Review: Toil and Trouble edited by Jessica Spotswood and Tess Sharpe

Toil and Trouble: 15 Tales of Women and Witchcraft edited by Jessica Spotswood and Tess Sharpe is a collection of short stories about witchy women. It was published August 20th, 2018 from Harlequin Teen.

As with all anthologies, there are some stories I liked more than others. But, I didn't hate any of them. My favorites were those where the magic was of the healing sort. That the tales weren't all from the same cultural perspective was a plus. And many of the stories had a feminist bent to them.

Among my favorites was "Starsong" by Tehlor Kay Mejia where there is a young witchy astrologist who is drawn to another girl. And I enjoyed "The Truth about Queenie" by Brandy Colbert where a girl is driven to find out if she really has power or not. And I liked "The Legend of Stone Mary" by Robin Talley which has a nice twist to it. There were more I liked than not.

At the end of the book was a list of all the authors with brief bios that included their favorite fictional witches. This was informative and entertaining.

I give this collection 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about witches. It's a perfect read for October. It is a YA collection and some of the stories do have a feminist bent to them.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #259: The Lonely Dead by April Henry

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A killer is on the loose, and only one girl has the power to find him. But in this genre-bending YA thriller, she must first manage to avoid becoming a target herself.

For Adele, the dead aren’t really dead. She can see them and even talk to them. But she’s spent years denying her gift. When she encounters her ex-best friend Tori in a shallow grave in the woods and realizes that Tori is actually dead -- that gift turns into a curse. Without an alibi, Adele becomes the prime suspect in Tori’s murder. She must work with Tori’s ghost to find the real killer. But what if the killer finds Adele first?

Master mystery-write April Henry adds a chilling paranormal twist to this incredibly suspenseful young adult novel. 

The Lonely Dead by April Henry is due to be available January 29th, 2019 from Henry Holt and Company.

Why am I waiting on this one? I love the creepy sound of it. And I'm curious about the "chilling paranormal twist" to the novel. The only thing that would make it more appealing at the moment would be if it was being released this month. It sounds like a good October read.

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!

Teaser Tuesday: Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
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 and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Maggie sat on the edge of the bed and leaned in to give Gran' a hug. Gran' gently pushed her back. "Oh no you don't," she said. "I get what you're doing... trolling for germs."

Maggie opened her mouth to protest and then stopped. "Busted," she admitted. "This judging gig is rough. I don't know if I can make it through without blowing up at Gerard Damboise. He's already trying to force a winner down our throats." (11% Through on my Kindle)

Gran' is in bed with pneumonia and Maggie has taken her place as a judge for a beauty contest that is part of the Mardi Gras festivities. Mardi Gras Murder by Ellen Byron was released October 9, 2018 by Crooked Lane Books. This is book 4 in the Cajun Country mystery series.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #258: The Curses by Laure Eve

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Picking up the pieces after the chilling events of the previous year isn’t easy, but the Graces are determined to do it. Wolf is back after a mysterious disappearance, and everyone’s eager to return to normal. Except for Summer, the youngest Grace. Summer has a knack for discovering the truth—and something is troubling her. After a trail of clues leads her to what could be the key to both her family’s mysterious past and the secret of Wolf, she’s determined to vanquish yet another curse. But exposing secrets is a dangerous game, and it’s not one Summer can win alone.

At Summer’s behest, the coven comes back together, reluctantly drawing their erstwhile friend River back into the fold. But Wolf’s behavior becomes unpredictable even as Fenrin’s strength fades, and Summer must ask herself whether the friend she so loves is also planning her family’s ultimate, cursed demise.

This riveting sequel to The Graces is saturated with magic, the destructive cost of power, the complications of family, and the nature of forgiveness.

The Curses by Laure Eve is the second book in The Graces series. It's due to be published December 31st, 2018 from Amulet Books.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoyed the first book, The Graces. It was just weird enough. I want to know what happens next.  I am surprised that it says River gets drawn back into the group. I thought she'd had more than enough of the Graces. You can read my review of the first book here.

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!

Teaser Tuesday: Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
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 and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Sometimes Beth felt like she was two people. There was the outside Beth who was capable, reliable, down-to-earth, productive, ready with a laugh and. of course, cuddly. Then there was the inside Beth. She had a constant monologue whispering in her ear: This isn't enough, you're not happy, there must be more to life than this, you're taken for granted, you look hideous, you must make people laugh so that they don't notice that you look hideous, you must look happy and content because why shouldn't you be, you are Beth, capable, reliable, down-to-earth, and of course, cuddly. (26% on my Kindle)

Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom was released September 21st, 2018 from Bookouture.

Would you keep reading? What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!

Review: Murder at the Mushroom Festival by Janet Finsilver

Kelly, the manager of a B&B in Northern California, gets sucked into a murder investigation when her close friend Daniel comes under suspicion. While this is happening, there is a mushroom festival going on in the town. Among other things, they are having cooking classes at her B&B to celebrate the festival. A group of senior citizens known as the Silver Sentinels helps Kelly with her investigation.

Other activities during the festival included hunting for mushrooms. Daniel was looking for mushrooms on some Native American land, which was not an issue for him because he is Native American. He has a conflict with a reporter who is killed shortly afterward.

The idea for the book was good. I liked some of the characters. I felt like some of the writing was stilted. I had a little trouble suspending my disbelief as to her activities and those of the Senior Sentinels while investigating the murder. Her actions often seemed foolhardy to me.

Still, it's a good mystery with twists. I give it 3 out of 5 stars. It also had some educational value. I knew that pigs could be trained to sniff out truffles, but I didn't know you could train dogs to do the same thing. Also, I didn't know what sinker logs were or that there was conflict over some of them or that they could be used to make art.

Murder at the Mushroom Festival by Janet Finsilver was released April17th, 2018 from Lyrical Underground.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #257: The Spectral City by Leanna Renee Hieber

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

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In turn-of-the-century New York City, the police have an off-the-books spiritual go-to when it comes to solving puzzling corporeal crimes . . .

Her name is Eve Whitby, gifted medium and spearhead of The Ghost Precinct. When most women are traveling in a gilded society that promises only well-appointed marriage, the confident nineteen-year-old Eve navigates a social circle that carries a different kind of chill. Working with the diligent but skeptical Lieutenant Horowitz, as well as a group of fellow psychics and wayward ghosts, Eve holds her own against detractors and threats to solve New York’s most disturbing crimes as only a medium of her ability can.

But as accustomed as Eve is to ghastly crimes and all matters of the uncanny, even she is unsettled by her department’s latest mystery. Her ghostly conduits are starting to disappear one by one as though snatched away by some evil force determined to upset the balance between two realms, and most important—destroy the Ghost Precinct forever. Now Eve must brave the darkness to find the vanished souls. She has no choice. It’s her job to make sure no one is ever left for dead. 

The Spectral City is due out November 27th, 2018 from Rebel Base Books. It's number one in a new series.

Why am I waiting on this one? This sounds a little different. It's not straight up crime solving. The paranormal is involved. I want to know what's happening to the ghosts. Why are they disappearing? Will Eve be able to help them? And how does her Ghost Precinct work to solve crimes anyway? It should be interesting.

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!