Review of Spectred Isle—A Romance of Green Men

Spectred Isle coverMany of my friends have been singing the praises of British romance author K. J. Charles for some time now, but I’ve only just hopped on that bandwagon. K. J. Charles currently has over two dozen books to her name, ranging from straight up historical romance to series more tinged with horror and fantasy, most with queer love stories. I decided (or rather, the Romancing the Gothic book club decided) to start with one of her more fantastical works: Spectred Isle, Book One in the Green Men series, which came out in 2017. Continue reading Review of Spectred Isle—A Romance of Green Men

A Summoning of Souls Review

Leanna Renee Hieber is back with a new book in her Spectral City series! In case you missed it last week, Leanna wrote a lovely guest post for us on the many possibilities of ghost stories in her works and in her life. In her Spectral City books, ghost stories help the psychic ladies of NYPD’s Ghost Precinct to solve mysteries and save lives! A Summoning of Souls is the third book in this trilogy, and it comes out tomorrow, July 21. WORD Bookstores will be hosting a virtual release party on their Instagram page tomorrow at 7:30pm EDT. Continue reading A Summoning of Souls Review

Leanna Renee Hieber on the Many Possibilities of Ghost Stories

Many of you know by now that Leanna Renee Hieber is my favorite author for spooky, specter-filled Victorian romances. But did you know that her interest in spirits isn’t limited to her fiction? As we gear up for the launch of A Summoning of Souls, the third book in her Spectral City series out next week, Leanna shares some thoughts on the roles that ghosts and ghost stories play in both her life and her writing. Keep an eye out for A Summoning of Souls in stores starting July 21, and feel free to share your own experiences with ghost stories in the comments!

Quote reading: "Just because one worked with the dead didn't mean they couldn't be frightening. Spirits were often creatures of startle and shock." - A Sanctuary of Spirits by Leanna Renee Hieber

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Dark Wood Tarot Deck Review

I just bought myself the most delightfully gothic tarot deck! I’ve been dabbling in tarot for several years now, and you may remember my 2016 review of the Raven’s Prophecy Tarot by Maggie Stiefvater, the deck that first made things click for me. Since then, I’ve continued working with the Raven’s Prophecy deck, as well as with the Ghosts and Spirits Tarot by Lisa Hunt. But I’m always on the lookout for new decks that call to me and can help me connect deeper with tarot. Recently, in a moment of self-indulgent quarantine shopping, I found myself scrolling through the impressive selection of tarot decks available on Bookshop.org. I came across the Dark Wood Tarot, which had just come out in June. It takes the structure of a classic Rider-Waite-Tarot deck but places it in a fantasy woodland setting as a metaphor for shadow work. As soon as I saw the artwork on the cards, I knew that I needed the Dark Wood Tarot in my hands immediately. Continue reading Dark Wood Tarot Deck Review