Tag: ghosts

REVIEW: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

REVIEW: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Florence Day is a ghostwriter for a best-selling romance novelist. But since her big break up a year ago, she has struggled with the happily-ever-after world of romance. She thought maybe, with a new editor, she could convince her publisher to let “Ann Nichols” try something different. No dice. Benji Andor, the editor, said the book was due on schedule – the day after their meeting.

Later that night, Florence ran into her ex, ran into Benji, KISSED Benji, and then found out her father died. Any thought of finishing the book flew out of her head as she returned to Marimont – to her family, to the family funeral home, and to the ghosts.

Florence and her father were able to see ghosts. And it’s a power that only caused trouble for Florence as a teen. But when Florence sees the ghost of Benji in Mairmont, she can’t ignore her gift any more.

Review

This was delightful! I loved all of it – the characters, the writerly bits, the romance, the family drama. All of it!

Ultimately this feels like Florence’s journey back to herself – after her breakup, after writer’s block, after fleeing her family and her home. And her journey is supremely satisfying! The romance was a happy extra to a great character story.

I have loved Ashley Poston’s YA work since I first read Geekerella. This is a slight departure as it is an adult romance instead of a young adult book, but it is easily as good as her other stories. Contemporary romance fans, paranormal romance fans, and Poston fans should absolutely check this book out! (Language, sex)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read.

REVIEW: The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford

REVIEW: The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DAW in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

The king is dead. Poison. And his relative has taken the throne and the crown.

Valdas is a king’s guard, on the run, looking for the truth. He’s the scapegoat for the new king, just like his men were.
Mirza is a witch and healer trying to take her place in her roving band.
And Lind? Lind is the king’s assassin.

But when Valdas is almost killed and Mirza must use her gifts to bring him back from near death, the two encounter the ghost of the murdered king. And he binds them to the quest for the truth.

Review

The writing here is enjoyable, and the characters and their situations were engaging. But the story was slow and drawn out for me. For example, the encounter with the king’s ghost didn’t happen for a quarter of the book. And while I usually don’t mind stories where you know the different characters are moving toward one another eventually, I was missing a driving story that pushed me forward to get to that place. The pace made the book too easy to set down and not pick up for awhile. And in the end, I didn’t finish it.

I think fans of longer, more intricate fantasy will find a lot here to enjoy. I did like several of the characters, and I found their situations interesting. The world building is well done, too. But I seem to be in a reading space where I need the author to get to the point. I need fast paced stories that grab me from page one rather than slow builds. There’s nothing wrong with a slow build for a story, but it’s not a great fit for me right now. (Language, sex, violence/gore, reference to sexual assault of a minor)

Rating: ♥♥♥* – did not finish

*♥♥♥ = Solid/fine

 

REVIEW: Whatever Happens (Julie and the Phantoms) by Candace Buford

REVIEW: Whatever Happens (Julie and the Phantoms) by Candace Buford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Includes SPOILERS for the Netflix show Julie and the Phantoms.

[At the end of season one of Julie and the Phantoms, the band has finished playing at the Orpheum, but the guys don’t “cross over.” Their unfinished business, whatever it is, isn’t done. Julie finds them in the studio, still suffering from Caleb’s power over them. But something happens that releases them from Caleb; their club stamps disappear. And for the first time, Julie can touch them even though they are ghosts.]

While Alex and Reggie leave to find Willie and see what they can figure out about their more solid ghostly state, Luke and Julie reminisce about their show at the Orpheum and talk about their most cherished days from the past. For Luke, it’s the day Sunset Curve was preparing to play the Orpheum the first time in 1995. For Julie, it’s a day she spent with her mom in 2019, before they knew her mom was sick.

Review

This is so clever! It fills in fun backstory for the characters without getting in the way of any potential season 2 stories for the show. Fans will get to read about songwriting moments for Luke, Julie, and Rose as well as some family interactions for Alex, Flynn, and Julie. Readers get a glimpse at Bobby and his place in the band and find out a little more about Reggie’s family.

As old as I am, I am probably way too attached to a show for kids and teens, but I absolutely *adore* these characters. I have my fingers crossed that Netflix will shoot at least one more season of the show. But while we all wait, fans will love getting to spend time with these characters in some new stories which fit perfectly into the show and reveal a little more depth to each of the teens. This book made me love my favorite characters all the more.

If I was rating this on my enjoyment alone, I would give this 4.5 stars. I loved it. I would re-read this. The author does almost too good of a job conveying the chemistry between Luke and Julie (this is a middle grade story, after all), and I am thrilled to add some backstory to my head canon about these characters. A lot of that character depth comes from the characters getting to tell their own parts of the stories. Each of the 6 teens has at least one point-of-view chapter. But that is also where the wrinkle comes in for me. The set up is that Luke and Julie are alone, telling these stories to one another. There’s no place in that set up for the other 4 characters to chime in with their perspective on group events, much less sharing about things that happened away from Luke or Julie. That structural wrinkle would drop my book rating to probably a 3.5 – the story is otherwise solid. I’m going to give it an average rating of 4 here, but in my head, the content is definitely rated higher than that.

Readers will want to have at least a passing knowledge of the events in the show and the characters in order to enjoy this. Fans craving new content for these characters should snap this up. (LGBTQ+, TW: coming out stories/parental disapproval)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read (but you know I totally will with this one!)

BONUS REVIEW: Phantoms and Felonies by Lucy Ness

BONUS REVIEW: Phantoms and Felonies by Lucy Ness

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

The Portage Path Women’s Club is hosting a murder mystery dinner and fundraiser. Avery gets some help from Clemmie, the resident ghost from the 1920s, to turn the old speakeasy into an authentic space for their production. And things are coming together, but the production isn’t without its troubles.

The financial backer – and star of the show – is bickering constantly with the playwright. The Women’s Club members are bickering over whether the event – and the Club in general – should be open to the public instead of just the club members with long histories with the group. And one of the women at the Club suspects her husband of having an affair.

Avery just wants to get through the play. The Club needs the money, the success, and the good press. But that’s just not possible when someone is killed during the production.

Review

Another fun story in the Haunted Mansion Mystery series after Haunted Homicide (♥♥♥♥). I enjoy Avery and “her cop,” Oz. They are sweet together, and while he wants to keep her safe, he doesn’t shut her completely out of his investigations when it comes to the Club. As for the other characters, I don’t always track the Club ladies very well, except for the one who does roller derby. I’d like to see those characters developed a little more as the series goes on.

There are tons of suspects for this murder, including an unexpected surprise for Avery. I was stumped until the end of this one. The final confrontation and the solution were great.

This book delved more into the paranormal elements than the last book which was just Clemmie the ghost. This included a séance and some spiritualists as well as another ghost. I did enjoy getting a few new tidbits to Clemmie’s story, but I resented those whose actions could have caused her trouble. I have my fingers crossed that we will get more of Clemmie’s story as the series continues.

Fans of paranormal mysteries, especially ones with ghosts, should check this series out. (Séance, ghosts)

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert

REVIEW: The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Sabrina is back home in the Dells after losing her job. She just needs to pay some bills and find a new gig, and she can leave. Sure, she loves her family. It’s the ghosts she can do without.

The women in Sabrina’s family can see and speak with ghosts. And it’s their job to help the recently departed finish their unfinished business and cross over. With Sabrina’s anxiety, she doesn’t need the added stress of ghosts and ghostly conversations.

Ray has purchased a supper club in Wisconsin – The Otter Club – much to his mother’s dismay. She’d do anything to get Ray to give up this “foolishness” and return to New York. But Ray’s dad gives him one chance to stay – find the money to buy out his late uncle’s portion of the business, and show his parents he belongs in Wisconsin by planning the annual Goodbye Gala.

Ray and Sabrina keep running into one another. And there’s definitely a spark there. But she has her mind set on leaving town as soon as possible. And he has family secrets to uncover and a quest to secure the life he wants in Wisconsin. Can a spark overcome two people headed in opposite directions?

Review

This was so great! I loved the combination of the contemporary romance with the paranormal/ghostly piece. I’ve read plenty of paranormal stories before, but there was something different about this that I adored. The ghostly piece is light, and sometimes funny. But the punch of it is the impact it has on Sabrina with her high levels of anxiety. And Ray’s reaction to the ghostly part of her life is going to be crucial to what happens between then.

From the characters to the setting (Wisconsin!) to the humor and the sweet romance, this was a treat to read! I was so busy that it took me a few days to finish the book. Every time I thought about getting back to it, I smiled. Just thinking about these characters and the story made me smile. I still feel that way now that I have finished it. The whole story is a delight. I would absolutely read this one again.

Don’t miss this one if you enjoy contemporary romance or romance novels with light paranormal elements! (Language, sex, edibles used for anxiety, TW: anxiety/panic attacks)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ = I loved it! Would read again.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past by Traci Wilton

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: Mrs. Morris and the Ghost of Christmas Past by Traci Wilton

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Kensington in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Charlene and her parents are dining at Bella’s Italian Ristorante for an auction fundraiser for the Felicity House for Children. The event is hosted by the restaurant’s manager, and Charlene’s friend, David Baldwin. David recently won the lottery, and there’s lots of talk about his winnings. He even passes out some checks to people at the event – to his business partner, a graduate of the Felicity House program, and to the Felicity House staff (although it’s a much smaller check than what he’s promised to deliver later). His own son gets an IOU as well.

Then, before the night is over, David goes running out of the restaurant mumbling names no one recognizes. And then he’s struck, but no one saw the vehicle that hit him. Now David is dead, his second wife has closed the bank account so no one can cash David’s checks, and she’s ready to leave town with all of his money.

Charlene is determined to do what she can to help Felicity House. David’s promised money was going to go to an addition onto one of their facilities; they are outgrowing what they already have. Now, they don’t even have money for Christmas, so Charlene’s going to help find some. And Charlene’s ghostly friend, Jack, is ready to offer his insights as she works on who killed David.

Review

This is the third book in the Salem B&B Mystery series, but the first I have read. I like Charlene and her B&B. I loved the Felicity House pieces – the agency’s mission, the fundraiser, Charlene’s support of them, and the connection Charlene makes with one of the teens. That piece is probably my favorite from the book.

The ghost piece was interesting. It was like reading a book with a love triangle, but one leg of it is implausible. I liked how Jack tweaked Charlene’s mom and the cat, but otherwise the character didn’t grab me. Maybe I would have liked him more if I started the series from the beginning.

The mystery here was good. Lots of suspects to consider. I was able to puzzle out the killer before Charlene, but I was guessing for a long while.

Charlene’s mom made this hard to enjoy at times. She had some lovely moments, but not enough to completely offset her awful ones. She has a prickly, abrasive way about her, both with those she’s close to and also with total strangers. She’s a lot to take.

Series fans should check out Charlene’s latest adventure set at Christmas (with a few references to Wicca and the solstice). I think new readers can pick the series up here without issue.

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/fine/sold

REVIEW: The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington

REVIEW: The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Lexington was around 5 an EF5 tornado blew her into the Lexington, Nebraska zoo. An elephant named Nyah protected Lex from the storm. Her family never came to claim her leaving everyone to assume they had been killed in the devastating storm. Lex had no memory of her name or her life before the tornado. So one of the zoo employees took her in and became her guardian, raising her at the zoo. He named her Lexington after the town and the zoo.

Lex loves her life at the zoo. Roger takes great care of her. Her best friend, Fisher, lives there, too, as his dad is the zookeeper. Lex even does school at the zoo with Fisher’s mom. And best of all, Nyah is at the zoo.

Lex’s connection with Nyah is special. She communicates with Lex through a deep rumble and in images directly in Lex’s mind when she gets close enough. They had this connection that night of the storm, and it’s still there now, seven years later.

And Nyah’s message for Lex this time is urgent. The images she sees send Lex into the woods outside the zoo where she meets a ghost on a quest to find lost treasure.

Review

This unusual book – a contemporary story which takes place at a zoo but also has a ghost and elephant telepathy – was an unexpected delight!

As I first dug into the story, I read it with an eyebrow raised. Magical elephants? A ghost? It’s an odd story at first and those magical pieces were not what I was expecting.

But Lex is an endearing character. I loved her. My heart broke for her in her loss and in the harassment from other kids that sends her running for the zoo more than once. I was intrigued by the quest the ghost sends Lex on. The pacing of the treasure hunt was great.

By the end, I couldn’t read fast enough to see how the mystery would wrap up and what would happen with Lex. And I think the ending is perfect. This is intriguing, entertaining, and heart-warming – and so satisfying!

Give this to fans of elephants/elephant stories. I think readers who adored The One and Only Ivan might enjoy this. This would also be good for readers who enjoy magical elements in their books. This would make for a great book club book or a family/classroom read aloud.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Murder at the Palace by Margaret Dumas

REVIEW: Murder at the Palace by Margaret Dumas

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

After discovering her husband’s infidelity in all its publicized Hollywood glory, Nora Paige flees to San Francisco. Her best friend Robbie puts her up in her guest house and asks her to step in as manager of The Palace, a theater that shows movies as classic as the building is.

On her first day, Nora meets her core staff – Marty, the grumpy projectionist; Albert, who’s been seeing movies at the Palace for over 80 years; Callie, the film student; and Brandon, the teen concessions worker. All of them were quite fond of the last manager, Kate, who had died only a couple weeks earlier from a fall. When Nora discovers a dead body at The Palace, though, Kate’s death starts to look less and less like an accident.

With the help of her staff, her friend Robbie, Kate’s best friend Monica, and Trixie the ghost of an usherette who died at The Palace, Nora is looking into what really happened to Kate. What she finds will have a long-lasting impact on The Palace.

Review

I loved this! Nora was GREAT! I loved how she is processing the changes in her life while dealing with all the things going on at The Palace.

The setting of this is so fresh. I loved the classic movies angle, both for the theater and also throughout the story. I’m excited to track down some of the movies that are part of the book.

The cast of characters is quirky and eclectic. And there’s enough of them to be interesting without there being too many to track. Nora’s relationship with her grumpy projectionist is my favorite. I so want her to put him in his place when he questions her movie “cred,” but I figure that will come eventually. The author throws in an interesting wrinkle right at the end which will carry readers into book 2. I can’t wait!

The mystery is great. Not too drawn out, but with interesting suspects and motives. Lots of questions for Nora to work through and for readers to puzzle out, too.

I’m a huge fan of this series launch. I’m eager to see where things go in the future with this must-read Movie Palace Mystery series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Fixing to Die by Miranda James

REVIEW: Fixing to Die by Miranda James

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Miss An’gel Ducote, her sister Dickce and their ward, Benjy, travel to Cliffwood, an historic home in Natchez, Mississippi. The Caitlins, Mary Turner and Henry Howard, have invited them into their home, which serves as a bed and breakfast for most of the year. The Ducote sisters were dear friends to Mary Turner’s grandmother. The Caitlins seem to be having issues with a ghost. Mary Turner hopes An’gel and Dickce can figure out what’s going on while the B&B is closed to guests for a little while.

Cliffwood isn’t as empty as the Caitlins expected it to be when the Ducotes arrive. Mrs. Primrose Pace is a psychic who claims she was summoned to the house to help them deal with spirits. Then Mary Turner’s distant cousin, Serenity, her lawyer, Truscott, and Serenity’s brother, Nathan, also arrive. Nathan is convinced that his branch of the family was cheated out of part of their inheritance. He’s determined to either find another will or pester Mary Turner until he gets what he wants.

While the ghost – or prankster – makes several appearances to the guests of the house, something even more sinister is going on when one of the guests ends up dead.

Review

I’m not much for ghost stories, so it took me a little while to find my rhythm with this book. Once all the players were in place, though, I was completely engrossed in trying to figure out whodunit.

I enjoy the Ducote sisters and their entourage, including their pets. It was nice to see them in a new setting with new characters and crimes. (This is the fourth book in the series.) The references to the Nancy Drew mysteries the sisters read as girls were fun. I read them as a kid along with the Bobbsey Twins and Trixie Belden mysteries. They set the foundation to my life-long love of mysteries with spunky protagonists. And the Ducote sisters, while in their 70s, certainly qualify as spunky!

Solid mystery in this one. I guessed wrong – and I was certain I was right. I enjoyed the surprise in the solution that I didn’t see coming. The ones that keep me wondering all the way to the end are almost as fun to read as the ones I am able to puzzle out.

I think readers can enjoy this mystery out of order, but to understand the sisters and their ward and how that all came together, it’s better to read the series in order. It’s going to be awhile until we see a 5th book in this series as the author has announced a shift to publishing two books per year in another series. This will give readers plenty of time to get caught up on this fun southern series if you haven’t been reading it all this time.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury

REVIEW: Doom with a View by Kate Kingsbury

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Melanie West and her grandmother, Liza Harris, have finally opened their bed and breakfast after some trouble with a skeleton and a fire. Now they have their first set of guests, the elderly members of a book club who live near Portland.

This kick off week is going to be great! They have a new assistant, Cindi, to help with serving breakfast and cleaning the rooms while Melanie and Liza do the cooking. Cindi even gets her boyfriend to be a magician for their Halloween party. It’s going to be a great event.

But when one of their guests falls through sabotaged railings on the balcony, the local lead detective arrives at the Merry Ghost Inn with his usual gruff demeanor (Liza calls him “Grumpy”). He warns Melanie and Liza to stay out of his case. But they need their B&B to succeed. That means solving the mystery and getting their home and business back to normal. And they have their resident ghost, Orville, to help them again.

Review

This is the first Merry Ghost Inn book – book 2 in the series – I have read. It was easy to get into the story even without having read book one. Most of the action centered around their current guests, which will change with each book. The locals who are likely series regulars are well-defined in the story, even for a second book, so I was able to dig into the story right away. I like this because it means anyone can pick up the series and feel at home even if they didn’t get to the books in order.

The mystery was good. From the start there were several suspects but few clues to start eliminating anyone. I was eventually able to figure out the solution before the end, which is always satisfying.

I liked the main characters, but I didn’t click with them. They are completely likable; I have no complaints. I just didn’t feel drawn into their lives. Maybe that is the draw back of reading book 2 before the first one. Maybe I would have felt more connected by being introduced to the characters in the introduction to the series.

There are some interesting story lines that are laid out and go beyond this particular book, arching through the entire series. But I’m not sure I was hooked enough into the characters to come back to see how those threads work out. I have read paranormal stories before, but the ghost hook here didn’t grab my attention. I wasn’t turned off by it, or by the “seance” in the story, but those pieces didn’t distinguish this story for me from others in the genre. Again, I wonder if this is a drawback of starting with book two. The characters and the ghostly pieces might work better for readers who start from the beginning of the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ♥♥♥