#Review - The Late-Night Witches by Auralee Wallace #Fantasy #Contemporary

Series: Standalone
Format: Paperback, 400 pages
Release Date: August 19, 2025
Publisher: Ace
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Contemporary

An enchantingly warm and funny novel about family, love lost and found, discovering who you are, and how difficult it is to slay a vampire from the beloved national bestselling author of the TikTok sensation In the Company of Witches.

Cassie Beckett’s life is anything but magical. With a wild younger sister, three unruly kids, and an absent husband, she’s really not looking forward to the witching month of October. At least the gorgeous, foggy Prince Edward Island is always quiet.

That is, until the vampires arrive.

As the creatures sink their teeth into Cassie’s tenuous grip on normalcy, she’s forced to come face-to-face with long–disregarded family secrets. The legacy gifts her with power, but also a lofty responsibility: rid the island of vampires, or let them win. (Both options suck, in more ways than one.)

Armed with her family, newfound friends, and a baby in a spectacularly garlicky onesie, Cassie must learn what it is to be a witch and how to fight for what she loves before time runs out. Because on Halloween night, the stakes will be higher than ever before...and it’s up to Cassie to finish what the witches that came generations before her started.

Auralee Wallace’s The Late-Night Witches is a blend of cozy fantasy, heartfelt family dynamics, and supernatural thrills. The novel follows Cassie Beckett, a beleaguered mother of three on Prince Edward Island, whose already chaotic life takes a fantastical turn when vampires invade her quiet town. Cassie Beckett is an overwhelmed single mother juggling three unruly children, a wild younger sister named Eliza, and an absent husband who’s off doing humanitarian work. 

Living on the foggy, picturesque Prince Edward Island, she dreads the chaos of October, a month synonymous with Halloween mischief. Her hopes for a quiet season are shattered when vampires descend upon her community, forcing Cassie to confront long-buried family secrets. She discovers she’s part of a generational witch legacy, endowed with magical powers but burdened with the daunting task of ridding the island of vampires—or facing dire consequences. 

Armed with her family, newfound friends, and a baby in a hilariously garlicky onesie, Cassie must embrace her witchy heritage and fight for what she loves before a high-stakes Halloween showdown. Cassie is a flawless protagonist, not because she’s a “chosen one,” but because her struggles as a mother and individual are painfully relatable. Her exhaustion from juggling parenting, family drama, and self-doubt resonates deeply, making her journey from frazzled mom to empowered witch both compelling and earned.

The supporting cast, particularly Eliza, whose storytelling magic brings reality to life, and the Beckett women (including the enigmatic Dorcas), add layers of complexity and warmth. Wallace infuses the story with laugh-out-loud moments, such as the baby’s garlic-scented onesie and Cassie’s sardonic take on her chaotic life. These lighthearted touches never overshadow the deeper themes of self-discovery and family bonds. For instance, Cassie’s gradual acceptance of her magical heritage parallels her emotional healing, reflecting her struggle to reclaim her sense of self-worth after years of prioritizing others. 

The vampire threat serves as both a literal and metaphorical challenge, pushing Cassie to confront her fears and embrace her strength. Cassie’s strained relationship with her absent husband and her budding romance with Ben, lack resolution or depth. Reviewers have noted a desire for more exploration of Ben’s backstory and a clearer conclusion to Cassie’s marital issues, which feel sidelined in favor of the vampire conflict.

Chapter 1

A man staggered down the sidewalk, his feet swallowed by a swirling blanket of sea fog. At times he veered dangerously toward the curb, but just before he would teeter over its edge, he'd lurch back to shamble over the damp grass of his neighbors' lawns. Each plodding step seemed destined to be his last, but he lumbered on, his unfocused eyes and sickly pale cheeks gleaming under the streetlamps, his jaw hanging loosely like a corpse's.

Cassie Beckett put down the yellow highlighter she had been using to mark up the family calendar as he approached. She tilted her chin to the black cat seated primly on the top edge of her wicker chair. "He doesn't look so good, does he?"

The cat didn't reply.

"Hey, Gary," she called out from the porch. "How's the training going?"

The man stopped his forward momentum but continued to step on the spot. He pulled up the pants of his gray sweatsuit and took a sip from his water bottle. "Made it two K yesterday."

Cassie smiled. "Nice."

"Is it okay if I leave this here?" He shook his bottle. "It's empty and I don't want it weighing me down."

"Be my guest."

Gary was training for a half-marathon. He claimed he ran at night because of work, but that didn't make much sense given that he was an accountant. Cassie suspected he was embarrassed about the shape he was in, but he didn't have to be. Not with her. She admired him for trying something new.

"Thanks." He plunked the plastic container on her mailbox as an infant's cry pealed out from an open window down the street.

Cassie smiled and looked over to the house with the cranberry door, its brass knocker winking in the dark. Every neighborhood had its secret nightlife, and hers was no exception. As though on cue, a man with a baby strapped to his chest emerged from the house. The piercing cries faded away as he walked down his driveway with careful, bouncing steps. When he reached the street, he turned around and walked back toward the house, making sure to keep a steady rhythm.

"Poor guy." Gary pushed up the Rocky-inspired headband that had slipped down his forehead. "Rumor has it the baby is his sister's. She wasn't ready to be a mother, so he stepped up."

Not much stayed secret in the Burrow. The neighborhood wasn't much more than a street in an old suburb of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and nobody could remember how it had gotten its name, but it was quaint with its old homes and tall trees, and Cassie couldn't imagine calling any other place home.

Their newest neighbor had only moved in a month or so ago, and Cassie hadn't had the chance to introduce herself. Granted, she hadn't gone out of her way to either. He was intimidatingly handsome. He had the glasses and bashful air of an English teacher or librarian, but the build of a quarterback. His hair was honey brown and always messy-that was probably because of the baby-but she hadn't seen his eyes up close. If she had to guess, they were hazel. She thought he might have a dimple too, but-all this was ridiculous because Cassie was technically married, even if it didn't feel too much like it these days.

Gary must have caught her look because he chuckled and said, "Yeah, he's a good-looking guy. You'd have to be dead not to notice."

Cassie smiled, hoping the darkness hid the burn coming to her cheeks. "What's his name again?"

"Ben. He's a history professor. Some sort of expert on island lore."

A history professor. She knew she'd been on the right track.

Gary cleared his throat and hiked his pants again. "Anyway, got to get back at it. The longer I stop, the harder it is to get going again."

That observation rang true for Cassie on many levels. "Good luck. And don't forget to take breaks."

He waved and pushed on.

Cassie scratched her cat's chin. "He'll be fine, right?"

She purred.

Janet was right. Gary was an adult. He could take care of himself. Besides, she had enough on her plate. Cassie looked down at the calendar on the old cast-iron coffee table. Crap. All of October was yellow. Every square had something. Doctor appointments. Dentist appointments. Hockey games. Basketball tryouts. It was never-ending. She scanned the to-do list running down the column at the side. She was also volunteering for two field trips, which meant she needed to trade shifts at work, and she had to get her daughter skates before her class started its weekly trip to the rink. Oh God, and the twins needed Halloween costumes! If only she could cut holes in sheets like moms used to do in the old days. Those women knew how to live.

The jack-o'-lantern sitting on the top step of the porch drew Cassie's eye. At least that was done, and she hadn't had to lift a finger. It had been the strangest thing. The pumpkin had shown up that morning, its carved face peering into her front door. Someone had obviously spent time on it. Its triangle eyes-peaks pointed in-had been cut to a devilish angle, and its mouth with its two long fangs looked ready to tear through steel. There had obviously been some sort of mistake, but she had no clue what to do about it.

Cassie stared into the dark hollows of the jack-o'-lantern's eyes. While its sudden appearance was somewhat convenient, it was too creepy for her liking. It almost felt like it was challenging her.

"You want to go, Creepy?" she muttered, then looked back at her packed calendar. Who was she kidding? She didn't have time to duel with jack-o'-lanterns. Not with this schedule.

Cassie leaned back in her chair. Being out on the porch of her century-old home always brought her peace. The wood planks were wobbly, and the sage-green paint was peeling, but she had fixed it up with hanging plants, rugs, blankets, and lanterns, and over time it had become her favorite part of the house. It was the perfect spot to watch the moon rise and soak in the night air. Not that she'd have a whole lot of time for that this month. She put her feet on the table, pushing the calendar an inch or two away with the toe of her boot. It was fine. She could do this. As long as she didn't get sick or require more than six hours of sleep-something she didn't seem capable of anyway-it was fine.

Janet nuzzled Cassie's ear as she pulled her mug of herbal tea close to her chest, inhaling its sweet grassy scent. She'd been having some insomnia lately. Stress, probably. She did her best to keep everyone on track, but ever since her husband, Matt, had left for his second tour with Doctors Without Borders-leaving her with their fifteen-year-old daughter and eight-year-old twin boys-it always felt like she wasn't doing enough. Or doing it right. Or doing it the way everyone expected her to. Other moms made it look so easy. At least the ones on social media did.

But ongoing stress aside, something more was going on with her. She'd had this strange, tense feeling lately that there was something she was supposed to be doing. Something aside from all the other things she was supposed to be doing. It was like there was an undercurrent of electricity constantly pricking at her skin, prodding her to do . . . something.

It was probably the change in weather. Those first gusts of cold wind always made her restless.

Cassie shifted her tea to her other hand and dug her fingers into her jean pocket as she watched the heavy fog swirl. She slipped out her coin, a relic from childhood, and flipped it mindlessly between her fingers, feeling the familiar grooves of the engraved sun and moon on either side.

The day had been brilliant and pleasantly cool. The kind of fall day that made a person want to walk around under a canopy of red and gold leaves, wearing a scarf and drinking pumpkin-spiced coffee. Not that Cassie had done any of that. She had spent the day at work discussing circular saws with chainsaw attachments and the intricate workings of septic bed treatments. But it was still nice getting in and out of the van. As soon as the sun had set, though, tendrils of cold mist reached in from the harbor, flooding the neighborhood in a gloomy haze. It had a strange murkiness to it. At times, instead of reflecting the light from the streetlamps, it swallowed it, darkening all it touched. And it moved in peculiar ways too. One minute she could see all the way down the street, but the next, the world beyond her front steps disappeared. For all she knew, someone could be in that cold mist right now staring at her. The thought sent an icy shiver up the skin on the back of her neck, even though she knew there was nothing in the fog. Janet would know if there were.

A low growl rumbled by her ear. Cassie jolted, spilling her tea. "What the heck, cat?" She said it quietly though. Janet did sometimes growl at absolutely nothing-or ghosts, she couldn't be sure-but there were other times when her feline friend picked up on real creatures going bump in the night. Cassie held her breath to listen and heard a grunt come from up the street. Her shoulders dropped. She knew that grunt. And she should have seen this coming.

It was Thursday. Karaoke night.

Cassie slipped her coin back into her pocket and swatted at the drops of tea on her cable-knit sweater, but her hand fell away when the willowy silhouette of a woman emerged from the fog. She was swaying, not unlike Gary, but that wasn't what had Cassie concerned. She was also dragging something. Its metal tip scraped noisily along the pavement.

A baseball bat.

Janet jumped down from the chair and up onto the porch railing in a fluid motion. She gathered herself up into a tight perched position. Cassie considered throwing her granny square afghan over her head, but it was too late. The woman had already spotted her. "Hey you!" she shouted as though it wasn't the middle of the night. "Just the person I wanted to see!"

Eliza, Cassie's sister and in most ways her first child, was stunning. Her hair was long, black, and straight-as opposed to Cassie's sandy waves that lived in a messy bun-and her eyes were large and dramatically dark. That being said, she looked a little rough tonight. The black tank dress wasn't too bad-it showed off her sister's slender arms and the bangles clustered at her wrists-but the work boots on her feet and the flannel shirt tied around her waist looked wrong. So did the scraped knee glaring angrily through her torn black tights.

"Go away," Cassie said tiredly. "I don't want what you're selling."

"Is that any way to welcome your sister home?"

Cassie pointed down the street. "You live that way."

Eliza ambled halfway up the lawn before suddenly pitching forward in giant, awkward steps. When she caught herself, she frowned at the football lying innocently in the grass, then kicked it over to the property next door. One of her oversized boots tumbled after it.

"No. Go get that. Mrs. MacDonald is going to flip out." Cassie didn't talk to her neighbor all that much, but when they did speak, it was almost always about property lines. Mrs. MacDonald was big on property lines. She probably didn't want the chaos of Cassie's life spilling into hers.

"No time for that," Eliza said. "You're going to want to hear about what I've been up to. I promise it has a happy ending."

Cassie did want to hear about what her sister had been up to-in the way she wanted to know about an outbreak of lice in the boys' classroom-but she also didn't want to encourage whatever this was. Besides, she didn't need to ask Eliza where she had been. She knew the answer to that. And she didn't have to ask her who she was with. Cassie knew that too. She certainly wasn't going to ask her sister how much she'd had to drink. She didn't want to know the answer to that. And she definitely wasn't going to ask her-

"Why do you have a bat?" Frick.

"Great question. Wait. Why are you out here at-" Eliza looked at her wrist, making her bracelets jangle. She didn't wear a watch. "Why are you out here?"

"Couldn't sleep." Cassie looked pointedly at the bat. "Now you."

Her sister groaned. "It's a long story."

"One you seemed eager to tell me a moment ago."

"Yeah." Eliza sighed. "But now that I've had time to think it over, I've realized I don't come out particularly well in it." She trailed off, distracted by the cat pinning her with a judgmental gaze. "You know what, Janet?" She challenged the cat with a glare, but couldn't finish the thought.

"Eliza. Focus."

"It was self-defense."

"Against?"

"A two-thousand and nine Ford F-150."

Cassie pressed her fingers against her eyelids. "No. Absolutely not. I want no part of this." Destruction of property was not on her calendar. "Wait, was it parked or moving?" What was wrong with her? Why was she still asking questions?

"Parked. Definitely parked. But . . ." Eliza trailed off again, her eyes tracking a late moth fluttering up to the streetlamp.

Cassie snapped her fingers in the air. "Okay, start from the beginning." She suspected she already knew the end.

"You want me to start from the beginning? I can tell you the whole story with one word." She struggled to untie the flannel shirt fixed around her waist, then threw it to the ground. "It was Tommy. The asshat."

"Hey!" Cassie shot a look up in the direction of her boys' window.

"Oh shit." Eliza slapped her hand over her mouth. "Sorry."

"You know what? Don't start from the beginning. Just tell me one thing. Tell me you did not commit a Carrie Underwood on his truck."

Eliza opened her mouth then shut it again before squinting and chewing her thumbnail. Cassie imagined she was mulling her strategy. A moment passed and Eliza flung her hand away. "Of course I committed a Carrie Underwood on his truck! Well, half an Underwood. Have you ever tried to beat up a truck? It's harder than it looks. I may have dislocated my shoulder."

Thoughts of damage, insurance, and possible legal action swirled through Cassie's mind.

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#Review - The Salted Scepter by Helen Harper #Contemporary #Fantasy

Series: Thrill of the Hunt # 4
Format: Kindle, 293 pages
Release Date: September 30, 2024
Publisher: Helen Harper
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy

All my dreams are coming true. But some nightmares continue to lurk in the shadows.

I should be celebrating. Hell, I should be the happiest elf in the world. Unfortunately, I can’t revel in my successes when there’s a foul fiend who is relentlessly trying to lure me to his side. He won’t leave me in peace and he seems determined to plunge the country into chaos to get what he wants, using bloodshed, fear and malevolent magic. Still, I’m no stranger to stubbornness. If I can turn the tables and become the hunter instead of the hunted, I might have a chance. The odds are stacked against me but I’m not alone in this fight - and I refuse to be anyone’s puppet. 

The Salted Scepter is the fourth and final installment in author Helen Harper's Thrill of the Hunt series. This series takes place entirely within Scotland. The series protagonist is Daisy Carter. Daisy, who recently learned that she comes from an interesting mix of Elf and Fiend and has learned how to actually control her magic without drugs, has gone from a spider silk addict to pushing the buttons of Hugh Pemberville to see who is the best treasure hunter in the country. Right out of the gate, there is trouble waiting for Daisy in the form of a powerful fiend named Athair. 

Athair, who writes her name in blood on the Royal Elvish Institute, only wants one thing from Daisy. To have her admit that she is his kin and that needs to join him or those she loves will die. So, when Athair gives her a demand, what does Daisy do? Joins with Hugo, brownies Hester, and Otis for an old-fashioned treasure hunt to see if they can find an artifact that is powerful enough to rid the world of Athair and any other fiends in existence. But they're not alone. The Primes (Becky, Slim, Rizwan, Miriam, and Mark) are eager to help any way they can.

Now this part is kind of interesting so I'll keep it short. By chance, Daisy and the group learn of a map that contains 32 treasure hunts. It appears that someone, Athair, is looking for something powerful enough to defeat him. Could it be from the 13th century when a certain obnoxious and hated King ordered the making of powerful artifacts containing magic that would give him unimaginable power. Unfortunately for this King, it got lost in a flood and hasn't been since in 800 years. *This is true by the way. Look up King John.* 

Daisy and friends encounter some new characters along the way including Amy Aurum who has some curious abilities that you will learn about later in the story. We also are introduced to brownies Eloise and Horace, brother and sister, who have been bound to a fiend, and the only hope for them is Daisy if she can find a way to defeat Athair. I have to praise the author for doing a summary of what happened in the previous three books. That way, you can remember what has happened, and why Daisy has become something of a superstar now that her identity has been revealed. 

One of the best parts of this book was the ending. No joke. Every character from Daisy's past exploits, including one to the past, makes an appearance in a desperate move to help Daisy save the day. The book wraps up things quite nicely so that there's no question as to what is going to happen next. 

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#Review - Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood #Fantasy #Contemporary

Series: Standalone
Format: Paperback, 384 pages
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Publisher: Ace
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Contemporary

In this spellbinding warm and cozy debut novel, a burned-out witch will need to turn to her friends and trust in herself to find the magic in her own life again.

Belladonna Blackthorn hasn’t lost her magical spark, precisely . . . but she hasn’t seen it in a while either.

With her witchcraft under wraps and a toxic boss making her days miserable, Belle is struggling to keep her beloved Lunar Books afloat and just make it through the day. The last thing she has time for is perfecting her magic. 

So when her thirtieth birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle fears the worst. With only the month of October left to prove herself or risk losing her magic forever, Belle will need all the help she can get—from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure and even from an infuriating coven watchman who’s sworn to protect her...

Lucy Jane Wood's Rewitched is a love letter to those who grew up watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Buffy and Charmed, and more broadly, to anyone who wishes adult life had a little less stress, and a little more magic in it. Belladona (Belle) Blackthorn has spent the past 29 years, 363 days ignoring the fact that she comes from a long line of Blackthorn witches. 15 years ago, Belle was visited by the Selcouth Coven to begin what's called the Endarkenment where a witch is tested on their magical abilities. 15 years later, the Coven has returned with an ultimatum. 

Growing up with her mother's peaceful, softhearted spells as part of the everyday meant that an intrinsic sense of magic was always nearby. There was no great moment of recognition, because it always was. The rush of magic that flowed from Bonnie and washed over Belle whenever she was around her mother was so normal, she barely even noticed the hit anymore. Belle had long since stopped anticipating such a meeting with another witch. Their kind was rare these days, getting rarer with every generation apparently, and she had no intention of seeking them out for herself and inviting any trouble. 

 

She lived her life quietly amongst the non-wicche world, and that was more than fine with her. She pretty much runs Lunar Books, except for the daily interruptions of the owners grandson who is a piece of work. In fact, Belle has been told by the owner that she is willing to sell the store to her. Even though she isn't a full witch like her mother, Belle does occasionally enjoy using magic to put things back where the belong at the book store. Now, however, Belle has no choice but to answer the coven's call.

 

So when her 30th birthday brings a summons from her coven and a trial called Endarkenment that tests her worthiness as a witch, Belle fears the worst. With only the month of October left to prove herself or risk losing her magic forever, Belle will need all the help she can get—from the women in her life, from an unlikely mentor figure with a twisted past who has been cast out of the coven, and even from an infuriating coven watchman who’s sworn to protect her even from herself in necessary. Belle also finds that there is a clear fight happening. One path leads to Belle keeping her magic, the other means Belle will forever be stripped of her magic. 

 

One of the negatives of the book is the pacing. The story takes time to get established, and then you have to figure out if you really like Belle, or not. It's supposed to be a cozy, but there is a true darkness to the story from a duo of villains. I think Belle is a conflicted character, and there's nothing wrong with that. She loves Lunar Book, but is it really worth the trouble to keep your powers that you are only occasionally using? I loved Belle's cat familiar Jinx, as well as her mother's wolfhound called Wolfie. Belle's new mentor was definitely a highlight, but Belle's friend Ariadne, her mother Bonnie and her Watchman, Rune, were all great characters.

A witch will always sense that she is in the presence of another born of magical persuasion. Before any introductions are made, before any actual magic is displayed, she will subconsciously register their arrival for herself. First a witch will feel it on her skin. The tingles kick in, like sherbet and static, dragging up the gooseflesh of her arms to a shiver. She'll taste a shift in the air as it becomes sharper, sweeter, almost coppery. Then comes the smell, distinct like earth and embers and crisp toffee apples, combining to a heady, rich scent of what can only be described as warmth and home. And above all else, the pricking of her ears, as well as her thumbs, will strike a match and fire up the coals of intuition. The very sound of a witch's footsteps will whisper that something is coming her way.

Unfortunately for Belle, such valuable insight into how things worked had proved largely redundant, because at 29 years, 363 days and a handful of hours old, she had yet to encounter another witch at all. Aside from her own mother, of course, and grandmother, who had passed beyond the veil a handful of years ago. There had been a brief, surprising and somewhat awkward visit from a pair of coven leaders, too, who had stopped by on her fifteenth birthday to begin the long process of her endarkenment. But Belle had limited recollection of that, as she had found the whole thing entirely mortifying and hid behind her hair, blushing and willing it to end, for the majority of the ceremony. She had shared no contact with the coven at all since her powers were first instated and had been left to her own devices to explore the possibilities of magic, as was custom.

Growing up with her mother's peaceful, softhearted spells as part of the everyday meant that an intrinsic sense of magic was always nearby. There was no great moment of recognition, because it always was. The rush of magic that flowed from Bonnie and washed over Belle whenever she was around her mother was so normal, she barely even noticed the hit anymore.

Belle had long since stopped anticipating such a meeting with another witch. Their kind was rare these days, getting rarer with every generation apparently, and she had no intention of seeking them out for herself and inviting any trouble. She lived her life quietly amongst the non-wicche world, and that was more than fine with her.

"Belle, what have I told you about these loyalty cards? You dish out stamps willy-nilly, you're costing me a fortune."

Violet was an immaculate businesswoman. Her expensive suits were always a soft shade of blue or purple (a lifelong habit that came with a colourful name), her silver hair set and sprayed freshly twice a week. These days, she walked slowly but with purpose on an elegant silver cane and had always been the holder of an impressive vintage scarf collection. In all her years of working at Lunar Books, Belle was almost certain she'd never seen Violet wear the same one twice. Although still overseeing the goings-on, Vi had slowed down her appearances at the shop a while ago, popping in only once or twice a week to slide a finger across the dust, pinch everybody's cheeks and check that Belle wasn't doing anything as foolish as giving out two loyalty stamps instead of one.

"Vi," Belle called over her shoulder as she slid a stack of new releases into their temporary home, "it's two p.m. on a Thursday, and the place is packed. I don't think you need to worry about me handing out paper bookmarks." She reached up on her tiptoes to the top shelf with a particularly chunky mythology collection, then politely shouldered her way back through the sea of customers towards her boss.

Violet gave her a slightly sheepish look as she handed over a couple of stray hardbacks. "Well, you know I don't mind, really. I rather liked how you used to put them inside every book as a little treat. But Christopher does say if we count the pennies, then the pounds will-"

"Christopher says a lot of things," Belle said. Violet's eyebrows shot up and Belle carefully reined herself back in. "Which is great, always love his input. Obviously." She cleared her throat. "Still just adjusting to him being around the place and making his changes."

"Changes that he says we should have made a long time ago," Violet reasoned.

"Right. It's just that his suggestions . . . Well, they don't necessarily add up to the Lunar Books experience that everybody has always come here for."

"I am well aware that you two have differing ideas about the future of this place. But you also know that if it were up to me, I would never have had to bring my son into the picture in the first place. What choice did you leave me with?" Violet shot her a loaded look from under a poised eyebrow.

Belle sighed. "Come on, Vi. We've been over this. Several hundred times."

"If only you'd stop being so selfish and grant the wish of a feeble old woman . . ." Violet wore a forlorn look but smiled as she leafed through a children's title about a boarding school with her exquisite red manicure.

Belle squinted in her boss's direction. "Nothing about you is feeble. You're a menace to society."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I am an innocent, ailing old lady who simply wishes she could leave her cherished shop in the hands of she who loves it most," Violet said. "You could run things as you wish, I could spend my afternoons at the theatre instead of nagging you about dwindling stock levels-"

"Are you ever going to give this up?" Belle interrupted with affectionate annoyance. She was secretly touched by how keen Violet still was to sell her the shop, having begun the crusade years ago to hand over the reins of her pride and joy.

"Not until we sign the papers. Which we will," Violet said with a knowing nod, now examining the table of Autumn Reads and adjusting a book by millimetres to the exact angle.

"Which we won't," Belle corrected her. "I've told you a million times, there's no way I could run this place on my own." She passed the oak desk, tidying the greetings cards and small selection of seasonal bouquets that lined the till area as she went. They were loaded with miniature pumpkins and dusky bunny tails to mark the incoming start of October, a subtle Floresco Bellus incantation lacing the stems and keeping them remarkably fresh.

"Oh, how many times, Belle? You wouldn't be on your own." Violet audibly tutted this time. "You've got Jim and Monica here through the week and that new girl with the unfortunate nose ring at the weekends."

"You know what I mean. I'm talking about taking the reins. Generally not my speciality. I sort of just . . . float around?"

"I haven't done a damn useful thing around here since the printing press was considered modern technology. Every good idea for years has been yours."

"But it's still your baby. I'm just here making sure books come in, books go out, customers are happy-that's about the long and the short of it."

"And what more is there to it? You and I both know that you practically run the place single-handedly. I'm too old for all of this now, I have better things to do than recommend thrillers to the unwashed masses."

"There's nothing wrong with thrillers. You're a snob, Vi. And you know what I'm like, I'd probably run it into the ground within a few months."

"Less of the self-deprecation, please. I can't stand it. You're a highly capable, knowledgeable woman who I trust implicitly. You've worked your magic here for longer than I care to remember"-at this, Belle choked on the air and spluttered out a coughing fit, earning a thump on the back from Violet-"mostly because it ages me dreadfully. You're just too scared to take a risk, and you care too much about what might go wrong." She pointed a sharp shining nail at Belle.

"You're very good at complimenting and insulting me all at once." Belle frowned, returning to her spot behind the till.

Violet leaned against the green marble countertop and pulled out a pocket mirror to move a single hair back into place. "It is a fine art." She smacked her lips together. "But if you continue to refuse to take up my brilliant offer, then you know I have no choice but to leave Christopher in charge of things. I don't trust outsiders for the job. If I'm to properly enjoy a retirement of luxury cruises and personal shopping, then Lunar needs to be in capable hands. And Christopher is capable hands."

"Of course," Belle said placidly, taking a breath to swallow her pride. "The man might not know a paperback from a pumpkin, but he does know his profits and losses."

Belle hoped that the music she'd chosen that morning was enough to hide the not-so-muffled sounds coming from the back office, where Christopher was taking it in turns to either roar expletives or guffaw pretentiously down the phone to an associate. She winced as she spotted a distracted customer turn their head towards the noise.

Profits and losses were seemingly all that Christopher knew, leading to decisions that broke Belle's heart a fraction more every day. In the two years since Violet had decided to step down and, albeit reluctantly, hand over the reins to her corporate son, he had been gradually chipping away at the ideas that Belle herself had implemented at Lunar since she had started working there almost ten years ago. Their precious small baked goods and coffee cart had been the first to go, with Christopher declaring that cappuccinos "turned the place into a mothers' meeting." Her annual harvest book festival with other local businesses had him laughing so profoundly that he'd genuinely slapped his knee. More worryingly, just a few days ago, she had overheard him discussing at volume how the younger members of staff were hanging on to the payroll by a thread. This being the final straw, Belle had brought his questionable decisions to Violet's attention. But Christopher had quickly interjected, insisting that Belle was being dramatic, laughing it off, wrapping Violet around his finger as usual. Belle kept the reality of just how bad things had got to herself, like a cold hard pebble to carry around in her pocket.

"Somehow, I blinked and it's a modern world out there now, Belle," Violet said. "I sure as hell can't keep up with the times, but he will make sure this place does just that."

"This place isn't supposed to keep up with the times," Belle said. "It's supposed to exist in its own little bubble of cosiness that's entirely separate from the real world."

"If only," Violet said wistfully. "See you next week. I'll call you about those figures from August." She leaned across to offer Belle a kiss on the cheek, leaving her usual little smear of magenta lipstick behind, a brush of ever-so-slight whiskers and a waft of sugared perfume.

"See you, Vi," Belle said fondly, waving her off as she headed out to the shiny black car waiting to drive her home to her equally perfect townhouse. She was impossibly wealthy after a life spent on-stage as a theatre star of days gone by, before a vocal injury put a stop to things and recovery sent her to the healing world of books. Belle sunk her hands into the pockets of her denim apron embroidered with Lunar moons across the front, and her mind wandered back to its usual battlefield.

Taking Violet up on her offer, to actually buy Lunar Books from her, was a dream that always felt far too big. And every time that Violet broached the conversation and reminded her of the chance she was letting slip through her fingers like sand, she felt herself flinching away even farther.

There was so much that could go wrong. She was clueless as to what the process would even look like, and her meagre savings were too precious to throw at something that wasn't a guaranteed success, even though Violet had made her an overly generous, sentimental offer. Plus, there was the small matter of risking the job that she adored and had worked for, all the way up from Saturday girl to store manager.

Still, she dared to think about it all the time. Dared to imagine herself really doing it, rewarding herself with the bravery that had once been at the root of all her decisions. But she could never find quite enough courage to light the taper, to find out whether the explosion would be a controlled one or a wildfire. And so life continued. The wheel stayed in hands that weren't her own, and she continued watching out the window as the road sped past.

A woman in a salmon pink cardigan reached the till, juggling an armful of picture books with a roll of rainbow wrapping paper and a toddler attached to her right hand.

"This is a lovely one, it might be my favourite," Belle told the little girl as she wrapped up the book on top of the pile in brown paper. "Did you choose this? You did so well." The girl nodded shyly, then promptly buried her face in her mum's skirt.

"Thanks for all of your help with finding the right ones. Should keep her busy for a while." The lady smiled gratefully.

"Of course." Belle rang up the total. "Sorry I couldn't stay with you longer. It's a bit crazy in here today. This weather makes everyone want to curl up with a book."

On perfect cue, a flash of bright lightning split through the bruised evening sky, cracking through the soft lighting that kept Lunar feeling warm and welcoming no matter the conditions outside. A loud thunderclap followed quickly behind, so intense that it rattled the top floor's stained-glass windows. The woman gathered up her shopping, stowed the books underneath her jumper and pulled up her child's hood before reluctantly heading out into the rain.


A busy evening unfolded. Life at Lunar, locally loved for its charm and indefinable specialness, swung chaotically from calm and quiet to unstoppably busy. Belle would often receive a call on her days off from a frantic Jim, tearing out what remained of his halo of fluffy hair while attempting to simultaneously refill shelves and man the till. Their tiny team had been struggling to keep up with Christopher’s schedules, each day understaffed and overcommitted.

Ringing up another customer, she glanced over at the kids' section. As always, it had been completely ransacked, despite Belle setting up a neat little Libri Liberi Ordino incantation for the soft books and toys to return themselves to their boxes when nobody was looking. It was safe enough magic to pepper about the place amongst the other incantations she had strung around. Children didn't question it if the odd picture book tidied itself away and, of course, adults never noticed.

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#Review - The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown #Contemporary #Fantasy

Series: Standalone?
Format: Hardcover, 416 pages
Release Date: February 13, 2024
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary / Fantasy

A debut novel full of magic, adventure, and romance, The Book of Doors opens up a thrilling world of contemporary fantasy for readers of The Midnight Library, The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, The Night Circus, and any modern story that mixes the wonder of the unknown with just a tinge of darkness.

The Book of Doors is author Gareth Brown's debut novel. Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop called Kellner Books shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers—a lonely yet charming old man, John Webber, dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading. But this is no ordinary book. 

It is the Book of Doors. Hold it in your hand, and any door is every door. Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, The Book of Doors allows the user to go anywhere on the planet and even to the past which Cassie will discover later in the story. After taking a magical midnight tour of Manhattan, with her roommate Izzy, she’s approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He’s a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. 

Drummond has spent the past 10 years as a wanderer after his best friends were murdered by a woman who seems eager to find Drummond's Fox Library where he keeps his own collection of special books. Drummond has been searching for the Book of Doors for even longer than that. Drummond can disappear into the shadows which allows him to avoid the woman who is picking off people one by one and stealing the books they once possessed like the Book of Pain, Book of Memories, Book of Joy, and Book of Luck. 

The tome now in Cassie’s possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them. In this world, there are not enough books to go around for those eager to own them. Book Hunters, collectors, terrorists, warlords, and governments want these books. Each book grants whoever possesses them the ability to do extraordinary things. Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books like Dr. Hugo Barbary and a New Orleans bookseller named Lottie Moore who knows she can get millions by auctioning the book to powerful people.

With her roommate Izzy, and the mysterious and haunted Drummond, it will be up to them to protect the Book of Doors—and the other books in his secret library’s care—from those who will do evil like Dr. Hugo Barbary. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie’s book can get them there. But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force—in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman—is at the very top of that list.

Similar books The Midnight Library and Shadow of the Wind. While Cassie is the main character, Drummond Fox, Dr. Hugo Barbary, Izzy, Hjaelmer, Azaki, and the Woman all play important, in what transpires throughout parts of the story itself. Cassie finds herself traveling around the world to places like Venice, Prague, and Paris, while also getting stuck in the past where she ends up being sent by the diabolical Hugo.

Meanwhile, Izzy, after telling Cassie, who discovers things about her she never imagined, to stop messing with the Book, ends up right in the middle when a major point happens in the story during an auction for powerful and dangerous Books. This is a new twist on time travel, and I hope that the author ends up writing a sequel to this story now that he has created a pretty curious team to hunt down the rest of the Books that are out there and not yet found. 

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#Review - These Deadly Prophecies by Andrea Tang #YA #Contemporary #Fantasy

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
Release Date: January 30, 2024
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Contemporary

Being an apprentice to one of the world's most famous sorcerers has its challenges; Tabatha Zeng just didn’t think they would include solving crime. But when her boss, the infamous fortuneteller Sorcerer Solomon, predicts his own brutal death—and worse, it comes true—Tabatha finds herself caught in the crosshairs.

The police have their sights set on her and Callum Solomon, her murdered boss’s youngest son. With suspicion swirling around them, the two decide to team up to find the real killer and clear their own names once and for all.

But solving a murder isn’t as easy as it seems, especially when the suspect list is mostly the rich, connected, and magical members of Sorcerer Solomon’s family. And Tabatha can’t quite escape the nagging voice in her head asking: just how much can she really trust Callum Solomon?

Nothing is as it seems in this quick-witted and fantastical murder mystery. 

Andrea Tang's These Deadly Prophecies is a contemporary fantasy about a teenaged sorcerer's apprentice who must solve the murder of one of the worlds most famous Sorcerer's in order to prove her innocence in a story that mixes the strangeness of Knives Out and twists and turns of the The Inheritance Games. 17-year-old Tabatha Zeng is finishing high school but she's already a sorcerer’s apprentice and not just any sorcerer but one infamous for the most rare talent of fortune telling. 

Tabatha is a Chinese-American who has defied her parents who expected her to become a lawyer, or something more prestigious. When Julian Solomon tells Zeng that he will be murdered by my best beloved, she didn't think that his prophecy would come true. But when she arrives to find him very much dead, she's suddenly plunged headfirst into the nasty family dysfunction that he left behind and she's determined to find his killer. But who can she trust?  

To top it off, Solomon has told Zeng that she must stick close to Solomon's youngest son Callum. And, there's Solomon vast knowledge and resources up for whomever is named heir. Tabatha quickly learns that it’s not easy to be Nancy Drew when all of your suspects are extremely rich and powerful. To make matters worse, Detective Elena Chang is straight out of the Salem's Witch Trials era. She works for the Occult Crimes unit and is an Anti-Sorcery Crusader. She would love to put the entire Solomon family away.

The list of suspects is not surprising or shocking. Callum attends the same high school as Tabatha, and he wasn't exactly happy to learn that his own father took more of an interest in her, than Callum. Julian Solomon's wives, ex, and current, are at the top of the list as well. Angelique wants Solomon's power and wealth, Rowena, mother to Callum who has no powers of her own, wants to protect him from being caught up in something twisted. 

Then there's Felix, the oldest, and his twin sister Circe who seems to be carrying lots of baggage of being in her brothers shadows and being ignored by their father. Lastly, Hester O'Riley who was apprentice before Tabatha. Greed is a dangerous force when it drives the heart of a sorcerer. Tabatha is a bit of a racist at times. She's jealous of the ease Solomon's family moves through the world. Their money, status, and race lend them a leg up on her. Pretty sick of authors who think all white people have this sort of privilege.

Unraveling the mystery is one of the positives of this story. You really have to pay attention to each of the characters so the villain doesn't shock you when they are revealed.

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