#BookReview: Rise of the Fallen Court (The Red Kingdom #2) by Lilly Inkwood

She has the power to change a kingdom.There hasn’t been a mindwalker in the Red Kingdom in centuries… until now. 

But Blanche’s ability is so rare, so valuable, that it must be kept secret. 

Because Blanche isn’t just a mindwalker, she’s also the sister of the king. And every night, at her brother’s command, she faithfully wanders the minds of his enemies, searching for traitors, plots and secrets. But when she is tasked with seeking out Il Condottiere, the leader of a band of mercenaries, she finds herself keeping secrets that will put her – and the competing factions vying for control – at risk.

Blanche’s actions soon see her exiled to Mora's Tower, bound by a cruel magic… Yet, away from court, Blanche is free to develop her ability to see beyond and wield her gift more powerfully.

When war breaks out, she is ready. But should she trust a man whose loyalty can be bought to fight by her side?

#BookReview: Behind the Crimson Curtain (The Crimson Curtain #1) by E.B. Golden

A magical con artist and an actor turned revolutionary fight for freedom in an atmospheric fantasy debut where layered secrets and daring love clash on a stage of war.

On the coal-choked island of Luisonn, the tyrannical Stav Regime breeds rebellion among the working class. Firin, a face-changing con artist trained by her domineering father, dances between fake lives to escape punishment for her crimes—until armed rebels topple the regime. With freedom finally within her grasp, she discovers one of the heroes is her former lover, Bregan, who introduced her to her second the theater.

As the flames of revolt settle, Firin joins Bregan on the stage. She’s determined to create a life with the honorable man she never forgot. But like the past, love and truth are hard to hide—especially when one of Firin’s victims, now president, chooses Bregan as his right-hand man. Haunted by the sacrifices of revolution and devoted to the new government’s success, Bregan quickly rises in its ranks…

In a web of war and false identities, Firin must choose a side. But is the price of freedom her heart?

#BookReview: The Crimson Crown (The Crimson Crown #1) by Heather Walter @heatherrwalter5

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all? Snow White’s dark queen tells her side of the story in the first book of a queer, witchy duology that reimagines the classic fairy tale—from the author of Malice.

“An alluring, vengeful origin story that brings tremendous dimension to a classic fairytale.”—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.

But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.

Her real “once upon a time” begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.

Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.

To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her past: Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.

As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.

As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.

A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all.

Book One in The Crimson Crown series.

#BookReview: The House on Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards

"I want you to solve my murder," said the woman in white.

Rachel Savernake gave a sardonic smile. "Quite a challenge."

The woman in white—surreal artist Damaris Gethin—has invited a select group to the opening of her exhibit "Artist in Crime," held in the eerie subterranean Hades Gallery. As costumed models reenact famously violent deaths, the artist herself portrays Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution, complete with a guillotine on the stage. It's not a prop; within ten minutes of Rachel's promise to solve Damaris's future murder, the artist slips her neck into the collar of the device and the very real blade sends her head rolling at the feet of her horrified audience.

As everyone reels from the shock, Rachel quickly learns that Damaris herself accomplished the deed with the push of a button—a suicide. So then why did she ask Rachel to solve her "murder?"

Keen for the hunt, Rachel begins sniffing around the other invited guests, including a former lover with shady financial dealings, his widowed sister-in-law, and her has-been songwriter friend. Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint—also in attendance, in hopes of meeting celebrated French beauty Kiki de Villiers, allows his fascination with her to endanger his own life when a ruthless gangster returns to London, looking to take back what's his.

Equal parts thriller and whodunit, THE HOUSE ON GRAVEYARD LANE leads Rachel and Jacob into a viper's pit of suspects, each sneakier and more venomous than the last.

#BookReview: Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey @kristywharvey

"Southern bestselling sensation” (Katie Couric Media) Kristy Woodson Harvey returns with a delightfully moving new novel about a mother-daughter duo learning to lean on their community of women—and each other—after their world is turned upside down.

When Charlotte Sitterly’s husband is arrested for a white-collar crime, she and her daughter Iris are locked out of their house by the FBI and—what’s potentially even worse—thrust into the spotlight of @JuniperShoresSocialite, the town’s snarky anonymous Instagram account. Cut off from her bank accounts and feeling desperate, Charlotte takes up an acquaintance’s offer to stay at a beachfront former bed-and-breakfast that’s home to a community of single mothers and draws plenty of gossip in the small coastal North Carolina town.

Charlotte and Iris find solace and are surprised by how much fun they’re having with the other families despite their circumstances. But when the women discover a secret link between them, it changes everything they thought they knew about the unconventional family they’ve created and leaves them wondering whether their coming together was a coincidence at all. Will the skeletons in the mommune closets help Charlotte and Iris reclaim their place in the Juniper Shores community—or shatter the sisterhood forever?

“Perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Jennifer Weiner” (Country Living), Beach House Rules is a charming exploration of the joy of friendship, the true meaning of family, and reclaiming the power to reshape our own destiny.

#BookReview: Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer

Is he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?

Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.

Not that she needs one. She’s definitely happy alone.

That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can’t hurt, right?

When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…

But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.

#BookReview: The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick

Four dissatisfied sixties-era housewives form a book club turned sisterhood that will hold fast amid the turmoil of a rapidly changing world and alter the course of each of their lives.

By early 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan, Viv Buschetti, and Bitsy Cobb, suburban housewives in a brand-new "planned community" in Northern Virginia, appear to have it all. The fact that "all" doesn't feel like enough leaves them feeling confused and guilty, certain the fault must lie with them. Things begin to change when they form a book club with Charlotte Gustafson--the eccentric and artsy "new neighbor" from Manhattan--and read Betty Friedan's just-released book, The Feminine Mystique.

Controversial and groundbreaking, the book struck a chord with an entire generation of women, helping them realize that they weren't alone in their dissatisfactions, or their longings, lifting their eyes to new horizons of possibility and achievement. Margaret, Charlotte, Bitsy, and Viv are among them. But is it really the book that alters the lives of these four very different women? Or is it the bond of sisterhood that helps them find courage to confront the past, navigate turmoil in a rapidly changing world, and see themselves in a new and limitless light?

#BookReview: Grow Your Own Food, Lady Muck Style by Catherine Saunders

"This gloriously funny book is the perfect read for a cold winter’s evening!" KG Magazine★ In this laugh-out-loud collection of light-hearted gardening stories - which first appeared as magazine articles – Catherine (aka Lady Muck) takes you on a joyous journey of the ups and downs of growing your own food.

★ Packed with solid growing tips and advice - plus hilarious, relatable moments for beginners and expert gardeners alike - you will love this beautifully illustrated book.

★ This isn’t just a gardening book. It’s an inspiring story and celebration of resilience. Catherine got into growing her own food as a therapy after severe illness left her disabled for many years. However, with the help of her family, she started to recover and turned to gardening - finding strength, joy and purpose in nurturing plants. And it was fun.

★ Lady Muck is the lovable gardening character she created to share that fun. To show that growing food doesn’t have to be difficult or dull - especially when you grow the ingredients to make your own cocktails - and to share her love and knowledge of all things green with others.

What You’ll Find 20 chapters of funny gardening stories featuring Lady Muck, her digger in crime, Lord Muck, and other entertaining characters. Each chapter contains story-specific, tried-and-tested advice to show you how to grow edible plants in the space you have available – from gardens, balconies, backyards and allotments to patios, windowsills and containers. From vegetables and herbs to fruits and microgreens! Readers’ favourites 

♥ Home Alone ♥ With fun-loving Lady Muck as your gardening guide, you’ll discover how to create your own cocktail herb bar and botanical gin garden for the complete happy hour experience! Enjoy reading about the garden party Lady Muck threw to test those home-grown, herb-infused cocktails...

♥ Gloriously Green ♥ Every seasoned gardener knows that we all make mistakes when we start growing. Just ask Lady Muck about poor Toby, Ted, Tim, and their poor tomato siblings - may they rest in peace. But now, with Lady Muck as your guide, learn how to grow edible plants - without any disasters!

♥ We Are Not Amused ♥ It all started with the broad beans going on strike after being taunted by the skinny leeks. Dissent then swiftly spread to Lady Muck’s old English apple tree which refused to grow near the French beans. So, if you want to avoid calling in a veggie dispute expert, discover the wonders of crop rotation and companion planting to keep your plants and soil healthy year after year.

♥ Mini Mucks ♥ Discover how to get kids involved in gardening, Lady Muck Style. Have a fun afternoon planting strawberries for jam, or put together some grow-your-own tomato pasta pots. However, watch out for young Finn emptying a jar of strawberry jam straight into a plant pot in an attempt to cut out the middle man! Well, he always was a smart cookie.

♥ Juice Fest ♥ Grow juicing staples such as parsley, mint, carrots, beetroots, cucumbers, kale, and spinach - so, if you ever have to shadow your kids for three days at the Isle of Wight Festival - wearing a wig, a trilby, a pair of Jackie O Ray-Bans to avoid being spotted, you will have a detox garden ready when you get home!

★ Plus check out the other books in the Lady Muck Style Series - a beautiful Gardening Planner & Journal and a super Gardener's Big Puzzle Book - Ideal gardening gifts for all occasions - birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, Mother's day, Father's day, Christmas stocking fillers.

#BookReview: Tempting Fate (Duplicity Trilogy #1) by Bella Faust

THE COMPLETE DUPLICITY TRILOGY IS NOW AVAILABLE TO BINGE READ! 

That's over 3,250 pages of realistically dark redemption traumance, filled with angst, betrayal, and lust set within a love triangle that everyone but the three stubborn souls involved saw coming years ago.

Tempting Fate is the first book in the Duplicity trilogy.

This steamy and taboo tale is full of the intense emotional themes that dark romance readers adore while playing into forbidden, age gap, and second chance tropes. If you are a fan of heartbreak and redemption, and enjoy a good grovel from your morally grey heroes, the Duplicity trilogy will tick all of your boxes... 


Almost five years ago, I played a stupid game, and just like the adage warns, I won a stupid prize.

A lifetime supply of trauma. 

Caught in the crossfire of an underworld battle that I wasn’t privy to until it was too late, I have found solace in the arms of my first love and peace in my deepening bond with my fiancé’s best friend. Between Zeke and Slash, I am over-protected, a little sheltered, but mostly happy. My dad’s motorcycle club acts as my buffer from reality. The escapades of my friends and my four brothers keep me safely entertained within my comfortable bubble.

Life is simple.

Life is good.

Until my violent ex-boyfriend is released from prison, and our lies and secrets blow up in our face once again… 

Zeke leaves me.

Slash declares his love.

And I find myself caught in the middle of another stupid game.

Reader discretion is advised, as this dark redemption traumance contains potentially triggering content. Please also be aware that this story is set in Australia and is written in UK English with liberal use of Aussie slang and vernacular.

#BookReview: Look, Don’t Touch (Pieces of Us #1) by Meg Everly

Hailey Fitzpatrick

When people see me walking on a New York City sidewalk, they think mousey b*tch and stuck-up c*nt. How do I know? It’s NYC. They yell it to my face. I smile to myself and keep walking. After all, I have clients that need me.

I’m wrapping up my first decade as a licensed clinical psychologist. Things are as good as they’ve ever been. Still, I get the itch. The tattoos worked into my skin take the edge off.

When one of my first clients goes on s*icide watch and on of my newest challenges the very ground on which I stand, I seek relief only being blindfolded and bound can bring.

Arlo Judge

Look all you want. Don’t f*cking touch me. No one does.

I’m no longer that little boy who cowers in fear. I’m six three, two hundred fifteen pounds of muscle, and own the largest conglomerates in the States. Still, that boy’s demons live inside me. One in particular looms over my shoulder, always ready to strike.

When I see her, perfectly poised and in command, I think nothing of the beautiful exterior. Then I see the demons lurking in her striking green eyes. I’m intrigued. Hooked. Obsessed.

I need to know how they came to be and how she hides them so well. I need to dig them out and set her free. I never expected that she could do the same for me.

Doctor Fitzpatrick is now accepting new clients!

Look, Don’t Touch is a dark romance. It is the first in the Pieces of Us Trilogy. It’s an MF, four jalapeño, HFN novel with graphic depictions of s*x and k*nk. Trigger Warning for talks of ab*se, death by s*icide, and m*rder.

Pieces of Us is a polyamorous romance trilogy. Book 2, Forever We Fall is an MM, three jalapeño, HFN novel. Book 3, Hard to Judge is an MMF, four flaming jalapeño, HEA novel.

#BookReview: King of Flames (The Masks of Under Book 1) by @vodriel

Everything about my life has been pretty normal working as a forensic autopsy technician. Until the day I woke up with a mysterious symbol tattooed on my arm.

Suddenly normal no longer existed. The barrier between Earth and a world called Under, dissolved...

Now I’m trapped with dozens of other people. Held prisoner by the creators of myths and legends, where the realm is ruled by two masked kings who want to turn us into creatures like them.

But even though I didn’t choose to be here, this new world manages to pull me deeper, affecting me differently than other humans. Unfortunately King Edu, also known as the King of Flames, notices this and I’m now considered a threat.

If I want to survive King Edu and the dangers of Under, I need to escape. The only problem is, there’s another masked king who seems to have an interest in me. Aon, the King of Shadows, wants me here in this world, and he wants me alive.

I just need to figure out why.

#BookReview: Potions and Proposals by Kate Callaghan

In the mystical town of Foxford, tenacious translator Lucinda Hawthorne is on the brink of assuming the prestigious role of High Priestess. However, fate has a mischievous twist in store for her: an unexpected coven gathering reveals that her lifelong nemesis, Benedict Matherson, is also nominated for the esteemed position. They are presented with a grave ultimatum: either become magically bound to one another on All Hallows’ Eve… or risk a fateful vote that could strip them of everything. 

Both fiercely independent and driven by their unwavering desires to lead, Lucinda and Benedict reluctantly agree to the binding ritual. Unfortunately, the spell Lucinda’s family casts to thwart the coven’s plot misfires with surprising consequences, and the pair find themselves magically intertwined in ways they never could have foreseen. 

With the shadow of All Hallows’ Eve looming over them, the veil between love and hate blurs. Could it be that amidst their rivalry, they will unearth a hidden longing to remain united? Together, they must confront their demons and discover whether they truly desire to be parted after all. 

Tropes & Themes:
All Hallow’s Eve
Arranged Marriage
Magical Small Town
Enemies To Lovers
Elemental Magic
Reluctant Allies
Open Door Spice
Witchy Coven 

Readers! Please note: this is an adult paranormal romance with mature content and not suitable for those under 18. This novel contains themes of and not limited to violence, death, discrimination based on use of magic or type of magical creature.

#BookReview: De-Witched (Toil and Trouble #2) by @SophieHMorgan

All's fair in love and warlocks …

Six weeks ago, Leah Turner snuck into a witch high-society masked ball and promised to abide by two 

1. Don't draw attention to yourself.

2. Don't talk to anyone.

As a human, Leah took a huge risk by even attending—and by talking to the enigmatic warlock who had her wanting to rip off her mask. But this Cinderella had to leave the ball before anyone discovered her secret.

Gabriel Goodnight is everything a Higher family warlock should be. Powerful, responsible—to a fault, some might say. Still, before he can inherit his parents’ business, he’ll have to prove his merit to the board one final time…by living among humans, without his powers, for three months.

When Gabriel walks into Leah’s bar, she immediately recognizes him—but it’s obvious he has no idea who she is, and he definitely doesn’t know she knows about magic. This condescending, uptight man is hardly the Prince Charming she thought she knew…but that doesn't mean they can't have a little fun…

Toil and Trouble

Book 1: The Witch is Back
Book 2: De-Witched

#BookReview: Hers for the Weekend (Carrigan’s Christmasland #3) by Helena Greer

The relationship is a lie but the sparks are real in this laugh-out-loud, sparkling rom-com where a no-nonsense lawyer fakes a relationship with her barista to avoid going solo to her ex-girlfriend's wedding.  No-nonsense lawyer Tara Sloane Chadwick is perfectly fine with going to her ex’s wedding—the break-up was congenial, and Tara is nothing if not well-mannered. But after one too many reminders of her dismal dating track, Tara panics when asked if she'll need a plus-one and declares she's bringing her new girlfriend. One Tara is seriously single. Thankfully, Holly, the waitress she's been crushing on, happily offers to be her fake date . . .    Only Holly's offer isn't quite selfless—she's been lusting over Tara for ages, but Tara only dates women she can marry. And Holly has no interest in settling down with anyone or in any one place. A temporary arrangement is the perfect Holly and Tara can enjoy a no-strings fling for the wedding and part ways after. However, between sharing kisses and hotel beds and cuddling under the mistletoe, Tara begins to dream of a life with Holly in Charleston . . . just as Holly starts wishing she could travel with Tara by her side. Soon, neither can see a future without the other, but can they find a path forward where they both can thrive?  

#BookReview: Morbidly Yours (Love in Galway #1) by Ivy Fairbanks

 Callum Flannelly would rather dive into an open grave than take a stranger to dinner and a movie. But he can only inherit the family undertaking business and carry on their legacy under one condition: He must marry before his 35th birthday. So it’s out of the mortuary and into the dating scene.

Lark Thompson would rather get crushed by a falling anvil than stay next to a funeral home during her stay in Galway, Ireland. The vivacious American cartoon creator and animator came here to embrace life, not be reminded of losing her husband.

When Lark learns of Callum’s dilemma and aversion to marrying out of necessity rather than love, she agrees to help the introverted mortician. Although sworn off love herself, she is optimistic that Callum can find The One and secure his inheritance.

But as the dating project progresses and their friendship grows, so does a mutual attraction. The more time she spends with serious, sarcastic Callum, the more she dreads finding him a match. And the more disastrous dates he endures, the more he dreads Lark’s imminent return to the states.

If they think it’s possible to ignore their connection, they’re dead wrong.