Magic & Mayhem, by Sharon Pape

Magick & Mayhem by Sharon Pape
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

A fun series debut.

Kailyn Wilde inherits her magical potion shop from her mother and grandmother, though they're not entirely gone, since they visit regularly in ghost form.

What I liked: Kailyn, her aunt and the cats. The misfiring spells were also intriguing, though I felt at though we were kind of left hanging about them. Obviously, something is causing problems with magic, and I want to know what's going on, haha.

What I wasn't so "Wilde" about: Kailyn's ghosts. The constant bickering between them got old fast. Merlin. He comes off as kind of bumbling, rather than a great magician. And his refusal to understand that he couldn't use magic in front of others bugged me. Then again, did they ever explain to him how it could be dangerous to all of them to be exposed?

All in all, it was an amusing book that I enjoyed. The characters could use some fleshing out, maybe tone down the bickering mother/daughter ghosts and bring the issues with magic a bit more to the forefront, since I am not entirely convinced Merlin fixed the issue (and frankly, it would be too easy if he had!).

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.

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No Charm Intended, by Mollie Cox Bryan

No Charm Intended by Mollie Cox Bryan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book 2 in the series.

I liked No Charm Intended better than book 1. I love the premise and the changing "cast" of characters each retreat is fun. The mystery was unusual and interesting, the activities fun and engaging.

But I found myself pulled out of the story by a few things:

I found the two main characters, Cora and Jane, at times totally interchangeable and got them confused, because sometimes one spoke so out of character that I'd have go back and re-read the passage to make sure I had the right person. Jane seemed to be more cynical and less trusting, and openly distrusted Paul, then suddenly she was crying because she was worried about him. Wait, what? Things like that happened several times through out the book, leaving me a little confused each time.

Jane and Cora have just started a business, money is obviously a concern, and yet they have meals catered? That doesn't seem practical. And what exactly does Cora bring to the retreats? She doesn't seem to teach anything, just spends her time blogging...

I'm also having a problem with the fact that Cora seems to have so many of the men in town attracted to her, including a married police officer. Because the love triangle isn't bad enough, Cora gets to be in a love square!

It was an enjoyable enough read that I will read book three, but I'd really like to see the main characters a bit more fleshed out and individualized in the next one.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the author*

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A Killer Keepsake, by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs

A Killer Keepsake by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 6 in the series.

I only recently discovered this series, and I haven't read all of the books yet, but it is safe to start here. I always think you should start with book 1 in a good series, but you wouldn't be lost if you read this first.

This is my favorite book, so far, in the series. The characters are well developed and likeable. Molly just can't keep away from solving murders, especially when she finds the body. I liked that this book had two story-lines running simultaneously, one present, one past. Both story-lines were well meshed, so neither felt forced, instead each added to the other.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.

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Every Body on Deck, by G.A. McKevett

Every Body on Deck by G.A. McKevett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars. I liked it.

Book 22 in the series. Do yourself a favor and start at book 1. You can start here, and you won't be lost, but you'll miss out on a lot of fun!

I love Savannah. She's a plus-sized gal, and she doesn't care one bit what anyone else thinks. There's no body shaming here!

The whole crazy cast of character just adds to the fun. This time around they combine business with pleasure as Savannah's favorite author hires her to protect her, on a cruise. It was a nice, light read, if a little predictable.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.

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Cozy Case Files: A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 1, Various Authors

Cozy Case Files: A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 1 by Ellie Alexander (and various other authors)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars, it was exactly what it claimed to be, a sampler of cozy mysteries that I highly enjoyed.

This is nice sampler of 14 cozy mysteries published by St. Martin's Press in the spring/summer of 2017. I had only read books by a few of the authors with excerpts in this book, so it was a nice introduction to the other authors' work.

This sampler did as it was intended, and whetted my appetite for these new releases. Of course, now I am quite impatient to read the complete stories, haha.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley*


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Give the Devil His Due, by Steve Hockensmith

Give the Devil His Due by Steve Hockensmith

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 3 in the series.

I've given the series a chance, but this one just didn't work for me. I can't find it in me to care about Alanis or her sister and the plot was just ridiculously convoluted. Way too much going on, too many characters to keep up with. When it starts to feel like you need a spreadsheet to keep track, it's just too much.

I don't think I will be looking for book 4.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley*


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