My Top Ten Reads of 2021

I read 120 books in 2021 and it was so hard to choose just ten for this post! In the end, I did a If-I-was-about-to-be-marooned-on-a-desert-island-which-ten-books-could-I-not-live-without thing, and so here they are!

Scrolling through my Goodreads account, I can see a definite tailing-off of crime fiction, which I rarely read anymore, unless it is by favourite author such as Harlan Coben, Elly Griffiths or Lisa Jewell. I'm reading less historical romance but more general historical fiction, and I love the new trend for gothic mysteries! I'm also reading more romantic comedy and romantic fantasy/YA fantasy. A reaction to the times, I wonder?

(The books are listed in the order I read them!)

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black

How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is a companion to Holly Black's bestselling Folk of the Air series, about a human girl who rises to power in the land of the fey. This book is a series of linked short stories about one of the characters, Prince Cardan. Beautifully illustrated but best suited to fans/readers of the series! If you're interested, start with #1, The Cruel Prince! 

Win by Harlan Coben

Twenty years ago, Win's cousin Patricia was kidnapped from the family home during a robbery and kept in an isolated log cabin for months. She finally escaped, but so did her kidnappers, and the items stolen were never seen again - until now.

An elderly recluse has been found murdered in his penthouse apartment, alongside a priceless Vermeer painting and a suitcase with Win's initials. How is the man linked to Patricia's kidnapping and is it connected to another cold case involving domestic terrorism? The two cases have baffled the FBI for decades but Win has two things they do not - a personal connection to the case, a large fortune - and his own unique brand of justice!

Full review here.

You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry

Poppy and Alex meet on their first day at university and Do Not Get On, but that doesn't matter because they'll never see each other again, right? Wrong! When Poppy's friend manages to blag her a lift back home at the end of the year with someone who lives in the same town, guess who it is? Alex. By the time they reach their home town they've developed a friendship of sorts and agree to go on a summer vacation with each other.

A few years later Alex is a teacher, happy to stay in the dead-end town where they grew up. Poppy, however, cannot wait to travel the world. The blog she writes, detailing her experiences, becomes such a success she's offered a job at a famous travel magazine. Soon she and Alex are taking holidays all around the world at the magazine's expense. Until one summer, she and Alex fall out. For two years they don't even speak until she accidentally texts him, one text leads to another, and they agree to go on one last holiday together...

Full review here.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This story is set in Malibu and split between the 1950s (leading up to the 80s) and 1983. In the 50s we see singer Mick Riva marry sweet loyal teenager June Costas, and witness the effect his fame (and philandering) has on their marriage and four children. In the present, his daughter Nina is preparing for her famous annual party - except her tennis-star husband has just left her and she'd rather be surfing anyway. And her sister has invited an unexpected guest... It looks as though it will be a very fiery family reunion...

Full review here.

The Summer Seekers by Sarah Morgan

Kathleen used to have a popular TV travel show but now she's 80 years old and chaffing at the restrictions others (mainly her daughter, Liza) seem to want to force upon her due to her age. Liza feels Kathleen should give up her home on the beach in Cornwall and go into some form of retirement home. So Kathleen retaliates by booking a road trip across America. She can't drive but that's not a problem - she'll hire Martha to drive her!

Martha is only too eager to jump at the chance to get away from her family and ex-boyfriend, who want to belittle her at every opportunity. Won't they be surprised (and hopefully impressed) to learn she has a new job driving a TV star across America? There is only one teensy problem. Martha can't drive...

Full review here.

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

In 2017, Tallulah goes on a date with her boyfriend Zach, leaving her baby with her mother Kim. The next morning Tallulah still hasn't come home. Kim discovers that Tallulah and Zach were invited to the local big house, Dark Place (which already has a sinister reputation), but when Kim calls around the owner says that all the teenagers left after the party. Kim knows Tallulah would never willingly abandon her baby. So where is she? 

Two years later, when everyone but Kim has moved on with their lives, a crime writer called Sophie spots a sign in the local woods that says 'Dig Here'...

Full review here.

Midnight in the Snow by Karen Swan

Award-winning director Clover Phillips is enjoying the accolades from her last documentary when she encounters Kit Foley, a surfer and snowboarder as famous for controversy as he is for winning championships.

Involved in an accident that had devastating consequences for a bitter rival, Kit has never told his side of the story. Determined to change that, Clover heads to the Austrian Alps with the intention of making Kit the subject of her next documentary.

It's hard to get the truth out of someone who hates you, and goes out of their way to avoid you, but is Kit really the heartless monster that everyone believes he is?

Full review here.

One More Christmas at the Castle by Trisha Ashley

Elderly widow Sabine knows this will be her last Christmas in her beloved home, Mitras Castle. Determined to make it just like the ones she remembers from her childhood, she employs Dido Jones of Heavenly Houseparties to help with the big day.

Dido is enchanted by the castle as soon as she steps through the imposing front door. And as Christmas Day approaches, her feeling of connection to the old house runs deeper than she first thought.

But when the snow begins to fall and Sabine's family arrive at the house - including Dido's teenage crush Xan - tensions rise around the castle's future and long-buried mysteries begin to unravel...

Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman

London, 1799. Dora Blake is an aspiring jewellery artist who lives with her uncle in what used to be her parents' famed shop of antiquities. When a mysterious Greek vase is delivered, Dora is intrigued by her uncle's suspicious behaviour and enlists the help of Edward Lawrence, a young antiquarian scholar. Edward sees the ancient vase as key to unlocking his academic future. Dora sees it as a chance to restore the shop to its former glory, and to escape her nefarious uncle.

But what Edward discovers about the vase has Dora questioning everything she has believed about her life, her family, and the world as she knows it. As Dora uncovers the truth she starts to realise that some mysteries are buried, and some doors are locked, for a reason.

The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman

Thanks to falling in love with the wrong man, Maria Owens ends up on a scaffold, about to be hung for witchcraft, and curses any man who falls in love with an Owens woman ('broken, body and soul'). Four hundred years later and her family are still feeling the tragic effects of this curse.

After witnessing her mother's suffering, teenager Kylie Owens has no intention of risking the life of the boy she has fallen in love with and is determined to do anything to break the curse, once and for all. Even if that means abandoning her family and heading back to England (where it all began), and risking her own life by using a dark magic book that was once owned by Maria's daughter...

Full review here.

Have you read any of these? Which were your favourites?

You can see more of the books I've enjoyed reading this year over on Instagram and Goodreads.

Related Posts:

Favourite Reads of 2017 (so far)

Favourite Reads of 2017

Favourite Reads of 2018 (so far)

Favourite Reads of 2020 (so far)

Review: The Book of Magic (Practical Magic #4) by Alice Hoffman

I first fell in love with Alice Hoffman's stories after watching the 90s film Practical Magic - which, ironically, is nothing like the book!

Since writing Practical Magic, over twenty-five years ago, Alice Hoffman has written two prequels and now this sequel. You could probably read The Book of Magic without reading the other three, or only after watching the film, but you'd be missing out on a wonderful series.

Thanks to falling in love with the wrong man, Maria Owens ends up on a scaffold accused of witchcraft and curses any man who falls in love with an Owens woman ('broken, body and soul'). Four hundred years later and her family are still feeling the tragic effects of this curse. After witnessing her mother's suffering, teenager Kylie Owens has no intention of risking the life of the boy she has fallen in love with and is determined to do anything to break the curse, once and for all. Even if that means abandoning her family and heading back to England (where it all began), and risking her own life by using a dark magic book that was once owned by Maria's daughter...

I loved this story! Although it starts with several shocks - have a box of tissues handy! - it is a wonderful finale to the series. The different branches of the family are finally reunited and they travel to England to walk in the footsteps of their ancestor, Maria. They make friends with other witches, see ghosts, and work together to try to break the curse. It is a lovely, heart-warming story; a kind of family saga but with witches! I adored the references to the previous books, the reappearance of the aunts, and the rules of magic: no walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, and absolutely no books about magic... Utterly fabulous!

Thank you to Alice Hoffman and Simon & Schuster for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Post:

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

Review: Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chaptman

I chose to download this book because the cover is absolutely gorgeous and I love reading historical fiction with a touch of gothic.

Some doors are kept locked for a reason...

The story is set in London in 1799. Aspiring jewellery artist Dora Blake is the daughter of well-respected archaeologists who died when she was only a child. She lives above the shop of antiquities that used to be theirs but is now owned by her uncle. Her uncle is only interested in making money and doesn't care if his stock is genuine or not. Dora can only watch as the reputation of her parents' shop sinks lower and lower, until one day a mysterious vase arrives from overseas, which her uncle hides away in the basement. Intrigued by his secrecy, Dora investigates the origins of the vase with the help of her new friend Edward, an antiquarian scholar - who has his own reasons for offering his services. Will the vase help Dora restore her family name? Or are some mysteries better left unsolved?

Pandora is a beautifully written historical mystery/adventure story. Dora is a fabulous heroine, determined to change her fate. Georgian London is vibrantly brought to life, the Greek myth of Pandora dances through the story, there's even a touch of romance. And I absolutely loved Hermes the magpie!

One of my favourite reads of 2021, I'd recommend Pandora to anyone who loves cracking good historical fiction.

Thank you to Susan Stokes-Chapman and Vintage/Random House for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: The Key in the Lock by Beth Underdown

The absolutely gorgeous cover for this book first caught my eye, and then I realised it was written by Beth Underdown, who also wrote The Witchfinder's Sister, which I had previously enjoyed.

The Key in the Lock is a dual timeline mystery, set in Cornwall in 1888 and 1918. Ivy is the daughter of the village doctor, who is slowly becoming too old and frail to practise medicine. There is an understanding that she will marry the local coroner, who is a lot older than her, but Ivy has a crush on Edward who lives at the Great House - although he is engaged to another woman. Thirty years later and Ivy is overcome with grief at losing her son during the war, in mysterious (perhaps dishonourable) circumstances. As she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about his death, she remembers her part in the events of the past, when the Great House caught fire and a young child died.

The Key in the Lock is an enjoyable historical mystery with a touch of the gothic and a tiny hint of supernatural. Right from the start there is an atmosphere of menace with the sinister house and the thoroughly unpleasant man who owns it - and keeps the key to every room. The lines between class are very strongly drawn and I did feel for Ivy when she inadvertently ended up acting as a maid at the house (because they were short staffed), waiting on Edward's fiancée, when in reality she would have been almost the other woman's equal.

Recommended to fans of Sarah Waters (The Little Stranger) and Jane Healey (The Animals at Lockwood Manor).

Thank you to Beth Underdown and Viking (Penguin) for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related post:

The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown

Review: A Winter Memory by Lulu Taylor

Lulu Taylor writes fabulous family dramas, set over dual timelines. In this story we follow Tigs's story onward from 1968 and Helen's on from 2001, and discover how they are both connected to the beautiful Ballintyre House in Scotland.

Helen is married to Hamish, the younger of the Ballintyre brothers. They met as students and Helen fell in love, not just with Hamish but with the romantic Ballintyre family and their beautiful house on the edge of a loch. But marriage to Hamish has not proved happy.

Now, years later and with a family, Helen and Hamish have been forced to move back to live at Ballintyre with his older brother, Charlie. Helen is surprised to find that Sylla, Charlie’s wife, has disappeared and no one seems to know where she is. Surely someone should be looking for her . . .

A Winter Memory is a coming-of-age story, about how to move on when first love doesn't go the way you'd hoped. It is incredibly sad in places, and there is a sense of impending doom, but it was inspiring to see how the female characters adapted and found the inner strength to keep going. Sylla is a wonderful character and I found the mystery of her disappearance enthralling, reading the book very quickly to find out what happened to her and her daughter! I also loved Helen and Tigs (obviously!), although I think my favourite part was the country house party to celebrate Hogmanay at the start of the novel.

The only thing stopping A Winter Memory from being a five-star read for me is that I was hoping for a little more romance, which isn't really hinted at until the end.

Recommended for fans of dual timelines, family secrets, big old houses, and scenic Scottish settings!

Thank you to Lulu Taylor and Pan Macmillan for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

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Review: Call of the Penguins by Hazel Prior

Call of the Penguins is the sequel to Away with the Penguins (one of my all-time favourite books), so when I was offered an early copy I think I may have screamed with excitement! You don't need to have read Away with the Penguins to enjoy this story, but you will get more out of it if you do.

In Call of the Penguins we meet 87-year old Veronica and her much put upon housekeeper Eileen, who are living in Veronica's huge Scottish house along with 9-year-old Daisy, who is recovering from having chemotherapy. To help keep Daisy positive, Veronica has been telling her about her previous adventures in the Antarctica (Away with the Penguins), where she met orphan penguin chick Pip.

When national treasure and documentary filmmaker Sir Robert Saddlebow invites Veronica to co-host a TV programme on seabirds, she is thrilled - even though it means travelling across the world to Australia and the Falkland Islands. However, as Veronica and Daisy set off on their adventure, Veronica's grandson Patrick is heading in the opposite direction, arriving from the Antarctic after falling out with his 'penguinologist' girlfriend Terry. Wondering if irresponsibility is in his genes, Patrick decides to find out more about his father, who abandoned him when he was a baby.

Call of the Penguins is a warm-hearted, witty, thoroughly uplifting story about family, finding your true 'family', and friends who become like family - with all the associated arguments and misunderstandings that go with that! In Veronica's case, her 'family' also includes penguins and she is very passionate about their environment and survival. A reoccurring theme is climate change and the effects of single-use plastic on wildlife. Veronica is a fabulous character, even when (particularly when?) she is being interfering, bossy and/or annoying. I love her!

Thoroughly recommended, particularly if you loved Away with the Penguins and books such as Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. One of my favourite reads this year.

Thank you to Hazel Prior and Transworld/Penguin Random House for my copy of this book, which I received via the publisher and reviewed voluntarily. 

Related Post:

Away with the Penguins by Hazel Prior

Review: The Duke's Counterfeit Wife by Louise Allen

I love the escapism of historical romance and Louise Allen is one of my favourite authors. The Duke's Counterfeit Wife is a fabulous fast-paced story about a lowly lady's companion and a duke, thrown together after being kidnapped by pirates. 

Sarah Parrish was left almost destitute by the collapse of her father's shipping business, caused by the crooked behaviour of his assistant. Now she has to earn her living as a lady's companion. Travelling around the coast by ship to her next employment, rather than taking a stage coach, she is effectively 'kidnapped by pirates' when the crew turn rogue and begin murdering the other passengers. She is only saved because Nicholas, the Duke of Severton, tells the captain Sarah is his wife and they could earn a large ransom in exchange for their lives. But has Sarah's life been saved only at the cost of her reputation?

Sarah and Nicholas race around the country trying to solve the mystery of what the ship was carrying in its cargo hold that made it a target for the 'pirates'. Sarah is convinced it is connected to the collapse of her father's business and forces Nicholas to let her tag along on his investigation.

I've read most of Louise's historical romances and this is one of her best. Her books are always meticulously researched, the pace does not let up, and the main characters become friends in a very realistic way before becoming lovers. I adored the way Sarah and Nicholas, along with her maid and his valet, become a tight-knit team, working together to solve the mystery regardless of rank. Sarah stands up to Nicholas, despite their social differences (and much to his surprise!) and there is at least one occasion where she saves him!

Fabulous escapism and a solid five-star read. Recommended for all fans of Louise Allen and historical romance.

Thank you to Louise Allen and Mills & Boon for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

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Review: A Scandinavian Christmas

A Scandinavian Christmas is a slim anthology of sixteen short stories written by a range of authors both classic and modern. It includes three very famous tales from Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), as well three from the first woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature, Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940). 

I am a terrible sucker for a pretty cover and this one is gorgeous. The book would make a beautiful stocking filler for someone who loves classic short stories that lean towards literary fiction but it won't suit everyone. Despite the cover, these tales are not all-out 'sleigh bells and mistletoe' festive tales, but unusual, poignant and sometimes downright sad stories that just happen to be set at Christmas.

My favourites were the three Hans Christian Andersen stories - beautifully written but incredibly sad. I also enjoyed The Forest Witch (about a girl trying to outwit a witch), The Christmas Rose (about a beautiful garden that only appears at Christmas) and Christmas Eve by Vigdis Hjorth (a clever but poignant story about an alcoholic trying to get through Christmas dinner with their family).

Thank you to Vintage/Random House for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar

This book has one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen. When I found out it was a 'retelling' of the classic story, The Nutcracker, I really wanted to read it. However, it wasn't quite the romantic magical fairy tale I was hoping for.

Midnight in Everwood is set in Nottingham in 1906. Marietta Stelle dreams of becoming a professional ballerina but, as her parents are well-to-do, she is expected to have an arranged marriage to a man of equal status. Her new neighbour, the creepy Dr Drosselmeier, has impressed her family with his gifts of 'magical' clockwork toys; now he's built a stunning set for Marietta's last ballet performance on Christmas Eve. As the grandfather clock strikes midnight, Marietta hides from Dr Drosselmeier inside, only to find herself in a winter wonderland...

This is one of those 'perfectly good book but totally wrong reader' scenarios. From the cover, I was expecting a romantic fairy tale retelling of The Nutcracker, in the same way that Naomi Novik's Spinning Silver was a retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. However, while Midnight in Everwood does have elements of The Nutcracker, it is not a retelling but more 'inspired by'. There are also elements of other well-known stories such as The Red Shoes, Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

The first third of the story is about Marietta's life in Nottingham, showing how privileged she is (I loved the descriptions of her fabulous gowns!) but how she is also trapped by that privilege. Her life has been planned out for her by her parents and will be continued by her husband. As much as she rebels against this with her ballet lessons (considered shocking for an upper-class Edwardian girl) she is quite naïve. When she arrives in Everwood her first thought is to relish her freedom, ignoring the fact that she might be walking into a pretty trap. Marietta has many hard lessons to learn about family, friendship, love and sacrifice before she can earn her own happy ending.

Midnight in Everwood would suit anyone who loves ballet and historical novels about women fighting for their right to lead the independent life they want. It's not quite the magical fantasy the cover suggests, despite the luscious descriptions of the sweets in Everwood. I would have preferred more fairy tale magic, more romance, and an ending more in keeping with the original ballet, but the story is still worth a solid four stars.

Thank you to M.A. Kuzniar and HQ for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Spooky Reads for Halloween

I'm not a huge fan of autumn. Yes, the leaves look pretty but the weather turns distinctly chilly and the nights are growing longer. But cold, wet days and early dark evenings do lend themselves to reading spooky books...

There seems to be a trend at the moment for gothic historical novels, which I LOVE, and also super-scary ghost stories. Listed below are my recommended reads for this year's Halloween. There should be something for everyone: a Victorian ghost story, witches and changelings, a couple of classics retold, and a murder mystery with an 'appearance' by the king of the undead himself...Dracula (aka: Max Mephisto, star of Elly Griffiths' Brighton Mysteries).

Happy Halloween!

The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

Elspeth Swansome goes to work as a nanny on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. Her charge, Mary, hasn't said a word since the unexpected death of her twin brother William, and the last nanny packed up and left in a hurry. No one will speak of what happened to William, just as no one can explain the sound of singing in empty corridors, strange dolls appearing in abandoned rooms, and the faint whistling that comes in the night...

Full review

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

In the 1600s, Patrick watches helplessly as those he loves are accused of witchcraft - the penalty is death; in the 1990s, Liv escapes her problems by fleeing to a remote Scottish island, Lon Haven, where the inhabitants are a superstitious lot, obsessed with witches and curses; and in the present day, Luna travels back to Lon Haven hoping to discover the truth about what happened to her family, twenty-two years previously.

Full review.

Horseman by Christina Henry

Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows of the legendary Horseman, but no one really believes in him until fourteen year old Ben stumbles upon the headless body of a child in the woods. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?

Full review.

The Midnight Hour by Elly Griffiths

Brighton, 1965. When theatrical impresario Bert Billington is found poisoned, suspicion immediately falls on his much younger wife, ex-variety star Verity Malone. The evidence is stacked up against her; even her son thinks she did it. Exasperated by the police, Verity calls in two private detectives to clear her name: ex-police sergeant Emma Holmes and journalist Sam Collins. It soon becomes apparent that Bert had a very long list of enemies. In fact, it would be easier to find someone who didn't want to kill him...

Full review.

The Tailor and the Three Dead King by Dan Jones

One winter, in the reign of King Richard II (ie: the late 1300s), a tailor is riding home when he is knocked off his horse by a huge raven, which then turns into a hideous dog. The dog tells the tailor he must go to the priest and ask for absolution, or there will be terrible consequences...

Full review.

Image of pumpkins © Shutterstock

Review: The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

I adore Victorian ghost stories, particularly gothic ones, so The Whistling ticked all the boxes for me!

Elspeth Swansome goes to work as a nanny on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. Her charge, Mary, hasn't said a word since the unexpected death of her twin brother William, and the last nanny packed up and left in a hurry. No one will speak of what happened to William, just as no one can explain the sound of singing in empty corridors, strange dolls appearing in abandoned rooms, and the faint whistling that comes in the night...

If you're looking for a truly chilling autumn read, this is the story for you! Set in 1860, it is a gorgeously gothic Victorian ghost story, with proper spooky bits (not the kind that are all in someone's mind). Reminiscent of the recent Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor (based on Henry James' short stories), The Whistling is a modern spin on the classic Victorian ghost story.

The book is big on atmosphere; the eeriness of the remote Scottish island, the creepy old house, sinister servants (shades of Mrs Danvers!) There are plenty of mysteries to solve. What happened to the former nanny? Why does no one speak about William? Why did Mary stop speaking? And then there are the ghosts...

One of my favourite books this year, The Whistling is perfect Halloween reading! 

Just remember to leave on the lights...

Thank you to Rebecca Netley and Michael Joseph for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings by Dan Jones

The cover and blurb attracted me to this book; originally I didn't click that it was written by historian Dan Jones. Based on a medieval manuscript, this is a quirky short story that would make a good stocking filler for anyone who likes a ghost story that is a little bit unusual!

One winter, in the reign of King Richard II (ie: the late 1300s), a tailor is riding home when he is knocked off his horse by a huge raven, which then turns into a hideous dog. The dog tells the tailor he must go to the priest and ask for absolution, or there will be terrible consequences...

This is a short story, so it is hard to say more without giving away the plot. It is well-written, deliciously chilling, but very strange - probably because it is based on an original story written in the 1400s by an unknown monk. According to Amazon the book is 196 pages long, but be aware that the original Latin version is included,  along with a foreword by the author. There are also notes at the end, about the history of Byland Abbey. I particularly enjoyed reading them! 

So this book would be best suited for someone like me, who loves history, ghost stories, and anything strange and quirky! A perfect short read for Halloween, the hardback would made a good Christmas stocking filler too.

The Tale of the Tailor and the Three Dead Kings will be published in the UK on 14th October 2021

Thank you to Dan Jones and Head of Zeus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Review: The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke

I was attracted to this book by the absolutely beautiful cover, and then I remembered that I had read and enjoyed the author's previous book, The Nesting. While The Nesting was definitely a ghost story, The Lighthouse Witches is a mash-up of several difference genres: gothic mystery, psychological thriller, there is even a dash of science fiction. Although I started the story with an idea of where I thought it was going (apparently I've watched too many 70's folk horror movies), the twist at the end is astounding - and extremely clever.

The Lighthouse Witches takes place over several timelines. In the 1600s, Patrick watches helplessly as those he loves are accused of witchcraft - the penalty is death; in the 1990s, Liv escapes her problems by fleeing to a remote Scottish island, Lon Haven, where the inhabitants are a superstitious lot, obsessed with witches and curses; and in the present day, Luna travels back to Lon Haven hoping to discover the truth about what happened to her family, twenty-two years previously.

Although I found the constant switching between timelines confusing at first (despite the helpfully labelled chapters and changes of font - yes, I know, I'm an idiot) I was soon gripped by the story and read the book in two days flat. The sinister islanders, the atmospheric setting, the general creepiness of the story, all make for a fabulous autumn read. I loved it!

Thank you to C.J. Cooke and HarperCollins for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Review:

The Nesting by C.J. Cooke

Review: The Last Graduate (The Scholomance #2) by Naomi Novik

I am a huge fan of Naomi Novik's YA fantasy novels, especially Spinning Silver and Uprooted. Her Scholomance series is a little bit different, set at a dark school for magic. Unlike Hogwarts, this school seems to actively want to kill off its students!

The Last Graduate is the second book in the Scholomance series. It's like a cross between those witch/wizard school stories, like Harry Potter and The Worst Witch, with a hefty dose of The Hunger Games thrown in, and is both brutal and a little bit gruesome at times. Sure, the students at this school are here to learn magic, but they are also here to survive at any cost, which encourages an every-student-for-themselves mentality.

El and her friends are now seniors with the prospect of graduation looming ahead of them. You'd think they'd be delighted to leave the school far behind, except the graduation ceremony is the most deadly of all, with every mal (monster) waiting to devour them as soon as they enter the graduation hall. The practise runs are getting deadlier and deadlier, El can see no way for the students to survive unless they do something really radical... Like, work together?

This series is completely thrilling, edge-of-your-seat stuff, with El battling monsters and spells hurtling at her from every direction. The finale is amazing but (be warned) ends on a humongous cliff-hanger. The amount of work Naomi has put into creating this world, with no detail overlooked, is awe-inspiring. It reminded me a little of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. With that book the backstories were dropped into footnotes, and I did sometimes feel that all the detail (fabulous as it was) slowed down The Last Graduate just when I wanted to race ahead.

I loved the attitude of El (Student most like to say: 'Get lost, I can rescue myself'), who has spent most of her life being viewed with suspicion (thanks to her great-great grandmother's prophecy predicting she's going to cause death and destruction wherever she goes), and is unused to taking a hero's role. Orion, who has spent most of his life training to be a hero, is adorably confused. And El's familiar, Precious the mouse, is sooo cute! 

One of my favourite reads this year! I can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to Naomi Novik and Del Ray/Cornerstone/Random House for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Posts:

A Deadly Education (The Scholomance #1) by Naomi Novik

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Review: Horseman by Christina Henry

I love the way Christina Henry takes well-known classic tales and puts her own spin on them, turning them into something new and fresh. Horseman is a 'sequel' to Irving Washington's classic story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, taking place about twenty years later.

Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows of the legendary Horseman, but no one really believes in him until fourteen year old Ben stumbles upon the headless body of a child in the woods. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is one of my favourite stories, so I loved the way some of the original text was sprinkled through the book, acting like a touchstone. Ben's grandparents are the famous Brom and Katrina, now wealthy farmers, which causes friction in the village due to jealousy and Brom's habit of ensuring he is always at the centre of things. While Ben is desperate to grow up to be just like Brom, the main theme of the story is about being true to yourself, accepting who you really are and not being afraid to be different. Horseman is also a story about the importance of friendship and family.

Like the inhabitants of Sleepy Hollow, you might think you know the legend of the Horseman but there are still plenty of surprises here! There's more than one monster for a start! The creepy setting and evil lurking in the woods also reminded me of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village. Like Christina's previous book, The Ghost Tree, I am not sure if the story is supposed to be a  Young Adult, but it does read like one. There are some gruesome bits (headless bodies!) but it's not too scary. I wasn't so keen on the 'ten years later' segment at the end of the book, which I found rather sad, but I did enjoy the final twist. 

Horseman is a deliciously chilling read for autumn. A historical horror story dripping with sinister atmosphere, Christina's fans will love it - along with anyone who adored the original story. A perfect Halloween treat!

Horseman will be published in the UK on 28th September 2021

Thank you to Christina Henry and  Titan Books for my copy of this book, which I requested via NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Posts:

Near the Bone by Christina Henry

The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

Review: The Midnight Hour (The Brighton Mysteries #6) by Elly Griffiths

Elly Griffiths is one of my favourite mystery writers and I was thrilled to receive an early copy of The Midnight Hour via NetGalley. This story is number 6 in her Brighton Mysteries, which is slightly darker than her Ruth Galloway series, and runs from 1950 to 1965 (so far!). While it is possible to enjoy this story without reading the others first, each book introduces more main characters, who all become involved in solving the mysteries, so you might find it a little confusing if you don't start with the first one (The Zig Zag Girl).

Brighton, 1965. When theatrical impresario Bert Billington is found poisoned, suspicion immediately falls on his much younger wife, ex-variety star Verity Malone. The evidence is stacked up against her; even her son thinks she did it. Exasperated by the police, Verity calls in two private detectives to clear her name: ex-police sergeant Emma Holmes and journalist Sam Collins. It soon becomes apparent that Bert had a very long list of enemies. In fact, it would be easier to find someone who didn't want to kill him...

The Midnight Hour is more light-hearted than the other Brighton Mysteries and in a similar style to Elly's recent bestseller, The Postscript Murders. Rather than DI Edgar Stephens (now a superintendent) and famous variety magician Max Mephisto solving the murders, in this book it is Emma (Edgar's wife) and Sam, with the police represented by DI Bob Willis and WPC Meg Connelly, although Emma and Meg do most of the legwork as Sam is chasing a news story in Manchester.

The Midnight Hour is set in the run up to Halloween and Elly has had a lot of fun adding spooky elements to the story. Max is working on a new film in Whitby, playing the part of Dracula's dad, and at one point Meg is convinced she's seeing a real vampire. There are also other tiny supernatural hints.

Despite the light-heartedness, there are darker moments and some serious themes are touched upon. This is the 1960s, so a reoccurring one is equality between the sexes and women's rights, along with harassment and  bullying in the workplace. As the story takes place in 1965, it also mentions the Moors Murderers. 

The Midnight Hour is probably my favourite of the series to date. I particularly liked the character of Meg (along with her eccentric family) and I hope she appears again. There are lots of red herrings; I was led up and down the garden path several times and didn't guess the identity of the murder at all.

Recommended to anyone who loves brilliantly written, fiendishly plotted murder mysteries with fabulous characters. One of my favourite reads this year.

The Midnight Hour will be published in the UK on 30th September 2021

Thank you to Elly Griffiths and Quercus for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

Related Posts:

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths

Ruth's First Christmas Tree by Elly Griffiths

Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths

The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths 

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths
The Stone Circle by Elly Griffiths
Now You See Them by Elly Griffiths

The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths

The Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths

The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths