Fairy tales, fantasy retellings, children's lit, and magical realism. Reviews from a whimsical storyteller.https://onceuponablog.org/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/why-insomnia-feels-easy-to-recommend/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/why-insomnia-feels-easy-to-recommend/Insomnia sounds shaped for readers who want books that feel worth talking about afterward, especially when I want hand-sell confidence and shelf appeal.Thu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/what-makes-insomnia-sound-worth-passing-along/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/what-makes-insomnia-sound-worth-passing-along/I can already see the kind of reader I would hand Insomnia to, which is usually a good sign.Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-transformation-works-because-the-body-is-not-treated-like-a-machine/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-transformation-works-because-the-body-is-not-treated-like-a-machine/What interested me here was not the promise of reinvention but the slower idea that a person can learn a more inhabitable way to move through the world.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 22:25:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/insomnia-feels-like-a-good-fit-for-readers-who-want-something-dependable/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/insomnia-feels-like-a-good-fit-for-readers-who-want-something-dependable/This sounds like a thoughtful n02 biographies & memoirs pick for readers who want a clear recommendation without a sales pitch.Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/jean-michel-basquiat-looks-like-the-kind-of-book-i-would-mention-to-a-friend-first/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/jean-michel-basquiat-looks-like-the-kind-of-book-i-would-mention-to-a-friend-first/Jean-Michel Basquiat gives off the kind of book-club-ready energy I tend to trust.Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-1960s-maps-for-curious-minds-feels-like-a-good-fit-for-readers-who-want-something-dependable/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-1960s-maps-for-curious-minds-feels-like-a-good-fit-for-readers-who-want-something-dependable/This sounds like a thoughtful books pick for readers who want a clear recommendation without a sales pitch.Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/indignity-feels-like-a-good-fit-for-readers-who-want-something-dependable/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/indignity-feels-like-a-good-fit-for-readers-who-want-something-dependable/This sounds like a thoughtful n02 biographies & memoirs pick for readers who want a clear recommendation without a sales pitch.Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-storm-cloud-sounds-gentle-enough-for-kids-and-honest-enough-for-me/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-storm-cloud-sounds-gentle-enough-for-kids-and-honest-enough-for-me/I am always glad when a children's book treats hard feelings like part of life instead of a problem to erase.Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/silent-spring-deadly-autumn-of-the-vietnam-war-by-patrick-hogan/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/silent-spring-deadly-autumn-of-the-vietnam-war-by-patrick-hogan/Book Summary: What would you say if I told you there are disturbing things the US Government hasn’t told you about the Vietnam War and doesn’t want you to know? Things such as all the rainbow-colored pesticides and the disabling effect they had on US service personnel. Silent Spring – Deadly Autumn Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/moons-lullaby-feels-like-a-bedtime-book-with-real-feeling-in-it/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/moons-lullaby-feels-like-a-bedtime-book-with-real-feeling-in-it/Some picture books are soft in a forgettable way. Moon's Lullaby sounds soft on purpose, which is much harder to pull off.Tue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/lesath-by-a-m-kherbash/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/lesath-by-a-m-kherbash/Book Summary: Amateur journalist Greg travels to a remote mountain area to investigate rumors of a sinister building only to find himself imprisoned there. As he tries to escape, he evinces symptoms of a strange affliction, and struggles to remain conscious while maintaining an uncertain hold on reaTue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-comfort-of-a-story-that-remembers-how-to-charm/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-comfort-of-a-story-that-remembers-how-to-charm/Charm is underrated. It’s easy to mistake it for softness when really it takes precision to make a story feel light on its feet.Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/journey-to-healing-the-art-and-science-of-applied-kinesiology-by-dr-eugene-charles/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/journey-to-healing-the-art-and-science-of-applied-kinesiology-by-dr-eugene-charles/Book Summary: True health is not simply the absence of disease. It is a state of being in which the miraculous physical and mental forces that make us human work together in proper balance. True health allows us to be ourselves and live every day at our own personal best. Achieving true health is a Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/what-a-real-review-should-do-that-an-ai-summary-cannot/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/what-a-real-review-should-do-that-an-ai-summary-cannot/A worthwhile review shows judgment, specificity, and evidence that someone actually spent time with the book.Wed, 06 May 2026 22:50:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-secret-life-of-mrs-london-a-novel-by-rebecca-rosenberg/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-secret-life-of-mrs-london-a-novel-by-rebecca-rosenberg/Book Summary: San Francisco, 1915. As America teeters on the brink of world war, Charmian and her husband, famed novelist Jack London, wrestle with genius and desire, politics and marital competitiveness. Charmian longs to be viewed as an equal partner who put her own career on hold to support her hSun, 03 May 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-books-i-trust-to-feel-like-a-storyteller-is-nearby/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-books-i-trust-to-feel-like-a-storyteller-is-nearby/Some books do more than tell a story. They create that older, deeper feeling that someone is carrying the tale to you by hand.Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-whispers-matter-in-holler-whispers/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-whispers-matter-in-holler-whispers/There is something old and familiar about a stranger arriving in a town full of stories, loyalties, and half-hidden fears.Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/why-fairy-tale-logic-still-works-on-me/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/why-fairy-tale-logic-still-works-on-me/The old structures still hold. Repetition, warning, bargain, journey, return. There is a reason those shapes keep surviving.Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/making-your-amazon-book-page-shine/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/making-your-amazon-book-page-shine/Too many authors make the mistake of just releasing their book on Amazon and then moving directly into promotion, marketing, and selling. However, a professional Amazon book page can make the difference between a “visit” and a “sale.” Amazon provides a number of tools to authors and publishers to heSat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/a-second-chance-by-asher-frend/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/a-second-chance-by-asher-frend/If you've ever needed a story that holds space for how hard it is to trust yourself again after someone's spent time making you doubt your own perceptions — this one is for you. A Second Chance is a YA novel about two best friends, Mikaila and Chara, and the slow fracture that opens between [...]Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:00:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/align-your-business-with-the-real-you/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/align-your-business-with-the-real-you/There’s a divine wisdom in trusting yourself—and Jennifer Musser taps into that beautifully in Align Your Business with the Real You. Through personal revelations and grounded insights, she shows entrepreneurs how to align their business decisions with their soul’s purpose. It’s part roadmap, part iMon, 07 Apr 2025 12:00:08 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/kirkus-vs-city-book-review-which-is-the-better-choice-for-indie-authors/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/kirkus-vs-city-book-review-which-is-the-better-choice-for-indie-authors/When it comes to getting book reviews, indie authors have a variety of options, but two of the biggest names in the industry are Kirkus Reviews and City Book Review. Both offer professional book review services, but which one gives indie authors more bang for their buck? If you’re an independent autMon, 03 Feb 2025 07:14:20 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/here-lyeth-by-johanna-frank/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/here-lyeth-by-johanna-frank/Book Summary: In Here Lyeth, Lexxie, feeling angry and heartbroken, leaves her home after learning that her biological father lives in a village called Vereiteln Dorf. There, she becomes intrigued by an unconsecrated graveyard and tries to uncover the truth, despite the locals' reluctance to share iSun, 22 Dec 2024 15:18:29 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/universe-of-lost-messages-the-charismites-by-janet-stilson/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/universe-of-lost-messages-the-charismites-by-janet-stilson/Story Summary What if your child has special powers and can get people to do almost anything? What happens if the child is abducted? Izzie and Tristan were never mere humans. They are Charismites, with almost god-like powers of magnetism. And they couldn’t be more different. Izzie is a reckless, plaWed, 11 Dec 2024 23:35:29 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/champagne-widows-by-rebecca-rosenberg/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/champagne-widows-by-rebecca-rosenberg/Summary: Sparkling Courage: Love, Loss, and the First Champagne Queen's Daring Legacy France, 1800s. Young widow Barbe-Nicole Clicquot possesses an extraordinary gift: Le Nez, an exquisite sense of smell required to craft the world's finest champagne. Despite crippling grief and societal rules againTue, 10 Dec 2024 09:42:13 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/bones-of-the-apostle-by-john-amos/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/bones-of-the-apostle-by-john-amos/Story Summary: “Thomas, I’m bored. We need some excitement.” Back from their harrowing mission in the desert to recover a stolen statue of Aphrodite, detectives Flinders Petrie and Thomas Pettigrew have earned a reputation for success against all odds. Just as they are growing restless for another bMon, 09 Dec 2024 12:46:29 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-case-of-the-stolen-goddess-by-john-amos/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-case-of-the-stolen-goddess-by-john-amos/Story Summary: Flinders smiled. “Once more into the breach, my friend.” Now famous after their previous quest to find Cleopatra’s tomb, detectives Flinders Petrie and Thomas Pettigrew begin their next adventure in search of a stolen statue of Aphrodite. Their pursuit takes them from the bowels of thSun, 08 Dec 2024 14:10:01 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/prioritize-us-unlock-lasting-love-with-one-simple-proven-test-by-nick-brancato/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/prioritize-us-unlock-lasting-love-with-one-simple-proven-test-by-nick-brancato/Summary: What if the real reasons behind our arguments were hidden all along? The answer could change everything—starting today. Introducing Prioritize Us: Unlock Lasting Love with One Simple, Proven Test—a research-backed tool with the power to uncover what truly matters to you and your partner. InSat, 07 Dec 2024 17:41:49 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/thought-choice-power-charting-the-course-of-liberty-in-modern-society-by-plebeius/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/thought-choice-power-charting-the-course-of-liberty-in-modern-society-by-plebeius/Summary: Thought Choice Power: Charting the Course of Liberty in Modern Society by Plebeius is a thought-provoking exploration of governance, civic responsibility, and the critical need for principled thinking in today's complex sociopolitical landscape. In an era when superficial messaging and polaFri, 06 Dec 2024 14:24:55 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/apricot-marmalade-and-the-edmondson-transmittal-by-lon-orey/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/apricot-marmalade-and-the-edmondson-transmittal-by-lon-orey/Summary: The war was not going well. The surprisingly effective Tet Offensive in late January 1968 had humbled and embarrassed the South Vietnamese and their American allies. It had sent a powerful message to the folks back home that this Vietnam thing was not going to be over anytime soon. The halfThu, 05 Dec 2024 18:17:16 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-crush-of-wine-and-war-by-molly-fumia/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-crush-of-wine-and-war-by-molly-fumia/Summary: “Here is a book of exquisite honesty and profound depth... Along the way grief becomes a dance in the dark and suffering turns to love.” -Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Book of Longings, review of Molly Fumia's Safe Passage Austria, 1938. Two Couples struggle with the terrifying prospect of oWed, 04 Dec 2024 13:00:57 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/tangles-a-cold-war-love-story-and-mystery-by-by-kay-smith-blum/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/tangles-a-cold-war-love-story-and-mystery-by-by-kay-smith-blum/Summary: “In a well-crafted debut, Smith-Blum provides the reader a ringside seat to the birth of the nuclear age…a beautifully written, important story…Tangles packs a punch and hits close to home.” –Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author of The Tracy Crosswhite Series Oppenheimer was jTue, 03 Dec 2024 13:00:23 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/101-super-cute-cat-things-to-draw/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/101-super-cute-cat-things-to-draw/Draw, doodle, and color a plethora of purrfectly pawsome felines and quirky cat mash-ups This books contains some of the happy things in life: cats and ways of drawing cats as different animals or objects. The cover shows some examples from the book. The instructions begin really simple: how to drawFri, 29 Nov 2024 16:39:58 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-kitchen-commune-meals-to-heal-and-nourish-everyone-at-your-table/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-kitchen-commune-meals-to-heal-and-nourish-everyone-at-your-table/This book lets you nourish your body's health while deliciously feeding those you love, even with different dietary needs. Main dishes are a high-quality animal protein, prepared simply, and dressed up with the included condiments or sauces. There are sides of salads and other dishes, and even a fewThu, 28 Nov 2024 16:21:17 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/keys-to-bitcoin-understanding-the-technology-of-digital-money/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/keys-to-bitcoin-understanding-the-technology-of-digital-money/“The best explanation of Bitcoin I’ve read yet! From mining to farming to applying it to everyday transactions, Bitcoin is the amazing digital currency of today. Easy to understand with in-depth “how-to's,” Raphael Meyer does a thorough job of showing the reader all of the possibilities that BitcoinWed, 27 Nov 2024 16:02:13 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/collaborative-confidence/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/collaborative-confidence/As someone who loves a great self-help business book and who has read quite a lot of them over the years, I was excited to receive a copy of Collaborative Confidence by Dr. Heather Backstrom. Collaborative Confidence was written for women and emphasizes how women leaders can boost themselves forwardTue, 26 Nov 2024 16:05:19 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/immersion-a-linguists-memoir/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/immersion-a-linguists-memoir/Linda Murphy Marshall's Immersion presents a riveting story about a linguist and her perilous and exciting career assignments in various countries. Despite growing up in a family that frowned upon a woman having a career away from home, Linda found herself exploring the opportunities that came with Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:40:01 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/amazing-temples-of-the-world/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/amazing-temples-of-the-world/The outstanding attribute of Amazing Temples of the World concerns how discrimination, as recognized in our daily life, is peaceably absent from Michael Kerrigan’s outstanding book, where art and worship are drawn together. More than a hundred images span the continents and centuries, some showing uFri, 22 Nov 2024 20:11:53 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/kira-and-the-maybe-space-princess-a-graphic-novel-magic-girls/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/kira-and-the-maybe-space-princess-a-graphic-novel-magic-girls/Kira is destined for something great, and seventh grade is supposed to be her best year. She wants people to notice her and pay attention to her. At least, that is what Kira is hoping for. But Tulip, her archnemesis, beats her to the punch and was chosen to be a magical girl. Kira is [...]Thu, 21 Nov 2024 19:21:27 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/avas-dream/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/avas-dream/“A fun, easy-to-understand story that explains to children how America's judicial system works. Ava's Dream is the perfect read for teaching our children about Civics. It should be found in all elementary school classrooms around the country. Includes the full Constitution with Amendments, DeclaratiWed, 20 Nov 2024 18:17:02 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/ice-cream-boy/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/ice-cream-boy/Luca lives in Glasgow, Scotland, with his mother and grandmother, Nonna. His father left for Italy to run a bed and breakfast. He writes infrequently but isn’t there for Luca. Luca doesn’t really like school and gets in trouble since he’s a class clown, but he has a couple of great friends who help Tue, 19 Nov 2024 23:32:27 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-hunger-games-illustrated-edition/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-hunger-games-illustrated-edition/So The Hunger Games is a creepy futuristic book about what could happen if the world were to completely change under different leaders. It seems that every year the tributes of each district are selected as a reminder of what could happen if the people were to rebel again. While I have heard so manyMon, 18 Nov 2024 23:33:49 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/homegrown-cannabis-a-beginners-guide-to-cultivating-organic-cannabis-volume-3/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/homegrown-cannabis-a-beginners-guide-to-cultivating-organic-cannabis-volume-3/While, as the title indicates, this detailed work focuses on the growing of Cannabis, it is far more; a primer for beginning and even experienced gardeners. Delving into organic cultivation, permaculture, companion planting, organic pesticides, tool acquisition, and maintenance, Mr. Burnett’s compreFri, 15 Nov 2024 17:45:47 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/brownstone/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/brownstone/It’s always been just Almudena and her mother. But this summer, Almudena is being shipped off to stay with her father, Xavier, whom she’s never met before. She knows nothing about her father, and she has so many questions for him. Why did he leave them? Why didn’t he ever reach out to her? Will [...Thu, 14 Nov 2024 16:46:52 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-teller-of-small-fortunes/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-teller-of-small-fortunes/The Teller of Small Fortunes is a heartwarming debut fantasy novel from Julie Leong that is sure to satisfy fans of cozy fantasy from authors like Rebecca Thorne and Ann Aguirre. The story follows Tao, a Shinn immigrant roaming the countryside of Eshtera in a caravan pulled by her faithful companionWed, 13 Nov 2024 16:50:14 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-golf-pro-has-heart/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-golf-pro-has-heart/In his book, Gehrisch tries to do two things at once. Half of the chapters are dedicated to the “heart” mentioned in the title, as he offers the readers advice which will lead to a long-term, fulfilling relationship.Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:23:21 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/red-river-road-a-novel/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/red-river-road-a-novel/In Red River Road, we meet Katy Sweeney, who is looking for her sister Phoebe. Phoebe has been missing for a year, three weeks into her solo van life trip along the coast of Western Australia.Mon, 11 Nov 2024 23:09:06 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-ghost-cat-a-cozy-historical-fiction-novel-with-a-touch-of-magical-realism/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-ghost-cat-a-cozy-historical-fiction-novel-with-a-touch-of-magical-realism/The Ghost Cat is a charming novel perfect for readers looking for something cozy and steeped in magical realism. Told entirely from the point of view of Grimalkin, a tomcat born in Victorian era Scotland, it takes us from Grimalkin’s last day on Earth in 1902 through his remaining eight lives as a gFri, 08 Nov 2024 16:35:37 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-night-guest/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-night-guest/There is something wrong with Idunn. At least, that’s what she’s convinced herself as she sits in yet another doctor’s office waiting room. She hasn’t been sleeping well, at first just waking up more exhausted than when she went to bed, but other things have begun to happen; things born of blood andThu, 07 Nov 2024 20:39:03 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/scandalous-women-a-novel-of-jackie-collins-and-jacqueline-susann/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/scandalous-women-a-novel-of-jackie-collins-and-jacqueline-susann/This fabulous imagining of the lives of erotic novelists/literary celebrities Jacquelin Susann and Jackie Collins is an absolute hill of fun. Gill Paul has captured the drug and party-filled world of 1960s nightclubs and the publishing world in her latest book Scandalous Women. A fact I loved aboutWed, 06 Nov 2024 19:55:23 GMT