Created and hosted by the Ninja himself, Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writers Support Group posts the 1st Wednesday of every month. Click here to learn more or sign up.
Before I get to the OMQ, I wanted to say that, yes, this post is late. My site crashed recently, and I just got it up and running, but I forgot to complete the scheduling sequence required for this post to go live while I was still asleep. Oops! Oh, well. Hope everyone has a lovely IWSG Day!
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through to make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Any amount I make goes towards my dream to host a book fair in Hampton Roads, VA. Please see my About page for more details. Thank you for your support.
Optional Monthly Question: What fantasy character would you like to fight, go on a quest with, or have a beer/glass of wine with?
My answer is also available as a YouTube Short that I’ve shared on social media.
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Last month, I shared a fun interview with author Ronel Janse van Vuuren for her release of Smoke on the Water. Next week, I plan to release my video book reviews, but for now, I’m so excited to share my 5-star review of that book.
Smoke on the Water by Ronel Janse van Vuuren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was an omnibus collection of several short story/novellas in a series by the same author. I missed reading the individual releases, but I am glad I was able to read the complete series in this edition. As I read, I could imagine being the weary reader waiting for the next installment to come out. Though each of these stories could clearly stand alone, I like that they were all connected and led up to the final conclusion.
I appreciated the many laughs throughout the series, but I consider the more emotional parts to be my favorites. I think it takes a clever mind to craft stories with this level of complexity, filled with humor, and still be able to have those gut-wrenching “aha” moments. I don’t consider myself a scholar of mythology, but I have studied several pantheons and know from general conversations that I know more than the average person, so I was delighted to learn things I hadn’t known from reading this book.
Another kudos to this author for being able to balance all the different cultures, mythological pantheons, and various points of view in a respectful manner. Ultimately, though, I feel the standout feature of this reading experience was the overall message and the villain reveal. I was so pleased with the conclusion of this book that I almost wanted there to be more.
Highly recommend to fans of mythology across various pantheons, cultural diversity, fantasy and magic, as well as those conscientious about the environment.
Even if you don’t care about the environment, this could totally be a fun read.
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Personal Updates…
1) Here are the vlogs I posted last month in case you missed them.
Reading Vlog, with no book reviews featured.
Food Vlog, with A Meta Moment & a Quick Meal featured.
2) I’ve moved my personal updates over to Patreon. Click this public post if you want to check it out.
My Patreon community is usually able to watch my Counting My Blessings video three days early, but now it’s public if you’d like to see it and don’t want to go to Patreon. There’s also a short for it, in case the full video is too long for you.
Will you help me grow my community to 100 FREE subscribers on Patreon? You get monthly updates and exclusive content. I tell you the truth, it’s better than a newsletter!
Commerce update…
If you’re interested in the featured item or other clothing, click to visit Sell My Tees.
The stickers and other accessories can be found at Redbubble.
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I have enjoyed my Foundry Lunch Bag for more than a year and am happy to be sharing it with you. The links featured below are affiliate links if you want to try it out.
Fit + Fresh Foundry Gender Neutral Lunch Bags
Small Blue |  Large Grey & Tan | Large Chestnut/Mauve
So, are you up for a Quest? If so, with whom?
It may take some time, but I promise I will eventually stop by your blog.
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After hanging out with Alex, be sure to stop by and visit this month’s co-hosts:
Jennifer Lane,
L Diane Wolfe,
Jenni Enzor,
and Natalie @ Literary Rambles!
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Click here to visit other IWSG blogs and sites to receive and share more inspiration and support. (This month, I’m #23).
Thank you for making it this far down the virtual page. Kudos to you! I’d love to know what you thought of this post in the comments below. Stay safe and be blessed.
12 replies on “#IWSG April. 2025- Anyone Up For A Quest?”
I’ll sign up!
Not familiar with The Night Circus.
It’s a really fun book. Some people say it’s Harry Potter for adults.
You have a lot of vlogs. I’m impressed you can keep up with them all. I’m glad you enjoyed Ronel’s book so much.
Thanks Natalie. The vlogs are just me doing what I’d be doing anyway. I just have to remember to record.
Great job, Toi. I enjoyed seeing you on the vlog and hearing about your character choice.
https://substack.com/@cleemckenzie
Thanks, C. Lee. It was a fun question to answer.
Recently, I stumbled across somebody’s list of the most essential-to-read fantasy novels. I think *Night Circus* was on the list. But, I haven’t read it…yet. You make it sound like a book with which one really falls in love. Thanks.
I can’t speak for everyone, but Night Circus helped me stay in love with fantasy at a time when I thought I was outgrowing it.
I have heard good things about The Night Circus, although I haven’t read it yet. I really enjoyed your vlog! Happy ISWG!
Thanks for stopping by. If you like fantasy, I say, give Night Circus a try. I can’t guarantee you’ll love it, but I do.
The Night Circus is on my TBR — somewhere 😉
I’m so glad you enjoyed Smoke on the Water!
Ronel visiting for IWSG day Focusing on Self-Care
What a treat to watch your answer to this month’s question on video! You seem like such a warm person.
I have The Night Circus but haven’t read it yet. I’ve heard many positive reviews.