The mysterious universe of books

A heartwarming and uplifting summer story for fans of Heidi Swain and Phillipa Ashley, by the author of The Country Village Christmas Show, The Country Village Summer Fete and The Country Village Winter Wedding. At eighty-two years old Zelda Grey is tired. Tired of how much slower she is physically and mentally. Tired of technology. Tired of being alone since her beloved cat, Flint, died just before Christmas. And tired of life. The only thing that brings Zelda joy these days is her allotment in the gorgeous village of Little Bramble, where she has lived her whole life, and her three cranky goats. Widow Mia Holmes always loved visiting Little Bramble Allotment with her husband, Gideon. But since his death she can't motivate herself. Despite putting on a brave face for her three sons and four grandchildren, she's reached breaking point, and isn't sure she can carry on. And history teacher Liz Carter thought she had it all. The perfect job, perfect boyfriend in Rhodri and the...

Scents of Lavender: Queer Love Through the Ages – In Verse By D. C. Wilkinson Publication Date: June 1st, 2025 Publisher: DCW Press Pages: 108 Genre: Poetry / Historical Fiction / LGBT+ Romance Timeless and unwavering, love flows through a universal melody that echoes in every corner of the globe. Transcending borders and cultures, it sows the seeds of memories that sprout and blossom in  Scents of Lavender , a collection of 25 illustrated poems that breathe life into evocative scenes where queer love proudly re-emerges from the depths of history, uncovering deep and everlasting bonds. Each poem invites the reader to explore the narrator’s deeply personal and intimate perspective through pantheistic eyes. Written in the first person, every verse unfolds as both a reflection and a manifestation of a single universal mind and soul, drawing the reader into a shared understanding that love –in all its forms– is boundless, eternal, and permeates the cosmos. In gentle chains, I find no p...

Daughter of Mercia (Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries #1) By Julia Ibbotson Publication Date: June 6th, 2025 Series: Dr Anna Petersen Mysteries Publisher: Archbury Books Pages: 301 ebook / 392 pb Genre: Medieval Dual-Timeline Mystery Romance A brand-new Anglo-Saxon time-slip full of mystery and romance. Echoes of the past resonate across the centuries as Dr Anna Petersen, a medievalist and runologist, is struggling with past trauma and allowing herself to trust again. When archaeologist (and Anna's old adversary) Professor Matt Beacham unearths a 6th century seax with a mysterious runic inscription, and reluctantly approaches Anna for help, a chain of events brings the past firmly back into her present. And why does the burial site also contain two sets of bones, one 6th century and the other modern?  As the past and present intermingle alarmingly, Anna and Matt need to work together to solve the mystery of the seax runes and the seemingly impossible burial, and to discover the truth...

Everything We Thought We Knew By Carolyn Niethammer Publication Date: May 2025 Publisher: Booklocker Pages: 254 Genre: Historical Fiction In 1970, Christie left behind the comforts of L.A. and joined a New Age commune in rural Arizona. With the Vietnam War raging and the counterculture movement in full swing, she hoped to find a community to create a better society. But building a new culture is no easy task, especially when free love, psychedelics, and a war protest gone horribly wrong are thrown into the mix. Important secrets follow them beyond the commune. Put on your tie-dyed shirt and come to Bella Vida as the friends try to change the rules of modern society, then face the repercussions of when middle age sets in. Buy Link: Universal Buy Link Carolyn Niethammer In the 1970s Carolyn Niethammer visited communes throughout the West and settled in an Arizona artists’ community for many years. Those years were important to who she became as she learned to gather wild foods and wrote ...