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Meditation and Mischief

Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club, #8

by

Elizabeth Pantley

 

So delighted for another meeting of the Magical Mystery Book Club!

 

The tales of the Magical Cozy Mystery Book Club resume with Meditation and Mischief, the eighth book in this fun collection. When this latest adventure opens with an intriguing change to the familiar routine, it is up to the club members to discover its relevance to the mystery. The surprising start spices up the action right away, and everyone wonders what the Magic Library is up to. 

The current roster includes all returning club members this time, and the story unfolds from Paige Erickson’s steady and serious point of view. For this latest meeting, the group arrives at the Snapdragon Inn the night before the regularly scheduled meeting to share a meal (naturally) and catch up before heading out to wherever their book selection sends them. While the members enjoy their always-impressive smorgasbord of snacks and treats, something seems off with Atticus. He’s much more serious about their upcoming roles in the mystery, and this doesn’t sit well with Sebastian and some of the others; they’re in it for the fun, travel, and leisure. 

The suspense over who the murder victim is going to be extends well into the events of the story as the book club members prep for their roles at the book’s setting – a college class reunion. There are numerous red herrings and possible suspects to consider, plot twists, and potential clues revealed before the surprising resolution and the ultimately poignant finale. As with the previous books, the engaging characters, great setting, and excellent storytelling made me feel like I was visiting with old friends. 

I recommend MEDITATION AND MISCHIEF to cozy mystery fans. 

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

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Ruby

Service Dog, #1

by

Jack Heape

 

Inspirational and informative story of Ruby and Toby’s journey from show ring to service dog.

 

Ruby is the inaugural book in author Jack Heape’s new middle-grade series about service dogs, telling the inspirational story of a budding champion show dog and her young handler who discover another calling in their lives as a service dog and a service dog trainer. Readers of all ages will surely find the story informative and heartwarming. 

Toby Durham developed a passion for handling dogs in the show ring early and became one of the youngest and most successful handlers in competition. He longs to start and finish his own champion, and he gets that chance with owner/breeder Madeleine Fulbright and a young Irish Setter puppy named Ruby. The story details much of the behind-the-scenes work and commitment involved in pursuing his dream, including the considerations and accommodations his family and parents make to help him realize it. 

While this aspect of the plot is awesome on its own, it’s not the only storyline. When Toby’s family moves for his father’s job, one of Toby’s new neighbors is Rachel Parker, a girl about his own age who experiences seizures of such an unpredictable nature that she is literally restricted to her own home. A chance meeting and Ruby’s instinctive actions, which appear to warn Rachel of an impending seizure, changes life for everyone. 

Ruby, Toby, and Rachel’s story is inspirational reading and chock-full of dog care, dog and handler training, and the amazing collaboration between one incredible dog and the humans in her life. I recommend RUBY for readers of middle-grade fiction, especially those who love books about dogs. 

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

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The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond

by

Christyne Morrell

 

Delightful middle-grade book featuring a haunted house, humor, and finding out home is where the heart is.

 

The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond by Christyne Morrell is a delightful new middle-grade haunted house story featuring an engaging 12-year-old protagonist and the surprise inhabitants of her new home in Florida. There’s so much to enjoy: a mystery, a search for a fabulous but cursed diamond, and a young girl’s discovery that home is where the heart is. 

Charlotte “Charlie” Hess is such a delightful character. While grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother, her father buys a fixer-upper home in a small coastal Florida town, uprooting her from her friends’ group and all that was familiar. The story unfolds from Charlie’s first-person point of view, and her voice is relatable and delivered with wit. I was on board and behind this character from page one and completely engaged with her feelings. The same goes for Charlie’s dad, who is trying to fit in in his new town. I laughed out loud at his Pig Latin! The three spirits are as well-developed, and their tragic backstories are sad and preventable. While they are ghosts and do ghostly things, as a parent, I was more frightened by the idea of an unsupervised 12-year-old with a box of hair dye. (So, not too scary for sensitive young readers.) 

The plot moves quickly, with convenient-length chapters creating good logical stopping points for reading aloud or on one’s own. Chapters relating how the curse came to be are interspersed with Charlie’s narrative of the present. Young readers should have no trouble following the shift in perspective or time frame. The descriptions of the house, the town, and the landscape are vivid, and I felt as if I was experiencing the scenes firsthand. 

I recommend THE CURSE OF THE DEAD MAN’S DIAMOND to readers of middle-grade fiction who enjoy a paranormal aspect in their stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

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A Murder and Maggie MacGill

by

Rebecca Lee Smith

 

An out-of-work elementary school art teacher becomes a suspect in a murder case!

 

A Murder and Maggie MacGill is a fun, cozy mystery by Rebecca Lee Smith that features former elementary school art teacher Maggie MacGill and the close-knit community of Wrenhaven, Tennessee. When the wealthiest woman in town dies unexpectedly and leaves her fortune to Maggie, bypassing her grandsons and other family members and retainers, talk goes around town that Maggie may have had a hand in Mrs. Grayson's death. 

Maggie is an engaging and relatable young woman, with everyday worries as well as those resulting from a recent stretch of bad luck. Not only did she discover her boyfriend's grandmother's body, but she also lost her job due to budget cuts and her boyfriend to a Hooter's waitress (his soulmate – like he even has a soul!) With her father recuperating from an injury and unable to work as a painting contractor, and her brother's new restaurant still struggling to get off the ground, she's the sole breadwinner for the present. When Constance Grayson leaves the bulk of her estate to Maggie rather than family, though, people start to talk and speculate. But when the woman's death proves to be from natural causes, someone starts playing pranks that quickly escalate into the danger zone. Maggie is compelled to get to the bottom of things so she can accept her inheritance and use some of her good fortune to help others in her town. 

The author populates the East Tennessee mountain town with a variety of fun neighbors and potential suspects. Eli Grayson, one of the dead woman's grandsons and a horrible memory from Maggie's past, returns to Wrenhaven just before his grandmother's death. While he was the catalyst for Maggie's bullying in high school, he seems genuinely sincere in his apology and regret for his youthful behavior. The chemistry between the two is electric, while her relationship with his cousin, Stephen, her former boyfriend, was a shocking disappointment, as he was such an awful individual. 

The story is well-paced, with the discovery of Mrs. Grayson's death occurring early in the book and the development of the town of Wrenhaven, its residents, and Maggie's current situation unfolding organically without info-dumping. I was behind Maggie every step of the way as she searched for answers, dodged disasters, and considered what to do with Mrs. Grayson's legacy. As the deceased was generally disliked by many people, who also felt like she owed them for her nastiness in life, there are plenty of suspects to consider before the person behind everything is identified. The big reveal was exciting and played out with some unusual twists, including the appearance of an unlikely hero. 

I recommend A MURDER AND MAGGIE MACGILL to cozy mystery readers, especially those who enjoy art-themed stories or Tennessee settings. 

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

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The One Who Undid Me

Austin Heat, #1

by

Amari Nylix

 

Spicy-hot read for after the kids go to bed!

 

The One Who Undid Me is the debut novel in author Amari Nylix’s spicy-hot Texas-set romance series, Austin Heat, and the HEAT promised in the title is definitely delivered. The two main characters are both trying to leave their pasts behind them, looking for authenticity in their lives; however, each keeps secrets from the other.

Jake Skyler, the up-and-coming NFL quarterback, is trying to move beyond his frivolous playboy-party-hearty reputation and become the leader his team needs and a successful career demands. Rakell McCarthy plans to leave behind her former profession as a very exclusive and very expensive escort for the rich and famous to pursue a legitimate modeling and acting career. Neither one was planning to meet the one person who makes their hearts pound and senses race, but there they are. She has no idea he is a celebrity quarterback who attracts women like a magnet. He hasn’t a clue she’s a highly sought-after companion to some of Europe’s wealthiest men. They only know each other from working out at the same Austin gym and regular people.

For Jake, his attraction to Rakell is immediate, and while she is flattered by the attention of the handsome guy, it takes her some time to warm up to him and override the caution she’s maintained to exit her former career by the end of the year. Their banter is lively, with Jake often on the receiving end of her barbed comments.

The characters, especially Rakell, have quite developed and complex backstories, and readers will get a good understanding of what is important to them and what makes them tick. Neither Jake nor Rakell seems to have experienced a normal dating life; even Jake’s early dating was as a popular high school quarterback and without the stress of much rejection or effort. They are often awkward with each other early on and their verbal sparring, while flirty and full of innuendo, seemed like unfamiliar ground to both. Their uncertainty made them seem more human and more relatable, and then the fact is their chemistry sizzles and eventually ignites. But they still have secrets they put off revealing to each other that lurk at the edges of their relationship and threaten to destroy their gradually growing trust and love. And the longer they wait to tell all, the worse the consequences could be. The suspense kept me greatly invested in the outcome.

I enjoyed the various settings, most specifically the familiarity of Austin, Texas, and the exotic allure of Santorini. The story provides both the comfort of a hometown and the excitement of distant and fabled destinations. The storytelling is compelling and easy to read, and though the language is blunt and raw at times, it rings true to the characters’ ages, experiences, and lifestyles. I did feel the build-up went a little long, though; a lot of ground is covered. Surprisingly, the story does not wrap up completely, leaving readers with important questions unanswered, questions that will hopefully be answered in subsequent books in the series.

I recommend THE ONE WHO UNDID ME to readers of spicier romances who enjoy a football theme or a Texas setting.

 

For this and other book reviews, visit my blog Boys' Mom Reads!

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Venality

by

Vontae Jones

 

A riveting vision of a dystopian future and one young woman’s struggle to survive and safeguard her young brother.

 

Venality by Vontae Jones is a dark and brooding yet riveting vision of a dying, dystopian future Earth, where the powerful few are protected, and the rest are only pawns in their efforts to get more of whatever they want. The story follows the exploits of a small group of these others, hiding in the shadowed fringes of society, who have decided to grab a piece of the pie by whatever means necessary. The results are explosive beyond their wildest dreams and kept me enthralled every step of their journey. 

The main characters, Takara Matsumoto and her younger brother, Riku, are living on borrowed time after narrowly escaping the assassins who killed their parents. Takara loves Riku and has devoted her existence to keeping him safe. When the money she was able to grab as they fled the Rashiki soldiers ran out, she reluctantly joined a band of talented thieves led by a mysterious masked leader known as Ace. The author sets up a moral dilemma for Takara as the group’s actions go against everything she stands for. However, a week of watching Riku go hungry breaks her commitment and forces her to compromise. The author doesn’t allow her doubts to just magically disappear either, as this character continues to struggle with what is expected of her as part of the team until she reaches a moral point of no return. 

Young Riku is in awe of his sister and completely enamored of their new circumstances. I thought he and Jester made an adorable couple; their scenes together were fun and heartwarming. Vex was charming but weak and damaged by his past. Icarus is much the same but seethes with constant anger. Ace is an enigma, and I had difficulty warming up to this character. I also had trouble finding any redemptive support for the group’s various plots and plans. But an incredibly surprising twist later explains everything. 

Despite my unease over their motives, methods, and resulting mayhem, the plans in motion are riveting reading. The author has a flair for crafting exciting action scenes with well-choreographed, vivid, and easily visualized fight sequences. The story is well-paced and absorbing, and it kept me reading as long as my time allowed. The ending is nothing like anything I’ve encountered before; I never saw that coming. 

Although this is the author’s debut novel, it felt much more polished than that. There is room for additional editing to address awkward or incorrect word choices and usage, repetition (e.g., simper), and mistakes involving homophones. 

I recommend VENALITY to readers of young adult dystopian fiction. 

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

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River of Wrath

St. Benedict, #2

by

Alexandra Weis and Lucas Astor

 

Exciting, with a palpable feeling of foreboding from the first page!

 

Months after the events of Halloween night and the death of the psychotic scion of the wealthy and influential Devereaux family, the bones of another young woman are found half-buried in the sand of the beach of the Bogue Falaya River in St. Benedict, Louisiana. Discovered after the deaths of several local high school students, residents are scared. But Leslie Moore, whose twin sister, Dawn, was one of the victims, and her friends, Sara, Kelly, and Taylor, know more than they're telling about what's happening in the formerly sleepy little town. 

As the pressure of keeping their secret takes its toll on the four girls, a new boy arrives in town, and he's eager to make new friends and seemingly learn all he can about the Devereauxs, especially Gage, the current head of the family. But when one more young woman is found dead at the river's edge, rumors fly, and suspicions start to take over. Is Luke Cross who he says he is? And does the girls' paranoia perhaps have a foothold in reality? It certainly feels to Leslie like she's being watched. 

River of Wrath is the sequel to River of Ashes and is the second book in the Alexandra Weis and Lucas Astor co-penned St. Benedict series. From the first page, there is an uneasy atmosphere in the town, and revelations from the main character, Leslie Moore, will undoubtedly establish the 'why?' But menace and foreboding continue to creep across every page as an unknown entity stalks Leslie and her friends. 

The book is an ultimate page-turner, and you don't need to have read the first book to enjoy this one. However, the setup in River of Ashes provides a clearer understanding of the existing relationships and the trauma experienced before the current action, making for a more satisfying story overall. The authors have created a believable small town in southeastern Louisiana, populated by an entire community. Even with the plethora of characters, the book is easy to read and follow, and the pages seemed to fly by as the story unfolded. As a bonus, I want to compliment the creators on the eye-catching book cover and the atmospheric graphics on each chapter's first page, giving the impression of peering into the trees edging the Bogue Falaya or surrounding the abbey. 

The characters engaged me immediately. Leslie, grieving the loss of her twin and feeling some responsibility for her death, is also neck-deep in regret over her complicity in what happened to Beau Devereaux. In addition, she's confused by her attraction to Luke and conflicted about her decision to break things off with her longtime boyfriend, Derek, who isn't making it any easier. Taylor is obsessed with the Devereaux family's background, seeking the key to understanding what happened to her and the others. Sara, confident and callous, is self-absorbed and self-serving, while Kelly is fearful. They are all slowly falling apart. The reader is a spectator to the waking nightmare the girls' lives have become since the events of book one. 

The feeling of foreboding is palpable throughout, and shocking twists and turns make for an exciting story you won't want to put down. I recommend RIVER OF WRATH to readers who enjoy contemporary young adult thrillers that have a touch of the paranormal and fans of the previous book in the series. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

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Part of the Solution

by

Elana Michelson

 

Intriguing flashback to the 70s mystery.

 

Part of the Solution by Elana Michelson is a fun new novel, part mystery and part love letter to the late 1970s wind-down of the counterculture of the 60s, with both goals well met. When Professor Jennifer Morgan comes face-to-face with her former lover, Detective Ford McDermott, in the lobby of a Boston conference hotel, more than forty years after they parted ways, they agree to meet later that evening for a drink and a good catch-up. But while she awaits their reunion, she reflects on the circumstances of their meeting and what separated them so many years ago: the murder of one of her housemates. 

Jennifer and her housemates, Wendy, Will, and Samir, had lived together in rooms above the diner she and Wendy owned and operated in Flanders, a quaint Massachusetts village that hosted the vestiges of a disappearing hippie community, just down the road from a private liberal arts college. Will, Wendy’s boyfriend, made a living as a carpenter and woodworker, while Samir, a friend of Will’s, was somewhat of a mystery, who drifted in and out, occasionally working at the local food coop, but largely known and revered by the college set as a peace activist from the West Coast. Also known for cutting a swath through his female admirers, he’d garnered his share of detractors. Jennifer, herself, felt his disingenuousness and was not a fan, but she tolerated his presence well enough to maintain the harmony of their group. Police Officer Ford McDermott is Jennifer’s opposite in many ways, and their meeting during the investigation of the murder of one of her housemates leads to an instant attraction and a hot, burning romance. 

Spurred on by the inept investigation conducted by the detective assigned to the murder case, Allard Johns, Jennifer looks into the death herself. I enjoyed her using her intimate, astute observations of the people around her as she hypothesized who and what was behind the murder. While she initially considered everyone, it was her confidence in her assessments that led her to identify the killer correctly. While she and Ford ended up living separate lives, I could not help but wonder what the trajectory of their joint journey might have been. 

The plot moved a little too slowly for me, with world-building and character introductions taking up almost 40 percent of the novel before the murder. The intriguing circumstances of the victim’s death, a closed-circle mystery, kept me engaged, as did the relationship blooming between Jennifer and Ford. Even with a second murder attempt, this is a quiet story with a gradual reveal rather than an 11th-hour bombshell. I enjoyed the cultural references of the time and the musical timestamps throughout, many of which I could clearly recall experiencing myself back then. 

I recommend PART OF THE SOLUTION to mystery readers, especially those who enjoy stories set in the late 1970s.

 

Find this and other book review on my blog, Guatemala Paula Loves to Read.

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Phantom Hearts

Ghost, #2

by

Minnette Meador

 

Imaginative and suspenseful spicy paranormal romance!

 

Phantom Hearts by author Minnette Meador is the latest novella in her Ghost series, which began with A Ghost of a Chance. The plot is intriguing, with the main character, psychic Brianna “Bri” Eugenia Alberic, discovering she’s been impregnated by the demon, Reggie, seduced in her dreams. She learns of her condition only a day after she and the man she loves, Sgt. John Thompson, finally consummated their relationship. I could feel her shock and anger as she came to understand what had been done to her. The two main male characters are complete opposites. While Reggie literally drags her through hell, John goes through hell to rescue her. 

The story contains explicit adult situations, so this one is not for children or readers who prefer their romances sweet. Some scenes are loving, passionate moments between two people who have long waited to commit to each other. However, others include Reggie’s scene of seduction and lust-filled orgies in the third circle of hell. The author has the marvelous ability to make both types vividly real, and they make quite an impression. 

Supporting the main cast are some fascinating and quirky characters. Bri’s deceased grandmother, Gomo, has some fun moments and always has her back. I also enjoyed Reggie’s sister, Beatrice, and Charon from Purgatory. 

With its tense, well-crafted plot and a cast of likable characters, both recurring and new, I recommend PHANTOM HEARTS to readers of spicy paranormal romances. 

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

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Water Grave

Detective Abbey Rhodes Mysteries, #1

by

Mitchell S. Karnes

 

Great debut for this new police detective mystery series!

 

Water Grave is the first book in author Mitchell S. Karnes's new mystery series featuring Detective Abbey Rhodes of the Nashville, Tennessee, Homicide Division. When the body of a dynamic young pastor is discovered in the church's baptistery, rookie Detective Abbey Rhodes and her senior partner, Detective Sam Tidwell, are assigned to determine the killer. However, their early disagreement over the direction the case should take makes for an uneasy pairing and heated conflict. Abbey must decide between disobeying orders, following her instincts, and pursuing additional leads, or going along with what she feels is a hastily identified perpetrator who she believes is innocent. 

I really liked Abbey, the main character with a complicated past and conflicted conscience. The child of missionary parents, a tragic childhood has pushed her away from her family and her faith, in fact, all vestiges of organized religion. However, it is the events of the past that have shaped her future and initiated her deep need to seek out the truth and justice for others. As the fresh, green detective, she shares the attitude of others new to their careers, believing that their more recent training outstrips the knowledge of their older coworkers. Still, she quickly recognized that she had more to learn from her older partner. Her relationship with her mentor/partner, Sam, is complicated; she thinks he's coasting and taking the easiest way to case closure, and he thinks she's too young and inexperienced. But the truth of what's coloring Sam's attitude toward Abbey is a surprising twist. 

The plot progresses quickly, with the murder occurring right away and a suspect identified, arrested, and charged soon after – all on circumstantial evidence. The investigation is a steady police procedural even after Abbey is ordered off further inquiry into the case. The story's perspective alternates between Abbey's first-person narrative and third-person viewpoints, giving the reader a more complete picture of what is happening. Abbey's past is slowly revealed in bits and pieces, and it kept me wondering for quite a while. There are a number of suspects in the murder to start with, but alibis and subsequent plot twists help eliminate some and put forward others, which kept me guessing until almost the final resolution. 

I recommend WATER GRAVE to mystery readers who enjoy police procedural-style stories and strong female protagonists. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.