This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by ALEX NDIRANGU for Readers' Favorite
In The Curious Spell of Madam Genova, J.G. Schwartz takes us back to the grim years of the Great Depression in the late 1920s. During these awful times, the wealthy consult clairvoyants because they are unsure of their future. Dolores James, a rich individual, looks for a clairvoyant who will bless two expensive pocket watches that she possesses. She searches for Madam Genova, a well-known local fortune teller, who casts a spell on the two watches. Sadly, the charm backfires, and the good fortune turns into something less pleasant. Fate connects the two pocket watches, and until 2008, they functioned as identical, searching for their proper owners. Throughout the 20th century, their owners, who have included politicians, astrologers, presidents, and actresses, have enjoyed remarkable good fortune. But if the owners lose or misplace the watches, something terrible will unavoidably happen.
J.G. Schwartz created a great paranormal thriller about how magic from clairvoyants changed people's lives by paying close attention to real historical figures and adding a lot of fantasy. She uses the present tense throughout the narration. This method of writing gave the text an amazing sense of immediacy. Personally, having a real-time update of every action and subsequent reaction in the book made it easier for me to understand how the plot developed. I especially appreciated how Schwartz recalled minor situations. From Madam Genova chanting over the watches to Dolores fastening the top of the box that houses the watches, and all the wonderful magic that makes the text's fictional premise feel plausible, I could easily build a world full of imagination that I didn't want to leave. The most unusual part of The Curious Spell of Madam Genova that I enjoyed was its characterization. Schwartz's cast comprised people from many walks of life who either directly or indirectly inspired amazing triumphs and will be remembered for the rest of human history. There was nothing I didn't like about this book, and I would like to read more by J.G. Schwartz.
