iron and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare
  • Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
  • This Savage Song by VE Schwab
  • Our Dark Duet by VE Schwab
  • Hideaway by Penelope Douglas

Did you do any summer reading challenges?

How did you get on?

Any Autumn challenges planned?

Review: One Last Wish by Aurora Rose Reynolds

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Anyone else following The Shooting Stars series by Aurora Rose Reynolds? The last book came out in 2016 so I was gagging for this!  This is book 3 in the series and when I read the blurb I wanted to blub!!!

Here it is (keep tissues handy!):

Finding out my husband, my best friend, only had months to live was devastating.
Sitting out under the star-filled sky, listening to him wish on star after star, night after night, almost killed me.
He never wished to get better.
He wished for me to be happy.
He wished for me to find the strength to move on.
I told him his wishes were pointless, because happiness wouldn’t exist without him.
I found out soon after he passed away that I was pregnant.
But I had no idea his final wish would bring me something I never thought I’d find again.

 

CJR THE BRIT REVIEW

It’s a shorty as I was a bit lost for words!

One look at this blurb and I knew this book would slay me!

 ‘I wished for you. When I was just a kid I wished on a shooting star that you’d notice me, I wished that you’d be mine.’

Bre and Denver’s journey is not an easy one but what it is, is truly emotional but oh so breathtakingly beautiful.

 

Fairyloot Unboxing: July 2018 *spoilers!*

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Fairyloot July 2018

Theme: The Power Within

I normally never start off with the book but I have to as I am so excited about it!

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Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton

Its SIGNED!

Has sprayed red pages.

A Fairyloot exclusive!

It also has a letter written by the author and fabulous artwork by Noverantale!

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I have to start off this list with the item I am most excited about……a Quidditch Pen! It’s a mini broomstick! I absolutely love it!!!

An Exclusive magical mug by Little Inkling Designs. It has a quote from Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes which is revealed when the mug has hot water in!

Room Spray by Geeky Clean. Lavender and Book scented! You know I’m using that!

A vinyl sticker featuring a quote from Sky in the Deep by Reverie and Ink. That’s on my laptop already!

There was also an exclusive tea towel by KDP Letters featuring a quote from And I Darken by Kiersten White but unforts there was a printing issue and you need to look in the mirror to read! Fairyloot are replacing but I’m still going to use this one!

 

Another fabulous box!

Do you get any book boxes?

Add links to your unboxings in comments.

Review: Beneath The Haunting Sea by Joanna Ruth Meyer

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Oh wow, you know when you kick yourself from not reading a book you own sooner? Well this happened to me with this book!

I’m sure many of you have read as I am always late to the party (blame my huge tbr, not me!) so I wont add on the blurb but if you do want to read it then click here.

Here is my 5 star 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 July god I can’t wait to read more’ is the mark of a fab book for me.

3 Day quote challenge: Day 3

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I wasn’t tagged by anyone to do this but saw it and wanted in!

What a lovely idea this is!

Rules:

1. Post a quote for three consecutive days (1 quote for each day).

2. Share why this quote appeals so much to you.

Day 3

My son is the apple of my eye although sometimes I think he is going to suck every bit of sanity I have!!!

He is growing up to be a fantastic human! We laugh together, learn together and are there for each other always.

3 Day quote challenge: Day 2

| CJRTB Books

I wasn’t tagged by anyone to do this but saw it and wanted in!

What a lovely idea this is!

Rules:

1. Post a quote for three consecutive days (1 quote for each day).

2. Share why this quote appeals so much to you.

Day 2

A mantra I try and live by.

In my 20’s I realised how short life was and I didn’t want to worry more than I needed to about things I couldn’t control.

Don’t get me wrong, I do think about all the stuffs but when I realise I’m not getting anywhere, this is what I do!

20 Books of Summer: Update

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I’m really loving the idea of this challenge, reading books off my tbr is life!!!

I didn’t do an update in June but I made sure that I stayed on track, woohoo!

I did swap a couple of books out due to a dnf and interest! Maybe picking so many up front wasn’t the way to go!

Here are the books I read in June and July:

  • An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
  • By a Charm and a Curse by Jaime Questell
  • Knuckle Down by Chantal Fernando
  • Daughter of the Siren Queen By Tricia Levenseller
  • Hothead by Stella Rhys
  • Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas
  • Legendary by Stephanie Garber
  • A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A Cole DNF
  • Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw
  • From Here to You by Jamie McGuire
  • Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
  • One Dark Throne by Kendare Blake
  • Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
  • Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

So in August I need to read the books below to complete the challenge! Wish me luck!

  • Beneath the Haunting Sea By Joanna Ruth Meyer
  • Ink, Iron and Glass by Gwendolyn Clare
  • Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody
  • This Savage Song by VE Schwab
  • Our Dark Duet by VE Schwab
  • Hideaway by Penelope Douglas

Review: Throne Of Glass by Sarah J Maas

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Ok, I know I am so late to this party!

I don’t know why I haven’t read this series sooner and now I am regretting it! To put it simply, I am in love with it! All of it! The world. the writing, the characters and I cant wait to see what happens next!

Anyway…..I wont bore you with the blurb as I am sure that everyone has read but you can purchase here

CJR THE BRIT REVIEW

Superb. Just superb.

I was hooked. Couldn’t get enough of Celaena, Chaol and Dorian and all the shannanigans surrounding them!

And the intrigue! I was on tenterhooks!

And the promise of magic.

And the promise of friendships.

And the promise of love.

The promise of what could be.

Blew me away.

‘You could rattle the stars, You could do anything, if you only dared. And deep down, you know it, too.’

And in 5 words, near the end of this book, my excitement (and hope!) for this series soared…..

Review: The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

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The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw

Published by Simon & Schuster Children’s UK

Buy on Amazon

Oh wow, really this book is just wow!  I didn’t really know what to expect when I dived in but I am so glad I did!  This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last!

Here is the blurb:

 

Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow…

Two centuries ago, in the small, isolated town, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return from the depths, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them down to their watery deaths.

Like many locals, seventeen-year-old Penny Talbot has accepted the fate of the town. But this year, on the eve of the sisters’ return, a boy named Bo Carter arrives; unaware of the danger he has just stumbled into or the fact that his arrival will change everything…

Mistrust and lies spread quickly through the salty, rain-soaked streets. The townspeople turn against one another. Penny and Bo suspect each other of hiding secrets. And death comes swiftly to those who cannot resist the call of the sisters.

But only Penny sees what others cannot. And she will be forced to choose: save Bo, or save herself.

 

(Note the fancy box!  I am trying a few things out!!!)

 

CJR THE BRIT REVIEW

Oh bloody hell this book was beyond wonderful, I was entranced…..just like the boys who fall under the Swan Sisters spell…

Penny is a Sparrow veteran, well Lumiere anyway and she knows her fate….’Your fate lies at the bottom of a teacup.’

Bo has come to the island for reasons unknown….’He reminds me of someone who has left his past behind.’

And then we have the Swan Sisters. Beautiful, wild killers.

This story captivated me like no other. I read in 1 sitting as there was no way I was putting this down…..and it’s firmly on my reread pile!