The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read. There's no real rhyme or reason. I just go through my library list and my shelves and pick the books that are calling to me. My focus in 2026 is reading books I think I'll love - or at least really enjoy.
Goodreads: Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett
Blurb: It’s the roaring twenties, and San Francisco is a hotbed of illegal boozing, raw lust, and black magic. The fog-covered Bay Area can be an intoxicating scene, particularly when you specialize in spirits…
Aida Palmer performs a spirit medium show onstage at Chinatown’s illustrious Gris-Gris speakeasy. However, her ability to summon (and expel) the dead is more than just an act.
Winter Magnusson is a notorious bootlegger who’s more comfortable with guns than ghosts—unfortunately for him, he’s the recent target of a malevolent hex that renders him a magnet for hauntings. After Aida’s supernatural assistance is enlisted to banish the ghosts, her spirit-chilled aura heats up as the charming bootlegger casts a different sort of spell on her.
On the hunt for the curseworker responsible for the hex, Aida and Winter become drunk on passion. And the closer they become, the more they realize they have ghosts of their own to exorcise…
Why I Think I'll Love This One: Ghosts, romantic suspense 1920s setting - what's not to love?
My Thoughts: This was a fun read. I loved the time period, the San Francisco setting, and mystery part. The romantic relationship feels a bit dated with Winter being a bit over the top with the "I'll do what I want" kind of attitude. I loved the side characters and wish they could have had a bigger role - especially Winter's sister. Aida is an interesting character as well. She's had a tough time of it and has had to survive on her own. Her reactions to what happens around her makes a good deal of sense most of the time. I did like how it ended for both of the main characters and it makes me curious to track down the other book in the series. My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
This is exactly what I'm doing---I make myself a little stack of books I haven't read from my shelves, and I read from the stack until I get to the point that nothing else appeals to me. Then I make a new stack.
ReplyDeleteBitter Spirits sounds really good. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI have the first 2 books in this series on audio that I won in some kind of giveaway from the author. I need to read them!
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart
Good that you enjoyed it. Haven't heard of this book before, I'll probably never get to it as I read down my own lists. Hope you find the second book in the series.
ReplyDelete