book review: *the bone spindle by leslie vedder

A gender-swapped take on sleeping beauty, with a splash of magic, queer-rep characters and a budding romance - my pants were well and truly charmed off by our adventuring trio.

"A drop of blood, a drop of hope. The sleep of death broken with a single kiss."

Book Title: The Bone Spindle

Publishing Date: 3 February 2022

Social Medias: @leslievedder

★★★★★

Fi is a bookish treasure Hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn’t believe in true love. Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the North who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls and doing things her own way. Briar Rose is a Prince under a sleeping curse, who’s been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him. Cursed Princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi— until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin.. 

book review: *full wire by j.r.mcmenemie

"Eyes are hard to grow. 

You can't just order one like you would a liver or a new set of kidneys."

Book Title: Full Wire

Publishing Date: 26 January 2022

Social Medias: @cheshire_cactus @literallypr @indienovella

★★★★

On Saturday, May 20th, 2186, Jani Joutsen has her immersive implant forcibly removed, and her friend Pierre has his broken in a seemingly motiveless bar fight during a normal alcohol and drug fuelled evening.

With no connection to the wire, the pair are contacted by a mysterious fugitive criminal offering assistant, but the situation quickly deteriorates, and the three are caught in a race for survival against the police and the black market. 

january's blind book haul

One of my bookish goals for this year was to continue to use my local library and although I’ve been using my library primarily to reserve books that I see online, I do also love browsing the shelves and just spending some time in there. 

When just going in to have a look, you really never know what you’re going to find! From older books you’ve not heard of, or genres you hadn’t previously browsed - it's always nice to go in without an idea of what you want and just see where your mood takes you. 

book review: *chef's kiss by jarrett melendez

This graphic novel was everything I needed to start my new year right, it was incredibly wholesome, relatable and the art style is wonderful!

Book Title: Chef's Kiss

Publishing Date: 01 March 2022

Social Medias: @JarrettMelendez / @Karibu_Draws / @HankJonesColors / @OniPress

★★★★★

After graduating from school, Ben has been having a tough time finding a writing job when he stumbles across a ‘We’re Hiring’ sign in the window of a local establishment and decides to take the plunge into something entirely new. Navigating his parents disapproval, an awkward new boss, and his friends feeling left out - we’re along for the ride while Ben's path starts to become much less clear.

2022 in bookish (a goal or two)

Towards the end of 2021, I really rekindled my love of reading regularly and found myself immersing once again in the bookish community and honestly I love it here. 

I’ve been a reader my whole life but, with everything going on in the world, I made a pact with myself to learn to slow down and take more time for simply enjoying my own company. With that, comes a lot of reading! I have taken this reading journey and given myself a couple of goals for what I’d like to achieve (bookishly) in 2022.

book review: *these hollow vows by lexi ryan

This book had me absolutely smitten, I devoured it within two sittings as I just didn’t want to pull myself away. After having struggled with another book on and off for a couple of weeks (and having to DNF it, my first ever!) I welcomed the familiar feeling of a magical world with open arms.

Book Title: These Hollow Vows
Publishing Date: 20 July 2021
Social Medias: @WriterLexiRyan / @HodderBooks 

★★★★☆

From New York Times best-selling author Lexi Ryan, this sexy, action-packed fantasy is about a girl who is caught between two treacherous faerie courts and their dangerously seductive princes.

Brie hates the Fae and refuses to have anything to do with them, even if that means starving on the street. But when her sister is sold to the sadistic king of the Unseelie court to pay a debt, she'll do whatever it takes to get her back—including making a deal with the king himself to steal three magical relics from the Seelie court.

Gaining unfettered access to the Seelie court is easier said than done. Brie's only choice is to pose as a potential bride for Prince Ronan, and she soon finds herself falling for him. Unwilling to let her heart distract her, she accepts help from a band of Unseelie misfits with their own secret agenda. As Brie spends time with their mysterious leader, Finn, she struggles to resist his seductive charm.

Caught between two dangerous courts, Brie must decide who to trust with her loyalty. And with her heart. 

book review: *a dark and hollow star by ashley shuttleworth

As soon as I spotted this book, I was drawn in. There's something about a badass character with wings and a damn sword that just screams 'Vee, you're gonna need to read this'. Then comes the blurb - an LGBTQ+ fantasy about faeries? Okay, don't tell me any more, just give me it.  

Book Title: A Dark and Hollow Star

Publishing Date: 25 February 2021

Social Medias: @PaperAshes / @HodderBooks 

★★★★☆

The “ironborn” half-fae outcast of her royal fae family.

A tempestuous Fury, exiled to earth from the Immortal Realm and hellbent on revenge.

A dutiful fae prince, determined to earn his place on the throne.

The prince’s brooding guardian, burdened with a terrible secret.

a bookish roundup: 2020

Things have definitely been a bit crazy over the last year, but it’s given me time to indulge in my love of reading again. My own, personal way to escape everything that's going on.

Throughout the latter half of 2020 I managed to read some note-worthy books, so I wanted to do a quick roundup of a handful that've suck with me (and dip my toes very slowly back into reviews). 

I'll try to keep them spoiler free, but please do proceed with caution!