Escape to the Bookshelf

‘A Caribbean Heiress in Paris’ by Adriana Herrera

To be published 21/06/2022…

With responsibility for her sister sitting on her shoulders and her inheritance tied up with a unscrupulous trustee, Luz travels to Edinburgh (via Paris) to bring her family’s rum business to European shores. Evan, Earl of Darnick, is in Paris for business, his whisky distillery the only part of his lofty inheritance that he is interested in claiming. A marriage of convenience might help them both claim the inheritances they desire, but what happened when you mix whisky and rum?

‘A Three Letter Name’ by Annie Lisenby

to be published 31/05/2022…

Els always knew that she wanted to be a Listener, that she wanted to dedicate herself to keeping her village safe from the catamounts. She certainly never wanted to marry. Until an illness took her hearing from her, took her vocation from her. Until the choice was marriage or banishment.

‘A Place to Land’ by Lauren K. Denton

To be published 04/10/2022…

Violet lives a quiet existence in Sugar Bend. Her and her sister Trudy live and work together, their art shop serving as a haven for locals and a treasure trove for tourists. No one would guess the dreams that Violet had as a young woman, to escape Sugar Bend and travel the world. Forty years ago something happened that stopped Violet from leaving for good, something so terrible that the sisters have never dared speak of it. In fact, Trudy has never dared speak again. Then one day a long-lost boat surfaces on the river and Violet must confront the truth: secrets never stay secret forever.

‘The Drowned Woods’ by Emily Lloyd-Jones

To be published 16/08/2022…

Mer is a water diviner, a rare commodity that saw her taken from her home as a child and bought up in the palace: raised to be the Prince’s spy. When she finds out she is also the Prince’s poisoner, Mer decides it is time to leave. She is just becoming acclimatised to life on the run when her old mentor, Spymaster Renfrew, offers her an irresistible opportunity.

‘Violet Made of Thorns’ by Gina Chen

To be published 26/07/2022…

The last Seer of Auveny spoke a curse on her deathbed, proclaiming Prince Cyrus’ future bride as the only one who can stop the curse. As the current Seer of Auveny, it is up to Violet to manipulate events to make sure the prince actually chooses a bride before the people grow too restless with their fear. It would be easier if he wasn’t so stubborn and if there wasn’t a mysterious voice whispering of damned futures in her dreams every night. Perhaps if they worked together they could save the kingdom between them, but a lifetime of distrust is difficult to overcome – especially when a pesky thing like lust keeps getting in the way.

‘The Dragon’s Promise’ by Elizabeth Lim

To be published August 30th 2022…

SPOILER ALERT: THIS REVIEW REFERS TO THE OUTCOMES OF BOOK ONE (SIX CRIMSON CRANES). IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT, I SUGGEST YOU TRY THIS REVIEW INSTEAD: ‘Six Crimson Cranes’ by Elizabeth Lim

Having survived as an outcast, saved her brothers from their feathery fate, and learnt the truth about her step-mother, Shiori now has a new challenge: return Raikama’s dragon pearl to its rightful owner. With Seryu willing to take her to the dragon realm, it seems simple enough. But nothing about the dragon realm is simple and returning the pearl may be only the beginning. Her magic is no longer a secret and many in the kingdom blame her for the restless demons in the mountain. Fortunately she has Takkan to help her, not to mention six very grateful brothers.

‘The Final Strife’ by Saara El-Arifif

To be published June 23rd 2022…

There is a strict hierarchy in the Warden’s Empire. At the bottom are the clear-blooded Ghostings, the silent and submissive servant class. Next are the Dustings, their blue-blood built for labour and hardship. The Embers are the lucky ones, their red-blood capable of bloodwerk and marking them out for the wealth and luxury of nobility. At the top are the wardens, red-blooded of course, and rulers of the Empire: one for truth, one for duty, one for truth, one for knowledge, and one for strength. Sylah is an anomaly, a dangerous anomaly. Born with red blood, but raised as a Duster. Raised as a soldier, raised to be Warden, raised to start a revolution. Unfortunately, plans rarely play out as intended.

‘Within these Wicked Walls’ by Lauren Blackwood

Having been kicked out of her apprenticeship, Andromeda knows that a patronage is her only option if she wants to earn money as a debtera. She also knows that there is only one type of client who might be willing to take her on and offer her such a patronage: the desperate kind.

‘Gallant’ by V.E. Schwab

Olivia’s parents are a mystery. Having lived at Merilance School for Girls since she was two, all Olivia knows about her parents comes from the journal that her mother left her. The main things the journal tells Olivia is that her father is dead and her mother very possibly went mad afterwards and that she should never ever go to Gallant.

‘The Wind Child’ by Gabriella Houston

Mara is the granddaughter of Stribog, the god of winter winds. Although you couldn’t tell it by looking at her as she much more resembles her human father than her frost goddess mother. In Stribog’s palace this set her apart from the others and made her feel small and unimportant. Yet, when she visits her father’s human family, they do not care what she looks like and see only the strange magic blood that resides in her veins. When her father dies, Mara has forty days to find the two parts of his soul and return them to his body. It has never been done before, but then there has never been a girl like Mara before either…