Rowan was greeted by Nana, Enid, and Gemma Ash on returning to Secret Hollow. Rowan and the whole village were witches Rowan had broken up with her long time boyfriend Garrett so she felt she didn't have to impress anyone she met.Rowan only plans on staying at home one week before leaving again to return to graduate school. There is a new warlock  in town Caedman McFarland and he thinks he is going to take over the coven by marrying Rowan even though they have never met.

I like this story a lot. It was a light read but enjoyable imagine a place where everyone gets along. I liked that. I like how Rowan learns to enjoy being a witch again. Although why would her parents leave her grandma without making sure she had help first. Anyway I liked the characters also especially Rowan and all the ins and outs she went through to be who she is suppose to be. I recommend

‘I received an ARC of this story for an honest review.

A special thank you to Penguin/Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Ellen Taylor returns following At The Corner of King Street (Alexandria #1) with a complex multi-generational mystery of the past THE VIEW FROM PRINCE STREET(Alexandria #2) rich in history; with three families crossing two centuries-- mystery, intrigue and some ancient magic to stir the pot.

As the locals read the weekly Lifestyle edition and the online version of the Old Town Alexandria paper, Dr. Rae McDonald is known to have a heart of stone, however, some think she is a matchmaker, trying to help her clients find happiness.

In fact, Rae knows sadness, all too well. It had nearly destroyed her at age sixteen when her old sister had died, and thereafter she had made reckless choices that resulted in a pregnancy. She gave the baby boy away to another mother for adoption. The pain and the loss were crushing. Since that day she knew her survival depended suppressing her feelings. Her detachment had served her well. She can remove herself from her client’s storms, problems, and her own emotions.

We meet up with the MaCrae’s we met in book one—Addie Morgan and Margaret McCrae, owners of Shire Architectural --the contractors who removed her stones six weeks ago. Addie is raising her niece, Carrie, eight weeks old. Addie was saving her family’s business for the brink of ruin. Margaret worked full time with the salvage company but still maintained close ties to the archeology center. She had a PhD in History and was a well- qualified expert in local history, especially Alexandria.

They had read about Rae, the trained clinical psychologist in the paper. They had found a bottle. A witch bottle. An incredible find. Protection spells. They were created hundreds of years ago by people who feared black magic. They were designed to ward off a witch’s spells and evil curses. Most were typically made of wine bottles filled with all kinds of sharp objects. (to cut or slice into the magic). Curses? A witch.

One of the bottles they found belonged to Addie’s family. Sarah Shire Goodwin buried that one. Patience McDonald buried the one they found on Rae’s property and Imogen Smyth made the one they found on the Prince Street Property. All three women lived in Alexandria around 1750.

As the book flashes back from the eighteenth century to the present we find the connections of three Alexandria families. At the beginning of the novel, it opens with a letter in 1751. A bind between these three families. A dangerous barter.

Rae's sister’s best friend Lisa Smyth survived the crash, but never told the truth about it. As long-buried artifacts that link their family histories are unearthed, both women are forced to confront the secrets of the past, before they can have a future.

Secrets. Choices.  A Buried past.

As the book moves along, both Rae and Lisa are at a crossroads in their lives. The ties that bind. Face the past in order to have a future.

“Past, Present, and Future are links in a chain. For a chain to be strong you must have all the links. Not the ones you select. “A thought provoking question: Can you live in the now without acknowledging the problems of the past?

Ultimately, an emotional Heartwarming novel of motherhood, forgiveness, letting go of the past, and second chances. As always you can count on Mary Ellen Taylor to deliver a bold life lesson, a strong takeaway message, and some savory recipes. This time Rachel at The Union Street Bakery offers her Lemon Polenta Cookies and Never Too Much Chocolate Chip Cookies.

An excellent choice for book clubs or further reading group discussions with questions included. If you have not read The Union Street Bakery series, highly recommend!

I dont know what it is about these books, but there's something.... that i just purely enjoy about them. The swash buckling, old school hand-to-hand fighting of monsters and devil spawn is just awesome. I feel my 13 yr old boy (don't lie everyone has one - no matter your actual gender) come out and cheer in delight every time an amazing feat is committed in the nick of time to stop the good guys from getting be-headed or skewered, though i must admit quite a few good guys went down in this book - at least 4, 5? but that just adds to the feeling or dread and excitement!!

Armand the french duelist is by far my favorite character, every time he's in a scene, getting into mischief or boasting his good looks, i feel my self smiling in delight. He's just such a character! and he's well rounded, while he's fighting skills may be at times unbelievable, he's not the best, he has his moments of weakness, and he hides behind a front of french courtliness, claiming how all the ladies chase after him, but when the time calls for it he's savage and loyal and wise. pretty sure I'm in love with a fictional character that spends a good chunk of his time flapping around a handkerchief (how low i have fallen - i need to read more cassie palmer books, and rekindle my mental affair with pritkin.....lol).

The main character of this book, Jakob is also pretty great, its fun to run around as him, he's young and not always brave but he is loyal and smart (though i totally figured out the puzzle before him! Yes I'm proud of that, don't judge me) and resourceful, his faith in god and his brothers-in-arms is admirable (plus with this shit he's seen i can't blame him!) he's just a really good lad, and you can see him - as a character - just brimming with potential. I also really appreciated the add of a great female character in this book - who was seen as a crucial part of the team, while being not only exceptionally clever, could kick ass better than jakob. which is impressive due to the era this book takes place in.

Speaking of which, the setting for this book is fantastic! i love how it is set so many years ago, where the thought of terrifying creatures from hell is actually (somewhat) believable, and they don't have the modern weapons to fight the monsters with, that we today do, and there for must use what is at hand with the best of their ability, its incredible to read about. I'm alsi a big fan of how its set with the holy roman empire in mind, and that for the most part the book is set in German, or references to it (this particular book was set physically else-where, a tomb in fact, riddle with traps! - that held all the artifacts of god - but the feeling of German-ness? never left) though it does complicate things when it comes to names. I for one have difficulty keeping track of who was who due to the unusual names and my inability to pronounce them, well the sir names - which they mainly use to refer to people - their first name (which i wish they used much more frequently) are much easier to keep track of! 

Anyways I'm rating this book 4 stars, my review, my rating > due to the fact that i had a blast reading it. It was fun, adventurous, puzzling and death-defying set in a period where witches and the undead seem much more reasonable and tangible. What more could i ask for??

netgalley

“A Witch's work is mind work and utilizes powerful metaphors, allegories, and images that unlock the powers of the mind.” ― Laurie Cabot, Power of the Witch

Please note, my wording may be whimsical at times, and totally and unintentionally 'wrong'. I don't know much about Wicca as a religion and don't mean any disrespect. Because of its historical background, and the way it is continuously misrepresented in today's world, I eagerly await commentary! So slash my review to pieces, if not only to educate me, but also the readers of this review.

I went into this book thinking two things.

1. Witches! how freaking cool. And maybe from a historical standpoint!! SCORE!!!

2…. and this was more so an insight that built up over time while I read the book. I wondered if all this negativity around brooms was just another way to marginalize women. If you think about it, particularly at its earliest use and function, women generally did all the household cleaning, so what better way of affording them more constriction and restriction than to put a negative connotation on the word broom, and then to subscribe some rather faulty logic to support it?

I researched quite a bit, in my inquisitive youth, about Wicca. I thought it would be an interesting way of looking at religion from a perspective outside the current climate of hate that overwhelms Christianity. Given this brief, and scant knowledge of Wicca, I knew some things, as in the origin of the 'witches fly' myth (but not the why), and the use of brooms as cleaning, both physically and spiritually. I knew that it can be used to cleanse a sacred space and for protection.

As a side-note brooms aren't always used for magic, but the author has thoughts on how to make the common act of cleaning a bit more spiritual. There are ways of using a broom for common, physical use as well as magic ones. For instance, the author speaks to actually cleaning your living space. Don't own a broom (YET!) no problem. She isn't deterred by modern cleaning items, such as a vacuums, and opens her mind and body in a way resembling how she would use a broom as a magical/spiritual item.

It explored the various ways brooms have been brought into history, particularly in the form of deities and other 'magical people'/or religious figures centuries old. The real lovely part here is that we get a core understanding of these figureheads.

The myth of flying….

There is really no physical way to fly on a broom (Surprise), however, there was 'flying ointment', a mixture of all things oily, and, among other things, the wickedly delicious hemlock. I jest, it was in fact deadly. The interesting part here is that it 'gave the feeling of flying'; the use most resembles the way acid manifests itself. This issue, one that perked my attention from the start, is explored further on in the book.

As we exit to the more mystical, less tactile experiences and notions about the broom, we head into its function as a magical tool. Along with the cleaning I mentioned early, the broom is often used for spells, including protection. One example is to use salt, sprinkled with a high level of concealment, behind 'dark/negative people' as they exit your humble abode. Fetch your broom and sweep those negative vibes away. This is one of the many examples that someone who doesn't subscribe totally to Wiccan can use a broom in a magic like way. I could see this as both a reject and adjustment of your relationship to self and others, meaning letting things go, as well as a way of pushing other peoples' issues out that door.

There are, as one would expect with an item so steeped in negative feelings and fables, many stories and lore. For instance, step over a broom and become a mother before a wife. Given my observation that husbands are more a hardship than a benefit, I laughed at the ways this would be such a terribly thing. Seriously though, these little historical tidbits aren't all that negative, and while they were a way of criticizing and viewing witches in times past, they are sorta laughable from a contemporary orientation. You can see, historically, how this judged and placed blame on women for unintentional pregnancies.

Creating your own broom, as one should expect, is very empowering. If you lack the physical materials for making a broom, make due with whatever you have on hand. If you need to buy most of the items, that is acceptable, but I am sure you can spruce it up with something from around your home or neighborhood. Various substances are cited, their magical purpose, and the basic physical properties of each, such as strength and longevity. This section concerns itself primarily with wood.

You should properly anoint your creation (pretty much sealing the deal and creating a mental and magical space for its use), even if purchased. Various common substances are explored, and not only types of wood. This section will help you gain knowledge of 'prepping' your broom.

Later on we find out about the best frame of mind, and the ways your intentions are both physical and mental, and provide a space when starting and finalizing your new creation; a clumsy way of saying your can mentally infuse your intentions for the broom by thought.

This book goes step-by-step through the process of making a broom. This section is keenly and carefully written, and is probably rather essential for crafting home-made brooms, but also in embellishing ones that you may buy from a store.

Care, from not loaning your broom, to the physical upkeep is broached too. Storing your broom is also important, and has implications for its use, either the primary objective, or simply while it is not being used for spells. For instance, the book will help in discovering the best location for a specific spell, such as the entry way into your living space.

Your broom is now complete, or maybe you have an existing one. So what's next? The author goes into the critical area of spells, spanning love to all things related to protection. On of my favorites is connecting to birds by placing your broom outside in a special place. As the author notes, use your broom as a way of supporting birds' ecosystem, either through food (the placement of an item like peanut butter on top of the broom) or in providing nesting materials. This is, of course, a spiritual experience. I could really imagine this being a very cool and enjoyable experience, and a good alternative to throwing out wooden brooms.

Look, I could ramble on and on, and that is basically the magic of this book. A newbie to the history of the broom, my knowledge was quite basic, so this was a perfect way of getting more information; and boy did I get a lot. I could see this aiding anyone, especially a newbie to Wicca, as much as I could see someone experienced in the religion getting a clearer understanding of the use and history of this really interesting item.

This was a seriously interesting read, and one that I found highly beneficial. I took a star because the format of the book provided to me, an ebook, doesn't work well with this book. this is a book best explored in paper form, and I highly recommend considering going to your local INDEPENDENT store and finding a copy. It is also worth noting that, given its massive girth in terms of information, I skimmed here sorta like a reference book. I have given it a more intense review, and each time I gather up more yummy information. I could imagine anyone, regardless of his/her reason for buying it, going back to read it.

I can't recommend this book more!!! Serious awesomeness here!