Thrift Store Trolls - Book Review

 

Thrift Store Trolls (Flea Market Magic #1)

by Shawntelle Madison

What is it about:

Something wicked is coming to South Toms River, New Jersey.

Selling haunted trinkets and witches' wands is just another normal day for the delightfully neurotic werewolf Natalya Stravinsky. From one day to another, as the new South Toms River Pack alpha female, she tries to keep finicky supernatural customers placated while managing her underhanded goblin boss and eccentric supernatural co-workers. Her life is complicated further when competition rolls a peculiar troll-owned mart with subpar haunted knick-knacks and deadly antiques appears.

A powerful fairy path veers off course, heading towards South Toms River, attracting the attention of a deadly, shadowed force. Mysterious steamer trunks from the 1920s pop up all over town, unleashing horrific beasts. Natalya must find the inner strength to bring her pack together to uncover the culprit before her enemies threaten everyone she holds dear.

This is the first book in the Flea Market Magic Series! You don't have to read the Coveted Series to jump into the fun!

What did I think of it:

I absolutely loved the Coveted series, so decided to give this spin-off series a try.

And although I must say there are less trolls than I expected it is a really cool and fun read.

There's lots of action, creepy monsters, red herrings, and more. I was soon hooked and loved trying to figure out what was going on, and cheered Natalya on to save the day.

I enjoyed being back with these characters and being back in this world. The blurb says you don't need to read the Coveted series first, and I agree. You can easily follow this story and get into this world without reading the first series, but let's be honest: You want to read the Coveted series! It's so much fun!

Overall a great series starter. I think I'll get my trotters on the next book to see what's next for Natalya.

Why should you read it:

It's a fun and action-packed Urban Fantasy.

Love in the Time of Serial Killers - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

 

Love in the Time of Serial Killers

by Alicia Thompson

What is it about:

Turns out that reading nothing but true crime isn’t exactly conducive to modern dating—and one woman is going to have to learn how to give love a chance when she’s used to suspecting the worst.

PhD candidate Phoebe Walsh has always been obsessed with true crime. She’s even analyzing the genre in her dissertation—if she can manage to finish writing it. It’s hard to find the time while she spends the summer in Florida, cleaning out her childhood home, dealing with her obnoxiously good-natured younger brother, and grappling with the complicated feelings of mourning a father she hadn’t had a relationship with for years.

It doesn’t help that she’s low-key convinced that her new neighbor, Sam Dennings, is a serial killer (he may dress business casual by day, but at night he’s clearly up to something). It’s not long before Phoebe realizes that Sam might be something much scarier—a genuinely nice guy who can pierce her armor to reach her vulnerable heart.

What did Voodoo Bride think about it:

This is a fun Contemporary Romance.

I had expected this to be more dramatic, with Phoebe thinking her neighbor is a serial killer, but it turned out to be a very enjoyable fluffy read. 

Phoebe can be exhausting at times, but luckily she never ventured in irritating territory, I could keep rooting for her and Sam. She has some issues that she needed to unpack and address, and I think that happened in a believable way without taking away from the fluffy vibe of the romance.

All in all a fun read. I have Thompson's next release on pre-order.

Why should you read it:

It's a fun and fluffy Romance   

Teaser Tuesdays - Assimilation

 

He continued to stare with an intensity that was unsettling. When he was onscreen, I'd felt compelled to watch him, and with him in front of me I experienced a similar sensation.

(page 33, Assimilation by Sydney Reames)

---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Dead Before Dying - Book Review (repost)

 

Dead Before Dying (Shadow Valley Manor #1)
by Kerry Schafer

What is it about:
In this supernatural thriller, shot through with biting wit, Maureen Keslyn checks herself in to Shadow Valley Manor to recuperate and rehabilitate from her last job. There, she runs afoul of the stern director and makes friends with some of the other residents, mostly older, all harboring either a secret or a grudge. With secrets of her own, like why she has her own Federal Agent checking up on her, and how she injured herself in the first place, Maureen fits right in, even as she sticks out like a thorn.

But Shadow Valley isn't just for rest. Maureen is working undercover, seeking to find and eradicate whatever forces are picking off the residents (and staff) at a grisly clip. With her resources dwindling one death at a time, and unnatural forces seething to rise up once more, Maureen's experience fighting the supernatural will be her only hope to destroy a clever and powerful evil and her only chance at surviving it.

She'll need people as paranoid as she is from the sheriff, to the undertaker's daughter, to a cook whose knife skills in the kitchen could prove deadly out of it if she is going to bring rest to the weary, and peace to the dead...

What did I think of it:
I love Kerry Schafer's The Between books, so when I heard about this series I had to get my trotters on it.

And this is an amazing read!

I loved Maureen from the start and once I read the first few pages I almost couldn't put it down. If not for the fact I had appointments to keep, I would have finished this book in one sitting, it's that engaging.

Maureen meets some really cool people, and some rather nasty people as well, but all were interesting. As one death after another happens I was totally invested in Maureen and her unlikely allies getting to the truth of things.

The writing and story are fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat. There's also lots of humor to keep you entertained as well. I reached the ending of this book much too soon in my opinion. I want to read much, much more about Maureen.

Why should you read it:
It's a witty and awesome Supernatural Thriller.


Buy from Amazon

Other People's Things - Book Review (Repost)

 

Other People's Things

by Kerry Anne King

What is it about:

Jailbird. Klepto. Spectacular failure to launch. Nicole Wood’s sticky fingers have earned her many names, but it’s not that she’s stealing—some objects just need to be moved elsewhere, and the universe has chosen her to do it. Still, being a relocator of objects isn’t easy. With her marriage on the rocks, no real-world skills, and the threat of prison hanging over her head, Nicole is determined to change her ways.

Things seem to be looking up, thanks to a godsent job with her sister’s housecleaning business—until she encounters a seemingly harmless paperback that insists on moving from one client’s home to another’s. Nicole hopes no one will notice, but the action stirs up long-hidden secrets and triggers a series of fateful events that threatens to destroy the life she’s creating and hurt those closest to her. She’ll need to embrace her unwieldy gift and take a chance on love in order to unravel the mystery and fix what’s gone wrong.

What did I think of it:

I'm a big fan of Kerry Schafer's Urban Fantasy and Paranormal books, so when she started to write more Contemporary books as Kerry Anne King I followed her over of course. And those are beautiful as well.

This book might not be Urban Fantasy, but there's definitely a touch of magic in Other People's Things.

I was hooked from the start. I liked Nicole and was eager to find out if she could put her life back together after her marriage blew up over her tendency to move objects that don't belong to her.

Then I learned more about why she is moving things and I wanted to know everything about it. Why are certain objects calling to her? Why do they need to be moved? Will Nicole find a way to deal with this weird but intriguing compulsion?

And then there's Hawk. He is hired by Nicole's husband (who I hated more than I have hated someone in a long time, btw) to track Nicole and to see if he can recover something Nicole moved. He soon starts to doubt what Nicole's husband has told him about her and might become an ally in her quest to start a new life.

The viewpoint switches between Nicole and Hawk and I enjoyed seeing inside both their heads. Soon I was rooting for the two of them to start trusting each other and work together.

All in all a wonderful contemporary read with a touch of magical realism. I hope Kerry keeps the books coming, no matter under what pen name.

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful and magical read!

buy from amazon

Between - Book Review (repost)

This trilogy is amazing. If you haven't read this series yet: what are you waiting for?

Here's my original review and notes on rereading.

 

Between (The Between #1)

by Kerry Schafer

What is it about:

A dragon is running amok in the town of Krebston, and only one woman can stop it...

If Dr. Vivian Maylor could have just one wish, it would be a normal life. Instead, her dreams – and not necessarily the good ones – are spilling over into her waking hours.

A badly burned teenager spontaneously combusts in the emergency room after raving about a dragon. Her mentally unstable mother vanishes without a trace. A strange woman with supernatural powers breaks into Vivian’s apartment looking for the Key to the Forever.

And when a bookstore-owning artist named Zee, who Vivian knows from her dreams as a sword-wielding warrior, delivers a message from her deceased grandfather, Vivian finally acknowledges the truth: she is the last living Dreamshifter, responsible for guarding the doors between dreaming and waking.

Aided by Zee and an improbable dream penguin, Vivian ventures into the Between – a treacherous maze that lies between dreaming and waking – on a quest that will bring her face-to-face not only with her worst nightmares, but also the darkest parts of her self.

What did I think of it:

This is a beautiful read.

I will confess I had expected this to be a cool Urban Fantasy read. What I didn't expect was to be taken on a roller coaster ride of emotions. This story frustrated me, made me feel worry, anger and hope. Vivian is a very likable heroine and I couldn't help cheering her on and screaming at her in total frustration at times. The things that happen to her are new and scary for her and I think Schafer did a wonderful job in showing how this affects Vivian.

It might not surprise anyone when I tell you I fell in love with Poe, the penguin Vivian encounters in the Dreamworld. He's a great character and brought a lot of emotion to the story without even being able to speak.

The story itself is really beautiful and intricate. There are lots of things going on that Vivian has to figure out and I was curious to find out where it all would lead. The ending leaves a lot open for the sequel, but not in a frustrating way. instead I was left feeling satisfied for now while looking forward to read book two as soon as it releases.

Notes on rereading:

I really love how Vivian struggles with what's happening, it makes her so relatable. So often the heroine just rolls with all the weirdness that's happening as if it's normal. I really appreciate seeing a heroine who stumbles, and makes mistakes, because all this is weird, scary, and new. 

I didn't mention it in my original review, but next to Vivian there are a couple of other viewpoint character of which Zee was my favorite. You bet I'll pick up book two for a reread soon!  

Why should you read it:

It's a beautiful and emotional Urban Fantasy read.

Buy Between here

Teaser Tuesdays - Remarkably Bright Creatures

Who am I, you ask? My name is Marcellus, but most humans do not call me that. Typically, they call me that guy.

(page 1, Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt)

---------

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, previously hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: - Grab your current read - Open to a random page - Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) - Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their  TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

 

Tuesday Read

I'm very much enjoying this.