This past month of October, I had one of the most magical experiences ever: riding the Hogwarts Express. Although the journey didn't end at Hogwarts, it was a LOT of fun. Given that we went on a last minute trip to Scotland for a long weekend and we didn't have much time, we decided to take a tour with Discover Scotland. 

Their minibuses leave from Glasgow and take you on a scenery route to Mallaig, following the full length of Loch Lomond, stopping at both Glencoe, where you can already see some of the locations from the movies, and of course, Glenfinan, where you get a glimpse of the famous viaduct. 

Once you arrive at Mallaig, you have time for a walk in this quaint little coast town and for a quick lunch. We opted for fish and chips to take away and we sat at the harbour, enjoying the beautiful views.

And then it's train time! At Mallaig train station, you board the Jacobite, the actual steam train used in the movies as the Hogwarts Express. Not only that, the Jacobite follows the West Highland Railway Line, a journey described by many as one of the great railway journeys of the world. 

During the journey, that lasts about 2 hours, you have time to sit and enjoy the stunning scenery, take as many pictures as you want and basically get ready for the most magical moment. The train crosses the Glenfinnan Viaduct, known not only for its remarkable engineering BUT as the way to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

As you cross the viaduct, the atmosphere inside the train is crazy. Everyone is trying to get the best pics, squealing and basically having a great time. I have to say though that I had to fight for a good spot to capture this moment on camera. But given that the viaduct is quite long, I think everyone had enough time to get their own memento. 

Once you arrive at Fort William, you can still get a couple more pics with the engine. From there, we continued our tour to go back to Glasgow, stopping at Drovers Inn, which is said to be “haunted” and there are many tales and sightings of ghouls and ghosts wandering around this ancient Scottish Inn. For us, it was the perfect place to enjoy some evening refreshments by a roaring log fire.

All in all, a magical and steamy day! I had never taken a steam train before and just enjoying its sounds and smells was already a treat. Definitely an experience I recommend to any Harry Potter fan looking for something a bit different. If you have more time, you can buy return tickets and follow the whole journey from Fort William to Mallaig and back. But if you are tight on time, taking a tour like ours is a great idea. 

New book review today for the gorgeous The Place We Met by Isabelle Broom. Heartbreak, humour and romance set in Italy's beautiful and dramatic Lake Como. Under dazzling New Year's Eve fireworks, two women hope for new beginnings... 

Title: The Place We Met

Author: Isabelle Broom

Published: November 30th 2017 by Michael Joseph

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Taggie is only a few months into her job as a tour guide in Lake Como. She's rushed off her feet, but distraction is what she needs to forget why she left England. 

Lucy arrives at Lake Como with her perfect new boyfriend, Pete. Falling fast in love, she's sure that life is about to start for her, it feels so right with him.

But as New Year's Eve approaches and the women meet by chance, it becomes clear this isn't the perfect place of new beginnings. While Lucy is willing to do anything to keep hold of Pete, the past Taggie so desperately wanted to escape is catching up with her...

Review: Isabelle Broom is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. Her stories are getting better and better with each new book and she always takes us readers to the most wonderful places. This time we head to Lake Como to discover a magical setting and two heartfelt, compelling and really interesting stories.

On one hand we have brave and stubborn Taggie, who has left London and moved to Como to try to heal her broken heart. On the other hand, we have Lucy who is quite at the beginning of a relationship. She has surprised her boyfriend with a trip to Como to share her love for this lake with her special person. 

I was really curious about both story lines and it was really difficult (quite impossible, actually) to put this book down. Both stories were full of secrets and quite unexpected surprises and I just wanted to know everything that was going on. This was such a clever and touching book. I completely fell in love with it.

Once again, Isabelle Brooms brings us a magical and evocative story that really tugs at your heartstrings. And its characters will stay with me for a long time. I actually finished this book a few days ago and I haven't stopped missing them. It's safe to say that The Place We Met will be on my top reads of the year.

Definitely one not to miss these holidays, pick a copy and get lost in gorgeous lake Como.

Rating: 5 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 new book review for the tense and clever psychological thriller The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James, a romance set in space from the beloved author of The Next Together series.

Title: The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

Author: Lauren James

Published: September 7th 2017 by Walker Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Can you fall in love with someone you’ve never met, never even spoken to – someone who is light years away?

Romy Silvers is the only surviving crew-member of a spaceship travelling to a new planet, on a mission to establish a second home for humanity amongst the stars. Alone in space, she is the loneliest girl in the universe until she hears about a new ship which has launched from Earth – with a single passenger on board. A boy called J.

Their only communication with each other is via email – and due to the distance between them, their messages take months to transmit across space. And yet Romy finds herself falling in love.

But what does Romy really know about J? And what do the mysterious messages which have started arriving from Earth really mean?

Sometimes, there’s something worse than being alone... 

Review: let me start with... wow! This is one of the best psychological thriller I've read this year. When I first started reading this story I was pretty sure there would be a big romance with some tension... I was NOT prepared for what really happened. What a clever, well written, compelling and addictive story. 

The build-up tension during the whole story is just perfect, you really don't know what is going on until you are in the middle of the action, holding your breath, completely absorbed in the story, devouring page after page until the early hours of the morning. It had been a really long time since a book had put me in such a stressful state. 

Also, how original and unique is the idea behind this novel? It's set in the near future, when NASA has sent a spaceship into the deep space to reach a viable planet for humanity to develop. Romy happens to be only survivor left in that spaceship and, somehow, it's really easy to relate to her, even if she has never been in the Earth. I loved getting to know her and I surprised myself at how much I cared about her. Definitely a very well developed character.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a good thriller. Believe me, this story will surprise you, will shock you and will completely capture you! 

Rating: 5 stars

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

Today I have a new book review for the beautiful and compelling story The Dollmaker of Krakow by R.M. Romero. A timeless fantasy set in the Second World War that weaves together magic, folklore and history, perfect for fans of The Book Thief, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Goodnight Mister Tom.

Title: The Dollmaker of Krakow

Author: R.M. Romero

Published: October 5th 2017 by Walker Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: In the land of dolls, there is magic.

In the land of humans, there is war.

Everywhere there is pain.

But together there is hope.

Karolina is a living doll whose king and queen have been overthrown. But when a strange wind spirits her away from the Land of the Dolls, she finds herself in Krakow, Poland, in the company of the Dollmaker, a man with an unusual power and a marked past. 

The Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself, but Karolina's courageous and compassionate manner lead him to smile and to even befriend a violin-playing father and his daughter--that is, once the Dollmaker gets over the shock of realizing a doll is speaking to him. 

But their newfound happiness is dashed when Nazi soldiers descend upon Poland. Karolina and the Dollmaker quickly realize that their Jewish friends are in grave danger, and they are determined to help save them, no matter what the risks.

Review: The story between these pages is as beautiful and complex as its cover and illustrations. A real treat for both young readers and adults.

The Dollmaker of Krakow is a solitary man. One day though, one of his dolls comes to life and quickly becomes a key part of his life. Together they hope for a better life for them and also for their new Jewish friends. But Poland is in a very delicate situation, Nazi soldiers have just arrived to take control of the cities and things are about to change... 

World War II is a chapter in our history that we, as adults, know pretty well. But thanks to numerous magical elements and well developed and interesting characters, this novel broke my heart all over again. I kept wishing that somehow, it would end differently for them. And I am sure that many young readers will learn a lot with this book, as I did when I first read Anne Frank's story all those years ago.

This reads like a classic fairytale, not the happy-ever-after Disney stories but the darker ones, that teach you that life is not fair and good not always wins. The more fantastic elements intertwine really well with the historical storyline and it's easy to get lost in its pages and forget about everything else. 

The beautiful illustrations really add something else to the story and help create the perfect atmosphere for such a special story. 

Definitely a story that will touch many hearts.

Rating: 4.5 stars

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

We are close to Bonfire Night already so today I am hosting an extract of  the explosive Treason, by James Jackson:

Title: Treason

Author: James Jackson

Published: October 17th 2017 by Zaffre

Amazon | Amazon UK

  Young men laughed raucous at their tables as Christian Hardy nursed his pot of ale and swallowed back the memories and the worries for his son.  Regret could stay forever undigested.  He had been a poor father, absent and immersed in intelligence and war, afraid to touch the life of a little boy whose mother he loved and by default had destroyed.  Adam grew and the pair moved apart.  The sense of loss was keenest when he spied the youth and fellowship of others.

  It was the third night of waiting at the inn beside Tyburn.  Rain must have slowed his lieutenant or a hundred varied factors that could make an operative disappear.  The weather outside churned the gravel and mud and added to the melancholy.  This was the site of public execution and the stalking ground for ghosts, the place where paths and destinies converged and crowds and tumbrils gathered.  He had sent sufficient on that route.

  A spray of water and evaporating dampness announced the arrival of his man.  He was wearied and mud-spattered and slumped in a chair without recourse to speech.  The great north road was a punishing trek.  Hardy ordered beer.  They sat in silence, perusing each other and taking in the warmth and breathing air thick with the fumes of tallow and sea coal and tobacco.

  Finally the visitor reached in a leather pouch and withdrew a sheet of paper folded in waxed canvas.  He passed it over.

  Hardy slit the binding and spread the page to read.  In the candlelight emerged a list, names copied from a register of those who once attended St Peter’s School in York.  A cradle of militant Catholicism. Proof stared out and a fleeting hunch was realised.  Jack Wright had drawn attention to himself by stepping in the fencing-ring and betrayed his intentions through his arrogance and pride.  Now his childhood was identified.  Another name was here, Guy Fawkes scratched in ink like the rest, a boy that would later fight for Spain and against the interests of England.  Fawkes and Wright shared common heritage and cause and gave clue to their direction.

  Donning his cloak, Hardy thanked the man and left.  In the threads of thought spooling in his mind were captured other persons linked by blood and faith to the two already unmasked.  Security dictated they would keep their enterprise tight, would not build alliances far from the core.  He was glad it would limit the casualties.

  A severed head confronted him, hung from a tree as a warning or taunt or gesture of intent.  It was difficult to gauge motive with Realm.  The intelligencer stayed in the saddle and studied the object lit by a lantern hung adjacent on a branch.  Again the renegade had miscalculated.  In slaying the agent who had tailed Jack Wright, he showed his hand too early and his investment in conspiracy.  Gunpowder would be the vehicle for their murderous ambition.  Hardy gently eased the item from its resting place and snuffed out the lamp.  Let the bodies fall where they may.