Call of the Gaelic Moon

Book Two of the Gaelic Moon Series

Fiction - Paranormal
313 Pages
Reviewed on 06/19/2022
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Shrabastee Chakraborty for Readers' Favorite

Call of the Gaelic Moon by Carol Maschke is the second installment of the Gaelic Moon series. After the disaster involving the evil witch, Maggie, Mary decides to settle in Cullamore with her son. However, she starts to regret her decision as her departed husband, Sean, is often away, taking lessons to hone his spirit powers. Although Mary wants him to succeed, his long periods of absence soon take a toll on their child, creating a rift between the couple. Mary’s tenuous lessons in mastering witchery don’t seem to help matters, either. Lillie, Mary’s sister-in-law, complains about her husband’s erratic behavior. How far do Maggie’s curses go? Can Mary save her family or their beloved pub, Gaelic Moon?

For a primarily plot-centric novel, I loved how well Carol Maschke developed her characters. I could acutely feel their emotions. Mary’s grudges over her inescapable trials or Sean’s anguish over his prolonged separation were very real. Maschke gave the characters ample time to accept and respond to their situations, something I kept wishing for since meeting them. Maschke delivered the paranormal aspects in steady little bouts throughout the novel, thus letting me fully immerse myself in the story. I loved reading about the supernatural powers and the mystic aura surrounding the pub, Gaelic Moon. Maschke has mastered the ability to keep readers on the edge with her brilliant depiction of any suspenseful sequences. Call of the Gaelic Moon is the perfect choice for anyone who appreciates paranormal fiction. Despite being a sequel, this novel could also be read as a standalone as the author provided enough references to the first one.

K.C. Finn

Call of the Gaelic Moon is a work of fiction in the paranormal and adventure subgenres and serves as the second installment of the Gaelic Moon series. It is suitable for the general reading audience and was penned by author Carol Maschke. The book continues the story of Mary Kelley, who has relocated to Ireland to be near the ghost of her deceased lover Sean. Whilst Sean is away, Mary is raising their son as well as opening a pub, studying witchcraft, and helping her family. As the power of the Gaelic Moon calls to Mary to help her with her worldly woes, she must remember the important lessons she’s learned about dabbling in what she doesn’t fully understand.

I love a work of fantasy fiction that feels like it’s touching on issues I have to deal with every day. I’m not a witch in love with a ghost, but I’ve had periods of my life where the pressure placed on me to deal with everything and look after everyone has pushed me to the brink of my mental health. Author Carol Maschke’s depiction of Mary as she is pushed toward dark forces to help her cope with the overload was touching and relatable, causing Mary to transcend into a completely relatable protagonist despite the fantasy trappings of her life. The lore and worldbuilding of the Gaelic Moon series grow at a steady and digestible pace, building on the established without overwhelming readers with too much information to enjoy the story. Overall, Call of the Gaelic Moon is an excellent sequel, pushing its characters in new directions and allowing for an organic but unexpected direction of growth for its leads.

Delene Vrey

When Mary decided to try to have a normal life with her boyfriend, who is a ghost, and their four-year-old boy, she thought it would be easier than this. In Call of the Gaelic Moon by Carol Maschke, we pick up Mary and Sean's story some months after their confrontation with Maggie and her incarceration in an asylum. Though they knew their relationship would be complicated, Maggie complicates things further by contesting Sean's will. To add to Mary's frustration, Sean is gone for weeks at a time, training to be a stronger ghost to protect Mary and Cal. When Patrick shows signs of being cursed, Mary is put on a tight timeline to finish her project in town and practice her budding witchy talents. Between a ghostly mentor and a familiar that won't show up, she has to manage a growing boy and the possibility that Maggie cursed her and Patrick. When the full moon approaches, will Mary be able to save her Irish family, or will Maggie's curse have the final say? Who knows what will happen when the time is right for the druids of the Gaelic Moon to claim their magic.

Call of the Gaelic Moon is the second in the Gaelic Moon series by Carol Maschke and is a paranormal mystery romance that is different from any I have read so far. It is well written and easy to read with swearing, sizzling scenes, and a little violence. This is a book and a series you can curl up on the couch with and disappear into a small country town in green Ireland, and all the paranormal one can manage to get into one story. I enjoyed it very much and hope there will be more, especially about Baily, Donald, and the Crusader.