Saturday, 1 April 2023

The Children of Croke Park by Michael Foley


Dublin 1920

‘Above the noise of the crowd, I could hear men shouting. I looked back and saw them – a line of trucks, and men with guns starting to run towards the field. That’s when it happened.’

On a bright day in November, three boys joined the huge crowd heading to a Gaelic football match at Croke Park. Excitement filled the air, but also fear. Important men had been killed in their beds that morning by the IRA. The police were angry. In the middle of a cruel war for Irish independence, people were afraid of what might happen next.

But that war wouldn’t come to Croke Park. Would it?

My Life on Fire by Cath Howe


A tense, page-turning story that sensitively deals with themes of family upheaval and kleptomania, by the bestselling author of Ella on the Outside.

Ren’s family lose their home in a fire. They’re living with her grandmother now and things are a bit tense.

Ren lost her collection of things, her clothes; her brother lost his little bear and is inconsolable. So Ren starts replacing things with other people’s possessions. They’ve got loads of stuff, after all.

But she gets caught and has to strike a terrifying deal to avoid detection…

Friday, 31 March 2023

Royal Blood by Aimée Carter


Kicked out of her American boarding school, Evan is sent to live with her estranged father, the King of England. Her existence as his illegitimate daughter is top secret - until someone leaks it to the press. Suddenly she's the focus of a thousand lurid headlines, plus the hatred of her stepmother the Queen and half-sister Princess Maisie.

Then the royal scandal intensifies... After Evan is seen disappearing with a journalist's son at a party, he is found dead and she becomes the primary suspect in a murder investigation. Did "the Killer Princess" really do it? It seems that only the Queen's gorgeous nephew Kit will help Evan clear her name. But can she really trust anyone at the palace?

Thursday, 30 March 2023

Tarot Spreads Yearbook by Chelsey Pippin Mizzi


The perfect book to inspire readers to use tarot as a tool to enhance intuition and mindfulness, making tarot fun and accessible for people just starting out on their tarot journey, or for the more experienced tarot reader wanting to engage with their deck more fully.

A guidebook to the art of using Tarot.

The Tarot Spreads Yearbook features 52 spreads that allow beginners to get to know their decks and cards, build confidence, and find the reading methods that are most comfortable for them - all while having fun and honing their intuition.

Featuring simple spreads for quick and easy readings, as well as more complex in-depth spreads for longer readings, the book is an easily accessible handbook for readers just setting out on their Tarot journey, the more experienced Tarot reader looking to expand and explore new ways of using their cards, or even just the casual Tarot reader who is looking for a fun way to experiment.

With 52 ideas for spreads that cover all areas of life, The Tarot Spreads Yearbook introduces readers to using the tarot as a tool for mindfulness, allowing the reader to feel more in tune with the world around them and develop trust in their own instincts.

Happy #BookBirthday! 30th Mar

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are FOUR books from our lists publishing!

Wednesday, 29 March 2023

To Swoon and to Spar by Martha Waters


This is a real marriage of inconvenience.

Viscount Penvale has been working for years to buy his ancestral home, Trethwick Abbey, back from his estranged uncle. So, of course, he's thrilled when his uncle announces that he is finally ready to sell . . . but with one major caveat: Penvale must marry his uncle's ward, Jane Spencer.

When the two meet in London, neither is terribly impressed. Penvale finds Jane headstrong and sharp-tongued. Jane finds Penvale cold and aloof. Nevertheless, they agree to a marriage in name only and return to the estate.

Back at Trethwick Abbey, irascible Jane soon enlists her housekeeper for a scheme: they will stage a haunting to make Penvale return to London, leaving Jane in Cornwall to do as she pleases.

But Penvale is not as easily scared as his uncle and, as their time together increases, Jane realizes that she might not mind her husband's company so much after all.

Monday, 27 March 2023

Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas


It's not easy being Remarkable in a world where standing out is dangerous...

Nic Blake is a Manifestor. All she wants is to learn the Gift, so she can be as powerful as her dad ... until she discovers a shocking secret. Now she must find a powerful magical weapon, or risk losing him for ever.

Book 1 of Nic Blake and the Remarkables

Sunday, 26 March 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We've had a nice quiet week here, catching up on our TBRs and enjoying ourselves.

Saturday, 25 March 2023

Wider than the Sea by Serena Molloy and George Ermos


The powerful tale of a girl who feels broken, and the dolphin who makes her whole. A story of friendship, hope and self-discovery, perfect for readers aged 9+.

Ró finds school impossible. She knows people think she's shy - and stupid. But when she goes to the bay each afternoon to watch the dolphin leap through the water, she finds the strength to keep going. Then the dolphin disappears, and everything starts falling apart.

Can Ró overcome her fears to find him?

Friday, 24 March 2023

Where the Light Goes by Sara Barnard


A heart-wrenching exploration of grief, set in a landscape corrupted by fame and the scrutiny that comes from living in the shadow of a star.

"Lizzie Beck" is one quarter of British pop sensation The Jinks, who launched their career via a reality TV talent show and rose straight to fame – and in Lizzie’s case, infamy, for her tumultuous relationship with her boyfriend, stints in rehab and candid confessions about her mental health on Instagram.

To Emmy, though, she will always be her older sister, Beth, the person whose footsteps she intends to follow.

Except now she can’t. Because Beth, Emmy's beloved sister, has died by suicide.

Forced to face a world without the guiding light of her bright, brilliant big sister, Emmy must wrestle with the impact of private grief, public scrutiny and discover who she once was and who she will become, now that Beth is gone.

Thursday, 23 March 2023

Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu


Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoon worthy assets to a whole new arena...

Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off—only he won’t be on his own.

Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she's forced to admit there's more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea's unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes—and maybe even more—if they can survive each other first.

Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Raise your Vibes Crystal Cards by Athena Bahri


The Raise Your Vibes Crystal Cards take your self-healing further than any other oracle deck by linking the power of crystals with the energy of Reiki and of the chakras. When we channel the divine energy of Reiki into our crystals, chakras and affirmations, we maximize the energetic vibrations of them all and the result is deep healing, profound wellbeing and supercharged manifestation. There are 55 stunning crystal cards in this deck, each carrying the energetic imprint of their crystal, so you don't need to own the actual crystals themselves to benefit from their powers. Draw on each crystal's power with Quick Fix Vibes, Rituals and Affirmations. Use crystals to work on life areas linked to each chakra, from protection, finances and fears in the root chakra to inner wisdom and enlightenment in the crown chakra. Create layouts that range from a simple one-card draw to a nine-card crystal grid in order to ask the cards for guidance on problems, healing and how to shift your vibration to the positive!

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! It's the first of what we expect to be two quiet weeks, as B is on holiday and she gets more books than the rest of us put together, but that's all the good for catching up!

As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about the book.

Monday, 20 March 2023

Jamie by LD Lapinski


Jamie Rambeau is a happy 11-year-old non-binary kid who likes nothing better than hanging out with their two best friends Daisy and Ash. But when the trio find out that in Year Seven they will be separated into one school for boys and another for girls, their friendship suddenly seems at risk. And when Jamie realises no one has thought about where they are going to go, they decide to take matters into their own hands, and sort it all out once and for all.

As the friends' efforts to raise awareness eventually become a rooftop protest against the binary rules for the local schools, Jamie realises that if they don't figure out a way forwards, they might be at risk of losing both their friends forever.

Saturday, 18 March 2023

Standing on One Leg is Hard by Erika McGann and Clive Mc Farland


A story about a little chick learning to do a big thing! The heron chick sees her mum and all the big herons standing gracefully on one leg, but she just CAN'T do it! Maybe she just needs a little help? She tries to get her balance by leaning on a variety of things you'd find in the canal: a rock, another chick, and otter a swan - even a shoe someone has dumped! But she KEEPS overbalancing. Then she works it out. She can't do it with people looking. Not even the reader. If they reader closes their eyes, she just might do it! Do you think she did it?

A fun interactive book for small children, who will identify with the need to try and try again. They will also enjoy the fun of closing their eyes and wondering if the chick is succeeding while they can't see her!

Friday, 17 March 2023

Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major


Emma is having the worst day of her life. Frustrating. Chaotic. And the only person who could make it better is gone by the end of the day.

Yet even worse than all of that: Emma keeps waking up to the same day, over and over again.

But what if this is a sign things could be different? Can Emma change the heartbreaking end to this love story?

Thursday, 16 March 2023

Wednesday, 15 March 2023

The Táin by Alan Titley and Eoin Coveney


The Great Irish Battle Epic

A new children’s retelling of Ireland’s great epic legend featuring the hero Cúchulainn and the warrior Queen Maeve
This is Irish myth as you haven’t read it before.

Queen Maeve’s army is marching north to steal the great brown bull, the pride of Ulster. But one man stands in their way. Cúchulainn, the Hound of Ulster, vowed in boyhood to protect his homeland – even if it means taking on an invading army himself.

One by one Maeve’s warriors challenge the hero, and one by one they fall. Can Cúchulainn hold out until reinforcements arrive – and how will he fare against the one man in Ireland he doesn’t want to fight?

Ireland’s most important myth is retold in English for children by the great scholar of Old Ireland, Alan Titley. Titley goes back to the source material and his translation sparkles with the wit and humour, as well as the thrill and battle, of the ancient tale. Illustrations by comic artist Eoin Coveney lend a modern feel.

Tuesday, 14 March 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received some lovely new books, some oracle cards, tarot for the tarot blog - and we've already read a book! (Go on, you were expecting me to say that...)

As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about each book; this week those links are mostly not to goodreads, as I usually do.

Monday, 13 March 2023

A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen


A fantasy thriller that follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness.

Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.

A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.

If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…

Sunday, 12 March 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! The weather is very cold here at the moment. All the more reason to curl up with some great books!

Saturday, 11 March 2023

Happy Head by Josh Silver (mild spoilers in review)




We are in an epidemic. An epidemic of unhappiness.


Friends, here is the good news: HappyHead has the answer.


When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo. The deeper into the programme the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape...

Friday, 10 March 2023

Bob vs the Selfie Zombies by Andy Jones


The hilarious and unforgettable story of Bob, accidental time traveller.

IT'S DOWN TO BOB TO SAVE THE WORLD . . . ALL HE NEEDS IS TIME!

For Bob and his best friend Malcolm, winning the school talent competition with their band The Tentacles of Time is really important. And that's before they realise the future of the world depends on it . . .

Bob doesn't know why he can time travel. He does know that it always happens at the worst possible moments. Like when he's in the bath. Awkward! But when Bob comes face to face with his future self in the midst of a disastrous alternative reality, he's got no choice but to try and . . . do something!

In this future, an evil genius has created a smile-operated selfie camera that turns people into zombies, and the world as Bob knows it has completely collapsed. There's not even anywhere to get a takeaway pizza from . . . Things are SERIOUSLY bad.

Now it's up to Bob to change the course of the present to save future him, future Malcolm AND the whole world. Yikes!

A hair-raising race into the future and back again . . . and again.

Perfect for fans of David Solomons, David Baddiel and Greg James & Chris Smith. First in a laugh-out-loud series for 7-12-year-olds.

Thursday, 9 March 2023

Wednesday, 8 March 2023

Kevin's in a Mood by Sarah Bowie


Suzy and Kevin are best friends. They do everything together! Until one day, Kevin's in a Mood. Suzy tries everything to cheer him up - she tells him jokes and even plays his favourite song. But Kevin's STILL in a Mood. All their friends try to help, but nothing seems to make Kevin feel better ... what could be wrong?

Tuesday, 7 March 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! How are you all doing this lovely week? Sadly this week one of us is not very well and we haven't read any of this lot of books, but we'll catch back up!

As always, you can click on the cover of each book to learn more about it.

Monday, 6 March 2023

Mr Wolf goes to the ball by Tatyana Feeney


Mr Wolf is SO EXCITED to be invited to the ball.

What should he wear?

He thinks he’s got the perfect outfit, but he’s not sure …

Can his friend help him to decide?

Sunday, 5 March 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We're having a cold snap here, so today will be spent curled up with lots of lovely books.

Saturday, 4 March 2023

The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell


Every summer for the past ten years, six awe-struck bakers have descended on the grounds of Grafton, the leafy and imposing Vermont estate that is not only the filming site for “Bake Week” but also the childhood home of the show’s famous host, celebrated baker Betsy Martin.

The author of numerous bestselling cookbooks and hailed as “America’s Grandmother,” Betsy Martin isn’t as warm off-screen as on, though no one needs to know that but her. She has always demanded perfection, and gotten it with a smile, but this year something is off. As the baking competition commences, things begin to go awry. At first, it’s merely sabotage—sugar replaced with salt, a burner turned to high—but when a body is discovered, everyone is a suspect.

A sharp and suspenseful thriller for mystery buffs and avid bakers alike, The Golden Spoon is a brilliant puzzle filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you reading late into the night until you turn the very last page of this incredible debut.

Friday, 3 March 2023

End of Story by Louise Swanson (unmarked spoilers in review)


Too much imagination can be a dangerous thing

It has been five years since writing fiction was banned by the government.

Fern Dostoy is a criminal. Officially, she has retrained in a new job outside of the arts but she still scrawls in a secret notepad in an effort to capture what her life has become: her work on a banned phone line, reading bedtime stories to sleep-starved children; Hunter, the young boy who calls her and has captured her heart; and the dreaded visits from government officials.

But as Fern begins to learn more about Hunter, doubts begin to surface. What are they both hiding?

And who can be trusted?

Thursday, 2 March 2023

Wednesday, 1 March 2023

Thirsty Animals by Rachelle Atalla


THE WORLD IS RUNNING OUT OF WATER.

With supply in the Scottish cities drying up, Aida is forced back home to live with her mum at their rural farm. For now, they are safe with just enough to get by.

Yet at the border, tensions are close to breaking point as more and more southerners chase the delusion that Scotland is an eternal spring - while fewer and fewer are allowed through. The service station where Aida works grows emptier with every day. Then, when suspicious strangers arrive at the farm asking for help, Aida and her family face a terrible decision. How much water can they afford to share?

AND THEN THE TAPS ARE TURNED OFF.

Now they must survive long enough for the rain to come.

Completely compelling, devastating and thought-provoking, Thirsty Animals takes us on a captivating journey of survival and self-discovery.

Tuesday, 28 February 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received mostly unknown books - we are looking forward to getting to know them! As usual we have read one, but the review doesn't post until tomorrow, sadly.

As always, you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

Monday, 27 February 2023

Remind me to Hate You Later by Lizzy Mason


A story about the pressures of social media, the lengths influencers will go to for fame, and the grief of losing a loved one to suicide, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Gayle Forman.

Seventeen-year-old Jules grew up in her mother's spotlight. A “parenting influencer,” Britt shares details of her daughter's life-pictures, intimate stories, insecurities, all-to a point that becomes unbearable to Jules.

And suddenly she's gone.

Natalie has only barely begun to grieve her best friend Jules's death when Britt announces her plans to publish a memoir that will dissect Jules's life and death. But Nat knows the truth behind Britt's "perfect" Instagram feed-Jules hated the pressure, the inauthenticity, the persona. There's so much more to Jules than Britt and her followers could ever know. As Nat connects with Jules's boyfriend, Carter, and their shared grief and guilt bonds them, she becomes determined to expose Britt, to understand what really happened, and who is to blame.

In a world that feels distorted by celebrity and the manipulations of social media and public opinion, Natalie and Carter need something real to hold onto. Remind Me to Hate You Later is a moving account of grief, depression, complex relationships, love, and the search for truth.

Sunday, 26 February 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! This week we had a great time on a blog tour, posted three other reviews and our usual Bookpost and BookBirthday posts.

Saturday, 25 February 2023

The Wishkeeper's Apprentice by Rachel Chivers Khoo and Rachel Sanson


Wanted! A wishkeeper's apprentice.

When Felix makes a very special wish, he doesn't expect to be offered a job as an apprentice to wishkeeper Rupus Beewinkle. Now Felix must save the town's wishes from the wishsnatcher, who wants to destroy hopes and dreams everywhere.

Friday, 24 February 2023

The Nowhere Thief by Alice M Ross


A mind-bending multiverse adventure about theft, family, and finding your home.

Twelve-year-old Elsbeth has an extraordinary power: she can travel to parallel worlds and bring objects back with her. But as freak weather events become more frequent and a strange boy, Idris, starts to turn up everywhere she travels, she has to ask herself: does her gift come with a price?

Thursday, 23 February 2023

Wednesday, 22 February 2023

Fairy Hill by Marita Conlon-McKenna


Strange things are happening in Fairy Hill.

Thirteen-year-old Anna is upset when she is sent to stay with her dad and his new family at Fairy Hill in the west of Ireland. Hearing whispers in the wind, Anna senses she is being watched, but nobody believes her except the mysterious boy down by the lake. When her little half-brother, Jack, nearly gets lost, Anna suspects that someone is trying to steal him away. She wonders if the stories about the old house and the fairies are true. And if they are, could Jack be in real danger?

Tuesday, 21 February 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a bumper crop of picture books this week that we are really looking forward to getting into.

As always you can click on each cover to learn more about the book.

Monday, 20 February 2023

Blog tour: It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap


Thirteen-year-old Julia would much rather work with horses at the rescue barn than worry about things like dating and makeup. But when her BFF meets a boy at camp, Julia’s determined not to get left behind. After a makeover from her older sister, she posts a picture of herself online and gets a comment from Tyler—a seemingly nice kid who lives across town. As they DM more and more, Julia’s sure that Tyler understands her in a way her family never has. Even better, their relationship earns her tons of attention at school.

Then Julia finds out Tyler’s true plan, and her world is turned upside down. She fiercely guards her secret, but could her silence allow her friends to fall into the same trap?

In this timely, heartfelt debut, author Sydney Dunlap tells a story of a middle-school girl who narrowly escapes becoming a victim of human trafficking and must find her way toward hope and healing after this traumatic event.

Sunday, 19 February 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! It's starting to get warmer and brighter here, which is great - it's nicer to wake up in sunshine!

Saturday, 18 February 2023

The Devil's Advisor by Brad Abdul


Lucy, the Devil, wants to retire. Brian, the Business Advisor, hates his job. When Brian's jealous co-workers put him in Lucy's crosshairs, she makes him an offer he can't refuse: work for her and increase the productivity in Hell by 50% or suffer the cruel fate planned by his peers. To sweeten the deal, Lucy offers Brian the chance to be her successor if he pulls it off. Brian reluctantly agrees and dives in with both feet to the bureaucratic nightmare of Hell. To make it out alive, Brian faces Death, God, and Lucy's own twin children.

Friday, 17 February 2023

Project Nought by Chelsey Furedi


Ren Mittal's last memory in the year 1996 is getting on a bus to visit his mystery pen pal Georgia. When he wakes up in 2122, he thinks he might be hallucinating...he's not!

Tech conglomerate Chronotech sponsors a time-travel program to help students in 2122 learn what history was really like...from real-life subjects who've been transported into the future...and Ren is one of them.

In 2122, Ren's life in the 1990s is practically ancient history--and Ren's not sure how to feel about that. On top of it all, he learns that his memory will be wiped of all things 2122 before he's sent back to the '90s. Adding to Ren's complicated feels, he's forming a crush on his student guide, Mars.

And when he crosses paths with the absolute last person he expected to see in the future, he has a bigger problem on his hands: What if Chronotech isn't the benevolent organization they claim to be, and he and his fellow subjects are in great danger?

Thursday, 16 February 2023

Happy #BookBirthday! 16 Feb

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









We also had a new tarot deck over on the tarot blog:



Did you get to read any of these? What did you think?

Wednesday, 15 February 2023

The Town with No Mirrors by Christina Collins


In a modern-day utopian community where mirrors, photos, and even words like beautiful and ugly are forbidden, a girl who has never seen her own face harbors a guilty curiosity about the outside world. A thoughtful exploration of self-image in a world familiar to readers of The Giver and The List.

Zailey has never seen her own face. She's never seen her reflection, or a photo of herself, or even a drawing. In the special community of Gladder Hill, cameras and mirrors are forbidden: it's why everyone's happier here. Nobody talks about anyone else's appearance. You're not supposed to even think about what other people look like, or what you look like.

But Zailey does.

She knows her superficial thoughts are wrong, and her sketchbook, filled with secret portraits of her classmates and neighbors, could get her in trouble. Yet she can't help but think those thoughts, and be curious about the outside world where she once lived, years ago. Most of all, she wonders what it's like to see herself―her own face.

When Zailey suddenly finds herself beyond the gates of her town, she has a chance to see if what she's been taught about the outside world is true and search for the mother she barely remembers. Only then will she find out the real story about Gladder Hill. But is she prepared for the truth?

Tuesday, 14 February 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a good week here on the blog, with some nice new titles. And yes, we have read one already!

Monday, 13 February 2023

The Pledge by Cale Dietrich



Scream meets Clown in a Cornfield in this YA horror novel by bestselling author Cale Dietrich featuring a masked killer who targets frat boys.

Freshman Sam believes that joining a fraternity is the best way to form a friend group as he begins his college journey—and his best chance of moving on from his past. He is the survivor of a horrific, and world-famous, murder spree known as the Lake Priest Massacre, in which a masked killer hunted down Sam and his friends.

Sam had to do the unthinkable to survive that night, and it completely derailed him. He sees college, and his new identity as a frat boy, as his best shot at living a life not defined by the killings. Sam begins to hope a fresh start is possible.

And then one of his new frat brothers is found dead. Now Sam must race against the clock to figure out the murderer’s identity and why they are threatening Sam’s new friends before more lives—and his on chance to move—are lost forever.

Sunday, 12 February 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We had a good week here on the blog, with our usual number of reviews and features. However stock take is coming up for one of us (::coughs::B::coughs::) so things may or may not be delayed this week coming!

Saturday, 11 February 2023

A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron


Edward Dinnissen leads a charmed life. He’s the Crown Prince of Canada, gets the royal treatment at his exclusive private school, and resides in a ritzy mansion. He thrives off being the perfect prince as he prepares for the Investiture Ceremony on his eighteenth birthday, the final step in his role as heir—and Canada’s future king. But this closeted Crown Prince has just one tiny problem: he’s unsure how to tell his parents, his beloved country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.

Billy Boone should be happy with the simple life. His family’s ranch is his favorite place in the world, he loves his small town, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. So why does it feel like something’s still missing? Maybe it has to do with the fact that this out-and-proud cowboy feels destined for something more . . .

Friday, 10 February 2023

Crookhaven by J. J. Arcanjo


“So this is really a school for criminals.” It was meant as a question, though it came out more as an accusation.

“We are so much more than that,” Caspian said, sitting in a plush leather chair and gesturing for Gabriel to sit in a similar one across the table. “We are a home for the forgotten, a sanctuary for the lost and … yes, a training ground for the greatest crooks of the future.”

13-year-old Gabriel is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he’s caught.

But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven – a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and ‘crim-nastics’, all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent.

But … can you ever really trust a thief?

With a school wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel’s first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember…

Thursday, 9 February 2023

Wednesday, 8 February 2023

The Beauty Trials by Dhonielle Clayton


Sophia, the dangerous and erratic former queen, has been imprisoned, restoring peace to Orléans. Now her sister, Charlotte, sits on the throne and has decided to invoke the ancient tradition of the Beauty Trials―a series of harrowing tests meant to find the true ruler of Orléans. Edel, who has always aspired to be more than a Belle, decides to enter and, after promising to bind her arcana to keep from having an unnatural advantage, joins a few dozen other hopefuls intent on becoming the next Queen of Orléans.

But the Trials are far worse than any of them bargained for. As the women are put through tasks that test their strength, confidence, composure, and bravery, many perish, and Edel is mysteriously attacked by one of the other competitors―forcing her to use her powers just to survive. Will her subterfuge cost her the crown, or is there a larger conspiracy at play?

Tuesday, 7 February 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a great week this week, with some titles we've been really looking forward to and some that are new to us but look amazing. (And yes - we have read one already!)

As always you can click on each cover to learn more about the title.

Monday, 6 February 2023

Cold People by Tom Rob Smith


What if the only hope for survival becomes the greatest threat?

From the brilliant, bestselling author of Child 44 comes a suspenseful and fast-paced novel about a colony of global apocalypse survivors seeking to reinvent civilisation under the most extreme conditions imaginable.

The world has fallen. Without warning, a mysterious and omnipotent force has claimed the planet for their own. There are no negotiations, no demands, no reasons given for their actions. All they have is a message: humanity has thirty days to reach the one place on Earth where they will be allowed to exist... Antarctica.

Cold People follows the journeys of a handful of those who endure the frantic exodus to the most extreme environment on the planet. But their goal is not merely to survive the present. Because as they cling to life on the ice, the remnants of their past swept away, they must also confront the urgent challenge: can they change and evolve rapidly enough to ensure humanity's future? Can they build a new society in the sub-zero cold?

Sunday, 5 February 2023

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! It's turned cold again where I am, so I'm huddling up with a nice book today.

Saturday, 4 February 2023

Wilder by Penny Chrimes


The child – if child it was – came out of the wild-ness. It came out of the sparse bleak marsh where few dared go and none came back. And though the village grew accustomed to the creature they did not forget from whence it came. And they whispered that there was no knowing whether she was sent as a blessing or a bane.’

When the child emerges from the wilderness, no one in the village knows what to do with her. She is odd – half-wild, without speech and seems to have an unnatural bond with animals – especially the falcon, who is always circling above her. The Wise-Woman takes her in, and names her Rhodd, but the rest of the villagers remain suspicious.

Over the years, as Rhodd grows, the village realises that the river, which is their connection to the wider world, is beginning to die, and eventually a dark sickness begins to spread. Soon, too soon, the villagers turn their suspicion on Rhodd and her falcon.

And so, Rhodd sets out to discover what – or who – is causing the river to dry up . . . to protect her mother, her falcon and herself…

Friday, 3 February 2023

Herc by Phoenicia Rogerson

This should be the story of Hercules: his twelve labours, his endless adventures . . . everyone's favourite hero, right?

Well, it's not.

This is the story of everyone else:

Alcmene: Herc's mother (She has knives everywhere)

Hylas: Herc's first friend (They were more than friends)

Megara: Herc's wife (She'll tell you about the marriage)

Eurystheus: Oversaw Herc's labours (Definitely did not hide in a jar)

His friends, his enemies, his wives, his children, his lovers, his rivals, his gods, his victims.

It's time to hear their stories. 

Thursday, 2 February 2023

Happy #BookBirthday! 2 Feb

Happy Thursday! 2nd of February is a huge publishing day, with TEN books from our lists (and dozens of other books!) publishing today!

Wednesday, 1 February 2023

Out of Character by Jenna Miller


If you asked seventeen-year-old Cass Williams to describe herself, she’d happily tell you she’s fat, queer, and obsessed with the Tide Wars books. What she won’t tell you—or anyone in her life—is that she’s part of an online Tide Wars roleplay community. Sure, it’s nerdy as hell, but when she’s behind the screen writing scenes as Captain Aresha, she doesn’t have to think about her mother who walked out or how unexpectedly stressful it is dating resident cool girl Taylor Cooper.

But secretly retreating to her online life is starting to catch up with Cass. For one, no one in her real life knows her secret roleplay addiction is the reason her grades have taken a big hit. Also? Cass has started catching feelings for Rowan Davies, her internet bestie…and Taylor might be catching on.

As Cass’s lies continue to build, so does her anxiety. Roleplaying used to be the one place she could escape to, but this double life and offline-online love triangle have only made things worse. Cass must decide what to do—be honest and risk losing her safe space or keep it a secret and put everything else on the line.

Tuesday, 31 January 2023

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we received SIX new books - and have read two already! 

As always, you can click on the cover to learn more about each book. (Two of these have such beautiful covers!)

Monday, 30 January 2023

The Power by Naomi Alderman


All over the world women are discovering they have the power.

With a flick of the fingers they can inflict terrible pain - even death.

Suddenly, every man on the planet finds they've lost control.

The Day of the Girls has arrived - but where will it end?