books
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Review: A Tempest of Tea
When I saw the beautiful book cover for A Tempest of Tea, I would never have guessed that there were vampires in the story. I confess that the word tea is what convinced me ultimately to give this novel a try. Since it had been popping up on my Instagram feed so much, I was…
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Two Ways of Writing
As a writer, have you figured out whether you’re a “secretive storyteller,” or a writer who adventures with others?
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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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Review: EMILY WILDE’S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES by Heather Fawcett
When Emily is taken by this faerie in form of thanks—thanks or a kidnapping?—she finds herself in a cold place where she has no notion of time. She knows nothing except that the faerie plans to marry her in order to thank her for having released him.
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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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Book Review: The Two Bells of Christmas by Joanna Barker
I found the story to be a bit predictable, but it was enjoyable enough that I did not mind at all. The sweet scenes made me happy. It was exactly the sort of read that I needed on a cold December day.
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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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3 Things I Love in a Protagonist
We all look for different things when reading a book. Some people appreciate an elaborate world, like that in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings; others find such details distracting. Some enjoy it when an author ‘breaks the rules’ with their plotline. Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a book people…
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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…
Mariella Hunt & the Tearoom 