Mirror, mirror on the wall.
What’s behind that fated call?
He’s the seer of present, future, and past,
Yet remains a nameless face entombed in glass.

Raised as a servant in the underwater kingdom of Atlantica, Alastor worked his way up to a regal member of the Royal Guard. Only as a decorated soldier did he stand a chance of winning the hand of the woman he’s loved since childhood … Poseidon’s only daughter, Princess Vanessa. But, when the war against humans rages, dark magics are evoked to give the mermen a fighting chance. Temporarily granted legs, they charge from the sea into a doomed battle.

Doing the bidding of his masters as a trusted pawn,
The claims of his loyalty couldn’t be more wrong.

Waking on land, with bodies all around, Alastor’s lone goal becomes returning to the ocean and the only life he’s ever known. A plan that is quickly diverted when Hades, Lord of the Underworld, appears with a twisted agenda all his own. Cast to a land far from the lapping comforts of home, Alastor’s sole companion is a troubled misfit named Sterling that soon comes to depend on him. Trained to be a hero, how far is Alastor willing to go to return to the woman he loves? And can he live with the sacrifices he’s forced to make?

Each day he schemes to break free from their thrall,
and honor a self-made vow … to kill them all.

@rourkewrites, @Mommy_Amers, @XpressoTours, #Fantasy, #Young_Adult, 4 out of 5 (very good)

I heard many stories surrounding the legend of sleepy hollow, but I never read the actual book. I got my first real taste, of the story behind the legend when I watched the Sleepy Hollow television series, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

When I received this book as part of the quirky blind date program and realised it was a retelling of the legendary sleepy hollow, I was ecstatic and could not wait to get into the story.

What the story is about.

Crane tells the story of Ireland Crane a descendant of the infamous Ichabod Crane. She moved to Sleepy Hollow as she needed a break from the hustle and bustle of New York City. What she did not know was her decision to relocate to Sleepy Hollow would set in motion a series of events that would turn her life upside down.

A murderer is on the loose and due to the nature of the killings, the community wonders if the headless horseman rides again. However, when the evidence points to her, Ireland with the help of the stranger she discovered in her home rushes to uncover the truth. Will they discover who is behind the murders before anyone else loses their head?

The Story

I enjoyed the author's take on this legendary tale. The story was told simultaneously in the past and the present. Although both threads were different, they had a direct impact on each other. The narrative from the past was narrated from Ichabod Cranes POV while story from the present was provided from Ireland Crane’s perspective.

I enjoyed how both story threads were narrated. However, I thought the story narrated in the past was more befitting of the Sleepy Hollow legend due to its creepy atmosphere.

The twists and turns kept me guessing while keeping me on the edge of my seat at each page turn. The portrayal of the headless horseman went beyond my expectations. I found it intriguing and captivating.

I enjoyed the banter between the characters and I could not help but laugh at their actions and dialogue. I thought the romance was unnecessary as I do not believe it added any value to the story. It moved quickly for my tastes. I loved how the story ended as most of the questions I had regarding the plot were answered. I still had questions, but I guess will get those answers in the sequel. I also liked the peek I got regarding the next book in the series.

The Characters

I loved how the characters are featured in both threads. However, if I were to choose a favourite, it would be Rip Van Winkle, who was featured in both threads. I enjoyed his attempts in navigating the 21st century and loved that he pulled it off beautifully.

Conclusion/Recommendation

Crane is an exciting and well-written story. It is hilarious, refreshing and unique. If you love the story behind the legend, then you will love this retelling.


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I was super excited to read Rise of the Sea Witch! I just love villain evolution stories! I find it incredibly interesting to see what makes a villain a villain, I feel like 90% of the time villains are made, not born. And who's story better to get than Ursula the Sea Witch from The Little Mermaid?!

Ursula definitely falls into the 90%, she was not born Ursula the Sea Witch, she was born Princes Vanessa, daughter of Poseidon, big sister to Prince Triton. Vanessa definitely didn't have things as easy as you would anticipate a Princess having. At an early age, after the death of her mother, it was painfully obvious that Poseidon was not the hands-on, loving parent that the kids so desperately needed. And it was apparent that Vanessa drew his ire more than anyone (the real juicy bit is why though!!).

I feel like Poseidon's indifference to Vanessa only pushed her more to impress him and do everything, and anything, to just once feel like she mattered. It drove her to work as hard as she could to be his successor as Ruler of Atlantica. More often than not in this endeavor I feel as if Vanessa's intentions were good(ish) but they ultimately lead to her downfall nevertheless.

Vanessa wasn't the purest, or sweetest, or the most thoughtful person, at times she could be downright selfish, entitled, and vindictive, but to be honest I feel like this endeared me to her even more. It made her feel more real to me. And it also made it hurt that much more when things inevitably came back to burn her, tenfold. I didn't always agree with her choices but I did come to understand why she made them. To be honest, by the end I was furious for Vanessa, a little part of me thought her a little justified in her craving for vengeance.

I also really liked how the story was told, with Ursula telling her victims, who had no choice but to listen, how she was wronged and what drove her to help the "poor unfortunate souls" like them. It was both sad and glorious to see the Ursula we know, dramatically telling this woe-is-me tale to none other than the mer-people that she had imprisoned.

I was really pumped to read this story and I am so glad I did because it exceeded my expectations! If any of this sounds even a bit intriguing to you, I highly recommend giving this one a try!