I couldn't wait to be back in the delightfully gothic world of Matilda Lockett and her ghostly friend, Edgar Wilde. Brimming with questions, clues and plenty of peril, readers are whisked away to a richly atmospheric and brilliantly entertaining, supernatural Victorian mystery. As the features of this 19th century detective story unfold, we learn more… Continue reading Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries: The Ghosts of London by Lucy Strange
I loved getting lost in the world of Lindsay Galvin's The Elixir. Set in 17th century England, it explores the healing power of women who understand nature and science. Ann Storer has inherited the gift of healing from her grandmother. Working in her family's apothecary shop, she creates tinctures that help with all sorts of… Continue reading The Elixir by Lindsay Galvin
September 2025 Hero the Highway Girl is the kind of book that wraps around you, drawing you deep into the story and its unforgettable characters. From the very first page, I was completely captivated, each exciting chapter carrying me further into Hero and Jack's adventure. Set in the Georgian world of highwaymen, the lineage of… Continue reading Hero the Highway Girl by Penny Chrimes
The Bletchley Riddle is a richly layered story of spies, code breaking and strangers. Peril and intrigue fills every chapter as brother and sister Jakob and Lizzie try to work out who they can trust. As if the danger of working at Bletchley Park during the second world war wasn't enough, Jakob and Lizzie face… Continue reading The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin
Dance of Resistance is the vividly engaging story of singer, dancer and spy Josephine Baker. Told through incredibly accessible narrative non-fiction, readers travel with Josephine from East St Louis USA to Philadelphia, New York, Paris and then across Europe and Northern Africa. Her colourful life, full of adventure and self-made opportunity, is completely inspiring while… Continue reading Dance of Resistance by Catherine Johnson: The Josephine Baker Story
Sally and the Lost Photograph is the delightful sequel to Sally in the City of Dreams by Judi Curtin. Sally and Bridget are more settled in New York and starting to feel like real Americans. Letters from home bring mixed emotions - they miss their family but life is exciting as they learn to make… Continue reading Sally and the Lost Photograph by Judi Curtin
There are no women in history - or that's how it appears when you read history books going all the way back to the very first in the year 731. Author Philippa Gregory is determined to right this wrong, first through Normal Women: 900 Years of Women Making History published for adults in 2023, and… Continue reading Normal Women Making History for 900 Years by Phillippa Gregory
Travel back to 1645 and the English Civil War with the ever insightful historical children's author Ally Sherrick. Readers will be drawn into this dangerous adventure of rebellion, spies and deceit as they discover what it really means to be fearless and true. Merriweather Pryce is the daughter of an English nobleman who has left… Continue reading Rebel Heart by Ally Sherrick ~ Blog Tour
Grace Darling has always been a heroine in our house. At the age of three, my daughter was completely enthralled by a boat trip out to the Farne Islands while on holiday in Northumbria. She loved the lighthouse, the puffins and the story of Grace Darling's bravery as she helped her father rescue nine people… Continue reading Becoming Grace by Hilary McKay
Intricately plotted and richly layered, Deep Dark is the first in a wonderful new series by Zohra Nabi. Set in Victorian London, this historical fantasy whisks readers away to the darkest corners of a humming city. A vibrant cast challenge the politics and social justice of the time as ancient rivers carry history beneath their… Continue reading Deep Dark by Zohra Nabi ~ Blog Tour
Scope for Imagination 