The mysterious universe of books

The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan A long-lasting friendship Every year, Erica, Claudia, and Anna reunite for their book club holiday. They’re bonded by years of friendship and a deep love of books, but there is still so much they keep from each other … A perfect Christmas escape At the cosy Maple Sugar Inn, Hattie specialises in making her guests’ dreams come true, but this Christmas all she wants is to survive the festive season. Between running the inn and being a single mother, Hattie is close to breaking point. The start of a brand-new story…? Over the course of an eventful week, Hattie sees that the friends are each carrying around unspoken truths, but nothing prepares her for how deeply her story will become entwined in theirs. Will this Christmas be the end of the book club’s story or the start of a whole new chapter? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This audiobook was exactly what I wanted for a December listen. The Christmas Book Club feels warm, gentle, and comforting from the start, like stepp...

Publication Date: November 28th, 2024 Publisher: independently published Pages: 421 Genre: Historical Thriller Exiled to a Caribbean island, Paoletta Cadoville and her family cling to the hope of one day returning to their Parisian home. But in a single, devastating moment, that dream is shattered. Alone and horrifically scarred, Paoletta embarks on a perilous quest to uncover the truth behind her family’s tragic fate, only to become entangled in a web of political intrigue, secret societies, and dangerous alliances. In a Paris overshadowed by the guillotine, Paoletta must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to sacrifice in pursuit of vengeance. Will she achieve justice for her family or lose herself to the darkness that threatens to consume her? Paoletta – An Eye for an Eye is a gripping historical thriller set during the French Revolution and a stark reminder that in times of upheaval, innocence is the first to fall, and revenge demands a price paid in blood. Praise for...

The Cameo Keeper Giulia Tofana Series By Deborah Swift Publication Date: November 11th, 2025 Publisher: Quire Books Pages: 370 Genre: Historical Fiction Rome 1644: A Novel of Love, Power, and Poison Remember tonight... for it is the beginning of always ― Dante Alighieri In the heart of Rome, the conclave is choosing a new Pope, and whoever wins will determine the fate of the Eternal City. Astrologer Mia and her fiancé Jacopo, a physician at the Santo Spirito Hospital, plan to marry, but the election result is a shock and changes everything. As Pope Innocent X takes the throne, he brings along his sister-in-law, the formidable Donna Olimpia Maidalchini, known as La Papessa – the female Pope. When Mia is offered a position as her personal astrologer, she and Jacopo find themselves on opposite sides of the most powerful family in Rome. Mia is determined to protect her mother, Giulia Tofana, a renowned poisoner. But with La Papessa obsessed with bringing Giulia to justice, Mia and Jacopo...

  Letters From a Patchwork Quilt  by Clare Flynn Pressured by his family to join the priesthood, a young man escapes to pursue a new life, in this powerful and moving love story. England 1875, Jack Brennan, runs away from home to take up a teaching job and follow his dreams of becoming a poet. Arriving in the thriving port city of Bristol, Jack loves his new teaching job. When he falls passionately in love with a fellow teacher, Eliza Hewlett, their future together looks bright. But everything changes when the daughter of Jack's landlord falsely accuses him of fathering the child she is expecting. Unable to convince the parish priest and his powerful landlord, Jack is in an intolerable position. Desperate, Jack and Eliza decide to risk everything by emigrating to America. As they stand hand-in-hand on the deck of their ship on the Liverpool quayside, the couple are excited about the adventure ahead. But just as the ship is about to weigh anchor, police come on board to arrest ...