Thank you NetGalley UK & Penguin Random House for this E-Arc.

"On the first day of the monsoon an old ramshackle building appears.
This is The Rainfall Market.
Inside you will find magical bookstores, hairdressers, perfumeries and anything your heart desires."

I really enjoyed this cozy fantasy, it's definitely got Studio Ghibli vibes. It's beautifully written and descriptive enough to let it play out in your head like a hazy dream as you read. I actually really liked the simplicity of the plot and the world building, I don't think it's the kind of book that needs really heavy writing. I found it the perfect bed time read, slow paced and dreamy. The characters were interesting, the MC Serin, although simple is likeable. The real show stealer is Issha, our magical guide cat. I grew an attachment to him almost immediately and just wanted to pull him out of the book and have him as a pet.

Overall, it's a simple, but magically dreamy story about love, family & appreciating what you have. 

Absolutely captivating. I honestly couldn't put this book down, I devoured it in 3 nights, reading long past everyone falling asleep. McQueen's writing is so gripping, I felt a little spooked at times reading these short stories. I am a big fan of modern horror/thriller, and these stories definitely fit, they're subtle but chilling, think American Horror Stories as a book. A strangely cozy little book to snuggle up with on long cold nights in the run up to Christmas.

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for this e-ARC. 

I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from this book after reading so many negative reviews on Goodreads, but now that I've read it myself I feel the amount of negativity is unjustified. 

It's fast paced and there's not a huge amount of scene setting or build up before it jumps straight into the action. So it does feel a bit rushed at times. But, it's not badly written, I actually thought the world building was perfect for DA, expectedly dark, gothic & atmospheric. 
I wasn't a big fan of Grays chapters, tbh I don't think they were wholly necessary, I feel like the whole book could have been from Willows POV without compromising the story, I just didn't feel like his chapters contributed to anything other than his obsession & lust for Willow. He didn't add much to the plot.
There were moments that made me feel uncomfortable, but in the way that horror/dark romance typically does. Again, these moments were well written and just enough to make your skin prickle. I really liked Willows character and her magic, the only thing that frustrated me was how quickly she switched her feelings towards Gray, and this continues throughout from hate to love to trust to hate and back, and so on.... it was just confusing and inconsistent, the same with Gray and his 'feelings' towards Willow, even though it is repeated throughout that he can't feel or love. This was conflicting. 

The ending, although slightly predictable, was perfect and redeems the whole book for me. I'm not in any rush to read book 2, but I probably will pick it up in the future to see how it all plays out and how the story ends. 


I wanted to finish this review by saying that in the negative reviews I've read, a lot of them focus on the Teacher/student relationship and how inappropriate it is, I would like to point out that A. Willow is 20, this is mentioned within the first few chapters, she is not underage and not a child, and B. The trigger warnings are right there at the start of the book, so this relationship is no surprise.

I can't remember the last time I read a book that consumed my every thought when not in my hands. Much like the fictional book this story is based on, I was haunted. 
Absolutely phenomenal writing telling the tale of historical fiction mixed with modern day witchcraft, intertwining the 2 perfectly. So many twists and turns along the way, C.J Cooke absolutely had me in her grip, I couldn't get through this book fast enough. I especially love the Authors Note at the end, delving into the history and research that brought this book to life, and the very real people it is based upon. 
Allison's POV, although harrowing and heartbreaking, doesn't venture too far from what you would expect of a story based on Witch Trials, unfortunately the details we do know are so horrendous there's not much else to add, these chapters did feel like every other book I've read about witch trials. 
It is in the POV of Clem, and her daughter Erin that this story really shines, and they way Cooke merges the lives of these 3 women together, across hundreds of years. 
This is the first book I've read by C.J Cooke, although The Lighthouse Witches has been on my radar for a while, I will absolutely be diving headfirst into her collection. 

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Collins for this e-ARC.

An absolutely perfect cozy, autumnal witchy read. I loved this book from start to finish. The world building is so well done, so beautifully detailed. Luna books felt like somewhere I definitely wanted to curl up with a coffee and book. I loved the magical realism in this book, it's so simple and so well written. I loved the way Bell uses her magic in daily life, for little mundane things like tidying up, to making coffee. Her character development from simple hidden magic to full elemental power was truly spectacular. I enjoyed the journey throughout, and was genuinely shocked by the twist, not who I thought the bad guy was going to be 😂 
I'm so excited to see what else Lucy Wood has in store for us, as a debut novel this is truly perfect!

 I have seen so many mixed reviews with this one, it seems to fall in the marmite category of books! 
I however absolutely loved it, Yes it's a struggle for the first half of the book, there was a little bit in the middle where I got a bit lost. There's a huge amount of world building and changing of POVs, timelines etc, but if you stick with it all the pieces you're left questioning start to fit together, for it to end on a lovely cliffhanger leaving me begging for the next book 😂 I found myself at times getting really frustrated with Reave, especially her attitude towards Kaan in the beginning, he's literally saved her from execution and she continues to berate and mistrust him. I did like her character development near the end and how much she softened, I'm really hoping to see more of that side of her in the next book, especially now Rekk has been dealt with and her vendetta paid.  

The world building is phenomenal, Parker has created a stunning, celestial, ethereal world full of creatures and magic. The magic system also felt unique and interesting, a fresh take on elemental magic. 

 think this is my least favourite by AlixE Harrow so far. It just fell a little bit flat for me. don't know if it's because it's been on my TBR for literally years so had this big epic story of magic built up in my head, when really it's about being lost and subdued, breaking free and finding your way home. Yes there is magic, and other worlds, and a story of love & loss & hope. I really enjoyed that it is narrated from January's POV, in the form of her own book, similar to the one given to her by her father, I like that she gets to write her own story. It is a beautiful story and very elegantly written. The audiobook version was beautifully narrated as well. do love Alix E Harrow and will continue to read her books, but this one wasa little bit of a let down for me.

If you're a fan of Jane Austen, and enjoy books with a sprinkling of magic realism, you will love Kate Johnsons latest!

It has everything you'd expect from a romance novel, with a few magical twists and turns and just the right amount of spice. It's a lovely little palate cleanser for fans of high fantasy, who still want the magic, but with lower stakes and less complex world settings. This is not to say it's a boring book, the opposite in fact, with beautifully descriptive world building, cozy atmosphere and a simple magic system akin to Halloweentowns 'Want Something And Let Yourself Have It!'.

The characters all compliment each other well, our main characters Tiffany & Santiago giving us the perfect slow burn romance. I particularly liked the character diversity, with race, trans & sexuality all represented in a delicate and subtle manner.

I've really enjoyed this book and will definitely be adding the rest of Kates books to my never ending TBR!

 I will unfortunately not be finishing this book at around 30%. There was so much promise in this book, the plot is really good & the writing creates a beautiful, dark atmospheric setting. Unfortunately the thing that lets this book down is the characters and dialogue, it's just all so flat and just lacks any real depth, which is such a shame because I really did try to continue on with this book as the plot has so much promise. It's immediately evident that Wilson has pulled a lot of her inspiration from Ninth House, from Andromeda MC , (hello Galaxy Stern) who doesn't belong at the prestigious school , with it's secret societies and their elicit Magic, and lastly a trip to the underworld to save our damsel in distress (except this time it's not Darlington).
In terms of it being a Dark Academia, the main link is the setting, there's the odd mention of classes here and there but nothing in depth or 'academia' driven. I would've loved for some of the clues to include lessons.

Overall if the characters and dialogue was more developed I think I would have finished this book.

Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Random House for this eARC in return for my review. 

Absolutely beautiful story full of Irish Fairy folklore and beautifully cozy winter vibes. 
I loved Anna's narrative, especially the way Woods bridges the chapters reminding us that it is Sarah reading the journal, this really resonated with me as an avid reader, getting cozy with a book, and reminded how easy it is to escape into the words of someone else. Very cleverly and beautifully done. I especially loved the way both stories ended, there was no big fairytale ending. Just a simple reminder that life moves on. 
Evie Woods has a beautiful writing style and does really well bringing historical fiction and modern day together seamlessly, throw in some magic realism, a gentle and beautiful look at grief, community, and finally a sunny/grumpy romance and you've got the perfect book to curl up with on a cold autumn/winter day. 

After reading The Lost Bookshop as well I'm really excited to see what's next from Evie Woods!