Review: Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa

Improbable Magic for Cynical Witches by Kate Scelsa
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don’t know who recommended this, but it was an insightful read. Kate uses Tarot Major Arcana to tell a piece of a teen’s confusing life. I love how we learn the cards as a story unto themselves and how it applies to Elenor’s past.

Kate Sclesa is a young adult novel, and the romances cause angst. But I loved climbing into Elenor’s thoughts and seeing how she caused her worries to grow.

Stacey Glemboski (Narrator) brought this Audible version alive with her voice acting.

Quite an enjoyable and inspiring read.

View all my reviews

Review: Miss Kat’s School of Genteel Witchcraft by Mary Beth Robb

Miss Kat’s School of Genteel Witchcraft by Mary Beth Robb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was so excited to see Mary Beth Robb’s books on Kindle Unlimited. My finances were very tight. I hope the author still makes money from those of us who use this system.

The last two books I read by Ms. Robb were more fables for children or campfires. This book was more instructional. It taught on ways to behave as a newbie at attending or holding gatherings. Most of that part was common sense for anyone holding any kind of meeting of any flavor. Ms. Robb’s wit is visible all the way through. She uses her own experiences, good and bad to point to ways to avoid embarrassing or fatal mistakes. She never makes the reader feel silly or stupid, just aware.

Next the book covers altars and rituals. This is an area that I still need to work on. Having been in church almost every day of my life as a kid and then as a teen, I find myself standing apart. I guess I have to wait for this penny to drop so I might get the bubble gum.

Gifts, talents, abilities is what the next part of the book talked about. Once, again, I felt right at home. In my metaphysical studies, I have already worked on my own with meditation and practice. I still feel there is so much more for me to learn and absorb.

The end of the book has a long list of books for those of us who chose to grow, to read. It is for that part that I wish I had this book in tree form. But then again, My hands are capable, when I buy the Kindle version of the book I will write the list down and continue my education.

Thank you, Mary Beth Robb, fo these very insightful books. I feel at peace when I read your works.

View all my reviews

Review: The Lonely Little Star & Other Stories by Mary Beth Robb

The Lonely Little Star & Other Stories by Mary Beth Robb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading a few books that were anxiety producing I thought this one would help ease me to sleep. I let my inner child be read to by the text-to-speech as I followed along in the book. Mary Beth Robb writes her stories in an uncomplicated way while covering some deep spiritual issues. I would have loved to read this book to my children when they were young.

Reach out and take a chance, seemed to be the theme of this group of stories. Shy people need this kind of advice regardless of age. I loved the stories about the witch who was shy and the stories about the ribbons of love. How tactile the story was. In fact, all the stories involve all of the readers’ senses as you move in life with the main characters of each story.

Learn about another point of view. If you have been raised in a certain religion here is a chance to learn how others have seen the world and life. Neither way is wrong. There is much to be learned from everyone. This would be a great place to start in learning about Paganism or Wiccan ways of life. These are the “Old Time Religions” the main theme of most religions I have seen is LOVE and acceptance. Ms. Robb’s books seem to teach that is spade!

I was so happy that Kindle has the Kindle Unlimited way of reading books I can’t afford. I hope the author gets a good financial kick-back from this. When I can afford them I will buy them. Maybe I will have them in time for grandchildren? Thanks for some awesome stories, Mary.

By the way, I follow Ms. Robb’s blog: Elfkat.wordpress.com I learn a lot from her point of view and enjoyher sense of humor.

View all my reviews

Review: The Tales of BunniHoTep by Mary Beth Robb

The Tales of BunniHoTep by Mary Beth Robb

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Remember Peter Rabbit and the other Beatrix Potter bunnies? Did you just smile like I did as you thought of them? This book will do the same for you. Sure, they are children’s stories to introduce morals and some of the gods and goddesses of the Pagan worlds. But I read these every night. It was nice to bring that sweet, peacefulness only a bunny goddess could bring.

I would have loved to have these stories to share with my kids when they were small. What a great way to initiate conversation about world history and religious history. To show that other philosophies have something to live by. How being kind and helping others is not just a Christian belief, but one that goes back to BC days.

Kindle Unlimited is a great way to read books that you can’t afford, but would love to read. Often the library doesn’t carry books of my eclectic interests. And what I love to do is take in Kids’ books in other languages or philosophies so as to grasp ideas in the simplest forms. BunniHoTep can help teach us all.

My only suggestion would be pictures. This book could bee a series of picture books. Without the pictures Mary Beth Robb painted word pictures that were tactile, involving all the senses, making the reader feel there, in that temple row. I look forward to reading more books by her. I do love her blog: elfkat.wordpress.com. There you will find humor, information, and mental caffeine. She has opened my mind to other ways of thinking. Thank you, Ms. Robb.

View all my reviews

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series was so much fun that I wish I could go back and read it again, right now! I miss the characters and the wonderful voice of Jennifer Ikeda. This series is best read with the narration. The experience is over the top!

Anyone who knows me knows I am not into vampires. Okay, I watched Vampire Diary for a while but it was because of the witch more than anything else. So had this not started with A Discovery of Witches, and had my cousin not recommended it, I might not have gotten into this series. And the witches sure do kick b*** in this series, so I wasn’t let down.

Even writing this is giving me a sense of remorse that it is over. Gosh, what a sentimental mush brain, huh? But how else can I tell you how good this series is?

I do have a complaint about the whispersync of this book. For some reason, it would skip over the bottom of each paragraph. But that didn’t stop me. I just signed onto my Audible and played the story from there and read it on my tablet. Yeah, I had to turn pages, but I hardly noticed as the story moved me forward.

I noticed that there were the slightest threads left undone. Nothing drastic, but it had me hoping there would be more to this series. Oh, and the last couple chapters felt rather anticlimactic, but I wasn’t complaining. It just gave me more time with the family. This was the perfect read for the Halloween season, but it would hold its own over any other set of days too.

Do read it! I think you’ll enjoy it, too!

View all my reviews

Review: Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley

Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I finished this book a couple days ago. I wish I didn’t have to write a review for it. Mostly because I can’t figure out what to say.

What I hope to find was an education about the Pagan ways in a gentle fictional story. Instead there was plenty to tell about the cruelty of the ‘onward christian soldiers’. But the book seemed to tell more about the cruelty and less about the goodness of either religion. Even the awe of nature and all her wonders was minimal.

Emotions seemed to rule the book: guilt, depression and unrequited love.

The feelings that I am left with are the cold and muddiness, disease and death.

Many have left much more eloquent reviews for this book. I leave only the shivering grittiness I feel when thinking of this story.

View all my reviews

Review: Sacrificed in Shadow

Sacrificed in Shadow by S.M. Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The first time I read this book I hadn’t read the Cain Chronicles or any of the Descent series and maybe even a book or two from Seasons of the Moon. It was a great read and I loved the characters. But now that I have read everything in the right order this book makes a lot more sense. The personal histories of the characters and places are solid rather than leaving me with a vague feeling that I was missing something.

I was unhappy this time because it isn’t centered in Reno, NV. Nevada is mentioned a few times but this is on the east side of the country where I have no frame of reference. Still not a problem as I have never been to Heaven, Haven or Hell but I still have a relative idea about those places. 🙂

Elise Cavanaugh is still absolutely fascinating to me and I can’t wait to read more about her and her people.

Since I have already written a review on this book you can read it here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/622966616

I love Sara Reine’s books!

View all my reviews

Review: Viktoria

Viktoria by Kim Dallmeier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I don’t know what to think about this book. There were promising threads of plot I wanted to see pursued but instead the story seemed to stay wrapped up in relationship angst. In many ways I found it depressing.

The parts about spirits/ghosts I found interesting. The part about the pagan/spiritualist school was interesting. Now maybe these threads will be caught up into the next book in the series–there is a next book, isn’t there?

Now that I am writing this I see that I do want to see what happens next. Guess I will have to look up book two.

View all my reviews