Book two of the Magical Bakery series, I have to say that I enjoyed Bewitched, Bothered and Biscotti by Bailey Cates even more than Brownies and Broomsticks, the first book of the series.

If you're a lover of the Brothers' Grimm, Enchanted by Alethea Kontis, the first of the Woodcutter Sisters series, is the book for you. This is not a retelling of old favorites but a whole new story with all the fairy tale elements I love.



I've been seeing a lot of reviews, both negative and positive describing this book as a fairy tale retold. That is not what this is. It is a whole new fairy tale.

The biggest mistake anyone can make when opening this book is to think you know the story already. This is an entirely new creature.

What Alethea Kontis does in this book is bring to like our favorite tales from the Brothers Grimm and a touch of Hans Christen Anderson to weave the magical rules of this world.

This is a world where, if a girl meets a talking frog, she easily figures out its a man because her world is full of enchanted frogs turned men, full of Kings with no name, full of fairy godmothers baring magical gifts.

I quite enjoyed this read. It sets up a beautiful world and Alethea's writing voice is perfect for it. She captures the true essence of fairy tales and makes them her own.

I grew up with Brothers Grimm and every once in a while, Alethea would make a reference to apples and you knew they must be poisoned, or to any other number of things and if you're a true fairy tale lover, you understand the rules of them.

She doesn't spell it out for you but if you pay enough attention, she leaves you enough clues to make an educated guess. Like so many people having violet eyes. I think this says how much magic is in their blood. Purple and violet always seem to be a reference to magic.

This was a lovely start to what is going to be an enchanting series.

Just remember, when you open the book, let Alethea weave her magical tale. She's not retelling you a story you've heard a thousand times. She's using the age old fairy tale references and rules to create something entirely new. She's setting up a world that I can't wait to visit again to find out what happened with all of Sunday's sisters and, hopefully, her brothers too.

This review was served up by Bryonna Nobles.

Kari and I wanted to do something a little different on this review blog. We're readers above all else and love discussing books.  We've decided to create our own Book Club called Book Brunch.

At the beginning of every month, we'll select a book that we can all read and at the end of the month, we'll set up a Book Brunch on the blog to discuss! This is a great way to expand your literary horizons and find new authors to adore.

Since we're already halfway through January, the following book will be discussed at the end of February. So to kick off our first Book Brunch, we have:

Debut novelist, Nicki Salcedo

Seven years ago, a knife-wielding stranger left socialite Ava Camden for dead on the sidewalk of an upscale Atlanta restaurant. She survived, but her face was brutally scarred. The police, the courts, and the powerful Camden family pinned the assault on only one suspect: Joel Sapphire, a twenty-year-old star athlete on the cusp of a pro football career. Too drunk to remember any details, Joel was found over Ava’s body, holding the bloody weapon.

Graham Sapphire grew up fighting on the city’s tough southside, and he’ll never let the Camdens crush his family. Now a wealthy hotelier, he’s determined to clear his brother’s name—and to find the monster responsible for Ava’s scars. Graham started writing to Ava the day his brother entered prison, asking her to give him a chance and offering his help. She never answered—but she never stopped reading.


Now Joel has been paroled, only to vanish before Graham can reach him. Is he lurking in the shadows or on the run from death threats? Ava is the lure that will bring him back, but she’s not alone in the fight. Graham will give his life—and even his brother’s—to protect her. The bond between them is hot, tender, and almost as dangerous as the hunter who waits in the shadows of the city’s darkest streets.


Kari and I hope you'll join us on February 28 to discuss this amazing novel. It promises to be quite an experience. Maybe we'll even get lucky and the author herself will drop by. You never know!

   Rick Riordan is an amazing Juvenile/Young Adult writer. Having children himself, one of which was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), Mr. Riordan is a master of keeping his stories moving at a regular pace to keep you wanting...no, NEEDING to keep reading. He creates vibrant characters, realistic for young people today to connect with. They do manage to mature and grow in a believable amount of time, something to show the young readers so that they understand that they are not the only ones going through bad times but it does get better - it just takes that illusive thing called time.

~*~Kids Menu~*~

Genre:  Paranormal/Supernatural

Heat Level:  Mild

The Red Pyramid

   At the beginning of the story, we meet siblings Sadie and Carter Kane coming together for Christmas - the first time that they have seen each other in a year. To watch the pair tip-toe around each other, unsure of how to deal with the other on the long term - especially when abandoned to the care of a man who claims to be their uncle, is quite amusing. The very sarcastic little sister, Sadie, I could really relate with the character as she struggled to deal with a brother she did not know and tried to make her way in the world without letting the growing danger and overwhelming tasks make her into something she did not want to be. She was a strong support for her brother, without having to be the sappy, doting, naive heroine that tends to get on a person's nerves real quick.

   With their mother having already passed to the other side, the siblings spend the whole of the Red Pyramids in pursuit of their father, a world-famous Egyptologist. After trying to perform a complex ceremony that neither Sadie or Carter had known to expect, Dr Kane released five of the old Egyptian gods. As the door opened, all five gods left the voids where they had been locked away, seeking out the nearest human hosts they could make do with - two of which being Sadie and Carter themselves. A third took possession of their father, who was kidnapped by the fifth god Set, who was strong enough to act on his own power - not needing a host. Imagine watching that - plus find out that you are magicians - then that to be a magician, you have to have been the offspring of the ancient pharaohs (easy way to check paternity), and THEN!! If that wasn't enough, you find out that you are the first generation offspring of the two strongest Egyptian royal blood lines (and most famous pharaohs of all time). Everyone fears you and even more people want you dead - just because you have unknowingly already broken every rule the magicians have ever written. Oops.

The Throne of Fire

  One of the main concepts that is repeated throughout this book series is the order of the universe - Chaos and Ma'at (Order). There may have been another word for chaos but if there was, I cannot remember it right now. For each of these characteristics, there were gods embodying them; specifically Apophis, a great snake who stood for chaos and Ra, the sun god who stood for Order. Up until now, the powers have been equal since one god is locked up in his own private void and the other retreated from the world of man out of necessity (that's the equal scale thing that comes back to bite everyone in the third book - no spoiler I promise but...

  
 blphemeunpna *Glares at Bryonna, whose hands are covering my mouth* Okay, I promise not to go on. Sorry, no one else I know has read the third book yet and it's driving me crazy not being able to talk about it!!

   Anyways, after the release of the five gods in the first book, we find chaos growing stronger as the second book begins. The Carter siblings have opened up their home in New York to any potential magicians who answered their call at the end of the last book. They have collected about two handfuls of potential magicians, two of which are at the siblings' sides as Carter and Sadie are preparing to 'borrow' an Egyptian artifact from a local museum. Unlike the last book, the first big action packed scene takes place in the first few chapters, ending with half of Brooklyn catching fire and Carter and Sadie adopting/being forced to house a chicken munching griffin.

   With the artifact in their possession, the siblings once more set out into the world, this time to awaken the ancient god Ra who they feel is the only chance they have to prevent the god of chaos from returning to earth. Of course, the siblings and their few initiates are on their own to complete such a massive task. After all, how do you wake a god who has been hiding away for thousands of years? A big cup of coffee is probably not going to do it. The biggest challenge is that, of course, neither the other sect of magicians nor even the gods that only last year supported Sadie and Carter want Ra revived. The last anyone saw Ra, he was old, sick, and a bit senile. There is a chance that this foolish endeavor will be a complete waste of time.

~*~Kids Menu~*~

Genre:  Paranormal/Supernatural

Heat Level:  Mild

The Serpent's Shadow

   This third and final installment of the Kane Chronicles was...OUTRAGEOUS! STUPENDOUS! JAW DROPPING! FANTASTIC!

   Sorry, had to get that out. I loved this book - it actually made reading both of the previous two books worth while. This book was the shortest in the trilogy, which made it easy for me to speed through in about 6 hours. (Who really needs sleep anyways?) With the shortest deadline ever - three whole days to mount a defense against the evil god. 

   Once again, this book begins with a bang - bigger than the last. The Kane siblings and a few of their initiates are in Texas to, once again, 'borrow' an artifact that may help defeat Apophis. (Have you seen a running theme yet?) The magicians who once barred the Kanes and their students from their annals now need the groups help more than ever as one nome (Egyptian word for region or county) after another fall to the minions of Chaos, resulting in total loss of life and land. Struggling to meet the needs of all concerned, the siblings are pulled apart to complete challenges of their own - one to restore the life of an old friend, the other to retrieve the one spell that might save them all from annihilation. 

   I know that I have not said much but it's a short book and hard to avoid major spoilers - especially considering the previous two books. But really, truly, honestly, this is an amazing book. One of my absolute favorites. Overall, a fantastic ending to series. Bravo Mr. Riordan! Hopefully there are more to come...

   No, scratch that - there had BETTER be more to come!!

Now I know they tell us not to judge a book by its cover but let's be honest here, we all do it. That cover can be the deciding factor on if we look at the back of that book or not. Will we give that book and that author a chance?

When I saw the cover to Brownies and Broomsticks by Bailey Cates, I couldn't pass it up.

For one, its pink — and you all know that caught my attention — and its adorable. Right there on the cover you know you're getting baking and magic. Those things just scream me!

A Magical Bakery Mystery. Now I don't do a lot of mysteries. A lot of the time — and this is probably just the ones I read I admit — but I find the characters flat and some of the events unbelievable. I know that sounds weird because I write paranormal, but some things just seemed like plot devices.

Needless to say that this book was out of my comfort zone but the blot really caught my attention.

We have a 28 year old woman moving to Savannah, Georgia - one of my favorite towns! — to help run a bakery opened up in the historic district with her aunt and uncle. Once there, she discovers that she is a witch. On top of that, this bitchy customer ends up getting killed right outside her bakery and her uncle is accused of doing it!

This is not as action packed as most of the books I read but I really enjoyed it. I honeymooned in Savannah, so this book brought up all those happy memories. I really feel Bailey Cates captured the feel of Southern life without going overboard with it. I could feel myself back in Savannah again.

She really followed the Wiccan path more than anything in this book and I do look forward to the next. She did her research very well. The only thing she did that bothered me was that every practitioner I've ever met has told me that when you light candles for your alter to call upon the four points (north, south, east and west) that, at the end, you never blow them out. This is because wind would be overcoming fire and thus upsetting the balance in your circle. You always snuff them out.

Maybe there are practitioners that don't mind blowing out the candles, I've just always been told that you should never do that.

This review was served up to you by Bryonna Nobles.

The Paranormal Romance market is definitely saturated with vampires to the point that a lot of people are just not buying new books on the subject. We're also seeing a lot of stories about vampires coming out and integrating into human society. I bet you can name three series off the top of your head that do just that.

That being said, Molly Harper's Nice Girls series is a breathe of fresh air.



In Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs, book one in Jane Jameson's vampire adventures, Jane is just let go from her job as a librarian in her small Southern town.  They don't even have the decency to give her a severance check, just a gift certificate to a local bar.  Oh and a coupon for free potato wedges.

Drunk, she meets a charming stranger, Gabriel, who keeps her company on the worst day of her life.  Little did she know that being fired would be a highlight.

Sober enough to drive home, Jane's car breaks down on a long stretch of country road.  Getting out to walk, she didn't want to call anyone and talk about her humiliating day, she stumbles... just as the town's local drunk drives by and, mistaking her for a deer, decides to do a little hunting from his truck.

This is how Jane Jameson dies.  Shot and lying in a ditch on the side of the road.

Lucky for her, Gabriel was a concerned vampire who wanted to make sure she got home alright.  Three days later, she wakes up in his guest room, a newly risen vampire.

So begins Jane's adventures.

Molly has a hilarious voice.  Her characters are real and easy to relate to.  They are likable and have flaws. While, yes, you've seen similar stories before, she has a refreshing view on life as a vampire.

One thing I love about these books is that each chapter starts out with a passage from some 'self-help' book for vampires.  Such as The Guide from the Newly Undead.  I enjoy starting each new chapter just to see what new passage we're introduced to next.

Fabulous series and well worth the read.

This review was served up to you by Bryonna Nobles.

I love a good shifter story and when I saw this adorable book cover, I just had to read it.


How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf is the first book in Molly Harper's Naked Werewolf series.

This is a fabulous light read.  What I'd call a vacation book.


You have Mo Wenstien who moves to the small town of Grundy, Alaska from Mississippi to get away from her failed engagement and her truly hippie parents.  More the parents than the engagement.

To say she was surprised where a very hot, naked Cooper Graham shows up on her doorstep with a bear trap on his leg, is an understatement but finding out Cooper is a werewolf was a touch more shocking.

Reading this book, its as though Mo is sitting across from you at lunch sharing her story.  You feel she's talking to you, like she's an old friend.

Some people find Mo's life a little too convenient in the story but I feel Molly explained things in a very believable manner.  While I wish we could have gotten more depth from Cooper, the story is in first person and so we are limited to just Mo's side of the story.

Despite this, I found it enjoyable.  It made me want to visit Alaska... in the summer... when its warm... well, warmer.

I have read other books by Molly Harper since this that I have enjoyed a lot more but this was a nice introduction to her series.

Funny, light read  Check it out.

This review was served up to you by Bryonna Nobles.

There is a lot of Paranormal Young Adult series out there that really made me start shying away from the genre. You get the same old story lines again and again.

I am a member of Georgia Romance Writers and at one of our meetings, I found a postcard about a book about to come out. Reading the back of this book, I got really excited. Demons, trappers, mystery. It sounded so fun! Even better, it took place in Atlanta, Georgia! Well, being a proud Georgia Peach how could I not pick it up?


The Demon Trapper's Daughter as its known in the United States (or Forsaken in the United Kingdom) by Jana Oliver restored by faith in Paranormal Young Adult. Funny, well thought out, with characters that are far from cookie cutter, this book gives you a unique plot with an interesting twist on the world.

Here we follow 17 year old Riley Blackthrone, daughter of Paul Blackthorne - a renown demon trapper - as she tries to survive in 2018 Atlanta, Georgia. Here demons are real and the world knows about them. Have an infestation? You hire a member of the Demon Trappers Guild of which Riley is the only girl. The first girl, in fact, to become a Demon Trapper. A young woman in a good ole boy world, Riley has to work harder than anyone else to prove her worth.

When her father is killed by a powerful demon, Riley's world is turned upside down. Is this the end of her Demon Trapping career? How does she survive in a city riddled in poverty with no way to support herself? She has to fight to stay in the guild while battling necromancers who want to raise her father from the dead and make him an undead slave - a trophy for some rich family to be weighed upon by.

Unique and thrilling, this is a real page turner. I really enjoyed the ride Jana takes you on through Riley's life and a city that never came back from its economic slump.

Riley is an excellent role model for teenage girls. Independant, trying to make the right decisions to survive, and is very proactive on her problems.

I do need to give you just one warning about this book, however. It makes you crave hot chocolate. Riley's favorite drink, she's constantly ordering a nice tall cup of hot chocolate from her favorite barista, Simi, or else making it at home. I found myself drinking a lot of the delicious drink myself while curled up with this book.

I also think that the United Kingdom got a much better book cover than we did! I was so jealous of it!  You can see it above.

As I said, here in America, we have The Demon Trapper's Daughter and while that cover is pretty awesome, Forsaken, the cover released in the United Kingdom was just a little bit more awesome.

Oh well, still a fabulous series. I highly, highly recommend it. This is one of this server's favorite series!

This review was served up to you by Bryonna Nobles.

Last Chance to Run by Dianna Love was a fun read.  It reminded me of Cinderella.  Well, if Cinderella was on the run from a maniac killer and Prince Charming wielded a gun and flew a plane.


Our heroine, Angel, has gotten screwed every which way by life.  Even her dad betrayed her, framing her as a drug mule and sending her to prison for a year.  Finally, after years of scrubbing toilets and shoveling crap at the dump, she gets her dream job!  A worker at a warehouse.  She even gets promoted to inventory clerk.

When she finds a stolen painting, she decides to show her boss, prove to him he put his trust in the right girl despite her arrest record.  Oops.  Turns out the big boss is the one who stole those paintings.

On the run for her life, she runs into Prince Charming himself, Zane Black.  But even Zane isn't all he appears to be.  Having left the Air Force to take care of his little sister, Zane started his own courier service for big businesses.  Oh, and he works for the DEA.

A girl on the run, a man who wants to protect her but could end up landing her in jail, and everyone and their brother after them.

Great read.  Check it out!

This review was served up by Bryonna Nobles.

I can't tell you how many times I've been reading reviews on new authors who I might be interested in and they are given 1 star with a review that reads:  "I loved this book, it was wonderful.  It was just too short."  My thought is:  Oh my God, did you just give a one star review to a book you thought was wonderful?

There are times when I don't think people realize just how important a book review is to an author.  This really does affect their sells.  That is why, if I love a book, I go and give it a review on amazon, goodreads and Barnes & Noble.  After I've finished, I'll scroll through a few pages and make sure there are no trolls out there.  I hate trolls.  They give 1 star reviews for nothing.  A lot of them even write 'Trolling' in the description.  So I report them and hope the website will take care of it.

But let's talk about reviews.  I'm not claiming to be a review expert here, but I do have some knowledge of reviews I don't think others have considered.

Haywood Smith

I'm going to quote author Haywood Smith on this because I think what she says on the subject is perfect:  "If you love my book, please, review me.  Shout it from the rooftops, tell everyone you know.  If you hated my book, please, be kind and keep it to yourself."

People always laugh when she says this but its more because its humor out of truth.  A bad review could kill sells and just because you didn't like a book doesn't mean someone else wouldn't.

I always bare this in mind when speaking about authors I don't care for.  My turn of phrase is always, "She's not my cup of tea."  When it comes down to it, you can be the juiciest, sweetest peach in the basket but you're still going to find someone who doesn't like peaches.

So if you hated a book, don't review it.  Be kind to the author. This is their career you're messing with. If there was something that truly bothered you in it, write to them. If they got information wrong, tell them. They might wince but they will always remember that wrong information and make a note. They'll change it.

If you see someone has trolled that author, report it. I seriously hate trolling. Its pointless and they just do it to be mean.

***Stars***

When giving stars in your reviews, always remember that these DO have meaning to other people.

*****1 Star Review - I absolutely HATED this.  Horrible experience.
*****2 Star Review - I really didn't care for this book at all...
*****3 Star Review - I liked it okay but I don't think I'd recommend this book to anyone.
*****4 Star Review - I really enjoyed this book.  You should read.
*****5 Star Review - I loved this book and will likely read it again.  You HAVE to read this book!


Does that put things a little more in perspective?  Is this what its always meant to you?  When you think about it, how many books have you bought and read with three stars or less in their reviews?

When writing up your review, remember not to give spoilers.  If you do, at least give a warning first.

Most people will do something simple like:  "Cute, funny, light hearted read" or whatever line might describe the book in one sentence.

I tend to give more detailed reviews, trying to at least mention the first really good hook that drew me into the story, hoping it'll draw others in as well.

If you read a story and it was too short for you but you loved it, don't give it 1 star.  Give it 4 or, if the length really bothered you, at least give it a 3.  I try not to review anything I felt deserved less than 4 stars.

Be kind to us writers.  Writing is a lot harder than people think it is.  Remember, just because that particular book wasn't your cup of tea doesn't mean it won't be someone else's.  By giving them that horrible review, you taint that book for everyone else.