Love Lies by Cynthia St. Aubin

I'm guessing this series may continue after this book but this would be an okay stopping point. It would not be an okay starting point; I highly suggest reading the other two books first. This is sort of a cozy mystery (no description of the murder) series but with open door sex (you see it on the page) that wraps up Hannalore "Hanna" Harvey's romance with Mark Abernathy and her ultimate choice in whether or not she wants to become a werewolf. In this book, she meets Mark's father, a demigod, a unicorn, and many more famous people ripped from the pages of our history books. Is the world-building a little shaky? Yes. Are some of the plot points a little loose? In places. But if you're reading for that, you're not going to enjoy this book anyway. It didn't suck me in like the first book did but it still retained the zaniness and humor that other books in the series had and I really like Hanna as a character. She was a little shaky after a divorce when the books started but really grew into a woman who vacillated between two men (sort of) which normally annoys me but St. Aubin made it pretty clear who Hanna was going to end up with and followed through without too much shilly-shallying. 

Three stars

Follows Love Sucks

Followed by Love Binds

This book came out October 27th

ARC kindly provided by Oliver Heber Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige

It took me awhile to get into this book. Possibly, it's my reading temperament at the moment but part of it was sort of not being captured by the characters until a few chapters in (there was almost too MUCH information about them without creating any depth). But, boy, am I glad I stuck it out. The Big Bad is sort of obvious from the beginning but it is an emotional journey to see how Vivi, who doesn't know that she's a witch, and saddled-with-an-overachieving-witch-family-legacy Scarlett will band together with the other Kappa Rho Nus in order to save them all.

The joys in this book were the way Morgan wove together some familiar themes (sororities, witches, sisterhood, opposites becoming friends) in what feels like a fresh way. Teenage drama with a resolution that still leaves room for a sequel.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out November 3rdARC kindly provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Happily Hereafter by Nova Nelson

 If you wanted a Parks-and-Rec-type finale to this Eastwind, you got it. Everyone in Eastwind is acting strange and it's really bothering Nora. At least she's getting to spend some time with her father (even if she is a acting like a teenager around him.) The weirdness is hyped by a string of mysterious notes that seem to hint at something dire coming to town. Something that will affect Nora personally. As she moves from note to note, we get to see almost every major character (or ponder on them) from the series.
A sweet, if somewhat insubstantial, story to end the series. I skipped quite a few books in the middle (I just wanted to see how the series ended without all of the push and pull of a sort-of-love-triangle) but didn't feel like I missed anything.

Three stars
This book came out January 31st, 2020

Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Love Sucks by Cynthia St. Aubin

Hannalore "Hanna" Harvey is still reeling from the news she found out in the first book (I highly recommend reading that book before this one.) She's not sure she wants to make any big choices at this point in her life but that doesn't sit well with her boss and love interest Mark Abernathy. In fact, he decides to make himself scarce for a good portion of the book leaving Hanna with some quirky characters including some names that almost every reader will know. She is suddenly also besieged by suitors, most of whom she doesn't really want.
A light, fun read. Hanna does have some feelings (and interactions) with the man who is being built up to be the overall hero of the series so if that gives you feelings of squick, this may not be the series for you. A little crazy, lots of mythical creatures, perfect reading for when you need a book just to pick up and plow through.

Three and a half stars
Follows Love Bites
Followed by Love Lies
This book came out May 19th, 2020
Ebook from Kindle
Opinions are my own

Love Bites by Cynthia St. Aubin

Sometimes you have to stretch the truth just a little. Sometimes you feel like you have to stretch the truth a whole lot which is what happens when Hannalore "Hanna" Harvey does with her resume in order to land a job as an assistant in a... well, it seems like a cross between an art store and a curiosity shop. But all is not as it seems. There are artists that live on-site and some interesting... quirks... about her new boss, Mark Abernathy. Inspector Morrison of the local police is trying to make Hanna believe that Abernathy is a killer. And Hanna is beginning to believe that all the clues are adding up to prove just that. 

This book is nuts. There are some weird plot points and obvious plot holes and just some things that make no sense but I overall loved the book, stayed up WAY too late reading it and ordered the second book the next day.

Four stars

Followed by Love Sucks

This book came out November 4th, 2019

Ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

Black Witch Magic by Mila Nicks

In the seventies, Selene Blackstone's grandmother royally pissed off another witch who cursed the family; none of the women in their line will be allowed to leave Brimrock (Brim-rock; Black-stone -- I was expecting more of a connection but none ever came up) and none will find love. In fact, the Blackstone family has been blamed for every evil in the town since then. Which makes it really fun to be there but Selene still does the best she can, even working at the library where her boss hates her but she still gets to spend time with books.

Aiden O'Hare is making a living as the skeptical part of a duo of paranormal hunters on an online platform that seems to be similar to YouTube. He really doesn't believe in magic or the paranormal and he really doesn't enjoy the holidays but he is in Brimrock with his best friend/co-host in order to spend Christmas with the co-host's family (very much against his will but it seems like he's got nothing better to do.) Little does he know that he is about to find a real-live witch.

This was a nice start to a series. A little jerky in places and it seemed like some parts weren't developed while others were developed too much but I liked both Selene and Aiden. And their sex scene was very much more realistic than some which I really enjoyed (I'm guessing that there are few people who have male partners who haven't experienced this at one point or another.) Some of the other characters didn't get as many dimensions (especially the Big Bad) but I'm hoping that further books will give us more insights into some of them. Plenty of sequel bait.

Three and a half stars

This book comes out October 30th

ARC kindly provided by Mila Nicks and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Thread Doodling by Carina Envoldsen-Harris

A little bit of a different look at crafting. You get the requisite beginning pages teaching you some basic stitches. I hadn't seen the butterfly before so that was neat. I also liked that Envoldsen-Harris really encourages you to make designs your own but also has suggestions on how to do that if you aren't particularly a natural at doing things like that (points to self.) 

Is this book going to set the crafting world on it's head? Not really. But there are fun designs that you can print out and transfer, vibrant colors, and a sense of whimsy that you can gather in and update in your own style.

Four stars

This book came out August 4th

ARC kindly provided by Search Press and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own