book review
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Review: The Ballad of Perilous Graves
Set in New Orleans, The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a love letter to that noble city. It teases from the historical woodwork elements of magic so convincing that one could believe Nola is actually like that.
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Review: A Declaration of the Rights of Magicians by H.G. Parry
Echoes of Dickens shimmer between the lines of this epic tale set during the time of the French Revolution. Maximilien Robespierre is introduced to us as, not only a talented speaker, but a man who had a special gift which contributed to his ability to draw large crowds and win their support for his cause.
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The Aftermath of Decluttering a Bookcase
I’m a storyteller who sees value in every tale, but that doesn’t mean that I need to hoard every book. Doing so creates physical clutter that reduces the value of the titles.
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Decluttering a Bookcase
It has been a busy summer. I cleared out all of my bookshelves this week in order to donate things I was no longer interested in or those which I had read and did not like. The process taught me much about myself: in seeing the books I chose to keep, I learned what I…
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Review: THE MAGICIAN’S DAUGHTER by H.G. Parry
A beautiful book about magic, family, and the happy endings that are worth fighting for.
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Review: Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
“I’m looking for a really thick book,” I said, “one with a black cover…it was a fantasy…” At the bookstore, they stared at me blankly. “Where is the fantasy section?” I inquired (the bookstore was recently rearranged). I found the book quickly once I got myself there.
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Review: The Village Healer’s Book of Cures by Jennifer Sherman Roberts
I like that witches in literature can be good or bad. Some do follow the black magic tradition of curses and steaming cauldrons. Other witches, like the protagonist in the book I’m about to review, are healers whose reputations suffer from superstition.
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Books of Octobers Past
Since I’ve been trying to make a habit of writing, I can’t spend as much time hiding in other stories. Still, in my opinion, a good book is worth procrastinating with.
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Sealskin by Su Bristow
Purchase here! I write about Merpeople, so I enjoy finding books that take place near the sea. Of these, my favorites are those so well-written, I can feel the chill of the sea air and smell the salt in each breath. I can only hope to one day be able to describe things in such…
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In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
Stories such as this also teach us the endurance of the human spirit. When the only thing standing between a man and death is hope, how can a shipwrecked captain keep his crew hopeful? When it seems that the cry of land-ho will never come, how can a starving, thirsty sailor be troubled to keep…
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Book Review: THE DUKE’S GHOST BRIDE
Though ghosts and tales about them are popular, especially around the time of Halloween, nothing is really known about them. How would a ghost spend all of that free time? Does a ghost ever wish to have a biscuit or a conversation with the living? THE DUKE’S GHOST BRIDE by Fanny Finch is a charming,…
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REVIEW: The Blue Salt Road
I believe that humans are, by nature, fascinated by the ocean—and what is not known about her. That’s why so many legends of varying kinds have crept up over time. The best-known sea myths involve Mermaids and their cousins, Selkies. THE BLUE SALT ROAD is the story of an adventurous Selkie who, in an act…
Mariella Hunt & the Tearoom 