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Hidden Sanctuary #1
Any House in a Storm
No one suspects Zelia is a sorcerer, and that's exactly how she likes it. Even better, no one suspects she's human. Masquerading as a goblin Traveler, she roams Reality in her glittering van pulled by her two trusty world-walking birds, Warp and Weft.
But when a storm of cosmic chaos strands her in an outer thread, the only refuge in sight is the legendary Darkhouse of Doom. Goblin legend says it is cursed; that after the death of the sorcerer who created it, the appearance of the wandering darkhouse foretells the appearance of world-devouring monsters and the death of all who see it.
So, Zelia knocks on the door.
...
Any House in a Storm is a beauty and the beast tale set in an otherworldly, space-traveling darkhouse where nothing is as it seems and no one who enters remains unchanged.
While evil exists, there will always be those who fight it.
***
Any House in a Storm is a standalone novel set in the universe introduced in The House That Walked Between Worlds. For fans of Howl's Moving Castle, space goblins, magic, and authors like Naomi Novik, Lindsay Buroker, KM Shea and Ilona Andrews.
But when a storm of cosmic chaos strands her in an outer thread, the only refuge in sight is the legendary Darkhouse of Doom. Goblin legend says it is cursed; that after the death of the sorcerer who created it, the appearance of the wandering darkhouse foretells the appearance of world-devouring monsters and the death of all who see it.
So, Zelia knocks on the door.
...
Any House in a Storm is a beauty and the beast tale set in an otherworldly, space-traveling darkhouse where nothing is as it seems and no one who enters remains unchanged.
While evil exists, there will always be those who fight it.
***
Any House in a Storm is a standalone novel set in the universe introduced in The House That Walked Between Worlds. For fans of Howl's Moving Castle, space goblins, magic, and authors like Naomi Novik, Lindsay Buroker, KM Shea and Ilona Andrews.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2022
589 people are currently reading
606 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Schwartz
110 books577 followersAustralian author of strangely hopeful fantasy & science fiction. Independently published for over a decade.
Storyteller. Creator of Caldryn Parliament - Golden Age Mysteries in the Realm of Science Fiction & Fantasy
Jenny Schwartz has a degree in sociology and history, and a lifelong fascination with understanding people. Her character-driven science fiction and fantasy novels explore other worlds and how people navigate strange situations and complicated emotions, while retaining their sense of self. Her plots are twisty and unexpected.
***
I've curated my bookshelf to share books which I hope readers of Caldryn Parliament will enjoy. With the older books, please be aware that they are a product of their times and read with care.
Storyteller. Creator of Caldryn Parliament - Golden Age Mysteries in the Realm of Science Fiction & Fantasy
Jenny Schwartz has a degree in sociology and history, and a lifelong fascination with understanding people. Her character-driven science fiction and fantasy novels explore other worlds and how people navigate strange situations and complicated emotions, while retaining their sense of self. Her plots are twisty and unexpected.
***
I've curated my bookshelf to share books which I hope readers of Caldryn Parliament will enjoy. With the older books, please be aware that they are a product of their times and read with care.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 24, 2025
Reread 9/24/25: I enjoyed this book just as much the second time around.
Review from 11/15/24:
Entertaining sf-fantasy with the theme: "With great power comes great responsibility"
Zelia was removed from Earth at the tender age of five by a humanoid goblin mage, who bought her from her callously greedy parents after he recognized enormous magical power within her. Her foster father worked as a dagger, and raised Zelia to be a dagger, a magical job which involves protecting interstellar travelers as they pass through untracked areas of space, in the interplanetary universe called Reality. Although Zelia has known since she was a child that she is a sorcerer, she has lived for over 40 years as if she were only a far less magically talented mage. She also has continuously assumed a gradually aging glamor of a goblin woman, hiding the fact that she is human and that she only looks like she is in her twenties, because sages live for hundreds of years. She roams Reality in a wagon pulled by her two best friends, Warp and Weft, who are world-walking birds.
When a storm of cosmic chaos strands Zelia in an outer thread, she is concerned that, even with the enormous amount of her sorcerer power, she might not survive. Then she notices a source of refuge. She has never seen it before, but everyone has heard of the Darkhouse of Doom, a sorcerer-manifested House that utilizes dimensional transcendence, similar to the TARDIS from "Doctor Who." After the death of the goblin sorcerer who created this House, it should have self-destructed, but it has somehow survived. Zelia knocks on the door and is granted admission. There she meets her love interest for the first time, a handsome, tall and muscular goblin named Tavor. Zelia learns that, for the past 90 years, Tavor has been magically bound to this House by a curse imposed upon him at the death of its creator, forcing him to be its eternal caretaker. He appears to be the same 20-something age he was when he arrived at the House because, as long as he is bound to the House, he will live the same extended lifespan that a sorcerer typically does. He entreats Zelia to take over ownership of the House so that he can be released from this curse and die. She refuses to do so, for two reasons: she does not want to be outed as a sorcerer, and she does not want to be the cause of Tavor's death.
In spite of herself, Zelia's secret is exposed when a goblin woman, whom Zelia has long considered to be her best friend, turns out to be a megalomaniac. The woman has conceived a nefarious plot to massively expand her existing political power and, in the process, puts a planet of 6 billion people at risk of annihilation by a planet-devouring space monster. The only possibility of their salvation is if Zelia, Tavor, and the House intervene.
While this is definitely a stand-alone novel, with a resolution of the main action-adventure plot and the romance by the end of the novel, I would highly recommend first reading Uncertain Sanctuary, a trilogy set in this same world with related events that occur prior to the events in this novel.
The cover of this book makes it seem as if it is a romance, and there is definitely a lovely romantic subplot, but for the vast majority of this book, Zelia and Tavor are not onstage together. Instead, the central focus of the novel is Zelia's personal, emotional journey, from living her life well beneath her magical potential, to accepting the fact that she is a sorcerer and presenting herself openly as a sorcerer. As such, the main plot is a classic hero's journey, involving a "reluctant hero."
Everything about this book is entertaining, and I especially appreciated that we get to see the FMC and her love interest from the previous trilogy living out their HEA.
By the way, though there is definitely emotional and sensual chemistry between Zelia and Tavor, there is no sex in this novel, not even any offstage sex.
This novel is available through Kindle Unlimited. I obtained the audiobook version using one of my Audible membership credits. It is narrated by Tess Irondale. She does a very good job.
Review from 11/15/24:
Entertaining sf-fantasy with the theme: "With great power comes great responsibility"
Zelia was removed from Earth at the tender age of five by a humanoid goblin mage, who bought her from her callously greedy parents after he recognized enormous magical power within her. Her foster father worked as a dagger, and raised Zelia to be a dagger, a magical job which involves protecting interstellar travelers as they pass through untracked areas of space, in the interplanetary universe called Reality. Although Zelia has known since she was a child that she is a sorcerer, she has lived for over 40 years as if she were only a far less magically talented mage. She also has continuously assumed a gradually aging glamor of a goblin woman, hiding the fact that she is human and that she only looks like she is in her twenties, because sages live for hundreds of years. She roams Reality in a wagon pulled by her two best friends, Warp and Weft, who are world-walking birds.
When a storm of cosmic chaos strands Zelia in an outer thread, she is concerned that, even with the enormous amount of her sorcerer power, she might not survive. Then she notices a source of refuge. She has never seen it before, but everyone has heard of the Darkhouse of Doom, a sorcerer-manifested House that utilizes dimensional transcendence, similar to the TARDIS from "Doctor Who." After the death of the goblin sorcerer who created this House, it should have self-destructed, but it has somehow survived. Zelia knocks on the door and is granted admission. There she meets her love interest for the first time, a handsome, tall and muscular goblin named Tavor. Zelia learns that, for the past 90 years, Tavor has been magically bound to this House by a curse imposed upon him at the death of its creator, forcing him to be its eternal caretaker. He appears to be the same 20-something age he was when he arrived at the House because, as long as he is bound to the House, he will live the same extended lifespan that a sorcerer typically does. He entreats Zelia to take over ownership of the House so that he can be released from this curse and die. She refuses to do so, for two reasons: she does not want to be outed as a sorcerer, and she does not want to be the cause of Tavor's death.
In spite of herself, Zelia's secret is exposed when a goblin woman, whom Zelia has long considered to be her best friend, turns out to be a megalomaniac. The woman has conceived a nefarious plot to massively expand her existing political power and, in the process, puts a planet of 6 billion people at risk of annihilation by a planet-devouring space monster. The only possibility of their salvation is if Zelia, Tavor, and the House intervene.
While this is definitely a stand-alone novel, with a resolution of the main action-adventure plot and the romance by the end of the novel, I would highly recommend first reading Uncertain Sanctuary, a trilogy set in this same world with related events that occur prior to the events in this novel.
The cover of this book makes it seem as if it is a romance, and there is definitely a lovely romantic subplot, but for the vast majority of this book, Zelia and Tavor are not onstage together. Instead, the central focus of the novel is Zelia's personal, emotional journey, from living her life well beneath her magical potential, to accepting the fact that she is a sorcerer and presenting herself openly as a sorcerer. As such, the main plot is a classic hero's journey, involving a "reluctant hero."
Everything about this book is entertaining, and I especially appreciated that we get to see the FMC and her love interest from the previous trilogy living out their HEA.
By the way, though there is definitely emotional and sensual chemistry between Zelia and Tavor, there is no sex in this novel, not even any offstage sex.
This novel is available through Kindle Unlimited. I obtained the audiobook version using one of my Audible membership credits. It is narrated by Tess Irondale. She does a very good job.
January 28, 2023
A human sorceress masquerading as a goblin travel guard is forced by a deadly magical storm to take refuge in a dead wizard's migratory castle, where she meets (& falls in love with) an accursed peregrine falcon in human form. After declining to remain in the castle because she is on a mission, she travels to a sorcerer's conference, where after delivering a magic jewel she finds her allegiance betrayed by her former best friend. Desperate to prevent the jewel's misuse & the death of her warrior beloved, she pits all her magical skill to protect a university world threatened by the jewel's misuse.
July 19, 2023
This has so much potential but failed in execution. I’m wondering about everyone who loved this because I wanted to but just couldn’t. Our main is easy enough to side with I suppose but aside from a vehement denial of her very self (that never goes away) there are no real emotions behind several very real betrayals on the part of her bff and it was frankly unbelievable the emotional declaration at the very end following a nonexistent relationship.
I’m actually not opposed to info dumps when I have context and they’re clear and help me understand the world. Unfortunately here despite said info, I had only a very shaky idea of the setting that never firmed up despite reading to the very end.
The parts that should have felt dramatic and exciting and involved instead felt like they were superficially shown as if there was a rainy window between me and what was happening outside which I found frustrating.
Also WTH happened with Felicity?!
Quibble about the cover: Tavor is repeatedly described as having turquoise skin with black cracks and black long hair in a braid - not white with short dark hair and Zelia with brown skin and black hair or even green skin and emerald hair definitely not blonde and pale.
I wanted to like this, the ideas are fun and complex and who doesn’t love the idea of a sentient house, but I think it needed a few more rounds of work to really bring it to life.
I’m actually not opposed to info dumps when I have context and they’re clear and help me understand the world. Unfortunately here despite said info, I had only a very shaky idea of the setting that never firmed up despite reading to the very end.
The parts that should have felt dramatic and exciting and involved instead felt like they were superficially shown as if there was a rainy window between me and what was happening outside which I found frustrating.
Also WTH happened with Felicity?!
Quibble about the cover: Tavor is repeatedly described as having turquoise skin with black cracks and black long hair in a braid - not white with short dark hair and Zelia with brown skin and black hair or even green skin and emerald hair definitely not blonde and pale.
I wanted to like this, the ideas are fun and complex and who doesn’t love the idea of a sentient house, but I think it needed a few more rounds of work to really bring it to life.
July 19, 2024
Romance:
October 9, 2022
A new universe and a new set of characters.
My previous experience with this author was for more lighthearted books.
But this one was great - an original worlds spanning set of civilisations with a mix of technology and systematic magic, linked by … but this is getting into spoiler territory.
Anyhow good world building, great characters, a couple of intertwined plots.
No follow on books yet but this is crying out for more stories set against the same background.
Recommended.
Stephen
My previous experience with this author was for more lighthearted books.
But this one was great - an original worlds spanning set of civilisations with a mix of technology and systematic magic, linked by … but this is getting into spoiler territory.
Anyhow good world building, great characters, a couple of intertwined plots.
No follow on books yet but this is crying out for more stories set against the same background.
Recommended.
Stephen
February 16, 2026
One of my favorite authors when I want a light read. This book is entertaining, but it helps to read the other house series first.
February 13, 2023
3.5 stars! It's a fun adventure with goblins and magical houses!
August 7, 2024
I enjoyed this book, but I wouldn't say it was especially good.
Zelia has been tasked with delivering a rare loci crystal to the world walkers' Synod. She must get it there before the Synod ends or else the vote for how to use it won't happen for five years, when the Synod meets again. Duty matters to Zelia, so she is determined to get it there on time. She also hopes it will get used to open a pathway to Howff, where people are being exploited, hoping the pathway will bring freedom for those oppressed by the Howffian rule. Her best friend is part of the Synod and good at politics, so Zelia is hopeful.
However, a chaos storm chases her into the Darkhouse of Doom for sanctuary. There she meets the House and Tavor, the goblin tasked with guardianship. More precisely, Tavor was cursed by the House's creator, Xolotol. It was his dying curse. The wicked sorcerer is gone, but Tavor remains in a sort of forced existence that he tries to make the best of.
I really enjoyed the characters and the world of this story. I struggled with basically every angle of the development. The explanations of the magic system were clunky, and I still don't really understand many aspects. The book also relies a lot on the telling, and not showing strategy for development. Zelia is adamant that she has all these connections, and she can't abandon them to help Tavor and the House the way they wish, but there aren't any scenes that really show her connections and exhibit any heartfelt moments with anyone. It made it hard to understand the stakes for her if she did commit to the House and Tavor. Then on top of that, I wasn't sure why she couldn't help the House and still commit herself to her current goals. That was never entirely explained. And finally, the chemistry between Tavor and Zelia was not there. That needed better writing and more development to make me believe their relationship.
Somehow with so many flaws, I still enjoyed the book enough to find the next one. I don't know if it was expositional struggles that are the author's Achilles heel, so I'm willing to try the next one.
Zelia has been tasked with delivering a rare loci crystal to the world walkers' Synod. She must get it there before the Synod ends or else the vote for how to use it won't happen for five years, when the Synod meets again. Duty matters to Zelia, so she is determined to get it there on time. She also hopes it will get used to open a pathway to Howff, where people are being exploited, hoping the pathway will bring freedom for those oppressed by the Howffian rule. Her best friend is part of the Synod and good at politics, so Zelia is hopeful.
However, a chaos storm chases her into the Darkhouse of Doom for sanctuary. There she meets the House and Tavor, the goblin tasked with guardianship. More precisely, Tavor was cursed by the House's creator, Xolotol. It was his dying curse. The wicked sorcerer is gone, but Tavor remains in a sort of forced existence that he tries to make the best of.
I really enjoyed the characters and the world of this story. I struggled with basically every angle of the development. The explanations of the magic system were clunky, and I still don't really understand many aspects. The book also relies a lot on the telling, and not showing strategy for development. Zelia is adamant that she has all these connections, and she can't abandon them to help Tavor and the House the way they wish, but there aren't any scenes that really show her connections and exhibit any heartfelt moments with anyone. It made it hard to understand the stakes for her if she did commit to the House and Tavor. Then on top of that, I wasn't sure why she couldn't help the House and still commit herself to her current goals. That was never entirely explained. And finally, the chemistry between Tavor and Zelia was not there. That needed better writing and more development to make me believe their relationship.
Somehow with so many flaws, I still enjoyed the book enough to find the next one. I don't know if it was expositional struggles that are the author's Achilles heel, so I'm willing to try the next one.
November 8, 2023
***2.5***
First of all, the cover art is a terrible, terrible representation of the characters. Zelia (MFC) has green skin and turquoise hair in one form and brown skin with black hair in her other. Tavor is a goblin with green skin, black hair, and shattermarks (think cracks?) covering his skin. Anyway. It irks me when it is SO wrong.
This is a space fantasy. Period. I think I was expecting it to be a little more science fiction, so note to self: just because settings are off world and there's space travel involved, that does not mean it's sci-fi.
The universe itself is a little confusing, and the plot didn't feel cohesive. I really liked some of the ideas, but the execution? I'm not so sure of.
First of all, the cover art is a terrible, terrible representation of the characters. Zelia (MFC) has green skin and turquoise hair in one form and brown skin with black hair in her other. Tavor is a goblin with green skin, black hair, and shattermarks (think cracks?) covering his skin. Anyway. It irks me when it is SO wrong.
This is a space fantasy. Period. I think I was expecting it to be a little more science fiction, so note to self: just because settings are off world and there's space travel involved, that does not mean it's sci-fi.
The universe itself is a little confusing, and the plot didn't feel cohesive. I really liked some of the ideas, but the execution? I'm not so sure of.
Read
May 28, 2023An other superb book in Jenny Schwartz's stories of Houses that can walk between the worlds. This first book in Hidden Sanctuary, like the three in Uncertain Sanctuary, is about a sorcerer from earth who has a somewhat ambiguous or hesitant relationship with her sorcery. In this case, she has used magic most of her life to pass as a green goblin, and as a non-sorcerer type known as a Dagger. Until events come to a head that necessitates her using a little to much magic for anyone but a Sorcerer to possess....
This book has a nice tie-in with Uncertain Sanctuary, in addition to all of the same Reality and rules of magic.
This book has a nice tie-in with Uncertain Sanctuary, in addition to all of the same Reality and rules of magic.
January 29, 2023
I almost DNF this at about 10%, I felt like I was dropped into the story with zero background. I checked it twice to make sure this was book 1. After I figured it out, it was better, but I just never got into the story.
August 16, 2025
(FYI I tend to only review one book per series, unless I want to change my scoring by 0.50 or more of a star. -- I tend not to read reviews until after I read a book, so I go in with an open mind.)
4.5*
This is a follow up duology to the Uncertain Sanctuary trilogy. IMHO for the best experience you need to have read that first, especially for the second book, which has one of the secondary characters from the trilogy as one of the main characters.
Unlike in the original trilogy, each of the books in the duology follows a different MC.
Pros:
The MC.
The other characters.
The universe.
The story.
Cons:
I read both parts of this duology back to back right after reading the trilogy they spun off from, and I really want to read more stories set within this fascinating universe but there are none. :(
---------------------------
I'm adding this universe (under the original trilogy's 1st book) to my 'top 25 series or shared universe' shelf, even though it's going to make it a top 26.... which is silly so I will make it my top 50 of such. -- Actually going to split it, 'top 25 series' and a 'top 25 universes' shelf.
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
4.5*
This is a follow up duology to the Uncertain Sanctuary trilogy. IMHO for the best experience you need to have read that first, especially for the second book, which has one of the secondary characters from the trilogy as one of the main characters.
Unlike in the original trilogy, each of the books in the duology follows a different MC.
Pros:
The MC.
The other characters.
The universe.
The story.
Cons:
I read both parts of this duology back to back right after reading the trilogy they spun off from, and I really want to read more stories set within this fascinating universe but there are none. :(
---------------------------
I'm adding this universe (under the original trilogy's 1st book) to my 'top 25 series or shared universe' shelf, even though it's going to make it a top 26.... which is silly so I will make it my top 50 of such. -- Actually going to split it, 'top 25 series' and a 'top 25 universes' shelf.
First time read the author's work?: No
Will you be reading more?: Yes
Would you recommend?: Yes
------------
How I rate Stars: 5* = I loved (must read all I can find by the author)
4* = I really enjoyed (got to read all the series and try other books by the author).
3* = I enjoyed (I will continue to read the series)
or
3* = Good book just not my thing (I realised I don't like the genre or picked up a kids book to review in error.)
All of the above scores means I would recommend them!
-
2* = it was okay (I might give the next book in the series a try, to see if that was better IMHO.)
1* = Disliked
Note: adding these basic 'reviews' after finding out that some people see the stars differently than I do - hoping this clarifies how I feel about the book. :-)
June 22, 2025
It's very deceptive to market this series as a standalone.
It quickly becomes clear that it is a spin-off that heavily relies on the reader being familiar with previous books. Reading it felt rather like moving schools mid-year:
You don’t know the lore, and the onboarding is rushed and apathetic
There are interesting ideas in the worldbuilding and magic systems, but they’re undermined by yada-yada’d info-dumps that fail to bring you up to speed, rather than letting the world unfold anew.
Impenetrable cliques have already formed
Characters that were obviously from previous works appear—presumably for fanservice—but while they were presented as important, their value to this story was unclear. None of the relationships feel earned. A handful of superficial conversations and one brief, longing touch (followed by half a book apart) somehow amount to a 'found family' and devoted love, though they’re all barely acquainted.
You haven’t done the homework
Some of the information in the beginning is new to everyone, so you don’t yet feel alienated—but once she leaves The House it’s difficult to engage with. The narrative feels disjointed, the stakes unclear. You don’t know if you’re failing to keep up or if you simply haven’t been provided with the necessary information. That’s when you become disillusioned and disorientated. You dye your hair black. Your mom is worried. Your dad says it’s just a phase.
But you still don’t know why Kira is so popular or what Xylitol sees in Zelia.
2.5 confused, hormonal stars.
It quickly becomes clear that it is a spin-off that heavily relies on the reader being familiar with previous books. Reading it felt rather like moving schools mid-year:
You don’t know the lore, and the onboarding is rushed and apathetic
There are interesting ideas in the worldbuilding and magic systems, but they’re undermined by yada-yada’d info-dumps that fail to bring you up to speed, rather than letting the world unfold anew.
Impenetrable cliques have already formed
Characters that were obviously from previous works appear—presumably for fanservice—but while they were presented as important, their value to this story was unclear. None of the relationships feel earned. A handful of superficial conversations and one brief, longing touch (followed by half a book apart) somehow amount to a 'found family' and devoted love, though they’re all barely acquainted.
You haven’t done the homework
Some of the information in the beginning is new to everyone, so you don’t yet feel alienated—but once she leaves The House it’s difficult to engage with. The narrative feels disjointed, the stakes unclear. You don’t know if you’re failing to keep up or if you simply haven’t been provided with the necessary information. That’s when you become disillusioned and disorientated. You dye your hair black. Your mom is worried. Your dad says it’s just a phase.
But you still don’t know why Kira is so popular or what Xylitol sees in Zelia.
2.5 confused, hormonal stars.
Read
September 16, 2025#1 this is not a romance. It is a love story, that's integral to the plot, but the plot is actually worldbuilding
#2 how the hell is the plot of this book so much worldbuilding
#3 I kept saying this is not for me and I'm going to put it down... and then an hour later I'm still in the story turning pages
#4 I feel like the author seduced me with her words to read something that I should not have liked, and in fact, I can't go into detail on the story except to say that it was about a sorceress traveler who attracted a magical house and its guardian, but she had to finish her mission, and then she came back and settled with the house and the guardian. The bulk of the book was the worldbuilding. Like every other sentence was worldbuilding. I seriously feel like I was seduced through these pages.
#2 how the hell is the plot of this book so much worldbuilding
#3 I kept saying this is not for me and I'm going to put it down... and then an hour later I'm still in the story turning pages
#4 I feel like the author seduced me with her words to read something that I should not have liked, and in fact, I can't go into detail on the story except to say that it was about a sorceress traveler who attracted a magical house and its guardian, but she had to finish her mission, and then she came back and settled with the house and the guardian. The bulk of the book was the worldbuilding. Like every other sentence was worldbuilding. I seriously feel like I was seduced through these pages.
October 30, 2023
This is a story about accepting and utility our trust potential. It often requires courage.
This is a great story with great underlying themes. And it's fun, so the scary truths don't hurt so much.
Zellia is a sorcerer. She was born that was and it scares people. Even her mother, who sold her. But a kind hearted World Walker bought her and raised her as his apprentice.
Many years later Fellow is an experienced World Walker. Because she is comfortable in were current life as a respected member of the World Walker Guild, she continues to pretend that she is just a ordinary mage. Not a sorcerer. In
But life has a way of challenging us all. Do we rise to the challenge and find life as we know is forever changed. Or do we hide safely in our comfort zone?
This is a great story with great underlying themes. And it's fun, so the scary truths don't hurt so much.
Zellia is a sorcerer. She was born that was and it scares people. Even her mother, who sold her. But a kind hearted World Walker bought her and raised her as his apprentice.
Many years later Fellow is an experienced World Walker. Because she is comfortable in were current life as a respected member of the World Walker Guild, she continues to pretend that she is just a ordinary mage. Not a sorcerer. In
But life has a way of challenging us all. Do we rise to the challenge and find life as we know is forever changed. Or do we hide safely in our comfort zone?
January 3, 2026
Jenny Schwartz has swept me up and into another of her brilliant stories in Any House In A Storm. I loved the majority of the characters, their magics and the blend of old world living, environmental awareness and technology. It made for a captivating world! The thing that really pulled me in though, was the caravan style of travel and the quirky world-walking birds that drew them. The simplicity of Zelia's peripatetic life was offset by the constant threat of monster attack, with unexpected and added spice in the form of a guardian desperate for mortality. It's a phenomenal combination that ticks boxes. Briiliant writing carries it from page to page seamlessly and smoothly. This is another of the author's series I'll be continuing with.
February 10, 2023
A short novella.
I wanted more sci-fi fantasy and I got it.
This felt very Howls moving castle.
A sorcerer disguised as a goblin trader in the galatical world ends up finding refuge from a chaos storm while on a mission.
An abandon sorcerer house that’s living seeking out a new master. Along with the house is a cursed mage that wants nothing more then death.
Will she embraced herself or be pretend.
Monsters
Self-identity
Hints of romance
Adventure
Found family
This was a nice read. A tad confusing because lots of world building but interesting. Very slice of life
I wanted more sci-fi fantasy and I got it.
This felt very Howls moving castle.
A sorcerer disguised as a goblin trader in the galatical world ends up finding refuge from a chaos storm while on a mission.
An abandon sorcerer house that’s living seeking out a new master. Along with the house is a cursed mage that wants nothing more then death.
Will she embraced herself or be pretend.
Monsters
Self-identity
Hints of romance
Adventure
Found family
This was a nice read. A tad confusing because lots of world building but interesting. Very slice of life
March 16, 2025
Misleading Cover
The FMC is described as a brown skinned human with black hair, wearing the glamour of a green goblin with blue or green hair (I don’t remember which off the top of my head) and this cover is of a blond white woman. That’s … a choice, I guess.
The whole romance plot was incredibly sparse, almost an afterthought. I did admire how the FMC had a solid sense of self. Overall, not a fan, but it’s not awful.
The FMC is described as a brown skinned human with black hair, wearing the glamour of a green goblin with blue or green hair (I don’t remember which off the top of my head) and this cover is of a blond white woman. That’s … a choice, I guess.
The whole romance plot was incredibly sparse, almost an afterthought. I did admire how the FMC had a solid sense of self. Overall, not a fan, but it’s not awful.
August 20, 2025
2025 bk 107. Thoroughly enjoyed this book - it is a different series, but set in the same universe as Kira and the Baba YaYa house. This time our heroine is a known magic user, a Dagger, and escort for Caravans between worlds, but she has secrets, secrets that reveal her to be a sorcerer. While in the past she has let herself be used by her friends, her ethics are higher and in order to save a world she has to reveal her true self. Well done!
October 6, 2022
Fantastic!
I love the world the author built and the characters! World walking birds, caravans and houses, intrigue, magic, betrayal, monsters, and a dash of romance. What more could you want from a book? I hope she revisits this world someday, I would love to read another book set in this world.
I love the world the author built and the characters! World walking birds, caravans and houses, intrigue, magic, betrayal, monsters, and a dash of romance. What more could you want from a book? I hope she revisits this world someday, I would love to read another book set in this world.
December 25, 2022
Lots of fun and good dialog.
The good guys win, of course. The idea of magic paths between planets is a big swallow of imagination, but the characters are interesting and occasionally baffling, but if a reader just accepts the story without too much analyzing, it's a great rainy day entertainment.
The good guys win, of course. The idea of magic paths between planets is a big swallow of imagination, but the characters are interesting and occasionally baffling, but if a reader just accepts the story without too much analyzing, it's a great rainy day entertainment.
June 22, 2023
Good Book
This is a stand-alone, not a series. The author says she has no plans at this time to continue this storyline. How sad, I really enjoyed the book. It had a great storyline and interesting characters. I actually liked the male she found in the House more than the heroine. She was reluctant to use her sorcerer powers. He, on the other hand, stepped up when people were at risk. In the end she stepped up too, but there was heartbreak before she got there.
This is a stand-alone, not a series. The author says she has no plans at this time to continue this storyline. How sad, I really enjoyed the book. It had a great storyline and interesting characters. I actually liked the male she found in the House more than the heroine. She was reluctant to use her sorcerer powers. He, on the other hand, stepped up when people were at risk. In the end she stepped up too, but there was heartbreak before she got there.
June 18, 2024
I quite enjoyed this book.
I liked this book better than the series that it is an offshoot of. Possibly because it had more action and events, faster. The other story was drawn out over the three books. Also it meant that I didn’t have to wait as long for the romantic aspect.
I enjoyed seeing Kira and Evander from the first series again too. They’re still cute together.
I liked this book better than the series that it is an offshoot of. Possibly because it had more action and events, faster. The other story was drawn out over the three books. Also it meant that I didn’t have to wait as long for the romantic aspect.
I enjoyed seeing Kira and Evander from the first series again too. They’re still cute together.
July 26, 2024
I couldn't put it down
A truly wonderful story. The world building was fantastic and fluidly integrated into the story. Your understanding of the universe developed alongside your love of the characters. I was sucked in and enjoyed every page. I'll definitely be reading other books from this author. This book thoroughly impressed.
A truly wonderful story. The world building was fantastic and fluidly integrated into the story. Your understanding of the universe developed alongside your love of the characters. I was sucked in and enjoyed every page. I'll definitely be reading other books from this author. This book thoroughly impressed.
December 14, 2025
I love the concept of a sentient house, so much so that I was hoping the house would almost be its own individual, but it really does feel like the house is just an extension of the mmc or curse or what not. otherwise its pretty good, just not exactly what I was expecting when I picked up this book.
September 29, 2022
Thank you for more House books.
I've been looking forward to Any House for awhile.
Didn't disappoint.
If you like the house series as much as me u'll love being back in there universe. Please don't quit writing this series
Jenny . Love your work !
I've been looking forward to Any House for awhile.
Didn't disappoint.
If you like the house series as much as me u'll love being back in there universe. Please don't quit writing this series
Jenny . Love your work !
October 2, 2022
So happy to visit the universe again
I loved reading another house and her mates. Amd really hope we get more of their travels. I would love to see more growth and trust as well as monster rangeling
I loved reading another house and her mates. Amd really hope we get more of their travels. I would love to see more growth and trust as well as monster rangeling
October 5, 2022
Intriguing
This was a twist on sorcerers in this world Ms. SCHWARTZ created. I enjoyed seeing favorite characters from the previous books and liked how the new characters decided who to be for themselves and each other.
This was a twist on sorcerers in this world Ms. SCHWARTZ created. I enjoyed seeing favorite characters from the previous books and liked how the new characters decided who to be for themselves and each other.
October 8, 2022
Love this book
Slow burn romance. I love the house stories she has written. This had new characters but brought in old friends from her other house series. Loved the book from beginning to end
Slow burn romance. I love the house stories she has written. This had new characters but brought in old friends from her other house series. Loved the book from beginning to end
October 14, 2022
fun adventure story
This is a fun adventure story. I wish there was a sequel as there was a lot more to wrap up. Also one character doesn’t seem to get her punished for her crimes.
Anyways I enjoyed the story and look forward to the next one in this universe
This is a fun adventure story. I wish there was a sequel as there was a lot more to wrap up. Also one character doesn’t seem to get her punished for her crimes.
Anyways I enjoyed the story and look forward to the next one in this universe
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