It's Monday! What Are You Reading #685, July 22nd

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #684
Teaser Tuesday #692
WWW Wednesday #692
WOW #688
Will the Time Come #685
Third Sentence Thursday #675
Random Reads #661
First Lines Friday #688
Book Blogger Hop #354

Monthly ARC's Update 81
The Reward Challenge Update #670
Wheel of TBR #217
How Well I Stuck to It #522
Wrote that Review Update #519

Week 29 Reviews:
The Hedgewitch of Foxhall

Killer View

Queen of Dreams

The Black Bird Oracle 

The Last Hour Between Worlds

The Blood is Love

The Stardust Grail

The Blacksmith Queen

The Princess Knight 

The Righteous

The Ruined

Betrayal Road 

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Update 39

Update 113 and Wrap Up

Update 40

Phase Out Your TBR: 

Update 14

Random:

Lyndall Clipstone Author Page

Mackenzie Reed Author Page

OK, so I got 39 posts in 7 days, it was a quiet week, I was recovering from getting my tongue tie cut. Plus my tablet still isn't fixed, which is annoying, but hopefully I get it back this week since they've had since last Monday to start actually repairing it. What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read whatever I want! 

Week 29 Review: Queen of Dreams

From Goodreads:

Three lovers with unbridled hope, uncanny dreams, and ancient powers join forces against the greatest evil in the world in a scorching fantasy by the authors of Consort of Fire.

Ash waited three thousand years for a consort who could break the Betrayer's chains. Instead of one lover, he found Sachi and Zanya—the primordial powers that embody creation and destruction, reborn as humans. Now, his ancient enemy has returned to threaten everything he loves.

In the wake of her dazzling manifestation, Zanya seethes with magic and restless energy. Her command of the Endless Void will be a potent weapon in the coming war. To harness it, she'll need to embrace the darkness within—but the scars of the past are holding her back.

Sachi's unprecedented connection to the Dream deepens, leading her beyond the veil of reality…and into the heart of the Betrayer's stronghold. Torn from her lovers, Sachi must use all her wit and cunning to survive the Betrayer's treacherous court. Because he doesn't simply want her. He covets the slumbering power she possesses—and plans to take it for his own.

Even if it ends their world.

My Review:
I really enjoyed being back in this world, being with these characters again, as they dealt with everything that happened in the last book! That they're all powers, and have to deal with the Betrayer, yeah, that's a big deal, and I loved watching it all unfold! 

The first book introduced us to this world, and these characters, and this book deepened our understanding of both. What with the truth out about them, and the threats that they're facing well, things got off to an excellent start that continued throughout the whole book! 

This trio of characters, I really loved together. But they're in a pretty precarious situation, especially Sachi, which had me worried for her, being in the clutches of the bad guy. I wasn't sure how she was going to get out of it, to survive it, if she would at all.

When this book started, it felt a bit more like a love V then a love triangle, both Ash and Zanya loved Sachi, and she loves both of them, but the relaitonship between Ash and Zanya wasn't at the same level, so I really enjoyed how it developed over the course of this book! 

This was so fantastic, and I need to read more by Kit Rocha! 

Author: Kit Rocha 
Series: Bound to Fire and Steel #2
Read: July 15th, 2024
Source: NetGalley  
Reason Why: Love their writing, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book and a WoW Book! 
Publisher: Montlake
Expected Publication: August 6th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Monthly ARC's Update 81

So I read my next book for Monthly ARC's and it was The Hedgewitch of Foxhall by Anna Bright from the March list, and Queen of Dreams by Kit Rocha from the August list.

Here's the link to this month's post with my journey.

How it Works: 

This is my monthly ARC accountability challenge, to list out the books that I have as ARC's that are being published in the coming month, rounding them up at the start of the month, and seeing how well I did at the end, as well as rounding up the next month's books.    

     

Waiting on Wednesday #687, July 10th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating!

Arkangel by James Rollins

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:
From the #1 New York Times master of international thrillers comes the story of a global hunt across the top of world, pitting nation against nation, as ancient myths of a lost continent prove all too real. The execution of a Vatican archivist within the shadow of the Kremlin exposes a conspiracy going back three centuries—to the bloody era of the Russian Tsars. Before his murder, he manages to dispatch a coded message, a warning of a terrifying threat, one tied to a secret buried within the Golden Library of Tsars, a vast and treasured archive that had vanished into history. As combative forces race for the truth behind this death and alarming discovery, Sigma Force is summoned to aid in the search—not only for this missing trove of ancient books, but to follow a trail far into the Arctic, to search for the truth about a lost continent and a revelation that could ignite a global war. But Sigma Force has its own difficulties at home after an explosive attack on the National Mall—one aimed at the heart of their covert agency—has left them vulnerable and exposed. The growing conflict—both on Russian soil and deep in the Arctic—will reignite a centuries-old war between the newly resurgent Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican, while sabers rattle across the nations of the Arctic Circle, threatening to turn those icy seas into a fiery conflagration. Facing enemies on all sides, it will be up to Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force to unravel a mystery going back millennia—and uncover the truth about a lost civilization and an arcane treasure that could save the planet…or destroy it.  

Cast in Atonement by Michelle Sagara

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

In the City of Elantra, only one holds the key to peace—or eternal darkness.

At the end of three long wars, Bellusdeo is the last of her kind, the sole surviving female Dragon in the City of Elantra. When she appears one evening on the doorstep of her former roommate, Corporal Kaylin Neya, her demeanor is dreadful—more so than what’s expected of the Dragons’ notoriously tempestuous temperament. Kaylin’s new roommate, Mrs. Erickson, is quick to see the reason for Bellusdeo’s despair—the eight ghosts of the Dragon’s dead sisters, chained to her and unseen. Pleading for release, revenge and, above all, peace.

Now Kaylin and Mrs. Erickson must embark on a perilous journey, from the hallowed halls of the Academia to the depths of forbidden magic, to confront the very essence of mortality itself. Can Kaylin help release the untapped power within Mrs. Erickson to save Bellusdeo’s sisters…or will unlocking the past plunge the realm into an unfathomable darkness forever?

Dark Restraint by Katee Robert

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:
Ariadne Vitalis is in trouble. She's betrayed her father―and his benefactor―and now she's left to rely on the questionable mercy of Olympus to keep her safe. As with everything in this city, mercy comes with a price. For Ariadne, that means a marriage to Dionysus. She has no choice but to agree, even if there's only one man she's ever wanted―a man she's feared just as much as she desires. The Minotaur never had any illusions about Minos's plans. He was willing to get his hands dirty as long as the old man kept his word―at the end of this, the Minotaur would be given Ariadne as a reward. Nowhere in that deal was her walking down the aisle to a different man. She's meant for him, and he means to have her. Ariadne knows better than to encourage the Minotaur. Her relationship with her new fiancé might be more friendship than burning passion, but she is all too aware of how much fiery passion can hurt. She and the Minotaur are no good for each other. She can never forgive him for what he's done, and he can never change. But when his hands are on her body and his wicked words are whispered in her ear, she might just be willing to let all of Olympus burn…

Fire and Bones by Kathy Reichs

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:
It’s never easy working fire scenes, Tempe thinks. Called to Washington, DC, to analyze the victims of a building set ablaze amid mysterious circumstances, she sees all her misgivings justified. The building site is in Foggy Bottom, a neighborhood with a colorful past and present, and the property’s ownership becomes even more suspicious when Tempe delves into its past. The pieces start falling into place strangely and quickly, and, sensing a good story, Tempe teams with a new ally, telejournalist Ivy Doyle. Soon the duo learns that back in the thirties and forties the home was the hangout of a group of bootleggers and racketeers known as the Foggy Bottom Gang. Though interesting, this fact seems irrelevant—until the son of a Foggy Bottom gang member is shot dead at his farm in Fairfax County, Virginia. Coincidence? Targeted attacks? So many questions. As Tempe and Ivy dig deeper, an arrest is finally made. Then another Foggy Bottom Gang-linked property burns to the ground, claiming one more victim. Slowly, Tempe’s instincts begin pointing to the somehow, her moves since coming to Washington have been anticipated in advance, and every path forward seems to bring with it a lethal threat.

Full Speed to a Crash Landing by Beth Revis

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Ada Lamarr may have gotten to the spaceship wreck first, but looter’s rights won’t get her far when she’s got a hole in the side of her ship and her spacesuit is almost out of air. Fortunately for her, help arrives in the form of a government salvage crew—and while they reluctantly rescue her from certain death, they are not pleased to have an unexpected passenger along on their classified mission.

But Ada doesn’t care—all that matters to her is enjoying their fine food and sweet, sweet oxygen—until Rian White, the government agent in charge, starts to suspect that there’s more to Ada than meets the eye. He’s not wrong—but he’s so pretty that Ada is perfectly happy to keep him paying attention to her—at least until she can complete the job she was sent to pull off. But as quick as Ada is, Rian might be quicker—and she may not be entirely sure who’s manipulating who until it’s too late…

A phenomenally fun novella that kicks off a trilogy of sexy space heists and romantic tension, Full Speed to a Crash Landing is packed with great characters and full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

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

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

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

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

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first.

The Pairing by Casey McQuiston

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Theo and Kit have been a lot of things: childhood best friends, crushes, in love, and now estranged exes. After a brutal breakup on the transatlantic flight to their dream European food and wine tour, they exited each other's lives once and for all.

Time apart has done them good. Theo has found confidence as a hustling bartender by night and aspiring sommelier by day, with a long roster of casual lovers. Kit, who never returned to America, graduated as the reigning sex god of his pastry school class and now bakes at one of the finest restaurants in Paris. Sure, nothing really compares to what they had, and life stretches out long and lonely ahead of them, but—yeah. It's in the past.

All that remains is the unused voucher for the European tour that never happened, good for 48 months after its original date and about to expire. Four years later, it seems like a great idea to finally take the trip. Solo. Separately.

It's not until they board the tour bus that they discover they've both accidentally had the exact same idea, and now they're trapped with each other for three weeks of stunning views, luscious flavors, and the most romantic cities of France, Spain, and Italy. It's fine. There's nothing left between them. So much nothing that, when Theo suggests a friendly wager to see who can sleep with their hot Italian tour guide first, Kit is totally game. And why stop there? Why not a full-on European hookup competition?

But sometimes a taste of everything only makes you crave what you can't have.

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm's Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

From the creator of the viral TikTok videos about the sunshine assistant to the evil villain and their unexpected romance comes the second book in the hotly-anticipated fantasy romance series.

Readers can't wait to get their hands on a

'I have never been so hyped for a book before '

'I will be buying this book so quickly even the dragon will be spooked!! '

'OMG finally!! I can't wait to have it in my hands!'

'As soon as it is out, I am going to run to buy it!! Cannot wait. '

' Giggling. Kicking my feet. I can't wait to read this! '

' I love this series so much , I've been hooked since the beginning. I'm so excited for the book .'

' I love Evie and the Villain so I NEED it .'

A Scandal in Mayfair by Katharine Schellman

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Sometimes danger lurks in plain sight, and in the cutthroat London Season socialite Lily Adler must race against time to catch a killer.

Fans of Bridgerton will delight in this Regency-era mystery featuring an intrepid sleuth, plenty of intrigue, and a touch of romance.

London, 1817. The London Season is beginning once more, and Lily Adler’s return to her home on Half Moon Street feels different this year. No longer a recent widow, she has a life and friends waiting for her. Lily also has new responsibilities in the form of her protégée Amelia, the sister of her longtime friend Jack Hartley, who is escaping her own brush with scandal and murder.

It doesn’t take long for Lily’s growing reputation as a lady of quality who can discreetly find what is missing or solve what is puzzling to bring a desperate young woman to her doorstep. But helping her means unraveling a tangled web of family secrets. Soon, a missing will, a dead body and the threat of blackmail leave Lily facing danger every way she turns. 

The glittering society of Mayfair conceals many secrets, and the back alleys of London hide even more. Lily Adler will need to find the connection between them quickly if she wants to stop a killer before it’s too late.

Queen of Dreams by Kit Rocha

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

Three lovers with unbridled hope, uncanny dreams, and ancient powers join forces against the greatest evil in the world in a scorching fantasy by the authors of Consort of Fire.

Ash waited three thousand years for a consort who could break the Betrayer’s chains. Instead of one lover, he found Sachi and Zanya—the primordial powers that embody creation and destruction, reborn as humans. Now, his ancient enemy has returned to threaten everything he loves.

In the wake of her dazzling manifestation, Zanya seethes with magic and restless energy. Her command of the Endless Void will be a potent weapon in the coming war. To harness it, she’ll need to embrace the darkness within—but the scars of the past are holding her back.

Sachi’s unprecedented connection to the Dream deepens, leading her beyond the veil of reality…and into the heart of the Betrayer’s stronghold. Torn from her lovers, Sachi must use all her wit and cunning to survive the Betrayer’s treacherous court. Because he doesn’t simply want her. He covets the slumbering power she possesses—and plans to take it for his own.

Even if it ends their world.

Ami by S. Jae-Jones

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:
When the Pillar blooms, the end of the world is not far behind. Li Ami was always on the outside—outside of family, outside of friendships, outside of ordinary magic. The odd and eccentric daughter of a former imperial magician, she has devoted her life to books because she finds them easier to read than people. Exiled to the outermost west of the Morning Realms, Ami has become the sole caretaker of her mentally ill father, whose rantings and ravings may be more than mere ramblings; they may be part of a dire prophecy. When her father is arrested for trespassing and stealing a branch from the sacred tree of the local monastery, Ami offers herself to the mysterious Beast in the castle, who is in need of someone who can translate a forbidden magical text and find a cure for the mysterious blight that is affecting the harvest of the land. Meanwhile, as signs of magical corruption arise throughout the Morning Realms, Jin Zhara begins to realize that she might be out of her element. She may have defeated a demon lord and uncovered her identity as the Guardian of Fire, but she’ll be more than outmatched in the coming elemental battle against the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons… unless she can find the other Guardians of Dawn. Her magic is no match for the growing tide of undead, and she needs the Guardian of Wood with power over life and death in order to defeat the revenants razing the countryside. The threat of the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons looms larger by the day, and the tenuous peace holding the Morning Realms together is beginning to unravel. Ami and Zhara must journey to the Root of the World in order to seal the demon portal that may have opened there and restore balance to an increasingly chaotic world.

Lady MacBeth by Ava Reid

Expected Publication: August 6th, 2024
From Goodreads:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ava Reid comes a reimagining of Lady Macbeth, Shakespeare’s most famous villainess, giving her a voice, a past, and a power that transforms the story men have written for her.

The Lady knows the stories: how her eyes induce madness in men.

The Lady knows she will be wed to the Scottish brute, who does not leave his warrior ways behind when he comes to the marriage bed.

The Lady knows his hostile, suspicious court will be a game of strategy, requiring all of her wiles and hidden witchcraft to survive.

But the Lady does not know her husband has occult secrets of his own. She does not know that prophecy girds him like armor. She does not know that her magic is greater and more dangerous, and that it will threaten the order of the world.

She does not know this yet. But she will.

Wow, the start of the month is just stacked in books that I'm so hyped for! I love these authors and the series, and I can't wait for these new releases! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Waiting on Wednesday #650, October 25th

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating! 
 

Shards of Glass by Michelle Sagara

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

The Academia, once an elite proving ground for the rulers of the world, has been frozen for centuries. Now its strange slumber has ended, and a new Chancellor, an orange-eyed dragon, has reopened its lecture halls and readied its dorms. In order to thrive once more, however, the Academia needs fresh blood—new students with a passion and talent for learning.

One such student, Robin, has the perfect recruit in his friend Raven, an orphan who lives in the dangerous Warrens. Robin grew up in the Warrens, and he wouldn't have made it if not for Raven. He knows she’ll be safe at the Academia, where her unusual gifts can be appreciated.

But when students start turning up dead, the campus threatens to collapse completely. Raven and Robin will not let that happen to their new home…if they can survive long enough to figure out who—or what—is trying to kill them.

The Endless War by Danielle Jensen

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

Newly crowned as king, Keris has watched powerless as his forbidden relationship with Zarrah is revealed. But when Zarrah is imprisoned by the Empress, Keris knows there is only one way to save to ally with the kingdom he nearly destroyed.

Imprisoned on the dreaded Devil's Island, Zarrah faces two prove her loyalty to the Empress who condemned her or die a traitor. Yet as she struggles to survive among violent prisoners, Zarrah uncovers a third a rebellion to overthrow tyranny entwined with a destiny she must fight to claim.

While the Empress plots a war with devastating consequences, Keris and Zarrah must find their way back to each other. Yet their greatest adversary is the fiery passion between them. Unless they overcome the bitterness of betrayal, their love will not be the bringer of peace but rather the fuel that turns the Endless War into an inferno.

A Dance of Smoke and Steel by Milla Vane

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

As Anumith the Destroyer's army draws nearer to the western realms, an alliance is forming to stand against him. The heir to the throne of Krimathe embarks upon a quest for the goddess Vela--a quest that the goddess has promised will give her strength enough to defeat the Destroyer.

All that Laina must do is to stay silent...and serve a man she has sworn to kill. A man who helped destroy her family.

The son of a demon warlord and only recently freed from years of torture, Saxen seeks to make amends to his people before facing the justice of the Krimathean queen's blade. When a mysterious, silent woman who wears a questing cloak joins his small band of warriors, he only wishes to rid himself of her.

But she isn't so easy to get rid of--and fulfilling her quest might come at a far higher cost than Laina could imagine. For she might gain the strength to defeat the Destroyer...but what she needs from Saxen will destroy him first.

A Grim and Sunken Vow by Ashley Shuttleworth

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

Arlo and her friends must decide how far they’re willing to go to depose a cruel ruler in this third book in the Hollow Star Saga that’s The Cruel Prince meets City of Bones .

The die is cast.

The era of Spring is over.

Riadne’s bloody coup on the Summer Solstice changed Arlo’s life forever. In one fell swoop and a fool’s bargain, she lost both her family and free will to the newly crowned High Queen. Now, with Arlo forced to use her powers as Luck’s Hollow Star to help summon the rest of the seven deadly sins, Riadne stands closer than ever to achieving her dark goals.

And Arlo isn’t the only one trapped in a frightening new role. Her ex-Fury girlfriend, Nausicaä, is determined to do whatever it takes to stay by Arlo’s side, even if that means becoming Riadne’s pet assassin. Aurelian and Vehan, torn apart, struggle to survive on their own.

Meanwhile, Celadon has been revealed as Riadne’s illegitimate son—and heir to both Spring and Summer, the ultimate offense in the faerie world. But the High Prince has secret plans of his own, plans made all the more complicated when the beautiful and deadly immortal Hunter Lethe takes an interest in him…

Five budding legacies will need more than luck if they hope to stand a chance against the greatest adversary the Courts have faced. For nothing’s more dangerous than a faerie tale… except the one who tells it, and maybe what they’re going to need is no longer that story’s hero but its villain .

Born to be Badger by Shelly Laurenston

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

The Honey Badgers are at it again in the New York Times bestselling and outstandingly witty, snarky, sexy, shape-shifting, world-building Honey Badger Chronicles. This time around, a family of clueless tiger shifter brothers have no idea how lucky they are to have caught the eye of three fierce honey badger females.

Emily “Tock” Meyerson-Jackson is on a mission to rid the world of shifters trafficking humans for hunting and cash. And now that she’s narrowed down her suspects to a brutal coalition of male lions, nothing will get between this honey badger and her prey—not even a dog-loving Tiger with absolutely no time management skills. Doesn’t matter that Shay Malone is ferociously adorable. With a war brewing between cat families, Tock doesn’t have time to lounge around with a football-playing tiger shifter. But when she realizes the coalition is also responsible for the death of Shay’s father, she’s forced to partner up with the flirtatious feline. . . .

 

Revenge is most definitely on the menu for Shay and his tiger shifter brothers. But when it comes to Shay’s alluring partner in crime-solving, so is seduction. Tock might be a bad-ass of a honey badger, but she’s awfully cute when she’s flashing her fangs, which she’s pretty much doing all the time these days. Good thing revenge is a dish best served hot. Because when it comes to Tock, Shay knows just how to turn up the heat. . . .

The Talk of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

She’s not here to make friends. She’s here to make trouble.

With her piercings, tattoos and spiky blond hair, Ellen Truesdale doesn’t quite fit in with the other folks in Coyote Canyon—and that’s just fine with her. She’s only here to put her father out of business, as payback for abandoning her when she was young.

Or is she more interested in finally proving that she was worth keeping?

Either way, she’s struggling to keep her rival well-drilling company afloat. And being a single woman in a male-dominated field has started to take a toll. So when Hendrix Durrant steps in to help, Ellen has no choice but to let him—even though he happens to be her father’s business partner and therefore her enemy. But the closer she works with him, the more she sees what she’s been missing…in life and love. And once she lets go of her anger long enough to learn the truth about her past, she might just find the family she’s always wanted.

Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

Infatuation. Reincarnation. Damnation.

Gem Echols is a nonbinary Seminole teen living in the tiny town of Gracie, Georgia. Known for being their peers’ queer awakening, Gem leans hard on charm to disguise the anxious mess they are beneath. The only person privy to their authentic self is another trans kid, Enzo, who’s a thousand long, painful miles away in Brooklyn.

But even Enzo doesn’t know about Gem’s dreams, haunting visions of magic and violence that have always felt too real. So how the hell does Willa Mae Hardy? The strange new girl in town acts like she and Gem are old companions, and seems to know things about them they’ve never told anyone else.

When Gem is attacked by a stranger claiming to be the Goddess of Death, Willa Mae saves their life and finally offers some answers. She and Gem are reincarnated gods who’ve known and loved each other across lifetimes. But Gem – or at least who Gem used to be - hasn’t always been the most benevolent deity. They’ve made a lot of enemies in the pantheon—enemies who, like the Goddess of Death, will keep coming.

It’s a good thing they’ve still got Enzo. But as worlds collide and the past catches up with the present, Gem will discover that everyone has something to hide.

The Kingdom of Sweets by Erika Johansen

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

Bestselling author of the Queen of the Tearling series, Erika Johansen, journeys to a new kingdom in this brilliant stand-alone novel—a darkly magical take on The Nutcracker where two sisters, cursed from birth, are forever changed one memorable Christmas. . . .

Light and dark—this is the destiny placed upon Natasha and Clara, the birthright bestowed by their godfather, the mysterious sorcerer Drosselmeyer. Clara, the favorite, grows into beauty and ease, while Natasha is cursed to live in her sister’s shadow. But one fateful Christmas Eve, Natasha gets her chance at revenge. For Drosselmeyer has brought the Nutcracker, an enchanted present that offers entry into a deceptively beautiful world: the Kingdom of Sweets.

In this land of snow and sugar, Natasha is presented with a power far greater than Drosselmeyer: the Sugar Plum Fairy, who is also full of gifts . . . and dreadful bargains. As Natasha uncovers the dark destiny laid before her birth, she must reckon with powers both earthly and magical, and decide to which world she truly belongs.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher 

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.

It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other.

They’re forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run-up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen's childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom's only lady knight, Bridget Leclair.

Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, Gwen and Art make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight, and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen's royal brother. Lex Croucher's Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love.

Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha 

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

From cult-favorite writing duo Kit Rocha comes a fiery novel set in a lush fantasy world brimming with ancient magic, dangerous secrets, and erotic connections.

For three thousand years, an ancient dragon god has protected the borders of the Sheltered Lands. In return, he makes only one demand: every one hundred years, the mortal ruler must send their heir to serve as his consort…for as long as they can survive.

Sachielle of House Roquebarre is the thirty-first consort to be sacrificed to the monster who guards the mountain passes. She is young, beautiful—and she has three secrets.

First: she’s a disposable orphan trained in seduction.

Second: her handmaid, Zanya, is an assassin and the only person she has ever loved.

Third—and most dangerous: she’s cursed. Sachi and Zanya have five weeks to murder the Dragon in his bed. If they fail, the mortal king’s curse will steal not just Sachi’s life, but her very soul.

The Dragon has only one secret: he is nothing like what they have been told. And he will do whatever it takes to possess them both.

A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley

Expected Publication: November 28th, 2023
From Goodreads:

Calladia Cunnington curses the day she met Astaroth the demon, but when he shows up memoryless, why does she find him so helpless . . . and sort of hot?

Calladia Cunnington knows she's rough around the edges, despite being the heir to one of small-town Glimmer Falls' founding witch families. While her gym obsession is a great outlet for her anxieties and anger, her hot temper still gets the best of her and manifests in bar brawls. When Calladia saves someone from a demon attack one night, though, she's happy to put her magic and rage to good use . . . until she realizes the man she saved is none other than Astaroth, the ruthless demon who orchestrated a soul bargain on her best friend.

Astaroth is a legendary soul bargainer and one of the nine members of the demon high council--except he can't remember any of this. Suffering from amnesia after being banished to the mortal plane, Astaroth doesn't know why a demon named Moloch is after him, nor why the muscular, angry, hot-in-a-terrifying-way witch who saved him hates him so much.

Unable to leave anyone in such a vulnerable state--even the most despicable demon--Calladia grudgingly decides to help him. (Besides, punching an amnesiac would be in poor taste.) The two set out on an uneasy road trip to find the witch who might be able to restore Astaroth's memory so they can learn how to defeat Moloch. Calladia vows that once Astaroth is cured, she'll kick his ass, but the more time she spends with the snarky yet utterly charming demon, the more she realizes she likes this new, improved Astaroth . . . and maybe she doesn't want him to recover his memories, after all.

Oh, yeah, the month is wrapping up with some really amazing reads, I love these authors and series, and I need these books to be out! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #637, August 21st

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week...and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well...you never know where that next "must read" book will come from!

What happened in the past week:

Weekly Memes:
It's Monday! What Are You Reading #636
Teaser Tuesday #644
WWW Wednesday #644
WOW #640
Will the Time Come #637
Third Sentence Thursday #627
Random Reads #613
First Lines Friday #640
Book Blogger Hop #306

23 Books to Read in 2023 Update 7

Monthly ARC's Update 46
The Reward Challenge Update #622
Wheel of TBR #169
How Well I Stuck to It #474
Wrote that Review Update #471

Week 33 Reviews:
ASAP

The Bleeding Dusk

This Winter

Solitaire 

What Monstrous Gods

A Touch of Gold

A Curse of Gold

Consort of Fire

To Charm a Dark Prince

When a Dragon Falls

Have You Seen My Sister?
Hellfinder

The Water Outlaws

For Better or Worse

Gilded

ARC August: 

Update 18

Update 19

Update 20
Update 21

Update 22

Update 23

Update 24

Update 25

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Update 51

Update 52

Update 53

Update 54

Update 55

Update 56

Update 57

Update 58

Update 59

Update 60

Update 61

Update 62

Update 63

Update 64

Update 65

Update 66

Random:

Tashie Bhuiyan Author Page

OK, so I got 53 posts in 7 days, it was a decent week, I read books that I was really excited for, and I can't wait for next week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read The Brothers Hawthorne and Tie Me Knot.

Four brothers. Two missions. One explosive read. Jennifer Lynn Barnes returns to the world of her #1 bestselling Inheritance Games trilogy, and the stakes have never been higher.  

 

Grayson Hawthorne was raised as the heir apparent to his billionaire grandfather, taught from the cradle to put family first. Now the great Tobias Hawthorne is dead and his family disinherited, but some lessons linger. When Grayson’s half-sisters find themselves in trouble, he swoops in to do what he does best: take care of the problem—efficiently, effectively, mercilessly. And without getting bogged down in emotional entanglements.

 

Jameson Hawthorne is a risk-taker, a sensation-seeker, a player of games. When his mysterious father appears and asks for a favor, Jameson can’t resist the challenge. Now he must infiltrate London’s most exclusive underground gambling club, which caters to the rich, the powerful, and the aristocratic, and win an impossible game of greatest stakes. Luckily, Jameson Hawthorne lives for impossible.

 

Drawn into twisted games on opposite sides of the globe, Grayson and Jameson—with the help of their brothers and the girl who inherited their grandfather’s fortune—must dig deep to decide who they want to be and what each of them will sacrifice to win.

So far, while working at a ghost matchmaking agency, the past week has gone 1) a murdered ghost bride who is very very pissed off (don’t blame her, I’d be pissed off too) 2) adopted by chinese hellhounds (I THOUGHT THEY WERE DOGS, OKAY) 3) wake up magically soul-bonded to the sexy demon slayer Zhen (While I agree he’s -expansive hand waving- HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!) I do not need a fourth incident to make my life more interesting, please and thank you. Spoiler I get one anyway.

Magically bonded, insta husband just add ghost, speed marriage?, ghost matchmaking, ghosts deserve love too, Kris might have accidentally been feeding Chinese hellhounds, oops?, chosen family, Kris and Zhen actually communicate, buying hardcovers is a marriage proposal, just ask Kris, demon slayer on crutches can still fight, as the bad guys find out, whole 

Week 33 Review: Consort of Fire

From Goodreads:

From cult-favorite writing duo Kit Rocha comes a fiery novel set in a lush fantasy world brimming with ancient magic, dangerous secrets, and erotic connections.

For three thousand years, an ancient dragon god has protected the borders of the Sheltered Lands. In return, he makes only one demand: every one hundred years, the mortal ruler must send their heir to serve as his consort…for as long as they can survive.

Sachielle of House Roquebarre is the thirty-first consort to be sacrificed to the monster who guards the mountain passes. She is young, beautiful—and she has three secrets.

First: she's a disposable orphan trained in seduction.

Second: her handmaid, Zanya, is an assassin and the only person she has ever loved.

Third—and most dangerous: she's cursed. Sachi and Zanya have five weeks to murder the Dragon in his bed. If they fail, the mortal king's curse will steal not just Sachi's life, but her very soul.

The Dragon has only one secret: he is nothing like what they have been told. And he will do whatever it takes to possess them both.

My Review:
Oh, I had a fantastic time reading this book! The whole concept sounded really great, and I had to learn more about these characters who were put in this situation, and of course this world that has a dragon in it! And it was so great to read! 

I've previously read one of their other books, which was a dystopia, but this book is a fantasy, so I was excited to see how they would tell this story! Reading about this world with this magic, was so riveting to read! I needed to know more! 

The whole set up with this dragon god, and the lady being sent to be his consort, and her handmaiden, and all of their secrets? I loved it and was intrigued, and had to keep turning the pages to see what this story would bring! Each piece of information, every moment of tension, I needed it! 

Wow, it was shocking, where this story went! That was such a impactful ending, all that came out of it, and definitely a cliff hanger in terms of where we left these characters! I need to know how it's going to resolve, what's going to happen next, all the details! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here! 

Author: Kit Rocha 
Series: Bound to Fire and Steel #1
Read: August 14th, 2023
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really great, and it's a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2023 Book! 
Publisher: Montlake
Expected Publication: November 28th 2023

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 52

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Consort of Fire which was for the prompt Dragon Riding License 1, and I'll be reading To Charm a Dark Prince next!

My Reading Journey:

Sanctuary With Kings by Kathryn Moon

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 1

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 2:40 PM

Pages Read: 512

Timeless by Josephine Angelini

Prompt Fulfilled: Conjuration D

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 6:12 PM

Pages Read: 410

Master of Souls by Rena Barron

Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies D

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 9:53 PM

Pages Read: 432

Naramauke by Lily Sparks

Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination D

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 10:39 PM 

Pages Read: 105

Steel Tide by Natalie C. Parker

Prompt Fulfilled: Impling

Started On: July 29th

Finished On: July 29th, 11:22 PM

Pages Read: 448

Stormbreak by Natalie C. Parker

Prompt Fulfilled: Impling

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 10:55 AM

Pages Read: 432

North and South, Part 1 by Gene Luen Yang, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Illustrated by Gurihiru 

Prompt Fulfilled: Spells & Incantations O

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 11:44 AM

Pages Read: 80

North and South, Part 2 by Gene Luen Yang, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Illustrated by Gurihiru 

Prompt Fulfilled: Spells & Incantations O

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 12:16 PM

Pages Read: 80

North and South, Part 3 by Gene Luen Yang, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, Illustrated by Gurihiru 

Prompt Fulfilled: Spells & Incantations O

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 1:10 PM

Pages Read: 80

Tomes Apprentice by Honor Raconteur

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 2

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 3:31 PM

Pages Read: 269

First of Tomes by Honor Raconteur

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 1

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 6:02 PM

Pages Read: 289

Master Tomes by Honor Raconteur

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 2

Started On: July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 8:16 PM

Pages Read: 268

The Secret Diamond Sisters by Michelle Madow

Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery O

Started On:July 30th

Finished On: July 30th, 11:23 PM

Pages Read: 384

How the Multiverse Got Its Revenge by K. Eason

Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination Q

Started On: July 31st

Finished On: July 31st, 10:23 AM

Pages Red: 416

A Game of Gods by Scarlett St. Clair

Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy D

Started On: July 31st

Finished On: July 31st, 1:29 PM

Pages Read: 592

Rogue Darkness by Dianne Duvall

Prompt Fulfilled: Impling

Started On: July 31st

Finished On: July 31st, 4:22 PM

Pages Read: 375

The Defiant by Lesley Livingston

Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription Q

Started On: July 31st

Finished On: July 31st, 7:41 PM

Pages Read: 416

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Prompt Fulfilled: Shapeshifting D

Started On: July 31st

Finished On: July 31st, 10:27 PM

Pages Read: 314

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion Q

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 9:46 AM

Pages Read: 368

Shards of Glass by Michelle Sagara 

Prompt Fulfilled: Elemental Studies Q

Started On: August 1st

Finished On: August 1st, 8:12 PM

Pages Read: 512

Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion Q

Started On: August 2nd

Finished On: August 2nd, 7:25 AM

Pages Read: 128

Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O

Started On: August 2nd

Finished On: August 2nd, 10:50 PM

Pages Read: 368

Masters of Death by Olivie Blake

Prompt Fulfilled: Psionics & Divination O

Started On: August 3rd

Finished On: August 3rd, 12:58 PM

Pages Read: 452

Decay Like Gold by Sara Raasch

Prompt Fulfilled: Spells & Incantations D

Started On: August 3rd

Finished On: August 3rd, 7:12 PM

Pages Read: 120

Mislaid in Parts Half-Known by Seanan McGuire

Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery Q

Started On: August 3rd

Finished On: August 3rd, 9:01 PM

Pages Read: 160

Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman

Prompt Fulfilled: Astronomy Q

Started On: August 4th

Finished On: August 4th, 9:36 AM

Pages Read: 384

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Prompt Fulfilled: Lore O

Started On: August 4th

Finished On: August 4th, 10:12 PM

Pages Read: 423

The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence

Prompt Fulfilled: Demonology O

Started On: August 5th

Finished On: August 5th, 10:09 PM

Pages Read: 639

The Other Merlin by Robyn Schneider

Prompt Fulfilled: Conjuration O

Started On: August 6th

Finished On: August 6th, 6:32 PM

Pages Read: 432

Spells Trouble by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration O

Started On: August 6th

Finished On: August 6th, 9:30 PM

Pages Read: 320

Omens Bite by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy Q

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 12:45 PM

Pages Read: 336

Hex You by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 3:25 PM

Pages Read: 320

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

Prompt Fulfilled: Animal Studies Q

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 5:03 PM

Pages Read: 185

That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming

Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy Q

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 7:21 PM

Pages  Read: 204

That Time I Got Drunk And Saved a Human by Kimberly Lemming

Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration O

Started On: August 7th

Finished On: August 7th, 9:51 PM

Pages Read: 243

Snow Place for Murder by Diane Kelly 

Prompt Fulfilled: Artificery D

Started On: August 8th

Finished On: August 8th, 10:12 PM

Pages Read: 320

The Silence of Bones by June Hur

Prompt Fulfilled: Conjuration Q

Started On: August 9th

Finished On: August 9th, 10:23 AM

Pages Read: 343

There Should Have Been Eight by Nalini Singh

Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion D

Started On: August 9th

Finished On: August 9th, 10:12 PM

Pages Read: 416

Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong

Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy O

Started On: August 10th

Finished On; August 10th, 10:21 AM

Pages Read: 528

Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong

Prompt Fulfilled: Alchemy Q

Started On: August 10th

Finished On: August 10th, 2:28 PM

Pages Read: 240

Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong

Prompt Fulfilled: Art of Illusion O

Started On: August 10th

Finished On: August 10th, 9:02 PM

Pages Read: 560

The Alchemists of Loom by Elise Kova

Prompt Fulfilled: Animal Studies O

Started On: August 11th

Finished On: August 11th, 9:54 AM

Pages Read: 398

Dragon Gods by Ava Richardson

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 1

Started On: August 11th

Finished On: August 11th, 5:55 PM

Pages Read: 368

Dragon Family by Ava Richardson

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 2

Started On: August 11th

Finished On: August 11th, 8:14 PM

Pages Read: 355

ASAP by Axie Oh

Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration D

Started On: August 12th

Finished On: August 12th, 4:01 PM

Pages Read: 352

The Bleeding Dusk by Colleen Gleason

Prompt Fulfilled: Shapeshifting O

Started On: August 12th

Finished On: August 12th, 9:13 PM

Pages Read: 384

This Winter by Alice Oseman

Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration O

Started On: August 12th

Finished On: August 12th, 10:34 PM

Pages Read: 144

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Prompt Fulfilled: Inscription O

Started On: August 13th

Finished On: August 13th, 12:20 PM

Pages Read: 400

What Monstrous Gods by Rosamund Hodge

Prompt Fulfilled: Lore Q

Started On: August 13th

Finished On: August 13th, 5:12 PM

Pages Read: 400

A Touch of Gold by Annie Sullivan

Prompt Fulfilled: Animal Studies O

Started On: August 13th

Finished On: August 13th, 8:35 PM

Pages Read: 320

A Curse of Gold by Annie Sullivan

Prompt Fulfilled: Restoration Q

Started On: August 14th

Finished On: August 14th, 10:55 AM

Pages Read: 352

Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha

Prompt Fulfilled: Dragon Riding License 1

Started On: August 14th

Finished On: August 14th, 9:16 PM

Pages Read: 398

To Charm a Dark Prince by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Prompt Fulfilled: Astronomy D

Started On: August 15th

Currently On: Page 0 of 305

Prompts Left: Inscription D, Spells & Incantations Q, Impling, Elemental Studies O, Shapeshifting O, Astronomy O, Restoration Q, Impling, Apothecary Keeper 1, Apothecary Keeper 2, Inscription O, Restoration Q, Lore D, Impling, Animal Studies D, Demonology O, Demonology Q, Demonology D, Restoration O, Impling, Impling, Dragon Riding License 2, Alchemy O, Lore O, Impling, Impling, Dragon Riding License 1, Dragon Riding Licence 2, Restoration Q, Impling, Impling, Dragon Riding License 1, Dragon Riding License 2, Shapeshifting Q, Psionics & Divination O, Impling

Read: 52

Pages Read: 17589