A Little Christmas Magic final stops on the #audiobook blog blitz

Happy Sunday. I hope you’re feeling festive!

I’m back with the last of the reviews from my blog blitz tour for A Little Christmas Magic.

Yesterday it was great to see the reviews coming in and to hear how much reviewers are enjoying the audiobook while they’re getting ready for Christmas or having a well earned break from preparations.

Here are the latest review snippets I have to share.

“The narrator truly brought the stories alive, filling them with emotion.” Plumbobmummy

“…Colette Davies-Kerwin, was wonderful. The recording was clear, read well and I didn’t want this book to end to be honest. …Over all, this book was fantastic. It has me completely feeling the Christmas cheer.” Novel Kicks

“The audio narration by Colette Davies-Kerwin brings an added layer of charm and cosiness, making this collection a joy to listen to on wintry evenings.” My books and crafts

“This is a cute set of 8 short stories that total less than 3 hours listening time with a focus on family, friends, love and peace and goodwill. I think my fav was the Last Minute Dash but they’re all great for listening to while you’re wrapping gifts or any of the other millions of holiday chores you have to accomplish in the next few days.” The loppy knot on instagram

I hope you’ve enjoyed these little snippets and have had a chance to check out the full reviews on the blogs and Instagram. Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for hosting this Blog Blitz.

If you want to hear a sample for yourself, click this link – Audio sample for A Little Christmas Magic.

And if you want to start feeling Christmassy, you can pick up both books in series in ebook, paperback, audiobook and hardback. They’d make a great Christmas present or stocking filler for the readers in your life.

Winter Warmers Collection   

Thanks for joining in the blog blitz. I’ll be back in a few days with more.

You can check our my socials here Linktree.

#Audiobook Blog Blitz for A Little Christmas Magic #christmasstories

Today is the day where I get to share the audio version of my book with some lovely reviewers and you. This tour has been hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources.

Part of the Winter Warmers Series, A Little Christmas Magic is a heart-warming collection of eight stories with a focus on family, friendship, love and goodwill.

From a much-loved family pet that goes missing to a neighbour in need. Chance meetings and the kindness of strangers. Overcoming trauma to help others and being prepared to make sacrifices. A father rushing to get home to his kids in time for Christmas.

Here are some quotes from reviewers…

“Guaranteed to give you all the fuzzies and feels…” Stacywh_17 on Instagram

“This is a lovely collection of short stories, full of festive cheer and a healthy dollop of human kindness.” Sarah K Reads on Instagram

“If you are looking for a lovely, quick, uplifting read, pick up this anthology, A Little Christmas Magic.” Carla Loves to Read

 “In short: festive treats” Pam Robertson Books, Life and everything

“Each story brings out a meaning of Christmas and a listener will definitely choose a favorite for their individual preference! My favorite was one of the shorter stories: Last Minute Dash. It just spoke to me more than the others. It shows the kindness of a stranger while also sharing in the joy of Christmas and memories of childhood.” Jessica at Jessica’s Reading Room

“I really like the narrator, Colette Davies Kerwin. She was really animated in the stories and easy to like. The stories are written exceedingly well. The author Suzanna Rogerson has written a beautiful story that’s full of magic and heartwarming for Christmas. If you love Christmas books, this is for you. 5 stars!” Tea leaves and book leaves

I’m looking forward to sharing some more review snippets later on.

I’ve been trying to embed a sample of the audiobook into this post, but for some reason wordpress isn’t letting me. (huge sigh!)

So, if you’d like to read or listen to a sample, use this link to check out the Winter Warmers Series on Amazon.

2024 Year in Review – writing successes

It has become a ritual to look back at the year and check in on my achievements.

It doesn’t feel as if much happened in 2024 as I didn’t meet many of the goals for the year that I set rather optimistically in 2023. However, plenty of other things did happen, so it’s important to focus on the positive.

Writing

I published a new short story collection called A Little Christmas Magic on 28th November 2024.

I also made the decision to make a series of Christmas stories – Winter Warmers. This now includes my previous Christmas collection – A Christmas Wish.

Both books had a book tour on Instagram in December which I enjoyed immensely. There’s nothing better than seeing what reviewers think of the heart-warming stories I’ve created. And it was great to be able to share so many review snippets and posts on Instagram throughout the month. Both were run by Love Books Tours and went very smoothly. Highly recommended service if you are wanting a book tour next year.

Aside from writing, I attended several writing events in 2024. There was a weekend event just outside of Stratford Upon Avon hosted by Alison May and Janet Gover. A whole weekend of food, writing workshops and talking writing with fellow writers. Plus some excellent 1-2-1’s that helped me move my ideas forward. I would recommend both Janet and Alison for the services they offer to writers, and they also run the Debut Author Club together.

The Romantic Novelist Association conference was held 10 minutes for my home at The Royal Holloway College, so I couldn’t resist attending the whole weekend event. At times I found it a struggle socially as I didn’t know anyone, but it was a wonderful opportunity to mix with both aspiring and published writers. The workshops were great as well.

I kept up with my monthly writing sessions at my local library, and attended several author events in libraries and Waterstones.

The not so successful side of 2024….

Fantasy genre

I made the decision to park my new fantasy series Starlight Prophecy for a while. I need to go back to the planning stage and really get to know the world and the history before I commit to working on the half completed trilogy.

I also toyed with the idea of writing a collection of short stories in the world of my Silent Sea Chronicles, but I think it’s a hard one to pull off. I want to provide extra content for readers who’ve enjoyed the series and also entice new readers without giving too much of the various storylines away. Maybe I will revisit this idea in 2025.

Romance genre

I’ve made great headway with The Mermaid Hotel Series (news I will share in a New Year’s post). However, 2024 has seen a lot of work editing and re-editing the story, reshaping major points of the character arcs etc. I’m almost happy with the way it is now, so I’ll share more about that very soon.

Reading

I met my Goodreads goal of 24 books. That seems like a sensible amount, though of course I’d love the time to read more. I did not however get around to reviewing many books, which I am not pleased about. I enjoying reviewing books on my blog and see it as a way to score some good karma points! Hopefully people will review my books more in 2025. Fingers crossed!

I would love to put a post together celebrating my favourite reads of 2024, but will have to see if time allows.

Other

I love the little graphic I made to show off my books. It will need to be changed soon because it is very festive, but I will enjoy it for now.

And that is about it for 2024. It’s had its ups and downs, but I’m confident 2025 will be a bigger and better year!

Happy New Year everyone.

Stay safe and have fun!

Book review Bella’s Countryside Christmas by Claire Huston #romance #RespectRomFic @ClaraVal

I loved Bella and Jack’s story, from the moment they meet over a falling Christmas tree in a church, right up to the last page. It was a very entertaining read for any time of year.

Bella was a great character to follow. She has a big heart and puts family above everything else. This causes a few issues in her life, the biggest losing touch with Jack after a magical few hours together. I was desperate to read on to see if the couple would get their happy ever after.

I enjoyed being back at Halleybrook, and getting little glimpses into characters lives from the previous books in the series. This can be read as a standalone without an issues, though I highly recommend all the books, whichever order you read them. Oh, and I just found out last night that Claire’s book ‘Clues to You’ won the book bloggers novel of the year 2024 competition. I loved that story and think you should definitely check out all of Claire Huston’s books.

Finally, the cover has a really festive feel.

Check it out on Amazon.

Blurb

Fleeing her heartache and horrendous job, Bella stumbles upon a December wedding in the beautiful village of Haileybrook and the spirit of the season moves her to act as a fake date to handsome stranger Jack.

Jack and Bella hit it off, but Bella has to leave in a hurry and their magical evening soon becomes nothing more than a blissful memory.

A year later, Bella is returning to Haileybrook, seeking a fresh start and a quieter life. With a new job close to her cosy cottage home, a peaceful Christmas is surely only days away.

But it’s not long before family surprises, small-town feuds and romantic drama disrupt Bella’s plans, and she has to wonder if being alone is what she really wants for Christmas …

This standalone festive romance is set in the village of HaileybrookThe Haileybrook stories can be read in any order.

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Happy Christmas everyone.

And happy reading!

Book Review snippets for A Little Christmas Magic #festivestories #christmasstories #shortstories #christmasfiction

I’m back with my favourite thing – more quotes from reviewers!

This is a continuation of the book tour taking place on Instagram for A Little Christmas Magic.

Day 3 reviews

planteachread ‘…It brings so much to the table and at the heart of the stories a connection between people, brought to the fore at Christmas time. A couple of stories brought me to tears, which is pretty impressive for a tale told on a few pages…’

CosyMidlifeBookNook ‘This festive collection is a delight! …it feels like unwrapping a bookish gift wrapped in a big red bow. In just 80 pages, you’ll find heartwarming tales of missing pets, the kindness of strangers, overcoming trauma, and a father racing home for Christmas. Each story tugged at my heartstrings and left me satisfied.’

Plumbobmummy ‘They are uplifting stories that capture how Christmas is truly a time when people come together as a community and help others. Some of the stories deal with current topics and feel relevant to us all. My favourite short story in the book is Last Minute Dash about a mum struggling to pay for her food shopping on top of Christmas – something I’m sure many people will be struggling with this year.’

Katieluvstoread ‘This is the second collection of short stories that I have read by this author and I loved them all. This one had all of the fur babies that my little heart could take and making sure they were all included in the Christmas cheer. I want more and could have read longer versions of the stories as well. I will be adding this author to an auto read list for me.’

Day 4

Dorianhellfire ‘Here’s another wonderful collection of holiday shorts to uplift us and bring in the spirit of Christmas. Tales to show that people can come together as family and as a community.’

nadz_sargent ‘Another brilliant set of little tales of love, compassion and community. Neighbourly spirit was strong in a couple of these and served to remind us to check on those around us.’

book_a_holic_17 ‘I loved the different themes within this collection – although all festive – each one showed what the festive period really means to different people in different situations – reminding us to think of others at this time of year too.’

Day 5

bookswithstacie ‘I can’t choose my favourite but the cat one, I loved I have a cat myself and if she ever went missing I would cry.
Whichever story becomes your favourite you’ll find that they all pull on your heart strings.
Perfect for Christmas lovers.’

I’ve be sharing more snippets at the weekend. Please take a look at the reviews above and if you’re looking for a way to get festive, you could try one of the Winter Warmers collection.

Readers Favourite 5 star review for The Lost Sentinel #fantasy #bookreview and book trailer on #youtube

Yesterday I received a 5 star review from a reviewer on Readers’ Favourite, and earned this shiny badge to show off!

It’s been a while since I finished publishing the Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy, so its wonderful to revisit the book and characters and see what reviewers think. Here is the review posted on the Readers’ Favourite website…

Reviewed by Ronél Steyn for Readers’ Favorite

Suzanne Rogerson brings us epic fantasy in the first book of the Silent Sea Chronicles: The Lost Sentinel. In Kalaya, the Assembly aims to eradicate anyone with even a hint of magic. New laws are passed almost weekly. So, when Tei’s father makes them leave their home in Seatown to reach the sanctuary of the Turrak mountains, she knows her life will change. Tei is now an exile. With her special talents, Tei is tasked with finding the next Sentinel, the one person who can save Kalaya from total decay. Danger lurks in every town and even in the Astral Plains, the only place Tei has ever contacted the Sentinel. Will Tei be able to accept the help of her new friends and complete her mission before the Masked Riders find the new Sentinel first?

Author Suzanne Rogerson has created a world with magic at its core. Written in the third-person narrative mostly from the perspective of the protagonist, readers are privy to her inner thoughts, desires, and fears. With epic journeys filled with sensory stimulation, readers are easily transported to a world where good and evil are constantly at war. The fight scenes are honed with precision. The characters are likable and undeniably relatable. With a steady pace and a magnificent plot, readers won’t want to put this book down. The Lost Sentinel is suitable for younger readers as well as avid fans of fantasy. The end of this book leaves ample opportunity to continue the next adventure in the new life of this mystic.

Here’s the review page on Reader’s Favourite

The review inspired me to post the book trailer my narrator and his wife made back when the audiobook came out. Here it is.

You can pick up a copy of the book in ebook, audio and paperback on Amazon.

Review snippets from the #Booktour for A Little Christmas Magic #festivestories

So far on the book tour for my new festive collection of short stories I’ve been loving the reviews coming in. It’s always fun to share a few of my favourite quotes with you. Please click the link for the full review on instagram.

weebelfastbookshelf ‘…Each story was perfect for an easy, cosy read at this time of year 🎄 the author has beautifully captured what this time of year is really about, even in such short stories. I found them all to be believable & relatable – I didn’t want them to end!’

Daisyhollands ‘…What a charming little collection of stories this is. If you are looking for something quick and stress free to read over the festive period, it should be this. Each story is different to the one before but there is Christmas magic weaved through all of them, like a glittery thread…’

afelton6212 ‘…this book just has all the Christmas magic I may be an adult but I fully believe In the magic!!’

currently_readingx ‘…Every story has a meaning behind it. From helping others to making sacrifices. When I was reading this book it made me feel so lucky to be surrounded by people I love…’

mommy_and_books ‘A perfect Christmas and winter anthology. The stories are short, enveloping, and everyone will find something for themselves here. An additional asset is the wonderful cover that catches the eye.’

lozzieloves ‘This is my first read by Suzanne Rogerson and it was a thoroughly enjoyable one. A collection of festive short stories which cover all the Christmas themes of love, kindness, family and friendship.’

bianca_reads_books ‘The underlying theme across all of these is kindness. They vary in length from a couple of pages to 18 pages, so they are very easy to race through.
It’s a great read to curl up with your christmas cuppa and enjoy.’

Thank you to all the reviewers who’ve posted so far. As you can see from the list below, there are still plenty more to come.

In case you’re interested in this festive read, or want to get a gift for a friend or family member, below is the all important link. You can still order the paperbacks / hardbacks in time for Christmas or even gift an ebook to someone special.

Winter Warmer Short Story Series

Thanks very much for following the book tour with me.

#Christmas book reviews #netgalley reads by @SueMoorcroft and @jo_thomas01

I’ve read a couple of Christmas / winter books over the last month or so and thought it was the perfect time to share a little book love.

These were both Netgalley reads kindly given to me by the publisher, and are by two of my favourite authors;

Sue Moorcroft – A Skye Full of Stars

Firstly I love the title, Coldplay is one of the best bands in the world!

It was wonderful to get back to Skye and pick up with the three sisters and their lives. I love the set up in the country house estate, and it’s also a pleasure to experience the island in winter this time.

This story is packed with family, emotion and love.

Ezzie is a great character with her fair share of issues, and Mats is suitably swoon worthy.
The difficulties the leads face to love seem impossible to overcome, and I couldn’t stop reading to find out how a happy ever after was possible with so much against it.

Mats young kids were adorable. And Ezzie meeting her birth family led to plenty of teary moments.

A brilliant read and I’m looking forward to the last story in the trilogy next year (though it will be a shame to leave the Isle of Skye).

Next up

Jo Thomas – A Recipe for Christmas

This was another great cosy Christmas read by Jo Thomas. And with lots of chocolate – what’s not to love!

Clara was such a lovely character who seems to naturally help everyone she meets and brings people together. Gabriel was the perfect, brooding leading man.

I loved the Swiss location with all the vivid descriptions of the snowy conditions, and especially the chocolate school and Gabriel’s farm.

It was a stay up all night kind of read and I just didn’t want it to end.

Both books are 5 star reads – I’m never disappointed with a Sue Moorcroft or Jo Thomas book!

I’m hoping to squeeze in a few more Christmas reads this year, and am already 80% through Claire Hutson’s new book – Bella’s Countryside Christmas. Another book that is most definitely worth a read.

Enjoy your Sunday reading.

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A Christmas Wish book tour round up #christmasread #festivestories #bookreview

This is the last day of the book tour for A Christmas Wish and I’m happy to share some more review snippets…

Catreader18 – ‘Each one is enjoyable and cute and made me happier. My favorite story is called Santa Paws. It’s about a woman’s and her dog that visit nursing homes and this visit is the deliver Christmas presents.’

book_a_holic_17 – ‘I loved the diversity in these stories – whilst also keeping that same feel-good spirit of Christmas-time vibe… I don’t think that I could pick a favourite story from this – I really enjoyed them all – but Chance Encounters really touched me (being a mum of teens).’

bouquinistebookcase – ‘Each story had a meaning or moral and I’m sure a lot of people could put themselves in at least one of the protagonists positions. My personal favourite was the story of the two young brothers being led down the wrong path and being put in a difficult situation and having to make choices whilst being pressured by peers.’

booklover.kez ‘This was a delightful collection of 8 festive short stories, with themes of friendship, hope, family and second chances. They are all short and sweet and embrace the cosy Christmas atmosphere and time for helping others and being with family.’

afelton6212 ‘What a cute book. I loved this read… They really got me into the Christmas spirit. Highly recommended.’

thebookandbubble – ‘This collection of short stories is a heartwarming embrace of Christmas spirit. Each tale touches on heartfelt topics, weaving together themes of love, hope, and the magic of the season.’

nadz_sargent – ‘Such a lovely collection of heartwarming stories. The book is around 80 pages – these are short but sweet. Reminders of the importance of love, compassion, community and family.’

alyssas_book_obsession – ‘They were such feel-good and poignant stories. They brought the coziness of Christmas with themes of hope, family, second chances, and helping each other. The stories were relatable and realistic.’

And that’s it for the book tour. It’s been great to read the reviews coming in this last week and to share the love for A Christmas Wish. Thanks to all the reviewers who took part and a big thank you to Kelly and everyone at Love Book Tours for making this possible.

I will be back soon for a new book tour for A Little Christmas Magic – my newly released short story collection for 2024.

Both books are part of the Winter Warmers Short Story Series, which you can check out on Amazon now. Available as ebooks, paperbacks and free to read on Kindle Unlimited.

I hope you’ve enjoyed getting a taste of the reviews and hope its inspired you to get into the festive spirit.

Mid-point book tour update for A Christmas Wish #christmasfiction #shortstories #bookreview

We’re half way through the tour and it’s been great to see so many reviewers sharing pictures and reviews of my book.

I always like to give the reviewers and their blogs / Instagram accounts a shout out, so here are a few teaser lines to the reviews and links so you can read the whole post. I hope you’ll pop by and check out their reviews of A Christmas Wish, and maybe find some other great book recommendations while you’re there.

fiction_vixen18 ‘It would be hard to pick a favourite as they are all lovely but Santa Paws Delivery, For The Holidays and The Icing On The Cake all stick in my mind and Blaze will be in my heart forever.’

dorianhellfire ‘They’re sweet and cozy revolving around topics like family, friends, hope and that second chance we all hope to get.’

plumbobmummy – ‘This is a collection of eight very short stories all set around Christmas time. They are all sweet, heartwarming tales, ideal if you are looking for something uplifting with lots of happiness and hope.’

bianca_reads_books ‘Chance Encounters was my favourite. It showed how easily things can get difficult for families and youngsters. It also showed that the bad name teens often assume is not always warranted. They just need someone to really see them.’

meandmybookshelf ‘While I enjoyed all the stories in the collection, two stood out as personal favorites: “Santa Paw’s Delivery” and “For the Holidays.” Both are brimming with charm and carry a magical festive spirit that stayed with me.’

katieluvstoread ‘I am not someone who usually likes short story collections, however this was a very sweet collection that had me wanting more…’

Lisa_reads_alot ‘Hard to say which was my favourite one as I liked them all for different reasons, some feel good tales, others poignant.’

caz.readz ‘This will lift your spirits and get you in the mood for Christmas.’

planteachread ‘…these stories are varied and festive.  They allow us to dip in and out of different lives while giving us a little Christmas warmth. Honestly, get your tree up and treat yourself to a story from A Christmas Wish with a hot drink, I promise it will feed your Christmas spirit.’

Confession_of_a_reading_freak_ It really got me into the Christmas spirit !!

If these little snippets made you need to know more, please check out A Christmas Wish on Amazon. Available as an Ebook, Paperback, Hardback and Audiobook.

There are lots of stops still on the book tour, so I’ll be back at the end of the week with a summary of some more.

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