ARC Review: A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill

Title: A Swift and Savage Tide
Series: Captain Kit Brightling #2
Author: Chloe Neill
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; November 30, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Chloe Neill's bold, seafaring heroine Captain Kit Brightling sets sail for high seas and high sorcery in this swashbuckling fantasy series.

Captain Kit Brightling is Aligned to the magic of the sea, which makes her an invaluable asset to the Saxon Isles and its monarch, Queen Charlotte. The Isles and its allies will need every advantage they can get: Gerard Rousseau, the former Gallic emperor and scourge of the Continent, has escaped his island prison to renew his quest for control of the Continent. Gerard has no qualms about using dangerous magic to support his ambitions, so Kit and the crew of her ship, the Diana, are the natural choice to find him—and help stop him. Sparks fly when Kit's path unexpectedly crosses with that of the dashing and handsome Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, who's working undercover on the Continent in his own efforts to stop Gerard. But he's not the only person Kit is surprised to see. An old enemy has arisen, and the power he'll wield on Gerard's behalf is beautiful and terrible. Sparks will fly and sails will flutter as Kit and crew are cast onto the seas of adventure to fight for queen and country.

It’s been just over a year since The Bright and Breaking Sea was released, and since then I have been eagerly awaiting the sequel. That book could be best described as having tottered on the brink of something. All the clues were there. Whereas its sequel, A Swift and Savage Tide, was an excellent story that saw the continuation (and result) of those very same clues and outstanding mysteries introduced in the first book. It was more than fitting as a sequel for a series that began with a lot of promise.

It was great to dive back into the world with Kit, her crew, and Grant. One of the main reasons for that was the dynamics between the characters being as great as it was. And I particularly enjoyed the way Neill chose to advance those relationships. Kit and her crew were tightknit, which was a highlight of the story. They were skilled at what they did, and their strong suits ultimately aided them in the difficult circumstances that surrounded the Diana’s latest missions.

And while the story had its fun and lighthearted moments, those were few. A Swift and Savage Tide had a serious tone to it, as the echoes of a greater conflict finally reached a boiling point where there was no way back. It was a fight on the land and the sea, between skill and magic. The stakes were sky high, and it made for an incredibly thrilling story.

The ending did pay off—and it was satisfying in some ways—but there was open-endedness to it. Everything was very-VERY far from over. There are so many possibilities that could be in store, and I will be over here waiting for the next book to (hopefully) be announced sometime soon.

 

About the author.....

Chloe Neill is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Captain Kit Brightling, Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires, Devil’s Isle, and Dark Elite novels. She was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest, where she lives with her gamer husband and their bosses/dogs, Baxter and Scout. Chloe is a voracious reader and obsessive Maker of Things; the crafting rotation currently involves baking and quilting. She believes she is exceedingly witty; her husband has been known to disagree.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Berkley) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Claret and Present Danger by Sarah Fox

Title: Claret and Present Danger
Series: Literary Pub Mystery #4
Author: Sarag Fox
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Cozy Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensignton; November 30, 2021 

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

When a Renaissance Faire visits the small town of Shady Creek, Vermont, amateur sleuth and proprietor of bookish theme pub The Inkwell, Sadie Coleman, finds deadly happenings stick around like red wine stains on white tunics in the fourth Literary Pub Mystery by USA Today bestselling author Sarah Fox.

The Trueheart Renaissance Faire and Circus has rolled into town, attracting locals who can’t wait to spend a few summer days lost in a whimsical world of all-knowing fortune tellers and daring acrobats. Well-read pub owner Sadie Coleman is swept up in the magic herself when she serves drinks to the faire’s resident wizard, the shamelessly brazen illusionist Ozzie Stone, and scores two tickets to his opening performance. Sadie has no complaints about indulging in a free show with her new beau, craft brewery owner Grayson Blake. But while Ozzie is an instant crowd pleaser, the real surprise comes when he collapses in the middle of his set. It’s not part of the act—Ozzie is dead, seemingly poisoned by someone who wasn’t clowning around about writing the roguish showman’s final chapter. The terrifying situation intensifies when the police eye one of Sadie’s employees, last seen caught in a suspicious fist fight at the fairground. With so much at stake, Sadie must strain through a suspect list longer than her cocktail menu to find the real knave of a killer. But when another performer is murdered, it becomes clear that bringing the mixed-up murderer to justice will be about as dangerous as walking the high wire after happy hour…

I’ve seen the Literary Pub Mystery books around and was excited to read Claret and Present Danger, the fourth installment in the series. I was drawn in by the summary and intrigued by the renaissance faire and circus that was going to be at the center of the latest mystery in Shady Creek, Vermont.

Overall, I liked the story. The issues I had with it were few and mainly personal, otherwise it was a good book. Some of my favorite aspects turned out to be the faire—with the characters in costume and reciting lines. It provided a handful of moments of much needed fun (no matter how temporary) in a story that was otherwise pretty somber in content.

I also liked the characters and some of the other key locations in the story, such as the literary themed pub the main character, Sadie Coleman, owned and operated in the small scenic town. I really liked the pub’s aesthetic, and I got all the little literary references sprinkled throughout the menu. Speaking of Sadie Coleman, I liked her well enough. She was loyal and willing to help out an employee of her pub when he landed in hot water, and I liked the way her relationship with her boyfriend gradually developed. I also liked the secondary cast as well, and their presence helped drive home that the immediate community Sadie lived in was pretty close-knit.

As for the mystery, it was fine. Ozzie Stone seemed to be good at his job as well as being generally liked, but there were a lot of secrets to uncover. His were only the beginning of the tangled web that would ultimately be brought to light in Claret and Present Danger.

About the author....

Sarah Fox, writer of cozy mysteries, was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she developed a love for mysteries at a young age. When not writing novels or working as a legal writer she is often reading her way through a stack of books or spending time outdoors with her English Springer Spaniel. Sarah is the author of the Literary Pub Mysteries, the Pancake House Mysteries, and the Music Lover's Mysteries.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Kensington) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Hollywood Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

Title: Hollywood Heroine 
Series: Heroine Complex #5
Author: Sarah Kuhn
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Fantasy; Urban Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: DAW; October 26, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The fifth book in the smart, snarky, and action-packed Heroine series continues the adventures of Asian-American superheroines Evie Tanaka, Aveda Jupiter, and Bea Tanaka in a demon-infested San Francisco.

Over the years, the adventures of superheroines Aveda Jupiter and Evie Tanaka have become the stuff of legend--and now they'll be immortalized in their very own TV show! The pair head to LA for filming, but Aveda struggles to get truly excited. Instead, she's preoccupied wondering about the fate of the world and her role in it. You know, the usual. Now that Otherworld activity has been detected outside the Bay Area, Aveda can't help but wonder if the demon threat will ever be eradicated. When the drama on set takes a turn for the supernatural, Evie and Aveda must balance their celebrity commitments with donning their superhero capes again to investigate. And when the evil they battle reveals a larger, more nefarious plot, it's time for the indomitable Aveda Jupiter to rise to the occasion and become the leader she was meant to be on a more global scale--and hopefully keep some semblance of a personal life while doing so.

Note: there are potential spoilers for the first four books. You have been warned…

I’m always excited to see that there’s a new release for the Heroine Complex series, because I’m always up for another adventure with Evie, Aveda, and the others. I had very high hopes for this one. The thing with long-running series is they can get even better and better, or they could do the opposite. And I have to say that Hollywood Heroine was another great installment in the series.

This book again took the cast out of San Francisco, and this time, they landed in L.A. for the filming of a show that was purportedly based on their superhero exploits. What followed was a fast paced adventure as Evie and Aveda tried to figure out if their suspicions were because of the change of pace or if they had any supernatural meaning. The conflict with the demons remains an ever evolving situation, especially since their appearances have begun to spread outside of San Francisco. It’s still one of my favorite takes on superpowers.

Besides the fantastical elements, this story was very much about the identity of the two main leads. It’s been one of the reoccurring themes of the series since the beginning, but I feel like Kuhn really decided to home-in on it and do a deeper dive into Aveda’s time when she was just beginning to build her reputation. It was a part of the story that Evie wasn’t there for, and I really appreciated a resolution on that end, particularly between Aveda and Mercedes. The cast was just as lovable as always though, and, despite this being the fifth book, there was still room for growth and change amongst the dynamics of the team.

The mix of personal conflicts and the ensuing problem also at the heart of the mystery surrounding the events of Hollywood Heroine, made for a fun and action-packed adventure. All that to say: it really was great to have another story from Aveda’s point of view.

 

About the author...

Sarah Kuhn is the author of Heroine Complex—the first in a series starring Asian American superheroines—for DAW Books. She also wrote The Ruby Equation for the comics anthology Fresh Romance and the romantic comedy novella One Con Glory, which earned praise from io9 and USA Today and is in development as a feature film. Her articles and essays on such topics as geek girl culture, comic book continuity, and Sailor Moon cosplay have appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Apex Magazine, AngryAsianMan.com, IGN.com, Back Stage, The Hollywood Reporter, StarTrek.com, Creative Screenwriting, and the Hugo-nominated anthology Chicks Dig Comics. In 2011, she was selected as a finalist for the CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Award.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (DAW) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Murder by Maria DiRico

Title: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder
Series: Catering Hall Mystery #3
Author: Maria DiRico
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Cozy Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington Publishing; October 26, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Astoria, Queens, is decorated within an inch of its life for the Christmas season, and Mia Carina is juggling her job at the Belle View catering hall with a case of murder...

Mia's busy with a full schedule of events at the family business--among them an over-the-top Nativity-themed first birthday party and a Sweet Sixteen for a teen drama queen. But her personal life is even more challenging. Her estranged mother has returned--and her lifelong friend Jamie has discovered a shocking secret about his past. He's so angry that he starts hanging out with Lorenzo, who claims to be his long-lost brother--even after it becomes clear that Lorenzo's story is as fake as a plastic Christmas tree. Then a body turns up among the elves in a Santa's-workshop lawn display, and amateur sleuth Mia has a buffet of suspects to choose from. Amid the holiday celebrations, she intends to find out who's the guilty party...

After a recent DNF, I was looking for a different cozy mystery to read—and to get back on track with—and so I settled on It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder by Maria DiRico. It’s a little earlier than I would typically pick up a holiday themed book (which I’m more inclined to do during November and December), but after reading the synopsis I couldn’t resist. This is the third book in the Catering Hall series, and it turned out to be the perfect combination of whodunit murder mystery, family drama, and holiday mayhem.

Right from the beginning, DiRico set up a festive atmosphere with descriptions of the snow and the holiday decorations—alongside the sometimes heated competition between the different blocks and neighbors, to see who has the best light display. I enjoyed the urban setting, as well as the catering hall end of the story. That is to say: the book was just good. The buildup to the introduction of the mystery has to be one of my favorites. The main players were tactfully introduced alongside the opening conflict and reoccurring characters in the series. And, overall, it was done well. Coupled with the sleuthing portions of the story and the amount of high stakes action, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder had plenty to offer.

Beside the holiday festivities and overall mystery, the other highlights were the characters. They were exceptionally good, and there were a lot of big personalities. One of my favorite aspects of the story was the emphasis on family, in particular Mia and her relatives. They were well-written, and despite their faults and disagreements, there was no question about the close bond they shared. I could also say the same about the secondary characters. They were just as great as Mia, and for a few of them they often felt like extended members of the MCs family.

So while it’s not quite the winter holiday rush just yet, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Murder was an excellent story and great preamble to the upcoming season’s offerings on the cozy mystery front.

About the author...

Maria DiRico (the pen name of award-winning author Ellen Byron) was born in Queens, New York, and raised in Queens and Westchester County. She is first-generation Italian American on her mother’s side. On her father’s side, her grandfather was a low-level Jewish mobster who disappeared in 1933 under mysterious circumstances. While growing up in Queens, Maria/Ellen's cousins ran the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls. As Ellen Byron, her Cajun Country Mysteries have won the Agatha award for Best Contemporary Novel and multiple Lefty awards for Best Humorous Mystery. Her new Catering Hall Mystery series, written as Maria DiRico, launched with Here Comes the Body, and was inspired by her real life. Ellen is an award-winning playwright, and non-award-winning TV writer of comedies like WINGS, JUST SHOOT ME, and FAIRLY ODD PARENTS. She has written over two hundred articles for national magazines but considers her most impressive credit working as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Kensington Publishing) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney

Title: Chapter and Curse
Series: The Cambridge Bookshop series #1
Author: Elizabeth Penney
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Cozy Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: St. Martin's Press; September 28, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Elizabeth Penney's Chapter and Curse is the first in a brand new cozy series introducing Molly Kimball and set in one of the oldest bookshops in Cambridge, England...

I’ve been into mysteries lately, and my latest read was Chapter and Curse by Elizabeth Penney. I rarely catch the beginnings of cozy mystery series, but that hasn’t ever stopped my enjoyment of later books. Chapter and Curse is the beginning of a new series, and so far I like what I’ve read. From the charming setting to the loveable characters (and cats), there’s already a lot of promising aspects to the first foray into The Cambridge Bookshop series.

Chapter and Curse was quite the mystery. The story had a strong beginning, which laid the framework for the events to come while also introducing an eclectic cast of characters. There was everything from a big move to another country, some family drama involving shady relatives, a struggling bookstore, and a cat. Oh, and books. The story mainly takes place inside of a bookstore, so there was a strong literary theme.

Molly Kimball, the narrator, was awesome. In general, I liked her personality and the interactions she had with the other characters, namely her family and new neighbors.

Chapter and Curse was also the kind of story where the more you find out, the harder it is to guess what’ll happen. It seemed like a standard whodunit, but the delivery was what set this one apart. The situation just got more complicated as it went, with a lot of clues and too many suspects to count. I’m not being dramatic. That’s just an accurate description, because the victim of the case seemed to have run afoul of a number of people. All of them had an adequate motive to commit the crime. It could have been anyone, literally; although, at times it was hard to imagine it because much of the cast was so charming.

It was complicated, but it made for a great story. I really enjoyed Chapter and Curse, and I look forward to what’s in store for the characters next.

  

About the author...

Elizabeth Penney is the author of the APRON SHOP SERIES and the forthcoming CAMBRIDGE BOOKSHOP SERIES for St. Martin’s Press. Elements that often appear in her novels include vintage summer cottages, past/present mysteries, and the arts. Elizabeth's writing credits include over thirty mysteries and women’s fiction novels, short stories, and hundreds of business articles. A former consultant and nonprofit executive, she holds a BS and an MBA. She's also written screenplays with her musician husband. She loves walking in the woods, kayaking on quiet ponds, trying new recipes, and feeding family and friends. Oh, and trying to grow things in the frozen North...

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (St. Martin's Press) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Fire & Ice, The Volcanoes of the Solar System by Natalie Starkey

Title: Fire & Ice, The Volcanoes of the Solar System 
Series: n/a
Author: Natalie Starkey
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Nonfiction; Science
Publisher/Publication Date: Bloomsbury Sigma; September 28, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The volcano – among the most familiar and perhaps the most terrifying of all geological phenomena. However, Earth isn't the only planet to harbor volcanoes. In fact, the Solar System, and probably the entire Universe, is littered with them. 

Our own Moon, which is now a dormant piece of rock, had lava flowing across its surface billions of years ago, while Mars can be credited with the largest volcano in the Solar System, Olympus Mons, which stands 25km high. While Mars's volcanoes are long dead, volcanic activity continues in almost every other corner of the Solar System, in the most unexpected of locations. We tend to think of Earth volcanoes as erupting hot, molten lava and emitting huge, billowing clouds of incandescent ash. However, it isn't necessarily the same across the rest of the Solar System. For a start, some volcanoes aren't even particularly hot. Those on Pluto, for example, erupt an icy slush of substances such as water, methane, nitrogen or ammonia, that freeze to form ice mountains as hard as rock. While others, like the volcanoes on one of Jupiter's moons, Io, erupt the hottest lavas in the Solar System onto a surface covered in a frosty coating of sulphur. Whether they are formed of fire or ice, volcanoes are of huge importance for scientists trying to picture the inner workings of a planet or moon. Volcanoes dredge up materials from the otherwise inaccessible depths and helpfully deliver them to the surface. The way in which they erupt, and the products they generate, can even help scientists ponder bigger questions on the possibility of life elsewhere in the Solar System.Fire and Ice is an exploration of the Solar System's volcanoes, from the highest peaks of Mars to the intensely inhospitable surface of Venus and the red-hot summits of Io, to the coldest, seemingly dormant icy carapaces of Enceladus and Europa, an unusual look at how these cosmic features are made, and whether such active planetary systems might host life.

No matter how many times I read about the Solar System, there’s always something new and fascinating to learn about it. I’ve read a few books before I finally settled on my latest read—Natalie Starkey’s Fire & Ice—and they felt more like a broad overview, sampling a wide variety of relevant subjects. Where Fire and Ice clearly narrows the scope, and focuses on geological activity in its many forms (i.e. volcanoes)—whether hot or cold—from around the solar systems.

This was, by far, an excellent read. I came away from the book with a better understanding, but also a desire to read further about the subject. Let me explain….

Fire and Ice was truly fascinating. Starkey attempts (successfully) to explain volcanoes on other planets and moons—as well as even smaller and colder objects floating around out there—through an in-depth explanation of the ones on Earth. It went over, in great detail, about everything from how dangerous and destructive volcanoes—and a host of other geological processes—can be, how they're “built,” but also acknowledged how formative and essential they are to the environment we’re currently enjoying.

Fire and Ice takes a tour around the Solar System, starting with the life supporting geological processes happening right at home. And how what’s currently known can give clues to how these distant worlds function. After reading this book, I have a new appreciation and respect for volcanoes.

About the author....

Natalie Starkey is a geochemist and author. Following a PhD at Edinburgh University studying Arctic volcanoes, Natalie's post-doctoral work at The Open University shifted her research focus to comets and asteroids. She has analysed hundreds of pieces of stardust, samples from space missions to comets and asteroids, and many meteorites. Natalie has worked on samples from the NASA Stardust and JAXA Hayabusa missions and was a co-investigator on one of the ESA Rosetta lander instruments. Natalie's passion for her research makes her a keen science communicator. She received a British Science Association Media Fellowship in 2013 and a SEPnet media communications award the same year. Natalie is a science host on StarTalk Radio and her freelance writing includes work for the Guardian, The Conversation website, All About Space, BBC Science Focus and New Scientist. Natalie is currently an Outreach and Public Engagement Officer for Physical Sciences at The Open University in the UK.....

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Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Bloomsbury Sigma) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie

Title: What Lives in the Woods
Series: n/a
Author: Lindsay Currie
Source/Format: Netgalley; aARC
More Details: Middle Grade; Horror; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Source Books Young Readers; September 14, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Welcome to the decrepit Woodmoor Manor…where something in the woods is always watching. From the author of Scritch Scratch comes a chilling middle grade story about a creepy mansion and sinister creatures in the woods...

All Ginny Anderson wants from her summer is to relax. But when Ginny's father—a respected restoration expert in Chicago—surprises the family with a month-long trip to Michigan, everything changes. They aren't staying in a hotel like most families would. No, they're staying in a mansion. A twenty-six room, century-old building surrounded by dense forest. Woodmoor Manor. Locals claim the surrounding woods are inhabited by mutated creatures that escaped a mad scientist over a hundred years ago. And some say campers routinely disappear never to be seen again. When the creaky floors and shadowy corners of the mansion seem to take on a life of their own, Ginny uncovers the wildest mystery of all: there's more than one legend roaming Saugatuck, Michigan, and they definitely aren't after campers. They're after her.

Last year, I read a number of really great middle grade ghost stories—or books with a spooky atmosphere—and that trend is still going strong in 2021. My first foray into this year’s releases was What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie. I’ve been meaning to give this author a try since Scritch Scratch was released last year; however, it's still on my TBR list.

What Lives in the Woods was a spooky and fun book that had enough scares for readers to enjoy, while also having a surprisingly bittersweet yet heartwarming twist.

The story was just good. It was immediately engrossing, and the fantastical elements were one of the many high points about What Lives in the Woods. Part of that ambiance came from the setting. Woodmoor Manor was creepy. It had all the trappings ripe for mysterious happenings to occur: an isolated location, surrounded by a forest, and an antiqued aesthetic. In that regard, Currie did a great job developing the local lore surrounding the manor. Its mysterious and detailed history proved to be beneficial to the overall atmosphere, and it really was the perfect location for this story to take place.

Ginny Anderson was a great narrator. She knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to show her disappointment about the way her summer plans were abruptly changed. Yet, there was also the friendship in this story that she later developed. It started fast, but was written very well. The characters read like siblings or good friends.

Overall, What Lives in the Woods was a great read. This one is definitely for fans of India Hill Brown’s The Forgotten Girl and Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces and Dead Voices.

About the author....

Lindsay Currie loves a great mystery, and is the author of a number of award-winning mystery books for young readers. Her titles include THE PECULIAR INCIDENT ON SHADY STREET (2017, S&S) and SCRITCH SCRATCH (2020, Sourcebooks Young Readers) and the forthcoming WHAT LIVES IN THE WOODS (2021, Sourcebooks Young Readers) and CURSES OF EASTPORT (2022, Sourcebooks Young Readers). Lindsay's debut middle grade (PECULIAR INCIDENT) has been to several print runs, was featured in TIME for Kids, was a final nominee for a children's book award in seven states, was an Amazon Prime Book Box pick, and continues the capture the hearts of young readers every single day. SCRITCH SCRATCH is following in those footsteps by going to a second print run only one short month after release, being one of only sixteen titles chosen for the national March Madness book event, and becoming an Amazon Book Box pick for April 2021. In addition, her books have all sold audio rights and foreign rights, as well as having earned a glowing blurb from the master of children's mystery/horror himself, R.L. Stine.

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Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Source Books For Young Readers) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Small Town Monsters by Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Title: Small Town Monsters
Series: n/a
Author: Diana Rodriguez Wallach
Source/Format: NetGalley; eARC
More Details: Young Adult; Horror; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Underlined; September 7, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The Conjuring meets The Vow! This terrifying paperback original tells the unputdownable story of a girl, a dark angel, and the cult hellbent on taking over her small, coastal town. 

Vera Martinez wants nothing more than to escape Roaring Creek and her parents' reputation as demonologists. Not to mention she's the family outcast, lacking her parents' innate abilities, and is terrified of the occult things lurking in their basement. Maxwell Oliver is supposed to be enjoying the summer before his senior year, spending his days thinking about parties and friends. Instead he's taking care of his little sister while his mom slowly becomes someone he doesn't recognize. Soon he suspects that what he thought was grief over his father's death might be something more...sinister. When Maxwell and Vera join forces, they come face to face with deeply disturbing true stories of cults, death worship, and the very nature that drives people to evil.

Small towns make for great settings. Some of my recent favorite reads have been set in small towns. Including but not limited to cozy mysteries, middle grade horror, cosmic horror, and thrillers. Small Town Monsters is set in a small coastal town, and what a great story it was. It was part coming of age tale and partly about small town secrets, the danger of assumptions, community tragedy, grief, and cults. Oh, and a strong paranormal element that seemed to be the stuff of nightmares.

The story followed Vera Martinez, whose parents are demonologist. I sympathized with Vera. Her parent’s reputation had a negative effect on her and how she was perceived by people, while she also felt like the black sheep of the family. Part of the story dealt with how she grappled with that and came into her own as a person, while trying to untangle the mystery of the odd occurrences that were happening in her seemingly idyllic hometown. And it was done so well. Then there was Maxwell Oliver, who, despite his best efforts to hold his family together, is ultimately forced to seek help from Vera. He was a well written character, and I liked how much he looked out for his little sister. But everyone has a breaking point, and at the beginning of the story, he had already reached his.

The situation presented a bit of a mystery—and that was good too—but where the book shined was the horror elements. Wallach was clearly inspired by The Conjuring films and Ed and Lorraine Warren when writing Small Town Monsters. Elements of the story pulled a lot of inspiration from it, particularly with a basement full of objects with spooky and downright dangerous and creepy origins. Beyond the real world inspiration, the story ultimately goes down its own path.

Overall, Small Town Monsters delivered on everything the synopsis promised it would be. I sped through it in a couple days, and by the end, I wanted a sequel. And, like I said above, it was a great story. So if you’re looking for something to add to your October reading lists, Small Town Monsters would fit the bill.

About the author....

Diana Rodriguez Wallach is a multi-published author of young adult novels. Diana is a Creative Writing Instructor for Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth, and she teaches Creative Writing Workshops in inner-city schools throughout the Philadelphia area through the nonprofit organization, Mighty Writers. She holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two kids. Her most recent, Small Town Monsters, is a YA Latinx horror novel that will publish in Fall 2021 through Random House’s Underlined imprint. Additionally, Diana is the author of the Anastasia Phoenix Series (Entangled Publishing), a trilogy of young adult spy thrillers. The first book in the series, Proof of Lies, has been optioned for film and was chosen as a finalist for the 2018 International Thriller Awards for Best Young Adult Novel. Additionally, Bustle listed her as one of the “Top Nine Latinx Authors to Read for Women’s History Month 2017,” and Paste named Proof of Lies one of the “Top 10 Best Young Adult Books for March 2017.” Diana is also the author of three YA contemporary Latina novels: Amor and Summer Secrets, Amigas and School Scandals, and Adios to All The Drama (Kensington Books). Amor and Summer Secrets placed second at the 2009 International Latino Book Awards for Best Young Adult Novel. She also penned a YA short-story collection entitled Mirror, Mirror (Buzz Books, 2013).

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Underlined) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Seven-Year Witch by Angela M. Sanders

 Title: Seven-Year Witch

Series: Witch Way Librarian Mysteries #2
Author: Angela M. Sanders
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Mystery; Paranormal
Publisher/Publication Date: Kensington; August 24, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Finding your feet in a new job isn't always easy. That goes double for Josie Way, who's settling in as Wilfred, Oregon's, new librarian--and has just discovered she's a witch. But will her fledgling powers be enough to save her from a spell of murder? 

While Josie develops her witchcraft with the help of letters left by her grandmother, there are other changes happening in her new hometown. A retreat center is being built at the old mill site, and rumor has it that the location is cursed. That piques Josie's interest almost as much as Sam Wilfred, handsome FBI agent and descendent of the town's founder. When Sam's soon-to-be ex-wife, Fiona, goes missing at the same time that a bloodied weapon is found, Josie enlists her witchy insight, and her cat familiar, to clear Sam's name. But then the mill project's architect is found dead, and it's clear that someone has been drawing up a vicious plan. Now Josie will have to divine her way out of fatal mischief, before this deadly trouble turns double...

 

Seven-Year Witch’s premise is what drew me to the story. There are a few cozy mystery series that I can think of off the top of my head that also involve witches and magic. I’m a total sucker for stories that have a contemporary setting with a supernatural edge, so I had high hopes for this book.

Overall, I liked the story. The setting was a small town, and there seemed to be secrets around every corner. The mystery portion of the story was good. It had a strong presence in the story. And while the characters went about their daily routines, I mostly liked the way they approached investigating the incident. There were a few stumbles with the main character putting too much focus on one possible scenario/cause, which didn’t really lead anywhere. But besides that, the mystery was good. 

Josie Way is a witch that’s technically in training. She’s also a librarian with an unrequited crush who also happens to live in the apartment above the library, which comes in handy since her magic is mostly book based. That alone, was quite an enjoyable aspect about the story. The books really stood out as a highlight, because of the way the quotes and their presence were used in Seven-Year Witch. At times, the library felt like a character in its own right.

There were a lot of good and interesting ideas here, which wrapped up with a nice but open-ended conclusion for some aspects of the story. Seven-Year Witch was a fun read.

About the author...

Angela grew up in rural Northern California building forts in the woods where she devoured Nancy Drew mysteries. She earned degrees in economics and public administration, and in graduate school studied six months in Paris, sparking a lifelong interest in French culture. After 11 years as a congressional investigator, Angela realized she was more fascinated by the stories at the edges of her investigations–the decrepit exercise equipment in the ladies room of a Czech oil company; the curious number of framed photographs of women on a nuclear weapons official’s desk; the stupendous speed by which a particular Agriculture undersecretary inhaled chili dogs–than by the policies she evaluated. She returned to the west coast to explore the world and her imagination through magazine stories and fiction.

Angela lives in Portland, Oregon.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Kensington) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Velvet Was the Night
Series: n/a
Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Historical Fiction; Noir
Publisher/Publication Date: Del Rey; August 17, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a “delicious, twisted treat for lovers of noir” about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of a missing woman they’re both desperate to find.

1970s, Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who lives for one thing: the latest issue of Secret Romance. While student protests and political unrest consume the city, Maite escapes into stories of passion and danger. Her next-door neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, seems to live a life of intrigue and romance that Maite envies. When Leonora disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman—and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents. Meanwhile, someone else is also looking for Leonora at the behest of his boss, a shadowy figure who commands goon squads dedicated to squashing political activists. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life: He loathes violence and loves old movies and rock ’n’ roll. But as Elvis searches for the missing woman, he comes to observe Maite from a distance—and grows more and more obsessed with this woman who shares his love of music and the unspoken loneliness of his heart. Now as Maite and Elvis come closer to discovering the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, they can no longer escape the danger that threatens to consume their lives, with hitmen, government agents, and Russian spies all aiming to protect Leonora’s secrets—at gunpoint. Velvet Was the Night is an edgy, simmering historical novel for lovers of smoky noirs and anti-heroes.

Velvet Was the Night is the fourth book I’ve read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. And, even though it was outside the box of the fantasy and gothic tales I’ve read and enjoyed in the past (think Gods of Jade and Shadow, The Return of the Sorceress, and Mexican Gothic), I’ve always been curious about Moreno-Garcia’s mysteries. Velvet was the Night was an incredibly engrossing story set against the backdrop of a historical setting and atmosphere that was built on true and fictional details about 1970’s Mexico (the author talks more about this in the afterword).

I’m impressed by how easily Moreno-Garcia pivots between fantasy, gothic, and noir. Because Velvet Was the Night is definitely a noir story, a mystery, but it had a focus on an urban setting, a slower pace, and a darker grittier tone.

The story is told from two perspectives: Maite and Elvis. Elvis was involved in the clandestine side of the story, related to the major crimes that much of the story revolved around. He was rough around the edges, but overall I liked how Moreno-Garcia wrote him. Maite is a character of habit. She was definitely lonely—and her family didn’t help with those feelings of isolation—and so her daily life, her entire week actually, was dictated by the habits she found familiar and comfortable (mainly her job and her collection of books and music). Like all the characters in Velvet Was the Night, Maite was someone who was disillusioned but also had a habit or got involved with people/situations that could mean trouble for her if ever discovered. She was somewhat naive in a setting with secondary characters that didn’t really allow for it. It was interesting to see how their stories would eventually overlap as the story played out.

I don’t read noir too often, but I had to dip my toes back into that water for this one. It was worth it, because Velvet Was the Night was so good. I almost wish there was a sequel, but after sitting with it for a while, I think the story’s conclusion was perfect for it. 

About the author....

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of the novels Velvet Was the Night, Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow, and a bunch of other books. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters).

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Del Rey) via NetGalley for this review, thank you!