Book Review – Sea of Charms

13 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

After spending time immersed in cozy fantasy at New York Comic-Con, I’m back to writing book reviews. Next up on my backlog for review is Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst. This is the third book in The Spellshop series and I just reviewed the second book, The Enchanted Greenhouse, last week.

You can find my reviews of the previous books and purchase links below:

  • The Spellshop – review here / purchase here
  • The Enchanted Greenhouse – review here / purchase here

And for a disclaimer – I received Sea of Charms courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book cover for 'Sea of Charms' by Sarah Beth Durst featuring a serene seaside scene with a sailboat, lush greenery, and vibrant flowers framing a wooden gate.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Marin had always belonged on the great blue sea. When the man she thought was the love of her life schemed to ruin her parents’ business, she did what her heart knew best: she fled to the sea.

Now working as a supply runner on her own boat, Marin sails from island to island, delivering a varied array of goods: letters, flour, stories, and even the occasional enchanted statue. It’s a lonely life, but it’s hers. Besides, she’s got the company of Perri the sea serpent and Ree the sailor shrub. They’re the best crew she could ask for.

On one of her routine trips to the capital of the Crescent Islands Empire, Alyssium, Marin finds the city on fire and a revolution underway—so she offers transportation to Dax, a composer friend who refuses to leave behind his instruments. What starts as a rescue evolves into a deal: Marin will keep Dax on as a (temporary) member of her crew if he becomes her pretend boyfriend at the End-of-Harvest Festival back home.

Against her better judgment, Marin finds herself intrigued by his stubbornness, his passion for stories, his charming smile—and realizes that perhaps she isn’t saving him. Maybe it’s the other way around.

Sea of Charms is a cozy fantasy romance about finding your crew, your family, and moreover, finding yourself.

This book felt different that the earlier ones in this series because it took our characters to multiple islands across the Crescent Islands Empire. While the other books in the series work well as stand-alone novels, this one ties in to the events of those earlier books and would be best read after the other two. Marin is a side character in The Enchanted Greenhouse, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that we see where her adventures overlap with the events of that book.

The timeline in Sea of Charms takes us back to roughly the start of the revolution in the capital city, Alyssium. This book also takes place over a longer time frame than the earlier ones, but with a broader world to explore, that made sense to me. For part of the book Marin sails without any human companions, so the romance aspect of this story takes time to develop as it requires Dax to be around Marin enough for their relationship to develop.

I loved how Marin tried to be a loner and refused to take on a crew or passengers, only to bend her rules as circumstances changed. She was unable to refuse people in a desperate situation and I think she empathized with their desire to flee their homes as she herself had done when she went to sea, even if the reasons were different. Dax was also a wonderful character who starts out naive and sheltered, but he yearns to see the world. His role as a talented composer and musician put him in a different social class than most of the other characters we see in this book, but opposites attract and made him the perfect partner for Marin. Dax is obviously enamored with her throughout the book, but it takes time for Marin to heal from her past experience and to learn that she can fall in love again. Like the earlier books, the romance is sweet and stays simple.

Once again, a talking plant was probably the most endearing character in this book. We first met Ree the wax myrtle in The Enchanted Greenhouse, but in this book we see him learn how to sail. Like Dax, Ree is also naive but eager, and his joy in becoming a sailor helps to soften Marin’s heart.

The places that Marin and crew visit in this book were one of my favorite parts of the book. We get to see Alyssium during the revolution, as well as Marin’s family home with an abundance of winged cats. Together the crew braves a dragon and a magical storm, and even encounters unicorns. Overall this was a delightful and inventive story that tied together some of the pieces of earlier books, while remaining focused on its own central plot.

The next book in the series will be The Magical Cheese Emporium and is expected to be published January 19, 2027.

Have you read any of Sarah Beth Durst’s books other than this series? Which would you recommend? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The Enchanted Greenhouse

08 Oct 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I’m looking forward to attending New York Comic-Con (NYCC) this week and started to look through the list of panels and attendees. NYCC is hosting a panel on cozy fantasy, with one of my favorite cozy authors in attendance – Sarah Beth Durst. Since I’m working through my back log of book reviews, I thought this would be a great time to catch up on reviews of a couple of her books that I’ve read this year.

The Enchanted Greenhouse is the second book in the loosely connected Spellshop series. You can find my review of the first book below, as well as one for a stand-alone fantasy novel by Durst that I recently reviewed:

  • The Spellshop – review here / purchase here
  • The Faraway Inn – review here / purchase here
Book cover for 'The Enchanted Greenhouse' by Sarah Beth Durst featuring a magical greenhouse in a snowy landscape, with an intricately designed structure and a cat with wings in the foreground.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

While readers of The Spellshop will instantly recognize the character of Terlu from a tale told in that first book, no prior knowledge of this series would be necessary to jump into this not-quite-a-sequel second book. When Terlu is reanimated in an unfamiliar forest, she knows as much about her surroundings as the reader does.

As Terlu explores her new environs and meets the denizens of an island filled with a series of enchanted greenhouses, she brings the reader along in that discovery. I found myself completely invested in the mystery of the failing magic. Like The Spellshop, this book is also a light romance, with some nice moments and captivating settings to be found within the magical gardens.

If you enjoyed the sentient spider plant, Caz, from the first book, there are more of his relations to be found in this novel. These non-human denizens were essential to fill out the cast of characters since both Terlu and the gardener, Yarrow, are essentially trapped on the island through their circumstances and choices. This limited setting leaves fewer potential plot complications, but the ongoing failures of the greenhouses provided enough twists and mystery to keep me interested in the book.

Cozy fantasy seems to always involve some level of cuteness in regard to the creatures, and I am all here for this. In this book we have a winged cat and some tiny dragons. The shrub who wants to be a sailor was a particular favorite of mine.

The Enchanted Greenhouse delves more into spells and the practical use of magic that we didn’t see in the first book, and I enjoyed seeing the characters think through their problems, spend time researching, and then learn how to work their own spells. The necessity of this was a nice counterpoint to the prohibition against lay people performing magic.

Overall I enjoyed this book a lot. I can’t decide if I liked it more than The Spellshop or not. Anyway – I’ve already read the next book in the series, Sea of Charms, and should have a review of that out in the next few weeks. It looks like a fourth book will be out in 2027 titled The Magical Cheese Emporium.

Have you read this series? What did you think? What other cozy fantasy books should I read? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – A Sorceress Comes to Call

06 Oct 2026 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I need to do a better job keeping up with book reviews, so I’ll start by looking at a recent stand-along novel I read, A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher. This is a fantasy novel that is a retelling of a Grimm’s fairy tale.

I have read and enjoyed a couple of other books by this author, but have not had a chance to review them yet. She is someone who my husband met many years ago through his work in online gaming and first came to my attention as Ursula Vernon with her “weird fruit” art that you can still see at her DeviantArt page.

These are the other books by the author that I’ve read:

Book cover for 'A Sorceress Comes to Call' by T. Kingfisher featuring stylized trees and celestial elements on a dark background.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

A dark retelling of the Brothers Grimm’s Goose Girl, rife with secrets, murder, and forbidden magic

Cordelia knows her mother is unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms, and her mother doesn’t allow Cordelia to have a single friend—unless you count Falada, her mother’s beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.

After a suspicious death in their small town, Cordelia’s mother insists they leave in the middle of the night, riding away on Falada’s sturdy back, leaving behind all Cordelia has ever known. They arrive at the remote country manor of a wealthy older man, the Squire, and his unwed sister, Hester. Cordelia’s mother intends to lure the Squire into marriage, and Cordelia knows this can only be bad news for the bumbling gentleman and his kind, intelligent sister.

Hester sees the way Cordelia shrinks away from her mother, how the young girl sits eerily still at dinner every night. Hester knows that to save her brother from bewitchment and to rescue the terrified Cordelia, she will have to face down a wicked witch of the worst kind.

One of the things that I enjoyed most about this book was that I was not familiar with the fairy tale it was based upon. In the first few chapters, I didn’t know if I should be rooting for Cordelia or her mother, Evangeline, and I had no expectations about where this tale would go. It was set in a generic medievalesque fantasy world which didn’t take anything away from the story because that vaguely European feudal setting is what I’d expect by default for Grimm’s fairy tales.

I enjoyed seeing the character of Cordelia grow as the story unfolded. She was initially meek and defeated (but for good reason as we see after the first few chapters), and her reluctance to act was believable in the first half of the book, rather than frustrating.

Evangeline was a fitting villain and her power to make others “obedient” was a terrifying ability. I did wonder why she hadn’t made better use of her powers, and how she ended up in her current circumstances when it seemed like she could have done so much more with her abilities. Yet there were hints about the limits on her power and how much magic she was capable of working at once.

I loved Hester as a secondary protagonist, particularly since Evangeline discounted her as a threat and wrote her off due to her age and disability. Hester looks out for her brother and immediately saw Evangeline’s ingratiation with their family for what it is, even if she didn’t appreciate the sorcery at work to start with. When events became deadly it was too late for anyone to escape the situation.

I liked the idea that the author planted in regard to sorcery and the perception of magic in this society. People generally saw sorcerers as fraudsters and cheats, rather than serious threats. In the past, those capable of powerful sorcery were hunted down so that those few who remained now keep their powers secret. This explained why little was known about the power of sorcery to the characters in the novel.

I read about the original fairy tale before writing this review, and I would say that this book is only loosely based on that material. Sorcery does not play a role in the fairy tale and the courtship aspect is not featured. Only the character of the horse, Falada, took its name from the fairy tale and followed some of that original plot. The geese made an appearance in this book, but were not central to the story.

While I initially thought of this book as a light read, I think I mean more that it was an easy read. The prose was straight-forward and none of the worldbuilding or setting were complicated, with only a few characters who were central to the story. The plot took a gruesome turn near the end which didn’t bother me, but it might upset some people (animal death, but not really). To be fair, that part of the novel took more direct inspiration from the source material.

I definitely plan to pick up more books by this author. Have you read any that you really liked? Let me know in the comments!

You can find more of my reviews here.

September 2026 Reading Wrap Up

04 Oct 2026 2 Comments

by Clare in Books Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I often struggle with reading in September because I have an annual conference this month that takes up a solid week of my time. But this year I managed to stay focused and was determined to keep a consistent reading schedule, completing four books for the month.

If you’d like to pick up any of these books and support my blog at the same time you can click on the book links in this post. You can also find my list of recommended reads (in different categories) over at Bookshop.org.

Cover of the book 'A Sorceress Comes to Call' by T. Kingfisher featuring stylized trees, a dark background, and decorative elements.
Book cover for 'The Unicorn Hunters' by Katherine Arden, featuring a young girl in a flowing dress standing in a sunlit garden with a unicorn in the background.
Book cover of 'The Tapestry of Fate' by Shannon Chakraborty featuring intricate illustrations, including mythological creatures and decorative elements.
Book cover of 'Written in My Own Heart's Blood' by Diana Gabaldon, featuring a red wax seal on a cream background.

Books I read in September (2,001 pages):

Cover of the novel 'The Frozen River' by Ariel Lawhon, featuring a person walking on a snowy path surrounded by trees, with text indicating it is a New York Times bestselling book.
Book cover for 'Murmuration' by TJ Klune featuring a colorful illustration of a small town with a bookstore named 'Bookworm' and a flock of black birds in the foreground.
Book cover of 'Blacklight Born' by Alexander Darwin featuring a dramatic illustration of a warrior in a dark outfit and vibrant colors, alongside a mythical bird-like creature, with bold text displaying the title and author's name.

Reading now:

  • The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is a historical fiction novel set in Maine in the late 1700s that a friend recommended to me. I’m more than halfway done with this one already and I’ve been completely drawn in to the mystery.
  • Murmuration by T.J. Klune is an older book by this author that is being re-released this fall, so I’m reading it for review courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher. I’m about a third of the way into it.
  • Blacklight Born by Alexander Darwin is the third and final book in The Combat Codes series that I’m listening to on audio. I’m only a short ways into this one and you can find my review of the first book in the series here.
Book cover of 'A Drop of Corruption' by Robert Jackson Bennett featuring a dark background with illustrated leaves and flowers, along with the text 'An Ana and Din Mystery' and 'Nationally Bestselling Author'.
Book cover of 'Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil' by V.E. Schwab, featuring dark floral imagery and bold yellow text.

Other books I had hoped to get to in September:

Book cover of 'The Eleventh Gate' by Nancy Kress featuring a vibrant space scene with planets and spaceships, accompanied by quotes praising the author.
Book cover of 'Dead Beat' by Leigh Bardugo featuring an illustrated owl against a gray background with the title and author's name in bold, golden letters.
Cover of the book 'Daggerbound' by T. Kingfisher featuring two ornate daggers crossed in front of a colorful floral and bird design, with the title and author's name prominently displayed.
Book cover for 'Infinite Wisdom' by Thomas R. Weaver featuring a sculpted skull with blue and green dripping paint effects against a black background. The title and author's name are prominently displayed.
Book cover of 'Steelborn' by Taylor J. Larue featuring a young woman with red hair holding a sword, set against a decorative floral background.
Book cover for 'The Best of All Possible Planets' by Alex Shvartsman, featuring a blue spaceship flying through space with planets and stars in the background.

Books I’m planning to read in October:

  • The Eleventh Gate by Nancy Kress is a stand-alone space opera novel that was picked for an upcoming book club selection.
  • Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo is the third and final book in the Ninth House series and is one of my most anticipated reads of 2026.
  • Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher is a fantasy romance novel and a loose sequel to Swordheart which I read early in 2026.
  • Infinite Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver is the sequel to Artificial Wisdom (review here) which was a phenomenal near-future science fiction book except for the ending. I’m hopeful that this sequel will fix that and I was eager to accept this from Net Galley for review.
  • Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue will be my bonus book for the month if I’m doing exceptionally well with my reading.
  • The Best of All Possible Planets by Alex Shvartsman will be my bonus audiobook, depending on how long it takes me to get through Blacklight Born.
The book cover for 'Daggerbound' by T. Kingfisher, featuring two ornate daggers crossing each other, surrounded by colorful floral and avian designs. The title and author's name are prominently displayed.
Book cover of 'Immortal Rose' by Alexandra Bracken featuring a gold rose atop a glass vase, surrounded by white flowers, with the title and author's name prominently displayed.

New books acquired in September (2 allowed):

  • Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher was purchased because I already have the first book in hardcover and they’re both so pretty.
  • Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken was this month’s Fairy Loot pick and looks like a stand-alone romantasy pick.

Looks like I’m back on track with resisting the need to bring excessive numbers of new books home, at least for one month!

What books are you still hoping to read before the end of the year? Do you plan out your reading like I do or pick up a book based on your current mood or some other factor? Let me know in the comments!

August 2026 Reading Wrap Up

30 Sep 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I finally felt like I was back to my normal reading pace for August, and it was also a month of spectacular reads! I’m also really enjoying the books I’m currently working through, although I couldn’t quite get them done for August.

If you’d like to pick up any of these books and support my blog at the same time you can click on the book links in this post. You can also find my list of recommended reads (in different categories) over at Bookshop.org.

Book cover for 'The Strength of the Few' by James Islington, featuring a large black pyramid set in a desert landscape with ethereal figures in white robes
Cover of the book 'Sea of Charms' by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a scenic view of a pathway leading to a tranquil sea with a sailboat, surrounded by vibrant flowers and greenery.
Cover of the book 'Alien Clay' by Adrian Tchaikovsky, featuring vibrant yellow alien plants and a blue background, with the tagline 'A hostile planet holds dangerous secrets.'

Books I read in August (1,529 pages):

  • The Strength of the Few by James Islington is the sequel to The Will of the Many and is set in an incredibly unique world with plenty of intrigue and deadly stakes – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst is the third book in a loosely connected cozy fantasy series and was a lighter read between these other heavier books – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky is the second book by this author that I have read and was a selection for a book club that wowed everyone. You can find my review at this link here – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book cover of 'Written in My Own Heart's Blood' by Diana Gabaldon, featuring a red wax seal and a beige background.
Book cover of 'The Tapestry of Fate' by Shannon Chakraborty, featuring intricate illustrations of mythical creatures and decorative elements in vibrant colors.
Cover of the book 'A Sorceress Comes to Call' by T. Kingfisher, featuring stylized trees and a dark background with stars.

Reading now:

  • Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon is the 8th book in the Outlander series. I’m making steady progress and anticipate finishing this one in September. I have less than an hour left of the 45 hour audiobook.
  • The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty is the second book in the Amina al-Sirafi series of adventures about a retired female pirate who can’t seem to stay out of trouble.
  • A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher is a novel I picked up on sale and hadn’t intended to read this month. However, I was looking for something to start reading on my Kindle that wouldn’t involve buying a new book since I’ve been over my allowance of books lately.
A dark and atmospheric illustration featuring a figure in a red cloak standing before an ornate iron gate, leading into a shadowy, gothic landscape with towering buildings and a staircase.
Book cover of 'Steelborn' by Taylor J. Larue featuring a woman with long red hair and a sword, against a dark floral background.
Book cover of 'A Drop of Corruption' featuring a dark background with intricate floral designs, prominently displaying the title and author names.
Cover of the book 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' featuring a muscular man in a battle stance with a spiked weapon, a green goblin character behind him, and a small creature in the foreground, set in a dark dungeon environment.

Other books I had hoped to get to in August:

  • Alchemised by SenLinYu will just keep appearing on my lists until I have an excess of free time one month.
  • Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue is one that I’ve really been looking forward to starting, but there simply wasn’t time in August.
  • A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the sequel to The Tainted Cup.
  • Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman keeps coming up in book blogs and reviews and I’m curious to read it.
A whimsical book cover featuring a young girl in a flowing dress standing in a sunlit doorway, gazing at a white unicorn amidst a lush, colorful garden.
Cover of the novel 'The Frozen River' by Ariel Lawhon, featuring a snowy landscape with a person walking on a frozen path surrounded by trees.
Book cover for 'Murmuration' by TJ Klune featuring a whimsical illustration of a town with small shops, a bookstore named 'Bookworm,' and a flock of birds in the foreground.
Cover of the book 'A Drop of Corruption' by Robert Jackson Bennett, featuring a dark background with green succulent plants, intricate border designs, and bold white text.
Book cover of 'Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil' by V.E. Schwab featuring dark floral imagery and bold yellow text.

Books I’m planning to read in September:

Illustration for the graphic novel 'Maya: Seed Takes Root', featuring a central figure with outstretched arms surrounded by intricate, organic patterns and various stylized creatures.
Book cover of 'Murmuration' by TJ Klune featuring a whimsical illustration of a small town with a bookstore named 'Bookworm' and numerous black birds in the foreground.
Book cover of 'Alien Clay' by Adrian Tchaikovsky featuring a vibrant blue and yellow alien landscape with unusual plants.
Book cover of 'Steelborn' by Taylor J. Larue, featuring a woman with long red hair and a sword against a dark floral background. The cover includes a quote praising the book.

New books acquired in August (1 allowed):

  • Seed Takes Root by Anand Gandhi and Zain Memon is a book that I obtained by supporting the Kickstarter almost a year ago.
  • Murmuration by T. J. Klune is the upcoming novel by the author and I received a copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
  • Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky was a book I purchased by a book club discussion.
  • Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue was this month’s Fairy Loot pick and shouldn’t really count here because I already had an e-book copy I had received for review.

What have been some of your favorite reads so far this year? Let me know in the comments.

That’s it for now – I have a book to finish reading!

July 2026 Reading Wrap Up

26 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Next up is my summary of my worst reading month of the year so far. July found me struggling to find the time to read, and my focus for listening to audiobooks also faltered. Yet I did still manage to finish one book. This doesn’t tell my full July reading story, because I did read most of another lengthy book. However, I didn’t finish that one until August, so I can’t count it yet.

If you’d like to pick up any of these books and support my blog at the same time you can click on any of the book links in this post.

Book cover of 'Light from Uncommon Stars' by Ryka Aoki featuring a colorful fish swimming in a starry, cosmic background with a quote by Charlie Jane Anders.

Books I read in July (384 pages):

  • Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki was a book club selection and is a tale of music, aliens and donuts – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book cover for 'Light From Uncommon Stars' by Ryka Aoki, featuring a colorful fish against a starry space background with a quote by Charlie Jane Anders.
Book cover of 'The Best of All Possible Planets' by Alex Shvartsman, featuring a spaceship traveling through space surrounded by planets and stars.
Book cover for 'The Winged Game' by Sophie Kim featuring a purple background, a shield emblem with a winged creature, and the tagline 'When rivals collide, sparks will fly.'

New books acquired in July (1 allowed):

I went over my book allowance by two this month and I know I’m going to fail at this again for August. If I can get back on track with my reading then I should be able to do better with this for the rest of the year. I did recently pull some books off my shelves to donate to help thin out the collection. I don’t often re-read books, but there are favorites that I do like to hold on to, as well as all those still waiting to be read.

Since this is a shorter post than usual, I also wanted to include a few words here about my Bookshop.org shop. This site lets you purchase books through a designated local independent book store. If you follow this link to my shop, I have created a few lists to help you find your next favorite read! Here is one example of my lists:

Are you making progress on your summer reading list? If you could finish only one more book for the summer, which one would it be? Let me know in the comments.

May and June 2026 Reading Wrap Up

19 Aug 2026 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Wow, I have fallen so behind on my book blogging and reviews here, but it’s not too late to look back at what I read in the past few months (is it?). I was excited to get to a classic science fiction book that has been on my shelves for several years. I had one book (novella) to read for a book club, and if I had to pick an inadvertent theme for May, it would have been detectives in science fiction and fantasy.

My problems began in June and I’m not sure what happened, other than travel plans and escalating summer chaos at work. I still made progress for June with another book club read and then a new book courtesy of Net Galley.

If you’d like to pick up any of these books and support my blog at the same time you can click on any of the book links in this post.

Book cover for 'Cocktails at Seven, Apocalypse at Eight' by Don Bassingthwaite featuring a vintage-style illustration of a man with a shocked expression against a colorful background.
Book cover for 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury featuring surreal art of two humanoid figures seated beside a pool on a red Martian landscape with towering structures in the background.
Cover of 'The Mimicking of Known Successes' by Malka Older, featuring two silhouetted figures against an orange and yellow abstract background with stars and shapes.
Book cover of 'Seveneves' by Neal Stephenson featuring an eye and a blue starburst design.

Books I read in May (1,450 pages):

  • Cocktails at Seven, Apocalypse at Eight by Don Bassingthwaite was received as a gift and is a short story collection of detective-esque fiction all involving fantasy and horror tropes – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury is that classic science fiction book I mentioned above – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older was the book club pick and was a science fiction detective story – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Seveneves by Neal Stephenson is an exceedingly long science fiction novel that took me too long to finish – ⭐⭐⭐
Book cover of 'The Enchanted Greenhouse' by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a mystical greenhouse surrounded by snow and vibrant colors, with a cat and an owl in the foreground.
Book cover for 'Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon' by Annie Mare, featuring whimsical typography and a colorful design with plants and furniture.

Books I read in June (759 pages):

Normally I’d follow this section with a list of the books I’m currently reading. However, since I’m writing this in August, I have already finished those books and will have those in my next post.

Book cover for 'Quicksilver' by Callie Hart featuring a young man in armor with a somber expression, surrounded by a mystical forest, and adorned with butterflies.
Book cover of 'Steelborn' by Taylor J. Larue featuring a young woman with flowing red hair and a sword, set against an ornate floral background.
A dark, atmospheric illustration featuring a figure in a red cloak standing in front of an ornate, skeletal gate leading to a gothic castle, with dramatic trees and a misty backdrop.
Book cover of 'The Tapestry of Fate' by Shannon Chakraborty, featuring intricate illustrations of mythical creatures, a compass, and ornate decorative elements.

Other books I had hoped to get to recently:

  • Quicksilver by Callie Hart keeps popping up on my list of books-to-read. I carried it around on a trip (in case my Kindle died), but didn’t start it.
  • Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue sounds like something I should love, but I didn’t have enough time to get to it.
  • Alchemised by SenLinYu will keep recurring on my list until I have time one month. This one is really long, but some friends have loved it.
  • The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty is the latest in The Adventures of Anima El-Sirafi series. This author is one who qualifies for my buy immediately short list, so I had to pick up a special edition of it.

New books acquired in May (4 allowed):

  • Infinite Wisdom by Thomas R. Weaver is the much-needed sequel to Artifical Wisdom which I reviewed here. This one was also given to me by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
  • The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older was a novella I had to pick up for a book club discussion.
  • Deathbringer by Sonia Tagliareni (Fairy Loot) – I’ve heard mixed reviews about this one.
  • The Tapestry of Fate by Shannon Chakraborty – As noted already, I had to order a special edition from Waterstones to get the cover I preferred.
Book cover of 'Infinite Wisdom' by Thomas R. Weaver, featuring a statue with a skull and colorful paint drips, against a black background with the tagline 'Truth has a cost.'
Book cover for 'The Mimicking of Known Successes' by Malka Older, featuring two silhouetted figures against a vibrant orange background with abstract patterns and stars.
Book cover for 'Deathbringer' by Sonia Tagliajeni, featuring a golden phoenix and red roses against a dark background.
Book cover for 'The Tapestry of Fate' by Shannon Chakraborty, featuring intricate designs, mythical creatures, and vibrant colors.

New books acquired in June (3 allowed):

  • The Unicorn Hunters by Katherine Arden (Fairy Loot) looks like a fascinating book and I’ve wanted to read something by this author for a while. I added it to an upcoming book club discussion.
  • The Strength of the Few by James Islington is the sequel to The Will of the Many which I read earlier this year and loved. Spoiler – this second book was also amazing! The final book is due out in about six months.
  • A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett is the sequel to The Tainted Cup which I read in April and enjoyed a lot.
  • The Incandescent by Emily Tesh is a stand-alone fantasy academia novel told from the perspective of the teachers and I loved the other book I read by this author (Some Desperate Glory).
Book cover for 'The Unicorn Hunters' by Katherine Arden featuring a young girl standing in a sunlit, enchanted garden with a unicorn in the background.
Book cover of 'The Strength of the Few' by James Islington, featuring a dark pyramid in the background with abstract figures floating around it in a surreal landscape.
Cover of the book 'A Drop of Corruption' by Robert Jackson Bennett, featuring dark background with stylized plants and decorative elements.
Book cover of 'The Incandescent' by Emily Tesh, featuring a stylized phoenix design in gold and orange against a black background, with decorative celestial elements and a quote from Tasha Suri.

Ooops, I went out of my allowance! I blame this on my travel to Portland, Oregon where I had to visit Powell’s Books. How could I not buy more books at this amazing place? This is where I picked up A Drop of Corruption and The Incandescent.

A bookstore interior showcasing a wooden bookshelf filled with colorful book covers, while customers browse the aisles. A cart with books is visible in the foreground.
Entrance to the Rare Book Room in a bookstore, featuring a colorful sign above the door and wooden shelves displaying various books and items.
FAQ sign for Rare Book Room detailing what makes a book rare, the oldest book in the collection, care tips for rare books, and information about Powell's most expensive book.
Map of Powell's City of Books showing different levels and sections, including color-coded categories for various genres and areas like cashier, information, and café.

That wraps up this update and I hope to be more consistent with posts here as the summer wraps up.

What are you currently reading? Have you had more or less time to read over the summer than you would have liked? Let me know in the comments.

Book Review – Sistersong

08 May 2026 2 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I ended up acquiring Sistersong by Lucy Holland when the Science Fiction Book Club closed operations and had amazing deals on books (paid link). I didn’t know much about this story or author before reading it. Find out what I thought below.

Book cover of 'Sistersong' by Lucy Holland featuring stylized hands, a harp, and decorative elements inspired by British folklore.
I read the hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, there is old magic to be found in the whisper of the wind, the roots of the trees, and the curl of the grass. King Cador knew this once, but now the land has turned from him, calling instead to his three children. Riva can cure others, but can’t seem to heal her own deep scars. Keyne battles to be accepted for who he truly is—the king’s son. And Sinne dreams of seeing the world, of finding adventure.

All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold, their people’s last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. However, change comes on the day ash falls from the sky. It brings with it Myrdhin, meddler and magician. And Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear them apart.

Riva, Keyne and Sinne—three siblings entangled in a web of treachery and heartbreak, who must fight to forge their own paths.

Their story will shape the destiny of Britain.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This novel is based on the British folk ballad, The Twa Sisters, which has been retold in several other pieces of fiction, as well as a variety of musical styles, and even a quest in The Witcher video game. I was able to easily find a folk version to listen to by searching on Spotify.

This novel feels like historical fiction because it is set in a version of the Saxon realms before England existed, but it also incorporates a good amount of myth and magic. Yet this magic is fading as the new religion of Christianity spreads through the land, and this idea of competing religions is a major theme throughout the book.

This book is also about the relationships between the three sisters. Each one is a distinct person, and the novel explores gender roles and gender identity in this patriarchal society. The sisters all have limitations to their power and goals and each faces this as the story evolves.

I enjoyed this book and found that the story slowly built tension and I was not sure who to cheer for or who to trust. The book has a satisfying, if not altogether happy, ending. It’s a novel that is built to clearly be a stand-alone novel, so the plot threads are all brought together by the end and character arcs are resolved. I’m happy I chose to read this one and I’d consider reading another novel by this author.

What historical fantasy books have you read and enjoyed? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my book reviews here.

March / April 2026 Reading Wrap Up

01 May 2026 3 Comments

by Clare in Books Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Somehow April got away from me and I didn’t have a chance to do my monthly summary post for March sooner. That means that I’m going to lump the two months together for one giant post. In total I did fairly well in my reading, with four books read in March and five for April. While I’m not meeting my goal of six books per month, I am making steady progress through my pile of books.

Also – if you’d like to pick up any of these books and support my blog at the same time you can click on any of the book links in this post.

Book cover of 'Grievar's Blood' by Alexander Darwin, featuring a futuristic design with a silhouetted figure in combat, set against a blue background.
Cover of the book 'The Everlasting' by Alix E. Harrow featuring a floral design, a sword, and a face in the background.
Cover of the book 'The Faraway Inn' by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a whimsical illustration of an inn surrounded by colorful flowers and magical elements.
Book cover of 'The Children of Húrin' by J.R.R. Tolkien featuring a figure in armor holding a sword, overlooking a landscape.

Read in March (1,375 pages):

  • Grievar’s Blood by Alexander Darwin is the second book in The Combat Codes series and I listened to this as an audiobook – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow is a stand-alone fantasy novel I had been looking forward to – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst is a YA cozy fantasy novel that I received courtesy of Net Galley for review – ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien is a short novel that I started for Tolkien Reading Day this year – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cover of 'An Echo in the Bone' by Diana Gabaldon, featuring a dark blue background with a leaf design and text about the book and its author.
Book cover for 'The Tainted Cup' by Robert Jackson Bennett, featuring decorative gold illustrations of flowers and a cup, surrounded by a dark blue background and green vine accents.
Book cover for 'Dreadful' by Caitlin Rozakis featuring a gothic-style house, swirling tentacles, and stacks of books on display.
Cover image for 'The Time Traveler's Passport', featuring the title in bold colors and the tagline 'Six short stories. Infinite possibilities.' Listed authors include John Scalzi, R. F. Kuang, Peng Shepherd, Kaliane Bradley, Olivie Blake, and P. Djèlí Clark. 'Only from Audible' is highlighted in yellow.
Book cover of 'The Windup Girl' by Paolo Bacigalupi, featuring a dystopian cityscape with a blend of futuristic skyscrapers and a crowded marketplace. An elephant is depicted in the foreground, emphasizing a contrast between technology and nature.

Read in April (1,957+ pages):

  • An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon is the sixth book in the Outlander series and was a solid installment – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett is a book I didn’t get to in time for a book club discussion but still wanted to read – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Dreadful by Caitlin Rozakis was a fun stand-alone fantasy tale that I read for a book club discussion – ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • The Time Traveler’s Passport Collection by John Scalzi and others is an audiobook-only collection of time travel themed stories – ⭐⭐⭐
  • The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi – I just finished this one last night for an upcoming book club discussion. This book had been on my list for quite a while. It is a book that required careful reading, but I enjoyed it a lot – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book cover of 'Seveneves' by Neal Stephenson featuring a close-up of an eye with a blue light reflection, and text indicating the author and title.
Book cover of 'Written in My Own Heart's Blood' by Diana Gabaldon featuring the title and author's name, with a wax seal design.

Reading now:

  • Seveneves by Neal Stephenson – I’m having a hard time getting through this one with a lot of technological descriptions that don’t add a lot for me. I’m undecided if I’ll finish it. I’m almost halfway through a massive 872 pages.
  • Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon – This is book #8 in the series and I just started it within the past few days.

Another reading event that happened in the last two months was that I got a new Kindle! My old one went missing for a couple of weeks, and while it did eventually turn up, I was convinced that I had lost it. My husband picked the new one out for me because he saw that the Kindle Paperwhite was available in my favorite color – red! While I can’t find a link to that color to show you right now, there are some other pretty colors available (paid link).

Book cover of 'A Court of Frost and Starlight' by Sarah J. Maas, featuring a woman with long red hair, wearing a shimmering dress and intricate jewelry, with stylized decorative elements in the background.
Cover of the book 'The Path of Daggers' by Robert Jordan, featuring a king on horseback surrounded by soldiers carrying banners.

Other books I had hoped to get to in April:

  • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas – I expect this to be a fast read, but I just couldn’t get to it this month.
  • The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan – This is book 8 in The Wheel of Time series, and at 685 pages, I couldn’t make myself start this until I finish Seveneves.
Book cover for 'Cocktails at Seven, Apocalypse at Eight' by Don Bassingthwaite featuring a dramatic shadow and a stylized illustration of a man with an expressive face.
Book cover of 'The Martian Chronicles' by Ray Bradbury featuring two humanoid figures sitting near a body of water on a red Martian landscape with tall structures in the background.
Book cover of 'The Enchanted Greenhouse' by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a whimsical, colorful greenhouse in a snowy landscape, with a black cat and magical elements.
Book cover for 'The Mimicking of Known Successes' by Malka Older, featuring two silhouettes walking against a gradient orange background with abstract shapes and stars.
Book cover of 'Steelborn' by Taylor J. Larue featuring a woman with long red hair and a sword against a floral patterned background.
Book cover for 'Quicksilver' by Callie Hart featuring a young man in a dark fantasy setting, wearing armor, with a solemn expression and a tear, surrounded by mystical butterflies and a moonlit backdrop.

Books I’m planning to read in May:

  • Cocktails at Seven, Apocalypse at Eight by Don Bassingthwaite – This book came to me as a gift from a friend and looks like fun!
  • The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury – Somehow I’ve never read this classic science fiction work, and it is an upcoming book club read.
  • The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst – This is the next book in the Spellshop series. I reviewed the first one here.
  • The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older – This book is another upcoming book club selection. I’ve never read anything by this author.
  • Steelborn by Taylor J. LaRue – I picked this ARC e-book up as part of a giveaway. The premise sounds great!
  • Quicksilver by Callie Hart – Since I didn’t get to this book earlier in the year, I’m bringing it back into the queue for May.
Book cover of 'Weavingshaw' by Heba Al-Wasity, featuring a dark castle silhouette with a figure in the foreground and an ominous background.
Book cover for 'The Last Starborn Seer' by Venetia Constantine featuring a mystical female character with long hair, wearing a blue gown, holding a crystal staff, set against a starry blue background with planets.
Book cover of 'Steelborn' by Taylor J. Larue, featuring a woman with red hair holding a sword against a decorative floral background.
Cover art for 'Unidentified Funny Objects 10', featuring a whimsical scene of a girl in a hat being lifted by a spaceship, with aliens and a futuristic landscape in the background.
Book cover for 'Cocktails at Seven, Apocalypse at Eight' by Don Bassingthwaite, featuring a vintage illustration of a man in a suit with a concerned expression, and a colorful shadowy figure in the background.
Book cover of 'Starside' by Alex Aster featuring a sword with a glowing background and the tagline 'Claim Your Sword, Claim Your Fate'.

New books acquired in March and April:

Uh oh – I ended up with six new books when my new rule for the year said that I can only acquire four! I suppose that the first one on here shouldn’t count because it was the delayed February order from Fairy Loot which I didn’t make up for with another book at that ime. I had forgotten that I backed UFO 10 on Kickstarter, and then when I clicked on Steelborn for the giveaway, I had thought that only gave me a chance to win the book rather than gifting me the book immediately. At least two of these are e-books and won’t take up room on my shelves.

Overall I think that my reading for the year is going well. I made some changes to my cell phone that limit how much time I can spend on social media and gaming apps, and I think that has really helped me to focus on more important things. Do you have tips or strategies that help you to read more? Let me know in the comments.

Book Review – The Faraway Inn

13 Apr 2026 3 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I reviewed The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst in my previous post and I wanted to follow that up with a review of the new YA cozy fantasy novel by the same author, The Faraway Inn (paid links). Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Faraway Inn was just published on March 31, 2026.

Book cover for 'The Faraway Inn' by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a whimsical, illuminated inn surrounded by flowers and greenery, with elegant text at the top.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn–but this fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret–in this cozy and irresistable new fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

Sixteen-year-old Calisa is desperate for a change of scenery after her lying ex ruins her perfect Brooklyn summer. When her parents suggest she head to rural Vermont to help her great-aunt run her cozy bed and breakfast for a few months, she jumps at the chance.

But when Calisa arrives at the B&B, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn with only a handful of guests. And to make matters worse, upon meeting with her great-aunt it quickly becomes clear that Calisa was not invited. Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn…even if it is clear she needs the help.

To earn her keep, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the more it becomes evident that there is something strange about the B&B—and its residents. Something almost…otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she’s come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth of it, and her aunt, before it’s too late.

I believe that this book is being presented as a YA novel, and I think it does fit that description. Calisa, the protagonist, is a sixteen-year-old who is having some common problems for a teenager. Following the author’s recent trend in her writing, this is also a cozy fantasy story, or one in which the stakes are generally low. That doesn’t mean that nothing important happens to the characters in such a story, but rather that the world isn’t going to end (or similar catastrophe) if the protagonist fails to meet their goal.

This book was easy to read as long as I didn’t stop to think about the details of the story very much. Calisa finds herself at a magical inn that is run by her reclusive aunt, with the help of a teenage handyman, Jack. Jack’s dad is missing, only a few guests are booking rooms, and the inn is in a state of serious disrepair. In an attempt to ingratiate herself with her aunt and because she genuinely wants to help, Calisa starts to clean and cook for the guests.

As Calisa takes a more active role at the inn, I had to wonder how the place functioned at all before her arrival. Auntie Zee was too much of an enigma and was not present enough for me to believe that she had even managed to provide for the minimal guests who were present. She was the one character that I didn’t find believable in this book. However I did enjoy the secondary characters, particularly one guest who had an odd affinity for trees and shrubs.

This book is also a light romance, and while it follows a predictable pattern for that genre, it wasn’t the main plot of the book. The level of spiciness was low, for those who rank that kind of thing (fitting with this being a YA book). I found the small magical items around the inn to be creative and engaging. My favorites were the firebird who lit the fireplaces and helped with communication, and the tea set that always seemed to know when it was needed.

The Faraway Inn is a stand-alone novel and can be read quickly. I’m planning to read a couple more of this author’s books throughout this year.

Have you read other cozy fantasy novels? Which were your favorites? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

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