Kira Jeanette

Hello and welcome back to another day of Blogmas!!

Today I wanted to talk about all of the books that I pre-ordered or bought that were published this year that I have not managed to get around to. As you might know, 2023 has not been my best reading year, and although it has significantly improved since September, I spent the majority of the year in a reading slump. That means that a lot of the books that were published this year, I simply have not managed to read!

The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin

Célie Tremblay has always been a good girl: kind and beautiful, a daughter of whom every parent would be proud. She surprises the entire kingdom when she defies tradition to become the first huntswoman—including her new captain and fiancé, Jean Luc, who rules the huntsmen with an iron fist. He isn’t the only one concerned for Célie’s safety, however. Though her friends try to protect her from the horrors of her past, mysterious whispers still haunt her, and a new evil is rising in Belterra—leaving bodies in its wake, each one drained of blood.

Determined to prove herself in her new role, Célie tracks the killer to the lair of Les Éternels—ancient creatures only spoken about in nursery rhymes—and catches the attention of their king, a monster who hides his plans for her behind beautiful words and sharp smiles. Now Célie has new reason to fear the dark because the closer he gets, the more tempted she feels to give in to his dark hunger—and her own.

I actually picked this one up quite impulsively in October when I was in Waterstones. It seems like the perfect Spooky Season book and the Waterstones edition has the most beautiful sprayed edges, so I couldn’t leave it behind! I didn’t get round to it this October though, so hopefully next Spooky Season I will be able to!

My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…

I took part in a book exchange at the end of October and this was one of the novels gifted to me! It seems like such a fun book and I’ve heard that it is really funny and quite similar to The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling and A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley. These are both books that I loved, so I have high hopes for this one!

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, level-headed assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage’s employment status isn’t just important, it’s vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

Like My Roommate is a Vampire this book was also one gifted to me in a Book Exchange I took part in October. I actually haven’t seen too much about this one, but again I feel like I should have read it during Spooky Season, so I think I will save this one again for next year!

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero-Lacruz

In a lush world inspired by the history and folklore of South America, a sweeping epic fantasy of colonialism, ancient magic, and two young women’s quest for belonging unfolds.

Reina is desperate.

Stuck living on the edges of society, her only salvation lies in an invitation from a grandmother she’s never known. But the journey is dangerous, and prayer can’t always avert disaster.

Attacked by creatures that stalk the region, Reina is on the verge of death until her grandmother, a dark sorceress, intervenes. Now dependent on the Doña’s magic for her life, Reina will do anything to earn—and keep—her favor. Even the bidding of an ancient god who whispers to her at night.

Eva Kesare is unwanted.

Illegitimate and of mixed heritage, Eva is her family’s shame. She tries her best to be perfect and to hide her oddities. But Eva is hiding a secret: magic calls to her.

Eva knows she should fight the temptation. Magic is the sign of the dark god, and using it is punishable by death. Yet, it’s hard to deny power when it has always been denied to you. Eva is walking a dangerous path, one that gets stranger every day. And, in the end, she’ll become something she never imagined.

I recently mentioned this one in my favourite cover of 2023 post, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since! I think I am going to be reading this one in January or early in 2024. I had hoped I would get to it by the end of the year, but I don’t think that is going to happen now!

Nobody Asked for This by Charly Cox

Nobody asked for this,

Whatever this is,

Nobody asked for this.

Charly Cox lays bare the last decade of her life.

In this anthology of poetry, combining her bestselling collections She Must Be Mad and Validate Me, and with 70 new poems and handwritten annotations, she paints a complex picture of the formative experiences of womanhood and living with Bipolar II disorder.

From first loves, to lost loves, to the dark humour of mental illness, Nobody Asked For This is an intimate and unflinchingly honest exploration of growing up in the 21st century.

I have spoken quite a lot about this book this year as Charly Cox is my favourite poet, but I haven’t been able to get round to it this year. Often poetry is something I have to give more time and brain power to and this year I just haven’t had that brain power at all! Hopefully next year I will be able to!

Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong

Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin will flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches.

Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she gets her opportunity at last to kill him.

Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning.

Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.

This is another one that I included on my favourite cover of the year post, and also another one that I had hoped to read this month, but truthfully, I don’t think that is going to happen! Saving this one again for January!

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

I read Book Lovers and Beach Read this year by Emily Henry and You and Me on Vacation a couple of years ago and I am a big fan of Emily Henry! I didn’t get round to this one this summer though and I feel like I have to read them in the summer! I accidentally ordered an extra copy though, so I gave one of them to my mum and she really enjoyed it.

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

I’ve always had a weird fascination around castles and the Tower of London, so when I heard about this book, I rally wanted to read it. It seems like a cute and cosy summer read, but again I just missed it this summer!

Atalanta by Jennifer Saint

Princess, Warrior, Lover, Hero

When Princess Atalanta is born, a daughter rather than the son her parents hoped for, she is left on a mountainside to die. But even then, she is a survivor. Raised by a mother bear under the protective eye of the goddess Artemis, Atalanta grows up wild and free, with just one condition: if she marries, Artemis warns, it will be her undoing.

Although she loves her beautiful forest home, Atalanta yearns for adventure. When Artemis offers her the chance to fight in her name alongside the Argonauts, the fiercest band of warriors the world has ever seen, Atalanta seizes it. The Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece is filled with impossible challenges, but Atalanta proves herself equal to the men she fights alongside. As she is swept into a passionate affair, in defiance of Artemis’s warning, she begins to question the goddess’s true intentions. Can Atalanta carve out her own legendary place in a world of men, while staying true to her heart?

I have three Jennifer Saint books on my shelf, and I have not read one of them. I know I am going to love them, but feel like I cannot read the newest ones until I read the earlier ones. I feel like I need to read them in order, even though they don’t overlap and are not connected at all, but its just this weird thing I have with new authors!

Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces.

As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

This one may come as a surprise because of how much I love Cassandra Clare, and honestly it is a surprise to me too! I have been wanting to read this for so long, but now we have reached December, I thought I would save this for my first book of 2024. Every year, I like to read a book that I think I will absolutely love. I like the first read to be a 5 star read. This year, I read Six Crimson Cranes; in 2022 I read Fortuna Sworn (although this one didn’t end up being a 5 star for me); in 2021 it was A Court of Thorns and Roses (which cheating a little bit); in 2020 it was To All of the Boys I’ve Loved Before; in 2019 it was Nasty Women; in 2018 it was The Girl on the Train; and in 2017 (the year that I started to track my reading) it was A Court of Thorns and Roses again, but this time it was the first time that I read it! I tend to put a lot of pressure on my first book of the year, and I think Sword Catcher can definitely take that pressure!

There are far too many books on this list than I would like, but what 2023 releases do you wish you read this year?

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