Black Woods, Blue Sky, by Eowyn Ivey

Eowyn Ivey is one of those authors who, although you cannot quite remember the ins and outs of her stories, you never forget. I haven't read a book of hers since The Snow Child back in 2018, and it was quite an emotionally compelling read. So, of course, when Black Woods, Blue Sky crossed my … Continue reading Black Woods, Blue Sky, by Eowyn Ivey →

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix

You know, the world can make you really, really, REALLY angry sometimes. And one of the best ways to gratify said anger is to pick a book about repressed young women giving the people who wronged and infantilized them their comeuppance through witchcraft. Yes, here we are, another book about women using magic to even … Continue reading Witchcraft for Wayward Girls, by Grady Hendrix →

The Wishing Game, by Meg Shaffer

It's a lofty temptation indeed when a whimsical book summary about an overworked adult's childhood dreams coming true comes with literary award nominations. Although, even if The Wishing Game did not come with any accolades, it would have intrigued me enough to open it, because I am also an overworked adult who yearns for childhood … Continue reading The Wishing Game, by Meg Shaffer →

The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells, by Rachel Greenlaw

You would think after Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic was such a disappointment that I would not read any other book compared to it. While I probably will not put such high expectations on another Alice Hoffman book, I certainly would read another book about a family filled with magical women in a small town dealing … Continue reading The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells, by Rachel Greenlaw →

Lovelight Farms, by B.K. Borison

I've set a pretty high standard for romantic comedy novels lately, especially with my introduction to Abby Jimenez. I've simply found that this genre of books has to have a very specific set of tropes or characteristics in order to really sparkle, especially when it comes to the male protagonist. Might that be a bit … Continue reading Lovelight Farms, by B.K. Borison →

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

If there was a trifecta of books that my classmates and I read in elementary school, it was Roald Dahl's Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and James and the Giant Peach. I suspect it was in part because we all had seen the movie versions of these stories and were familiar with them before … Continue reading James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl →

The Witch Haven, by Sasha Peyton Smith

You all know by now of my love (okay, perhaps obsession at this point) with witch books, but The Witch Haven presented a new historical angle to this obsession. The book takes place in 1911 New York City, with a summary that promised mystery, underground societies, and magical sisterhood. So of course I was going … Continue reading The Witch Haven, by Sasha Peyton Smith →

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire

I try not to hop on bandwagons, but I could not help myself. The Wicked movie, based on the acclaimed Broadway musical, based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, captured my imagination unlike any movie I've seen in forever. If Elphaba and Glinda were icons before this movie, they have been absolutely cemented into pop culture … Continue reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gregory Maguire →

Holes, by Louis Sachar

Welcome to another edition of "Book that Stephanie Liked a Lot as a Kid But Did not Fully Appreciate Until Adulthood." And this time, we're covering the children's classic Holes. Holes appeared in me and my sisters' classroom libraries when the 2003 Disney movie adaptation came out. All three of us read it, and consequently, … Continue reading Holes, by Louis Sachar →

Twelfth Knight, by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Of all Shakespeare's comedies to adapt for a modern audience, Twelfth Night is a terrific one. Playing around with gender and sexual identities plays very well into a comedy about everyone falling in love with the wrong person without it being too weird. And what a genius move it was to use an anonymous MMORPG … Continue reading Twelfth Knight, by Alexene Farol Follmuth →