BOOK NOOK: A Remedy for Fate by M A Kuzniar

 

" 'I promised that if you guessed your true name,' he said, locking his dark blue eyes with hers, 'I would return your memories and heart, and you would be free to leave.' He unspooled a leaf of parchment that bore signatures, but Thea was too panicked to read it properly. She clamped a hand to her chest, an unfamiliar sensation unmooring her. Where once there must have been a rhythmic thudding, now there was a flutter that felt too light, too insubstantial. 'What did you do to my heart?' "

I love M A Kuzniar's writing and I enjoyed her previous books, Midnight In Everwood and Upon A Frosted Star immensely, so I was delighted to receive an ARC of her new book some months ago.  I can now confirm that A Remedy for Fate is just as magical and enchanting as her previous novels, so if you liked those books then you will love this one too.

This novel is set in a magical world, hidden within the heart of Prague and protected by wards. Only those with a true need and no ill intentions can get through the portal into the Magic Quarter and seek the help of a witch. It is in this quiet little village that Thea runs the apothecary on behalf of her boss, Jasper. The problem is, Thea doesn't actually know who she is or how she came to be in the Magic Quarter. All she knows is that Jasper somehow stole her heart and her memories, leaving her with no choice but to work in his shop until she can figure out her true name and so break the spell. 

If this sounds somewhat familiar its because this story is loosely based upon the Rumplestiltskin fairytale. Jasper Stiltskin has a strange hold over Thea, but each time she tries to guess her name and win back her freedom, he tells her that she is mistaken. She has lived in the Magic Quarter for seven years and in that time she has forged a life for herself there, making good friends, mediating between squabbling neighbours and tolerating the curiosity of Rose who lives next door above her flower shop as she pries into everyone's life, because every street has its local gossip, even a magical one.  Thea has created a cosy home for herself above the apothecary, where she lives with Cinnamon, her pet rabbit, drinks copious amounts of hot chocolate from an enchanted teapot and reads romance novels late into the night as she is curled up in bed.

Its a cosy life of comfort and reading, freindship and the satisfaction of being able to use her herbal knowledge and magic to help people. She is content, but also frustrated that she cannot remember her life before this time, that she doesn't truly know who she really is. Jasper pops by every few days to check on his shop and ask how the business is going, but he offers no clues as to her true name. She hates him for keeping secrets, yet she is also drawn to him too.

So when the wards begin to fade and mortals start to wander into the Magic Quarter, Thea and her friends know that something is amiss, especially when the witch hunters wander in and demand to search homes and businesses. Thea and her friends now have to work alongside Jasper to find out what is going on, before the witch hunters destroy the Magic Quarter altogether. But can Thea trust Jasper? Or should she allow herself to be swept away by the mortal man, Malek, who has wandered through the weakened portal seeking help?

This novel reads like a fairytale, with beautiful balls, enchanted teapots, a gingerbread house, owls that tell the time and ravens that carry messages. Set in the 1700s it is full of lavish descriptions of panniered gowns, powdered wigs and tricorn hats, with wild carriage rides and dresses that sing in alignment with the wearers emotions.  Imagine the aesthetic of the 1988 movie Dangerous Liaisons with the magic of Diagon Alley and you have this book in a nutshell. 

A Remedy for Fate begins in autumn and ends in the heart of winter, having all the cosy vibes that you could wish for. As a bookworm, Thea likes to stockpile new books to read (don't we all?!) piling them beside her bed ready for when she is tucked up at the end of a long day in the apothecary, with Cinnamon snuggled up beside her. Its a lovely world and she will do anything to protect it and to keep her friends safe.

From magical weathervanes and kitchen witchery, to more serious subjects such as what it means to steal a heart or to lose memory, this novel resides in the space where lost memories should be. Desperate to reclaim her heart and her memories, torn between two loves, her loyalty stretched between being true to her friends and true to herself and her unknown past, Thea must navigate a way to bring all the threads of her fate together into a cohesive whole. But it takes a village to raise a web of magic and Thea is working against the clock of the time-telling owls. Can she find her true name, reclaim her heart and memories, and save the Magic Quarter in time? You'll have to read the book to find out! If you enjoy magical realism with cosy vibes, you will probably enjoy this novel. 

Happy reading.

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for the purposes of review and published on 12th March 2026 in hardcover, audio and digital formats. 

ONCE UPON A DREAM: My Return to Strathpeffer!

 

It's almost 9pm and I have just arrived home from my trip to the Highlands. I went back to Strathpeffer, which is a place where I have stayed many times. It has changed considerably over the years but that happens everywhere.  I took my mother with me because she has never been so far north in the Highlands and she really wanted to see Loch Ness. So off we went, making a lunch stop at Gretna Green, then continuing on the long trip north, ready for a traditional Highland holiday.

Strathpeffer is a small Highland village north of Inverness, once famous in the Victorian era for being a spa town where people would come to take the waters for their health in the Pump Room. Sadly, much of this history has been stripped away in recent years as the town tries to appeal to modern visitors with a sweet little street café and a cosy wine bar in the town square. The Pump Room Museum has closed down and the history of the place is no longer used as a selling point, which is such a shame.  Still, it remains a very pretty town, with some lovely architecture, a impressive water fountain and lots of Victorian accents. 

I was also surprised to see that they have built a new bandstand, when the original one is perfectly fine - they've just removed the steps to force people to use the new one! I will always prefer the original bandstand and I have some very happy memories of that one, not least of which is my old friend Roy leading his pipes and drums band out to play for me back in 2001. I bet he wouldn't like the new band stand either. My Highlander, Alexander and I spent a lot of time on the old bandstand, which is where we really got to know one another and shared our secrets together. We found a depth of understanding in one another that we simply didn't have with anyone else and I think that is why we were so drawn to each other. It certainly wasn't love at first sight though - more of an enemies to lovers romance! 

Strathpeffer is a town that holds a very special place in my heart and it always will. It wasn't quite the same now that Alexander is gone. I felt his absence keenly all week, especially at the Pictish Eagle Stone which is where we walked every night, where he gave me his mother's ring and we handfasted over the ancient marriage stone, with the Eagle and the ancestors as witnesses. 

However, it was nice to be able to show my mother around the town, just as Alex had shown me around all those years ago.  She loved the wood carved trees, especially the three Norns, which are my favourites, along with Sgathach who has sadly lost her sword in a storm. The Giant has also lost an arm too, and Skuld has lost her scissors, but fortunately the Brahan Seer looks no worse for wear because he is in a more sheltered spot. It was lovely to see them again and to introduce them to my mum like old friends, because that is what they are to me. Landmarks so familiar they've become almost sentient.  They almost make up for the lost pond with the island in the middle where I learnt to row a boat with my soldier. Almost, but not quite. That pond was sadly filled in some years ago and the wood carvings were created from the surrounding trees. 

We also made the trek up to the Pictish Eagle Stone, which wore us both out! My mum is nearly 74, recovering from a knee injury and I have chronic fatigue so it was quite tiring at the end of an already very long day. That's the thing about the Highlands - everywhere is a bit of a trek, up hill and down dale, but its always worth it. There are some wonderful views in the Highlands and every way you turn is a vista, but it does require comfortable walking shoes and a dollop of determination to hike the hills and see all the beauty that the Highlands has to offer.

We were extremely lucky with the weather. The heatwaves that we have been suffering in England all summer long were left far behind, but the Highlands was full of bright blue skies and lovely sunshine, with a fresh breeze that kept us nice and cool. It didn't rain at all. It was the perfect weather, with no midges in sight. Usually I go to Scotland in mid-autumn or early winter. I have never been to the Highlands in late summer before, so it was great to see all the purple heather in full bloom, making the hills look ethereal and abundantly wild.  We also went out to see Blackwater Falls, which is a lovely waterfall that froths cream and brown due to the peat and looks like a cappuccino. There were a couple of Londoners who thought it was pollution - no, its the peat from the river beds that makes the water coffee coloured.  I haven't been there since Alex took me years ago, so it was a bit emotional, but nice to see it again. I could feel his spirit with me, watching over me, which was a great comfort and meant that I didn't feel too sad about the loss of him.

Of course, we didn't just stay in Strathpeffer all the time. We went to Inverness to do some shopping and I picked up a couple of books about Scottish witches from the Victorian Market. We went for a walk by the River Ness, with Inverness Castle up above, which was lovely. Inverness is a pretty place, with some gorgeous buildings, nice little cafes and quaint gift shops. Sadly my favourite bookshop, Leaky's, seems to have closed and is now a trendy coffee shop. It was a wonderful used bookstore, situated in an old church and the till was in the pulpit! You could pick up some real gems from that bookstore, so its a shame its not there anymore. (Or maybe I was at the wrong church, as there are so many in Inverness!) Why does progress often feel so degenerative?

We had a wonderful day trip out to the Isle of Skye. Again, this is somewhere that my mother had never been. I have only been once myself and it rained buckets all day. This time, it was ice-cream weather all the way, so that's exactly what we did. We went down to sit on the harbour wall to enjoy Isle of Skye Clotted Cream ice-creams and watch the boats come in and out of the harbour.  

I love these little island communities of the Highlands and Islands, with their rows of pastel painted shops and houses that look so pretty. Its the same on the Isle of Mull, and both Portree and Tobermory have a similar vibe. It's like walking through a storybook or a fairytale, surrounded by buildings coloured pink, baby blue, cream and mint. They're so adorable and I would love to live in a place like this.  

These pastel buildings housed some fabulous shops with a maritime theme and I bought some dainty mermaids to hang on my bathroom wall. They're meant to be towel hooks, but I will use them as decoration because they're too pretty to cover up with a towel. I also bought a book of Sea Folklore which I'm looking forward to reading. I was very lucky to stumble upon a Jessica Galbreath Autumn Fairy wall plaque that I just had to bring home with me. Wall plaques from this artist were discontinued a while ago, so it was like finding treasure to see it there in the shop window, as if it had been waiting for me! It will go perfectly in my living room. 

In addition to the Isle of Skye, we went to see Eileen Donan Castle which is one of my favourite castles in Scotland.  I love how the bridge is a modern addition, and originally the castle would have stood alone and remote upon the island in the loch, only accessible by boat. What a peaceful life - I could live like that! I always feel a sense of homecoming when I am swanning around ancient Scottish castles. 

On our final day we returned to the west coast of Scotland and spent the day at Ullapool, where we had the best seaside fish and chips, sitting on a bench and watching the tide. It was beautiful weather, the sea was warm enough for a paddle and a splash around and the boat trips were in full swing. I didn't go on a boat on this occasion, I just spent quiet time by the sea, pottering round the shops and eating more ice-cream. Luckily the Ullapool bookshop is still thriving and I spent a good while in there browsing and coming out with a book on Robert the Bruce that I've never seen before, so that was a good find. 

All in all we had a really good trip. My mum loved it, having seen so many places she's never visited before and of course, she got to see Loch Ness which was her main goal, so she came home a very happy bunny. For me, it was a nostalgic visit with lots of happy memories and beloved spirits all around me. I had a lovely time and I am thinking about where in Scotland I might want to go next. In the meantime, I now need to start working on my next book project, so I need to get my headspace back into working mode now that the autumn season is underway. Its a good thing I love me job and I never get the back to work blues after a holiday. I am rather tired from all the Highland hill walking though! I've posted lots of photos up on my Twitter of all the places mentioned here, so head over there if you'd like to see them. 

Serene Blessings

Marie x

BOOK NOOK: Board Games and Broomsticks by Selina Spellman

 

"Nyssa saw her grandmother's face. Could almost feel her hands stroking her hair as she explained why she'd chosen to settle in Nighthaven after refusing several covens' invitations decades before. Nighthaven isn't just a town, it's a refuge. A place where all magical folk can seek a calmer, more authentic life."

I was thrilled when Random House UK sent me an ARC of this book back in the spring. I started reading it straight away, but I didn't want to blog about it too far in advance of its release date. I'm quite new to cosy witch fantasy novels and I have to say that, so far, I am enjoying the stories from this genre that I have been sent.

Board Games and Broomsticks is a soft escape into a magical world of analogue hobbies and small town vibes. Think Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic and you get the tone of this book. It tells the tale of Nyssa Hawthorn who fled the town of Nighthaven as a rebellious young woman in search of a more exciting life. After a disagreement with her grandmother about the coven path she planned to take, leaving her solitary witch roots behind, Nyssa successfully works her way up to become coven leader. However, her magic begins to go awry and after one too many mistakes in her castings, she is suspended from practice with her coven.

In despair, she mounts her broomstick and flies back home to Nighthaven, taking up residence in her now deceased grandmother's old cottage and setting up a magical board games cafe, where she sells her grandmother's special teas and tisanes. Her coven decide that she must perform three magical tasks to prove that she is worthy of her place with them, but then a wicked warlock from her past hunts her down and that is when Nyssa's troubles really begin. 

This is very sweet book that is full of magical characters such as witches, druids, sirens, elves and selkies. The warlock is suitably sinister, but the threat level of this genre is always very mild, so its not a scary book. It has all the cosy content that you could wish for, with lush interior descriptions and an adorable feline familiar called Nyx. 

I will also say here that this is a book which conforms to ticking all the boxes on the diversity list that every single publishing house seems to be pushing for these days, from the seemingly obligatory lesbian subplot to the rather clumsy inclusion of they/them background characters who don't add anything to the story arc and who don't move the plot forward in any way, but exist on the page simply to adhere to the publisher's woke agenda.  When every new book release is pushing these same minority tropes to the public majority, it gets very annoying, because publishers don't even offer a fair warning in the blub, thereby removing the reader's right to choose whether or not they buy into this kind of diversity narrative by purchasing the book. However, in this novel, I'm pleased to say that the author has kept it mercifully subtle. The woke agenda is still there though.

If such blatant political agendas bother you, you might want to skip this one, but if not, then you will find Board Games and Broomsticks to be a delightfully cosy read and a nice book to pick up on a chilly autumnal day. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This novel was sent to me by the publisher, Random House UK,  prior to its release for the purposes of review. It drops next week on 17th September 2026, in paperback, digital and audio formats. 

MUSICAL DOLL: Happy Birthday Pal!

Thinking of you on your birthday! Have a wonderful day!

 With love from,

Marie 

xxx

BOOK NOOK: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

 

"She couldn't stop it. She burst into tears. Big, little-kid crying. Heavy sobs that shook her whole chest. She buried her face in her hands to hide. And before she knew what was happening, two arms were wrapped around her. Warm and entirely enveloping, a shoulder to press her face into that smelled like an autumn dream, woody and spicy, clean and smoky. A chin resting on the top of her head. She let herself be swallowed up, a little sorry creature swept up in a blanket from the cold rain. She let her guard down, just for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had held her like this, like someone was around every part of her, a wall of safety between her and the world."

As soon as I had finished reading Uncharmed I knew that I wanted to read more books by the same author. Alas, at the moment she only has two books published, but I looked forward to curling up with Rewitched as soon as possible, hopeful that it would be just as good. Well, I have just finished reading it and I wasn't disappointed at all.

Rewitched is another cosy, witchy novel of magical realism, one that speaks of a much quieter magic than that of Uncharmed. In this novel, Belladonna Blackthorne, or Belle, is a witch who hardly uses her magic at all. She is so swept up in life that she hasn't really had the time or the inclination to study the Craft properly, and so she uses magic in a soft, gentle way - to wash the dishes for her, or to brew a cup of tea while she relaxes on the sofa as the steaming cup levitates towards her. That sort of thing. She certainly isn't a flashy witch. 

Belle suffers from a deep seated feeling of being unworthy. She feels that she is behind in life, that she isn't up to the opportunities that come her way, that she will never be as a talented a witch as her mother is, so why bother?  She remains detached from her coven and is quietly content with her non-magical life, sharing a flat with her best friend and her cat, and working in a cosy bookshop in London.  In short, she is rather stuck and set in her ways, suspicious of change because she assumes that change makes everything worse. So she maintains the status quo of her life, working hard to make the bookshop an enchanting escape from the cold streets of London in mid-autumn and enjoying the safety of her small, cocooned life. 

Then one day, a stranger turns up at the bookshop. A tall, dark, handsome and very magical stranger named Rune, with a letter from her coven. She must prove how well she has been using her magical abilities for the past fifteen years, or else they will be stripped away from her completely. Now, while Belle doesn't exactly use her magic for much, she enjoys the gentle magical charms that she does make and how they help her life to run smoothly, so she doesn't want to lose her powers altogether. With the help of Rune, and an ex-coven member named Artorius, she has a month to prove that she can become a proficient and well-rounded witch, capable of casting all kinds of magic for all kinds of scenarios and thus, she is thrust into a frenzy of magical study and practice as she tries desperately to prove that she is worthy of being a witch.  However, someone is trying to sabotage her progress at every turn and Belle finds herself having to fight for her life and the lives of those she loves. 

Rewitched is a lovely magical story that is full of autumnal charm. The scenes in the bookshop are some of my personal favourites, reminding me of when I worked at a bookshop and how cosy the store would be in the dark winter evenings, with the scent of coffee and pastries wafting around the shelves from the café counter we had in-store. Reading this book transported me back there again and made me wish that I could open up a magical bookstore of my own. That would be just lovely! Though I'm not sure what chance there is for independent book stores these days, as even the big book chains struggle to compete with the immediacy of Amazon. Still, its a nice dream to have. 

The romance in this story is fun and feisty as sparks fly between Belle and Rune, the magic lessons are interesting, the villains are ones that I didn't see coming and the story reaches its climax on Halloween. What's not to like? All in all, I would say that Rewitched is another triumph of a book and that the author has successfully brought a new cosy vibe to the traditional witchy novel. And she has a brand new novel coming out in September too, which is exciting! 

If you like cosy, autumnal mysteries and witchy magical realism, then you will probably enjoy reading Rewitched. I couldn't put it down and read it in a day and a half. Happy reading!

Serene Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This book is published by Pan Macmillan and is available now in all formats. 

BOOK NOOK: Lochbound by Rebecca Templeton

"I am used to being alone, living from one of Duncan's visits to the next. I prefer it, or so I tell myself. I would rather be alone than ask for help, than admit to everyone the truth of what happened to me all those years ago.

You're safe, I repeat to myself until I almost believe it. I have not been discovered. 

All is well."  

Lochbound has held me in thrall since page one! As soon as I was offered the ARC a few months ago, for a novel that is set by a Scottish loch and loosely based on the Little Mermaid, I practically snatched their hands off for it. It has held me in its grip for the past couple of days and I'm so glad to review it for the publisher, Little Brown Book Group.

The main protagonist, Iris, has been cursed by a witch so that she is the monster in the loch by day and only returns to her ageless human form at sunset each evening. This has been her existence for the past fifty years, hiding herself away in a cave during her human hours. Her lifelong friend, Duncan, now in his seventies, is the only person she has contact with and together they are looking for ways to try and break the curse.  The problem is that people have been turning up dead, and the monster in the loch is the main suspect.

In fear, the Clan Chief and Laird of Castle Kilmara, hires a hunter to find and kill the monster. But unbeknown to the villagers the monster, named Moireach, is actually Iris, and she has no recollection of killing anyone, nor could she conceive of ever doing so. She and Duncan must discover who is committing these murders and protect Iris before the hunter discovers her secret and kills her. 

I loved this novel. Although it lacks any Gaelic or Scots words and phrases which would have added to the sense of place, it does have a wonderful broadly Celtic atmosphere, with ceilidhs, an ancestral castle, old warriors and all the magic of the loch. There are several witches present, plus the threat of witch burnings. (So-called witches were burnt only in Scotland in the UK. In England they were hanged.)  There is lots of Scottish folklore woven throughout, including the Seelie, kelpies and changelings, so its a very magical read.

The internal voice of Iris/Moireach battling for control is interesting as each one fights for supremacy and tries to subdue the other. Despite her plight, Iris has no shortage of suitors, with three different love interests all vying for the attention of this mysterious redhead with her emerald green eyes. The emotional entanglements and romantic leanings fill the pages with longing, hope, yearning and despair. 

I especially liked the way in which obsessive love is portrayed here, showing how dangerous a spurned suitor can become as they allow their unrequited feelings to burn to an ever-growing resentment, eventually turning that hatred onto the object of their desire with bitter cruelty. Well, haven't we all been on the receiving end of that sort of mantrum?! I know I have, more than once, because the entitlement of men knows no bounds and that twisted emotional journey is depicted with great skill here.

I also enjoyed all the unexpected turns that the novel took and the way in which female jealousy and betrayal constantly simmers beneath the surface. The writing style is so deeply immersive, it draws you in completely and the story arc is more twisty than a merrow's tail! I could see all the parallels with The Little Mermaid, yet at the same time this story was something totally unique and true to itself, with a strong slice of Scottishness. It's really got me in the mood for my holiday to the Highlands and I will be peering into every loch I see, hoping to see a glimpse of something shimmering and scaley in the water. 

In some ways Lochbound has echoes of other shapeshifter tales, such as the Swan Lake ballet or the 1985 movie Lady Hawke. It also reminded me a little of M A Kuzniar's novel Upon A Frosted Star, so it you like any of those stories then you might really like this book too. I have certainly enjoyed this dark fairytale novel and it is the perfect enchanting read for late summer.  Enjoy! 

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me for the purposes of review by the publisher Sphere. It was published on 16th April in hardcover, kindle and audio formats. 

 

MUSICAL DOLL: My Oath Is Steel

 I'm not sure if I believe in soul mates, but if I did, this would be mine. A knight of the Lion Rampant - I would love to go riding with him. 💖

xxx