Blog Tour: The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson


Hello, reader!

It’s been a minute, but today I have a blog tour stop to share with y’all! I’m happy to be able to participate in another tour hosted by The Write Reads and I’m extra excited because this is for a new middle grade fantasy. The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams by Victoria Williamson was a fun, quick read that I think younger readers would adore.

But, before I get to my review, I have people to thank. First, thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour! Second, thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free e-ARC of the book so that I could participate in this tour. It is, as always, appreciated!

Now, let’s get the post!



  • Title: The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams
  • Author: Victoria Williamson
  • Publisher: Tiny Tree
  • Publication date: May 11th, 2023
  • Length: 214 pages
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Age group: Middle Grade

Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads



In a strange little village called Witchetty Hollow, eleven-year-old Florizel is the first to run into the curious visitors who’ve come to open a brand new Daydream Delicatessen and sack-baby factory.

At first, it seems the daydream confection and cheap sack children are the best things that could have happened to the poor folk of the Hollow – after all, who has the money to rent their child from Storkhouse Services these days? But after a few weeks, Florizel starts to notice something odd happening to the adults of the town. First, they seem dreamy, then they lose all interest in their jobs and families. Soon they’re trading all their worldly goods in the newly-opened Pawnshop for money to buy daydreams. With no money for rent payments, the children of Witchetty Hollow are being reclaimed by Storkhouse Services at an alarming rate. Florizel needs to act.

A magical tale of intrigue and adventure from award-winning children’s author Victoria Williamson

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WWW Wednesday: May 24, 2023


It’s time for another WWW Wednesday! This is a bookish meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words where bloggers answer the 3 Ws:

  1. What are you currently reading?
  2. What did you recently finish reading?
  3. What do you think you’ll read next?

If you’d like to learn more about any of these books, click on the cover to be taken to the Goodreads page.


Current Reads

  • Cursed in Love by Zoe Ashwood: I have been “reading” this for a minute now, but I have to be honest and say that I put it down for awhile. Not because I wasn’t enjoying it! This reverse harem paranormal fantasy has been such a wild ride so far. I put it down because I was feeling a bit of a burnout with paranormal books because I read quite a few back to back to back. Now that I’ve had a bit of a breather, I’ve dived back in and I am loving it!
  • Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells: I’m continuing my reread of the Murderbot series and, so far, this book is just as much of a good time as the first two. I could probably read about Murderbot watching TV for a week and still love it, lol. I adore their character and their thought processes and their wit. I’m really looking forward to getting to the full length novel of this series because getting to hang out with Murderbot for more than a 150 pages sounds incredible.
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ARC Review: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night by Amélie Wen Zhao


Title: Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

Author: Amélie Wen Zhao

Publisher: Delacorte Press/Harper Voyager

Genre: Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult

Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Rating: ★★★★★

Book Links: 
Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::Goodreads


Goodreads Synopsis

Once, Lan had a different name. Now, she goes by the one the Elantian colonizers gave her. She spends her days scavenging for remnants of the past. For anything that might help her understand the strange mark burned into her arm by her mother, in her last act before she died.

No one can see the mysterious mark – until the night Zen appears at the teahouse and saves her life.

Zen is a practitioner, one of the fabled magicians of the Last Kingdom, whose abilities were rumoured to be drawn from the demons they communed with. Magic believed to be long lost. Magic to be hidden at all costs.

Both Lan and Zen have secrets buried deep within. Fate has connected them, but their destiny remains unwritten. Both hold the power to liberate their land. And both hold the power to destroy the world.

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Blog Tour: DeadEndia Vol I and II by Hamish Steele


Hello, reader!

I have another TBR & Beyond Tours post to share with you today! Today, I’ll be talking about the graphic novel series that became a Netflix show: DeadEndia by Hamish Steele! This fantasy horror graphic novel series is a fun ride, with a diverse cast and a found family element that was *chef’s kiss*

Before I jump into my review, though, I want to say thank you. Thank you to the people at TBR & Beyond Tours for choosing me to take part in this tour. Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of both volume one and two of this series. And thank you to all my readers for supporting my little blog! Also, if you’d like to support the other incredible bloggers and bookstagrammers participating, make sure to check out the tour schedule by clicking here.

Alright, now let me tell you more about these books!



  • Title: DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test
  • Author: Hamish Steele
  • Publisher: Union Square & Co
  • Publication date: May 2nd, 2023
  • Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads

  • Title: DeadEndia: The Broken Halo
  • Author: Hamish Steele
  • Publisher: Union Square & Co
  • Publication date: May 2nd, 2023
  • Genre: Fantasy Graphic Novel
  • Age group: Young Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, torture, violence

Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads



The Watcher’s Test:

Barney and his best friend Norma are just trying to get by and keep their jobs, but working at the Dead End theme park also means battling demonic forces, time traveling wizards, and scariest of all–their love lives!

Follow the lives of this diverse group of employees of a haunted house, which may or may not also serve as a portal to hell, in this hilarious and moving graphic novel, complete with talking pugs, vengeful ghosts and LBGTQIA love!

The Broken Halo:

In the second installment of this quirky, heartfelt, LGBTQ adventure comic, war is brewing across the thirteen planes and as always, haunted house attraction and portal to hell Dead End is right at the center of it.

It’s been weeks since Dead End was destroyed and as it reopens as a hotel, resident tour guide turned hotel manager Norma is determined to leave the ghosts of the past where they belong. But with her friendship with Barney up in the air and angels and demons using the hotel as their literal wrestling ring, Norma soon finds that unwanted ghosts can appear at any moment, especially when they’re your own.

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May 2023 TBR


Hello, reader!

After two months of readathons, I’m back to building my TBR according to my own whims, haha. The books I’m hoping to get to in May are an eclectic mix, but I’m quickly learning that’s what I need to keep my reading mojo high. Too many of one genre in a row (even fantasy) tends to make me start to feel bored. So I’m hoping to keep it fresh this month by bouncing from fantasy to romance to horror and back again!

Now, let me share with you what I’m planning to read in the month of May.



  • 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
  • Witchlings: The Golden Frog Games by Claribel A. Ortega
  • The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
  • Belladonna by Adalyn Grace (my 12 friends, 12 recommendations read of the month!)
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March 2023 Wrap Up


Hello, reader!

Look who is finally wrapping up her March reading! Yes, I know it’s the last day of April and I’ll soon need to be doing that wrap up, but better late than never, right? That’s what I’m telling myself 😂 In March, I participated in the Trope-ical Readathon, which usually corresponds with me reading a ton of books! This March, however, I found myself in a weird, kind of reading slump. Like, I was enjoying most of what I was reading, but the urge to read was super low. Still, I managed to get through 8 books and I ended up with two five star reads! I’m gonna count that as a win.

Now, let me wrap up all my reading for last month.


Books Reads


  • Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano: I read this book for the Literally Dead Book Club. It was the February pick and I vastly overestimated how quickly I could read it, haha. That being said, I had a good time with this book but I think I would have benefitted from not binging all the books in a row. This is the third book in a mystery series and, though I loved the concept at first, but this third book it was starting to get a little too absurd, haha. I still love Finlay and Vero, but the things they get themselves into (and out of) are starting to really stretch my suspension of disbelief. I’m not sure if I’ll pick up the next book… perhaps with a little time between reading about these characters will make me like it a lot more. ★★★
  • Appointment with Death by Agatha Christie: This was my first Trope-ical Readathon read and I enjoyed it! Hercule Poirot books are just a comfort read, at this point, because they’re so easy to get into and entertaining. I’m always a little put out when it takes forever for the famous detective to make an appearance in the story and that is definitely the case with this book. Still, I liked the mystery, I liked the investigation, and I liked the reveal. This was a solid addition to the series and I ended up having a good time reading it. ★★★★
  • The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill: I participated in the TBR & Beyond Tours book tour for this middle grade graphic novel and I absolutely loved it! K. O’Neill’s art is always gorgeous and this graphic novel is no different. This was a beautiful book containing and important story. It’s about a young girl who has been tapped as her community’s new Moth Keeper, a very important job because the people really depend on the moths she’ll be protecting. It talks about loneliness and burnout; topics that I think it dealt with in a wonderful and accessible way. You can read my full review here. ★★★★★
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BBNYA 2022 Finalist First Impressions: Cursed in Love by Zoe Ashwood


Hello, reader!

It’s time for another blog tour for one of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2022 finalists! Today, I’ll be talking about our 6the place finisher which is one I heard a lot about during the competition. Cursed in Love by Zoe Ashwood is part paranormal romance, part adventure story and all enticing!

But, before I go on, let me tell you more about this award. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

And, now, let me tell you more about this book!



  • Title: Cursed in Love
  • Author: Zoe Ashwood
  • Publisher: Self-published
  • Publication date: June 23rd, 2021
  • Length: 340 pages
  • Genre: Paranormal Romance
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

B&N::Amazon::Goodreads



I’ll do anything to protect my family, even con my way into the most dangerous treasure hunt in the magical world.

With three men by my side, I embark on a mission to save my father and siblings from the same horrible illness that took my mother.

I need a guide into the Egyptian desert, and my ex is the best man for the job…even though he’s an irritatingly sexy vampire.

The strongest curse breaker I know just happens to be my best friend, who I’ve been crushing on for years.

And to finish off our team, a mysterious stranger I can’t stop thinking about is also our fiercest competitor.

We can only win the game if we trust each other completely. No secrets, no pretense, no lies.

But not everyone plays by the same rules. And if I’m not careful, that might cost me my heart…or my life.

Cursed in Love is the first book in the finished paranormal RH trilogy that will take you on a magical adventure around the world. Curl up and enjoy this steamy romance in which the heroine doesn’t have to choose between her three heroes – she gets to have them all.

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Blog Tour: Dark Eyes, White Lies by M.R. Noble


Hello, reader!

It’s time for a blog tour! Today, I’m participating in the tour hosted by The Write Reads for the sequel to a book I read (and enjoyed!) through a different tour hosted by the same company in 2021. Dark Eyes, White Lies by M.R. Noble picks up right where the first book leaves us and it’s even more of an intense, wild ride!

But, before I get to my review, I have people to thank. First, thank you to Dave @ The Write Reads and all of the crew for giving me a spot on this tour! Second, thank you to the author for providing me with a free e-copy of the book so that I could participate in this tour. It is, as always, appreciated!

Now, let’s get the post!



  • Title: Dark Eyes, White Lies
  • Author: M.R. Noble
  • Publication date: March 29th, 2023
  • Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: Violence, torture, blood, death, sexual assault (implied), drug use, gore

Bookshop::B&N::Amazon::
Goodreads



Blackmailed into espionage, Karo must lie to one man while she fights her cravings for another. As spy partners, Karo is forced to work with Andre, the vampire she swore to never trust again. The accidental vampiric bond they have threatens to bend her into submission. But is her will actually weak, or does she want an excuse to give in?

Roman’s patience teeters on Karo’s deception. Bitter, desperate, and vengeful, Karo dutifully completes her missions while withholding data from her uncle Loukin’s operation. She swore to get out from under his thumb, even if she has to break a few hands. Each assignment brings her closer to uncovering his goal, and using it against him, but she also draws closer to new foes. And they all want the same thing—Karo’s secrets.

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BBNYA Finalist Spotlight: The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies


Hello, reader!

Today on the blog, I have a spotlight for our 7th place finisher in last year’s Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA)! The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies is an incredible gaslamp fantasy that features gods, heathens, and loads of tea. I had already read this book before the competition started (you can read my full review here) so I couldn’t judge it for BBNYA. I’m so glad that the book made it to the finals because it’s absolutely stellar! Before I tell you more about the book, though, let me give you more info on BBNYA.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.  If you are an author and wish to learn more about the BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website http://www.bbnya.com or Twitter @bbnya_official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.

Now, let’s get to today’s spotlight!



  • Title: The Thirteenth Hour
  • Author: Trudie Skies
  • Publication date: October 13th, 2021
  • Publisher: Self-published
  • Length: 535 pages
  • Genre: Fantasy/Gaslamp Fantasy
  • Age group: Adult
  • Content/Trigger Warnings: For a list of potential content and trigger warnings, check out this book’s page on BookTriggerWarnings.com

B&N::Amazon::Goodreads

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Magical Readathon: Orilium Spring Equinox TBR 2023


Hello, reader!

April has arrived and that means it’s time for the Orilium Spring Equinox readathon! This is a part of the Magical Readathon that I’ve been participating in since it’s conception and, I promise you, it is a blast. I always get pumped to head back to Orilium and help my character achieve her goals.

But what is the Magical Readathon? It is the brain child of the marvelous G @ Book Roast, who created the world of Aeldia, where Orilium dwells, and every aspect therein. It’s an incredibly creative readathon where you build a character, choose a guild, and guide your character through classes to achieve their calling. I am notoriously bad at giving all the details in a coherent way, so you should definitely watch G’s announcement video for the scoop:


My Character

✨✨✨ Name: Korrin Musgrave ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Guild: The Order of the Crescent Moon ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Current Guild Standing: Revered (210 gp)✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Conduit: Quarterstaff ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Legacy: Wolf familiar (Venandi) ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Background: Wildling ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Province: Irtheria ✨✨✨
✨✨✨ Heritage: Earthling (earth element) ✨✨✨

If you want to learn more about these various choices, you can check out the Brief History of Aeldia on the Google drive. It’s awesome what G has dreamed up!

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