Books I Read in June 2025

This month I went on holiday.  Two weeks in the glorious Lake District filled with good food, good books and good walks. In fact, my dog Roxie, is finding home walkies far inferior as there are no lakes in which she can paddle in the shallows!

We had a fabulous time and were able to sit in the sunshine with a good book or two. In fact, I have read several five star reads this month so it will be difficult to choose a favourite, but I will try.

What have you been reading this month? Anything you would think I might enjoy?

The Last Train to Freedom by Deborah Swift

I seldom give books of this type five stars, but this one fully deserves it for bringing something new and refreshing to the genre. If you would like to read my review of this book you can find it here.

Rainbows and Lollipops by Mo Fanning

This is a wonderful book about friendship and family that I enjoyed reading very much, and it earned a five star review from me. If you would like to read my review of this book you can find it here.

What Will Survive of Us by Howard Jacobson

I really struggled to like the characters in this book. Well written but I found it somewhat lacking.

Great and Horrible News: Murder and Mayhem in Early Modern Britain by Blessin Adams

I haven't had an opportunity to review this excellent non-fiction title yet. It was extremely well researched and put together. 

The Rabbi's Suitcase by Robert Kehlmann

This was an enjoyable book based on the discovery of the author of a cache of hidden letters and will appeal to those interested in Jewish history. You can find my mini review by clicking here.

Wartime Comes to the West India Dock Road by Renita D'Silva

This was a really enjoyable read. My review won't be available until my stop on the blog tour on 25th July. Watch this space.

Libby and the Highland Heist by Jo Clarke

This is another book by my granddaughter's favourite author. It's a really enjoyable continuation of the Libby series.

A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant

An enjoyable book in the cosy crime genre. My review of this book will be up on 3rd July.

Ladies Lunch and Other Stories by Lore Segal

I really wanted to enjoy this book of interconnected stories but alas, the book didn't live up to my hopes.

Butter by Asako Yuzuki

This was very different to anything I have read recently. I enjoyed it and my review is scheduled for the 8th July.

The Heirloom by Julie Brooks

Probably my favourite read this month.  It had everything that I love in a book. It is a dual timeline narrative, being set in both 1821 and 2024. Consequently, historical fiction runs alongside a contemporary narrative. I loved it. If you would like to read my review of this book you can find it here.

The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor

This was a gripping and engaging novel which I really loved, and it's about three sisters who are running the family bakery.  If you would like to read my review of this book you can find it here.

Women in Lockdown by The Wayfinder Woman Trust

The book is full to the brim with the writing, artwork and photographs of women in lockdown.   If you would like to read my review of this book you can find it here.

Reading Roundup for January 2025

 

The first month of reading in January 2025 is now behind us and I have read some truly fabulous books this month. 

It hasn't been a good month healthwise but I am now on the mend. Today, is a lovely day as I get to celebrate my youngest granddaughter's first birthday. She's growing so fast and now that she is mobile is into everything! She is an absolute little darling and I will get to see her for lots of birthday cuddles this coming weekend.

Is everybody else longing for the spring weather already or is it just me?

I hope that you have all had a wonderful January. Here are the books that I have read this month.

The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey

I am starting with this one as it was my absolute favourite read this month. It is narrated by Tama, the magpie and is a dark read with elements of humour. Fantastic. You can find my review by clicking here.

The Paris Chapter by Victoria Walters

This was my first read of the year and got me off to a great start. I really enjoyed this book. You can find my review by clicking here.

The Witch of the Forest's Guide to Magick by Lindsay Squire

This is the only non-fiction title I read this month. I was very impressed by the author's knowledge and the book has been organised in such a way to demonstrate this perfectly.  You can find my review by clicking here.

Silent Riders of the Sea by John Gerard Fagan

This was another five star read for me this month. The book is written in verse and is one of the most atmospheric books I have ever read. You can find my review by clicking here.

Ace, Marvel, Spy by Jenni L. Walsh

This is a fascinating novel based on the life of the tennis player, Alice Marble. You can find my review by clicking here.

A Girls' Guide to Winning the War by Annie Lyons

This was a wonderful book. In fact, I now have my Book Group reading it this month for our February discussion. I loved it. You can find my review by clicking here.

The Great Race by Sun Chara and Joe Happy-Light

This is really a story within a story. Papa Joe is reading the story of The Tortoise and the Hare to his three children. You can find my review by clicking here.

Dark Times for the Clarks Factory Girls by May Ellis

This is the third book in the Clark's Factory Girls series. I love this series and have read all three. You can find my review by clicking here.

One Day and Forever by Shari Low

I enjoyed this book very much, and it held my attention from the very first page to the last. It was delightful.  You can find my review by clicking here.

The Hangman's Master by Elyse Hoffman

This is part of the 613 Project series. I have read some of them and they work well as stand alone novels. You can find my review by clicking here.

The Old Girls' Chateau Escape by Kate Galley

A fun read featuring older women. Brilliant. You can find my review by clicking here.

Books I Am Partway Through

Fervour by Toby Lloyd

Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti

Mary I: Queen of Sorrows by Alison Weir

I will be back on Monday with my post of the books which I would like to read in February. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend.

Annie x

The Witch of the Forest's Guide to Folklore Magick: by Lindsay Squire - Illustrated by Viki Lester - #bookreview

 

What is folklore?  Folklore refers to stories, beliefs, traditions and myths from a specific group of people or culture that have been passed down through the generations by word of mouth rather than written down...

***

The Blurb

This enchanting guide connects you to the wisdom of Witches past to expand and enrich your Witchcraft practice.

The myths, legends, and superstitions of the past offer a window into how common people made sense of their world. Because they were excluded from the halls of academia and the seats of power, they had no choice but to get on with day-to-day life, healing, birthing, and persisting as best they could.

Often, it would be the village medicine women who held the handed-down knowledge of those who had gone before, and generation by generation, they would build on this to develop a profound understanding of the healing and magickal properties of nature.

It is from this deep well of folkloric knowledge that modern-day Witch Lindsay Squire draws this inclusive and accessible beginner's guide.

Add enchantment to your life by learning: 

What folklore is and how it connects to the practice of Witchcraft

The magickal legends and superstitions attached to plants and trees 

The folk magick, charms, and spells associated with herbs both beneficial and baneful 

How to use plants in your own Witchcraft practice

The folklore of different historical Witches and natural healers from around the world … and more! 

 

With rituals, lore, and wisdom from The Witch of the Forest’s personal grimoire, find out how connecting with folklore can empower every modern Witch.

My Review

Having fairly recently read the graphic novel, Witchcraft: A History: Stories of Wise Women, Healers and Magic by this author I was keen to try one of her other books. You can find my review by clicking on the title.

Having now read this book I am very impressed by her knowledge and the book has been organised in such a way to demonstrate this perfectly. It has been broken down into four sections, the first being practical folk herbalism in which the author writes about the different ways in which herbs and flowers can be used e.g. as a tea, infusion or a salve to name but a few.

Additionally, there are sections on herbs and flowers, trees and the part that baneful herbs have played in folklore. Each section explains the folklore and magickal properties of each of the plants and how they can be used in a magickal or medicinal way.

Although the book is aimed at those who wish to hone their own Craft, I think this has a much wider appeal. An interest in folklore or the medicinal applications of using herbs and flowers made this a fascinating book to read. For instance, did you know that the ancient Romans, Egyptians and Greeks used the chamomile flower to illuminate the skin and to treat skin conditions? This booked is jammed pack of such interesting information and I devoured it.

It is also beautifully illustrated by Viki Lester, and it was a joy just to look through the pictures. An excellent book which I heartily recommend.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 0711293878

Publisher:  Leaping Hare Press

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  176 (paperback)

Preorder Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Lindsay is a witchcraft practitioner who has been walking her own spiritual path for nearly two decades.

She is a professional tarot reader, spiritual advisor & the face behind the Instagram sensation 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 - an account dedicated to helping & empowering those at the beginning of their witchcraft journey forge their own path.

Lindsay is also an international bestselling author, writing about witchcraft, earth spirituality, folk magick & folklore, tarot, astrology, Paganism, spells & rituals as well as being a mentor to witches of all levels of experience grow in their craft.

She lives in her county of Yorkshire, England with her three mischievous black cats. 

You can also find Lindsay at:

Instagram

Tik Tok

(ARC courtesy of NetGalley)

(author medis courtesy of Amazon)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org afilliated)

My Top 10 Ten Books of 2024

 

Happy New Year

Hello my friends. It is so lovely to be back having had a lovely break with family and friends. I am very much looking forward to a whole new year of reading and sharing my thoughts with you.

Last year I read some fantastic books and it has been difficult to whittle the list down to just ten.  Eventually, I settled on this ten. In no particular order:

Little Wing by Freya North

This was a choice at my Book Club and we all loved it. 

You can find my review by clicking here.

The Fellowship of the Puzzle Makers by Samuel Burr

This was one that I read during the Christmas break so haven't written a review. Trust me - it's brilliant!

The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer

I really enjoyed reading this spooky tale.

You can read my review by clicking here.

A Town Called Solace by Mary Lawson

This was another book choice made at my Book Club and it was fantastic.

You can read my review by clicking here.

In the Shadows of Love by Awais Khan

I read this as part of a blog tour in October last year and I loved it.

You can find my review by clicking here.

Looking for Lucie by Amanda Addison

This was a fabulous book about belonging and identity.

You can read my review by clicking here.

The Curious Kidnapping of Nora W by Cate Green

I consider myself very fortunate in stumbling upon this one on the library shelves. It was a delight to read.

You can read my review by clicking here.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

This was another choice by my Book Club and was enjoyed by all.

You can find my review by clicking here.

The House of the Witch by Clare Marchant

Another blog tour book which I really loved.

You can read my review by clicking here.

A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines

I first read this when I was at school and thought it high time I read it again. A stunningly good book.

You can read my review by clicking here.

I will be back later today with my Top Ten Children's Books of 2024.

The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer - #bookreview #blogtour

 

1885

Her heart was pounding and her breaths were raspy in her throat. She was beyond exhausted and had to rest for a moment, steadying herself by placing her hand on a rough gatepost and bending forward to stop herself being sick...

***

‘There are a lot of shadows at Ravenswood, so you will need to be strong…’

The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she’s caught, she’ll be hanged for murder.

 Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle.

To her surprise, the man – Marcus Greybourne – convinces the local constable that she is his reclusive wife of ten years, Luna. He carries her back to the neglected and crumbling Ravenswood Hall, promising if she agrees to maintain this charade, he will keep her safe until her injuries have healed.

But the house is haunted by shadows and secrets. What’s more, the real Luna Greybourne is missing, without trace. Scratches and marks made by her around the house suggest witchcraft; and indeed Luna is known locally as the Ravenswood Witch; her reputation in tatters, like the wallpapers of the padlocked rooms she’d destroyed.

As strange happenings in the house continue, outside the screech of a raven echoes across oppressive woods that seem alive with dark magic. And the woman who is now pretending to be Luna can’t help but fear she’s escaped the noose for a far more terrible fate…

***

I was so pleased when I was offered an advanced readers copy of this book as part of the blog tour, as I was already a fan of Jenni Keer's books. I have previously read At the Stroke of Midnight and No. 23 Burlington Square, both of which I enjoyed very much. You can read my reviews of those books by clicking on their respective titles.

I do not often read spooky books and I definitely steer clear of the horror genre. I am far too much of a coward for that! However, whilst this was spooky and quite eerie at times I really enjoyed that element of the story. 

Sticking with the witchy theme, I recently read Weyward by Emilia Hart, as well as The House of the Witch by Clare Marchant. Both excellent books with similarities. The plot of The Ravenswood Witch was a little different to either of those which made this all the more compelling to read.

The plot has much to offer; a runaway fugitive, witchcraft, ghostly apparitions and a romance to boot. There was also a twist partway through the book that I was not expecting. It was an excellent curve ball to throw into the plot. I shall say no more about that as I would hate to spoil your own discovery of this when you read the book. And I do use the word when as you will really be missing out on an excellent book if this one passes you by.

The book is set in 1885, and Ms. Keer does an excellent job in portraying the period, along with the setting of a derelict and run down house in which the main character finds herself. The house oozes with mystery and secrets and she finds herself wondering if in escaping the hangman's noose, she has stumbled into a more dark and dangerous situation.

This is an outstanding novel, and I will even go as far as saying it is amongst the best books I have read this year. I highly encourage you to treat yourself to a copy of this to snuggle down with in the run up to Halloween.

ISBN: 978 1785139796

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats: e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  352 (paperback)

About the Author:

Jenni Keer is the well-reviewed author of historical romances, often with a mystery at their heart. Most recently published by Headline and shortlisted for the 2023 RNA Historical Romantic Novel of the Year.

(ARC and all media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

The House of the Witch by Clare Marchant - #bookreview #blogtour

 

The silhouette of a church stands against the night sky, fragile waning moonlight casting shadows across uneven ground. A person stumbles over the muddy, disturbed space towards a dark void, gaping wide...

***

Now: When Adrianna arrives at the small, run-down cottage, near the sea in rural Norfolk, she can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Here she can forget her life in the city, and the problems she’s left behind there, at least for a while.

But – like Adrianna herself – the cottage holds secrets. And when Adrianna finds a mysterious bundle of notes hidden under a floorboard, she can’t shake the idea that they’ve been waiting for her. Especially when – in the rambling, overgrown garden – she then finds a strangely-carved stone, drawing her into a centuries-old mystery…

1646: Between her work as the village midwife and the medicines she sells from her cottage, Ursula has no need for a man. But this ideal leaves her unprotected in a world where just one accusation of witchcraft can mean certain death. So when she catches the eye of a powerful new local doctor, she must use every part of her cunning, or risk becoming his prisoner…

Can the two women – their paths bound by place and history – each find the keys to their own destiny?

***

This is easily the best book I have read this month.

I always enjoy a book with a dual time-line. I love the way an author can make the past inform the present and demonstrate how linked we are to the past.  Ms. Marchant accomplishes this with aplomb in The House of the Witch. 

What she does really well is to create two very distinct voices. Ursula is a single woman living in 1646, a dangerous time to live without the protection of a man. Adrianna's story is set in the present day and finds herself living in Ursula's cottage in rural Norfolk when she needs a break from a high stress job in London.

Both of these stories were gripping and were equally well written.  This book comprises everything a good dual timeline novel should have. So often I find in novels of this type that I am drawn to one of the timelines more than the other. However, these were equally enthralling as the characters and the plot were utterly believable.

The author has clearly researched the period very well and has an excellent understanding of her characters. I was on the edge of my seat from the very beginning as I could see the dangers lurking ahead for both Ursula and Adrianna. 

If you enjoy historical fiction which features courageous women with some supernatural added into the mix then you will love this book as much as I did. I highly recommend it.

ISBN: 978 1836030379

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  328 (paperback)

About the Author:

Clare Marchant is the author of dual timeline historical fiction. Her books have been translated into seven languages, and she is a USA Today bestseller. Clare spends her time writing and exploring local castles, or visiting the nearby coast.

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)