Degustabox July Box

 

 Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in July Box?

Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Crunchies Caramelised Biscuit Flavour (£3.50) is the Product of the Month. This is the latest addition to the Kellogg's range.

If you enjoy your cereal crunchy, then you're in for a treat. Crafted from maize, wholegrain oat and wholewheat flour, coated in rich caramelised biscuit flavour. Lovely with milk, or as a little snack on its own.

Nutritional values: 115kcal and 6.9g of sugar per 30g portion; natural grains, no artificial colours or flavours.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Gaea Kalamata Olive Spread 125g or Sweet Red Pepper 125g (£2.50 each) are preservative-free spreads, inspired by the authentic Greek cuisine.

You should receive one item of two. 

We got Gaea Kalamata Olive Spread. Made with Kalamata olives, dried tomato, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, apple juice, onion powder, oregano and mustard powder, this spread is full of vibrant flavours.

Lovely as part of a mezze platter, filled with fresh veggies, pitta bread, cheese and dips. 

Nutritional values: 206kcal and 4.5g of sugar per 100g. 

Available in local convenience stores.

Kettle Tortillas Mature Cheddar and Red Onion (£2.65) is a gourmet snack, made from Mexican-inspired white corn and carefully selected natural ingredients (red quinoa, onion and herbs).

They look rustic and authentic, speckled with red quinoa. Tasty on their own. Or place them on a tray, cover with grated Cheddar and mozzarella cheese, sprinkle a bit of Chipotles and put under the grill until the cheese melts. Absolutely heavenly.

Nutritional values: 482kcal  and 2.9g of sugar per 100g; gluten free, vegetarian, high fibre.

Available in Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Morrisons.

Buldak Hot Sauce Original & Hot Sauce Carbonara Flavour (£3.50 each) are Korean condiments.

They are very spicy (says so on the bottle), and rate 4/5 on the heat level. I am not brave enough to try them in cooking, and will try to find a willing friend who might enjoy them. 

However, if you love your food extra hot and spicy, serve these sauces as a dip or drizzle on any dish. The sauces are crafted to perfection, and promise a harmonious balance of spicy and savoury notes. There is even an Extremely Spicy sauce in the range.

Carbonara Hot Sauce is creamy red in colour, its tasting notes are "deep rich flavours and a spicy, creamy finish with a hint of creaminess". Nutritional values: 346kcal and 20g of sugar per 100ml.

Original Hot Sauce is dark red in colour, its tasting notes are "unmatched, addictive heat pungent, intense spiciness with sweet caramel notes". Nutritional values: 270kcal and 26g of sugar per 100ml.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

You should receive 1 item in your box.

For Goodness Shakes White Chocolate 35g (£2.50) is a new protein shake, made with only four ingredients including fresh milk.

Packed with protein, flavour and goodness, this shake is naturally high in calcium, lactose free, fat free and with no added sugar.

My younger son enjoys protein drinks, so this one is definitely for him.

Nutritional values: 211kcal and 16g of sugar per 330ml bottle.

Available in the major supermarket chains, Ocado, Amazon and at forgoodnessshakes.com.

Jimmy's Iced Coffee Original Iced Coffee (£2, see above) is a smooth, balanced, refreshing cold drink. Lovely straight from the fridge, or on the go. 

Planning to travel soon? Pick up some Jimmy's iced coffee to keep you alert and refreshed on the trip.

Ingredients include semi-skimmed milk, single origin Arabica coffee (Rainforest Alliance Certified), unrefined demerara sugar and acidity regulator.

Nutritional information: 39kcal and 4.9g of sugar per 100ml; suitable for vegetarians. 

Available in major supermarkets and online at www.jimmysicedcoffee.com.

If you are a Degusta Box Plus member, you will receive an additional product inside your box.

What product is your favourite from the latest box?

Degustabox June Box

 Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in June Box?

Tilda Limited Ediiton Jamaican Spiced Pumpkin Rice (£1.25) is a Product of the Month.

When I saw Tilda on socials promoting a new product in their range, I was hoping Degustabox would have it in one of their boxes, and was pleased to see it in the latest box. 

My family enjoys Tilda, and I buy it regularly. We have our own favourites, and are always glad to try any new flavour.

Tilda Limited Edition Jamaican Spiced Pumpkin Rice is developed in collaboration with Original Flava.

Ingredients include steamed long grain rice with vegetables, like pumpkin, onion, carrot, as well as herbs and spices (Caribbean flavour seasoning), coconut cream and Scotch Bonnet chilli. It is vegetarian and gluten free.

Recommended pairing: Brown Chicken stew, Jerk chicken. 

Available in major supermarkets and tilda.com.

I served this rice with a tuna salad and a fried egg. It is a flavourful rice, not too hot. I would have liked a bit higher pumpkin to rice ratio, but it is tasty.

Fragata Marinated Olives with Olive Oil & Lemon /or Olive Oil & Hot Chilli (£1.70 each) are tasty Spanish snacks with lots of flavour.

You should receive 1 of two items. We got Fragata Marinated Olives with Olive Oil & Lemon, a product I often buy to keep in the pantry. It's very handy for easy and quick meals, salads, picnics, so called picky bits and cheese board. 

These olives are zesty and citrusy.

Nutritional information: 36kcal and 0.1g of sugar per 18g serving.

Available in local conveience stores.

Rio Mare Insalatissime Mexican Style (£2.99) is one of the products from the extensive Rio Mare range.

Rio Mare tuna is widely known for its quality and taste. A lovely product to keep in the pantry, for when you fancy a tuna pasta, or tuna salad. 

Ready to eat any time thanks to the stay-fresh packaging, with no added preservatives.

This salad with a Mexican twist will be enjoyed by those who love bolder flavours. Tuna in this salad comes with red beans, sweetcorn and peppers.

Nutritional information: 196kcal and 1.1g of salt per 100g. Features: Ready to eat. Dolphine safe, traceable fish, no preservatives, MSC certified, responsible quality.

Available in Waitrose, Morrisons, ASDA, Ocado and Amazon.

I added cucumbers, olives and spring onions to the salad.

Mission Wraps High Fibre Tortilla Wraps 4 pack (£1.80) are a healthier choice during any mealtime.

They are packed with flavour and 10g of fibre per wrap. Enjoy them as a breakfast burrito, a quick lunch wrap or dinner fajitas.

Or go decadent. During the recent heatwave, I didn't fancy cooking much, so I served these wraps with caramelised hot banana chunks and vanilla ice cream, like a pocket of deliciousness. It was filling and very satisfying. 

No photos, as the sweet wraps were eaten too fast.

Available in Sainsbury's, ASDA and Ocado.

Mission Wraps Mission Sourdough Tortilla Wraps 4 pack (£1.80) is another great tasting product from the range. 

Wraps make easy and quick meals, and the possibilities are endless, just add your favourite fillings and toppings, either sweet or savoury.

Nutritional information: 188kcal, 4.9g of protein and 0.49g of salt per wrap.

Available in Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA and Ocado.

Jacob's Cream Crackers (£1.70) is the original toppable cracker.

A perfect base for any cheese - strong Cheddar, mild Brie, goat's cheese, cream cheese, Stilton, etc. Add a slice of apple or chutney for a sweet note, or a slice of tomato and spring onions for a more savoury version. 

Each cracker contains 35kcal and 0.1g of salt.

Available in all major supermarkets.

Kallo's Beetroot & Balsamic Veggie Cakes (£1.40) are now available in a handy snack pack, for when you're feeling peckish on the go.

Made with wholesome ingredients, these veggie cakes are light, crunchy and flavourful. The smaller portion will fit into your lunch box, so that you can have a balanced snack anywhere.

Lovely with hummus or cream cheese.

Nutritional values: 409kcal and 1.4g of salt per 100g (one pack of 3 veggie cakes is 114kcal).

Available in all major supermarket chains.

Ambrosia Devon Custard Pot 150g & Devon Chocolate Custard Pot 150g (£1 each) could be eaten on their own, or as part of a dessert. Serve with a crumble, or pour over a fruit salad.

Made in Devon Creamery using West Country milk, each creamy pot has no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.

Nutritional values: 144kcal and 15.9g of sugar per pot (Devon custard) and 150kcal and 17.1g of sugar per pot (Chocolate custard); suitable for vegetarians.

Available in all major supermarket chains.

Harry Brompton's Iced Tea/Peach (£1.80) is a premium British black tea infused with natural peach flavours. Very flavourful and super refreshing, especially in hot weather.

Brewed with the finest organic Kenyan tea ethically sourced from the Great Rift Valley and infused with the juice of ripe peaches.

Only 70kcal, vegan, gluten free, and a Great Taste Award winner.

Available in the major supermarket chains.

Nescafe Espresso Concentrated Iced Mocha & Iced Decaf (£5 each) is a must for those of us who enjoy iced coffee.

With one heat wave after another, I am quite obsessed with an iced coffee, which I make with pistachio milk, lots of ice and Nescafe Espresso Concentrated. Depending on the time of the day, I vary, whether to have a caf/decaf version. This drink is so good. You can play with different types of milk, from dairy to plant-based. I like unsweetened pistachio milk, but almond milk is pretty good too.

Each bottle offers 16 servings of instant, barista-style iced coffee (latte or Americano) at home, without the machines.

Available in a range of flavours, from Classic to Caramel and Vanilla. 

Nutritional information: 57kcal and 7.4g of sugar per 100ml prepared (Iced Mocha); 43kcal and 4.1g of sugar per 100ml prepared (Iced Decaf).

Available in the coffee aisle.

You should receive 1 item in your box.

What product is your favourite from the June box?

The Catalyst by Andrea Goyan

 

"The game had a life of its own, a path to follow, and there was little he could do to control the outcome. It was just how things worked. He simply needed to remain flexible".

"...even though I fought it and hated the game with every cell in my body, I too felt its tug. The strange euphoria of living inside another's skin, of being part of a club whose membership all resided within me".

The Catalyst by Andrea Goyan is a gripping, dynamic sci fi, biotech horror thriller.

Blurb:

When human bodies are found with scales and tails, DNA specialist Kat Crocker is assigned to uncover the cause of the mutations and stop them before they spread. But the growing visibility makes her a target. As attacks escalate, the trail leads her to a newly released VR game powered by impossible genetics - and the one man: the mentor who taught her everything, the father she buried years ago.

DNA specialist Kat Crocker aka Double-D works with the police on a trial basis. She dreams of being a "crime scene, DNA identifying, one-woman superhero". In reality she has to deal with mundane tasks, evaluating trivial misdemeanours. That is until there appears a threat of a deadly mutation.

When human bodies are discovered covered in fur, or bearing scales, tails and other impossible genetic changes, Kat Crocker is called in to investigate. Her mission is to identify the possible cause and stop it before humanity could be changed forever.

But trying to solve the case paints a target on her back.

As violent attacks escalate, Kat uncovers a chilling link to a sold-out new VR game driven by forbidden genetic ingeneering. And behind it is the person who young Kat worshipped in the past, and who's been dead for years.

How does this game work? What or who is the Catalyst, and is it possible to stop or reverse the mutations?

The Catalyst has an enticing, disquieting premise: genetics, body horror, VR, and the past interfering with the present. It is in the similar vein to The Fly and Existenz - a biotech horror with a personal emotional backstory.

Just like Existenz, it involves an immersive virtual reality game which blurs the boundary between simulation and reality, where the game's disturbing side effects seep through into the real world, and change the gamer's personality and physical build. It is also highly addictive. 

I found the concept of the new game intriguing and exciting. The story starts strong, and keeps the narrative fast-paced and immersive.

Ambitious, visual and unsettling, The Catalyst raises a lot of thought-provoking questions about the possible use and abuse of DNA. It would make a perfect read for book clubs, and discussions on the future of DNA-safeguarding.

Things that didn't sit well with me:

When one of the female characters is injected with the DNA of a former stripper, her behaviour starts to change. She has an urge to be provocative and perform a pole dance. This episode somehow grates. How is a DNA of a stripper different from a DNA of a housewife or a teacher? A stripper doesn't do what she does due to their DNA. These are mostly exploited people who work in this business to earn money, and not because of their genetics. 

This post is part of the blog tour. Many thanks to Andrea Goyan and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catalyst-Kat-Crocker-Book-ebook/dp/B0H67WYZ8N/

https://www.amazon.com/Catalyst-Kat-Crocker-Book-ebook/dp/B0H67WYZ8N/ 

About Andrea Goyan:

Andrea Goyan is an award-winning author and an avid animal person who grew up being called Goat-Girl and Raccoon-Mama. She is a grateful part of a flock of collaborative Magpie Poets whose first collection, An Illegal Feast, was released in 2025.

Andrea also co-hosts MetaStellar Magazine's Long-Lost Friends and Storytime. In her spare time, she walks her dogs and loves to paint, especially animal portraits. Many of her stories are available for free on her website.

Degustabox May Box: BBQ & Garden Party

 

Degustabox is a monthly food and drink subscription box. It's an excellent way of discovering new products which have only just appeared in the shops, or those which have been around for a while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I otherwise wouldn't have tried.

Each time a monthly box arrives, its contents are a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet, and would like to have a go, I have a £3off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time), just use code DKRLN when placing an order. 

What did we get in May Box: BBQ & Garden Party Degustabox?

Get More Vits Vitamin D Drink Mango & Passionfruit (£1.50) is a fruity, sugar-free soft drink with a daily dose of vitamins. Choose between Raspberry & Pomegranate, Pineapple & Grapefruit or Mango & Passionfruit.

These drinks make it easier to boost your vitamin intake.

Sugar-free, low calorie and made with UK spring water and natural fruit flavours, Get More Vits are refreshing and flavourful.

Mango & Passionfruit Vitamin D drink blends natural flavours of juicy mango with tropical passionfruit, boosted with 200% of your daily Vitamin D and 15% calcium.

Nutritional information: 5kcal and 0g sugar per 500ml serving.

Available in Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Co-Op, Ocado, WHSmith and Booths.

Mornflake Mighty Oats Organic Porridge Oats (£3) are made from 100% wholegrain British oats grown on organic farms with nature in mind.

Cook on the hob, or in a microwave, use  as an ingredient for tasty flpajacks or oat cookies.

Nutritional values: 147kcal and 0.4g of sugar per 40g. 

Naturally high in fibre, they are a source of protein, vegan-friendly and heart-smart, i.e. help to actively lower cholesterol, as part of a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. 

Other credentials: Carbon neutral milling, made with wind and solar power, 0% production waste, low CO2 footprint, low food miles and 100% recyclable packaging.

Available at Co-Op, Ocado, Nisa, Booths, Grape Tree, Amazon and www.mornflake.com/shop.

Bisto Sweet & Smoky BBQ sauce (£2.95) is a tub of instant sauce granules. 

Enhance your roast with this quick and easy sauce, simply add 4 level tablespoons of Bisto to 250ml boiling water, give it a quick stir until you have a glossy BBQ sauce.

Serve with Hunter's chicken and/or potato wedges, or pizza.

Nutritional information: 39kcal and 0.8g of sugar per 50ml portion; no artificial colours or preservatives.

One tub = 19 individual servings.

Available in Tesco, Morrisons, Iceland and Ocado.

Fragata Manzanilla Olives filled with Manchego Cheese (£2) are an ultimate snack. 

These olives have a firm texture and a delicate flavour typical of Spanish olives. Each olive is filled with a smooth Manchego cheese for an authentic taste of Spain.

Pair with a glass of wine or a cocktail. Add to pasta, salads, casseroles, cheese boards, pizza, the possibilities are endless.

Nutritional information: 155kcal and 3.5g of salt per 100g of drained product.

Available in Morrisons.

Maggi Global Kitchen Spaghetti Bolognese or Tikka Masala Ready Meal 260g (£3 each) is a new product from Maggi.

Enjoy a rich Spaghetti Bolognese with beef, or aromatic Chicken Tikka Masala with lentils, wholegrain rice and warming spices.

You should receive 1 item of two. We got Chicken Tikka Masala, which is a combination of chicken pieces in a spiced, creamy tomato sauce with lentils and brown rice.

Nutritional values: 259kcal and 7.4g of sugar per 260g serving. Each pouch is one serving.

Ready in just 2 minutes, these meals are a high source of protein and fibre, low in saturated fat, and make quick and easy meals. There are six tasty flavours to choose from.

Available in Morrisons.

The Haunting of Willows Cottage (Strathbairn Trilogy Book 3) by Isobel Blackthorn

 

"There is something profoundly bad about this place, something ghostly and menacing, something that infuses the hearts and minds of all who spend muchtime under this roof".

The Haunting of Willows Cottage by Isobel Blackthorn is a Gothic story, set in the Western Highlands of Scotland.

This is book 3 in Strathbairn Trilogy. I would recommend starting the series from Book 1, as otherwise you will miss on the dynamics and undercurrents of all the relationships between the protagonists and the decisions they make.

Blurb:

The Haunting of Willows Cottage (Strathbairn Trilogy Book 3)

Ingrid and her daughter Susan return to the Western Highlands of Scotland, staying at Strathbairn with Gertrude McCleod while their new home, a cottage by the loch, is redecorated. The very same day, the ghosts of Ingrid's past return when Gertrude's brother Miles arrives with his new bride and his friend Timothy.

When her former beau turned betrayer Hamish starts work on a barn conversion, Ingrid is desperate to leave Strathbairn. She rushes to move into the cottage only to find she is sharing her new home with a violent ghost.

Realising the haunting is somehow connected to Strathbairn and sensing that something at Willows Cottage must be returned, she makes every effort to discover what that it is.

While Hamish and Gertrude conspire to force Ingrid into marriage, Timothy becomes a regular caller with a romantic motive. With two suitors and two marriage proposals, who will she choose - and can she solve the haunting of Willows Cottage?

A gripping conclusion to a classic gothic mystery trilogy laced with dark family secrets.

The story has all the right ingredients for a delicious Gothic drama, with its haunted houses, old betrayals, dangerous suitors and secrets festering beyind the heather.

Ingrid returns to the Western Highlands with her young daughter Susan, for a temporary stay at Strathbairn, while her farmhouse by the loch is being prepared. Their move back to Scotland from Winchester is not well thought-through. 

While Ingrid tries to justify their move by feeling isolated, and having terrible memories associated with the house in Winchester, where she was abused by her late husband, it's not exactly a happy space to come back to. There is a lot of past tragedies and secrets connected to Strathbairn, and the people living there are not her friends. Ingrid tries to convince herself that her daughter is fond of Strathbairn, and loves the cook. 

"My reasons seem insubstantial even to my own ears. What reasons can there be for such a move, other than Susan's longing, her tantrums, her abominable behaviour?"

Willows Cottage needs quite a lot of work to be done before they can move in, and Ingrid is impatient.

The big house offers little sanctuary, as should be expected, judging by the resident company and the previous encounters with violent ghostly inhabitants. 

Gertrude McCleod, the current owner of Strathbairn, tolerates rather than welcomes Ingrid and Susan's stay at her house. She has an agenda which she is trying to pursue.

"She is cold, hard woman, her character befitting the roles she plays as owner-manager of a whisky business and a guest house or hotel. I feel uneasy in the role of her ally, a role she seems determined to foster".

The ghosts of Ingrid's past stir once more when Miles McCleod (one of the sons of the family) appears with his beautiful new wife, and their friend Timothy. This arrival seems to unsettle the already fragile semblance of peace.

Then comes Hamish. Ingrid loved him once, but he cruelly betrayed her. Hamish arrives to oversee the conversion of an ancient barn at the estate.

Desperate to escape the suffocating painful memories closing around Strathbairn, Ingrid hastens her move to Willows Cottage, only to discover to her dismay, that she is not alone within its walls, and the calm she was looking for is an illusion.

There is a violent and restless spirit who haunts the cottage, its fury is bound to a long-buried secret connected to Strathbairn. Something hidden there has been taken away and must be returned.

The scary actions escalate in the night, and the haunting tightens its grip. Ingrid must uncover the truth before the evil lingering at Willows Cottage destroys everything she holds dear.

As if that isn't enough to endure, Ingrid finds herself trapped between two men: Timothy, whose growing devotion offers her a promise of tenderness, and Hamish, whose intentions are far darker than passion.

Gertrude and Hamish weave their own designs around her future. They are conspiring and enjoying Ingrid's discomfort.

One concern follows another, as Ingrid's daughter is going off the rails. 

Susan's character is infuriating, she is the epitome of a spoilt brat. And when it comes to her daughter, Ingrid knows she is a pushover, "a weak and ineffectual mother".  Easily manipulated by the cook, Susan is disloyal to her mother, and is a very unpleasant child overall (which is entirely Ingrid's fault, as she isn't able to teach or guide her daughter to behave).

Will Ingrid be able to solve the mystery surrounding Strathbairn once and for all?

The Haunting of Willows Cottage is a captivating conclusion to a classic Gothic mystery trilogy, steeped in dark family secrets, menacing spectral horror, and the stark beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

This review is part of the blog tour for The Haunting of Willows Cottage.

Many thanks to Isobel Blackthorn and Rachel's Random Resources for my e-copy of the book!

Purchase Links

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK: https://books2read.com/u/mYJzVp

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FXJDKJQ3

APPLE BOOKS: https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-haunting-of-willows-cottage/id6754550008

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-haunting-of-willows-cottage-isobel-blackthorn/1148696029?ean=2940182364515

GOOGLE BOOKS: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=laCSEQAAQBAJ

RAKUTEN KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-haunting-of-willows-cottage

Author Bio –

Isobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of immersive and inspiring fiction. She has penned over twenty-five books including a number of bestsellers. She majors in strong female leads and empowerment narratives.

Among her credits, Isobel’s biographical short story ‘Nothing to Declare’, which forms the first chapter of her biographical novel Emma’s Tapestry, was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize 2019. One of her Canary Islands novels, A Prison in the Sun, was shortlisted in the LGBTQ category of the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards 2020 and the International Book Awards 2021. The Cabin Sessions was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award 2018 and the Ditmar Awards 2018. And The Unlikely Occultist: A biographical novel of Alice A. Bailey received an Honorable Mention in the 2021 Reader’s Favorite Book Awards.

Blackthorn is the author of the world’s only biography of Theosophist and mother of the New Age movement Alice Bailey – Alice A. Bailey: Life & Legacy.

Isobel has a background in Western Esotericism. She holds 1st Class Honours in Social Studies, and a PhD from the University of Western Sydney for her ground-breaking research on the works of Alice A. Bailey. Her doctoral thesis has been downloaded over 13,000 times.

Isobel’s first work, which she wrote in 2008, is Voltaire’s Garden. This memoir is set in the mid 2000s and tells the story of building a sustainable lifestyle B&B in Cobargo on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia, which gained international attention when a firestorm razed the idyllic historic village on New Year’s Eve 2019.

Isobel’s writing has appeared in journals and websites around the world, including Esoteric Quarterly, New Dawn Magazine, Paranoia, Mused Literary Review, Trip Fiction, Backhand Stories, Fictive Dream and On Line Opinion. Isobel was a judge for the Australasian Shadow Awards 2020 long fiction category. Her book reviews have appeared in New Dawn Magazine, Esoteric Quarterly, Shiny New Books, Sisters in Crime, Australian Women Writers, Trip Fiction and Newtown Review of Books.

Isobel’s interests are many and varied. She has a long-standing association with the Canary Islands, having lived in Lanzarote in the late 1980s. A humanitarian and campaigner for social justice, in 1999 Isobel founded the internationally acclaimed Ghana Link, uniting two high schools, one a relatively privileged state school located in the heart of England, the other a materially impoverished school in a remote part of the Upper Volta region of Ghana, West Africa. After working as a teacher, market trader and PA to a literary agent, she arrived at writing in her forties, and her stories are as diverse and intriguing as her life has been.

Isobel has performed her literary works at events in a range of settings and given workshops in creative writing.

British by birth, Isobel entered this world in Farnborough, Kent, UK. She has lived in England, Australia, Spain and the Canary Islands. She now lives and writes in Spain. She is currently at work on two novels composed in Spanish.

Social Media Links – 

https://isobelblackthorn.com/

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Isobel.Blackthorn/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5768657.Isobel_Blackthorn

https://www.instagram.com/isobelblackthorn/

@isobelb-author.bsky.social

Photo diary: Project 365, week 20 2026

It is plus 29C here today this morning, and I'm not functioning well. I have a low tolerance for heat. And it's going to get worse later.

This was the week of GCSE exams and the last week of school lessons. There's no getting around it. My child, who was five only yesterday, or so it feels, said Good Bye to his secondary school. There are still a couple of weeks of exams ahead after the midterm break. 

How did it happen so fast? I blinked, and my poppet has grown up. 

My Mum's cat has perked up after a week of visits to the vet clinic daily (my brother and his wife and daughter have been helping a lot, also paying for the very pricey treatments, as the money my Mum gave him has all run out in a couple of days. He doesn't tell her how much he has paid for the cat). I'm so grateful to them for helping Mum so much. Alas, I am not even able to contribute anything, as there is no way to send any money.

My husband visited his parents the week before to support them during a difficult time, as they have lost a close family friend. My mother in law, all emotional, passed on a lot of her jewellery to me, including her engagement ring. I'm grateful to her for the gifts, but also sad that she decided to part with it, especially the ring.

This vintage brooch is one of the haul, and I can easily wear it on a coat or jacket.

While Sasha was out with his PAs on Monday, I checked a couple of charity shops for books. In Oxfam I saw this old edition of The Book of Princes and Princesses.

The dedication in the book says, To my Dear Winifred, the unselfish and dutiful daughter of J.H.Ibboshow (? can't read the surname). January, 1915". 

Such a peculiar dedication. It made me wonder who this girl was, what her life happened to be, but also that nobody gives that name to girls any longer. You don't see any baby Winifreds nowadays, do you?!

My white rose is doing well. Just open the back door into the garden, and you can immediately smell roses and mock orange.

It used to be about four-five metres tall, cascading from an old plum tree which the rose used to climb up. It was a marvellous sight. Sadly we had to cut down the plum tree as it beginning to bend dangerously over the wall, and part of the rose plant had to go too. 

My husband was in Paris for a few days, and snapped this window display for me, knowing how much I enjoy vintage jewellery.

This thyme has self-seeded itself many years ago among the flagstones in the garden, and gives me such joy every year with its pretty blooms and the lovely scent.

Alas, the box hedges didn't survive the onslaught of the box tree moth this year. Most of them are destroyed, despite the fact I kept spraying them with all the special plant-based poison, which sould not affect the other insects or birds, and it made no difference whatsoever. I spent a little fortune on sprays. 

Finished my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I typically opt for 52 books per year, and then go over. 

Friday was the last day of secondary school for Eddie. He asked me to write his name on the white shirt and the school years, plus draw an image from one of his games.

He came back home happy and tired, with his shirt full of signatures from his classamates and teachers.

My new favourite biscuits - Bonne Maman Petits Biscuits Framboise Sésame, so tasty. I have spotted them in Waitrose, and of course, just had to buy. 

How did your week go?

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Photo diary: Project 365, weeks 18 and 19, 2026

 The last couple of weeks have been emotionally charged. 

Too many worries and anxieties, and sad news. A family friend of my in-laws who I also knew personally and met many times, has died suddenly. 

A very good friend of my Mum's called her the other day to say Farewell, as she has an incurable cancer. My Mum is devasttated, and so am I. Though I haven't seen this lady in over thirty years, I remember her family with great fondness. Staying with them was one of the highlights of my childhood and youth, they were always so welcoming, generous and kind. 

Perhaps I have reached that age, when we are rapidly losing our parents' generation, and it scares me.

My Mum is also very sad for her cat, who is very poorly, and is most likely not going to make it. The vets cannot find what's wrong. My Mum is not coping well. 

All this sadness floats like a cloud overhead. I'm feeling listless, and Project 365 is turning into a half-baked Project Whenever.

Hence a lot of my photos are just snaps taken in the shops, asking Eddie, what he fancies. This snap was taken in Waitrose, as I couldn't decide which free pack of crisps to choose as one of their Little Treats. Eddie to the rescue. He opted for Steak Diane (not my favourite flavour of crisps, won't be buying it).

Last Degustabox had a pack of a Nutty Kitchen Italian Supermince for a vegan Bolognese. I used some of it with rice in stuffed peppers, and needed to finish the pack, so cooked the pseudo-Bolognese sauce.

It really does not taste anything like Bolognese. I'd rather have a proper vegetable, meat-free sauce for pasta than this. It just didn't work for me, and I love nuts of all kinds.

It was another sad day for me. I found a little blue tit hanging head down from the netting of the currant bush. I realised it was still alive, ran into the house and cut the netting around it. It was tangled so much, it was a tricky job to cut through all the threads, trying not to hurt the little bird. 

It let me do the job, and pecked my fingers ever so gently, understanding that I'm trying to rescue it. Once it was free, I have put it among the herbs in the pot to recover. Sadly, an hour later it was gone, most likely from shock, poor little thing. I cried and buried it the next morning under the plum tree.

I have a photo of the poor birdie, while it was still alive in the pot, but I can't look at it now.

The next day I was looking for a sort of a sleeveless tank top that you can wear over a blouse. I tried several shops. The cream one is from M&S, I decided not to buy it. I bought a dark waistcoat in New Look instead, and it cost almost three times less. My Mum commented not very favourably on it, saying that I look like a hospitality industry employee (nothing wrong with that, though not perhaps the look I was after).

There is a gorgeous Californian lilac tree by the bridge, when I walk through the flood fields and the old blanket factory compound. It has such a beautiful scent.

This was the week Eddie started his GCSEs, and I've been an emotional wreck. I remember how I hated exams, they always made me panic to the point of fainting, even if I knew the subject well. It's the psychological pressure.

I have nearly finished my Paperblanks notebook, and treated myself to a new one, with a New York Rose design on the cover, from the leading design house of the Gilded Age. It's so elegant, and the paper inside is lovely, light ivory.

I enjoyed taking part in the coffee-themed Penandinkchallenge. This was my sketch on the prompt - Americano. I actually used real coffee to paint the background, then did a drawing and added a few stickers from Notebook Therapy range.

For the Espresso prompt, I did a sketch of my husband's grandmother. Nonna Elsa used to live in a granny flat at the top of the old house, with my in-laws living below. She was kind and caring. 

She would go out of her flat, and shout from the top of the stairs, Cici, Cici (her nickname for her daughter).

When we stayed with my in-laws, Elsa would invite us over for a cup of espresso. I drank it out of politeness, but for me it was like a rocket fuel, way too strong.

Elsa was a very special figure in my husband's life, as she was looking after him, when his parents were working. I will always be grateful to her for that little boy who was cherished and cared for.

My rhododenron next to the kitchen windows is in full bloom. I have noticed that the amount of bees visiting it is going down, it is worrying and sad. It used to be like a bee cafe. Now you're lucky if you see a couple of bees at the same time.

Saturday evening was all about Eurovision. Eddie told me to buy lots of snacks for the night. I kept snapping all sorts of picky bits for him to choose. Italian Aperitivo style selection was very good, with a delicious Provolone cheese, lovely little grissini and olives. 

Eurovision was the usual wacky show, with many eccentric characters. Can't say I liked the winner's song. Didn't like the tune, or the crazy dance routine.

I felt sorry for the guy from the UK. His performance was pretty awkward to watch, but there were other feeble singers who scored many more points. And then his own team left him to sit on his own, that's just awful. Glad the Danes invited him to sit at their table.

My personal favourites were Norway, Italy and, ahem, do I dare saying it loud, Israel. Politics aside, his song was beautiful, he has a good voice, and it takes courage to go on stage and perform to the boos from the public. 

Don't think my votes for Italy and Norway made any difference.

Did you watch Eurovision? Who did you vote for? And what do you think of the British entry?

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