#Blogtour Consider The Ravens by Cressida Downing

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Consider the Ravens - A Gripping Medieval Mystery of Murder and Secrets on Lindisfarne,The Scribe of Lindisfarne by Cressida Downing. Published by No Exit Press, pub date 16 July 2026. Blogtour courtesy of Random Things Tours.

About the Author

Cressida Downing is a freelance editor, has worked in bookshops and for publishers, and owns a business taking people on reading retreats. She lives near Cambridge and has planned 6 further novels in the series. Follow @DowningCressida on X

About the book

The scribe Linnet is running from her criminal past and seeking sanctuary in the island of her childhood. She’s friendless in the monastery, the monks resentful of a woman scribe, and her only company is Tom the fisherman and a child, Isabelle – watchful, clever and unlikeable – with her partly tamed raven Pol.

The monastery bursar Oswyn threatens to expose Linnet’s past but she isn’t the only one with secrets to hide. Intent upon uncovering the monks’ misdeeds is the fanatic inspector, sent by the new Bishop of Durham to write a report on the monastery.

When Oswyn is found drowned, Linnet suspects the death is not accidental. After another death, Linnet realises there’s a killer amongst the brethren, and her own precarious position makes her vulnerable – unless she can first identify who it could be…

Review

Tones of Sansom and a smidgen of Umberto Eco, but with a light-hearted sense of mystery, mayhem and murder. Secrets are the currency of the power plays inside the monastery. Linnet walks a precarious tightrope of staying hidden in plain sight with her basic needs cared for, whilst managing to be in every corner when trouble shows its face. It's no wonder she has a hard time keeping her secrets from potential enemies.

Then again it's highly unusual for a woman in that era to be able to read and scribe. It creates questions and a spotlight finds her more often than not. Can Linnet keep herself safe, despite being driven by her curious nature and the need to solve dangerous mysteries.

An sudden death brings more unexpected attention to the doors of the monastery. An accident? Or perhaps something more dangerous is at hand. Linnet finds herself in the midst of everything - not really a good idea when you want to keep a low profile.

It's a bit of a slow starter, however I can only suggest sticking with it. It gains traction with each page and culminates in the setting in motion the next book in the series and also a few revelations. I think it has a lot of potential and can't wait to see where the author takes it.

Buy Consider the Ravens at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy via Bookshop org.

#Review The Children by Melissa Albert

About the Author

Melissa Albert is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of the Hazel Wood series and Our Crooked Hearts, and a former bookseller and founder of the Barnes & Noble Teen Blog. Her work has been translated into more than twenty languages and included in the New York Times’ list of Notable Children’s Books. She enjoys swimming pool tourism, genre mashups, and living in Brooklyn with her hilarious husband and magnificently goofy son.

About the book

Their childhood was yours. They want it back . . .

Guinevere's late mother, Edith Sharpe, needs little introduction. Bestselling author of the unendingly successful Ninth Cityseries, her books brought so much joy and inspired the imagination of countless children the world over. Guin's childhood with her mother, brother Ennis and her actor father was a blissful, bohemian affair, filled with continuous laughter and surrounded by artistic types in their Vermont barnhouse. At least, this is the story Guin presents as she prepares for the press tour for her upcoming memoir about life in the Sharpe family.

Now estranged from her brother and her parents long dead after a devastating fire, strange events threaten the veneer of serenity and familial harmony Guin is keen to project. Ennis, now a notorious artist with a troubled past, announces a new installation – his first since a disastrous last show one year prior – simply entitled Mother. And Guin can't help but worry that the truth behind their idyllic childhood is about to blow her world apart.

Told in alternating narratives between 1990s Vermont and present-day New York, The Children is a twisting narrative of family secrets and long-held resentments, which asks whether we can ever really exorcise the ghosts of a childhood forsaken in favour of a parent's artistic vision.

Review

I wonder if the author realises that after this book the expectation is a set of the Ninth City books - written retrospectively, which can be read as readers navigate their way through the story of the Sharpe children. We also demand (okay I demand) not only the aforementioned, but also a sequel (maybe more) to this fascinating venture into magical realism with a smorgasbord of fantasy and speculative fiction woven into the story.

Guin and Ennis appear to live a life of freedom in the midst of the creatives of the world. They explore their surroundings, whilst their parents are consumed by their own egocentrical meanderings. Father, the talented actor who despises being drawn away from the limelight. Mother, the writer who will draw power, steal ideas and sacrifice anything to continue her written exploration into her beloved world of the Ninth City.

The childhood of Guin and Ennis is indicative of the time and era, children were a side-piece and an afterthought, often left to their own devices. I think that is especially the case for the Sharpe children who are seen as the physical representations of their parents creativity. The muses for their mother. It creates a breeding ground for pain. neglect, dangerous situations and eventually a division that can't be mended.

I adored the way this book sets up the illusion of a coming-of-age meets literary extravaganza and then evolves into an intriguing combination of fantasy and occasional magical realism. It's delivers so many elements to a variety of readers. The complex relationship between Guin, Ennis and their parents. The co-dependency of the siblings relationship. The way the world, the media and the fandom interacts with the Sharpe legacy. The depth of darkness bouncing back and forth between Guin and Ennis, which culminates in the most fascinating of twists.

It's a great read. I need more. And did I mention that we the readers need the Ninth City books too!

Buy The Children at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Bloomsbury Circus; pub date 4th June 2026. Buy at Amazon com. Buy via Bookshop org.

#Blogtour Fresh Start by Johnny Worthen

It's an aboslute pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Fresh Start by Johnny Worthen. Published by Flame Tree Press, publication date June 2026. Tour courtesy of Random Things Tours.

About the Author

Johnny Worthen is an award-winning, multiple-genre, tie-dye-wearing author, voyager, and damn fine human being! Trained in literary criticism and cultural studies, he writes upmarket fiction, long and short, mentors others where he can and teaches at the University of Utah. Follow @JohnnyWorthen on X, Visit johnnyworthen.com

About the book

A ship, a gun, and a nice teal robe to find one killer on a planet of criminals: will Qays Mendoza get the answers he is looking for? New novel from the bestse ling author of the Coronam series.

On the edges of mankind’s domain there is a penal planet called Fresh Start where a sentence is at best exile to five generations, but more likely death in its harsh unforgiving wastes. It is to this planet the empire sends the worst of the worst and it is on this planet that Qays Mendoza searches for his old captain.

The galactic empire is falling, civilization contracts. Fresh Start is abandoned. Without oversight, the planet is wild, without guards; the Oubliette, the supermax prison on the supermax planet, lies open, and the Butcher of Raznak, a killer worse than the one Qays seeks, is on the loose.

With the help of a street waif called Patience, Qays seeks answers. His soul is stained with guilt and his spirit broken by complicity. Religion did not have the answer; duty did not explain it. Birthright and station were not enough. His answers lie somewhere on Fresh Start.

Review

First of all - I'm with Wallen. 

I love it when I find a gem of a storyteller and in this case a writer who also has the ability to write a incredibly clever multi-layered story in a science fiction scenario. I really enjoyed this read.

Humans, societies, communities, cults, political groups and civilisations, they eventually always evolve in the same way. Regardless of planet, era or space-time continuum. The same pockets of oppressors, the same religious zealots, the same type of persona who enoy inflicting pain and violence upon others, and of course the people who live in the space between trying to stay alive.

Qays is the very definition of a tortured and conflicted soul. His belief system has been rattled to the core, which is buried beneath a layer of guilt, grief and disbelief. He is on a quest to find answers and perhaps absolution from someone who made a decision that change the projectile their life and his own.

He is a walking contradiction, especially when the going gets tough. His inability to do what needs to be done in certain situations makes him a liability. A danger to himself and others. That broken spirit recognises the correct response, but the mind and body are unable to act upon it. His snarky retorts often enrages or confuses the people he engages with, who can't see it as the protective shield it functions as or rather the way to discourage people from digging any deeper.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the comparisons we can make to current situations, history has a way of repeating patterns, because we learn nothing and humankind is predictable. The other gold nugget is the moral of the decisions made by certain characters. Still with Wallen by the way. Superb read, highly recommend!

Buy Fresh Start at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Flame Tree Press, Publication date June2026. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry.  The fifth instalment in the thrilling Raven and Fisher series. written by Ambrose Parry, the husband and wife duo of Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman. Paperback published 4th June 2026 by Canongate books. Tour courtesy of Random Things Tours.

About the Author/s

Chris Brookmyre is an internationaly bestseling and multi-award-winning author and Dr Marisa Haetzman is a consultant anaesthetist of twenty years’ experience. The couple teamed up to write a series of historical crime thrillers, featuring the darkest of Victorian Edinburgh’s secrets. 

The Way of All Flesh was a Waterstones Thriller and Scottish Crime Book of the Month, was longlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Award and shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year. The Art of Dying and A Corruption of Blood were shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year. A Corruption of Blood was shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger in 2022. In 2024, Voices of the Dead was shortlisted for the CWA Historical Dagger and their short story A Spendthrift and the Swallow was shortlisted for the CWA Short Dagger Award. Follow @ambroseparry on X or on bsky.app/profile

About the book

When you are a prisoner of your secrets, the death of shame is the only path to liberty. Annabel Banks was promised work as a maid with a prestigious Edinburgh family. But on her first day, she’s nowhere to be found. Concerned relatives contact Sarah Fisher to help. Sarah might know her way around the city – its light sides and dark – but soon she’ll discover the plight of dozens of girls ensnared in its many brothels: lured, abused and left ruined in the eyes of the world.

Meanwhile, a prominent society figure throws himself from the Scott Monument. Will Raven is asked to establish whether the death was suicide or if someone else was involved. Drawing upon real historical events, The Death of Shame takes the Raven and Fisher series into a treacherous labyrinth of shame and the pitfalls of a culture obsessed with moral purity.

Review

It should come as no surprise that the exploitation of women is a highly profitable business in any era or place in history, and this story features said exploitation in the Victorian era. Perhaps not as visible due to a clear separation between money, class and status, never the twain shall meet unless someone wants to profit from the exploitation.

Ambrose Parry (husband and wife writig duo) have created a popular historical crime fiction series that has left its mark. The combination of social constrictions and expectations, with complex ever evolving characters, whilst battling the scandals and crimes in the Victorian era.

Raven is tasked with, or rather tasks himself, with solving the death of someone close to him. The relevations lead him on a dangerous path, one he can't really afford to be on because his marriage is already fragile. Meanwhile Fisher is drawn into a despicable quagmire of exploitation and despair. Eyes wide shut, as they say.

I recommend reading the historical note the author/s added. It really gives the story that added layer of depth and comprehension, even the title they picked. It also gives the reader a certain element of comparison - the beginning and roots of both media and technology in crime and exploitation of the vulnerable and the powerful, then look at the sevenheaded hydra of corruption it has become.

I have to say the ending was unexpected, and yet also the right way to go from a developent perspective. It opens the doors to Fisher and Raven, it might not fall into place, but it brings them out of the tightly knitted corner they were wedged into.

It's always an enjoyable read and experience, may there be many more.

Buy The Death of Shame at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any retailer. Publisher ‏: ‎Canongate Books, Publication date: ‎4 Jun. 2026. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour The Blackened Yonder: Planar Lost by J. Gibson

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour The Blackened Yonder: Planar Lost Book One by J. Gibson. Tour courtesy of Zooloo's Book Tours. Published by The Lost Press, Publication date ‏ 15 July 2021.

About the Author

J. Gibson is a doctoral candidate in education and published researcher in the field of criminal justice with a concentration on gender differences. Holding degrees related to criminology, sociology, and psychology, his primary interest is academia, but he has always had a passion for creative writing and the genres of horror and fantasy, as well as history. 

Follow J. Gibson - PlanarLost on Facebook, planarlost on Instagram, @planarlost on X, threads.com/@planarlost on Threads and planarlost.bsky.social Visit www.jgibsonwrites.com/

About the book

Magic is restricted. The dead walk. Damnation comes for all. When dark forces empty a village overnight, only the ravenous undead remain. Garron Latimer, the village priest, flees to the capital seeking salvation. 

Far south, Athenne joins the underground Saints of Aetheria to ignite revolution and unleash forbidden magic. But their ambitious agenda demands a terrible price. 

Torn between duty and defiance, Garron uncovers secrets that test his faith. Plagued by doubt, Athenne questions the Saints’ righteousness, knowing betrayal could destroy her.

Review

Who to start with? From the very beginning the plot is driven by two very distinct voices, the priest who encounters living damnation and is consumed by an encounter that has become the worm in his brain eating its way out. Then there is Athenne and the Saints of Aetheria, and whilst one could easily say they are what they present themselves to be, saviours and fighters who walk the path of righteousness, as the story unfolds that becomes a little less clear.

It's an ambitious plot with plenty of avenues for further plot exploration. A complex meld of fantasy, speculative, horror, spiritual and religious threads - a smorgasbord of genres. No clear distinction between, but rather a path woven with the tools and ideas of all to create an experience. It is however a little on the heavy side, a bit like when a cake is too dense. So hard to see the trees, or any tree at all when the forest allows no space for an easy enjoyable stroll and instead you need a machete to forge a path.

Give me the heart, the soul of the characters. Something to make the reader want to follow their story. Even in the depths of despair as the monsters eat your beliefs and there is no clear way to determine right or wrong, good or bad, evil or just evil adjacent. Don't give me a thesis on Planar Lost, give me the magical construct you envision in your mind, tell me the story.

Buy The Blackened Yonder: Planar Lost at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: ‎The Lost Press, Publication date: 15 July 2021. Buy at Amazon com.

#Blogtour Bad Moon Rising by Berni Stevens

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Bad Moon Rising by Berni Stevens, it's the third book in the Immortals of London series. Thank you to Rachels Random Tours for organising the tour. Immortals of London: Dance Until Dawn, Revenge is Sweet and Bad Moon Rising.

About the Author

Berni Stevens lives in an ancient cottage in Hertfordshire, which sounds like it's in the depths of the countryside, but really isn't (because the green bits keep getting built on!) 

Berni spent four years at art college in Sussex before starting her first job in publishing as a book cover and promotions designer and then solely as a book cover designer for many of the big London publishers. She's now freelance, and designs for both publishers and many self-published authors. Although she still makes sure to leave time for her writing, and various hobbies. Berni was a finalist for the RNA Cover Designer of the Year Award both in 2021 and 2023.

Berni's first full-length novel was a paranormal romance, called Fledgling, which was first published in the US in 2011, and retitled Dance Until Dawn, made its UK debut three years later, followed by the sequel, Revenge is Sweet and so beginning the Immortals of London series. 

Veering away from the paranormal for a while, Berni's first festive RomCom, One Magical Christmas, took some people by surprise - including herself. So much so, that she wrote three more! 

With the re-appearance of the Romantasy genre ... a new paranormal romance has finally broken free – Bad Moon Rising – the third book in the Immortals of London series.

Berni can be found on Facebook, X @Berni_Stevens1, Linkedin, Instagram @berni.stevens.5/ and Threads @berni.stevens.5 come and say hello!

About the book

Rock and roll relationships are complicated. They’re even worse when one of you is a werewolf.

Stevie Vane, nightclub manager of Dusk, prefers London’s nightlife to life in the pack — fewer claws, fewer challengers, far less bloodshed.

But when tragedy strikes, Stevie is forced back into a world where dominance of the pack is won by strength… and every weakness is punished. Some new members begin a brutal contest for control, and they soon discover his greatest weakness is Kat Matthews.

Kat’s band has just landed the best gig of their career at Dusk. And the instant chemistry between her and the charismatic manager is undeniable — but so are the secrets he’s keeping. Secrets that come with sharp teeth.

As the rival wolves close in and old grudges resurface, Stevie realises it isn’t just his pack at risk. It’s the woman he loves.

Witty, romantic, and gripping, Bad Moon Rising is the third book in The Immortals of London series– where feelings run wild and loyalty can cost you everything.

Review

This series reminds me of the good old days when urban fantasy was what we now know as romantasy. When the magical and mythical added spice and took readers from the bonkbusters and the historical romances to places they had never been before.

This is the third book in the Immortals of London series - it absolutely can be read as a standalone novel, but reading the previous books gives an insight into the other couples and characters in the series.

Kat is a singer in a band who catches the attention of nightclub manager Stevie. It's fair to say that there is an instant spark, a mutual attraction, and almost fated meeting of souls. The attraction and connection is probably the reason Kat is a little blind to the oddities that come hand-in-hand with life at the nightclub Dusk. The occasional vampire or two, rogue werewolves and falling for someone who is more than just a man, sounds like life is about the get exciting and perhaps a little too dangerous.

It's a series that tugs at the heart, keeps the action going steadily in the background and has the potential to deliver a series with longevity. It's cosy with a spoonful of sugar and pinch of spice.

Buy Bad Moon Rising at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher : Independently published; Publication date : ‎26 Feb. 2026. Buy at Amazom com.

#Blogtour Sister Olive Wouldn't Hurt a Fly by Gill Calvin Thomas

It's a pleasure to take part in the Blogtour Sister Olive Wouldn't Hurt a Fly by Gill Calvin Thomas.

About the Author

Gill Calvin Thomas has retired from academic life and lives with her husband in Swanage, Dorset. She finds inspiration while walking in the Isle of Purbeck. Here, she is able to escape into a world of her own making, getting to know her characters, whilst she plans the next twist and turn of the plot. 

As writing has become a major part of Gill’s life, she has withdrawn from taking a leading role in many community volunteer activities, although she has retained her interest in local and national politics. A lifelong feminist, Gill likes nothing better than a spirited debate on the issues of the day with family and friends. As her writing career develops, she hopes to explore those issues in her stories. Visit gillthomas.co.uk

About the book

If this whole saga was a fight between good and evil, then who had won? As far as Miriam could work out, neither good nor evil had triumphed yet. Now she was having to confront the grim consequences of Will’s behaviour, and she was mortally afraid. Maybe he and his darkness would win after all. 

The tragic suicide of a young student starts a shocking chain of events for William Marshall, his wife Miriam and their son, Ollie. As Will descends into madness, a ghostly presence appears in their old house to protect Ollie. However, when two strangers threaten Miriam and an attempt is made to snatch Ollie, mother and son are forced to flee. 

Amidst ever-present danger, they shake off pursuers to seek sanctuary in Rock House in Dorset, where they meet Caitlin and her friends. Twenty years have passed since Charlie Bond helped Caitlin solve the mystery of her mother’s death. Now, it is the turn of Charlie’s sidekick, Sam Haskell, to investigate a mysterious cult and unmask a killer.

Review

I think it's fair to say that Miriam doesn't quite grasp the seriousness of the situation at first. Doesn't really comprehend how severe the differences are between her and Will. The damage his obsession with his new friends has done to their relationship and their family. That he has become a danger to them, especially to his young son.

Ollie feels as if he is being watched over by good forces, perhaps because evil is trying to gain a foothold in his life. He can feel the darkness creeping towards him, and yet simultaneously also the good trying to keep him safe.

What they are both unaware of is the fact Will is in over his head and other people have their own agenda, which may put him in danger and probably not because he is a dangerous pseudo leader of a cult.

The story could do with a once over with an eye on clarity, plot threads and better dialogue. Aside from that it's a story that has potential for more in the series. It would be better if the core aspect becomes more centric to the tale, and also deciding which thread is going to take centre stage. Is it Will, is it Olive or is it evil?

Buy Sister Olive Wouldn't Hurt a Fly at Amazon UK or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher:  Blossom Spring Publishing; pub date 18 November 2025. Buy via Amazon com.