Title: The Songbird and the Heart of Stone

Series: Shadowborn Duet #1

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Mische lost everything when she was forcibly Turned into a vampire—her home, her humanity, and most devastating of all, the love of the sun god to whom she had devoted her life. Now, sentenced to death for murdering the vampire prince who turned her, redemption feels impossible.

But when Mische is saved by Asar, the bastard prince of the House of Shadow with a past as brutal as his scars, she’s forced into a mission worse than execution: a journey to the underworld to resurrect the god of death himself.

Yet, Mische’s punishment may be the key to her salvation. In a secret meeting, her sun god commands her to help Asar in his mission, only to betray him… by killing the god of death.

Mische and Asar must travel the treacherous path to the underworld, facing trials, beasts, and the vengeful ghosts of their pasts. Yet, most dangerous of all is the alluring call of the darkness—and her forbidden attraction to Asar, a burgeoning bond that risks invoking the wrath of gods.

As her betrayal looms, the underworld closes in, and angry gods are growing restless. Mische will be forced to choose between the redemption of the sun or the damnation of the darkness.

Mische, after killing a Prince of the House of Shadow, now has to face her reckoning after being captured, and she’s sent to Morthryn with the Wraith Warden on a mission from Nyaxia.

Along their journey in the Underworld we get to learn a lot about Mische and her past life. I love how vulnerable she is but she’s also tough as nails.

Asar is broken and he doesn’t love often but when he does….ooooowwweee, it was a sight to behold! I LOVE him!

So the ending nearly killed me off but I saved this quote to make me feel better!

‘A fresh dawn makes you believe that the future can be better than the present.’

‘And so, I wait.’

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hope you’ve had a good week!

Another week gone by! I’m fighting the urge to put up my Christmas tree! It’s an internal battle!

Work was crazy, my dental check up was cancelled for the 3rd time (think it’s time to find a new dentist!), my oven is still not fixed and I started my Christmas shopping!

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What I’ve Read

Swordcrossed by Freya Marske
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Gild by Raven Kennedy (reread)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my review soon!

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You might have missed…..

Review – Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley
Feature – Friday 56

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What have you read lately?

Friday 56 is a book meme – I can see who originally hosted but the site looks to have been taken over so don’t really want to share the link!

The Rules:

1. Grab a book
2. Turn to Page 56 in a physical book or 56% in your eReader of choice.
3. Find a line or paragraph that jumps out at you and share!

For those that love…..
🌞 Grumpy/Sunshine
💞 Forced Proximity
🌿 Whimsical Cozy Fantasy

I haven’t read this yet…..but soon!

Title: Sorcery and Small Magics

Series: The Wildersongs #1

Author: Maiga Doocy

Desperate to undo the curse binding them to each other, an impulsive sorcerer and his curmudgeonly rival venture deep into a magical forest in search of a counterspell—only to discover that magic might not be the only thing pulling them together.

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

Title: Servant Of Earth

Series: Shards of Magic #1

Author: Sarah Hawley

In the underground Fae realm, only the strongest and most ruthless have power—but a young human woman forced into a life of servitude is about to change everything.

Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say “half feral”—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court.

Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.

With no ally but a sentient dagger of mysterious origins, Kenna must face monsters, magic, and grueling physical tests. But worse dangers wait underground, and soon Kenna gets caught up in a secret rebellion against the inventively sadistic faerie king. When her feelings for the rebellion’s leader turn passionate, Kenna must decide if she’s willing to risk her life for a better world and a chance at happiness.

Surviving the trials and overthrowing a tyrant king will take cunning, courage, and an iron will… but even that may not be enough.

Oh this was exquisite! You know that feeling when you know you LOVE a book. Not just enjoy it but LOVE it. That’s what I got here!

Kenna is a human who gets pulled into the Fae underground world of Mistei and finds herself a servant looking after the Earth Princess, Lara.

Mistei is split into the houses of Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion and Blood and
ruled by the horrible, violent, King Osric. 

I won’t say anything about the plot apart from there’s trials, betrayals, it’s dark, violent and full of cutthroat fae, magic and some lovely spice!

The world building and the description of Mistei and all its secrets was written so well, it’s like I was there!

Loved Kenna but my utter fave was the Void Prince, Kellan…..yes, it’s true. Me liking the shadowy enemy! 

Ps…need book 2 please…..ASAP!

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! And audiobooks. Don’t forget audiobooks!

In other words, if you can read it or if it can be read to you – no matter how you got it – it belongs in Stacking the Shelves.

The Stacking the Shelves meme was originally hosted at Team Tynga’s Reviews. It is currently hosted by Reading Reality.

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All books box books!

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
The Coven by Harper L Woods
Until We Shatter by Kate Dylan
Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Did you get any of these?

 

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.

Topic: Destination Titles (titles with name of places in them – these places can be real or fictional!)

Cursed Under London
City of Stardust
Map of the Otherlands
What Sleeps Within the Cove
Howls Moving Castle
Midnight in Everwood
The Drowned Woods
The Foxhole Court
Coldest Girl in Coldtown
House in the Cerulean Sea

What are yours?

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hope you’ve had a good week!

Back to work after a week off, and my son went back to school. It was also Firework Night, and we celebrated with sparklers and wands in the garden and had sausage casserole (my oven broke, so we couldn’t have our normal hotdogs!)

I felt under the weather again until Wednesday so only read 1 book…..but it was a great one!

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What I’ve Read

Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my review soon!

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You might have missed…..

Unboxing – Fairyloot Romantasy: October
Calendar – Firework Night
Review – Never Keep by Caroline Peckham
Mini Review – The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

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What have you read lately?

Title: The Familiar

Author: Leigh Bardugo

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

In 16th century Madrid, Luzia is a scullion but her magic is discovered by her show off mistress who hopes to raise herself in society and, due to this, she then catches the eye of the greedy, ambitious Antonio Perez who wants to get back into the King’s good graces.

Antonio entrusts Luzia’s training to Santangel, an immortal……and sparks fly!

It was dark, there was magic, and it gave overall a solemn tone.

I must admit I enjoyed the 2nd half more than the first but the historical fantasy with added romance story was spot on. (3.5)

Title: Never Keep

Series: Sins of the Zodiac #1

Author: Caroline Peckham

The dragons are lost.
The elements are at war. Enlisting isn’t optional.
And I’m falling for a man who wants me dead.

I’m a wielder of hearts and summoner of corruption. Heir to nothing and born to a fool in the wrong damn month.

But I’m also one of only two Fae in this divided land of hellions who might be starting to see through the lies we’ve swallowed for so long.

In the year we turn twenty-one, conscripts from across the warring nations of air, fire, earth and water are sent to Never Keep – the only place in our besieged continent where our magic can be Awakened.

But something is wrong inside Never Keep. Something which might extend far beyond the reaches of this desolate fortress. Within the gothic walls of this frigid castle in the snow, we’re left to hold our own against the brutal Fae from the opposing lands.

The Reapers are merciless. The Royals are lying. The Werewolves run rampant and Vampires roam the wastelands in bloodthirsty covens. But even though death lurks in every shadow of the Keep, it’s the least of my worries.

I’m delving into secrets the stars don’t want me uncovering, making alliances with Fae born to be my enemy, falling for a sinner while promising my heart to a different heathen and somewhere amid it all, I’m supposed to win a war.

I thought the only thing I had to do was survive my magical instruction.

Turns out, fate doesn’t favour the wicked.

Back in the same world as Zodiac Academy and Reckless Boys…..but a different land and school!

~ Vesper aka The Sky Witch
~ Everest, Raincarver
~ Cayde, Drake
~ Harlon, Raincarver and Everest’s bestie
~ Kaiser, Fury and all round evil bad a…..

Of course Kaiser was my fave!

Vesper and Everest are both outcasts but oh so different, and they are strong, determined ladies, it’s no wonder they find themselves drawn together.

I really don’t want to say more but if you loved ZA then you will love this darker feeling romantasy!

This was a slow starter but I guess we needed to get to know the new world, the characters and the different places in The Waning Lands.

But my gosh, after that halfway mark, I was so hooked, so much tension!

I actually can’t believe I have to wait until April 2025 now after that ending!