Showing posts with label Saara El-Arifi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saara El-Arifi. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Waiting on Wednesday #768, January 28th

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

Trust No One by James Rollins 
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling master of international intrigue comes a shocking new stand-alone thriller that thrusts a group of university students, falsely accused of murder, into a treacherous hunt across Europe, all to unlock the secrets buried within a centuries-old book that could change humankind forever.

Knowledge can be magic—until it falls into the wrong hands.

The ritualistic murder of a British professor at the University of Exeter points to a startling cast of  his own students. All are enrolled in a postgraduate program covering the history of witchcraft, folklore, and spiritualism.

All evidence points to Sharyn Karr—an American student. Prior to the professor’s death, he had thrust a centuries-old book upon her. It appears to be the handwritten and encrypted diary of an eighteenth-century mystic and occultist, the Comte de Saint-Germain. The professor begged her to keep the text safe, ending with a warning.

Trust no one.  

Such a responsibility forces her into cooperation with Duncan Maxwell, a fellow postgrad and the sixteenth in line to the British Crown. Already, Duncan has proven himself a savant with encryptions. Unfortunately, the pair clash at every level, but they both need one another. Especially when they discover the book’s opening   Herein lies the secret to my immortality. Come find me, if you dare.

As dark forces close upon the pair, she and her friends are forced to flee, pursued by law enforcement and hunted by a powerful cabal. In an explosive chase across Europe—from the Tower of London to Parisian chateaus to a fortress in the Italian Alps—Sharyn must learn the true secret hidden in Saint-Germain’s text. It will send her and the others across history and deep into the heart of one of the world’s greatest mysteries, a secret buried at the roots of Western Civilization, a discovery that could topple empires and change humanity forever.

For what lies at the end of Saint-Germain’s diary is as shocking as its opening words.

The Girls Before by Kate Alice Marshall
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
From the bestselling author of What Lies in the Woods, No One Can Know, and A Killing Cold, a new novel about a search & rescue expert, a kidnapped woman, and the lost girls who haunt them both.

There is a girl in a basement.
The door has stopped opening.
The light is gone.

Stranger is trapped in the dark, with only her imagination and the scribbles on the wall left by long-dead girls to keep her company. Nearly out of food and water, she makes one last attempt to escape. But if the door opens at last, will it mean salvation, or only the beginning of her fight to survive?

Audrey is a search and rescue expert who never stopped looking for her best friend, Janie, who disappeared when they were teenagers. Janie used to love the local legend of a forest witch who saves girls from bad men, but Audrey knows now that for every one saved, there's always another one lost.

When she stumbles upon evidence in the forest that a teenage runaway might have actually been kidnapped from land belonging to the town's most prominent family, she must dig through decades of secrets to reveal the biggest one of what happened to the girls before?

A Rose of Blood and Binding by Claire Legrand
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn, Claire Legrand, delights in this thrilling conclusion to the steamy, lush, and epic Middlemist trilogy, perfect for fans of Bridgerton and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

WAR IS RAGING IN EDYN.

The battered Middlemist can barely hold itself together. Olden monsters terrorize the land. The gods are awakening from their ancient slumber, but if the vengeful Kilraith destroys them, all will be lost. And it's up to the Ashbourne sisters—demigods, daughters of the goddess Kerezen—to stop him.

But the sisters are spread thin. Gemma and Talan travel the world in a desperate search for the gods. In the capital, Farrin and Ryder shelter countless refugees amid roiling unrest. And Mara Ashbourne, bound to the Middlemist and longing for a home she can never return to, is just trying to survive.

Every day is chaos as Mara battles invaders and fights to protect her fellow Roses. The presence of librarian Gareth Fontaine—assigned to aid the Roses' war efforts—doesn't help. Charming, brilliant, far too confident, and annoyingly reverent of the Roses—Mara most of all—he's a distraction Mara can't avoid or afford. Especially since she can see the shadows of Mhorghast brimming underneath his dazzling smile. Shadows of violence and shame that she knows all too well. Shadows that terrify her more than any monster.

As Mara and Gareth search the Old Country for Kilraith's final three curse-anchors, a slow-burning passion born of sorrow and solace sparks between them, one that could finally bring Mara to the very home she longs for…or drive her toward the dark fate she secretly craves, and bring both worlds crashing down alongside her.

Amari and the Metalwork Menace by B.B. Alston
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
The gripping fourth book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Supernatural Investigations series that began with Amari and the Night Brothers! 

Perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Nevermoor.

In the wake of the extreme losses to the Bureau during the war with Dylan Van Helsing and the magicians, Amari has stepped back from being a Junior Agent to spend the school year as a normal kid. But as she prepares to graduate eighth grade, she's faced with a Return to the Bureau and join the elite new Junior Special Agent Program, or retire for good—which would mean safety, but also losing her memories of the supernatural world.

But soon she finds that she may not have a choice. A deadly new curse is threatening both the supernatural and mortal worlds as, beneath their skin, people are slowly becoming machines—and losing their very humanity. And it's somehow related to the First Magician.

Hundreds of cases have been cropping up, with no cure in sight. And when the curse hits someone close to Amari, it's up to her to get to the bottom of this deadly mystery—even if it means trusting an old enemy.

The Beasts We Raise by D.L Taylor
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
"Full of compelling twists and high-stakes magic . . . a captivating romantic fantasy that had me rooting for the protagonists from the very [beginning]." —Kelly Andrew, New York Times-bestselling author of Your Blood, My Bones on The Beasts We Bury

Marry her enemy. Save her realm. Forsake her heart. The heart-shattering conclusion to this dark fantasy duology is perfect for fans of Adrienne Young, Tricia Levenseller, and Brigid Kemmerer.

Newly-appointed Prime Mancella is desperate to keep the peace within her realm and within herself. Having recently acquired the power to physically split into separate versions of herself, her identity is beginning to fracture—along with her land, which is on the brink of war. The only semblance of normalcy in her life is her budding romance with thief-turned-confidant, Silver. . . at least until the mysterious Prime Reltas arrives at her doorstep asking, or rather demanding, her hand in marriage.

If Mance wants to avoid a fight that will devastate her realm, she’ll have to consider the proposal. Even if it destroys Silver. But Mance isn't ready to give up just yet. Desperate to free herself from the betrothal, Mance must seek allyship from other Primes and learn to control her new magic. If she fails, her decision to refuse Reltas's proposal will implode the delicate state of affairs across the realms, setting off a catastrophic war—and shatter two hearts in the process.

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
Expected Publication: February 24th, 2026
From Goodreads:
YOU KNOW MY NAME, BUT YOU DO NOT KNOW ME.

Your historians call me seductress, but I was ever in love's thrall.

Your playwrights speak of witchcraft, but my talents came from the gods themselves.

Your poets sing of my bloodlust, but I was always protecting my children.

How wilfully they refuse to concede that a woman could be powerful, strategic, and divinely blessed to rule.

Death will silence me no longer.

This is not the story of how I died. But how I lived.

There's a bunch of great books coming out at the end of February, I love these authors and I can't wait to read them all! What about you guys? Happy reading! 

Monday, March 24, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #720, March 24th

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 #719
Teaser Tuesday #727
WWW Wednesday #727
WOW #723
Will the Time Come #720
Third Sentence Thursday #710
Random Reads #696
First Lines Friday #723
Book Blogger Hop #389
23 Books to Read in 2023 Update 18
The Reward Challenge Update #705
Wheel of TBR #252
How Well I Stuck to It #557
Wrote that Review Update #554

Week 12 Reviews:

Spring Into Reading-A-Thon: 

Roll of Reads Readathon: 

OK, so I got 32 posts in 7 days, and it was a good week, a slow, relaxed week, I read some amazing books, and I can't wait for this coming week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read Holy Terrors and Rebel in the Deep!

It's been nearly two years since Vanja brought down the cult she started, and she’s still paying the price. As the Pfennigeist, she bucks the law in order to help the desperate and haunt the corrupt all across the empire—and no matter what, she works alone.

But an impossible killer is tearing through royalty, and leaving Vanja's signature red penny on every victim. Suddenly the Pfennigeist is no longer a folk hero but a nightmare. When even the Blessed Empress falls, the empire's seven royal families must gather to elect her successor within a matter of weeks, or risk the collapse of reality itself… even though it puts every house in the killer’s sights.

Vanja tells herself she’s wading into the royalty’s vicious games only to save the name she made, and the loved ones also in jeopardy. But the Order of Prefects has also put their sharpest official on the case, the one who swore he'd always find Vanja—until she broke his heart. Journeyman Prefect Emeric Conrad may no longer be the boy Vanja knew, but they'll have to work together one last time to have any chance of surviving the deadly catastrophe coming for them all.

With bloody conspiracy, sinister magic, and old adverseries closing in, it will take everything Vanja has to save not just the people she loves, but the future she’s fought for. In this thrilling final chapter of the Indie Next series Little Thieves, New York Times-bestselling author Margaret Owen shows us the pain and beauty of choosing which demons to face, and which to forgive.
The rebellion's fight turns into a battle for their hearts aboard the next sexy fantasy romance from Katee Robert, the New York Times bestselling author of Hunt on Dark Waters.

Nox has been steadfastly working as a quartermaster for the rebellion for years. They don't ask for much in return, except for one crucial condition—their ex, the noble Lord Bastian, stays as far away from them as possible. To say things ended poorly between them is a gross understatement . . . and it's the only relationship Nox has never quite recovered from.

But now the rules have changed. Siobhan, the rebel leader, has emerged from hiding to tell Nox that Bastian's involvement in the rebellion has been discovered, and he's being taken to stand trial in the capital as a traitor. The fate of the entire rebellion now rests on Nox and Siobhan's ability to rescue Bastian from the Cŵn Annwn ship.

Saving Bastian is only the start of their hardships, as the trio is tracked by ferocious pirates across Threshold. And Nox's complicated relationships and entanglements with Bastian and Siobhan put not only their life at risk but their heart on the line.

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Week 12 Reviews: The Battle Drum, The Ending Fire


From Goodreads:
Murder. Secrets. Sacrifice: Three women seek the truth of the empire's past. And the truth they find has the power to ignite a war in the sequel to The Final Strife, the continuation of a visionary fantasy trilogy inspired by Africa and Arabia.

Anoor is the first blue-blooded ruler of the Wardens' Empire. But when she is accused of a murder she didn't commit, her reign is thrown into turmoil. She must solve the mystery and clear her name without the support of her beloved, Sylah.

Sylah braves new lands to find a solution for the hurricane that threatens to destroy her home. But in finding answers, she must make a decision, does she sacrifice her old life in order to raise up her sword once more?

Hassa's web of secrets grows ever thicker as she finds herself on a trail of crimes in the city. Her searching uncovers the extent of the atrocities of the empire's past and present. Now, she must guard both her heart and her land.

The three women find their answers, but they're not the answers they wanted. The drumbeat of change thrums throughout the world.

And it sings a song of war.

Ready we will be, when the Ending Fire comes,
When the Child of fire brings the Battle Drum,
The Battle Drum,
The Battle Drum.
Ready we will be, for war will come.

From Goodreads:
Rebellions are like fires—something needs to burn to make a flame. Return to the Wardens' Empire in this riveting conclusion to the visionary fantasy trilogy inspired by the mythology of Africa and Arabia.

The Wardens' Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the Truthsayer is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.

Across the sea, the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond's role as major general sees him training soldiers for combat, but matters of the heart will prove to be the hardest battlefield.

The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor's doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam will set off on their last voyage—and few expect to return.

Do you feel it? Cresting the horizon? The darkness drawing in, the shadows elongating . . .

The Ending Fire comes.

My Review:
I absolutely loved reading these books! I really enjoyed the first one, and I was so excited to see where the rest of the trilogy would go! I really came to love these characters, and following along on their continued adventure was amazing! 

The first book set up the world, but it also told us how it was lying. I wasn't sure if there weren't going to be more lies hidden that hadn't come to light yet, but I was eager to find out, not to mention to see the results after the truth came out to some.


Loved reading these books, and I can't wait to read more by Saara El-Arifi! 

Author: Saara El-Arifi
Series: The Ending Fire Trilogy #2, 3
Read: March 15th, 16th, 2025
Source: Bought, Ebook.bike 
Reason Why: Love her writing and this series, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Books, and The Ending Fire is a End of Series 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: May 23rd 2023, September 10th 2024

The Battle Drum:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars








The Ending Fire:
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 20

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was The Ending Fire which is for the prompt Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2, and I'll be reading I Don't Know next! 

My Reading Journey:
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event
Started On: January 18th
Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM
Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Prompt Fulfilled: Title has J, Q, X, Z-X
Started On: January 21st 
Finished On: January 21st, 9:41 PM
Pages Read: 554

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled:  Last Letter First
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Surrender of the Brutal King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 4:31 PM
Pages Read: 205

Sacrifice of the Brave King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 8:26 PM
Pages Read: 289

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest
Prompt Fulfilled: Big Book
Started On: January 28th
Finished On: January 28th, 9:47 PM
Pages Read: 752

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: All 5 Vowels In Title
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Prompt Fulfilled: 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 4:27 PM
Pages Read: 583

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: Exactly 2 POVS
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 8:42 PM
Pages Read: 336

Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney
Prompt Fulfilled: Excited For
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Dragon King by Penelope Barsetti
Prompt Fulfilled: Favorite Color
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 11:41 PM
Pages Read: 436

Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 11:46 AM
Pages Read: 449

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 416

Chaos King by Kacen Callender
Prompt Fulfilled: BIPOC Rep
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 9:31 PM
Pages Read: 400

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler
Prompt Fulfilled: Building
Started On: March 1st
Finished On: March 1st, 7:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

Shadow's Heart by Kresley Cole
Prompt Fulfilled: Pub In Last 3 Months
Started On: March 8th
Finished On: March 8st, 6:41 PM
Pages Read: 386

Lessons With the Mothman by Kathryn Moon
Prompt Fulfilled: 6 Or More Colors
Started On: March 12th
Finished On: March 12th, 7:58 PM
Pages Read: 295

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1
Started On: March 15th
Finished On: March 15th, 10:25 PM
Pages Read: 560

The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2
Started On: March 16th 
Finished On: March 16th, 9:17 PM
Pages Read: 512

Prompts Left: Want To Visit, Single POV, Rep, Nature, Backlist, Animal, New, Random Number, In Progress, Adapted, Colour Cover, Complete, Free, People, Trilogy, 5 Or More Books, Multi POV, Small Book, Cozy, TBR Vet, LGBTQIA+ Rep, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Starts & Ends With Same Letter, 3 Or More POVS, Translate, In Progress, Wheel Spin 1, Wheel Spin 2, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Finish A Series, Poll Pick, Disability Rep, TBR Vet By Pub Date, 5 Or More Books 1, 5 Or More Books 2, 5 Or More Books 3, 5 Or More Books 4, 5 Or More Books 5, Birthday Month, Black & White Cover
Books Read: 20
Pages Read: 8473

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 19

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was The Battle Drum which is for the prompt Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1, and I'll be reading The Ending Fire next! 

My Reading Journey:
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event
Started On: January 18th
Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM
Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Prompt Fulfilled: Title has J, Q, X, Z-X
Started On: January 21st 
Finished On: January 21st, 9:41 PM
Pages Read: 554

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled:  Last Letter First
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Surrender of the Brutal King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 4:31 PM
Pages Read: 205

Sacrifice of the Brave King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 8:26 PM
Pages Read: 289

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest
Prompt Fulfilled: Big Book
Started On: January 28th
Finished On: January 28th, 9:47 PM
Pages Read: 752

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: All 5 Vowels In Title
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Prompt Fulfilled: 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 4:27 PM
Pages Read: 583

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: Exactly 2 POVS
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 8:42 PM
Pages Read: 336

Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney
Prompt Fulfilled: Excited For
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Dragon King by Penelope Barsetti
Prompt Fulfilled: Favorite Color
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 11:41 PM
Pages Read: 436

Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 11:46 AM
Pages Read: 449

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 416

Chaos King by Kacen Callender
Prompt Fulfilled: BIPOC Rep
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 9:31 PM
Pages Read: 400

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler
Prompt Fulfilled: Building
Started On: March 1st
Finished On: March 1st, 7:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

Shadow's Heart by Kresley Cole
Prompt Fulfilled: Pub In Last 3 Months
Started On: March 8th
Finished On: March 8st, 6:41 PM
Pages Read: 386

Lessons With the Mothman by Kathryn Moon
Prompt Fulfilled: 6 Or More Colors
Started On: March 12th
Finished On: March 12th, 7:58 PM
Pages Read: 295

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1
Started On: March 15th
Finished On: March 15th, 10:25 PM
Pages Read: 560

The Ending Fire by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2
Started On: March 16th 
Currently On: Page 0 of 512

Prompts Left: Want To Visit, Single POV, Rep, Nature, Backlist, Animal, New, Random Number, In Progress, Adapted, Colour Cover, Complete, Free, People, Trilogy, 5 Or More Books, Multi POV, Small Book, Cozy, TBR Vet, LGBTQIA+ Rep, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Starts & Ends With Same Letter, 3 Or More POVS, Translate, In Progress, Wheel Spin 1, Wheel Spin 2, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Finish A Series, Poll Pick, Disability Rep, TBR Vet By Pub Date, 5 Or More Books 1, 5 Or More Books 2, 5 Or More Books 3, 5 Or More Books 4, 5 Or More Books 5, Birthday Month, Black & White Cover
Books Read: 19
Pages Read: 7961

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Phase Out Your Seriesathon Update 18

So I've read my next book for the Phase Out Your Seriesathon, and it was Lessons With the Mothman which is for the prompt 6 Or More Colors, and I'll be reading The Battle Drum next! 

My Reading Journey:
Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong
Prompt Fulfilled: Features Major Event
Started On: January 18th
Finished On: January 18th, 2:28 PM
Pages Read: 441

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Prompt Fulfilled: Title has J, Q, X, Z-X
Started On: January 21st 
Finished On: January 21st, 9:41 PM
Pages Read: 554

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled:  Last Letter First
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Surrender of the Brutal King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 1
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 4:31 PM
Pages Read: 205

Sacrifice of the Brave King by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 1 Book 2
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 8:26 PM
Pages Read: 289

The Dryad Storm by Laurie Forest
Prompt Fulfilled: Big Book
Started On: January 28th
Finished On: January 28th, 9:47 PM
Pages Read: 752

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: Finish
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: All 5 Vowels In Title
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

The Bond That Burns by Briar Boleyn
Prompt Fulfilled: 75% Cover Must Be Fav Color
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 4:27 PM
Pages Read: 583

Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert
Prompt Fulfilled: Exactly 2 POVS
Started On: February 13th
Finished On: February 13th, 8:42 PM
Pages Read: 336

Charming Devil by Rebecca Kenney
Prompt Fulfilled: Excited For
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 2:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

The Dragon King by Penelope Barsetti
Prompt Fulfilled: Favorite Color
Started On: February 14th
Finished On: February 14th, 11:41 PM
Pages Read: 436

Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: No If, Of, And, An, But, Or, The
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 11:46 AM
Pages Read: 449

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 3 Book 1
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 2:41 PM
Pages Read: 416

Chaos King by Kacen Callender
Prompt Fulfilled: BIPOC Rep
Started On: February 19th
Finished On: February 19th, 9:31 PM
Pages Read: 400

Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me by Django Wexler
Prompt Fulfilled: Building
Started On: March 1st
Finished On: March 1st, 7:17 PM
Pages Read: 384

Shadow's Heart by Kresley Cole
Prompt Fulfilled: Pub In Last 3 Months
Started On: March 8th
Finished On: March 8st, 6:41 PM
Pages Read: 386

Lessons With the Mothman by Kathryn Moon
Prompt Fulfilled: 6 Or More Colors
Started On: March 12th
Finished On: March 12th, 7:58 PM
Pages Read: 295

The Battle Drum by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 1
Started On: March 
Currently On: Page 0 of 560

Prompts Left: Want To Visit, Single POV, Rep, Nature, Backlist, Animal, New, Random Number, In Progress, Adapted, Colour Cover, Complete, Free, People, Trilogy, 5 Or More Books, Multi POV, Small Book, Cozy, TBR Vet, LGBTQIA+ Rep, Title has J, Q, X, Z-J, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Q, Title has J, Q, X, Z-Z, Starts & Ends With Same Letter, 3 Or More POVS, Translate, In Progress, Wheel Spin 1, Wheel Spin 2, Series You Avoid 1, Series You Avoid 2, Finish A Series, Poll Pick, Disability Rep, TBR Vet By Pub Date, 5 Or More Books 1, 5 Or More Books 2, 5 Or More Books 3, 5 Or More Books 4, 5 Or More Books 5, Trio Of Trilogies Trilogy 2 Book 2, Birthday Month, Black & White Cover
Books Read: 18
Pages Read: 7401

Monday, March 10, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #718, March 10th

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 #717
Teaser Tuesday #725
WWW Wednesday #725
WOW #721
Will the Time Come #718
Third Sentence Thursday #708
Random Reads #694
First Lines Friday #721
Book Blogger Hop #387
Monthly ARC's Update 109
The Reward Challenge Update #703
Wheel of TBR #250
How Well I Stuck to It #555
Wrote that Review Update #552

Phase Out Your Seriesathon: 
Update 17

Magical Readathon: Orilium: 

Spring Into Reading-A-Thon: 

Roll of Reads Readathon: 

Random:

OK, so I got 35 posts in 7 days, and it was a pretty good week, I read some really good books, and I have some ones that I'm really looking forward to this week! What about you guys? Happy reading!

So this week I want to read The Executioners Three, Go Luck Yourself, Writing Mr. Wrong!

From New York Times bestselling author Susan Dennard comes The Executioners Three, a mystery filled with rivalry, romance, best friends, and a gruesome curse that dates back centuries.

Freddie Gellar didn't mean to get half the rival high school arrested. She'd simply heard shrieks coming from the woods, so she'd called the cops like any good human would do. How was she supposed to know it was just kids partying?

Except the next day, a body is found. And while the local sheriff might call it suicide, Freddie's instincts tell her otherwise. So, like the aspiring sleuth (and true X-Files aficionado) she is, Freddie sets out to prove there's a murderer at large.

But her investigation is quickly disrupted by the rivalry between her school and the school of the partying teens she got arrested. For over twenty years, the two student bodies have had an ongoing prank war, and Freddie's failed attempt at Good Samaritanism has upped the ante. Worse, the clever—and gorgeous—leader of the rival prank squad has set his sights on Freddie.

As more pranks unfurl, more bodies also start piling up in the forest. But it's the supernatural warning signs around town, each plucked straight from an old forgotten poem called "The Executioners Three," that worry Freddie the most. She knows the poem and its blood curse can't be real, but she's quickly running out of time to prove it.

Because the murderer—or executioners?—knows she's onto them now, and their next target just might be Freddie.
It's enemies to lovers in this sexy and delightful holiday mash up that pairs the spare prince of Christmas with the crown prince of St. Patrick's Day!

Someone has been stealing Christmas's joy, and there's only one clue to the culprit—a single shamrock.

With Coal busy restructuring Christmas—and their dad now having a full midlife crisis in the Caribbean—Kris volunteers to investigate St. Patrick's Day. His cover: an ambassador from Christmas to foster goodwill. What could go wrong?

Everything, it seems. Because Prince Lochlann Patrick, Crown Prince of St. Patrick's Day, happens to be the mysterious student that Kris has been in a small war with at Cambridge. They attempt to play nice for the tabloids, but Kris can't get through one conversation without wanting to smash Loch's face in—he's infuriating, stubborn, loud, obstinate, hot—

Wait—hot?

Kris might be in some trouble. Especially when it turns out that the mystery behind Christmas's stolen magic isn't as simple as an outright theft. But why would a Holiday that Christmas has never had contact with, one that's always been the very basis of carefree, want to steal joy? Can a spare prince even hope to unravel all this, or will Kris lose something way more valuable than his Holiday's resources—like his heart?
The #1 New York Times bestselling author delivers a fun romantic comedy about a woman reconnecting with her high school ex after writing him into her latest romance book. 
Gemma hasn't written in years, but post-divorce, she dove back into writing romance. When her proposal didn't sell, she became convinced it was because no one wanted her nice-guy heroes and decided to write and absolute Mr. Wrong…based on her first crush, Mason Moretti, now a star hockey player. She's sure no one will make the connection between her highland laird and an NHL enforcer. Of course, someone does, and her secret is out. 

Mason is going through some drama of his own as an aging hockey player, and when his "reunion-cute" with Gemma goes viral, he proposes some media-worthy fake dating to help her book. Which is so sweet and not at all to help solve his own image problem. Gemma reluctantly agrees. Mason convinces Gemma to go away with him so she can finish her overdue second book while giving him anti-asshole lessons. And if he really just wants to get time away with her, that's not an bad move, right? Or is it? 

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Week 10 Review: The Final Strife

From Goodreads:
Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.
Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.
Clear is the blood of the slaves, of the crushed, of the invisible.

Sylah dreams of days growing up in the resistance, being told she would spark a revolution that would free the empire from the red-blooded ruling classes' tyranny. That spark was extinguished the day she watched her family murdered before her eyes.

Anoor has been told she's nothing, no one, a disappointment, by the only person who matters: her mother, the most powerful ruler in the empire. But when Sylah and Anoor meet, a fire burns between them that could consume the kingdom—and their hearts.

Hassa moves through the world unseen by upper classes, so she knows what it means to be invisible. But invisibility has its uses: It can hide the most dangerous of secrets, secrets that can reignite a revolution. And when she joins forces with Sylah and Anoor, together these grains of sand will become a storm.

As the empire begins a set of trials of combat and skill designed to find its new leaders, the stage is set for blood to flow, power to shift, and cities to burn.

My Review:
This was a fantastic read! I've really enjoyed her other series, and I've heard great things about this one, and now that this series has been fully published, I can basically read this as close together as my plans can manage, and I hope I do, because this was so great, and I need to read more!

I'd never read the synopsis, I've heard a verbal one from Becca at Becca and the Books, which is accurate. I had made assumptions though, that Embers hadn't noticed the switch, and that a lot of the blue-blooded children were being raised as Embers. Nope, they were found out, and they were almost all killed, besides Anoor, who was in the household of a Warden who didn't want to show weakness. So it was a different book then I'd imagined, but it was just as good a story! 

Sylah has been slowly deteriorating since she accidentally got her group of rebels killed, and lost her purpose. That she has a chance to reclaim it, but it ends up going awry, that wasn't great. But I loved her and Anoor, watching as Sylah trained Anoor, as their relationship developed.    

Oh, but the secrets and the lies about the history of the country! The atrocities that have been committed because of those secrets...it hurts. I mean, there was always something a little fishy about it, but the extent, and what the truth was? Oh, that hurt! 

Loved reading this book, and I can't wait to continue on with this series! 

Author: Saara El-Arifi
Series: The Ending Fire Trilogy #1
Read: March 7th, 2025
Source:  Bought/Library
Reason Why: Love her writing and it sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2025 Book! 
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: June 23rd 2022
5/5 Hearts
5/5 Books
5/5 Stars

Friday, March 7, 2025

Roll of Reads Readathon Update 2

So I read my next book for Roll of Reads Readathon, and it was The Final Strife which was for the prompt Host fav, and I'll be reading Go Luck Yourself next! 

My Reading Journey:

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
Prompt Fulfilled: Australian Author 1
Started On: March 6th, 
Finished On: March 6th, 9:54 PM
Pages Read: 432

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Host fav
Started On: March 7th
Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 640

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch
Prompt Fulfilled: Recently Acquired
Started On: March 
Currently On: Page 0 of 320

Prompts Left: Friend or Family Picks, Favourite Genre, Pretty Cover, LGBTQIA+ Rep, Mental/Physical Health Rep, Retelling/Mythology Inspired, Out of Comfort Zone, Australian Author 2 
Read: 2
Pages Read: 1072

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 17

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was The Final Strife which was for the prompt 3A Find New Friends, and I'll be reading What Wakes the Bell next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Prompt Fulfilled: 1D
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM
Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM
Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1E
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Prompt Fulfilled: 1A
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North
Started On: February 8th
Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM
Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South
Started On: February 9th
Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 15th
Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM
Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East
Started On: February 20th
Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM
Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East
Started On: February 21st
Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM
Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 
Started On: February 23rd
Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM
Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword
Started On: March 2nd
Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM
Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand
Started On: March 6th
Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM
Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends
Started On: March 7th
Finished On: March 7th, 11:48 AM
Pages Read: 640

What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch
Prompt Fulfilled: 3D Match Sundial
Started On: March 
Currently On: Page 0 of 336

Prompts Left: 3C Try New Food, 3B Enjoy Solitude, 3D Inspect Well
Read: 17
Pages Read: 7112

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Roll of Reads Readathon Update 1

So I read my first book for Roll of Reads Readathon, and it was The Heart of the World which was for the prompt Australian Author 1, and I'll be reading The Final Strife next! 

My Reading Journey:

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
Prompt Fulfilled: Australian Author 1
Started On: March 6th, 
Finished On: March 6th, 9:54 PM
Pages Read: 432

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: Host fav
Started On: March 7th
Currently On: Page 0 of 640

Prompts Left: Friend or Family Picks, Favourite Genre, Pretty Cover, LGBTQIA+ Rep, Mental/Physical Health Rep, Retelling/Mythology Inspired, Out of Comfort Zone, Australian Author 2, Recently Acquired 
Read: 1
Pages Read: 432

Magical Readathon: Orilium Update 16

So I read my next book for Magical Readathon: Orilium, and it was Nine Goblins which was for the prompt 3C Bring Wand, and I'll be reading The Final Strife next! 

My Reading Journey:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 22nd
Finished On: January 22nd, 4:28 PM
Pages Read: 355

Hearts that Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 11:31 AM
Pages Read: 336

The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter
Prompt Fulfilled: 1D
Started On: January 25th
Finished On: January 25th, 3:45 PM
Pages Read: 544

The Party by Natasha Preston
Prompt Fulfilled: 1C
Started On: January 27th
Finished On: January 27th, 10:53 AM
Pages Read: 352

Return of the Vengeful Queen by C.J. Redwine 
Prompt Fulfilled: 1E
Started On: January 30th
Finished On: January 30th, 11:04 AM
Pages Read: 400

I Am the Dark that Answers When You Call by Jamison Shea
Prompt Fulfilled: 1B
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 2:00 PM
Pages Read: 336

Vilest Things by Chloe Gong
Prompt Fulfilled: 1A
Started On: January 31st
Finished On: January 31st, 6:36 PM
Pages Read: 416

The Half King by Melissa Landers
Prompt Fulfilled: 2A North
Started On: February 8th
Finished On: February 8th, 7:28 PM
Pages Read: 512

Tell Me No Lies by A.V. Geiger
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South
Started On: February 9th
Finished On: February 9th, 6:48 PM
Pages Read: 330

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 15th
Finished On: February 15th, 9:18 PM
Pages Read: 545

Gabriel's Redemption by Sylvain Reynard 
Prompt Fulfilled: 2B West
Started On: February 16th
Finished On: February 16th, 3:26 PM
Pages Read: 496

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan
Prompt Fulfilled: 2E South East
Started On: February 20th
Finished On: February 20th, 6:47 PM
Pages Read: 496

Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Prompt Fulfilled: 2D North East
Started On: February 21st
Finished On: February 21st, 9:15 PM
Pages Read: 384

Rule of the Aurora King by Nisha J. Tuli
Prompt Fulfilled: 2C South 
Started On: February 23rd
Finished On: February 23rd, 10:50 PM
Pages Read: 514

Steel by Carrie Vaughn
Prompt Fulfilled: 3B Bring Sword
Started On: March 2nd
Finished On: March 2nd, 10:32 PM
Pages Read: 309

Nine Goblins by T. Kingfisher
Prompt Fulfilled: 3C Bring Wand
Started On: March 6th
Finished On: March 6th, 7:13 AM
Pages Read: 147

The Final Strife by Saara El-Arifi
Prompt Fulfilled: 3A Find New Friends
Started On: March 7th
Currently On: Page 0 of 640

Prompts Left: 3D Match Sundial, 3C Try New Food, 3B Enjoy Solitude, 3D Inspect Well
Read: 16
Pages Read: 6472

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Saara El-Arifi Author Page

The Story: I saw Becca from Becca and the Books read The Ending Fire Trilogy, and it sounded good. So while that's not what I first picked up, Faebound, and I loved it, and the sequel, and I can't wait to read more by Saara El-Arifi!  

Website

Series: The Ending Fire Trilogy, Faebound.



Stand Alone's: Cleopatra and her site, my review.

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Waiting on Wednesday #716, January 29th

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

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong
Expected Publication: February 18th, 2025
From Goodreads:
New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Haven’s Rock in Cold as Hell as Casey Butler hunts down a dangerous killer during a deadly blizzard.

Haven’s Rock is a sanctuary town hidden deep in the Yukon for those who need to disappear from the regular world. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family now that they’ve settled into their life here. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing, including her worried husband, stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven’s Rock.

When one of the town's residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she’s dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven’s Rock, covering the forest. It’s there they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman's last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust—and who they can't—in their seemingly safe haven.

A Dragon of Black Glass by James Rollins
Expected Publication: February 18th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The third book in the New York Times bestselling Moonfall series from thriller-master James Rollins, A Dragon of Black Glass is a tale of relentless adventure and the struggle for survival in a harsh world that hangs by a thread.

With the apocalyptic threat of moonfall looming ever closer, Nyx and her allies must venture into the eternally sunblasted lands to search for an ancient weapon buried untold millennia ago. All the while, enemies close upon her flanks, and a greater danger lurks ahead. For beneath a desert turned to glass, hidden from the scorching heat, life thrives—both wondrous and monstrous. But a more fearsome menace lies even deeper, where an ancient army has been seeded to protect a secret from any who dare seek it out.

Yet, can Nyx truly trust those at her side? Can she trust herself? For while her gift of bridle-song grows ever stronger, so does the danger of losing herself to a dark madness. Worst yet, the same afflicts Bashaliia, her winged and bonded brother.

Elsewhere, a looming war explodes across the Crown, forging new alliances and greater enmities, as lands around the globe are drawn into fiery conflict. Prince Kanthe—now consort to the newly crowned Empress of the Southern Klashe—must accept a mantle that poorly suits to become a traitor to his own people. In that role, he quickly recognizes a hard truth. To save the world, he must destroy all that he once loved.

Beyond such struggles, a new cunning peril smolders at the heart of a kingdom. Hidden in the Shrivenkeep of the Iflelen, an ancient bronze weapon has been awoken. Fed by blood, fueled by hatred, it has only one to end all life on Urth.

But in this goal, will Nyx prove to be its ally or foe?

Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli
Expected Publication: February 18th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The stakes are even higher in this epic, romantic conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Crimson Moth duology

A WITCH...
Rune Winters is on the run. Ever since the boy she loved, Gideon Sharpe, revealed who she was and delivered her into enemy hands, everyone wants her dead. If Rune hopes to survive, she must ally herself with the cruel and dangerous Cressida Roseblood, who’s planning to take back the Republic and reinstate a Reign of Witches—something Cressida needs Rune to accomplish.

A WITCH HUNTER...
Apparently it wasn’t enough for Rune to deceive Gideon; she’s now betrayed him by allying herself with the witch who made his life a living hell. Gideon won’t allow the Republic to fall to the witches and be plunged back into the nightmares of the past. In order to protect this new world he fought for, every last witch must die—especially Rune Winters.

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE...
When Rune makes Gideon an offer he can’t refuse, the two must pair up to accomplish dangerous goals. The more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more Gideon realizes the feelings he had for Rune aren’t as dead and buried as he thought. Now he’s faced with a terrible sacrifice the girl he loves to stop a monster taking back power, or let Rune live and watch the world he fought so hard for burn.

In Kristen Ciccarelli's Rebel Witch, the exciting conclusion to The Crimson Moth duology, love has never been so deadly.

Cursebound by Saara El-Arifi
Expected Publication: February 18th, 2025
From Goodreads:
United by war.
Betrayed by destiny.
Cursed by love.

Yeeran was born for war but is unprepared for love. She has left her new lover, the Queen of the fae, to return to her homeland, only to find that her former lover now threatens war against the fae.

Left behind, her sister Lettle is determined to break the curse that binds the fae to their realm. When a stranger appears in the city, Lettle is convinced he’s the key. But the Fates that once spoke to her have fallen silent.

Can Lettle and Yeeran discover the secret behind the curse—and unite these two worlds before they destroy each other?


Wooing the Witch Queen by Stephanie Burgis
Expected Publication: February 18th, 2025
From Goodreads:
In a Gaslamp-lit world where hags and ogres lurk in thick pine forests, three magical queens form an uneasy alliance to protect their lands from invasion…and love turns their world upside down.

Queen Saskia is the wicked sorceress everyone fears. After successfully wrestling the throne from her evil uncle, she only wants one thing: to keep her people safe from the empire next door. For that, she needs to spend more time in her laboratory experimenting with her spells. She definitely doesn’t have time to bring order to her chaotic library of magic.

When a mysterious dark wizard arrives at her castle, Saskia hires him as her new librarian on the spot. “Fabian” is sweet and a little nerdy, and his requests seem a little strange – what in the name of Divine Elva is a fountain pen? – but he’s getting the job done. And if he writes her flirtatious poetry and his innocent touch makes her skin singe, well…

Little does Saskia know that the "wizard" she’s falling for is actually an Imperial archduke in disguise, with no magical training whatsoever. On the run, with perilous secrets on his trail and a fast growing yearning for the wicked sorceress, he's in danger from her enemies and her newfound allies, too. When his identity is finally revealed, will their love save or doom each other?

The Fox and the Falcon by Piper C.J.
Expected Publication: February 18th, 2025
From Goodreads:
The next book in a spellbinding new urban fantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation Piper CJ.

The Apocalypse begins with love and a lie...

Marlow has spent most of her life believing the shadowy demon she loves isn't real. Not only is he the living, breathing Prince of Hell, but he is now in serious danger. Their reunion is cut short as Caliban remains in a vicious battle with a Phoenician goddess after Marlow's escape. To save him, Marlow must venture into her ancestors' domain for help―the Norse Pantheon―where shared blood is no guarantee of an alliance and the line between gods and beasts blurs.

Major players from even more realms team up in the ever-growing war between Heaven and Hell, and it will be up to Marlow to determine friend from foe to get Caliban back and save her world as she knows it. No one said the games of gods would be easy, but Marlow is prepared to sacrifice everything to save the one she loves.

A group of books from authors that I absolutely love, and series that I've enjoyed, and I can't wait for them all to be out, since I've read and loved most of them! What about you guys? Happy reading!