First Frost by Liz DeJesus

October 29, 2012 By 2 Comments

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First Frost by Liz DeJesus
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Length: Full Length (274 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Fairytales aren’t real…yeah…that’s exactly what Bianca thought. She was wrong.

For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to “family only.”

Gathered within museum’s walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella’s glass slipper, Snow White’s poisoned apple, the evil queen’s magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted spinning wheel…

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family’s museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn’t really exist.

She’s about to find out how wrong she is.

Bianca is about to find out just how much magic has already changed her life.

I’m a big fan of the original fairytales, so when I read the blurb for First Frost, I knew I had to read this book. Once I started reading, I was immediately swept up into Ms. DeJesus’ world of magic. I especially love the concept of the magical world existing alongside the contemporary world. The references to current events really anchor the story in reality and make the magical aspects of this tale feel realistic.

Bianca is a very realistic character who came to life in my mind almost immediately. I could clearly picture Bianca struggling with the vacuum cleaner and longing for a life outside the family business. Bianca’s world is turned upside down when she learns that not only is magic real, but she just might have some in her blood. I do think that Bianca accepted the idea of magic and fairytales too easily. One minute she is certain that nothing in her mother’s museum is real. The next minute, she’s completely willing to cast aside her previous convictions and embrace a strange new world. I would have expected Bianca to be more skeptical before finally accepting the truth of it all. However, I will concede that the pacing of the story doesn’t allow Bianca much time to adjust. Before she knows it, Bianca and her best friend Ming are swept up in a quest battling a witch with a devious agenda.

I really enjoyed watching Bianca’s relationship with Terrance blossom. When they first meet each other in the magical world of Everafter, the attraction between them is immediately apparent. Terrance is hesitant to become involved with Bianca not just because they come from two different worlds, but also because he has something in his family history that he’s deeply ashamed of. When Bianca learns Terrance’s secret, will her feelings for him change?

Terrance’s best friend, Prince Ferdinand, is definitely the most amusing character in First Frost. Although the prince is the stereotypical self-absorbed royal, he injects some much needed humor into a very serious story. I found myself smiling and laughing nearly every time he opened his mouth.

I’m very intrigued with the ending of First Frost. Nearly all the loose ends were wrapped up when Ms. DeJesus threw in a wonderful twist at the last minute that had me thinking about Bianca long after I finished reading. I’m hoping that Ms. DeJesus writes a sequel to First Frost because I’d love to read more about Bianca and her adventures.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to read First Frost. Ms. DeJesus has taken classic fairytales and given them a modern feel while remaining true to the original stories. Anyone longing for a little magic and adventure should definitely pick up a copy of First Frost today.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Michaela’s Gift by Cordelia Dinsmore

October 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Michaela’s Gift by Cordelia Dinsmore
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Short Story (135 pages)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Michaela Cochran still believes in enchanted mountains and fairytale castles, but her happily-ever-after will never happen if she can’t convince her mother to accept the magical gift Michaela has inherited.

Michaela Cochran and her family make the trip to her father’s ancestral home every year, but this year is special. Michaela is now twelve, the age when every girl in the family receives a special gift. When Aunt Sharon explains that Michaela’s gift is a magical ability to bring one of her drawings to life, Michaela begins making plans. What she wants most is a castle high on the mountain, where her family can live together. But if she can’t figure out how to resolve the growing hostility between herself and her mother, her gift is meaningless.

“Twelve is a magical age for every girl. You’re no longer a little girl, but you’re not quite a woman.” Michaela is just as mystified by this process as everyone else who has been through puberty. She has one foot planted in the innocence of childhood and is stepping into the next phase of life with just a little trepidation.

It isn’t easy to create a character who personifies this period in life without portraying her in an overly sentimental or emotional light but Ms. Dinsmore struck the perfect balance with Michaela. I truly enjoyed getting to know this character as she unravels a mystery that is at the heart of the disharmony she feels with her mother.

What surprised me the most about this book was how much I liked the secondary characters as well. Her older brother Sean provides a few instances of much-needed comic relief and her warm relationship with her grandparents and Aunt Sharon gave me glimpses of certain aspects of Michaela’s personality that her nuclear family probably doesn’t see regularly.

I was confused when one of the characters has an abrupt change of mind about something that was a repeated source of conflict earlier in the plot. Readers weren’t given a great deal of information about why or how this took place and as much as I enjoyed seeing the matter resolved I would have preferred to see more time spent discussing what made this individual change her mind.

Michaela’s Gift reminded me of all of the emotions and experiences I encountered for the first time at twelve. Even though my adventures were not nearly as exciting as Michaela’s my inner preteen felt a sincere kinship with her. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in seeing the world through the eyes of a twelve-year-old whether it is as a reader living through that age for the first time or someone who wishes to relive old memories.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Wrong Sword: Book One by T.M. Mendelssohn

October 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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The Wrong Sword: Book One by T.M. Mendelssohn
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fantasy
Length: Full Length (280 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 14+
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

For a thousand years, Excalibur has been the sword of heroes. Unfortunately, its new owner isn’t one.

Ever since he arrived in Paris, Henry the Rat has made a pretty good living selling “magic” swords to gullible knights. But when Henry sells one to Geoffrey Plantagenet, brother to King Richard, his happy days are over for good. Geoffrey forces Henry into a dangerous, uncomfortable quest for the most famous magic sword of all time, Excalibur, even though Henry is certain that it’s just a myth.

Then Henry actually finds Excalibur – and his troubles really start: For Excalibur is not just the sword of heroes…it’s also the sword that won’t SHUT UP. It communicates with its owner, it knows what kind of owner it deserves, and Henry doesn’t even come close.

To keep Excalibur and the world safe from the appalling Geoffrey, Henry will have to masquerade as a knight, crash a royal wedding, rescue a princess, break a siege, penetrate the secrets of the Perilous Brotherhood, and find Excalibur’s rightful bearer, all while trying to reach an accommodation with a snotty, aristocratic hunk of steel that mocks him, takes over his body, and keeps trying to turn him into the one thing he hates most…a hero.

Henry is the most reluctant hero in the world.

Henry is a very interesting character. He’s been living on the streets practically his whole life due to the tragic destruction of his home when he was a very young child. Right from the start, it is clear that Henry is smart and extremely clever. Unfortunately, he uses his talents to devise schemes to cheat others out of their money. I couldn’t help but wonder what Henry could achieve if he put his mind to better use.

Henry goes through some interesting changes as the story progresses. At first, he is all about his own survival. Though he has a small group of people he cares about, his own personal well being remains his primary concern. Once Henry finds Excalibur, his perspective gradually begins to change. Bearing Excalibur comes with all sorts of responsibility that Henry didn’t ask for, and I had serious doubts as to whether Henry could handle them. He seemed to want nothing more than to get rid of Excalibur as quickly as possible. When it becomes clear that Henry needs to keep the sword out of the hands of men who would misuse it, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Henry is up to the task. Underneath the guise of the slippery street rat, Henry is a good man who ultimately chooses to do the right thing.

Excalibur is also a vivid character. Not only does the sword have magical properties, but she has a very strong and opinionated personality as well. To say that Henry and Excalibur clash is a huge understatement. Excalibur wants Henry to be a hero, and Henry has no interest. Their snippy banter is very entertaining. Though they had a rough beginning, by the end of the story Henry and Excalibur had grown on each other and were well on their way to becoming friends.

Henry meets a lot of other interesting people in his travels, but none of them are nearly as developed as Henry. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed following Henry on his mission, it would have been nice to get to know some of the secondary characters better, especially Percy, a knight who devotes himself to Henry’s service. Percy’s character seems very one dimensional at first, but Mr. Mendelssohn hints that there is more to Percy than meets the eye. Perhaps I’ll learn more about Percy in the following books in the series?

One of the things I like most about The Wrong Sword is that the action is very believable. Henry has absolutely no experience in combat and yet he finds himself wielding a powerful sword and fighting against Geoffrey and his army. Henry doesn’t always succeed in his efforts and he gets himself into plenty of scrapes. However, no matter how many times Henry gets knocked down, but he always gets back up and tries again. This gives Henry’s adventures a realistic feel and made it easy for me to immerse myself in the story.

I also enjoyed the tone of The Wrong Sword. It is a medieval adventure yet it has a distinctive modern flavor displayed mainly in the attitudes and language of the characters. I found this to be a very interesting combination. It is clear that Mr. Mendelssohn definitely has fun playing with history and the legend of Excalibur.

The Wrong Sword is a wonderful twist on the legend of Excalibur. It is filled with enough magic, humor, and danger to satisfy the most adventurous spirit. Fans of young adult fantasy should certainly give The Wrong Sword a try.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , ,

Another Journey by Michael Sutherland

September 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Another Journey by Michael Sutherland
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Short Story (13 pages)
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

They wouldn’t dare get in that machine themselves, but you? Who the hell cares what happens to you?

They stick you in a machine and send you on another journey, and they don’t care if it kills you.

Sometimes it’s easier not knowing what the future holds.

Mr. Sutherland certainly knows how to capture a reader’s attention by painting a vividly unforgettable picture in one sentence:

“Graffiti monsters lunge out of shadows, furies frozen in a flash of Day-go pink and lime, and yellow curves, and sherbet orange pikes, and everything is edged off, caged in a halo of lies, in scarlet and black so serious it makes my eyes ache.”

As much as I wanted to piece together the mystery I kept jumping back to reread certain passages. The images that popped into my mind were so imaginative and unexpected that I wanted to experience them again before moving on to the next page.

I really wanted to give this book a higher rating. The concept behind it is intriguing and the plot starts off with a bang but I was repeatedly distracted by the narrator’s flight of ideas. He jumps so quickly from one thought to the next that I had a difficult time differentiating between important and potentially irrelevant information. At one point I even wondered if the narrator could be trusted. Was his interpretation of the events swirling around him correct? Are readers intended to believe him or come to the conclusion that his impressions were at least partially influenced by mental illness or mind altering substances?

This piece have worked better if the narrator’s state of mind was explained more clearly either through one of his thoughts or by having one of the other characters comment on what was or was not actually happening.

Another Journey is a roller-coaster ride through the mind of one of the most interesting characters I’ve never met. I’d recommend this book to anyone in the mood for a mystery that is not easily unravelled.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Heartbeats by Susan Rae

September 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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heartbeats by Susan Rae
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (206 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Love makes your pulse race, but passion can kill…

murder, passion, suspense…

Dr. Elizabeth Iverson’s career is on track. She’s just landed the enviable position as lead cardiologist at a prestigious Chicago heartcare center working under a renowned cardiovascular surgeon. But her plans for a quiet, controlled life are shattered when she discovers her college roommate murdered in her apartment. When her former lover, FBI Special Agent Drake McGuire, shows up on her doorstep with the cops, he unleashes a storm in her heart that further threatens to destroy her world, especially when he insists on hanging around to help solve the case when it becomes apparent that Elizabeth was the intended target for murder!

Elizabeth’s patients put their lives in her hands, but what happens when her own life is in danger?

Elizabeth is definitely someone who likes to have things under control. I wouldn’t go as far as to call her a control freak, but she comes close. When her life spirals out of control after the death of her friend, she certainly doesn’t want to admit that she needs help. She’s the kind of person who insists on pressing on no matter the circumstances. While I admire her determination, this does give Elizabeth the appearance of being cold at times. However, underneath her carefully controlled exterior, Elizabeth does have a softer side. She is absolutely crazy about her daughter and is as loving and devoted as any parent could be. Elizabeth also has a true passion for her work and she genuinely cares for each one of her patients.

Elizabeth’s softer side is further revealed in her relationship with Drake, a flame from her past. Elizabeth is cautious at first, but when she fully commits her heart to him, they have great potential as a couple. Unfortunately, Elizabeth has a secret that threatens to ruin her budding relationship with Drake. I thought the revelation of this secret played out in a fairly typical way, but it did add an interesting dimension to Elizabeth and Drake’s relationship.

Drake is a typical tough guy with a good heart. He’s a successful FBI agent who doesn’t take no for an answer and is used to doing things his way. Since Drake and Elizabeth both have strong personalities, they butt heads frequently, but given time and little compromise on both sides, I think they will work well together.

Ms. Rae did an excellent job of presenting several plausible suspects who would want to target Elizabeth. I carefully considered the motivation of each one and I was eventually able to narrow down the list based on the continued threats of the killer. As the story progressed, I couldn’t help but read faster, sure that I was on the right track. There were two twists that I didn’t see coming. The first involved Elizabeth and I didn’t think it was necessary as it sort of slowed things down at a moment when I wanted to keep moving full speed ahead. The second twist was more interesting and happened right at the climax when all the pieces of the puzzle were sliding into place and added an extra dash of suspense at just the right moment.

I enjoyed reading heartbeats. The pacing is great and the mystery is plotted very well. Anyone looking for a thrilling romantic suspense should give heartbeats a try.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

There Are Giants in This Valley by Jack Hillman

September 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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There Are Giants in This Valley by Jack Hillman
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (258 pgs)
Age Recommendation: 10+
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Peppermint

A young boy moves to the Lehigh Valley, meets beings from another dimension and joins a battle to save two worlds!

Thirteen-year-old Eric Johnson never wanted to move out of Philadelphia.

But the untimely death of his parents left him little choice in the matter and dropped him in the farm country outside the Lehigh Valley, an hour away from his old home, living with an aunt and uncle he barely knew. Used to the big city with its constant action and excitement, Eric found the slow pace of the rolling farms frustrating. He kept looking for ways to move back to the city, back to his friends and all his familiar activities.

But when Eric helped a tall, blond-haired stranger escape from a pack of wild dogs, he took the first step in an adventure that took him out of the mundane world of Eastern Pennsylvania and dropped him in the middle of Norse mythology; right at the heart of a centuries old war between the Norse Gods and their ancient enemy, the Frost Giants.

There is nothing more tempting to a young boy than an adventure full of giants, gods, dwarfs, and mystery. When Eric runs into Thor, a god of Norse legend, he knew an adventure would follow.

Add any type of mythology to a story and you have captured my attention. Norse mythology is not one that I would consider myself familiar with, but after reading this story I would love to learn even more. The author did a great job of collaborating mythology with reality, which created a dynamic story. The added twist and turns including other mythical creatures like giants and dwarfs and I couldn’t put the book down.

Eric is a character I can see in any boy. His life hasn’t been perfect, but he still has the innocence and compulsive personality. It’s what leads him to want to learn more about Thor and the others, as well as aid them in any way possible. I couldn’t help but think of my son, brother, cousins when reading this story, because I saw similar traits in them as well. These traits also made for a interesting read, because as with any young boy, Eric didn’t always do what was best for himself, but instead did what he felt needed to be done.

This story encompassed some great characters above and beyond just the main character. I got to meet some regular humans as well as other creatures who had personalities that came to life on the pages. They added depth at times, and humor at others. This is truly a story the whole family can enjoy.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Remember Me by F.J. Bergmann

July 30, 2012 By 3 Comments

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Remember Me by F.J. Bergmann
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Scifi/Fantasy, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (13 pages)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe


What the bottle from Aldebaran held was not wine, but the memories of his lost love.

Broken-hearted and alone, a retired Shakespearean actor sifts through the possessions of his dead love in a desperate attempt to keep his dreams of her alive. The discovery of a strange bottle containing the liquescent record of another human being—memories, feelings, experiences—gives Boris hope that another such bottle exists; one that contains the distilled essence of his lost Année. A desperate quest to posses her last thoughts will wrench him away from everything he has ever known to an alien world beyond the stars, where the human soul can be bottled, stored—and savored.

One of the most frustrating things about grieving the loss of a loved one is the finality of death. Over time I’ve forgotten small details about my deceased friends and family members- the sound of their laughter, for example, or what it felt like to slip into old conversational patterns with them. What if this didn’t have to occur, though? How would the act of grieving change if it was possible to bottle the essence of a human being and reawaken all of those seemingly inconsequential memories?

The nostalgia in Remember Me drapes over the narrative like a warm embrace. More than anything Boris wishes he could have more time with his Année. Boris’ sorrow is nuanced and at times comes out in surprising ways. I wasn’t expecting to sympathize with his experiences so deeply but this story followed the emotional roller coaster of grief so well that more than once I felt as if I was walking in Boris’ shadow.

In the beginning I wished readers could know more about what Boris and Année’s lives were like before her death. One scene made me wonder if Boris’s personality and habits changed dramatically after Année’s death. In a longer piece it would have made sense to explore this possibility in greater detail but perhaps a sequel will be written one day to explore Boris’s character in greater detail! The ending certainly lends itself to this possibility.

Remember Me is one of the most realistic snapshots of grief I have ever read. It’s a difficult experience to capture especially in the short story format but Ms. Bergmann did a beautiful job recreating the messy, sometimes complicated process of mourning.

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Skinz by Michael Sutherland

July 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Skinz by Michael Sutherland
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Scifi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Length: Short Story (17 pages)
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Danger, Keep out, Rot-Riddled, Scab Inducing, Radon Poisoned, Festering, Aliens, Monsters, GM. You know what I mean. It’s perfect.

The last extinction is here, man. And I’m it.

Only one side can win this war. For which one are you rooting?

I’ll warn you in advance – this isn’t the kind of narrative that spoon-feeds exposition to the reader. The bare bones of what is happening are revealed as needed but I had to pay close attention to figure out how certain scenes fit together. Once the loose ends do come together, though, what may have at first appeared to be throwaway bits of dialogue reveal their true meanings.

I finished the last page wishing I could know more about the characters. What I did learn about them was so intriguing that I still wonder about the rest of their backstories and how they developed into the men one glimpses in Skinz. This is definitely something that could be expanded into a novel or a series of short stories if Mr. Sutherland ever wanted to do so.

The only thing that kept this tale from getting five stars was its overuse of slang. I found some of the terms confusing at first and while I understand why Mr. Sutherland chose not to stop and explain what they meant as a reader it was distracting to puzzle certain words out while keeping up with a fast-paced, action-heavy plot. It’s not an issue if this sort of thing happens once or twice in a short story but when they become repetitive it distracts my attention from the plot.

Skinz is effortlessly creepy. It was only after I finished reading it and mulled over everything for a few days that the true horror of what happened fully sank in. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who is in the mood to be deeply frightened.

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Phoenix by Jennifer Mason-Black

July 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Phoenix by Jennifer Mason-Black
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (40 pages)
Age Recommendation: 16+
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Astilbe

At sixteen, Tucker has nothing but the clothes on his back, the bruises on his ribs, and the truth about what happened between him and the band teacher. He left home looking to escape his memories, but all he’s found on the road are new bad ones to take their place.

Then he meets Gabriel, a beautiful hustler, and Kelsey, a fire-obsessed girl with a head full of fairy tales. After Gabriel rescues him from a pair of drunks looking for a fight, Tucker’s happy to join him in the abandoned factory he calls home. All he must do in return is help keep Kelsey safe.

There’s always a way out. The trick is to stick around long enough to discover it.

Accurately capturing what it feels like to be a teenager isn’t easy. This is one of those rare books that knows exactly how to talk about complex issues like homelessness, abuse, depression and homophobia without talking down to or alienating its audience. Older readers, especially those who have personal experience with any of these issues, will be catapulted back to the wonder, pain and confusion that can come with living on the cusp of adulthood.

Because this story jumps around in time I finished the last page wishing we could know more about the years of Tucker’s life that happen between his time spent as a terrified homeless youth and the man he eventually becomes. A few clues are sprinkled throughout the story to connect his teenage and adult selves but I’d still love to see a sequel fill in these gaps. Some people transform suddenly while others take years to build the life they’ve always wanted. I cannot help but to wonder to which category Tucker would belong!

It was difficult to pick an appropriate rating for this book. A (consensual) sexual encounter is briefly alluded to and several scenes include graphic depictions of violence that would be inappropriate for younger or sensitive readers. As powerful and inspiring as this book was I think it’s best suited for older teens for these reasons.

If you’ve ever wanted to skip ahead during a difficult chapter of your life to see how everything turns out in the end Phoenix is the perfect book for you.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah by Barbara Pearson Arau

July 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah by Barbara Pearson Arau
A Dinah McKinnon Mystery
Publisher: Musa Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (176 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Cooking columnist meets her match in the Florida Keys, as she battles a crazed killer along with a raging hurricane.

When she moves to the Florida Keys, cooking columnist Dinah finds herself entangled with a wacky group of artists, fishing captains and rednecks, one of whom may be responsible for two grisly murders. Sassy, funny and glib, yet basically compassionate, Dinah becomes the target of someone’s rage as she works on her new cookbook and tries to adjust to the possibility of a new life and a new love. When a hurricane smashes into her island, she is suddenly on the run for her life. Filled with humor, suspense, mouthwatering recipes and crackling dialogue, this is the story of how a gutsy young woman, hoping to heal her own emotional wounds, succeeds in restoring more than one broken spirit.

All Dinah wanted was some time and space to pull herself together. She got a hurricane and a couple of murders instead.

Dinah earned my respect almost immediately. She demonstrated admirable strength and resilience after the death of her father and the collapse of her marriage by setting out on her own and moving on with her life. Even when her smooth talking ex-husband makes an unexpected and unwanted appearance, Dinah puts him firmly in his place. She is certainly not the sort of woman to let others run over her. As with many well rounded characters, Dinah has a softer side as well. She is a very compassionate person who makes friends easily no matter their background or what other people may think. Her relationship with Amanda, a young girl who doesn’t speak, is especially sweet.

Webb Key is home to many colorful characters, but Rena is by far the most developed. She has a larger than life personality and is very bold and brash. Rena is the sort of person who has no qualms about poking her nose into other people’s business. I’m not entirely sure that Rena and I would get along well if we were to meet. I think I’d find her personality a bit overwhelming. However, Rena is a caring soul and she generally means well. At first I thought that Rena and Dinah might not get along, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how quickly they bonded and how well they worked together to solve the murders.

Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah contains not one, but two mysteries. Dinah first begins looking into the murders, but as she begins digging up dirt on the inhabitants of Webb Key, she discovers a second puzzle surrounding her young friend, Amanda. As I read, I was constantly kept guessing as to whether or not the murders were connected to Amanda’s situation. I thought both mysteries were wrapped up well, if a bit too quickly for my taste. I especially wanted to know more about the plot surrounding Amanda. I felt that some events of the past were glossed over a bit too quickly and I was left wanting a bit more detail.

Dinah and Joe’s budding relationship adds just the right amount of romance to this tale. Joe seems to be the complete opposite of Dinah’s ex-husband, so it was easy for me to see why she would be so attracted to him. I do think Joe could have been a bit more rounded. All I really know about him is that he is a very down to earth man with amazing blue eyes and a passion for architecture. Dinah and Joe develop feelings for each other quickly and it isn’t long before their relationship is on the fast track. I was a bit worried that things were moving too rapidly between them. However, Ms. Arau put together a wonderful “happy for now” ending that fit Dinah’s situation perfectly.

Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah is certainly a fun book to read. Dinah was easy to like and I truly enjoyed watching her tackle her first mystery. I look forward to reading about her adventures in the future.

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