Murder in Faerieland!
355315
Harry Dresden, our wizard gumshoe is back and up to his neck in trouble again! This time is targeted by the vampire council for destroying their leader in the last book and this causes a war between the wizards and vampires. To save himself from being turnover to the vampires and to stop the war he must solve the murder of Summer faerie's queen summer knight and he must do it or the courts of Summer and Winter will go to war and that's bad for the planet! Butcher's Harry Dresden series is gripping mix
of film noir thrills, fantasy and witty dialogue as Dresden's deadly new case will have him come face to face with a lover from his dark past who betrayad him and now seeks his help and he must deal with the deceptive faerie courts who uses humans as playthings. Butcher's knows how to write action scenes like  a deadly battle between Harry and cop friend Murph against a deadly ghoul hitwoman and lethal plant monster that comes to life
and incredible battle between the faerie courts! Butcher is giving  Laurell Hamilton and Tanya Huff some compeition in the dark fantasy detective genre. I hope Butcher is writing the next Dresden's adventure because this one was a corker!
3865383
In her second book of the Wizard Hall Chronicles, author Sheryl Steines continues build upon the wonderful and mysterious realm that she created within our everyday world. As a fan of the supernatural, I have imagined how cool it be to have this kind of magic living side-by-side with our mundane lives. Once again, Steines has brought these two domains together  along with the ever present tension of catastrophic discovery.

In The Black Market, the magical world is put at risk when a dead body is found in the woods of suburban Chicago. Unknown to the non-magical, these woods are the portal to a thriving, hidden marketplace for magical items. Wizard Guard Annie Pearce must work quickly to discover the identity of the man who was murdered by magic and why he was killed, leaving the existence of magic potentially exposed to all. During her race against time, she discovers the Market is dying and the key to this entire mess lies in her past.

I absolutely love the characters in this book!  They are well developed and have strong relationships with each other. Annie is a smart, feisty individual who is highly trusted and much beloved by her co-workers, including the love of her life, Cham. When she is working with the other Wizard Guards, it almost reminds me of an episode of Law and Order where everyone works together as a close-knit team. The one non-magical person that is in on their little secret  FBI Special Agent Jack Ramsey  brings a healthy dose of realism to his shock and discomfort with the existence of magic.

As with her first book, The Black Market ends with a tempting teaser for the next book in the series. There are still mysteries to discover and Steines is peeling back the layers like an onion. I cant wait to read the next installment!
1726078
Henry Atherton has been desperately trying to forget about his friends in the Faerie Realm for the last two years, which is a bit hard considering his responsibility of looking after Mr. Fogarty's abandoned house and temperamental cat. It is while tending Hodge that Pyrgus and Nymph make a sudden reappearance. Only...Pyrgus has aged considerably due to a mysterious disease running rampant throughout Faerie that is causing them to grow old at an alarming rate. With very little persuasion, Henry plunges back into Faerie to aid the realm in the search for a cure. But soon he finds himself far, far away from The Purple Palace and in a desolate land with only an intelligent and primitive blue-skinned boy for company. Now it's a race against time to find a miracle that will save all of Faerie...

Old enemies, new friends and an age-old battle are all mixed in with lovable and familiar characters to make up a thrilling conclusion to the riveting story that began in Faerie Wars. As Brennan's characters have grown and matured, so has his writing. Unfortunately, some characters aren't as present in Faerie Lord as they were in previous books, but the story line has more than enough drama, suspense and mystery to make up for it. Though readers will be sad that Henry, Pyrgus, and Blue's adventures have some to an end, the ending is one that is more than satisfying.
2039272
I love all of Heather's books and couldn't put this one down once I started it!  Carly Bell Hartwell owns a potion shop and is a white witch and an empath.  She agrees to attend a masquerade ball with her boyfriend, Dylan, even though his mother, Patricia, is hosting it and they do not get along.  Carly doesn't really want to go to the party because it is on Halloween eve, which is particularly dangerous for her because the ghosts that have not been able to cross over have a chance from midnight on Halloween until 11:59 on November 2.  Carly's cousin Delia has a vision of a murder at the party but doesn't know who will be killed, only that she sees Dylan's mother standing over the body with the murder weapon.  This is exactly what happens and Carly must try to help Dylan prove his mother's innocence.  This was a great read that kept me up until the wee hours of the night to see what happened next.  I would highly recommend this book and the other books in the series as well as any of Heather's other books.  They are all great reads!
1063
Murder at Avedon Hill is a wonderful blend of perplexing murder mystery and magical fantasy. When Arames Kragen, a retired advisor to one of the great royal families in the known world and his young nobleman apprentice arrive at Avedon Hill on the way to a conference, they discover that the only pass through the mountains is closed due to the horrific murder of Lord Avedon's Housemistress, Gretta Platt, supposedly by a vampire.

Unable to continue on his journey, Arames must insert himself and his young companion into the small town and its secretive inhabitants to get to the bottom of the killing. Unfortunately, Lord Avedon seems less than willing or forthcoming. It will take all Arames' skill and insight to unknot the twisted mysteries that surround the killing and both he and his companion's strong weapon arms to survive to see the murderer brought down.

Fill with magic, mystery, and fantastical creatures, Murder at Avedon Hill is an astonishingly good read that will have you guessing who is hiding what right up to the final plot twist. A brilliant first book in what promises to be a fabulous and detailed world by this debut author. A must buy for anyone that loves mystery and fantasy.
4744265
I'm not a fan of faeries however, when I grabbed the book for the sake of reading, I was compelled to go on further.  The story kept me in enough suspense to go forward and learn the fate of Aislinn.  I think that some of the Young Adult books are written tastefully and Wicked Lovely is an exception.  The story makes you really think about the "what ifs".  Can't wait for the sequel!
4243421
This book was absolutely enchanting. Contrary to what the title might have you believe, this isn't a retelling of Pride and Prejudice with pies. Instead we get a heroine coming into her own mixed with a murder mystery, sprinkled with some romance, and topped with a little magic. The characters were kooky and endearing, the setting was charming, and the magic was used just enough to be intriguing. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

Ella Mae has recently returned to her home town after catching her husband cheating on her with twins. She decides to jumpstart her life by opening a pie shop. Just when she starts to think everything might be turning around, she becomes involved in a murder investigation that threatens to ruin everything she's dreamed of.

Ella Mae was fun and spunky. She's hurting because of her pending divorce but she didn't let it keep her down for very long. She realized she still has plenty to live for and actually went about making things happen. I loved her take charge attitude; no matter the obstacle, Ella Mae faced it head on. Cheating husband? Move back home and get a divorce. Mean girl from high school getting you down? Open a pie shop that is the most popular business in town. Framed for murder? Start your own investigation and clear your name! I really connected to Ella Mae as a character because of this. It was entirely believable that, despite everything that has gone wrong in her life, Ella Mae is determined to make a change and have the life she wants.

Ella Mae's mother and aunts were very mysterious. They were each unique and kooky, but their familial love visibly tied them tight to each other. I absolutely enjoyed this picture of female support. We learned just a little about their magic in this book, enough that we know it is there but in small enough doses that it doesn't feel forced. I hope the magic aspect, where it comes from and how it is different for each lady, is explored more in future books. It could be a great mythology, especially with the surname LeFay involved. The other supporting characters were wonderfully drawn as well, especially Reba. The potential love interests were introduced to the story organically, without turning into a love triangle. It's nice to see Ella Mae realize she needs to time herself before jumping into another relationship.

The mystery was really well done. I didn't even guess the culprit before the big reveal, but it made sense within the story. I liked the use of horse breeders and racing as the backdrop for all the intrigue. It was a different world that you don't see used often. The descriptions in this book were beautiful. I could picture the town of Havenwood, with its crystal clear lake, and Ella's little pie shop easily. Ellery Adams described Ella Mae's baking with such loving detail that you could practically taste the pies. The recipes the author throws in at the end are a nice touch.

I can't help gushing about this book and how much I enjoyed it. It's a great cozy mystery for newcomers and a nice crossover for urban fantasy or paranormal romance readers. I am looking forward to Ella Mae's continuing adventures and am eagerly awaiting the release of the next book,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Peach-Pies-and-Alibis-A-Charmed-Pie-Shoppe-Mystery/dp/0425251993/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Peach Pies and Alibis (A Charmed Pie Shoppe Mystery)</a>.

See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!
3600287
It's no fun being a faery. Bryony's stuck inside a hollow oak tree, doing drudge work for the rest of the faery community, and her prospects aren't looking especially sparkly. One day, she's allowed to venture out of the tree into the surrounding countryside, only to encounter the most horrifying, dangerous creature known to faerykind.

That's right, it's a boy. Their brief encounter has a profound impact on Bryony. The grubby little fellow didn't look all that monstrous or threatening. Perhaps the world outside the oak isn't everything she's been led to believe.

Bryony develops an un-faerylike interest in all things human, and people begin to notice she's a little odd. Or, at least, odder than they thought she was. Queen Amaryllis unexpectly apprentices her to the colony's hunter, a brusque faery named Thorn, and Bryony gets even more outside time, which doesn't help her suspicion that there's a lot about both faeries and humans that somebody's trying to keep secret. Bryony decides to get to the bottom of the mystery.

She'll have to hurry, or there won't be any faeries left. There's a strange disease that's ravaging the faery colony, robbing them of their minds and their magic as it kills them. Most are of the opinion that humans are the cause of the illness, and also to blame for the great Sundering that robbed the faeries of most of their power long ago, but Bryony doesn't believe that. When the boy returns and takes up residence in the scary gray stone house across the meadow, she discovers that he may hold the answers to her questions-and perhaps even to the survival of her people.

In Faery Rebels-Spellhunter, R.J. Anderson has woven an appealing tale of magic and mystery among the fey folk of British and Celtic lore (is that redundant?), drawing from the familiar legends while spinning her own unique interpretation. These are not your run-of-the-mill Disneyfied little sprites. Anderson's faeries are practical-minded woodland predators with their own curious system of economics and politics. She portrays a community that  has lost its way and forgotten the source of its life and magic-and perhaps the most important loss is their understanding of friendship, love, mutual respect, trust, and all the other little things that make life in any community valuable and worth living.

Faeries change their name when they receive their vocation within the community, as does our heroine, from the woodsy "Bryony" to the decidedly unsentimental and deadly-sounding "Knife." Likewise, Ms. Anderson's American publisher decided to change the name of this story from Knife, its original title in Great Britain. The ways of marketing wizards are subtle and devious, but in this case, I think they've erred. One could say that Bryony/Knife is something like a rebel (though she's trying to restore her society, not rebel against it), but there's no "spellhunting" going on in this story, and I expect the title Faery Rebels will induce eye-rolling in any prospective reader over 12 years old. Younger readers will find a more grown-up story than they or their parents might expect, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but to my mind, the original title provides a better signal that this isn't a chipper little bit of childish fluff.
2660179
I enjoyed this story of Jack Sorely, a talented musician, and his several brothers, all of whom have fairy sight and can see fae in their community when others can't. The story took a lot of twists and turns as Jack travels to the fairy world, Faerie, finds a magical harp, and sort of falls for a girl he and his brothers suspect is a changeling (not good). All gets more intense when the girl, Eira, is threatened by fae, and the king of the Wild Hunt. Murders happen. Enemies are made. And through it all, the harp takes a demonic hold on Jack.

Overall, it was a great story though at times I was pulled out of the story yet I enjoyed the characters, and descriptions of the creatures! By the end I zipped through this. I can't wait for the 2nd. Fans of An Enchantment of Ravens or Wintersong may enjoy this. Well done, Alicia.
3850588
This book was awesome! I really enjoyed all the twists and turns that were happening. Some surprises that I was not expecting! Story unfolded at a good pace minus one or two sections. But that could be that I read til 4 in the morning and just wanted to go to sleep. Overall recommend this if you like royalty, faeries, and slow to realize love.
3702492
This is a lovely book that any wild-hearted person will enjoy. By stepping through this Doorway to the enchanted realm you will meet the Daoine Sidhe, the Sith, the Tuatha de Danann, the Twylth Teg and many more beings of the faery worlds.  The chapters cover the topics of Enchantment, Mischief, Good Fortune, Faery Encounters, and Various Faeiries and Others, so as you can see there is a lot of valuable information packed into a conveniently sized package.  The author has delved into the vast treasure house of faery paintings to bring us the beautiful and fantastic illustrations for this book. Many of the illustrations that you may have seen before are here enlarged to a satisfying size that provides detail. Richard Doyle and Arthur Rackham are here just to name two...there is so much more and all wonderful. Bits of faery poetry are sprinkled in among the art and folk history so the whimsical feel of fey is absorbed on many levels. Lots of practical hints on the best rules of comportment when dealing with faeries are sure to prove useful. Come in! Come in! The door's open!
2208111
This was a really interesting story of Faerie's. Liked how there was a word list of definitions at the beginning, to let everyone know what was going on. Not everyone has been exposed to certain brogues or dialects. So you'll find it easier to follow throughout the story.
But this tale was really great from the characters being well written & in depth. Prince Kailen & Midna's story was full of intrigue & mischief...LOL. From getting a brief tale on the history and folklore of Faerie's & the their counterparts, to the main & backstory' of the characters, it kept you guessing as to what was going to happen next or who was going to pop up at any given moment. Looking forward to the next book.
250511
The second is better than the first! I had a few questions at the end of Kythshire, but Sheldrake answered those- I just needed to be patient for the next book! She goes more into some new characters we meet along the way and, no spoilers, but my new favorite character. A book about family, loyalty, honor, magic, and oh my goodness the faeries! Her faeries are the best.
418580
Desperate to learn about her father, Will-o-the-Wisp, and her non-human heritage, Ivy Grainger sets out to enter the land of Faerie. Armed with her boyfriend, Ceff, and an annoying sidhe ally, Torn, she manages to find a hidden portal that takes into the land the back way. A confrontation with unsavory creatures, including Death himself, has her worried that moving about the area isn't at all safe. When she finds her father's Court, her worry becomes even more heightened - especially when Ceff and Torn mysteriously disappear and are accused of theft by Ivy's uncle and his guards.

Ivy sets out to learn as much as she can about her fae heritage in hopes of using her powers to help locate her friends. Unfortunately, Ivy is forced to acknowledge some very harsh truths ~ Ivy's lineage isn't all what she's been lead to believe; her uncle isn't the noble leader that her father's court needs; and she's lost without Ceff. To top it all off, when Ivy and her hearth brownie friend, Skilly, discover a nefarious plan shrouded in treachery, Hell hath no fury like an irate wisp princess.

Birthright is another action-packed installment of the Ivy Granger series. Again, E.J. weaves her literary magic and creates an amazing addition to Ivy Granger's world. Each story in the series is well developed and pulls the reader in from the very beginning. Birthright is very suspenseful and downright sad in some places. I truly feel the despair and then the anger as it builds within Ivy.

As noted in other reviews I've posted of the series, Ivy is written in such a way that she is still brand new; never becoming stagnant, dull, or predictable. She continues to kick butt in the name of protecting her family, friends, and townsfolk. Ivy does all of this while maintaining safe distances since she has the ability of touching objects or people and being able to discern history of said objects/people. Her relationship with Ceff was strong as ever and progressing nicely before leaving Harborsmouth for Faerie.

I have enjoyed the world of Ivy Granger since Book 1. The series is easy to read, understand, and follow. The characters are a hoot - Torn takes the cake in Birthright. He is written with just the right amount of inappropriateness. The good guys and gals are likable and you definitely find yourself rooting for them. The baddies are also well written and sometimes give the reader the shivers ~ which means the author did her job! :)

Please make sure to read the books in order since the world and character building, plotlines, subjects, and themes build off of the previous books.

Review copy courtesy of the author, at no cost, in exchange for an honest review.
1375960
Good mystery, well paced, great characters.  I was glad to see a new otherworld book and was not disappointed!  Recommended!
2730392
Monica Albertson is content in Cranberry Cove, Michigan helping her half-brother Jeff run Sassanmanash Farm, their family cranberry farm, by supplying the farm store with fresh-baked cranberry bread, cranberry scones, and cranberry salsa and helping Jeff out as needed.  The merchants in Cranberry Cove are looking forward to the Winter Walk, an event planned by Mayor Preston Crowley, to bring much-needed business to the town during the slow winter months.  The event is slated to begin with Miss Winter Walk, Preston's niece, riding through town on a horse-driven sleigh.

The town is startled when the horse arrives pulling the sleigh in a fit - a sleigh empty except for Preston Crowley's dead body.  Preston has been stabbed through the neck with a knife.

It turns out Preston Crowley was dating both Monica's mother, Nancy Albertson, and Monica's stepmother, Gina Albertson, each unbeknownst to the other.  The detective in charge of the case is suspicious of both of them though Monica feels sure neither had anything to do with the murder.  As Monica investigates Crowley's death, she learns he was stabbed with an athame, a ceremonial dagger used in Wiccan rituals, that likely came from Twilight, the new-age shop owned by outsider Tempest Storm.  Tempest had planned a Wiccan ceremony the day the Winter Walk began, and Crowley had been circulating a petition to stop Tempest's ritual.  Monica also finds the owner of the new restaurant in town, The Pepper Pot, was delayed in opening the restaurant because Preston Crowley managed to delay a health inspection, causing the owner of The Pepper Pot, Roger Tripp, to become angry.

As Monica gathers clues, distinctive buttons begin showing up as well as a coat buried in a pile of sand.  A second murder occurs, and Monica finds a voodoo doll in her farm market apron.  Someone is trying to scare her off the case.  Can Monica find the murderer before she or anyone else is harmed?

I really enjoyed reading this book.  The main characters are likeable and believable, and I loved the small town atmosphere as well as the tasty mentions of cranberry-inspired food throughout the book.  The small town shops are quaint, and so is Nancy's kitten, Mittens, sounds adorable.  I would definitely recommend this book to any foodie or cozy mystery fan.
2385464
"It Takes a Witch" is an enchanting cozy paranormal mystery that centres on sisters Darcy and Harper Merriweather and their Aunt Ve. Darcy and Harper have just learned that they are spell-casters and so they have the power to grant wishes for other people. They decide to move to the touristy Enchanted Village, Salem, Massachusetts - where other witches hang out under the noses of humans - and help Aunt Ve with the family business. A murder occurs and suspicion falls on Sylar, Aunt Ve's partner. Darcy decides to investigate even though it pulls her away from learning the tricks of the trade and threatens a burgeoning relationship with single dad cop Nick Sawyer.

I really loved the villagers - at times more than our main character. The concept of Crafters was very cool. Crafters were born with a special affinity e.g. Floracrafters are good at growing flowers, Wishcrafters can grant wishes etc. I was with Blake up until she introduced...Lawcrafters. Hmm. When children are the product of two Crafters with different skills, one will be dominant. Crafters are pretty sneaky about hiding their skills not only from humans but also each other. There are some very strict rules they have to follow regarding their Craft and in the case of Wishcrafters, they cannot grant their own wishes. We also meet familiars who were formerly Crafters and turned into animals when they died e.g. Pepe the mouse who is also a tailor. There are so many characters thrown at the reader that it can get confusing at times. The characters go out of their way to be so friendly towards Darcy and Harper, I was initially suspicious of their motives - how jaded of me - and thought they were all in on the murder a la Murder on the Orient Express. Nope, it turns out that Enchanted Village is just full of very nice people. Darcy's relationship with Nick is a fairly stock standard cozy affair at the moment but I have high hopes it will develop into something more.

The plot worked even though Darcy solved it without her magic. I know it would have killed the concept of the book but why didn't someone who knew she was investigating just wish in front of her that the murderer would be found? The victim was not that nice a person (at least by Enchanted Village standards) and so perhaps no one really cared. They were far more concerned about the pickpocket and the effect it would have on the tourism industry than a murder. Pragmatism this time round at least won through. I also really would have loved Aunt Ve to give her nieces a crash course in their Craft so they weren't bumbling about trying to figure it out.

This is a really engaging mystery with some delightful characters in a whimsical setting. The mystery is well executed and it is an easy read. Not sold yet? The paperback edition I bought has glitter stuck to the cover.