June Reading List

June was an awful month for reading (and writing) productivity I am afraid to say... What with moving house and work, I have struggled to fit anything else in as I have been ready for bed by ten every night!

Here are the ones I did fit in...

A customer at work that reads similar books to the ones I do recommended this series to me and of course, I went and bought the first one - and did not regret it! Sacrificed by the Dragon by Jessie Donovan, the first in the Stonefire Dragons Series.

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In exchange for a vial of dragon’s blood to save her brother’s life, Melanie Hall offers herself up as a sacrifice to one of the British dragon-shifter clans. Being a sacrifice means signing a contract to live with the dragon-shifters for six months to try to conceive a child. Her assigned dragonman, however, is anything but easy. He’s tall, broody, and alpha to the core. There’s only one problem—he hates humans.

Due to human dragon hunters killing his mother, Tristan MacLeod despises humans. Unfortunately, his clan is in desperate need of offspring to repopulate their numbers and it’s his turn to service a human female. Despite his plans to sleep with her and walk away, his inner dragon has other ideas. The curvy human female tempts his inner beast like no other.

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Wowsers - this was stunning! Fantastically written, great characters and a well-paced and thrilling storyline. I would definitely recommend it to readers of Naini Singh, Christine Feehan and Kelley Armstrong, which were the authors that the customer and I had in common. Check out my review.

I started The Book Thief by Markus Zusak as it was Book Club's 'Classics' choice for June, but I really struggled with it. I already know the story, and I loved the 2013 film adaptation, but have really struggled to get into the novel. I persisted for a long time, which I think is what slowed down the reading for June, but eventually, I did admit defeat and shelved it! I will go back and try again one day!

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It is 1939. In Nazi Germany, the country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier - and will become busier still.

By her brother's graveside, nine year old Liesel's life is changed forever when she picks up a single object, abandoned in the snow. It is The Gravedigger's Handbook, and this is her first act of book thievery.

So begins Liesel's love affair with books and words, and soon she is stealing from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor's wife's library . . . wherever there are books to be found.

But these are dangerous times, and when Liesel's foster family hides a Jew in their basement, nothing will ever be the same again.

In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winnin

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Those People by Louise Candlish was one I had on the shelf ready for an event with the author and I picked this up with just over a week till the event - I didn't need a week!

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Could you hate your neighbour enough to plot to kill him?

Until Darren Booth moves in at number 1, Lowland Way, the neighbourhood is a suburban paradise. But soon after his arrival, disputes over issues like loud music and parking rights escalate all too quickly to public rows and threats of violence.

Then, early one Saturday, a horrific crime shocks the street. As the police go house-to-house, the residents close ranks and everyone's story is the same: Booth did it.

But there's a problem. The police don't agree with them.

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A brilliantly written novel full of twists and turn to keep you guessing and with some good choices for events - I often worry about being disappointed by the 'whodunnit' part of books like this, but I loved the outcome here. Check out my review!

Alongside Louise, we had another author in whose book was similar in themes to Those People and I read her book too! The Neighbour by Fiona Cummins is similar in style, but grittier due to the serial killer using the street as his hunting ground!

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FOR SALE: A lovely family home with good-sized garden and treehouse occupying a plot close to woodland. Perfect for kids, fitness enthusiasts, dog walkers . . .

And, it seems, the perfect hunting ground for a serial killer.

On a hot July day, Garrick and Olivia Lockwood and their two children move into 25 The Avenue looking for a fresh start. They arrive in the midst of a media frenzy: they'd heard about the local murders in the press, but Garrick was certain the killer would be caught and it would all be over in no time. Besides, they'd got the house at a steal and he was convinced he could flip it for a fortune.

The neighbours seemed to be the very picture of community spirit. But everyone has secrets, and the residents in The Avenue are no exception.

After six months on the case with no real leads, the most recent murder has turned DC Wildeve Stanton's life upside down, and now she has her own motive for hunting down the killer - quickly.

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I could not put this down! I genuinely had to keep tearing myself away from it to go back to work or to eat or sleep, and I read the last quarter or so, when everything started unraveling, in an evening and into the night as I just had to get to the end and find out who the killer was! I won't reveal too much, but the line up of characters *cough cough* suspects will have you second guessing yourself all the way through while you try and work out who the 'Doll Maker' serial killer is that DC Stanton is searching for! Check out my review and then go and grab your own copy - you won't regret it...

And that's a wrap... I hope to be back on it for July :)

Crooked Halo Books

As some of you may know, I started up my own publishing imprint this time last year to self-publish my books a little more professionally. Today, that publishing imprint, and the revamped first three novels turn one!!

Crooked Halo Books was my way of branding my books and making them look that little bit more professional. I was so proud of myself for setting it up and getting the books redone and then releasing my fourth Hidden World Novel as the first official Crooked Halo Books title.

The four Hidden World Novels so far, The Love That Binds Us, A Handful of Secrets, Part of the Pack and Inner Magick are all Crooked Halo Books releases, as is Destiny!

All other books I write will be released under the Crooked Halo Books publishing imprint too, Hidden World, Cursed Novels and any others that materialise over the years :)

I am currently the only author that I have published under the imprint, however, it is in my future plans to add another name to the imprint :) - more on that another time...

For now, a big Happy Birthday to Crooked Halo Books - oh, and don't forget about my Launch Party for Destiny! All details can be found on the Facebook event page, and please remember to pre-order a copy through either me or the Milestone to ensure a book on the night...

XxX

MyMarathon Champion!

Well, I did it!!

If you have been following my Instagram then you will have seen my final results... 26.15 miles in 11 runs throughout the course of May. I worked out that it took me roughly five hours and fifty-one minutes, so it would take me forever to actually run the marathon, but when you remember that I have only been running for eight weeks now, I am really proud of what I have achieved in May!

I raised £183.10 altogether, so a huge thank you to each and every one of you who sponsored me over the course of the month. I beat my £150 target easily! You can still add to that sponsorship before the end of June I believe!

I started and ended my marathon in very fitting t-shirts :) 

My next running goals are to start taking part in Park Run on a Saturday morning on the weekends when I am not working. I want to concentrate on running for longer periods of time until I can actually say that I can RUN the 5k Park Run without having to slow to a walk!

My journey will, of course, continue on Instagram with regular updates on the blog!

Thanks again for all of your support,

Vanessa x

May Reading List

Back on track this month - I started by finishing off a couple I had started with...

I'd had Scarred by Kylie Walker on the go for a while. It was one on my phone and I just dipped in and out of it when I found myself in places where I had a few minutes to spare...

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Pain...Fear...Uncertainty...

That pretty much sums up Kelly Ward's life in a nutshell.

Surviving a childhood filled with horrific abuse and then at the hand of the one man
that saved her... her first love that she trusted only to discover he was really a monster. Jesse Donovan will try and kill her again once he gets out of prison.

On the run... New city...New identity is the new Chloe Green. Not the broken, scarred and frail Kelly Ward.

Trying to build a new life towards her life-long goal of becoming a teacher, she accepts a job at one of the most prestigious gentlemen clubs in Rhode Island as a pole dancer. Her goal - save as much money as she can...No Men...No Distractions.

That is until she meets Derek Stark. Self-made Millionaire, dark-haired, blue-eyed and a body of a gladiator. He wants Chloe...but does he have an ulterior motive? Is he connected to her old life somehow - Kelly Ward's life? She soon discovers that Derek does have secrets of his own, secrets that will change her life forever...right before Jesse is released from prison and is ready to start hunting her.

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It took me a long time to get this finished, partly because it was so damn long and I was only reading it bit at a time, but also because it was really hard going in places. I found that the main storyline held some readability, but it wrapped up earlier than the book did, and the last leg of the book was almost pointless. My review echoes this - it was a good read, mostly!


I was very lucky to receive an advance reader copy of Nicola's new novel. I am very much an Elwood fan and I couldn't wait to get reading Free the Dark by Nicola Rose, The Elwood Legacy book 3. The last in the trilogy!!

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The world is descending into devastating chaos. There’s a new enemy to mankind on the horizon… it’s me.

I’m ready to let go of morality. It’s time to play.

But how much ‘fun’ is too much when you’ve accidentally triggered the vampire apocalypse?! Are there any lines left that shouldn’t be crossed?

There’s a brand new hunger under my skin, and it wants more. More of Alex’s darkness, more of Zac’s light—

The two don’t go together, but that doesn’t stop the pull in my chest, or the ravenous shadowy beat that strikes a constant melody in my soul, driving me forward, destruction in my wake.

Can I really side with vampires and stand by as humanity is lost?

Because once that darkness is set free, pulling it back might be beyond my capabilities…

~~~

I read this cover to cover in just over twenty-four hours, and it only took so long due to having to sleep and go to work!! Check out my review - but be aware it may be a little spoilerish if you haven't read the start of the trilogy yet! Get started with Taste the Dark now!


I totally read my own book this month too - I had the first physical copy of Destiny to read through and check for formatting errors. It was amazing to have it in my hands for real and I cannot wait to share it with you guys this summer!

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The predetermined course of events in life that some people believe others are to follow; an inevitable and unavoidable future.

What would you do if you found out that your life was a lie? How would you react to finding out that your destiny had once been your wildest dreams? Who do you turn to when those you’re meant to trust turn their backs on you?

When Serena meets the mysterious new guy at college her life seems complete. Great friends, good grades, hot boyfriend. That is until she tells her parents and life as she knows it begins to unravel in ways she cannot understand.

The box in the attic holds the clues to a past she doesn’t remember, but do they also show her the future she’s long since forgotten? Her mother believes so and tears a rift between them trying to convince her that Dylan is bad news, pushing Serena into the arms of another family. A family she is destined to be a part of.

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Obviously, I am not going to review my own book - but please check it out on my website - there will also be a Book Launch Party in July which everyone is welcome at! Details are all on the Facebook Event Page.

Book Club chose The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern for their classic this month and I loved having an excuse to finally pick this up. I have always wanted to read it, and have had it on the bookshelf for some time, but never gotten around to actually reading it. 

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The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. The black sign, painted in white letters that hangs upon the gates, reads: Opens at Nightfall, Closes at Dawn.

As the sun disappears beyond the horizon, all over the tents small lights begin to flicker, as though the entirety of the circus is covered in particularly bright fireflies. When the tents are all aglow, sparkling against the night sky, the sign appears. Le Cirque des Reves. The Circus of Dreams. Now the circus is open. Now you may enter. 

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Oh My Wow!! I cannot believe that I have never gotten around to this before... It should have been one of my favourites all this time! I can't find the right words to express how much you should all go and read this if you haven't already!!

Check out my review and then go get your own copy and go to Les Cirque des Reves.

Next up was Call Me Star girl by Louise Beech ready for the event with her and Carrie Martin. I picked this up four days before the event. I did not need four days - I read it in two sittings!!!

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Stirring up secrets can be deadly ... especially if they're yours...
Pregnant Victoria Valbon was brutally murdered in an alley three weeks ago - and her killer hasn't been caught.
Tonight is Stella McKeever's final radio show. The theme is secrets. You tell her yours, and she'll share some of hers.

Stella might tell you about Tom, a boyfriend who likes to play games, about the mother who abandoned her, now back after fourteen years. She might tell you about the perfume bottle with the star-shaped stopper, or about her father ...

What Stella really wants to know is more about the mysterious man calling the station ... who says he knows who killed Victoria, and has proof.
Tonight is the night for secrets, and Stella wants to know everything...

With echoes of the Play Misty for Me, Call Me Star Girl is a taut, emotive and all-consuming psychological thriller that plays on our deepest fears, providing a stark reminder that stirring up dark secrets from the past can be deadly...

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Wowsers! What an emotional and intriguing book. Had me gripped from the moment I opened the front cover. I loved the 'Then' and 'Now' storyline that ran through the book, although I did find myself hastily reading the 'Then' chapters as I was desperate to find out how things were unfolding in the 'Now'. An amazing read, check out my review!

I also picked up Maria in the Moon by Louise Beech the day of the event with high hopes of fitting it in before meeting her that evening... Instead, I read around a quarter of it and then took an impromptu nap in my conservatory!

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Thirty-one-year-old Catherine Hope has a great memory. But she can't remember everything. She can't remember her ninth year. She can't remember when her insomnia started. And she can't remember why everyone stopped calling her Catherine-Maria.

Dark, poignant and deeply moving, Maria in the Moon is an examination of the nature of memory and truth, and the defences we build to protect ourselves, when we can no longer hide...

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I finished this off in my conservatory one sunny evening and loved it. Although a little slow in places, I found the touching storyline gripping and the emotional depths to this novel had my both racing for the end to find out what happened, and dreading the ending because I knew it wouldn't be happy. Check out my review, I've tried to keep it spoiler free.

I picked up the Children's Book of the Month for May, pretty much at the end of the month... Better late than never right?! Malamander by Thomas Taylor was one that I just had to read, all be it, it just took me a while to get around to it!

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Nobody visits Eerie-on-Sea in the winter. Especially not when darkness falls and the wind howls around Maw Rocks and the wreck of the battleship Leviathan, where even now some swear they have seen the unctuous Malamander creep...

Herbert Lemon, Lost-and-Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, knows that returning lost things to their rightful owners is not easy - especially when the lost thing is not a thing at all, but a girl.

No one knows what happened to Violet Parma's parents twelve years ago, and when she engages Herbie to help her find them, the pair discover that their disappearance might have something to do with the legendary sea-monster, the Malamander. Eerie-on-Sea has always been a mysteriously chilling place, where strange stories seem to wash up.

And it just got stranger...

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Oooooo!! So good!! I loved this book!! Not only is it beautiful with its glorious sprayed edges but the story is amazing! Eerie-on-Sea is a great setting and Herbie and Violet are really good characters. The malamander is a legend in the town and creates the best kind of children's mystery as the two children go searching for the lost things. Check out my review and then go out and buy this, not just for the kids, but for yourself too... an escape into children's fiction is recommended regularly to detach from the real world!

This one created a media storm when the little girl who helped co-write it went on morning television a few weeks ago. Can You See Me by Libby Scott and Rebecca Westcott. Eleven-year-old Libby is autistic herself and helped co-write the story of Tally, meaning that the narrative of the book is credible and true to the characteristics and lifestyle of a child with autism.

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Endearing, insightful and warmly uplifting, Can You See Me? is a story of autism, empathy and kindness that will touch readers of all ages.

Tally is eleven years old and she's just like her friends. Well, sometimes she is. If she tries really hard to be. Because there's something that makes Tally not the same as her friends. Something she can't cover up, no matter how hard she tries: Tally is autistic.

Tally's autism means there are things that bother her even though she wishes they didn't. It means that some people misunderstand, her and feel frustrated by her. People think that because Tally's autistic, she doesn't realise what they're thinking, but Tally sees and hears - and notices - all of it. And, honestly? That's not the easiest thing to live with.

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What a truly important and special book!! Rebecca and Libby have done an amazing job of bringing Tally and her autism to life in a way that is both enjoyable and educational, and I really hope that many adults encourage their children to read this book as I honestly believe that it is important for children to understand learning and behavioural difficulties, especially youngsters who can be really cruel to someone who is 'different' to what they expect them to be. Check out my review for more and then go and buy yourself a copy of this wonderful story!

That's your lot!! Eight books in four weeks - who knows where I find the time!!

More next month, I've already started one!!

Keep Reading, Bookworms x

Author Event

I couldn't not blog about this... So, it's a normal Wednesday evening, the sister texts to ask if we're going to the pub for Jam Night and we make our arrangements to pick her up and head over to The Milestone - a normal Wednesday evening! Simon even remembered his guitar!

Simon walks into the pub first... Sammy and I follow, to come face to face with a poster-sized version of my poster in the doorway advertising my Book Launch Party!!
Simon totally walked straight past it, never even glanced at it. Me, I was floored!
I knew that Karlos had put a poster up for me - I was expecting an A4 version like the ones I have put up in the local shop etc.

How cool is that?!

Obviously, Sammy and I immediately took a photo with it to send to Mommy, I cannot even begin to explain just how excited I was.

Headed to the bar and found a second one, plus-size again!!! I was genuinely expecting a couple of A4 posters - I can't believe that my face is there like that :)

I hope that you're all coming to the party - check out the Facebook Event Page for all the details, and give me a shout if you want to order a book to collect on the night!

Vanessa, AKA, Angel McGregor xx

Destiny Book Cover Reveal

Today is the official book cover reveal for my new novel, Destiny, the first novel in a new urban fantasy series, The Cursed Novels.

So, without any further ado...

What do you think?! This book is my baby, and has been a long time coming - I am so excited to finally be sharing it with the world!!

Destiny - The First Cursed Novel

The predetermined course of events in life that some people believe others are to follow; an inevitable and unavoidable future.

What would you do if you found out that your life was a lie? How would you react to finding out that your destiny had once been your wildest dreams? Who do you turn to when those you’re meant to trust turn their backs on you?

When Serena meets the mysterious new guy at college her life seems complete. Great friends, good grades, hot boyfriend. That is until she tells her parents and life as she knows it begins to unravel in ways she cannot understand.

The box in the attic holds the clues to a past she doesn’t remember, but do they also show her the future she’s long since forgotten? Her mother believes so and tears a rift between them trying to convince her that Dylan is bad news, pushing Serena into the arms of another family. A family she is destined to be a part of.

Check out all the information!! My website and social media platforms are littered with details - there's something for everyone :)

Author Website
Crooked Halo Books Website

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

You name it - we have it going on - plus there's going to be a party!! I will be having a birthday/launch party on Monday 8th July at The Milestone pub at Crystal Peaks - you're all invited - check out the official invite and all the details over on the event page!!

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts - pick a platform and leave your comments  :)

Vanessa aka Angel McGregor xx

Writing in the strangest of places...

A different kind of post today - I am sitting in the pub right now, and a question I often get asked is "How can you concentrate?" Well, I thought I would put it down in writing to try and explain myself... and depending on how you like this post, I will do others like it :)

So, a little background information... For anyone who is following my Instagram accounts, particularly my author profile, you will see me take part in photo challenges quite regularly. The most recent one is still happening. I am taking part in @rachaelruleywrites's #youMAYbeaWRITERif challenge which runs throughout May.

I am quite enjoying the way this challenge is set up as it is different from the usual prompts, giving room to experiment a little with the photographs I choose.








Anyway, one of the prompts was #youMAYbeaWRITERif "You have a local cafe you love to support" - well, I chose to replace the cafe part of the prompt with my local pub... I mean, I do have a local cafe too, and you will sometimes find me there with my laptop of more likely, a good book, but I spend more time in the local pub with Simon for music-related events. Often, I have been at work all day before coming out to the pub, meaning I don't get any time at home to write or edit, depending on the stage of my work in progress. So, I bring it with me. It's not unusual to find me in the corner of the pub with my laptop or a half-edited manuscript, scribbling away furiously to keep on top of my writing workload.
As I have more than once tried to explain to some of the other pub-goers, I see my writing as a second career, and I have to manage my time around my paying job, my family and home life, in order to achieve any kind of success. Bringing my work to the pub is a win:win situation for me. I get to do my work, and I get to spend the evening with Simon, often listening to good music!

The question always asked by someone; "But, how do you concentrate?"

That's easy! I perfected the art of multitasking when I was at university. I could often be found writing up essays, whilst having music on in the background, and having a conversation with whoever was in my room at the time... It became normal to me, and though I will always have to reread anything I do just in case song lyrics have worked their way into what I was writing, it doesn't stop me from writing or enjoying the live music in the pub.

"If I lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

Tonight, it was a band that Simon has played with in the past, and is an amazing live act here at The Milestone. Of course we were going to come and support them, but I had work to do after being at work all day, especially with my new book cover reveal coming up, there were some bits and bobs I needed to check, and some editing for The Original Sin to get done so that I can get the manuscript to another reader.
I did both of those things, and am now sat writing this post while still enjoying SwearBox and the amazing Carrie Martin!

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."

I hope this answers the question - any other related questions, feel free to drop some comments below and I will try to answer them, or it may just prompt another of these posts :)

Until then, keep it live!!
Vanessa x

MyMarathon

Today marked the beginning of my MyMarathon journey.

I went running this morning and completed Week 5, Workout 2 of my Couch to 5k training plan, which saw me cover a couple of miles. The first couple of miles of me 26.2 marathon miles!!

You can follow my progress on my Instagram page, and I will be sharing my progress on Facebook and Twitter too - so keep an eye out for the updates and all support and encouragement as the month goes on will be greatly appreciated!

A huge thank you to anyone who has already sponsored me!! I am on at £46.86 of my £150 target - I am hoping that with the miles comes further support - I would love to achieve that fundraising goal!




All fundraising is for the British Heart Foundation - so please guys, follow the link and sponsor me in the little endeavor of mine :)

Thanks guys XxX

April's Reading List

Camp NaNoWriMo takes over in April, so reading took a bit of a back seat... I don't have much to write this month.


I started the month by finishing The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden, the second book in the Winternight Series. I was already in love with Vasya and the Russian fairy tale of Morozko and this book solidifies that love and builds on it, creating a strong, independent female character in Vasya that every reader will appreciate.

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For a young woman in medieval Russia, the choices are stark: marriage or life in a convent. Vasya will choose a third way: magic…

The court of the Grand Prince of Moscow is plagued by power struggles and rumours of unrest. Meanwhile bandits roam the countryside, burning the villages and kidnapping its daughters.

Setting out to defeat the raiders, the Prince and his trusted companion come across a young man riding a magnificent horse. Only Sasha, a priest with a warrior's training, recognises this 'boy' as his younger sister, thought to be dead or a witch by her village.

But when Vasya proves herself in battle, riding with remarkable skill and inexplicable power, Sasha realises he must keep her secret as she may be the only way to save the city from threats both human and fantastical…

~~~

Another beautiful trip to the Russia that Arden has created, a beautiful story, a strong female lead and a background love story that has me itching to pick up the next book... I will wait for the paperback!
Check out my review here and then keep your eyes peeled for a book three in the series coming out in paperback for my next and final review of the series.

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Next up was Lanny by Max Porter. This was a Book Club choice for the book club I run in store at work. It is not something I would normally pick up, but I like to try and read at least two of the choices each month, and this one intrigued me. Poerter's last book, Grief in the Thing with Feathers was a Waterstones' Book of the Month in its time and is highly praised amongst many.

Not far from London, there is a village. This village belongs to the people who live in it and to those who lived in it hundreds of years ago. It belongs to England's mysterious past and its confounding present.

It belongs to Mad Pete, the grizzled artist. To ancient Peggy, gossiping at her gate. To families dead for generations, and to those who have only recently moved here. But it also belongs to Dead Papa Toothwort who has woken from his slumber in the woods. Dead Papa Toothwort, who is listening to them all.

~~~

I'm not going to lie. I didn't get this book at all... It has had fantastic 5* reviews across the board but I just found it dull and a hard read. And to top it off, no one in Book Club actually read it!!
You can look at my review but be warned it's not a good one!


I picked this one up at work because I was intrigued, graphic novels have never been something that I would be interested in, but I wanted to give it a go, Heartstopper, Volume One by Alice Oseman.

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Charlie and Nick are at the same school, but they've never met ... until one day when they're made to sit together. They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance.

But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realised.

Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

This is the first volume of Heartstopper, with more to come.

~~~
I picked this up one evening at bedtime and read it cover to cover... Normally when I say that it's because the book was absolutely unputdownable. This time, that wasn't the case. Although a beautiful story, I do not get on with the graphic novel format. There was nothing to get my teeth into, no description, no way of getting to know the characters in the drawings.
Check out my review.


That's all I got through this month, however, I have three on the go currently that will get their reviews in next month's post! you can have a nosey now by following the links, but full information will be in the next post :)

Scarred by Kylie Walker

Bookworm by Lucy Mangan

My own book (reading as a last proofread) - the first of the Cursed Novels, the new series due to be launched in July. There will be a cover reveal on May 16th so full details will be in the next post and there will be several posts dedicated to the book alone!

Until then,
Happy Reading!

Just keep running...

"Running. First you feel like dying. Then you feel reborn."

There's something to be said for inspirational quotes, whatever they're related to. Sometimes you find the perfect one to fit what you're trying to say, then other days you find ones that make no sense and almost have the opposite effect to what you're trying to create. Take this one for example - I was looking for something to try and explain how running is making me feel better. Revitalising me and giving me more energy... Maybe this works... Or maybe it's just enough to put off anyone who had thought about taking running up as a hobby recently!

Anyways. What I am trying to say is that I am nearly four weeks into my nine-week program for the 'Couch to 5k' training. I have to admit that the quote I picked, which I can't find an owner for, but it is one I took from Google, and not my own, (so no copyright intended), though seemingly harsh, about sums up my journey so far...

That first day I went running, although I did much better than I expected, having run when she told me to for as long as she told me to, I felt like I was dying. I won't lie, that first sixty seconds was more than I bargained for, but I can honestly say that with every tiny step, I have felt more and more capable. I am now in the tail end of week four and the running part of the training is for five munites at a time. The first time I did it I was expecting to struggle, but actually found that the five minutes were over before I realised I'd been going so long. The second five minutes of the session was harder, but I still did it and recovered quickly once home.

The last session I did was the first time I have genuinely struggled. I decided that it was partly due to the fact that I have been running in a morning, whether it be late morning on my days off or an early run before work on the days that I have a later start than normal. When I went yesterday, it was after a full day's work, plus a slightly strained ankle and the weather was undecided between muggy clouds and rain. It was the first time that I had to slow to a walk when I was supposed to be running. I prided myself on not stopping. I kept a brisk walk for a few seconds and regained my breath and determination and then set off at a steady jog again until I was done. 

It was the first time that I got home and felt a little disappointed with the run, though I was proud to have gone at all having not been before work as planned. (I totally used the light drizzle as an excuse for an extra half hour in bed - my own fault really!)

As I mentioned in my last running post, I have been listening to Jenni Falconer's new running podcast, RunPod. It's been a great motivator, listening to others talk about their journeys, their running habits and some training tips. It has also been highly motivational hearing what others have accomplished and why. One of the recent podcasts was about the marathons... Well, I am sure that you can imagine how that one turned out! 

My long-term goal is to take part in a marathon - I am blaming Jenni Falconer for everything! I am not daft, I know that it takes time and determination, so I have other smaller goals in place, and am hoping to take part in a half marathon by summer next year. I'm not sure that I am capable of running said marathon, but it would be amazing to be able to say that I completed one, and my aim will be to set up an interval timer and run/walk consistently all the way. You never know, by next summer I may be capable of more, but I'd like to keep all goals achievable by my current standards so that I can always seek to improve, rather than disappoint myself because I have been unable to achieve a ridiculously set goal...

My next goal is the MyMarathon for The British Heart Foundation - I will be taking on the challenge of running (and brisk walking) the 26.2 marathon miles over the course of May! I have an Every Day Hero sponsor page and would love to see some donations made in support of my challenge!

I have set a goal of £150 to raise across the month, and am determined to fit the 26.2 miles in over the 31 days. All support (not just the donations) will be gratefully received - feel free to send motivational quotes and images over the course of the month and follow me on Instagram to keep up to date with my progress. I will be posting regular updates over the course of the month, with a running tally of my miles achieved! 

Please, please, share this post and consider donating, or getting involved - every little helps and all that.

To donate, head on over to my MyMarathon page and click the green 'GIVE NOW' button - then share the link for the page :) 

~ Vanessa x

Woah, we're half way there...

Halfway through April already... that means that I am half way through Camp NaNoWriMo too!! How time flies when you're actually measuring it against something.

Anyone who read my starting line post knows that I was working on what will be the sixth Hidden World Novel, Slayer. I had my planning, my character notes and a general gist of what was going to happen and off I went. I set off to a decent start, the scenes I had in my head went down on paper really well, but it wasn't long before I started to get a few issues, mainly, the plot line to the whole story wasn't really going anywhere. I've had this happen before, with the last novel I wrote for Camp. When I first started writing Nel's story, The Original Sin, I really struggled to find a storyline that kept pace with her punchy character.
In the end, I benched her story and wrote what is now Inner Magick and published that first. I may have a similar situation this time around too... I have had to put Slayer on the back burner as I was struggling to get anything down for a few days and I didn't want my efforts for Camp to go to waste. You can see where I started to struggle around day twelve, my counts slowed down, one day I barely managed a couple of hundred words before calling it a day. It was killing me.

So, Sunday night I gave myself a good talking to and went old-school. I ran myself a nice, hot, bubbly bath and took a notebook and pencil and a bag of mini eggs up with me and just started writing what was in my head.

Earlier in the day I had been horse riding and on the way home, I pass a small church and the graveyard backs up against the road. There is an old gravestone in the corner of the grounds that have ivy growing up the back of it and it always catches my attention. It was waiting to be written about. I have several other characters waiting for their place in the Hidden World and on Sunday, one of them took shape on the page and I have written several scenes for her story since then. (You can see my word count pick up on the graph!)

So, there might not be a draft of Slayer at the end of April, but I am now confident that I will achieve my 30,000-word goal and maybe even fight my way to the 50k target I had in mind!! We'll see :)

Wish me luck!

Spring Cleaning

Spring is here, the weather is trying hard to brighten up and stay dry. Have you noticed how everything starts to look more positive when the sun comes out? I'm working on a healthier lifestyle - that started with my healthy eating plan, and we are still on it, nearly four weeks in. I've only had one unplanned slip, and I didn't even enjoy it. I picked myself up the next morning, dusted myself off and jumped straight back on the wagon, more determined than before to stay on track.
I continued my health kick venture with the Couch to 5k running challenge and I am at the end of week two. Six workouts in and feeling better - don't get me wrong, I still feel like I'm dying every time I am out there, but I feel better for it, and my fitness is improving ever so slightly with each run! I am a little less red in the face when I've done now, I am going a little bit faster and a tiny bit further each time. I'll take my successes where I can get them!

Now that spring is upon us, I've also gone into cleaning mode. It started with the garden a couple of weeks ago. I am by no means a gardener, but I do like getting out in the garden in the sun, which means I have to put a little effort in to make it look nice. Over the winter I just leave it to grow wild, so it took some serious effort to get it sorted. We enlisted the kids at the weekend and started tearing out the crap to find what was left. I pulled up all the weeds and turned over the soil, plus I tore up some of the crappy plants to make room for some new ones. Simon ripped out the dead ivy that was growing over the back wall after we had it poisoned at the end of last year, plus he cut down the ridiculous tree that grows up the garage. The kids cleared up after us and we found several stone decorations out there that we didn't even know existed.
The following day, Simon cleared the garden of all the rubbish and cut the grass, so this weekend, we made it outside to play before tea on Friday. The good old skipping ropes made an appearance and the kids loved the sticky bat and ball!


Now that the weather is improving, it is also bringing with it more opportunities for our weekend adventures. The kids love going out and it's one of my favourite past times, so I'm quick to pack a picnic and get us out for a walk and an adventure! This weekend we headed for Leeds and hit Roundhay Park. It was a great day, everyone loved it. Big smiles all round and lots of great photo opportunities. Plus there were castles ruins - always a bonus for me!

My cleaning habits kicked in again this week and Simon and I started spring cleaning the house. I started with the living room, as that's the room we spend the most time in, so after work on Monday, we dug in with a hoard of cleaning supplies and plenty of determination. I threw out all sorts of crap, moved a few things around, and Simon rearranged the sound system and projector to move all the cables to make the area more rabbit friendly. I have managed to do away with all the ugly bunny proofing for some cleaner tactics and well-placed items to block up holes. Not that it stopped the little monster from finding a way past my defenses overnight. There were some rearrangements made and I think I have it cracked this time. He is quite enjoying the new level he's realised he can jump up onto thought - it means he can come and say hi from a different angle when I'm sat on the sofa!

My workspace is next - either later today or tomorrow - we'll see how I feel. I want to rearrange a lot of things and make the space more usable, bearing in mind I use the dining room table. I need to be able to clear it off more easily to use for its actual purpose. I'll keep you posted on that and the rest of the house :) until then, I will leave you with my pretty flowers from Simon, they brighten up my living room perfectly!!

Let's get running!

Health Kick check-in...

So, I'm on top of the healthy eating part... I'm over two weeks in and feeling good about the food aspect. I've cracked the meal planning and am getting good at the prep, making sure that I have lunch ready rather than grabbing crap out of the cupboards in the morning. I have breakfasts planned, so I know exactly what I'm doing when I get up each morning for work. It's going great. I've even managed to stay away from the chocolate - I'm very proud of myself.

To add to the Health Kick, I decided I needed to get off my ass and get moving too. I had very little motivation for this until a friend mentioned she was trying the 'Couch to 5k' challenge. For anyone who hasn't heard of it before, it's pretty simple. There are apps to help, and the workouts are set up to ease you into running. It is an eight-week program and it claims that it can have me running 5k in that time. I'm still a little skeptical about the timeframe, but we'll see.

Amanda and I agreed to spur each other on, though we wouldn't be training together. We don't really live close enough to be going out running, it would make it hard work to organise, and a pain to get around to. So, we said we would train alone, keeping a check on each other to keep us motivated, and at the end of the eight-week program, we are going to get together to run the 5k!

Sounds so simple!

I downloaded an app, and the following day, I took on the first workout. I have to admit, I was somewhat pessimistic about the idea, I've run before, and although I do quite like it, I've never particularly been very good at it - it's more of a slow jog for a start, and I never seemed to get any fitter when I was doing it before. However, I got my music sorted and set off.

The first week, I was to do three workouts, all the same. It started with a five-minute brisk walk to warm up, then was a 60-second run, a 90-second walk, for just under half an hour, then a five-minute walk to coll down again. By the time I got home again, I was incredibly out of breath, very red in the face and in desperate need of a drink. But I felt great!!

My stats didn't look too bad. I covered just over two miles in the time I was out. I ran when she told me to run, I walked when she told me to walk, and I made it all the way through without having to stop. I then spent twenty minutes on the bed recovering before I could find the energy to get a shower, but it's all about the small steps. I got off my ass and did it!

Since then, I have done the other two workouts for week one, and my stats have improved ever so slightly each time. A little bit faster, a little bit further. Not quite so knackered and recovering faster. I'm still very red in the face by the time I get home again, but I will take that for now!

To add to the moment, when driving to work this week, Jenni Falconer was on Heart Radio with Dixie and Emma, discussing her new podcast. Now, I have never listened to a podcast before, I wasn't really sure that it was my thing. But as seen as this one was all about running, I thought I would give it a go. I listened to it during my run for workout three and loved it. It was great to listen to them talking about running and being a runner as I was out there jogging along at my snail pace. I have subscribed and will definitely be keeping up to date with them during my runs. The best part, it was perfectly timed for my workout session!

Eyes open for the next Health Kick update - there are more things I am trying :)

March's Reading List

Another month gone. Wow, this year is really flying! I fit in another six books and have started the seventh...


First up was After the Eclipse by Fran Dorricott. Fran is a fellow Waterstones Bookseller and was signed with Titan Books - After the Eclipse is her debut crime thriller novel!!

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Two solar eclipses. Two missing girls. Sixteen years ago a little girl was abducted during the darkness of a solar eclipse while her older sister Cassie was supposed to be watching her. She was never seen again. When a local girl goes missing just before the next big eclipse, Cassie - who has returned to her home town to care for her ailing grandmother - suspects the disappearance is connected to her sister: that whoever took Olive is still out there. But she needs to find a way to prove it, and time is running out.

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Wowsers - crime isn't really my thing, but I am slowly developing a liking for psychological thrillers. After the Eclipse was stunning! It kept you guessing all the way through and the ending was definitely no let down - My review is a good one :)


Hashtag Authentic by Sara Tasker

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Instagram is the fastest growing of all social media platforms, with 400 million monthly active users worldwide - half of whom are under the age of twenty-five. While some use the app as a personal networking tool, many also use it to build their creative business endeavours; whether in food and drink or fashion and lifestyle.

Sara Tasker has done just that, and since setting up her account whilst on maternity leave in 2013, has become an Instagram coach, iPhoneographer and social media influencer. Her chronicle of authentic everyday life and her mindful Me and Orla blog has developed into a business in which she provides access to free insta-tips, alongside some hugely popular paid for e-courses for independent creatives.

Hashtag Authentic draws on the lessons Sara has learned over the past five years to provide readers with tips, advice and guidance on how to turn their personal Instagram account into a profitable creative outlet. From visual storytelling and improving photography skills to archiving day-to-day life and changing the work/life balance, this book is both an inspiring manual and an interactive tool for finding an online voice, growing a tribe and becoming an influencer.

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An amazing book - truly inspiring and beautifully written and laid out. There are some wonderful examples to draw from and lots of great advice. I'd highly recommend if you're using Instagram and want to raise the level of your posts. Check out my review.


I follow Claire on Instagram, so when she began advertising and promoting the new series she has co-written I had to get it pre-ordered. Bane (Carnal Pleasures Book 1) by Claire Marta & Summer Stanton is the first of the new series and something a little different!

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Carnal Pleasures is the most exclusive BDSM club in the supernatural world. Renowned for their specialized Dominant and submissive training, people come from all over to explore what the club has to offer.

Cold and commanding, Adam Archer is the club manager. Though he hasn’t taken on a submissive in years, he agrees to see to the newest member of the club.

After surviving a horrific attack, Bane is left broken. The lost wolf is sent to Carnal Pleasures at the bidding of his Pack Alpha. Wrapped in pain and self-doubt he doesn’t want to be there. After all, who would help a damaged beast?

Their attraction is instant, but Bane is distrustful of the demanding vampire. Not used to following the orders of anyone but his Alpha, he fights against his temporary Master at every turn.

Determined to make him let go, Adam submerges Bane in a world he never thought to dream of. A place where trust and submission go hand in hand.

Both men are stubborn and fight tooth and nail to make their arrangement work. When they do figure it out, they find they have more in common than mutual attraction. Together, they might heal more than just Bane's broken confidence.

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I will admit that I was skeptical about this read due to it being different to what I am used to, but just like the world it portrays, it's good to be pushed past our normal boundaries sometimes. Bane and Adam were fantastic characters and the world Claire and Summer describes is great. Taught me a few things too... Check out my review :)


Whilst checking the release date on the newest of Tiffany's books, I discovered a Sinners' novella that I had never read!! So obviously, I purchased it instantly to read... The Last Good Knight by Tiffany Reisz is a short story based before the beginning of the first book in the Original Sinners series.

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The 8th Circle - Three years before The Siren When Mistress Nora, newly separated from her lover Søren, encounters a sexy newcomer at the 8th Circle it is lust at first sight. But when their session is cut short by Kingsley Edge, Nora vows to seduce the gorgeous submissive, even if it goes against all of Kingsley's orders.

The Last Good Knight is an Original Sinners novella told in five
Part I: Scars and Stripes
Part II: Sore Spots
Part III: The Games Destiny Plays
Part IV: Fit to Be Tied
Part V: The Last Good Night

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As expected, this was amazing!! Tiffany never fails to disappoint, especially when it involves the Sinners! This series is my all-time favourite. It's not for everyone, but I love it! Check out my review :)


I thought I was being clever by fitting this one in just in time for Book Club at work, only to get there and realise I was a month ahead of myself and the ladies at Book Club didn't know about this one yet... Oh well, I'm on the ball! If I Die Before I Wake by Emily Koch was Waterstones' Thriller of the Month for March!

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Everyone believes Alex is in a coma, unlikely to ever wake up. As his family debate withdrawing life support, he can only listen. But he soon begins to suspect that his accident wasn't really an accident. Even worse, the perpetrator is still out there and Alex is not the only one in danger.

Alex must use a series of clues from his past to solve the mystery of who tried to kill him. He needs to protect those he loves - before they decide to let him go...

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Read this in a couple of days!! Had to know what happened and 'whodunnit'! A seriously good page-turner with a satisfying ending (in the sense that it could have been a pretty lame one) - Check out my review for a bit more, I've tried to avoid spoilers as much as I can.


Had this one on the shelf a while, and with the World Book Day title to go with it I figured I had time to squeeze it in!! Bad Mermaids by Sibeal Pounder is a children's 5-8 title, but I couldn't resist!

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Mermaids Beattie, Mimi and Zelda are enjoying a summer on land with legs when they receive a strange CRABAGRAM ordering them to return home at once. Some seriously BAD MERMAIDS are on the loose and the girls are the only ones who can stop them. If they're going to save the day, they'll need answers. And a clam car. Definitely piranha-print nail polish. Possibly not the talking seahorse. CAN THEY DO IT? Filled with magical mysteries, fabulous fashion, and a serious piranha problem, Bad Mermaids brings a whole new twist to the underwater world of mermaids. If you enjoyed The Little Mermaid, you'll love this too!

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I have to be honest and say that this wasn't as great as I was hoping for. It's a great story, and the characters are fantastic, but I struggled to get into the adventure... Check out my review here.


I started The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden as I was due to meet her last Saturday, but haven't quite finished it yet, so I will put that one in the start of next month's run down!

Keep Reading :)