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The Porter women have lived without men for generations, teaching their red-haired, green-eyed daughters the art of healing and how to nurture their unique fairy gifts, but never to wish for fathers or husbands. Now, following the death of her grandmother and aunts, Arabella lives alone on the Scottish isle of Skye, the last of the Porter line. But when a letter left behind by her long-dead mother reveals the identity of her father, Arabella breaks with tradition, journeying across the ocean to find him. She soon finds herself in a foreign land where her ways and her very presence are unwelcome. She has a new job in a strange house with a mysterious, gruff employer in a conventional town where everyone has a secret and no one is who they seem to be. Set on Skye and in Mystic, Connecticut in 1847, Sea and Stars glows with the confident storytelling and gorgeous language author Kelly Jarvis’ readers have come to expect. While she skillfully combines gothic suspense, a beautifully imagined setting, rich with complex historical detail, and folklore from both the old and new worlds, this story is more than a historical romance with a touch of fantasy magic swirled in. Woven throughout are sparkling threads of Animal Bridegroom tales like “Beauty and the Beast” and Search for the Lost Husband tales like “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” sure to delight fairy tale fans. As Arabella navigates the challenges of life with a smoldering, secretive employer, she also struggles to make her peace with ghosts of the past and to find her place in a society much less tolerant of her and her beliefs. Arabella’s culture shock provides a thoughtful exploration of pre-Civil War New England society from a perspective much closer to our own. And while this story is a romance (and a spicy one at that), Jarvis also examines love between family and friends, as well as themes of grief, transparency (or lack of it), and trust. Exciting, clever, heartfelt, and so beautifully written you just might weep, Sea and Stars shines. You can find it here. Lissa Sloan is the author of Glass and Feathers, a subversive continuation of the traditional Cinderella tale. Her fairy tale poems and short stories have appeared in The Fairy Tale Magazine, Niteblade Magazine, Corvid Queen, Three Ravens Podcast, Eternal Haunted Summer, and anthologies from World Weaver Press. Visit Lissa online at lissasloan.com, or connect on Facebook, Instagram, @lissa_sloan, X, @LissaSloan, or Bluesky @lissasloan.bsky.social.

Michelle Grierson takes the legend of the selkie bride to new heights in her stunning novel Becoming Leidah. This story, set in 19th century Norway, will grip your heart as you follow the tale of a fisherman who finds a selkie woman along the shore, marries her, and raises a child with blue webbed hands and feet. Pieter and Maeva do everything they can to hide the child’s peculiarities from the suspicious townsfolk, but as Leidah grows and begins to tap into her shapeshifting powers, themes of love entrapment, protection, and freedom all crescendo toward explosion. In addition to addressing the selkie bride legend, Grierson explores Nordic mythology and witchcraft, adding layers of complexity to her striking narrative. A mysterious shapeshifter lurks in the background, following mother and daughter as they hunt for their hidden seal skin. The ghost of the midwife who delivered Leidah lingers on the earthly plane to offer the child protection. The woman who loved Pieter before he claimed Maeva on the shore conspires to separate the family once and for all, and behind it all are the Norns, the three ancient sisters who weave, hold, and cut the red thread of life. Grierson’s story is a masterpiece in narratology, presenting alternating timelines and different points of view that keep readers interested and invested in the plot. The book moves toward an ambiguous conclusion that leaves readers thinking long after they close the cover. Becoming Leidah is a mesmerizing tale about time and the way the past informs and shapes the future. If you enjoy mythology, folklore, and family drama, you will love this haunting book. This take on the selkie bride tale was recommended to me by a friend, and I eagerly pass that recommendation on to you! You can find it here, Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

August Macke, SCHREIBENDE FRAU (WOMAN WRITING) 1910 We are pleased to announce the winners of our our prose & poetry contest. Our theme was Sirens! We received entries from many cultures and the entries were varied, imaginative, and high caliber. Our judges were Lynden Wade for Prose and Lissa Sloan for Poetry. In poetry, the winners are: Winner in Poetry Hannah Bessinger “The Beauty of It All Lies Mostly in the Wanting” Runners Up in Poetry Sandra Kasturi “Salt Stories II” Joan Leotta “Tempted by Chocolate’s Siren Song—Reality vs Resistance” In prose, the winners are: Winner in Prose Shannon Weston “The Unquiet Water” Runners Up in Prose James Garry “The Grey Singer” S. Leigh Ann Cowan “Unicorn Snail Silk” Congratulations to all of our winners! Thank you to all who submitted! The entry fees we received go to prizes for the winners and runners up. All fees beyond those awarded for prizes help defray design costs. Entries were anonymous and our judges read blind for impartiality. Both remarked that the work was outstanding. They wished they could have selected more entries to honor. We are proud to be publishing these works as a PDF bonus mini-issue due out July 15, 2026. The Fairy Tale Magazine is a niche literary magazine created for the purpose of continuing the fairy tale tradition of telling, retelling, and sharing the delight of this beloved genre. If you wish to support the magazine, we welcome donations large or small to our PayPal Account. Simply sign into your PayPal Account and choose Send Money, type in our email address thefairytalemagazine@gmail.com (our Parent Company is Enchanted Press), and choose an amount to share. All donations help us pay our authors and help with the cost of running the magazine. Thank you!

When Lindz McLeod takes readers into the world of Jane Austen four years after the conclusion of Pride and Prejudice, they will never think of Regency England in the same way again! The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet follows the budding relationship between the quiet, forgotten Bennet sister and the practical Charlotte Lucas, Lizzie Bennet’s best friend. The novel opens with the death of Charlotte’s husband Mr. Collins, and while she isn’t heartbroken by his death, she finds herself alone and in need of a home once again. Since Lizzie is unable to leave Pemberly, it is Mary Bennet who arrives to comfort the grieving widow. Mary brings Charlotte to her Aunt Cecily’s house where Charlotte discovers a whole new world. Mary has blossomed into an intelligent, flirtatious woman who knows exactly what she wants from life, and, as Charlotte’s intimate feelings for Mary grow, she has to navigate a lifetime of gender, sexual, and social conditioning to accept the possibility of a new life with the woman she loves. The Unlikely Pursuit of Mary Bennet is a sapphic love story that explores queer love during the Regency Era. Mary and Charlotte are not alone in their sexual identity; Charlotte discovers that her own Aunt Ethel had a female lover, and everyone who works in Mary’s home pursues a “more secret kind of love.” Although Charlotte wrestles with internalized expectations of societal rules, she ultimately finds acceptance in the arms of her family and passion in the arms of a woman. The relationship between Mary and Charlotte is a slow burn, and readers looking to enjoy a Jane Austen aesthetic with a contemporary twist are sure to be delighted with the plot and characters. Mary and Charlotte converse through a language of flowers, secretly confessing their attraction to each other before finding the courage and space to talk to each other openly. Lindz gives two of Jane Austen’s most sober side characters their own happily-ever-after, and it is a joy to watch their love story unfold. If you have ever dreamed of reimagining the romantic possibilities in Pride and Prejudice, add this book to your list today! You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Dearest Beast is the latest regency fairy tale romance in Felicia Grossman’s Once Upon the East End series, following her Cinderella and Snow-White retellings (Marry Me by Midnight and Wake Me Most Wickedly). It brings all the passion and swoon loyal readers have come to expect. When Roger Berab, a widower with two children, is forced to offer shelter to a midwife named Rebecca Adler after his daughter inadvertently damages her home and laboratory, it seems a mild inconvenience. But Robert and Rebecca, two people unsuited to one another in all ways but the physical, once shared a night of torrid passion that lingers in their minds even though they both want to forget it. As Roger makes plans to marry a much younger woman who can serve as a dignified wife and mother, he continues to wrestle with his attraction to Rebecca, forcing him to reevaluate all he holds dear. Grossman’s books are historical romance at its best, and she deftly weaves real-world details into her fairy tale plots, educating readers about the plight of Jewish people during the Regency era. Characters are both Ashkenazi and Sephardi, and Grossman poignantly illustrates the conflicts between them and the gentile world as she introduces Jewish traditions, rituals, and beliefs. A note at the back of the book provides in-depth historical context for the characters and situations in the story, connecting the miraculous transformations found in fairy tales to the social transformations required to combat contemporary prejudice and marginalization. These poignant messages are balanced with witty banter and dialogue that often makes me laugh out loud. Grossman’s ability to provide Jewish representation while gifting her readers a romance propelled by joy, heat, and passion is admirable, and this is what sets her work apart from typical regency love stories. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairy tale, so while I have long been a fan of Grossman’s Once Upon the East End series, it came as no surprise that Dearest Beast is my favorite so far! Fans of the series will recognize characters like Isabelle, Hannah, and Sol, but those new to Grossman will easily navigate the East End as they note the markers of a Beauty and the Beast story: a couple ill-suited to each other but simmering with passion, a hothouse of cultivated roses, and a luscious library, three stories high with ladders climbing up to the ceiling and warm patterned rugs on the floor. The relationship between Roger and Rebecca is the quintessential enemies-to-lovers tale, and at thirty-six and thirty years of age respectively, they are far from inexperienced in matters of the flesh. Their frank discussions of sexual intimacy and their unadulterated joy in its other’s bodies is refreshing, and I adore Grossman’s balance between steamy scenes and family scenes that show Roger's children grappling with their father’s new relationship. The children fall in love with Rebecca as surely as Roger does, and readers will eagerly keep turning pages as the “beastly” woman “Awful Roger” wants removed from his home and life becomes the woman he cannot live without. If you enjoy smart, witty, and steamy fairy tale-themed romance, pick up a copy of Dearest Beast. I loved it! You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis teaches writing, literature, fairy tale, and folklore at Central Connecticut State University and works as a Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and a Recurring Columnist for Eternal Haunted Summer. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was selected as a semi-finalist in the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship, and her historical romance, Sea and Stars, publishes in July 2026. You can learn more about her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

New York Times best-selling author Alice Hoffman returns to The Once Upon a Time Bookshop series with a third installment, The Bookstore Keepers, which follows the lives of two formerly estranged sisters, Isabel and Sophie. Readers first meet the pair as they reunite to save their parents’ struggling bookstore in The Bookstore Sisters, and witness their growing romances with new husbands in The Bookstore Wedding. Now, readers get to watch as the sisters navigate important moments in their lives that change the shape of their family. Alice Hoffman is one of my favorite writers, so it is no surprise that I love this short story. Hoffman’s literary style is on full display as she whisks readers away to the small island where the sisters reside. Their bookstore sells beautiful novels and delectable treats including the famous Marry Me, Marry Me Wedding Cake, but their best selling item is an illustrated letter written by the sisters’ mother just before she passed away. The letter, titled How Much Do I Love You, serves as a reminder that love is the most important thing of all. Hoffman’s prose has a way of stirring emotion, and I found myself smiling and crying as I turned the pages. The story expertly explores family roles as it oscillates between joy and sorrow before concluding that “you cannot love someone too much.” The Bookstore Keepers is the perfect bite-sized taste of Alice Hoffman’s writing to entice new readers toward her works or tide fans over while they wait for new releases. Although released as stand-alone stories, the three texts work best when read in order. If you are looking for an escape that will leave you longing for more stories and sweet treats to go with them, gift yourself the entire Once Upon a Bookshop series. You can find it here. Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Katherine Arden, the esteemed author of The Winternight Trilogy and The Warm Hands of Ghosts, returns with The Unicorn Hunters, a breathtaking historical fantasy that will delight those looking for magic. Loosely based on the harrowing life of Anne of Brittany, this novel, set on the cusp between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, brilliantly blends real-world political intrigue with fairy enchantment. The Anne of Arden’s novel, who inherited the Duchy of Brittany when her father passed away, has been promised in marriage to the King of France, and their union will result in the dissolution of an independent Brittany. Because Anne lives in a time and place where diviners can watch her actions from afar, she must enact a secret plan to marry Maximillian of Austria by proxy in the Lost Lands where the Korrigan, the Breton fairies, are rumored to dwell. She does this by convincing the French envoy that a unicorn has been seen in the woods and offering herself as the pure and virginal bait that will lure the creature from the shadows of the fairy world. Although Anne is simply stalling for time so that her new husband will ride to rescue Brittany from France’s advance, the hunting party finds both a unicorn and a man who has been missing in the fairy woods for more than two-hundred years, and these discoveries upset everyone's carefully crafted plans for power. Although Arden’s book is rich in history and fantasy elements, I especially loved the authenticity of her characters and settings. I was swept away to a land where the possibility of magic still exists, and it was easy for me to craft castles and forests in my imagination using Arden’s rich language as my guide. Anne, who is a blend of girlish innocence and intelligent wisdom, enchants readers as easily as she enchants the members of her court, and all the men who desire her for their own political positioning also desire her for her beauty and charm. Arden paints Anne as a fully formed woman with deep ties to her siblings and a strong commitment to the Breton people, and the book's fantasy world of shadows and ghosts is as real and as intriguing as its presentation of court politics. Even when the human rulers are fighting for power, the threat of the Korrigan, the beauty of the elusive unicorn, and the mystery of an underwater city lost to time loom over the narrative. Anne sits squarely in the center of the human and fairy worlds, understanding that, like all sovereigns, she is an enchanter who uses magic to forge many people into one nation. I adored The Unicorn Hunters and was thrilled to read Arden’s brief history about the real Anne of Brittany at the back of the book. Arden discusses the unicorn tapestries commissioned by Anne, tapestries which now hang in the cloisters of New York City, tapestries which feature a unicorn being hunted, killed, and placed in a cage. The harsh reality of being trapped in service to a larger ideal permeates both the tapestries and the book, and Arden’s beautifully crafted prose leaves readers with much to ponder even after they have reached the story's conclusion. The Unicorn Hunters is a must read for fans of historical fantasy, fairy tales, and slow burn, sensual romance. You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University and works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and a Recurring Columnist for Eternal Haunted Summer. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2025-2026 Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship, and her first novel, Sea and Stars, a real-world reimagining of Beauty and the Beast set in the 19th century, publishes in July 2026. Visit Kelly online at kellyjarviswriter.com.

Water Wishes: Bound by Tides is the perfect summer read for young adults and all who enjoy mermaid folklore! This novel tells the story of Bay, a teenage girl called by the ocean though her father forbids her from visiting the coast because her mother drowned at sea. When Bay discovers that her mother is not dead but is a mermaid and the Queen of the Pacific, she escapes her father’s care and tries to uncover the truth of her own past. The adventure takes her to coastal towns in the liminal space between the land and the sea where mermaid lore is more than a story, and before long, Bay submerges beneath the waves, learning the secrets her father hoped to keep from her. In addition to being a story about finding true identity, this is a tale of found family. Bay encounters twins, Catalina and Cyrus, who become a family to her as she faces dangers she never anticipated. Catalina, the captain of a ship named The Contessa, is a mermaid, and Cyrus, a wise-cracking and suspicious teen, ignites new feelings of frustration and love in Bay. Bay must learn to accept help from the people who love her and to reconcile the competing voices in her head (the “Light-Voice” and the “Darkness”) in order to understand her past and make difficult choices about her future. Although her story is a fantastical one complete with mermaids and sea-witches, her path is one that young adult readers can recognize and learn from. I love this beautiful book which is perfect for the nostalgia of a summer afternoon! Aguiar’s descriptions of the sea and the seaside villages where merfolk roam transported me to the ocean and made me long for crisp, salt breezes. I especially loved the writer’s creation of mermaid folklore, structuring it as an alternate universe filled with unique rules and regulations. Mermaids in this novel can willfully transform themselves into humans, and the villages situated along the liminal coasts are careful not to produce harmful waste that can damage the oceans. This novel is a perfect combination of teenage rebellion, young love, and fantasy quests, with lots of twists and turns to keep readers guessing, and I can’t wait for the sequel! If a young adult in your life enjoys stories of the sea, pick up a copy of Water Wishes: Bound by Tides today! You can find it here. Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Baseball Bard, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Forget Me Not Press, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and the World Weaver Press Anthology Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

What the Sea Knows, by J. K. Divia, is a beautiful exploration of Selkie legends filtered through a contemporary plot and perspective. When Holly Walsh, a thirty-six year old woman reeling from a breakup with her fiancé, realizes she has spent her early years feeling lost and disconnected from herself, she moves to Ireland hoping for a fresh start. She purchases a home and potential business on one of the smallest Aran Islands off the coast of Galway, but from the moment she lands on Irish soil, she is beset by strange dreams about a sea maid trying to escape captivity. Holly’s dreams are made more complex by a taciturn but handsome local named Michael who tries to warn her against purchasing property on the island. The lighthouse is said to be cursed by a selkie, and every seven years someone will fall from a cliff or drown in the sea until the ocean is filled with human tears. What follows is a beautiful second-chance romance story which plays out in multiple generations as Holly and Michael work together to unravel the mystery of the island and break the cycle of trauma. In addition to an engaging plot and loveable characters, Divia fills the narrative with selkie folklore and Irish symbols, including the triskele and a ring made of Connemara Marble which comes only from Galway. The entire story is seeped in salty ocean imagery, making What the Sea Knows a lovely read that will pull at your heartstrings while propelling you forward to unlock the mysteries embedded in the plot. This is a story for all who love the sea, Irish mythology, selkie folklore, and second chance romance. Dive in! You can find it here. Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Green Man by Brian Froud Spring is season of rebirth and new growth, and here at The Fairy Tale Magazine we are celebrating spring in style! In addition to our luscious Spring/Summer issue Wildwood, a gorgeously illustrated collection of poetry, essays, and fiction featuring cover art by Leonard Greco, we have compiled a roundup of spring folklore, art, and quotations along with a Green Man, Green Woman, and Tree Spirit reading list. And, as a special spring surprise, our Editor-in-Chief Kristen Baum DeBeasi, a gifted composer and poet, has created two musical playlists for your listening pleasure, one that will invite you to dance through the forest and one that will help you relax among the trees. Wander through our roundup and let the magic of spring scatter its seeds of inspiration. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it! Spring Folklore & Facts *April showers bring May flowers *A Swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay *Marry in May, and you'll rue the day *Oak before ash, in for a splash. Ash before oak, in for a soak *Violets, one of spring's earliest flowers, carry love and luck *Plant primroses by your front door to please the fairies *The full moon of May is known as the Flower Moon *The May birthstone is a deep green emerald *Tie a ribbon to a tree on May 1st (Beltane) for luck Books to enjoy this Spring If spring is the season to plant new seeds, then why not fill your minds with seeds of botanical beauty? Below you will find a roundup of stories, essays, poetry, and gorgeously illustrated books that awaken the Green Man and the Green Woman from their winter slumber and plunge readers into the arms of trees. Add them to your reading list today! Brian Froud’s Green Women: With Original Contributions by Extraordinary Women Writers of Fantasy and Myth does not publish until October, but why not preorder this treasure now? Seventy of Brian Froud's evocative illustrations of the Green Woman are accompanied by poems, stories, and folklore, and fairy tales crafted by writers like by Terri Windling, Shveta Thakrar, Maria DeBlassie, Theodora Goss, Kate Forsyth, and Delia Sherman. This is sure to become a classic for all those who adore the natural world and its mysteries. The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest is a collection of stories and poems curated by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling. Writers including Charles de Lint, Tanith Lee, Jane Yolen, and Patricia McKillip journey deep into the mythic forest and return with spellbinding explorations of Elfland. You’ll find stories about Dionysus and Herne, a retelling of Daphne’s experience, and a take on Jack and the Beanstalk. This is a must read for those who love forest folklore and fairy tale! Walking with the Green Man: Father of the Forest, Spirit of Nature by Dr. Bob Curran traces the origins of the Green Man figure from prehistoric times to the contemporary world. Focusing on the interplay between folklore and culture, Dr. Curran examines the Green Man as symbolic art and living history through the lens of human perception. The Green Man by David Russell Mosley is a collection of poetry dedicated to Southwall Minster “whose beautiful architecture first introduced {him} to the Green Man.” Divided into sections which cover creation, spirituality, loss, spring, summer, winter, and fall, this book is a thoughtful contemplation about the intersections between faith and the natural world. Although not every poem is about the Green Man, the title situates the pieces within an understanding of his mythic presence. Moving and honest, these poems help readers see the presence of nature beneath contemporary life. If you enjoy Gothic novels and dark humor check out Kingsley Amis’ The Green Man, a tale of a middle-aged man haunted by death. Although the story is about achieving redemption through the intervention of ghostly presences, the protagonist, Maurice Allington, owns a pub and inn called The Green Man, which offers interesting insights into how the legendary figure of spring can be used as a symbol of altered consciousness and good cheer. Are you looking to relax while enjoying some artistic inspiration this spring? Let The Green Man: Coloring Book for Adults sweep you away to the leafy forests. The pages offer pictures of the Green Man alongside Celtic symbols and mandalas designed to soothe the soul and stimulate creative thinking. Many scholars link the Green Man to Robin Hood, so why not revisit Howard Pyle’s classic text The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood? Here you will find Robin and his band of Merry Men battling the Sheriff of Nottingham, proof that the wild man of nature cannot be contained by the arbitrary and oppressive laws of man. This version features over sixty original illustrations by Pyle himself! The titular knight from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is also linked to the Green Man, though his story takes place over the Christmas season. A large, leaf-clad green knight crashes Camelot’s holiday feast and challenges Arthur’s court to a beheading game. Sir Gawain is the knight who steps up to the challenge, learning about his own strengths and faults in the process. Do you think the Green Knight functions as a Green Man? Celtric Tree Magic: Ogham Lore and Druid Mysteries by Danu Forest explores the magic of twenty-five different trees. In addition to exploring tree folklore and myth, this book offers tips for communing with nature and hands-on exercises for salves, ointments, and crafts. Written by a Druid witch and Celtic shaman, this book will help readers find connections between nature and the human soul. Nine Ways to Charm a Dryad: A Magical Adventure to Connect with the Spirit of Trees also aims to help readers experience the wonders of nature firsthand. Meditations, writing prompts, and craft projects offer advice for healing, and the author Penny Billington encourages people of all faiths to learn how to recognize the aura of the trees and the beauty of the landscape. This is a lovely, accessible book filled with art and poetry. Julie Armstrong gifts readers a story about May and Jack, a couple living among the forest Fae, in A Wild Calling. When developers shatter their pristine world, Jack-in-the-Green and his May Queen must become Eco-warriors, fighting to find one another and restore balance. Filled with lush description and mythic symbolism, this tale is one of redemption and hope. Armstrong also leads readers through nature in her stunning books The Root & the Wing, a collection of lyrical poetry and prose rooted in the turning of the seasons, and Journal of a Nature Lover, a memoir about mothers and daughters who share a passion for flora and fauna. Silver in the Wood, the first book in Emily Tesh’s Greenhollow Duology, tells the tale of a wild man named Tobias who lives deep in the forests surrounding Greenhollow Hall. When Henry Silver takes possession of the property, readers are plunged into both magic and darkness as they witness a slow-burn love story unfold. This novella is a beautifully written tale with lush descriptive imagery, and readers will certainly reach for its sequel Drowned Country which takes place in seaside town which was once a part of the woods. Finally, while Comus, a masque written by John Milton, is not about the Green Man or nature spirits themselves, its poetic allegory between virtue and temptation takes place in a “wild wood.” This version, sumptuously illustrated by Arthur Rackham, is sure to delight those looking for visual inspiration. And for more spring-themed reads, visit our Spring Book Roundup. Art and Quotations for Springtime Contemplation Green Man at Bankfield Museum, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England 'I am thought of all plants', says the Green Man, 'I am thought of all plants', says he (William Anderson). Jack in the Green procession on Hastings West Hill "Now Jack in the Green is a very strange man Though he dies every Autumn he's born every spring And each year on his birthday, we will dance through the street An in return Jacky will ripen the wheat Jack in the Green, Jack in the Green And we'll all dance each springtime with Jack in the Green" (Martin Graebe). Robin Shoots an Arrow by Louis Rhead "Marion, my darling, I love you more than life itself" (Walt Disney's Robin Hood). Peter Pan by Scott Gustafson "He was a lovely boy, clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that ooze out of trees" (James Barrie, Peter & Wendy). Narcissus by John William Waterhouse "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine." (William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream) Vasantika, Goddess of Spring, by Raja Ravi Varma "Spring hangs her infant blossoms on the trees, Rock'd in the cradle of the western breeze" (William Cowper). Julie Lebrun as Flora, Roman Goddess of Flowers "Spring drew on...and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps" (Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre). A Wood Nymph by Robert Pötzelberger "Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil" (Reginald Heber). Music to sweep you into Nature Below, you will find two playlists curated and described by Editor-in-Chief of The Fairy Tale Magazine Kristen Baum DeBeasi and shared on The Fairy Tale Magazine's YouTube Channel. Enjoy it all season and return whenever you long for the sweet breath of spring! Green Man Playlist: Come celebrate the greening of spring! and the renewing power of nature in spring. Listen to music about The Green Man, Jack-in-the-Green, Robin Hood, and let’s rollick together! This playlist is sure to get you on your feet and dancing. There’s a "Mummers’ Dance" (Loreena McKennit) music for Beltane, Walpurgisnacht (from FAUN) and a couple of fantastic tracks from Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra (YES with Steve Winick). There’s a tribute to the Tree of Life from The Fountain (there was a time when I listened to the entire soundtrack from this movie on repeat, I loved it so much!). Enjoy Two Corbies duo, La Ceiba and even The Olurombi song. And no rollicking playlist about powerful trees would be complete without a song about Yggdrasill. Let this playlist call you to your feet for little rousing celebration of the strength of tree spirits and of spring. Once you’ve danced your tree roots off, enjoy an encore by Ray Charles singing to us that "It’s Not Easy Being Green." Green Man Playlist Whispering Woods Playlist: Enter this enchanted wood with “My Robin to the Greenwood Did Go” from Hamnet and stay for the variety I’ve gathered here. This playlist highlights aspects of the dryads, tree spirits, spending time in their quiet beauty, and the call of the forest to each one of us individually. My favorite tree, the willow, gets a bit of extra love (not just from Taylor Swift—there are others writing odes to my favorite weeping tree) in this playlist, but never fear, we have everything from lighter to darker tree ideas (“Sycamore Trees” from Twin Peaks). And any time I can include Hildegard of Bingen, I will do it! If you're thirsty for a translation of the Latin, click through to the video (on YouTube) and look in the description--a translation is provided and trees are exulted and adored in much of this song. There’s everything in this playlist from opera (Handel, “Kumudha’s Prayer" from John Adams’ opera A Flowering Tree) to Ruth B singing to us about Peter Pan and the lost boys. Whispering Woods Playlist If you've enjoyed A Whisper in the Woods: The Fairy Tale Magazine's Spring Roundup of Folklore, Art, Books, and Music, be sure to download our Spring/Summer Issue Wildwood. Spring may be a season, but it is also a state of mind we can return to again and again whenever we need the hope, joy, and beauty that inspiration brings. Kristen Baum DeBeasi, the Editor-in-Chief of The Fairy Tale Magazine, was born a flower child (on the inside). In fact, she remembers communing with the flowers surrounding her PNW home as a young girl. It wasn’t until later in life when her inner flower child grew bold enough to emerge (on the outside). Kristen has loved faeries and fairy tales for as long as she can remember. She is a poet, writer, and composer with a M.M. in theory and composition. The marriage of storytelling and music guides her creative expression. Visit her at: https://www.kbdebeasi.com/ Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was a semi-finalist in the Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship and her Gothic historical romance Sea and Stars releases in July 2026. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Graceless Heart is a stunning historical fantasy which swept me away to Renaissance Italy. Ravenna Maffei, the daughter of innkeepers, is a gifted sculptor who can shape beauty from stone, but when she enters a sculpting competition to save her brother’s life, she reveals a hidden secret that risks putting her and her entire family in danger. Ravenna possesses magical abilities which the immortal dei Luni family need in order to survive the Pope’s war against magic, and she soon finds herself a captive at the hands of their dangerous and handsome oldest son. Alone in a new city, and not sure who to trust, Ravenna will have to rely on her own abilities to create works of art from unyielding stone in order to survive. As a fan of Isabel Ibanez’ duology What the River Knows and Where the Library Hides, I was thrilled to pick up Graceless Heart which is marketed as the writer’s adult debut. The writing is steeped in vivid details which transport the reader to unfamiliar places, and the narrative is filled with metaphors regarding the magic and beauty of the creative process. The setting is heavily researched, the characters are well-developed, and the romance provides just the right combination of danger and attraction. Like a well-crafted statue, the story lingers in the mind, encouraging further contemplation. I loved this historical fantasy which explores ideas of artistic creation and restraint alongside its exciting and suspenseful plot. The author captures the beauty of the setting and the intensity of the time period while also weaving magical stones and crystals into the romantic narrative. It is an atmospheric, dreamy enemies-to-lovers tale that will have readers riveted until the very end. If you enjoy historical novels with deep character building, artistic contemplation, simmering passion, and a rewarding plot twist, Graceless Heart is the book for you! You can find it here. Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own, Blue Heron Review, Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly, The Chamber Magazine, The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers. Her debut novella, Selkie Moon, was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/

Alix E. Harrow, author of the Ten Thousand Doors of January  and A Spindle Splintered , returns with an Arthurian-style time travel novel sure to delight her fans. The Everlasting  tells the story of Sir Una Everlasting, an orphan turned knight turned legend, and Owen Mallory, a scholarly historian obsessed with her story. Owen believes Una has saved his life on multiple occasions. Her story provided him with solace to his loneliness as a child and inspired him to join his country’s war against the Hinterlands when he came of age. As the book begins, he is a wounded veteran and a struggling part-time professor in the Cantford College Department of History. He receives a parcel in the mail which contains a book carved from heartwood. The book, a tremendous scholarly discover which may win Owen a prestigious position, is the lost story of the Death of Una Everlasting . Owen soon finds himself thrust backward in time, living as a scribe tasked with telling Una’s story. Harrow immediately sucks the reader into a medieval world while also retaining the tone and humor of a contemporary setting and characters. Owen explains his academic advisor is “like a liege lord, except instead of beheading you she can make you rewrite your thesis chapters,” and notes “a journey which takes only a few paragraphs in a book takes considerably longer on horseback.” Comments like these remind the reader that Owen and Una’s fantastical story is a reflection of the real world we live in, and this lays the groundwork for a compelling contemplation of storytelling. Questions of narrative authority and cultural legacy sit side by side with questions about the nature of bravery and cowardice. Beneath it all is a love story that repeats and spans across generations. Although I sometimes felt lost in the time-loops, I loved Harrow’s beautiful and poetic presentation about the everlasting nature of love and the way a story can feel like home. Her presentation of a brave, sword-wielding female knight and a mousy, cowardly man is refreshing, and her combination of hope and tragedy will leave emotional readers in tatters. This book is for fans of fantasy, time travel, and all those who enjoy the power of a well-told love story. It is a book to be both enjoyed and studied, and I’m sure to return to its pages again. You can find it here . Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review. Kelly Jarvis works as the Contributing Writer for The Fairy Tale Magazine and teaches writing and literature at Central Connecticut State University. Her work has been featured in A Moon of One’s Own,   Blue Heron Review , Corvid Queen, Eternal Haunted Summer, Mermaids Monthly , The Chamber Magazine , The Magic of Us, and Mothers of Enchantment: New Tales of Fairy Godmothers . Her debut novella, Selkie Moon , was released in 2025. You can connect with her on Facebook (Kelly Jarvis, Author) or Instagram (@kellyjarviswriter) or find her at https://kellyjarviswriter.com/