When the Clock Strikes Midnight

by

Alechia Dow

Teamwork makes the Happily Ever After dream work!

Until the Clock Strikes Midnight by Alechia Dow is an enchanting young adult romantasy that reimagines the Cinderella fairytale and combines it with an enemies-to-lovers trope. Newly graduated as the head of her class from the Mortal Outcome Academy, young fairy Darling Sparkleton is given her first assignment to guide Mortal, Lucy Addlesberg, onto the path to her HAPPY EVER AFTER, with the added incentive that, if she is successful, she will win a much-coveted mentorship with the ruling board, the Mortal Outcome Committee. What Darling doesn’t realize is that Calamity, a celestial Misfortune and another recent graduate of the academy, has been given the same opportunity. However, his success means he must guide Lucy away from the risky path to an HEA and make a safer choice that would result in an ORDINARY EVER AFTER, without her one true love. 

This book had such a fun plot, with an absolutely delightful main couple: Darling and Calamity (or Calam, for short). Darling is all glitter and light and sweetness, while Calam is her opposite. Competitors for the same life-changing prize, they have entirely different missions until they discover they really want the same outcome. Their gradual understanding of the nature of mortals, free will and self-determination, love, and each other, as well as their slow-burn, inevitable, sweet romance, make for a wonderfully layered tale. 

The story moves at a fast pace, and I found it hard to find a good stopping point in the narrative without being loath to put the book down and take a break. The banter between Darling and Calam sparkled from more than fairy dust, and I laughed out loud in several places. I loved Darling’s interventions to improve the lot of the entire village of Fulham, especially her solution for the toxic Mrs. Arconia, who used her local status and means to make people, including Lucy, miserable. 

However, the story isn’t all froth and fun. Both Darling and Calam face tough personal struggles. While Calam’s success means he can finally escape a lifetime of criticism and disapproval from his cold, emotionally-aggressive father, Darling suffers from the highs and lows of Vacillating Disorder, where negativity and self-doubt can send her into a frightening downward spiral of self-hate; both issues have real-life parallels. 

This Cinderella story has a number of twists on the original, and I found it entertaining, hard to put down, and so very, very satisfying when I reached the last page. I recommend UNTIL THE CLOCK STRIKES MIDNIGHT to readers of young adult romantasies, young adult fantasy coming-of-age stories, and fairytale reimaginings. 

Content Warning: Bipolar disorder, intrusive thoughts, brief self-harm and passive suicidality 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.

Candle in the Wind

by

Kim Baccellia

Riveting tale of a cloistered dystopian cult and The Others who live outside their compound.

Candle is the Wind by Kim Baccellia is the riveting story of Esperanza "Espie" Hernandez, a teenager growing up in the secluded compound of the Branch of Thomas, and her sudden discovery that everything she believed about her life and about those outside the compound's walls was a lie. A climate crisis and a violent schism of beliefs have devastated what was once the United States of America. But Reverent Father and his followers "saved" God's chosen ones and created a society based on the spiritual leader's teaching and interpretations of messages he receives directly from God. The evil Others who would destroy their new life are kept at bay outside the boundaries of the Branch of Thomas by vigilance and force. But as the years pass, the Reverent Father's missives begin to relegate the women of their community to the sidelines and into submissive, subservient roles only, and the women don't go quietly. When Espie's sister, Xochi, and her best friend, Luz, join in questioning the latest of Reverent Father's scriptures, everyone's life takes a shocking turn, and soon Espie finds herself on her own, outside the compound, searching for her sister and a rumored cache of chemical weapons Reverent Father wants for his own. 

Espie is a great young character, trapped between her past upbringing and the actions she witnesses unfolding before her. She's initially timid, afraid, and obedient, but she follows along with Xochi, her more rebellious, sassy, free-spirited sister, who boldly asks questions no matter the consequences. 

The plot had me on the edge of my seat from the very start. Shocking confrontational scenes show the true nature of both the Branch of Thomas leaders and the survivors known as The Others. While both sides claim to corner the market on the truth, reality really lies somewhere in the middle. There are good and bad people on both sides of the conflict, acting with incomplete knowledge. The surprises kept coming and coming! 

While the story maintains a breakneck pace and engaging main characters, the edition I was reading contains numerous errors in grammar, spelling, and continuity, which I assume will be corrected before publication. I recommend CANDLE IN THE WIND to readers of young adult dystopian fiction. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Case of the Bayfront Murder

Macaroni On Wheels Mystery, #1

by

S.K. Derban

Brisk and energetic new cozy mystery featuring two enthusiastic amateur sleuths!

Case of the Bayfront Murder is the first book in author S.K. Derban’s Macaroni on Wheels Mystery series, and it is a unique debut story for a couple of reasons. With its pair of very enthusiastic amateur sleuths who get involved just because they want to, and a faith-forward foundation underlying the plot, the book offers fresh perspectives on the cozy mystery genre. 

Terza Tiepolo, the owner of a catering business called Macaroni on Wheels, and her BFF and coworker, Moheenie Brickman, are the two amateur sleuths hot on the trail of a murder mystery. When Terza discovers the body of her catering client dead on his kitchen floor, she and Mo immediately agree they must conduct their own investigation into his murder. It’s not that they feel the detective assigned to the case is lame. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! The truth is, it’s just because they’re in a murder mystery book club that they adore and are proficient at guessing who-dun-it in the books they love. 

Terza comes with a lively Italian family that gathers for a weekly Sunday dinner with all the siblings, spouses, children, and any stray friends. While Mo is married to Ranger, a San Diego lifeguard, Terza is still unattached, and the attraction to Detective Nicolas Garza is keen from the start. Another viable romantic interest is DEA Agent Conner Reeves, but as of this book, he’s firmly stuck in the friend zone. 

The plot is well-paced, with the murder occurring early on and the women’s investigation starting the very next day. Terza is aggressive in her approach to digging up information, which both benefits and harms her. There are a couple of good suspects to consider and rule out, and the final resolution makes sense. I really enjoyed the women’s ingenuity and creative stretching of the truth and cover stories about what they were up to, which made for some fun and anxious moments! 

I recommend CASE OF THE BAYFRONT MURDER to cozy mystery readers who enjoy a fun, light story with a faith-forward foundation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

The Wine Broker

Richard O’Brien, #3

by

Ian Rodney Lazarus

With its diverse cast of characters and clever, complex plot, this book was genuinely unputdownable.

The Wine Broker is the third book in author Ian Rodney Lazarus’s exciting Richard O’Brien series, but readers new to the scene will have no problem jumping in here and experiencing a riveting story. FBI Special Agent Richard O’Brien, assigned to the Los Angeles office, is on a special task force examining the sudden rise in the assassinations of their undercover agents and CIA covert operators. But as he delves deeper into their inquiries, his intuition leads him to suspect the contract killings of the agents may be connected to another case, involving money laundering and a new-to-the-U.S. winery that is fermenting their bottled products under the waters of the Pacific Ocean. He signs up for a wine-tasting course to casually increase his knowledge of wine and is immediately attracted to the instructor, Asha Chandra, a beautiful master sommelier from one of LA’s local restaurants. But as he gets to know her, he also shares details about his latest case as he picks her brain for information, which may have unforeseeable consequences for both his career and his continued safety. 

Richard is such a regular guy, looking to advance in his career on his merits and hoping to find someone new to share his life with after experiencing a heart-wrenching breakup with the woman he thought was “the one.” He’s diligent and dedicated, but he sometimes acts before thinking, which gets him into trouble on the job. He has a fun, free-spirited coworker in Jeff McAuley, who is an unusual mix of FBI agent and surfer dude, and I also liked that Richard’s former love interest arrives on the scene to join the same task force at just the right moment. Sarah Goodman has been through some life experiences that have changed her somewhat, and I rooted for her and Richard to reconcile their past relationship the entire time. 

The story unfolds from multiple, well-defined points of view, so a couple of different storylines are in play at all times. It was delightful watching the unique pieces of the plot gradually come together as the story resolved, and I was completely surprised when a final twist was revealed. As a bonus, the action unfolds globally across very exotic and unusual settings, and the vivid descriptions will have readers feel as if they are there alongside the characters. I also enjoyed the author’s incorporation of the U.S. Coast Guard into the plot; there are just so few stories that feature their service (compared to the other branches of the military). However, while I enjoyed the story, the book had some issues with unnecessary repetition and errors, such as character name changes, that I’m hoping were cleaned up before final publication. And while the narrative does reference bits and pieces from the previous Richard O’Brien books, these mentions will not spoil earlier books for new readers but will most likely tempt them to seek them out. 

I recommend THE WINE BROKER to readers of mysteries, thrillers, and suspense, especially those who enjoy a police procedural style of presentation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

Her Last Best Friend

Shadow Lake Ranch Murders, #1

by

Nellie H. Steele

An adult summer camp ranch experience turns deadly.

Her Last Best Friend kicks off author Nellie H. Steele’s latest suspense-filled mystery series, the Shadow Lake Ranch Murders, and I couldn’t have asked for a better start. Besties Melanie “Mel” Halston and Lindsey Hartwell head to a Montana ranch for a summer experience of a lifetime with sunrise yoga, horseback riding, bonfires, personal renewal, and of course, daily chores; it is a working ranch after all. Mel is the more colorful, outgoing, big personality of the two, while Lindsey is shy and reticent, still getting over the breakup of her last romantic relationship. When a handsome ranch hand shows an interest in Lindsey, Mel thinks it would be cool to help push him in her bestie’s direction - until it becomes clear he only has eyes for Lindsey after all. Mel thrives on being the center of attention – everyone’s attention – and when she’s not, she’ll stop at nothing to set things straight. Unfortunately for Mel, someone else has other ideas. 

With its engaging main character and clever storytelling, I was glued to this book from the attention-grabbing epilogue to the final page. The premise of the adult summer-long ranch experience was intriguing and lent itself well to the romantic subplots and the subsequent turnaround of the relationship between Mel and Lindsey. Mel is the ultimate manipulator and, like a runaway speedboat, sucks Lindsey along in her wake. As the saying goes, “With friends like that, who needs enemies?” 

The plot unfolds from multiple points of view, both in the past and in the present. I enjoyed how the story begins with Mel’s death a fait accompli, with the details of what has gone on revealed as Lindsey and others are questioned by the investigative team from the local sheriff’s department. The remoteness and closed community of the ranch limit the cast of characters and, by extension, the possible killers, but because of Mel’s machinations, there are still a couple of good suspects. I’m certain some sharp-eyed armchair detectives will be able to figure out who the real murderer is before the surprising reveal. All in all, this book was an intriguing winner for me. 

I recommend HER LAST BEST FRIEND to readers of mysteries, thrillers, and tales of suspense. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.