BOOK NEWS: Mystery at Maplemead Castle by Kitty French

I absolutely adored Melody Bittersweet and the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency, and now a sequel is about to be released!

Out next month, Mystery at Maplemead Castle is the second book starring Melody and her hilarious colleagues, in The Chapelwick Mysteries series. This time, Melody is investigating the haunting of a trapeze artist, whilst trying to fend off her annoying ex and an intrusive reporter...

Welcome to Chapelwick, a leafy English town in the hills of Shropshire, where chocolate pecan cookies come with a helping of sabotage.

Maplemead Castle is crawling with ghosts, and the new owners need them gone. When Melody Bittersweet and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency arrive on scene, they quickly identify the troublemakers swinging from the chandeliers...literally. 

A century ago, stunning trapeze artist Britannia Lovell plunged to her death, and has done every night since. But did she really just fall, or was there something more to her demise?

Forced to work with Leo Dark, her scoundrel ex, and infuriating, irresistible reporter Fletcher Gunn, Melody’s investigative powers are under strain (i.e. lost in a pink mist of lust and confusion). She needs her team on top form, but best friend Marina’s cake pipeline goes AWOL, assistant Artie’s distracted by a giant sausage roll, and the pug is scared witless by a lion.

Somewhere, hidden in the castle, is a heart-breaking secret, but what will it take to find it? And is there a chance it could set Britannia free, or is she doomed to repeat her last fateful act forever?

BOOK REVIEW: The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter by Kate Winter

Rosie Potter wakes up dead. Seems nonsensical, but Rosie's predicament is exactly that. Rosie wakes from what she thinks in a terrible hangover to find that she's no longer living - she's a ghost, hanging around in the afterlife, it seems. Just how she got there, and why she's still able to wander freely round her village, are mysteries that Rosie is determined to solve.

Rosie has her suspicions about what happened to her and who did it, but solving the case of her death is proving more difficult than she envisioned, especially when nobody can see her (which could be a good thing, given the PJs she's wearing). That is, until she finally finds someone who can see her - her brother's best friend. Who, it turns out, is much more lovely than she remembered in life. Could she be falling in love even after she's died?

I love fun chick-lit reads with a ghostly twist - Heaven Can Wait by Cally Taylor and Kitty French's Melody Bittersweet and the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency are among by favourites - which is what intrigued me about this novel. Granted, the premise does seem quite upsetting, and I was bracing myself for a bit of an emotional rollercoaster! And yes, it is emotional. After all, Rosie has to deal with the fact that she's leaving her friends, family and entire life behind, as well as trying to piece together the events which led to her death. Not only that, but she might just be falling for the only person in the world who can actually see her.

However, Rosie Potter is also a hilarious novel. It's impossible not to love Rosie, whose bright, bubbly personality draws you in from the beginning. It's a novel full of laughs, with Rosie's search for answers taking her all around her home village, uncovering many secrets. Her humour shines through despite her unfortunate predicament!

I had a feeling I would love this novel, but I wasn't prepared for how lovely a story this is. And the ending is perfect. Sad, but perfect.

The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter is a wonderful read; emotional, but also uplifting. Kate Winter's talent is evident in this novel and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books in future.

Rating: 5/5

BOOK REVIEW: Melody Bittersweet and the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency by Kitty French

I'd been waiting to read Melody Bittersweet and the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency since I heard about its release, mainly because I adore chick lit with a paranormal twist. Kitty French is a USA today bestselling author, known for her popular Lucien Knight series, and romantic reads including The Piano Man Project and One Hot Summer. Melody Bittersweet was released at around the same time as the new Ghostbusters movie. And why not? Melody is pretty awesome and hilarious, just like the all-new movie cast.

Okay, so Melody is a ghostbuster - but minus the suits and the specialist equipment, and customised hearse...although Melody's car, Babs, does have a lot of character. Melody is a psychic, hailing from a family all born with the same gift, renowned in their home town for their long-standing business of bringing messages to loved ones from the deceased.

Approaching twenty-seven, single, and still living with her mum and slightly crazy gran, Melody decides it's finally take more control of her life and start a new business. Thus, the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency is created. Joined by best friend Marina and shy new recruit Artie, the agency's goal is to help spirits with unfinished business pass on. It's not long before the crew take on their first project - the stately Scarborough House, which is plagued by three ghosts, unable to leave their family abode until a long-standing murder case has been solved.

But it's not just the ghosts in Melody's way. Also hanging around Scarborough House is Leo Dark, arrogant TV psychic, Melody's ex, and now, her new business rival. And there's journalist Fletcher - a notorious enemy of the Bittersweets who's on a constant mission to disprove anything supernatural. Fletcher proves troublesome not just because of his nosy tendencies, but because he's terribly attractive...

When the owner of Scarborough House agrees to pay whoever gets rid of the ghosts first, Melody and her team set out to solve the mystery. But will they figure it out before Leo?

I have to say, I fell in love with this novel minutes after reading. I hadn't read any of Kitty's books prior to this one, so I didn't know what to expect (I had fallen in love with the premise!) but it really is fantastic. Kitty's writing is funny, punchy and downright hilarious, with a lovable cast of characters. Melody is a geeky, fun, determined woman who I instantly adored - along with her family!  The novel has everything you could want; a fun, positive heroine, great friends, romance and an intriguing, perfectly-paced mystery. Frankly, I found it hard to put down, and I'm hoping that there are more Melody Bittersweet books in the pipeline because a series would be brilliant!

Rating: 5/5