The Audiobook Challenge 2023 – how did I do?!

Hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer and That’s What I’m Talking About. #2023AudiobookChallenge


When I signed up I said I was going for the My Precious – 30+. I hit that and upped my goal to Marathoner – 50+ but I’ve actually achieved Overachiever – 75+ as I’ve listened to 92 audiobooks!

Here’s some I’ve listened to in the last quarter:

Ravensong by TJ Klune
Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin
Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
Magnus Chase series
Foxglove by Adalyn Grace
House of Roots and Ruin by Erin A Craig
Ladies Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin
The Hunting Moon by Susan Dennard
Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amelie Wen Zhao
A Power Unbound by Freya Marske
Masters of Death by Olivie Blake
Girl Goddess Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
Blood Scion by Deborah Falaye
Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan
Darker Shade of Magic series by VE Schwab
Night Hunt by Alexandra Christo
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Dark Rise by CS Pacat
Cruel Illusions by Margie Fuston
Heartsong by TJ Klune
Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem
Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin
Hollen the Soulless by Denali Day
Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco

I really hope this challenge will be on for 2024!

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.

Hi everyone, hope you’ve had a good week!

Yes you read that right, Monday Post today as I had a Blogmas post yesterday!!!

I really struggled with enthusiasm in work last week, it got up and went! I think I need more than a day off so roll on Christmas when I’ve got 10 days off!

I am trying really hard to read 10 books off my tbr this month so using Bookbeat to try and get through them so I can start the new year with a smaller tbr!!!

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New Arrivals

Gold by Raven Kennedy (the edges are orange, not gold, and don’t match with the others!)

Fate of Wrath and Ruin by JLA

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What I’ve Read

🎧 Hollen the Soulless by Denali Day
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🎧 Fragile Threads of Power by VE Schwab
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

🎧 City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Look out for my reviews soon!

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You might have missed…..

Blogmas – Anticipated Reads
Blogmas – Favourite Christmas Films
Blogmas – Anticipated 2024 Books
Review – Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey
Blogmas – Festive Points Game

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What have you read lately?

I meant to post about this on Friday, but it totally slipped my mind. Last week was hella busy. Anyhoo, if you haven’t read The Colony duology yet, here’s your chance to get started. The first book, Subject A36, is on sale TODAY ONLY for $0.99. If you’re looking for Christmas ideas for the readers […]

Subject A36 (The Colony #1) $0.99 Today Only! #bookpromo #booksale #scifi #dystopian

Give yourself 10 points for each of the below you have done and let me know your score in the comments!

• Cut down a real tree
• Regifted a present
• Kissed under the mistletoe
• Seen the Nutcracker live
• Been in a Christmas jumper competition
• Received a bad gift
• Panic bought on the 24th
• Hidden a gift and then couldn’t find it
• Had a Christmas cooking disaster.

My total is 50!

I have a story about the receiving of a bad gift that I still remember to this day. I had a very old great aunt and when I was around 14 she gave me the most hideous, bright green, elbow high gloves with feathers around, ala the 1940s! I can safely say I never wore them but thanked her for the lovely gift!

Title: Wreck the Halls

Author: Tessa Bailey

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love. 

Beat and Melody fit together like puzzle pieces despite the fact they haven’t met in years after their Mums had a huge falling out.

They are thrown together for a reunion but are complete opposites….sometimes that totally works though.

First of all this book made me want to throw things!

The segsual tension made me want to throw things. Then the absolute perfectness of Beat made me want to throw things! Then the third act drama made me want to throw things. So be prepared and protect your windows at all costs!

I was really hooked into this book until the 3rd act drama, that plot device really isn’t for me but this was cute, spicy and there was one Santa part that had me laughing out loud!

Happy Blogmas!!

It’s that time of year to look forward and pick out those most anticipated books for next year!

I chose 6 last year and I actually read them all so I’m doing 6 again as it seems achievable!!!

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett
Crescent City 3 by Sarah J Maas
Bride by Ali Hazelwood
The Prisoners Throne by Holly Black
Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff
Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao

What would yours be?

Not books but we went to our local garden centre to see their Christmas display and I can certainly say they have captured the magic of Christmas!

The atmosphere was amazing! Lots of people browsing and buying the thousands of Christmas decorations on offer and lots of excited kids (in fact one was so excited that she was sick and it smelt so bad!)

We also visited their restaurant and treated ourselves to homemade gluten free ginger cake and a lovely warm latte!

I also bought some relishes and chutneys and a light up Christmas house!

Happy Blogmas!!!!

This isn’t books but something else dear to my heart….Christmas films!!

There is nothing like sitting in the dark just with the glow of tree lights watching a Christmas film!

In my house we tend the watch the same films each year because we love them so much! When my son was younger Muppets Christmas Carol and Polar Express were his faves but now he is getting older his tastes have changed (I however still love Muppets Christmas Carol!!)

We have our list of films which are…….

National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

Home Alone and Home Alone 2

Elf (Saaaaaaanta!!!)

And more recently we have found these:

Christmas Chronicles 1 and 2!

Jingle Jangle

What are some of your favourite Christmas films?

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 Winter 2023-2024 To-Read List

I don’t really make a to be read as I’m a mood reader but I do have some arcs, a buddy reread and library holds that will come up soon so here is my list of 6!

Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Wildfire by Hannah Grace
Crescent City 2 by Sarah J Maas (buddy reread)
Evocation by ST Gibson
City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen

I’ve already read Wildfire and I LOVED it!

What would you choose?