Godblind by Anna Stephens

The Mireces worship the bloodthirsty Red Gods. Exiled from Rilpor a thousand years ago, and left to suffer a harsh life in the cold mountains, a new Mireces king now plots an invasion of Rilpor’s thriving cities and fertile earth.

Dom Templeson is a Watcher, a civilian warrior guarding Rilpor’s border. He is also the most powerful seer in generations, plagued with visions and prophecies. His people are devoted followers of the god of light and life, but Dom harbours deep secrets, which threaten to be exposed when Rillirin, an escaped Mireces slave, stumbles broken and bleeding into his village.

Meanwhile, more and more of Rilpor’s most powerful figures are turning to the dark rituals and bloody sacrifices of the Red Gods, including the prince, who plots to wrest the throne from his dying father in the heart of the kingdom. Can Rillirin, with her inside knowledge of the Red Gods and her shocking ties to the Mireces King, help Rilpor win the coming war? @goodreads 

I very much enjoyed this book. Well, some parts I had to gloss over because this is a Grimdark and has very cringe-worthy scenes. So this book is not for the faint of heart! Blood guts and torture!

I was thrilled to get this freaking awesome stained, signed and numbered edition of the hardback. I also got a lovely postcard sent from the author. Some authors are just so awesome ♥





There were several characters that I liked but damned if I didn't write down all of their names! Story of my life. I did write down Rillirin and Dom's names, although Dom is easy to remember. Dom found Rillirin and took care of her. He felt like she knew something, like she was meant to be there with him and his people. Well she did have a story to tell but it wasn't the one Dom was thinking.

I enjoyed Dom and Rillirin a great deal and hope everything goes well for them in the next book. That ending though.... I don't know!

There were other people in that band of people that I loved. Strong women and men.

I didn't like the other people so much as they had the Dark Lady Woman, whatever she was called. I just know I hated her and she put out some serious torture on peeps. I guess for an evil character she beats everyone I know!

The two sides are fighting one another while others are fighting and killing each other over the throne. It's crazy train.

In the book you're basically thrown into the story. There is no real world, you're just along for the ride wherever you may be with the person you're reading about. Oh yes, there are multiple POV's but once I got used to them it wasn't that bad at all. I liked the shorter chapters too. It helps when you have a tiny brain!

I'm really hoping to get the next book in the special edition, signed and number book as well because it looks amaze balls! Freaking awesome cover. We shall see.

God, I wonder what kind of torture of peeps and stuff will be in the next one. Like I said, I just skim over stuff like that if it gets too bad because I still like to read great stories. And I watch a lot of history type with that stuff in it so I'm used to skimming or averting the eyes if it's too much. Just know all of that if you're going into this type of book.

I don't do animal torture and unless it was in some of the parts with human torture I skimmed over, there wasn't anything like that so kudos (I think)

Anyhoo!

Happy Reading!

Mel ♥

GOODREADS REVIEW 

January 2018 Fairyloot Unboxing

Above is the main picture with all of the stuff crammed together. 

I'm going to read from the back of the card what everything is =) 

Here is the card that always tells you what's in the box and we always get a bookmark with the same picture! I love it. 

Colouring is so calming, and what is more fun than colouring in creatures that you may find in Faerieland? This Faerieland Colouring Book is brought to you by Michael O' Mara, and this edition was made exclusively for Fairyloot so you won't be able to get it anywhere else! Which creatures are you most excited to colour? 

Keep your pages marked with these super cute Exclusive 'Illyrian' Magnetic Bookmarks brought to you by Dreamy and Co. The little characters are Feyre and Rhysand from the A Court Of Thorns and Roses trilogy - they're wearing their Illyrian fighting leathers!

We partnered with Meraki Candles to bring you this Exclusive 'Prince Cardan' Candle, which is themed after our book of the month. You'll get to know who Prince Cardan is whilst you read! We asked Holly Black what he would smell like and created his candle using the scents she provided. Doesn't it smell amazing? Yes =) 

Keep your lips moisturized with the Exclusive Vegan Seelie & Unseelie Lip Balm created for you by Geeky Clean. We sent out two variations - are you part of the Seeling or Unseeling Court? (Of Course I'm Unseelie) According to folklore, the Seelie Court is seen as the 'light' side, whereas the Unseelie Court are seen as the 'dark' side, although both do like to play tricks on mortals. 

  

We've also included two stunning art prints to add to your wall - they're both reversable! On one side, you'll find beautiful artwork by Diana Worak of Rowan and Aelin from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, two of our favourite faeries. On the other side, you'll find two stunning text illustrations by Stella's Bookish Art featuring quotes from books with lots of faeries by Julie Kagawa and Cassandra Clare. These prints are also exclusive. (Sorry, I forgot to take pics of the other side and then got lazy) 

  
We have an Exclusive 'What Breaks You' Pillowcase! This pillowcase was designed for you exclusively by Evie Bookish (I buy tons of her stuff!) and it features a quote from A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas, one of our favourite books with faeries. This quote also reminds us of Jude, the main character in our featured book of the month. The pillowcase is size 18 x 18 - perfect for your reading nook! (I have to order my little pillow from Amazon to go inside and put it with my many other pillows =) )

  
Our featured book of the moth is a dark and decadent treat filled with faeries, mystery and mayhem. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black is an absolute gem and will have you flying through the pages. We hope you enjoy the signed bookplate and author letter from Holly and the exclusive Prince Cardan character artwork illustrated for you by Merwild! 

  

It's official! I now have all three editions of the book. One from Fairyloot, One from Owlcrate and One from Barnes N Noble! =) 

Happy Reading! 

Mel ♥  

OMG! THE ILLUMICRATE "HOWLER EDITION" UNBOXING!

I have been waiting for this box FOREVER! I'm so stoked and the things inside are so awesome I could just keel over! The bookmarks are my favorite though! 

I will list the things from the back of the card. Please forgive me if I mess something up. I'm just so excited =) 

The book of course. I actually like the back of this one better than the one that came from my US Amazon so I'm trading that one in =) We have a lovely letter from Pierce and a signed bookplate! 

Here is the back of the book above. It's so freaking awesome! 

Look at those freaking bookmarks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I CAN'T EVEN PEOPLE, CAN'T EVEN! 

In the above picture we have a mug and it says Team Howlers at the bottom. Yeah baby =) We have a little Sophocles keychain! How precious! Then we have a Reaper pin that says "Death Is My Shadow" And we have a Haemanthus lip balm! 

Above we have some coasters, a patch and a sticker 

Above we have some artwork, a notebook and an awesome 2018 calendar with quotes in it! 

We have a toteback and a freaking awesome beanie hat =) 

And last but not least; we have some bath soap and some awesome socks! 

I hope you guys enjoy the unboxing! I loved it so much and it was well worth getting. 

Happy Reading! 

Mel ♥ 

Markswoman by Rati Mehrotra & Born At Midnight by C.C. Hunter (Mini Reviews)

Kyra is the youngest Markswoman in the Order of Kali, one of a handful of sisterhoods of highly trained elite warriors. Armed with blades whose metal is imbued with magic and guided by a strict code of conduct, the Orders are sworn to keep the peace and protect the people of Asiana. Kyra has pledged to do so—yet she secretly harbors a fierce desire to avenge her murdered family.

When Tamsyn, the powerful and dangerous Mistress of Mental Arts, assumes control of the Order, Kyra is forced on the run. She is certain that Tamsyn committed murder in a twisted bid for power, but she has no proof.

Kyra escapes through one of the strange Transport Hubs that are the remnants of Asiana’s long-lost past and finds herself in the unforgiving wilderness of a desert that is home to the Order of Khur, the only Order composed of men. Among them is Rustan, a disillusioned Marksman whose skill with a blade is unmatched. He understands the desperation of Kyra’s quest to prove Tamsyn’s guilt, and as the two grow closer, training daily on the windswept dunes of Khur, both begin to question their commitment to their Orders. But what they don’t yet realize is that the line between justice and vengeance is thin . . . as thin as the blade of a knife. @goodreads 

I freaking love this cover! I loved the summary of the book but it was just an okay read for me. I just wasn't feeling it for some reason =(

I'm sure plenty will love it though 😊

Happy Reading!

Mel ❤️ 

 GOODREADS REVIEW 

AMAZON REVIEW 

Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams, Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs… @goodreads 

I thought it was pretty good =) ♥ Not a big fan of love triangles but this one wasn't as bad as some!

Happy Reading!

Mel ♥


 GOODREADS REVIEW

AMAZON REVIEW

Judah's Wife by Angela Hunt

Seeking peace and safety after a hard childhood, Leah marries Judah, a strong and gentle man, and for the first time in her life Leah believes she can rest easily. But the land is ruled by Antiochus IV, descended from one of Alexander the Great's generals, and when he issues a decree that all Jews are to conform to Syrian laws upon pain of death, devout Jews risk everything to follow the law of Moses.

Judah's father resists the decree, igniting a war that will cost him his life. But before dying, he commands his son to pick up his sword and continue the fight--or bear responsibility for the obliteration of the land of Judah. Leah, who wants nothing but peace, struggles with her husband's decision--what kind of God would destroy the peace she has sought for so long?

The miraculous story of the courageous Maccabees is told through the eyes of Judah's wife, who learns that love requires courage . . . and sacrifice. @goodreads 

This is the story of Judah and his wife, Leah. 

Leah's life growing up was horrible. She had an abusive dad and I felt bad for her. 

It was lovely when she met Judah and they fell in love. 

Their story is a hard one and it is very sad at times. They were separated for most of the book due to war and things of that nature. 

This is the first book I have read from this author and I think she did a good job although I don't know a lot about that time in history. 

*Thank you to BethanyHouseBloggers for a print copy of this book*

All Things Bright And Strange by James Markert

In the wake of World War I in the small, Southern town of Bellhaven, South Carolina, the town folk believe they’ve found a little slice of heaven in a mysterious chapel in the woods. But they soon realize that evil can come in the most beautiful of forms.

The people of Bellhaven have always looked to Ellsworth Newberry for guidance, but after losing his wife and his future as a professional pitcher, he is moments away from testing his mortality once and for all. Until he finally takes notice of the changes in his town . . . and the cardinals that have returned.

Upon the discovery of a small chapel deep in the Bellhaven woods, healing seems to fall upon the townspeople, bringing peace after several years of mourning. But as they visit the “healing floor” more frequently, the people begin to turn on one another, and the unusually tolerant town becomes anything but.

The cracks between the natural and supernatural begin to widen, and tensions rise. Before the town crumbles, Ellsworth must pull himself from the brink of suicide, overcome his demons, and face the truth of who he was born to be by leading the town into the woods to face the evil threatening Bellhaven. @goodreads 

This book is about Ellsworth Newberry and a slew of awesome friends. Ellsworth and some of his friends are not the same after coming back from the war, who would be. And Ellsworth lost his wife when she was trying to save a little boy from the Klan. Things didn't go well and there were some other killings. 

But there are other strange things going on in the town and Ellsworth is always fighting the urge to kill himself. 

1920 
BELLHAVEN, SOUTH CAROLINA

It was a good day to die as any. 
 But first, Ellsworth Newberry would have his morning cup of joe. 
'
'
'
Till death do us part, Eliza. And brings us back together again. 
Ellsworth reapplied pressure on the trigger. Would one bullet even do the trick?
Something thumped against the window. He opened his eyes. 
A cardinal bird fluttered outside the glass. An olive-gray female with a prominently raised red-tinged crest and a stark orange beak. It settled on the windowsill, stared at him. 
He watched the cardinal right back, watching it until his finger eased and he'd moved the barrel out enough to take a deep swallow. No other sign could have coaxed that gun from his mouth. He lowered the revolver to his side, and his heart rate slowed. 
Tears welled in his eyes.
The cardinal flew away. 
Across the street, Anna Belle Roper's front door opened. She walked toward his house with a towel-covered plate of breakfast. 
Too late now. Shouldn't have hesitated. 
Ellsworth plopped back down on his chair and placed the gun on the window ledge, resigned to another day of living. 
He sighed. "Hope she fried bacon."

I really enjoyed this book. The characters in the book are both funny and real. 

And when we get to the chapel in the woods that seems to create miracles, lets just say, nothing is as it seems. 

Also, the neighbor man that kept walking backward around and around his house freaked me right out. 

The book is filled with a town coming together, creepiness, laughs - I guess a little bit of everything. 

*Thank you to BookLookBloggers for a print copy of this book*

Happy Reading! 

Mel ♥    

Saga Volume 8

After the traumatic events of the War for Phang, Hazel, her parents, and their surviving companions embark on a life-changing adventure at the westernmost edge of the universe.

Collecting: Saga 43-48. @goodreads 

Yes ❤️ Fanfreakingtastic!

I decided to add some pictures in no certain order. 1. Because I'm lazy 2. Because I'm tired.























Mel ♥

GOODREADS REVIEW 

Traitor To The Throne by Alwyn Hamilton

Rebel by chance. Traitor by choice.

Gunslinger Amani al'Hiza fled her dead-end hometown on the back of a mythical horse with the mysterious foreigner Jin, seeking only her own freedom. Now she’s fighting to liberate the entire desert nation of Miraji from a bloodthirsty sultan who slew his own father to capture the throne.

When Amani finds herself thrust into the epicenter of the regime—the Sultan’s palace—she’s determined to bring the tyrant down. Desperate to uncover the Sultan’s secrets by spying on his court, she tries to forget that Jin disappeared just as she was getting closest to him, and that she’s a prisoner of the enemy. But the longer she remains, the more she questions whether the Sultan is really the villain she’s been told he is, and who’s the real traitor to her sun-bleached, magic-filled homeland.

Forget everything you thought you knew about Miraji, about the rebellion, about Djinn and Jin and the Blue-Eyed Bandit. In Traitor to the Throne, the only certainty is that everything will change.@goodreads 

She can control the sand.

She's a Demdji. She's a blue-eyed bandit. She's Amani Al-Hiza and she's a bad @ss chic!

I love Amani. I mean sure, she doesn't always make the right choice but who does. Amani fights for her people and it's awesome.

I still have a crush on Jin but we shall see in the next book.

I loved the first book better than this one but it might have just been my mood. I think I might read all three of them together next time.

I did love it. And the ending!!!!!! What! Just! Happened!

Happy Reading!

Mel ❤️