An Enchanting Case of Spirits by Melissa Holtz

 In my life, I've never had the urge to see a ghost. Neither has Alyssa Mann but, after a 40th birthday party gone awry, here she is with a ghost in the house. Then another. And all of them want something. But she doesn't know how to help them. So she enlists the help of the medium who seemed to have unlocked the power.
Suddenly, she and her two besties (as well as the psychic, Corinne) are trying to figure out why the ghost of an obnoxious young man whose death was declared a suicide is hanging around her. He's the first, but he certainly won't be the last. Except the only one she doesn't see is her husband. Which is probably good because, like many cozies, there is a Hot Detective.
An interesting start to a series though I don't generally enjoy books where the point of view switches and this one was so infrequent it often confused me the first three or four sentences when it switched. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out April 9, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Honeymoons are supposed to be a time to relax and get to spend time with your new partner, right? So why is Meddy so stressed? Could it be because she is introducing her husband to the full extended family (close to 80 people)? Well, that could be a big part of it. It could also be the (purported) mob boss who has accidentally handed out a gift to the wrong person, but he's not quite sure who got the red envelope meant for his business rival. And, when they don't show up with the right gift, something very valuable to Meddy is held instead.
Still a crash of craziness and I think regular readers will enjoy the mayhem.

Four stars

This book comes out March 26, 2024

Follows Four Aunties and a Wedding

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Grave Robbery by Deanna Raybourn

It's time for another adventure with Veronica and Stoker. They start out with a tamarin monkey (which is quickly pawned off on Lord Rosemorran's youngest daughter) and end up with a Beauty. Supposedly an anatomical model that doctors could use to study the human body since dissection during this time period was so reviled. However, this beauty was obviously a young woman who was once a living person, not a wax work. But who could have done something so heinous?

The trail leads them to a pair of twins whose scientific inquiries were supported by the second son of a lord. A fire supposedly killed the male twin and his laboratory but did he really die?

Stoker and Veronica pick up some new friends in this book including Plutree, a mortician who has an overbearing mother and is interested in profiling. The other is Spyridon, a man who Stoker knew in Greece but who traveled back to England with Lady Wellie who seems to be getting more frail.

Four stars

This book comes out March 12, 2024

Follows A Sinister Revenge

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber

At the end of the last book, Sebastian had gotten word that his father had been attacked. He and Kiera took their whole family, including their four-month-old daughter. He is being housed in a small village near where he was attacked, in the home of a former army doctor, so he at least has good care. 

However, when Sebastian and Kiera try to investigate, they run into a series of problems. There are few in the village who are willing to talk. They are also attacked. Someone is really working to make sure that the reasons for Lord Gage's attack aren't uncovered. And even the people who appear to be helpful aren't actually what they seemed. 

This book was fine but there was a lot going on. It may have been the time of my life and I'd like to re-read it again later because I did enjoy the character building, both the new characters and between Lord Gage and Henry, his son who was claimed by a duke.

Lady Darby Mystery #11

Three stars
This book came out June 20, 2023

Follows A Perilous Perspective

Followed by A Deceptive Composition

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Always Remember by Mary Balogh

Ben Ellis and Lady Jennifer Arden both know what it is to be on the outside. He was born a bastard and she has a twisted leg which means she will never walk. Both are stalwarts of their families in different ways and the families have gathered at Ravenswood for the summer. 

The two don't actually come together because they are outsiders but because Ben tries to help Jennifer and Jennifer falls in love with his daughter. At first, Jennifer is resistant to Ben's help but she really would like to walk, at least some form of it. Or find any way she can to get some freedom (he also shows her how to drive a gig.)

It's a quiet story with a LOT of characters from previous stories and it got rather confusing there for awhile even though I have read the previous books in the series. I'm not entirely convince that the two are in love but I do see how their personalities would mesh well together. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 16, 2024

Follows Remember Me

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group

Opinions are my own

The Night Island by Jayne Ann Krentz

Though this is the second book in a series, there is not much overlap with the book before and stands alone nicely. In this book, we are following Talia (one of three presenters on the Lost Night podcast.) She has been given a tip from a woman named Phoebe who purports to have a list of other people who have been experimented on. But when Talia shows up at the cabin, no Phoebe. But there is a Luke Rand and he also wants the list. In fact, he tries to hold Talia psychically to see if she knows where the list is. Talia manages to break free and also manages to find a pendant that she knows will lead her to Phoebe.

The search will take she and Luke to a San Juan island where they will have to pretend to be a couple. They go under the guise of attending a meditation retreat but they aren't interested. Luckily, the retreat is just a cover for some more nefarious happenings. 

Like usual, there are a LOT of things happening in this story. And you think you get to the end but then there's another end. And another. This book didn't sound as much like Krentz as she has added some current-ish phrases. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 9, 2024

Follows Sleep No More

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby March 2024

Chaos Terminal by Mur Lafferty

Mrs. Brown is leaving Eternity for a few days and leaving Mallory in charge. This shouldn't be a big deal but there is a delegation of humans, including the new ambassador who are arriving soon. 

The station has been unsettled and Mrs. Brown is hoping to fix that, but things get worse before they get better including the fact that Mallory knows several of the people who have arrived on this ship and, where there are coincidences for Mallory, there is usually murder.

Her best friend from high school, Amy, and Amy's twin brother Parker are among the group. However, it takes Mallory quite some time to remember Parker at all. Their older brother Reggie and his husband Max are there as well as is Oscar Daye, a basketball coach at North Carolina (where the rest of them are from as well) who also runs a gossip blog. Oh, and of course, Jessica, the new ambassador who seems to know quite a bit about Xan and Mallory.

The story does get  a bit convoluted but so was the first. It's still highly enjoyable and, especially if you loved the first book, you should read this one.

Four stars

This book comes out November 7, 2023

Follows Station Eternity

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Iris Kelly Doesn't Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The last of a group of friends to find her forever after, Iris Kelly is actually very sure that she doesn't want a forever after. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel a bit lonely. So she goes out to enjoy herself with a one night stand. But... it doesn't go well. 

Stefania (IRL "Stevie") is beyond embarrassed that she ruins an evening with the gorgeous Iris Kelly. She's not sure how this is ever going to work. At least she has her ex-girlfriend's gender-bending "Much Ado About Nothing" to look forward to. But who is the Benedick to her Beatrice? Somehow it's Iris. 

Suddenly the two are agreeing to a fake relationship. Stevie because it means her ex is going to get off her back; for Iris... well, her friends mostly know about it but her family might finally look at her like she's accomplished something. 

A highly enjoyable book and an amazing addition to this series. 

Four stars
This book comes out October 24, 2023

Follows Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail 

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Murder and Mamon by Mia P. Manansala

Auntie Aprils niece, Divina, has come to visit but there is something strange going on. Divina is close lipped about parts of her life and April is not trying to hook her up with Marcus (Mae's younger son) which she tries to do with any woman that's available. That includes Teresa, a young woman from the auntie's church who comes to help clean when their new laundromat is vandalized. Everything escalates when Divina is found dead and then one of the aunties is attacked.

This book has Lila being a little more forward and more off the mark than I remember from other books but still an enjoyable read. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 19, 2023

Follows Blackmail and Bibingka

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

In Charm's Way by Lana Harper

I wasn't especially in love with the last book but I did enjoy this one. There is a lot more in this book about Delilah's personal journey than building a romance and the ending was a little convoluted but overall an enjoyable book. 

Delilah Harlow is still recovering from the events of the last book when she had her brain pretty much scrambled. When the book opens, she is driven to desperation and she tries a spell from a book that she normally would never touch. But she just wants to have her own mind back. Too bad this particular spell makes her a beacon to all of the creepy-crawlies that normally pass Thistle Grove by. 

Into town strides a champion, Catriona Quinn, whose name is just a little too much on the nose. Her mother did that on purpose but it doesn't mean she loves it. She steps into the hero role, even though her armor is a little tarnished. 

The Witches of Thistle Grove #4

Three and half stars

This book comes out August 22, 2023

Follows Back in a Spell

Followed by Rise and Divine

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group

Opinions are my own

Remember Me by Mary Balogh

When she was eighteen, Lady Philippa "Pippa" Ware was getting ready to come out. She had just found out that her father was a bit of a disappointment and, when she overheard the Marquess of Roath make an uncouth comment about her. This led her to believe that all of London was talking about her family. 

Four years later, she is finally ready to head out into the world. She immediately makes a friend in Jenny, the granddaughter of the Duke of Wilby. Unfortunately, Jenny's brother is none other than Lucas, the odious marquess. He is being forced into town because his grandfather is in ill health and wants to ensure that Lucas has an heir. 

Lucas and Pippa are able to clear up old misunderstandings but they also both agree that, though they seem to rub along well together, there should be no offer of marriage. Too bad everyone else in their life disagrees.

I wish we had seen more of the two of them together but it was, as always with Balogh, a gentle, lovely book. 

Four stars

This book comes out June 20, 2023

Follows Remember Love

Followed by Always Remember

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Breakups are hard. Breakups are especially hard when you're part of a tight-knit group of friends. Friends who get together often at the place that Harriet considers her happy place. But now she's going to ruin their happy place because Harriet and Wyn are no longer together. They actually broke up six months ago but didn't tell anyone. Now she's on vacation with their friends alone. But hers isn't the only big news; the cottage is for sale and their weeks of halcyon vacation days are about to be over. 

There was a lot of anxiety built into this book: Am I enough for the other person? For my group of friends? And, while we saw a bit of "past Wyn," I would have liked to see more of "present time Wyn;" just a little more romance. Or maybe more of the friendships. Henry has beautiful writing but also strong character connections and this book revolved more around Harriet than anything else. 

Three stars

This book comes out April 25, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

What the Hex by Jessica Clare

We knew from the first book in this series that Penny was anxious to be a familiar. So anxious that she might be willing to go to some unusual measures, like working with a wizard who is definitely NOT supposed to have a familiar.

Willem isn't sure about Penny. She's definitely a sunshine to his grumpy. But she's beginning to grow on him. Even her quirky pet is becoming more cute and less annoying. 

Good freaking lord. Why is WTF spelled out? And it's used so many times. So. Many. Times. I also wish that the love hadn't been quite so insta, that we had seem more of a relationship develop. And I didn't like the ending. Penny has been wishing for one thing her whole life and now she's being prevented from doing it. 

Three stars

This book came out April 19, 2022

Follows Go Hex Yourself

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera Wong is an older woman who has lost touch with her son as well as the larger world, though she would argue against that since she keeps up on the lingo and surfs the internet to search for the latest trend. She runs her tea shop (Vera Wang's (not a spelling error on my part) World-Famous Teahouse) and sends her son a wall of text but no one seems to respond except her one regular customer. She does the same thing every day and feels some tiredness but isn't sure how to get off the treadmill. Until she's violently shaken by the discovery of a dead body, that of Marshall Chen, in her shop. 

An inveterate watcher of crime shows, Vera knows just what to do. She pats down the body, draws a chalk outline, then calls the police. While waiting, she tidies the shop and makes the police tea. She doesn't understand why they are so upset with her, nor why they get so annoyed at her asking if they want a drink. She made her best tea, one that will help them think clearly. 

Well. She's going to find out what is going on and puts out an obituary for the body. From that come three people: the man's wife, his twin, a mysterious young man claiming to be a reporter, and a young woman who puts out true crime podcasts (although that also seems suspect as Marshall's death was declared a suicide).

Vera bulldozes into these characters lives and we get to see them come together to solve the mystery of why Marshall died. A bonus? Vera gets to spend a little time with her son as well.

Sometimes it can get a little much with alternating view points but Sutanto handles it wonderfully providing glimpses into a number of characters without losing pacing. I'm really hoping there is another book in the series and that it shows Vera and Gladys (the old woman in the other hospital bed) becoming friends. 

Four and a half stars

This book comes out March 14, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn

Still smarting from the revelations of the last book, Stoker has run away to Germany. Or somewhere thereabouts. Veronica decided to let him lick his wounds but has been pulled to find him by Stoker's brother Tiberius who has told her, "I need him."

That astonishing pronouncement is brought on because Tiberius has received a threatening note that references one of Tiberius's from the group that called themselves The Seven Sinners. In the year after they graduated from school, one of the young men died after discovering a massive dinosaur fossil. Two more members died in the intervening years but now two more have passed away in quick succession. Tiberius is worried and would like Stoker and Veronica to attend his house party to see if they can get to the bottom of what is going on. 

Of course, there is the usual amount of mayhem and people trying to kill our intrepid heroes. It all makes for a very enjoyable book. 

Veronica Speedwell #8

Four stars

This book comes out March 7, 2023

Follows An Impossible Impostor

Followed by A Grave Robbery

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby March 2024

Back in a Spell by Lana Harper

Nineve "Nina" Blackmoore is having some really bad luck at the moment. First, she's been dumped. Second, her family is known as being kind of the "bad guys" around town which is severely hindering her love life as she tries to jump back in the dating pool. Third, her magic is acting really weird. Like, way overreacting to any spells she tries to cast. And the dreams... Plus she seems to be witchbound (married) to a guy that her friend picked off a dating application. 

Morty isn't sure what's going on. First, his date ends up being the lawyer whose family sent a whole bunch of letters trying to buy his family bar. Then, he woke up and had magic. Like, real magic. What the heck? Only Nina will know the answer but he's not sure he wants to be near her. Yet he can't stay away. Is she really a black-hearted witch like the rest of her family?

I wish we had gotten to see more of Morty and Nina's relationship. It went from "I think I should hate you" to "Let's hang out forever" really, really fast. There was a lot of plot movement for the series but I wish we had seen more for them.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 10, 2023

Follows From Bad to Cursed

Followed by In Charm's Way

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group

Opinions are my own

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

This book starts seemingly somewhat in the middle of the story. Some major things have already happened to Pallas Llewellyn and Ambrose Drake before they meet. One of the things involves Pallas meeting her two friends Talia March and Amelia Rivers who we do not get to see much of at all in this book and, even knowing their books are coming, I was sad not to see more interactions to tie the series together.

Pallas is one of a trio of podcasters who investigate interesting cases. She is in town because Ambrose has contacted her. Her own past is complicated by a lost night that amplified her psychic powers. 

Ambrose has his own lost night and his family believes it is driving him mad. But he knows that someone died in a mental hospital and he wants help. Pallas... will be that help. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 3, 2023

Followed by The Night Island

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own 

Reread as audiobook January 2023

Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca

Louisa Malone, also known as Lulu to her cousin Mitch, is trying to live up to her mother's expectations. But it appears that the partners of her law firm are never going to promoter, not while they're still bringing in young men. So Lulu, who makes this realization while at a Ren Faire, decides to quit her job and join the faire. Luckily, one of the people in the fair knows her cousin Mitch so she's able to travel with them and take some time out of her life.

This book leans much more heavily on Lulu's self-discovery than the romance. Lulu does find true love with Dex, who we met in earlier books though you do not need to have read them in order to enjoy this one. I was surprised that I didn't miss the romance more but DeLuca does a nice job of showing Lulu's own growth and I didn't even notice it until the end when I wondered really how the two of them had gotten together since so much of the talking and connection was done off page. 

Four stars

This book comes out December 6, 2022

Follows Well Matched

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group

Opinions are my own

Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn

Matilda "Tilda" Sherwood is the black sheep of her witchy family, the only one without magical power, an outré. When the book opens, she is sitting in a cafe, waiting for her date from a matchmaker to show up. Her three-hundred-yearl-old sprite matchmaker had even instructed her to sit under the dragon's blood tree in the corner, the one with really gummy leaves, yes, the one that seems to want to be near Tilda. Tilda's just hoping that this blind date is not her nemesis (somehow they've been set up three times already...) but, alas, it seems she is to be disappointed. 

Gil Connolly is playing a long con. He's a part of the Council but also the Resistance. The Council is a secret (even from the witches) society that seem to believe that Tilda is faking her non-magicalness. So, Gil is setting up these dates in order to see if he can figure out her deal. Too bad it seems like it may be that her deal is setting his own magic, calling out the desires of people whether it be wealth, knowledge, power, whatever, on fire. 

In general, this hits about the same as Flynn's usual stories but with a paranormal twist. This book starts and ends as though Matilda is speaking straight to the reader which was a little odd since the rest of the book is alternating first person for Matilda and Gil. This book also sets up at least three more in the series as the epilogue is five years later and lets us know how everything (overall) turns out. Otherwise, this was a first book and there was so much going on in trying to set up the world and the characters that it got a little confusing. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out December 6, 2022

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

Astrid Parker is freaking out. Her life is slowing down. Except for when she crashes into that woman. And spills coffee all down her dress. The dress that makes her ass look fantastic. And on the day that she's supposed be filming for a TV series that will help her decorating business get out of it's slump. Her mother is already on her back, her business is doing horribly, and this is just the straw that breaks the camel's back. She goes off on the woman. Too bad this is the granddaughter of the hotel owner and the leader carpenter.

Jordan Everwood hasn't exactly had an easy time of it lately. Her former wife was dealing with cancer which meant that Jordan was going through it as well. Now her family home (sure she only spent summers there but that is where she felt loved) is being turned into something she doesn't even recognize.

The two are slow to come to some sort of middle ground and I'm not entirely certain of the HEA but it was still a fun read.

Four stars

This book comes out November 22, 2022

Follows by Delilah Green Doesn't Care

Followed by Iris Kelly Doesn't Date

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own