Nightshade and Faery Wings

✨ Author of whimsical fantasy novels full of magic, music, animals, and mystery.🌙 Also a bookworm, folk singer, and gamer. Lover of all things Tolkien, faery tales, Celtic culture, Halloween, and forests. Fáilte! (Welcome!) Find me everywhere: https://linktr.ee/jhfleming

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Homecoming by Kate Morton

Since finishing The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton several years ago, I have read everything she’s published, happily diving in to books filled with sprawling houses, family secrets, and mysteries.

Book Description

Adelaide Hills, Christmas Eve, 1959: At the end of a scorching hot day, beside a creek on the grounds of a grand country house, a local man makes a terrible discovery. Police are called, and the small town of Tambilla becomes embroiled in one of the most baffling murder investigations in the history of South Australia.

Many years later and thousands of miles away, Jess is a journalist in search of a story. Having lived and worked in London for two decades, she now finds herself unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. A phone call out of nowhere summons her back to Sydney, where her beloved grandmother Nora, who raised Jess when her mother could not, has suffered a fall and is seriously ill in the hospital.

At Nora's house, Jess discovers a true crime book chronicling a long-buried police case: the Turner Family Tragedy of 1959. It is only when Jess skims through its pages that she finds a shocking connection between her own family and this notorious event—a mystery that has never been satisfactorily resolved.

An epic story that spans generations, Homecoming asks what we would do for those we love, how we protect the lies we tell, and what it means to come home. Above all, it is an intricate and spellbinding novel from one of the finest writers working today.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this one, and devoured the last several hundred pages on a Saturday morning. I had meant to only read a little, and the next thing I knew I had finished it. So far I haven’t read a Kate Morton book I didn’t enjoy, though The Forgotten Garden might still be my favorite (I can’t resist the fairy tales sprinkled throughout). This one is also different from her others in that the vast majority of it is set in Australia (her others have mentioned Australia, or had a few scenes there, but this one almost entirely took place there). As with all of her books, I’d love to read it again and search for clues sprinkled throughout the text.

Would re-read?: Yes

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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Letters From An Imaginary Country by Theodora Goss

I decided years ago that I would read everything Theodora Goss writes. Her poetry speaks to me the most, but I’ve greatly enjoyed her short stories in the past, too, so I was looking forward to this one.

Book Description

Roam through the captivating stories of World Fantasy and Mythopoeic Award winner Theodora Goss (the Athena Club trilogy). This themed collection of imaginary places, with three new stories, recalls Susanna Clarke’s alternate Europe and the surreal metafictions of Jorge Luis Borges.

The infamous girl monsters of nineteenth-century fiction gather in London and form their own club. In the imaginary country of Thüle, characters from folklore band together to fight a dictator. An intrepid girl reporter finds the hidden land of Oz—and joins its invasion of our world. The author writes the autobiography of her alternative life and a science fiction love letter to Budapest. The White Witch conquers England with snow and silence.

Deeply influenced by the author’s Hungarian childhood during the regime of the Soviet Union, each of these intricate stories engages with storytelling and identity, including Goss's own.

My Thoughts

The story that struck me the most strongly was “A Letter to Merlin.” It presented a lovely, unique take on the traditional Arthurian stories, and I found myself thinking about it even when I’d continued on to other stories. Overall this collection was enjoyable, and although it wasn’t my favorite of her collections (that spot still belongs to Snow White Learns Witchcraft), I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending it.

Would re-read?: Yes

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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What Stalks the Deep by T. Kingfisher

I started this series a few years back and am always happy when there’s a new book out.

Book Description

The next installment in the New York Times bestselling Sworn Soldier series, featuring Alex Easton investigating the dark, mysterious depths of a coal mine in America

Alex Easton does not want to visit America.

They particularly do not want to visit an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia with a reputation for being haunted.

But when their old friend Dr. Denton summons them to help find his lost cousin—who went missing in that very mine—well, sometimes a sworn soldier has to do what a sworn soldier has to do...

My Thoughts

I enjoyed the first two books in this series and was excited to start the next installment. Overall I think it’s my least favorite of the three so far, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. I’d be perfectly happy if T. Kingfisher continued this series and gave us many more adventures with Alex and their friends.

Would re-read?: Yes

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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A Forest, Darkly by A. G. Slatter

Another Sourdough novel, so of course I had to scoop this one up as soon as it was out.

Book Description

Deep in the forest lives Mehrab the witch, quietly battling her demons. One evening, a young woman arrives at her door pursued by god-hounds, who wish to destroy all those practising magic, and Mehrab’s solitary existence is disrupted. Together they forge a cure for their isolation with heartbreaking consequences... Meanwhile, in the local village, children begin to disappear. Sinister offerings appear on Mehrab’s doorstep, and a dark power pursues her through the trees. As the villagers turn hostile and the god-hounds close in, Mehrab finds herself at the centre of a struggle to save the soul of the forest, the life of an old love – and her own new-formed family.

Set in Slatter’s bewitching gothic Sourdough universe, this is a haunting, gripping tale written with wit and heart. A book to both savour and devour.

My Thoughts

I loved this book. It’s not my favorite of the Sourdough novels, but it’s a creepy, lovely addition to the series. I really hope she writes more books in this world because it has become one of my favorites. Also, the last third of the novel got the creative wheels in my brain turning for my own stories, which is always a wonderful experience.

Would re-read?: Absolutely

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney

The description of this one really pulled me in and I couldn’t wait to start it.

Book Description

Hecate Goodwin, Kate to her friends, has curated the perfect life as a hedge witch, living in a secluded cottage with only a black cat for company. She spends her days foraging herbs from the Ipswich forest, gardening, and creating tinctures to sell at the apothecary she owns. Most evenings pass without her speaking to another human being, an arrangement she quite prefers.

Kate’s solitude is thrown into disarray when her older sister, Miranda, reaches out and asks her to host their coven’s annual Halloween gathering. The day marks the beginning of the new year for witches and is also Kate’s birthday. The pressure from her coven to make the evening memorable mounts as the event draws near. To complicate things further, a handsome man from Kate’s past turns up at her cottage, asking for sanctuary. It is Kate’s duty as a hedge witch to honor this request, much to her dismay. Matthew Cypher is no ordinary lost soul—he’s a practitioner of forbidden magic who’s tricked Kate once before, and her guard is up.

As she juggles Matthew’s arrival and the preparations for Halloween, Kate comes across an old tome shrouded in dark magic. She is horrified when she realizes the blood-red inscription is written in familiar handwriting: her recently deceased mother’s. Afraid to even touch the dark magic her mother secretly studied, Kate can turn only to Matthew for help. Her idealized memory of her mother begins to distort, and as she and Matthew grow closer, Kate has to reevaluate whom she can really trust.

A Dark and Secret Magic is a celebration of the Halloween season and a love letter to anyone who drinks pumpkin spice in August and carries the spirit of a witch inside their heart all year long.

My Thoughts

This was a really fun read. All the Halloween and autumn descriptions were right up my alley, and the food sounded divine (even better that the author included the recipes in the back!). It was a little heavier on the romance than I expected, but I still liked it.

Would re-read?: Maybe.

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao

I picked this one up because I’m a sucker for trains, and this one had a magical train, which made it even better. I actually bought another book the same day and let my partner choose which one I should read first. He also loves trains, so this one won.

Book Description

When you lose your way in life, the Elsewhere Express just might find you. Step on board the train that may take you to your life’s purpose in this wistful, Ghibli-esque fantasy from the bestselling author of Water Moon.

You can’t buy a ticket for the Elsewhere Express. Appearing only to those whose lives are adrift, it’s a magical train seeming to carry very rare and special cargo: a sense of purpose, peace, and belonging.

Raya is one of those lost souls. She had dreamed of being a songwriter, but when her brother died, she gave up on her dream and started living his instead.

One day on the subway, as her thoughts wander, she’s swept off to the Elsewhere Express. There she meets Q, an intriguing artist who, like her, has lost his place in the world.

Together they find a train full of wonders, from a boarding car that’s also a meadow to a dining car where passengers can picnic on lily pads to a bar where jellyfish and whales swim through pink clouds.

Over the course of their long, strange night on the train, they also discover that it harbors secrets—and danger: A mysterious stranger has stowed away and brought with him a dark, malignant magic that threatens to destroy the train.

But in investigating the stowaway's identity, Raya also finds herself drawing closer to the ultimate question: What is her life's true purpose—and is it a destination the Elsewhere Express can take her to?

My Thoughts

While I found this one intriguing, at times it was almost too dreamlike for me, leaving me scrambling to figure out where the characters were and what they were trying to accomplish. It was still an enjoyable read, though, and I’m curious how it would stand up under a re-read, now that I’ve read the whole thing. There were some fun twists at the end as well.

Would re-read?: Maybe.

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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In Sunlight and in Shadow by Mark Helprin

I first came across Mark Helprin in third or fourth grade, when I spotted Swan Lake in my local library. I won’t tell that story here (though you can read it here if you like), but suffice it to say that I’ve been reading his books ever since. It’s strange to think that this book came out in 2013, since it still feels new to me. He’s published three books since it’s release, though, so I fully admit I’m behind.

Book Description

An epic love story set in post-war New York, by the best-selling author of Winter’s Tale.

In the summer of 1946, New York City pulses with energy. Harry Copeland, a World War II veteran, has returned home to run the family business. Yet his life is upended by a single encounter with the young singer and heiress Catherine Thomas Hale, as each falls for the other in an instant.

They pursue one another in a romance played out in Broadway theaters, Long Island mansions, the offices of financiers, and the haunts of gangsters. Catherine’s choice of Harry over her longtime fiancé endangers Harry’s livelihood and threatens his life.

In the end, Harry must summon the strength of his wartime experience to fight for Catherine, and risk everything.

My Thoughts

I’ll be honest: I didn’t enjoy this one as much as his Swan Lake trilogy or Winter’s Tale, though I admit those are high bars. That said, there were elements in this one I really enjoyed. Overall, not a bad read.

Would re-read?: Maybe.

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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Hakumei & Mikochi: Tiny Little Life in the Woods by Takuto Kashiki

I’ve introduced this series in a previous post (found here) so I won’t linger on an introduction. I will say that this is one of my favorite series of all time and I look forward to the publication of the new volume every year.

Book Description

Book 1

Deep within a lush, green forest live Hakumei and Mikochi.

Making their home in trees, using leaves for umbrellas, and riding bugs for transportation is just part of everyday life for these tiny pals!

I’ll add a bit more since that doesn’t really tell you what this series is about. The main characters are tiny (think Thumbelina size) and live in a world where there are hundreds (probably thousands) of others like them, with their own cities and cultures and whatnot. There are also animal characters, including mice, weasels, insects, badgers, wolves, cats, etc. It’s a cozy slice-of-life series, so each chapter depicts the main characters getting up to something or other. Major themes include friendship, curiosity, and of course coziness. While the characters are small and cute, some of the stories involve smoking and drinking, and all the main characters are adults (I include this so that readers don’t get the impression this is just for kids).

My Thoughts

Like I said, this is one of my favorite series, and I look forward to re-reading the whole thing every January. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Would re-read?: Considering I re-read it every year, I think this is a yes. 😅

My Affiliate Links:

Book 1

Book 2

Book 3

Book 4

Book 5

Book 6

Book 7

Book 8

Book 9

Book 10

Book 11

Book 12

Book 13

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The Late-Night Witches by Auralee Wallace

I received this book for Jolabokaflod and was excited to give it a try.

Book Description

An enchantingly warm and funny novel about family, love lost and found, discovering who you are, and how difficult it is to slay a vampire from the beloved national bestselling author of the TikTok sensation In the Company of Witches.

Cassie Beckett’s life is anything but magical. With a wild younger sister, three unruly kids, and an absent husband, she’s really not looking forward to the witching month of October. At least the gorgeous, foggy Prince Edward Island is always quiet.

That is, until the vampires arrive.

As the creatures sink their teeth into Cassie’s tenuous grip on normalcy, she’s forced to come face-to-face with long–disregarded family secrets. The legacy gifts her with power, but also a lofty responsibility: rid the island of vampires, or let them win. (Both options suck, in more ways than one.)

Armed with her family, newfound friends, and a baby in a spectacularly garlicky onesie, Cassie must learn what it is to be a witch and how to fight for what she loves before time runs out. Because on Halloween night, the stakes will be higher than ever before...and it’s up to Cassie to finish what the witches that came generations before her started.

My Thoughts

This was a quick, fun read. It was easy to get caught up in what was happening and just keep reading. Looking back, there were a few things I feel could’ve been done differently, but I say that knowing it’s a personal preference, not an issue with the book itself.

Would re-read?: Maybe. I almost said yes, but while I really liked this book, it didn’t jump up to become one of my favorites. So…maybe.

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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"It was common knowledge in Swallow's Bend that when the fog came into town, you shut your doors and stayed inside."

-from "The Lady of the Fog" by J.H. Fleming

[maureen2musings]

Bolu Dağları

kartalgoz.photography

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The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne

After the last book, I was in the mood for another fairy-tale-inspired read, and thought this one would hit the spot.

Book Description

Everyone knows the story of Rapunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there? Mary McMyne's spellbinding debut, rich with historical detail and forbidden magic, reveals the truth behind the fairy tales--the truth only a witch could tell.

Germany, 1156. Shunned by her village for her unusual fainting spells and black eyes, young Haelewise's only solace lies in her mother's stories of witches, magic wolf-skins, and ancient mist-cloaked towers. When her mother dies, she sets off through the woods for the mysterious tower of fable: Gothel. There, Haelewise discovers a haven, a safe refuge for women like her and for those who have lost their way in the harsh world of men. A place where magic lives and where fairy tales of her mother's stories have more truth than she'd ever imagined.

My Thoughts

I really wanted to like this book, but it never quite hooked me. It certainly had elements that should've made me love it. Maybe it wasn’t fair to read it immediately following After the Forest, which I adored.

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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After the Forest by Kell Woods

I picked up Kell Woods’s first novel, After the Forest, which turned out to be just as delightful as her second, Upon a Starlit Tide.

Book Description

After the Forest is a dark and enchanting fantasy debut from Kell Woods that explores the repercussions of a childhood filled with magic and a young woman contending with the truth of “happily ever after.”

Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour.

Twenty years after the witch in the gingerbread house, Greta and Hans are struggling to get by. Their mother and stepmother are long dead, Hans is deeply in debt from gambling, and the countryside lies in ruin, its people starving in the aftermath of a brutal war.

Greta has a secret, though: the witch's grimoire, hidden away and whispering in Greta's ear for the past two decades, and the recipe inside that makes the best gingerbread you've ever tasted. As long as she can bake, Greta can keep her small family afloat.

But in a village full of superstition, Greta and her mysteriously addictive gingerbread, not to mention the rumors about her childhood misadventures, is a source of gossip and suspicion.

And now, dark magic is returning to the woods and Greta's magic—magic she is still trying to understand—may be the only thing that can save her. If it doesn't kill her first.

My Thoughts

I completely devoured this book, finishing it in only a couple of days. I’m a gamer as well, and I can always tell I’m really enjoying a book when I’d rather keep reading than pick up a game. That was the case here. Hansel and Gretel has never been one of my favorite faery tales, but I enjoyed this story immensely, and loved the interweaving with another faery tale, Snow White and Rose Red. Some things were predictable/obvious to me, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of the story.

I will say that there’s an error in the book description (though not in the story itself): the book takes place fifteen years after the incident with the witch and the gingerbread house, not twenty.

After finishing this book, I read “Before the Forest,” a connected short story that can be read quickly. Fair warning that it has some pretty dark themes.

Would re-read?: Absolutely

My Affiliate Link for After the Forest: Bookshop.org

My Affiliate Link for Before the Forest: Bookshop.org

A final note: There’s one scene in the book where a song is mentioned and a bit of the lyrics is provided. This is a real, lovely folk song called “My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose.” I recommend listening to Josienne Clarke’s and Ben Walker’s version when you get to that part.

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The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

I’m back with another book, this time The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar.

Book Description

“Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.”

In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family.

There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, Esther and Ysabel, who cherish each other as much as they cherish the ancient trees.

But when Esther rejects a forceful suitor in favor of a lover from the land of Faerie, not only the sisters’ bond but also their lives will be at risk…

My Thoughts

This was a really quick read! I went into it expecting it to be heavily fairy tale-inspired, or perhaps turn out to be a retelling of one. I was absolutely thrilled to discover that instead of fairy tales, it was full of folk songs! References to songs I know and love (and at least one I’ve performed with my band) littered the pages, and the main story turned out to be a retelling of one of my absolute favorites. If I have any complaints, it’s that I wish the story were longer. This is one I’ll definitely return to.

Would re-read?: Yes!

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

A final note: after reading the book, listen to "The Bonny Swans" by Loreena McKennitt.

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Alchemy and a Cup of Tea by Rebecca Thorne

I’ve come to the end of the Tomes & Tea series!

Book Description

Reyna and Kianthe have no trouble commanding the Realm, running a bookshop, or rescuing baby dragons...but can they save their town from the swarming influx of...tourists?!?

On the night of her kidnapping, all Reyna wanted was a relaxing cup of tea. She didn’t expect to be dropped in a hidden prison cell, but what the hells. She’s flexible.

With appropriate fanfare, Kianthe “rescues” her wife...but Reyna’s actually a terrible damsel in distress. Even worse, Reyna's cell was booby trapped with a mysterious alchemy circle. What does a radical alchemist want with the Arcandor’s wife? And why did they think they could get away with this?

While they investigate, another problem surfaces in their hometown. Word of New Leaf Tomes and Tea—and its celebrity owners—has finally spread. Tourists are everywhere, harassing the locals and ruining the charm of Tawney. As their friends struggle with the sudden influx, Kianthe and Reyna have to face a bigger conundrum than rogue alchemists: the fact that closing their bookshop might be the only way to save their town.

Things can’t just be simple, can they?

My Thoughts

This was a fun world to explore for a while, and I’m happy to know the author plans to write more books in this universe, even if the main characters of this quartet will be on the sidelines from here on out. As for this book in particular, I liked that we got to see a bit more of a few places that have only been mentioned up until this point. The plot of this one was fun as well, and I wasn’t sure which way the author would go when it came to resolving it.

Would re-read?: Yes

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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Tea You at the Altar by Rebecca Thorne

Continuing with the Tomes and Tea series, this time with book three, Tea You at the Altar.

Book Description

The Princess Bride meets Bookshops and Bonedust in the third book of the Tomes & Tea series, where our favorite lesbian pirates must navigate the ultimate maelstrom—their own wedding!

Kianthe and Reyna are ready to finally walk down the aisle—in just seven days, their wedding of a wifetime will be a reality. There's loads to do—but like all best laid plans, everything seems to be going awry.

Between their baby dragons causing mayhem in Tawney, Kianthe's uptight parents inviting themselves to the wedding, and Reyna becoming embroiled in a secret plot to overthrow Queen Tilaine, the world seems against them—how are they going to live long enough to say "I do"?

My Thoughts

This one went in a bit of an unexpected direction, but in a good way. I think I liked it more than the previous book, overall. I’m curious to see how the author will wrap up this storyline in the next book.

Would re-read?: Yes

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org

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A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

Continuing with the Tomes and Tea series, this time with book two, A Pirate’s Life for Tea.

Book Description:

Bookshops & Bonedust meets Our Flag Means Death in this cozy fantasy on the low seas, where lesbian pirates find out if enemies actually can become lovers!

Kianthe and Reyna are on the hunt for dragon eggs to save their hometown—but it requires making a deal with Diarn Arlon, lord of the legendary Nacean River. Simply capture the river pirate Serina, who’s been plaguing Arlon's supply chains, and bring her in for justice. Easy peasy.

Begrudgingly, the couple joins forces with Bobbie, one of Arlon’s constables determined to capture the pirate. Except Bobbie and Serina have a more complicated history than anyone realized, and it might jeopardize everything.

While Kianthe and Reyna watch this relation-shipwreck from afar, it quickly becomes apparent that these disaster lesbians need all the help they can get. Luckily, matchmaking is Reyna’s favorite pastime.

The dragon eggs may have to wait.

My Thoughts:

I didn’t like this one quite as much as the first book in the series. Parts of it could’ve been explained a little better so that certain plot points made more sense. The further along it went, though, the more I liked it. All-in-all, another enjoyable read.

Would re-read?: Yes

My Affiliate Link: Bookshop.org