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

WRITER'S DREAM: CELTIC MAGIC PUBLISHED!

 

" 'My advice? Whatever you do don't lose your temper! It can lead to a heavy weight resting upon your conscience for the rest of your days. Aye, I wish somebody had told me that years ago, when I was young and hot-headed.' He bows his head in a moment of sorrow and reflection. You say nothing. You know of what he speaks, but you cannot help him. 'There is no changing the past,' he mumbles, 'only learning from it.' "

from The Good King meditation. 

I have been so busy with my Oxford studies, plus my writing, and reviewing new books for publishers that I haven't yet had a chance to process the fact that my latest book was recently published! Allow me to introduce you to my new Celtic Magic, which is the Extended Collector's Edition from the Gilded Magic Series.  It is the companion book to the Extended Norse Magic which was published last year in the same series and they make a stunning pair for any library.  

This edition of Celtic Magic is just beautiful! It is hardcover and more than twice the length of the original that came out a few years ago. With its clothbound covers, picturesque end pages and gilded sprayed edges, this is a book to treasure. And just look at that Art Nouveau style Celtic lady on the cover! I love Art Nouveau so I am delighted that the design team have managed to give it a beautiful Celtic twist for the cover treatment. Both the Celtic Magic and Norse Magic books in this series really feel like me and I am so thrilled with how they have turned out.  They are the kind of books I always dreamt of publishing, being elaborate and decorative hardback tomes suggestive of old libraries and magical bookshops.

I was writing this extended edition of Celtic Magic back in January last year, 2025, and it was a really fun writing experience. Of course, it was also super stressful because the deadlines and turnaround for projects with my current publisher is always so tight. I think I had about four weeks, from submitting the Anxiety Relief Card Deck at the end of December 2024, to write and submit Celtic Magic by the end of January 2025, so there was a bit of pressure. Needless to say, I worked right through Christmas and New Year 2024!

It was worth it though because it meant that I got to spend the colder, winter months tucked away writing some really fun projects. I was thrilled to be able to revisit the topic of Celtic magic and mythology once more. The mythology projects that I write are some of my favourites because they are just so joyful to create. I have always loved folklore, so to write books that are full of myths, legends, enchantment and folktales - and to get paid for doing it! -  is such a dream come true for me. 

Celtic and Norse mythologies are dearest to my heart and there is a slight overlap between the two, due to the Viking settlements in the UK and the blending of both Viking and Celtic cultures, including their storytelling traditions. For instance, Jormungandr, or the Midgard Serpent of Norse mythology is the forerunner of the Old Stoor Worm from Orcadian legend. Of course, the Orkneys were originally Nordic islands, given to Scotland as part of a marriage dowry in the 1400s and thus being absorbed into the UK as a result of the Act of Union in 1707 when England and Scotland united under one crown. It makes sense then that the Orcadian myths and fairytales would carry echoes of old Norse mythology and this is something I wanted to briefly highlight in the book. Because stories are never fixed. They grow and evolve and change in the telling. That very dynamism is what makes them so interesting and compelling.  That is what gives them life and longevity. 

In Celtic Magic I had a much bigger word count, so I have been able to recount classic myths and legends, retelling tales such as that of Geraint and Enid from the Mabinogion, and exploring folklore such as the Welsh Tylwyth Teg, the Scottish Spaewife, and the Fairy Knight of the Seelie Court.  I have also included a few ghostly tales from battles lost and won, and the spectres that haunt the ancient stones of castle walls. In addition, there appears my own encounter with a group of ghost monks on the A616, which I transformed into ghostly Druid monks for the purposes of the book, but the original encounter was one that I had several years ago, in England, and it was both spooky and magical, so I wanted to write about it in the book. 

As a part of the research for Celtic Magic I took a trip up to the Highlands, to Dunoon, in November 2024. I wanted to learn more about Clan Campbell and their somewhat shady past! The results of this research trip can be found in the pages of this book and Dunoon is a place I shall certainly return to because the history there is so rich. I was very keen to include snippets of Celtic history, as well as the mythology and magic, because without a grounding in the history of a place the mythology and magic doesn't make a lot of sense. History is what links magic, mythology and place together, it is the glue that binds it all into a cohesive whole. So you will find key historical characters such as King Robert the Bruce, his daughter Princess Marjorie Bruce, John Balliol the Tomb Tabard, Cartimandua, Boudicca, Rob Roy and of course, William Wallace, all represented here, as well as many Celtic deities. 

One of the best aspects of writing these longer and more elaborate books is that I get to explore and share my own storytelling. I love fairytales, and I have dreamt of writing pagan fairytales, with a magical twist for many, many years. It is always a joy to me that I can now write my original phantasmagorical meditations for these bigger books, because I have a generous word count that can sustain them. This type of imaginative writing also suits the aesthetic style of these larger tomes - because when you open up the beautiful covers of a book like this one, you expect to find magical fairytales within! 

Writing my pagan meditations began with The Book of Moon Magic a couple of years ago. They were very well received, both by my editors and by readers, so I was thrilled with the response and found it very encouraging. People have loved them and have commented on how beautiful they are, which is such a lovely compliment.  In made sense then, that I would continue to write them wherever I had a word count to support them, because these fables do gobble up words! I have included lots of fantasy meditations in both the Celtic and Norse Gilded Magic books and they have been tremendous fun to write. It is so satisfying as an author that I get to write and publish fiction now too, dreaming upon the page and creating beautiful worlds for my readers to dive into and enjoy. I love the sheer escapism of it, both for readers and for myself as the author. Its such a pleasure to write. 

In Celtic Magic you will find enchanting meditations where you meet key characters such as Boudicca, Cernnunos, The Good King, William Wallace, the Loch Ness Monster and your very own Anam Cara. There is also a meditation called A Winter Song of Snowflakes that is based upon the time I got lost on a mountain in Glencoe in the middle of a storm, which if you've been reading my blog for a while you probably remember. Yeah - its now in the book. My stupidity immortalised forever in print!

This is one of the things I love about being a writer. Everything is raw material. Every experience, be it good or bad, fun or scary, every friendship and relationship, every fight and disagreement, every trip and holiday, can all become the inspiration for a magical piece of writing. It is wonderful to now be in the position where I am able to transform these things into beautiful pagan fairytales and guided meditations, and to know that this is a relatively new aspect of my work that people really love and have taken to their hearts. That tells me that I am on the right track and heading in the right direction.

Celtic Magic was a joy to write. It draws heavily upon Scottish tradition and the magic is inspired by that region, with a touch of Welsh thrown in too - because frankly the Irish have had the monopoly on all things Celtic for long enough! This book came directly from my heart and from my love of Scotland and the Celtic culture that I adore. It includes a little bit of history, a dash of mythology, a sprinkling of magic and a few original fables as the cherry on top. I truly hope that you love reading it as much as I loved writing it for you. 

And if you're one of my Scots boys - you're probably in the Acknowledgments, because a true Fellowship never dies. You were part of my Highland journey, so this book is as much yours as it is mine. I hope you like it. Love to you all. 

Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This post promotes my own work, featuring books that are published and out now, including Norse Magic and the Anxiety Relief Toolkit Book & Card Deck

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Demure Days

 

 

As winter begins to draw to a close and we look ahead to the brighter days of spring, it is time to think about coming out of hibernation. However, for me, that does not mean a return to the busyness of before. Something has changed in me this past winter. It is as if allowing myself the time and space to slow down has given me the chance to embrace my softer self. While I will always love my active hobbies - riding, skating, dancing etc., - I have a tendency to take on too much. A couple of years ago I was writing at least half a dozen projects a year, studying at Oxford, writing assignments, riding horses, going to music school for piano classes, attending the theatre, ballet, concerts etc. You name it, I was doing it and whilst it was a lot of fun and very productive, it was also exhausting. 

Over the winter period however I have slowed myself right down. I booked a little time off with my publisher, realising that just because I'm self-employed doesn't mean that I'm not entitled to some annual leave. I am, so long as I give my publisher plenty of notice so that we can come up with realistic deadlines for future projects. I had Christmas and New Year off, which was lovely, but I was very careful not to overbook myself for too many festive events. As lovely as they are, they can also be quite exhausting to me because of the Chronic Fatigue. 

So I slowed down. I finished up my final projects for 2025, redecorated my bedroom, got new synopsis in to my publisher for 2026 projects and then I just Flopped quite considerably.  I have been in the Flop stage before. It's a natural result of being in Functional Freeze for so many years, but this time instead of fighting it, I just allowed it to happen. It was the best thing I could have done for myself, because I needed rest in order to process the difficult events of the last two years. I had to remind myself that I was not being lazy, that I had been retraumatized. I was feeling acutely triggered on a daily basis, even by people I love very deeply, and so I needed space to work through all the emotions that recent trauma had brought up.

In the space where busyness used to be, I felt a kind of healing begin to take shape. It's slow and steady and I'm not where I want to be just yet, but giving myself time and space, solitude and silence has really kick-started that process.  I realised that the world was far too noisy for me. It was much too harsh, people were far too harsh, too demanding. So I retreated into my shell, into a world of my own making - my little house, where I could enjoy the peace and quiet, silence and solitude that I needed. 

I stopped doing anything that left me feeling drained or anxious. Instead, I took up my quieter hobbies and became more of an indoor girl, as Jack says in Titanic.  I spent my time stitching tapestry, knitting an army green scarf for one of my soldier friends (its about half-way done, Kermit!), baking chocolate brownies, having Lush baths and simply resting.  

I prioritised my reading, enjoying the work of other authors and escaping into new novels. I watched Elven videos on You Tube and became so inspired by them that I decided to add faux cherry blossom vines around my four-poster bed, and deep red-rose vines around my fireplace and the screen in the living room. These simple, floral touches make my heart happy. I wish the flowers were real, but that's just not feasible for long term décor, yet they still add femininity and a touch of that Elven enchantment to my home.

I came to call these simple routines my demure days, where I would focus entirely on bringing more softness into my life and my home, bringing all my senses to a place of tranquillity. I listened to a lot of Enya and to Eleanor Tomlinson's Tales From Home, or Omnia's Naked Harp album.   I read poetry and spent time colouring in my art therapy books, enjoying the process of turning a blank outline into something beautiful with a few strokes of a pencil crayon. I felt inspired to buy a few stickers so that I could add tiny flowers and butterflies to the images that I coloured in, placing butterflies in the manes of the unicorns and flowers on the fairy dresses. 

I flipped through chic and feminine magazines. I gave some of my treasures a bit of a makeover, painting the dark brown frame of my French Pierrot mirror a pastel pink and adding chiffon butterflies to the frame too. I bought fresh flowers to arrange, digging out my old Pierrot bud vases and putting fresh blooms on my dressing table and by my bed, creating little vignettes of life and loveliness. 

I set my piano playing gently to itself in the background, because it can do that, but I had never used that function before and it is actually rather lovely.

I invested in an answer phone and started letting the machine take all my calls, so that my peace was not disturbed at all. I reply to messages and get back to people, of course, but no message means no response from me.  It weeds out the time-wasters from the genuine callers. I should have got one years ago! 

In short, I enjoyed myself at home, in my own quiet way and it has paid off. I now feel calm and tranquil in my mind. My emotions are no longer being triggered at the drop of a hat - though this could be because I haven't been interacting with men, so there are no triggers around me. Only time will tell if that is the case, but for the most part I feel that my serenity has come back. I'm calm enough to pause before responding again, which is a big improvement on where I was a year or so ago! 

My demure days have become an intrinsic part of my routine. They are an aspect of my self-care. Yes I am still studying at Oxford and I currently have an assignment to write, plus new books to start writing for my publisher too, but I'm not putting so much pressure on myself. I can enjoy my studies without feeling the need to be the perfect student. I can enjoy the process of writing my new books because I have a more generous deadline for them - 7 weeks instead of 4, in which to write them. This means that I have breathing space again, and time to enjoy my more demure hobbies and interests, as I surround myself with tranquil music and scented candles or a perfumed bubble bath. One day I will return to my active hobbies, but for the time being, all is soft, sweet and demure, and that's how I like it. It's exactly what I need at this phase of my life.  

As women, I think that we have been conditioned into taking on hustle culture and being super productive, in addition to carrying the emotional needs of everyone around us, while neglecting ourselves in the process. It can be very draining. Demure days are a way to switch the focus back to softness, femininity and serenity. Back to yourself. Demure days are a source of better mental health and well-being. They are something that everyone deserves, regardless of gender. We all need more softness in this harsh world. We should all be much kinder to one another and to ourselves. 

Demure days are not about neglecting your responsibilities. They are about helping yourself be calm and regulated enough that you can bring peace to those responsibilities. Being good to yourself, taking time out when you need it, asking for space - these are the things that will make you a better friend, girlfriend, sister or daughter.  Demure days are good for you and in turn, for the ones you love. 

I truly hope that I can maintain this sense of inner tranquillity that I have worked so hard to cultivate in myself these past few months. The real test will be when I come face to face with a man's ego again! Will I react, or will I breathe, pause and respond, with all the serenity of a Swan Queen? Time will tell, but I'm hopeful that it will be the latter. 

Serene and Demure Blessings

Marie x

BOOK NOOK: Catherine by Essie Fox

" 'He's not for you!' I exclaimed, just as a bird in a cage across the room began to trill. 'See that canary over there - I would no sooner set it free in the park this winter's day than suggest you spread your wings and fly away with such a man. You don't know him at all. He'd crush you like a sparrow's egg. He is the wolf to your lamb. He'd tear your throat out with his teeth and laugh to see you bleed to death.' " 

I have been saving this ARC like a future treasure. Catherine is a retelling of Wuthering Heights and so I wanted to wait to read it, until after I had seen the new movie. I knew that I would want to prolong the movie vibes, so I kept this book on standby ready. I did really enjoy the film, even though it only tells half the story of Emily Bronte's classic novel, and key characters are missing entirely. However, the 2026 film isn't meant to be a faithful adaptation of the original text, but more of a romantic spin-off.  

The original novel isn't a romance! It's meant to be a dark and twisted exploration of toxic relationships, prejudice, vengeance, generational abuse and trauma. Instead of sweet passion there is only obsession, instead of love there is only possession. That's not love or romance. It's abuse, as the abused becomes the abuser. As a character Heathcliff could be described as a sociopath at best, a psychopath at worst, so he is certainly not a romantic hero. He is a classic Byronic anti-hero. Recent woke agendas have declared Heathcliff to be of black origin. However, I studied the Bronte's work, including Wuthering Heights, at Oxford and the accepted academic theory is that Heathcliff was most likely to be of Romany-Irish traveller origin, hence why he is often referred to as a gypsy.

Whatever his origins, Heathcliff is a character that has captured the imagination for almost 200 years. I must confess though, that Wuthering Heights is not my favourite Bronte novel. It is emotionally heavy reading, it is full of suffering and there isn't one single likable character in the entire book! That said, it's not a book that you ever forget. Once you've read it, Emily's world stays with you in some deep, dark part of your psyche. Her original novel can be a bit of chore to read, as the author is deliberately setting out to confuse her readers with similar names for her characters, hints at a past that is never fully revealed or explained, suggestions of incest and the muddied lineage of the characters and inter-cousin relationships. Factor in the oblique Victorian language-style and well, it's messy, to say the least - although there will always be the ignorant romantic who waxes lyrical on how wonderful Heathcliff is and how romantic the novel is  - and they are perfectly free to die on that hill. 

But Wuthering Heights isn't a romance and it was never meant to be. 

It's meant to be dark and twisted.

So it was long past time that the old classic was given a makeover and that is exactly what Catherine is. In this book, the author, Essie Fox, stays very close to Emily Bronte's original text. Her plotlines run parallel with the Bronte classic that we all know, no characters are omitted and all the main events happen as per the original novel.  In this book though, it is the ghost of Catherine herself who is the narrator, rather than the outsider, Mr Lockwood. This gives the novel such a feeling of immediacy and authenticity that, at times, I forgot that I was reading a retelling.  It also helps to make the original Bronte novel much more accessible, as Catherine is well-written but without the extremely convoluted, labyrinthine language of the classic. Whilst all the indigenous twists and turns are still there, they are presented in a much more straight-forward and modern literary way, so the book is a pleasure to read. 

Here we get to know Cathy from her own perspective, rather than through the eyes of the often spiteful Nelly Dean of the classic. It is Cathy who speaks to us of her childhood, of her beloved moors and the vastness of nature that becomes her church, of her relationships and her ever-growing feelings for Heathcliff. We witness her wrestling with her conscience as she tries to be a good influence on her foundling friend, but only ends up having tantrums of her own. We feel the freedom of the moors through her experiences and what a blissful escape from trauma and abuse it was to both her and Heathcliff, and how this shared escape to freedom solidified their emotional bond.  She is still the wilful Cathy that we know and love, yet her voice has softened slightly, as she recounts her story with the benefit of ghostly hindsight.  In this novel, we are Cathy, just as Cathy is Heathcliff!

This POV and first person narrative makes it feel as if you are right at the heart of the story, in a way in which the original novel does not, because Bronte's intention was for the reader to experience the feeling of being the outsider, someone who is always looking in, but never quite included, much as Heathcliff was an outcast. In Catherine, the reader is very much included in the story and so you get to witness it unfold first-hand,  one tragic piece of the puzzle at a time.  

Catherine has been a fantastic read and I ripped through it in just a couple of days. It's a very pretty book, with cover art reminiscent of the Bronte Parsonage in Yorkshire, the home of the Bronte sisters. It also has beautiful end pages and sprayed edges with an avian, corvid theme. If you are a Bronte fan then you will probably enjoy this retelling of Wuthering Heights. It is just the thing to prolong the highly-romanticised Heathcliff vibes from the new movie, which is a must-see as it is such a beautiful and picturesque film. 

However, if you're looking for a film that adheres to the original Bronte text, I recommend the 1992 version with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, which is fabulous and appropriately dark and twisted! 

In the meantime, I'm off to play the new Wuthering Heights soundtrack from the latest movie and make plans for a day out on the Yorkshire Moors. Happy reading.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher prior to its release for the purposes of review. It was published on February 12th in hardcover, digital and audio formats.