Books to Read: Fantasy and Fairytales

No matter how many fantasy books I read, it remains one of the very few genres I never get bored of. Between low fantasy and high fantasy, I can always find something interesting to spend time with. Whether it’s YA fantasy or Asian Fantasy, there is always a book for every mood. Fairytale is a genre I don’t often read, on the other hand, but I love to write in it. I have written three fairytale retellings and various original short stories. And recently, I’m picking up retellings by other authors just to see what’s out there. And how my books might compare to them. Sometimes, I re-read my books just to revisit my words and get inspired anew. This year, I have read a few fantasy books and published a fairytale collection. Let’s see what these books are all about.

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg

Imagine a world where houses can have magic. How interesting things would be then!

Merritt Fernsby inherited a house on an island. And as surprising as it is to him, he is going to check out the place and decide what to do with it. He is a writer and doesn’t much socialize, so he thinks he might like the secluded nature of the place. If it’s liveable, he might even like it. Unfortunately, the house is nothing he imagined and now, he is stuck.

And that’s how Hulda Larkin finds him. Stuck in his house and unable to leave because the house won’t let him. All the doors and windows are locked and Merritt is locked in. Where unusual, it’s nothing Hulda can’t deal with. After all, she is a “keeper of enchanted rooms.” Her job is simple; find out the source of the house’s magic and help its new owner adjust to it.

However, this house doesn’t want to cooperate. Or maybe it is Merritt who is being stubborn. It is Hulda’s job now to get to the bottom of things and help everyone. She is good at her job. Her last job might have ended unexpectedly but that doesn’t mean she isn’t up to the challenge.

That’s how they end up in this magical house that likes to rearrange its rooms and play pranks on Merritt. But ultimately it wants him to stay and in the end, it will have to accept its new owner. Will Merritt accept his magical house, is another question, though.

Things become more interesting as Merritt and Hulda spend more time together. There is an undeniable attraction between the two and they must decide what to do with it. And it seems Hulda’s past will come to haunt her and their lives might be endangered.

All in all, it is an interesting story and a well-written book. I thoroughly enjoyed the world that the author created between these pages. The characters are all lovable and the book starts & ends very well. I would definitely read more books by this author. I gave this book a five-star rating and recommend it to all fantasy lovers.

A Crown of Cruel Lies (Season of the Elf #2) by Lana Pecherczky

It is book two in the Season of the Elf, which is part of a bigger series; the Fae Guardians. I have followed this series from the start. I have read six books in Season of the Wolf and three in Season of the Vampire. This is the eleventh book in the series and I enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately, not as much as I enjoyed the previous books. And though I have read all books in Fae Guardians, I found it hard to follow at times. There has always been an underlying plot in these books, but now it is becoming a much bigger part of it and I feel that they are no longer standalone books. I think this might be the reason why I couldn’t love it as much as I did the previous books.

That said, it’s still an exciting continuation of the Fae Guardians series. In this book, we get to experience the Spring Court. Overall, it’s a well-written story. And I’m looking forward to reading more to see where the underline plot will take us. Even though I put it down several times; taking breaks. I’m too invested in the series to give it up. I just hope that the next book isn’t like it and can keep up with the previous ones. Apart from the fact that I sometimes got confused while reading it, it’s a good book. I gave it four stars, but I can’t recommend it unless you have read the previous books or you are the type of reader who can focus on the current characters’ story and ignore the references to previous books.

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell

My first experience with the series A Twisted Tale turns out to be highly disappointing. I didn’t enjoy it at all and frankly, don’t have much to say about the story. It is bland and boring. Many times I considered giving it up, but I was reading it for the 52 book club prompt, so I decided to keep going.

It is available with Kindle Unlimited.

Tell Me a Fairytale by Fizza Younis

Five fairytales that will remind you of your childhood. We can never be too old for a fairytale, right?

Read it for free at Wattpad

A world beyond your world,
The truth only a few can see,
And a place where your wildest dreams can be;
Take a leap of faith,
Hold your breath,
And read to your heart's content.

These are a few of my Jan 2023 reads. I hope you enjoy my reviews. I have been reading a lot this month and will share more reviews later. Until then, happy reading!

My First Read of the Year is a Gem!

A new year is starting, and we are all entering 2023 with new hopes and many resolutions. While I don’t do any life-altering to-do or to-achieve lists, I do hope to read & write a lot. I plan to read every day in 2023, even if it’s for 10 minutes each day. And I plan to publish a book every month, even if it’s a short story. With these two goals in mind, I’m starting my year. Let’s hope we all achieve our respective goals and the year doesn’t disappoint.

Last year was a bit of a struggle for me and my family. There were months when I really thought, ‘this is the end.’ But thankfully, we were able to cope. And I’m still here. Books always help me deal with my dark thoughts and the same is true about writing. Nothing makes me feel closer to the truth than fiction. But occasionally, I read non-fiction too.

My first read of the year is a gem of a book.

Interview with the Gems of Medium by Gurpreet Dhariwal

When you consider each writer as a tale they share, you understand why this book is a beautiful collection of real-life stories. I devoured every word and loved all the pearls of wisdom concealed within. It’s amazing how authentic each anecdote is. You can feel the passion and love for creativity oozing out of these pages. It’s uncanny how these brilliant souls aren’t afraid to share their truths. Because only when you speak the truth can you move mountains with your words. And that’s with these individuals are doing.

As I read each interview, I can feel the interviewer’s regard for each writer. The way the author has introduced every “gem of the medium” is beautiful and makes you want to know more about them. I will definitely follow many of these people on social media and read their works. I’m sure their other writings are as incredible as their words here.
The book is a work of art and I highly recommend it to all my fellow readers. Especially if you also love stories that make you think about the questions of being.

And to the wonderful person who wrote this book: your two cents are worth all the riches of the world to me. Thank you for your kind words and for including me in this collection of gems.

It’s a solid five stars read, and I have learned a lot from the experiences of the writers interviewed in this book. Their thoughts and feelings are a delight to read about. I’m glad I started my year with this gem.

P.S. I read it with Kindle Unlimited, in case anyone is interested.

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Interestingly, my second read of the year is my own book, Dream Within a Dream. I didn’t plan to re-read it, but I was just looking at my published title and realized I didn’t remember its plot. That had me thinking and it annoyed me a lot. (LOL) Unable to recall the story, I just decided to re-read it. And the fun fact is: I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and kept going until the very end. Who knew a weak memory could be a blessing too? Anyhow, if you want to read something that will annoy you, make you want to throw it across the room, and still capture your heart, then check it out. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited.