On my bookshelf

Imagine being raised in darkness and brainwashed against men. What terrible psychological impact would this have on a child? What kind of emotionally-scarred adult would she grow to be? What chance of living a normal life? 

These were the questions haunting me every time I read Great Expectations. The drive to find answers was what inspired my debut historical fiction, Estella’s Revenge.

 London, 1835.

To high society, Estella is the perfect lady. But her fair face hides dark secrets - what has she done with her husband? And will her past crimes come back to haunt her?

Desperate to escape her troubled life, she visits her friend, Lady Taykall. But when a servant girl disappears, Estella stumbles on a horrifying web of crimes and feels the old fire for vengeance burning inside her.

I can't get enough of this series!  It follows the journey of 19-year-old Feyre Archeron after she is brought into the faerie lands of Prythian. The first book of the series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, was released in May 2015. The series centers on Feyre's adventures across Prythian and the faerie courts, following the epic love story and fierce struggle that ensues after she enters the fae lands.

With the announcement of the movie Practical Magic 2 coming in September 2026, what better time to revisit these fantastic books? Alice Hoffman  often asked about the order in which you should read the books in the Practical Magic series. It’s your choice! You can read them in the order they were written (Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic, Magic Lessons, The Book of Magic) or you can read them in chronological order (Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic, Practical Magic, The Book of Magic). It’s up to you! 

 Whispers in the Earth is an anthology of short stories inspired by world folklore, and how stories travel and grow over time. Each story illustrated by myself with a linocut print, and with smaller illustrations throughout, we offer different formats, from ebook to a super deluxe hardback collectible. 

If you're interested, there's a gorgeous signed edition available to purchase from The Broken Binding - Click here to take a look.

 Continuing my reading theme of modern day witch stories. This modern classic, The Witches of Eastwick, which inspired a film and TV adaptation. With complex and morally grey characters, this modern day classic has such descriptive prose that it's poetic. 

Personally, I identify with the Jane character as played by fellow redhead, Susan Sarandon.