Source: Freebie

Sophia Rose Review: Newly Wed and Slightly Dead by Danielle Garrett

Posted November 23, 2019 by Lily B in Reviews / 18 Comments

Sophia Rose Review: Newly Wed and Slightly Dead by Danielle GarrettNewly Wed and Slightly Dead by Danielle Garrett
Series: A Touch of Magic Mysteries #1
Published by Self-published on February 14, 2019
Genres: Paranormal, Cozy Mystery
Pages: 160
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Freebie
Buy on Amazon
Rating:4 Stars

Nothing ruins a rehearsal dinner quite like a passive-aggressive toast from the unhappy mother of the groom. Things go from bad to yikes when she’s found reduced to a pile of ashes and couture and the bride is pegged as the one wielding the wooden stake.
When a vampire marries a human, things are bound to get messy…

After years spent working the birthday party and baby shower circuit, Anastasia Winters finally has a corner office and a host of supernatural clients all begging her to plan their special day. But following a brush of bad luck, she finds herself on the brink of losing it all. With an ultimatum from her boss on the table, her next wedding has to be perfect.
When the vampy mother of the groom is found dead, the bride goes on the run, and Anastasia is forced head-first into the murder investigation if she has any chance of getting the wedding back on track and keeping her job.
Unfortunately, this is one wedding crisis that requires more than a strategically placed bobby pin or double-sided sticky tape.
Can there be a fairy tale ending, or will it be Happily Ever Never?
***
Newly Wed and Slightly Dead is the first novel in a new series of paranormal mysteries by Danielle Garrett. Step inside the magical world of the Seattle Haven and see what happens when the magic and wedding worlds collide! Packed full of laughs, magic, mystery, and a little romance, this series is sure to have something for everyone.

After blasting my way through the Beechwood Harbor Magic and Beechwood Harbor Ghost mysteries, I was thrilled the author had begun another spinoff series featuring Holly (Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries heroine) Boldt’s bestie back in the Seattle Haven, event planner witch, Anastasia Winters.

Newly Wed and Slightly Dead picks up with Anastasia having recently made senior event planner status and working on one of the biggest wedding accounts of the year, a vampire-human wedding for the Vanguard Vampire clan. The groom’s mother has been a beast, but the rest of the wedding plans have gone without a hitch until the future monster in law gets ashed at the rehearsal dinner.

Anastasia has thrown her heart into her career and finally made it to where she wants to be, but her work is her life. She has a premiere condo, a closet full of designer shoes, a fluffy cat companion and a wayward little sister sleeping on her couch, but she doesn’t have a life. So, when the sneering witch she beat out for the job and her own boss put the pressure on, she rises to the occasion until her perfect wedding is in shambles and the bride accused of murder by the supernatural detective hottie who wants to take her out on a date.

It’s an easy quick read, but engaging and fun. Anastasia is easy to like and I enjoyed getting the intro to her world and who will likely be regular series characters. The event business is suspenseful all on its own, but it was fun seeing how the mystery turned out. I’m looking forward to continuing on with the series and can definitely recommend it to current fans of the author and those looking for a light paranormal cozy mystery.

Incidentally, at the time of writing this, the book was free on Amazon. And, if you go to the author’s website, the prequel is free.

About Sophia Rose

Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.

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Review Round Up #9

Posted November 19, 2019 by Lily B in Reviews / 14 Comments

Review Round Up #9Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson
Series: Jessica McClain, #1, #1
Published by Orbit on September 11, 2012
Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 352
Format: Paperback
Source: Won
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3 Stars
Heat:two-half-flames

Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different—she’s feared.
After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.
But not everyone is on board. The werewolf Rights of Laws is missing text and the superstitious werewolves think that Jessica means an end to their race. It doesn’t help when Jessica begins to realize she’s more. She can change partway and hold her form, and speak directly to her wolf. But the biggest complication by far is that her alpha father can't control her like he can the rest of his wolves.
When a mercenary who’s been hired by the vampires shows up to extract information about the newly turned werewolf only days after her change, they find themselves smack in the middle of a war and there's no choice but to run together. When it’s up to Jessica to negotiate her release against her father’s direct orders, she chooses to take an offer for help instead. In exchange, Jessica must now swear an oath she may end up repaying with her life.

Phew. I had this book forever, or what feels like forever. My son picked a wrapped book for me and this was the choice. The book follows a girl named Jessica McClain and she is the world’s only female werewolf and because of that, there is a prophecy that says she will bring some sort of destruction to the wolves and now every werewolf is on edge and there are some out to get here.

I found this book okay. Just okay. It wasn’t great and reminds me of a bit of Bitten, the other only one female werewolf read. I think my issue with this was entirely Jessica. I found her aggravating and falls victim to the trope of too stupid to live. Luckily for Jessica, she is a werewolf so she isn’t killed easily and has a support network of males who would put their life on the line to protect her.

It just drove me nuts with all the stupid decisions she made and flying off the handle without considering how it affects others, and her family and friends screaming at her to get away and it took some time for the repercussions to sink in but even when they do, she still learns very little.

As of right now, I don’t have plans on continuing with this series. I gave it a generous 3 stars.

Review Round Up #9Spellbound by Tricia Drammeh
Series: Spellbringers,
Published by ATW Publishing on August 2, 2014
Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 263
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Freebie
Buy on Amazon
Rating:3 Stars

The Demon Re’Vel stalks his prey in the forest of dreams, slowly gaining control over the mind of his victim. Rachel doesn’t realize the Demon is real. In fact, she doesn’t believe in magic, Demons, Hunters, or any of the other things the Alexanders have warned her about. She resists their protection, but can’t resist her overwhelming feelings for Jace.
Alisa has been drawn to Jace since the day she saved him from a Hunter attack. A mere human in a world of Spellbringers, Alisa has been embraced by the Alexander family as a hero, but not everyone is willing to accept her. Jace’s intimidating older brother, Bryce, keeps his emotions and his secrets hidden. When Bryce confides in Alisa, it puts her relationship with Jace and the entire Alexander family at risk.
Danger, secrets, and betrayal collide, and when the Demon makes his claim, the small, southern town of Oaktree becomes a battleground for Rachel’s life.
Formerly published under the title 'The Claiming Words,' Spellbound is a completely re-written, re-vamped novel featuring added scenes, additional chapters, and a new ending.

A cute YA paranormal that follows two girls. Alisa and Rachel in a dual POV. Rachel is a gifted Spellbringer, Alisa is a normal girl that somehow gets involved with the Alexander family - who are also a family with special powers.

This wasn’t bad. I liked the plot. I thought it was interesting. It did drag a bit at times and it felt repetitive. The girls sounded way younger than their 17 years of age. There was a lot of teenage boy swooning going on and falling madly in love way too quickly and thinking about marriage at such a young age. I don’t know how realistic this is for 17 year olds, maybe fanciful for someone young, like the age of 14 and 15 who don’t have a better understanding, but not many 17 year olds I feel still act like that. I could be wrong, but that’s not how my experience was.

I found Rachel to be an infuriating character. She had these Hunter’s that were looking for her and she was constantly rejecting trained professionals to protect her and kept putting the Alexander boys and her best friend in danger and it kept happening, so you’d think she’d learn? nah..

Like I said. It’s cute for a YA read, but I feel like it should be on a younger side.

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