Happy #BookBirthday!

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

The Normans by John Farrelly

You can't go far in Ireland without bumping into a flippin' castle. They're everywhere! There were thousands of castles of all shapes and sizes in Ireland. Because most of them are now in ruins, you'd be forgiven for thinking they're really ancient but they only started springing up in the late 12th century. That's just a dozen of your granda's lifetimes ago (or two dozen of your dad's lifetimes. Or seventy of yours. Or three hundred and forty of your pet hamster's.)

The latest book in the 'Deadly Irish History' series, The Normans is jam-packed with all kinds of interesting facts and stories about castle life. Highly illustrated with cartoons and comic strips, as well as illustrating how castles were built and what medieval fashions were like, it's also full of things to make and do, quizzes and puzzles.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! We recieved some books last week that we just couldn't wait for (because they were due so shortly, and also they're excellent) so we have reviewed them already! As always, you can click on each cover to get more information about each title, and for the two we've read already I've linked the reviews under the cover.

A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting by Sophie Irwin

The season is about to begin—and there’s not a minute to lose.

Kitty Talbot needs a fortune. Or rather, she needs a husband who has a fortune. This is 1818 after all, and only men have the privilege of seeking their own riches.

With only twelve weeks until the bailiffs call, launching herself into London society is the only avenue open to her, and Kitty must use every ounce of cunning and ingenuity she possesses to climb the ranks.

The only one to see through her plans is the worldly Lord Radcliffe and he is determined to thwart her at any cost, especially when it comes to his own brother falling for her charms.

Can Kitty secure a fortune and save her sisters from poverty? There is not a day to lose and no one—not even a lord—will stand in her way...

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! We've had a fairly normal week on the blog. Find the roundup below in case you missed anything!

So This is Ever After by F T Lukens

Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler. So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next.

As a temporary safeguard, Arek’s best friend and mage, Matt, convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower. Except that she’s dead. Now Arek is stuck as king, a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing.

With his eighteenth birthday only three months away, and only Matt in on the secret, Arek embarks on a desperate bid to find a spouse to save his life—starting with his quest companions. But his attempts at wooing his friends go painfully and hilariously wrong…until he discovers that love might have been in front of him all along.

Blog tour: Nova's Blade by Will Scifi

THIRTY-TWO WOMEN. ONE ARENA. A BATTLE TO THE DEATH.

After a long war, corporations have replaced countries. Sports are fought to the death. The most popular game is Last Valkyrie, a live tournament where women kill each other for marriage into a powerful family.

For Nova, living in poverty with her mother and sister is a harsh reality that she cannot escape. But when she is kidnapped and forced to fight on the show, her world changes. If she refuses to fight, the bomb in her head goes off. Now winning means her freedom.

With death lurking at every moment, Nova has no idea if her next fight will be her last. But one thing she knows for certain: only one is making it out alive.

Perfect for fans of Hunger Games, The Selection, and The Princess Trials. You won't want to put down this exciting page-turner!

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday! This week we have TWO books from our lists publishing!

Trigger by N Griffin

Didi tries her best to be a good girl, but it’s hard to keep track of her father’s rules. When she wins a chess tournament, he’s angry she didn’t win with a better move and makes her run laps around the house. When she runs laps the next day, she has to keep running until she’s faster than the day before. When she’s skilled enough to outshoot him with both a gun and bow and arrow, he grows furious when she won’t then shoot a baby rabbit who crosses their path. And Didi can’t do anything to escape being threatened with the Hurt Stick when she misbehaves.

He’s all she has, he reminds her. They have to be prepared. They have to be prepared to fight the rest of the world, when the world comes to an end. He’s grooming her, to keep her safe. He loves Didi. He does—he says so! And so Didi runs harder; annihilates her opponents in chess; takes down a deer at a dead run. He’s grooming her, after all, to be the best…he says so.

#Bookpost

No new #bookpost this week! We're using the time to catch up on the backlog instead. And there will probably be new books next week!

The Hive by Scarlett Brade

SHOULD HE LIVE OR DIE? YOU DECIDE.

Charlotte Goodwin looks directly at the camera and reveals a chilling truth to the thousands watching her Instagram live broadcast. She has killed her ex-boyfriend's new partner in cold blood. But she is not finished yet. With bloodied hands she takes a calm sip of tea before continuing. Lincoln Jackson will now make his confession, then the viewers must vote to decide whether he should live or die.

The public display sends shockwaves rippling through the online community and the numbers of viewers skyrockets. But as Lincoln's past is revealed, how will he be judged?

Bonded by mutual tragedy, Charlotte's three best friends have supported each other through the soaring highs and devastating lows of their lives. Now, in Charlotte's hour of need, her friends also face a choice, whether to help her get away with murder.

The Hive explores our darkest fears of the relationship between social media and mental health, but, most importantly, the strength of sisterhood against all the odds.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! The weather is starting to get better, which is lovely. Makes things so much more cheerful. How is it where you are?

Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough

In this twisty, mind-bending thriller from the bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes, Emma Averell worries that her crippling insomnia is a sign that she’s slowly going insane—like the mother she’s worked so hard to leave in her past.

Emma Averell loves her life—her high-powered legal career, her two beautiful children, and her wonderful stay-at-home husband—but it wasn’t always so perfect. When she was just five years old, Emma and her older sister went into foster care because of a horrific incident with their mother. Her sister can remember a time when their mother was loving and “normal,” but Emma can only remember her as one thing—a monster. And that monster emerged right around their mother’s fortieth birthday, the same age Emma is approaching now.

Emma desperately wants to keep her successful life separate from her past, so she has always hidden her childhood trauma. But then she’s unable to sleep, and now losing time during the day, also one of the first symptoms her mother showed. Is the madness in her blood, just as her mother predicted? Could she end up hurting her family in her foggy, frenetic state? Or is she truly beginning to lose her mind?

The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams by Shane Hegarty and Jeff Crowther

Limpet’s mum is opening an ice-cream shop, full of her favourite new flavours: mushroom and tuna ice cream, anyone? Roast parsnip and gravy?

Limpet’s not sure about this. He likes a nice, safe life. His favourite ice-cream flavour is vanilla.

But when wicked Mr Fluffy arrives with his Mega Emporium of Amazing and Spectacular Ice Creams, Limpet knows he’s got to fight back. And there are magic ingredients on his doorstep which can solve all his worries, if only he can get the recipe just right …

Happy #BookBirthday!

Happy Thursday, all! This week there are THREE books on our various lists...including two we only received last week!

Yesterday Crumb and the Storm in a Teacup by Andy Sagar

Yesterday Crumb is no ordinary girl. She was born with fox ears that have cursed her to a lonely life working in the circus and her origins are a complete mystery. But she is about to escape into the adventure of a lifetime when she learns that she’s a strangeling who’s lost her magic.

Taken in by Miss Dumpling the flamboyant tea witch, Yesterday is introduced to a magical, walking teashop filled with fantastical customers, a flying teapot turtle called Pascal and powerful spells in every teacup!

Yesterday starts to rediscover her magic and to feel a sense of belonging. But a mysterious figure of darkness is working hard to ensure her new life comes crashing down – and it all starts with a deadly shard of ice in Yesterday’s heart…

But there’s nothing that can’t be solved with a pot of tea, a slice of cake and a BIG dash of magic!

Baby Love by Jacqueline Wilson

A heartbreaking, compelling and timely story for older readers about teen pregnancy, family trouble and unlikely friendships, set in 1960.

When Laura meets a French exchange student, Leon, she is flattered by his interest in her. She's never had any sort of boyfriend before.

One night, Leon walks Laura home - and her life will never be the same again.

Things start to change for Laura - first her moods, and then her body. Laura isn't prepared for what she learns next - and doesn't even know how it could have happened.

When her family learns her secret, they are horrified. Sent away to save them from shame, Laura meets girls just like herself, whose families have given up on them - and they become a family for each other at the most difficult time in all their lives.

An emotional and moving tale for fans of Dear Nobody and Juno.

Not suitable for younger readers.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! We had a good week here on the blog, receiving FOUR new books - two of which publish this Thursday, so we'd better hurry!

The Witches' Wisdom Tarot by Phyllis Curott and Danielle Barlow

A brand-new tarot deck radiant with mystical energy by renowned American Wiccan Priestess Phyllis Curott and British Hedgewitch and artist Danielle Barlow.

The Witches' Wisdom Tarot brings users into the heart of what it means to be a Witch, a wise one who lives with reverence for the land, for life, and for the magic that flows through us.

The Witches' Wisdom Tarot is more than just a divination tool for Witches. Radiant with numinous energy and magical imagery, it is a doorway for everyone who wishes to encounter and understand the Sacred--in reals of Spirit, embodied by Nature, and residing within our hearts. Presented in a deluxe, large-size box, the cards are wrapped in an eco-friendly hessian bag alongside a comprehensive guidebook.

Best-selling Wiccan author Phyllis Curott and Hedgewitch Danielle Barlow journeyed for each of the images, spreads, and spells, seeking the divine wisdom of Mother Earth and diving deep beneath traditional archetypes and the ceremonial symbolism of the ubiquitous Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

The Minor Arcana reveal the primal sources of swords and wands, cups, and pentacles, drawing on the spiritual teachings of the elements. Each card immerses users in the beauty, wisdom, and embodied divinity of Nature and offers a mirror for them to recognize that they too are part of Nature. The Major Arcana will speak to users of any spirituality, age, race, or gender identity with culturally diverse mythological, archetypal, and sacred imagery, guiding them on their path of self-knowledge and purpose.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We had a nice week here on the blog. Here's the roundup for the week in case you missed anything.

Happytown must be Destroyed by James Harris

For fans of My Brother is a Superhero and The Demon Headmaster comes an outrageously funny story of brain control, friends, enemies and saving the world, even if you don’t really want to.

*From the award-winning writer of The Unbelievable Biscuit Factory*

Leeza’s parents are ordinary. Unfit, grumpy, a bit embarrassing. Totally normal, right?

Until today. Today they are jogging. Eating salads and enjoying them. Smiling all the time. They’re happy. Really, really happy. Who could complain about that?

Leeza, that’s who.

Because it looks like someone’s brainwashing everyone in town. Who’s going to save the world? Oh no! It looks like it might have to be Leeza.

OK then. Let’s do this. You coming?

Impossible/The Impossible Us by Sarah Lotz

Meet Nick: Failed writer. Failed husband. Dog owner.

Meet Bee: Serial dater. Dress maker. Pringles enthusiast.

One day, their paths cross over a misdirected email. The connection is instant, electric. They feel like they've known each other all their lives.

Nick buys a new suit, gets on a train. Bee steps away from her desk, sets off to meet him under the clock at Euston station.

Think you know how the rest of the story goes? They did too . . .

But this is a story with more twists than most. This is Impossible.

Happy #BookBirthday!

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

The Great Fox Illusion by Justyn Edwards

Thirteen-year-old Flick Lions has won a place on a new television show, in which young people compete to win the legacy of The Great Fox, one of the world’s most famous magicians. But Flick isn’t interested in uncovering The Great Fox’s tired old magic tricks – she’s after something much more important. The magician destroyed her family, and this is Flick’s only chance to put things right. Inside the Fox’s house is a secret that will change the world of magic forever, and Flick will go to any lengths to find it.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday! This was a much better week for new books and our TBRs are bursting once again. As always, you can click on the covers to learn more about each book.

Max Counts to a Million by Jeremy Williams

Do you like epic quests of amazing counting?

Do you dislike global pandemics, being stuck at home, and the number 7?

Then I have a story for you. It’s about how I counted to a million during lockdown – with help from Mum and Dad, friends and neighbours, and Grandad. And some birds. And a bucket of marbles. And an awesome TV reporter.

Sometimes, just keeping on going makes you a hero.

Eight-year-old Max is counting to a million. Normally, school or having anything interesting to do would get in the way, but school is shut and everyone has to stay home because the UK is in its first lockdown. Max’s dad works at the hospital and counting helps Max with missing him, but as the pandemic progresses and Max’s grandad journeys through his own battle with the virus, what starts as a distraction turns into record-breaking effort that brings Max’s community together.

Suitable for readers aged 7 up, this poignant, uplifting story reflects the experiences shared by so many during the Covid pandemic and celebrates how ordinary people accomplish epic things

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday! Another normal, quiet week on the blog. Here's the roundup in case you missed anything.

The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux

No matter how different best friends Adelle and Connie are, one thing they’ve always had in common is their love of a little-known gothic romance novel called Moira. So when the girls are tempted by a mysterious stranger to enter the world of the book, they hardly suspect it will work. But suddenly they are in the world of Moira, living among characters they’ve obsessed about for years.

Except…all is not how they remembered it. The world has been turned upside down: The lavish balls and star-crossed love affairs are now interlaced with unspeakable horrors. The girls realize that something dark is lurking behind their foray into fiction—and they will have to rewrite their own arcs if they hope to escape this nightmare with their lives.

Wulfie: A Ghostly Tail by Lindsay J Sedgwick

Libby’s stepmother Veronika wants to sell their house. But when Wulfie accidentally ends up inside the plumbing, she becomes convinced the house is haunted. Ever fame-hungry, Veronika invites the TV star JJ Moon and his crew to investigate the ghostly activity. If they think Wulfie is a ghost and Veronika becomes famous can Libby save her house and her best friend? Well with a best friend like Wulfie, anything can happen!

Happy #BookBirthday!

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

This Might Hurt by Stephanie Wrobel

Welcome to Wisewood. Where we keep your secrets, if you keep ours.

Natalie Collins hasn’t heard from her sister in more than half a year.

The last time they spoke, Kit was slogging from mundane workdays to obligatory happy hours to crying in the shower about their dead mother. She told Natalie she was sure there was something more out there.

And then she found Wisewood.

On a private island off the coast of Maine, Wisewood’s guests commit to six-month stays. During this time, they’re prohibited from contact with the rest of the world—no Internet, no phones, no exceptions. But the rules are for a good reason: to keep guests focused on achieving true fearlessness so they can become their Maximized Selves. Natalie thinks it’s a bad idea, but Kit has had enough of her sister’s cynicism and voluntarily disappears off the grid.

Six months later Natalie receives a menacing e-mail from a Wisewood account threatening to reveal the secret she’s been keeping from Kit. Panicked, Natalie hurries north to come clean to her sister and bring her home. But she’s about to learn that Wisewood won’t let either of them go without a fight.

#Bookpost!...or rather lack of same

Happy Tuesday, all!

We did not receive any new books this week, but things are already looking better for next week and the occasional week with no new titles allows us to catch up a bit on our TBR! 

What did you get this week?