research, Writing

Historical Mass Hysterias

Mass sociogenic illnessโ€”also known as mass hysteria, epidemic hysteria or hysterical contagionโ€”occurs when symptoms without a clear medical cause spread among members of a community. โ€œThink of it as the placebo effect in reverse,โ€ says Dr. Robert Bartholomew, an honorary senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at Auckland University. For centuries, human societies… Continue reading Historical Mass Hysterias

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The Sourdough Compendium

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ ** I received an ARC for an honest review ** Description Within these pages, coffin-makers work hard to keep the dead buried and their own murderous urges in check; poison girls are schooled in the art of marital assassination; books carry forth stories and forbidden secrets; a young witch wreaks a terrible revenge on… Continue reading The Sourdough Compendium

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Scottish Folklore: The Cรน-Sรฌth

The Cรน-Sรฌth (pronounced koo-shee), a legendary fairy hound from Scottish Highland folklore โ€” and itโ€™s actually a very faithful, atmospheric portrayal. What is the Cรน-Sรฌth?โ€ข The name literally means โ€œfairy dogโ€ (cรน = hound, sรฌth = fairy / otherworld).โ€ข It is not just a magical animal โ€” itโ€™s a liminal being, halfway between:โ€ข the fairy… Continue reading Scottish Folklore: The Cรน-Sรฌth

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Restoration

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description Walking between the worlds has always been dangerous - but this time V's facing the loss of all she holds dear. Verity Fassbinder thought no boss could be worse than her perfectionist ex-boyfriend - until she grudgingly agreed to work for a psychotic fallen angel. And dealing with a career change not entirely… Continue reading Restoration

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The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes, Vol 1

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description In PRELUDES & NOCTURNES, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70 year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine,… Continue reading The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes, Vol 1

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Priest of Lies

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description When Tomas Piety and his Pious Men returned from the war, he just wanted to rebuild his crime empire and look after his people. But the sinister Queen's Men had different ideas and whether he likes it or not, he's now a spy as well. Now, half the city of Ellinburg lies in… Continue reading Priest of Lies

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2025 Favourite Readsโ€ฆso far

This year has been a whirlwind of amazing books by established voices and incredible works from new authors. Enter Shepard to save the day! readers ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿป Iโ€™ve read 63 books so far this year but wantrd to share my favourite ones so far which have had the greatest impact on me. Writers ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿป Shepherd are… Continue reading 2025 Favourite Readsโ€ฆso far

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The Haunting of Alejandra

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her. Nor can they see what… Continue reading The Haunting of Alejandra

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Fevered Star

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ Description There are no tides more treacherous than those of the heart. โ€”Teek saying The great city of Tova is shattered. The sun is held within the smothering grip of the Crow Godโ€™s eclipse, but a comet that marks the death of a ruler and heralds the rise of a new order is imminent. The… Continue reading Fevered Star

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Upon A Starlit Tide

โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ ** I received an ARC for an honest review ** Description Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758. To Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy French shipowner, the high walls of Saint-Malo are more hindrance than haven. While her sisters are busy trying to secure advantageous marriages, Luce spends her days secretly being taught to sail… Continue reading Upon A Starlit Tide