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August Book Releases

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well.

As it is a new month that means it is time to share just a few of the books coming out this month. Are you planning on buying any of these?
I can tell you that I have two pre-orders for August so I am excited for those to arrive.

A Theory of Dreaming by Ava Reid – 5th August

Return to the immersive, lush, and dreamlike world of the instantly bestselling dark academia fantasy A Study in Drowning as the aftermath of their first discovery pulls Effy and Preston on a final adventure and brings their haunting love story to its end in this stunning sequel and final book in the duology.

All stories come to an end.

Effy learned that when she defeated the Fairy King. Even though she may never know exactly what happened at Hiraeth, she is free of her nightmares and is able to pen a thesis with Preston on the beloved national fairy tale Angharad. She has finally earned a spot at the literature college, making her the first woman in history to enroll.

But some dreams are dangerous, especially when they come true. The entire university—and soon the entire nation—is waiting for her to fail. With the Fairy King defeated and Myrddin’s legacy exposed, Effy can no longer escape into fantasy. Who is she without her stories?

With Effy under threat, Preston is surprised to discover a rage simmering inside him, ringing in his ears like bells. He begins to dream of a palace under the sea, a world where he is king—visions that start to follow him even in waking.

As the war between Llyr and Argant explodes, Effy and Preston find themselves caught in the crossfire: Effy losing her dreams and Preston losing himself in his.

Are dreams ever truly just dreams?

The Fallen and the Kiss of Dusk – 5th August

New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Carissa Broadbent returns with a brand new novel in the Crowns of Nyaxia series, The Fallen & the Kiss of Dusk.

Mische made the ultimate sacrifice to save those she loves – and plunged the world into an eternal night. Now, imprisoned by the gods and obsessed with revenge, Asar is desperate to find her again.

When a goddess offers them a final path to redemption – and back to each other – Asar and Mische embark on an extraordinary mission. Together, they must seize the power of the god of death so Asar may do the impossible: ascend to true divinity.

Their journey will take them through mortal and immortal realms, alongside both old friends and ruthless enemies. But as the underworld teeters on the brink of collapse and the gods prepare for a war, Asar and Mische must decide what they are willing to sacrifice for the power to defy death. In a game of vengeful gods and ancient betrayals, there are some debts that even love may not be able to repay.

Accomplice to the Villain – 7th August

Once Upon a Time meets The Office in Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s laugh-out-loud viral TikTok series turned novel, about the sunshine assistant to an Evil Villain…and their unexpected romance.

REWARD OFFERED: Apprentice to The Villain wanted for treason (light), magical property damage (alleged), and one incident involving a weaponized scone (accurate). Frequently seen with a grumpy frog (crowned, judgmental). Answers to “Evie” or “Stop that.”

Evie Sage didn’t mean to become the right-hand woman to the kingdom’s most terrifying villain. One minute, she was applying for an entry-level position that promised “light paperwork and occasional beheadings,” and the next, she was knee-deep in magical mayhem, murder plots, and an entirely inappropriate crush on her brooding, sharp-jawed, walking disaster of a boss.

Now, with a magical prophecy unraveling, assassins showing up in the break room, and a suspicious amount of frogs wearing crowns, Evie has to figure out how to survive her job without setting the kingdom on fire—or her dignity, which is hanging by a very sarcastic thread.

Being evil-adjacent was never part of the five-year plan. But then again…neither was falling for The Villain.

A magical office comedy with grumpy bosses, snarky frogs, and definitely-not-feelings.

Alchemy and A Cup of Tea – 14th August

USA Today, Sunday Times, and Indie bestselling author Rebecca Thorne brings the Tomes & Tea series to a delightful, cozy close for our beloved lesbian book- and tea- sellers.

Reyna and Kianthe have no trouble ruling the Queendom, battling evil alchemists, and rescuing adorable baby dragons, but can they save their town from the ravening influx of…. tourists?!?

On the night of her kidnapping, all Reyna wanted was a relaxing cup of tea. She didn’t expect to be dropped in a hidden cell, but what the hells. She’s flexible.

When Kianthe “rescues” her wife, she expects they’ll be back at New Leaf having tea by noon. But there’s a problem: an alchemy circle marred Reyna’s cell. What does a radical group of alchemists want with the Queendom’s newest sovereign… and why did they think they could get away with this?

To make matters worse, Kianthe and Reyna’s hometown is having its own problems. Word of New Leaf Tomes and Tea―and its celebrity owners―has finally spread, and tourists are flooding into Tawney. As their friends struggle with the sudden influx, Kianthe and Reyna have to face a bigger conundrum than rogue alchemists: the fact that closing their bookshop might be the only way to save their town.

Things can’t just be simple, can they?

Warrior Princess Assassin – 14th August

New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer makes her adult debut with this irresistible and steamy fantasy about three characters whose paths will collide in surprising ways – two royals pushed into a political engagement, and the assassin tasked with hunting them down.

WARRIOR. King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his kingdom is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that the royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his land flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how the blaze began.

PRINCESS. With war looming on the horizon, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous her family’s magic is fading. Tempting as it is to reject her duties and run away with her childhood friend, Asher, Jory knows that she is the kingdom’s last hope. When she meets her intended, Jory is surprised to discover that beneath Ky’s daunting exterior is a compassionate and sharp-witted man who sets her heart aflame. But what will he do when he realizes she’s deceiving him?

ASSASSIN. Asher’s done what he must to survive, even if that means getting his hands dirty. Once a young nobleman in Astranza’s palace, where he and Jory caused mischief together, now he’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, employing much darker skills. When a lucrative job comes his way, Asher can’t say no—until he discovers the targets. Someone wants Ky and Jory dead. With the Guild watching, Asher must decide what he’s willing to do to protect the woman he loves.

A tale of three complex characters torn between chasing, betraying, and falling in love with each other, Warrior Princess Assassin marks the beginning of a thrilling new fantasy trilogy filled with enchantment, adventure, and passionate romance.

Hemlock and Silver by T Kingfisher – 21st August

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award-winning author T. Kingfisher comes Hemlock & Silver, a dark reimagining of “Snow White” steeped in poison, intrigue, and treason of the most magical kind

Healer Anja regularly drinks poison.

Not to die, but to save—seeking cures for those everyone else has given up on.

But a summons from the King interrupts her quiet, herb-obsessed life. His daughter, Snow, is dying, and he hopes Anja’s unorthodox methods can save her.

Aided by a taciturn guard, a narcissistic cat, and a passion for the scientific method, Anja rushes to treat Snow, but nothing seems to work. That is, until she finds a secret world, hidden inside a magic mirror. This dark realm may hold the key to what is making Snow sick.

Or it might be the thing that kills them all.

Once A Villain – 21st August

The final book in the lauded Only a Monster trilogy is here—where the unstoppable love and high stakes of Divine Rivals meets the propulsive thrills of This Savage Song in a last-ditch, breathless race against time.

Joan has failed to stop Eleanor.

Now Eleanor rules over a cruel new timeline where monsters live openly among humans, preying on them and subjugating them.

Nick—once a hero to humans, and Joan’s first love—is tormented by the choice he made to save her over the timeline itself. And Aaron—the ruthless heir to a powerful monster family—now finds himself in a world where monsters have power beyond imagining while his feelings for Joan grow.

Wrenched between love and rivalry, the three of them must negotiate their fractured pasts to survive the new world and restore what was lost. Because only they remember that there was once a better timeline.

But how will they defeat a whole world of monsters with control over time itself?

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July Book Releases!

Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all doing today. It is July which means it is time to share details of some of the books releasing in July!

Den of Liars – 1st July

The Mythmakers – 3rd July

The Killer Question – 4th July

A Deadly Night at the Theatre – 7th July

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy – 8th July

Soulgazer – 8th July

The Enchanted Greenhouse – 15th July

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping – 17th July

The Nightshade God – 18th July

Not Quite Dead Yet – 22nd July

Arcana Academy – 22nd July

Between These Broken Hearts – 22nd July

Silvercloak – 24th July

Immortal Consequences – 29th July

Wrath of the Dragons – 29th July

Defy Me – 31st July

Thorns And Fire – 31st July

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June Book Releases!

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today! It is June – from my personal list June is a big month for releases. I think I’m eyeing up about seven books this month… so, its going to be an expensive month I think.

Are there any books coming out in June that you have your eye on?

The Listeners by Maggie Steifvater – 3rd June

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid – 3rd June

Dance Of Lies – 5th June

Can You Solve The Murder – 5th June

The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry – 5th June

Death Of A Diplomat – 6th June

Caught Up by navessa Allen – 10th June

Six Wild Crowns – 10th June

With A Vengeance by Riley Sager – 12th June

Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston – 17th June

Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer – 19th June

The Protest by Rob Rinder – 19th June

The Robin On The Oak Throne by K A Linde – 19th June

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Contemporary Cosy Crime

Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all today? I hope you are all doing well. Today I am bringing something a little bit different. If you have seen a lot of my posts you probably know that I am doing a PhD surrounding the topic of Cosy Crime and so I have had to read a LOT of it, especially recently. When I started my degree I thought, this will be fin I love Cosy crime, it’s my favourite style of murder mystery novel. And it still is, which is good at least. However, I have thoughts. And I thought it might be fun to share some of these thoughts and see what other people are thinking about the genre at the moment. If you are a cosy crime reader, let me know what you think of some of these books!

The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman

Okay, I have a love hate relationship with this series. I didn’t mind the first book, I enjoyed the second book and then hated the third and fourth books so I have decided not to continue the series with number five when it comes out later this year. It’s difficult to explain what I don’t like about this series, I’m not overly keen on elderly characters as the sleuths because it is so overdone now but this series was one of the first to do it so that didn’t bother me so much with books one and two. I think one of the things that I dislike is that the tone, trying to stay cosy, goes too far into conversational and the people who are meant to be villains their voices are too similar to each other and to the ‘heroes’ of the story. There are also mentions of our main four characters, especially Elizabeth, being involved with these other things that really belong more in a thriller than in cosy crime in my opinion. As it has gone on these things have grated on me more and more to the point that after I have finished my PhD I will be unhauling the series.

The Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon

Now, from a love/hate relationship to one of pure love. This series took over my life from the minute I picked up the first book. It follows Kitty Underhay, her Grandmother runs a hotel called The Dolphin in Torquay and the series is set in the 1930s England. (It’s actually set close to the area where I live so being able to recognise locations is really fun). When it starts we learn that Kitty’s Mother went missing when she was a child and has never been found. Then we meet Captain Matthew Bryant. Over the series Matthew and Kitty become involved in a variety of murder mysteries. If you are looking for something groundbreaking then this series is not for you but if you like something classic, with good twists and brilliant loveable characters then you will enjoy this.

The Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood

This series follows Judith – an older woman, Suzy – a dog walker, and Becks – the wife of the vicar and their lives in Marlow and how they meet and become involved in murder investigations. This is another series that I absolutely love, I do think as we are going into later books that it might start feeling a bit flat with the way the characters are, I don’t think we learn much more about them as the series progresses but at the moment I love it. They are intriguing and keep my interest which is good because I get bored easily especially with series. I like the connection between the characters and I think that is what keeps pulling me back to this series.

The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano

This series, well, I loved book one and then I found book two a drag to get through but then I loved book three so it is a bit up and down for me. I love the premise, a writer is accidentally overheard talking about her novel plot and gets hired to kill this woman’s husband. That was really different and intriguing and Finlay, the writer, is with respect, very chaotic and messy. Her life is falling to pieces and somehow she gets caught up in all these things while also holding a very interesting romantic subplot with a policeman no less. That ups the stakes drastically. It’s really just a very fun series that doesn’t take itself seriously. Sometimes the plots can be a little confusing but overall I enjoy it.

The Windsor Knot series by S J Bennett

This series is very interesting because it follows elderly characters like is the trend in cosy, but in this series that elderly woman is Queen Elizabeth II of England and members of her staff. It is another series where overall I enjoy it but the individual books can be hit or miss for me. I enjoy it’s uniqueness but it is middle of the road for me, I couldn’t tell you much about the books after six months from reading them.

The Dog Sitter Detective series by Antony Johnston

This series follows another older lady, named Gwinny, who is an actress that was big in the day but now has faded into the background but struggling for money she has had to get more roles again. As a character I don’t mind Gwinny, she dog sits hence the name, she’s independent, curious and frankly, finds trouble no matter where she goes. The romantic subplot that shows up here is not one that I am interested in and I’d prefer if the series didn’t have it but I can overlook it for the plots. So far there has been a rockstar on a canal boat, a theatre play and a film set murder and I enjoyed all of them. It’s not a favourite series but it is a fun, easy read.

The Vera Wong series by Jessie Q Sutanto

This series follows Vera Wong, a lady who owns a tea shop and comes downstairs one morning and finds a man murdered inside her shop, believing the Police aren’t doing their job she decides to investigate for herself. I liked the brazenness of the main character, Vera and I also liked the element of found family that develops in this book but I think there were some aspects that weren’t memorable so again it is a middle of the road series but I am looking forward to reading the new book in the series.

The Castle Knoll series by Kristen Perrin

This series is interesting. I actually have unhauled the first book because I didn’t like it but then I bought the second book because it sounded a lot better, so when I read that we will see what it is like. But for now lets talk about book 1, How To Solve Your Own Murder. It follows the Granddaughter of a woman who was told many years ago by a fortune teller that one day she will be murdered and she spends the rest of her time watching everyone and then when the novel begins her Granddaughter arrives at her house and finds her there, murdered. There’s also some flirting with the local policeman that somewhat disappointingly doesn’t come to anything in the first book but I am hopeful that there will be in the second book. The thing I didn’t like about this first book was that most of the plot progression came about in letters from the past, which I enjoyed reading but it felt like there wasn’t enough substance in the present day parts of the novel.

The Three Dahlias series by Katy Watson

This is one of my favourite cosy mystery series. It follows three generations who have played the character Dahlia Lively – Caro, Rosalind and Posy. In the first book you see the characters meet and form a team without knowing it and I love the way their characters interact with each other but keep their own distinct personalities. The mysteries are incredibly bingeable as well, twisty and well written. I can’t describe how good these books are. You get the perfect balance between plot and character.

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Book Review: Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

Happy Monday bookish people! How are you all doing today? I hope you are all well. As promised in my April Wrap Up post, today I am bringing you my full thoughts about Phantasma by Kaylie Smith. This book has got so many good reviews and I couldn’t stop hearing about it and everyone seemed to love it, then I saw it marketed as an older version of Caraval meets Throne of the Fallen which are two of my favourite books so I needed to read it.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Caraval meets Throne of the Fallen in this spicy dark romantasy where a necromancer needs help from a dangerous phantom to win a deadly competition, only to find their partnership puts her at risk of breaking the game’s most vital rule: don’t fall in love.

When Ophelia and her sister discovers their mother brutally murdered, there is no time to grieve: Ophelia has inherited both her powerful death-driven magic and enormous debt on their home. Circumstances go from dire to deadly, however, when Ophelia’s sister decides to pay off the loan by entering Phantasma—a competition where most contestants don’t make it out alive and the winner is granted a single wish.

The only way to save her sister is to compete. But Phantasma is a cursed manor, with twisting corridors and lavish ballrooms, and filled with enticing demons and fatal temptations. Ophelia will need to face nine floors of challenges to win… if her fears don’t overtake her first.

When a charming, arrogant stranger claims he can protect and guide Ophelia, she knows she shouldn’t trust him. While Blackwell may not seem dangerous, appearances can be deceptive. But with her sister’s life on the line, Ophelia can’t afford to turn him away. She just needs to ignore the overwhelming, dark attraction drawing them closer and closer together.

Because in Phantasma, the only thing deadlier than losing the game is losing your heart.

My Review:

Phantasma follows our main female character called Ophelia, at the beginning of the novel Ophelia and her Sister are dealing with the loss of their mother and after her sister disappears Ophelia in a bid to find her ends up becoming entangled in the dangerous trials of Phantasma. As I mentioned, before going into this book I had heard all of the hype and I was anticipating a five star (which I didn’t get) but at the minimum I was hoping to have a fun time reading it. I’d also heard so many people talk about Blackwell and how he was their new book boyfriend. I have to say that for me, although I enjoyed his character, he wasn’t consistent. There were many times where he’d completely change his actions from what had been said and, although this could work for his character and the plot points, this just confused me. I also struggled with his name which is a silly complaint to have but I kept tripping over it when reading which was taking me out of the story. I also thought that the trials element was there in a way that was intriguing but I wish there was more to them, and to the search that was happening in between the trials we barely got any of that because the space was given to the romantic plotline instead. Overall, I enjoyed this book but it didn’t live up to the expectations I had of it from what I’d seen others say about it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Have you read Phantasma? Let me know what you thought of it!

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May Book Releases!

Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all doing today?

Today I am bringing you a small list of some of the book releases happening in May.

The Tenant by Freida McFadden – 6th May

There’s no place like home…

Blake Porter is riding high, until he’s not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone that he shares with his fiancee, he’s desperate to make ends meet.

Enter Whitney. Beautiful, charming, down-to-earth, and looking for a room to rent. She’s exactly what Blake’s looking for. Or is she?

Because something isn’t quite right. The neighbors start treating Blake differently. The smell of decay permeates his home, no matter how hard he scrubs. Strange noises jar him awake in the middle of the night. And soon Blake fears someone knows his darkest secrets…

Danger lives right at home, and by the time Blake realizes it, it’ll be far too late. The trap is already set.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden knocks at your door with a gripping story of revenge, privilege, and secrets turned sour…

The South Wind by Alexandria Warwick – 8th May

Princess Sarai of Ammara has less than three months to live before death claims her. Cursed as a child to die on her twenty-fifth nameday, she will do whatever it takes to secure her realm’s future, including an arranged marriage to Prince Balior, a handsome young noble from a neighboring kingdom. But another man vies for her attention as well: Notus, the South Wind, god of the desert breeze, and Sarai’s ex-lover.

Sarai is determined to stay away from the god who betrayed her and honor her father’s plan. But Prince Balior has an agenda of his own, and as Sarai learns more about her betrothed, she realizes he might be a dangerous threat to her people. So despite her hatred for Notus, she fakes their engagement to escape the arranged marriage and unearth Prince Balior’s true motives surrounding his obsession with the menacing labyrinth that sits in the palace’s grounds.

But darker forces are at work, and time is running out. Together with Notus, Sarai must face the horrors dwelling inside the labyrinth to save herself and her realm—but in order to succeed, she must confront her pain and the monsters she carries within herself…

The South Wind is a brand-new standalone fantasy romance novel featuring a fake engagement and second chance romance from TikTok sensation Alexandria Warwick. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Scarlett St. Clair and Raven Kennedy.

A Curse Carved In Bone by Danielle L Jenson – 13th May

A shield maiden fights to break the shackles of prophecy—and to overcome the betrayal of the man who broke her heart—in this searing conclusion to the Norse-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with the bestselling A Fate Inked in Blood.

The secret of her divine heritage revealed, Freya finds herself on a path that will see thousands of lives lost to the magic in her blood. Desperate to avoid this dark fate, she risks an alliance with Skaland’s greatest enemy to seek answers from the seer who foretold her future—the same seer who sent Bjorn to kill her.

While Freya still seethes with rage over Bjorn’s betrayal, the blood oaths that bind her demand that she keep him close as she hunts for a way to avert the looming war. Her magic draws her to the front lines of an old enmity, embroiling her with Nordeland’s Unfated—children of the gods who serve the king she was raised to fear. The same king who, unlike Bjorn, is now willing to fight at her back. For despite the desire that burns hot between Bjorn and Freya, his growing distrust of her chosen path threatens to drag them further apart.

As war approaches, gods and mortals must choose their weapons. Yet the fiercest battle will be the one Freya wages within herself. With the magic of two goddesses burning in her veins, she must weave the threads of destiny to decide her own fate: Will she be the shield that protects her people or the curse that destroys them?

Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde – 20th May

𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒆

When I was eleven, my family moved next door to his.
When I was thirteen, he was my first crush.
When I was sixteen, we fell for each other.
And when I was nineteen, we broke each other’s hearts.

Six years later, I’ve landed an internship with a big-name interior designer in a new city. Unfortunately, that city just so happens to be the one he plays hockey for.

I thought Chicago was big enough to avoid him, until I get the surprise of a lifetime and unknowingly move in right next door. Even worse? The renovation project I’m assigned to in hopes of turning that internship into my full-time dream job…

It’s 𝘩𝘪𝘴 house.

But how am I supposed to update his bachelor pad into a family home when we can’t even stand to be in the same room?

I may have loved Rio DeLuca once, but I’m not that same girl anymore.

𝑹𝒊𝒐

I never thought I’d be the only single one left in my friend group. But after years of trying to find love, I’ve concluded it may not exist for me anymore.

That is, until I accidentally hire Hallie Hart to renovate my house and our jaded history has me rewinding memories I’ve kept secret for years.

You see, there’s something that my friends don’t know.

That connection I’ve been looking for since I moved to Chicago, that one person some search their entire lives to find… I had already found her when I was twelve years old.

And now the only girl I’ve ever loved is moving into the house next door.

Again.

Malevolent Eight by Sebastien De Castell – 22nd May

The stakes have never been higher.

The world is teetering on the brink of annihilation. The Lords Celestine and the Lords Devilish, celestial and infernal beings locked in an age-old enmity, have at last found the perfect battlefield for their apocalyptic Great the mortal realm.

Cade Ombra, former Glorian Justiciar turned mercenary wonderist, leads a band of emotionally unstable mages in a desperate bid to prevent the impending clash of divine and diabolical titans. Failure will leave humanity to be conscripted into an eternal war, serving as foot soldiers doomed to oblivion.

The mission seems impossible, but Cade and the Malevolent Seven aren’t exactly pacifists, so they’re determined to bring peace no matter how many people they have to kill first. With wit as sharp as their blades and a moral compass that points only toward survival, they’re ready to cut down anyone in their path to stop the war before it begins.

Prepare for a whirlwind of dark magic, irreverent humour and relentless action in The Malevolent The Bad, The Worse and The Wicked. The fate of the humanity hangs in the balance, and only the most malevolent can hope to save it.

Damned by Genevieve Cogman – 22nd May

For a former English maid, the stakes have never been higher . . .

Damned 
is the final book in the Scarlet Revolution series, a spellbinding adventure of magic, vampires and mayhem from the bestselling author of the Invisible Library series.

1794. Eleanor, former English maid, is a member of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel – and now a promising mage. With a vampire plot thwarted in Paris, the League’s next daring rescue is that of the Pimpernel’s beloved wife, Lady Marguerite, imprisoned in her London townhouse on unjust charges of treason and espionage.

But Lady Marguerite’s captivity is only the first threat from the League’s vampiric enemy. With the King known to be ill, possibly mad, England is not as it should be. Vampires conspire to take control over the whole country whilst challenging Eleanor and the League at every turn.

But then, using her growing magical powers, Eleanor uncovers a devastating, centuries-old secret. It is one so steeped in blood, that it will change not only England, but the entire vampire world, forever . . .

Discover where Eleanor’s journey first began in the Sunday Times bestseller, Scarlet.

The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig – 20th May

From BookTok sensation and NYT bestselling author Rachel Gillig, comes the next big romantasy phenomenon: a gothic, mist-cloaked tale of a prophetess who is forced beyond the safety of her cloister on an impossible quest to defeat the gods with the one knight whose future is beyond her sight.

Sybil Delling has spent nine years dreaming of having no dreams at all. Like the other foundling girls who traded a decade of service for a home in the great cathedral, Sybil is a Diviner. In her dreams she receives visions from six unearthly figures known as Omens. From them, she can predict terrible things before they occur, and lords and common folk alike travel across the kingdom of Traum’s windswept moors to learn their futures by her dreams.

Just as she and her sister Diviners near the end of their service, a mysterious knight arrives at the cathedral. Rude, heretical, and devilishly handsome, the knight Rodrick has no respect for Sybil’s visions. But when Sybil’s fellow Diviners begin to vanish one by one, she has no choice but to seek his help in finding them. For the world outside the cathedral’s cloister is wrought with peril. Only the gods have the answers she is seeking, and as much as she’d rather avoid Rodrick’s dark eyes and sharp tongue, only a heretic can defeat a god.

No One Was Supposed To Die At This Wedding – 29th May

The second in a witty, USA Today bestselling series following author Eleanor Dash as she goes from wedding guest to murder mystery investigator at her best friend’s wedding on Catalina Island.

Attending your best friend’s wedding should be a piece of (wedding) cake, but not for Eleanor Dash, bestselling author of the Vacation Mysteries series. Because murder seems to follow her every time she goes on vacation and is definitely her uninvited plus-one to the special occasion.

Emma Wood, Eleanor’s best friend since childhood, is starring in the movie adaptation of When in Rome, Eleanor’s first novel. Emma is also marrying Fred Winters, a major movie star and Emma’s co-star, who just happens to be playing Connor Smith, Eleanor’s ex and leading man of the series.

Filming wraps and they invite the whole cast and crew to their wedding at nearby Catalina Island. There may be a storm headed their way—because of course there is—but nothing will stop their nuptials . . . that is until Emma receives a note that says “Someone is going to die at the wedding.”

Eleanor is a professional at this point, and she’ll do everything she can to uncover the murderer so true love can prevail . . . before it’s too late for her and the rest of the storm-trapped wedding party.

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April Book Releases

Happy friday bookish people! It is time to bring you a list of some of the book releases of April.

There are two releases on the 1st of April: the first being Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez and the other is Vera Wong’s Guide To Snooping

On the 3rd of April there is one release: Fearless by Lauren Roberts

On the 8th April there is a release of the second book in the Phantasma series: Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

On the 15th April there are two releases: Watch Me by Taherah Mafi and Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage

and finally on the 24th April: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

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March Book Releases

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are doing well today.

Today I am bringing you a list of some of the amazing book releases happening in March, note: some of these books will already be out by the time this list goes up but I will have the dates listed next to each book. Also note that the dates I give are the UK dates of publication.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid – 4th March

By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.

The Ragpicker King by Cassandra Clare – 4th March

In the epic follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Sword Catcher, praised by George R. R. Martin as “everything I look for in fantasy,” Lin and Kel must chart a perilous course between love and lies.

Kel Saren, body double to Conor, crown prince of the dazzling city of Castellane, is caught between two worlds. In order to protect his beloved prince, Kel must find the culprits responsible for a massacre at the royal palace—and the only clues are held by the Ragpicker King, the notorious criminal who rules Castellane’s underworld. The trail Kel follows leads back to the Hill, where among decadent nobles and glittering parties a dark conspiracy to destroy the royal family has taken hold—a conspiracy headed up by the monstrous Artal Gremont, the man engaged to marry the woman Kel adores.

Meanwhile, Lin Caster must face the aftermath of the greatest risk she’s ever taken. To save the life of a dying friend, Lin has falsely claimed to be the Goddess Reborn, the legendary heroine destined to save her people. Now the terrifying—but strangely magnetic—leader of her people has arrived to test her powers. The price of failure is exile, and only through her alliance with the Ragpicker King can she continue to access the magic that may save her.

Then Prince Conor reappears in her life, demanding that she use her healing powers to cure the madness of his father, the King. Lin soon realizes the King is gripped by an ancient and terrible magic, one whose lure she cannot deny any more than she can deny her growing passion for Conor.

As the simmering tensions in Castellane reach a fever pitch, Lin and Kel must decide who to trust when any false move means death—or worse.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins – 18th March

When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town.

As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

To Steal From Thieves by M K Lobb – 25th March

In this high-stakes heist novel, an alchemologist and a con man team up to steal a rare necklace—but complicated feelings of attraction and deception threaten to destroy everything and everyone they love—for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Judy I. Lin.

Within the dazzling halls of London’s Crystal Palace, the event of the season has arrived: The Great Exhibition. An opportunity for the greatest minds of the century to come together under one roof in an unprecedented display of art and invention. And for two unlikely partners in crime, it’s about to become the score of a lifetime.

Charming conman Kane Durante works alone—or on occasion with his best friend, Fletcher. But when his boss, the infamous Kingpin of London’s magical dark market, gives him the impossible task of stealing a priceless artifact from the Great Exhibition, he knows it’s a job he can’t pull off alone. Enter Zaria Mendoza, daughter of one of London’s greatest alchemologists. Ever since her father’s death, Zaria’s been struggling to keep her underground business afloat, and impatient clients are becoming violent. When the infuriatingly handsome Kane offers her the promise of enough money to get out of debt and leave London entirely, she knows she can’t walk away from this dangerous partnership.

But robbing one of the most public, heavily-guarded buildings in London isn’t going to be easy, especially when love and betrayal threaten to ruin everything they’ve worked so hard for.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror by Carissa Broadbent – 25th March

She was commanded to kill him with a single strike to the heart. She didn’t expect her own to betray her.

Sylina has sacrificed everything for her goddess–her soul, her freedom, her eyes. Life in service to the Arachessen, a cult of the Goddess of Fate, has turned Sylina from orphaned street-rat to disciplined killer, determined to overthrow Glaea’s tyrannical king. But when a brutal vampire conqueror arrives on their shores, Sylina faces an even deadlier adversary. She’s tasked with a crucial mission: infiltrate his army, earn his trust… and kill him.

Atrius is a terrifying warrior carving an unstoppable path through Glaea. Yet when Sylina becomes his seer, she glimpses a dark and shocking past–and a side of him that reminds her far too much of parts of herself she’d rather forget. Sylina’s orders are clear. The conqueror cannot live. But as the blood spilled by Glaea’s tyrant king runs thicker, her connection with Atrius only grows stronger. A connection forbidden by her vows. A connection that could cost her everything.

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror is a standalone fantasy romance set in the Crowns of Nyaxia world, full of heart-wrenching forbidden romance, dark curses, and epic battles – perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom and the From Blood and Ash series.

How To Seal Your Own Fate by Kristen Perrin – 27th March

Kristen Perrin is back with the second novel in her Castle Knoll series. Annie Adams is caught in a new web of murder that spans decades, returning us to the idyllic English village that holds layers of secrets.

Present day: Annie Adams is just settling into life in Castle Knoll when local fortune teller Peony Lane crosses her path and shares a cryptic message. When Peony Lane is found dead only hours later inside the locked Gravesdown Estate, Annie quickly realizes that someone is out to make her look guilty while silencing Peony at the same time. Annie has no choice but to delve into the dark secrets of Castle Knoll in order to find out just what Peony Lane was trying to warn her about, before the new life she’s just begun to build comes crashing down around her.

1967: A year has passed since her friend Emily disappeared, and teenage Frances Adams finds herself caught between two men. Ford Gravesdown is one of the only remaining members of a family known for its wealth and dubious uses of power. Archie Foyle is a local who can’t hold down a job and lives above the village pub. But when Frances teams up with Archie to investigate the car crash that claimed the lives of Ford’s family, it quickly becomes clear that this was no accident—hints of cover-ups, lies, and betrayals abound. The question is, just how far does the blackness creep through the heart of Castle Knoll? When Frances uncovers secrets kept by both Ford and Archie, she starts to wonder: What exactly has she gotten herself into?

The Shadow Bride by Shelby Mahurin – 27th March

In the thrilling conclusion of the duology set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin, a vampire and the woman who tried to kill him prove that true love can conquer anything, even Death. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Mass.

Célie’s life is over. She took her final breath trying to save the people she loves—including the powerful and enigmatic vampire king, Michal, who refused to let her go. When Célie wakes, she cannot walk in the sun; she can hear her friends’ heartbeats and she craves their blood. Michal has cursed her to the eternal existence of a vampire.

But Célie isn’t the only dead roaming the earth. Her sister, Filippa, has returned as a shadow of her former self, and other revenants are rising from their graves intent on revenge. The fragile balance between life and death has broken, awakening an even darker force—and he is coming for Célie, ready to claim her as his Bride. With the fate of their world at stake, Célie and Michal must set aside their searing attraction to mend the veil and right the balance, once and for all.

The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara – 27th March

A prince born into violence, seeking peace.

Prince Ashoka is the youngest son of the tyrannical Emperor Adil Maurya. Considered an outcast by his father for his rejection of the emperor’s brutal onslaught against the witches of the empire, Ashoka longs for change. When the sudden and unexpected death of his father leaves the monarchy in disarray, Ashoka is sent to govern a tumultuous region annexed by Emperor Adil that is terrorized by nature spirits—a task many see as doomed to fail. Suspected by a disdainful governor and evaded by distrustful witches, Ashoka must question his rigid ideals and fight against becoming the one person he despises the most—his father.

A witch shackled by pacifism, seeking revenge.

Shakti is a a witch bound by a pacifist code. After witnessing the murder of her aunt and village at the hands of the emperor, Shakti hurtles down a path of revenge, casting a curse with unexpected consequences. Posing as a maidservant in the famed palace of the Mauryas and armed with newfound powers beyond her imagination, Shakti attempts to dismantle the monarchy from within by having the royal progeny ruin themselves and turn their father’s legacy into nothing but ash.

In a world where nature spirits roam the land, and witches are hunted to extinction, Ashoka and Shakti will be forced to grapple with the consequences of to take it for themselves or risk losing it completely.

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February Book Releases

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. It is February and that means it is time to share some of the books that are coming out in February.

Let me know, are there any books that you have your eye on this month?

The Dark Mirror by Samantha Shannon – 28th February

The Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli – 27th February

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith- 4th February

Cursebound by Saara El- Arifi – 18th February

The Queen Who Came In From The Cold by S J Bennett – 6th February

The Antique Hunter’s: Death on the Red Sea by C L Miller – 18th February

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25 to read in 2025

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all good today, a bit of a warning, this might be a long one.

I have been seeing these lists everywhere and I thought it would be fun to do my own. So, these are the 25 books I want to prioritize in 2025. I have chosen these books because they are either: oldest on my TBR, continuing series I have started which is one of my goals for the year or they are books I feel like I should have got to by now.

The ACOTAR series (yes, I am counting the books I have left to read – A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight and A Court of Silver Flames – as one together because I really want to finish this series in 2025)

I Hope You’re Listening by Tom Ryan

Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

The Gilded Cage by Lynette Noni

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V E Schwab

The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid

Sabriel by Garth Nix

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Map of Days by Ransom Riggs

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Traitors Blade by Sebastien de Castell

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

City of Brass by S A Chakraborty

Where Dreams Descend by Janelle Angeles

Us in Ruins by Rachel Moore

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

The Painted Dragon by Katherine Woodfine

That’s the ones on my list, what books do you want to read in 2025?

Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?