Stacey Wright

Dark Queen Rising by Paul Doherty ISBN 9781780291079

England during the 14th and 15th Century was a bloody mess of wars and a pretty serious game with the throne. The 100 years war really took its toll on England and all its people. The war of the roses, the infamous battle between the Lancastrians and the Yorks was the pivotal turning point for England as a whole.

Fast forward to the tail end of the war and we find Margaret Beaufort. Ruthless, intelligent and the matriarch of the Tudor dynasty, knows she could never take the throne in her own birth right so pins all her dreams on her malleable son Henry.

During this time being a Lancaster may as well be wearing a bright neon sign saying traitor to the throne right here. This still did not stop Lady Margaret.


I adore historical fiction. It's been my go to genre for quite some time. I am well versed in the Tudor dynasty and have a vast knowledge base starting with the war of the roses, all the way to the death of Elizabeth I. I half wondered if this would be a blessing or a curse and it turned out to be a curse for the author. There are some pretty acute inaccuracies in the historical parts of the book. They did grate on me a bit, I have to be honest but for for the most part, the writing is good enough for me to overlook the inconsistencies. The beginning of the book didn't flow well for me, way too much talking and no story building. I hated that. Building into the story would have been better. I rather felt that the first chapter was picking up from somewhere else. It felt like I was starting a book from the middle of the story rather than the beginning.

Margaret Beaufort comes across a little less of a tyrant in this rendition. The author gives her a certain motherly humanity that made her a little easier to swallow. I couldn't imagine having my only son so far away from me and not knowing if he was going to stay safe or if he was even alive. It must have taken its toll on Margaret being in fear constantly. I really can't help wondering if the hardening of her heart started as young girl with no stabilty, rather than from all the upheaval with the realm.

When I read the synopsis for the book I was excited! A Tudor murder mystery!! How creative. I felt very let down with the whole story. The whole mystery surrounding the murders were not the star of the book as I was lead to believe. For me, if the part about the murders were removed from the summary, I would have gone in with a different mind set and I think you would have seen a very different review from me.
Instead this book is about a highly ambiguous woman with an ambition to rival any man. You never fully understand if it's her love for her son that drives her or whether she loves the glory her son can give her by claiming the throne and ultimately, giving her the control of the realm.

‘She was determined to weave the web she wanted..' That doesn't sound like a woman who is just trying to navigate her way through a dark time in history. She is actively going against the grain and is putting her life and her sons in mortal danger in the process.


This book switches between the points of view of Margaret and Christopher Ulswicke. Ulswicke was one of only two people Margaret trusted in the world. I actually enjoyed his story more so than Margarets. He's funny, determined and could feel his need to do his very best. He was much more genuine a character than Margaret. He did what he did for the good of his mistress and for someone who kills people, was a much more believable human than Margaret comes across as. Other than the gruesome and overly descriptive deaths being described, there wasn't much that stood out.

The pace of the book wanes a lot and other times you get far too much information thrown at you. I can still see the potential this book has but for a seasoned reader like me, it didn't hold the water it should have. There were no twists and turns, nothing to drive you forward to continue to read. I did finish it. It was mediocre at best and a real let down for me. I did a happy dance when I first started to read it. I was excited. By the end I was just glad it was over.

I have never read any other of his work and in all honesty, I probably won't be seeking his work out again. It's a real shame that I didn't have something better to say about this book. I really wanted to love it.

I would give it 2.5 stars out of 5. I even had to go and read parts again because my mind wandered and that never happens to me.

I knew right a way where this book was targeting and was so on board! I thought some more illustrations would not have gone a miss but it worked.

This story follows the tooth fairies from the pearly white city. They watch over the people of our world. The collect the baby teeth kindly donated by kids to make adult teeth.
Prince plaque wants children to get cavities so that their teeth cannot be used. Thankfully there is protection for the city by Sir Brushalot and his knights of the floss.

Ugh, the concept of baby teeth being donated to make adult teeth really put me off. My daughter (who loves brushing her teeth) was pretty weirded out by the tale. It is such a shame too because the story was quite brilliant but that was just too much!

She didn't ask me to read it again (which she nearly always does with any book) and she gave her toothbrush a weird look. I think it just missed the mark for us.

This is the story of grumpy the iguana! My first impression was cute and simplistic. Eye catching for kids. Grumpy loves his routine. Your average loner set in his ways. Until one day when he came back to his home and found it gone. All that was left was a stump.
He goes in search of a new home but nothing is right. He soon meets the green parrot. He takes him to his own home, the most beautiful tree and offers Grumpy a place to live.

I found the book charming and cozy. A book you can snuggle up with your little one and feel content.

The book really shows you the compassion and understanding that Grumpy needed to finally find a place to be happy. I really enjoyed it and so did my daughter,

It's definitely a book I would purchase.

I thought the concept was brilliant. Incorporating a retelling of sleeping beauty with dinosaurs characters. How charming is that! Loved the illustrations. Perfect balance of colour with the design and not over done.

Sleeping bronty is born to be queen. The good dinos are so thrilled they each bestow a gift on the beautiful princess! Cue Rhonda! The naughty dino who wants to be queen. She wants sleeping bronty to fall asleep so she can selfishly take her throne. Not going to lie, I kind of loved Rhonda. She had a goal and she went for it. Have to appreciate that. I really enjoyed watching sleeping bronty discover who she is. I felt that would really will help young kids connect with the book in such a way that they could identify similarities within themselves.

I found the author did an excellent job of highlighting the differences between the dinos and how it didn't matter. Just because we don't look the same, doesn't mean we can't love each other. Beautiful message.

I will never see chilli the same way again either. A must have if you have pre-kindergarten kids. My 4 year old has already got me placing an order for when it is released.

I thought the cover art of this book was lovely and that was the biggest factor for me in wanting to take a look.

This is the story of McDuff. He is a lonely pup that has been picked up by the dog catcher. A stroke of pure luck has him freed and he is roaming the streets looking for food and shelter. It's cold and rainy and he is so sad. Everywhere he goes, he is met with growls and shooing. Then he finds a house.....
Heroes Lucy and Fred bring him in from the cold and feed him. They see he is a stray by his tag and know they have to take him back to the pound...... But..... Their hearts won't let them let him go. They stay together! Finally

I am a huge sucker for bringing in strays. I advocate and foster dogs before adoption so this book was kind of wonderful for me. I loved the extras in the back too. I can really see this book being used by agencies who rescue dogs, to raise money for themselves by selling them.

I feel the age range being targeted is perfect and after reading it to my 4 year old, she told me that she would have given McDuff more sausages haha.

Two massive thumbs up from us here and the art work is quite stunning. The illustrator has some serious talent. I high recommend this book for emerging readers.

What drew me in at first was that beautiful cover. I was not disappointed at all with the glorious artwork. I could actually see each page being a picture on a child's wall.

We are introduced to Daisy the English bulldog. Loving her life in her kingdom. Showered with toys, sleep and fun. She is content and as happy as can be. That happiness evaporates with the presence of Lilly... The wannabe usurper to her throne. Daisy is so unhappy with the cute Lilly because she doesn't want to share, she doesn't want her in her Kingdom. All lilly wants to do is play but Daisy does not want to. Not until tug-o-war......

This is the turning point for Daisy. She is finally happy to have Lilly in her life.

I can see this book being a great resource for a parent with one child with another on the way. It will help the child to understand that they aren't being replaced but having a new friend to share, love and play with. If I didn't already have multiple kids, I would have had this book in my arsenal to help my child understand.

Beautifully written and easy to understand. I highly recommend it.

Comic book type layout. Illustrations were decent enough. The title gave me no indication of what I was about to read so I was really excited.

The kid is looking for food as he is hungry. He walks around and sees all the people eating, browsing and buying things he can't get. A young kid drops strawberries on the ground so the kid picks them up and runs off. The police soon chase him. He will not drop his book. He decides that was too close a call and goes to check the garage bins. Here he sees some kind of weird lizard thing who offers him food. He throws garbage at it and then it ties the kid up.....

I cannot for the life of me see the point of the book. The more i read, the more confusing it got. I'm an adult and was lost but then maybe it wasn't for me to figure out. Maybe I'm too old for the magic :)

I wasn't a fan and didn't see the point but the artistry was lovely and i'm sure kids will like it.

So being a mother of 5 I thought reading this book myself and then reading it to my toddlers would give me a better understanding of what makes a good children's book.

The illustrations were simply stunning. It drew me in immediately. I thought the rhyming was well done and the wording used was perfect for young children. My girls had me read it 3 times in a row.

You could really feel what the book was trying to say. Keelee and the beast's friendship was the main theme and I think the idea is to teach kids that it doesn't matter how different you look or where you come from, love, friendship and acceptance is so easy if you just open yourself up.

This one is definitely on my list to buy and now I need to know if the author has more children's books available.

This book was super cute. Loved all the vocabulary and my daughter was so super excited we read it 6 times in a row. I loved everything about it. I loved the illustrations and the adorable little actions. Well done and definitely a book we will be ordering. It got my pre-schooler asking me questions about animals too. Win win!!

You Can't Scare Me is a very sweet kids picture book that star 2 little pigs, Walter and Willy. They are good friends but Walter is always trying to scare Willy. Willy decides to turn the tables and scare Walter. It showed Willy what it was like to be scared. Loved this one more than I want to admit. Great moral story and I really enjoyed the pictures!

This book touched me in a place I didn't know I had. It was so heartbreaking and I had to stop reading a few times. I wouldn't buy this book just because I couldn't take the emotions that came with it. It was so well done. I thought the cover was quite lovely and the care that was shown to the details was flawless.

Macie is a girl, who wants to be the very, very best. Things get tough when a new girl starts at her school. She talks to her mirror and to her dad and the story shows that as long as you love yourself, things are just fine!

The illustrations were quite lovely and the story covers the kind of things I want my daughters to know now at a young age. Very well done

This book was silly with very little story but that not stop my girls making me read it 3 times in a row! It made my eldest daughter ask her dad if he was smelly and sniffing him haha. It was a fun little interactive book. Went down well with my girls even if I didn't get why. Loved the pictures though!

I always read the kids books out loud to my kids and again to myself..

My daughter barely let me get through the first few pages. It wasn't well written and the storyline was laughable. She literally made me stop reading so she could go about her day.

I then tried to read it to myself and gave up. Sorry

I already had read one of these books and this one did not disappoint either! Blown away! The research that went into these books is astounding! The level of care and placement of the pictures was something else!! I adore it! I could have read this one to my girls a dozen times and not been bored. I highly recommend it and any others in this series. Must have for any kids library!

This might of been the cutest children's book ever! It's about a mouse who thinks he saw a monster. He describes the monster to his friend but she doesn't believe him.

I am going to need my own copy of this and one for the girls to have! I loved every second of reading it to them.

The illustrations were phenomenal and someone put a lot of love and care into this wonderful book!

Where the truth hides by Liane Carmen

This is a whirlwind of a story about 2 women, Becky and Jules. Best friends.... Two very different lives yet you can feel the love they have for each other.

Jules is adopted and desperate to find her birth parents. She needs to know why she was given up... Becky has everything in her life except the child she so desperately craves.. A car crash sends Becky's life into a never ending nightmare she can't seem to wake up from.

This book had me guessing the whole time. I am usually very good at figuring the ending out but not this time. I simply had no clue! My eyes were burning by the end of it because I couldn't put it down. My husband was like, good read and it took all my might to not cover his mouth from talking! If you are looking for the kind of read that gets your cogs turning and your heart rate up then this is the one for you! This is probably one of the best debut novels I have read in a very long time. The author has so much talent and I am excited to see what else she comes up with!

I would have liked a little more descriptiveness and a little less dialogue but it is actually very well balanced and Liane's imagination is a place everyone needs to sink into! I cannot wait to read the next installment!

I am a fan for life now and I highly recommend grabbing a copy, a glass of wine and no distractions. You can thank me later! I give this one a solid 4 stars!

Fall in love with the whispers of your heart by Ann Ruane
I am not a sentimental person. I never thought a self help book could do much for anyone. Then I received a copy of Fall in love with the whispers of your heart and my whole belief system was demolished in one chapter. It was like this book was sent to me at the exact moment I needed it, when I didn't know I needed it.
I really felt connected to what Ann was saying and how she laid out the book was genius. It was so simply done but with such gravitas and compassion that I couldn't help reading the whole thing twice. I answered all the questions she asked and found out things about myself I didn't even know. I made notes and felt a strangely dignified calm wash over when I repeated the mantras to myself. I have post-it notes sticking out from it everywhere and I am torn between hoarding my copy to myself and the need to share it with people so they can feel the way I do today.
I can't recommend this book enough! I found it insightful and written from a soul so beautiful you can't help but trust this book to set you on a path you didn't know you were searching for.
Thank you so much for all the work you do Ann and I hope more books come from you in the near future.

I was blown away by these short stories. I'm usually not one to be drawn in by them but the quality of the writing was better than I imagined! The closet was my favourite and i did not see the ending coming! Cannot wait to find more from this author!
Brilliant and complex, the stories weave a decadent tales that will have you gripped. The imagination that went into these stories is a cut above and I can't recommend this book more.

I just finished The Orphans of Mersea house by Marty Wingate and here is my review

It's 1957 and Olive is now alone and penniless. She is weighing her options when her childhood friend, Margery, returns home to claim her inheritance... Mersea house. She plans on turning the place into a boarding house, a boarding house she wants Olive to run. Grasping the lifeline with both hands, Olive agrees.

A letter one day, changes everything. A young girl, Juniper, has been left in Margery's care. A young girl, the daughter of a past lover... A little girl that survived polio. The little girl brings love and life to all the residents of Mersea House but social services are keeping an incredibly close eye on them all and have made it very clear that Juniper isn't necessarily there to stay...

This book was so beautifully written I felt like my heart was going to burst. This book was amply named for the people who all ended up living at mersea house. A man with no family and who had to leave the love of his life. A widow who suffered so much loss and a beautiful little girl who faced such a horrific start to her life but grabbed the small pleasures with both hands. I loved watching her bond with Olive especially. Everyone in the house became a family, not by blood ties or marriage but by a deep love that can only come from allowing people into your hearts when you don't want to get hurt.

I loved the house too. I felt like I knew every creak of the floorboards and walked around with my eyes closed. Everything was described with meticulous detail that I found heavenly and couldn't wait to devour the next page. This unconventional love story really warmed my soul and I couldn't have loved the ending more.

This is the kind of historical fiction I feel everyone should read. It was so breathtaking in the way it all came together.

I cannot recommend this book more! 5 stars

If you love a historical romance with a seaside theme, this has to be on your list!

Thank you netgalley and alcove press for my arc copy in exchange for my honest opinions

The Dark Circle by Robert J. Mrazekash

Jake takes on the task of working in campus security and loses the job after a rash of students take a new designer drug turns the co-eds into crazed lunatics and Jake ends up being accused of assault against a pair of athletes.

Licking his wounds after his job loss, Jake gets put on retainer by Lauren Kennsiton, the editor of the Groton Journal, to help her find a musical prodigy who never came home.

The job is more than Jake bargained and the search for Deborah leads Jake down a dangerous path of drugs, sex trafficking, a corrupt police and a group that calls themselves.... The Knights.

When I got this book, I had no idea it was part of a series but the author did so well with back building from the previous book, that I didn't feel like there were any holes in the story and I didn't miss anything by starting with book 2.

Jake is a real man's man with a heart of gold and with his dog, Bug, they make quite the duo. Bug even goes so far as to invite a stray cat to live with them.
I found the blooming love story between him and Lauren to be very realistic and raw. It didn't overtake the storyline which I am seriously glad for.

I found the premise of the book very intriguing and it kept getting better and better. I am a conspiracy theorist by nature so watching Jake go down the rabbit hole was thrilling. The whole story was brilliantly woven into a spider web of corruption, drugs and sex trafficking and the players were hidden in plain sight! The power connections really breathed life into this book.

If you are a fan of mystery thriller series that packs a punch then this is the series for you!!

4.5 stars!! Thank you netgalley and Crooked Lane books for my free ARC book in exchange for my honest review.

I just finished Droplet of Magic by Emily Bybee

Kira is a Defect, and that means one of two things in the witch world—losing your magic or death.
Instead Kira fakes her own death and goes on the run. Not able to stand idly by and watch villages suffer with no water, Kira brings the rain.... And the chance of being discovered.

Fate works in mysterious ways when two male witches find her on the same day and both want her for the same reason. Her powers can be used to access ancient magic, a magic she doesn't understand.

Kira cannot outrun the blood debt that is now due or the draw she feels to Alex who she is now on the run with. Can she help Alex's friends save other defects from the Russian Mafia or will someone she cares about end up in the crosshairs?

As far as paranormal romance series go, this one was actually excellent. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the book was written and even more excited to find out it is book 4 in a series.

I really enjoyed the magical aspects of the book. It went into beautiful detail on the magic of the defects and how important they really are. The character development was pretty good considering that this is the 4th book in a series. I felt Kira was well roundedly written and I didn't feel like this book didn't hold up as a potential stand alone read either.

Loved the locations in the book. I could feel the desert heat on my face and the hardened dirt under my feet. I love books that are written where they draw you into their world. This book really exceeded my expectations and I am looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you to @katieandbreyPA for my review copy and to the author, @emilybybeebooks