Magic All Around

by Marcy L. Peska

Meet Vivian Marshall, an introverted artist from Juneau, Alaska. Painting, cooking hot baths and quiet evenings make Vivian happy. Neighbors with poor boundaries, her mom's coven-style living arrangement and dogs make her unhappy.

When Vivian moves into a new apartment, she finds her sensible life turned topsy-turvy by dogs, a pony-tailed landlord and an inconvenient prophesy. Vivian is about to learn that there is magic all around!

If you love Southeast Alaska, weredogs, selkies, mysterious shape-changing boxes or tales of adventure and self-discovery, give this rollicking fantasy a whirl.

Warning: This book contains mild swearing and violence, delicious food and a pit bull who is allowed on the furniture. Appropriate for ages 13+

Genres: Fantasy

312 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2013

About the author

I'm a dog loving, rain preferring, curry-crazy indie author. I live with my husband and our pitsky (pit bull/husky mix), Jeb in Juneau, Alaska.

Reviews

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever wondered about life in Juneau Alaska and you like a paranormal twist this is the book for you. Author Marcy L. Peska has written a fantastic fantasy while managing to stay true to Juneau. I have lived in this town for years and I can say that the characters, (apart from the magical aspect), are depictions of people who live here. I read the first chapter aloud and without saying it was an Alaskan author. Halfway through the person I was reading to asked if the author was from Juneau. Some people may have a difficult time with our vision of home. Life in Juneau is very different from anywhere else I have lived. Home is a different concept here. People really do live on small boats, in cars and tents and do not think of themselves as homeless. I have had people "couch surf" at my place and if you asked them if they were homeless they would tell you no. Vivian is mostly going to be unlike people you know as she is a Juneauite and unless you have lived here you may have a hard time getting to know her. All I can say is she grows on you. I loved the magical elements in this book. They were fresh - a Pandora's box is one. I also appreciated that Vivian, while accepting of shifters, (perhaps because she saw that as it happened), she was skeptical of magic. It made her a real person in a fantasy novel. I found myself going, "yeah Vivian. I wouldn't buy that either unless I saw it." The ending was left open because there is a second book in the works. Yay! I hope the author types fast. For those who want to know: there are a few mistakes but it is minimal and did not disrupt my reading; there was no sexual content; minimal light adult language; some violence but not graphic. I would allow 13+ to read it. Actually I think teens will enjoy it and one shifter character in particular.

[L. Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character, Vivian, is a feisty woman with real world uncertainties coupled with a determination which mirrors how we humans truly deal with confusing, world-tipping experiences: we doddle, rationalize but ultimately meet it head-on in our bumbling, lucky, and inspired way. I loved following Vivian on her journey of discovery. My attention was grabbed from the start and held to the finish. Of course, this book begs a sequel as it leaves plenty left open for further adventures and growth for Vivian. The question remains "How will Vivian fulfill the prophesy?" and the answer I expect will be in the sequel. Who would have thought there was so much magic in the world?

Set in Juneau, Alaska, Vivian who lost her last home to a fire has been living in her car. Long time family friend Penny takes charge, quickly lodging her in a nearby duplex owned by an odd but attractive friend. But the apartment comes with a few strings: Vivian who is terrified of dogs must take in a homeless pit bull terrier named Teak, comfort a wayward and magicked teenager, and teach the bachelor landlord how to cook. Not even an hour into moving in, and she has a coven of witches wandering about, three dogs, hmm, should I say four, running about the place, and a package arrives from someone she doesn't know, from a place she has never been, containing an item she does not recognize, and it was mailed days before she even knew she was changing residence from the car to the duplex. There is definitely Magic All Around.

[Laurie Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

I totally enjoyed this book, it had snark, which led to laughs, and danger, a mystery, a prophecy, wereanimals, magic, fairy , definitely kept me entertained. Looking forward to reading the next.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantastical, supremely magical tale that’s wonderfully conceived and thoroughly entertaining!

This highly imaginative story is filled with truly inspired creative concepts and remarkable vision. The author totally embraces the fantasy genre by incorporating a wide variety of mythical and magical creatures, bringing her unique creation vibrantly to life on the page. There is plenty of magic including weredogs, selkies, shapeshifters and spells as well as adding into the traditional/ high fantasy fray more ‘steampunk’ types of technology. Unlike your typical paranormal novel this book edges towards the classic types of fantasy, targeted towards the younger reader for an altogether compelling and believable tale. Set in Southeast Alaska where snow dogs and the magic of winter give an impressive backdrop for any fantasy story, you are whisked into a world of mystery and dazzling dimensions that enchant and intrigue. Anyone with a curious nature and vivid mind will devour this exceptional debut, as it slots into the genre with effortless ease and credibility.

An adventure of self-discovery and mystical enchantments, ‘Magic All Around’ is a fabulously fun read that was thrilling and incredibly exciting. As an avid reader of this hugely popular genre and someone who seeks out ancient prophecies, weird and wonderful creatures and supernatural backdrops…this was definitely a winner for me as it met all my expectations! Despite being well written I do not feel that the storyline is strong enough or as detailed {including world-building and memorable characters etc.} to bring it up to the high standards of authors such as Pullman or C S Lewis – but, it is an accomplished first novel nevertheless and I am anxious now to read book 2 and continue the journey…+ I would add that the cover needs work (too bland and not eye-catching enough I personally feel).

3.5 stars!

*I won a copy of Marcy L. Peska’s novel Magic is all around through a GoodReads, first-read giveaway. *

[David Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy on Goodreads Firstreads.

Vivian Marshall has seen better times. She has been living in her car for the last few days because her apartment burned. But it is not the best solution since it is not quite spring in Juneau, Alaska. She visits her friend, Penny, hoping for the chance to use her shower. But Penny has a different idea. She convinces Norm to rent Vivian the second part of his duplex for the same rent she paid at her old apartment plus cooking lessons. Norm adds the condition that she takes one of the dogs living with him. The problem is Vivian is an introverted artist who prefers painting and quiet evenings and no dogs. Vivian's life becomes more hectic with her mother living in a coven, neighbors who have relaxed boundaries, and seeing magic all around her.

This is a fast and fun read. There is plenty of magic including weredogs, shape-changing boxes, selkies, and other magical creatures.I love the concept that magic isn't paranormal since paranormal means someting beyond normal. The magic is part of the world so it isn't paranormal, just normal. It is obvious the author loves her subjects. Juneau, dogs, and the existence of magic are all written with the tones of someone who loves them all. When someone writes about something they love, it just makes it easier to read and enjoy.

There are a few cases of tecnology being a double-edged sword. Spell-check changed some words to the correct spellings but the wrong word, like using foreword for forward. This wasn't a problem but it did just amuse me a little.

I look forward to the following book(s) in this series.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

When I started this book, I didn't know if it was going to be a story that I would enjoy (I do love fantasy and stories about magic, but I still had my doubts). Happily I turned out to be wrong about my initial first impressions. Once I got into the story I didn't want to put it down again! I really liked the main character Vivian and enjoyed the descriptions of life in Juneau, Alaska (a place I would love to visit someday!) And even better, the author was kind enough to also send me a copy of the sequel novel (Magic Within) along with my copy of Magic All Around. I can't wait to get started on the sequel so I can find out what happens to the cast of characters introduced in the first book. I would definitely recommend this story for anyone looking for a fun read with a taste of magic :)

[Mike Hartner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not a genre I typically read. But, in keeping with my motto, I #gettoknowtheauthor.
So, when one of my twitter followers suggested Marcy, I was glad to take it up.

This story was fantastic!

This story is written by a Juneau author, and you can see that in the way she deals with everyday life in Alaska.
The last author who dealt with the North with such reverence, IMHO, was Robert Service.
And while the presentations are different, (he used poetry and ballads, Marcy uses a novel) both authors show a reverence
that would be hard to present if it wasn't experienced.

To me, it seemed like this story was a fun write, and her joy in writing comes out in the story. It truly is infectious.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juneau, Alaska. It's a place I'd now love to visit after reading this book (you can only get there by boat or plane!), the locale is as much a part of the story as the characters. I liked Vivian, who is not your typical heroine, and it's a fun, easy to read tale of magical entities, with an ending that leaves questions unanswered as a sequel is in progress.

[Sylvia Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the characters in this book, including and especially Teak, the dog, and Lawrence, the nephew. There certainly is magic all around in this book, as our heroine discovers, and some of it is very scary indeed. A tale of discovery, including self-discovery; I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alaska magic...can totally relate to Viv and gave me the travel bug. didn't quite come together at the end.