Book Review: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara

 

Goodreads Summary: Sometimes it takes working with the dead to start living.
Kathy Valence is forty-two, mid-divorce, and pregnant with her ex's baby. She's also a modern-day grim reaper employed by S.C.Y.T.H.E. (Secure Collection, Yielding, and Transportation of Human Essences), but frankly, that's the easiest part of her life right now. Or at least it was, until her latest client's soul goes missing.

When she finally tracks down seventeen-year-old Conner Ortiz, he angrily denies he died of natural causes, despite what his file says. He insists that someone at S.C.Y.T.H.E. murdered him, and he demands Kathy find out who and why.

Kathy has only forty-five days to figure out what happened to Conner and help him move on before the boy's soul is doomed to roam the Earth as a ghost forever. She’s forced to rely on the help of her retired mentor, her almost ex-husband, and some sneaky moves by Conner himself. This is the wildest case of her career... and one wrong move could cost Kathy her job, not to mention her life.

Goodreads Rating: 3.80 stars with over 8,900 ratings

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Cozy Mystery 

Goodreads/Storygraph Challenge: 4/48

2026 Reading Challenge: #22 Read a book with a pastel cover (Find the entire challenge here)

Book Review:

Hello, Readers! I hope everyone is doing well. It is a rainy evening here in Indiana, which is a perfect night for reading! I'm on vacation for the rest of the week, so I'm hoping I get at least one more book in while I'm off. We'll see, though. I'm at 4 books for the year, which is a solid start. 

Anyway, on to my two cents about A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara. I really liked the concept of being a Grim Reaper being more of a corporation and exploring those avenues. I would have liked to get more into the science of the world Maxie Dara created for S.C.Y.T.H.E., but I get the impression that it's going to come up more in future books. 

Kathy took a while to warm up to, which fit with her background. I did like her dynamic with Conner. Jo was a really fun character, and I hope we get to see more of her in future books. The relationship with Simon felt like page filler, as did the pregnancy. That plot line could have been removed, and I really don't think the story would have changed much.

I thought that Dara provided a decent amount of clues as well as red herrings for the mystery. I didn't predict the culprit correctly, but also didn't feel surprised once they were revealed. I just felt it made sense. I wanted more on the motivation, and I felt like that was a bit rushed. This also ties in with more of the science I was wanting out of the book. I'm really hoping the series explores it more. 

I didn't love the book, but I didn't hate it either. It was cute and entertaining. I'd recommend it for anyone who wants a paranormal/cozy mystery. If I saw more of the series on sale, I'd pick it up and give it a read. 

Book Review: The Secret, Book, & Scone Society by Ellery Adams

 

Goodreads Summary: From New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams comes the first in an intriguing new series set within a quirky small-town club where the key to happiness, friendship—or solving a murder—can all be found within the pages of the right book . . .

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.
 
When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.
 
Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge—proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .

Goodreads Rating: 3.76 stars with over 10,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary

Goodreads Challenge: 45/60

2020 Reading Challenge: #25 Read a book with the word 'Book' in the title ( see the full challenge here )

Book Review:

This year is winding down fast. I never really expected to actually hit 60 books, but pretty excited about getting to 45. I'm hoping I can squeeze at least two more books in before December ends. I talked to a friend about the books I read this year, and I realized most of the books I read feel like they were a really long time ago.

The Secret, Book, & Scone Society by Ellery Adams fit really well for #25, which was one I was struggling to find. The story follows Nora after she escapes some unknown tragedy and starts over in Miracle Springs, North Carolina. She opens up Miracle Books and conducts what she refers to as "Bibliotherapy." After a series of murders in the normally quiet town, Nora helps solve a mystery, makes a few friends, and finally gets the courage to tell her story.

I wouldn't say that I was instantly drawn into Nora as a character. She was really reserved by design because of her secret, and it came out in pieces. It wasn't really fully explained until the very end. She wasn't unlikeable; just by design felt like something was missing. I really liked how her shop was described, and the fact that she lived in a Tiny house was awesome. I'm a huge fan of the tiny house movement, and I'd love to own a book store. The idea of bibliotherapy was really cool, especially given that she went through it herself. 

Due to the murder of one of her Bibliotherapy clients, Nora starts becoming friends with a group of local ladies who want to help solve the murder. Like Nora, they all have a deep dark secret that they reveal to the group as a way to show that they trust their new friends. Of Nora's friends, I probably like June or Hester the best, but they all have their quirks. I thought it was interesting that Hester had a similar skill as Nora's Bibliotherapy, but with the use of baked goods. 

I didn't really feel like the mystery was all that surprising. It didn't really give any alternate options of who the culprits could be. There's a large group of people involved in some capacity, so the only unknown is who did what and why. There was a little surprise regarding some help they had to make it work, but other than that, I felt like the who was always known. 

To me, the mystery wasn't really the main plot of the story. It was there and moved the characters along, but it wasn't really what it was about. It seemed like it was more about the growth Nora, Hester, June, and Estella went through and how they could grow, let their guards down, and develop friendships. 

Because Nora owned a bookshop, there was a lot of book references in the story. I'm a little torn on whether or not I liked it. Some of the references were cool to see, but it got to be a little unnecessary after a while. It felt like they were just included anywhere possible. Obviously, I'm a self-proclaimed bookworm, but it just feels unnatural to reference a book in basically every conversation. It started to feel forced.

I enjoyed the book and got through it pretty quickly. It was a nice read, but I wasn't in love with it. The way that Nora's secret was drug out made it hard to relate to her. I may pick up the next book in the series at another time, but I don't really feel like I need to rush right into it. 

Book Review: Prove It: Murder In The Mix by Hannah R. Kurz

 

Amazon Summary (Goodreads didn't have one): When a tragic mixer mishap results in the closing of a beloved bakery, new mom and upstairs neighbor Stephanie Wu is sure of two things: One, she misses their cappuccinos. And two, it was no accident. But time is running out for the sleep-deprived sleuth. Can she solve the murder and figure out pumping before her maternity leave is up? With a baby at her breast and a killer at her back, life and living above The Likable Daisy will never be the same again.

Goodreads Rating: 4.20 stars with 5 ratings

Genre Listing: Cozy Mystery

Goodreads Challenge: 42/ 60 books (I'm catching up! Sort of.)

2020 Reading Challenge: 60. Free Space. Pick any book! (Find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Somewhat Legal stuff: The author of this book requested that I read this book and provide an honest review. I acquired the book through Kindle Unlimited.

I only have 18 more books to go for the year. I don't think it's Mathematically possible for me to hit 60 books this year.  Unless I want to get fired from my job, which I don't. If I can get to 50 books, I'll be pretty happy.

Prove it: Murder in the Mix by Hannah R. Kurz is a Cozy Mystery and is under 300 pages long. The book follows Stephanie as she figures out how to be a new mom. She and her family live above the Likeable Daisy bakery, and when the owner dies suddenly, Steph takes it upon herself to prove it wasn't an accident. 

This took me a while to really get into. Truthfully, I didn't start getting interested in it until about 55-60% in. Before that, I could only read about a chapter or two before wanting to put it down and read something else. The book is well written, but I just could not connect with Steph or Henry. Even though their friend had died, it felt like most of the story revolved around the baby, small talk with the neighbors, or discussions/descriptions of what the couple was having for dinner. I think this would appeal to some readers, but for me (read non-mother with 0 interest in having offspring), I just wanted to solve the murder. 

As far as characters go, I found Steph and Henry pretty dull. It wasn't until they started to let loose a little bit in the latter half of the book that they really grew on me. They weren't awful; they just weren't that exciting. I actually thought that Jane and Charlotte were the more interesting characters. 

One thing that I really liked about Prove it is there are different cultures/religions represented, including Islam. I admittedly don't a lot about Muslim beliefs, but based on my limited knowledge, it seems like Hannah did her research to represent it properly. I always appreciate representation in books when it is done respectfully and well. I could have potentially put this as # 58 for the challenge ( Read a book that takes place in the Middle East or is inspired by Middle Eastern culture), but I have a book picked out for that one that I'm hoping to read before the challenge ends. Also, it felt a little bit like cheating to use this for that slot. 

When communicating about this book, Hannah mentioned it'd definitely make me hungry. She wasn't kidding. I was definitely craving some baked goods while reading this. Luckily one of my friends was apparently practicing her psychic skills and brought over some Gluten-Free Banana Bread that she made me. Yum. (The loaf is not going to survive the weekend. Going to eat it all.) Anyways. I recommend snacks while reading Prove It.

I was sort of surprised at who the killer was as well as the motive. They were my second suspect, but the reason I suspected them is just that they came across as really odd. I would have never guessed the motive in a million guesses. I thought everything presented got tied up really nicely. There was a good set up to catch the murderer, and the explanation was reasonable. 

I would say that readers who either are parents or can relate to parents and like cozy mysteries would enjoy this. Because I couldn't relate to the characters, it took a while to get into. Once I managed to get into, it was interesting to read the mystery and figure out who the culprit was. The ending was surprising, which I always appreciate. 

Book Review: Suddenly Psychic by Elizabeth Hunter

 

Goodreads Summary: Every woman goes through changes in their forties.Just not… these changes.

Robin Brannon was a normal wife, mom, and antique shop owner until a brush with death turned her day-to-day life upside down. Now she and her two best friends are seeing things that belong in a fantasy novel. Ghosts. Visions. Omens of doom. Nothing that belongs in the peaceful mountain town they call home.

Added to that, Robin’s marriage is on the rocks, her grandmother’s health is failing, her mother is driving away the customers at her shop, her teenage daughter refuses to get her drivers’ license, and her left knee aches every darn morning.

Robin doesn’t have the time, energy, or knees to unearth the secrets buried at the bottom of Glimmer Lake, but fate doesn’t seem to care. Some secrets are just dying to be exposed.

Goodreads Rating: 4 stars with over 6,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Paranormal, Fantasy, Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Ghosts, Romance, Contemporary, Cozy Mystery

Goodreads Challenge: 39/60 (I'm picking up steam!)

2020 Reading Challenge: #47 A book by an author named Elizabeth/Beth or a variant (find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

Happy Saturday, Readers! I am SO glad it is finally the weekend. Finding something for the Elizabeth/Beth variant was surprisingly tricky. I really expected to see a ton of books to fit in this category, but it took me a while to not only find one but find one that grabbed my interest. I had picked up a few and just could not get into them. However, when I found Suddenly Psychic, I thought it seemed like a cute story idea and gave it a shot. 

Suddenly Psychic is a shorter read- around 300 pages and was really easy to get into. I instantly liked Robin, and even though I'm not a mother or in my 40s, I found her relatable and funny. I liked how she, Monica, and Val were all different personalities but were still really close. They each had their own voice, and I felt like it was easy to distinguish who was who. 

I felt like there was a surprising amount of Ghosts in Suddenly Psychic, which was refreshing. I feel like some books just limit the ghost interaction to weird noises, or feelings, or whatever. Suddenly Psychic had several ghosts, and most had some kind of background story or interaction with Robin. I loved the way she was able to conjure them. I thought it was different and really interesting. Some of the interactions were actually mildly creepy, which I thought was great. 

There was a bit of mystery in Suddenly Psychic. I thought it was a little predictable, but I honestly didn't mind that much. It made sense for the story, and I don't know that every mystery needs to be an absolute rollercoaster of who committed the crime. The presented information seemed logical for the characters and added up to the build-up with the final ghost. Boss Ghost? 

Buried underneath all of the Ghosts and psychic powers (heh, pun intended), there's a terrific story about a group of women feeling lost and not sure who they are going through the process to find themselves. Robin is often found reciting, "Is this my life?" negatively during the beginning of the story. However, after everything she goes through, it becomes "I can't believe this is my life," but with a positive spin on it. 

I really loved this book, and I can't wait to read more in the Glimmer Lake series. I think the next book follows Val, who was a lot of fun in this book. Suddenly Psychic is a quick read that stays light-hearted and funny even during some darker times of the story. The characters are relatable and entertaining. I stayed interested through the entire book and didn't want to put it down. Plus, there are ghosts!

Book Review: Magic & Murder by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary: Welcome to Starry Hollow, where spells were made to be broken.
Short on both cash and time, Ember Rose does her best as a single mom in New Jersey, serving up attitude along with repossession notices. When a repo job goes sideways, she and her daughter find themselves in imminent danger--until a visit from estranged relatives turns their world upside down. Ember, Marley, and their Yorkie are transported to Starry Hollow, a paranormal town where witches rule and magic is as normal as pizza. Where Ember goes, though, trouble seems to follow. When a member of the coven turns up dead, and the sexy werewolf sheriff identifies Ember as a suspect, she decides to take matters into her own hands like only a Jersey girl can.
Goodreads Rating: 4.31 stars with over 1200 ratings
Genre Listing: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Witches, Magic, Fantasy
Goodreads Challenge: 15/50 (woohoo! I'm catching up.)
2019 Reading Challenge: #10 a book with a title done in alliteration (find the full challenge here)

Book Review:

If anyone's wondering why the influx of reviews, it's because I'm avoiding real life responsibilities. I have a 30-page business plan to finish so I can graduate and need to pack up my apartment, so I can move out of state in August. The logical thing to do in this situation is to just ignore these things and read, obviously.

I was really struggling to find something with an alliterative title that I wanted to read. I found a couple of titles and started to read them, but lost interest quickly. I finally found one. Magic & Murder is a fun and short cozy paranormal mystery. Annabel Chase is the same author who put out the Spellbound series that I was obsessed with most of last year. Magic and Murder is very similar to the Spellbound series. A single woman in her mid to late 20s doesn't know she has magic, or that it even exists, and finds herself living in a paranormal town as a witch. There's a lot of similar humor like references to Harry Potter that no one in the Starry Hollow gets. Both main characters of the two series have to take some form of magic classes to get up to speed, and both also find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation. At one point and time, Spellbound even gets mentioned.

I don't mind the similarities, but I can see how it'd be a deal breaker for some readers. While I think the foundation is similar, the story its self is somewhat different. Ember ends up in Starry Hollow with her ten-year-old daughter after their lives are threatened by a complete psychopath. I thought this was a really well-done intro to Ember's story because it's highly dramatic and makes her interesting right away. She and her daughter Marley are then whisked away by three witchy relatives that Ember didn't even know existed.

Marley is probably my favorite character in the book. She's sassy and way too smart for her own good. Ember and Marley have a good dynamic that feels realistic. Ember ends up with an Aunt and three cousins (and their families). I can't remember any of their names, and aside from the Aunt they really didn't make an impression on me. The Aunt likes to throw her name around a lot to get her way, and that should be an interesting plot line throughout the series.

The thing I like the most about Magic & Murder (as well as the other Annabel Chase books I've read) is they're short. This one is only 193 pages. It's easy to get into the story, there's a bit of wit and humor, and it's a quick read. If you're trying to get some challenge fillers, this is a good one it'd fit for Fantasy, an M title, Alliteration, Free spaces, and if you're doing just a straight number's challenge, it only takes a couple of hours. 

Book Review: Crazy for Brew by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary:  Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.
It's the first annual Spellbound Day, and the community has come together to celebrate recent seismic changes. Local lawyer Emma Hart is on top of the world, reveling in her new marriage and her promotion within the coven's academy.

When residents begin acting strangely, the entire town is thrown for a loop. With the help of Sheriff Astrid and the rest of her friends, Emma sets out to uncover the cause. Is it simply a negative response to the influx of new paranormal residents? Or is there magic at work?
Goodreads Rating: 4.40 stars with just over 600 ratings.
Genre Listing: Paranormal, Witches, Romance, Cozy Mystery, Fantasy, Magic
Get the Book: Amazon
Goodreads Challenge: 33/30

Book Review: 

I really need to step away from burning through series. Granted, I picked this one up because I knew it would be light and enjoyable, which is precisely what I needed after Aaru: Halls of Hel. Crazy for Brew by Annabel Chase is the first book in the Spellbound spinoff series, Spellbound Ever After. It picks up a few weeks after the Spellbound series ends. Emma and Daniel flee Spellbound since the curse is broken and head to Greece for a Honeymoon, and come back to a few changes. 

The whole main plotline for Crazy for Brew is the struggle of now having newcomers in the town and people leaving. Of course, because it's Spellbound; there is chaos and mayhem. It also centers around Emma's friends, so she naturally decides to figure out who's behind the mayhem. There are also copious amounts of swooning over Daniel.

I don't know if it's because I burned through the entire Spellbound series like I'd never get to reread it, or what, but I wasn't all that enthusiastic about Crazy for Brew. I was actually able to set it down for a day or two. It's still incredibly short at 191 pages, so it's not like it was going to take me long anyways. At this point though, it just feels like there's a particular format. Emma gets a case, something else happens in town that probably involves her friends, something her client or someone else says to her flips a switch and all of the sudden she knows who did the thing in town. 

I think there's a definite influence from the real world that creeps its way into Annabel Chase's work. It's interesting and subtle but also relatable. I could be reading way too much into things, but I think the mayoral election took place near when the real world presidential election would have taken place. In Crazy for Brew, the borders of Spellbound are now open, and the residents have to deal with issues like infrastructure, how to let new residents in, resident quota, etc. It just published in March, and obviously, border discussions are a hot topic right now. Again, I could be reading way too much into it, but it's something I found interesting.

I think my favorite character in the book and series will always be Agnes. She's old, she's sassy, she doesn't give a damn about what people say or think. Even though Agnes is my favorite, Annabel Chase does an excellent job of giving each character a decent amount of personality. I'm reasonably impressed with this considering that the books are so short. Emma especially feels extremely relatable, despite having magical powers.

Overall, I enjoyed Cray for Brew. I liked the inclusion of new residents and showing how some of the residents of Spellbound were for it, while others were against it. I will say that why the books are entertaining, they each follow a precise formula, and Crazy for Brew was no different. The inclusion of everyone acting differently felt a little similar to when the council was made to act like children. I'll most likely continue the series, but I'm not going to binge through it like I did with Spellbound. I think it'll be an excellent filler to read in between other books when I just want something short and quick.

Series Review of Spellbound by Annabel Chase

Series Review:

Doing things a little differently for this post. Some of you may remember that my last few posts have been an odd review of a few of the books in the Spellbound series by Annabel Chase.  The situation with this is that there are 10 books in the series, they're all around 300 pages or less, and they're all available on Kindle Unlimited. Basically, I burned through this series so quickly that I can't separate the books in my mind. I've tried, but the entire series is just one book to me. Because of this, it's impossible to do a full review of each book.

If you'd like to check out the other reviews I did manage to do, you can find them below.

Curse the Day, Doom and Broom, Spell's Bells, Lucky Charm

The links will cover books 1-4. I can't remember ever going through a series like this. I would seriously finish one book around midnight then pick up the next book in the series. The next thing I know it's four in the morning, and I just finished another book. Needless to say, I enjoy the series immensely.

If you haven't looked into the series, the general plot is that the town of Spellbound is a paranormal town with a wide variety of residents. The species range from witches, vampires, weres, and faires as some of the more common groups to gnomes, yetis, gorgons, and many more. It's a very eclectic town, but unfortunately, all of the residents are trapped there because of a curse put on the city how many ever centuries ago. Emma, shouldn't have even been allowed into the town because of the curse.

While in Spellbound, Emma becomes a bit of a celebrity and makes friends and enemies all across town. She ends up taking over the public defender role as the Vampire who previously held the office has been murdered. In true cozy mystery fashion, despite that it's not Emma's job to solve the crime anyways- she does anyway. That's pretty much the norm for each book. There's a crime, usually a murder, and sometimes it's related to whatever case she's taking on to defend.

Also, there's a reoccurring theme of Emma knowing very little of her past. All of her family passed away, and she worked too much as an attorney back in the normal world to have friends. So each book there's a little bit more about her past and Coven, as she is a distinctly different breed of a witch than those in Spellbound. This is where I really wish there was a bit more meat on the bones in the series. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of information regarding her past, but it's given out slowly, and I just want more of it. The main plotlines, however, focus on whatever mystery is going on in town, her love and social life, and then her powers as they develop.

The off the wall details are what really drew me into this story, I think. Annabel Chase did a fantastic job of building her town up and making it seem like it could really exist. There were little things like magical shops where if you get a coffee you can get a magical shot of courage or honesty. There's a wishing store where you can conjure some items from the human world, like books. A fairy salon where you can get decked out in glitter. And of course, a pet store where you pick out your familiars. I really appreciate the details that went into making the town as much of the story as the murders and social aspects.

There is a copious amount of nerd references in the series. A good chunk of them are Harry Potter references. There's also a nod to the Craft as well as other movies. Annabel Chase does an excellent job of showing the seclusion of the town with these references. Emma is often found talking about something from the human world, and no one really knows what she's talking about.  I enjoy Emma as the main character because of how relatable she is most of the time.

Throughout the series, we get introduced to her very eclectic set of friends. Her four best friends are fellow remedial witches. For the most part, I like them, but I have a hard time keeping them straight. They all kind of blend together after a while. I also don't really understand the age of her friends. They're all younger than her by a few years, but one is 15 when the rest are in their early twenties. Them still being in remedial classes together seems like it's at the decision of the coven leader, but I don't really understand if the older girls have been remedial for several years. It's a bit confusing.

Relationship wise, Emma seems to have her pick of all the hot paranormals in town. Isn't that always the case in these types of books, though? The new girl is quirky and undercover pretty, so all of the guys must love her.  A Fallen Angel with a bad rep, Vampire with a bad rep, Good guy Minotaur, and a sleazy were-weasel that was more a cover for investigating a murder are some of the potential romance encounters. I will say that except for the latter, she had a hand in helping the guys she didn't end up with finding a relationship. At first, I was crazy with where her romantic life was going and thought the guy was a terrible choice, but he ends up redeeming himself in the final book.

Eventually the murders and the cases she's taking on as public defender feel like they take a back seat in the story. The focus is more on breaking the spell, where she came from, and the truth about who she is. Some of the details felt a little rushed, but I felt like the last book did wrap everything up in a neat little package. It ends with a way to expand the series, and there is a spinoff series called Spellbound ever after. I haven't dived into this series yet, but I plan to eventually.

Overall, I really recommend this story. It's a nice cozy mystery series with a lot of great details. Each book is a quick read, and it's obviously binge-worthy. I'm at a loss as to where to rate the books and series. I enjoyed it, but I don't know that I would say I'm obsessed with it enough to give it a five. It's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a good read for cozy mystery lovers, paranormal lovers, and paranormal romance. It's a reasonably clean series with it being a cozy mystery. I think that across the board I'd give the series a pretty solid 4.

Blog updates:

I'm going to do a full challenge update either at the end of December or early January. I love seeing the comments on the 2018 reading challenge that people are finished with it and eagerly waiting next years! I've not done too great with this year's challenge. This series certainly didn't help. I never was really able to find places to fit any of the books. So the 2018 challenge is definitely lacking, however, I've already met my Goodreads yearly goal of 30 books. I'm actually at 31! I'm guessing I'll finish with 32.

I'm in the midst of finishing up reading Aaru 2: Halls of Hel, the sequel in Dr. David Meredith's series. This will be the third review that I've done at Dr. Meredith's request. If you want to catch up, you can check out my review on Aaru here. I'm about halfway through with Halls of Hel, so I hope to have it finished up here within a week or so.

Get excited! The 2019 reading Challenge will be posted by the end of the week. Partner in crime, Tress and I just finalized it. We're pretty happy with it, so far. We've kept the same format for our challenge, but changed some of the topics and added some new features. I think you all will really like it. If you want to catch up with Tress, she just posted her latest update for the challenge on her blog, and you can find it here.

Book Review: Lucky Charm by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary: New witch Emma Hart is at her wit’s end and, this time, it’s not the result of her vampire ghost roommate, her snarky owl, or her feelings for a certain fallen angel. Key members of Spellbound society are acting like children, and it’s wreaking havoc on the town’s regulation-happy infrastructure. When Emma is turned invisible during the investigation, she realizes that the spell was no accident and that someone is out to silence her—permanently.
Lucky Charm is the fourth book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.
This is a full-length, humorous cozy mystery novel.

Goodreads Rating: 4.39 stars with over 1,000 ratings
Genre listing: Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Urban Fantasy, Witches
Number of Pages: 190
Book in series: 4/10
Previous reviews for the series: Curse the Day. Doom and Broom, Spell's Bells
Goodreads Challenge: 25/30

Book Review: 

I think it's safe to say that I'm addicted to the Spellbound series by Annabel Chase. Every time I finish one I have to dive into the very next book. I keep telling myself I'm going to read something else, but obviously, I have not. I keep staring at my unread bookshelf and mentally apologizing to it. On the bright side, I'm at least getting close to meeting my Goodreads Challenge for the year. The 2018 Reading Challenge, not so much. Which reminds me, I should probably start working on 2019's. 

A little recap on the series for those of you just tuning in: Emma Hart finds herself stuck in Spellbound, a cursed Paranormal town, thanks to Fallen Angel Daniel Starr. To boot she's found out, she's a witch and has been placed in remedial witch classes to get her up to speed, Oh, and she's also taken over the position of the town's public defender that was vacated when her vampire predecessor was murdered and became a ghost that only she can see. 

As much as I enjoyed Lucky Charm, it definitely wasn't my favorite book in the series so far. I didn't really get a good feel for the mystery at hand in this one. It felt like an afterthought to all the chaos that happened in the book. I don't even remember who she had to defend (or why) in this one. I will say that having a bunch of well-respected council members spelled to act like children was fairly entertaining. I think that Emma taking charge the way she did also really secured her place in Spellbound. 

I think what I enjoyed most about this cozy paranormal mystery is that Emma learns a lot about who she is. She gets to figure out why she's so different from the other witches in Spellbound, and how powerful she could actually be. I feel like because of this her bond with Sedgewick is strengthened. By the way that Owl amuses me. I love sassy side-kicks! 

As I write this review, I'm already mostly done with the fifth book. A new love interest is introduced in the very last part of this book, and it had me intrigued. I'm a sucker. There are ten books in this series, so far. I have a feeling I'm not going anywhere else in the literary world until I finish this series. Luckily all of the books are pretty short, and I'm getting through them in a couple of days time. It's a good series to get into if you want something to binge, something quick to read, like paranormal or cozy mysteries, want something that's slightly humorous. The entire series is on Kindle Unlimited, which is making it extremely easy for me to binge. I think as of right now, each of the books is around $3.99 each.

Book Review of Doom and Broom and Spell's Bells by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary: 
Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.

Emma Hart hasn’t had a moment’s peace since her arrival in Spellbound. Her fear of heights hits an all-time high when she’s tasked with mastering a broomstick. It doesn’t help that Lady Weatherby seems determined to make basic witch training feel more like the magical ninja warrior championships.

When a werewolf is found dead and Daniel is named as the prime suspect, Emma takes the initiative to prove that the angel’s halo is firmly intact, once again stepping on the hooves of the cranky centaur, Sheriff Hugo.

The heat is on as Emma struggles to get a grip on her broomstick and identify the killer before it’s too late.

Doom and Broom is the second book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.
Goodreads Rating: 4.33 stars with over 1,100 ratings
Number of Pages: 294
Book in series: 2/10

Goodreads Summary: Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.

When a sleeping dwarf is found entombed in a glass coffin and remedial witch Sophie is blamed, Emma Hart must defend her friend while trying to get to the bottom of the enchantment. The investigation lands Emma smack dab in the middle of Spellbound’s matchmaking scene, where plenty of the town’s residents are eager to find her an appropriate suitor.

Emma knows it's time to kick her witchy skills up a notch if she expects to survive Thursday night speed dating and keep sweet Sophie from a life in paranormal prison.

Spell's Bells is the third book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.

Goodreads Rating: 4.36 stars with over 1,000 ratings

Genre Listing: Paranormal, Supernatural, Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Fantasy
Get the Books: Doom and Broom Spell's Bells
Goodreads Challenge: 23 and 24 out of 30.
Number of Pages: 274
Book in series: 3/10
Previous Review: Curse the Day

Book Review:

You may be wondering what's going on with the format above. Well, the thing is I have problems. I downloaded Doom and Broom from Kindle Unlimited right after finishing Curse the Day, the first book in the Spellbound Series. I finished the cozy mystery either late Friday night or Saturday night and read Spell's Bells until 4 am in the morning. When I finally put it down, I was about 88% finished with it. Since I read both books back to back like that they've merged in my brain, so I figure I'll do one post for them. Plus, I'm lazy.

So, as you can probably tell from the binging, I adore this series. I think I relate to Emma with the whole working and going to school full-time thing. There's a lot of details that make the town of Spellbound enjoyable to read. I can tell that Annabel Chase put a lot of effort into including a broad mix of species in her stories. I like that she's slowly getting into Emma's background as far as being a witch goes. I think that's what I want to read the most. Towards the end of Spell's Bells, there is some interesting foreshadowing going on.

Daniel's growing on me the past two books. I won't say I'm entirely for team Daniel, but he's a better option than some of the other choices that she's presented with. I do feel like she's using the Vampire friend a lot though. I can't remember his name at this moment in time. I guess he's not making a huge impact in the story if I can't remember the name.

I'm keeping this short and sweet tonight. I'm recommending the series for anyone who needs something quick and enjoyable to binge read on Kindle. The books are under 300 pages. The stories move quickly. There's good detail, but not so much that it bogs the story down. The characters are enjoyable for the most part. Interesting mysteries. I won't say they're complete shockers, but the conclusions seem reasonable. I will say that I pegged who the murder was in Doom and Broom fairly easily. I was admittedly wrong about the crime in Spell's Bells.


Here's a couple of quotes I liked from the books: 

"This was supposed to be the remedial class. We should all suck equally." -Somewhere around 12% in Doom and Broom

"I had people I cared about, then I risked losing them. In my experience, the negatives far outweighed the positives." -Somewhere around 57% in Doom and Broom

"Maybe you want to be tall, but your DNA has other plans."- Somewhere around 73% in Doom and Broom. (Also, my life.)

"Unsurprisingly, he was mistaken. I never set out to make him look like an idiot. He managed to do that all by himself." Somewhere around 7% in Spell's Bells.

""I'm warning you, Silas. Get your genie butt out of here before I shove you inside the nearest lamp.” She gave him a pointed look. “And I won’t be rubbing it.” - Somewhere around 27% in Spell's Bells. I audibly cackled at this one, I think. 

I'm giving both books 4 moons :)

Book Review: Curse the Day by Annabel Chase

Goodreads Summary: 

Welcome to Spellbound, where paranormal is the new normal.

The only magic Emma Hart believes in is caffeine and the power of the dryer to lose one sock per load. A public interest lawyer buried under a mound of student debt, Emma’s whole life has been one turn of bad luck after another.

Her streak seems to continue when she gets lost on the way to see a client in the remote Pocono Mountains. A chance encounter with a suicidal angel lands her in Spellbound, a town where supernaturals have been cursed to remain for centuries--probably not the best time for Emma to discover that she's actually a witch.

Between the recent murder of the town’s public defender, a goblin accused of theft, remedial witch classes, and the attention of one smoking hot vampire, Emma struggles to navigate this unfamiliar terrain without losing her mind...or her life.

Curse the Day is the first book in the Spellbound paranormal cozy mystery series.

This is a full-length, humorous paranormal cozy mystery novel.

Goodreads Rating: 4.19 stars with just over 1,400 reviews

Genre Listing: Cozy Mystery, Mystery, Paranormal, Supernatural, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy

Get the Book: Amazon
Number of Pages: 290 pages
Book in series: 1/10

Goodreads Challenge: 22/30

2018 Reading Challenge #3, A Cozy Mystery. See the full challenge here

Book Review:

After I finished up Thunderhead, I wanted to start something quick and relatively easy to read. I figured it was a good time to knock out the Cozy Mystery category for the 2018 reading challenge. It took me a while to find one, but I'm glad I took my time and decided on Curse the Day by Anabel Chase. It's around 290 pages and is fairly fast-paced. I finished it in a day. Which with my current insanely busy schedule is pretty impressive. (When I say busy, I'm not kidding. I work full time, go to school full time, run a jewelry business, and run this blog. Send help in the form of coffee!)

Curse the Day by Annabel Chase was an enjoyable cozy paranormal mystery story that was entertaining from the start. I found Emma to be a likable main character. Her inner monologues with herself are pretty funny. I found myself laughing (out loud, even) quite often while reading this story. I enjoyed that she gets shoved into a remedial witch class with several misfits who take her under their wing. I ADORED that she gets them to watch The Craft. It's one of my favorite movies. Oh, and there are several Harry Potter references in the story. 😍

Anabel provided a nice variety of paranormal species in this one story. The entire town is paranormal, so I was glad to see it wasn't just the typical weres, vamps, and witches. These types are there, but there's also goblins, harpies, fairies, incubus/succubus, elves, gorgon, and of course a grumpy hairless cat that's an insult to all cats. (That's a reference to the book. It'll make sense if you read it.)

I like that Emma's background is a mystery. It sets up the series for exciting twists and turns, especially since she's not quite like the other witches in Spellbound. I imagine it'll be an ongoing mystery in each book. I will say I thought the actual conclusion of who the killer/thief was in Curse the Day came out kind of abruptly. It's revealed around 80% into the book, and while it makes sense, the reveal didn't necessarily wow or surprise me. I will say I'm glad that it was a logical character choice instead of some random off the wall surprise with nothing leading up to it.

There are a couple of potential love interests already lined up, but both make me roll my eyes. The suitors so far are the typical love interest of "He's so HAWT" and zero depth. I'm reserving judgment for now. Maybe they'll grow on me. One of them certainly isn't going away any time soon.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and already started on book two. Now hopefully I can get a chance to finish it soon. I recommend it if you like cozy mysteries, paranormal books, or need something quick to get you out of a reading slump. The entire series is on Kindle Unlimited for those of you needing a series to binge on.

I only had one part that I highlighted during my read, but it's a good one.

"Sometimes we seem to forget that the entire reason we're trapped here is because we mistreated someone. It's important that we strive to do better and look out for one another." - located around 70% of the book.

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Book Review of One Tequila by Tricia O'Malley

Goodreads Summary: Tequila Key is just like any other small town, and I'm just like any other small town psychic. Scratch that. Tequila Key is a world onto itself, and some people might think that I am one crayon short of the box.
And, if we're totally honest, Tequila Key is just like any other small town – if that town boasts a voodoo priestess and a few white witches for flavor. Turquoise blue water and the best margaritas this side of Mexico make it hard to leave.

I'm Althea Rose, co-owner of Luna Rose Potions & Tarot Shop, and I've just stumbled into a love triangle while trying to save my best friend from being accused of murder.

See? Just like any other small town.

Goodreads Rating: 4 stars with just over 800 ratings

Genre Listing: Mystery, Paranormal, Cozy Mystery

Get the book: Amazon, Book Depository

Reading Challenge: #3 A free book on Amazon

Review:

I really wanted to like One Tequila. It started out well enough with two best friends running a shop together, one Psychic and one a Witch, with a mutual best friend as a bar owner. Unfortunately, One Tequila by Tricia O'Malley fell incredibly short for me.

The plot of this story was so predictable, and I feel like it's one I've read a thousand times already. I'm going to ruin it for you, and I'm sorry for that. Basically, you have the main character who has some random flaw that she thinks makes her undesirable, especially when compared to her perfect best friend. A newcomer comes into town and with them a mystery! They're apparently one of the suspects, but the main character refuses to accept it because they are so pretty, a fact the reader is not allowed to forget because it's mentioned on just about every page. A friend admits feelings for the main character and gets jealous of the pretty newcomer. Nevermind that the friend and main character have a genuine connection that makes you wan to root for them because the main character is too busy fawning over Mr. Out of her league Gorgeous Mc Gorgeous murder suspect. There's also going to only be one murder suspect and 20 pages from the end of the book it'll be announced that it was someone else for total shock and aw, that makes no sense within the plot. The end. There, that's the plot of One Tequila. I saved you a couple of hours. 

I didn't really get the feeling that Thea was even remotely psychic. When I think of psychic, I think being able to tell the future and what not. Which admittedly, she did do this once. I felt based on the description of her gifts she was more telepathic than anything. I know this is probably splitting hairs, but I would have liked more examples of her powers. 

Despite all of the annoyances I've mentioned, there was some good. I liked the friendship between Thea and Trace. I was definitely rooting for them instead of Thea and what's his face. Seriously I can't even remember the character's name. He left no impression on me and had absolutely no depth. Oh right, talking about the good. Sorry. So yeah, I appreciated the relationship between Thea and Trace. I liked the imagery O'Malley created while they were diving. Given the way the dives were described, I would guess it's something that O'Malley enjoys as well. There was a definite love of the beach and water present. It's also a light and quick read. It's pretty tame as far as books go. Not really gory and not smutty as far as the romances go. It's just under 300 pages, and I think I read it in a night.  The good just didn't outweigh the bad for me, unfortunately.