The Witch's Knight by Paula Brackston and Trevor Brackston

Stacey Irving • May 9, 2022

I just reviewed The Witch's Knight... You are in for a ride

I just reviewed #TheWitchsKnight by #PaulaBrackston and #TrevorBrackston

When William the Conqueror became king of all of England, Wales didn’t escape his clutches and he set about conquering the home of Lady Gwen. Tragically she not only loses her parents, her home and close to losing her life, she discovers she is a hereditary witch and not just any witch, a witch of the white shadow. With this knowledge she must make the ultimate commitment to not only keep evil at bay, but to be able to find her true love, the knight sworn to protect her again.

As Lady Gwen becomes Rhiannon, Queen Witch, she has to learn to leave the person she thought she was behind and learn the ways of her ancestors to be ready to fight for humanity in a battle so fierce it could rock the whole world to its core.

Can she learn her craft and protect the people who have now become her family? Will her agreement with her coven be too much for her and will she ever find her knight again?

This book was a slam dunk for me. The magic the authors weaved on the page had me so enthralled, I couldn’t put it down.

The book straddles the past and present time in such a way that it doesn’t feel like two separate stories. It flows gently like a river over its rock bed with a natural rhythm and elegant class. The pace was exactly how a good historical fiction should be and the characters had so much depth and richness I could feel my heart racing to find out what would happen next! I am not usually one to be dramatic but when I got to the end I squeaked out loud and actually turned my iPad over to see if there was more… The climax will have me biting my nails until I can get my hands on the next book. This book ticks every box, will fill all the pieces of your soul and have you on a monumental rollercoaster ride that will have your whole body screaming for more.

If you love supernatural historical fiction that will have you feeling the welsh winds on your face and drawing your sword to battle for the good of humanity in your head, then this book has to be your next read.

5 stars isn’t enough to portray the gravity of excellence this book has pouring from its pages

Thank you to Paula and Trevor for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review

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By Stacey Irving March 25, 2026
Book review - Fiction - ALC Audiobook - Dark comedy thriller - unreliable narrator A Sociopath’s Guide to a Successful Marriage by M.K. Oliver ⭐ Star Rating: 4 This book felt like…fast paced, unhinged drama filled ride I was hooked… after a few chapters. The book took a little to get going but my oh my it launched! Did I care about the characters ? I was invested for sure. Laila went from likeable to unlikeable a lot and it was fun. She made a lot of decisions that don’t make sense to normal people but to sociopaths.. oh yes haha Tropes included: unreliable narrator, sociopath in suburbia, stepford wives, blackmail, incompetent husband, morally grey Narration star rating and feelings.. 4 stars well narrated! The story had a couple of laggy moments but honestly the pacing was on the slower side but it worked for the comedy. It was really well written. This book made me feel: 100% unhinged! Honestly I loved every second of Lalla’s journey. This book might make you lose sleep! Perfect for readers who love… Dexter, Finlay Donovan.. 🚫 Not for readers who dislike… books with no romance 😈 Petty Complaint… I would have liked a bit more carnage haha All in all superb! Thank you to @netgalley for my gifted copy. Qotd what do you need from a book review to keep checking that reviewers other reviews? #booktok #bookcontent #bookcommunity #happyreader #bookalorian 4d
By Stacey Irving March 25, 2026
Book review - Fiction - paperback, ebook and ALC Audiobook - Dark Fantasy - Horror - Hidden Magic Only Spell Deep by Ava Morgyn ⭐ Star Rating: 5 This book felt like… a dark monstrous nightmare! It felt like a cold wind wrapping around you.. the smell of the ocean has never felt so dangerous I was hooked… page 1. I couldn’t put the book down. It really started out strong and didn’t let up. Did I care about the characters? Oh yes! I Judeth is incredible. She didn’t want to continue the insanity of her family after they all died and she walked about from the money.. I have mad respect for that. I was so concerned for her. Tropes included: generation trauma, reclaiming power, enigmatic mentor, ancient being, hidden magic, hidden identity, feminine rage These tropes delivered!!! yes they did. The book didn’t just touch on them, they dug deep and delivered a power whammy!!! Narration star rating and feelings.. I read the book and listened. The narration on the audio was a 5. Pacing? It was moderately paced but it didn’t lag at any point. The story kept going! It really built the tension. Honestly it was so well done This book made me feel: terrified! There was something trapped and it wanted to get out so badly it was taking control of people with powers.. once unleashed… ughhhh!! It really was a solid gothic read. This book WILL make you lose sleep! From needing the lights on to being utterly binge able! Perfect for readers who love… Rebecca.. the craft.. anything dark and witchy! 🚫 Not for readers who dislike… being scared. There is nothing warm or fluffy here. I loved it! Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress for my gifted copies. #readertok #booklovers #bookinfluencer #reading #welovebooks #bookcommunity #readingblog #bookreviewer
By Stacey Irving March 23, 2026
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By Stacey Irving March 23, 2026
Book Review - ALC Audiobook - Sapphic Romantic Comedy - Forbidden romance Greta Gets the Girl by Melissa Marr When Greta and Lee have a one night stand in a hotel room… They never expect to see each other again but they keep in touch and can’t help meeting again.. Something is blooming here.. That is, until Kaelee walks into a meeting to meet her new editor and finds Greta sitting in the editor chair.. Things go even further awry when Kaelee’s family want her book shelved for being Sapphic leaving Greta to decide what is more important.. Her heart or her career… TOO DANG CUTE!!! I love this author's writing style so I definitely will grab more from her! The book has some pretty heavy topics and they were covered so well and I felt like even with the tone… The book still had a lovely message. I do feel the first half of the book was better than the conclusion. It felt rushed and crammed in. I like it wasn’t a total HEA though because they will have things to face moving forward but I enjoyed how it all turned out. I liked the characters and how they progressed as the book went on and the narration was solid! 4.25 stars Thank you to @netgalley #netgalley #alc #audiobookreader #cutereads #romancebook #bookblog #bookinfluencer
By Stacey Irving March 19, 2026
Book Review - ALC audiobook - Psychological Thriller - Romantic suspense - Unreliable Narrator The Newlywed by Zia Rayyan Librarian Morgan Sloane just wants her happily after… After her boyfriend breaks up with her she is distraught. She decides to join a matchmaking service that promises marriage at first sight. Being flown to a secluded island to meet her future husband… He is perfect… But someone is not going to allow this to continue. Can Morgan survive her honeymoon? Or has she walked into the sights of someone who now wants her dead. This might be one of the craziest plots I have come across but dang… It worked for me. I’ve never read this author before but I am now backlisting anything by them I can get my hands on. The plot was wild! I love the idea of a woman who is intense in relationships going to the extreme of wanting a matchmaking service marrying her off within days.. CRAZY but ok, I rolled with it but the whole story and that ending! Land o' Goshen! I did not see any of that coming! It was the kind of twist that will give you whiplash for days. The writing was good… The pace is sublime! I am a big fan!! If you need an isolated island with a mystery stalker.. GRAB IT! The narration was on point too!! 4 stars #thrillerreader #thrillertok #booktok #bookstagram #readersoffacebook #bookreviewer #bookblogger
By Stacey Irving March 19, 2026
Book review - ALC audiobook - mystery thriller - Police Procedural - Cat and Mouse The Devoted Game by Debra Webb Ex FBI agent Ryan McBride didn’t expect to open his door and find Special Agent Vivian Grace standing there. He isn’t interested but she isn’t giving up.. A 6 year old has been kidnapped and the kidnapper… Will only talk to McBride. The clock is ticking… They must solve the devoted fan of McBrides puzzles and each puzzle gets more and more twisted. Is the kidnapper a deranged obsessed monster? Or is there more going on? One of the things you can expect from this author… You won’t get a moment to breathe once the games start! Ryan is my kind of MC. He was gruff and grumpy. He was drowning in the loss of his job. Vivian had survived her own trauma and she had so much to prove. It was a wild ride. I loved the plot and how clever it all came together. I normally hate unnecessary romance in my thrillers but you know what.. This worked. I loved the narration, I loved the characters and the mystery was awesome. I was entertained. 4 stars Thank you to @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my gifted copy #brillianceaudio #brilliancepublishing #thrillerbook #bookreview #bookblog #bookishblog #blogger #reading #aboutbooks #lionessofliteracy
By Stacey Irving March 17, 2026
Book Review - ALC Audiobook - Historical Fiction - Biographic Fiction - The sins of the father The Architect of New York by Javier Moro The life and death of a genius… Rafael Guastavino revolutionized the gilded age of New York City. This story is told through the eyes of his son… A rags to riches story of an immigrant family making their own destiny. I really enjoyed this book. I have never done a biographical fiction book before but dang I was hooked. The audiobook was narrated really well and I was oddly charmed by the wackadoodle haha. He was a womanising cheater. He made insane decisions and lost his shirt on more than one occasion but he kept on climbing and he managed to reach the stars in the end. It was oddly inspiring. I liked the pacing and the book has some many interesting elements and spanned decades. It was entertaining and I learned things about architecture. Great book. 4 stars Thank you @netgalley for my gifted copy #bookishblog #reading #lionessofliteracy #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookblogger #literacyinfluencer #booktok
By Stacey Irving March 17, 2026
Book review - Audio ALC - Fiction - Romance - womens fiction The Wild Card by Carolyn Brown Carla Wilson is a professional poker player but she won the deed to a cafe… Something she can sell since she is down on her luck. That is until she moves there and meets Sunny, the cook who treats her like family. It makes leaving mighty hard. Add in the gorgeous Jackson and you have a recipe for sticking around.. It is starting to feel like home and this might just be where lady luck smiled at her the most. Full disclosure… I nearly DNF’d this audio.I actually meant to but somehow.. Maybe it was lady luck, started playing it again and something caught my attention and LAWD I am so glad I did not stop listening. The narration was amazing. It just took time to get into the story. I adored what those ladies were doing with the cafe! It was so much more than just a business. It was a fresh start for those who need it the most. The characters were hilarious and fun! I need senior neighbors like that. I was charmed! It was so well written. It felt almost cozy, it isn’t supposed to be but I felt oddly like I had come home too. I liked everything about it. Even the slow start didn’t faze me in the end. It was decently paced and I enjoyed how it ended. 4.5 stars Thank you @netgalley for my gifted ALC #contemporaryfiction #bookishblog #reader #lionessofliteracy #bookishbusiness #bookservices #bookpod
By Stacey Irving March 9, 2026
Book review - Fiction - Paperback ARC - Retelling - Historical fiction - fantasy - debut I just finished Aicha by Soraya Bouazzaoui and here are my musings. Not yet published Expected 24 Mar 26 Aicha is the daughter of a freedom fighter and she was born ready for battle. She sees the devastation of war and she is angry. It burns in her soul.. Fighting for Morocco’s freedom is her life. Her only reprieve is her secretary lover, a rebellion leader… But the monster under her skin wants release… It will no longer stay hidden. Well that was a surprise! I’ve never read a book with such feminine rage and this was something I had no idea I would enjoy so much. Her anger was a sight to behold and It was (cough cough) relatable. I also enjoyed the family, sisterhood and friendship that was weaved throughout the book. SO GOOD. You could feel the turmoil from all the characters and that made it feel so realistic. The world building is amazing. It was the best part for me. I did feel the smutty parts were a bit much for the tone of the book but I’m probably in the minority here. The story was culturally rich and that was amazing and it had a decent pace. I wish we had had Aicha’s childhood to give a more rounded view of her anger but all in all… Very entertained. 4 stars Thank you @orbitbooks_us for my gifted copy #bookblogger #readerblog #bookinfluencer #bookreader #bookpodcast #fantasyreader #lionessofliteracy
By Stacey Irving March 9, 2026
Book Review - ALC Audiobook - Romance - Women's Fiction - Twin Rivalry Life as Planned by Amanda Prowse How can one childhood decision change the course of two people's lives? Remy and Ashleigh are twins… As their lives unfold in a way neither of them expect, the courses of their loves don’t run smoothly and as the guilt gnaws away at Ashleigh, it starts to produce cracks between the sisters.. Can they find their way back to each other before they lose sight of each other and themselves? I was actually really enamoured at the way this story unfolded and I don’t normally like books that span such a time period… It literally started when they were little kids all the way to old age. It was actually done with remarkable panache! I really enjoyed the twin storyline. It was clever and I liked the fact the author fractured the relationship from a young age and that both twins viewed a specific incident very differently. I really enjoyed it. I thought the narration was done really well and I loved the cover. I really highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a book with sibling rivalry and a story that spans a whole life… This is it 4 stars Thank you @netgalley for my gifted ALC #amandaprowser #romancereader #romancebookblog #lionessofliteracy #bookishpodcast #bookinfluencer