Knights,Witches and The Missing by R.M.Schultz ~Blog Tour

Publisher: Independently published 

Publication Date: 10th July 2022

Genre: mystery/thriller/fantasy

Summary:

The children of Hillsvale are disappearing.

Over three decades ago the first child was lost and could not be found. Now, in the past year, twenty children have gone missing.

There are no traces left behind by these children and no clues. The locals claim the old wood spirit is stealing their children, but no one has ever seen this ghost or been able to track it. Most believe it is a legend.

Calec of the Woods is summoned to assist the people of Hillsvale. Along with Serileen, Calec must uncover who or what is behind the abductions. And with magic returning to the world with the reemergence of the ancient sky sea, anything is possible.

Neither Calec nor Serileen could imagine what terrors stalk this land and them or what they will have to face with the people of Hillsvale to unravel all of the village's ancient secrets.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Love Books Tours and R.M Schultz for having me on this tour and sending me the book.

 I feel like this review might sound a little bit of a repeat of the last two of this series but I just completely adore reading the series and seeing how the world the R.M Schultz has created expands.Every time we get to step into Calec and Serileen's world we get to wander further out from settings we already know and into the unknown with them but this time we get to have interactions with characters already known to us. I found it really interesting to see how the dynamics between Calec and the King and to some degree the jester have changed since book one, it was really good to see Calec standing up for himself in a way he wouldn't have two books ago. I think he's much more comfortable with his chosen path than he was as a knight and it shows in how he interacts with people from that past life of his, and the lessons he learned from being a knight have stood him in good stead with the investigations he's undertaken.
I've really enjoyed seeing how Calec and Serileen's relationship has grown over the past two books, and how they've compromised in how that relationship is. Calec is very much someone who believes in marriage and would happily marry Serileen but the way she grew up and how relationships are between the people of the woods that's not really what happens. And there are other parts I'd happily talk about but you know I hate adding in spoilers so I will behave and not type it!
I think every book in the series is better than the last and the lore and world-building are fantastic so I'm very much looking forward to starting book four but I'm trying to pace myself because I don't want to get to the end of the published books before the new one comes out at the end of this year!

Krystina xx

 

Queer Villains of Myth and Legend by Dan Jones~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Radar

Publication Date: 18th January 2024

Genre: LGBTQ+ Biographies

Summary:

Every good hero needs a villain! Explore the hidden world of magnetic and mysterious villains, often cast aside and misunderstood in tales of mythology and folklore. Through the pages of Queer Villains of Myth and Legend, discover a diverse community of fascinating characters, ranging from seductive and cunning to powerful and awe-inspiring.

Experience the dark allure of Circe and Medusa through to David Bowie's Jareth in Labyrinth and delve into their complex and multifaceted personalities and motivations. Take a deep dive into the intersection of queerness and villainy, re-examine some of our favourite characters, and discover why so many 'bad' characters are queer-coded.

From ancient mythology to contemporary pop culture, Queer Villains of Myth and Legend celebrates the fascinating stories of these often-overlooked characters. Join Dan Jones on a journey of discovery, as he explores the hidden depths of queer villainy and sheds light on the queer identities of these compelling figures. It's a powerful celebration of queerness through the ages in all its legendary complexity.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Radar and Dan Jones for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I have no idea where to start with this review, I'm pretty much going to tell you how much I've loved reading this book but I've literally stared at this blank page for way too long trying to figure out how to get across how fabulous this book is.
I'm a cover magpie so it would be wrong of me not to mention this cover, it's fantastically bright and has the cutest little illustrations dotted about and I just adore it. It's going to brighten up my shelves no end! And when you open it up it's just as colourful because the villains inside are some of the most colourful characters that Dan Jones could have picked, and I love every one of them.
Now this is most definitely a book you can dip in and out of because each one of our fabulous villains has their own section so you can just go read about your favourites (The Sanderson Sisters or maybe Jareth the Goblin King) or you can just read it from cover to cover like I have. I always intended to just read one or two at a time but once i'd picked up the book I found myself sitting and reading as much as I could til the next task I needed to get done became too loud of a call. I've really enjoyed Dan Jones's way of writing, it's so easy to lose yourself in and whilst it's definitely informative, it's done in such an easy-friendly style it kind of feels like you're sat chatting through all this with him. Though he has massively added to my to-watch list with the amount of films mentioned in this that I now want to watch, some of them were already on my radar (Cat People 1942) and just have bumped back up the list but he's added in so many others I might have to switch to watching films instead of reading for a while.
I've already added the Hero's version to my tbr (and at least one of my book club members' tbr) and I can't wait to have them on my bookshelf to be able to dip in and out of when I fancy a reminder of some of my favourite villains.

Krystina xx

Hazard Night by Laura Vaughan~Blog tour

 Publisher:  Corvus

Publication Date: 1st February 2024

Genre: Crime/Thriller

Summary:

Cleeve College is not for everyone...

When Eve's husband is appointed housemaster at his old boarding school, Cleeve College, she gives up her life in London to join him. But the isolation and loss of autonomy threaten both her happiness and her marriage.

The arrival of Fen, an enigmatic artist and wife of the new Classics teacher, is a welcome distraction. Fen doesn't play by the rules, and she and Eve enter into a game of escalating dares, disrupting the delicate balance of school life.

Then, the morning after Hazard Night, a tradition that allows the students to run wild and play pranks for one day, a body is found. Someone has been murdered. And it seems everyone has something to hide...

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Corvus and Laura Vaughan for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I really loved the sound of this book, the blurb sounded intriguing and I was looking forward to reading
a good thriller. Unfortunately, I didn't really get the thriller aspect of this book, I mean the only bit that was thriller-like was not finding out who the murderer was until the last 5 pages and I get a murder to solve is crime/thriller but it didn't feel like an adult crime/thriller book. It sort of read like a YA thriller, the writing style and to some degree the content felt juvenile, maybe it was because it was set in a secondary school but it was missing something for me. I did enjoy getting the story told from the two different Points of View, Alice and Eve being in very different situations within the school meant they both had interesting perspectives of what was going on. I never really connected with either of our main characters though, I felt none of that need to keep reading to see what would happen to them next which meant that the drive to finish the book wasn't there. I did finish it and to be honest, quite quickly, I read the majority of it in a day as the writing style is quite an easy one to read. From the title and blurb I'd expected to have a lot more of the book focused on Hazard Night and I was slightly disappointed to find it took up such a small amount of the book.
It was an easy read but ultimately it wasn't really for me but if you like a hint of dark academia with your crime, this might just be for you.

Krystina xx

Ronnie Hood by Henry Sowter~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Majeeko Books

Publication Date: 17th December 2023

Genre: Children's fiction

Summary:

Everyone knows Robin Hood - the hotshot with his bow, but he had a little brother which, perhaps, you didn’t know.

Whilst Robin was the wonder kid with skill and charm and looks, his quiet brother, Ronnie, liked science, maths and books.

Everybody knows about the folklore hero Robin Hood, but this book shines a light on Robin's (up-until-now) unknown little brother, Ronnie, and the important role he played in this classic tale.

Robin and Ronnie couldn't be more different, but they love each other to bits and want each other to succeed. If only they could find a way to combine their talents and become an unstoppable team?...

This book was written to help children embrace their differences and to encourage them to play to their own strengths instead of always comparing themselves to others and feeling inadequate or insecure. It's about sibling love, friendship, rivalry and teamwork.

Review:
Firstly thank you to The Book Network, Majeeko Books and Henry Sowter for having me on this tour and sending me the book.
It's another book I can share with my small one! You know I love it when I get to share my love of books with them( they have started asking if all my bookmail are for them) and the fact that we get to try books we might not have read otherwise makes it even better.
My small one loved this book, it actually worked out well timing-wise because our other bedtime book is The Adventures of Robin Hood so the small one knew who Robin was and instantly connected the two books. They spent the first half going "I like that too!" to Ronnie's list of likes and "That's not nice" about the mean children but where they had a lot of say was about Ronnie building the bow. They loved that he did it for his brother and that it meant Ronnie and Robin were a team, they really loved the illustrations and kept pointing out bits that were in the story before trying to read it themselves.
I loved the story too I think it's really well written and has a good lesson woven through it. Much like my small one I loved the illustrations, I thought they were really cute and fitted the text well. It's got a good rhythm to it when you read it and it just flows really well. I definitely think this is a book that I'll be recommending to small one's school because I think it gets the point that we should celebrate the things we're good at and enjoy across well.
I know this is Henry Sowter's first book and I think it's a brilliant one I hope we have some more coming soon.

Krystina xx

Tristan/Yseult by Harry Bonelle~Blog Tour

 

Publisher: Unicorn

Publication Date: 31st January 2024

Genre: Poetry

Summary:

A duel on an empty island sets the course for one of the greatest romances ever told. As the lovers of legend meet, something new is born, and something eternal is revealed. Their names will forever be spoken as one. This modern retelling of Tristan and Yseult sheds a stark light on the beauty of the Celtic tale.

Review:
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Unicorn and Harry Bonelle for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I knew I needed to get on the tour for this as soon as I saw this title because this is one of my favourite Celtic tales. I watched the 2006 film Tristan and Isolde and that sparked my interest in this tale, I then read Wagner's Tristan und Isolde and loved it so I knew I needed to read this new retelling. And I've really loved how Harry Bonelle has chosen to tell it in a different way, how we encounter the two lovers separately far more than we do together i liked how we had Yseult on her own at the beginning and end of the tale. It's a very beautiful poem, it's quite lyrical in the way Bonelle has written it and it flows so well, especially if you read it out loud you get into the pattern of it and you can get lost in it. I found it interesting that he chose not to ever use the word love within the poem, a term which is used a lot in all the other tellings of this tale but it worked really well within this retelling. I do feel though that if you don't already know the tale you might not understand what going on quite as well, despite how beautifully it's written it is written with the understanding that you know the original tale.
This will stay happily on my shelf to go back to multiple times.

Krystina xx

The Secret Ingredient by Sue Heath~Blog Tour

 Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 18th January 2024

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Summary:

It’s been three years, two weeks and one day since Kate Shaw’s life changed forever. Three years, two weeks and one day that Kate has been angry – with herself and life.

But today is different. Different because Kate has finally taken the step she’s been avoiding…back into the kitchen. Now, what begins as a (disastrous) attempt to make pancakes becomes a culinary journey that is not only a love letter to someone so important to her, but also an unexpected means of connection to a community she never knew she had…

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, One More Chapter and Sue Heath for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
So this book has dragged me through so many emotions, I've smiled a lot at what I've read but I've cried so much too! I have to start off by saying that I absolutely adored Mary( and Charles) she reminded me a lot of my Grandma, from her name to her stubborn personality and love of baking that I actually found myself in floods of tears at the end of the book ( and that's the only way I can say this without spoilers). She and Charles were just so adorable, I loved how in love with each other they are and how that had a knock-on effect on all the other characters. I definitely loved everyone in this book, there wasn't a character that you had to dislike, they were all so damn lovely and perfectly flawed in their own ways. I really felt for poor Kate, she had so much trauma to deal with and so much grief and, though it sounds awful, I loved watching the way she dealt with everything thrown in her path and found a way to live her life again, and I especially love that she did it through food. Food is a brilliant way to bring people together to enjoy each other's company and talk through things and I love how well this was shown in this book.
I liked the way we had chapters from everyone, I so enjoyed seeing each of their points of view and Sue Heath's writing style is so lovely to read. I started this book this morning and breezed through it in no time at all, it just flowed so beautifully. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more by her, even if they drag all the emotions out of me!

Krystina xx

The Love Interest by Victoria Walters ~Blog Tour

 Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 12th February 2024

Genre: Romance

Summary:

No man can be as good as the one in your imagination...

Librarian Liv Thomas has always dreamed of writing a romance novel. But she’s stuck when it comes to creating a romantic hero – sadly – lacking anyone in real life to base him on.

When her brother suggests his best friend stay in their shared flat for a few weeks, she can’t believe her bad luck. Aiden Rivers is irritating and pushes all her buttons. Worst of all, he’s gorgeous, has a sexy accent and reminds her of her all-time favourite character Mr Darcy.

Liv finds herself unexpectedly inspired and the leading man in her novel begins to bear an uncanny resemblance to Aiden. He can never find out though: she’d never live it down. Because Aiden can only ever be her love interest in the pages of her book – and definitely not in real life… right?!

Review:
Firstly thank you to Rachels Random Resources, Boldwood Books and Victoria Walters for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I really loved reading this book, it was the perfect book to pick up on the run-up to Valentine's Day. It's got two of my favourite troupes in it the enemies to lovers and the brothers best friend/ little sister and I love it when I get them both together, don't ask me why because I can't tell you but I just do. I loved Liv, her style was epic I could never pull anything she put on off but the outfits all sounded amazing and I just really liked her, she just sounded like a really nice person to be around. I loved getting glimpses into her book and watching her hidden feelings for Aiden come out in it and her gradually figure out that she did really fancy him. Aiden was a perfect leading man, I so enjoyed watching the ways he tried to show Liv he actually liked her before they actually talked about it, they were so sweet if sometimes irritating to her.

I loved the little side story romance of her brother Dan and his boyfriend Theo, they were so cute together and I loved how their ending went( no spoilers from me) 
I really don't want to say much more about the story because I don't want to do any spoilers but one of my favourite scenes was near the end and let's just say any Mr Darcey fans will love it.

I found this such a lovely easy book to read it flowed so well and Victoria Walter's writing style is perfect for this kind of romance, i can't wait to read more by her so I'm eagerly awaiting her next book.

Krystina xx