Category Archives: Reading

End of Year Review 2022

Hello friends, I hope you’re enjoying the festivities and taking the opportunity to look back at everything you’ve achieved this year and feel proud.

Personally, 2022 has been one of the most difficult but rewarding years of my life, and I’m both nervous and excited about what 2023 will bring.

So, here’s an end of year review with (almost) everything I’ve read and written this year (so far, there’s still a few days to go!).

Books I’ve Read in 2022

I read quite a few thrillers this year, as a palate cleanser to all the fantasy I read and write, and because I’m a true crime addict. After I published The Solitary King in January (can you believe that was less than a year ago?!), I was pretty burnt out and just needed a break from fantasy, so I grabbed a few YA thrillers, including One of Us is Next and This Lie Will Kill You, both of which I loved.

I set my Goodreads goal to 36 this year, and so far I’m at 33, with a couple of books and an audio book pretty close to finishing, so I’m hoping to hit my target by 1 January.

If you want to see my full list of books read this year, you can check out my Goodreads Reading Challenge page here. Otherwise, here’s my top five favourite reads of 2022:

Books I’ve Written in 2022

I tracked 162,859 words in 2022, but I probably wrote even more, as I didn’t start tracking my words written on StoryOrigin until about May.

This year, I’ve written One Fair Eve, my short story for Enchanted Forests, A Fair Vendetta, my companion novella set in the Fair Realm, and The Fair War, the third and final book in my Fair Chronicles series.

I’m so proud of everything I’ve achieved this year, publishing two full length novels, one novella and two charity anthologies (Enchanted Forests and Once Upon a Name). Plus, the audio book of The Solitary King is currently being quality checked by Audible, so could also be out in 2022 if they pull their socks up!

I’m excited for what 2023 will bring, I’ve been lucky to receive some amazing opportunities that I can’t wait to tell you all about very soon. It’s going to be another really fun and busy year for me, and I hope you’ll all join me for the ride!

What are you proud of achieving this year (or just surviving through – I’m halfway through my husband’s 6 month deployment right now and honestly most days I’m in something even more primal than survival mode, so I feel you)? And what are you most excited for in 2023?

Lyndsey

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Once Upon a Wicked Heart is out now!

The authors of Once Upon A Wicked Heart are pleased to present this anthology featuring villains of fairy tales and myths out into the world!

Check out the stunning cover and blurb below!

Grab a copy to help an amazing cause, then enter the release giveaway.

How do you break a villain’s heart? The first step is to steal it…

Join the authors of Once Upon A Wicked Heart as they detail the bittersweet, tragic, and sinister love lives of the villains we all love to hate!

These twelve dark retellings of fairy tales and myths will leave you shocked, entertained, and hungry for more!

Featuring:

‣ a Faerie queen with a score to settle

‣ a jilted goddess who starts a bloody war

‣ a heart of ice that will either thaw or shatter

‣ a cursed maiden who finds worth in her affliction

‣ a serial killer who might have just met her match

‣ a nymph who seems to have found true love at last

‣ a mechanical heart that could be a young woman’s undoing

‣ a sister who seeks vengeance against those who wronged her

‣ a betrayed witch who vows retribution for the slights against her

‣ a mistreated queen will take her rightful place, no matter the cost

‣ a sea witch who learns that love cannot be so easily manipulated

‣ a god who takes back what was stolen from him in a gruesome fashion

You can get your copy here: https://books2read.com/onceuponawickedheart

Enter the Giveaway!

Don’t forget to enter the release giveaway for a chance to win these awesome prizes!

Enter here: bit.ly/ouawhreleasegw

Lyndsey

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Enchanted Flames ARC sign ups are open!

Hey friends, how is the penultimate month of the year treating you so far? I hope you’re getting into the festive spirit, whether you’re looking forward to Thanksgiving or beyond to Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know all about Enchanted Waters and Enchanted Forests, but did you know our next anthology, Enchanted Flames is coming June 2023?

The ARC sign up sheet is already open for applications, so if you loved our past collections, or you’d just really love to read an early review copy of ten fire-magic and mythical creature focused fantasy stories, then click the cover below to apply!

My story in this collection is titled The Wyvern and the Woodwitch, and follows an apothecary in the Salamander Kingdom as she tries to find the cure to a mysterious sickness that has begun to spread across the realm. With the help of a curious wyvern, she journeys into the heart of the forest to find the rare plant she needs to create the cure, but when she crosses paths with an arrogant woodcutter, can she complete her task without getting her fingers burned?

If you’re not already a member of our fan group on Facebook, come and join us for all the latest behind the scenes info on our stories, and updates on how much our anthologies have raised for our chosen charities.

We can’t wait to share these stories with you and raise funds for the World Land Trust’s Wildfire Appeal!

Lyndsey

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