Book review: The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter [blog tour]

I was obsessed with Ally Carter's heist and spy novels 10-15 years ago, so when I saw that she had a festive crime release coming up, I was VERY excited to check it out. And it didn't disappoint. It had her telltale fast-paced storytelling as well as a murderous plot twist and a delicious budding romance!

Book review: The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case (Conrad the Cat Detective #3) by L T Shearer [blog tour]

As a lover of both cats and murder mysterious, it was inevitable I'd fall head over heels in love with Conrad, a calico cat who is the companion of a former police detective and a clever investigator in his own right. I first read their adventured in The Cat Who Solved Three Murders and was thrilled when I saw that they were continuing in what is already the third instalment of the series: The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case.  

Book review: Haunt Your Heart Out by Amber Roberts [blog tour]

Cosy season is here! 🍂🎃🍁 I'm thrilled that small town, autumnal reads have taken over the book community because it's been my personality for the past few decades (yikes, that's making me sound – and feel – old!). From witchy reads like Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood and Spell Bound by Gretchen Rue to cosy crime and even cosy fantasy (I'm looking at you, Travis Baldree) – I'm loving all of it. And now I've discovered another type of book that falls into this category that has stolen my heart: the spooky season romance.  

Book review: Storybook Ending by Poppy Alexander [blog tour]

The Littlest Library by Poppy Alexander is one of my favourite contemporary women's fiction novels. I initially caught my interest because the little free library in the story follows similar principles to The Book Fairies, which I'm a part of, but the book became mostly memorable due to the quirky cast of characters that made up the community in the English village it was set in. Needless to say, I was very excited when I saw that Poppy Alexander had written another adorable sounding story set in the same idyllic location. 

Book review: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

I'm a long-time follower of Lucy Jane Wood on YouTube; she's the ultimate cosy content creator who loves Gilmore Girls and autumn as much as me. I particularly rate her book videos so I was absolutely thrilled when she announced she had written her very own novel. And the description sounded just as cute and comforting as her videos, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy! 

Theatre review: The Secret Diary of Henry VIII by The Three Inch Fools at Weald & Downland Living Museum [UK tour]

Photo credit: Anthony Oxley

I do not have the best track record with outdoors theatre. I attended a production at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London three times before I managed to see the whole show and it didn't finish prematurely due to heavy rain fall. And I don't think I've ever in my life been quite as soaked as I was during my visit to the iconic Minack Theatre in Cornwall (I'm still unsure how the actors didn't float from the puddle-filled stage straight into the sea). So I was due an open air experience that went without a hitch, and The Three Inch Fools' The Secret Diary of Henry VIII at the beautiful Weald & Downland Living Museum delivered – and then some. 

Book review: New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Café by Julie Haworth [blog tour]

Last year I was fortunate to be on the blog tour for Julie Haworth's debut novel Always By Your Side. It introduced me to a delightful new voice in women's fiction, not to mention a brand-new (sadly fictional) setting that I fell head-over-heels in love with. Blossom Heath is the ultimate picturesque English village, filled with charming characters and cottages – and as soon as I turned the final page I was already desperate to return again. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long as the end of the book teased the next Blossom Heath adventure: New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Café.

Book review: A Curtain Twitcher’s Book of Murder by Gay Marris [blog tour]

Whenever a publisher puts "murder" in the title of a book, they've instantly got my attention. Cosy crime truly is the genre of the season – and for good reason. It's such delicious form of escapism. Although The Curtain Twitcher's Book of Murder is a little less cosy than your average Richard Osman. It's dark and macabre, and leaves the reader feeling unsettled and suspicious of their own neighbours.

Book review: Hera by Jennifer Saint [blog tour]

Jennifer Saint is the queen (or should that be goddess?) of Greek mythology retellings. She may not be the first author I've read who's turned the classic stories on their head, but she's arguably the best. She gives often unsung heroines their deserving chance in the spotlight in an incredibly captivating and enlightening way (three years on, and I am still not recovered from her stunning retelling of Ariadne's story). And this time she turns her hand not to another mortal heroine but rather to one of the great Olympian goddesses herself: Hera. 

Book review: Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett [blog tour]

I love fantastical novels that have a performative element to them, the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber being one of my all-time favourites. There's something about the combination of the heightened quality of the entertainment and the high stakes (often life-or-death) unfolding backstage that make for a thrilling reading experience that manages to be utterly unique and unexpected throughout. Theatre of Glass and Shadows by Anne Corlett is a prime example of why this combination of setting and storytelling work so well.