#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! A very quick post today as I'm recovering from a small medical proceedure:

The Undying Tower by Melissa Welliver

Decades after the discovery that a small percentage of the population has stopped ageing, the Avalonia Zone is in crisis. From overpopulation to food shortages, the ‘Undying’ have been blamed for the state’s problems, banished to the fringes of society, and punished for every minor infraction.

When sixteen-year-old Sadie takes the fall for an attack by a rebel group, The Alchemists, she suddenly finds herself wrenched away from her quiet life and from her ailing father.

Armed with little help and even less knowledge, Sadie is thrust into a cold and cryptic ‘correctional facility’ – The Tower. Here she’ll have to rethink everything she’s been told about the Undying population in an attempt to save the life she knows, protect a group of unlikely friends, and give voice to the voiceless in a society on the brink of catastrophic upheaval.

The first in a daring dystopian trilogy, The Undying Tower descends into the dark side of immortality and champions fighting for what’s right, especially when the world is against you.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday all! Here's the roundup of this week's activity on the blog.

Drawn that Way by Elissa Sussman

Hayley Saffitz is confident, ambitious, and intent on following in the footsteps of her hero, renowned animation director, Bryan Beckett. When she’s given a spot in his once-in-a-lifetime summer program, Hayley devises a plan: snag one of the internship’s coveted directing opportunities. Dazzle Bryan with her talent. Secure a job post-graduation. Live her dream.

Except she doesn’t land one of the director positions. All of those go to boys. And one of them is Bryan’s son, Bear.

Despite Bear’s obvious apathy for the internship, Hayley soon realizes that there’s more to him than she expected. As they work together, the animosity between them thaws into undeniable chemistry and maybe something… more.

But Hayley can’t stop thinking about the chance she was refused.

Determined to make a name for herself, Hayley recruits the five other young women in the program to develop their own short to sneak into the film festival at the end of the summer. As the internship winds down, however, one question remains: Will Hayley conform to the expectations of her idol, or will she risk her blossoming relationship with Bear—and her future—to prove that she’s exactly as talented as she thinks she is?

The Trial by Laura Bates

No matter how you try to hide it, the truth will always come out . . .

After a plane crash sees a group of seven teens washed up on a desert island, their first thought is survival. But a terrible secret from a party the night before has followed them ashore. Facing deadly threats and the fear of being stranded forever, they quickly discover that being the most popular kid in High School doesn’t help when you’re fighting to stay alive. As the island deals each of them a dangerous blow, it’s clear that someone is looking for justice. Now survival depends on facing the truth about that party: who was hurt that night, and who let it happen?

Happy #Bookbirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week FOUR books from our various lists have published.

The Primrose Railway Children by Jacqueline Wilson

Phoebe Robinson loves making up stories - just like her wonderful, imaginative Dad.

When he mysteriously disappears, Phoebe, Perry, Becks and their mum must leave everything behind and move to a small cottage in the middle of nowhere.

Struggling to feel at home and missing her Dad terribly, Phoebe's only distraction is her guinea pig Daisy. Until the family discover the thrilling steam trains at the railway station and suddenly, every day is filled with adventure.

But Phoebe still can't help wondering, what is Mum hiding and more worryingly is Dad okay?

The Girl who Knew Too Much by Tiffany Brooks

You think it's a game. Think again.

Survivor meets Lord of the Flies in this fast-paced adventure with fascinating characters and pulse-pounding tension. Twenty teens are dropped off on a deserted island to compete for a cash prize. But Riley is looking for a vast treasure rumored to be hidden on the island. Only it turns out others also want the cache of riches and will stop at nothing to find it.

#Bookpost! Week ending 12th September

Happy Tuesday, all! This was a fairly quiet week, with just three books coming in.

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

The kingdom of Kandala is on the brink of disaster. Rifts between sectors have only worsened since a sickness began ravaging the land, and within the Royal Palace, the king holds a tenuous peace with a ruthless hand.

King Harristan was thrust into power after his parents' shocking assassination, leaving the younger Prince Corrick to take on the brutal role of the King's Justice. The brothers have learned to react mercilessly to any sign of rebellion--it's the only way to maintain order when the sickness can strike anywhere, and the only known cure, an elixir made from delicate Moonflower petals, is severely limited.

Out in the Wilds, apothecary apprentice Tessa Cade is tired of seeing her neighbors die, their suffering ignored by the unyielding royals. Every night, she and her best friend Wes risk their lives to steal Moonflower petals and distribute the elixir to those who need it most--but it's still not enough.

As rumors spread that the cure no longer works and sparks of rebellion begin to flare, a particularly cruel act from the King's Justice makes Tessa desperate enough to try the impossible: sneaking into the palace. But what she finds upon her arrival makes her wonder if it's even possible to fix Kandala without destroying it first.

Set in a richly imaginative world with striking similarities to our own, Brigid Kemmerer's captivating new series is about those with power and those without . . . and what happens when someone is brave enough to imagine a new future.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! Here's the roundup for this week, just in case you missed anything!

The Autobiography of Mr Spock by Una McCormick

"The Autobiography of Mr. Spock" tells the story of one of Starfleet's finest officers, and one the Federations most celebrated citizens. Half human and half Vulcan, the book, written in Spock's own words, follows his difficult childhood on the planet Vulcan; his controversial enrollment at Starfleet Academy; his adventures with Captain Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise; his diplomatic triumphs with the Klingons and Romulans; and his death and amazing resurrection on the Genesis Planet. We meet the friends he's made, the women he loved, and experience the triumphs and tragedies of a life and career that spanned a century. Despite his alien blood, his struggle to find his place in the universe is one we can all relate to.

Not Here to be Liked by Michelle Quach

Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader.

When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny.

Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.

Happy #Bookbirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week we were able to read SIX of the wonderful new titles publishing! 

The Little Bee Charmer of Henrietta Street by Sarah Webb and Rachel Corcoran

When their father’s business fails, Eliza and Jonty Kane move to a tenement flat in Dublin city, number 16 Henrietta Street. From a crowded tenement to the dazzling world of the circus – can dreams really come true? A tale of bravery, adventure and bee charming!

#Bookpost! Week ending 5th September 2021

Happy Tuesday! A quieter week, but all book we're really excited about.

Blog Tour: Baby Teeth by Meg Graham

It starts when Claudia offers her a yellow rose.
Immy has been in love before – many times, across many lifetimes. But never as deeply, as intensely as this.
Claudia has never been in love this before either. But then, this is her first time with a vampire.
The forbidden thirst for blood runs deep in Immy. And within her mind clamour the voices, of all the others she has been, their desires, and their wrongs.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! Here is this week's roundup for the blog.

Zero O'Clock by C.J. Farley

Geth Montego only has three friends. There's her best friend Tovah, who's been acting weird ever since they started applying to the same colleges. Then there's Diego, who she wants to ask to prom, but if she does it could ruin everything. And there's the K-pop band BTS, who she's never seen up close but she's certain she'd be BFFs with every member of the group if she ever met them for real.

Then Geth's small town of New Rochelle, New York, becomes the center of a virus sweeping the world. Schools are closed, jobs are lost, and the only human contact she has is over Zoom. After a confrontation with cops, Geth gets caught up in the Black Lives Matter movement and finds herself having to brave the dangers she's spent months in quarantine trying to avoid.

Geth's friends, family, and hometown are upended by the pandemic and the protests. Geth faces a choice: Is she willing to risk everything to fight for her beliefs? And what exactly does she believe in, anyway?

So Many Beginnings by Bethany C Morrow

Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow.

North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the old life. It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:

Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.

Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.

Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.

Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family's home.

As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! Remember those quiet weeks recently with just a couple or even no books publishing?

Yeah, that's not happening this week.

Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City by Rob Biddulph

Some legends are born, some are drawn . . .

Drawing feels like magic to Peanut Jones. But art can't fix her problems. Her dad has gone missing, and she's stuck in a boring new school. Until the day she finds a unique pencil turbo-charged with special powers. Suddenly she's pulled into a world packed with more colour, creativity, excitement and danger than she could ever have imagined. And maybe, just maybe, she might find out what happened to her dad.

#Bookpost

Happy Tuesday, all! Welcome to another of our wonderful #BookPost.

Major Detours by Zachary Sergi

It's the summer before college and four best friends—Amelia, Chase, Cleo, and Logan—are on the first leg of their road trip inspired by the unique tarot deck that Amelia inherited from her grandmother. However, their trip full of visiting occult shops, bonding and sightseeing, takes a major detour as the friends discover that their tarot deck is more valuable—and coveted—than they could've ever imagined. As the friends race to finish this mystical scavenger-hunt across the West coast and uncover the mysteries of their tarot deck, it is you who will decide where to go next and how the story will end. With four possible final and romantic endings, you will get to make actual choices to further the friends’ road trip adventure in this unique interactive novel.

​Will you uncover the mysteries of the tarot deck and the legacy left behind? Will you help Amelia and Chase learn and grow? And will you unravel the secrets these friends keep from each other—and from themselves?

Cluasa Capaill ag an Rí le Bridget Bhreathnach agus Shona Shirley Macdonald

Seanscéal é seo faoin misneach a theastaíonn uaireanta leis an fhírinne a insint, is cuma céard a cheapann daoine eile.

Nuair a bheirtear páiste do bhanríon na tíre, tá sí féin agus an rí an-bhuartha: tá cluasa capaill ar an bpáiste. An nglacfaidh muintir na tíre lena mac, Labhraí?

An mbeidh sé in ann a rún aisteach a choinneáil ar feadh a shaoil, fiú nuair a bheidh sé féin ina rí ar an tír?

A retelling of an old tale from Irish folklore about the courage that is needed sometimes to tell the truth, regardless of what other people might say or do.

When a child is born to the Queen, she and the king are very anxious: the child has horse’s ears. Will the people of the kingdom accept their son, Labhraí?

Will he be able to keep his unusual secret for his whole life, even when he becomes king?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, my lovelies! We're in a busy period on the blog, with two posts on a few different days, so here is the round up in case you missed anything this week!

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions - including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.

Mr Spicebag by Freddie Alexander

Be warned, Reader, this book isn’t about a normal spice bag, nor is it about a normal boy. Quite the opposite. This book is about the Spice Bag, and our unlikely hero: a 10-year-old boy named George…

It also has:
A dash of adventure
A sprinkle of mystery
A greasy villain
And a talking mouse

And then there’s Mr Spicebag’s chipper, which seems to be at the centre of everything. George is about to have the weirdest week of his life…

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin

Scarlet’s life is pretty average. Overly protective mom. Great friends. Cute boy she’s interested in. And a father she’s never known – until she does.

When the FBI show up at Scarlet’s door, she is shocked to learn her father is infamous serial killer Jeffrey Robert Lake. And now, he’s dying and will only give the names and locations of his remaining victims to the one person, the daughter he hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Scarlet’s mother has tried to protect her from Lake’s horrifying legacy, but there’s no way they can escape the media firestorm that erupts when they come out of hiding. Or the people who blame Scarlet for her father’s choices. When trying to do the right thing puts her life in danger, Scarlet is faced with a choice – go back into hiding or make the world see her as more than a monster’s daughter.

Kate McLaughlin’s Daughter is a novel about trying right deadly choices that were never yours to begin with.

#BookBirthday!

Hi all! This is another week with nothing from our lists publishing - I think the publishers are holding their books for Christmas! - so we'll be publishing a review later on for a book coming next year. See you then!

Green Rising by Lauren James

Gabrielle is a climate-change activist who shoots to fame when she becomes the first teenager to display a supernatural ability to grow plants from her skin. Hester is the millionaire daughter of an oil tycoon and the face of the family business. Theo comes from a long line of fishermen, but his parents are struggling to make ends meet.

On the face of it, the three have very little in common. Yet when Hester and Theo join Gabrielle and legions of other teenagers around the world in developing the strange new “Greenfingers” power, it becomes clear that to use their ability for good, they’ll need to learn to work together. But in a time of widespread corruption and greed, there are plenty of profit-hungry organizations who want to use the Greenfingers for their own ends. And not everyone would like to see the Earth saved…

As they navigate first love and family expectations, can the three teenagers pull off the ultimate heist and bring about a green rising?

Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket

For more than twenty years, Lemony Snicket has led millions of young readers through a mysterious world of bewildering questions and unfortunate events. With this latest book - a love letter to readers young and old about the vagaries of real life - long-time fans and new readers alike will experience Snicket's distinctive voice in a new way.

This true story - as true as Lemony Snicket himself - begins with a puzzling note under his door: You had poison for breakfast. Following a winding trail of clues to solve the mystery of his own demise, Snicket takes us on a thought-provoking tour of his predilections...

#Bookpost, week ending 24th August 2021

Happy Tuesday! We had a quiet week, with just two new titles. These kind of weeks are great for catching up a bit on the TBR!

Blog Tour: lies like wildfire by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

The monsters have known each other their whole lives. This is their final summer before college - time to hang out, fall in love and dream about the future.

Until they accidentally start a forest fire which destroys their hometown and leaves death in its wake.

Desperate for the truth to remain hidden, the group make a pact of silence.

But the twisted secret begins to spin out of control and when one of the friends disappears they all become suspects.

We know how it starts but where does it end?

Secrets and lies are everywhere in this compulsive page-turner, perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying .

TIGERS by M.A. Bennett

The alluring yet corrupt STAGS society, where the rich and privileged play fast and loose with the lives of others, is revealed to be terrifyingly global ...

Shafeen's father, Prince Aadhish, has had a heart attack and is close to death. Desperately worried, Shafeen and Greer race from STAGS to Rajasthan. But Prince Aadhish is in a coma and unresponsive and they begin to realise that the Prince received a terrible shock, triggered by a decades-old guilty secret. But as Shafeen and Greer attempt to unlock the secret, they come to believe the answer lies with the de Warlencourt ancestor, Colonel Montgomery, founder of the T.I.G.E.R. shooting club, which horrifyingly pursued low caste Indians instead of tigers. It appears that 'Monty' brought the Order of the Stag to India, and the hunts may still be going on...

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! As it happened, almost all of our posts this week were for blog tours - just worked out that way! Here's your roundup in case you missed anything.

Blog Tour: Camp Death by Jim Ody

The place had a gruesome past that nobody wanted to talk about…

Camp Deathe is now a great place to spend the summer. Ritchie soon finds a group of outsiders like himself. Teenagers who ignore the organised activities, and bunk off in the old abandoned cabins deep in the woods. The cabins that have a history.

The campfire monster stories were meant to just scare them. Nobody expected them to come true. Then one of the teenagers disappears in the middle of the night.

Something is watching them. It hides in the woods and hunts at night.

Ritchie will have to uncover the secrets of the camp, and understand his own problems in order to survive.

Blog Tour: Ouija by Zoe-Lee O'Farrell

The only thing for certain is the deaths were no accident.

Rayner High School once a prestigious school stands in ruins after such a terrible event.

A year later, a group of friends return to the abandoned school and their nightmare begins.

Something wants to get out and won’t take NO for an answer…

Happy #Bookbirthday

Happy Thursday, everyone! This week there are THREE books from our various lists publishing. 

The Wild Before by Piers Torday

One frosty winter’s night, a pure white calf is born on an ordinary muddy farm in the light of a silver moon. This is the legendary Mooncalf, whose arrival has been foretold since the dawn of time.

Hare knows immediately that if the calf is not saved it will be the end of all things.

According to a dream passed down from animal to animal, if the calf dies a great terribleness will come – rising seas, a plague, skies raining down fire… and Hare vows to protect Mooncalf with his life.

Upon Mooncalf’s arrival, the old bull summons all the animals of the farm and tells them of this dream, warning that they must help Hare in his mission before it is too late.

But it’s easier said than done, and soon Hare realises that he must act on his own…

A stunning prequel to the award-winning bestselling The Last Wild trilogy, with themes of climate change, hope and friendship.

Blog tour: Fireborn by Aisling Fowler

Ember is full of monsters.

Twelve gave up her name and identity to train in the art of hunting them--so she says. The truth is much more deadly: she trains to take revenge on those who took her family from her.

But when Twelve's new home is attacked, she'll find herself on an unexpected journey, where her hidden past is inescapably intertwined with her destiny--and the very fate of her world.

#Bookpost

Happy Tuesday! We had a good week, including a last minute approval of a book I've really been hoping for, so yay! Let's dive right in!

Blog tour: The Meeting Point by Olivia Lake

'Who are you and why do you have my boyfriend's phone?'
'He left it in my car. You must be the blonde in the red dress? I'm the Lift driver who dropped you two off earlier.'

And with these words, the life of the brunette and t-shirt wearing Maya Maas is turned upside down. Having planned to surprise her boyfriend, she finds herself single and stranded in an unknown city on her birthday.

So when the mystery driver rescues Maya with the suggestion that she cheers herself up at a nearby beach town, she jumps at the chance to get things back on track. She wasn't expecting a personalised itinerary or the easy companionship that comes from opening up to a stranger via text, let alone the possibility it might grow into something more...

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! Welcome to this week's roundup, in case you missed anything here on the blog.

Real Talk Tarot by Juanita Londoño-Gaviria

The tarot deck for our day, Real Talk Tarot—complete with a guidebook and keepsake box—speaks to our present-day icons and struggles with updated illustrations featuring relatable archetypes and scenes.

Let’s be real; modern life can feel surreal and disorienting sometimes. This tarot deck, updated from the classic Rider Waite version, is perfect for everyone from novice to expert who is looking for guidance in today’s world, which often feels like it’s on fire.

Each of the 78 cards is connected to today’s world by characters and situations you might encounter any day. Some of the illustrations are lighthearted, like the King of Cups depicted as a handsome barista, and some are less so, such as the Seven of Wands represented by a heated political protest in the streets, but each card is true to the experience of life today while staying true to its original tarot meaning.

The beautifully illustrated, highly giftable deck comes with an interpretation guidebook so beginners and experts alike can read the cards. The deck and book come in a beautiful keepsake box.

Whether you are looking to add a unique deck to your collection or are just beginning your tarot journey, Real Talk Tarot is the fresh take on tarot that you need right now.

Lightning Falls by Amy Wilson

Valerie has been living at Lightning Falls nearly all her life. She’s perfectly happy helping Meg and the rest of the family to haunt the guests who come to stay there - it is the Ghost House after all. One night, she sees a strange boy, Joe, up on the viaduct . Here she discovers that beneath the river is a bridge – one that will take her to the world of Orbis, which Joe claims is her real home.

A world that is under threat.

Their magical anchors are being stolen causing the power to seep out of their world, and Joe has journeyed to Lightning falls to win them back. Plunged into a dangerous adventure as the link between the two worlds begins to crumble into star showers, Valerie is forced to confront the truth about herself.

What Once Was Mine by Liz Braswell

Desperate to save the life of their queen and her unborn child, the good people of Corona search for the all-healing Sundrop flower to cure her—but mistakenly acquire the shimmering Moondrop flower instead. Nonetheless it heals the queen, and she delivers a healthy baby girl with hair as silver and gray as the moon. With it comes dangerous magical powers: the power to hurt, not heal. For her safety and the safety of the kingdom, Rapunzel is locked in a tower and put under the care of powerful goodwife, Mother Gothel.

For eighteen years Rapunzel stays locked away, knowing she must protect others from her magical hair. But when she leaves the only home she's ever known, wanting only to see the floating lights that appear on her birthday, she gets caught up in an adventure across the kingdom with two thieves—a young woman named Gina, and Flynn Rider, a rogue on the run. Before she can reach her happy ending, Rapunzel learns that there may be more to her story, and her magical tresses, than she ever knew.

Magickal Tarot by Robyn Valentine

Magickal Tarot offers a unique approach to tarot that teaches you how to tap into the energy and archetypes of the Major Arcana for manifesting and amplifying desired outcomes.

Tarot is a powerful tool for divination. Its magick, however, goes far beyond fortune-telling and prediction. Tarot cards represent situations we experience as we progress through the journey of life, with each card holding specific messages of perspective and guidance. Each individual tarot card holds rich symbolism that is imbued with energy and vibration. That energy can be applied to nearly all forms of manifestation, thus making your tarot deck a powerful magickal tool you can use to invoke specific outcomes in spells and ritual work.

With Magickal Tarot, you’ll learn the specific manifestation focus of each Major Arcana card as well as spells and rituals that align with each card:
Use the Magician for confidence and glamour magick
Use the High Priestess to assist in dreamwork and divination
Use the Empress to support fertility and grounding of your creative projects
Use the Emperor to aid in receiving a promotion or professional success

Blog Tour: Foul Play Once Upon a Crime card game

There's been a murder in Storybook Land! A Goodie has gone bad and it's up to you to swap, steal or search for the evidence, seek out the suspects and catch the culprit in order to scupper the other sleuths, and win this game of murder!

There's more than one way to catch a killer though. So what's it gonna be? Good Cop or Bad Cop? These two game versions come with their own set of rules and tactics to crack the case and finger your suspect, but will you use fair play or FOUL PLAY?

#Bookpost week ending 9th August 2021

Bookpost! We've missed this post over the last couple of weeks. This was a good week! One book has even already been reviewed!

100 Real Life Tales of Black Girl Magic by the Rebel Girls

The latest installment in the New York Times bestselling Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, featuring 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls who showcase the spirit of Black Girl Magic.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic celebrates the lives and accomplishments of 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls who showcase the spirit of Black Girl Magic. Edited by award-winning journalist Lilly Workneh, with a foreword by CaShawn Thompson, creator of the hashtag #BlackGirlsAreMagic, the book includes stories of real women from all walks of life written in fairy tale style. Arranged in alphabetical order by first name, each brief biography is accompanied by a vibrant full-page illustration.

Contemporaries like tennis player Naomi Osaka, astronaut Jeanette Epps, and filmmaker Ava DuVernay join historical figures like aviator Bessie Coleman, Empress Taytu Betul, and journalist Ida B. Wells. Readers will also meet chess champion Phiona Mutesi, video game designer Muriel Tramis, punk rocker Poly Styrene, and chef Leah Chase.

The book exclusively features the work of Black female and non-binary editors, authors, and illustrators as they drive the stories of these phenomenal women from around the world and throughout history.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! Here's your regular weekly roundup of happenings on the blog.

You did WHAT? by Tova Leigh

"I was living with a nasty boyfriend who complained I didn't put enough pepper in his egg sandwich. So I dried out some hamster poop and chopped it into tiny pieces. He said it was delicious. Revenge is sweet!"

Have you ever wondered what other people get up to when they think no one's looking? Do you have a mortifying secret of your own you've never dared share? Whatever scandalous incidents lie hidden in your past, don't worry: this wonderful collection of funny, sexy, hair-raising and heart-warming confessions will reassure you that you're by no means alone.

These confessions have all been curated by bestselling author and digital creator Tova Leigh, who explains just why we should stop being ashamed of our secrets, and instead have the courage to make ourselves vulnerable, speak out and connect. In this ultimate page-turner, there are parenting confessions, sex confessions, workplace confessions, revenge confessions ... not forgetting the all-important bodily fluids confessions! You need never feel embarrassed by your own slip-ups and misdemeanours again.

"So I was married for nine years and after the divorce, when I was ready to sleep with other men, I signed up on Tinder. After a few dates I was thinking ... why do I give it for free, when men will pay for it? So I became an escort! I did it for about five months and I must say I had the best time ever ... made a lot of money and met some really nice interesting people."

Letters from Lockdown ed by Natash Kaplinsky

Introduced by newsreader, presenter, and Barnardo's president Natasha Kaplinsky, Letters From Lockdown features 100+ letters from celebrity names, COVID heroes, and a diverse range of members of the public, all answering the question - 'What was lockdown like for you?'

The letter writers include doctors and nurses, care home staff and vaccinators, train drivers and hairdressers, teachers and environmentalists - people who have been on the frontline in tackling the pandemic, or in trying to get the world back on its feet. Other letters document the unforgettable lighter moments of the past year: interviews crashed by children, TikTok triumphs and disasters, and Goats joining Zoom meetings. Each offers their unique perspective on the year everything changed.

The idea for the book came from Natasha Kaplinsky's children, Arlo and Kika. They wrote an open letter, wanting to understand other people's experiences of lockdown. Their question, 'What was lockdown like for you?' is the prompt; the collection of letters in response form the book. As we keep our fingers crossed that this summer will bring a safe end to restrictions, this mixture of funny, sad, heart-warming, surprising, heroic and honest experiences will mark the start of a period of reflection.

Happy #BookBirthday

Happy Thursday, all! This week we read FOUR books from our various lists (and one that's had a date change so will show up later). There's currently nothing lined up for next week, but we'll see what happens!

Horror Heights: The Slime, by Bec Hill

Connie hasn’t found her talent yet, but at least she has her slime collection – if it’s gooey, she’s got it! She hopes that by adding a few extra ingredients to a simple recipe she will uncover a talent for slime-making, but alas, all she uncovers is a hot, stinky mess which ends up in the bin. It’s shaping up to be another uneventful weekend … until her failed slime experiment wakes her up the next morning. It’s alive! And can talk! And is named… Big.

Big adores Connie and wants to protect her from everything at all times, which is very sweet. At first. But when it gets bigger, grows teeth and threatens to eat her friends and father, can Connie uncover her TRUE talents in order to protect everything from THE SLIME?

Monster Hunting for Beginners by Ian Mark

Every hero has to start somewhere . . .

Monster Hunting isn’t as easy as it looks. And Jack should know. Because an ogre has just appeared in his garden and tried to EAT HIS AUNT. (She was the winner of the World’s Worst Aunt competition, but that’s Not The Point).

After (sort of accidentally) defeating the ogre, Jack finds himself apprenticed to a grumpy, 200-year-old monster hunter called Stoop and heading off to Cornwall, where more ogres are causing havoc.

All he has are his wits, his catapult and a magical – sometimes unreliable – book called Monster Hunting for Beginners.
Jack’s a bit worried he might not be the hero everyone’s waiting for. But then again, how many terrifying, bloodthirsty monsters can there really be?

(Answer: ABSOLUTELY LOADS. And a bear called Humbert).

A hilarious and accessible story, packed full of illustrations – that gives a twist to all your favourite fairytales and will change everything you thought you knew about monsters! Perfect for apprentice monster hunters aged 8 to 800.

Blog Tour: The Girl in the Triangle

Welcome to the tour for The Girl in the Triangle by Joyana Peters! Read on for details and a chance to win a signed copy of the book!

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday all! This was a slightly odd week, but hopefully you've enjoyed the posts. Here's the roundup just in case.

Your Life Has Been Delayed by Michelle I Mason

Jenny Waters boards her flight in 1995, but when she lands, she and the other passengers are told they disappeared . . . 25 years ago. Everyone thought they were dead.

Now contending with her family and friends fast-forwarding decades, Jenny must quickly adjust to smartphones and social media while being the biggest story to hit the internet. She feels betrayed by her once-best friend and fights her attraction to a cute boy with an uncomfortable connection to her past. Meanwhile, there’s a growing group of conspiracy theorists determined to prove the whole situation is a hoax. Will Jenny figure out how to move forward, or will she always be stuck in the past?

Cruel Castle by Bryony Pearce

They thought the island was the end. It was only the beginning…

Having survived the horrors of Savage Island, Grady is now stuck working for Gold, the psychopath who masterminded the gruesome competition. Sent on a “team-building exercise” in a remote castle, he starts to plot his escape.

Ben and Lizzie are in hiding, presumed dead after escaping the island. If they’re ever to return to their families, they need to bring Gold down. So they secretly join Grady in the castle. But as the doors slam shut and the series of deadly challenges between them and freedom are revealed, it looks like history is going to repeat itself...

No Ordinary Joe by Siobhán Daffy

The touching and funny story of family life with a boy with special needs. Based on the author’s own family life.

Joe loves chips and music and ice cream and running away. He doesn’t mean to run away – he’s just running.

Life with Joe is lots of fun but it’s hard work too. You have to remember to lock the windows, hide the sugar, shut the gate. But somehow, Joe always ends up with jam in his hair or missing one of his shoes.

But this is no ordinary Joe. He has a secret superpower. The power to make everyone love him.

Happy #BookBirthday

This week we read NOTHING on our lists!

(Not true. We read plenty, but none of it publishes this week.)

We'll have a review up this afternoon to replace the #BookBirthday post. See you then!

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik

At the Scholomance, El, Orion, and the other students are faced with their final year--and the looming specter of graduation, a deadly ritual that leaves few students alive in its wake. El is determined that her chosen group will survive, but it is a prospect that is looking harder by the day as the savagery of the school ramps up. Until El realizes that sometimes winning the game means throwing out all the rules . . 

The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

A set of magical triplets, two warring dynasties, and a broken crown waiting for its rightful owner…

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years — safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom beyond. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia’s mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it’s up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir — before it’s too late.

#Bookpost

This week we received no new titles! It's a chance for us to catch up on some reviews. We'll be posting one this afternoon to fill the gap. Enjoy!

Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko

For the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar's throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer. She must then descend into the Underworld, a sacrifice to end all future atrocities.

Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that's what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends. Months into her shaky reign as empress, child spirits haunt her, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire.

With the lives of her loved ones on the line, assassination attempts from unknown quarters, and a handsome new stranger she can't quite trust . . . Tarisai fears the pressure may consume her. But in this finale to the Raybearer duology, Tarisai must learn whether to die for justice . . . or to live for it.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! Here is your weekly roundup of activity on the blog - we weren't overly busy this week, but it's still nice to look back and see what we've done! 

The Labyrinth Tarot Deck by Minerva Siegel and Tomas Hijo

Let Jareth, Sarah, Hoggle, and other beloved characters from Jim Henson's Labyrinth guide your tarot practice with the official Labyrinth Tarot Deck.

Characters from Jim Henson’s beloved classic Labyrinth try their hand at tarot in this whimsical take on a traditional 78-card tarot deck, which reimagines Jareth, Sarah, Hoggle, and other denizens of Goblin City in original illustrations based on classic tarot iconography. Featuring both the Major and Minor Arcana, the set also comes with a helpful guidebook with explanations of each card’s meaning, as well as simple spreads for easy readings. Packaged in a sturdy, decorative gift box, this stunning deck of tarot cards is the perfect gift for Labyrinth fans and tarot enthusiasts everywhere.

Happy #BookBirthday

Happy Thursday, all! This was a quieter week, and currently we have nothing dated for next week! We'll catch up on some oldies and get a bit ahead on the newer stuff, and of course things often show up last minute.

Femlandia by Christina Dalcher

Miranda Reynolds always thought she would rather die than live in Femlandia. But that was before the country sank into total economic collapse and her husband walked out in the harshest, most permanent way, leaving her and her sixteen-year-old daughter with nothing. The streets are full of looting, robbing, and killing, and Miranda and Emma no longer have much choice—either starve and risk getting murdered, or find safety. And so they set off to Femlandia, the women-only colony Miranda's mother, Win Somers, established decades ago.

Although Win is no longer in the spotlight, her protégé Jen Jones has taken Femlandia to new heights: The off-grid colonies are secluded, self-sufficient, and thriving—and Emma is instantly enchanted by this idea of a safe haven. But something is not right. There are no men allowed in the colony, but babies are being born—and they're all girls. Miranda discovers just how the all-women community is capable of enduring, and it leads her to question how far her mother went to create this perfect, thriving, horrifying society.