chez_jae: (Archer book)
Drive Me Daisy (The Bloomin' Psychic, #3)Drive Me Daisy by Annabel Chase

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I finished my most recent ebook early this morning. It was Drive Me Daisy by Annabel Chase, and it’s the third in her “Bloomin’ Psychic” series of cozy mysteries with a paranormal twist. I had books 1-3 in a “box set”, and I decided to read them all. Woo!

Mia is dismayed when her mother comes to town, with husband number three in tow. At least Mia now has a job and a beau, although she refuses to let her mother, Madeline, know she’s sort of dating a lawyer for fear her mother will have them married before she leaves town. In an effort to keep her mother distracted, Mia takes them to a local festival. Too bad someone was murdered, and Madeline’s husband, Jurgen, is the one holding the murder weapon. He claims he pulled the knife out of the woman’s back, but he’s not allowed to leave town during the investigation. Mia had no intention of getting involved again, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Mia is even willing to try out the psychic abilities her friends, Scarlet and Patrick, insist she has. She’ll do anything to speed up the investigation and hasten her mother out of town.

This was as lite and laughable as the first two books in the series. I love Mia’s wit, and I love the enormous cat, Ophelia, that she inherited from her Aunt Hazel. Mia’s abilities, or intuition as she prefers, lead her to question certain people that weren’t even on the police radar. It was entertaining to watch her as she tried to juggle reluctant hostessing duties, avoid being seen with Dane, deal with his exasperating brother, Derek, and try to find out who killed the victim.

Favorite lines:
♦ My mother had an endless supply of criticism for me, yet she was willing to marry someone who was one feather short of a yodeling hat.
♦ I wasn’t sure what the appropriate response was to a vague invitation to a senior orgy.
♦ “Are we sure this isn’t one of the Weasley boys?” // “I’m not sure of anything, but he’s not wearing a Hogwarts uniform.”
♦ “What does a Kentucky situation involve—dueling banjos at dusk?” // “Know your hillbillies, Miss Thorne. That’s ‘Deliverance’.”
♦ Only a man would believe that correcting erectile dysfunction could save lives.
♦ “He’s pansexual and he’s not afraid to prove it. He’d grab a llama’s ass if it walked close enough.”
♦ I had Patrick’s stamp of approval, which was basically like getting Harry Potter to approve your choice of wand.


Lots of laughs and fun! Five stars!
chez_jae: (Books)
Life's A Birch (The Bloomin' Psychic, #2)Life's A Birch by Annabel Chase

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I finished Life’s a Birch by Annabel Chase last night. It’s the second installment in her “Bloomin’ Psychic” series, starring Mia Thorne.

Mia is getting acclimated to the slower pace of life in Newberry, PA, although she still needs a job, and her great-aunt Hazel’s garden still needs lots of work. At least she has some new friends, Scarlet and Patrick, a potential boyfriend in attorney Dane Fairfax, and hellcat Ophelia seems to be accepting her. Things are going well until a body is found in the canal near Scarlet’s home and Scarlet is tabbed as the primary suspect. Determined to clear her friend’s name, Mia starts nosing around in hopes of finding a more viable suspect or two for the police to focus on. What she encounters is a conspiracy-minded birdwatching group, a creepy set of twins, a snarky knitting circle, and a ghost. The police would prefer that Mia stay out of it, because a killer may just kill again to keep a secret.

As fresh and funny as the first in the series. Mia is a hoot, and I love how she rolls with whatever fresh hell life deals her. The plot moved at a good pace, and characters were well-developed.

Favorite lines:
♦ Ophelia appeared in the kitchen, meowing with a sense of urgency. “What is it, Lassie? Did Timmy fall in the well again?”
♦ Chief Tuck peered at me with those Paul Newman eyes and I immediately started to crave salad dressing.
♦ “You should have taken something from him so you can try to do a reading later, like a strand of his hair, although I’d hate to deprive him of what few hairs he has left.”
♦ She was like a geriatric version of Luna from Harry Potter.
♦ Vacating the bean bag chair was like trying to give birth to myself.


Lots of fun, four stars
chez_jae: (Archer book)
A Witch to RememberA Witch to Remember by Heather Blake

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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Last night I finished the book A Witch to Remember by Heather Blake. It’s the 9th in her “Wishcraft” mystery series, starring Wishcrafter witch Darcy Merriwether.

Darcy has a lot on her plate. Her wedding is set to take place in a couple weeks, the quarter-century Renewal of the Elder is coming up first, and now there’s been a murder. As the witch tasked with investigating magical crimes in the Enchanted Village, Darcy must now juggle solving a crime along with everything else. The main suspect is Darcy’s nemesis, wicked witch Dorothy, but Darcy isn’t so sure Dorothy committed the crime. Compounding Darcy’s stress is the fact that her sister, Harper, will have to decide if she wants to take up the mantle of Elder upon her death, as their mother did when she passed. Harper, however, doesn’t know she will have to make that choice, and Darcy isn’t sure which way Harper may lean. As the suspect list for the murder grows with no clear resolution, Darcy knows she’s running out of time.

It took me a bit to really get into this story, but by the end, I rocked through it. There were many interesting twists and turns to keep Darcy (and the reader) on edge. Things were wrapped up neatly by the end, which is fortunate, as the author’s website indicates this is the last book in the series. Boo on that.

Favorite lines:
♦ “I believe in things I can’t see. In things I don’t quite understand. I believe in magic.”
♦ This wasn’t quite the signed, sealed, and delivered alibi I’d been expecting, as squirrel testimony was anything but airtight.
♦ “I’d probably draw the line at Satan as well.”
♦ “Longest week ever.” // “It’s only Monday.”
♦ “I don’t joke about casseroles.”
♦ “Did I mention we’re one very loud, happy, albeit a tad strange family?”


Good book, sad to see the series end. Four stars
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!

Trope Test )
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: (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: (Books)
The Witch Is Back (Witch Way Librarian Mysteries, #6)The Witch Is Back by Angela M. Sanders

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I powered through The Witch is Back by Angela M Sanders in less than 24 hours. Woo! It’s the 6th “Witch Way Librarian” mystery, starring witchy librarian Josie Way.

In the midst of an unexpected visit from her mother, Josie takes her on an excursion to the Aerie, the clifftop home where the recently deceased pastor once lived. There, Josie hears angry whispers from the books, and even her mother (who has long denied her own magical abilities) feels ill at ease. Shortly after their trip, several people in the small town of Wilfred receive poison pen letters. Josie’s indicates only that someone knows her secret. Now everyone is angry and suspicious, but the odd letters take a back seat to local gossip when someone is found dead at the base of the Aerie. The man’s wife swears it was murder, and from what Josie gleans from the books around her, she agrees. She needs the help of Sam, local police officer, but first, Josie knows she must tell him she’s a witch.

There were a lot of twists and turns in this one, from Josie angsting over her parents’ disintegrating relationship to angsting over her own relationship with Sam. She was convinced the poison pen letters were tied to the murder, and she struggled to identify the person behind the acts. Frankly, I was able to quickly suss out who sent the letters, but the identity of the killer caught me by surprise. Characters were fully realized and the plot pelted along in a sensible fashion. Some things were left unresolved, which was a tad disappointing.

Favorite lines:
♦ Wilfred was so small and the grapevine so robust that you couldn’t burn toast without hearing about it the next time you bought margarine.
♦ “Some of the world’s most dangerous rulers were masters of glamour who could convince people that the most horrible of actions were justified—desirable, even.”
♦ “Now what?” I asked. // “Pickles,” Mom said. “If you have them.” // “Not the sandwiches, the poison-pen letters.”


Fabulous read—engrossing and delightful. Five stars.
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)
Extra Sensory Deception (Raven's Nest, #4)Extra Sensory Deception by Allison Kingsley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


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I completed the book Extra Sensory Deception by Allison Kingsley last night. It’s the 4th in her “Raven’s Nest” series of cozy mysteries with a paranormal element. The main character is Clara Quinn.

Clara owns a bookshop, The Raven’s Nest, with her cousin, Stephanie. Clara has also inherited the Quinn Sense, which is an extra-sensory ability that allows her to tell if someone is lying, and she occasionally has visions. When Clara’s boyfriend, Rick, asks her to put up some posters for the rodeo coming to town, the clown on the poster leads her to a vision of death and danger. Rick is excited about the rodeo because one of his buddies, Wes, will be participating. He asks Clara to accompany him, and she reluctantly agrees. Clara is surprised to enjoy herself at the rodeo, until a woman is found dead and Wes is tabbed as the main suspect. Now Rick is asking Clara to question some of the female participants to see if they know of anyone who may have wanted to kill Lisa Warren. Although Clara has sworn off investigating murders, she and Stephanie are soon haring off hither and yon to follow up on leads. When Clara’s sleuthing hits too close to the truth, it’s her own life that may be in danger.

I liked aspects of this book and disliked others. Most of the narrative was taken up with Clara’s sleuthing. Even when she was at work or just out and about, she was trying to glean clues. I didn’t like that she and Stephanie misrepresented themselves to gain access to people who wouldn’t have given them the time of day otherwise. Clara’s mother was annoyingly meddlesome. I liked that she could communicate with her dog, Tatters. At the end, however, she did something so egregiously stupid that I could only shake my head. I mean, how dumb can you be? Other things that annoyed me:
Spoilers!! )

Favorite lines: “I’ve sworn off chasing after killers.” // “Since when?” // “Since I was nearly killed by one.”

“Didn’t know I was holding my breath” line: Clara let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

I liked some things, disliked others. Average score of three.

Trope Test )
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

Trope Test )
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.

Trope Test )
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece (A Haunted Craft Fair Mystery #1)Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece by Rose Pressey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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I got through Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece by Rose Pressey earlier this evening. It’s the first book in her “Haunted Craft Fair” cozy mystery series. The main character is artist Celeste Cabot.

Celeste is excited to take her vintage Shasta travel trailer to a local arts and crafts fair to display and sell her paintings. She’s doing well until a customer returns one of her paintings, insisting it’s haunted. Another vendor at the fair notices hidden images in all of Celeste’s paintings—images she doesn’t recall creating. Adding to the weirdness is when Celeste is visited by the ghost of the woman in the allegedly haunted painting. Worst of all, however, is when Celeste finds the snarky manager of the craft fair, murdered outside of his own trailer. Determined to find out what’s going on, she begins snooping for clues in hopes of finding a killer before the end of the fair.

The story was cute and lite for the most part. The paranormal element was fun, and I liked Celeste’s chihuahua, Van Gogh. I love cozy mysteries with female amateur sleuths, but I want them to have a reason to investigate. In a typical first-of-series, it’s because the main character finds herself at the top of the suspect list and is desperate to clear her name (Note to authors: this trope has been done and overdone to the point of being boring). However, Celeste had no good reason to investigate. Worse, she was clumsy and ham-handed about it and ended up alienating most of the other vendors with her snooping and spying. Characters were a bit flat, the writing was somewhat stilted, and the narrative was rife with plot holes and editing errors. SPOILERS )

This is purely subjective on my part, but I didn’t like that Celeste had two potential romantic interests vying for her attention. Pressey has used that same device in at least one other series of hers. Finally, most of the narrative was consumed with Celeste and her awkward investigation. If you’re there to sell paintings, why waste so much time acting like Nancy Drew? I prefer it when a story depicts more balance with the main character’s investigation, occupation, and relaxation.

Favorite lines:
♦ She was a few strokes short of a finished portrait.
♦ “He’s as useful as a pogo stick in quicksand.”


I wanted to like this story, but too many errors and inconsistencies ruined my enjoyment. Two stars.

Trope Test )
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.

Trope Test )
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman (Salem B&B Mystery, #7)Mrs. Morris and the Wolfman by Traci Wilton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


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I finished reading Mrs Morris and the Wolfman by Traci Wilton last night. This is the 7th "Salem B&B" mystery, starring widow Charlene Morris.

Charlene is always happy to see new businesses thrive in Salem; therefore, she's excited to attend a double-feature at the newly reopened theater. The showing is the classic Wolfman movies. It's a chance for owners Darren and Elise Shultz to have a soft opening of the theater and showcase the specialty seasoning salts that Darren built his fortune on. However, when Elise chokes on her popcorn and dies at the hospital, it's determined she was poisoned. The police gravitate to her spouse as the primary suspect, but Charlene can't believe Darren would kill her; he loved his wife. With the help of her resident ghost, Jack, Charlene starts to dig into Darren and Elise's lives, in an effort to find who would have wanted to murder Elise and frame Darren for the crime.

Charlene was pleasantly UNodious in this one. She wasn't quite as over the top with her investigation, and she even dug her heels in when someone wanted her to go to the theater after it had been closed down. Jack continues to be a spectral sphincter. New characters were introduced, and we got to reconnect with familiar ones. The plot kept me engaged.

Favorite line: "I can't wait to get back to Pittsburgh. Go, Penguins!"

A marked improvement over recent books in the series--four stars.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Merry Little Mystic Murder (Phoebe Monday Paranormal Cozies Book 1)Merry Little Mystic Murder by Patti Larsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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Earlier this evening I completed the ebook Merry Little Mystic Murder by Patti Larsen. It's the first in her "Phoebe Monday" series of paranormal cozies. Story is told in first-person point of view of the main character, Phoebe Monday.

Phoebe is an oddity in the magical world, born into the triunity of the Maiden, Mother, Crone as the second child. While Phoebe never should have been born, she is beloved by her family--her sister, her mother, and her grandmother. Phoebe's magic is trifling next to theirs: she can sink into the memories of others (which comes in handy in her job as a police sketch artist!), and she has the ability to alter another's luck for the better. The unfortunate side effect is that Phoebe then consigns herself to 24 hours of bad luck. When a normal human is found murdered in the Monday family home, suspicion falls on the Monday wonderworkers leading some in their world to believe they've been dealing in dark, blood magic. Determined to see her family cleared of any wrong doing, Phoebe uses skills she's gleaned from working with detectives, along with her own unpredictable magic, to uncover a threat much closer to home than any of the Monday women could have imagined.

This was a delight. Phoebe was a wonderful character, and I adored her "voice". She's spent most of her life in the shadow of her family, but she now steps up to defend them, surprising even herself. It was wonderful to see her grow as a character. Other characters were portrayed well, from Phoebe's stern grandmother, Isolde, to Elias, the smarmy druid who tries to worm his way into her affections. The plot moved quickly and kept my attention. My only complaint is that we never learned the fate of one character, although we can guess at it.

Favorite lines:
♦ Go figure that one out and let me know where it gets you.
♦ I will not describe the chaos I created, because I am too ashamed of the disaster that erupted from my clumsy interference.
♦ "You summoned a demon in Mom's souffle?"
♦ I was suddenly possessed with the desire to continue to knock him off the high horse he'd rode in on.


Fantastic story, five stars.
chez_jae: (Archer book)
Six Stunning Sirens (Kitchen Witch Mysteries, #6)Six Stunning Sirens by Lynn Cahoon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Last night I completed the book Six Stunning Sirens by Lynn Cahoon. It's the 6th installment in her "Kitchen Witch" series of paranormal cozies, featuring kitchen witch Mia Malone.

While Mia toils as the event coordinator at the local Lodge, her boyfriend's mother, Abigail, has taken over running Mia's catering business--Mia's Morsels. When both venues bid on hosting the annual beauty contest for the Harvest Moon Festival, Mia's Morsels wins the contract. For Mia, it's a win-win. At least, that's what she thought before reality hit. Not only does she have her regular job (with its odious boss), but she's also stepping in to help Abigail get ready for the pageant. Making matters worse, Mia learns that this pageant gets cutthroat and that people have literally died in prior years. She's determined to see things run smoothly, but even with increased vigilance, one stage mom ends up dead and another in the hospital. Compounding the stress is the fact that Mia's assistant, Christina is not just fighting with her boyfriend, but she's also begun applying for other jobs. Mia is both proud of Christina's accomplishments but also sad that she'll be losing her. It's going to take all of Mia's skills as a kitchen witch to make sure no other lives are lost.

This was a fast-paced read with intriguing action and wonderful characters, but I was utterly gobsmacked by how blasé everyone else was about the vicious nature of the pageant. They were all like, 'Oh, remember the year that two contestants and a judge died? LOL!' Both Mia and I had WTF all over our faces. There was all kinds of relationship drama between Christina and Levi, Abigail and her husband, Mia's grandmother and her beau, and Mia's ex-fiancé showing up on the eve of his wedding to whine about how it should have been Mia he was marrying. Ugh. These books always seem to have so much going on, and this one was no exception. Things worked out nicely, although I don't feel the eventual villain got the appropriate comeuppance. Hmpf.

Favorite lines:
♦ "My dream has always been to live in an apartment with both my bosses."
♦ "Why do you look like you just stole your best friend's last dollar?"


Very good, probably deserving five stars, but I'm withholding one for the aggravations I endured while reading this.
chez_jae: (Books)
Pumpkin Pies & Potions (Melting Pot Cafe #1)Pumpkin Pies & Potions by Polly Holmes

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I finished Pumpkin Pies & Potions this afternoon. It is the first book in the "Melting Pot Cafe" series by Polly Holmes. The main character is graduate witch Evelyn Grayson.

Orphaned at the age of 11, Evelyn has been raised by her wonderful Aunt Edie, and now that she's a graduate witch, she helps out at her aunt's Melting Pot Cafe while continuing to learn magic from Edie. As Halloween approaches, they are gearing up for a big celebration, but when the town grump, Camille Stenson, is found murdered and Evelyn's friend Harriett is a prime suspect, Evelyn is determined to clear her friend's name. Together with their other friends, Jordi and Tyler, they launch an investigation of their own. While they do turn up some interesting clues and information, their snooping and sleuthing also lands some of them in grave danger. It will be up to Evelyn to conjure the magic needed to save the day.

This was fun and lighthearted for the most part, although it took a darker turn at the end. I would have liked to see Evelyn and her friends spend more time living their lives; instead, virtually the entire story was devoted to investigating. Characterizations were okay--neither wonderful nor terrible. I imagine we'll learn more about them as the series progresses. I daresay my biggest disappointment is that the book's "blurb" mentioned "cheeky talking cats". There were no talking cats to be found, cheeky or otherwise. Evelyn did have a cat familiar, but Miss Saffron never spoke nor acted like anything but a cat. Hmpf. Editing needed some serious polishing, too. It was mostly little things here and there. Enough to be aggravating, but not egregious enough to pull me out of the narrative.

Favorite line: Walking into Aunt Edie's pantry was like walking into the potions classroom at Hogwarts.

"Holding my breath" line: I hadn't realized I was holding my breath until my lungs burned from the lack of oxygen.

Likable story, but deserves no more than 3 stars.

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