Bogormen

Title: The Spellshop
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5
# pages: 374
Date read: December 2024

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people, and as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a sentient spider plant, have spent most of the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s precious spellbooks, protecting the magic for the city’s elite. But a revolution is brewing and when the library goes up in flames, she and Caz steal whatever books they can and flee to the faraway island where she grew up. She’s hoping to lay low and figure out a way to survive before the revolution comes looking for her. To her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town in disarray.

The empire with its magic spellbooks has slowly been draining power from the island, something that Kiela is indirectly responsible for, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right. Opening up a spell shop comes with its own risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the quirky townspeople, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must break down the walls she has kept so high.


I picked this up on a whim while in Edinburgh because I simply could not resist the cover! I don't usually go for hardcovers, but I'm glad I did here, because the book is just gorgeous ... and fortunately the contents delivered. Cozy fantasy when it's best, and I ended up almost book hungover after finishing it. I really want to visit Caltrey now - swim with the merhorses, try Bryn's pastries, and of course talk to Caz at the jam shop :-D

I loved how Kiela and Caz figured out how to use their "remedies" and my one complaint about this book would be that we didn't get to see nearly enough of the spells in action. Unfortunately, it's not really a book that lends itself to a sequel (and I almost think it would be a shame if one was written), so I will have to be satisfied with the few that I did see.

Really charming book. I'm glad I saved it for the Christmas vacation.

Title: Crumbled Love Notes
Author: Jen A. Durand
Genre: Chicklit
Rating: 4.5/5
# pages:
Date read: January, 2020

What do you do when your world has been turned upside down?

Connor Ainsley was at the top of his career and engaged to the love of his life, when the discovery of his daughter threatens to tear down everything he's built.

Zoe Noel has the perfect life... Her fiancè was a star athlete chasing his dreams. She was well on her way to becoming the doctor she had always wanted to be and it seemed like they had finally figured out how to be together without hurting each other. Now as the world watches as she learns that the man she loves has a child she did not give birth to.

Will she walk out the door or will they face this new reality together?


I've read several books by Jen A. Durand by now, so thought I knew what to expect, but this blew me off my feet and is by far my favourite of everything I've read by her. It is sweet and charming, and the novella format works really well for this plot. I absolutely adored it, and read it in one sitting.

I really liked how neither Connor nor Zoe rushed through making decisions or jumped to conclusions, but that they actually sat down and talked things through - acknowledging that it was a tricky situation, but thinking of the long term, rather than the here and now. Made for a delightful read and was just plain cute.

Title: The Fixer
Author: Jen A. Durand
Genre: Chick-lit
Rating: 2.5/5
# pages: 150
Date read: December, 2019

Pricilla “Prissy" Grey could be intrusive and decisive. She looked at people and tried to find a way to make their lives better. When faced with someone who needed her particular brand of help she cannot help but reach out.

“His daughter’s teacher is off limits but also the woman he wants the most."

Max Allen had moved to Blue Grove looking for a new start. He and his daughter deserved a new start. Pricilla Grey was his daughter’s teacher and his self-appointed savior. She pushed him to step out of his past and into his future.


Sweet and fluffy chick-lit novella. Not quite as good as the first book in the series, but pretty close.

But my issues with the first book go for this one as well - lots of editing errors (mostly missing words and random full stops), and - which matters more to me - everything is wrapped up FAR too quickly. Even more so here than in the first book. While I appreciate Max wanting to clear things up with Prissy right away (and am REALLY glad he didn't leave it to fester), there were still so many ends left untied! Nothing concerning Janae had been resolved! So that detracted the last half-star, as it ended up feeling unfinished.

I'll still continue on with the last book in the trilogy though. They're quickly read, and I do enjoy the characters.

Title: A Gift of Magic
Author: Lois Duncan
Genre: YA
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 240
Date read: September, 2015

When the old woman died, she left each of her grandchildren something very special. For Kirby, the gift of dance. For Brendon, the gift of music. And for Nancy, the most extraordinary gift of all... the gift of magic.


A good, but fairly run-of-the-mill YA. I liked it well enough, and there was a bit more substance to it than I originally thought. Most importantly, I thought it stayed true to its own universe, and the ending wasn't as rushed as can often happen in YA books from that time.

I did think the epilogue was a tad on the twee side though.

Title: All By My Selves
Author: Jeff Dunham
Genre: Autobiography
Rating: 5/5
# pages: Audiobook ~9hrs
Date read: December 2010, July 2018

Whether he's breathing life into an old curmudgeon, an over-caffeinated purple maniac, or a screaming, skeletal, dead terrorist, Jeff Dunham is the straight man to some of the funniest partners in show business.

All by My Selves is the story of one pretty ordinary guy, one interesting hobby, one very understanding set of parents, and a long and winding rode to becoming America s favorite comedian. With wit, honesty, and lots of great show business detail, Jeff shares all the major moments in his journey. From the toy dummy he spotted at a toy store when he was 8 years old to playing to arenas filled with screaming fans, Jeff takes readers behind the curtain to explain how he turned an old fashioned art form into something truly modern and hip. Best of all, Jeff s story is accompanied by asides and interruptions from his characters who share all the hilarious details Jeff himself is too embarrassed to include.

From the very first time I even heard about this book, I was keen, but I wasn't too sure whether the book would actually be any good, or if it was just a gimmick. Especially when I saw that Jeff Dunham's characters took part in it as well. How would that even work in writing? Wouldn't it end up being too 'cute' for words? The only way that would work would be if the book came out on audiobook, narrated by Jeff Dunham himself...

... Famous last words, because of course it did. And when I discovered that, I saw no reason to hesitate further, and immediately turned to audible.com to buy it (I usually stick to audible.co.uk, but unfortunately they didn't have it). It was worth every penny! I usually listen to audiobooks while biking to and from work, and I can't help but wonder what the other cyclists must have thought, when I biked past them laughing my head off - yes, Jeff Dunham is every bit as funny in book as on stage - and literally found myself biking detours to get to listen to "just another five minutes".

It's a well-written book, coated with Jeff's humour and charm. I got to know a lot about him that I had no clue about, and am even more impressed by his current success than before. I was thrilled to hear his performance in Denmark being mentioned and laughed out loud at his surprise at how popular he was here as well.

I highly recommend it to any fan of Jeff Dunham - but get the audiobook version. I don't think it would be nearly as good without Jeff himself telling the story and doing the voices.

Title: Stranger With My Face Author: Lois Duncan Genre: YA Rating: 8/10 # pages: 212 Date read: August, 2008

Summary: Have you ever been haunted by the feeling that someone is spying on you, lurking around your house and yard, even entering your bedroom? Are your friends plotting against you when they say they've seen you do things you know you haven't done? What's going on -- and does Laurie really want to find out?

Review: Unlike many other YA books of that time Stranger With My Face actually has a decent ending, which was a refreshing change after Haunted Sister. The book itself is like many of its kind - enjoyable by the target age, but requires nostalgia's rosy hue to be enjoyed by adults. Fortunately I had that :)

Book List

Title: So You Want To Be a Wizard Author: Diane Duane Genre: YA, fantasy Rating: 8/10 # pages: 237 Date read: February, 2008

Summary: Nita's life changes dramatically when she discvoers a library book on the art of wizardry! Taking the Oath to use the power wisely and well, she beings the long road of study to become a wizard. But first she must prove her worth - as does Kit, another young wizard-to-be who she meets. Together they cross over to a dark parallel world to search for an ancient book that holds the key to preserving the Universe.

Review: VERY different from what I'd expected. I'd expected a light-hearted, humorous book ala Handbook for Witches. What I got was a fascinating but rather dark book about two kids learning how to become wizards and in the process having to save the world from a terrible danger. At the very end of the book, Christian undertones shone through and suddenly put the book in a very different light to me.

Really good, but very dark and at times made me feel like crying. While fascinating I doubt I'll be reading the other two books in the trilogy.

Book List

Title: Ella Minnow Pea
Author: Mark Dunn
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 208
Date read: December 2006, October 2022

Ella Minnow Pea is a girl living happily on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. Nollop was named after Nevin Nollop, author of the immortal pangram, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." Now Ella finds herself acting to save her friends, family, and fellow citizens from the encroaching totalitarianism of the island's Council, which has banned the use of certain letters of the alphabet as they fall from a memorial statue of Nevin Nollop. As the letters progressively drop from the statue they also disappear from the novel. The result is both a hilarious and moving story of one girl's fight for freedom of expression, as well as a linguistic tour de force sure to delight word lovers everywhere.


The summary says it all. This book is absolutely hilarious, reading how Ella slowly learns to substitute words as more and more letters are banned. 'Day' becomes 'sun-to-sun' when 'd' disappears and then 'night-to-night' when 'u' disappears. Lovely book and a quick read. I read it in one sitting - didn't take more than an hour or two.

Reread 2022: Downgraded this from 5 stars to 3 stars on my second read-through. I don't know... it just didn't work for me this time around. It's still clever, but just didn't manage to live up to my own expectations.