Tag: death

#TuesdayBookBlog When the Angel of Death Tells Bedtime Stories by Sabine Meyer (@ReedsyDiscovery)

Post author By olganm
Post date June 17, 2025
31 Comments on #TuesdayBookBlog When the Angel of Death Tells Bedtime Stories by Sabine Meyer (@ReedsyDiscovery)

Hi, all:

I bring you today a book I’ve found through Reedsy Discovery. I am unsure about the availability. When I first got the book, it was scheduled for release as an e-book in early June. I checked on the supposed date of publication, and the book only appeared as a paperback copy, difficult to find, so I imagine there has been some delay. Sorry! I wasn’t aware of this when I decided to read it.

When the Angel of Death Tells Bedtime Stories. A Collection of Modern Fairytales by Sabine Meyer

When the Angel of Death Tells Bedtime Stories by Sabine Meyer

Would you befriend death to save a life?

A dark, magical collection of stories for curious young readers who aren’t afraid of the shadows.

The Angel of Death and Other Stories is a rich fantasy anthology perfect for children ages 8–10 and teens who crave adventure with a twist of the eerie and the extraordinary. These aren’t your usual bedtime tales.

Here, dragons have two heads and conflicting tempers. Souls are fragile treasures, collected by a young, reluctant Angel of Death. A girl named Fanny befriends the unimaginable and challenges the boundaries between dream and reality.

Told with warmth, wit, and an undercurrent of ancient magic, each story explores themes of bravery, loss, transformation, and the invisible threads that bind us to one another. Whether it’s a terrifying Red Snake that feeds on souls or a chicken yard hiding secrets from another world, these stories spark the imagination while embracing the beauty of the bittersweet.

Perfect for fans of classic fairy tales with teeth, this is a book for children who enjoy thinking deeply, feeling fully, and wandering where others won’t.

A collection to be read under blankets with a flashlight—or aloud by a grown-up who isn’t easily spooked.

Turn the page if you dare to dream darkly.

About the author:

I have always loved fairy tales. Being born and raised in Germany may have something to do with it. I pictured myself writing by candlelight in some attic. And now that I am semi-retired, the stories that have been floating around in my mind all this time are demanding to be heard.

Author, Sabine Meyer has always had a special place in her heart for fairy tales, a love that may have been influenced by her childhood in Germany. As a young girl, the dream of becoming a writer felt like the most enchanting of fantasies—one where she would write by candlelight in a cozy attic, weaving stories that captured the imagination. But life had other plans: she moved to the States, raised five wonderful children, and built a fulfilling career as a psychiatrist. Though she was busy, the stories that danced in her mind never truly left; they quietly waited for their time. Now, as she steps into a new chapter of semi-retirement, they are finally speaking up, eager to be shared with the world.

My review:

This book has something of The Arabian Nights, as readers become silent witnesses (listeners) to a character telling bedtime stories to his audience. Here, the storyteller is pretty original, Michael, the Angel of Death, and both he and Fanny, the girl he tells the stories to, are the protagonists of some of the stories. The novel is divided into five parts: the first one contains ten original and singular stories; some are novel versions of classic fairy tales, some have clear messages, and some are more open to interpretation, and all are unique and enchanting. The second part tells the narrator’s story, full of wonder, sadness, and heartache. The third narrates the story of Fanny and her family, which is intrinsically linked to that of Michael. Part four shows readers what happens when Fanny grows up, and part 5, called Redemption, follows Fanny and Michael on a journey that will change them both.

The bedtime stories in this book cover a large number of topics: from loneliness to marriage, family relationships, bullying, fear, loss, not fitting in, diversity, forgiveness, second chances, illness, aging, and death… There is magic, mythological creatures (dragons, the Yeti, mermaids…), but also everyday situations seen from an alternative point of view, and the protagonists of the stories are always flawed and fallible, like real human beings. There are twists, lessons to be learned, and plenty of surprises. But the book is more than the stories included in it. It is also a coming-of-age story; of Fanny, the little girl readers meet at the beginning, who grows older—not always wiser—throughout the narration, and of the Angel of Death, who tells his story, grows, and changes thanks to his relationship with Fanny and her family. There is a lot of telling, which suits the narrative style well, and the language is both simple and beautiful, with lovely descriptions and much wisdom imparted. Through the stories and the reactions they provoke, readers get to know the characters, who are not perfect and make mistakes, but learn from them, change, and develop.

This title will suit readers of all ages who love fairy tales with a difference, and its structure means that it does not need to be read in one sitting to follow the overall story. Readers with limited time can dip in and out as each fairy tale is a complete narrative in its own right, perfect to be read as a bedtime story. Some of the tales deal with subjects that might upset very young and sensitive children; parents are in the best position to decide if the stories are suitable for their kids. And, although some of the characters, ideas, and concepts will be familiar to readers of Christian fiction, this is not a religious book in an orthodox sense.

There were some issues with the formatting of my copy, and I noticed the book was not available on Amazon or Goodreads when I finished reading it, but as it was an ARC copy, I assume all will be correct by the time it is published and available.

I received a free ARC from Reedsy Discovery and you can find my original review on their site here. Authors and readers might want to check their website, as they offer recommendations, services, blog posts, and other interesting and useful content.

Thanks to the author, Reedsy Discovery, and especially all of you for following my blog, reading, sharing, commenting, liking, and always offering me your support. Keep smiling and take care.

Tags Angels, Bedtime stories, death, fairy tales, Reedsy Discovery, Sabine Meyer

Reblogs

#BookTwins If you Liked… The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold you might like Silhouettes by E.L. Tenenbaum

Post author By olganm
Post date November 8, 2017

via #BookTwins If You Liked..The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold..You Might Like Silhouettes by @ELTenenbaum | Rosie Amber

Tags death, ghosts, Inspirational, recommendation, YA

Miscellaneous

Every Time I Say Goodbye. Goodbye Dad.

Post author By olganm
Post date January 20, 2015
69 Comments on Every Time I Say Goodbye. Goodbye Dad.

Hi all:

I had another post prepared for today but I’ve decided to leave it for next week.

As some of you might remember, my post last Tuesday was about prostate cancer and trying to impress on everybody (men and their partners, loved ones) the importance of regular check-ups, particularly at a certain age. I mentioned my Dad’s case. Thanks to everybody for the support and comments. Some people who might have visited the post later on during the week will already know that unfortunately my father (Ubaldo) died last Thursday.

My parent's wedding picture — My parent’s wedding picture

I don’t have a scanner here so the picture is not very good (and also, like my father, I’ve never been any good at pictures), but just wanted to share something.

I might tell you more things about him at some point (he liked to tell stories and wherever he went he’d always be the one people would father around listening to his stories). He wanted to be a pilot but ended up driving coaches most of his life. He loved cycling and football, and he was a fan of Celta de Vigo first and Football Club Barcelona, second. He hated hospitals and could never understand how I became a doctor (although he was proud of it). And he was from Paradaseca, Ourense (in Galicia, North of Spain) although he spent most of his adult life in Barcelona.

Here one of the loves of his life (together with my mother):

My father's bicycle — My father’s bicycle

Bye. Here thinking of you.

Tags bicycle, Dad, death, Father, Galicia, Paradaseca, Prostate cancer

Guest authors. Classics

Guest classic author. Emily Dickinson

Post author By olganm
Post date November 22, 2013
6 Comments on Guest classic author. Emily Dickinson

Guest Classic Author: Emily Dickinson

As most Fridays, I bring you a guest author. This time is a classic, Emily Dickinson. I studied at Mount Holyoke (where famously Emily spent a year) and lived in the building named after her (that housed the Women’ Studies Department). I also visited her house in Amherst, a beautiful town and fascinating place. So although I was aware of her before, the proximity made me look into her work more closely. And I wanted to share it with you. As usual I’ll include a brief biography (Emily was a fairly reclusive character) and links and examples of her work. Also links where you can find more detailed information.

The Dickinson children (Emily on the left), ca... — The Dickinson children (Emily on the left), ca. 1840. From the Dickinson Room at Houghton Library, Harvard University. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Biography:

Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was born in Amherst (Massachusetts) of a family descending from the pilgrims’ times. Her paternal grandfather was one (the main) of the founders of Amherst College; her father was one of its treasurers and also served as State Legislator and representative of Hampshire district in Congress.

She had an older brother and a younger sister and her education was extensive for a girl of her time, attending Amherst Academy (for 7 years, somewhat interrupted due to ill health) and then Mount Holyoke College (briefly). She was described as a gifted musician and she had a good relationship with her father although not so good with her mother.

She seems to have been concerned and preoccupied by the deaths of those around her, including a female cousin, since she was fairly young, and that preoccupation accompanied her for the rest of her life.

A young lawyer who stayed with her family, Benjamin Franklin Newton, introduced her to the work of a variety of writers, including Wordsworth and Emerson, and he always thought of her as a poet. She was also influenced by Longfellow, Lydia Maria Child’s Letters from New York and Charlotte Brönte’s Jane Eyre.

She was very affected when the principal of Amherst Academy, and good friend, Leonard Humphrey, died at 25.

She was also good friends with Susan Gilbert, who later married her brother Austin, and who was her main correspondent.

In 1855 she visited Washington and Philadelphia with her mother, who later became bedridden, and Emily hardly left the house after that. In the late 1950s the family met Samuel Bowles, owner and editor of the Springfield Republican and he would later publish some of her poems and letters.

In the early 1860s she was very prolific and appears to have considered publication, but eventually did not come to pass. From 1866 she wrote far less and her behaviour started to change, hardly ever leaving the house. From 1867 she would talk to visitors through the door, although she continued to exchange letters and had good relationship with children. In the few occasions when she ventured outside of her house she dressed in white.

She studied botany and she was well known for her collection of plants.

Although she continued to write, she did not edit her work. The 1880s proved difficult, with her brother’s marriage breaking, her youngest nephew’s death and the death of her mother. In summer of 1884 she fainted while baking and did not recover for many hours. After that she was ill for weeks and never went back to health. In November 1885 she took to bed for several months and eventually on the 15^th May 1886 she died of what was diagnosed as Bright’s disease (that the physician thought she had been suffering from for at least two and a half years).

Fewer than a dozen of her poems were published during her life and it was her sister who discovered her poems and got them published for the first time four years after her death.

Some poems:

“Faith” is a fine invention

When Gentlemen can see—

But Microscopes are prudent

In an Emergency.

*******************************************

“Hope” is the thing with feathers—

That perches in the soul—

And sings the tune without the words—

And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—

And sore must be the storm—