Tangle of Time

  

Tangle of Time
By  Gin Westcott

ISBN: 9781952435003
447 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle
Trigger Warning: Gore, Death, SA

Synopsis:

When four college kids are buried alive and there’s only one way out, don’t ask questions. Just survive.

After barely escaping a torturous series of undiscovered tunnels far beneath the Sierra foothills, Mae and her friends emerge, dehydrated and nearly dead from starvation. But everything Mae knows and loves is now gone. Through some bizarre tangle in time, they’ve been reeled back into the past. To a time that, according to Mae—“is constipated with antiquated gender inequality.” With danger lurking behind every tree and no easy way home, they must begin adapting to their new surroundings before it’s too late. So, when struck with an unexpected opportunity, Mae is faced with the difficult choice of returning to her own time or living out the greatest adventure of her life and carving her own path in history. Gin Westcott’s debut novel is BOOK ONE in the unique Tangle of Time series that will take you through an exciting, historical, and romantic adventure that you won’t be able to put down.

My Thoughts:

When I read the synopsis for Tangle of Time, I was intrigued. I typically enjoy time travel and "character out of time" style books, so the premise sounded interesting enough for me to give it a shot. Unfortunately, the reality was not what one would hope. The story is a tangle alright - it felt like the author wasn't quite sure what genre or audience they were writing for. The book is a jumble of trashy romance novel with slice of life elements and action adventure that do not flow together to make one cohesive story, making it feel fractured, and this book clocks in at a completely unnecessary 100 chapters. What do I mean by unnecessary? Let me break it down. 

The first four chapters are all, I suppose, character establishing backstory. Except none of what is revealed in them really plays much into the story later. It focuses too much on each of the four lead characters' parents/families that we will never hear about ever again, making the point to make each one of them unnecessarily quirky in some way. Apparently in their world there is no such thing as a normal family. It also establishes the not very likable leads themselves, using a plethora of clichés and what could be seen as blatant cultural stereotypes. These first chapters are also rife with out of place sexual commentary, with the men constantly objectifying women (and sometimes judging other men), a romance obsessed mother lying on dating profiles to snag a man, and multiple sexual conversations and acts between two of the leads. The next three chapters are somewhat setting up the story that is to come, by sending them to the job that is the catalyst for the time travel. This is the core "trashy romance novel with slice of life elements" part of the book.

Finally, on chapter eight, the story shifts towards the action adventure part and it reads like a completely different book. This is where you learn about the circumstance which leads into the story the synopsis is actually selling you. Almost. They still haven't experienced the time travel by the end of the chapter. In fact, the next twelve chapters are just about them traveling through the tunnels mentioned in the synopsis. What took two lines for the preview to explain took TWENTY chapters to reach in the book itself. 

Once out of the caverns, injured and greatly malnourished, the leads finally encounter other people who hopefully can help them. When they should be grateful, what they choose instead is to be arrogant, demanding, and to mock the people they encounter, further diminishing any little likability they may have had. No real person is going to go two weeks without actual food then get a bowl of stew set in front of them and go "no thanks, I'm vegetarian." I mean, really? But that's how holier-than-thou the one character was written.  At one point she scolded another character for littering - for dropping one cigarette butt in the cavern miles under the ground. 

Not only are they arrogant and demanding, but they are over the top obtuse. The next seven chapters cover their experience with the first family they encounter, who lives in a log cabin with no modern amenities, and the whole time the protagonists' commentary is about their "costumes" and "rustic living lifestyle." They get brought to a local native tribe and determine that these people are "quite diligent in embracing their Native American roots,” instead of going "yeah, maybe this is an actual native tribe." Any sane person would have by now realized that THEY were the ones out of place.

Okay, lets add one more paragraph here on the rest of the story (only 73 more chapters) or this review will end up miles long. Actually, I think I'm good for now. I just can't.

If I sat here and nitpicked everything that bothered me about Tangle of Time, I would probably be here all day. But there is one more thing I really want to address. This entire story is hyper focused on sex and steeped in flagrant sexism, to a degree that made me outright uncomfortable. The synopsis mentioned "antiquated gender inequality" so I had expectation of some reference to it, but not to the degree that it is, and in a way that is so distasteful. As previously mentioned, the early chapters are heavy with it. The book establishes its ideal of gender roles and perpetuated stereotypes right from the start, with lead guy Greg fixing his car with the patronizingly insignificant assistance of his girlfriend who is notably wearing her four inch heels, and then he calls her babe and squeezes her butt. In the following chapter another male lead both mocks a man for being out of shape (despite being unfit himself) and then ogles and objectifies his female teacher. Everything just goes downhill from there. I thought at this point that the book HAD to have been written by a man, so when I checked and saw that not only was the writer a woman, but one whose profile claims that she is "passionate about gender equality," I was absolutely floored. This book reads like something written by a hormonally charged teenage boy, all sex and swear words. This book was sold to readers as "look how bad things were in the past" but the inequality doesn't start when the characters are in the past, rather it is solidly present throughout the entire book, just masked in the modern times as being "quirky" parental behaviors or "romantic" actions (that are not at all romantic). This book is a master class on how to not portray gender equality, and fails the Bechdel-Wallace test in the most disturbing way possible.

The main (synopsis) concept of Tangle of Time had such potential, and with the help of another writer or a good editor, maybe it would have been glorious. However with the insufferable characters, unnecessarily drawn out story, and all the other questionable content mentioned above, it was such a massive letdown and I'm sad that I kept it in my reading queue for as long as I did, just to be disappointed in such a manner. All of the promotional materials designate this book as book one in a series, but in the four years since it's release, I have seen no mention of book two. The author could still be writing it, though I am more inclined to believe that the series was abandoned after the poor reception of this introductory volume. 

I won a complimentary copy of Tangle of Time from the Library Thing Early Reviewers program, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions contained within this review are my honest thoughts.

Parent's Guide:

I definitely wouldn't recommend this book for kids. It is filled from front to back with references to sex and drugs, as well as abuse and other questionable topics. An older teen may find something enjoyable - in the way that "edgy cartoons" are, but they would probably lose interest before the actual story anyways.

Strike the Zither

    

Strike the Zither
By  Joan He

ISBN: 9781250258588
368 Pages
Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook, and Kindle
Trigger Warning: Violence and Death

Synopsis:

Orphaned at a young age, Zephyr took control of her fate by becoming the realm’s most powerful strategist, serving under a leader whose cause jeopardizes their survival in a war where one must betray or be betrayed.

When Zephyr is forced to infiltrate an enemy camp, she encounters the enigmatic Crow, the only strategist who has ever rivaled Zephyr’s talent. But mastermind though Crow may be, he is no match for Zephyr. She will defy the heavens to win and no one―neither human nor god―can stop her.

Featuring gorgeous map art and black-and-white portraits, Strike the Zither is the first book in Joan He's riveting Kingdom of Three duology that explores human greed and ambition in a war-torn world. Don't miss the epic conclusion in Sound the Gong!

My Thoughts:

Strike the Zither is the first part of a two part fantasy story based loosely on the well known and often adapted Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms (often shortened to Three Kingdoms - which is also the designation for era when the story takes place). There are omissions and distinct changes - most notably that most of the main cast is women, where in the original tale, all of the important players were men. The lead character Zephyr is based on Zhuge Liang, and her lordess Xin Ren is based on the hero Liu Bei. I've actually never had the opportunity to read Three Kingdoms, and in fact have only seen one adaptation - the Taiwanese drama K.O.3an Guo (part of the KO One franchise). And I watched that probably 10 years ago, so I don't remember the entire story. If you are familiar with the Three Kingdoms story, you will definitely see similarities in personas and certain happenings, but there are a lot of differences as well. Strike the Zither completely holds up as an independent story and will be just as enjoyable to readers who are not familiar with the Three Kingdoms story.

The main quartet of characters, like those seen in Three Kingdoms, is a trio of swornsisters and their military strategist. Each of these characters has unique personalities, are likable, and you can empathize with them and their motivations. The focal and secondary players of the story are clearly Zephyr and Xin Ren, so you get more background on them than on the other characters. Miasma, the villain of the story, is written to be perfectly detestable, though her strategist Crow is someone I couldn't decide if I loved or loathed.

The author paints a lovely picture of the scenery with her words (and provides a map in the index for context). She describes the action in vivid detail - which is sometimes quite violent, as to be expected in an epic story about war. Much of this story, however, was not what one would expect. Around halfway through, there is a bit of a twist - that I wouldn't dare spoil - and the narrative shifts drastically. As someone who dislikes when books are overly predictable, I absolutely relished the unexpected change.

I stumbled across Strike the Zither at the local library and the cover art is what drew me in first. I've been on a bit of a Xianxia drama binge lately, and this book looked like it would be right up my alley. If I'm being totally honest, the first couple of pages were a little overwhelming to me. It introduced several of characters very fast, and jumped right into the action; so it took a little while to get my bearings and remember who everyone was. It turns out that when you are reading a book instead of watching a show where you can learn faces, that much information up front can be a lot. Once I got a few more pages in, I was invested in the story and really didn't want to put it down. I finished this book in a week, but only because I was busy. This was the type of book that I could usually complete in one sitting.

Overall, Strike the Zither was a delightful read. As mentioned previously, it is the first of a two part series. It doesn't really end on a cliff hanger, but with an incomplete feeling and a bit of last minute suspense. I cannot wait to start the second half. I was really grateful that I did not discover this book before the library had both volumes.

Parent's Guide:

This book has a lot going on, but isn't too complicated. It is a war epic so there is quite a bit of violence, sometimes graphic. I wouldn't advise this for younger or sensitive readers, but it has a good deal of entertainment value for more mature teens.

July/August Reading Selections

This month's reading list is 2 months in one, because I am posting late in the month. The books included are the result of my finally getting a card at the local library and going wild with it. I now have access to Libby AND Hoopla! And Hoopla had Enchanted Ever After, a book that I had been struggling to get my hands on, so it's on the top of the list. After that there is a slew of other books I grabbed when I went to explore. A lot of them are graphic novels. No reason in particular - I just love graphic novels and they had a really good selection. ^.^

This is what my August reading list looks like:

Enchanted Ever After by Shanna Swendson
The Complete ElfQuest Volume 1 by Windy Pini
Star Trek: The Manga Volume 1: Shinsei/Shinsei by Chris Dows
Heartstopper Vol 1-4 by Alice Oseman
Check, Please! Book 1 & 2 by Ngozi Ukazu
Bloom by Kevin Panetta
Loving a Lost Lord by Mary Jo Putney
Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale by Lauren Myracle
Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
The Bride was a Boy by Chii
Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra by Kevin Panetta
Spinning by Tillie Walden

I actually got my library card at the very end of June, so there were two late June reads that will covered as well - both short stories in the Enchanted, Inc. series that I didn't even know existed until I found them whilst searching for EEA.

June Reads:
Paint the Town Red and Criminal Enchantment by Shanna Swendson

Kiss and Spell

Kiss and Spell (Enchanted, Inc. #7)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9781986978866
202 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Book 7 in the Enchanted, Inc. Series. With great power comes great danger… When a freak accident leaves Katie Chandler with magical powers, it seems like a wish come true for the former magical immune. But it also means she’s vulnerable to magic, just when the dangerous Elf Lord is cooking up another scheme in his bid for power. Anyone who gets in his way disappears—including Katie and her wizard boyfriend, Owen Palmer. Now Katie’s under a spell that obscures her true identity, living a life right out of a romantic comedy movie in a Hollywood set version of New York. Will she be able to find her true Mr. Right in time to break the spell with a kiss and warn everyone, or will she be trapped forever, unaware of the doom facing her world?

My Thoughts:

Kiss and Spell opens with Katie exploring her newfound magical abilities and how they will affect her role at MSI. But before she even has a chance to take everything in and find a new routine, the whole world is turned upside down in many ways, and so much is happening. You don't get much time with this volume to get your bearings before everything goes off the rails, but it is in the best way.

Despite how much I have enjoyed the previous books, there has been a noticeable repetition. There are only so many times and so many ways to spin when powers bounce around, evil wizards interfere, and dates are disastrous. I was looking for and hoping for something fresh. Kiss and Spell absolutely delivered. Putting Katie and Owen in a new setting was genius. It was great seeing them interacting in a different way. I would read an entire book about AU coffeeshop bookstore Katie and Owen. No, seriously.

The stage set in this book allows for some great moments of humor, including plenty of spot on criticisms of romance movies. Which you wouldn't necessarily expect in a borderline romance novel. But it worked brilliantly. It also gives you an opportunity to better get to know some of the characters introduced in the last book - though, sadly you also don't get as much time with some favorites from previous books. 

While it was possibly the most out of this world (do you see what I did there?) storyline yet, it was also a most endearing one. Of  all of the Enchanted, Inc. books that I have read so far, Kiss and Spell is possibly my favorite. 

Parent's Guide:

This book is pretty easy to read and the story is fun. There is fighting, but it is almost all of the magical variety. This book is definitely teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

One! It was a subtle one about 80% of the way into the book, but Katie herself identified it for the reference it was. 

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

Witchy Coffee

     

Witchy Coffee
By  Erin Ritch

ISBN: 9798452026150
222 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle
Trigger Warning: Death of a loved one

Synopsis:

Practical Magic meets You’ve Got Mail!

"Witchy Coffee is the perfect blend of bold women and magic vibes creating a page turner of curiosity, love and holiday fun."

A fanciful coffee shop run by magical women. A barista that’s still trying to figure herself out. And a small town named Windia where the residents drink coffee and get into everyone’s business.

When a stranger shows up in town and puts her family’s coffee shop in jeopardy, Florence Mackenzie has to step in and do something to protect them, whether that’s an Espresso Off challenge, sabotage, or a good old fashioned banishment spell. But after the Mackenize women try to create a buzz by experimenting with a new blend of coffee beans, the residents of Windia suddenly start falling in love with each other. Florence chalks it up to the spirit of the holiday season, but when she starts falling in love (with the competition, no less) Florence starts to wonder if there’s something more bewitching in the air - or in the coffee?

A clean witchy romance set on the enchanting Oregon coastline, Witchy Coffee is filled to the brim with magical hijinks, an authentic enemies-to-lovers romance, and the cozy atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest during the holidays. Settle in with a coffee and slip away to the little town of Windia, where the forest meets the sea and there’s a promise of magic in every corner.

My Thoughts:

Witchy Coffee opens in true Hallmark Christmas movie fashion, with Florence leaving the big city of Portland to head back to her small hometown of Windia to help out family for the holidays. She doesn't have a job to return to and is at a crossroads in her life, wondering what to do next. Back home she meets Richard, a lawyer representing a coffee shop chain that is attempting to buy her family's business. Florence's grandmother and sister-in-law see Richard as the opposition, and constantly attempt to drive him away, but Florence slowly starts to become friendly with him. 

This formula is well known and tried and true - girl comes to town to stop mogul from destroying her family's quiet hometown life and falls in love along the way. There are dozens of cliché Christmas movies that use the pattern. But it derails from that standard scenario pretty quickly and you learn that there is a lot more going on than what is seen at face value. Soon enough, Florence finds herself teamed up with Richard, working to stop an even bigger enemy. Magic gets involved. And things get cray. 

There are also family secrets that interfere with her mission - some things that Florence has gone out of her way to forget, and others that she never knew to start with. Amidst the chaos and laughs are moments that are heartbreaking and tragic. She soon discovers that keeping hold of the family business may be much more difficult than expected. But with the not always conventional support of her family and community she may just pull through.

Speaking of that support, the characters in Witchy Coffee are likeable and you want to empathize with them. Florence's grandmother in particular had a kind of energy that I could really appreciate. Not only were the characters well written, but so was the book as a whole, with detailed scenery that made you see the beauty of the Oregon coast. I was not previously familiar with this author, but after reading this book, I would happily read more.  

Overall, Witchy Coffee is a unique take on the magic/romance genre, and a fun read. There is a plenty of depth and drama, plus a good amount of humor.

Witchy Coffee was released on August 24, 2021 and is available at Amazon. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Parent's Guide:

This book is pretty easy to read and the story is for the most part fun. It has a few moments that could be seen as depressing, where it delves into the main character's loss of a parent and a sibling. But there are a good deal of laughs as well. There is nothing that I would consider too risqué for adolescents. This book is definitely teen  friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

No Quest for the Wicked

No Quest for the Wicked (Enchanted, Inc. #6)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9781986981125
317 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A Questing We Will Go

Now that the Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. team has defeated the nefarious Spellworks, the only “competition” in town, Katie Chandler doesn’t have much to do as director of marketing, and she’s starting to question her role at MSI. Her boyfriend Owen Palmer, on the other hand, is in hog heaven, translating an ancient and powerful magical manuscript.

But then he finds that the cryptic text describing the location of an enchanted gem known as the Eye of the Moon has radically changed. This deadly stone gives its holder enhanced power over others and a craving for more power. It once caused a terrible war before it was safely hidden and then lost – and now it seems to be in New York and set in an elven brooch that renders its wearer invulnerable. Whoever has this brooch could take over the world.

Katie and Owen must find it before anyone else does, and they’re not the only ones searching. They’ll need all the help they can get, including Katie’s visiting grandmother. But who can they trust when their allies fall under its spell? Not to mention the new enemies who are deadlier than anything they’ve faced before.

My Thoughts:

No Quest for the Wicked, the 6th entry in the Enchanted, Inc. series, opens with Katie and Owen settling into their new roles at MSI. Spellworks has finally been defeated and things appear to be calming down a bit. Owen is without his powers and finds himself facing great scrutiny from the magical community after the reveal of his lineage. He is keeping himself occupied with something that, to him, is a dream assignment - translating the Ephemera, an ancient text so powerful that nobody with magic is allowed near it. Katie, on the other hand, is restless, not feeling sure of her current position in the company as marketing director. 

You get to see a lot of fun character interaction in this volume. Katie's beloved grandmother comes into town from Texas and brings along her own brand of chaos. I absolutely love the exchanges between the Granny and Merlin! Readers also get to learn more about the more feral nature sprites that Granny introduced us all to in Don't Hex With Texas. This book also brings back Mimi, Katie's erstwhile boss from the firm she was at before she came to work at MSI. Mimi lands a major role in No Quest for the Wicked, as she finds herself newly engaged and in possession of the Eye of the Moon, a "One Ring" style powerful magical artifact that everyone wants to get their hands on .

Most notably, No Quest for the Wicked gives us an opportunity to see into the world of the Elves, who have really only been mentioned in passing up to this point. We get to learn more about Elven culture and politics, and how they fit in to the magical world that has been created. And their role is somewhat surprising.

The plot in this book is a bit all over the place. There is a LOT going on - Owen is walking on eggshells trying to convince everyone that he is not out for world domination, everyone is hunting for the Eye of the Moon, and nobody can quite trust anyone else. It is quite exhausting at times. That's not to say it is bad, just that it is complicated. Yet somehow, despite everything that is going on, I find this to be the least memorable storyline of the entire series. It's like the magical world's Eclipse. (Seriously, does anyone remember what happened in that book? Because I don't.)

On the relationship front, Katie and Owen's seems to have all but stalled out. There is still the obligatory amount of blushing, but now they are together and things have mellowed some, yet there is nothing happening. After how much the first books in the series focused on Katie's relationships and desires, it kinda feels like a betrayal. I wasn't expecting anything hot and heavy. Just something to show that they actually still care about one another. Because at this point I'm really not sure. The words may be there but the chemistry is fleeting.

Overall, No Quest for the Wicked is an okay story, but it doesn't hold up to previous volumes in the series. It wasn't bad enough to keep me from reading the next book in the series, but it was somewhat of a let down when compared to it's predecessors.

Parent's Guide:

This book is very easy to read and the story is fun. It has the standard bits of fantasy violence, but nothing too extreme. The setting is real world relatable for older kids. This book is definitely teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

And still none. :*(

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

Much Ado About Magic

Much Ado About Magic (Enchanted, Inc. #5)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9781986979122
292 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

To Do: Manage Magical Mayhem, Save the Company, Save the World

Katie Chandler is back in New York and at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. – and just in time. The city’s in the grip of a magical crime wave from spells that wizarding whiz Owen Palmer thinks look awfully familiar, and the rogue firm Spellworks is raising its profile in the magical world by selling protective amulets. It’s Katie’s job as the new director of marketing for MSI to fight this battle of public perception while Owen and the other wizards try to uncover what’s really going on.

What Katie doesn’t realize is that her idea to stage a showcase for MSI’s magical achievements is playing right into a devious plot more than three decades in the making. Now Katie has to do damage control that has nothing to do with marketing. To save the magical world, she’ll have to prove who the real enemy is, and doing that will require digging deeper into Owen’s mysterious past than he wants anyone to go. If she fails, she not only stands to lose a magical war, but she could also lose the man she loves.

My Thoughts:

Much Ado About Magic, the 5th entry in the Enchanted, Inc. series, finds Katie and Owen back in New York City at MSI and once again facing off against Spellworks, the rogue spell company that is selling curses and dark charms all over the region. The competition has upped their game and is now selling both the curses and charms to protect against the curses, in an effort to make it appear as though they have the answers to everyone's problems. Katie gets assigned as MSI's new marketing director and is planning a big event to improve the company's image and win back their customers.

There are a lot of new characters in this book, including a whole marketing department of personalities. I particularly enjoyed the character of Perdita, Katie's new elf assistant. Not only because she is funny AF, but also because I think this is the first actual named and backstoried elf in the series. We knew elves existed - they have been mentioned in passing - but we had not actually met one yet. Now we have and she is hilarious and a nutcase. So far departed from the usual image of elves in fantasy works. 

Much Ado About Magic finally wraps up the core plotline that has been around since Enchanted, Inc., resolving the mess started by Phelan Idris. This volume is a bit tamer than it's predecessors, but is still interesting. Katie gets a much bigger set of responsibilities. Sure, she is always the focus anyways, due to being the main character and the unicorn magical immune, but this time she gets to use actual learned abilities and prove that she is useful beyond her immunity. There are plenty of jokes the whole scene with the honeymoon suite was a complete riot! , but also plenty of emotions. Poor Owen gets put through the ringer and I felt so bad for him - especially when his parentage is revealed and used as a weapon to create distrust and the company suffers for it. And then, to top it all off he loses his powers .

There are some nice romantic moments between Katie and Owen in Much Ado About Magic. Their relationship is still progressing slower than molasses in winter, but there are some touching moments. The ending is particularly sweet. Owen seems to be taking his loss in stride and Katie still makes a point to say that she wouldn't have him any other way. And of course there is still plenty of blushing along the way...

Parent's Guide:

Like the rest of the series so far, Much Ado About Magic is a cheery read with plenty of laughs. It has the expected amount of childish name calling and fantasy violence, but nothing too severe. Older kids who like magical settings and sarcasm will enjoy it. This book is teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

Still none. :(

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

 

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch
By  Denise Daye

ISBN: 9781737856900
336 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

My grandma is one of the last true masters of witchcraft. I'm nothing. Yet someone thinks I'm too dangerous to live…

Josefine comes from a line of witches as prestigious as royalty, but she's never possessed so much as a lick of magic herself. She’s okay with that, and life in her sleepy German town is peaceful for her— until a deadly vampire attack leaves her powerless to defend her loved ones.

Heartbroken, Josefine must flee from a darkness she can barely understand. Each day is a battle to outrun the demonic forces that, for some unknown reason, want her dead. Her only hope is to seek shelter with a mysterious organization her grandmother spoke of.

But the pack is relentless in their pursuit, so when one of the most powerful and dangerous vampires alive unexpectedly offers his help, a skeptical Josefine is left with no choice but to accept. Even if that cagey and devilish handsome pureblood might be hiding secrets that will not only alter the course of Josefine's life forever, but the future of every soul on earth…

Is there more to the witch with no magic? Or will the tricky bonds of desire and betrayal break her?

My Thoughts:

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch is an exciting tale of magic and intrigue. The main character Josefine finds herself lost within the magical world that she thought that she knew, when an event turns her life upside down and she discovers that people have been keeping secrets all around her. She finds herself on the run with a small band of misfits who slowly become friends.

The lead character, Josefine, has a run of misfortunes, yet she remains a strong person. Sure, sometimes she starts to fall apart and be self pitying, but in the circumstances that is to be expected. For the most part, she is courageous and driven, and you become invested in her journey. The secondary protagonist characters in this story are all extremely likeable as well. Even Luna, the witch who starts off just a bit abrasive, and the slightly arrogant vampire Lucius. Though I think my favorite character is probably Bertram.

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch takes place in modern day Germany (and a touch of France), yet the world is one of old gods, witches, and vampires. The settings are colorfully described and very detailed. Most of the story happens within the confines of the fantastical and more ethereal settings, so you sometimes forget that it is supposed to be modern, until out of nowhere you get hit with a reference to a cell phone or an automobile. The mythology concepts may be familiar to fantasy readers, but many of the common tropes are missing and that is refreshing. 

One of the things I always look at is "how predictable is the story?" I enjoy being surprised - which happens less often than I would like. Well Josefine: Shadows of the Witch definitely had me guessing. Some things I had figured out early on, like the relationship between the First Vampire and his witch . But other things completely caught me off guard. I have an inkling of an idea about Josefine's big secret , as well as her relationship to Lucius , but those questions are not answered in this book, so I will have to read further on in the series to see if I am right or way off base.

Overall, Josefine: Shadows of the Witch is an action packed story with plenty of magic and mystery. From beginning to end, it is a very fascinating read that will keep you on your toes.

I received a complimentary preview copy of Josefine: Shadows of the Witch from Booksprout and Denise Daye in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Parent's Guide:

Josefine: Shadows of the Witch has a lot of violence. Not that this is a bad thing, but the book is about a war between witches and vampires, and the violence is present and sometimes described in detail. There are also some occasions of swearing. Despite this, I still think that it is a great option for the older teens who enjoy high fantasy. But probably not the best for younger, more sensitive readers.

Don't Hex with Texas

 

Don't Hex With Texas (Enchanted, Inc. #4)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9780345492937
292 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Everything’s bigger in Texas—including romance, magic, and danger!

Katie Chandler has fled fast-paced Manhattan and returned home to a simpler life, working at her family’s feed-and-seed store in Cobb, Texas. In a painfully selfless gesture, Katie had left the sexy wizard Owen Palmer to battle his demons in the magical realm–after all, Katie just seemed to attract evil, which only made Owen’s job a lot harder. But now it seems that trouble has followed her home: Despite the fact that Merlin, Katie’s old boss at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has assured her that Cobb is free of enchantment, (magically speaking), Katie begins to notice curious phenomena.

Cobb is being plagued by a series of inexplicable petty crimes and other devilish mischief, and after her experiences in Manhattan, Katie knows “unauthorized magic” when she sees it. As this new darkness strikes deep in the heart of Texas, Owen appears (literally) to investigate. Now Katie’s friends and family must show the bad guys why it’s bad luck to hex with Texas, while Katie and Owen combine their strengths like never before to uncover a sinister plot before evil takes root in the Lone Star State.

My Thoughts:

Book four of the Enchanted, Inc. series opens on Katie back with family in her hometown of Cobb, Texas, where she fled to at the end of Damsel Under Stress. Which was super cruel, after we spent 2 books waiting for Katie and Owen to finally get together.

If I'm being totally honest, I was really nervous going into this volume from the Enchanted, Inc. series. I have lived in Texas almost all of my life and I tend to find that when it is mentioned in books - especially as a focal point - that stereotypes abound. Which gets old pretty fast. So I approached Don't Hex With Texas with a fair degree of trepidation. There are definitely a few stereotypes, but it does not fall victim to a lot of the tropes that plague books written by authors who "did research" and do not live in the area.

The change of scene gave an opportunity for fresh story with new faces. But it also meant that we did not get to see faces that we have all come to love, like Rod, Sam, and Merlin. Most interestingly, it gave us the opportunity to meet the rest of Katie's family (having already met mom and dad in Once Upon Stilettos), all of which were unique and likeable - with the possible exception of one sister in law. Isn't that always the case? 😅 The best character out of this bunch had to be Katie's grandmother, who believed in "the old ways" and was thought to be a total lunatic by most of the family. Knowing what we, the reader, know about their world? The joke's on them.

The plot centralizes around magic starting to appear in their very nonmagical town and Katie, as the only local who should know about magic, being forced to investigate. When she discovers the root of the problem, a particular shady wizard who I didn't really expect to pop up in this volume and reports back to NYC, the decision is made to bring in the big guns and Owen shows up on her doorstep.

The story in Don't Hex With Texas seems to move slow, even when compared to other volumes in this series. Despite this, the plot is not lacking. There are plenty of twists and turns and keeps you interested. There are also some really funny parts, like Owen running around in a borrowed LARP costume cloak and literally every interaction with Katie's grandmother. There are some pretty predictable moments like when it is revealed that Katie's older brother is the wizard causing chaos all over town. Also plenty of surprising moments like the fact that his wife was not involved and put him in his place for it. Also, that one of the other brothers is immune too and knew something was going on and just never bothered to say anything.

Don't Hex With Texas wasn't my favorite book in the series, but it still ranked slightly above Damsel Under Stress. It was funny and interesting, but I missed the fast paced NYC scene and this one was just too slow paced for me. Not enough to deter me from continuing with the series though.

Parent's Guide:

As with the other books in the Enchanted, Inc. series, Don't Hex with Texas is relatively safe in themes, with little more than some fantasy violence. This book does contain a few criminal acts (thefts) but the error of ways is seen and attempts at reparation are made. The themes may be too much for the youngest readers, but in general this book is teen friendly and entertaining.

The Oz Counter:

NONE! And again I have to say that I was shocked. This series is so centralized to magic. And this time they were in the South, closer to Kansas. Home of scarecrows and farms. I mean come on, she went home. There totally could have been a "no place like home" joke! But nope. I fully expected at least one reference. I was failed.

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

Scared Shiftless

   

Scared Shiftless
By  Theophilus Monroe

ISBN : 9798749348521
363 Pages
Available in Paperback, on Audible, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

A stiletto heel through a vampire’s heart…

Who ever said you had to sacrifice fabulous for functional?

Eventually I’d find her, the one who stole my abilities.

Now I was stuck like this…

As a water elemental, everything about me before was fluid…

My shape, my gender…

Hell, I didn’t even have a gender before…

Whatever form was most appealing to my human prey… that’s the shape I’d take.

Luring my prey to my watery lair through sex appeal and alluring song…

I didn’t even know that vampires were real…

How was I supposed to know that I’d chosen a vampire as an entree?

When I was bit that damned bloodsucker stole my shape-shifting ability…

I was scared shiftless.

I'm out for more than vengeance. I want my life back. But even if I catch her, even if I kill the vampire who ruined my life… can I even take my abilities back? Or, am I destined to stay like this…forever.

My Thoughts:

Scared Shiftless is the tale of Nyx, aka Nicky, I was surprised to see it spelled that way in the publisher's literature - in my head she was a fabulous Nikki <3 a vampire hunter with a unique background - she is a water elemental. Nicky was bitten by a vampire who stole her ability to shapeshift, an elemental necessity, which has kept her from being able to return to her watery home and has trapped her into a seemingly human existence - in a seemingly human male body.  

A pivotal element of Nicky's character is that she identifies as a trans woman. In reality, previous to her humanlike existence, Nicky did not have a concept of gender at all. However, after being trapped in a gendered human body, she had to start living like a human - eating human food and wearing clothing - and discovered that the clothing that spoke to her heart was that which was traditionally designated for human females. This causes difficulties and judgements against her that she does not understand until she is befriended by Donnie, a trans woman who at first assumes that Nicky is like her. She explains to Nicky what it is to be trans and the two become roommates and look out for one another.

The writer appears to have a good grasp of the struggles and realities that occur within the trans community and this book goes a long way in explaining those struggles to outsiders. If I had one complaint about this book, it is that occasionally these explanations become like lectures, going off on wild tangents and diverting too far from the core story for too long. The most notable case of this is in chapter two. But eventually the story gets reigned back in and on its path, and the reader has a better understanding of the character for it. 

The world presented in Scared Shiftless is a recognizable one, the American Midwest, but is also presented to the reader as a new place, full of magic and creatures of the night. There are very real locations, that most everybody has heard of, as well as whimsical imaginary ones. This pseudo-real world is wonderfully developed and the history of the vampires and other mystical beings is explored in length, leaving the reader with a solid grasp of who everyone is and what they can do. 

The story has plenty of familiar vampire concepts, with some new ones thrown in for good measure. A lot of the "vampire rules" reminded me of the world from the shows The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. It you like those, you will definitely enjoy this book. Best of all, the book was not predictable. I mean sure, there may have been a thing or two along the way, and I kinda guessed the endgame outcome with Wolfgang, and even had an inkling as to the outcome with Alice. But that surprise twist at the end where  Devin turned out to be a warlock and had been working for Alice all along really caught me off guard.

The audiobook is narrated by Kasey Logan. The narrator has an emotive, lively voice, and is capable of keeping the listener interested. Her character voices are top notch and she has energy to give both Donnie and Nicky just the right amount of fabulous sass.

Scared Shiftless is the first audiobook in a while that I can truly say I thoroughly enjoyed listening to from beginning to end. I was engaged throughout the whole thing and did not have to rewind and replay bits because I got bored and tuned out. Rather, I was eager to hear more, and I cannot wait for the following volumes.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of Scared Shiftless from StoryOrigin in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon at the links I have shared above.

Parent's Guide:

Scared Shiftless is your standard sci-fi fantasy fare - a bit of violence and a minor touch of swearing. It also touches quite a bit on personal development and discovering one's true self. and  For younger readers, it may be a bit heavy. But for the older teens, this is an excellent fantasy read, especially if they like vampires.

Persephone Plus

Persephone Plus
By  Stevie Rae Causey

ISBN: 9798742133803
67 Pages
Available in Paperback, on Audible, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

After a year of banishment in the modern world Persephone must convince Olympus that love comes in many forms.

Persephone and Aphrodite must settle an old rivalry regarding their shared lover, or forfeit them to the mortal realm forever in this LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy short story. As their time runs out and the Goddess of Love shows no sign of wavering, it is up to Persephone to find a way to save the mortal she loves, without hurting the immortal she married.

If you like old myths with modern twists and complicated romance, you'll love Persephone Plus.

My Thoughts:

Persephone Plus is a short story adaptation of the tale of the relationship dispute between Persephone, Adonis, and Aphrodite that is told in a modern high school setting. I listened to the audiobook version, which was just under 37 minutes long. It's definitely a quickie read, but I think it could have benefitted with a little more time to flesh out the story more.

The story is full of imagery and emotion, but lacking in exposition in some key areas. For starters, it felt like you jumped in mid-narrative. The way the characters are talking, you feel like you should know what is going on, but you don't. There is backstory about the characters being banished from Olympus that is never properly covered or elaborated on. As you listen, you start to figure out some of the intricacies of the existing relationships, but other parts remain unclear if you do not know the mythological history behind the characters.

Persephone Plus is marketed as a LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy, but I find that label to be slightly misleading. The main theme of the story is that of polyamorous relationships, which typically do not by default fall under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. The only LGBTQ+ aspect occurs in the form where, for whatever reason, the writer chose to have Adonis identify as they/them. Historically, there is no case for this. In fact, Adonis was very much male - so much that "adonis" has long been used as a term for extremely handsome men. It feels more like an attempt to emphasize the "wokeness" of the writer and shoehorn the book into a LGBTQ+ classification. If it was an original story with original characters, it would be less questionable, but to take well established characters and change something so drastic just makes little sense. 

If you are a mythology lover like me and are familiar with the lore behind the Adonis & Persephone story and maybe I am more critical because of this, then you will notice several other changes. Persephone Plus is clearly written to make Persephone out to be the champion, solver of problems, and a caring person, while painting Aphrodite as your typical vapid "mean girl". Whereas, in the mythos, Persephone was the one who stole Adonis. Aligning with this noticeable change in narrative is the fact that when the contract is settled Adonis chooses to split his year equally between Persephone and Aphrodite, whereas in the original story he chose Aphrodite and spent his remaining 4 months that were previously unallocated with her. 

It also seems like the story is written to lift up the concept of polyamorous relationships, when in truth it is a really bad example of polyamorous relationships because Persephone's decision is forced on Hades rather than being made with his consent. It also appears that Adonis has been trapped into making a decision and Aphrodite is being coerced to agree to something they clearly do not want. The reality is that Persephone Plus is trying to romanticize a toxic situation, but is not really succeeding. Overall, the substance is lacking, but the storytelling is creative. It makes for a okay short read if you want a fluff tale to waste some time. 

In regards to the narration: The audiobook is narrated by Brenda Scott Wlazlo. The narrator has a nice clear voice and she was capable at distinguishing between the characters and portraying believable emotion in the characters. The reading pace was decent and the storytelling was engaging enough to keep you interested in listening.

I received a complimentary audiobook copy of Persephone Plus from StoryOrigin in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon.

Parent's Guide:

Persephone Plus is a tame tale and set in a relatable high school setting. There isn't a lot of exposition, so if the reader isn't familiar with Greek mythology they may get confused, but overall there isn't anything that is really inappropriate for pre-teen or teen readers. If your child likes mythology, they will probably enjoy this fresh and relatable perspective on an old tale.

Damsel Under Stress

 

Damsel Under Stress (Enchanted, Inc. #3)
By  Shanna Swendson

ISBN: 9780345492920
320 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

To-do: Stop the bad guys. Rescue the wizard. Find the perfect outfit for New Year's Eve.

At last, Owen Palmer, the dreamboat wizard at Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc., has conjured up the courage to get Katie Chandler under the mistletoe at the office holiday party. But just when it looks like Katie has found her prince, in pops her inept fairy godmother, Ethelinda, to throw a wand into the works. Ethelinda's timing couldn’t be worse. A plot hatched by MSI's rogue ex-employees, Idris and his evil fairy gal pal Ari, threatens to expose the company's secrets - and the very existence of magic itself. Even worse, it could also mean the end of Katie's happily-ever-after. Now Katie and Owen must work side by side (but alas, not cheek to cheek) to thwart the villains' plans. Braving black-magic-wielding sorceresses, subway-dwelling dragons, lovelorn frog princes, and even the dreaded trip to meet Owen's parents at Christmas, Katie and her beau are in a battle to beat Idris at his own sinister game. All mischief and matters of the heart will come to a head at a big New Year's Eve gala, when the crystal ball will drop, champagne will pour, and Katie will find herself truly spellbound.

My Thoughts:

Katie and Owen are finally together, and it only took 3 books to get there! I wanted to be excited for them, but every turn in Damsel Under Stress felt like it was trying to make a point that they should not be together after all. It was all so confusing, and frustrating. But I still rooted for them. And wanted to absolutely strangle Ethelinda. 

Ethelinda. Let's talk about Ethelinda. Damsel Under Stress introduces Ethelinda as Katie's wayward, well-intentioned but utterly inept fairy godmother. She walks around looking like an absolute disaster, yet carries a chip on her shoulder thanks to her most successful mentee/charge - the actual Cinderella. Riding on the memory of this career high, she thinks that she knows what is best for everyone and she causes a lot of trouble because of it - trouble for others that Katie finds herself having to fix, and quite serious trouble for Katie herself. I feel like her description is supposed to endear her to the reader, but she just annoyed me.

Another new face, or rather a set of new faces, introduced in Damsel Under Stress is that of Owen's foster parents. In contrast to that of the fairy godmother, these interactions are truly charming. His parents have distinct personalities and give you a bit more insight on why Owen is how he is. James and Gloria are extremely likeable characters. Even when Gloria is being harsh, you can tell it is coming from a place of love. You also get to meet Owen's cat Loony, who is just the most precious thing ever and makes you love Owen that much more.

Plot wise, this one has a bit more going on than the last two. Idris and Ari are up to their usual shenanigans, but no longer coordinated, which causes even more chaos. Especially when Ari's interference causes Katie to start to exhibit magical abilities (which she doesn't tell people about in a timely fashion because she obviously didn't learn her lesson the last time around...). Then things get crazy with the addition of a couple of frog princes, some (sometimes froggy) corporate intrigue, a subway tunnel full of dragons - which of course Owen tames and starts treating like they are no different than his cat Loony, because he is just that precious - and a life altering interaction with Katie's roommates. Inexplicably, even with all of this going on, the pace seems slow at times - but that is probably for the best so you can take it all in. 

Of all of the Enchanted, Inc. books that I have read so far, Damsel Under Stress is probably my least favorite. It's not a bad book, and it is funny. I just didn't like it as much as the previous ones - mostly because Ethelinda just annoyed me that much. Also, the ending will just gut you. I was glad that I had immediate access to the next book. I can't imagine what it was like for those who read this book before book four was published.

Parent's Guide:

Like it's predecessors, Damsel Under Stress is relatively easy to read and the story is fun. There is romance but no sex. A little cussing. As always. there is fighting, but it is almost all of the magical variety. This book is decently teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Oz Counter:

 Two. And they were solid, aware, and intentional ones too.

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

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.