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Blind Fate: A Tarot Card Mystery by Ashley Carrillo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Over the course of two evenings, I read the ebook novella Blind Fate by Ashley Carrillo. It's the fourth part of the author's "Tarot Card" mystery series, featuring Tasha Costerman, a fledgling psychic.

Tasha begins wondering if her young niece, Trisha, has also inherited some psychic abilities when Trish claims she can see the ghost of Mr Fisher, Tasha's BFF Lauren's father. Lauren still doesn't believe in Tasha's abilities, let along Trisha's, even though his boyfriend, Justin, does. For that reason, Tasha has to do a tarot reading for Lauren on the sly. As events around the disappearance of Mr Fisher begin to unfold, Tasha's reading seems to be spot-on. Too bad she can't tell Lauren. In the meantime, there's a new neighbor across the street, Tasha's roommate's cat keeps escaping the house, and her boyfriend and boss, Knox, has hired a beautiful new office assistant. Tasha can't help but feel jealous. She has a lot on her plate, but as a self-proclaimed psychic investigator, Tasha feels up to to the task.

Again, editing was abysmal in this. The first two books in the series were so hilarious that I let it slide. This one and the previous one weren't as funny. They're still light and amusing, but lacking that laugh-out-loud quality the earlier installments did.

Favorite line: "...I may never stop wanting to smack hussies around."

I enjoy these stories, even if the storytelling itself is sub-par. For that reason, it gets an average score.

A Foolish Folly: A Tarot Card Mystery by Ashley Carrillo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Between last night and today, I read A Foolish Folly by Ashley Carrillo. It's the second book in the "Tarot Card" mystery series, featuring Tasha Costerman, who's recently discovered she's psychic.

Tasha and her BFF, Lauren, have a new roommate named Kara. It's Kara who takes Tasha to meet another local medium, and this woman imparts some of her wisdom with Tasha. She also warns the girls that Lauren's boyfriend, Justin, may be involved in some trouble. Tasha convinces Justin to let her do a tarot card reading for him, and her cards match the same prediction the other psychic gave. Justin, however, refuses to admit that there's anything wrong. Not to be deterred, Tasha enlists Kara's help as she launches an investigation, one that will take them to a tattoo parlor and a male strip club. All in the name of the investigation! Tasha is also assisted by Justin's grandfather, Ernie, a man who has already died...

The writing in these stories is rife with grammatical errors, including tense changes. However, they are so flippin' funny that I blithely ignore what would ordinarily make me cringe as I hang on for whatever wild ride Tasha is going to take me on next. OMGosh, she is so hilarious! She just railroads poor Lauren, and you'd think he would know better, but no. Add in the budding romance between Tasha and her boss, Knox, and the story is actually quite charming. I'm also going to go on the record to say that I love the fact that Tasha does not have a glamorous job. She's not a fashionista, she doesn't work in a library or own her own boutique, antique shop, nor book shop. She works in a packing plant. Blue-collar amateur sleuth, for the win!

Favorite lines:
♦ Cats can sometimes be creepy like that, observing something only they seem to be able to see.
♦ "If you care about him as much as we do you will march your ass in there and watch some hot guys swing their snakes around so we can get some answers." The strip club was called Anacondas!
♦ See, I fed his ego now he'll do it without protest. Men.
♦ "I was thinking about getting a pap smear." That shut him up. I laughed and laughed at this until tears ran out of my eyes!

The author's writing could use some serious polishing, but I laugh my way all through these stories. For that reason, this gets 4 stars.