Whew! I almost didn't get a post up today. I had a doctor's appointment, went shopping, came home, and after lunch took a three hour nap. Then, tonight, I was on a livestream to help promote an awesome anthology called Cthulhu Invades Neverland. It's currently on Kickstarter. If you're into either of these fandoms, you should check it out.

When the chance to create a holiday happened, the sheep were first in line to add January 20^th as Cheese Lover’s Day. They loved cheese and tried to have some with every meal. The other toys could tell you that whenever the sheep were in charge of food for an event, there was always cheese. They didn’t know the types of cheese, but the sheep always chose delicious ones for everyone to enjoy.

On January 20^th, the sheep laid out all different types of cheese on their outdoor tables. There were soft cheeses like Brie, ricotta, cream cheese, and even cottage cheese. There were hard cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, and Swiss. Each of the cheeses was labeled with its name and had a small plate of crackers next to it.

As each of the toys stopped by that day, they tried different types of cheeses, and the sheep told them about each one.

“Brie is from France. It tastes great on crackers or even on sandwiches,” Baa told Teddy when he stopped by.

“Cheddar cheese comes from England and is white there. Here, in the United States, it’s yellow,” said Black Sheep.

“I bet you can’t guess where Swiss cheese comes from,” said Baaa to Sylver when he took a nibble of the holey cheese. “Umm…Switzerland?” answered Sylver. “You’re right!” the three sheep yelled, making Sylver jump and almost drop his cheese. He scrambled and managed to catch it before popping it into his mouth.

He was about to head back to the ocean life cubby when he noticed a tv set up next to the tables. “What’s this?” he asked. “Oh that…that’s something that we thought the toys might enjoy. It’s a game called Cheese Game.”

Sylver walked closer to the screen and noticed that controllers had been hooked up. “Can I try it out?”

“Of course you can. That’s why we set it up!” said Baa while his brothers walked back to the tables to put out new pieces of cheese. “It’s one player or I’d play with you. Try it out and if you would like a snack, come back over for some more cheese. Perhaps some cheddar this time or cream cheese.” Baa smiled and walked away.

Sylver picked up a controller and hit start. He chuckled when he saw that he was playing as a piece of cheese that looked a lot like the piece that he had just eaten. The game started easily enough. He was a piece of cheese that had to avoid everything because everything wanted to eat him. He beat a few levels and when he paused for a moment, he noticed that he had drawn quite the crowd around him. Quite a few of his friends were there supporting him and cheering him on.

He took a deep breath and unpaused the game. It was time for the final level. With his friends watching, he dodged left, and he dodged right. There were rocks falling from the sky and a miner trying to catch him. He kept dodging and running. The rocks were falling faster now and the more intense the game got, the quieter his friends got. There were only thirty seconds left. Could he beat the game?

He dodged to the left again. A rock barely missed him, and his friends held their breath. He was so close. Another dodge to the right and around a pair of rocks that came raining down. The miner was right there, but he managed to veer around him. Ten seconds left. Suddenly the rocks were coming down faster, but with each rock that rained down, he dodged around it. Five seconds left and the miner was right on this tail. He flipped around and ran around the miner. Time was up and he won! He let out the breath that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and grinning, turned around to hug his cheering friends.

“You did it! On your first try you beat that game!”

“Oh my gosh, that was awesome!”

“Thanks, guys! We should celebrate with some cheese!”

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About once a month, Rhino got something in the mail. It might be a letter or a postcard, but he always got something, and they always came from the same place. Grandpa Rhino used to live in the toy store but had been adopted by a young boy when Rhino was quite young. They loved each other though and to keep in touch, they would write letters to each other.

One day, Sam saw Rhino writing a letter to his grandpa and asked him about it. “Why do you write him letters, Rhino?” he asked.

“It’s a fun way to keep in touch. I can tell him about everything that happens here. I just wrote about the big spaghetti party that Mario threw for us. If I didn’t tell him, he’d never know, and I think that he would miss it. Plus, he always writes me back and I get to hear about the adventures that he goes on with his boy.”

“That’s pretty cool. I think that I would like to write a letter too, but who would I write it too?” asked Sam.

“You could write to me,” answered Rhino. “You have all kinds of adventures, and I would love to read about them. I’ll even write you back!”

“Awesome! I’ll go back to my cubby and work on it right now.”

Sam waved and headed back to his cubby where he got a pencil and some paper and write Rhino a long letter, telling him all about his adventures with Melanie and his other friends. At the end of the letter, he invited Rhino to go on an adventure with him. Then, he put it into an envelope and put it in the toy store mailbox.

As he was walking to the mailbox, Asbestos came up to him and asked what he was doing. Sam explained all about letter writing and how he had written Rhino a letter. Asbestos loved the idea and ran back to his cave to write his own letter.

Before much time had passed, there was a line at the mailbox of toys waiting to drop their letters in. All week long, they had been writing to each other. Now, some of them were writing back and others were mailing out their first letter.

Some of the toys wrote long letters. Others wrote just a little bit on the back of a postcard. They all had one thing in common though. They loved writing to each other. Rhino got so excited about how everyone was writing letters that he wrote a second one to Grandpa Rhino telling him all about it. Grandpa Rhino wrote back telling him that the toys where he lived would love to get letters and postcards.

Rhino couldn’t wait to share this idea with all of his friends. He hurried over to Horace and told him all about what his grandpa had said in his letter. Horace thought it was a great idea so he decided to call all of the toys together to tell them all about it.

Soon, all of the toys were collected together in the reading area. Some had letters in their hands and others were carrying their paper and pencils. Some of the younger toys had crayons. “Hey, everyone, I have something that I want to tell you about!”

Everyone settled down and got quiet so that they could hear Horace.

“I was just talking to Rhino about how great all this letter writing is and he told me that he had gotten a new letter from Grandpa Rhino. As you know, Grandpa Rhino lives across town now with a wonderful boy and his family. It’s because of his letter writing that all of you started writing letters. Now, he has a suggestion!”

The toys whispered among themselves, wondering what the suggestion might be.

“He would love it if you wrote letters to his friends that he lives with! They don’t get letters or postcards now and he knows that they would love them. What do you all think? Can we bring some smiles to other toys? You never know, you might make some new friends!”

The toys all cheered and clapped to show their support. Then, they hurried up to Rhino who had his grandpa’s letter with him. In it, Grandpa Rhino had given a list of toys who would love to receive letters. After everyone had gotten the name of a toy, Rhino went back to his cubby to write his grandpa to tell him that lots of letters should be coming to their playroom very soon.

Across town, Grandpa Rhino smiled as he read his grandson’s letter again. It was good knowing that he was happy, healthy, and surrounded by toys who all took care of each other. He hoped that they would be sending lots of letters their way, but even if they didn’t, he knew that each week there would be one from his grandson, Rhino.

…And that’s how the toy store pen pal program came to be. 

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Every day is pretty much the same. I wake up in the morning, eat some breakfast, play with my friend Sadie, eat some dinner and go to bed. The only thing that sometimes changes is what games Sadie and I play. We love to play pirates. It’s fun to swish a sword around and say “argh”. It’s also fun to play tag. Sometimes we play that if Rorschach comes over to visit. He lives in an apartment nearby but likes to come out and hang out with all of us by the school.

Today seems different though. I woke up, ate breakfast, and played with Sadie, but when I went to eat dinner, it wasn’t sitting out like it usually is. Sadie and I looked and looked, but we couldn’t find it. It was so weird! Then, after Sadie had given up and gone to lay down, I decided to look one more time. I knew I smelled it, but I just couldn’t see it. Then, I rounded the corner of a bush and there it was! I thought about going to get Sadie, but she was probably asleep, so I decided to have dinner and then go and let her know where it was.

Except, when I walked up to the bowl, something strange happened. First, I heard a snap noise and then something came down behind me. I turned around quickly, but instead of the bush, I saw a wall. It was so weird, guys. I could see the bush through the spaces between the bars, but no matter what I tried, I couldn’t get past it. I was stuck!

Then, a hand reached in and took away the food bowl. I thought for sure that they were going to let me out, but nope! They removed the bowl and then walked away. A few minutes later, they came back and suddenly I was floating. I wondered if this is what a leaf felt like when the wind picked it up and carried it.

I wasn’t scared. I know I should have been, but I wasn’t. I was more curious. I was wondering what was happening, who was carrying me, and where we were going. I didn’t have very long to wonder because it seemed like I had just been picked up when whoever it was set me down again. I peeked through the crate’s door and there was my friend, Kim. She smiled at me and told me that she would feed me again as soon as we got to where we were going.

I nodded and she closed the door to the car. Oooh, I forgot to tell you, she put the crate on the backseat of her car. Then, we were off! I couldn’t really see where we were going, but from the way that I swayed, I could tell that we took a few turns. I’d sway to the left, sway to the right, and then finally I just curled up before I fell over. The ride must have been pretty relaxing because I woke up when the car stopped.

The door opened and within moments after that, another door opened, and we walked into a well-lit laundry room. The crate door was opened, and Kim invited me to come out. “Sorry to scare you, Mittens, but I needed a safe way to bring you here.”

“Here? Where is here?” I meowed.

“I’m hoping that you’ll like it here and decide to live here from now on. I promise that you’ll be well taken care of. You’ll have delicious food, water, and lots of toys.”

I blinked up at her. Home? I was in a home? I had dreamed about living in a home, but I didn’t think that it would ever happen. I decided right there that I would give this home a try. I noticed that Kim seemed nervous, so I smiled up at her and gave her a hug.

That night, I had a cozy bed made of blankets to sleep in. Kim fed me the best food I had ever tasted. It looked and smelled just like the food that I ate all the time, but somehow it tasted better. There was always fresh water whenever I looked. It never had dirt or leaves in it. It was getting late, so I decided to get some sleep before I checked out these toys that she had mentioned. I had never really had anything other than sticks and my imagination for toys before.

The next morning, I woke up early and explored the house. It seemed nice, but it was really quiet. I was used to the noise of being outside and other cats being around me. That reminded me…what about Sadie? Was she okay? Did she know where I was? I had to talk to Kim immediately so I jumped up on the bed where she was and started nudging her with my paw.

“Well, good morning, Mittens. What can I do for you?”

“What about Sadie? She’s my best friend. Does she know what happened?”

“Sadie knows. I made sure that she knew about it. I even asked her if she wanted to come along too, but she said she’s an outdoor adventuring cat, but that she knows this is your dream. I hope she was right. I’d really like for you to stay.”

I nodded, thinking about my best friend. It would be just like her to want this for me while she followed a different adventure. I hoped that she had an amazing adventure and that I would hear about it.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll hear from her. She said she’d send you postcards and letters.”

I smiled and hopped back down off the bed. It was time for breakfast, and I was ready to eat and then check out those toys. Guess what, guys! Toys are awesome! Kim had bought me balls and things to chase and even a great big tower for me to climb.

It took me a few days of thinking about it, but, in the end, I decided to stay with Kim and to have a home of my own. I even convinced her to get a kitten since I missed Sadie. I thought the best thing to do was to give another kitten a home so that neither of us would be alone. After all, I had plenty of toys to share. 

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Last week I was delighted to do an Ask Me Anything over on one of my favorite Facebook groups. One of the questions that I received was essentially, "Why children's books?"  It made me smile because it brought me back to my roots.

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We've been working hard and have already hit $271 out of our $1000 goal! I'm so excited. Every time that number goes up, I swear I light up and do a happy dance. To celebrate, I want to share another piece of art from the book! This is the goat. He has some learning to do and I can't wait to share his story with all of you!

Unwanted at home, Molly goes to work for the king of Westria as a humble scullery maid. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions, and those visions always come true.

One day, while she's working in the king's great hall, young Prince Alaric passes by. Molly finds him unbearably handsome—but also unbearably rude. But what does it really matter? She'll probably never see him again.

In time Molly is promoted to polishing silver and is given a priceless royal treasure to work on: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But there's something odd about it. The silver warms to her touch, a voice commands her to watch and listen, and then the visions appear. They tell the story of a dreaded curse that has stalked the royal family for years. There have already been deaths; soon there will be more.

As tragedy after tragedy strikes the royal family, Molly can't help but wonder: Will the beautiful Alaric be next? Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the kingdom of Westria?

~~~~~~~~~
A month or two ago, I snuck into the library to see what they had on their giveaway shelves. I had heard that they were doing a purge of their children's book section and I was curious. I didn't expect to find much, but man, I hit the jackpot! Old Nancy Drew books, a bunch of other books, and this gem. I took so many that I had to make two trips to my car. I'd feel bad if I hadn't put hundreds of books on those shelves over the years for people to enjoy. Anyway...

The Good:
Great characterization. Each character had their own personality, their own viewpoints. The story itself was also very entertaining with little twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Since this book was written for middle grade readers, I was happy to see that nothing was so complex that a child wouldn't be able to dig into this book and enjoy hours of happy reading.

The Bad:
The beginning of the book felt a little slow, but that's very short lived.

The Summary:
While written for middle grade fantasy fans, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much that I went on Amazon to find the other books in the series. I'll be picking them up soon and will hopefully be reviewing them as well.  The library's loss was certainly my gain.



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It’s the year 2236, and humanity can’t catch a break.

While we’re licking our wounds from a bloody civil war, two alien armadas stumble into the Solar System fighting one of their own. At odds are the fearsome Boxti Horde and their ancient enemies, the Nangolani.

Naturally, we can’t resist picking sides and joining the fight, but after several crushing defeats, we’re forced to open Pandora’s Box to win the war: A top-secret special forces program.

Meanwhile, a hotshot starfighter has his mettle tested when the war separates him from his best friend and favorite wingman.

Tech-savvy and full of action, humor, and intrigue, When The Stars Fade is the first in a six-book series, The Gray Wars.

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The Good:
I have to say that Adam Korenman knows how to build a world that's familiar and yet strange at the same time. There are touching moments, a lot of action, and the book doesn't stop until it's done.

The Bad:
There are a lot of characters and it can be overwhelming to keep track of them. The book also starts out a bit rough, but by the time you're less than a third of the way through, it pulls together.

The Summary:
If you enjoy military based books, this could certainly be one that pulls you in. This book was first released in 2013 and since then only one other book in the series has been published (2017). That makes me a little nervous for how long it will be before all 6 books in the series will be completed. Still, it's a good read and one that, even though military books aren't my thing, I ended up enjoying.






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In Desdemona and the Deep, the spoiled daughter of a rich mining family must retrieve the tithe of men her father promised to the world below. On the surface, her world is rife with industrial pollution that ruins the health of poor factory workers while the idle rich indulge themselves in unheard-of luxury. Below are goblins, mysterious kingdoms, and an entirely different hierarchy.

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I need to start out this review by thanking my friend, Russell, for sending me this book in a care package a few months ago. He thought I'd like it and he was right...now, let me tell you why.

The Good:
Desdemona herself. I love a good bad girl...and Desdemona starts out as the type of character you love to hate. She's rich. She's clueless. She's a prissy, spoiled heiress. Then, somehow, over the course of the book, you come to love her. She changes and maybe changes you a little bit in the process.

Then, there's the world building...not just one world, but three. It's a lot to ask of an author, but each one was its own reality and completely believable.

The Bad:
It felt a bit rushed. I understand that this is a novella, but I wanted just a little bit more to it.

The Summary:
If you're looking for a really good read that won't take you long, will pull you in and maybe even leave you a little bit breathless, then I recommend this book. I just found out that the author has at least two other books set in this world and I'm going to go wishlist them right now.






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Aliens are invading.

The Earth is doomed.

The end of the world is a bad time to fall in love.

Joshy is a normal kid from an average town suffering through a mediocre road trip with his family. He's positive this vacation will be just as bland and uninteresting as every one that came before it.

Then he meets Debra.

She's everything he's ever wanted in a girl. She's smart, funny, and radiant. They love all the same things, right down to the same obscure comic books. There's a definite spark between them.

Literally.

The moment they finally kiss, a bolt of electricity from Debra's mouth knocks Joshy unconscious.

He wakes up to a shocking truth.

Debra is an alien.

Worse yet, another race called the Globorians are about to invade Earth and enslave all of humanity.

Now, Joshy and Debra must race against time to stop the Globorian plot and save the planet before it's too late.

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Holy Catnip! With business booming, Cat Detectives, Buckley and Bogey, have their paws full when it comes to running the BBCDA — the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency. But just when they’re ready to take a little break, someone leaves them a clue . . . right on their own front porch! Naturally, the boys are suspicious, since they usually have to hunt long and hard to find any clues on a case. And things get even more odd when the clues just keep on coming — all in little glass jars with shiny black lids. Especially when one of those jars holds a bunch of sparkly diamonds. Holy Mackerel!

But clues aren’t the only things that land on the boys’ front doorstep. Soon their family takes in a few foster cats, including an energetic kitten with an overactive imagination. One who is determined to follow Buckley wherever he goes, even as the boys track clues all over town! And when clues just lead to more clues and yet more clues, it isn’t long before Buckley and Bogey realize there is something sinister going on in their little city of St. Gertrude. From creepy mansions to angry bees, and from rescue operations to midnight visitors, this case has way more danger than the boys ever bargained for. And before long, they learn the stakes could not be higher, especially when their family is framed for a crime. That’s when the boys have no choice but to add up all those clues in a hurry and crack the case . . . or else! Holy Catnip!

The Good:
I love the cats in this book...from Buckley to Trixie and every single one in between. The author does a superb job of giving each of them their individual identities and roles in solving the mystery. I don't know how Cindy comes up with these mysteries because they keep me on my toes every single page and I never know until the big reveal who it is.

The Bad:
I finished the book. Seriously. I feel as if these cats are somehow a part of my family and I miss them when there aren't new stories to read. I may need a trip to the cat cafe to get my fill of kittens soon!

The Summary:
Another great kitty mystery by Cindy Vincent. These are perfect for middle grade readers and if you're like me, maybe a few years outside of school. I can't recommend them enough for cat lovers and mystery lovers alike. Holy mackerel and holy catnip!


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In the land of dolls, there is magic.
In the land of humans, there is war.
Everywhere there is pain.
But together there is hope.

Karolina is a living doll whose king and queen have been overthrown. But when a strange wind spirits her away from the Land of the Dolls, she finds herself in Krakow, Poland, in the company of the Dollmaker, a man with an unusual power and a marked past.

The Dollmaker has learned to keep to himself, but Karolina's courageous and compassionate manner lead him to smile and to even befriend a violin-playing father and his daughter--that is, once the Dollmaker gets over the shock of realizing a doll is speaking to him.

But their newfound happiness is dashed when Nazi soldiers descend upon Poland. Karolina and the Dollmaker quickly realize that their Jewish friends are in grave danger, and they are determined to help save them, no matter what the risks.

~~~

The Good:
I absolutely fell in love with the characters. Each one is so well done that they become real people (and dolls) before your eyes as you read and by the time you reach the end of the book, it feels as if they're friends. Then, there's the story itself. This talented author created a world that I could easily imagine in my mind. I was pulled in and when the end of the book came, the reality of my bedroom was a bit startling.

The Bad:
Only that nobody warned me that I'd need tissues before the book came to its end.

The Summary:
This could easily be one of my favorite books that I've read this year and I've read some really good ones. The story will draw you in, the characters will become friends, and by the time you reach the end, you'll be praying for more of little Karolina. In fact, I would love to see a novella all about what happens at the end of the book. No spoilers here!





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This is another book in the Cherry Ames series. In this case she's gotten a job at a girl's boarding school which is basically down on its luck. There aren't many students, and most of Cherry's nursing problems are fairly minor. There is a mystery involving one of the girls, though, where she wants to find a formula for a perfume made by an ancestor of hers.

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I'm still not reading as much as I would like but I couldn't resist this when I spotted it sitting on my night stand. I read this series when I was a kid and fell in love with them. In fact, they're my bucket list book series. I only own three of them so far, but I'm always looking in thrift stores and at garage sales for more. That said, this is the one that always stuck with me...

The Good - 
This is a light, quick read akin to Nancy Drew. Cherry is a regular girl who struggles with a bit of insecurity, but who is always there for her patients and who has a quick mind.

The Bad -
These were written during a time period when nurses were often seen to be below doctors and not as important. Certain things like this are apparent within the book.

The Summary - 
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I suspect that now that I own it, I will read it over and over again. If you're able to keep in mind the time period that it was written versus getting offended, this is a great series no matter the age of the reader.






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Thirty-year-old Celeste Hamilton’s life is at a crossroads: she has just left a disastrous marriage, and her estranged mother has recently died, leaving the family’s rose business in jeopardy. Reluctantly, Celeste returns to the family home, a moated manor house in Suffolk, to help her two younger sisters sort out the estate and revive the business.

Having endured the fallout from her mother’s Narcissistic Personality Disorder when she was younger, Celeste is filled with self-doubt and crippling insecurities. But she must find the strength and courage to take charge and make some tough decisions to keep the old house from falling down around them.

The Rose Girls is an uplifting, tender and romantic story of courage, perseverance and the healing power of family.

~~~~~~~~

It's been ages since I've written a review. Then again, it's been ages since I read a book that didn't belong to a client. It's felt really good to reclaim that bit of time each evening. I hope it's something I can continue because I've missed talking about books with all of you.  Now, for this review...

The Good:
Reality. This book felt grounded in reality. There was no insta-love, there wasn't grand drama. It was simply three sisters trying to find their own places in a world where things have changed. I think that we can all relate to that. Life happens even when we don't want it to. The characters also fell under this. Each one was unique and had their own personality, which I appreciated. No cookie cutter characters.

The Bad:
While there was no insta-love, I felt at times that things happened really fast within the book. Perhaps it's because the author never really mentions time passing, it just passes. Also, bits of the book felt rather predictable but that may just be to me. After all, I can never figure out a mystery before the big reveal, but I have friends who have sorted it out by page 10.

The Summary:
A really enjoyable, light read that's perfect if you're looking for some casual reading. I finished it in a couple of evenings and it's really reminded me how much I love getting lost in a book...and taking the time to smell the roses..erm..pages...






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The year is 1882 Scotland, and the auld alliance betwixt king and fey has long been forgotten. Men of science, backed by barons of industry, push the boundaries of technology. When Sir Walter Conrad discovers a new energy source, one that could topple nations and revolutionize society, the race to dominate its ownership begins. But the excavation and use of this energy source will have dire consequences for both humans and fey. For an ancient enemy stirs, awakened by Sir Walter's discovery.

Outcast half-fey Effie of Glen Coe is the Empire's only hope at averting the oncoming disaster. Effie finds herself embroiled in the conflict, investigating the eldritch evil spreading throughout the Highlands. As she struggles against the greed of mighty lords and to escape the clutches of the queen's minions, her comfortable world is shattered. Racing to thwart the growing menace, she realizes the only thing that can save them all is a truce no one wants.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I feel like it's been quite a while since I read a fantasy novel so between that urge and the fact that this one was Gaelic in nature, I couldn't resist picking it up.

The Good:

The Bad:

The Summary:

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own.

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I love these covers!

Blood never lies… unless what you’re seeing isn’t real.

A new urban fantasy series from the award-winning screenwriter of ground-breaking BBC TV series Spirit Warriors.

After a trip to a place of magic seemingly leaves the girls with more questions than answers, Tyler takes off to spend some much needed time with Ally only for danger to have followed them with potentially devastating consequences for the sisters.

Meanwhile, Marley has family problems of her own. Realizing that she has never known anything about either side of her family, she broaches the subject only for Paul to evade her questions. Why is he keeping secrets from her, what doesn’t he want her to know?

With the other girls preoccupied with their own issues, Eve takes the opportunity to try to mend bridges with Cassie. What should be a nice dinner out turns into an ordeal, however, when an unwanted chance encounter causes more antagonism between them. As Cassie tries to deal with the aftermath the only way she knows how, she just makes things worse.

Frustrated with the way things have gone down, Eve retreats home but finds herself confronted with the very secret she thought was dead and buried…

Will the girls be able to defeat their own personal demons before the real ones catch up with them?

Saving the world has never been this Twisted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm not a big fan of serials and yet, I can't stop myself from choosing this series over and over again. It seems that I need to know what happens next!

The Good:

The Bad:

The Summary:

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments,and opinions are my own.

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December 31, 1941. Young Houston socialite Tracy Truworth, Apprentice P.I., can’t imagine a better way to send off the old year and ring in the new than by dancing through the night with her fella, Pete Stalwart. But a swell evening soon takes a terrible turn when a fellow dancer with moves like Fred Astaire ends up dead on the dance floor. And before the hands on the clock can point to midnight, a finger is pointed at Pete, accusing him of murdering the young man.

Then after Pete is hauled away in handcuffs, the night goes from bad to worse . . . and Tracy’s sweet grandmother is accused of stealing an ancient artifact from the museum. Now Tracy must team up with her boss and mentor, Sammy Falcone, in order to find the stolen statuette, unmask the real murderer, and restore the reputations of those she loves the most.

Yet as America becomes embroiled in another world war, the risks and sacrifices intensify—even on the homefront. And Tracy soon finds her own home invaded by a near parade of questionable characters, while unsavory suspects lurk in the shadows, and a ruthless reporter makes her life miserable. With time ticking against her, Tracy must be willing to swing past the setbacks and hop through the hazards if she hopes to solve a mystery that involves a lot of dancing . . . and a lot more danger.

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Y'all know that I've been a long time fan of Cindy's writing. I would read Buckley and Bogey all day, every day if I could. This is my first foray into her Homefront Mystery series though. In fact, this is book 2 and somehow I haven't read book 1 yet! Luckily, while reading book 1 may help with knowing the characters a bit more, this book completely works as a stand alone.

Outside of my son's love of Jazz, I don't really know a lot about the 1940s so seeing all of the references within the book really helped for me to feel as if I were alongside the characters as they worked to solve the mystery of who did what and to who! I love the individuality of each of the characters. It really brings them to life.

If I had one complaint, it would be that Tracy spends an incredible amount of time referencing her favorite book series. It got a tad old for me but as soon as I'd sigh, the story would move on and I'd be sucked right back into the pages! If you're in the mood for an old timey mystery, this series would be a great one to start with.

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Now for even more excitement! The author is doing a giveaway during this blog tour and you don't want to miss out on the opportunity to win some goodies, so be sure to enter! Oh! And silly me, I forgot to mention that she's made this book free on Kindle for the duration of the blog tour! Head on over to Amazon and get it today!



a Rafflecopter giveaway Good luck and happy reading!


I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments, and opinions are my own. 

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