Tea leaves and Book leaves

Thank you @zooloosBT for letting me be part of this tour. When I first saw the cover and the title of How I Learned to Stop Saluting Magpies, I was drawn to it instantly. I loved the pretty colors; they made me think of when I was little, and still now, I salute magpies, and I wanted to know how she did this. How I Stopped Saluting Magpies is a self-help book/memoir. I enjoyed this book immensely and enjoyed following Lynn journey with the ups and downs of her life. This is a fascinating and inspirational read. I felt like I could relate to Lynn at times throughout the book. Beautifully written and engaging from start to finish, 5 stars. Blurb Lynn grew up believing that saluting magpies could keep bad luck at bay. But after a string of disasters—illness, financial ruin, divorce—she’s forced to admit: the magpie magic isn’t working. At rock bottom, she turns to a lifeline—a list of treats and adventures she’d always meant to try but never quite got round to. As she slowly ticks ...

Thank you @AcornAndInk @LoveBooksTours For letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Sun-Kissed and Single is contemporary short fiction. I love that the front page is gorgeous and summery. It makes me want to be the person on the front. This is a beautiful and charming read that pulls you in from start to finish. The story is set in Cornwall, which is a stunning place, and the story is about Isla, who is done with love in London and decides to do something for herself and books a holiday in Cornwall. This is a feel-good and heartwarming read. I liked Isla a lot; she seems like a lovely person, and I enjoyed following her story. The story is written exceptionally well, but I wish it were longer because I would rather not leave the book. Fantastic novella, 5 stars. Blurb After forty-seven disastrous dates and one lying ex-boyfriend too many, Isla Quinn is officially done with London love. Armed with a suitcase, a stack of unread paperbacks, and a desperate need for esc...

Thank you @literallypr for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Brain Fruit is a young adult book that is 52 pages long. I feel Brain Fruit is a book you can come back to because there is so much in this small novel, you can easily miss something, and I felt each time I read it back I learned something new about the plot. The pace of the story is fast because it’s a short read, and I did like that a lot, and it's an entirely unique read from my usual read, but it's an interesting and entertaining read. I am glad I got to read it. I feel lots of age groups will enjoy this book. The story is written elegantly and is a fascinating book. 4 stars. Blurb Nurtured by the neural networks of a bee, a brain fruit is born. To become a symbiotic trioid and continue the evolutionary crawl upwards they need to combine with an insect bug. And they need to deal with those that would destroy the givers of life. Stephen Oram’s zoefuturist story explores the fragili...

Thank you @hyggebooktours and @lesleytither for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Baby's Got Blue Eyes is book 2 in the series and is in the criminal genre. I did truly enjoy reading this book, and you can read it as a standalone, as I did. The story is about Ted, who is a DI in the police force and gets on really well with his team, but there appears to be a serial killer running rings around Ted. The plot is entertaining and hooked me in from the start until the end. Baby's Got Blue Eyes is a unique piece of writing that was a breath of fresh air to read. I liked the characters a lot and felt like I knew them for a long time, and I felt fully invested in them and the story. A great read for these dark nights. 5 stars. Blurb A compelling début crime thriller with a very different sort of detective.’ Someone is dumping bodies on DI Ted Darling's patch and he's not happy. Ted's a good solid copper, in an old-fashioned way, with an ...

Thank you @rararesources for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Love, Lies, and Family Ties is a romance genre. I adore the front cover and the story. It was fantastic to read, and I loved the small twists that were in the book. I knew one but didn’t get the second twist. The story is about Bea, who leaves her job for a job in a small publishing house in Bloomsdale. She starts to meet new people and then meets a woman who knows who she is. I was engrossed and engaged with the story and could not put it down. It was packed with so much love, family, lies, and a narrow boat; it was just brilliant. This is a heartwarming read, and I really liked Bea and Eddie, and I was truly attached to them right away. Strongly recommend 5 stars. Blurb A heartwarming, feel good romantic comedy. ‘I absolutely adored this book. It gave me all the feels! A charming read full of warmth and heart.’ ***** Kim the Bookworm Bea Winters is in desperate need of a fresh start. Being bul...

Thank you @rararesources for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book.A Mirror Murder is book 1 in the series and is a crime mystery genre. The story is written elegantly and is easy to get into. I enjoyed the plot, and I liked the characters a lot and felt like I knew them and built a bond with them. The story is set in 1971 and is about Jan, who is 18 years old and a library assistant, and her uncle, who is a policeman. A Mirror MIdder is a cozy and light read that is brilliant for these dark nights. I was hooked on the story and can’t wait for book 2. I also loved the twist because I could not, for the life of me, work out who had done it. Brilliant, 5 stars. Blurb July 1971 Eighteen-year-old library assistant Jan Christopher’s life is to change on a rainy evening, when her legal guardian and uncle, DCI Toby Christopher, gives her a lift home after work. Driving the car, is her uncle’s new Detective Constable, Lawrence Walker – and it is love at first sight for...

Thank you @Rookscroft and @LoveBooksTours for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. All Features and Hats is an absolutely gorgeous book and read. I love the illustrations that are all the way through the book. They are so colorful and beautiful to look at. I thoroughly enjoyed the story; it was a cozy and heartwarming read. I enjoyed getting to know the characters Vernon, Quentin, Connie, and Madge. My favorite photo is Connie with the butterfly; it's a lovely photo, and how kind she is. All Feathers and Hats is 111 pages, and I read it in a couple of hours. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; it had lovely animal characters, art, and writing. Beautifully written. I can’t wait for book 2. Strongly recommended for any age. A lovely light read. 5 stars. Blurb It began one morning in late summer, when a pheasant appeared at my studio window. At first, I was startled - "but my surprise quickly turned to delight when I noticed he was wearing a top ha...

Thank you, @rararesouces for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. The Shaw Thing is the first book in the series, and what a steamy read. The story is about Demelza, who is 50 years old and trying to get her life back since her ex-husband, and then she meets 28-year-old Stephen. Demelza and Stephen are both narratives in the story, and you get their perspectives on what was happening with each other, which I truly enjoyed and felt like I knew both characters better. I read The Shaw Thing in a day; it is highly addictive. They are both brilliant characters, and this is very much a must-read. I found it an easy and enjoyable read that was written at a superb pace and was written brilliantly. I can't wait for book 2. 5 stars. Blurb Recently separated Demelza is nearing 50 and learning to live life again away from her problematic ex. The menopause is causing havoc with her hormones and after years of frustration she finds herself attracted to a much youn...

Thank you, @zooloosBT, for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. The Grass Widow is a psychological thriller. It took me a while to get into, but once I got into it, I was engrossed. It was an entertaining and thrilling read. There is a considerable amount of suspense running through the book that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Once I got into the story, the plot was engaging and thrilling, and I was unable to tear myself away. All the characters were interesting and intriguing. Enjoyable read, 4 stars. Love the front cover, and the title works very well with the story. Who is Vanessa Edwards? Vanessa Edwards lives in London with her border collie Elvis. After reading Philosophy at University College London, she qualified as a solicitor and practised as a lawyer and legal translator in London, Brussels and Luxembourg. She took early retirement from the law and turned to her lifelong dream of writing crime fiction. Her debut novel, The Grass Widow, a s...

Thank you, @rararesouces for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. The Reinvention of Lottie Potts is book 1 in the series. I love the front cover and the title; they both work well with the story. This is romance/contemporary fiction. I read The Reinvention of Lottie Potts in a day and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Lottie; she is such a lovely character. Lottie finds out her husband is having an affair, and her life starts to change. This is a heartwarming and empowering read that you won’t be able to put down. The Reinvention of Lottie Potts did make me smile in places and did make me feel sad too, and I loved all the characters except for the husband, very entertaining and enjoyable read. You will not be able to put this story down; I read it in a day and was hooked. 5 stars. Blurb Lottie Potts is happy enough - or so she thinks. Her life is slowly ticking away as she spends her days watching old films and daydreaming about another, better, version o...

Thank you, @zooloosBT, for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Dirt is for young adults and is a dystopian genre. Dirt is set in Newbeck, and food is very scarce there. One day Sam meets a girl called Avril who is very different from Sam, and their lives are very different from each other. I like how there are two narratives, and you get to know Sam and Avril very well and about their lives from their perspective. The topics that are raised in this book are food, the environment, and friendships. Very fascinating and important topics that the author has researched very well. I like the romance between Avril and Sam, and I do feel for them when Avril parents try to stop Avril from seeing Sam. I feel young adults will enjoy this story immensely. It was good to see the characters develop through the book. A thought-provoking and heartwarming read that will entertain you until the end. 4 stars. Who is Laura Baggaley? Laura Baggaley is a writer of fiction for youn...

Thank you @YusraMariyam219 and @LoveBooksTours for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Triumphs of Tenacity is a nonfiction memoir. I found this a fascinating read about Yusra life and what she overcame with the challenges that she faced in her life. This is a powerful and inspiring read, and I found it a very interesting and informative read about her going to university and the struggles she had to deal with, and I did feel quite attached to Yusra and felt many emotions reading this memoir about Yusra's life, from being born in Bangladesh to moving to the UK when she was seven years old. Triumphs of Tenacity is a thought-provoking and intriguing read. I love how brave and honest Yusra is in this memoir about her life and struggles . Triumphs of Tenacity is beautifully written. 4 stars. Blurb Triumphs of Tenacity is an inspiring memoir by Yusra Mariyam, chronicling her remarkable journey from a young girl in Bangladesh to a UK graduate. At seven,...

Thank you, @KalynGensicWrites and @LoveBooksTours #Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #FreeBookReview, for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Meet Me in the Greenhouse is book 2 in the series, and you can read it standalone, as I did. This is a romance genre. I like the front cover a lot with the plants and the people in front, and the title fits very well with the story. The story about Miriam, who is a priest, and she sees her friends having families, is making her think she wants more. Then there is Boone, who is an agricultural professor who loves plants but is not that keen on people, but they both cross each other's paths when Miriam visits Boone grandma. I found the story a bit slow at the beginning, and it did take me a bit to get into, but once I got into the story and the characters, I did enjoy the story. The story was very different from other romances I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pace of the book is at a reasonable speed and is written...

Thank you to @zooloosBT for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Long Lost Sister is a psychological genre, which is my favorite, and this book did not let me down. The story is fast-paced from the start, and I read Long Lost Sister in a day and a half. I could not put it down. I loved the twists in the book. Furthermore, I did guess a bit of the plot but got the rest wrong, and I do love it when that happens. The story is about Piper who gets given an ancestry gift, and she decides to do it and finds out she has a sister called Callie who is quite wealthy, but it’s not all what Piper thought it would be. The story is written exceptionally well and keeps the reader gripped from start to finish. I liked Piper a lot, and she is the protagonist all the way through the book. There were some characters I did not like at all. A thrilling read, 5 stars. Who is N.L. Hinkens? NYT and USA Today bestselling author N. L. Hinkens writes twisty psychological suspense thril...

Thank you, @zooloosBT, for letting me be on this tour and reviewing this book. The Women in Room 9 is a psychological genre, and the story is about Susan, who wakes up from her coma after 10 years with no memory of who she is, and she finds out she is a suspect in a murder inquiry. There is an enormous amount of suspense and tension running through the book that keeps you engrossed to the end. I read this book in two days. I did like the twists, and the book did keep me guessing all the way through. The pacing was at a perfect rate you could keep up with, and the story goes from past to present, which I liked, and it worked well, especially to see this in the therapy sessions, which I enjoyed reading about. The story is engaging from the start, and the characters Susan and her therapist I really liked and felt like I trusted their characters. A good read for the autumn months. 4 stars. Who is Tim Adler? Tim Adler is an author and journalist who has written for the Financial Time...

Thank you @literallypr,for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. THE IMPOSTER PHENOMENON by Dr. Kate Atkin is a nonfiction book that you can dip in and out of. The imposter phenomenon is for people who feel they have this, and this book gives them a clear understanding of the imposter phenomenon, and the book is broken down into 4 parts. It is an interesting and fascinating read, especially because my husband thinks I may have imposter syndrome. This is an enlightening and knowledgeable read that opened my eyes to the imposter phenomenon because I didn’t know much about it until reading this book and made me understand myself a little more. Definitely recommend 4 stars. Blurb Research indicates that 70-80% of people may experience imposter “syndrome” at some point. Celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Sheryl Sandberg and Tom Hanks have all spoken about their imposter feelings and even Einstein described himself as an “involuntary swindler”. But self-doubt and a ...

Thank you, @zooloosBT, for letting me be part of this tour and reviewing this book. Things We Need to Say has a beautiful front cover and excellent title that’s fitting for the story. This Is a romance genre that is heartwarming and a light read. The story is about Emma, who is a trainee hotel manager that is having a rough time at her job, and is going out with Jay, who is a chef that wants more experience and wants to enter a competition, but this causes problems in their relationship. I liked the characters immensely and felt like I was attached to both them and their story, and I also loved Liz, who is friends with Emma and Jay. This is book 2 in the series, and you can read it as a standalone, as I did, but I definitely will go and read the first book. Things We Need to Say is an exquisite read, and I read it in two days. It is beautifully written. Strongly recommend 5 stars. Bio My novels, Things They Never Said and First Impressions are contemporary romances set between Lond...