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Familiar Beginnings by Belinda White

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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Finished an ebook last night: Familiar Beginnings by Belinda White. It’s the prequel to her “Accidental Familiar” series of cozy witch mysteries. The main character is Amie Ravenswind, a witch with no seeming magic of her own.

When Amie’s bank account dips dangerously towards red, she accepts an assignment photographing a wedding on a remote island. Amie soon learns why her former boss didn’t take the high-paying gig—the groom is the son of an infamous mobster, and the bride is a high-maintenance model. Nevertheless, Amie is determined to do a good job. When someone murders the groom and dumps his body in Amie’s hotel room, she sets out to find out who really killed Anthony.

The story was enjoyable enough, but not everything was explained or resolved by the end. The plot meandered a bit, and characters weren’t fully fleshed out. I did like it, however, and would read more in the series.

Favorite line: “No rest for the witches.”

Decent read, but I’m only giving it an average score of three.

Larceny and Old Lace by Tamar Myers

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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In the wee hours of the morning, I finished my “spare” book, which was Larceny and Old Lace by Tamar Myers. It’s the first book in her “Den of Antiquity” series of cozy mysteries. Main character is Abigail “Abby” Timberlake.

Abby is navigating life as best she can, being recently divorced, owning and operating an antique shop, and struggling to make ends meet. Things go from bad (discovering her daughter has dropped out of college to take up with an unsavory character) to worse when Abby’s Aunt Eulonia is murdered. Abby is content to let the police handle the investigation, until suspicion falls squarely on Rob, a fellow antiques dealer who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Abby initiates an investigation of her own, landing her in the sights of a killer.

I’ve read a few others in this series and found them laugh-out-loud funny. This one fell short of that. In fact, had I read this first book first, I may not have read others in the series. The most annoying aspect was Abby’s overuse of “dear” whenever she spoke to someone. It wouldn’t have been bad had she tossed that in at the beginning of the conversation; instead each conversation was liberally sprinkled with it. Most maddening of all, however, was the motive for Eulonia’s murder. It was so mind-bogglingly absurd as to be inconceivable. Ugh.

Favorite lines:
♦ She didn’t deserve to die for it. Lightly flogged, maybe.
♦ If killer tomatoes ever mated with kudzu, we in the South would all be goners.
♦ I worked like a damless beaver who has just been handed a forecast calling for drought.
♦ Perhaps hell has no fury like a woman scorned, but there are few bonds so easily formed as those between two scorned women.
♦ Unless it’s Sonny Bono, I’m not too fond of men calling me “babe”.
♦ “Y’all was waving your arms like a pair of referees at a bad hockey game.”

Although I know for a fact that books in this series improve, this one only gets an average rating. Three stars.

( Cozy Clichés )

Glass and Sass by Laura Greenwood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I read a shortish novella last night: Glass and Sass by Laura Greenwood. It’s the prequel to the “Amethyst’s Wand Shop” series of...paranormal lite, I guess. The main character is Amethyst, of the Gemstone coven.

While biding her time, hoping to be accepted to the PPD (magical law enforcement), Amethyst helps her Grammie craft wands at her shop. She made her own wand using sea glass, which is an illicit component. Now Grammie’s wandmaking license is suspended and Amethyst’s wand has been confiscated. It’s up to her to save her Grammie’s shop and reclaim her wand by proving that sea glass is a stable component.

A short story, but fun and lively. Amethyst is a spunky, engaging character, and I admired how she stood up for herself.

Favorite line: “No rest for the witches.”

Entertaining enough to make me want to read more in the series. Four stars.

Promotions and Poisons by Laina Turner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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I read an ebook novella last night. It was Promotions & Poisons by Laina Turner. It’s the prequel to her “Presley Thurman” series of cozy mysteries, starring...Presley Thurman! I knocked this “book” back in an hour, but it was chaptered, and I’m counting it as a book read.

Presley is up for a promotion at work, but she has stiff competition for the position. When her rival is found dead in her office, the police are taking a long look at Presley. Determined to clear her name, Presley does some sleuthing of her own, dragging her work BFF into the drama with her. Will she solve the crime or get demoted to jail?

This was a fun story, although it was too short to have much substance. I don’t think we ever saw Presley anywhere but at work; therefore, it was difficult to get a handle on her as a character. The plot was fast-paced, but the resolution seemed a bit rushed.

Favorite line: “If we get caught and I get fired, I’m going to blame you.”

Giving this an average score. I have others in the series, and I hope they are meatier reads. Three stars.

( Cozy Clichés )

Shine House by Dean Rasmussen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Started reading an ebook juuuuuuuuust after midnight Saturday (night) and finished it Sunday night. The book was Shine House, which is the prequel to author Dean Rasmussen’s “Emmie Rose” series of haunted mysteries. Main character is psychic, Emmie Rose.

Emmie is able to see the ghosts of children, but she tries to avoid any contact with them. Spending spring break on the coast with her friend Angela is just the break Emmie needs to get away from her own haunted past. However, the property adjacent to that of Angela’s family features an abandoned lighthouse and an unsolved murder. A family of three died there nearly ten years ago, but no one seems to want to talk about it. When Emmie begins seeing the ghost of Lily, the child who died there, she realizes she can’t turn her back on this case. Her poking around attracts the wrong attention, and soon Emmie finds herself in danger. She teams up with Flavio, a young police officer, in hopes of solving the case and getting justice and closure for Lily.

This didn’t bill itself as a ‘cozy’, and for good reason. It was creepy and compelling, and it kept me guessing. The story featured good characterizations, a fast pace, and stunning plot twists.

Favorite line: Why must we all be broken, even in secret?

Very good, and I would certainly read more in the series.

A Plus One for Murder by Laura Bradford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Finished my latest “spare” book this evening--A Plus One for Murder, which is the first installment in author Laura Bradford’s “Friend for Hire” cozy mystery series. Main character is Emma Westlake.

With her career as a self-employed travel agent drying up, Emma is grateful that she at least earns some income for meeting a neighbor lady for tea once a week—an arrangement Dottie’s husband made before his death. Dottie suggests that Emma make a business go of it; thus, ‘Friend for Hire’ is born. While Emma is grateful that Dottie sends a couple customers her way, she’s amped up when she lands her first client, Brian, who wants her to attend open mic night with him to support his poetry reading. Emma is confused when Brian tells her that four people in attendance would rather see him dead, but when he keels over after reading only two lines of his poem, she’s forced to consider that one of them may have murdered him. Emma is content to let the police do their job, but Dottie (an avid reader of cozy mysteries) wants them to work on solving the case. Reluctant at first, Emma soon finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation.

Cute story. Emma is likable and relatable, and Dottie is a force of nature. There was a good mix of Emma investigating and working. One of her clients, Big Max, was a hoot! A couple concerns…( Spoilers )

Favorite lines:
♦ “I’m being hired to clap for a nutcase.”
♦ “No cats were harmed in the making of her excuse.”
♦ “I don’t know. I got sidetracked by the free plants.”


And, the ‘holding my breath’ line: Powered by the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, Emma stood.

Fun and entertaining, despite its editorial fumbles. Four stars.

( Cozy Clichés )

Hoodoo Heaven by Reggi Dupree

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Have just finished reading another ebook--Hoodoo Heaven by Reggi Dupree. It’s the prequel to the “Boudin, Barbecue, and Hoodoo” series of urban fantasy, starring Gwendolyn Carter.

Every woman in Gwen’s family has died before her 45th birthday. Determined to beat the curse, Gwen is hiding out in Dublin, Ireland...as far from Hoodoo, Texas as she can get. However, danger still manages to find her on the cusp of her birthday. Now she’s on the run, hoping to survive the next 24 hours. When Gwen is handed a lifeline, a beguiling man named Ash Modeus, she accepts his protection, not sure if she’s jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

An interesting and inventive story. Not a lot of world building, but there was enough dropped to keep me from feeling lost as I read. Gwen is a compelling character, tough as nails while still having a vulnerable side. I enjoyed her gumption and her sass.

Favorite lines:
♦ Hey, when you’re the shit, why be modest?
♦ “I’m from Ireland. Magic and whiskey run through my veins.”
♦ His family tree had some beautiful branches, and he’d hit each one on his way down.
♦ Demons should stay where they belonged—in hell and Washington, DC.
♦ Hallmark should make an I’ll avenge you card with varying levels of mayhem, retribution, and bloodshed.

Very good, and makes me want to read more. Four stars.

The Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I finished my current work book over my lunch hour today. It was The Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands. This is the 7th novel in her “Argeneau” series of paranormal vampire romance (which I’ve been reading wildly out of order!). The main characters are newbie immortal Elvi Black and ancient Vincent Argeneau.

As a new vamp, Elvi is still learning the ropes, but she has no one to teach her. Unbeknownst to her, the locals in her small community put an ad in the personals, hoping to attract a male vampire so that Elvi has some immortal companionship. Vincent, an enforcer for all immortals, travels to Port Henry to see what justice needs to be meted out. Immortals like him need to keep a low profile, not advertise their presence to all and sundry. When he meets Elvi, however, and realizes he can’t read her, he knows he’s found his lifemate. Now he’ll need to teach her how to comport herself, all while hoping the laws she’s already broken won’t get her executed by the council. That is, if Elvi lives that long. It seems someone in town wants her dead, and it’s up to Victor to protect her.

Fun story. I loved how Elvi gleaned information from books and movies and thought she needed to sleep in a coffin and couldn’t eat. When she first learned she could still ingest food, she nearly broke a land speed record getting to the nearest grocery store! Characters were well-developed, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out who was trying to kill Elvi. The plot moved at a good pace and unfolded in sensible fashion. There was a continuity error, in which Elvi met the eyes of another vampire in the rearview mirror of the car, long before she learned she could still see her reflection/use a mirror. Womp womp!

Favorite lines:
♦ A smart man wouldn’t stand between a woman and cheesecake.
♦ “This is another cheesecake emergency.”
♦ “That’s it? Don’t let fear stop me. We’re home now, get out. That’s your wisdom?”

One of my favorites in this series—four stars.