The best way I can think to summarize this book would be to say that Krause writes up an atmospheric homage to a mixed cultural background and the memory of a person dear to her, depicting a different, darker, and more folk gothic side to early 19th century americana. Bringing to life that solid and vivid mix of folk tales and myth that were also paired with the Christian overtones informing the 1800s American short story. Think Washington Irving’s The Devil and Tom Walker but add more monsters and a gutsy young woman willing to do anything for her family.
Fairy Tales
Review: Tristan’s Regret (The Return of King Arthur #3) by Jacob Sannox
Synopsis The third and final book of The Return of King Arthur. In the 5th century, Tristan and Isolde are at the mercy of the scheming Morgana Le Fay, who seeks to undermine King Arthur’s alliance with Cornwall. The consequences of their actions echo down the centuries and, in 2021, Arthur, Tristan and the Knights […]
Review: Agravain’s Escape (The Return of King Arthur #2) by Jacob Sannox
Synopsis It is 2021, and Sir Agravain’s nemesis, Malagant, is back.But Agravain, who hunted the Dread Knight during the 18th and 19th centuries, is now serving a prison sentence. Nimue, a mysterious student of Merlin, seeks King Arthur to offer him a choice.Arthur can settle into the normal life he yearns, abandoning his estranged knight. […]
Review: The Ravenmasters Revenge (The Return of King Arthur Trilogy #1) by Jacob Sannox
Synopsis It is the autumn of 2019. Merlin’s wayward apprentice has escaped from the Tower of London with his raven familiars. Legend foretells that the White Tower, then England, will fall.Can King Arthur, a weary veteran of the English Civil War, Waterloo and the Somme, prevent the Ravenmaster from exacting his revenge? Review Just fantastic, […]
Book Tour and Review: A Cup of Tea at the Mouth of Hell by Luke Tarzian
Hello everyone! This is my stop on the Escapist Book Company tour of A Cup of Tea at the Mouth of Hell by Luke Tarzian. I had the extreme pleasure of editing this book and have worked with Luke before. I’ll go into more detail in the full review, but I will say that this book has left an impact on me, even all these months later. For now, here’s some more about it!
Review: Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
Oh. My. God. I LOVED this. I’ve already practically thrown the book at multiple people, although basically shouting ‘it’s about the goblin markets’ probably isn’t the best approach I could’ve gone for. Not Good for Maidens does contain a fair amount of body horror and is definitely horror rather than a YA horror (although it does have a 17-year-old protagonist). But that being said, if you like your horror gory, and creepy, and heart-pounding, this is the book for you.
Review: The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon A Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber
Garber’s prose is easy to read as much as it is lyrical and evocative, and her metaphors, even when a little over the top, still render her imagery amazingly, after all, their flair does fit in with the overall vibe of this story.
Review: The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne
The Book of Gothel is beautifully woven, and full of depth and compassion. It’s adventurous, and manages to be classic and modern all at once, giving life to Mother Gothel.
Review: The Last Wish (The Witcher #0.5) by Andrzej Sapkowski
Synopsis Geralt the Witcher—revered and hated—is a man whose magic powers, enhanced by long training and a mysterious elixir, have made him a brilliant fighter and a merciless assassin. Yet he is no ordinary murderer: his targets are the multifarious monsters and vile fiends that ravage the land and attack the innocent. But not everything […]
Review: Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
A darkly magnificent retelling of The Juniper Tree.
Review: For the Throne (The Wilderwood #2) by Hannah Whitten
The thrilling and gorgeous sequel to For the Wolf.
Review: For The Throne (Wilderwood #2) by Hannah Whitten
For The Throne really is everything you wish for in a sequel/series conclusion, in that it wraps up all the threads in a satisfying manner that isn’t necessarily what you’d expect, it honors already established characters while also giving the right amount of space to the ones who are now the main focus and, it does all that by improving on all that worked well before to make it even better.