The Diary of Derek Drummond: The Story of My Cursed Life - Katelyn Emilia Novak

An immortal soul. A forgotten curse. A love that rewrites fate.

Once a proud Scottish nobleman, Derek Drummond has spent 124 years caught between day and night, hiding from the world — and from himself. A shadow among shadows, he has watched time unravel, love vanish, and hope fade into myth.

Until Megan MacKenzie looks at him — and sees more than she should.

With haunted eyes and a quiet, stubborn kindness, she stirs the man he used to be. But the past never stays silent. Some curses won’t break. And some ghosts refuse to let go.

Told entirely in Derek’s voice — darkly poetic, sardonic, and painfully human — The Diary of Derek Drummond is a gothic fantasy of redemption and reckoning.

From the storm-lashed cliffs of northern Scotland to the rain-soaked rooftops of London, it is a story of immortality, forgiveness,and the terrifying hope of being truly seen.

If you believe in second chances — even after death — open the diary.

 

What did I think?

The Diary of Derek Drummond is quite a chunky book with 541 pages but it is written in diary format so it is very easy to read and it's totally bingeable.  I absolutely loved it and could easily read it again right now.

We meet Derek Drummond in Scotland in 1897 as an eligible young bachelor who discovers the meaning of the phrase "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and finds himself cursed to live out his days as a raven and his nights as an immortal man.  He was cursed by Margaret MacKenzie, the woman he loved, when she found him with another woman and she refuses to see him to let him explain.  It wasn't totally his fault, although it was a little bit as he could've nipped it in the bud if he hadn't been enjoying the attention so much. 

As the years go on, Derek has a solitary existence but he seems to quite enjoy the freedom of having wings.  Maybe this being cursed lark isn't so bad after all...until he meets Megan MacKenzie and falls in love with again.  Megan may be the key to unlocking Derek's curse, but he's not sure he wants to give up his immortality.

The story concludes in 2020 and I loved every single page of it.  I could have read more as I was completely enchanted by Derek's unique voice that speaks loudly and clearly through the prose.  I loved being privy to Derek's innermost thoughts, fears and feelings over the 124 years of the diary.

The Diary of Derek Drummond is faultless and so beautifully written that I felt completely immersed in the story.  With curses, romance and immortality, it has the feeling of a fairy tale but it is also thought-provoking and hopeful.  It's a haunting and poignant gothic fantasy that is an easy five stars and a very highly recommended read. 

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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INSTAGRAM TOUR: The Amalfi Curse - Sarah Penner

 

Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse...

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artefacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever...

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.

What did I think?

I adored Sarah Penner's debut novel, The Lost Apothecary, so I was very excited to read another of her books and I was not disappointed.  The Amalfi Curse is her third novel, and the first to be set outside of London, that takes the reader to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

This is a story about sea witches and there is a register of incantations on an illustration of a scroll in the front of the book.  I loved this touch and it really made me excited to read the story that follows.

With a dual timeline we meet sea witch Mari in 1821 and nautical archaeologist Haven in the present day.  The way their stories intertwine is breathtaking as they are linked by a sailor from a sunken ship called Holmes.  Holmes was in love with Mari, even though she was promised to another man, and I absolutely devoured their story.  Haven's father discovered the sunken ship on a dive but he passed away before he could investigate further so Haven has returned to finish where he left off.

This is such an intriguing story with an ancient curse and the promise of treasure beneath the waves.  I was completely riveted by Haven's research and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page when she visited the archives to assist in her research.

Incredibly atmospheric and completely captivating, The Amalfi Curse is a poignant and haunting novel that is filled with mystery, magic and romance.  I loved it and highly recommend it.

I received a gifted paperback to read and review for the Insta Book Tours Instagram Tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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Lochbound - Rebecca Templeton

There is no happily-ever-after . . .

Kilmara, Scotland. 1725. For fifty years, Iris has accepted the curse that blighted her life. By night, she is a heartbroken woman, destined to walk the misty shores of Kilmara without growing older. By day, she is Moireach, a terrifying monster imprisoned in the murky depths of Loch Moine.

When bodies begin appearing on the shore, the villagers are convinced Moireach is responsible. So a hunter - the rugged, ruthless Henry Carver - is summoned to slay the monster of the loch.

Iris must break her curse before she is killed for crimes she cannot believe she has committed. But as Kilmara's hunt for the monster becomes ever more fevered, she and Henry are drawn together in a dangerous game of impossible attraction.

And when a figure from Iris's past suddenly reappears, she must choose what - or who - she is willing to sacrifice to win her freedom.

. . . when you are the monster.

A glitteringly dark reimagining of The Little Mermaid set in eighteenth-century Scotland, this enchanting and gothic historical fantasy is perfect for fans of Rosie Andrews's The Leviathan, Georgia Leighton's Spellbound and anyone who loved Outlander. 

What did I think?

Oh my goodness, I adored this beautiful book; it is as stunning inside as out.  Lochbound is Rebecca Templeton's debut novel and it is exceptional.  It is a retelling of The Little Mermaid but it also reminded me of Beauty and the Beast.  

Iris has been cursed to spend her days as Moireach the monster in the loch but by night she becomes Iris again.  The curse can only be broken by true love's kiss but the boy Iris loves disappeared when she became a monster and she is still searching for him.  With mutilated bodies turning up by the loch, time is running out for Iris as the laird has tasked a hunter to find the monster before any more villagers are killed.  

The enchanting story is told from various points of view: Iris, her old friend Duncan, Henry the hunter and Moireach.  It is deliciously dark and, with witches, curses and monsters, it is one of the best adult fairy tales I have ever read.  The writing is so beautiful and spellbinding that I had to double check that Lochbound is Rebecca Templeton's debut - it really is!  Put this exciting new author on your watchlist, readers!

Haunting, mesmerising and atmospheric, Lochbound is a breathtaking debut novel that captivated, entertained and delighted me from the first page to the last.  I couldn't put it down and I will definitely be reading it again.  I would give it more than five stars if I could; it's absolutely exquisite and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Weave Your Magic (Molland Sisters Book 1) - Caroline Hogg

Temperance Molland doesn’t want much. Just true love. Fed up with rubbish first dates, she drunkenly dreams up the perfect love story – unaware that combining moonlight, expired rum and her witchy DNA will start all kinds of trouble…

The next day Temperance wakes up to a stinking hangover and a worse premonition: something dangerous is headed to their village. When she runs into Abel Gulliver, she can’t believe her eyes: her childhood best friend, her first love, the boy who broke her heart 12 years ago. Whatever curse she's triggered has dragged Abel back home against his will and she’s going to have to keep him there until she figures it all out.

And it’s not enough to be plagued by visions of purple lightning and burning wildflowers, now property developers are after their cosy corner of the South Coast. With her sister Suse using magic to see off the fat cats, it’s up to Temperance to keep Abel safe. If only she could work out what was so terrible about their first kiss, all those years ago, that means he can’t look her in the eye. To her, it was spellbinding…

A gorgeous and spicy romantic comedy with a witchy twist, perfect for fans of Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood, The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling and the movie Practical Magic.

 

What did I think?

It was an absolute pleasure to read Weave Your Magic and, as it's the first book in the series, I am delighted that it's not the last we will hear from the Molland sisters.

Temperence and Susie run a second-hand shop in Devon and they have a magical gift that enables them to read the memories attached to clothes.  This is such a lovely idea but it also has a dark side as not all memories are happy.  Temperence knows all about that because she picked up her best friend's hoodie after their teenage kiss and experienced Abel's hurtful feelings.

Abel is definitely the one that got away for Temperence and now he's back.  The sexual chemistry between them sizzles off the page but Temperence knows how Abel really feels and his actions confirm that.   It's a brilliant will they/won't they hook and there's certainly magic (and a dangerous curse) in the air.

I really loved this book; it's funny, magical and filled with danger.  My eyes were glued to the page from start to finish and I couldn't read fast enough to find out how it would all end but I also didn't want the book to finish as I was loving it so much.  What a great dilemma to have when reading!

Weave Your Magic is a fabulous magical romcom novel from Caroline Hogg.  I can't wait to read more and will definitely be adding Find Your Magic to my TBR. 

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

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: Love's a Witch (The Scottish Charms Series) - Tricia O'Malley

She’s hexed. He’s vexed. And for Scotland’s most magical small-town, their feud might just spell disaster.

Sloane MacGregor swore she’d never return to Briarhaven, but with her twenty-fifth birthday looming – the day witches come into their magic – her grandmother summons her and her sisters back for one tiny task: break the centuries-old curse haunting their bloodline.

Knox Douglas, Briarhaven’s grumpy mayor, has worked tirelessly to make his town a haven for magical folk. The last thing he needs is a cursed MacGregor wreaking havoc. It doesn’t matter he once crushed on her. For the sake of Briarhaven, Sloane has to go.

But magic has other plans – and in Briarhaven, love really is a witch.

What did I think?

Love's a Witch is the first book in an exciting new series and I already can't wait to read more after Sloane, Knox and Blue cast their spell on me.

The prologue is set in 1713 and sets the scene of the curse that has befallen the MacGregor family and caused them to be unwelcome in the quaint little Scottish town of Briarhaven.  Unfortunately for Briarhaven, the MacGregor witches are back in town and mayor Knox Douglas doesn't mince his words when he asks them to leave. 

Sloane MacGregor is no pushover and she also has a history with Knox, who was her teenage crush.  Prepare for some blushing and swooning as the sexual tension reaches fever pitch and I was furiously waving my virtual fan on occasion.  The romance is only part of the story though and there's lots of magic, an abundance of cuteness in the form of the various familiars, and a host of entertainment.

I absolutely loved how Briarhaven hides its magic in plain sight, although some of the mishaps caused by Sloane's new magic were a little harder to explain.  Blue the cheese-loving emberwolf really stole my heart and it's no surprise to learn that Tricia O'Malley based him on the memory of her own pet as his character traits are so amusing and a huge amount of love is woven within the beautiful prose.

Bewitching, magical and a bit steamy, Love's a Witch is an incredibly entertaining novel that's just crying out to be made into a TV show.  Please pick this one up, Netflix!  I can't wait to read more of The Scottish Charms books so please write quickly, Tricia!  An easy five stars - I absolutely loved it.

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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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The Howling: Volume 3 (The Annie Jackson Mysteries) - Michael J Malone

Two men, centuries apart, dream of being a wolf. 

One is burned at the stake.

Another is locked in a psychiatric hospital for most of his life.

And Annie Jackson is about to find out why…

Vowing once again to remove herself from society, Annie is back living alone in her little cottage by the shores of a loch. But when an old enemy – now locked up in a high security hospital – comes calling, begging her to find the son that she was forced to give up at the age of seventeen, Annie is tempted out of seclusion. The missing boy holds the key to ending Annie’s curse, and he may be the only chance that both she and Lewis have of real happiness.

Annie and Lewis begin an investigation that takes them back to the past, a time etched in Scottish folklore, a period of history that may just be repeating itself. And what they uncover could destroy not just some of the most powerful people in the country, who will stop at nothing to protect their wealth and their secrets, but also Annie’s life, and everything she holds dear…

Dark, immersive, and utterly compelling, The Howling is a story of deception, betrayal, and misplaced power, and a reminder that the most public of faces can hide the darkest of hearts…

 

What did I think?

The Howling is the third book in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series and although you could enjoy it as a standalone, it is absolutely brilliant when read as part of the series.  If you thought the first two books were dark, just wait until you read The Howling.

Annie Jackson has a curse that gives her a vision of the impending death of someone with whom she has come into contact.  There is nothing she can do to prevent the death so she has chosen to isolate herself in a remote cottage to keep her murmurs quiet.  Annie is drawn out of isolation when an old adversary dangles a carrot in front of her that is too impossible to resist: find her son and the curse will be broken.

Interspersed with chapters from a dark and dangerous past, I was completely hooked from the start and the historic storyline is both horrifying and heartbreaking.  I could very easily visualise every scene in the book as it played out in my head as I was reading.

I just can't get enough of Michael J Malone's writing; he immediately draws you into the story and I dived in headfirst to submerge myself in the vivid and haunting words.  As much as I wanted Annie and her twin Lewis to succeed in their mission to break the curse, I also don't want the series to end so what a quandary that puts the reader in as we race to the dramatic conclusion.

Deliciously dark and incredibly haunting, The Howling is a fast-paced and completely unmissable novel.  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:

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Amazon

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BLOG TOUR: The Half King - Melissa Landers

A king by day. Shadow by night…

Long ago, the kingdom’s noble houses rebelled against the goddess... and for their treachery, the firstborn of each noble family was cursed.

One with perilous beauty.

One with destructive knowledge.

One with insatiable bloodlust.

But the royal house Mortara received the worst affliction of all. For while the king exists during the day, he fades into nothingness at night...until his twenty-first birthday, when he will be lost to the shadows forever.

Now an acolyte has arrived at court. Like all the second-born children, she’s destined to serve the goddess and become a Seer...only Cerise Solon has no gift of foretelling. In fact, she has no magical gift at all.

Instead, she’s surrounded by courtiers and priests – smiling sycophants whose hearts are filled with secrets and lies. And at the centre sits His Majesty Kian Hannibal Mortara, with his haunting eyes, sharp tongue, and an unerring ability to send her pulse skittering.

As the spectre of his twenty-first birthday – and the full force of his curse – approaches, the kingdom holds its breath.

There’s only one way to save a dying king... and it lies with the one person who’s hiding the biggest secret of all. Cerise.

 

What did I think?

Now that's what I call pure escapism!  I am so pleased that I have started to read books in the fantasy genre as The Half King is a a real jewel in fantasy's crown and I absolutely loved it.

It's like a fairy tale for adults with a curse, a handsome king and a big helping of baddies who want to steal the throne for themselves.  Cerise isn't a firstborn so she has not been cursed and she is training to be a Seer, however, her gift of sight does not appear so she becomes an emissary to the king.  The king is cursed and disappears into shadow form each night, which is why he is referred to as the half king...but perhaps Cerise is his other half?

This is an incredibly entertaining tale that is action-packed and filled with danger and romance.  I loved Cerise and her caring nature that is a gift in its own right.  Cerise puts herself in danger to save her king and it costs her dearly.  I gasped out loud so many times as Melissa Lander's descriptive writing painted vivid scenes in my head.

Entertaining, vividly written and compelling, The Half King is a wonderful story that delighted me from start to finish.  I am hoping that this isn't the last we have heard of Cerise and Kian and I would love to read more if this does become a series.  Very highly recommended and if you don't usually read books in the fantasy genre then I think The Half King would definitely be a good place to start.

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

My rating:

Buy it from:

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Amazon

About the author:

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn't afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public — just ask her embarrassed kids.

She lives in Cincinnati Ohio, where she writes romantic fantasy and science fiction adventures for the young at heart.

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BLOG TOUR: The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries book 2) - Michael J Malone

Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch,  Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs,  a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries. 

While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices  merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths. 

Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for  Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping  off his four-year old son at his mother’s home. 

Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever… 

 

What did I think?

I loved The Murmurs, the first book in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, so I couldn't wait to read the sequel, The Torments, and I was not disappointed.  Although you could read The Torments as a standalone, I think it's beneficial to have read The Murmurs first to really get to know the characters of Annie Jackson and her brother Lewis and to understand Annie's curse.

Annie finally has her curse under control, at least when she's at home in her isolated cottage.  If only she could stay behind closed doors, she wouldn't be plagued by the murmurs and the death visions. When her cousin Damien goes missing, Annie and her brother Lewis are called upon to help find him but the world outside Annie's four walls is filled with danger for someone like Annie.

I really enjoyed reading about Annie Jackson again and it was like meeting up with an old friend so I was very invested in her story.  I was on the edge of my seat as the danger level ramped up and I was suspicious of everyone linked with Damien's disappearance.  With Hallowe'en approaching, the clock is ticking for Annie and Lewis to uncover the truth behind Damien's disappearance, and a whole lot more than they bargained for.

Spooky, chilling and compelling, The Torments is a book that will keep you up at night, both when you're reading it and after you've finished it.  It's the perfect book to read on Hallowe'en and I most definitely recommend it.

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 Amazon

About the author:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines  throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood  Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and  is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone thrillers followed  suit. The Murmurs, first in the Annie Jackson Mysteries series, was published to critical  acclaim in 2023. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as  an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr, where he also works as a hypnotherapist. 

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A Dark Inheritance - H. F. Askwith

Once I had four brothers. Three of them are dead. I am next.

Felix Ashe is sure of only one thing. In thirty days, on his eighteenth birthday, he will die. He might be the only one convinced of this, but the gruesome deaths of his three brothers before him seem to point to only one thing: a curse, one doomed to stop anyone inheriting his family's incredible fortune.

Felix doesn't care about money, or himself, particularly. It's hard to have a stake in the future when you know you haven't got one. But he does care about his little brother Nick, very much. And when an opportunity to break the curse appears to present itself, it's impossible not to heed its dark call.

Soon long-buried secrets will take Felix to the darkest underbelly of Jazz-Age New York, to the far-flung wilds of the Yorkshire moors and back again. And bound to everything is a deadly secret society who will either be Felix's downfall . . . or his one chance at redemption.

 

What did I think?

I enjoy reading YA books now and again and I couldn’t resist the striking Art Deco cover of A Dark Inheritance, the debut novel of H. F. Askwith.

This is the story of Felix Ashe who is cursed to die on his 18th birthday.  Felix knows what’s coming because his three older brothers died on their 18th birthdays, but he’s not going to sit around and wait for the curse to claim him…he’s going to try to break it.

I was drawn into the book immediately as the countdown to Felix’s death begins and it really is one heck of a race against time.  Death, grief and anxiety are subjects that are explored within the book but I didn’t find it overly dark as Felix’s attempt to break the curse turns into a good versus evil adventure.  

I could feel the intense love that Felix has for his family and his anxiety is completely understandable; he’s not just worried about his own death, he’s worried about the same fate happening to his little brother.  As a natural worrier, I know firsthand how crippling anxiety can be but there’s a wise and hopeful message in the book: life may be short but the future isn’t yet written.

Thought-provoking and powerful, A Dark Inheritance is a very accomplished debut from H. F. Askwith.  Don’t be put off by it being in the YA genre, as it’s a dark and entertaining read for adults too.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR: The Murmurs - Michael J. Malone

On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.

How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions ... a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as ‘the murmurs’...

With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.

And this time, it will never let go...

What did I think?

Oh wow, Michael J. Malone has done it again.  Just when I think he's written his best book, he goes and pulls another one out of the bag.  The Murmurs is an outstanding gothic thriller that chilled me to the bone.

Annie has always felt different from her twin brother Lewis, and it wasn't helped by their mother treating Lewis as the golden child and all but ignoring Annie.  Their mother Eleanor always feared that Annie had a curse lying dormant inside her and now it's about to wake up.  Eeeeeek!  The death premonitions and whispering voices really creeped me out and I loved it!

The whole story is very intricately plotted around Annie's curse and it's like untangling a ball of wool so I couldn't read fast enough to discover all of the book's dark and creepy secrets.  I loved the story of Eleanor and her sisters and it was heartbreaking to read about how patients (mainly women) with mental health issues were treated in the not too distant past.  

Expect the unexpected with a Michael J. Malone book and you will not be disappointed.  The Murmurs is a dark, creepy and compelling book that ticks all the boxes of a fast-paced thriller but it goes one better by adding an element of the supernatural.

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:

UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His dark psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and is currently in production for the screen, and five powerful standalone thrillers followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr, where he also works as a hypnotherapist.

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Broken Branches - M. Jonathan Lee

Family curses don't exist.  Sure, some families seem to suffer more pain than others, but a curse?  An actual curse?  I don't think so.

A family tragedy was the catalyst for Ian Perkins to return to the isolated cottage with his wife and young son.  But now they are back, it seems yet more grief might befall the family.

There is still time to act, but that means Ian must face the uncomfortable truth about his past.  And in doing so, he must uncover the truth behind the supposed family curse.

What did I think?

Whoa!  What have I just read?  Part ghost story, part psychological thriller - it certainly kept me on my toes right to the very end.  Welcome to the Perkins family, who appear to have a curse hanging over them which takes their first born sons.  Only by investigating the family tree will Ian Perkins get to the root of the curse and save his family from certain doom.

Ian inherited Cobweb Cottage under unfortunate circumstances.  Being back at the cottage with his wife and young son brings back memories of his youth.  A youth where he had a brother and an uncle, both since erased from the family tree.  The only constant being the sycamore tree that looms menacingly on the front lawn, seeing everything but not revealing its secrets.  The tree plays such a pivotal role in the story that it's almost a character in its own right, and is it wrong of me to say that it was my favourite character?  Even thinking of it now gives me goosebumps!

Broken Branches really plays with your mind as you see the curse being played out in front of your eyes.  Ian is frantically researching the family tree to get to the root of the problem, but can he save his own son from the destiny that awaits him?  I called Ian's sanity into question many a time, as his wife has a lock on her bedroom door and he sees strange apparitions in the night.  How much is real and how much is insanity?  That's for the reader to decide, after you release the breath you didn't realise you had been holding throughout the last few paragraphs.  Broken Branches is one mighty fine book and I heartily recommend it, as I flick through M. Jonathan Lee's back-catalogue wondering what to read next.  This is Quality writing with a capital 'Q'!

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY: I Need a Doctor - Janey Travis

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Release Date: 15^th July 2016
Publisher: Thornhill Print

Beauty and fame… a blessing or a curse?

Loveless fashion model Nola Nichols thinks being beautiful is a curse; that is until she is cursed and her looks begin to fade just a week before the most important photo shoot of her career. In her attempts to get un-cursed, she finds herself taking part in a rather unconventional funeral, reveals one or two unrests in her own past, and falls madly in love with a doctor. Erm… that would be a witch doctor, right?

What did I think?

This was such fabulous lighthearted fun and just what the doctor ordered.  It was quite a quick read but it certainly left a lasting impression and ensured I was left with a smile on my face at the end of it.

Nola is a jet setting model who travels first class and mixes with the rich and famous, but who is she really?  Brought up in Glasgow and named Nora, she couldn't wait to leave home and leave her past behind.  Now named Nola and with a Duchess of Cambridge accent she is used to getting her own way.  When her peace is interrupted on a transatlantic flight by a Caribbean lady having a panic attack, Nola can't hide her fury.  She confronts the crew and insults the lady, resulting in a voodoo curse being placed on her.

When things start going wrong with her appearance, Nola believes that she must have been cursed and tries to find the lady to get the curse removed.  Only this proves harder than she thought.  There was perhaps a blessing behind the curse as Nola meets handsome doctor, Louis.  After an unconventional meeting, they fall in love and get married but Nola doesn't quite realise what she has married into.  Louis has family in Haiti and not only that, his family are descended from a famous voodoo priestess; a tradition that is passed down through the female generation.

I think it was absolutely brilliant the way that Janey Travis transformed Nola from a superficial, selfish model into an accommodating, caring wife and mother.  It reminded me that we should never forget our roots and should never be ashamed of where we came from (and also not to get angry with any Haitian ladies).  I Need a Doctor is like Harry Potter for chick lit fans; we all need a sprinkling of magic every now and again.

I received this e-book from Brook Cottage Books in exchange for an honest review.

My rating:

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SMASHWORDS

What the Readers say:

“Just the right sprinkling of romance and humour.” Brook Cottage Books

“A very enjoyable and clever plot. Different, fresh and enjoyable.” Jenny in Neverland

“I couldn't help but like Nola even though at times she is a proper diva.” Comet Babe’s Books

“I love all the quirky characters in the story and just the pure madness and fun of it all!” Books4U

“A nice balance of humour, sweet romance, morals and a spooky side!” The Little Reader Library

“A Five Star Read - I really enjoyed the light-hearted tone.” Love Reading Love Books 

About Janey Travis:

Janey Travis is currently travelling around the world chasing the sun while blogging, tweeting, writing fun-to-read novels and travel magazine features. Look out for her new light-hearted romantic comedy novel I Need a Doctor. You can catch up with her on Twitter: @janey_travis on Facebook: janeytravisbooks.

Janey also writes bestselling romantic adventure fiction as Janice Horton. Find out more at www.janicehorton.co.uk

Author Links:

Janey Travis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janeytravisbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/janey_travis

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30623638-i-need-a-doctor

GIVEAWAY

An ecopy of the book (open internationally)

a Rafflecopter giveaway