The Northern Witch's Book Blog

Romeo X Julienby Mary Dumas (Author), Bettina Kurkoski (Illustrator)4 out of 5 
SynopsisRomeo Montague has always been a little awkward. His cousin, Benny, doesn’t help, often tossing him into situations unprepared; like dragging him to a Renaissance Faire in the middle of Wine Country. Julien Capulet, a respected festival promoter, has his own quirks. While dealing with his crazy parents and goofy gay uncles, he holds out hope of meeting the one who’ll see past all the frills. Romeo X Julien is a sexy homage to Will Shakespeare, with more comedy than tragedy. Entertaining and tender, it shows how the course of true love may never be smooth, and that the LGBTQ community has come a long way in a short time. 
Review When Romeo meets Julien, sparks will fly.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is the comic book story following Julien Capulet, a young man whose parents run a successful Renaissance Fair. Every year they have a big party, where Julien is the belle of t…

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 4 out of 5 
Synopsis Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleevesA female cop with her first big caseA brutal murderWelcome to…THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it’s too late?
"A little beacon of pleasure in the midst of the gloom...SUCH FUN!" (Kate Atkinson, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Big Sky) 'So smart and funny. Deplorably good' IAN RANKIN
Review Four pensioners plan o…

The Witching Stone by Danny Weston 2 out of 5 
Synopsis Beneath this stone lie the remains of Meg Shelton, alleged witch of Woodplumpton, buried in 1705.
After a messy breakup with his girlfriend, Alfie needs to get away for a while – so he decides to spend the summer holidays with his dad in a tiny village in the North of England.
In the local church graveyard, he chances upon a boulder with a strange inscription – and meets Mia, who then tells him about the local superstition surrounding the stone.
“If you walk three times around the stone and say “I don’t believe in witches,” Meg will come after you.’
Alfie, in a reckless attempt to show his bravery, accepts the superstition as a challenge. He thinks the story is nonsense. But it soon becomes apparent that he’s just made the biggest mistake of his life… 
Review Needing a break from Bristol, Alfie follows his Dad up North. It's not as relaxing as he'd hoped, as he soon catches the attention of a very vengeful and very dead witch.
I…

The Penitent Pirate by Jules Radcliffe 5 out of 5 
Synopsis The Caribbean, 1664
After peaceful months ashore strengthening their new union, Perry and Quinn are ready to return to the life they love best--roving with the buccaneer ship Audacious. Quinn is still haunted by his torture in a Spanish dungeon, and Perry hopes being back at sea will restore his matelot to his old self.
In Port Royal, they are swept into intrigues--the worthies of Jamaica are conspiring against the buccaneers, a baby is found on their doorstep, and a mysterious gentleman has a secret he will kill to preserve.
Just when Perry and Quinn hope to sail and leave it all behind, Quinn is asked to become the sailing master of Night Hawk, captained by the dashing Raphe Ashburn, his former lover. Charming, aristocratic, and witty, Captain Ashburn is everything Perry wishes he could be. But Night Hawk is a valuable ally, so Perry convinces Quinn to go.
All goes well until Perry is taken by an old enemy. He is certain he will…

The First Sister by Linden A. Lewis 3 out of 5 
Synopsis Combining the social commentary of The Handmaid’s Tale with the white-knuckled thrills of Red Rising, this epic space opera follows a comfort woman as she claims her agency, a soldier questioning his allegiances, and a non-binary hero out to save the solar system.
First Sister has no name and no voice. As a priestess of the Sisterhood, she travels the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth and Mars—the same ones who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister’s hopes for freedom are dashed when she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no power, and a new captain—Saito Ren—whom she knows nothing about. She is commanded to spy on Captain Ren by the Sisterhood, but soon discovers that working for the war effort is so much harder to do when you’re falling in love.
Lito val Lucius climbed his way out of the slums to become an elite soldier of Venus, but was defeated in combat by none …

The Prince's Protégé by Deborah Jay 4 out of 5 
Synopsis Following on from The Prince’s Son, continue reading the gripping Five Kingdoms fantasy adventure…In the aftermath of the devastating coup, King Marten strives to rebuild his subjects’ confidence in the throne, but not all his councillors believe the young monarch is ready to rule alone. An assassin’s stalking him, his closest advisor has been murdered, and rumours have surfaced that the malicious god’s cult is reborn.As Marten grapples with a dark, personal secret, who can he trust?Meanwhile, fledgling spy, Lady Betha, successfully infiltrates a conspiracy. However, getting back out alive with information vital to the king’s survival may prove beyond her capabilities.And as Rustam and Risada search for Risada’s kidnapped son, they find the dual-natured deity meddling with their lives again. If only they could tell which aspect: god or goddess, evil or good?The fate of the land—and possibly mankind—depends on each of them com…