Booking Ahead/Weekly Wrap Up
8 February 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, Booking Ahead, Books, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Fantasy, reading, Sunday Post, Weekly wrap up
Today I’m posting my Weekly Wrap Up and I’m linking up to The Sunday Post over at Kimberly’s Caffeinated Reviewer. Without further ado:
Weekly Update
The bad weather continues. Oh well, it is what it is. We’ve had visitors staying this week so not as much time for blogging or reading. I have read Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett. And I’ve made a start on Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward. I’ve actually managed to catch up with my book reviews which is a first for a long time. I’m quite happy about that as it should mean I can write my review as soon as I finish reading which I very much prefer to do while the emotions and feelings are still strong. This week I’ll be catching up with blog hopping and seeing what I’ve missed.
Next Week’s reads
Hopefully I can complete Nowhere Burning and make a start on Temple Fall by RL Boyle. I’ve also started to listen to Elodie Harper’s Boudicca’s Daughter. If I manage to read Temple Fall and Nowhere Burning I have only one more review book for February so can make a start on March review books (but, the best laid plans, etc, etc..)
Reviews Posted:
- The Storm by Rachel Hawkins
- A Forest Darkly by AG Slatter
- Traitor in the Ice by KJ Maitland
Outstanding Reviews
- Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett
Review: A Forest, Darkly by AG Slatter
2 February 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Forest Darkly, AG Slatter, Book Review, Books, Fantasy, fiction, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: To Put it Simply – Brilliant
I loved A Forest, Darkly. I would go even further and say this is my favourite Slatter book so far – but, I seem to have that feeling every time I read her latest work, she just gets better and better. This author is definitely my catnip and A Forest, Darkly is just what I’m in the mood for at the moment. A wonderful concoction of dark forests and witches with a boost provided by folklore, fae and the mystery of missing children, all wrapped up in a fairytale style with hints of Little Red Riding Hood. To be clear though. This is an adult fairytale, it’s dark and serious in places and certainly not a story to read to little ones. I would also mention that although this is set in the Sourdough universe this can be read as a standalone.
So, this story starts off with Mehrab. Mehrab has a history, things in her past that she ran away from and doesn’t like to dwell on. She ran far, far from home and ended up in a small cottage, tucked into the forest, not too deep to be at risk from anything too dark and not too near to the bordering village to have them watching her. It’s the perfect spot, and Mehrab has her life in order. Until two things happen almost simultaneously and cause upset, not to mention becoming the catalyst for change. Firstly, Rhea ventures deeper into the forest one day, chasing a rabbit, and becomes trapped. Clearly, something lured her in and if it wasn’t for her quick wits she could have been stuck there waiting for whatever might appear. Secondly, an old friend visited and brought with her a young woman, also running away from home and needing shelter. Mehrab takes in Rhea and becomes, begrudgingly at first, her mentor. Now, as this is playing out, it turns out that a number of children have gone missing from the village, some have been returned but seem not so much themselves any more.
What I loved about this.
Well, firstly, it’s beautifully dark, tantalisingly twisty and perfectly witchy. I love the way Slatter writes women.
They’re just so real – by which I mean, they’re not perfect. Mehrab is grumpy, curmudgeonly and yet alternatively wise and thoughtful. She sometimes takes her own sweet time to come round to an idea but she eventually gets there. Rhea is young. She’s impulsive and stubborn but she does listen and she takes pride in Mehrab’s praise. The two go well together and start to forge a firm bond. In fact one of the really enjoyable aspects of this is the ‘found family’ feel as Mehrab gradually seems to gather more lost sheep into her flock.
The setting is great. We obviously spend a great deal of time in the forest and the writing is so evocative. There are dark and twisted elements but also beauty and it’s all tempered by the warm cosy cottage. Meanwhile, in the village, people are starting to become scared. Their children are being taken and although they’re being returned – they’re different. On top of this there is the persistent fear that things are beginning to change. Folklore and religion don’t sit well together at this time and witches and wise women are hunted. Given that both Mehrab and Rhea are running from mistakes you can feel that it’s only a matter of time before they become ensnared. Mehrab is starting to feel the itch to move on but she is also desperate to salvage the mystery of the missing children.
Then we have a dark entity, a horned hunter who seems to be stalking Mehrab, for reasons unknown. She’s taking as many precautions as she can but there’s a dark ominous feel to the story like it’s only a matter of time before this creature succeeds.
Finally, I loved the imagination. The Sourdough universe is full of all sorts of wild and wonderous critters and A Forest, Darkly is no exception. We have a shadow creature of the Wild Hunt, changelings, critters that live in the lakes, green women, summer husbands and much more.
I absolutely adored this book, I wish I hadn’t read it so that I could have the pleasure of reading it for the first time again and I have no hesitation in recommending.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 5 of 5 bewitching stars
Review: Nightshade and Oak by Molly O’Neill
26 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, fiction, Greenteeth, Molly O'Neill, Nightshade and Oak, Review
My Five Word TL:DR Review: History and Mythology Perfectly Blended
I absolutely adored Greenteeth and couldn’t wait to read more by this author and Nightshade and Oak certainly didn’t disappoint. O’Neill has a way of blending history and folklore that is quite magical, she also seems to like to bring together two totally different characters, who, on the face of it, really shouldn’t get on, and then throw them into a situation. In Greenteeth we had a lake monster and a witch and in Nightshade and Oak we have a Goddess and a warrior.
The start of the story is amazing. We witness the Goddess of Death, Mallt Y Nos, and her pack of dogs roaming as they sweep through the carnage of a battlefield. Mallt is responsible for sending souls to their final resting place, helping those that are stuck or unhappy. Unfortunately, during her work she is struck by an errant spell that strips her of her immortality. She becomes a frail human, no longer blessed with great strength and speed. The person responsible for this action is a female warrior called Bellis, daughter of Boudicca. The Iceni tribe were making a final stand against the Romans, it didn’t go well and Belis was trying a spell of healing. The two are now thrown together through need and to be fair, although they set out on a quite simple quest things become much more complicated along the way.
What I loved about this.
It’s a really easy story to engage with, similar to Greenteeth. It’s set in a period where myth and magic were still believed in and it blends into the story easily.
I love Mallt. She’s a great character to get along with. She’s been a Goddess for so long, she barely thinks about the things she now does, it’s all automatic, she takes for granted her long life and her abilities so when she loses them not only is it devastating for her but it does make for some situations that definitely bring light relief. She’s so naturally arrogant, but then she finds she can’t climb a hill without hurting everywhere, she feels hunger, she can’t run fast, and she’s smaller in stature than Belis. It’s all quite unbelievable to her and she has to go through a massive learning curve, understanding once again how to speak to others, how to ask for help and finally realising that she can be hurt, both physically and emotionally. She’s interesting and easy to read.
Belis isn’t quite as quirky so in some ways she takes a back seat. She also doesn’t share as much page time as Mallt so although we are treated to little chapters where we see her in the past, it’s not as easy to become attached. Don’t get me wrong, I liked this character, she’s steadfast and clearly been taught well but a lot of what she does takes place off page so you don’t really witness her capabilities. It’s like we’re more wrapped up in Mallt’s conundrum than Belis’s. Which I really didn’t mind.
The world building is to the point. It definitely is the sort of story that expects readers to pick up and run with things and I can’t deny that I found that easy enough to do. This isn’t a history lesson and I’m not sure how historically correct certain story lines depicted are but I enjoyed the way the story blends the Roman elements with the mythological. I also really liked the dialogue and the style in which the story is told. It isn’t heavily described but it conjures a picture and the dialogue isn’t olde worlde but at the same time it isn’t modern and I really appreciate that.
I think I’ve seen the author described as ‘cosy’ fantasy. I can see where this description fits in some ways as there is almost a fairytale element to her storytelling, probably more so with Greenteeth I think, but, I don’t know that I’d say this is cosy. This certainly doesn’t shy away from warfare and death. There is a very slow building romance but there’s also a bittersweet ending – which to me felt like the only real way that this story could end.
Overall, I had a really good time reading this and in fact practically completed it in only two sittings because I didn’t really like putting it aside. I think I can safely say that Molly O’Neill is an author that I will be watching with interest.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4 of 5 twinkly stars
Review: Rings of Fate (Curses and Crowns #1) by Melissa de la Cruz
12 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Review, Books, Curses and Crowns #1, Fantasy, Melissa de la Cruz, Review, Rings of Fate, Romance, romantasy
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Didn’t Quite Hit the Mark
Well, I’m on a bit of a romantasy reading ‘thing’ at the moment and so this book appealed to me with its description of a cursed prince and a hard working barmaid who reluctantly strike a bargain that ultimately puts their hearts at risk!
Prince Dietan is living under a curse. Only a few select people know the details and I’m not going to spill them here in this review. He’s currently travelling the country, supposedly looking for a bride. In truth, he’s looking for someone with magic who might be able to help him.
Aren Bellamore is a hard working barmaid with dreams of escaping her small world. Unfortunately she has too many responsibilities to make this dream a reality, until a handsome prince walks into her world and strikes up a bargain.
What worked for me.
This was definitely an easy to read story. It had a kind of Cinderella vibe but with a totally different angle. We have Aren, hard working and responsible, her mother has died and her elderly father takes a back seat in affairs. She has two sisters – but far from being evil step sisters they are beautiful and adorable and Aren wants nothing more than to see them happily settled. And, of course, we have a handsome prince, supposedly looking for a bride to secure alliances for his country to stop the threat of war.
The story is told in alternating chapters by Aren and Dietan. I really liked this approach letting the readers get into both heads to see what was really going on and of course it gives us a bit of insight into the world itself.
To be honest, I didn’t have any problems reading this, it was light, fun in parts and I was never at the point of putting it down and not picking it up again.
What didn’t work too well for me.
Well, firstly, this being adult fantasy I did expect the foundations to be a little stronger. That being said, I’m new to romance and romantasy so I’m never really quite sure what to expect. Personally this felt very focused on the romance and less so on the fantasy. The world building was thin, I never really got the feeling of threat and most of the story was the two povs travelling together with little thought about the looming war – I don’t know, I just didn’t feel any real urgency just a lot of backward and forward ‘does he doesn’t he like me’ and ‘does she doesn’t she like me’.
I also thought that the other characters were very underplayed. I mean, let’s take a look at Aren’s sisters for example. They fall in love instantly, they have no voice at all, they do nothing whilst Aren runs herself into the ground running a bar, staying up into the early hours sewing dresses to make them look amazing, cooking – I mean, she really is a Cinderella character – but they’re adorable, supposedly, I just don’t understand why they don’t offer to help maybe, or occasionally get more involved, or, maybe they don’t want to be married off either? The same with Dietan who has his two closest friends travelling with him – they never really get to play a strong role or have anything useful to contribute. The four of them exist purely so they can all fall in love and not take part in the story at all, so why include them at all? Just start with Dietan and Aren and keep it simple. It felt like a missed opportunity not to have the four of them contribute a little more.
That probably sounds a little more critical than I intended. On the whole, this was an entertaining and light read. It didn’t quite work for me but I can definitely see it working for other readers who are not only more familiar with romance and therefore know what to expect but also have a firmer grip on what they’re really looking for. These are new waters for me and I’m still really finding my feet so strictly speaking it’s more a case of ‘it’s me not you’ at play here.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 3 of 5 stars
Review: A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St James
8 January 2026
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: A Box Full of Darkness, Book Reviews, Books, Fantasy, fiction, Review, Simone St James
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Great Start to New Year
A Box Full of Darkness was one of my most hotly anticipated reads for 2026 and was in fact my first book of the new year – and what an amazing way to start. I loved this and it’s made me more determined than ever to go back and read some of this author’s previous work. I’ve already read and thoroughly enjoyed Murder Road and I also have a copy of The Sun Down Motel but the Book of Cold Cases and the Haunting of Maddy Clare are also trying to tempt me! So many books to look forward to. Anyway, focus woman! Review.
A Box Full of Darkness takes place in Fell, New York. This is a strange place where many inexplicable things occur. The Esmie family live in a particularly creepy part of town where few children play and it doesn’t bode well to develop any curiosity about what goes on in the woods. Years ago the youngest son, Ben, who was doted on by the whole family, disappeared. His body was never found and the stress and unhappiness eventually broke the family apart, not that they were particularly close in the first place. Now, it seems that Ben is calling his siblings home and the three have no hesitation in returning.
I practically inhaled this ghost story. It has the creep factor in spades and I really loved the main characters. This is only my second book by the author but she really does write her characters so well that they jump off the page. This is mysterious, dark and completely compelling.
The three siblings in question are Violet, Vail and Dodie. Violet is the eldest sister, she has a no nonsense attitude and a way of looking at people that makes them not want to mess with her or get on her wrong side. She currently works as a cleaner for a company who go into houses of the recently deceased where there are no relatives left to finalise their affairs. Its perhaps not the best job for her given that Violet has been able to see ‘ghosts’ for as long as she can remember. Vail is the middle child – but essentially ‘big brother’ to both his sisters. He used to be a diver but now investigates alien sightings and UFOs. Dodie is the youngest of the three, she models (hair and hands) out of New York and of the three of them she is the most explosive. The three have never got over the disappearance of their beloved younger brother. Their parents have long since passed and the three are estranged but a sighting of Ben is enough to bring them back together.
Why I loved this.
The writing is excellent. I found myself immediately drawn in, and I do mean after just a couple of pages. The chapters are split between the three siblings and at first, whilst they try to hold you at arms length, you eventually find yourself really caring for them. They all have very different natures and yet what eventually shines out is that they are in fact incredibly protective of each other. They were predominantly left to their own devices, their parents seemingly ambivalent about whether they ate/didn’t eat/went to school, didn’t go to school, etc. Basically, it wasn’t the happiest childhood for any of them and rather than pull together they fractured and fell apart. But, and this is perhaps a key element of the story, their upbringing has given them a strength and resilience, especially to Fell, that they would otherwise not have had.
Of the three, Violet takes the lead in getting out and about, trying to find out more by any means. She finds herself accompanied, willing or not, by another local (a boy that she had a massive crush on at school – even though he had no idea she existed). Vail is trying to apply his investigative prowess closer to home, taking pictures, examining the attic room and eventually calling in a colleague with the right expertise. Dodie is less active in this way, she’s more likely to breakdown and yet she finds herself discovering information through the least likely means. The three complement each other really well.
I loved the house and the dark carrying ons. For me this was just about as creepy as I would like to read and had a good balance of backstory and other human interest elements to stop me from feeling overwhelmed.
In terms of the setting Fell is definitely a spooky place and I understand there are references to other stories in this book which makes me even more intrigued to search out this author’s earlier work.
In conclusion, I couldn’t put this down. It had me hooked from the get go and I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next (and in the meantime I have the pleasure of reading some of her previous work).
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
Books and travelling with Lynn 