Belle, Book and Christmas Candle (The Witches of Castle Clair Book 1) by @Sharon_Booth1 #BookReview #FridayReads

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Festive, Magic, Romance, Witches by Cathy

Author: Sharon Booth

Published: December 2018 by Green Ginger Publishing

Category: Festive, Romance, Magic, Witches, Book Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do you believe in magic?

Sky St Clair doesn’t, and growing up in Castle Clair, a small town renowned for its mystical past and magical legends, she never felt she belonged.

Sky got away from Castle Clair as soon as she could, but when a run of bad luck leaves her homeless and jobless, she has little choice but to accept her sister Star’s invitation to return home for the festive season.

It’s over three years since Sky St Clair left the pretty town of Castle Clair, the ancestral home of her family. She is returning reluctantly, forced to swallow her pride and stay with her two sisters, after losing her job, boyfriend and home in one fell swoop. She loves Star and Celeste, of course she does, it was just…the legend and the family business. She just didn’t—couldn’t—believe in all that magic stuff despite the family legacy.

Continue reading →

22Jun2019

#GuestPost from Liliana Rose #Author of Solstice Sizzle #Paranormal #Fantasy @LilianaRose2 @rararesources

Posted in Blog Tour, Fantasy, Guest Post, Paranormal by Cathy

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Solstice Sizzle organised by Rachel’s Random Resources.

I have a guest post from the author, Liliana Rose, about how she inspires herself but before we get to that, here’s what the book is about…

Continue reading →

16Jun2017

The Coven (Crystal Coast Series #1) by Chrissy Lessey @chrissylessey #FridayReads #Witches

Posted in Book Review, Books, Contemporary Fiction, Fantasy, Magical, Reading, Romance by Cathy

Author: Chrissy Lessey
Published: April 2006 by Pandmoon Publishing
Kindle Edition due to be published on 27th June 2017 by Tenacious Books Publishing
Category: Contemporary, Magical, Fantasy, Romance, Book Review, Books, Reading

Newly single mother Stevie Lewis divides her time between raising Charlie, running a store with her best friend, and avoiding the meetings of her mother’s Beaufort Historic Society. Although her life has its challenges, it’s altogether average. Just the way she likes it.

The prologue sets up the basis of the story. In 1718 a small colony of witches lived peacefully on a small island, until the queen, Lucia, had a vision of discovery and the persecution to come. ‘She who holds the amulet, holds the power.’ She chooses the three strongest of the young women, with the necessary gifts to ensure their survival. When Lucia’s vision of the pirate attack became actual fact, the fates of Hannah, Catherine and Charlotte were sealed. They find themselves aboard Blackbeard’s ship and at his mercy. Continue reading →

11May2017

#ThrowbackThursday ~ The Black Hours by Alison Williams @AlisonW_Editor #Historical

Posted in Historical Fiction, Throwback Thursday by Cathy

Renee at It’s Book Talk began this meme as a way to share old favourites, as well as books that were published over a year ago. Not to mention those that are languishing on the to be read pile for whatever reason.

I found this book via Rosie Amber’s book review team during my first year of blogging. It was a fascinating read. Continue reading →

26Jan2017

#Pendle #Witch Country #Photography ~ Witch Trials

Posted in Photography, Wordless Wednesday by Cathy

One of the most notorious witch trials in England was that of the so-called Pendle witches in 1612. It was the reign of James 1 and religious fervour and victimization was widespread and insidious. James was terrified of a Catholic uprising after the Gunpowder Plot. He considered himself something of an expert on witchcraft and wrote a book on Daemonologie. Continue reading →

21Mar2016

Blackwater by Alison Williams @Alison_Williams #Historical Fiction #Witch hunt

Posted in Historical Fiction by Cathy

Author: Alison Williams
Kindle Edition
Category: Historical Fiction

‘How will you protect her from lies? From superstition? How will you protect her when your father comes calling, with threats and accusations? When a mob comes to our door?’

In a time when death is common, life is cheap and superstition rife, anyone can find their world torn apart by gossip and accusations. Can one lonely girl find the love and companionship she craves? Or will her heart lead her into more danger than she can imagine?

Blackwater is the prequel to The Black Hours, in which Alice Pendle and her grandmother, Maggie, fall foul of the self-styled Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins. Blackwater chronicles events leading up to Alice’s birth. Continue reading →

4Nov2014

Rougemont Castle ~ Exeter

Posted in Photography, Places, Random by Cathy

After reading Alison Williams’ extremely interesting “A Witchcraft Tour of England’ post (which you can find here) I decided to check out one of the places I’d never seen and actually knew nothing about. Rougemont Castle in Exeter. The castle was built on a small hill and the name Rougemont came from the Norman French rouge mont, meaning red hill, because of its red volcanic rock.

Only the castle walls and gatehouse, which you can walk round, remain, but nevertheless when I see something like this…

especially since reading Alison’s book The Black Hours, I get chills imagining what could, and more than likely did, happen on the other side of those bars. The so-called witches, Temperance Lloyd, Susannah Edwards, Mary Trembles and Alice Molland were the last to be tried here. They were found guilty and executed. This plaque is by the gatehouse.