Séances are for Suckers

  

Séances are for Suckers (Eleanor Wilde Mystery #1)
By  Tamara Berry

ISBN: 9781496719621
304 Pages
Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

When something goes bump in the night . . . it’s most likely a plumbing problem. But fake medium Eleanor Wilde is happy to investigate and cleanse your home of spectral presences—for a fee. Hey, it’s a living . . .

Ellie has an ailing sister to care for and working as a ghost hunter who doesn’t believe in ghosts helps cover the bills. When she’s lucky, it also pays for the occasional tropical vacation. On her latest job, though, she may be in for some genuine scares.

The skeptical, reserved, and very rich Nicholas Hartford III has flown her all the way to his family’s ancestral estate in England—supposedly haunted by a phantom named Xavier. Nicholas thinks it’s all just as much a crock as Ellie’s business is, but his mother is sure that Xavier is real, and he’s willing to employ Ellie if she can put a stop to the nonsense. But when an actual dead body appears—and subsequently disappears—at Castle Hartford, she’ll have to apply her talent for trickery and psychological insight to solve a flesh-and-blood murder.

My Thoughts:

The premise behind Séances are for Suckers was really interesting to me. The main character Ellie is a "medium for hire", except she is not really a medium. In fact, she wholly disbelieves in all things supernatural. Instead she solves her clients' problems with logic and practicality, plus a lot of smoke and mirrors. This allows for some good bits of humor. And several jabs at spirit workers. Not in a super hurtful way as much as a sarcastic way, but they are there.

Ellie is very likable and you feel for her situation with her siblings. It's rather sad what she is going through with her sister, and the end - while expected - is heartbreaking. But in a way it's also uplifting. Nicholas is also fairly likeable, despite his dour attitude and his severity. The interactions between the two add a more profound degree of depth and personality to the characters. The relationship between Ellie and Nicholas starts of as one of mutual distrust, but as it develops, it turns into something thoroughly entertaining, and by the end they are quite a pair. I did find the slightly intimate exchanges odd at first, but mostly because it felt like at the beginning of the story they were setting Ellie up to be interested in Thomas.

It seemed to be that Séances are for Suckers started out kind of slow. There were a couple of laughable scenes at the beginning, but still I found it hard to get truly interested until about one third of the way into the book. But by the halfway point, the action had picked up and I was completely drawn in. The first half took me a week to read, where the second half took a few hours. I didn't want to put it down. Like, really - I was almost late for work because my alarm went off right as I was about to start Chapter 24 and chapter 23 ended very much as a cliffhanger so I did not want to stop reading.

I was extremely pleased to find that the story was not super predictable. Typically, I figure out the "solution" to the mystery pretty early on, but Séances are for Suckers had me guessing for quite a while. In the end I was half right about the culprit, but completely off about the motive. I appreciate any book that can stump or surprise me and this one definitely did. And honestly? I was relieved. I would have been really sad if it had turned out that the main villain was who I had initially suspected.

Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this book. Once you get past the lull at the beginning, it is an engaging read and it keeps you guessing up till the end. Once I clear a little more of my reading list, I absolutely plan to get the next book in this series so I can find what is in store for Ellie after everything that happened in Séances are for Suckers.

Parent's Guide:

Séances are for Suckers certainly has some dark parts. There is a LOT of death and macabre things in this book. Mystery and thriller loving older teens may enjoy it, but it is absolutely not for the weak of heart or stomach and has imagery that probably isn't the best for the younger crowd.

Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures

 

Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures (Captain's Log Book 2)
By  Milo James Fowler

ISBN: 9781541361386
167 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Meet Captain Quasar, a cross between James T. Kirk and Dudley Do-Right - except in Quasar's case, things seldom ever go right....

Join Captain Bartholomew Quasar and the crew of the Effervescent Magnitude in this hilarious collection of short stories as they confront bands of nefarious space pirates, cantankerous bandits, exotic aliens, devious powers of persuasion, mysterious ghosts from the past, deep space identity crises, a runaway hyper-speed train, an insidious computer virus, and a villain with the fastest thumbs in the quadrant.

My Thoughts:

I'm just going to come out and say it - Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures  is a riot. When I started listening to this I did not know what to expect. Is it supposed to be comedy? I hope so. Because I found it hilarious. It's a little bit Star Trek and a little bit Star Wars, with some cheesy western thrown in for good measure. Are space westerns a thing? If not, they should be. Yeah, I know Firefly exists. But it's not quite a true space western.

When the book started playing (because I was listening to the audiobook), right away I noted that the writer has a thing for extremely long names. The captain is Bartholomew Quasar and his ship is the Effervescent Magnitude. Many of the planets have really long names too. It made me wonder if he was aiming for a target character count. I was worried that the book would become too wordy. But those concerns were alleviated really fast when the humor kicked in. The book is a collection of short stories, some of which are actually only a few lines long. And in the end, the name of the ship is quite fitting, and the story behind the captain's name is ridiculous, but not in a bad way. 

The synopsis for Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures describes Captain Quasar's character as a cross between James T. Kirk and Dudley Do-Right. While listening to these stories I definitely got the James Kirk vibe. But there was someone else, more prevalent, and I just could not place it. That is, until the first time I heard the description of his uniform jacket, and that's when it clicked in my mind. Quasar is about 40% Kirk and 60% Zap Brannigan. You know, from Futurama? He's got that obliviously arrogant womanizer persona nailed. Despite that, he is an extremely likable character.

The other characters are equally entertaining and likeable. Like Quasar, the first officer is another human - an Asian woman named Commander Won - who he likes to affectionately call "Number Won", much to her chagrin. She is the straight counterpoint to Quasar's insanity and it works so well. The third significant human crewman is Bill, the janitor turned bumbling Chief Engineer. While technically more of a background character, for some reason I thought he was hilarious. Maybe because my hubby is a comp tech named Bill... The final crewman of note is his helmsman, a large multiple armed sloth-like alien that is very much a throwback to the Wookie right hand man of Han Solo. 

The stories in Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures take place in a sector of space millions of miles from Earth and involve exploring, negotiating with sometimes hostile alien races, a touch of flirting, and a lot of goofy antics. Some stories may fall a bit flat, but most of them will make you laugh. If you are a fan of Firefly, Galaxy Quest, or The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, then this book is right up your alley.

I do want to take a moment to address the narration - because as I said, I was listening to the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by  E. M. Carberry, and his storytelling makes the book as much as the writing does. He has a unique voice that draws you in and makes you want to listen, which is key in audiobook narration. Oddly, at times it was a little reminiscent of George Takei. Maybe it was intentional because he was trying to give Won an accent, or maybe he didn't even realize it. I just noticed it because my brain was already in a Trek mindset. It just came out at the weirdest times and caught me off guard.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures from the author, Milo James Fowler, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon.

Parent's Guide:

Captain Bartholomew Quasar: Starfaring Adventures may have some minor adult themes, but really, most of it is written in a way that the worst stuff would go over the head of someone innocent - much like writing in modern sitcoms and family shows. I feel that this could be a safe and fun read for teens who like things about space adventuring.

Best Laid Plans

Sometimes you make plans and sometimes those plans don't work out how you intend. Take my weekend for example. This weekend I went out and did Antique Alley - a 3 day bazaar / trade show and my first vendor event in like 18 months. It didn't go as well as I would have hoped. But more notably, it really threw a wrench in my posting schedule.

I typically pre-set my posts. I will make a "shell" post, with graphics and book details and then go in and add the meaty bits (typically labelled as the "My Thoughts" segments) after I am done reading the book, but before the post goes live. But this past weekend that didn't happen, and I had two posts go up missing a significant part of the post. One post was only an image.

Oops.

When I got to the market location on Thursday night, I discovered that I had no internet signal where I was, so I was unable to upload the information I had for Friday's review of The Lawrence Browne Affair. Later, when I got somewhere with wi-fi and dug out my laptop to do so, a surge from the power strip I plugged it into fried something. So I am now down a laptop. One that also had my Monday review of Once Upon Stilettos on it. Which meant that the post for that went up blank as well.

I got back home late Monday and had to re-write both of those entries. So the good news is that they are now corrected. The bad news is that I am still down a laptop that I probably can't afford to fix any time soon, and that there were other pending reviews on it that I now have to re-write.

R.I.P Laptop by TheEditorMLP on DeviantArt

Which is why there was no review today. I shuffled my last few scheduled posts for the month so that I have time to correct them. So review posting should resume as normal on Friday.

If you visited hoping to read my Friday or Monday post, please check them again. They are now properly posted. I would love to discuss these books and hear your opinions in the comments!

Once Upon Stilettos

Once Upon Stilettos (Enchanted, Inc. #2)

By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9780345481276

320 Pages

Available in Paperback, and on Audiobook and Kindle

Synopsis:

Click your heels three times and say,

“There’s no place like Bloomies!”

Katie Chandler’s life is pure magic–literally. As an executive assistant at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., she’s seen more than her share of fantastical occurrences. A mere Manhattan mortal, Katie is no wizard, but she’s a wiz at exposing “hokum” pocus, cloaked lies, and deceptive enchantments. And she’s fallen under the all-too-human spell of attraction to Owen, a hunky wizard and coworker. Owen, however, is preoccupied. Someone has broken into his office and disrupted top-secret files, and it reeks of an inside job. CEO Merlin (yes, the Merlin) taps Katie and her special ability to uncover the magical mole.

Keeping her feelings in check while sleuthing alongside Owen, Katie is shocked to discover that her immunity to magic is waning, putting her in grave danger. Soon she’s surrendering to the charms and enchantments of everyone and everything around her, including a killer pair of red stilettos. Katie must now conjure up her natural instincts to get to the bottom of the break-in, regain her power, and win the wizard of her dreams.

My Thoughts:

After reading the first book in the Enchanted, Inc. series, I was addicted and could not wait to read the next installment. I needed to know what was going to happen to Katie and Owen! (And Ethan, I guess...) I immediately checked out a digital copy on my local library's app and started reading. I liked that the writer made a point to do a recap of information on important characters and plot points as they came up. It's definitely better to start with the first book, but even if you had not read that one, you would not be completely lost.

Once Upon Stilettos opens up with the girls shopping and immediately points out the titular red stiletto shoes - also seen on the cover - so you are given the feeling that they will be an important plot device. I suppose that you never know - some books name themselves after one random word or phrase mentioned once in the 600 pages *cough*Twilight*cough*. But I understood that they were going to be significant. (I mean, they were mentioned in the synopsis too, so....) With the weight of focus on those shoes, I would have been confused by the fact that they are left and not mentioned again for many chapters, were it not for the fact that the first book utilized the same slow intro method before it got to the main course. This serves to give you time to get to feel the characters and the world. The writer is good at what she does.

And having time to get to know the characters is important because, as might be expected of any chic-lit book, Once Upon Stilettos is largely about platonic and romantic relationships - Katie's differing relationships with  Ethan, Owen, Merlin, and Rod, as well as her other coworkers, her family, and her roommates. And of course the relationships between Trix and Pippin, and most confusingly Trix and Ethan - I didn't get that at all. I mean, I DID, but also, it was weird how she was SO attached to Pippin and then just dropped him like a hot rock and stopped trying as soon as Ethan expressed interest .

At its core though, Once Upon Stilettos is all about mystery. There is a spy within the company, and it's up to Katie to figure out who it is. I love a good mystery. I have made no secret of that. So it was fun to watch all the clues and try to solve it - which I did well before Katie did. Go figure. I was relatively sure of my suspicions when Ari kept trying to keep Trix and Pippin apart for no discernable reason and knew I had a lock on the culprit when Ari was casually reading the book of love spells that she secretly "borrowed" from Owen's books .

Then there is the second mystery, which is that Katie appears to be losing her immunity. The why (and even the who) of this one was obvious to me, thanks to a bit of FORESHADOWING, though the exact how took a little longer. Once several other parts clicked, it made more sense. This book is actually a good example for the fun and effectiveness of foreshadowing, as it utilizes the literary device multiple times.

Honestly, I felt like Once Upon Stilettos wasn't as strong as the first book. The pace was okay, maybe a little slow. I think that maybe at times there was just too much going on? You were being pulled a lot of ways, trying to keep up with Katie's relationship and dating troubles, immunity issues, family drama, apartment problems, etc. It was just a lot to keep straight and I think that maybe it had an affect on the delivery of the main story. It's wasn't bad by any stretch, just busy at times. Overall, this book was another fun read and I plan to keep reading the series. 

Parent's Guide:

Like the first volume in the series, this book is very easy to read and the story is fun. There are points that focus on sexuality and attraction, and one scene that borders on assault. Some of the humor is environment based and will probably go over the head of the younger teens, but in general this book is upper teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter: Three! Four if you count the included synopsis. After the surprising lack of references in the first book, I didn't know what to expect, but this one redeemed the series. Of course the references were regarding the shoes because the symbolism there is obvious, despite the fact that the shoes really were more tied to another folk tale. But I love a good pair of ruby slippers. 

(The Oz Counter is explained in the "Anatomy of a PBG Review" link at the top of the page.)

The Lawrence Browne Affair

The Lawrence Brown Affair (The Turners #2)
By  Cat Sebastian

ISBN: 9780062642516
336 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

An earl hiding from his future . . .

Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor, is mad. At least, that’s what he and most of the village believes. A brilliant scientist, he hides himself away in his family’s crumbling estate, unwilling to venture into the outside world. When an annoyingly handsome man arrives at Penkellis, claiming to be Lawrence’s new secretary, his carefully planned world is turned upside down.

A swindler haunted by his past . . .

Georgie Turner has made his life pretending to be anyone but himself. A swindler and con man, he can slip into an identity faster than he can change clothes. But when his long-dead conscience resurrects and a dangerous associate is out for blood, Georgie escapes to the wilds of Cornwall. Pretending to be a secretary should be easy, but he doesn’t expect that the only madness he finds is the one he has for the gorgeous earl.

Can they find forever in the wreckage of their lives?

Challenging each other at every turn, the two men soon give into the desire that threatens to overwhelm them. But with one man convinced he is at the very brink of madness and the other hiding his real identity, only true love can make this an affair to remember.

My Thoughts:

The Lawrence Brown Affair may be the second book in the four title The Turner's series, but it's actually the first one I read. I happened across a copy of it at my local library and immediately picked it up. Before this book, I didn't know that M/M romance novels were a thing, much less M/M historical romances. I enjoy reading historical romance, so I love finding new variants to try.

The main character in The Lawrence Brown Affair is Georgie Turner, brother of Jack Turner from A Soldier's Scoundrel. (Hence the "The Turner's" series title, which was actually originally created by fans, as the series was originally released without a set designation.) Georgie is a morally ambiguous, chaotic bi confidence artist who loves his family above all. Jack T. was a vanilla villain, doing bad to help others, whereas Georgie T. is definitely less vanilla and playing cons to get ahead in life. That is, until he starts to develop a conscience and gets himself in trouble in the process. To shield him from said trouble, his brother sends him on a job to investigate Lawrence Brown, the "mad Earl" of Radnor. 

Both Lawrence and Georgie are extremely likeable characters, despite their intentional character flaws. They both have some deep background damage that causes them to see the flaws within their selves and to not trust others, and as such, their relationship is slow to develop. Lawrence has the worst of it. He spends his days hiding in his crumbling estate, fearing for his own sanity and being effectively a social recluse. Which makes him pretty much wholly inexperienced in physical relationships. The couple only get physically intimate about three times in the whole book. Remember how I said that I read this one first? Yeah, I was expecting this to be the standard in all of the books in the series, so I was pretty shocked when A Soldier's Scoundrel turned out to be a lot more physical. But I have to say that, in the case of The Lawrence Brown Affair, this lack of physical scenes is perfect. It really drives home the emotional state of the characters without forcing in unnecessary scenes just for the sake of sex.

Just like with it's predecessor, The Lawrence Brown Affair offers a solid non-romance side plot. There is family drama, a mystery, a bit of smuggling, and a touch of danger. There are new side characters introduced who greatly enhance the story. I absolutely love Lady Standish and what her character signifies in a time period where women were not really free to make their own choices, much less be scientists and free thinkers. How Lawrence accepts her at face value and thinks nothing of it endears him to me even more.

When they introduced Lawrence's son, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. Kids appearing in intense romance novels is always a little weird to me. But it added another depth to the characters and seeing how they adapted to act as a family was nice. The book in whole was a sweet story and I enjoyed reading it. The Lawrence Brown Affair is by far my favorite book out of the entire The Turner's series.

Parent's Guide:

100% not for the kids! This book is adult in nature, with graphic sexual situations. Absolutely 18+

My Dad Is a Russian Spy

 

My Dad Is a Russian Spy
By Candy Berg, Illustrated by Isabela Flores de Moura

ISBN: 9781614339304
33 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A young girl decides her dad is a Russian spy. Follow the clues to see if you come to the same conclusion!

Breakout author Candy Berg has something for kids and parents alike in My Dad Is a Russian Spy.

Enjoy your family reading time and practice some spycraft yourself with every re-read.

My Thoughts:

My Dad Is a Russian Spy is a charming little kids book that follows a little girl who believes that her dad may be more than what he appears to be. To be specific, she suspects that he is, in fact, a Russian spy. The story is clever and will definitely speak to kids who love mystery, as it plays up to the concept of kids with overactive imaginations and the childlike love for discovering things and having adventures.

According to the information provided by the publisher, My Dad Is a Russian Spy is targeted at kids between the ages of 5 and 14. I feel like, for all ages in that window, there are some things that work and others that do not. For a pre-teen or young teen who reads on level, this book seems like it would be too simplistic. It would be an easy silly read, but at 184 words in the entire story, the word count is really low for an age group that should be reading chapter books. For a younger child, say 5-8, the word count is okay, but some of the words and concepts are probably significantly beyond comprehension. I understand adding new words to vocabulary, but words like "surveillance" and "interrogation" are a bit advanced for young readers and would require explanation. A parent could be reading rather than the child, but sill, would the child understand? Some of the phrases used fit into that category as well, like mention of a "safe house" or a "sleeper agent". There are adults who couldn't even tell you what a "dead drop" is. Does that phrase really belong in a book designed for a 5 year old?

Let's talk art. Because the truth is that the art can make or break a kids' book. The art in this book is done in a lovely watercolor. It is vibrant and very intricate, while at the same time not overwhelming in detail. The full page illustrations are definitely appealing to the eyes and would draw in the reader.

The accompanying text is a simple bold type Serif font. Honestly, I wish that more writers and publishers would get in the habit of using San Serif style fonts, as they are easier for those of us with dyslexia to follow. (And yes, I understand the irony that most of my blog is in a Serif font. For the longest time I could not figure out how to change the font without going into html coding. Now that I know how, I am working on it, but it has to be done post by post and I am doing it slowly as I have free time.) I will say, the font used has decent kerning (spacing) and is a decent size, so it was easy to read on my computer screen. I cannot speak for the Kindle format because the ARC did not load correctly in my Kindle app - the words did not appear in the pages where they should have.

My overall takeaway is that My Dad Is a Russian Spy is a cute book with a lot of potential for kids who love mystery, but it could have used a bit more polish to make sure that it was age appropriate in concepts and vocabulary.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of My Dad Is a Russian Spy from Entrada Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Parent's Guide:

My Dad Is a Russian Spy is by definition a children's book, but I stand by what I say above. I feel like the pictures would be appealing, but the ideas would go over the heads of the youngest and it would be too easy of a read for the older. Perhaps it would sit best with those around 7-8, but with most kids past that point, you may run the risk of them seeing it as a "baby book".

Devil on Her Shoulder

 

Devil on Her Shoulder (Volume 1: The Bruja Is Missing!)
By Cédric Mayen, Art by Sandra Cardona

ISBN: 9791032812310
49 Pages
Available on Kindle & Comixology

Synopsis:

Hell and damnation! The Bruja is missing! When the most powerful witch alive disappears without a trace, Norah, her 17-year-old niece, decides to investigate. But upon entering her aunt's manor, she interrupts a summoning ritual and finds herself face to face with the devil... Or half of him, anyway, as he has been cut in two and is now stuck in a pentagram. Unable to return to Hell without Norah's help, Lucifer agrees to assist her in finding the Bruja—a devilish task when you're the most feared and hated being on the planet!

My Thoughts:

For starters, I just have to say that the art in Devil on Her Shoulder is stunning. The artist is extremely talented and the pictures are colorful, creative, and downright beautiful. The imagery used is mature but at the same time somewhat cutesy. It has a little bit of a Hayao Miyazaki Spirited Away vibe. But at the same time, the demons kind of make me think of  Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.

The text style compliments the art very well. My only complaint was that it was a bit difficult to read on my tablet screen, but that could merely be the limitations of the Net Galley app and my device, which has a narrow 7 inch screen. In print format or on a large screen Kindle or a full computer screen, I doubt it would be as much of an issue.

The characters have moments where they are most serious, but also share a good deal of sarcasm and witty banter, which delivers quite a few laughs. The lead characters are all quite likeable. Yes, even the devil! The situation he has found himself in, while serious, is also pretty comical and his semi-frequent shapeshifting is fun. (Even if his Ryan Gosling isn't quite convincing...)

The overall story is original, clever, and inviting. Once I started reading Devil on Her Shoulder, I did not want to put it down and I was sad when I came to the end - which was a total cliffhanger! I can't wait for volume two to be released. I will absolutely be following this series.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Devil on Her Shoulder from NetGalley and publisher EuropeComics in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Parent's Guide:

Devil on Her Shoulder is a relatively easy read, and with the lead character being a teen I feel like it is relatable to younger teen readers. Obviously, it discusses heaven and hell and has a great deal to do with fictionalized witchcraft, so if those things are an issue than that is something to consider. But there are no images that are risqué, gruesome, or severely off-putting. I think this is a great option for teens.

A Secret Scottish Escape

 

A Secret Scottish Escape
By  Julie Shackman

ISBN: 9780008455774
340 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery…

When Layla’s fiancée has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path.

Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him…

My Thoughts:

If you like soap opera level drama and the kind of chaos that you get by watching things like Maury, then A Secret Scottish Escape is probably made for you. The book opens in a depressing fashion and includes lots of trauma. Unfortunately, the pacing is way slower than it should be which makes the story hard to get into. Despite being important enough of a plot device to be mentioned in the synopsis, the Mask character was not introduced until the book was over halfway done. (There is such a thing as TOO much exposition.) Yet somehow, the ending felt rushed. The pace of the latter portion of the story was okay, but it was not consistent with the first 2/3 of the book so it felt wrong. For example, the kiss was random and forced.  I mean the girl who second guesses everything else she does in the book thought he could be a potential murderer earlier that same day and as soon as the issue was cleared up she was in his arms ? The lethargic, and then erratic, pacing of this book resulted in me taking way longer to read it than a book this length usually takes. Every time I set it down, it was hard to motivate myself to pick it back up.

Another reason for this is that there is a painful overuse of adjectives. Simply put, the book is too wordy. The plot of A Secret Scottish Escape is promising, but the unnecessarily excessive adjectives are distracting. On the flip side, the story's location and setting descriptions are beautiful. You can can definitely close your eyes and see imagery of the club, and get a vibe of what the countryside looks like. But then at other times, all the words included are still not enough. Despite the overabundance of adjectives in other places, the writer chooses to describe Mask's scar multiple times, and the EXACT same way every time.

One more issue that I had was that the characters are warm at best and not overly likeable. Layla, the lead character is what can only be described as a paragon. Her family and friends have to constantly remind other characters and you, the reader, about what a good, kind girl she is. The writer has her on a pedestal in the way that a person does the lead character in self insert fanfic when the character is them and they want everyone to know how perfect they are. Well, in spite of these constant reminders of her perfection, in reality she is a nosy neighbor who whines a lot and has bad judgement.

And then you have the supporting characters, who are all just... meh. But what bugged me most about them was the valuation put on the characters. I get that in the real world not everyone is great, but for a book that looks like it is trying to be about a strong woman, it REALLY speaks negatively about women.  The book opens with Layla's fiancé dying in the arms of another woman. While the woman is vilified, Layla is merely upset with the man that betrayed her and he continues to linger in her thoughts. Her mom is labeled the as evil while the man she had an affair with is almost immediately forgiven, encouraged to rejoin the friend group, and practically welcomed into the family . And her best friend is essentially portrayed as unstable and having commitment issues. Layla defends the Mask character regardless of the fact that she does not truly knowing anything about his person even after it is suggested that he is possibly a murderer on the run. A female journalist is described in a negative manner and the source of her story (another woman) is portrayed as absolutely insane.  Even all the minor plot driving side characters that Layla is able to manipulate to do her bidding "against the rules" are women. All throughout the book the men seem above reproach while the women, lead character excepted, range from extremely flawed to the devil incarnate. Had I not known better, I wouldn't have believed that this book was written by a woman.

A Secret Scottish Escape is narrated solely from the viewpoint of the lead character Layla. I feel like it would have definitely helped this book if there had been multiple narrators to give different perspectives. But even then, I don't know how much it would have helped, as the writing style is the flaw. The pacing, the abundance of adjectives, and the "gotcha" rushed ending can all be accounted for by the fact that the writer was originally a journalist. It reads more like the work of a sensationalist writer than a novelist. Remember when I mentioned self insert fanfic? I feel like this book is definitely guilty of being a self insert novel. Layla is also a journalist, and doesn't want you to forget it. A lot of the unnecessary filler revolves around her writing, and how the glorious world of freelance writing is so fulfilling that she wouldn't give it up even if she was so financially set that it wasn't necessary. Yet despite how glorious the world of freelance writing is to her, she has no qualms with mocking and degrading a young writer who is merely trying to establish herself in the same field. Which is just another reminder of how completely un-perfect the lead character really is, and also of how the writer clearly seems to want to place her above other women. Sadly, these quirks made the book an unappealing read.

I received a complimentary copy of A Secret Scottish Escape from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon.

Parent's Guide:

A Secret Scottish Escape talks about sex. A lot. It also focuses a lot on death. Personally, I feel that this is an adults only book. 

Midnight Sun

Midnight Sun
By  Stephanie Meyer

ISBN: 9780316707046
658 Pages
Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.

This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger? 

My Thoughts:

I'm going to be completely honest. I went into this book with very low expectations. It's not that I dislike the genre or the series. Just that, having already read Twilight, I kind of felt like "been there, done that."  Already knowing how the story in Twilight goes, most people who aren't Twilight series super fans probably would approach this book the same way, thinking that there isn't much to add to the story. But that's not true, and is an unfair assessment. 

Midnight Sun was an unexpected delight. Seeing things from the other party's perspective gives a whole set of adventures that coincide with the first book but feel new. You see what happened when Edward took the long weekend right after meeting Bella, and while the Cullens are away hunting. Most importantly, you get to see a whole different adventure in Edward and Carlisle's trek to Phoenix chasing James and rescuing Bella.

It's also allows you to better get to know the personalities of the vampire characters via their thoughts. In the first Twilight books, you only get a vague sense of who Jasper and Emmet are, but in this book you have the opportunity to know them better through their brotherly interactions at home and at school with Edward. You are given more insight into Rosalie's motivations and her dislike of Bella. And, of course, there is so much more detail on why Edward does the things he does. 

Having not have read Twilight in quite some time, at moments this book had me going "ah ha!" as things clicked into place, and at other moments had me wanting to go back and cross reference because I saw something so completely new in my mind that I did not remember it happening in the original story, though surely it did. Which is why I say that, despite the fact that this is in a way a retelling, it is still original enough of a story to be quite enjoyable. 

Like the rest of the series, I did feel that some of the writing could have used refining, but it wasn't so much of a distraction to take away from the story. The repeated references to pomegranate seeds definitely got obnoxious after a while, and it could have done with less of that. But overall it was a decent book. 

TW: While not gone into in detail, this book has mentions of rape and sexual assault.

Parent's Guide:

Like Twilight before it, Midnight Sun does have quite a bit of violence - more than it's predecessor if you count in Edward's many thoughts and daydreams - and some minor sex topics. Nothing too out there, and nothing that is bothersome unless you are really bothered by the idea of violent thoughts. Barring that, it's an okay teen read. 

Enchanted, Inc.

Enchanted, Inc. (Enchanted, Inc. #1)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9780345481252
308 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Katie Chandler had always heard that New York is a weird and wonderful place, but this small-town Texas gal had no idea how weird until she moved there. Everywhere she goes, she sees something worth gawking at and Katie is afraid she’s a little too normal to make a splash in the big city. Working for an ogre of a boss doesn’t help.

Then, seemingly out of the blue, Katie gets a job offer from Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., a company that tricks of the trade to the magic community. For MSI, Katie’s ordinariness is an asset. Lacking any bit of magic, she can easily spot a fake spell, catch hidden clauses in competitor’s contracts, and detect magically disguised intruders. Suddenly, average Katie is very special indeed.

She quickly learns that office politics are even more complicated when your new boss is a real ogre, and you have a crush on the sexy, shy, ultra powerful head of the R&D department, who is so busy fighting an evil competitor threatening to sell black magic on the street that he seems barely to notice Katie. Now it’s up to Katie to pull off the impossible: save the world and–hopefully–live happily ever after.

My Thoughts:

In this first volume of the Enchanted, Inc. series, we are introduced to a fictionalized version of New York where humans live alongside various magical creatures, completely oblivious to their existence.  That is, unless the human in question happens to be the rare wizard, or even more rare magical immune -  which allows them to see past the spells that the magical folk use to hide themselves on a daily basis. The lead character of the series, Katie, happens to be one of these immunes and this book chronicles her abrupt introduction into the magical world and all the wonders and dangers that it has to offer.

Books pertaining to magic are a dime a dozen, but the concept of magical immunes feels fresh and new, which gives this book the impact it needs to stand out. Another thing that makes the books appealing is that the world itself is relatable. Instead of inventing a whole new magical world as the book's setting, Enchanted, Inc. is centered in life around New York City as a New Yorker would know it, and it uses plenty of real world magical history constructs - such as Merlin - and fairy tale references that fans of magical lore are already familiar with. 

The characters are likable (except those who are meant not to be) and the central characters are well developed, with just the right amount of back story to make them interesting but not give everything away up front. This allows the reader to get invested in said characters and to want to continue and follow their journeys. The background characters are a little more one note, but they ARE background characters. I will say though, it's a wonder the pages of the book haven't turned red from the amount of times that the lead male, Owen, is described as blushing...

The plot is likewise intriguing and keeps you glued to the page. It is also quite humorous, with plenty of jokes, relatable cultural references, and comedic situations. It is easy to empathize with the story. In the real world, most adults have experienced at least one nightmare work scenario and could only dream that they were able to magic away the problem. I know that I have.

I will say that Enchanted, Inc. is definitely a product of it's time. There are comments and labels that are not as acceptable today to the more woke crowd - such as a touch of misogyny, shaming, and the use of a word that is now seen as a slur against the Romani tribe. None of anything contained within the pages is too extreme and we have learned since to do better, and that is what matters most.

Before starting this series, I honestly wasn't super familiar with books classified as "chick-lit". I am definitely more of a historical fiction and high fantasy type of girl. But I found Enchanted, Inc. to be quite enjoyable and intend to finish the series.

Parent's Guide:

This book is very easy to read and the story is fun. BUT - it does mention sex a couple of times - the first one being barely 3 pages in. So if that is a concern it should be noted. But otherwise, this book is definitely teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

ZERO! And I have to say that I was shocked. I mean, I know not every book will have something, but for a modern book about magic, I fully expected at least one reference. 

(The Oz Counter is explained in the "Anatomy of a PBG Review" link at the top of the page.)

Would You Like To Be A Family?

Would You Like To Be A Family?
By  Koyama

ISBN: 9781427868459
176 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Families come in many shapes and sizes, and these three are no different!

Takemura is a loner with little interest in socializing with others. Bullied in high school for being gay, he prefers to spend time by himself so he won't get hurt again. When he runs into his bright, friendly coworker Natsui in the supermarket, he's surprised to find out that he's a single father... and even more surprised to be invited to dinner, with no room to decline!

Kuma is a good guy, but due to his constant scowl and rough appearance is often dismissed as a deadbeat. When he oversees his friend's older brother break up with his boyfriend, Yagi, Kuma becomes intrigued with this attractive stranger and slowly, his curiosity begins to blossom into a crush.

Kodama is a reserved psychology major who is approached by the loud, outgoing Harada when he falls ill on his way home. It turns out the two of them study at the same university, and Harada insists the two become friends. But as they spend more time with one another, Kodama begins to question how he truly feels.

Follow three very different relationships in this intimate collection of short Boys Love stories.

My Thoughts:

Would You Like to be a Family? is a graphic novel compilation of 3 separate short stories all sharing a theme. That theme being romantic boys love relationships. The first story, for which the book is named, is about a single father who befriends the reclusive "new guy" at work and the relationship that develops between them. The second story is about a high schooler who falls for a college student after seeing the man display emotion over getting dumped. The third story is about a college student experiencing love for the first time with one of his classmates. At the end there is a bonus short that revisits the titular family again.

The three stories are touching and emotional without being over the top sappy or contrived. The relationships feel authentic. This isn't high fantasy or dramatic BL fluff - these stories reflect on real issues and judgements that gay men in Japan face in their lives. The first story is definitely my favorite.

The art work in the book is very clean and the story is easy to follow. With some graphic novels, it is hard to tell which blocks to read to follow the flow of the story in the correct order, but there is no issue with that in Would You Like to be a Family? There is even a chart at the end of the book that explains the flow, as Japanese graphic novels are read right to left and most people unfamiliar would start at the wrong end of the book.

There are scenes that are sexual in nature, mostly in the second of the three stories. Not horribly graphic scenes, but some images were more graphic than I was expecting and more than I am accustomed to seeing in mainstream manga, which historically is known for censoring male genitalia. In Would You Like to be a Family? the art is not super detailed on those bits but nothing was censored. So you do see people grabbing their junk (or their partner's) and there is one full on sex scene.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Would You Like to be a Family? from NetGalley and publisher LOVE x LOVE in exchange for a fair and honest review. It is currently available for preorder and will be released on September 21, 2021.

Parent's Guide:

This book is rated M due to the content that is considered taboo in some places, and the fact that the second story shows characters having sex. Overall, it is not for kids. Mature older teens may enjoy it, but that is a decision for them and their parents to make.

September Reading List

Did I up my reading goal again? You bet I did! This month's reading list includes a few books picked up from a trip to the local library, but mostly review requests and NetGalley selections. 

This is about half of my goal for the month. Which means
I will be done with them in a week at the rate I have been going.

This is what my September reading list looks like:

Would You Like to be a Family? by Koyama

A Secret Scottish Escape by Julie Shackman

Kiss and Spell by Shanna Swendson

Séances are for Suckers by Tamara Berry

My Dad is a Russian Spy by Candy Berg

Devil on Her Shoulder (V1) by  Cédric Mayen

Deep Space by Milo James Fowler

There are still reviews incoming for some of my August reads as well. I have quite a backlog to post, but will get them all up as soon as possible. Ideally, I am aiming for 2 posts a week, but being careful to not get burned out again. But there are a lot of posts coming! So remember to check back.

And, as always, I am open to and love discussion, so I invite you to grab a book and read along!