Marie Bruce MA ShimmerCastDreams

WRITER'S DREAM: My New Shadow Work Deck!

2026-10-13T07:00:00.000+01:00

"Betrayal is always calculated, and no matter what they might say to the contrary, a traitor will have carefully plotted behind your back in one way or another, and yes, they absolutely did mean to hurt you! That was the whole point.

That's what gave them a feeling of power and control, and the thrill of deception only added to the fun of it for them. It is highly likely that they experienced some degree of duper's delight each time they interacted with you, as they enjoyed their secret betrayal. It's also possible that they felt a sense of superiority over you as they hugged that secret to themselves..."

On October 1st my second psychology book and flashcard deck, Carl Jung's Shadow Work, was published. This is the second project that I have published under my first name of Jacqueline Bruce, which is my new psychology author brand. The first project published under this name was The Anxiety Relief Tool Kit which dropped last year.

I have wanted to write about shadow work for some time, and while I have touched on it in my previous psychology books, I really wanted to explore it in more detail, as its own topic. I was delighted that my publisher was also keen to press ahead with such a project, and so a new book and card deck was quickly commissioned and put to contract in spring 2025.

I began to plot out the deck and outline the book last summer, sticking to the format that had worked so well with the Anxiety Relief Kit, creating an original deck of fifty cards divided into five separate categories that each support an aspect of this kind of methodology - so for the Shadow Work deck we have categories of Excavation, Awareness, Transformation, Archetypes and Individuation. These are the key concepts that Carl Jung incorporated into his theory of the shadow self and so I wanted to use them as the main framework of the deck. Each flashcard then presents its own psychological tool from within that category, building up to a deck of cards that can help readers explore their dark side in a safe and therapeutic way.

Creating a card deck that can be used as a stand-alone tool meant that I was then free to write up more of the academic history and theory behind Jung and his methodology within the accompanying book. It also gave me space to explore the aspects of trauma psychology that interest me the most, such as Betrayal Trauma, Truth Biases, Traumatic Bonding, Maladaptive Behaviours, Trauma Biases and various aspects of self-sabotage. I really wanted to dig deep into the magnetic force of the shadow self and how this force works, both for and against us. Along the way, I have touched on sub-topics that I thought readers would find most useful, such as identifying red flags and humiliation rituals, signs someone isn't what they seem and the traits to look out for that point to a saboteur and a traitor, because a traitor is always the one you just don't see, usually because it is someone who is very close to you, either personally or professionally. Close enough to stab you in the back, that is!

It turns out that it is impossible to write a book on Shadow Work without coming face to shade with your own shadow and much of this book is based on my own experience, not only as a psychotherapist with years of clinical practice in working with clients, but also my personal life experiences, because if there is one thing that I am familiar with, it's betrayal and the impact it can have. Plus I understand the great motivating force it can also be.

Nothing kills a traitor like your on-going success and upwards trajectory, particularly when that trajectory means you're succeeding in an area where they once tried to sabotage you, or in which they wish to succeed themselves and have failed to do so. Any feeling of superiority they might have experienced as a result of their betrayal will soon fade to dust and ashes when they see you living a good life, regardless of their attempted interference.

Succeeding in spite of them is the flip side to their betrayal that they just didn't see coming, so it was incredibly cathartic for me to be able to address betrayal trauma and recovery in this book. I also make reference to the one bad apple theory, but let's be honest here, it's never just one bad apple. It is always a whole bushel of bad apples in play, often in positions of power, usually hiding in plain sight and they need to be held accountable for their actions.

Needless to say, I had tremendous fun writing that chapter!

Of all the projects that I work on, psychology flashcard decks are probably my favourite, along with magical oracle decks. I have such fun deciding what cards to create and how they will fit together to generate an original deck that is a cohesive whole, but where each card has its own individual power and purpose. I love that I get to be the originator and author of these beautiful and powerful kits. They are a pleasure to write and it is always a joy to see the final published product.

I finished writing my Shadow Work kit at the back end of summer and early autumn last year. I'm delighted that it is now out in the wild and people can buy it and use it to help them recover from their trauma, uncover hidden wisdom and become more emotionally regulated. Although this project is strictly one of psychology, due to the nature of shadow work it would also be a fantastic deck to use as part of your Samhain rituals, so do bear that in mind if you enjoy a magical practice and wish to incorporate some solid psychotherapy into your pagan festivities.

I had such a great time writing this book and creating the flashcards last year, so I do hope that you love it as much as I do and that it proves beneficial to your mental health and emotional well being. As with the Anxiety Relief Tool Kit, my Shadow Work kit is an important book because it can guide you out of your maladaptive and self-sabotaging behaviours and back into a more positive state of balance and awareness. The real question is: have you the courage to meet your true self and dance with your shadow?

May your inner light guide you safely through the shadows.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This post promotes my own work.

Carl Jung's Shadow Work by Jacqueline Bruce is out now, published by Arcturus.

The Anxiety Relief Tool Kit by Jacqueline Bruce is out now, published by Arcturus.

BOOK NOOK: The Witch's Stone by Kirsty Ferry

2026-10-10T08:00:00.000+01:00

"She knew in her heart that she had not deserved what the man had done to her, but still she felt angry and yes, guilty. Guilty for being outside where he could have found her, and guilty for not fighting harder, for letting it happen. He had taken her choices away, claimed her maidenhood. Shamed her, hurt her and yes, bereaved her.

She would never forgive that."

The Witch's Stone is a fabulous Gothic novel about an old country estate in Northumberland that sits close to a crumbling old chapel. I would describe this novel as a revenge tale and I do love a good bit of payback! It is a classic timeslip format with two main protagonists, Jess in the current day and Eliza in the 1800s.

When Jess is asked by an old school friend to take part in an archaeological dig around the chapel ruins in her home village, she can't wait to get started, but almost as soon as she arrives she begins to have strange experiences on site. Shadows flicker in and out of her sightline, a woman in white drifts across the landscape and her old pal, Nate is acting rather odd. Add to this the fact that she bumps into her ex-husband, Matt, who has also been involved in the restoration of the hotel where she is staying, the former country home of Eliza, and Jess's emotions are heightened to say the least.

Near the chapel ruins is an old standing stone, known as the Witch's Stone and local legend states that to draw blood by the stone is to draw out the witch. As Jess dives deeper into her historic research she suspects that there is more to this legend than superstitious fancy, so she determines to find out more about it. Meanwhile, Nate has unearthed an artifact that seems to have a strange hold over him that he cannot explain.

Back in the past, Eliza is a young woman who has been extremely traumatised. She is fragile and her broken bones are barely healed, yet she insists on riding across the moors to the chapel every chance she gets. Even locking her in doesn't work, as she climbs through the window. She knows that she is still mending and needs to rest, yet she is driven to the moors by her wild nature and a yearning for her true love.

The problem is, Eliza has a deep-seated form of amnesia that is linked to her trauma, meaning that she cannot actually remember what happened to her, and no-one likes to speak of her accident. Basically, she has what today would be called PTSD Amnesia. I think this is the aspect of the book that I enjoyed the most, because I can relate to it. This is such a tricky subject to write about, because if you get it wrong it can come off as being a bit of a parody, or melodramatic. Perhaps that is the reason it is a topic that is rarely covered in novels, because it carries the weight of author responsibility and there is the obligation to do right by the people such as myself, who experience this condition, showing their struggle authentically, without turning it into a weakness. Its a very fine line to tread.

I am pleased to say that Kirsty Ferry has done a great job in this regard, illustrating Eliza's memory loss, flashbacks and subsequent confusion, despair and embarrassment with tremendous compassion and respect for the subject matter. It would have been easy, given her back-story and the era in which Eliza's story takes place, to make the character some kind of feeble invalid, but Eliza is strong, vibrant, rebellious and very independent. She just doesn't recall her recent past in the way that other people do.

The author also illustrates the frustration of those around Eliza, as her family members fail to understand and have little patience for her memory loss, flashbacks, emotional outbursts and so on. Again, this is something that people with memory issues face on a regular basis, as people prefer to think that it is something that is played out for personal amusement, or as an attention seeking tactic. It is neither. It is a very real, very confusing and debilitating condition to live with. Kirsty Ferry highlights all of this, without making the memory issues into a disability and I applaud her for that. Its a highly skilled piece of writing in this regard and the work of a consummate author.

Eliza's past comes back to her in fragments that are all jumbled up and which she cannot make any sense of, or transform into a cohesive whole in her mind. She is told that she is mad, which in the 1800s was a very dangerous label for a woman to have, as women were frequently thrown into asylums for normal hormonal things like post-natal depression and menopausal tantrums! This was a time when women were the property of their closest male relative or husband, and he could do as he pleased with her, even incarcerating her without any medical examination at all - simply on his own word that she is mad, and therefore, as far as society was concerned, to all intents and purposes, she was! This is hinted at in the novel and there is the possibility of Eliza's freedom being even more curtailed and threatened altogether.

As the two strands of the story weave in and out of one another, you are left with a novel that tackles some very difficult and dark material, with a simmering undercurrent of Gothic tension and witchy shenanigans. The atmosphere is strong and steady, building to a climax at the chapel and a satisfying dénouement. This is a novel of trauma, dominance, injury, mental health struggles, memory loss and amnesia, but it is also one of dance cards, romance, true love and wild pony rides across the moors. It has echoes of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and it is just as dark and gritty!

I have been entralled by The Witch's Stone and if you like the novels of Barbara Erskine, Susannah Kearsley or C. J. Cooke, then you might like this one. A word of caution though, this novel does deal with some very heavy topics such as amnesia, drug dependency and sexual assault. Its a cracking read, perfect for the autumn months and spooky season, but not one for the faint hearted!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This novel was sent to me back in March by the publisher, Boldwood, for the purposes of review. It was published on the 4th June 2026 and it is available now in all formats.

BOOK NOOK: Barbie Dreamscape by Alex Aster

2026-09-28T02:05:37.699+01:00

"...As children, I must have somehow entered into a one-sided competition with her, because she's always treated everything as a duel between us. She took a special sort of pleasure in being chosen as line leader or teacher's helper and, later on, rubbing it in whenever she scored higher on tests or projects. I thought she might warm up to me once she and Callie were placed together in the dorms, but in true Paige fashion, she's remained stubbornly dedicated to her mission of winning this imagined contest, treating me frostily at best, wickedly at worst.

Bottom line: she sucks."

Barbie first captured my heart when I was about six years old and she has held a piece of it ever since. There's just something about her. As girls we carry her with us on our adventures, confide our secrets to her, cry into her golden hair and treat her like a best friend. Then suddenly, all at once, we drop her without ceremony as we reach for our very first flavoured lip-gloss, no longer content to play with the beauty standard, now we want to be the beauty standard.

However, many feminine women would agree that there is always that hint of pink-glitter-sparkle lodged in our hearts that is the Barbie magic. It shimmers through ours lives in subtle and not-so-subtle ways: in our choice of hobbies, clothes, shoes, home décor and, perhaps most importantly, in our sense of possibility. Every now and then, Barbie makes a comeback and puts in a personal appearance, taking up time and space in our adult lives once more. Think back to the Barbie movie of 2023 which sent women all over the world into a pink frenzy! The truth is, if you were ever a Barbie girl, then you're probably still a Barbie girl deep down. Maybe in secret, possibly in full bubble-gum pink for the whole world to see, but in your heart of hearts you remain a committed Barbie enthusiast.

If you can relate to any of this then the new Barbie Dreamscape YA novel is something you're likely to be interested in. Most Barbie books tend to be picture books aimed at young girls, which is understandable, but there is also a slew of new Barbie books coming out that are aimed at an older audience, such as the collaborations with fashion illustrator, Megan Hess, for instance.

Barbie Dreamscape is one such book, being a full length fantasy adventure told in the first person entirely from Barbie's point of view. Although it is technically a YA book, it is so beautifully written that it will appeal to all age groups, especially those who enjoy reading cosy fantasy or who love pink-witch vibes.

The novel opens with a typical day in Barbie's life, one that is simply perfect in every way, from the rose-coloured enchanted birds that bring her morning tea, to the magical wardrobe that holds a pink outfit for every occasion. But of course, things can't stay perfect forever, not even for Barbie, and when she is pronounced Fateless, with no career path or destiny to follow, she decides to go in search of one for herself, and so her marvellous magical adventure begins.

The thing I loved most about this novel is the world-building. It is so richly descriptive and the author really takes the time to create a stunning pink world that draws the reader in. The land itself is heart-shaped and surrounded by fuzzy pink mists of protection, or as it says in the book, "The town itself is perfect: Light pink rivers run between pastel-hued homes and shops stacked high along the canals. A pink mist of magic...hugs our heart-shaped land's edges and keeps us safe from all the dangers beyond..." Doesn't that sound so beautiful? I want to move there immediately!

As Barbie embarks on her quest for her true destiny she travels through different lands, meeting various characters and magical creatures along the way. Bartholomew, the winged Pegasus horse is my personal favourite, but they are all a delight to read about. In this novel there are flying boats, masquerade balls, enchanted pink armour and a heart-hilted sword. It is filled to the brim with magic and whimsy, betrayal and bravery, dreams and nightmares, self-discovery, adversity, destiny and ultimately, redemption.

It's such a wonderful book, with all the Barbie magic that you would expect from Mattel and Penguin combined. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this novel in the garden over the weekend. Don't let the fact that it's a Barbie book put you off. Yes, it's technically YA. Yes, it's aimed at youngsters, with morale boosting passages incorporated into the adventure, but at it's core it is a fantasy that drips in pink perfection!

If you liked Uncharmed, Rewitched or Disenchanted by Lucy Jane Wood, then you will probably enjoy Barbie Dreamscape too. I really hope that this is the first in a series of stand alone Barbie novels because I will buy them all! I had such a great time with this book and I recommend it to anyone who is into pretty-witchy vibes and pink sparkly enchantment.

And never allow anyone to diminish your right to as much PINK as you want in your life! It's the colour of self-love after all, so surround yourself with it whenever you can, and shine your rosy glow out into the world for those who need it most.

Rose-tinted Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This novel was published on 20th August 2026 by Penguin and is out now in paperback, digital and audio formats.

BOOK NOOK: The Scholars by MacKenzie Common

2026-09-20T07:00:00.000+01:00

"It was mid-morning and overcast, but Oxford still shimmered in its gothic splendor, the ancient stones bristling against another gray day. Even as a historian, Hadley found it unbelievable that Oxford was older than the Aztec empire, older than the belief that the world was round, older than almost all the knowledge people organized their life around. She was standing in an eight-hundred-year-old college, immersed in history, and yet all she could think about was December 5th..."

I passed my course in History of Folklore at Oxford University in the summer and so I will not be taking up my studies again this academic year. I do miss the academic routine of classes and common room, lectures and seminars though, especially during September when the academic frenzy gets under way, so I was thrilled when Headline Publishing sent me an ARC of The Scholars by MacKenzie Common back in the summertime.

As you might guess from the title, this is a dark academia novel set at the University of Oxford, so it is just my cup of tea. I was very eager to read it and I have been immersed in the bloody history of Oxford for the past couple of days. Oxford University has a dark past of its own, namely the St Scholastica Day Riots in the 1300s, which feature in this novel.

Amid this backdrop, five modern day students arrive at Oxford to take up their place on the Shepard Scholarship. All the students are highly intelligent and very successful in their chosen fields, as influencers, entrepreneurs, charity organizers and the odd nepo-baby. To begin with, they are excited about the scholarship and eager to meet their like-minded peers, but soon enough they discover that each of them has a dark secret they are trying desperately to protect, secrets that could prove deadly.

As the students get better acquainted, their trust in one another is tested and broken, particularly when one of them turns up dead. Now suddenly they are all suspicious and they are all suspects! As more and more information gradually comes to light, the Shepard Scholars find themselves forming unlikely alliances as they try to uncover who murdered their fellow student.

This novel is narrated through multiple viewpoints as each of the scholars tries to unravel the mystery, at the same time as keeping their own past hidden. There are lots of twists and turns, all the characters are equally damaged and equally capable of resorting to extreme measures to protect their own reputations, so the book does keep you guessing. I was thoroughly engaged right up to the last, when the real killer is finally caught out. I have read a lot of dark academia novels, but even I wasn't expecting the final plot twist!

If you enjoy reading dark academia or murder mysteries then you might like The Scholars. It is quite fast paced, the chapter hooks keep you turning the pages and it has a very surprising and satisfying ending. I loved every page of this one! It is the perfect novel for the new scholastic year and the autumn season. If you only buy one dark academia novel this year, make it The Scholars. It will hold you in its grip until the very last sentence. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher prior to its release for the purposes of review. It drops on 24th September 2026 and is up for Pre-Order now.

MUSICAL DOLL: You're Still Everything

2026-09-14T06:30:00.000+01:00

And I'm not perfect but I'll never stop loving you...

How am I nothing to you while you're still everything to me?

xxx

BOOK NOOK: A Remedy for Fate by M A Kuzniar

2026-09-12T09:00:00.000+01:00

" 'I promised that if you guessed your true name,' he said, locking his dark blue eyes with hers, 'I would return your memories and heart, and you would be free to leave.' He unspooled a leaf of parchment that bore signatures, but Thea was too panicked to read it properly. She clamped a hand to her chest, an unfamiliar sensation unmooring her. Where once there must have been a rhythmic thudding, now there was a flutter that felt too light, too insubstantial. 'What did you do to my heart?' "

I love M A Kuzniar's writing and I enjoyed her previous books, Midnight In Everwood and Upon A Frosted Star immensely, so I was delighted to receive an ARC of her new book some months ago. I can now confirm that A Remedy for Fate is just as magical and enchanting as her previous novels, so if you liked those books then you will love this one too.

This novel is set in a magical world, hidden within the heart of Prague and protected by wards. Only those with a true need and no ill intentions can get through the portal into the Magic Quarter and seek the help of a witch. It is in this quiet little village that Thea runs the apothecary on behalf of her boss, Jasper. The problem is, Thea doesn't actually know who she is or how she came to be in the Magic Quarter. All she knows is that Jasper somehow stole her heart and her memories, leaving her with no choice but to work in his shop until she can figure out her true name and so break the spell.

If this sounds somewhat familiar its because this story is loosely based upon the Rumplestiltskin fairytale. Jasper Stiltskin has a strange hold over Thea, but each time she tries to guess her name and win back her freedom, he tells her that she is mistaken. She has lived in the Magic Quarter for seven years and in that time she has forged a life for herself there, making good friends, mediating between squabbling neighbours and tolerating the curiosity of Rose who lives next door above her flower shop as she pries into everyone's life, because every street has its local gossip, even a magical one. Thea has created a cosy home for herself above the apothecary, where she lives with Cinnamon, her pet rabbit, drinks copious amounts of hot chocolate from an enchanted teapot and reads romance novels late into the night as she is curled up in bed.

Its a cosy life of comfort and reading, freindship and the satisfaction of being able to use her herbal knowledge and magic to help people. She is content, but also frustrated that she cannot remember her life before this time, that she doesn't truly know who she really is. Jasper pops by every few days to check on his shop and ask how the business is going, but he offers no clues as to her true name. She hates him for keeping secrets, yet she is also drawn to him too.

So when the wards begin to fade and mortals start to wander into the Magic Quarter, Thea and her friends know that something is amiss, especially when the witch hunters wander in and demand to search homes and businesses. Thea and her friends now have to work alongside Jasper to find out what is going on, before the witch hunters destroy the Magic Quarter altogether. But can Thea trust Jasper? Or should she allow herself to be swept away by the mortal man, Malek, who has wandered through the weakened portal seeking help?

This novel reads like a fairytale, with beautiful balls, enchanted teapots, a gingerbread house, owls that tell the time and ravens that carry messages. Set in the 1700s it is full of lavish descriptions of panniered gowns, powdered wigs and tricorn hats, with wild carriage rides and dresses that sing in alignment with the wearers emotions. Imagine the aesthetic of the 1988 movie Dangerous Liaisons with the magic of Diagon Alley and you have this book in a nutshell.

A Remedy for Fate begins in autumn and ends in the heart of winter, having all the cosy vibes that you could wish for. As a bookworm, Thea likes to stockpile new books to read (don't we all?!) piling them beside her bed ready for when she is tucked up at the end of a long day in the apothecary, with Cinnamon snuggled up beside her. Its a lovely world and she will do anything to protect it and to keep her friends safe.

From magical weathervanes and kitchen witchery, to more serious subjects such as what it means to steal a heart or to lose memory, this novel resides in the space where lost memories should be. Desperate to reclaim her heart and her memories, torn between two loves, her loyalty stretched between being true to her friends and true to herself and her unknown past, Thea must navigate a way to bring all the threads of her fate together into a cohesive whole. But it takes a village to raise a web of magic and Thea is working against the clock of the time-telling owls. Can she find her true name, reclaim her heart and memories, and save the Magic Quarter in time? You'll have to read the book to find out! If you enjoy magical realism with cosy vibes, you will probably enjoy this novel.

Happy reading.

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, for the purposes of review and published on 12th March 2026 in hardcover, audio and digital formats.

ONCE UPON A DREAM: My Return to Strathpeffer!

2026-09-07T22:00:00.000+01:00

It's almost 9pm and I have just arrived home from my trip to the Highlands. I went back to Strathpeffer, which is a place where I have stayed many times. It has changed considerably over the years but that happens everywhere. I took my mother with me because she has never been so far north in the Highlands and she really wanted to see Loch Ness. So off we went, making a lunch stop at Gretna Green, then continuing on the long trip north, ready for a traditional Highland holiday.

Strathpeffer is a small Highland village north of Inverness, once famous in the Victorian era for being a spa town where people would come to take the waters for their health in the Pump Room. Sadly, much of this history has been stripped away in recent years as the town tries to appeal to modern visitors with a sweet little street café and a cosy wine bar in the town square. The Pump Room Museum has closed down and the history of the place is no longer used as a selling point, which is such a shame. Still, it remains a very pretty town, with some lovely architecture, a impressive water fountain and lots of Victorian accents.

I was also surprised to see that they have built a new bandstand, when the original one is perfectly fine - they've just removed the steps to force people to use the new one! I will always prefer the original bandstand and I have some very happy memories of that one, not least of which is my old friend Roy leading his pipes and drums band out to play for me back in 2001. I bet he wouldn't like the new band stand either. My Highlander, Alexander and I spent a lot of time on the old bandstand, which is where we really got to know one another and shared our secrets together. We found a depth of understanding in one another that we simply didn't have with anyone else and I think that is why we were so drawn to each other. It certainly wasn't love at first sight though - more of an enemies to lovers romance!

Strathpeffer is a town that holds a very special place in my heart and it always will. It wasn't quite the same now that Alexander is gone. I felt his absence keenly all week, especially at the Pictish Eagle Stone which is where we walked every night, where he gave me his mother's ring and we handfasted over the ancient marriage stone, with the Eagle and the ancestors as witnesses.

However, it was nice to be able to show my mother around the town, just as Alex had shown me around all those years ago. She loved the wood carved trees, especially the three Norns, which are my favourites, along with Sgathach who has sadly lost her sword in a storm. The Giant has also lost an arm too, and Skuld has lost her scissors, but fortunately the Brahan Seer looks no worse for wear because he is in a more sheltered spot. It was lovely to see them again and to introduce them to my mum like old friends, because that is what they are to me. Landmarks so familiar they've become almost sentient. They almost make up for the lost pond with the island in the middle where I learnt to row a boat with my soldier. Almost, but not quite. That pond was sadly filled in some years ago and the wood carvings were created from the surrounding trees.

We also made the trek up to the Pictish Eagle Stone, which wore us both out! My mum is nearly 74, recovering from a knee injury and I have chronic fatigue so it was quite tiring at the end of an already very long day. That's the thing about the Highlands - everywhere is a bit of a trek, up hill and down dale, but its always worth it. There are some wonderful views in the Highlands and every way you turn is a vista, but it does require comfortable walking shoes and a dollop of determination to hike the hills and see all the beauty that the Highlands has to offer.

We were extremely lucky with the weather. The heatwaves that we have been suffering in England all summer long were left far behind, but the Highlands was full of bright blue skies and lovely sunshine, with a fresh breeze that kept us nice and cool. It didn't rain at all. It was the perfect weather, with no midges in sight. Usually I go to Scotland in mid-autumn or early winter. I have never been to the Highlands in late summer before, so it was great to see all the purple heather in full bloom, making the hills look ethereal and abundantly wild. We also went out to see Blackwater Falls, which is a lovely waterfall that froths cream and brown due to the peat and looks like a cappuccino. There were a couple of Londoners who thought it was pollution - no, its the peat from the river beds that makes the water coffee coloured. I haven't been there since Alex took me years ago, so it was a bit emotional, but nice to see it again. I could feel his spirit with me, watching over me, which was a great comfort and meant that I didn't feel too sad about the loss of him.

Of course, we didn't just stay in Strathpeffer all the time. We went to Inverness to do some shopping and I picked up a couple of books about Scottish witches from the Victorian Market. We went for a walk by the River Ness, with Inverness Castle up above, which was lovely. Inverness is a pretty place, with some gorgeous buildings, nice little cafes and quaint gift shops. Sadly my favourite bookshop, Leaky's, seems to have closed and is now a trendy coffee shop. It was a wonderful used bookstore, situated in an old church and the till was in the pulpit! You could pick up some real gems from that bookstore, so its a shame its not there anymore. (Or maybe I was at the wrong church, as there are so many in Inverness!) Why does progress often feel so degenerative?

We had a wonderful day trip out to the Isle of Skye. Again, this is somewhere that my mother had never been. I have only been once myself and it rained buckets all day. This time, it was ice-cream weather all the way, so that's exactly what we did. We went down to sit on the harbour wall to enjoy Isle of Skye Clotted Cream ice-creams and watch the boats come in and out of the harbour.

I love these little island communities of the Highlands and Islands, with their rows of pastel painted shops and houses that look so pretty. Its the same on the Isle of Mull, and both Portree and Tobermory have a similar vibe. It's like walking through a storybook or a fairytale, surrounded by buildings coloured pink, baby blue, cream and mint. They're so adorable and I would love to live in a place like this.

These pastel buildings housed some fabulous shops with a maritime theme and I bought some dainty mermaids to hang on my bathroom wall. They're meant to be towel hooks, but I will use them as decoration because they're too pretty to cover up with a towel. I also bought a book of Sea Folklore which I'm looking forward to reading. I was very lucky to stumble upon a Jessica Galbreath Autumn Fairy wall plaque that I just had to bring home with me. Wall plaques from this artist were discontinued a while ago, so it was like finding treasure to see it there in the shop window, as if it had been waiting for me! It will go perfectly in my living room.

In addition to the Isle of Skye, we went to see Eileen Donan Castle which is one of my favourite castles in Scotland. I love how the bridge is a modern addition, and originally the castle would have stood alone and remote upon the island in the loch, only accessible by boat. What a peaceful life - I could live like that! I always feel a sense of homecoming when I am swanning around ancient Scottish castles.

On our final day we returned to the west coast of Scotland and spent the day at Ullapool, where we had the best seaside fish and chips, sitting on a bench and watching the tide. It was beautiful weather, the sea was warm enough for a paddle and a splash around and the boat trips were in full swing. I didn't go on a boat on this occasion, I just spent quiet time by the sea, pottering round the shops and eating more ice-cream. Luckily the Ullapool bookshop is still thriving and I spent a good while in there browsing and coming out with a book on Robert the Bruce that I've never seen before, so that was a good find.

All in all we had a really good trip. My mum loved it, having seen so many places she's never visited before and of course, she got to see Loch Ness which was her main goal, so she came home a very happy bunny. For me, it was a nostalgic visit with lots of happy memories and beloved spirits all around me. I had a lovely time and I am thinking about where in Scotland I might want to go next. In the meantime, I now need to start working on my next book project, so I need to get my headspace back into working mode now that the autumn season is underway. Its a good thing I love me job and I never get the back to work blues after a holiday. I am rather tired from all the Highland hill walking though! I've posted lots of photos up on my Twitter of all the places mentioned here, so head over there if you'd like to see them.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

BOOK NOOK: Board Games and Broomsticks by Selina Spellman

2026-09-07T08:30:00.000+01:00

"Nyssa saw her grandmother's face. Could almost feel her hands stroking her hair as she explained why she'd chosen to settle in Nighthaven after refusing several covens' invitations decades before. Nighthaven isn't just a town, it's a refuge. A place where all magical folk can seek a calmer, more authentic life."

I was thrilled when Random House UK sent me an ARC of this book back in the spring. I started reading it straight away, but I didn't want to blog about it too far in advance of its release date. I'm quite new to cosy witch fantasy novels and I have to say that, so far, I am enjoying the stories from this genre that I have been sent.

Board Games and Broomsticks is a soft escape into a magical world of analogue hobbies and small town vibes. Think Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic and you get the tone of this book. It tells the tale of Nyssa Hawthorn who fled the town of Nighthaven as a rebellious young woman in search of a more exciting life. After a disagreement with her grandmother about the coven path she planned to take, leaving her solitary witch roots behind, Nyssa successfully works her way up to become coven leader. However, her magic begins to go awry and after one too many mistakes in her castings, she is suspended from practice with her coven.

In despair, she mounts her broomstick and flies back home to Nighthaven, taking up residence in her now deceased grandmother's old cottage and setting up a magical board games cafe, where she sells her grandmother's special teas and tisanes. Her coven decide that she must perform three magical tasks to prove that she is worthy of her place with them, but then a wicked warlock from her past hunts her down and that is when Nyssa's troubles really begin.

This is very sweet book that is full of magical characters such as witches, druids, sirens, elves and selkies. The warlock is suitably sinister, but the threat level of this genre is always very mild, so its not a scary book. It has all the cosy content that you could wish for, with lush interior descriptions and an adorable feline familiar called Nyx.

I will also say here that this is a book which conforms to ticking all the boxes on the diversity list that every single publishing house seems to be pushing for these days, from the seemingly obligatory lesbian subplot to the rather clumsy inclusion of they/them background characters who don't add anything to the story arc and who don't move the plot forward in any way, but exist on the page simply to adhere to the publisher's woke agenda. When every new book release is pushing these same minority tropes to the public majority, it gets very annoying, because publishers don't even offer a fair warning in the blub, thereby removing the reader's right to choose whether or not they buy into this kind of diversity narrative by purchasing the book. However, in this novel, I'm pleased to say that the author has kept it mercifully subtle. The woke agenda is still there though.

If such blatant political agendas bother you, you might want to skip this one, but if not, then you will find Board Games and Broomsticks to be a delightfully cosy read and a nice book to pick up on a chilly autumnal day. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This novel was sent to me by the publisher, Random House UK, prior to its release for the purposes of review. It drops next week on 17th September 2026, in paperback, digital and audio formats.

MUSICAL DOLL: Happy Birthday Pal!

2026-09-06T06:00:00.000+01:00

Thinking of you on your birthday! Have a wonderful day!

With love from,

Marie

xxx

BOOK NOOK: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

2026-08-28T07:30:00.000+01:00

"She couldn't stop it. She burst into tears. Big, little-kid crying. Heavy sobs that shook her whole chest. She buried her face in her hands to hide. And before she knew what was happening, two arms were wrapped around her. Warm and entirely enveloping, a shoulder to press her face into that smelled like an autumn dream, woody and spicy, clean and smoky. A chin resting on the top of her head. She let herself be swallowed up, a little sorry creature swept up in a blanket from the cold rain. She let her guard down, just for a moment. It had been a long time since anyone had held her like this, like someone was around every part of her, a wall of safety between her and the world."

As soon as I had finished reading Uncharmed I knew that I wanted to read more books by the same author. Alas, at the moment she only has two books published, but I looked forward to curling up with Rewitched as soon as possible, hopeful that it would be just as good. Well, I have just finished reading it and I wasn't disappointed at all.

Rewitched is another cosy, witchy novel of magical realism, one that speaks of a much quieter magic than that of Uncharmed. In this novel, Belladonna Blackthorne, or Belle, is a witch who hardly uses her magic at all. She is so swept up in life that she hasn't really had the time or the inclination to study the Craft properly, and so she uses magic in a soft, gentle way - to wash the dishes for her, or to brew a cup of tea while she relaxes on the sofa as the steaming cup levitates towards her. That sort of thing. She certainly isn't a flashy witch.

Belle suffers from a deep seated feeling of being unworthy. She feels that she is behind in life, that she isn't up to the opportunities that come her way, that she will never be as a talented a witch as her mother is, so why bother? She remains detached from her coven and is quietly content with her non-magical life, sharing a flat with her best friend and her cat, and working in a cosy bookshop in London. In short, she is rather stuck and set in her ways, suspicious of change because she assumes that change makes everything worse. So she maintains the status quo of her life, working hard to make the bookshop an enchanting escape from the cold streets of London in mid-autumn and enjoying the safety of her small, cocooned life.

Then one day, a stranger turns up at the bookshop. A tall, dark, handsome and very magical stranger named Rune, with a letter from her coven. She must prove how well she has been using her magical abilities for the past fifteen years, or else they will be stripped away from her completely. Now, while Belle doesn't exactly use her magic for much, she enjoys the gentle magical charms that she does make and how they help her life to run smoothly, so she doesn't want to lose her powers altogether. With the help of Rune, and an ex-coven member named Artorius, she has a month to prove that she can become a proficient and well-rounded witch, capable of casting all kinds of magic for all kinds of scenarios and thus, she is thrust into a frenzy of magical study and practice as she tries desperately to prove that she is worthy of being a witch. However, someone is trying to sabotage her progress at every turn and Belle finds herself having to fight for her life and the lives of those she loves.

Rewitched is a lovely magical story that is full of autumnal charm. The scenes in the bookshop are some of my personal favourites, reminding me of when I worked at a bookshop and how cosy the store would be in the dark winter evenings, with the scent of coffee and pastries wafting around the shelves from the café counter we had in-store. Reading this book transported me back there again and made me wish that I could open up a magical bookstore of my own. That would be just lovely! Though I'm not sure what chance there is for independent book stores these days, as even the big book chains struggle to compete with the immediacy of Amazon. Still, its a nice dream to have.

The romance in this story is fun and feisty as sparks fly between Belle and Rune, the magic lessons are interesting, the villains are ones that I didn't see coming and the story reaches its climax on Halloween. What's not to like? All in all, I would say that Rewitched is another triumph of a book and that the author has successfully brought a new cosy vibe to the traditional witchy novel. And she has a brand new novel coming out in September too, which is exciting!

If you like cosy, autumnal mysteries and witchy magical realism, then you will probably enjoy reading Rewitched. I couldn't put it down and read it in a day and a half. Happy reading!

Serene Blessings,

Marie x

AD: This book is published by Pan Macmillan and is available now in all formats.

BOOK NOOK: Lochbound by Rebecca Templeton

2026-08-24T08:00:00.000+01:00

"I am used to being alone, living from one of Duncan's visits to the next. I prefer it, or so I tell myself. I would rather be alone than ask for help, than admit to everyone the truth of what happened to me all those years ago.

You're safe, I repeat to myself until I almost believe it. I have not been discovered.

All is well."

Lochbound has held me in thrall since page one! As soon as I was offered the ARC a few months ago, for a novel that is set by a Scottish loch and loosely based on the Little Mermaid, I practically snatched their hands off for it. It has held me in its grip for the past couple of days and I'm so glad to review it for the publisher, Little Brown Book Group.

The main protagonist, Iris, has been cursed by a witch so that she is the monster in the loch by day and only returns to her ageless human form at sunset each evening. This has been her existence for the past fifty years, hiding herself away in a cave during her human hours. Her lifelong friend, Duncan, now in his seventies, is the only person she has contact with and together they are looking for ways to try and break the curse. The problem is that people have been turning up dead, and the monster in the loch is the main suspect.

In fear, the Clan Chief and Laird of Castle Kilmara, hires a hunter to find and kill the monster. But unbeknown to the villagers the monster, named Moireach, is actually Iris, and she has no recollection of killing anyone, nor could she conceive of ever doing so. She and Duncan must discover who is committing these murders and protect Iris before the hunter discovers her secret and kills her.

I loved this novel. Although it lacks any Gaelic or Scots words and phrases which would have added to the sense of place, it does have a wonderful broadly Celtic atmosphere, with ceilidhs, an ancestral castle, old warriors and all the magic of the loch. There are several witches present, plus the threat of witch burnings. (So-called witches were burnt only in Scotland in the UK. In England they were hanged.) There is lots of Scottish folklore woven throughout, including the Seelie, kelpies and changelings, so its a very magical read.

The internal voice of Iris/Moireach battling for control is interesting as each one fights for supremacy and tries to subdue the other. Despite her plight, Iris has no shortage of suitors, with three different love interests all vying for the attention of this mysterious redhead with her emerald green eyes. The emotional entanglements and romantic leanings fill the pages with longing, hope, yearning and despair.

I especially liked the way in which obsessive love is portrayed here, showing how dangerous a spurned suitor can become as they allow their unrequited feelings to burn to an ever-growing resentment, eventually turning that hatred onto the object of their desire with bitter cruelty. Well, haven't we all been on the receiving end of that sort of mantrum?! I know I have, more than once, because the entitlement of men knows no bounds and that twisted emotional journey is depicted with great skill here.

I also enjoyed all the unexpected turns that the novel took and the way in which female jealousy and betrayal constantly simmers beneath the surface. The writing style is so deeply immersive, it draws you in completely and the story arc is more twisty than a merrow's tail! I could see all the parallels with The Little Mermaid, yet at the same time this story was something totally unique and true to itself, with a strong slice of Scottishness. It's really got me in the mood for my holiday to the Highlands and I will be peering into every loch I see, hoping to see a glimpse of something shimmering and scaley in the water.

In some ways Lochbound has echoes of other shapeshifter tales, such as the Swan Lake ballet or the 1985 movie Lady Hawke. It also reminded me a little of M A Kuzniar's novel Upon A Frosted Star, so it you like any of those stories then you might really like this book too. I have certainly enjoyed this dark fairytale novel and it is the perfect enchanting read for late summer. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me for the purposes of review by the publisher Sphere. It was published on 16th April in hardcover, kindle and audio formats.

MUSICAL DOLL: My Oath Is Steel

2026-08-19T08:30:00.000+01:00

I'm not sure if I believe in soul mates, but if I did, this would be mine. A knight of the Lion Rampant - I would love to go riding with him. 💖

xxx

WRITER'S DREAM: CELTIC MAGIC PUBLISHED!

2026-02-26T15:59:50.119+00:00

" 'My advice? Whatever you do don't lose your temper! It can lead to a heavy weight resting upon your conscience for the rest of your days. Aye, I wish somebody had told me that years ago, when I was young and hot-headed.' He bows his head in a moment of sorrow and reflection. You say nothing. You know of what he speaks, but you cannot help him. 'There is no changing the past,' he mumbles, 'only learning from it.' "

from The Good King meditation.

I have been so busy with my Oxford studies, plus my writing, and reviewing new books for publishers that I haven't yet had a chance to process the fact that my latest book was recently published! Allow me to introduce you to my new Celtic Magic, which is the Extended Collector's Edition from the Gilded Magic Series. It is the companion book to the Extended Norse Magic which was published last year in the same series and they make a stunning pair for any library.

This edition of Celtic Magic is just beautiful! It is hardcover and more than twice the length of the original that came out a few years ago. With its clothbound covers, picturesque end pages and gilded sprayed edges, this is a book to treasure. And just look at that Art Nouveau style Celtic lady on the cover! I love Art Nouveau so I am delighted that the design team have managed to give it a beautiful Celtic twist for the cover treatment. Both the Celtic Magic and Norse Magic books in this series really feel like me and I am so thrilled with how they have turned out. They are the kind of books I always dreamt of publishing, being elaborate and decorative hardback tomes suggestive of old libraries and magical bookshops.

I was writing this extended edition of Celtic Magic back in January last year, 2025, and it was a really fun writing experience. Of course, it was also super stressful because the deadlines and turnaround for projects with my current publisher is always so tight. I think I had about four weeks, from submitting the Anxiety Relief Card Deck at the end of December 2024, to write and submit Celtic Magic by the end of January 2025, so there was a bit of pressure. Needless to say, I worked right through Christmas and New Year 2024!

It was worth it though because it meant that I got to spend the colder, winter months tucked away writing some really fun projects. I was thrilled to be able to revisit the topic of Celtic magic and mythology once more. The mythology projects that I write are some of my favourites because they are just so joyful to create. I have always loved folklore, so to write books that are full of myths, legends, enchantment and folktales - and to get paid for doing it! - is such a dream come true for me.

Celtic and Norse mythologies are dearest to my heart and there is a slight overlap between the two, due to the Viking settlements in the UK and the blending of both Viking and Celtic cultures, including their storytelling traditions. For instance, Jormungandr, or the Midgard Serpent of Norse mythology is the forerunner of the Old Stoor Worm from Orcadian legend. Of course, the Orkneys were originally Nordic islands, given to Scotland as part of a marriage dowry in the 1400s and thus being absorbed into the UK as a result of the Act of Union in 1707 when England and Scotland united under one crown. It makes sense then that the Orcadian myths and fairytales would carry echoes of old Norse mythology and this is something I wanted to briefly highlight in the book. Because stories are never fixed. They grow and evolve and change in the telling. That very dynamism is what makes them so interesting and compelling. That is what gives them life and longevity.

In Celtic Magic I had a much bigger word count, so I have been able to recount classic myths and legends, retelling tales such as that of Geraint and Enid from the Mabinogion, and exploring folklore such as the Welsh Tylwyth Teg, the Scottish Spaewife, and the Fairy Knight of the Seelie Court. I have also included a few ghostly tales from battles lost and won, and the spectres that haunt the ancient stones of castle walls. In addition, there appears my own encounter with a group of ghost monks on the A616, which I transformed into ghostly Druid monks for the purposes of the book, but the original encounter was one that I had several years ago, in England, and it was both spooky and magical, so I wanted to write about it in the book.

As a part of the research for Celtic Magic I took a trip up to the Highlands, to Dunoon, in November 2024. I wanted to learn more about Clan Campbell and their somewhat shady past! The results of this research trip can be found in the pages of this book and Dunoon is a place I shall certainly return to because the history there is so rich. I was very keen to include snippets of Celtic history, as well as the mythology and magic, because without a grounding in the history of a place the mythology and magic doesn't make a lot of sense. History is what links magic, mythology and place together, it is the glue that binds it all into a cohesive whole. So you will find key historical characters such as King Robert the Bruce, his daughter Princess Marjorie Bruce, John Balliol the Tomb Tabard, Cartimandua, Boudicca, Rob Roy and of course, William Wallace, all represented here, as well as many Celtic deities.

One of the best aspects of writing these longer and more elaborate books is that I get to explore and share my own storytelling. I love fairytales, and I have dreamt of writing pagan fairytales, with a magical twist for many, many years. It is always a joy to me that I can now write my original phantasmagorical meditations for these bigger books, because I have a generous word count that can sustain them. This type of imaginative writing also suits the aesthetic style of these larger tomes - because when you open up the beautiful covers of a book like this one, you expect to find magical fairytales within!

Writing my pagan meditations began with The Book of Moon Magic a couple of years ago. They were very well received, both by my editors and by readers, so I was thrilled with the response and found it very encouraging. People have loved them and have commented on how beautiful they are, which is such a lovely compliment. In made sense then, that I would continue to write them wherever I had a word count to support them, because these fables do gobble up words! I have included lots of fantasy meditations in both the Celtic and Norse Gilded Magic books and they have been tremendous fun to write. It is so satisfying as an author that I get to write and publish fiction now too, dreaming upon the page and creating beautiful worlds for my readers to dive into and enjoy. I love the sheer escapism of it, both for readers and for myself as the author. Its such a pleasure to write.

In Celtic Magic you will find enchanting meditations where you meet key characters such as Boudicca, Cernnunos, The Good King, William Wallace, the Loch Ness Monster and your very own Anam Cara. There is also a meditation called A Winter Song of Snowflakes that is based upon the time I got lost on a mountain in Glencoe in the middle of a storm, which if you've been reading my blog for a while you probably remember. Yeah - its now in the book. My stupidity immortalised forever in print!

This is one of the things I love about being a writer. Everything is raw material. Every experience, be it good or bad, fun or scary, every friendship and relationship, every fight and disagreement, every trip and holiday, can all become the inspiration for a magical piece of writing. It is wonderful to now be in the position where I am able to transform these things into beautiful pagan fairytales and guided meditations, and to know that this is a relatively new aspect of my work that people really love and have taken to their hearts. That tells me that I am on the right track and heading in the right direction.

Celtic Magic was a joy to write. It draws heavily upon Scottish tradition and the magic is inspired by that region, with a touch of Welsh thrown in too - because frankly the Irish have had the monopoly on all things Celtic for long enough! This book came directly from my heart and from my love of Scotland and the Celtic culture that I adore. It includes a little bit of history, a dash of mythology, a sprinkling of magic and a few original fables as the cherry on top. I truly hope that you love reading it as much as I loved writing it for you.

And if you're one of my Scots boys - you're probably in the Acknowledgments, because a true Fellowship never dies. You were part of my Highland journey, so this book is as much yours as it is mine. I hope you like it. Love to you all.

Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This post promotes my own work, featuring books that are published and out now, including Norse Magic and the Anxiety Relief Toolkit Book & Card Deck

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Demure Days

2026-02-23T16:33:07.891+00:00

As winter begins to draw to a close and we look ahead to the brighter days of spring, it is time to think about coming out of hibernation. However, for me, that does not mean a return to the busyness of before. Something has changed in me this past winter. It is as if allowing myself the time and space to slow down has given me the chance to embrace my softer self. While I will always love my active hobbies - riding, skating, dancing etc., - I have a tendency to take on too much. A couple of years ago I was writing at least half a dozen projects a year, studying at Oxford, writing assignments, riding horses, going to music school for piano classes, attending the theatre, ballet, concerts etc. You name it, I was doing it and whilst it was a lot of fun and very productive, it was also exhausting.

Over the winter period however I have slowed myself right down. I booked a little time off with my publisher, realising that just because I'm self-employed doesn't mean that I'm not entitled to some annual leave. I am, so long as I give my publisher plenty of notice so that we can come up with realistic deadlines for future projects. I had Christmas and New Year off, which was lovely, but I was very careful not to overbook myself for too many festive events. As lovely as they are, they can also be quite exhausting to me because of the Chronic Fatigue.

So I slowed down. I finished up my final projects for 2025, redecorated my bedroom, got new synopsis in to my publisher for 2026 projects and then I just Flopped quite considerably. I have been in the Flop stage before. It's a natural result of being in Functional Freeze for so many years, but this time instead of fighting it, I just allowed it to happen. It was the best thing I could have done for myself, because I needed rest in order to process the difficult events of the last two years. I had to remind myself that I was not being lazy, that I had been retraumatized. I was feeling acutely triggered on a daily basis, even by people I love very deeply, and so I needed space to work through all the emotions that recent trauma had brought up.

In the space where busyness used to be, I felt a kind of healing begin to take shape. It's slow and steady and I'm not where I want to be just yet, but giving myself time and space, solitude and silence has really kick-started that process. I realised that the world was far too noisy for me. It was much too harsh, people were far too harsh, too demanding. So I retreated into my shell, into a world of my own making - my little house, where I could enjoy the peace and quiet, silence and solitude that I needed.

I stopped doing anything that left me feeling drained or anxious. Instead, I took up my quieter hobbies and became more of an indoor girl, as Jack says in Titanic. I spent my time stitching tapestry, knitting an army green scarf for one of my soldier friends (its about half-way done, Kermit!), baking chocolate brownies, having Lush baths and simply resting.

I prioritised my reading, enjoying the work of other authors and escaping into new novels. I watched Elven videos on You Tube and became so inspired by them that I decided to add faux cherry blossom vines around my four-poster bed, and deep red-rose vines around my fireplace and the screen in the living room. These simple, floral touches make my heart happy. I wish the flowers were real, but that's just not feasible for long term décor, yet they still add femininity and a touch of that Elven enchantment to my home.

I came to call these simple routines my demure days, where I would focus entirely on bringing more softness into my life and my home, bringing all my senses to a place of tranquillity. I listened to a lot of Enya and to Eleanor Tomlinson's Tales From Home, or Omnia's Naked Harp album. I read poetry and spent time colouring in my art therapy books, enjoying the process of turning a blank outline into something beautiful with a few strokes of a pencil crayon. I felt inspired to buy a few stickers so that I could add tiny flowers and butterflies to the images that I coloured in, placing butterflies in the manes of the unicorns and flowers on the fairy dresses.

I flipped through chic and feminine magazines. I gave some of my treasures a bit of a makeover, painting the dark brown frame of my French Pierrot mirror a pastel pink and adding chiffon butterflies to the frame too. I bought fresh flowers to arrange, digging out my old Pierrot bud vases and putting fresh blooms on my dressing table and by my bed, creating little vignettes of life and loveliness.

I set my piano playing gently to itself in the background, because it can do that, but I had never used that function before and it is actually rather lovely.

I invested in an answer phone and started letting the machine take all my calls, so that my peace was not disturbed at all. I reply to messages and get back to people, of course, but no message means no response from me. It weeds out the time-wasters from the genuine callers. I should have got one years ago!

In short, I enjoyed myself at home, in my own quiet way and it has paid off. I now feel calm and tranquil in my mind. My emotions are no longer being triggered at the drop of a hat - though this could be because I haven't been interacting with men, so there are no triggers around me. Only time will tell if that is the case, but for the most part I feel that my serenity has come back. I'm calm enough to pause before responding again, which is a big improvement on where I was a year or so ago!

My demure days have become an intrinsic part of my routine. They are an aspect of my self-care. Yes I am still studying at Oxford and I currently have an assignment to write, plus new books to start writing for my publisher too, but I'm not putting so much pressure on myself. I can enjoy my studies without feeling the need to be the perfect student. I can enjoy the process of writing my new books because I have a more generous deadline for them - 7 weeks instead of 4, in which to write them. This means that I have breathing space again, and time to enjoy my more demure hobbies and interests, as I surround myself with tranquil music and scented candles or a perfumed bubble bath. One day I will return to my active hobbies, but for the time being, all is soft, sweet and demure, and that's how I like it. It's exactly what I need at this phase of my life.

As women, I think that we have been conditioned into taking on hustle culture and being super productive, in addition to carrying the emotional needs of everyone around us, while neglecting ourselves in the process. It can be very draining. Demure days are a way to switch the focus back to softness, femininity and serenity. Back to yourself. Demure days are a source of better mental health and well-being. They are something that everyone deserves, regardless of gender. We all need more softness in this harsh world. We should all be much kinder to one another and to ourselves.

Demure days are not about neglecting your responsibilities. They are about helping yourself be calm and regulated enough that you can bring peace to those responsibilities. Being good to yourself, taking time out when you need it, asking for space - these are the things that will make you a better friend, girlfriend, sister or daughter. Demure days are good for you and in turn, for the ones you love.

I truly hope that I can maintain this sense of inner tranquillity that I have worked so hard to cultivate in myself these past few months. The real test will be when I come face to face with a man's ego again! Will I react, or will I breathe, pause and respond, with all the serenity of a Swan Queen? Time will tell, but I'm hopeful that it will be the latter.

Serene and Demure Blessings

Marie x

BOOK NOOK: Catherine by Essie Fox

2026-02-18T08:30:00.026+00:00

" 'He's not for you!' I exclaimed, just as a bird in a cage across the room began to trill. 'See that canary over there - I would no sooner set it free in the park this winter's day than suggest you spread your wings and fly away with such a man. You don't know him at all. He'd crush you like a sparrow's egg. He is the wolf to your lamb. He'd tear your throat out with his teeth and laugh to see you bleed to death.' "

I have been saving this ARC like a future treasure. Catherine is a retelling of Wuthering Heights and so I wanted to wait to read it, until after I had seen the new movie. I knew that I would want to prolong the movie vibes, so I kept this book on standby ready. I did really enjoy the film, even though it only tells half the story of Emily Bronte's classic novel, and key characters are missing entirely. However, the 2026 film isn't meant to be a faithful adaptation of the original text, but more of a romantic spin-off.

The original novel isn't a romance! It's meant to be a dark and twisted exploration of toxic relationships, prejudice, vengeance, generational abuse and trauma. Instead of sweet passion there is only obsession, instead of love there is only possession. That's not love or romance. It's abuse, as the abused becomes the abuser. As a character Heathcliff could be described as a sociopath at best, a psychopath at worst, so he is certainly not a romantic hero. He is a classic Byronic anti-hero. Recent woke agendas have declared Heathcliff to be of black origin. However, I studied the Bronte's work, including Wuthering Heights, at Oxford and the accepted academic theory is that Heathcliff was most likely to be of Romany-Irish traveller origin, hence why he is often referred to as a gypsy.

Whatever his origins, Heathcliff is a character that has captured the imagination for almost 200 years. I must confess though, that Wuthering Heights is not my favourite Bronte novel. It is emotionally heavy reading, it is full of suffering and there isn't one single likable character in the entire book! That said, it's not a book that you ever forget. Once you've read it, Emily's world stays with you in some deep, dark part of your psyche. Her original novel can be a bit of chore to read, as the author is deliberately setting out to confuse her readers with similar names for her characters, hints at a past that is never fully revealed or explained, suggestions of incest and the muddied lineage of the characters and inter-cousin relationships. Factor in the oblique Victorian language-style and well, it's messy, to say the least - although there will always be the ignorant romantic who waxes lyrical on how wonderful Heathcliff is and how romantic the novel is - and they are perfectly free to die on that hill.

But Wuthering Heights isn't a romance and it was never meant to be.

It's meant to be dark and twisted.

So it was long past time that the old classic was given a makeover and that is exactly what Catherine is. In this book, the author, Essie Fox, stays very close to Emily Bronte's original text. Her plotlines run parallel with the Bronte classic that we all know, no characters are omitted and all the main events happen as per the original novel. In this book though, it is the ghost of Catherine herself who is the narrator, rather than the outsider, Mr Lockwood. This gives the novel such a feeling of immediacy and authenticity that, at times, I forgot that I was reading a retelling. It also helps to make the original Bronte novel much more accessible, as Catherine is well-written but without the extremely convoluted, labyrinthine language of the classic. Whilst all the indigenous twists and turns are still there, they are presented in a much more straight-forward and modern literary way, so the book is a pleasure to read.

Here we get to know Cathy from her own perspective, rather than through the eyes of the often spiteful Nelly Dean of the classic. It is Cathy who speaks to us of her childhood, of her beloved moors and the vastness of nature that becomes her church, of her relationships and her ever-growing feelings for Heathcliff. We witness her wrestling with her conscience as she tries to be a good influence on her foundling friend, but only ends up having tantrums of her own. We feel the freedom of the moors through her experiences and what a blissful escape from trauma and abuse it was to both her and Heathcliff, and how this shared escape to freedom solidified their emotional bond. She is still the wilful Cathy that we know and love, yet her voice has softened slightly, as she recounts her story with the benefit of ghostly hindsight. In this novel, we are Cathy, just as Cathy is Heathcliff!

This POV and first person narrative makes it feel as if you are right at the heart of the story, in a way in which the original novel does not, because Bronte's intention was for the reader to experience the feeling of being the outsider, someone who is always looking in, but never quite included, much as Heathcliff was an outcast. In Catherine, the reader is very much included in the story and so you get to witness it unfold first-hand, one tragic piece of the puzzle at a time.

Catherine has been a fantastic read and I ripped through it in just a couple of days. It's a very pretty book, with cover art reminiscent of the Bronte Parsonage in Yorkshire, the home of the Bronte sisters. It also has beautiful end pages and sprayed edges with an avian, corvid theme. If you are a Bronte fan then you will probably enjoy this retelling of Wuthering Heights. It is just the thing to prolong the highly-romanticised Heathcliff vibes from the new movie, which is a must-see as it is such a beautiful and picturesque film.

However, if you're looking for a film that adheres to the original Bronte text, I recommend the 1992 version with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, which is fabulous and appropriately dark and twisted!

In the meantime, I'm off to play the new Wuthering Heights soundtrack from the latest movie and make plans for a day out on the Yorkshire Moors. Happy reading.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher prior to its release for the purposes of review. It was published on February 12th in hardcover, digital and audio formats.

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Valentine's Elven Love Spell

2026-02-14T12:00:00.004+00:00

If Cupid didn't bring you any Valentines this morning, fear not.

Here is one from a beautiful Elven Prince.

No mortal man could ever compete...

Because life has taught me that fantasy is far better than reality.

Happy Valentine's Day

xxx

BOOK NOOK : Uncharmed by Lucy Jane Wood

2026-02-07T20:14:00.000+00:00

" 'Absolutely not. No glitter,' Hal said. He looked accusatorially at Annie. 'If your magic is anything to go by, that damn stuff will get absolutely everywhere and I'll never see the end of it. I've already noticed yours, hanging everywhere around the place.'

'You don't like it?' Annie said, genuinely baffled. As a firm believer in extra sparkle at all times, she had tinkered with her own magic to ensure the glitter lingered a little longer than the average. "

I love reading witchy novels but sometimes those with a slant of history can be a little dark, even a touch depressing. So I was delighted when Pan Macmillan sent me an ARC of this book back in the autumn. Uncharmed is a cosy, witchy fantasy with a hint of romance and magic galore. In this world, witchcraft is hidden but not forbidden and there is no mention of the historical witch hunts of the past. It's a very light hearted and immensely fun read.

I hadn't read this author before so her work is a new discovery to me and I have to say that I loved Uncharmed right from the opening lines of the very first page. It tells the story of Andromeda Wildwood, or Annie, who runs a beautiful bakery in London, whipping up enchanted pastries and cakes for her unsuspecting customers. She lives in a self-designed world of pure femininity, where everything is pink and pretty, including her bakery and the cakes she creates. Imagine if the Charmed Ones ran a magical branch of Peggy Porschen - that's the vibe of this book. It has echoes of the Joanne Harris novel Chocolat but with way more magic involved.

I really liked the characters in this novel. Annie is a lot like Elle Woods from the Legally Blonde films and I kept picturing Reese Witherspoon in my mind as I was reading. However, Annie takes perfectionism to a whole new magical level, making Mary Poppins seem like an underachiever! Everything in her life is spot-on and flawless, but as her perfectionism is a trauma response to the loss of her parents, she has a deep seated feeling of being unworthy and not good enough and so she has fallen into the classic trap of becoming a people pleaser. She takes on far too much, running her bakery, offering emotional support to her customers, helping out with her coven and going on blind dates she doesn't want, all because she's too afraid to say no to anyone. She doesn't want to disappoint people.

So when her coven leader asks her to take on the training of an unschooled teenage witch who has recently come into her powers, Annie feels compelled to say yes, even though she has little time to spare. And that's where all the trouble begins, for young Maeve is in no mood to be trained, least of all by a version of Pink-Witch-Barbie and her wooden spoon! She wants to learn from her own instincts and her love of books, not from a mentor in perfection. Annie has her work cut out and following a particularly disastrous false start, she and Maeve are sent away to a ramshackle cottage in the woods, lost in the middle of nowhere, where the magic lessons can do no further harm. Cue magical house-makeover montage - fabulous! Very Nicole Kidman in Bewitched.

This is a novel that explores the true meaning of family, of home, of love and what it means to be a good friend - with a clear depiction of false friendships too by way of comparison. The romance is light and slow burning, there is a hilarious bad day when the magic has lapsed, plus some epic magical battle scenes. In short, it has everything you could wish for from a cosy, witchy fantasy novel.

Uncharmed is a lovely stand-alone story. The vanilla fragranced magic shimmers across the page in a stream of pink glitter and its just so visual in its descriptive passages that it would make a wonderful movie. There is tons of magic in this one - rival covens, some adorable familiars and a few comical mistakes. There were parts of the book that made me laugh out loud, especially the meet-cute with Hal and the bickering relationship that develops between Annie and Maeve. With echoes of Disney's Fantasia and the classic fairytale Snow White, its easy to see where the author found her inspiration, yet she has somehow managed to transform these echoes into something that is entirely her own and altogether charming. It's a fairytale as much as a witchy novel and it will make your mouth water for Annie's deliciously enchanted pastries.

If, like me, you believe that everything can be improved with a little bit of shimmer, and if you are a pink witch with a sweet tooth, then you will love this sparkling, brilliant book. But make sure you have a few sweet treats on hand because you will crave a sugar-rush as you read this delightful confection of a novel. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This novel was sent to me by the publisher Pan Macmillan for the purposes of review. It is available now in hardcover, digital and audio formats.

BOOK NOOK: The Undoing of Violet Claybourne

2026-02-03T17:47:00.003+00:00

"The snow was soft and powdery and made a satisfying squeaky crunch beneath our feet. The air was clean and brittle. When we reached the small copse, I turned around and drew a breath. Against the white ground and pale grey sky, Thornleigh looked magnificent. With its turrets and jagged edges it appeared like a thorny weed sprung miraculously from the frozen ground. Yet, there was also something foreboding about the way it sat, up there on the mount, watching over us."

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne has been on my shelf for a while now, waiting for when I had time and space to read it. It is a galloping Gothic novel and I devoured it in two days. I have read lots of Gothic novels as a reviewer, but this one is a real page turner and it kept me gripped throughout. There isn't a single slow moment - the action keeps moving along at a great pace and at times it left me breathless, almost panicked, so authentic is the writing.

It tells the story of three sisters and Gillian, who is the friend of the youngest sister and the main protagonist. The Claybourne sisters, Emmeline, Laura and young Violet, are from a very affluent family, living on a large country estate. The story begins in the years leading up to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Violet arrives at Heathcomb Boarding School for Girls and becomes Gillian's roommate. To begin with, the novel has quite strong Dark Academia vibes.

Right from the start Gilly is captivated by Violet and her daredevil, rebellious ways and the two soon become firm friends. Until Violet came along, Gilly was rather a loner, ignored by her father, who is her only surviving parent, and frequently left with an aging aunt for the school holidays. So when Violet invites Gillian to spend the Christmas holidays at her home, Thornleigh Hall, Gilly is delighted to accept.

Upon arrival she is soon swept away by the grandeur of the estate, where one is expected to dress for dinner each evening, expensive shopping trips are put 'on account' and where lavish balls are planned for the festive period. It is a place where the elites thrive, a place of hunting, shooting and fishing on the lake and Gillian soaks it all up. She is especially enthralled by Violet's glamourous older sisters - Emmeline, the sophisticated and studious eldest sister who is an Oxford student, and Laura, the fun-loving, jazz-playing middle sister who has quite a Flapper-esque feel about her reminiscent of the roaring twenties, rather than the 1930s. Gillian is full of admiration for both the older girls and the exciting lives that they lead, studying, hunting, shopping, drinking and dancing.

She is seduced by the appearance of generational wealth, the routines of the household, for instance, having tea in the library by a huge open fire, the talk of coming out balls, handsome suitors and engagements, and the prospect of participating in the Christmas festivities at such a grand home as Thornleigh Hall. She is desperate to be included, accepted and welcomed as some sort of adopted sister, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to win the approval of the sisters, especially Emmeline.

However, things take a turn for the worse when events during the Boxing Day Hunt go terribly awry, sealing the four young women in a relationship that they could never have predicted and can't escape. From then on the novel gets increasingly darker and the Gothic tropes are deployed thick and fast - secrets, lies, madness, incarceration, scapegoats, power and control. The novel simply strides along, following the four women from their last youthful and disastrous Christmas, right up until they are old ladies in their seventies, but the pacing never slows down. There are some fantastic red herrings and brilliant twists in the tale that I never saw coming!

In some ways this book reminded me of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, or maybe the first book in the S.T.A.G.S series by M A Bennet, because it has that same theme of a poor young woman seduced by the affluence and wealth of the elite class, so if you like either of those books then you will probably enjoy The Undoing of Violet Claybourne too. It is certainly a very harrowing read at times and it made me feel very glad that I have never had any sisters, because the sisterly bonds in this book are torturous! It is an excellent psychological thriller, set in an affluent world of privilege, all with serious Gothic undertones. Enjoy!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Bonnier Books, for the purposes of review. It is available now in all formats.

ONCE UPON A DREAM: I'm Back at Oxford!

2026-01-31T17:56:00.000+00:00

I wasn't planning on returning to university. I finished my year of studying at Oxford University in December 2024, which marked the end of ten years of studying. I received the news that I had passed the course in January 2025 and I thought that was that. I thought that I was done with my studies. I'd already achieved all that I had wanted to achieve academically and I was happy to just take that knowledge forward and get on with my life. Although I felt a slight touch of fomo back in September when all the back-to-uni vibes were buzzing, I personally had no intention of jumping back into it at all.

However, as soon as I realised that some people were irritated by my academic achievements, I felt like they were waving a red rag to a bull. My rebellious Bruce heart was roused and I immediately applied to another university course! I was accepted back in October 2025 and duly paid my course fees. There's no denying I did it for devilment. I did it to prove a point. The point being, no-one puts limits on what I can achieve. No-one tells me what I can and can't do. I decide those things for myself. Its called autonomy and I'm actually rather good at it! Nobody puts Baby in the corner.

I also really enjoy studying. I love the scholarly life, the lectures, the study groups, the common room chit-chat and so on. To a certain degree, I even quite enjoy writing essays - not because they are enjoyable, but because I like to see for myself how much learning I have absorbed and what kind of sense I can make of it. This reputation for having a scholarly approach has also brought in additional writing opportunities that I might not have received otherwise, so studying has been great for my work as a writer.

The thing about studying at university level is that - its like a game. The tutors, whilst very supportive and lovely, will push you and stretch you to see if you break under pressure. Academics has its own language and you will not be given a glossary of terms or a crib sheet to explain it all. You are expected to learn the language under your own initiative. You are expected to come to lectures with a reasonable foundation of scholastic learning to begin with. If you don't already have that in place, its your job to do the ground work, and do it quickly! That's why peer support and study groups are so useful, because you can learn from other one another. If you have been out of education for some time, university can be very intimidating, but it is meant to be, especially at somewhere like Oxford, which has its own rep to protect. The onus is on the student to bring themselves up to par.

When I first began studying the psychotherapy course back in autumn 2013, I realised that I didn't have a full understanding of the academic lingo. I didn't have an A-level, only my GCSEs, and I was jumping straight in at university level. That was a significant academic gap for me to bridge. I loved books, but I had to learn how to do more detailed close-reading of texts, breaking them apart, finding the key structure and thesis, formulating my own argument and using the text as simply a jumping off point for my own hypotheses. I knew how to meet a deadline, but academic research was quite new to me and not something I had done very much of in the past. It was quite a learning curve, but one that I enjoyed immensely. I studied the art of studying, alongside my actual course studies, learning what makes a great essay, what pitfalls to watch out for, how to construct an argument and so on. None of these things were taught in class by our tutors. They were things I taught myself through self-study outside of the lecture hall.

I turned the whole thing into a game, competing not against my fellow students, but against myself, to see how clever I could become, how learned I could make myself feel. And that is where the buzz of academics kicked in - because there is a buzz to developing your own intellect and to leaving a class, a lecture or a course, a bit smarter than you were when you started. I learnt that I was clever, but I had to work hard for that knowledge, pushing through impostor syndrome, fear of failure and inadequacy until I slowly began to trust my own intelligence. I loved that my mind was being stretched and the feeling of neuroplasticity that gave me. The academic buzz was strong!

So the idea of returning to university to do another course wasn't distasteful to me, and like I said, I had a point to prove! I do what I want, I achieve what I want and if people don't like me for it that's just tough. I'm always going to press ahead - its in the Bruce blood.

I began my current course with Oxford a few weeks ago, at the start of Hilary term and it will continue until early summer. Its a topic that has fascinated me for many, many years and I am enjoying studying the subject academically. There are, of course, more essays to write and presentations to give, but for the most part I am excited by the course rather than apprehensive about it. Having spent the whole of 2024 studying at Oxford, I know what to expect, so I feel that I am well prepared and I have a firm grounding in how Oxford University works, what the Professors expect etc. The subject is one close to my heart and it's making me rethink what I thought I knew about it, which is always a good thing. I have lectures a couple of times a week, plus study group and common room, and our Professors are lovely. It can be a little dry at times, but that's Oxford for you! Its just all part of the academic sphere.

My first formative essay is due in mid-February so I am currently in the note-taking phase of planning that out. It is rather fun and I get to be a scholar all over again, which is nice. I do think though, that having been a university student for over a decade, across various courses and subjects, that I will always be a scholar now. It's how I have programmed my mind to work and that is no bad thing. Plus its really good for my writing career which is an added bonus.

Until next time, Dominus illuminatio mea.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

BOOK NOOK: Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory

2026-01-28T20:42:00.000+00:00

'She has a pretty face,' I say simply. 'But it's not a false face. And he's seen nothing but false faces and painted smiles for all his life. D'you think he wants an honest woman now? Does any man want an honest woman as his wife? Don't you all prefer liars?'

I have just finished reading Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory and I feel quite moved by it. I have read all of Gregory's Tudor Court and Cousins War novels and I love how immersive they are. The writing is so rich and full of tiny little details about daily life in the Tudor court, that you feel as if you are a part of that world. This novel is just as strong, throwing you into the story in the midst of Anne Boleyn's fateful marriage to King Henry VIII and leading you through the fates of his next three successive wives.

I have no liking for Henry VIII. He was a terrible abuser of women, even by the standards of his own time. He was a despotic, misogynistic individual who ruled on a whim and was prone to childish tantrums. Like many overindulged spoilt brats, he only got worse as time went on, keeping his wives in a perpetual state of anxiety, insecurity, panic and fear for their lives. There is no doubt that he was a highly abusive husband who treated all of his wives appallingly, lining up the next wife before he'd even dispatched the previous one! Disgusting man! He was a real-life Bluebeard, murdering wives and quickly seeking out another, by way of replacement.

In this novel however, we follow the story of a woman who oversaw the Queen's Rooms throughout these tumultuous events. Jane Boleyn was Anne Boleyn's sister-in-law, wife to George Boleyn, and the women who managed to keep her head when they did not. Indeed, Jane is a staple of the Queen's Rooms, keeping everything running smoothly despite the upheaval of having to welcome one wife after another. She is the Chief Lady in Waiting to the Queen - any queen, whoever the king's itch of the moment happens to be. Her allegiance is to the Crown, to herself and her patron, Thomas Cromwell. In short, Jane is a spy, using her place among the queen's ladies to glean information and pass it back to Lord Cromwell.

As such she is a rather duplicitous character and while I wouldn't say that I liked her, I did find myself having some empathy for her, especially towards the end. You know you are reading a great author when you dislike a character but still find yourself sympathising with them. It is one of the signifiers of excellent writing.

As first one queen and then another falls and is dispatched, Jane is on hand to usher in the new queen and to serve her as a friend and advisor. The problem is that Jane is a false friend and a bad advisor, her judgement being skewed by her own personal ambition. She is clever, but perhaps not quite as clever as she thinks she is. There is more than a touch of hubris about her and she is prideful because she is very book-learned and she can speak Latin and Greek with the powerful men of court. Jane convinces herself that while the queens might be disposable, she is indispensable.

I found this novel to be very chilling in places. There are scenes that depict the smooth running of the court, the Queen's Rooms especially, which go on in the same routine, regardless of who is the current queen, regardless of the current religion which oscillates between Catholicism and Protestantism and back again. Nothing else ever changes here, except the woman who wears the crown and her position is always precarious. There is no mourning when one queen is disposed of and another comes in to take her place. There is no change in the routine, no change in the wardrobe - the new queen is expected to wear the jewels and attire of all the former queens with a smile of gratitude on her face. I'm surprised they even changed the bed sheets! Its all so cold, so cruel and unfeeling, like Henry himself is. There is an undercurrent of fear and distrust throughout the book, for how can a man who so easily switches from one wife to the next ever be trusted? He can't. His word is false, his temper is short and his love is only for himself. Sadly there are still men like that around today, who seem just as quick to trade in one wife for another.

Jane has to try and navigate all this, while passing information back to her mentor, Cromwell, and keeping herself as safe as possible in the treacherously unsafe world that is King Henry's court. Jane Boleyn has been much maligned throughout history, often depicted as the original nosy Parker (her maiden name) and shown to be vindictive and vengeful. In Boleyn Traitor however, she is treated with far more sympathy than she is in say, Emily Purdy's The Tudor Wife, which holds fast to the propaganda of Jane as a spiteful, spurned wife. This is what I love about Philippa Gregory's work - she does her research thoroughly enough to be able to turn such propaganda on its head, presenting historical women in a more nuanced and multi-dimensional way, and while I did enjoy Purdy's novel, I prefer this one and the Jane Boleyn that Gregory portrays. Both novels are cracking reads, particularly if you enjoy Tudor court fiction.

I especially liked the way in which the court masques are used as a metaphor for the duplicity of the community and of the king. In Henry's court, everyone must wear a mask in order to survive and his love of play-acting and mumming is legendary. Gregory uses this historical detail as a plot device to great effect. There is also the significance of May Day and what it meant within Henry's court - the contrast between the seasonal merry-making and the betrayals that were playing out in the midst of all the revelry is truly shocking, as well-loved companions of the king ride away smiling, only to discover that favour has turned against them. This is masterful storytelling and I will never see May Day in quite the same way again!

As the novel progresses the tension increases and I had a growing sense of dread as I turned the pages. Even though I already knew how Jane's story ended, it didn't soften the blow when her luck eventually runs out. Of course her luck would run out - she was a woman, after all, and Henry really didn't like women. Her fate was in part self-inflicted, but I do believe that she would have suffered either way, by virtue of her being a women in the court of a misogynist king, as all the queens that she served suffered before her. It is impossible not to be moved by her story as she tried her best to survive in impossibly dangerous circumstances.

Boleyn Traitor is a fantastic historical novel and it has kept me gripped late into the night. And just look at that cover! It is both beautiful and horrific - just as King Henry's court would have been. Enjoy the intrigues of this spectacular novel - and whatever you do, don't let your mask slip - you never know who might be watching...

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory is published by HarperCollins and is out now in hardcover, digital and audio formats.

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Quiet Ambition

2026-01-25T08:52:00.004+00:00

"Ambition is not a vice of little people."

Michel de Montaigne

I have often been ridiculed for my ambition. When I worked at the vets my success as a writer was smirked at and quickly dismissed by some of my colleagues as no more than a pipedream, something that would never happen. I remember the day when they all gathered around a computer and one of them Googled my name. I distinctly recall the silent shock that followed when all my traditionally published books appeared on Amazon and Waterstones websites and it became clear to them that I was already a highly successful author! This was no pipe dream - this was my life's work - and it was staring them in the face in black and white. I drove the point home by repeating that the vets was simply a student job to me while I completed my Masters Degree and that I would return to working from home and writing books again as soon as I had the Master of Arts under my belt. Their attitude seemed to be that I should be content to be a receptionist, that I was very lucky to be working there doing twelve to fourteen hour days for minimum wage.

This attitude continued even after I left the vet hospital to write new books for my current publisher, with one of my former veterinary colleagues using Facebook to remind me that working at the vet hospital had been my bread and butter and that I should never forget that fact, the implication being that it should completely define who I am as a person. As if! I rolled my eyes and pointed out once again, that it had only ever been a student job, that my real job was in publishing and always had been. It just goes to show though that there will always be those crabs in a bucket who try to pull you down, no matter what you do.

Ambition is often viewed as a dangerous thing, something to be nipped in the bud and discouraged at all costs. While ambition that over-reaches talent is a bit conceited, unless steps are being taken to improve that talent with training and education; and while it can certainly be very dangerous when top jobs are given to self-serving individuals whose personal ambition outweighs the greater good of all, say for instance a President or a Prime Minister; in general I believe that ambition is a very good thing and we should be encouraging it, especially in young people. We should also encourage ambition in older people too, helping them to grow and develop and reach their full potential, because what you were born to is not necessarily the same as what you are meant for. Growth is a natural aspect of life and it should be nurtured.

I have always been quietly ambitious. By this I mean that I tend to keep a lot to myself. This is partially because I am a Scorpio and Scorpios are naturally very private, some might even say secretive. I have a very rich internal life that no-one knows anything about. I know what I am hoping to achieve, I know who my network consists of, I know what I want to do with my time and the kind of legacy I want to leave behind. I just don't talk about it. I keep it to myself and I quietly take the gentle steps I need to take in order to give myself the best chance of achieving those goals. While I have never been interested in the red carpet lifestyle and I am definitely not dazzled by wealth, I still have my own sense of quiet, gentle ambition. I am interested in a much softer form of success, one that better suits my personality as an introvert and a woman who is bookish and cobwebby! I just keep it to myself.

As an example, when I was a student of psychotherapy, everyone made the assumption that I wanted to work in the field as a counsellor, but that was never my plan. My ambition was to qualify, specifically so that I could add another string to my writing bow in the form of psychology writing, and I have achieved that goal. I now write psychology books under my first name, Jacqueline Bruce. Goal achieved. I allowed people to keep their assumptions. I didn't correct anyone or tell them my real plans. I just stuck with five years of training, qualified and then set about writing and publishing psychology books. As a result, while most of my fellow students have since bemoaned the fact that there are no paid jobs for counsellors and they are expected to work for free, I have been generating an income from writing about psychotherapy and helping people via my books, and occasionally in private practice where I have more control over the type of clients I work with.

This is how quiet ambition works. It isn't loud. It isn't brash and boastful. It just sets the goal and then moves in silence to achieve it. Often the first anyone hears of it is after the goal has already been achieved. Once its a done deal, it is up for discussion, but not before. I find that this is the best way to focus on something, because there are no external opinions and distractions to contend with. As I said earlier, some people will go out of their way to try and tear you down, so by keeping your plans to yourself, you give them no opportunity to do so. By the time they hear of your ambitions, it should already be a goal achieved.

I have also been berated for my success. In the past I have been accused of making things look easy, be this equestrianism, ice-skating, publishing, academics etc and I would say that this is the only downside to quiet ambition. Because if you are not talking about your goals, then you are also keeping your struggles to yourself. No-one will see the labour and consistent effort you put in, they will only see the triumph, in the same way that people see the swan gliding effortlessly on the water and fail to recognise the hard work that is going on beneath the surface as the swan's feet work like pistons in a factory! Some people only want to see the glide, the beauty, the grace. Smart people look beneath the surface to see how much work is actually involved!

If people are not smart enough to look closely, they can quickly find themselves out of their depth as they suddenly realise that actually, its not that easy. It's bloody hard work! Such people might also blame you for the difficulty they are having in trying to achieve the same goals or enjoy the same hobbies as you, but that's on them. They obviously have a lot of personal growth to do. However, this is something I have had to deal with time and time again. It has proved to be the end of friendships and acquaintances, as people try to emulate my achievements, only to discover through personal experience just how hard I had to work to achieve them! Nothing has just come to me. I have worked hard for everything I do, be that horse-riding, ice-skating, publishing my books or succeeding academically at university and post-graduate level. I'm just a very determined and driven person. I don't give up easily and I feel the need to press ahead. Achievement makes me happy.

I think the reason behind such chagrin is that people mistake the sting of competition for a genuine ambition. They might be inspired to try and achieve a similar goal to me, or even the exact same one, but if they allow themselves to start seeing me and my achievements as their personal competition, someone to beat, to outshine, to outsmart, then they are only doing themselves a disservice. They are taking inspiration and transforming it into a form of toxic competition between me and them. But it isn't a competition, and for the most part I have no idea that they are feeling this type of way about my achievements until they start bitching at me about it! Then it becomes clear that they are feeling competitive towards me, convincing themselves that I've had such an easy ride, while they are having to work so hard for the same goal. Its the world's smallest violin! Because I didn't have an easy ride. I just kept the moments of struggle to myself. I chose to share only the triumph of the victory. But that doesn't mean that I didn't work hard for it. I did.

Competition can quickly become very toxic. It can eat you up inside, leading to jealousy and envy, possibly even sabotage and disagreements. It can end relationships and friendships. It can lead to family feuds and sibling squabbles. Ambition should be nurtured and encouraged, yes, but if you are feeling overly competitive towards someone you claim to care about, you need to nip that toxic competition in the bud before it destroy your relationship with that person. Telling yourself that everything came so easily to them is a clear indication that toxic competition is in play and you are now seeing them as a rival, rather than a friend.

Personally, I only ever compete against myself. I want to do better than I have done before. I want to beat my own achievements, so I'm not really focussing on what anyone else might be doing. I'm too busy living my own life and achieving my own goals, by myself, for myself. No competition required. I am the only competition I need to think about. How can I be better, do better, achieve more than I have before? How can I keep growing, keep expanding, keep challenging myself, even in small and gentle ways? Where is my ambition taking me and is that the direction I want my life to go? Is it time to let the fire-horse of ambition have a free head or do I need to rein it in a little? What do I want my next achievement to be, and the next, and the next? Where does my personal Victory lie and what must I do to fight for it and attain it? How can I schedule in some positive rest? What does the space between achievements look like for me? What will I do, how will I recover from the labour of a big goal achieved? How can I learnt to fly peacefully and serenely, soaring through the clouds like a dove?

This is quiet ambition in action. Move in silence. Keep things to yourself. Don't mistake the sting of competition for a genuine ambition. Schedule recovery time. Compete only against yourself and know where and what your personal victory point is. Most of all, remember than successful people in any field have worked very hard to achieve their success. If that triggers you, you need to do some personal growth work and self-reflection to discover why.

People will not stop succeeding and growing just because it makes you feel uncomfortable or threatened in some way.

And I certainly won't!

I'll use your chagrin as fuel to achieve even more! Thanks for the motivation.

Serene Blessings

Marie x

WRITER'S DREAM: My Manifestation Workbook Journal!

2026-01-16T20:49:00.000+00:00

"You may have heard that you must fight for what you want, but what if you could write for what you want instead..?"

Throughout my career as an author I have wanted to write about the alchemical magic and transformation of having a writing practise, in particular a journaling practise. Many years ago I noticed that the things I wrote about in my diary as if they were pipedreams, would later manifest into my reality. For instance, back in 2003 I wrote "I wish I could write and sing my own album of pagan songs and melodies! That would be so cool!" Fast-forward to 2007 and I was asked by Paradise Music to write and create an album of pagan and witchy songs that could be used in ritual, leading on to my album Moon Chants being released on Samhain 2009. I didn't do anything to bring about this opportunity, other than write about the possibility of composing and singing my own songs in my diary a few years earlier. The point is, I wrote about it and it happened.

The same thing occurred again when I wrote in 2005 "I'd love to be a witchy columnist in a magazine and write for them each month!" Then in 2008 an editor contacted me with a suggestion that I become their new columnist and I spent the next eight years writing my Witching Hour column with the top esoteric magazine in the UK, Spirit&Destiny. Again, this opportunity came out of nowhere. I wrote about it in my diary and it just happened. That is the alchemy of a journal writing practise.

Over the years I have also wished for the chance to write about the benefits of writing, journaling and keeping a diary of thoughts, dreams, feelings and ambitions, so I couldn't be more thrilled that I am now creating new Journals for people to use in their own lives. My gratitude Journal, I Am Grateful, was published last year under my first name of Jacqueline Bruce and it explores the concept of gratitude as a tool of emotional regulation and mental well being. More recently, two more of my Journals have just been published too and I wanted to jump on my blog and tell you a bit more about them.

The Manifestation Workbook by Marie Bruce is, in my opinion, the prettiest one of the bunch so far! It was published at the start of January 2026 and I am very excited for its release into the wild. The floral cover is just beautiful and represents the potential blooming and blossoming of your life as you work your way through the Journal. It is a soft book, full of pretty pastel shades and dreamy floral watermark imagery that sits quietly in the background of the pages, ready for you to script out your dreams and help them to bloom. The artwork isn't intrusive, rather it is designed to enhance your own written contributions to each page, with beautiful borders and watercolour images inspired by nature.

There are Power Insights, Journal Prompts that promote self-reflection and personal growth, inspirational quotations from both ancient philosophers and modern celebrities, as well as plenty of space for you to dream on the page and write your future into being. I also wanted there to be space for you to get creative, so there are pretty boxes where you can draw, paint, stick in lists, photos, postcards and tickets from trips that inspired you and so on. In addition, there is a double page spread specifically designed so that you can create your own portable vision board that aligns with your personal ambitions, right within the heart of the book.

Personally, I always get a little annoyed when I buy a guided journal, only to realise that there is actually very little space for me to write in it, meaning that I have to run out and buy a separate note book to use with the journal. Psychologically, a cramped writing space also makes for a confined way of thinking, so I always want my Journals to have plenty of space for you to dream vastly upon the page! Life is huge, its a big world and your ambitions should be large enough to take up space. I want people to use my Journals to help them dream vastly and expansively.

I am frequently asked how it is that I tend to get the things that I want and achieve all my goals. The Manifestation Workbook answers that question, because it is largely based on my own life and the things that have worked well for me. It is basically a blueprint of my own strategies for success and how I keep my mind on track so that I achieve my personal goals. It is a tool for making your dreams come to fruition and for daring to allow yourself to dream big. It is designed to nurture your personal ambition and the prompts have been very carefully worded in order to bring to the surface the deepest desires of your heart.

Like everything I write these days, my numerous years of psychotherapy training is at the epicentre of all my Journals and each one contains tried and tested psychological tools for you to try out, be that the concept of Free Play, Time Structuring, Self-Reflection or something else. In fact, the act of journaling is in itself, a form of Scripting, which is a series of written exercises, letters and prompts that we use in psychotherapy to help people assimilate their past, present and future selves. It is a powerful psychological technique and it is present to some degree in all of my Journals.

I think this is important to stress, because we live in a world of Pseudo-Psychologists who populate social media and offer advice and techniques that they are not really qualified to give, so you do have to be careful. Rest assured that my own Journals are the result of five years of university training in Psychotherapy and Therapeutic Counselling, with the graduate degree to match and the subsequent experience in practice with clients, so I know what I'm talking about!

In light of this, my third Journal, which was also published recently, is one of self-reflection. The Me and Mine Journal by Jacqueline Bruce is specifically designed to help you get to know yourself on a much deeper level. It is also meant to deepen your relationships with family and friends, as well as showing you how to navigate your way through a world that can often seem too loud, when all you want is peace. This is a Journal of self-discovery, asking you to consider exactly what your needs are, and if they are currently being met to the high standard that you deserve? The Me and Mine Journal will help you to rediscover Yourself and Your Inner Child, as well as key areas of your life such as Seasonal Changes, Relationships, Ambitions and Hobbies, Emotional Intelligence and so on. Again, there is plenty of space within the Journal for you to respond to the psychotherapy based prompts, and the unintrusive art work is soft pen and ink drawings of leaves, flowers and aspects of nature.

These Journals are meant to be a collaboration between me and you and the universe. They are a place of co-creation, where you play a vital role in the completion of these books. In all of my Guided Journals, my authorial voice is much softer, more of a gentle whisper in the background, urging you to fill out the pages yourself. That, I feel, is how a Guided Journal works best. These are the books where I, the author, step back, while you, the reader, become the main author of the work - and indeed, of your life. Because in these books, it is your contribution that forms the most important word count! You will get out of them as much as you choose to put in.

My hope is that you will come to love these Journals that I have created and that you will come to see them as close bookish friends and companions through life. All my Journals are timeless, so they are not attuned to a specific year or seasonal cycle, meaning that you can pick them up and dive right in whenever and wherever you happen to discover them.

Much like my blog, they are a soft, safe space for you to turn to when life gets a little fraught and hectic and you need a gentle reminder that it is okay to slow down, to take a moment, to reflect and observe, and most of all, to enjoy all the days of your life. I hope that you will embrace these Guided Journals, hold them close to your heart and treasure them as the precious tools of insight and transformation they were designed to become, and that you will make a sacred ritual out of your journaling practise. Happy Journal writing!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This post promotes my own work as detailed below:

The Manifestation Workbook by Marie Bruce was published on 1st January 2026 and is available now.

The Me and Mine Journal by Jacqueline Bruce was published on 30th September 2025 and is available now.

The I Am Grateful Journal by Jacqueline Bruce was published on 1st October 2025 and is available now.

ONCE UPON A DREAM: Winter Hibernation

2026-01-09T21:08:00.000+00:00

"...you must learn not to have those around you drink your energy. I have learnt the hard way. As a child I used to give away light like it was nothing. Those without it would fill themselves up with all that good energy like I was an eternal font. The purest light attracts the most impenetrable darkness."

from Hex by Jenni Fagin

We finally have a bit of sparkly winter weather, with our first proper snowfall of this winter making everything gleam! This is Mother Nature's reminder that the winter season is meant to be a time to bunker down, rest and dream of a brighter tomorrow. Hibernation is the key word at this time of the year, but I must be honest and confess that I have been in hibernation mode since early 2025!

Over the last couple of years I have reassessed my life and I have noticed a pattern. Like lots of empathic and compassionate people, I tend to give away too much of my light. I am very quick to step forward and help someone, to take on the responsibility for their safety and wellbeing. While this isn't a bad thing, and lord knows the world needs more kindness, too much of it can be detrimental to our own health and wellbeing. When it becomes a habit, as it had with me, it can lead to lots of one sided relationships that do not serve you, but only serve to drain you, leaving you exhausted.

Relationships should be reciprocal, meaning that you should get as much from them emotionally as you are giving. If that reciprocation isn't there, then that isn't a relationship - its a master/servant dynamic, one where you serve a purpose in someone's life and they are happy to keep you around for as long as you are prepared to serve, but you get nothing in return. You give, they take - but it never works the other way around. It's not a fair dynamic - and it certainly isn't love! Or even friendship. If anything, it demonstrates a complete absence of love and respect on their part. They have a use for you and that is all.

2024 completely altered my perspective on life. It was a great highlighter year, showing me where all my energy had been going - into the black hole of false attachments and sporadic acquaintance, with absolutely no return on my investment! People would phone me when they felt down, heartbroken or they were having a bad time. Men would flirt with me when they were going through a rough patch with their wives or girlfriends and their ego needed a boost. Their attitude seemed to be "Ring Marie. She'll make you feel better." And I did. I was happy to, but when I was the one who needed a bit of cheering up after the riding accident, I didn't see any of them for dust! They were all far too busy, too far away, too out of touch, deliberately unreachable. In fact, I received more affection and support from my editor and publishing house than I got from those who claimed to love and care for me! At first I made excuses for them, like you do. But slowly, in the midst of their absence and silence, I came to the conclusion that I needed to start withdrawing my energy, to take back all my love and light and keep it to myself.

As 2025 rolled in, I thought things were actually changing and I handed round second chances like a bag of sweets. Suddenly the phone was ringing most days, group chats were a thing I never signed up for but found myself in the middle of anyway, jokes were shared, promises exchanged, plans made (which turned out to be no more than pipedreams and future faking), male admiration quickly turned into resentment and intimidation at my academic achievements, and longed for reconnections at first made my heart soar - and then shatter into a million pieces. There are some heartbreaks you just can't ignore or make excuses for, particularly when you see that such cruelty was a deliberate act, and done with considerable force. My PTSD was being triggered left, right and centre by the endless tiffs their male egos demanded, all so that they could compare notes and turn me into a discussion point of male bonding. I was exhausted and shattered by it all. And I'd had enough.

So early on in 2025 I decided to withdraw my energies, to pull back my love and light and to begin to conserve it as the vital resource it is. I demanded space. I am not a never ending flow of love and support. My well of light was vastly diminished and what was left of it, I needed to use for my own continued healing journey, rather than handing it over to someone else. I was still recovering from the trauma of the hospital and the accident, but as women often do, I had put my own needs to one side in favour of helping others. In short, I had a bad case of compassion fatigue and emotional burnout. I have been in emotional recovery from it ever since.

Compassion fatigue basically means that you have been giving too much to others for far too long. You feel that you have nothing left to give anymore. You have no energy for your own life, because you have spent too much of it enhancing the lives of other people, being on call whenever they want you etc. It's like the steady drip of water from a pipe - if you ignore it it will turn into a flood, so you must find the leak and fix it to prevent further damage. That is what I set about doing for myself and my energy in 2025. I examined my life to see where the drip of energy was leaking out and this is what I discovered:

A sporadic acquaintance is not the same as a friend, so they don't yet deserve the perks of friendship.
If someone leaves for a number of years, for work or education, they effectively become strangers, and again, they don't deserve the perks of friendship.
Never write anything without a contract in place that has been signed by both parties.
Never sing anything without a contract in place that has been signed by both parties.
The police do a difficult job, but it's not my job to help them with it.
A charm offensive is very convincing, but the signs are always there, if you look. So look.
Never ignore the red flags. Highlight them, then leave.
Social media is designed to sap your life of all meaning and to rot your brain. Don't allow it.
Just because I am a qualified counsellor doesn't mean that I am obliged to help anyone and everyone who is going through a rough patch.
Healing hurts. It takes time. Physical healing is faster than mental and emotional healing, but all three need to happen before you are fully healed. Allow this space.
Accidents, injury and healing changes you and your perspective on life.
The people who are at your hospital bed are the ones you can rely on.
Yo-yo men are a waste of energy - just cut the string! Be done with it.
Men who are intimidated by a woman's achievements and academic success have some serious growth to do. Don't let it stop you from succeeding anyway.
Never feed the male ego by responding to the ridiculous tiffs they instigate. This is simply rage-baiting IRL. I learnt that through experience. You don't have to.
Understand the difference between a gift and a bribe. A gift is given freely, no expectations, no cover-up, no strings attached. I don't respond to bribery. Even if its called compensation.
Scam callers aren't just irritating, they drain your energy.
People pleasing is damaging to your wellbeing.
My talent is strong and authentic, people will want to purchase it, but I am not for sale. Only the work is up for grabs.
A meeting of the minds is not the same as a meeting of the hearts. Love matters. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

This kind of life edit is a form of self-care. Once I had identified these leaks of energy, I set about fixing them. Most were simple enough - I just distanced myself mentally and emotionally from the drains, or I blocked them completely.

I focused on my work, writing new books and psychology decks for publication in 2026.

I signed up for a new academic course.

I stopped answering my phone, unless it was my mother.

I did a lot of journaling.

I scrapped my old car and the endless new batteries it was constantly draining.

I stopped my hobbies and just stayed home more.

I slept and rested more. I allowed myself the time to heal that my body and mind needed.

I refused the bribery of compensation payments.

I told the police to do a better job, that I wouldn't do it for them.

I booked a holiday to the Highlands for this year.

I took Christmas and New Year off work for the first time in ten years.

I invested in an answer phone.

Detachment = peace = Victory Ever After.

Most importantly, I began to put myself first. I had always been in the habit of asking people What do you need, what can I do to help? The people pleasing had gone into overdrive, so I turned it around and instead I began to ask What do I need, what can I do to feel better right now? The PTSD screamed back Build the barricades! Pile the books high! I replied with How about we just do a bit of nesting, to make the fortress as comfy and cosy and pretty as possible? How about we read the books and enjoy them, and perhaps re-organise the library next year? So that's exactly what I did and two of the most beneficial things I did for myself in 2025 was to give my bedroom a beautiful pink makeover, and invest in an answering phone. It is quite surprising how much this has calmed and soothed my spirits. My room is a restful retreat once more, but its also light and bright and ethereal. And it shimmers!

The answer phone gives me peace of mind because scammers don't leave messages, they just stop calling! Screening all my calls also means that I am not interrupted when I'm writing, or reading new books for review. And men can't instigate their ego driven, rage-baiting tiffs with a machine! I honestly wish I'd got an answer phone much sooner. I had one years ago and I had forgotten the additional layer of personal protection it offers. It creates a soft barrier between you and the outside world. Those who know me will leave a message, those who don't or who are ringing for nefarious reasons will simply hang up. Either way, my peace is protected. My soft space remains just that - soft, quiet and peaceful. It was the best purchase of 2025!

I spent much of the last twelve months withdrawing my energy in this way, being more selective in who I communicate with and how, thinking about where my energy goes and how this makes me feel in the long term. I've attempted to delete from my life anything that drains me and so far it's going well. This is the first winter in more than a decade that I haven't had to be anywhere - no job to go out to, no external hobbies such as skating or music school, no night classes, no ice to smash on field troughs or horses to exercise in the depths of winter, no books to write over Christmas and New Year weeks. I spent Boxing Day watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy and New Years Day watching The Hobbit trilogy. It was the best fun! Its something I've been wanting to do for years, but never had the time. I was always too busy working, studying, writing. This is the first winter in more than ten years where I can truly hibernate and enjoy the season for what it is meant to be - a time of rest and recuperation. A time to nourish my roots and recover from the past few year's activity and all the harsh lessons learnt.

I haven't interacted with a man or a sporadic acquaintance in months - unless the postman counts! - and suddenly I feel so much calmer and happier than I have in years! It's been bliss. I wish I'd identified all their games much sooner, but better late than never. My world is quiet and feminine, dreamy and ethereal once more. Withdrawing my energy, keeping my love and light to myself, for myself, is certainly working. I feel calm, soft, safe and centred, sure in the knowledge that should the need arise once more, I have the capability to defend and protect myself, but that I need not be in fighting mode all the time. Even a warrior princess needs some time off! Even a Bruce is entitled to rest after the battle is won.

I feel grounded in the best way. I've taken charge of my time and my attention, instead of letting it be syphoned off by people who do not have my best interests at heart, who only have a use for me, a purpose for me to fill in their lives, or a egotistical game to play. Now I spend my days quietly at home, writing my books, reading books for review, watching films and boxsets, taking Lush baths, enjoying my quieter indoor hobbies such as tapestry and art therapy, listening to sassy female musicians like Sabrina Carpenter and Rose who were the sound of my summer last year. Taylor's Life of Showgirl has been playing on repeat since my birthday. And I am the most relaxed I've been in years!

Men are the biggest conundrum to me - brave yet brutal, courageous yet conniving, false and faithless, sweet yet selfish, controlling disguised as protective, apparently supportive yet secretly resentful, afraid to make a move yet angry because we don't just jump naked into their arms! They want the chase, the challenge, but then they berate us for not making it easier for them, for expecting them to actually step up in a real way before we return their interest, for wanting them to show and tell that our devotion is returned, that they are not just a sponge absorbing all our adoration as if they are entitled to it and giving nothing back. Their beauty is only skin deep and their cruelty knows no bounds, but at least they are providing female musicians with a plethora of material to sing about! Personally, they are a puzzle I have decided I really can't be bothered to solve.

From now on I will be putting myself first in all things, in all respects. And I shall certainly continue my peaceful hibernation mode well into 2026. It's working like a charm and I couldn't be happier in my quiet little nest!

How have you been spending your energy? Where has your love and light been going, and is there any return on your investment. If not, this might be the winter you need to withdraw too.

Hibernation mode ON.

Serene Blessings,

Marie x

BOOK NOOK: Spectacular by Stephanie Garber

2026-01-04T20:40:00.000+00:00

"It was just what she feared.

Tella could feel her heart sinking as she stood there on the snowy sidewalk. She tried not to let it show. She didn't want him to go out now and get her a gift out of pity or fear.

She wanted one given out of love."

A gentle hush seems to drop over the world during these last few days of Christmas, before everything returns to normal on January 6th. I always like this much quieter phase of the festive period. Yesterday I went out to the theatre to see a production of A Christmas Carol and it was a wonderful play, with lots of singing and ghostly shenanigans. I haven't been to see a play for a couple of years, so it was a lovely way to end the festivities.

Today I felt the need to be much quieter and self-contained, so I curled up by the fire to read a Christmassy book. I chose Spectacular by Stephanie Garber and I have been engrossed in it for much of the evening. It is set in the same world as her Caraval series, which I haven't read yet but it is on my tbr list. However, you don't need to have read the original series to read Spectacular, as it is a novella that stands alone.

It is a wonderful book of magic and mystery and illusion, where nothing is quite as it seems. Tella is an adventurous young woman who is on the hunt for the perfect gift for her boyfriend. She needs something that will make him sit up and take notice of her, something that will urge him to declare his feelings for her, because she is doubtful that he actually loves her. She is hoping that her gift will prompt him to make a grand romantic gesture, so that she doesn't need to question his feelings for her anymore. In short, she is in need of some romantic reassurance from her beaux and she is using the festive season as a way to try and get her needs met!

Her hunt for the perfect gift is cut short however, when she stumbles across a boy selling colourful candy that smells just a little too tempting - and so Tella's adventure begins. She is swept away to another place, full of strangers and intrigue, toys that are alive, chimney smoke that smells like cinnamon and Nutcrackers that steal your dreams.

This little book is full of festive magic, enchanted snowflakes, sinister blindfolds and a captivatingly seductive magician at its heart. As Tella is drawn into this new world, she discovers that temptation can be a fun game to play, but wonders just how far is she willing to go to discover the truth about the conjurer who is playing with her mind? Are some illusions worth staying in the midst of, when reality is falling far short of romantic expectations? Is fantasy better than reality? Sometimes it is, for reality has a nasty habit of shattering our illusions and breaking our hearts.

Perhaps the best romances are the ones where both fantasy and reality merge together into one epic relationship, one truly compelling lover. Tella does her best to find her way back to her true love, but she is captivated by the fantasy that holds her in its grip and helplessly drawn to the sexy illusionist who is spinning sugar and spice and all things nice to tempt her. It's a mesmerising world and it kept me gripped until the final page.

The book is beautifully illustrated throughout, with a red ribbon bookmark and a gold gingerbread house embossed on the front of the hard cover. It is a very pretty book, both inside and out. I enjoyed it immensely and I have never read a festive story quite like this one. I have a few of Stephanie Garber's novels on my bookshelves so I think I will dive into more of her work in the coming days.

Spectacular has provided me with a lovely escape into a sexy world of whimsical magic, enchantment and illusion this evening. It's only short, being a novella, so you can read it in an afternoon or an evening. This brevity makes it the perfect Christmassy book to finish off the festive period, before the return to work commences next week.

Happy reading!

Serene Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher, Hodder and Stoughton, for the purposes of review. It is out now in all formats.

BOOK NOOK: Nordic Tales by Ulla Thynell

2025-12-29T22:14:00.001+00:00

"...he would do all the prince wished, if he only wouldn't squeeze his heart to pieces..."

from The Giant Who Had No Heart.

The festive season has been damp and grey in England this year, with lots of foggy days and misty mornings but nothing at all in the way of snow or pretty sparkly weather. The endless cloud has left me wishing for snowy adventures, so I turned to this book of Nordic Tales, hoping to find a more magical festive atmosphere within its pages and it didn't disappoint me at all.

I have had the book on my shelves for some years, but never got around to reading it fully. I'm so glad that I saved it for Christmastime. Nordic Tales is an enchanting collection of fairytales from across the Scandinavian countries. Most of them I had never read before, so there was a sense of exploration and adventure as I savoured each tale. I enjoy exploring all kinds of folklore, but there is something very intriguing about reading the folk tales of countries that are foreign to me. I thought that I knew most fairytales, but here was a whole collection that I hadn't yet discovered. It was like finding treasure!

I read the book slowly, over the course of a week or so, because I wanted to relish each story. The language of the book sounds very similar to the way in which modern Norse people speak English - they have their own way of speaking, of arranging their words into a sentence, which is very musical to the ear and something I find particularly delightful.

This book is written in the same way, so it feels as if you are being told the stories by an old friend from the northlands, which can be very comforting during the darker nights of winter. It's like inviting a Viking storyteller into your home to spin tales by the hearthside, to keep you company through the darkest nights of the year.

I read one or two stories each night, beginning on the winter solstice and trying to make the adventure last as long as possible. The only tale in the collection that I was already very familiar with is East of the Sun, West of the Moon and I am happy to say that this version has a traditional ending which made me so happy. In reading this anthology however, I have discovered some new favourites including The Forest Bride, which is a lovely tale of transformation, romance and enchantment. What little mouse wouldn't want to be loved for her quiet, shy, gentle nature, rather than spurned for it? Only a true prince would ever see the value in a tiny forest mouse. Only a true prince would understand her need to hide away, for the world is too loud, too big for her. And yet she is more than she seems!

I also liked Hildur, Queen of the Elves, Mighty Mikko and his cunning fox friend, the dancing shoes tale of Old Nick and the Girl, The True Bride, The Giant Who Had No Heart and the ghostly, seafaring adventures of Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn. Each tale in the book is fantastical in its own way and you will find stories of transformation, wit and marvellous journeys. There is plenty of magic and enchantment that will keep you captivated, transporting you to the beautiful mountains and fijords of Norway, Finland, Sweden etc, where the Northern Lights dance through the sky and the forests are deep and mysterious. Reading it has felt like a festive Nordic holiday in a book!

The anthology is richly illustrated by Finnish artist Ulla Thynell, and there are full colour plates for each story depicting high mountains, dark forests, mysterious doorways, castles, trolls, dragons and of course, boats because the Norse are seafaring people. The book also has a pretty red ribbon book mark, so it would make a nice gift for a bookworm who enjoys fairytales and folklore.

I haven't been feeling especially festive this year - the weather has been dismal, I am longing for the sight of snowy landscapes, and also many of my friends are far away - so reading this book has been a great comfort to me and it has brought some of those people much closer, in my heart and mind at least.

It has been lovely to just climb into bed each night amid the glow of the bedroom fairy-lights, and read a story from Nordic Tales, allowing my imagination to wander where I cannot, to feel connection with people I haven't seen in a very, very long time, to linger in a part of the world that means something significant to me, yet which seems so unreachable - all via the power of storytelling. This anthology of Nordic fairytales has been a wonderful, magical escape, a true north star guiding me through the dark season.

And who knows, England might get a bit of frosted sparkly weather come January. This little ice maiden would be glad of it. It would match my inner landscape of frosted silver white and frozen heart!

Happy reading!

Bright Blessings

Marie x

AD: This book is published by Chronical Books and is out now.