I’ve just finished reading 360 Degrees Longitude: One Family’s Journey Around the World, about the Higham family’s one-year travel journey.
There was a brief moment at the start of the book where I didn’t think I was going to enjoy it. John Higham, his wife, September, and their two kids, Katrina (11) and Jordan (8) had been planning and saving for this trip for years. The family of four started out on tandem bikes: one parent on front, one kid peddling behind. And while I absolutely admired them for doing so, I quickly decided the book might not be for me. Cycling just doesn’t reel me in.
I love all Jane Tara’s books and the world of the Shakespeare Sisters with this being another fabulous branch of it.
Rhi has always down played her childhood fame as being a Dee Witch but it’s hard to move on when your trying to establish a career where your parents are a household name and your stuck in a niche market. Fed up of her notoriety and heartbroken from a betrayal she leaves New York in search of something more, little did she know that someones been waiting along time for her.
This book was such a fun step out of reality and had me hooked with it’s upbeat feel that makes it hard not to be sucked into the fantasy and romance.
Rhi is a great leading lady in every way, very realistic and easy to connect with.
Tad and Kip are a surprise to come but their tale and connection is tragic but utterly amazing for this story.
As it’s part of the Shakepeare Sister’s stories there are similarities with characters, Taran is featured in this tale before he has his leading role in Trouble Brewing. I read this after but it really doesn’t matter in which order their read.
Overall if you want a fun lighthearted romance with a little magic and whit then this book and all Jane Tara’s others are for you. Embrace the Goddess!
I expected a unique book, and that is exactly what Jane Tara delivered. Well written, in a modern and fun voice, that made this one of the better reads of the year, Jane managed to grab my attention from the beginning, and never let it go. A light-hearted romance that is a part of the Shakespeare Sisters Series, but can be read as a standalone book (but why would you? This book will make you want to read all of them!) Jane Tara is a fresh voice in the sometimes stuffy world of romance. Well done!
Rhiannon Dee, a gorgeous witch, moves to a country town to reopen a theater and finds herself torn between the man who owns it, and his father who haunts it.
Kip Daniels has been haunting the Hamlet Majestic for thirty dull years, ever since the stage roof collapsed on him during what was meant to be his piece de resistance: his performance of Hamlet. All he really wants is to get to the end of the play, but that won’t happen while the theater stands abandoned and boarded up. He’s resigned himself to an endless limbo … until Rhiannon Dee moves to town to bring the theater back to life.
Rhi has fled a failed life in New York. She can’t find work as an actress. She’s overshadowed by her mother who has a hit TV show about witchcraft. Rhi is sick of being seen as a witch and intends to turn her back on the craft. But she quickly discovers she can’t escape her gifts, especially when she needs to use them to help one very sexy but sad ghost cross over. Surrounded by new friends and supportive townsfolk, Rhi breathes new life into the Hamlet Majestic, and helps Kip accept his death.
Hamlet’s Ghost is a story about those moments in life that define us, and how to truly move forward we must find peace with the past.
Hamlet’s Ghost is the third book in the bestselling Shakespeare Sisters series. Buy it now.
Go and check out the original review here… Love the GIFs. The whole review made me smile.
And my new novel, Trouble Brewing. Drink up!
I adored this book. The first time I noticed it was flipping through the pages of books available for request on Netgalley. I may be something of a cover snob and when I saw this one, it said “CANDACE! I AM MADE FOR YOU! PICK ME UP! LOOK – A PINK MARTINI! YOU LOOOOVE PINK MARTINIS!”
Ok, ok, ya got me. I do. CLICK.
And THEN I read the blurb – it had me at “psychic” and “magical cocktails”. I clicked that REQUEST button hella fast.
So first, thank you to Momentum Books for the ARC!
Second, Trouble Brewing was every bit as charming as I thought it would be.
Calypso (fabulous name, btw) has this inherent need to be free to explore the world on a whim, never settling too long in one place, yet making friends and feeling at home wherever she goes. She serves up magical cocktails all around the world, easing broken hearts, giving reassurance to the insecure, motivation to the stuck, but most of all…bringing love to those who desire it.
Calypso had her chance at finding one true love, only to have it end suddenly, leaving her brokenhearted and resigned to the fact that she would never love again (Shakespeare women only have one true love in their lifetime). She loves ‘em and leaves ‘em until one persistent man from her past arrives out of the blue to try to change her mind, and her heart…
This is such an enchanting story. I’m a sucker for witches, potions, cocktails, fabulously quirky characters and traveling. I’ve been thinking about backpacking through Europe and damn if this wasn’t the perfect book to set the mood. Most of the book is set in London, Paris and Vienna. How’s that for a gorgeous backdrop?
Have you ever just liked the feel of a book? Do you know what I mean when I say that? Like you just want to jump through the pages and experience that world and live with the characters and for the hours spent reading, you really did.
Speaking of characters – fiery Calypso, intense Taran, hysterical Megan, adorable Simon, affable Alf, quietly strong Nell, larger than life Batty – I loved every one of these eccentric personalities. Though I have to say, stand-up comedian Megan stole the show every time she appeared. The girl can come tell me jokes all day every day.
A number of people in the audience laughed uncomfortably, unsure how the slip of a girl onstage would handle the large drunk.
“You’ve got no tits and look like a boy,” the drunk slurred.
Megan just nodded sympathetically and in a voice dripping with disdain said, “You’ve got no manners and look like a cockhead. Difference between us is that I can buy boobs and put on a dress. What the fuck can you do?”
And this one, which is the perfect example of how using your/you’re can completely change a sentence:
“Hey, did you hear about the two nuns who were driving through Transylvania?” Megan asked in a perfect Irish accent.
“Okay, give it to me,” said Calypso.
“Suddenly Dracula jumped onto the bonnet of the car and bared his fangs. The first nun turned to the other nun and said, ‘Quick, show him your cross.’ So the other nun rolled down the window and yelled, ‘Get off the fucking bonnet, you blood-sucking bastard!”
Please tell me you got that joke. Please. Go back and read it again. Get it now? Good.
Trouble Brewing focuses time on each member of the family, so you’re not only getting a great love story with Calypso & Taryn, you’re getting SEVERAL! Perfect for greedy readers like myself.
I loved this book and I can’t wait to go back and read the first in this series, as well as future Jane Tara novels. Strongly consider tapping that one-click button for this one! I know I am. 🙂
*This is the second book in the Shakespeare Sisters series, but don’t let that stop you from reading! I haven’t read book one yet, but apparently it focuses on the New York set of Shakespeare women, while Trouble Brewing is the story of the London women.*
When I first began reading this book I noticed a few things right away. There seemed to be an abundance of British slang, which generally tends to irk me. Secondly, the rest of the book was so good that it rather cancelled out my concern for the first thing.
What did I like about it? Many things. One of the main things that captured my attention about this book was the way the characters came to life right before the reader’s eyes. Rather than describing every minute detail, the author let you form your own images of them with simple, yet effective descriptive words. She lets you decide what and who you want the characters to be with just the slightest assistance.
There were a few times where I felt the main character was a bit self concerned and overbearing, but she is a strong personality and her words and actions certainly reflected that. I liked the way she took control of the story, I just felt she was a bit bossy toward her love interest.
The supporting characters are great and also play a major role in the story, which I don’t think happens often enough. So frequently I like one of the secondary characters more than the main, but in this case they are all worthy of adoration.
The idea behind the premise of this story is also something I had not seen before. The way the author made the main character compassionate toward the plight of others helped me grow to really like her.
I would recommend this book to others. It was sassy, and fun.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher.
Another 4 star review arrived today from the lovely Books With Tien. There is also a Q&A with me posted under the review. Drop by and check them both out.
Tien: When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
Jane: I’ve always written. I have boxes of romance stories I wrote as a teenager, tucked away at my mum’s house. They’re hilarious. The stories all end just as the male and female leads are about to kiss. I guess I was too young to really know how to write about what came next.
Fun light hearted fantasy with romance, drama and magic. It is very chick lit but extremely enjoyable and abit different from others i’ve read in this genre.
Rowie is a witch, not just any witch mind you but one of the famous Shakespeare witches of old that were hunted during the witch trials. There are only 3 in America, Rowie, her mother and grandmother. All put their gifts to good use and run Second Sight as tradition has had it.
Rowie’s young though and knows her true love is out there somewhere and there’s a life waiting for her to live. Her gift of accurately fortelling the weather has come in very handy for her local neighborhood but she’s starting to think bigger much to the chagrin of her grandmother. Fortune come’s knocking though when the local news station hears of her talents.
Drew is young, attractive, newly single and dedicated to his job. So dedicated he fell through a roof while reporting on a Hurricane. He’s off on sabbatical and has to approve a replacement quick.
Chanced upon this while trawling through Amazon and the fun sounding write up drew me straight in to the whimsical sounding tale. Great fun read with a really intriguing plot line of the women not only being witches but of the incredibly famous Shakespeare line. Even their talents are entertaining with each having a special power unique to them and their personalities.
Rowie is the perfect leading lady for me. She’s attractive but doesn’t flaunt it, is humbled by her turbulent upbringing with the other kids and is generally a tough and feisty female. Not a thing I disliked about her.
Her leading man Drew could be perceived as abit of a jerk but when you realise his past you can completely understand why he’s playing the field but underneath the exterior there’s just a normal guy living his life who loves his job. Ideal guy really.
All the background characters tie in perfectly and really add depth and humour. All three Shakespeares get their story told with it ending lovely.
Really has that feel good factor.
Mum’s Lounge contributor Jane Tara has what she calls “SchizoPENia. “I find it impossible to stick to one genre when writing. While most writers have a ‘voice’ … I have a few … my pen name should be Sybil.”
While she’s a travel blogger and runs Itchee Feet, a children’s travel publishing company by day, at night another writers’ personality is unleashed and she writes magical romantic comedies. The first two books in her new Shakespeare Sisters series have just been released by Pan Macmillan’s digital imprint, Momentum Books.
Forecast and Trouble Brewing follow the loves and lives of the psychic Shakespeare women. The books blend romance, travel, heartbreak and humour, with lashings of magic. Trouble Brewing even has some pretty amazing cocktail recipes in it …
