Book Review: Every Hex You Take by Tara Lush

It’s finally June and I’m excited to read so many excellent June releases. First up is the third book in the Crescent Moon Mysteries, Every Hex You Take. I absolutely loved the first two and I’ve been so excited for this one. How excited? I woke up at 6am yesterday and the first thing I did was check my Kindle to make sure this book was ready to devour!

Amelia Matthews is settling into her new life in Cypress Grove, running an Inn that she has inherited and learning more about her psychic abilities. When she’s approached to join a local “Gen X” coven, she’s excited. However, before she joins they task her with trying to solve a cold case. Not one to leave a case unsolved, Amelia jumps straight in. However, this case might even test her sleuthing skills to the limit… especially when her mother turns up unexpectedly.

Being a Gen X myself I absolutely love this series! It combines real life issues that are currently affecting me [hello perimenopause] with my love of solving a good mystery! This time Amelia has to take on a mystery and her prickly mother at the same time! Sometimes the results are hilarious and sometimes it made me cringe inside for her, because we’ve all been there!!!!

“I can’t wait for my crone era.”
Mom’s face contorted in horror, as if growing visibly old was the worst fate possible.

I really enjoyed the mystery. It’s a cold case and links to one of the ghosts that Amelia speaks to regularly [I won’t spoil it if you’re new to the series] and let’s just say it is thrilling to learn more about our local ghosts and how they have gotten stuck “in between”. I especially loved the “unmasking” and watching all the coven sisters work together!

Every Hex You Take packs a tantalizing mystery, intriguing characters and enough Gen X references to make my little 80’s heart soar! If you are looking for a middle-age sleuth, that has a lot of adventuring ahead of her, you can’t miss this series!

Book Review: The Plot Twist by Victoria Walters

Readers, are you looking for the quintessential romance novel? The one book that will re-affirm your love for the beautiful power of a romance book? Well I have it here, with The Plot Twist. Victoria Walter’s newest book is a love letter to romance readers and it needs to be on your Summer reading list!

Stevie Phillips has landed her dream job of working as a publicist for Turn the Pages. She’s excited for her first day, but not all goes to plan when she discovers her ex-boyfriend is her new boss! Now to help a mid-list romance author that no-one believes in, Stevie must put her anger aside and try to work with Noah. However, what is the line between love and hate and will they cross it?

Oh Em Gee! I really, really loved The Love Interest. It was a total love letter to Pride & Prejudice fans, and The Plot Twist is definitely a love letter to romance readers. This story centres around Stevie and her romantic adventures. For readers of The Love Interest we do get cameos from Liv and Aiden [swoon!!], but either book could be read as a standalone… although trust me when I say you will want to read both!

My favourite thing about The Plot Twist is it is a bookish book about books….

I’d just had a real life meet-cute. In a bookshop! It was what a romance book lover’s dreams were made of.

It also breaks down barriers about what the world thinks of romance books. As an avid reader of romance at least a few times [okay more than that] someone has looked down at me for my choice of reading material. I love romance and I love happy endings, and The Plot Twist shares what is so great about this wonderful genre!

Stevie Phillips is a wonderful heroine. She’s strong, smart and independent and was a delight to watch, as she gets so excited about promoting midlist author, Deborah Day. Her energy is simply infectious, and I love the energy she brings to everyone at Turn the Pages.

Best described as sweet and spicy, The Plot Twists brings in toe curling moments with spicy romantic moments, and I loved every second of it! I sure hope there will be more books with these characters, as I just can’t get enough of them! Another perfect romance from Victoria Walters!

Note: I received a ARC from the publisher in exchange for a review.

Book Review: Lethal Lemon Bars by Addison Moore

Lethal Lemon Bars is the 9th book in the Murder in the Mix Mysteries. As with my other reviews of the books in this series, there is spoilers to previous plots, but not to the actual mysteries.

Lottie Lemon is catering a divorce party, with the soon-to-be divorcee’s dessert of choice, Lemon Bars. However, when the “Queen Bee” Vanessa St James dies at the event, Lottie must put all her detective skills to work to find out who the murderer is.

This mystery almost got the better of me! I have a pretty good track record in solving the mystery before the final denouement, but this one almost stumped me. Nessa St James was the ultimate Queen Bee and she had made a lot of enemies, so both Lottie and myself had a bit of difficult untangling all the suspects!!

Meanwhile Lottie’s love life is also a triangle of a mess, with her relationship with Everett, and Noah still in the throws of getting divorced. As you know I love the soap opera drama that is Lottie’s love life and I’m really, REALLY hoping she stays with Everett because I’m #TeamEverett ftw!

While I love the mysteries in this series, I just love all the characters in Honey Hollow. The author keeps the series fresh by adding new characters with each book, but not too many to get them all confused. Add in the ghosts that pop up and every mystery is like a little party. I loved Lethal Lemon Bars but I have to ask if every time Lottie caters an event someone dies, why would they hire Lottie?

“You finding a body at an event that you’re catering? What would the odds of that be?”

Book Review: Summer in Tuppenny Bridge by Sharon Booth

I recently saw Sharon Booth’s upcoming release, Coming Home to Tuppenny Bridge [out July 8 from Storm Publishing] and I thought I would go back to the beginning of this series to catch up. Or so I thought!

Summer Fletcher is enjoying a summer in the Dales. Working at her family pub and the local horse refuge, she loves her life and is looking forward to all her family getting together as her mom walks down the aisle to the love of her life, Rafferty. However there is about to be more to Summer’s life when her path collides with local vet, Ben Callaghan, who she has a crush on.

I adore British romances. I don’t know why but there is something about a small village and romance that go together. Well… like toast and marmalade! Summer in Tuppenny Bridge was my first book by Sharon Booth and it most definitely won’t be my last. I instantly fell for this cute little town and it’s inhabitants. While the main story features Summer and Ben, the readers learns more about the other village folk, and I just fell head over heels for all of them. Especially the Lavender Ladies, who put bets on anything and everything that happens in the village… including when Summer and Ben will get together!

While Summer in Tuppenny Bridge is a cute contemporary romance, the story also goes deeper with Ben’s family dealing with the grief of losing their father and eldest son, Leon, some ten plus years ago. The grief has held onto the family and Ben has to try to find the right path for his family to move on. This brought a tenderness to the story and one that absolutely pulled on my heartstrings.

This is the perfect book for anyone that loves a village romance… and of course James Herriot.

‘Never,’ Ben whispered deliberately slow, ‘disrespect All Creatures Great and Small. James Herriot was a god.’

In starting Summer in Tuppenny Bridge I thought I had started at the beginning of the series, but I didn’t. There is another series that leads into this series and starts with the story of Sally, Summer’s mom, and Rafferty starting with At Home. I will definitely be going back and starting that series as well, as I just can’t get enough of these characters!

Book Review: The Vintage Dress Shop in Primrose Hill by Annie Darling

I love a good British romcom. Annie Darling’s The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts is one of my absolute favourite romcoms of all time. Bookshop setting, ode to Jane Austen and everything charming. What’s not to love? In fact it is so much of a favourite that I re-read it once a year! When I saw that Annie Darling had a new series out I was hesitant to pick it up. What if I didn’t enjoy it as much as the gang at the Happily Ever After bookshop? Well I’m here to report that this new series is just as charming and wonderful!

Sophy is trying to set her life back on course. After breaking up with her boyfriend, losing her job and moving back home, she’s trying to save enough money to emigrate to Australia. However, the only job available is working at her “very absent” father’s dress shop. Despite having lots of retail experience, Sophy doesn’t know the first thing about vintage dresses, but a job’s a job right? As Sophy learns more about vintage than she ever thought she’d want to know, she also discovers more about herself and about second chances!

I’m absolutely no fashionista, especially as I type this in my favourite leggings and hoodie – neither are name brand. However, you don’t need to be a fashionista to enjoy this series. With the setting of the dress shop, a little pup by the name of Coco Channel, and an eclectic group of characters and you will soon be thoroughly enthralled with this story!

Being Australian myself, I loved that Sophy has an Aussie Dad and is looking to emigrate. The Australian references were absolutely spot on! Sophy is all of us in our 20s and 30s… not really sure where life is going and trying to find a “second chance” and I completely related to her. However, the ending was not what I expected at all and I just loved it! I won’t give anymore away but if second chances are your thing, then you need to read this book! Plus for fans of Annie Darling’s other series, the Mews make a cameo!!

The second book in the series, A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop, comes out next month and features Sophy’s sister, Cress’ story and I can’t wait!

Book Review: New York Cheesecake Chaos by Addison Moore

As usual with this series, slight spoilers to the previous books but not to the murder mystery storyline.

Lottie Lemon is back and catering a book signing at the local library for the high profile murder mystery author, Pepper Patrick. When a local florist is found dead, right before she can meet her favourite author, Lottie sets out to find another killer.

[in a joking way] why do people in Honey Hollow ask Lottie to cater events? Every time she caters events someone dies. If I lived in Honey Hollow there is no way I would ever go to an event. Okay joking aside, I loved this mystery. Yes, I love every visit to Honey Hollow, but this visit had the extra delight of involving a murder mystery author, who tries to help Lottie decipher some of the clues as well! Add in ex-boyfriends aplenty and possible romance with Judge Everett, and there is plenty happening in Honey Hollow!

This is my 8th book in the Murder in the Mix series and I love each new book a little more. Lottie is always up for an adventure when solving crimes and she usually brings her family and friends along for the adventure. New York Cheesecake Chaos definitely involves a lot of chaos, and every step of the way was fun!

I can’t wait to pick up the next book. There will be murder, but there will also be romance [I hope] with Lottie and Everett! #TeamEverett

Book Review: The Murder of Mr Wickham by Claudia Gray

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when you put 12 people together at a house party with a villain, then someone is bound to turn up dead! At least that is what happens in The Murder of Mr Wickham.

Pride & Prejudice is one of my all-time favourite books [and mini series too!], which is why I picked up this book. Mr Wickham finally getting the outcome he deserves? Yes please! A mash-up of all the characters in Jane Austen’s novels? Yes! Yes!

The story takes place in Highbury, with the Knightleys hosting a house party with the Darcy’s [including their son Jonathan Darcy], the Bertrams, the Wenthworths and the Brandons, along with Miss Tilney. Mayhem comes to play when Mr George Wickham turns up unexpectedly, set to ruin all the fun.

What I absolutely loved about this story is that the author has made Mr Wickham even more of a villain then his story in Pride & Prejudice. In this case, his villainy is to the extent that he would never be able to redeem himself, and becomes the perfect victim. With all those attending the house party having a reason to see him fall [except for Miss Tilney] it sets the stage for a perfect murder mystery. The two youngest in attendance, Miss Tilney and Jonathan Darcy set about to hold their own investigation.

I simply loved The Murder of Mr Wickham. I have recently watched all the movies, and surprisingly [for me at least] Northanger Abbey became a favourite. Not better than Pride & Prejudice but a solid number two. As such I simply adored Miss Tilney and Jonathan Darcy getting together to solve the mystery. Miss Tilney is intelligent and delightful, and you can definitely see her mother, Catherine Morland, in her!

If you love regency mysteries or Jane Austen I strongly recommend this book. You don’t need to know the back stories of the characters, but it does help. This is a really great start to what I hope will be a long and wonderful series.

Book Review: Bloodbaths and Banana Cake by Addison Moore

Bloodbaths and Banana Cake is the 7th book in the Murder in the Mix mysteries. This review contains mild spoilers to previous books for the sub-plots only, but no spoilers for the actual mystery.

Lottie gets herself caught up in the middle of another murder investigation when one of Everett’s fellow judges is found dead at his going away party! The local police are determined to pin the crime on Everett. So with a mischievous ghost at her side, Lottie must find a killer before Everett ends up with life behind bars.

I’m so addicted to this series! It is like a soap opera meets cozy mystery. There is always something going on in Lottie’s life, besides the dead bodies. This time the drama comes in the form of Lottie’s boyfriend, Noah’s wife turning up unexpectedly. Especially since Lottie didn’t know Noah was married. Will this finally give Lottie and Everett a chance to form a romantic attachment? I sure hope so, as I’m #TeamEverett!

I really enjoyed the mystery, as it involved some new characters, but also a past victim coming back as a ghost to help Lottie. I found the mystery fairly easy to solve, but as readers might know by now I’m totally here for the drama! Especially with the big reveal at the end… someone from Lottie’s past is going to visit Honey Hollow very soon!

The Murder in the Mix mysteries are my favourite new series this year. It’s a long series and each one is better than the last. I can’t wait for the next book, New York Cheesecake Chaos, which is already waiting for me on my Kindle. If you enjoy mysteries with a lot of drama, you need to read this series!

Book Review: The Suite Life by Portia Macintosh

Portia Macintosh is back with a new romance that is the perfect book to get you in the mood for summer!

Gigi Marsden isn’t looking forward to her sister’s destination wedding. While she’s sure Hawaii is going to be beautiful and she’s excited to see her sister, Lucy, get married… her ex-boyfriend and his new absolutely devastatingly beautiful girlfriend, Sunshine Greene, is going to be there. What Gigi needs is an impressive date. However, when Gigi and her family arrive on the island she discovers out finding an impressive date isn’t easy… even if you’re living the “suite life”.

I love romcoms and I particularly love romcoms written by British authors. The Suite Life is the fifth book I’ve read by Portia Macintosh and she’s fast becoming one of my favourite romcom authors!

The Suite Life was an absolutely riveting read. Right from the first page I adored Gigi Marsden. She loves her job as a high-end hairdresser and recently had a bad breakup. But things can only look up right? Wrong!! What follows is trials and errors in the dating world as Gigi finds a date… with each dating adventure being worst then the last! It was a comedy of errors for sure and I loved every bit of it!!

I loved the twist of Gigi being upgraded to the “suite life” when she arrives on the Island… but she has no idea why she’s been upgraded. She gives us a taste of what it is like to be uber rich. A gold bar, a super yacht anyone? Together with her new friend, Donnie, she tries to find a date and untangle the mystery around her new holiday experience and it was fun to watch it unfold.

The Suite Life is the perfect summer read. It’s everything I look for in a romcom… interesting characters, a picturesque setting and a love interest that makes your toes curl!

If you’re a fan of romcoms, like those by Marian Keyes and Chrissie Manby, then you need to add The Suite Life to your summer reading! I guarantee you that it will make you want to read all of Portia Macintosh’s other romcoms too!!

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Red Velvet Vengeance

Spoiler Warning: It’s become quite impossible for me to share my thoughts on this series without a spoiler warning, so here we have it. I don’t spoil the mystery, but I will be talking about the side stories.

When we last left Lottie her birth mom had turned up at the reading of the will! A mother she has previously not met!! Now it’s a couple of weeks later and Lottie still doesn’t know how to talk to this person who is very similar to her supernaturally, but not the mother that raised her. Add into this a murder of a rival, a pack of supernatural Chihuahuas and life is getting very busy for Lottie.

I’m so hooked on this series that I’m alternating every other book with the Murder in the Mix Mysteries. Absolutely smitten! For me, it’s the perfect blend of gossipy sleepy village meets murder mystery, and I’m here for all the drama.

The mystery part of the story centres around the three girls that opened up a competitive bakery across the street. Naturally Lottie says some badly-timed words that put her forefront in the investigation as a potential suspect. I like how part of the investigation centres around the “Elite Entourage”, which is mentioned in the previous book. I feel like this is building towards a bigger storyline involving the Elite Entourage.

*spoilers* Mystery aside there is a LOT of drama going on in Honey Hollow. The reading of Nell’s will brought Lottie’s birth mom home. Her uncle is naturally contesting the will, since Nell left much of her estate to Lottie, who turned out to be her granddaughter. Her birth mom is a bit of a immature brat… yep I did say that! … and finally…. Everett and Lottie and Noah! Well I won’t spoil that!

Red Velvet Vengeance is a wonderful drama-filled instalment in this series. If you like small town drama and murder mysteries I strongly recommend this series. The books really do need to be read in order, but don’t be put off by how big the series is. Once you read one, you’ll be wanting to read them all!