Re-Imagining The Elements | The Dysasters (Review)

P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast have returned with a stormy read!

When I was getting back into reviewing post-hiatus, I took a little while to pick the books I wanted to review. After having read a bunch of books with seemingly tired or recycled concepts (for leisure), I was ready to pick something up that was unique. Something that was going to hold my attention and get me immersed from the get-go.

The Dysasters was my first pick.

When I read the blurb for The Dysasters, my inner Avatar the Last Airbender fangirl jumped for joy! The use of natural elements - water, earth, fire and air - in fiction is usually sporadic or secondary to the plot itself. But The Dysasters held the potential to reimagine the elements and produce a story that would be both inventive and captivating.

A big thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for sending me this copy to review! The full review is down below - but if you'd like a quick summary of my thoughts, feel free to check out my Instagram post on The Dysasters for a mini review.

So without further ado...let's get into it!

Health & Happiness ~ My Hiatus & Reigniting My Love of Books

Hello again lovelies!

It's so good to be back! After many semi-returns (a.k.a me popping in on social media to post the occasional book pic) it feels amazing to be returning to the world of book reading, reviewing and blogging. It's been quite the journey.

This post is about the importance of health and happiness and my quest to find them for myself. 2018 so far as been a beautiful mess of highs and lows. My hiatus allowed me the opportunity to reignite my love of books and to prioritise my life so that I could not only be happy but stay happy.

♥ Read on for my complete hiatus overview ♥

Enchanting Editions ~ 2017 Picks

I'm so excited to welcome you back to the Enchanting Editions tag!

The Enchanting Editions tag covers some of the treasured and special books that have a home on my bookshelves - books which stand out, either due to their outsides or their insides.

I've really been having so much fun with this tag. It's gotten me to view my bookshelf in a whole new light, and I've stumbled across some treasures that have given me so many great memories...especially when it comes to today's picks!

Today's featured books are all from 2017.

There were so many eye-catching, show-stopping books in 2017 that I had the pleasure of adding to my bookshelves, that I thought I'd feature some of them on the tag! From the City of Bones 10th Anniversary Edition, to Norma by Sofia Oksanen, 2017 produced some beautiful gems that would brighten up any bookshelf.

A big thank you to Allen and Unwin, Walker Books Australia, and Bloomsbury for sending me copies to review.

Saturday Stack ~ Reads for the Holidays

The holidays are a time for good books and good company.

As many of you know, the second half of this year was extremely busy for me. With finishing my uni thesis + degree (so happy to have that behind me!) and dealing with challenges that arose within the family, it was hard to find time to sit back and devour some of the best books that 2017 had to offer.

The holidays allowed me to finally sit down and - one after the other! - get to reading some truly transportive reads. From assassins and magic, to mystery and trickery, there was so much to enjoy and many, many memorable quotes to bookmark! 

So today's post is going to be a recap of this stack of reads that kept my imagination company over Christmas + the Christmas weekend and that can keep you entertained this holiday season (whether you're celebrating New Years or just taking a break from work or study!). I can't wait to share what I thought of each of these six books with you guys.

A massive thank you to Allen and Unwin, Bloomsbury, and Hot Key Books for sending me these copies to review.

So without further ado...let's get stacking!

2016 Debut Authors Bash ~ Erin Beaty Interview

Welcome back to this year's Debut Authors Bash.

The Debut Authors Bash is an annual event that YA Reads started in 2013 to promote debut authors through reviews, guest posts, interviews, promo posts, etc. It's an exciting chance to get to know a little more about the year's incredible authors and their brilliant books!



This year's Bash runs from December 1st through to December 30th. To view the rest of the tour schedule click here.

The author I'm featuring today is the lovely Erin Beaty!

I got the chance to chat with Erin about her novel The Traitor's Kiss (which I loved!), writing characters, and femininity. 

Along with the interview is a giveaway you don't want to miss thanks to Erin Beaty and the wonderful people over at YA Reads, so be sure to check that out if you love books and free things I mean who doesn't?!

Now let's get this Debut Authors Bash started!

All The Gothic Feels ~ The Hummingbird Heart by A. G. Howard | Review

A.G. Howard has created another whirlwind read.

A. G. Howard is the queen of hand-picking magical elements of fiction and weaving them into a beautiful tapestry. Her Haunted Hearts Legacy series is a testament to her brilliant storytelling and its latest addition, The Hummingbird Heart, is a diamond of the first water. Enchanting and addictive, it showcases a cast of winsome characters and a plot that holds your interest from start to finish.

A big thank you to A.G. Howard for sending me a copy of the book to review.

Without further ado, let's get started!

Fire's Kiss by Brittany Pate ~ Blog Tour, Review & Excerpt

The stakes are high in this paranormal romance.

My terrible stake pun aside (apologies to Ryder and his vampire hunting!), Fire's Kiss is a read that presents a great blend of romance and paranormal elements. With intriguing protagonists and two well balanced POVs, it's certainly an enjoyable read.

Today's stop on the blog tour is an exciting one.

I'm so excited to be a part of the Fire's Kiss Blog Tour and as well as a review of the book, I have a great excerpt to share with you all. A big thank you to Fiery Seas Publishing for organising the blog tour and for sending me a copy of the book to review.

So without further ado, let's get started!

Spook or Sweet? Halloween Reads for the Brave (and Not-So Brave!) of Heart

Trick or treat...spook or sweet?

It's that time of year again! The perfect opportunity to pick up a read that sends a shiver down your spine, or has you glancing over your shoulder to make sure no vampires or ghouls have entered your home unannounced.

But sometimes we like to keep our sanity intact.

Halloween can be a time of spookiness overload, so it's important to have a balance between the tricks and treats, and spooks and sweets. Luckily for you guys I've come up with three sets of Spooks & Sweets - with each set featuring a spooky read and a sweeter read to calm the nerves or tickle the funny bone.

The three sets are organised by theme: Haunting History (historical fiction), Ghoulish Girls (female leads), and Terrifying Tech (technology or sci-fi based).

A big thank you to Allen and Unwin, Hotkey, Pan Macmillan Australia, and Bloomsbury for sending me these copies to review.

Pick your poison and settle down with a Spook & Sweet pairing that fits your reading preferences this Halloween!

Drink Your Way Through A Court of Thorns & Roses: Tea Edition

'"Who wants someone around who's covered in thorns? (...) Thorny. Prickly. Sour. Contrary."

He leaned forward and kissed me lightly. "Not forever," he said onto my mouth.'

There are few books I adore more than A Court of Thorns and Roses. After all what is not to love about a Sarah J. Maas book that (A) includes a feisty heroine, (B) is a fairytale re-telling, and (C) features gorgeous fae men?

You know what would make this great book even better? Tea!

Today I've paired up A Court of Thorns and Roses characters with tea choices that I felt were destined to be their better half. I've also included a few A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) Moments To Drink To for each character - moments that not only link well with the chosen tea, but that are just too awesome not to raise a teacup to!

So without further ado...let's get sipping!

Quick Picks ~ This Week's Top 3 Reads

Witches, troublemakers, and choices...oh my!

From a waitress and pop-star love story, to a tale of prophecies and magic, this past week has been filled with books that captured my attention and imagination.

Today I'm bringing three of these to your attention: The Black Witch by Laurie Forest, When It's Real by Erin Watt, and If There's No Tomorrow by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

All three novels had something to offer and I hope they will intrigue you, entertain you, and above all have you falling in love with them just as much as I did.

A big thank you to Harlequin Publishing Australia for sending me these copies to review.

Let's get listing!