THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES By Sangu Mandanna @berkleypub @berkleyromance @sangumandanna

 

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (August 23, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages

A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family—and a new love—changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos "pretending" to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for....

MY REVIEW:

THE VERY SECRET SOCIETY OF IRREGULAR WITCHES is a story of found family, belonging, and love.

This is exactly what I have been wanting to read that is perfect for the season… well any season to be honest, if you want a nice uplifting light read – perfect with a hot cup of tea to end your day with.



Mika Moon is a thirty something witch who is an orphan and part of a Secret Society of Witches. Mika is lonely, forced to be discreet with her witchy powers, and can’t seem to find her place in the world.

Her only way to express herself is through YouTube pretending to be a witch, but catches the attention getting her an invite to the Nowhere House – where she meets other witches and all rules goes out the window.



I love the writing, the motley crew of characters, and the sweet romance. I just love a magical read with heartwarming moments that make this the perfect fall read.



I hope you give this read a go as part of your Fall TBR – I enjoyed this one a lot.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sangu Mandanna was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many, many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. Sangu now lives in Norwich, a city in the east of England, with her husband and kids. Her work includes Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom, A Spark of White Fire, Color Outside the Lines, and more!

THE BELLE OF BELGRAVE SQUARE: BELLES OF LONDON (BOOK 2) @MimiMatthewsEsq, @BerkleyRomance, @Austenprose

 

QUICK FACTS

·         Title: The Belle of Belgrave Square

·         Series: Belles of London (Book 2)

·         Author: Mimi Matthews

·         Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

·         Publisher: ‎Berkley Romance (October 11, 2022)

·         Length: (432) pages

·         Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·         ISBN: 978-0593337158

·         Tour Dates: October 3 - 23, 2022

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A BookBub Best Romance of 2022

A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.

Tall, dark, and dour, the notorious Captain Jasper Blunt was once hailed a military hero, but tales abound of his bastard children and his haunted estate in Yorkshire. What he requires now is a rich wife to ornament his isolated ruin, and he has his sights set on the enchanting Julia Wychwood.
 
For Julia, an incurable romantic cursed with a crippling social anxiety, navigating a London ballroom is absolute torture. The only time Julia feels any degree of confidence is when she’s on her horse. Unfortunately, a young lady can’t spend the whole of her life in the saddle, so Julia makes an impetuous decision to take her future by the reins—she proposes to Captain Blunt.
 
In exchange for her dowry and her hand, Jasper must promise to grant her freedom to do as she pleases. To ride—and to read—as much as she likes without masculine interference. He readily agrees to her conditions, with one provision of his own: Julia is forbidden from going into the tower rooms of his estate and snooping around his affairs. But the more she learns of the beastly former hero, the more intrigued she becomes…

 

ADVANCE PRAISE 

“A grand cross-class romance, a twisty mystery, and emotional internal struggles combine to excellent effect…fans and new readers alike will root for this well-earned love story.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 
“[C]ombines deception, risk, and a resourceful heroine to create an intoxicating, suspenseful romance. Highly recommended.”— Library Journal (starred review)

 
“If you’re a fan of Beauty and the Beast, this regency romance will rapidly become a new favorite of yours. Wallflower meets an infamous war hero in this fascinating and intriguing love story.”— BuzzFeed

 
“Mimi Matthews never disappoints, with richly drawn characters and couples whose individual shortcomings become strengths, when paired together. In this Beauty and the Beast retelling, we get to root for two underdogs who get to rewrite their own stories.”— Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

 
“The Belle of Belgrave Square is such tremendous, good fun: a heroine with a big horse, an even bigger novel-reading habit, and a hidden anxiety; a hero with a crumbling estate, a trio of wary children, and a literary secret—what's not to love? Mimi Matthews paints Victorian England with vivid humor, and her Belles of London is set to go on for at least a few more much-anticipated installments. Julian Fellowes fans will rejoice!”— Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

MY REVIEW 

Thank you @mmimatthewsesq, @berkleyromance, @austenprose for the beautiful gifted book and having my spot on tour. ⁣
⁣
𝐀 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐁𝐮𝐛 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐!⁣
⁣
𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐞 ⁣
𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒: 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟐⁣
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: 𝐌𝐢𝐦𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐬 ⁣
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝟏𝟎.𝟏𝟏.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 ⁣
𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐎𝐏𝐒𝐈𝐒: A London heiress rides out to the wilds of the English countryside to honor a marriage of convenience with a mysterious and reclusive stranger.⁣
⁣
𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝗪: ⁣
⁣
A Beauty and the Beast Retelling? Oh yes! I am all here for it. I absolutely fell head over heels over Julia and Jasper’s characters. ⁣
⁣
Julia loves reading and riding her horse, and if she can do it all day long she would. Captain Jasper Blunt once a hailed military hero is in need of a wife, and has secrets of his own. For convenience sakes, he agrees to Julia’s conditions not to Interfere with her passions, but he has conditions of his own, and that is for Julia never to snoop in the towers of his estate.⁣
⁣
Mimi Matthews write such beautiful well drawn characters. The perfect dashing and brooding war hero and the charming and strong headed heroine with hidden anxiety are the perfect couple in this gothic romance. In a tender narrative, I just can’t have enough. This series just keeps getting better and better, and of course each can be read as a standalone. ⁣
⁣
I love the twists and surprises Mimi Matthews offers in this addictive read.⁣

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSHOP | GOODREADS

 

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

 

VICTORIAN READING ROOM

Join Mimi at her Victorian Reading Room Facebook Group for exclusive access as she shares her love of writing, historical romance, Victorian fashion, brooding heroes, independent heroines, and of course, her beloved pets!

 

READ AN EXCLSUIVE INTERVIEW WITH MIMI MATTHEWS

Discover intriguing insights into The Belle of Belgrave Square and Mimi’s writing life in this exclusive interview at austenprose.com.

 

GIVEAWAY

 

Mimi has generously offered a fabulous giveaway that book tour participants can add to their post and on social media. Here are the details:

 

Giveaway period: October 3 – October 30

 Terms & Conditions:

Giveaway hosted by Mimi Matthews. No Purchase Necessary. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Open to US residents only. All information will remain confidential and will not be sold or otherwise used, except to notify the winner and to facilitate postage of the book to the winner. Void where prohibited.



Giveaway Details:



1 winner (selected at random by Rafflecopter) receives a paperback copy of The Belle of Belgrave Square, signed and annotated by the author with personal comments, underlining of her favorite lines, and other highlights by Mimi Matthews.



Giveaway is open from 12:01 am Pacific time 10/03/22 until 11:59pm Pacific time on 10/30/22.



The winner will be announced on Mimi's blog on 10/31/22.

Rafflecopter Form:

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/92989f07662/?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

IN THE SHADOW OF A QUEEN By Heather B Moore

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shadow Mountain (October 4, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639930507

#IntheShadowofaQueen, #HeatherBMoore, #HistoricalFiction, #VictorianFiction, #BiographicalFiction, #Bookstagram, @authorhbmoore, @shadowmountainpub, @austenprose

Based on the true story of the free-spirited daughter of Queen Victoria.
Princess Louise’s life is upended after her father’s untimely death. Captive to the queen’s overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother’s tight circle of control and is eventually relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother—the same position each of her sisters held until they were married.

Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen’s wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the day’s political matters, including championing the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the queen lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy to finding an acceptable match for her defiant daughter.

Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria, but finding a match for the princess is no easy feat. Protocols are broken, and Louise exerts her own will as she tries to find an open-minded husband who will support her free spirit.

In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of a battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown’s reputation unsullied no matter the cost.

MY REVIEW:

Reading about royalty had always fascinated me. As a commoner, being allowed a glimpse of their extravagant lives of privilege, wealth, and the unattainable, are what my dreams were made of. That is why reading IN THE SHADOW OF A QUEEN was so interesting to me, because of the life of Princess Louise, who is clearly the anti-princess and also somewhat of a hero to me. Princess Louise's life truly is quite a story to be told, and Heather B. Moore did this amazing justice. I enjoyed every bit of this book. 

About the Author:

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than ninety publications. Heather writes primarily historical and #herstory fiction about the humanity and heroism of the everyday person. Publishing in a breadth of genres, Heather dives into the hearts and souls of her characters, meshing her love of research with her love of storytelling.

Her historicals and thrillers are written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore, and . . . speculative fiction under Jane Redd. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. Despite failing her high school AP English exam, Heather persevered and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in something other than English.

Please join Heather's email list at: HBMoore.com/contact/

Website: HBMoore.com

Twitter: @heatherbmoore

Instagram: @authorhbmoore

Facebook: Fans of Heather B. Moore

And yes, the Blog still lives: MyWritersLair.blogspot.com

Literary honors: 2020 Goodreads Choice Award Semi-Finalist, Foreword 2020 INDIES Finalist, ALA Best New Books - September 2020, 6-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 2019 Maggie Award Winner, 4-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner.