I read ten awesome books in October, helped a little by cardiac rehab and recovery time. I loved Midnight At the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber so much I bought her next three audiobooks – and listened to another one in November, and bought all the paperbacks too, so I could read them again in a different way. I loved re-reading Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour in hospital, as it’s always been a comfort read – plus I’m excited about it finally coming to tv in January. I adored Anita Heiss’s sweet MG novel Koori Princess, and City of Time and Magic, the fourth in Paula Brackston’s Found Things series, and loved new books from my writer buddies Selina Fenech, K. A. Last and Vivienne Lee Fraser.

64 of 90 – A Wish of Ashes and Glass by Selina Fenech
The silver lining of being in hospital was having more time to read. Serendipitously, one of my favourite authors had been publishing a chapter a day of her upcoming novel, A Wish of Ashes and Glass, for her Patreon subscribers, with the final one posted on the day I was admitted. I can’t say much about it yet, because it won’t be out until next year, but it’s the second book in Selina Fenech’s enchanting faery tale series, after the brilliant A Cage of Gold and Lies, which I loved so much. And the new one is *even* more magical, and compelling, with a gripping mystery, a beautiful romance, a wonderful warrior woman, a sweet MC – and no stereotypical ugly sisters.

* * * 

65 of 90 – The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
When I realised I’d be in hospital for several days, I asked Juz to bring in my tattered old copy of Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour, which I’ve read many times, as it’s kind of a comfort read in a strange way – the last time I read it was when I was in hospital then recovering from a broken leg. And at 1200 pages, I knew it would last! Tbh it was a little disturbing in ways I didn’t remember, but I still adore the intricate, fascinating history of Anne’s witches, and the incredible beauty of New Orleans through her eyes – her books are why I visited NOLA, and I love that I was able to tour through her actual home – which was also the home of her Mayfair witches – while she still lived there. And despite some very strange changes to characters and script, I’m looking forward to the tv series in January – I’ve been dreaming of seeing it onscreen since the 90s! [ETA: what a devastating disappointment the show turned out to be. Clearly no one involved had actually read the books. Sob! But it did lead to some brilliant discussions about magic and history with friends and strangers – as well as some really unhinged ones!]

* * * 

66 of 90 – Beneath the Waves of the Neversea by K. A. Last
I’m so happy that my writer besties Selina and Kim both have new books out! K. A. Last’s Beneath the Waves of the Neversea is the first in her new Wonder In Neverland series, and it’s a sweet, fun, compelling mix of two worlds, with awesome characters and such clever and creative reimaginings of familiar people and creatures. It’s available as a paperback from Amazon, or an ebook in the Realms of Darkness box set [ETA: the ebook is now available from all retailers]. And book two, The Edge of Madness, is up for pre-order, and I can’t wait to continue the magical adventure!

* * * 

67 of 90 – Midnight At the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber
I have a new favourite author! Heather Webber’s Midnight At the Blackbird Cafe is such a beautiful, enchanting, sweetly touching story, filled with love and loss, family, friendship and forgiveness, the mystery of a decades-old grudge, and a sweet sprinkle of magic. Anna Kate inherits a small-town diner in the American South from her beloved grandma Zee, but the will stipulates that she has to move there and run it for two months before she’s allowed to sell it. Anna Kate is determined to pop in then out so she can complete her medical degree and get on with her life, but her wise-woman gran is sure she’ll be enticed into staying, thanks to the delightful townsfolk, the backyard tree filled with blackbirds who only sing from midnight to 1am, and a secret recipe for blackbird pie that gives those who eat it a message from a lost loved one. (Don’t worry, no birds are harmed in the making of the pies!)
I’m not sure why it took me so long to finally read this gorgeous book – it’s been on my tbr list since it came out in 2019, and I bought the audiobook back then – but I’m glad I finally did, and I can’t wait to read Heather’s other three stand-alone magical realism books, South of the Buttonwood Tree, In the Middle of Hickory Lane, and The Lights of Sugarberry Cove. (She also has a cosy series, some romance and mystery novels, and writes paranormal stories under the pseudonym Heather Blake. And there have since been two more magical realism novels, the beautiful At Coffee Shop of Curiosities and A Certain Kind of Starlight.)

* * * 

68 of 90 – City of Time and Magic: The Found Things Series book 4 by Paula Brackston
Book three in Paula Brackston’s awesome Found Things series ended on a crazy cliffhanger, so it was a joy (and relief) to dive in to book four, City of Time and Magic, an enchanting adventure of good and evil, with time travel back through English history. And there was an extra sprinkle of wonder with a beloved character from Paula’s The Witch’s Daughter and Return of the Witch books crossing over into this one. (I hadn’t read the blurb cos Paula is one of my insta-buys, so when I realised Elizabeth was in it I may have squeeed a little in excitement!) Another gorgeous book from a magical writer!

* * * 

69 of 90 – Koori Princess by Anita Heiss
Happy Publication Day to Anita Heiss, and her gorgeous new book Koori Princess. Anita is one of my favourite authors for her grown-up novels, but she also writes beautiful books for younger readers. This one is for ages seven and up (but I’m way older, and love it!), and it’s the sweet story of Disney Princess-loving Teish in the lead-up to her eighth birthday. She wants a princess party, much to the derision of some of her friends and family – but this sassy young Koori girl teaches them all a thing or two about believing in your dreams, remaining true to yourself, and how much strength, confidence and self-awareness she has – as well as the real reasons she loves princesses. It’s a sweet story that weaves in threads of family ties, friendship, Aboriginal culture, decolonisation, acceptance and standing up for yourself.

* * * 

70 of 90 – The Electricity of Every Living Thing by Katherine May
It seems to be the year for pilgrimage memoirs, and I’m all in for wanders through the British countryside or along its beautiful, dramatic coastlines. Katherine May’s The Electricity of Every Living Thing is about her journey over many months along the South-West Coast Path, England’s longest waymarked long-distance footpath. It stretches for just over a thousand kilometres, starting at Minehead in Somerset then running west and south along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, then east and north to end at Poole Harbour in Dorset. She mostly trekked on weekends, so it also includes her life between walks – work, family challenges, friendships, medical appointments – as well as her childhood. It incorporates her discovery that she’s autistic, and shares many of the things she learned in the early days (although she’s learned, written and grown more since then). I chose the immersive audio drama version of the audiobook, with a full cast and lots of sound effects, which made it a more stressful listen, but it was worth trying.
This is an adaptation of an original memoir recreated as an immersive audio drama that details a different way of being in the world, and is a different way of experiencing an audio drama. You can listen on speakers or by using headphones, each provides a different experience. It contains content listeners may find sensitive or distressing, reflecting the author’s account of autistic experience. There are also some scenes conveying the acuity of sensory experience which may be triggering. The techniques can be intensive, be aware of this when choosing where and when to experience the piece.
I started with headphones as I was walking, which was pretty confronting, and I wasn’t sure I would be able to listen to it all. Then I played it without while cooking, and whether it was getting used to it or something else, I was okay with the headphones after that. I may have preferred Katherine’s own narration of her book, but this *was* fascinating.

* * *

71 of 90 – The World Below by Vivienne Lee Fraser
What would you do if a strange boy followed you home from school, broke into your house, told you your parents had been abducted – and tried to convince you that you were an elf with links to the royal family? If you were Londoner Pris, you’d demand proof of the boy, Snake, then set out on a crazy rescue mission! The World Below by Vivienne Lee Fraser is a fun, magical YA read, with riddles to solve, enchanting witches, gnomes, black cats and other creatures to meet, adventures through south-west England to some of my favourite places, including Wistman’s Wood and beautiful Dartmoor, and a sweet relationship starting to grow between Pris and Snake, as she comes to term with her new powers, has a bit of an identity crisis, and has to uncover why her parents lied to her, who she can trust, and who she wants to be. This book wraps up some of the story, but ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Luckily book two, The Minotaur’s Maze, will be out soon!  

* * * 

72 of 90 – The 6 Habits of Growth by Brendon Burchard
Brendon Burchard’s The 6 Habits of Growth was way better than I expected. A lot of it is what we already know, but sometimes need reminding of, and there are many plugs throughout for his Growth Day app, but it is inspiring and uplifting, with science-backed data as well as personal experiences adding depth. And he’s a brilliant speaker. And it’s an Audible Original, and included free for members. Who couldn’t benefit from a boost of motivation, focus, confidence, energy, purpose and leadership?

The world’s leading high-performance coach and multiple New York Times best-selling author Brendon Burchard delivers the six habits of personal growth that will help you create the life of your dreams.
Those six habits are:
* Motivation: Discover the three keys to lasting motivation. Learn how to diagnose and combat burnout. Find out the daily habits that increase motivation—and make them part of your morning routine.
* Focus: Assess where you stand with respect to the 10 main areas of life—mental health, physical health, family, friends, finances, mission, spirit, adventure, learning, and growth—and commit to the desired improvements. Leverage the habit formation process. Capture daily insights via journaling and habit tracking.
* Confidence: We all face self-doubt. Start to embrace it as a signal to learn—to prepare more, to get better, to ready yourself. Think of it as a catalyst, not an inhibitor. Step into your authenticity to feel more comfortable in social situations.
* Energy: Learn revving and renewal practices that will fuel you for the life you want to lead. Drill down on meditation, exercise, diet, and sleep in an entirely new way. 
* Purpose: Don’t think that you have to have only one. Learn to make purpose smaller. Translate it into purposeful living—the everyday “points of purpose” that present opportunities for meaning and service.. 
* Leadership: Discover how to enlist and persuade others to support your ideas; how to deal with conflict; and how to get everyone around you to perform at their best.
Forged from Brendon Burchard’s personal experiences, data from his GrowthDay app, and his many years as a high-performance coach, The 6 Habits of Growth presents the tools you need to construct the life of your dreams. Full of practical examples and narrated by Brendon Burchard himself, The 6 Habits of Growth is an Audible Original designed to get you unstuck and headed in the right direction.

* * * 

73 of 90 – The Truth About Magic by Atticus
I don’t read a lot of poetry, I’m not even sure why, but I do follow @atticuspoetry, so it was a lovely surprise to find their book in a gorgeous care package from a lovely friend. Thank you for the beauty and inspiration sweet Veenita!