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Nostalgic Books

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well today!

Today’s post was brought on because my Sister, who has moved out, and her Daughter came over and wanted to see if there were any books in the loft from her childhood, and my childhood, that would be suitable reading for her daughter. I was not ready for how many memories this brought back, the amount of books up there was crazy! Obviously, I am a big reader even when I was very young so most of the books were mine and I thought it would be fun if I shared some of the books that were the most nostalgic for me.

Lets start off with a good one:

The Rainbow Magic Fairies series

I LOVED these books when I was younger, to be honest I loved anything to do with fairies but these were one of my favourite series’. I have to say I kept a few of these books back for myself and my memories rather than giving them to my sister’s daughter, which I felt bad about and then I realised I had actually drawn all over the books anyway. OOPS!

Stardust by Linda Chapman

This was a seven books series which I also really loved. It is about a girl called Lucy who finds out she is a stardust spirit and has magic powers. I learnt a lot about nature and animals from this series and to be honest it is still enjoyable to read even now I am in my 20’s.

The Pony Mad princess Series

I had these books when I was young and I have to say they are very nostalgic because a few months ago, before we even thought about going into the loft, I kept remembering a scene from this book where the horse gets into trouble and she sees another girl in the bushes and I learnt that to keep a horse warm you need to rub its ears.

and finally…

The Lady in the Tower by Marie Louise Jennison

If you have been on any of my other blog posts you probably know I love this book, I talk about it a lot. It was the first book that really showed me that I love historical fiction, especially around the Tudors which is my favourite historical era.

What books are nostalgic for you?

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Book Blogger Awards 2023 Nominations!!!

Hello bookish people! I don’t usually post on a Saturday but with getting such good news today I knew I had to.

I found out that I have been nominated for two categories in the Book Blogger Awards 2023.

I was honestly so grateful to be nominated at all and to anyone who nominated me thank you so much.

I was nominated in the Heart of Gold category and the Book Blogger of the Year category and the voting has gone live tonight, until the end of March.

I would be really grateful to anyone who could go on the website, which I will link here, and vote for me on these two categories.

https://www.thebookparty.co.uk/nominations-ubba23

It is so exciting to be nominated amongst such an amazing group of bloggers and I can’t wait to see who makes the shortlists.

Book Reviews, Uncategorized

Book Review: The Magic Faraway Tree by Jacqueline Wilson

happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you the book review for The Magic Far-away Tree by Jacquline Wilson.

I will give star ratings to four categories and I will write a little bit about each one. I will try to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.

The magic faraway tree plot:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This is a modern take on Enid Blyton’ original series, following a similar plot of a family moving to the cottage and discovering the faraway tree and the lands that appear at the top. For me there was too much that just didn’t work about this story, it comes down to the feeling and it didn’t give me the same feeling as the original series did.

The magic faraway tree characters:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

the characters follow the same idea as the original series, one older boy and two younger sisters but I felt that in this book they could have been made into more shapely characters, they felt very 2D. Silky, moon face and the people at the faraway tree were just as great as they were in the original series.

The magic faraway tree writing and dialogue:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The writing was great in this book, it was full of the same kind of magic that you expect in childrens fantasy stories.

The magic faraway tree overall:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

overall I thought this book was fine but not as good as the original series was better.

Discover the Magic Faraway Tree and explore the amazing lands it can lead to! An irresistible new story by bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, set in a much-loved world.

Three kids, Milo, Mia and Birdy, are on a countryside holiday when they wander into an Enchanted Wood. Among the whispering leaves, there is a beautiful tree that stands high above the rest. The Magic Faraway Tree is home to remarkable creatures including a fairy called Silky, her best friend Moonface and more. Birdy is delighted to find that fairies are real. Even her older brother and sister are soon won over by the magic of the Faraway Tree and the extraordinary places they discover above it, including the Land of Unicorns. But not every land is so much fun. Danger looms in the Land of Dragons. Will Moonface’s magic work in time to save the children?

The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton was Jacqueline Wilson’s own favourite book as a young child. Now Britain’s favourite contemporary children’s author, creator of Hetty Feather and Tracy Beaker, revisits this glorious magical world, weaving a brand-new story perfect for the next generation of young readers. Discover the magic!

that’s it for this book review I hope you all enjoyed it!

Book Tags, Uncategorized

New Year Book Tag!

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. It is 2023 and what better to start the book tags off with a New Years one.

I found this tag on andonshereads.Wordpress.com

How many books are you planning on reading in 2023?
I always set my goodreads at 100 but whether I meet that target or not is yet to be seen. In 2022 I did not meet it and in 2021 I did so it changes all the time.

Name 5 books you didn’t read in 2022 but want to make a priority in 2023?

kingdom of the feared by Kerri Maniscalco, Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson, Once upon a broken heart by Stephanie Garber, Sabriel by Garth Nix and the way of the argosi by Sebastian de Castell.

Name a genre you want to read more of in 2023?

mystery, specifically murder mysteries.

Three non bookish goals for 2023

I have posted a special post mentioning my goals for 2023 so if you’d like to see my goals go and check that one out.

What’s a book you’ve had forever and still need to read

there are so many answers I could give for this but I’m going to go with the city of brass by s a chakraborty because I keep picking it up to read it but never actually do.

and finally, 1 word for what you want 2023 to be: happy.

Monthly Wrap Ups, Uncategorized

2022 Wrap Up!

Happy Friday bookish people! My goodness the end of the year has arrived very quickly and it is time to do my yearly wrap up. For this year I am going to show a picture of the book cover of every book I have read this year all broken down into categories determined by the star rating I gave the book.

overall, this year I have only managed to read 49 books, compared to over 100 last year.

2 star

This year I read no books that I disliked so much that I gave them one star, it was close but I eventually decided the books in the two star category are:

In my 3 star category are:

4 star ratings

and finally… my two books I read this year that I rated five stars are…..

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Goals for 2023!

Happy Monday bookish people! As we near the end of 2022 I wanted to make a post about my goals for 2023, this year has been full of difficult moments and a lot of stress. Of course, there’s been lots of good moments too but it has overall been very draining.

I have three main goals for 2023 which are:

  1. To find more time to read for me. By this I mean not reading for my PhD or any work purposes, just because I want to read. I haven’t been doing that much this year but I am hopeful for next year.
  2. To organise everything I am doing in order of priority. This year I have been doing so many different things what with school and braille and guide dogs and starting at Etsy and so on and so on, I’ve been getting very very tired so I am aiming to not put as much pressure on myself, I’ll do all my work etc but if I can’t manage something then I am going to try not to push too hard.
  3. work hard on a children’s picture book idea and find an agent (this has already been started, I sent my work to a few agents but I haven’t heard back yet so fingers crossed)

that’s it for my goals, what are your goals for 2023?

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Spooky Book Reccomendations

Happy Monday bookish people! As it is getting so close to Halloween I thought it would be a fun idea to give some spooky book reccomendations, now I don’t read too many ‘spooky books’, murder mysteries yes but not so much terrifying books so I hope you find something to match your interests in this list! Let me know if you do!

This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher

“Will keep readers on edge from start to finish.” —Kirkus Reviews

Tell the truth. Or face the consequences.

Clue meets Riverdale in this page-turning thriller that exposes the lies five teens tell about a deadly night one year ago.

One year ago, there was a party.
At the party, someone died.
Five teens each played a part and up until now, no one has told the truth.

But tonight, the five survivors arrive at an isolated mansion in the hills, expecting to compete in a contest with a $50,000 grand prize. Of course…some things are too good to be true.

Now, they realize they’ve been lured together by a person bent on revenge, a person who will stop at nothing to uncover what actually happened on that deadly night, one year ago.

Five arrived, but not all can leave. Will the truth set them free?
Or will their lies destroy them all?

The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah

‘I’m a dead woman, or I shall be soon…’

Hercule Poirot’s quiet supper in a London coffeehouse is interrupted when a young woman confides to him that she is about to be murdered.  She is terrified – but begs Poirot not to find and punish her killer. Once she is dead, she insists, justice will have been done.

Later that night, Poirot learns that three guests at a fashionable London Hotel have been murdered, and a cufflink has been placed in each one’s mouth. Could there be a connection with the frightened woman? While Poirot struggles to put together the bizarre pieces of the puzzle, the murderer prepares another hotel bedroom for a fourth victim…

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady hendrix

A fast-paced, thrilling horror novel that follows a group of heroines to die for, from the brilliant New York Times bestselling author of The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires.

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other actual final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realized–someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

In 1872, New Orleans is a city ruled by the dead. But to seventeen-year-old Celine Rousseau, New Orleans provides her a refuge after she’s forced to flee her life as a dressmaker in Paris. Taken in by the sisters of the Ursuline convent along with six other girls, Celine quickly becomes enamored with the vibrant city from the music to the food to the soirées and—especially—to the danger. She soon becomes embroiled in the city’s glitzy underworld, known as La Cour des Lions, after catching the eye of the group’s leader, the enigmatic Sébastien Saint Germain. When the body of one of the girls from the convent is found in the lair of La Cour des Lions, Celine battles her attraction to him and suspicions about Sébastien’s guilt along with the shame of her own horrible secret.

When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

At once a sultry romance and a thrilling murder mystery, master storyteller Renée Ahdieh embarks on her most potent fantasy series yet: The Beautiful.

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

A teenage murder witness is drowned in a tub of apples… At a Hallowe’en party, Joyce—a hostile thirteen-year-old—boasts that she once witnessed a murder. When no-one believes her, she storms off home. But within hours her body is found, still in the house, drowned in an apple-bobbing tub. That night, Hercule Poirot is called in to find the ‘evil presence’. But first he must establish whether he is looking for a murderer or a double-murderer…

See How They Lie by Sue Wallman

All’s not well at the Hummingbird Creek wellness resort. No one can see in. No one can get out…
New from the talented author who brought you Lying About Last Summer: a psycho-chiller to wake up your darkest phobias. If you got to live in a luxury hotel with world-class cuisine, a state-of-the-art sports centre and the latest spa treatments, would you say ‘yes please’?
Well, that’s kind of what Hummingbird Creek is like. No wonder Mae feels lucky to be there. It’s meant as a rich-kid’s sanatorium, but she isn’t sick. Her dad is the top psychiatrist there. But one day Mae breaks a rule. NOT a good idea. This place is all about rules – and breaking them can hurt you…

The Cousins by Karen M McManus

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each other, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised… and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point—not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious—and dark—their family’s past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over—and this summer, the cousins will learn everything.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Jack the Ripper is back, and he’s coming for Rory next….

Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London to start a new life at boarding school just as a series of brutal murders mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper killing spree of more than a century ago has broken out across the city. The police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man believed to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him – the only one who can see him. And now Rory has become his next target…unless she can tap her previously unknown abilities to turn the tables.

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Presented by James Patterson’s new children’s imprint, this deliciously creepy horror novel has a storyline inspired by the Ripper murders and an unexpected, blood-chilling conclusion…

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

The story’s shocking twists and turns, augmented with real, sinister period photos, will make this dazzling, #1 New York Times bestselling debut from author Kerri Maniscalco impossible to forget.

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Kingdom of the Feared Book Blitz

Happy Tuesday bookish people! I am so so so excited today to be bringing you the book blitz for Kerri Maniscalco’s latest book The Kingdom of the Feared, the third and final book in the Kingdom of the Wicked series – one of my favourite series’ ever. So happy publication day to Kerri Maniscalco!

Synopsis:

Emilia is reeling from the shocking discovery that her twin sister, Vittoria, is alive. But before she faces the demons of her past, Emilia yearns to claim her king, the seductive Prince of Wrath, in the flesh. Emilia doesn’t simply desire his body, she wants his heart and soul—but that’s something the enigmatic demon can’t promise her.

When a high-ranking member of House Greed is assassinated, Emilia and Wrath are drawn to the rival demon court. Damning evidence points to Vittoria as the murderer and she’s quickly declared an enemy of the Seven Circles. Despite her betrayal, Emilia will do anything to solve this new mystery and find out who her sister really is.

Together Emilia and Wrath play a sin-fueled game of deception as they work to stop the unrest that’s brewing between witches, demons, shape-shifters and the most treacherous foes of all: the Feared.

Emilia was warned that when it came to the Wicked nothing was as it seemed. But, have the true villains been much closer all along? When the truth is finally revealed, it just might end up costing Emilia her heart.

Two curses.
One prophecy.
A reckoning all have feared.

And a love more powerful than fate. All hail the king and queen of Hell.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stalking the Jack the Ripper series comes the steamy conclusion to Kingdom of the Wicked trilogy.



If you’d like to buy the book, here are links to Amazon and Waterstones:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kingdom-Feared-Wicked-Kerri-Maniscalco/dp/1399703218https://www.waterstones.com/book/kingdom-of-the-feared/kerri-maniscalco/9781399703215

Waterstones:

mid you’d like to check out the rest of the tour here is a link to the schedule:

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Blood and Moonlight by Erin Beaty Book Tour!

Happy Friday bookish people! I am so happy today that I am bringing you my post as part of the Blood and Moonlight Book Tour with TBR and Beyond Tours. I will be revealing my top five reasons to read Blood and Moonlight by Erin Beaty and I will be including a photo of my book look inspired by the cover. But first here is the cover and synopsis:

Blurb/Synopsis:

In this medieval YA fantasy thriller, an orphan with a secret, magical sight gets caught between a mysterious genius and the serial killer he’s hunting.

Rising above the city of Collis is the holy Sanctum. And watching over its spires is Catrin, an orphan girl with unique skills—for she alone can spot the building’s flaws in construction before they turn deadly.

But when Catrin witnesses a murderer escaping the scene of his crime, she’s pulled into the web of a dangerous man who will definitely strike again. Assigned to capture the culprit is the mysterious, brilliant, and enigmatic Simon, whose insights into the mind of a killer are frighteningly accurate.

As the grisly crimes continue, Catrin finds herself caught between murderer and detective while hiding her own secret—a supernatural sight granted by the moon, destined to make her an outcast, and the only thing that might save her and those she loves from becoming the next victims…

If you’re interested in checking out the posts from the other bloggers on the tour, here si the tour schedule: https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2022/05/14/tour-schedule-blood-and-moonlight-by-erin-beaty/

Top 5 reasons to read Blood and Moonlight!

  1. If you can’t decide between the Fantasy and Murder Mystery genres, choose this book! It is a great balance between both with its mix of magic and old school investigating of a serial killer.
  2. Exciting and unique magic that you get to discover alongside the main character. I personally had never read a fantasy book before with this type of magic in it.
  3. If you like small town settings full of secrets I would definitely say this book could be for you! For me, it made me think of one of the small towns in France.
  4. An intriguing main character who makes it easy for you to root for her.
  5. Maybe a little dash of romance…

book purchase links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Moonlight-Erin-Beaty/dp/1250755816
Forbidden Planet: https://forbiddenplanet.com/353260-blood-moonlight-hardcover/

Here is my book look!

I tried to imitate the cover of the book for this photo, it’s not perfect but I don’t think it turned out too badly. I was also wearing a pale grey top to imitate the colour of the cover background, you just can’t see it in this photo.

Author Information: Erin Beaty

Erin Beaty was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, which means she can’t drive a tractor but won’t eat veggies that come from a can.

She graduated from the U.S Naval Academy in 2000 with a BS in Aerospace Engineering (Astronautics) and German, then served in the fleet as a Weapons Officer on a combat destroyer and later as an instructor for the center for Naval Leadership.

After a few years as a stay at home mum and navy wife with a casual blog. Erin upped her game and started writing her first novel in the Spring of 2014. She is now the author of the Traitor’s Circle Trilogy published by Imprint, Macmillan and in several foreign languages.

She and her husband have five children, two cats, a vegetable garden and live wherever the navy tells them to go.

Erin has taught classes at the Muse Writers Centre in Norfolk and has also served on the advisory board of Hampton Roads Writers.

I hope you enjoyed my post for this book tour!

Monthly Wrap Ups, Uncategorized

June Wrap up!

Happy Friday bookish people! It is the first of July, we are starting the summer with an okay month of reading. I didn’t read as much in June as I thought I would, other things just kept getting on top of me and I was struggling a little bit with how much there was that had to get done immediately. Anyway, June was still good. I managed to read a few books, I went to Belgium and back in a weekend, and I had my first meeting with a potential guide dog and if you want to read about this I will be posting on Friday’s throughout July about what it has been like going through the guide dog process. But we are here today to see what I read in June so let’s get into the wrap up.

  • Uprooted by Naomi Novik – I did not read. I wasn’t really feeling much fantasy this month.
  • Mad Woman by Louisa Treger – I did read this! I was kindly sent a copy of this book by the author and I have posted my review of this book already, probably my favourite read of June
  • The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake – I did not read this
  • Hot Dog Girl by Jennifer Dugan – I am currently reading this book, a few pages before I go to bed each night
  • Ariadne by Jennifer Saint – I did not read this
  • Nine Lives by Peter Swanson – I did not read this
  • Lockwood and Co by Jonathan Stroud – Another book I am currently in the middle of reading
  • A Darker Shade of Magic graphic novel 1 – I did read this
  • Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead by Elle cosimano – I did not read this
  • A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee – I did not read this
  • A Darker Shade of Magic graphic novel 2 – I did read this
  • The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex – I did not read this
  • Book Lovers by Emily Henry – I did not read this
  • Beggars Abbey by V L Valentine – I did not read this
  • The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi – I did not read this
  • Lore by Alexandra Bracken – I did not read this
  • Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian – I did not read this

So from my TBR I read 3 books and I am in the middle of two, which I should finish before the end of June. Outside of my TBR I also read the third A Darker Shade of magic graphic novel so altogether I read 6 books which isn’t too bad.

That’s it for this month’s wrap up, I hope you all enjoyed it! What did you all read in June?