Review: Blood Bonds by Kerry A. Campbell

 

Lily Myers is living an ordinary life until she meets Quinn Carter. When Quinn turns out to be a century-old vampire, Lily is thrust into a reality where she’s an unwilling believer. But as her fear fades and her curiosity wins out, she finds herself falling for Quinn and learning more about this new world. From hunting down a vampire killer to meeting werewolves, Lily’s life has definitely taken a turn…but whether it’s for the worse or better, she’s still finding out.

 

A Paranormal Romance for Vampire Lovers

Lily is a lab tech with insomnia. Because of her late night walks in the town that she knows so well, she finds herself intertwined in the dark, hidden world of vampires and werewolves.

After she meets the mysterious, drop dead gorgeous Quinn in a dark alley, her life is changed forever. And, after a series of unusual events, Lily finds herself bonded to him for life.

The characters are awesome and relatable–people that you might meet any day on the street. Dimitri is all about appearances and wears nothing but the best designer clothing; Eric is a laid back, beer slugging, always hungry alpha werewolf.

Blood Bonds is Kerry’s first solo novel. Her writing style mixes the darkness of blood and vampires with a touch of light-heartedness and a twist of sarcasm on the side.

I’ve posted some excerpts from Blood Bonds in my Friday post. If you’d like to have a read, check it out here.

Blood Bonds is on sale now at Amazon.com | Amazon.ca | Kobo | Barnes and Noble |

You can follow Kerry’s blog here at The Geeky Book Lady

Thanks for stopping by!

Jo-Ann

 

TGIF: Blood Bonds: Stories from the Lily and Quinn Series

It’s Friday! Time for Book Beginnings and the Friday 56

This week I’m featuring Blood Bonds by Kerry A. Campbell from the Geeky Book Lady!

 

Book Beginnings on Fridays

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a meme hosted at Rose City Reader  You share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires

Book Beginning:

Lily pulled her coat closer against the crisp night air. Her cheeks stung, the skin tight from the cold.

Many people would feel uneasy walking alone after midnight down these streets. Lily did not. She knew her hometown well, and when her insomnia kept her awake, she hit the streets. After two years of these late-night walks, she felt comfortable walking alone.

What do you think of Lily so far? She’s braver that I am!

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted at Freda’s voice.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that’s ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don’t spoil it)
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url.
*It’s that simple.

Here’s the blurb from Page 56:

Lily felt paralysed. 

Eric got  up, flipped the man over and took the dagger out of his chest.

“That’s going to stain,” Dimitri said, as he watched blood pool onto the rug. “What a waste of perfect blood.” He sighed.

You gotta love that line “That’s going to stain”!

Here’s the blurb from Amazon:

Lily Myers is living an ordinary life until she meets Quinn Carter. When Quinn turns out to be a century-old vampire, Lily is thrust into a reality where she’s an unwilling believer. But as her fear fades and her curiosity wins out, she finds herself falling for Quinn and learning more about this new world. From hunting down a vampire killer to meeting werewolves, Lily’s life has definitely taken a turn…but whether it’s for the worse or better, she’s still finding out.

View Blood Bonds on Amazon.ca

View Blood Bonds on Amazon.com

So far, I’ve only read to 24% of this book, and I have to say, I’m really enjoying it. Kerry brings her characters to life, and considering the subject matter, she has quite the knack for humour!

Thanks for reading and Happy Weekend!

Jo-Ann

 

Blood Bonds by Kerry A. Campbell

Lily Myers is living an ordinary life until she meets Quinn Carter. When Quinn turns out to be a century-old vampire, Lily is thrust into a reality where she’s an unwilling believer. But as her fear fades and her curiosity wins out, she finds herself falling for Quinn and learning more about this new world. From hunting down a vampire killer to meeting werewolves, Lily’s life has definitely taken a turn…but whether it’s for the worse or better, she’s still finding out.

 

I’m so excited to finally be able to purchase this book! Yay! It’s a long awaited compilation of short stories by my dear friend Kerry, the face behind the blog The Geeky Book Lady.

After discussions over numerous cups of coffee and in writer’s groups and workshops, I feel like I know these characters. I can’t wait to read Lily and Quinn’s story in print!

Kerry’s writing has always been top notch and she has worked hard to bring the stories that she is so passionate about into book form. 

Vampires, werewolves…if you enjoy reading paranormal or speculative fiction, it is definitely worth picking up a copy. It is a short story collection but all the stories are continuous and connected.

On Friday, I’ll will give a glimpse into Blood Bonds with Book Beginnings and the Friday 56. I’ll follow up next week with my review, so stay tuned!

I don’t post very often, but there’s lots going on lately, so I’ll just say that I also have another post coming up related to short stories. I’m super pumped about it, but you’ll just have to wait…

Till next time, I’d like to know…do you enjoy stories about vampires and werewolves? Leave a comment!

Jo-Ann

 

Mythical Monday: Pixie Day in Ottery St. Mary

Imagine living in a town where pixies are celebrated every year!

In East Devon, England, there is a town called Ottery St. Mary. Each June, on the Saturday nearest Mid-Summer’s Day, they celebrate Pixie Day.

How did the tradition start? 

It all began in 1454, when Bishop Grandisson decided to build a church. The church was to be built in Otteri, which was later called Ottery St. Mary.

The bishop commissioned a set of bells for the church. They were to be cast in iron in the bells works in Wales. When the bells were ready, the bishop arranged for a group of monks to escort the bells from Wales.

Now, this was an age when the people of East Devon believed strongly in pixies and spirits.

To pixies, iron means death. And when they learned about the bells being installed in the church, they became very worried. It would be the end of their rule over the land.

The pixies cast a spell over the monks that were escorting the bells. They became Pixie-Led. Instead of the Otteri road, the monks ended up on the road toward the cliffs overlooking the sea at Sidmouth.

Just as the monks were about to fall over the cliff, one of them stubbed his toe on a rock. “God bless my soul,” he said, and immediately the spell was broken.

So, the bells were brought to Otteri after all, and installed in the church.  The Pixies hated the sound of the iron bells and fled to the nearby cave known as the Pixie Parlour. The sandstone cave is along the River Otter, about a mile south of the Otter Road bridge.

Pixie Parlour at Ottery St. Mary’s

The Pixie spell however, wasn’t completely broken.

Each year on a day in June, the Cub and Brownie groups dress as pixies and come out and capture the town’s bell ringers or parish council members.

They imprison them in a specially constructed Pixie Parlour in the Town Square to be rescued by the Vicar of Ottery St. Mary. The legend is re-enacted each year by the local Cub and Brownie groups.

Cubs and Brownies re-enact Pixie Day every June since 1954

 

Mythical Monday: More Pixies!

Last Monday here on the blog, I talked about the mischievous pixies and how they can lead you astray on your travels. I’m sure this has happened to me numerous times in Costco, but luckily I have never gotten so lost that I couldn’t find my way back home!

Today on Mythical Monday, I’d like to talk about some legends and stories surrounding the pixies and what they look like. I realized that this post was getting extremely long, so I decided that a third post is in order for next Monday.

There have been some really cool stories and traditions in the west country of England. In fact, there are still those that firmly believe in the pixies and practice traditions to this day!

For now, let’s talk about what are said to look like!

What do pixies look like?

Pixie by Malcolm Brown (Ravenscar45)

Pixies have been described as mischievous looking and child-like with pointed ears and noses and red hair. They wear green or red clothing and a pointed hat, though sometimes their cap is of foxglove or a toadstool although some sources describe them as being dark and having wings. 

Their eyes slant upward toward their temples and they are shorter than humans, ranging in height from two feet to the size of a small child.

Traditional stories of pixies describe them wearing dirty rags which they happily discard for gifts of new clothes and they have a penchant for adornment, finery and lovely ribbons. Sounds like a Harry Potter house elf, right?

They are sometimes reported as having shiny translucent wings, and sometimes they are wingless.

Artwork by Margaret W. Tarrant, 1924

They prefer to live out of doors in gardens or the hollow of a fallen log, and they are also  believed to inhabit ancient underground ancestor sites such as stone circles, barrows, dolmens, ringforts or menhirs.

They can sometimes be spotted alone, but tend to gather in groups of three to five.

Pixies have always been portrayed to look like fairies, although they are themselves a distinct race. In fact, there has been a traditional enmity or even war between the two races.

Besides looking like fairies, contact with metal is said to harm pixies and fairies alike. They are especially repelled by iron or iron ore. 

Pixies are extremely fond of music, especially when it’s played by frogs and crickets. They love dancing by moonlight in a circle. They dance and frolic around mounds, stone circles, menhirs and dolmens and their bells are often heard on the moor.

If a Dog barks for no reason while staring at an empty spot along a fence or a Cat chases something unseen in a garden, it is very likely that the yard in question is infested with Pixies. There is, however, a way to be sure. Simply take a clod of grassy dirt and turn it grassside down. If, when you return later on, it has been flipped back, there are definitely Pixies in the area.

They are most active in the spring and are found in flower gardens or among wildflowers particularly in the spring and around Beltaine.

Come back next Monday for my post on How Pixies are Celebrated Today!

Jo-Ann

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter

It’s Friday! It’s know it’s been awhile, so it’s time I posted another Friday 56 and Book Beginnings.

This week I’m featuring Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter.

Book Beginnings on Fridays

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a meme hosted at Rose City Reader  You share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires

Book Beginning:

When you first disappeared, your mother warned me that finding out exactly what had happened to you would be worse than never knowing. 

This line instantly breaks my heart! A child is gone missing; the mother’s warning hints at a dreadful demise.

The Friday 56

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted at Freda’s voice.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that’s ok.)
*Find any sentence, (or few, just don’t spoil it)
*Post it.
*Add your (url) post below in Linky. Add the post url, not your blog url.
*It’s that simple.

Here’s the blurb from Page 56:

Huckabee asked, “You need to sit down?”

“I need answers.” Claire knew that she sounded crazy. “My father-in-law, Gerald Scott. You’re sure that he’s dead?”

Hmmmm…The plot thickens! Why would she suspect a her dead father would actually be alive?

Here’s the blurb from Goodreads:

#1 internationally bestselling author Karin Slaughter returns with a sophisticated and chilling psychological thriller of dangerous secrets, cold vengeance, and unexpected absolution, in which two estranged sisters must come together to find truth about two harrowing tragedies, twenty years apart, that devastate their lives.

Sisters. Strangers. Survivors.

More than twenty years ago, Claire and Lydia’s teenaged sister Julia vanished without a trace. The two women have not spoken since, and now their lives could not be more different. Claire is the glamorous trophy wife of an Atlanta millionaire. Lydia, a single mother, dates an ex-con and struggles to make ends meet. But neither has recovered from the horror and heartbreak of their shared loss—a devastating wound that’s cruelly ripped open when Claire’s husband is killed.

The disappearance of a teenage girl and the murder of a middle-aged man, almost a quarter-century apart: what could connect them? Forming a wary truce, the surviving sisters look to the past to find the truth, unearthing the secrets that destroyed their family all those years ago . . . and uncovering the possibility of redemption, and revenge, where they least expect it.

Powerful, poignant, and utterly gripping, packed with indelible characters and unforgettable twists, Pretty Girls is a masterful thriller from one of the finest suspense writers working today.

View Pretty Girls on Goodreads

View Pretty Girls on Amazon

Pretty Girls is an incredibly suspenseful story that totally and completely drew me in.  It is told from the perspective of a family who suffered a tragic loss and trying to save themselves at the same time. A powerful read  with phenomenal writing.

Be warned that this book isn’t for everyone. Some may find this book disturbing. There are acts of horrendous violence against women.

Have you read this book? What were your thoughts on it? If you haven’t read it, would you, knowing the violence that is portrayed?

Thanks for reading and Happy Weekend!

Jo-Ann

 

Have You Ever Been Pixie-Led?

Mythical Monday

Have you ever found yourself lost or wandering around trying to find your way?

Then, it’s possible you may have been pixie-led!

Pixies are mythical creature commonly found in folklore particularly in the western parts of England. Up to the end of the 19th century, pixies and fairies were taken quite seriously as part of the ‘little people’, especially in Cornwall and Devon.

Pixies are Notoriously Mischievous

They are not malevolent creatures, but they are very mischievous, and love to torment and play tricks on humans.

Like many Faeries, Pixies dislike rude, greedy and cruel people and often single them out to be the victims of their pranks. They also hate human laziness.

Artwork by Brian Froud

They have been known to steal people’s belongings or throw things at them. They even steal horses at night, ride them wildly and then bring them back before dawn, their manes a tangled mess.

They rap on windows and walls, blow out candles, throw small stones at walls, kiss young girls in the dark and splash water around. Young girls were particularly prone to teasing by pixies. They would knot their hair or pinch one’s skin until it bruised.

So, if you find you have a lot of small items going missing, such as paper clips and pins, you might have a pixie problem. And if you happen to find your pixie’s lair, you just might find all those things that they’ve “borrowed”.

Getting Lost

Pixies are most notorious for confusing travellers. People have gotten lost even on familiar terrain. They can change aspects of the environment to confuse humans, and most reports mention a strange mist.

Artwork by Brian Froud

They lure travellers walking alone. The person would be so confused they could be lost for hours, or worse, vanish without a trace. This is what is known as pixie-led.

When I was doing my research on pixies, I found a fantastic website called Legendary Dartmoor According to the author, Tim Sandles, this really does happen! Dartmoor is located in southwest England in the county of Devon.

From their site:

Probably the best I have ever heard came from an old woman who has lived on the moor all her life. Whilst she had not actually experienced being pixie led herself her grandfather often related how he once earned the displeasure of the little folk and became ‘led’. Apparently one minute he was happily traipsing across the moor on a track he knew well. Suddenly a dense mist descended that appeared to have a very feint green tint to it, along with this the man’s head became ‘zwimmy’ (dizzy) and he began stumbling around trying to find his direction. The actual experience seemed to last for hours and he lost all track of time but when the mist lifted he looked at his watch and only a few minutes had passed. Despite thinking he had been wandering around for miles he had in fact only moved a few yards from the spot he had reached when the mist ascended.

 

Probably the most famous story of people being Piskie Led on Dartmoor is that of the unnamed couple who got lost near Okehampton. So relieved were they to have survived such an ordeal that the husband erected a granite cross next to the well where they were spared, known today as Fitz’s Well.

The author goes on to say:

There seem to be two modern conditions that can lead to people becoming ‘Piskie Led’, the first scenario involves an illegal substance or copious amounts of alcohol and the second is a result of the inability to read a map and compass – stoned, drunk or lost, blame it on the piskies.

How to Avoid Being Pixie-Led

One remedy to avoid being pixie-led during the 17th century was to turn your coat inside out, and if you didn’t have a coat, you could even turn your pocket out. Carrying a piece of bread could also prevent bewilderment.

If you leave gifts like honey, milk or cake, the pixies will regard this as a sign of respect and help with tidying up or helping around the farm. Sometimes doing favours for pixies will backfire though, and they may respond with mischief.

Artwork by Brian Froud

If you find yourself in the mist and suspect you are being pixie-led, find a spring of clear water and drink some to break the spell.

Don’t Invite Trouble!

Pixies are known to sleep among the Stitchwort plant, also known as Addersmeat, so to pick this plant is inviting trouble from them. Don’t do it!

 

Artwork by Brian Froud

What about You?

Have you ever found yourself lost in a mist, unable to find your way? I’d love to hear your stories. Leave a note in the comments!

Book Review: The Elemental Coven by Kayla Krantz

The Elemental Coven by Kayla Krantz

I was thrilled to see Kayla Krantz released her newest book, The Elemental Coven! It is the second book in the Witch’s Ambitions Trilogy and I’m happy to say it was well worth the wait.

When I had read the first of the series, The Council, I wanted more! Kayla is an excellent writer. She is wonderfully descriptive and draws you in with her engaging characters and captivating world-building.

You can read my review of The Council here.

The Elemental Coven starts off a bit slow, but quickly picks up the pace. Some of the characters and events that were in the first book I had forgotten about, so there were times that I wished I had reread The Council more recently. I think it would be difficult to get what was happening in this story if you hadn’t read the The Council.

Lilith, the main character, is taken prisoner by the Elemental Coven, a band of rogue witches that were believed to be the bad guys. As Lilith learns more about their mission and motives, she looks to solve the mystery of her past, Willow and the secrets of the Council that had been kept from her.

The story is suspenseful and intriguing. She doesn’t know who she can trust or which side is doing the right thing.

An aspect that I love about this trilogy is the world that the author has built. There are five covens, each with their own unique abilities. They are ruled over by the Council, presumed to work for the best interests of all the covens in the Land of Five. There is, of course, a fair amount of political intrigue and all is not as rosy as it seems on the surface.

Lilith, the main character doesn’t know who she can trust or which side is doing the right thing. It is a guessing game that build suspense and leaves the reader questioning everything and wanting more.

The author does a great job of developing the main character as well as the supporting cast and wondering what, if any, their ulterior motives might be.

The story ends on a major cliffhanger. Unfortunately, we now have to wait until 2020 to find out what happens next!

I received an advanced copy of the Elemental Coven in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Proud author of a number of fantasy and thrillers, fascinated by the dark and macabre. Stephen King is her all time inspiration mixed in with a little bit of Eminem. When she began writing, she started in horror but it somehow drifted into thriller. She loves the 1988 movie Heathers. She was born and raised in Michigan but traveled across the country to where she currently resides in Texas.

To keep up with her, sign up for her newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/cwZHEz

BOOK BLITZ! FATHER FIGURE by James J. Cudney IV and #GiveAway!

I am proud and excited to be a part of this Book Blitz for Jay’s newest novel Father Figure!

If you enjoyed Watching a Glass Shatter, you will love Father Figure.

Jay is one of the first bloggers I met when I started this blog one year ago and he is one of the funniest, most hard-working and friendly writers there is.

I hope you enjoy reading about his latest novel and don’t forget to enter the giveaway! Check out his sites and social media, too!

Father Figure

Publication Date: April 2, 2018

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/ Drama

Between the fast-paced New York City, a rural Mississippi town, and a charming Pennsylvania college campus filled with secrets, two young girls learn the consequences of growing up too quickly. Struggling to survive in a claustrophobic, unforgiving world, they embark on a journey to overcome all the pain, disappointment, and horror of their experiences.

Amalia Graeme, abused by her mother for most of her life, longs to escape her desolate hometown, connect with others, and fall in love. Contemplating an impending loss of innocence and conflicting feelings between her boyfriend and the dangerous attraction she’s developed for an older man, Amalia suffers devastating, life-altering tragedies. No matter where she turns, someone or something always steals her hope of finding happiness, protection, and love.

Brianna Porter, a sassy yet angst-ridden teenager raised in New York City, yearns to determine her life’s true purpose, conquer her fear of abandonment, and interpret an intimidating desire for her best friend, Shanelle. All the confusion stems from desperately needing to find the father whom her mother refuses to reveal, but an unexpected discovery of a journal leads Brianna to a shocking revelation about her missing parent. Unfortunately, by casting the net to find him, she’s unleashed a tragic history that was meant to stay buried and might now completely change everyone’s futures.

Through alternating chapters set two decades apart, each girl’s plight unfolds revealing the parallels between their lives and the subsequent collision that is bound to happen. In an emotional story filled with mystery, romance, and suspense, fate intervenes forcing someone to make a dreadful decision that will leave permanent scars.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt

The Red Blouse

The red sweater is something important to Amalia, but she loses it when her mother takes another swing to knock down her daughter. This shows how awful Janet can truly be. Red becomes a theme in the book and aligns with the color of the cabin on the cover – James J. Cudney

Amalia grabbed her bag and keys shuffling everything together to leave with her mother. In her rush, she dropped the bag to the floor. The red blouse spilled from its only protection unaware of the trouble its presence would generate. It was the only article of clothing Amalia owned that made her feel special, nor did it try to hide her body from the rest of the world.

“What is that doing here? I told you to get rid of it yesterday morning.” The room grew a few degrees cooler as Janet’s icy expression penetrated the surface of Amalia’s waning facade.

“I… I just… forgot it was… in my bag when I brought it here today,” stammered Amalia.

“Give it here.”

“No, Momma. I’m bringing it home.”

“Someday, you’ll understand, girl.” Janet refocused her triumphant gaze from Amalia to her husband. “Have you got a pair of scissors in this store, Peter?”

Amalia closed her eyes and pictured what could have been if she’d met Bryan at the lake. She chastised herself for foolishly letting down her guard imagining the possibility of something positive happening in Brant. It was merely another one of her nightmares masquerading as a silly little girl’s daydream. Fighting back was a lost cause, and so was her blouse. Amalia grabbed the scissors from the rusty mason jar and walked with unparalleled defeat toward her mother.

“Stay right there, child. I’m not gonna be the one to destroy it. Give those scissors to your father.”

Peter’s deep-set eyes grew wide with disbelief despite remaining glued to a pile of dirt in the corner. “Janet, let her keep the shirt, please. She’s not going to wear it anywhere.”

“Cut it up now, Peter. The girl needs to learn another lesson. Apparently, so do you.” Janet banged her fist against the nearest wall rattling the pipes. “Make it quick. Greg will be ready for dinner in three hours.”

As the harassment in Janet’s voice punched holes in his body, Peter’s courage went limp with burden. His shaky fingers, normally quite firm and adept from building his model trains and boats, slid into the scissors. Amalia turned away at the nagging graze of one blade against the other, grateful when the fabric muffled the awful scrape of her last hopes being dashed away for the summer. “I love you, Daddy,” she mouthed to his despondent eyes and walked behind her mother to the car praying for silence on the ride home.

Purchase Links

Amazon
Publisher

Giveaway!

Father Figure will be available FREE from 5/6 thru 5/10! Don’t miss out on this opportunity! Also, if you haven’t read James’ fantastic debut novel, Watching Glass Shatter, pick it up on sale for only $0.99 on Amazon from 5/6 thru 5/10!!!
Try and win a digital copy of “Father Figure” even sooner below!

 Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway

 

About the Author

James is my given name; most call me Jay. I grew up on Long Island and currently live in New York City, but I’ve traveled all across the US (and various parts of the world). After college, I spent 15 years working in technology and business operations in the sports, entertainment and media industries. Although I enjoyed my job, I left in 2016 to focus on my passion: telling stories and connecting people through words. My debut novel is ‘Watching Glass Shatter,’ a contemporary fiction family drama with elements of mystery, suspense, humor and romance. To see samples or receive news from my current and upcoming books, please subscribe with your email address at my website: https://jamesjcudney.com

What do I do outside of writing: I’m an avid genealogist (discovered 2K family members going back about 250 years) and cook (I find it so hard to follow a recipe). I love to read; between Goodreads and my blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, I have over 500 book reviews which will give you a full flavor for my voice and style. On my blog, I started the 365 Daily Challenge, where I post a word each day that has some meaning to me, then converse with everyone about life. There is humor, tears, love, friendship, advice and bloopers. Lots of bloopers where I poke fun at myself all the time. Even my dog has a weekly segment called “Ryder’s Rants” where he complains about me. All these things make up who I am; none of them are very fancy or magnanimous, but they are real and show how I live every day.

A bit of humor: Everything doubles as something else when you live in NYC. For me, it’s the dining room, my favorite space in the apartment, where more than just my cooking is on display! As I look out the windows onto a 12th floor terrace, various parts of nature (trees, bushes, flowers, bugs & animals) inspire me to write. Ryder, my 10-year old shiba inu, usually lays on my feet, growling when I shift positions too many times or when I forget to share my food! Although he’s only 20 pounds, he’s quite strong and pushy. But how else can you pen the best story possible without these things by your side?

Author Links

Blog:
https://thisismytruthnow.com

Author Website:
https://jamesjcudney.com

Social Media Links
Amazon | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Instagram | Goodreads | LinkedIn

 

 

Book Blitz Organized By:

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Mythical Mondays: Were There Female Druids?

 

Who Were the Druids?

The Druids were ancient religious leaders of the Celtic people. The Celts were spread throughout Gaul, Britain, Ireland and other parts of Europe, Asia Minor and even the Balkans around the 5th century BC.

They were highly respected in society. They were advisors to the kings. They were intellectual as well as poets, astronomers, magicians and astrologers. It took them 19 years to gain the necessary knowledge and skills in alchemy, medicine, law, the sciences and more. They were healers and were involved in developing strategies for war.

The Druids officiated over public and private sacrifices. Tribal assemblies were held on days vital in the agricultural year, the solstices as well as Beltane, May 1, and Samhain, November 1.

They settled disputes and issued punishment. Those who did not obey the decisions of the Druids were banished from the tribe.

 

Women as Druids

For centuries, there was a common misconception that Druids were only male, however, there are numerous references of women being Druids, as well.

Caesar was well aware of the female Druids, but most of the Roman writers ignored women in general, so references were far and few between.

Strabo wrote about a group of religious women who lived on an island near the Loir River, in the ocean but not far from the coast. No men were permitted on the island which was  inhabited by Samnite women.

Tacitus mentioned female Druids when he described the slaughter of the Druids by Romans on the Island of Mona in Wales. The women wore black and were known as Banduri (female Druids).  They dashed between the ranks of armed warriors with their hair dishevelled and waving brands.

Tacitus also noted that there was no distinction between male and female rulers, and that female Celts were very powerful.

According to the Pomponius Mela, nine virgin priestesses called the Gallizenae lived on the island of Sena in Brittany. They could stir up the sea, turn into animals, cure the uncurable and see the future.

Queen Boudicca of the British Celtic Iceni tribe was the descendant of a Druid and possibly a druid in her own right. She led an uprising agains the Romans in the 1st century AD.

There are many legends concerning a woman named Brighid. It is difficult to say

“The Druidess”, oil on canvas, by French painter Alexandre Cabanel (1823–1890) ( Public Domain )

whether she was a real woman or a Celtic goddess, patroness of poetry, learning, healing and craftmanship. Later the Christian church made her St. Brighid. Coincidentally, her feast day is February 1, which coincides to Imbolc, the pagan festival for the celebration of spring, though there is doubt whether the two Brighids are actually one and the same. There is some speculation however, that Irish Brighid was once the abbotess of a pagan sanctuary which later became Brighid’s monastery near Kildare.

Finn was a mythical character who was raised by a Druidess or ‘wise woman’. she taught him war craft, hunting and fishing, acted as guard and advisor.

Fedelma, a Druidess who was part Queen Medb of Connacht’s court predicted the outcome of the battle with the Ulstermen. “I see crimson, I see it red.” Her prophecy came true. Medb lost the battle and Cú Chulainn perished.

The Historia Augusta was written in 400 AD and mentions a Druidess foretelling the defeat of Alexander Severus. “Go forth but hope not for victory, nor put your trust in your warriors.”

The Roman Catholic church believed that female Druids were sorcerers and witches in cooperation with the devil. They also saw the knowledge of the Celts as a huge danger for their domination.

Druidry Today

In the modern practice of Druidry, there are a good number of women involved, the druid community having good representation of both men and women.