Rise and Divine by Lana Harper

Daria "Dasha" Avramov is a devil eater and it's complicated her life in any number of ways. First, demons do NOT taste good. In fact, they are downright nasty. And eating them makes her thirsty. Really, really thirsty. And her ability makes it so that it is very easy for her to be pulled across the veil. In many ways, she'd actually prefer to be there. But Ivy Thorn isn't there.

Ivy knew that Dasha had a complicated past. Well, and that her current life is complicated. Her future probably will be as well. That's why the broke up. But she is incredibly hot. Which is why they got back together. But then they broke up again. Ivy would have said they were never, ever, ever getting back together but then things start happening 

Four stars

This book comes out August 20, 2024

The Witches of Thistle Grove #5

Follows In Charm's Way

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group

Opinions are my own

Miss Morton and the Deadly Inheritance by Catherine Lloyd

At the end of the last book in this series, Caroline's aunt had died. This book opens with an invitation to her aunt's funeral as well as a reminder that Caroline needs to get in touch with her father's lawyer about his will. Since her father was rather profligate, Caroline does not feel the need to rush over since she is fairly certain it will just be the lawyer wanting her to pay some of her late father's debts. 

The news at her aunt's funeral is not what Caroline expected. She and her sister both receive some inheritance. The news at her father's lawyer's is also unexpected. Both sets of information are going to lead to some harrowing experiences for Miss Morton... and her sister. 

Four stars

Miss Morton #3

Follows Miss Morton And The Spirits Of The Underworld

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Publishing and NetGalley

Opinions are my own 

What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

I enjoyed this book and think I will look for it in a hard copy. 

Goldsmith talks not only about the things that you SHOULD do but also the things you should NOT do. He mentioned that too many of us fall into the trap of thinking that we can just do MORE of the thing that got us to a particular point to help us get to the next level. There is also a lot of food for thought about how we talk to the people around us, being realistic without too much positivity or negativity.

Four stars

This book came out January 9, 2007

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

This book is told mainly from the third person omniscient for Kat and Dorothy, both of whom live in Shelley House. Kat has only recently moved in but Dorothy has lived their most of her life. What brings the two together? The threat of eviction. Well, Dorothy doesn't believe it will happen and Kat is cynical about what they can do. But then someone in the building is attacked and the two, as well as the other people in their apartment building will band together and form a community.
I don't love time jumps but, other than that, this was a nice, easy read even though it dealt with some tough topics.

Three and a half stars

This book came out 

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Juniper Bean has just hit a low point in her life (and her life has had some LOW points). So she's moving back to the town where she grew up. And, shocker, her new roommate is her old tutor. 

Aiden is NOT happy to see Juniper. She's the student who gave him a Christmas gift and then tried to kiss him. He could have gotten in so much trouble so he rebuffed her as hard as he could. Now she's living in his house acting as if that interaction never happened.

I never connected with Juniper nor could I really understand what the two of them had in common other than attraction. And this story line felt sort of adjacent to the mystery of the body that the two discover which is somehow tied in to the mystery of Juniper's birth.

Three stars

This book came out March 31, 2023

Happily Ever Homicide #1

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

A number of people are gathered at the Manor in Tome. Francesca Meadows has refitted her family mansion to be a fancy health spa and this is the opening weekend. But there seem to be a number of things going wrong. Not with her new husband of course; she and Owen Dacre are just perfect. Aren't they? But there are little cracks starting to show everywhere. Not everyone is who they seem to be and the past may be coming back to haunt her.

Three and a half stars

This book came out June 18, 2024

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Wow, if you liked Practical Magic, you will really enjoy this book as well. The Waverly family is well known in Bascom, North Carolina as being a little strange. The apples from the tree in their back yard will show you the most significant happening in your life. If it's good, the rest of life pales in comparison and if it's bad... you spend the rest of your life trying to avoid it. That's what happened to Claire and Sydney's mother. She ate an apple and spent the rest of her life running. It affected the way both Claire and Sydney grew up. Claire clung to the town while Sydney couldn't wait to get away. But now Sydney's back with her young daughter.

I would definitely compare this to Alice Hoffman, not least because of the mystical elements, Claire is a fantastic gardener and can cook emotions into the food she serves up in her catering business. Sydney's daughter knows where things belong. And Clair and Sydney's cousin Evanelle always knows when to give people things (including giving condoms to a married woman whose husband is known to be impotent). Great read, would love to read it again.

Four and a half stars

This book came out August 28, 2007

Waverly Family #1

Followed by First Frost

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus catalog

Opinions are my own