Review: The Mystic and the Missing Girl: A Mystery

The Mystic and the Missing Girl: A Mystery by Vikki VanSickle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read so many books in the last couple of months that I really disliked for one reason or another, that it thrills me to say that this book was everything I needed to get back on the right track. I really, really loved this book.

This book had a quirky cast of characters, a great almost unsolvable mystery, a likable FMC, and used no obvious tropes to get us to the ending. It was filled with surprises, and it even had a kitten!

There really is no need for me to say much about this book that you can't get from reading the summary. But I will say this: if you like cozy mysteries with a bit of speculative fiction, small towns, no obvious romance ( a mere possibility of one at a future time) and character-driven novels, then this one will definitely be for you. 

I think it would do well in a book club setting, since there's so much about this mystery to discuss, and it would definitely be an excellent read for the upcoming Halloween/Samhain holiday!

*ARC supplied by the publisher Minotaur Books/Macmillan, the author, and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "Reluctant psychic Drew Benson can read tarot cards and get impressions from objects—she just never expected to use her gifts to investigate an infamous cold case.

Drew Benson has a secret. She gets visions, something she hasn’t tapped into since she was a teenager, when her late aunt, a TV psychic known as Hannah Mystic, became the scapegoat in the unsolved disappearance of a local teenager. Twenty years later, Drew is happy to ignore her gift, focusing instead on keeping the metaphysical shop she inherited from Hannah afloat, wrangling her sole, astrology-obsessed employee, and dodging local rake Foster Banks in her picturesque lakeside hometown.

But when Drew's arch-nemesis from high school, now a big city reporter, decides to investigate the cold case from all those years ago, it’s Drew’s ability that could finally make a break in the decades old mystery. With bills piling up, a disapproving mother laying on the guilt, and a local vandal who wants Drew and her witchy store gone, Drew has a lot to lose. But what she stands to gain—finding out what happened to the missing teen, clearing her aunt’s name, and a second chance at belonging—could change everything.

In The Mystic and the Missing Girl, Vikki VanSickle seamlessly draws readers into an utterly charming world in this unputdownable, small town mystery.

Review: The Age of Blood and Magic

The Age of Blood and Magic by Hannah Mathewson
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This novel was not described as a YA novel, so I expected the characters to act like adults. They didn't, and I lost interest around the 60% mark. Plus, the story was so convoluted, and the fact that it was supposed to be a "locked-room" type mystery and wasn't- well, there you have it!
DNF

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SUMMARY: "Magic built their empire. Blood will decide who rules it next. When a CEO falls, one family’s battle for control becomes a brutal game of betrayal, desire, and power in this sharp, seductive debut for fans of Succession—with fangs.

A hundred years ago, magic ran wild—belonging only to the fae, the witches, the vampires. Then the mortal Martin Maddock stole its secret. With it, he forged Mythos, a company that bottles spells for humankind. Now his descendants rule a trillion-dollar empire—and Valentina Maddock is determined to inherit its throne.

The world’s wealthiest elites descend on the Maddock estate for a lavish, ultra-exclusive weekend to unveil Mythos’s latest magical breakthrough. But when Valentina’s CEO father suddenly collapses, the race for his heir begins—and the claws come out. Valentina is pitted against her playboy brother, her brilliant scientist mother, and her father’s long-time CFO. Even the guests and staff are choosing sides—and someone intends to eliminate Valentina entirely.

Then an unexpected guest arrives: a vampire. Luc Sayle has no known ties to Mythos, yet he carries a private invitation from the CEO himself. Drawn to the enigmatic and dangerously handsome stranger, Valentina senses Luc may be her only ally. But his polished words hide a bite, forcing her to question who the true monster really is.

Set in a world of dark enchantments, glittering wealth, and cutthroat ambition, The Age of Blood and Magic blends paranormal fantasy, locked-room mystery, and romantic suspense into a razor-sharp, intoxicating tale where magic is power—and everyone’s out for blood."

Review: Lover Enthroned

Lover Enthroned by J.R. Ward
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I must start thinking that this is an entirely new series instead of a continuation of the origional book. Since 30 or 35 years have passed with no explanation that I can find (maybe a book I haven't read, *snort*---as if!)? It seems easier to think that the last couple of books, as well as this one, are a whole new series with minor parts given to the old-timers. That means you don't really HAVE to read the preceding 20 or so books to get into these, but you will want to, I assure you!

This was a standout read with a heck of a mystery as well as a simmering love story, a good dollop of some of the old-timers, and for once we weren't fighting the usual suspects. An interesting twist is the back-and-forth of time in Allhan's case, letting us see how he came to be doing what we think he is doing.


An altogether great read!

*ARC provided by the publisher Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, the author, and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "In #1 New York Times bestseller J.R. Ward’s newest Black Dagger Brotherhood installment, star-crossed lovers face the battles of their lives…in the midst of war with the Lessening Society.

A Hidden Past

Allhan, a computer genius who works for the Brotherhood, has a deadly secret. Torn between what he must do, and his increasing attachment to Vishous, he’s not looking for any more complications in his life. He’s not going to survive the one he has.

A Royal Future

Princess Dennesha, heir to the throne of the Shadows, is a live-and-let-die kind of female. At least until she finds herself tangling in the destiny of a human—even though it goes against every instinct of hers and all common sense.

A Terrible Choice

When Allhan and Denne meet by chance, their passion is undeniable. But a rare astrological event triggers a crossroads for the Princess. Either mate a male she doesn’t love and assume the throne, or stay true to her heart and condemn the Territory to destruction. With Allhan fighting his conscience—and a lesser who’s after Wrath and the Brothers—can the two find a way out of their fates? Or are they doomed to grieve a love that could never be for eternity…

Review: You’ll Love It Here

You’ll Love It Here by Natalie Sue
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

It took me two weeks of trying to read this book before I realized that I was never going to finish it.

Mona was insipid; the idea of having her update the building to kick everyone out just because she wanted a recommendation for her shaky job was horrific.

The ending (even though I didn't finish) was predictable. And her romance (as it were) was unbelievable.

*ARC supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "Mona thought her living situation was bad… but the real mess is just beginning.

One day is all it takes for Mona’s life to implode. After years of climbing at her marketing firm, she was supposed to be getting promoted and finally moving out of her crumbling apartment building. Instead, she’s jobless, aimless, and still stuck in a space barely big enough for a yoga mat.

Then her eccentric landlady takes a tumble and asks Mona to step in as the building’s reluctant super. The deal is simple: help prep the place for sale, and she can secure the upgrade she’s been chasing. But that’s easier said than done when the neighbors treat “boundaries” as optional. There’s the shouting couple, the mysterious shut-in, a possible panty thief in the laundry room—and Sami, the relentlessly cheerful diner owner who keeps showing up with coffee and unsolicited ideas about community. As Mona gets pulled deeper into the building’s chaos—and closer to the people inside it—she’s forced to confront what, and who, she’s really been trying to outrun. Sometimes, the place you’re desperate to leave is the one that finally shows you who you are.

Wise, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny, Natalie Sue’s sophomore novel is a story about burning out, starting over, and finding your people in the most unexpected places—perfect for fans of The Wedding People and Anxious People."

Review: Don’t Cross Mo Ellery

Don’t Cross Mo Ellery by Birdie Horne
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Yes, this book was a bit amusing at times, but it was all over the place with too many characters, too much misdirection, too much sex on Mo's mind at very inappropriate times, a childlike main character with Illness Anxiety Disorder and very dislikable characters---ALL OF THEM -Mo especially. Very hodgepodge.

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SUMMARY: "Mo Ellery’s 29th birthday is a disaster. After one small accident—the exposure of her boyfriend’s genitals (well, maybe not that small) on a work video call—she manages to get fired, dumped, and kicked out of their overpriced Chicago apartment. Luckily, a sign appears to guide Mo to her new “Looking for flexible part-time work? Become a school crossing guard!” It’s everything Mo has been looking health insurance. How hard can it be?

A few weeks later, Mo is adjusting to her new low-paying job, her bisexual reawakening, and her new neighborhood’s wacky characters. There’s Claudia, an old woman who refuses to let Mo help her cross the street, and Marlowe, a tween cell phone prodigy whose antics terrify her. But Mo’s greatest nemesis is Poodle Dude, a guy with an SUV full of poodles who speeds through her intersection each morning. . . until the day he speeds into a sinkhole. Mo tries and fails to shield innocent eyes from his bloody corpse, but succeeds in accidentally becoming the guardian to his three poodles.

And that’s not the worst of some of the locals are convinced that Poodle Dude was murdered. Their allegations are obviously ridiculous, but Mo, desperate for distractions—and for several hot neighbor-suspects—reluctantly agrees to help. But Mo the detective is just as chaotic as Mo the underemployed adult, and the three entitled poodles are not helping. When a second local dies under mysterious circumstances, it’s going to take all of Mo’s broadly applicable and transferrable skills to find the killer."

Review: When Lemons Give You Life

When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Quote from the Author>>>>"This novel is about rediscovering joy when life has lost its flavour-about kindness, connection, and the courage to start again."

I can't argue with that description or do any better describing it myself.

I found this book to be:

Humerous

Sad

Silly  

Life-sucking (for the characters)

An eye-opener

Hopeful

Filled with lies and tragedy, but eventually finding the truth, redemption and happiness.

This book would make an excellent book club read and also an awesome movie.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley.

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SUMMARY: "From the author of the beloved feel-good debut The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife comes another humorous, heart-stirring novel about family, second chances, and the lengths we go for those we love, following a woman fighting to hold onto life and her older brother who's rediscovering reasons to embrace it.

Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite. He’s done with grief, guilt and the beige slop they dare call food at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, where he now resides.

Six decades of life have given him all the lemons he can handle, so he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to bake himself one last tart. It’s supposed to be his final meal but the act of cooking stirs a dormant joy. Soon, he’s regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up flavor and comfort to fellow residents, who, in turn, begin to come alive with each bite of Griff's delicious concoctions. Yet behind the apron is a lie so big it could destroy the one thing Griff has left to protect.

Lisa, Griff’s younger sister and sole visitor, is navigating a midlife ADHD diagnosis, the spark of a new romance, and unexpected news that may change life as she knows it. Despite their fractured sibling relationship, she continues to show up, though hope of a reconciliation between the two is long gone, buried in the silence between them.

But the truth has a way of boiling over, and when secrets, soufflés, and second chances collide, Griff and Lisa may discover a recipe for forgiveness.

Heartfelt and inspiring, When Lemons Give You Life is an uplifting, feel-good novel about love, forgiveness, redemption, and the joy of rediscovering what truly matters in life."

Review: Pretty as a Peach

Pretty as a Peach by Grace Helena Walz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 Stars

I was all set for some good Southern women's fiction. You know, a lot of bless your hearts, some good gossiping, and a bit of back stabbing and such. But what I got was three different storylines, which made this a disappointing read. Oh, don't get me wrong, there is a bit of in-family fighting, and an intriguing story of "multi-tiered marketing" (scam, in other words), but you need to read a lot of the book to really get to the delicious parts.

The characters-well, sometimes I just wanted to smack them upside the heads and yell "pull on your big girl panties and make a move", but there was finally some growth near the end of the book

I also felt like the romance could have been left out. It really made no sense in the larger scheme of things. That would have left room to follow up on the five women's lives and left me with a sense of closure.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Thomas Nelkson, the author, and Netgalley/Edelweiss.

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SUMMARY: "A preschool teacher and her retiree neighbor team up to take on a suspicious multi-level marketing scheme that has a vicelike grip on the women in their suburban Southern community.

Delilah Thomas, beloved preschool teacher to the twos class, has always been the unconventional "black sheep" in the perfectly manicured town of Pearl, Georgia. While the rest of Pearl thrives on perfection and tradition, Delilah's thrift store wardrobe and carefree demeanor set her apart, much to the dismay of her pageant-loving mother and her circle of polished, lifelong friends. Though she loves her quiet life, she can't quite understand why she doesn't feel like she truly belongs in the only hometown she's ever known.

When a new multi-level marketing craze called Peach Pit takes hold of Pearl's high-achieving moms with promises of becoming #girlbosses, Delilah's suspicions are immediately piqued. Promising miracle beauty products made from the "magical" pits of Georgia peaches, the company pressures women to invest in hefty starter packs. To Delilah, it's not just a scam but a direct attack on the women of Pearl, already burdened by the weight of polished perfection.

But when it gets personal, Delilah joins forces with her quirky elderly neighbor Mrs. Chopra and her best friend Jasper to uncover the truth behind Peach Pit's toxic façade. What begins as a battle against shady business practices quickly spirals into revelations about Delilah's own family, her lifelong friendships, and the place she holds in a town desperate to change her.

Full of Southern charm, wit, and heart, this captivating story explores the bonds that hold us together, the courage it takes to resist conformity, and the true meaning of belonging."