Book Review: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N. Holmberg

 

From the publisher:

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. The doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House–gone wild–is not about to let Merritt leave.

Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises, in Merritt’s best interest, to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.

Prepared with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda gets to work. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets are more than she and Merritt bargained for, and the sentient walls aren’t their only concern. Something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.

My Thoughts:

I really liked the good characters, especially Merritt and Hulda. I really did not like the villain. I felt sorry for him at first, but my empathy passed quickly as he began his villainous deeds. He’s greedy and cares nothing for other people except as a means to an end.

Hulda Larkin and Merritt Fernsby meet the day after Merritt takes possession of Whimbrel House. The timing is fortuitous as the house wouldn’t let him out the door among other things. Mrs Larkin takes charge. The house increasingly becomes a character as she interacts with it. 

I liked how the main characters grow and change in their attitudes toward the house and one another. There’s sort of a slow burn romance going on which perfectly works with the pace of the action in the book. The action is slowish punctuated by periods of high action which increase as the book goes on. 

I wasn’t sure I would like the book when I first picked it up. I was looking for something different from what I was reading and planned to read. I ended up loving it. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars.

The sequel, Heir of Uncertain Magic, is expected out April 11th, 2023 from 47North. I can’t wait!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #450: Fire and Rain by Julie Mulhern

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: Ellison Jones is used to sirens in the night (unfortunately, they’re usually coming to her house).

So, it’s a surprise when the sirens that wake her from the dead come from across the street.

Nosy neighbor Marian Dixon’s house is on fire.

Luckily, the Dixons are out of town.

Unluckily, there’s a body found in the ashes—a body not killed by the fire.

With Ellison’s husband, Detective Anarchy Jones, investigating, the neighbors are eager for a quick resolution. But a cunning killer has other plans.

Can Ellison and Anarchy uncover the truth, or will their lives (and the rest of the block) go up in flames?

Fire and Rain by Julie Mulhern is the 16th book in the Country Club Murder series. It's expected out April 25th, 2023 from J & M Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I absolutely love this series. The characters are fun and interesting. And I enjoy reading their interactions. I would call this series of books humorous cozies. My favorite characters are Ellison, Anarchy, and Aggie. I can get a little irritated with Ellison's mother, but in the end she is just the way she is and Ellison still loves her. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga edited by Lindy Ryan

 

From the publisher:

Deep in the dark forest, in a cottage that spins on birds' legs behind a fence topped with human skulls, lives the baba yaga. A guardian of the water of life, she lives with her sisters and takes to the skies in a giant mortar and pestle, creating tempests as she goes. Those who come across the baba yaga may find help, or hinderance, or horror. She is wild, she is woman, she is witch—and these are her tales.

Edited by Lindy Ryan, this collection brings together some of today's leading voices of women-in-horror as they pay tribute to the baba yaga, and go Into the Forest.

My Thoughts: This is an interesting anthology. They come at it as if Baba Yaga is a kind of being as opposed to only one witch. The foreward by Christine Henry is interesting regarding this.

There are 23 stories in the anthology. Some I liked better than others, but as I rated all of them I was pleased to find that most of them fell into the 4 and 5 out of 5 star range. There was only one story that I gave a 3 to and that was  because while pretty much well written, I kept waiting for the action to start.

The short story,"Last Tour into the Hungering Light" by Gwendolyn Kiste I loved for among other things the language and imagery. A few stories had Baba Yaga posing as the witch in Hansel and Gretel. These were interesting. I liked the one where the Baba Yaga is slightly morally ambiguous and one of the bad guys is a parent. There are other stories that are definitely straight up horror for things like depiction of cannabalism. The blurb from the publisher states that sometimes Baba Yaga is a help. While this is true, there is always a price. Sometimes the price wasn't clear until after the protagonist received the aid. Other tales tackled the hut and its origins. And one story has Baba Yaga as a romantic interest. All together, these tales make for interesting and entertaining reading.

Into the Woods was released November 8th, 2022 from Black Spot Books. I received a copy of this book as an arc from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own. Overall, I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. The stories are interesting and imaginative. If you enjoy witchy tales and fairy tales, I think you should check out this book.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #449: Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger by K.C. Grifant

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher:

In an Old West overrun by monsters, a stoic gunslinger must embark on a dangerous quest to save her friends and stop a supernatural war.

Sharpshooter Melinda West, 29, has encountered more than her share of supernatural creatures after a monster infection killed her mother. Now, Melinda and her charismatic partner, Lance, offer their exterminating services to desperate towns, fighting everything from giant flying scorpions to psychic bugs. But when they accidentally release a demon, they must track a dangerous outlaw across treacherous lands and battle a menagerie of creatures—all before an army of soul-devouring monsters descend on Earth.

The Witcher meets Bonnie and Clyde in a re-imagined Old West full of diverse characters, desolate landscapes, and fast-paced adventure.

Melinda West: Gunslinger by K.C. Grifant is expected out February 2, 2023 from Brigids Gate, LLC.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like what's known as weird westerns where the paranormal and the old west collide. R.S. Belcher's Golgotha series starting with The Six-Gun Tarot is another example of a weird western as is Stoker's Wilde by Steven Hopstaken and Melissa Prusi. They are paranormal historicals.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

 

From the publisher:

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

My thoughts:

The story is told as a series of journal entries from Emily Wilde as she goes to the far north looking for faeries. This is effective because it allows us to see how Emily views the world, people, and her chosen subject. What we find is that she is that she is single-minded in her research pretty much most of the time. She is also socially inept and a bit of an introvert. I really liked her.

Wendell Brambleby, her associate, is very much her opposite. He revels in the attention of the townsfolk and thrives on his interactions with them. There is also something mysterious about him. As it is revealed that he may be Emily's only friend, she also finds she may be drawn to him in other ways as well. I enjoyed the banter between the two and watching their relationship grow and change.

It's a little slow in the beginning as we meet the characters and get acquainted with the world they live in. After a while, it almost seems like a loose series of fairy tales. Each tale moves a little faster and maybe a little darker.

The bits of Faerie lore that are sprinkled throughout her journal entries are interesting and lend authenticity to her writing. And her interactions with the brownie Poe, set the stage for her other interactions with the Fair Folk. 

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I liked the characters and enjoyed their banter. The action in the book is very fairy tale -ish interspersed with accounts of daily life. I also like that it ends in such a way that it is open to the possibility of sequels. If you like fairy tales and tales of the Faeries, then you will probably enjoy this book set in the early 1900s far north.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion and review.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #448: Fields' Guide to Secrets by Julie Mulhern

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From the publisher: 

No good deed goes unpunished.

The trouble started in Greece with a favor for her new father-in-law. When Poppy Fields picked up a package in Athens, she had no idea how many people were interested in its contents. Desperately interested. Murderously interested.

Now she's on the run, racing across Turkey in a cat-and-mouse game with multiple killers. Because what's in the package could change the world.

Fields' Guide to Secrets by Julie Mulhern is expected out January 31st, 2023 from J&M Press.

Why am I waiting on this book? I"ve enjoyed the Poppy Fields series from the beginning. This is the 8th book in the series. I have liked seeing Poppy's depth of character revealed and grown. I like the banter in the books as well. And I'm really curious as to what's in that box. Poppy's books are part mystery and part action and all enjoyable.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Happy Book Birthday to Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

 

Today Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries is released by Del Rey Books. 

From the publisher:

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party—or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, muddle Emily’s research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones—the most elusive of all faeries—lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she’ll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all—her own heart.

I've read the book and have a review posting soon. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed it. If you like stories about Faeries and books set in the early 1900s, then this could be a good pick for you. Check it out!

Book Review: Bindle Punk Bruja by Desideria Mesa

 

From the publisher:

Boardwalk Empire meets The Vanishing Half with a touch of earth magic in this sexy and action-packed historical fantasy set in the luminous Golden Twenties from debut author Desideria Mesa, where a part-time reporter and club owner takes on crooked city councilmen, mysterious and deadly mobsters, and society’s deeply rooted sexism and racism, all while keeping her true identity and magical abilities hidden—inspired by an ancient Mexican folktale.

Yo soy quien soy. I am who I am.

Luna—or depending on who’s asking, Rose—is the white-passing daughter of an immigrant mother who has seen what happens to people from her culture. This world is prejudicial, and she must hide her identity in pursuit of owning an illegal jazz club. Using her cunning powers, Rose negotiates with dangerous criminals as she climbs up Kansas City’s bootlegging ladder. Luna, however, runs the risk of losing everything if the crooked city councilmen and ruthless mobsters discover her ties to an immigrant boxcar community that secretly houses witches. Last thing she wants is to put her entire family in danger.

But this bruja with ever-growing magical abilities can never resist a good fight. With her new identity, Rose, an unabashed flapper, defies societal expectations all the while struggling to keep her true self and witchcraft in check. However, the harder she tries to avoid scrutiny, the more her efforts eventually capture unwanted attention. Soon, she finds herself surrounded by greed and every brand of bigotry—from local gangsters who want a piece of the action and businessmen who hate her diverse staff to the Ku Klux Klan and Al Capone. Will her earth magic be enough to save her friends and family? As much as she hates to admit it, she may need to learn to have faith in others—and learning to trust may prove to be her biggest ambition yet.

My thoughts:

Luna is a strong female protagonist. This is very much her story. And while I didn't like all the choices she made, I did like her overall. 

I found Luna's magic as well as her grandmother's magic interesting. Her grandmother is capable of bigger acts of magic than Luna at the moment, but she encourages Luna to practice and learn to better use her magic. I liked that family ties were a strong part of the book. And that magic was accepted as a natural part of the world.

I was surprised at Luna owning a club as Rosa. It would be difficult because she was a woman. And then she also employed minorities like her own brother. There were men who wanted to take control of her club and barring success, they wanted to put her out of business. And there were good men as well who helped her to set new goals and meet them. But, it is a dangerous world she lives and works in. I was a little surprised at the appearance of the KKK, but in retrospect, they would have probably thought Luna would be an easy target.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I gave it 4 stars out of 5. I liked the characters associated with Luna in general. I enjoyed seeing how her choices turned out. And I liked the way she weathered the struggles she faced.

If you like stories with a strong, magical female protagonist and stories that are set in the 1920s, then this would be a good book for you.

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion.