BOOK REVIEW: The Goodbye Witch (A Wishcrafter Mystery, Book 4)

The Goodbye Witch (A Wishcrafter Mystery, Book 4)
by Heather Blake


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
    

When Starla runs into Darcy's house frantic, she knows something is up, and what is up is Starla's ex Kyle. He might be on the run from the law, but he is making his presence known to Starla. Problem is that only Starla can see him. But of course Darcy is going to investigate, only now she has the backing of the elder as the town snoop of craft matters.

When Kyle turns up dead on Starla's couch, his family and Glinda are ready to convict Starla, but Nick isn't so sure and Darcy knows that Starla is innocent. Together they work to find out what is going on and why Kyle is dead and by whose hand.

This installemt of the wishcrafters mysteries has a lot of twists and Nick has to learn more and more about the craft to understand this one.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy (A Wishcrafter Mystery, book 3)

The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy (A Wishcrafter Mystery, Book 3) 
by Heather Blake


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
    

A birthday party for an eighty-year old, this Darcy can do, except for the stripper, really? Is that appropriate? Nothing can go wrong with this, right. Wrong. This is the Enchanted Village and for some reason Darcy seems to be finding all the dead bodies in town, so when she goes outside looking for the cake, she stumbles over the body of the delivery guy. Only this time, the spirit of the dead stays witch Darcy and helps her figure out this mystery.

Things heat up between Darcy and Nick - of course there are issues, in the person of Glinda, who has her sights set on Nick herself, or at least his position as police chief.

Another installment in the life of Darcy and her adjustment to being a witch and the town of enchanted Village.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: A Witch Before Dying (A Wishcrafters Mystery, Book 2)

A Witch Before Dying (A Wishcrafters Mystery, Book 2) 
by Heather


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
    

Darcy is starting to adjust to her new life in Enchanted Village and the fact that she is a witch, or crafter as they are known in the village, in fact she is a wishcrafter, which means that she can grant wishes, if certain rules are followed.

Eloide is a Geocrafter and owns the gem store in the village which is beautiful, but she has hired Darcy and As You Wish to clean out her mothers house so that she can sell it, of course that upsets some people. Poor Patrice has been missing for almost two years, she just vanished, and of course people don't do that in normal life.

When Darcy visits the house, the neighbor Yvonne tags along and makes the wish to know what happened to Patrice - oops, the next step finds Patrice stuffed in a suitcase! That is more than anyone expected. Now Nick and the police are involved and of course Darcy can't help but investigate, which leads to her working to secure a PI license.

This series is really cute. You have Darcy, who is really gun-shy around guys, then there is single dad Nick, and they are attracted but everything in the Village and other people are always in their way and making things difficult, so it turns out they are taking things extremely slow. The characters are awesome and they are so much fun to follow and learn more about, as well as learning about the whole idea of the craft, or magic. Its all done just a little at a time which makes it feel like real life.

View all my reviews

AUTHOR POST: Amy Boyles

Author Post:

Amy Boyles

Amy Boyles grew up reading Judy Blume and Christopher Pike. Somehow, the combination of coming of age books and teenage murder mysteries made her want to be a writer. After graduating college at DePauw University, she spent some time living in Chicago, Louisville, and New York before settling back in the South. Now, she spends her time chasing two toddlers while trying to stir up trouble in Silver Springs, Alabama, the fictional town where Dylan Apel and her sisters are trying to master witchcraft, tame their crazy relatives, and juggle their love lives. You can find Amy on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amyboylesauthor or email her at amyboylesauthor@gmail.com. She loves to hear from readers.

Goodreads Page:   https://www.goodreads.com/Aeboyles

Author Website:  https://amyboylesauthor.com/


Series:
Sweet Tea Witches Series
Bless Your Witch Series
Southern Single Mom Paranormal Series

Sweet Tea Witches:

1. Southern Magic

2. Southern Spells

3. Southern Myths                              My Review Link

4. Southern Sorcery                            My Review Link

5. Southern Curses                             My Review Link

6. Southern Karma
7. Southern Magic Thanksgiving

Bless Your Witch Series:

1. Scared Witchless

2. Kiss My Witch                                My Review Link

3. Queen Witch

4. Quit Your Witchin

5. For Witch's Sake

6. Don't Give A Witch

7. Witch My Grits

8. Fried Green Witch

9. Southern Witching

10. Y'all Witches

11. Hold Your Witches
12. Wedding Bells and a Rat's Tale

Southern Fried Witchmas - short stories from the other characters views

Southern Single Mom Paranormal Series:

1. The Witch's Handbook to Hunting Vampires

2. The Witch's Handbook to Catching Werewolves

3. The Witch's Handbook to Trapping Demons

BOOK REVIEW: It Takes a Witch (Wishcrafter Mystery, Book 1)

It Takes a Witch (Wishcrafter Mystery, Book 1) 
by Heather Blake


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

    

Just last month Darcy's world was falling apart, her father had dies, she was jobless and still reeling from her divorce and then there was Harper's activism that lead to shoplifting. She had no idea what she was going to do, or how to pull it all together when Aunt Velma arrived. Now Harper and Darcy have moved to Enchanted Village and learned they are witches - well wishcrafters, meaning they can grant wishes, if certain rules have bene followed.

Darcy is just trying to settle in and then there is a murder. Darcy is naïve enough to think the police can handle it, Harper wants to investigate and that sets off Darcy's mother instinct. Then again, Darcy is the only mom that Harper has known since their mother died having Harper. Harper just wants Darcy to lighten up and live life.

This is cute series, a village of witches yet it is marketed as a tourist spot, so no one knows if the witches are real or fakes. so many rules for Darcy to learn, and she just wants to fit in and relax.

Definitely a cute, fun book to read.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Kiss My Witch (Bless Your Witch series, Book 2)

Kiss My Witch (Bless Your Witch series, book 2) 
by Amy Boyles


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
    

Dylan is finally getting a grips on the fact that she is a witch, and she is adjusting to life, even with Roman staying in town to be the new police chief. That is until the witch queen shows up and "invites" her to a convention of witches at the local hotel. Of course someone dies and Dylan is a basket case with her magic and ends up getting called in by the council.

With another death, this means Roman is around, but they are having to try to keep the witch police out of the picture, because the head still wants to arrest Roman. Even Grandma Hazels talk of the unicorn king turns out to be turn as Roman and Dylan are whisked away to his kingdom.

Author Amy Boyles has a way about witch stories that just make them readable and fun. You want to be involved in this town and these peoples lives, you want to know more and you want to help them all learn what it means to be a witch. Its a fun read, easy and quick.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Southern Curses (Sweet Tea Witches, Book 5)

Southern Curses (Sweet Tea Witches, Book 5)
by Amy Boyles


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
    

Pepper is in for a shock when her "dead" Uncle Donavon crawls in through her back door. Turns out Uncle Donavon is alive, but maybe not well. He faked his own death to avoid a hit by the werewolf mafia. Oh man does this keep getting better and batter. Now he needs Pepper's help to discover what happened to Princess, the niece of the werewolf mafia boss.

Once again, such a cute story. I know its a mystery but there is something about the Sweet Tea witches that just make the whole story feel cute and fun. I love the relationships that are building between Pepper and her cousins. The relationship with Axel and the whole town in general, she is finally letting her guard down a little and not so afraid everyone is going to leave her.

Well written and worth the time. A great book to have around, especially on rainy day, It will lift you up.

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Born of Legend (The League: Nemesis Rising, Book 9)

Born of Legend (The League, Book 9) 
by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Author post


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
    

Dagger seems to be ready to die, he is mortally wounded when he see a young boy being bargained with by sex-slave traders, and if there is one thing that Dagger is not about to let happen, is anything to a young, innocent child. There may have never been anyone around to protect him when he was young and innocent, but he won't let the same happen to someone else.

What Dagger ultimately finds in his actions is redemption, or maybe salvation. He finally finds someone to trust and love, despite his background and up bringing.

This is a long saga book - in that there are parts of the past that are brought up, things that happened to him as a child, and then throughout the years growing up. This book is a look into the twisted and deranged mind of Erdine, the grandmother of Nyk and Jullian who tired to have Nyk killed as a toddler and who inflicted unspeakable torture on jullian. Although there is a lot of the past, there is also a lot of present - and that would be the time period after Nyk has taken over and his grandmother exiled. She is not about stand for that, and she is plotting to over through Nyk.

This book takes a character from the first books that we loved to hate, and gives them a past that no one could image and turns him into someone that we can understand and want to have a better life.

This story is so complex and the way it has built from the beginning, is amazing. I can actually image this world and it feels good to read again. Everyone in the Sentella has a sordid past, things happened to them that never should have, yet they each have risen from the destruction to become the people they are today, they are not without their scars - some more visable than others, but they all have scars and the way they have turned those scars and their past into a reason to move forward, I love it.

This series is still my hands down favorite series of all time, and I have read a LOT of books!

Author Post    

View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Southern Sorcery (Sweet Tea Witches, book 4) by Amy Boyles

Southern Sorcery (Sweet Tea Witches, Book 4) 
by Amy Boyles


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
    

When the "evil" Rufus shows up in town, he isn't able to take Pepper away, thankfully, but he links his magic with hers, so that if she uses her magic, it feeds him and his power grows, but even worse it still builds in her, and she doesn't get the release from using her magic, and you know what happens to a witch that doesn't use their magic. Kaboom!

This will take not just magic, but some sorcery to figure out, only problem is that the sorcerer that they went to turns up dead, and this time Pepper isn't a suspect, but she still needs to find out what happened and find a way to unlink herself and Rufus.



View all my reviews

BOOK REVIEW: Southern Myths (Sweet Tea Witches, Book 3)

Southern Myths (Sweet Tea Witches, Book 3) 
by Amy Boyles


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
    

When a baby Dragon arrives at the pet store, Pepper is in shock and wants nothing but to get rid of it. Having been raised in the human world, all she knows about dragons is that they are huge and breath fire and destroy things. It never occurs to her that she is living in the witch world and that having a dragon might be a good thing.

Too bad that Mysterio, the magician that she sold the dragon to turns up dead just as she is getting him back, and now she is on the suspect list once again. Good thing she has her cousins, Axel and Grandma Betty to help her figure out what is going on, as well as teach her a little about the dragon that is to be her familiar.

This is the third book in this series and I cam enjoying the cute nature of the book, the fun feeling of the story and the place. Magnolia Cove is where I want to live!

View all my reviews

Review: Born of Defiance (The League: Nemesis Rising, book 7)

Born of Defiance (The League: Nemesis Rising, Book 7)
by Sherrilyn Kenyon


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At this point in the series, we are going back in time and picking up some side characters that are tied to the original members of the Sentella in ways no one would have thought.

This is the story of Talyn - who has been raised without a father in a society that values family lines above all else, in other words his life has been hell - not as bad as Nyk's but close. This story actually goes back to the time before Nyk was discovered to be alive and took over the ruling of the society from his grandmother, who plotted to have him killed as a toddler. That in and of itself is awesome, that the author can go back and add in detail to the original story without destroying it.

We follow Talyn's life as an adult who is just trying to make his way in the world, to be better and prove that he deserves what he has - of course that is not to be because he doesn't have a father, that makes him as low as a slave in the eyes of the people, but he is determined to move from his past. He has anger issues, but there are secrets about his past that will soon come out. For now though he is starting to find the right people to make a difference.

I love that this book goes back to before Nyk took power and adds to the story in a different way, this is life on his home planet and what is happening while he is thought to be dead, and how the people there are acting. It gives more of a glimpse into the people that wanting Nyk dead and it gives glimpses into how willing they were to do anything and hurt anyone and everyone to get and keep their power.

View all my reviews

Review: Born of Fury

Born of Fury by Sherrilyn Kenyon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you haven't read any of my reviews of this series yet - let me warn you now - I am in love with this series! From the time I read the first book until now, I have never been disappointed and I am a major huge fan of the author! This is simply the best out there!!

At this point in the series we are getting around to Fain and his story. This takes place well after the other books, as Nyk and Syn are already married with children, so it falls in line. But at the same time, you learn about past events and new characters.

In the first book, which is Nyk's story, we learn the lengths his grandmother would go to inside her own family to stay in power. In this book we start to see how the Hauk family is intertwined with Nyk's family and how his grandmother didn't let them escape unscathed either.

I love the series, the way the families are all linked by not just their past abuses but by their own sense of family and their friendship and their ability to stand up for what is right in the face of overwhelming odds.

View all my reviews

Review: Scared Witchless

Scared Witchless by Amy Boyles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So I discovered the author, Amy Boles through her Sweet Tea Witches series, and I loved the series, but I finished with it, so I needed something new, and once I discover an author I enjoy reading more of them.

The Bless Your Witch series revolves around three sisters, Dylan, Seraphina or Sera and Reid. Reid is only eighteen, so there is an age difference between the older two sisters and Reid. Sera owns a bakery and Dylan a dress shop. Mostly the story revolves around Dylan. The girls never knew they were witches until and article in the local paper outs them in a round about way. Now someone is out to steal Dylan's magic, and of course the only way to take a witches magic is to skin them alive.

This is a cute and fun book, I loved the grandmothers! They are both a hoot!! Since I've never had a sister I can't tell if the by-play between the sisters is true to life or not, but it seems pretty natural.

I'm looking forward to continuing this series and seeing where it leads.

View all my reviews

Review: The Quick and the Thread

The Quick and the Thread by Amanda Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marcy has left San Francisco to open her own embroidery store, next door to her college roommate and best friend's coffee shop and bakery. Things seem to be going well until the former owner of the building turns up dead in her back room. Of course Marcy has to investigate.

I loved the town and the story and I love that in this story, the guy doesn't get the girl, in fact there are actually two guys interested in Marcy and yet she isn't sure about either one. She is fine dating and trying to figure out what life is going to hand her, which is so nice in a world of overnight success romances in books.

This has the makings to be a great series. Marcy and her best friend have some tensions going on, and that just makes it sound so much more normal, like real life and makes the book that much more fun to read and follow along.


View all my reviews

Review: Southern Spells

Southern Spells by Amy Boyles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pepper is just starting to adjust to life in Magnolia Cove when her aunts Licorice, Licky for short and Minty arrive in town determined to bring chaos. This time they bring it in the form of the annual Cotton and Cobwebs festival, and that brings a rivalry between grandma Betty and Melbalean. Only problem is that this year the rivalry turns deadly.

Once again Pepper talks Axel into helping her investigate, although Axel is doing some work on his own as a PI, and things are starting to heat up between them, no matter what they say. Now to find out how Pepper can handle the secrets in Axel's life.

Once again the Sweet Tea Witches are up to fun and this is so wonderful to read. It makes me want to live in Magnolia COve and be part of this world. It seems so fun and just were you want to be.

View all my reviews

Review: Southern Magic

Southern Magic by Amy Boyles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Pepper is having a bad day. First off her rent check bounced, after her boyfriend was suppose to deposit her money, then she gets fired, and to make matters worse when she tries to go home, her roommates boyfriend has moved in and wont let her into the apartment, they don't even care about her stuff or her getting fired. As Pepper is sitting in her car, she sees a guy from her nightmare and a cat saves her. What is going on?

Turns out Pepper is a witch, who came into her powers yesterday on her twenty-fifth birthday, now she is heading to Magnolia Cove with the promise of family. Pepper is leary, after her mom died when she was born and its only been her and her father until he died, she isn't sure she can trust these people, even if they are suppose to be her family.

When Pepper tries to run out, she ends up needing saved by the resident handsome bachelor, Axel Reigns. She also gets involved in a murder and talks Axel, who is also a PI into letting her help.

The Sweet Tea Witch Mystery series is cute, fun and so engaging. You find yourself wanting to live in Magnolia Cove and be surrounded by the people and fun.

View all my reviews

Review: The Cottage on the Corner

The Cottage on the Corner by Shirlee McCoy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Charlotte is using Apple Valley to hide and start over. She thought she had found her true love, only to find out when he died that he was actually married to someone else and had kids with her. Charlotte's world shattered and Apple Valley seemed to be the best place to recover. She is building up a clientele of baking customers and hopes to open her own little bakery on Main street soon. The only thing she isn't looking for is a man.

Max is a deputy in town and he has always been good with life being just him, he can find a gal for the short term, but he doesn't want anything more. That is until his ex drops a three year old little girl in his lap and runs. Max has no idea what to do with a child, and the first person he turns to is Charlotte.

Small town life in Apple Valley can be crazy, and throw in a child, you have people acting out of character and life turned upside down.

View all my reviews

Review: The House on Main Street

The House on Main Street by Shirlee McCoy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All her life Tessa has been in love with Cade, but he choose her older sister Emily, and so Tessa ran, moving across the country and making a life for herself. Now Emily and her husband are dead, and Tessa is back to clean up things and make a life for her nephew Alex. Of course Cade is now the town sheriff and still as handsome as Tessa remembers, only she doesn't want to risk getting her heart broke again.

Tessa has to figure out what to do with her young, autistic nephew and how to best reach him, even if that means giving up on the career she had built for herself and staying in Apple Valley.

Throw in a little romance, a mystery and some fun characters along the way and you have a cute story of life and love in a small town.

View all my reviews

Review: A Mah Jongg Mystery

A Mah Jongg Mystery by Violetta Armour
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for Readers Favorite


Angelina, Myra, Clara and June are as different as can be, but they have been a Mah Jongg foursome and good friends. Unfortunately that is all about to change now that Myra has been found dead. Of course Angelina has always watched detective television, Murder She Wrote, Perry Mason and the like, as well as reading lots of detective novels. This finds Angelina questioning what happened with Myra and investigating on her own. Widowed detective Guy has been assigned the case, and much to his and Angelina's surprise they find themselves attracted to each other. A Mah Jongg Mystery is a cute cozy mystery about an older generation playing games together and having fun, murder and romance. Author Violetta Amour has created a plausible world of the widowed and retired.


A Mah Jongg Mystery is titled as the first book in a series called Dangerous Pastimes. As fun as the theme of playing Mah Jongg is I'm not sure that game alone could support a whole series, so I am curious about what all will be in the dangerous Pastimes series. I was impressed that author Violetta Amour built this book around a group of retired grandmothers. It was nice to see a different age range for the main characters. The two mains, Angelina and Guy are both widowed, and that is another thing that is different about this story and although I love the idea of that type of love, I haven't experienced it so it is hard to relate to them in that way, but at the same time I love that they are finding another chance at a different stage in life. Overall this was a good book, clean-no sex or language, and something that a number of readers of all ages could enjoy.

View all my reviews

Review: When The Magnolia Blooms

When The Magnolia Blooms by Annaliese Darr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for Readers Favorite.

Once a civil war solider and plantation owner, Rhys had his whole life ahead of him, until an accident on the way home took his life and left him a ghost, only visible to the talented in his own home. Centuries later, Fiona is in need of a place to hide out from a crazed stalker, and Magnolia House seems to be the prefect spot. Fiona comes from a long line of Irish people with some talent to the supernatural, either healing or seeing auras, and although she welcomes the talent in her sisters, she has never acknowledged any talent in herself. Her time at Magnolia House will challenge her beliefs in herself and set her on a new path in life that just might be more rewarding and happy, that is if she can stay alive. A couple causal dates and one kiss was enough for Fiona to know that she didn't want anything to do with police officer Derrick Morris, unfortunately he wasn't ready to give up on Fi and had begun stalking her. When she returns from her father funeral to find her home vandalized, she turns to the only person she can think of, Mike, a retired cop, and her family. Together they make a plan and get Fi to safety, they hope. When The Magnolia Blooms is the story of love lost and found, of purpose found and of living a fulfilling life. Author Annaliese Darr has created a compelling world and story that has the reader engaged and wanting more.

When Then Magnolia Blooms is the story of family, or traditions and history passed down. It has the elements of some supernatural talents, yet the way they are woven into the story they are believable and feel right. It is the story of leaning on your family in a time of need, and this is a strong family that is amazing and everyone dreams of having in their corner. The relationship with the ghost Rhys and Fi is strong, but it is more about them both learning to forgive and love again. Author Annaliese Darr has created a world in this remote southern corner of the world that feels passed over by time, but at the same time comforting and safe. For the most part the book is relatively clean, so I can recommend it to teens and adult readers alike. At the same time, the family dynamics in the story have me wanting to read the stories of Fiona's sisters, Maeve and Spring.

View all my reviews

Review: Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder

Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder by Chris Cavender
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pepperoni Pizza Can Be Murder is the second book in the Pizza Lovers Cozy Mystery series, and although I wasn't crazy about the first book I tried the second.

Poor Eleanor, someone is found dead in her kitchen, and while she is suspected for a brief time, her best worker is ultimately the police's focus this book, and of course she has to step in.

Again I am hit with the police chief's refusal to do his job, I mean five minutes of police work - he didn't even realize the pizza came from somewhere else until Eleanor mentioned it. This stuff should have been common, it seems silly the way the police get focused on one person to the point they forget to investigate anything else.

I still can't get behind the character of Eleanor, I still think she is whiny and wallowing in her own life and refusing to move on and realize that she is young, alive and she needs to make the most of what she has in front of her.
I still don't like the police chief or his constant questioning of Eleanor, its almost like he is wanting to find something to blame on her so that he feels better about himself as a person.

Then there is my pet peeve - proofreading! OMG! On one page, the poor delivery boy goes from being Josh to Jason back to Josh again! Ugh!! Come on!! Names are on of those things that you just can't get wrong!!

Chris Cavender is a pen name for author Tim Myers - who has written a lot of cozy mysteries - some soap based, some candle based, even a minatures based series. Usually he develops characters so much better, I am just not happy with this series.

View all my reviews

Review: Switch of Fate 3

Switch of Fate 3 by Lisa Ladew
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Switch of Fate 3 is technically the fourth book in the Switch of Fate series, and probably the best to date.

Riot is a bad-boy with an attitude to match, well actually Riot has a bad-boy image that he uses to keep people from getting too close, and he hides his good side to everyone because he feels like he doesn't deserve to have his good side. Poor Riot has been a victim of family prejudice and rough treatment, everyone expecting him to be a bad-boy because he is a cat shifter, and he just can't seem to shake his own prejudice towards everyone after the way his family has treated him.

Riot has gotten involved in The Cause, but he won't be honest or upfront with anyone, and really goes about his business trying to make everyone think he is trouble when in reality he is the best guy out there. He's used this method to keep himself safe, but when his high school crush Gemma reenters his life, all bets are off.

Gemma has been the one person that has always believed in Riot, even if he didn't know it, and now she has a chance to show him what she can be to him, if she can get him to just put down his guard for long enough.

Gemma is the third switch to be discovered, and Riot does a great job of finding her and dropping her off with The Cause. She is also easy going and is able to fit into the life, finding things not as scary to deal with as Cora or Goldie, partly probably because she grew up in a military family and moved a lot and saw a lot of things, she is just more open and accepting of the realities. Gemma is also a wiz with language and is able to actually start understanding parts of the book.

What is awesome is that as she does, we hear from Anna, from the prequel, in this book by way of her journal entries in the Keepers Book. Now that there are three breath switches - it is time to make the coven a formal group and with that comes understanding and magic they had no clue about. Things are finally falling in place for The Cause and they are really becoming what they need to be.

I happened to like this book the best, I felt that Gemma was strong, independent and not as needy and clingy as Cora and Goldie, so she makes for a sharp contrast and the way that she just accepts things and moves on is awesome.

Now....I want to see more books. I have questions that need answered. Auntie needs to be figured out, and then there is the child in the mental ward, Jinelle Spencer, since the vampires are watching her, more needs to be said on her. I can't wait!

View all my reviews

Review: Switch of Fate 2

Switch of Fate 2 by Grace Quillen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Switch of Fate 2 is technically the third book in the series, if you include the prequel.

Flint is a big bear of a man, literally, he's a bear shifter, and he is on a mission. He wants to hunt down the vampire that killed his family and left him almost dead. He has been part of The Cause, but he thinks he will need to go off on his own to accomplish his goals until fate throws Goldie into his path.

Goldie is a switch, the second one to be identified now that they all kinda sorta know what is going on after Jameson found and claimed Cora. Well, they may still be flying pretty blind, but at least they have a home base that seems to know what they need.

Goldie has spent her life protecting her younger sister Darby, and running at any signs of problems, so to trust Flint and the rest of The Cause is a huge deal for her, and even when Flint promises to take care of Darby, she can't believe he actually will and makes the mistake of trying to run with Darby. Goldie has to learn to trust, aside from learning everything that is going to come with being a switch, which is really unbelievable to her.

This second book in the series if even more fun, in that it grows all the characters and we find them learning more and more about what they are doing and becoming a real group that actually works together instead of just a gathering of people that want the same thing, they are starting to actually become The Cause.

View all my reviews

Review: Pudding Up With Murder

Pudding Up With Murder (Undercover Dish Mystery, Book 3) 
by Julia Buckley


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
    

Pudding Up With Murder is the third book in the Undercover Dish Mystery Series.

Lilah Drake has a booming business of undercover catering. Lilah creates and makes wonderful casseroles and pot luck types dishes for her clients, who order them in secret and then pass them off as their own. She is also working at a local catering company, and recently she has started appearing on her ex-boyfriends television cooking show once a week. Life is good.

Recently, Lilah and Detective Jay Parker have started dating, but once again another murder is going to make things difficult for them. Jay Parker is a very upstanding police officer and has a pretty rigid set of ideals. The thing is Lilah is probably not the best girlfriend, she is a little clingy and not understanding, yet she expects complete understanding from Jay.

This story was really good in regards to the mystery and who did it and the characters involved, but the story fell flat for me in regards to the relationship between Lilah and Jay. She expects honesty from Jay, yet she tells him half truths all the time and expects him to accept them. There are always certain things that you don't always want to talk about at the time in a relationship, and Lilah refuses to get that. At one point her ex-boyfriend and her current boyfriend have lunch as they both care about Lilah and want to work out any issues between them that might be causing problems. Lilah flies off the handle at this - instead of seeing that they both care and want to make things better, to have them not fighting with each other so that her career can blossom - she gets mad at them for meeting behind her back and not talking to her. It was stupid, and I really felt I couldn't understand her anymore.

For the third book in the series, it was ok, but if the author ever published a fourth in this series, I am not sure that I would read it at this point.

View all my reviews

Review: Cheddar Off DeadCheddar Off Dead (Undercover Dish Mystery, Book 2) by Julia Buckley

Cheddar Off Dead (Undercover Dish Mystery, Book 2) 
by Julia Buckley


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
    

Cheddar Off Dead is the second book in the cozy mystery series Undercover Dish.

Lilah Drake has created a side business for herself. She creates and makes pot-luck or casserole type dishes for her growing list of clients, then she delivers them to her clients in secret and the client passes off the dish as their own cooking. This has become a lucrative business for Lilah and she loves it, but her dream has always been her own catering company, and now she is finally working part-time for the best catering company in Pine Haven. Life on the business side is going well for Lilah, even if the budding relationship with Detective Jay Parker took a terrible nosedive just as it was beginning.

Now Lilah finds herself face to face with Jay again when she inadverntly finds herself at the scene of another murder. While delivering food to her best friend Jenny at school, she talks to the school Santa for the day and as she is leaving the parking lot, a car drives in and shots the santa. Not exactly how she planned to spend the day.

This story takes even more twists and turns when the local Chicago, supposedly mob family is connected to the shooting. Lilah is in danger, and trust becomes an issue with Jay and Lilah again, even when he doesn't realize that her lie to him before was exactly the same as the lie he told her.

This second book in the series was well written and even more enjoyable. The characters became more in focus and we really learn more about each character. At this point I have high hopes for the third book.

View all my reviews

The Big Chili (Undercover Dish Mystery, Book 1) by Julia Buckley

The Big Chili (Undercover Dish Mystery, Book 1)
by Julia Buckley


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was in need of a break from all the paranormal novels that I had been reading lately, so wandering in the library the other day, looking through the shelves, I discovered this Undercover Cooking Series. I have always had a thing for cozy mysteries, so why not.

The Big Chili is the start of this cute, but short series. Liliah Drake works in her parents real estate office, but her passion is cooking, and so she has created this little secret side business for herself. She makes wonderful food creations, usually potluck time dishes and casseroles for her list of clients, and then she delivers them to the people in secret and they in turn pass off the dishes as their own. It's become quite profitable for Lilah.

Trouble starts when at a church bingo night, someone drops dead after tasting her chili, but of course no one knows that she made it because one of her clients, Pet Grundy has been passing this chili off as her own for years. Pet is terrified that someone will discover that she didn't make the chili, and makes Lilah promise not to tell the police that she actually made the chili.

Detective Jay Parker is the lead on this case, and he is smitten with Lilah, but then there is the secret that Lilah is keeping, it is driving her nuts because she feels bad about not telling the truth. What looked like a straight forward case of who-done-it turns into a complicated twists of who and why, with half the town involved in one way or another.

This was a cute book, it was a great start of a new cozy series and it ended with a great number of recipes. Only issue I had with the recipes is that they centered on a gourmet food product brand that came from the story, which leaves readers with no way to actually make any of the dishes.

Aside from that, it was a good story and I look forward to continuing with the second book.


View all my reviews

Review: Knit, Purl, Die

Knit, Purl, Die (Black Sheep Knitting Mystery, Book 2)
by Anne Canadeo


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
    

Knit, Purl, Die is the second book in the Black Sheep Knitting series....

First off, a pet peeve - the proofreading was lacking on this book! Don't know if it was a rush to get the second book out or what but there were are number of storyline errors. First off was the synopsis on the back cover, Gloria is listed as being on husband number four when throughout the story, he is actually husband number three. On the back cover her husband is identified as Daniel Wexler and where that comes from is anyone's guess because in the book he is Jamie. Now inside the story itself, early in the book Suzanne's daughter is called Natalie, but in book one and again later in this story she is Alexis. Also early in the book Brian is mentioned as either Suzanne or Dana's husband, when we know from book one and the rest of book two that Dana's husband is jack and Suzanne's is Kevin. Names need to be consistent throughout the series, and this is something that is easy to check and keep straight. This is a huge pet peeve of mine, it makes you question what you are reading.

On to the story itself - we add new character into the Black Sheep Knitting Club in the person of Gloria, but she is not to stay around too long. Again, Lucy seems to take the lead in questioning things with Maggie dragging her feet the most. We see more of Dana and Suzanne in this story than in Book one.

The story itself is well written and easy to follow, but I got caught up in the errors and couldn't enjoy it the way I wanted.

View all my reviews

While My Pretty One Knits (Black Sheep Knitting Mystery, Book 1) by Anne Canadeo

While My Pretty One Knits (Black Sheep Knitting Mystery, Book 1) 
by Anne Canadeo


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Aww, a cozy mystery. It's been so long since I have read one of these, but I got into the cozy mystery genre long before I started reading the paranormal - and so I know that it seems paranormal is all that has been on my reviews in a long time, it has - it is just what has come up, it seems to be a more popular genre than the cozy mystery at this point in time, so it just is more visable.

This book combines knitting and mystery! I love it. I am a novice knitter, meaning that I can do a basic stitch and make a blanket or scarf, or even a few other more complex items - but I can't read a pattern to save my life! So everything I knit is from my looking at something and trying to replicate it, no patterns, nothing like that.

The story also surrounds a small group of knitters that have become good friends and that meet at the shop and knit and talk, and I love that! What I wouldn't give to have a small group of people like that in my life that I could knit with and enjoy their company.

Rival yarn shop owner Amanda is murdered and of course Maggie, the owner of the shop is the top of the police list, when we all know that she didn't do it. Of course the group is set to figure it out themselves.

Normally in a cozy mystery I expected the yarn shop owner to take the lead in the story, but that wasn't the case in this book. Lucy the recently divorced and now unsure of herself graphic designer is the lead in the book, she is the one most of the conversations are from and it is her that takes the lead in figuring things out as to what really happened.

This was a great start to a series, and I hope to read more of it.

View all my reviews

Author: Jayne Castle

Author:  Jayne Castle
Author:  Jayne Ann Krentz


The author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print.

Pseudonyms:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Amanda Quick
Stephanie James
Jayne Bentley
Jayne Taylor
Amanda Glass

She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries.

Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington.

Series:

Ghost Hunters Series:

Late in the 21st century an energy Curtain opened in the vicinity of Earth, making interstellar travel practical for the first time. In typical human fashion, thousands of eager colonists packed up their stuff and lost no time heading out to create new homes and new societies on the unexplored worlds. Harmony was one of those worlds.

At first, things went well. The colonists brought with them all the comforts of home – sophisticated technology, centuries of art and literature and the latest fashions. Trade through the Curtain flourished and made it possible to stay in touch with families back on Earth. It also allowed the colonists to keep their computers and high-tech gadgets working.

And then one day, without warning, the Curtain closed, disappearing as mysteriously as it had opened. Cut off from Earth, no longer able to obtain the equipment and supplies needed to keep their high-tech lifestyle going, the colonists were abruptly thrown back to a far more primitive existence. Forget the latest Earth fashions, just staying alive suddenly became a major problem.

But on Harmony folks did one of the things humans do best: they survived. It wasn’t easy but two hundred years after the closing of the Curtain, the descendants of the First Generation Colonists have managed to claw their way back from the brink to a level of civilization roughly equivalent to our own modern day Earth.

Here on Harmony, however, things are a little different, especially after dark. There are the creepy ruins of a long-vanished alien civilization, a mysterious underground rainforest, and a most unusual kind of animal companion. In addition, a wide variety of psychic powers are showing up in the population. Seems that something in the environment on Harmony is bringing out the latent psychic talents in people.

Of course, there are some folks who don’t need any help from the environment. They already possess paranormal abilities. Turns out that several members of the Arcane Society were among the First Generation Colonists…

If, like me, you sometimes relish your romantic-suspense with a paranormal twist, Harmony is the place for you.

0  Harmony

.25  Bridal Jitters

.5 Charmed

.75 Soft Focus

1. After Dark

2. After Glow

3. Ghost Hunter
4. Silver Master

5. Dark Light

6. Obsidian Prey

7. Midnight Crystal

8. Illusion Town

Rainshadow Series:

Welcome to the Rainshadow Island. You are about to discover a whole new aspect of the world of Harmony and learn some of the future secrets of the Arcane Society .

In the Rainshadow novels you will meet the passionate men and women who are drawn to this remote island in the Amber Sea. You will also get to know their friends and neighbors in the community of Shadow Bay.

.5 Canyons of the Night

1. The Lost Night

2. Deception Cove
3. The Hot Zone

4. Sirens Call

St Helens Series:

1. Amaryllis

2. Zinnia

3. Orchid

The Hot Zone (Rainshadow Book 3) by Jayne Castle

The Hot Zone (Rainshadow Book 3) 
by Jayne Castle


My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Hot Zone is technically book 4 in the Rainshadow Series, in you include the Prequel, Canyons of Night in the book count.

Sedona Snow is a high talent gatekeeper that has been kidnapped, and unfortunately no one notices that she is missing, not her family or even her husband. After escaping with the help of a dust bunny she named Lyle, Sedona finds herself on Rainshadow, the Island were misfits e Ungo to find a home.

Cryus Jones is another in a long line of Jones, founders of the Arcane Society back on earth, high level talents that keep to themselves for the most part, but he has been sent here as the new Guild Boss for the underground on Rainshadow - and to find Sedona.

Jayne Castle takes readers back to the world of Harmony, the island of Rainshadow for this book - again rare, high level talents, people most of the population are scared of find themselves drawn to each other. Only another extremely high level talent could understand or handle another high level talent it seems.

All of this series has its points that draw you in as a reader, the intelligence of the characters, the fact that they don't fit in elsewhere, that tey compliment each other and that they take care of their own. It is another in a long line of books by the author that makes you feel good, while at the same time taking you to another time and place.

View all my reviews

Switch of Fate Book 1 by Lisa Ladew and Grace Quillen

Switch of Fate Book 1
by Lisa Ladew and Grace Quillen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was recommend by Kindle based on other books that I have read, and actually - one look at the guy on the cover and I was sold - I figured even if the book wasn't good I could enjoy looking at him for awhile!!

Turns out the story was pretty good - it started out a little slow, the first fourth of the book maybe was laying some background sorta, but it was a fuzzy background, and that went a little slow, but once you got into the meat of the story it was a lot better.

Jameson is The Keeper - but he never got the chance to learn what that meant, he was to start his training when he turned 12, but on his 11th birthday his world was shattered by the deaths of his family and the former Keeper. He was lost and alone in the world, and he had no idea what he was suppose to be doing. For years he blamed himself for not knowing, when in reality with wasn't his fault.

Coraline, or Cora to most has always had a fascination with vampires, in fact she did her Literature thesis on vampires in literature, but what she didn't know was that she was one of the lost switches of the world, a breed of women born to hunt and kill vampires.

This first book in the Switch of Fate series tells the story as Cora and Jameson fumble together to discover their history and knowledge and be the guardians they were destined to be.

This is well written and is unlike most shifter novels that I have read. It plays on a completely different aspect of the relationship and buts them in more of a heroic although unseen and shadowed role - humans are unaware of shifters, vampires or switches.

Lots of adult themes and intimate interactions, so definitely an adult book - not for the faint of heart.

View all my reviews

Time and Blood: Evening Bower, Book 1 by Sherry Rentschler

Time and Blood: Evening Bower, Book 1 
by Sherry Rentschler


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Reviewed for Readers Favorite


Rhea is the last of her kind, a phoenix from Atlantis and before, she has lived over and over through the ages, but lately she is suffering from nightmares and a call for her to come somewhere unknown, but why and where. Who or what is calling her, and is it good or evil that awaits her?Viseral, the angel of Death, has watched over Rhea from a distant this whole time, but now he finds himself needing to stay away, to allow the prophecy to finish. Along with a cast of characters that readers meet in the prequel, The Gypsy Thorn, the fulfillment of the ages old prophecy begins in Time and Blood. Author Sherry Rentschler tells the happenings from the view of the main players in the story. Rhea, Jean-Louis and Franklin each have their own chapters to tell the events from their view, also side players such as Nathan, Rasand, Echo, and even Drayohmira have parts t o tell. This is the coming of a prophecy, but what does that prophecy really mean? Good or evil? Can anything be that straight-forward and cut and dried, or is there good in everything depending on your view?

Time and Blood is labeled as the first book in the Evening Bower series, although The Gypsy Thorn is the prequel to this book. For myself as a reader, I have to read books in order, so I went out of my way to find and read the prequel before reading this story, but I have to say that you don't need to read it first. As the reader, you meet most of the characters from the prequel, but you just aren't sure why they are on the sides that they have chosen in Time and Blood. The prequel gives you some of the answers as to why certain characters choose the sides they did, but at the same time, not knowing is almost more fun. The reader meets all the characters in The Gypsy Thorn but you don't need to really know them going into this story. Time and Blood is really about Rhea, her long dead mate, and the prophecy. It is her story of the prophecy, and it is her life that you are reading, not her whole history, but this one brief period in time when she has the chance to succeed, where the meaning of the prophecy is actually understood and everything changes. The prequel gave you information about each character, and maybe reading it after reading the first book in the series would serve the reader better, as knowing the characters doesn't effect this story, but after this point it might help. At the same time,this book is only the first, and so the story stops, but doesn't end, there are still so many questions that the reader is left begging for the next book.

View all my reviews

Deception Cove, Rainshadow Book 2 by Jayne Castle

Deception Cove, Rainshadow Book 2by Jayne Castle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Deception Cove is technically the third book in the Rainshadow Series, with Canyons of Night being the prequel and The Lost Night being the first book. Do you need to read them in order? NO. As always the books stand alone quite well but it is always more fun to read them in order. Do you need to have read any of Jayne Castle first? Well, no...but if you read Orchid, the very first book, then you have background and insight into the whole premise of Harmony being settled and why they are cut off from Earth.

Alice North has been disappearing and hiding all her life, as one of the few kids brought up in an orphanage, as family and marriage is extremely important on Harmony, she is different and a little weary of people. He first attempt at marriage found her husband trying to kill her for an inheritance she knew nothing about, now hes dead and her ex-mother-in-law blames Alice and is making her life a living hell.

Drake Sebastian is part of the Sebastian family, they own The Preserve on Rainshadow and along with his brother Harry, they have been trying to discover what is going on in the Preserve that is making life on Rainshadow almost unlivable. Drake knows that he needs Alice the minute he sees her.

Welcome to the world of Harmony, the future, para-senses are the norm and dust bunnies are sometimes pets and protectors. I love Jayne Castle's world of Harmony, I love Rainshadow, in fact it is an island I think I could live on and fit into well. What can I say but another awesome book. The story draws iyou in and the next thing you know you are done with the book and you wonder how that happened so fast!

I have been a fan of Jayne Castle's future world since the beginning and I continue to find things that I love in each book. I especially love that each character is a strong talent that other people think is dangerous, but when the couple is put together, their strong talents mix and bring out the best in each person making the team greater than the individuals. I love that concept and find it refreshing to continue seeing.

View all my reviews