Hey, book lovers! Welcome back to another week of Bookstr’s Three to Read! April is Scottish American Heritage Month, and what better way to celebrate than by recommending three Scottish-inspired books that were released earlier this year? Today, we are bringing to you three fantasy novels that are set in Scotland and based on Scottish folktales!
Hot Pick
A River Enchanted
by Rebecca Ross
SYNOPSIS:
Ten years after leaving the magical isle of Cadence to study music, Jack Tamerlaine is called back home when girls mysteriously start disappearing. The magic found on Cadence is unlike any other, being ruled by the natural elements. However, Jack cannot do this alone and must work with his childhood enemy and heiress of the east, Aida. Using magic and music, the pair realize that the spirit behind the disappearance is much fiercer than they initially believed. It is up to Jack and Aida to save the island before its past comes bites back.
WHY:
Known for her YA novels such as The Queen’s Rising and Sisters of Sword and Song, Rebecca Ross has made her adult fantasy debut with A River Enchanted. The novel is heavily inspired by Scottish folktale and immerses the readers into this unique fantasy world. Bards and the clashing of two clans are central topics and further strengthen the impact of the folktale.
Coffee Shop Read
Anatomy: A Love Story
by Dana Schwartz
SYNOPSIS:
The year is 1817 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hazel Sinnett is expected to marry her wealthy viscount cousin, even though her heart truly lies with being a surgeon. After sneaking into a medical program, Hazel is soon discovered to be a woman and is kicked out. Now, having to teach herself, she contacts Jack Currer, a resurrection man she met outside of Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society. Jack supplies the bodies and Hazel cuts them open and studies them. But as time goes on and more strange occurrences keep happening, the pair dig up more than just the dead…
WHY:
In Dana Schwartz’s newest novel, readers travel to Scotland and into a society where women were not welcomed in medical spaces. According to a Sunday Post interview, Schwartz was greatly inspired by her trips, one that even included her backpacking, to Edinburgh and chose to set her novel there after taking in the true magic of the capital.
Dark Horse
From Salt to Skye
by Adriane Leigh
SYNOPSIS:
Fable Prescott journeys to the Isle of Skye in Scotland to research her family’s Scottish ancestry, as well as what happened to her great-grandaunt who mysteriously disappeared. In the midst of her studies, she uncovers more than what she initially set out for. Another woman goes missing and it appears that there may be more to uncover than just family secrets. With the help of her new neighbor, Alder, who is the only one that can help her figure out her ancestor’s pasts, Fable explores love and revenge.
WHY:
Multi-award-winning author, Adriane Leigh, sends readers to one of the most famous islands in Scotland, the Isle of Skye. The novel is laced with Scottish folklore and dives into Fable’s Scottish background. From Salt to Skye is the first stand-alone novel in the Legends and Lovers series that explores love, lore, magic, and much more across twenty authors.
Happy Scottish American Heritage Month! To read last week’s Three to Read, click here!