DNF: The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

Author: Erin Sterling

Narrator: Caitlin Davies

Title: The Ex Hex

Series: The Ex Hex/Graves Glen #1

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy

Format: Audiobook

Published: September 28, 2021

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

Review: 

Randomly stumbled upon this at the library while looking for something else. It seemed like the perfect book for the Spooky Season. Magic, witches, romance, and humor. 

Here we follow Vivienne and Rhys. Vivienne and Rhys broke up 9 years ago. During that break up, Vivienne nursed her broken heart like any young witch would with booze, sad music, bubble baths, and a curse. Years have passed and Rhys is back in town for the annual fall festival. However, one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes that maybe, just maybe, her silly Ex Hex may have actually worked. Between a horde of murderous wind-up toys, a ghost, and a talking cat....they have a lot on their hands. 

This started off well enough. I thought Vivi's reason for doing the hex on her ex was a touch trite. Girl....you dated for like a half a second. Sure cry in your tea and your bubble bath, but get over it. I don't think Rhys was the monster and heart breaker she made him out to be. Like sure was he an asshat? Yes. But he wasn't TERRIBLE. He wasn't bad enough to get a hex on him. 

I lost interest after the horde of wind-up toys. Wild right? I fell asleep during the scene. I woke up a few minutes later and didn't bother rewinding. Bad sign right there. I tried listening to another hour and stopped mid-scene and decided I was done. 

DNF for me for now. Maybe it can be revived in our DNF Second Chance in the future. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: DNF

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #51

- Library Love (not counting it towards this challenge)

Book Review: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Title: Assistant to the Villain

Series: Assistant to the Villain #1

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Humor, Mystery

Format: ebook

Pages: 425

Published: August 29, 2023

Where I Got It: Borrowed from the library

Summary: 

ASSISTANT WANTED : Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie .

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

Review:

A friend of mine highly suggested this and I had seen a couple of reviews on this and I knew I had to give it a try. 

Here we follow Evie and The Villain. Evie needs a job to support her family and after a mishap...she finds herself with a job as an assistant to the Villain. After a few months of working with him, she is starting to develop a crush on him. But he is evil and does evil things BUT he pays really well. Confliction for sure. The Villain finds that he needs help so he can't resist offering an assistant role to Evie. He now will need her help figuring out who is sabotaging his work. He has plans and he can't have it go up in flames now. So he needs to find the person and ignore his growing feelings for Evie. 

I'll admit.......I struggled HARDCORE at the beginning. It felt like a chore reading this at times. However, after a certain explosive scene, the book finally got it's hooks into me. I didn't want to stop reading. I would find myself reading way past my bedtime. 

Evie was a sweetie and The Villain was evil but there is a heart in that chest still. You especially feel for him and turn to his side when you find out his origin story. F that King!!!! Let the whole kingdom burn!!!!

I'm glad the romance wasn't the central part of the story and there wasn't a lot of spiciness here. There is pining and obvious attraction, but there are things to do and evilness to spread.  

I do wish the worldbuilding was better. I couldn't remember a thing about this fantasy world. Maybe we'll see more in book 2. I want to know more pleasssseeee!

The ending pissed me off. HOW CAN YOU LEAVE ME LIKE THIS? >_> It leaves us with a super cliff-hanger. GAH. 

All-in-all, I did like this. The beginning was ROUGH for me, but I eventually found myself needing to read this late into the night. The characters are all fun. I do want more world-building and I'm not amused with the ending right now. I can't wait to read book 2. 3 stars from me. 

 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Amusing

Challenge(s):

- Library Love #29

Movie Review: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)

Title: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Length: 2h 2m

Released: 2024

Genre:  War, Comedy, Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Delta

SUMMARY:

The British military recruits a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.

Trailer

REVIEW:

I watched this on the plane while flying out to LA. I've been meaning to watch this so why not on a 4 hour flight??

The British are struggling against the flood of the Nazis. They are up against the wall, so Churchill and his group recruit a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against the Nazis behind enemy lines. They need to strike them where it hurts and in the most ungentlemanly way possible. 

So this was based off a true story. Records were recently released that Churchill authorized an unauthorized group of saboteurs to do what they can to give the US the open they need to enter the war and help the British. I feel like we keep finding out more and more about WWII. I don't think we'll ever know everything those men and women did to fend off the Nazis. It's unbelievable sometimes. 

I really enjoyed this. It was..........fun. I hate to say a war movie is "fun" but it really was. These guys in this group really don't take themselves seriously. They don't even really care about King and country. They want to kill Nazis and win and live. So yes there really was a humor behind all the seriousness of a serious war. 

The acting was great. I loved everyone they got. They worked well off of each other. 

The ending was great. I wouldn't mind seeing more of their adventures, but they gave the "what happened to them after the war" thing so I doubt we'll get more. 

All-in-all, I had a great time watching this action-packed war movie while flying. I was chuckling and rooting for these guys. I'll stamp this with 5 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Absorbing

Blodeuedd's Monday: A Darkness Absolute by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Rockton/Casey Duncan (#2)

Format: 445 pages, Paperback

Published: March 1, 2017 by Sphere

Crime/library

Book 2 was impossible to get. It was out of stock, and ebook, eh, no I did not want that. So I checked and only 2 libraries in the entire country had this book. And an interlibrary loan was actually really cheap. So I got it! Phew. Oh and I have already ordered books 3 to 6 from a bookstore ;)

So this place is still rathhellish. I have no idea who thought this was a good idea. Sure on paper a place where you can go if you are in danger is good. But that is the thing, people with money can also get it. People who have done terrible terrible things. And now innocent people and killers live in the same town. And outside is bad too. In the woods there are settlers (who can be bad), and hostiles (who are effed up and will kill you.)

Casey and the town sheriff found each other in book 1. At least she has some peace there. In this book they find a woman who has been held in a cave for a year. (because yes this place is bad.)

Who is the man? Someone from town? Outside town? Feelings run hot and I had no idea who did it because everyone is bad.

A thrilling book that makes you never want to visit this place.

When experienced homicide detective Casey Duncan first moved to the secret town of Rockton, she expected a safe haven for people like her, people running from their past misdeeds and past lives. She knew living in Rockton meant living off-the-grid completely: no cell phones, no Internet, no mail, very little electricity, and no way of getting in or out without the town council’s approval. What she didn’t expect is that Rockton comes with its own set of secrets and dangers.

Now, in A Darkness Absolute, Casey and her fellow Rockton sheriff’s deputy Will chase a cabin-fevered resident into the woods, where they are stranded in a blizzard. Taking shelter in a cave, they discover a former resident who’s been held captive for over a year. When the bodies of two other women turn up, Casey and her colleagues must find out if it’s an outsider behind the killings or if the answer is more complicated than that...before another victim goes missing.

Audiobook Review: Never Been Witched by Molly Harper

Author: Molly Harper

Narrator: Amanda Ronconi & Teddy Hamilton

Title: Never Been Witched

Series: Starfall Point #3

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Mystery

Format: Audiobook

Published: October 3, 2024

Where I got It: Audible 

Summary: 

Alice Seastairs leads a quiet life working in her grandparents’ antique shop and hiding her magical secret from the human world. As one of Starfall Point’s resident witches, it’s her job to protect the Island from dark magic and unruly ghosts—including the ones that show up at her shop attached to antiques. But her orderly life is turned upside down when a gorgeous stranger buys the islands most historic—and haunted—hotel.

There’s something about Collin Bancroft that that makes Alice want to muss his polished exterior and find out what’s underneath his expensive suit. But romance will have to wait, because his hotel is being haunted by a ghost so dangerous that Alice’s whole coven must step in. Turns out, a supernatural event is unfolding that’s bigger than any of them ever imagined—and it’s about to blow the secrets of Shaddow House wide open. Will Alice and Collin survive long enough to have a future together?

Review: 

Waaah! I have been dying to get my hands on this. I even pre-ordered it ;) I rarely pre-order books but I was sooo excited for this one. 

Alice has lead a quiet life working in her grandparent's antique shop until she joined a Witch Coven and everything changed. It's now her job to protect Starfall from dark magic and unruly ghosts. Things get even more upside down when Collin comes to town. Collin wants to make something of himself and step out of his family's rich shadow. He buys the town's most historic and (unknown to him) haunted hotel. The two team up to redo the hotel, but there is a ghost so dangerous that Alice and her coven must step in and Collin gets dragged into the fray. 

SIGHS I am sad that this is the last of the series. There is going to be a spin-off set in the same world, but sadly our time with this group of gals is over. I love them! I hope we get to see them in the spin-off. One day I will have to re-read this series. Not only was this a fun series, but I simply adored that this took place in Northern Michigan! :D :D Brings me joy. 

The drama and mystery was exciting! I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was right on ONE theory, but the rest? Unsure. Lots of twists and turns. 

Ooooooh Collin. The boy needs therapy. I feel so bad for him but after a certain scene I would have issues with trusting him too for a while. Spoiler...not spoiler....he does redeem himself and does the right thing. Good job. 

Alice is a gem and I was annoyed that she was so scared of telling the coven her secret. It wasn't even a big deal. Maybe I would've felt the same, but seeing it from my POV....girl just tell them. 

F her grandparents. They need to be kicked out of town. Maybe no one will go to their stupid shop once word gets around. Maybe they'll go bankrupt and be forced to leave. One can hope!

I think what I loved most about this book and the series as a whole is that yessss there is romance and steamy parts. And it is set in Michigan. BUT I loved seeing them grow and develop. I love watching them build their own family and community. So many of these guys had a shitty family, but watching them come together? Friendships, family, platonic love, and romantic love? What more can you ask for? Plus ghosts! *chef kiss*

The narrators made this series even more magical. Great narrations and they work well together. 

All-in-all, I def recommend this. You need to read the first two books first. There is a lot of backstory and events that led up to this one. I want to re-read this series again someday. 5 out of 5. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Magical

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #50

Reading Challenge Update

 

October is nearly over. I'll be traveling over the weekend and next week I'll be a busy bee....soooo I'll do the update now! We are nearly done with the year. A couple of months left to finish these challenges. 

Here is what I have read between Jan 1st - Oct 23rd 

Reading Challenges

Goodreads -  102 out of 143  130 (yesss I lowered it. This year has been a mess). Here are some recent ones I've finished! :D

Romance Reading Challenge -  25 out of 25. All done! Weeeee!

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge- 22 out of 16 done! Blasted past the goal!

LIBRARY LOVE CHALLENGE - 28 out of 24 borrowed and finished. Weeee another challenge completed! 

AUDIOBOOK CHALLENGE - 49 out of 50 done. One more! Here are some of my recent ones. 

DNF Second Chance -  I still need to do our 2nd one of the year. It keeps getting pushed to the back burner. Maybe it will be a November read or I could save it for December....Xmas is full of good will and forgiveness and love....right? 

But one is done. Here is the link to the review. I actually did like it more than the first time around! :)  

Audiobook Review: Ink and Sigil by Kevin Hearne

Author: Kevin Hearne

Narrator: Luke Daniels

Title: Ink and Sigil

Series: Ink and Sigil #1

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery

Format: Audiobook

Published: August 25, 2020

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Al MacBharrais is both blessed and cursed. He is blessed with an extraordinary white moustache, an appreciation for craft cocktails – and a most unique magical talent. He can cast spells with magically enchanted ink and he uses his gifts to protect our world from rogue minions of various pantheons, especially the Fae.

But he is also cursed. Anyone who hears his voice will begin to feel an inexplicable hatred for Al, so he can only communicate through the written word or speech apps. And his apprentices keep dying in peculiar freak accidents. As his personal life crumbles around him, he devotes his life to his work, all the while trying to crack the secret of his curse.

But when his latest apprentice, Gordie, turns up dead in his Glasgow flat, Al discovers evidence that Gordie was living a secret life of crime. Now Al is forced to play detective – while avoiding actual detectives who are wondering why death seems to always follow Al. Investigating his apprentice’s death will take him through Scotland’s magical underworld, and he’ll need the help of a mischievous hobgoblin if he’s to survive.

Review:

This was another book club book. I read book one of the corresponding series....I really need to go back before reading more of this series. 

Here we follow Al who is both blessed and cursed. He has a lot to be thankful for including having a unique magical talent....he can cast spells with magically enchanted ink and use his gifts to protect our world. However, he was also cursed. Anyone who hears his voice will eventually feel an inexplicable hatred for Al. Also, his apprentices keep dying in weird freak accidents that are unexplainable. His luck gets worse when his latest apprentice, Gordie, turns up dead and Al discovers that Gordie was not a good man. He has been living a secret life of crime. Al is forced to play detective and avoid the actual detectives who are suspicious of him. 

Awwwww I adore Al. Can he be my grandpa? He is so sweet and funny and COOL! His powers are pretty awesome. I just hope he can lift the curse soon because he doesn't deserve it. I want him to be reunited with his family. I nearly cried when we seen that relationship crumble before he realized what was going on. Literally broke my heart. 

His comrades are fun. I especially loved Buck. He was hilarious. 

Speaking of humor....the humor was here just like in the other book. I do think the author tries a wee bit too hard sometimes to be funny. But I applaud the effort. Ironically when the author isn't TRYING to be hilarious...he is actually funnier. His subtle humor is best. 

Parts of me enjoyed this much more than the Druid series. I liked Al way better. Al has to be more clever since he is older and doesn't have the fighting abilities. He also has that pesky curse on him. Eeee. 

The mystery aspect was okay. I enjoyed watching Al need a lot of people to help him really uncover what is going on.

The ending has me needing and wanting more. However, I was told by a couple of people I should finish the Druid series first before getting deeper into this one. WAAAAAH!!!!!! But I love Al. And Nadia. And Buck!

The narrator was great. He had a LOT of accents he needed to do. Bless him. I hope they paid him really, really well. Especially because I felt he nailed EVERY accent. Kuddos there. 

In the end, I did enjoy this. It was different and fresh. Al was a gem and a hero that isn't your a-typical hero. Fun characters and interesting hurdles our heroes had to jump over. I want more that is for sure. I'll give this 4 stars.  

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Refreshing

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #49

- Cloak & Dagger #22

- Library Love #28

Blodeuedd's Monday: Hell for Hire by Rachel Aaron

By: Rachel Aaron

Narrated by: Nicholas Cain

Series: Tear Down Heaven, Book 1

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Release date: 05-22-24

Urban fantasy/bookbeat.fi

It took me a while. I did not get into it, and then like 2 weeks after I tried again. It took a while but then I got into it.

I also felt the world maybe needed some more explaining.

Anyway, Bex is a demon who gets hired to protect Adrian who is a witch. He likes being a witch, but the powers that be wants him to be a nasty warlock and he is all f that! And he will hurt anyone trying.

So the book is building up for that final showdown when they are coming for him, and then slowly it turns out Bex is in trouble too.

In the end I did like it, but for a Rachel Aaron book is sure took time for me to enjoy it.

The narrator was good, but who knows, maybe I needed someone else

The Crew

A hulked-out wrath demon who eats gamer rage and loves cats, a shapeshifting lust demon who enjoys their food a bit too much, and a void demon who doesn’t see the point of any of this. They’re not the sort of mercenaries you'd hire on purpose, but Bex wouldn’t trust her life to anyone else.

Ever since the ancient Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh decided death wasn’t for him, killed the gods, and conquered the afterlife, times have been rough for a free demon. But the denizens of the Nine Hells aren’t the quitting sort, and Bex and her team have been choking a living out of the Eternal King’s lackeys for years. It’s not honest work, but when Heaven itself declares you a non-person, you smash-and-grab what you can get.

This next gig looks like more of the same…until Bex meets the client.

The Job

Adrian Blackwood is a witch with a problem. His family has skirted the edges of King Gilgamesh’s ire for centuries, but thanks to a decision he made as a child, Adrian is personally responsible for putting his entire coven in Heaven’s crosshairs.

Determined to set things right, Adrian drags his broom, caldron, and talking cat thousands of miles across the country to Seattle where he can fight the Eternal King’s warlocks without bringing the rest of his family into the fray. But witchcraft--like all crafts--takes time, and if the warlocks catch him before his spells are ready, he’s dead. So Adrian does what any professional witch would do and hires a team of mercenaries to keep the warlocks off his back. He didn’t expect to get demons, but when you’re already on the killing-edge of Heaven’s bad side, what’s a bit more fuel on the fire?

Sometimes you get more than you paid for.

Neither Adrian nor Bex knew what to expect when they signed their contract, but witch-plus-demon turns out to be a match made in the Hells. With this much chaos at their fingertips, even impossible dreams can come back into reach, because Bex wasn’t always a mercenary. She used to be the Eternal King's biggest nightmare, and now that she’s got a witch in her corner, it’s time to put the old magics back on the field and show Adrian Blackwood just how much Hell he’s hired.

Book Review: Halloween Werewolf by Kestra Pingree

Author: Kestra Pingree

Title: Halloween Werewolf

Series: The Holiday Shifter Mates #1

Genre: Paranormal Romance, LGBT, Novella

Format: ebook

Pages: 135

Published: September 22, 2018

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

A wolf howls on the mountain.

Austin’s heart skips a beat.

It’s been a long time since he heard that sound.

And it brings back memories.

Review:

This was a freebie and I had to have it. One, Halloween season bebe! Two, can't resist a PR. Three this is a M/M PR which is a rare thing. Weeeeeee!

Here we follow Mateo and Austin. They were friends when they were younger and they both had a crush on each other. Things happen and Mateo has to leave. Years past and Austin has been trying to get over his silly crush, but he can't shake the memories of Mateo. Mateo comes back to town to get revenge for his parents and he comes across Austin. The love is rekindled and they can't and won't be separated anymore. However, Mateo still needs to stop the murdering of shapeshifters. 

This was cute. I liked Mateo and Austin. It was insta-love, but they have a past so it didn't bug me. They both crushed on each other hard for years even after Mateo had to leave. 

The baddies are bad. Grrrrr. I'm with Mateo murder them. 

Honestly my only complaint was that I wanted more of their past. I would've loved to seen some flashbacks here and there. I would've loved to see them young and crushing madly over each other. Eeee. Also, I would've loved to see them together longer. Maybe more interaction and dates?

All-in-all, this was cute and short. A nice romance with some baddies that need to be stomped out to save other shifters. I would've liked to see more flashbacks of them being young and maybe more dates. I'll give this 4 stars. 

 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Delightful 

Audiobook Review: Lake Silence by Anne Bishop

Author: Anne Bishop

Narrator: Alexandra Harris

Title: Lake Silence

Series: The World of the Others #1, The Others #6

Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery

Format: Audiobook

Published: March 6, 2018

Where I got It: My shelf (Audible) 

Summary: 

In this thrilling and suspenseful fantasy, set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, Vicki DeVine and her lodger, the shapeshifter Aggie Crowe, stumble onto a dead body . . . and find themselves enmeshed in danger and dark secrets.

Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others–vampires, shapeshifters, and paranormal beings even more deadly. And this is a fact that humans should never, ever forget . . .

After her divorce, Vicki DeVine took over a rustic resort near Lake Silence, in a human town that is not human controlled. Towns like Vicki’s have no distance from the Others, the dominant predators that rule most of the land and all of the water throughout the world. And when a place has no boundaries, you never really know what’s out there watching you.

Vicki was hoping to find a new career and a new life. But when her lodger, Aggie Crowe–one of the shapeshifting Others–discovers a dead body, Vicki finds trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the man’s death on her, despite the evidence that nothing human could have killed the victim. As Vicki and her friends search for answers, things get dangerous–and it’ll take everything they have to stay alive.

Review:

Yayyyyyy re-reading is always fun ;)

Here we shift over to Vicki DeVine and her crew. Human laws do not apply in the territory controlled by the Others. Between vampires, shapeshifters....and other paranormal that are even more deadly.....humans should not forget where they are on the food chain. After her divorce, Vicki wins a rustic resort as a settlement near Lake Silence. Vicki wants a new life and a new career, but when her lodger Aggie, a shapeshifter, discovers a dead body Vicki will find herself in trouble instead. The detectives want to pin the man's death on her even though the evidence clearly shows something non-human killed him. As Vicki and her new friends search for answers, things get dangerous and more intense. There is a group of humans that can undo the new friendship built between humans and non-humans in the area. 

LOOOOVE Vickie. She is soooo sooo sweet. F that ex of hers for what he did to her. In some ways I love her more than Meg. Maybe it's because Vickie is just a plain ol' human and has no powers but she is so resilient. 

Julian and the cop are adorable. 

Aggie is a darling. I honestly love all the crows. 

The sproingers are cute but creepy. I love them.

I like this world but I hate the humans here. They are so dumb and arrogant. I mean....they are here in this world too, but I feel like after all the events of the past books they would smarten up for a generation or two. But alas, there are still groups who think they are better and smarter and stronger than the Others and Elders. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm. Fools. 

The mystery was fun. The action was great. It is a slight slow-build before everything explodes, but it was still intense watching everything building. There isn't a boring part to be seen here. 

The narrator is simply a gem. Perfect voices for everyone. Man, woman, shifter, non-shifter....all great. 

All-in-all, I love this even more after re-reading. Such a great series. I can't wait to have time for the next one!!!! 5 stars of course. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Intense

Challenge(s):

- Audiobook #48

- Cloak & Dagger #21

Blodeuedd's Wednesday Review: The Last Word by Elly Griffiths

Series: Harbinder Kaur (#4)

Format: 352 pages, Paperback

Published: July 18, 2024 by Quercus Publishing

Crime/ from the  Library

Do I remember these people from PSmurders? No, not really, but that did not matter since this is fully their book.

Natalka and Edwin have a detective agency and they are contacted by someone to solver a murder. But things gets complicated, many authors seem to have died. And I had no idea what was going on or who had killed someone. I would be a lousy detective and die at once.

Edwin was this charming older man, Natalka is Ukrainian with a drive. Her boyfriend Benedict who also helps out, used to be a monk. They are quite the trio. This is in the Harbinder Kaur series but she is not in it a lot, they call her up for help but this is their story.

A good book. I could not guess anything

Natalka and Edwin, whom we met in The Postscript Murders, are running a detective agency in Shoreham, Sussex. Despite a steady stream of minor cases, Natalka is frustrated, longing for a big juicy case such as murder to come the agency's way. Natalka is now living with dreamer, Benedict. But her Ukrainian mother Valentyna has joined them from her war-torn country and three's a crowd. It's annoying to have Valentyna in the tiny flat, cooking borscht and cleaning things that are already clean. To add to Natalka's irritation, Benedict and her mother get on brilliantly.

Then a murder case turns up. Local writer, Melody Chambers, is found dead and her family are convinced it is murder. Edwin, a big fan of the obit pages, thinks there's a link to the writer of Melody's obituary who pre-deceased his subject.

The trail leads Benedict and Edwin to a slightly sinister writers' retreat. When another writer is found dead, Edwin thinks that the clue lies in the words. Seeking professional help, the amateur investigators turn to their friend, detective Harbinder Kaur, to find that they have stumbled on a plot that is stranger than fiction.

TMST: Ideal Book Boyfriend

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

10/15/2024: Who is your ideal book boyfriend/girlfriend?

Oh boy. I feel like I have a lot! But I can't remember all of them. Were they not truly my soulmate-book boyfriend then? 

I know for sure I have been in love with Captain Wentworth from 'Persuasion' for a very long time. He is slightly grumpy and a romantic at heart. He is a gem. Sure he holds a grudge, but I wouldn't be like Anne ;) 

Another one that has stuck with me for a while is Darius from 'Princess' by Gaelen Foley. He is charming and cunning and tough. But he has a weakness for his love. He would make me swoon. 

They may not be perfect for me, but I do adore those complex men. LOL

Book Review: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore

Author: Laurie Gilmore

Title: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe

Series: Dream Harbor #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Cozy mystery, Chick Lit

Format: ebook

Pages: 286

Published: August 30, 2023

Where I Got It: My shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

A spicy small-town romance,

When Jeanie's aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.

Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. But Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.

Will Jeanie's happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won't fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…

Review:

I had a couple of friends suggest reading this recently and it is simply perfect for October. I decided to try my library but the wait for this was 7 weeks!!!! EEEE too long, so I used my digital reward points I have been saving on Amazon to buy the ebook of this. Yayy. 

This is a small town and Jeanie is excited to start her new life after her aunt gifts her the Pumpkin Spice Cafe. Dream Harbor will give Jeanie a fresh start away from her dull desk job and hectic life. She meets a lot of folks, but there is something about Logan. He is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor's gossip at all costs. However, Jeanie's arrival disrupts Logan's routine and they can't stop thinking about each other. At the same time....weird stuff keeps happening. Jeanie will have to figure out who or what is going on.

This was simply perfect for the fall season. It made me want to eat all of the pumpkin glaze donuts we got from the cider mill. Nommmmm! 

I loved Jeanie. She was simply so adorable. Logan? He was okay. He annoyed me a little bit with his inner monologue. Yes, yes. I'm sorry your ex sucked but please.....talk to a therapist or something. Jeanie OBVIOUSLY is 1000000% better and ADORES YOU! *shakes fist* Once he got out of his own way I found him tolerable. 

Hazel and Annie were very endearing. Loved them. 

The mystery felt lacking to me. I wish they would've beefed that up a bit. Jeanie didn't seem as concerned as she should've been LOL. I know I would've been on a warpath!!!

The love was sweet and when we FINALLY got to the spicy bits it got really good. It took eons (I blame Logan). 

All-in-all, this was an adorable book for the fall. Very sweet love, a cute town, and entertaining banter. This would make a good Hallmark movie. I do wish the mystery bits were beefed up a bit though. I do want to read book 2 someday! I'll stamp this with 3 stars. 

 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Sweet