Tag Archives: Witches

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Night Shift

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This series is one of those rare gems that elicits a longing for its continuation, even as readers acknowledge that every tale must eventually reach its conclusion. I must say, the ending of this particular installment was masterfully crafted, providing a satisfying resolution that deftly tied up all loose ends.

In this third book, the characters have evolved significantly, allowing readers to form a deeper connection with them. The author has painted a vivid picture of the town, making it so well-defined that you can easily imagine the streets, the cozy corners where each character resides, and the unique atmosphere that envelops Midnight. The storytelling is compelling, with prose that grips the reader’s attention, leading them to read long into the night, despite knowing the pressing need for rest.

The narrative takes a darker turn as an unexpected phenomenon begins at the pawnshop in Midnight, where residents are purchasing weapons to commit suicide at the infamous crossroads. Initially, this unsettling trend goes unnoticed, but as more townsfolk succumb to this chilling impulse, it becomes clear that something sinister is at play. Lemuel, the town’s solitary vampire, is deeply invested in unraveling the mystery. He has been meticulously translating a collection of ancient texts, believing these may hold crucial insights into the strange occurrences.

Fiji and her circle of friends find themselves grappling with a deep sense of unease and confusion as the situation escalates. It is only when Fiji reveals to her companions that she has been hearing a disembodied voice seemingly urging others to a fatal destiny that the group begins to grasp the gravity of their situation. Notably, the situation also weighs heavily on Olivia, who must confront her own challenges amidst the turmoil facing their community. The decisions that must be made have the potential to irrevocably alter the lives of everyone in Midnight, leading to outcomes that could be either disastrous or transformative.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment and genuinely hope for more installments in the future. Midnight has become an enchanting place full of intrigue, making it an irresistible destination for readers. If you haven’t yet delved into this series, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so; it is truly a captivating journey.

My rating: ★★★

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Savage Possession

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I really enjoy this book series, but it has become too predictable for me. The characters are still fantastic, and I love how they are depicted, but the plot is becoming a bit repetitive. The main couple always has to struggle to stay together due to some external force trying to keep them apart. This theme has been consistent since the first book, and while it was enjoyable initially, it has become tedious. It would be nice to see the characters dealing with different situations, or perhaps even have another couple in the pack face romantic challenges.

Darcy always knew that her life wouldn’t be easy. She expected to face various challenges and make hard decisions. Therefore, when she is faced with death, she makes an almost immediate decision that she will do anything to stay with her love, Mason. Zane suggests that she takes on vampire nature to replace her witch nature, and Darcy agrees without considering the consequences. However, after surviving the conversion, everyone is pleased, but they sense something different and dark about Darcy.

I already have the next book in the series but I’m unsure if I want to read it right now. I already know what’s going to happen since we’ve already had a showdown with the same villain before. Do I really need to waste my time? I do like the series, but it’s time for things to move forward. It feels like we’re always in the same place.

My rating: ✭✭✭✭

https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Possession-5-Mystic-Wolves-ebook/

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Day Shift

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The story continues seamlessly a few months after Manfred has taken up residence in Midnight and he is more a member of the community. The characters are already well established and I like them all, even Olivia. The town seems to be changing in subtle ways that the residents cannot do anything about. Several stories are going on in this book that relate to individuals and then come back to the group. This is an ensemble that works well apart but even better when they come together to help each other.

People say there is no such thing as bad publicity but in Midnight where the residents value their solitude it can be deadly. Olivia Charity is an anomaly in a town of secretive people. No one really knows what she does for a living, only that she is beautiful and dangerous.

While in Dallas on a working weekend, Manfred finds out just how dangerous Olivia really is when a couple she is seen in their hotel winds up dead at the end of the evening. Things take a turn for the worse when one of Manfred’s regulars dies during their reading, and her son makes claims that could put Manfred in jail as well as bring the eyes of the world to Midnight, Texas. Olivia is told to help Manfred get rid of his problem and she reluctantly agrees.

Sookie gets a mention here and a character from Dallas who hasn’t been seen in a long time. Things get a little more mysterious in some instances and we get some explanations for other things. I enjoyed this a great deal and think anyone else would too. This is a three-book series and should be read in order.

My rating: ✺✺✺✺

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The Alchemical Detective

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The Alchemical Detective by Kirsten Weiss

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The second book gives you a little more of the characters and brings them more personality and presence. You get more of a feeling for who they are and how they are going to grow in the future. Because we move to a new location you do not really get anything from that. The location descriptions are pretty generic and you never really get a feeling for the area. The story is interesting but they keep referring to a past event that has never been explained in a way that would make it very relevant to any situation.

Riga has lost her magic and has gone to Lake Tahoe to hopefully get it back and spend some quality time with her new love, Donovan Mosse. Donovan owns a Casino that is being run by his cousin Reuben who is not happy to have Donovan back on the premises.

When a psychic is murdered the police seek out Riga, they believe she may be a suspect though they know she has consulted for the police in the past. Things go from bad to worse as a film crew hires Riga who uses them as a stepping stone to investigate what seems to be murders related to her past. Can she avoid being a victim herself?

Decent enough to keep the story moving forward but would really like to have some details on this past.



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alchemy was first a method of transforming spiritual lead into gold, of dissolving the alchemist herself, removing impurities, and unifying her disparate spiritual and psychological pieces.  It was also really complicated, which was why Riga had never gone further than an academic knowledge of the subject.

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The Metaphysical Detective

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The Metaphysical Detective by Kirsten Weiss

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I somehow managed to read the fourth book in this series and liked it so much that I decided to go back to the beginning and see how it got to where it was. I definitely liked the characters a lot or else I would not have bothered. Well, I am not liking the characters so much right now and am actually a little bored with the way things are going in this book. I am willing to give it a go because I know that things do get better as the series continues. Right now the characters are dull and their surroundings are dull and one-dimensional.

Riga’s new client, Helen Baro, says that her husband is trying to kill her. The thing about that is, her husband has been dead for the past year. Hence the need for a metaphysical detective rather than a conventional one. When Helen is found dead there is a haiku and tarot left behind as a clue as to what happened. Riga finds herself in an investigation that threatens not only her but those she loves as well.

Riga kind of annoyed me because she is so bland and the plot does not seem to be going anywhere. Riga is a strange detective/witch who is lost when it actually comes to the supernatural it seems, though maybe her back story will give more. There is a lot more than the original plot would lead you to believe but it is not all that exciting either. But as I said the books get better as time and characters evolve. So I would say to give it a look and decide for yourself. Lukewarm recommendation.



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“But why metaphysical?  Why not supernatural or psychic?” “Because metaphysics deals with first causes, not necessarily the supernatural.  I work in both worlds and I’m not a psychic.” “In other words, it works on a business card,” Lauren said shrewdly. “Guilty.”

Riga Hayworth
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Shadows of Bourbon Street

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I continue to enjoy these books because I like the characters and the setting. They are not deep and sometimes you can figure out what’s going on very quickly but they are nonetheless entertaining and that is all I want. I have found that listening and reading are both great fun with this series. The narrator, Traci Odem, is fantastic as she gives depth to the characters through her vocalizations of them. You cannot be bored when you know the backdrop is New Orleans, though I would be happy with more about mardi gras if it going to be used as a device. This was a quick read that held my interest and kept me wanting to continue to the next book.

Jade and Kane are about to say ‘I do’ when the High Angel interrupts the nuptials to give them their first assignment as Shadow Walkers. A witch is in trouble and only Jade and Kane can save her. But of course, there is more going on than meets the eye and this couple falls into it.

With three plots running it could become hard to figure out what is going on but that is not the case. Each crisis has a start, a middle, and an ending that is satisfying. One gripe is that every book has someone in Jade’s circle gaining some type of power or gift. That can get a bit monotonous. But the books are fun and fast reads so it is worth it.

My rating: ✭✭✭✭ of 5

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Angels of Bourbon Street

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Angels of Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I enjoy these books and I like most of the characters because they have been able to grow as the series has moved forward, then there are some I could do without sometimes. Being set in New Orleans makes this work perfectly for the way things seem to go for everyone here. I have never been but every time I read one of these books I can imagine that I am visiting the French Quarter or the Garden District because of the vivid descriptions of the locales. I chose to listen and read because it does make it so much easier to keep the story going when I am on the go. I can listen in my office at work while still being productive and relaxed.

Jade has been left with only half her soul because of circumstances beyond her control, even though she was doing the right thing. But she decides that nothing is going to stop her from marrying the man of her dreams, Kane. Well, things never go smoothly for Jade no matter how much she wants it to.

Jade is possessed by the ghost residing in Kane’s family home while making arrangements for her wedding. Though they are able to save her once it becomes clear that in her weakened state she is easy prey. Now she will have to live with the person who has the other half of her soul in order to keep her safe, but that does not help her friends.

The narrator, Traci Odom, does a great job of bringing the characters to life, both male and female. If you have enjoyed the first three books in this series then you will enjoy the continued adventures of this new to her craft witch.


“Everyone in this room knows I’m going to say yes, but I’m not willing to let the realm have complete control over us. If we were to become slaves to you, our lives would hardly be worth living anyway. So my offer to you is this: the pair of us will accept your condition of becoming shadowwalkers, but we want to be compensated as a low-level angel would. We also want all the benefits and rights that they have under your laws. There will be no exceptions because we are humans.”
― Deanna Chase, Angels of Bourbon Street


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Betrayed: Book Two

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betrayed Betrayed: Book Two – The Road to Redemption (Law of the Lycans #6)
by Nicky Charles

 

The characters are interesting and defined for the most part with only a few being vague outlines without a real personality. For anyone who has read the previous books in the series you will be caught up right away with what is going on here since it has only been a short time since the action in the last. The story is somewhat predictable, which is to be expected, but it still plays out perfectly and with a few surprises.

After everything that happened in Chicago Kane Sinclair has decided that he would like to take over the Chicago pack because it does not seem to be being run well. Samantha Harper, who has been illegally acting as the Alpha of the pack definitely does not agree with Kane. She thinks he is arrogant and if he had not used the Finding to take the Greyson heir for his pack then she would not have as many problems.

Kane sends his friend Damien, who had previously been a rogue being hunted by Lycan Link for various crimes, to get any information on the pack that might help with his takeover. Sam for her part is expecting a spy and tries to hire a rogue to play the part of Beta in order to fool Lycan Link into thinking her pack is growing. But things get crossed and they end up working together but still at odds, though only one of them knows that.

The romance is nice and develops at a nice pace that does not seem super rushed. The way things go from one locale to the other is smooth and allows for keeping up with the other characters from previous books. This is the perfect blend of romance and angst.

 

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

 

She looked at the man sitting across from her. Jonah was in his mid-thirties, both he and his mate, Laurie, were lifelong members of the pack. What would happen to them and the others if there was no money to support them in their old age? And even now, it cut her to the core to have to deny them. They’d yet to produce any pups; another couple falling victim to the genetic flaw most seemed to carry. While they’d talked of adopting, parentless Lycan pups were rare and there wasn’t money to pay for more fertility testing.

 

 

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What Creeps In The Night

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what creeps in the nightWhat Creeps In The Night: A Halloween Anthology
by W.J. May , Chrissy Peebles, Kristen Middleton

This anthology contains three novels which are the first in their respective series. The novels fit well together and form a nice cohesive whole. This was a nice way to be introduced to authors I had not read before and series I might have missed otherwise. The rating is based on an average of the stars I gave each book individually.
‘Seventh Mark’ by W.J. May, 4 stars
I got sucked right into this story from the very beginning and could not stop until I had reached the end. The characters were great and made me believe in their existence as individuals. The story was logical and made perfect sense. The language used by the characters and the descriptive language are what you would expect from the parties.
Rouge Riding is a foster kid who is about to turn 18 years old and be thrust into a world where she must depend on herself. She has never really cared about her past, but there may things which could make her better able to cope. First she meets Michael in passing while she is walking through the cemetery before school starts. On her first day in school she meets Grace, who turns out to be Michael’s sister. These siblings have a secret that could be deadly to an outsider, but is Rouge really an outsider or does she have a role to play in their lives?
‘The Zombie Chronicles’ by Chrissy Peebles, 3.5 stars
This pulled me in for the beginning but started to drag a bit toward the middle. The characters were well written and well fleshed making them real enough to feel for them and what they were going through for the most part. The story was interesting and flowed well.
The zombie apocalypse came out of nowhere and caught everyone by surprise in a big way. Dean and his family were lucky enough to escape to an island where his grandmother already had a home, which was isolated and easily defended. But even with that there have been secrets kept that he finds out about. He has a sister, Val, and after she makes the trip across country to find them she is infected and on the island that is an automatic death sentence. Dean plans on saving her both from execution and from becoming one of the living dead. There is a possible cure and he steals it and gets his sister out of the city with the unwitting help of his brother.
‘Enchanted Secrets’ by Kristen Middleton, 4.5 stars
This was my favorite of the three stories because it seemed to have everything to make me take notice. The writing was excellent and drew me in right away with action from the moment it started. The characters elicit an emotional response because of where they find themselves. The situations though fantastic in many ways are things that could happen to anyone.
Twin sister witches who are just coming into their power are witness to something horrible on the night they were to be inducted into the coven. After that night Vivian and Adrianne take very different paths in their lives. They were very different as girls and as women the chasm has grown even wider. One sister has had twin daughters of her own but has left them ignorant to their heritage and the power that they will need to learn how to control. But before anything else they must face a threat that wants to take away not only there power but their very lives.
The one thing that bugged me about each of these books was that they ended on a cliffhanger which means if I want to know what happens next I have to buy the next installment. I really hate cliffhangers but have to admit they work. I plan to read the rest of each series because otherwise I will feel kind of cheated. I would recommend this anthology or the novels separately. These are all YA with some light violence and harsh language.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars on average

“They’re certainly cute,” I said. Then something clicked and the blood rushed to my ears. “Yes?” he asked, prodding me. I looked at him in shock. “It’s my mother!” Tyler smiled. “Bingo.” I shook my head. “But she’s not a twin. My mom told me that she was an only child.” He shrugged. “I would too if my twin sister was a ruthless and evil witch.” “Excuse me?” “Your aunt Vivian and your mother are very powerful witches.”

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Bell, Book, and Sandals

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bell,book, and sandals  Bell, Book, and Sandals (Maxie Duncan #1)
by Melissa L. Webb

 

This was a fun little story with a girl who was annoying but seemed to grow a bit. The characters were fairly real to life because I really disliked Maxie when she started acting all stuck up and that type of dislike is reserved for someone I can relate to. The story got me interested and kept me interested to the very end with a few twists I did not see coming.

Maxie is a little rich girl who thought she was going to have the perfect little rich life. Then her fiancée dumps her just weeks before their wedding for a nobody girl named Sunday. Unhappy and just wanting to get away she runs to Hollywood thinking that she can become an actress, even though she has never acted a day in her life, and that she will become famous. Well, that is not the case and she ends up having to actually work for the first time in her life. She is lucky enough to find someone who offers her a place to live and a job.

When she meets Ryan, a real movie star and starts a relationship with him she starts to turn her back on the people who took her in and helped her. Thinking that she is meant for better things than simply working for a living. But there are things she does not know about Ryan or herself for that matter. When she finds out things are going to change in ways she could not have seen.

I got into this story and the characters and was hoping for more, but have been unable to find the next book.

 

 

My rating: 4 f 5 Stars