Before beginning a new ballet, the English choreographer Frederick Ashton often visited the Brompton Oratory in London. Beneath the Catholic church’s ornate neoclassical domes, he would light a candle and kneel in a pew to pray. Considered a serious talent in the ballet world by the mid-twentieth century, Ashton—who wasn’t Catholic—used these spiritual excursions to […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/online/2022/12/16/ghosts-at-the-feast-ashton/

Narrated by Hollie Jackson, A Total Witch Show by Dakota Cassidy, is the fourteenth audiobook in the cozy paranormal mystery series, Witchless in Seattle. Snark, suspense and action await you as something wicked this way comes….

A Total Witch Show
by Dakota Cassidy
Series: Witchless in Seattle #14
Narrator: Hollie Jackson
Length: 5 hours and 52 minutes
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

Rating:
Narration: 4 cups Speed: 1.4x

Hello, it’s me, intrepid amateur sleuth, Stevie Cartwright back in the saddle again!

An intrepid amateur sleuth who’s being hunted.

Yep. This time I’m the case that needs solving. My most recent past has come back to haunt me. What I mean by that is, almost every single criminal dead or alive that we’ve captured or we’ve had a hand in doling out their fate, have been stalking me via the ghost of my very first case.

Sal Finch.

Remember him? Win’s vengeful cousin, angry and bitter when he lost all of Win’s inheritance to me and tried to kill me, has somehow figured out how to read people on this plane and get them to do his bidding.

So far, I’ve been the recipient of a black eye, I’ve been shot at, and someone tried to blow me up! So how do I, mostly a mere mortal, fight off someone from the afterlife still holding a big, fat grudge?

I call my sister Halliday Valentine to help me fight off the forces of evil, of course! A full-time witch who has visions, and part time sleuth just like me. But the afterlife sure has drastically changed since I lost my powers, and everyone around me becomes suspect as Sal whispers suggestively in the ears of criminals who would like nothing better than to see me kaput.

So when things get so bad, my sister Hal has a vision of me, a mere dead husk of a body, my soul evaporated for eternity, we know we have to take action and call Sal out with the mother of all spells. But with the afterlife in such an uproar, and the delicate timing of the spell, will we get this monkey off my back, or leave the world turned upside down?

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What a crazy ride this series has been. We have witnessed Stevie from the moment her powers were stripped from her, and she was shunned by the coven to her making roots in Seattle. She has built a home for herself, found love and friendship. What she needs and what we need are answers. If she can stay alive long enough, we might just get them.

All hands on deck for this one, including Halliday Valentine Stevie’s sister. What she tells Stevie has everyone worried, including Win. Our villain Sal Finch might me dead, but he isn’t done seeking revenge.

Fourteen stories in and Cassidy kept the story fresh and exciting. The buildup regarding Stevie’s powers, which occasionally sputter into life, was intense in this episode. I loved the secondary characters and seeing everyone rally. Win was downright heroic in a scene or two. Stevie is her usual sacrificing self, but the girl is loyal.

Fans of amateur sleuths, humor, and paranormal elements will want to check out this series. I recommend starting from the beginning. While most contain a single mystery, the overall story arc and character relationships are best enjoyed from the start.

Hollie Jackson narrates and delights from her squeaky voice of Stevie’s familiar to the Russian spy. Jackson enhances the overall tale and brought these characters to life.

Amazon* | Audible

*Kindle Unlimited

A Total Witch Show by Dakota Cassidy delivered answers, suspenseful and plenty of humor. #WitchlessInSeattle #cozyparanormalmystery #audiobook #HollieJackson
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/12/a-total-witch-show-by-dakota-cassidy.html

Society has fallen, and our world has ended. Those that survived must fight to eat, breathe, and live. Demons, goblins, and other creatures of cruelty crowd the landscape hunting the remnants of humanity along with each other. This is Apocalypsia. The world that Jerry J.C. Veit paints is a dreary one in which we follow a group of survivors who, over time, begin to discover that the end of the world comes with some unforeseen skills. As we face betrayal, friendship, greed, and everything in between, we explore a world where the line between humans and demon blur.

Veit breathes life into the characters in Apocalypsia who walk this landscape, both heroes and villains. Readers will cheer them on through victories, feel the stress of survival, and feel pain at their losses. This gripping book takes a unique journey through an apocalypse that many of us haven’t seen before. A mixture of fantasy and sci-fi, anyone who enjoys a good walk through the end times will find themselves at home with this book.

This highly original story is imaginative and gives an unexpected look at a dystopian future. I had some trouble with grammatical errors in the book that caused me to lose my place in the story at times and would miss some of the small details that Viet added. I would reread sections because those small details give this novel a unique feel that others in the genre lack. The length of the book is not daunting and is a good length. You will fall in love with some of the characters and follow their journeys. Veit mixes science fiction and fantasy with the demons he creates in this book, which is one area in which the book excels. The devils within these pages are unique and fascinating, leaving you wanting more and more to rear their heads in your direction.

Apocalypsia is a page-turning action and adventure novel about post-apocalyptic times. Readers will imagine themselves fighting through Apocalypsia from one unpredictable situation to the next. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new take on the end of the world, especially those in middle school and up.

Pages: 370 | ASIN : B0BK5LJNZ4

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/16/apocalypsia-2/

If you are looking for a cozy feel-good novel for the holiday season, Christmas For The Cowboy by C.H. Eryl is for you. This holiday romance has all the special ingredients needed for a Hallmark Christmas movie. First, we have Rowdy, a now famous bronc rider, who left the town of Clover Spring ten years ago. We also have Dee, a strong and independent real estate agent who doesn’t let a man slow her down. But when Rowdy returns to town, Dee suddenly remembers what love felt like all those years ago. From heart-wrenching subplots to adorable romances, Christmas For The Cowboy is a must-read this Christmas season.

Christmas For The Cowboy is a simple feel-good romance that touches on subjects we have all gone through. However, this is an emotionally-charged melodrama that doesn’t try to be anything more than a cozy romance. Ultimately, it wraps it up in a cute little holiday bow. With this, I felt that grief was one of this story’s central themes, and it was handled with grace.

I enjoyed the relationship between Dakota and Rowdy, but I would have enjoyed their banter more if the dialogue had been a bit deeper and more flowing. Rowdy’s love for his profession is evident, and I enjoyed that dimension of his character, as I felt it is a unique one within the romance genre, but I would have loved to have dived a little deeper into that. I can understand why things are kept at a surface level, though; this ensures readers that are not familiar with it can understand what he’s talking about, so don’t worry, you don’t need to be an expert to follow along. Dee is also a strong character, and I think she brought a good balance to the story. Setting aside a few clichés, because what romance novel doesn’t have them, I think her character fits the archetype nicely, and long-time fans of the romance genre will feel at home with her character. Finally, rowdy’s parents were lovable side characters; it would be nice to read a story just about them and their young romance. I could see it being like Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook.

I enjoyed Christmas For The Cowboy and would recommend it to readers looking for a light romance novel to get them into the Christmas spirit. It’s the perfect love story for curling up with a cup of hot chocolate and spending an afternoon by the fire.

Pages: 225 | ASIN: B0BDBFK24R

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/16/christmas-for-the-cowboy/

Blood Sick Vampire is a fun adventure novel that depicts the biblical Cain as an unlikely hero struggling against the armies of Satan. He also just so happens to be a vampire. J.E. Serrano’s novel follows Cain from his tragic fall to his appearance during the Third Crusade, where he captivates and transforms Diego Torrolisimo. They soon realize that Diego may be more than your average vampire. The two of them, alongside Cain’s disciples (including a talking vampiric Bengal tiger named Shao-sin!), go on adventures and battle against Satan and his minions across the globe.

I had a lot of fun reading Blood Sick Vampire. Serrano has a gift for snappy dialogue, and his characters have a quirky wit about them. The way Cain and his companions casually insult demons spawned from hell with so much bravado is pretty amusing. I also appreciated the use of flashbacks to show the origins of the many different demons and vampires. The bureaucracy of hell is rather interesting, as punishments for failures seem to range from simply more hell to oblivion. The spiritual themes in the book follow a simple “good” versus “evil” formula, with the vampiric heroes using a little gray area in between.

Technically, Blood Sick Vampire suffers from a few issues. A solid proofreader would help with many punctuation and grammar mistakes. There’s also a section of three chapters that repeat themselves starting with “Cain Confronts Mmbyu” on page 96. Technical issues aside, J.E. Serrano weaves an entertaining tale. Much of the story reads like bible verses or old fables, which contrasts sharply with the modern dialog. I found this to be more charming than jarring.

Blood Sick Vampire is an unconventional twist on Biblical fiction and vampire stories. Readers will be entertained by the well-developed characters and unforgettable dialogue. It is the perfect book if you are looking for that “something different” to sit down with and go on an exciting adventure.

Pages: 304 | ISBN: 1955531501

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/16/blood-sick-vampire/

Murder at Amapas Beach by James Gilbert follows American consul Amanda Pennyworth as she finds herself once again in the middle of a murder investigation. During what was supposed to be a romantic excursion to Amapas Beach with her not-quite boyfriend, Romero, Amanda stumbles upon the bludgeoned body of a woman. Amanda finds herself inexplicably drawn to the case and finds herself questioning the shady group of tourists who are somehow able to cast the blame on everyone but themselves. No one is as they seem, and Amanda is unsure who is telling the truth and who knows more than they are letting on. She must uncover the truth behind this murder before it becomes completely unsolvable.

In Murder at Amapas Beach by James Gilbert, Amanda, an American consul living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, finds herself as a primary witness and translator in a murder investigation after stumbling upon a woman’s body. Unfortunately, the possible suspects are a group of tourists the woman was traveling with. Still, after the Puerto Vallarta Police allow the American suspects to return home to Racine, Wisconsin, Amanda finds herself still closely involved in the case.

At the heart of this book is the theme of keeping up appearances. The police departments Amanda works alongside try to maintain their reputation while the American tourists maintain their innocence despite misleading statements. Yet, even Amanda struggles with self-doubt as she questions her career and romantic life.

Murder at Amapas Beach features engaging, dynamic characters, both likable and unlikable, and a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, Amanda. The police procedure flows well throughout the book; however, some descriptions of the setting or actions of a character feel heavy-handed and even mundane at times. As a result, the reader may find themselves asking questions that remain unanswered other than vague remarks that seem half-baked, like who was the murder victim really? The characters seem to know, but the readers never get the full glimpse.

Murder at Amapas Beach is an enjoyable murder mystery and crime novel that is a quick read. Readers will be drawn into the scenery and the mystery of the crime, allowing them to feel like they are right there with Amanda, trying to figure out what really happened.

Pages: 288 | ISBN : 1639886494

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/16/murder-at-amapas-beach/

Miguel Angel Hernandez Jr. does it again with another heart-pounding ride along with the incomparable Detective Griffin Knight. A Colossal Injustice, a sequel to his first story Do Nothing, Griffin takes a trip to Seattle to help out Kalyx, the anonymous hacker who helped him to solve his last murder case. Kalyx’s fiance, Dylan Walker, was murdered after discovering someone stole money from his high-profile tech company. 

Kalyx sets Griffin up with the tools and access he needs for his investigation and with help from two sidekicks, Felix and his sister Aurora. Felix was a close friend of the murdered Dylan Walker and a personal bodyguard. Aurora, his sister, is Seattle PD and helps to ensure that even though Griffin is outside of his jurisdiction and only acting as a civilian, he has police backup. Together, and with the assistance of information cleverly left behind by Dylan Walker, they discover who stole millions of dollars from the company and what other crimes they were using the money for.

The plot twists and turns as they first confront a mob boss, only to find they are following a dead end. The novel concludes in an epic way you will have to read to find out about. Hernandez keeps the door open to a follow-up story and leaves us wondering if justice will be served in the end. 

I genuinely enjoy reading about Griffin Knight. He is part detective and part superhero, which is both realistic and fun to read. These two stories from Hernandez Jr. have been easy to follow without being boring or predictable. They are a proper mix of suspense and are easy to read. I would like a little more background on Griffin. We learned a little more about his life in this book, and I will be soaking up the more Hernandez Jr. can deliver!

A Colossal Injustice is a fast-paced and exciting murder mystery. While short in page count, there is no lack of thrills and suspense in this story. Readers are given a compelling mix of fantasy and science fiction in their crime mystery, leaving them wondering what could possibly happen next.

Pages: 94 | ASIN : B0BLT6VB3N

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/16/a-colossal-injustice/