Ok—I live in a house in the woods. I built it—or at least I told the builders how to build it (whether they liked it or not) and I’ve lived in it for over 20 years. I can absolutely guarantee that this house is alive. It’s tried to kill me a couple of times—all in good fun—and it’s even more frequently saved my life. We have a complicated relationship. Haunted by a curse that kills someone close to their family […]
OK. I admit that my Halloween decorations have been up since August (and they’ll stay up until February—sue me!) My to-read list for the next month is filled with witches and ghosts and all manner of wonderful magic! Let’s face it—Reality bites right now. But while there are books, there is hope, right? The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna is the perfect start to this season, the perfect escape, and a perfectly charming tale of finding […]
Modern Day. Payne’s Hollow, a village on the shores of Lake Ontario. We begin with a funeral. I already like it. Any book that starts with a funeral—especially a funeral where everybody agrees that the deceased was a giant pain is okely dokely with me. Even better, the reading of the will causes substantial problems for Samantha, the granddaughter of the recently deceased. It seems Sam’s father confessed to murder over a decade ago and then killed himself. In the […]
Present Day—just before Christmas. A secluded retreat in northern England. Six individuals have been invited to the swanky retreat for a free Christmas holiday with the challenge of solving a fictional mystery for a substantial prize. When a blizzard downs communication and closes roads, the contestants and the staff of the Midwinter Trust find themselves dealing with a real mystery. As the snow gets deeper, so do the red herrings–and the pile of dead bodies. This is a mystery within […]
Fair warning! As you snuggle into your jammies and prepare your reading nook, pack extra snacks! The characters are constantly talking about food, preparing food, eating food, or dreaming up new kinds of food. And it all sounds so very, very good. I ate a substantial number of chips as I read, but I pretended they were hors d’oeuvres, canapés, cakes, and fresh bread with jelly, along with many other delicious things. Goddess Fish Promotions and the author provided me […]
A solid five stars for The Gallery Assistant. Yes, even though I’m cranky by nature and annoyed by the rest of the world, I relished The Gallery Assistant. I received a free copy of The Gallery Assistant from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Why five stars? I loved the inside look at the fascinating, high-stakes art world. The plot is intriguing and moves right along. The characters are distinct and believable. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly […]
