Rune's adventures in books 2023

The reading challenge for this year is going to be 65 books. This will include audio books and my reviews on yet to be published works that I review over the course of the year.

Thank you for joining me !

>1 RuneFirestar: You are off to an early start for 2023!

> i like to set up the new thread so it's ready to go for the new year.

1. Soul of the Deep
Skin of the Sea #2
Natasha Bowen

Blurb

The highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller Skin of the Sea, in which the world must pay the price for one mermaid's choice, and a dark force reverberates across realms. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone.

One life.
One choice.
One sacrifice.

To save those closest to her, Simi traded away everything: her freedom, her family, and the boy she loves. Now she is sworn to serve a new god, watching over the Land of the Dead at the bottom of the ocean.

But when signs of demons begin to appear, it's clear there are deeper consequences of Simi's trade. These demons spell the world's ruin . . . and because of Simi, they now have a way into the human realm.

With the fate of the world at stake, Simi must break her promise and team up with a scheming trickster of a god. And if they succeed, perhaps Simi can also unbreak her heart along the way, and find herself again.

My Thoughts

Frist off thank you Netgalley for allowing me access to this arc in return for an honest review.
The cover of this book is just as stunning as the cover of the first.

And with the stunning cover we are given a beautifully woven story to go with it. It continues to build on the world readers were introduced to in book one full of the heritage , beliefs and stories of Africa.

I loved getting to see Semi and the others again. From start to finish it was breath taking and I had to know what would happen next . To know that the characters would be okay.

The frist book was a powerful story this one is just so much more. I can't wait to see what happens next.

After all they say absence makes the heart grow fonder and Semi promised she would find kola again.

Happy New Year!

And another wish for a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and happy reading.

Happy new year and happy new thread!

Happy reading in 2023!

*Waves across the pond and hollers, Happy New Year!*

* waves to all * Happy New Year one and all!

2. The Spook's Secret
The Last Apprentice #3
Joseph Delaney

Blurb

In this third and terrifying instalment in the Wardstone Chronicles, the nights are drawing in and it's time for Tom and his master to move to Anglezarke, the Spook's winter house. Tom has heard it will be a sinister and menacing place but nothing could fully prepare him for what he finds there. For this house, and indeed the whole of Anglezarke moor is full of secrets about the Spook's youth. Secrets that are about to come to the surface and could wreck havoc on the whole County . .

My Thoughts

This is a serries I really enjoy and when I don't know what to read I come back to this one.

Happy new year! Lurking here to see what you are reading!

3. Once Upon a Tome: The Misadventures of a Rare Bookseller
By Oliver Darkshire

Blurb

Welcome to Sotheran's, one of the oldest bookshops in the world, with its weird and wonderful clientele, suspicious cupboards, unlabelled keys, poisoned books and some things that aren't even books, presided over by one deeply eccentric apprentice.

Some years ago, Oliver Darkshire stepped into the hushed interior of Henry Sotheran Ltd on Sackville Street (est. 1761) to interview for their bookselling apprenticeship, a decision which has bedevilled him ever since.

He'd intended to stay for a year before launching into some less dusty, better remunerated career. Unfortunately for him, the alluring smell of old books and the temptation of a management-approved afternoon nap proved irresistible. Soon he was balancing teetering stacks of first editions, fending off nonagenarian widows with a ten-foot pole and trying not to upset the store's resident ghost (the late Mr Sotheran had unfinished business when he was hit by that tram).

For while Sotheran's might be a treasure trove of literary delights, it sings a siren song to eccentrics. There are not only colleagues whose tastes in rare items range from the inspired to the mildly dangerous, but also zealous collectors seeking knowledge, curios, or simply someone with whom to hold a four hour conversation about books bound in human skin.

By turns unhinged and earnestly dog-eared, Once Upon a Tome is the rather colourful story of life in one of the world's oldest bookshops and a love letter to the benign, unruly world of antiquarian bookselling, where to be uncommon or strange is the best possible compliment.

My Thoughts

I picked this up because it mentioned a rare book shop a ghost and a semi unwilling apprenticed bookseller.

Then I looked at the cover and I was sold. This snap shot of life within a rare book sellers life is wonderful and strange.

It made me smile and at times laugh out loud at its story. I am so pleased to have met Sorherans staff in such a way. It feels like I could walk in to the store tomorrow and know exactly who was who.

Wonderful read!

>14 RuneFirestar: When I added this book to my TBR a few weeks ago, I discovered Oliver is the author of the bookish one-page RPGs that I've seen on social media. It sounds like this book also has a lot of that kind of humor in it.

How cool!

4.Not a Detective
Monica Rosehill

Blurb
Lucy has never considered herself particularly good at anything. When her innocent brother is arrested for murder, Lucy is more surprised than anyone else when she discovers her talent for mystery solving. People quickly take notice, leading to odd emails from an unknown sender and more attention than she bargained for from the school’s strangest student. As she gets roped into increasingly more little mysteries, Lucy must decide how far she’s willing to go for the rush of solving them and how much she’s willing to risk.

‘Not a Detective’ is a young adult novel full of mystery and humour, with a little friendship and romance on the side. Please be warned that this book contains discussion of murder that may be disturbing to some readers.

Please note that this book contains positive interactions with police officers because it is NOT SET in the USA. The police in this book are not American police. This author is from New Zealand, where the police are generally helpful and do not typically carry guns.

My Thoughts

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but the cover was pretty cool .

I really loved getting to know Lucy .watching her confidence in her ability to problem solve and reason grow was absolutely brilliant.

The fact that she was able to be awesome without making anyone including Patrick feel pointless or stupid was amazing.

I really really loved this amazing cozy mystery.

5.The Night Raven
Crow Investigations #1
By Sarah Painter
Kate Rawson (Narrator)

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?

My Thoughts

I had this as a paperback when my daughter was young and sadly it got trashed so I never got past chapter two. I later found it as an ebook but again life seemed to be in the way and once more I didn't make it much past chapter two. So when I discovered there was an audio book I was like yay!

I am really glad that I got to know Lydia and learn about the magical families. What she doesn't have in power she makes up for in street smarts. She's also kind and cares a great deal about her friends and family.

This was an amazing start ahd I look forward to seeing Lydia again on her next case.

6.Ninth House ( Alex Stern #1)
By Leigh Bardugo

Blurb

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

My Thoughts

My friend has been raving about this for awhile and I had seen it and picked it up a few times but always put it back in favour of other reads uncertain that it was my thing or not.

I was so very wrong to have put this back. I love Alex's snarky , straightforward personality.
When she cares she really cares and when you hurt someone she cares about you pay.

This is an amazing read and after I started I couldn't put it down I had to know what would happen next. The ending was totally not what I expected at all. A brilliant thrill ride not for the faint of heart!

>19 RuneFirestar: I took a bullet on this one. Sounds like a lot of fun.

7.Hell Bent ( Alex Stern #2)
Leigh Bardugo

Blurb

Wealth. Power. Murder. Magic. Alex Stern is back and the Ivy League is going straight to hell in #1 New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo's Hell Bent.

Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Galaxy “Alex” Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory―even if it costs her a future at Lethe and at Yale.

Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes can’t call on the Ninth House for help, so they assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets, and break every rule doing it. But when faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents. Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if she is going to survive, she’ll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university’s very walls.

Thick with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters.

My Thoughts

The frist book was one wild ride. I Loved Alex in the frist , this one she only gets better. There is so much you could say but saying it would lead to spoilers so I will just say friends buckle up ! Cause the thrills only get more wild in the second round .

8.A Grave Roast
A.N. Sage

Blurb

Piper Addison has three problems: a broken espresso machine, malfunctioning magic, and a dead body. Guess which one she doesn’t see coming?
One month from forty, Piper Addison thinks she finally has life figured out. Sure, her bank account could be fuller and the cafe she opened with the last of her savings could use some help, but what’s a few kinks for an Orchard Hollow witch?

Too bad Piper can’t witch to save her life, which is exactly what she might need to do when a dead body is discovered in the alley behind her cafe. To make matters worse, all the evidence points to Piper and the local sheriff is not too keen on the town’s paranormal inhabitants.

When a mysterious envelope lands on Piper’s doorstep, she has a decision to make: go behind the sheriff’s back and try to clear her name, or spend her fortieth birthday in a prison cell.

A Grave Roast is a paranormal cozy mystery complete with an unlucky witch, a ghost familiar, and a feisty raccoon with a talent for getting into sticky situations.

My Thoughts

I was given this book by booksirens in return for a honest review.

I was drawn to it for the quirky title and stayed for the cover art. Its like Practical Magic and Worst Witch got mixed together and the result is Piper Addison.

Like Mildred Hubble she really is the worst witch. However she never gives up and continues to try even when she might be better off stopping.

Its a fun, fast paced read. Perfect for that wintery rainy day. I loved getting to know Piper and Stella

9.Dead Girls Don't Keep Secrets
Ames B. Winterbourne
( Dead Girls #1)

Blurb

The bane of my existence, Felicia Craig, is dead, and I should be relieved. But when she leaves me a letter saying someone was after her for the secrets she held, I’m forced to figure out the mystery. Felicia didn’t give me a choice because her secrets could lead to my mother’s killer. I know I’m the only one who can solve her murder, especially when the shady sheriff rules her death as a suicide. When my other enemy, playboy Ryder Frost, finds the letter, he threatens to reveal everything to his father, the sheriff, unless I go on a date with him after he helps me find the murderer. It’s definitely suspicious, but what’s a girl to do? I team up with my bully to solve the crime and find the truth. Now, all of Felicia’s secrets are about to come to light because dead girls don’t keep secrets.

My Thoughts

I Frist must state that I received an advance review copy of this book from Booksirens free of charge and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

At first I wasn't sure I would care for this book. But the title and the cover kept pulling me back to it. Then I read the Blurb.

I was hooked. I once I started reading I found I really liked Lake and Ryder.

The story was brilliant and had enough twists to keep me guessing. The character interactions felt very real and true to life.

This was an amazing read and I throughly loved every moment.

10.The Marvellers (Marvellerverse #1)
Dhonielle Clayton

Blurb

Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is the first Conjuror to attend the Arcanum Training Institute, where Marvellers from all around the world come together to practice their cultural arts like brewing Indian spice elixirs, practicing Caribbean steel drum hypnosis, and bartering with fussy Irish faeries. Ella knows some people mistrust her Conjuror magic, often deemed "bad and unnatural," but she's eager to make a good impression—and, hopefully, some friends.

But Ella discovers that being the first isn't easy, and not all of the Marvellers are welcoming. Still, she connects with fellow misfits Brigit, a girl who hates magic, and Jason, who is never found without a magical creature or two. Just as Ella begins to find her way at the A.T.I., a notorious criminal escapes from prison, supposedly with Conjurors’ help. Worse, her favorite teacher Masterji Thakur never returns from a research trip, and only Ella seems concerned about his disappearance.

As tensions grow in the Marvellian world, Ella finds herself the target of vicious rumors and growing suspicions. With the help of her new friends, Ella must find a way to clear her family's name and track down her beloved mentor Masterji Thakur . . . before she loses her place at the A.T.I. forever.

My Thoughts

Frist I need to start off by stating that I was provided with a copy of this book by Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review.

From start to finish this book had been amazing! I loved learning about this new magical world. It truly is wonderful diffrent and new from anything our there.

It's a story about over comming adversity and finding your own way just as Ella did.

I loved it! I can't wait for the second installment

11.The Chess Queen Enigma
( Stoker & Holmes #3 )
Colleen Gleason

Blurb

Evaline Stoker & Mina Holmes have reluctantly agreed to act as social chaperones and undercover bodyguards for Princess Lurelia of Betrovia, who has arrived in London to deliver a letter that details the secret location of an ancient chess queen that’s been missing for centuries. But when the letter—which will heal a centuries-old rift between England and the Betrovians—is stolen out from under Evaline and Mina’s watchful eyes, the two girls are forced into a high-stakes race to ensure they find the chess queen before anyone else does…including their foe, the Ankh. For the chess queen is not only a historic symbol of a woman’s political power, but it has literal power as well—the queen will unlock the chessboard, revealing both treasures and ancient secrets the Ankh would kill to possess. It will take Mina’s smarts and Evaline’s strength to beat the thief and untangle this mystery before it is too late.

12. Gathering Frost
( Once Upon a Curse #1)
Kaitlyn Davis

Blurb

I wish I could say I was the hero of the story. A resister. A rebel. Someone who lived to bring an end to the queen who stole my childhood--my mother, my life, my very world. But I'm not. I'm not the good guy. I'm the one who puts the good guys in their graves."

Jade was only a little girl when the earthquake struck. Before her eyes, half of New York City disappeared, replaced by a village that seemed torn out of a storybook. Horses and carriages. Cobblestone streets. A towering castle. And, above all, a queen with the magical ability to strip emotions away.

Ten years later and Jade has forgotten what it is to feel, to care...even to love. Working as a member of the queen's guard, she spends most of her time on the city wall staring at the crumbling skyscrapers of old New York. But everything changes when the queen's runaway son, Prince Asher, returns. Under his relentless taunts, her blood begins to boil. Under his piercing gaze, her heart begins to flutter. And the more her icy soul begins to thaw, the more Jade comes to question everything she's ever known--and, more importantly, whose side she's really on.

My Thoughts

I must start out by saying that I recieved the audio book version of this story from Netgalley for free in return for an open and honest review.

I will start by saying that I really enjoyed the narration. It was wonderfully done.

Next I will say that I was drawn in by the idea that this was a twisted retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I am a sucker for that type of thing and this is no diffrent . Once I started it I couldn't put it down I had to know what would happen next .

It really was wonderful. I can't wait for the next part of the serries!

13.Gold Within the Storm
Cleo Cassidy

Blurb

The Cruel Prince meets A Court of Thorns and Roses in this tale of two worlds doomed to hate each other for all eternity.
Princess Astra Farissa Farshaw is to blame for what happened to her sister—she’s the one who rendered Cora bedridden. As such, she must take her sister’s place and become the successor to the throne.
Yet Astra learns Cora’s endless sleep is not an affliction, but the result of a terrible curse. A curse of nine Queen Mab has cast upon her world when the war with the Fae ended, which Astra has to break at all costs.
Even if that means striking a bargain with the most arrogant Fae she has ever met. Or leave her world behind and step into the den of vipers that is Fairy.
But nothing is as it seems in Fairy, not even Thorne, the Fae she struck a bargain with and slowly began to trust. He is keeping secrets, and by the time Astra learns the truth, returning home might no longer be an option.

My Thoughts

I was given this book by booksirens free of charge in return for an honest review. I was drawn to it for the wonderful cover art and stayed after reading the blurb.

If you are a fan of The Cruel Prince meets or Court of Thorns and Roses this is the story for you.

When the story opens we meet Princess Astra Farissa Farshaw second in line to the throne. She is a firey free spirited young woman who only wishes to live her life the way she pleases. Sadly she is to blame for what happened to her sister—she’s the one who rendered Cora bedridden. As such, she must take her sister’s place and become the successor to the throne. This is her worst nightmare , and even as she does her best to step into her sisters place and take over her sisters duties she only earns her fathers scorn and anger .
By night she works with the Witches ,who are hunted and branded a threat to the kingdom because of their brand of magic, to find a cure to wake her sister .
Yet Astra learns Cora’s endless sleep is not an affliction, but the result of a terrible curse. A curse of nine Queen Mab has cast upon her world when the war with the Fae ended, which Astra has to break at all costs.

So all she has to do is find a fae and get them to agree to break the curse. It sounds simple but where do you even start ? Will she save her sister ? Find out in this exciting tale.

This story is a wonderful adventure. The world building is brilliant and makes the story all the more real for the reader.

The characters are well thought out and the displays of emotion are relatable. From start to finish I had to know what was going to happen next. Its pure magic .

Okay so this post isn't about my reading ...well maybe it is!

For those who don't know I have a YouTube channel ReadswithRuneb where I read to my viewers.

I Have just finished with Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Now I have started Peter Pan ! Please feel free to check me out and like my vids and subscribe if you want too :) enjoy!

14.Drama and Danger
J.T. Williams

Blurb

A thrilling middle grade mystery series, perfect for fans of Robin Steven’s Murder Most Unladylike. Set in eighteenth-century London, with all the fun and zest of Hamilton, Bridgerton fashion and inspired by real Black British historical figures.

Twelve-year-olds Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House – but they both share a love of solving mysteries.

And when their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane theatre one night, both girls are sure they’ve seen something suspicious on stage.

Lizzie and Belle soon find themselves on the trail of a mystery – and becoming best friends. But can they work out what’s going on in time to prevent a murder?

My Thoughts

I was granted access to the audio book of this work by Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review. Growing up I was a big fan of the american girls serries. It was a look at history through the eyes of young ladies who were close to my own age and thus grew my love of historical fiction.

However as I got into highschool most historical fiction i found was centered around boys and young men. This dampened my joy. Later in life Iwould come into contact with more authors in the genre that portrayed ladies as main characters. But that still left me wondering what else was there for a pre teen or teen after we aged out of American girls .

The answer comes in form of this amazing mystery. Set in eighteenth-century London, with all the fun and zest of Hamilton, Bridgerton fashion and inspired by real Black British historical figures.

In this story we meet Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House .

They meet at The Theatre Royal on Dury Lane. During the opening night of Shakespeare's Othello. Something terrible happens ! Lizzie's father is almost killed by a falling piece of scenery ! Was it an accident? Or could it be attempted murder?

Lizzie and Belle team up to find out and soon become fast friends.

It's a wonderful story and I loved every moment. I can't wait to see what mystery Lizzie and Belle solve next!

>29 RuneFirestar: Ooh, I'm glad you liked this. It's been on my TBR since it was announced.

15.A Pen Dipped in Poison
J.M. Hall

Blurb

Signed. Sealed. Dead?

Retired schoolteachers Liz, Pat and Thelma never expected they would be caught up in a crime even once in their lives, let alone twice.

But when poison pen letters start landing on the doorsteps of friends and neighbours in their Yorkshire village, old secrets come to light.

With the potential for deadly consequences.

It won’t be long until the three friends are out on a case yet again…

My Thoughts

I was given the audio copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review .

Liz , Pat and Thelma are back again! With a new mystery to slove. Poision pen letters have arrived to trouble their community and dear school St Barnabus .

Can they figure out who is behind them and put a stop to them before it turns truly deadly ?

This read is the second adventure of this wonderful group of sleuths. Fans of Agatha Christie and even Midsomer Murders will adore this amazingly wonderful serries. Its a perfect mix of myster and slice of life.

I adored it from start to finish!

16. The Thief of Farrowfell
Ravena Guron

Blurb

Welcome to a fantasy world where edible magic is the hottest commodity, traded between those who can pay or - in the case of Jude Ripon, the youngest thief in Farrowfell - those who can steal it!

An epic debut series from a FAB Prize winner.

Twelve-year-old Jude Ripon has never been taken seriously by her family of magic-stealing masterminds. To them, she's just the youngest, only good for keeping watch while they carry out daring heists.

Desperate to prove her worth, Jude decides to steal valuable magic from the fanciest house in town . . .

But Jude's stolen prize was protected by a curse which threatens to wreak havoc on the family business.

While attempting to untangle the mess she's made (and wondering why anyone would want to curse an honest thief trying to earn a living), Jude discovers just how far her family will go to stay at the top of the criminal world.

Suddenly, her quest to become a true Ripon isn't straightforward any more . . .

My Thoughts

I will start by saying that i was provided with an ecopy of this book free of charge by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I the moment I read the blurb i was hooked. The idea of a world where magic was edible! How awesome is that! Also I wanted to get to know Jude. She seemed like someone fun.

As our story starts we find Jude sneaking out on her own hiest ready to prove that she is a True member of The Ripon family.

Everything is going amazingly! She got the magic she was seeking but then she gets told its cursed.

She shrugs it off til things start to go horribly wrong for her family. Hoping to get rid of her curse she joins the Weston children from whom she stole from in their quest to find their parents.

Its a brilliantly well told story that folks of all ages can get lost in. Loved exploring Farrowfell with Jude.

>32 RuneFirestar: This sounds like a unique and cool magic system!

17. Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
( Greenwild book 1)
By Pari Thomson

Blurb

Open the door to a spellbinding world where the wilderness is alive and a deep magic rises from the earth itself . . .

Eleven-year-old Daisy Thistledown is on the run. Her mother has been keeping big, glittering secrets, and now she has vanished. Daisy knows it’s up to her to find Ma―but someone is hunting her across London. Someone determined to stop her from discovering the truth.

So when Daisy flees to safety through a mysterious hidden doorway, she can barely believe her eyes―she has stepped out of the city and into another world.

This is the Greenwild. Bursting with magic and full of amazing natural wonders, it seems too astonishing to be true. But not only is this land of green magic real, it holds the key to finding Daisy’s mother.

And someone wants to destroy it.

Daisy must band together with a botanical genius, a boy who can talk with animals, and a cat with an attitude to uncover the truth about who she really is. Only then can she channel the power that will change her whole world . . . and save the Greenwild itself.

My Thoughts

I was provided with a copy of the book free of charge by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I will say as so often happens that i was drawn in by the cover and hooked by the blurb.

The thought of other places existing along side our own has long been a favorite day dream. Who among us has not opened a wardrobe and hoped to find themselves in Naria or touched a mirror desperately wanting to be in Wonderland.

This book follows in that wonderful Tradition of transporting us into this magical space just as much as Lewis or Carroll ever did.

Only this one is filled with magical and rare plants from our world . Tended with yet more magic and pratical hard work. Its a beautiful setting.

And in this setting we meet Daisy Thistledown and her mother the globe trotting reporter. Always on the move and always ready to go after the next story. Normally Daisy would be right beside her but now her mother is off the anazon and its far to dangerous there for Daisy. Instead she is sent to boarding school.

The school is terrible but she copes when she finds a cat she names Napoleon . And of course its only two weeks and this nightmare will be over. Her mother will collect her and she will be wisked back to her wonderful life of adventure.

However this is not to be. News arrives claiming her mother is dead. So Daisy sets out on an epic quest to find her.

Along the way she makes friends and finds she can do magic. Will she find her mother? Join us in the greenwild to find out.

>33 libraryperilous: it really was neat!

18.The Mystery of the Missing Tea Drinker
Bryl Davidson

Blurb

It's hard for Alex having a brother like Ollie, especially when their family isn't normal to start with. It's even harder when their father suddenly disappears leaving Alex to unravel the mystery and deal with Ollie's meltdowns. But something's happening with Ollie. He's making suggestions and decisions-more like a partner than a liability. Together he and Alex must decipher and decode clues; elude and bamboozle their pursuers; outrun and outsmart the kidnappers who'll stop at nothing to prevent their schemes being exposed.

My Thoughts

Very short very fast paced. A fairly decent read.

19.Fake Dates and Mooncakes
Sher Lee

Blurb

Heartstopper meets Crazy Rich Asians in this heartfelt, joyful paperback original rom-com that follows an aspiring chef who discovers the recipe for love is more complicated than it seems when he starts fake-dating a handsome new customer.

Dylan Tang wants to win a Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-making competition for teen chefs—in memory of his mom, and to bring much-needed publicity to his aunt’s struggling Chinese takeout in Brooklyn.

Enter Theo Somers: charming, wealthy, with a smile that makes Dylan’s stomach do backflips. AKA a distraction. Their worlds are sun-and-moon apart, but Theo keeps showing up. He even convinces Dylan to be his fake date at a family wedding in the Hamptons.

In Theo’s glittering world of pomp, privilege, and crazy rich drama, their romance is supposed to be just pretend . . . but Dylan finds himself falling for Theo. For real. Then Theo’s relatives reveal their true colors—but with the mooncake contest looming, Dylan can’t risk being sidetracked by rich-people problems.

Can Dylan save his family’s business and follow his heart—or will he fail to do both?

My Thoughts

I recieved this book from Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review.

I really liked the cover art and felt like i had to find out what the story was between the two adorable guys on the cover.

Frist we meet Dylan and his cousins working away in their familys take away Wok Warriors. They love it , but they also know they are just on the brink of being closed down and finding themselves homeless.

After a disastrous delivery to a rich customer ends with one star reviews on multiple on line sites . Dylan is more desperate than ever to find a way to save the family reputation .

The next day in walks Theo Somers to apologise for his friends behaviour. Dylan instantly crushes on Theo.

That night a contest flyer for moon cakes blows into the take out as they are closing up.

Its offering the perfect way to save their take away .

So will love and luck come together and win the day? Find out in this amazingly heartwarming read.

Fans of Heart stopper will love this read.

20. Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #1
Wolves and Roses
Christina Bauer

Blurb

Seventeen-year-old Bryar Rose has a problem. She is descended from one of the three magical races - shifters, fairies, or witches. That makes her one of the Magicorum, and Magicorum always follow a fairy tale life template.

In the case of Bryar, that template should be Sleeping Beauty. Trouble is, Bryar is nowhere near the Sleeping Beauty life template. Not even close. She does not like birds or woodland creatures. She cannot sing a note. And she certainly cannot stand Prince Philpot, the so-called His Highness of Hedge Funds that her aunties want her to marry.

Even worse, Bryar finds herself attracted to a hottie werewolf named Knox and is under attack by evil mummy-zombies. If Bryar cannot figure out who - or what - she really is, it might cost both her and Knox their lives...as well as jeopardize the very nature of magic itself.

My thoughts

I was awarded this advanced reader copy free of charge in return for posting a review.

I loved the cover art and the narration was excellent . All the characters had their own distinctive voices and maner of speaking.

The moment i read the blurb i was hooked. My most favourite thing in the world is any kind of fairy tale retelling or reworking.

In this we find that Bryar Rose is supposed to be following the life template of Sleeping Beauty but all she really wants is to live the life of a normal human girl.

However, as so often in fairy tales life rarely goes the way you want. This book is full of fun and moments that will make you laugh and cry.

I throughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.

>38 RuneFirestar: Oh, that DOES sound good! Adding it to my list as well. 😁

(Also, ...His Highness of Hedge Funds... Hahahaha!)

>39 PlatinumWarlock: lolz.

>38 RuneFirestar: Mummy-zombies! This sounds like it had a ton of fun parts. :)

I really loved that read ans will be looking for it and the rest of the serries when it comes out :)

21.Fables
Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
Bill Willingham (Writer)
Lan Medina(Artist)
Steve Leialoha (Artist)

Blurb

When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown. But when Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Fabletown's sheriff, a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf (Bigby Wolf), to determine if the killer is Bluebeard, Rose's ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber.

My Thoughts

I adore this serries

22. Coven
Taous Merakchi (Scénario)
Da Coffee Time (Illustrations)
Christo (Couleurs)

Blurb
Eve, Diane, Lily, and Morgane are young rebels with a mission. The beloved elm tree in the four old friends' local park is slated for felling, and nobody seems to care. Appalled, the girls decide to try to save it using witchcraft. Against all odds, their ritual works! Soon after, strange phenomena awaken them to a terrible a Demon of Chaos has somehow been invoked, and it is hell-bent on destroying them...

My Thoughts

I recieved an English language copy of this graphic novel free of charge via Netgalley in return for a review.

The art style is in places a bit odd , but the story is very cool. Its fun and fast paced. I read it in a day.
If you liked charmed or The Craft or pratical magic you will enjoy this book.

23. City of Stolen Magic
Nazneen Ahmed Pathak

Blurb

India, 1855. The British rule, and all across the country, Indian magic is being stamped out.

More terrifying still, people born with magic are being snatched from their homes. Rumour is that they are being taken across the sea - to England - by the all-powerful, sinister Company.

When Chompa's home is attacked and her mother viciously kidnapped, Chompa - born with powerful and dangerous magic that she has always been forbidden from using - must travel to the smoky, bustling streets of East London in search of her. But Chompa will discover far more treachery in London than she had bargained for - and will learn that every act of her rare magic comes with a price .

My Thoughts

I was provided with an advance reader copy of the ebook free of charge via Netgalley in return for an honest review .

The cover art drew me in as it so often does. Two large impressive cities and a young girl who seemed to be the bridge between them? I had to know more.

This book is a master piece of historical fiction and fantastical magic of East. I loved getting to know more about the traditions and languages of India.

Along side that you have wonderful vibrant characters who have to face fear, loss,hardship and continue to fight for what they believe is the right path.

Even better they admit when things are their fault. I throughly loved this amazing read and I know other bookworms will too.

24.Jester by Brielle D. Porter

Blurb

What happens in Oasis stays in Oasis.

Lisette’s father killed the King. His execution leaves Lisette alone, disgraced, and without the magic he intended to pass on to her. In Oasis, that’s a problem. Glutted with enchanted performers, Oasis is a sin city where courtiers pay in gold to drink, gamble, and above all, be entertained. To survive on its competitive streets, Lisette peddles paltry illusions in place of magic.

Desperate to prove herself, Lisette enters into a deadly competition to be chosen as the highest-ranked magician in the world, the Queen’s Jester. But her rival, the irritatingly handsome Luc, possesses the one thing Lisette does not—real magic. Lisette will do anything to win, but when evidence implicating the Queen in her husband’s murder surfaces, Lisette must choose between redeeming her family name, or seizing the fame she’s hungered for her entire life.

My Thoughts

I was given an advanced reader copy of this audiobook book via Netgalley in return for a review.

I love the narrator and narration. The reader gives each character their own voice. I love that as you instantly know who is speaking.

The cover art puts one in mind of Alice's adventures in Wonderland. The beautiful girl seems to be falling surrounded by playing cards and falling towards a crown. Its enchanting .

Then there is world the author has created. It is reminiscent of Carvel and The Night circus set against a background of a sin city esque place the known only as Oasis. It drew me in from the very first scentence. Its truely amazing.

Against this glittering , glamorous city we have a beautiful story of political intrigue and the main characters need to prove herself against all odds.

For a stand alone novel its amazing and I had to know what would happen next. Beautiful, haunting , truely magical.

25. Charming by Jade Linwood

Blurb

Prince Jean-Marc Charming Arundel, known to friends and enemies alike as "Prince Charming," is handsome, well-mannered, brave, a peerless swordsman, a cunning tactician – and a liar, a con man and a fraud. For years he has been travelling from one kingdom to the next, rescuing endangered princesses and maidens, securing their troths and his place in their fathers' palaces, then looting their treasuries and having it away before dawn.

Until a chance meeting of three of his victims – raven-haired Marie Blanche de Neige, the sorceress Doctor Emilia Rapunzel and the long-slumbering Bella Lucia dei’ Sogni – suggests a course of revenge...

My Thoughts

I was provided with an ebook copy of this story free of charge by Netgalley in return for a review.

I love fairytales . Anything about fairytales retold or reworked and i am hooked. You dont have to say another word . Just give me the book and point me to the checkout.

This particular fairytale was just so much fun. Its a twist on the classics. And asks us to think about what would happen if the so called Prince Charming wasnt so wonderful after all?

What if he was a notorious cad and thief?

This book turns the fairy tales on their heads and is absolutely brilliant. It took a bit of getting into but after the frist chapter i was hooked. I had to know what would happen next.

26.Girl, Goddess, Queen
By Bea Fitzgerald

Blurb

To hell with love, this goddess has other plans...

Thousands of years ago, the gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying.

The real story is much more interesting.

Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped. There was no way she was going to be married off to some smug god more in love with himself than her.

Now all she has to do is convince the Underworld's annoyingly sexy, arrogant and frankly rude ruler, Hades, to fall in line with her plan. A plan that will shake Mount Olympus to its very core.

But consequences can be deadly, especially when you're already in hell . . .

A fierce, fresh and enormously fun YA fantasy re-imagining from a growing TikTok superstar.

My Thoughts

I was provided with an ebook copy of this novel free of charge by Netgalley in return for a review.

We have all heard the story of Persephone and Hades. But what if that wasnt what happened?

What if she ran away to Hades to escape the terror an arranged marriage held for her?

This wonderful creative book does just that. It takes the story we all know and tells it from the perspective of Kore godess of flowers who will later become Persephone.

This book is a wonderful re imaging of the story we all got told. Its powerful, heartwarming and it is a stunning debut novel.

Theres so much i could say but i dont want to give the tale away.

27.Friends and Traitors
Helen Peters

Blurb

Some secrets are just too dangerous to know… A gripping World War II story about how two girls foil an aristocratic plot to bring down the government and hand the country to the Nazis…

When Sidney Dashworth’s school is evacuated to a huge stately home in the countryside, she thinks she’s going to spend the war being very bored. At least her brother must be having fun, flying his Spitfire all over France! But soon Sidney and a housemaid called Nancy discover that the Earl is up to no good. He has secret nighttime meetings with mysterious men from the government and seems to be hiding something sinister on his land. At first it’s all terribly thrilling, investigating by creeping about at night and finding secret passageways, but soon everything takes a deadly turn. Sidney’s brother goes missing over France and the war hits home with a terrible reality. The Earl and his evil plotters must be stopped, or nothing will ever be the same again…

My Thoughts

I was given an arc copy of this book in return for a review.

As per usual i was drawn to the cover art. It made me think of two friends trying to solve a mystery or escape from a dangerous place.

Either way i had to know who these two girls were and what their story was.

It is a wonderful story of courage and fun in the face of danger. Its very easy to ready abd the main characters are easy to like and identify with . Its a fantastic way to get an idea of what happened to schools during that time and how the students reacted.

I really enjoyed this read

>48 RuneFirestar: I love both of Peters' previous historical mysteries. I'm excited she's written a new one!

28.Gideon the Ninth
( The Locked Tomb #1)
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 and I love it even more with each read. Gideon is a brilliant character.

29. Harrow the Ninth
( The Locked Tomb #2)
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?

30.Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Blurb
One night, the mythical Peter Pan appears in the nursery of Wendy, John and Michael Darling and an extraordinary adventure begins.

With a sprinkle of Tinker Bell’s fairy dust, Peter teaches the three children to fly and whisks them away to Neverland. There they embark on daring adventures with mermaids, fairies, lost boys – and the vengeful pirate Captain Hook.

My Thoughts

This is a truely wonderful read. If you would like to hear it read by myself and my friend please check out ReadswithRuneb my YouTube channel:)

31.Attack of the Necron
( Warped Galaxies #1) by Cavan Scott

Blurb

Audio book edition of 'Warped galaxies: Attack of the Necron'. Read by David Tennant. David Tennant is renowned for his theatre and screen work, and his voiceover talents can be heard in dozens of television shows, audiobooks and audio dramas. He’s probably best known as the tenth incarnation of television’s ‘Doctor Who’.

On the hive world of Targian, Zelia Lor helps her mother search for ancient tech, digging up treasures of the past on the wind-blown plains. They are happy. They are safe. All that changes when the Necrons attack. Without warning, a host of robotic ships appear in the skies above Targian and rip the planet apart. Separated from her mother, Zelia must escape the doomed world, her only hope a scrambled transmission promising safety at a mysterious place known only as the Emperor’s Seat. Launched in an escape pod, she crashes on an icy wasteland far, far from home. But Zelia is not alone. She is joined by a rag-tag group of survivors – the street-tough juve Talen, gadget-obsessed Martian boy Mekki and super-intelligent alien-ape, Fleapit.

32. Claws of the Genestealer
( Warped Galaxies #2) by Cavan Scott

Blurb

The second book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of sci-fi books for middle-grade reeaders from Black Library. Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants accross the gulf of space.

Having crash landed on a remote ice planet, Zelia Lor and her friends Talen, Mekki and the super-intelligent alien-ape Fleapit must do whatever they can to survive. A distress beacon offers some hope of rescue, but what else lurks in the ice and snow, watching them with hungry eyes…?

33.Secrets of the Tau
( Warped Galaxies #3)
Cavan Scott

Blurb

The third book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of sci-fi books for middle-grade reeaders from Black Library. Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants accross the gulf of space.

Journeying to the bustling spaceport of Hinterland after being saved from certain death by a dubious Rogue Trader, Zelia, Talen and Mekki continue their quest to reach the Emperor’s Seat. But much here is not what it seems. Alone in a strange place and surrounded by aliens, who can they really trust and what are the secrets of the Tau?

My thoughts

This series just keeps going strength to strength. It's awesome and amazing.

34.War of the Orks( Warped Galaxies #4)
Cavan Scott

Blurb

The fourth book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of sci-fi books for middle-grade reeaders from Black Library. Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants accross the gulf of space.

Still searching for the Emperor’s Seat, Zelia, Talen and Mekki arrive on the jungle planet of Weald. Accompanied by the ingenious Fleapit and the dashing Rogue Trader Amity, Zelia and her friends become embroiled in a war between two brutish tribes of green-skinned orks! Only by using their wits can they hope to survive this savage encounter…

35.Gumshoes: The Case of Madison's Father
By Russell Nohelty

Blurb

GUMSHOES is about a detective agency run by two middle school kids who are top tier detectives and genius level scientists. It's basically CSI for kids!

In the first book of the series, the Gumshoes join forces with one of their classmates to unravel the mystery of her father's kidnapping. Through a combination of good investigating, hard science, and blind dumb luck, the trio inch their way closer and closer to the truth.

But will it be enough to track down her father before something happens to him?

My thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was fantastic to read aloud. If your looking for a mystery for that middle grade audience where kids are the heroes this is certainly the book for you!

36. The Society For Soulless Girls
By Laura Steven

Blurb

A dark and funny YA thriller with a supernatural twist. From the winner of the Comedy Women in Print Prize

Ten years ago, four students lost their lives in the infamous North Tower murders at the elite Carvell College of Arts, forcing Carvell to close its doors.

Now Carvell is reopening, and fearless student Lottie is determined to find out what really happened. But when her roommate, Alice, stumbles upon a sinister soul-splitting ritual hidden in Carvell’s haunted library, the North Tower claims another victim.

Can Lottie uncover the truth before the North Tower strikes again? Can Alice reverse the ritual before her monstrous alter ego consumes her? And can they stop flirting for literally fifteen seconds in order to do this?

Exploring possession and ambition, lust and bloodlust, femininity and violence, The Society of Soulless Girls is perfect for fans of Ace of Spaces, The Secret History and The Inheritance Games.

My Thoughts

I will state for the record that I was at one point provided with an audiobook copy of this novel free of charge Via Netgalley in return for an honest review. At that time however I failed to finish it as life got rather busy and my attention was required elsewhere.

That being said it was exceptionally well narrated and the Voices for each character were different and I could tell in an instant who was speaking

What had drawn me to the book was that I was fresh from having finished A Good Girls Guide to Murder and was looking for something of a similar nature.

The blurb on the back of the book had me . It was haunting , and I instantly knew I wanted to know more Then I was struck by the cover illuminated silver script with vine work and moths with hints of what might have been tear drops or. Faint splashes of blood? I was completely hooked.

A few weeks ago I came across the book in Waterstones while there to collect a book order. I purchased it and once again found myself lost to its spell.

It goes so fast , and the need to know what happened . To see if Lottie and Alice survived and to find out what The society for soulless girls was was overwhelming.

This is one hell of a story and will keep you up long past your bedtime.

>58 RuneFirestar: This sounds great! I will definitely look out for a copy.

37.Plague of the Nurglings
( Warped Galaxies #5)
Cavan Scott

Blurb

The fifth book in the Warped Galaxies series. An exciting new series of sci-fi books for middle-grade reeaders from Black Library. Brave champions and the forces of the Imperium battle alien beasts and mechanical tyrants accross the gulf of space.

Zelia, Talen and Mekki arrive at Aparitus, a planet of huge industrial machines and the cybernetic race called the Mechanicus. Now under the protection of the mysterious Inquisitor Jeremias, they still search for a way to reach Zelia’s mother, but all is not what it seems on the forge world. A strange plague begins to spread, infecting technology and unleashing a host of gribbly monsters – the Nurglings!

38. Bellegarde by Jamie Lilac

Blurb

Ooh la la! A historical rom-com with a modern twist — perfect for fans of Bridgerton , A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue , and She's All That. Evie Clement has perfected the art of avoiding attention as she works at her family’s bakery and dreams of a life where she can trade dusting flour for designing dresses. Her focus is on honing her sewing skills—she doesn’t need to be fawned over by some teenage boy. Least of all Beau Bellegarde—the playboy of Paris, the second son of the ultra-wealthy Bellegarde family, the most popular guy in their prestigious high school. Others may swoon over his rakish charm and winning smile, but not Evie. Unfortunately for Evie, Beau needs her. His conniving step-brother has roped him into an impossible turn the biggest wallflower they know into the winning Bellegarde Bloom at the annual Court of Flowers Ball, or lose his entire fortune. Evie can’t understand why Beau has taken an interest in her, but she can’t help but be intrigued... Can love bloom in the most unexpected of places?

My thoughts

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

The story in itself is nothing new. It's a retelling of she's all that.
What makes it special is the passion and realness of the characters that the author has created for us

Evie and her friends are all working class. Yes they all go to school but they have worked hard and know the value of money.

Someone like Beau Bellegarde will never understand what it's like to work for opportunities, to worry over money. His is a world of opportunity and society.

Can they ever see past being the society boy and just the flour girl?

Join me in Paris and find out .

39. The Ice Children by M.G. Leonard
Illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee

Blurb

M. G. Leonard, the award-winning bestselling author of the Adventures on Trains series and Twitch , dazzles in this future classic with a powerful message at its core. Gorgeously illustrated in black-and-white throughout by Penny Neville-Lee.

At the stroke of midnight on the dawn of December, five-year-old Finn Albedo is found frozen in the city park standing on a pedestal of ice. His heart is beating, he is smiling serenely, but no one can wake him.

Finn’s big sister, Bianca, suspects that the beautiful sparkling book Finn got from the library has something to do with it, but the book has vanished. Does the tall mysterious stranger who first discovered Finn know more than they will admit?

Each day, more children are found frozen and Bianca realizes she’s running out of time. Her quest to discover the truth and rescue her little brother hurls her into a fantastical winter wonderland, full of beauty and danger, where all is not as it seems.

Can Bianca save her brother and the other Ice Children before they are forever lost?

My thoughts

I received an ebook copy of this work free of charge from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I was hooked by the pretty cover
art and stayed for the blurb. I love a good mystery and this seemed to have an original plot idea. Sold!

This is an amazing retelling of several folk tales woven beautifully and seamlessly together. The personifications Jack frost, sleet, hail and The North Wind is brilliantly done. And is something I hadn't seen done before.

And among this is a powerful message about the difference a child can make even in small ways. It reminds us adults that The children we are raising now are the ones who will shape our world tomorrow.

Beautiful story , wonderful message. Brilliant art work through out. A complete joy to read.

>62 RuneFirestar: This sounds excellent! I like both the train mysteries and the Twitch books. Leonard is a great author.

40. Heir to Thorn and Flame
( War of the Wood #1 )
Ben Alderson

Blurb

For years, Max had to serve and obey the vicious magical nobles. Now he is one of them.

When the heir to the throne attacks him, Max accidentally responds with a lethal burst of magic. Max is certain he will be executed. But his power is too rare and precious for that…

Instead, the king forces him to become the boy he killed, taking on the identity and duties of the heir. That includes an arranged marriage—to the dangerously attractive Prince Camron .

Living a lie, Max knows he can trust no one. Not Camron. And definitely not Simion , a handsome, dragon-riding spy sent to test his loyalty.

As a deadly struggle for power begins and desire sparks, Max must protect his secret and his heart at all costs.

Heir to Thorn and Flame is a passionate and page-turning fantasy romance that will have you reading late into the night. Featuring slow-burn, dark secrets, arranged marriage and found family, it is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Elise Kova and C.S. Pacat.

Previously published as The Lost Mage , this expanded version begins a series that builds in heart-pounding tension and steam.

My Thoughts

I was given an audiobook copy of this book by Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review.

This is book is so hard to describe. It's a beautiful epic and seeped in history and intrigue.

When the story starts we meet Maximus Oaken a servant in the Gathrax Manor. Invisible until Threatened by Prince Julian Gathrax , and crying out to the ancient forest for aid he kills the Prince with his newly found magic.

When this is discovered he is captured and dragged into a new and deadly game. Become the murdered prince or risk his family being hurt or even killed .

Forced to live a lie , and unsure of who he can trust Maximus is left wondering where he will end up.

This is a beautifully woven slow burn romance. I loved each and every moment of this story.

41.The Third Daughter
By Adrienne Tooley

Blurb

A sweeping YA fantasy about legacy, betrayal, sisterhood, and politicizing emotion in the quest for power—all balanced by a slow-burn LGBTQ romance.

For centuries, the citizens of Velle have waited for their New Maiden to return. The prophecy states she will appear as the third daughter of a third daughter. When the fabled child is finally born to Velle’s reigning queen all rejoice except for Elodie, the queen’s eldest child, who has lost her claim to the crown. The only way for Elodie to protect Velle is to retake the throne. To do so, she must debilitate the Third Daughter—her youngest sister, Brianne.

Desperate, Elodie purchases a sleeping potion from Sabine, who sells sadness. But the apothecary mistakenly sends the princess away with a vial of tears instead of a harmless sleeping brew. Sabine’s sadness is dangerously powerful, and Brianne slips into a slumber from which she will not wake. With the fates of their families and country hanging in the balance, Sabine and Elodie hurry to revive the Third Daughter while a slow-burning attraction between the two girls erupts in full force.

My thoughts

I was provided with an audiobook copy of this story free of charge by Netgalley in return for a review.

I will start by saying the music at the beginning of the book is wonderfully atmospheric and the narration is perfection.

Frist we meet Elodie Frist daughter trained from a young age to be the councilor and Regent her country needed. Country Frist and family second.

Then we meet Sabine a young girl afflicted with a sadness so deep it makes her tears magic. However , with her gift it seems like she is dispised for it. Tolerated only because her family needs her magic for the coin it will bring.

Thrown together when Elodie tries to save her youngest sister from the churches clutches with a sleeping potion and instead ends up with a vial of Sabin's undiluted tears .

Desperate to save her sister and wrest power away from a church that seems to twist the very faith it preaches Elodie must place her trust in Sabine.

This high fantasy tale is sweeping and wonderful. I read it in just three days. The characters are fantastic and are so well written you feel as if they might walk right out of the pages. The author has given each their own times to shine. I especially loved seeing
The pages from the book of the New Maiden. It made the faith of the world more real and meaningful. Those verses were placed just right and broke up each part of the book perfectly. I loved this read and eagerly await next installment The Second son.

My only criticism is that I felt in places it was slightly rushed. It would have benefited from being slightly longer. But still even with that this is a fantastic read!

42.Tomb of the Necron ( Warped Galaxies #6)
By Cavan Scott

Blurb

Book 6 in the Warped Galaxies Series. Fantastic Sci-Fi books for children aged 9-12.

Guided by the vision of a mysterious psyker, Zelia finally finds her mother on a distant world, far from Terra. But even now, are the friends really safe while they carry the ancient relic that led to the destruction of Talen’s home planet? A family is reunited, but a world will be ripped apart as the unstoppable Necrons close in on their prize. Warped Galaxies reaches its exciting conclusion as loyalties are tested, destinies are set and the Space Marines arrive in force!

43. Miss Marple #SS-4
The Blood-Stained Pavement: A Short Story
Agatha Christie

Blurb

A classic Agatha Christie short story, featuring Miss Marple, from the collection Miss The Complete Short Stories. Joyce Lempiere tells the Tuesday Night Club of an incident that occurred five years ago when she was vacationing at a small inn on the Cornish coast. She was painting a picture of the front of the inn, including details of wet bathing suits drying on the balcony of Denis and Margery Dacre, when she realised she had included blood stains on the pavement. A few days later Margery is found dead, having drowned, and the Club are called to solve the mystery.

44. The Double Clue: a Hercule Poirot Short Story
Hercule Poirot Short Story
By Agatha Christie
Charles Armstrong
(Narrator)

Blurb

In Agatha Christie's short story, "The Double Clue," Poirot investigates the robbery of a collection of medieval jewelry from the safe of a dealer - including a necklace said to have belonged to Catherine de' Medici! Since the theft occurred during a dinner party, the suspects could be any of the guests. But which one? This short story originally appeared in the December 5, 1923, issue of "The Sketch" magazine.

45. Brittle ( Blade and Bone #1)
Beth Overmyer

Blurb

After the murder of her father – which no one but her believes happened – Verve just wants to hold her family together and take on the role of provider. Unfortunately, a cruel fae lord believes she knows the location of an ancient magical weapon and steals her away to Letorheas, realm of the fairies. The fae lord seems to want something from Verve that goes beyond the weapon, something that many doubt she can provide. Verve must find a way to navigate the strangeness of Letorheas and embrace a destiny more intertwined with the fae than she would like to believe.

My thoughts

This book is a perfect master piece. A true glimpse of the faire we were warned about as children.
Absolutely stunning .

We meet Verity Springer she is a teller of tales and wants nothing more than for her father to return and that her stories make it on to the pages of the local paper so that her family can live and eat.

That simple life is ripped away when she finds her father's murdered body. And yet when the local authority is called no crime is found to be committed.

Then our adventure begins after a sickness Verity is stolen away by a Fae lord . Not knowing who or what to trust all she knows is she must find her way back to her family.

It's a beautiful and haunting fairy tale that harkens back Grimms fairy tales. I loved this book more than words.

46. Death on the Nile: A Parker Pyne Short Story
By Agatha Christie

Blurb

Parker Pyne is still on his middle east holiday, now on a ship sailing down the Nile from Aswan (spelled Assouan here) to Cairo. He is doing his best to avoid getting dragged into "Are You Happy?" consultations, but failing.

On this occasion, his fellow passengers include a group of wealthy British travelers and their companions. One of them, Lady Grayle, pulls him aside and informs him that someone is trying to poison her. All the evidence points to her husband; can Pyne prevent the killer from accomplishing his task?

Librarian's note #1: this Parker Pyne short story should not be confused with the novel of the same name.

My thoughts

This was my Frist meeting of Mr Pyne. I am not sure what to think of him. I enjoyed
This short story as introduction and look forward to getting to know this young gentleman more.

47.The Disappearing Diamond
by Glen Blackwell

Blurb
What did you do?! Did you touch it?’ she shouted at him over the noise. Jack shook his head, rooted to the spot and looking very pale.
When the valuable Koh-i-Noor diamond vanishes in mysterious circumstances during their school trip, Emmie and Jack must navigate thieves and deception in Victorian London to discover what has happened to it.
Soon it becomes clear that the fate of the upcoming coronation rests in their hands – will they find the diamond and their way back in time?

My thoughts

I received an advanced reader ebook version of this book free of charge from Netgalley in return for an honest review.

I will start by saying that had I known that it the third book and not the Frist of Emmie and Jack's adventures I would most likely wouldn't have picked it up.

Having the characters react to things in modern day because of things they experienced during previous adventures was slightly jarring.

However saying that it's very well written and a wonderful way to get younger children interested in the past. The vivid descriptions and the amazing story more than make up for that small oversight.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone in middle school as another way to experience history.

>71 RuneFirestar: Is that a Magic Treehouse book. I'm surprised to see you describe it as new and the third in the series since my kids were reading those 15 years ago

>72 jjwilson61: The author of the Magic Treehouse series is Mary Pope Osborne and the kids are Jack and Annie. The book in >71 RuneFirestar: sounds like it was influenced by Osborne's books.

>67 RuneFirestar: >68 RuneFirestar: >70 RuneFirestar: I remember that I enjoyed the Marple and the Poirot short stories. I *may* not be remembering the correct character when it comes to Parker Pyne. Is he a salesman of some sort or do I have him confused with Montague Egg (created by Dorothy L. Sayers)?

>72 jjwilson61: no it's not a Magic Treehouse book.

>74 jillmwo: Parker Pyne seems to be something of an advice columnist or something 9f that sort.

48.Suddenly a Murder
by Lauren Muñoz

Blurb

Everyone has a secret. Everyone has a motive. But only one of them brought a knife to the party . . .

To celebrate the end of high school, Izzy Morales joins her best friend Kassidy and five friends on a luxury 1920s-themed getaway at the glamorous Ashwood Manor. There, Izzy and her friends party in vintage dresses and expensive diamonds - until Kassidy's boyfriend turns up dead.

And when a raging storm traps them on the island with two detectives, the sparkling young socialites become the prime suspects in his murder. There's the girlfriend, and the other girl. The old friend, and the new friend. The brooding enigma. And then, there's Izzy - the girl who brought the knife . . .

A glamorous and scandalous modern murder mystery that'll have you reading through the night to find out whodunnit!

My thoughts

I was provided with an ebook arc copy of this story in hopes that I would leave an honest review after having read it .

The story starts out as our characters leaving school and heading to college was . They all come from wealth and power. All accept Izzy who is the daughter of one of the schools teachers.

She is drawn into the group because she is best friends with Kassidy.

To celebrate the end of their time as high school students before they go their separate ways Kassidy throws an all out exclusive 1920s themed party.
Part of the party experience they go away to a large house on a secluded island.

They play at being decadent dubtants, and then the murder happens.

Through out our author gives us flash backs, little peaks into the lives before the party of each of our suspects. Thrilling and very well written indeed

I do so love a mystery and this was brilliant!

49.Divine Rivals ( Letters of Enchantment #1)
Rebecca Ross

Blurb

NO GOD
NO CREATURE
NO WAR
CAN COME BETWEEN THEM

The latest from the number one SUNDAY TIMES bestseller Rebecca Ross

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, their fate depends on their facing the depths of hell … together.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again …

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

My thoughts

I was drawn to the cover a young man and a young woman both clutching at letters . Half hiding them but half almost wanting to share ? I wasn't sure but for weeks I kept coming back to the book, to stare at the cover.

Finally I gave in and bought it. I had to know who these young people were. And that is how I met Iris and Kit.

They are wonderful characters and there is something about each of them that the reader can identify with and come to love about each .

The mythology of the world is intreguing and to see God's so active in a setting is a change. And something we don't see enough of in writing.

This book is brilliant on so many levels. I loved it and will definitely be looking forward to the next part of their story.

50.After the Forest
by Kell Woods

Blurb

A stunning meld of love story, fairytale, magic and history, by an exciting debut Australian voice - perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Bridget Collins and Kate Forsyth
Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour. A drop of blood to bind its power. 1650: The Black Forest, Wurttemberg. Fifteen years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their mother and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people recovering in the aftermath of a brutal war. Greta has a secret, the witch's grimoire, secreted away and whispering in her ear, and the recipe inside that makes the most sinfully delicious - and addictive - gingerbread. As long as she can bake, Greta can keep her small family afloat. But in a village full of superstition, Greta and her intoxicating gingerbread is a source of ever-growing suspicion and vicious gossip. And now, dark magic is returning to the woods and Greta's own powers - magic she is still trying to understand - may be the only thing that can save her ... If it doesn't kill her first.

My thoughts

I adore fairytales and fairy tale retellings. They always draw me in. However I have never really cared for the story of the gingerbread witch and lost children.

So when I found this one I was very confused about weather or not to read it. But it was a fairy tale, and in the end it won out.

And so I met a grown Hansle and Gretel. Their time in the forest and with the witch long past . And I found that Greta was using the witches book to bake ginger bread. Enchanted gingerbread to keep herself and her no account brother in hearth and home.

This book is amazing and spell binding. It has sooo many stories woven and interwoven into one another. It weaves it's own powerful enchantment over the readers. I didn't think I would enjoy it but I have enjoyed every single word.
This is truly a story to remember.

51.Forged by Blood
The Tainted Blood Duology #1
By Ehigbor Okosun

Blurb

A brilliant new voice brings a brilliant new novel: debut author Ehigbor Okosun's first book in an action-packed, poignant duology inspired by Nigerian mythology--full of magic and emotion and set in a highly atmospheric, complex world in which a young woman fights to survive a tyrannical society, having everything stripped away from her, and seeks vengeance for her mother's murder and the spilled blood of her people.

In the midst of a tyrannical regime and political invasion, Dèmi just wants to survive: to avoid the suspicion of the nonmagical Ajes who occupy her ancestral homeland of Ife; to escape the King’s brutal genocide of her people—the darker skinned, magic wielding Oluso; and to live peacefully with her secretive mother while learning to control the terrifying blood magic that is her birthright.

But when Dèmi’s misplaced trust costs her mother’s life, survival gives way to vengeance. She bides her time until the devious Lord Ekwensi grants her the perfect opportunity—kidnap the Aje prince, Jonas, and bargain with his life to save the remaining Oluso. With the help of her reckless childhood friend Colin, Dèmi succeeds, but discovers that she and Jonas share more than deadly secrets; every moment tangles them further into a forbidden, unmistakable attraction, much to Colin’s—and Dèmi’s—distress.

The kidnapping is now a joint mission: to return to the King, help get Lord Ekwensi on the council, and bolster the voice of the Oluso in a system designed to silence them. But the way is dangerous, Dèmi’s magic is growing yet uncertain, and it’s not clear if she can trust the two men at her side.

A tale of rebellion and redemption, race and class, love and trust and betrayal, Forged by Blood is epic fantasy at its finest, from an enthusiastic, emerging voice.

My thoughts

This is a powerful story. It sings with words and wisdom and a deep love of Nigerian mythology and possibly the history of its people.

This story gives us as readers everything you could want. There are sword fights, daring escapes, chases, and rescues .

Together with all those you have wonderfully human characters that you just have to know what happens next. There's so much I could say but I lack the words

It is a gripping read and will keep you up long past your bedtime.

52.Island of Whispers
By Frances Hardinge
Emily Gravett
(illustrator)

Blurb

On the island of Merlank, the Dead must not be allowed to linger. The very sight of their ghosts can kill you. When young Milo is thrust into the role of Ferryman following his father’s sudden death, he is the one who must carry away the Dead.

Pursued by a vengeful lord and two malignant magicians, Milo must navigate strange and perilous seas where untold threats whisper in the mist. Does he have the courage and imagination to complete his urgent mission?

From the Costa Book Award-winning Frances Hardinge, author of The Lie Tree and Unraveller, with spectacular illustrations from double Kate Greenaway Medal winner Emily Gravett, this riveting coming-of-age tale will sweep you away on an unforgettable journey.

Island of Whispers is a beautiful hardback glittering all over with shining silver moths, making the most exquisite gift for anybody who loves mysterious fantasy worlds, and for fans of Neil Gaiman and Kiran Millwood Hargrave.

My thoughts

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

Its a hauntingly beautiful story that tells us that just because your father did things one way doesn't mean you have to continue to do things that way. Things can change.

But I also feel that it's a story that tells us death isn't to be feared it's just a journey on to whatever comes next. I loved this haunting read

53. Jolly Foul Play ( Murder Most Unladylike #4)
Robin Stevens

Blurb

The fantastic new mystery from the author of Murder Most Unladylike.

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong have returned to Deepdean for a new school term, but nothing is the same. There's a new Head Girl, Elizabeth Hurst, and a team of Prefects - and these bullying Big Girls are certainly not good eggs.

Then, after the fireworks display on Bonfire Night, Elizabeth is found - murdered.

Many girls at Deepdean had reason to hate Elizabeth, but who might have committed such foul play? Could the murder be linked to the secrets and scandals, scribbled on scraps of paper, that are suddenly appearing around the school? And with their own friendship falling to pieces, how will Daisy and Hazel solve this mystery?

My thoughts

I always adore time spent at Deepdean school with Daisy and Hazel. I don't know why I leave it so long between visits.

54. The Case of the Deepdean Vampire
Murder Most Unladylike #4.5
Robin Stevens

Blurb

Of all the mysteries that Hazel and I have investigated, the Case of the Deepdean Vampire was one of the strangest. It was not a murder, which was a pity - but I did solve it very cleverly, and so I decided it ought to be written down, so that other people could read it and be impressed.

Camilla Badescu is in the fifth form, and has pale skin, dark hair and red lips. She comes from Romania (which is practically Transylvania). She doesn't eat at meals. And she seemed to have an unhealthy influence over another pupil, Amy Jessop. Now, I do not believe in vampires - I am the Honourable Daisy Wells, after all. But when I heard the rumour that Camilla was seen climbing head-first down a wall, I knew it was time to investigate...

My thoughts

Short story very sweet.

55. Mistletoe and Murder
(Murder Most Unladylike #5)
Robin Stevens

Blurb

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are spending the Christmas hols in snowy Cambridge. Hazel has high hopes of its beautiful spires, cosy libraries and inviting tea-rooms - but there is danger lurking in the dark stairwells of ancient Maudlin College.

Two days before Christmas, there is a terrible accident. At least, it appears to be an accident - until the Detective Society look a little closer, and realise a murder has taken place. Faced with several irritating grown-ups and fierce competition from a rival agency, they must use all their cunning and courage to find the killer (in time for Christmas Day, of course).

56.The Night Hunt
Alexandra Christo

Blurb

Enter a world of gods, mortals and monsters . . .

Atia is an immortal trickster who feeds on fear. As the last of her kind, she thinks herself safe from the wrath of the unpredictable Gods.

Silas is a Herald, carrying messages and ferrying the dead as punishment from the Gods for a past crime he can't remember.

Atia would never dream of working with a servant of the gods, but when she breaks a sacred law, Silas offers her a deal: he'll help her avenge her family and take on the Gods. In return, she must help him break the curse that binds him and restore his humanity. All they need to do is kill three powerful creatures: a vampire, a banshee and one of the very Gods who destroyed both their lives. Only together can they finally rewrite their destinies.

My Thoughts

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

There is so much I could say but I am not sure I have the words. The mix of Lores and mythologies is breathtaking and wondrous to behold.

The characters are brilliant there are things to make you laugh and things to make you cry. This book is amazing I thoroughly enjoyed it.

57.Prom Queen
Laura Wolfe

Blurb

Bailey stood on the stage, her crown glittering under the high school lights as she blew kisses to those glaring beneath her. Despite the celebrations, something didn’t feel right. She wasn’t supposed to be prom queen, and someone would make her pay for it…

Twenty years ago, my best friend, Bailey , was found dead by the train tracks, half of our friendship locket missing from her pale neck. She never took that off. Officially, it was ruled a tragic accident – but I knew better. She’d been crowned prom queen only hours earlier, and someone’s jealousy had finally gotten to them.

Now I have been forced to return to my childhood home, to the small lakeside town, and the group of friends I grew up with. Back to the scene of the crime that ruined my life, and stole my best friend away from me forever. I need a fresh slate, but I am seeing Bailey everywhere. A quick flash of her locket on a woman in a café surely can’t be a coincidence?

As I walk along the street, I avoid the suspicious stares of my former classmates. Everyone here thinks I had something to do with Bailey’s death. Sure, we did things we shouldn’t have as teenagers, but who didn’t? But when I start to hear noises in my house and receive threatening notes, I realize someone here never wanted me to come back, and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep me away…

Someone in this small town murdered my best friend the night she was crowned prom queen, and now they’re after me. We all have our secrets, but who would kill for them?

My thoughts

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

Recovering from some misplaced anger and a horrible divorce Brooke is forced to return to her small home town to deal with her childhood home left to her and her brother after her mother's death.

She thinks it will be easy. Sort the house, keep a low profile and leave as soon it's delt with. Little does she know that her past is about to come back to haunt her in a big way.

This read is the perfect way to start the spooky season and will keep readers guessing right up until the very end . I really loved the story.

58. Sword Catcher
( Sword chatcher #1)
Cassandra Clare

Blurb

Two outcasts find themselves at the center of world-altering change in the start of a riveting epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

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

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

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

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

My thoughts

I recieved a taster of the 1st 11 chapters of the book so that I could post a review of what I had read so far

The world building is impressive. The history that has been created is interesting. The politics of the rich as well as the politics of the city run by the Ragpicker King thrilling.

I really love both Kel and Lin. They are wonderful characters. I can't wait to see how their stories move forward and finish.

7 books left of my 65 book challenge I think I will actually manage it and get some personal reads done too.

>88 RuneFirestar: Congratulations! I hope the rest of your reading year is full of good books. :)

59. The Scarlet Alchemist
( Scarlet Alchemist #1)
Kylie Lee Baker

Blurb

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.

When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.

The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.

My thoughts

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

This book is seeped in the history of china. I loved every single page of this story from start to finish.

The world I was drawn into felt fresh but also like I knew it. The characters are brilliant and well written.

This is historical fiction at its very best and I can't wait to see what happens in the next part of Zilan's journey.

60.Starling House
Alix E. Harrow

Blurb

A grim and gothic new tale from author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can't stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.

Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot.

Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home.

As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.

If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it.

My thoughts

I recieved both an advanced reader copy of this book and the audio book. The narrator for the audio i is excellent and really brought the book and it's characters to life. My only criticism of it is that while listening to it I discovered that the audiobook is rather abridged.

The book is a thrilling dark gothic ride. And will be sure to keep readers and listeners up long past bed time perhaps to see where the story ends and if the sun will actually rise.

It is a book filled with stories of stories. Half truths and lies. It's grim and dark and bloody all the way to its bones and it's a hungry story.

I loved each and every moment of this book. It's absolutely perfect for this time of year when the days are getting shorter and the nights grow longer and the mists rise

61.Bookshops & Bonedust
( Legends & Lattes #0 )
Travis Baldree

Blurb

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn't always what we seek.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, New York Times bestselling author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.

What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

My thoughts

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

The audio copy is narrated by the author who does a fantastic job making each characters voice distinctive and unique. Listening to it while reading really brought the story to life for me.

Viv is a fantastic character and it's good that we get to see her grow as a person as she falls in love with the written word. It was fantastic that excerpts from whatever story Viv was currently reading we the reader got a glimpse of it too. Loved that

To be honest all the characters are absolutely brilliant and well thought through. I loved each and every moment spent with Viv and the rest of them in Murk.

And of course along with wonderful and memorable characters we also had a well crafted story that kept me wanting to see what happened next. What more could a reader possibly ask for. Pure fun and heartfelt down to the very last word.

62. Murder at the Bonfire
Penny Blackwell

Blurb

Preparations are underway for Cherrywood's annual celebration of Guy Fawkes Night . . .

When it's announced that the hotly anticipated 'Penny for the Guy' trail will have a celebrity judge – former DJ 'Screaming' Ade Adams – competition steps up amongst the villagers.

But as everyone gathers for the big event, Ade is found dead atop the bonfire with three mysterious tarot cards in his pocket, and barmaid and part-time sleuth Tess Feather suspects foul play. Why would anyone in Cherrywood want the retired disc jockey dead? And could there be a connection to a recently returned villager: Tess's estranged brother Mikey?

Once again, Tess is forced to team up with her ex-boyfriend – private investigator Liam Hanley – and her friends Raven and Oliver as they investigate a tale of murder and vengeance that could go all the way to the top.

Expected publication October 26, 2023

My thoughts

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

This cozy mystery is perfect for an autumn night or rainy day. I absolutely loved spending time in Cherry wood and getting to know Tess and her circle of wonderful friends .

The characters are brilliantly written and very human. Making them easy to care about and identify with.

The story itself was thrilling and kept me guessing right up to the very end. I look forward to more time with Tess Feather !

>92 RuneFirestar: Looking forward to this one!

63. A Spoonful of Murder
( Murder Most Unladylike #6 )
Robin Stevens

Blurb

But when they arrive they discover something they didn't expect: there's a new member of the Wong family. Daisy and Hazel think baby Teddy is enough to deal with, but as always the girls are never far from a mystery. Tragedy strikes very close to home, and this time Hazel isn't just the detective. She's been framed for murder!

The girls must work together like never before, confronting dangerous gangs, mysterious suspects and sinister private detectives to solve the murder and clear Hazel's name - before it's too late . . .

Thank you so much for everyone who has taken time to join me on my reading journey. I am 2 books away from completing my reading challenge of 65 books. I am happy beyond belief about this.

>95 RuneFirestar: I love this series!

>97 Sakerfalcon: me too I am really enjoying it. Have you started the Serries about Hazel's younger sister?
It looks really good.

>96 RuneFirestar: Yay! A good year of reading for you, it looks like.

>98 RuneFirestar: I haven't yet but my 11 year old goddaughter has and she loves it!

64.All That it Ever Ment by Blessing Musariri

Blurb

Family, grief, ghosts, and a this clever and compelling young adult novel heralds a masterful new voice from Zimbabwe.

Mati’s family is reeling from the death of Mati’s mother. Her Baba has drawn into himself, her sister Chichi is rebelling, and her young brother Tana is desperate for love and normalcy.When Chichi pulls her worst stunt yet, Baba uproots the family from their home in England for an extended camping holiday in their native Zimbabwe. Along for the trip is Meticais, a fabulously attired gender-neutral spirit—or ghost? or imaginary friend?—who only Mati can see and converse with. Guided by Meticais’s enigmatic advice and wisdom, Mati must come to terms with her grief and with the difficulty of living between two cultures, while the family must learn to forge their way in a world without their monumental mother.Full of captivating characters and stunning plot twists, All That It Ever Meant delivers a nuanced and unforgettable story of grief, love, and family.

My thoughts

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

This story is about family and what happens when it is shattered due to the loss of its center. In this story it's the mother who is lost due to illness and she leaves behind a three children and her partner.

No one really knows how to talk about their grief how to explain it. It means different things to each of them. It's made even worse when they find themselves caught between two cultures and customs.

They have to find a way to deal with each other and the grief of loss. It's beautiful story with family, love and loss at its heart.

65. Casander Darkbloom and the Threads of Power
By P. A. Staff

Blurb

A boy with no memory. A world searching for a hero.Casander Darkbloom has no memory, lives outside a curiosity shop, and experiences random surges of uncontrollable energy in his limbs. When he inexplicably brings a stuffed raven to life, he unravels a strange and thrilling magical world. A world waiting for Cas to save it.Cas is the Foretold, the one prophesied to defeat the malevolent Master of All. Under the protection of Wayward School, Cas must learn to master his magical abilities. But, as he soon discovers, all may not be quite as it seems – and Cas will need to take control of his own destiny if he is to find the strength to fight the powers of evil.Spectacular and imaginative, this thrilling fantasy novel celebrates difference and how what makes us unique is also our greatest strength.

307 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 2, 2023

My thoughts

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

This is a wonderful story and fans of Nevermore and School for Good and Evil will adore it

The idea of a magic school for kids with powers has been done and this book is no exception however it's setting and details to world building are what sets it apart and gives it its own flavour.

I truely loved getting to know the abnornies and seeing the balanced lands. It's truely brilliant writting fun for all ages.
And at its heart is a fantastic message. And it's shown by this direct quote

"Whatever people tell you about who and what you
are, always remember this: normal doesn’t exist. Everyone
is different, from the points of our fingers to the tips of our
toes. Being different is what’s normal. It’s what makes each
one of us magic, each one of us strong.”

The world never needed this message more . That quote alone has insured this book a place close to my heart forever.

>102 RuneFirestar:
An excellent quote.