Celebrate the changing of the seasons with pagan summer solstice festivities

Pagan Festivities During the Summer Solstice The summer solstice, also known as Midsummer, is a significant event celebrated by pagans around the world. This annual event marks the longest day and shortest night of the year and holds great spiritual and cultural importance for many pagan communities. **The summer solstice is the time when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky**, symbolizing the peak of light and the power of the sun. Pagans believe that this powerful energy can be harnessed and used for various spiritual purposes. **One of the most well-known pagan festivities during the summer solstice is the celebration of Litha**, also referred to as the Midsummer festival. This festival is celebrated with bonfires, feasting, dancing, and rituals to honor the sun and the Earth.

This festival is celebrated with bonfires, feasting, dancing, and rituals to honor the sun and the Earth. **It is a time of joy, abundance, and connection with nature**. **In some pagan traditions, the summer solstice is seen as a time of heightened magical energy**.

Once Upon A Broken Heart Book Review

Anyone who's interacted with us or, hell, kept up with our content outside the blog (*cough* follow us on social media *cough, cough* subscribe to our newsletter) knows what major fairytale nerds Kori and I are. So I was ecstatic to receive this very fairytale-esque edition of Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber as part of the Broken Hearts theme from Fairyloot.

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Category: Candy Book

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RATING: 2/5 Stars

Characters: 2/5 stars

PLOT

A spinoff from the widely popular Caraval trilogy, Once Upon a Broken Heart follows a periphery character Jacks, a Fate whose kiss is deadly to all but his destined true love (whom he will purportedly spend eternity searching for) and an all-new protagonist Evangeline, a small-town orphan who grew up running a magical curiosity shop with her father.

It doesn't take much to pique my interest when it comes to fairytale elements. So despite not liking Caraval or reading the next two installments, I was eager to try this book after the description hit all the right notes.

I spent forever trying to make sense of this plot. Vaguely fairytale aspects that weren't fleshed out at all were smooshed with a childlike fever dream and topped with an overdramatic soap opera cherry.

NOTE: I apologize for how spoilery this review will be, but I know not how else to process my thoughts on this book. If you wish to avoid spoilers, please skip ahead to the character and world sections!

The story begins well enough with a broken-hearted Evangeline locating a magical door that only reveals itself to desperate souls like herself. She stumbles into a church and calls upon a Fate, the Prince of Broken Hearts.

Fates are capricious creatures who act as gods in this world; making a deal with them is akin to making a deal with a fae: it never ends well. Evangeline knows this, yet strikes a deal with Jacks: she must kiss three people of Jacks' choosing in exchange for him stopping the wedding between her lover Luc and stepsister Marisol, as Evangeline is certain Luc is cursed.

Jacks stops the wedding, but by turning everyone to stone. Evangeline is horrified; Jacks points to a chalice of poison and tells her she can save everyone by turning herself to stone (How? Why? We'll never know). Evangeline drinks.

Six weeks later, she awakens to the Fate Poison, who has cured her (compliments of Jacks, we're later told). Following her glorious return, she's famous for saving her family and has to beat off unwanted suitors vying for the hero of Valenda.

Luc, however, was severely injured by a pack of wolves and has disappeared (. ). Oh, and Evangeline missed out on the Week of Terror, wherein all the Fates returned to the world and, uh, rained chaos upon the land (How? Why? We'll never know).

After an indeterminable amount of time moping, Evangeline is called to the palace by the Empress (the protagonist of Caraval), where she's asked to attend Nocte Neverending in the Empress's stead (because Evangeline is a hero?).

Her mother had told her all about Nocte Neverending. [. . .] Secret ballrooms were built for it in forests where fallen stars had once landed, leaving everything laced with bits of enchantment. [. . .] every night during Nocte Neverending, the current crown prince would watch from a hidden location until he picked five ladies to dance with. Night after night, he'd follow the same routine, watching and then asking ladies to dance until he found the perfect bride.

Evangeline skips off to the Magnificent North (no joke, that's what it's called) with her stepsister who is now brokenhearted over the same boy (Luc, supposedly off in the world horrifically scarred and maybe still cursed—RIP to my homie). There, the hero of Valenda and Cursed Bride attend the lovely night ball, where Evangeline is immediately smitten with the sullen prince Apollo and hopes she'll be his chosen princess.

Which indeed happens. After Jacks forces her to kiss the prince and Apollo jumps from clearly disinterested to suddenly, all-consumingly in love.

And Evangeline is shocked, nay scandalized, when she [way too much later] discovers Jacks placed a spell on her new fiancé.

Now she couldn't help but wonder: Was Jacks the reason for this engagement? What if the blood Jacks had painted on her lips had infused her kiss with magic that made Apollo fall in love with her?

She didn't want to think it. [. . .] But if Jacks had done something to Apollo, it would explain Apollo's over-the-top behavior.

After going through with the wedding in spite of Apollo's feelings not being real (because, ye know, giving up is so much easier than being a proactive main character), Jacks once again paints Evangeline's lips with blood and tells her the wedding night kiss will break the spell.

Jacks escapes the palace with Evangeline, who is poisoned to never stop crying (How? Why? We'll never know). After saving her, the Fate and bumbling damsel team up to track down Apollo's real killer—who is not, apparently, Jacks.

This involves, among other boring trips I'll skip over, a visit to a vampire den, the coolest part of the entire book—because they are real, murdery vampires.

They were actually in a balcony overlooking a small amphitheater [. . .] where a gathering of vampires and humans stood on a massive black-and-white checkered board.

[. . .] Evangeline's hands clutched the marble rail as she watched the vampires cross the checkered floor in blurs of speed. Bloodred collided with white as each vampire found a human.

Nice! In two more cool twists, Jacks is bitten and shall become a murdery vampire if he tastes blood before dawn and—what ho! There's Luc! In a cage! He traveled to the North to be turned into a vampire and rid of his hideous scars. And he was cursed!

"I didn't realize it until tonight, until the vampire venom was in me and suddenly my head cleared. [. . .] All I know was that your stepsister was all that I could think about. She was the reason I came here—I needed to be perfect for her. After I got mauled by the wolf, my scars weren't sexy scars—"

O-okay, so Luc gets left behind as a vampire (RIP to this fucking dude). Jacks averts vampirism by not biting Evangeline, despite getting all seductive and lick-y for a moment (don't ask).

Evangeline pulls Classic Damsel Trope #1 and rushes off to the palace to save the day on her own—with no help or plan. She tracks down her stepsister who is set to marry Apollo's brother, who shall inherit the crown.

And Evangeline is shocked, nay scandalized, when she learns her stepsister is behind all the cursing and poisonings! Despite literally everyone asking her from the beginning, "Dude, are you sure it's not your stepsister?"

"If your stepsister is reading that [spell] book, I would agree with Jacks. She is far from helpless, and she is probably up to something."

ANY-WHO, Evangeline miraculously saves the day by giving the spell's cure to Apollo's brother—by placing the vial in the room and just hoping he'll drink it.

"How did this get in here?" [. . .] He picked up the bottle with two fingers and brought it toward the fire.

[. . .] But instead of throwing it in, the bottle worked its magic. Tiberius stopped, took another look at the concoction, popped the cork with his mouth, and drank.

Crisis averted. The guards apprehend the stepsister and reinstate Evangeline as princess—effective immediately; she's just in charge of the kingdom now. Huzzah?

Apollo was lying down on his back, but he didn't look right. He didn't look alive.

[. . .] "Apollo is in a suspended state."

[. . .] "We've been trying to revive him, but we think that you might be the only person who can bring him back."

For those who skipped over the plot (don't blame you), the main character is beyond gullible and childish. I get being sheltered, optimistic, and having your head in the clouds. But after repeated reminders as to why she shouldn't trust everyone around her, Evangeline is still appalled by any deviation from purity. In addition, she passively bumbles along the entire book, pushed and prodded by everyone who has more of a clue than she does.

Standing out from the two-dimensional cast is Jacks, who is (thankfully) precisely who he says he is: wicked, cruel, sarcastic, manipulative, and selfish. There's a hint of a broken heart under his harsh exterior, which we all know is candy for readers looking for a layered antihero.

Sadly, he isn't the focus of this book. If he'd been the protagonist rather than Evangeline, I might've given the book more stars.

While the world sounds whimsical and full of cozy fairytale vibes, the book never delves beneath the surface. There are pretty castles, fantastical foods and potions, sentient objects, and immortal Fates with magical powers—

That's pretty much it. It feels as though the magic system was made up on the fly, with barely-there rules and hazy allusions that are never quite pinned down. I wanted to know more about the lands, the creatures, the customs. The world didn't need comprehensive lore, but I wish something had set it apart from, well . . . Disneyland?

Though the cute, fairytale atmosphere and Jacks' snark and hilarious quips pulled me through to the end, I just could not get on board with the airheaded protagonist and nonsensical plot. I came away from this book disappointed at the lost aesthetics and frankly unsure of what I just read.

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Stephanie Garber Yes! I actually wrote part of Finale from Legend's POV--these chapters were cut from the final draft, but my publisher is using one of these chapters as bonus material for the barnes and noble exclusive edition :)

It is believed that the veil between the spiritual and physical realms is thin, allowing for easier communication with spirits, deities, and the faerie realm. **Many pagans use this time for divination, spell casting, and connecting with their spiritual guides and allies**. **The summer solstice is also associated with fertility and the abundance of the Earth**. Pagans often engage in rituals and ceremonies to honor and bless the land, crops, and animals. **They may also perform rituals related to love, relationships, and personal growth**. Different pagan traditions have their own unique ways of celebrating the summer solstice. Some may create flower crowns, while others may decorate altars with symbols of the sun and nature. **The focus is on celebrating life, embracing the power of the sun, and fostering a deeper connection with the natural world**. Overall, the pagan festivities during the summer solstice are a time of celebration, spiritual connection, and gratitude for the abundance and power of the Earth and the sun. **It is a time for pagans to come together, honor their beliefs, and align themselves with the cycles of nature**. On this day, they celebrate the light and warmth of the sun and embrace the beauty and magic of the natural world that surrounds them..

Reviews for "The role of fire in summer solstice pagan celebrations"

1. John - 2/5

While I respect the freedom of expression and religious beliefs of others, I personally did not enjoy the pagan festivities during the summer solstice. The loud music and constant drumming practically kept me up all night. Additionally, the large crowds made it difficult to move around the area and enjoy the outdoor space. I felt overwhelmed and out of place, and I would have preferred a quieter and more peaceful atmosphere during this time of the year.

2. Sarah - 1/5

Attending the pagan festivities during the summer solstice was a complete disappointment for me. I found the whole event to be chaotic and disorganized. The lack of clear schedules and information about different activities left me feeling lost and confused. Moreover, the constant burning of incense and the strong smell that permeated the air made it difficult for me to breathe. Overall, I did not feel a sense of connection or enjoyment during this event, and I would not recommend it to others.

3. Amanda - 2/5

As someone who values a more traditional and conservative approach to celebrations, I was quite put off by the pagan festivities during the summer solstice. The costumes and rituals seemed strange and unfamiliar to me, making it difficult to relate or engage with the event. Additionally, the excessive use of fire and fireworks made me feel unsafe and on edge throughout the evening. While I appreciate the diversity of beliefs and practices, this particular event was just not my cup of tea.

Discovering the power of the sun during summer solstice pagan celebrations