All about Books, Book review, The Enchanted Emporium's Bookshelf

Best Books of 2021: The Year of the Witches

It’s a new year so time for me to share my favourite books of 2021 before I leap into reading this year’s offerings. 2021 galloped by and threw many obstacles my way, but it produced some amazing books though for me, the world of witches and magic have shone above the rest.

In no particular order here are my best books of 2021:

Threadneedle book cover

Threadneedle by Cari Thomas

The book cover for The Woman and The Witch

The Woman and the Witch by Amanda Larkman

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell

Book cover for Witches of Barcelona

Witches of Barcelona by Caedis Knight

The Dream Weavers by Barbara Erskine

Midnight in Everwood by M.A Kuznair

The Coven by Lizzie Fry

Other books without a glimmer of magic but I adored anyway are:

The Imperfect Art of Caring by Jessica Ryn – review coming shortly

The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

Dear Grace by Clare Swatman

2022 looks like it will also be a wonderful year for magic and romance with the publication of the final instalment of the Practical Magic series, The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman and the future publication of Miranda Dickinson’s The Start of Something.

What were your favourite reads in 2021 and what are you looking forward to this year? Let me know in the comments below.

A huge thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources, Random Things Tour, all the publishers who have supported my blog and allowed me early access to these wonderful books and of course, you my readers.

Happy New Year!

Happy reading and writing.

Love

All about Books

Book review: The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan

As a Jenny Colgan fan, I was excited to receive a copy of her latest book to review.

Endless Beach cover

Title    The Endless Beach

Author   Jenny Colgan

Blurb

On the quayside next to the Endless Beach sits the Summer Seaside Kitchen. It’s a haven for tourists and locals alike, who all come to eat the freshest local produce on the island and catch up with the gossip. Flora, who runs the cafe, feels safe and content – unless she thinks too hard about her relationship with Joel, her gorgeous but emotionally (and physically) distant boyfriend.

While Flora is in turmoil about her relationship. her best friend Lorna is pining after the local doctor. Saif came to the island as a refugee, having lost all of his family. But he’s about to get some shocking news which will change everything for him.

As cold winter nights shift to long summer days, can Flora find her happy-ever-after with Joel?

My thoughts

On a cold January day, there is nothing quite like a Jenny Colgan book to transport you to another place, in this case, The Endless Beach on the Scottish island of Mure. The scenery is breath-taking and the community is as close-knit as it was in the first book of this series – The Summer Seaside Kitchen. The book focuses on Flora with her bakery and the emotions of falling in love with Joel, her brother Fintan and Saif the island’s GP who is waiting anxiously for news of his family in Syria.  Jenny Colgan’s writing has a relaxed, natural flow which drew me instantly into the story and fall in love with Mure all over again. Her collection of characters are always memorable and mainly down to earth.  I would have read it in one sitting if it was not for life getting in the way. Instead, I stayed up until the early hours to finish it. For all the ideas I had about where the story was leading, I was not expecting that ending.

It is the perfect book if you love light romantic books for wintery nights curled up near the fire or on a beach on a summer’s  day.

As common in her books, Jenny Colgan writes a welcome which I appreciate these as they recap what has gone before which is always handy and I love the recipes inspired by the book at the back. One day, I may even try them.

Thank you, NetGalley and Sphere for an advanced copy.

Have you read it? Leave your comments below

Happy reading!