I've been avoiding this for a while now, thinking I wouldn't need to take such measures. However, I've come to accept that the only way forward is to be honest with myself. My creative spirit is broken; distraught with grief. I need to take more time to sit with my pain, to find my creativity again, to let my soul ache and languish the loss of the beautiful life of my uncle. I think I've been trying so hard to press forward, I never stopped to ask myself if I should. My grief has at ...
musing
WOMS: Where the Library Hides
The book opens with a dedication to the readers who have agonized over the abrupt ending of What the River Knows, and I think more authors should respect a reader's plight because darn right this is dedicated to me! As it should be! About time someone noticed! You can’t just leave me hanging like that with a final twist that stabs you in the gut! That’s right—this week, we’re talking all about the epic conclusion to the historical fantasy mystery, Where the Library Hides. Careful, though; ...
WOMS: The Republic of Salt
It's been almost a year since we explored the Mirror Realm, and—at last—it's time to return with Ariel Kaplan's latest installment in her Jewish-inspired epic fantasy series, The Republic of Salt. But reader beware! Spoilers are ahead! Events start immediately after the first book's conclusion without missing any beats. Asmel and Toba Bet are on the run on the mortal side of the gate as Naftaly, Elana, a severely wounded Barsilay, and the old woman are trapped on the Mazik side in the ...
WOMS: Wake Me Most Wickedly
Felicia Grossman has done it again with another fairy tale retelling with her Once Upon the East End series, but this time the twist isn't only the swapped gender roles in her version of Snow White. This week, we're talking all about Wake Me Most Wickedly, and what makes a true villain. Solomon Weiss may have lost the opportunity to marry Isabelle Lira to his more than deserving friend, Aaron Ellenberg, but he managed to walk away as her new business partner. Now he can make true on his ...
WOMS: The Spellshop
My uncle died earlier this month. I know that’s an odd way to begin a book review, but his death is intrinsically linked to this book I want to share. This will be a bit unorthodox. Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I'm flooded with memories in my mourning. I've sat down trying to write this review as strictly a review for the past month, but each time I can't help but circle back to my uncle and his death. I seem incapable of separating the two. You see, after I first learned he was dying ...
