Title: Our King: Charles III

Author: Robert Jobson

When Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, it sent shockwaves around the world. The longest reigning and oldest monarch, at ninety-six years of age, she had just publicly celebrated her Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The Queen’s death meant the passing of the Crown to her son, HRH Charles, Prince of Wales, her controversial, earnest, and outspoken heir, who had long lived in the shadow of her mystique.

King Charles III’s own life has been marred by scandal and myth, but who is the real man behind the Crown? In this revelatory book, renowned royal correspondent and author Robert Jobson examines the life of our new King, and his passions, purpose, and motivations. On the eve of his landmark coronation, Our King considers the life of the man and the monarch, reflecting on how his values and beliefs will shape him as he takes on this monumental role.

I actually really enjoyed this.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget Charles’ face at the funeral of his Mum, holding it together as best he could. I like the guy and I also like the monarchy. I loved Diana too but some people have to let that go, her passing was a very tragic event but we have to move on and let Charles be happy.

From birth to present day, a recollection of Charlies life so far.

I love that he is so passionate about his causes and he really has some big boots to fill now as King.

William and Catherine appear a bit but I’d say there was more about Harry and Meghan but I skipped over them because they make my blood boil!

Title: Penmort Castle

Series: Ghosts and Reincarnation #3

Author: Kristen Ashley

Cash Fraser is planning revenge and to get it he needs the perfect woman. So he hires her. Abigail Butler has lost nearly everything in her life and she’s about to lose the home she loves.

Cash meets Abby, who is posing as a paid escort, and the minute he does he knows he’s willing to pay for more than Abby being his pretend girlfriend. A lot more. Abby needs the money or the last thing that links her to her dead family and husband will be gone. The deal is struck but both Cash and Abby get more than they bargained for.

Cash realises very quickly that Abby isn’t what she seems and while he changes strategies, Abby discovers that Cash’s legacy, Penmort Castle, is like all the tales say – very, very haunted. Making matters worse, the ghost in residence wants her dead.

Abby’s found herself in the battle of her life so she enlists Mrs. Truman, her nosy neighbour; Jenny, her no-nonsense friend; Cassandra McNabb, white witch and clairvoyant with a penchant for wearing scarves (and lots of them); and Angus McPherson, dyed-in-the-wool Scot (which means he hunts ghosts in a kilt) to fight the vicious ghost who has vowed that she will rest at nothing to kill the true, abiding love of the master of Penmort.

I’ve had this book for so long and I’m so happy that I’ve got to it now because I loved the 1st two books!

So, the setting: Bath, Bristol and Clevedon – my yard! Love reading stories that are close to where I live!

Abi needs money so her friend sets her up with Cash who, has the money to pay for an escort, but has a plan in regards to his family. But both their plans go awry!

A very nasty ghost, lots of miscommunication, a black cat, a Scottish ghost hunter in a kilt, basically a formed coven and a grumpy old lady – Mrs Truman what a legend!

This was an ok read but I did prefer the 1st two I must admit. But on to the next book!

Top Ten Tuesday is featured by That Artsy Reader Girl. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Topic: Freebie: New-to-me authors so far in 2023

If there is one thing I love about books it’s reading new to me authors and discovering gems! Here’s 10 that I’ve found so far this year!

T Kingfisher
Kate Dramis
Runyx
Emma Torzs
Carissa Broadbent

Ashley Postin
Rachel Gillig
Maya Ibrahim
Rebecca Yarros
Lynn Painter

What authors are on your list?

July theme – You Win or You Die

In a game like this, there are only two choices – win and live, or lose and die.

Items inspired by The Hunger Games, A Magic Steeped in Poison, The Final Strife and a multifandom item.

💛 Fire is Catching Towel inspired by The Hunger Games, designed by @afterblossom_art
💛 Guess the Character Game designed by @chattynora with artwork by @polarts_
💛 Magic Stemless Tea Cups inspired by A Magic Steeped in Poison, designed by @jessleart
💛 Guild of Knowledge Pouch inspired by The Final Strife, designed by @alicemariapower

💛 FEATURED BOOK 💛

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

Exclusive cover
Foiled hardback by @chattynora
Digitally printed edges by @chattynora
Endpaper art by @chattynora
Signed

Hi! Hope you’ve had a good week!

No Sunday Post today because I didn’t read a single word on holiday but I wanted to show you something I saw that fascinated and enraged me! It’s not bookish so feel free to skip if you aren’t interested!

We came across this grave on the Dartmoor moors in the middle of nowhere on a crossroads and our local guide told us the story which was along the lines of:

In the late 18th century, Kitty Jay was a servant in a farmhouse and the owners son got her pregnant. This was scandalous in those days as they weren’t married.

The farmer threw her out, the church abandoned her and the son denied everything (that’s what made me mad!) With no options, she hung herself in an outbuilding.

In those days victims of suicide weren’t allowed to be buried on consecrated ground because the locals believed the spirit would make its way back to familiar territory and haunt them so they were buried under crossroads without the rites of Christian burial. 

Years later her body (and that of her unborn child) were dug up and set in a fresh grave on the crossroads surrounded by stones. To this day, no matter what time of the year, there are always fresh flowers on her grave. No one knows who puts them there but legend says it is the Dartmoor pixies!

There are all sorts of ghost stories and pagan ritual type things surrounding the grave but I just think it’s an utterly sad story. I do like that the town and people in it were forgotten but Kitty’s story lives on!

Here are some more pictures of the moors (the sheep free roam – also cows and horses do this too!)

Title: Scarlet

Series: Scarlet #1

Author: Genevieve Cogman

Revolution is a bloodthirsty business . . . especially when vampires are involved.

It is 1793 and the French Revolution is in full swing. Vampires—usually rich and aristocratic—have slaked the guillotine’s thirst in large numbers. The mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel, a disguised British noble, and his League are heroically rescuing dozens of aristocrats from execution, both human and vampire. And soon they will have an ace up their sleeves–Eleanor Dalton.

Eleanor is working as a housemaid on the estate of a vampire Baroness. Her highest aspiration is to one day become a modiste. But when the Baroness hosts a mysterious noble and his wife, they tell Eleanor she is the spitting image of a French aristocrat, and they convince her to journey to France to aid them in a daring scheme. Soon, Eleanor finds herself in Paris, swept up in magic and intrigue—and chaos—beyond her wildest dreams. But there’s more to fear than ardent Revolutionaries. For Eleanor stumbles across a centuries-old war between vampires and their fiercest enemy. And they’re out for blood. . . . 

A fun, action packed, historical romp all the way back to the French Revolution…..but with vamps!

Eleanor is a seamstress with an uncanny resemblance to an important French historical figure who is imprisoned so shes inducted into the ranks of the Scarlet Pimpernel!

I loved Eleanor, she was so strong and her inner pep talks made it for me!  I also loved the detail around the time period, the author must have done so much research!

I hope Eleanor and Charles so make it because they were really very cute!

I didn’t give it 5 stars because there was something very bizarre that happened with the introduction of a new ‘character’ just over halfway through, it confused me and I didn’t understand what use it had really! Maybe there’s more to come from this in future books and it will make sense then? But for now it felt a bit rushed and not fully explained? Maybe it was me!

Title: Paris Hilton: The Memoir

A MILLION MEANINGS IN A SINGLE NAME…

Heiress. Party girl. Problem child. Selfie taker. Model. Cover girl. Reality star.

These are labels that have been attached to Paris Hilton by others.

Founder. Entrepreneur. Pop Culture Maker. Innovator. Survivor. Activist. Daughter. Sister. Wife. Mom.

These are roles Paris Hilton embraces now as a fully realized woman.

Paris rose to prominence as an heiress to the Hilton Hotels empire, but cultivated her fame and fortune as the It Girl of the aughts, a time marked by the burgeoning twenty-four-hour entertainment news cycle and the advent of the celebrity blog. Using her celebrity brand, Paris set in motion her innovative business ventures, while being the constant target of tabloid culture that dismissively wrote her off as “famous for being famous.” With tenacity, sharp business acumen, and grit, she built a global empire and, in the process, became a truly modern icon beloved around the world.

Now, with courage, honesty, and humor, Paris Hilton is ready to take stock, place it all in context, and share her story with the world. Separating the creation from the creator, the brand from the ambassador, Paris: The Memoir strips away all we thought we knew about a celebrity icon, taking us back to a privileged childhood lived through the lens of undiagnosed ADHD and teenage rebellion that triggered a panicked–and perilous–decision by her parents. Led to believe they were saving their child’s life, Paris’s mother and father had her kidnapped and sent to a series of “emotional growth boarding schools,” where she survived almost two years of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. In the midst of a hell we now call the “troubled teen industry,” Paris created a beautiful inner world where the ugliness couldn’t touch her. She came out, resolving to trust no one but herself as she transformed that fantasy world into a multibillion-dollar reality.

Recounting her perilous journey through pre-#MeToo sexual politics with grace, dignity, and just the right amount of sass, Paris: The Memoir tracks the evolution of celebrity culture through the story of the figure at its leading edge, full of defining moments and marquee names. Most important, Paris shows us her path to peace while she challenges us to question our role in her story and in our own. Welcome to Paris.

I didn’t quite know what to expect going into this but can assure you this was open and brutally honest.

I was so shocked at what this girl has been through, it was heartbreaking. I guess you just see the money, the name, the clothes, the outward image and make assumptions but she is so much more than that and I applaud her for being able to function now in life because I’m not sure I would be able to if I’d been through what she had!

Even though Paris said this book might jump around because of her ADHD, I never even noticed because I was so hooked!

I am so glad she has found her person now in Carter and wish her all the best for the future with little Phoenix.

Title: Thornhedge

Author: T Kingfisher

There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

A loosely based Sleeping Beauty retelling, but oh so different!

And oh so good!

Toadling is stolen from the human world and lives in Faerie but is called upon to try and help right a wrong….but it doesn’t go exactly to plan! Years later a Knight comes knocking at the door and Toadlings tale unfolds!

This is a brilliant short story with some great themes, messages and basically found family….

‘She was theirs; they were hers . The love of monsters was uncomplicated.’

This book is a first for me from this author and now certainly won’t be the last but I do wonder if there will be more in this world?! I’d love that!

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received.

Hi everyone, hope you’ve had a good week?

I’m on holiday! We set off on Friday to a remote converted barn with 30 of my family members so I’ve scheduled this post in! Sorry if I’m late coming back on comments and posts- I have no idea what the internet is going to be like there!

Hope the week ahead treats you well!

---

New Arrivals

Nothing this week!

---

What I’ve Read

🎧 Sea of Ruin by Pam Godwin
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bride of the Shadow King by Sylvia Mercedes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Look out for my reviews soon!

---

You might have missed…..

Review – Ravensong by TJ Klune
Review – Alone With You in the Ether by Olivie Blake
Feature – September releases

---

What have you read lately?