Derek Chauvin

Tags

Derek Chauvin, George Floyd, Verdict

Former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of ALL charges!

Guilty: 2nd degree unintentional murder.
Guilty: 3rd degree murder.
Guilty: 2nd degree manslaughter.

While this verdict won’t bring Mr. Floyd back to his loved ones, hopefully they can take comfort that justice has finally been served.

Guests Posts: Another Try

Pete is generously offering to host guest posts on his blog again, so if you have something you’d like to share, check this out.

beetleypete

The last time I offered to host guest posts on this blog, the response was rather lukewarm.

Not downhearted, I have decided to make that offer once again, whether to new bloggers, experienced bloggers, and anyone who has previously had a guest post on here. It is not time-limited, so if you want to write something specifically for the guest post, you can send it at leisure.

I will advise you of the ‘rules’ once again.

1) You must be an existing follower of my blog, or follow me on Twitter. @beetleypete
2) Feel free to promote one of your books. But NO SELLING of products please.
3) Post to be under 3,000 words, preferably less than 2,000.
4) Any images or photos to be small files only.
5) No bad language or blatant racist and sexual references. This is a family blog.
6) No religion please.

Your post will…

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The Nature of Witches, By Rachel Griffin ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Climate Change, Contemporary Fantasy, Diversity, LGBTQ, Romance, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: June 1st, 2021

362 Pages

Synopsis: For centuries, witches have maintained the climate, their power from the sun peaking in the season of their birth. But now their control is faltering as the atmosphere becomes mor erratic. All hope lies with Clara, an Everwitch whose rare magic is tied to every season.

In Autumn, Clara wants nothing to do with her power. It’s wild and volatile, and the price of her magic—losing the ones she loves—is too high, despite the increasingly dangerous weather.

In Winter, the world is on the precipice of disaster. Fires burn, storms rage, and Clara accepts that she’s the only one who can make a difference.

In Spring, she falls for Sang, the witch training her. As her magic grows, so do her feelings, until she’s terrified that Sang will be the next one she loses.

In Summer, Clara must choose between her power and her happiness, her duty, and the people she loves…before she loses Sang, her magic, and thrusts the world into chaos.

Practical Magic meets Twister in this debut contemporary fantasy standalone about heartbreaking power, the terror of our collapsing environment, and the ways we unknowingly change our fate. (Goodreads)

I liked the cover of The Nature of Witches, and the premise captured my attention as well. Unfortunately, try as I might, I found myself unable to connect with any of the characters, especially Clara. While I felt for her at times, there was just very little development with her. The romance between her and Sang was sweet, but nothing truly earth-shattering. Thankfully there were several aspects I did enjoy. I thought the magic itself very imaginative, and the setting and world building beautifully detailed. I also appreciated the creative way the author blended contemporary fantasy with climate change and social commentary. The book was also a quick read and I easily finished it in less than two days. So, for me, The Nature of Witches didn’t quite live up to my expectations, but I didn’t find it a chore to read either. And I have to point out that this is receiving a lot of 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so it could be just me. If the premise intrigues you, I recommend you give this a try.