I first encountered the story of The Woman in Black when I was 16. For my GCSE Drama class, we studied the play based on the book and so went to see the West End production at the Fortune Theatre. I remember the terror, horror and unsettling vibes of the whole thing as well as the coach of terrified teenagers scared to silence on the way home. I picked up the book this year and I'm glad to say it lived up to all my horrendous, gothic and fearful memories.

- As I've already said, this is a scary story. A gothic ghost story that builds the tension, the fear and layers the story so that when you reach certain reveals and the end you are suitably terrified.

- Although originally published in the 1980s, the book reads like the Edwardian time period it appears to be set it. The prose is similar in feel to Victorian and early 20th century novels and it adds to the feel of the book.

- This book is short (my copy is under 200 pages long) but it packs so much into such little space.

A perfectly spooky read, great for October or anytime you wish to read a ghost story. I would caution any potential readers not to read this in the dark.

Poetry is not my favourite medium in the world but I do enjoy some that particularly tickle my fancy. I picked this book up entirely based on it's pretty cover and it was, for the most part, quite delightful.

- Each date between 1st June and 31st August has  a couple of poems assigned to it. These are often on a theme, for example, 19th June discusses Juneteenth, 4th July has a poem about the US. 

- There's good variation of poems and poets, although old, white, male poets seem to have more representation. It would have been nice to see some of the repeated poets replaced with something new and diverse.

- The quality of the poems varied too. Some were fun and witty or beautiful and evocative. But some were just dull, overly long and boring. 

- This sort of collection would be perfect in an educational environment. A lot of the poems would be good conversation starters or useful for discussing different ways to use language. There are other seasonal books edited by Esiri so the whole year could be covered. 

A nice little collection of poems and although autumn has now very much set in, it allowed me to keep a connection to summer for just a little longer.

A fun and fluffy cosy murder mystery. Set in a small US town, Arsenic and Adobo captures a wonderful multicultural vibe mixed in with the gossiping of a tight-knit community and good quality food.

- A good, solid murder mystery with nice twists and turns. Great for rainy autumn evenings.

- The protagonist is annoying, relatable and very human. Lila, and the other characters, are all well written and far from caricatures. I loved the details put into them as well from things like being vegan and gambling problems.

- I love books that mention good food that then put recipes in the back. I've actually never had food from the Philippines but I'm very interested in trying out the ube crinkles mentioned multiple times in the story.

Perfect for the approaching dark autumn evenings. It's the first in a series so I look forward to Book 2 at some point. If you like cosy mysteries, well described food and the potential for a series of books then definitely give this a go!

Come to the desert land of Egypt and let this book take you on a Nile tour. You'll meet Gods, pharoahs, magicians and so much more.

- A succinct but well detailed collection of stories concerning the ancient civilisation. There's a mixture of mythology, history and folktales in here and all give a good insight into life in Egypt between 5000 and 2000 years ago.

- This book was first published in 1967 and as such, the language is occasionally old fashioned but not to the point that it detracts from the stories.

- The book is quite short and would work well for children who can read chapter books. There is a reasonable amount of violence in this book (on par with most mythologies and historical events) but nothing inappropriate for a child aged 8+ in my opinion.

I really enjoyed reading this book and in my mind feeling the desert sun on my skin and watching the Gods and mortals go about their ancient lives. Tales of Ancient Egypt would be perfect for someone who wants to learn more about the ways of Ancient Egypt or is into ancient civilisations or mythology.

Audiobook narrated by Hollie Jackson.

The finale of the Reapers Inc series and I enjoyed it. Things took a turn I didn't expect and although it wasn't spectacular, it was certainly a satisfying end.

- A detail of Lana's past that has bugged me since the first book is resolved and that makes me so happy.

- A convoluted but enjoyable ending to the series. I think there are some short stories available but the main story is completed.

- I like Lana in this book so muh more than the previous ones. Her character development in this book is great.

Seven and a half books in less than a month and I've now finally finished the entire series! If you enjoy mythological fantasy crossed with a romcom, this series won't disappoint.

Audiobook narrated by Hollie Jackson.

After really enjoying Death Wish, Ghost Market was a bit of a come down. Whilst enjoyable, it felt a little bitty.

- The politics of Limbo City are in the forefront and whilst the reader is regularly reminded of the potential consequences for Lana, there isn't really a sense of danger.

- There's no real advancement in the social side of Lana's life, though that may be in part to other events.

- I liked the new gadget Lana gets to try out and am interested to see where and how that part of the books goes next.

Okay, but not spectacular. Hopefully the finale in Hellfire and Brimstone will be better.

A sweet and very informative book that will help bring you closer to nature and the creatures around you. As someone who already enjoys nature a lot, I knew quite a few of the tips in this book already but it was nonetheless a joy to read 

- The tone of this book is cheerful, enthusiastic and invites you to be more interested in the natural world. It gradually and step-by-step guides you through techniques to make accomodating nature in your live easier.

- The chapters are quite short and that works with the bitesize informational nature of the books. I like that each book has a quotation and little black and white picture at the beginning.

- Some of the advice is specific to UK wildlife so some chapters may be a little less relevent for international readers. Most of the techniques are universal or could be adapted with a little effort.

A solid and helpful books that would work best for people just starting out on their own wildlife journeys but may also teach slightly more experienced nature-lovers a couple of things.

What can I say that hasn't been said many times and much more eloquently than I ever could? Over three months of immersion in Middle Earth has come to a beautiful and bittersweet end. I'm so glad to have gone on that journey and now it has ended I'm unsure what to do with my life!

- Return of the King finishes off this incredible journey so well and the writing is emotional and poignant.

- I love how the characters have developed and changed over the three books but especially how this finale shows the effects their journeys have had on them. 

- Middle Earth is, as always, very well described and you feel like you're there in the book. I could vividly imagine all the settings and events.

I'm sorry to leave Middle Earth and its many wonders. My kid has been asking me to read The Hobbit to them so very soon I'll start them off on their own journey. I hope they'll love it as much as I have.

Audiobook narrated by Hollie Jackson.

I debated whether to wait until winter to listen to this little short from the Reapers Inc series but ultimately decided to listen between books 5 and 6 to keep things in order. Season's Reapings is a fun little addition to the series and includes some of my favourite mythological characters. It also helps with some of the set up for Ghost Market which I've now started. 

Audiobook narrated by Hollie Jackson.

Well, that was a turn of events! Death Wish picks up from the devastation of Psychopomp and turns it up a notch, sifting through problems old and new.

- I enjoyed the interweaving plot threads and the new settings introduced in this installment, though occasionally the transitions felt a little rushed.

- Kevin. I just wanted to give that boy a hug. I'm hoping life improves for him soon.

- The ending was explosive and creates a massive power shift. It will be interesting to see where Roquet takes the narrative from here.

Fast-paced and action packed. New challenges await Lana and Limbo City in Ghost Market.