Tag Archives: faeries

Enchanting New Releases: Perilous Enchantment and Enchanted Village

20 Oct
Cover of Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries by Sarah Clegg. Illustrations depicts a group of men in robes and women in dresses some of whom have wings and one wearing a crown is riding a horse. It is night and above them fly birds and in two trees sit a figure in a red cap with pointed ears and a woman with an apron and a broom.
Cover of Enchanted Village by Lily Starling. Illustration of snow covered village with a castle in the background on a steep hill. The buildings are decorated for Christmas. Two small dragons fly overhead.

Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries
by Sarah Clegg
Perilous Enchantment: The True History of Faeries is Sarah Clegg’s intriguing new nonfiction work about faeries and how their stories have evolved throughout European history. She also looks at various figures like elves and nymphs whose legends merged with those of fairies. Clegg visits various fairy related sights throughout the world and recounts legends and myths related to them. This brings alive what otherwise could have been a more dry scholarly account. It was a bit like reading the actual Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries if it were a nonfiction and not a fantasy work. Fans of Heather Fawcett’s novel and other fairy fantasy works will definitely want to check this out, but be warned Clegg looks at some of the darker aspects of faerie legends that can be intense. It gave me a greater appreciation of contemporary faerie fantasy novels such as urban fantasies and romantasies, and how they are a part of a larger storytelling history of faeries. A must read for Faerie fans!

Enchanted Village
by Lily Starling
Enchanted Village is the fun new grumpy/sunshine romance from Lily Starling. Margaret is from a magical family, but has no magical abilities herself, yet she continues to run the family’s tavern The Toasty Owl in the charming village of Hex Hollow. Margaret has a prickly disposition, but is still well thought of by her neighbors and can charm any magical creature and create the perfect cup of hot chocolate. When a new handsome Science teacher arrives from the non-magical world to teach at the nearby wizarding school, he attempts to help save Margaret’s business from the new competition, but he also might be the perfect match for her. The story alternates between the two love interests’ perspectives, something I enjoy since it gives a richer picture of their relationship. This is perfect if you were a Harry Potter fan as a child and as an adult now wonder what it would be like to teach at Hogswarts or live in the Hogsmeade. Fans of Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes and Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop will enjoy this story. Hoboken Library Card Holders can borrow Enchanted Village from eLibraryNJ’s ebook collection on Libby.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Rescuing Fairy Princes: Emily Wilde’s Map of the OtherLands and Too Many Fairy Princes

17 Jan

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries
by Heather Fawcett
I enjoyed this follow up to Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries. In Emily Wilde’s Map of the Otherlands, prickly Emily is continuing to learn how to let other people in and form meaningful relationships as she further studies fairy anthropology. In this novel she is exploring an area in the Alps during the fall months and encounters a new vulpine fairy which manages to be both horrifying and adorable as much of faerie is. Heather Fawcett does a great job of making faerie seem both fantastic and the place of your dreams but so imbedded into the society of the book at times it feels mundane. When someone Emily cares for deeply life is threatened, it is up to her to save him. The story ends in a nearly happily ever after that will have readers excited for the next story in the series. I highly recommend checking this novel and the first in the series out.

Too Many Fairy Princes
by Alex Beecroft
This short novella packs a lot of action. Joel Wilson is a sweet artist and art gallery worker who has been conned out of his savings by both his ex as well as his boss. When Kjartan, a beautiful fairy prince trying to escape from his murderous brother is transported into Joel’s world his life becomes even more complicated. The book is set between the two world’s which sets up an interesting contrast between our more mundane world of Urban Fantasy and Kjartan’s world of magical High Fantasy. Like Map of the Otherlands, this novel does a great job of balancing the whimsy of fairy tales with the darker and crueler side of fairy myths. I liked that the story had Joel be a long term practitioner of martial arts so it is realistic that he would be able to help Kjartan fight against his enemies. Also Queen Elizabeth makes a few fun appearances in the story. Several other romances of Beecroft’s are also available to borrow, if you enjoy reading this story

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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