Countdown to 2026: Day 17 – Glitter – A book that you simply have to have

Once again I am counting down to the New Year, as with the previous years I shall be highlighting at least one book per day to fit the prompt on that given day.  The main aim for this countdown is to highlight some of my reads during the past year and to shine the spotlight on them once again (although some of the prompts relate to forthcoming reads).

Today is Day 17 of the countdown to 2026 and a list of prompts can be found here if you wish to join me in counting down to 2026 and casting a spotlight on some of your favourite books.

Today’s Prompt: Glitter – A book that you simply have to have:

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins.

I loved The Heiress and I’m so excited for this.

14 Days Remaining

Tomorrow’s prompt: Christmas Cards – a book with a message

Can’t Wait Wednesday: The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

CWW

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that was originally created by Breaking the Spine.  Unfortunately Breaking the Spine are no longer hosting so I’m now linking my posts up to Wishful Endings Can’t Wait Wednesday. Don’t forget to stop over, link up and check out what books everyone else is waiting for.  If you want to take part, basically, every Wednesday, we highlight a book that we’re really looking forward to.  This week my book is: The Storm by Rachel Hawkins (I’m still talking about The Heiress at every opportunity as I loved it so have high hopes for this one).  Here’s the cover and description:

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive–and as deadly–as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…

Expected publication: January 2026

Best of the Best

As with previous years at the start of each year I take a look back over the past twelve months and choose my top ten books.  This past year I’ve read over 100 books (I think 114 in total) so choosing ten was not easy.  I’ve read some amazing books this year and tried to shine a light on my favourites, particularly during My Countdown to 2025 posts.  There’s a great variety here, twisted mystery, fantastic fantasy, scary goosebump raisers, tricksy fae, history, romance, beautiful writing and great adventures. So, here goes, and before I change my mind for the sixth time, here are ten amazing books:

  1. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
  2. The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
  3. The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
  4. We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
  5. The Moonlight Market by Joanne Harris
  6. The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
  7. A Little Trickerie by Rosanna Pike
  8. Gorse by Sam K Horton
  9. The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso
  10. The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by HG Parry

Countdown to 2025: Day 13: Feast

Once again I am counting down to the New Year, as with the previous two years I shall be highlighting at least one book per day to fit the prompt on that given day.  The main aim for this countdown is to highlight some of my reads during the past year and to shine the spotlight on them once again (although some of the prompts relate to forthcoming reads). Today is day 13 of the countdown to 2025 and a list of prompts can be found here if you wish to join me in counting down to 2025 and casting a spotlight on some of your favourite books (if you join in please leave me a link so I can check out your book choices).

Today’s Prompt : Feast – a book that was magnificent

18 Days Remaining

The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins is definitely a contender for my top ten books this year.

Tomorrow’s prompt: Christmas pudding – if you could squeeze in just one more book for 2020

Top Ten Tuesday : May Flowers 

TTT

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic.  Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by  The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here.   This week’s topic:

May Flowers (Titles with flowers/covers with flowers, etc)

I’ve gone for covers with flowers.  Here they are (with links to the reviews below:

The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier.

Powerless by Lauren Roberts

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

Delicate Condition by Danielle Valentine

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Hills of Heather and Bone by KE Andrews

Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden

 

 

 

 

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