The Running Wolf by Helen Steadman~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Bell Jar Books

Publication Date: 7th October 2022

Genre: Historial Fiction

Summary:

The running wolf inscription told the world that a Solingen blade was at its throat.

When a German smuggler is imprisoned in Morpeth Gaol in the winter of 1703, why does Queen Anne's powerful right-hand man, the Earl of Nottingham, take such a keen interest?

At the end of the turbulent 17th century, the ties that bind men are fraying, turning neighbour against neighbour, friend against friend and brother against brother. Beneath a seething layer of religious intolerance, community suspicion and political intrigue, The Running Wolf takes us deep into the heart of rebel country in the run-up to the 1715 Jacobite uprising.

Hermann Mohll is a master sword maker from Solingen in Germany who risks his life by breaking his guild oaths and settling in England. While trying to save his family and neighbours from poverty, he is caught smuggling swords and finds himself in Morpeth Gaol facing charges of High Treason.

Determined to hold his tongue and his nerve, Mohll finds himself at the mercy of the corrupt keeper, Robert Tipstaff. The keeper fancies he can persuade the truth out of Mohll and make him face the ultimate justice: hanging, drawing and quartering. But in this tangled web of secrets and lies, just who is telling the truth?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Bell Jar Books and Helen Steadman for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I was really looking forward to diving into this book i loved the last book I read by Helen Steadman (solstice) and so I had very high expectations for this one! You can tell that the author has done some brilliant research before starting

this book because she's written such vivid characters and once again brought the period to life for me. I loved that we had little mentions of Rose and Joseph, whom we met in Solstice, it was nice to see a little more of their story even if just in passing mention with other characters' conversations.
I love reading books by Helen Steadman, she makes me want to go away and do more reading on the period she's drawn me into with her writing, it's just so beautifully done. I get caught up reading her books that time just passes me by as I just don't want to leave where she's taken me.I enjoyed the alternating chapters, I liked that we went between two time periods in Hermann's life but it took me a few chapters to make the connection i think I was having a slow night lol
I still can't believe that the author learnt swordmaking! I absolutely love that she did that, it's brilliant the level of dedication to her research that she has and it makes the books amazing for it. She's quickly becoming one of my auto-buy authors and I have all her other books on my want-to-read list.

Krystina xx

She Can Prosper by Diane Watson~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Diane Watson

Publication Date: 14th November 2023

Genre:Finance

Summary:

Diane Watson is an award-winning, distinguished financial advisor, entrepreneur, and the passionate founder of 'She Can Prosper.'

With an unshakable belief in empowering women to achieve financial independence, Diane has dedicated her career to guiding individuals towards a secure and prosperous future.

Like most people, Diane has faced significant obstacles in life. She wasn’t born into a wealthy family and had very little money when she left university. But through the financial lessons her mother had shared with her, she was driven to achieve as much as possible. Diane has taken big but educated risks, from house relocations to setting up her first business.

Her view is that you can afford to take risks if you stay informed and remain continually aware of what’s going on around you.

Through her work as a financial advisor, she witnessed far too many women abdicating responsibility for their finances to their partners.

The realisation was that women who did not take control of their finances were being left vulnerable and potentially severely impacted later in life. Their lack of knowledge or input into shaping their financial future was the catalyst to write this book.

Following an easy-to-read step-by-step process, this book explores -

• What does prosperity mean today?
• The life stages of prosperity and how to plan your financial future. In an easy-to-navigate format, this covers all the steps you need to take in your 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.
• The steps to building prosperity include budgeting skills, building your credit score, dealing with debt, saving, investing and creating a retirement plan.
• Protecting your prosperity: Why critical illness, income protection and life cover should be an important consideration. The importance of writing a will and lasting power of attorney.
• Your money and your relationships: Recognising the signs of financial abuse, dealing with separation and divorce, teaching your children good money habits.
• Business Finances: advice and tips when you run your own business.
• Creating a Prosperous Mindset: Exploring why your background and childhood can influence your relationship with money. Background and Childhood Influence Your Relationship
• Improving Your Money Mindset: How to start to develop positive financial habits.
• Critical advice when considering working with a financial advisor.
• Your Personal Finance Top 10 Checklist
• A resource section shares websites, books and podcasts on personal finance.

The book aims to provide women of all backgrounds with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to take control of their financial destinies.

This book shares not only Diane's insights and advice on the importance of financial education but also the stories of women who have successfully achieved their financial goals and those who made serious errors of judgment.

Diane is driven to share this fundamental message: financial empowerment is the key to unlocking all the opportunities life has to offer.

If you want clear advice to help you start creating a financial plan leading to a long-term wealth plan, this book is the place to start.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Literally PR and Diane Watson for having me on this tour and sending me the book.
I have to admit I do not know a lot when it comes to finance, a fact very much driven home when sorting out our last mortgage where I felt very overwhelmed by the information thrown at me. So when this book was brought to my attention I just knew I needed to get hold of a copy. And whilst it is aimed at women both myself and my husband have found it useful because we will happily admit that we didn't think about at least half the things listed in some of the decade breakdowns, it's just not something we were taught at school, which I think is wrong it definitely should be on the curriculum.
I found the book was written in a really easy-to-understand, user-friendly format, I never once sat back and thought "I have no idea what she is talking about" and it has given me so much information and confidence with my finances. I've read through the book from cover to cover and I'm now planning on going back and looking at specific chapters/areas that I want to work on and taking the time to sit with the book and my finances in front of me. It's given myself and my husband a list of things we really need to look at and sort out that we never really thought about much until I read Diane's list and it has given me a really useful tool for teaching our small ones financial skills that are really important life skills to have. This book is never leaving my bookshelf but I will be recommending it to everyone.

Krystina xx

Coffee and Cake at Wildflower Lock by Hannah Lynn~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 22nd January 2024

Genre:Romance

Summary:

Home is where the coffee is...

Daisy May is embarking on a new chapter of her life as a permanent resident at the idyllic Wildflower Lock. Determined to seize this second chance she's been granted, Daisy is putting her all into making her new business venture a success. As her friendship with Theo grows ever stronger, her happily ever after seems within reach.

However, life isn't always smooth sailing. When a string of unfortunate mishaps and an unruly stag party leaves Daisy’s finances in dire straits, she starts to question her decision to launch a coffee shop. But just when she's nearly lost hope, the mysterious and generous Christian enters her life. Astute and eager to assist Daisy, he proposes a solution that could be the answer to all her problems... or will it be the beginning of even more challenges.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Hannah Lynn for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So this is the second book at the Wildflower Lock, I haven't read the first one but I didn't find that was an issue, I got a pretty good rundown of need-to-know information from it within the first four chapters. This is a really easy-to-read book, it's written well and pretty quick to read, I just about read it in a day bar 4 chapters. Hannah Lynn really made it easy to picture Daisy and her boat, which sounds beautiful by the way, in fact, she described all the characters so vividly that I could close my eyes and see them and whatever situation they were in. Both of Daisy's love interests were charming, Theo seemed like a genuinely nice bloke but I have to say I was suspicious of Christian. He seemed to have all the solutions for Daisy's problems but I didn't understand why he was helping her, someone he barely knew, plus he threw his money around a lot and something just felt off about him.
I loved the idea of the canal boat cafe, it sounds exactly like the kind of place I'd gravitate towards if I were walking down the canal and saw it.
But if I'm honest I didn't like Daisy, I regularly found her irritating with regard to the two men she went back and forth between them constantly flip-flopping and while I get that is the major plot of the book I just didn't like it.
Having said that Hannah Lynn's writing style is enjoyable so I think ill try one of her other books at some point this year.

Krystina xx

The Secrets of Crestwell Hall by Alexandra Walsh~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Boldwood Books 

Publication Date: 24th January 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

‘A king adorns the throne… He has no subtlety, no grace but he does not deserve to die in the way that has been planned and this is why we shall stop them, our men, our kin and save us all.’

1605

Bess Throckmorton is well used to cunning plots and intrigues. With her husband Sir Walter Raleigh imprisoned in the Tower of London, and she and her family in a constant battle to outwit Robert Cecil, the most powerful man in the country who is determined to ruin her, Bess decides to retreat to her beloved home, Crestwell Hall. But there she is shocked to hear talk of a new plot to murder the king. So, unbeknownst to their menfolk, the wives of the plotters begin to work together to try to stop the impending disaster.

Present Day

Isabella Lacey and her daughter, Emily, are excited to be starting a new life at her aunt’s home, Crestwell Hall in Wiltshire. During renovations, Isabella discovers an ancient bible that once belonged to Bess Throckmorton, and to her astonishment finds that it doubled as a diary. As Isabella reads Bess’s story, a new version of the Gunpowder Plot begins to emerge - told by the women.

When Emily’s life is suddenly in terrible danger, Isabella understands the relentless fear felt by Bess, hundreds of years ago. And as the fateful date of 5th November draws ever closer, Bess and the plotters’ wives beg their husbands to stop before a chain of events is set into action that can only end one way…

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Alexandra Walsh for having me on the tour and sending me the book.
Firstly I have to comment on the cover, it's beautiful! It drew me in before I'd even read the blurb. But I was intrigued by this book from the moment it mentioned the gunpowder plot, It is a part of history that I only know the basics about and having it as a key element of the plot really sounded interesting, especially hearing it from the female point of view.
I loved the fact that in both timelines we have a strong set of women who support each other and help one another with whatever they need without really questioning it too much. Issy has The Coven, I love that her aunt named them that by the way it made me smile every time it was said, and they instantly are there by her side as soon as they even hear in her voice that she's struggling. I loved getting a bit more of Bess's story and then flipping back to Issy and waiting for her to gradually uncover that bit of the story for herself it was very clever the way that Alexandra Walsh flips between the two at the points she chooses to, and how we get to piece together and fill in gaps in the history with Issy. I think the pace of the story is just right, it moved with enough speed that I just kept telling myself that I'd read just one more chapter before sleeping/cleaning etc and I'd find myself 4 chapters later caught up in what was happening. I really enjoyed the writing style of it too and I definitely think I need to go read more by the author, she's brought the period and the characters right off the page for me, it's been a fantastic read.

Krystina xx

Those Who Dwell In Darkness by Steve McHugh~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Podium Publishing

Publication Date: 4th December 2023

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Summary:

The hunt for a serial killer leads a vampire agent to uncover a terrifying conspiracy in this dark urban fantasy by the author of the Hellequin Chronicles.

Vampires and humans live side by side thanks to an uneasy peace maintained by the Assembly. As an Arbiter for the powerful organization, Miles Watson is authorized to act as judge, jury, and executioner for anyone—living or undead—who breaks the law. But now Miles is up against a threat more sinister than anything he’s seen in his centuries as a vampire.

A criminal network in London is offering wealthy humans the chance to become vampires without the Assembly’s consent. When the process goes disastrously wrong, the Boss wants to eliminate any trace of the fiasco. But a rogue enforcer refuses to play along, and trouble quickly escalates out of anyone’s control.

As Miles sets off searching for the illegal vampires, he finds himself on the trail of a monstrous serial killer. The twisty investigation takes him from London’s deadly underworld to the rural backwaters of the Pacific Northwest—where an even more devious criminal enterprise threatens all of vampire-kind . . .

Review:
Firstly thank you to ZooLoo Book Tour, Podium Publishing and Steve McHugh for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I've loved this book from start to finish, I've only recently found the Urban Fantasy subgenre and I have to say it's quickly becoming one of my favourites. I instantly loved Miles and Church, there were a few lines that Miles says that made me think of my husband and our dog, mostly it was a comment about someone hurting his dog and his very annoyed reaction to it, I could completely see my husband doing the same so it really made me laugh.
I adored the way Miles and Church communicate and how we had whole sections of him talking to her and her replying in her own special way, it really made them step off the page for me. The whole cast of characters are fantastically written, I could easily picture them in each scene almost as if I were watching it on TV ( side note I think this would be a fab TV show, providing they didn't mess with the brilliant writing) which is always a sign of a good writer for me. 
I really enjoyed following Miles' search for Oliver and all the different situations that started happening that were connected with it, it was fun to follow the threads and see where they connected because I often didn't get there before Miles, one of the big ones I definitely didn't see coming. I found it really easy to get drawn into the book, I think if I'd not been ill when I started it I'd have finished it in a couple of days purely because I found it hard to put down once I was left to get into it (my family don't like letting me read over Christmas it seems lol).
I'm really hoping we have more books to follow on from this because I got to the end wanting more from Miles and Church, they really are a brilliant pair. But I will be going off to read more by Steve McHugh, I've loved his writing style.

Krystina xx

Shadows in the Ashes by Christina Courtenay~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: 18th January 2024

Genre:Historical Fiction

Summary:

The sunlight caught her gold bracelet, sending a flash that almost blinded her.

She closed her eyes, but jumped when the earth started shaking and there was an almighty boom behind her.

Present Day

Finally escaping an abusive marriage, Caterina Rossi takes her three-year-old daughter and flees to Italy. There she's drawn to research scientist Connor, who needs her translation help for his work on volcanology. Together they visit the ruins of Pompeii and, standing where Mount Vesuvius unleashed its fire on the city centuries before, Cat begins to see startling visions. Visions that appear to come from the antique bracelet handed down through her family's generations...

AD 79

Sold by his half-brother and enslaved as a gladiator in Roman Pompeii, Raedwald dreams only of surviving each fight, making the coin needed to return to his homeland and taking his revenge. That is, until he is hired to guard beautiful Aemilia. As their forbidden love grows, Raedwald's dreams shift like the ever more violent tremors of the earth beneath his feet.

The present starts eerily to mirror the past as Cat must fight to protect her safety, and to forge a new path from the ashes of her old life...

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Headline Review and Christina Courtenay for having me on this tour and sending me the book.
Now I love dual-timeline historical fiction so I can't believe that I'd never heard of Christina Courtenay's books before now! And I'm so glad this was my first one of her's because I absolutely loved it, I read it in two sittings one of which took me into the small hours of the morning because I just needed to know what happened.
I really felt for poor Cat and her situation, it was so brilliantly written it brought out all the emotions when reading anything to do with her and her abusive husband and I was cheering her along when she finally made that escape from him.  The relationship between her and Connor was really well-paced, she had that uncertainty which you'd expect considering her previous situation and I loved how they started with a friendship and just visiting places in Italy together rather than a rushed relationship. And I really enjoyed the Flashbacks/visions that Cat started to have after that visit to Pompeii, I liked how she got those insights into Aemilia and Raedwald's life by catching those glimpses. 
Speaking of Aemilia and Raedwald I loved the forbidden nature of their relationship and how it quietly grew on both sides until they couldn't contain it any longer, it was lovely to read in those chapters and to be there willing them to get together and escape Pompeii before its too late. Much like Cat's husband i really disliked Aemilia's husband, both of them were nasty pieces of work who treated their wives like a piece of property. It was good to see both women find a man who treated them like they were something to treasure rather than something to possess. The switches between timelines were brilliantly done, it was very easy to flick between the two and it was all very well written.
I thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book and I can't wait to read more by her.

Krystina xx

Eat to Your Hearts Content by Sat Bains~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Kyle Books 

Publication Date: 18th January 2024

Genre: Cooking

Summary:

Sat Bains worked out, always maintained a reasonable weight and considered himself fit and healthy, so it was a shock when, in March 2021, he had a massive heart attack and underwent an emergency triple heart bypass operation.

During recovery, Sat consulted his friend, nutritionist Dr Neil Williams, who guided him on a revised diet to help maintain heart health. Having two Michelin Stars and a three-decade long obsession with flavour, Sat was not willing to sacrifice great food just because his diet now had to be heart healthy. This collection of recipes is made up of those he devised following surgery and focuses on lean protein, a mix of legumes, good fats - such as avocado, nuts and olive oil - and vegetables and fruits.

These delicious, simple dishes are designed for every day, they use supermarket-friendly ingredients and are accompanied by nutritional advice highlighting the ingredients rich in heart-healthy vitamins and minerals.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Kyle Books and Sat Bains for having me on this tour and sending me the book.

I absolutely love a cookbook! They are the best thing to have on a shelf for when you want to switch up the recipes you're cooking or you've got in a rut with what you're making and you need inspiration. This one was a must-have for me because my mum had a heart scare last year so taking care of your heart has become a little bit more on my mind of late. 
Normally when you have a recipe book written by Michelin Star chefs you expect to have to perform magic to get hold of the ingredients list and I love that that isn't the case with this one. Sat Bains has kept the ingredients to things that we can all get hold of easily at the supermarket, in fact, the only thing I had trouble getting hold of was Anchovys and that was just a case of my supermarkets having sold out typically. The recipes themselves are really well laid out and they are all really easy to follow, no complicated things to do to get the frankly delicious outcome. I really enjoyed having the Nutritional notes for the recipes, it just gave you that extra bit of information to be able to put together your own informed choices for heart-healthy foods outside of the book.
I've tried a fair few of the recipes so far and two of my favourites are the coddled eggs, something I'd never tried before, and it's now my new favourite breakfast and the four bean chilli which I loved so much that I made a batch for the freezer for healthy lunches. I found it a really nice change that all the recipes, bar maybe one, are all to serve two people which makes them really easy to scale up or down depending on your family size.
This has been a fantastic book to review and I'm definitely going to be using it a lot, I think I've tabbed half the recipes as "want to try" and every one I've tried so far has been brilliant!

Krystina xx

Just Do It by Maxine Morrey~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 18th January 2024

Genre:Romance

Summary:

Lizzie Rose knows what she likes and likes what she knows.

Her role at the London Museum is more than a job, it’s her safe place and her passion. So when Lizzie is passed over for a chance in a lifetime opportunity in favour of her ex-boyfriend and fellow Egypt nerd Friedrich Klein, her heartbreak over their relationship pales into insignificance compared to her sadness at losing the project.

Best friend Colette thinks an evening of cocktails is just the medicine for a broken heart, and meeting dashing, charming, but very much ‘not her type’ Finn Bryson at the bar puts a smile on Lizzie’s face too. But Lizzie isn’t used to spending time outside of her comfortable world of academia and doesn’t believe in mixing business with pleasure. So when Finn’s job brings him to the museum, she’s determined to put an end to any notion of romance between them.

But what if Lizzie’s comfort zone isn’t that comfortable any more? Is it time for Lizzie to take the chance on love that fate keeps bringing her way - even if it means changing the habits of a lifetime?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Maxine Morrey for having me on this tour and sending me the book.
I really enjoyed this book, I know I say that a lot but I really did! I read it in about a day and that's mostly because I just didn't want to put it down and stop reading it. As a self-confessed Egypt Nerd, I have to admit that was a big part of why I picked the book, I've not read many romances with an Archaeologist as the FMC and I just loved that idea. And I did really love Lizzie, from the archaeology nerdiness to the inability to keep a desk tidy (honestly feel like I'm channelling Lizzie most days) i really connected with her and I loved how she grew throughout the book and how her outlook on life changed slowly, often in romance books that change is way too swift for me but this was done at such a good pace. Another thing done at a good pace was Lizzie and Finn's relationship, i enjoyed watching it develop and grow, heck I even enjoyed yelling at them for being utterly stupid at times, because what is a romance if the two MC's don't mess up their relationship at some point!
The characters were really well created, I loved Finn and his easygoing nature but equally, I absolutely hated Friedrich and his entire way of acting made me want to hit him because we've all met someone like him who treats us like a stepping stone so Maxine's way of writing was just so spot on.
I've completely and utterly loved reading this and I'm definitely going to head off to find some more books by Maxine because I've so enjoyed her writing style.

Krystina xx

A Cocktail To Die For by Helen Golden~Blog Tour

 

Publisher: Drew Bradley Press

Publication Date: 1st December 2023)

Genre: Crime/thriller/mystery

Summary:

Cocktails, chaos, and an unexpected twist. Can Bea, Perry, and his hens unveil the truth before time runs out?

Death at Prestigious Hotel and Spa, Chasingham HouseWe are hearing reports that a young woman has been found dead at Chasingham House, the exclusive venue in the Cotswolds. She has not been named, and the cause of death is unknown at this time. This will no doubt cast a cloud over the bachelor weekend being hosted there by Lady Beatrice (36), the Countess of Rossex, for her business partner Perry Juke (34) ahead of his wedding to bestselling author and celebrity chef Simon Lattimore (40). Also staying at Chasingham House are top models Camile Redmaine (35) and Mel Parks (35), who are celebrating newly-single Cammy’s birthday with a group of friends.

When one of the birthday girls is found dead in her room, it’s clear Bea plans for her, Perry, and their friends to chill around the pool, have a few treatments, and generally relax, seem to have gone down the drain. When the local police are quick to dismiss the death as an accident, Bea is determined to help investigate anyway, along with the rest of Perry’s party.

Can they catch the killer before the weekend is over and the trail goes cold?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Drew Bradley Press and Helen Golden for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I got so drawn in by this book from the first few pages, it's been a brilliant read. We had a cast list at the end of the book but I really didn't feel I needed it, i loved all the characters we met they are so well crafted. It kind of felt like you could be stepping into one of those murder mystery weekends away, and I really loved that vibe (I also really would love to go to one of those and this has just intensified that want to do it). The humour in it was so brilliantly placed I had laugh-out-loud moments throughout, it's a book that's proven that humour is all about timing and Helen Golden's is spot on.
It's a fantastically written book, and I can see, knowing it is a series, where she's woven in points that will probably come up again in other books and I really loved those little crumbs of information that she's left us. I think Bea is a fantastic main character, I know that others in the group do give us information from their point of view often but Bea is our MC and I just adored her. I can't wait for the next in the series to see where life takes her and her friends and what they are going to stumble into next.
I definitely think I've found my new comfort cosy mystery series, and thankfully I have a fair few of them to catch up on!

Krystina xx

Love Letters on Hazel Lane by Jennifer Page ~ Blog Tour

 Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 4th January 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

Scrabble fan Jo always seems to pick the wrong guys. Now she's moved to the Yorkshire village of Hebbleswick, and decided to give dating one last chance. This time, there's a catch: she will only date men whose names would score highly in her beloved word game.

After Tarquin (16 points) proves just as disappointing as the rest, she meets low-scoring local doctor Ras (3 points). Her rules mean she can't date him - but when he asks her to organise a Scrabble festival with him, she can't say no.

As the event draws nearer and Jo and Ras grow closer, will Jo ignore her rule and let true love blossom over the triple letter scores?

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Aria and Jennifer Page for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So this is the first book by Jennifer Page I've read, I kept meaning to read The Little Board Game Cafe but book tours got in the way! So now I've made sure I got to read this one as part of a tour! And it's been a brilliant read, it's the right kind of easy and uplifting book that I needed when I picked it up. I loved Jo and could completely relate to her rubbish experience with dating so I loved her idea of picking men whose names score high on Scrabble, a game I'm rubbish at by the way so I loved her enthusiasm for it!
I really liked that Ras wasn't your typically amazingly handsome love interest, he was just a normal guy which makes a really pleasant change and I found his lack of confidence so endering. It was really nice to follow their friendship and how it, with bumps in the road, developed into more and I was really rooting for them the further on in the book we got and towards the end, I may have been telling them off/encouraging them to just get on with it because you could see how perfect they were for each other.
I loved seeing Jo's confidence grow as the book progressed and how she grew as a person and learned to stand up for herself, it's not an easy thing to do when someone has ground your self-belief into next to nothing and I found myself feeling so proud of her for that.
I loved the writing style of this book so I really can't wait for the next book in Hebbleswick, I'm hoping we get lots more and I get to have a Jennifer Page shelf to match my Heidi Swain one!

Krystina xx

The Island Cottage by Jane Lovering~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 9th January 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

When Brid Harcus is sent to the Orkney Islands, in the far reaches of Scotland, she has high hopes for her trip being short, straightforward and lucrative.

Her mother has inherited a cottage from her Great Aunt Jennet which has been unlived in and unloved for decades, and the time has come to make it habitable and saleable. Easy, right?

But Midness Cottage has other ideas. For one thing it’s rather more ‘fixer upper’ than Country Living, with a resident goose and her goslings who have made themselves at home. And Brid definitely hadn’t planned for the strongly-held local belief that the cottage is meant to be the home of the Orkney Witch, and whomever lives in it must fulfil this role. Not the best message for the estate agent brochure and of course Brid doesn’t believe in magic, let alone have healing powers.

But Orkney does have healing powers. Its beauty and peace are enchanting, its people welcoming, and Brid’s handsome new friend Magnus is rather charming too. When her life back in York starts calling her home, will Brid sell up and ship out? Or did the last Orkney Witch cast a spell and leave a legacy of love if only Brid believed in magic…

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Jane Lovering for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
This was such an easy book to dive into, I loved stepping onto Orkney. It's a place I've always wanted to go because of all that history, and this book has made me want to go even more! I loved all the visits to the historical sites that Brid and Magnus did and it kind of helped solidify the setting as Orkney rather than just any other Scottish island. All of the characters were so solid in this book, even the ones that weren't physically there(I'm looking at you there Jennet) felt like someone you could bump into just wandering around town. I loved getting to watch Brid learn to be the Orkney Witch, even if it wasn't by choice, and I especially loved how she learnt the witchyness (which I won't say how because I don't want any spoilers for you all) it was a very clever twist to it. I found Magnus so easy to fall for, I could easily see why Brid found him so charming.
Another thing I loved (aside from Magnus) was the humour throughout the book, I had quite a few chuckles at Brid's quips at the townsfolk when they decided she was the Orkney Witch, and to be honest her quips in general, she's defiantly full of spirit and more than capable of fighting her corner.
I absolutely loved reading this and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by Jane Lovering in the future.

Krystina xx

A Story To Strangle For by E.V Hunter~Blog Tour

 Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 6th January 2024

Genre: Cosy Mystery

Summary:

A failing hotel…

With its reputation in tatters, Alexi Ellis is determined to save her beloved Hopgood Hall from any more bad press. A writing course for wannabe journalists shouldn't cause too many issues and will hopefully take the heat off Hopgood Hall….

A shocking death…

But disaster strikes when one of the group is found dead in a local pub. What’s worse Alexi was the last person to see the victim alive, which makes her suspect number one.

A case too close to home?

Alexi is sure she is being set up, but who would go to such deadly lengths? With her reputation and liberty on the line, this is a case Alexi, Jack and Cosmo can’t afford to leave unsolved!

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books and E.V Hunter for having me on this tour and sending me the book.
I loved my last E.V Hunter book so much that when I saw this one I had to read it. I've loved being back at Hopgood Hall and meeting all the familiar characters again, Cosmo is one of my favourites I love that he's so protective of Alexi and so spot on with his dislike of certain people. Don't get me wrong I really love seeing everything from Alexi and Jack's points of view but I had so many chuckles at Cosmo's behaviour, he's the star really. 
I've loved the writing style of both books I've read, I found it so easy to get drawn into the story and engrossed in it, I swear I don't normally ignore people when they talk but this book was so all-encompassing when I was reading that I just didn't notice them. It's been such an enjoyable style to read.
I loved seeing more of Alexi and Jack's relationship in this one, I've only read two of the four books so I didn't see how it started but I got some more filler information in this book and I liked how it rounded out what I knew about them. There were so many different options for the murderer and I loved that I was never quite sure who did it until we were near the end, While I like trying to figure out ahead of time who did it, it's always best when I'm left guessing.
All in all, I've loved discovering this series of books and while I hope for Alexi's sake there aren't too many more murders at Hopgood Hall, I'm secretly hoping that this is a long series because it's just the right kind of cosy mystery for me.

Krystina xx

You're Here For A Reason by Rebecca Kirk ~Blog Tour

 

Publisher: Bannister Publications Ltd

Publication Date: 23rd September 2023

Genre: Self Help

Summary:

Why am I here? Imagine if you could finally answer this age-old, universal question and start living your purpose. Spiritual career coach Rebecca Kirk offers some life-changing solutions - helping us dive deep to find the clarity and confidence to re-align our working lives and feel more truly fulfilled. Whether you're considering a career change or seeking greater fulfilment in your current situation, you will find indispensable guidance to invest in yourself and discover your own unique path to purpose, peace and prosperity. It's time to stop holding yourself back and start listening to the inner voice that's been telling you there's something else out there you're meant to be doing. It's time to awaken.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Bannister Publications and Rebecca Kirk for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
Now you might remember that on my tour date for this book, I posted some content, a little sneak peek from inside the book for you all because my copy hadn't arrived yet, and I promised a review later. I know it's a little later than you probably thought it would be but I've enjoyed taking my time with this book instead of rushing through the exercises to give you a speedy review.
I've enjoyed Rebecca's writing style, it's been easy to read and has a friendly tone to it so whilst she is teaching you a technique it kind of feels like a friendly chat. I definitely think it's the kind of book you need to take your time with, there are journalling exercises at the end of each chapter and I think they benefit from you having the time to almost meditate on them rather than speeding through so you can move on to the next thing. Now I'm not looking for a career change, I'm a stay-at-home mum currently and it's a long while before I'll be going back to my business but what I did find this book useful was how it made me assess my surroundings and look at what I wanted to focus on task wise in my life ( as anyone with young children knows you spend your life juggling and occasionally some of the balls get dropped) and it has helped me start the year with a good physical and mental declutter.
I actually have a few friends that I think might connect with this book and might get that career-based benefit from it that I didn't get.
I think if you are on the fence about changing careers and you walk on the more spiritual side of life this could really help you focus on how to make that change.

Krystina xx