Like a thousand suns...: April 2026

Thursday, 16 April 2026

Book Review!!! A Plethora of Phantoms (Spirited Encounters Book 2) by Penny Hampson

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A Plethora of Phantoms is one of those books that doesn’t try too hard, but still ends up getting to you. It’s not super scary or dramatic—it just kind of sneaks up on you the longer you’re reading.

Lanyon Park feels normal at first, but then you start noticing little things that are just… off. Nothing big or obvious, which somehow makes it worse. The whole “things being tidied away” thing really got me—it sounds harmless, but it’s actually kind of creepy in a quiet, unsettling way.

Freddie and Marcus are similar in that nothing about them is over-the-top. Their relationship just sort of builds in the background while everything else is going on. It’s not intense or dramatic, but it feels real—like they’re just gradually figuring each other out.

I liked that the romance and the haunting don’t feel separate. They kind of blend together, so just when things start to feel a bit settled, something shifts again and you’re reminded that things aren’t quite right.

The supernatural stuff is handled pretty subtly. There aren’t loads of explanations or big shock moments—it just builds slowly, which makes it feel more natural when things do start to escalate.

At some point, it also becomes clear there’s more going on than just the house, which adds a bit more depth without making it overly complicated.

It’s definitely a slow burn, so if you’re after something fast-paced, this probably won’t hit. But if you like books that are more about atmosphere and just quietly getting under your skin, this one does that really well.

It’s not about one big twist although there are a few hair-raising moments, especially when Marcus goes missing—it’s all the little details that add up, and that’s what makes it stick with you.

Publication Date: 3rd February 2026

Publisher: PP&M Publishing

Print Length: 259 Pages

Genre: Paranormal Ghost Romance / Gay Romance

Whose footsteps in the dark?

He is heir to the earldom of Batheaston and lives in an elegant, stately home, but handsome twenty-something Freddie Lanyon is not a happy man. Not only is he gay and dreading coming out to his family, but he’s also troubled by ghosts that nobody else can see.

When Freddie’s impulsive purchase of an antique dressing case triggers even more ghostly happenings with potentially catastrophic consequences, he has to take action.

Freddie contacts charismatic psychic Marcus Spender for help and feels an immediate attraction to this handsome antique dealer –– a feeling that is mutual. But the pair’s investigations unearth shocking, long-buried secrets, which prove a major challenge to their task of laying unhappy spirits to rest and to their blossoming relationship.

Being brave isn’t one of Freddie’s standout qualities, but he’ll need all the courage he can muster to rid himself of wayward phantoms and get his life on track.

A Plethora of Phantoms is an uplifting ghostly tale about love, friendship, and acceptance.

Praise

“Plethora of Phantoms” by Penny Hampson is a richly atmospheric novel that blends paranormal suspense with emotional introspection, grounding its supernatural intrigue in the intimate realities of family, identity and belonging.

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Penny Hampson

Penny Hampson writes mysteries, and because she has a passion for history, you’ll find her stories also reflect that. A Gentleman’s Promise, a traditional Regency romance, was Penny’s debut novel and the first of her Gentlemen Series. There are now four novels in the series, with the latest, An Adventurer’s Contract, released in November 2024. Penny also enjoys writing contemporary mysteries with a hint of the paranormal, because where do ghosts come from but the past? The Unquiet Spirit, a spooky mystery/romance set in Cornwall, is the first in the Spirited Encounters Series. Look out for A Plethora of Phantoms coming soon.

Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).

If you’ve enjoyed any of Penny’s books please leave a review on Amazon, Bookbub, or Goodreads, and let other readers know!

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Book Excerpt!!! Fool (A Tudor Novel) by Mary Lawrence

Fool

(A Tudor Novel)

By Mary Lawrence

Publication Date: April 14th, 2026

Publisher: Red Puddle Print

Pages: 322

Genre: Historical Fiction / Historical Mystery

Betrayal. Power. Perception. The most dangerous mind at court belongs to a fool.

From the author of The Alchemist's Daughter comes a dark tale of ambition and survival.

"One of the most vibrant characters I've encountered in years."--Goodreads Ecostell

Kronos is a fool--mocked for his dwarfism, prized for his juggling, and underestimated by everyone who matters. But in a court ruled by paranoia and whispers, invisibility is its own kind of power.

When Kronos overhears a secret that could destroy Queen Katherine Howard, he becomes a liability the crown cannot afford. Silenced, mutilated, and left for dead, he survives--barely.

Rescued by an ambitious apothecary, Kronos soon realizes he has not escaped danger--he has merely changed masters. His secret is worth a fortune...and powerful men are willing to kill to control it.

But Kronos has spent his life being overlooked and he's ready to use that to his advantage.

As rival factions circle and scheme, Kronos sets a plan in motion--one that could topple the mighty, rewrite his fate, and force his foes to reconsider which of them is truly...the fool.

Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom and Philippa Gregory.

Praise for Fool:

'Fool is a masterclass in immersive storytelling'
~ Tony Riches, bestselling author of The Tudor Trilogy

'Fool brings the Tudor world to life through an exciting narrative voice, placing real historical figures--Henry VIII, Katherine Howard, and Archbishop Cranmer--at the heart of the drama. Its unforgettable narrator, Kronos, the king's sharp-witted court fool, survives on intelligence and observations rather than power, moving invisibly through corridors of influence. Vividly written and grounded in scrupulous research, the novel captures both the dark comedy and lethal danger of Henry VIII's court.'

~ Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown, The Chalice, and The Tapestry

'A thoughtful and unsparing Tudor novel that reframes the court jester not as comic ornament but as a precarious witness to power.'
~ Megan Parker, for IndieReader

Excerpt

All stories have a beginning—as do all lives. Once upon a time begins with a mother’s final push thrusting a child into the world. A world indifferent to yet another mewling mouth seeking to find its place among a multitude of others just as needy and just as expectant. There with its scowling face, clenched eyes and fists, the necessity to breathe air instead of fluid. Live—and a story unfolds.

Stories build incrementally, then become full with the passage of time. Is it not true of lives? Threads of days become months, become years, which are woven into a tapestry. Mayhap the tale might be pleasing. The tale might be simple, an ease of prediction satisfying, but hardly revolutionary. Then, there are tapestries and lives that dazzle. Their threads shimmer and are appreciated by those who know how to see.

Which tale is this? That is for you to decide.

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Mary Lawrence

Mary Lawrence is the author of the Bianca Goddard mysteries, a 5-book series that takes place in the slums of Tudor London featuring the daughter of an infamous alchemist.

Suspense Magazine named The Alchemist’s Daughter and The Alchemist of Lost Souls best historical mysteries of 2015 and 2017. Her writing has been published in several journals, including The Daily Beast.

When she is not writing, she tends a small berry farm in Maine with her husband and creates artisanal jams for sale at market.

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Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Book Review!!! The Scald Crow (Beyond the Faerie Rath Book 1) by Hanna Park

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The Scald Crow is one of those books where the atmosphere and the romance are so closely tied together that you can’t really separate them. The setting doesn’t just sit in the background—it shapes everything, especially the relationships.

From early on, there’s a strong sense of place. The rural Irish setting feels grounded and familiar, but there’s always something slightly off about it. Nothing is overly explained, but you get the feeling that the land holds more than it lets on. Even in quieter moments, there’s a low, steady tension running through everything—like something isn’t quite right, even if you can’t immediately say why.

That same feeling carries into the romance between Calla and Colm. This isn’t a soft or easy relationship—it’s intense, immediate, and sometimes overwhelming. There’s a pull between them from the start, but it doesn’t feel entirely comfortable or controlled. When things build between them, they don’t do it gradually—they spill over, often in moments that feel impulsive and hard to rein in. It gives their connection a raw, consuming edge that makes it really hard to look away from.

What makes it even more interesting is how that intensity never quite feels safe. Not in a dramatic or extreme way, but in a quieter sense—like something is always slightly unbalanced. You’re not watching a relationship settle, you’re watching it unfold in real time, without guarantees, and that unpredictability keeps you hooked.

The fae elements add to this without taking over. They’re not loud or heavily explained—they sit just at the edges, shaping the tone rather than dominating the plot. It’s more about the feeling they create than anything else, and that subtle presence adds to the unease that runs through the whole story.

I wouldn’t call this dark in a heavy or brutal way, but it definitely has a darker edge to it, especially later in the novel when the reader gets a glimpse inside the fae world.

It leans more towards a mood-driven, emotionally intense romantasy rather than something action-heavy. If you like stories where the romance is messy, the tension builds slowly, and the atmosphere does a lot of the work, this is well worth picking up.

It’s the kind of book that lingers—not because of big dramatic moments, but because of the feeling it leaves behind.

Publication Date: 26th May 2025
Publisher: Baisong Press
Print Length: 260 Pages
Genre: Fantasy / Romance

Calla left her life behind, haunted by a curse she cannot control. She seeks refuge in the land of a thousand hellos, Ireland, for a fresh start—a place where no one knows who or what she is.

Colm fled from Clonmara seven long years ago, but now it’s his father’s birthday, and the clan has gathered to celebrate the ould one. Each day brings back the memories that ruined him.

Saoirse dwells in the shadows of a lost love, unwilling to move on and unable to forget. The crystals say one thing, but the cold, hard truth tells another.

Ciarán walked away from the woman he loved for the fun, for the craic. He didn’t realize that one rash decision would impact the lives of so many, least of all his own.

Four broken hearts, brought together by the thread of love.

You can pick up your copy at your favourite online bookstore here.

Hanna Park

`I began my writing career in the pre-dawn of a winter morning while my husband snored like a train. We could call my husband the catalyst. If it weren’t for him, I would never have gone to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, feed the cat, and sit on the loveseat in front of the fire. It was there, in those moments of wondrous quiet, that I did something I had never thought possible. I opened my laptop, and while the coffee went cold, I wrote a story. My husband had no idea that these sojourns to the loveseat in front of the fire would become a daily occurrence, that writing would become an obsession, but the cat knew. She knows everything.

I write stories that make you laugh, make you cry, and make you love. Thank you, friends, for reading!

In the beginning, there was an empty page.

I am a writer who lives in Muskoka, Canada, with a husband who snores, a hungry cat, and an almost perfect canine––he’s an adorable little shit.

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