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More in Heaven and Earth
A Wild Conversion
In a town where magic rules, how do you keep it from destroying everything precious?
Salem, Massachusetts is more famous for its hysteria than its magic, but on the other side of the bespelled barrier, witches do exist, an entire community where those with the most magic wield the most power.
Emma Goodwinter has lived there all her life but has always questioned the way things are. Now a young witch of 50 on the brink of converting into her full sorcerer’s powers, she has no idea that those questions will be turned into outright rebellion, all brought on by the arrival of an unscheduled steam train.
Physician Dr. Frederick Everly is used to his mundane life in 19th-century Boston, but when the train he is in derails and he must confront evil magic to save an infant’s life, he’s suddenly thrown into a confounding world almost a century and a half away from where he started.
Drawn to this unwilling time traveler from the start, Emma quickly realizes that Frederick, too, is becoming a sorcerer. But his is a wild conversion, entirely untrained--the type which legends say can only lead to madness or death.
Quickly discovering themselves in a life-and-death struggle with Frederick’s all-too-magical, and far too malevolent, family, Emma and Frederick must help him survive his conversion and find a way to fight the conspirators, all while facing terrifying new truths about Emma’s past. But how will two unconverted sorcerers stop a conspiracy which began before their births and has already infected the lives of four different generations?
Katherine Gilbert, author of the quirky urban fantasy series, More in Heaven and Earth, shows a more serious side in this contemporary fantasy tale of witches, magic, and dangerous conspiracies (with a small side of quirk). On a Gilbert wackiness scale of 1-to-10 sarcastic talking cats*, this one is about a 2.
*Warning: Not all stories contain talking cats. Wackiness may take other forms.
The More in Heaven and Earth series is all set in the same magical universe filled with angels, witches, werewolves, demons, vampires, ghosts, and many other supernatural creatures. These intriguing tales can be read either in order or as stand-alones and will introduce the reader to a variety of fascinating characters throughout the many unique locales of this exciting world.
Salem, Massachusetts is more famous for its hysteria than its magic, but on the other side of the bespelled barrier, witches do exist, an entire community where those with the most magic wield the most power.
Emma Goodwinter has lived there all her life but has always questioned the way things are. Now a young witch of 50 on the brink of converting into her full sorcerer’s powers, she has no idea that those questions will be turned into outright rebellion, all brought on by the arrival of an unscheduled steam train.
Physician Dr. Frederick Everly is used to his mundane life in 19th-century Boston, but when the train he is in derails and he must confront evil magic to save an infant’s life, he’s suddenly thrown into a confounding world almost a century and a half away from where he started.
Drawn to this unwilling time traveler from the start, Emma quickly realizes that Frederick, too, is becoming a sorcerer. But his is a wild conversion, entirely untrained--the type which legends say can only lead to madness or death.
Quickly discovering themselves in a life-and-death struggle with Frederick’s all-too-magical, and far too malevolent, family, Emma and Frederick must help him survive his conversion and find a way to fight the conspirators, all while facing terrifying new truths about Emma’s past. But how will two unconverted sorcerers stop a conspiracy which began before their births and has already infected the lives of four different generations?
Katherine Gilbert, author of the quirky urban fantasy series, More in Heaven and Earth, shows a more serious side in this contemporary fantasy tale of witches, magic, and dangerous conspiracies (with a small side of quirk). On a Gilbert wackiness scale of 1-to-10 sarcastic talking cats*, this one is about a 2.
*Warning: Not all stories contain talking cats. Wackiness may take other forms.
The More in Heaven and Earth series is all set in the same magical universe filled with angels, witches, werewolves, demons, vampires, ghosts, and many other supernatural creatures. These intriguing tales can be read either in order or as stand-alones and will introduce the reader to a variety of fascinating characters throughout the many unique locales of this exciting world.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2020
1 person is currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Gilbert
19 books586 followersKatherine Gilbert was born at house number 1313 and then transplanted to a crumbling antebellum ruin so gothic that The Munsters would have run from it. She has since gained several ridiculously-impractical degrees in English, Religious Studies, and Women's Studies. She now teaches at a South Carolina community college, where all her students think, correctly, that she is very, very strange, indeed. You can also sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/dCcccL To interact with her and get previews, join her reader group on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/11691...
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 31, 2021
I have read several of Katherine Gilbert’s novels, and when I don’t think they can’t get any better she puts out a new one and proves me wrong. You will experience a little bit of everything in this novel magic, witches, and unplanned time travel. This is a brilliant read! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This novel has strong, well developed characters and an interesting story line that keeps you turning the pages. I recommend this novel and would read more novels by this author. . I gave this honest, voluntary review after being given a free copy of the novel.
March 28, 2021
Ahh, who doesn't like a good book with magic, witches, time travels and collision between modern times and the XVIII/XIX century, am I right? And look at this beautiful cover! Mystery, murders, beautiful people and sorcerers, nothing can go wrong, right?
Well...
Some things that you must know before reading more of my review: I love time travels. I love weird men wearing clothes from different times, challenged in new reality, and strong, independent women. And I love magic.
This book had some really good ideas. I liked the different (kinda?) spin on soulmates, the protective magic, the seer magic and abilities. I liked Frederic, who was from the past, constantly thrown into new situations and still able to maintain his composure and be a good person. The idea of seers who just... travel through different dimensions was really intriguing (I won't write any spoilers, but there are nice concepts of these 'worlds').
The plot itself was complicated, and fast paced. Everything happened in one day - and let me tell you, it was A LOT.
There are a lot of dialogues and thoughts of characters. There is really no time to stop and breathe, the plot thickens and the clock ticks. The descriptions of surroundings were close to none. Personally, I like seeing what the author has in mind when they chose location or wardrobe for his characters, and here there is little of it. We have just the bare minimum, one description, and then for the rest of the book you don't need to know anything more about one dimension or Emma's house or the Salem itself. If you prefer to imagine everything by yourself and read only dialogues, this is certainly your book.
And yes, there is insta-love. It's not my cup of tea, but the characters were likeable and it seemed that they really clicked, so in the end I can accept it. It wasn't anything toxic or rushed without any thoughts (even if the thoughts in the beginning were basically about the look and the 'strange pull' to another person).
But... yeah, there is THE but.
Let me make a list.
First of all and most important: there were errors, typos, and sometimes chopped sentences. Stuff that it's easy to spot and correct and it really throws off.
The writing itself was really weird. 70% of the book was just pure exposition, MC's which explain to us, the readers, why someone did something, what was it, and what were the consequences. The rest - 30% - was... characters explaining stuff to other characters. In other words: yes, more exposition. The rule of 'show don't tell' for me is one of the most important ones, and while reading I spent a lot of time just grinding my teeth with irritation. A lot of stuff would be easier to just SHOW, give us flashbacks, dialogues from the people who DID THE THING, not others, who have to guess (strangely: usually their guesses are correct, even if the situation is much more complicated that they ever have guessed).
Next big problem is that as a reader I had no idea how the time magic works. I don't exactly understand why everything had to happen in one day, and this particular day. Why couldn't the characters just go to the past and do their stuff? Change the present? And how their meddling in the past didn't make any difference to people from the past/Salem/world? Even in the epilogue we have a character who just keeps travelling from her times to the past. This didn't do anything bad? The Council didn't have any problems with that?
Oh, and there is another big question: what are the boundaries of any magic? In the beginning we have rules, but when the main battle starts (again, I won't spoil anything, even the word 'battle' isn't exactly precise here) we are thrown into people who accumulate their magic and then throw it at others, and some of them are more powerful and other less, but... I don't exactly see or understand it? I was left confused with some of the author choices, even if the descriptions weren't very complicated. The idea behind different types of magic and the rules (which sometimes are changed because of growing knowledge of MC's) was really compelling, but the descriptions of different charms (?) were just flat.
In the end I was disappointed with this book. I had bigger hopes and I see the potential in the book, but there is a big lack of an editor who would help the author to make the story more smooth and eliminate at least some of the plot holes. I wouldn't say that it was bad, but it seemed more like a first draft than a fully developed book. It has potential: the rules of magic, the different types of witches/sorcerers, the characters were likeable (even if I didn't get time to fully know them and sometimes their motivations were - at least - questionable, because almost always we get them with the 'tell not show' rule).
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Well...
Some things that you must know before reading more of my review: I love time travels. I love weird men wearing clothes from different times, challenged in new reality, and strong, independent women. And I love magic.
This book had some really good ideas. I liked the different (kinda?) spin on soulmates, the protective magic, the seer magic and abilities. I liked Frederic, who was from the past, constantly thrown into new situations and still able to maintain his composure and be a good person. The idea of seers who just... travel through different dimensions was really intriguing (I won't write any spoilers, but there are nice concepts of these 'worlds').
The plot itself was complicated, and fast paced. Everything happened in one day - and let me tell you, it was A LOT.
There are a lot of dialogues and thoughts of characters. There is really no time to stop and breathe, the plot thickens and the clock ticks. The descriptions of surroundings were close to none. Personally, I like seeing what the author has in mind when they chose location or wardrobe for his characters, and here there is little of it. We have just the bare minimum, one description, and then for the rest of the book you don't need to know anything more about one dimension or Emma's house or the Salem itself. If you prefer to imagine everything by yourself and read only dialogues, this is certainly your book.
And yes, there is insta-love. It's not my cup of tea, but the characters were likeable and it seemed that they really clicked, so in the end I can accept it. It wasn't anything toxic or rushed without any thoughts (even if the thoughts in the beginning were basically about the look and the 'strange pull' to another person).
But... yeah, there is THE but.
Let me make a list.
First of all and most important: there were errors, typos, and sometimes chopped sentences. Stuff that it's easy to spot and correct and it really throws off.
The writing itself was really weird. 70% of the book was just pure exposition, MC's which explain to us, the readers, why someone did something, what was it, and what were the consequences. The rest - 30% - was... characters explaining stuff to other characters. In other words: yes, more exposition. The rule of 'show don't tell' for me is one of the most important ones, and while reading I spent a lot of time just grinding my teeth with irritation. A lot of stuff would be easier to just SHOW, give us flashbacks, dialogues from the people who DID THE THING, not others, who have to guess (strangely: usually their guesses are correct, even if the situation is much more complicated that they ever have guessed).
Next big problem is that as a reader I had no idea how the time magic works. I don't exactly understand why everything had to happen in one day, and this particular day. Why couldn't the characters just go to the past and do their stuff? Change the present? And how their meddling in the past didn't make any difference to people from the past/Salem/world? Even in the epilogue we have a character who just keeps travelling from her times to the past. This didn't do anything bad? The Council didn't have any problems with that?
Oh, and there is another big question: what are the boundaries of any magic? In the beginning we have rules, but when the main battle starts (again, I won't spoil anything, even the word 'battle' isn't exactly precise here) we are thrown into people who accumulate their magic and then throw it at others, and some of them are more powerful and other less, but... I don't exactly see or understand it? I was left confused with some of the author choices, even if the descriptions weren't very complicated. The idea behind different types of magic and the rules (which sometimes are changed because of growing knowledge of MC's) was really compelling, but the descriptions of different charms (?) were just flat.
In the end I was disappointed with this book. I had bigger hopes and I see the potential in the book, but there is a big lack of an editor who would help the author to make the story more smooth and eliminate at least some of the plot holes. I wouldn't say that it was bad, but it seemed more like a first draft than a fully developed book. It has potential: the rules of magic, the different types of witches/sorcerers, the characters were likeable (even if I didn't get time to fully know them and sometimes their motivations were - at least - questionable, because almost always we get them with the 'tell not show' rule).
I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2020
If you like magic, train wrecks, and mysterious goings on, then you will adore this book
Starting with a train crash and getting better from there onwards, this thrillingly unusual story grabbed me by the throat and dragged me along behind as it rushed on.
I found the story charming because it wasn't set in this era but it was set in the past in a village full of witches, and the one of the main characters, called Dr. Frederick Every, who is a surgeon and another main character called Emma Goodwinter; meet after Frederick is involved in a train crash.
Not only does the crash throw Frederick all over the carriage he was seated in, but he starts seeing strange dark sparkles floating toward a lady passenger with a young baby. For some reason Frederick fears that these dark sparkles mean her and her tiny baby harm. So he throws himself over her back to protect her and the child, and when the dark sparkles touch him he screams with pain, but as everyone in the train is screaming due to the train crashing at the same time, no one pays any attention.
After getting out of the train and looking around, Frederick sees many more sparkles floating around the train. Emma rushes up to help the passengers and realises that Frederick can see the sparkles. Taking Frederick back to her home to attend this wound from the dark sparkles, something she calls Lume-noir or dark magic, Emma explains to Frederick about good magic called clair-lumes. She explains that Frederick must have some magical ability to be able to see it.
Over time Frederick and Emma and Emma's closest friend, called Natalie Wetherby, realise that the train crashes are not random accidents and that someone in the village is doing some very dark magic. Messing with people's minds but why is the question and who is the guilty party?
This enchanting story had me glued to my seat. I genuinely didnt want to put the book down at all, I was so involved in the story, that my coffee went cold and so did my lunch and eventually my supper too.
I loved the characters, and found the cats and crazy aunt's so charming, and the dark side of the story was quite compelling. The budding magical skill growing in Frederick during the story and the complicated relationship between himself, Emma, and Natalie was really good fun to read. That trio got so much more complicated than I could have guessed when I first started reading at the beginning of the book. They make a very cool trio.
The only thing I found hard if anything about the story could be called hard; were the complicated family relationships of the families in the village, which are explained near the end of the book. However, my predominant feeling about this book was very positive.
Starting with a train crash and getting better from there onwards, this thrillingly unusual story grabbed me by the throat and dragged me along behind as it rushed on.
I found the story charming because it wasn't set in this era but it was set in the past in a village full of witches, and the one of the main characters, called Dr. Frederick Every, who is a surgeon and another main character called Emma Goodwinter; meet after Frederick is involved in a train crash.
Not only does the crash throw Frederick all over the carriage he was seated in, but he starts seeing strange dark sparkles floating toward a lady passenger with a young baby. For some reason Frederick fears that these dark sparkles mean her and her tiny baby harm. So he throws himself over her back to protect her and the child, and when the dark sparkles touch him he screams with pain, but as everyone in the train is screaming due to the train crashing at the same time, no one pays any attention.
After getting out of the train and looking around, Frederick sees many more sparkles floating around the train. Emma rushes up to help the passengers and realises that Frederick can see the sparkles. Taking Frederick back to her home to attend this wound from the dark sparkles, something she calls Lume-noir or dark magic, Emma explains to Frederick about good magic called clair-lumes. She explains that Frederick must have some magical ability to be able to see it.
Over time Frederick and Emma and Emma's closest friend, called Natalie Wetherby, realise that the train crashes are not random accidents and that someone in the village is doing some very dark magic. Messing with people's minds but why is the question and who is the guilty party?
This enchanting story had me glued to my seat. I genuinely didnt want to put the book down at all, I was so involved in the story, that my coffee went cold and so did my lunch and eventually my supper too.
I loved the characters, and found the cats and crazy aunt's so charming, and the dark side of the story was quite compelling. The budding magical skill growing in Frederick during the story and the complicated relationship between himself, Emma, and Natalie was really good fun to read. That trio got so much more complicated than I could have guessed when I first started reading at the beginning of the book. They make a very cool trio.
The only thing I found hard if anything about the story could be called hard; were the complicated family relationships of the families in the village, which are explained near the end of the book. However, my predominant feeling about this book was very positive.
July 14, 2022
As with a all of this authors books that I have read I absolutely adored this book. Her writing style is just so contagious and you just want to keep on reading, she has the ability to draw you into every single story she writes
I loved the concept of this book, that there are two Salems, one magical and one not. I loved that there were all different forms of magic as well!
The characters are also very addictive, the good and the bad and every character story was so interesting
I highly recommend this book
I loved the concept of this book, that there are two Salems, one magical and one not. I loved that there were all different forms of magic as well!
The characters are also very addictive, the good and the bad and every character story was so interesting
I highly recommend this book
July 8, 2025
Fast burn, good clean romance and tons of magic!
I love being moved and swept away by such wonderful relationships while being dropped into a richly complex magical world and getting a crash course. I could really relate to Frederick in that regard. This was action packed with an interesting premise, and a strong emotional punch. I did have trouble keeping up with the huge cast of characters and who was doing what when and to whom, but no sooner did a question pop up then it got answered, and the story grew stronger. Gilbert’s imagination always delivers.
I love being moved and swept away by such wonderful relationships while being dropped into a richly complex magical world and getting a crash course. I could really relate to Frederick in that regard. This was action packed with an interesting premise, and a strong emotional punch. I did have trouble keeping up with the huge cast of characters and who was doing what when and to whom, but no sooner did a question pop up then it got answered, and the story grew stronger. Gilbert’s imagination always delivers.
September 7, 2022
A Wild Conversion: A Magical Town Time Travel Fantasy (More in Heaven and Earth) By Katherine Gilbert This Book Is Well - Written With Engaging Scenes & Witty Dialogue. Story Captivated Me From Page One…Couldn’t Put The Book Down.
Read and See. Much Enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I Voluntarily Reviewed An Advanced Copy Of This Book.
Read and See. Much Enjoyed and Highly Recommended. I Voluntarily Reviewed An Advanced Copy Of This Book.
June 17, 2022
Loved this story.
Train crashes can be deadly but in this case maybe not. Frederich is in a train accident. His not hurt but his life changes in ways he never expected. This is a marvelous story
Train crashes can be deadly but in this case maybe not. Frederich is in a train accident. His not hurt but his life changes in ways he never expected. This is a marvelous story
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews