Escape room puzzles are popular everywhere; however, few of them
are quite as unique as the puzzles created by Tropical Treasure Hunt
from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.
“Escape room puzzles are popular everywhere; however, few of them
are quite as unique as the puzzles created by Tropical Treasure Hunt
from St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Visitors are invited to take
to the seas, solving an intricate and picturesque quest that
includes a day charter around the islands.”
Read the full article in the January 2026 issue of Caribbean Compass.
More information about the Tropical Treasure Hunt and their story can be found at their website below:
Join #ReadingAfrica for a celebration of African literature. Into graphic novels or gothic horror?
If you’re looking for something to read, join #ReadingAfrica for a celebration of African literature. Into graphic novels or gothic horror?
Lauren Beukes’ Zoo City and Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor are some of the books that made the selection of five articles covering unique, notable African works.
Read the full posts below.
Satire Novels, or Why Africa Can Be Funny Too
https://www.maverickindependentreview.com/post/satire-novels-or-why-africa-can-be-funny-too
African Graphic Novels: Gods and Superheroes
https://www.maverickindependentreview.com/post/african-graphic-novels-gods-and-superheroes
Dragons and Ogun and Things That Go Bump: Unique African Fantasy
https://www.maverickindependentreview.com/post/dragons-and-ogun-and-things-that-go-bump-unique-african-fantasy
Stories of Ghosts, Gods and Ghouls: The Best of African Gothic Novels
https://www.maverickindependentreview.com/post/stories-of-ghosts-gods-and-ghouls-the-best-of-african-gothic-novels
From Womb City to Zoo City: Exploring Afrofuturistic and Science-Fiction Stories
https://www.maverickindependentreview.com/post/from-womb-city-to-zoo-city-exploring-afrofuturistic-and-science-fiction-stories
Happy Halloween and Samhain for 2025! Traditionally, it’s a time for spooky pop culture and horror movie marathons… But also a celebration of the ancestors and embrace of the night.
Traditionally, Halloween is a time for spooky pop culture and horror movie marathons… Halloween and Samhain are also a celebration of the ancestors and an embrace of the night.
It’s known as the time when the veil drops – though you’re also welcome to drop candy, mics, or beats to celebrate this special time of the year!
Happy Halloween and Samhain for 2025!
Download more Halloween postcards at The Public Domain Review/Halloween Postcards Collection over here.
Tarot time? Follow tarot readers Melanie Marquis and Raven Digitalis at their official website.
Music instead? Follow Flash.Wrldwide/Lil2Hood at Linktree.
Bridge is a 13-card, trick-taking game that draws its origins from the earlier game of whist. If you’re looking for something to read, here are some articles about the game from Great Bridge Links!
Bridge is a 13-card, trick-taking game that draws its origins from the earlier game of whist. If you’re looking for something to read, here are some articles about the game from Great Bridge Links!
Click around the site for more about the rules of bridge, bridge strategies and where to find active face-to-face or online games.
“Sorry, Partner” invites listeners into the engaging world of bridge, featuring conversations with expert players, heartfelt stories from the table, and a behind-the-scenes look at the game’s global community. Click here to read more.
What happens when Spock from Star Trek picks up a 13-card bridge hand? Bridge Unleashed brings fictional icons to the bridge table with humour, strategy, and cultural flair in their standout series Mind Meld. Click here to read more.
Playing cards have long been linked to superstition, the occult, and even the devil himself. Beyond folklore, playing cards also had real dangers – Victorian-era decks contained arsenic-based pigments that posed a health risk to collectors. Click here to read more.
Online bridge is alive with possibility, with the game getting fresh players and spectators on a daily basis. This interview dates back to the start of the RealBridge online platform, which has certainly grown since then! Click here to read more.
The Rainbow Moon Tarot by Samantha West (Rook) is an unexpected gem of a tarot deck, and one that keeps classic Rider-Waite-Smith images without their gendered focus.
Its description says that it’s meant for “inclusivity, whimsy, and humour.” However, it’s also meant for modern readings that embrace they/them pronouns and LGBTQI+ readings.
The retailer, though mainstream, only had one shelf labelled ESOTERIC and a very limited selection. The Stranger Things Tarot, The Friends Tarot, and The Meryl Streep Tarot definitely wasn’t what I was looking for… Eventually, I found The Rainbow Moon Tarot on the bottom shelf between Draw Your Own Tarot Deck and an Astrology Kit.
The Rainbow Moon Tarot does away with heavily gendered traditional tarot imagery: The High Priestess becomes Divine, and the Empress is expressed as The Creator. Simultaneously the deck still keeps some of the classic Rider-Waite-Smith images so you’re not lost for meanings if that’s the deck style you’re used to.
Cards-backs contain a cosmic, rainbow eye (because why not?), and the sides they are a-glowin’ like special edition foil trading cards. It’s a cool detail. As a tip, give your cards a quick corn flour dusting and wipe them to give cards the glide you’re looking for – new decks, including this one, tend to feel like they’ve been glued together for the first while.
There are some surprises that you’ll have to get used to, like the suit of Crystals – and the deck using Page, Knight, Chancellor and Warden instead.
There’s a 144 page guidebook, too. Definitions are thoroughly explained and the differences between traditional imagery and Rainbow Moon are duly noted.
Art easily reminds of animated web shows, and in a good way.
Samantha West is an illustrator and artist, and also created the Cosmic C*nt Tarot. Some of her creations have been launched via crowd-funding – including The Peony Clown Tarot (ongoing) and Bellus the Sweet: The Plushie Demon.
Baphomet: History, Ritual & Magic of the World’s Most Famous Occult Icon by Michael Osiris Snuffin is a comprehensive analysis of the historic and modern Baphomet figure.
Baphomet: History, Ritual & Magic of the World’s Most Famous Occult Icon by Michael Osiris Snuffin is a comprehensive analysis of the historic and modern Baphomet figure. The figure of Baphomet has often been misunderstood and misinterpreted—and historically, this book sets the record straight. The author’s tone is unpretentious and gets to the point, and there’s a lot of information in the book without it feeling academically heavy or purely occult.
The book is split up into three sections: history, ritual, and magic. The first two sections focus on the origin and evolution of the famous (or infamous) Baphomet figure. Snuffin discusses the contributions of Eliphas Lévi, Aleister Crowley, and Peter Carroll—but also expands on this with modern information that you aren’t going to find elsewhere. While it does discuss the Baphomet of the Church of Satan and The Satanic Temple, Baphomet isn’t overtly geared towards Satanism (either theistic or atheistic).
The third part is focused purely on occultism and ritual, including information on magickal workings and useful correspondence tables. Snuffin recommends a practical, minimalist approach to ritual using what works for the individual, and practitioners are encouraged to visualize and connect with Baphomet on a personal level.
“DJ of the universe” is used as a reference to Baphomet in the book’s third section, and might be one of the best lines I’ve come across in any modern invocation. Certainly, the book will remix the art, aesthetic and ritual surrounding a complex figure.
If you’re looking for an updated perspective on Baphomet, this is the ideal book for your reading list. Recommended!
If you enjoy dark aesthetics and gothic things, A Gothic Witch’s Oracle (Raven Digitalis/John Santerineross) might be the perfect item for your wish list.
If you enjoy dark aesthetics and gothic things, A Gothic Witch’s Oracle (Raven Digitalis/John Santerineross) might be the perfect item for your wish list.
Like tarot, oracle cards are “a popular tool for those seeking spiritual guidance, personal insight, and self-discovery” — and yes, many people collect oracle or tarot decks just for the art!
As an avid enthusiast of gothic, dark art: believe me, you want to add this to your collections!
More details about A Gothic Witch’s Oracle can be found at Crossed Crow Books or RavenDigitalis.com. Find artist John Santerineross at his website.
“In the spirit of his Empath’s Oracle deck, Raven Digitalis has created A Gothic Witch’s Oracle in collaboration with world-renowned photographic artist John Santerineross. Shadow work is an integral part of advancing on the path of Witchcraft. This deck is especially relevant to readers who are not afraid to dive deeper into the workings of the unconscious mind. The art of divination is, by its very nature, an act of exploring the unseen. This deck will take you on a journey to the next level.“
Some of Alex J. Coyne’s bylines for April, 2025.
April was a month for writing about languages, libraries, and podcasts. Here’s what you might’ve missed—and thanks for stopping by!
The Evolution of Libraries
“How are libraries coping in the age of instant information access, and what is there still to discover at your nearest library? Libraries are far from following the same path as Blockbuster.”
Are Podcasters Resurrecting the Satanic Panic?
“Podcasts contain interesting and useful, sometimes first-hand information about various topics. Podcasts can also contain inaccuracies and falsehoods, or outright false news that gets picked up and widely syndicated.”
The Crossroads in South Africa’s Language Gap
“Whichever language you choose to learn, you’ll find similar teachers and programmes for all 12 languages. If learning from shows and movies is your choice instead, head to a streaming platform for local series, or download subtitles for movies from websites like OpenSubtitles.com.”
Zelda Fitzgerald, TikTok, and Leaving Your X—selected articles published through March, 2025.
Here’s some of what’s been published for March, as we’re heading into April—if you’ve stopped by, thanks for reading!
Writing to Other Writers
“Writing to another author grows your connections and knowledge whether thanking them, admiring them, or just exchanging like-minded ideas.”
The Little Known Writings of Zelda Fitzgerald
“Zelda Fitzgerald was an American author, artist, and socialite. Although she is best remembered as the wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald, she was a talented writer and artist in her own right, which caused the couple a great deal of conflict.”
Weird and Loathing on South African TikTok
“TikTok is one of the weirdest places on the internet’s surface, yet remains one of its most popular. It’s one of the only sites where amapiano, dancing police officers, cooking videos and gossip are welcomed – but a music video featuring G-Boy smoking weed gets pulled.”
Leaving Your X: Social Media Alternatives
“I’ve learned things about myself on social media that I wasn’t aware of until someone mentioned them. Social media connects people and opinions, but it can also be a battlefield filled with fake news, political agendas, and gossip.”
Maskandi, Digital Mescaline, and Cape Town—read three recently published articles for Voertaal.
Maskandi, Digital Mescaline, and Cape Town aren’t things you’d imagine reading about in the same paragraph—but all three are recently published article topics for Voertaal.
Is Maskandi South Africa’s answer to the Delta blues?
Can AI be fed weird prompts like digital mescaline for hallucinations, inaccuracies, or lies?
How large is the divide between the world’s famous number one cities like Cape Town and everywhere else?
Follow the links to find out where the rabbit hole goes.
Maskandi: Southern Africa’s Delta Blues
“Maskandi has been around since the 1920s and 1930s, arising during a time when southern Africa was just as affected by the Great Depression as the rest of the world.”
Digital Mescaline: Exploring AI Hallucinations
“AI does not yet seem to have the ability to flag possible inaccuracies. Humans using AI without checking the answers generated by it, may end up spreading more falsehoods, allowing AI to create even more false answers.”
Number One Cities and Everywhere Else
“How large is the divide between cities? What all is being swept under the carpet while famous world cities are grabbing most of the attention?”
Alex J. Coyne 