August Read: In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

 

We had a short run of cooler temperatures and sweet sleeping nights a few weeks ago and now we're back into the hellscape of heat and humidity. It didn't sway me from jumping into my "Fall feels" and now I just want to read my spooky, moody, gothic, magical novels. I'm ready for pumpkin bread, soup, and early nights. I'm done with summer!

This novel was exactly what I needed to give me that shove into the fall season. Shannon Morgan is a new author to me, and I'll definitely read her first novel Her Little Flowers.  

Taking place on a remote Scottish island, we join Edie Nunn and her daughter Neve. Edie, who grew up in an orphanage and never knew who her parents were, finds out she's inherited an island and a castle from her family, the Maundrells.  Off they go, to check it out and stay for just a few days. No way Edie can keep the castle; it will be sold. 

The castle and the island are filled with ghosts of every shape and size, including Viking ghost ships in the blood red loch (yes, it's red water!), a witch, the evil former owner who scares every other ghost in the castle, and creepy shadows that slither around, waiting to pounce. Edie's ready to leave after just one night; Neve is curious and wants to dig into the family history, which includes the hunt for the infamous Maundrell Red, a diamond coveted by more than one person, living and dead. It disappeared in 1965, and no one has ever found it. Neve wants to figure out the mystery and find the diamond. But is someone else on the island looking for the diamond? Are Edie and Neve safe, as Samhain (October 31) approaches? Will the witch claim Edie and Neve as victims, as the family curse has promised over the years?

At first I had a bit of a time keeping everyone straight as the story bounces from Edie and Neve to 1965 and the Maundrell family. There's a handy family tree included in the book to help you keep track. The haunting is immediate, and there's lots of creepy stuff on the island and in the castle. The history goes back thousands of years, so there's plenty of trauma and death soaked into the island. 

Ghost story fans will love this gothic novel. The setting is well done, and definitely gives you the bone-deep chills only a damp, haunted castle can do. Edie and Neve's relationship is solid and grows with their experiences. And, you are invested in finding out who Edie's parents are...there's plenty of possibilities. The bad people are definitely bad--no doubts about it--and beyond redemption. 

I'd say fans of Carol Goodman, Wendy Webb, and Simone St. James would enjoy this author. 

Rating: 4/6 for an intriguing family curse and mystery wrapped in a historical castle and island, haunted by creatures that will keep you looking into the shadows. 

Available in paperback, audio, and ebook. 

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August Read: In the Lonely Hours by Shannon Morgan

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

 

I started this in December over Christmas weekend and finished it on January first. Love the cover--it grabbed me right away. I'm all about small English villages, murder, and a possible curse. Sign me up!

This mystery takes place in 1922, after the Great War (World War One in the U.S.). American heiress Ruby Vaughn lives in Exeter, England  with Mr. Owens, an elderly man who runs a rare bookstore. Ruby takes care of delivering the books to clients around England, and after her rather shaky past, it's a place for her to take some time to get a grip on her life and figure things out. 

Mr. Owens gives Ruby a delivery task that brings her directly back to her past in the small village of Lothlel Green, located in the Cornish countryside. There resides her best friend Tamsyn, who is married to Sir Edward Chenowyth and resides at Penryth Hall. It's a good excuse to visit her friend, who had sent Ruby a letter a year previously, stating she had made a terrible mistake and would Ruby please come. Ruby chose not to go, for various reasons you'll find out. Ruby arrives and meets the intriguing Ruan Kivell, the person who is expecting the delivery of books from Mr. Owens. He's something else, is Ruan. He's the local Pellar, which the locals hold in high esteem. He appears to have a bit of magic around him. And strangely seems to be able to hear everything Ruby is thinking in her head. 

Ruby is at Penryth Hall for only one evening when the next morning Sir Edward is found murdered in the orchard. Murdered in a most horrible way--and thus begins the mystery that Ruby and Ruan race to solve, before there are more victims of the curse that claimed Sir Edward. 

But is it a curse, a local legend; or a murder plain and simple? Lots of reasons to see Sir Edward dead--he was an unpleasant man. Did Tamsyn do it? One of the locals? Did Ruby do it and not remember? 

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery. I loved the setting, especially the Cornish countryside and the post World War One climate. Ruby is an intriguing character who has a lot of problems and baggage. Ruan--ooh, he's a handsome devil. The two together are dynamite. 

This mystery had a lot of layers to get through, so you never really know who did it until close to the end. I most certainly hope there are more mysteries involving Ruby, Ruan, and Mr. Owens. I would gobble them up. 

Rating: 4/6 for an intriguing mystery with an unforgettable setting, characters that have excellent chemistry, and the possibilities of more collaboration in future novels. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

November Read: Inheritance: The Lost Bride Trilogy Book 1 by Nora Roberts

 November has been a hot mess for me reading-wise. I'm working on a bit of a project that is taking up a lot of my reading time and I blinked and tomorrow is December first. 

I have read a few of Nora Robert's trilogies over the years and I always enjoy them, and the fact that they are just a trilogy and not a series. I couldn't wait to read this, her newest trilogy that combines a bit of romance, a bit of history, and a bit of the unexpected in a family curse, an evil witch, and a whole lot of dead brides. 

Sonya MacTavish lives in Boston and has just gotten out of a terrible relationship mere weeks before she was set to be married. It turned her world upside down, but she's moving on and making plans. Her plans are disrupted by a visit from a lawyer from Poole's Bay, Maine. He tells Sonya that she's inherited a majestic home and investments from her unknown until now Uncle Collin Poole. Collin and Sonya's father Drew were twins who were separated at birth; neither knew the other existed until Collin found out as an adult, but too late to meet Drew, who died in an accident. Now Collin is dead, and he's left the family legacy to Sonya. She has to move to Maine and agree to live in the home for three years--all expenses paid. Overnight she's become a wealthy woman. 

With nothing to lose, Sonya moves to Maine and immediately falls head over heels for the home. She sets up her freelance business as a graphic artist and starts settling in, but quickly discovers some unsettling things about the home--it is haunted. Not by just one spirit, but by a whole group. And there is one nasty spirit who is determined to push Sonya out by any means possible. 

So who are the spirits? The family history paints a terrible picture of tragedy after tragedy for generations. Once each generation, a Poole woman dies either on her wedding day, or within the first year of marriage. All manner of deaths--but each is a murder, and those murders are done by a woman who was rejected by the first Poole man for his true love. She's still in the house, and at night Sonya wanders the house, looking into the events leading up to each of the seven brides and their tragic deaths. What do they want with her? And why does the evil witch take the wedding ring off each woman as they lay dying? 

This was just a fun read, and classic Nora Roberts. The house is fascinating; the premise of the family curse is interesting, and I have to say I do love the reaction of Cleo, Sonya's best friend, to the evil witch and her attempts to scare the women. A few "F*** You" quotes fly through the air, and honestly, if I was in Cleo's place, I'd probably say the same thing, too. This witch has had centuries to hang around, but she hasn't met any modern women--and she has met her match. 

Sonya gets involved with Trey Doyle, a lawyer in town who has a family history with the Poole family and grew up and around the house. He's well aware of the history and the hauntings. Sonya's best friend Cleo is also a treat--and I suspect her relationship with Owen Poole, Sonya's cousin, will be the second book in the trilogy. 

This one ends suddenly and boom! Done. Not even a teaser for the next book. I surely hope it comes soon, because it definitely left me hanging. So yes, suspend belief; enjoy the little dog named Yoda, the copious amounts of wine drinking between Sonya and crew, and the glorious home Nora Roberts created for us to enjoy. I can't wait to read more and watch Sonya destroy the family curse so she can live happily ever after and not become the next lost bride. Wrench those stolen wedding rings off that hag's hand, Sonya!

I don't see any dates or anything at all about the second book in the trilogy. Stay tuned. 

Rating: 5/6 for sheer entertainment, a clever story, and characters that are easy to get to know and enjoy. The romance is light and sex is tastefully done and exactly what a modern grown up couple would do and say.  I will be trying to wait patiently for the second book. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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November Read: Inheritance: The Lost Bride Trilogy Book 1 by Nora Roberts

Summer Reading 2022: The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

 

I took a few days of vacation to make a long weekend and was determined to finish a few books in my summer TBR list. This novel has been in my pile for a few months. I started it in May, got distracted, and put it down. Yesterday I picked it back up and got swept away pretty immediately. 

Beatriz needs to get married to escape the awful life her and her mother are in after her father is taken away in the night and murdered for plotting against the Mexican government. It's 1823 and women have limited choices. She married Rodolfo Solórzano, a wealthy man who takes her to his home, the Hacienda San Isidro. 

Beatriz isn't greeted with much enthusiasm by the servants at San Isidro, nor Rodolfo's sister Juana. She's the second Doña Solórzano, and yikes it's not the welcome she was hoping for. The first wife of Rodolfo was a horrible woman who treated the servants terribly and made everyone's life miserable. She died from typhoid a few years before. 

However, the moment Beatriz steps into the hacienda, she feels something is terribly, terribly wrong. The house seethes with bad energy; cold air sweeps through in waves; doors slam, and there are those terrible red eyes peeking through the darkness. Rodolfo leaves for business in the capitol, and Beatriz is terrified to live in the house alone. She hears voices, sees terrible visions, and is afraid to sleep. 

She attends church, and asks for a blessing. Snubbed by the older, crabby Padre, she meets Padre Andrés, a young priest who grew up at San Isidro and has returned to take care of the village outside of the hacienda. He agrees to bless the hacienda, and oh boy, what he feels and sees when he visits is exactly what Beatriz experiences: an unholy, terrible, evil force. 

Who's that force? Why, the first Doña, of course. Beatriz is frantic to fight the evil-she just isn't strong enough to do it herself. Andrés has a few surprises of his own that may just be enough to fight the evil that inhabits the hacienda. It may kill them first, though. 

There's a lot going on here with back story and the aftermath of the Mexican War of Independence. Generations of people working on the same land; generations of the same land owners treating those people poorly and taking advantage of them. People who can't get away because of the class system that keeps them down. A priest who is also a witch, and must be careful to not be exposed. A woman who thought she was marrying a man who would give her a home, only to realize the home, and her husband, are awful. Cut off from any help, she only had Andrés to turn to. The folks around the hacienda know something dark is there, but are too afraid to do anything about it. 

This was a spooky story--I could feel that numbing cold rolling down the hallways. Author Isabel Cañas does an excellent job building tension and terror and ramping it up. This is evil that is vicious and nasty. Can you imagine what this woman was like when she was alive?! I raced through this horror novel, and was tense every time Beatriz had to be in the hacienda alone. 

A horror novel of a different kind, set in 1823 Mexico. The setting was well drawn and I could picture it all in my mind. Beatriz was smart, tough, and stalwart in her belief that there was something very wrong in the hacienda. Padre Andrés was a complex character torn by guilt as a priest and the power he was born to use for good. 

Rating: 5/6 for a tense, atmospheric horror novel with a historical setting. Once I got into it, I was hooked. 

A big thanks to Berkley for an ARC of the novel. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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Summer Reading 2022: The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

 I naturally turn to books that have the potential of keeping me up at night just as soon as the weather cools down, and Fall arrives. Halloween is my favorite holiday. I think I loved it so as a child (and still do today) because it was the unofficial kick off to the countdown towards my birthday in November, then Thanksgiving and Christmas. Now, as an adult, it's less about the build up of excitement for those holidays and more of a nesting thing. I also love to watch paranormal shows, and October is definitely the time for those to pop up everywhere. My DVR works overtime to record everything I can't possibly watch during the week. I also love to watch the Halloween baking shows on Food Network, too...which lead directly to the winter holiday baking shows! 

Onto the review. I realized as I was reading the author's bio in the back of the book that I had read Christina Henry before, and liked what I'd read. I read the first of her Black Wing series years ago, and enjoyed it enough to want to read the rest of the series. But did I?  Nope. Going on my list. What I like about Christina's writing is that she gives enough horror to make you uneasy and get you sucked into the plot, but not so much that you're grossed out. I like to read scary books, but not books where there's so much gore illustrated. Yes, there is some gore in this book, but I can handle it because it doesn't go over the top and we're not lingering over it for pages. 

Lauren and Miranda are fifteen, and have always met under the ghost tree in the woods surrounding their town of Smiths Hollow, about an hour or so away from Chicago. Their friendship is going through a rough patch, since Miranda is all about boys, and Lauren is lagging behind. One day in June, they're together in the woods, and swiftly leave so Miranda can meet a few boys in town. Lauren's not interested, but goes anyway. She's got a migraine coming on-so strong that she gets sick in the alley behind the arcade and decides to grab her bike from the woods and get home. But this migraine is different-she sees a horrifying vision of two young women being killed in the woods, by something that is not human and not a wild animal. Something that leaves the girls in pieces. When Lauren reaches her bike, she notices something terrible: a bloody handprint on her bicycle seat. A handprint that looks human, but not quite. 

Sheriff Alejandro Lopez receives a call that there are remains in a neighbor's back yard. When he arrives, he sees a terrible sight: bits and pieces of two young women, with their heads next to each other. He's recently moved his family to Smiths Hollow from Chicago, and thought he'd left this kind of violence behind. Trying to coordinate an investigation, he notices how everyone around him seems to be forgetting all about these murders. The Police Chief isn't doing anything to find out who these victims are, and Alejandro himself struggles to write down every detail he can remember. Why are people acting like nothing happened? 

There's so much more that happens, and I can't tell you more without giving a lot away. Let's just say Smiths Hollow is not an ordinary town, and something terrible has been taking place for decades--and Alejandro and Lauren are two keys to unlocking the mystery, and stopping the monster that stalks the town. 

At first, I will admit, I struggled to concentrate enough to get through the first few chapters. But I finally sat down Saturday and read a chunk and was hooked. I will definitely read more of Christina Henry's novels. Folks who like horror novels will definitely enjoy this book. There is some blood and blech moments, but they are short and not so horrible I was grossed out or had to put the book down. 

Rating: 4/6 for a spooky, entertaining read about a cursed town, a monster in the woods, and a young girl who may be the only hope to break the curse. You'll love Lauren and her little brother, David-they are quite the pair. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James

I'll admit it was a bit odd finishing this book on a warm, sunny May day, because it's all about the Cornish coast, chill winds, a cold mansion, and a curse. 

I've been reading this book for weeks, and not because I didn't like it--actually, I really enjoyed all the elements of this novel. Gothic to the core-a windswept coast, a family curse, a witch, a handsome tormented owner, and love gone awry. The story bounces back and forth between 1947 and the present day; the link that binds the two timelines is slowly revealed and makes for a fascinating tale. 

1947: Alice is hired to be a nanny to twins Constance and Edmund at the Winterbourne estate on the coast of Cornwall. Their father, Jonathan de Grey is a wounded vet from World War 2, and his wife Laura died a few years before, after he returned from the war. Alice sees this as a chance to escape her miserable life in London, as well as her troubled past and awful secret. 

Alice immediately is drawn to Captain de Grey, and the children love her. But the  kids are a little weird, I'll admit. They seem innocent and loving, but tend to also be cruel and play malicious games on Alice. She's so desperate for a loving home she soon falls for the idea that she will be the children's mother, and Captain de Grey loves her, too. Alice is a bit unstable, to be sure. But there's dark, terrible things swirling around Winterbourne that are helping her along the road to madness. 

Present day: Rachel Wright lives in New York, and has just opened a successful art gallery. She's single, alone, and has no family. She receives a letter from a solicitor in England, telling her she is the sole heir to the Winterbourne estate. Knowing nothing about her birth parents, she's been driven her whole life by the feeling of being unloved and unwanted. This is her chance to find out who her parents were, and why she was put up for adoption. Winterbourne is the key to her mysterious past. Off she goes to Cornwall, to stay at Winterbourne, find out who her parents were, and prepare the estate for sale. 

Alice and Rachel are two women who have some similarities, but definitely Rachel is more of a solid, no nonsense person. Alice was hard to connect with because she definitely has some problems, and it wasn't much to tip her over the edge. I had a hard time feeling bad for her because she was so ready to believe her fantasy life. She was helped along by the evil that permeated the estate. That evil destroyed every woman who hoped to find happiness at Winterbourne. 

Rachel slowly digs away at the secrets of Winterbourne. She's also had a few weird experiences there, and while she is a bit freaked out by it all, she's also determined to stay and figure out her home-it's the only thing she can call her own, and the only link to her past. Will she be able to uncover the dark past and lift the curse from the de Grey family? Or will she succumb to the madness and death that has followed all the women who dared make their home at Winterbourne? 

This was definitely a thriller, and a bit creepy, too. I was a bit put off by Rachel at first, but she eventually defrosted and became more likable-and she was smart enough to dig and investigate. Alice, however, I had a hard time connecting with-mostly because she just wasn't a good person. Molded by an unhappy childhood and a cruel father, she was desperate to be loved and that was her undoing. She was also a bit unstable from the get-go. Oh, the house loved to torment her. 

This was a great read--so many people trapped by the past, and bound to suffer for it. A family curse that did, indeed, live on for generations. Will Rachel break the curse?

Rating: 5/6 for an atmospheric, dark, and creepy tale of love spurned, a family curse, and looking for identity. The last 50 pages or so really kicked in, and answered a lot of questions. 

Available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. 

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The Woman in the Mirror by Rebecca James

The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox

I was excited to finally dig into this novel, the second by Hester Fox. Her first novel, The Witch of Willow Hall, was published last year, and it was outstanding. So of course I expected her sophomore novel to be just as good. 

While I did enjoy reading The Widow of Pale Harbor, it didn't match my expectations. Gothic, yes, certainly. A small town--Pale Harbor, Maine is the backdrop for this tale of a woman who lives in a large mansion, alone with her companion Helen, who is reviled and treated poorly by the townspeople. Four years before, Sophronia's husband Nathan had died in a carriage accident, and the town blamed her for his death. The town didn't know Nathan was a cruel, vicious husband. 

It's 1846, and Edgar Allan Poe's short stories are wildly popular. Sophronia has taken over running her late husband's magazine, and deciding which stories will be published. So many Poe copy cats are out there, trying to make it into this popular magazine, and Sophronia fears she has angered someone by rejecting their stories. Strange things have been happening around town, and at her home, the Castle Carver. Dead ravens left on her doorstep, stuffed dolls left in trees...combine that with the endless fog, damp days and rain, and you've got a pretty atmospheric plot. Enter Gideon Stone, a man posing as a minister, who has traveled to Pale Harbor to open a new church. He's not a minister at all, but is doing this all out of guilt for letting his deceased wife down--and he's determined to be successful as a minister to somehow heal his guilt. Poor Gideon. He's no minister, that's for sure. He's a hard working man, large of stature, and he has no business trying to pass himself off as a minister. He knows he's hopeless at it, but struggles to carry on and find inspiration. 

Gideon meets Sophronia, and sparks fly. Both quickly succumb to their attraction, as all the while things are taking a darker turn in Pale Harbor. Now bodies are piling up, and the town blames it all on the Widow Carver. Some say she's a witch. The race is on to figure out who's behind the cruel notes, the mysterious deaths, and the clues that are straight out of Poe's famous stories.

I liked a lot about this novel, but I was a bit surprised at how much romance was center stage. Gideon and Sophie's romance burned pretty bright right from the start, and much of the storyline involved the two of them briefly fighting their feelings, then deciding to give in and admit they loved each other. It did help to have Gideon be the catalyst to understanding Sophronia's character; her background, her terrible marriage, and her complicated relationship with Helen, her companion. Helen is an interesting character, and a bit dark, too. However, I was a bit disappointed in finding out who was behind all the terrible things, and what their motive was--it seemed a bit far-fetched. I was hoping for something a bit more paranormal, I guess. This was definitely a gothic tale, but far more a historical romantic thriller than a spooky nail bitter. 

I'll read more of Hester Fox, for certain. A fun read for my cool and windy October nights.

Rating:  3/6 for a gothic romantic thriller that had an interesting idea in the plot, but fell short at the end. I was hoping for something more out of this world. You may, however, find yourself in a swoon over Gideon. He's pretty swoon-worthy. 

Available in paperback, ebook, and audio. 

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The Widow of Pale Harbor by Hester Fox

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

I put myself down for a hold on this at the library, but while I was at B&N I saw it, and couldn't wait. My time to read spooky tales in October is quickly coming to an end. This month has flown by, with much to do that has kept me from my favorite hobby: reading. I started this novel after hearing about it from friends and reading about it online. I was in the mood for a good historical tale. And I got it from this talented first-time author. I can't wait to read more from Hester Fox. 

Quick plot info: The Montrose Family is forced to leave Boston for the quiet town of New Oldbury after a scandal involving daughter Catherine. You don't know exactly what the scandal is, but I figured it was probably something to do with being caught with a young man-it is, after all, 1821, and even wealthy families aren't immune to rumors and whispers. Off to New Oldbury they go, to live in what is their new summer home-now permanent home, Willow Hall. Make no mistake-this is a very nice place. Beautiful, spacious, but isolated and...well...creepy. 

Catherine is the eldest sister-the beauty who's also not so nice. Lydia the middle sister, is a book nerd, beautiful in a quiet way. She's been dumped by Cyrus after the family scandal. Her engagement was purely a business deal between families, and she's not heartbroken as much as she's furious her sister ended what may have been her only chance to get married. There's little Emeline, youngest daughter, and Lydia's darling sister. 

The family settles into Willow Hall, and meets John Barrett, Mr. Montrose's business partner--and a young cutie pie. He's shocked and disturbed to find out the whole family has moved into Willow Hall. You soon find out why, as Lydia keeps seeing a woman wandering out by the garden, hears horrible gut-wrenching wails at night, and feels something sinister keeping her company. 

Oh, the family secrets that they all keep. Those secrets keep the plot moving;  Catherine's secret is so scandalous I was gobsmacked. Lydia's instant attraction to John Barrett also keeps the plot moving along; you hope that the feelings are returned, but bratty Catherine likes to interfere. Lydia doesn't think she stands a chance. And Cyrus, the toad, returns to beg Lydia's hand in marriage again-his father is in financial trouble after turning his back on Mr. Montrose and their business. Apparently Mr. Montrose has the midas touch, because this family doesn't suffer financially. However, the rumors that sent them fleeing from Boston have followed them, and no one is really very interested in socializing with the family. 

Let me tell you-the creepy factor is pretty good in this novel. It's always apparent; the little boy Emeline talks to by the pond; the horrible voice Lydia hears in her head egging her to do bad things; the noises throughout the house. The woods. Yikes--the woods. This is truly a case of a haunting, but not of the house, but of the land. I don't want to give anymore away. You need to read it and watch it all unfold. What secret is Lydia holding? What about Catherine? What about their mother? Who can help Lydia before it's all too late?

This was a great read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. High schoolers and up will gobble it up. A good blend of paranormal, history, romance, and tragedy. Sometimes letting go is all we can do, even when we want to hold on tight. Lydia is a rock star. 

Available in paperback and ebook. 

Rating: 5/6 for a novel that has a whole lot going on, but it all works together to deliver a supernatural read complete with ghosts, witches, evil, tragedy, forgiveness, the joy and quiet strength of love, and owning your power. Good stuff. 

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The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

I finally finished Time's Convert yesterday afternoon, after two weeks of reading a little bit, setting it down, then coming back to it. I wanted to take my time, and enjoy it, since I've been waiting some time to get back to the world of Diana and Matthew de Clermont.  

So I'll just blurt it all out: I enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away by it. 

There. I said it. 

Settling into this novel felt a bit like revisiting old friends, and I was pretty happy to be back with Diana and Matthew, and Ysabeau, and the whole world of the de Clermont vampire family. It was pretty great to see how Diana and Matthew are fairing as parents to Becca and Philip, their adorable twins--who are a mix of witch and vampire. Where their talents will lie, no one knows. And the rarity of these two little people (witches and vampires have never been able to have offspring, and normally avoid each other) means that there will come a day of reckoning for their parents and for both of them. That is an underlying tension in the novel, but I kept saying to myself "They're just babies, so there's plenty of time."  I suspect, and I hope, Deborah Harkness crafts a compelling tale of adult Becca and Philip.  

But, the big part of this story concerns Phoebe Taylor, a warmblood, and Marcus MacNeil, a vampire. They're in love, and were featured in the first three novels that make up the All Souls Trilogy. Now Phoebe has decided to become a vampire, so she can wed Marcus and live with him for, well, a very long time. It's not just a matter of biting someone, draining their blood, and bingo! vampire presto. There's a protocol to follow, and Phoebe and Marcus aren't allowed to see each other for 90 days after Phoebe has turned. After the 90 days, they reunite, and she officially claims Marcus as her mate. But within those 90 days, she has to learn how to move through the world as a vampire. There's a lot to learn, and it's not easy. 

Marcus stays with Diana and Matthew, who is his maker, and in vampire families, that makes Matthew Marcus' father, and Diana his step-mother. Another big chunk of the novel is about Marcus; who he was as a human, how he was turned by Matthew, and what he's done until present day. It's an interesting tale that centers on the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the horrible childhood Marcus had at the hands of an abusive and alcoholic father. You get to know Marcus very well, and follow him on his journey as a young vampire. He makes plenty of mistakes, and gets in trouble with his family over and over again. Much of what he does haunts him, and he is concerned when Phoebe does drink from him, she will be disgusted at his deep secrets. Cause when you're a vampire, when you drink blood, you see everything about that person--no secret is hidden. 

There really wasn't much tension in this novel, and that was good and bad. The trilogy was so damn good, in part because Diana and Matthew as a couple were so forbidden, and Diana was struggling to accept her family history as witches, and come into her own immense power. There was none of that in this story, which I kind of missed. But seeing Diana and Matthew as parents, and happily living their lives (as well as they can as de Clermont) was sweet. It was all enough to keep me turning pages, and enjoying what I read. But it wasn't OMG THIS IS SO GOOD I CAN'T STAND IT!

Thank you, Deborah Harkness for another peek into the wonderful world you created. I am ready for more!

Rating:  4/6 for the continuing tale of the de Clermont family, and their fascinating experiences living through some of history's most dramatic and legendary moments. 

Available in hardcover, audio, and ebook. 

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Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

Revisiting Childhood Favorites: Author John Bellairs

A recent challenge on Facebook had me posting my favorite reads, and that got me thinking about John Bellairs. I didn't have very many books as a child, but I remember very clearly having the first two Lewis Barnavelt stories in paperback. I have no idea where they are now; I'm hoping in a box somewhere in my basement. I was lucky enough to find Barnes and Noble had put together the first three in one hardcover volume for the incredible price of $9.95 years ago and snagged it, along with another volume of his Johnny Dixon mysteries. They've sat on my bookshelf for years. Friday night, I decided I needed to re-read John Bellairs. I managed to read the first two of the three this weekend. 

There is a movie coming out in September for TheHouse with a Clock in its Walls starring Jack Black as Uncle Jonathan, and Cate Blanchett as Mrs.           Zimmerman. I watched the trailer, and it's of course 

vastly different than the book--a whole lot more magic fantastical stuff.  I think kids will love it! I will certainly see it in the theater. 

I read the first two novels of the Lewis Barnavelt series. I believe there are at least 10 of them; some finished after John Bellairs died in his early fifties in 1991. I'm still crushed he didn't have more time to write more novels for young kids. They are wonderful. 

So a quick recap: Lewis Barnavelt has lost his parents in a car accident, and he's sent to live with his eccentric Uncle Jonathan in New Zebedee, Michigan.  Set in 1948, life was a bit simpler, of course, but no less full of magic, both good and bad. Uncle Johnathan is a magician of sorts, and a wizard, who lives in a mansion on a hill. His next door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, is a witch, who makes the best chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa, and waffles for breakfast.  Lewis realizes his first night at Uncle Jonathan's home that he's in a wonderful place, where stained glass windows change scenes, and the mirror near the front door shows scenes from history-or sometimes just shows your reflection. He's got a fireplace in his room, and plays poker with his Uncle and Mrs. Zimmerman on a regular basis. While all seems well, Lewis faces bullying at school because of his size and his inability to play any kind of sport. He cries easily, and dreads lunchtime at school. I really felt for Lewis; seems bullying has been around for generations. He's called fatty, fatso, lardo; picked last for the baseball games, then told to go home because they don't want him to play. Thankfully, he's got a wonderful place to go home to-but a home with a strange clock ticking in the walls. 

The mansion was the home of the evil Isaac Izard and his wife, both into dark magic. Now both dead and resting in a mausoleum in the local cemetery, they started something in the house that could mean doomsday for everyone if Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman don't figure it out. Lewis' desire to keep a friendship with a popular boy has him casting a spell on Halloween night to raise the dead (he has no idea what he's doing, but is desperate to impress his friend)--and boy howdy, does he succeed. Who does he raise, and what does it mean for the house, the ticking clock, and the town of New Zebedee? 

In the second novel, The Figure in the Shadows, Lewis is still being bullied at school, and has just lost his beloved Sherlock Holmes hat to the biggest bully in class. He's made a new friend: Rose Rita, a tomboy who is tough and prefers jeans to skirts. Hoping to cheer Lewis up, Uncle Jonathan opens up Grandpa Barnavelt's old trunk, and inside Lewis finds an old amulet his Grandpa won on a bet the night before a big Civil War battle. Mrs. Zimmerman says there's no magic to it, but Lewis thinks otherwise. He wears it on a chain around his neck, and suddenly has all sorts of vivid dreams about battles, fighting, and revenge. And then there's the mysterious postcard that arrives at midnight, with one word: Venio. "I come." Gulp. Lewis is too afraid to confess to Uncle Jonathan he's been messing with magic again, so what is he going to do? 

The first novel was illustrated by Edward Gorey, and I have always had a soft spot for his illustrations. They are perfect for John Bellairs novels. The second novel is illustrated by Mercer Mayer, and while it is charming, it doesn't hold a candle to Edward Gorey. I believe most of Bellairs' early novels were graced with Edward Gorey illustrations, so I'm not sure why Mercer Mayer illustrated the second Lewis Barnavelt novel. Maybe a later edition?

There is something completely engaging about John Bellairs' writing, and I was just as thrilled to read them today as I was decades ago. I think they stand the test of time, certainly. They are a perfect example of good vs. evil, the many ways we create families, and the effect bullying can have on us as children. I'm craving some chocolate chip cookies, thanks to Mrs. Zimmerman! 

I'd recommend these books to any young reader who likes magic, ghosts, the unknown, and suspense. I'm hoping more will return to print with the release of the movie in September. As for now, it looks like most are available as ebooks. 

I'll keep reading more as I find them, and smile the whole time. 

Rating for both novels: 5/6 for delightful writing, lovable characters, and oooh, the evil-doers! Just the kind of novels I would have loved to write myself. 

Used copies, paperbacks, and ebooks are available. Get to it! 

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Revisiting Childhood Favorites: Author John Bellairs

The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown

If you're a long time follower of the Bookalicious Babe, well...you know I have a soft spot for witches.  As in I read a heck of a lot of fiction that features witches.  I believe the first actual "paper" I wrote for school in 8th grade was all about the Salem witch trials.  

Yes, I wrote a paper about the Salem witch trials and I attended a private Catholic school. And it was 1980. Oops. I don't even remember what I wrote about, but I'm pretty sure I played it safe and just regurgitated what my library books put down as history. I'm pretty sure my opinion today would have gotten me a trip to the principal's office and a grounding at home.  It's obvious my interest in witches has been around for a very long time, so when I saw this title on Goodreads I had to request it from the library.  

I knew this novel was going to be a bit heavy, so I kept putting off reading it.  I finally dived in this past week, not knowing quite what to expect.  It takes place in Essex, England in 1645.  Alice Hopkins is returning home to the small village of Manningtree after her husband dies in a shooting incident in London.  She is a few months pregnant, broke, and the only family left in England is her younger brother, Matthew Hopkins.  They haven't seen each other for five years; she married a servant's son, and Matthew was, to put in today's terms, pissed.  Meanwhile their mother (Alice's step-mother) has died, and Alice hasn't told Matthew her husband is dead, too.  She's had five miscarriages and doesn't want to even think about her current pregnancy for fear of losing it, too.  So she keeps mum about it, hoping to reveal it when she's farther along and closer to her due date.  

Matthew Hopkins has grown up and prospered since Alice left.  He owns an inn, where Alice comes to stay.  He's grown a beard to hid the awful scars on his face and neck that resulted from falling into a fire when he was a baby.  The exact how of that incident has never been explained; but a wet nurse was blamed and lost her job over it.  

Oh--did I mention that Matthew is a witchfinder?  

What starts out as a few people taking revenge on women in the village soon spreads across England, with people accusing pretty much anyone that looked different, lived alone, was poor, or involved in the healing arts.  It was not a time to have any enemies.  Matthew would travel to other villages by horse with a female servant, and spend hours questioning  and examining women under very cruel conditions until they broke and told him what he wanted to hear.  The women were then taken to the gaol, to await trial.  Usually, in times past, the women would be let off after a few months.  But this time, the atmosphere in England was different, and people were out for blood.  

Alice's mother-in-law Bridget had worked for the family when Alice and Matthew were younger.  Matthew doesn't like Bridget (for reasons you will find out as the story unfolds), and Alice is terrified Bridget will be on Matthew's list of potential witches.  She challenges Matthew on his path of destruction, but realizes he's got the bug, and is not one to be challenged.  Matthew is a man with a mission and plenty of zeal.  He's not a fan of women.  

The plot moves fairly slowly; not a whole lot happens over the course of the book.  But, that slowness of plot gives you ample time to feel the dread building as the witch hunts intensify and Matthew grows further apart from Alice.  Family secrets, the real story behind Matthew's childhood accident, and the political atmosphere of England at the time make for one unsettling book.  When you can't trust anyone around you, and you can't trust anything to be real...just what do you do to save yourself? Can Alice save anyone else?

I thought there would be more movement in the book, but I'm not unhappy with the story.  It was actually pretty good, and had a few twists.  You'll be saying "Girrrl....you go Alice!" as she starts to grow a spine and stand up to Matthew---at her own peril.  

If you're a fan of witchy fiction, you'll want to read this.  Matthew Hopkins was an actual witchfinder in England, but that's about all that is factual in this novel. Not a nice man!

Rating:  3/6 for a historical novel set in the midst of England's witch hysteria, with an unsettling atmosphere that will keep you reading even when you dread what's coming next. 

Available in hardcover and ebook. 

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The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

One thing I miss about working in a bookstore is being near the kid's books.  I always enjoyed walking into that space and looking at all of the great stories on the shelves.  I'm pretty sure if I'd had the opportunity to see so many kid's  books when I was a youngster I'd probably have danced around and twirled a bit through sheer excitement.  

I realized as I started reading The Girl Who Drank the Moon that I had read Kelly Barnhill's earlier novel, The Mostly True Story of Jack years ago when it first came out in 2011.  I loved that book; it took place in Iowa, and was very unusual and magical.  What an imagination Kelly Barnhill has--what a gift!

I picked up this novel because it had just recently won the Newbery Award and I was curious.  Whenever I read a teen or young reader novel, I have to constantly check my inner voice and basically tell it to shut up.  I have to remember who the intended audience is, and that they are reading from a much more innocent, non-adult place.  I think it will do me a lot of good to read more young reader and teen books!

So, to the novel.  The Protectorate is a town that is filled with sorrow.  It's always gloomy, the sun never shines, and the people live very poorly.  The Elders and the Sisters run the show, and they have a yearly tradition that feeds more sorrow into the atmosphere (and keeps people under control):  once a year, they take the youngest baby in the village, and leave it in the forest as a sacrifice to the witch that lives there.  This keeps the witch from coming to the village and wreaking havoc on everyone.  It keeps them safe.  This year, a mother fights to keep her child, and is deemed crazy and taken to the Tower, where she is imprisoned by the Sisters.  The child is taken to the forest and left there.  

Here's the kicker:  The Elders have made it all up.  They leave the baby in the forest to die from exposure or, worse yet, animals.  There's no witch, as far as they're concerned.  It's just a way to keep control of the village.  Very teen dystopian!  

Here's the other kicker:  there really is a witch, Xan, who lives in the forest with her friends Glerk, the swamp monster, and Fyrian, the little dragon.  She finds the babies every year, and takes them to the other side of the forest, into the towns and villages there, and gives them to loving families.  She has no idea why they leave the babies in the forest, but she takes care of them and saves them from certain death.  This time, when a baby girl is left, Xan hesitates to take her to the villages for adoption.  Feeding her moon magic, she gives the baby too much, and the baby becomes magical.  Xan decides to keep the baby for herself, names her Luna, and raises her as her grandmother in the forest. Xan knows when Luna turns thirteen her magic will really kick in, and it will be time for Xan to give all her magic and die.  After all, Xan is 500 years old, and ready to be done.  

Of course, this plan doesn't work out that well.  Luna is a powerful little girl, and the magic is leaking out of her constantly. She has no way to control it, so Xan puts a spell on her that will keep the magic tamped down, and make it impossible for Luna to learn about magic or use it until she's thirteen.  

But that's not all that's going on in this story.  There's a young man in the village who struggles with the yearly tradition, and seeks a way to reconcile his feelings and find a solution.  He's got hope, a tiny spark of hope, that things will change.  But the change is not something that the Elders or Sisters want.  

I wondered if a child reading this novel would understand the undertone of powerful people doing bad things, and the oppression of people.  That the face some people put on in public is not who they really are, and it can hide some bad stuff.  That those people you think are bad just by hearing stories or seeing their physical self, actually are very kind and loving people who got a bad rap through stories and gossip.  They are the true healers and good people. 

I did enjoy this novel; I do wonder at the length for young readers.  I'd say advanced readers would swallow it up pretty quickly, but younger kids would struggle a bit.  The writing is fantastic, and the plot is pretty clever.  You can almost feel the magic oozing off the pages.  I enjoyed how the story unfolded and concluded.  Worthy of the Newbery.  Hope to read more of Kelly Barnhill; if she ever wrote an adult novel I'd grab it without hesitation. 

Rating:  4/6 for a beautifully written young reader novel about family, love, magic, sacrifice, and the evil that lurks behind those who are supposed to be looking out for all of us.  

Available in hardcover and e-reader.  

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The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

It's That Time Of Year: Witches and Romance. I Know. It Sounds Odd.

It doesn't look like a romance, but it is--and it leaves you wondering just which fine handsome man she'll end up with by the end of this series!

Would Be Witch is the first in a trilogy (there may be more after that) by Kimberly Frost.  Tammy Jo Trask lives in the small town of Duvall, Texas with her Aunt and Mom.  She also has a family ancestor, Edie, who lives in a locket.  Edie is a 1920's stunner, and a powerful witch even in death.  She's always around to give Tammy Jo some advice.

Tammy Jo is the only one in her family that doesn't have the special witchy powers that run through each generation.  She does, however, have a spectacular talent for making baked goods.  If you're on a diet, please ignore the references to cupcakes, torte, and cream cheese frosting that are sprinkled throughout the novel.

Tammy Jo is divorced from her childhood sweetheart, a local deputy (and serious hot guy) Zach.  They still have 'sleepovers' and act like a couple, but they are in fact divorced--thanks to Zach's ability to make Tammy Jo feel ignored in their short-lived marriage.  It's clear they still love each other, but right now the relationship is still up in the air.
There's also the gorgeous Bryn Lyons--a rich man who moved to Duvall as a teen and has always intrigued Tammy Jo.  But her family has told her there are witch rules, and one of them is that she is strictly forbidden to mess with the Lyon family.  Ever.  She doesn't know why, but figures the rule is in place for a good reason.

Bryn, however, is a powerful wizard in his own right, and the attraction he's always had for Tammy Jo is pretty hot.  Living in Duvall together makes the sparks fly, jealousy run rampant, and attracts all sorts of supernatural creatures.  Werewolves are out to kill Tammy Jo, and she's clueless.  And whether she understands or not, she really is a witch and must be apprenticed to someone before she does something really stupid.

Tammy Jo is under the gun to solve a few robberies in town, escape from werewolves, and most importantly--find the locket containing Edie.  If she doesn't, Edie will be tormented forever.

There is a lot going on in this novel--two gorgeous men vying for her attention--and she's got the hots for both of them.  Who's behind the robberies?  And just what does Tammy Jo's attempts at magic attract to Duvall?

It's  a fun beginning to a trilogy.  There's enough humor in the novel to keep you flipping the pages, and the scenes between Tammy Jo and Bryn sizzle.  But then you like Zach, and you're torn.  I don't know how Tammy Jo will decide!

The next novel comes out in December, followed by the third in March 2014:

There's plenty of hot romance, with the potential for much more in the next two novels.  I would say fans of Charlaine Harris will enjoy this new heroine--she's funny, feisty, and slightly clueless.

Rating:  7/10 for a twist on the typical romance.

Available in paperback and e-book.

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It's That Time Of Year: Witches and Romance. I Know. It Sounds Odd.

The View from Prince Street by Mary Ellen Taylor

Mary Ellen Taylor is another author I've discovered in the past few years that I have grown to enjoy.  Yes, she has entered the category of "immediately purchase" whenever she has a new book published. This is her fourth book, and I was happy to dive back into Alexandria, Virginia and all the characters from her past novels.  It's my humble opinion that in order to get the most out of this book, you should read all the previous books first:  The Union Street Bakery, Sweet Expectations,  and At the Corner of King Street.  I've reviewed them all, so click on the titles to see my reviews.  You don't have to read them, but I believe it makes for a better story when you know the history of the characters.  Mary Ellen Taylor has made a hybrid of sorts:  The Union Street Bakery  and Sweet Expectations are a duo, and then At the Corner of King Street  and The View from Prince Street are another duo.  Characters from the first three novels all appear in Prince Street.  These books are all perfect for a reader who enjoys early American history, relationships between sisters and friends, contemporary issues, and a hint of mystery and the paranormal.  Once again, my history geek jumps out.  I would love love love to visit Alexandria, Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area again.  I had a chance years ago to visit Washington, D.C. for a weekend and have never forgotten how much I enjoyed it.  Someday, I'll go back.  

Prince Street features Rae McDonald and Lisa Smyth, two women connected by the death years before of Rae's older sister Jennifer.  Lisa and Jennifer were best friends and Lisa survived the car accident that killed Jennifer.  Lisa is a recovering alcoholic who travels the country as a photographer, while Rae still lives in her family home in Alexandria and has a successful practice as a therapist.  Both women are a bit of a mess.  Rae is emotionally withdrawn, and Lisa has regular conversations in her head with Jennifer.  Neither has seen each other in years.  Lisa is forced to return to Alexandria to take care of her ailing Aunt Amelia, who has Alzheimer's disease and suddenly confesses she was adopted as a child--and has proof, but no explanation of why her mother never came back for her. 

Enter in Margaret and Addie from the Shire Architectural Salvage Company, who arrive at Rae's house to look over the boxes of letter and documents passed down through Rae's family.  Over 300 years of family history, and a mystery to be solved.  Three witch bottles, three families, and a dark secret that stretches back to the early days of Alexandria.  How are the families connected, and do the witch bottles carry curses that have doomed each descendant of the original settlers?   Can Rae and Lisa find a way to break out of their self-imposed prisons and move on with their lives?  And how do all the dots connect together?  

There is a lot going on in this novel.  Luckily, the author has family trees set up at the beginning of the book.  I found myself looking at them over and over, trying to keep everyone straight.  It is a tangled mix of history that is fascinating and makes for a good story.  Can't wait to see what Mary Ellen Taylor has in store for her next novel.  

Rating:  7/10 for a continuation of family and city history that keeps revealing secrets made hundreds of years ago.  Strong female characters faced with emotional issues that will make or break them.  I love how all the novels by Mary Ellen Taylor fit together, but are distinctly different.  

Available in paperback and  e-book.  

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The View from Prince Street by Mary Ellen Taylor

Halloween Read: The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

My spooky reads for the month continues with one of my favorite authors, Paula Brackston.  

But, I'm sad to say, I wasn't bewitched by this novel.  Trying to let the disappointment go and move on, but it is hard when an author you enjoy doesn't hit it out of the park every single time.  

Paula Brackston still remains true to her theme of witchcraft in this, her third novel. I read The Silver Witch earlier this year and just gobbled it up (much like the Brach's pumpkin cremes I inhale every October).  The Midnight Witch was already sitting on my bookshelf, but was set aside while I was in the throes of grad school.  Now, finally, I had the chance to read it.  Fully expected to love it.  Didn't. 

This novel takes place before and after World War I.  In 1913, Lady Lilith Montgomery is mourning the death of her father.  Rich, beautiful, and engaged, Lilith seems to have it all, and then some:  her father was the head witch of the Lazarus Coven, and Lilith is the heir. The Lazarus Coven is very old, and very secret.  They exist to protect England from dark forces, especially the Sentinels, a group of nasty sorcerers  bent on reclaiming the "elixir" the Lazarus Coven keeps under wraps.  The Sentinels see an opportunity to strike with the death of Lilith's father and her ascent as head witch.  

Lilith has been trained since childhood in the arts of witchcraft, and she's pretty powerful and up to the task of head witch.  But the nasty spirit whispering in her ear, and the knowledge that there is a spy in the Lazarus Coven make her position tenuous. The gathering clouds of war are always in the background, making what should be a happy time in Lilith's life pretty stressful and gloomy.  

Oh, there's also that love interest:  not her fiance, but a poor starving artist.  He's talented, and drop dead gorgeous, but not a witch, and completely out of Lilith's social circle.  Not husband material for her at all.  Lilith must keep her other life--that of a witch--a secret to everyone who is not in the coven (her mother still doesn't know her husband was a witch and her daughter is as well).  How can she possibly find a way out of this mess?

I've been trying to figure out just what I didn't like about this novel.  I kept finding myself thinking it was set earlier than 1913-1914 and that was frustrating.  There wasn't a lack of social clues; the fashion was discussed quite frequently, as well as mentions of cars and women's attitudes.  And World War I was certainly a big part of it.  Somehow I kept getting lost even with all of those reference points to keep me straight.  I also didn't care for the romance between Lilith and Bram.  I didn't feel any chemistry between the two at all.  

The novel does jump ahead 5 years, to after the war.  I found this plot device hard to swallow.  Lilith has so much trouble in 1913-1914; I have a hard time believing the Sentinels wouldn't take advantage of England being in a major war to take control of the Lazarus Coven during such chaos.  They do try, but not very hard.  I felt like the author was very ambitious in the story she wanted to tell, but it fell short somehow.  Too much "stuff" going on that cluttered up the plot.  And I have to say I wasn't entirely crazy about Lilith either.  Something was missing from her personality that would have made me really invested in her issues and struggles.  

Arrgh!  So disappointed in this one.  I always applaud an author who stretches their usual storytelling in another direction.  This one just wasn't the best.  And my golly it seemed way too long.  

Rating:  4/10 for a plot that seemed clunky, a romance that didn't click, and a heroine that unfortunately fell short for me.  

Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book.

 

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Halloween Read: The Midnight Witch by Paula Brackston

The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston

Oh Paula Brackston.  Ever since I read The Witch's Daughter a few years ago, I've eagerly awaited each of her novels.  I'm a bit behind, I do admit; but I have all of Paula's novels at home.  Paula manages to create a magical combination of history, witchery, Welsh mythology, pottery, and a bit of romance into a book that I couldn't put down.  In fact, I was lazy today and read all afternoon just because I couldn't wait to see what happened next in this novel.  

The Silver Witch is set in Wales.  Tilda has come home to live in the cottage she bought with her husband, Mat.  A tragic accident killed Mat on their way home from their honeymoon, and Tilda hasn't been able to live in what was to be their new home.  But she finally moves in, and is completely enchanted with the cottage, the view, and the seemingly potent atmosphere that surrounds her.  Tilda is a potter, and she hopes for inspiration after a year of grief and a lack of creativity.  

What Tilda gets is a cottage that keeps losing electricity, a mysterious lake that calls to her, and a growing knowledge that the area has awoken something magical inside her. Does this magic have a connection to Seren, the young witch and shaman who lived by the lake centuries ago?  

An archaeology site has sprung up near the lake, and it could be an exciting find:  there's a grave where there shouldn't be one, and it looks to be very, very old.  There's also the island set in the lake, that dates from 918 AD; it is the only man-made island in Wales.  What to they all have to do with Tilda in 2014?  Dark things are stirring, the legend of the sea horse in the lake persists, and Tilda may be the key to a centuries old curse that is coming to fruition.  

This is a back and forth novel between Tilda in present day, and Seren, Tilda's look-alike in 918 AD.  We see the ancient history of the area and the power in Seren to see visions and use the magic of the ancient Celts to protect Prince Brynach and his people on the island.  But trouble brews here, too.  Can Seren convince Prince Brynach her visions are true and danger is closing in on him?  

I grabbed this book off of one of my piles at home and I'm so glad I did!  I was sucked in pretty fast.  The setting is gorgeous, the mythology and Celtic magic will send you to the mythology section of your library or bookstore,  and the stories of Tilda and Seren will leave you wanting more Paula Brackston!

This has earned a spot in my top reads of 2015.  

Rating:  8/10 for a beautiful setting, an interesting historical background, and strong female characters.  A pinch of this, a pinch of that, all to make a wonderfully blended cocktail of a story.

Available in hardcover and e-book.

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The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston

Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill

Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill is a novel with a bit of romance, a bit of self-empowerment, and a large amount of fairy dust.  

Kate McDaid lives and works in Dublin.  She's just had her 26th birthday, and with that comes a letter stating that she's the sole benefactor to her great-great-great-grand aunt's will.  But there's a catch:  Kate has to publish seven poems called The Seven Steps in order to inherit the estate.  The letters claim to be a call from the fairies for the modern world to recognize them again and be kind to the natural world we've abused and neglected.

No big deal, right?  At first they seem pretty harmless.  Kate puts the first poem on an abandoned web page, but it's quickly discovered and word spreads around Ireland and the world about the Seven Steps.  Kate is called a witch, a spiritual guru, the answer to everyone's prayers.  Her life becomes one of hiding out in her apartment, being stalked by paparazzi, and watching her parents go on every talk show on TV to talk about the Seven Steps.  Her parents are a kick--they're embracing their newfound fame and even hawking self-tanning lotions (even if they do turn you orange).  

But is there a darker spin to the Seven Steps?  And what of the original Kate McDaid, the one called the Red Hag? What starts out as an innocent plea from the fairies to be kind to nature and each other takes an ominous turn the closer Kate gets to publishing the seventh letter.  With so many people waiting breathlessly for a life changing seventh letter, what will Kate do?  

This was a fun and very different kind of read. It was refreshing to read a "chick-lit" story set in Ireland and involving the mythology of fairies and village tales of magic and mystery.  A great mix of contemporary life and the underlying ribbon of culture that keeps us all tied together.  

Those of you who love anything Irish will enjoy this novel.  I fondly remember spending 10 days in Ireland in 2005 and can't wait to go back, sit in a pub, and relax a bit with a pint of cider.  Just don't get your Disney fairies confused with the Irish fairies.  

Rating:  7/10 for a completely different and refreshing chick-lit novel that blends cultural mythology with contemporary social media and our obsession with the latest "fad". 

Available in paperback and e-book.

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Reluctantly Charmed by Ellie O'Neill

Midnight Crossing by Charlaine Harris

I've been a fan of Charlaine Harris since reading her first Sookie Stackhouse book so long ago!  I am happy to see a new series from Charlaine.  I must confess I have a love/hate relationship with series.  I'll usually read the first 4-5 books, then I lose interest and stop reading them.  Gee, this has happened with Jim Butcher, Laurel K. Hamilton, Patricia Cornwell, and yes, even Charlaine Harris.  I got tired of Sookie.  I didn't read the last three books in that series.  

Here's my internal dialogue while reading Midnight Crossing:  "Can't wait!  This is interesting…..wait, this is slow….okay, getting better….now I'm halfway finished and I should just stop….no,  I'm liking it again….it's getting interesting again….holy crap!  What?!  Alright, that was a pretty good ending."

I've read a lot of books where I make myself finish it because there's just something about the novel that doesn't allow me to put it down and walk away; but at the same time, it's not one I breathlessly devour. This was one of those novels.  The cast of characters in Midnight, Texas are quirky, secretive people who have settled in Midnight for one reason or another.  We don't know.  That's what a series is for--slowly evolving story lines that arc over a number of books.  Charlaine leaves enough mystery to keep you reading, and more than enough at the end to leave you ready to read book number two.  

So who are the people of Midnight?  There's Bobo, who runs the pawnshop.  Fiji, the local witch who runs  a  new age store out of her living room; Chuy and  Joe run an antique store/nail salon, and Manfred, the latest edition to Midnight. He's settled in to run his psychic hotline.  There are more characters, and you'll come to know them as they all try to protect Bobo from his grandfather's legendary "treasure" and the militants who are out to find it--and willing to hurt anyone who stands in their way.  

If you've read Charlaine Harris before--either her Sookie books, or her two mystery series, you'll soon slip into a familiar rhythm and happily settle down to discovering Midnight.  I read a review that said Bobo is part of her Shakespeare mystery series, and Manfred also features in her mysteries.  I haven't read her mysteries, so I'll take their word for it.  *Sigh*  Yet another addition to my UTBR list.  Yes, I call it my "Unending To Be Read" list.  It is currently long enough to circle the earth at least twice.  

Should you read Charlaine's newest novel?  I say yes!  I love her characters.  It's quirky enough that you just don't know what to expect, and anything could happen.  It's not bloody, it's not over the top supernatural; it's just an entertaining read.  There were a few dips in action, and I got through them.  It is slow paced, but in a good way.  Enjoy your trip to Midnight.

Rating:  7/10 for a brand new series from Charlaine Harris.  Her characters will soon wiggle their way into your imagination.  And a bang up surprise ending. 

Available in hardcover, e-book, and audio.

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Midnight Crossing by Charlaine Harris