From the Book Elf

The Scent of Youth  by Mandi Martin My thanks go to Mandi for sending me a copy of The Scent of Youth to review and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part on the book tour. Synopsis Welcomed by kind souls, Josiah earns his keep as a skilled vermin remover and helpful stable hand. But when a rat-borne illness strikes the town, Josiah’s unique abilities bring him to the attention of the imposing Duke. Within the castle walls, caught in the strange dynamic between the Duke’s son Bergen and the formidable Helga – children and ogres in one – Josiah’s life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of the spirited Nadia. Their shared love of poetry ignites a passionate connection, but joy is fragile, and loss leaves an indelible mark. Unbeknownst to Josiah, Helga’s deep-seated hatred of children is taking root within the Duke’s domain, setting in motion a chain of events that will irrevocably alter his destiny… My Thoughts Mandi Martin has created a tome of a book whic...

The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry  The Death of Shame by Ambrose Parry  was published on 4th June 2026 in Paperback by  Harper Collins . My thanks to the authors and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to  Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour. Synopsis When you are a prisoner of your secrets, the death of shame is the only path to liberty Annabel Banks was promised work as a maid with a prestigious Edinburgh family. But on her first day, she’s nowhere to be found. Concerned relatives contact Sarah Fisher to help. Sarah might know her way around the city – its light sides and dark – but soon she’ll discover the plight of dozens of girls ensnared in its many brothels: lured, abused and left ruined in the eyes of the world. Meanwhile, a prominent society figure throws himself from the Scott Monument. Will Raven is asked to establish whether the death was suicide or if someone else was involved. Drawing upon real historical events, Th...

What Fools We Have Been by Hank Williams What Fools We Have Been by Hank Williams  was published in 2026 by Chiselbury. My thanks to the author and publisher for sending me a copy to review and to  Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me onto the tour. Synopsis Morecambe Bay, Lancashire:  After his father’s death, a son clears out his parents’ house. When he finds a series of haunting photographs of Morecambe Bay, taken by his father towards the end of his life, it sparks a journey through the scattered memories and broken connections of five generations of family history.   Flowing from the vibrant post-war Jewish community of London's east end, to the quiet suburban streets of Stanmore, and back to the Lancashire coast, the story cascades down through each generation’s shifting perspective. A wife appeases her charismatic yet destructive husband; a son reimagines the jigsaw of his mother’s life; a granddaughter tries to heal the traumas of the past.   What F...

The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego The Library After Dark by Ande Pliego was published on 14th may 2026 by Bantam.  My thanks to the author and the publisher for sending me a copy to review and to Random Things Resources for inviting me onto the tour. Synopsis In the centre of New York stands the city’s most notorious library. It has a history of mysterious disappearances and freak accidents. But tonight, it opens its  doors to welcome a group of strangers for an exclusive after-hours tour. The famous author. The journalist. The professor. The bookseller. The architect. They are here to see a legendary book – one of the most valuable in the world. But each visitor also has other, more sinister reasons for being in the library after dark. As the tour takes them deeper into the building, one of the guests meets a gruesome, inexplicable end – and the others realise they are living on borrowed time. The search for the murderer forces them to confront awful truths about the...

Stikki The Squirrel -Tree Spirits- by Jane H. Wood Stikki The Squirrel - Tree Spirits - by Jane H. Wood was published by The Book Guild in 2026.  Thanks to Jane for sending me copy to review and to Rachel's Random Tours for inviting me to take part on the book tour. Synopsis Join Stikki and his mate Rella on their second exciting adventure—full of mystery, danger, and the wonders of magic found in the most unexpected places. Winter has arrived in Hazy Hills Wood, covering everything in a blanket of snow. Food is hard to find, and the animals are getting hungry. To make things worse, there is a scary food thief on the prowl. Stikki heads out into the cold to find his secret stash, but when he doesn’t come home, Rella goes searching for him. A frightening journey looms ahead as Stikki and Rella are forced to confront their enemies and the dreaded longlegs. Deep in the heart of the ancient wood stands the animals’ sacred ash tree. When Brodboar the badger spots something strange high ...