OC Publishing is a tiny press out of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Small but mighty. So far, I’ve sampled and enjoyed a delightful middle grade fantasy novel set on the Isle of Skye, a fast-paced mystery/thriller set in Dubai, and a well-researched historical fiction novel set in England and Wales during the time of Henry VIII.

The Tudor Prophecy by Julie Strong

A real treat for historical fiction and Tudor era fans, The Tudor Prophecy tells the compelling story of two young cousins, Hester Vaughn and Alice Grantmire, during a time of great violence and turmoil when Henry VIII was purging England of the old religion; anyone who did not reform was hung for treason. Many citizens either reformed or outwardly appeared to have reformed, but there were others who refused to turn their backs on their religion. Alice’s parents–Hester’s aunt and uncle–were among these brave few, and there were terrible consequences that followed; Hugh Grantmire was hung, his wife and dependents were forced from their home and sent penniless into their new life in a small cottage. That was just the beginning.

Before Alice and her family were cast out of their home, Hester had been sent back to Wales to see her father before his death, which launched her into her own set of troubles. And, when I say “troubles,” I mean dire, life-changing events.

A lot of research has clearly gone into this book; the setting, characters, and speech all ring true.

Faith is a major theme in the book. There’s the obvious Protestantism versus Catholicism of King Henry’s reign, but there is also the paganism that Hester runs into when she travels back to Wales, the main cause of her future troubles. “Hester could not escape the sense that she had crossed a threshold into a strange and terrible world–one that civilization passed by.”

As for Alice, she starts to question her faith when she witnesses the devastating effects of holding onto it at all cost. As she and her family struggle to support themselves, she grows impatient with her mother’s unwavering belief that God knows best and that He will provide, even though Alice sees no evidence of this happening. Instead, she and her nurse work hard to scrabble together enough money to keep them all in food and shelter as her mother prays and wastes away to nothing. “A surge of anger rose in her. Why had mother and father needed to be so obstinate? They had forfeited manor, fortune, and fair name, when a quick lie, a stroke of the pen, could have kept them comfortably at Hartbourne forever. Just like everyone they knew had done.”

The Tudor Prophecy highlights the violence against women that existed at the time as well as the unbearable suffering of so many people. Not only was hanging and beheading common, but so was burning people at the stake. “She knew that a merciful goaler would sometimes tie a pouch of gunpowder around the victim’s head so that when she or he was half-burned it would explode. Alice clenched her hands to stop them shaking, but they still shook. Her stomach churned at the thought that the best she could pray for was that William’s skull exploded to save him the excruciating agony of burning alive.”

This story is not all violence and suffering; Alice and Hester experience great friendship and even romantic love as the story goes on. These are lives that are precious, though, and may be cut off at any moment for a myriad of reasons, so they need to grab onto joy and love when they can. Even though they are young themselves–still in their mid-teens–marriage feels like it’s something to hurry towards before it’s too late.

But Julie Strong doesn’t want you to get too comfortable with the moments of joy–she makes sure there is always something around the corner. Especially with that killer ending.

The Last Witch on Skye by Carolyn J. Nicholson

Carolyn Nicholson’s ancestors immigrated to Prince Edward Island from the Isle of Skye in 1841. “It’s in honour of these ancestors that I have set my story in the very places from which they came.”

In The Last Witch On Skye, all supernatural beings have been chased out of Skye. Only Magaidh is left, a young witch who has disguised herself as a cat. Magaidh is tempted to get revenge on the people of Skye, but the Fairy Queen encourages peace. As the two work together to bring the supernatural back to Skye, Magaidh sets up shop to help the people of Skye with her spells and potions. She also discovers a big secret that prompts her to start asking questions about her family. In the meantime, young readers will be entertained by Magaidh’s adventures with her two fairy friends, Sean and Iain, as they face a dragon, a ghost, and a baby water horse. Great for fans of the popular Rainbow Magic fairy books.

With humour and playfulness, Nicholson has written a charming novel that will appeal to young fantasy fans, while exploring universal topics like friendship, kindness, and family. In Magaidh, she has created a character readers will be able to relate to; will Magaidh’s temptation for revenge win out, or will her big heart guide her toward peace?

The Last Witch on Skye includes a map of the Isle of Skye, as well as a reading guide for readers with a glossary of the Gaelic words used in the book.

It just so happens that shortly after reading this book, my daughters and I took a trip to Scotland and one of the places we went to was the Isle of Skye. I am now familiar with some of the settings in this novel, like the Fairy Glen where Magaidh goes to speak with the King and Queen of the fairies and The Old Man of Storr where Magaidh, Sean, and Iain stop to have a picnic.

Iain is very fond of oatcakes, as am I. When we went to Scotland in April I was planning to eat all the oatcakes, but I was sorely disappointed. This is when I learned that Scotland oatcakes differ from Nova Scotia (New Scotland) oatcakes in one significant way – ours have sugar in them. But all was not lost – I quickly made the switch to fruit scones and had one (or two) every day with my Earl Grey.

Deep Freeze by Anne Louise O’Connell

I reviewed Deep Freeze for Atlantic Books Today.

I’m looking forward to two upcoming books by OC Publishing: The Arrows of Fealty by Jill MacLean (whose previous novel, The Arrows of Mercy, was a favourite of mine last year) and Tethered Spirits by Corrinne Hoebers.