Fantasy and science fiction authors are familiar with a concept called “world building,” which is the process of creating a coherent “universe” for your characters. The rules may not necessarily be those of our world – time travel can work, or humans may have faster-than-light warpdrive technology – but they do have to be coherent…
Teresa Medeiros is best known for her historical novels that span the time from Dark-Ages Ireland to Regency England. Her style is elegant and graceful and she can skillfully combine whimsy and angst in a way that few writers can. Try her Scottish novel A Whisper of Roses to see what I’m talking about. Teresa…
This is one of those rare books that can wake me up in the middle of the night, insisting that I re-read certain parts. When I sneak back to bed, my heart is filled with wolves and moonlight. Plain Druyan has recently become a widow after a having been wed to a smallholder in coastal…
This isn’t a romance novel – it’s a fantasy novel with a romantic subplot. Still, if you like fantasy romances, you should try this book. And if you’ve never read a fantasy novel before, this is a good place to start. While it is primarily a fantasy, it never loses its focus on the outspoken…
By Magic Beguiled is enchanting! I fell under its spell with the very first chapter and found it hard to put down until I had finished the last. This is the first book of Maggie Shayne’s that I have read, but it certainly won’t be the last. The story opens with seven-year old Adam exploring…
You take a partially trained witch who was raised in part by Puritans, add a jaded billionaire, and bring them together. My first thought was (with minimal eye-rolling), only in a romance. After a few pages, I became a believer. In Breath of Magic, Teresa Medeiros demonstrated to me why so many fans believe she…
Whew. When I finally finished this book, I felt I could finally breathe. It is intense. It is magical. It is emotionally draining, and I feel that I am better for having read it. Diana is a modern day Wiccan living in Salem, Massachusetts. On Samhain (or Halloween) she gets sucked back to the England…
Wow, what a great read! If you’re looking for a spellbinding, entertaining, top-notch medieval that not only focuses of the love between a knight and his lady, but rushes headlong into battle against the forces of evil as well, look no further! Vivian of Amesbury (yes, she’s a Saxon) is Merlin’s daughter and, unlike her…
Knight of a Trillion Stars launched Dara Joy as one of the more sensual (to put it mildly!) romance writers around. It is followed by Rejar and you really ought to read them both in order to get the full effect. Deana Jones is having a horrible day. She’s just been fired, and when she…
I first read Jill Barnett’s Bewitching when it came out a few years ago. I loved it then. When I reread it to do this review, I loved it even more. It is a historical romance with a twist – a supernatural twist woven so skillfully into the plot of the story that it actually…