Title: The Witch Haven (The Witch Haven #1) Author: Sasha Peyton Smith Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers Source: Purchased Format: Hardcover Release Date: August 31, 2021 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The Last Magician meets The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy in this atmospheric historical fantasy following a young woman who discovers she has magical powers and is thrust into a battle between witches and wizards.
In 1911 New York City, seventeen-year-old Frances Hallowell spends her days as a seamstress, mourning the mysterious death of her brother months prior. Everything changes when she’s attacked and a man ends up dead at her feet—her scissors in his neck, and she can’t explain how they got there.
Before she can be condemned as a murderess, two cape-wearing nurses arrive to inform her she is deathly ill and ordered to report to Haxahaven Sanitarium. But Frances finds Haxahaven isn’t a sanitarium at all: it’s a school for witches. Within Haxahaven’s glittering walls, Frances finds the sisterhood she craves, but the headmistress warns Frances that magic is dangerous. Frances has no interest in the small, safe magic of her school, and is instead enchanted by Finn, a boy with magic himself who appears in her dreams and tells her he can teach her all she’s been craving to learn, lessons that may bring her closer to discovering what truly happened to her brother.
Frances’s newfound power attracts the attention of the leader of an ancient order who yearns for magical control of Manhattan. And who will stop at nothing to have Frances by his side. Frances must ultimately choose what matters more, justice for her murdered brother and her growing feelings for Finn, or the safety of her city and fellow witches. What price would she pay for power, and what if the truth is more terrible than she ever imagined?
Review:
1911: Frances Hallowell is a seamstress in New York, still mourning her brother after his mysterious death months ago. When she’s attacked one night by her boss, he ends up dead with her scissors in his neck. Before she can be arrested for his murder, she’s whisked away to Haxahaven Sanatarium, which is a school for witches disguised as a tuberculosis sanatarium. Frances learns how to use some of her new found magic, but she wants to learn more. She’s lured out to the forest to meet her brother’s old friend, Finn, who promises to teach her more magic and find out who killed her brother. As Frances learns more, she must figure out what’s most important to her: Finn, her new witch friends, or discovering her brother’s murderer.
This was a great witchy story. I loved the spooky atmosphere of New York in 1911. There were people being mysteriously murdered and incurable diseases. Indigenous racism was also addressed a bit, as one of the witches at the school was abused at a residential school.
There were some great twists at the end of the story. I suspected the big one before it was revealed, but I was still surprised with how the story ended. I’m glad the sequel is out now so I can read it soon!
The Witch Haven is a great witchy story.
What to read next:
The Witch Hunt by Sasha Peyton Smith
The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell
Other books in the series:
The Witch Hunt
Have you read The Witch Haven? What did you think of it?
Title: Love from Mecca to Medina (Love from A to Z #2) Author: S.K. Ali Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance Publisher: Salaam Reads Source: Publisher Format: Paperback arc Release Date: October 18, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Adam and Zayneb. Perfectly matched. Painfully apart.
Adam is in Doha, Qatar, making a map of the Hijra, a historic migration from Mecca to Medina, and worried about where his next paycheck will come from. Zayneb is in Chicago, where school and extracurricular stresses are piling on top of a terrible frenemy situation, making her miserable.
Then a marvel occurs: Adam and Zayneb get the chance to spend Thanksgiving week on the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia. Adam is thrilled; it’s the reboot he needs and an opportunity to pray for a hijra in real life: to migrate to Zayneb in Chicago. Zayneb balks at the trip at first, having envisioned another kind of vacation, but then decides a spiritual reset is calling her name too. And they can’t wait to see each other—surely, this is just what they both need.
But the trip is nothing like what they expect, from the appearance of Adam’s former love interest in their traveling group to the anxiety gripping Zayneb when she’s supposed to be “spiritual.” As one wedge after another drives them apart while they make their way through rites in the holy city, Adam and Zayneb start to wonder: was their meeting just an oddity after all? Or can their love transcend everything else like the greatest marvels of the world?
Review:
Adam is in Doha, Qatar, trying to find work as an artist while his MS isn’t bothering him. Zayneb is in Chicago, trying to find an apartment while she studies and has to fend off accusations from her school’s newspaper. They are both looking forward to spending a week together in England, but when Adam is offered a trip on the Umbrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, he has to take the opportunity while he’s feeling well. They change their plans to go on the Umbrah together, but their relationship faces the ultimate test on this spiritual journey, making them question if they’re meant to be together.
This was another fabulous S.K. Ali book! It was so nice to be reunited with these familiar characters. There were also characters from the Saints and Misfits books, which was fun to see all of the characters together. The characters were college age, so they had to deal with more adult problems than in a young adult novel, but it was nice to see the characters grow up in this story. There were some chapters from the perspective of Bertha Fatima, Adam and Zayneb’s cat, which were so entertaining.
I didn’t know anything about the Umbrah or Mecca and Medina so I learned a lot in this story. It inspired me to look up some of the terms and places to be able to picture them. The story was detailed and described the entire trip so I got a full picture of this experience.
Love from Mecca to Medina is a great story!
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me a copy of this book!
Title: Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match Author: Sally Thorne Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction Publisher: Avon Books Source: Publisher Format: Paperback arc Release Date: September 6, 2022 Rating: ★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
From USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game Sally Thorne comes something a little unexpected… a historical rom-com that imagines Victor Frankenstein’s sheltered younger sister, and her attempts to create the perfect man.
For generations, every Frankenstein has found their true love and equal, unlocking lifetimes of blissful wedded adventure. Clever, pretty (and odd) Angelika Frankenstein has run out of suitors and fears she may become the exception to this family rule. When assisting in her brother Victor’s ground-breaking experiment to bring a reassembled man back to life, she realizes that having an agreeable gentleman convalescing in the guest suite might be a chance to let a man get to know the real her. For the first time, Angelika embarks upon a project that is all her own.
When her handsome scientific miracle sits up on the lab table, her hopes for an instant romantic connection are thrown into disarray. Her resurrected beau (named Will for the moment) has total amnesia and is solely focused on uncovering his true identity. Trying to ignore their heart-pounding chemistry, Angelika reluctantly joins the investigation into his past, hoping it will bring them closer. But when a second suitor emerges to aid their quest, Angelika wonders if she was too hasty inventing a solution. Perhaps fate is not something that can be influenced in a laboratory? Or is Will (or whatever his name is!) her dream man, tailored for her in every way? And can he survive what was done to him in the name of science, and love?
Filled with carriages, candlesticks, and corpses, Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match is the spooky-season reimagining of the well-known classic that reminds us to never judge a man by his cadaver!
Review:
Angelika Frankenstein is the assistant to her brother Victor in all of his experiments. When he wants to bring a man back to life, Angelika joins in on the fun. She hasn’t been able to find an appropriate suitor and now she’s run out of men in her town, so she decides to choose her own corpse to bring back to life. However, the man who she revives is more focused on figuring out his identity from before he died than being her husband. Though he is her perfect match, Angelika does everything she can to help him discover his former life.
I loved the premise of this book, but it wasn’t executed as well as I expected. The romance between Angelika and Will, her creation, was stilted and forced. One minute they would be kissing, and the next minute he would tell her why they couldn’t be together. This happened over and over again, so it was tiring to read.
The other characters tried to be quirky but I didn’t feel that they stood out on their own. Some of the side characters didn’t really serve a purpose to move the plot forward. Those storylines could have been cut shorter to make the story more concise.
Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match wasn’t what I hoped it would be.
Thank you HarperCollins Canada for giving me a copy of this book.
Have you read Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match? What did you think of it?
Title: If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It Author: Colleen Nelson, Kathie MacIsaac, Scot Ritchie (illustrator) Genre: Children’s, Nonfiction Publisher: Pajama Press Source: Publisher Format: Hardcover Release Date: October 25, 2022 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
There is no single path to the job of your dreams. What does it take to become a stuntperson? How does a mathematician spend her days? When does a barber become the center of a community? In this refreshing take on a careers book, meet twenty-five individuals of different backgrounds, genders, and abilities who have found their careers through a wide range of experience, education, intention, and inspiration. From Joshua Jones, who built a business where he could thrive as a Deaf interior designer, to Teresa Tam, whose hunger for knowledge led her to the position of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, each of these dreamers found ways to dig deep into their passion, to gain experience and knowledge, and to turn that into a job.
Review:
This book talks about 25 inspiring people who found their dream jobs. These jobs range from the arts to sciences and everything in between. These weren’t all typical jobs that are taught about in school. For example, there was a human rights lawyer, a meteorologist, a smokejumper, and an NHL scout. These jobs are all inspired by things the people were interested in and decided to incorporate into their job.
I liked that there were related jobs listed in each section, to give more examples of work in those fields. There were examples of how a young person can become involved and learn about the job, as well as a real example of a young person who is already making their mark in that field. Many of the people featured were Canadian, which was nice to see in a Canadian book.
If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It is an inspiring book about finding your dream job!
Thank you Pajama Press for sending me a copy of this book.
Have you read If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It? What did you think of it?
Title: In the Shadow of a Queen Author: Heather B. Moore Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Shadow Mountain Source: Publisher Format: Paperback arc Release Date: October 4, 2022 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Based on the true story of the free-spirited daughter of Queen Victoria.
Princess Louise’s life is upended after her father’s untimely death. Captive to the queen’s overwhelming mourning, Louise is forbidden to leave her mother’s tight circle of control and is eventually relegated to the position of personal secretary to her mother—the same position each of her sisters held until they were married.
Already an accomplished painter, Louise risks the queen’s wrath by exploring the art of sculpting, an activity viewed as unbefitting a woman. When Louise involves herself in the day’s political matters, including championing the career of a female doctor and communicating with suffragettes, the queen lays down the law to stop her and devotes her full energy to finding an acceptable match for her defiant daughter.
Louise is considered the most beautiful and talented daughter of Queen Victoria, but finding a match for the princess is no easy feat. Protocols are broken, and Louise exerts her own will as she tries to find an open-minded husband who will support her free spirit.
In the Shadow of a Queen is the story of a battle of wills between two women: a daughter determined to forge her own life beyond the shadow of her mother, and a queen resolved to keep the Crown’s reputation unsullied no matter the cost.
Review:
Princess Louise was the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. She was close with her mother, becoming the Queen’s personal secretary after her sisters had married and moved away. Louise was a sculptor, which was scandalous for a woman at the time. She was also interested in women’s rights, though her mother didn’t support that cause. It took a long time to find her a match, but she ended up breaking protocols to marry the man she loved. Princess Louise was an extraordinary woman.
When I began reading this story, I realized I didn’t know anything about Queen Victoria’s children. I had read stories about the Queen’s early years, but not about her life during her reign. Though Louise made controversial decisions, her mother supported her. Even when Louise wanted to do something that Queen Victoria didn’t approve of, she eventually came around and allowed her daughter to do what made her happy.
Princess Louise’s mark is still present today. She made the sculpture of Queen Victoria that sits in front of Kensington Palace. That’s one of my favourite statues and I had no idea Princess Louise had made it. Canada’s province of Alberta is named after Princess Louise, as Alberta is her middle name after her father Prince Albert. I didn’t realize she had a strong connection to Canada, living here for many years while her husband was Governor General. I’m glad to see she left a legacy in the world, and I hope it becomes more well known.
In the Shadow of a Queen is a wonderful story about Queen Victoria’s daughter.
Thank you Shadow Mountain for sending me a copy of this book.
What to read next:
An Indiscreet Princess by Georgie Blalock
Victoria by Daisy Goodwin
Have you read In the Shadow of a Queen? What did you think of it?
Title: Hide Author: Kiersten White Genre: Horror, Contemporary Publisher: Del Rey Books Source: Purchased Format: Hardcover Release Date: May 24, 2022 Rating: ★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught.
The prize: enough money to change everything.
Even though everyone is desperate to win–to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts–Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that.
It’s the reason she’s alive, and her family isn’t.
But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive. Fourteen competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.
Come out, come out, wherever you are.
A high-stakes hide-and-seek competition turns deadly in this dark supernatural thriller from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
Review:
Would you spend a week in an abandoned amusement park to win $50,000 dollars? That’s the challenge that Mack enters. She lives in a shelter and has nothing to lose, so she decides to enter the challenge along with thirteen other people. Each day the contestants must hide from the “seekers,” with two contestants being “out” each day. However, this is a much darker game than they predicted. They have to figure out how to hide so that they make it out alive.
This was such a psychologically creepy story. There wasn’t anything actually scary on the page for most of the story, but the threat of some unknown seeker gave the story a spooky atmosphere.
I wish there was more character development. There were three characters that had full backstories, but the other eleven contestants weren’t as well developed. It would have been helpful to even have a list of the contestants at the beginning so I could tell them apart. I had a higher opinion of this book when I read the acknowledgements at the end. Kiersten White tells her inspiration for writing this book, and it made me understand the terrifying atmosphere in this story.
Title: Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #3) Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Mystery Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers Source: Thomas Allen and Son Format: Paperback Release Date: October 5, 2021 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Myrtle Hardcastle—twelve-year-old Young Lady of Quality and Victorian amateur detective—is back on the case, solving a string of bizarre murders in her hometown of Swinburne and picking up right where she left off in Premeditated Myrtle and How to Get Away with Myrtle.
When the proprietor of Leighton’s Mercantile is found dead on the morning his annual Christmas shop display is to be unveiled, it’s clear a killer had revenge in mind. But who would want to kill the local dry-goods merchant? Perhaps someone who remembers the mysterious scandal that destroyed his career as a professor and archaeologist. When the killer strikes again, each time manipulating the figures in the display to foretell the crime, Myrtle finds herself racing to uncover the long-buried facts of a cold case—and the motivations of a modern murderer.
Review:
When the owner of Leighton’s Mercantile is found dead on the morning that their Christmas display is unveiled, Myrtle Hardcastle is on the case. She finds a photo of Professor Leighton with her mother near his body, so she assumes there is some connection between them. Leighton had been a professor when Myrtle’s mother was in school, but after a student went missing, his career was destroyed. Soon after, another person connected with Leighton is murdered, pointing to Myrtle’s mother’s old group of friends. Myrtle must race to find the killer before everyone involved is dead.
This was a great whodunnit mystery! Though Myrtle is a young girl, almost all of the other characters are adults, so this series would appeal to adults as well as young readers. The mystery in this story was complex and went back generations. There were some great twists at the end, which made it hard for me to guess the killer. The story was quite fast-paced too, so I had to keep reading it.
Cold-Blooded Myrtle is a great middle grade mystery!
Thank you Thomas Allen and Son and Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book!
What to read next:
In Myrtle Peril by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer
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