Lose you to Find Me by Erik J Brown

Tommy Dees is in the weeds - restaurant speak for beyond overwhelmed. He's been working at Sunset Estates Retirement Community to get the experience he needs to attend one of the best culinary schools in the world. And he also needs a letter of recommendation from his sadistic manager. In exchange for the letter, Tommy has to meet three conditions - including train new-hire Gabriel.

Gabe, with the dimples and kind heart, who Tommy crushed on during summer camp at age ten and then never saw again. Unfortunately, Gabe doesn't remember Tommy at all. The training proves distracting as old feelings resurface, and the universe seems to be conspiring against them.

With the application deadline looming and Gabe on his mind, can Tommy keep it all together or is it a recipe for disaster?

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! We're in a very busy time on the blog, with extra posts here and there - there'll be one later today, but that'll be in next week's roundup - so in case you've missed anything here's the round up!

This is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde (spoilers in review)

As an autistic scholarship student at the prestigious Webber Academy in New York City, Waverly is used to masking to fit in—in more ways than one. While her classmates are the children of the one percent, Waverly is getting by on tutoring gigs and the generosity of the school’s charming and enigmatic dean. So when her tutoring student and resident “it girl” asks Waverly to attend the school’s annual fundraising Masquerade disguised as her, Waverly jumps at the chance—especially once she finds out that Ash, the dean’s daughter and her secret ex-girlfriend, will be there.

The Masquerade is everything Waverly dreamed of, complete with extravagant gowns, wealthy parents writing checks, and flowing champagne. Most importantly, there’s Ash. All Waverly wants to do is shed her mask and be with her, but the evening takes a sinister turn when Waverly stumbles into a secret meeting between the dean and the school’s top donors—and witnesses a brutal murder. This gala is harboring far more malevolent plots than just opening parents’ pocketbooks. Before she can escape or contact the authorities, a mysterious global blackout puts the entire party on lockdown. Waverly’s fairy tale has turned into a nightmare, and she, Ash, and her friends must navigate through a dizzying maze of freight elevators, secret passageways, and back rooms if they’re going to survive the night.

And even if they manage to escape the Masquerade, with technology wiped out all over the planet, what kind of world will they find waiting for them beyond the doors?

Beauty Reborn by Elizabeth Lowham

Beauty’s life is the stuff of fairy tales. The youngest in her family, Beauty isn’t trying to catch Stephan’s eye. He is the lord baron’s heir, well above her family’s modest station, but when he kisses her hand at a party, Beauty is swept away by his charm, his wit, and his passionate declarations of love.

Hearts can be untamable creatures, especially when touched by the fires of first love, and Beauty doesn’t see the truth of Stephan’s intentions until it is too late. Until he stops asking for Beauty’s love—and simply takes it from her one night despite her refusal.

Beauty locks away the secret of what happened to her, and when her father emerges from the enchanted forest with a stolen rose in his hand and the tale of a vicious beast on his breath, Beauty seizes the chance to run as far from Stephan as possible.

She has some experience with beasts, after all. Certainly the one in the forest couldn’t be any worse than the one she’s already encountered.

Breaking the Beast’s curse might be the key to discovering her own path to healing—and finding the courage to allow herself to feel reborn.

Happy #BookBirthday! 27 Apr

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

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson (slight spoilers)

Love is in the heir in this royally good rom com debut releasing in Spring 2023 – perfect for anyone who likes relatable heroines (with great hair), hot and aloof book boyfriends (with great hats), near misses, almost kisses and a corgi or two.

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had an excellent week here for new books, including one that is getting huge attention on Twitter and, as usual, one we've already read and reviewed!

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

Ascension by Nicholas Binge

A mind-bending speculative thriller in which the sudden appearance of a mountain in the middle of the Pacific Ocean leads a group of scientists to a series of jaw-dropping revelations that challenge the notion of what it means to be human

An enormous snow-covered mountain has appeared in the Pacific Ocean. No one knows when exactly it showed up, precisely how big it might be, or how to explain its existence. When Harold Tunmore, a scientist of mysterious phenomena, is contacted by a shadowy organization to help investigate, he has no idea what he is getting into as he and his team set out for the mountain.

The higher Harold’s team ascends, the less things make sense. Time moves differently, turning minutes into hours, and hours into days. Amid the whipping cold of higher elevation, the climbers’ limbs numb and memories of their lives before the mountain begin to fade. Paranoia quickly turns to violence among the crew, and slithering, ancient creatures pursue them in the snow. Still, as the dangers increase, the mystery of the mountain compels them to its peak, where they are certain they will find their answers. Have they stumbled upon the greatest scientific discovery known to man or the seeds of their own demise?

Framed by the discovery of Harold Tunmore’s unsent letters to his family and the chilling and provocative story they tell, Ascension considers the limitations of science and faith and examines both the beautiful and the unsettling sides of human nature.

Roundup!

Happy Sunday, all! It's been a weird week weather wise, with a few beautiful days bracketed by horrible ones. How is it where you are?

Four Found Dead by Natalie D Richards

At the movie theater where Jo works, the last show has ended. But the nightmare is just beginning.

Tonight, Tempest Theaters is closing forever, the last remaining business in a defunct shopping mall. The moviegoers have left, and Jo and her six coworkers have the final shift, cleaning up popcorn and mopping floors for the last time.

But after an unexpected altercation puts everyone on edge, the power goes out. Their manager disappears, along with the keys to the lobby doors and the theater safe, where the crew's phones are locked each shift. Then, the crew's tension turns to terror when Jo discovers the dead body of one of her co-workers.

Now their only chance to escape the murderer in their midst is through the dark, shuttered mall. With its boarded-up exits and disabled fire alarms, the complex is filled with hiding places for both pursuer and pursued. In order to survive this night, Jo and her friends must trust one another, navigate the sprawling ruins of the mall, and outwit a killer before he kills again.

Cursed Crowns by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

Bestselling authors and real-life sisters-in-law Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber join forces on a compelling YA fantasy bursting with high-stakes adventure, romance and humour. Two queens, one throne. What can possibly go wrong . . .?

Twin queens Wren and Rose have claimed their crowns . . . but not everyone is happy about witches sitting on Eana's throne.

Cool-headed Rose sets off on a Royal Tour to win over the doubters, but soon finds herself drawn to the Sunless Kingdom. Here secrets are revealed about those closest to her, and Rose finds her loyalties divided.

Meanwhile rebellious Wren steals away to the icy north to rescue their beloved grandmother, Banba. But when she accepts King Alarik's deadly magical bargain in exchange for Banba's freedom, the spell has unexpected - and far-reaching - consequences . . .

As an ancient curse begins to arise from the darkness, the sisters must come together and unite the crown. Their lives - and the future of Eana - depend on it.

Break the ice to free the curse,

Kill one twin to save another . . .

Happy #BookBirthday! 20 Apr

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

Love & Other Scams by Philip Ellis

Cat has a dangerously dwindling bank balance. She also has:

* a month before her landlord kicks her out

* a surprise wedding invitation from rich mean girl, Louisa

* a secret talent for con artistry

A priceless jewel the size of a cocktail olive is glinting on Louisa's finger.

And when Cat meets her ideal plus one, Jake - who's gifted at hustling and posing as the perfect boyfriend - this wedding becomes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all,

How hard can a diamond heist be?

Blogtour: What Walks These Halls by Amy Clarkin

Raven O’Sullivan doesn’t remember what happened in Hyacinth House five years ago. Her father died during a paranormal investigation there, and she’s pretty certain it’s her fault. Her brother Archer can't resist the opportunity to go back and investigate. But everyone has their secrets, and they all lead back to Hyacinth House …

The Synchronicity Oracle by Etan Ilfeld

The Synchronicity Oracle is the first of its kind. Noticing synchronicity – or random coincidences that strike us as meaningful – allows us to align our life path with the flow of the universe. This is the first-ever oracle to draw on the power of synchronicity to give you insight into your problems, answer your questions and highlight previously unconsidered patterns and potential pathways in your life.

There are 57 hexagonal cards in the deck, each with 8 symbols, plus an 80 page booklet profiling each of the 57 symbols and giving instructions on how to use the cards. For instant insight, choose two cards at random and find the symbol that matches – there will only be one. Information about the meaning of the symbolism is given in the booklet, but ultimately it’s up to you to interpret the symbol based on what it means for you. For a more in-depth answer to your problem, choose two cards for each of these three questions: Where are you coming from? Where are you now? Where are you going? Note the matching symbol in each case and see what it mean to you and what insights it throws up for the past, present and future of your situation. Then arrange the chosen cards in a circle, pull the final card – the intuition card – and place it in the centre. Which symbols match? Which ones predominate? What does it mean to you? The booklet offers a contemplation and a meditation for each symbol to help you interpret the symbols.

The deck uses a wide range of symbols, including Jungian archetypes, contemporary icons, and images from alchemy, science and mysticism – from the Kabbalah’s tree of life and the yin yang symbol to images of an anchor, a wave, a spider’s web, and a mirror. As you search for the synchronicity and enjoy the magic of finding it through this deck, you will find that synchronicity comes up more and more in your everyday life. What can The Synchronicity Oracle tell you?

#BookPost!

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we have outdone ourselves - of the four books we received this week, we've posted reviews on two and have read another, review will be coming up on Friday! The fourth one is for a blogtour so will be coming up in a little while.

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

A Limerick Fairytale by Grainne O'Brien and Lena Stawowy

A fun and irreverent re-telling of the classic fairytale, Cinderella.

Once upon a time, there was a prince who was looking for some excitement. Something thrilling. The kind of life found in fairy tales. He decides he needs to find his princess, so that he can have his happily ever after. Attending a series of balls in Limerick, he finally meets Limerella! The prince is certain he's found the love of his life, but Limerella's not so sure...

Happy Sunday, all! We're coming up on several blog tours! We're looking forward to those.

Wild City by Ashwin Chacko

The city is wild, The city is free

The city has wonderful things to see …

Meet Lily and Tim, our brave adventurers.

When they go into the city, with a Snap! a Clap! and a Zap! they can make the boring … amazing!

Inspired to encourage children to ignore their devices and explore their outside environment, a fun and accessible story about finding the joy and wonder in the world around us. With bright, colourful artwork reminiscent of urban street art.

The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst

Claire’s grown up triple-checking locks. Counting her steps. Second-guessing every decision. It’s just how she’s wired – her worst-case scenarios never actually come true.

Until she arrives at an off-the-grid summer camp to find a blackened, burned husk instead of a lodge – and no survivors, except her and two other late arrivals: Reyva and Mariana.

When the three girls find a dead body in the woods, they realize none of this is an accident. Someone, something, is hunting them. Something that hides in the shadows. Something that refuses to let them leave.

Happy #BookBirthday!

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

Aether Creatures Oracle Cards by Teal Swan

Tap into the Power of the Aether Creatures!

This deck will connect you with the Aether Creatures – beings from another dimension that surround us all the time yet are beyond normal human perception. In this deck:

• Get to know 77 Aether Creatures and learn how to benefit from their specific strengths and powers

• Let the Aether Creatures show you what you do not see about yourself and the current situations you are in

• Discover which Aether Creature is your own birth creature and follow its guidance

#Bookpost

Happy Tuesday, all! This week we have five new books - and two of them are for blogtours we're really looking forward to!

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

The Edge of Life by Lena Gibson

To cope with everyday life, neurodivergent Kat is a secret binge drinker, and jilted Ryan is a workaholic. Disillusioned, neither does more than go through the motions of living—then comes the asteroid.

Warned that a planet-killing asteroid is on a collision course with Earth, acquaintances Kat and Ryan join forces in an effort to survive. Mere hours before impact, they race toward the safety of Ryan's inherited South Dakota bunker, encountering chaos. A last-ditch effort to nuke the asteroid only manages to fragment it into chunks causing multiple strikes.

Earthquakes, fire, and volcanic ashfall assail Kat and Ryan, who turn to each other for solace. Kat finds someone kind who values her differences and Ryan finds himself falling for Kat's pluck and quick-thinking. Though jaded, they learn to trust and rely on one another.

Attempting to survive the onslaught of their new world, Kat and Ryan must reach the bunker before imminent food shortages and catastrophic climate change cause society to further unravel.

The Edge of Life shows that survival can include falling in love. With steamy romance and non-stop action, this is one thrilling apocalypse road trip you shouldn't miss.

Weekly roundup

Happy Easter Sunday, all! This week we had one more post than usual, so in case you missed it, here's the roundup!

Someone is Always Watching by Kelley Armstrong

Blythe and her friends—Gabrielle, and brother and sister Tucker and Tanya—have always been a tight friend group, attending a local high school and falling in and out of love with each other. But an act of violence has caused a rift between Blythe and Tucker . . . and unexpected bursts of aggression and disturbing nightmares have started to become more frequent in their lives.

The strange happenings culminate in a shocking event at school: Gabrielle is found covered in blood in front of their deceased principal, with no memory of what happened.

Cracks in their friendship, as well as in their own memories, start appearing, threatening to expose long-forgotten secrets which could change the group’s lives forever. How can Blythe and her friends trust each other when they can’t even trust their own memories?

The Sharp Edge of Silence by Cameron Kelly Rosenblum

Students at Lycroft Phelps are marked for success. As a straight-A student and girlfriend of the school's star rower, Charlotte believes in what the school has to offer. Meanwhile, scholarship student Max is struggling. Until he's asked to join the rowing team offering him popularity - but at what cost? Then there's Quinn, a sixth-generation legacy student, who should be able to lay claim to the school in a way others can't. Who instead must watch the boy who assaulted her continue to play at the top of the school's food chain. Only in the dead of night does Q realize the solution to her suffering: Colin Pearce must die. But Lycroft Phelps has more than one dark secret at its heart, and as the three students uncover just how far the school will go to keep those ugly truths hidden, there's a lot more than reputation at stake...

Happy #BookBirthday! 6 Apr

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

The Lonely Book by Meg Grehan

Annie loves helping out in her moms' bookshop. But she knows something is troubling her older sibling, and her moms are worried too. Even the bookshop is upset.

The All Seeing Heart Oracle by Saira Hunjan

This is a deck like no other, with jaw-droppingly original and beautiful artwork by visionary artist Saira Hunjan. The hearts are protective beings or talismans, each set in a heart temple. Using these cards to activate your heart center, you can forge a bond with the Divine and open yourself to healing and transformation. The labyrinthine doorways, steps and passages depicted on the cards indicate the potential of passing through the heart temples into new opportunities and understanding.

Saira practices a devotional path; her practice is channeling and creating artwork, which comes with pure love straight from the Source. To bridge the gap between the physical and the metaphysical worlds, she uses meditation to reach a deep transcendent connection that allows her to translate her experiences into her unique artwork. Her aim with this deck is to pass on the love, support, strength and courage she receives from the Divine masculine and feminine – with Shiva and Shakti. When you sit with Saira’s oracle card deck, you’ll feel the cards alive and pulsating with information and potential.

#Bookpost!

Happy Tuesday, all! We had a good week for new books...and because of publication dates, we've already read and reviewed THREE of them!

As always, you can click on the covers to learn more about each book, and the ones we've reviewed will be linked underneath.

Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken

Tamsin Lark is a Hollower - breaking into the ancient crypts of dark sorceresses in search of the treasures inside.

Now, rumours are swirling about a powerful ring from Arthurian legend, a ring that could free her brother, Cabell from a curse. But they aren't the only ones who covet it ...

As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have the ring for themselves. Tamsin is forced into an alliance with her rival Emrys, the last person she wants to rely on. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers' nest of dark magic, and expose a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother . . .

Weekly roundup.

Happy Sunday, all! We had an unexpectedly busy week with a couple of extra posts as some pub dates moved. In case you missed it, here's the roundup of everything we did this week.

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…

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?

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!

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.

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

Weekly roundup

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

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?

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.

Happy #BookBirthday! 23rd Mar

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

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.

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.

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.

Weekly roundup

Happy Sunday, all! It is cold and wet here today.

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!

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?

Happy #BookBirthday! 16 Mar

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

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.

#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.

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…

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!

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...

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.

#BookBirthday! 9 Mar

Happy Tuesday, all! This week there is ONE book from our lists publishing!

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?

#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.

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?

Weekly roundup

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

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.

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?

Happy #BookBirthday! 2 Mar

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

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.

#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.

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.

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.

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.