BLOG TOUR: Six Tails at Midnight (The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency, book 15) - Mandy Morton

Hettie, Tilly, Bruiser and the Butter sisters set out across the snowy fens to spend Christmas at The Fishgutter’s Arms. Snowed in with no hope of rescue, they find themselves sharing Christmas with some unwanted guests.

Will the ghosts of Christmas Past wreak vengeance on the present? Can our feline detectives dig themselves out of a spooky festive fiasco? And will the sausage rolls and sherry last until midnight?

Jump on board for a cat-a-strophic sleigh ride into a snow drift full of Christmas spirits.

What did I think?

Six Tails at Midnight is the fifteenth book in No. 2 Feline Detective Agency series but it's the first book in the series that I've read so it can definitely be read as a standalone.  It's a short book with 109 pages so it's easy to read in one sitting and perfect for re-reading over the festive period (which I plan to do).

The cat characters are well-developed and although it's the first time I have met them, I took to them straight away.  It is very amusing to see place names, sayings and even author names given a feline twist and I laughed out loud on many occasions.

The storyline is fun and spooky, kind of like A Christmas Carol with cats.  I loved everything about it from the fabulous cover of the pocket-sized hardback to the fabulous characters and the vividly described scenery.

Six Tails at Midnight is a spooky festive tale that is incredibly entertaining and witty.  I will definitely be looking to read the earlier books in the series and can't wait to meet my new feline friends again.

I received a gifted hardback to read and review for the Random Things Tours blog tour and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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UK.Bookshop.org

Amazon

About the author:

Mandy Morton began her professional life as a musician. More recently, she has worked as an arts journalist for national and local radio. She lives with her partner in Cambridge and Cornwall, where there is always a place for a long-haired tabby cat. Mandy is available for interviews and events.

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BLOG TOUR: Eerie Exhibits - Victorial Williamson

Five unnerving tales of the weird and uncanny from award-winning author Victoria Williamson.

A room full of screaming butterflies.

An unsettling smile on the face of a carved sarcophagus.

A painting that draws its viewer into the disturbing past.

A stuffed bear that growls in the dead of night.

And a shell that whispers more sinister sounds than the sigh of the sea…

Dare you cross the threshold of the old Museum and view its eerie exhibits?

 

What did I think?

I do like to read spooky tales now and again so I thoroughly enjoyed Eerie Exhibits by Victoria Williamson.  

There are five stories in the book based on museum exhibits and although they are separate stories, some of the characters reappear.  They are very creepy tales and it reminded me a little of early Stephen King books where anything out of the ordinary could happen.  So prepare for the unexpected when you pick up this book but you will still be surprised by these eerie exhibits.

It's quite a short book at 225 pages and it's very easy to read so you could dip in and out of it or read it cover to cover.  It's almost like a virtual museum visit to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow as Victoria Williamson guides the reader through each gallery and tells her imagined story behind some very interesting exhibits.

Chilling, weird and entertaining, Eerie Exhibits is a creepy collection of spine-tingling short stories that will chill you to the bone.  A recommended read, especially for a dark and chilly night.

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:

Amazon UK

Amazon USA

Amazon Canada

About the author:

A lifelong storyteller and daydreamer, Victoria Williamson is an author and teacher who has lived and worked in Africa, China, America and the UK.

Victoria grew up in Kirkintilloch, north Glasgow, surrounded by hills on the edge of a forest estate where many of her early ghost stories and fantasy tales were born amid the magical trees and spooky old ruined buildings.

After studying Physics at the University of Glasgow, she set out on her own real life adventures, which included teaching Maths and Science in Cameroon, training teachers in Malawi, teaching English in China and working with children with special needs in the UK.

A qualified primary school teacher with a degree in Mandarin Chinese from Yunnan University and a Master’s degree in Special Needs Education, Victoria is passionate about creating inclusive worlds in her novels where all children can see a reflection of themselves in a heroic role.

Victoria’s experiences of teaching young children in a deprived area of Glasgow, many of whom were asylum seekers, inspired her debut novel, The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle, an uplifting tale of friendship between Glasgow girl Caylin and Syrian refugee Reema.

Victoria writes fantasy, adventure, science fiction and contemporary issue novels for Middle Grade (9-12), Teen, and Young Adult readers. Many of her books have been inspired by children she has met on her travels, both abroad and in the UK. She is currently working on a Middle Grade novel exploring the issues faced by a boy with ADHD who is struggling to fit in with his new step-family, and a spooky adventure novel for Teens, centred around a cast of characters with special needs including deafness, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.

Twenty percent of her author royalties for The Fox Girl and the White Gazelle are donated to the Scottish Refugee Council.

You can find out more about Victoria's books, school visits and upcoming events on her website: www.strangelymagical.com 

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What Hides in the Cupboards - Cassondra Windwalker

Following a traumatic accident, ceramic artist Hesper Dunn trades life in Chicago for the enchanted deserts of New Mexico. But not all is quaint, and it’s far from what it seems. There’s a mystery buried deep in the heart of her new home.

Love, guilt, and grief demand that Hesper remain within the haunted pueblo. To free herself, she must free the trapped spirits…but the creatures lurking in the shadows are not what they appear. Hesper dares to wade through the murky fog of tragedy to uncover the truth. A truth that will be harder to handle than she ever dared imagine.

 

What did I think?

I've been a fan of Cassondra Windwalker's writing since I read her unforgettable novel, Idle Hands, so I was delighted to get the chance to read an early copy of her latest novel, What Hides in the Cupboards.  

You never know what to expect with a Cassondra Windwalker novel so I am purposefully keeping my review brief to avoid spoilers.  You know from the cover that this is going to be a creepy novel but it's so very clever and also unexpectedly moving.

I loved the main character, Hesper and really felt her pain as she struggles to deal with her own demons as well as the spooky young boy who haunts her new house.  I was completely riveted as I raced through the pages to uncover who or what the boy is and I had an actual gasp out loud and a lump in my throat at the end.

The writing is absolutely exquisite and I often had to stop reading for just a moment to fully appreciate the breathtaking perfection of the words.  It's a book that both creeped me out and broke my heart - I loved it!    

Many thanks to Cassondra Windwalker for sending me a digital ARC to read and review; this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

My rating:

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Lockwood & Co. - Jonathan Stroud

'The Screaming Staircase?' Lockwood edged forward in his chair. 'Please, Mr Fairfax, tell us more.'

For more than fifty years, Britain has been terrorised by an epidemic of murderous ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy them - with mixed results . . .

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping to begin a shining new chapter in her career. Instead she finds herself joining Lockwood & Co., the most ramshackle agency in the city, whose ineptitude is matched only by the charisma of its owner.

But Lockwood & Co. have one last chance for redemption. All they have to do is spend the night in one of the most haunted houses in England . . . and come out alive.

The first book in an amazingly addictive, binge-worthy series, this is an electrifying, witty and brilliantly spooky thriller, perfect for fans of Rivers of London and Good Omens.

 

What did I think?

Wow!  I absolutely loved this book.  It is aimed at 11 year olds and above so everyone from children to adults will enjoy this fabulous book.

I noticed Lockwood & Co. among the new shows on Netflix but I wanted to read the book before watching it as the book is almost always better.  If the series is even half as good as the book, it’ll be fantastic.

It’s told from the perspective of Lucy Carlyle, who hails from my native North East of England, although Lucy’s England is filled with ghosts and hauntings that only children can eliminate.  Lucy is looking for a job that will put her psychic talent to good use, but every interview ends in disappointment as soon as the subject of her previous employment comes up.  Anthony Lockwood is more interested in Lucy’s present than her past and Lucy finally secures a position as the third member of the Lockwood & Co. team.

Lockwood reminds me of Sherlock Holmes with his almost indifferent nature and you think he’s not listening but he doesn’t miss anything.  George may be always thinking of his next sweet treat but he’s very shrewd and would lay his life on the line for Lockwood.  Lucy has the most intriguing talent as she can feel what the ghost feels so she is led more by her feelings and intuition than with her head.  Lucy is the newest member of the team so she’s still finding her place in this entertaining trio.

The story is told in five parts that contain their own separate storyline but they all link together and flow beautifully from one to the next.  There are a number of mysteries to solve and I was as riveted with this book as I usually am with adult mystery, crime and thriller novels.  I loved the excerpts from newspapers that appear at the start of some of the chapters, it really makes the reader feel as if they’re gathering clues along with Lockwood & Co.

Brilliantly written, perfectly plotted and highly entertaining, Lockwood & Co. thrilled, frightened and delighted me.  I loved it and I definitely want to read more of this wonderfully creepy series.

My rating:

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Witch Dust - Marilyn Messik

For Sandra, daughter of illusionists, Adam and Ophelia, life’s never been run of the mill! But when Adam’s wandering eye lights on yet another conquest, Sandra’s caught in the reverberations of her parents acrimonious parting. Coerced into restoring her depressed Mother to the bosom of a family Sandra never knew existed, she’s sucked into a situation that even for her is unnerving. 

From being without a single relative, she suddenly acquires several she’d rather do without. Ophelia, it appears, has not been entirely honest about any number of things. There’s no doubt in Sandra’s mind, the sooner she puts as much distance as possible between herself, the newly discovered nearest and dearest with their peculiar tendencies and failing hotel business, the happier she’s going to be.

There are just a few things to sort first including a possessed chef; a hanged housemaid; a fly-on-the-wall documentary and a doppelgänger. Things slide swiftly from bad to farce and then get a hell of a lot darker. One minute she’s saving the family business the next, battling to save their lives. Turns out, some darknesses, once buried, are best left undisturbed.

What did I think?

I've read the first two books in the Strange Series (which I highly recommended) so I know that Marilyn Messik spins a good yarn and standalone novel Witch Dust is a hugely entertaining story.  It starts with a bang and rather like a boulder rolling downhill it seems to gather pace with the turn of each page; I was turning pages so fast I'm surprised I didn't end up with a load of paper cuts.  I also have to say that the cover is completely awesome; it looks like the Bates Motel and that fits perfectly with the story actually.

Sandra's parents, Adam and Ophelia, are famous illusionists and for them all the world is a stage.  In typical showbiz fashion, Sandra's real name is Serenissima but she is happy to stay behind the curtain and out of the limelight.  Over the years, Sandra sees a few strange things going on in the show that appear to be more than an illusion but magic isn't real, is it?

After a fight with Adam, Ophelia turns up in Sandra's living room and asks Sandra to drive her to her family home.  There's nothing odd about that except Ophelia has always told Sandra that she was adopted and had no real family.  Finding out that she has family she never knew about comes as quite a shock for Sandra but there are many more shocks and surprises in store for her when she meets them.  Let's just say that they make The Addams Family look normal.

Much like a disturbance in the force, Sandra and Ophelia arriving at the family home, which the family have turned into a hotel, results in a lot of interest from the local community.  It's not a spoiler to say (as the title is Witch Dust after all) that it could be seen as a 'gathering' and with so many strange things happening, I was reading with a growing feeling of unease and a sense of impending danger.  The story is so compelling, and Marilyn Messik has a knack of ending her chapters with cliffhangers, that you can't help but read 'one more chapter' that turns into about ten more chapters until suddenly you've read the whole book in no time at all.

Witch Dust is such a magical, spooky and unique book; it's like an episode of Supernatural, Bewitched and Charmed all rolled into one.  Prepare to expect the unexpected and you'll still be shocked and surprised; I absolutely loved it.  If you're looking to read something different for a change, you won't get more different than Witch Dust.

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

My rating:

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Coal House - W.S. Barton

When property developer Finn Harper impulsively decides to make an investment with his wife whilst away together in North Wales for their anniversary, it seems an opportunity almost too good to be true. But as the disturbing truth of the home's abandonment unravels itself, Finn finds himself alone, and a martyr of the local community. He must confront some personal demons, forcing him to consider what, or even who, is real.

What did I think?

I won an e-book of Coal House in a competition quite some time ago and it took far too long for Coal House to jump to the top of my TBR.  It's a quick read at only 200 pages, but it's definitely a book to be savoured rather than raced through.  The cover gives us an idea of what to expect: a spooky old house with dark clouds hanging over it and the fractured letters of 'HOUSE' depicting the shifting reality that the main character experiences.

Finn and Clara are on a romantic getaway in Wales when they buy a ridiculously low priced house in an auction.  They don't even seem alarmed that there we no other bidders for Coal House, known locally as Tŷ Glo in Dyffryn Du, The Black Valley.  Clara returns to London so Finn prepares for his first night in their new home...alone.  I felt as if the house was expecting him as he settles into a ready made bed, only to be woken during the night by a blood-curdling scream.  This is the point I would have been running for the hills but Finn is determined to find out more about his house and the people who lived, and died, there.

I was unsure of the period Coal House was set in, it's possibly the 1950's, but it's a story that doesn't need to be stamped with a date (only to perhaps explain the very low price of Tŷ Glo).  W.S. Barton's writing is of such a high standard that it reminded me of the dark brooding text of Daphne du Maurier, giving Coal House a classic literary feel with a sense of impending doom creating enough suspense to keep the pages turning.

Spooky and creepy, I'll definitely be reading Coal House again; preferably on a cold winter's night as the bare branches of the trees scratch against my window and with only the light from my kindle piercing the darkness, if I dare...  

My rating:

Buy it from Amazon