Review: The Perfect Son

The Perfect Son by Lauren North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will be brief because I want to talk about this book which makes it too easy to write spoilers. I actually finished a few days ago but was afraid to write the review.
Tess has lost her husband in a plane crash a few months before the story starts. When the book opens Tess is in the hospital and is sure of four things:
1. She is in the hospital
2. She has been stabbed
3. Her husband is alive
5. Her son is missing
The pain of losing a loved one is almost unbearable. Grief is overwhelming. The fight to muddle through can be too much. The author did an excellent job portraying this. I felt Tess’s pain on every page. I could imagine having conversations in my head with my husband if I was going through that. I would, I think, fight to keep his voice alive there.
This story is haunting as much as it is a thriller. It is a book I would recommend.

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Review: A Tale of Mer-der

A Tale of Mer-der by Morgana Best
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a lot of fun for me to read. With witches, vampires, shifters and mermaids it is very much a paranormal cozy mystery. I wasn’t certain what to expect. The cover enticed me, (I think it may have been changed), though the witch on it gave it the illusion of possibly being for younger people. When I began reading I saw that it wasn’t juvenile. The story was a good one. I didn’t know who it was until right before the reveal. I think this was mostly because I was having such a good time with the story, I forgot to look for the killer. I really enjoyed Misty, Aunty June, Cordelia and even Skinny. I love the idea of working for a paranormal magazine. I think it’s a fresh idea that has loads of promising stories in it. I am definitely going to read more in this series. If you like paranormal cozy mysteries with humor thrown in, this is a book for you.

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Review: Ghosts are People Too A Chantilly Adair Psychic Medium Cozy Mystery

Ghosts are People Too A Chantilly Adair Psychic Medium Cozy Mystery by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If I were asked what I enjoy most about this series and book, I would have to say, the real feel of it. I love Chantilly. She tries her best to be a good friend, a good mom, just a good person who sees ghosts. I like how the author is giving her time to learn and adjust to the care of the lost souls. In this book, Chantilly is still adjusting to her people skills with the dead. The hospital scene first overwhelmed me, then, with the appearance of Emma, just broke my heart while lifting it with hope.
Chantilly’s friend Gen comes for a visit and winds up a widow. The story was a an entertaining mystery. We have our friends from book one back again, still funny, caring and ready to help. Jack is back and things are strained with another murder to solve. I love how the relationship with him and Chantilly is not hurried along. Will they be friends or more? I don’t know. I’m hoping but it’s still too early to tell. The ghosts in this book were so touching. They have their own story. Even with all this going on, the mystery remains the main focus. I loved this book and I believe you will too. I call it the breakout series for this year.

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Review: Dying to Remember

Dying to Remember by Karin Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adored this book! I chose it because I thought it would be fun to read a cozy mystery with a fairy involved. I love fairies. Happily I was right. This charming book was highly entertaining for me. I like Kate and Emily. They work well as friends, neighbors and sleuths. My favorite character, though, was Minette, the fairy. They mystery was well done. It actually involved an earlier unsolved case with a new case. I was kept guessing! I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.
I want a house fairy now!

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Review: Curses and Cauldrons: A Paranormal Halloween Mystery Anthology

Curses and Cauldrons: A Paranormal Halloween Mystery Anthology by Tegan Maher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am reviewing an arc of Time To Jump by Mona Marple. The story features Felicity from the Witch In Time Mysteries. This time we go back to 1947, New York. I enjoyed reading this story. I thought the author did a great job capturing society at that time. The mystery was excellent, surprising me at the reveal. I loved the ending. I am looking forward to reading the rest, (some of my favorite authors are in this set!), of the stories. I have already preordered it for my fall reading.
*This review will be edited later to include all the stories.*

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Review: Realtor Rub Out A Lily Sprayberry Realtor Cozy Mystery

Realtor Rub Out A Lily Sprayberry Realtor Cozy Mystery by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had a good time reading this mystery. I was laughing out loud so much that my other half had me reading it to him. I love the characters in this southern cozy mystery series. I’m not from Georgia, where the mystery is set, but the language used took me straight to my younger years. Talk about a series being, “comfort food,” (and look ma! No calories). This series entertains me and soothes me. It is my “comfort reading.”
In this book it is almost time for Lily and Dylan’s wedding. The wedding date become questionable, though, when Belle goes to show a property and finds a body! Will Lily be able to help Dylan solve the crime in time to get married? Or will they need to put it off? With several suspects needing to be checked out, it’s not looking good. I have to tell you, I had a difficult time deciding who did it, ( I might have even chosen wrongly).
If you like southern charm and laughter with deadly mysteries, this is your series. You can read them out of order, as each mystery wraps up, but, for the best enjoyment, I recommend reading in order. The back story continues book to book. If this interests you then check out Deal Gone Dead to get started.

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Review: Gingerbread at Moonglow

Gingerbread at Moonglow by Deborah Garner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adore this series. We return to Timberton and are embraced warmly, once again, by Mist. No matter how stressed or out of sorts I feel, reading the Moonglow Christmas books refreshes and calms me.

In this book Clare, the Professor and Michael have returned. New people are introduced, including ones who came with the people we already know and love. The staff of the Timberton Hotel are also in attendance. There is a special gingerbread house involved this year.

There is no sex, violence or harsh language in the story. There are some absolutely delicious recipes included. I read these books every year and always look forward to a new one. I most definitely recommend this book and series.

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Review: Evil Has A Name: The Untold Story of the Golden State Killer Investigation

Evil Has A Name: The Untold Story of the Golden State Killer Investigation by Paul Holes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Listening to this book was definitely different for me with all the different voices. The story of the crimes and investigations was interesting and would have kept me reading. What made this book unique for me was knowing some of the victims were telling their stories. As difficult as that was to listen to, I could not stop. They deserve to be heard. I had chills more than once and tears stained my face. I wasn’t expecting to hear from them. I appreciated the end of the book, when we got to hear an update from them.
I found the investigation to be very interesting. These crimes were committed in the seventies and eighties. DNA evidence was just beginning to be widely used. I found it fascinating to hear how genealogy played a part in discovering who the Golden State Killer was. I appreciate the law enforcement members who worked so long on this case. It was easy to feel their frustration as time went on. I didn’t know very much about this criminal. Yes, I know his name. I prefer not to use it. I found the book to be gripping. I wI’ll be recommending it to my friends who like crime books.

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Review: The Wishing Cradle

The Wishing Cradle by Donna Walo Clancy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a lovely story! I’m delighted that I came across this book. It has wonderful characters along with plenty of drama and romance. It started off with domestic violence and I wasn’t certain I was ready for that. But Sophie had me hooked and the story flowed easily. The domestic violence did cause me a few twitches as I remembered my own experiences while pregnant with my oldest daughter. But the author didn’t get too graphic or violent though there were consequences. I like that she kept it real, especially with Sophie and her memories. The book held a few surprises and took some twists and turns. I absolutely adored Riley. I recommend this book especially if you are looking for something a bit dark set partially at Christmas time. I was expecting something kind of light and was delightfully surprised with a deeper story.
This is a page turner that normally would have taken me a few hours to read; I’m thinking about 4 hours max. I was being treated for severe pain though so it took much longer.

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Review: A Charming Misfortune

A Charming Misfortune by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my favorite book of the Magical Cures Series by Tonya Kappes. This series should be read in order for greatest enjoyment. I had a bit of a time getting into this series. I am happy I stayed with it as, with each book, the series improved. I enjoy the characters in Whispering Falls. June is one of my favorite characters. The town of Whispering Falls is full of magical beings. There are some quirky characters living in this town. I loved the mystery in this book. I thought the suspect was well hidden. And the ending! Something unexpected for me!
If you are not into paranormal cozy mysteries I would recommend you to check out a different series by Tonya Kappes. She is a prolific writer. Her series are fun to read, filled with interesting characters and charming towns you want to visit. If you like strange happenings that can’t be explained, Magical Cures could be your series.

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Review: Things You Save in a Fire

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my favorite books this year. It has a few layers to it. The story of a mother seeking to make amends with a daughter she left behind when she left her marriage. The story of a female firefighter trying to make her way in a job she loves but one that is primarily male dominated. And then the story of two young firefighters finding romance. I love Cassie. She is so strong, brave and flawed. I don’t want to go into details because the story is so good, I want you to read the book. If I start talking about the things that touched me, what made me angry, what made me laugh and what made me sigh, happily, I know I will tell too much. If you have a book club, you definitely want this book on the list. There is so much to discuss! If you aren’t in a book club, read it and send me a message. I’ll discuss it with you. Or find a buddy reader. Just read this book. It is one of the most interesting books I have read this year.
I read an advanced reader’s copy that I won. My understanding is that a discussion guide will be available online. I will be looking for that. I keep a notebook just to write down my answers and thoughts. I find that entertaining. I probably should find a local book club but, as an introvert, this fits me. Put this book on your TBR and look for it’s release in August.

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Review: The Haunting of Merci Hospital

The Haunting of Merci Hospital by Tanya R. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This turned into a nice surprise for me. I have enjoyed ghost stories and tales of haunts since I was a child. I can remember being in the backseat with my cousins just as it was getting dark out. My aunts were in the front seat talking about all the haunted places in the holler. It was delightfully scary and goosebumps would pop upon our skin. We would be showing our arms to each other with eyes wide open when all of a sudden my aunts would start screaming and shouting for us to hide in the floor because the haunts were after us. One of the best memories from my childhood. Haha. It is what set the bar for so high for ghost stories. Consequently, I read a lot of “haunting” books but am not always entertained by them. I’m happy to say I was entertained by this one. The author told the story straight with the appropriate amount of details to the setting. There were parts that chilled me. It was a fast paced story. Definitely a good tale for a gloomy afternoon. I read this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.

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