'Tis always a sad day when one reaches the last book in a gripping multi-book story. But I came into The Magician's Land with two images in my memory: the character of Plum, and Quentin looking into a mirror inside a house within a new magic land. I looked forward to seeing those images fit … Continue reading The Magician’s Land (The Magicians #3), by Lev Grossman
Tag: fantasy
The Magician King (The Magicians #2), by Lev Grossman
The Magicians is a defining moment in my MFA years. Not only did I get to talk to the author firsthand, but I still remember so many moments from this trilogy all these years later. I specifically remember reading the second book, The Magician King, over the summer of 2016 in the back room of … Continue reading The Magician King (The Magicians #2), by Lev Grossman
The Magicians, by Lev Grossman
I've talked a lot about my experiences with the Butler University Visiting Writers' Series, and here's another book from another one of those visiting writers. Lev Grossman visited during 2016, and The Magicians was the book my MFA program promoted the most ahead of his visit. I hadn't read the book at that point, but … Continue reading The Magicians, by Lev Grossman
A Resistance of Witches, by Morgan Ryan
It's so interesting to observe trends in literature during certain periods in time. For example, dystopic young adult literature was all the rage during the early 2010s, but when a certain someone took power in the U.S., it suddenly wasn't as much fun to read about corrupt governments and resistance groups led by plucky teenagers. … Continue reading A Resistance of Witches, by Morgan Ryan
Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
This past week, as I worked my way through an intense heat wave and another depressive episode, I thought ahead to when my partner and I will attend our state's summer fair. I cheered myself with thoughts of eating funnel cakes and riding rides on the midway and seeing all the farm animals. At last … Continue reading Charlotte’s Web, by E.B. White
The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy #3), by Katherine Arden
So this review is a long, long time coming. The final book in the Winternight trilogy came out almost ten years ago, and I bought a hardcover copy as soon as it was released. But I have been very slow to read anything these days, much less a book that has been hiding in my … Continue reading The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy #3), by Katherine Arden
A Witch in Time, by Constance Sayers
When it comes to stories about witches, I have a very specific idea in my head. I not only expect for them to be powerful, but also to have the ability to overcome a serious obstacle with their magic. If they're lacking in either of those, an interesting story can at least compensate for that. … Continue reading A Witch in Time, by Constance Sayers
Lessons in Magic and Disaster, by Charlie Jane Anders
While pursuing my MFA at Butler University, I had the privilege of meeting Charlie Jane Anders, whose work crossed journalism, fantasy, and science fiction. I remember talking to her at a Visiting Writers event, where she asked me what my MFA thesis was going to be, and when I told her the plot in detail, … Continue reading Lessons in Magic and Disaster, by Charlie Jane Anders
Witch You Would, by Lia Amador
I think this is the first romance I've read in a bit that, to my knowledge, has not been rabidly hyped up on social media. It's probably going to be a while until I read another Abby Jimenez book (Abby, I admire your work, but your formula is wearing off), so books like Witch You … Continue reading Witch You Would, by Lia Amador
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
