Forge Books
Tor/Forge
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Forge Books (July 21, 2020)
Language: English
On Sale: 07/21/2020
ISBN: 9781250198563
Praise for Heather Webber’s MIDNIGHT AT THE BLACKBIRD CAFE “Full of family secrets, undeniable charm and that particular touch of magic so often found in the South, MIDNIGHT AT THE BLACKBIRD CAFE is a heartfelt and redemptive tale of a daughter looking to move forward in the place her mother couldn’t wait to leave behind. Heather Webber creates a town as dynamic and real as her characters—and a story so compelling that it will stay on readers’ minds long after the final page. I savored every word.” —Kristy Woodson Harvey, national bestselling author of Slightly South of Simple“Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is an enchanting gem of a novel, brimming with charming characters, heartwarming connections, old secrets, and a southern setting that makes you want to move there. As refreshing as a glass of blackberry tea, this is truly magical realism at its best!” —Karen White, New York Times bestselling author“Family, fate, and magic intertwine in this endearing Southern tale of long-held secrets, homemade pie, and building one’s future from the remains of the past. A tantalizing, delicious delight, through and through. Heather Webber writes with so much detail and imagination that I’ll be craving some Blackbird Cafe pie—and the comfort that comes with it—for a long time to come.” —Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Room on Rue Amélie and The Sweetness of Forgetting
Blue Bishop has a knack for finding lost things. While growing up in charming small-town Buttonwood, Alabama, she’s happened across lost wallets, jewelry, pets, her wandering neighbor, and sometimes, trouble. No one is more surprised than Blue, however, when she comes across an abandoned newborn baby in the woods, just south of a very special buttonwood tree.Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton is at a crossroads. She has always tried so hard to do the right thing, but her own mother would disown her if she ever learned half of Sarah Grace’s secrets.The unexpected discovery of the newborn baby girl will alter Blue’s and Sarah Grace’s lives forever. Both women must fight for what they truly want in life and for who they love. In doing so, they uncover long-held secrets that reveal exactly who they really are–and what they’re willing to sacrifice in the name of family.You can purchaseSouth of the Buttonwood Tree at the following
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This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
A picturesque southern town, with a little bit of Magic Webber has created a cozy small town with all the dynamics that go with it.
This southern charm book, is a delight to read with all gossip, lies, and family dramas.
‘It was the kind of day in Buttonwood, Alabama, where trouble slipped into town with the breeze, jarring awake sleepy springtime leaves on the massive oaks and sky-high hickories. It scraped parched dirt, sending dust skittering along the trail like it was running for cover. It whistled its warning, plain as day to anyone who cared to listen.’
At the center is a delightful folklore, surrounding a tree, The Buttonwood Tree. If you don’t pay attention and follow its advise, you will suffer the consequences.
Buttonwood Alabama, has a long memory, and for those carrying the Bishop name they know it all to well. Blue Bishop has struggled under the weight of her family’s surname. A successful children’s author and illustrator, with a series of books about a bunny that have made her famous. Her family’s scandalous behavior, has left its mark on the the residents of Buttonwood, Alabama.
Blue and her sister, Persy are the only two left in the Bishop family. Blue is kindhearted and goes out of her way for others, even when she was little her behavior set her apart from her infamous family.
Blue has a knack for finding things, and sometimes even people. The wind calls to her and she listens and follows it to things or people who are lost.
“As surely as the wind pushed me along, it also held me back, keeping me tethered to Buttonwood like a small bird in a big, pretty cage. Until I found the lost thing with no name, I was free to roam—but only within the confines of my ornate prison.”
Blue Bishop —-
Sarah Grace Landreneau Fulton has spent her life trying to ‘Do better and Be better’. A saying that has been driven into her by her domineering southern mother. Putting her family and it’s status above her own wants a desires. This path has led her into a series of mistakes, along with an unhappy marriage.
Sarah Grace also is gifted with something magical Also she is a house whisperer.
Blue has unexpected discovery of a mysterious baby this set off a series of events that is the center of Webber’s novel. When secrets are revealed they will shake both Sarah Grace and Blues lives forever.
This was a fast paced read, easy to fall into this quaint charming town and it’s lively inhabitants. I stayed up late to finish reading it. Once I started reading this book, there was no way I could put it down. I loved the way author meticulously blended magical realism into a heartwarming story,about family and friendship.
If you haven’t read any of Heather Webber books what are you waiting for?
—A Little Historical Tidbit—
Buttonwood is a name given to the American sycamore tree,because its fine wood was often used for making buttons.
Have a wonderful day!
Photo Content from Heather Webber HEATHER
WEBBER is the national bestselling author of more than thirty novels–including Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, the Lucy Valentine novels, and the Nina Quinn Mysteries–and has been twice nominated for an Agatha Award. She loves to spend time with her family, read, drink too much coffee and tea, birdwatch, crochet, watch cooking competition and home improvement shows, crochet, and bake. Heather lives in southwestern Ohio and is hard at work on her next book.
In her debut Laurens weaves an intricate, suspense-filled tale mingling everyday teen angst with otherworldly sorcery…the shifting narrative tantalizes teen readers with the possibility of magic. – Kirkus
Laurens blends the extraordinary and the everyday into her swiftly paced plot and creates characters readers care about as they navigate the challenges of adolescence and independence on the cusp of adulthood. – School Library Journal
When Dan and Liss stumbled on a way to transform themselves into witches, they never imagined they’d need magic to stay best friends forever.
But when a spell goes wrong and a demon snatches away Johnny, Liss’s boyfriend, in the middle of the night, the girls’ friendship vanishes, too.
Now, months since his disappearance—and since Dan and Liss last spoke—Liss barges back into Dan’s life with shocking news: she’s found a way to talk to Johnny, and she’s going to bring him home. But the path to rescuing Johnny is rockier than they’d expected, and neither of them might be strong enough to confront what they’re searching for.
Too bad they don’t know that Alexa, Dan’s new friend, is harboring magical secrets of her own.
Set in the atmospheric wilds of California’s northern coast, Sasha Laurens’s eerie debut novel is about the complications of friendship, taking back power, and how to embrace the darkness that lurks within us all.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content/Trigger Warnings: self harm/ anxiety / depression / drug use / brief mention of a underage relationship
Sasha Lauren debut book is set in the atmosphere wilds of a sleepy foggy California northern coast. Liss and Dan are besties, in their sophomore year of high school. Waiting for something magical to happen. They come across a antique magical book.
When a magical spell appears within the book, to make them witches. They think nothing of it, and cast it. From that moment their lives change, and not all it is good. They unintentionally summon something dark, and with it comes disastrous complications. Ultimately it shatters their once bond of friendship and drives a wedge between the two.
Fast forward, Liss has been trying, without any success to right the wrong. Seeking to bring back her boyfriend, Johnny Su, who went missing during the spell that both Liss and Dan cast. Liss has a breakthrough and finally makes contact with Johnny, and tries to draw Dan back into magic. Dan has moved con and has a new best friend, Alexa. Alexa is grappling with her own magical awakening.
This captivating tale is about the complications of friendship, and ultimately taking back power. The author has written memorable character driven novel with complex female friendships along with tongue-in-cheek narration. A urban fantasy that uses magical realism as a vehicle for what the storyline is really about. Creative and written in such away that had me flipping the pages as fast as I could.
SASHA LAURENS ..was raised in San Francisco and Northern California, where she learned to drive on Highway 1’s switchback turns and got accustomed to the best weather in the world. She started taking writing classes at 826 Valencia in high school, and would have minored in Creative Writing at Columbia University, if the minor hadn’t been eliminated. Instead, Sasha studied Russian Literature, and graduated summa cum laude.
Upon graduation she moved to St. Petersburg, Russia, and attempted to write a literary novel, unsurprisingly about Americans living in St. Petersburg, Russia. Returning to New York City, she earned an M.A. in Russian Regional Studies from Columbia University while working at the university. Since 2014, she been pursuing her PhD in political science at the University Michigan, and currently resides in Ann Arbor.
Writing and political science take up almost all of her time, but when she gets a break she loves boxing, watching bad reality tv, and traveling.
Blurb: Some destinies are written in the stars. Others must be bought with blood…
The Zodia are real. Clawing their way from a long-forgotten tomb, they emerge, ravenous to claim everyone born under their star signs. Plotting to resurrect kingdoms no human knew existed, they are driven by a hunger for vengeance against the one who buried them: Aries.
Larken is a natural born sprinter, but even she can’t outrun the darkness closing in. A shelter-in-place order has been issued, causing widespread panic. Some brush the alarm off as a drill, until people begin to disappear… vanishing without a trace. Left with only one option, Larken’s brother does what he must to save her life… and calls forth Aries.
Considered a traitor by his own kind, only Aries has the power to stand against the Zodia. But he can’t do it alone. Mystically bonded to Larken, the pair must band together for the fight to come if either hope to make it out alive. Neither anticipated the passion that would ignite between them. Yet, in a world suddenly thrust into chaos, it may be the key to their survival.
The Zodia are out for blood with their attentions inexplicably focused on Larken. When long buried truths finally come to light, will their love be their salvation or their curse?
“A mesmerizing and haunting twist on a familiar tale you don’t want to miss. “ – Cameo Renae, USA Today bestselling author of the Hidden Wings Series
“Casey L. Bond reaches for the stars to bring us Things That Should Stay Buried. The Zodia are beautiful, dangerous and to die for.”- New York Times Bestselling Author Chanda Hahn
Casey Bond lives in West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. She likes goats and yoga, but hasn’t tried goat yoga because the family goat is so big he might break her back. Seriously, he’s the size of a pony. Her favorite books are the ones that contain magical worlds and flawed characters she would want to hang out with. Most days of the week, she writes young adult fantasy books, letting her imaginary friends spill onto the blank page.
Casey is the award-winning author of When Wishes Bleed, the Frenzy series, and fairy tale retellings such as Riches to Rags, Savage Beauty, Unlocked and Brutal Curse. Learn more about her work at http://www.authorcaseybond.com.
“Brimming with scandal and an equal amount of heart…a sweeping yet intimate look at the lives of some of history’s most notorious figures from Vanderbilts to the Prince of Wales… A must-read.”—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of When We Left Cuba and Next Year in Havana
“Bryn Turnbull takes a story we think we know and turns it on its head, with captivating results… A beautifully written, meticulously researched and altogether memorable debut.”—Jennifer Robson, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Gown
For fans of The Paris Wife and The Crown, this stunning novel tells the true story of the American divorcée who captured Prince Edward’s heart before he abdicated his throne for Wallis Simpson.
In the summer of 1926, when Thelma Morgan marries Viscount Duke Furness after a whirlwind romance, she’s immersed in a gilded world of extraordinary wealth and privilege. For Thelma, the daughter of an American diplomat, her new life as a member of the British aristocracy is like a fairy tale—even more so when her husband introduces her to Edward, Prince of Wales.
In a twist of fate, her marriage to Duke leads her to fall headlong into a love affair with Edward. But happiness is fleeting, and their love is threatened when Thelma’s sister, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, becomes embroiled in a scandal with far-reaching implications. As Thelma sails to New York to support Gloria, she leaves Edward in the hands of her trusted friend Wallis, never imagining the consequences that will follow.
Bryn Turnbull takes readers from the raucous glamour of the Paris Ritz and the French Riviera to the quiet, private corners of St. James’s Palace in this sweeping story of love, loyalty and betrayal.
Bryn Turnbull is a writer of historical fiction with a penchant for fountain pens and antique furniture. Equipped with a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from the University of St. Andrews, a Master of Professional Communication from Ryerson University, and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from McGill University, Bryn focuses on finding the stories of women found within the cracks of the historical record. When she’s not writing, Bryn can be found exploring new coffee shops, spending time with her family in cottage country, or traveling. She lives in Toronto, and can generally be found with a book in hand.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
This novel is the fictionalised story of the American divorcée who captured Prince Edward’s heart before he abdicated his throne for Wallis Simpson.
Bryn Turnbull, debut book, The Woman Before Wallis is a must read for historical fiction fans everywhere.
A whirlwind drama soaked with historical glamour, as the lives of some of the memorable decadent people known.
Thelma Morgan mesmerizing life comes to illustrious details through the pages of Bryn Turnbull superb narration. The glamorous and decadent lives of Vanderbilt woman are wonderfully depicted, in this fast-paced moving storyline. Easy to follow, this is one read that will hold your attention from start to finish. Spectacular fleshed out characters and lots drama.
Step back in time before the notorious Wallis Simpson, For anyone who may not know, Wallis married David, the heir to the British throne who abdicated, paving the way for Elizabeth to be the current monarch.
Who is Thelma you might ask? Thelma Furness, Viscountess Furness was a mistress of King Edward VIII while he was still the Prince of Wales; she preceded Wallis Simpson in his affections. She was also the maternal aunt of the author, fashion designer and socialite Gloria Vanderbilt.
Gloria Vanderbilt is the mother of Anderson Cooper.
Let me say this book was an incredible read for me, since I have read everything there is on all the Vanderbilt Woman.
When a soldier’s murder sparks rebellion in the tiny village of Skolja, Brohr’s past marks him as the prime suspect. Haunted by his brother’s ghost, and drawn into a web of dark pacts and tangled loyalties, Brohr must choose between the path of vengeance set before him, and a chance to forge his own fate.
From the shadows, an all but extinct race of alien demigods have begun the end game of their millennia-spanning war, and one has chosen Brohr for his closing gambit. But Brohr’s grandfather harbors a dark secret that will change everything.
Above it all, a dread portent looms in the sky, spelling the death of Brohr’s world. With doom spiraling toward them, Brohr must lead an unlikely rebellion, unearth disturbing family secrets, and tame the raging ghost that haunts him. Can Brohr lead his people out of darkness, or will he succumb to his own terrifying bloodlust, and destroy the very people he has sworn to save?
Jordan Loyal Short is a debut author of epic fantasy. His first novel, The Skald’s Black Verse, is a dark and beautiful story about families, cultures, and beliefs at war with themselves. The protagonist, Brohr, must navigate the tangled loyalties and unforgiving biases of a planet conquered by invaders from another world. Using black magic, and the bizarre bond he shares with his stillborn brother’s spirit, Brohr unravels the truth about himself and an eon spanning war that has reached its end game. Jordan has worked in a variety of industries, as a waiter, bartender, copywriter and more. He lives in Washington state with his wife where he is currently daydreaming about the end of the world.
In an unforgettable novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.
*This is a spoiler free review*
This is a tale of redemption and ultimately of love.
Maria Owens is a woman whose legend has been well known to those of us who loved “Practical Magic” and “The Rules of Magic.”
Always love someone who will love you back.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
Taken under the care Hannah Owens little Maria shows very early her gifts. Hannah teaches her all that she knows. At the age of ten Maria’s birth mother Rebecca reclaims her.
From England we follow Maria as she travels to Salem, Massachusetts. Here is where Maria in desperation and sorrow she unleashes a curse that holds fast with venom and knows no bounds. Magic Lessons is a stunning tale about love life and heartbreak.
I loved all the enjoyable enchantments and remedies that Hoffman blends within book.
Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling, is phenomenal in Magical Lessons.
Exquisitely written, that showcases her ability to continuous delivery exceptional tales.
I feel honored to be able to read and review this book before it’s release date.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts”. Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson. Always love someone who will love you back.
When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it is here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.
Magic Lessonsis a celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
*This is a spoiler free review*
This is a tale of redemption and ultimately of love.
Maria Owens is a woman whose legend has been well known to those of us who loved “Practical Magic” and “The Rules of Magic.”
Always love someone who will love you back.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Unnamed Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
Taken under the care Hannah Owens little Maria shows very early her gifts. Hannah teaches her all that she knows. At the age of ten Maria’s birth mother Rebecca reclaims her.
From England we follow Maria as she travels to Salem, Massachusetts. Here is where Maria in desperation and sorrow she unleashes a curse that holds fast with venom and knows no bounds. Magic Lessons is a stunning tale about love life and heartbreak.
I loved all the enjoyable enchantments and remedies that Hoffman blends within book.
Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling, is phenomenal in Magical Lessons.
Exquisitely written, that showcases her ability to continuous delivery exceptional tales.
I feel honored to be able to read and review this book before it’s release date.
For a 9-inch springform panFor the Cake: 1½ cup almonds1 cup sugar8 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped2 sticks butter5 large eggs¼ cup of rum
For the sauce:
2½ cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 400° F. Butter the springform pan and lightly dust with flour.
Toast almonds in a pan for 3 or 4 minutes, tossing them a couple of times to make sure they brown evenly on each side. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place chocolate and butter in the top of a double-broiler over simmering water and allow them to melt. Stir until smooth, then let cool off completely.
Coarsely grind the almonds together with the sugar. Separate yolks from egg whites, place them in a large bowl, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the sugar-almond mixture, the melted chocolate with butter, and the rum, and work with the mixer until batter is smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the rest of the batter.
Pour it into the prepared pan and bake at 400° F for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 340° F and bake for another 40 minutes. Let the cake cool off completely before removing it from the pan.
In the meantime, make the raspberry sauce. Place raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small nonstick pan and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time until sugar is dissolved. Put the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth. If desired, strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
Dust the cake with powdered sugar and decorate it with fresh raspberries. Serve each slice with 1 to 2 tablespoons of raspberry sauce on the side.
An interview with Alice Hoffman, Library Jornal
Q. Why did you decide to return to the world of Practical Magic? Did you always plan to further explore the origin of the Owens family?
A: My readers sent me back to the world of Practical Magic. I had so many letters and messages asking for more, and after writing The Rules of Magic, which takes place in the 60s and 70s, I decided to go all the way back, to the original Owens ancestor, Maria Owens. I’m always interested in how the past influences the present, who the “ghosts in the nursery” are, who has influenced us, even if we never knew them.
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Q. There are a few characters in the novel who are real historical figures. One of these characters is John Hathorne, who plays a pivotal role in the story, and was one of the leading judges in the Salem Witch Trials. Why did you decide for Maria to have such a significant relationship with a real person? Was Maria in any way inspired by real women during the Salem Witch trials?
A: When I wrote Practical Magic I didn’t intend to continue to write about the family, but when I did I had to pay attention to the fact that the original novel contained a family history, one I had to keep true to in Magic Lessons. In Practical Magic, Maria becomes involved with John Hathorne, who was a judge during the Salem Witch trials, a rather evil one who never apologized for his actions, and who was also the great-great grandfather of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author, who may have added the w to his name to distance himself from his family. That a judge who sent witches to their deaths would become romantically involved with a witch seemed a fascinating set-up. In many ways the situation reminded me of the themes in The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne’s classic novel.
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Q. One of the recurring themes in all three of your novels set in the Practical Magic universe is heartbreak. In the beginning of the novel, Maria Owens, swears she will never fall in love, but fails to keep this promise to herself, despite her incredible fortitude in all other aspects of her life. Why do you think this is?
A: These novels are an exploration of the nature of love. The Owens family is cursed in love, but the curse is not so far from what anyone who loves may suffer, including loss, grief and betrayal. Heartbreak is a part of being human, and that’s what the characters in these novels learn.
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Q. The witchcraft in Magic Lessons is so specific and feels so established. Did you do any research about the kind of magic that was practiced during this time? If so, did that inspire the magic in this novel?
A: Yes, I do a huge amount of research and have a magic library of reference books. I think the magic in my fiction was inspired by the books I read as a child, especially fairytales. I use mythic magic, ancient magic, and also green magic, the healing magic practiced by women all over the world.
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Q. In the novel, Maria’s familiar is a crow she calls Cadin. Typically, crows are associated with death and bad luck, but Cadin is loyal and kind and Maria’s best friend. Why did you choose a crow as Maria’s familiar?
A: Although crows are considered unlucky in some cultures, they’re lucky in others, and there is a good deal of folklore (and fact) about their uncanny intelligence. They’re often thought of as a connection to prophecy and to female warriors. Apollo was the god of prophecy and associated with crows. A connection with birds is often viewed as having magical aspects, and augury is divination by observing the behavior of birds. Many of the Owens women have a connection to birds, and Cadin is Maria’s faithful familiar until the end of his life.
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Q. One of the most interesting aspects of the novel is the backstory of Abraham and Samuel Dias. The father and son are Jewish pirates who had been forced to flee Spain during the Spanish Inquisition. Did you learn about this during your research for the novel? Or did you know about this history prior to writing and it was always your intention to include it?
A: I wrote about the Inquisition in my novel, Incantation, and about the fate of Jews from Spain and Portugal forced to flee their countries for the new world in The Marriage of Opposites, and so I knew there had been Jewish pirates, as well as navigators and explorers. There were times when no country was safe for Jews, and the sea was the only home they could claim. All the same, Samuel Dias was something of a surprise to me, and I’m so glad Maria found him.
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Q. Some of the most important relationships in this novel are the ones between daughters and mothers. Both Maria and her daughter Faith have relationships with their birth mothers and an “adopted” mother, albeit their experiences are completely different. What do you think these relationships say about the nature of motherhood?
A: I’m always interested in relationships between mothers and daughters – it’s such an intense, important relationship. I do think many of us find women in our lives who are not our biological mothers, but who become important mentors and teachers who serve in much the same role, friends who become family.
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Q. At one-point, regarding men in power, Maria thinks, “They always want to burn a woman who defies the rules. They want to turn lies into the truth.” Do you think this is still true today? Do you think there is any relevancy of the Salem Witch Trials in 2020?
A: Unfortunately, I do believe that it is still difficult to be a woman who defies rules, who is powerful or successful. There is a reason why little girls still want to dress up as witches, and why women are still interested in the role of the witch, the only mythic female figure who has power, who doesn’t need to be rescued, who has knowledge and a connection to the earth. The witch trials were a way to gain control of an entire society by terrorizing and punishing women, and that is still happening today, in many cultures. What I love about the Owens women is that they are always there for other women—they keep the porch light turned on so that women in need know they have place to go for help during hard times.
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Q. The primary rule of magic in the novel is, “Do as you will, but harm no one. What you give will be returned threefold.” Do you think that this rule applies to all of us? Do you think, in some way, what we put out into the world is returned to us?
A: These are the traditional rules of magic throughout time and throughout the world. I think they are important words to live by, and of course I added a third rule. Fall in love whenever you can.
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Q. In addition to the first rule, there are so many “lessons” to be learned in this novel, about magic, about love, and about life. Is there one lesson that you want readers to remember most?
A: Know that love is the only answer.
Magic Lessons will be published in hardcover on October 6th.
Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including The World That We Knew, The Rules of Magic, The Marriage of Opposites, Practical Magic, The Red Garden, the Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, The Museum of Extraordinary Things, and The Dovekeepers. Her most recent novel isThe World That We Knew. Her new novelMagic Lessons: The Prequel to Practical Magicwill be published this fall. She lives near Boston
Full Biography
Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952 and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, from which she received a BA, and then received a Mirrellees Fellowship to the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, which she attended in 1973 and 74, receiving an MA in creative writing. She currently lives in Boston.
Hoffman’s first novel, Property Of, was written at the age of twenty-one, while she was studying at Stanford, and published shortly thereafter by Farrar Straus and Giroux. She credits her mentor, professor and writer Albert J. Guerard, and his wife, the writer Maclin Bocock Guerard, for helping her to publish her first short story in the magazine Fiction. Editor Ted Solotaroff then contacted her to ask if she had a novel, at which point she quickly began to write what was to become Property Of, a section of which was published in Mr. Solotaroff’s magazine, American Review.
Since that remarkable beginning, Alice Hoffman has become one of our most distinguished novelists. She has published over thirty novels, three books of short fiction, and eight books for children and young adults. Her novel, Here on Earth, an Oprah Book Club choice, was a modern reworking of some of the themes of Emily Bronte’s masterpiece Wuthering Heights. Practical Magic was made into a Warner film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Her novel, At Risk, which concerns a family dealing with AIDS, can be found on the reading lists of many universities, colleges and secondary schools. Hoffman’s advance from Local Girls, a collection of inter-related fictions about love and loss on Long Island, was donated to help create the Hoffman Breast Center at Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA. Hoffman has written a number of novels for young adults, including Aquamarine, Green Angel, andGreen Witch. In 2007 Little Brown published the teen novel Incantation, a story about hidden Jews during the Spanish Inquisition, which Publishers Weeklychose as one of the best books of the year.
Hoffman’s work has been published in more than twenty translations and more than one hundred foreign editions. Her novels have received mention as notable books of the year by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People Magazine. She has also worked as a screenwriter and is the author of the original screenplay “Independence Day,” a film starring Kathleen Quinlan and Diane Wiest. Her teen novel Aquamarine was made into a film starring Emma Roberts. Her short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe Magazine, Kenyon Review, The Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, Harvard Review, Ploughshares and other magazines.
Toni Morrison calls The Dovekeepers “… a major contribution to twenty-first century literature.” The story of the survivors of Masada is considered by many to be Hoffman’s masterpiece. The New York Timesbestselling novel was adapted for television in a 2015 miniseries starring Rachel Brosnahan and Cote de Pablo.
Her most recent novels have received many accolades, and are New York Times bestsellers. They include The Museum of Extraordinary Things, The Marriage of Opposites, and Faithful. Her novel, The Rules of Magic, is the prequel to her cult-classic Practical Magic. It was selected as a LibraryReads and IndieNext List Pick for October 2017 and is one of the Most Anticipated Books on iTunes. Reese Witherspoon picked it as her October 2017 Book Club read, remarking that the “story is full of magic, love, family, heartbreak and redemption.” Set in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, The Rules of Magic is a timeless story that reminds us that the only remedy for being human is to be true to yourself. Her new novel,The World That We Knew, is an exploration of humanity set in France during the Holocaust. Magic Lessons, the third book in thePractical Magicseries will be published in the fall of 2020.
During an entertaining jousting tournament, a mysterious villain attacks the capital with his army. Because of this disastrous event, Stephen Brightflame, a nineteen-year-old who aspires to become a knight, embarks on a quest to save the kingdom from further destruction. He joins up with a convicted felon, an arrogant warrior, and a Halfling woman, but quickly learns their pasts are just as dark and disturbing as his own.
Experience the first book in an epic fantasy trilogy that’s been called, “fascinating and captivating” featuring “well-rounded, enjoyable characters, intense action scenes, and riveting twists” (The US Review of Books and Self-Publishing Review).
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
In the classical fantasy style world building, the author Tony Johnson has written a solid epic fantasy. Faced paced action filled, along with magical atmospheric world building to satisfy any fantasy reader.
The Story of Evil A Hero’s Downfall ” by Tony Johnson @mightytonyj is the first book in this fantastical epic adventure trilogy.
The book catapults you right into the riveting world of Element. Our three young heroes witness a devastating orchestrated attack during a jousting tournament in Celestial. Along with catastrophic losses of man and beast, King Zoran of Celestial is also slain. Stephen Brightflame is a heroic champion jouster from the tournaments, along with his half brother the elf Ty and Kari Quinn an archer who is the daughter of a warrior.
The traitorous son of the dead king, King Zoran, Prince Silvanus steps in and does the unthinkable by handing over the over the fallen city to the Hooded Phantom and his treacherous dragon Nightstrike. The betrayal of the prince earns himself the name “ “Shadow Prince”.
The young night Stephen Brightflame takes a stance against Prince Silvanus, he is earned a death sentence. Freed with the help of his friends they bond together and set about a treacherous journey to warn all of the upcoming attacks by creatures of the dark Lord Zebulon.
A stunningly satisfying book, I cannot quite say just how impossibly good this is, from the first page I was completely immersed, I flew through the pages at lighting speed. It is an addictive, dramatic and gripping fantasy tale. Filled with fleshed out memorable characters, that I enjoyed following. Great dialogue within wonderful banter. The author descriptive narration of the emotions the main protagonist felt, was truly remarkable and incredible. The sub characters are notable and diverse array of fantastic creatures really adds to the enjoyment of this compelling read.
I am excited to read the next installment in this epic fantasy series by this wonderful author.
Enter a chance to win one of three physical copies
There will be a total of 3 winners !
Limited to the US only!
Giving will run from:
Sunday June 19th, at 12am EDT — To Sunday July 26, 11:59 EDT
Tony Johnson is the author of the epic fantasy series,The Story of Evil. He is an avid reader who enjoys fantasy, classic novels, Shakespeare, and Christian literature. He is also a fan of movies, television, videogames, and Tennessee Titans football. He graduated with a Bachelors in English Literature from SUNY Brockport with a certification to teach 7th-12th grade English and Special Education. Tony lives in Batavia, NY and is currently finishing up his Masters Degree and working on the final book in theStory of Evil trilogy.
Hello Today I Decided to take down one of my beautiful antique books to share with you. I have been avid collector of Antique and vintage books for various reasons since childhood.
Today I am featuring The Poet Mr Joh Keats and His love for Miss Fanny Brawne. So grab yourself a cuppa and join me
John Keats
Portrait of English Romantic poet John Keats 1795-1821, by English painter William Hilton National Portrait Gallery, London
Today I want to share with you some my ramblings, in particular I have a a question for you. Have you ever read any of the classics. I know most of us have had to read some sort of classical lit for school or such.
My question really is have picked up on your own and read a piece of classical literature, from a novel or a a delightful book of poetry.
My Mother was an avid reader, so I was introduced early on to classical literature along with, and I kid you not Fantasy and Science Fiction. You would be surprised how easy it is to transition from one to the other.
So this post is particularly about John Keats, and his poetry, along with his love interest. Which I found to have influenced his writing. Maybe not so much is rattled him into putting forth more of effort to write.
His poetry is really fantastic, in its way of imagery, and I am all about forgetting about what’s going on in the world today. I want to be transported into a book or poem.. something that allows me Escape.
Despite his death at the age of 25, Keats is one of the greatest English poets and a key figure in the Romantic movement.
He has become the epitome of the young, beautiful, doomed poet.
John Keats was born on 31 October 1795 in London. His father worked at a livery stable, but died in 1804. His mother remarried, but died of tuberculosis in 1810.
Keats was educated at a school in Enfield. When he left at 16, he was apprenticed to a surgeon. He wrote his first poems in 1814. In 1816, he abandoned medicine to concentrate on poetry. His first volume of poetry was published the following year.
In 1818, Keats nursed his brother Tom through the final stages of tuberculosis, the disease that had killed their mother. Tom died in December and Keats moved to his friend Charles Brown’s house in Hampstead. There he met and fell deeply in love with a neighbour, the 18-year old Fanny Brawne.
This was the beginning of Keats’ most creative period. He wrote, among others, ‘The Eve of St Agnes’, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’, ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ and ‘To Autumn’. The group of five odes, which include ‘Ode to a Nightingale’, are ranked among the greatest short poems in the English language.
From September 1819, Keats produced little more poetry. His financial difficulties were now severe. He became engaged to Fanny Brawne, but with no money there was little prospect of them marrying.
Early in 1820, Keats began to display symptoms of tuberculosis. His second volume of poetry was published in July, but he was by now very ill. In September, Keats and his friend Joseph Severn left for the warmer weather of Italy, in the hope that this would improve Keats’ health. When they reached Rome, Keats was confined to bed. Severn nursed him devotedly, but Keats died in Rome on 23 February 1821. He was buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome.
All of these devices work together to createrhythmand music in his poems. His most popular poems include:
Ode on Melancholy,
Ode on a Grecian Urn
Ode to Autumn
Ode to a Nightingale
La Belle Dame Sans Mercy
Imitation of Spenser
Hyperion,” and “Isabella.
Among his sonnets, the most popular are
“Bright Stars! Would I were steadfast as Thou Art,” “When I have Fears that I may Cease to be,” “Endymion,” “The Eve of St. Agnes,”and “Lamia.”
More About Him
Keats did not harness dramatic andnarrativepowernecessary to present individual characters. Instead, he was gifted with lyrical power to present characters with expressive moods. Often, these moods were of pensiveness, romantic sadness, or indolence, as well as ecstatic delight, which can be observed in his great odes.
To Autumn” (1819)
This poem’s first line is one of the most iconic of all time.
Arguably, no other poet has managed to create such a beautiful depiction of the season so deftly, or with such a kaleidoscopic wealth of images.
Keats is able to convey the synaesthesia of three months in just three stanzas.
The naturalistic, almost pastoral language is reminiscent of Hardy in places, though achieves as much with a fraction of the words.
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,
Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.
Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
This essay is a close reading analysis of the poem
“The Bright Star”.
It is a love sonnet and is believed that it was written for his love and fiance’ Fanny Brawny. Keats writes the poem in iambic pentameter. The poem revolves around Keats love for stars and about nature’s beauty. The whole poem is written with a rhyming scheme except the last two lines possibly to attract the reader’s attention to it.
By starting the poem with “Bright Star! “
Keats introduces the poem with strong imagery and symbolism that rejects a clear and precise picture of the bright star. By adding an exclamation to the line, he stresses the importance of the star and to exhibit the excitement he is feeling. He wishes that he could be as steadfast and consistent as the bright star. In the second line, he writes about the lonely star that is isolated from the rest of the world. Even though he admires the star and wishes to be like it, he doesn’t want to follow this quality of the star.
The third line – expresses that the star is always awake and shining and that is yet another characteristic he doesn’t wish to imitate. In line our, Keats writes about a “sleepless Eremite” which is another word for hermit. Comparing eremite to the “moving waters” captures beautiful imagery. This is the first time Keats uses religion in the poem. However, he does use it a few times throughout the poem. The poet uses the poetic device simile in the fifth line by comparing the moving waters to “Priestley task”.
This contributes to the fact that John Keats loves and admires the beauty of nature (“moving waters”) as he is comparing it with a religious symbol (“Priestley task”). The religiousness was being compared to the star, and now it is being compared to the moving waters. It shows a separation between the sky and the Earth. With the imagery of “Eremite” and “Priestley tasks” of moving waters, Keats wishes to express that the stars and the nature of water bodies are always twinkling and flowing, basically being immortal, which he cannot accomplish.
In line six- Keats uses the word “ablution” which also symbolizes religion. Ablution is a word for religious washing or cleansing and Keats ties it with the sea. All the lines so far in the poem express the profound admiration that Keats has for the skies and the Earth, since he compares them with elisions values. Keats brings back the stars and its gazing once again in line seven. He uses enjambment to create a pause from the stars and waters to transform into other earthly bodies.
Keats starts this new stanza by expressing his admiration for mountains and moors and the beautiful snow that accumulates on top of its peak. He tries to create imagery of a winter and lonely place. Winter has a connotation of seclusion and desolation. One can also find alliteration in mountains and moors, trying to stress his adoration for them. Keats repeats what he expresses n the beginning of the poem again in line eight saying that he wants to be steadfast and “unchangeable” like the star, but not lonely.
This repetition enforces the passion he for the star. He writes about him lying on his lover’s breast and seeking comfort. He mentions “ripening” breast to express that even if the breast is aging, the comfy it produces does not lessen. This can be compared to the star, which also has its comfort and beauty no matter it’s age. Keats ends the poem by saying, “so live ever- or else swoon to death”. He expresses that he would be happy to live with his love and swoon to death or live forever like the star.
The gravestone of poet John Keats, (1795-1821), stands in Rome’s ‘Non Catholic Cemetery’ on March 26, 2013 in Rome, Italy
Watercolour of Fanny Brawne, 1833.
Keats & Fanny
THE LOVE affair between John Keats and Fanny Brawne was shortlived but burned intensely bright.
They met in 1819 when they were neighbours in Hampstead but were separated for ever when Keats departed for Italy in September 1820 hoping the warmer weather there might alleviate the symptoms of his tuberculosis.
He died in Rome in February 1821, aged just 25.
The poems he wrote during that time (including his best known works Ode To A Grecian Urn, Ode On Melancholy and Ode To A Nightingale) are among some of the best loved in the English language but the passionate letters he and Fanny exchanged give us a unique insight into their love affair.
When they met, Fanny was just 18 and Keats described her as “autiful, elegant, graceful, silly, fashionable and strange”. He considered her passion for clothes to indicate someone a little too vain and flirtatious to be taken seriously but soon grew to see it as an expression of her bold and irrepressible nature, calling her his “minxtress”.
In March 1820 he wrote her a letter saying: “You are always new… the last movement always the gracefullest.”
In the early 19th century it was not considered desirable for women to be too clever or too educated. Fanny shared what Bright Star’s director Jane Campion calls the “passive waiting fate of any young woman of her time”. Yet she was obviously bright and if poetry was Keats’s way of expressing himself and making sense of the world around him, so fashion was Fanny’s.
It was obviously a passion that she developed at a young age since a collection survives of fashion plates clipped from such magazines as Petit Courrier des Dames (a French publication, the early 19th-century equivalent of Vogue), which she starting making at the age of 12. Fanny continued to amass these illustrations until just two years before her death in 1865.
When Keats first encounters his neighbour in Campion’s film she is wearing a white dress with a vibrant red cardigan and an attention-seeking feathered hat.
The dress itself is copied from one in Fanny’s collection. White dresses were de rigueur for young women at the time but it was only just becoming acceptable to pair them with colours: a white skirt with a coloured “body” was considered daring.
Janet Patterson, costume designer for Bright Star took inspiration from Fanny’s books of fashion plates. Some of the costumes are on show at Keats House, the museum that now occupies the semi-detached Hampstead house in which the poet used to live. It was owned by his friend Charles Brown who let a room to Keats with the Brawne family occupying the other side.
Katherine Pearce of Keats House says:
“It was just after the Battle of Waterloo so the French look was very fashionable and military detailing on clothes for women was also something that was popular”.
Katherine Pearce, “I don’t so much see Fanny as his muse more someone who shook him up. Before he met her he had been writing about his surroundings and theoretical ideas of truth and beauty but the depth of his feelings for her frightened him and he was forced to confront things in a very personal way.”
Fanny did eventually marry and have children but she always wore the engagement ring Keats had given her. a garnet set in gold scrollwork, it undoubtedly set off her many elegant outfits.
The Keats House is open Friday to Sunday. Visit keatshouse.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Description: This is the engagement ring given to Fanny Brawne by the poet John Keats in 1819, probably in sometime in the Autumn of that year. (1) The ring was probably made in the late eighteenth century, and the stone is almandine – a type of garnet – set in a gold openwork scrolled shouldered hoop.
Now on to the movie Bright Star, which I finally watched.I have to say it’s really breathtaking in the cinematography, along with Keats poems and love letters to Fanny Brawne. It’s actually swoon worthy.
I think it’s by far one of the most romantic period pieces I have come across in historical cinematography.
Maybe it’s the lighting or the nature, or maybe it’s the dress. The acting, Not sure.. but I love it
Bright Star is a 2009 British-French-Australian biographical fiction romantic drama film based on the last three years of the life of poet John Keats and his romantic relationship with Fanny Brawne. It stars Ben Whishaw …
Immanuelle had always felt a strange affinity for the Darkwood, a kind of stirring whenever she neared it. It was almost as though the forbidden wood sang a song that only she could hear, as though it was daring her to come closer.
In her debut work, Alexis Henderson delivers an immersive and thrilling ride with a young, diverse heroine you can’t help but root for. We invite you to get lost in the Darkwood with us. And while the oppressive, puritanical society might be no less dark than the current world outside, the journey of Immanuelle Moore will inspire you to find the power within yourself to make your voice heard and bring light where you can.
Buzzfeed – “17 Summer Must-Reads For Fantasy Lovers”
Thank you @berkleypub for gifting me The Year of the Witching!
𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍, 𝙱𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝, 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛.
A young woman living in a rigid, puritanical society discovers dark powers within herself, with terrifying and far-reaching consequences, in this stunning, feminist fantasy debut.
In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.
But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.
Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own. All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Alexis Henderson debut novel has solidified herself as a new voice in dark fantasy
A Hauntingly tale, The Year of the Witching is the tale of curses, witches, a dark forbidden woods.
Blood, Blight, Darkness, Slaughter.
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜
Alexis Henderson debut novel has solidified herself as a new voice in dark fantasy.
A Hauntingly tale, The Year of the Witching is the tale of curses, witches, a dark forbidden woods.
The Year Of The Witching by Alexis Henderson is a tension filled book that is deliciously terrifying. Along with captivating lyrical prose, you will be completely immersed within its horror drenched pages.
Alexis Henderson blends elements of both the supernatural and horror, to give us one incredible witchy books ever. This absorbing and highly compulsive read here that was so captivating that you will have the biggest book hang over ever. The authors gift of imaginative unsettling world building, along with the magic system really makes this a spine-tingling tale.
The characters are well developed and completely fleshed out. The protagonistImmanuelle Moore battles demons within the malevolent woods and her patriarchal church-based social society government. Taking place in a rigid and unrelenting town where the Prophet’s word is law and punishment is common.
I was hooked in the first chapter in this nonstop read, the storyline is perfectly executed, Henderson does an exceptional job sinking you into this stunning darkish atmospheric book. Taking place in a rigid and unrelenting town where the Prophet’s word is law and punishment is unrelenting.
The citizens of puritanical town of Bethel are forbidden to enter the Darkwood, when a series of events Immanuelle is lured in by accident, hidden truths are long time coming, as they resurface and a forgotten curse awakens.
Themes explored are feminism, theology, and race woven in such a way that their depiction is masterly done.
The Year of the Witching! releases tomorrow and if you like dark ominous gothic reads, you won’t want let this to pass you by
Blood, Blight, Darkness,
“She was born breech, in the deep of night. The midwife, Martha, had to seize her by the ankles and drag her form the womb. She slipped out easy, dropped limp into Martha’s arms, and lay still as stone.
Her name, she demanded, eyes sharp with moonlight. Give me her name.
Immanuelle, she finally bit it out like a curse. She will be called Immanuelle.”
Immanuelle had always felt a strange affinity for the Darkwood, a kind of stirring whenever she neared it. It was almost as though the forbidden wood sang a song that only she could hear, as though it was daring her to come closer.”
Alexis Henderson is a speculative fiction writer with a penchant for dark fantasy, witchcraft, and cosmic horror. She grew up in one of America’s most haunted cities, Savannah, Georgia, which instilled in her a life-long love of ghost stories. When she doesn’t have her nose buried in a book, you can find her painting or watching horror movies with her feline familiar. Currently, Alexis resides in the sun-soaked marshland of Charleston, South Carolina.
Her debut novel THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING will be published by Penguin Random House (US) and Penguin Books (UK) in summer 2020 with a sequel to come in 2021.
Jane Austen’s first novel—published posthumously in 1818—tells the story of Catherine Morland and her dangerously sweet nature, innocence, and sometime self-delusion. Though Austen’s fallible heroine is repeatedly drawn into scrapes while vacationing at Bath and during her subsequent visit to Northanger Abbey, Catherine eventually triumphs, blossoming into a discerning woman who learns truths about love, life, and the heady power of literature. The satirical novel pokes fun at the gothic novel while earnestly emphasizing caution to the female sex.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
#JaneAustenJuly @janeausten
Northanger Abbey has an interesting history. It was sold to a publisher in 1803 for £10, but never published. By 1817 four more novels had been published anonymously, and were popular, the fact of their anonymity being used advantageousl by her brother, who bought the book back; it is unlikely the publisher would have done so, were the facts known. It was subsequently revised by Austen and given the working title Catherine.
It was published after her death in 1817, whence her brother renamed it Northanger Abbey.
Austen’s lovely writing flows perfectly and in a way it captivates and taunts the reader, while at times, speaking directly to the reader.
“But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way.”
The book follows our lovely heroine, Catherine Morland and her adventures.
Her mother was so preoccupied with the being pregnant and the day to day care of Catherine younger siblings, that Catherine experience around young men was completely lacking. Her adventurous start from her home in Fullerton to Bath and then to a Gothic Abbey in Gloucestershire. As the plot line Catherine growth is noted, she comes to understand the people and world around her and people are not at all what seem to be. The important thing in life, and finding true love and ultimately finding happiness. Catherine is very innocently naïve, an avid reader of novels, who has a devastating, vivid imagination.
So wrapped up in her books, without realistically thinking she comes to the conclusion that another sub character in book, has come to a disastrous end, maybe even murdered. And she decides to take things into her own hands and investigates the matter herself.
“Catherine’s blood ran cold with the horrid suggestions which naturally sprang from these words. Could it be possible? – Could Henry’s father? – And yet how many were the examples to justify even the blackest suspicions!”
Austen does a fabulous job of satirizing the gothic genre. It’s quite enjoyable and effective. Austen makes several memorable mentions to one well known gothic novel at that time, The Mysteries of Udolpho.
The Mysteries of Udolpho is a Gothic novel by Ann Radcliffe, published in 1794. It was one of the most popular novels of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was then and continues to be widely regarded as a key text in the development of the Gothic genre. This okis available to everyone through Gutenberg EBook. I must say, that if you are into gothic fiction, like I am, than this a stunning must read.
During this timeframe The Regency Eras society’s did consider money as the necessity for true happiness in marriage. This always met with the critical hand of Austen. And her critical social commentary on the matter is always satirical and humorous to read.
The suspense builds as storyline unfolds Austen’s legendary style of prose is beautifully executed. To give away further plot would be to lessen the pleasure for readers, I do think everyone should read Austen, at some point in their life.
This is the very first book that I read of Miss Austen’s fine writing. Given to me by my mother, who guided me through all the beloved classics.
This epic political fantasy will make its way in the world 8/18/20.
Feminist tale of a young resistance fighter working to overthrow a tyrant king When a country is held in thrall to a vicious, despotic king, it’s up to one woman to take him down.
Long ago, Queen Mirantha vanished. King Karolje claimed it was an assassination by a neighboring king, but everyone knew it was a lie. He had Disappeared her himself.
But after finding the missing queen’s diary, Anza—impassioned by her father’s unjust execution and inspired by Mirantha’s words—joins the resistance group to overthrow the king. When an encounter with Prince Esvar thrusts her into a dangerous game of court politics, one misstep could lead to a fate worse than death.
Esvar is the second son to an evil king. Trapped under his thumb and desperate for a way out, a chance meeting with Anza gives him the opportunity to join the resistance. Together, they might have the leverage to move against the king—but if they fail, their deaths could mean a total loss of freedom for generations to follow.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
An intricate complex novel, with a sophisticated political details. Incredibly strong fleshed out character development. The reader will have first hand knowledge of the inter-most thoughts of the characters fears and struggles.
A vicious tyrant, you will love to hate. Twist and turns that will keep you guessing.
A wonderful fantasy experience filled with friendship, loyalty and the pursuit of justice. Medieval elements, a secret resistance group and narrow escapes, will keep you completely immersed. The book paced keeps you moving forward and, I enjoyed the writing style and prose.
To give away further plot would be to lessen the pleasure for readers
Key Characters
Anza: Raised in a country village, she comes to Karegg, the capital of Vetia, to study at the College. When her father is executed by Karolje some years later, she joins the resistance against the king.
Esvar: Karolje’s second son, he is bitterly opposed to his tyrannical father but is hemmed in by court politics, his loyalty to his older brother, and the king’s absolute power.
Jance: After graduating from the College, he joins the king’s army, only to find his personal and political loyalties tested as opposition to Karojle mounts.
Karolje: Cruel, abusive, and very clever, he rules with an iron hand and uses his power to toy with the lives of everyone around him, including his family.
Mirantha: She faces the daily choice between escaping from her marriage to Karolje or staying to protect her children. Then the king takes matters into his own hands.
Sparrow: Leader of the resistance, she seeks not only to overthrow Karolje but to put an end to the absolute monarchy itself.
Tevin: The older son and heir of Karolje, he wants to be king but not at the cost of bloody civil war or his own honor.
Twelve-year-old Sora and her family live under an iron set of rules: No travel without a permit. No criticism of the government. No absences from Communist meetings. Wear red. Hang pictures of the Great Leader. Don’t trust your neighbors. Don’t speak your mind. You are being watched.
But war is coming, war between North and South Korea, between the Soviets and the Americans. War causes chaos–and war is the perfect time to escape. The plan is simple: Sora and her family will walk hundreds of miles to the South Korean city of Busan from their tiny mountain village. They just need to avoid napalm, frostbite, border guards, and enemy soldiers.
But they can’t. And when an incendiary bombing changes everything, Sora and her little brother Young will have to get to Busan on their own. Can a twelve-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother survive three hundred miles of warzone in winter?
Haunting, timely, and beautiful, this harrowing novel from a searing new talent offers readers a glimpse into a vanished time and a closed nation.
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Julie Lee graduated from Cornell University with a degree in history. After working in market research in Manhattan for over ten years, she decided to pursue writing full-time. Currently, Julie lives in Georgia with her husband and three children. When she is not spending time with her family, she is working on her next book while pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Brother’s Keeper is her debut novel.
GROUNDHOG DAY gets a hilarious French twist in this delightful upper middle grade novel about first crushes and friendship when an eighth-grade class trip to Paris goes horribly wrong and the worst day of one girl’s life keeps happening over and over.
Fourteen-year-old Eve Hollis is ready to push through her fears and finally let her crush know how she feels. And what better place to tell him than on top of the Eiffel Tower in the City of Love? But things don’t go as planned, and Eve is sure she’s had the worst day of her life— until she wakes up the next morning to realize the whole disaster of a day is happening again. She’s trapped in a time loop.
Desperate to make it stop, Eve will have to take some big risks and learn from her mistakes or she’s destined to live the most awkwardly painful day of her life over and over again, forever.
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Paris on Repeat, by Amy Bearce is delightful middle grade young adult book, with a touch of magic.
While on a middle school, multi-day field trip to Paris. Eve Hollis has a secret, one that she is bursting to let out. But nothing seems to go as planned, from the moment she wakes up in the morning, to the having her book-sack stolen. Not to be mention what was inside the book-sack. A note of confessing her feelings to a boy she has crushing on for two years, Jace. She has the perfect place to share her secret in The City of Love, the top of the Eiffel Tower. When she sees the unthinkable, her bestie, Reggie actually kissing Jace. Her turbulent emotions come to to the surface when a
A mysterious fortune-teller gives her friend Reggie and Jace an iconic love lock. Blinded by her feelings of anger, jealousy and despair she cause a magical time loop to start. One where the day’s events keeps happening over and over each day, with no end in sight. This exasperating loop won’t end until she solves the cryptic clues the fortune teller keeps giving her.
“Having a secret is exhausting, but the idea of sharing one was terrifying.
Shared secrets could glue people together but just as often they tore everything apart.”
A sweet middle grade read, perfect for any 8th grader, or any adult that remembers these trying years. The romance subtle and sweet, depicted perfectly for this age group. The author uses real life issues for young people, Eve’s parents relationship is deteriorating and ultimately will end in a divorce. The author has also redirected the main protagonist crush to focus more one what’s really important, the bonds of friendship. This was done in such a way, that Eve’s character goes through the emotional struggles of feeling hurt rejected. To Eve’s realizing what really is important is ultimately friendship. Young Eve comes to realize the consequences of her actions, to her gaining self esteem.
I really enjoyed her characters growth, and there is several lessons that are immersed within the pages. The authors seamless narration carries you through all way until the satisfying end. A captivating book that I definitely will be recommending it my family and friends.
Excited to read more from this wonderful author.
About the Author
Amy writes fantasy and light science fiction for young readers and the young at heart. She is the author of the. As an Army kid, she moved eight times before she was eighteen, so she feels especially fortunate to be married to her high school sweetheart. Together they are raising two daughters in San Antonio. You can find her online at amybearce.com or on Twitter at @AmyBearce. —
I’m delighted that Fair as a Star is the first in Mimi’s Victorian Romantics collection.
Fair as a Star
by Mimi Matthews
Publication Date: July 14, 2020
Perfectly Proper Press
Series: Victorian Romantics, Book One
Genre: Historical Romance
A Secret Burden…
After a mysterious sojourn in Paris, Beryl Burnham has returned home to the village of Shepton Worthy ready to resume the life she left behind. Betrothed to the wealthy Sir Henry Rivenhall, she has no reason to be unhappy—or so people keep reminding her. But Beryl’s life isn’t as perfect as everyone believes.
A Longstanding Love…
As village curate, Mark Rivenhall is known for his compassionate understanding. When his older brother’s intended needs a shoulder to lean on, Mark’s more than willing to provide one. There’s no danger of losing his heart. He already lost that to Beryl a long time ago.
During an idyllic Victorian summer, friends and family gather in anticipation of Beryl and Sir Henry’s wedding. But in her darkest moment, it’s Mark who comes to Beryl’s aid. Can he help her without revealing his feelings—or betraying his brother?
“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast” –Charles Dickens-
Set in beautiful English Countryside, Beryl Burnham has returned home to her small village of Shepton Worthy in Somerset England. After being mysteriously whisked away to Paris by her beloved Aunt, that has caused many to speculate her hastily trip abroad. Ready to assume her life and step into her roll as the betrothed to the Baronet Sir Henry Rivenhall, with only three months to go until her wedding Day.
Beryl has suffered quietly since childhood with unpredictable bouts of melancholy. While struggles with her inter turmoil, only a few know her secret. She carefully guards it, because this is during a time that medical treatment or the actual stigma of depression was not what it is to day.
Mark RIvenhall the local, curate to the current vicar of Shepton Worthy, has been passionately in love with the Golden haired Beryl for years. Way before his oldest brother, Henry proposed to her. He has come to terms with losing Beryl, and has written her letters out of their childhood friendship while she was away in France.
Mimi Matthews has written another stunning period piece romance, but this time with subtle and grace and sensitivity she has brought the issue of depression to light in a historical romance. Beryl is a sensitive young lady who suffers quietly from bouts melancholy, and has done so since early childhood. Mimi Matthews delicately approaches this sensitive topic of depression into her heroine’s personality, making her protagonist more real and fleshed out. The tenderness and compassion that Mark has for Beryl is exquisitely portrayed. Mark’s acceptance of Beryl’s so called affliction of unhappiness is lovely, he is tender and patient. Mark’s character is the perfect swoon-worthy, Victorian Gentleman, one that all of us yearn for in our lives.
“This burden of yours – this sadness – I want you to leave it with me for a day or two.”
This by far is one of my favorites reads this year, Matthews lush descriptive writing flows seamlessly and her little historical details captured my heart.
I really appreciated the use of the metaphors, from the mention of white embroidery,that is cleverly hidden in plain sight in Beryls needlepoint, to the imperfections in a Beryls Stone that adds all beautiful colors.
This Victorian romance is richly detailed and resonate with period imagery.
Beryls character struggles with depression and is mastery depicted. She is a protagonist that many of can relate to. The authors strong narrative is fluid and it was a delightful and compelling read for me.
Deeply moving thought provoking read that will stay with long after you close the book.
“Melancholy is a low kind of delirium, with a fever; usually attended with fear, heaviness, and sorrow, without any apparent occasion.”
Beach’s Family Physician, 1861.
USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances. Her novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal and Publishers Weekly, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats.
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Hello Bookish Peeps Today I have A Feminist Ya Fantasy.
EVER CURSED BY COREY ANN HAYDU
Ever Cursed
by Corey Ann Haydu
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: July 28th 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:
Damsel meets A Heart in a Body in the World in this incisive and lyrical feminist fairy tale about a princess determined to save her sisters from a curse, even if it means allying herself with the very witch who cast it.
The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired.
Cursed.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.
But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.
Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane—the witch and the bewitched—this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.
Trigger Warnings
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.Trigger warning: Sexual assault & eating disorder
Magic doesn’t have to be forever, Even the strongest flames are extinguished. Spells are meant to be broken.” –
“There’s more than one way to survive”.
A spellbinding, unusual fairy tale that explores some tough dark social issues.
A twisted fairytale of witches, and feminism
Five years ago, the five princesses of Ever were cursed For Somebody’s Else’s Folly
-Jane can’t eat
-Nora can’t love
-Alice can’t sleep
-Grace can’t remember
-Eden, upon her Thirteenth Birthday celebration, won’t be able to hope.
All because of a young witch Reagan, impulsively cast a spell in retaliation for the unspeakable horrifying actions of the princess ruling father.
Told in dual POV’s, alternating perspectives by Jane and Reagan, one of the cursed princess and the young witch who cast the devastating curse.
I was completely immersed within the storyline and it was a fast paced read. A suttle diverse read adds some incredible depth into this spellbinding ya fantasy.
Packed with delightful lyrical prose and lush atmospheric imagery that is blended with important issues that makes for an enjoyable ya fantasy experience.
A great read for feminist fantasy readers that tackles one or more issue that many of us can relate too, eating disorders, sexual harassment, and mental health.
This is one of the books that comes across as a very simple fantasy, but don’t let that mislead you. Once you have read it you will understand that it’s the powerhouse social issues that are the driving force in this Ya novel.
In 2013, Corey was chosen as one of Publisher Weekly’s Flying Starts. Her books have been Amazon Book of the Month Selections, Junior Library Guild Selections, Indie Next Selections, and BCCB Blue Ribbon Selections.
Corey is also on the faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program.
The first two books in Corey’s new chapter book series HAND ME DOWN MAGIC, hit shelves June 16, 2020. Shortly thereafter, her next YA, a feminist fairytale, EVER CURSED, comes ou July 14th, 2020!
Corey lives in Brooklyn with her husband, her daughter, her dog, Oscar, and a wide variety of cheese.
Photo Content from Heather Webber HEATHER 
Gwendalyn’s Books 
