Thank the Goddess! It would appear that we are finally, perhaps teetering at the edge of the dark woods of Winter, staring blearily in to the grayish, cold, yet still promising, sunlight of Spring! After all the pummeling snow that the North East received this year, 30 degree days seem like a gift from Persephone herself. … Continue reading
Filed under Historical Fiction …
Tsarina by J. Nelle Patrick
Growing up like many of my fellow die hard readers, I came to have a bit of a ‘Matilda’ reputation with the elementary school librarians because I was one of the few 9 year olds with a penchant for biographies. I devoured these real life stories of men and women who’d composed symphonies, traveled the world, … Continue reading
Top Ten: Books on my Summer TBR List
Holy Crow, there are soo many amazing books coming out this summer that I just had to spread the love/proselytize their greatness! Series Closers! Assassins! Supernatural Creatures! Mystery! Oh my! Cassandra Clare (along with Kristin Cashore) was pretty much my ‘gateway drug’author to YA, thus it’s with baited breath that I reunite with the ole shadowhunter/downworlder … Continue reading
Tea & Book Pairing: White Peony with Venom
At first glance, white tea appears soft and delicate, and one doesn’t expect any surprises from this subtle blend. However, once brewed the White Peony tea takes on another character entirely, as if its true strength is only emboldened when tested with hot water. It gives off a floral aroma, but a rich taste of … Continue reading
A Darkness Strange and Lovely by Susan Dennard
The title of Susan Dennard’s A Darkness Strange and Lovely essentially sums up my literary experience of this enriching sequel. While I read her first book, Something Strange and Deadly, and thoroughly enjoyed it, I knew at the end that there was much to be explored and I found myself waiting on tenterhooks for Part … Continue reading
Writing Tips and Resources for Camp NaNoWriMo
I’ve been meaning to do it for ages, but this year I finally made the commitment and signed up to try and write a novel, or at the very least get one started, in a month. Gulp. NaNoWriMo (the affectionate shorthand for National Novel Writing Month) offers a Camp version in July. The timing was perfect! … Continue reading
Beauty and the Beast directed by Christophe Gans
Time to brush up on my French! I was so excited when I stumbled across this still from Christophe Gans’ adaptation of Beauty and the Beast that he is currently transforming for the Big Screen in February, 2014, that I had to share it here. Gans directed Brotherhood of the Wolf, a chilling, yet captivating … Continue reading
Wuthering Heights by Robert McGinnis
Maid of Secrets by Jennifer McGowan
Maid of Secrets comes out today, and I’m thrilled to share my thoughts on this engaging, historical tale that captured my imagination and made me long for a sequel. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC a few months ago, and as a dyed-in-the-wool history nerd, always on the alert for original perspectives from … Continue reading
Top Ten Inspiring Authors to Celebrate Our One Year Blogiversary
Wowza. We can’t believe it, but it’s been a year since we launched Gathered Nettles! In order to celebrate, we’re feasting on pancakes and have put together a list of the authors we’ve become acquainted with in the past year who have totally rocked our world. This inspirational Top Ten honors the reason we, as … Continue reading