FICTION for ADULTS: Enchanted Inc Series by Shanna Swendson

    

A few weeks ago I posted a review of the first book in this series, Enchanted, Inc. I have posted about this series before as I read it a few years ago. At the time, there were only four books in the series and the publisher had decided not to publish anymore. But I found out recently that there are now two more books in the series. So I re-read these, on my Nook, and I have the next two downloaded and ready to read next.

As I mentioned with book one, this is a series about a regular woman caught up in a magical world of wizards and gargoyles and fairies. Katie is a "magical immune." Magic doesn't work on her; she sees through the illusions and magical deceptions, which makes her an asset at her magical corporation.

In Once Upon Stilettos, Katie starts to lose her magical immunity just as she's trying to track down a spy in the company, which makes her vulnerable to the spells of their enemies.

In Damsel Under Stress, an inept fairy godmother does NOT help Katie and her crush get together, and she complicates their efforts to find out what their enemy is up to in the magical world.

In Don't Hex with Texas, Katie has gone home to protect Owen from having to choose between fighting their enemies or protecting her. But in what Katie thought was the least magical place on earth, magical things start happening and Katie needs her magical friends to help her sort things out before her family discovers everything.

I have enjoyed the series as much in my re-read as I did the first time through. And I'm even more excited this time because I have two more volumes to enjoy (and #5 is considerably longer than these - so more great story yet to come!!)

4 out of 5 stars for books two through four.

Recommended for: fans of "light" paranormal romance. There's a little language in books three and four, but the story line is not violent or "dark" in any way.

FICTION for ADULTS: Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson

Katie Chandler is one of those rare folks in the world without an ounce of magic in her, making her a perfect person to work for a magical company. Katie can see concealed clauses in contracts or people masking themselves to change how they look. These skills come in handy when a rogue wizard decides he doesn't want to play nicely with the magical community any more.

When this book was first published, paranormal romance/mystery stories were not as prevalent as they are today. Some places shelved this book with general fiction while others tried to categorize it as "urban fantasy." Can you imagine this cover in the Science Fiction/Fantasy section of the book store? Me neither. It's much lighter fare than what people call urban fantasy these days. And I like it that way!

I reviewed this book several years ago, but I recently discovered that the author had two more books in the series available for my Nook, so I downloaded the whole lot of them and started reading again. When I first reviewed this, my blog was only a few months old and I didn't give ratings and such. I would give this book 4 stars. I'm really looking forward to re-reading the next three books and then diving into the new material! If you like paranormal stories, but not the darker ones with vampires and demons and zombies and such, take a look at Enchanted, Inc. and the rest of the series!

MYSTERY for ADULTS: A Witch Before Dying by Heather Blake

Darcy is asked to help clean out the house of a hoarder who's been missing for months. She doesn't expect to find the missing woman's body among the clutter. Before long, she's looking for a murderer, a magical amulet, a stalker and the cause of all sorts of disasters cropping up around Aunt Ve's impending wedding.

There was a lot going on in this story; I really felt like I got my money's worth out of this one. The core characters were as delightful as ever. Lots of mysteries converged at the end for a fun resolution.

4 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: fans of the first book in the series, fans of paranormal stories, fans of paranormal mysteries.

MYSTERY for ADULTS: It Takes a Witch - a Wishcraft Mystery by Heather Blake

Darcy Merriweather is a wishcrafter - a witch who can grant wishes (following certain rules and guidelines of course). Darcy and her sister, Harper, didn't know about their Crafting heritage until their father died and their aunt showed up, inviting them back to Enchanted Village, a magical, quirky section of Salem, Massachusetts where tourists can enjoy pretending magic is real. Little do they know, it is

Darcy and Harper are just getting used to their new home when one of the locals is killed and Aunt Ve's beau is arrested for the crime. Darcy will have to juggle her work, learning the rules of her Craft and her feelings for a man who keeps popping up in her life while she sleuths to find the real killer.

I loved this story! There's great depth to Darcy between her family history, her divorce and her powers. She's someone I would be friends with - she feels real, three-dimensional and interesting. The cast of characters around her are fun and distinct - it wasn't hard to keep track of who's who. The setting is quirky and provides plenty of opportunities for new stories. The world building with the paranormal piece (which isn't usually a factor in your normal cozy mystery) was exceptionally well done - clear and evident rules, but they are doled out bit by bit to keep you reading and there's plenty more to still be revealed later. The further I get from this book, the more I realize the stand-out job the author did on developing the framework for this world.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for/Cautions: I feel like I have to combine these two sections for this book. Paranormal stories have been growing in popularity over the past few years - vampires, werewolves, fairies, wizards, and yes, witches. If you love paranormals and mysteries, try this book!

I have mixed feelings about paranormals. I don't like vampires, but I do read some werewolf stories. Generally, I avoid the witch-y ones, too. The Bible is pretty clear that Christians should avoid witchcraft explicitly. The premise of this one didn't seem like the usual witch-y sort of stuff that I try to avoid, so I gave it a try. While I was thoroughly enjoying this story, I was wondering if I shouldn't be or if I should be feeling guilty. It has some of the traditional trappings of witch-y stories - familiars, magic, etc. But this had a different feel. The "Crafters" can generally do just one sort of magic and generally for positive purposes only (again, nice world-building by the author with the rules of the Crafts). Frankly, if the exact same story had been written where Darcy was a fairy or some other character who could grant wishes instead of a witch - something it easily could have been and the story would have still worked - I would have enjoyed it without second thoughts at all.

So, if you are wondering if you should read this mystery in light of your faith, follow your conscience. I know the question of what we support with our dollars has been a big one in the last couple months. There's another cozy mystery series that I read that did a witchcraft book, and it felt icky, so I avoided it. Another series was too dark and creepy and felt too occultish, so I stopped reading it. I've decided, for now, that I'm okay with taking this series one book at a time. The content did not raise any flags for me, and I am really looking forward to reading book two, A Witch Before Dying.

FRIDAY: Timeless by Gail Carriger

Summary
Alexa is juggling her life in the city, her unusual housing situation, her toddler daughter, her daughter's guardian, and all the "usual" paranormal business in her life. Then she is summoned by a vampire queen to Egypt where mysteries abound. Final book in the Alexia Tarabotti series.


Review
I was sad to read this would be the last book in the series, but I have found out that the author is working on two new series related to this world that will come out in 2013. I love the dynamics in this book that are brought about by Alexa's daughter, Prudence. I think she really brings a freshness to the series. The rest of the regulars are present and continue to be fun to spend a few hours with. You can read about the rest of the books in the series here. I have really enjoyed this take on the paranormal fervor that has taken over much of the publisher world in the last few years. The steampunk elements make for another fun and unusual twist compared to most of the books I read.


4 out of 5 stars


Recommended for: sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk fans, fans of the previous books in the series, romance fans who want paranormal elements in their stories. 


Cautions: romantic relationships and alternate lifestyles

THURSDAY: Spirited Away by Cindy Miles

Summary
Dr. Andi Monroe has always been fascinated by Dreadmoor Castle. Once, she snuck onto the grounds and was saved by a handsome and mysterious man. Now she has the chance to examine the grounds first hand when she goes in to examine skeletal remains found when a tree is unearthed. But things at the castle aren't as the appear. The castle is owned by Tristan de Barre who happens to be the ghost of a legendary knight murdered and betrayed centuries before. Tristan wants to keep his secret from Andi, but he is drawn to her. She can't understand why Tristan is so friendly in one moment and abrasive and distant in another. They will have to learn how to trust one another when then face an evil Tristan thought was long gone.


Review
Great chemistry between Andi and Tristan, and the premise was great. I enjoyed the secondary characters, too. There was a destined-for-tragedy feel to much of it, so I was pleased that the author worked out a happy ending. 


3.5 out of 5 stars


Recommended for: paranormal romance fans who are tired of the whole vampire/werewolf craze - and even those who aren't tired of that craze!


Cautions: some language, although it is tempered by Tristan's time-warped expressions; adult relationship details may bother some readers.

FRIDAY: Sketch Me if You Can

Discovered this mystery on a trip to our local library and it turned out to be a good find.

Rory McCain is a dissatisfied police sketch artist. She is technically a detective, but her responsibilities aren't challenging her. When her favorite uncle dies, leaving her his house and a PI business to close, Rory decides to look into one of her uncle's cases, as a favor to the victim's brother. What Rory doesn't count on is the ghost living in her uncle's house who wants to help with the case.

The banter between Rory and the ghost is great fun. I would have liked the book even more if there were more richly described secondary characters. The mystery itself was good and kept me guessing to the end. I look forward to more books in this series. 

[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and purchase something, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.] 

FRIDAY: Blameless

Alexia is in danger and outside the protection of her pack (you'll have to read Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate) to find out why). With her husband in a drunken stupor, and her vampire confidant, Lord Akeldama, gone without a trace, Alexia needs to find her own answers. With Madame Lefoux, the inventor, and Floote, the butler, Alexia sets off for Italy in search of solutions for her current dilemma and information about her father.

I love Alexia's bluntness and her no-nonsense approach to most things. She has an excellent sens of humor. I also love the character of Professor Lyall who was developed nicely in this book. He is solid and dependable, with a dry humor, and he embraces is role in the pack and executes it well.

Great series. I was pleased to note that there will be another book in the series, Heartless, sometime next summer.

[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and purchase something, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.] 

FRIDAY: Changeless

[A sequel to Soulless]

 Everyone is suspicious of Alexia when all the supernaturals in London lose their supernatural-ness. But one preternatural couldn't possibly affect an entire city, could she?

Alexia, and an inventor named Madame Lefoux, head off with an entourage to Scotland to look for answers to the "changeless" problem. Unfortunately, some supernaturals seem so certain Alexia is the problem, they want to see her dead. [A revelation at the end sheds more light on why some want Alexia dead.]


This is a hard book to talk about without giving away too much. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alexia is still a delightful character - frank, inquisitive, and bold. The supernatural set she interacts with on a regular basis are distinct and delightful to spend time with. Carriger does a great job building her world and doling out information to the reader without just "dumping" it.


Next week I'll review the third book in the series.

[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and purchase something, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.] 

FRIDAY: The Sons of Destiny series

Four sets of twin boys, powerful mages, prophesied to bring destruction to a nation, are exiled to an island where they are attacked by dangerous beasts, scorned by their former countrymen, and forced to live alone.

Through the course of the series, the brothers fight their foes, find their brides, and establish a nation. I thoroughly enjoyed the paranormal/magical elements of the stories. The brothers and their brides are great characters. The details of their relationships are definitely for grown up readers - and often they can be a distraction from the great over-arching story of the books. Those sections are easily skipped over so you can get back to finding out how everything is going to work out for these 8 couples.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

Waiting on WEDNESDAY

Life is busy these days as school comes to a close and we negotiate a new summer schedule. I have been reading a series by Jean Johnson called The Sons of Destiny. Right now I am waiting for the last four books in the series from the library: The Storm (Sons of Destiny), The Flame (The Sons of Destiny, Book 7), The Cat (Sons of Destiny), and The Mage (The Sons of Destiny, Book 8). It's a great paranormal story that spans across each of the books. They are very much on the "grown up" side, though (almost to the point of being a distraction from the story at times), so sensitive readers should be cautious.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

FRIDAY: Enchantment Place

Paranormal stories are all the rage right now - vampires, zombies, werewolves and the like. I like some paranormal stories, but I am extremely picky about them. When I saw this anthology about a paranormal mall I thought it was worth a try. I thought the premise was amusing.

As a library find, I was not disappointed. I didn't read all the stories in the book. Some were darker than I like, and some just weren't interesting. But I did find some that were a lot of fun. I enjoyed Shining On, The Face is Familiar, Think Small, and Witch Stitchery.

If you are a fan of paranormal books, check out this anthology. You might discover some fun stories - and some new authors - that you will enjoy.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

FRIDAY: Hunting Ground

As the werewolves gather from all over the world to discuss making themselves known to the humans, one among them is plotting and conspiring for death and destruction.

I know vampires are pretty trendy right now, and zombies are primed to take their place at the top of paranormal fiction, but I find I prefer stories about dragons or werewolves if I am in the mood for urban fantasy. The first story in this series was actually in an anthology called  On the Prowl. The first full book in the series is Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega, Book 1). I think reading the others in the series would be helpful to understand the background of the characters and how they interact with each other.

I like the main characters in this series and how they relate to one another. This is a much darker series than, say Enchanted, Inc. (Katie Chandler, Book 1), which is another paranormal/urban fantasy series I enjoy. This has some graphic/violent elements that could turn away sensitive readers (I just skip past them). This particular book has a vampire element, but they are the "bad guys." As someone who never cared for the vampire craze in the first place, this was fine by me.

If you are looking for some paranormal/urban fantasy reading, check out this series. The author has written several others, as well. (I haven't tried any of those yet.)


[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a small percentage of the purchase price.]