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Wednesday 4 September 2024

Book Review: The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong book cover

AD* | After the Great War, American heiress Ruby Vaughn made a life for herself running a rare bookstore alongside her octogenarian employer and housemate in Exeter. She’s always avoided dwelling on the past, even before the war, but it always has a way of finding her. When Ruby is forced to deliver a box of books to a folk healer living deep in the Cornish countryside, she is brought back to the one place she swore she’d never return. A more sensible soul would have delivered the package and left without rehashing old wounds. But no one has ever accused Ruby of being sensible. Thus begins her visit to Penryth Hall.

A foreboding fortress, Penryth Hall is home to Ruby’s once dearest friend, Tamsyn, and her husband, Sir Edward Chenowyth. It’s an unsettling place, and after a more unsettling evening, Ruby is eager to depart. But her plans change when Penryth’s bells ring for the first time in thirty years. Edward is dead; he met a gruesome end in the orchard, and with his death brings whispers of a returned curse. It also brings Ruan Kivell, the person whose books brought her to Cornwall, the one the locals call a Pellar, the man they believe can break the curse. Ruby doesn’t believe in curses—or Pellars—but this is Cornwall and to these villagers the curse is anything but lore, and they believe it will soon claim its next victim: Tamsyn.

To protect her friend, Ruby must work alongside the Pellar to find out what really happened in the orchard that night.

Saturday 31 August 2024

Reading Round-Up: July/August 2024

The Writing Greyhound bookshelf

Welcome back to another reading round-up post here on The Writing Greyhound! This summer has been filled with all things baby for me, so my free time for books has been limited. However, those sleepless nights and 3am wake-ups have been used to catch up on reading while enjoying cuddles with my newborn which is definitely the best of both worlds.

Sunday 4 August 2024

5 Ways to Improve Your Postpartum Mental Health

The Writing Greyhound walking with pram by fountain

AD* | Looking after your mental health is so important, but it can be all too easy to let your usual self-care routine slide when you're caught up in parenthood. However, with all the fluctuating hormones and sleepless nights, the postpartum period is a time when you need to take care of your mental health more than ever. If you're a new parent struggling with your mental health, these tips might just help you out.

Thursday 1 August 2024

Book Review: Last Seen Online by Lauren James

Last Seen Online by Lauren James book cover

AD* | When Delilah meets Sawyer Saffitz (son of Anya Saffitz, aka Hollywood royalty), she becomes hooked on a decade-old scandal. In her quest for the truth, Delilah uncovers blog posts written by the mysterious “gottiewrites” and is soon caught up in a world of greed, fandom conspiracy theories … and murder. And the deeper Delilah digs, the more dangerous it becomes – because someone is willing to kill to hide the truth.

Sunday 30 June 2024

Reading Round-Up: May/June 2024

The Writing Greyhound bookshelves

Summer is finally here and it's been lovely to enjoy reading in the garden on the warmer days again. These last few months have also been quite busy for me outside of my bookish world, as the real world has been filled with plenty of last-minute preparations for a certain new arrival. That has meant time to read has been a little on the limited side, but luckily, needing to rest more often has also meant more time to delve into whichever book I've had on the go. Swings and roundabouts!