chez_jae: (Books)
Petal to the Metal (The Bloomin' Psychic, #1)Petal to the Metal by Annabel Chase

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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Finished an ebook last night: Petal to the Metal by Annabel Chase. It’s the first installment in the “Bloomin’ Psychic” series of paranormal mysteries. The main character is Amelia “Mia” Thorne.

Mia’s life has imploded. She lost her boyfriend, her home, and her job in one spectacular fail. However, Mia learns she has inherited a house from her great-aunt Hazel, whom she never met. She leaves NYC behind for the relative peace and quiet of a small town in Pennsylvania. Thinking she can sell Hazel’s house, Mia is dismayed to find out the will stipulates she must live in it for at least twelve months. Now she’s stuck with a house, an overgrown garden, and an even more overgrown cat. At least Hazel’s attorney, Dane, is easy on the eyes, as is his detective brother, Derek. Mia also meets some neighbors, Scarlett and Patrick, who quickly become friends and confidants. Just as she’s thinking things aren’t so bad, one of Hazel’s friends is found, bludgeoned to death in the garden. Initially a suspect, Mia starts asking questions to find out who really killed Gladys.

Fun and frivolous! I enjoyed Mia’s wit and how she rolled with the punches. Scarlett and Patrick were perfect foils and added an additional element of mystery and humor. The cat, Ophelia, was a cult of personality unto herself, and it was refreshing that Mia’s romantic sights focused on the attorney rather than the detective. Characters were all portrayed well, and the narrative proceeded smoothly and kept my attention.

Favorite lines:
♦ Based on her size, it seemed likely that Ophelia ate anyone she disliked.
♦ “I’ve found that life is nothing but a series of reactions to surprises.”
♦ “Ophelia brought you a gift. It means she’s warming to you.” // “What will she bring if she really likes me? Herpes and a side of creamed corn?” // “Ew. Creamed corn is the devil’s work.”
♦ “Top Signs You’re a Witch. Is that some kind of Harry Potter handbook?”
♦ “It’s your spidey sense.” // “Or Scooby-sense.” I related more to the hungry Great Dane than the lithe superhero.
♦ “Random bus boy was not on my murder bingo card.”
♦ “What would’ve happened if she drank it?” // “Probably diarrhea. Or death.” // I gasped. “A literal crapshoot.”


And my least favorite line:
”You notice repeated numbers or patterns.” // “Ooh, yes! I love when the clock on my phone says 11:11.” WTF?

Delightful fun! Five stars!

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chez_jae: (Archer book)
The Pernicious Pixie and the Choked Word (Point Muse #0.5)The Pernicious Pixie and the Choked Word by Kelly Ethan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I polished off an ebook last night: The Pernicious Pixie and the Choked Word, which is the prequel to author Kelly Ethan’s “Point Muse” series of paranormal mysteries. The main character is librarian Alexandria “Xandie” Meyers, who doesn’t know she’s a witch.

Xandie would rather be doing anything but working for her austere father at the library at Andrews College, but she needs a job. As if working for her persnickety father wasn’t bad enough, Xandie stumbles over a dead body in the library. When paranormal investigator Ethan Jackson arrives to investigate, Xandie learns there’s more to this world than meets the eye. Her father won’t tell her anything, and all Ethan will tell her is to go to Point Muse, where her great-aunt Sera lived. First, however, Xandie must survive harmful hexes and murderous pixies if she wants to live long enough to visit Point Muse.

Not a long story, but put together well for all that. Characters came across fine, the plot was sensible and not bogged down with a lot of incidental descriptors.

Favorite lines:
♦ “What scrapbook nut outlines a dead body in glitter?”
♦ “Never threaten a woman with a broom.”
♦ “He’ll poop hell kittens if I don’t wind this up.”
♦ No one should ever have to deal with the horror of zombie underwear.
♦ “Some tea to go with your sarcasm?”


Lite and lively, four stars!
chez_jae: (Archer book)
The Time-Out (Business as Usual #1)The Time-Out by Vinni George

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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After company cleared out today and I had an epic nap, I finished reading The Time-Out by Vinni George. It’s the first in the “Business As Usual” series of contemporary male/male romance. Lead characters are workaholic Oscar and the more laid-back, impulsive Cole.

As CEO of his family’s business, Oscar takes his job very seriously. Too seriously, if you ask his parents. They declare they’re sending him to time-out via a nonrefundable, nontransferable, and nonnegotiable vacation. Oscar is horrified, but things begin to look up when Cole, a handsome hipster, drops into the plane seat beside him. When Oscar learns that Cole plans to wing it his entire vacation, he impetuously invites him to stay in the extra bedroom of the villa his parents have rented for him. Soon, Oscar finds himself being dragged into one adventure after another, and he’s astonished when he enjoys it.

For Cole, life is an adventure. He flies standby and goes wherever he can get a ticket. When he accepts Oscar’s invitation, he makes it his mission to get the uptight businessman to unwind a little. The more time they spend together, the more undeniable their attraction to one another becomes. They succumb to the heat building between them, knowing full well that it’s just a holiday fling and wishing it can be more. When Oscar and Cole learn they both live in San Diego, they promise to keep in touch, but can their busy work schedules accommodate their budding relationship?

Delightful fun! It was endearing to see how Oscar learned to relax and let someone else take charge for once, and it was also nice that Cole pushed him out of his comfort zone without overwhelming Oscar. Although there was conflict with schedules and real life once they returned home, the story overall was low-angst. Intimate scenes were spicy and well-paced throughout.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Get up here. If this thing collapses, I don’t want to tumble down alone.”
♦ “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.”
♦ “I find being too serious to be a horrible way to go through life.”


Lovely story, four stars
chez_jae: (Books)
The Great Witches Baking Show (Great Witches Baking Show, #1)The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I finished an ebook last night. It was The Great Witches Baking Show by Nancy Warren. It’s the first book in her Great Witches Baking Show series. The main character is Poppy Wilkinson, baker and novice witch.

Abandoned as a baby, Poppy is determined to learn more about her birth mother. When she sees a painting in a grand British home of a woman wearing a shawl that matches her baby blanket, Poppy is desperate to gain access to the family that live there. Fortunately for her, the newest season of The Great British Baking Contest is being filmed on the grounds, and Poppy has been chosen as a contestant. The show is not without drama, however, with accusations of sabotage. When Gerry, a fellow contestant, dies under mysterious circumstances, Poppy is convinced he was murdered. So does Gerry, who’s shown up as a ghost. Poppy has always had the ability to see spirits, and she learns that it may be due to a witchy inheritance she knew nothing about. Now Poppy has two goals: solve Gerry’s murder, and get into Broomwode Hall.

Fun story. Poppy is a likable character, and I enjoyed how quickly she made friends with some of the other people involved in the show, including other contestants. One of the judges, Elspeth, is a witch, and she’s the one who clued Poppy in to her own heritage. Characters were three-dimensional, and the plot was sensible and entertaining.

Favorite lines:
♦ One bad move could snowball into catastrophe.
♦ “We’re more powerful when we work together. That’s why we have covens.”
♦ “What kind of man sabotages another man’s pie?”


Light, enjoyable read. Four stars.
chez_jae: (Books)
A Killing in Kula (Maui Mayhem Cozy Mystery #2)A Killing in Kula by Aysia Amery

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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I finished reading A Killing in Kula last night. It’s the second in author Aysia Amery’s “Maui Mayhem” series. The main character is Ginger Lee. She’s a caterer, and she can see ghosts, which comes in handy when there’s murder afoot.

When a local man drops dead on his protea farm, at first it seems he died of natural causes. However, when Ginger visits, she encounters Tony’s ghost, and he’s convinced he was murdered. Ginger relays the information to her friend, Pako, who’s on the police force. Pako begins investigating, with an assist from Ginger. There were five other people on the farm that day, and one of them is a killer.

This was cute and light, but it lacked any substance. Virtually the entirety of the story was taken up with Ginger’s sleuthing (and Pako’s). I liked their easy camaraderie. Characterizations were okay. The narrative was straight-forward, but again, I would have liked to see more of Ginger doing things other than investigating.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Have a cookie. It’ll make you feel better. Is it helping?” // “No, but I might as well enjoy my misery while I’m at it.”
♦ It ain’t over until the fat Menehune sings.


Neither awful nor exceptional—average score of three.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
A Murderous Macaron (Beachfront Bakery #2)A Murderous Macaron by Fiona Grace

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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I finished reading A Murderous Macaron by Fiona Grace last night. It’s the second book in her “Beachfront Bakery” series. The main character is Ali Sweet, who owns...a beachfront bakery!

Now that Ali’s bakery, Seaside Sweets, has established itself via her gourmet cupcakes, she’s ready to branch out. Ali intends to begin offering macarons. Her launch day is a huge success. That is, until Brandon Lennox, a vlogger who gets his views by being rude and pranking people, stops at her bakery. After trying and spitting out her macarons, Brandon drops dead. When it’s determined he was poisoned, everyone assumes Ali did him in. With her bakery now closed as a crime scene, Ali takes it upon herself to find out who really killed Brandon.

I did not enjoy this at all. Murder by poison is completely overdone in cozy mysteries. This isn’t the middle ages, for heaven’s sake! Also, the EMT isn’t going to make a determination as to what killed the victim and then alert the police; it would be up to a doctor to notify the police that the death is suspicious. Since Ali’s bakery was closed down the bulk of the story dealt with her amateur investigation. I thought she was too quick to jump to conclusions, alienating other characters. My favorite scene was when Ali went to talk to Fat Tony, the mobster who has taken a shine to her. The twins who own competing pizza places on either side of Seaside Sweets also provided some comic relief.

Favorite lines:
♦ She loved baking because it spread joy.
♦ “Quite a pickle we’ve found ourselves in, huh?”
♦ Sharing a pizza with the mob was the last thing Ali really wanted to be doing.


Disappointingly ho-hum. Two stars.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
A Guide to Solving A Murder (Finn and Briar Cozy Mystery #1)A Guide to Solving A Murder by Courtney McFarlin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I just polished off the last of A Guide to Solving a Murder, the first book in author Courtney McFarlin’s “Finn and Briar” series of cozy mysteries. Main characters are Tessa Windsor, along with her border collie, Finn, and her cat, Briar.

Tess is living the high life. She has her own business leading hikes in the Colorado Rockies, her faithful pets by her side, a brother whom she’s close to, and her BFF, Meggie. Her life is shaken up, however, when she and Paul are named as heirs to a woman they never knew—their great-aunt Euphemia. Paul inherits Euphemia’s home, but Tess inherits her magic. Now she can communicate with her cat and dog, which is amazing. Not so amazing is the very real nightmare Tess has of witnessing a woman’s murder. She recognizes the trail from her dream and travels there, only to find the woman’s body. Both Tess and Paul soon dig into the investigation, Tess by asking questions and Paul utilizing his skills and contacts as a journalist. Finn and Briar lend assistance where they can, and when Tessa gets too close to a killer, it will be up to her pets and her newfound magic to save the day.

Apparently, this series is a spinoff of the author’s “Razzy Cat” series. I have a few book in that series but have yet to read any. At least this one didn’t produce any overt spoilers. I loved Tessa’s ability to speak to Finn and Briar. Who among us wouldn’t want to talk to our pets? Characterizations were wonderful, including the pets. I liked how Paul and Meggie continued to dance around their attraction to one another. The plot moved quickly and held my attention.

Favorite lines:
♦ “It’s been my dream to talk to animals since I was a little girl.”
♦ “He couldn’t find his way out of a wet paper bag with a guide dog.”
♦ One never passes up donuts when one doesn’t have to.


Fun read, four stars

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chez_jae: (Archer book)
A Wild Ghost Chase (Reaper Witch #1)A Wild Ghost Chase by Elle Adams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Earlier this evening I knocked back the rest of A Wild Ghost Chase by Elle Adams. It’s the first book in the “Reaper Witch” series of paranormal mysteries. The main character is Maura, half witch, half Reaper.

After breaking the rules as a Reaper, Maura has turned her back on her paranormal life to live among non-magical people. However, her ability to see and communicate with ghosts continues to plague her. Now she’s been sacked from her job in a morgue and wondering how she’ll pay the rent. Maura is contacted by a teenage ghost blogger who asks her to come to Hawkwood Hollow to lay a particularly nasty ghost to rest. Maura accepts the job, but what she finds in Hawkwood Hollow is unexpected. There are far too many random spirits hanging around, even for a magical town, and she learns that the local Reaper has quit his job and is no longer crossing souls over. Teenage ghost-hunter wannabe, Carey, shows Maura the dilapidated old mansion where the surly spirit refuses to leave. What should be a simple case for a Reaper witch is complicated by a detective who doesn’t want Maura there, a belligerent heir, and her own twin brother, Mart, whose ghost is still attached to her. Maura is determined to get to the bottom of things, if only for Carey’s sake and to show Detective Drew that she knows what she’s doing.

This was a little bit fluffy and a little bit creepy. The ghost of old Mrs Renner was a nasty piece of work, as was her very much alive grandson, Henry Renner. Maura keeps being thwarted by the detective each time she tries to enter the house to communicate with Mrs Renner, and the old harridan is determined to stay put. Maura and Carey were portrayed well, but other characters could have used some fleshing out. The story was almost exclusively Maura’s investigation with some backstory thrown in.

Favorite line: Most magical folk are about as subtle as a troupe of unicycle-riding clowns juggling fireballs.

Not all that substantial, but enjoyable. It deserves 3.5 stars, but since I can’t award halfsies, I’ll bump it up to a four.
chez_jae: (Books)
A Witch in Time (Cat's Paw Cove #1)A Witch in Time by Catherine Kean

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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Finished reading A Witch in Time by Catherine Kean and Wynter Daniels last night. It’s the first book in the “Cat’s Paw Cove” series of...paranormal romance, I guess. The main characters are Luna Halpern (witch, baker, cat rescuer) and Colin Wilshire (17th century inventor).

While sailing to a new life in Barbados with his pregnant bride, the ship Colin is aboard encounters a fierce storm and sinks. He wakes up in an odd place with a strange, blue-haired beauty standing over him. Luna discovers one of the historic reenactors on the beach, soaking wet and injured. At first she believes he’s stubbornly staying in character, but Luna soon realizes that Colin has traveled through time to Cat’s Paw Cove. He’s not the first stray she’s rescued, but she finds herself oddly reluctant to see him leave, even if it’s for the best. Colin is confused and amazed by the time and place he’s found himself. He feels a responsibility to return to his wife, but he realizes he is fast falling for the spirited witch who rescued him.

The premise of the story was interesting, but the book was far too short to do it justice. Colin adjusted remarkably well and quickly to the 21st century. One would imagine his circumstances alone should have broken his brain. Characterizations were marginal at best. This is the first in a series, but I felt I’d been dropped into Cat’s Paw Cove, too. There wasn’t much plot; it was more a series of scenes or events. Very little made sense. And, of course, our main characters fell in love in a matter of days, which is so cringe.

Favorite line: “It could have been worse, but I wish it had been better.”

I wanted to like this, but it left me very meh. Two stars.
chez_jae: (Books)
A Ghostly Beginning (Cobwebs and Curiosities Book 1)A Ghostly Beginning by Ravyn Amara

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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Polished off another ebook last night: A Ghostly Beginning by Ravyn Amara. It’s the first book in the “Cobwebs & Curiosities” series of ghostly cozy mysteries. The main character is Holly Goodwin.

Holly has been able to see and speak to ghosts since she was a child. But, after her mother exploited the ability for her own gain, Holly has spent years stoically ignoring any ghost she encounters, and it’s been working for her. Until the day she comes into possession of a ring with a spirit attached to it. The woman was murdered and wants Holly to help find her killer. Holly reluctantly agrees and begins delving into the woman’s last days in an effort to find out who killed her. The investigation, however, may put Holly’s life in danger as well.

A bit different than the normal ‘mc can communicate with spirits’ trope, in that Holly had to be in proximity with an item the spirit was attached to. The story was interesting. I had hoped for more humor, but Holly is a somber character. This was novella-length, so there wasn’t much world-building, but there was enough to provide a solid framework. I liked Holly’s dog, a hyper, one-eyed Jack Russell.

Favorite line: She was glad she wasn’t going to be alone for her last few moments.

Good, not great: three stars

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chez_jae: (Archer book)
Purrfect Healing (Tropes Are Us)Purrfect Healing by Tiana Renatus

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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I finished reading Purrfect Healing on Monday night. It’s the first “Tropes Are Us” book by author Tiana Renata. It’s a male/male paranormal romance featuring Alpha Ryder and Omega Samson, both lion shifters.

Author Ryder Zemar has longed to find a mate of his own, and when he begins picking up tantalizing scents of the man he knows is his, Ryder’s writing gets an inspirational boost. Now he just needs to track down his Omega, and his life will be perfect.

Rejected by his family for being an Omega, Samson doesn’t believe in fated mates. He works in construction and indulges in one-night stands. However, when he has the opportunity to spend a night with his favorite author, Samson can’t resist. He pulls a runner afterward, not knowing why he feels compelled to seek Ryder out again.

This was rather jumbled. World building was frustratingly scant, merely touching on a dystopian event that led to shifters outing themselves. Alphas and Omegas are rare, as most shifters present as Betas, but no real explanation was given as to why. Characterizations were not great. The main characters came across as dramatic, mopey teens most of the time. I did like that Ryder, the Alpha, was a second son, not the oldest, and that Samson, an Omega, was strong and powerful.

Favorite lines:
♦ “It’s love we need and love sometimes requires us to fight.”
♦ “Love simply is. It always has been and it always will be.”
♦ “If you’re good, I’ll buy you a lollipop after we’re finished.”


Eh...two stars.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Impurrfect Magic (Unfamiliar Magic Book 1)Impurrfect Magic by Paula Lester

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Last night I finished an ebook. It was Impurrfect Magic by Paula Lester. It’s the first book in the “Unfamiliar Magic” series of paranormal cozies. The main character is Ivy Patterson.

Ivy has ditched her old life in favor of moving back to her hometown, where she works in her uncle’s produce store. Uncle Vincent is training Ivy to take over the business, with an eye on retiring once she’s ready. Things are going well until Ivy finds her uncle dead in the store. While his death appears from natural causes, Ivy can’t help but wonder. When a black kitten emerges into the shop from a secret, back room, Ivy stumbles upon her uncle’s secret. He’s been running a side-hustle—using his magic to do odd jobs for people. It forces Ivy to confront her painful past—her mother once declared that Ivy’s magic was dark and that she must never use it. However, Vince also had dark magic, and Ivy doesn’t believe he ever used it to cause harm. At the kitten’s unspoken urging, Ivy begins to piece together the last few days of her uncle’s life in an effort to find who may have wanted to kill him...and why.

A fun story. Ivy is likable, as were other characters in her “orbit”. Of course, she encountered some unsavory characters over the course of her investigation, but they were only transient. The kitten, Tabby, had magic of her own, but she was not a talking cat. That was refreshing. The narrative unfolded at a sensible pace, although the majority of it was consumed with Ivy’s sleuthing. There were some minor editing errors, such as one character whose name was alternately spelled either Shye or Skye

Favorite lines:
♦ I changed my jeans because the first pair got too tight in the dryer. I swear it was the dryer.
♦ “Hey, didn’t you die yesterday?”


Enjoyable—four stars.

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Purrs and Peril (Norwegian Forest Café #1)Purrs and Peril by Jinty James

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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Have just finished reading Purrs and Peril by Jinty James. It’s the first book in the author’s “Norwegian Forest Café” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Lauren Crenshaw, who owns and runs the café with Annie, her Norwegian Forest cat, and her cousin, Zoe.

Lauren enjoys her life, running her café with her cousin. It’s even a certified cat café so that Annie can interact with customers. Lauren and Zoe are shocked when they learn one of their regular customers, Steve, has died. When the police determine he was poisoned, the cousins begin to suspect everyone, even elderly Mrs Finch, who’s been teaching them to knit. However, with Annie’s help, they soon zero in on the killer. Unfortunately, the killer is zeroing in on them, as well.

This was cute enough to be termed cutesy. Very little drama, but that can be refreshing at times. Characterizations were okay, and the plot made sense as it progressed. I did get annoyed with how each time Lauren interacted with the detective (or thought about him), she thought of him as “Detective Denman—Mitch”. Typically, a character does the opposite: thinks of the police officer by his first name before mentally correcting herself and reinforcing his title. I half expected her to whip out a spiral-bound notebook and begin writing “Mrs Lauren Denman” on it. Sheesh.

Favorite lines:
♦ “I told myself if my cat wasn’t scared of the weather, then I shouldn’t be, either.”
♦ “There’s just something about him that makes me wonder if I’ve committed a crime I’m not aware of and he’s going to arrest me.”


Fun, but rather basic. Average score of three.

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chez_jae: (Archer book)
Purrfect Cut (The Mysteries of Max #14)Purrfect Cut by Nic Saint

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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I stayed up a tad late last night to finish reading Purrfect Cut by Nic Saint. It’s the 14th in the “Mysteries of Max” series of cozy cat mysteries. Lead characters are Max, the cat, and Odelia, his human.

When a famous fashion designer is found murdered in his bed with his live-in lover hovering over him and holding the knife, the case seems pretty clear. Nevertheless, Detective Chase Kingsley is tasked with investigating, and he’s accompanied to the designer’s home by Odelia and her four cats. The cats, however, are feeling neglected and decide to go on strike and not help Odelia investigate. Their decision has dire consequences when Max and Dooley are accidentally left behind, where they find themselves confronted by another “cat whisperer” and his nasty Siamese, Tank. It’s going to take all of their wits and a lot of luck for them to solve the case and get out alive.

This one took a slightly dark turn in some places, but it was fun and humorous for the most part. Odelia’s grandmother started out being her usual annoying self, although she redeemed herself by the end.

Favorite lines:
♦ I may not be strong or courageous, but what I lack in bravery I make up for in size.
♦ Taking care of one cat is one thing, or even two, but four? Not many humans were prepared to take their love of pets to such an extreme.
Four? Amateurs. LOL!
♦ A cat, given the proper training, could run a company just as well as the next CEO. After all, a lot of Fortune 500 companies are run by jackals and hyenas, and some even by an ass.

Solid four stars

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Hazel Raises the Stakes (The Coffee Coven's Capers, #1.5)Hazel Raises the Stakes by M.Z. Andrews

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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I completed the ebook Hazel Raises the Stakes last night. It’s the second in author MZ Andrews’ “Coffee Coven” series.

Gwynnie is excited to be invited to Las Vegas to accept an award honoring her for her hard work. She knows she can’t take her elderly mother, Hazel, with her, because Hazel has a habit of going off on her own. Therefore, Gwynnie parks Hazel with their crazy friend, Loni. Hazel is outraged to be left behind. The World Championship of Poker is taking place in Vegas at the same time, and Gwynnie knows how much Hazel loves to play poker. No sooner does Loni take her eyes off of her than Hazel pulls a runner. By the time Loni catches up to her, Hazel is at the airport. She convinces Loni to go to Vegas with her, where the two of them get in more trouble than any two women should. So long as Gwynnie doesn’t catch them, however, it’s all good.

Well now. The story didn’t really seem to have a point. There was no mystery, no romance, and not much of a plot. It basically consisted of an old woman acting like a tantrum-throwing toddler because she wasn’t getting her way. Was this meant to be funny? It just made me want to smack the dentures out of Hazel’s mouth. Hazel is so selfish that she can’t allow her daughter a moment to shine, because it’s all about her and what she wants.

Favorite line: “I’ve got twenty-eight cats running around this place and I can account for each and every one of them by the end of the day.”

This was 10% amusing, 90% annoying. Two stars, and one of them is for Loni’s house full of cats.
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A Deadly Turn (A Maple Ridge Cozy Mystery, #2)A Deadly Turn by Paulette Brewster

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I finished an ebook last night. It was A Deadly Turn by Paulette Brewster, and it’s the second in her “Maple Ridge” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Liz Marsh, who owns and operates a B&B as well as a farmette.

Liz is settling into her life in bucolic Maple Ridge, VT. Life is going well, until her friend, librarian Shelly, must referee two groups who are vying for use of the library’s community room. On top of that, Shelly has been receiving threats in the library’s drop box. Worst of all, however, is the escalating feud between two of the town’s elder statesmen: Roger and Cyrus. When one of them ends up dead, Liz can’t help but think it was more than a mere heart attack that killed him. In the meantime, her Aunt Esme shows up out of the blue to visit, and Liz’s milk cow, Myrtie, is misbehaving. She has a lot on her plate, but Liz is up to the challenge.

I liked the story well enough, but Spoilers! ) Characterizations were fine, and the plot moved at a good pace.

Favorite lines:
♦ “Most of the time I smell like a barn and look like a whirlwind just whipped past me.”
♦ She never believed a lady should openly smirk, but it was so difficult to avoid, once in a great while.


“Holding breath” line: Liz let the air out of her lungs in a whoosh, not even realizing that she’d been holding it in.

Entertaining, but average. Three stars.
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Vampire Moon (Vampire for Hire, #2)Vampire Moon by J.R. Rain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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I completed Vampire Moon last night. This is the second book in the “Vampire for Hire” urban fantasy series by JR Rain. Main character is Samantha Moon: mother, private eye, vampire.

While her personal life is in shambles, Sam’s PI business is doing well. She finds herself on the trail of a notorious crime lord, while at the same time protecting a young woman from her abusive husband. As for her personal life, Sam may be the PI, but it’s her ex, Danny, who’s being a dick by not allowing her to see or speak to their children. Vampire or not, a woman can only be pushed so far, and Sam makes some hard choices in regards to meting out her own brand of justice.

Loved it! I admit to being vindictive, and I delighted in the retribution that Samantha doled out. In each case, it was justified. She’s a marvelous character—still learning about her own morphology, tough and tender, vicious and vulnerable. I enjoy her sarcastic wit, and the dialog between characters was entertaining.

Favorite lines:
♦ I flipped open the cell. “Moon Agency.” // “Is this the Moon Agency?” asked a male voice. // “Would be a hell of a coincidence otherwise.”
♦ One of the articles said that focusing on breathing was a great way to unclutter thoughts, but what if someone didn’t need to breathe? The article wasn’t very vampire friendly.
♦ Orange County’s only five-star hotel sat high on a bluff, which, if you asked me, looked exactly like a cliff.
♦ Now my fingers and thumbs were capped with very strong-looking nails. Not claws, per se, just ten very thick and slightly pointed nails. Okay, fine. They were claws. I had fucking claws. Sometimes I hate my life.
♦ If I wasn’t careful, I could step on my wings, which I had done before and it wasn’t the most graceful thing to witness. A vampire stumbling on her own wings didn’t exactly grace covers of supernatural romance novels the world over.
♦ Can’t have a big, bad werewolf picking off the surgically-enhanced ‘Desperate Housewives of Orange County’ one by one like so many slow-moving, top-heavy gazelles.
♦ “White guy. Thin. Black hair. Black eyes. Probably brown eyes, but they looked black in here.” // “Anything else about him?” // “He was wearing a sign around his neck that said, ‘I am exhibiting suspicious behavior.’ Does that help?”
♦ Vampires can chew gum. Wrigley should consider a new slogan: "So good, even a vampire won't projectile vomit."


This appealed to and satisfied my appetite for comeuppance. ALL THE STARS!
chez_jae: (Archer book)
The Skeleton in the Closet (Southern Ghost Hunter, #2)The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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Finished reading The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox last night. This is the second in her “Southern Ghost Hunter” mystery series. The main character is Verity Long, and the story is in her first-person point of view.

When Verity and her sister, Melody, discover a dead body in the local library, in the midst of the town’s “Cannonball in the Wall” celebration, deputy Ellis Wydell actually asks Verity for her help. With no leads, he has nothing to go on. Verity agrees to use her ability to see and speak to ghosts in an effort to find out who killed the volunteer. Surely, in a haunted library, someone must have seen something? Not every ghost is friendly, however, and some are still stuck in the past and unaware of recent events around them. The only thing the police know is that Darla placed some calls in the middle of night, indicating she’d found something interesting in the newest donated artifacts. In the meantime, Verity’s ex-fiancé, Beau, seems intent on courting her again, while Frankie, the ghost she inadvertently grounded on her property, is pressing her to figure out how to free him. It’s a good thing Verity comes from a long line of strong, Southern women.

The plot was quick and entertaining. Some of the ghosts Verity encountered were downright terrifying, even as others were friendly and helpful. Characters were fleshed out, including Verity’s pet skunk, and the mystery was sprinkled with humor and romance. Sweet and scary!

Favorite lines:
♦ “It’s all going well. The whole place is on fire. There’s hand-to-hand fighting in the streets. They’ll be talking about this for years.”
♦ “Lucy and I ate too much dessert and were in bed early. I should never have let her talk me into a second banana.”
♦ “You don’t just attract trouble. You have it on speed dial.”
♦ A frigid gust of air seized me. Dead leaves swirled at my feet, prickling my legs. All normal for fall. Or for a haunting.
♦ No sense wasting good candy.


Very good, engrossing, five stars.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Death in the Ancient City (Tropical Breeze Cozy Mystery Book 16)Death in the Ancient City by Mary Bowers

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I finished an ebook last night. It was Death in the Ancient City, which is the 16th book in the "Tropical Breeze" series by author Mary Bowers. Typically, the main character is Taylor Verone, but this particular installment followed several different characters.

Sisters Jeannette and Lettice Fortrell are trying to reinvent and reignite their once lucrative workout empire, which was based off their famous father's dietary book. They plan to launch their comeback in St Augustine, FL. But, when participating in a ghost walk triggers a paranormal attack on Lettice, they find themselves in the midst of a paranormal tug-o-war. Two women who came rushing to the sisters' aid summon their friend, medium Taylor Verone, who brings her friend, psychic investigator Edson Darby-Deaver. In the meantime, another pair of psychic investigators, the Pendragons, get wind of the events happening at the hotel and try to crash the paranormal party. Lettice is fragile and easily influenced; therefore her sister moves her out of the hotel and into Edson's home, temporarily. Several of their entourage accompany them as they continue making plans for the launch of their (re)brand. When someone winds up dead on the beach, Lettice is convinced the evil entity followed her from the hotel and committed murder from beyond the grave. Now it's up to Edson to disprove a haunting, while Taylor lends her talents to the more mundane homicide investigation.

This story had layers upon layers, but it all meshed together neatly. The plot was fast-paced and kept my attention. I was disappointed, however, that Taylor was somewhat in the background and that her cat, Bastet, barely appeared at all.

Favorite lines:
♦ "If nobody feeds me soon, I'm going to get dangerous."
♦ "I suppose I've committed myself to helping you, even if my cat can't be bothered." // "Bastet has refused?" // "She did everything but blow a raspberry at me."
♦ "I told Michael I was spending the night." // "How did he take it?" // "He told me to keep my hands off you."
♦ "Unhealthy food always tastes divine."
♦ "These days I try to avoid explosive situations."
♦ "I was eating a burrito while they were conspiring."


I would love to give this 4.5 stars. It's better than a 4, but not quite up to a 5. Hm, let's call it 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Paws in the Action (Pet Psychic Cozy Mysteries, #1)Paws in the Action by Max Parrott

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Shortly before bedtime last night I finished Paws in the Action, which is the first book in author Max Parrott's "Pet Psychic" cozy mystery series. The main character is Jasmine Moore, along with her dog, Luffy. Jasmine can "hear" Luffy speak to her, and he understands her speech as well.

Jasmine is plodding through life, contemplating getting out of her small town of Blackwood Cove and going to college. Nothing exciting happens in town until the day a body is found floating in the cove. The dead man is "Crazy" Jack, a colorful local who butted heads with almost everyone in town. However, he was known to be a strong swimmer, and for that reason Jasmine can't accept that he died of accidental drowning. Part of her theory comes from the psychic visions she's been having that relate to Jack's death. The town's chief of police deputizes her on a lark, giving her permission to investigate what he's convinced actually was an accidental drowning. Chief Lustbader is forced to reconsider, however, when Jasmine's sleuthing turns up some clues. It seems that Blackwood Cove is harboring some secrets.

The story was cute and lively. It was a departure from the usual cozy mysteries in that Jasmine was so young--only 19. She had a good head on her shoulders, though. Characters were portrayed well, including Luffy, and it was interesting to follow along and learn things with Jasmine and Luffy. The ending seemed a tad rushed, but overall the story was enjoyable.

Favorite lines:
♦ There was nothing more magical than a room jammed floor to ceiling with dog-eared treasures, cracked spines, and yellowed pages.
♦ Dreams didn't have endings.
♦ "Even I know how flimsy that sounds, and I'm a dog."
♦ "You need to be proud of yourself and what you've done. Leave it to the rest of humanity to downplay your achievements. Because they always will."


Fun story, cute angle with the talking dog--four stars.

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