What does it take to be a good mother? A good neighbor? Straight answers are hard to find in this keenly observed short story by New York Times bestselling author Janelle Brown.
Polly’s fourth-grade daughter has been spending a lot of time with her classmate Sylvie—maybe too much. Sylvie’s clothes are a little…flashy…and her phone (a ten-year-old with a phone!) doesn’t seem to have any parental controls. It seems that Sylvie’s mother, with her vape pens and her too-high heels, may not be making good choices.
As Polly tries to exert a positive influence, she discovers just how little anyone can tell about a family from the outside.
Janelle Brown’s Trouble is part of We Could Be Heroes, a darkly inquisitive collection of short stories that examines heroic intentions versus their real-life consequences.
Suburban soccer mom, Polly, is concerned, because her ten year old daughter, Hannah, has made a new friend in Sylvie, a girl from the “other side of tracks” who she fears might exert a negative influence on her innocent daughter. Worse, is Hannah’s mom, blonder-than blonde bombshell Katrina, new to the community and not showing interest or involving herself in the children’s activities like the other suburban moms.
“Katrina was aggressively blonde, violet nails filed to violent points, a stubborn tightness to her jaw despite the fleshy invitation of her body. Katrina didn’t show up for back- to- school meetings, didn’t sign up for soccer, didn’t attend the spring carnival or the open house or any of the Wisdom Warriors speaker series events. She materialized only at drop- off and pickup, always at a distance from the other parents who lurked by the school entrance, her cheek glued to her cell phone and her mink lashes tilted toward the sky.”
I mean… can you blame her? Would you want to hang out with an established clique of women who call themselves the “Wisdom Warriors”, a social justice warrior wannabe group? It’s giving, “you can’t sit with us” vibes.
I’d keep my distance too.
“Sometimes, late at night, Polly would sneak into her daughter’s bedroom to watch her sleep, Hannah’s face a perfect mask of innocence, and feel a love so overwhelming that it made her queasy. How much there was to lose. How easily life could go sideways.”
Polly ultimately allows Hannah and Sylvie to have play-dates at her house and tries to befriend Katrina, but her attempts are unsuccessful. One day they have a semi-breakthrough, which only concerns Polly further, regarding Sylvie. She brings her opinions to the “hivemind” and they make a plan. Except, it’s the holidays — the ladies are far too busy, especially Polly vacationing in Hawaii with her husband and their children– so the serious matters concerning Sylvie will just have to wait… After all, at least they made a plan — they think and pat themselves on the back.
“Maybe Sylvie could benefit from Polly’s children’s good fortune. Polly had so much; it was only right to give some of it away.”
Cringe! Oh, Polly… money doesn’t make one “fortunate.” Your socioeconomic class doesn’t determine your worthiness and your daughter doesn’t need to bestow her “fortune” onto “poor,” “needy,” “lower-income,” and “lower-class” Sylvie.
The FMC, while happy with the life she has as a stay-at-home mom, feels unfulfilled, wishing she had a career like her husband, but is unable to communicate that to him because she doesn’t want to appear ungrateful for what he’s provided which she is very grateful for. Unfortunately, I think this led her down the social justice warrior, or Wisdom Warrior path, because it gave her a purpose — something to obsess over and take her mind off the mundane daily drudgery of wiping little noses and making healthy meals.
“…having little of her own life to convey to Eric because really, what was there to tell, except for what had happened to the kids in school?— and she couldn’t help resenting him for having a life, for being out there in the world while she was stuck here in the house, wishing she had something that showed her worth beyond simply raising two healthy, adjusted fucking children.“
I struggled connecting with Polly, the FMC, because she was so uppity, judgemental, and assumed the absolute worst about people based on very little, her suspicions amplified by the Wisdom Warriors who supported and encouraged her upcoming actions. I did feel for her when she struggled getting Katrina to warm up to the idea of a friendship between them and she felt outright rejected. But overall, she wasn’t a likable character to me. Katrina, with the “aggressively blonde hair” – Whatever that means, I did like, though!
““You fancy moms, you think you know everything, with all your smug pity. Believe me, you know nothing.”“
The twist was excellent, the story kept me guessing, and the truth was completely unexpected. The last lines of the book made me laugh out loud in a good way. Clearly my dislike for the FMC didn’t affect my rating. The story just wouldn’t have been the same without her cringe-worthy inner dialogue and embarrassing attempts to befriend Katrina!
I’d recommend this read to fans of thrillers and mystery, with children in peril themes.
In this dreamlike short story told in alternating prose and verse, number one New York Times bestselling author Tomi Champion-Adeyemi weaves a tale of a young woman’s journey to find her mother and uncover her secrets.
Fifteen years ago, Lęina’s mother, Yuliana, went searching for a mythical place called the Garden and never returned. Determined to learn the truth about what happened, Lęina travels to Brazil to search for the hidden realm, with Yuliana’s journal and a local tour guide leading the way. But Lęina soon begins to wonder if she’s looking for answers—or if what she truly wants to find is herself.
Lęina’s mother abandoned her daughter for “The Garden”, leaving behind an old battered journal with pressed flowers tucked between the pages, and old pieces of film, handwritten notes and maps, and other mementos that heartbroken, grief-stricken Lęina believes are all part of the puzzle that is her mother’s disappearance.
Lęina didn’t think there was a way she could sum up fifteen years. From the moment the journal first fell into her hands, she had committed herself to following its path. Its teaching broke through her barriers and lines. For the first time, there was order in her mind. Lęina had vowed to follow its pages to the bitter end. She had spent her nights piecing together the fragments of its secret map. Scribbles her mother left began to merge with the red ink of Lęina’s pen. This journal had taken her life and given her a journey instead.”
The young woman is escorted to Brazil, by a local guide named Angelo, a chestnut-colored-haired-man with unusual feet. More on that later… ⚠ Spoilers ahead about my interpretation of The Garden ⚠
I think I’m addicted to sadness.”
The Garden
This is one of those stories where if you know, you know, and if you don’t get it, consider yourself fortunate. I believe this is a story about grief, sadness, depression, and being lost in your own mind. While reading this story I picked up on several themes related to mental health, and the state of Lęina’s was extremely poor.
I also believe that the local guide escorting her was loosely based on Brazilian folklore, specifically the Curupira, a red haired man-creature who guards the forest and leads people in wild directions, deep into jungles and forests. Above I mentioned Angelo is described as having chestnut curls, which essentially is a hue of red. He also has strange feet and per legend, the creature has backward feet. It’s of my interpretation that the author of this story used this bit of folklore when crafting Lęina’s journey with Angelo through Brazil. Misadventure and possibly a Curupira led her into a dark jungle and with only an old journal of her mother’s, she chases the “ghost” of her mother’s memory.
She could smell sadness like a fragrance sprayed in the air. Something young girls dotted behind their ears. She smelled the way men carried sadness in their chests, always given to them by their fathers, or a girl who broke their heart.”
The Garden
The “Garden” represents what I believe to be a conceptualization of the after-life. Sadly, I think her mother unalived herself and her daughter was walking down the same path, eventually meeting her own end, when she reaches the mythical Garden. (It should be mentioned that the reader isn’t taken this far into her journey through the jungles of Brazil and this is simply my interpretation of the story ending.)
I loved the dark poetry alternating with beautiful prose. Lęina is deeply introspective, inquisitive, and sadly, deeply depressed. She questions her tour guide about his thoughts on curses, ones on objects versus people. Her topics of conversation are bleak, the state of her mind depressed. She reveals a lot about her inner-being with her words. This was not a happy girl on a fun adventure. This was a literal su!c!de mission she felt had to take, desperate to get answers and ultimately pay for those answers with her soul.
⚠ End of Spoiler Warning ⚠
Overall, this story of magical realism mingled with dark fantasy resonated with me. I enjoyed the whimsical writing style and the inclusion of poems. I would definitely read another work by this Author.
… it’s about time to put a stop to all of this. It’s about time that I got my luck back. And if I can’t get mine back, I’m not gonna let you just walk off with it.”
Did you ever hear the one about the man with a string of bad luck? The worst is still to come in a chilling short story of an insatiable friendship by the New York Times bestselling author of Hell of a Book.
For best friends with vastly different fortunes, what’s left to hash out other than a forced confession at gunpoint? All that the destitute, sickly, and grieving Will demands is that monstrously successful Barry admit to draining all the luck right out of him. Like blood. As the standoff escalates, the truth is not the only thing ready to come out.
Jason Mott’s ‘Best of Luck’ is part of Creature Feature, a collection of devilishly creepy stories that tingle the spine and twist the mind. They can be read or listened to in one petrifying sitting.
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
And for the first time since Barry woke up and found his best friend holding a shotgun on him, for the first time since his best friend told him he had come to kill him, Barry Whitmore laughed. He and Will both did.”
Jason Mott’s Best of Luck is a gruesomely awesome horror-short installment of the Creature Feature Collection by Amazon Original Stories. This read originally caught my eye because of the striking cover of clovers, skulls, and that hot pink lettering! Be still my heart! 💕🍀💀
Fortunately 🍀 this read is more than just a good looking cover. Best of Luck is a suspenseful tale about two best friends and the monstrously different paths their lives have taken Barry has lived a fortunate life; blessed with a great job, wife, kids, and health. And Will, a seemingly-paranoid and very ill man, who has lost it all.
… finally able to breathe a little now that he wasn’t looking into the hollow eyes of the double- barrel. He rubbed the tension from his brow and cleared his throat, but the gun, and the fear that came with it, didn’t go away.”
Best of Luck
Unfortunately 🍀 for Barry, his best friend Will, has barged into his house – the same home where his wife and children are sleeping upstairs. Barry has been there to support Will through it all — when his child died he held his friend while he wept and when his wife left him, again he was there to support his long-time best friend– so why was Will pointing a deadly weapon at him?
This is just nature at work.”
Best of Luck
This confusion is felt equally between the reader and MMC. The suspense is palpable, making this a (Kindle) page turner, or flipper – whichever. The ending and big reveal wasn’t one I saw coming nor expected, and I just have so many questions, (without revealing spoilers), about the motivation of one of the character’s.
But even before the sight of it, there was the smell. Earthy and hideous. Venom and rot. The stench had seeped into Will’s skin and hair, perhaps even his soul. It knocked Barry on his heels.”
Best of Luck
This would have been a five star read for me if a deeper, thoughtful delving into the motivation of one of the character’s, as mentioned above, had taken place, and certain things like:
💭 How is it that a madman in your living room hootin’ and hollering isn’t waking up your wife and kids? Or was that just yet another example of Barry’s fortuitous life? I was expecting one of the kids to come down or at least get nosy and crouch in the shadows on a dark staircase, or something. And I know it’s a big house but it isn’t exactly the uncharted acres of Forest Park. Someone would have heard something and could have called emergency services.
💭 Someone does eventually come downstairs and I didn’t understand why she wasn’t shielded or protected. Was she next? I couldn’t help but wonder, especially when everything I thought I knew turned completely upside-down!
Overall, a gruesome — in the best way possible — horror-short by Author Jason Mott, I enjoyed reading over the weekend and would recommend to other fans of atmospheric horror. I look forward to checking out other works by this author after this introduction to Mott’s writing style. I love reading novellas and short stories / anthologies because they help me discover new-to-me authors!
Anxiety is a normal and necessary emotion, but when it becomes excessive, it can interfere with your daily life.”
The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition
Learn to challenge your anxious thoughts. Question their validity and consider alternative explanations.”
Bourne, Edmund J.
Genre:
Self Help Books
Mental Health Workbooks
Psychology
Self Improvement & Personal Development
Tone & Themes:
Holistic approach to treating and curing anxiety
New Age / Philosophical ( Enough with Socrates, already! )
Anxiety Reduction
Mental Illness
Cumulative Stress
Healing your “inner child”
Dr. — but not M.D.
Phobias
Meditation 🧘♀️ and Mindfulness
Outdated Edition with misinformed advice and poor suggestions (like carrying a photo of yourself as a child to heal — because that’s normal. Or beating a bed with a baseball bat in place of constructive physical activity like “rage” cleaning or gardening – my favorites!
Blurb:
“The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook” by Edmund J. Bourne is a comprehensive guide to understanding and overcoming anxiety disorders and phobias.
Please note: This review is of Edition 4, published in 2005 ( Most Current Edition is 7, published in 2020 )
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Fourth Edition, by Edmund J. Bourne, is a self-help guide to anxious disorders and phobias with an emphasis on a holistic therapy approach aimed at repairing one’s mind-body-spirit connection, ultimately freeing oneself from anxiety.
I feel strongly that if Dr. Bourne was an M.D., instead of a PH.D, an approach that also includes pharmaceuticals would’ve been advised instead of almost-shamed and stigmatized. His thoughts were that pills masked problems that therapy (his profession, of course) could fix and if meds are taken, they should only be used for a limited amount of time under certain circumstances (extreme agoraphobia with panic disorder was one).
That’s not how SSRIs work. In fact, most take weeks, if not months, to build up to a therapeutic level in a person’s body. If you abruptly withdraw from your meds because of misinformed advice, or are even weaned down by a physician, you could experience rebound anxiety in the forms of panic attacks, insomnia, nightmares, depression etc. For some reason, these withdrawal symptoms were likened to badges of courage and honor. Meanwhile, the big shining star 🌟 sticker, just out of reach for those of us failures who use medication.
What a terribly disastrous message.
I hope the latest edition handles the topic of medication differently, but I’m guessing the author’s background in philosophy and behavioral studies influences his opinion. Speaking of which — So many references to Socrates. I felt like I was back at the University of Connecticut in a lecture hall, learning about Plato and Socrates and other philosophers. I actually imagined the Author standing beside a big chalkboard, as he went on and on, quoting Socrates. It was making me NUTS. ( He kinda looks like my old professor too so that was an absolute trip. )
Unfortunately this edition, as I previously mentioned, is way outdated. I fact-checked frequently and fervently, marked up the Workbook to a state of unrecognition with my trusty red gel pen. There is a whole chapter on anxiety and self-esteem that I hope isn’t included in the latest edition. According to current scholarly articles that I researched, self esteem is not in any way related to anxiety disorders. And why would it be? I wanted to black out the entire chapter. That and the bit on being less submissive and more assertive – both of which are personality traits that have little to nothing to do with anxiety. I’m assertive bordering on aggressive, so again, this wasn’t applicable.
Bourne also claims that people with anxiety are struggling to find their purpose in life. Oh please. I’ve been dealing with anxiety since I was a child and was prescribed a low dose of amitryptline at age 10 by a pediatric rheumatologist who recognized that I was struggling and needed pharmaceutical help. Would Bourne dare say that I, as a young child, was “stuck” in my life without purpose? I’d hope not. It’s a rather arrogant assumption and only serves to put blame on the sufferer.
However, there were exercises and worksheets that I found helpful and for that, I’m grateful I had the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed the Visualization exercises, but was underwhelmed with the options: Beach or Forest. I made a fun reel about my experience which you can find on my Instagram by searching for @ AprilTheWordWitch
The truth is, I read this out of desperation. I’m having a two hour long MRI with and without contrast and I’m sooo claustrophobic. I’ve had multiple CT scans and TVUS with doppler since last summer due to serious health issues, and the MRIs are the final imaging tests before surgery. Through visualization, a technique listed to reduce anxiety, I’m imagining the end of testing – the conveyor belt rolling me out, and the sense of relief and self-pride I will feel for successfully getting through it! And since I have to fast all day, maybe some UberEats for dinner as a reward!
I wouldn’t recommend this edition as it is, only because the misinformation is rampant and there’s an emphasis on “abnormal” versus neurodiverse or atypical brain. I find this type of language stigmatizing and unhelpful. There is also little to no mention of PTSD, with Bourne focusing mostly on panic attacks, panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. However, I believe the latest edition (7) delves into the complexities of PTSD further than “shell shock”.
Don’t fight panic. Float with the wave of a panic attack.”
Edmund J Bourne
Wave? Try Tsunami.
All in all, this Workbook in it’s most current edition may be worthy of a read if you struggle with anxiety and are looking for exercises and tips to aid in your anxiety reduction, especially in an acute anxiety situation.
I did some research on the author, and Bourne offers telehealth counseling services and is accepting new “clients”.
Clients?
I’m guessing he doesn’t accept insurance and it’s a self-pay kinda situation. But, clients? It irks me that he refers to the people he counsels as clients instead of patients. And that pretty much sums it all up for me… As I said earlier, if he was an M.D. then he’d recognize anxiety as a mental health condition and not a behavioral problem that can be overcome with exposure, desensitization, and becoming a vegetarian (yes, this was a suggestion).
Thank you for reading my review of The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, edition 4! Let’s connect on Instagram if we aren’t already! Find me @ AprilTheWordWitch 📚
About the Author:
Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., has specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorders and related problems for three decades. For many years, Bourne was director of the Anxiety Treatment Center in San Jose and Santa Rosa, CA. His bestselling anxiety books, which have helped over a million readers throughout the world, include The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Beyond Anxiety and Phobia, and Coping with Anxiety. The new 7th Edition of The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook was released May 1, 2020. Further information about Dr. Bourne’s work can be found at Helpforanxiety.com, including an essay “Anxiety in the Era Of Coronavirus” posted May 1, 2020.Read full bio
All my life, I’d made it a point to respect the boundaries of others. But now I could see how easy it was to move that line. And once you’d pushed a boundary, how easy it was to push it a little further. And a little further after that. How simple it was to ignore the word no, especially when it was never actually said.”
A fateful decision from the past haunts a wealthy Californian. Desperate to make things right, she risks everything in this tense short story from New York Times bestselling author Julie Clark.
Hillary Jean leads an enviable life. She has a loving husband, a beautiful home, caring friends, and meaningful work planning fundraisers. Yet she’s always felt incomplete.
After a DNA website emails her a match, Hillary sets out to find the daughter she gave up twenty-five years ago. But her hunger to reconnect threatens to destroy the very thing she hopes to gain.
The Heart of a Mother is part of Obsession, a collection of compulsively readable short stories about people pushed to their extremes. So addictive you won’t be able to put them down—read or listen to each story in a single sitting.
There’s an emotional toll to carrying a baby, giving birth to them, and then giving them away. It eats away at you. The idea of your child out there, not knowing you . . . it’s soul crushing.”
♡ The Heart of a Mother
Rating:
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Review:
The Heart of a Mother, a thriller short by Julie Clark, has been my favorite so far of the Amazon Original Stories, Obsession Collection. It’s a slice of life story about a woman who has it all, yet doesn’t feel whole, because of choices she was forced to make as a teenager, twenty-five years ago.
The emotions are raw and well-written. Hillary, the FMC, is an extremely sympathetic character, as well as relatable, likeable (fundraising for Planned Parenthood, contributing to a cause she wishes had been available when she was a teen) and overall a good person a reader wants to see have their happily-ever-after. But, a series of mistakes, broken boundaries, and misguided efforts threaten any chance of a HEA, after a DNA match has Hillary thinking with her heart instead of her brain.
Without revealing too much, this story teaches an important lesson in addition to entertaining the reader. The impact of the surprise was like a misguided metal children’s swing to the face; what an absolute shock. I’d recommend this twisty thriller-short to fans of books that are:
Thriller, Suspense, Mystery > Sub-Trope Shorts, Short Stories, Novellas
Emotional Reads > Sub-Trope Teen Pregnancy, Forced Adoption
About the Author:
Julie Clark is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ones We Choose and The Last Flight, which was also a #1 international bestseller and has been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives in Los Angeles with her family and a golden doodle with poor impulse control.
It seemed to Michael that he was caught in a circle of obsession; Rupert was obsessed with him, and he was obsessed with the mosquito.
The Mosquito, by B.A. Paris
Genre:
Psychological Thriller
Thriller
Mystery
Suspense
Tropes/Themes:
Mosquito Miscreants
France 🇫🇷 Vacation / Holiday
Condescending Compassion
Nice Guy Paradox
Smug Snake
Divorce
Widower
The Mosquito, Obsession Collection 2, by B.A. Paris
Blurb:
After his marriage fails, he hopes a vacation in France will relax and restore him. But fate has something more poisonous in store in this biting tale from bestselling author B. A. Paris.
Michael wanted to back out of this trip to the South of France after his wife left him, but his sister and their friends wouldn’t hear of it. His fellow houseguest Rupert isn’t in the mood, either, having recently been widowed. But rather than bonding, Michael is unsettled by Rupert’s constant needling. That and the bug bites are enough to suck the life right out of an idyllic holiday.
The Mosquito is part of Obsession, a collection of compulsively readable short stories about people pushed to their extremes. So addictive you won’t be able to put them down—read or listen to each story in a single sitting.
Who wouldn’t want to spend two weeks in a beautiful converted farmhouse in the South of France, even if their wife had recently walked out on them?”
The Mosquito
The Mosquito, by Author B.A. Paris, is a great addition to the Obsession Collection, an agreeably addictive series of thriller/mystery shorts.
Michael, our protagonist who suffers from “the nice guy syndrome/paradox” is recently divorced and reluctant to take a Holiday (vacation) to France, only acquiescing when his sister convinces him to join them. Furthering his decision, another single-recent-widower-houseguest, Rupert, will be there, so it wouldn’t be only “couples”.
Unfortunately, Michael is unsettled by Rupert and his continuous criticisms, and a mosquito is absolutely terrorizing him, whining in his ear at night and repeatedly biting him. By day, Rupert watches Michael’s every move, helicoptering over him, and uttering barbed insults that sting worse than the mosquito.
The tension builds until the most epic of conclusions. The ending alone made this a five star read for me, and I’m interested in reading more works by this talented author! I recommend this read to fans of novellas and short stories, thriller, mystery and suspense fans, and anyone with a Prime membership. It’s free to borrow as of this posting!
Thanks for reading my review! Please find me on IG @ AprilTheWordWitch and let’s connect over our love of books and reading!
About the Author:
B.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of seven novels including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors, and her latest thriller, The Guest.
Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Three of her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with films of Behind Closed Doors, The Breakdown and The Therapist in development.
Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris, who spent most of her adult life living in France, worked in finance as a trader before retraining as an English teacher. She and her husband then ran a language school together whilst bringing up their five daughters.
Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England. Follow B.A. on Twitter and Instagram at @ baparisauthor. You can also find her on Facebook, Goodreads, and BookBub. Sign up to her newsletter for teasers, giveaways and updates.
Many a day I saw Marie Laveau come to Congo Square. She would walk straight in and not speak to anybody. She came with her black serpent, which she carried in a box. She would put the serpent by the fountain, dance around it for a while, then pick it up, put it back in the box and leave without saying a word to anyone.”
Breaux, 1939; The Marie Laveau Grimoire
Marie Laveau’s Voodou is a folk religion resulting from her intentional blending of Catholicism and Voudou.”
The Marie Laveau Voodoo Grimoire
Blurb:
The first guide and spell book for modern witches on how to bring the renowned Marie Laveau’s spiritual heritage to life. The Marie Laveau Voudoo Grimoire is a practical guide to New Orleans-style magic inspired by the life and traditions of Marie Laveau—the eternal and enduring Queen of New Orleans Voodoo.
This is a working grimoire, or spell book, created for the modern witch and Conjure worker that provides formulas and recipes for solving the problems of daily living and enhancing quality of life using the Laveau Voodoo tradition.
More than just a collection of spells, The Marie Laveau Voodoo Grimoire contains tips and recommendations for improving one’s spell-crafting skills and living a magical, spiritual life. The author draws upon her own Creole heritage to bring this unique and regional style of magic to the greater public in a clear and accessible way. Formulas Alvarado teaches readers everything from stone, root, and bone magick to ritual oils and spells for healing, protection, love, beauty, banishing, and much more.
240 pages, Paperback
Published: Weiser Books, February 5, 2024
📸 aprilthewordwitch
Genre:
Grimoire
Non-Fiction
Legendary & Historical Figures
Spirituality & Religion
Occult
Creole Magic
Folk Magic
Indigenous and Folk Practices
Tribal
Themes:
Grimoire/ Spell Book
Voodou Queen Marie Laveau
Resiliencey and Strength
New Orleans Voodou 🐍
Holistic Healing
Manifestation
Creole Curses and Remedies
Free Woman of Color (1800’s)
Catholicism & Voudou
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Book Review:
The Marie Laveau Voodoo Grimoire, by Denise Alvarado, (an impressively knowledgeable author who was born and raised in the rich Creole culture of NOLA and has several works on Marie Laveau), is so much more than a Grimoire written in the style of Laveau Voudoo; it’s also a comprehensive tribute to Laveau’s legacy as a free woman of color, born in 1801, who charmed the inhabitants of New Orleans, Louisiana, with her magical essence and charisma. I loved the combination of historical facts with Laveau’s healing arts, beauty potions, Voudou charms, uncrossing and protection, and tips to aide in one’s spiritual well-being. I especially enjoyed the chapters on the importance of cleanliness and how clutter leads to stagnation; kitchen witchery; and keeping a harmonious home.
From this read, I feel like I have a much better understanding of the infamous and extremely misunderstood Voudou Queen of New Orleans. I was shocked and fascinated to learn she was a devout Catholic whose cultural-based Voudou is her own creation — a blending between the two practices. She prayed on rosaries, recited Psalms, but also held secretive ceremonies over cauldrons that may or may not have included animal sacrifice (not currently practiced in contemporary society) made healing and harming charms, like Gris Gris, and hosted seances to attract spirits and make contact with the dead.
She was a business-woman and boss-witch in her own right. Not only did she heal the sick with her abundant knowledge of herbs and ointments for a fee, she also catered to rich white women, as a Beautician/Hairdresser. As the women gossiped openly and freely with Laveau present, she saw another business opportunity: charging for their silence. Interesting tales about Laveau kept me turning the page; I had to know more about this legendary woman.
📸 AprilTheWordWitch
I admired her and her people’s strength and resilience in face of being women of color, forced to cover their African hair under Spanish rule. Women like Laveau turned their hair wraps into fashion statements, and now, some women still wear hair wraps, in honor and tribute to their ancestors. I just loved how they collaboratively did this, flaunting it, even. Good for them. 👏
Alvarado beautifully wrote a comprehensive book on NOLA Voudou rituals, recipes, spells, and the life and legacy of Marie Catherine Laveau, Voudou Queen, in a clear and easy to understand Grimoire, rich with Folk Magick and Creole / Nola culture. Highly recommended to fans of historical figures, Voodoo/Hoodoo/Laveau Voudou, Marie Laveau, and self-help books for improving one’s spiritual and magikal life.
Independent scholar, ritual artist and prolific author of Southern folk magic, spiritual traditions and culture. I create art and describe my life experiences as a Creole woman growing up in the Hoodoo capitol of the World, New Orleans, Louisiana. That said, my life experiences are by no means limited to New Orleans as I have been all over the world and currently call Arizona my home. Please visit my website: CreoleMoon.com
My rescue cat, Sapphire, was formerly known as Laveau by her previous owners. I always wondered why they chose Laveau, but after learning that the Voudou Queen of Nola was a beautiful woman and expert Beautician, it just made sense.
Speaking of cats… We are not even gonna get into the black cat bone thing. *shudders*
The little girl stirred and opened her eyes. A light from the landing played a shadow across her toy cupboard. It was then she realised… There was someone else in the room.
Michelle Harper’s world is shattered when six-year-old Lola Jade is stolen from the safety of her own bedroom. She says her ex-husband has taken their daughter. Lola’s father denies it was him.
Family, friends and neighbours all say they didn’t see a thing. But someone must know where the little girl is. Who is lying? And who is telling the truth?
Detective Rachel Prince knows the longer a child is missing, the less likely they are to be found alive.
“Lola Jade Harper was still the UK’s most high- profile missing child. A six- year- old girl who had been taken from her bedroom in a Home Counties suburb one spring night and no one had seen her since. A child at the centre of a bitter custody battle, whose father had continued to protest his innocence of any involvement. The tabloids had feasted on every detail for the first few months, but now it seemed that public interest was starting to wane.”
Book Review ⭐⭐⭐
Lola is Missing, by Alison James, is the first book in the Detective Rachel Prince book series, which also includes Now She’s Gone and Perfect Girls. This story follows Detective Inspector Rachel Prince and her search for Lola, a missing, kidnapped young girl.
“Inevitably, as weeks had turned into months, Lola was demoted from front- page headlines to the inside pages as the fickle public started to move on.”
I enjoy both police-procedural books and amateur-woman-sleuth books, and Lola is Missing, a crime thriller featuring a woman DI (Detective Inspector), caught my attention. All the hype surrounding this book was promising and I generally enjoy British English / UK 🇬🇧 books because I find the slight difference to American English charming!
However, there were aspects to this book that took me FAR out of the story-world and had me furiously typing Kindle notes. 📒
For instance, DI Rachel Prince has a knee injury, yet this detail is forgotten when she’s chasing bad guys while wearing Stillettos, working out at the gym, or standing on tiptoes.
Why isn’t she in sensible footwear, first of all, and secondly, walking with a knee injury is difficult enough, nevermind while wearing heels, and remember, she’s RUNNING and always on the move. The knee injury is mentioned throughout, peppered into conversations with her partner, etc. I didn’t understand why she didnt have the physical limitations one would expect with a knee injury. That should have been “shown” instead of told. Yes, there were some mentions of wincing while pulling heels onto her feet and she was limping in some scenes, but these actions were few and far between. It wasn’t realistic and it didn’t play into the storyline at all. If not for that and a few other confusing things, (like “Hispanic shrug” –what does that even mean?), I think I could’ve really enjoyed the story, otherwise.
“Her dysfunctional yet eventful love life was an endless source of entertainment to her detective sergeant, but she knew better than to rise to the bait.”
I liked the sibling-like-dynamic between Rachel and her male partner, Detective Sergeant Brickall. Instead of a romantic element between them, their relationship reminded me of that between brother and sister, with playful insults and hilarious banter. That was refreshing. I’m glad their partnership wasn’t compromised by romance. This made the book unique.
Unfortunately, the current top review on Amazon spoiled the mystery/ending in a short, few sentences which may have dimmed my opinion as far as enjoyability. I already knew where Lola was. Mystery solved.
I checked out the author’s other works and they look great; I think it’s very possible I would enjoy those reads more than this one, and for sure will resist the urge to scroll too far down to reviews, where readers are out of control/spilling secrets- lol… that definitely didn’t help!
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3/5
“You may give them your love, but not your thoughts For they have their own thoughts You may house their bodies, but not their souls For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow KHALIL GIBRAN, ‘ON CHILDREN’”
A hands-on guide for witches, pagans, and others who are drawn to the magic of water for healing and protection.
The Way of the Water Priestess is a practical guide to the magical power of water and its resident spirits and how to use that magic for both self-empowerment and in the service of protector of water in all its forms. Written by the founder of Triskele Rose Witchcraft, the book offers a guide to revive the ways of the water priestess—to make water sacred again. This is not a new practice; women have tended the sacred waters since antiquity.
Readers of The Way of the Water Priestess will learn all the aspects of water magic:
Historical and archeological information about rites and rituals, and women’s role in relationship to water
The lore of water goddesses from various cultures around the world
How to form an intimate connection with water in all its forms
Moon rituals, sacred bathing, and oracular and ritual arts
“Water, cleanse, and ground me today; wash all this bane away.”
Annwyn Avalon, The Way of The Water Priestess
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
💦 My Thoughts 🐚
Five Seashells 🐚 🐚 🐚 🐚 🐚 (sold from the Seashore by Sally!)
The Way of The Water Priestess, by Author, Water Priestess, and the Founder of Triskele Rose, an Avalonian Witchcraft Tradition, is an immersive reference guide to introductory Water Magic, and Avalon’s path to developing a sacred relationship with Water in all its forms.
I enjoyed Avalon’s writing style and appreciated her conversational tone. It was easy to envision Priestess Annwyn Avalon beside me, discussing water witchcraft over coffee ( or gem elixirs! ) 💎🍸
There’s a lot of great information that I waded my MER-ry way through, including the lore of water goddesses, historical rites and rituals of various cultures, how to set up a water shrine (what fun!):
I am a fiction writer and admittedly, I grabbed this book and a few others with similar subjects for my research. Avalon mentions that she hopes the reader is inspired by her words, and to quickly respond to that:
You have. Thank you. You’ve given me the gift of inspiration and exactly what I was looking for to finish up my book series. My protagonist needed a good mission and you’ve given me just that – so, many thank yous! I’d mention what that was but for obvious reasons, need to keep that secret hidden in dark, murky water for now!
All we need is love and intent.
Annwyn Avalon: The Way of The Water Priestess
Overall, an inspiring and informative read for anyone interested in sacred water magic, told in a non-stuffy, conversational way that feels very one-on-one. There is a lot to love about this read, from the stunning cover (details below) the inspiring words within, (including metaphors with water), and also, the darling seashell illustrations beneath chapter headings!
I’m looking forward to reading further works by this author, and I already have another book lined up on my shelf!
’Twas the night before Christmas Eve and something spooky prowled through the forest…
Strange, scary rumors are flying about the tiny, snowy town below the mountains. Some say a tiger sprang loose from a circus train and roams the snowy meadows. Some say it stalks in the wintry forests. Some say it’s a monster.
But feisty Maisie Crompton knows that can’t be true. Such things never happen in their sleepy alpine village. Or do they?
For soon, Maisie finds herself crossing the path of a spine-chilling legend. The Yule Cat; a fearsome mythical beast collecting snacks for his winter feast. And should Maisie fail in the cat-and-mouse hunt that follows, she might well become the next morsel on his menu…’
“I don’t understand. I mean, there’s no such things as giant cats, or-“Trolls?” Raspsnark shook his head and stabbed a finger at her. “Oh, but there’s so much more to the world than what you humans see. If only you knew!”
What an enchanting tale!
I love fairytales and mythology/folklore, and The Yule Cat is an excellent retelling of ”Christmas is Coming” (from 1932 and written by an Icelandic poet) about a blood thirsty, 12 foot tall cat that skulks the frozen country in pursuit of children who refuse to wear their new Christmas clothes. According to the folklore, kids better wear that itchy new turtleneck sweater for Christmas, otherwise, the child would be devoured BY A GIANT, POWERFUL CAT.
“Will he hurt her?”
“Oh yes. I mean, I imagine becoming someone’s supper hurts, don’t you?”
Eldritch Black had a little bit of a different take on the legend of the Yule Cat, (although, who doesn’t?). I really liked that the MC was an eleven year old girl, and the cast of characters (a troll, for instance) were a fun addition.
I enjoyed Black’s whimsical storytelling. While this novella is middle-grade-esque, it can absolutely be enjoyed by all ages.
The Yule Cat is a magical adventure-ride of a read. Definitely would recommend to fans of whimsy, fantasy, and folklore! 5 ✨
Samhain says The Yule Cat was a misunderstood black cat 😂
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