Search
This is the twenty-fourth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
Xeni Everly-Wilkins is devastated when her beloved Aunt Sable passes away. The two were less close than she wanted, thanks to Sable's ongoing feud with her sisters (including Xeni's mom), but Xeni loved her nonetheless. Xeni heads to New York to help clean out her aunt's house and learn what she may have inherited. But when Xeni arrives at the lawyer's office, she finds out her inheritance comes with a big catch: she must marry to claim Sable's (sizable) estate. And Sable had someone in mind: local chef Mason McInroy, a handsome Scottish man who just happened to play the bagpipes at Sable's funeral. Mason stands to inherit from this scheme too; he and Sable were close. Xeni and Mason each have their own reasons to say yes to Sable's insane scheme, but neither has any plans to fall in love. Right?
"'In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you to be married. To each other.'"
OK, I have no idea where this book came from, but it was the one "X" book on my shelves. It's a total trip with a ton of crazy story threads going on, but honestly, I enjoyed it! Even with the family drama, the arranged marriage, the mentions of witchcraft, the instalove, the sexy times, and more!
So, yes, the plot for this book is a bit outlandish. You have to roll with it--Xeni and Mason meet at the lawyer's, find out they have to marry quickly to inherit money, and... just get married. A lot of sexual scenes soon ensue--if you do not enjoy sexy times in your books, I would not recommend picking up this one. I was not prepared for, umm, all the detail, but I appreciated how open the author was with bisexuality and sexuality in general.
The instalove (instalust?) between Xeni and Mason is a bit hard to take at first, but truly, they are rather adorable and pretty easy to root for. Mason is just as cute and sweet as can be, and poor Xeni, she's going through a lot. Even though there is not a ton of character development here (why does Xeni believe in witchcraft, for instance?), you can't help but want Mason and Xeni to overcome their obstacles and make this absolutely ridiculous marriage work. Especially if they can spite their sometimes rather awful families. (Sidenote: Xeni's family clearly has a lot of issues, and it bothered me that we never got to see if they were truly resolved.)
Overall, I'm not sure if I would have gravitated immediately toward this book without my #AtoZChallenge, but it turned out to be a pretty fun read. It was silly, but rather beguiling and certainly steamy! It was a good change of pace. 3.5 stars.
Xeni Everly-Wilkins is devastated when her beloved Aunt Sable passes away. The two were less close than she wanted, thanks to Sable's ongoing feud with her sisters (including Xeni's mom), but Xeni loved her nonetheless. Xeni heads to New York to help clean out her aunt's house and learn what she may have inherited. But when Xeni arrives at the lawyer's office, she finds out her inheritance comes with a big catch: she must marry to claim Sable's (sizable) estate. And Sable had someone in mind: local chef Mason McInroy, a handsome Scottish man who just happened to play the bagpipes at Sable's funeral. Mason stands to inherit from this scheme too; he and Sable were close. Xeni and Mason each have their own reasons to say yes to Sable's insane scheme, but neither has any plans to fall in love. Right?
"'In order for either of you to claim any of this, Ms. Everly asked that you to be married. To each other.'"
OK, I have no idea where this book came from, but it was the one "X" book on my shelves. It's a total trip with a ton of crazy story threads going on, but honestly, I enjoyed it! Even with the family drama, the arranged marriage, the mentions of witchcraft, the instalove, the sexy times, and more!
So, yes, the plot for this book is a bit outlandish. You have to roll with it--Xeni and Mason meet at the lawyer's, find out they have to marry quickly to inherit money, and... just get married. A lot of sexual scenes soon ensue--if you do not enjoy sexy times in your books, I would not recommend picking up this one. I was not prepared for, umm, all the detail, but I appreciated how open the author was with bisexuality and sexuality in general.
The instalove (instalust?) between Xeni and Mason is a bit hard to take at first, but truly, they are rather adorable and pretty easy to root for. Mason is just as cute and sweet as can be, and poor Xeni, she's going through a lot. Even though there is not a ton of character development here (why does Xeni believe in witchcraft, for instance?), you can't help but want Mason and Xeni to overcome their obstacles and make this absolutely ridiculous marriage work. Especially if they can spite their sometimes rather awful families. (Sidenote: Xeni's family clearly has a lot of issues, and it bothered me that we never got to see if they were truly resolved.)
Overall, I'm not sure if I would have gravitated immediately toward this book without my #AtoZChallenge, but it turned out to be a pretty fun read. It was silly, but rather beguiling and certainly steamy! It was a good change of pace. 3.5 stars.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Harm None (A Rowan Gant Investigation #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Since I don't feel like writing a review, I'll just detail what I liked and disliked about the book.
Liked:
The subject matter - From what I know, I think the author handled Wicca/Witchcraft very well.
How it was written - I'm not the grammar police and don't know everything about it, so it was fine with me. Sometimes I think that the books that have the best grammar are the most unrealistic and holds the reader away from the book and story because of this. I mean Mr. Sellars has a point, how many people really speak or think in proper English?
Most of the book.
Disliked:
The constant use of paleface, squaw, and other white or Native American Indian terms. I get that Rowan and Ben are friends and they use the words as buddies (and the author means well I assume), but I think it's unlikely that anyone would say them so much - it felt forced and unrealistic to me.
Some repetitions of phrases, descriptions, etc. - i.e. Felicity's hair, eyes, temperament, other actions people did, or descriptions of places.
The use of the word query. How many people actually use that word? LoL
The ending was a bit saccharine and not very likely, but I'll let that pass.
Neutral
Some of the descriptions made me a bit queasy but I think it added to the storyline.
Overall, I was very impressed with the story, will read the next and be on the lookout for others in the series.
Liked:
The subject matter - From what I know, I think the author handled Wicca/Witchcraft very well.
How it was written - I'm not the grammar police and don't know everything about it, so it was fine with me. Sometimes I think that the books that have the best grammar are the most unrealistic and holds the reader away from the book and story because of this. I mean Mr. Sellars has a point, how many people really speak or think in proper English?
Most of the book.
Disliked:
The constant use of paleface, squaw, and other white or Native American Indian terms. I get that Rowan and Ben are friends and they use the words as buddies (and the author means well I assume), but I think it's unlikely that anyone would say them so much - it felt forced and unrealistic to me.
Some repetitions of phrases, descriptions, etc. - i.e. Felicity's hair, eyes, temperament, other actions people did, or descriptions of places.
The use of the word query. How many people actually use that word? LoL
The ending was a bit saccharine and not very likely, but I'll let that pass.
Neutral
Some of the descriptions made me a bit queasy but I think it added to the storyline.
Overall, I was very impressed with the story, will read the next and be on the lookout for others in the series.
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated The Line (Witching Savannah, #1) in Books
Mar 6, 2020
Savannah is considered a Southern treasure, a city of beauty with a rich, colorful past. Some might even call it magical…
To the uninitiated, Savannah shows only her bright face and genteel manner. Those who know her well, though, can see beyond her colonial trappings and small-city charm to a world where witchcraft is respected, Hoodoo is feared, and spirits linger. Mercy Taylor is all too familiar with the supernatural side of Savannah, being a member of the most powerful family of witches in the South.
Despite being powerless herself, of course.
Having grown up without magic of her own, in the shadow of her talented and charismatic twin sister, Mercy has always thought herself content. But when a series of mishaps—culminating in the death of the Taylor matriarch—leaves a vacuum in the mystical underpinnings of Savannah, she finds herself thrust into a mystery that could shake her family apart…and unleash a darkness the line of Taylor witches has been keeping at bay for generations.
Ok so I have read a few books lately where a male is writing a lead female and have been so disappointed with them, not this time I loved the way Mercy is written I enjoyed the mix of supernatural and murder mystery plus the twists and turns. It was very well written and kept you wanting to read more even late into the night as it is now.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and really looking forward to book 2!
To the uninitiated, Savannah shows only her bright face and genteel manner. Those who know her well, though, can see beyond her colonial trappings and small-city charm to a world where witchcraft is respected, Hoodoo is feared, and spirits linger. Mercy Taylor is all too familiar with the supernatural side of Savannah, being a member of the most powerful family of witches in the South.
Despite being powerless herself, of course.
Having grown up without magic of her own, in the shadow of her talented and charismatic twin sister, Mercy has always thought herself content. But when a series of mishaps—culminating in the death of the Taylor matriarch—leaves a vacuum in the mystical underpinnings of Savannah, she finds herself thrust into a mystery that could shake her family apart…and unleash a darkness the line of Taylor witches has been keeping at bay for generations.
Ok so I have read a few books lately where a male is writing a lead female and have been so disappointed with them, not this time I loved the way Mercy is written I enjoyed the mix of supernatural and murder mystery plus the twists and turns. It was very well written and kept you wanting to read more even late into the night as it is now.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and really looking forward to book 2!
Macbeth
William Shakespeare and Robert S. Miola
8.2
Rate It
Book
The Norton Critical Edition is again based on the First Folio (1623), the only authoritative text of...
BB
Benin Bronze
Book
In 1953 English infantry officer Johnny Callin is with The Royal West African Frontier Force in...
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Fear Street Part One: 1994 (2021) in Movies
Jul 3, 2021
From it's very Scream-esque cold open, to it's Intruder style finale, Fear Street: 1994 is an unabashed love letter to the slasher genre that benefits from a cast of likable characters, and doesn't shy away from the gory stuff.
The group of friends that the narrative revolves around share some decent chemistry. The vibe that surrounds them isn't to dissimilar to the characters in Scary Stories or even Stranger Things. They're written to be rooted for, which makes all the more impact when the final third comes knocking and the body count piles up. The various killers on the loose are clearly inspired by other slasher icons, but the multiple-killer aspect makes them interesting enough, even if it's just surface level, and the overarching narrative to do with witchcraft is intriguing.
Unfortunately, the pacing is a bit off. 1994 really takes it's time to get to where it wants to be, and the first half drags in places. It also falls into the Suicide Squad trap of spaffing out well known songs, one after another, without any reprieve. One of my absolute pet peeves in modern movies by the way, but thankfully, this doesn't last for the whole runtime.
Overall, 1994 is a fun, if flawed horror ride, with some solid gore to boot, that will surely offer something for any slasher fans out there. Genuinely looking forward to the next two installments over the coming weeks, and it's always a bonus when horror in general gets a big push from the likes of Netflix.
The group of friends that the narrative revolves around share some decent chemistry. The vibe that surrounds them isn't to dissimilar to the characters in Scary Stories or even Stranger Things. They're written to be rooted for, which makes all the more impact when the final third comes knocking and the body count piles up. The various killers on the loose are clearly inspired by other slasher icons, but the multiple-killer aspect makes them interesting enough, even if it's just surface level, and the overarching narrative to do with witchcraft is intriguing.
Unfortunately, the pacing is a bit off. 1994 really takes it's time to get to where it wants to be, and the first half drags in places. It also falls into the Suicide Squad trap of spaffing out well known songs, one after another, without any reprieve. One of my absolute pet peeves in modern movies by the way, but thankfully, this doesn't last for the whole runtime.
Overall, 1994 is a fun, if flawed horror ride, with some solid gore to boot, that will surely offer something for any slasher fans out there. Genuinely looking forward to the next two installments over the coming weeks, and it's always a bonus when horror in general gets a big push from the likes of Netflix.
Cunning Women
9.0
Rate It
Book
When it is no longer safe to be a witch, they call themselves cunning. 1620s Lancashire. Away...
Historical fiction Witches Witchcraft Gothic 17th century England
Witch Hunter (The Witch Hunter, #1)
9.0
Rate It
Book
Witches, watch out... Half Bad meets Kill Bill in this incredible new supernatural series. ...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Magic Lessons: The Prequel to Practical Magic in Books
Feb 13, 2022
27 of 230
Book
Magic Lessons (practical Magic book 1 )
By Alice Hoffman
In this “ bewitching” (The New York Times Book Review) novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Nameless Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.
Magic Lessons is a “heartbreaking and heart-healing” (BookPage) celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
It was ok. I struggled to keep my focus in some parts as it didn’t seem necessary but I ploughed through. Hopefully I’ll enjoy Practical magic more as I loved the film.
Book
Magic Lessons (practical Magic book 1 )
By Alice Hoffman
In this “ bewitching” (The New York Times Book Review) novel that traces a centuries-old curse to its source, beloved author Alice Hoffman unveils the story of Maria Owens, accused of witchcraft in Salem, and matriarch of a line of the amazing Owens women and men featured in Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic.
Where does the story of the Owens bloodline begin? With Maria Owens, in the 1600s, when she’s abandoned in a snowy field in rural England as a baby. Under the care of Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the “Nameless Arts.” Hannah recognizes that Maria has a gift and she teaches the girl all she knows. It is here that she learns her first important lesson: Always love someone who will love you back.
When Maria is abandoned by the man who has declared his love for her, she follows him to Salem, Massachusetts. Here she invokes the curse that will haunt her family. And it’s here that she learns the rules of magic and the lesson that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. Love is the only thing that matters.
Magic Lessons is a “heartbreaking and heart-healing” (BookPage) celebration of life and love and a showcase of Alice Hoffman’s masterful storytelling.
It was ok. I struggled to keep my focus in some parts as it didn’t seem necessary but I ploughed through. Hopefully I’ll enjoy Practical magic more as I loved the film.
Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions That Forged Modern Europe
Book
'Never before had the world seen four such giants co-existing. Sometimes friends, more often...