Hogwarts-a-thon TBR

For the whole of September (1st to 30th) I am going to be taking part in the Hogwarts-a-thon hosted by the lovely girls who run Lost Between the Covers.

I will leave a link to Georgi's post explaining it all here.

Without further ado onto my TBR...

Illumicrate Unboxing August 2019

In this post I am going to be unboxing the Illumicrate August 2019 box. (What follows will contain spoilers so please do not read if you don't want to know what is in the box)

The theme this month was Armed and Dangerous
Spoiler filled post under the cut

Fairyloot Unboxing August 2019

This is the unboxing of the August 2019 FairyLoot box. (What follows will contain spoilers so please do not read if you don't want to know what is in the box)

FairyLoot is a monthly book subscription box mainly focusing on fantasy YA and YA crossovers. Each month you receive a new release book, mostly hardback and 4-6 bookish items which fit in with the theme.

The theme this month was Things Are Not What They Seem

 (Spoiler filled post under the cut)

Review: Under A Dancing Star by Laura Wood

Details:

Title: Under A Dancing Star

Author: Laura Wood

Publisher: Scholastic

ISBN 13: 978-1407192406

Synopsis:

In grey, 1930s England, Bea has grown up kicking against the conventions of the time, all the while knowing that she will one day have to marry someone her parents choose - someone rich enough to keep the family estate alive. But she longs for so much more - for adventure, excitement, travel, and maybe even romance.

When she gets the chance to spend the summer in Italy with her bohemian uncle and his fiancee, a whole world is opened up to Bea - a world that includes Ben, a cocky young artist who just happens to be infuriatingly handsome too. Sparks fly between the quick-witted pair until one night, under the stars, a challenge is set: can Bea and Ben put aside their teasing and have the perfect summer romance?

With their new friends gleefully setting the rules for their fling, Bea and Ben can agree on one thing at least: they absolutely, positively will not, cannot fall in love...

A long, hot summer of kisses and mischief unfolds - but storm clouds are gathering across Europe, and home is calling. Every summer has to end - but for Bea, this might be just the beginning.

Review:

Owlcrate Unboxing August 2019

In this post I am going to be unboxing the August 2019 Owlcrate. (What follows will contain spoilers so please do not read if you don't want to know what is in the box)

Owlcrate is a monthly book subscription box from the USA. Each month you receive a brand new young adult novel and 3-5 bookish items along with exclusive goodies from the author.

The theme this month was Storms and Seas (Spoiler filled post under the cut)

Review: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Details:

Title: Sorcery of Thorns

Author: Margaret Rogerson

Publisher: Margaret K McEderry Books

ISBN 13: 978-1481497619

Synopsis:

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

Review:

Rockstar Book Tours: Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: A Crash of Fate Spotlight and Giveaway

Title: Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: A Crash of Fate

Author: Zoraida Cordova

Pub Date: August 6th 2019

Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press

Formats: Hardcover, ebook, audiobook

Pages: 352

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon USA, 

Izzy and Jules were childhood friends, climbing the spires of Batuu, inventing silly games, and dreaming of adventures they would share one day. Then, Izzy's family left abruptly, without even a chance to say goodbye. Izzy's life became one of constant motion, traveling from one world to the next, until her parents were killed and she became a low-level smuggler to make ends meet. Jules remained on Batuu, eventually becoming a farmer like his father, but always yearning for something more.

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About Zoraida

Photo credit: Sarah Younger

Zoraida Córdova is the award-winning author of the Brooklyn Brujas series and The Vicious Deep trilogy. Her short fiction has appeared in the New York Times bestselling anthology Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, and Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft. She is the co-editor of Vampires Never Get Old, a YA anthology forthcoming from Imprint/Macmillan in fall 2020. Her upcoming YA novels include Star Wars: A Crash of Fate (Disney/LucasFilm 2019) and Incendiary, book 1 in the Hollow Crown duology (Disney/Hyperion 2020). Zoraida was born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, New York. When she isn’t working on her next novel, she’s planning her next adventure.

Connect with Zoraida: Website  Instagram Twitter  Facebook  tumblr  YouTube  Goodreads

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Giveaway details - 

3 winners will receive a finished copy of STAR WARS GALAXY'S EDGE: A CRASH OF FATE, US Only.

Please click on this Rafflecopter Link

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Full Tour Schedule 

Week One:

8/5/2019- Kait Plus Books- Excerpt

8/5/2019- Careful of Books- Spotlight

8/6/2019- Country Road Reviews- Excerpt

8/6/2019- Lifestyle Of Me- Review

8/7/2019- Character Madness and Musings- Interview

8/7/2019- Moonlight Rendezvous- Review

8/8/2019- The BookWorm Drinketh- Excerpt

8/8/2019- A Bookish Dream- Review

8/9/2019- Do You Dog-ear?- Review

8/9/2019- Dani Reviews Things- Excerpt

Week Two:

8/12/2019- Eli to the nth- Review

8/12/2019- What A Nerd Girl Says- Review

8/13/2019- Jena Brown Writes- Review

8/13/2019- A Dream Within A Dream- Excerpt

8/14/2019- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

8/14/2019- Wishful Endings- Review

8/15/2019- FyreKatz Blog- Review

8/15/2019- Novel Novice- Excerpt

8/16/2019- Little Red Reads- Interview

8/16/2019- Book-Keeping- Review

July Wrap Up

In July 2019 I managed to read a total of 14 books.

Audiobooks -

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Narrated by Rebecca Soler
Length - 11h 21m
Star rating - 5 stars

As much as I loved Cinder I found I enjoyed Scarlet even more. I really adored her character and became very connected to her quickly. The stories are so clever and well thought out. They really are a joy to read. And I am loving listening to the audio versions, the narrator does an amazing job. 

Moroda by LL McNeil
Narrated by Georgie Leonard
Length - 12h 57m
Star rating - 4.5 stars

See full review

Queenslayer by Sebastien de Castell
Narrated by Joe Jameson
Length - 13h 4m
Star rating - 5 stars

This was a total comfort listen. I adore Joe Jameson's narration and combined with Sebastien de Castell's storytelling it make for the perfect listen. I still adored this book and love Kellen's story. 

 Cress by Marissa Meyer
Narrated by Rebecca Soler
Length - 15h 42m
Star Rating - 5 stars

Once again this book went well beyond my expectations - I love how well the stories connect together and flow so well. Cress herself was an adorable character and she definitely added a new perspective on events. Things are definitely hotting up in the overall story now!

Fairest by Marissa Meyer
Narrated by Rebecca Soler
Length - 5h 33m
Star Rating - 4 stars

I was advised to read this book before reading Winter, the final book in the Lunar Chronicles, and I am glad I did. This gives a lot of background information on Levana and was very interesting. I do believe by this point in the story she is irredeemable but it helped to understand her more. 

Novels  -

                             

The Squirrel Squire and the Tournament of Oaks by Erik DeLeo
Length - 110 pages
Star Rating - 3 stars

See full review

                                                                       

The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Length - 240 pages
Star Rating - 5 stars

I love how strong these books are, the characters are great and I was so pleased that this one focused on Silke as she was one of my faves from the first book. I was rooting for her the whole way through! 

          
                                                     

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
Length - 385 pages
Star Rating - 2 stars

I was so disappointed in this. The last 100 pages were especially confusing, I had no idea what was going on. Characters were flipping back and forth far too much to keep track of and plans were made then switched and then switched again. It was too much. Overall it was sadly a huge let down. I will not be reading the sequel. 

                              

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

Length - 416 pages

Star Rating - 3 stars

This was an odd one for me. There was aspects I liked but overall I didn't gel with it, I'm not sure if it was the writing or what but I didn't ever feel compelled to pick it up. The main character was difficult to like and she irritated me a lot. It was very forgettable and I have no interest in continuing the story. 

           

We Are Blood and Thunder by Lesia Lupo

Length - 400 pages

Star Rating - 4.5 stars

See full review

                 

One Way by SJ Morden

Length - 304 pages

Star Rating - 2 stars

This had such potential but it just fell really flat. I was never on the edge of my seat and I figured out very quickly who the killer was. There was no suspense but an over abundance of technical detail which wasn't needed. Sadly it became boring and uninteresting very quickly. Definitely not a good example of a decent scifi thriller. 

The Starlight Watchmaker by Lauren James

Length - 119 pages

Star Rating - 5 stars

See full review 

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Length - 453 pages

Star Rating - 5 stars

This was definitely one of my favourite reads of the year. The story was thoughtful and clever, the characters well developed and engaging and the setting was literally wonderful. I adored all our main characters and while I am happy with the ending I am also gutted this is a standalone as I would happily read more. 

          

                                                 Graphic Novels -

                             

Heartstopper vol 2 by Alice Osman
Length - 315 pages
Star Rating - 5 stars

This series never fails to make me smile. The story of Nick and Charlie is just so true, honest and sweet that I find myself completely absorbed in their lives. I adore them. 

                       

Review: We Are Blood and Thunder by Kesia Lupo

Details:

Title: We Are Blood and Thunder

Author: Kesia Lupo

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

ISBN 13: 978-1408898055

Synopsis:

In a city where magic is feared and the dead are worshipped, life is overshadowed by a powerful and devastating storm cloud.

One young woman is running for her life. Another is trying to return home. Both are looking for a place where they belong.

But what Lena and Constance don't realise is that the storm cloud binds them. Without it, neither can get what she desires.

Review:

Review: Moroda by LL McNeil

Details:

Title: Moroda

Author: LL McNeil

Publisher: LL McNeil

ISBN 13: 978-0995792203

Synopsis:

If one dragon burned the city of Niversai to the ground in a single night, how would we fare if a hundred besieged our world? Moroda s life is thrown into turmoil after she is publicly arrested her city is destroyed and she narrowly escapes the chaos on a sky pirate s airship. But she finds no salvation outside the blackened city walls; a vigilante from an exiled race has left a trail of destruction everywhere his growing army has travelled. With compulsion at his fingertips, he strengthens his hold over Linaria s people by stealing the power of dragons. It s only a matter of time before she, too, is forced to submit. With war nipping at her heels and danger lurking in her companions and adversaries, Moroda must quickly learn about herself, her world, and the dragons so intent on reducing it all to ash.

Review: