Book-A-Week – March books read
As I get ready for the online launch of The Swan Maiden on April 1, it’s no surprise that my March was filled with faery tales, and faery tale-inspired books. Although first I had to read and re-read my book a few times (11 of 52), ha ha!
Then I did a beta read on Arnold Ethon Book Two: The Eagle and the Jaguar by A. P. Beswick (12 of 52), a fun, action-packed middle-grade adventure story set in the north of England – and another dimension.
Then I could finally read my bribe-book, the one encou
raging me to finish writing mine so I could dive back in to the bliss of reading. I’ve loved all of Menna van Praag’s magical realism novels, and her first fantasy, The Sisters Grimm (13 of 52), is also wonderful and enchanting – and a little darker than usual. I don’t want to give too much away, but come chat to Menna at my online book launch on April 1.
This month’s Australian Fairy Tale Society story is Hans Christian’s Andersen’s The Snow Queen (14 of 52), which has inspired so many tales, from books to the movie Frozen. I discovered I’d only ever read the condensed version before, but the complete tale, told in seven stories, or chapters, is complex and fascinating – and oddly and disturbingly religious – with a princess and a robber girl, various wise women and witches, magical tears, flying sleds, deep friendship, adventure, compassion, and an evil Snow Queen, of course…
And lastly I read the beautiful Faerie Knitting: 14 Tales of Love and Magic by Alice Hoffman and Lisa Hoffman (15 of 52), which is filled with wonderful original faery tales, plus an amazing wearable craft project to go with each one, from the Blue Heron Shawl and the Love Never Ending Cowl, to the Three Wishes Mittens and Amulet Necklace. I kinda wish I could knit, just so I could make these. And the stories are lovely too.
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Book-A-Week – February books read
My first book I read this month was Angela Slatter’s A Feast Of Sorrows (7 of 52), because our Australian Fairy Tale Society story was The Jacaranda Wife, one of the short stories within. This book is a slightly creepy collection of dark faery tales, peopled by women and girls who are fearless, frightened, brave, bold, frail, and fantastical.
Then I beta read Chasing Neve (8 of 52) by K. A. Last, which is out on March 31. It’s a wonderful reimagining of Snow White, which is love-filled and action-packed, with lovely twists and lots of magic.
I bought The Chaos of Stars (9 of 52) by Kiersten White ages ago, because I loved a quote I came across online. And I kind of forgot about it until my book club theme for February was fate and destiny, and it seemed the perfect choice. It’s an engaging story of first love, Egyptian mythology, and family – if your family happens to be a bunch of twisted Egyptian gods and goddesses! I read it in a day, so I clearly enjoyed it…
🌟 “I didn’t fall in love with you. I walked into love with you, with my eyes wide open, choosing to take every step along the way. I do believe in fate and destiny, but I also believe we are only fated to do the things that we’d choose anyway. And I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you”
Kiersten White, The Chaos of Stars 🌟
And I’m absolutely loving Lucy Cavendish’s Magickal Faerytales: An Enchanted Collection of Retold Tales (10 of 52), a gorgeous selection of re-imagined faery tales that restores their pagan wisdom. In addition to the eleven classics, it includes an original story, plus faery-tale-inspired spells, fascinating histories, and more. Beautifully illustrated by Jasmine Becket-Griffith, this hardcover edition is definitely one to keep and savour.
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Book-A-Week – January books read
Last year I challenged myself to read a book a week, and I did! 52 books in 52 weeks. And it was awesome. It’s so easy to not make time for reading, with work and deadlines and everything, but I’m so glad I did. And this year I’m doing it again, because I love reading and I want to make time for it. Plus, there are SO MANY amazing books on my TBR shelf that I can’t wait to read!
January was a mix of things, starting with Greta Thunberg’s No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference (1 of 52), which sparked some fiery debate when I posted about it on instagram (sigh).
I read my favourite singer Mick Thomas’s graphic novel Coldwater Chronicles (2 of 52) as part of a reading challenge, and the middle grade urban fantasy adventure Arnold Ethon and the Lions of Tsavo (3 of 52) by new English writer A. P. Beswick.
I also read three books by BABE authors, in preparation for the book event I was signing at – the saucy Winter Princess by Skye MacKinnon (4 of 52) and For the Win (5 of 52) by Eve L Mitchell, and the grippingfantasy book The Princess Must Die (6 of 52) by Jaymin Eve and Everly Frost, the first in their Storm Princess Saga trilogy.
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