Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy. Show all posts

Thursday, February 22, 2024

A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch by Sarah Hawley

Calladia Cunnington is proud of her physique. She's strong and really quite bad ass. Just because her mother and a former boyfriend tried to break her down doesn't mean that she's willing to listen to them. Plus, there's a hot demon who thinks she's all that. Not that she's going to pay attention since he tried to kill her and all.
Astaroth is gunning for power. He made a bad (demon) bargain and now he's been cast out and turned fully human. He's also lost his memory. Luckily, Calladia has taken pity on him. Unluckily, his major enemy is still gunning for him.
This was an interesting book. I read it because I picked up the third book in the series and thought I should read the first two. I didn't feel like I needed to have read the first book to understand this one. I didn't really like either of the main characters but made it to the end. Two and a half stars rounded up for Goodreads. 

Glimmer Falls #2
Two and a half stars
This book came out November 28, 2023
Follows A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
Borrowed as hard copy from library
Opinions are my own

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Lady Avely's Guide to Truth and Magic by Rosalie Oaks

This is a really cute book and I am going to figure out how to read the other series that Oaks has. I was a little annoyed at some of the capitalization in this book and can't figure out why because I haven't minded it in other books. I am also not a fan of time skips but that only happened in the first half of this book and I was very relieved. 
Judith Avely has only recently been given the rank of marchioness for her husband's service to the crown. Unfortunately, after his death, she also discovered something else about him and she is returning to Sargenet, the estate of the Duke of Sargen, to try to heal that secret. Being able to use her new title will work to her advantage as she doesn't want anyone to know who she is. 
The first night at the inn, she not only encounters a vampiri, she also sees, and is seen by, the Duke. It seems that he is recently returned after nine years abroad to deal with the rumors of a haunting on his estate and the death of a footman. He could use her Gift of Discernment (being able to hear a lie) to help ferret out the truth of what has been going on while he is gone. 
I loved the lay out of the main characters but thought we could have learned more about some of the side characters, especially the ones that come into play at the end of the book. It is hard to do when there are so many characters that we will probably see in future books so Oaks was trying to paint them all equally. 

Matronly Misadventures #1
Four stars
This book came out February 16, 2024
Followed by Lady Avely's Guide to Lies and Charms
ARC kindly provided by Parkerville Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Friday, February 16, 2024

Gone with the Witch by Angela M. Sanders

The book opens with an old outhouse being demolished and a set of bones being discovered. But whoever could the bones have been? There is a thought that they could be Martin Garlington. He disappeared almost fifty years ago. But the DNA says not and, besides, his wife, Helen, has just seen a man on a quiz show that she's convinced is her long, lost husband. She prevails on Josie to find out about the man, Bruno Gates, and ask him to come to town. 
Josie does find him and the man comes to town but he is decidedly NOT Martin. What he is, is a flirt who drinks too much at the bar, flirts a little too hard with the women of the town, and is found dead near where the old bones were discovered.
That is just the start of a mystery that unwinds the past fifty years. This time, Josie has some help in solving it. Her powers must be growing because she is once again finding the same book everywhere, but this time, when she opens it, Sherlock Holmes walks out of an illustration and into helping her solve the mystery. He also warns her that her own Moriarity is going to be making trouble for her.
This was a fun story with a lot of foreshadowing for future books. I felt like some of the characters could have been developed a bit more if they were going to be a part of the eventual solution. There are also some new people who have moved to town including a new rare book dealer whose last name is the same as that of a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out February 20, 2024
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own



Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Wisteria Wyverns by Angela Pepper

In the last book, Zara's father returned. It was a surprise because he had generally been an absentee father. A the end of the book, someone else from her past had returned. Her mother. The one who was dead. 
This book gives Zara a chance to get to know her mother again. They're going to be spending a lot of time together in the castle in the next town over because, as they are sitting there, a new ghost enters Zara's body. It's someone that we know if you've been reading the series. Dead body means nobody gets to leave for a while so Zara's going to be spending time with her mother.
Throw in a man who looks just like her neighbor and has the ability to disappear, a wyvern named Ribbons who can communicate with Zara telepathically, and the water district team and you've got another screwball mystery. Not very deep but a fast, fun, and fluffy read.

Three stars
This book came out October 31, 2017
Followed by Wolves of Wisteria
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Thursday, December 21, 2023

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp

I had read the second book in this series and for about forty percent of this book, I wondered whether I really needed to read this one (I didn't). But then, what made me enjoy the second book finally kicked in. I really like the narrator of this story, Daisy Ellery, who kills men but does so by a certain set of rules (usually.) 
We know that she makes pies and can imbue a little bit of magic. That magic, in a similar vein to "Like Water for Chocolate", can imbue different feelings in people. It can also kill. And she is trying to rid the world of men who don't treat women well. To that end, she has set up a business, "Pies before Guys," that works solely on referrals. Daisy will take care of the men in your life who you need not to be in your life. But she has someone who is not her normal client. It is someone who is closer to her than she ever would have guessed.
For as close as some people are to her in the second book, I don't see those relationships really building in this book but it was a good intro to a series.


Three stars
This book came out May 10, 2022
Followed by A Good Day to Pie
Borrowed as hard copy from library
Opinions are my own

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Spotlight Scandal by Stella Bixby

Ellie is settling into her new town. Not everything is going smoothly but she is happy in Cliff Haven. She's even going to have the last line in the Christmas play! If she can manage to get it out, that is. And if the curse doesn't strike. There was a young lady who died (or was murdered, depending on who you talk to) during a play years ago. And there's one that dies in this one as well. 
With star frenemies in town, there is a lot going on. Not all of it made sense but it was an enjoyable book as Ellie tries to figure out who killed one Hollywood starlet and framed another. This is while dealing with discovering a magical cousin and trying to figure out how to use her magical powers.

Three stars
This book came out May 11, 2021
Followed by Tango Trouble
Ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Watchful Wisteria by Angela Pepper

Zara's newest ghost is one who was persistent. She made it into Zara's body even though she had a blocking gel and was trying to hold her breath. The ghost, Tansy, was Zinnia's plant provider and Vincent's estranged sister. When Zinnia and Zara go to check out the house, there are also ghosts of 
More of the book actually centers around a red fox that Zara rescues in the woods and what it showing up does to upend Zara's life.

Three stars
This book came out July 11, 2017
Followed by Wisteria Wyverns
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Saturday, November 4, 2023

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

I didn't realize this book was going to be a prequel when I requested it from NetGalley. Usually, prequels are not as good as the first book. And that was still true for this book but it was darn close.
Viv has been injured in battle and is stuck in a sea town until she heals. At first, she is bored out of her mind but she finds a bookshop where the rattkin owner forces a book on her. And, to her surprise, Viv enjoys the book (which we also see on page.) And the next one.
But the reason Viv is stuck in Murk is going to come back to haunt her. A man in gray appears and brings two things of great value with him which will lead great evil to the town. Viv knows she isn't going to stay, but she values the people she's met and wants to help them live. 

Four stars
This book comes out November 7, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Wisteria Wonders by Angela Pepper

Zara's had some changes since she moved to Wisteria but one of the better ones is her friend Frank at the library. Too bad he's just been turned into a flamingo. But was it her magic or is he just a shifter who is just discovering his talents?

He's whisked away to the Department of Water (and Magic.) They are willing to help because they need Zara's skill at finding spirits to capture one in particular. It's one that is particularly dear to Chet's heart.
Zara goes over and above to connect with this spirit which can be dangerous when gorgons are involved. But a lot of the confusion over why she's in Wisteria gets solved as well as some of the feelings that she's had that things here are familiar. We also find out that Zoey has been name checked in a hundreds year old prophecy.
There is so much drama in this series. I'm hoping that there is some ending to a few of the story lines in the next book or two.

Three stars
This book came out January 15, 2017
Followed by Watchful Wisteria
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own



Saturday, October 21, 2023

Wicked Wisteria by Angela Pepper

Zara Riddle is settling in to being a witch. But something mysterious is happening in Wisteria. First, her wolfy crush and neighbor Chet asks her to keep an eye out for a spirit walker (not that Zara knows what a spirit walker is.) Then, the books in town seem to have words that disappear. Zara and her aunt make up a bookwyrm recipe that returns the words but will also make your skin turn black if you taste it. 
The solution to both turns out to be a surprise connection to the first book. 
Is this book Great Literature? No. Is it fast, fun, fluffy and worth reading? Yes.

Four stars
This book came out September 10, 2016
Followed by Wisteria Wonders
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own


Saturday, October 7, 2023

Black Arts, Tarts & Gypsy Carts by Erin Johnson

The carnival is in town! Imogen is startled to find out there is another witch who is a swallow. It is Edward, the strongman, who she meets when a pole falls on the tent and he saves them from certain death. He also offers to take on training Imogen as the only other swallow they know is Prince Henry and their relationship is... complicated. 
While at the carnival, Imogen overhears the necromancer/seer get in a fight with Rhonda. When Rhonda is later found holding a saw and the necromancer has been cut in half, she seems like the obvious suspect, at least to Inspector Bon. Imogen is determined to prove her innocence. 

Three stars
This book came out October 8, 2017
Followed by Mermaid Fins, Winds & Rolling Pins
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own


Wednesday, October 4, 2023

A Good Day to Pie by Misha Popp

I didn't read the first book in this series but didn't feel like I missed much other than the fact that I was vaguely surprised that there was magic in this book. 
Another mystery riff on the Great British Bake off, this time Daisy is a baker but she has a side business killing bad men by infusing her pies with magic. She finds her customers on the dark web. It seems like she has a significant other (couldn't tell if he knew about her side business) and a partner who does know. 
The story proceeds along as the show does, with the different bakes. It's just too bad that it turns out that Daisy's latest target is one of her judges. It's also too bad that one of the contestants ends up dead. And there's another body that shows up before the end of the story.
I liked this book well enough though the ending was a little bit more complicated than I thought it needed to be. 

Three and a half stars
This book came out February 7, 2023
Followed by The Last to Pie
Borrowed as hard copy from library
Opinions are my own

Monday, October 2, 2023

Wisteria Witches by Angela Pepper

Zara Riddle isn't sure why she decided to apply for the librarian position in Wisteria but her good feelings about the move are cemented when she gets an amazing deal on a house for herself and her daughter. Zara was a teen mom and has worked hard to be able to afford this move. She's just having some odd things happen to her like, she suddenly knows how to cook and she's thinking odd things about the man next door.
Well, not the one that's about her age, Chet. He has magnetic green eyes and seems like a good father. No, her thoughts are about his dad, Grampy Don. It's almost as if her thoughts aren't her own.
This book could have used a little more editing. It was sometimes hard to tell when Zara was in charge and when the ghost was. Also, Chet wasn't fleshed out very well and it seemed like he was being set up for big things later in the series. 

Three stars
This book comes out February 2, 2017
Followed by Wicked Wisteria
Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own


Friday, September 22, 2023

Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins Volume I by Matthew Mercer, Matthew Colville, Olivia Samson, Chris Northrop

Two adventuring crews meet up and try to solve the mystery of why people are dying near a salt water swamp. As they explore, they are set upon by another group, have to face several magical beings, and are killed dead. The beginning of the book and several pages during the story show us that people will die on this adventure but it is still wrenching to see it. 

Three and a half stars
This book came out October 15, 2019
Followed by Volume II
Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla
Opinions are my own

Friday, September 1, 2023

Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

Does anyone really want to be the Chosen One? Jessica Gold is sure shocked to find out that she might be. Especially because of the... incident... when she was a fledgling witch. But when handsome Derrick Winters shows up and says she's going to help save her town from the demons that come out every 90 years, Jessica isn't so sure but all of the evidence does seem to be pointing to the fact that he may be telling the truth. Along with the Bringer of Light, Jessica will help to save the world (or at least their corner of it.)
This was an okay start to a new series. A lot of world building meant that we missed out on the romance and that the characters weren't as well fleshed-out but it was a cute story and an okay start to a series. 

Three stars
This book comes out September 5
ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager
Opinions are my own

Monday, August 28, 2023

How to Fake-Date a Vampire by Linsey Hall

Emma Willowby has been trying to break into the local coven for awhile now. She grew up without a group or family to call her own so she's trying to find her place. One of her problems is that she hasn't quite figured out what her magic actually is yet so she can't really judge her own strengths. Something that would definitely get her into the coven would be successfully planning and pulling off the Beltane Ball but, in order to be chosen as the planner, she needs a venue. The most fabulous venue around would be the local duke's estate. But she'll need his buy-in and he's notoriously hard to get a hold of. 
Alaric is bemused by the woman that he meets first in the local pub's men's bathroom, then as the goat she is working on training headbutts him. She is refreshing, unique, and doesn't seem to be entranced by his title or his pots of money. So when his grandmother, who has been looking rather worn lately, asks about his fiancee, Alaric sees Emma as his perfect chance to make his grandmother happy. 
There are, of course, the requisite misunderstandings and deceptions around a fake relationship. There is also the last Big Misunderstanding which is blessedly short but a little out of left field. I think a number of people will make note of the fact that the title of this book has the word "vampire" in it but, other than the fact that they live the same number of years as humans and drink blood in their dinner drinks, we don't get to learn much about the lore of vampires in Hall's world which is disappointing. 

Three stars
This book comes out August 31, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Bonnie Doon Press
Opinions are my own

Friday, August 18, 2023

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. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out August 22, 2023
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group
Opinions are my own

Monday, May 29, 2023

The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall

This was a nice start to what I assume is going to be a series. If it's not, it was still a nice book. There could have been more between the two main characters. When I closed the book there didn't seem to be much other than he was hot and he's been attracted to her since she was seventeen but I was okay with it. 
Aria is moving back to her home town. London was an okay escape for awhile but her latest job has gone bust and it works out that she's been invited to participate in a contest to take over the local gardens. She needs to win; this is the garden that supplies her grandmother's potion store. Do you know how hard it is to find a supplier these days?
Callan has also been invited to compete. His face graces the covers of many magazines in the witching world. He's handsome and rich, the right combination to break any number of hearts. Except Aria's, he broke hers many years ago when one of his projects means she can no longer connect to her grandfather. 
In the very first round, Aria and Callan are paired up. While working together, she discovers more about him and a lot about herself. But I didn't feel like we learned a lot about Callan. He could have been fleshed out a little more but the story was overall just very charming. 

Four stars
This book comes out June 2, 2023
Followed by How to Fake-Date a Vampire
ARC kindly provided by Bonnie Doon Press
Opinions are my own

Monday, May 22, 2023

Magic Tides by Ilona Andrews

I think everyone knew that Kate and Curran would never be able to keep a low profile. They managed for seven years after they left Atlanta but it's all about to blow up for them. And it starts when Conlan brings his friend home. The friend's family member has been stolen by a local group that collects children but was the teen targeted? Kate is ready to go mete out some justice. Curran agrees that she should do it but asks that she keeps a low profile. It should be something that Kate can do but there's only so low a profile you can keep an underwater cult, a maybe god, and a Kraken that are all involved. 
It's good to see these two again and watching them build their lives is like revisiting old friends.

Four stars
This book came out January 17, 2023
Follows Magic Triumphs
Followed by Magic Claims
Borrowed as ebook from Libby
Opinions are my own

Friday, May 19, 2023

Witch upon a Star by Angela M. Sanders

Josie's sister is coming to visit! Sure, Jean is only there because of some MLM-ish scheme that teaches you to become a life coach, but Josie is still ecstatic. Until two dead bodies show up, both with ties to the same retreat Jean is attending. Josie is worried and, of course, she's going to investigate. But this will be while keeping her new powers on the down low. 
This was an enjoyable book to the series but I seem to be on a series of books where the characters make some bad decisions. Even her cat thinks her decisions are bad at one point but Josie barrels ahead. 
Thankfully, it's not like some other series where she's actively interfering but it seems to be getting close
 
Three and a half stars
This book comes out May 23, 2023
ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley
Opinions are my own