Sometimes a book grabs you and just won’t let go. The Magician of Hoad by Margaret Mahy is one of those books. Full of magic and mystery, intrigue and politics, love and hate, secrets and imagery. I cannot remember where or how I came across the name Margaret Mahy but I am so glad I did.

The Magician of Hoad follows the paths of four youths as their lives come together and change their world. The magician, the prince, the noble girl and the hero. Destined to walk paths that are at once solitary and yet dependent on the actions and reactions of the others. I cannot even say if I truly understood and grasped the nuances of this story but I loved every confusing and exciting moment of it.

Margaret Mahy has an amazing gift of storytelling. Her world draws you in and her characters absolutely keep you enthralled. This is definitely no younger than a young adult book, BUT I found nothing lacking reading it as an adult as well. There is some violence (after all the book begins at a time of war) and a discussion of love and relationships, as well as a statement of action (though no details and in a romantic sense).

You can follow Heriot Tarbas as he finds out what it truly means to be a Magician of Hoad while learning of the balance between the King and the Hero. I honestly cannot explain more than to say, your time will not be wasted! I am already on the hunt for more by this most amazing author!

What in the world is up with my random picks? Cowboy after cowboy, though Phoebe’s Groom was more small town over cowboy (even though the cover of that one said A Cowboy for Every Mood). Well, Jillian Hart did another wonderful job with Montana Cowboy. In fact, my favourite aspect of this story was the idea of the right person at  the wrong time. And how what seems to be the wrong time can BECOME the right one…

Again we are back with the internet as a facilitator for love. This time through a chat group that is a book club called Good Reads. Honor is a teacher without a long term job and a self proclaimed California girl. She has travelled to Montana to get away from a bad break up and a family who simply does not understand her long term life goals or deep faith. This move has her temporarily only 2 hours away from a good friend on Good Reads, also single and very Christian Luke McKaslin from the McKaslin clan (a family author Jillian Hart returns to from time to time). Her timing is perfect to drive the two hours and make it in time for a McKaslin wedding and the beginnings of an even deeper friendship with Luke and his extended family. 

There is lots of travelling with these two, and lots of deep introspection as to where they want to be in their love life and literal physical location. I really enjoyed the careful consideration these two took as they transformed their friendship into something more AS WELL AS the fact that they actually knew each other on some level before they met in person and this romance began. A back story that was not a second chance relationship… love it!

Oh my goodness last year!!! What a forgotten gem… enjoy the kitten adorableness!

I simply am in love with Renee and Christopher’s new kitten Mystro… Maine Coon and ADORABLE… so I figured I should have a separate entry for the overflow cuteness!!!

Our first meeting of the little puff ball who WILL grow to be quite the lap full!

It is hard to believe that such a tiny thing will grow to be a full sized Maine Coon. I just love his markings and he is a very sweet tempered kitten. And so much FUN to photograph!