Happy #BookBirthday! 13th Nov 25

Happy Thursday! This week there is ONE book on our lists publishing!

Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates

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When Christa joins a tour group heading deep into the snowy expanse of the Rocky Mountains, she's hopeful this will be her chance to put the ghosts of her past to rest. But when a bitterly cold snowstorm sweeps the region, the small group is forced to take shelter in an abandoned hunting cabin. Despite the uncomfortably claustrophobic quarters and rapidly dropping temperature, Christa believes they'll be safe as they wait out the storm.

She couldn't be more wrong.

Deep in the night, their tour guide goes missing...only to be discovered the following morning, his severed head impaled on a tree outside the cabin. Terrified, and completely isolated by the storm, Christa finds herself trapped with eight total strangers. One of them kills for sport...and they're far from finished. As the storm grows more dangerous and the number of survivors dwindles one by one, Christa must decide who she can trust before this frozen mountain becomes her tomb.

Red as Royal Blood by Elizabeth Hart

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Ruby has never found a puzzle she couldn’t solve. Even though she’s destined to spend the rest of her life as a servant to the royal family, her mind itches for a true challenge. But no puzzle could prepare her for the king’s decision to name Ruby as the next heir to the throne just before his death.

Thrown into the viper’s nest of court, Ruby is forced to contend with a kingdom in crisis, the dead king’s angry wife, and the three entitled and annoyingly handsome princes. Then, as if being newly crowned queen wasn’t enough, she discovers a note left by the king that claims he was murdered . . . and that she might be next.

Unsure of who she can trust, Ruby makes uneasy alliances with each of the princes as she tries to solve the king’s murder. But with the clock winding down, she will face her most difficult challenge finding the truth before the killer comes for her.

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A servant girl turned heir, a kingdom of secrets, and a deadly puzzle at the heart of the throne—this thriller is as sharp and sumptuous as its title.

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PRE-READING THOUGHTS

The cover compares this to The Inheritance Games, and I wasn’t sure if it would feel too derivative. A puzzle-solving heroine thrust into unexpected wealth and power is a fun premise, but would it deliver its own twists?

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POST-READING

As I thought…
It was clever, fast-paced, and easy to sink into. Court politics, rivalries, and high-stakes intrigue kept the tension humming, and I had a blast watching Ruby navigate a kingdom where everyone’s motives are murky.

It surprised me by…
Standing firmly on its own despite the comparison. The royal court backdrop, the mix of murder mystery with romance, and the layered betrayals all gave it a unique identity. My only (very small) quibble was Ruby missing some fairly obvious clues—but in fairness, hindsight is always kinder from the outside looking in.

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🎵 MUSIC PAIRING

• Featured Song: Royals — Lorde (tongue-in-cheek but fitting for Ruby’s unlikely elevation)

• Vibe Album: Froot — Marina (lush, clever pop with sharp edges and layered themes of power, desire, and identity)

• Artist Recommendation: Florence + The Machine (regal, dramatic, and emotionally charged—just like this story)

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🎨 VIBE CHECK

• Colour Palette: Crimson velvet, black marble, and burnished gold

• Soundtrack: Chamber strings swelling under whispered conspiracies

• Season: Late summer turning to autumn—ripe, decadent, and dangerous

• Mood: Opulent paranoia

• Scent: Spiced wine and candle smoke in an echoing hall

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🃏 TAROT PULL

Seven of Cups (Gilded Tarot Royale): Seven ornate cups shimmer with jewels, gold, and fleeting visions of danger and desire. This card perfectly mirrors Ruby’s royal puzzle: every choice carries risk, every alliance conceals hidden motives, and illusions abound. It captures the dizzying swirl of options and threats she must navigate, reminding us that clarity comes only from careful observation and steady wit.

Side note: Ruby herself radiates Queen of Swords energy—intelligent, precise, and growing into her authority—while the Seven of Cups reflects the chaotic, high-stakes world surrounding her.

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FOR FANS OF

• Book: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

• TV: Reign (royal drama, scheming, and beautiful gowns concealing knives)

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DISCLAIMER

Red as Royal Blood publishes on the 18th November, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.

🃏 The deck had opinions: [The Tower] — [Can't get more obvious than this! Ruby's whole world crashes down, but a better one rises from the ashes.]

🧹

P.S. You're the Worst by Chloe Seager

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Everyone knows the death card in a tarot reading isn’t a literal death sentence. Well, everyone except Becky.

Becky is not doing well. Her dreaded thirtieth birthday is looming, and she can’t help thinking she’s falling behind in life. Her (smug) friends are all planning weddings, buying houses, or starting their own businesses, but not Becky. She still lives with her mom, hates her job, doesn’t speak to her father, and—despite numerous dates—hasn’t moved on from her ex-boyfriend. Things can’t get much worse.

Becky doesn’t believe in the arcane, but armed with a gift card and a desperate need for guidance, she visits a tarot reader… who tells her she’s going to die. Convinced she’s a goner and panicked about having done nothing with her life, Becky finally takes action. She writes a series of letters to the people she loves unloading all the things she’s been holding back. And she waits.

But in the morning, she’s not dead. And worse, the mail is already reaching people’s doorsteps. Will the letters be the wake-up call Becky needs, or just the next step in a never-ending downward spiral?

With sparkling wit and compassionate insight, Chloe Seager chronicles Becky’s ups and downs as she figures out how she wants to show up in life—for herself and for the people she loves.

Violet Thistlewaite is not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

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Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.

The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.

Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.

When a mysterious blight threatens every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another to save their community. But with a figure from her past knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?

Mindworks by Neal Schusterman

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This collection of unforgettable and uncanny stories could only come from the mind of award winner Neal Shusterman. Compiled for the first time in one epic volume, these stories both classic and brand-new will stretch your imagination from terror to the sublime and back again. Explore a world where bats block out the sun, where soup is a trap for your soul, or where the life-force of a glacier can bring back the dead. Journey to a place where the wind can be captured, time can be crafted into infinite attic space, or a hot tub can house an ancient monster. And revisit the Arc of the Scythe universe for two all-new tales of gleaning.

In this collection, the only thing that is truly certain is nothing is certain.

One was Lost by Natalie Richards

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Damaged. Deceptive. Dangerous. Darling. Are they labels or a warning? The answer could cost Sera everything.

Murder, justice, and revenge were so not a part of the plan when Sera set out on her senior camping trip. After all, hiking through the woods is supposed to be safe and uneventful.

Then one morning, the group wakes up groggy, confused, and with words scrawled on their wrists: Damaged. Deceptive. Dangerous. Darling. Their supplies? Destroyed. Half their group? Gone. Their chaperone? Unconscious. Worst of all, they find four dolls acting out a murder—dolls dressed just like them.

Suddenly it’s clear; they’re being hunted. And with the only positive word on her wrist, Sera falls under suspicion…

Cabin by Patrick Hutchinson

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Wit’s End isn’t just a state of mind. It’s the name of a gravel road, the address of a run-down off-the-grid cabin, 120 shabby square feet of fixer-upper Patrick Hutchison purchased on a whim in the mossy woods of the Cascade Mountains in Washington state.

To say Hutchison didn’t know what he was getting into is no more an exaggeration than to say he’s a man with nearly zero carpentry skills. Well, used to be. You can learn a lot over six years or renovations.

CABIN is the story of those renovations, but it's also a love story; of a place, of possibilities, and of the process of renovation, of seeing what could be instead of what is. It is a book for those who know what it’s like to bite off more than you can chew, or who desperately wish to.

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A love story between a man, a mossy patch of woodland, and 120 square feet of “what have I gotten myself into?”

Pre-Reading Thoughts

I love a good “taking on a project I have no business attempting” story — whether it’s watching someone build a shed or bingeing renovation shows. This sounded like the book equivalent of that, so I was curious to see if it would capture the same mix of chaos and charm.

Post-Reading

As I thought…
This really is a story of learning by doing (and sometimes re-doing). Hutchinson’s account of transforming a shabby cabin into a livable space is funny, reflective, and filled with the kind of details that will appeal to anyone who’s ever thought “how hard can it be?” only to find out: harder than expected.

It surprised me by…
How lyrical it is. At times it felt like every chapter circled back to the joys of going off-grid and building something with your own hands — which could feel a little repetitive — but it also reinforced just how deeply he loves both the process and the place. That earnestness makes the book sing.

For fans of:
I don’t usually do recommendations for nonfiction, but if you enjoy Grand Designs or any of those house-renovation shows that make you simultaneously inspired and exhausted just watching, this book will hit the same sweet spot.

Disclaimer

Cabin publishes on the 6th of November, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.

This is where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

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10:00am: The principal of Opportunity, Alabama's High School finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.
10:02am: The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.
10:03am: The auditorium doors won't open.
10:05am: Someone starts shooting.
Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes, terror reigns as one student's calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

Happy #BookBirthday! 30 Oct 2025

Happy Thursday! This week there are THREE books on our lists publishing!

The Final Shelter by Rob Ramos

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Former conservation scientist Phoebe Jones is weary of humanity's descent into a dystopian society. When a mysterious silver card arrives with an invitation, Phoebe learns she's been chosen to take shelter in a secret bunker and help rebuild humanity. Skeptical but intrigued, Phoebe begins to investigate.

What catastrophic event are they preparing for?

Why are people already being chosen?

What do they know... that we don't?

The search for answers leads her to fascinating biblical prophecies, clairvoyant predictions, and alarming signs of the end of days, such as earthquakes, a blood-red moon, and broad public disorder. As global tensions rise, Phoebe realizes she must act. However, the journey to the bunker becomes an extreme test of her principles, trust, and faith.

Layered with mystery, suspense, and intrigue, The Final Shelter is a thought-provoking dystopian novel that blends realism with mysticism, culminating in a provocative story that unfolds into a powerful mystery-thriller twist.

Final Cut by Olivia Worley

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When recent high school graduate Hazel Lejeune gets the lead role in a slasher film, it feels like a dream come true. This is her chance to break into the industry, build her reel, and prove to her mom that this "gap year" can turn into a career. So what if it's set in the nothing town of Pine Springs, Louisiana-the same place her father, the Pine Springs Slasher, was convicted of a series of murders fifteen years ago? But when Haze arrives on set, she gets much more than she bargained for. The shoot is plagued with suspicious "accidents." Mentions of her dad dot the entire script. And then, a gruesome murder shocks everyone to the core. Now, it's clear there's a real killer on set-one who's determined to finish the film at all costs. But is this merely a copycat, or is the wrong Slasher behind bars? As the body count rises and reality blurs with fiction, Haze must unmask the killer before she becomes a real-life final girl...or before the killer flips the script and makes her the next victim.

Undead and Unwed by Sam Tschida

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Tiffenie may be three hundred years old, but she’s still a hot mess. The vampire is tragically single, works a dead-end job at a blood bank, and spends her nights marathoning Hallmark Channel movies with her cat.

When Tiffenie inherits a fixer-upper home in Valentine, Vermont, thanks to a case of mistaken (okay, stolen) identity, she seizes the chance to get her life back on track. With her newly undead neighbor (it was an accident!) in tow, Tiffenie is determined to live out her holiday rom-com dreams in this picture-perfect town.

But between the mystery of her stolen identity, small-town drama, and the arrival of her insufferable vampire ex-boyfriend Vlad, getting her happily ever after with a hot Christmas tree farmer won’t be easy. To uncover what she truly desires, Tiffenie must embark on a journey of self-acceptance for the first time in her immortal life. Luckily, it’s never too late to start therapy.

Beasts of Prey by Geoff Jones

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Earth has been devastated by a comet.

Just before impact, alien caretakers collected human specimens and placed them in a wildlife preserve on an orbiting starship.

A small group led by Sierra Preston and David Williams escaped, only to find the ruins of Earth inhabited by vicious creatures known as gorgers.

The group returned to the alien ship, determined to convince the caretakers to release the remaining human specimens and help them defeat the gorgers.

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Unfortunately, the aliens have a different agenda.

Happy #BookBirthday! 23 Oct 2025

Happy Thursday! This week there are TWO books on our lists publishing!

The Vanished Girl by Natasha Mac A'Bhaird

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Sycamore Hill Boarding School, Donegal, 1963

Clare, Rose and Molly are happy to be back at Sycamore Hill, getting ready for the school musical and training hard at hockey. When new girl Amy joins their class in the middle of term, she's a bit of a puzzle to solve. Amy's vague about her home and is never allowed leave the school grounds with the other girls. Clare wonders if she's a film star or millionaire in disguise!

But then a new nun unexpectedly joins the staff and Clare and friends begin to fear Amy's secret is something darker. Could Sr Eva be there to spy on Amy - or harm her? Who can the girls trust?

Clare, Rose and Molly vow to use their detective skills to get to the bottom of this new mystery before it's too late.

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Boarding school fun, a mysterious new classmate, and a secret that could change everything 🏫✨

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Pre-Reading Thoughts
I adored the first book - it captured that Chalet School/Enid Blyton energy so well, with a mix of hockey sticks, midnight snacks, and just enough danger to keep things lively. My hope going in was that book two would keep the charm while upping the mystery.

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Post-Reading
As I thought…
The tone is spot on: spirited school life with hidden layers of tension. The balance between everyday boarding school routines and the undercurrent of danger is beautifully handled.

It surprised me by…
How much I enjoyed the historical details - slipped in so seamlessly that you don’t realise you’re learning until afterwards. Also, the new nun? Deliciously unsettling.

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Music Pairing
🎵 Featured Song: “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore (1963 release = era-appropriate girl power anthem)
🎶 Vibe Album: The Best of Dusty Springfield (all 1960s atmosphere with a bittersweet edge)
🎧 Artist Recommendation: The Shangri-Las (teen drama, mystery, and melancholy in perfect harmony)

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Vibe Check
🎨 Colour palette: Navy blue uniforms, pale stone walls, candlelight yellow
🎶 Soundtrack: Hockey sticks clattering, echoing footsteps in corridors, whispered secrets after lights-out
🍂 Season: Early spring term, crisp and full of restless energy
😌 Mood: Curious, suspicious, adventurous
🌹 Scent: Ink-stained paper, beeswax polish, and the faintest whiff of mystery

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Tarot Pull
From the Cosy Witch Tarot: The High Priestess 🌙
This card embodies hidden knowledge, intuition, and secrets waiting to be revealed—just like Amy’s mystery at Sycamore Hill. It’s a reminder that not everything is as it seems, and trust your instincts.

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For Fans Of
📖 The School at the Chalet by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
📺 Call the Midwife (for the 1960s setting, period detail, and quiet shadows under wholesome surfaces)

🃏 The deck had opinions: [King of Wands] — [The girls show wisdom and loyalty towards each other]

🐾

The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs

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A princess desperate to win back the prince who broke her heart follows him to his kingdom's prestigious military academy - and in doing so, falls in love, saves the realm, and continues to look fabulous, in this romantic debut fantasy.

Prince Domhnall and Princess Clia are a perfect royal match - or so everyone says. Until Domhnall ruins everything by refusing to propose.

Heartbroken but determined, Clia makes the perfect plan: Follow Domhnall to Caislean Costa, the military academy he's attending. Show she can protect her kingdom. Secure the betrothal. Sure, the castle has a brutal reputation. But how hard can dueling really be?

Warrior Ronan promised himself he'd never lose his focus. He fought and sacrificed for his place at Caislean Costa, and he has no time for blonde princesses who waltz intro arenas like they're attending a ball. Even if she and her otter-like pet are...well, cute.

He doesn't want to be intrigued by Clia. But her hunger to prove herself is something he understands. He tells himself there's no harm training her. Even if his heart does race around her. Even if Domhnall is his best friend.

But as they say, love is a battlefield - and unfortunately for them all, a very real war is looming on the horizon. It's a fight that will threaten all their kingdoms...and test all their hearts.

Household Lore by Liza Frank

If you’ve ever wondered which windowsill herbs repel the supernatural, which way you should hang up a horseshoe, or whether your dog can talk, crack open this book and take a tour around the beliefs and traditions that lurk under the stairs, inside the cracks and behind every cobweb of your home.

In every culture, folklore is passed down the generations, helping us to protect and maintain our sacred spaces and giving us advice should we accidentally knock a fork off the table or want to dabble in some doorway divination. With each chapter dedicated to a different room in the house, you’ll learn how to navigate your home harmoniously.

• Discover how your roof can predict the future and what to do should a witch decide to land on it.
• Tiptoe into the bedroom and uncover what the ancients had to say about aphrodisiacs and how to escape supernatural interference while asleep.
• Sit down in the dining room and lift the lid on unsavoury indigestion remedies and what the old wives recommended for a hangover.
• From the rafters to the cellar steps, from the garden path to the kitchen cupboard – your home is chock-full of secrets waiting to be revealed

True Friends at Fernside by Sheena Wilkinson

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Fernside House, nestled at the end of a quiet road, is waiting for eighty girls to disturb its holiday peace ...

Cousins Robin and Linnet are back at Fernside and school life is busier than ever - with the animals at Rowanbank, a new science class, netball rivalry and fun in the dorms.

But the end-of-term exams are not the only test for the girls. As the lower fourth face the good and the bad times of growing up and the cancellation of the Christmas Show, a surprise 'new' girl challenges them to understand what it really means to be a true friend at Fernside.

Happy #BookBirthday! 16 Oct 25

Happy Thursday! This week there are TWO books on our lists publishing!

Making it up as you Go Along by Patricia Forde

Learn how to write stories from Laureate na nÓg (Ireland's children's literature laureate) and bestselling author of The Wordsmith, Patricia Forde.

In this fun and practical illustrated guide, young writers can learn from some of Ireland's most beloved authors, including Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl) Catherine Doyle (Twin Crowns), Pádraig Kenny (Stitch) and Derek Landy (Skullduggery Pleasant), and discover how to:

• Find that spark inspiration for your story
• Craft and develop twisty plots
• Create brilliant characters
• Build spectacular new worlds

Also includes imaginative exercises, accessible explanations of writing terms and engaging illustrations by beloved Irish artist Mary Murphy.

The Ravenous Sky by K D Kirchmeier

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In this heart-pounding adventure perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, two teens must venture into the unknown to save humanity from dragon-like monsters.

Thomas and Cassie found hope where the shadow road ended. Now they must forge a future for themselves and their newfound community of people left behind after the blitz ravaged their homes. But the journey ahead is dangerous.

Thomas and Cassie separate, each seeking important clues to the origin of the blitz, while surviving threats at every turn. They must find a way to send the terrifying dragon-like monsters back where they came from. Could answers lie in a mythical world beneath our own?

This post-apocalyptic adventure blends heartfelt friendship with high stakes action in an unforgettable tale of survival against all odds.

Useless Etymology by Jess Zafarris

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Did you know that an "astronaut" is literally a "star sailor," that a thesaurus is, in fact, a "treasure trove" of words, and that someone who is "sinister" is actually just "left-handed"?

Have you ever wondered why English isn't considered a Romance language if 60% of our words are Latin-derived?

Did Shakespeare really invent 1,700 words, and if not, why the heck do we say that he did?

Why is the English language stuffed with so many synonyms?

Let's be real: English can seem pretty bonkers. And, well, sometimes it is. But through thorough thought and a pinch of curiosity, method can be found within the madness of our modern tongue-even within the disparate pronunciation of the words "through," "thorough," and "thought."

Derived from Germanic, Romance, Hellenic, Semitic, African and Native American languages, English contains multitudes. It has been (and continues to be) transformed by war and conquest, art and literature, science and technology, love and hate, wit and whim.

Useless Etymology takes readers on a time-traveling adventure to unlock the beauty, wonder, and absurdity within our everyday words, how they came to be, and the unexpected ways their origins weave a global, cross-cultural labyrinth of meaning.

Filled with fun facts and delightful discoveries, this is an enlightening read for anyone who wants to know more about why the English language works the way that it does.

The Grand Central Cinema Club by Alan Nolan

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Dublin, 1937

At the Grand Central Cinema on O'Connell Street, the children of Dublin watch their Hollywood heroes on the silver screen.

When Sylvie meets tenement boy Jem and his daredevil sister Juno, they bond over their love of movies. But an accident means Juno will miss the latest film at the Grando, so they hatch a plot to hijack the movie reel and do a top-secret private showing instead!

Meanwhile, a sneak thief called The Magpie has his eye on the Grand Central Cinema too. Can Sylvie and Jem revive Juno's ailing spirits by bringing the movies to her? And will they foil The Magpie's feather-brained plan in time?

Happy #BookBirthday! 9 Oct 25

Happy Thursday! This week there are EIGHT books on our lists publishing!

Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room by Hugh Bonneville

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Rory Sparkes is a boy with a head full of dreams. He might become a strongman and travel the world with the circus. Or he might try to make it as a cowboy - that would be a fan-tas-tic second best. Although at the moment he'd settle for missing his maths lesson and making his torch work properly.

As he plots to help his best friend, Guy, earn enough money to buy the latest top-of-the-line model boat (so they can set sail for South America), the circus rolls into town and everything spirals out of control. With Guy needing help doing odd jobs for the terrifying Madame Lowe, and with Clare, Rory's annoying older sister, planning a dastardly prank, will Rory's plans ever work out? Let's see ...

Filled with brilliantly funny illustrations from Lorretta Schauer.

The Two Lives of Ema by Julia Pérez Villegas – Silvina Eduardo

Alex knows that his dog Ema loves to eat and is afraid of storms, but he doesn’t know what her life was like before he rescued her.

Who did she live with? When was she born? What was her name? Alex knows that things happened to Ema in her previous life that she’d rather forget, and that in this new life, Alex will help her do just that.

A book about animal respect, unconditional love, and second chances. Put on the magic glasses and discover Ema’s past.

The Devouring Light by Kat Ellis

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When Haden Romero and her rival, Deacon Rex - alongside their bands, including Haden's ex, Cairo - are stranded on their way to a rock festival, she thinks missing the gig is the worst thing that could happen.

She's wrong.

Marooned in treacherous swamplands with no way out, the group stumbles upon an eerie, decaying house. It seems like a safe haven, a place to wait out the storm.

The house, however, isn't just abandoned - it's been waiting for them.

Bodies begin to pile up. The walls start to close in. Twisted secrets come to light. And unless Haden and the others can survive long enough to escape, the house will claim them - forever.

Where the Shadows Hide by Amy Clarkin

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The chill intensified, and Archer opened his eyes to see the candles extinguish one by one …

PSI – Paranormal Surveyance Ireland – are in deep water. When the operators of a luxury cruise ship ask for their help with a series of unexplainable events, Raven and the team are hopeful that this case, for once, won’t endanger their lives.

As they try to blend in with the wealthy passengers, it quickly becomes clear to Davis, Fionn and the others that there is more lurking in the shadows than they've realised. With the eerie encounters escalating and rising tensions threatening to tear the team apart, time is running out for PSI. Can they save the ship – and themselves – before it’s too late?

Last Chance Live! by Helena Haywoode Henry

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Last Chance Live! is the most popular reality show in America-and eighteen-year-old death row inmate Eternity Price's last chance to live. Getting cast on the show could win her clemency preventing her execution... if she can convince the viewing audience she deserves a second chance. The catch? If America doesn't vote for her, she loses the chance to appeal her sentence, and she'll be executed within a week of being eliminated from the show. And since Eternity's been unpopular her whole life, she's terrified America won't pick her. But any chance of getting out of prison and back to her little brother Sincere, no matter how slim, is better than rotting away in her cell.

Eternity never expected to find her first real friends in a reality TV house full of people battling for survival after being convicted of capital crimes, but that's exactly what happens. So when she gets the opportunity to sabotage them and secure her own victory, she has a choice to make: protect the friendships and acceptance she's always longed for at the cost of her own life, or sacrifice her newfound community. Eternity must ultimately decide what forgiveness, family, and freedom mean to her, and how far she'll go to win a game where the stakes are literally life or death.

The House with no Keys by Lindsay Currie

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When a strange invitation shows up in Sarah's backpack, the Delta's learn that their favorite funhouse, The Delta Game, is about to get some serious competition. The "Mystery Mansion" is opening just miles away and the ominous and cryptic owner has invited Sarah, West, and Hannah to come test it on opening day. It claims to be the biggest and best escape house ever, and based on the photos of gleaming rooms filled with high-tech puzzles, it just might be.

What's more, the kids have been offered a ten-thousand-dollar prize if they escape the house. For some reason, West and Hannah seem very interested in the cash prize, but the three friends are torn because they really don't want to be a walking advertisement for a competitor to The Delta Game. After all, that funhouse changed their lives, Sarah's life especially.

But maybe the only way to keep the funhouse, and their friend William Taters in business, is to accept the invite to this new Mystery Mansion, escape it in record time, and show just how lame and easy it is by comparison. The trio arrive at the mansion on opening day, armed with their "fortune favors the bold" attitude. But they quickly learn that nothing is as it seems . . . and unfortunately this time, not everyone plays fair.

Happy #BookBirthday! 2 Oct 25

Happy Thursday! This week there are SEVEN books on our lists publishing!

Fear Files: Hide and Seek by Christopher Edge

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Nobody knows who started the Darkive. It's a database filled with first-hand accounts of strange, unexplained experiences. Ghosts; paranormal entities; weird anomalies. Each one is stored with a bank of evidence to prove the story. Are you ready to dive in?

Adam didn't think his camping trip with his best friend, Sol, could get any worse. Stumbling upon an abandoned ghost town, they find themselves playing a strange game of hide and seek. But who or what is trying to find them? And can Adam stay one step ahead?

The Friendship Fairies Save the Circus by Lucy Kennedy

The Friendship Fairies – sisters Emme, Holly and Jess – are excited to visit the travelling circus. But when they arrive, everything’s shut up because one of the clowns has lost his smile!

Meanwhile, the fairies’ mum is on another spy mission – to clear an infestation of Kweddies from a local warehouse. The furry creatures are so cute, she can’t resist bringing them home to visit. And that’s when Holly gets an idea ...

Can the Friendship Fairies help put a smile back on Diogo the clown’s face, and get the show back on the road?

Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer

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Some people are Christmas people, but Jill Jacobs is most certainly not. She hasn't been ever since her hometown love broke her heart on Christmas Eve three years ago. After that, Jill moved to L.A. to pursue her dream of becoming a screenwriter. She hasn't been home in years to avoid her ex, but this winter she finds herself back in drab, suburban Illinois for the holidays. After one very hazy night, Jill wakes up to a hometown that's filled with jolly neighbours, covered in pristine white snow, and seasoned with the smell of peppermint. She realises that this is more than just a bad hangover... she's stuck in a Heartfelt movie. One set in her town, starring real people from her life, including her family, her high school crush (uber perfect, owns a bakery, and definitely a Christmas Person), and of course, her ex-handsome as ever and now exclusively clad in plaid flannel. The only way out of this bizarro world is to complete the plot of the movie, including a holiday bake off and a cookie-sweet love story. To get home in time for Christmas, Jill must act out a picture-perfect holiday romance with the one that got away, all while her ex watches on. Fa la la la freaking la....

O'Brien Picture Books

O'Brien are still at it! Here's another two upcoming titles that I'm very excited to see on the shelves. These are going to do really well for Christmas!

Hollow by Taylor Grothe

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When Cassie Davis returns to her hometown in upstate New York, she's eager to mask her new autism diagnosis from her old friends. The group take a backpacking trip together to Hollow Ridge to celebrate her homecoming, but after the first night, Cassie wakes to an abandoned campsite - her friends all gone.

With severe weather approaching, and nearing sensory overload, Cassie meets a boy named Kaleb, who leads her to safety, to a place he calls The Roost - an off-the-grid compound lived in by a group of artists and outcasts. There, with Kaleb, Cassie begins to feel, for the first time in her life, that she can truly be herself.

But as the days pass, strange things start happening. Crows surround them, there are odd noises... But are the dangers in the eerie forest that surrounds them, or inside the Roost itself?

Any Way you Slice It by Meabh McDonnell

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Sieve. Measure. Mix ... Win

For Carrie Quinn, baking isn't just a hobby: it's her future.

Winning the Castlecreagh baking competition and becoming best young pastry chef in the country is the first step towards her dream. But when she and Dara Harte, handsome pastry prodigy and Carrie's sworn nemesis, are both disqualified from the competition, it seems like her future has crumbled.

Unless the pair can find a way to bake together. Can they rise above their rivalry and complicated home lives long enough to succeed? Or are they a disaster waiting to happen, any way you slice it?

Happy #BookBirthday! 25 Sep 2025

Happy Thursday! This week there are SIX books on our lists publishing!

Revolting by Terry Deary

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Remember, remember the 4th of November... *

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the rich and powerful always look after their own and the working people are always revolting.

But every now and again, a new group actually manages to seize power, and it changes history.

In his new book, Revolting, bestselling Horrible Histories author Terry Deary takes readers on a hilarious and eye-opening journey through some of the most significant rebellions and uprisings that have happened through the ages, including:

• Ivaylo, the Bulgarian swineherd who managed to fight off the Mongols, slay the Tsar and marry his widow in the space of a year.
• Spartacus, a touch more modest in his aims, who mainly wanted to go home to see his mum.
• The two suffragists who posted themselves by Royal Mail to see the prime minister (a first-class idea, though Downing Street declined the parcel).

From the peasants to the slaves, the martyrs to the mutineers, Revolting celebrates the resilience and determination of those who dared to challenge the status quo through the ages.

* Turns out we've been getting the nursery rhyme wrong all these years. An explosive revelation.

The Stolen Child by W B Yeats and Erin Brown

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Written when W.B. Yeats was just twenty-one, 'The Stolen Child' remains one of his most popular poems. At this time, the young poet was inspired by the landscape of County Sligo and the legends and superstitions he heard from the locals there. 'The Stolen Child' tells of a boy taken from his home by the faeries and led 'hand in hand' into their world. With its enchanting refrain - 'Come away, o human child / To the waters and the wild' - and vivid images of magic and nature, it is a pleasure for readers young and old.

Here, the text is accompanied by radiant original art by Erin Brown, each illustration taking us on a visual journey through one of Ireland's most famous poems.

Moonsick by Tom O'Donnell

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High school senior Heidi Mills seemingly has it all: a charming (albeit pompous) boyfriend, loving (wealthy) parents, and an acceptance letter to Harvard (well, not yet). With her mom and stepdad away on vacation, this weekend she’s going to host a rager at their mansion to celebrate the end of high school. There’s just one catch: she has to make it through the next 24 hours. The full moon is coming tonight, and the worldwide werewolf epidemic that’s been running rampant for the past few years will awake those who are infected.

Safe in her home, with its state-of-the-art lockdown system to keep the monsters out, Heidi expects to wait out the night. But when two intruders show up to loot what they think will be an empty home, the life of privilege, ease, and safety that Heidi has taken for granted comes crashing down. Suddenly exposed to the realities of this virus and the way that the rest of the world has been living all this time, Heidi embarks on a dark adventure accompanied by the mysterious--but alluring--boy who broke into her house. But as she fights to survive the underbelly of a post-pandemic society, she'll learn that not all monsters have fangs.

Evil Duck and the Nest of Destiny by Chris Judge

Long ago, the ancient inhabitants of Planet Duck created three magical objects to protect their world – the Egg of Time, the Feather of Fortune and the Nest of Destiny. Individually, they each bring great power to their owner, but when all three are brought together they become the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, and Evil Duck has been searching for these items ever since he found out about them. Foiled with the Feather of Fortune, he’s now on the trail of the Nest of Destiny … and he’s teamed up with popstar Ed Quackers with the promise of making him the most famous popstar EVER! Can Eddie and Flo stop Evil Duck and his minions once again, before it’s too late?

Tastes like Candy by Jessica Lacy

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Everyone at Pritchett High wants an invitation to the Senior Scavenge, and this year, Violet Warren and her friends are the lucky ones. Eight girls will break into the Poison Apple Carnival for a nighttime scavenger hunt - a school tradition to welcome the best and brightest into their senior year.

But warm welcomes turn into gory goodbyes as the scavenger hunters become the hunted. One by one, Violet's friends are viciously murdered by a mysterious masked figure running loose through the carnival grounds. As she watches her friends die in a series of increasingly bizarre attacks, she must fight to survive while trying to uncover the killer's sinister motive.

Can Violet survive this roller coaster ride from hell?

Or will her head end up on a cotton candy pike?

Body of Water by Adam Godfrey

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Don't let the water drag you down...

It's been six years since Glen Masters lost his wife in a tragic accident. In hopes of reconnecting with his grieving teenage daughter, Lauren, he decides to take her on a road trip through the Appalachian mountains, where he has fond memories of their past as a family. But what was supposed to be a quick diner pit stop suddenly transforms into a nightmare when armed men stumble in, ranting about a mysterious and deadly "living water" that attacked several people up the road. The story the men spin seems to be the rantings of drunken lunatics, but soon Glen, his daughter, and the other diners find themselves hostages to both the gunmen and the inexplicably terrifying entity.

Because there's truly something wrong with the water, and it has no mercy.

Panic grows as the diners play witness to a nature-defying being that seeks only to swallow everything in its path. With help nowhere in sight, the group of strangers must work together to devise an escape, and ultimately, Glen will have to face his worst fears to reconcile with the past or risk losing everything.

No Escape by M A Bennett

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Estranged twins Mabel and Kai each receive an unexpected invitation to stay for a week at their grandfather's Parisian chateau. Neither remember meeting their grandfather, and neither had any idea that he was still alive.

The author of a notoriously difficult puzzle book, their grandfather is bed bound and dying. His last wish? For Mabel and Kai to solve it. The prize: unimaginable riches. The catch? They are trapped in the house until one of them wins ... or dies trying.

Their only other hope for escape is a mysterious student who has been working for their grandfather and seems to have eyes for both twins. But the walls are closing in and the contest takes darker and darker turns towards the supernatural. In this deadly game, there can only be one winner.

O'Brien Picture Books

Tis the season! O'Brien have released some beautiful new picture books, and I'm here to run through a few of them and give you some idea what they're like. Hint, these would make great presents!

I Killed the King by Rebecca Mix and Andrea Hannah

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After a decade of war, the kingdoms of Avendell and Istellia have finally agreed to peace. As nobles and magic-wielders from both countries arrive at remote Castle Avendell for an historic, all-night masquerade to celebrate, King Costis summons an unlikely group to his chambers: the crown prince, his Istellian bride-to-be, his personal guard, a wild beast tamer, and the palace’s questionable new healer. But before Costis can reveal why he has gathered them, the castle goes dark.

When the lights come back, the king is dead—murdered with the princess’s knife, in a weak spot only his guard knew of, and with venom from one of the beast tamer’s monsters lacing the blade.

With no clear killer—and everyone a suspect—they make a risky pact: tell no one until the treaty is signed. But when a winter storm seals everyone inside, and someone aware of the king's untimely death begins to pick off guests one by one, the six suspects must work together to discover who killed the king . . . before one of them is next.

What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

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There's a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He's the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father's overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother's place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.

A Curious Kind of Magic by Mara Rutherford

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Everyone in Ardmuir knows that Willow Stokes is a charlatan, including Willow herself. Her father’s shoppe hasn’t sold anything magical in decades, and it’s only hanging on by the skin of the fake dragon’s teeth Willow sells as charms, along with “enchanted” ostrich eggs, taxidermied chimeras, and talismans made of fools’ gold.

Until outlander Brianna Hargrave appears and turns Willow’s fakes into exactly what they’re purported to be. But try as Willow might to enlist Bri’s help, she wants nothing to do with Willow and her curiosities.

Because Brianna is harboring a secret of her own: everything she touches turns to magic, and the consequences have chased her all the way to Ardmuir. All she wants to do is find a particular missing grimoire, which contains a spell that can finally put an end to her curse.

Desperate to keep her father's shoppe, Willow proposes a bargain that could save them both. Together with the frustratingly handsome printer's assistant, the girls will uncover a plot that goes far deeper than either could have imagined. But when Willow is forced to participate in an ambitious collector's quest for the rarest magical object in the world—a quest that risks almost-certain death—she learns that not all treasure is for sale, and that true magic is closer than she ever could have imagined.

Happy #BookBirthday! 11 Sep 2025

Happy Thursday! This week there are THREE books on our lists publishing!

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller

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Chrysantha Stathos has won.

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful airheaded girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of Chrysantha’s lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance. To make matters worse, her little sister is going to be queen and is rubbing it in her face.

Chrysantha decides that the only thing to do is upstage Alessandra at her own wedding. And as for this grandson, he has to go. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers . . . No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.