Runes Reading adventure for 2024

Hello Dragonners!

This is where I will share my reading journey for the year with all of you! My reading goal for this year is going to be 100 books :) See you soon!
Happy New Year and brightest blessings to one and all!

>1 RuneFirestar: Happy New Thread, Happy New Year and the Brightest Blessings back at you.

Thanks Clam!

>1 RuneFirestar: Happy new thread! Way to get an early start.

Karlstar thanks!

Happy 2024!

1. Hunt on Dark Waters
( Crimson Sails #1)
By Katee Robert

Blurb

Evelyn is a witch with a perfect storm of impulses: terrible taste in bed partners, sticky fingers, and a lust for danger. After she steals from her vampire ex and falls through a portal to another realm, she’s fished out of the waters by a band of seafarers and their telekinetic captain. She’s immediately given a choice—join their group or die.

Bowen has no memory of his life before he became one of the Cŵn Annwn. He and his pirate crew are bound by vow to patrol through Threshold, the magical sea in between realms, keeping the portals to other worlds safe. When he rescues Evelyn, he doesn’t expect to be attracted to the unflappably brassy pickpocket. The longer he spends in her presence, the more he begins to question if his heart is the next thing she’ll steal.

But as tension heats up between Bowen and Evelyn, danger escalates as well. Because Evelyn has no intention of keeping her vows to the Cŵn Annwn, and if she betrays the crew, both she and Bowen will pay the ultimate price....

My thoughts

Evelyn is a witch , she can fight and use magick and is an excellent thief. However she also has a pension for dangerous habits and making poor choices.

This becomes very clear when she finds herself on a pirate ship and is told take the vow or die! She takes the vow but decides that there must be a work around.

Bowen is the Captain bound to the ship and his crew to hunt monsters where ever they may be found.

This is a fast paced , sexy tale that reminds us that not everything is as it seems and sometimes the most honourable thing you can do is question the rules and make your own choices. The characters are well rounded and there's something in each to like. Fantastic world, great sexy times ! I love it.

2.A Dawn of Onyx
The Sacred Stones Trilogy #1
By Kate Golden

Blurb

Captured by a king of darkness. Forced to find the light within.

Arwen Valondale never expected to be the brave one, offering her life to save her brother’s. Now she’s been taken prisoner by the most dangerous kingdom on the continent, and made to use her rare magical abilities to heal the soldiers of the vicious Onyx King.

Arwen knows better than to face the ancient, wicked woods that surround the castle on her own, which means working with a fellow prisoner might be her only path to freedom. Unfortunately, he’s as infuriating as he is cunning—and seems to take twisted pleasure in playing on Arwen’s deepest fears.

But here in Onyx Kingdom, trust is a luxury she can’t afford.

To make it out of enemy territory, she'll have to navigate back-stabbing royals, dark magic, and dangerous beasts. But untold power lies inside Arwen, dormant and waiting for a spark. If she can harness it, she just might be able to escape with her life—and hopefully, her heart.

My thoughts

I recieved an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This book is high fantasy and romance all wrapped up in a very awesome story. It took me awhile to settle with it but once I
got to know Arwen I was sold. She was scared but she didn't let that fear rule her. She was kind, fun and very bold of heart.
I had to know if she would find her her family how the story would end . It was completely wonderful!

I look forward to seeing what happens next.

3.The Gilded Crown ( The Raven's Trade #1)
Marianne Gordon

Blurb

The first time Hellevir visited Death, she was ten years old…

Since she was a little girl, Hellevir has been able to raise the dead. Every creature can be saved for a price, a price demanded by the shrouded figure who rules the afterlife, who takes a little more from Hellevir with each soul she resurrects.

Such a gift can rarely remain a secret. When Princess Sullivain, sole heir to the kingdom’s throne, is assassinated, the Queen summons Hellevir to demand she bring her granddaughter back to life. But once is not enough; the killers might strike again. The Princess’ death would cause a civil war, so the Queen commands that Hellevir remain by her side.

But Sullivain is no easy woman to be bound to, even as Hellevir begins to fall in love with her. With the threat of war looming, Hellevir must trade more and more of herself to keep the princess alive.

But Death will always take what he is owed.

My thoughts

I was provided with an arc copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The imagery of the place where the gate keeper waits is beautiful and deeply haunting. I don't think any book has described it so well or in such a wonderful way. The conversations Hellevir has with Death are thought provoking and make the reader question just as Hellevir does herself.

Hellevir is a wonderful character filled with a light that the world desperately needs. She has a gift and she uses where she feels it is right without counting the cost.

The direct counter to her selflessness is the Crown Princess who doesn't understand . Who can't be selfless because she has far to much to guard against.

The author has built a history, rich and detailed world. I have loved spending time in it's crown city and it's small simple villages. I can't wait to see what this weaver of story will create next.

4.A Hunger of Thorns
( A Hunger of Thorns #1 )
Lili Wilkinson

Blurb

Maude is the daughter of witches. She spent her childhood running wild with her best friend, Odette, weaving stories of girls who slayed dragons and saved princes. Then Maude grew up and lost her magic—and her best friend.

These days, magic is toothless, reduced to glamour patches and psychic energy drinks found in supermarkets and shopping malls. Odette has always hungered for forbidden, dangerous magic, and two weeks ago she went searching for it. Now she’s missing, and everyone says she’s dead. Everyone except Maude.

Storytelling has always been Maude’s gift, so she knows all about girls who get lost in the woods. She’s sure she can find Odette inside the ruins of Sicklehurst, an abandoned power plant built over an ancient magical forest—a place nobody else seems to remember is there. The danger is, no one knows what remains inside Sicklehurst, either. And every good story is sure to have a monster.

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader audio book copy of this story in return for an honest review. The narration was perfect

This is a story for witches, for those dangerous wild lost girls. It has no place for good , kind ,sweet natured girls.

It weaves together different bits of fairytales and folklore. I loved each every moment of this tale. At its center is the theme of lost friendship. Its incredibly beautiful, dark and more magical then I have words for.

So if you are a wild girl, a lost girl, if you ever wanted to take the less traveled path this is the book for you.

5.Good Girl, Bad Blood
( A Good Girl's Guide to Murder #2)
Holly Jackson

Blurb

Pip is not a detective anymore.

With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.

But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared, on the very same night the town hosted a memorial for the sixth-year anniversary of the deaths of Andie Bell and Sal Singh.

The police won't do anything about it. And if they won't look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town's dark secrets along the way... and this time everyone is listening. But will she find him before it's too late?

My thoughts

Oh this was just sooo good! Loved every moment of it!

6.Letters from Father Christmas
Written byJ.R.R. Tolkien
Derek Jacobi
(Narrator)
John Moffatt
(Narrator)
Christian Rodska
(Narrator)

Blurb

Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply?
For more than twenty years, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien received letters from the North Pole, from Father Christmas himself! They told wonderful stories of mischief and disaster, adventures and battles: how the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place, how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas's house, and many others.


My thoughts

Beautiful and magical

Happy new year, and happy new thread!

haydninvienna thank you and happy New year!

7. Tiffany Aching's Guide to Being A Witch
By Rhianna Pratchett & Gabrielle Kent
Paul Kidby (Illustrator)

Blurb

"They say you don't find witchcraft, it finds you . . ."

An illustrated and practical guide to being a witch in Discworld, covering everything you've ever wanted to know from telling the bees to magical cheese, from dealing with elves to making deals with demons, from tending flocks to fending off forces from other worlds. This beautiful and practical guide has been compiled by Tiffany Aching herself, including snippets of remembered wisdom from Granny Aching alongside notes from Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg, Miss Tick, and Rob Anybody who offer their own unique perspectives on all things witchcraft. Whether you're a herbologist or a headologist, this book will inspire and empower new witches and seasoned practitioners alike.

With colourful illustrations from Paul Kidby throughout, this brilliant in-world guide is the perfect addition to any Discworld collection.

My thoughts

This is an amazing read that will have you laughing out loud and smiling. There are no words for how truely wonderful this book is.

8. Death in the Spotlight
( Murder Most Unladylike #7 )
Robin Stevens

Blurb

The whole theatre seemed on edge. There was a feverish atmosphere seeping into every corner of the Rue, as though the whole cast was sickening. Daisy and I both knew that something was brewing.'

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are off to the beautiful Rue Theatre in London, where they will face an entirely new challenge: acting. But behind the theatre's glittering facade, the girls soon realise that there is trouble at the Rue. Jealousy, threats and horrible pranks quickly spiral out of control - and then one of the cast is found dead.

As opening night looms closer, Hazel and Daisy must take centre stage and solve the crime . . . before the murderer strikes again

9.Top Marks for Murder
( Murder Most Unladylike #8 )
Robin Stevens

Blurb

Daisy and Hazel are finally back at Deepdean, and the school is preparing for a most exciting event: the fiftieth Anniversary.

Plans for a weekend of celebrations are in full swing. But all is not well, for in the detectives' long absence, Deepdean has changed. Daisy has lost her crown to a fascinating new girl - and many of the Detective Society's old allies are now their sworn enemies.

Then the girls witness a shocking incident in the woods close by - a crime that they're sure is linked to the Anniversary. As parents descend upon Deepdean, decades-old grudges, rivalries and secrets begin to surface, and soon Deepdean's future is at stake.

Can the girls solve the case - and save their home?

>14 RuneFirestar: That is one to look out for! I'm delighted to see Rhianna Pratchett is now adding to her father's world.

By the way, over the last 2 weeks she has been presenting a series of 15-minue programmes on Mythical Creatures on BBC Radio 4.

hfglen iits amazing and I will check that out on sounds !

Happy New Year! You are off to a running start!

Happy New Year, although you could hardly tell from just how many books are already reviewed! 100 titles seems very doable.

MrsLee littlegeek Happy New Year to you both! So far so good :) i have alot of deadlines and projects going on but I will belooking to continue my progress here :)

Happy New Year and Happy New Thread >1 RuneFirestar:!

>22 clamairy: thanks Clam! You too!

10.The Griffin's Egg
Cole Poindexter

Blurb

Lost in a wild West Virginia forest, Phoebe Gray's world is upended when she finds an irritable goblin named Gnish-Gnash. She’s stumbled into Lerch Hollow, a place of magic and mystery where trolls lurk in shadows and mermaids sway with the tide.

The young adventurer soon finds herself caught up in a race against time; the Dark Mistress Lucinda is on the hunt for the last Griffin's egg, for its power will make her unstoppable. It is up to Phoebe to protect the egg while discovering the secrets of her own magical connection to the mysterious wizard Thatcher.

With Gnish at her side and her grandfather’s old cloak on her back, Phoebe must protect this enchanted world from destruction.

My thoughts

I will start my review by saying I was given an advanced reader copy of the book in return for an honest review.

This is a wonderful story filled with magic, danger and adventure. Well written and fast paced read. Perfect if your looking for something fun and have a love of creatures.

>14 RuneFirestar: I had no idea Pratchett's daughter was writing Discworld books. I must check this out. Thanks! Happy reading in 2024 :)

Happy reading and Happy New Year!

>24 Narilka: it's about the witches but it's soooo lovely. The dedication at the start. The art the annotations by different characters it's brilliant. I thoroughly loved the read.

Happy New Year! I will be looking out for the Tiffany Aching book, it sounds wonderful! And you've reminded me that I need to get back to the Wells & Wong books.

11.Voyage of the Damned
Frances White

Blurb

For a thousand years, Concordia has been able to maintain peace between its provinces, protected by a wall known as the Bandage. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor's ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the Goddess's mountain.

Aboard are the heirs of the twelve provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

Except one: Ganymedes Piscero - class clown, slacker, and all-round disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people without a Blessing to protect him, odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their Blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia? Or will the empire as he knows it fall?

My thoughts

I will start by saying I was given an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review

I was drawn to the book for the cover art and hooked by the blurb.

I wanted to know more about Concordia. I especially wanted to know more a about These so called chosen ones or The Blessed and their powers. Who were they ? Why did they have these powers ?

Then I met Ganymedes Piscero . He wants nothing to do with being blessed. He wants nothing to do with anything accept eating and drinking. So when he fails to escape being on the ship bound for the blessed mountain with all the other Blessed he comes up with a cunning plan. Make them all dispise him and see him as incompetent. That done he will be stripped of his position. That done he will be free to live his life....then the murders start.

Now he has to gather his friends and his wits and hope he can survive .

The story is amazing , the history of the world is deep and beautiful. I found in each of the characters something that I could identify with that made them more real for me.

This is a fast paced read with some moments that make you want to cry and some that will make you laugh out loud. This was a perfect read for a raining Saturday afternoon.

12. Death Sets Sail ( Murder Most Unladylike #9)
Robin Stevens

Blurb

The final novel in the number-one bestselling, award-winning Murder Most Unladylike series.

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are in Egypt, where they are taking a cruise along the Nile. They are hoping to see some ancient temples and a mummy or two; what they get, instead, is murder.

Also travelling on the SS Hatshepsut is a mysterious society called the Breath of Life: a group of genteel English ladies and gentlemen, who believe themselves to be reincarnations of the ancient pharaohs. Three days into the cruise their leader, Theodora Miller, is found dead in her cabin, stabbed during the night. It soon becomes clear to Daisy and Hazel that Theodora's timid daughter Hephzibah, who is prone to sleepwalking, is being framed. And within the society, everyone has a reason to want Theodora dead...

Daisy and Hazel leap into action and begin to investigate their most difficult case yet. But there is danger all around, and only one of the Detective Society will make it home alive...

My thoughts

Oh I have loved going on adventures and solving mysteries with these two amazing young ladies. This Serries will have a special place in my heart for awhile to come.

>29 RuneFirestar: There's a new series, with Hazel's sister May as the lead! The first book is The Ministry of Unladylike Activity.

Sakerfalcon I have started them as I have the arc of the second book . So far it's awesome

13.Helle and Death
Oskar Jensen

Blurb

A snowstorm. A country house. Old friends reunited.It's going to be murder...Torben Helle - art historian, Danish ex-pat and owner of several excellent Scandinavian jumpers - finds himself dragged to a remote snowbound Northumbrian mansion for a ten-year reunion with old university friends. At the dinner table their host, a reclusive and irritating tech entrepreneur, makes some shocking revelations. And when these are followed by an apparent suicide, the group faces a test of their wits... and their trust.Snowed in and cut off, surrounded by enigmatic housekeepers and off-duty police inspectors, not to mention a peculiar last will and testament, suspicion and sarcasm quickly turn to panic. Kept afloat by strong drink and stronger women, Torben must draw upon the skills of his training and all the tricks of Golden Age detectives past. As the temperature drops and the tension mounts, it is up to him to work out how much money it would take to turn one of his old friends into a murderer - before someone else ends up dead.This witty murder mystery puts a modern spin on the classic country house whodunnit. A must-read for fans of Agatha Christie, Richard Osman and Janice Hallett

My thoughts

This read was amazing. It was everything that I look for in an amazing murder mystery. It kept me guessing right up til the very end.

14.The Sunlit Ruins: An Old Gods Story
( The Archives of the Forgotten #1)
Andrea Septién
Antoine Bandele (Editor)
Callan Brown (Editor)

Blurb

Ada and Miry didn’t mean to start a city-wide catastrophe.

Really, they didn’t.

But when a family trip goes awry, the two Mexican-American cousins from opposite sides of the border accidentally unleash an evil spirit from centuries past. The incident unlocks latent magical powers within the girls, who now have to figure out what’s going on.

Easier said than done.

The only things Ada and Miry know are that the spirit is tied to the pyramids of Teotihuacán, an ancient and abandoned civilization, and that there is only one organization that can help them. The Archivists of Teotihuacán.

With only a scant trail of clues to guide them, Ada and Miry must journey across Mexico City, uncover the origin of their powers, and try to reseal the spirit they’ve awoken.

But the hardest challenge of all?

Getting along with family.

Follow Ada and Miry on their adventure through Mexico and a hidden, fantastical world of magic based on the philosophy of the city of Teotihuacán.

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to the cover and spotted the name Antoine Bandele who I knew from The TJ young books. Was this a collaboration? The idea of that was amazing. I couldn't wait.

Then I found myself with Miry and Ada one very mexican and one Mexican American and both feeling out of place . Both feeling that they aren't enough for their families or places of birth. But when a vist to Mexicos pyramids they find themselves chosen of the gods and on a quest to learn about the gods their powers and the fact that only they can save the Mexico.

This is a fantastically engaging read and I love the history of Mexico and about it's gods.The girls are brilliantly written and fantastic characters who the readers can identify with . I love that they are flawed and get jealous but also that they can talk things out and reach resolution.

I can't wait for the next book!

>33 RuneFirestar: This sounds great! Have you read Gods of jade and shadow by Silvia Moreno Garcia? Also a fantasy involving Latin American mythology.

15. Shadows of Wren by Jeb Bliton

Blurb

May the Valiant Prevail

After decades of peace within the lands of Caldumn ruled by the Red Kingdom, the southern towns have come under attack. Their libraries burned and ancient texts stolen by an ominous force. An unlikely alliance between two magic kinds is formed when Wren, a nineteen-year-old Mage, finds herself in the middle of a conflict that will take her outside of the peaceful life she’s known.

Along her journey, she meets Tyran, whose Necromancer magic is not widely trusted, and learns they share a deeper ancient magic that has long since disappeared.

Together with the help of all magic kinds, they must unite the towns to save their lands, and themselves, while the threat of the Red Kingdom looms.

My thoughts

I will start by saying I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review

This is a sweeping fantasy adventure. The history and depth of world building is wonderful to see.

The characters are believable, well written and dynamic. You can look at them and find something of yourself in them.

The book took awhile to get into and was a bit slow to start but once I was reading I had to know how it would end and how the relationship between Wren and Tryan would go.

Throughly loved this adventure.

>34 Sakerfalcon: @kakerfalcon no I havent but when I have some spare time I will Indeed look it up :) sounds like my kinda read.

16.Lose You to Find Me
By Erik J. Brown

Blurb

Tommy Dees is in the weeds - restaurant speak for beyond overwhelmed. He's been working at Sunset Estates Retirement Community to get the experience he needs to attend one of the best culinary schools in the world. And he also needs a letter of recommendation from his sadistic manager. In exchange for the letter, Tommy has to meet three conditions - including train new-hire Gabriel.

Gabe, with the dimples and kind heart, who Tommy crushed on during summer camp at age ten and then never saw again. Unfortunately, Gabe doesn't remember Tommy at all. The training proves distracting as old feelings resurface, and the universe seems to be conspiring against them.

With the application deadline looming and Gabe on his mind, can Tommy keep it all together or is it a recipe for disaster?

My thoughts

This one had been on my tbr pile for sometime. It was gifted to me by the publisher after I had reviewed another book for them. I wasn't sure what to think of it so it stayed on the stack until the start of the year when my friend said so what are we reading then ? I showed them the cover and did the summary and the rest was history.

This was a brilliant read. It was the perfect sweet romance but also it had lots to say about friends and how to be a good one. It truely was an unexpected pleasure .I really enjoyed getting to know Tommy and Gabe and friends as well as the folks at Sunset estates.
Very sweet and full of moments that made me laugh and even some that made me cry.

>37 RuneFirestar: Books that are an unexpected pleasure are very precious. I liked your description!

17. The Ministry of Unladylike Activity
(The Ministry of Unladylike Activity #1)
Robin Stevens

Blurb

Britain is at war and a secret arm of the British government called the Ministry of Unladylike Activity is training up spies. And who better to become a spy than a child? A child can go places, see things and listen in on conversations in a way that no adult ever can.

Enter May Wong and her friends.

Trained up at the Ministry, they soon embark upon their first mission: masquerading as evacuees, they are sent to a wealthy manor house to spy on the owner, who is suspected of working for the enemy.

And then the murder happens....

My thoughts

I loved getting to watch Hazel and Daisy grow and learn. When I finished Thier story I was sad to leave them behind.
But in my sadness I was so pleased to discover that Hazel's sisters May and Ross would be at Deepdean and we're set to have Their very own adventure..well at least May would. This was the perfect start to a new chapter of The Detective Society. I

18. Paper Dragons: The Fight for the Hidden Realm ( paper dragons book 1)
by Siobhan McDermott

Blurb

An extraordinary destiny unfolds . . .

Twelve-year-old Zhi Ging has always been an outcast. Until she receives an invitation to Hok Woh, an underwater school that offers her the chance to become immortal, and to finally belong.

There, she battles in hair-raising boat races, meets age-shifting tutors and competes in thrilling trials.

But there are rumours of a growing dark force . . . and students who fail the trials are disappearing. Can Zhi Ging uncover the truth before it's too late?

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review

I was drawn to the book by it's cover. The amazing dragon who looked half like a ghost and half as if he was made of gold ...and the girl he was wrapped around as she stood high in the mountain surrounded by mists.

I had to know and then I read the blurb here we are . We meet that young woman, Zhi Ging, trying to do something she knows she shouldn't.

But as an outcaste in the village she calls home she only wants to be accepted. To finally find her place and maybe learn about her past. To do this she is desperate to become a Silhouette.

But even as she gets her wish things are not easy and not all is as it seems in the beautiful underwater city Hok Woh.

This story is a hero's journey. It's filled with wonder and magic and lore. I have truely adored this read and can't wait to see what happens next. This is one to watch!

>40 RuneFirestar: It sounds like a really nice read! I'll keep this book in mind, thanks!

19. Relight My Fire ( Stranger Times #4 )
C.K. McDonnell

Blurb

Some comebacks can be murder . . .

Stella is enjoying life as an almost student, or at least she is until a man falls from the sky right in front of her, leaving a big old hole in the pavement for Manchester Council to fill. The obvious question of how he ended up in the sky in the first place has no obvious answers, which is where The Stranger Times come in. This isn't just the hunt for another story though. Dark powers think Stella might have been involved and the only way she and the team can prove her innocence is to find out what the hell is really going on. What have dodgy gear, disturbed graves and a decommissioned rock star got to do with all this?

Vincent Banecroft has problems of his own in the form of a tall, dark but-definitely-not-handsome man dressed like a one-man funeral who has been sent to make the paper's editor atone for his sins. Once he finds out exactly what that entails, Banecroft is not keen. Being banished to a Hellscape for all eternity looks like being no fun at all, not least because he has that pale Irish skin that burns really easily . . .

All that plus territorial ghouls, homicidal felines, eternal (and seemingly unstoppable) gnomes and a celebrity 'Who's Who' that'd put a royal wedding to shame, and you're looking at a wild few days for The Stranger Times .

My thoughts

I recieved an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I have been following the stranger times and it's staff since the beginning. I said it then and I will say it again this is one newspaper that will never be called dull.

Each book has had moments where I am laughing out loud and even some moments where I have to re read because I wasn't sure I had read that right.

They are brilliant unbelievable books with just the right amount of "normality" to make you wonder if maybe there is something to the strange and wonderful stories they report on.

This Serries continues to go from strength to strength. I adored every single word of these books. I can't wait to see what turns up next in the pages of The Stranger Times.

>41 Alexandra_book_life: it was brilliant! I really loved getting to know the characters and getting lost in the story and lore of the world that the author created. Brilliant from Start to finish

>42 RuneFirestar: I will be starting this today. Glad to hear your thoughts. :)

20.The Market of 100 Fortunes
Marie Brennan

Blurb

Enthralling fantasy mystery from the world of Legend of the Five Rings as two samurai risk everything to rescue an old friend from the clutches of a shadowy trickster

Having vanquished demons and halted invasions of devious creatures from the Spirit Realms, Asako Sekken and Agasha no Isao Ryotora are finally going to be married. But when a note from their old ally Sayashi arrives unexpectedly, the samurai find themselves dragged into another supernatural mystery.

Their investigation leads them to Crane lands and an ancient market ruled by a mysterious being. Now Sekken and Ryotora must use all their wit and charm to save Sayashi from a hundred year bargain before they find themselves embroiled in a conflict with a forgotten deity of unimaginable power.

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was as happens so many times enchanted by the cover art and then hooked by the blurb. I am not a player of L5R so I don't know very much about the world of Rokugan.

That was a bit daunting and I had to consult with friends who knew more every now and again but the story was no less captivating and breath taking for that.

I loved getting to know this amazing world a little better. To hear about it's clans and samurai as well as it's spirits . It was amazing

MrsLee I have been reading stranger times since the 1st book I really really love it. It's absolutely brilliant!

21.The Book of Doors
Gareth Brown

The Blurb

If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?

In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book - an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door .

What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.

But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals - individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons - a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because some doors should never be opened.

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The book of doors is like no other read I have ever experienced. It's the story of several lives and how they all interact and yet don't. Times that pass in a flash and yet happen all over again. There are moments of absolute violence and some of profound sadness.

There are also moments that will make you laugh out loud.

>47 RuneFirestar: This sounds great! I'd seen it on some Forthcoming books lists but yours is the first detailed review I've seen. Definitely one to add to my wish list!

22.A Fate Inked in Blood
( Saga of the Unfated #1)
By Danielle L. Jensen

Blurb

A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.

Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.

Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.

Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This book is rich in Norse mythology and legends. Of children bearing the blood of the Gods. It truely makes for an awesome ly powerful story .
Within it's pages we meet Freya named after The Goddess of love and Beauty. Freya however dreams of being more than just a pretty face . She dreams of a warriors life. However when she reveals her power and gets exactly what she thought she wanted she learns that maybe it wasn't what she thought it would be.

This is a sweeping epic tale of finding ones place in the world and figuring out where your ment to be. I look forward to the next part of Freya's journey

23.The Bride of Death
F.M. Aden

Blurb

As a young child, Zerryn grew up on tales of the Lord of Death, Erlik Khan, and his penchant for stealing wild girls. In her small village, she keeps to herself and tends to the temple gardens, spending her days with her best friend Çelik. But when Çelik begins to act strangely and removes himself to live on a crumbling estate atop Mount Ida, the rumors of him becoming possessed by a demon begin to swiftly arise. Each month that passes the demon within him grows stronger, his demands of the villagers growing oddly disjointed and nonsensical.

Her chances of saving him become all but impossible once Zerryn learns that it is no lesser demon that has a hold of him but Erlik Khan—a demon of untold power who lords over the dead. It isn’t long before word spreads that he is in search of a bride, and creatures of untold power come before him to rule by his side. Zerryn knows that she cannot take down Erlik without power and she cannot gain power without becoming his bride.

But becoming Erlik’s wife is nothing as simple as an offer for his hand. To become the queen of the Underworld, she must complete three impossible tasks or risk losing everything she holds dear.

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

As so often happens I was drawn to the story first by it's cover art a tangle if flower covered vines that wrap around swords with blood coloured jewels in their hilts, beasts, serpents and bones and skulls. Then hidden in the background is a black palace behind which is a darken night sky strewn with a handful of stars. The longer I stared at the art more I had to know what the story was.

So that is how I met Zerryn, a young girl who was raised on stories and fairy tales of the old gods and Erlik Khan, lord death or some say The Devil, and his penchant for stealing away young ladies .
Along with an odd up bringing she also has no fear of wild things. The woods and it's creatures seem to welcome her. As She grows and spends her time tending her garden , going to temple and with her best friend a boy named Çelik.

Then Celik starts to act strangely and disappears. Things in the village start to go wrong crops fail, and other terrible things happen. Zerryn is determined to save Celik and her village.

But then she finds herself as a contestant to be The Devil's wife. Will she win the day ? Can she remain true to herself or will she be changed by her time in the underworld?

This story weaves together several mythologies and it is hauntingly brilliant. I enjoyed this read very much

24.The Highgate Cemetery Murder
( Tate and Bell Mystery #1)
By Irina Shapiro

Blurb

His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can:0⁰ ki “Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I’m being followed.”

Hours later, the man’s cold body lies in tq0he city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn’t save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.

Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother’s notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what “milky way” meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was drawn to the cover art and title and hooked by the blurb. This is a beautifully told historical murder mystery.

The tale is intercately woven to draw the reader in and immersed in Victorian London and does so brilliantly. It kept me guessing right up til the very end and even then I only managed to guess at half the story.

I loved getting to know both Gemma and Inspector Sebastian Bell. They were both wonderful characters. It was refreshing to see that they each had their own strengths and weaknesses. They complimented one another nicely.

I look forward to the next Tate and Bell mystery eagerly. A perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon.

25. The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder
C.L. Miller

Blurb

In this irresistible and thrilling debut novel, a former antique hunter investigates a suspicious death at an isolated English manor, embroiling her back in the dangerous world of tracking stolen artifacts.

What antique would you kill for?

Freya Lockwood is shocked when she learns that Arthur Crockleford, antiques dealer and her estranged mentor, has died under mysterious circumstances. She has spent the last twenty years avoiding her quaint English hometown, but when she receives a letter from Arthur asking her to investigate—sent just days before his death—Freya has no choice but to return to a life she had sworn to leave behind.

Joining forces with her eccentric Aunt Carole, Freya follows clues and her instincts to an old manor house for an advertised antiques enthusiast’s weekend. But not all is as it seems. It’s clear to Freya that the antiques are all just poor reproductions and her fellow guests are secretive and menacing. What is going on at this estate and how was Arthur involved? More importantly, can Freya and Carole discover the truth before the killer strikes again?

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in both ebook and audio formats in return for an honest review
The narration for the audio book is brilliant and very well done.
Each character is amazingly well done and has their own voice.

My one and only complaint is Freya keeps referring to " The Cairo incident" Like the reader should know what happened. This does get explained but it really feels like it should be it's own story

That aside its a wonderfully written mystery. The characters are fun and well developed . I adore Aunt Carole she is a brilliant character and so over the top you can't help but smile . Freya took me awhile to warm up too but she too is brilliant and resourceful.

All in all this is the perfect cozy mystery. I loved it from start to finish. I look forward to the next adventure with Carole and Fraya Lockwood.

26. The Stolen Heir
( The Stolen Heir Duology #1)
Holly Black

Blurb

A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

My thoughts

I had forgotten how well Holly Black had written the Fae . This book is a wonder, truely beautiful dark wonderfully told story . There are so many many things I could say but to say them would be to give away it's secrets.

I thoroughly loved getting to know Wren and Oak. It was a fantastic and wonderful read .

27.To Cage a God
( These Monstrous Gods #1)
Elizabeth May

Blurb

Join the rebellion to burn down a cruel tyrant in this heartracing new fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone and The Wolf and the Woodsman. To cage a god is divine. To be divine is to rule. To rule is to destroy.

Using ancient secrets, Galina and Sera's mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a millennia, the sisters have grown up to become living weapons. Raised to overthrow an empire—no matter the cost.

With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war, it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade, they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash, common folk burn.

While Sera reunites with her estranged lover who now leads the rebellion, Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger, her only refuge is an isolated princess, whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina's secret. Torn between desire and duty, Galina must make a work together to expose the lies of the empire—or bring it all down.

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I really loved the narration for the book. The narrator gave each character her own voice . That makes each character come to life for the reader and makes it easier to loose one's self in the world the author has created for us.

As usual I was drawn to the cover art. What looked like a young dragon or lizard of some held behind a human chest cavity made of metal and behind that was a stained glass window with Fire burning beyond. I was captivated, I wanted to know the story behind that imprisoned beast. Then I read the blurb and I was sold.

The world that has been created for the reader seems old and ancient . Those of the ruling classes are marked by having a god-dragons bound to their bones. Ancient, powerful and destructive.

The nobles seem to have everything and the common folk seem to have little. With the death of the Emperor the threat of war is looming. And among the common folk rebellion is growing.

And in this powder keg are two sisters. They are special. Their mother used ancient secrets to force a god- dragon to bond and graft to their bones. She had hoped that by doing so she would give the people something to fight back with.
She created in them powerful weapons and taught them to fight meaning to over throw the empire no matter what the cost.
Then she died.

The sisters then find themselves at the head of the rebellion. They hatch a dangerous plan. One sister will go to the palace after revealing her God power and work to bring it down from within. The other will gather the people.

Will they succeed ?

This is the start of a sweeping fantasy epic . The characters are human and flawed which makes them easy to identify with and understand. The reader can find things about each of them to like and dislike. There's alot to like about this read.
I can't wait to see what happens next.

28.The Secret of the Moonshard
Struan Murray

Blurb

Domino has lived her whole life believing that just one drop of magic could kill her.Held in a floating laboratory by scheming Science Barons, she has never known a single day of freedom.When Domino discovers that everything she's been told by the Barons is a lie, she escapes to Abzalaymon, a wondrous city filled with scientific marvels, hulking thunder lizards and hidden magic.But the Barons are soon on Domino's trail. Because a war is brewing between science and magic. A war that could destroy the world. And Domino might just be the key to saving everyone . .

My Thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

As usual I was drawn to the cover. A girl with wild dark hair and a patched but dirty dress, bright eyes and a devil may care grin on her face with a swirl of magic at her fingertips, a boy and a dinosaur...

And then the line " A Little Magic never hurt anyone "
I had to know the story . I needed to know who this girl was and how she was connected to the boy and the rather impressive dinosaur.

That is how I found myself in Abzalaymon at the scientarium. And when I bumped into Domino she had just finished blowing up a teddy bear that belonged to her school bully.
Oh and the shard of the moon had crashed into the roof and very nearly killed Domino.

This story is amazingly well written . It's a tale filled with magic, wizards and even spirits! At its heart is the story of a young girl trying to find out who she is and how she fits as well as finding out how to make friends and most importantly finding out who is a real friend.

I loved this story from start to finish. It's pure magic

29.The Midnight Rose
by Catalina Paris

Blurb

The Alchemyst
The Faerie
The Witch
The Warlock

Leo is a sixteen-year-old apprentice at the Alchemical Court until one night changes everything. When the castle is attacked and Leo is told to flee, he creates a new portal using the strange runes left behind in his missing master's notebook. Arriving in the mysterious Realm of the Fey, a place long forgotten by mortals and Alchemysts alike, Leo meets the enchanting Lady Lisandre, a young faerie in need of his help. Together they quickly learn both their worlds are under threat from the elusive Dark Alchemyst; unless they find the mythical Talismans of Atlantica before he does. . Along the way they encounter Flora, a charming witch on a search for the truth of her family, as well as Leo’s former classmate, a warlock with questionable intentions, Lucien. The four of them are soon drawn together as they face numerous dangers and challenges to find and retrieve the talismans. Set in an alternative magical renaissance, The Midnight Rose is a spell-binding fantasy adventure unlike any other.

My thoughts

I really was enchanted with this books blurb and the beautiful cover art. I thought that it would be a wonderful fairytale like adventure.

Sadly the book is not what I thought it would be. The characters although well written don't really change or develop through the story. They swap and change between views and view points leaving the reader feeling lost and just wondering what the point of things was.

It was only twelve chapters long and I felt that that was to much. I didn't enjoy this read at all

30.The Crimson Moth
( The Crimson Moth #1)
Kristen Ciccarelli

Blurb

On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.

Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in hopes that i would provide an honest review.

From the moment saw the cover art and read the blurb I was hooked. The world created by the author is one where witches are purged and the pratice of magic is outlawed.

Enter Rune Winters socialite and darling of the New Republic by day. The Crimson Moth by night rescuing witches from the hands of the Bloodguard and helping them reach places where they can live without fear.
Rune also hides a deadly secret she too is a witch.

When she fails to save a powerful witch she and her friends hatch a plan. She will set out to seduce The Captain of The guard, Gideon Sharpe and hopefully find out where the witch is.

Can she play the game without loosing her heart and her life ?

This is truely a whirlwind fast paced story. I truely adored Rune and all the others that i met within its pages. I cant wait for the next book to see what happens next.

31. A Cursed Son
Day Leitao

Blurb

In her dreams, he envelops her in love—in real life, he imprisons her in ice.

Assassin, liar, impersonator—dreamer.

As a decoy princess, trained to replace Her Highness even in a political marriage, Astra’s life is not her own. With a duty like that, how can she dream about love?

And yet she knows she has a kindred soul. She can feel his presence every night, holding her in his arms, surrounding her with his warmth. But ice-cold reality crashes in when Astra’s carriage is attacked by the Crystal Court’s disgraced prince.

Exiled for horrific crimes, not only he’s a wielder of powerful magic, he can also penetrate minds.

It turns out that he is the man in her dreams.

And this is about to get very, very awkward…

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in hopes that i would write an honest review.

In this story we meet Astra a girl with no family , but from a race of people who have been hunted and killed. A race that is said to have magic in their blood and murder and evil in their hearts. An orphan raised as an eliet guard disguised all her life to be a body double as the Princess of her Kingdom she has never had much in the way of freedom or choice.

And yet she dreams at night of a Kindred soul. Her perfect match. How can she ever hope to find him if her life is not her own ?
And yet she knows her duty will always come first.

On a mission to vist a minor noble to celebrate the impending marriage of his daughter , her carriage is attacked by the Exiled Fae Prince Marlak.

He attacks them but doesnt take anything and a few weeks later he turns up demanding Astras hand in marriage. He is harsh and unkind and takes her far far away deep into fae territory.

He tells Astra that enimes are everywhere and she is a means to an end. She learns that he can control water and ice but hes full of secrets. It feels like shes left one trap for another. Will she ever learn the truth?

This story is wonderfully written and has so many twists and turns it will keep you up long past your bedtime. Look out for the next book in the serries A Traitor Sister.

32.A Story Spun in Scarlet
( Tales of Wonder and Woe #1)
Renee Dugan

Blurb

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY…

AUDRA JASHOWIN is a storyteller without a purpose.

When all the tales in the land of Mithra-Sha lost their endings, Audra fled from her family’s rejection and the only home she ever knew. Now, with a sense of veiled danger haunting her heels and her life as devoid of direction as her stories, she arrives at long last in a city of fresh starts and second chances.

There, she finds an adventure greater than she ever dreamed.

JAIK GRISSOM might be the key to bringing back the power of all stories.

A simple farmhand with a way around weapons, Jaik possesses more than a sharp wit that sets Audra’s soul aflame. He’s a natural amplifier with the talent to breathe life into her tales…into all the tales in Mithra-Sha.

Chased from their comfortable lives by a stroke of ill luck on a fateful night, Audra and Jaik embark on a journey for answers—through the wilderness and over the raging sea, to the heart of storytelling itself. Along the way, the strange bond between them deepens as they begin to uncover a mystery that lurks beneath all the broken tales, written in the shroud of their own unlikely pasts.

To mend the fractured stories in Mithra-Sha, Audra and Jaik must learn to embrace what lives at the core of their own the bravery and brilliance, the loyalty and love, and the purpose and power they both harness—together and apart.

And they must face a terrible truth penned between the pages of their quest…a tragedy that will change the course of history and rewrite the ending of their tale forever.

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy this book in return for an honest review .

I think the words Let me tell you a story will forever stay with me. This read has been an amazing emotional rollercoaster of a story.
I have laughed, waited with baited breath as the story turned dark and uncertain. It broke my heart and made me cry ugly tears and then mended it once more.

Its storytelling and storycraft at its best. It has humor, romance and adventure. To pick this book up is to find pure magic.

33. Eliza Mace Mysteries
Eliza Mace #1
Sarah Burton

Blurb

Enola Holmes meets the novels of Laura Purcell in this Victorian mystery featuring quick-witted would-be detective Eliza Mace

The Welsh borders, 1870s : on the cusp of adulthood, Eliza Mace is battling for her independence. Stuck in a crumbling manor house on the fringe of a small town, she is thwarted by powers that conspire to protect, control and deceive her. But when her father goes missing in mysterious circumstances, Eliza’s determination to uncover the truth is unstoppable.

Joining forces with the charismatic new police constable, Dafydd Pritchard, she sets out to solve the case, but that’s no easy task. Her father has run up debts in town and beyond, and there are many who bear him a grudge. As she searches for evidence, Eliza exposes dark secrets that threaten to tear her world apart...

34. Play of Shadows
( Court of Shadows #1 )
Sebastien de Castell

Blurb

Damelas Shademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel.

He has precious little hope of escaping the wrath of the Vixen, the most feared duellist in the entire city, until he stumbles through the stage doors of the magnificent Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law provides a temporary respite from his troubles - until one night a ghostly voice in his head causes Damelas to fumble his lines, inadvertently blurting out a dreadful truth: the city's most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer.

With only the help of his boisterous and lusty friend Bereto, a beautiful assassin whose target may well be Damelas himself, and a company of misfit actors who'd just as soon see him dead, this failed son of two Greatcoats must somehow find within himself the courage to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids come for his head.

Oh, and there's still that matter of the Vixen waiting to duel him . . .

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy in audio book form in return for an honest review.

This book was amazing. Its full of its own unique magic, swordplay and wonderfully courageous friendship. It is full of heartwarming and heartbreaking moments Its wonderful and grand. Our tale finds us in the great and grand city of Durest A city of secrets, poltical intrigues and of a large cast of players or actors. Where acting is considered a scared art.

And in our large and varried cast we meet our principal Damelas Shademantaigne. Having fled an honour duel and hiding among The Actors of The Knights of the Curtain and being greatful for the protection it affords him. Little does he know a hidden talent, and a ghost of a villan from history are going to drag him from the chours and into a staring role.

Changing history and causing an uproar . Can he surrive his gift ? Or will he find death waiting for him in the wings ?

I loved this story from start to finish all its twists and turns. I cant wait for the next installment of this amazing tale .

35. Skulduggery Pleasant #15.5
Bad Magic: A Skulduggery Pleasant Graphic Novel

Blurb

Experience Skulduggery Pleasant as never before – in this fully original graphic novel brought vibrantly to life in full colour ‘A real cracker. Fun, thrilling, smartly scripted and powerfully making a stand for diversity and inclusion in the face of intimidation and ignorance. Even if this is your first encounter with the worlds of Skulduggery Pleasant, it’s one you will adore and never forget’
Win Wiacek, Now Read This! A small town in the middle of Ireland, a string of unexplained deaths and a monster on the loose. Better call in the experts. When Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain drive into Termoncara, they discover a town with a dark past and a people haunted by their own secrets. There is a creature stalking the streets – a creature who delights in cruelty, who feeds off the little hatreds, who grows stronger with every drop of blood spilled. Horror and mystery collide in an original graphic novel by Derek Landy, P. J. Holden, Matt Soffe, Rob Jones

36.
The Silverblood Promise
by James Logan

Blurb

Lukan Gardova is a cardsharp, academy dropout, and―thanks to a duel that ended badly―the disgraced heir to an ancient noble house. His days consist of cheap wine, rigged card games, and wondering how he might win back the life he threw away.

When Lukan discovers that his estranged father has been murdered in strange circumstances, he finds fresh purpose. Deprived of his chance to make amends for his mistakes, he vows to unravel the mystery behind his father's death.

His search for answers leads him to Saphrona, fabled city of merchant princes, where anything can be bought if one has the coin. Lukan only seeks the truth, but instead he finds danger and secrets in every shadow.

For in Saphrona, everything has a price―and the price of truth is the deadliest of all.Less

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in audio format in return for an honest review.

When the book started I wasn't sure what to think. It is a whirlwind adventure. The characters are well written and develop through out the story.

The setting seems very blood thirsty but so rich abd detailed. If your looking for an adventure that will keep you guessing and wondering what will happen next this is the book for you.

37. Book of Night
( Book of Night #1 )
Holly Black

Blurb

Holly Black makes her adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of shadowy thieves and secret societies.

In Charlie Hall’s world, shadows can be altered, for entertainment and cosmetic preferences—but also to increase power and influence. You can alter someone’s feelings—and memories—but manipulating shadows has a cost, with the potential to take hours or days from your life. Your shadow holds all the parts of you that you want to keep hidden—a second self, standing just to your left, walking behind you into lit rooms. And sometimes, it has a life of its own.

Charlie is a low-level con artist, working as a bartender while trying to distance herself from the powerful and dangerous underground world of shadow trading. She gets by doing odd jobs for her patrons and the naive new money in her town at the edge of the Berkshires. But when a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie’s present life is thrown into chaos, and her future seems at best, unclear—and at worst, non-existent. Determined to survive, Charlie throws herself into a maelstrom of secrets and murder, setting her against a cast of doppelgängers, mercurial billionaires, shadow thieves, and her own sister—all desperate to control the magic of the shadows.

38. Death by Chocolate Raspberry Scone
( Death by Chocolate Mystery #7)
By Sarah Graves

Blurb

Summer guests are eager to sink their teeth into the tantalizing desserts Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White serve at their bakeshop in the island village of Eastport, Maine. But attracting the wrong kind of attention can be deadly . . .

With the August heat strong enough to melt solid chocolate into syrup, Jake and Ellie crave a break from the bakery ovens, despite tourist season promising a sweet payday. But they never envisioned spending the last weeks of summer drifting around Passamaquoddy Bay searching for pirate’s treasure—and a dead body.

Sally Coates believes her husband was murdered off the coast, and begs Ellie, a trusted childhood friend, to locate his remains. It’s unusual that a skilled fisherman would vanish along with the gold doubloon he inherited from his grandfather. And Sally isn’t the only one coveting the valuable heirloom for her own.

As Jake and Ellie’s island-hop for answers, they find themselves caught between hungry sharks and hungrier suspects. Can the duo tempt fate and dodge danger before there’s blood in the water—or are they destined to fall into the jaws of a killer’s trap?

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in audiobook format. I really enjoyed it. The narration was excellent!

If your looking for something cozy with slices of life in between your mystery action this is definitely the book for
I really enjoyed getting to know Jack and Ellie.

Also who can resist Chocolate!

39. The Vanishing Station
Ana Ellickson

Blurb

A lyrical and bold YA debut about an underground magic system in San Francisco—and the lengths one girl is willing to go to protect the ones she loves

Eighteen-year-old Filipino American Ruby Santos has been unmoored since her mother’s death. She can’t apply to art school like she’s always dreamed, and she and her father have had to move into the basement of their home and rent out the top floor while they work to pay back her mother’s hospital bills.

Then Ruby finds out her father has been living a secret life as a delivery person for a magical underworld—he “jumps” train lines to help deliver packages for a powerful family. Recently, he’s fallen behind on deliveries (and deeper into alcoholism), and if his debts aren’t satisfied, they’re going to take her mother’s house. In an effort to protect her father and save all that remains of her mother, Ruby volunteers to take over her dad’s station and start jumping train lines.

But this is no ordinary job. Ruby soon realizes that the trains are much more than doors to romance and they’re also doors to trafficking illicit goods and fierce rivalries. As she becomes more entangled with the magical underworld and the mysterious boy who’s helped her to learn magic, she realizes too late that she may be in over her head. Can she free her father and save her mother’s house? Or has she only managed to get herself pulled into the dangerous web her father was trapped in?

My thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy in audiobook format. I really enjoyed the read and the narrator did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and making sure they each had their own voices.

The idea that there's magic in underground networks that run in different places all over the world is amazing and diffrent.
Add in some wonderful characters and you have a story that is mind-blowing experience.
I throughly loved this read.

40.City of Lifestone
Realm Quest #1
Tom Huddleston

Blurb

Book 1 of the Realm Quest series

Far from home and freed from slavery, Kiri embarks on an epic adventures across the Mortal Realms, accompanied by a group of special friends. But dark forces gather to stop them…

READ IT BECAUSE
It's a brand-new and exciting way to experience the Age of Sigmar – and it's designed to be the perfect starting point for younger readers. Read it with your children to introduce them to your favourite universe!

THE STORY
Raised as a slave in the Darkoath camps of Aqshy, Kiri dreams of a better life. Of a city of wonders, the place of her birth… Lifestone! She despairs of ever reaching it until a fateful day arrives when her barbarian captors are attacked by Sigmar's noblest warriors, the Stormcast Eternals. Seizing her chance, Kiri flees through a mysterious realmgate that takes her far from the fiery lands of Aqshy. She arrives in the realm of Ghyran and finds the city of Lifestone. But a curse lies on this place, withering its noble spirit. Her path leads her to a special group of children who, like her, are realm-marked – the prophecised saviours of Lifestone. There's Thanis, the fighter; Alish, the inventor; Kaspar; the sneak and Elio, the healer. But dark forces are allying against the children and will do anything to stop them achieving their destiny.

41.Lair of the Skaven
Realm Quest #2
Tom Huddleston

Blurb

Book 2 of the Realm Quest series

Determined to rescue their master, Elio, Kiri, Alish, Thanis and Kaspar find themselves in danger as they venture into the lair of the Skaven.

READ IT BECAUSE
The realm-marked heroes are back, and facing off against sinister ratmen in their own lair… How will they get out of this?

THE STORY
When their master, Vertigan, is kidnapped, Elio and his friends are determined to try and rescue him. Using a powerful artefact, they forge a magical doorway into a forbidding underground world teeming with Skaven ratmen! Hopelessly outnumbered, Elio, Kiri, Alish, Thanis and Kaspar must use all of their cunning if they are to find Vertigan and escape alive…

42.Forest of the Ancients
Realm Quest #3
Tom Huddleston

Blurb

Book 3 of the Realm Quest series

Desperate to save their friend, Kiri and her companions seek the aid of the mysterious Sylvaneth… but can they trust the guardians of the forest?

READ IT BECAUSE
If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a fantastic new adventure as the Realm Quest series continues by exploring the Sylvaneth.

THE STORY
As Elio lies stricken under a powerful curse, the only way his friends Thanis, Alish, Kiri and Kaspar can cure him is to venture into the Forest of the Ancients. Rumour tells of a race of healers who dwell there, the mysterious tree-folk known as the Sylvaneth, but are they allies or enemies…?

43.Flight of the Kharadron
Realm Quest #4
Tom Huddleston

Blurb

Captured by the sky-faring Kharadron Overlords, Kiri and her companions are offered their freedom – if they steal a heavily-guarded treasure first…

READ IT BECAUSE
Explore the skies and venture into a floating duardin city in the latest instalment of the action-packed fantasy adventure series!

THE STORY
On a quest to find their missing master, Alish, Kiri, Thanis, Kaspar and Elio are captured by the sky-faring Kharadron Overlords. They are taken to a shadowy city above the clouds, a place of marvels, of airships and flying wonders! Alish and the others are offered their freedom by the cunning duardin – but only if they have nerve enough to steal a heavily guarded treasure first.

44. Fortress of Ghosts
Realm Quest #5
Tom Huddleston

Blurb

The fifth book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of fantasy for middle-grade reeaders from Black Library. Epic heroes, mighty armies and terrifying monsters clash against the backdrop of magical landscapes.

Prisoners of the dark sorceress, Ashnakh, friends Kiri, Alish, Elio and Thanis are taken to the forbidding Palace of Mirrors in the Realm of Shyish to await their fate. Trapped in the Shatterglass Labyrinth they must band together to survive. Betrayed by someone who they thought they could trust, harried by dreaded Nighthaunts will they ever escape the Fortress of Ghosts?

45.Battle for the Soulspring
Realm Quest #6
Tom Huddleston

Blurb

The sixth book in the Realm Quest series. An exciting series of fantasy for middle-grade readers from Black Library.

The city of Lifestone is under siege!

A dark army under the command of the undead sorceress Ashnakh swarms outside the city walls, awaiting her order to attack.

The only ones who can stop her are six brave children, each of them marked with a symbol of the Mortal Realms, each sworn to defend Life against the forces of Death.

Now, Kiri and her friends must learn the truth about Lifestone, and why they bear these peculiar marks. They must call on strange and untrustworthy allies to help them in their hour of need. And finally, they must join together to defend the mysterious Soulspring, if they are to defeat Ashnakh once and for all.

Epic heroes, mighty armies and terrifying monsters clash against the backdrop of magical landscapes!

46.The Screaming Staircase
( Lockwood & Co. #1 )
Jonathan Stroud

Blurb

When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest, most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .

47. The Whispering Skull
( Lockwood & Co. #2 )
Jonathan Stroud

Blurb

In the six months since Anthony, Lucy, and George survived a night in the most haunted house in England, Lockwood & Co. hasn't made much progress. Quill Kipps and his team of Fittes agents keep swooping in on Lockwood's investigations. Finally, in a fit of anger, Anthony challenges his rival to a contest: the next time the two agencies compete on a job, the losing side will have to admit defeat in the Times newspaper.

Things look up when a new client, Mr. Saunders, hires Lockwood & Co. to be present at the excavation of Edmund Bickerstaff, a Victorian doctor who reportedly tried to communicate with the dead. Saunders needs the coffin sealed with silver to prevent any supernatural trouble. All goes well-until George's curiosity attracts a horrible phantom.

Back home at Portland Row, Lockwood accuses George of making too many careless mistakes. Lucy is distracted by urgent whispers coming from the skull in the ghost jar. Then the team is summoned to DEPRAC headquarters. Kipps is there too, much to Lockwood's annoyance. Bickerstaff's coffin was raided and a strange glass object buried with the corpse has vanished. Inspector Barnes believes the relic to be highly dangerous, and he wants it found.

48.The Hollow Boy
( Lockwood & Co. #3)
Jonathan Stroud

Blurb
As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness in exterminating spirits. Anthony Lockwood is dashing, George insightful, and Lucy dynamic, while the skull in the jar utters sardonic advice from the sidelines. There is a new spirit of openness in the team now that Lockwood has shared some of his childhood secrets, and Lucy is feeling more and more as if her true home is at Portland Row. It comes as a great shock, then, when Lockwood and George introduce her to an annoyingly perky and hyper-efficient new assistant, Holly Munro.

Meanwhile, there are reports of many new hauntings, including a house where bloody footprints are appearing, and a department store full of strange sounds and shadowy figures. But ghosts seem to be the least of Lockwood & Co.'s concerns when assassins attack during a carnival in the center of the city. Can the team get past their personal issues to save the day on all fronts, or will bad feelings attract yet more trouble?

Danger abounds, tensions escalate, and new loyalties form in this third delightfully terrifying adventure in the critically acclaimed Lockwood & Co. series.

49. The Creeping Shadow
(Lockwood & Co. #4)
Jonathan Stroud

Blurb

After leaving Lockwood & Co. at the end of The Hollow Boy, Lucy is a freelance operative, hiring herself out to agencies that value her ever-improving skills. One day she is pleasantly surprised by a visit from Lockwood, who tells her he needs a good Listener for a tough assignment. Penelope Fittes, the leader of the giant Fittes Agency wants them--and only them--to locate and remove the Source for the legendary Brixton Cannibal. They succeed in their very dangerous task, but tensions remain high between Lucy and the other agents. Even the skull in the jar talks to her like a jilted lover. What will it take to reunite the team? Black marketeers, an informant ghost, a Spirit Cape that transports the wearer, and mysteries involving Steve Rotwell and Penelope Fittes just may do the trick. But, in a shocking cliffhanger ending, the team learns that someone has been manipulating them all along. . . .

50.The Empty Grave
( Lockwood & Co. #5 )
Jonathan Stroud

Blurb

After the dramatic events of The Creeping Shadow, the Lockwood team (plus Quill Kipps) deserve some well-earned rest.

So naturally they break into the Fittes Mausoleum, on a perilous mission to discover the truth about London's top ghost-hunting agency, and its sinister leader.

What they discover will change everything.

But there's little time to ponder. A near-miss at a haunted fairground is only the start - as the Fittes agency closes in on the team, an epic struggle commences.

With the help of some unexpected, and rather ghostly, allies, Lockwood & Co must battle their greatest enemy yet, as they move ever closer to the moment when the earth-shattering secret of 'the problem' will finally be revealed.

Jonathan Stroud once again delivers a rousing adventure full of danger, laughs, twists, and frights. The revelations will send readers back to Book 1 to start the series all over again.

51. The Night Raven
( Crow Investigations #1)
Sarah Painter
Kate Rawson

Blurb

The Night Raven is the first book in Crow Investigations, an exciting new paranormal mystery series from bestselling author of magical fiction, Sarah Painter.
Lydia has always known she has no power, especially next to her infamous and more-than-slightly dodgy family. Which is why she carved her own life as a private investigator far away from London. When a professional snafu forces her home, the head of the family calls in a favour, and Lydia finds herself investigating the disappearance of her cousin, Maddie. Soon, Lydia is neck-deep in problems: her new flatmate is a homicidal ghost, the intriguing, but forbidden, DCI Fleet is acting in a distinctly unprofessional manner, and tensions between the old magical families are rising. For seventy-five years, a truce between the four families has held strong, but could the disappearance of Maddie Crow be the thing to break it?

52.The Silver Mark
( Crow Investigations #2)
Sarah Painter

Blurb

London is Lydia Crow’s city so when a man is found hanged under Blackfriars Bridge, she takes it personally.

Driven by her desire to improve her fledgling P.I. skills and an innate sense of justice, Lydia investigates. Even when it seems as if the Silver Family might be involved, Lydia refuses to back down.

The Silver Family, who run the finest law firm in London, have a gift for persuasion. In the Bad Old Days it was said they could make a man jump off a roof by convincing him he could fly. But that's all in the past… Isn’t it?

Everybody wants something from Lydia: Her Uncle Charlie wants her to join the infamous Family Business, her ghostly flatmate wants her to test her power, DCI Fleet wants a relationship, and the Silver Family want her to keep her nose out.

Trouble is, Lydia has never been much good at taking orders. And London in a heatwave is a dangerous place to be...

The Silver Mark is the second instalment in Crow Investigations, an exciting paranormal mystery series from bestselling author of magical fiction, Sarah Painter.

My Thoughts

I wasnt sure about the 1st one but oh my gods these books just get better and better. I throughly love Lydia.

53. The Fox's Curse
( Crow Investigations #3 )
Sarah Painter

Blurb

A cursed Fox. A vengeful Silver. A whole lot of trouble… Lydia Crow has long suspected there is more beneath London than just trains, but has never been keen to poke around in the dark. But when Paul Fox, powerful member of the Fox Family, blackmails her into taking a case, she has no choice. Investigating a suspicious death in a disused tunnel of the London Underground for her ex-boyfriend causes friction between her and DCI Fleet – and not the fun kind. Uncle Charlie is still pressuring her to work for the Family business, her ghostly flatmate is looking for answers about his own demise, and Maria Silver is out for blood. Preferably Lydia’s. With old alliances broken, it’s harder for Lydia to know who to trust. There is a big choice up ahead and it’s getting closer by the second. Lydia has to find a path in the darkness – and fast. Don't miss the exciting third instalment in the bestselling urban fantasy mystery series, Crow Investigations.

My thoughts

This just gets better and better!

54.The Pearl King
( Crow Investigations #4 )
Sarah Painter

Tradition. Loyalty. Respect. Murder. Normal Family stuff…

Lydia is pulled into the Crow Family business by her shady Uncle Charlie. He has decided that Lydia needs to learn the truth about her infamous Family and to step into her role within it – whether she likes it or not.

After Lydia’s wrongful arrest, her relationship with DCI Fleet is decidedly rocky, but when a teenage girl goes missing from Highgate Woods she must put aside her emotions and work the case.

Lydia is increasingly alarmed by Charlie’s methods, but is trapped by loyalty. Then a direct attack on the Crows raises the tension between the Families to boiling point, and the mysterious Pearl Family step out of the shadows.

Can Lydia restore balance to the magical Families of London without losing her soul?

55.Darker by Four
by June C.L. Tan

Blurb

EVEN GODS NEED TO FORGET.

A girl who lost her magic. The boy who found it. And a city having one Hell of a time . . .

As an Exorcist-in-training, Rui is tasked with purging the city of Revenants, souls of the dead who have returned to feast on the energy of the living. For Rui, the fight is personal - a Revenant murdered her mother, and she wants revenge.

But Rui's first encounter with a Revenant is nothing like she expects. And when she is nearly killed protecting Yiran, the spoiled, magicless youngest son of one of the most powerful families in the Exorcist Guild, Rui uses a volatile spell to transfer her magic to him.

The pair soon realise that the spell cannot be undone. And as Revenants overrun the city and Rui's hope of revenge fades, Rui is willing to do whatever it takes to regain her magic. Even if that means making a deal with a shadowy stranger to track down a god who does not wish to be found . . .

My Thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this book in ebook format in return for an honest review.

I was drawn in by the cover art and stayed for the story. It was amazing. Exorcists, hungry ghosts known as Revants along side Reapers and Gods count me in!

It took awhile to ger going but once i started it was incrediblely hard to put down.

Rui, Yerian and Zizi are wonderful characters and each have flaws and strengths that bring them to life and give the reader something to identify with.
An amazing read i cant wait to see what happens next!

56.Dragon's Pet: Unseen Treaties
Sarah Arnette

Blurb

Ansel might have been bored with his life, but it was still a pretty good life, even to his mind. He worked the farm and he hung out with his best friend, Beno. Yeah, his little part of Germany was not as flashy as Munich, but it was still a great time. Parties every night, farm life every day. What more could a young man possibly want? All that changed when Beno and Ansel decided to venture into the forbidden woods for some deadfall.

Running into a woman in the forest was not what Ansel and Beno were expecting. They also were not expecting to break a curse, find one of them dead, and the other taken as a “pet.” If there were a list of things that were not to be expected to happen just from one decision, it would make a book, this book.

My thoughts

I was given this book free of charge by the author in ebook format in hopes that in return i would provide an honest review of their work.

The book is set in modernish germany. Your main characters are Ansle and Beno two fun loving lads who want nothing more than to enjoy life. When they fail to follow through on some chores for Ansles mum concerning the family farm and take a short cut by going into the forbidden Dragons Forest for wood things take a turn for the worst.
They meet a girl who is actually a cursed dragon. Ansle frees her and thus breaks her curse. Finding that she doesnt know much about the modern world she takes Ansle as a pet.
At 1st Ansle isnt sure he likes the arrangement but as he spends more time with the dragon and learns that most of the creatures from myths and fairytales are indeed real he soon finds life as a Dragons pet is very exciting indeed.

There are some moments that really are a bit far fetched and others that make you laugh out loud. This is a really fun fast paced read and i throughly enjoyed it.

57. The King is Dead
Benjamin Dean

Blurb

James has been a prince all of his life, and since he was born, he's been thrust into the spotlight as the first Black heir to the throne. But when his father unexpectedly dies, James is crowned king at seventeen. Now, the secrets he could keep as a prince with no real responsibility - namely, his sexuality and hidden relationship - are rocked as his life irrevocably changes.

When his boyfriend suddenly goes missing, the royal secrets and scandals that only he knows start to leak online. And when it becomes clear that whoever is behind the messages isn't going to stop anytime soon, James begins to question everyone around him.

My Thoughts

This book was a book that was given as a freebie when i bought two others. That being the case i was like okay seems cool and who can say no to free books? Not me!

So its a royal romance but with mystery mixed in. Add to that that the author decided to switch it up and make it about A Black English Royal family and you have something truely interesting.

All his life James knew that some day when his father died he and not his twin would be King. When it happens after a long illness he is totally shocked and feels completely unprepared.

Add to this that secrets about his personal life and those closest to him start hitting the press causing royal scandals and James is left wondering who he can trust and if so who ? However the bigger question he is asking is if he really wants to be King at all.

This is a bit of a fast paced read. There are moments that are absolutely heartwarming and others that will break your heart. Beautiful balanced , funny and very compelling.

58. Three Dark Crowns
Three Dark Crowns#1
Kendare Blake

Blurb

.In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomach-ache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of beasts.But becoming the Queen Crowned isn't solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it's not just a game of win or lose . . . it's life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.The last queen standing gets the crown.

My thoughts

There's just so much to say. Where to start ? This serries has been out for awhile and has been on my tbr pile since then.
The cover art is what drew me in when they frist came out you could choose which sister to support by your books cover art which was super neat. A crown and roses for the naturalist queen, a crown and fire for the elemental queen and a snake and crown for the poisioner queen.

I couldnt choose so i have the later cover art which has all three on it.
Then you open the book to find this poem :

"Three dark sisters
All fair to be seen,
Two to devour
And one to be queen"

Wow! Its super dark and kind of creepy. The entire book each queen is impressive in her own right. I enjoyed getting to know each of them. And even if i couldnt couldnt choose then i think now i would be backing Arinsoe the naturalist queen.

It does take a bit for the book to get going but once it does you have to know what will happen next!

I loved this read and be starting the next soon.

59.The Extraordinary Curiosities of Ixworth and Maddox
J.D. Grolic

Blurb

Chloe Ashley is feeling lonely and dejected. She's estranged from her best friend and ignored by her busy parents. One dreary afternoon, she wanders into a newly refurbished curiosities shop in the heart of London. The shop is owned by Mr. Ixworth and Mr. Maddox, two eccentric gentlemen who are in the business of magic. Real magic.

Chloe becomes a fast friend with the two magicians and discovers the wondrous merchandise the shop has to offer: a magical flying taxi, ghost spectacles, self-fluffing pillows, and crumb-less tables. In short time, Chloe is on her way to becoming a magician's apprentice.

But when Ixworth suddenly disappears, Chloe and Maddox are launched into a shadowy, sinister world of mystery and deception. In their perilous investigation to find their missing friend, the pair uncovers an age-old conspiracy of greed, inheritance, and power. Was Ixworth kidnapped? Murdered? Is he hiding? Or is there something more insidious at play, lurking beneath the streets of London, on a quest to fulfill an ancient and terrible prophecy?

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in ebook format in hopes that i would provide an honest review.

I was drawn in by the blurb and stayed for a wonderful adventure. Chloe is feeling left behind by her friend as she has made new ones and Chloe doesnt quiet fit with this new group. Her parents are often busy and dont seem to have much in the way of time for their daughter .

So when she finds herself in a curiosity shop run by magicians and in becoming friends with them she learns magic is real and that she can do magic too !
Then when one of the magicians goes missing she and her friend must set about solving the mystery surrounding his disappearance.

Its a sweet adventure, the magic system is intresting and very fun . I like that its a young person befriending older persons. Good read for a rainy day.

60.The Pyramid Murders
( Miss Clara Vale Mysteries #3 )
Fiona Veitch Smith

Blurb

A night at the museum, a dead body and a trail to Cairo. Sounds like a case for Miss Clara Vale!

1930: Miss Clara Vale, chemistry major turned detective, is taking a night off from sleuthing to attend the launch party of a new exhibition at the Hancock Museum in Newcastle. But when the piece de resistance, a rare ornate sarcophagus, is finally opened and it turns out the mummy inside it is a fake it looks like there is no rest for Clara after all...

Later that night, she is summoned back to the museum and asked to investigate a series of stolen Egyptian artefacts. Using her scientific and forensic prowess, Clara, with her trusted assistant Bella in tow, embarks on a trail that will lead from Newcastle to London and along the river Nile to Cairo.

But she is not the only person hunting for stolen antiquities and when she uncovers an international smuggling ring with a penchant for murder, it becomes clear that Clara's own life is in danger too.

Can Clara catch the smugglers before they get away with another murder among the pyramids?

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy in audio book form free of charge in return for an honest review.

The narration was excellent and each character had their own voice and way of speaking so that the listener wasnt confused about who was speaking. It brought the book to life.

I didnt know when i asked for the book that it was the third book of the serries. That gave me a slight pause but in the end I dived in and I am very glad I did.

Lady Clara Vale is a wonderful character and her assistant Bella are tremendously good fun. The story well written with lots of action and description. Even Clara's interactions with Jack Dancy the male private investigator are believeable and fun.

If you are a fan The Miss Fisher Mysteries then Clara Vale is perfect for you. I really enjoyed this read and look forward to other books by the this author.

61.Peregrine Quinn and the Cosmic Realm
By Ash Bond

Blurb

Peregrine Quinn has always loved hearing her godfather Daedalus Bloom's stories about his life as an immortal, but that's all they were - stories. That is, until the portals that connect the Terran Realm with the Cosmic Realm mysteriously shut down and Daedalus, the only one who can fix them, is kidnapped. Peregrine is then swept into a nail-biting adventure, racing through the streets of Oxford, down the riverways of London and into the Under-Underground. She soon realises that not only are the creatures from her godfather's stories real, but they're shooting at her with laser blasters. Fortunately she has help from dryad librarian Rowan Strong and Olympus Inc. liaison (and faun) Callimachus Thorn. Together they must fix the portals and rescue Daedalus before an ancient evil rises and chaos takes over. Time is running out and the fate of all the realms is now in Peregrine's hands . . .GET READY FOR AN EDGE-OF-YOUR SEAT RACE BETWEEN WORLDS WITH PEREGRINE QUINN!

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in ebook format in return for an honest review.

It took me some time to actually get into this book but once I did wow! This story is super action packed and an amazing adventure.

I loved Peregrine her firey never say die personality is wonderful and refreshing. She gets scared but she never gives up.
Set against Rowan who is by the book and very rules oriented its pure joy.

If you love percy jackson or Artmis fowl this is totally the book for you.

62. Summer of Swallows
Molly Garcia

Blurb

The summer of 1998 was one of the most exciting that Rosie Harper had ever known. She was dating the lead singer of “The Swallows” so her life was all about wild parties and having fun. When Rosie suddenly vanished suspicion immediately fell on Chris Swallow who then disappeared from the limelight.

When DCI Jack West finds out that a dead hoarder has been identified as Chris he uses it as an opportunity to re-open Rosie’s cold case.

In the meantime, her sister, Laura, has never given up hope of finding out what happened to her big sister. With the help of her shady friend, Ray, she decides its time to find out the truth.

Everybody seems to have a secret to hide, but who is willing to kill to keep it buried?

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book by the author free of charge in return for an honest review.

It was the summer of 1998 and for nineteen year old Rosie Harper life is all about Chris Swallow and the Band The Swallows. She is certain that Chris is her one and only . It was the most exciting time of her life until one night she disappears from an after party never to be seen again.

She leaves behind her a broken family consisting of her Laura and her parents. After her parents pass Laura is left wondering what happened.

Molly Garcia does an beautiful job with her characters making and making Lauras anger, sadness and griefs believable.
Add to that amazing story telling that keeps you guessing until the until the very and will keep you up long past your bedtime.

63.Selena Flowers and the Cursed Ruby ( The Merblood Saga #1)
Ella English

Blurb

When the Tide Turns, the Merblood Rises...

In the quaint, windswept town of Madderly Bay, twelve-year-old Selena Flowers' dream of a peaceful life shatters as an eerie voice echoes in her mind, a reminder of the nightmarish encounter that awaits her beneath the "Just relax. You can breathe easily. I’ve got total control over you."

Selena, newly arrived from the bustling streets of London, finds herself in a gothic mansion teetering on the edge of a coastal cliff, her mother Fiona's strange inheritance. But their new beginning turns into a chilling adventure when an undead mermaid, Faustina, crashes through Selena's window, heralding a descent into a dark, hidden world.

The once thriving zombie merkingdom beneath Madderly Bay, now a forgotten abyss, is Faustina's haunting domain. Cursed to eternal youth, this zombie mermaid queen is driven by a lonely, venomous desire to expand her ghostly army. When Fiona begins to show signs of a ghastly transformation, Selena knows the curse has found its newest victim.

Faustina's power stems from a mysterious ruby necklace, an artifact of untold magic and menace. Its dark magic can turn the tide of fate, offering salvation or doom. As Selena grapples with bullies at her new school and the complexities of a small town riddled with secrets, the necklace becomes her only hope to save her mother from a watery, undead fate.

With the help of her new friend Chloe, Selena embarks on a perilous quest to uncover the necklace's hidden past and its current whereabouts. The journey takes her deeper into Faustina's world—a world of betrayal, ancient curses, and underwater lairs.

As the clock ticks and Fiona's transformation accelerates, Selena must confront her deepest fears. Plunging into the murky depths, she faces off against Faustina in a heart-stopping struggle for the necklace. In this underwater chess game, every move could be her last. Will Selena retrieve the necklace and reverse the curse, or will she become another lost soul in Faustina's mermaid kingdom?

As Selena's story unfolds, she discovers that the true power lies not in a ruby's glow, but in the strength of her own heart. In a final, breathtaking climax, Selena must decide the fate of the necklace, balancing the weight of its power against the safety of those she loves.

My Thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in ebook format by the author free of charge in return for an honest review.

When Selena flowers and her wanna be actress Fiona flee London for the sleeply, quaint, windswept town of Madderly Bay, and her moms aunt Adas creepy cliffside house that she inherited she is certain that her life is over.

Then she meets Faustina the zombie mermaid and she is desperate to forget she ever heard of Madderly Bay. Then Faustina attacks her mom.

Its a race against time to find an ancient and powerful ruby necklace to save her mom before Faustina uses it and takes over everything.

The read starts out a bit slow but once it gets going you have know what happens next. Its a very cute middle grade thriller.

64. Koku Akanbi and the Heart of Midnight ( Jujuland #1)
Maria Motunrayo Adebisi

Blurb

Ancient demons. Shape-shifting sidekicks. Sword-swallowing assassins. Welcome to Olori....

'Epic storytelling with a sharp wit. I love Kòkú!' - Louie Stowell, author of A Bad God's Guide to Being Good

When 13-year-old Koku Akanbi accidentally unleashes a demon on a school trip, he has no idea what he's set in motion.

Suddenly Koku is whisked away from his life in London and transported to his family's homeland of Olori, a mysterious place in which darkness is about to disappear forever - along with the magical creatures living within it.

Accompanied by two super-powered sidekicks, Koku embarks on a mission to save Olori - and unlock his own extraordinary power...

My thoughts

This read has been on my tbr pile for awhile. I picked it up because I really liked the cover art and then as usual I stayed for the story.

It was a super slow start but it picks up fast and is a super amazing adventure. Koku is convinced life is just one big unfunny joke. He has a terrible name and a horrible disease.

Then while on a class trip with his school he breaks a wooden doll and releases a deamon he then finds himself on a plan to the country he was born on his way to meet his mothers people.

Little does he know that its the start of his own heros journey.

This is wonderful adventure full of west african folk lore and culture. And is filled with amazing art work that really brings the story to life. From magical tribes to vengeful mermaids this story has everything and more.

I cant wait to join Koku and his friends again to see what happens next!

65. A Feather So Black
( Fair Folk #1 )
Lyra Selene

Blurb

In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen's daughter and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg.

Most despise Fia's fae blood. But the queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the real princess Eala is bound to Tír na nÓg, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.

When a hidden gate to the realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the queen to retrieve the princess and break her curse. But she doesn’t go alone: with her is prince Rogan, Fia's dearest childhood friend—and Eala’s betrothed.

As they journey through the forests of the Folk, where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince…and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.

Soon, Fia begins to question the truth of her mission. But time is running out to break her sister's curse. And unraveling the secrets of the past might destroy everything she has come to love.

My thoughts

I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this book in ebook format in hopes that I would read the book and post an honest review.

For fans of Holly blacks Cruel Prince or Stolen Heir this book will take your breath away.

The Queen and her Mortal armies waged war until The Gentry, the Fae retreated into Tír na nÓg and sealed the gates behind them . The Queen and her people were thrilled with their victory, but then they discovered that when the fae left they took magic as well as The Princess, The Queens only child away with them. And in her place they left a changeling child.

The changeling was given the name Fia and treated as favoured pet. Taught the arts of battle and the ways of the assassin and spy the child grew into a deadly young woman.

Now Fia finds herself on a mission to enter Tír na nÓg free her sister and return magic. Oh and to accompany her the boy she cared for as a child but who is promised to her sister the missing Princess.

Fia never imagined the dangers she would find in the enchanted realm of the Gentry. She also never imagined that she would find herself. Now torn between the mortal world and her duty and the world that she herself partly comes from which will she choose?

This is an epic tale of enchantment and wonder and will keep you up long past your bedtime wondering what happens next. I throughly loved this read every moment of it.

66. The Nine Night Mystery
Sharna Jackson

Blurb

Last night Wesley and his friends Josephine and Margot threw their neighbour Rachel a surprise birthday party.

This morning, Rachel is dead.
And Wesley is the one who finds her body.

Rachel's friends throw a traditional Caribbean Nine Night celebration to help guide her soul to the next world. But Wesley, Margot and Josephine don't have time to mourn Rachel. They are determined to find out who did this - and find out what secrets Rachel was keeping...

67.One Dark Throne
(Three Dark Crowns #2)
Kendare Blake

Blurb

The battle for the crown has begun, but which of the three sisters will prevail?

With the unforgettable events of the Quickening behind them and the Ascension Year underway, all bets are off. Katharine, once the weak and feeble sister, is stronger than ever before. Arsinoe, after discovering the truth about her powers, must figure out how to make her secret talent work in her favour without anyone finding out. And Mirabella, once thought to be the strongest sister of all and the certain Queen Crowned, faces attacks like never before - ones that put those around her in danger that she can’t seem to prevent.

In One Dark Throne, the enthralling sequel to Kendare Blake’s The New York Times- bestselling Three Dark Crowns , Fennbirn’s deadliest queens must face the one thing standing in their way of the each other.

I somehow lost track of your thread this year, but I've caught up. It looks like you've had a great year of reading so far!

>95 libraryperilous: so far its been pretty awesome

68. Two Dark Reigns
( Three Dark Crowns #3)
Kendare Blake

Blurb

Arsinoe, Mirabella, and Katharine all have their own scores to settle, they aren’t the only queens stirring things up on Fennbirn Island.

Queen Katharine has waited her entire life to wear the crown. But now that she finally has it, the murmurs of dissent grow louder by the day. There’s also the alarming issue of whether or not her sisters are actually dead—or if they’re waiting in the wings to usurp the throne.

Mirabella and Arsinoe are alive, but in hiding on the mainland and dealing with a nightmare of their own: being visited repeatedly by a specter they think might be the fabled Blue Queen. Though she says nothing, her rotting, bony finger pointing out to sea is clear enough: return to Fennbirn.

Jules, too, is in a strange place—in disguise. And her only confidants, a war-gifted girl named Emilia and her oracle friend Mathilde, are urging her to take on a role she can’t imagine filling: a legion-cursed queen who will lead a rebel army to Katharine’s doorstep.

This is an uprising that the mysterious Blue Queen may have more to do with than anyone could have guessed—or expected.

My thoughts

This serries has gone from strength to strength. I am loving it!

69.Five ​Dark Fates
(Three Dark Crowns, #4)
by Kendare Blake

Blurb
After the grim confrontation with Queen Katharine, the rebellion lies in tatters. Jules’s legion curse has been unbound, and it is up to Arsinoe to find a cure, even as the responsibility of stopping the ravaging mist lies heavy on her shoulders, and her shoulders alone. Mirabella has disappeared.

Katharine’s reign remains intact—for now. When Mirabella arrives, seemingly under a banner of truce, Katharine begins to yearn for the closeness that Mirabella and Arsinoe share. But as the two circle each other, the dead queens hiss caution—Mirabella is not to be trusted.

In this conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series, three sisters will rise to fight as the secrets of Fennbirn’s history are laid bare. Allegiances will shift. Bonds will be tested. But the fate of the island lies in the hands of its queens. It always has.

My thoughts

This story has hooked me like nothing else. I cant imagine why it took me so long to read. Just wow! Loved it from start to finish!

70.Truly Devious
Truly Devious #1
Maureen Johnson

Blurb

Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly, Devious.” It became one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True-crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

The two interwoven mysteries of this first book in the Truly Devious series dovetail brilliantly, and Stevie Bell will continue her relentless quest for the murderers in books two and three.

71. The Vanishing Stair
( Truely Devious #2)
by Maureen Johnson

Blurb

All Stevie Bell wanted was to find the key to the Ellingham mystery, but instead she found her classmate dead. And while she solved that murder, the crimes of the past are still waiting in the dark. Just as Stevie feels she’s on the cusp of putting it together, her parents pull her out of Ellingham academy.

For her own safety they say. She must move past this obsession with crime. Now that Stevie’s away from the school of topiaries and secret tunnels, and her strange and endearing friends, she begins to feel disconnected from the rest of the world. At least she won’t have to see David anymore. David, who she kissed. David, who lied to her about his identity—son of despised politician Edward King. Then King himself arrives at her house to offer a deal: He will bring Stevie back to Ellingham immediately. In return, she must play nice with David. King is in the midst of a campaign and can’t afford his son stirring up trouble. If Stevie’s at school, David will stay put.

The tantalizing riddles behind the Ellingham murders are still waiting to be unraveled, and Stevie knows she’s so close. But the path to the truth has more twists and turns than she can imagine—and moving forward involves hurting someone she cares for. In New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson’s second novel of the Truly Devious series, nothing is free, and someone will pay for the truth with their life.

72. The Hand on the Wall
(Truly Devious, #3)
by Maureen Johnson

Blurb

Ellingham Academy must be cursed. Three people are now dead. One, a victim of either a prank gone wrong or a murder. Another, dead by misadventure. And now, an accident in Burlington has claimed another life. All three in the wrong place at the wrong time. All at the exact moment of Stevie’s greatest triumph . . .

She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.

At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.

Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.

In the tantalizing finale to the Truly Devious trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson expertly tangles her dual narrative threads and ignites an explosive end for all who’ve walked through Ellingham Academy.

New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson delivers the witty and pulse-pounding conclusion to the Truly Devious series as Stevie Bell solves the mystery that has haunted Ellingham Academy for over 75 years.

My thoughts

I loved getting to know stevie and her friends. I have loved walking back in time getting to know the Ellinghams. This has been an amazing ride.

73. The Box in the Woods
(Truly Devious, #4)
by Maureen Johnson

Blurb
The Truly Devious series continues as Stevie Bell investigates her first mystery outside of Ellingham Academy in this spine-chilling and hilarious stand-alone mystery.

Amateur sleuth Stevie Bell needs a good murder. After catching a killer at her high school, she’s back at home for a normal (that means boring) summer.

But then she gets a message from the owner of Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls—the site of the notorious unsolved case, the Box in the Woods Murders. Back in 1978, four camp counselors were killed in the woods outside of the town of Barlow Corners, their bodies left in a gruesome display. The new owner offers Stevie an invitation: Come to the camp and help him work on a true crime podcast about the case.

Stevie agrees, as long as she can bring along her friends from Ellingham Academy. Nothing sounds better than a summer spent together, investigating old murders.

But something evil still lurks in Barlow Corners. When Stevie opens the lid on this long-dormant case, she gets much more than she bargained for. The Box in the Woods will make room for more victims. This time, Stevie may not make it out alive.

74.Book Review
Book: Brass & Blood
Author: R.I. McLaughlin
Genre: fantasty
Rating: two stars
#bookloungereviewteam

Blurb

When the body is asleep, the mind is awake and adventurous, sating its wanderlust in the Dream Clouds. But the Clouds aren’t a pleasant dream, as evident by brass-littered streets and the blood of devious Nightmares soaking floorboards. They are the remnants of a fantasy, one dusted with trauma and strife. It’s the job of Somnians, Nightmare bounty hunters, to protect the wandering dreamer—for the right price.

Conrad will protect his sister at any cost, even if that means partnering with Nightmares. Nickel pursues the bounty of a lifetime while past failures doggedly pursue her. Sabrina is the most wanted Nightmare, whose freedom lies in an unthinkable act: humility. Only the formation of unlikely alliances and the breaking of silent creeds can stop the sinister plans in motion. Instinct is predictable.

Beware the Glass Breaker.

My thoughts

I will start by saying I was provided with a advanced reader copy of this book by the author free of charge in return for an honest review.

The frist thing i noticed about this book was the cover art. A figure with pink hair holding a gun with another holding a torch and some books. It kinda put me in the mind of steam punk meets Indinana Jones. The blurb hooked me.

I was excited to read this book. Sadly the reading experience wasn't what I had hoped for. There was no real time spent world building leaving things very rushed, and left me as a reader feeling very confused and lost.like I was missing key pieces of background.

The story swaps and shift views and characters fast. It felt disconnected and I couldnt really follow the story or understand why I should care about any of the characters that I was introduced to.

In short I was disappointed with the read .

75. Unmagical
Author: Jenn Lessmann

Blurb

The Gate that hides Cate Corey’s magical hometown from the rest of the world is about to close.

Permanently.

Descended from gifted witches with no power of her own, Cate thought she’d left home and magic behind. These days, she’s a stressed college student and an underpaid barista.

It’s a blessedly normal life.

But when her father goes missing, she realizes his disappearance is linked to a crisis that threatens to destroy the community and reveal their magic to the world. And her missing Gift might be the only clue.

Now she must choose between family and freedom. Because she has to go home if she wants answers, but going back now might mean giving up the unmagical life she loves...

For good.

My thoughts

I was provided a copy of this work by the author in return for honest review.
From the moment i read the blurb I was hooked. I was certain that this was going to be the perfect read to start getting me in a halloween mood and I was totally right!

Cate is a fantastic character shes very relatable and likeable. She is also a witch, sadly shes a talentless Witch or so she thinks.

Her twenty frist birthday is fast approaching and that means she has a choice to make stay in the mudane world or return to the magical community she was born in and accept her destiny.

Shes pretty much made up her mind not to go home until her brother turns up to tell her their father is missing presumed dead.
So the wheel of fate is set in motion! Will she discover shes not as giftless aa she thought?

This is a wonderful mystery and it weaves its story from past to present like a perfectly cast spell. I truely enjoyed this work and once i got stuck in i could not put the book down.

76.Skulduggery Pleasant – The Haunted House on Hollow Hill

Blurb
On a dark and stormy night …

A pair of ghost-hunting journalists arrive at the most haunted house in Britain – the Hollow Hotel. They’re here to interview the Dark King of television magic, Romeo Gideon.

Instead, they discover the body of a murdered man hanging from the rafters – the work of a killer who wields actual magic as viciously as he does his blade. With the storm closing in, all exit routes cut off, and the killer taking them out one by one, their only hope lies with the two mysterious Irish detectives who seem quite at home with all this bloodshed …

Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain have only hours to figure out who the killer is in a hotel filled with the tortured spirits of the dead, the anguished wails of the dying, and the relentless whines of the living.

77.Death at Morning House
by Maureen Johnson

Blurb

From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

78. Keeper of Scarlet Petals
by A.N. Skye

Blurb

To be a Keeper was to dedicate one’s life – and heart – to protecting another. Jasmine wasn’t ready for it. Less than a year into her training at Sanctuary, a college for Keepers and mages alike, and with a fresh start from a brutal life of thievery in the slums, all she wanted to do was continue mastering the sword arts and avoid her other responsibilities. Those plans are ruined when she's assigned to be the protector of a young nobleman whose family was murdered. Her new charge is cocky, smug, and drives her up a wall at every opportunity. Forced to protect a man she can’t stand with her life, Jasmine needs to find time that isn’t there to continue her training and keep assassins from killing both of them, all the while learning magic and discovering that there’s more to life than survival. And yet, Jasmine starts to find herself inexplicably drawn to him. In the slums, Jasmine never had room to care about anything other than putting food on the table. But she’s not in the slums anymore, and she can’t keep her feelings tied down forever. Unfortunately, burgeoning love is the least of Jasmine’s problems. As pieces of a malevolent plot start to unfold around them, she and her charge realize that there might be only one thing left that they can rely on. Each other.

My thoughts

I will start by saying i was provided with an advanced reader copy of the book free if charge in return for an honest review

The book was slow to start and the builds. The more time I spent with Jasmin and Asher the more I wanted to know what would happen next.

This book has alot of world building but the characters are very diverse and theres something in each that a reader can identify with. I enjoyed it enough that i will be looking for the next book in the serries .

79.The Familiar By Leigh Bardugo

Blurb

From the creator of the Grishaverse series comes a highly anticipated historical fantasy set during the Spanish Golden Age

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England's heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king's favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

80.The Locked Tomb #1
Gideon the Ninth
Tamsyn Muir

Blurb

The Emperor needs necromancers.

The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman.

Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead bullshit.

Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won't set her free without a service.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Reverend Daughter of the Ninth House and bone witch extraordinaire, has been summoned into action. The Emperor has invited the heirs to each of his loyal Houses to a deadly trial of wits and skill. If Harrowhark succeeds she will become an immortal, all-powerful servant of the Resurrection, but no necromancer can ascend without their cavalier. Without Gideon's sword, Harrow will fail, and the Ninth House will die.

Of course, some things are better left dead.

My thoughts

This is a re read for me. I loved the 1st time around and i adore it even more now.

81.Harrow the Ninth
(The Locked Tomb, #2)
by Tamsyn Muir

Blurb

Harrow the Ninth, the sequel to Gideon the Ninth, turns a galaxy inside out as one necromancer struggles to survive the wreckage of herself aboard the Emperor's haunted space station.

She answered the Emperor's call.

She arrived with her arts, her wits, and her only friend.

In victory, her world has turned to ash.

After rocking the cosmos with her deathly debut, Tamsyn Muir continues the story of the penumbral Ninth House in Harrow the Ninth, a mind-twisting puzzle box of mystery, murder, magic, and mayhem. Nothing is as it seems in the halls of the Emperor, and the fate of the galaxy rests on one woman's shoulders.

Harrowhark Nonagesimus, last necromancer of the Ninth House, has been drafted by her Emperor to fight an unwinnable war. Side-by-side with a detested rival, Harrow must perfect her skills and become an angel of undeath — but her health is failing, her sword makes her nauseous, and even her mind is threatening to betray her.

Sealed in the gothic gloom of the Emperor's Mithraeum with three unfriendly teachers, hunted by the mad ghost of a murdered planet, Harrow must confront two unwelcome questions: is somebody trying to kill her? And if they succeeded, would the universe be better off?

82. Nine Liars
( Truly Devious #5)
Maureen Johnson

Blurb

Senior year at Ellingham Academy for Stevie Bell isn’t going well. Her boyfriend, David, is studying in London. Her friends are obsessed with college applications. With the cold case of the century solved, Stevie is adrift. There is nothing to distract her from the questions pinging around her brain—questions about college, love, and life in general.

Relief comes when David invites Stevie and her friends to join him for study abroad, and his new friend Izzy introduces her to a double-murder cold case. In 1995, nine friends from Cambridge University went to a country house and played a drunken game of hide-and-seek. Two were found in the woodshed the next day, murdered with an ax.

The case was assumed to be a burglary gone wrong, but one of the remaining seven saw something she can’t explain. This was no break-in. Someone’s lying about what happened in the woodshed.

Seven suspects. Two murders. One killer still playing a deadly game.

My thoughts

Soooo good! Amazing read and brilliant serries.

83. Caraval (Caraval, #1)
by Stephanie Garber

Blurb

A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.

My thoughts

I cant beileve how long it has taken me so long to pick this serries up. Its amazing and i cant wait to start the next one.

84.Vandemere by Kimberley D. Tait

Blurb
Blurb

Magic isn't the only thing he inherited!

Trick rider in a traveling circus , seventeen-year-old Vandemere (Vandy) Petruska is caught between two worlds. As Vandy Davidson , he lives the legacy of the father who abandoned him, performing on his beloved horses in the circus ring. But he’s also his Romanian mother’s son. As Vandy Petruska , he seeks to deny the tarot magie his mother has gifted to him. But as the magie’s power over him grows stronger, he becomes aware that the bad luck in his life isn’t an accident. When his Romanian ancestors immigrated to America on the back of a trick horse, they brought something with them. Something evil. Now this evil is attacking him , and Vandy will have to learn to accept his mother’s magie if he is ever going to defeat the entity that has marked him for death.

Set against the harsh and unforgiving landscape of the 1930s American Southwest, Vandemere is a lyrical coming-of-age story that infuses magical realism into a young man’s journey towards manhood.

My Thoughts

I was given an free ebook copy of this work in return for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading the story but it started to find it hard going. I was then offered a audio book copy and found that much better.

The narrator does an excellent job really bringing the setting of the story and it's characters to life.

I was drawn in by the cover art and I really wanted to enjoy the story. But often times I found I was having to re read or re listen to bits to really make sense of things. It felt like it lost its way .

I like another reader who reviewed it not sure that it belongs in the young adult category due to the amount of triggers.

Over all it's definitely a story that evokes the old west, slices of life and of a young man coming into his own.

85. A Serries of Murders
By Simon Brett

Blurb

Charles Paris is thrilled - he's landed a nice juicy part playing Sergeant Collins in the TV detective series, 'The Stanislaus Braid Mysteries', and his estranged wife Frances seems to be on the brink of taking him back.

But filming turns out to be a tortuous process, with star Russell Bentley demanding numerous retakes.

86. So Sicken and Die By Simon Brett

Blurb
Things are going suspiciously well for Charles Paris. He's moved back in with his wife, Frances, and although he's not yet a permanent fixture in her bed, he has hopes. What's more, he's got a proper part in a proper play: Sir Toby Belch in a festival production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Charles himself is a good old-fashioned actor, who wants to play Sir Toby in a traditional way. And it looks as if he'll be able to do just that, until Gavin succumbs to a mysterious case of food poisoning and an avant-garde Romanian director steps in to take over the production.

87. Beneath the Scarlet Frost
Author: Marissa Miller

Blurb

Shadows scream, whispers torment, and wishes curse.

The empire of Eisa once stood as a symbol of hope for purging the wicked magic that had plagued its lands. But, when Wielders are spotted within those borders, the sanctity that once acted as an unshakable foundation crumbles beneath Sorrel Zdraevit's feet.

With the resurgence of Wielders on Eisan soil, protests are increasing in the streets, citizens are suffering, and everywhere she turns tragedy fractures the facade of peace that had sheltered her.

As the second eldest princess in Eisa's imperial family, when war is brought to the kingdom's door, Sorrel is forced to step into a new role, leading her deeper and deeper into the world she fears most. Desperate to protect her country against dark and twisted magic, and heal those around her, she must decide what it is she stands for when the world as she knows is rendered senseless.

Unsure of whom to condemn, and whom to put her faith in, Sorrel is faced with tainted realities that threaten to destroy everything she's ever held dear. All that matters is keeping her kingdom and family safe against the monsters infiltrating her country. Secrets and lies drag her into the depths of her worst nightmare, where fighting through the calamities is the only way she will have any hope of making it out alive- If she can hold on to her own will to live.

My thoughts

I was provided with a free audio copy of this book in return for an honest review. The narrator is excellent and really brings the story to life.

The 1st thing to draw my attention was the cover art the girl with a silver crown , her pale blue white skin surrounded by falling snow. I had to know what her story was.

From the 1st chapter to the last this read kept me hooked. I loved every moment of it. It's an amazing read throughly enjoyed it

88. So Sicken and Die By Simon Brett

Blurb
Things are going suspiciously well for Charles Paris. He's moved back in with his wife, Frances, and although he's not yet a permanent fixture in her bed, he has hopes. What's more, he's got a proper part in a proper play: Sir Toby Belch in a festival production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Charles himself is a good old-fashioned actor, who wants to play Sir Toby in a traditional way. And it looks as if he'll be able to do just that, until Gavin succumbs to a mysterious case of food poisoning and an avant-garde Romanian director steps in to take over the production.

89. The Dead Side of the Mike (Charles Paris # 6)
by Simon Brett

Blurb
Murder at the BBC? It's almost unimaginable.

When Andrea Gower, the beautiful studio manager is murdered, the producer's only concern is the dead air emanating from the transmitter.

But Charles Paris, the now famous actor/detective has come to Broadcasting House to give a talk, and ends up as a mystery voice on a showbiz quiz show.

Paris has to wallow through layers of BBC scandal, and uncovers a complicated fraud - with clues concealed in seemingly innocent announcements.

These clues lead to a trap that is nearly the end of Mr. Paris in 'The Dead Side of the Mike'.

I haven't read the books, but the BBC adaptations starring Bill Nighy are a lot of fun. Bill plays a most excellent drunk.

>119 Bookmarque: I laughed. I still don't know how he made it through Love Actually.

Looks like you've had a good reading year, RuneFirestar!

Bookmarque & libraryperilous i have had and excellent reading year. I had to reduce my reading goal to 90 in the end as covid has just taken so much out of me. But I am very happy nonetheless:)

90. Cast, in Order of Disappearance (Charles Paris #1)
by Simon Brett

Blurb

Who killed Marius Steen, the theatrical tycoon with a fortune to leave his young mistress Jacqui? And who killed Bill Sweet, the shady blackmailer with a supply of compromising photographs? Charles Paris, a middle-aged actor who keeps going on booze and women, takes to detection, by assuming a variety of roles, among them that of a Scotland Yard Detective-Sergeant, and the results are both comic and dramatic. As the mythical McWhirter of the Yard, he actually precipitates the crime; as one of the blackmailer’s victims, he finds himself in bed with the blackmailer’s wife; as a small-part player in a horror film (The Zombie Walks), he gets shot at by a murderer. And he arrives at the solution by way of the petrol crisis and an abortive attack of the German measles. It’s a light-hearted frolic that is, at the same time, a beautifully ingenious puzzle, and it fizzes with fun and wit.