A Christmas Wish for Love by Mariah Lynne

October 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment


A Christmas Wish for Love by Mariah Lynne
Publisher: World Castle Publishing
Genre: Romance, Holiday, Paranormal, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Have you ever had a holiday cookie that came with a set of instructions? You’re about to.

In this sweet, heart-warming holiday romance, a precocious twelve-year-old named Luci, short for Lucia, never met her mom because she died giving birth. Her dad, a Florida Gulf Coast Island veterinarian, loved his late wife so much that he does not date or look at any other woman even though women are attracted to him. He still wears his wedding ring and, every Saturday night, shares a box of her mom’s memories, hoping to keep her alive in Luci’s heart.

Luci’s elderly Swedish next-door neighbor Meta loves Luci like an adopted granddaughter. When Luci’s dad gets called in for an emergency on her birthday which happens to be Saint Lucia’s Day, Luci and her dog Chester visit Meta.

Meta gives Luci a surprise birthday gift as she leaves to take home and open later with her dad. Then the holiday magic begins.

A CHRISTMAS WISH FOR LOVE is an enchanting and inspiring story you will want to share with others!

Anything is possible during Christmas time.

This was a unique spin on the romance genre. I don’t think I’ve ever read a romance novel written from the perspective of a child whose father is falling in love before. Kids don’t always understand these things the same way adults do, so I smiled when Luci explained what was happening and occasionally gave creative reasons for why the grownups in her life were behaving the way that they did.

There were some inconsistent details in this story that I found confusing. For example, Luci was described as a twelve-year-old girl in some scenes and a thirteen-year-old girl in others. Her character was written in a way that either one could have easily been true, but I did wish that the narrator had been clearer about her age. Her mother’s name was also spelled in two different ways later on in the plot. Another round of editing would have fixed these things and made it possible for me to choose a higher rating.

I loved the strong, caring community that these characters lived in. Being a single parent isn’t easy, especially after such tragic circumstances that surrounded Luci’s birth, but Kyle was lucky enough to have plenty of friends and neighbors around who could help him give his child everything she needed other than a mother figure. Some of the most memorable scenes were the ones that showed how everyone stepped up to give this little family extra love and attention. They brought a tear to my eye because of how sweet they were.

A Christmas Wish for Love was a gentle holiday romance.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Creek by LJ Ross

October 12, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Creek by LJ Ross
Publisher: Dark Skies Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN’T HIDE…

Kate Irving arrives at her grandfather’s cottage at Frenchman’s Creek in the dead of night with her young son, a small suitcase and little else. Its scattered community of fishermen, farmers, artists and jetsetters barely bat an eyelid, because theirs is a rarefied world, tucked beneath the lush forest that lines the banks of the Helford estuary, deep in the heart of Cornwall, where life is slow and people generally mind their own business. Unless, of course, your grandfather happens to be a pillar of the local community…

Kate’s left the past behind and guards her privacy and her son fiercely. She’s wary of accepting the friendship her new neighbours offer, but their kindness is too great to refuse and she begins to feel she has found her place in the world. That is, until tragedy strikes, and her new friends look to her for the answers…

Kate soon learns that the past always catches up with you, in the end—the question is, will she be able to face it, when it does?

Suspense is peppered with romance and humour in this fast-paced mystery, set amidst the spectacular Cornish landscape.

Kate Irving hasn’t been back to her grandfather’s small cottage in Frenchman’s Creek since the unexpected death of her parents over fifteen years ago. Yet she has nowhere else to turn, not now she’s convinced she needs shelter for herself and her young son. Much is as she remembers it from her childhood, though her childhood friends – including the now very handsome Nick – have all grown up. But just as Kate thinks maybe she can escape the violence and constant fear she’s been surviving with her abusive husband, tragedy strikes again and Kate is shown that nowhere is safe.

This is an interesting and well plotted summerish style of mystery. While I don’t feel it’s a traditional mystery – there’s no police procedure or much of a who-dun-it style of plot – there is definitely plenty of tension in the plot of Kate leaving her abusive marriage and trying to start fresh again with the only remaining member of her family. There is a lot of characterization and character-driven plot as she reconnects with the small coastal town people and as Kate rebuilds. There is a bit of a mystery plot as well but that isn’t a strong part of the story until the second half of the book.

Readers looking for something a bit lighter and more romantic suspense likely will find this book a good fit. I found the characters sympathetic and the pace of the story is easy to read in a few sittings, but I do feel readers looking for a strong murder mystery story might find this a little light and lacking in the plot department. That said the romance is subtle and slow building with no real graphic scenes so readers used to more mystery and less romance should find that appealing.

A good book with interesting and relatable characters this is a light and fun summer read.

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

A Painted Doom by Kate Ellis

October 11, 2023 By Leave a Comment


A Painted Doom by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Teenager Lewis Hoxworthy discovers a disturbing painting in a medieval barn; a find which excites archaeologist Neil Watson, who is excavating an ancient manor house nearby.

But when a man is found shot through the head in Lewis’s father’s field and Lewis himself goes missing, it is Neil’s friend, Detective Inspector Wesley Peterson, who faces one of his most intriguing cases yet.

It seems that the Devon village of Derenham is full of secrets, both ancient and modern. As Neil uncovers the story of Derenham’s medieval past, it becomes clear that the Doom, a 500-year-old painting of hell and judgement, holds the key to the mystery. And as events reach a terrifying climax, Wesley has to act swiftly if he is to save a young life . . .

Newly promoted DI Wesley Peterson is enjoying a rare slow period, relishing the chance to catch his breath before the tourist season begins once again. Only the peace is shattered when ex-rock star Jonny Shellmer is found shot in the head in a farmers field. When a local teenage boy disappears – the son of the farmer whose field the rocker was found dead in Wesley and his team need to sort out what might really be going on in the small village.

This is the sixth book in the DI Wesley Peterson series and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the British mystery series. While the plot and mystery can certainly be easily read as a stand alone – and there is no cliffhanger or dangling threads to deter readers picking this book up by itself – I must admit some of the relationships between the police team, and Wesley and his wife, does have some aspect of history to it and so readers should be aware they might miss a few of the smaller points in these respects.

That said I felt the plot itself was very well handled and I really enjoyed it. Complicated enough I didn’t guess what was happening straight away, but not so convoluted I got lost, I felt he author had a really good balance in this book. I admit some of the archaeology took a bit of a back seat this time around in the story but that didn’t bother me because the mystery part to the plot really was larger in this book and so it didn’t feel like anything was being padded out or embellished a little too much.

A really strong series and a great British police procedural this is a great book and an author I am definitely addicted to.

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

The Dis’Aster Family’s Halloween by Helen C. Johannes

October 10, 2023 By 1 Comment


The Dis’Aster Family’s Halloween by Helen C. Johannes
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Meet the Dis’Aster Family!

The kids are creative. The parents are outnumbered. And the pets, well, they’re unusual.

When the kids decide to enter a Halloween costume contest, what could possibly go wrong?

Come along for the ride. Can Halloween survive?

Spooky season is coming, and some folks are more ready for it than others are.

It’s always nice to see large, happy families in children’s stories. I don’t come across this sort of family very often these days, and I was intrigued by how all of the siblings might get along. Luckily, I soon discovered plenty of examples of the ways they played together and hints about what they thought about having lots of brothers and sisters. It was heartwarming to get to know the Dis’Asters and see how they tackled all sorts of things that are more complicated when you have more relatives to think about.

I would have liked to see more plot development. The first half or so of this picture book was spent introducing the many members of the Dis’Aster family and sharing their hobbies. As helpful as it was to know who everyone was, this also meant that there wasn’t as much time to show how they spent their Halloween as I was expecting. Given how important that holiday was to them, I was surprised by the smaller amount of space that ended up being saved for it.

This read like something a child would come up with if he or she were telling it. Tapping into the imaginative ways kids think can be difficult for adults, so I tip my cap to Ms. Johannes for pulling it off so well. Creativity was infused into scenes that many adult readers might assume would turn out a different way instead. I smiled every time the characters once again did something I wasn’t expecting them to do.

The Dis’Aster Family’s Halloween was an exciting ride.

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

Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams

October 9, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams
Publisher: Kensington Cozies
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Snowdrop

Storyton Hall, Virginia, is a top travel destination for book lovers and the perfect spot for literary events. But as a children’s book publisher hosts a gathering there, some folks aren’t going to live—happier ever after or otherwise . . .

Jane Steward’s resort is hopping—not only is Peppermint Press’s conference in full swing, there are also lots of families staying on the premises, bringing their kids to events like a scavenger hunt through the Fairy Tale Forest.

Then a woman dressed like Little Red Riding Hood is found dead from a plot device straight out of a fairy tale—with a rare and valuable copy of Grimm’s Fairy Tales in her basket. Not long after, a second victim is killed, with yet another treasure—a volume by Hans Christian Andersen worth thousands of dollars—nearby. It looks like a big bad wolf may be lurking among the guests, and Jane can’t just wait for a handsome prince to come to the rescue .

This wasn’t just your usual cozy mystery. It was your Ellery Adams usual cozy mystery. I don’t think there has ever been a book she’s written that I didn’t enjoy. In this 6th book of the Book Retreat Mystery series, Jane has gone all out to entertain both publishers of children’s books as well as authors who write children’s books. As always Ellery’s description gives you a total picture of Storyton Hall. It’s like a wonderland for the children, but as usual…someone has to be murdered in order to have a cozy mystery. While the murder puts a bit of a damper on the huge party, most of the guests are shielded while Jane and her Finns help the sheriff find the bad guy or girl.

I said I liked everything Ellery Adams has written, and it is the truth. However, in this book, it seemed as if Jane was unusually traumatized at finding a dead body. It sure isn’t like it’s the first time in this series. It just seemed reiterated over and over, how upset she was, how could she manage to look happy, how could she make sure her guests enjoyed themselves. She had to sit and have tea very often to recover. I sound like I’m being facetious here but I’m not. I preferred the occasionally upset, but very strong Jane in the earlier books.

That said, it was a little bump in my enjoyment and I still wouldn’t miss a book.

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

The Engine House by Rhys Dylan

October 6, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Engine House by Rhys Dylan
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

You can bury the bodies, but you can’t hide the truth.

When a landslip on Pembrokeshire’s stunning coastal path reveals the harrowing remains of two bodies, ex-DCI Evan Warlow’s quiet-one man and his dog-retirement is shattered. As the original investigator for the two missing persons eight years before, Evan is recalled to help with what is now a murder inquiry.

But as the killer scrambles to cover up the truth, the body count rises.

Working with a new young team, Warlow peels away the layers to reveal the dark and rotten heart that beats beneath the chocolate box tranquillity of an area renowned for its quiet beauty.

But does he still have what it takes to root out the monstrous truth before all hell lets loose?

It’s been over a year since ex-DCI Evan Warlow has retired at the height of his career for deeply personal reasons. Content to work on his small cottage, walk his dog and take it easy, he is surprised when a landslip on a coastal path reveals the hidden remains of two bodies – a married couple Evan never managed to solve the disappearance of eight years ago and one of the few cases he could never really let go of. Reluctantly allowing himself to be talked into returning to consult on the new case, he’s surprised when a few leads immediately pop up giving a new rush to the investigation. Only with the new leads, new dangers also appear to lurk.

I found this Welsh police procedural crime novel to be really exceptional. The first in a series, I admit the first few chapters initially felt a little slow to me. Once the main characters had been introduced, however, and the investigation really began to start along my interest in the plot and the pace of the story really began to pick up and I soon found myself eagerly along for the ride.

I was pleased that most of the characters weren’t too young – I felt there was a good range for the team, with a few highly experienced leaders, a few middle-career characters and a few new and somewhat naïve additions. I felt this gave the team balance but also a believability that helped sell me on the case and team as a whole. And while having one obvious villainous colleague was a little over the top to my mind, it did add some good drama and conflict.

I felt this book had some great atmosphere. The story was faintly dark and gritty and I felt was very atmospheric – very coastal and small Welsh town. Readers should be aware that there are a few issues with DCI Warlow’s personal life and private health questions remain unanswered in this story – but I expect they should/will be addressed in future books in the series. The aspects to the plot and a few of the interesting twists all get answered and squared away very nicely at the end. I felt this was an excellent police procedural style of story and I am very happy to have found a new series.

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

The Skull by Jon Klassen

October 5, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Skull by Jon Klassen
Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Holiday, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Jon Klassen’s signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit—with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author’s note—The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding.

Would you spend the night in a haunted house?

Otilla was a brave girl who I quickly grew to like. She was kind and sweet even when she was afraid. That’s not always an easy thing to accomplish, so it made me more curious to learn about where she came from and why she was running away from something that frightened her in the first scene. The more I learned about her, the more I wanted to know.

Some of the scenes in this picture book were pretty intense, especially since this was rated for ages 4 and older. I would be hesitant to read this with younger kids without first figuring out how much horror they can handle. Certainly some of them would love it, but I also felt that the talking skull’s biggest fear in life was much darker than what is typically written for preschoolers and elementary-aged readers.

Otilla’s friendship with the skull was sweet. Both of them had pasts they didn’t want to talk about and seemed to find difficult. It was rewarding to watch them figure out they had this in common and decide they were going to protect each other. Few things are better than having a friend who behaves so loyally!

I would have loved to see more character and plot development. The eerie setting had a nice Halloween vibe, but there weren’t a lot of explanations about who the skull was when it was alive and still had the rest of its body or how they were connected to the grand old mansion that was now slowly falling apart. As an adult, I was able to make certain assumptions about what the author might have meant based on subtle context clues, but I don’t think a lot of kids would necessarily pick up on enough of them to make sense of everything without help.

With that being said, I did enjoy the scenes that explained what the skull could and couldn’t do. For example, it could taste tea, but it could not keep tea inside of its mouth because it didn’t have a body or a stomach to digest it. There were multiple examples like this, and each one made me smile as I added more details to my mental file of what this character’s abilities and limitations were.

The Skull was a spooky Halloween read.

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

How to Hug a Cactus by Emily S. Smith

October 4, 2023 By Leave a Comment


How to Hug a Cactus by Emily S. Smith
Publisher: Larrikin House
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

How do you hug a cactus? I’d really like to know. You see, I love my cactus, and my hugs will help it grow. A young girl explores the possibilities of hugging her most favourite plant, a cactus. With a little help from her family members and a gardening guru, she tries a number of solutions to help solve her prickly problem, all with varying degrees of success. How to Hug a Cactus is a story that will ‘stick’ with many readers.

Cacti need love, too!

Trying to figure out how the world works is an important part of childhood. If people and animals like hugs, why wouldn’t a cactus as well? I loved the main character’s explanations of why she wanted to hug her cactus so badly and how she planned to do so without getting poked by its stiff spikes. This sounded like exactly the sort of stage of life that kids often go through more than once as they grow up, and I loved the quirkiness of it all.

The protagonist was surrounded by supportive family members who had many different suggestions of ways to wrap the cactus up so that she could hug it without getting hurt. It was heartwarming for them to take this new interest of hers so seriously and to keep giving her ideas when the previous ones didn’t work. This is exactly how all families should behave, and I wanted to hug all of them for being so encouraging.

Reading the final scene convinced me that this was a five-star story for sure. While I loved the beginning and middle, too, the twist at the end fit into this world so well that I chuckled and wished for a sequel. It wrapped up the main conflict while leaving a lot of room for readers to wonder about how the main character was going to solve her new dilemma. If the author ever decides to write it, I’d sure like to find out what happens next.

How to Hug a Cactus was utterly adorable.

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

Christmas in the Trap by K. Larry

October 4, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Christmas in the Trap by K. Larry
Publisher: Twyla T. Presents, LLC
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Born with all odds against him. No mother. No father. No siblings. Remo was destined for failure from the very beginning. In spite of, he was determined to beat the odds. Just as things begin to look up for him, an accident sends him crashing into The Plug; The man with more jewels than kings and more money than corporate America. One simple mistake puts him in a position that he never thought was possible. Will he succumb to the demands of the streets? Or will he stand in his own greatness?

Mahlia is young, hard working, beautiful, and ready for love. She has her cousin Amelia by her side and they are more like sisters so Mahlia has no problem confiding in her ride or die. When jealousy rears its ugly head, the cousins are faced with drama out of this world. Will the bond that Mahlia shares with Amelia stand in the way of love? Or will true love win? They say Christmas is the season for magic, so come take this crazy ride in The Magic City as K. Larry brings nonstop drama, love, deceit, and betrayal in this sultry African American Urban Fiction Novella.

Remo has all odds against him; will the streets win him over or will love?

This was a quick and good read that follows Remo and Maliha. Remo grew up without family as a ward of the State of Alabama then his luck seems to turn for the better once he comes in contact with Mike Larry. Will Remo choose the dangerous lifestyle of the street hustle?

Told from different views this novella is packed with a good story of drama, jealousy and chances for change. There are a few typos, but they did not impact the flow of the storyline or my reading. Warning the language may be harsh to some readers. I enjoyed the chemistry between Remo and Maliha. Mike and Amelia made some bad choices that had me fusing as I was reading. What happened in the book was unexpected and made for a very entertaining read.

I will definitely read more books from this author.

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

The Peach Seed by Anita Gail Jones

October 3, 2023 By Leave a Comment


The Peach Seed by Anita Gail Jones
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

Fletcher Dukes and Altovise Benson reunite after decades apart―and a mountain of secrets―in this debut exploring the repercussions of a single choice and how an enduring talisman challenges and holds a family together.

On a routine trip to the Piggly Wiggly in Albany, Georgia, widower Fletcher Dukes smells a familiar perfume, then sees a tall woman the color of papershell pecans with a strawberry birthmark on the nape of her neck. He knows immediately that she is his lost love, Altovise Benson. Their bond, built on county fairs, sit-ins, and marches, once seemed a sure and forever thing. But their marriage plans were disrupted when the police turned a peaceful protest violent.

Before Altovise fled the South, Fletcher gave her a peach seed monkey with diamond eyes. As we learn via harrowing flashbacks, an enslaved ancestor on the coast of South Carolina carved the first peach seed, a talisman that, ever since, each father has gifted his son on his thirteenth birthday.

Giving one to Altovise initiated a break in tradition, irrevocably shaping the lives of generations of Dukeses. Recently, Fletcher has made do on his seven acres with his daughter Florida’s check-ins, his drop biscuits, and his faithful dog. But as he begins to reckon with long-ago choices, he finds he isn’t the only one burdened with unspoken truths.

An indelible portrait of a family, The Peach Seed explores how kin pass down legacies of sorrow, joy, and strength. And it is a parable of how a glimmer of hope as small as a seed can ripple across generations.

Fletcher Dukes and Altovise Benson shared a youthful love nearly fifty years ago, will a secret unravel their chance for a loving life together?

This novel follows the Duke family and the dynamics of their family over a span of generations. I was excited once I read the excerpt and was looking forward to reading about the Duke family’s male tradition. What a wonderful idea to follow the first peach seed talisman and how its inheritance was passed down through generations. I enjoyed the story, however I felt that the author was doing too much and there were too many storylines and backstories that watered down such a good plot. I was left wondering what the main story was.

For example, the enslaved story of Malik Wele’ did not quite fit nor really tie into the current day family event. Malik’s story could have been a quick explanation of how the tradition started. Then there was the backstory of Fletcher Dukes and Altovise Benson along with the other parts of the novel that included Bo D’s story about his battle with drug addiction and there was Siman Miller discovering and connecting with his biological family.

The story only seemed to focus on specific family members, and not much time was spent on Georgia and Mozell. It was understood that Fletcher had remorse at not having boys to continue the family tradition, but the names were odd, Fletcher’s children called him Ourdaddy and Fletcher’s nickname for his daughters were ‘son’. Not sure what purpose was served including so much talk about the Albany Civil Rights Movement, and that the family helped with the campaign for Obama, but it was mentioned several times throughout the story. The book was told from several points of view. There were a lot of characters named which made me wonder why they were being mentioned or what was their importance in the story.

I rated the book a three star because of what I stated above, however what I took from the story was that the family is resilient, that they stick together and are able to work out their disagreements and differences. I like the idea of the peach seed being passed down as a rite of passage as custom tradition. Also, there had to be someone of skill to continue to carry the knowledge of carving the peach seeds, but it seemed to stop with Fletcher. I don’t think Bo D was taught how to carve. I enjoyed reading about Fletcher and Altovise. Their past story and their love for each other was still there after so many years had passed. Their love would have been a story all to itself and the secret that Altovise brought with her gave the story some of the climax. The author included drug and alcohol addiction which was a way to show the family’s strength and endurance to overcome their obstacles and that they are able to seek help in order to stay strong.

I enjoyed the story, the realness of the situation and events made for a pleasant read. Overall, it was a good story idea, with some structure and a better outline this could have been an even better story. The idea of telling about the rite of passage, seeing the growth and maturity in the Duke family was inspiring, I will definitely give the author another try.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »