Fairy tales, fantasy retellings, children's lit, and magical realism. Reviews from a whimsical storyteller.https://onceuponablog.org/https://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 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/dona-isidora/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/dona-isidora/Ishi, a young girl who lives in a small village in Peru, grows up wanting for nothing. Her life takes a turn for the worse when she falls in love with Don Amador, a notorious philanderer.Wed, 06 Nov 2024 02:11:15 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/how-carrot-and-cookie-saved-christmas/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/how-carrot-and-cookie-saved-christmas/Did you ever think that a carrot and cookie would save Christmas? Carrot and Cookie hear Santa coughing on the roof, and they come to the rescue to help Santa and his reindeer.Mon, 04 Nov 2024 16:12:00 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-one-week-writing-workshop-7-days-to-spark-boost-or-revive-your-novel-by-karin-adams/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/the-one-week-writing-workshop-7-days-to-spark-boost-or-revive-your-novel-by-karin-adams/About the book: You've always wanted to write a novel and have been nurturing a great idea. Perhaps you’ve made a pile of notes—even written several chapters. But as you sit down alone with the blank page or your next scene, nothing happens. Or if the writing does start to flow, it soon dries up. [.Thu, 31 Oct 2024 10:13:19 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/an-adventurous-spirit/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/an-adventurous-spirit/I know every serious reader is awash with excitement when they accidentally discover a treasure trove of excellent writing. Travel writing is a broad category and this collection makes the most of it with short stories, satire, poetry, and author interviews. I find this to be the most delicious bedtTue, 29 Oct 2024 14:53:43 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/my-year-of-casual-acquaintances-the-south-bay/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/my-year-of-casual-acquaintances-the-south-bay/My Year of Casual Acquaintances offers contemporary romance lovers a fresh take on the fresh start trope, and delivers a thoroughly entertaining, highly re-readable novel. Middle-aged editor Mar Meyers has left it all behind; her unfaithful spouse, her big home in the suburbs, even her name in orderTue, 29 Oct 2024 14:17:09 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/information-desk-an-epic-penguin-poets/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/information-desk-an-epic-penguin-poets/This slim volume is most definitely an epic. Ambitious in scale and profound in depth, Schiff guides the reader on a dream-like tour through both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the hidden enclaves of her subconscious. Told in what almost comes across as a long rambling journal entry interrupted Fri, 25 Oct 2024 10:16:18 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/bite-by-bite-nourishments-and-jamborees/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/bite-by-bite-nourishments-and-jamborees/Aimee Nezhukumatathil's latest book Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees is a personal and poetic exploration of food and joy and the intersections we all have with our own history and the meals we've shared. For fans of the writer's poetry, this is a lovely introduction into her prose. NezhukumThu, 24 Oct 2024 22:36:08 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/how-america-works-and-why-it-doesnt-by-william-cooper/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/how-america-works-and-why-it-doesnt-by-william-cooper/Book Summary: Americans in the twenty-first century are becoming increasingly untethered from both reality and the essential principles and traditions that have shaped the nation’s historic success. A big part of why America isn’t working is because far too many Americans neither know nor care how iThu, 18 Jul 2024 12:21:40 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/part-8-interview-with-ellenmorris-tiegerman-author-of-past-lives-denied/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/part-8-interview-with-ellenmorris-tiegerman-author-of-past-lives-denied/Professor Caitlyn Morrys, a passionate and vocal educator at a small college, finds herself at the heart of a fierce debate over academic freedom and teacher tenure. The situation takes a deadly turn when the college President, who is Caitlyn’s primary adversary, is discovered stabbed to death in hiWed, 19 Jun 2024 09:12:25 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/part-15-interview-with-rick-moskovitz-author-of-the-pinocchio-chip/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/part-15-interview-with-rick-moskovitz-author-of-the-pinocchio-chip/The Pinocchio Chip is a first-person account of an AI’s quest for the Holy Grail of consciousness: human emotions. It delves deep into the essence of what it means to be alive, challenging the boundaries between AI and human identity. Photina, an advanced AI becomes entwined in a groundbreaking expeFri, 14 Jun 2024 16:00:07 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/born-in-space-unlocking-destiny-by-jeremy-clift/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/born-in-space-unlocking-destiny-by-jeremy-clift/About the Book: Seven infants, conceived artificially aboard a rotating space habitat as an experiment to populate the solar system. A fugitive mother anointed as an alien Priestess, determined to reunite with her children. A greedy mining boss set on conquering the planets and the loner who stands Thu, 30 May 2024 13:17:48 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/tree-pose-by-susan-rogers-john-roosen/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/tree-pose-by-susan-rogers-john-roosen/About the Book: Escape to Tasmania they said … But what was supposed to be a dream for Ric Peters and Elaina Williams has turned into a nightmare. The Devil’s Island is living up to its name, serving up the ghosts of its dark past, while Ric is haunted by his own demons. The truth [...]Tue, 28 May 2024 14:41:01 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/little-ships-a-novel-by-sandra-j-scofield/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/little-ships-a-novel-by-sandra-j-scofield/About the Book: After adolescent sisters Juni and Tilde Becker wake up one morning to find their mother dead, their grandmothers appear the very next day to scoop up the girls and their inconsolable father, Nick, and take them home to small-town Oregon. The women are full of loving resolve, but goodThu, 23 May 2024 18:07:33 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/introducing-the-haircut-who-would-be-king-by-robert-trebor-interview-part-1/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/introducing-the-haircut-who-would-be-king-by-robert-trebor-interview-part-1/This is a satirical portrayal of Donald Trump's ascent to power and his unconventional alliance with Vladimir Putin. Trump, depicted as egotistical and emotionally stunted since childhood, transitions from real estate to reality TV before entering politics. He recruits shock jock Alex Clamz for his Wed, 22 May 2024 07:03:30 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/part-3-interview-with-authors-of-fenix-and-the-firework-fliers-a-dance-it-out-creative-movement-story/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/part-3-interview-with-authors-of-fenix-and-the-firework-fliers-a-dance-it-out-creative-movement-story/Introducing “Fenix and the Firework Fliers” by Once Upon a Dance, Christine Herbert and Scott Partridge Embark on a thrilling adventure with Fenix, a brave firefly, determined to aid Bolt, a grounded Firework Flier. Together, they journey to the towering heights of the Silver Birch Forest for the SoFri, 17 May 2024 20:20:20 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/eden-by-jamie-lisa-forbes/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/eden-by-jamie-lisa-forbes/About the Book: Rowen Hart has been raised as the pampered son and only child of a prominent family in the small community of White Rock, North Carolina. It's the 1950s and he's drifting through the days, following the life path his parents have planned for him and preparing to go away to college. WWed, 01 May 2024 18:14:33 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/lonely-riders-by-michael-d-dennis/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/lonely-riders-by-michael-d-dennis/About the Book: “Lonely Riders” is a gripping novel by Michael D. Dennis set in Los Angeles, following the tumultuous life of Kyle Whalen. Kyle, a hustler and part-time cook, finds love and chaos with Elise Minor, but their world unravels when tragedy strikes and Elise turns to drugs. Kyle's life taTue, 23 Apr 2024 14:44:17 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/ride-the-snake-road-beamo-roamers-hardcore-jaunt-to-the-wasteland-by-leroy-wow/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/ride-the-snake-road-beamo-roamers-hardcore-jaunt-to-the-wasteland-by-leroy-wow/About the Book: Ride The Snake Road is a science fiction novel that tells the story of scavenge man Beamo Roamer. Beamo gets his eyes on an ancient military map that shows the location of the Lost Fort Knox gold but then gets captured by a ruthless motorcycle gang. The gang is run by Beamo's [...]Tue, 27 Feb 2024 16:29:54 GMThttps://onceuponablog.org/posts/soulscapes-by-lee-woodman/https://onceuponablog.org/posts/soulscapes-by-lee-woodman/About the Book: Soulscapes, the fifth volume in Lee Woodman's “scapes” series, is an exploration of the way we reach for godliness or soul in our lives and relations. As a seeker who admits, discovers, and ponders all gods, the poet has been influenced by aspects of many faiths-Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Thu, 01 Feb 2024 21:25:22 GMT