Harrowhark Nonagesimus from Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
p.s.: again took, some artistic liberties, mainly with colours because im still not a fan of working with greys and blacks so i went with deep bloody red and a deep burgundy for her hair which i reallyyyy like how it rendered out all together. i also changed the design of her bone collar/necklace because i had fun playing around with it and her bone earrings, again, sorry for the sacrilege
This book is Alexis Hall at his finest in my opinion. While I adore his historical romance books and more fantasy/fantastical tales there is just something so strong about his contemporary romances. The banter, the characters, the heart of it all.
In regards to the 🎧 audiobook narration- Will Watt brought such an extra wonderfulness to an already wonderful story. From the bright undertones of Sam to the uncertainty and hesitation of Jonathan he truly encapsulated so many feelings for these characters in his tones and inflictions. His accent really brings the whole thing together as well and makes the conversations and humor pop that much more.
This book is laced with the specific type of heart that only Alexis Hall seems to deliver for me. These characters had me laughing out loud one minute and wanting to cry the next. This book truly felt like making friends with the characters and rooting for them along the way to what you hope will be a HEA.
I honestly took my time over these last two days listening to it in increments because I just didn't want it to end. I would sell my soul for a second story of these two and I really hope Alexis and the publishers make that happen. (Please give Alexis all the money/permission so he can write more Sam and Jonathan!)
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Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBTQ+, Retellings, Gothic
This book is a perfect embodiment of the vibes of Sleepy Hollow (the Tim Burton film) and old-school creature flicks like The Wolfman!
We follow Emile, an orphaned 17-year-old marquis who is in hiding awaiting his 18th birthday in 6 months. The goal is to lie low so his wicked aunt can't use nefarious ways to steal his fortune before he is of age to claim it for himself. The plan is pretty fool-proof and he plants himself as a servant in the Montoni family household to wait the 6 months out.
What Emile doesn't realize, however, is that by putting himself with THIS specific family, he has also become an unwilling party in the dark, dangerous and disturbing series of events to come.
This book is so incredible and exactly my type of style. From the gothic scenery and setting, the eerie mystery and mildly disturbing events, to the delicious love "triangle" between Emile, Henri (red) and Brams (grey). I just couldn't put it down! I was eager for every new chapter to unravel more of the mystery of what was going on and to see if our dear Emile would be able to keep himself safe from what was lurking in the night. I found myself completely enamored with all of the main characters and had moments I was stressed out, worried, angry and even happy. It really was a rollercoaster lol.
🎧 The audiobook is extremely well done. The narrator has a wonderful voice that gives life to all the individual characters and really sells the chill throughout the book.
If you're a fan of Sleepy Hollow or stories/themes that have that classic Victorian era gothic gloom, then this is the book to read! It's YA so it does hold back in some areas, but I don't think that takes away from the enjoyment of it at all!
Please check the TW for your safety/comfort before reading ♥
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The other post I've been forgetting, embarrassingly, to make, is this! Our winning pin design was B, and US residents who preorder Painted Devils can submit their receipts here for the pin! It's going to be hard enamel on dark nickel, and I'm really excited for how it's looking. You can preorder from any of these fine outlets:
Third Place Books, my local indie, and I will be able to sign + personalize these!
Bookshop dot org
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
(Still getting the final list of participating stores for the indie-exclusive print, but hopefully soon! And if your local indie says they've reached out to Macmillan, you're probably set.)
We are in the final stretch, folks! You have until 11:59 pm tonight (EST, I think, to be safe?) to submit your preorder receipt and get a pin! I just got a bunch from my publisher and they came out SO GOOD, the dark nickel catches light really well but at the right angle Ragne just VANISHES except for those two beady eyes. IT'S GREAT.
Incredibly charming and filled with all the right notes to make a wonderfully cozy and magical story.
This book is like the perfect blend of Practical Magic and House in the Cerulean Sea. I've seen other's make that same comparison and it was the reason I added this book to my TBR in the first place as I adore both of those titles. The comparison is spot on and this book if pumped full of the same charm that drew me to both of those titles.
Every single character was enjoyable and when I looked up a fancast that used Simone Ashley and Jamie Dornan for Mika and Jamie I was even more sold as I pictured them all throughout the audiobook. Theyre a perfect fit in my mind!
I loved this one to say the least. From start to finish it kept me entertained, invested and I was sad that it ended. I would love a second book to see how theyre doing though I know thats unlikely (wishful thinking really lol).
🎧 Audiobook: the narrator has done a fantastic job! Every character has such a unique feel and I love how she did the different accents for them. Very beautiful voice and calming to listen to!
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Hello everyone! I am finally able to share the March wrap-up for book box books. There were quite a few delays for March which have also affected April but I am watching for book arrivals so I can make these and share them as quickly as possible.
Please be sure to check out all the lovely bookstagram accounts responsible for the gorgeous photos I've featured! You can find them tagged on the direct Insta post ♥
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Magic, Historical Fiction
The hype around this one is well deserved! Rebecca Ross has a beautiful way of writing that really sinks you in to the story and makes it almost impossible to put it down. Divine Rivals is pumped full of plot with a very special magic connecting rivals-to-lovers Iris and Kitt in the midst of a growing war between two gods.
Iris is a fantastic protagonist. She is strong willed, smart/clever and despite her hardships and loneliness in life she is always looking out for others. Iris is the type of person you would be lucky to have as a trusted friend when crap hits the fan because you could always count on her in every way. She is independent but doesnt fall in to any of the usual clichés that make a YA protagonist too much for me. I really loved her and was rooting for her every step of the way!
Kitt and Iris have a perfect rivals-to-lovers setup. Gunning for the same position at their cities newspaper while also secretly being in love with one another gives us plenty of build up that feels natural for their characters and the story at play. They come from very different lives and their independent knowledge and ambitions pair perfectly with one another, two halves to a whole.
The pacing was very well done in my opinion. We werent quickly rushed in to anything and were given proper details for all the things we need to know regarding the war and the world we're in. Nothing felt like it was moving slowly either which is tricky when providing lore.
Overall I think this book is fantastic and everyone should read it! The ending had me clenching my kindle for dear life and now I have to painfully await book 2 (which I absolutely NEED as quickly as possible).
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Genres: LGBTQ+, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, New Adult
An absolute hidden gem that deserves way more attention!
I was gifted a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review
To Drive the Hundred Miles is absolutely fantastic. The writing is so easy to fall in to that I nearly forgot I was reading a story and wasn't just existing in a friend's world. The struggles Will faces with family, identity, acceptance and love are so very close to home. As someone who is also from a small town with a lot of "small town" thinkers it can be exhausting to be the one responsible for helping them/teaching them/etc. about different ways of life, love and society. It can be so draining on a persons mental and physical health to constantly be stuck in a state of almost-acceptance where people expect you to hand them everything on a silver platter instead of putting in some of the work for themselves. Will is a strong but flawed character from an upbringing that makes his identity that much more difficult for those around him back home to accept and while they 'try' (in their minds) they very clearly dont put in the right kind of effort to understand a loved one.
This is a story with a strong message that so many members of the LGBTQ+ community can relate to and for a quick little read it packs quite a punch.
The only fault I have with this story is that is wasn't longer. I would love to see how things progress in Will's life with his family and relationship; but overall I think it told the story it was meant to tell in a very strong and beautiful way.
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It's no secret to anyone that FT Lukens is one of my absolute favorite authors and its even less of a secret that I have been looking forward to Spell Bound for what feels like YEARS lol. So I may be a little biased when I tell you the wait was COMPLETELY worth it!
Spell Bound follows Edison Rooker, a non-magical teen who's looking for his path in life after everything he knew was uprooted beneath him. He seeks out Antonia Hex, an incredibly powerful (and extremely attractive imo 😏) sorceress who specializes in hex and curse removal. What Edison doesn't know is that this simple decision would kick off a chain of events that would not only introduce him to an adorable 'rival' he cant stop thinking about; but also bring him head to head with the governing magical officials hungry for total control of the magical world.
I strongly believe FT has such a fantastic way of writing characters you cant help but love with stories that remain entertaining from start to finish!
Rook and Sun are excellent narrator's for this story. From two very different walks of life in this magically mixed world they are the embodiments of a golden retriever and black cat, which is a dynamic I ADORE. Sun reminds me so much of myself but I also saw a lot of myself in Rook as well. It had me easily rooting for both of them in every way from the first to last page.
The ONLY thing I wish was different was that there would be a book TWO as I would love nothing more than to check back in with both of them and see how they continue to grow and challenge one another in the best of ways!
If you haven't read this one I would absolutely recommend it. This is my favorite book by FT Lukens so far and I cant wait to see what they come up with next.
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