Recently I received a review copy of Allegories of the Tarot, edited by Annetta Ribken, with the agreement I would give an honest review. As a fan of Recently I received a review copy of Allegories of the Tarot, edited by Annetta Ribken, with the agreement I would give an honest review. As a fan of the Tarot (my own personal favorite is my Zombie Tarot deck), and particularly the Major Arcana, I was very intrigued by the title and looked forward to seeing how the stories fit in with the cards of the Major Arcana.
I wasn’t disappointed.
From the first story to the last I was transported into the world of the Major Arcana through a variety of genres and storytelling styles, and I found it to be an enriching and enjoyable experience. I was pleased to find that each story was a great fit for the card with which it was associated even though most were not stories that had anything to do directly with the Tarot.
While I liked all of the stories there were some that I absolutely loved. Flesh in Frame (Empress) by Spike Marlowe blew me away, On the Shoulders of Muses (Hierophant) by Jessica McHugh was beautiful and satisfying, Transformation (Death) by Timothy Bryant Smith touched my heart and brought back memories of my first awareness of the transition of the soul. Anne Chaconas’ Replay All (Temperance) was hysterical (and possible), and Hoarder (Devil) by Patti Larsen was so darned creepy I’m not sure I’ll ever look at mermaids the same way again.
My absolute favorite story of all was The Moon (Moon) by J.H. Sked. It was so sad and beautiful and heartbreaking and joyful, all at the same time that I had to stop reading and go get the tissues.
I think Annetta Ribken did a great job editing this anthology and Jennifer Wingard made sure that the text was so clean and pleasant to read on an e-reader (I love a well edited and formatted ebook). Whether you are a Tarot lover or not it’s a great collection, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. I give Allegories of the Tarot ten pentacles! ✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪ ...more
Rachel's Morganville series never disappoints, and LAST BREATH was every bit as exciting, scary, snarky and fun as I expected. And this one had a twisRachel's Morganville series never disappoints, and LAST BREATH was every bit as exciting, scary, snarky and fun as I expected. And this one had a twist that was a TOTAL surprise. No spoilers from me, though. You'll just have to read it for yourself....more
I read a teaser for Family Magic, a young adult paranormal novel by Patti Larsen, and have been looking forward to this book for a while.
Sydlynn is aI read a teaser for Family Magic, a young adult paranormal novel by Patti Larsen, and have been looking forward to this book for a while.
Sydlynn is a 16 year-old half witch/half demon (the good kind) who wants nothing to do with magic (it makes her queasy) but is expected to take over leadership of the family someday. All Sydlynn wants is to have a normal life with real friends, to be a normal, non-magical teen. Unfortunately, after having been moved from town to town and school to school whenever their secret is compromised, Sydlynn struggles to fit in but mostly finds herself the target of bullies. And things only get worse for Sydlynn when the captain of the football team's girlfriend notices that he's taken a liking to her. Sydlynn is faced with stepping up to take her power or be eaten by the school "mean machine," and when her family is put in extreme danger Sydlynn is forced to accept her family role and take action to save them all. Unfortunately, her past unwillingness to learn how to control and use her magical abilities is going to be a problem . . .
Family Magic is paced to keep you reading (until all hours of the night) and an excellent blend of the paranormal and real life. There was a great mix of angst, humor, danger, excitement, friendship and family. The interactions between the main character, Sydlynn and her mother will likely take you back to the struggle for adulthood we all experience as a teen. Family Magic is more proof that Indie authors can produce great books. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the series and am looking forward to the next one.
Family Magic is currently available as an e-book at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com. The paperback is forthcoming and the sequel, Witch Hunt, is scheduled for release in November....more
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