Silence of the Flans (Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery #2) by Laura Bradford

Silence of the Flans by Laura Bradford

My Rating: ★★★

Winnie's new business is just starting to pick up when her latest recipient turns up dead with a Emergency Dessert Squad blackberry crisp in her mouth. Her customers dry up as she finds herself the talk of the town and a murder suspect. With plenty of time suddenly on her hands, Winnie decides to investigate the murder and clear her name once and for all.

The second installment of the series is just as charming as the first. All of the old folks that Winnie hangs out with on a regular basis are such sweet and fun characters. Mr. Nelson and Bridget remind me of people I know, so it's so much fun to watch these characters appear throughout the story. Then there's Renee, who is a wonderful and supportive friend. I love these characters and the dynamic between them. However, I've found that Winnie is not my favorite person even though she's the protagonist. She's often too naive to be believable, which takes me out of the story from time to time. Otherwise, I love watching these characters interact and grow as people.

Unlike the first novel, this installment is primarily focused on the murder mystery because Winnie is in the spotlight because her tasty crisp is allegedly the murder weapon. She begins the investigation with a partner and quickly begins investigating on her own only to discover the real killer when they're face to face. I wish that she had a partner during her investigation for much longer than she did because Winnie is more interesting and believable when she's closely linked with one or more secondary characters. I love the story; I just wish that she did less solo investigating.

I love Winnie's struggles with Lovey, the cat who seems to love everyone but her new owner. I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship continue and if Lovey will ever be somewhat loving toward Winnie in the future. I'm a cat person, so I love seeing Lovey's interactions with the characters as well as Winnie's struggles with her. Plus, Lovey seems to be the main ice breaker between Winnie and Jay's daughter. I'm looking forward to the next installment as well as more tasty sounding recipes!

Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten

Bad Girls with Perfect Faces by Lynn Weingarten

My Rating: ★★★★

Sasha's working up the courage to tell her best friend, Xavier, that she wants to change their BFF status to BF/GF because she's fallen in love with him. The problem? He just spotted the ex that did him dirty and now they're getting back together. When Sasha turns an drunk, angry, and hurt idea into a full fledged plan to prove that Xavier's ex is no good, she thinks it's the key to ripping him out of his evil ex's clutches. As she gets deeper and deeper into texting as her male alter ego, things spin out of control and she finds herself transforming into a person she doesn't recognize anymore.

Told in multiple perspectives, this wild book had me glued to the pages from the start. It starts out predictable with teenage cliches, but the wonderful writing sucked me in from the start. Imagine my surprise when it went from predictable to one wild ride that had me wishing I had some popcorn to munch on while watching the story unfold. Plus, there are aspects of these characters that are relatable, which makes them even more real than when they remind us of someone we know or knew at one time.

Each of the characters begin as people that we've met throughout our lives, but instead of growing as people, we watch their flaws grow and flourish as the story continues. Without spoiling the book, it's a story about obsession and manipulation that's both predictable and surprising. It's a wonderful mix of both, which keeps you on your toes as things go from 0 to 100. It reminds me of those cautionary tales that exaggerates what could happen if someone toes the line enough that they eventually fall straight over it.

Éclair and Present Danger (Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery #1) by Laura Bradford

Éclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford

My Rating: ★★★★

When her rent skyrockets, Winnie is forced to close her bakery because she cannot make ends meet enough to pay her latest rent increase. However, fate has other ideas for her when her late friend and neighbor leaves her a cat that hates her and a restored vintage ambulance. Then she finds one of her beloved friends and neighbors murdered, which shocks the entire neighborhood and leaves her in the middle of a murder mystery. While trying to comfort a neighbor, Winnie is struck with a great idea and decides to turn her vintage ambulance into a new baking business on wheels. Have an emergency? Don't worry. The Emergency Dessert Squad is here to deliver baked goods and catch the murderer!

If you're looking for a baking cozy series, boy do I have a good recommendation for you! I'm always down for a cozy mystery, and the description of the tasty delights that Winnie comes up with is sure to leave anyone hungry. I've been saying that there needs to be a chocolate delivery service for years. If only Winnie could pop on by and drop off an emergency brownie at my place! Plus, I've seen a vintage ambulance among a hearse club and it was really cool. I can really see one driving around and rescuing the day with baked goods.

Other than the elements that initially drew me to the series, I was excited to discover that I love the cast of characters. Winnie and her best friend, Renee, are such sweethearts. Plus, all of Winnie's friends and neighbors are such sweet, funny, and goofy people that I'd love to hang out with them. These characters are wonderfully written as well as relatable in different ways. My only complaint is that some of Winnie's interactions with her main love interest seems very immature. That said, nearly all of the characters we meet are fully developed and very real. I can't wait to see how they continue to grow as the series continues.

The murder mystery is a bit of a side plot at times, which I think works well with the story. It develops organically, which is something I like about this book. Winnie slowly investigates as she's getting her new business off the ground and she hasn't turned amateur sleuthing into a primary hobby at this point. Plus, I didn't figure out who the killer was until a little bit before the big reveal. Once I figured it out, thinking back to the beginning, the hints were being dropped from the start. It was fun putting together two and two alongside the characters for a good portion of the book.

Like many baking cozies, recipes for two of the tasty Emergency Dessert Squad treats are included at the end. If I still baked, I would be all over these because I found myself wishing Winnie could pop out of the book and deliver some goodies.

Roar (Stormheart, #1) by Cora Carmack

Roar by Cora Carmack

My Rating: ★★★★

Aurora was born into one of the oldest and most powerful magical families in Stormheart. She’s spent her life being groomed to become the future queen, but there’s a catch: Aurora was born without magic. Forced to enter an arranged marriage with a powerful and harsh man, she must pretend that she has an affinity or lose her kindom. Then she learns that families like hers aren't the only ones with magic, which turns everything she's ever known upside down. What do you do when you discover everything you've been taught is a lie?

I was a little apprehensive about reading this for a book club because Aurora sounded like the typical white and blonde special snowflake that's often seen in young adult books like this. After a couple chapters, any preconceptions that I had blew straight out the window. Now, Aurora is described as beautiful, white, blonde, compassionate etc. and does fall into the special snowflake category. However, the story itself is wonderful. The world building never stops. I could truly see the world she lives in as she's learning about it herself because she was so sheltered that her understanding was actually a bunch of lies wrapped up with a pretty little bow on top. I even grew to like Aurora after a while because she became more complex as the story went on. By the end of the book, I found myself rooting for her. I want her to come out on top of everything that's stacked against her.

I found myself loving majority of the characters, some of which we didn't see much of because they are not closely involved with the central plot. I hope that we see more of these characters in the next book. Then we have Aurora's former friend, Nova, who has been hiding a secret of her own. She's a great character and I loved reading from her perspective and seeing Aurora's kingdom from her view. I hope to see her character further developed as the series continues. I'm also fascinated by the storm hunters and look forward to learning more about them and their lives as well as the rest of the world that all of these characters live in.

The two characters I didn't care for are the two love interests, Cassius and Locke. Cassius is Aurora's betrothed. He's a possessive and cruel character who sees Aurora as an object that he can own and conquer. I didn't like him from the moment he appeared. It's hinted that he's this way because of his family and that he may have had an abusive upbringing, but I can't bring myself to care about him. Then there's Locke, who is interested in Aurora because she reminds him of his late sister. That's totally not weird, right? Right. He reluctantly brings Aurora on as a storm hunter in training. He's constantly battling himself with keeping her safe because he was unable to do that for his sister, and fighting with his romantic feelings. I don't hate him, I just don't care for him because he's very obsessive about Aurora. It's hard to get a feel for him as a character outside of his weird combination of familial and romantic feelings for her.

All in all, I love the overall story. It's rich, complex, and keeps on giving. It's not just the characters, but it's the lands, storms, and different branches of magic that are each given so much depth. I think that this series opener covers all the bases so that the story can hit the ground running in the next installment because. I'm looking forward to where this story goes next.

Of Fire and Stars (Of Fire and Stars #1) by Audrey Coulthurst

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

My Rating: ★★★★★

Princess Dennaleia, also known as Denna, had been betrothed to the prince of Mynaria since she was a child. The problem? His kingdom are against magic and she possesses multiple Affinities, including fire, water, and wind. Not only that, but she is also slowly falling in love with her future sister-in-law, Amaranthine, also known as Mare. The more their friendship blossoms, the more she is romantically drawn to Mare. Denna doesn't know what to do with herself as the stakes continue to raise when magic users appear to be attacking the kingdom. It's a risk for her to enter the marriage, but duty calls as she's torn with making the alliance work and coupling herself with Mare while trying to protect her people.

I absolutely love this book. It has excellent world building, which made it more fun to imagine the world that Denna and Mare live in. The characters that we get to know are well developed and allow us to see the different sides to them. All of the characters have their personal and professional lives, which are entwined into one in the case of the royal characters throughout the story. It also allows us to see what it's like outside of the kingdom. While we see what it's like outside of the castle through Mare's eyes, she's in disguise, we get to see how it works and who is getting hurt in the crossfire as a war starts to rise.

It's wonderful when characters remain who they are as they fall in love and a romance ensues. Denna and Mare are two very different people, but it was lovely to watch their friendship develop as well as watching it bud into something more. I found myself rooting for them and wishing that they had a easier choice ahead of them since Denna is involved in a politically arranged marriage that's soon to come to fruition. Their friendship and romance felt very natural. Sometimes the two characters involved in a romantic pairing seem forced, and this was not the case. I also enjoyed reading from each of their perspectives and seeing the different characters throughout the story through their eyes as well as how they saw these people differently.

All in all, it's a wonderful read. I will definitely be back for another installment when it arrives. I look forward to seeing where these characters go as well as where the story takes us when it returns. I had a lot of fun reading it and found myself not wanting to tear myself away. It's one of my favorite reads of the year.

Daddy Darkest (Doctors of Darkness #1) by Ellery A. Kane

Daddy Darkest by Ellery A. Kane

My Rating: ★★★

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Best friends Samantha and Ginny take a trip to San Francisco. It was supposed to be their pre-college trip of a life time, but things go awry shortly after landing: Ginny is abducted from the airport bathroom. Armed with her luggage and Ginny's cell phone, Sam is on the run for her life after realizing that she was the target, not Ginny. Told through rotating narrators, we learn about Sam's mom, Clare, and why her secret past just caught up with Sam.

I love when authors have rotating narrators, so it was exciting to see that the book is written from Ginny's perspective in the present as well as Clare's perspective in the past. The closer we get to the end of the book, the closer the events in both perspectives collide. Clare has no idea about her mom's true past. She just knows her as her strong doting and protective mom who also hates psychology. However, Clare's past reveals that she was once a green psychiatrist working at a prison. She's a survivor of abuse who feels broken and blames herself for what happened to her and for the way men respond to her. What Ginny knows of her mother clashes with the life that Clare shed when she fled and started a new life.

Ginny and Clare are very different characters, so it's interesting to jump back and forth between the two and see what's going on in their minds. Clare's young, getting ready to enter college, and is terrified while running for her life and trying to save her best friend at the same time. She went from living the small town life that she's always known to being thrown into this whole new world where she has to trust a guy she just met, try to save Ginny before she gets killed, and face the fact that her father is far from who she thought he was. Meanwhile, we jump into the past every couple of chapters and read about Clare's life, the long term havoc that her attacker has left her with, and how she fell for the charming murderous man, Cutthroat Cullen. It's also interesting that Cullen is so charming because it echoes reality. We're taught to get away from the people who look like "weirdos" when the suave guys are often the ones who we should be weary of.

It was an interesting mystery to get sucked into because the true mystery is not what it appears to be at the beginning of the book. I thought I had everything figured out when one final mystery, one that has been fueling Levi for years, is the one that pulled the wool over my eyes. It is a difficult read because of the nature of Clare's chapters, which are very dark as well as sad, but Kane put together a story worth reading. I will definitely be back for the second installment in the series.

A Touch of Death (The Outlands Pentalogy #1) by Rebecca Crunden

A Touch of Death by Rebecca Crunden

My Rating: ★★★

In the distant future, what remains of mankind lives under the harsh leadership in the Kingdom of Cutta. Hailing from a rich family close to the king, Catherine has a perfect sheltered life until her fiance's brother gets in a fight that leaves the pair traveling through land that has been mostly untouched for a thousand years. They contract a unique disease that leaves them unable to touch anyone but each other, and her soon to be brother in law begins to rot from the inside out. One wrong move leaves them running for their lives and trying to find safety beyond Cutta.

I really enjoyed this story. I have a soft spot for dystopian novels, so I knew this was going to be right up my alley. The characters are strong willed, clear, and vibrant. I found myself loving the relationships between them and found myself sad the few times well loved characters were leaving. One of the things I love about this story is the world building. Crunden carefully works to create a clear vision of what this world looks like and how it works without taking her readers out of the story. It was also interesting to watch the wool slowly get snatched from Catherine's sheltered eyes. She's forced to think about the world she thought she lived in and see how it really is. She's rather naive and stubborn when it comes to this, so she's constantly fighting with Nate and herself about reality.

That said, sometimes the arguing between Catherine and Nate got to be too much. I knew they were going to continue to clash throughout the story, but their arguments started to become redundant and wordy as I got closer to the end. That's my only complaint about this great series opener. Crunden did a wonderful job at setting up the plot for future books, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second installment.

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

My Rating: ★★

Makani makes one jealous mistake and her life was over. She lost her boyfriend and her friends. Not even her parents look at her the same, not that she blames them. Her parents decide to ship her off to live with her grandma and enter a small town life where no knows who she is and what her secret is. However, small town life goes from normal to alarming when a terrifying killer appears without a clear pattern.

I really enjoyed the rotating perspectives with Makani being the central voice that we see. I love several of the characters, especially Makani's grandma. I would love to hang out with her grandma and put together puzzles and stuff. I loved Makini's friends and the high school gossip element as well. It reminded me of being back in school and the gossip that spread fast.

However, there were a few things that kept taking me out of the story. The first thing is Makani's big secret past. I wish we knew what it was a lot sooner than when she finally spilled the beans so that we knew what was weighing her down so much. I was finding myself more interested in what the big secret was than the murder plot. Finally, the romance plot overshadows the horror plot. I wish the creepy factor was a little more amped up and that the romance was scaled back a bit.

Several of my friends have been raving about this book, so I really wanted to love it. Sadly, it just isn't a match made in heaven. For me, this novel is far more YA romance than horror, which is not something that I was expecting. There are things that I like about this book, but the things that bothered me just made it fall flat. All in all, it's not a bad book. There are definitely some good things going on in it. I think it simply comes down to it just not being my cup of tea. That said, several of my friends love it and I already plan on recommending it to a few more because I know they'll love it too. I also think that it would make a great slasher movie that I would most likely enjoy.

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

My Rating: ★★★★

Abby and her best friend, Gretchen, are as close as best friends could get. One day they drop acid with a couple of friends from school, but the acid never hits, and Gretchen takes off wearing nothing but a pair of shoes. Things get weird when she turns up hours later with an unseen entity: a demon hell bent on destroying everything Gretchen cares about. The demon burns every bridge there is and leaves Gretchen with a single bright spot: Abby.

I absolutely love this story. It's a demon possession rooted in one of my favorite things to read about: friendship. The story starts out a little slow, but it's important to build this close friendship so that it's realistic for Abby to risk it all when she's all that Gretchen has left. I love that we quickly go through the early years between these two characters. How they met in school but never really spoke until Abby's disastrous birthday party with a single guest: Gretchen. These two are inseparable after the bond they shared at this party, which reminds me of how it was for me and my best friends throughout school. These characters feel natural and relatable, which makes it so easy to root for them and pray they come out on top.

Whether you believe in demons or demon possession, the story is realistic enough to make you question whether or not Gretchen is possessed or if she's just turned on everyone even when things are clearly leaning toward possession. She's not crawling up walls or anything like that. It starts out somewhat subtle and quickly turns to evil, which makes it a chilling tale.

The story really comes out swinging once things get going, and I like that we also get a glimpse at the rest of their lives. It comes full circle and makes it a truly enjoyable book. Plus, Hendrix does an excellent job capturing the voices of his characters and makes them really sound their ages and genders. There was no mistaking who was who or at what point in their life he captured them at any point of the story. Even the subtle changes in Gretchen as the demon took over made who was present very clear. I will definitely be rereading this novel in the future.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

My Rating: ★★★

Catherine is a talented baker who dreams of owning and running a bakery with her friend. Unfortunately, fate has other plans for her. The King of Hearts is so taken by Catherine's beauty and baking that he wants to wed her, and her parents refuse to see her do anything but honor her duty as their only daughter. She is forced to fight fate and choose to take a chance and live out her dreams or become the queen she was always meant to be.

I was really excited when I first heard about this book. Not only is it a Alice's Adventures in Wonderland retelling, but also a Queen of Hearts origin story. I love origin stories, and the idea of following a tale that tells the story of the Queen of Hearts is an exciting one.

Unfortunately, Heartless did not live up to my excitement, but I may have built it up more than I should have. It's a great story, but it lagged a bit for about half the book. Again, I may have had higher expectations than I should have, so I think I was just expecting something more. That said, it's an entertaining story. The characters are wonderfully enriching, so it's exciting every time we meet a familiar face as the book continues. I love the little bits of foreshadowing that are cleverly weaved in as the story continues.

It was occasionally hard to follow Catherine because she was so blinded by her dreams and opinions as well as perspective. However, it did make sense for someone of her age in a Young Adult novel, as well as someone who dreams more than they pay attention to reality for a large portion of time. All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I hope to see more retellings from the perspective of villains in the future.

Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall (Honeychurch Hall Mystery #4) by Hannah Dennison

Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison

My Rating: ★★★★★

Iris is wracked with dread and worry when her manuscript never makes it to her publisher, which threatens to divulge her secret life as a famous romance novelist. To make things worse, it's the only copy of her manuscript and the package never left her local post office because it's the hands of one of the town gossipers. Meanwhile, Kat gets caught up in hilarious romantic shenanigans that lands her on the front pages yet again. Plus, she's wrapped up in a series of seemingly separate small town mysteries with the answers, and dangers, quickly catching up with her.

I absolutely love the latest installment of this series. Iris and Kat's shenanigans never fails to crack me up. Iris is such a lovely character with a huge personality. I always love learning new things about her as the series continues, as well as see how she will keep her secret life just that: a secret. Plus, Kat always ends up in hilarious situations no matter how hard she tries to avoid them. I love following the pair and their antics.

It's always interesting to learn more about the other characters who live in town as well. It's fun meeting new characters and seeing how they interact with existing ones as well as finding out new tidbits about everyone and watching how it continues to build the world as well as adding to the plot of each book. It really makes for such a entertaining series with characters that would be fun to become friends with. Plus, each installment unravels bits and pieces about everyone's past. It's such a feel good series that I always enjoy coming back to. I would honestly love to see this series become a television show one day. There isn't a single thing that wouldn't play out well on screen.

Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill

Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill

My Rating: ★★★★★

I absolutely love this book. It's such a great graphic novel that not only covers two princesses who fall in love, but also tackles some important topics. We have Amira, who is carving her own path despite society's expectations of her, which also assumes that she doesn't have a care in the world. We have Sadie, who has been trapped in a tower by her sister who is verbally abusive and demeans her. We have Vladric, who succumbs his family's expectations based on his gender and finds himself stressed out and stuck in a tree. Together these characters overcome their road blocks and empower themselves.

It's perfect for children because it takes these important messages and delivers them in a fun, entertaining, and understanding way for them. Amira has dreams of becoming a hero, so she sets out to become a hero. Sadie has had her self-esteem torn to shreds by her sister who tells her she's fat, ugly, and stupid. She overcomes her fears and her sister with the help of her friends. Vladric things he has to be extremely masculine and defeat trolls and ogres, but discovers that he doesn't have to change himself and discovers not to judge people based on how they look. Plus, Amira and Sadie fall in love during their adventures together and the story points out that there's nothing wrong with that. It's such a great book that delivers important messages in a cute and funny tale. I hope that more books like this start to become more prevalent, and I am looking forward to checking out more of Katie O'Neill's work.

Being Human by Patricia Lynne

Being Human by Patricia Lynne

My Rating: ★★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Vampires have been outed, and people fear them more than the legends that have given them a bad reputation. One day, Tommy is lured out of his home and turned by a vampire. As his human emotions and memories quickly leave him, something unusual happens: he has a strong emotional response to his twin brother. He's determined to keep Danny safe and remain close to him even though he can't remember anything about their human life together. His instinct to survive is quickly combined with his instinct to protect his brother, which creates unusual circumstances in a society where vampires are hunted and killed without a second thought.

This is unlike any other vampire novel that I've read before. Instead of following Tommy quickly involve himself in the vampire world, we watch him connect with his brother. Vampires are solo creatures in this book, and they don't get along with humans. They're either eating them or avoiding them, and Tommy is glued to his brother every night. It's a family tale as Tommy and Danny have their brotherly bond tested by society and even family over and over again. I love novels that explore family bonds, so it's really exciting to watch these brothers grow closer and sometimes struggle with their relationship through each phase of their lives.

Lynne tells this story in sections. There's minor time jumps between each section covering Tommy's early vampire life when he and Danny are teenagers, their struggles when Danny reaches college, acceptance as Tommy begins a family, and how history starts to repeat itself once again as Danny continues to age. I really enjoyed watching these two characters bond, test the waters with other people, and keep their connection through every big change in Danny's human life. I often wondered if society's view on vampires would change and if Tommy would ever be accepted by outsiders.

Told through Tommy's perspective, we see everything through his eyes. We feel for him and the characters around him as he struggles to make connections and not hurt his family. It was neat to see him interact with other vampires from time to time. The only thing I didn't care for is the romance that occurs later in the book. It seemed out of place and just strange. Otherwise, it's a wonderful book and I hope to see this character again if Lynne is later inspired to continue the story from a different perspective.

Interpretation by Dylan Callens

Interpretation by Dylan Callens

My Rating: ★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Carl Winston lives in a seemingly perfect world. He's got a great life, a job he likes, and a son that he absolutely adores. The only downside is that his wife died in a car accident, leaving him as a single father. One day, Carl has some kind of meltdown and his surroundings dramatically change. He barely recognizes his own son before he fades into darkness amid what he things is a mental breakdown.

Instead of watching mankind and artificial intelligence clash with each other, Callens picks up long after AI takes over. We see the thought process and messages going between the different head AI entities, as well as flashbacks to how they plotted their takeover, but this entire world is set long after they've been in charge with no one to hold them accountable. These entities have created the perfect world. Food? Check. Water? Check. Fighting? Check. They've done it all. But what is beneath this perfect world? Is it really as it seems? The entities can only inspect data rather than see the world around them.

I love the opening of the novel because it's clear that there is something wrong. Carl is living the best life one can have, but what is really happening? Then one day he sees everything as it truly is. The world is filthy because everyone things they have futuristic items that clean for them. Carl is shocked to discover that everything is filthy down to the towel he uses to shower, which is covered in filth and mold. Everyone is unaware that they are not only hungry, but also emaciated. The Entities are out of control and performing tests after seemingly solving all of humanities problems.

Despite being completely shocked, Carl is actually somewhat happy. He's thinking on his own for the first time and has made a few friends... or did he? There's a question behind everything and it's rather interesting to read and see what happens to the small group of characters we follow throughout the book. Overall, the concept as given me something to think about. I would definitely read this again.

A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall (Honeychurch Hall Mystery #3) by Hannah Dennison

A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall by Hannah Dennison

My Rating: ★★★★

After Kat, an antique dealer, stumbles upon a dead body in an abandoned and damaged wing of Honeychurch Hall, she accidentally opens up a mystery that began in her mother's youth. Still not fully accepted in town and armed with only her wits, Kat forges her way to the bottom of the mystery so that she can prevent her mother from going down for a crime she did not commit. 

This is such a fun series. I love the characters, the town, and the hilarious shenanigans that occur throughout each book. I've grown to love Kat's step uncle, Alfred, and his presence in the series. I love hearing the different bits that we learn about Kat's mother's past as we continue the series. What's not to love?

The third installment in the series upped the antics a little bit, which had me laughing more than usual. It's so interesting to watch these characters grow together as the series continues. Iris and Kat's relationship seems rocky at times, especially since Iris is not completely forthcoming with information, and Kat is a bit judgmental at times, but I hope to see this mother and daughter duo eventually stop clashing. They get closer than they were before with each installment, and I love that we also see the pair get closer to the other people in the town as the series continues. I'm very excited to start the next book!

Midnight Crossroad (Midnight, Texas #1) by Charlaine Harris

Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

My Rating: ★★★★

Manfred Barnado, a legitimate psychic, has packed up and moved to a mysterious town called Midnight. It's a town perfect for anyone hiding a secret, big or small, or otherwise running from something that they don't want to find them. Manfred fits right in with his fellow supernatural townsfolk as well as the regular folk who help makeup this mysterious town.

I picked up this novel after starting the television show that recently started. Loving the show after a single episode, I figured it would be fun to read the book. I wasn't sure how much the book would spoil the show and vice versa, but I forged ahead anyway. So far, the two incarnations appear to be two separate beasts with the show being faster paced.

That said, I rather enjoyed the book. It's a bit of a slow burn with more focus on getting to know the characters and how the town works as the mystery starts to build up. It's also fun occasionally meeting the supernatural people who travel through town. There's also a nice mix of things with the rotating perspectives so we can follow various characters in town rather than just Manfred. I really enjoy Fiji's perspective in particular, and she is my favorite character so far.

The mystery plot is an interesting one that has many twists and turns. It doesn't read as a typical cozy mystery, but it definitely fits in with them. I have to say that I did not put two and two together and was surprised to learn who the true killer was. It made sense, and all the hints were there, but I just didn't entertain them as a possibility. I'm excited to see how the series develops because I think it has a lot of potential.

A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang

A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang

My Rating: ★★★★★

I absolutely love this book. I couldn't get enough of it! A Beautiful Poison follows three friends, Allene, Birdie, and Jasper. Two of the three have been at odds with Allene's family for four years, but the trio is brought back together at Allene's engagement party. However, the engagement party ends on a sad note when one of the guests falls to her death. The trio realizes that this was no accident; it was murder, spurring them on a quest to solve it as the people close to them start to fall victim to the killer and a deadly influenza spreads through the city.

Told from rotating perspectives, we get an idea of how each of these characters are as people. Allene comes from money and views everything as a bit of a game and how it will affect her. Birdie is a factory worker struggling to make ends meet in combined effort with her mom and to care for her little sister. Jasper is a janitor struggling to make ends meet while trying to save up for medical school. I struggled to like Allene because she's so blind to the realities of people not in her status or situation, but I really enjoyed Birdie and Jasper as characters as well as the other people who surrounded them.

Two of the things that I love about this book is that it is beautifully written and the mystery is well crafted. I was glued to the pages because it was just so compelling and beautiful.  It's just such a rich book filled with interesting people, beautiful places, but also a sense of realism. It's a historical fiction novel, so it draws from true events and practices of the time. It also brings us into the lives of people from different walks of life during this era with good and bad from each place. The mystery has many twists and turns. I had my own ideas about who the killer was and I was still wrong. I love it when I can develop my own theories, and it's even more fun when the answers make perfect sense even if I am totally wrong.

This is at the top of my list of favorite books of the year. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future books from Lydia Kang!

Birthday Witch by Billie Dale

Birthday Witch by Billie Dale

My Rating: ★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Shayden is having one hell of a 40th birthday. She hits her head, suddenly has magic powers, her cup of coffee is running away from her, and her crabby cat is talking to her. On top of that, she opens a door that reveals a shape shifter guardian and a goddess who say she's the queen of another world selected because of her power and wisdom that comes with her age. Poor Shay doesn't know what to do with this revelation, but accepts that she must train to use her new abilities and work to save Erigate while navigating her new found love life.

I was drawn to this book because it sounded fun. Shay just hit a big and dreaded milestone when her life suddenly turns upside down. Again. Still healing from her divorce, she's thrown into a magical world that she's the queen of. What in the what?! I knew I was in for a wild ride, and Billie Dale did not disappoint! I loved following Shay as she navigated her new life with sass and humor. We have a collection of sassy, rude, and downright hilarious characters.

Shay stumbles around trying to balance her love life, which is suddenly on fire, single motherhood, and life as a badass queen while stepping on toes every step of the way. She's got a sexy shape shifter who claims to be her soul mate, a vampire on a mission to seduce her, a goddess trying to teach her, people trying to assassinate her, and a cat peeing on the floor while sassing her. We get a glimpse at the characters living throughout Erigate, both good, evil, and everything in between. Plus we have her two daughters who are oblivious to their newly found royal life until they are informed as eve of the war is upon Erigate.. This energetic book is absolutely hilarious. I will definitely be recommending it to my friends because it's such a fun read and it's a perfect book to take on summer travels.

Sadly, we do not get to know many of the characters and different magical races throughout Erigate. I wish there was more world building outside of the human world. We mostly hear about Erigate through others and do not spend too much time there. The book is fast paced and extremely entertaining, but the fleshing out of the lore behind the people of Erigate is a little canoe that flies in and out dropping bits of info throughout the story. Birthday Witch packs a punch and has a lot to give, and this its only rough patch.

Mistress of the Crossroads by Kayci Reid

Mistress of the Crossroads by Kayci Reid

My Rating: ★★★

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Saraphine has been a crossroads demon for a little over 1500 years. She had everything many people would kill for: immortality, good looks, smooth moves, and close friends that she's had for centuries. So what's her problem? She's not actually a demon, she never sold her soul into servitude, she hates her job, and her boss just handed her shady list of wanted souls that's shady even for a high powered demon.

I absolutely love the plot. A crossroads temptress is what drew me to the story; the plot and supporting characters is what kept me there. I've never read a book about a crossroads temptress, so I absolutely had to jump at the chance to read it. I've seen them in movies and on television; most notably in Supernatural. I couldn't wait to read a book from the point of view from what most would perceive as a crossroads demon. However, Sera's not your average crossroads worker, and she's stuck in the middle of a death trap and is pissed that she doesn't have all the info. Not only that, but she still has her soul and she despises having to trap people into being marked for hell. It was fascinating to read about her friends, her life, and the mystery plot she's stuck in. What's with this list, and why is it so important? And who is this mysterious immortal man following her? It's such a page turner.

That said, there are two minor things that disappointed me. I have a minor bone to pick with Sera her about her maturity level. For someone who's been around for 1500 years, you'd think she was a hot headed teenager at times. I can't hate on her for that though. She's got a heart of gold and truly looks out for her friends and anyone she cares about. No one messes with her friends or they'll have to face her, and I've got to say that I think I'd find a pretty good friend in her if she was real. The other thing that disappointed me is the ending. Don't get me wrong; it's a great ending. It was just too short. I personally wish the ending was expanded over an additional chapter or too, but it's nothing serious. Maybe I really just didn't want it to end! All in all, it's a great book and I look forward to future novels from Reid!

Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae (A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery #1)

Last Wool and Testament by Molly MacRae

My Rating: ★★★★

It recently came to my attention that there's a haunted yarn shop cozy mystery series floating around. Cozy mystery? Check. Paranormal novel? Check. Yarn? Check, check, and check! I had to read it ASAP, and I was not disappointed. It has a variety of fun to quirky characters, funny moments, and a ghost sidekick. What's not to like?

The series starts out as Kath Rutledge is attempting not to drive like a bat out of hell to Blue Plum, Tennessee. She's distraught because her dear grandmother, Ivy, has passed away and she's late to the burial just to top things off. Upon arriving, she discovers there's some kind of mystery going on behind her grandmother's house, which was apparently sold to a man who was murdered shortly before her grandmother's passing. Plus, she's got a ghost on her hands, and she doesn't even believe in ghosts. We follow Kath around as she tries to sort out her grandmother's affairs while getting to the bottom of the mysteries that greets her like a Blue Plum welcome party.

The story is a mystery of mysteries. Poor Kath has a lot on her hands as the mysteries keep piling up. Who killed Em? Why did Ivy sell her house to him? Who is the ghost haunting her temporary home? The mysteries birth new mysteries. It's rather fun following Kath around trying to get to the bottom of them. I enjoy the story as well as her interactions with the members of the town, the memories she and others have of Ivy, and seeing the series set itself up. There isn't a dull moment, and it produces some well needed laughs. It's everything I didn't know I wanted from a paranormal yarn cozy. This is a series that I will be following until it eventually reaches its conclusion.

The Ex by Alafair Burke

The Ex by Alafair Burke

My Rating: ★★★★

Olivia is a defense lawyer who is called on to defend her ex fiancé when he is arrested as the main suspect for a triple homicide case. She tries to get Jack to let her pass his case onto someone else because of their past, but he begs her to stay on because she knows him… or does she? One of the victims is the father of the man who killed Jack's wife in a shooting spree, and Olivia begins to ask herself if she really knows Jack the way she thinks he does as the evidence stacks up.

Burk produces a page turner that falls somewhere between being a courtroom drama and personal drama. Olivia narrates the story, and she has a lot of energy on Jack because of their past. Her guilt about how their relationship ended casts a long shadow on how she views Jack as she collects evidence that goes in his favor as well as against him. We learn a lot about these two characters and how the two have been holding a torch of sorts for each other for all of these years. This is certainly not how they thought they'd be entering each other's lives again. In the midst of Olivia's reminiscing, we learn about Jack's living family, which consists of his teenage daughter and his best friend. These two are integral to his impending trial because they both want to be knee deep in helping a man they believe to be innocent.

I honestly thought I knew exactly where the plot was going and how it was going to end, but I was oh so wrong. Burke really pulled one on me! I was glued to the pages even when I was confident in thinking that I knew exactly where this was heading. I side eyeing Olivia at times because I thought she was blinded by the past. Even when things seem obvious, there's still a bit of a mystery going. If this was a movie, I would watch it again so I could see how view it after knowing what I know after it ended, so I will definitely have to reread because it's that good.

Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics by Jason Porath

Rejected Princesses: Tales of History's Boldest Heroines, Hellions, and Heretics by Jason Porath

My Rating: ★★★★★

This book is amazing from start to finish with many of the chapters devoted to women who have almost been erased from history many times over. I'm a history nerd, but I can tell you that you will most likely love it even if you normally swerve away from anything having to do with history. Porath's style is the furthest thing from dry, and his approach is fun. It's almost like he's holding a conversation with us readers. Plus, he starts every chapter with a picture he designed and ends each chapter with the inspiration behind it. Not only that, but he also has color coded trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter that lets you know what's ahead.

These stories are a combination of real women, legends, and oral tales. They're short and to the point while also sparking an interest in finding out more information about these ladies. At some points, we come across women who are well-known, but he talks about the things that usually get left out when we hear about them. It's more of a collection of very interesting biographies and tales that make you never want to reach the end. I already recommended this to some friends before I even reached the halfway point because it's definitely a must read.

Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King

Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King

My Rating: ★★★★

I absolutely loved reading this book. It's definitely not what it seems at first. Sarah appears to be having some kind of mental break that stemmed from growing up with an abusive father. As the book continues, it turns out that she's having an existential crisis stemming from a variety of things including her home life. Rather than just being her story, we get the occasional point of view of her mother, the wife of a physically and verbally abusive man. In the midst of it all, Sarah is trying to get to the bottom of what she doesn't remember, why she doesn't remember these things, and why she keeps seeing herself in the past and future.

A.S. King had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. I was captivated by the story, which is absolutely heartbreaking. King touches on a very tough subject, but chose to tell this story in a unique way that draws you in as you continue to read. I also think that it is interesting that King chose to have Sarah aware but also unaware of her home situation, so that all of the puzzle pieces fit together when she gets the full picture later on. I think that this is relatable, especially for anyone who has been through something that they knew was bad, but couldn't put their finger on why or what exactly was going on for various reasons.

Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Box Set Books 1-3 by Barbara Venkataraman

Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: Box Set Books 1-3 by Barbara Venkataraman

My Rating: ★★★★

The Jamie Quinn mysteries follows a reluctant family lawyer who becomes latched to a series of murder mysteries in this box set. Jamie is a funny character who decides to just wing the first time she becomes involved with a murder mystery. The first time she becomes involved is because her dear nephew is accused of murder, and she dives face first into criminal law to make sure he doesn't go down for a crime he didn't commit.

I rather liked the three books in this collection. It took me a little bit to get into the first book, but I found myself engrossed after a couple of chapters. The characters are likable, and some of them are funny and nice to see returning story after story. I feel invested in Jamie's life because it's more than just murder mystery. As the collection goes on, we slowly become involved in her personal mysteries, such as watching her search for her father. It'll be interesting to see how the story will continue to progress because there is a bit of a mixture of personal and work related mysteries in varying degrees. So far, it's an entertaining series and I'm invested in the characters and their stories. I love the friendships that I've seen form and the pre-existing ones, and I'm looking forward to seeing where Venkataraman decides to take us on Jamie's journey.

Ghost Planet by Sharon Lynn Fisher

Ghost Planet by Sharon Lynn Fisher

My Rating: ★★★★

Elizabeth Cole is running away from her problems, mainly her on again off again fiance, and accepts a job on another planet. Ardagh 1 is a strange and formerly uninhabited world that's breathing life into a quickly deteriorating Earth. However, colonists quickly discovered a huge problem upon arriving: there is intelligent life there, and they take the form of the colonist's loved ones. These ghosts attach themselves to their respective human and must remain in relatively close proximity or suffer from extreme pain. Elizabeth is unsure about how to deal with having a ghostly follower when she gets the shock of a lifetime: she's a ghost. She died on route to Ardagh 1.

This is such an interesting book. Knowing that Elizabeth while knowing she was dead and seeing her go through a variety of emotions upon finding out that she is a ghost is such a fascinating way to start the book. It allowed me to follow the perspective of a "ghost," which is actually an alien incarnation of a random deceased person that any person arriving from Earth once knew. I was immediately engrossed by the plot and wondered why this planet is emulating the resources that Earth needs and why it's producing living, breathing people who remember everything from their former lives. In fact, as far as these "ghosts" know, they never died until they shock the living daylights out of whoever they are attached to.

As far as I could tell, there was no signs of any of the ghosts being there to harm anyone. They were the same person that they were in their former life, but alive and healed. I was glued to the pages as Elizabeth fought to be recognized by Murphy and figure out why she was connected to him and how to detach. Their relationship slowly grows as the story progresses, and we see how harshly the other ghosts are being treated thanks to the Ghost Protocol. I was routing for them to finally be recognized as real people and not alien beings there to destroy them. On the way, we learned interesting things about the planet and how it works. We meet a variety of fascinating characters as well as terrifying ones. Elizabeth's path to freedom also holds the answer to why and how she exists, as well as how their planet works. I wish that we got to know some of the supporting characters more than we did, but I'm okay with what we learned. I was so into the story that I almost wished that it continued on for a little longer. It's definitely one that I will be recommending a lot!