Title: Or What You Will Author: Jo Walton Publisher: Macmillian-Tor/Forge Publication date: July 7, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Summary: Sylvia Harrison is a bestselling author nearing the end of her life. After her husband’s death, she travels to Firenze, Italy to write her final novel. Traveling with her is our unnamed narrator, a being who has been Sylvia’s companion for countless years. He fears her death, but knows of a way for them to live forever. He just has to convince her to do it. As a writer who has had countless discussions with the people in her head, I was immediately drawn to this book. I was also intrigued because it involved possibly entering one’s own…
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Book Review: Scarlet Odyssey by C. T. Rwizi
Title: Scarlet Odyssey Author: C. T. Rwizi Publisher: 47North Publication date: July 1, 2020 Genre: Science Fiction and Fantasy Summary: Salo is an outsider in his tribe despite being the firstborn son to the chief. This is because he is more interested in magic (women’s domain) than becoming a warrior (men’s domain). But, when his people are attacked by a witch, he has no choice but to convince his queen to let him awaken as a mystic. She allows it, but only because she plans on using him and sending him as an emissary to the Jungle City. Along his journey, he befriends a fellow outcast, a female warrior who grew up not too far from…
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Book Review: In My Attic by Lina Hansen
Title: In My Attic Author: Lina Hansen Publisher: Literary Wanderlust Publication date: July 1, 2020 Genre: Mystery and Thriller Summary: Myrtle Coldron is a very practical and no-nonsense schoolteacher. Until her Aunt Eve dies in a suspicious accident at the Witch’s Retreat, her bed and breakfast in the sleepy British town Avebury. Called back to where she grew up to handle her aunt’s affairs, she learns she’s to inherit the B&B, along with all the…unusual bits and pieces of her family history she had been unaware of. But someone seems to be after her now, because her family hides a secret that someone very powerful wants. There’s something magical about this book. Literally. I mean, the…
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Book Review: Still Death by Shauna Bickley
Title: Still Death Author: Shauna Bickley Publisher: Self-published Publication date: November 8, 2014 Genre: Mystery and Thriller Summary: Lexie is quickly realizing being a full-time mother to three young girls is harder than working a demanding job, but her husband Nathan’s job has moved them from London to the small town Nettleford once she was restructured out of a job. With my mind challenged only by small children, she quickly finds friendship with an elderly lady whose son was possibly involved with the murder of his girlfriend. Until he ends up dead, as well. Lexie, with nothing but time on her hands, sets out to not only find out why he and his girlfriend were killed,…
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Book Review: Who Did You Tell? by Lesley Kara
Title: Who Did You Tell? Author: Lesley Kara Publisher: Ballantine Books – Random House Publishing Group Publication date: June 16, 2020 Genre: Mystery and Thriller, Women’s Fiction Summary: Astrid is back to living with her mum in the small town of Flinstead, somewhere in the UK. An alcoholic, she’s finally promised to put the drink behind her and attend AA meetings, especially since her boyfriend recently committed suicide after she got him back into drinking. At one such meeting, she meets Rosie, who is overly eager to make Astrid into her pet project, and Helen, who seems sad and lonely but seems to get Astrid more than Rosie does. Everything starts to look up for her.…
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Book Blog Tour – Review: The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season by Molly Fader
The Lily Cafe is thrilled to participate in the book blog tour for The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season by Molly Fader. Title: The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season Author: Molly Fader Publisher: Harlequin – Graydon House Books Publication date: June 6, 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction, General Fiction Summary: Hope is just looking for the safest place she can find for herself and her ten year old daughter, Tink. With a bruise on her face and a cut on her lip, she needs somewhere to hide and keep her daughter safe from their recent past. Peg is Hope’s aunt, a relative she has never met. Peg runs a cherry orchard along with her business partner…
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Book Review: Whammy by Ted Akin
Title: Whammy Author: Ted Akin Publisher: Self-published Publication date: May 5, 2020 Genre: Humor, General Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy Summary: In the real world, Klive works in an oil field in Texas while writing a comic book without the pictures when a colleague dies suddenly, leaving a mystery on his hands as he notices inconsistencies. Klive’s roommate Stacey owns and runs the coffee shop, which fronts for a certain illegal activity. Born and raised in Lily Grove, she’s sure nothing every happens in Lily Grove. Until a mysterious stranger who likes to read books starts frequenting her coffee shop without ever buying anything. In another universe, a superhero and a supervillian are constantly facing off, destroying…
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Book Review: The Dragon Princess by Paris Hansch
Title: The Dragon Princess Author: Paris Hansch Publisher: Origin Publications Publication date: April 5, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Summary: Before she can be crowned empress of the empire, the princess goes missing. Two years later, Anadrieth is on the brink of war with neighboring Lanadrin. Without a reigning dragon couple, the empire is teetering on the edge. Lord Alexander works tirelessly to find a way to divert war while also shielding his younger siblings, Adelia and Anton, who themselves find they have unique talents and abilities. But with a mysterious Mistress pulling strings to make the empire dance the way she wants it to, the siblings may find themselves in greater trouble than they realized, unless the…
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Book Review: Last Memoria by Rachel Emma Shaw
Title: Last Memoria Author: Rachel Emma Shaw Publisher: Self-published Publication date: May 10, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Summary: Sarilla has the power to take memories, and is branded a monster because of it even though she is the king’s caged pet. Falon wants nothing more than to reclaim the 6 months worth of memories that were stolen from him. When fate throws them back together one night on a lake, they end up on a journey across the kingdom, one seeking to destroy and one seeking answers. The Characters: So Much Fun Oh my goodness, I loved the characters and the ways they interacted! And I really felt for Sarilla. Reading her hurt my heart. I understood…
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Book Review: Queen of the Unwanted by Jenna Glass
Title: Queen of the Unwanted Author: Jenna Glass Publisher: Del Rey Publication date: May 12, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Summary: Alys may be the acknowledged queen of Women’s Well—the fledgling colony where women hold equal status with men—but she cares little for politics in the wake of an appalling personal tragedy. It is grief that drives her now. But the world continues to turn. In a distant realm unused to female rulers, Ellin struggles to maintain control. Meanwhile, the king of the island nation of Khalpar recruits an abbess who he thinks holds the key to reversing the spell that Alys’s mother gave her life to create. And back in Women’s Well, Alys’s own half brother is…
