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Seashells & Suspicious : A Seaside Cozy Mystery of Murder, Shell Shops, and Secrets Washed Ashore by Merlin Newton

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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Stayed up a tad late last night to finish reading Seashells & Suspicions by Merlin Newton. Honestly, I was just done with it at that point. Main character is Lana Tidewell.

Lana has returned to Coral Bay after inheriting her late aunt’s seashell shop. When a body washes up onshore, Lana finds herself drawn into a mystery that stretches back years, one brimming with strange shells, cryptic messages, and a cult-like order. The sea is hiding secrets, and it has memories of its own. It’s up to Lana to expose the secrets and calm the sea.

The story was odd and eerie, compelling at times and vexing at others. It was fractured and disjointed with precious little continuity. It was like reading the narrative of someone’s fragmented dream. The story was chaptered, but each chapter read like a stand-alone, short story; there was no smooth transition between chapters. Characters were not fleshed out, and I don’t believe I really learned what any of them even looked like. The author was good at describing the atmosphere around Coral Bay, but not so good with the characters. It was a difficult story to sink into. Not helping were several irksome things:
( Yikes )

Favorite lines:
♦ That was the thing about small towns—they didn’t change much.
♦ Max tried to lighten the mood with a muttered joke about cursed pirate treasure and Scooby-Doo mysteries.

And, of course, the “breath” line: Lana finally let herself exhale, the kind of breath you don’t know you’ve been holding until it leaves your lungs like smoke after fire.

I wanted to like this book. It was eerie bordering on creepy—perfect to read while curled up beneath a blanket, but the story was all over the place. Many things were not resolved at all, which was frustrating, and not much made sense. I can’t condone scoring this higher than a 2.

Blood on the Bayou by Stacey Jay

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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Finally finished reading my “spare” book last night. It was Blood on the Bayou by Stacey Jay, and it’s the second in the “Annabelle Lee” series of urban fantasy. I did read the first in the series, but it’s been forever ago. The main character is Annabelle, who works for an organization that attempts to contain a scourge of mutated fairies.

Thanks to an attack by fairies and the interference of a cabal of mysterious, invisible magic workers, Annabelle has learned that she, too, can now perform feats of magic. The newfound ability would be more helpful if she knew how to wield it, and if it didn’t come with strings attached. She’s also in the midst of trying to figure out her personal life. Annabelle knows her boyfriend, Cane, loves her, but she’s not sure she wants to drag him down with her extra baggage. Enter Hitch, her ex-boyfriend, who is convinced the FBI is running an illegal lab in the bayou—a lab he’s been tabbed to destroy if he doesn’t want his wife and unborn baby to die. Annabelle is running herself ragged trying to gather intel, avoid the Big Man, keep Cane and Hitch away from one another, and, oh yeah, juggle her attraction to Tucker, one of the Invisibles.

I didn’t remember much of the original book, although it came back to me as I read. I enjoy urban fantasy with snarky, sarcastic heroines, but this particular one did nothing for me. Not only is Annabelle a functioning alcoholic, but the author turned her into a complete Mary Sue. Cane loves her, Hitch says he never stopped loving her, and now Tucker has the hots for her, as well. It was really too much. I’m not saying it wasn’t realistic, but I, personally, did not like it. Narrative could have been smoother, and I was as confused as Annabelle when it came to who she could trust and who was only using her. Worst of all, she wasn’t very nice to her cat.

Favorite lines:
♦ Does an invisible man count as a man? If a penis you can’t see falls in the forest is it really a penis at all?
♦ Not the master of my own destiny, not even the master of my own cat.
♦ I don’t have time for bullshit. Even sweet-smelling bullshit.
♦ “Can you even take a shit without the Big Man leaning over the toilet telling you it’s coming out okay?”
♦ I’m already seeing my life flash before my eyes; I don’t need to see it flashing before anyone else’s.

I didn’t particularly like this book, and there wasn’t much resolution at the end. I'm giving it two stars. I would have given it three, but I'm knocking one off for Annabelle's shoddy treatment of her cat.

Red Wolf by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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I had so little left in my work book to read that I brought it home to finish. The book was Red Wolf by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom, and it’s the first in the “Wolf Moons” verse of Silhouette’s Nocturne line. The main characters were Tory McKidd and Adam Scott.

After the brutal murder of her brother, Tory quit her lucrative job to exact vengeance. She’s a werewolf, like her brother, and so is the vicious felon who killed him. Chavez and his gang of werewolves have claimed a park in Miami as their base of operations, and when Officer Adam Scott chases a criminal into the park, he encounters a flame-haired beauty that he can’t get out of his mind. Tory is equally drawn to Adam, and she realizes that she and the human male have Imprinted. She is desperate to avoid the man, but his investigation into her brother’s death leads him straight to her door...and into her arms. Now Tory and Adam aren’t just fighting for justice, they’re fighting for one another.

Ugh. Imprinting (or whatever you want to call it) may seem all fierce and sexy, but when you really think about it, it’s extremely cringe inducing. Imagine having no choice in the matter. In these paranormal romances, of course, the characters are always attractive and noble, etc. Would this have been sexy had Tory Imprinted on Chavez? Blech. What if one of them was already married? With children? Aside from that, our main characters spent very little time together. Most of the narrative was taken up with Tory’s search for justice, Adam’s investigation, and their mutual pining and ‘I am drawn to this person even though I should avoid him/her’. They had two (maybe three?) very brief encounters before Adam arrived at Tory’s house, after which they fell on one another in a fit of lust. Cue more pining and avoiding until the inevitable showdown/climax. That’s another thing I disliked—there was precious little resolution to the story. At least Tory wasn’t assaulted, which seems to be a staple of Nocturne books. I appreciated that she could take care of herself. However, this was not an enjoyable read at all. The character I liked best was Adam’s new partner, Dana Delmonico. There was a short, bonus story at the end of this one featuring Dana, but I didn’t bother reading it. And “short” isn’t entirely accurate, as the bonus content was easily 20-25% of the entire book.

Favorite line: Yes, folks, I actually am out of my freaking mind.

This was not in the least bit romantic, and there was no humor in it, either. It was dramatic, but not my cup of tea. Two stars.

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.

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 )

Muffin Mystery: Whisked Away to Danger by Blake Rivers

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


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Last night I read an ebook novella Muffin Mystery: Whisked Away to Danger by Blake Rivers. It appeared to be the first book in a short series, but I felt like I'd started in the middle. I see the author has several mini-series out, and perhaps this one follows others...? Some clarity on series order would be helpful. The main character in this one is Sophia Lawrence, who owns and operates a bakery.

Sophia loves her small town, but when she learns that town bigwig Calvin Starks is trying to buy the property that the historic lighthouse stands on, she is upset. Furthering her unease, her cat Mocha finds a cryptic note that indicates the town of Coral Cove has a dark history--one that Calvin may be trying to exploit in his bid for power. Along with her BFF, Rosemary (the town gossip) and Jonas (a local police detective), Sophia will try to thwart Calvin's plans before he brings about the downfall of the entire town.

Alrighty then. This was like reading an episode of Scooby Doo, from the ridiculous clues to the land-grabbing villain to the secret passageways accessible by pressing on a certain rock or panel. Don't get me wrong, I love Scooby Doo, but I know what I'm getting with him and the gang. I did not sign up for it when reading this book. I have questions:( Spoilers! )

There was a lot of unnecessary repetition in this, and the ending of some chapters seemed so final that I was surprised to discover more chapters followed. Honestly, the entire story was just silly.

Favorite line: He had a reputation for being as charming as a damp sock.

Ye olde 'Breath' line: I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding and opened the closet door.

Characters were flat, the plot was inane, and precious little made any sense. I did like the cat. Two stars.

Harvest and Haunt ( by Eva Belle

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Last night I finished Harvest and Haunt, which is the first book in Eva Belle's "Autumn cozy paranormal" mystery series. The main character is Nova Powers, who owns an antique shop, enjoys coffee and sweets, and conducts paranormal investigations with the MPS team.

As October begins, the days and nights grow cooler, Nova begins wearing her own hand knitted sweaters, and paranormal activity seems to ramp up around the town of Cape Mystic. There's a murder or two to investigate, along with a haunted lighthouse and a haunted school. When several people in town find witch bottles on their property, Nova isn't sure if it's a prank or a warning. She may soon find out, however, when a witch bottle appears on her own doorstep.

The story was okay, but it was all over the place. There was absolutely no continuity. It read like three short novellas instead of one cohesive book. Worst of all, it ended on a cliffhanger. Second worst of all is that the cover depicted here is not the beautiful cover of the ebook I downloaded onto my Kindle. I don't know why that version wasn't available on GoodReads, but I'm salty about it. Characterizations were fair to middling. I liked that Nova is a mature woman, although we have no idea if she's divorced, widowed, or has never been married. No mention was made of any children. Editing needed work. A lot of work. This sentence in particular stood out: "Thank you," Ann murdered as she poured the coffee. WTF, Ann? LOL! I'm 99% sure the author meant murmured, which should have been caught in editing. Another thing that irritated me was the author's overuse of Nova's name. When the woman is by herself, we don't need to keep reading that Nova did this then Nova did that. It would have been smoother to read that Nova did this then she did that. Also, any time her cat was mentioned, it was "her cat Clove". Once the cat has been introduced by name, the fact that she's a cat shouldn't be mentioned over and over. Narrative was very choppy and lacked any smooth transitions.

Favorite line: It seemed that hate and vengeance went hand-in-hand.

This book was perfect for the season and featured lovely descriptions that really set the mood. It would have benefitted greatly with competent editing. I wish I could give it 2.5 stars, but since I can't it's getting 2. I can't condone awarding this even an average score.

Sugar Cookies and Scandal by Sue Hollowell

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I sat down last night to begin reading Sugar Cookies and Scandal by Sue Hollowell, and I finished it in one go. It's not that it was engrossing so much as it was short. However, it was chaptered, and I'm counting it. This is the 4th installment in the author's "Belle Harbor" cozy mystery series, starring up and coming baker, Tilly.

Tilly accompanies her shop-neighbor, Florence, to the vet's office when Florence's cat is about to give birth. There, they learn the vet's assistant, Nicole, was murdered. As Tilly encounters people who knew Nicole, she tries to figure out who may have killed the woman. In the meantime, Tilly's Uncle Jack has taken on an estate sale, and the woman he's helping, Linda, is a novice baker. Tilly hires her on as an assistant with one eye on a potential budding romance between Linda and Jack. There's one other mystery puzzling Tilly: why aren't her neighbor's hens laying eggs any more?

This was less of a mystery and more of an update on Tilly's life. She didn't investigate so much as speculate, but that was kind of refreshing. I also appreciated that Tilly didn't find the murder victim. Characterizations were mediocre, and the plot was not terribly cohesive.

Favorite line: "What am I going to do with five cats?" Amateur

Rather banal overall--two stars

Partners in Lime by Bree Baker

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I powered through the rest of my "spare" book last night, eschewing my regular book to finish it. Not because it was great, but because I just wanted it to be over. The book was Partners in Lime by Bree Baker, and it's the 6th in her "Seaside Cafe" mystery series. This is the first in the series I've read, and only after I'd started it did I realize I actually have the first book loaded on my Kindle. I r stoopid. Narrative is in first-person pov of the main character, Everly Swan.

Things are going well for Everly. Her iced tea shop is doing well, she's dating Detective Grady Hays, and the mayor is working to get some surfing events to the local town of Charm to boost tourism. When one of the surfers is killed, seemingly with a theater prop that Everly's friend, Matt, was using, Everly takes it upon herself to prove Matt's innocence. Her amateur investigation vexes Grady, but Everly will not be dissuaded. She knows she's getting close to the truth when her own life is threatened.

Um...I did not connect with Everly at all. I didn't even like her. Grady literally begged her to back off (apparently she's been threatened and harmed before in her sleuthing), but she refused. She actually told him that she intended to continue because she enjoys sleuthing. I'd put her in the top three most obnoxious heroine/amateur sleuths that I have personally read about. Her investigation was over the top ridiculous. I'm not sure how I'd feel about Everly if I'd begun reading this series in order. Maybe I'd like her more. I don't know.

Favorite line: "When in doubt, spike the dessert."

Characterizations were good, the plot was interesting, and I enjoyed the setting. Nothing spectacular leaped out at me, and I may have given this an average score (as an average cozy mystery), but my dislike of the main character has me knocking one star off. Two, it is.

( Trope Test )

A Subtle Breeze by Bailey Bradford

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



About half an hour ago I finished reading A Subtle Breeze by Bailey Bradford. It's the first in her "Southern Spirits" series of male/male romance, featuring a paranormal element. The main characters are Ezekiel "Zeke" Matthers and Brendon Shanahan.

Coming out in a small Texas town was difficult for Zeke, and when a violent assault happened, he retreated into himself. Now he stays on his ranch and makes a longer trek to a larger town for any needed supplies. Brendon's cousin Gloria is BFFs with Enessa Matthers. The two girls conspire to introduce Zeke and Brendon. The men's chemistry is off the charts from the get-go, but Zeke is afraid for Brendon's safety if he sticks around. His worry is not for nothing, because the old homophobia rears its ugly head once more. This time, however, Brendon is willing to stand at Zeke's side and fight for what they have. They are strengthened in their resolve by the presence of Zeke's mama, in spirit form, who offers comfort and warning in equal measure.

I enjoy male/male romance, and I love all things paranormal; therefore, this book should have been my perfect cuppa tea. Instead, I was very meh about the entire story. The plot, what there was of it, was simply framework for the sex. Don't get me wrong; the sex scenes were hot and steamy, but they dominated the story. Gloria and Enessa connived to get Zeke and Brendon together for dinner at Zeke's home then they abruptly dipped out, leaving the guys alone. Within minutes they were going at it like bunnies, and I nearly lost my eyebrows somewhere in my hairline. Okaaaay...They also were in love the next day. Cue my eyebrows disappearing again. The sheer frequency of the sexual activity also perplexed me. I mean, shouldn't there be some recovery time involved? Zeke and Brendon aren't teenagers, ffs. Speaking of Brendon, my first loss of eyebrows happened when I read his full name. Is Bailey a hockey fan? Because Brendan Shanahan is an NHL Hall-of-Famer. Any half-iced hockey fan would recognize the name. It made things a tad awkward for me to read, because I kept picturing the Brendan Shanahan I am familiar with.

Favorite line: "Someone ought to bury her and slap an invisible 'x' over the spot, then burn the damn treasure map."

I am really torn over the rating here. I've read and enjoyed other books by this author, but this doesn't deserve more than a two. I'd love to give it 2 1/2, but since I can't...sorry. Two stars.