WRITER'S DREAM: My New Shadow Work Deck!

"Betrayal is always calculated, and no matter what they might say to the contrary, a traitor will have carefully plotted behind your back in one way or another, and yes, they absolutely did mean to hurt you! That was the whole point. 

That's what gave them a feeling of power and control, and the thrill of deception only added to the fun of it for them. It is highly likely that they experienced some degree of duper's delight each time they interacted with you, as they enjoyed their secret betrayal. It's also possible that they felt a sense of superiority over you as they hugged that secret to themselves..."

On October 1st my second psychology book and flashcard deck, Carl Jung's Shadow Work, was published. This is the second project that I have published under my first name of Jacqueline Bruce, which is my new psychology author brand. The first project published under this name was The Anxiety Relief Tool Kit which dropped last year. 

I have wanted to write about shadow work for some time, and while I have touched on it in my previous psychology books, I really wanted to explore it in more detail, as its own topic. I was delighted that my publisher was also keen to press ahead with such a project, and so a new book and card deck was quickly commissioned and put to contract in spring 2025.  

I began to plot out the deck and outline the book last summer, sticking to the format that had worked so well with the Anxiety Relief Kit, creating an original deck of fifty cards divided into five separate categories that each support an aspect of this kind of methodology - so for the Shadow Work deck we have categories of  Excavation, Awareness, Transformation, Archetypes and Individuation. These are the key concepts that Carl Jung incorporated into his theory of the shadow self and so I wanted to use them as the main framework of the deck. Each flashcard then presents its own psychological tool from within that category, building up to a deck of cards that can help readers explore their dark side in a safe and therapeutic way. 

Creating a card deck that can be used as a stand-alone tool meant that I was then free to write up more of the academic history and theory behind Jung and his methodology within the accompanying book. It also gave me space to explore the aspects of trauma psychology that interest me the most, such as Betrayal Trauma, Truth Biases, Traumatic Bonding, Maladaptive Behaviours, Trauma Biases and various aspects of self-sabotage. I really wanted to dig deep into the magnetic force of the shadow self and how this force works, both for and against us. Along the way, I have touched on sub-topics that I thought readers would find most useful, such as identifying red flags and humiliation rituals, signs someone isn't what they seem and the traits to look out for that point to a saboteur and a traitor, because a traitor is always the one you just don't see, usually because it is someone who is very close to you, either personally or professionally. Close enough to stab you in the back, that is!

It turns out that it is impossible to write a book on Shadow Work without coming face to shade with your own shadow and much of this book is based on my own experience, not only as a psychotherapist with years of clinical practice in working with clients, but also my personal life experiences, because if there is one thing that I am familiar with, it's betrayal and the impact it can have. Plus I understand the great motivating force it can also be. 

Nothing kills a traitor like your on-going success and upwards trajectory, particularly when that trajectory means you're succeeding in an area where they once tried to sabotage you, or in which they wish to succeed themselves and have failed to do so. Any feeling of superiority they might have experienced as a result of their betrayal will soon fade to dust and ashes when they see you living a good life, regardless of their attempted interference.

Succeeding in spite of them is the flip side to their betrayal that they just didn't see coming, so it was incredibly cathartic for me to be able to address betrayal trauma and recovery in this book. I also make reference to the one bad apple theory, but let's be honest here, it's never just one bad apple. It is always a whole bushel of bad apples in play, often in positions of power, usually hiding in plain sight and they need to be held accountable for their actions. 

Needless to say, I had tremendous fun writing that chapter!

Of all the projects that I work on, psychology flashcard decks are probably my favourite, along with magical oracle decks. I have such fun deciding what cards to create and how they will fit together to generate an original deck that is a cohesive whole, but where each card has its own individual power and purpose. I love that I get to be the originator and author of these beautiful and powerful kits. They are a pleasure to write and it is always a joy to see the final published product. 

I finished writing my Shadow Work kit at the back end of summer and early autumn last year. I'm delighted that it is now out in the wild and people can buy it and use it to help them recover from their trauma, uncover hidden wisdom and become more emotionally regulated. Although this project is strictly one of psychology, due to the nature of shadow work it would also be a fantastic deck to use as part of your Samhain rituals, so do bear that in mind if you enjoy a magical practice and wish to incorporate some solid psychotherapy into your pagan festivities. 

I had such a great time writing this book and creating the flashcards last year, so I do hope that you love it as much as I do and that it proves beneficial to your mental health and emotional well being. As with the Anxiety Relief Tool Kit, my Shadow Work kit is an important book because it can guide you out of your maladaptive and self-sabotaging behaviours and back into a more positive state of balance and awareness. The real question is: have you the courage to meet your true self and dance with your shadow?

May your inner light guide you safely through the shadows.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This post promotes my own work. 

Carl Jung's Shadow Work by Jacqueline Bruce is out now, published by Arcturus.

The Anxiety Relief Tool Kit by Jacqueline Bruce is out now, published by Arcturus. 

BOOK NOOK: The Witch's Stone by Kirsty Ferry

 

"She knew in her heart that she had not deserved what the man had done to her, but still she felt angry and yes, guilty. Guilty for being outside where he could have found her, and guilty for not fighting harder, for letting it happen. He had taken her choices away, claimed her maidenhood. Shamed her, hurt her and yes, bereaved her.

She would never forgive that."

The Witch's Stone is a fabulous Gothic novel about an old country estate in Northumberland that sits close to a crumbling old chapel. I would describe this novel as a revenge tale and I do love a good bit of payback! It is a classic timeslip format with two main protagonists, Jess in the current day and Eliza in the 1800s. 

When Jess is asked by an old school friend to take part in an archaeological dig around the chapel ruins in her home village, she can't wait to get started, but almost as soon as she arrives she begins to have strange experiences on site. Shadows flicker in and out of her sightline, a woman in white drifts across the landscape and her old pal, Nate is acting rather odd. Add to this the fact that she bumps into her ex-husband, Matt, who has also been involved in the restoration of the hotel where she is staying, the former country home of Eliza, and Jess's emotions are heightened to say the least. 

Near the chapel ruins is an old standing stone, known as the Witch's Stone and local legend states that to draw blood by the stone is to draw out the witch. As Jess dives deeper into her historic research she suspects that there is more to this legend than superstitious fancy, so she determines to find out more about it. Meanwhile, Nate has unearthed an artifact that seems to have a strange hold over him that he cannot explain. 

Back in the past, Eliza is a young woman who has been extremely traumatised. She is fragile and her broken bones are barely healed, yet she insists on riding across the moors to the chapel every chance she gets. Even locking her in doesn't work, as she climbs through the window. She knows that she is still mending and needs to rest, yet she is driven to the moors by her wild nature and a yearning for her true love. 

The problem is, Eliza has a deep-seated form of amnesia that is linked to her trauma, meaning that she cannot actually remember what happened to her, and no-one likes to speak of her accident. Basically, she has what today would be called PTSD Amnesia. I think this is the aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most, because I can relate to it. This is such a tricky subject to write about, because if you get it wrong it can come off as being a bit of a parody, or melodramatic. Perhaps that is the reason it is a topic that is rarely covered in novels, because it carries the weight of author responsibility and there is the obligation to do right by the people such as myself, who experience this condition, showing their struggle authentically, without turning it into a weakness. Its a very fine line to tread.

I am pleased to say that Kirsty Ferry has done a great job in this regard, illustrating Eliza's memory loss, flashbacks and subsequent confusion, despair and embarrassment with tremendous compassion and respect for the subject matter. It would have been easy, given her back-story and the era in which Eliza's story takes place, to make the character some kind of feeble invalid, but Eliza is strong, vibrant, rebellious and very independent. She just doesn't recall her recent past in the way that other people do. 

The author also illustrates the frustration of those around Eliza, as her family members fail to understand and have little patience for her memory loss, flashbacks, emotional outbursts and so on. Again, this is something that people with memory issues face on a regular basis, as people prefer to think that it is something that is played out for personal amusement, or as an attention seeking tactic. It is neither. It is a very real, very confusing and debilitating condition to live with. Kirsty Ferry highlights all of this, without making the memory issues into a disability and I applaud her for that. Its a highly skilled piece of writing in this regard and the work of a consummate author.

Eliza's past comes back to her in fragments that are all jumbled up and which she cannot make any sense of, or transform into a cohesive whole in her mind. She is told that she is mad, which in the 1800s was a very dangerous label for a woman to have, as women were frequently thrown into asylums for normal hormonal things like post-natal depression and menopausal tantrums! This was a time when women were the property of their closest male relative or husband, and he could do as he pleased with her, even incarcerating her without any medical examination at all - simply on his own word that she is mad, and therefore, as far as society was concerned, to all intents and purposes, she was! This is hinted at in the novel and there is the possibility of Eliza's freedom being even more curtailed and threatened altogether. 

As the two strands of the story weave in and out of one another, you are left with a novel that tackles some very difficult and dark material, with a simmering undercurrent of Gothic tension and witchy shenanigans. The atmosphere is strong and steady, building to a climax at the chapel and a satisfying dénouement. This is a novel of trauma, dominance, injury, mental health struggles, memory loss and amnesia, but it is also one of dance cards, romance, true love and wild pony rides across the moors. It has echoes of Emily Bronte's  Wuthering Heights and it is just as dark and gritty! 

I have been entralled by The Witch's Stone and if you like the novels of Barbara Erskine, Susannah Kearsley or C. J. Cooke, then you might like this one. A word of caution though, this novel does deal with some very heavy topics such as amnesia, drug dependency and sexual assault. Its a cracking read, perfect for the autumn months and spooky season, but not one for the faint hearted! 

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This novel was sent to me back in March by the publisher, Boldwood, for the purposes of review. It was published on the 4th June 2026 and it is available now in all formats.

BOOK NOOK: Barbie Dreamscape by Alex Aster

 

"...As children, I must have somehow entered into a one-sided competition with her, because she's always treated everything as a duel between us. She took a special sort of pleasure in being chosen as line leader or teacher's helper and, later on, rubbing it in whenever she scored higher on tests or projects.  I thought she might warm up to me once she and Callie were placed together in the dorms, but in true Paige fashion, she's remained stubbornly dedicated to her mission of winning this imagined contest, treating me frostily at best, wickedly at worst.

Bottom line: she sucks."

Barbie first captured my heart when I was about six years old and she has held a piece of it ever since. There's just something about her. As girls we carry her with us on our adventures, confide our secrets to her, cry into her golden hair and treat her like a best friend. Then suddenly, all at once, we drop her without ceremony as we reach for our very first flavoured lip-gloss, no longer content to play with the beauty standard, now we want to be the beauty standard.  

However, many feminine women would agree that there is always that hint of pink-glitter-sparkle lodged in our hearts that is the Barbie magic. It shimmers through ours lives in subtle and not-so-subtle ways: in our choice of hobbies, clothes, shoes, home décor and, perhaps most importantly, in our sense of possibility. Every now and then, Barbie makes a comeback and puts in a personal appearance, taking up time and space in our adult lives once more. Think back to the Barbie movie of 2023 which sent women all over the world into a pink frenzy! The truth is, if you were ever a Barbie girl, then you're probably still a Barbie girl deep down. Maybe in secret, possibly in full bubble-gum pink for the whole world to see, but in your heart of hearts you remain a committed Barbie enthusiast. 

If you can relate to any of this then the new Barbie Dreamscape YA novel is something you're likely to be interested in. Most Barbie books tend to be picture books aimed at young girls, which is understandable, but there is also a slew of new Barbie books coming out that are aimed at an older audience, such as the collaborations with fashion illustrator, Megan Hess, for instance. 

Barbie Dreamscape is one such book, being a full length fantasy adventure told in the first person entirely from Barbie's point of view. Although it is technically a YA book, it is so beautifully written that it will appeal to all age groups, especially those who enjoy reading cosy fantasy or who love pink-witch vibes.  

The novel opens with a typical day in Barbie's life, one that is simply perfect in every way, from the rose-coloured enchanted birds that bring her morning tea, to the magical wardrobe that holds a pink outfit for every occasion. But of course, things can't stay perfect forever, not even for Barbie, and when she is pronounced Fateless, with no career path or destiny to follow, she decides to go in search of one for herself, and so her marvellous magical adventure begins. 

The thing I loved most about this novel is the world-building. It is so richly descriptive and the author really takes the time to create a stunning pink world that draws the reader in. The land itself is heart-shaped and surrounded by fuzzy pink mists of protection, or as it says in the book, "The town itself is perfect: Light pink rivers run between pastel-hued homes and shops stacked high along the canals. A pink mist of magic...hugs our heart-shaped land's edges and keeps us safe from all the dangers beyond..."  Doesn't that sound so beautiful? I want to move there immediately!  

As Barbie embarks on her quest for her true destiny she travels through different lands, meeting various characters and magical creatures along the way.  Bartholomew, the winged Pegasus horse is my personal favourite, but they are all a delight to read about.  In this novel there are flying boats, masquerade balls, enchanted pink armour and a heart-hilted sword. It is filled to the brim with magic and whimsy, betrayal and bravery, dreams and nightmares, self-discovery, adversity, destiny and ultimately, redemption. 

It's such a wonderful book, with all the Barbie magic that you would expect from Mattel and Penguin combined. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this novel in the garden over the weekend.  Don't let the fact that it's a Barbie book put you off. Yes, it's technically YA. Yes, it's aimed at youngsters, with morale boosting passages incorporated into the adventure, but at it's core it is a fantasy that drips in pink perfection!

If you liked Uncharmed, Rewitched or Disenchanted by Lucy Jane Wood, then you will probably enjoy Barbie Dreamscape too. I really hope that this is the first in a series of stand alone Barbie novels because I will buy them all! I had such a great time with this book and I recommend it to anyone who is into pretty-witchy vibes and pink sparkly enchantment. 

And never allow anyone to diminish your right to as much PINK as you want in your life! It's the colour of self-love after all, so surround yourself with it whenever you can, and shine your rosy glow out into the world for those who need it most.

Rose-tinted Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This novel was published on 20th August 2026 by Penguin and is out now in paperback, digital and audio formats. 

BOOK NOOK: The Scholars by MacKenzie Common

 "It was mid-morning and overcast, but Oxford still shimmered in its gothic splendor, the ancient stones bristling against another gray day. Even as a historian, Hadley found it unbelievable that Oxford was older than the Aztec empire, older than the belief that the world was round, older than almost all the knowledge people organized their life around. She was standing in an eight-hundred-year-old college, immersed in history, and yet all she could think about was December 5th..."

I passed my course in History of Folklore at Oxford University in the summer and so I will not be taking up my studies again this academic year. I do miss the academic routine of classes and common room, lectures and seminars though, especially during September when the academic frenzy gets under way, so I was thrilled when Headline Publishing sent me an ARC of The Scholars by MacKenzie Common back in the summertime.

As you might guess from the title, this is a dark academia novel set at the University of Oxford, so it is just my cup of tea. I was very eager to read it and I have been immersed in the bloody history of Oxford for the past couple of days. Oxford University has a dark past of its own, namely the St Scholastica Day Riots in the 1300s, which feature in this novel. 

Amid this backdrop, five modern day students arrive at Oxford to take up their place on the Shepard Scholarship. All the students are highly intelligent and very successful in their chosen fields, as influencers, entrepreneurs, charity organizers and the odd nepo-baby.  To begin with, they are excited about the scholarship and eager to meet their like-minded peers, but soon enough they discover that each of them has a dark secret they are trying desperately to protect, secrets that could prove deadly.

As the students get better acquainted, their trust in one another is tested and broken, particularly when one of them turns up dead.  Now suddenly they are all suspicious and they are all suspects! As more and more information gradually comes to light, the Shepard Scholars find themselves forming unlikely alliances as they try to uncover who murdered their fellow student. 

This novel is narrated through multiple viewpoints as each of the scholars tries to unravel the mystery, at the same time as keeping their own past hidden. There are lots of twists and turns, all the characters are equally damaged and equally capable of resorting to extreme measures to protect their own reputations, so the book does keep you guessing. I was thoroughly engaged right up to the last, when the real killer is finally caught out. I have read a lot of dark academia novels, but even I wasn't expecting the final plot twist!

If you enjoy reading dark academia or murder mysteries then you might like The Scholars. It is quite fast paced, the chapter hooks keep you turning the pages and it has a very surprising and satisfying ending. I loved every page of this one!  It is the perfect novel for the new scholastic year and the autumn season. If you only buy one dark academia novel this year, make it The Scholars. It will hold you in its grip until the very last sentence. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher prior to its release for the purposes of review. It drops on 24th September 2026 and is up for Pre-Order now. 

MUSICAL DOLL: You're Still Everything

 And I'm not perfect but I'll never stop loving you...

How am I nothing to you while you're still everything to me?

xxx

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