I still find it difficult to believe Erin Johnson has already published nine books in this series over an eighteen-month period. What's even more surpI still find it difficult to believe Erin Johnson has already published nine books in this series over an eighteen-month period. What's even more surprising is how amazing the entire set of stories have been to date. It's rare an author can keep your interest for such a lengthy period of time, but Johnson has definitely accomplished that task with the Spells & Caramels Cozy Witch Mysteries. Today, I'm reviewing the ninth one--Eclairs, Scares & Haunted Home Repairs--for a blog tour with Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.
If you've never read the series, here's what you need to know: Imogen is an American baker who accidentally causes a fire and is visited by someone telling her she's a witch. From that point on, she's magically whisked away to a foreign land where her entire world changes. Over each book, she learns more about her magical relatives, the different types of kingdoms, and the trouble brewing for the future. After leaving her fiance's kingdom mid-series, Imogen and her friends begin remodeling a house only to find out it's haunted. A dead body in the form of a ghost appears, and neighbors don't want her to renovate. Who killed the guy years ago? What does a kooky witch in the woods really want from Imogen? When will they get back home?
All these questions are answered in this story because there is only one more left to close the chapter on an amazing series of books. Although it might be a disappointment to see it end, I'm confident the author will pen another brilliant series. If you've not read any of these books, please read them in order. It will be worth it. I love the cross between fantasy and realism, magic and reality, mystery and romance. There is a bit of everything with lots to enjoy. Congrats on another successful book!...more
Russ Towne has found another genre to excel in. I've read a few of his books in the past, including one other Western, but this new book--part of a fuRuss Towne has found another genre to excel in. I've read a few of his books in the past, including one other Western, but this new book--part of a future series about US Marshal Patch Elkins--is a winner. At ~150 pages, it chronicles the US Marshall's life as he navigates the 'territory' to bring in criminals. Unfortunately, there's a price on more than just the criminals' heads this time...
My favorite aspect of this book is how much the story tells 'above and beyond' the words, for instance... life was insane back in the 'old days' of Western adventures. No cars, minimal maps, changing territorial boundaries, it took days to spread the word about outlaw problems via newspapers, it might take a month before someone found a dead body, etc. By reading this book, I actually realized what life was like for a US Marshal during those days. People died in tragedies all the time, just like they do now, but we didn't hear about it the second it occurred in the days of long ago.
When an author can push you to think beyond 'what you know,' you've found someone fantastic. Towne's style is easy-to-read, informative, and reflective. While being an outlaw and traveling by horseback across a territory can be intense, the book is not a totally dark and instructional take on this type of life. It's not light and fluffy either. There's a balanced equilibrium where we see love, blood, fighting, anger, death, and hope. Towne shows us how two strangers can bond, how a young teen needs a role model, how what's fair doesn't always occur, and how a man with an injury can still protect himself and the country.
I'm excited to see how this series develops. Kudos on an excellent book for a non-typical reader....more
** Since this is my own book, I'm not really going to write a review. I'm using this space to let every* My book is available for pre-sale @ Amazon. *
** Since this is my own book, I'm not really going to write a review. I'm using this space to let everyone know when there are discounts or giveaway options. It will be available on March 30th for initial download. I will have ARCs and a blog tour coming up in early April. **
Amy K. Rognlie and her 'Short Creek Mystery' series are new to me. I saw an opportunity to enter a giveaway for the second book in the series and endeAmy K. Rognlie and her 'Short Creek Mystery' series are new to me. I saw an opportunity to enter a giveaway for the second book in the series and ended up winning the book. What a surprise when the author sent me not only the second book but the first one, too. Such a wonderful thing to do! I began reading Make Haste Slowly yesterday and finished it today. It's an easy read with a medium-sized cast and a few side stories going on besides the main plot.
One thing I didn't realize when I entered the contest was that these are Christian cozy mysteries. For the most part, I'm fine with incorporating religious beliefs and background into a book; it's ultimately no different than having a Sherlock Holmes, baking, or home-repair theme for the series. For me, there were too many references to fully immerse myself in the mystery. At least once per chapter, a few pages were focused on prayers, bible verses, and religious discussions about being good and relying on Jesus to save you. So... for the right readers, this will be a fantastic / amazing read with a wonderful theme. For me, it was a little too much of a theme on some occasions; however, I will still read the second book to see if it balances out a bit more to help me decide whether to keep reading the whole series.
In this caper, a dead body shows up on Callie's, the main character's, doorsteps. When she calls the police, they cart the victim away (likely homeless or thief, the cops believe). A few days later, he had a miraculous recovery and was just someone who fell there accidentally. That doesn't make sense! Callie works with the local pastor, her neighbor, and an EMT to sort it all out. Unfortunately, her old aunt seems to be part of the mystery, as well as her own brother, and a possible connection to her deceased husband and an accident she witnessed when living in a different state. Let's not forget about the sex-trafficking in this small Texas town, it's connected somehow, right?
So much going on! For all those reasons, it was a good story. I'm curious to see how the second book turns out, and I will be reading it next week. I ended up with a 3 to 3.5 rating for me personally on this one, but for the right audience, it will connect more easily. Thank you for this opportunity. I appreciate it and wish the author well on this series....more
Little Darlings by Melanie Golding is a story about pain, hope, psychosis, fairy tales, motherhood, lies, and drama. It is the type of book where youLittle Darlings by Melanie Golding is a story about pain, hope, psychosis, fairy tales, motherhood, lies, and drama. It is the type of book where you do not get all the answers and must interpret for yourself what actually happened in the final pages. For some, this will be a great opportunity to decide what is fantasy and what is real. For others, it's a foray into an unknown world of uncertainty. Whether you lean in either direction, one thing's for sure, it's good writing.
Lauren Tranter just gave birth to twin boys. Her husband, Patrick, is committed and loving, but there's something slightly off about him. There are no grandparents or siblings involved (okay, a minor scene with Patrick's sibling later on, but it doesn't impact the plot). Lauren doesn't work outside the home. They seem to have little to no friends except a soon-to-be mother's group who drops off peculiar gifts. When this happens, who do you turn to?
For Lauren, she's happy in her cocoon until the birth is way more difficult than she expected. The doctors almost lose her to excessive blood loss at one point, but she bounces back and begins to care for the little tykes perfectly. Except during the first overnight in the hospital, a weird witch-like woman threatens to swap the babies because hers are bad and Lauren's are good. Maybe they each keep one good and one bad, she suggests?
How would you handle the situation? Lock yourself in a bathroom to avoid anyone trying to steal them? Good plan, except on video tape, there's no one attacking you. Was it real? Was it supernatural fantasy thing? The fairy tales tell a very different story... one about a woman who demands you drown your children in order to save them. Lauren is trapped. If she does nothing, the woman comes nightly to haunt her. If she does something, the cops and/or hospital threaten to commit her. What a paradox! To love, you must hurt. How would you handle the situation?
Golding tells a wicked story with heart. Readers will be uncertain where to lend their loyalties as a few twists and turns convince you Lauren is crazy, but then easily show you she's not seeing things. For me, it drove me nuts! I like clarity, but I appreciate the variables at play here enough to indicate this book is a challenging read in a good a way. As a side story, one of the cops struggles to believe Lauren. Through research, she finds something that might confirm who kidnaps the kids, but in the end, all is not what it seems.
A psychological thriller, readers have a chance to determine how to interpret a story that can be told in many ways. Golding's talent sits in the ability to walk a fine line of confusion and power. We will all feel differently, yet it's the same words and story. Which part will you connect to? Definitely worth a read, you'll find hidden gems in the life lessons and fairy tale history we learn along the path. I recommend it for those looking for something a little different than the normal family drama.
Many thanks to the author and Crooked Lane for the chance to read this book. I voluntarily participated on the blog tour and am excited to spread the word about this novel....more
Where There's a Will is the second book in Amy K. Rognlie's 'Short Creek Mystery Series.' Who wouldn't enjoy a book about a missing will and a town caWhere There's a Will is the second book in Amy K. Rognlie's 'Short Creek Mystery Series.' Who wouldn't enjoy a book about a missing will and a town called Short Creek? I stumbled upon this author and her series via a cozy mystery group I belong to. Although I won the second book, the author was kind of enough to also send the first book, so I could catch up. I wrote that review last week, which means today I'm ready for the second one. Kudos to Rognlie for creating a Christian cozy mystery series with diversity and a focus on living a better life through faith.
In this book, Callie gets a call in the wee hours of the morning from her aunt noting that a friend is in trouble. When Callie checks on the friend, she's okay. But she's not the next day! As the story progresses, we learn about a missing family, a ruthless real estate agent, a couple of cases of hidden identities, and a much sought after will. Who inherits? Who really knows what happened years ago when the family disappeared? Who is in cahoots with whom to find the proverbial gold at the end of this rainbow? The mystery is strong, almost too strong! It took a lot to keep track of of few merging story-lines, but I like the complexity.
Rognlie has created a wonderful setting with a very strong religious theme. If you enjoy mysteries but also reading bible verses, learning how to be a better / kinder person, relying on Jesus to help protect and support you, and share prayers, this is the book for you. The author weaves together a collection of Short Creek inhabitants who rely on their religious beliefs to get them through each day, even when it includes murder. Just like other cozies with themes, you need to have an interest in Christianity and prayer to fully understand and absorb this book. It goes to show how faith can help people get through a tough situation.
I haven't read many books in this sub-genre / theme, but it seems to be a good example of it. The characters are well-drawn and the writing is good. It should find a great audience. Thanks for sharing it!...more
Spices are essential to making our food and drinks taste better. Leslie Budewitz's 'A Spice Shop Mystery' series is essential to making our cozy mysteSpices are essential to making our food and drinks taste better. Leslie Budewitz's 'A Spice Shop Mystery' series is essential to making our cozy mystery reading schedules even better. I want to kick myself for waiting several years before picking up this series, but at the same time the next book doesn't release until June 2019, so I might have been frustrated waiting that long if I had finished them sooner. With all 3 published ones under my belt, I can say two things: (1) I'm a definite fan and (2) It's time to move on to her next series which takes place in the NW USA too.
In Killing Thyme, Pepper's finally got everything under control. Her shop is doing well, Pepper has two great employees to replace the ones she lost in the last book, her mom is coming for a visit from South America, and she's dating a cute and kind reporter. But with her mom comes a secret from the past hurling quickly like a typhoon at Seattle's Pike Place Market where you'd never expect one to appear. A fellow store artisan is not who she appears to be... and when she's found dead early one morning, Pepper's forced into protecting her mother from being punished for a crime she didn't commit (at least we think so). Throw in a few cute 'dates' with the reporter, a couple of accidents with her friends, and a very curious bracelet that appears from nowhere and you've got quite a mystery to solve.
I think the series' setting has fully fallen into place. We have a wonderful group of supporting characters and stores that make each book connective and fun. My favorite parts besides the murder mystery occur when Pepper goes for her daily walk around the market and catches up with friends we've come to adore. Having Arf, her awesome dog, makes it all the more enticing, too. Sometimes she learns a clue, others it's just more confusion. Budewitz knows how to drop just enough to make us squint and scratch our chin over what's the truth and what's a lie. I enjoy this series and was glad to get to know some of Pepper's family. Her mom's a hoot and I can only imagine what she was like as a pseudo-hippie nearly 40 years earlier. The best part... we finally learn Pepper's REAL NAME! Another great installment in the lives of the curious and 'glamorous' life in Seattle's finest market... can't wait to visit again in June. Thanks for an amazing and strong beginning to my 2019 reads, LB!...more
Guilty as Cinnamon is the second book in Leslie Budewitz's 'A Spice Shop Mysteries' cozy series. The books take place in Seattle's Pike Place Market rGuilty as Cinnamon is the second book in Leslie Budewitz's 'A Spice Shop Mysteries' cozy series. The books take place in Seattle's Pike Place Market revolving around Pepper's spice shop. I've wanted to read some of Budewitz's books for a few years and decided last December to pick up this series. It's a fun one and I see great improvement between the first two books. I'm thrilled I selected this one and already ordered the third to read next week.
In this caper, Pepper's having a few staffing and infrastructure issues at her shop. She's ended the tentative relationship with Alex from the last book and is also hoping to stay away from her ex-husband who has clearly sent signals he wants to get back together. Alex's key chef, Tamara, reveals she's opening her own restaurant and wants to work with Pepper to order her spices. Pepper must keep the secret but also knows Alex can be vengeful. A few days later, Tamara's found dead in her new building from an apparent overdose of hot peppers she likely bought from Pepper. Alex is arrested and begs Pepper to help him despite being angry she kept Tamara's secret. Tons of other past relationships come to light with another store owner, one of Pepper's employees, and ghosts throughout the market. How's it all connected? Pepper is determined to figure it out without dying herself.
The mystery is very strong. Besides the primary focus on who killed Tamara, we have some side stories with Pepper's employees causing mischief, electrical problems in the market, and secret identities. When we finally learn who smothered Tamara, it was fitting and made sense. I think the overall final chapter ending was a little too rushed / open-ended but not enough to worry me. Once we learned the killer's identity and how some stories collided, I had open questions about how it tied together. Some readers like a little bit of vague explanation, others want the detail... this will be right in the middle. I love how Budewitz weaves everything together and readers are suddenly going "ah... now I understand why X did such and such a thing..."
As a series, I'm starting to really enjoy all the characters and setting in the market. It's becoming well cemented in terms of "I hope character Y comes back again" and "They better visit store Z again." That's the sign of a great author... one who lures you in not only with the main mystery but the comings and goings of the main character's personal life. Pepper is fun and cool, yet she has a few flaws. She feels real, so I enjoy reading about her daily actions. I look forward to the next book which focuses on Pepper's mother, best friend, and family secrets hidden in the past....more
Erin Johnson is quite a prolific author. In about a year, she's launched eight books in the Spells & Caramels cozy witch series. Part paranormal aErin Johnson is quite a prolific author. In about a year, she's launched eight books in the Spells & Caramels cozy witch series. Part paranormal adventure, part mystery, these books whisk you away to a world like no other. In the latest book, Grimoires, Spas & Chocolate Straws, baker Imogen Banks is stranded on an island after a war began in her non-Earth world. Her boyfriend, Hank's, royal family was up to no good, and several magical creatures escaped thru a mirror from the scary visiting monsters. Imogen and the gang put their trust in her possibly ne'er-do-well brother, Horace, only to learn, the truth is not what they thought!
Since the last book ended, the crew's been working and living on this island with their new friends. When they go on a spa / beach trip, they meet The Black Widow, who supposedly kills her husbands and finds a new one on a regular basis. The journey introduces us to fun new characters who run the spa and are romantically linked to the woman whose husbands mysteriously die. What's really going on? Imogen is determined to find out as the secret has a few layers to it. She's also searching for Horace but he's nowhere to be found. Both mysteries come to a head and change the course of the future for these traveling magical friends.
Johnson has created a truly intense and vivid world. From being buried under the sand for a massage and exfoliation treatment to walking through mirrors to reach the past or other worlds, these books have excellent escapes. The characters are all distinct and fun, even when they're evil or make bad decisions. The ending of this one is romantic and special, and I look forward to what could happen in the next book. I miss the baking contests and fun around the royal castle, but I'm confident it will return one day. I also love meeting different kinds of creatures from vampires to snakes who transform into humans. You never really know what lurks beneath the surface.
I'm excited about the 9th book which I hear might be coming out relatively soon! Thanks for this great series....more
If you were to look over my previously read book list, you'd notice ~75% are mysteries that are part of a book series. I enjoy getting to know a groupIf you were to look over my previously read book list, you'd notice ~75% are mysteries that are part of a book series. I enjoy getting to know a group of characters in a realistic setting who work together (or sometimes against) trying to discover what secrets led to a murder. Brian L. Porter's 'The Mersey Murder Mysteries' series provides all that and more. I'd finished reading three of five previously written when his latest was released this month. Although I try to read in order, these can be read out of order as they're stand-alone mysteries based on the fictional Merseyside Police Specialist Murder Investigation Team. If you read out of order, you might find someone married in a later book and single in an earlier book, but otherwise, it should be okay. Kudos to the author for building a great atmosphere and backdrop to tell his stories about the bizarre and nasty murders his special investigation team handles.
In Last Train to Lime Street, a train engineer making one of his final stops before retirement is navigating between stations when he sees something fall from a bridge. He tries to stop the train, but a collision is inevitable. He thought it was a body, but when he stumbles from the train car, it's way more than he expected. Porter viscerally describes the impact of the train scattering body parts everywhere, and we soon realize, the body was naked and its severed head was actually cut prior to the collision. Who is the victim? When he's got no identification and several parts are still missing, this won't be an easy case. Enter detectives Izzie Drake and Andy Ross who quickly find a connection to a man recently reported as missing -- an American transplant who runs a very successful adult entertainment company. Readers learn all about the porn industry through the victim's business partners and three wives (1 current, 2 ex). Was he killed for something related to the mob-connected film company, a trick gone wrong, or some other more personal connection few knew anything about?
Our key detectives have to trace the path the victim took in the 2 days since leaving his wife and home for a business meeting. No one will admit to anything. Everyone says he was a good guy. Porter's highly adept at creating a fine balance between educating readers on how the porn industry works versus what may or may not have contributed to the death. At times, the material can be a bit graphic, which for me was completely okay. It's handled well, and it's necessary to paint a full picture of the lifestyle and potential areas for clues. Not for the faint of heart, it delivers a powerful punch when you find out who the killer is and why (s)he felt the need to dispose of this well-known film star and business owner.
I've not read many UK police procedural series, but I love Agatha Christie's books and the Midsomer Murders television show. I get the same traditional British feel in Porter's books as I do from these other treats, but Porter's are set in the early 2000s so they feel more current and urban. This is not your quaint little town that has a murder every so often. Drake and Ross handle only the intense! I love being able to get inside the head and actions of the entire team... we get the perspective from ~10 police members including a German transplant visiting for 2 years and those from other part of the UK who contribute to researching the case. Porter drops in a few wonderful personal stories for the primary detectives on the case so we know what's going on in terms of marriages, children, relocation, and family death. It makes you feel like you're reading about old friends when you stick with a series like this one.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest edition and am looking forward to reading the earlier two I hadn't gotten to yet. I have a goal: to be current before Porter releases book #7 in this series in early 2019. Why don't you hurry up and read them so we can buddy read the next together?...more
Around ten years ago, someone in my book club selected Moloka'i as our monthly read. I wasn't sure I'd like the book as I knew very little about HawaiAround ten years ago, someone in my book club selected Moloka'i as our monthly read. I wasn't sure I'd like the book as I knew very little about Hawaii or leprosy, but it was a chance to learn. By the end of the novel, I was in tears and had scheduled a trip to visit the islands. It was a major hit at our book club meeting and I fondly recalled the book for several years. Last month, I was searching NetGalley to see what was newly released when this book showed in my queue. WHAT, A SEQUEL? I quickly requested it, waited days to find out if I'd be granted the approval, and messaged my former book club members to tell them about it. When I was awarded the book, I moved it up the queue and read it this week. This novel was truly a wonderful read and lived up to the first book; it's a high recommendation from me.
The sequel starts in the 1920s at an orphanage where Ruth, a young girl, has been dropped off by her parents, for adoption. While she didn't have leprosy, Ruth's parents did which meant they couldn't raise her for fear of further spreading the disease. Ruth waited years to be adopted because she's half-Japanese and half-Hawaiin; few potential adopters were interested in taking her with them after a visitation. All Ruth wants is her own pet -- a cow, a dog, anything... but the orphanage can't allow it. One day, a Japanese couple arrive and adopt her. Ruth finds a wonderful home and everything she deserves falls into place -- for a few years. Her adoptive father's brother asks them to move from Hawaii to California to help farm his land. They do, but they find resistance to Japanese by Americans. By the time Pearl Harbor occurred, life for anyone of Japanese descent in mainland America was impacted. Ruth and her entire family, including new husband, Frank, and their two kids, were placed in various relocation camps across the Western US. Pain, death, and regret follow the family for a few years.
As a reader, I came to tears several times, but they also have wonderful moments and relationships that deliver a strong balance in emotional terms. About 2/3 into the book, Ruth receives a letter from her biological mother explaining why she was given up for adoption. Should Ruth meet the woman? Who is she and what is her connection to the characters from the first book in the series? Author Alan Brennert delivers a powerhouse of emotions and history in this sequel which I feel is definitely a parallel match. Not only do we learn about the culture of Hawaii but about Japan in this second installment. To understand what happened to Japanese-Americans in the 30s and 40s was difficult and crushing. It was equally as crushing as the deaths at Pearl Harbor and in WW2 as a result of all the fighting, but the focus here was on those around Ruth and her family.
The book ultimately chronicles Ruth's life from age 3 to 55 when she's grown with her own kids who are beginning to think about marriage in the late 1960s after the Korean War efforts. We walk step-by-step with her as she loses family members, gains new ones, finds her connection to animals in a second life, and understands who she really is. The language in this book, whether it's Hawaiin, Japanese, or American English, is inspiring. It shows the flavor of the world Ruth lived in, both good and bad. At times, I laughed. Others, I teared up. To see a 50-thousand foot version of someone's life throughout the middle of the 20th century during many horrific wars is quite impacting. We learn of a few different things that happened during the first book that we didn't know then, but from a different perspective. We re-visit a few of those scenes again just to make connections. It's quite comforting and eye-opening to learn things that we hadn't know happened to Ruth's family before she was born.
I can't say enough good things about this sequel... perhaps in a few parts it was a tad slow and repetitive, but that's so minor, it didn't bother me. I still give this book a full 5 stars....more
Muffin to Fear is the 5th book in Victoria Hamilton's 'Merry Muffin Mysteries' series. It takes place in Autumn Vale, New York, an upstate town with iMuffin to Fear is the 5th book in Victoria Hamilton's 'Merry Muffin Mysteries' series. It takes place in Autumn Vale, New York, an upstate town with its very own Wynter Castle, Merry's home after her great-uncle left it to her in his will. She's been renovating it since moving to the small town, and now she just married the former sheriff. As a ~40ish former stylist from NYC, Merry's enjoying a more relaxed life, except it's not relaxed... bodies keep showing up!
This time, when she returns from her honeymoon, Pish (her late first husband's gay best friend) has rented the castle out to a team of paranormal investigators who have a show on TV. They search for ghosts and hold seances. Two of the crew are killed. Who had it in for them? And was there some sort of other worldly interference? Doubtful, murder's usually achieved (not really a goal I suppose) by someone quite angry or hurt. In this case, both! Merry solves the case with Virgil's help as she earns the favor of the new sheriff. My favorite character is her friend at the library who always arrives at the last minute with all the answers. Then Lizzie... a somewhat troubled teen wise beyond her years. Will she be okay? It's getting scary how close she is with a killer sometimes.
This is a great series. I love the supporting characters, but Merry is a true heroine. Sometimes flawed, occasionally a buddinski (sp?), but always on top of her game. Between the extensive cast of crew and paranormal investigators, she has her work cut out for her here. The best part: complexity in how all the team fit together. The not-so-great part: Too many characters to play detective. It got confusing way more than it needed to, and in the end, it was a 20 page explanation of 'why' the person was killed. Too much for one book.
But I'm a fan and I will be sticking with this series. I'm even more excited now that I've confirmed a 6th book is in the works for late spring. Now my weekend is complete... well okay... it's a lot better!...more
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