Three Short Reviews for Ghostly #Fraterfest Reads: The Tutor by Rod A. Galino; A Wild Ghost Chase By E.J. Copperman; The Ghost Hunter Next Door by Danielle Garrett

This is a quick, engaging story and I would be willing to read more in the series.
#Fraterfest #4.
The Tutor: A Ghost Story
By Rod A. Galindo

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01IJASLSU
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wordwraith Books LLC; 1st edition (July 14, 2016)
Genre: Children’s Scary Stories, Ghosts
Source: February 2019 free Kindle.
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

"The Tutor" is Chapter One of "Claire", WINNER of the 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Paranormal category.
Young Max hates Fourth Grade math. His teenage friend Claire is an ace with numbers, and is always eager to help him with his homework. Max adores her, and loves when she visits him in the old house on Hollow Street.
Claire can also weave a ghost story like no one else. But her favorite tale always sends chills down his spine, and hits a little too close to home...

Comments:
This free Kindle story introduces Claire who isn’t quite the tutor you might expect. The short story is complete with its own little twist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I enjoy this ghostly cozy mystery series.
#Fraterfest #5.
A Wild Ghost Chase
By: E.J. Copperman
Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin

Series: Haunted Guesthouse, Book 3.5
Length: 2 hrs and 34 mins
Release date: 07-15-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, Paranormal
Source: 11/5/2022 Audible Plus.
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's summary
Phantom PI Paul Harrison from the national best-selling Haunted Guesthouse mysteries returns with a tale of his own in a house full of ghosts, secrets, and spectacular oceanside views.…
Three years ago in a large Victorian house on the Jersey Shore in the town of Harbor Haven, fledgling private investigator Paul and his client, Maxie Malone, were murdered. Since then, recent divorcée and reluctant ghost whisperer Alison Kerby and her 10-year-old daughter, Melissa, have moved in and converted the place to a guesthouse, where Maxie and Paul are now checked in for an eternity and ready to solve any case that comes their way - or at least spook the guests (who love it). Alison’s got a lot on her plate at the moment, however, so when Paul discovers the 300-year-old ghost of a small boy in the house, he decides not to involve her in the case. The boy, named Eagle of the Sun, says he’s searching for his missing mother. Paul’s happy to help Eagle of the Sun find her, though something about the boy’s story doesn’t add up. But why would a lost little ghost lie?
Includes a preview of the next Haunted Guesthouse Mystery, Chance of a Ghost, available February 2013.
©2012 Jeffrey Cohen (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Comments:
While Alison struggles to deal with the living guests in the house, her ghostly occupants, Paul and Maxie, try to help a small ghost boy who claims to be a 300 year old Native American looking for his mother. Unfortunately, the boy’s story doesn’t match history and Paul, Maxie, and Melissa end up having to dig a little deeper to resolve the mystery.
The narration by James Patrick Cronin is clear and enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I enjoyed this ghostly cozy too. I will listen to more in the series.
#Fraterfest #6.
The Ghost Hunter Next Door
Beechwood Harbor Ghost Mysteries, Book 1
By: Danielle Garrett
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
Release date: 03-26-19
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, Supernatural
Source: 11/27/2022 Audible sale $2.99.
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's summary
The first rule of being a ghost whisperer: Don't tell anyone. Seriously. Don't.
Sure, it might sound harmless. A fun party trick, even. I assure you, it's not. How do I know? Well, let's just say that I've had a lot of experience with this sort of thing, and nine times out of 10, it turns into an all-consuming disaster.
Being plagued by needy ghosts 24-7 is one thing; being harassed by a horde of curious - or worse, grieving - flesh-and-blood people is an entirely different circus. I mean really, who wants to hold an impromptu seance in the middle of the cereal aisle? Not me, and the manager of the grocery store probably isn't too crazy about the idea, either.
So, that's it. If you're a ghost whisperer, just keep your mouth shut and act normal. Ghosts? What ghosts?
Now, if only I would start listening to my own advice....
©2017 Danielle Garrett (P)2019 Tantor

Comments
Scarlet wasn’t thrilled with her gift of seeing and hearing ghosts. But she has to give them a chance or she gets no rest at all. This time, Scarlet is called upon to help deal with an angry ghost who doesn’t want people filming or remodeling her old home. Can Scarlet figure out why Rose is so angry and help the situation before someone really gets hurt?

The character interaction is cute, and the story is well laid out. Amanda Ronconi does a good job with the narration, fitting all of the characters. I would enjoy listening to more books in the series.

Audible Book Review: An Univited Ghost by E.J. Copperman

I enjoyed this as a lighter, haunted, cozy mystery.

An Uninvited Ghost
By: E.J. Copperman
Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Series: Haunted Guesthouse, Book 2
Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
Release date: 10-22-13
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, Woman Sleuth
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Alison and her resident gumshoe ghost are on their next case when the deceased Scott MacFarlane floats in worried that he accidentally killed a prominent local woman. Turns out she's still alive...that is, of course, until she's murdered - in Alison's house. Now, between the demands of her guests and the arrival of a reality television crew, Alison must find the killer before she sees reality from the other side.
©2011 Jeffrey Cohen (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Alison is hosting a group of guests who signed on for a ‘unique tour’ that includes “ghost” experiences. Fortunately, Alison is able to accommodate as she works with her house ghosts, Maxi, a former owner, and Paul, a PI hired by Maxi. Other guests who arrive to camp out back are teens from a reality television show. This increases the suspect pool as well as elevating the drama around the ongoing events.

Another ghost, Scott, shows up worried he was tricked into killing a local woman. Alison checks into the situation and learns that the woman is alive. She invites her to visit the next night for a séance but then the woman is murdered at the event. Now Alison, with some help from Paul, is intent on finding the murderer before the authorities shut down her guesthouse.

There is plenty of background banter between the ghosts and Alison. I enjoyed the quirky characters and the pursuit of the mystery. I appreciate that this is an easy, and enjoyable listen. I will continue more in the series. I recommend this to fans of cozy mysteries, especially if they like ghost characters too.

Audio Notes: Amanda Ronconi continues to do a nice job with the narration. I like her clear, distinct voices, and the appropriate energy that she gives the characters. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

Source: October 2020 Audible Plus Catalog. This qualifies for 2022TBR and 2022Audiobook goals.

#NetGalley Audio Book Review: The Library of the Dead by T. L. Huchu

This is a fast paced, fun YA fantasy and mystery with ghosts and magic.
The Library of the Dead
by T. L. Huchu
Narrated by Tinashe Warikandwa

Series: Edinburgh Nights, Book 1
Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Ghosts, Urban Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Content 4.5; Narration 4.5.

Sixth Sense meets Stranger Things in T. L. Huchu's The Library of the Dead, a sharp contemporary fantasy following a precocious and cynical teen as she explores the shadowy magical underside of modern Edinburgh.
When ghosts talk
She will listen
Ropa dropped out of school to become a ghostalker - and they sure do love to talk. Now she speaks to Edinburgh’s dead, carrying messages to those they left behind. A girl’s gotta earn a living, and it seems harmless enough. Until, that is, the dead whisper that someone’s bewitching children - leaving them husks, empty of joy and strength. It’s on Ropa’s patch, so she feels honor-bound to investigate. But what she learns will rock her world.
Ropa will dice with death as she calls on Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to hunt down clues. And although underground Edinburgh hides a wealth of dark secrets, she also discovers an occult library, a magical mentor and some unexpected allies.
Yet as shadows lengthen, will the hunter become the hunted?
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

Review:
Ropa lives in a distressed part of a Edinburgh that includes supernatural elements. Ropa dropped out of school to earn money to take care of her grandmother and younger sister. She earns money as a ghostalker, sharing messages between the living and the dead for a fee. One ghost asks for help to find her missing son, noting that other children have disappeared too. Ropa tries to avoid the woman, who can’t pay, but other events keep bringing her back to the problem.

When Ropa begins to investigate, she finds out matters are worse that she thought. Her research leads her to an underground occult library where she is identified as having magical abilities. Ropa gets help from an old childhood friend, Jomo, and a new magical friend, Priya, as she steps into one scene of danger after another. She walks into a trap and now has to find a way out if she wants to save herself and other children.

I liked Ropa as a determined young lady and I appreciated her wise grandmother. I also really liked Priya who is wheelchair bound, a medical student and a more advanced magic trainee. Oh, I like the fox pet, River, and the surprising gift too.

The dystopian world-building is well done with two systems of magic that Ropa gets to blend. She uses music in her grandmother’s Zimbabwean magic that helps her enter the everyThere to meet with ghosts. After entering the Library of the Dead she begins to learn the more common Scottish nature of ley lines, earth elements and spells.

The story moves at a good pace as Ropa follows clues to unravel the mystery of the missing and abused children. Don’t be misled by the “horror” label. I did wonder if this might be too dark for my tastes, but not at all. It has ghosts and evil but it isn’t really horror. There is a little bit of YA recklessness, but I enjoyed the YA enthusiasm as well as the ghostly elements. I will look forward to reading more in the series and I recommend this to readers/listeners who enjoy urban fantasy.

Audio Notes: Tinashe Warikandwa is a new to me narrator and I think she did a spot-on job with this performance. I can’t say if any of the accents are accurate but they worked fine for me. Tinashe captured the youth and bravado of Ropa. I am glad that I was able to listen to this entertaining story.

Source: NetGalley 2021. This qualifies for 2021NetGalley goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: Uninvited by Heather Graham

I enjoyed the ghostly elements in this romantic suspense.

The Uninvited: Book 8 in Krewe of Hunters series
by Heather Graham

Publication date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Ghosts, Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0.

1777: In the throes of the Revolutionary War, Landon Mansion is commandeered by British Lord "Butcher" Bedford. He stabs Lucy Tarleton—who spurned his king and his love—leaving her to die in her father's arms.
NOW: After the day's final tour, docent Allison Leigh makes her rounds while locking up…and finds a colleague slumped over Bedford's desk, impaled on his own replica bayonet.
Resident ghosts may be the stock-in-trade of stately Philadelphia homes, but Allison—a noted historian—is indignant at the prospect of "ghost hunters" investigating this apparent murder.
Agent Tyler Montague knows his hauntings and his history. But while Allison is skeptical of the newcomer, a second mysterious murder occurs. Has "Butcher" Bedford resurfaced? Or is there another malevolent force at work in Landon Mansion? Wary, yet deeply attracted, Allison has to trust in Tyler and work with him to discover just what uninvited guest—dead or alive—has taken over the house.
Or their lives could become history!

Review:
Allison is a local history professor and a docent at an historic mansion, the Tarleton-Dandridge House in Philadelphia. The house served as a British base in 1777 when British Lord “Butcher” Bedford married, and reportedly murdered, Lucy Tarleton. The Tarleton family were supposedly supportive of the British, but Lucy secretly worked to take information to Washington’s troops. The house has had a history of strange deaths over many years.

At the end of a tour, Allison discovers one of her young colleague’s dead in the study. It appears to be a bizarre suicide but at least one member of the board doesn’t believe this. He calls in a very special FBI “Krewe”, a team that studies paranormal events.

Agent Tyler doesn’t make a good first impression on Allison. That could be because she has been grilled for hours by the police, but more importantly she isn’t thrilled to have ‘ghost hunters’ traipsing through the carefully preserved house. Allison reluctantly works to guide Tyler in investigating the house where they find a ransacked attic. Allison continues to resist the paranormal elements until events force her to see otherwise. Tyler tries to explain to Allison that there may be paranormal forces involved but it is likely that the rummaging and murder were done by living humans.

A second person associated with the house dies in another bizarre ‘accident’. When it looks like Allison may be the next target, she finds herself sticking more closely with Tyler and their closeness turns to personal interest. Can Tyler and his team keep Allison safe while racing to find the true killer?

I liked Allison’s strong character and really enjoyed the quiet, determined personality of Tyler. His teammates are interesting and apparently the subject of other books in this series, which I would be interested in reading. The mystery is full of twists and a handful of suspects with red herring clues that kept me wondering until near the villain reveal.

I haven’t read Heather Graham for a number of years and I was pleased to enjoy this romantic suspense/paranormal romance where the mystery was primary and the romance a secondary element that added to the overall story. I recommend this to fans of paranormal mystery with romance.

Source: 2012 Netgalley. This qualifies for 2020TBR and 2020NetGalley goals.

Audio Book Review: The Skeletons of Scarborough House by Kitty French

I liked this easy, fun, ghostly story.

The Skeletons of Scarborough House:
(The Chapelwick Mysteries #1)
Written By: Kitty French
Narrated By: Cat Gould

Date: February 2018
Duration: 9 hours 28 minutes
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genres: Cozy Mystery, Ghosts, Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Summary:
Welcome to Chapelwick, a leafy English town in the hills of Shropshire, where chocolate fudge cake comes served with a side of murder.
Scarborough House is haunted, and it's not doing much for Donovan Scarborough's investment portfolio. No one wants to buy a place with levitating crockery, or (the wrong kind of) rhythmic pounding throughout the night.
Luckily, Melody 'I-See-Dead-People' Bittersweet has just launched her own ghostbusting agency with best friend Marina, geeky, keen Arthur, and a one-eared pug called Lestat. They're quick to take the case, even if it has already sort of (definitely) been given to Leo Dark, Melody's rakish, despicable ex.
Melody soon discovers the resident phantoms are three brothers, one who was murdered at twenty, while the others lived to old age. But did the family exile the right person, or did the true killer get away with it?
Donovan Scarborough doesn't care who solves the case. Whoever gets rid of the ghosts gets paid.
Can Melody and her new crew untangle the mystery, and bring the brothers peace, before Leo? Or will his distracting sexiness and Melody's bonkers family cause the agency to fall at its first hurdle?

Review:
Melody is a daughter in a family with the unique ability to communicate with ghosts. Upon reaching the age of thirty, Melody has decided to break away from her mother and grandmother to set up her own “ghost busting” business. She is joined by her very supportive best friend and, on a part time basis, her family’s wizard of an executive assistant. Before the team even gets it’s first case, Melody is confronted by a ghost with a special request. He is devastated that he has to leave behind his socially ill adjusted son. He manages to convince Melody to interview his son and thus Melody ends up with a gentle giant on her team.

The first case the team sort of lands is a local haunted house, the Scarborough House. Melody soon learns that there are three ghost brothers who died at different ages who are tied up due to a family murder. Melody has to compete with the other ghost hunter in town who just happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Leo. Meanwhile Melody is trying to resist her draw to the local journalist, Fletcher, who has nothing but disdain for her skills and with whom she shares an antagonistic rapport.

I actually enjoy stories with characters who can see and talk to ghosts. The three brothers in the home are presented with distinct and interesting characters. Here the ghosthunters must solve the century old murder, with little forensic evidence, in order to send the ghosts off to their ultimate places of rest… or not.

I enjoyed how Melody and her team grew in their investigative skills and confidence. The romantic conflicts added additional tension. I will add the next book to my wish list as a future listen. I recommend this as a fun read for ghost and mystery fans.

Audio Notes: Cat Gould did a pitch perfect voice narration. Her accents capture the characters from tentative Melody to arrogant Leo to the ghostly brothers. The narration added to my enjoyment of the book.

Source: 10/2020 Audiobooks.com Mystery Book Club. This qualifies for 2020Audiobook goal.

Audible Book Review: Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal

I enjoyed this ghosting mystery.
Ghost Talkers
By: Mary Robinette Kowal
Narrated by: Mary Robinette Kowal

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 08-16-16
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Genre: Ghosts, Military Fantasy
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Ghost Talkers: a new novel from beloved fantasy author Mary Robinette Kowal featuring the mysterious spirit corps and their heroic work in World War I.
Ginger Stuyvesant, an American heiress living in London during World War I, is engaged to Captain Benjamin Hartshorne, an intelligence officer. Ginger is a medium for the Spirit Corps, a special Spiritualist force. Each soldier heading for the front is conditioned to report to the mediums of the Spirit Corps when they die so the corps can pass instant information about troop movements to military intelligence.
Ginger and her fellow mediums contribute a great deal to the war efforts, so long as they pass the information through appropriate channels. While Ben is away at the front, Ginger discovers the presence of a traitor. Without the presence of her fiancé to validate her findings, the top brass thinks she's just imagining things. Even worse, it is clear that the Spirit Corps is now being directly targeted by the German war effort. Left to her own devices, Ginger has to find out how the Germans are targeting the Spirit Corps and stop them. This is a difficult and dangerous task for a woman of that era, but this time both the spirit and the flesh are willing....
©2016 Mary Robinette Kowal (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Review:
Ginger is an American Heiress engaged to Captain Benjamin, a British intelligence officer during WWI. Ginger has a secret job as a medium in the Spirit Corps. Although women are still viewed as less important, the corps serves a crucial purpose, receiving the last messages of the soldiers as they die. The soldiers are able to report their death circumstances and any special intelligence that may help the British. Ginger and the other team members share harrowing deaths and then pass the information to the highest officials. Ginger experiences the murder death of a man who overheard a traitor in London. Ben is away in the field and the officials she reports to shrug off her concerns even though the threat appears to be targeting the Spirit Corps and its vital work.

Ginger and another brave member of her direct team set out to the front to try to uncover clues. They are accompanied by Ben’s batman, an unimposing soldier. Ginger is pushing herself under extreme stress, but she has a secret soldier at her side. Their efforts to gather information are challenged by Ben’s cousin who competed with Ben, the heir, all of their childhood.

Ginger has to use unconventional sources to battle the enemy and unmask a traitor who is threatening her close friends as well as her allies. There is heartbreak and sorrow and Ginger has to dig deep in her character to brave the danger and losses.

This story is well written and creative. There is good action and mystery, tense suspense and a sweet love story. I found it all engaging and recommend this to readers who enjoy fantasy and military (WWI) mystery.

Audio Notes: I didn’t realize initially that the author, Mary Robinette Kowal, narrated her own story. There were moments where the voice seemed whispered and a strain to hear, but for the most part I was impressed by the voices and fitting presentation. I am glad that I listened to this on audio.

Source: 8/2/18 Sci Fi Sale $4.95 each. This qualifies for 2019TBR and 2019Audiobook goal.

#NetGalley Book Review: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave by Darynda Jones

This is an interesting series ending... for now.
Summoned to Thirteenth Grave: A Novel (Charley Davidson Series Book 13)
by Darynda Jones

File Size: 2039 KB
Print Length: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 15, 2019)
ASIN: B071JMJF4G
Genre: Fantasy, Ghosts, Private Investigator
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the final installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series--Summoned to Thirteenth Grave.
Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper extraordinaire, is pissed. She’s been kicked off the earthly plane for eternity –which is exactly the amount of time it takes to make a person stark, raving mad. But someone’s looking out for her, and she’s allowed to return after a mere hundred years in exile. Is it too much to hope for that not much has changed? Apparently it is. Bummer.
She’s missed her daughter. She’s missed Reyes. She’s missed Cookie and Garrett and Uncle Bob. But now that she’s back on earth, it’s time to put to rest burning questions that need answers. What happened to her mother? How did she really die? Who killed her? And are cupcakes or coffee the best medicine for a broken heart? It all comes to a head in an epic showdown between good and evil in this final smart and hilarious novel.

Review:
Charley expected to be exiled alone on an isolated plane for an eternity. She is surprised, and thrilled, when she finds herself returned to the earthly plane after only a hundred years. She is sad to think that 100 years has passed on earth. She would have missed her child, Beep, growing up but she is hoping that her darling girl brought peace to earth. But time doesn’t work quite like that.

Charley’s return to earth is only 10 days after she left b that shut she discovers that she and her half demon husband, Reyes, have opened a portal that has allowed shadow demons into earth. Their home community in New Mexico is being attacked from within and Charley and Reyes have only three days to save the planet. To accomplish that Charley must uncover a mystery connected to her own mother.

Meanwhile a five-year-old boy spirit has sought out Charley and she and her stellar staff are trying to locate his mother who was kidnapped years before. Charley’s assistant Cookie, her daughter Amber and Amber’s boyfriend, Quentin, all take part in the search. They get extra help from Garret, Osh, Artemis and Charley’s biker friends. Meanwhile, there are twists and surprises – one involving Uncle Bob and another involving Rocket.

If you haven’t read this series- you will want to go start at the beginning not at this final installment. There are plenty of fun chapter openings with snarky memes and quotes. As usual Darynda Jones includes a PI (private investigation) case for Charley to solve while facing a life challenge. I enjoyed that so many of the series characters were included in this ending story and I liked the good twist for several of the characters. I admire how Jones creates a depth of romantic love between Charley and Reyes but I felt she overdid the extra sex scenes during the madness of three days to save the world. I also didn’t appreciate the foul language; some deliberately crude in my opinion.

I imagine many fans of the series will be happy with this interim conclusion. I say interim as I am fairly sure there will be a future story(ies) for Beep and her army. I do recommend this to fans of detective, paranormal fantasy who like snarky humor and don’t mind a bit of crudeness and sex.

Source: 2018 NetGalley. This qualifies for 2019TBR, 2019NetGalley and 2019Alphabet Goals.

My Reviews of Books 1 through 12 can be found at this link.

#NetGalley Book Review: Somewhere The Bells Ring (Somewhere in Time Book 3) by Beth Trissel

This is another engaging Christmas romance with a ghostly presence.
Somewhere The Bells Ring (Somewhere in Time Book 3)
by Beth Trissel

File Size: 265 KB
Print Length: 78 pages
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press; Faery Rose edition (November 8, 2011)
ASIN: B006530S2Q
Genre: Ghosts, Holidays, Paranormal, Romance
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Ghosts aren't real, are they?
December 1968: Caught with pot in her dorm room, Bailey Randolph is exiled to a relative's ancestral home in Virginia to straighten herself out. Banishment to Maple Hill is dismal, until a ghost appears requesting her help. Bailey is frightened but intrigued. Then her girlhood crush, Eric Burke, arrives and suddenly Maple Hill isn't so bad.
To Eric, wounded in Vietnam, his military career shattered, this homecoming feels no less like exile. But when he finds Bailey at Maple Hill, her fairy-like beauty gives him reason to hope--until she tells him about the ghost haunting the house. Then he wonders if her one experiment with pot has made her crazy.
As Bailey and Eric draw closer, he agrees to help her find a long-forgotten Christmas gift the ghost wants. But will the magic of Christmas be enough to make Eric believe--in Bailey and the ghost--before the Christmas bells ring?

Review:
Bailey is a bit of a free spirit in a generation that tips between propriety, the traumas of the Vietnam war and ‘free love’. Bailey has been sent off to the ancestral home of her Aunt to spend Christmas and sort herself out. Things are calm, almost boring, until Bailey spots a ghost in the window and then meets the apparition in person. She creates a quick bond with the ghost and agrees to hunt for a long-lost Christmas gift.

Eric has returned home after being wounded in Vietnam, His spirits are low until he is encouraged that an old family friend, Bailey, is spending the holidays. She has grown into a little beauty who intrigues him although he is disturbed by her insistence of meeting the house ghost.
Eric is skeptical of the tales of a ghost but wants to help Bailey, even if it means humoring her quest.

I really liked Bailey’s empathy for the ghost and I enjoyed the attraction and caution between Eric and Bailey. The historical elements, the 1960s and an earlier war era, were nicely descriptive with the injuries being handled gently. There was a nice warmth to the story which I found engaging. I recommend this to romance readers who enjoy a touch of paranormal.

Source: NetGalley 2018; NetGalley Challenge.

Book Review: Christmas at Draycott Abbey (Draycott Abbey Romance) by Christina Skye

I enjoyed this suspenseful Christmas story where past and present mix.

Christmas at Draycott Abbey (Draycott Abbey Romance)
by Christina Skye

File Size: 355 KB
Print Length: 62 pages
Publication Date: July 17, 2015
ASIN: B011YGWNEE
Genre: Ghost, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

As Christmas draws near and darkness veils the haunted English abbey, a tale of loss and love betrayed begins.
As cold closes in, old hatreds spring to life, bringing danger to a vulnerable woman betrayed by those she trusts most. Wounded and lost, Clair Haywood will seek haven within the abbey's ancient granite walls. But her enemies are closer than she knows.
Only one man can save her. And he has been dead for 200 years.

Review:
Clair went undercover with the government to England to seek out the powerful man who used and killed her sister. She gets caught by the enemy but manages to escape. She is wounded and injured in her blind race to seek safety. She stumbles upon an old English abbey where she is taken in by a mysterious man. She doesn’t know who she can trust and tries to get away again but danger lurks at the door.

Ian Sinclair is man who keeps to himself. He has a dangerous past and is careful to avoid risk and to be cautious of strangers. He appreciates the solitude of Draycott Abbey which has been lent to him by his friend, the current Viscount. Ian and his big dog, Churchill, spot a shadow in the woods. They rescue a young woman but he is aware of men following her and is immediately on alert.

Clair and Ian struggle to understand the strange attraction between them while they try to avoid the men seeking her. There is another presence at the abbey who has reason to want to help them. He has been waiting for 200 years to right a wrong that cost his friends their chance at love for a lifetime.

This was a quick, exciting read that I really enjoyed. I liked the smooth, direct writing. I haven't read this author in years but I think I won’t wait so long to read another Skye paranormal romance adventure. It looks like I have 10 in my Kindle library, including the first of this series. This book read fine as a standalone. I recommend it to readers who enjoy romantic suspense with paranormal elements.

Source: 2012 Free Kindle. This is a 2018TBR and Alphabet Challenge "C" title.

Audible Book Review: Eleventh Grave in Moonlight by Darynda Jones

This is a good addition moving the series along toward the conclusion.

Eleventh Grave in Moonlight, A Novel
By: Darynda Jones
Narrated by: Lorelei King

Series: Charley Davidson, Book 11
Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 01-24-17
Language: English
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Fantasy, Ghosts, Private Investigator
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Series narrator Lorelei King returns to narrate Eleventh Grave in Moonlight, the latest installment of Darynda Jones' New York Times best-selling paranormal series.
My entire life can be summed up in one sentence: "Well, that didn't go as planned." (T-shirt)
A typical day in the life of Charley Davidson involves cheating husbands, errant wives, missing people, philandering business owners, and, oh yeah...demons, hell hounds, evil gods, and dead people. Lots and lots of dead people.
As a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper, Charley has to balance the good, the bad, the undead, and those who want her dead. Now Charley is learning to make peace with the fact that she is a goddess with all kinds of power and that her own daughter has been born to save the world from total destruction. But the forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension. With the son of Satan himself as her husband and world-rocking lover, will Charley be able to defeat the ultimate evil and find a way to have her happily ever after after all?
©2017 Darynda Jones (P)2017 Macmillan Audio

Review:
Charley has her memory again and is happy to be back with Reyes. She is trying to help Cookie who is worried about Ubie (Uncle Bob) who keeps getting grumpier. They are keeping an eye on him until finally a conflict brings his issues out in the open.

Meanwhile, Reyes half-brother, Shaun, has sought help from Charley. She and Cookie track down the foster parents who kidnapped Reyes and then turned him over to the monster man who abused him. Reyes keeps telling Charley to drop the investigation but she now suspects that a missing young girl is the latest kidnap victim and she isn't willing to back down.

Charley is slowly starting to accept her powers as a god with the training help – and challenge -- of  Reyes. When Cookie's daughter, Angel, develops problems, Charley seeks the help of demon Osh to go undercover at school to trap a stalker.

There is plenty of strong, snarky humor to go along with the suspense of the several investigations. There are also several rather sexy encounters between Charley and Reyes. I like how Charley is maturing as this moves along. I can't help but chuckle at the fun, sardonic sayings that start each chapter. There is additional backstory divulged in this volume and it helps as the author prepares for the next story. I wasn’t so taken with book 10, but this one is engaging and moves the story forward. I recommend this series to those who enjoy snarky fantasy, but I do suggest beginning at the beginning.

Audio Notes: Lorelei King has this series down pat with wonderful narration. She conveys the full range of emotion and snark and trepidation of the characters. I truly enjoy this series in audio.

Source: Audible Credit November 2018. This qualifies for Audiobook Challenge.

My Reviews for Books 1 through 10 can be found through THIS LINK.

Book Review: AFTERLIFE by Marcus Sakey

This was interesting but strange; not really my cup of tea.
AFTERLIFE
by Marcus Sakey

File Size: 2950 KB
Print Length: 320 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1477848401
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (July 18, 2017)
ASIN: B01NGT8YVM
Genre: Thriller, Ghosts, Romance
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.
Between life and death lies an epic war, a relentless manhunt through two worlds…and an unforgettable love story.
The last thing FBI agent Will Brody remembers is the explosion—a thousand shards of glass surfing a lethal shock wave.
He wakes without a scratch.
The building is in ruins. His team is gone. Outside, Chicago is dark. Cars lie abandoned. No planes cross the sky. He’s relieved to spot other people—until he sees they’re carrying machetes.
Welcome to the afterlife.
Claire McCoy stands over the body of Will Brody. As head of an FBI task force, she hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. A terrorist has claimed eighteen lives and thrown the nation into panic.
Against this horror, something reckless and beautiful happened. She fell in love…with Will Brody.
But the line between life and death is narrower than any of us suspect—and all that matters to Will and Claire is getting back to each other.
From the author of the million-copy bestselling Brilliance Trilogy comes a mind-bending thriller that explores our most haunting and fundamental question: What if death is just the beginning?

Review:
Brody is an FBI agent working under the direction of his boss, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Claire, who is also his lover, behind the scenes. Their FBI unit is pursuing a serial killer who always seems to be one step ahead of the authorities… as though the killer has insider knowledge.

Brody and a team follow a lead to an abandoned church. It appears to be a false lead until Brody looks out a broken window and sees a man on a balcony watching him. The building explodes and Brody wakes up without an injury but he soon faces three derelict types who clearly wish him harm. He learns that he is in a world that is similar to his “real” life but more like an echo or ‘shadow’ world.

Claire gets a vision that directs her to track down the killer. Events unfold that put her into Brody’s world. But the killer is there too and he is extremely powerful in the shadow world. Brody and Claire want to be together but their nature to protect others compels them to face the powerful evil. They don’t fully think it through which propels Brody on another unexpected path.

I can’t describe too much in this story without leaking into spoilers. Early in the story I felt like I was reading a horror rather than a thriller. The story did get deeper and offers an unusual view of life after death as well as offering a view of how evil develops and grows. The story is engaging although I felt there were inconsistencies and certainly I don’t agree with the after-death scenario. I did like the strong love connection, the moral good and the key elements that made the difference between evil and good.

I didn’t enjoy this as much as The Brilliance Trilogy which I would rather see in film than this book. This is more sensational and apt to be a bit controversial. The writing is good and the story moves along well. Although I wasn’t enthralled, I would recommend it to readers who like dark thrillers and are willing to look at an alternate view of death.

I received this through NetGalley by invitation from Little Bird Publicity. It qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge.

Audible Review: The Curse of Tenth Grave: A Novel by Darynda Jones

This series is fun listening, although this one got a bit edgy for my tastes.
The Curse of Tenth Grave: A Novel
Written by: Darynda Jones
Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
Series: Charley Davidson, Book 10
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:06-28-16
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
"If one door closes and another one opens, your house is probably haunted." (Bumper sticker)
As a part-time PI and full-time grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life: Why can I see dead people? Who is the hot supernatural entity following me? How do I get gum out of my sister's hair before she wakes up? But "how do I trap not one malevolent god but three?" was never among them. Until now. And since those gods are on earth to kill her daughter, she has little choice but to track them down, trap them, and cast them from this dimension.
There's just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers?
Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who's been charged with murdering the daughter of a degenerate gambler, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying gods thing, we're saved. If not, well...
©2016 Darynda Jones (P)2016 Macmillan Audio

Review:
I enjoy Charley’s intense, sassy character and the smokin’ (in more ways than one) chemistry between Reyes and her. This episode starts with tension between them as Charley has found out secrets about Reyes and he seems to be keeping secrets from her too. Word that their daughter “Beep” (Elwyn) is in danger doesn’t help when it sends Charley into a murderous panic.

Meanwhile Charley has been called in to consult on a murder case by none other than the prosecuting attorney (PA). Although all the very bloody evidence points to the accused, the PA is sure he isn’t guilty and he will do his best to get the man off the charges. That means he needs Charley’s to 'do her thing' and find the real murderer.

As Charley spots a young girl who is hiding on the streets. This one isn’t a ghost but she might become one if Charley can’t protect her from what appears to be a curse -- or ill deeds -- at a local children’s home where children are dying in unreasonable numbers.

As usual Ms. Jones skillfully weaves three lines of ‘mystery’ at a time. Clues and dangers keep Charley moving at a fast pace. The overall story moves forward with some sorrow and rage that could tear things apart. I like how Ms. Jones pulls in the secondary characters (Osh, Garret, Rocket, Agent Carson, Artemis and others) so they each get some reader time. And I love the fun memes/bumper stickers and quotes that start each chapter.

What I didn’t care for in this episode was some foul language, some crudeness and almost eroticism (one review even describes it as "erotic romance"). Although those elements make me wince, what I really found most difficult was an expressed irreverence for Jehovah. I know it is fantasy and probably not meant to be demeaning, but anything that belittles my God hurts my spirit. It makes me wonder if the series is worth continuing. I understand the series is to end at book 13 so I might push through but sadly not with the same enthusiasm as the early books.

Audio Notes: I can’t praise Lorelei King’s narration enough. She has helped to make these characters come alive and I love listening to her performance. It is an awesome experience (when not jarred by the issues that bothered me).

I pulled this in from my Audible TBR Shelf for Mount TBR, Audible Challenge and "C" in Alphabet Challenge.

My Reviews for Books 1 through 9 can be found through THIS LINK.

Book Review: Dead and Breakfast: A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery by Kate Kingsbury

As I hoped, this is a light, enjoyable cozy mystery.
Dead and Breakfast: A Merry Ghost Inn Mystery
by Kate Kingsbury

File Size: 2222 KB
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (January 10, 2017)
ASIN: B01NAH09KG
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Melanie West is getting her life back on track after a messy divorce when her grandmother, Liza Harris, asks her to open a B&B with her. Together, Liza and Melanie purchase a purportedly haunted mansion on the Oregon coast and jump right into clearing out the cobwebs. But while attempting to remove wallpaper in an upstairs bedroom, the new B&B owners stumble upon a very real skeleton in their closet.
The police suspect the skeleton is that of the wife of the previous owner of the B&B, but no one in town seems to want to say much about her. As the inn owners try to juggle renovations with their own amateur investigations, their grand opening looms closer and closer--and a friendly ghost in their walls starts playing tricks. But it all comes crashing to a halt when a new body is found stabbed to death on the beach below the inn--the victim chillingly close in resemblance to Melanie herself.
It seems someone doesn't appreciate newcomers prying into the small town's past, and now it's up to Melanie and Liza to get to the bottom of these murders to save their business...and their lives

Review:
Melanie has moved away from the city and a stressful divorce. She has joined her grandmother, Liza, to open a B&B in a purportedly haunted mansion in a small town on the Oregon coast. Rumor is the ghost is a laughing ghost, causing Liza to pick the name: The Merry Ghost Inn. There is plenty of remodeling to complete but as they begin to remove wallpaper they discover a hidden closet with a skeleton.

The police think the victim might be the wife of the previous owner, a woman who has been missing for many years. Before the lead detective can get very far into the investigation he is called away to a current day murder. Melanie and Liza are juggling the renovations hoping they can complete them within their tight budget and in time to open for the upcoming season. The closed off room is off limits and might impede their efforts to have the Inn ready on time.

Liza and Melanie decide to do some sleuthing on their own. They discover that the town folk are rather tight lipped about the missing woman. Still, when they discover one lead, it leads into more and before long they have several suspects. The situation becomes more difficult as Melanie spies her ex-husband driving in town and runs into him at a party where he makes it clear he wants her back. Melanie begins to have some near miss accidents from a car that is suspiciously like her ex’s. Then a woman who looks a lot like Melanie from the back is killed on the beach near the Inn.

Melanie adopts the murdered woman’s dog, Max, who was with his mistress on the beach and now has his own traumas to recover from. It appears that someone may be trying to scare the ladies off the investigation, and if that doesn’t work maybe fire will. Meanwhile someone -- or maybe the merry ghost -- is laughing and playing tricks by moving objects in the house.

Liza, in her mid-fifties, and Melanie, in her early thirties, make a good pair and likeable characters. Max is a nice addition and there may be some romance in the future as Liza is playing at a little match making.

The story moves along at a quick pace, with light humor and hints of the ghost mystery. The killer was not my first (or second) guess, which I thought was well done by the author. This is a fine example of “cozy mystery” and I recommend it to those who enjoy the genre. I would like to read more in the series and learn more about the Merry Ghost.

I received this title in December from the publisher through NetGalley. It qualifies for my 2017 NetGalley Challenge, 2017 TBR and “D” in my 2017 Alphabet Challenge.

Audio Book Review: In the Mist of Killarney: An Irish Faery Tale by Robert McCallum

This was darker than I expected but engaging with a macabre irony.
In the Mist of Killarney: An Irish Faery Tale
Written by: Robert McCallum
Narrated by: David Ocean

Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release Date:03-23-16
Publisher: Books by R. L. McCallum
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary
Ireland, 1911. After encountering a faery in the woodlands near his home in Tralee when he is a child, Professor Emmet Brehon spends his life pursuing the belief that faeries are more than just elements of mythology. While teaching Irish mythology and folklore at a university in Dublin, he receives a note from a stranger who claims to know where faeries can be found. Following the map that the stranger gives him, Emmet travels to a faerie circle and mound near Lough Leane in Kerry, where he encounters two ghostly little girls and a faery light. Snapping a photograph of the girls and faery light with his Brownie camera, Emmet's life becomes twisted when he discovers that he can't rid himself of the photograph, and disasters occur whenever he is present. He soon loses all in life that it is precious to him, including his sanity.
©2015 R. L. McCallum (P)2016 R. L. McCallum

Review:
Professor Emmet Brehon believes he saw a sweet faery as a child and has spent his life studying folklore and mythology. He is excited when he receives a note and map telling him where to find faeries in Killarney. He travels there one night in 1911 to sneak up on a faery mound with his new Brownie Camera. Emmet is ecstatic to get a photograph when he spots two ghostly little girls and a faery light with wings. He hurries away treasuring the camera in hopes that he will finally have proof of his discovery.

As soon as Emmet returns to the ancient inn where he is staying dark things begin to plague his life. Others die around him as he escapes a fire at the inn and then a train crash while returning to the city. He is able to get the photograph developed but the image of the almost transparent girls and the dot of winged light acts strangely. He hears girlish giggles and a banshee scream right before another death or accident occurs. He becomes more distressed as he leaves a trail of dead acquaintances and friends behind him. Emmet seeks to rid himself of the photo and the curse without success.

Emmet is taking his wealthy fiance’, Catherine, out for dinner planning to explain the problems he is having. Another accident occurs with the driver of their vehicle killing a woman in the street. He convinces Catherine that they must leave Ireland and travel far away to America to try to out run the faery curse. Needless to say, one can’t outrun a curse that you carry with you.

Emmet survives ship disasters and suspicious doctors when he finally arrives in New York. Before he is able to return to Ireland he will face other physical and ghostly encounters that bring him to the brink of madness. The doctors think they can help but will Emmet face medical danger too?

Note the darkness of the cover of this story and be forewarned. The story moves well, but is not light; it is dark. It is engaging in a macabre way and not good for bedtime reading. I liked the dark ironies and the tie-in to well-known events of the years the story covers. I think this is best suited for adult readers/listeners who enjoy dark folklore or even horror.

Audio Notes: I have to admit I was intrigued by David Ocean’s lovely brogue and most of the narration as it fits Emmet. Sadly, the female voices did not work so well as they were more strident or shrill than feminine. I did enjoy the added sound effect of the ghostly giggles and banshee wail although there were a few in the middle that were out of sync with the tale. For me, the audio made this a better read. However, readers interested in this should enjoy it equally in either format that suits them.

I received this audio book from the Narrator for an honest review. This qualifies for my Audio Challenge and "I" for Alphabet Challenge.

Book Review: Castle Blues Quake by Linda Covella

A fun read with some good lessons on friendships and death suitable for young teens.
The Castle Blues Quake
by Linda Covella

• File Size: 2258 KB
• Print Length: 192 pages
• Publisher: Beau Coup Publishing LLC (July 20, 2014)
• ASIN: B00LZBI7QC

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: July 20, 2014
12-year-old Pepper Connelly leaves her best friend, Chrissie, behind when her family moves from New York City to Santa Cruz, CA. Pepper discovers a boy, Corey, hiding in her backyard shed. Unknown to Pepper, Corey is a ghost trying to contact his grandfather, Boppie, before he crosses over. He tells Pepper he must locate Boppie before Social Services finds him. Pepper agrees to help.

While Pepper’s communication with Chrissie dwindles, her friendship with Corey grows. She tells Corey about her passion for writing songs, and throughout the story, she composes a song about Corey. Corey teaches Pepper to play the harmonica. Soon, she’s torn between finding Boppie and knowing when she does, Corey will certainly go back on the road with his traveling-musician grandfather.

Other characters help her on her quest: new classmate Ally Cressman, who dresses in an odd-ball, non-mall style; Sawtooth Sam, the mysterious saw-playing street musician; and Madame Mchumba, who performs her psychic readings at the Boardwalk amusement park. Earthquakes, haunted house rides, poltergeists, and crystal ball readings propel Pepper toward the end of her search as she learns about the give and take, the heartache and joy, of true friendship.

Review:
Pepper is a bright 12 year-old who is typically mourning leaving her best friend across country in New York when her family moves to Santa Cruz, CA. Not only did she they move her across country, they have moved into a dilapidated house that looks like something in a horror movie. Pepper braves the spiders and spooky noises and soon meets a boy named Corey. She realizes he is alone and needs help when she sees his bruises and the sunken eyes in his white face. She doesn’t realize he is a ghost and he decides not to tell her.

Corey is a young boy who lived in the house with friends while waiting for the return of his grandfather, Boppie, a blues musician who has sheltered the boy since the death of his parents. Boppie has taken Corey on tour with him but this time he’d been left behind. Corey is insistent on getting word to Boppie that he was killed in the quake that took down the Castle Blue music theatre. Corey wants to reassure Boppie that he is ‘okay’ before he moves to ‘the other side’ where he knows his parents are waiting.

At first Corey tried to scare the new family away but then he decided to seek help after sensing that the brave, young girl could see him. Corey and Pepper quickly become friends as she helps to hide him from social workers while also helping to hunt down Boppie. Corey at first thought she wouldn’t help if she knew he was a ghost. Soon he starts to feel bad because he knows it will hurt when he leaves her behind.

I enjoyed the simple friendship that developed between the primary characters. There are other fun characters including a new friend who shops at thrift stores and an old saw musician. The author uses the story to share feelings of loneliness, loss of old friends and finding new ones that are often experienced by young people when they move away from established schools and friends to new territory. I didn't care for the extent of lying to parents but there are other good lessons on acceptance, sharing friends, facing bullies, and thinking of others, not just one’s self.

The story is shared in alternating chapters from the views/voices of Corey and Pepper. I enjoyed the music aspect as Corey taught Pepper how to play the harmonica and she shared the song she was writing with him. Corey has a bit of an unschooled vocabulary and style of speech which fit a young teen who had shared life on the streets with Boppie. The writing style is very clear and crisp, with nice descriptions, making it an easy read. It would certainly be suitable for middle grades as well as young teens and it is nice, easy entertainment for adults too.

I received this from Mythbehaving for Blog Tour Feature. Please see prior post for Blog Tour Giveaway!.

Blog Tour Feature and Giveaway: The Castle Blues Quake by Linda Covella

Tour Dates: October 14 - October 24, 2014

Blog Tour with Giveaway
I have not quite finished reading the book as I prepare this post but I do hope to post my review later today 10/23 - internet willing!

THE CASTLE BLUES QUAKE by Linda Covella

Children's, Young Adult - Sci Fi / Fantasy

12-year-old Pepper Connelly leaves her best friend, Chrissie, behind when her family moves from New York City to Santa Cruz, CA. Pepper discovers a boy, Corey, hiding in her backyard shed. Unknown to Pepper, Corey is a ghost trying to contact his grandfather, Boppie, before he crosses over. He tells Pepper he must locate Boppie before Social Services finds him. Pepper agrees to help.

While Pepper’s communication with Chrissie dwindles, her friendship with Corey grows. She tells Corey about her passion for writing songs, and throughout the story, she composes a song about Corey. Corey teaches Pepper to play the harmonica. Soon, she’s torn between finding Boppie and knowing when she does, Corey will certainly go back on the road with his traveling-musician grandfather.

Other characters help her on her quest: new classmate Ally Cressman, who dresses in an odd-ball, non-mall style; Sawtooth Sam, the mysterious saw-playing street musician; and Madame Mchumba, who performs her psychic readings at the Boardwalk amusement park.

Earthquakes, haunted house rides, poltergeists, and crystal ball readings propel Pepper toward the shocking conclusion of her search.

You can buy THE CASTLE BLUES QUAKE at:

Amazon

Linda Covella’s varied job experience and education (associate degrees in art, business and mechanical drafting & design, a BS degree in Manufacturing Management) have led her down many paths and enriched her life experiences. But one thing she never strayed from is her love of writing.

A writer for over 30 years, her first official publication was a restaurant review column in a local newspaper, and as a freelance writer, she continued to publish numerous articles in a variety of publications. But when she published articles for children’s magazines (“Games and Toys in Ancient Rome” and “Traveling the Tokaido in 17th Century Japan,” in Learning Through History magazine, and “Barry’s Very Grown Up Day” in Zootles magazine), she realized she’d found her niche: writing for children. She wants to share with kids and teens her love of books:  the worlds they open, the things they teach, the feelings they express.

Yakimali’s Gift, a historical novel for young adults published by Astraea Press, and middle grade paranormal The Castle Blues Quake published by Beau Coup Publishing are her first novels.

No matter what new paths she may travel down, she sees her writing as a lifelong joy and commitment.

You can find Linda at these links:

Linda’s Website     |     Facebook     |     Twitter

Goodreads     |     Pinterest

Excerpt

As I started to close the door, I looked down and gagged. On the doorstep lay a stiff dead rat, so big I pictured it running around the house slamming doors with its pointy nose or long tail. Its tiny black eyes stared at nothing, and its legs, stretched straight out, ended in open claws as if it had fought whoever or whatever had taken its life. The insides of my stomach were about to erupt when Dad looked over my shoulder and made me jump.

“Someone has a sick sense of humor,” he said. “The police are on their way. Now please, let’s go tell your mother and Sage everything’s okay.” He headed out of the kitchen.

Before shutting the door, I peered into the back yard. The fog had thinned a little. I could just make out the thick trunk of the tree and the swing hanging next to it. Then I froze. A face. A white face with black holes for eyes. Staring at me from behind the tree. I tried to call Dad, but my mouth and throat were dry. My voice wouldn’t work. I gripped the doorknob. Don’t run, I told myself. Don’t be afraid. Afraid, bade, fade...fade, fade, please go away whoever you are. Whatever you are. It hadn’t budged an inch. Maybe I was seeing things. Maybe it wasn’t a face. I squinted then blinked. And it was gone. Just the fog and the tree and the swing.

Then the hairs on the back of my neck prickled when I noticed the ropes and the seat swaying as if from a breeze.

The only thing was, the air was as still as could be. There was no breeze.

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Book Review: Inn at Last Chance by Hope Ramsay

This is a sweet, entertaining romance with a ghostly element.
Inn at Last Chance
by Hope Ramsay

• File Size: 1207 KB
• Print Length: 365 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1455522317
• Publisher: Forever (April 29, 2014)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00ECEA30M

Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Element
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: April 29, 2014
"Last Chance captures the essence of Southern charm and quirkiness. I'm totally captivated!" --- Sherryl Woods, New York Times bestselling author
Jenny Carpenter is the unrivaled pie-baking champion of Last Chance, South Carolina's annual Watermelon Festival and the town's unofficial spinster. With her dream of marriage and children on hold, she focuses on another dream, turning the local haunted house into a charming bed-and-breakfast. But her plans go off course when the home's former owner shows up on her doorstep on a dark and stormy night . . .

Mega-bestselling horror writer Gabriel Raintree is as mysterious and tortured as his heroes. His family's long-deserted mansion is just the inspiration he needs to finish his latest twisted tale, or so he thinks until he learns it's been sold. The new innkeeper proves to be as determined as she is kind, and soon Gabriel finds himself a paying guest in his own home. As Jenny and Gabe bring new passion to the old house, can she convince him to leave the ghosts of his past behind-and make Last Chance their first choice for a future together?

Review:
Things haven’t worked out in the romance department for Jenny so she has sworn off men.  Instead she has turned her efforts to getting her Inn ready to open. She is waiting for furniture and accessories. Instead she finds an large, stray dog in her yard. Then Gabriel Raintree shows up on a dark, stormy night seeking a room. He tries to buy the property back from her and she sends him packing.

Gabe doesn’t want to stay in the rundown motel in town. He is convinced that his writer’s block will be solved if he can only stay in his old childhood home. Gabe gets his wish to stay at the Inn when the library committee convinces Jenny to allow him a room in exchange for him speaking at a fundraiser.

Gabe lost his older brother, Luke, in a shooting accident when Gabe was just a young boy. He doesn’t remember much about the incident but holds anger towards Zeph who claimed blame for the accident. Gabe doesn’t understand why Zeph keeps warning him away from the house. The new dog adopts Gabe who dubs him “Bear” because he looks just like Luke’s dog.

A strange force at the Inn starts to cause mischief, first for Jenny then Gabe. The energy reacts badly when the new preacher in town comes for dinner. Jenny is glad for the chance to impress someone with her cooking since Gabe has refused to eat any of the pastries she makes each morning. Jenny is determined not to let a ghost defeat her dreams. Meanwhile the ghostly presence is helping Gabe with his writing. But the towns folk are questioning Jenny’s behavior and whether Gabe is violent.

Jenny and Gabe fight their attraction to each other for their own reasons. Jenny is afraid of being hurt and rejected again. Gabe has secrets that keep him from becoming involved and from being honest about his circumstances. Still the attraction grows and they are drawn even closer until danger threatens and Gabe’s secrets are revealed.

Can Gabe overcome his past to find a future? Will Jenny get to have her dreams fulfilled? This is worth the reading to find out. The writing moves smoothly and the small, Southern town setting makes it cozy and warm. I liked the tension between Jenny and Gabe which is enhanced by the mystery of the ghost. The long denied, gentle relationship between Zeph and Nita adds to the story, as does the dog character. This is a sweet, engaging series but this story could be a stand alone read with no trouble.

I received this title from the publisher, through NetGalley, for an honest review.

You can find my other reviews from the Last Chance series at THIS LINK.

Book Review: Unfinished Business An Angela Panther Novel by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

This is a delightfully fun, entertaining gem.
Unfinished Business An Angela Panther Novel 
(A Chick-lit Paranormal book) (The Angela Panther Series)
by Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

• File Size: 496 KB
• Print Length: 277 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1484817702
• Publisher: Carolyn Ridder Aspenson; 1 edition (April 24, 2013)
• ASIN: B00CICPH6A

Genre:  Chick Lit, Paranormal
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: April 24, 2013
Sometimes the dead need our help and sometimes, we need theirs.
ANGELA PANTHER HAS A PERFECT LIFE:  A lovely home, an attentive, successful husband, two reasonably behaved children, a devoted dog and a lot of coffee and cupcakes. But while her life might border on mundane, she's got it under control. Until her mother, Fran dies-and returns as a ghost. It seems Fran's got some unfinished business and she's determined to get it done.

Now Fran's got some nifty celestial superpowers and isn't opposed to using them to levy a little ghostly retribution on her granddaughter's frienemies and even her own daughter, which doesn't make Angela happy.

While Angela's shocked and grateful to have her mother back, she's not thrilled about the portal to the afterlife Fran opened upon her return. Now every ghost in town is knockin' on Angela's psychic door, looking for help-and it's a royal pain in the butt.

Now Angela's got to find a way to balance her family life with her new gift and keep her mother in line. And it's a lot for one woman to handle.

Review:
Angela has lost her mother and found a gift –sort of– when she discovers that she can see and talk with her Mother’s ghost. This alone freaks Angela but she is even more dismayed when she realizes she can see other ghosts too. Now they are seeking her help to deliver messages to their living loved ones.

Angela is juggling her family life, spreading her attention among her supportive, self-employed and busy husband, rebellious teen daughter, Emily, (with “A”ttitude) and her young, bright, sweet son. And of course her meddling, dead mother! Although Mom comes in helpful spying on Emily as she tries to resist peer pressure and teen “pill” parties. Angela also has to cope with the fact that her father is very ill with cancer. Angela learns that the ‘gift’ runs in her family and her young son and niece have it too and they are not phased about talking with their dead grandmother.

Although Angela doesn’t appreciate the gift and wants to stay away from it, her energetic best friend thinks it is very cool and even her husband encourages her to accept the responsibility of helping the dead. Angela is frustrated by having to prove to the living that she has really talked to their dead love ones and the message is real. However, each time Angela concedes to helping the ghosts she is touched by the outcome.

This is reminiscent of the Charlie Davidson series - without the grim reaper powers. The characters- Angela, her family and her friend- are very real to life. The story is told with great humor that had me laughing out loud. There are also tender moments of pain and grief and an interesting view on the afterlife. This read very quickly and works as a great tension reliever! I encourage those who like humor and aren’t afraid of ghost talkers to enjoy this fun book.

I received this from the author for an honest review.

Unfinished Business

An Angela Panther Novel

By

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson

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Carolyn Ridder Aspenson tackles, with comic cleverness, the serious subjects of mother-daughter relationships, death and raising teenagers in this smart, funny take on the love of family and the uncontrollable paths our lives take.

"It's about ghosts, the love of family, the never-ending love of mothers and daughters...add some humor and it's the perfect combination of adult/chick- lit/paranormal (all in one book)." - The Book Trollop

                                                                                                             

"Aspenson hits the ground running with her debut novel and carries the reader along on a rollicking adventure highlighting both the joys and conflicts of mother-daughter relationships." - Katrina Rasbold