In the winter of 2018, Hyun Kyu Seo made an extraordinary trip, into the heart of the infamous Chernobyl disaster, thirty-two years after the fact. This horrific disaster is one of the ‘where were you’ defining global incidents of my early childhood. Following a love for Eastern European culture, Seo visited the Ukraine, and was […]
Draw 62 Magical Creatures/ Animals and Make Them Cute by Heegyum Kim Kim’s Draw 62 Magical Creatures/ Animals and Make Them Cute is a simple little art book with easy to follow directions. There are certainly some creative ideas for making each creature ‘cute’. There is a good deal of variety among the 62, with […]
The Old Dragon’s Head by Justin Newland is a magical realism historical fiction set in ancient China. For twenty years the last Dragon Master, Wing, has been missing. With no successor in place, the energies of the Old Dragon could not be summoned to strengthen the Great Wall, and now the Mongol threat looms large […]
Exiled to Freedom by SGD Singh is a nested story about Priya, a teen visiting family in India. When her behaviour angers her mother, Priya is dumped off at her great-grandmother’s house in the middle of nowhere. Cut off from her tech, Priya at first sulks in her room. She finally decided to come out, […]
Walking with Ghosts on Ward’s Pond by Heidi Sprouse is a fictional ‘what if’ take in an actual case. Charlie Baxter is a journalist, and a descendant of the Gilette family. He’s staying at Ward’s Pond, working on research related to Chester’s case. Charlie hopes to find evidence that might exonerate his ancestor for the […]
A sweeping saga spanning decades. The hunt for a treasure worth millions. Part mystery, part history, The Crimson Heirlooms by Hunter Dennis is a tale worthy of the classics writers, a legacy of Hugo, Dickens, and Tolstoy. Spanning the decades between 1776 and 1832, the majority of the story follows Xavier Traversier and Jacob ‘Jake’ […]
Schwartz’s Haunted Charlottesville and Surrounding Counties explores the many haunted locations in the history rich area of Charlottesville and its surrounding counties. In addition to looking at well-known, ‘popular’ spots, many private residences are discussed. This is a territory steeped in the past. From the Revolutionary War, to the Civil War, there are numerous structures […]
Medical Paradoxes by Dr Francisco Kerdel-Vegas was quite the interesting read. While definitely geared towards medical professionals, it is readable and enlightening to the layperson. Dr Kerdel-Vegas is Venezuelan, and these paradoxes are oriented towards Venezuelan medicine, though they are applicable to medical practise anywhere. Rather than being cut and dried, the good doctor throws […]
Crystal Lore, Legends & Myth by Athena Perrakis explores crystal lore from around the world. The leanings are definitely magickal, and the very first chapter discusses Lemuria and Atlantis. The rest of the chapters progress through major human civilisations/ time eras from Sumerians to modern times. The final chapters explore things like quantum healing, zodiacal […]
The Embalmer by Anne-Renée Caillé has been translated from its original French. Given the layout, I’m guessing the little vignettes are poem stories, though in English they are more prose. It is the musings of a daughter regarding her father’s job as an embalmer, how he joined those mysterious ranks, and unusual cases he shared. […]
