Category: reading

Book Review: The Book Witch, by Meg Shaffer

Image belongs to Ballantine | Ballantine Books.

Title: The Book Witch
Author: Meg Shaffer    
Genre: Fantasy  
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

Rainy March is a proud third-generation book witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps into and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes.

Book witches live by a strict Real people belong in the real word; fictional characters belong in works of fiction…. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.

Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.

But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets.

This is the perfect book for anyone who has ever fallen in love with a character, for anyone who loves books and all the worlds they contain. Was it realistic? Absolutely not—and in the best possible way. This was run, engaging, and filled with all the literary references and Easter eggs imaginable. Highly recommended!

Meg Shaffer is a bestselling author. The Book Witch is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Ballantine | Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #365

Happy Easter!

This was a good writing week, although I didn’t get any fiction in. My Muse is…mulling over some things currently. I did write one book review, The Book Witch, by Meg Shaffer, my March reading post, and the best books I read in March.

Happy writing!

Burn the Kingdom Down, by Addie Thorley

Image belongs to Sourcebooks Fire.

Title: Burn the Kingdom Down
Author: Addie Thorley             
Genre: Fantasy, YA   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

One year ago, Rowenna Harrack, the crown princess of Tashir, left her homeland in a wedding dress of chains—sent away to the enemy nation of Vanzador as a captive bride.

Now, Rowenna is dead. Brought home in a coffin after an alleged fall from a cliff.

Second-born princess, Indira, knows her sister’s death was no accident. Desperate for truth and vengeance, Indira agrees to wed the prince so she can infiltrate Vanzador, find Rowenna’s murderer, and burn their kingdom to the ground.

Indira’s plan is simple, she will make nice until she can find out how to avenge her sister and free her country from the rival nation’s stranglehold. But when Indira arrives, nothing is as terrible as Rowenna described. As Indira grows closer to her new husband, Prince Alaric, and uncovers more about Vanzador, the source of its powers, and what happened during Rowenna’s final days, she’s no longer sure what—and who—to believe. Because everyone, even her sister, has secrets. Deadly ones.

This book really had me questioning myself, my people judgement skills, and everything happening on the page. Tashir seemed a dreary place, although unrelenting poverty and struggle can do that. I liked how Indira grew and changed, becoming not just her own person, but a strong, capable person, too. This was a captivating read, and I highly recommend it!

Addie Thorley lives in New Jersey. Burn the Kingdom Down is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Honey in Her Veins, by Ruth McKell      

Image belongs to Little, Brown and Company.

Title: Honey in Her Veins
Author: Ruth McKell              
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Arthur Connoway desperately wants to free himself from the monster inhabiting his mind. Instead, he is rapidly losing control of it following his mother’s death. In a last-ditch effort to feel whole again—and to lay his mother’s memory to rest—Arthur decides to return to the quiet bee farm he once called home, hoping their sacred honey can heal him in more ways than one.

Eight years ago, Eva Moreau’s flora magic caused a terrible accident, harming her father in the process. Now, she’s desperate to find a way to heal him, but her attempts only seem to do the opposite. If she could just learn to control her magic, she might be able to save her father and leave the past behind.

When Arthur returns to town looking for absolution, Eva once again loses control of her magic, putting everyone she loves in danger. Together, the pair decides to trek to the source of her family’s magic to find a cure for both Arthur and her father. But there’s a mysterious ghost haunting the forest, and it won’t let Arthur and Eva leave the woods without confronting the secrets of their past…

This was a quirky, enchanting read! Even a bit weird, at times, and it always felt a bit surreal. I’ve never been to Appalachia, so maybe that’s just a trait of the setting. The characters are vibrant. All of them, even the minor and secondary characters. Magic runs through the pages of this and it’s just accepted, never really questioned, which made it feel believable. If you’re looking for a unique read, this is the one!

Ruth McKell is the author of Honey in Her Veins.

(Galley courtesy of Little, Brown and Company in exchange for an honest review.)

What I Read in March (2026)

Books Read in March: 15
Books Read for the Year:  36/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, by Matt Dinniman (audio, TBR): Still astonished I’m enjoying this series so much. Donut is getting on my nerves, though.
Still the Sun, by Charlie N. Holmberg (TBR): I actually really enjoyed this, although it was a bit odd.
Land of Dreams, by Gian Sardar (TBR): Liked this historical fiction read–although I couldn’t figure out the killer.
The Last Supper on the Moon, by Levi Lusko (TBR, Christian): This was an excellent read!
Awry, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): I enjoy this author’s writing.
The Lost Heiress, by Elizabeth Khehfoth (TBR): Nice dual timeline read.
Where Have All the Boys Gone, by Jenny Colgan. This audiobook was a perfect light read.


For Review:

Midnight on the Celestial, by Julia Alexandra. I enjoyed this a lot! Unique setting and I liked the world, the magic system, and the characters. I’d definitely read more.

Heiress of Nowhere, by Stacey Lee. I enjoyed this YA historical fiction, although I wish there would have been more about the sea wolves.

Only Spell Deep, by Ava Morgyn. I really didn’t care for this too much. The writing wasn’t bad, but the MC was supremely selfish and I didn’t like her.      

When the Rain Came, by Matthew Eicheldinger.  This felt more like middle grade than YA, but it was a decent read and a solid start to a series.

Daughter of Egypt, by Marie Benedict. I enjoyed this a lot, as it combined my love of Egyptian history with the 1920s.

The Geomagician, by Jennifer Mandula. Historical fiction with magic and fossils? Yes, please. I really liked this–and I want a pterodactyl.

Honey in Her Veins, by Ruth McKell (review forthcoming). This was quite an interesting read! Appalachian fantasy with nature magic, anyone?

Burn the Kingdom Down, by Addie Thorley. This fantasy read will make you question pretty much everything you see on the page.

Left Unfinished:

There’s Something About Mira, by Sonali Dev. I found Mira pretty boring and lost interest quickly.

Spellbound by Murder, by Stacie Ramey. I saw a lot of comparisons to Charmed and Gilmore Girls in reviews of this book. I never watched Gilmore Girls and only occasionally watched Charmed, so I didn’t DNF this because of that. But because it felt cliched and over-the-top and kitschy and it was just very meh.

The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow, by Rachel Weiss. I read the author’s previous book in this same Appalachian community and enjoyed it. I read almost 20% of this one and it just seemed to drag and meander in circles. The cover is absolutely beautiful, though.

Love By the Book, by Jessica George. I made it 15%, but…why keep reading about people I don’t care about?

The Last Woman of Warsaw, by Judy Batalion. WW2 historical fiction is my absolute favorite genre to read, so believe me when I say I tried. But at 20%, I still didn’t care about either of these MCs.

Book Review: The Geomagician, by Jennifer Mandula   

Image belongs to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey.

Title: The Geomagician
Author: Jennifer Mandula        
Genre: Fantasy  
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Mary Anning wants to be a geomagician—a paleontologist who uses fossils to wield magic—but since the Geomagical Society of London refuses to admit women, she’s stuck selling her discoveries to tourists instead. When an ancient egg hatches in her hands, revealing a loveable baby pterodactyl Mary names Ajax, she knows this is the kind of scientific find that could make her career—if she’s strategic.

Mary contacts the Society about her discovery, and they demand to take possession of Ajax. Their emissary is none other than Henry Stanton, a distinguished (and infuriatingly handsome) scholar… and the man who once broke Mary’s heart.

Henry claims he believes in the brilliant Mary, and that he only wants to help her obtain the respect she deserves. She knows she can’t trust her fellow scholars, who want to discredit her and claim Ajax for their own—but can she even trust Henry, who seems intent on winning Mary back?

Now Mary has a new mystery to solve that’s buried deeper than any dinosaur She must uncover the secrets behind the Society and the truth about Henry. As her conscience begins to chafe against her ambition, Mary must decide what lengths she’s willing to go to finally belong—and what her heart really wants.

I enjoyed this a lot! The world this is set in has a lot of problems, but it was an interesting setting. And Ajax was absolutely adorable! I was intrigued with this story from the very beginning, and I like Mary a lot. I think I enjoyed her interior monologue the most, questioning herself and her actions in real time.

Jennifer Mandula lives in Ohia. Her debut historical fantasy is The Geomagician.

(Galley courtesy of Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore | Del Rey in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #364

This was a solid writing week! I wrote 1k of fiction, and three book reviews; The Geomagician, by Jennifer Mandula, Burn the Kingdom Down, by Addie Thorley, and Honey in Her Veins, by Ruth McKell. (These were three wildly different fantasy reads, and I thoroughly enjoyed all three.)

Happy writing!

Book Review: Daughter of Egypt, by Marie Benedict

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Daughter of Egypt
Author: Marie Benedict             
Genre: Historical Fiction  
Rating: 4 out of 5

1920’s London was enthralled by the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Filled with priceless statues, jewels, and the gold-encased mummy of the boy Pharaoh himself, the burial site unleashed a fascination with the ancient world and revolutionized the world of archeology.

The discovery was made by Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and his associate, famed archeologist Howard Carter. What no one knows is that without the pioneering spirit of Lady Evelyn Herbert, Carnarvon’s daughter, the tomb might never have been found. As a young woman, Evelyn was fascinated by the story of Hatshepsut, a woman who had to assume the guise of a man in order to rule Egypt. Although she brought peace and prosperity to Egypt, her male successors ruthlessly and thoroughly erased her name from history.

Lady Evelyn’s ambition to find the tomb of Egypt’s first woman ruler exposes her to life-threatening danger and pits her against archeologists who refuse to believe the tomb can be found―and certainly not by a woman. Refusing to give up, Evelyn is on the verge of success when she is suddenly forced to make an agonizing choice between loyalty to her beloved father and Carter and realizing the dream of a lifetime.

I saw the King Tut exhibit several years ago and Egyptian history has always fascinated me, so I was intrigued by this novel. I liked Evelyn, but I did not like the rest of her family much. Her determination to be involved in archeology was inspiring, although I can’t imagine her getting to be on a dig now. It was interesting seeing the Egyptian culture through her eyes as she realized the impact the English were having on Egyptian history and on Egyptian culture then, in the 1920s.

Marie Benedict is a bestselling author. Her newest novel is Daughter of Egypt.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

     

Sundays are for Writing #363

This was a decent writing week. I wrote about a thousand words of fiction—not a lot, I know, but I wrote zero words of fiction last year, so I’m doing baby steps this year. I also wrote one book review, Daughter of Egypt, by Marie Benedict, and DNFed The Creek, the Crone, and the Crow, by Rachel Weiss (because it was really dragging for me).

Happy writing!

Book Review: When the Rain Came, by Matthew Eicheldinger   

Image belongs to Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Title: When the Rain Came  
Author: Matthew Eicheldinger        
Genre: YA  
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Seventeen-year-old Aurora knows how to survive. Life in the foster system has taught her how to stay quiet, stay smart, and stay ready. But nothing could prepare her for this: a never-ending storm that swallows cities, drowns forests, and turns the world into a flooded wasteland.

Trapped in a collapsing house with her strict prepper foster parents, Aurora is forced to live by their rules just to stay alive. Until the day they disappear without a trace.

Alone. Abandoned. And running out of time.

All Aurora has is a waterlogged scrap of paper and a “The Hill.”

With looters closing in and the floodwaters rising higher each day, she’s left with one impossible choice—stay and wait for the storm to take her, or risk everything on a journey through the drowned remains of the world, to a find a place that may or not exist.

It’s forward or nothing.

This felt more like a middle grade than YA. A dystopian read, although the societal response to the weather disaster is basically non-existent, which doesn’t really make sense to me. No mention of weather forecasters, at the very least, much less the response by the government and first responders? That didn’t feel believable.

This was still a solid, very quick read, and is clearly a set-up for a series. Getting to know Aurora at the beginning gave enough of her background and who she was to showcase the change in her towards the end of the book, and the conflict made it intriguing.

Matthew Eicheldinger is a bestselling author. When the Rain Came is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)