The trials of high school start to feel like a modern-day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem's past in this thrilling, creepy and romantic New York Times bestseller.

Title: How to Hang a Witch

Author: Adriana Mather

Published: January 4th 2018 by Walker Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: After Sam's father is hospitalised, she has to move from New York to Salem with her stepmother, Vivian. Unfortunately, Sam is related to Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for the Salem Witch Trials, and to say she feels unwelcome in Salem is an understatement... She is particularly unnerved by The Descendants, a mysterious and tight-knit group of girls related to those persecuted in the Trials. At the same time, she must deal with Elijah, the handsome but angry ghost who has appeared in her house, and her new neighbour Jaxon only complicates things further. 

When a centuries-old curse is rekindled, Sam finds herself at the centre of it. Can she stop history repeating itself?

Review: I love stories based in real historical events with a twist and How to Hang a Witch definitely has several unexpected twists. Sam Mather is the descendant of one of the men responsible for the Salem Witch Trials and although the story is set in current times, the memories and consequences of the trials are very much still alive in Salem. 

As soon as Sam lands in Salem, accidents start happening and the town is pretty sure that she is the one behind them. Sam suspects something bigger and darker is going on and with the help of the most unexpected friends, she is determined to solve the mystery. As we follow her around Salem and its history we learn a lot about the trials and the mass hysteria that caused them. I found this more historical plot really interesting and it picked my curiosity to read more about that era. 

The story had a really strong start, which caught my attention immediately. It did slow the pace a bit after a few chapters, as a more romantic subplot was introduced. I found this subplot a bit silly but it did complement pretty well the darker and more intense main plot, so I ended up enjoying it too. And I have to say that Elijah, the ghost Sam meets in her house, grew on me as the story progressed and we knew more about him and his past. 

I've seen that there is a follow-up to this story (involving The Titanic!) and I'm definitely going to get that one asap as I cannot wait to see what adventures await for Sam. 

All in all, How to Hang a Witch is an interesting story with a few darker bits, lots of tension and several surprises. 

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Today I have a review for Zenith, a YA Sci-Fi featuring an all-girl spaceship crew taking control and showing the boy’s how it’s done, with romance, tragedy and ray-guns.

Title: Zenith (The Androma Saga #1)

Authors: Sasha Alsberg, Lindsay Cummings

Published: January 11th 2017 by HQ Young Adult

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Most know Androma Racella as the Bloody Baroness, a powerful mercenary whose reign of terror stretches across the Mirabel Galaxy. To those aboard her glass starship, Marauder, however, she's just Andi, their friend and fearless leader.

But when a routine mission goes awry, the Marauder's all-girl crew is tested as they find themselves in a treacherous situation and at the mercy of a sadistic bounty hunter from Andi's past.

Meanwhile, across the galaxy, a ruthless ruler waits in the shadows of the planet Xen Ptera, biding her time to exact revenge for the destruction of her people. The pieces of her deadly plan are about to fall into place, unleashing a plot that will tear Mirabel in two.

Andi and her crew embark on a dangerous, soul-testing journey that could restore order to their shipor just as easily start a war that will devour worlds. As the Marauder hurtles toward the unknown, and Mirabel hangs in the balance, the only certainty is that in a galaxy run on lies and illusion, no one can be trusted.

Review: there has been a lot of hype surrounding this book, especially as one of the authors (Sasha Alsberg) is a popular youtuber. But to tell you the truth I just picked this book because I really liked the sound of it. I haven't read many Sci-fy stories in the last few years, and this is something I wanted to change this year so I thought Zenith would be perfect for the challenge.

I really enjoyed the world created in this story, with its several planets, all united after a devastating war. And I was really curious to find out more about each place and its inhabitants. 

I also found the main plot quite interesting: Adroma, Andi for her friends, is a space pirate and with her fearless crew she takes up the most dangerous missions. Also known as the Bloody Baroness, she is a bloodthirsty killer. She's been escaping from her past but she now finally has a chance to redeem herself and get a clear slate, if she rescues the son of the ruler of her old planet. Slight catch? Her ex-boyfriend, who betrayed her, needs to accompany her. 

As the story unfolds, we get to know the main characters and their pasts a lot. Adroma was a difficult character to like, at least for me. Her chapters dragged a bit too much and her troubled thoughts sounded a bit repetitive. Her ex-boyfriend, Dex, in the other hand, was quite fun to read. The story though had a lot more POVs than these two, which was a bit confusing at the beginning, but it all made sense after a few chapters. I also felt like we didn't get to know some of the secondary characters enough, like Andi's gunners. I do hope we get their full stories in the next installment. 

As I said, I enjoyed this new universe we discovered and the story is fun and entertaining, but I think that it was a bit too slow in general, especially in the beginning. Luckily, the last part picked up the pace and brought quite a lot of surprises. I'm now definitely curious to find out what happens next!

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for Hannah Fielding's new book, Aphrodite's Tears. This story is set in a Greek island and it is inspired by the Ancient Greek mythology. Hannah stops by today to talk about the main heroine of the story, Oriel:

A bewitching heroine: Calypso

by Hannah Fielding

My novel Aphrodite’s Tears is set on a Greek island, and as the title of suggests, I drew inspiration for the writing from the stories of Ancient Greek mythology.

The heroine of the book is named Oriel, but the hero, Damian, calls her by another name of his own choosing: Calypso. Here is a peek at their first encounter, on a desolate beach one evening:

‘What brings a beautiful girl to such a deserted place on this enchanting night?’ he asked in English. His obvious Greek accent gave a delightful, smoky edge to his deep voice and sent an involuntary warmth up her spine. Slicking back his wet dark hair once more, he studied her openly. ‘You look like the ocean nymph, Calypso, waiting for Odysseus on your island, ready to bewitch him with your mesmerizing voice.’

According to Homer in his epic poem The Odyssey (8th century BC), Calypso was a beautiful nymph who lived on an island of Ogygia. When the hero Odysseus – the king of Ithica – washes ashore on the island during his long journey home after the Trojan War, Calypso falls in love with him and decides he must stay with her… forever.

To keep Odysseus, who already has a wife back home, at her side, she enchants him with her singing and seduces him. Over time, however, Odysseus yearns more and more for his wife, Penelope, and eventually, after seven years, the goddess Athena steps in and orders Calypso to free Odysseus from her spell. Calypso offers Odysseus immortality if he will only stay with her, but Odysseus knows to whom his heart belongs, and so Calypso frees him. ‘I am all compassion,’ she says, and she even helps him to build a boat and sends him on his way well-stocked with wine and bread.

‘You are a temptress, Calypso. Like the sirens of our mythology, desirable, with a fatal beauty.’ So says Damian to Oriel in Aphrodite’s Tears. He references the myth of Calypso to show how much he is drawn to Oriel, and yet how dangerous that feels to him – a man with a tragic past who knows that love can lead to heartache.

Damian calls Oriel ‘Calypso’ because to him she has all the beauty of the nymph, and she seems to cast a spell over him, driving him wild with a desire that is consuming. But Damian misses the fact that Calypso was not only a temptress; she was also the one who saved Odysseus and offered him a home and her love – and she was the one who ultimately set him free. Can Oriel be his Calypso in these ways too?

Ultimately, can the story of Calypso and Odysseus be retold with a new ending, in which there is no boat, no sailing away into the sunset – just the two lovers hand in hand, watching the sun set over their forever home: the island?

Aphrodite’s Tears is out in paperback on 25th January for £7.99.

Connect with Hannah Fielding:

Twitter: @fieldinghannah

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHannahFielding/

About the Book:

Title: Aphrodite's Tears

Author: Hannah Fielding

Published: January 25th 2017 by London Wall Publishing

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: In ancient Greece, one of the twelve labours of Heracles was to bring back a golden apple from the Garden of Hesperides. To archaeologist Oriel Anderson, joining a team of Greek divers on the island of Helios seems like the golden apple of her dreams. Yet the dream becomes a nightmare when she meets the devilish owner of the island, Damian Lekkas. 

In shocked recognition, she is flooded with the memory of a romantic night in a stranger's arms, six summers ago. A very different man stands before her now, and Oriel senses that the sardonic Greek autocrat is hell-bent on playing a cat and mouse game with her. As they cross swords and passions mount, Oriel is aware that malevolent eyes watch her from the shadows. Dark rumours are whispered about the Lekkas family. What dangers lie in Helios, a bewitching land where ancient rituals are still enacted to appease the gods, young men risk their lives in the treacherous depths of the Ionian Sea, and the volatile earth can erupt at any moment? Will Oriel find the hidden treasures she seeks? Or will Damian's tragic past catch up with them, threatening to engulf them both?

Today's review is for the fun It Started with a Tweet, Anna Bell's latest. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Anna (you can read it here) and I was really looking forward to reading this one. Here are my thoughts:

Title: It Started with a Tweet

Author: Anna Bell

Published: December 28th 2017 by Bonnier Zaffre

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Can Daisy Hobson log off for love...?

Could you survive a digital detox? This hilarious new romantic comedy from the author of The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart is perfect for fans of Lucy Diamond and Sophie Kinsella.

Daisy Hobson lives her whole life online. A marketing manager by day, she tweets her friends, instagrams every meal and arranges (frankly, appalling) dates on Tinder. But when her social media obsession causes her to make a catastrophic mistake at work, Daisy finds her life going into free-fall... 

Her sister Rosie thinks she has the answer to all of Daisy's problems - a digital detox in a remote cottage in Cumbria, that she just happens to need help doing up. Soon, too, Daisy finds herself with two welcome distractions: sexy French exchange-help Alexis, and Jack, the brusque and rugged man-next-door, who keeps accidentally rescuing her.

But can Daisy, a London girl, ever really settle into life in a tiny, isolated village? And, more importantly, can she survive without her phone?

Review: It Started with a Tweet is such a fun but eye opening read too. It's really easy to relate to the main character, Daisy. She posts everything she does online and her phone is always in her hand, at the ready to comment, like or tweet when necessary. Although I might not post as much myself, I hadn't realized how my phone is always really close to me, ready to be picked up too until I was reading about Daisy. And the more I read about her and her addiction, the more I realized how crazy our interactions with the worlds have become: unless it's online, it hasn't happened.

So from the beginning, I was really curious to see how the whole digital detox would work for Daisy. She is not only a very relatable character but also a very easy to like one; she is hilarious, has a great heart and is a really hard-working and creative person. I loved getting to know her and following her crazy adventures in Cumbria, where the detox took place. I laughed out loud more than one and by the end of the book I had a huge grin on my face and a clear idea in my head: disconnecting from the online world for a few days is not a bad idea at all.

But It Started with a Tweet was not only about Daisy, the whole cast of characters was hilarious and each one had their own story to tell, which complement the main plot perfectly. When we first met Daisy's sister, I was not so sure about her, especially seeing her through Daisy's eyes. But she turned out to be a very interesting character. And then there were the various inhabitants of the small village in Cumbria. I loved the community-feeling, where everyone knows everything about everyone (with its pros and its cons, of course).

All in all, a fresh and fun read with a very current topic that I'm sure will make many readers laugh but also stop and think about their own lives, just as I did. Highly recommended to disconnect from the online world for a few hours.

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

Today I have a review for the much-talked-about Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan. This thriller was published this week but I have been seeing it everywhere online for the last few months. Here are my thoughts:

Title: Anatomy of a Scandal

Author: Sarah Vaughan

Published: January 11th 2018 by Simon & Schuster

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Sophie’s husband James is a loving father, a handsome man, a charismatic and successful public figure. And yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her precious family from the lies that threaten to rip them apart.

Kate is the lawyer hired to prosecute the case: an experienced professional who knows that the law is all about winning the argument. And yet Kate seeks the truth at all times. She is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes.

Who is right about James? Sophie or Kate? And is either of them informed by anything more than instinct and personal experience? Despite her privileged upbringing, Sophie is well aware that her beautiful life is not inviolable. She has known it since she and James were first lovers, at Oxford, and she witnessed how easily pleasure could tip into tragedy.

Most people would prefer not to try to understand what passes between a man and a woman when they are alone: alone in bed, alone in an embrace, alone in an elevator… Or alone in the moonlit courtyard of an Oxford college, where a girl once stood before a boy, heart pounding with excitement, then fear. Sophie never understood why her tutorial partner Holly left Oxford so abruptly. What would she think, if she knew the truth? 

Review: Only a few pages in, I realized that I had a really special story in my hands. As it advanced and I learned more about the characters, I became more and more captivated by it, I might even say obsessed with it. I had been hearing great things about this book before I picked it during the last holidays, so I started it with great expectations, but I can tell you that it definitely surpassed all my expectations and I am 100 % sure that this book will be huge this year.

The story is about a charismatic politician with the perfect family, who is accused of rape. But in this story, there are many versions of what happened, making it difficult to know who is telling the truth. Thanks to flashbacks to their university days in Oxford, we learn about not only the current personas of the main characters but also about their past and the actions and events that shaped them. 

All characters in this story are fascinating but I was especially drawn to the lawyer prosecuting the case, Kate, and the politician's wife, Sophie. At the beginning of the story, you might think these woman are complete opposites: the strong and career oriented lawyer vs the supporting and naive wife. But the story has many surprises in story for these characters...

This political thriller is a work of fiction but it could as well be a real story. In fact, every time I watched the news or opened a newspaper in the last few weeks, I expected to find some piece of news related to this case. 

I've read and highly enjoyed Sarah Vaughan's previous books but Anatomy of a Scandal is in whole new league. I've read that her own experience as a court reporter helped her write this story. So I'm not surprised that every scene of this book, especially when the victim takes the stand, feels so real, as if I was there in the public gallery witnessing it all myself. 

As you can tell, I can only praise this book and I highly recommend it. It is only January but Anatomy of a Scandal will be in many top books of 2018 lists, mark my words.

Rating: 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book via Netgally. This is my honest opinion.

Today I am delighted to host the Blog Tour for Laura Madeleine's new book, The Secrets Between Us. I've got a review for this gorgeous read but also a recipe from Laura to share with you:

Title: The Secret Between Us

Author: Laura Madeleine

Published: January 1st 2018 by Transworld

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: A gripping mystery with a heart-breaking revelation, The Secrets Between Us is a sublimely satisfying story of lost love, betrayal and the dangers of war. 

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton's The Lake House and Dinah Jeffries' Before the Rains.

High in the mountains in the South of France, eighteen-year-old Ceci Corvin is trying hard to carry on as normal. But in 1943, there is no such thing as normal; especially not for a young woman in love with the wrong person. Scandal, it would seem, can be more dangerous than war.

Fifty years later, Annie is looking for her long-lost grandmother. Armed with nothing more than a sheaf of papers, she travels from England to Paris in pursuit of the truth. But as she traces her grandmother’s story, Annie uncovers something she wasn’t expecting, something that changes everything she knew about her family – and everything she thought she knew about herself…

Review: I haven't read many historical fiction novels in the last few months and I had kind of forgotten why I enjoyed this genre so much. But The Secrets Between Us made me fall in love with it all over again. I love the kind of books that transport you to another place, to another time (one you probably don't know much about) and make you part of it. And this is one of these reads.

One of the storylines is set in the South of France during WWII and although I have read many books set during this time, I didn't know much about the situation in this area, controlled by the Italians. Laura Madeleine painted it as a gorgeous place, a place destined for happy endings, which contrasted with the difficult circumstances and what really happened during those horrific times. 

I really enjoyed discovering these mountains and its people, especially the main character Ceci, who was an interesting and complex girl. As the story progressed, we saw her flourish and transform into a brave young woman that surprised me more than once. 

The other storyline took place 50 years later and focused on Ceci's granddaughter, Annie. I was really curious to see how both stories would intertwine and I was not disappointed at all. I loved how well-crafted the whole story was. I was surprised to see how much I ended up caring for these characters. 

The story unwrapped at the right pace, giving me enough time to take all the little details in and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. All in all, a very complex and mesmerising read.

Rating: 5 stars

Recipe by Laura Madeleine:

For the cake:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 150g polenta (fine cornmeal)
• 50g ground almonds
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 free-range eggs

For the syrup:

• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 vanilla pod)
• 2 tsp orange blossom extract
• zest and juice of 1 orange 

A topping of candied orange slices is entirely optional; if you can’t be bothered with it, then feel free to simply decorate your cake with fresh orange zest, toasted pine nuts and a dusting of icing sugar!

Topping:

• 1 orange
• 200g caster sugar
• 250ml water
• A handful of pine nuts 
• A sprinkling of icing sugar, to decorate

To make the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 165C / 325F / Gas Mark 3. Grease and line a 20cm baking tin. 
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
• Measure the polenta, almonds and baking powder into a different bowl and gently stir together.
• Beat the eggs into the butter and sugar one at a time, adding a little of the polenta mix with each to stop the batter from splitting.
• Make the syrup for the cake and topping: combine the honey, vanilla bean paste, orange blossom extract, orange juice and zest in a jug. (If you’re using very small oranges, you might need a splash more juice).
• Pour half of the syrup into the cake batter, along with the rest of the polenta mix, and gently fold together. 
• Pour into the prepared tin, smooth over and bake for around 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. 
• Place on a wire rack and leave to cool slightly in the tin. 
• While the cake is still warm, use a skewer to poke holes in the surface, then slowly spoon over the remainder of the orange-honey-vanilla syrup, so that it soaks in. 

To make the topping: 

(You can do this while the cake is baking!)

• In a dry frying pan, gently toast the pine nuts for a minute or two until golden and fragrant: don’t take your eyes off them, they burn quickly! Set aside to cool.
• Cut the orange into slices, as thinly as you can. 
• Tip the sugar and water into a fairly deep, wide frying pan (a skillet is perfect). 
• Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 
• Arrange the orange slices in a single layer, and reduce the heat to low, until it is barely simmering. 
• Simmer gently for around 25-30 minutes, turning the slices occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a syrup and the white pith of the oranges starts to turn translucent. 
• Turn off the heat and allow the orange slices to cool in the syrup, before transferring to greaseproof paper, or straight onto your cake. 
• Decorate the cake with the candied slices, toasted pine nuts and a dusting of icing sugar. Sit back with a cup of coffee to enjoy the sweet, sunny flavours.

               

The Secrets Between Us by Laura Madeleine - January 1st

Perfect for fans of Kate Morton's The Lake House and Dinah Jeffries' Before the Rains.

High in the mountains in the South of France, eighteen-year-old Ceci Corvin is trying hard to carry on as normal. But in 1943, there is no such thing as normal; especially not for a young woman in love with the wrong person. Scandal, it would seem, can be more dangerous than war.

Fifty years later, Annie is looking for her long-lost grandmother. Armed with nothing more than a sheaf of papers, she travels from England to Paris in pursuit of the truth. But as she traces her grandmother’s story, Annie uncovers something she wasn’t expecting, something that changes everything she knew about her family – and everything she thought she knew about herself…

Why so excited: I've already read this one and I can tell you that I enjoyed it immensely, a very well crafted story with lots of secrets and incredible love. I'll share my review later this month as part of the Blog Tour, don't miss it!

Order it now! 

How to Hand a Witch by Adriana Mather - January 4th

The trials of high school start to feel like a modern-day witch hunt for a teen with all the wrong connections to Salem's past in this thrilling, creepy and romantic New York Times bestseller.

"I am utterly addicted to Adriana Mather’s electric debut. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, twisting and turning with ghosts, witches, an ancient curse, and – sigh – romance." Jennifer Niven

After Sam's father is hospitalised, she has to move from New York to Salem with her stepmother, Vivian. Unfortunately, Sam is related to Cotton Mather, one of the men responsible for the Salem Witch Trials, and to say she feels unwelcome in Salem is an understatement... She is particularly unnerved by The Descendants, a mysterious and tight-knit group of girls related to those persecuted in the Trials. At the same time, she must deal with Elijah, the handsome but angry ghost who has appeared in her house, and her new neighbour Jaxon only complicates things further.

When a centuries-old curse is rekindled, Sam finds herself at the centre of it. Can she stop history repeating itself?

Why so excited: I'm very intrigued by this story. It's something completely different from what I usually read so I expect to be surprised and shocked. Plus, I've read some ravishing reviews that have really piqued my curiosity.

Order it now!

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan - January 11th 

‘The best courtroom drama since Apple Tree Yard … sensational’ Clare Mackintosh

A high-profile marriage thrust into the spotlight. A wife, determined to keep her family safe, must face a prosecutor who believes justice has been a long time coming. A scandal that will rock Westminster. And the women caught at the heart of it. 

Anatomy of a Scandal centres on a high-profile marriage that begins to unravel when the husband is accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is sure her husband, James, is innocent and desperately hopes to protect her precious family from the lies which might ruin them. Kate is the barrister who will prosecute the case – she is equally certain that James is guilty and determined he will pay for his crimes.

‘A compelling and cautionary story about how we can never truly know someone else; how even after twelve years of marriage, a wife might not know everything about her husband. Brilliant, shocking, and gripping, once I started, I couldn't stop reading’ Claire Fuller, bestselling author of Our Endless Numbered Days

'That rare book that combines great writing, spot-on characterisation and a compulsive, page-turning narrative. I read it in one breathless day. Set against a fascinating backdrop of the Houses of Parliament, the Old Bailey and Oxford University, think House of Cards meets The Secret History. Meticulously researched, this is an outstanding read' Fiona Cummins, author of Rattle