The Case of the Case of Kilcladdich by P.J. Fitzsimmons, Tim Bruce (Narrator)

There are two whiskey distilleries in Glen Glennegie and every so often, there is a tasting to determine which one will be the Glen Glenngie label. This is the year and Anty is in the village as one of the three tasters. The other two are a childhood friend that he could almost fall in love with and the golf-mad widow of the colonel who used to be the third chair. She doesn’t seem to know much about tasting whiskey but she does know a lot about golf. 

Before the tasting can even happen, one of the patriarchs of the two feuding families is killed. Then the other. It seems obvious that the two murders are related. Inspector [] is brought in to help. A foe (of sorts) to Anty, he is determined to solve the case. But Anty has some help this time in the form of Fiona. 

Did the mystery make a lot of sense? Eh. Was it a thoroughly delightful romp along the way? Oh yes. 

Three and a half stars

Anty Boisjoly #6

This book came out May 5, 2023

Follows Reckoning at the Riviera Royale

Followed by Foreboding Foretelling at Ficklehouse Felling

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood, Evie Hargreaves (Narrator)

Belladonna (Bella) Blackthorn works in a bookstore. She used to love her job but the owner’s son has come in  and is trying to stamp out all of the charm of the place. She does living with her best friend and she is about to turn thirty. To her surprise, turning thirty is going to be a bigger deal than she thought. 
Apparently, when witches turn thirty, they have to go in front of a tribunal and there is a full review of the way they’ve used their magic since it was granted when they turned fifteen. If they’ve used it for good, they get to keep their magic. If they’ve used it for evil, it gets taken away. Bella… hasn’t really used it. So she is going to have the month of October to try and push the needle either one way or the other. And she’s getting a tutor. It’s the last of the magic people who had their magic taken away. 
I’m not sure why I finished this story except that I had paid for the audiobook so it seemed like I should listen to it. I really, really did not like Bella. Throughout the whole book, she was naïve and passive. More like a new adult than someone turning thirty. And the twists and turns ended up being a bit too much for me. There was a LOT of story in one little book. 

Two and a half stars
This book came out September 19, 2024

Audible book I own

Opinions are my own

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

A friend of mine REALLY enjoyed this as an audiobook. I am a little more lukewarm. McConaughey is definitely an actor, not an audiobook narrator. His reading often sounds almost like he is singing with the cadence that he gives his stories. That being said, I do often enjoy the authors reading their own books, especially when it's a biography so I tried to immerse myself in it. 

It is very raw, honest, and real, based off the journals McConaughey has been keeping his whole life. There are definitely interesting stories here (including the infamous bongo incident) and his voice definitely lines up with the experiences my friends had when he visited our town. 

Three stars

This book came out October 20, 2020

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Shane and the Hitwoman by Bob Mayer

I love Agnes and the Hitman (definitely read, don't listen) so I thought I'd try this series. Agnes is not in this book and a few of the couples at the end of the last book are no longer couples in this book so a lot of that book is undone. If you are looking for a continuation of that book this book is ... fine. If you aren't expecting it to be a sequel, it's going to ge more enjoyable. 

Agnes is on trip even though she's set up the wedding of leaders from another country. A very small country. And, of course, there are going to be dramatics that play into Shane's strengths. And those of the scrappy new comer to The Organization, Phoebe.

Three stars

The Organization #1

Followed by Phoebe and the Traitor

This book came out November 16, 2021

Opinions are my own

Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey

I picked up this novella because it looked cute. I finished this book because it was short. 

Britta is a server whose brother is on a minor league hockey team. For her, they're all off-limits. Mostly because she's not interested. Except Sumner. Dude's hot. But he's about to be deported, just as he's about to make it into the big leagues. At leas his teammates are convinced that it's about to happen. So they make a deal. A year of marriage for a green card while she gets money to buy into the bar. 

In alternating viewpoints, we watch the months turn over as Britta and Sumner fall more in love. 

The story was... fine. But it was hard to see how Britta would change her mind about marriage. 

Three stars

This book came out December 1, 2023

Same Time Next Year #1 

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinons are my own

Deception Cove by Jayne Castle

I quite enjoyed this addition to the Castle canon. The story falls close on the heels of The Lost Night with Harry's brother Drake becoming the hero.
Three years ago, Drake was in an explosion that made him unable to see in the daylight. In fact, any strong light causes pain. But he can see quite well in the dark and even people who are trying to make themselves invisible.
Alice North is an unusual woman. In a society that focuses on family, she was raised an orphan. Also, she is a strong enough light talent that she can literally shift light enough to make it appear as though objects disappear.
Drake and Alice meet one night when (like many of the Castle books) Alice's latest place of employment has been shut down and she is now in the midst of being attacked by two street thugs. Alice handles it herself and Drake is duly impressed (and attracted, this is a romance after all). He then propositions her. A Marriage of Convenience that will help keep her ex-mother-in-law off her back and let Alice earn some money. In exchange, Alice has to travel with him to Rainshadow and help take down the paranormal storm that is raging out of control.

What does Alice have to lose? A chance at enough money to keep her going for awhile, even some fabulous riches, get her mother off her back and all she has to do is honeymoon at the same place her last new husband tried to kill her. Piece of cake. 

Three stars

This book came out August 27, 2013

Rain Shadow #2, Ghosthunters #10

Follows The Lost Night

Followed by The Hot Zone

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd

Someone has stepped up to claim Miss Morton’s family title. The Scuttons from Epping in Essex have applied to the earldom. Except, of the three there, Mrs. Scutton, the claimant’s mother, seems like the only one who is pushing the information. Thomas seems somewhat indifferent while his sister Mary downright doesn’t believe it. 

But, before Caroline can pull out the information that Mary knows, the woman is killed. Mrs. Scutton is there and sees Mary's newly-freed-from-prison husband and his brother running away. We don't get to see the husband much, but everyone seems inclined to beleive Mrs. Scutton. Why would she lie?

If you've read the Miss Morton stories before, you can probably guess some of the twists. Still fairly light and I really wish we had gotten to see more of the husband, but a quick, mostly enjoyable read. 

Three stars

This book comes out September 30, 2025

Miss Morton #4

Follows Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own