Friday Five - Five Magical Books on My TBR

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  One of my reading themes or focuses this month is magic so here are 5 books with magical realism on my TBR.

1.  South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber - I absolutely loved Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by this author and really want to read more from her.

2.  Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen - This is one of my favorite authors and this book sounds absolutely fantastic yet I missed it when it first came out.

3.   The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna - I've heard this described as a hug in book form and it sounds absolutely like such a good read.

4.  The Glass Kitchen by Linda Frances Lee - I haven't read anything by this author but it has sisters, people getting their life together, food, and a bit of magic.

5.  The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna Van Praag - I have several books by this author on my TBR and this one looks really intriguing.

Have you read any of these or do you have any magical books on your TBR?

Books from the Backlog - Omens

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Omens (Cainsville #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Blurb:  Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.
But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  This is an author I've been wanting to read for years and this falls into magical realism which fits my theme for the month of March.

A Tempest at Sea - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads:  A Tempest at Sea (The Lady Sherlock Series #7) by Sherry Thomas

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  After feigning her own death in Cornwall to escape from Moriarty’s perilous attention, Charlotte Holmes goes into hiding. But then she receives a tempting offer: Find a dossier the crown is desperately seeking to recover, and she might be able to go back to a normal life.

Her search leads her aboard the RMS Provence, sailing from Southampton for the eastern hemisphere. But on the night Charlotte makes her move to retrieve the dossier, in the midst of a terrifying storm in the Bay of Biscay, a brutal murder also takes place on the ship.

Instead of solving the crime, as she is accustomed to doing, Charlotte must take care not to be embroiled in this investigation, lest it become known to those who harbor ill intentions that Sherlock Holmes is abroad and still very much alive.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I've long been a fan of this series and just couldn't resist that cover!

My Impression: Charlotte and Mrs. Watson along with Lord Ingram and Olivia Holmes are out for a nautical adventure.  Throw in the disastrous Mr. Shrewsbury, an Australian brother and sister, and the unexpected decidedly unwanted arrival of Lady Holmes herself (Charlotte and Olivia's mother) and it is very clear that they are not going to have smooth sailing.  

Charlotte is on a recovery mission with her friends and colleagues looking for a tiny portfolio believed to be being carried by a governess who is onboard with her charges.  Unfortunately, right in the middle of her mission a murder happens onboard causing the focus to go from the recovery to protecting Charlotte's identity.  

The pace of this book is lightening fast from beginning to end and kept me absolutely hooked.  I loved this version of a locked door mystery and trying to figure out the motives of all the players.  I was completely in the dark as to just what was going on until the end.  There are some flashbacks which don't always work for me but they were very cleverly done here giving the reader just the right amount of information.

My only real problem with this story and this series in general is there are a lot of moving parts and major players.  There are some people on Charlotte's team and some on Moriarty's and since I've read more than a few books since I read the previous book in the series I sometimes struggle to remember who the good guys are and who the bad guys are.  Luckily, the main characters are so well developed, interesting, and unique that I'm always able to engage in the story even if I'm a little confused on the whos who of the side characters.  

While most mystery series can be read essentially as standalones this series is best read in order due to the complicated relationships.  Since each book has a solid mystery, good pacing, and fantastic characters this is absolutely not a hardship! 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I'm looking forward to seeing Charlotte Holmes' next adventure and I'd really love to do a reread of this series.

Would I Recommend this Book?   I would very much recommend this series if you're a fan of Holmes stories or well written historical mysteries.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Spring TBR

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is my Spring TBR.  The seasonal TBRs are always my favorite Top Ten Tuesdays.  I very rarely read even most of the books on these lists but I love making them!

1.  An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly - I'm excited about this one and I absolutely adore the cover.

2.  Cinnamon Twisted Ginger Bolton - This is a new to me cozy series that looks intriguing.  

3.  The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick - I love this series and can't wait for the latest book

4.  Murder on Bedford Street by Victoria Thompson - This is a favorite historical mystery series and I always look forward to the newest book.

5.  Fiddling with Fate by Diane Kelly - I've really enjoyed the last couple of books in this series set around moonshine store in Chattanooga, Tennessee and am looking forward to seeing what catastrophe the main character ends up this time.

6.  The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams - I've read several books by Williams and really enjoyed them all but it's been a few years.  This one has been sitting on my shelf for quite awhile and it's one I'm looking forward to reading this spring.

7.  The Widow's Secret by Kate Hewitt - This is my last overdue review book from 2022 (we won't talk about the overdue review books from 2019 - 2014) and I've enjoyed the first 3 books in this series.  

8.  On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry - I have the 3rd book in this series coming up on my reading list for the end of May but I have yet to read the 2nd book.  Definitely need to get to this one soon!

9.  Close Up by Amanda Quick - I have the most recent book coming up in May (see #3) but am a couple of books behind.  These are all essentially stand alones but I'd still like to be caught up.

10.  Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews - I have loved all the recent books in this series but somehow missed the first 15 + books in this series.  I'm looking forward to picking up the first book and seeing where all the madness began.

What books are you hoping to read this spring?

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murders - Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Rating:  Loved It! (5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description: Vera Wong is a lonely little old lady--ah, lady of a certain age--who lives above her forgotten tea shop in the middle of San Francisco's Chinatown. Despite living alone, Vera is not needy, oh no. She likes nothing more than sipping on a good cup of Wulong and doing some healthy detective work on the Internet about what her Gen-Z son is up to.

Then one morning, Vera trudges downstairs to find a curious thing--a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. In his outstretched hand, a flash drive. Vera doesn't know what comes over her, but after calling the cops like any good citizen would, she sort of . . . swipes the flash drive from the body and tucks it safely into the pocket of her apron. Why? Because Vera is sure she would do a better job than the police possibly could, because nobody sniffs out a wrongdoing quite like a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands. Vera knows the killer will be back for the flash drive; all she has to do is watch the increasing number of customers at her shop and figure out which one among them is the killer.

What Vera does not expect is to form friendships with her customers and start to care for each and every one of them. As a protective mother hen, will she end up having to give one of her newfound chicks to the police?

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  The premise sounded interesting and I do love a cozy with quirky characters.

My Impression: I loved this book.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in and in the first few pages.  Vera is a force of nature in the absolute strongest sense of the word.  Her morning routine included waking up at 4:30AM and promptly texting her (adult) son, Tilly, because he should be awake already.  I felt much sympathy for Tilly for the first part of the book because Vera is quite convinced of just the way she thinks things should be and sees no reason to pull her punches.  

When a body is found in Vera's teashop her life suddenly expands.  First by her plunging into the investigation ( the part with the body outline still makes me giggle thinking about it) and then by the introduction of 4 characters and a little girl.  As the story went on I absolutely fell in love with Vera and the rest of her world (except for Winifred and her fake French bakery even if her pastries are good).  Vera could have easily been made to be ridiculous but the author infuses her with the perfect balance of drive and heart that I couldn't help but love her.  

This wasn't the most restful book as Vera frequently made me feel like I needed to get up and call my mother or bring my father groceries but I enjoyed it from beginning to end.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I am looking forward to reading more from this author.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes!  Even if you aren't the biggest mystery fan I think you'd enjoy this book.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

My Life in Reading - March 12

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

My Book Outlet order arrived!  Between this book and my haul of review books last week I need to take about a month off of getting new books.

The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King - I've been meaning to do a reread of this series for years so I picked up the first book.

A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan - I enjoyed the first book of the series so I had to pick up the second book.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot - I read this book in high school and remember enjoying it but have really been wanting to reread it since the series started.

Knot On Her Life by Mary Marks - This is a series I want to read.  I love books involving quilting even though I'm not a quilter and I've heard good things about this series.

A Deadly Chapter by Essie Lang - I read the second book in this series and enjoyed it and bought the first book so I figured I'd get the third book too!

Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton - I've been wanting to read Enid Blyton for ages and when I saw this book for just a couple of dollars I figured it was a sign.

Death at Greenways by Lori Rader Day - I know nothing about this book or this author but Greenways is Agatha Christie's home so I had to give it a try.

Murder on Mustique by Anne Glenconner - I feel like I've heard good things about this author and this looked interesting.

Gone for Good by Joanna Schaffhausen - I've heard good things about this author and this one looked interesting.

Dust to Dust by Audrey Keown - Another book I've heard nothing about but it looked interesting so I figured I'd give it a try.

Currently:

Reading:  The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian and First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen

Listening: Scheduled to Death by Mary Feliz

This has been another good and quiet week.  We got school done which included a Zoom class for forensic science and a service club meeting.  It was great for him to hang out with friends in person and work on a community project.  Other than that he's been having a fabulous time building Lego sets and has fallen down a rabbit hole on Star Wars and is watching all the Clone Wars episodes.

J and I went and saw Casablanca at the theater which was amazing.  I've seen the movie dozens of times but seeing it on the big screen was such a fantastic experience.  It reminded me of why it was one of my favorite movies of all time.  This weekend has been a scent work trial at the dog club and it has reminded me that I am not used to manual labor and am massively out of shape!  I have loved seeing all the different dog breeds and it's been a lot of fun.  I might sleep all next week though!

Have a great week and happy reading!

Rose Cottage - Classic Fiction Review

Goodreads:  Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Library

Description:  Rose Cottage, a tiny thatched dwelling in an idyllic English country setting, would appear the picture of tranquillity to any passerby. But when Kate Herrick returns to her childhood home she uncovers a web of intrigue as tangled as the rambling roses in its garden. 

It is the summer of 1947. Kate, widowed in the War and comfortably settled in London, travels to Rose Cottage to retrieve some family papers for her grandmother. Curious as to the changes and the welcome she'll find, she is relieved when, at first glance, everything seems just as she remembers it. But she soon finds disturbing evidence of a break-in. The papers are missing. The village is alive with gossip. Did her elderly neighbors, suspected of being witches, really see nighttime prowlers and ghosts in the cottage garden? Kate's search for the truth brings her together with many childhood friends and neighbors, some suspicious of her return, but most eager to help. It also leads her down a trail of family bitterness, jealousy, and revenge - and into an exploration of her own past.

Genre: Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been wanting to read more Mary Stewart and I just picked this one up on a whim.  

My Impression:  This was a sweet story with a touch of intrigue at the beginning and middle.  Kate Herrick has come a long way since she was Kathy Whelland who lived at Rose Cottage with her grandmother and great-aunt.  However, Kate is not torn or hiding from her past in any way which was nice.  She had a good childhood except for the disappearance of her mother when Kate was a little girl and having to deal with her rather dour great-aunt.  

When she arrives back at Rose Cottage to pack up her grandmother's belongings she's happy to reunite with the places and friends of her childhood even though something is definitely amiss around the cottage.

Kate is a nice character as are most of the people who inhabit the village surrounding Rose Cottage and everyone has an opinion or sighting.  

I have read this and then listened to the abridged version.  Normally, I'm not a fan of abridged book but this one was read by Samantha Eggar and was absolutely fantastic.  The shortened form works nicely for this story and if you can find the version narrated by Eggar it's definitely worth it.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would!  I've really enjoyed everything I've read by her so far and really want to finish all of her books.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you're looking for a sweet story with likable characters this is a nice quick read or short listen!