An Aurora YA Review: A Scout is Brave by Jay Jordan Hawke

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Sequel to Pukawiss The Outcast
The Two-spirit Chronicles: Book Two

In the months following the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, fourteen-year-old Joshua, a half Native American boy, is new to a Boy Scout troop and spending a week camping in northern Wisconsin. The weaker kids in the troop soon realize Joshua is not afraid to stand up to the troop’s ruthless bullies. Joshua’s bravery and kindness is infectious, and the bullied Scouts quickly find their own inner strength.

Joshua, however, is plagued by self-doubt as he realizes he has feelings for Cody, the son of the troop’s harsh and puritanical Scoutmaster. The two discover they have more in common than Scouting as they share their deepest secrets and develop a close friendship. That friendship faces its greatest challenge as the homophobic bullies claim a “faggot” has “infected” their troop. As if struggling to come to terms with his sexuality while dealing with hatred and bigotry isn’t enough, Joshua discovers the camp holds another dark mystery, one that will make him summon all his courage and learn for the first time what it truly means to be brave.

I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting and fresh novel with plenty of action that still keeps the characters and their personalities as the main focus. It’s very realistic and I think a lot of LGBT youths will be able to relate to the things the characters are going through. Joshua, the main character, is incredibly likable, and I definitely read the book wanting to see him flourish. All of the characters are very realistic, down to the bullies who act very similar to a lot of real life teenagers, as well as Pastor Bob, the Scoutmaster and Cody’s father.

Cody is another character who is very likable. The main characters certainly aren’t perfect throughout the book, and that’s a lot of the appeal to me. I also really like the fact that the main character is half Native American and it’s well recognized within the story! Even as LGBT fiction, and more specifically young adult fiction, becomes more popular, we often see white, upper-middle class leads. Which is absolutely fine! But adding more diversity to a specific genre and treating the character’s heritage with respect, as this book does, is always a positive thing in my mind. There are LGBT teens of every race and culture, and seeing themselves represented from a young age is so important that it really just made me very happy to see that in the main character.

The story itself was really, really great. All in all, the action and mystery made it a fun read. There were times when the things the bullies in the book said made me uncomfortable, but I think they were designed for that purpose and I really commend the author on getting people to think about how they talk. The story of Joshua dealing with the camp bullies was very relateable and interesting, and added to him exploring the secrets of the camp and getting some mystery and action in there made this seem very multi-faceted and well thought out. It really kept my attention and I definitely enjoyed the read plot-wise, as well.

If there’s one thing about the book that I might criticize, it’s that there were times when the writing felt a little clunky. Not enough to bring me out of the story or really take away from me enjoying the book, but there were a few sentences here and there that could have been a little smoother.

That being said, I definitely enjoyed the book and it was a really great read on a lot of different levels.

Cover Artist: Anne Cain. Anne Cain is one of my absolute favorite cover artists and I love this cover a lot! It’s pretty, it represents the book well, and it isn’t too busy. It definitely would have drawn my eye in a store, and I really like the design.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner (Harmony Ink Press) All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy It here

Book Details:

ebook, 180 pages, also available in paperback
Published December 18th 2014 by Harmony Ink Press (first published January 11th 2011)
original titleA Scout is Brave
ISBN 1632166933 (ISBN13: 978163216693

The Two-Spirit Chronicles:

Pukawiss The Outcast-The Two-spirit Chronicles: Book One*
A Scout is Brave-The Two-spirit Chronicles: Book Two

*The 2014 Timmy Award for the Most Realistic Characters Portrayed in a Story (2014), Lambda Literary Award Finalist for Best Young Adult Fiction

An Aurora YA Review: There Is No Fear (Children of the Knight, #3) by Michael J. Bowler

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The most famous boy in the world is a prisoner. He’s been charged with a crime he didn’t commit, a crime that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Languishing within The Compound, the most secure juvenile facility in California, while the district attorney vows to make an example of him because of his celebrity status, Lance must endure the daily indignities of the incarcerated.

New Camelot is fractured without him. Ricky and Chris are bereft, living for the weekly phone call that becomes their only lifeline to the brother they so desperately love, while Arthur and Jenny feel the loss of their son with a sadness that can’t be quelled. And what about Michael, the highly volatile teen who helped write the proposition that will change California forever? Could he really be the monster he says he is? His hatred of Ricky is palpable, and his instability may well threaten the lives of everyone at New Camelot.

As the election looms closer, Proposition 51 takes on an even greater significance in light of the pending trial of the century. The more harshly fifteen-year-old Lance is treated within the broken justice system, the more he contemplates the wisdom of his idea that children need more adult rights. If The Child Voter Act becomes law, won’t it simply allow adults to throw more kids into prison with impunity?

Whichever way the voters decide, his greatest fear remains the same: will he ever again be with the people he loves?

The Knight Cycle Continues…

This book was really great! Even as the plot gets more complex and things progress within the larger story, the characters stay just as complex and develop throughout the whole book in a way that’s really satisfying to the audience, or at least to this audience member. I had a great time reading it, and I loved the plot. It’s a rare thing to see in young adult books especially, and I loved seeing the whole thing unfold.

As I was reading it, I found myself looking forward to what was going to happen next on every single page and when I reached the end of the book I was really looking forward to being able to read the next one. This was the most exciting, for me, of the first few books. I had a great time reading it and finding out what was going to happen to all the characters and where the plot was leading. I also couldn’t wait to see where the author would end up going next, since this series has so many original ideas and I’ve really been looking forward to seeing the ideas behind every single book as I’ve been reading them.

Cover art by Reese Dante: I really liked this cover! It’s really beautiful and it definitely drew my attention. It really followed in the theme of the other books and still represented it well, to someone coming to this book even maybe not knowing it’s part of a series would still be drawn to the cover and it would get them to at least pick the book up. It’s very well put together.

Sales Link: Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

Paperback, 284 pages
Published July 17th 2014 by Michael J Bowler
ISBN139780990306337
edition languageEnglish
seriesChildren of the Knight #3, The Knight Cycle #3

Books in the Children of the Knight, The Knight Cycle Series are:

Children of the Knight
Running Through a Dark Place (Children of the Knight, #2)
There Is No Fear (Children of the Knight, #3)
And The Children Shall Lead (Children of the Knight, #4)

An Aurora YA Review: Running Through a Dark Place (Children of the Knight #2) by Michael J. Bowler

Rating: 4 out of 5

King Arthur and his extraordinary young Knights used ‘might’ for ‘right’ to create a new Camelot in the City of Angels. They rallied the populace around their cause, while simultaneously putting the detached politicians in check. But now they must move forward to even greater heights, despite what appears to be an insurmountable tragedy.

Their new goal is lofty: give equality to kids fourteen and older who are presently considered adults only when they break the law. Arthur’s crusade seeks to give them real rights such as voting, driving, trading high school for work, and sitting as jurors for their peers charged with criminal behavior.

Understanding that the adults of California will likely be against them, Arthur and his Knights must determine how best to win them over.

However, before the king can even contemplate these matters, he finds himself face to face with an ally from the past, one who proves that everything isn’t always what it seems – even life and death.

The Knight Cycle Continues…

This book is just as interesting and original as the first one was, and the characters were just as good, if not better. The author did a great job of toeing the line between fantasy and contemporary. There were enough elements of the world we’re used to that it was easy to relate to and there was still enough fantasy and differences that it was still incredibly interesting.

It was also inspiring to see that teenagers were taking things into their own hands and were even working against adults because it often isn’t acknowledged that just because adults are older doesn’t mean that they’re always right in comparison to younger people. The friendships in the book were also a really enjoyable thing to watch and read about.

All in all, it was just a fun book, and something I had a good time reading. I would definitely recommend it and especially to teenagers who want to see themselves represented in a different manner than usual.

The cover artist is Reese Dante. Although I prefer drawn covers to photo edited covers, I still think that the book looks really nice and I like the fact that the cover isn’t too busy as some that feature the character on the cover. It’s interesting and represents the book well, and I think it would really draw someone’s eyes to the book in a shop or online.

Sales Links: Author Website Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 425 pages
Published May 13th 2014 by Michael J Bowler (first published May 1st 2014)
ISBN139780990306313
edition languageEnglish
seriesChildren of the Knight #2, The Knight Cycle
also available in paperback

Books in The Knight Cycle Series:

Children of the Knight
Running Through a Dark Place (Children of the Knight, #2)
There Is No Fear (Children of the Knight, #3)
And The Children Shall Lead (Children of the Knight, #4)

An Aurora YA Review: Dreams (Dreams of Fire and Gods #1) by James Erich

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A thousand years ago, two factions of gods, the Stronni and the Taaweh, nearly destroyed the Kingdom of Dasak by warring for the land and the frightened humans who lived there. Then suddenly the Taaweh vanished and the Stronni declared victory.

Now, as tensions escalate between the emperor and his regent, Vek Worlen, the vek’s son, apprentice mage Sael dönz Menaük, finds himself allied with a homeless vagabond named Koreh. Together they flee the capital city and make their way across a hostile wilderness to the vek’s keep, mere steps ahead of the emperor’s assassins.

But Koreh has dreams—dreams of the ancient Taaweh—and he knows the looming war between the emperor and the vek will be nothing compared to the war that is about to begin. The Taaweh are returning, and the war between the gods may destroy the kingdom once and for all.

Admittedly, in this book, there were a few times when I got a little bit lost. This is a problem, rather than with the book, more with how I’m used to reading things. In fact, I loved the challenge of going back and rereading at times and knowing as I read that I should store things away and remember them to enrich the experience. It isn’t, admittedly, something that I’m used to doing, but it certainly didn’t take anything away from the book. In fact, I really enjoyed it.

As with the third book in the series that I’ve already read, the characters and problems were able to be real and easy to relate to while still managing to keep the epic scale of the book and not taking away from the enormity of the characters and plot. I really enjoyed this book, again, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys epic fantasy novels and even those who don’t to at least give it a chance.

It’s just a really fun book to read, and very exciting. It kept me hooked the whole time I was reading it and I never wanted to stop reading a chapter when I had to take a break from reading it.

Cover art by Paul Richmond. The cover art for this series is really beautiful. It’s simplistic and yet it draws the eye and I would absolutely pick this book up off of a shelf. Because this cover doesn’t have a lot of places or people on it, the photo editing works even better than a drawn cover would have and it’s very nicely done.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 252 pages
Published December 15th 2012 by Harmony Ink Press
Harmony Ink is a YA Press
ISBN 1623801060 (ISBN13: 9781623801069)
edition languageEnglish
seriesDreams of Fire and Gods #1

Dreams of Fire and Gods series:

Dreams (Dreams of Fire and Gods #1)
Fire (Dreams of Fire and Gods, #2)
Gods (Dreams of Fire and Gods, #3)

An Aurora YA Review: Tales From High Hallack Volume Three by Andre Norton

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

In the third and final volume of High Hallack, tales of high fantasy, science fiction, and coming of age reach back as far as 1943, yet are still as fresh and relevant today as when they were written. High Hallack was a place in Andre Norton’s fiction and was also the name of the genre writer’s library she opened in Tennessee. It is a wondrous keep that she called home, and now High Hallack opens its gates and allows these amazing stories to unfold.

This book is a compilation of short stories, all taking place within the same world, but not necessarily interconnected. It focuses largely on high fantasy elements.

I really had a great time reading this book, and it’s definitely one that I would have picked up even if I had just seen it on a shelf somewhere. Some of the stories had be so on edge that I read through them again simply to get the thrill of it. I think that the author really captures making very real characters in very ridiculous circumstances, which is always something that I love to see in my fantasies. Short stories can often fall short in making you really care about the characters in such a short amount of time, but that is really not a problem with this book. I found myself, with many of the stories, even wishing that they could have gone on longer!

The book only lost a star because, while I absolutely loved a lot of the stories in the book, some of them weren’t quite suited to my fancy, which is a matter entirely of personal opinion and every story was very well written, my interest levels just varied throughout the book.

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase. The cover art is simple, but pretty and well suited to the book. I think the dark color scheme definitely makes it appealing, while the bright color of the fire draws the readers eyes to the bottom of the page where the artist wants them to look.

A MelanieM Note: I first discovered Andre Norton when I was about Aurora’s age and have loved her writings ever since. I was curious when I saw this new collection of her stories just published. Would this generation of YA readers find her as relevant and exciting as I found her all those years (decades if I am honest) ago? Happily, it turns out the answer is yes, Andre Norton and her stories are timeless. Pick them up and discover that for yourself!

Sales Links: Open Road Media amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 300 pages, also in paperback
Published October 14th 2014 by Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy (first published January 1st 2014)
ISBN 1497660378 (ISBN13: 9781497660373)
seriesTales from High Hallack #3

Tales from High Hallack Collections by Andre Norton:

Tales From High Hallack, Volume 1: The Collected Short Stories of Andre Norton, Volume 1
Tales from High Hallack, Volume 2: the collected short stories of Andre Norton
Tales from High Hallack, Volume Three: The Collected Short Stories of Andre Norton

An Aurora YA Review: Children of the Knight (Children of the Knight #1) by Michael J. Bowler

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A Harmony Ink Press Young Adult Title

According to legend, King Arthur is supposed to return when Britain needs him most. So why does a man claiming to be the once and future king suddenly appear in Los Angeles?

This charismatic young Arthur creates a new Camelot within the City of Angels to lead a crusade of unwanted kids against an adult society that discards and ignores them. Under his banner of equality, every needy child is welcome, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or gang affiliation.

With the help of his amazing First Knight, homeless fourteen-year-old Lance, Arthur transforms this ragtag band of rejected children and teens into a well-trained army—the Children of the Knight. Through his intervention, they win the hearts and minds of the populace at large, and gain a truer understanding of themselves and their worth to society. But seeking more rights for kids pits Arthur and the children squarely against the rich, the influential, and the self-satisfied politicians who want nothing more than to maintain the status quo.

Can right truly overcome might? Arthur’s hopeful young knights are about to find out, and the City of Angels will never be the same.

Arthur, a boy apparently the reborn King Arthur, of legend, is in Los Angeles, California, with a Camelot of his very own, fighting the oppressive nature of the city with an admirable message of equality and acceptance.

I think this book had a really original idea behind it, which was something that I immediately loved, with so many books marketed toward young adults seeming like a copy of The Hunger Games or Twilight or Harry Potter. This book definitely didn’t seem like that, and the author took the idea that had a lot of potential, and transformed it into a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was interesting to see an attitude toward the adult world from someone who hadn’t quite reached adulthood yet, and seeing a young person fighting for something they really believed in, in an inclusive way. The book sends a great message without being overt about it, or pushing the theme to the point where it distracts from the actual story.

The characters were great, as well, and, again, the original idea behind the story fueled my interest at the beginning, but before long, I really cared about the characters and wanted to know how their journeys were going to play out. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it very highly.

Cover Artist: Reese Dante. I’ve said this before, and it is absolutely my own personal bias, but I simply don’t enjoy photo-edited covers as much as drawn covers except in very rare cases. That being said, this cover is well put together, and it is suited to the book, it simply isn’t my cup of tea.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press All Romance (ARe) amazon buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 344 pages
Published June 20th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published June 19th 2013)
original titleChildren of the Knight
ISBN 1623806569 (ISBN13: 9781623806569)
edition languageEnglish

Series the Knight Cycle:

Children of the Knight #1, The Knight Cycle #1

An Aurora YA Review: Of Dreams of Fire and Gods – Gods by James Erich –

Rating: I give this book 5 out of 5 stars:

A Harmony Ink YA Novel

Dreams of Fire and Gods: Book Three

Long ago, two factions of gods, the Stronni and the Taaweh, nearly destroyed the Kingdom of Dasak in a great war. The Taaweh vanished when their queen was imprisoned, and the Stronni declared victory. A thousand years later, a young nobleman named Sael and his lover Koreh have rescued the Taaweh queen. In the process Koreh was killed, and now an injured Sael struggles to heal from both injuries and grief. Unknown to him, Koreh embarks on a journey across the land of the dead, trying to make his way back to Sael—and to life. But time moves differently in the underworld, and decades pass while Koreh travels.

In the living world, tensions between the emperor and Sael’s father, Vek Worlen, who is regent of the eastern kingdom, have soured beyond repair. Worlen conspires with the assassin Donegh to break into the imperial palace and challenge the emperor to a duel to the death. But the goddess Imen has chosen a young priest named Gonim as her champion. Through him she discovers the Taaweh have returned, and her enraged king threatens to destroy Dasak and all its human inhabitants. Sael must save his world, must confront the gods and persuade them not to destroy humankind. But it seems hopeless. If only Koreh were at his side…

First, I would like to say that I loved this book! Often times, epic books aren’t exactly my cup of tea, and I tend to prefer shorter, more modern-fantasy type stories, but I had an amazing time reading this book, regardless. The only difference between this book and any of my favorite books was that it took me a little while longer to read, but once I’d finished it, and as I was reading it, it was a great experience.

There was great depiction of bigger things while still keeping the characters and problems ‘real’, which is what I loved so much about it and what kept me interested. The author also did a great job of keeping things from getting too confusing while still being on a big scale. I know that this book is one of a series and I haven’t read the others so there are probably some things that I didn’t necessarily appreciate that I could have, but even only reading this book out of them all, I didn’t find myself ever scratching my head and being drawn out of the story.

I would definitely read this again, and I plan to read the rest of the series, and I would recommend it even to people like me who usually reach for shorter books, because it is worth it.

Cover Artist: James Erich. I think this cover is beautiful, and it’s one of the few times I would actually probably favor a photo-edited cover over the exact same premise, but drawn, because it just seems more realistic, and is able to have more details. Because it’s simple, I think it works really well.

Sales Links: Harmony Ink Press eBook & Paperback All Romance (ARe) amazon buy it here

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published October 17th 2013 by Harmony Ink Press (first published October 16th 2013)
ISBN 1627983783 (ISBN13: 9781627983785)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com
seriesDreams of Fire and Gods #3

Books in the series include:

Dreams (Dreams of Fire and Gods, #1)
Fire (Dreams of Fire and Gods, #2)
Gods (Dreams of Fire and Gods, #3)

A Aurora YA Review: Under the Stars by Geoff Laughton

Rating: I give this book 5 out of 5 stars

DSP : “Ethan Tanner is an out and proud, fastidious, and fashionable sixteen-year-old vegetarian who likes theater and musicals. This year, it’s his sister’s turn to pick the vacation destination, so he ends up on a dude ranch he knows he is going to hate. What with the dirt, animals, and germs, he can’t possibly be happy.

Jason McCoy is the closeted sixteen-year-old son of the ranch owners and is trying to find his place in a world that doesn’t seem to fit him. He takes an interest in Ethan, shows him around, and gets him to ride a horse. When he invites Ethan camping, Ethan thinks Jason must be joking. But Ethan takes a risk, and the two boys bond under the stars.

After that, Ethan and Jason are inseparable. Their friendship grows into something deeper as they begin to figure out what they want from life. But Ethan’s home is in Chicago, and the distance might be more than the two teenagers—and their blossoming relationship—can withstand.”

Under the Stars follows a sixteen year old boy, Ethan, as he goes on a vacation with his parents and little sister to a ranch. At first, Ethan is reluctant to go and doesn’t think he’ll enjoy the trip much at all, but because it was his sister’s turn to choose where they wanted to go, he didn’t have much choice. When he actually arrives at the ranch, Ethan quickly connects with the owner’s son, Jason, and the two of them develop a close relationship.

As someone who isn’t usually much of a fan of contemporary, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Within the first few pages I was completely drawn in, and I related to Ethan immediately. One thing I absolutely loved about this book was the representation of Ethan’s parents and the close relationship they had, even though they didn’t all necessarily agree throughout the entire book. It didn’t go the route of representing parents as being completely unsupportive, which I think could be a great thing for young adults who are reading this book and might be considering coming out to their parents to see that positive dynamic represented.

Jason and Ethan were both great characters who I loved seeing interact with each other, and all of their discussions and the things they did seemed very real. Ethan’s growth, especially, throughout the book, was something I really enjoyed, because he did change, but he held onto who he was and he didn’t make a one-eighty turn around. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely read it again any time.

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

The cover art is simple, but pretty and well suited to the book. I think the dark color scheme definitely makes it appealing, while the bright color of the fire draws the readers eyes to the bottom of the page where the artist wants them to look.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner ebook & Paperback All Romance eBook amazon Under the Stars

Book Details:

ebook, 180 pages, YA young adult title
Published October 9th 2014 by Harmony Ink Press
ISBN139781632163080

An Aurora YA Review: Carnival-Decatur by Zoe Lynne

Rating: I give this book 4 out of 5

A Harmony Ink Press Young Adult Title

In a world of lights, music, fanfare and fun, there’s not a lot left to the mundane, and nothing can be truer for four special boys whose lives intertwine in a most unusual, unexpected way. They all have secrets and supernatural powers that set them apart from the average small town high-schooler.

Jessie’s world revolves around his family’s traveling carnival. Tate’s busy being the good son to Decatur, Alabama’s first black mayor. Rand knows everyone’s secrets. And Donny wants a family. When sexuality and special abilities become each boy’s focus, a whole new realm of possibilities opens up. With an uncertain road ahead of them, their talents to see the future, hear other people’s thoughts, and manipulate wills might help them change their destined courses and find the right path.

Four boys. Each with his own cross to bear. Just trying to grow up.

Carnival – Decatur is about four boys with abilities that are certainly outside of the norm, who have to deal with their own personal problems and ambitions as well as some things that are much less mundane. The book takes place in Decatur, Alabama, and centers around the Macon Brothers’ Carnival coming into the small town, and Jesse, whose father works in the carnival business and drags his son along from place to place, not something Jesse is entirely fond of.

This book was definitely strong, and I really enjoyed the balance between characters wanting basic things that everyone wants, but also having these special abilities that they had to focus on. I thought every single one of the four boys were strong and the differences between them and what they wanted really helped communicate that. There was strong world building, even for a modern fantasy, and I really found it an interesting book to read. Each of the characters also had realistic flaws, and I have to say that I absolutely loved the fact that there was a main character of color!

Often having LGBTQIA+ representation in books causes other diversity to fall by the wayside and I love seeing books where so many different people are represented, and represented so well. I really enjoyed the plot behind the book, too, although it definitely seemed like a more character driven story than anything else. Which was great, because I think the characters were really well written. There were times with each of them when I loved them, and times when I definitely didn’t, but I enjoyed their stories and was definitely invested in what happened to all four of the boys.

Cover Artist: Allison Cassatta. I liked the cover of this book. My personal preference is drawn covers rather than photo manipulated, but it represented the book well and I think it would draw a reader’s attention if they were in a book store or browsing online.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner eBook & Paperback All Romance eBook amazon Carnival-Decatur

Book Details:

ebook, 202 pages
Published August 29th 2014 by Harmony Ink Press (first published August 28th 2014)
ISBN 1632162458 (ISBN13: 9781632162458)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

A History of Halloween as Samhain (All Hallows Eve) Approaches and the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts

Happy Samhain!

October 31st is almost upon us. Known by many names, this time of year is celebrated by people all over the world and in far different ways than we might imagine. A little history first. Known first as Samhain (pronounced Sa win or sow en depending upon which Celtic dialect you use), it is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. This date falls about halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. The festival marks the end of summer and fall (harvest season) and the beginning of winter, the darker, colder half of the year.

During Samhain, people bring their livestock down from the upper grazing pastures. Now was the time of separating the animals, choosing which to keep as breeding stock and which to choose for slaughter for winter. Households take careful stock of their pantries and food supplies in order to prepare for the long, cold weather ahead. Unlike the Gaelic festival of Beltane, which celebrates life and growth, Samhain honors the darker side of things. These months are considered a “liminal” time of the year, passing from the abundance of summer into the darkness and harsh times of the winter. It is also thought to be the time of the year when the walls between our world and the next plane of existence thin and the spirits can reach out to the living.

It is believed that the deceased spirits would return to the homes and places they knew, seeking comfort and sometimes revenge. In order to appease these spirits, people would place a dinner plate at their table and/or bowls of food or treats by their front door. People took special care not to offend any wandering spirits, and if they left their homes they would disguise themselves with masks and costumes to avoid recognition. Eventually the tables were turned, and the masked citizens started imitating the spirits they once feared by going door-to-door demanding treats and threatening to perform mischief of their own.

Into this celebration came large bonfires, lit to keep away bad spirits and even act as an imitation sun. The bones from freshly slaughtered animals were tossed into the fires known as “bone-fires”, which eventually became bonfires. People carried part of the bone-fires with them by placing a hot coal inside a hollowed-out turnip, potato or beet. Yes, that’s where our jack ‘o lanterns came from. According to lore and historian Hannah Kincaid*:

The lanterns were frequently carved with creepy faces to represent and scare away the wandering spirits. The term “jack-o’-lantern” comes from an old Irish myth about a man nicknamed “Stingy Jack.” According to lore, the drunkard Stingy Jack tricked the devil into never condemning him to Hell. When Jack died, however, God wouldn’t allow such an unsavory soul into heaven, either, so Jack was sentenced to eternally wander the Earth with nothing but a coal nestled inside a hollowed-out-turnip for light. The Irish referred to Stingy Jack’s ghost as “Jack of the Lantern,” which eventually became “jack-o’-lantern” as we know it today.

So how did Samhain become Halloween? Blame it on the Church…the Catholic church that is. Here is the best explanation courtesy of Hannah Kincaid again:

The term “Halloween” is a result of Catholic interference with Samhain in the year 609. All Saints Day is a Roman Catholic holiday that honors and remembers all Christian saints both known and unknown. Pope Gregory IV decided to officially move the date of All Saints Day to November 1, the same day as Samhain. All Saints Day is also called “All Hallows” because “hallowed” means sanctified or holy (for those of you who know The Our Father prayer, think of the part “hallowed be thy name.”) The evening before All Hallows was a popular time to celebrate, so the term “All Hallows’ Eve” was used quite a bit. Eventually the term All Hallows’ Eve morphed into Halloween as we know it, and along the way it snatched up and mingled with many of the Samhain traditions that had already been happening for thousands of years.

The history of Samhain reminds us that we once celebrated holidays because of a shared human connection that resonated with the Earth’s cycles — the weather, the moon, the harvest — instead of a celebration of consumerism or heroic dominance.*

So how do you intend to spend this All Hallows Eve? Masked, costumed, ready to explore into the night and see what spirits are afoot? Or will you be staying home, listening for the sound of footsteps big and small, the sound of giggling and howls upon the night air? Do you have your candy ready or will there be a trick or two in store for those who venture near? Me and mine will light a candle or two, keep the wee doggies inside safe and warm, and have the goodies ready to share for those who visit. Happy Samhain, everyone!

Now for the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

Monday, October 27:

Belinda McBride’s Prince of Faith Book Tour and Contest
A MelanieM Review: Accidental Contact and Other Mahu Investigations (Mahu #7.5)
by Neil S. Plakcy

Tuesday, October 28:

D.T. Peterson’s Seduction in Red Book Tour and Contest
Alexis Duran’s To Catch a Threeve Book Tour and Contest
A PaulB Review: Phoenix Heart (Stolen Elements #1) by A.L. Wilson
A MelanieM Review: Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne

Wednesday, October 29:

Silvia Violet’s Shifting Hearts Book Tour and Contest
Lila Bruce’s The Scent of Jasmine Book Tour and Contest
A MelanieM Review: Red Dirt Heart 3 by N. R. Walker

Thursday, October 30:

John Simpson and Robert Cummings’ The Marine Book Tour and Contest
Iyana Jenna’s Love’s Home Book Tour and Contest
A Barb, the Zany, Old Lady Review: The Trouble with Elves by Theresa Woodson

Friday, October 31 (Happy Halloween):

Garrett Leigh’s Heart Book Tour and Contest
A MelanieM Review: Confetti, Cake, and Confessions by KC Wells
October 2014 Summary of Reviews and Best Covers of the Month

Saturday, November 1:

An Aurora YA Review: The Key to Behliseth by Lou Hoffmann

*references Hannah Kincaid, History of Halloween (history.com), Telegraph uk

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Rating: I give this book 5 out of 5 stars

Sales Links: Dreamspinner ebook & Paperback All Romance eBook amazon Under the Stars

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Rating: I give this book 4 out of 5

Sales Links: Dreamspinner eBook & Paperback All Romance eBook amazon Carnival-Decatur

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Happy Samhain!

Now for the Week Ahead at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words:

Monday, October 27:

Tuesday, October 28:

Wednesday, October 29:

Thursday, October 30:

Friday, October 31 (Happy Halloween):

Saturday, November 1:

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