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Garden of Promises and Lies
Brackston returns to the Found Things series with a third book, The Garden of Promises and Lies.
As the bustle of the winter holidays in the Little Shop of Found Things gives way to spring, Xanthe is left to reflect on the strange events of the past year. While she's tried to keep her time-traveling talents a secret from those close to her, she is forced to take responsibility for having inadvertently transported the dangerous Benedict Fairfax to her own time. Xanthe comes to see that she must use her skills as a Spinner if she and Flora are ever to be safe, and turns to the Spinners book for help.
It is then that a beautiful antique wedding dress sings to her. Realizing the dress and her adversary are connected in some way, she answers the call. She finds herself in Bradford-on-Avon in 1815, as if she has stepped into a Jane Austen story.
Now in Xanthe's time, Fairfax is threatening Xanthe into helping him with his evil doings, and demonstrates all too clearly how much damage he is capable of causing. With Fairfax growing ever more powerful, Xanthe enlists the help of her boyfriend Liam, taking him back in time with her. It is a decision that might just ensure she prevails over her foe, but only by putting her life―and his―on the line.
Garden of Promises and Lies
Garden of Promises and Lies
Cozy Pairings
Book of Spells is a deep and atmospheric fragrance that blends the richness of dark chocolate with smooth sandalwood and the earthy depth of black tea. Warm and layered, this scent carries a subtle dryness reminiscent of aged pages, balanced by a soft, lingering sweetness. The result is a fragrance that feels both grounding and slightly unexpected, with a warmth that settles gently into the space. Rich without being heavy, it creates an inviting, bookish atmosphere that lingers beautifully in the air.
Why we chose this: Xanthe hears antiques sing to her, and when she touches them she can sense the stories and injustices they carry, and sometimes they pull her back through time entirely. Book of Spells carries the deep, atmospheric bookishness of a series where objects hold histories and the past is never quite finished with the present, dark chocolate and warm sandalwood and the earthy depth of black tea that smells like an antique shop full of things that remember more than their owners knew. It is the candle for every book in this series. Light this candle as Xanthe steps into her new shop in Marlborough, and let the warmth fill the room like a place where every object on the shelf has something to say if you know how to listen.