THE AGE OF LARKSPUR by Aleighsha Parke

Fiction, Fantasy, YA Fantasy

4****

Blurb: Flora has spent her entire life hiding in the trees and ignoring the cursed, poisonous larkspur growing from her ankle and eating away at her life. She lets her anxiety and fear control her, but fate forces her hand when her adopted mother is kidnapped by a cruel witch. The only way to save her is to find the magic shards of her family’s amulet scattered throughout her land. With no time to waste, Flora sets out with her best friend, and along the way they meet a darkly intriguing stranger. But Flora is running out of time and can’t succumb to distractions. If she trusts the wrong person or lets her anxiety win, Flora risks losing more than just her mother …

Thoughts: This was an intriguing young adult fantasy (note: I’d say slightly older YA because of some rather graphic gruesome scenes, especially at the end). The author does an amazing job of setting the scene and building the world. We are immersed in Flora’s life from the first page. Based on Icelandic folklore, the myths and old sagas are woven throughout with a deft hand.

The story moves along quickly as Flora and her best friend Anise set out on a quest to find the four parts of an amulet in order to set their world to rights and save Flora’s foster mother, Rosie. Along the way, they meet Kanaan, a rather interesting character. Flora is immediately drawn to him, but he is a lot more than he seems. All the characters have issues that make them relatable. And the secondary characters were as unique as the main three.

The end was a tad gory for my tastes, but in keeping with the story and the myths. And the result was perfect. Without giving anything away, I loved how Flora deals with the end, possibly opening up room for future stories in a possible series. Nicely done.

Recommended.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

REFLECTIONS OF SILENCE by Raven Hush

Fiction, Historical Paranormal Romance, Vampires, Level 4 Heat

3***

Blurb: Bred on secrets and betrayals and sold to a man she doesn’t know, Gisella travels across oceans into the arms of a monster intent on devouring her. My world is flipped on a journey to the New World with a gaggle of women I don’t know. All my belongings are stuffed into a tiny box, and the ship’s crew call us the Casket Girls. Rumors abound that we are the ghouls below decks, except it’s not the monsters we are that we’re afraid of, but the man I’m sent to marry. When a shadowed stranger whisks me away from the abbey I’m sent to in the middle of the night, my new life begins. But this place is nothing like France. Raw, uncivilized. My husband won’t rise during the day, the servants refuse to speak to me, and the curtains are never opened in the large house that’s mostly empty, blocked away from the world. Until I meet him. Sebastian. Then I discover what manner of monster I married… And the one I carried across oceans that resides within me. REFLECTIONS OF SILENCE is the first book in the SILENT SENTINELS duet and a spicy, stand alone read.

Thoughts: This was a sensual vampire story based on an actual truth. The author explains the history behind “the casket girls” at the beginning of the story—women who were sold or kidnapped and sold in the colonies, specifically New Orleans and surrounding areas, to be brides. Gisella is one such woman, sold by her father. Rather than a wedding, she is married by proxy in the middle of the night by a nun then whisked away to a dark “castle” well-away from New Orleans. Then strange things start happening, and she learns the truth about her new husband. There are witches, a sorceress, vampires, and an adorable gargoyle.

This was exceptional story at the beginning. It caught my interest and pulled me in. But then the problems began. Midway through, there started to be issues with editing that only got worse as I kept reading. There were enough of them that they pulled me out of the story. And the ending was definitely not a HEA. It was kind of a downer. Actually, the whole thing kind of reminded me of the old gothic novels. Very dark all the way through. Oh, and be warned, there is some BDSM action in the story.

A better edit is definitely needed. And maybe a different ending. Recommended with caveats.

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

THE BODY AT BACK BEACH by KJ Sweeney

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

4****

Blurb: Helena Statham never imagined herself as a sleuth. But when she stumbles upon the body of a young woman while on a walk, she can’t resist the urge to discover who she was and how she got there. Even if it means upsetting the tight-knit community of the small New Zealand town she lives in, and uncovering secrets that have long been buried. Thirty years ago, a young woman went missing, but no one tried to find out what had happened to her. As Helena investigates deeper, she learns more about what took place back then, putting herself in danger now. Join Helena on her journey as she becomes an unlikely amateur detective, determined to uncover the truth and bring justice to the long-forgotten young woman whose story has been buried in silence for far too long.

Thoughts: This was a new one for me – a cozy mystery set in New Zealand! I loved that. The setting is new and well-done. There’s some different terminology and spelling (all perfectly fitting with the scene) that adds to the flavor of the story.

In this story, Helena is trying to find something to wake up her mundane life. Kind of like a mid-life crisis. While out for a walk, she notices some bones sticking out of the ground, uncovered by a slip (what we could call a mud slide from heavy rains). The local constabulary takes over, but Helena can’t help but wonder who the bones are and how they got there, so she starts investigating. She starts putting clues together and finds out the bones are from thirty years ago… but not who they belonged to until much later. Which puts her in mortal danger.

I loved Helena. She’s determined and methodical in her sleuthing. The ending was satisfying in that the mystery was solved, but it was a bit of a downer of an ending, not like your typical cozy. It is a good ending, just not all hearts and flowers like you might be accustomed to.

Recommended

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

SUNFLOWERS, SCARECROWS, AND SCANDALS by Erica Wynters

Fiction, Cozy Mystery (coming Oct.1, 2024)

5*****

Blurb: It’s Halloween in Star Junction, and the town is gearing up for a spooky good time. That is, until florist Gwen Stevens discovers the dead body of her neighbor Trevor—dressed as a scarecrow in the Halloween display in front of City Hall with an ominous note from the killer tucked into the pocket of his costume! Murder investigations are always complicated, but when the friends of Trevor’s wife all confess to murdering him, the local police detective Finn Butler is stuck sorting through their conflicting confessions, leaving Gwen to dig up the truth. Ghosts and goblins aren’t the only things that go bump in the night as Gwen searches for the murder weapon, sorts through enough suspects to fill a kid’s trick-or-treat bag, and finally makes a decision between dating Finn or her long-time best friend and crush, Chris. As Halloween approaches, can Gwen unmask a murderer or will this unsolved case haunt the small, peaceful town of Star Junction forever?

Thoughts: This was a fun mystery set at Halloween in a small town that is the standard for cozies. Gwen helps her parents at their flower shop and plays sleuth when she has time. This is the third in the series, but I don’t feel like I’ve lost anything by not reading the first two (though I will now). There is a bit of a romance triangle as Gwen’s high school crush has decided he’s interested in her now, but she is more interested in Finn, the town detective. I loved how Gwen’s father is obsessed with King Arthur times (even naming the flower shop Camelot Flowers).

Gwen’s across-the-street neighbor, Trevor, is as nasty a person as you can have—and also the body. But it’s the suspects who are piling up as five of Trevor’s wife’s (Sandra) all line up to confess to the murder. Finn goes to work on the case, but it’s Gwen who follows the perp and ends up in serious trouble.

This was a quick, easy read with a satisfying ending.

Recommended

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

A formal declaration of love scares the bejesus out of small-town Detective Rory Naysmith. As Valentine’s Day approaches, he evaluates his relationship with bookkeeper Esther Mullins, and decides to take her on a romantic date that ends with a poet’s murder. Assigned to the case, Rory pushes his private life aside. Things gets tricky after Esther is appointed Executrix for the estate—then rumors start that place a priceless item among the poet’s many possessions. The race is on to unearth the treasure and solve the murder, but it leaves Rory wondering if Esther will live long enough to become his Valentine—or end up as the murderer’s next victim.

Buy Links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4aq2VcC

Indie Bound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/gone-crazy-terry-korth-fischer/21506890?ean=9781509255979&ref=&source=IndieBound&title=

Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gone-crazy-terry-korth-fischer/1145549586;jsessionid=2EFC0A7527279C2150443FFB6291552C.prodny_store02-atgap15?ean=2940186178125

iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/gone-crazy/id6502704194

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213458955-gone-crazy

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-korth-fischer

Author Biography

Terry Korth Fischer is the author of the Rory Naysmith Mysteries, a cozy-crime series featuring a seasoned city detective relocated to small-town Nebraska. Transplanted from the Midwest, Terry lives in Houston, Texas, yet her heart often wanders to the country’s heartland, where she spent a memorable—ordinary but charmed—childhood.

Social Media Links

Website: https://terrykorthfischer.com

X(Twitter): https://twitter.com/terryiswriting

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerryIsWriting

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/terrykorthfischer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14349440.Terry_Korth_Fischer

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/terry-korth-fischer

Newsletter:  https://terrykorthfischer.com/newsletter-signup

DEATH BY JELLY BEANS by Susie Black

Fiction, Cozy Mystery

4****

Blurb: Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.

Thoughts: Holly is at it again in this fifth installment of the Holly Swimsuit Mysteries. In this one, the store Easter Bunny is found dead and the store buyer is the main (re: only) suspect. Even though Holly and her friends can’t stand the woman, Holly hates to see an innocent accused of a crime she didn’t commit. So she goes on the hunt for the real killer. Along the way, someone poisons her dog (he’s okay!), and tries to kill Holly (multiple times). But she can’t leave well-enough alone and keeps plugging away—until she gets caught by the killer.

I continue to enjoy the characters and the author gives us lots of details not just on the fashion industry, but on other things as well. Like the in-depth lesson on botulism. And the lovely description of a Quinceanera (15th birthday party for girls of Latina descent). I’d love a little more description of her houseboat though. And since this is the fifth in the series, we aren’t given a lot of background on the relationships between characters. I did find it funny that the ghostly wife and daughter of one of Holly’s two boyfriends is trying to get her to commit to marrying that one! Just a touch of the paranormal to lighten the story a little.

Overall, like the other stories in the series, these are good stories with satisfying endings and quirky moments that leave you smiling. Do yourself a favor and get to know Holly and her friends in the swimsuit design industry.

Recommended.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Natalie J. Damschroder hasn’t done anything remotely worth documenting in a bio in a very long time, unless you count making up the romantic adventures that her characters live out in her books. She loves combining end-of-the-world stakes with the relationships that make those stakes personal. Love with a Shot of Adrenaline has infused nearly every story she’s published. Whether you like quick reads you can finish in a day or sinking into longer books, you’ll find something to satisfy your craving for action, romance, and happy endings. She also writes paranormal young adult romance as NJ Damschroder, where all of the same elements apply. Besides her dozens of published books, what Natalie is most proud of is her family. She and her husband have been married over 30 years and still have the kind of partnership she makes her characters fight for every day. They’ve raised two awesome kids now living their own fulfilling lives, which you would think would mean she’d write more books faster. But she’s enjoying reading, relaxing with good TV, and sleeping too much to give any of that up. In the fall and winter, almost nothing will keep her from cheering for her New England Patriots, even though they don’t win as much anymore. She loves to hear from readers, so don’t hesitate to e-mail her!

Website

Goodreads

Book 1, The Victory Series

July 14, 2023

Max drives Victory’s success.
Bas knows someone is pushing the company to fail.
And he thinks it’s her…

Max Landford handles every aspect of operations for Victory, a company dedicated to helping people who fall through the cracks, so it’s her job to deal with escalating problems that call into question Victory’s reliability. When a near-fatal disaster occurs on Max’s watch, it becomes clear that none of the problems are coincidental. Troubleshooter Sebastian Braga is hired to investigate a possible saboteur within the company, and Max is his prime suspect. He never expected to fall for the smart, challenging woman in charge, never mind for the family vibe at Victory itself. But the chemistry between the two of them keeps getting in the way of Bas’s investigation, and Max, thrown off balance by his effect on her, worries the distraction is making her job suffer. Discovering she is her bosses’ prime suspect and that Bas has been lying to her since they met sends Max into an unfamiliar tailspin. She’d resign, but the threat is growing, and she and Bas have to work together to save the company they both believe in. Forced to make decisions that could destroy Victory as thoroughly as their enemy, they have to face the possibility that their efforts—and their romance—are doomed. Can they keep Victory from going over the edge?

She can see them, but now they can see her too.

Celestials have been killing Seers for centuries, as prophesy states that a Seer will overthrow Celestial rule. Worried for Zoey’s safety, her parents forbid her from registering as a Seer and interacting with the Celestials, Fae, and Demons who hide among humankind. Zoey is forced to wear a necklace that hides magic from her and conceals her magic from them. Witness to her mother’s murder at the hands of a Demon, Zoey vows to track down her mother’s killer and make him pay. Embracing her magic, Zoey is brought deeper into the mythical world by an unlikely ally and wonders if perhaps her parents were right to keep her  out of it. Will she avenge her mother’s death, or will she meet the same untimely fate?

“Over the course of this novel, Brown presents a thrilling coming-of-age adventure story in a compelling urban fantasy setting…Excellent worldbuilding conjures an ideal backdrop for plenty of action and misadventures…A fast-paced fantasy with a bold lead character and a well-developed fictional world.” – Kirkus Reviews

Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Bio:

C.E. Brown has lived most of her life in the Pacific Northwest, close to family and friends. She loves to travel, always searching for magical places to help inspire creativity. C.E. attests that she has a very patient and understanding husband, a wildly creative son, and three crazy cats—one steals her shoes, another steals her food, and the third is a sweetly neurotic old man who can’t decide if he’d prefer to be pet or left alone. C.E. didn’t find her passion for writing until she began wrangling kids as a school counselor, but then the writing bug bit and she’s been writing ever since.

Social Links:

Website

Instagram

Goodreads

BURIED ON A SUNDAE by Lena Gregory

Fiction, Cozy Mystery, #4 in Series

4****

Blurb: Things have been looking up for Danika Delany’s business—her uncle’s old fashioned malt shop on eastern Long Island. But for her love life? Not so much. After a disastrous date with Detective Jake Barlow, Danika lets her best friends, Gwen and Eli, talk her into a night out at the hottest new nightclub in town. Only, while there, Dani finds her sort-of boyfriend secreted in the shadows on the beach behind the club with crime boss Patrick Johansen’s wife, Angelique! An upset Dani leaves without giving Jake a chance to explain, but when he doesn’t get in touch the next day, she takes a long walk along the beach to reevaluate her love life. That’s where she suddenly stumbles across Angelique’s body buried in the dunes near where she last saw her with Jake. Sure that Jake is innocent—of murder at least—Danika and her friends set out to prove Jake had nothing to do with her murder and stop a killer…before they strike again!

Thoughts: I love Dani! She is so perfectly inept at almost everything. She’s clumsy (falls out of a tree while on a stakeout), can’t cook (though she owns a café), says the wrong things… but she is fiercely loyal to her friends and family. This story is set in a small town on Long Island. Dani recently returned there after living in Manhattan for several years. In this one, her (perhaps) boyfriend, Detective Jake Barlow, is suspected of murdering the wife of a crime boss, Patrick Johansen. He was the last one seen with her and, according to the gossips, was having an affair with her. Dani flip flops between anger at his betrayal and her certainty that he didn’t do what everyone is accusing him of. She and her besties—Gwen and Eli—set out to prove his innocence, dropping them right in the middle of trouble.

There are actually a lot of suspects in the story and, even though I’m usually pretty good at picking out the villain in a cozy mystery, this one had me stumped until the end. Very well done. The only reason this didn’t get a five-star rating was that this was the fourth in a series and I didn’t know what the relationships were between some of the characters. For instance, Eli. How is he friends with Dani and Gwen? It’s a minor thing and probably wouldn’t have been an issue if I’d started with the first book. So that’s what I recommend.

Highly recommended (but you might want to start with the first one first).

Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

A LILLI BY ANY OTHER NAME by Virginia Barlow

Fiction, Historical Romance

5*****

Blurb: Disguised as a boy to escape her uncle and his assassins, Rebecca Lillian Van Rassner runs a trapline with her father in the Canadian northwest. Yearning for her old life in New York, love, and a husband, she gives up all hope, until a handsome mounted police officer stumbles upon their cabin. And captures her heart with his mesmerizing blue eyes and heated kisses.
Officer Max Calhan patrols the extreme north to bring villains to justice and discovers a wispy boy who transforms into a beautiful woman filled with surprises, secrets, and dangerous relatives. Determined to find the truth, Max discovers there’s more to Lilli than just a name.

Thoughts: Lilli lives in the wilds of the Northwest Territory with her father. She dresses like a boy and is known to the people at the fort as Willie. She spits and swears and scratches her backside and fights and shoots. All the things a fifteen-year-old boy raised in the wilds should do. Except that she’s a nineteen-year-old woman used to the high society comforts of New York. Unfortunately, her uncle is determined to kill her like he did her mother. Her father moved her away from any society in order to save her life.

Enter a handsome Mountie. Lilli doesn’t know what to do about her attraction to Max. After all, she’s supposed to be a boy. Then Max discovers her secret and the fireworks between the two begin. But Lilli has other problems. Her father’s been badly injured and becomes addicted to the opium the doctor gave him for the pain. She has to run their trap lines, find a way to stay safe from her uncle, fight her attraction to Max, and come up with money for supplies. I love her spunk and fire.

The attraction between Max and Lilli is nicely done. There’s plenty of conflict and tension throughout the story as well as passion. And, of course, since it is a romance, the two do finally end up together, but not without a lot of problems before they get their HEA.

Definitely recommended.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”