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katie 💀

@jaybirbtodd

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27, UK. fantasy, scifi, horror, historical, vampires & YA
classics & art student. NetGalley and ARC reader.
bi ace 💜🤍🖤 🏳️‍🌈

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Happy 12th birthday Molly!!!! From the moment I met you, you've been my joy. Chaotic and adoring in equal measure, I've never known a dog with so much love (and kisses) to give. You're like the sun you love to lie in, intelligent and beautiful and so funny. No matter what your age, you will always be the baby to us. I love you so very much 💖

#dogs #dogbirthday #molly #seniordog #seniordogsofinstagram❤️ by @jaybirbtodd

Fifteen years ago today I got hit in the face with a netball at school and was concussed. That's the only reason I went to the shelter that day with my parents and met Sammy, he put his paw through the cage and I knew he was mine. We had twelve wonderful years together until March 2024 and this is his third birthday at the rainbow bridge 💔 he was half of my soul and my heart. I think about him every day, especially this month with his sister Molly's birthday two days away as well (we would make it a full week celebration). We all miss and love him very much. Happy birthday, sweet boy.

#sammy #gotchadayanniversary🐾 #dogs #dogsofinstagram #rainbowbridgebirthday by @jaybirbtodd

🩸🗡 HER BLOODY VENGEANCE 🗡🩸

Thank you so much @scrimscribes for sending me a copy of this book to read, it hasn't affected my review! This was a perfect first book for my birthday month! Character art by @shaki0o 🖤 out now!!

REVIEW: ‘Her Bloody Vengeance’ is a love letter to the Gothic, dark, sensual and bloody in all the best ways. I adore vampires and this was such an excellent book, driven by revenge and grief and anger from the first page to the last. Alderose has never recovered from the loss of Henry on their wedding day and the way she's coped is by hunting monsters for coins. There are parts of this book where Alderose broke my heart- drinking, not eating and locking herself away- and others where I was in awe at how cool she is with her rapier. I particularly loved an early scene with a redcap and ones where she communicates with alder trees and spirits across Shropshire and parts of Wales. I was absolutely fascinated by Iestyn, his vampirism and his backstory. I found myself obsessed with any scene he shared with Alderose: the tension between the two is palpable and sensual from their first meeting, with their relationship constantly existing on a knife’s edge. You know from the beginning of this book that there isn't a happy ending and I loved that, the bittersweetness of it is beautifully done. An ideal book to start off my November!

Blurb in comments!

#herbloodyvengeance #ncscrimgeour #bookreview #horrorbooks #vampirebooks by @jaybirbtodd

I don't know how I did it but somehow I read 12 books in October! Here's my reading wrap up for the month, I've been very lucky to receive gifted copies of amazing books and read some other amazing ones! How was your month? 📚

Included are:
🗡 Victorious by @veschwab (thanks @titanbooks for the ARC)
💀 Adam, Mine by @k.ancrum (thanks @harper360uk for the ARC)
🐍 A Viper Among Kings by @sydneycvwrites
🥀 The Bone Season Revised by @say_shannon
⏳ As We Fall Through Time by @clairenorth_author (thanks to @orbitbooks_uk and @msannajackson42 for the ARC)
🌙 The Court of Venus by @belbanta
❄ The Anguished Earth by @richardswanauthor (thanks @grimdark.magazine and @pete_talks_books_good for the ARC)
💰 Hell To Pay by @lorabethjohnson (thanks @hotkeybooks and @pridebooktours for the copy)
🐈‍⬛ Nightcats by @kristenkorvette (thanks @feraleye.media and @blackcrow_pr for the copy)
🌿 A Time of Witches by @madelinemmartin (thanks @instabooktours and @hanoversquarepress for the copy)
🚨 The Infinite State by Richard Swan
🍇 This Divine Revelry by @chaosonolympus

#octoberreads #readingwrapup #bookstagram #books #bookwrapup by @jaybirbtodd

🩸🐈‍⬛ NIGHTCATS 🐈‍⬛🩸

Happy Halloween! I have the perfect review for today, especially if you like cats, vampires and feminist horror! Thank you to @feraleye.media @kristenkorvette and @blackcrow_pr for having me on the tour and for the copy! 🖤 do you love Halloween? I do! It's my favourite day of the year! 🎃

REVIEW: When I saw there was going to be a book about vampire cats I knew I needed to read it. I raced through the first hundred pages straight off, connecting immediately to Vera as she tries her best in a life that’s deeply unsatisfying. I loved how she’s put everything into Sammy and the connection she shared with her aunt in the past. Her relationship with religion- she’s formerly Catholic- plays such a big role in how Vera sees herself and her growing connection to other spirituality was really well written. I genuinely never knew how this book might go, it constantly had me on edge and dying to know what would happen next. I enjoyed the other sections with Candy, Cassandra and the Abbess so much, they widened the world and wove the stories so closely together as we come to understand the concept of a ‘nightcat’. I was fascinated by those parts, especially because at first it isn’t entirely clear how they’re connected and the historical/folklore focus on feminism and cats is so interesting. I love when books make a reader wait for the payoff and ‘Nightcats’ is brilliant at that, even while it might not be for everyone. This is a very strange and quirky book perfect for any unique horror lover. Bloody, gory, feminist and dark, ‘Nightcats’ is an incredible horror novel and not comparable to anything else. I know that I’ll be looking at cats differently since reading this one! Just check trigger warnings first 🩸🐈‍⬛

Blurb in comments!

#nightcats #kristenjsollée #bookreview #horrorbooks #feraleyemedia by @jaybirbtodd

🌿🌙 A TIME OF WITCHES 🌙🌿

Thank you so much to @instabooktours and @hanoversquarepress for having me on the tour for this fantasy/historical fiction crossover by @madelinemmartin and for sending me a copy with gorgeous sprayed edges (swipe to see!) 💚 do you like books about witches?

REVIEW: This is a great book to read in autumn: combining atmosphere, magical realism and historical fiction with dual timelines and women’s autonomy. I liked Lilith as a character a lot, the things she’s been through with her mother have influenced her entire life and I found her attempts at discovering who she is outside of that to be powerful. I loved how she connected with nature, particularly plants, and how those experiences encouraged her to find out more. The level of detail and research in Sybil’s sections is so impressive, you feel as if you’re with her throughout and the use of real life historical figures was brilliant. She was my favourite character. The fear and worry she feels is so palpable, especially as suspicion and paranoia run rampant over literally every woman in town. Parts of this book are really difficult to read, especially the conditions and circumstances that those accused of witchcraft go through, because you know that it actually happened. I loved the way that Lilith and Sybil’s stories intertwine and wrap up is masterfully done, I was very satisfied with how it ended for both women. It also sent me on a research spree afterwards, which is a sign of a great book that sticks with you.

Blurb in comments!

#atimeofwitches #madelinemartin #bookreview #instabooktours #historicalfiction by @jaybirbtodd

Since I had so much fun being part of the street team for Lethal Kiss, I knew I had to sign up for the one for the next book by @taylorlgrothe MONSTROUS BEAUTIFUL THINGS coming from @peachtreeteen in 2027! Thanks @whimsicalfiction for choosing me to be part of the Auras! 🥰 swipe to see the trope map!

BLURB: Plagued by sick headaches that are considered an ill portent in her superstitious village, Ediva has prayed to the Goddess Warmth for a cure. Too ill to marry and too weak to farm, she is desperate to contribute to her family’s survival.

When her prayers are finally answered, it isn’t by the Goddess, but by the Vivari—learned men from the North—who claim Ediva’s pain makes her special. They offer a cure in exchange for forsaking the Goddess Warmth and repaying them in lymph, allegedly the source of Ediva’s illness. Upon their orders, Ediva traverses the shimmering auras that appear with her sick headaches to the Otherworld—a strangely beautiful plane where Ediva is free of pain yet haunted by many-limbed beasts.

Pursued by horrors, Ediva is saved by a hard, fearsome girl named Brigid, who claims the Vivari aren’t trying to take away their pain but give it purpose. Ediva wants to believe her, but the more she explores the Otherworld, the more she suspects the Vivari’s promises of power will only be offered to the one who survives. To save the girl she loves, Ediva faces a choice: retreat to a world where her pain means nothing or become like the monsters she fears.

#monstrousbeautifulthings #taylorgrothe #bookstagram #sapphicfantasy #streetteam by @jaybirbtodd

💀 HELL TO PAY 💀

Thank you so much to @pridebooktours and @hotkeybooks for having me on the tour for this newest YA by @lorabethjohnson which is out now! 🧡

REVIEW: If you’re looking for a fast paced, funny, quirky and very chaotic YA fantasy to read, ‘Hell to Pay’ is one to try out this spooky season. Partly inspired by Greek mythology and with a brilliantly opinionated lead character, this is a great heist novel but it’s also emotional and deals with found family in a satisfying way. Elle is a wonderful main character, she’s snarky and in denial about how bad things actually are and I loved how brutally honest she is. Each side character- Rook, CJ, Poppy, Trolliver, Ezra and Elle’s undead crow familiar Crowlene- is very unique and distinct with their own motivations and connections to the Afterlife. I really liked how their different abilities impacted the heist and that they were all so motivated by one last job. The worldbuilding and concept is very unique, I got so excited when I realised the connection to Greek mythology and the way it wove together into different factions was brilliant. I particularly liked how ghosts would borrow living bodies to experience life again, that was really cool. More books need an undead bird going around, it just added so much to the humour and brought a lovely sense of levity in serious moments. I don’t know if this is a standalone but I’d enjoy a sequel because I think this world could go so much further.

Blurb in comments!

#helltopay #lornabethjohnson #pridebooktours #bookreview #yabooks by @jaybirbtodd

🚨 THE INFINITE STATE 🚨

I'm an enormous fan of the fantasy works by @richardswanauthor and I'm happy to say I loved this scifi/dystopian epic from @gollancz as well! 😍 do you have an autobuy author? Or, do you read multiple genres?

REVIEW: What I really loved about this book is that it isn’t about huge space rebellions or battles across galaxies (though I do adore those and there is some here), it’s about small acts of defiance and bravery in the face of incredible oppression. The politics and tension of this one is absolutely brilliant with the lives of three unconnected characters gradually coming together to fight for a democracy. I read the first hundred pages of ‘The Infinite State’ straight off and I’ve never been so tense in my life, the circumstances of the characters and the atmosphere of the world is so palpable (and a little too close to reality). I was fascinated by Katherine, she’s been a member of Pater Aeternus for most of her life but there’s a streak of long resisted defiance in her. I love a grizzled, cynical detective character and Cyprian was a lot of fun to read, especially in scenes with his optimistic and loyal partner. Ultimately my favourite character was Julian because his journey from naive, brilliant racer to gradual rebel was really well written; I’m also in love with the idea of hypersledding. Knowing that this is the first in a series, I’m very excited to see what might come for the characters and their new world next.

Blurb in comments!

#theinfinitestate #richardswan #bookreview #gollancz #scifi by @jaybirbtodd

📚 SPRAYED EDGES STACK 📚

This week is going to be jammed packed with review posts from me so I went for a simple sprayed edges stack for this Monday, three of these I've read and three are on my TBR for November! ❤ these are editions by @illumicrate @fairyloot and @goldsborobooks 📚 what's been your favourite read in October?

Included are:
🗡 Silvercloak by @laurasteven
🌌 Lord of the Empty Isles by @julesarbeaux
🐍 A Viper Among Kings by @sydneycvwrites
🪶 Hawk and Sparrow by @ayanagray_
🫀 Bodies of Magic by @freyamarske
🌊 The River She Became by @emilyvargabooks

#sprayededgesbooks #specialeditionbooks #bookstacks #bookstagram #books by @jaybirbtodd

If you're US based and have been wanting to read DEATHBRINGER by @sonia.tagliareni and @atriabooks its now available on Kindle Unlimited (or Kindle+)! This book is perfect for this time of year and ahead of the sequel release in 2027! 🐍🥀🖤🗡

BLURB: Born with the ability to speak with the dead, Viola hates her magic. It killed her sister, Olivia, and the if she doesn’t learn why, it will kill her too. Her only hope lies within the perilous walls of Gorhail Institute of Magic, where Olivia spent her final days.

There, on the trail of the growing mystery, Viola clashes with Sylas, a poison mage whose magic stems from three immortal snakes. Tormented by his mother’s untimely demise, Sylas’ hatred for death mages runs deep. He is determined to keep Viola at a distance, but when an attack forces him to heal her, their fates become intertwined by a magical bond that threatens to upend his loyalties – and his common sense.

Drawn together by grief, magic and a growing attraction, Viola and Sylas follow a mysterious killer through Gorhail’s treacherous passageways, where secrets fester beneath the stone and the dead refuse to rest. As enemy lines begin to blur and their undeniable attraction grows, Viola and Sylas uncover a chilling conspiracy: someone is hunting mages for their magical relics, and if they can’t uncover the killer in time, Viola will be next.

#deathbringer #soniatagliareni #bookstagram #darkfantasy #atriabooks by @jaybirbtodd

📚 UP NEXT 📚

For today's Three for Thursday post I'm focusing on what I'm going to be reading next! All of these sound brilliant and I'm really excited for them ❤ do you know what you'll be picking up next?

Included are:
🖤 Her Bloody Vengeance by @scrimscribes (thanks to the author for sending me a copy, out Oct 31st)

🧡 This Wild Wanting by @sgonzalesauthor (thanks @readtempest for the ARC, out Nov 19th)

💙 The Slantwise Histories by @alix.e.harrow (thanks @bookbreakuk and @oliviascatastrophe for the copy, out now)

#threeforthursday #bookstagram #toberead #books #tbr by @jaybirbtodd