July is shaping up to be another month of amazing readathons! The first of two I month long readathons I am taking part in in the Book Junkie Trials – Quest for the Bookie Grail!

It is a complex RPG style month long readathon, in which four teams battle to seek out and gain control of the Bookie Grail, partake in mini challenges and even a series of Bookish trials, if you really want to test your metal! The Readathon was created by the marvellous Rachel Marie Book Junkie acting as our benevolent Queen and head of the Trials! All the information for the whole readathon can be found on her Youtube Channel as well as on the @TheBookieTrials Twitter.

There are also four co-hosts representing the four factions. Riley Marie: The Baroness of Bards, The Psycho Nyx: The Countess of Outlaws, Sophiesticated Books as the Duchess of Scribes and Becca and the Books: The Marquess of Magi. As a participant you can take a personality test or just decide which team you would like to join. Each team has its own special route through the world on the hunt for the grail and as you complete the reading points along those routes you gain points for your team to ultimately win the grail.

I am Team Mage

Each Team has a special ability and a Weakness and for the Magi these are as follows:

Ability:

Mages can bend time and therefore get a 3 day head start on the other teams. Therefore the mage official start date is

June 28th

instead of July 1st!

Weakness:

Mages spells can often go astray and unfortunately when we mess up it can get us into a bit of trouble. The Mage’s weakness forces them to read outside of their comfort zone for one of the promts!

The Magi Prompts:

1. Orc Grove: Some say there is no talking to Orcs, but a good political relationship is needed. Learn some Orc customs by reading a book that is gruesome, gory, or gritty.
2. Ol’ Pirate Cove: Shiver me timbers. You shall be walking the plank if you don’t learn how to sail better. Read a book that takes place, at least in part, on sea.
3. Glimmer: This Isle is alight with gems and crystals, one of the most picturesque spots in The High Queendom. Make sure you fit in with a beautiful or colourful book.
4. Draconic Isle: Oh My! This island is swarming with wyverns and dragons.Brush up on your draconic knowledge with a book that features d ragons.
5. The Bookie Grail: Here you find a lost manuscript, delivered on this
   forgotten island by a fallen star. Read the group book

You must visit each prompt in order throughout the map. no DNF or TBR swaps after your TBR has been declared and while you can go one to do the prompts for the other teams and compete for Quest champion, it is suggested that you follow your quest to the grail before starting any other prompts. I will only be declaring my TBR for the Mage prompts.

My TBR

Orc Grove: Read a book that is gruesome, gory, or gritty.

Nevernight
Jay Kristoff

As part of the re-read in anticipation for the release of Dark dawn, also hosted by Rachel Marie Book Junkie, reading Nevernight in July and GodsGrave in August. I thought I would kill two brids with one stone and include my re-read here.

Ol’ Pirate Cove: Read a book that takes place, at least in part, on sea.

The Beholder
Anna Bright

This is another two fold one for me. It allows me to keep up with my Ten book TBR prompts of reading a Fairyloot book as well as fulfilling this prompt. As this book has a beautifully carved ship and talks about sailing the Atlantic I think it may take place partly at sea!

Glimmer: Read a beautiful or colourful book. (WEAKNESS PROMPT)

The Flat Share
Beth O’Leary

If you have came across my latest Top 5 Wednesday Prompt I discussed a few books that I really wanted to read based on the blrubs despite them not being a genre a usually reach for. I eventually decided to pick up this one as it was a) availible at my local library! b) has a one of my favourite shades of this minty green on the cover, a plain and simple aesthetic that just calls to me c) It has such an interesting premiss.

Draconic Isle: A book that features dragons.

Temeraire (His Majesty’s Dragon)
Naomi Novik

The Napoleonic Wars but with Dragons! – enough said … I am sold. I have had so many people gush about the relationship between the main character and his dragon being better than that of the how to train your dragon series that I just had to pick it up. The fact I got the whole series from the local charity shop for just under a £1 each is awesome and I will hopefully love it enough to continue with the series.

Bookie Grail: Read the group book

Stardust
Neil Gaiman

Apart from the Tome that is American gods this is one of the only Gaiman books I have not read and I am not sure why to be honest. This is the perfect reason to pick it up and its so nice to have a shorter read as a group book at the end of a readathon too.

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So that is my Mage TBR. I am taking part in a second readathon in July (TBR will go live next week) which has a few more prompts so I will most likely not be completing more that the Mage prompts unless I can find away to fit more than 10 books in a month! I also don’t want to go too hard and burn myself out before the NEWTs in August so this lower pressure readathon is perfect.

Are you participating in the trials? What team are you on? What book are you most looking forward to reading?

I wish all the best to all teams but we know the Magi are going to triumph! Happy Reading and I will see you out on the quest!