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Witch and Tell by Angela M. Sanders

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I stayed up a tad past bedtime to finish reading Witch and Tell, which is the 7th book in the “Witch Way Librarian” series by Angela M Sanders. The main character is librarian Josie Way.

Josie’s life is imploding around her. Not only has Sam given her the cold shoulder since she told him she’s a witch, but now her magic is failing her. Josie suspects her long-lost great aunt Beata may be behind the magical mayhem, but she has no way to prove it. Things go from bad to worse when she discovers a dead body on the floor of the library late at night, only to have it disappear by the time Sam arrives to investigate. When someone else finds a dead body in the woods later, Josie falls under suspicion. Her grandmother’s lessons and writings relate how she’d once bound Beata’s magic and that Beata herself may seek Josie out to release the binding. As Josie grows ever more desperate for answers, summoning Beata may be the only option open to her.

This was a very fast-paced story, and the plot featured multiple layers. Characters were portrayed well, from familiar faces to new characters. However, I found myself puzzling over ( Spoilers! )

Favorite lines:
♦ “She didn’t have a murder weapon, unless it was poison.”
♦ “Strangely, I think it has to do with cats.”
♦ The only thing worse than life imprisonment would be life imprisonment with a bad dye job.

How I wish I could award 4.5 stars. I enjoyed the story enough to earn a five, but the inconsistencies leave me wanting to knock a star off. I’ll give it five, in a nod to the series as a whole.

Moon Child by J.R. Rain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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Monday night I completed Moon Child, book 4 in JR Rain’s “Vampire for Hire” urban fantasy series. The main character is vampire PI Samantha “Sam” Moon.

Samantha’s son, Anthony, is dying. She knows she has the ability to save him, but at what cost? Faced with an impossible decision, Sam puts her faith in the strange medallion in her possession-- one that is rumored to reverse vampirism. However, someone, something else wants that same medallion and will stop at nothing to get it. Samantha has precious few options, and she’s running out of time.

This book focused more on Samantha’s dilemma in connection with Anthony, rather than on any case she was investigating. It also leaned heavily into her relationships—with her children, her ex-husband, werewolf Kingsley Fulcrum, vampire wannabe Fang, actual vampire Detective Hanner, and the mortal detective she’s befriended. Sam loses faith in some of them and puts her faith in others. It added depth to the story.

Two items did bother me:
( Spoilers )

Favorite lines:
♦ What would happen if I broke in? Would a wart appear on my nose? Would a she-devil manifest in a swirl of black smoke to drag me down to hell? Would Lady Gaga apparate and give me a make-over?
♦ The man looked like a gnome or something out of Xanth.

Eerie and engrossing, five stars.

The Big Chili by Julia Buckley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I finished my latest “spare” book last night. It was The Big Chili by Julia Buckley, and it’s the first book in her “Undercover Dish” series of cozy mysteries, starring Lilah Drake, wanna-be caterer.

Lilah’s dream has always been to have her own catering business. In the meantime, however, she pays the bills by working in her parents’ real estate office while doing some cooking on the side. Lilah has amassed a small but loyal client base, for whom she cooks dishes that the clients pass off as their own. One of her best customers is Perpetua “Pet” Grandy, who has Lilah make chili for various church events. At Bingo one evening, congregant Alice Dixon tastes Pet’s chili and drops dead of poisoning. Lilah wants to spill the beans to the police, but Pet begs her not to reveal her secret. Lilah reluctantly agrees, mainly because Pet is not considered a suspect. When someone else in town is murdered and Lilah is threatened, she starts doing some sleuthing of her own. It seemed that everyone in town had a beef with Alice, from fellow churchgoers, to her ex-husband, to her neighbors. Lilah can’t believe one of them is a killer, but she’ll need to figure it out fast before she’s the next victim.

I enjoy this author’s writing. She creates characters you care about, the story lines are engrossing and sensible, and she typically shows the main character engaged in activities other than investigating.

Favorite lines:
♦ Outside of an Agatha Christie novel, who really poisoned people?
♦ “You both look like you killed someone and are worried about where to bury the body.”
♦ “I need a third cookie for this.”
♦ I loved cold weather. I loved October, and I loved a good dark Halloween night.
♦ “You should go, Lilah. Go to your parents’ house, and I’ll be in touch.” // “I can’t,” I said, miserable. // “Why not?” // “Because you’re standing on my tail.”
♦ I was becoming utterly paranoid, and even church ladies had started to seem sinister.

Fabulous story, five stars

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The Last One by Alexandra Oliva

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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For Christmas, my boss gave me one of those “mystery books” that come wrapped in brown paper so you have no idea what you’re getting. I’ve always thought it was a fun idea, but I never bought one for myself for fear I’d buy a book I already have. When I finally opened the book from my boss, I was hoping for a mystery. What I got was a dystopian novel based on a reality survival show. I confess, I have no interest in dystopian books, movies, etc, and I detest “reality” TV. Nevertheless, the book was a gift, and I took it to work intending to read it on my lunch breaks. The book was The Last One by Alexandra Oliva.

Twelve contestants are chosen for a new, survival-based reality show, which will include group challenges and solo challenges. There’s no voting anyone off; instead contestants are provided with a Latin phrase that they can use if they give up and tap out. The show’s creators assign nicknames to each participant, such as Tracker, Rancher, and Biology. The story focuses mainly on one of the few female contestants, who is known as Zoo for her work with wildlife. For Zoo, this was meant to be one last, grand adventure before getting serious about having children with her husband. She’s tough, resourceful, and resilient, but she harbors little hope of actually winning the contest. As hunger and exhaustion begin to blur the lines between reality and what are carefully staged props, Zoo and the others are unaware that a catastrophic pandemic has swept the globe. Zoo soldiers on, convinced that the emptied buildings and “staged” bodies she encounters are part of the elaborate game she’s playing.

I had low expectations when I began reading this. I intended to soldier through like Zoo, I guess. Instead, I found the story to be utterly engrossing to the point that it annoyed me to have to close it and go back to work. LOL! As a reader, there were times I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t, either. As it became apparent that Zoo was deluding herself, the story took a darker tone, because you knew the other shoe was going to drop eventually. Characters were portrayed very well, from Zoo to the other contestants, to the smarmy “host” of the show. The narrative skipped around, time-wise, which is never a favorite trope of mine. It alternated with Zoo’s first-person pov in present time, then went back in time to showcase a particular group challenge, which was all in third-person. Interspersed throughout where various social media threads by fans of the show discussing it online. I’m not fond of vacillating timelines and points of view, but it worked for this book.

Favorite lines:
♦ It’s exactly the same except now I can’t see and I’m missing a shoe.
♦ The journey’s too hard only if I’m too soft.

Not an enjoyable read by any stretch, but it was compelling and thought-provoking. Five stars.

Hot Chicken by May Archer

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I spent a nice, quiet, relaxing New Year’s Day reading Hot Chicken by May Archer. It was a novella set in the same verse as her “Sunday Brothers” series.

While helping out at a local fundraiser, Hawk Sunday happens upon a ridiculous ceramic rooster that his friend Teagan claims has some mystical energy surrounding it. Hawk takes the rooster home, and that night he and his boyfriend, Jack, clear the air between them with several rounds of meow-chicka-bow-wow. Convinced now that the rooster brings good luck, Hawk bestows it on his brother, Knox, who’s been experiencing tension with his boyfriend, Gage. From there, the rooster gets passed among the flock of Sunday brothers, leading to revelations and renewals.

It was delightful to revisit familiar couples from the original series and see where they are in life now. Lots of spice in this one, along with Archer’s trademark banter and humor. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Favorite lines:
♦ My man hated to hear of a creature in need, whether it was a fellow human, a pregnant cat, or apparently poultry-shaped crockery.
♦ Apparently, empaths and magical, cursed roosters weren’t the hard limit I’d thought they were.
♦ “He died as he lived, thoroughly fucked.”
♦ “Is the fourth anniversary the Sex Chicken Anniversary?”
♦ “The coming bovine uprising is no laughing matter.”

Loads of fun! Five stars!

Horse of a Different Killer by Laura Morrigan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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Spent most of Friday hanging out on the couch with my cat. As a result, I quickly finished off Horse of a Different Killer by Laura Morrigan. It’s the third in her “Call of the Wilde” series of mysteries, featuring animal psychic, Grace Wilde.

Grace’s vile former brother-in-law, Anthony Ortega, has bid on and won her services as an animal behaviorist. Grace wants nothing to do with him; he was physically abusive to her sister, Emma, before their divorce. When Emma goes to visit Ortega to return his winning funds, she finds him dead. Since Emma was discovered hovering over Ortega’s body, she becomes the prime suspect in his murder. Not only is Grace desperate to clear Emma’s name, but Ortega’s fiancee, Jasmine, claims he bought a horse for her, a gorgeous Friesian named Heart, who has gone missing. She hires Grace to find the horse. Grace is convinced that Heart’s disappearance ties in with Ortega’s murder; thus, she takes the case. Soon Grace is following clues and leads...right into danger.

Intriguing, fast-paced story. I love Grace as a character. Despite being socially inept, she’s fierce and loyal and tenacious. I didn’t like that some things were never explained, such as why Ortega wanted to retain Grace’s services to begin with. It didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story, but I would have appreciated those loose ends being tied up.

Favorite lines:
♦ Some days you’re the windshield, some days you’re the bug. Other days, you’re the girl wading thigh-deep in frigid water trying to talk a koala out of a cypress tree.
♦ Who needed a fly on the wall when you had a cat on a rafter?
♦ “She seems –I don’t know—more like a Maleficent or a Bellatrix.”
♦ My vocal cords produced a sound that was equal parts pain, anger, and frustration followed by a string of some of the most inventive curses I’d ever heard, much less uttered.
♦ “A car wash!” I said, clasping my hands over my heart with a mawkish gasp of delight. “Won’t the other girls be jealous!”
♦ “Just make sure if anything weird happens, you take out the cameraman.” // “Seriously? There’s a chance of that?” // “Probably not. But the only thing worse than one of us getting mauled would be to have it immortalized on film.”
♦ Where the heck was Dumbledore when you needed him?
♦ “Help yourself to a Thin Mint while you’re in there. We keep them next to the severed heads.”
♦ Kittens are such adorable, manic little things.

Very good, five stars

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I finished reading Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston last night. It’s a contemporary male/male romance, featuring Alex Claremont-Diaz, son of the President of the United States, and Prince Henry, in line to inherit the throne.

When Alex and his family attend the royal wedding of Prince Philip, he can’t help but run into his rival, Prince Henry—literally. A minor scuffle between the two results in a ruined wedding cake and an international scandal. To smooth things over, both Alex’s and Henry’s “people” force them to spend more time together, making nice, and looking like best mates. Not wanting to ruin his mother’s chance for re-election, Alex reluctantly agrees. However, the more time he spends with Henry, the more he realizes that Henry is his perfect match. The two of them embark on a forbidden romance, knowing full well if they’re caught, the fallout will be epic but willing to take the chance.

Such a delightful, funny, heartfelt story. You can’t help but feel sad for Henry, who’s carrying the weight of centuries of tradition on his shoulders. Alex at least has a little more leeway. The way their romance unfolds, in stolen moments together, but mostly via phone calls and the email version of love letters, was charming to read, even as you knew it was going to blow up in their faces eventually. Characters were portrayed vividly and wonderfully, including secondary characters. I adored their sisters (June and Bea) as well as their BFFs (Nora and Pez). Secret Service and body guards were amazing characters, too. Story was told in third-person pov from Alex’s pov. I know I’ve said before that I prefer it when a book/story is in one character’s pov, but in this case I would have liked to get Henry’s perspective on things.

Favorite lines:
♦ “I want to be prepared for my first ever royal wedding.” // “You went to prom, didn’t you? Just picture that, only in hell, and you have to be really nice about it.”
♦ “Do either of y’all know what a viscount is?” // “I think it’s that thing when a vampire creates an army of crazed sex waifs and starts his own ruling body.”
♦ A picture of Henry’s dog wearing a Slytherin scarf (I don’t know WHO you think you’re kidding, you hufflepuff-ass bitch)
♦ “People don’t like women, but they like mothers and wives.”
♦ “You’ve been, like, Draco Malfoy-level obsessed with Henry for years.”
♦ “What in the rich-white-people-sex-dungeon hell?”
♦ “Remus John Lupin is gay as the day is long, and I won’t hear a word against it.”
♦ “Every time I see you, it takes a year off my life.”
♦ “Math has no authority here.”
♦ Have you ever had something go so horribly, horribly, unbelievably badly that you’d like to be loaded into a cannon and jettisoned into the merciless black maw of outer space?
♦ “I’m telling you right now, I will physically fight your grandmother myself if I have to, okay? And, like, she’s old. I know I can take her.” // “I wouldn’t be so cocky. She’s full of dark surprises.”

Wonderful story—thought-provoking, poignant, heart-wrenching, and uplifting. Five stars!

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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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.

Death in a Budapest Butterfly by Julia Buckley

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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I finished reading Death in a Budapest Butterfly last night. It’s book 1 in author Julia Buckley’s “Hungarian Tea House” series of cozy mysteries. The main character is Hana Keller, who run’s Maggie’s Tea House with her Hungarian mother and grandmother.

Hana and her family have made a success of their business, which features European-style high teas. At one such event, a guest is poisoned, putting the tea house’s reputation on the line. Worse, the poison was delivered via Hana’s most prized teacup, a valuable Anna Weatherly butterfly cup. Not only do the police claim it as evidence, but they set about questioning the guests, along with Hana, her mother, and her grandmother. It’s Hana’s grandmother, Juliana, who is renowned for her ability to read tea leaves and tell the guests their fortunes. Hana is eager to see the case resolved. She asks questions and relates what she learns to Detective Wolf, who’s in charge of the investigation. When danger comes to her family, Hana is even more determined to bring the killer to justice.

This was a compelling read. I’m not familiar with Hungarian culture, so it was interesting to learn about it, along with Detective Wolf. Hana is somber and serious, but fiercely devoted to her family. I enjoyed her interactions with her brother’s girlfriend, Margie, who’s introverted to the point of agoraphobia. All of the characterizations were superb, and the plot moved at a steady pace, making sense as events unfolded along the way.

Favorite lines:
♦ I had developed an interest in all things tea, especially teacups, which to me were like jewels, tiny treasures, and individual pieces of art.
♦ “I don’t really need a man, but if I run across a great one I’ll give him a try.”
♦ “There’s not a lot of crime at tea parties, as a rule.”
♦ “Your cats look like executioners.”
♦ “Can you really picture one of these old ladies committing murder?” // “Of course I can. They’re a scary batch of Old County women, full of superstition and paprika-scented resentment.”
♦ “You’ve known this guy for like twenty minutes, and you’ve already connected romantically and had a fight?”
♦ “The police just have to solve a mystery, like Nancy Drew or the Scooby-Doo gang or something.”

Evocative and engrossing, five stars.

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