Why is a series set in Maine making me run around Ohio?

Carousel Sun

by Sharon Lee
Series: Archer's Beach #2
Genres: Fantasy
Published on February 4th 2014
Pages: 336
Format: Paperback Amazon

When magic meets mundane, sparks fly: these are exciting times in Archers Beach, Maine! A unprecedented Early Season has united townies and carnies in an effort to expand into a twelve-month resort, recapturing the town's former glory. Kate Archer, owner-operator of the vintage wooden carousel, is caught up in the excitement—and is quite possibly the cause of it. Kate leads a double life, as a carny and as Guardian of the land. Her recent return to the home she had forsaken has changed the town's luck—for the better—and energized the trenvay—earth and water spirits who are as much citizens of the Beach as their mundane counterparts. But the town's new energy isn't the only change afoot. Joe Nemeier, the local drug lord, whose previous magical consultant was vanquished by Kate, has acquired a new ally—and this one plays with fire.

You know, for a series set in Maine this sure is making me run around Ohio a lot.  After I read the first book in the series, Carousel Tides, I went to the Merry Go Round museum in Sandusky.  Then in the very beginning of this book Kate is looking for a replacement horse.  She hears about the Euclid Beach carousel that is being stored at the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland.  They won’t sell her a horse because they plan on putting the carousel back together.

Wait, what?  Is that true?  I pulled out the ipad and googled.  Yep, it started giving rides again at the end of 2014.  I had seen the museum building on our last trip to the botanical gardens.  I decided we needed to go.

The carousel is housed in a glassed in part of the building so you can see it from outside. Two rides are included in the cost of admission.

The carousel is from an amusement park that shut down in the 1960s.

I did enjoy this second book in the Archer’s Beach series.  I love the world of nature spirits interacting with the humans who are mostly unaware.  I’m looking forward to reading the third book and interested to see if it sends me anywhere else.

three-half-stars