“The whole world was brimming with wonder, if you looked closely enough.”

Maybe it’s the gentle light this time of year that makes everything look moody and nostalgic or the way the wind rustles the trees and nudges them to let go of their leaves, but nature feels even more magical right now. I notice myself getting sleepier earlier and earlier as the darkness starts to creep into our evenings more each day.

Books with a touch of magic seem to making their way to the top of my TBR (To-Be-Read) list. When Paola from the YouTube Channel The Cottage Fairy recommended the book Greenwild, it sounded like just the literary medicine I needed after learning about the devastating events happening around the world and in my own country over the last few weeks. Stories can sometimes help us to see a broader worldview, perspective, and act as a balm when we are feeling hopeless or overwhelmed by experiencing the world through the eyes of the characters in the stories. Most villains and heroes in the stories we read are no different from the ones we see in our own world and just as complex.

Eager to curl up with quiet time and a whimsical book, Greenwild ended up being perfect choice to welcome in this magical season while also giving some thought to the global issues that unite us all. This fast-paced adventure follows Daisy and her mom, Leila Thistledown, as they travel the world in search of stories. Daisy is placed in a boarding school while her mother travels to Peru for a story too dangerous for Daisy follow along. When Daisy learns that her mother is suddenly missing, she escapes from the boarding school hoping to find her mother and accidentally arrives in the magical world of Greenwild.

“She liked to imagine Ma waving a butterfly net through the air and scooping up flighty headlines and unruly articles. . .”

--Greenwild by Pari Thomson

Daisy felt like an outsider before she arrived in Greenwild, but soon her days are filled with adventure accompanied by a ragtag group of young Botanists in the Five O’Clock Club: Indigo, Professor, and Acorn. While botanists in the Grayside (the non-magical part of the world…our world!) study plants, Botanists in Greenwild use green magic or plant magic. They are the “custodians of a world of botanical wonders” and are constantly asking themselves what they can do for nature. Botanists in the story are similar to environmentalists today who face many challenges as they struggle (and often experience harmful or deadly consequences) when facing governments, individuals, large companies, and organizations causing harm to the environment. The Grim Reapers in the story represent the individuals, organizations, and large businesses that push for more destruction of habitat, fueled by greed and power.

“Ma bought potted orchids and geraniums wherever they stayed, and they always flowered extravagantly, miraculously, as if she was their own personal sun. Daisy knew how they felt. Here is someone who makes us feel alive.”

-Greenwild by Pari Thomson

There are so many magical parts of this book that I loved as an adult, but would have especially loved as a child. In the story, sunflowers are grown in the story to bring warmth to a room. A larder tree offers fresh fruit in the kitchen, but only if you ask nicely. Plants use lunarsynthesis to “turn moonlight into energy and use it to generate magic”. The description of the Moonmarket in the story was an enchanting adventure in culinary and magical delights and full of suspense. The magic of The Heart Oak was enchanting and beautiful and a thoughtful addition by the author. There were a few predictable plot lines, but that is to be expected in a middle-grade novel.

”Who says what’s magic and what isn’t? There’s only what is. You wouldn’t call it magic when a sunflower turns its head to follow the sun through the sky, because there’s an explanation for it. In a way, everything is magic. The magic is in the sunflowers and the tree and the grass, in the dandelions and the parakeets and the earthworms.”

-Hal from Greenwild by Pari Thomson

In the book, green parakeets are part of the parapost delivery service which delivers messages back and forth from Grayside to Greenwild. After reading this book, I’ll never look at our wild green parakeet population in Austin the same way again. Maybe they are delivering messages to a magical location?

There really is so much to love about this book from the eyes of someone who is curious, imaginative, and loves the natural world. I think the small parts about the book that I didn’t love probably wouldn’t have even bothered me if I was part of the target audience, middle grade, but as an adult, I did notice a few things. There were a few references that might not land with a middle-grade reader such as “like an espresso shot of pure joy”. If you are a sensitive person or you are sharing this book with a sensitive reader, it might be helpful to know that there are a few descriptions of people being murdered and a mildly graphic description of an animal being killed. Grief is also a central theme to this book. Sometimes it can be good have time to process these experiences or be prepared to talk about them before or while reading.

The Greenwild 2 book release is coming in the Summer of 2024.

Green magic is at work in our garden this week after the rain. I wish this photo was scratch and sniff so that you could smell this Alnwick rose from David Austin Roses.

I followed up Greenwild by reading another book about green magic, although it was focused on the darker (and more poisonous) side of plant magic. This Wicked Fate by Kalynn Bayron is the sequel to This Poison Heart. I read the first book this year and loved it (you can check out my review here). This Wicked Fate picks right up where This Poison Heart left off. The transition between books felt seamless. Just like in the first book, the dialogue and pacing make this story hard to put down. I absolutely love the dynamic female characters in this story!

***More literary magic for fall and winter***

Adult Fiction

Black Candle Women by Diane Marie Brown - A family drama with a twist that involves a magical book? I can’t wait to read this one!

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi - After reading in the Bookshop.org description that this fairy tale had notes of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which I enjoyed, I’m looking forward to picking this one up.

Venco by Cherie Dimaline - I’ve heard this one has some Practical Magic elements, and the description reminded me of the way witches in The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches learned to hide in regular life for their safety. This book is set in New Orleans which feels like a city steeped in magic.

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barber Higuera - This multi-award winning book piqued my interest even though science fiction and dystopian books are not usually something I’m drawn to. . .but with a magical realism element, maybe it’s worth a try?

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner - This NPR book review for this edgy made me want to pick up a copy.

While I have heard mixed reviews on Nettle & Bone and A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking wasn’t a big hit with me, I have heard wonderful things about T. Kingfisher’s other books like Thorn Hedge and A House with Good Bones. I plan to give Nettle & Bone a try to see what I think!

Lighter Reads

Small Town, Big Magic: A Witchy Rom-Com by Hazel Beck - This looked like the perfect light read for this magical season. Who wouldn’t love a protagonist who owns an indie bookstore?

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic by Breanne Randall - A new release that promises a mix of Gilmore Girls and Practical Magic set in a small town would be a cozy way to embrace the season.

At The Coffee Shop of Curiosities by Heather Webber - I read Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by this author and enjoyed the small-town charm.

Young Adult (YA)

At Midnight: 15 Beloved Fairy Tales Reimagined by Dahlia Adler - A magical collection of fairy tales

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin - This is the debut novel (a New York Times bestseller!) is the first book in a duology which centers around the magic of tea-making. A book with magic, tea, folktales, and an atmospheric promises to create a magical reading experience!

Middle Grade

Rooftoppers by Katherine Randell - A whimsical tale about a child searching for her mother with the help of the children living in the hidden places above Paris.

The October Witches by Jennifer Claessen - Anticipation and magic collide (with a few nervous jitters) as thirteen-year-old Clementine receives her October magic for the first time bringing a family feud to light that must be solved with the help of her estranged cousin.

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead - When I read this was about a Little Free Library guarded by a large orange cat, named Mortimer, I knew I would be picking up a copy!

“It's about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a good book (and, of course, the librarian who gave it to you).”

- Bookshop description for The Lost Library

For the magic of everyday life. . .

The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl was just released this week. What’s more magical than the everyday? Organized into fifty-two chapters, author Margaret Renal chronicles the changes in her garden, her life, and the natural world and pairs each chapter with art created by her brother. I look forward to savoring this book throughout the seasons.

Shorter days and longer nights means more time for reading and puzzling in the evenings. We’ve set up our puzzle table in our dining room to enjoy some relaxing music and downtime. With a cold front coming in the next few days, we’ll have even more reason to gather around the table with something warm to drink while we piece together our National Parks puzzle.