Category Archives: book reviews

Review: Touch, by Claire North: a deeply human and highly satisfying thriller

Posted on July 22, 2016 by

This is one of the rare books that I finished and thought–That is what I want my books to feel like. For me, it delivered a powerful emotional impact along with the ripping story and engaging characters. It’s the kind … Continue reading →

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Review: Magic, Mysticism, and Hasidism, by Gedalyah Nigal

Posted on March 20, 2016 by

I picked up this book after discovering it in the bibliography of a couple of other books on Jewish mysticism which I was reading as research material for book 4 in my Dark Apostle series. I wanted more detail on … Continue reading →

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Goodreads review: Medieval Ghost Stories by Andrew Joynes

Posted on August 14, 2015 by

I discovered this book on the recommendation of a scholar who presented a paper about revenants (roaming dead) in Medieval England at this year’s Kalamazoo Medieval Congress. Since this is a topic near to my heart, in more ways than … Continue reading →

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Review: Home for the Holidays, discovering voice

Posted on October 3, 2014 by

Home for the Holidays by Randee Dawn My rating: 5 of 5 stars I had the pleasure of meeting the author at a local convention last year some time, and actually won this book when I attended her reading. I … Continue reading →

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Review: Hereward the Wake, ‘Last of the English’

Posted on September 26, 2013 by

Hereward the Wake, ‘Last of the English’ by Charles Kingsley My rating: 5 of 5 stars A marvelous adventure story with a medieval setting about the legendary hero of England. I picked up the new Audible edition, read by the … Continue reading →

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Review: Sword of the Ronin

Posted on August 9, 2013 by

Sword of the Ronin by Travis Heermann My rating: 4 of 5 stars A rich, engaging, morally complex historical fantasy, deeply embedded in Japanese culture. This is the second novel in a series, but I must tell you up front … Continue reading →

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Fantastic Beginnings: taking it slow, with Carol Berg

Posted on May 22, 2013 by

I have recently started reading Transformation, the first of the Book of Rai-kirah, by Carol Berg. I met the author on a panel about torturing your characters and recognized each other as kindred spirits. She’s actually the first person both … Continue reading →

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