March Book Haul

March Book Haul

Happy Easter to all those who celebrate, if not have a great Sunday!


Obsidio

5/5 s I read this book last week and adored this final conclusion to this series! If you have not already I highly recommend you pick up Illuminae. 

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I can’t give a synopsis of this book as it is the last in a series.


To Kill a Kingdom 

5/5 s I adored this book and if you haven’t read it already what are you doing? (Review HERE)

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Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

GoodReads


The Nightingale

As I said in my review (HERE) I can’t rate this book… but for strong women its great

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In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real–and deadly—consequences.
GoodReads 


Children of Blood and Bone

Heard so many good things about this one and can’t wait to dive in!

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Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were targeted and killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now, Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for the enemy.

GoodReads


Have you read any of these, what did you think of it?

H x

Random Book Tag

Random Book Tag

Sooo this was A Beauty and the Beast book tag but it works either way. Also, I’m sorry but I don’t know who created this tag.


A Villain you Can’t Help but Love

I love how much I hate the Sea Queen from Alexandra Christo To Kill A Kingdom.

(To read my review read here)

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Your OTP

HINNY FOREVER!

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A Character who is Destined for Greater Things

!!///(SLIGHT HARRY POTTER SPOILER)\\\!!

Dobby deserved better

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A Book that Made you Hungry 

Kill All Happies by Rachel Cohn

Think Pop’s dinner from Riverdale. I really loved this book and the cover is glorious.

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Last Call at Happies! Tonight, 8 P.M. Senior Class Only! Please with the Shhhh…. 

This is it. Graduation. And Vic Navarro is throwing the most epic party Rancho Soldado has ever seen. She’s going to pull off the most memorable good-bye ever for her best friends, give Happies—the kitschy restaurant that is her desert town’s claim to fame—a proper send-off into bankruptcy, and oh yes, hook up with her delicious crush, Jake Zavala-Kim. She only needs to keep the whole thing a secret so that her archnemesis, Miss Ann Thrope, Rancho Soldado’s nightmare Town Councilwoman and high school Economics teacher, doesn’t get Vic tossed in jail. 

With the music thumping, alcohol flowing, bodies mashing, and Thrope nowhere to be seen, Vic’s party is a raging success. That is, until Happies fans start arriving in droves to say good-bye, and storm the deserted theme park behind the restaurant. Suddenly what was a small graduation bash is more like Coachella on steroids with a side of RASmatazz pie. The night is so not going as planned. And maybe that’s the best plan of all.

Goodreads


A Character Who’s More Than They Appear

Hanna Donnelly from Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Hanna is rich her father runs the ship and she is very much a ‘Daddy’s girl’ However she is such a kickass female, I adore the females in this series and if you are looking for a fast-paced action then Illuminae is definitely something you should check out.


A Book that Changed you in Some Way

I watched HaileyinBookland‘s video on this today and begun to think about this. I think Winnie the Pooh is a book that changed me as it was one that I would always read when I was younger and loved the animals/relationships.


A Book you Picked up Because of the Hype

Most books I read….. An Enchantment of Ravens which at the time I gave 4/5 but I think now I would give it about 3…

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A Book or Moment that Always Makes You Cry 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes… need I say more 😦


If you do this tag I would love to see it,

Speak soon

H x

To Kill a Kingdom​ Review

To Kill a Kingdom​ Review

Spoiler alert …. I absolutely adored this book. To kill a Kingdom is unlike anything I have ever read. It has sirens and Princes who just want to be pirates! Alexandra Christo you are amazing!

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Synopsis 

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Taken from GoodReads if you would like to add this to your TBRs

This book reminded me of Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides crossed with the Little Mermaid – yet it is quite unique from both.

What’s more, the writing is incredible, I can’t wait to get a physical copy so that I can go through and highlight!

Lira and Elian were amazing, I loved that Lira so much depth to her character, which really helped your love for her as a character grow!

It’s was also able to grab my attention while I had the flu when nothing else could, this does mean that some bits I don’t remember as much because I was wiped out completely for an entire week but I cannot wait to reread it!

This was one of my most anticipated releases of this year – it completely smashed it! And if only one of my reviews persuades you to pick up a book please let it be this one!

Thank you, NetGalley and the Publishers for an e-arc of this wonderful book!

Speak soon,

H x

Meet Cute Review

Meet Cute Review

Happy Wednesday everyone!!


Overall rating 3.5/5

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So I had mixed feelings about this book, I tend not to read anthologies because I love getting the full story of a relationship or a character. There were some stories that I wanted the full novel! – Click by Katherine Magee was my favourite – I love her writing and the setting she creates. I loved the diversity in all of these, from different sexualities to races. Anthologies are the perfect way to read from some of your favourite authors and new ones.

I believe that this is a perfect anthology about the first meeting of couples – some to me felt that they had Insta love – some were clearly just a meeting with very little love. I would say that I usually like Insta love I admit I’m not that bothered, I would say that I have to be in the right mood – This might be why some received low ratings for instalove. IT IS NOT INSTA LOVE THROUGHOUT!!! (If that was something you were worried about).

I don’t know how I felt about this because my ratings were so scattered. It is definitely worth the read but some of the stories didn’t reach my expectations.


Here are my ratings for each story!!

Story One 2/5 insta love, fan fiction

Paint shop 3/5

Hourglass – 4/5

Click – 5/5 I adore Kathrine Mcgee’s writing – her world that she creates is vivid and I can’t help but love the twisted world of 2020 New York

Intern – 4.5 who doesn’t love a celebrity romance?

It’s funny I clearly have to be in the mood for insta love/short story

Somewhere that’s green – 4 /5 rep was strong in this one

The way we love here – 4.5/5 bittersweet ending

Oomph – 4

The dictionary of me and you – 3

The unlikely likely likelihood of falling in love – 5 – So sweet

259 million miles – 4

Something real – 4

The department of dead love – 5


Lookout for my Zenith Review later this week 🙂

Speak soon,

H x

2018 TBR Books that I Own

2018 TBR Books that I Own

These are books that I want to read that are already on my bookshelf, some of them have been there for ages!!


Finish the Black Prism by Brent Weeks

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Northern Lights Trilogy – going to listen to the audiobooks

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Hunting Prince Dracula by Keri Maniscalco

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Read Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn and A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas.

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Finish the Darker Shade of Magic Series by V E Schwab

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Cress by Marissa Myer

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A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

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Are there any books that you own that you really want to read?

Speak soon

H x

New Year, New Me… Or Something Like That

New Year, New Me… Or Something Like That

So I posted this video last year, same title and everything – I’m that original 😉


2018 Goals

  • Goodreads goal set at 10

That way I will reach my goal no matter what and hopefully there will be less pressure on top of all my school pressures today.

  • Personal goal to read 50 books like every other year that I have participated

So I know that will read over 10 books this month so I would like to read 50 but I am not putting pressure on that

  • Blog once a week

This was something I really wanted to do last year – I failed but having done the first couple of weeks of Blogmas I have realised how doable it is.

  • Use Goodreads and Amazon to post reviews for publishers and any other books I want to review

At the end of last year, I started to be approved for books on NetGalley and received a couple from Haper360 (find them on Instagram here). This is something I am so grateful for and would love to continue to grow.

  • Instagram – decided what I am doing photos, closing my account

I have not posted on Instagram since the end of October. This was due to family things. I have now lost motivation and the algorithm after not posting for ages is awful! I don’t know whether to focus purely on my blog or try to become more involved in the community again.

  • Create a blog post a month detailing my goal for that month

This is a new thing that I want to do this year. It will work like a TBR but will hold challenges like read a new release or read a classic (yeah right :’))

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What is one of your goals for the year? Personal or Bookish.

Speak Soon,
H x

2017 Reading Review

2017 Reading Review

Happy New Year Everyone. I love the new year because it brings countless new opportunities and weirdly helps my motivation. If you would like to see my post where I spoke about my goals at the beginning of the year click here.


  • Read one book a month that was published in 2017

Not sure about this I defiantly did not keep this in mind throughout this year.

  • Read one book a month that was published pre-2017

I think I probably did this most months but again it was not a conscious decision. 

  • Read over 30 books this year

Did this I read over 56 because I am almost positive I read more than I remembered to add to my Goodreads 

  • Prioritise school work over reading but try and read at least 20 pages a day

Didn’t read 20 pages a day. I did prioritise work on certain parts of the year, but this could be done more. This year it probably will due to being in my final year of high school. 

  • Try and blog once a week…Hopefully

SO this one I failed so hard at!!! 😥 I am so sad because I love blogging when I do. I also failed Blogmas which sucks. I was doing so well but when school ended I no longer had the motivation to post – I’m sorry but hopefully next year will be better!!

Of all the books I wanted to read this year I failed at!

So overall not a great year for reading goals. I am happy with how many books I read this year and how many good new books I found.


Did you meet any of your 2017 goals? If you did let me know down below. \

Speak soon,

H x

Blogmas Day Eleven

Blogmas Day Eleven

Hey Guys, I can’t believe that Christmas is only two weeks away!! So excited.


Everless Sara Holland — 5/5 s

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Initial ideas – Everless what the HELL

Honestly hand on my heart I loved every minute of this book. I read it in under 24 hours spread over just two days.

Everless is a castle run by the Gerlings. In Sempera your time is a currency. Jules was banished from Everless along with her father when she was younger. Since then she has been living a life full of debt and hunger without the protection of the castle. Jules’ father is running out of time and she must find away to pay off their debt and to save him. Even if this means returning to Everless a place that is full of danger and temptation.

The unique use of time as currency blew my mind, I found it intriguing and able to show the greed of the richer class to remain young and beautiful forever while the poor sell their lives away. There is a slow burn mystery through out the novel which is just enough to keep you captivated. Jules as a main character is amazing she is head strong and brave and will do anything for those that she loves.

My only issue would be that the ending happened quickly but still left you feeling stunned over the revelations. THAT PLOT TWIST WHATTT

Everless is definitely a started book for an epic fantasy series. You learn a lot about the world and about the characters. There was a lot of build up but I was never bored by the storyline – I think this was due to the mystery through the book.

Everyone needs to add this to their TBRs immediately, I am still so amazed by it.

Add it to your Goodreads


Yesterday’s post here

Thank you to the publishers for approving me to read this on NetGalley. All my opinions are my own.

H x

Blogmas Day Three

Blogmas Day Three

The Joy of Christmas Book Tag

Are you proud I am actually continuing with Blogmas (Lets see how long it lasts)


1) Anticipation: The Christmas excitement is real, what book release(s) are you most anticipating?

To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most—a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?

Goodreads

If anyone has an arc for this that they want to trade or if anyone wanted to him me up let me know because I can’t wait for this!

2) Christmas Songs & Carols: What book or author can you not help but sing it’s praises?

J K Rowling everything this woman does is wonderful

3) Gingerbread Houses: What book or series has wonderful world building?

A Song of Ice and Fire

I don’t know if the TV show helped with this but this series to me is so vivid and even though they are so long I can still remember what has happened.

4) A Christmas Carol: Favourite classic or one that you want to read

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This answers both, I love this story and can’t wait to read it this month.

5) Christmas Sweets: What book would you love to receive for Christmas

The illustrated Fantastic Beasts – It is so beautiful.

6) Candles in the Window: What book gives you that warm fuzzy feeling

Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff because I read it Christmas last year (this book is not warm and fuzzy repeat not warm and fuzzy)

7) Christmas Trees & Decorations: What are some of your favourite book covers?

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8) Christmas Joy: What are some of your favourite things about Christmas And/Or some of your favourite Christmas memories?

My dad would always go down supper early so when I went downstairs I could see the glow of the lights and know that Father Christmas has been ☺️

Also Christmas films especially the Muppets Christmas Carol 🙈


Are you participating in Blogmas/Bookmas? Let me know I would love to check out your site.

See yesterdays post here H x

Blogmas Day Two

Blogmas Day Two

This month I have three eARCs to read 1 book from publishers and a Christmas book and a couple to make me ball my eyes out.


Me Before You

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Louisa Clark is an ordinary young woman living an exceedingly ordinary life—steady boyfriend, close family—who has never been farther afield than their tiny village. She takes a badly needed job working for ex-Master of the Universe Will Traynor, who is wheelchair-bound after an accident. Will has always lived a huge life—big deals, extreme sports, worldwide travel—and now he’s pretty sure he cannot live the way he is.

Will is acerbic, moody, bossy—but Lou refuses to treat him with kid gloves, and soon his happiness means more to her than she expected. When she learns that Will has shocking plans of his own, she sets out to show him that life is still worth living. 

GoodReads

I’ve read this multiple times – excited for a reread!


After You – spoilers for ME BEFORE YOU

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How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can’t help but feel she’s right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kick-started back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding—the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will’s past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future…

For Lou Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. 

GoodReads

I’ve read Me Before you multiple times but have never read read the sequel – now that I know there is a third one coming out I really want to finally get round to it.


Zenith

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Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her glass starship, Marauder, however, she’s just Andi, their friend and fearless leader.

But when a routine mission goes awry, the Marauder’s all-girl crew is tested as they find themselves in a treacherous situation and at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter from Andi’s past.

Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two.

Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their shipor just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only certainty is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.

GoodReads

I was soo happy when I was accepted on NetGalley to read this, so I defiantly need to read this!


Meet Cute

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Whether or not you believe in fate, or luck, or love at first sight, every romance has to start somewhere. MEET CUTE is an anthology of original short stories featuring tales of “how they first met” from some of today’s most popular YA authors. 

Readers will experience Nina LaCour’s beautifully written piece about two Bay Area girls meeting via a cranky customer service Tweet, Sara Shepard’s glossy tale about a magazine intern and a young rock star, Nicola Yoon’s imaginative take on break-ups and make-ups, Katie Cotugno’s story of two teens hiding out from the police at a house party, and Huntley Fitzpatrick’s charming love story that begins over iced teas at a diner. There’s futuristic flirting from Kass Morgan and Katharine McGee, a riveting transgender heroine from Meredith Russo, a subway missed connection moment from Jocelyn Davies, and a girl determined to get out of her small town from Ibi Zoboi. Jennifer Armentrout writes a sweet story about finding love from a missing library book, Emery Lord has a heartwarming and funny tale of two girls stuck in an airport, Dhonielle Clayton takes a thoughtful, speculate approach to pre-destined love, and Julie Murphy dreams up a fun twist on reality dating show contestants. 

GoodReads

There are two anthologies on this list this month. Who dosen’t love a love story!


Everless

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In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself. 

GoodReads

I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS!!


Begin, End, Begin – A Love Oz YA Anthology

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The YA event of the year. Bestsellers. Award-winners. Superstars. This anthology has them all. With brilliantly entertaining short stories from beloved young adult authors Amie Kaufman, Melissa Keil, Will Kostakis, Ellie Marney, Jaclyn Moriarty, Michael Pryor, Alice Pung, Gabrielle Tozer, Lili Wilkinson and Danielle Binks, this all-new collection will show the world exactly how much there is to love about Aussie YA. 

GoodReads

Thank you HarperVoyager360 for a copy of this. I’m excited to find some new YA Australian authors.


A Christmas Carol

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In his “Ghostly little book,” Charles Dickens invents the modern concept of Christmas Spirit and offers one of the world’s most adapted and imitated stories. We know Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, not only as fictional characters, but also as icons of the true meaning of Christmas in a world still plagued with avarice and cynicism

GoodReads

I needed a Christmas book on this list.


What are you reading this month?

Want to see Blogmas day 1? Click here

Speak to you tomorrow

H x

Waiting On Wednesday – Everless

Waiting On Wednesday – Everless

Does it count as a waiting on Wednesday if you have an ARC?

I was lucky enough to be approved to read the Everless by Sara Holland, ARC on NetGalley and I’m so exited to read it! Plus this cover looks gorgeous!

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Everless is set to release on January 2nd – I think it comes out before this in the US.

This book has a lot to do with time and I believe that time can act as payment (when extractd from BLOOD!!) – which is something I don’t believe I have read before. It main setting is a court. Jules and her father used to be a servant but got dismissed from after an fateful accident over 10 years ago. Jules has to return to the castle as her father is dying and she will do anything to save him. Here she has to delve deeper into her childhood where she discovers lost truths.

From the synopsis I think that Jules will be a strong lead character as she is willing to risk herself for her fathers life.

Want to add it to your Goodreads?

What are you waiting on?


Want to see what I was waiting on last week?

H x