BLOG TOUR: The Overthinking Cure - Dr Jessamy Hibberd

Do you get caught up in anxious thoughts?

Do you replay over your mistakes and failures in your mind?

Do you lie awake at night because you can't stop thinking about what happened earlier that day?

If so, you're suffering from overthinking.

But you are not alone.

Thinking about your life is a normal part of being human; it's often helpful to analyze a situation or revisit a problem in your mind, but if you find yourself constantly dwelling on your thoughts - with no sign of resolution - then it becomes a problem.

Overthinking is the problem that disguises itself as the solution.

In this life-changing book, trusted psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd shows how to break free from overthinking. Through expert advice, and real-life examples from her clinic, you will become more aware of your overthinking habits - and learn why we get stuck in unhelpful thinking patterns. Dr Jessamy offers personalized prompts and practical tips to identify your doom spirals and help you find healthier coping strategies that redirect your thoughts.

The cure is simple: break the cycle of overthinking.

In this book, you will learn how to:

- Notice your thoughts

- Choose your response

- Challenge your thinking

- Accept the reality of how life is

- Face your fears

The Overthinking Cure is the essential guide to break free from overthinking - so you can live a better life and focus on what really matters.

 

What did I think?

I am a massive overthinker and once I get on the hamster wheel I can't get off it.  I didn't even know it was a solvable problem, I just thought it was the way that I am but now I know better thanks to Dr Jessamy Hibberd's amazing life-changing book, The Overthinking Cure.

By the time I had finished reading chapter one, I had started to recognise when I was overthinking and by the end of chapter two I realised I wasn't alone and it's not my fault.  Our brains are wired to solve problems and part of that is going through every possible outcome, but sometimes this overthinking can affect our life and become a negative habit.

The book is set out in three parts: Understanding the problem, Why we overthink and The cure.  It is written in a very accessible way that is easy to understand and there are diagrams, tables and exercises to aid further understanding.  The chapters are concise and informative as well as being interesting and thought-provoking.  There are some memorable analogies too and I particularly liked one about our emotions being like where to seat children in a car: you don't want them driving it but neither do you want them hidden away in the boot!

Whilst I think it's a long road to cure my overthinking, I feel like I'm heading in the right direction with my emotions firmly strapped in to the back seat.  I think it's fair to say that The Overthinking Cure could change your life as it has already made a difference to mine.  Don't overthink it - just order a copy now!

I received a gifted paperback copy for the Novel Tours Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: Catherine - Essie Fox

With a nature as wild as the moors she loves to roam, Catherine Earnshaw grows up alongside Heathcliff, a foundling her father rescued from the streets of Liverpool. Their fierce, untamed bond deepens as they grow – until Mr Earnshaw’s death leaves Hindley, Catherine’s brutal brother, in control and Heathcliff reduced to servitude.

Desperate to protect him, Catherine turns to Edgar Linton, the handsome heir to Thrushcross Grange. She believes his wealth might free Heathcliff from cruelty – but her choice is fatally misunderstood, and their lives spiral into a storm of passion, jealousy and revenge.

Now, eighteen years later, Catherine rises from her grave to tell her story – and to seek redemption.

Essie Fox’s Catherine reimagines Wuthering Heights with beauty and intensity – a haunting, atmospheric retelling that brings new life to a timeless classic and lays bare the dark heart of an immortal love.

 

What did I think?

It's been a number of years since I last read Wuthering Heights and I want to read it again after reading Catherine by Essie Fox, although I'm worried that the original won't be as good as this fantastic retelling.  Yes, it's THAT good.

This is Catherine and Heathcliff's story like you've never read it before.  Essie Fox has taken Emily Brontë's original story and somehow made it more authentic, emotional and memorable, whilst remaining true to the original.  I love how references to some of the most well-known lines are included too without them being a word for word regurgitation.

I think it's very brave of Essie Fox to write a retelling of such a classic novel but her beautiful writing and powerful storytelling do more than justice to the original.  I have wanted to read an Essie Fox book for a while and now that I have read Catherine I want to read everything else that she has written both past and future.

Bold, impressive and breathtakingly exquisite, Catherine is one of the best retellings I have ever read.  Five stars are not enough to indicate the sheer brilliance of this book; it's completely unmissable and very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Orenda Books

Amazon

About the author:

Essie Fox is the Sunday Times bestselling author of seven historical novels, including The Somnambulist, shortlisted for the National Book Awards, and The Fascination, an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her work has twice been selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month, most recently for her gothic mystery Dangerous. She appears regularly at literary festivals and cultural institutions and is the host of the podcast Talking the Gothic. She lives in Windsor.

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BLOG TOUR: Oracle's Vision (Mirror Wars Book 2) - Alan Bayles

The battle for the fate of Earth has only begun as Detective Inspector Dave Barnes and his team must fight against a malevolent AI hell-bent on dominating multiple worlds.

With Terra, a counter-Earth in a parallel dimension, under its control, the tyrannical AI known as Oracle continues her relentless march across the multiverse‚ and now she holds Earth Prime in her sights.

While Dave Barnes and members of The Castle battle to stop the dangerous AI from succeeding in her invasion, all is not lost on Terra where a group of resistance fighters are marshalling their forces to free those who have been assimilated as mindless foot soldiers.

With conflict waging on both worlds, and Oracle tightening her grip, hope comes from an unlikely source when the duplicitous Colonel David Barnes offers information that could prove vital. But can this master of deception be trusted to aid in the fight for two worlds?

As Oracle becomes increasingly unhinged, and with the fate of humanity at stake, it becomes clear to those who resist that the AI will stop at nothing to rule the multiverse. In a desperate struggle to survive, can those on opposite sides unite in a mission to save two worlds? And, with the stakes so high, will all who fight live to see freedom from Oracle's reign of terror?

 

What did I think?

After reading Double Jeopardy, the first book in the Mirror Wars series, I raced on to book 2, Oracle's Vision and it's a fantastic sequel.  

The story has taken a dark turn now that Oracle has arrived to take control of our world and whilst it sometimes is a bit techy (and Trekkie) for me, I was completely invested in the story.  You can tell that Alan Bayles is a big Star Trek fan so this book will definitely appeal to Trekkies and sci-fi fans alike.  There are also some movie references to look out for and although I haven't seen any Star Trek, I did notice the Back to the Future ones.

As it's the second book in the series, I think you do need to have read the first book to fully understand the different dimensions and the story behind some of the characters,  I think I would have been completely lost if I'd tried to read it as a standalone.

The pacing is fast and the plot is gripping so, even though it's quite a chunky book, I read it a lot quicker than I expected.  I can't wait to find out what happens next and I will be reading book 3, Realm of Fear very soon.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Amazon

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Sleep No More (The Shakespeare Murders Book 4) - Guy Hale

Act IV: The Way To Dusty Death

Sir Morris Oxford lies critically wounded in Stratford Hospital. Oliver Lawrence, whose cunning plan put him there, thought his revenge was complete but it takes a lot to kill a King

Boundless ambition collides headlong with the cold fury of revenge as we enter the final scene of this tragedy. There can be no hiding place for those that harbour secrets. As Toby Marlowe and Fred Williams try desperately to catch their killer, a huge storm surges into Stratford and drowns all hope of a happy resolution.

On the dark streets of Stratford, something wicked this way comes! 

What did I think?

After the huge cliffhanger in Act III of The Shakespeare Murders I couldn't wait for Act IV and it not only did not disappoint, it completely exceeded my expectations.  Sleep No More is possibly the last book in the series and what a thrilling ending to a fabulous series.

Oliver Lawrence is still eluding the police as he takes revenge on the people he sees as responsible for ruining his acting career.  He is picking them off one by one as he re-enacts his own versions of Shakespeare's famous plays.  Sleep No More is Oliver's version of Macbeth and we all know you've got to watch out for Lady Macbeth.  I'm saying no more about the plot as it would spoil it, but it is absolutely breathtaking.

It's impossible to put this book down once you pick it up and it just gets more gripping as the story progresses.  The weather even plays a big part and my heart was pounding as the storm raged overhead, which just goes to show the talent of Guy Hale for evoking such a response from his carefully crafted words.

Whilst I'm sad that this may be the last book in the series, I am actually looking forward to reading all of the books again.  Sleep No More is without doubt a five star read in a five star series.  Very highly recommended and completely unmissable.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours readalong and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Castles, Crime & Cake: A Policeman's Accidental Guide to History - John Donoghue

From Police Officer to Medieval Castle Guide… via Britain’s Most Curious Crimes

It started with cake—as most good stories do. Then came the discovery that it’s illegal to chat to the postman for too long, and a spark was ignited.

What followed was a mad quest to break Britain’s strangest laws, spiralling out of control until I hit rock bottom: telling the woman from British Gas I got my energy from bananas.

Dejected, I wandered into a castle, was offered a job, and soon found myself learning that the ideal position in the Middle Ages involved doing a jump, a fart, and a whistle every Christmas. Then, amongst other things, came a monkey ghost, two-fingered gestures, and a knight to remember.

Eventually, I was leading unsuspecting visitors on my own irreverent guided tour of a magnificent medieval castle… and now you can come too!

The past was never this much fun—or this illegal.

 

What did I think?

Castles, Crime & Cake is one of the funniest books I have ever read and I say 'one of' on purpose as the last time I read a book this funny it was written by none other than John Donoghue.  

In this book, John has left the police force and moved down south but he's at a bit of a loose end.  After giving a talk to the local WI about what he learned in the police, John decides to see how many archaic laws he can break.  I know we have some bonkers laws still in place and it was fascinating to read a fantastic selection of them.  To be fair, John could have probably written a whole book about them but the best is yet to come in this hilarious book as the reader is taken on a whistlestop British history tour.

Why history? I hear you ask.  Well John has been successful in his application to become a caste guide - it was the unique CV that did it, I'm sure!  I do love history (not so much at school as there's only so many hours you can study the Industrial Revolution and the Spinning Jenny) so I positively gobbled up these chapters, only stopping to wipe my eyes from the tears of laughter running down my face. 

I defy anyone not to chuckle, laugh or guffaw whilst reading Castles, Crime & Cake; I made the mistake of reading in bed and I had the bed shaking as I tried (unsuccessfully, I might add) to contain my laughter so I didn't wake up my other half.  I'm so glad I didn't drink a cuppa whilst reading as I would've been showered in tea.

Hilarious, entertaining and informative, Castles, Crime & Cake is a fantastic memoir that I will be recommending for a very long time (along with John's other books).  The book should come with a warning that it is likely to cause uncontrollable laughter so be careful where and when you read it.  An easy and well-deserved five stars.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Amazon

About the author:

John Donoghue has served Queen, King, and Country over forty years in the Royal Navy, British Army, and Police. These days, he’s swapped handcuffs for heraldry as a guide at a medieval castle. He also has a dog, Monty, who’s yet to break any known laws, but has taken on the role of farting jester perfectly.

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Morph: Demise of Knacc (The MorphEn Files Book 1) - Tim Ferguson

Dan Fletcher was never meant to exist. Now someone wants him dead.

Enhanced at birth without his knowledge, Dan is one of the MorphEns—a covert generation of genetically engineered humans, designed to be faster, stronger, and smarter than everyone else. He’s spent thirty years believing he’s normal. That illusion ends in a brutal ambush in the French Alps.

Hunted across Europe, Dan is forced on the run with his brother and sister as the Apfel—a ruthless organisation with unlimited reach—closes in. Assassins strike without warning. Safe houses burn. And the people chasing him know exactly what he is.

As MI6 fights to keep him alive, the CIA and FSB wage a silent war to seize control of the programme that created him. Trapped between rival agencies, betrayed at every turn, and pursued by enemies who never miss, Dan must rely on instinct, courage, and the few people he can still trust to survive.

No one can be trusted. Nowhere is safe.

And when evolution makes you a weapon, how do you outrun the people who built you? 

What did I think?

Morph: Demise of Knacc is a cracking debut novel from Tim Ferguson.  It took me a few chapters to get into it as the scene is set but once the danger levels ramp up I couldn't put it down.

I can't say too much about the story without spoiling it but the plot is so sharp, intelligent and gripping.  It's like taking a combination of Jason Bourne, Jack Bauer and James Bond and making a family of super-humans.  The best thing is that the Fletchers don't even know they are special until someone tries to kill them.

It's a very accomplished debut novel that is filled with action and danger.  The pacing is blistering and I couldn't read fast enough to try to keep up.  It's definitely a 'just one more chapter' kind of book!

Mixing espionage with genetic engineering, Tim Ferguson has found the formula to create a blistering modern-day espionage thriller.  It's a fantastic start to a new series and I can't wait to read more. 

I received a digital ARC from the author and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Silent Y - Katherine Benfante

In 2142, women control human reproduction—and they're about to weaponize it.

Dart Maylord is a brilliant but isolated endocrinology researcher working for the Department of Reproduction in the female-ruled half of a divided America. She’s never met a man, never questioned the wall that splits Washington, D.C., or the lies told about what stretches beyond it.

Until one day, a male researcher crosses that wall.

Alex Smern isn’t the violent Neanderthal Dart was led to expect—he’s sharp, disarmingly funny, and curious about the world she’s never dared to question. Their collaboration begins with science but quickly becomes something more dangerous: connection. Trust. Desire.

Then Dart stumbles on a classified document she shouldn’t see. The reproductive system isn't just being managed—it's being manipulated. And men are being systematically erased.

Worse still, Dart’s own family may be orchestrating the scheme.

As she digs deeper, Dart must choose between protecting the people she loves and exposing a truth that could unravel the fragile balance of power. With Alex by her side and everything she thought she knew crumbling around her, Dart has to decide: is losing family worth rebellion?

Because if she doesn’t act soon, there may be nothing left to save.

 

What did I think?

Wow, just wow!  I'm putting my head above the parapet and stating that Silent Y is THE feminist, dystopian novel of our time.  It is simply breathtaking!

This is a disturbing future that sees men and women so strictly segregated that reproduction is controlled via IVF with boy babies sent through the wall to the men and girl babies remaining with their mothers.  The women controlling reproduction want to go a step further and completely remove men from existence.  This gives me chills just thinking about it now.

Dart Maylord has been brought up on the female side of the wall and her life is about to change when she is asked to collaborate with a scientist from the other side.  The chemistry between Dart and Alex is clear to see and, even though society demands that they are kept  apart, they find a way to be together...and they're not the only ones.  I'm singing 'Stand Up For Your Love Rights' in my head now!

Katherine Benfante's writing is as stunning as her imagination and she certainly 'puts the science in science fiction' in an way that is easy to understand.  I was completely drawn into the story and couldn't read it fast enough.  I will definitely be reading it again - it's THAT good!

Compelling, thought-provoking and highly original, Silent Y is a powerful and essential novel that absolutely blew me away.  You will never say you 'don't read science fiction' after reading this unforgettable and unmissable book!  An easy five stars and very highly recommended.

I received a gifted paperback for the Love Books Tours Bookstagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

Buy it from:

Waterstones

Amazon

About the author:

Katherine Benfante writes science fiction, and she likes to “put the science in science fiction.” Of all the dream careers she’s been fortunate to have so far, including as mechanical engineer and French teacher, being an author is the most satisfying and enjoyable. Katherine lives in New Jersey with her husband and two daughters, across the street from a lake overrun by swans and Canadian geese. Voracious readers all, her family can be found reading together, playing games, hiking Jersey’s remaining wilderness, and visiting family. Her short story "Convergence” appeared in The Accidental Time Traveler's Collective Volume 3. She's currently working on a standalone science fiction novel and drafting a sequel to Scattered.

Social media links:

Website: https://katherinebenfante.com/

Instagram: @KatherineBenfante

Facebook: KatherineBenfanteAuthor

X: @KDBenfante

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