Kilned at the Ceramic Shop

Braddock Mystery, #1

by

Donna Clancy

Entertaining and interesting beginning to a new cozy mystery series.

Kilned at the Ceramic Shop is the first book in author Donna Clancy's new cozy Braddock Mystery series set in the small town of Braddock, Maine. Although I felt the story gets off to an uneven start, the action quickly picks up, and the plot thickens, as they say. 

The main character is successful mystery author Tammy Wright, who returns to her hometown of Braddock after a seven-year absence to assist her Aunt Clara at her ceramics shop during the upcoming tourist season. Besides getting up in years, Clara Beale suffers more and more from arthritis, making the tasks at her beloved business difficult and painful. Tammy plans to split her time between working at the shop and writing her next mystery. Their initial reunion at the shop was a little confusing to me as they didn't seem particularly close, and her arrival didn't appear well planned. Her aunt has prepared the guest cottage for her, which is behind her own home, but it still feels like she has just "shown up," not having seen her aunt once since high school. 

Another inconsistency for me occurs during and after the women's confrontation with Wilmot Sawyer. Clara comes across as a doddering, indecisive old woman, and it takes a lot of coaching from Tammy for her to build up to righteous anger over Wilmot's actions. However, she is consistently described as a very strong woman throughout the rest of the book. She is nice, caring, and active in her town's leadership, but seems easily swayed by others. 

As the first in a series, the author must craft an entire town and its population on which to build her stories, and it is perhaps even more critical in this case, as the series title bears the town's name. The author introduces the various businesses, neighbors, and townspeople of Braddock without overwhelming the reader with blocks and blocks of exposition. People and places are featured as natural and fun parts of the story. I thought it was unusual in this typical cozy mystery town that the residents seemed to show only a cursory concern over the murder and kidnapping of two of their lifelong friends and neighbors, though. Clara is an elected selectman, and there's no massive gathering of searchers or candlelight vigil. However, later, the entire town comes together to help Tammy clean up the destruction at the ceramic shop, so if Clara is ever found, she doesn't encounter a mess when she returns to work. There was the same lack of reaction after the murder: no funeral was mentioned or well-attended visitation. 

Still, the story picks up and gains a lot of momentum as Tammy takes matters into her own hands to find out who is behind her aunt's disappearance, the acts of vandalism and destruction, and the murder. The attraction between Tammy and Zeke is sweet and believable, slowly building into something more. I loved this second chance at a relationship together for both of them. 

The two real estate developers are both pieces of work and easy to boo and hiss. There is a plentiful sprinkling of clues for the alert reader to note, and I thought the resolution was clever and satisfyingly complex once all was finally revealed. 

I recommend KILNED AT THE CERAMIC SHOP for cozy mystery readers, especially those with an interest in the hobby of making ceramics.

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

Death Avenue

Eddie Rum, #1

by J.I. Jung

Fantastic noir crime fiction tale set in 1919, pre-Prohibition New York City/Chinatown, and the threat of the Chinese Exclusion Act loomed.

Death Avenue is the first novel in author J.I. Jung’s noir crime fiction series featuring Eddie Rum, a young half-Chinese, half-Caucasian man just returned to the city after his service in war-torn France. Trying to get on his feet, Eddie Rum works at odd jobs for the local Democratic Party precinct boss as well as cleaning up for the Central Railroad, whose tracks that run through the city get blocked by debris, goods, or the bodies of people who failed to move out of the way of an oncoming train. It is one such failure that draws Eddie into the machinations of powerful local crime bosses, including his estranged father and twin brother, who run the Pell Street House tong in Chinatown. As Eddie wants to know who was responsible for the death of Ah Fay, a theatrical performer and comedian, he approaches them after years of no contact for information. His father, Fuunwong, is unexpectedly intent on gaining possession of a small notebook and the betting slips it contained that Ah Fay had on his body when Eddie found him, and he isn’t the only one who’ll apparently go to great lengths to get their hands on it. 

What a fantastic book! Eddie is a conflicted young man, damaged by his childhood and his experiences in the war, yet still compassionate and determined to do the right thing, as he tries to figure out his life and future. While his brother, Clock, physically resembled their father, Eddie took after their white mother, and he was deeply affected by his father’s decision to send him to live with his mother’s people as a child, as the danger of the Chinese Exclusion Act gained steam. Eddie’s yearning to be an equal son to his father and Clock’s belief that their father favored his white son over him were heartbreaking to watch, especially as Fuunwong is portrayed as manipulative and untrustworthy, using both sons only as a means to money and power. Eddie also suffers from occasional olfactory flashbacks to the war; however, these instances often herald the presence of imminent danger. 

The setting is vivid and moody, with precise descriptions, historic locations and events, authentic-sounding dialogue, and character names such as Nails, Specs, or Ninth Street Mike that clearly build a vibrant picture of New York City just after World War I. While I often felt like I was watching this story unfold in living black and white, I also felt I was right in the scene, at times. 

As the first book in a series, the author accomplishes much of the heavy lifting in establishing the world in which his stories will unfold and in populating it with a mix of historical and fictional characters. There are a lot of characters to keep straight and a couple of storylines to juggle. But the writing is clear, easy to read, and immersive, and the clever, complex plot comes together very nicely as the disparate storylines gradually converge. The imaginative character names certainly helped keep the story local, grounded, and free of confusion. The resolution of the storylines is great, and I didn’t figure out who was responsible for Ah Fay’s murder until it was revealed. 

I recommend DEATH AVENUE to readers of historical mysteries, thrillers, and crime fiction, especially fans of a noirish style. 

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

Becoming Still:

A Tale of Inner Reckoning and Wild Places

by

Sej Saraiya

Well-told and vivid, BECOMING STILL is deeply engaging on more than one level and much more than just a travelogue.

Becoming Still: A Tale of Inner Reckoning and Wild Places by Sej Saraiya is a traveler’s tale of a journey to unexpected places of beauty and understanding of both the physical and emotional experiences. When the author agrees to join her boyfriend on an off-the-beaten-path trip into the backcountry of Venezuela, she not only discovers a beautiful, less-visited region of the world but new insights about herself and her partner. Her story is engaging and points out the realities of how most tourists experience new places, people, and cultures only superficially. 

Stories of traveling to remote and exotic locations and what is encountered there are often the only way many people will ever experience that place for themselves, but this vicarious travel can still be satisfying and inspirational; BEING STILL certainly fulfilled this for me. The author’s writing style, often confessional, often self-deprecating, is warm, easy to read, revealing, and personable. She deftly conveys the feelings she had while traveling, deficit in the local language, through unknown places, perfectly telegraphing her emotions and reactions – unease, alarm, fear, disappointment, and joy – as she and her companions encountered wild terrain and uncertain local conditions without a trusted and reliable safety net. 

Seraiya relates her discoveries of the beauty and added value inherent in “slow travel,” the practice of immersing oneself in the life, food, and culture of a new location, choosing fewer destinations in favor of a deeper connection with a place and its people. So many travelers, unable to pick up and go for many reasons, want to make the most of their limited vacation days and dollars, so quick, superficial tourism has become the norm for “once in a lifetime” trips. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the sights and included photographs; however, the pictures in my ebook edition were often dark and difficult to see clearly. Many of the sites she visited were remote and required rough transportation with few amenities on arrival, and I empathized with her unease at the more loosey-goosey travel arrangements and accommodations. Her overnight stay at the home in the remote Venezuelan countryside and the odd family dynamics of the host were tense and riveting reading, as were many other incidents on this same trip. I admire the author’s ability to get beyond the strangeness and fear of the unknown and bond with her fellow travelers, hosts, and local people. My only complaint is that the story ended too soon; I wanted more. 

I recommend BECOMING STILL to readers of travel stories, especially those who wish to get out on their own, see new places, and meet new people. 

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

Until 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.