2.5 Short review: Star Witch by Helen Harper and Spirit Lens by Carol Berg

The Pile


So I am staring at my to-read-pile. My roomie calls hers 'the pile of shame' for it is a pile of books she intends to read but hasn't gotten around to yet. I'm not ashamed that I haven't read these books yet; reading can take significant emotional investment.

Some of my to-read pile is 'heavy' Some of it is going to require me to be focused, committed, concentrating. Like a sports event.

You can't start a book you want to read in the wrong gear. Most of the books I start and finish are shorter, full of quick pacing, light touches and an overall brevity and finishability to them. I like cozy mysteries, short romances and quick action-adventures. They are my basic book-diet. I can finish these novels in a day or two and feel refreshed, achieved and normally they leave me perky and upbeat.

I'll never understand why some people try to consume only the heaviest, deepest novels or those who find these stories 'fads or pulp.' I, for one, love my pulp.  It keeps me regular.

So today I'm going to talk about the book I just finished, and a novel I started reading 3 years ago and put down; it slipped into the dark corners of the to-read pile and only just sort of clawed its way back to the top recently.

Review: Star Witch by Helen Harper


This is the second in the Lazy Girl's Guide to Magic series. A self-published title by Helen Harper that is trending in the top 20 Paranormal and Urban Fantasy on Amazon.
I found the first book Slouch Witch while looking at what sort of novels were popular and trending in the categories I am trying to break into. What was current, I'd asked myself. Most of it was unsurprising, but something about the vibrant colours and the witty title caught my attention and I  went into check out the blurb.
The series is a cozy mystery with a sweet romance, a brilliant cast of supporting characters and if I made it to book two, you can bet it has to be good.
The novels are incredibly human, the main character, Ivy, is one of the most palatable characters I've ever read.
The third novel is high on my list to get to once pay-day gives me pocket-money for books again.
The series is light, flowing and witty. A good palette cleanser and refreshing read. I suspect there is a high re-readability to these books which is definitely something I enjoy.

To Read: The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg



This work is deep, the world is complex and nuanced and I fell in love with the brilliantly flawed characters almost instantly. There is sort of a magicaly Sherlock Holmes  feel to this novel. The world-building is extremely heavy and the magic is some of the most complex I've ever seen.

If you like period pieces, good effort on culture and terminology... a novel that definitely treats its readers like smart, intelligent folk, then this is for you! I cannot wait to finish it and give my deep thoughts on more than the smattering I have read.

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