I’m pleased to be hosting a stop today on the blog tour for Maressa Mortimer’s new Young Adult novel Beyond the Hills. Beyond the Hills is book 2 in the Elabi Chronicles series, and it was published on 18th June 2021. I read the opening book in the series on 8th February this year, andContinue reading “Book Blog Tour for ‘Beyond the Hills’ by Maressa Mortimer”
Category Archives: inspiration
Thoughts on ‘Witch Child’ by Celia Rees
Today I share my review of ‘Witch Child‘ by Celia Rees, now out in a special 20th Anniversary edition. This is a compelling historical novel of the arrival of a group of Puritans in New England in 1650, of their encounters with the Native Indians, and a tale not only of religious intolerance but ofContinue reading “Thoughts on ‘Witch Child’ by Celia Rees”
Naturewatch in St Nicholas Churchyard Kenilworth
Last Sunday St Nicholas Church Kenilworth held a ‘Naturewatch’ in the churchyard. The church is close to the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and Abbey Fields, which feature in my book Paranormal Warwickshire. The Naturewatch took us on a walk around the churchyard identifying a variety of beautiful and curious things – flowers, trees, gravestones,Continue reading “Naturewatch in St Nicholas Churchyard Kenilworth”
The Joy of English Woodlands
At this time of year in England, there is something healing about walking in the woodlands. I always feel that some of the loveliest flowers of all are cow parsley and bluebells. I am also lucky enough to be a member of Songlines, a local community choir, and as the pandemic lockdown rules have beenContinue reading “The Joy of English Woodlands”
Book Review: ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens
Today I share my review of this enchanting novel by nature writer Delia Owens. ‘Where the Crawdads Sing‘ by Delia Owens is set in the swampland of the North Carolina coast. Kya, the main protagonist, is abandoned by her family members one by one until, at the age of seven in the year 1952, sheContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens”
Book Review: Spirited by Julie Cohen
Today I share with you my review of Spirited by Julie Cohen, published by Orion July 2020. I loved this book; I found it enchanting, and it gripped me throughout. Set in the mid nineteenth century in England and India, the story covers spiritualism, so-called “spirit photography”, the oppression of women in Victorian times, andContinue reading “Book Review: Spirited by Julie Cohen”
Rescued Maori Meeting House in the Grounds of an English Stately Home
I was fascinated to see this Maori meeting house in the grounds of Clandon Park, Surrey. It immediately attracted me as I loved learning about the Maori culture in New Zealand during my November 2019 visit. I discovered that the original meeting house, Hinemihi, had been sited in an area of New Zealand’s North IslandContinue reading “Rescued Maori Meeting House in the Grounds of an English Stately Home”
Perfect Cottage Retreat in the Surrey Hills
Hello – I write on the first day of the relaxation of the lockdown here in the UK and we have travelled from Warwick in the Midlands to the lovely Surrey Hills, close to Leith Hill Tower with its wonderful views. This early 18th century cottage was originally a gamekeeper’s cottage and is hiddenContinue reading “Perfect Cottage Retreat in the Surrey Hills”
Book Review: ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell
I waited quite a long time for Waterstones to send me this book; and having received it, I spent the next few hours devouring this story of William Shakespeare’s family and the tragic death of his 11 year old son Hamnet. Living as I do near Stratford-upon-Avon I have visited all the Shakespeare properties aContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell”
A Walk in Jephson Gardens Leamington Spa to Lift the Spirits
We are lucky to have many beautiful places to walk, in Leamington Spa Warwick and Kenilworth, with gardens, rivers, castles, historical houses and parklands. Each time I walk in Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa, I see new delights. Throughout this pandemic, the natural world has upheld the spirits of so many – and the imagination, hardContinue reading “A Walk in Jephson Gardens Leamington Spa to Lift the Spirits”
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