Make Up Reading

 4 out of 5 stars This was a brilliant, creepy and frightening novel.  I loved how atmospheric this was.  Jacquie Walters did a fantastic job not only as the author with a creeping sense of dread but she is also the narrator.  I really enjoyed this because it felt really personal and believable. 

 5 out of 5 stars Thank you  to Netgalley  and  Bolinda Audio for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This collection of short stories is a retelling of poems based on Saffo, Dido, Helen, Medea  and Penelope. These are all set in modern times but feel just as timely. My personal favorite was Helen of Troy's story.   Narrated beautifully by Sofia Engstrand I could feel each characters voice clearly.

  3 1/2 out of 5 stars I want to say thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for allowing me to listen in exchange for an honest review. This was a good book but I think that maybe the writing style was just not for me. I did really enjoy the concept of this novel. I mean who doesn't love a vampire story? I guess the pacing was a bit off for me. We don't get many answers until at least the first 250 pages or so. While I did enjoy the Astraea I wish she was a bit of a more proactive heroine. I did enjoy the fact that this was not another ACOTAR rip off. I have noticed that a lot of romantasy novels just seem to borrow so much from SJM.I plan to continue on with this series. The fantastic voice acting by Corvin King and Jacci Prior really were excellent.

  4 out of 5 stars Even psychic Annalise Jordan couldn’t have predicted the chain of events set off by the discovery of skeletal remains in the Kenduskeag River. If she had, she might never have revealed the details of a mystery her family had kept secret for nearly a hundred years. As a member of the Cozy Quilts Club, Annalise and her friends put their paranormal abilities to use in solving crimes. But when a murder and a break-in seem to be linked to a treasure map in Annalise's possession, the Club must first unravel a decades-old mystery. I really loved this cozy! I love that  Annalise is a bit on the older side but she is not written as an older person if you know what I mean. There are certain tropes that writers give older characters but all of that is gone from this. The mystery is tightly written and enjoyable.

 4 out of 5 stars "The quiet town of Glen Lake, Maine is shaken when high school senior Summer Williams is struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. She was the classmate and friend of the Ryder siblings — whose mother, Jennifer, is uniquely qualified to discover the identity of Summer’s killer. As a member of The Cozy Quilts Club, she and the other quilters use their paranormal skills to find clues that others cannot, and solve unsolvable crimes. But this time, even their usual methods are coming up empty — and the case is getting cold." I discovered this series this weekend and went ahead and read a couple of books in this series. I am disappointed though because it seems like there are hardly any books. That said I love the characters and the paranormal bent. This is a super fun series.

 4 out of 5 stars It's October and Lee Barrett returns to her hometown of Salem,Ma to interview for a job as a reporter at WICH-TV. But the only opening is for a call-in psychic to host the late-night horror movies. It seems the previous host, Ariel Constellation, never saw her own murder coming. Not only that but it seems she has powers she never knew about. This was a great book! I have recently returned to reading cozy mysteries and this one had everything I want with a dash of magic power tossed in there for good measure!

 4 out of 5 stars The Windmill Murders is a fun cozy mystery.  This was my first foray into "The No 2 Feline Detective Agency" and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A quick and easy read that is also fun.  I love Hettie and Tilly’s friendship.  The plot was well though out and the characters have real depth. Mandy Morton does and excellent job of weaving fiction and history together with a little bit of gore thrown in.