Roald Dahl Day: My love for The BFG (Let's talk about the book and the movies!)

Every year I plan to write a blog post to celebrate Roald Dahl Day and every year time runs away with me and I somehow end up missing it. But this year we're celebrating 100 years since his birth so I guess that makes it a perfect time to talk about how much Roald Dahl's books meant to me as a child.

I used to reread all of his books over and over again but The BFG was always my favourite, I just loved everything about it from the friendship that forms between Sophie and the BFG, to the adventures they have together along with all of the crazy new words you discover along the way. Don't you just think that we should use words like scrumdiddlyumptious, gobblefunking and whiffswiddle in every day conversation? Not to mention the fact that I'm still waiting for someone to invent a real life version of frobscottle so I can practise my whizzpopping LOL.

The BFG is just the ultimate adventure story, I loved the idea of dreams being real things that you could capture and I desperately wanted to visit the land of dreams so I could find my own. I wanted a giant friend who could run so fast with me hiding in their pocket that it felt like I was flying and I even wanted to have breakfast with the Queen. Roald Dahl's stories always have a darker side to them and the giants terrified me but you get to see justice served in the end which was incredibly satisfying.

I still have my original copy of this book from 1985 and it's one of my most treasured and reread books. The illustrations by Quentin Blake compliment the story perfectly and make it something to be treasured.

My brother was never much of a reader (I'm pretty convinced he must be a changeling because surely we can't be related! LOL) but he absolutely adored the animated version of The BFG and would make us watch it over and over again. I think I've probably seen this adaptation of the story even more times than I've read the book and I have to say it's pretty perfect. It completely captures the feel of the story with it's laugh out loud humour but also the more heartwarming moments between Sophie and the BFG as well as the fearsome man eating giants to add tension. I love the music too and can remember singing along with my brother when he we were kids.

This animation may have been created in 1989 but it's still utterly brilliant and when we watched it with my 12 year old nephew a few months ago he loved it just as much as we did.

Being such a huge fan of the story I had incredibly high hopes for the new Disney version directed by Steven Spielberg. We made a family outing of it a few weeks ago and I think my Dad, brother and I were probably even more excited than my nephew was. There is no denying that the visual effects in the new movie are stunning, the land of dreams in particular was spectacular and the giants looked impressive.

The opening scene where Sophie first sees the BFG and the way he manages to sneak down the streets and avoid being spotted by anyone else was very cleverly done. The young actress who played Sophie did a brilliant job and there was one moment in particular that made me laugh so hard I had tears rolling down my face. I wasn't the only one either and pretty much the entire audience was laughing hysterically.

Unfortunately even though there were things I loved about the movie it didn't manage to live up to expectations and we all agreed that the animated version that is nearly 30 years old was better. The new movie stays pretty faithful to the book but it managed to be boring in spite of that, there were actually times when I was just wishing it was over so we could leave the cinema and no matter how good the graphics were or how humourous those few stand out moments were it just didn't make up for the poor pacing.

The new movie may have been a slight disappointment but that hasn't decreased my love of The BFG. I have so many happy childhood memories wrapped up in reading Roald Dahl stories and it's easy to see why they're still so popular today.

Digitally remastered trailer for the original animated movie made in 1989:



Trailer for the 2016 Disney & Steven Spielberg movie:



What is your favourite Roald Dahl book? Are you a fan of The BFG? I'd love to know what you thought of the movies, if you've seen them both which was your favourite?

Review: Barefoot on the Wind - Zoe Marriott

Everyone in Hana's remote village knows that straying too far into the wood means certain death. Hana, still grieving the loss of her brother to the beast, knows it better than most. When her father is taken too, she gathers her hunting gear and goes in search of the monster, determined to destroy it - or be destroyed herself. But the forest contains more secrets, more magic, and more darkness than Hana could ever have imagined. And the beast is not at all what she expects . . .

A beautiful, thought-provoking retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" set in a fairytale Japan.

The Moonlit Lands Series:
(These are companion novels set in the same fictional version of Japan but there is no crossover of characters so they can both be read as standalone stories)
Shadows on the Moon
Barefoot on the Wind

Visit Zoe Marriott's website more information.

Review:
I've been a huge fan of Zoe Marriott's writing ever since I read Shadows on the Moon five years ago, it's a fairytale retelling of Cinderella set in a fictional Japan where magic is real and it's one of my all time favourite books so you can only begin to imagine how excited I was when I found out she was writing a companion novel set in the same world. Barefoot on the Wind is a feminist retelling of Beauty and the Beast (which happens to be my favourite fairytale!) and it's just as wonderful as Shadows on the Moon.

Although both books are set in the same world and are linked by the same beautiful writing and the fairytale feel to them there is no crossover of characters so you don't have to read them in any particular order but I want to go out and place a copy of both of these books into the hands of every fantasy fan I come across. Zoe was writing YA fantasy long before it became so popular and she really doesn't get the recognition she deserves considering how absolutely amazing her stories are so I want to see her at the top of the best seller charts where she should be.

Let's get back to Barefoot on the Wind though, this is the tale of a young girl called Hana who lives in a remote village in the middle of a dark and dangerous magical wood. Everyone in her village knows that there is a monster in the forest and they live every day with the knowledge that leaving the safety of home means certain death. Hana's family have lost more than most to the monster, she is still grieving after the deaths of her grandmother and her brother but when her father is taken too something inside her snaps. Her grief and the additional pressure of survivor's guilt have combined into a reckless desperation to do something, anything, to try and save her father's life. She knows that she is unlikely to survive an encounter with the monster but when the rest of the village turn their back on her pleas for help she just has to try and fight for what is right.

I'm not going to tell you much more than that so you're going to have to read the story for yourself to find out whether Hana manages to slay the monster and rescue her father. Instead I'm going to talk about the rich world building, the evocative and beautiful writing, the fantastic three dimensional characters that each have their own fears and sorrow, the heartbreak you'll feel as Hana talks about her grief, the joy and pride you'll feel for everything she accomplishes, how you'll fall be drawn totally into this world and find yourself wishing it was real just so you could live there. Barefoot on the Wind is a Beauty and the Beast retelling unlike any you've read before, it's utterly captivating and so, so beautiful that it makes my heart hurt just thinking about it. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be in one of the top slots when I'm trying to pick my favourite books of the year and I can't wait to reread Shadows on the Moon when the new extended version is published in November.

Source: Received from Walker in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle

Review: Haunted by the King of Death - Felicity Heaton

A ruthless vampire warrior, Grave Van der Garde rules the mercenary Preux Chevaliers with an iron fist, determined to retain his hard-won position as one of the most powerful men in Hell and his reputation as the heartless King of Death. But beneath the cold façade beats the heart of a vampire torn between love and hate, ripped in two directions by a single ethereally beautiful female—his fated phantom mate.

Driven by her phantom instincts, Isla used a spell to make her solid in order to deceive the vampire who killed her sister’s demon mate and have revenge on him, condemning him with a single kiss to become a phantom too. But her plan took an unexpected turn when she fell in love with him, and with her new life, and the night she betrayed him shattered both of their hearts. Now, he lives to make her suffer through their connection, one that is fading with them as they begin to slip into the phantom world, and she must face the monster she created if she is to save herself and the vampire she still loves.

With a demon from Grave’s past determined to destroy him and everything he holds dear, and the clock ticking down to their inevitable doom, can he and Isla overcome their past and their pride to work together to claim the future they both desire deep in their hearts? Or will death finally catch up with the vampire king and his phantom mate?

Eternal Mates Series:
(This series is set in the same world as the Vampire Erotic Theatre series but can be read completely separately)
Kissed by a Dark Prince
Claimed by a Demon King
Tempted by a Rogue Prince
Hunted by a Jaguar
Craved by an Alpha
Bitten by a Hellcat
Taken by a Dragon
Marked by an Assassin
Possessed by a Dark Warrior
Awakened by a Demoness
Haunted by the King of Death
Tuned by a Tiger
Tamed by a Tiger
Treasured by a Tiger
Unchained by a Forbidden Love
Avenged by an Angel
Seduced by a Demon King

Vampire Erotic Theatre Series:
Covet
Crave
Seduce
Enslave
Bewitch
Unleash

Cougar Creek Mates Series:
(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre & Eternal Mates series but can be read completely separately)
Claimed by her Cougar
Captured by her Cougar
Courted by her Cougar
Craved by her Cougar

Black Ridge Bears Series:

(Set in the same world as Vampire Erotic Theatre, Eternal Mates & Cougar Creek Mates series but can be read completely separately)

Stolen by Her Bear

Visit Felicity Heaton's website for more information

Review:
Unlike the previous couples in this series Isla and Grave are already mated but a series of misunderstandings and betrayals have turned them into bitter enemies and neither of them has any intention of forgiving the other. They have spent the last 100 years apart and that time has just allowed their resentment and anger to grow so it's fair to say that this couple have major issues to deal with. Unfortunately for them they can't avoid each other forever, there has been a nasty side effect to a spell that Isla placed on Grave and now if they don't work together to fix things it'll end up killing them both.

It's not easy to work with someone you can't trust, especially when that person is someone you loved who went on to betray you in the worst possible way. Grave has every reason to hate Isla and it was easy to see his point of view but at the same time Isla had very good reasons for doing what she did and she has regretted her actions for a long time now. I have to admit I found it a little frustrating that Isla was able to understand why Grave was so twisted up about their relationship one minute but then the next she expected him to put it all behind him like it was nothing and was angry when he didn't trust her. I wanted her to be a bit more apologetic for what had happened between them but that really was a minor irritation when I enjoyed so much more about the story.

One of the things I loved the most was the chance to catch up with some familiar faces from the Vampire Erotic Theatre series. I don't want to say too much about it but fans of the previous series will love the surprises in store for them. Haunted by the King of Death also introduces some great new characters and I really want stories about Isla's brother-in-law and Grave's brothers in the future. The story is full of action, has a great romance and has started to bring back old characters as well as new ones which is a trend I'm really hoping continues in the future.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Witches' Bane - Pippa DaCosta

“I didn’t earn the name Godkiller, but in three days I’ll own it.”

Witches are disappearing all over New York and Ace Dante couldn’t care less. Until one holds his friend at gunpoint, demanding Ace take the job.

The witch produces a girl's severed arm, bearing an unusual hieroglyph, and Ace starts to care a whole lot more. He recognizes that mark. It’s connected to Ace in ways he doesn’t yet understand. Why is it on a dead witch’s arm?

Missing witches and severed arms aren’t Ace’s only problems. With a new name around his neck—Godkiller—Ace has a promise to uphold. He has three days to kill the god, Thoth. Or risk Osiris’s wrath. The last time Ace defied Osiris, he earned a curse that crippled his life and turned him into Osiris’s puppet for eternity.

This time, Osiris won’t be as lenient. Ace must kill Thoth. An impossible task. It takes a god to kill a god, and Ace is just a washed-up mercenary. Isn’t he?

As the spells are cast and the truth is revealed, there’s only one way out. Ace must become the monster the gods fear him to be.

The Soul Eater has a new name, and now, nobody is safe.

Soul Eater Series:
Hidden Blade
Witches' Bane
Chase the Dark (Short story in the Full Metal Magic anthology)
See No Evil
Scorpion Trap
Serpent's Game
Edge of Forever

Visit Pippa DaCosta's website for more information

Review:
I loved Hidden Blade but wow, Pippa DaCosta has definitely upped the stakes in Witches' Bane. This series has quickly become one of my favourites and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on See No Evil in a couple of months.

Ace is my favourite kind of anti hero, there is darkness inside him and he's definitely crossed plenty of lines in his time but he also tries to do the right thing and he stands up and fights for people less powerful than himself. He's walking a very fine line thanks to the curse that binds him to Osiris knowing that no matter how hard he tries to be good Osiris always has a hold over him and can force him to act against his will. Ace is compelled to kill Thoth at Osiris's command and even though he knows he doesn't stand a chance against someone that powerful he also knows that Osiris will take it out on his friends and allies if he fails. Throw in murdered witches, missing memories and meddling gods with plenty of time on their hands to play a very long game and Ace's life has hit an alltime low point.

Everything I loved about the first book was ramped up a level in this one, the story is darker, the gods are even more twisted and Ace is caught up in plots that are far more complicated and overreaching than he could ever have guessed at. Shu is totally brilliant and we meet a new (and equally badass!) sidekick that is going to help make Ace's life interesting. We're starting to dig a little deeper into the characters and I loved the glimpses we saw of Ace's history and finding out how he ended up in the situation he's in now. He's trying so hard to live up to Bast's assertion that there is good inside him but sometimes the past comes back to bite you and the stains on his soul aren't so easy to wipe clean.

If you're looking for an urban fantasy series that stands out from the crowd for it's unique mythology, brilliant world building and outstanding, three dimensional characters then you need the Soul Eaters series in your life. I love all of Pippa DaCosta's books and would happily recommend any of them but I think Ace might just be edging Caleb (from her 1000 Revolution series) out of the top spot on my favourite anti heroes list and that's very high praise indeed.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Traditional Family Cakes - Parragon Books

Traditional Family Cakes
Easy-to-make classic favourites

Baking a cake is one of the most satisfying types of cooking there is - it is both fun and easy to do, while the end results are always more tasty and impressive than their shop-bought equivalents. And it isn't just fun for the baker - family and friends will be thrilled to indulge in a slice of gorgeous, home-made cake, fresh from the oven. 

Enjoy traditional baking at its best with this collection of 40 easy-to-bake recipes, from the classic Victoria Sponge or Fruit Cake to the more adventurous Mocha Layer Cake or Blueberry Swirl Cake.

Visit the book page on Goodreads for more information

Review:
This has quickly turned into my favourite baking cookbook, it has a great selection of both traditional recipes (like Coffee & Walnut Cake, Banana Loaf, Gingerbread & Victoria Sponge Cake) as well as some that look a little more exciting for special occasions (like Mocha Cake, Devil's Food Cake, Chocolate Ganache Cake & Boston Cream Pie). There are 40 recipes to choose from and the hardest part is trying to decide what to bake next.

I've not tried all of them but so far this is proving to be a very easy book to use, each recipe has a clear ingredients list and simple, easy to follow instructions (even for baking novices like me!). It also has gorgeous full colour pictures of what your finished cakes are supposed to look like even if you never quite achieve perfection yourself.

I'm going to include my thoughts on each of the recipes that I've tried so far and I'll try to come back and update this review in the future as I test out more.

1. Iced Madeira Cake

This cake was incredibly easy to make and tasted absolutely delicious, it actually reminded me a lot of the lemon cakes my nan used to make when I was a kid which brought back lots of happy memories. I followed the recipe to the letter until it came to the icing, I used the book's suggestion of lemon icing with lemon curd for the topping but added a layer of lemon buttercream and lemon curd in the middle which I think made it even nicer. I think the only thing I didn't get quite right was the icing on top of the cake, I probably needed it to be a little runnier when I put it on the cake so that it was easier to spread but I'm sure the next one I make will look smoother. This has definitely become a family favourite, it's the one everyone always asks for and I've made it four times now.

2. Grasshopper Cake

This is a really rich & decadent chocolate cake, layered and coated with peppermint buttercream icing. The recipe includes an alcoholic version which uses Creme de Menthe in the icing but I went with the standard version using peppermint extract. Once again the recipe was incredibly easy to follow and the results were really tasty. I was impressed by how moist the chocolate cake is and the flavour combination with the chocolate and mint is delicious.

As much as I liked the cake I'm not sure that I'd make it again though, I think it was a little too rich for our tastes and the addition of double cream to the icing made it quite sickly. This definitely isn't the kind of cake you can eat seconds of (which is probably a good thing really LOL) so unless you're making it for a larger family gathering you're going to end up with a lot of leftovers. The Grasshopper Cake certainly looks impressive though and I can't fault the flavour.

3. Lemon Drizzle Cake

Another recipe that took me straight back to childhood and my nan's home baking, the cake had a great flavour and was lovely and moist thanks to the lemon syrup drizzle. It's a perfect afternoon tea cake and I'll definitely be making it again. I forgot to take better pics after I'd got the cakes out of the tins but I think you can still see how tasty they look.

4. Red Velvet Cake

So this cake looks delicious but it was actually my first complete disaster. I take full responsibility though, I didn't have the right size cake tins and I misjudged how long to cook it for in my substitutes so it came out rather stodgy and underbaked. The flavour was lovely though so I'm sure if I hadn't messed up it would have been fab and I'm determined to try the recipe again (hopefully with better results!) in the future.

5. Carrot Cake

I love carrot cake but this was my first attempt at making it and I'm definitely impressed with this recipe. This is a lovely cake with carrots, mixed spices, fresh orange juice and pecan nuts. The frosting is cream cheese with a lovely orange flavour and it complimented the cake perfectly. I can't decide if I love this or the Iced Madeira Cake more but they're both cakes I'll be making again in the future.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here

Hardback:

Release Week Blitz: Last Kiss of Summer - Marina Adair (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Last Kiss of Summer is the first book in Marina Adair's new Destiny Bay series. It was released on the 30th of August by Forever and is available as both an ebook or mass market paperback for $5.99.

He's one bad apple she just can't resist . . .

Kennedy Sinclair never dreamed she'd own a pie shop and an orchard in a small town like Destiny Bay. But nestled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it's the perfect place to cross something off her "Life's short so eat the icing first" list and start her life over from scratch. Her shop, Sweetie Pies, is famous for its hot, flaky apple turnovers and sinfully delicious deep dish pie. For Kennedy though, nothing is more enticing than the tall, strapping slice of temptation who keeps coming back for more.

Luke Callahan is determined to make his hard cider business a success. With his beloved father's cider recipe and the opportunity of a lifetime in his grasp, he'll stop at nothing to get this deal done. There's just one catch: he needs Kennedy's apples. At first, he thinks it'll be as easy as pie to charm those apples right off her trees. But Kennedy isn't falling for his tender charms or his wicked ways. When the negotiations start heating up, so do the feelings they have for each other. And it takes just one kiss to seal the deal . . .

You can add Last Kiss of Summer to your shelf on Goodreads HERE.

Buy The Book Here:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2buW9XB
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2blGM22
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2bDCtT6
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2c1OFOp
iBooks: http://apple.co/2bFN3pE
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2bMTh9u
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2bG9v6t

About the Author:

Marina Adair is a #1 National bestselling author of romance novels and holds a Master of Fine arts in creative writing. Along with the Sugar, Georgia series, she is also the author the St. Helena Vineyard series, and her new Heroes of St Helena series. She currently lives with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats in Northern California.

As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive.

Follow the Author Online:
Author Website: http://bit.ly/2blHBHU
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2bDEjmJ
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2bT5tV2
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2c1OOl8
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ceY4Dx


Excerpt:

Kennedy rested her elbows on the counter and leaned forward. “You cook, clean, and make house calls? Be still, my heart.”

“I aim to please.” He dried off his hands and brought two steaming mugs of coffee to the counter. “Which is why I was trying to be quiet, so you could get another few minutes of sleep, before I surprised you in bed.” He grinned. It was a wicked grin. “Again.”

Luke had done more than surprise her last night; he’d spoiled her for other men. Sure, he was an incredible lover, but it was the tender moments in between that made her nervous.

This thing between them couldn’t last. She knew that. She also understood that if he was looking for something more permanent, she wouldn’t be the kind of woman to inspire that kind of commitment. She was unable to do it with her perfect match, or even her own mother. The one person who was supposed to love her unconditionally. Which left Kennedy painfully afraid that she was missing that elusive quality that led to forever.

Finding out that she was right, that she was unlovable, from a man who obviously had an incredible capacity to love, as she’d seen with his friends and family, would be too painful to survive. So she took the moment for what it was, committing to memory the warm aroma of the coffee, the way the sun cast a glassy haze over the kitchen, and the sleepy expression on his face that made him look softer. More relaxed. Like this was where he was supposed to be.

In this kitchen—with her.

Kennedy was becoming more attached—she could feel it. The way he treated her, the way he made her feel, even the way he looked at her, like right now, as if she were special. Which made her feel special.

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release Forever are giving away 10 paperback copies of Last Kiss of Summer. You can enter using the form below, winners will be contacted directly by Forever so that they can arrange to send out the prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow Forever Online:
Website: http://bit.ly/1W6ZY8C
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1Zmyycz
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2aF6B0X
Instagram: http://bit.ly/1Xco7tE
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/23uLXQZ

July & August 2016 Recap

You may have noticed that the blog was a bit quiet in August, I ended up taking a completely unplanned blogging break after having a run in with some wasps. The little buggers managed to sting me on my forehead and on my arm and I ended up having a really bad reaction. I was stung on a Thursday afternoon but it took until Saturday morning for the swelling to come out and then it just kept getting worse and worse throughout the day. I ended up having to go to A&E on the Sunday morning to get it checked out because I could hardly open my eye when I woke up. You can see from the pictures how much it changed in less than 24 hours - I looked like I'd been punched in the face by a boxer LOL.

I ended up being prescribed a week's course of antibiotics, told to take enough antihistamine tablets to make me rattle when I walked and having to use ice packs to help bring the swelling down. I felt rather sorry for myself for a while there! Reading went completely out of the window (it's hard to focus when you can only see out of one eye properly!) and I didn't even bother switching my laptop for a couple of weeks. The meds left me exhausted so even after the swelling went down it took absolutely ages for me to start feeling better. I'm now even more nervous about wasps than I was before and I think this sums up the evil little bastards perfectly:

So apart from the whole wasp incident this has actually been a pretty awesome summer what with a camping trip and various friends coming to stay. It's been a very long time since I last took a blogging break (in fact, I don't think I've ever gone this long without posting regularly in the six and a half years I've been writing this blog!) so it was quite nice to just put it all to one side and forget about it. I'm actually having a bit of trouble motivating myself to get started again but I'm hoping I'll get back into the routine soon because I do miss it really :o)

Books read in previous months but reviewed in July & August:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

1. Allegiance of Honour - Nalini Singh (Read in April, reviewed in July)
2. The Wrath and the Dawn - Renee Ahdieh (Read in June, review coming soon)
3. Stripped Bear - Kate Baxter (Novella) (Read in June, review coming soon)
4. Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison (Read in June, review coming soon)
5. Blood Shadows - Lindsay J. Pryor (Read in June, review coming soon)
6. Hard Ever After - Laura Kaye (Novella) (Read in June, reviewed in July)
7. Glory In Death - J.D. Robb (Read in June, reviewed in July)
8. Ride Hard - Laura Kaye (Read in June, reviewed in July)
9. Seven Up - Janet Evanovich (Read in June, review coming soon)

Books read in July:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

1. Hard to Serve - Laura Kaye (Novella)
2. City of Shadows - Pippa DaCosta
3. Oblivion - Jennifer L. Armentrout
4. Magic Slays - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
5. Animal Querkles: A puzzling colour-by-numbers book - Thomas Pavitte (Colouring Book)
6. Hidden Blade - Pippa DaCosta
7. Lured - Rebecca Chastain (Novella)
8. Lord of Chaos - Robert Jordan
9. Taking the Bait - Audrey Noire (Novella / Serialised Novel)
10. 200 Cupcakes: Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook - Joanna Farrow (Cookbook)
11. Taking Sides - Audrey Noire (Novella / Serialised Novel)
12. Desiring Red - Kristen Miller (Novella / Serialised Novel) (Review coming soon)
13. Magic Tests - Ilona Andrews (Short Story) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
14. Magic Gifts - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
15. Gunmetal Magic - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
16. Retribution Clause - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
17. Magic Rises - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
18. The Emperor's Arrow - Lauren D.M. Smith (Review coming soon)
19. Immortal in Death - J.D. Robb (Review coming soon)
20. Who's Afraid - Maria Lewis (Review coming soon)
21. Monstress, Vol 1: Awakening - Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (Graphic Novel) (Review coming soon)
22. Nevernight - Jay Kristoff (Review coming soon)
23. Magic Binds - Ilona Andrews (Review coming soon)

Books read in August:

(Links will take you to my reviews)

1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne (Review coming soon)
2. Angel Dares - Joss Stirling (Review coming soon)
3. A Crown of Swords - Robert Jordan (Review coming soon)
4. Haunted by the King of Death - Felicity Heaton (Review coming soon)
5. False Hearts - Laura Lam (Review coming soon)
6. Rock Wedding - Nalini Singh (Review coming soon)
7. Magic Steals - Ilona Andrews (Novella) (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
8. Magic Breaks - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
9. Archangel's Heart - Nalini Singh (Review coming soon)
10. The Sight - Chloe Neill (Review coming soon)
11. Magic Shifts - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
12. Magic Stars - Ilona Andrews (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
13. Front Lines - Michael Grant (Review coming soon)
14. Day Zero - Kresley Cole (Review coming soon)
15. Witches' Bane - Pippa DaCosta (Review coming soon)
16. Angels' Blood - Nalini Singh (I re-read this book but the link takes you to my original review)
17. Barbarian Alien - Ruby Dixon (Review coming soon)

Other July & August Posts:

1. Spotlight: Hard to Serve - Laura Kaye (Excerpt, Trailer & Giveaway)
2. Crafting Corner: Book Folding Art inspired by Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy
3. Cover Reveal: Haunted by the King of Death - Felicity Heaton
4. Cover Reveal: Bound to Submit - Laura Kaye
5. Movie Trailer: A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
6. Blog Tour: Rock Wedding - Nalini Singh (Excerpt & Giveaway)
7. Guest Review: The Teleportation Accident - Ned Beauman
8. Ten Most Anticipated Contemporary Romances for the Second Half of 2016
9. Blog Barrage: Haunted by the King of Death - Felicity Heaton
10. Cover Reveal: Every Little Thing - Samantha Young
11. Join the #HashtagReads brand new newsletter for the chance to win your height in books!

July & August Books of the Month:

(Choices are made from books reviewed this month and the links will take you to my reviews)

My top YA reads in July & August:

Oblivion by Jennifer L Armentrout (read my review here)
Animal Querkles by Thomas Pavitte (read my review here) (Yes I do know that this is an adult colouring book but I love it so it totally counts LOL).

My top NA read in July & August:

City of Shadows by Pippa DaCosta (read my review here)

My top adult reads in July & August:

Allegiance of Honour by Nalini Singh (read my review here)
Hidden Blade by Pippa DaCosta (read my review here)

July & August Events:

I've been pretty hopeless at writing up events recently so I've decided to start mentioning them in my monthly wrap up posts so they at least get a little attention!

6th July - Chapter 5 Proof Party

It seems like a long time ago now but back in July I was incredibly excited to be invited to the Chapter 5 Proof Party, especially when I found out that Jennifer L. Armentrout would be there as the special guest! I've been a fan of Jennifer's writing for years now so I was incredibly excited to meet her. She was absolutely lovely and signed a HUGE stack of books for me (a couple that may be being used for giveaways on this blog over the next few months so make sure you keep an eye out!).

Meeting Jennifer L Armentrout & getting 

my huge stack of books signed!

Chapter 5 also treated us to some super exciting proofs for some of the novels they'll be releasing in the second half of 2016 (and even a couple from 2017!). I picked up copies of Frostblood by Elly Blake, Replica by Lauren Oliver (which both sound fantastic) along a book I'm INCREDIBLY excited about, Caraval by Stephanie Garber. Caraval was described as perfect for fans of The Night Circus and Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone series so that has definitely caught my attention.

Books, glorious books and delicious

cupcakes inspired by Jennifer's books

Thanks Chapter 5 for a brilliant evening and for the awesome books, I can't wait to read them all!

11th August - Egmont Blogger Day

In August I was invited to my first Egmont Blogger Day which was being held at Drink, Shop & Do, one of my favourite event locations in London. The Egmont team had pulled out all the stops and spoiled us with plenty of delicious nibbles and enough tea to sink a ship. Not to mention a selection of awesome authors and an amazing goodie bag!

Sarah Driver, Michael Grant, Eugene Lambert & Kevin Brooks

plus the fabulous goodie bag we came home with!

We got to meet debut author Sarah Driver whose middle grade adventure story The Huntress: Sea will be released in 2017, this sounds like such a fun read - I just wish we didn't have to wait so long to get our hands on it. Then we listened to Michael Grant talking about his alternate history WWII novel Front Lines where he reimagines the war with one major difference - young girls were allowed to fight alongside the boys in the American army! I've actually already finished this book (I'll get my review posted ASAP) and it's brilliant so definitely one to grab if you enjoy historical fiction. Eugene Lambert was talking about his science fiction novel The Sign of One and he gave the aspiring writers in the room some interesting tips on how to write their own sci-fi story. Last but not least we heard from Kevin Brooks about his upcoming novel Born Scared which is about a young boy who is terrified of pretty much everything but who has to find a way to put his fears to one side when he's forced to leave his home in an emergency. This sounds like a story I'm going to find it very easy to relate to and it seems like Kevin has drawn on his own experiences to help him write it so I'm expecting it to feel very true to life.

Thanks to Egmont and all of the authors for a brilliant day, I'm really excited about all of the books mentioned so I'll try and get them read and reviewed ASAP!

House of Minalima

After the event Kirsty and I decided to visit the House of Minalima's Harry Potter exhibition on our way home. Minalima are the design team behind a lot of the props for the Harry Potter movies (all the posters, the Hogwarts letters, Hogwarts school books, the Marauders Map, packaging for the sweets (like the Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans) and so much more. It's completely free to get in and you can see some of the real movie props on display and take photos until your hearts content so it's well worth a visit if you're in London. They have some of the posters and other items on sale in their shop too but I'll warn you now it's on the expensive side.

House of Minalima & bumping into Laura Kaye

The funniest thing was bumping into one of my favourite authors the lovely Laura Kaye while we were there! I was lucky enough to meet her a couple of years ago when she did a signing in London but this time she was just visiting with her family for a holiday so it was a complete coincidence that we happened to be at Minalima at the same time. I didn't want to keep her for long but we did manage to get a quick selfie before we both got back to our sightseeing & it was a lovely way to round off the afternoon.

My Challenge Updates:

These are the challenges I've signed up for in 2016:

2016 Read 100 Books in a Year Challenge - Read 133/200
2016 British Books Challenge - Read 20/50
2016 New Author Challenge - Read 25/50
2016 Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Challenge - 65/100
2016 Contemporary Romance Challenge - 15/20
2016 Romantic Suspense Challenge - 11/20