Well, it is set in stone: Stalking Jack the Ripper is one of my favourite series of all time. It has got to be said, the main thing that kept my interest, and heart, throughout this series is one Mr Thomas Cresswell. I loved Audrey Rose, her gumption, intelligence, bravery, refusal to adhere to societal rules and general character. ‘Escaping From Houdini’ definitely did some damage to my love for her but her character development in ‘Capturing the Devil’ made me forgive her complete lack of sense previously. However, I do think there is a lot that we could learn from her and a lot of very impactful quotes resonated with me. 

“The world needed to be better. And if it wasn’t possible for it to be better, we, its inhabitants, needed to do better.”


However, I feel like Thomas Cresswell’s love interest could have been just about anyone and I still would have read all four books to get my fix of him. I’m not alone here…right? He truly is the perfect romantic interest (in my opinion, anyway. Sorry Rowan Whitethorn you’ve been bumped down to #2). At this point in my love for this series, I would have read a whole 600 page novel about Audrey Rose and Thomas Cresswell eating breakfast and talking about the weather and devoured it.


This book, as expected, had many plot twists and dead ends and the world building was so immersive that I found myself wholly frustrated when another suspect didn’t fit the bill and Audrey Rose and Thomas had to start again- as though I were investigating the cases myself. It evoked real emotions within me! So many times I thought ‘this is it! This is the killer!’ only to discover on the next page that it was not. I was right next to the characters in their hunt, enjoying the ride.


The plot line was so very well thought out and crafted. Once it is over and you look back on it, you begin to notice the intricacies and how masterfully the web was woven and appreciate (as if you didn’t before!) how spectacular of a writer Kerri Maniscalco is. I loved all of the foreshadowing that linked with the other books and how it all came full circle and little details here and there that you overlooked, or didn’t think had any relevance, in reality had huge roles to play. Magnificence! 


At some points the murder-mystery was put on the backburner and the romance was brought center stage, but that definitely was not an issue because what a wonderful romance it is! My only complaint throughout the previous three books was that the romance was a pace behind the other plotlines but this installment really fed my insatiable appetite for all things Cressworth, so it is no surprise then that it cemented itself as my favourite out of all four books!

That said, the murder-mystery heavy scenes (I’m looking at you, chapters 49-53!) were so delightfully atmospheric that I got genuine chills and ripples of anxiety and I just did not know how the conclusion was going to work out. It had me biting my nails and clutching the blanket up to my chin in anticipation and I could not, for anything in the world, put the book down.

I can’t believe that this is the final book (if you can hear crying right now, not to worry, it’s just me mourning my loss of Thomas). I live in hope that one day Kerri will bring these characters back for another adventure, or thirty five, but if not… This was a stunning conclusion to the series. It did justice to its predecessors and completely lived up to the hype and expectation. If I could erase my memory and read these books again for the first time I would do it without blinking! If you love murder mystery, historical fiction, swoon worthy romance, incredible characters, being kept in suspense, having your heart ripped out yet soar at the same time…or just reading in general, I highly recommend this series.

Fairyloot are, hands down, my favourite book subscription box! I've been buying their boxes for around six months now and there hasn't been a box that I haven't loved. It's got to be said though, that this months 'Witches Be Crazy' box is NEXT LEVEL spooky goodness and I am living for it. It contains mostly fandom neutral items but honestly, they're so good I doubt you'll mind! It's going to be hard for them to top this, but then I say that every month and here I am again, worshipping at the Fairyloot alter! Here's a sneak peak of all the items included in this months box...




We simply had to make sure you have a trusted Canvas Tote Bag to carry all your magical artifacts in! This beautiful tote was designed exclusively for Fairyloot by the amazing '@bandofweirdos'.





Prepare to be cosy while casting your spells! We hope you enjoy these exclusive Fluffy Witch Socks brought to you by team Fairyloot! They're perfect for keeping you warm in the upcoming winter months.


Don't let anyone mistake you for what you definitely aren't - basic! This sassy exclusive Not Your Basic Witch Enamel Pin is designed by none other than 'thatslovelydearshop'! We absolutely love it and hope you do too!






In case your inspiration strikes, write down your spells on this beautiful 'Just As Sane As I Am' Sticky Notepad, brought to you by team Fairyloot! It's inspired by one of the loveliest and quirkiest witches we know, can you guess who it is?

The last few months have gifted us with A LOT of amazing new releases and as wonderful as that is, they can be super hard to keep track of and overwhelming to add to your already huge (admit it!) TBR pile. So I thought I would compile a list of the new and upcoming releases that I am most anticipating getting my hands on in an attempt to whittle them all down. Apart from number one, these are in no particular order!


1) Capturing the Devil - Kerri Maniscalco.

Released: 10th September 2019.

In the shocking finale to the bestselling series that began with Stalking Jack the Ripper, Audrey Rose and Thomas are on the hunt for the depraved, elusive killer known as the White City Devil. A deadly game of cat-and-mouse has them fighting to stay one step ahead of the brilliant serial killer---or see their fateful romance cut short by unspeakable tragedy.

Audrey Rose Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell have landed in America, a bold, brash land unlike the genteel streets of London they knew. But like London, the city of Chicago hides its dark secrets well. When the two attend the spectacular World's Fair, they find the once-in-a-lifetime event tainted with reports of missing people and unsolved murders.

Determined to help, Audrey Rose and Thomas begin their investigations, only to find themselves facing a serial killer unlike any they've heard of before. Identifying him is one thing, but capturing him---and getting dangerously lost in the infamous Murder Hotel he constructed as a terrifying torture device---is another.

Will Audrey Rose and Thomas see their last mystery to the end---together and in love---or will their fortunes finally run out when their most depraved adversary makes one final, devastating kill?


Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?
Nor once dreamed of seeing the wondrous wealth and beauty of Ilara, the kingdom that’s ruled her village for as long as anyone can remember. But when a childhood accident left her with a permanent scar, it became clear that her identical twin sister, Zadie, would likely be chosen to marry the Crown Prince—while Nor remained behind, unable to ever set foot on land.

In order to save her people, Nor must learn to negotiate the treacherous protocols of a court where lies reign and obsession rules. But discovering her own formidable strength may be the one move that costs her everything: the crown, Varenia and Zadie.

Arden realizes that her own memories have been hacked, but they haven’t just been stolen and shared… they’ve been deleted. And she’s not the only one, the hot stranger, Sebastian, has lost ALL of his memories. But how can they find someone with the power to make them forget everything they’ve learned?

It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.

But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there's more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

Fie abides by one rule: look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime.

A fugitive prince.

When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses—and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.

A too-cunning bodyguard.

Hawk warrior Tavin has always put Jas’s life before his, magically assuming the prince’s appearance and shadowing his every step. But what happens when Tavin begins to want something to call his own?


When more bodies are discovered, each crime more gruesome than the last, Celine and New Orleans become gripped by the terror of a serial killer on the loose—one Celine is sure has set her in his sights . . . and who may even be the young man who has stolen her heart. As the murders continue to go unsolved, Celine takes matters into her own hands and soon uncovers something even more shocking: an age-old feud from the darkest creatures of the underworld reveals a truth about Celine she always suspected simmered just beneath the surface.

Glimmering like a jewel behind its gateway, The Kingdom is an immersive fantasy theme park where guests soar on virtual dragons, castles loom like giants, and bioengineered species--formerly extinct--roam free.

Ana is one of seven Fantasists, beautiful "princesses" engineered to make dreams come true. When she meets park employee Owen, Ana begins to experience emotions beyond her programming including, for the first time... love.

But the fairytale becomes a nightmare when Ana is accused of murdering Owen, igniting the trial of the century. Through courtroom testimony, interviews, and Ana's memories of Owen, emerges a tale of love, lies, and cruelty--and what it truly means to be human.

Although I definitely tend to prefer series, I've read some really fantastic standalones- especially this year! I generally think series offer more well developed, hashed out and complex worlds and characters. Not to mention if you fall in love with either of those things, a series means that you can stay with them for longer! However, I thought I would share a list of the stand-alones that I thoroughly enjoyed and thought did themselves justice. These are in no particular order!



1) Sorcery of Thorns - Margaret Rogerson.

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she never could have imagined.



One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The ocean is the only place Prince Elian calls home, even though he is heir to the most powerful kingdom in the world. Hunting sirens is more than an unsavory hobby—it’s his calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she’s more than what she appears. She promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good—But can he trust her? And just how many deals will Elian have to barter to eliminate mankind’s greatest enemy?