A ghostly gift and Accidental Leigh

ebook, 56 pages

Published February 15th 2015 by Angie Fox

Series: Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries #1.5

Cozy paranormal mystery

Own

No problem jumping right into this with this novella. It worked great. I wanted something short and that I got.

Verity can see ghosts thanks to the ghost that stays with her.  They have a case to solve, and so they do.

Good little novella, and it made me curious about her ex and why she is seeing his brother. That sounds like quite the story.

Verity Long doesn't want to see ghosts, and she'd rather not let anyone know her little secret, either. But when a restless spirit stirs up trouble in her friend's resale shop, Verity and her very new, very dead gangster friend team up to learn what is really happening. They discover an age-old secret and must learn the truth behind a mysterious disappearance... before it's too late. 

How does a girl become a witch? By accident, of course!

Leigh Epstein is a grief stricken and lonely elementary school teacher that is devastated by the brutal and unexpected death of her true love at the hands of a careless writer. She overcomes her grief by taking matters in her own hands and takes up a little romance writing to resurrect her vampire-werewolf book-boyfriend. Leigh gets more than she bargained for when she discovers that every steamy erotic scene she creates is magically reenacted by her family, friends and coworkers.

In her hilarious first diary, Leigh unwittingly sets her parents up for a weekend dinner party that they will never forget. She has two weeks to find out what her new found magic is capable of. Can she prevent a wild erotic encounter that could devastate her sweet parent’s marriage? What and who else will get caught up in her magic spells?


ebook, 114 pages
Published June 11th 2014 by Black Paw Publishing (first published May 31st 2014)
Series: Literal Leigh Romance Diaries #1
Paranormal 
own

A bit of brainless fun. Ha, I enjoyed it.

Leigh gets a magical desk and writes hot sex scenes, but then they come true! And everything turns out wrong. Ha, yes it was pretty amusing.

It was a novella, I can roll with that and that is why I chose it. Short is good. I'd read more

PS. This is as close I will get to horror this October

3 short reviews: Historical fiction and cozy mystery

From the author of 'The Grafton Girls' comes the story of one Liverpool family preparing for the onslaught of World War Two, while trying not to fight among themselves. Jean and Vi are twins but couldn't be more different. Jean's proud of her honest, hardworking husband and their children, but there's never a penny to spare. Vi's equally proud of her husband's new role as a local councillor and their elegant new house, and has raised her children to expect the best. As war breaks out, agonising decisions must be faced. Should the oldest children enlist? Should the youngest be evacuated? All the traditional certainties are overturned. Then the twins' own younger sister, singer Francine, returns home unexpectedly and stirs up the past, even in the midst of present danger. This is a tremendous saga of fighting spirit and family closeness, and the belief that even though today is full of destruction and pain, there is hope for a better tomorrow.

My thoughts:

I liked this family saga, I read it fast, but f that bitch in the book, she  destroyed it all and hell this gets a 1. Hated that effing ending.

I can't even talk about the book cos all I wanted was that woman to buuuuuuuuuuuuuuurn!!!!!!!

Spoiler: Highlight to read

Ok so there is this horrid spoiled conniving bitch who is horrible to everyone. She tells lies so that a woman breaks up with the man that woman loves. She makes a plan with her brother to trap a man in marriage. And yes that man shows to be an ahole, but if I had to marry her, god, I'd never come home to see her stupid face. And then at the end, she finds I guess true love. AND will be happy. The morale of the story being that you can be a stupid bitch and not even apologize to anyone and still ge everything you want. Of course she will never be happy, she will complain about all the things she wants until that guy tires. And it just spoiled the whole book for me. I did not want her to get a happy ending, why!? did she have to get a happy ending? She did not even learn any lessons. She is still a bitch. OH OH I forgot, that new guy, well she used his sister as slave labour . Fuck this book

Hardcover, 512 pages
Published February 4th 2008 by HarperCollins
Campion Family #1
Historical fiction, family saga
Own

“The ancient ones whisper to me, Iluak,” Nana says. “They talk about you. They say a bear is waiting.” In the land of snow and ice, where the midwinter sun doesn’t rise and it’s black all day, Iluak is afraid. But he’s not afraid of the darkness. He’s afraid of whiter things.

My thoughts:
A short story set in the north where a young boy faces down a prophecy. I can't really say a lot, it was short. A good MG? novel. Maybe it was YA, but a younger crowd can read it too. Learn a bit about seal hunting, whale hunting, the first northmen coming.

The dangers of ice, water, cold and starvation. And not to take more than what nature can give.

Conclusion:
Short and good.

Hardcover, 203 pages
Published January 1st 2008 by Walker Books Australia
Historical YA fiction
Own

Cupid has cast his spell on good witch Ophelia Jensen. The practical, pragmatic, law-abiding librarian has just begun letting down her hair with Stephen Larsen, the author of some of the most scandalous crime exposés ever written. It's a match made in the stacks—until the would-be lovers take a quiet countryside stroll, and shots ring out.

A murderer, not magick, made Stephen disappear—and Ophelia might be next. The sheriff warns her and her grandmother Abby not to meddle, but after another shooting leaves them shaken the women can't help but get involved. A sinister stalker is slowly drawing closer to Ophelia, and she'll have to summon all her powers to prevent herself from ending up six feet under. 

My thoughts:
I think I had the same issues with this one as book 1. It started well enough, but then in the middle I got bored. It was just so meh.

I did not really care for Ophelia.
The whole nazi dream mystery was all wtf is that even doing in the book?
The blurb promised me some romance, the guy gets shot in the first few pages and they met minutes ago.
Yes I did not read the ones in between, but considering book 1 was meh and this one was meh. I wont. It will get an ok from me, since I did like it before it got all meh and I skimmed.

Paperback, 262 pages
Published December 30th 2008 by Avon
Ophelia & Abby Mystery #6
Cozy paranormal mystery
Own

Warlock Holmes - A study in Brimstone - CS Denning

Sherlock Holmes is an unparalleled genius who uses the gift of deduction and reason to solve the most vexing of crimes.

Warlock Holmes, however, is an idiot. A good man, perhaps; a font of arcane power, certainly. But he’s brilliantly dim. Frankly, he couldn’t deduce his way out of a paper bag. The only thing he has really got going for him are the might of a thousand demons and his stalwart flatmate. Thankfully, Dr. Watson is always there to aid him through the treacherous shoals of Victorian propriety… and save him from a gruesome death every now and again.

An imaginative, irreverent and addictive reimagining of the world’s favourite detective, Warlock Holmes retains the charm, tone and feel of the original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle while finally giving the flat at 221b Baker Street what it’s been missing for all these years: an alchemy table.

Reimagining six stories, this riotous mash-up is a glorious new take on the ever-popular Sherlock Holmes myth, featuring the vampire Inspector Vladislav Lestrade, the ogre Inspector Torg Grogsson, and Dr. Watson, the true detective at 221b. And Sherlock. A warlock. 

My thoughts:

Truth be told...I have not read Sherlock Holmes, or watched any movies, or new adaptions. I did watch that movie where he was old. So I really can't say if the stories in this one are anything like the real ones. I mean the bones of them, since the rest is crazy. Pure crazy.

I have no idea what Warlock Holmes really was, I have ideas, but I am all whaat? He is not really human. He knows magic, he sees a lot, he is strange. But then so the real Sherlock too. He sure is a character.

In comes Watson who needs a place to stay, and then he comes to like Warlock and solving weird cases. Cos they are weird, and supernatural.

Conclusion:

The book is light, and with a touch of dry humour. It rather amusing and it is divided into 6 bigger cases that they solve together. I enjoyed it and this was a Holmes and Watson that was fun to read about. Especially when Holmes was feeding his rats that were handicapped...told you it was weird. And that is why it was good.

Paperback, 336 pages
Published May 17th 2016 by Titan Books
Paranormal mystery
for review

A ghostly undertaking - Tonya Kappes

Another day. Another funeral. Another ghost. Another average day in the life of young funeral home director, Emma Lee Raines. After a perilous run-in with a plastic Santa Claus, Emma Lee, co-owner of Eternal Slumber Funeral Home in Sleepy Hollow, Kentucky, sees the ghost of town gossip Ruthie Sue Payne, who is proving to be a real pain, more so in death than while living. Recently deceased, Ruthie reveals to Emma Lee that her demise wasn't caused by accidentally falling down the steps at the Sleepy Hollow Inn as everyone believes—she was pushed...murdered. In order for the ghost to cross over—and for Emma Lee to be rid of Ruthie for good—she must find a desperate killer...or risk being haunted forever. 

My thoughts:

Emma runs a funeral home with her perfect sister. And Emma is not so perfect. A plastic Santa fell on her and now she can see dead people. Everyone in town whispers about her and are changing funeral homes. So it's not a good day to be her. I did feel like I would have wanted to see the whole santa thing, maybe a pre novella? But we were told so I am fine with it. Cos I do not like pre novellas anyway.

Right the dead people thing then. It's just one dead person. One annoying arch enemy of her gran, and this annoying person tells Emma it was murder! What to do? Pretend she is not there or solve the murder and get rid of her? She goes for the investigating stuff and stumbles upon a few things. I am not gonna say she is a perfect detective, no, she is lucky but does not always get things right. But that is just fun to read about.

I do wonder what her's sisters issue is though, such a stick in the mud.

There is also a blossoming love interest with the town sheriff, as her path does cross with him a few times. I think they can be good for each other. I liked him.

And more drama is to come. She is still "crazy" according to townies, so how will they run their business? More ghosts are coming too. I guess I will just have to read book 2 to find out :)

Conclusion:

Fun, a good mystery, and a heroine that I enjoyed reading about.

Cover

nice

Paperback, 256 pages
Published February 24th 2015 by Witness (first published October 1st 2013)
Ghostly Southern Mysteries #1
Cozy mystery, paranormal mystery
For review

2x Amanda Stevens: The Prophet and The Kingdom

Deep in the shadowy foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies a dying town...…

My name is Amelia Gray. They call me The Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.

Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town—this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.

My thoughts:

Omg, omg people! This book was so good. Yes I liked book 1 and it was so hard to put down but this one was even better! I started it and was unable to put it down, I realized that I had missed lunch and tore myself away for 5 minutes. I was utterly lost in this world and did not stop until I reached the end. The only thing stopping me from reading the next one at once is that I need to breathe.

The eerie feeling echoed through out the whole book. A creepy town, freaky things in the woods and questions needed to be answered. And the answers were just as creepy as the questions. What an atmosphere she builds!

I could keep on gushing. I even felt the urge to give it a 5. I know right, from me?! Crazy. I wont though even if it deserves it. I reserve those for books I will re-read over and over again. This one, well the eeriness is there, but now I know. So leave it at 4,5. Best book so far this year. It left me empty now. I have only one book left in the series and I will sad. Especially if it's not equally good.

Conclusion:

I recommend it. I love when a story pulls me in and refuses to let me go. I could not have torn myself even if I had wanted to.

Series: Graveyard Queen #2

Genre: Southern Gothic mystery

Pages: 376

Published: 2012 by Mira

Source: own

I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back.

In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar.Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

My thoughts:

This book had another feel to it than the intense book 2. That one was eerie and haunted me. This one is more calm, but not in the good way that calm is. No it's more like being drugged and calm. Waking around in a mist.

“Never acknowledge the Dead. Never stray from hallowed ground. Never associate with the haunted. Never tempt fate.”

All things Amelia has done and in this book we see what it does to her. She is on the case to find a murdered, she associate with a ghost, and she is back in Charleston and can't stay away from Devlin and his ghosts.

Strange drugs, old magic and trickery. A Charleston where the darker side is shown. Amelia meets new friends, and new enemies and we get a few questions answered. But when the book ends, there is still so much left to be told and I was happy to read that Stevens is working in 3 more books. Things are yet to be told and Amelia will surely deal with the darkness that is gathering.

Sure it was not as good as book 2 but then that book was utterly amazing! It was because it was intense while this one had that weird calmness over it.

Conclusion:

A southern Gothic mystery. A series I recommend to everyone.

Series: the Graveyard Queen #3

Pages: 347

Published: 2012 by Mira