#booklrs unite

[peacefulandcozy]

Instagram credit: chaptersofshau

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Adult SFF Books Bracket: Round 1

Book summaries and submitted endorsements below:

The Murderbot Diaries series (All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy, Network Effect, Fugitive Telemetry, System Collapse, and other stories) by Martha Wells

Endorsement from submitter: "Asexual and agender main character. In later books side characters are revealed to be in poly relationship."

"As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure."

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid--a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.

Science fiction, novella, series, adult

Hunger Pangs series (True Love Bites) by Joy Demorra

In a world of dwindling hope, love has never mattered more...

Captain Nathan J. Northland had no idea what to expect when he returned home to Lorehaven injured from war, but it certainly wasn't to find himself posted on an island full of vampires. An island whose local vampire dandy lord causes Nathan to feel strange things he'd never felt before. Particularly about fangs.

When Vlad Blutstein agreed to hire Nathan as Captain of the Eyrie Guard, he hadn't been sure what to expect either, but it certainly hadn't been to fall in love with a disabled werewolf. However Vlad has fallen and fallen hard, and that's the problem.

Torn by their allegiances--to family, to duty, and the age-old enmity between vampires and werewolves--the pair find themselves in a difficult situation: to love where the heart wants or to follow where expectation demands.

The situation is complicated further when a mysterious and beguiling figure known only as Lady Ursula crashes into their lives, bringing with her dark omens of death, doom, and destruction in her wake.

And a desperate plea for help neither of them can ignore.

Thrown together in uncertain times and struggling to find their place amidst the rising human empire, the unlikely trio must decide how to face the coming darkness: united as one or divided and alone. One thing is for certain, none of them will ever be the same.

Fantasy, romance, paranormal, series, adult

[starrynightsxo]

guys I'm nearly at the end of the shatter me series... 35% through Believe Me and damn just hit me how much I've been invested and how much I've read. I started reading the 1st book on 13th March and (now on 10th April) I say, woah, it's been an emotional rollercoaster since then. The series (for me) has had it's ups and downs but in all honesty, I've enjoyed the books and the little novellas too :) I'll let you guys know how I feel at the end of Believe Me and give a book by book rating <3

To all the Warnette fans, I am with you.

To all the Nazeera x Kenji fans, I stand with you.

To all the Winston x Brendon stans, I stan with you.

And, finally, to all the Anderson haters, I proudly, and with unadultered feeling, hate with you.

[anorchidkid]

every single person in unit 919 sounds british and nobody will change my mind

[tnbc-thoughtsandheadcanons]

The cover and release date for Sally's Lament in the U.K. has been revealed!

[uncanny-witchery]

The Literary and Philosophical Society, Newcastle upon Tyne, North East England 📚✨

[ya-world-challenge]

Fantasy Series by European Authors

The Mirror Visitor Series by Christelle Dabos

Magical floating arks, court politics and arranged marriages

The Reckless Series by Cornelia Funke

Mirror portals, curses, and shape-shifting foxes

The Engelsfors Trilogy by Sara B. Elfgren & Mats Strandberg

Teen witches, ancient demons, and the end of the world

The Raven Rings Trilogy by Siri Pettersen

Norse myths, an outcast heroine, and... tails?

The Arcadia Trilogy by Kai Meyer

Mafia romance, shapeshifters, and Greek mythology

The Watch Series by Sergei Lukyanenko

Paranormal people, magic organizations, and Dark vs Light

The Gifts Series by Caroline O'Donoghue

Tarot cards, psychic cults, and queer rights

Lockwood & Co. Series by Jonathan Stroud

Ghosts, paranormal detectives, and British humour

-------------

(*some series are longer but I limited the images to 3 books)

(*All YA except the Watch series but I wanted diversity in location)

[dragonbadgerbooks]

September Fun Day Book Photo Challenge September 2, 2024: Coconut Day

"You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live, and what came before you."

[mostlyuk]

London Review Bookshop | London 2024

Taken by me

[graveyard-club]

Snippets 2

[braodrickpatrick-1]

Chapter Two Everlasting Love

I Love d You before I M e t You Pg. 28 JOURNAL ENTRY “MONTH OF MAY.” We dance the night away and kissed for hours. Shots after shots, round after round living in the midnight moment amongst the stars. But time itself seemed to have passed its curfew. You asked me to drive us back home, so I grab the car keys. Here we go driving into the midnight breeze. It was an hour drive back to the city as I looked over as saw you fast asleep, for only the heavens itself could create such a thing. My head started to pound as I tried to remain focus on the road, but then I felt a taste of blood kiss my lips as my eyes started to close while driving into the midnight mist. Boom! It’s an accident. Love, we had an accident

SIGHT OF LOVE

They say falling in love is a choice. Then why does it feel as if the laws of free will doesn’t apply at the sight of you? My heart forever tangle within your reach. and pulled at the thought of you. Yet I am forever woven within the fabrics of your heaven. As for love itself is written in the heavens amongst the stars.

I Loved You before I Met You: A Love Story by Braodrick Patrick 

About the Book: A girl discovers her lover's journal, a journal she promised to never read, and quickly finds that it is filled with his poetic thoughts regarding their love story. This book is written in a collection of poems and storytelling about two teenagers who fall in love at first sight. But sometimes love doesn't last forever as one of them soon learns that their cancer has returned and a battle that was thought to have been won is far from over. Could this be the end of love at first sight or is this the beginning of a true love story? Sometimes love itself is written in the heavens amongst the stars.

My Debut Novel is out now world wide. Novel is available online purchase at Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobles, Walmart.com, Book A Million, and many more Nationwide Book Stores.

[peacefulandcozy]

Instagram credit: co.nfused

[casbooks]

Book 59 of 2024 (★★★★★)

Title: Sunday Bloody Sunday: A Soldier's War in Northern Ireland, Rhodesia, Mozambique and Iraq Authors: Gregory Michael Budd & Jake Harper-Ronald

ISBN: 9798858120445 Rating: ★★★★★

Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Africa.Mozambique, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Africa.Rhodesia, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Africa.Zimbabwe, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Europe.Northern Ireland Troubles, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Infantry.UK.British Army, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Middle East-SWA.Iraq.OIF.Mercs, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.SpecOps.Rhodesian.SAS, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.SpecOps.Rhodesian.Selous Scouts

Description: Gold is forged in fire. Men in the furnace of adversity… Step into the extraordinary life of Jake Harper-Ronald, a man whose childhood dream of becoming a soldier led him on an unparalleled journey. In 1966, he fulfilled his ambition as a conscript in the Royal Rhodesia Regiment, only to embark on a series of adventures that most soldiers can only imagine. From early days in the elite Parachute Regiment in the UK to his pivotal role as the official photographer during the infamous 'Bloody Sunday' in Northern Ireland, Jake's path was one of courage and resilience. He left an indelible mark on history, capturing iconic moments through his lens that still resonate today. Returning to Rhodesia in 1974, Jake's journey continued with the ultra-tough SAS and the Selous Scouts. His daring cross-border raids and contributions as a professional soldier showcased his unwavering commitment. Despite facing the trials of combat, he persevered, even transitioning to a top-secret Special Branch callsign and later joining Zimbabwe's Central Intelligence Organisation. Jake's remarkable story unfolded further as he operated as an intelligence agent for global powers such as South Africa, Britain, and the US. His path was not without challenges; accusations of treason led to his time in solitary confinement at Goromonzi Detention Centre. Undeterred, he emerged from adversity, and in 1989, MI6 enlisted his expertise to train and lead militias combating Renamo in Mozambique. His efforts were so impactful that his Special Forces unit was integrated into Mozambique's National Army. Witnessing the harrowing realities of Mozambique, Jake's journey came full circle as he returned to Zimbabwe and ventured into the private security sector and then on to private military contracting in Iraq. Despite his health declining, his resolve remained unshaken until his passing in 2007 at the age of 59. Immerse yourself in an incredible narrative of bravery, sacrifice, and tenacity as 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' chronicles the awe-inspiring life of Jake Harper-Ronald. This is more than a biography; it's a testament to the indomitable spirit of a true soldier and a captivating journey that will leave you inspired and in awe. Read It Now!

My Review: This is a book about a man who was always THERE, or THERE adjacent, or knew the people who were right THERE. From his days with 1 PARA during Operation Banner, to his time with the SAS and Selous Scouts Recce Troop, his time locked up in Goromonzi, to his final years in Mozambique and Iraq, Jake was really in the thick of it time and time again.

You'll see a lot of people talk about his overcoming adversity, his struggles, or focus on his actions and incidents, and it's all there, page after page. If you want to know what selection was like, the physical and mental toughness required, if you want to know what the contact and firefights, an interesting view of the Paras in NI, and SAS operations across the borders, this book has it in spades.

But what Budd was able to write about that sets this book apart, was the more personal aspects. His two marriages, his feelings toward Rhodesia as a nation, staying on and working for the new government in Zimbabwe and more. To read the chapter on the election night and about Mugabe's slaughter of the Matabele cuts right to the bone and is raw in its emotion. To read the chapter about his time in Goromonzi is incredibly difficult to read because of its detail and horrors. More importantly, Budd and Jake never shy away from the trauma and its effects on him after that. How much that changed him, how much he continued to suffer because of that.

This is a man who killed, who had so many friends killed, who saw atrocities, and isn't shy about talking about an incident that he was ashamed to have partaken in. And a man who stayed, even when so many others left, who knew his faults and admitted them while sometimes trying to blame the stresses of the job, but accepted much of the responsibility for the things he did. Which is why that chapter on Goromonzi hits home so hard. As he succinctly put it, he was always willing to pay the price for the things he did, but to be tortured and destroyed in so many ways for something that someone else did, for something he was innocent of… that was too much to handle, too much to endure, and yet… he did. He survived, but surviving doesn't mean you aren't affected, don't carry the wounds and scars, and doesn't mean you are the same person you were before.

There is a lot to say about this book, and each section contains so much incredible info, so many good stories, and the writing is so fluid. From being a covert photographer and political shenanigans when he was with CIO and Special Branch, to the fireforce concept and what it was like fighting a war against all sides while heavily sanctioned. His experiences with the complexities of South Africa's machinations inside of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and how even his own former friends wanted him dead for staying behind all give you an incredibly vivid picture of his life and the world around him. I'm really glad I grabbed this book, and reading it was definitely one of the highlights of this years group of books.

[starrynightsxo]

"Jesus Christ woman, I look at you like I'm in love with you"

CAREFUL KENJI OR WE MIGHT ALL JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU 😭😭😭

[4amethyst]

Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi

[hayleythesugarbowl]

jack edwards x reader headcanons • part 2

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ masterlist • part 1 • part 3 • part 4 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

requested by @stellapookie

a/n: hope you enjoy part 2 of this, i was so happy to write it i love jack so much!! 🍓🎀

<— previous part • next part —>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

dating jack edwards would include…

ok so he is the most attentive boyfriend 

always making sure you’re not too cold and he offers his sweater to you constantly 

he definitely made you banana bread once 

he reads all of your favorite books so you can talk about them together 

there’s nothing he loves more than just seeing you light up talking about something you love 

like he thinks you’re adorable 

he loves just holding your hand 

you guys have game nights together all the time 

and when he wins at scrabble every time you pretend not to be too hurt and he pretends not to be too proud of himself 

he loves to hear your opinion on everything 

like he doesn’t know how he would make a decision without you 

you guys go and have tea a lot 

you love just listening to him talk

alexa play london boy by taylor swift

and he tells you stories to help you fall asleep sometimes

he loves dressing up for you 

like it’s so cute 

“you look lovely, jack”

“really? thank you so much, i’m glad you like it! i was going for dark academia.”

and the movie days!

he always let’s you pick the movie 

but then you both proceed to talk during most of it

“wait what’s happening?” “look at that hat!” “you know in the book—”

calls you “love” ✋😭

he 100% gave you a full spa treatment one time for a self care day 

you guys lay in bed together and read for hours

and be runs his fingers through your hair

you both love cooking for each other 

breakfast in bed all the time 

you can’t tell me he doesn’t smell like vanilla, cinnamon, and old books

he loves having you on his channel and every one of his followers ships you guys so hard 

like you know the “if they break up i don’t believe in love” comments? 

everyone says that about you two 

he just loves you so so much and can’t wait to spend the rest of his life with you <3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❦~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <— previous part • next part —>

ˋ°•*⁀➷ hope you guys enjoyed this!! let me know if you want a part 3 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚💌🩰