Title: Malice

Series: Malice duology

Author: Heather Walter

Once upon a time, there was a wicked fairy who, in an act of vengeance, cursed a line of princesses to die. A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss.

You’ve heard this before, haven’t you? The handsome prince. The happily-ever-after.

Utter nonsense.

Let me tell you, no one in Briar actually cares about what happens to its princesses. Not the way they care about their jewels and elaborate parties and charm-granting elixirs. I thought I didn’t care, either.

Until I met her.

Princess Aurora. The last heir to Briar’s throne. Kind. Gracious. The future queen her realm needs. One who isn’t bothered that I am Alyce, the Dark Grace, abhorred and feared for the mysterious dark magic that runs in my veins. Humiliated and shamed by the same nobles who pay me to bottle hexes and then brand me a monster. Aurora says I should be proud of my gifts. That she . . . cares for me. Even though it was a power like mine that was responsible for her curse.

But with less than a year until that curse will kill her, any future I might see with Aurora is swiftly disintegrating—and she can’t stand to kiss yet another insipid prince. I want to help her. If my power began her curse, perhaps it’s what can lift it. Perhaps, together, we could forge a new world.

Nonsense again.

Because we all know how this story ends, don’t we? Aurora is the beautiful princess. And I—

I am the villain.

A sapphic sleeping beauty retelling – and it was glorious!

Alyce, aka Malice, meets Princess Aurora who has a curse and…..something….blooms between them!

Alyce is perceived as evil, the villain, because of her powers but is she really the villain? A chance meeting with the Princess sets them about trying to break her curse, amongst other things,  but as you can imagine, it all goes wrong!

I listened to this and can totally recommend the audio! The world building and the magic system were amazing! I truly loved Alyce and also loved the spin the author put on this fairy tale!

I think there is a book 2 so I’m off to look for that and I’m still saying to myself, who needs a Prince when you’ve got Malice?!

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: Backlist Titles

My tbr pile is soooo large that it’s embarrassing! I was mortified to find out I have 2 books on there that I purchased the day they were released in 2012 and 2013 that I still havent read!!!!!

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters
Graceling by Kristin Cashore
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber

Ghosts and Reincarnation series by Kristen Ashley

I’ve actually read 2 of these (and these are the ones from 2012/13!)

What’s on your list?

Just a little post to wish you a happy August!

“Leaving any bookstore is hard, especially on a day in August, when the street outside burns and glares, and the books inside are cool and crisp to the touch.” ―Jane Smiley

“Breathe the sweetness that hovers in August.” ―Denise Levertov

I couldn’t let July go by without posting something about Christmas in July so I’m just sneaking in, barely!!!!

Normally I post about Christmas in July celebrations but I’ve done that for a few years now so I’m changing tack to another popular thing (well on Netgally anyway!)……Christmas books!

Here are a few Christmas books that I’ve seen are releasing soon! Will you be getting any of these?

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?

We’ve been to the beach this week and now am back to a mountain of washing!

It was a bit of a dud week because my son was really unwell starting the 2nd day and he wasn’t well enough to go anywhere as he had a fever, so we spent 3 days in the accommodation! That meant I did get to read quite a bit as he was asleep for most of it, silver lining!

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New Arrivals

I haven’t opened my post yet so will update next week!!!

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What I’ve Read

🎧 Never a Hero by Vanessa Len
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Mindbreaker by Kate Dylan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my reviews soon!

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You might have missed…..

ARC Review – Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare
Review – Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou

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What have you read lately?

Title: Threads That Bind

Series: Threads That Bind #1

Author: Kika Hatzopoulou

In a world where the children of the gods inherit their powers, a descendant of the Greek Fates must solve a series of impossible murders to save her sisters, her soulmate, and her city.

Descendants of the Fates are always born in threes: one to weave, one to draw, and one to cut the threads that connect people to the things they love and to life itself. The Ora sisters are no exception. Io, the youngest, uses her Fate-born abilities as a private investigator in the half-sunken city of Alante.

But her latest job leads her to a horrific discovery: somebody is abducting women, maiming their life-threads, and setting the resulting wraiths loose in the city to kill. To find the culprit, she must work alongside Edei Rhuna, the right hand of the infamous Mob Queen—and the boy with whom she shares a rare fate-thread linking them as soul mates before they’ve even met.

But the investigation turns personal when Io’s estranged oldest sister turns up on the arm of her best suspect. Amid unveiled secrets from her past and her growing feelings for Edei, Io must follow clues through the city’s darkest corners and unearth a conspiracy that involves some of the city’s most powerful players—before destruction comes to her own doorstep.

Io is descended from the Fates, a cutter, someone who can follow a persons threads. She works as a PI in the half-sunken city of Alante until a job goes a bit wrong and she is thrown together with a mob boss and her 2nd, Edei. He is her destiny…but he doesn’t know!

‘Her fated thread.
The boy she was destined to Love’

Together they investigate some strange murders that have been happening and literally, it all kicks off! I suspected so many people, the author is so good at planting seeds! My last guess was right!!!

This was an action packed mystery with a lovely romance and the last part had me holding my breath, the crescendo was magnificent!

‘What I can tell you with absolute clarity, is this: if I had the choice, I would still choose you.’

Now I need book 2, apparently out in summer 2024!

Title: Sword Catcher

Series: Sword Catcher #1

Author: Cassandra Clare

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword-Catcher—the body-double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are close as brothers, but Kel knows he has one destiny: to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community who still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls in the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend Mariam without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces. As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will Lin and Kel’s discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

Well I can, with absolute certainty, say that I loved this book!

This is the authors first adult book and she has nailed it but she also brings with her the same addictive storyline as the Shadowhunters did. 

Kellian Saren is bought from the orphanage to the Palace when he is 10 to see if he is suitable to be Prince Conors, Kiralar, aka bodyguard, aka Sword Catcher.

Now grown, Kel and Conor find themselves involved in all sorts of trouble!

We also meet Lin Caster who is an Ashkar (magic user) and the only woman physician of her people. Something that she thinks many think of her as ‘peculiar’!

Their paths meet and it basically all kicks off! Secrets are revealed, drama ensues, court politics are everywhere and it’s a case of trust no one, I suspected everyone!!!! I have so many questions that I need answering!

One thing I will say is that I absolutely adored the romance! Shocker I know but not for the reasons you think, because this was cleverly written! You make assumptions in your head thinking it’s going one way but it’s not! Well I didn’t think it was but it remains to be seen!!!

So, in short, this is a fabulous book and I urge you to read it to get pulled into the rich, lavish world of Castellane. Although there is 1 person who reeks of deception to me but I now have a long wait for book 2 to find out!

‘Come inside, we have a great deal of work to do.’

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: Ten Books I Nearly DNF’d But So Glad I Didn’t!

So I’ve changed this as I don’t keep a note of books I DNF and also didn’t want to be too negative so I’m doing books I nearly DNF’d but so glad I didn’t because I loved them in the end!

Flatshare
Icebreaker
Thorns Remain
Ninth House
Thread of Angels

Mind Walker
River Enchanted
Poppy War
Red Rising
City of Brass

What about you?

I’m on holiday!

Me, my son and my parents are off on holiday until the 30th and the last time we went there the internet was atrocious!!!

I have scheduled some posts in but the likelihood is that I won’t be blog hopping and commenting but will try my best to catch up when I get back!

Hope you have a great week!