The Monster Hunter's Librarian - Warrior, witch and a sentient library

 Welcome to the Endless Library, a sentient library made possible by the soul fragment of a Guardian, who remain the source of magical power throughout the world.. 

Follow Belladonna Mortevue as she recovers from childhood trauma and her curious flower child persona builds a bond with the nearly live library, her trauma belying her to not make any mistakes... Bells is absolutely charming! whimsical, insecure and utterly adorable! her ensemble and cheery do gooder attitude were sooo cute! 

And Rhett, as the strong, silent and long suffering outsider in a clan driven elite warrior class. With a Mom who won the warrior trials, his human dad is infected by a wraith, carrying these burdens and hopelessly attracted to the sunshiney Bells at the Library, while searching for cures. Rhett-o-saurus is an equal match to her sass!

the support characters absolutely brought it for me! from Scottie, the best ghostie, to Fina Phantom, cawing crow guides, Doom and the Smith, and all the cherry barbs in between, the story absolutely brought it! Such heart, zing and gorgeously wicked character set that absolutely slew the tale!

My thank yous to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley and bow tied gratitude to Lauren Connolly. I am looking forward to see something brew between Tiny and Fina!

#TheMonsterHuntersLibrarian #NovemberReads #BerkleyPublishing #Netgalley

How To Capture A Dark Lord's Heart - Booktok voral destined enemies to fated soulmates laughfest

 Does your heart pitter pater over Dark Villainous handsome strangers, does enemies to absolute lovers and insanely complicated fate gates and the clarion call of Destiny, beckon your all night binges sessions, does a slow torturous and absolutely riveting soul searing attraction and unspoken secrets speak your love language? then you are going to wreak havoc upon your bedtime routine with this page turner!

Emma Eden is responsible for my sleepless Tuesday and my exhausting Wednesday, all because of her darling book! The champions of Good and Evil facing a showdown where the Chosen One is a fatigued school teacher, pitted against an immortal Dark Lord - the back stories, the secrets, the twists and the rollercoaster of battles and dangers versus pulse pounding moments is always a winner in my book!

The accompanying story line, the comical, yet deadly, side characters, and the evolution of the character arcs was an absolute joy to revel in and then the tantalizing lead in to the next book in the series - i cannot wait to get my hands on it before next Jan!!

A thousand thank yous to Netgalley and Victory Editing Co-Op for this marvellous opportunity to read the ARC! This is an absolute booktok viral material! Dani and Maks foreva!!!

#NovemberReads #HowtoCaptureADarkLordsHeart #Netgalley

An edge Sharp Enough - series opener in metallurgy inspired rebellion fantasy

 If you want a youthful throwback to Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn, a nod to the asymmetrical timelines and character compositions with shifting perspectives and periods, if you thrive on the promise of a rebellion, haunted by its past and buried secrets that chnage the nature and course of the kingdom, then you are going to LOVE Jesse Sutanto's latest series opener!

Mara is locked away in an institute, learning how to be an assassin, whilst drawn to Lia, her stellar, amazingly strong fellow student, who hopes to be an Emissary for the institute, a hidden sanctuary fighting the Divine Empress..

Livya is the blissfully ignorant daughter of the scient who orchestrated the doom of the Dracerium element, creating Adther, the new foundation of Veliguard, caught in a kidnapping web and trying to wrench her own destiny free of political machinations. 

Kian Xi, is a street Artist, with earth connections, drawn to Livya and disrupts her kidnapping, whilst rekindling their youthful kinship and wondering at her scientific bend of mind...

Between the Prestige and the ruling factum, the Vigils who patrol the city, armed with Adther and the Knights guardind Ezeri's Church and Minster, the story ranges and rages against mystery, political upheaval and massive shifts in the nature of what is and what was, that leave my profoundly shaken... cannot wait for the revelations to follow...

My artful thank yous to Avon and harper Voyager and Netgalley for approving this ARC!

#NovemberReads #AEdgeSharpEnough #HarperAvon #MetallurgyFantasy

GodBound - Riveting relay of hunger games-esque challenges

 Does your heart race for feminine rebellion? Do you yearn for tales where the ladies break their shackles and rise from broken to conqueror? Do complex political interplay mingled with the wiles of Gods and their designs capture your interest? Is a slow burn of epic proportion your cup of tea? then, dear reader, this series opener by Masha Sova will delight your sensibilities...

Savannah Thomas gives voice to this audio production by Tantor Media, following Raylane, a nobel woman in a land plagued by the Scarlet tether curse - where the pristine white hair of a pure woman grows red threads with each act of passion (willing or otherwise) committed before marriage, to add injury to insult, the scarlet haired wenches are whipped and shunned and their fortunes are lost....

Raylane hopes to change this grim fate and challenge the status quo, by wedding prince Riker and redefining the mores that govern the womankind and restore her family honor, lost when her mother fell in love out of wedlock... she is cast into turmoil when she seethes and stops a whipping of a fellow noble, only add to this potent mix an innocent and drunk kiss, with the Prince's dubious brother, which costs Raylane her purity, and throws her headlong into the Godbound Trial! A trial caused by the incineration of the head priest, who channels the power of the Gods.

All candidates are selected by Gods and then bound to their power and offered a God Beast to complete 3 challenges and the winner will be the new arch priest or priestess! Raylane appeals to the Witch Goddess Calista and is granted, a man, when the other contestants have dragons...

Against odds, with betrayals and secrets looming over every challenge and decision, Raylane struggles to make sense of the world she thought she knew and give hope to those who have no recourse. 

I definitely enjoyed the book and the ending left me on tenterhooks for the next in the series. The narration was also phenomenal capturing Raylane's angst, self doubt and horror as she uncovers plot twists and accepts her Goddess' twisted magic...

Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Media for the ALC!

#NovemberListens #GodBound #Netgalley #HungerGamesXDirebound

All I want for Christmas collection

 If you are looking for a single sitting leisurely stroll through cozy, lusty, long simmering, insta-crush love stories, then this mix of peppermint cocoa madness infused with strong characters and what matters most vibes, from dysfunctional family, abhorrent exes, and finding the power to accept being accepted unconditionally, all bloom effortlessly in this zephyr of storyland.

Just Say I Do

Chloe and Robbie's love story began with Christmas and what was meant to be a quaint, intimate ceremony has now barelled into a festival for all their huge family members. With their celebrant caught in a snowstorm, Chloe and Robbie escape their winter wonderland and discover what it truly means to commit to their wishes and their happiness without everyone and their dog chiming in.

Whimsical Christmas magic meets an old love in this choosing yourself novella!

Just for the Camera

Fizzy Callahan is a few sheets shy of the wind after a relentless grunt shift at the ER, but when her bestie calls for a favor, which involves standing in as a bride for a pop star's video, Fizzy cannot refuse. She pulls in the tattooed, pinky ringed and double dimpled superstar, Silas, into curing her of her drunkenness without the rets of the cast realizing. Bu she's finally letting herself go, no filter, no fear and all honesty and begins to wonder, is their camaraderie for real?

Lights, camera and mistletoe!

White Water Wedding

Emery Pettis is used to being a control, but her sanity is challenged by the obnoxious bride and groom from hell. While bracing for more egoistical demands from the groom's MFL player cousin, she is surprised into a burn hot and fast romance, where protective feels and the permission to not allow her feelings to be besmirched ring loud and true in the backdrop of crazy rapids and hole filled Predator t shirts! 

Wild RESPECT!

A Scottish Christmas

Thriller book author faces his first flop, and accidentally connects with the reviewer who scathingly attacked his work, all under the ague of a Scottish wedding near the loch! Hidden identities, abrasive relatives and marital mayhem ensue as both author Riley Scott and book critic Alissa Hale, find themselves searching for the plot, while also discovering there is more to each other than their usefulness.

Cold comfort and reality checks!

The Plus-One Pact

A winter wonderland wedding involving a noxious ex, forces Emma to request a humbling favor form her boy bestie of five years, the grumpy and silent Cole, to stand in as her plus one, through the festivities, single bed trope and also managing familial expectations... Feelings catch, sparks fly and what if materializes in 'I got your back' with the strong hands and how did I not see you, caught in a flurry of butterflies!

My eternal thank yous to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the arc!

#Christmastales #AmazonReads #Netgalley

Five Spicy Holiday Novellas: Why-choose Halloween, Neighbors to Lovers Christmas, Stalker Valentines, Bunny shifter Easter, Friends to Lover St. Patrick's

 Sizzling, spicy, seductive, salacious, scandalous, and absolutely STUNNING! If life were a box of sexy novellas, then these 5 would absolutely make my box! Lexi Davis holds true to her promise of a quickie, but a satisfying happy ending to boot, no complaints here.

Whether you hearts falls hard for a why choose with a blustery October setting in a haunted castle with monster, who play monopoly, of all things, then this cross love fest is absolutely for your reading pleasure! Tall, dark and handsome, protective, hot headed maniac and slender, silent and sensitive - they are all yours to keep!

If you heart prefers a silent obsession, a devotion to your every need and yet craves control and understanding, then follow our hacker as he finds his stalkee about to embark on a murderous valentine revenge, the strong and secure individual and the sunshine sparkler he's angling after, he knows her every move and is scared of love - absolutely cute and special!!!

Childhood friends who discover they are luckier together, as their story unfolds from childhood, with throw back after throwback, in a decidedly long list of lost opportunities, and an unrequited love built off teasing and comforting through a lifetime of defeats, specially for the one who got away, which left you wondering .. what if...

Discover a magical world, and find your soulmate accidentally in a cage by the side of the street, for the romantasy fans who crave a meeting of mates and a strong sense of self - Nora was my absolute favorite of the lot!! I mean easter bunny madness!!!

For the hot mamas out there, comes a hot, spicy and double entendre exchange over walki talkies, grab on to your leftover ribbons and join Amber on a rocky and rough night to delight your senses and bring out your inner femme fatale!

I mean - these tales were an absolute pleasure to devour! My gratitude to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Netgalley for the ARC and to Lexi davis, you owe me a good night's sleep because this book did not get its claws off me till I finished it!

#NovemberReads #DarkRomance #ShortLoveBites

The Holiday Haters - Holiday Cuteness Overload

 Do you love romcom book tropes? Are complicated and deep connections your love language? Does a ridiculously cute meet cute appeal to your sense of happiness? Does a Viking book nerd toting a pink tote filled with romances appeal to your sense of suspended disbelief? Do dysfunctional family dynamics and misunderstandings make your inner Hallmark movie critic thrive? Then, darlings, this Holiday Homecoming is right up your alley!!!

Jessica Sherry masterfully weaves through characters, inheritance and health themes, with that good vibes only rose tinted view of perfection! It absolutely GOT me! From the almond joy stealing, wrecked journalist to an unapologetic mom taking time off, to a black sheep indecision fueled family feud, the sub plots are varied and engaging! I loved the exploration of various tropes and the secret code between the fake daters using the 12 days of Christmas as a wellness check when fake dating and dealing with pushy families.

Add in a strong sizzling connection between the protagonists and the throwback memories to Willow, its just perfect holiday magic in the making - family traditions, cousins connecting, accepting flaws, just being together, laughing at mistakes, the true essence of being together over the holidays, beyond photo shoots and competitions, just plain CUTE COMFORTING CONNECTIONS!!

My mistletoe thank yous to Jessica Sherry and Netgalley for the ARC. This was a surprisingly funny, sizzling and phenomenal holiday fake dating read!

#NovemberReads #TheHolidayHaters #JessicaSherry #HolidayCutenessOverload

Bones of Jade, Flesh like Ice - Moving, turbulent and effusive Jing retelling!

 If you enjoyed the conflux of narration, imagery and sadness imbibed in the Poet Empress, with the rags to riches and power, you will adore this gem! Ripped, shredded and doused in whimsical poetry! This marvelous novel from Gracie Marsden was just so - witty with deep insightful dialogue, reverberating with myths and storytelling, layered and complex in linearity and memory and resplendent with grief, worn like a necklace of a life well lived!

We embark on a journey through tales, reality, shame and regret, suffused with life and loves and duty that binds us as community. The dimensions of Yu'er are epic, nuanced and wonderfully wrought! There is a terrific grace to desolation and sadness that this tale bears a torch for, and I found myself moved! The tale of a girl who grew up to no hurtful thing, and then discovers how it still causes suffering, was crafted masterfully and the entire tome shimmers with the intent of reality suffusing through the best of intention and plans...

My effusive thank yous to Viking Penguin and Netgalley for the arc and my humble bow to Gracie Marsden for this stunning tale!

#BonesofjadeFleshlikeIce #Netgalley #EastAsian #WhimsicalPoetry

Fallen Beauty - Rapunzel X Picture of Dorian Gray

 You had me at the premise - tower locked damsel discovers ability to paint portraits a la Dorian Gray! Thorelea Winyard has been a prisoner her entire life, forced to paint dead animals pushed into her cell. She dreams of the world outside her tower and everything she’s been denied. When one of her subjects comes back to life, Thorelea is thrust into a royal court ruled by the immortal King and Queen, whose games are gory, violent and rest with her ability to paint her dead subjects back to life.

Prince Kelter is the sheltered prince, who discovers that their neighboring Kingdom is ravaged by the Fallen, and their kingdom is constantly under attack (think whitewalkers). He has outgrown being the selfish, playful prince, and wants a portrait to add his sword to the front line defenses, much to his parents chagrin....

What follows is a mystery, the unlearning of truths and the soft susurrations of romance and being seen and accepted for what you are, and not who you are. I truly enjoyed the premise but the characters didn't add up... I was left wanting more.... more closure around the hallowed twins, more clarity around the nature of the magic... 

My thank yous to St Martins Press and Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the Arc! 

#NovemberReads #RapunzelXDorianGray #FallenBeauty #StMartinsPress

Souls in Ruin - Richly seductive, bound dark fantasy

 Dark Fantasy Readers alert! This book by Jacqueline White is just that - sensual, dark, graphic with a seesaw between hurt and pleasure and a hurtling towards a hairpin bend of twists and POV surprises towards the end!

I ravished the book in 32 hours, the angst of Mireille reminded me of Robin Hobb's Assassin Fitz, a similar bastard who has little to no happiness in his life, and has to crave every crumb of his existence, the ruthlessness and ferocity of the Gods with complex interrelations and divine power, the hopelessness of an illegitimate princess' situation and her subsequent will to win at all costs, came through stunningly! The book shines if you crave pain versus pleasure power plays and an absolute God complex!

What didn't work was inconsistent pacing, repeated phrases and the casual dismissal of pain. On the other hand, the exploration of choice, acceptance of physical versus mental fortitude and the volte face in adversity and loss were all explored in gory detail. I cannot wait for the next book in the series and watch Mireille come into her own power and subjugate those that tormented her and unleash her wild side!

My bound and shackled thank yous to Scarlett Press and Netgalley for the ARC, and my star space gratitude to Jacqueline for dooming me with this venture!

#NovemberReads #SoulsinRuin #ScralettPress #DarkFantasy

Drown the Bones - A study of duality

 Dearest reader, if your heart thrums for a slow burn, immersive romance, your heart stutters to an enemies to lovers trope, your rebellion kindles at an insecure royal finally stepping into her own power, with myths, Goddesses and a murky mystery ties two kingdoms with beliefs based on justice and mercy, and magical powers stemming from a lake... if dark smirky and thoughtful heroes sing to you, and ghosts make their presence felt strongly, atmospheric vibes and a murder mystery to boot, sounds like a Saturday afternoon read, then this MUST be on your spooky Halloween TBR!

This book gave me mistborn vibes in the misinformation stemmed in beliefs, shades of iconoclast in the Princess Merridan and a sensitive, thoughtful Prince Phoenix, replete with misunderstandings, faux pas, and the ache of waiting to confess your feelings, it had a devastating effect whilst being read. The set of secondary characters were absolutely lust worthy - may i just say i have never felt a dead character more strongly in a tale - Von, with all the enigmatic charisma, hit me hard! Fayette and Eva were the femme fatale warriors, unapologetic and absolute in their opinions,  and the whole vibe of Lux and Nox / Roth and Nova, very well played indeed!

I LOVED this stunner from Alexandra Kennington and I polished this book off in 24 hours as I couldn't stand the wait!

My Lux and Nox thank yous to Berkley XO and Netgalley and my most ardent admiration to Alexandra Kennington for this moving, symphonic experience! 

#NovemberReads #DrowntheBones #enemiesxlovers #BerkleyXO

To all the Earls I've loved before - Second chance romance with Italian overtures

 Dearest Reader, should you tire of a season with the ton, amidst its doldrum affairs and smog covered streets, spilling with gossip and ever churning scandal, cast your eyes to Italy, loves, there lies a story.... 

Emma Orchard returns us to the Constantine sisters - the littlest, Bianca, an artist who wished to travel unchaperoned through a pilgrimage of Europe, seeking inspiration to paint, creates a persona of a recently widowed Italian (thank her roots), to escape the scrutiny a heiress and debutante would receive. Xan, a by the book, if you please, middle brother, and recent widower, with a child, finds himself entranced and infatuated with Signora Rossi, as they explore and savor their new fledgling lust (the pastry scene reminding me of Bridgerton's Simon moment in reverse)...

They part ways suddenly, until they meet again with Bianca as the artist booked to paint Xan's son.... what ensues is gossip most salacious, a slew of meddling sisters and aunts and two people who will wilfully misunderstand why they can't seem to fall out of love!

I loved this romp through the Venetian gondolas and revisited Viola and Sabrina, and Bianca was a force of nature, unique, unbridled and very very lucky! 

My curtsies to Boldwood Books and Netgalley and my renewed allegiance to Emma Orchard and her growing collections!

#octoberReads #RegencyRomance #SummerIntrigueXLondonReality

To Dream In Darkness - Mellifluous ode to loss and love

 If you have never encountered Ann Liang, i think this quote by Khalil Gibran best summarizes her works 

"Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain."

Ann crafts a potent, moving and immersive tale with Rujia, a healing Goddess and Keran, the marble chiseled Death God - when the Death God pays a visit, you do not refuse, and that is exactly what Rujia offers, she suggests she can heal him of his psychosomatic curse. As they spend time in the Night Realm, and learn more of each other, baring their essence, and truly seeing each other, it begins a beautiful melodic relation. And then the tussles with the crown prince, learning their natures and truly living life in the mortal realm - aah, it is like a breath of fresh air, after a storm has blown through - you revel in the smell of grass and petrichor... 

This book seeped into my senses, flavorful and redolent in exploring loss, realization of oneself and the effacing of tragedy in the light of hope and the magnificent power love wields to build or destroy.... The interwoven roles and complex connections intertwined through the second half were truly amazing and I LOVED this book as a study of slow drops filling an ocean and the ending is PERFECTION!

I absolutely cannot wait for the next tale from this talented author's pen - she has been an auto buy for many books now! My overwhelmed and emotional thnak yous to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with the Arc, and a million pages will be insufficient to express my ardent adoration of Ms Liang's works!

#OctoberReads #ToDreaminDarkness #HealerXDeath #poeticslowburn #StMartinsPress #Netgalley

Never Ever After - Lotus blossom perfection of a magical adventure across realms

 Sue Lynn Tan can do no wrong!! She effortlessly brings us along to a successful closure of her latest duology, brimming with political chaos, simmering with half truth driven mistrusts and the fear of filing one's people reign supreme. Battling these geopolitical headwinds, Yinning, finally, finds her family, and tries to assimilate herself in the mores and beliefs of her people. Her promise to the Lord of Thorn Valley hangs in balance, as the Mist Island and Thorn Valley are still at odds. With a spreading decay and a dying Sun dragon, Yinning has been charged with its revival at the eternal night waterfall.

The duality that Yinning faces from how she has grown, and what she is fighting for, is beautifully and achingly wrought, in the simplest of things like the definition of belonging, set out with the humble sharing of meals. Her bond with the mercurial Zixin is also explored and brought to a well wrought circle. The machinations and mistrust of long held prejudices are railed against as Yinning steals, plots and brazenly charts her course for a head on collision with ChunLei , the Queen of the Iron Mountains. Replete with surprises, second chances and soul searing betrayal, this is a 5 course meal of slow burn, magical adventure, dark secrets, reunions and new found family!

This book was an absolute delight to read! and I cannot wait for the next myth inspired fairy tale from the talented pen of Sue Lynn Tan!

My spirited thank yous to Little Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for providing the ARC

#OctoberReads #Duology #ForEverMore #LotusBlossomPerfection

Mortal Things - Tangled web of past, present and all thats in between

 "Oh, what a complicated web we weave, when first we practice to deceive"

This book is a revelation! like a pendulum the linearity, morality and epicenter shifts, sweeping the reader away in its undertow. The epicurious flight into self realization, the drive to assimilate the kernel of truth nested in the web of lies and the ability to live past death. each of these topics is explored like a prized collection of stamps, marking the journey of a soul through this world...

Marie Lu weaves masterfully, Rose Lin is a harbinger for Death, having traded her soul for the life of her friend. In order to rise to Regent of Death, she is tested by Etienne, the Regent of Lies, and needs to break his illusions in order to pass his tests. Add in a supernatural disruption in the form of wraiths attacking other Regents, you have a wholesome mystery to hang a tale of Gods and their sworn mortals....

You learn to love Rose Lin as a passive protagonist, she catalogues and filters emotions by the application of facts and science to ground herself - her drive or ambition is not built on power but understanding and this thirst for her place, her sense of belonging are what tide the chapters. The proverbial twist in the tale is absolutely exquisite and is reminiscent of a knife sheathed in silk, skittering over an old wound, shallow and dripping ruby red drops on a gossamer carpet of green earth, a blessing of Death, wrapped in the chains of Love and clinging yet to life...

This is book is best enjoyed slow read but the true connoisseur enjoys the journey as much as the destination, so full 5 stars from me!

I had the joy of receiving both the ARC and the ALC. Eunice Wong and JiaLing Pan are perfect for bringing this shifting sea of emotions and riot of complexity to life! The Macmillan Audio team have executed this quirky, offbeat and layered tale with nuance and amazing verve!

My eternal thank yous to Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group a and Netgalley for providing the ALC. My curtsies to Marie Lu for executing this in such spectacular panache!

#MortalThings #OctoberReads #GodsvsHumans #Slowburn

Chain Reaction - Anytime, anywhere, inevitable

Lee Child and Andrew Child bring back Reacher, in his best avatar - analyzing, strategizing and using the good old noggin where technology may be abundantly overused. Susan Turner calls on Reacher to providing a clinically detached external review of her G-99 department, where she suspects a mole may have caused the death of one of her investigators, leaving behind a widow and a young child.

Reacher, as per norm, grabs the bull by the horns, operating with the dispassionate ruthless efficiency, cataloguing all his environments and making incisive deductions on the way. The AI forte is a new one, and this plotline and culmination was quintessentially Reacher - calm, collected and utterly devastating read. May i just say, I couldn't help but picture Alan Ritchson, in many of the scenes - he has come to embody my fantasy Reacher to the T. 

The death of a subordinate, culminates into a slew of hit and miss, cat and mouse like chase between the baddies and Reacher, the scenes with the tree hugging are also fantastic as is the moving part with Amanda - but if you're reading this for the ACTION, do not panic - there is BUCKETLOADS of cheeky conversations, implied threats and danger assessments to keep your inner A team aligned!

All in all, a magnificent thriller to chase the spooks out this halloween! My EEF thankyous to Ballantine and Netgalley for the ARC and my salutes to the five starred authors for this slick, throwback to good old fashioned police work!

#ChainReaction #Ballantine #Reacher #Everythingeverywhereforever

This Shattered Tempest - Combustive ending to a beloved series

 If you have followed the Hurricane Wars and lived, cried and pulled your hair out in frustration at the tumultuous love story that eclipses Alaric and Talasyn, well then this is THE BOOK! After vanquishing the threat of the World Eater, a fragile hope exists for their political marriage to begin anew, with new policies, new allies and newfound trust in each other. That tender alliance is shattered in the worst possible way, replete with the violence and unnerving political power plays that Thea Guanzon imbues her stories with....

From scathing reunions, tottering alliances, mistrusting allies, this finale juggles a multitude of sides leaving the reader and the protagonists in a vortex of seething emotions. Reeling from past hurts and untold truths and secrets left lounging for far too long, Talasyn and Alaric emerge as the respective sovereigns in their Kingdoms, poised to wage an endless war, because some secrets feel worse than betrayal.... but can love just ever be enough?

I have three words for the readers who re-read the A Court of Wings and Ruin on repeat like me - Chapter Thirty Eight, that is the point where this story shifted for me, the plot line and arcs gave me the chills! Such a marvelous influx of self realization and dominance sheathed in silk and aether, written masterfully and justice delivered with panache! I LOVED this closure, this coming together of ends and it felt like coming home to a vision you had in another book, in another world.... impeccably and impossibly beautiful! Read at your peril, lose yourself and then go back and read it again.... it is THAT good!

My voidfell thankyous to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for furnishing the ARC and my lightwoven gratitude to the magnificent Thea for bringing it to such a moving closure!

#OctoberReads #ThisShatteredTempest #COWARXshadowmancy #HurricaneWars

Daughter of the Tempest - Assassin's Creed meets Mythical Magic

 For exquisite and reverberating Throne of Glass vibes, enmeshed within towering Greek myths, this series will break you out like no other!

If you thrive of sisterhood and found family, where friendship reigns supreme across all life's travails, should you prefer a surge of secret magical beings and their genealogy explored and explained through each infuriating chapter, if your surrogacy for a tale spins in direct proportion to the dastardliness of the villain, and if your romance compass leans towards slow, sizzling and all consuming ardent adoration, then this multi POV gem of a sequel from the masterful Braidee Otto will stoke all those flames anew!

Braidee effortlessly spins a sequel stemming from the close kinship between Nyssa and Aella, as they both rail against the decisions they've been handed and struggle against an unfair divergence of their paths. Aella finds herself entering a bargain with the mysterious Xan, to train her Theikos, whilst Nyssa leads Maxim and Kallias, into a mystery involving missing Nymphs, all while hiding from the eagle in plain sight. Add in the political bickering and reuniting with old allies and missing friends, this sweeping romantasy packs a punch and then some! 

I loved the equation that developed between Nyssa, Kallias and Maxim, not to mention the thawing of Cynna, the adventure was swift, fast paced, with the fly and fall of the different character in alternating POVs - expertly executed and reads like a dream!

I absolutely CANNOT wait for more!! Brava!!!

My wind bent obeisance to Random House and Netgalley for offering the ARC, and my wingless harpaurai salute to Braidee Otto for reframing her earlier work with more of the adventure, uncertainty and cross continent mayhem that defines this series!

#OctoberReads #DaughteroftheTempest #BraideeOtto #TOGXGreekRetelling

Claimed By The Orc King - Southern Sass meets OtherWorld Orcs in an insane adventure!

 Delicious, devilish and deranged! This wonderful ALC took me down the rabbit hole with an Alice, bred solely on Southern Sass, and some macho orcs thrown into the fusion. The plotline was unhinged! Modern girl brings her own sense of self and panic attack infused stress to a whole new world, where she finds herself fighting against the tall, macho. sensitive male orc hunk who breathes life into her every wish...

Roxy Taylor has crafted a very nebular society, with a female centric powerplay, and Athen, our wonderfully foul mouthed protagonist, runs circles around their logic and protection, setting the foundations of their kingdom into cardiac arrest with being the only unbonded female in the land. Add in some mythical powers, and kaboom, you've got yourself a hot, heavy and explosively arresting storyline!

I loved the rendition by Dylan Reilly Fitzpatrick as the frustrated, exasperated yet gobsmacked Viggo, who cannot believe his luck to have been mated with the effervescent Thena, and Vivienne LaRue, goes through the high and lows of Thena's insecurities whilst reveling in the combative foreplay with Viggo. With a bevy of lovable characters - Aesther, Grist, Jordan, Valder - this inane brand of magic fueled, world ending, sizzling love making and of course, the belligerent Southern Belle is an all round entertaining listen. I couldn't stop grinning like a mad woman when I had my earbuds on, earning more than my fair share of weird looks from people.

My effusive thanks to Macmillian Audio and Netgalley for sharing the ALC. My bows and allegiance to Roxy Taylor for this incredible and mind blowing experience and to the narrators for giving voice to these fascinating characters.

#OctoberReads #ClaimedbyTheOrcKing #RoxyTaylor #MacmillianAudio #SouthernSassXOtherworldfantasy

Trust Fall - Gossip Girl X MidWestern Flair

 This IS IT!!! The worthy successor of the chaos in my senses left by Better Than the Movies, with Wes and Liz, whose potent chemistry i was searching in all her other books... Dame and Jules absolutely BROUGHT it!!! I had to stop myself from devouring it, and was constantly delaying finishing the book, because with some books, you NEVER want the magic to come to an end...

Lynn, in her quintessentially fabulous way, merges Gossip Girl with a small town mid western honest to goodness community vibe, and ends up smelling like pumpkin spiced latte!

The premise of a rich, eccentric uncle, handing over his inheritance and home to an unknown family from Nebraska was wildly hilarious and I completely got Dame's reaction! I mean he's worked hard and poured his heart out to his uncle, to be left out cold, I do not blame him in the least - he's as human as we get! and when he's asked to tutor Julia, his nemesis and the proprietor of his house, let the games begin! and they do - with fanfare, wildly exulting text exchanges and the skewering of thrill a minute teenage hormones that have become the hallmark of Lynn's work!

The magic is in the air as Dame is caught squarely between avoidance of all social norms to escape the crushing judgement of the societe, whilst also struggling to be himself around Julia's honest and open admiration. This was sheer brilliance which made the storyline! And the magnificent Uncle Remi quotes punctuating the start of each chapter!

I ADORE sibling entropies being brought in with Liam, Lauren and Teanna an absolute gold stars, and I'd love to see them in a sequel soon, maybe even Beckett and Don...

My falling in love and trust renewed thank yous to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley for proving me an opportunity to savor and relish this tempting arc.

#TrustFallLynnPainter #Netgalley #UncleRemi #SeptemberReads