Title: A Study in Drowning

Author: Ava Reid

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

This was the book I didn’t know I needed!

A creepy, decaying, gothic house?
A creepy tale about a Fairy King?
Creepy old photos of a half nakey chick?
A dark academia, paranormal romance?

Yes please!

Architecture student, Effy, is invited to redesign her deceased fave authors manor. Before his death, author Emrys Myrddin wrote a book that Effy is a bit obsessed with!

Emry doesn’t appear that stable, she’s had visions of the Fairy King since childhood (and pops those pink pills like there’s no tomorrow!) so Hiraeth Manor is probably not the best place for her to go!!! There she meets Preston and it all kicks off!

This book had such an atmospheric, haunting feel, I was turning the pages like a mad woman!

The romance was really cute and that last sentence…..do I detect more?!

Title: The Prisoners Throne

Series: Elfhame #5

Author: Holly Black

An imprisoned prince. A vengeful queen. And a battle that will determine the future of Elfhame.
 
Prince Oak is paying for his betrayal. Imprisoned in the icy north and bound to the will of a monstrous new queen, he must rely on charm and calculation to survive. With High King Cardan and High Queen Jude willing to use any means necessary to retrieve their stolen heir, Oak will have to decide whether to attempt regaining the trust of the girl he’s always loved or to remain loyal to Elfhame and hand over the means to end her reign—even if it means ending Wren, too.
 
With a new war looming on the horizon and treachery lurking in every corner, neither Oak’s guile nor his wit will be enough to keep everyone he loves alive. It’s just a question of whom he will doom.

Back with Oak and Wren…..but Oak is Wren’s prisoner.

I was really looking forward to this read, love being in Elfhame!

I must admit that I enjoyed the second half more than the first and also I wasn’t sure I liked Wren in this book.

In the first book it was mainly her pov, I guess that endeared me to her but in this book it’s Oaks and I fell in love with him!

~ I loved that Oak was totally in love with Wren,
~ Oak’s inner monologue made me smile,
~ I loved Tiernan and Hyacinthe and their love,
~ Maddoc – is that actual regret?!
~ Taryn – still not sure about her.

But….Cardan and Jude, I will literally read anything with them in!

‘You’re not sick, Jude tells him, you’re recovering from being stabbed – or rather, throwing yourself on a knife.
You would have done the same for me, he says airily.
I would not, Jude snaps.
Liar, Cardan says fondly.

But what about Ghost? Please tell me there’s more there?!

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: Books on my Spring 2024 TBR

These are hard posts for me because I’m mostly a mood reader so I’ve added 3 arcs that I need to read and also soke books I really want to read…..but no promises!

Evocation by ST Gibson
The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Funny Story by Emily Henry
A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le
Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw
Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan
Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey

What’s on your list?

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?

Well I’ve had a hell of a week! A 2 day migraine to start off and then I had a fight with a hot water bottle and lost, dramatically!

I have second degree burns all over my chest, had to have the blisters drained and am now in dressings for 3 weeks which have to be changed every 3 days!! To look at all the burns you’d think they’d be really painful but they don’t hurt at all which is weird!

To top that off, my son was ill again, the same as he had 2 weeks ago, a fever and a sore throat but he was worse this time.

Glad to see the back of this week!!!!

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New Arrivals

Nothing this week!

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What I’ve Read

🎧 The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my reviews soon!

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You might have missed…..

Review – The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
Feature – April Releases
Review – The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

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What have you read lately?

Here’s what’s tantalising me that’s releasing in April (that I’ll probably buy!!)

Will there ever be a month where I don’t want any books?!

I did have a few more but it looks like they have been pushed out to the end of the year – gives me time to save for them though, silver lining!

Avenging Angel by Kristen Ashley
Wrath of the Talon by Sophie Kim
Funny Story by Emily Henry
Sound the Gong by Joan He
The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

Will you be getting any of these?

Title: The Warm Hands of Ghosts

Author: Katherine Arden

January 1918. Laura Iven was a revered field nurse until she was wounded and discharged from the medical corps, leaving behind a brother still fighting in Flanders. Now home in Halifax, Canada, she receives word of Freddie’s death in combat, along with his personal effects—but something doesn’t make sense. Determined to uncover the truth, Laura returns to Belgium as a volunteer at a private hospital. Soon after arriving, she hears whispers about haunted trenches, and a strange hotelier whose wine gives soldiers the gift of oblivion. Could Freddie have escaped the battlefield, only to fall prey to something—or someone—else?

November 1917. Freddie Iven awakens after an explosion to find himself trapped in an overturned pillbox with a wounded enemy soldier, a German by the name of Hans Winter. Against all odds, the two men form an alliance and succeed in clawing their way out. Unable to bear the thought of returning to the killing fields, especially on opposite sides, they take refuge with a mysterious man who seems to have the power to make the hellscape of the trenches disappear.

As shells rain down on Flanders, and ghosts move among those yet living, Laura’s and Freddie’s deepest traumas are reawakened. Now they must decide whether their world is worth salvaging—or better left behind entirely.

I was so happy to grab this, Bear and the Nightingale is one of my fave trilogies ever!

January 1918, Laura is back home in Canada and her brother, Freddie is still on the front, fighting. Their parents are both gone so all they have is each other. When Laura gets her brothers effects, she goes off to Belgium to find him as she feels in her bones that he isn’t gone.

Meanwhile Freddie comes to in a strange place with a companion, a German soldier called Winter….

You’ll need to read the rest but this is where our story begins….

I can tell you that the writing was beautiful, it made me feel all the emotions.

This story was also beautiful and it was dark and haunting, I could not stop reading it! Would totally recommend.

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: Books I’m Worried I Might Not Love as Much the Second Time Around

I thought I’d mix it up and first put some books that I love to reread!!!

Well there’s a theme here!!
With Everything I Am by Kristen Ashley
Rock Chicks by Kristen Ashley
Ride Steady by Kristen Ashley
Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley
ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas

And some books I would worry I wouldn’t love the second time around (it’s been ages since I read them!

Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Fae Chronicles by Amelia Hutchins
Sinners MC by Bella Jewel
Reapers by Joanna Wylde
Craving Constellations by Nicole Jacquelyn

What would you choose?

Title: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Series: Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Author: Megan Bannen

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most – Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares – each other?

Enemies to lovers at its finest, but zombie style!

Well sort of!

Hart is a marshall and in charge of ending and bringing zombie like creatures called drudges to an undertaker, namely Mercy.

Mercy is the undertaker seeing the bodies off to their final end.

Both are overworked and lonely souls and a series of letters pass between them but they don’t know they are writing to each other…..’Dear Friend’…

What transpires is a quirky, unique story with a mystery to be solved!

I loved that the appendix was used as a connection to the soul, I relished the cutting insults between Hart and Mercy, I adored the cast of side characters who captured my heart (apart from Nathan, creep!) with special mention to Duckers and Zeddie who just made love seem easy and chill!

There was a lot to love in this book and can’t wait for more in this world!

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?

A normal run of the mill week here but I did start transitioning into my new job – it’s ok but the training is slow and I’m a fast paced person!

It’s Mothers Day here today and my son got me some chocolate and we took my Mum out for an Indian last night, I also ordered a cake (so I could have some too!!!!) – a 4 layer Victoria sponge!! Delish!

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New Arrivals

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

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What I’ve Read

🎧 A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Charles III by Robert Hardman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle Jensen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my reviews soon!

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You might have missed…..

Review – A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle Jensen
Review – Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman
Review – Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore                                                                Review – Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli

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What have you read lately?