Review - Stikki the Squirrel: Tree Spirits

Join Stikki and his mate Rella on their second exciting adventure—full of mystery, danger, and the wonders of magic found in the most unexpected places.

Winter has arrived in Hazy Hills Wood, covering everything in a blanket of snow. Food is hard to find, and the animals are getting hungry. To make things worse, there is a scary food thief on the prowl.

Stikki heads out into the cold to find his secret stash, but when he doesn’t come home, Rella goes searching for him. A frightening journey looms ahead as Stikki and Rella are forced to confront their enemies and the dreaded longlegs.

Deep in the heart of the ancient wood stands the animals’ sacred ash tree. When Brodboar the badger spots something strange high on the tree’s branches, he is shocked by the discovery and begins to worry. Is it a warning?

With Stikki and Rella still missing—can the woodland animals work together to find their friends before it’s too late?

Review

This is a fun book series reminiscent of Beatrix Potter series. The fun and goodly characters take care of each other in their small wood. The book is full of good descriptions that make the wood feel lively and inviting. The story is not complex and should be easily followed by the target audience. It was exciting enough for a small child to stay engaged but interesting enough that I was eager for the next day's reading session. I loved that the short chapters gave us great flexibility on how much we could read each day.

I would recommend this as a read-aloud for children under age 8 due to elevated vocabulary. My precocious reader stumbled across many words that were unfamiliar, including "dastardly" and "mischievous." It's perfect for a cozy, little read before bed.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stikki-Squirrel-Jane-H-Wood/dp/183574351X

https://bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/young-children/stikki-the-squirrel-bLc1

https://www.waterstones.com/book/stikki-the-squirrel-tree-spirits/jane-h-wood/9781835743515

https:///books.apple.com/gb/book/stikki-the-squirrel-tree-spirits/id6758389931

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=JGO5EQAAQBAJ&pli-1

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/stikki-the-squirrel-tree-spirits

https://amzn.to/4aWo4i3

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GHZMQPC8

Author Bio –

Jane H. Wood is a multi-award-winning author who enjoys writing stories for children and young adults. Jane’s wonderful animal adventure books have captivated readers of all ages, earning her acclaim for her vivid storytelling and enchanting illustrations that feature in her Stikki the Squirrel books.

Jane lives in the sunny seaside town of Worthing on the south coast of England, with her husband, Peter. She has two grown-up sons and is a proud grandmother as well. Jane enjoys art, photography, hand crafting activities, and writing children’s stories. Jane is an animal rights advocate and environmentalist, and she supports a few animal welfare charities.

Social Media Links –  https://www.facebook.com/JaneHWood16

https://www.instagram.com/janewood705

https://www.twitter.com/JaneHWood1

website: https://janehwood.com

Promo: A Venice Summer

 

Art conservator Rose Bennet is still reeling from a bad break-up when she is offered a dream job in Venice, restoring an art collection in the Ca’ D’Ambra, a six-hundred-year-old Venetian palazzo. Despite her fears about travelling to a foreign country on her own, Rose is soon heading to Italy for the summer.

While she is awestruck by the breathtaking beauty of Venice, Rose finds the owner of the palazzo, the arrogant and short-tempered Luca Casserini, insufferable. When he questions her ability to do her work, she almost heads straight back to London, but decides that she won’t let herself be intimidated or driven away before she’s even had a chance to ride in a gondola.

Losing her way in Venice’s picturesque maze of canals and alleyways, the last person Rose wants to see is her employer, but when they meet by chance and, to her surprise, he offers to show her around the city, she feels it would be churlish to refuse.

Spending sunlit summer days exploring Venice with Luca, Rose discovers a passionate side to him, very different to her first impression, and her feelings towards him begin to change …

Rose knows she can restore a damaged painting, but can she mend Luca’s damaged heart?

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Venice-Summer-sunlit-summer-romance-ebook/dp/B0GGX58TWJ/

https://www.amazon.com/Venice-Summer-sunlit-summer-romance-ebook/dp/B0GGX58TWJ/

Author Bio –

Lynne Shelby writes contemporary and dual-timeline women’s fiction/romance. Her debut novel, ‘Meet Me In Paris,' (originally titled French Kissing), won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition, and her fifth novel, Love On Location, was shortlisted for a Romantic Novelists' Award. When not writing or reading, Lynne can usually be found at the theatre or exploring a foreign city, writer's notebook and sketchbook in hand. She lives in London with her husband, and has three adult children who live nearby.

 Social Media Links – 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LynneShelbyWriter

Instagram: lynneshelbywriter

Website: www.lynneshelby.com

 

Promo: Wishing on a Star in the City

 

Everyone thinks Ivy Macomb’s life is perfect as she’s a teen actress on a TV show, part of a well-known family, and has just started college with her football star boyfriend, Ryan. However, as Ryan’s on campus fame grows, the two break up leaving Ivy heartbroken. She makes up a cover story to save face about how they’re taking time apart, but she’s devastated and unsure how to handle things. She ends up having a crying meltdown in front of her great-uncle who is better known in the media as the most ruthless man in business. However, she learns there’s another side to Uncle Alfred as he not only offers advice, but helps her with her podcast.

Her cousin tries to get her to go out and show people she’s doing fine after the breakup. Enter freshman hockey player, Konrad Gorski. Ivy and Konrad become fast friends as he’s a shoulder to cry on for her as she deals with her feelings. He’s also been through a bad breakup and has trust issues. Konrad is selected to go overseas for a hockey opportunity and the two stay in touch daily. They begin to have feelings for each other, but she’s worried about getting hurt. Can Ivy open her heart to love again?

Purchase Links

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Wishing-Star-City-Stars-Book-ebook/dp/B0GGZCH781/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GGZCH781/

Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/Wishing-Star-City-Stars-Book-ebook/dp/B0GGZCH781

Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/Wishing-Star-City-Stars-Book-ebook/dp/B0GGZCH781

Amazon universal link: https://mybook.to/UeOTh

Author Bio – Krysten Lindsay Hager is a bestselling author of YA and contemporary romance. She writes romance because she loves bringing people swoony moments and hope-filled happily ever afters. She writes about falling in love, fame, fitting in, frenemies, first loves, and finding your way in the world. She loves reading, watching movies, and lipstick.

Social Media Links –

Website: https://www.krystenlindsay.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/
Facebook Page Link  https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor
XLink – https://x.com/KrystenLindsay
TikTok Link – https://www.tiktok.com/@krystenlindsay

Review: Borrowed Time

‘Rico, Mary, and a gangster named Fats find themselves on the run beyond the veil of death, caught in a deadly game of power and revenge.

Their fates lie in the hands of Octavius and his embittered daughter, Livia, who can never forgive her father for gambling away her mother to the devil, Wrath.

As the game unfolds, long-buried questions surface — about destiny, fulfilment, and the true nature of the soul.

With demons both personal and literal to face, only the Fates know who will survive.’

Review

Purchase Links

Borrowed Time | The Book Guild

Borrowed Time: Amazon.co.uk: Stephen Anthony Brotherton: 9781835743317: Books

Borrowed Time by Stephen Anthony Brotherton | Waterstones

Author Bio –

Stephen Anthony Brotherton has been a social worker for over three decades and currently works for the NHS. He began creative writing ten years ago, and his stories explore the nature of vulnerability – from birth to death and beyond. He lives in Shropshire with a schnoodle called River and has had three books published – a novel and two collections of short stories. Stephen is also a long-standing member of the Bridgnorth Writers’ Group.

 

Social Media Links –

Instagram @sab_author 

Review: Love I Wished For

 

What if everything you ever wished for turned out to be the loneliest place of all?

Helena Beale is desperately lonely. Still grieving her parents, stuck in the city, and watching everyone around her move on with their lives, she begins to fear that love has passed her by.

So when a psychic predicts a dazzling future – a devoted man, a beautiful home, and a child to call her own – Helena clings to the vision like a lifeline.

And then, impossibly, it comes true. Helena finds herself in the countryside with a charismatic partner, a little boy she adores, and the picture-perfect life she was promised. From the outside, she has everything she ever wanted. But inside the relationship, something is very wrong…

As cracks begin to show, Helena must confront a devastating truth: getting what you wished for isn’t the same as being truly loved. Can she gather enough courage to break free, and choose herself when everything is telling her not to? This emotional romance is perfect for readers of Beth Moran, Paige Toon, Dani Atkins and Laura Pearson.

Review -

I was struck about how deeply relatable I found this novel. although the paths may differ, I think most people can identify with the consequences of accepting bad advice, building dreams based on naivete and needing to grow up after you thought you'd already grown up. 

Helena certainly lands herself in a mess. Her marriage may not be overtly physically abusive but it gives her very little room for self-expression and freedom. She tries to live well inside its boundaries, but as her own identity clarifies with age, she finds that she can't fit snugly in those boundaries anymore.

This book would be a great book club pick - or a good read for those who are a book club of one. As I said, there is a lot to explore here, a lot that resonates. It is long - and maybe a little too long - so pace yourself well. The book is more reflective than adventurous. This is a woman's journey, which lands it in contemporary fiction. However, if you enjoyed How the Light Gets In by Katie Upperman, I think this would be a good addition to the TBR pile. 

Purchase Link - https://amzn.to/4anG3MV

Author Bio –

Georgie Capron is a British author of contemporary women's fiction. She writes emotional stories about real life, exploring love, relationships, family, community and friendship. She lives in south-west London with her husband and three children.

Social Media Links –

https://www.instagram.com/pellerinbooks/

https://www.facebook.com/pellerinbooks/

https://www.instagram.com/georgiecapronauthor/

https://www.facebook.com/georgiecapron

Review: Tide Turns for Tilly

A gripping saga of courage, resilience and shattered dreams set in Victorian London.

When Tilly’s brother, Tom, who she hasn’t seen for twenty years, turns up on her doorstep she knows trouble will not be far behind.

Tom’s search for the truth brings heartache and changes their lives forever. Old wounds reopen, relationships fracture, loyalties fray and no one escapes the consequences.

Tensions rise when disaster strikes and Tilly finds herself torn between fighting for Tom and supporting her headstrong daughter, Martha, whose world is falling apart.

Can Tilly uncover the secret of her brother’s past, and find the truth? Can Martha find peace and the strength to build a future with the man she loves?

What lies ahead for the family when so much is at stake?

A moving, atmospheric novel that grips the heart from the first page to the last.

If you enjoy stories of family, hardship and love in tough times you’ll love The Tide Turns for Tilly.

Perfect for fans of Josephine Cox, Anna Jacobs and Dilly Court

Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/thetideturns 

 Review - 

Ah, Tilly. We have been through so much together at this point. Your life as a wanderer among the English Victorian canals has challenged you to love and lose in turn. In this final installment, we will discover if your years of sacrifice will create the legacy you imagined.

Kay Seeley has created an interesting world built around the life of Tilly and Sam. She explores class dynamics in Victorian England as social mobility became more feasible for lower-class persons but that social mobility threatened years of culture and family dynamic.

This particular book is probably NOT a good place to start the series. The emotional journey of the previous books is assumed and the backstory is hinted at but not explained. Tilly is centered as the matriarch of her family, but her own dramas are in the past, so the book is the fallout of action in prior novels.

As an aside, I noticed these books are available as audiobooks. I think they would be great in that medium. They have the easy storytelling that matches nicely with audio formats.

Author Bio –

Kay Seeley is a talented storyteller and bestselling author. Her short stories have been published in women’s magazines and short-listed in competitions. Her novels had been finalists in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. She lives in London and loves its history. Her stories are well researched and beautifully written with compelling characters where love triumphs over adversity.  Kay writes stories that will capture your heart and leave you wanting more. Often heart-wrenching but always satisfyingly uplifting, her books are perfect for fans of Anna Jacobs, Lesley Pearse and Josephine Cox.

Kay is a Member of The Alliance of Indie Authors and The Society of Women Writers and Journalists.

All her novels are available for Kindle, in paperback, audio and in Large Print.

 

Social Media Links –                      

Webpage: https://kayseeleyauthor.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/kayseeley.writer/

Twitter/X:  https://x.com/KaySeeley1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayseeley6 

Review: Windvale

 

From Cedar Fort promotional materials:

Sir Henry Ainsley is drowning. Years of debt have piled up, and the only thing keeping him afloat is the need to see his sister secure in marriage. When an unexpected lifeline appears to absolve his debts in return for information on a missing merchant ship, he jumps at the chance—though he thought he’d left such dangerous work behind him. The catch is it comes with attending a house party on the Channel Islands, hosted by Mrs. Alice Seymour. But what's one more gamble, if it could see his sister safely married before his crumbling facade is revealed?

Alice Seymour has no interest in love. Widowed and painfully reserved, she hosts her yearly matchmaking parties more out of duty than delight; it is far easier to help others find their happily ever after. Yet when the inscrutable Sir Henry arrives, his charm and quiet kindness begin to stir feelings she had long believed were too fanciful to be real. But as secrets from his past surface—and pieces of her own begin to fall into place—she is not certain she wishes to open her heart.

But the truth behind the missing ship might be more dangerous than Henry believed, and the possibility of failure threatens to destroy his future and the fragile trust growing between him and his hostess. As the island's shadowy dealings come to light, Henry’s options grow limited, and Alice must choose between the comfort of the life she knows... or risk everything for the one man who truly sees her.

Review:

A charming, interesting story with charming protagonists and believable story. The story weaves the history of piracy and smuggling along the Channel islands with the more well-known regency tropes. The long-suffering protagonists work well together. You cheer for them and get the right punch of joy when they finally figure it all out.

As with many of these historical romances, the slow-burn is v...e...r...y... s...l...o...w... The complexities of the relationship worked to hold the story together, but I wondered if it could've been edited down a little to improve the pacing. 

Overall, I think this will please lovers of historical romance. It fits very nicely into the Cedar Fort catalogue.

Purchase information: 

Cedar Fort

Amazon