Should've Said No by Tracy March

This mystery is set in a cute, small time. Lindsey Simms is hired as a curator for a museum being built from the ground up. Lindsey also has a secret: she belongs to one of the families in the family feud as big as the Hatfield and McCoy's.

Carden Crenshaw belongs to the Crenshaw family, and he falls for Lindsey, but while he wants his family's name and reputation to stay intact, he's still in love with Lindsey.

Lindsey does eventually find the truth, and, of course, get her man, and the book is a nice, tidy romance.

The secondary characters in this book were well developed. I enjoyed the two little old ladies and their fairy tale house. Even Carden's grandmother was OK, in the end. People behaved like regular people, not sterotypes.

This is a quick read. I recommend.

The Deathsniffer's Assistant (The Faraday Files #1) Part One of the Series: The Faraday Files by Kate McIntyre

I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one to be released.

This gem is set in an alternate-England where magic has been contained and the Industrial Age never happened. Salamanders, water sprites, sylphs, and other dangerous magical creatures have been bent and shifted into items similar to an Edwardian England with both hackney cabs and winged coaches.

The Deathsniffer is Olivia Faraday, and her assistant is the penniless Christopher Buckley who finds himself thrust into service to pay for his sister, food and keep a roof over their heads. He has an old family friend who helps him along the way, but he's forced to take his gentlemanly ways and his magical ability with words to keep Miss Faraday's memories for her.

The British nobility is Old Blood in this book, and everyone else is forced at age 19 to have their abilities tried and tested. However, Christopher's younger sister is a truly gifted Spiritbinder, and she saves Christopher's life several times bringing them to national attention.

Christopher is a delightful, androgynous character. He hasn't ever kissed a girl, but he'd like to. He also has a couple of interactions with other androgynous male characters, and he is surprised by Olivia's reaction and the reaction of others in the time period. He's not a manly man, rather a clever, fashion conscious, very well mannered gentleman. He's uncomfortable crossing the rules of society, but he's surrounded by a whole host of women who are not bound by his fussy adherence to the same rules. These women are allowed to be policemen, detectives, and wizards. They are all as lovely and different as Chris and William and the other men in this book are different. Each character is distinct and well-formed.

His first case with Miss Faraday is solving the murder of a Duke, but his home life is swept up in keeping his sister safe. The case has several turns, and even if you can see the ending coming, you are already inside the beginnings of book two as this book ends.

Although I have a fairly good idea of where book two is going, it will still be enjoyable to see how the author gets there. I definitely will read the second novel in this series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Time's Divide The Chronos Files (Book 3) by Rysa Walker

I have read all the books in this series, and there were still times while I was reading the book that I wondered where in time and place the story took place, and how things had shifted so drastically.

Physically, there are 4 major time shifts, and we learn much more about what causes a time stream. There's string theory and then there's the ultimate every decision creates a new parallel universe, and in this universe, the author has married the two. It created major issues deciding what was from "this" time stream (when it's shifted so far from what it started as in book 1), from "Other-Kate's" time stream (where we were in the novella 1.5), and from where we end up. It is also critical to the reads that the reader not just read the 3 main novels. The novellas matter to the current story, especially explaining the current Pru.

I did enjoy this story, and while I enjoy Current-Kate and Trey, my heart will always belong to Kiernan Dunne. I am very much Team Kiernan.

I must confess that halfway through the book I had no idea how she could possibly tie up all the loose ends. I also disliked every member of the 5th Column, especially Julia and Max, and even Charlayne and Bensen. I did still like Tilson. He's remained a very stable, likable character for me. The rest of the characters seriously twist and turn. I suppose it is part of the suspense and drama to never know beyond Trey and Kiernan (and sometimes not then!) who to trust, but I got emotionally tired of wondering who to trust. There were two loose ends that really should have been tied up, that I wondered about all night after I finished reading.

It turns out that the bad guys really are simply psychopaths, and that everyone else is much more complicated. That's not a spoiler. We do finally get to see 2308, but not as it should have been, but as it becomes after multiple time shifts. However, we do get a Terminator/Skynet ending. I suppose as long as time stays fixed as Kate is finished, that shouldn't be a problem, right?

While I would recommend this book to my students, the author is not kidding when she describes her book in Doctor Who "Timey-Wimey" terms. I was not certain I loved where we were at the end. Sometimes, I thought the story was just too convoluted, and I really, really loved the other books in the series. For me, the major twists (and there were many in this book) were too many. One would have been enough. There were just so many. I also think this book could have been 1/3 shorter and it would have been a great finish.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher for an honest review.

Brazen by Christina Farley

Brazen,  the third book in the Gilded series, starts with the world thinking that Jae Hwa is dead. She belongs utterly to Kud, and she must work alone to save Korea from Kud's plan. Worse, she knows she needs the Guardian's help, needs her boyfriend to trust her, needs her grandfather to give her information, and because she stood with Kud to save her loved ones, no one believes she is capable of withstanding his mark and fight against him. Even Jae Hwa is a bit worried.

However, once again, she embarks on another journey, this time to China. She retrieves the Yin to the White Tiger's Yang, and she must work to once again save Korea.

In this final installment, Jae Hwa is a very independent, strong character. She is able to stand alone, and she is also able to willingly give her own life, if that's what the gods require, to save Korea.

This is very much a hero's journey, and Jae has all of the required helpers on her journey. The book is distinctly Korean, and after 3 books, the reader can finally piece them all together and have a satisfying conclusion.

These books will appeal to readers who enjoy other epic Asian stories, especially those who are wanting to move from epic Manga to something that feels more like The Iron Trial or Magyk. I will  be purchasing these for my classroom.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Silvern The Gilded Series (Book 2) by Christina Farley

Silvern The Gilded Series (Book 2) picks up three months after Gilded,  when Jae Hwa is testing for her 2nd level black belt. In the ring, she meets a warrior from the spirit world, and from there, the story is off and running. Kud, a supernatural bad-guy even greater than she defeated in the first book, now wants her help to find the rest of the missing orbs and defeat the other Korean deities and overthrow the world. Jae would do anything to stop him, until he goes after her loved ones, one by one.

Jae's best friends are likable and they help her on the journey. She gets the opportunity to travel into North Korea, and the division between North Korea and South Korea becomes a natural part of the plot. Once again, Jae is forced to make sacrifices and very hard choices, but she is a warrior.

This is a middle book in a series, and in a hero's journey, this is typically the low point for the hero. This is true for Jae, but the reader believes she can save Korea, save the people she loves, and do whatever that requires.

The book cover is gorgeous. The characters act exactly as they should for their age and the plot. This book is one I will buy for my classroom.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash

In this story, Wesley Rockwell has worked hard to get his job working for his father's special division only to make a mistake and be kicked back to work for the Witches Protection Program in New York City where the good witches are good, but they sometimes go very, very bad.

His job is to protect Morgan Pendragon from other witches who want to take her company, and also take over the world.

Morgan, initially, wants nothing to do with Wes, but he becomes her protector. Together, they become a team, and Wes is bound to Morgan, and sparks fly between them.

This book feels a bit like Men In Black meets Paranormal Romance, but it's a good mash-up. The villains are love-to-hate, and the good-guys are true-of-heart and go-to-the wall.

I'd read another book about Morgan and Wes. Their world is interesting and the characters likable.

I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox

The Skeleton in the Closet by Angie Fox is book 2 in the "Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries," but aside from book 1, there's also a novella (1.5) between the two books. I did not read the first book, but did read the novella. Neither is required before reading this book. 

I have read Angie Fox's other series, my favorite being the Biker Witches Mysteries. This series is not nearly as fun, nor as funny as the other series. This is a true "cozy" mystery, complete with paranormal (ghosts, poltergeists, and energies), with a little (very little) romance thrown in.

Verity Long, the main character, discovers a body while helping her sister in the town library. Because she can see ghosts, the lead detective allows her in on the investigation, and she wishes to help solve the murder of one of her sister's close friends. However, she immediately suspects her (secret) boyfriend's mother of being the murderer. She's also dealing with his brother, her ex-fiance who thinks he might want Verity back.

The story does a lovely job with the paranormal. The ghost's stories are the most intriguing and thought out. The main cast of characters could use more. It's pretty clear what Verity needs to do to free Frankie, but it never occurs to them in this book. It's also clear that Verity and Ellis should stop dating in secret. Another thing that needs to happen is that now Verity has revenge on her ex-boyfriend's mother, she should be able to get back enough money to at least feed herself. The over-the-top viciousness of Virginia Wydell was the red herring covering the true villain, not that he was particularly well hidden.

This is an interesting series, and the story was very well told. I did enjoy the individual ghosts, Lucy (Verity's pet SKUNK), and Ellis. This was a solid read, and I wouldn't mind reading book 3.

I recommend this for those who love cozy mysteries.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Never, Never by Brianna Shrum

I love the story of Peter Pan, and I am also intrigued by a redeemable Captain Hook. Both of these elements drew me to this book.

James Hook, age 12, is readying to study at Eton. He's just had his 12th birthday, and his father has recently gone to sea. His mother is expecting a baby, and James is quite content to grow up to be honorable and a gentleman.

When his father leaves unexpectedly two weeks before James is supposed to report to Eton, James is utterly disappointed. He wanted his father to take him to Kensington Park as a last celebration. Instead, that night, James goes alone after dark, and there meets Peter Pan. Peter introduces him to the fairies, and he invites James to travel with him. James assumes he'll only be going to Neverland for only the week before he goes to Eton. However, once he's in Neverland, he realizes he can never return home.

James is devastated, and he feels Peter Pan has lied to him. He is also changed by the events the first night when Peter Pan kills a pirate on a ship James is sure he's seen, but only in his dreams. James remains a Lost Boy, but he is incapable of not growing up. One night, Peter Pan has a Thinning and James is forced out. Worse, while James remembers every moment of being with Peter and the Lost Boys, Peter forgets him entirely.

James goes out to the pirate ship where the crew immediately recognize him as their captain because his dreams brought them into existence. He then becomes Captain Hook, but is still very much trying to be a good man with "good form."

James' story is heartbreaking in many ways. He has grown to hate Neverland, but once he encounters his younger brother, he realizes he can never return home. He falls in love with the lovely Tiger Lily, and because she is also tied to Peter Pan, their dreams of running away together are never realized.

I was sad when I reached the end of the book. I loved James Hook, and I saw all of the plot points from the Disney Peter Pan and the original Peter Pan played out from the point of a wonderful man placed under extraordinary pressure who eventually broke down. There's no happy ending here, and that's even worse for me. Peter Pan was unlikable, Wendy reminded him of his mother, Tiger Lily inflexible, and James Hook miserable. I cried for him, the Lost Boy and Captain, and was so very sad for him as he swam to his finish at the end of the book.

I received the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Gilded The Gilded Series (Book 1) by Christina Farle

This book with its lovely cover drew me in. Jae, who has been raised in LA, has recently lost her mother to cancer, and her father takes a job in Seoul, Korea, moving Jae back to her father's country. Jae has been raised with Korean food and speaks the language, but in Seoul, she attends an internationally acclaimed school where the students are ultra-focused on their grades.

Into her new life, her grandfather and father are at odds because Jae's grandfather believes in the old gods, and he is afraid that Haemosu will take Jae as the oldest daughter. Their families have been linked for thousands of years and through thousands of princesses from her family.

Jae, at first unsure what to believe, begins to work with her aunt, her grandfather, and the attractive but enigmatic boy from school. She is attracted to Marc, but even more, Marc can help her save the world.

This is book 1 in the series, and while there's room for more stories, this book has good characterization, a lovely plot arc with a good beginning, great climax, and resolution. Jae is also lucky that she has a father who loves her, a grandfather to help her, and an aunt to train her instead of some of the paranormal books with absent families.

I would own this and recommend it to my class,

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.