Peasreads- Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno

Magical realism reads about four sisters that is reminiscent of Little Women. I've never had sisters, but I imagine this is what it must be like, or maybe I hope it must be like. Built in friendships, love, disagreements, mistakes, forgiveness, and a bond like no other. The Farthing sisters have always been told that they are descendants of Persephone herself. Could it be true? Each Farthing sister has a unique talent, not really magic, that is called upon. They do have a ghost that lives in their attic, who happens to be a dear friend. Henry. Henry has always been a part of their lives. No one else can see Henry, still, he has grown up with them and loved them. All is well until Henry and one of the sisters fall in love. The story is told from Winnie's point of view; she is the third-oldest sister. 

Fast-paced, this story moves along, and I kept turning the page to see what happens next. Very entertaining.  This was a quick read; it is categorized as a middle-grade read for 8-12-year-olds.  It has language (the F word), and the sisters are ages 14 to 18. I thought it was YA.  

Description

The Hazel Wood meets Laini Taylor in this gorgeous urban fantasy of sisterhood, ghosts, and old family curses.

Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told them: that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she's right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their New York City brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- A Fine and Private Place

This is my second book by Mr Beagle. The worlds that he builds and the characters he creates. There's so much depth, and beauty.
This isn't the usually type of book I read, but after I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons I looked for more books by this author.
This story is unique. Each of the characters have so many facets.
This book is amazing



Description
This classic ghost story from the author of The Last Unicorn follows Jonathan, who’s been living in a cemetery with a raven as his only friend amongst the newly dead, until he discovers a pair of ghostly lovers bearing an extraordinary gift—the final chance for his own happiness.

For nineteen years, Jonathan Rebeck has hidden from the world within the confines of a Bronx’s cemetery, making an abandoned mausoleum his secret home. He speaks with the newly dead as they pass from life to wherever spirits finally go, providing them with comfort, an understanding ear, and even the occasional game of chess.

But Mr. Rebeck’s reclusive life is disrupted. An impossible love has blossomed between two ghosts at Yorkchester Cemetery. Helped along by a cynical, talking raven and a mysterious security guard, these four souls must learn the true difference between life and death and make choices that really are forever.

Told with an elegiac wisdom and beauty, Peter S. Beagle’s first novel is, “One of literature’s most beautiful works about ghostly times and places...told with wit, charm, and a sense of individuality” (The New York Times Book Review).

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Thank you NetGalley and Saga Press for this galley all opinions are my own.  

Peasreads: The Sirens by Emilia Hart

 This book is so good.  It is a story of familial love, secrets, betrayal, and forgiveness. With a little more that makes it magical. Mermaids? Shipwrecks? Mystery?  Magical realism.? Resilience? Sisterly love and strength? Check. Check. Check. All the checks.

I liked these characters. I could relate to them in ways. I could empathize with them. Even when I thought I had the whole story figured out I couldn't find that last puzzle piece. That last piece did end up making me lose some respect for the person but in the end it tied everything together. That's the realism for you.  All in all a good entertaining read. 

From the publisher:

A story of sisters separated by hundreds of years but bound together in more ways than they can imagine

2019: Lucy awakens in her ex-lover’s room in the middle of the night with her hands around his throat. Horrified, she flees to her sister’s house on the coast of New South Wales hoping Jess can help explain the vivid dreams that preceded the attack—but her sister is missing. As Lucy waits for her return, she starts to unearth strange rumours about Jess’s town—tales of numerous missing men, spread over decades. A baby abandoned in a sea-swept cave. Whispers of women’s voices on the waves. All the while, her dreams start to feel closer than ever.

1800: Mary and Eliza are torn from their loving home in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship heading for Australia. As the boat takes them farther and farther away from all they know, they begin to notice unexplainable changes in their bodies.

A breathtaking tale of female resilience, The Sirens is an extraordinary novel that captures the sheer power of sisterhood and the indefinable magic of the sea. 

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I received this book from NetGalley and Macmillan. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”