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Zo's mother has just died leaving her alone and adrift until she gets word from an attorney that she has inherited an estate outside New Orleans. She is confused because she has never heard of the woman who left her this gift but agrees to accept the strange conditions to formally be given the estate. It is a massive house with a guardian owl, unusual townspeople and a hunky grounds manager all leaving Zo unsteady. Soon she will realize her connection to Divinity and all that it entails reminding us that not all gifts are free. There is danger lurking beyond the gates, there is temptation everywhere and it is almost impossible for Zo to know who to trust and who to lust after. For adult readers who read and reread the TWILIGHT series switching to DISCOVERY OF WITCHES you now have Zo and the witches of Divinity. This series will also appeal to older young adult readers (spicy romance) in a big way. 4 stars 
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Don't read this if you are dating or have daughters who are dating or maybe you should so you know what to look for! Sydney is looking for "the one" and not finding him on the dating app she has been faithfully using. When she meets Tom, who is mysterious, good looking and very polite and becomes her knight in shining armor, she thinks this is it. Then a woman is murdered in her apartment building and her best friend could be in love with the main suspect. So many suspects! So much danger! How is a girl supposed to find their perfect match and stay alive? We get alternating chapters from Sydney current day and Tom's history leading up to current day. For fans of YOU by Caroline Klepnes and Freida McFadden's other thrillers. 4 stars  As someone who has lived in Austin (and other small cities that had growth explosions) I found myself nodding in agreement with every point that Alex Hannaford made. I too miss the weirdness of old Austin, the constant and accessible music and the myriad of unique little joys. This is not to put down all the positive changes that have happened in Austin but at what cost. A must read for those long time lovers of all things ATX as well as a handbook for emerging cities to get ahead of exponential growth. Progress and popularity for some mean problems for others - gentrification , a growing homeless population, affordability and endless traffic on I-35 to name a few. A well thought out walk down memory lane and insight. 4 stars  There is a lot going on in this story that centers around two sisters who both attended Princeton roughly 6 years apart and both were part of a secret society. Maya loved and hated her years at Princeton she made great friends but was caught up in some shady society dealings and one friend died. Naomi is just about to graduate when Maya gets the call that her sister is dead. Maya soon learns that Naomi was in the Sterling society and maybe the more secretive Greystone and all the darkness and secrets of those years come flooding back. She doesn't think Naomi's death was an accident but she may die trying to prove it. Corrupt professors, secret dealings and campus politics are all in play here along with issues of race, class and improper relationships plus all the normal drugs, drinking and sex that most college students deal with. The chapters alternate between Maya then and now and Naomi in the last few months leading up to her death. You might need some notes to keep up with the timeline and shenanigans and the ending is a shocker. 4 stars  11 year old John Reddy Heart and his glamorous and mysterious mom arrive in a small New York town in the 60's. John Reddy is the stuff of dreams for all the girls and the envy of all the boys until a murder happens at the Heart home and John is the only suspect. He is charged and suddenly his attraction is seen as dangerous. The book feels like a beauty salon/barbershop conversation that runs over several decades. The writing style is poetic or exhausting. An ode to high school full of yearning, confusion and loneliness. 3 stars  An unassuming bookseller's assistant gets mixed up in parallel Londons when he unknowingly picks up a book that doesn't exist in his London. His boss, Coffin Ada ( cough, cough, cough) is a caustic bookseller who is very afraid of this book that Dennis has picked up and wants him to bring it back. This puts Dennis in the middle of two worlds he seems ill equipped to understand and return from safely. The language is outstanding - full of humor and wonderful characters but like reading Shakespeare for the first time, it demands your full attention. Moore uses 20 colorful words to describe something that others would use 5 which is part of his charm. This is the first book in the series and one that his fans will be happy with. 3 1/2 stars  Many single women found themselves on the doorstep of hotels like the Biedermeier in the 60's New York. Safe, somewhat affordable and respectable they allowed many women their first taste of being on their own in a room to call their own. Welcome to The Biedermeier where a diverse group of women gather, each trying to live up to high expectations of what the modern independent woman looks like with a few who just want a rich husband! The montage of characters from the woman who tries to keep the hotel financially afloat , to the floor managers who try to keep half an eye on all the little chicks to the residents themselves - are all funny, tragic and tough as nails. This slim novel packs a lot of history of the hotels and the changing society of 60's New York written in a slice of life approach that will charm and delight. Readers of Fiona Davis THE DOLLHOUSE or fans of MAD MEN will find much to love. 4 stars  Happy book birthday to EXPOSURE by Ramona Emerson We met Rita Todacheene in SHUTTER where she reluctantly became a forensic photographer for the police department. Rita grew up on the Navajo reservation and is very sensitive to the spiritual world making her a target for recently murdered ghosts seeking justice. Their increased presence is causing her great stress even more now that there is a series of violent murders that seem to be linked. Her co-workers, leary of her ability to see and communicate with the victims are caught between disbelief and needing her to find leads where there are none. Alternating chapters go between Rita and the investigation and the background of the fanatical killer priest who believes he is helping his flock find peace. It is violent, it is raw and it is a fascinating mix of really interesting crime fiction, spiritual beliefs of the Navajo people and a hint of the unknown. If you enjoy gritty crime thrillers, Native American mysteries by Anne Hillerman or Stephen Graham Jones and ghost stories this is your cup of tea. 4 stars  This novel touches on a myriad of topics surrounding a small town in the late 2000's. The haves vs. the have-not power struggles , scandals, mega farming, over mining, coming of age and small town life are just some of the tidbits. Kismit has two boys in love with her and instead of following her dreams and heart she marries the one who can help her family. Gary's family owns the largest sugar beet farm in the area employing much of the town including Kismit's mom. Kismit goes from the wedding ceremony to the kitchen almost instantly where she is more servant than new bride and addition to the family. Her relationship with Gary is strained from the beginning and a scandal involving her dad alienates Kismit and her mom from the town. Short chapters accentuate only what needs to be said in true Louise Erdich fashion. 4 stars  Xishi comes from a small village that is overrun by a warlord and the army who killed her sister before her eyes. She meets someone who recruits her to use her beauty to seduce and infiltrate the king's household . Fanli trains Xishi to become a cunning spy and courtesan but her heart remains with Fanli who is forbidden. Once inside the palace she finds herself in even more danger and palace intrigue than she imagined. She finds herself second guessing if the king is really evil or what will happen if she is discovered a traitor. A taste of historical Asian culture, a forbidden romance mixed with a spy thriller makes this an interesting and clever tale that will appeal to both young adult and adult audiences. The audiobook narration was perfect and a wonderful way to enjoy the story. 4 stars  |
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