Books & Life
The r/Fantasy Book Bingo Challenge is something I have been hearing more and more about over the last couple of years, and this year I have decided to take part. If you want to find out more about this challenge, you can find the original post here.
The Keep Within by J.L. Worrad
Adult | Fantasy
Published by: Titan Books
Release date: 28/03/2023
Length: 488
Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads | Waterstones | Publisher
Synopsis:
When Sir Harrance ‘Harry’ Larksdale, bastard brother of the king, falls for a mysterious lad from the mountains, he is unwillingly caught up in a chaotic world of court intrigue and murderous folk tales. Meanwhile Queen Carmotta Il’Lunadella, First-Queen of the Brintland, needs to save her life and her unborn child. With the Third-Queen plotting against her, and rumours of coups rocking the court, Carmotta can rely only on her devious mind and venomous wit.
But deep within the walls of Becken Keep squats the keep-within – patient, timeless, and evil. To speak of the keep-within outside the walls of Becken Keep guarantees your bizarre and agonising demise within nine days. All the while, people fearfully whisper the name Red Marie: a bloodied demon with rusted nails for teeth and swinging scythes who preys on the innocent.
Harry and Carmotta are clinging to their dreams, their lives, by threads. And, beneath all, the keep-within awaits.
Girl Friends by Holly Bourne
Adult | Contemporary
Published by: Hodder & Stoughton
Release date: 27/09/2022
Length: 448
Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Goodreads | Waterstones | Publisher
Synopsis:
“Men see women in two separate categories. There are the women they sleep with, and the women they fall in love with. And they will treat you differently based on that.”
From the day they first meet as teenagers Fern and Jessica are best friends. Despite their differences, they are there for each other throughout everything, navigating the difficulties of growing up and fitting in. That is until Jessica crosses a line that Fern can’t forgive.
But now, more than ten years later, Jessica has unexpectedly reappeared in Fern’s life.
A lot has changed for them both – but can their relationship be different now they are older? Is it possible for either of them to rewrite the role that they have been cast in? Or will their shared history ultimately be doomed to repeat itself again?
Set between the present day and the past, GIRL FRIENDS is a blisteringly funny and devastating novel: both a joyful celebration of female friendship and a razor-sharp look at the damage we can all cause to those we claim to love the most.
Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria
Young Adult | Fantasy
Published by: Ink Yard Press
Release date: 01/11/2022
Length: 368
Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads | Waterstones | Publisher
*This book was sent to my by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own*
Synopsis:
Eight years ago, everything changed for Devlin: Her country was attacked. Her father was killed. And her mother became the Whisperer of Aris, the head of the spies, retreating into her position away from everyone… even her daughter.
Joining the spy ranks herself, Dev sees her mother only when receiving assignments. She wants more, but she understands the peril their country, Aris, is in. The malevolent magic force of The Mists is swallowing Aris’s edges, their country is vulnerable to another attack from their wealthier neighbour, and the magic casters who protect them from both are burning out.
Dev has known strength and survival her whole life, but with a dangerous new assignment of infiltrating the royal court of their neighbour country Cerena to steal the magic they need, she learns that not all that glitters is weak. And not all stories are true.
The Mistletoe Motive by Chloe Liese
Adult | Romance
Published by: Chloe Liese
Release date: 01/12/2021
Length: 179
Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads | Waterstones | Publisher
Synopsis:
He loathes the holidays. She loves them. She’s full of festive cheer. He’s brimming with Bah, Humbugs. Besides unreasonably seasonable names, the only thing Jonathan Frost and Gabriella Di Natale have in common is a healthy dose of mutual contempt. Well, that and the same place of employment at the city’s most beloved independent bookstore, Bailey’s Bookshop. But when the store’s owners confess its dire financial state, Jonathan and Gabby discover another unfortunate commonality: the imminent threat of unemployment.
With the Baileys’ requests to minimize expenses, win new customers, and make record sales dancing in their heads, Jonathan and Gabby conclude—barring a financial Christmas miracle—one of them will soon be cut from the payroll. Neither are willing to step down from their position, so they strike a bargain: whoever has more sales in December gets to stay on in the new year; the loser will resign. With a lifetime’s worth of festive tricks up her sleeve, Gabby should easily outsell her nemesis, except the unreadable Mr. Frost’s every move seems purely designed to throw her off her game.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Gabby’s deceptive ex won’t quit pursuing her, and her anonymous online friend suggests they take a break. Worst of all, as the pressure mounts to save the bookshop and her job, Gabby meets a new, tender side of Jonathan. Is this the same man she’s called her cold-hearted enemy?
Maybe he’s got a motive she just can’t figure out—or maybe Jonathan Frost isn’t as chilly as she once thought. Maybe Jonathan and Gabby already know—and love—each other in ways they never thought possible.
Hi friends, this week’s Top Ten Tuesday is Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023. I’m always really bad at being aware of what is coming out, even by authors I love and try to keep up with, so making this list has definitely helped me find some upcoming releases that I hadn’t heard of that sound amazing.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl
Continue reading “Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2023”
Angel Mage by Garth Nix
Young Adult | Fantasy
Published by: Gollancz
Release date: 30/09/2019
Length: 534
Rating: ★★★★☆
Goodreads | Waterstones | Publisher
Synopsis:
More than a century has passed since Liliath crept into the empty sarcophagus of Saint Marguerite, fleeing the Fall of Ystara. But she emerges from her magical sleep still beautiful, looking no more than nineteen, and once again renews her single-minded quest to be united with her lover, Palleniel, the archangel of Ystara.
A seemingly impossible quest, but Liliath is one of the greatest practitioners of angelic magic to have ever lived, summoning angels and forcing them to do her bidding.
Liliath knew that most of the inhabitants of Ystara died from the Ash Blood plague or were transformed into beastlings, and she herself led the survivors who fled into neighboring Sarance. Now she learns that angels shun the Ystaran’s descendants. If they are touched by angelic magic, their blood will turn to ash. They are known as Refusers, and can only live the most lowly lives.
But Liliath cares nothing for the descendants of her people, save how they can serve her. It is four young Sarancians who hold her interest: Simeon, a studious doctor-in-training; Henri, a dedicated fortune hunter; Agnez, an adventurous musketeer cadet; and Dorotea, an icon-maker and scholar of angelic magic. They are the key to her quest.
The four feel a strange kinship from the moment they meet, but do not know why, or suspect their importance. All become pawns in Liliath’s grand scheme to fulfill her destiny and be united with the love of her life. No matter the cost to everyone else. . .
Hey friends. Welcome back to another WWW Wednesday. WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking On a World of Words, where you answer the three W’s, what are you currently reading, what did you recently finish reading and what do you think you’ll read next?
Continue reading “WWW Wednesday – 04/01/2023”Hi friends, welcome back to another Top Ten Tuesday post. This weeks topic is Favourite Books of 2022. To be honest, I didn’t have the best reading year, I only ended up rating 3 books 5 stars (not including rereads) so I’m going to do my top 3 books of the year, and then some honourable mentions that nearly made the cut, but didn’t quite make it.
Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl
Continue reading “Top Ten Tuesday – Favorite Books of 2022”Hey friends! Here are all the books I’m hoping to read in January. I think January could be a bit of a weird month for me. I don’t have a lot on for most of the month, so hopefully I should be able to read a lot, but the reason I don’t have a lot on is because I’m going to New Zealand at the end of the month, so preparing for that might end up distracting me from reading more than I’m hoping it will. Hopefully I can get through all these books!
Continue reading “January TBR”
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