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Three Reasons You Should Read This Middle Grade Fantasy:
The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan is an amazing fantasy that pulls from all my fairy tale tropes and takes a deep look at what really makes someone a person.
Moth, Fable’s cat, does a great job of playing the part of loyal sidekick, best friend, and at times, a guide as Fable travels through Mirrorwood and navigates the landscape of how she views herself.
The creatures and inhabitants of Mirrorwood were inventive while remaining just a little familiar. It’s fun and creative, with just a little creepiness to make the atmosphere fit.
Fable has been cursed by what the people in her village call the Blight, a twisted enchantment that leaves her without a face of her own. To stay alive, Fable has to steal the faces of others, making her an outcast that no one trusts. When the fierce Blighthunter Vycorax comes to kill Fable to stop her curse from spreading, Fable narrowly escapes by fleeing into the thorny woods surrounding her small village.
The treacherous forest has been ruled by a demon-prince for centuries, a deadly place trapped in time. Fable—and her opinionated feline companion, Moth—is the first to dare enter in a very long time. There, she encounters a tediously chatty skull, dangerously meddlesome deities, and a beast so powerful it tears at the fabric of reality, leaving nothingness in its horrible wake.
Fable will soon discover that, in the Mirrorwood, nothing is quite like the stories say, and the perilous realm may be the only chance she has to break her curse and find her true self.
The Mirrorwood by Deva Fagan is an amazing mashup of fairy tale tropes and concepts. Recognizable, but twisted around in a way that made them feel brand new. From Wonderland to Beauty and the Beast, so many seemed to be represented. And it all starts when Fable is blighted (cursed) to always wear another’s face. While this may not sound too bad, the author did an amazing job of showing how mentally devastating this was to her and her family.
Fable’s only real solace is her cat, Moth. Moth couldn’t have been more perfect. He was Fable’s Jiminy Cricket with words of wisdom paired with some general cat aloofness. He was her constant companion and best friend – and I really wish I could know this little furry ball of love.
Vycorax, Fable’s unexpected companion who tried to kill her at first, is a Blighthunter. Sworn to protect the realm and remove all the blighted people. Vycorax begins by blindly following her duty, but when she finds herself stuck in the Mirrorwood with Fable, forced to work together, she has to re-examine her thoughts. Vycorax was another great character that could have easily been the lead character if she had wanted to. She was tough, determined, and utterly loyal once you earned her trust.
The Mirrorwood was almost a character itself. A vast realm cursed by the Blight and slowly disappearing (hello Neverending Story!) The land itself came alive with amazing creatures and a Sleeping Beauty-esque curse that only gets worse as the girls get closer to the castle. I wish the land had felt more vast. It was supposed to be a large area, but the travels made it seem rather small at times.
I really want more Mirrorwood, but if that doesn’t happen, this book does come to a very nice conclusion.
Title: Lake Bride Author: Shanna Hatfield Series: Holiday Bride #5 Genre: Sweet Contemporary Western Romance
Fall in love with a soldier, a nurse, and a small-town adventure brimming with delightful characters, amusing animals, and abiding hope.
Twenty-one steps. The past two years of Bridger Holt’s life have centered on the twenty-one steps he repeatedly walks back and forth as one of the sentinels guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Now that his duty is coming to an end, Bridger has no idea what to do with the rest of his life. Guilt from his past and trepidation about his unknown future drive him to the mountain cabin he inherited from his beloved uncle to gain clarity and direction. The quirky residents in the nearby town of Holiday, the assortment of wildlife that adopts him, and the woman who shines a light into his tattered soul might be what Bridger needs to find the redemption he seeks.
Outgoing, upbeat Shayla Reeves spreads sunshine wherever she goes. Holiday has become her home, and she enjoys spending time in the mountains around town. She adores the patients in the dementia facility where she works as a nurse. But something is missing from her mostly joyful world. When she mistakenly camps on private land owned by the mysterious and brooding Bridger Holt, she realizes what her life is lacking isn’t adventure but love.
Will two opposite personalities overcome their challenges and figure out a way to build a future together?
Find out in this sweet love story full of hope, small-town humor, and the wonder of falling in love.
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield writes sweet romances rich with relatable characters, small town settings that feel like home, humor, and hope.
Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
When this farm girl isn’t writing or indulging in rich, decadent chocolate, Shanna hangs out with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller. She also experiments with recipes, snaps photos of her adorable nephew, and caters to the whims of a cranky cat named Drooley.
Dallas Walker is haunted. He won’t ever forget the horrors he witnessed while working undercover to bust a human trafficking ring, but he has a plan to start a new life. Coming home to his family is step one. Getting to know his alluring new neighbor could be step two. If only she’d give him a chance…
Maggie Ellis just wants to be left alone. She’d rather spend her days spinning clay into art and feel nothing than open herself up to another devastating loss. But her sexy new neighbor with a lonely look in his eyes isn’t giving up. And he makes her question everything…
Together, Dallas and Maggie might have a shot at happily ever after. But only if they can let go of the past and hold on to each other when it matters most.
Claudia Connor is an award winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance, including the beloved McKinney Brothers series. Claudia writes, warm, heartfelt romances with a bit of steam, a lot of family and always a happily ever after.
Claudia attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England. When she’s not writing, she enjoys movies, reading, and travel, with a heavy dose of daydreaming during all three. Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.
