Call of the Deep - JC McKenzie

Standalone cosy paranormal romance 

This is a standalone Cosy Paranormal Romance set on a small island on Canada’s Sunshine Coast. There is romance and there are some scenes of a sexual nature.

I enjoyed this book. It encompassed all the things I wanted from an evening with my feet up and a book in my hands; interesting characters, family drama, secrets, betrayal, an element of danger and an unusual supernatural love interest. 

The writing is easy to read and I quickly found myself lost in this world filled with fae, witches, sea sprites and mermaids.

Willa has finally ditched her cheating ex and needs to get away from her controlling Mother. A stay on the island helping her aunt run her small bookshop seems like just the place to get over all that and try to get back to being herself again. She arrives on the island only to find that her aunt has gone missing and she’s left trying to hold the reins in the bookshop while helping to look for her aunt. 

As if that’s not enough stress, her life is thrown into even more turmoil when her aunt’s very large and very good looking friend Lon turns up looking for her during a storm at 3am. Willa finds herself wildly attracted to him, which she feels is inappropriate, especially as he offers to help look for her aunt. Her time with him uncovers some family secrets which throw everything into turmoil and change Willa’s perspective on her entire life.

This book presents itself as a standalone novel but I’m really hoping there will be more. I love the setting, I really like the characters and I feel that there is so much more potential from them. I want to know more! One book isn’t enough.

Available from Amazon

What If? - Bethany S Casey

A poignant, evocative and educational look at the impact of mental illness. 

This is a beautifully written short standalone novella covering the very emotive topics of childhood neglect, mental illness and suicidal ideation. The book does have a content warning for those who may find the subject difficult.

The book is written from the perspective of a young person who is discussing their trauma whilst deciding whether or not to end it all. It’s not all doom and gloom though. It’s a fantastic insight into the human condition and how fragile we all are at times.

I read through this in an hour and spent the next hour processing the feelings it evoked. Even if you’ve never experienced the subjects raised in this book, I’d definitely recommend reading it. It’s educational, thought-provoking and for me personally, I hope its helped me see the world more clearly through the eyes of others who had less fortunate upbringings than I did.

Available from Amazon

The Year I Left : Christine Brae

A beautifully written tale of bereavement and love, grief and joy, loss and self discovery

This is a beautifully written book about loss, grief, self discovery and love. It’s a standalone book which covers some difficult and adult topics and does it so well.

I was captivated by this story, which really takes you on a complex journey through the eyes of a woman whose sudden loss of her mother triggers a descent into clinical depression. We see the impact that her declining mental state and subsequent withdrawal has on her family and her work. How she finds forbidden love and despite her initial reservations, does something hugely out of character to try and find herself again.

The world building felt so real and was so vividly descriptive that I could almost see myself there. 

It was an incredibly emotional read. I felt her pain and her joy. I felt her loss and her love. The writing style really pulls you in and makes this a real and relatable story. The characters are complex and believable. It’s not often that I get so emotionally invested in fictional characters but I loved them all just a little bit and am sad now that I have finished the book and they are all still within its pages and no longer part of my own journey. 

I wholeheartedly recommend this book. This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author but it definitely won’t be the last.

Available from Amazon