authentic reviews and insightful interviews for inquisitive readers
Title: Mixing Magics Author: Clare Edge Series: Accidental Demons #2 Much thanks to Clare Edge, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I was greatly disappointed by book 2. It felt like a hot mess of a first draft. It also felt like the author had no idea what to do with any of her own lore. Book 1 was fantastic, and the two things it did extra well …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Julia Kelly’s new series introduces a new heroine, Evelyne Redfern. She is intelligent, logical, and resilient with a love of reading detective stories. Readers are plunged into WWII where Evelyne ends up as a spy. These novels have secrets and friendships. A Traitor in Whitehall introduces Evelyne by going into her backstory. She was known as the Parisian Orphan after her mother died, and her father was in name only. Now many years later, …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Puppy Love & Snowflake Kisses by Jennifer Faye has Belle Sinclair recently adopting a stray puppy. It was love at first snuggle. He is the best Christmas present ever. And yet her holiday happiness goes sideways when she hears a siren and spots flashing lights in her rearview mirror. It seems Sheriff Parker Bishop always seems to be there when she commits traffic violations. But after Belle’s puppy goes missing, she calls the Sheriff …
Title: 7 Figure Fiction: How to Use Universal Fantasy to Sell Your Books to Anyone Author: T. Taylor Series: Universal Fantasy #1 First, I blinked the sales-pitch dazzle out of my eyes. Second, I sneered at and moved past the fact that this entire book is a humble brag. Third, I processed. And processed. And processed. And finally made sense of this mess of a book. Universal Fantasy is real. Taylor just does the worst job of explaining what it …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Miss Morton and the Missing Heir by Catherine Lloyd is a great read. The author makes the 1840s Regency/ Victorian era come alive within the compelling mystery and characters. Caroline was the daughter of an earl, but her father gambled away everything, leaving her and her sister at the mercy of relatives. A mother and her son Thomas, the Scuttons, show up and says to Caroline that the son is now claiming that he …
Title: Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter Author: Heather Fawcett Series: n/a Much thanks to Heather Fawcett, Del Ray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I like cats, but I don’t love them, which might have detracted from my enjoyment of this novel a bit. Cats are not only featured but secondary characters, so know that going in—if you don’t like cats, this isn’t a novel for you. I’m disappointed, but it …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima has action, intrigue and suspense. There is murder, a police investigation, family relationships/dynamics, and some information about veterinarians. The plot begins when the Walker family of Cole, Sophie, Angie, and now Mattie are out snowshoeing and hear a scream. Cole takes the girls back to the resort while Mattie and her K-9 Robo go to investigate. Robo finds a trail and Mattie can see a body at the base …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Falling for His Nashville Nurse by Janice Lynn is a story of overcoming past relationship disappointments. This is considered a medical romance where Lynn uses her professional experiences to write a heartfelt story. The heroine, Everleigh Bennett, is determined to focus her energy on her job, her son, and her mother. She swore off romance following her divorce from Bryan who left her and her son soon after she gave birth. That is, until …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Girl Lost by Kate Angelo is a compelling and gripping story that has redemption, courage, and the power of facing the truth. This is one of those plots where readers will love the good guys and thoroughly hate the bad guys. There is action, arson, murder, kidnappings, and a missing person. The plot opens with Luna Rosati, a CIA counterintelligence officer who had a hard past. After becoming pregnant at sixteen she gave the …
Article and Interview by Elise Cooper Last Seen by J. T. Ellison is a standalone novel. Her protagonist, Halley James, is not having a good year. She is getting divorced, has lost her job at the forensics lab, and her dad needs emergency surgery after a fall. But the biggest blow is when she discovers her mother died, not in a car accident, but was murdered by her sister. Since she was six years old her dad had lied to …