Kiki Kallira Conquers a Curse by Sangu Mandanna

With just a flick of her pencil, Kiki can bring her drawings of Indian legends to life...but when a mysterious curse threatens her newly created kingdom and friends, how can she use her powers to save them?

Fresh from the exciting discovery that the beautiful kingdom and band of rebel kids she drew in her sketchbook exists in another world, Kiki Kallira has an unexpected visitor. One of those rebel kids has come into the real world to ask for her help---the river Kaveri that is Mysore's only source of water has suddenly vanished! With no water to drink or grow food, Kiki's kingdom is doomed.

Kiki returns to Mysore and quickly learns that drawing a new river doesn't work. In her search for answers, she stumbles upon the origin of the Kaveri: it's actually a princess from long ago who was transformed into water by a terrible curse! It's up to Kiki and her friends to restore the river without sacrificing the princess again---easier said than done! And with her mounting anxiety, enemies seeking to stop her, and a city growing weaker by the minute, Kiki's confidence falters. Will she be able to unravel the curse and save her kingdom before it's too late?

#Bookpost

Happy Tuesday, all! Last week was a fantastic one for proof and reading copies, our TBR is now a lot longer than it was! 

As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about each book, mostly from goodreads.

I Guess I Live Here Now by Claire Ahn

Melody always wanted to get to know the Korean side of her Korean American heritage better, but not quite like this. Thanks to a tiny transgression after school one day, she's shocked to discover that her parents have decided to move her and her mom out of New York City to join her father in Seoul--immediately! Barely having the chance to say goodbye to her best friend before she's on a plane, Melody is resentful, angry, and homesick.

But she soon finds herself settling into their super luxe home, meeting cool friends at school, and discovering the alluring aspects of living in Korea--trendsetting fashion, delectable food, her dad's black card, and a cute boy to hang out with. Life in Seoul is amazing...until cracks begin to form on its shiny surface. Troubling family secrets, broken friendships, and a lost passion are the prices Melody has to pay for her new life, but is it worth it?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! Welcome to the weekly roundup.

How We Ricochet by Faith Gardner

It seems sometimes a charade that we continue celebrating in the face of relentless tragedy.

How dare we? But then . . . what else is there to do?

Betty’s mom needed new pants for her job.

That was why Betty was at the mall with her mom and sister when the shooting started.

Afterward, nothing is the same.

There are no easy answers to be found, and Betty’s search for them leads her to Michael, the brother of the shooter. But this path only shows Betty one thing: that everything she thought she knew—about herself, about the world around her—can change in a heartbeat.

A moving, powerful journey of life after tragedy, How We Ricochet is an unflinching and necessary story for our time that will resonate with readers everywhere.

Aurora by David Koepp

In Aurora, Illinois, Aubrey Wheeler is just trying to get by after her semi-criminal ex-husband split, leaving behind his unruly teenage son.

Then the lights go out--not just in Aurora but across the globe. A solar storm has knocked out power almost everywhere. Suddenly, all problems are local, very local, and Aubrey must assume the mantle of fierce protector of her suburban neighborhood.

Across the country lives Aubrey's estranged brother, Thom. A fantastically wealthy, neurotically over-prepared Silicon Valley CEO, he plans to ride out the crisis in a gilded desert bunker he built for maximum comfort and security.

But the complicated history between the siblings is far from over, and what feels like the end of the world is just the beginning of several long-overdue reckonings--which not everyone will survive . . .

Aurora is suspenseful storytelling--both large scale and small--at its finest.

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are FOUR books from our lists publishing - one will be reviewed on the new, just for Tarot blog, and the others have all been reviewed here!

Twin Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

Wren Greenrock has always known that one day she would steal her sister's place in the palace. Trained from birth to avenge her parents' murder and usurp the princess, she will do anything to rise to power and protect the community of witches she loves.

Princess Rose Valhart knows that with power comes responsibility including marriage into a brutal kingdom. Life outside the palace walls is a place to be feared and she's soon to discover it is wilder than she ever imagined. Two sisters separated at birth and raised into entirely different worlds are about to get to know each other's lives a whole lot better - but who will ultimately rise to power and wear the crown?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! I thought this was going to be a very quiet week for #Bookpost, but then there was a flurry at the end of the week so we have several new titles to celebrate!

While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle

September 1939. Britain is on the brink of war.

As Noah Price’s dad marches off to fight, he asks his son to honour one vital promise: that he will keep their dog, Winn, safe. No matter what. Noah agrees, but his best intentions are crushed when the government advises people to have their pets put to sleep as part of the war preparations. Children are heartbroken, queues outside vets’ surgeries stretch for miles. But Noah is a resourceful and impetuous child. He won’t just do what he is told. Far from it. With his two friends in tow, he makes a pledge. To go on the run, and save as many animals as he can, whatever the cost.

So begins the most thrilling of adventures, involving a stolen ark, a motley crew of animals and a crashed Spitfire. Can Noah possibly save the animals, and lead them all to the promised land?

(Bi)Weekly roundup!

Happy Sunday, all! Due to illness, we missed a couple of posts last week - including the roundup! So today we have a double one to make up.

When I See Blue by Lily Bailey

New town, new school, but the bully is in Ben's head ...

There are 4 things you should know about Ben:

1. He's 12 years old

2. He's the new kid at school

3. His special number is 4

4. He has a bully in his brain

Sometimes Ben's brain makes him count to 4 to prevent bad things happening. Sometimes it makes him tap or blink in 4s. Mostly it makes the smallest things feel impossible. And with a new school, a moody big brother, an absent dad and a mum battling her own demons, Ben feels more out of control than ever. But then he meets April, and with his new friend, Ben might finally figure out how to stand up to the bully in his brain, once and for all.

An authentic and affecting #ownvoices story about living life with OCD, from the inspiring author and mental health activist, Lily Bailey. Perfect for readers of A Kind of Spark and The Goldfish Boy.

Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho

Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing - she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that's always made her feel like she belonged.

So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.

Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants - even if she can't stop thinking about Robbie's smile...right?

Happy #Bookbirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are TWO titles from our lists publishing!

things i know by Helena Close

18-year-old Saoirse can’t wait to leave school – but just before the final exams her ex-boyfriend dies by suicide. Everyone blames Saoirse – even Saoirse herself, who cheated on him with his best friend. She is shunned by her schoolmates and suffers unbearable levels of anxiety, which her useless counsellor does nothing to alleviate. Can she rescue her sense of self?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a great week for deliveries and we're really excited to share some of these with you all.  Because of when we recieved some of these, they have already been read and reviewed, and the links to those ones are under the pictures.

As always, you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

The Noh Family by Grace K Shim

A sparkling K-drama inspired debut teen novel by Grace Shim, THE NOH FAMILY introduces irrepressibly charming teen Chloe Kang, who is reunited with her deceased father's estranged family via a DNA test, and is soon whisked off to Seoul to join them...

When her friends gift her a 23-and-Me test as a gag, high school senior Chloe Kang doesn't think much of trying it out. She doesn't believe anything will come of it--she's an only child, her mother is an orphan, and her father died in Seoul before she was even born, and before her mother moved to Oklahoma. It's been just Chloe and her mom her whole life. But the DNA test reveals something Chloe never expected--she's got a whole extended family from her father's side half a world away in Korea. Her father's family are owners of a famous high-end department store, and are among the richest families in Seoul. When they learn she exists, they are excited to meet her. Her mother has huge reservations, she hasn't had a great relationship with her husband's family, which is why she's kept them secret, but she can't stop Chloe from travelling to Seoul to spend two weeks getting to know the Noh family.

Chloe is whisked into the lap of luxury, but something feels wrong. Chloe wants to shake it off--she's busy enjoying the delights of Seoul with new friend Miso Dan, the daughter of one of her mother's grade school friends. And as an aspiring fashion designer, she's loving the couture clothes her department store owning family gives her access to. But soon Chloe will discover the reason why her mother never told her about her dad's family, and why the Nohs wanted her in Seoul in the first place. Could joining the Noh family be worse than having no family at all?

Alone out Here by Riley Redgate (mild spoilers in review)

What do you stand for, when you're one of the last left standing?

The year is 2072. Soon a volcanic eruption will trigger catastrophic devastation, and the only way out is up.

While the world’s leaders, scientists, and engineers oversee the frantic production of a space fleet meant to save humankind, their children are brought in for a weekend of touring the Lazarus, a high-tech prototype spaceship. But when the apocalypse arrives months ahead of schedule, First Daughter Leigh Chen and a handful of teens from the tour are the only ones to escape the planet.

This is the new world: a starship loaded with a catalog of human artifacts, a frozen menagerie of animal DNA, and fifty-three terrified survivors. From the panic arises a coalition of leaders, spearheaded by the pilot’s enigmatic daughter, Eli, who takes the wheel in their hunt for a habitable planet. But as isolation presses in, their uneasy peace begins to fracture. The struggle for control will mean the difference between survival and oblivion, and Leigh must decide whether to stand on the side of the mission or of her own humanity.

With aching poignancy and tense, heart-in-your-mouth action, this enthralling saga will stay with readers long after the final page.

After Dark by Jayne Cowie (spoilers in review)

WELCOME TO A WORLD WHERE WOMEN HOLD THE POWER.

They dominate workplaces, public spaces and government.

They are no longer afraid to cross a dark car park, catch the last train, or walk home alone.

With the Curfew law in place, all men are electronically tagged and must stay at home after 7pm.

It changed things for the better. Until now.

A woman is murdered late at night and evidence suggests she knew her attacker.

It couldn't have been a man because a Curfew tag is a solid alibi... Isn't it?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received TWO beautiful books to read! We're looking forward to getting into them. As always, you can click on the covers to learn more about the books.

Vile Stars by Sera Milano

(TRUE) LOVE

(TOXIC) LOVE

(LOST) LOVE

This is a different kind of love story.

17-year-old Luka isn't looking for love. She's trying to piece her life back together after a heartbreaking loss. But when she meets the gorgeous and charismatic Cosmo under a meteor shower at the Greenwich Observatory, it feels like destiny has played a hand. Surely theirs is a love written in the stars.

But Cosmo isn't what he seems, using Luka's love for him to slowly take control of her life. As the pandemic starts to make headlines and lockdown sets in, she is trapped emotionally and physically in a coercive relationship. Luka's friends and brother can see what's happening, but struggle to reach her. Something will have to be sacrificed so Luka can set herself free - but what will be left of her when she does?

Luka's story is told from many points of view: through her letters, and through the voices of her brother, Alec, his boyfriend Theo and Luka's best friend, Roisin. Each of them holds a fragment of the story - it's time to put it all together.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! How was your week?

Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna

It has been seven years since Cassie Morgan last saw her mother. Left at a dreary boarding school, she spends her days hiding from the school bully and reading forbidden story books about the world of Faerie.

Certain that her mother is still alive, Cassie is determined to find her, whatever the dangers, and runs away from school. Lost and alone, she is chased by a pack of goblins but, to her surprise, escapes with the help of a flying broom and a talking cat named Montague, who takes her to the cosy village of Hedgely.

Here she discovers that she comes from a family of witches, women who protect Britain from the denizens of Faerie, who are all too real and far more frightening than her story books suggest.

The Inner Compass Deck by Teal Swan

DISCOVER YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF

This deck has a very simple yet crucial aim: to help you discover what matters most to you and allow you to live unconditionally according to those values, applying them to your work, relationships, mental health and everyday life.

Think of your honest, authentic self as true north and this values deck as your compass, guiding you to what you want to be in the world, what you want to do and how you want to go about doing it.

Happy BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This end of the month is pretty quiet for #Bookbirthdays...there's nothing on our lists for this week, and currently nothing on our lists for next week. But never say never! Something may arrive at short notice. As it is, Happy #Bookbirthday to EVERYONE publishing this week!

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon's pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori's aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she's fought so hard to win.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Hands up who's finished their Easter Eggs already?

This was a good week for new books, with SIX arriving through various methods! As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about each title.

The Magic Faraway Tree: A New Adventure by Jacqueline Wilson

Discover the Magic Faraway Tree and explore the amazing lands it can lead to! An irresistible new story by bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, set in a much-loved world.

Three kids, Milo, Mia and Birdy, are on a countryside holiday when they wander into an Enchanted Wood. Among the whispering leaves, there is a beautiful tree that stands high above the rest. The Magic Faraway Tree is home to remarkable creatures including a fairy called Silky, her best friend Moonface and more. Birdy is delighted to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns. But not every land is so much fun. Danger looms in the Land of Dragons. Will Moonface's magic work in time to save the children?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was Jacqueline Wilson's own favourite book as a young child. Now Britain's favourite contemporary children's author, creator of Hetty Feather and Tracy Beaker, revisits this glorious magical world, weaving a brand-new story perfect for the next generation of young readers. Discover the magic!

Weekly roundup

Happy Easter Sunday, all! I hope the Bunny was kind to you.

Earth Alchemy Oracle by Katie-Jane Wright and Nikki Strange

CONNECT TO THE MAGIC OF THE EARTH.

This powerful and beautiful deck is a portal to inner healing, love and connection. Each colourful card is infused with crystals, plants, trees, flowers and the sacred language of light, as intuited by Katie-Jane Wright. Plants represent growth; flowers, discovery; crystals, depth. Together they hold the keys to help you dive deeper to past lives, unite with the elementals and the energy of inner earth.

– 50 stunning, unique cards connect you to the magic at your feet.

– A detailed guidebook explains the energy of each card and how to work with the deck, including a ceremony for awakening its magic, and information on details threaded through the cards: the hidden golden keys, the elementals and the seven colour rays.

– Try various recommended spreads to direct your intuition – the Chakra Spread, the Elements of Change Spread or the Earth Dragon Grounding Spread.

Mother Earth is calling and it’s time to listen. What messages does she have for you?

Blogtour: The Arc by Ben Oliver

Luka Kane is dead, executed in front of a crowd of Alts who cheered despite the fact that the truth of their oppressive leaders had been revealed to them.

But one Alt, Chester “Chilly” Beckett, did not celebrate; his eyes have been opened to the truth. Luka’s corpse is dragged away, but Chester remains determined to find out what is going on in the Laboratory on the 65th floor.

There, he finds three subjects tortured in an attempt to extract a regeneration formula… and one of the subjects is, impossibly, a face he never thought he'd seen again. A bold escape sets in motion a race against time as Happy’s plans to release planet-eating nano-bots into the world draw nearer. The Loop team must reassemble, survive Happy’s final attempts to rid the world of the rebels, and figure out how to halt the apocalypse before humanity is destroyed.

Happy #Bookbirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! 

This week, there are EIGHT books on our lists publishing. However, due to when we received them, there are THREE still unreviewed. We'll get to them as soon as possible; we've listed only the FIVE we read below, to save confusion.

The Sky Over Rebecca by Matthew Fox

 

When mysterious footprints appear in the Stockholm snow, ten-year-old Kara must discover where they’ve come from – and who they belong to. The trail of footprints leads Kara to Rebecca, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl, and her younger brother Samuel. Kara realises they are refugees – from another time, World War Two – and are trying to find their way home.

The grief and loneliness that Rebecca and Samuel have endured is something Kara can relate to – feeling like you’re always on the outside looking in – and she finds herself compelled to help them escape. Through her eyes, we rediscover the magic that lies in the world around us, if only we have the courage to look for it.

Kara is a heroine for modern times: fragile but fierce, in this utterly compelling story from a stellar new voice in children’s literature, Matthew Fox.

#Bookpost

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received THREE lovely new books to read! As always you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

Gone Dark by Amanda Panitch

When seventeen-year-old Zara escaped her father’s backwoods survivalist compound five years ago, she traded crossbows and skinning hides for electricity and video games…and tried to forget the tragedy that drove her away.

Until a malware attack on the United States electrical grids cuts off the entire country’s power.

In the wake of the disaster and the chaos that ensues, Zara is forced to call upon skills she thought she’d never use again—and her best bet to survive is to go back to the home she left behind. Drawing upon a resilience she didn’t know she had, Zara leads a growing group of friends on an epic journey across a crumbling country back to her father’s compound, where their only hope for salvation lies.

But with every step she takes, Zara wonders if she truly has what it takes to face her father and the secrets of her past, or if she’d be better off hiding in the dark.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! Here's the roundup of this week on the blog.

Croke Park Mice: The Missing Referee by Ruth and Triona Croke and Audrey Dowling

Do you know the secret about Croke Park? When there are no games happening on the pitch, the Croke Park mice play their own games there! Right out in the middle of the pitch!

There are thirty-two mice, one from each county in Ireland. They live under the stands and watch every match from their tiny mouse holes. But on the day of the All-Ireland final, the referee is nowhere to be found! Can the Croke Park mice find the referee in time to save the day - and the match?

Run for your Life by Jane Mitchell

The first children’s book exploring Direct Provision, Ireland’s asylum-seeker accommodation system, from Jane Mitchell, the award-winning author of Chalkline and A Dangerous Crossing.

Azari’s life has been split in two and the halves are as different as lemons and mangoes. Running links the two parts of her life: sometimes when she runs it is because she wants to, because she feels strong and free. But sometimes it is because she has no other choice.

When Azari and her mother flee for their lives to Ireland they are put in a Direct Provision Centre. They must share a room with a stranger, eat food they don’t know the name of and answer intrusive questions from authorities.

Azari’s life has secrets; she must tell them so she can stop running and live a life where she can make her own decisions.

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are TWO books on our lists publishing.

Blog tour: Dread Wood by Jennifer Killick

It's basically the worst school detention ever. When classmates (but not mate-mates) Hallie, Angelo, Gustav and Naira are forced to come to school on a SATURDAY, they think things can’t get much worse. But they’re wrong. Things are about to get seriously scary.

What has dragged their teacher underground? Why do the creepy caretakers keeping humming the tune to Itsy Bitsy Spider? And what horrors lurk in the shadows, getting stronger and meaner every minute . . .? Cut off from help and in danger each time they touch the ground, the gang’s only hope is to work together. But it’s no coincidence that they're all there on detention. Someone has been watching and plotting and is out for revenge . . .

#Bookpost

Happy Tuesday, all! Let's get straight into the week's bookpost - there's a fair bit to get through! As always, you can click on the covers to find out more about the books.

The Quickening by Talulah Riley

Does the world seem right, to you?

Years ago, Dana Mayer had a vision of a better world: one where women are in charge. Now her manifesto, The Quickening, has established the rules for a new order, designed to elevate and protect women. A genteel and peaceful society that prioritises nature, good manners and aesthetics. Of course, in order for women to maintain control, the freedoms of men have been necessarily limited.

Arthur Alden loves Dana Mayer but hates the world she has created. But can he find a way to resist, without losing everything? And with Dana intent on making men pay reparations for their past crimes, can Arthur be allowed to live without punishment?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! The end of another week here on the blog. Here's your roundup in case you missed anything! 

Under the Heavens by Ruth Fox

Even the darkest secrets will come to light.

Bubbly social media star Hannah Monksman is captaining Seiiki and carrying the last of Earth’s whales to a new paradise planet. Viewers have been following Hannah’s journey, but what they don’t know is her true identity—Kim Teng who won her role as Caretaker with the help of underground operatives known as the Crusaders.

Kim forms a close bond with the whales in her care, and their mental Link allows conversation on the lonely spaceship. But when one of the whales, Adonai, begins acting strange, Kim begins to suspect that she is a pawn in a secret mission meant to ensure the whales never reach their destination. Or it may just be the isolation getting to her.

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake (spoilers in review)

A new Slayer for a new generation...

Frankie Rosenberg is passionate about the environment, a sophomore at New Sunnydale High School, and the daughter of the most powerful witch in Sunnydale history. Her mom, Willow, is slowly teaching her magic on the condition that she use it to better the world. But Frankie’s happily quiet life is upended when new girl Hailey shows up with news that the annual Slayer convention has been the target of an attack, and all the Slayers—including Buffy, Faith, and Hailey’s older sister Vi—might be dead. That means it’s time for this generation’s Slayer to be born.

But being the first ever Slayer-Witch means learning how to wield a stake while trying to control her budding powers. With the help of Hailey, a werewolf named Jake, and a hot but nerdy sage demon, Frankie must become the Slayer, prevent the Hellmouth from opening again, and find out what happened to her Aunt Buffy, before she’s next.

Get ready for a whole new story within the world of Buffy!

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are FOUR books from our various lists publishing.

The Normans by John Farrelly

You can't go far in Ireland without bumping into a flippin' castle. They're everywhere! There were thousands of castles of all shapes and sizes in Ireland. Because most of them are now in ruins, you'd be forgiven for thinking they're really ancient but they only started springing up in the late 12th century. That's just a dozen of your granda's lifetimes ago (or two dozen of your dad's lifetimes. Or seventy of yours. Or three hundred and forty of your pet hamster's.)

The latest book in the 'Deadly Irish History' series, The Normans is jam-packed with all kinds of interesting facts and stories about castle life. Highly illustrated with cartoons and comic strips, as well as illustrating how castles were built and what medieval fashions were like, it's also full of things to make and do, quizzes and puzzles.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! We recieved some books last week that we just couldn't wait for (because they were due so shortly, and also they're excellent) so we have reviewed them already! As always, you can click on each cover to get more information about each title, and for the two we've read already I've linked the reviews under the cover.

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

The season is about to begin—and there’s not a minute to lose.

Kitty Talbot needs a fortune. Or rather, she needs a husband who has a fortune. This is 1818 after all, and only men have the privilege of seeking their own riches.

With only twelve weeks until the bailiffs call, launching herself into London society is the only avenue open to her, and Kitty must use every ounce of cunning and ingenuity she possesses to climb the ranks.

The only one to see through her plans is the worldly Lord Radcliffe and he is determined to thwart her at any cost, especially when it comes to his own brother falling for her charms.

Can Kitty secure a fortune and save her sisters from poverty? There is not a day to lose and no one—not even a lord—will stand in her way...

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! We've had a fairly normal week on the blog. Find the roundup below in case you missed anything!

So This is Ever After by F T Lukens

Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next.

As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing.

With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong…until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along.

Blog tour: Nova's Blade by Will Scifi

THIRTY-TWO WOMEN. ONE ARENA. A BATTLE TO THE DEATH.

After a long war, corporations have replaced countries. Sports are fought to the death. The most popular game is Last Valkyrie, a live tournament where women kill each other for marriage into a powerful family.

For Nova, living in poverty with her mother and sister is a harsh reality that she cannot escape. But when she is kidnapped and forced to fight on the show, her world changes. If she refuses to fight, the bomb in her head goes off. Now winning means her freedom.

With death lurking at every moment, Nova has no idea if her next fight will be her last. But one thing she knows for certain: only one is making it out alive.

Perfect for fans of Hunger Games, The Selection, and The Princess Trials. You won't want to put down this exciting page-turner!

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday! This week we have TWO books from our lists publishing!

Trigger by N Griffin

Didi tries her best to be a good girl, but it’s hard to keep track of her father’s rules. When she wins a chess tournament, he’s angry she didn’t win with a better move and makes her run laps around the house. When she runs laps the next day, she has to keep running until she’s faster than the day before. When she’s skilled enough to outshoot him with both a gun and bow and arrow, he grows furious when she won’t then shoot a baby rabbit who crosses their path. And Didi can’t do anything to escape being threatened with the Hurt Stick when she misbehaves.

He’s all she has, he reminds her. They have to be prepared. They have to be prepared to fight the rest of the world, when the world comes to an end. He’s grooming her, to keep her safe. He loves Didi. He does—he says so! And so Didi runs harder; annihilates her opponents in chess; takes down a deer at a dead run. He’s grooming her, after all, to be the best…he says so.

#Bookpost

No new #bookpost this week! We're using the time to catch up on the backlog instead. And there will probably be new books next week!

The Hive by Scarlett Brade

SHOULD HE LIVE OR DIE? YOU DECIDE.

Charlotte Goodwin looks directly at the camera and reveals a chilling truth to the thousands watching her Instagram live broadcast. She has killed her ex-boyfriend's new partner in cold blood. But she is not finished yet. With bloodied hands she takes a calm sip of tea before continuing. Lincoln Jackson will now make his confession, then the viewers must vote to decide whether he should live or die.

The public display sends shockwaves rippling through the online community and the numbers of viewers skyrockets. But as Lincoln's past is revealed, how will he be judged?

Bonded by mutual tragedy, Charlotte's three best friends have supported each other through the soaring highs and devastating lows of their lives. Now, in Charlotte's hour of need, her friends also face a choice, whether to help her get away with murder.

The Hive explores our darkest fears of the relationship between social media and mental health, but, most importantly, the strength of sisterhood against all the odds.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! The weather is starting to get better, which is lovely. Makes things so much more cheerful. How is it where you are?

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough

In this twisty, mind-bending thriller from the bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes, Emma Averell worries that her crippling insomnia is a sign that she’s slowly going insane—like the mother she’s worked so hard to leave in her past.

Emma Averell loves her life—her high-powered legal career, her two beautiful children, and her wonderful stay-at-home husband—but it wasn’t always so perfect. When she was just five years old, Emma and her older sister went into foster care because of a horrific incident with their mother. Her sister can remember a time when their mother was loving and “normal,” but Emma can only remember her as one thing—a monster. And that monster emerged right around their mother’s fortieth birthday, the same age Emma is approaching now.

Emma desperately wants to keep her successful life separate from her past, so she has always hidden her childhood trauma. But then she’s unable to sleep, and now losing time during the day, also one of the first symptoms her mother showed. Is the madness in her blood, just as her mother predicted? Could she end up hurting her family in her foggy, frenetic state? Or is she truly beginning to lose her mind?

The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams by Shane Hegarty and Jeff Crowther

Limpet’s mum is opening an ice-cream shop, full of her favourite new flavours: mushroom and tuna ice cream, anyone? Roast parsnip and gravy?

Limpet’s not sure about this. He likes a nice, safe life. His favourite ice-cream flavour is vanilla.

But when wicked Mr Fluffy arrives with his Mega Emporium of Amazing and Spectacular Ice Creams, Limpet knows he’s got to fight back. And there are magic ingredients on his doorstep which can solve all his worries, if only he can get the recipe just right …

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are THREE books on our various lists...including two we only received last week!

Yesterday Crumb and the Storm in a Teacup by Andy Sagar

Yesterday Crumb is no ordinary girl. She was born with fox ears that have cursed her to a lonely life working in the circus and her origins are a complete mystery. But she is about to escape into the adventure of a lifetime when she learns that she’s a strangeling who’s lost her magic.

Taken in by Miss Dumpling the flamboyant tea witch, Yesterday is introduced to a magical, walking teashop filled with fantastical customers, a flying teapot turtle called Pascal and powerful spells in every teacup!

Yesterday starts to rediscover her magic and to feel a sense of belonging. But a mysterious figure of darkness is working hard to ensure her new life comes crashing down – and it all starts with a deadly shard of ice in Yesterday’s heart…

But there’s nothing that can’t be solved with a pot of tea, a slice of cake and a BIG dash of magic!

Baby Love by Jacqueline Wilson

A heartbreaking, compelling and timely story for older readers about teen pregnancy, family trouble and unlikely friendships, set in 1960.

When Laura meets a French exchange student, Leon, she is flattered by his interest in her. She's never had any sort of boyfriend before.

One night, Leon walks Laura home - and her life will never be the same again.

Things start to change for Laura - first her moods, and then her body. Laura isn't prepared for what she learns next - and doesn't even know how it could have happened.

When her family learns her secret, they are horrified. Sent away to save them from shame, Laura meets girls just like herself, whose families have given up on them - and they become a family for each other at the most difficult time in all their lives.

An emotional and moving tale for fans of Dear Nobody and Juno.

Not suitable for younger readers.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! We had a good week here on the blog, receiving FOUR new books - two of which publish this Thursday, so we'd better hurry!

The Witches' Wisdom Tarot by Phyllis Curott and Danielle Barlow

A brand-new tarot deck radiant with mystical energy by renowned American Wiccan Priestess Phyllis Curott and British Hedgewitch and artist Danielle Barlow.

The Witches' Wisdom Tarot brings users into the heart of what it means to be a Witch, a wise one who lives with reverence for the land, for life, and for the magic that flows through us.

The Witches' Wisdom Tarot is more than just a divination tool for Witches. Radiant with numinous energy and magical imagery, it is a doorway for everyone who wishes to encounter and understand the Sacred--in reals of Spirit, embodied by Nature, and residing within our hearts. Presented in a deluxe, large-size box, the cards are wrapped in an eco-friendly hessian bag alongside a comprehensive guidebook.

Best-selling Wiccan author Phyllis Curott and Hedgewitch Danielle Barlow journeyed for each of the images, spreads, and spells, seeking the divine wisdom of Mother Earth and diving deep beneath traditional archetypes and the ceremonial symbolism of the ubiquitous Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

The Minor Arcana reveal the primal sources of swords and wands, cups, and pentacles, drawing on the spiritual teachings of the elements. Each card immerses users in the beauty, wisdom, and embodied divinity of Nature and offers a mirror for them to recognize that they too are part of Nature. The Major Arcana will speak to users of any spirituality, age, race, or gender identity with culturally diverse mythological, archetypal, and sacred imagery, guiding them on their path of self-knowledge and purpose.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We had a nice week here on the blog. Here's the roundup for the week in case you missed anything.

Happytown must be Destroyed by James Harris

For fans of My Brother is a Superhero and The Demon Headmaster comes an outrageously funny story of brain control, friends, enemies and saving the world, even if you don’t really want to.

*From the award-winning writer of The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory*

Leeza’s parents are ordinary. Unfit, grumpy, a bit embarrassing. Totally normal, right?

Until today. Today they are jogging. Eating salads and enjoying them. Smiling all the time. They’re happy. Really, really happy. Who could complain about that?

Leeza, that’s who.

Because it looks like someone’s brainwashing everyone in town. Who’s going to save the world? Oh no! It looks like it might have to be Leeza.

OK then. Let’s do this. You coming?

Impossible/The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz

Meet Nick: Failed writer. Failed husband. Dog owner.

Meet Bee: Serial dater. Dress maker. Pringles enthusiast.

One day, their paths cross over a misdirected email. The connection is instant, electric. They feel like they've known each other all their lives.

Nick buys a new suit, gets on a train. Bee steps away from her desk, sets off to meet him under the clock at Euston station.

Think you know how the rest of the story goes? They did too . . .

But this is a story with more twists than most. This is Impossible.

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are FOUR books from our lists publishing.

The Great Fox Illusion by Justyn Edwards

Thirteen-year-old Flick Lions has won a place on a new television show, in which young people compete to win the legacy of The Great Fox, one of the world’s most famous magicians. But Flick isn’t interested in uncovering The Great Fox’s tired old magic tricks – she’s after something much more important. The magician destroyed her family, and this is Flick’s only chance to put things right. Inside the Fox’s house is a secret that will change the world of magic forever, and Flick will go to any lengths to find it.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! This was a much better week for new books and our TBRs are bursting once again. As always, you can click on the covers to learn more about each book.

Max Counts to a Million by Jeremy Williams

Do you like epic quests of amazing counting?

Do you dislike global pandemics, being stuck at home, and the number 7?

Then I have a story for you. It’s about how I counted to a million during lockdown – with help from Mum and Dad, friends and neighbours, and Grandad. And some birds. And a bucket of marbles. And an awesome TV reporter.

Sometimes, just keeping on going makes you a hero.

Eight-year-old Max is counting to a million. Normally, school or having anything interesting to do would get in the way, but school is shut and everyone has to stay home because the UK is in its first lockdown. Max’s dad works at the hospital and counting helps Max with missing him, but as the pandemic progresses and Max’s grandad journeys through his own battle with the virus, what starts as a distraction turns into record-breaking effort that brings Max’s community together.

Suitable for readers aged 7 up, this poignant, uplifting story reflects the experiences shared by so many during the Covid pandemic and celebrates how ordinary people accomplish epic things

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! Another normal, quiet week on the blog. Here's the roundup in case you missed anything.

The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux

No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they’ve always had in common is their love of a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira. So when the girls are tempted by a mysterious stranger to enter the world of the book, they hardly suspect it will work. But suddenly they are in the world of Moira, living among characters they’ve obsessed about for years.

Except…all is not how they remembered it. The world has been turned upside down: The lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs are now interlaced with unspeakable horrors. The girls realize that something dark is lurking behind their foray into fiction—and they will have to rewrite their own arcs if they hope to escape this nightmare with their lives.

Wulfie: A Ghostly Tail by Lindsay J Sedgwick

Libby’s stepmother Veronika wants to sell their house. But when Wulfie accidentally ends up inside the plumbing, she becomes convinced the house is haunted. Ever fame-hungry, Veronika invites the TV star JJ Moon and his crew to investigate the ghostly activity. If they think Wulfie is a ghost and Veronika becomes famous can Libby save her house and her best friend? Well with a best friend like Wulfie, anything can happen!

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday! This week there are SIX books on our various lists publishing.

This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel

Welcome to Wisewood. Where we keep your secrets, if you keep ours.

Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world—no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.

Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.

#Bookpost!...or rather lack of same

Happy Tuesday, all!

We did not receive any new books this week, but things are already looking better for next week and the occasional week with no new titles allows us to catch up a bit on our TBR! 

What did you get this week?