Reading Fanatic Reviews
Paranormal MysteriesThe Darkness by Brittney Leigh
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The Darkness*
Bulwark from a Teen’s Perspective
This is my third book in the Bulwark anthology, and it is certainly different from the ones by Brit Lunden. This is actually a YA novella. We see Bulwark through the eyes of a teenager keeping a diary. Strange things are afoot at Bulwark’s high school, including a peculiar smell coming out of a locker. What’s going on at the high school?
This book had me for the first 20%, as I thought, finally, I had found an author who could do diary format correctly. I’m always a bit disappointed when authors writing in this style break out into dialogue. As one who has journaled or kept a diary for a significant part of my life, I can say that I never, ever write in dialogue with full quote marks and dialogue tags. So I always hate, hate, hate it when I see it in literature. The first 20% of this book swept me back to when I kept a diary when I was in high school. I love how the author got right into this girl’s head and really give us a sense of her thoughts and emotions. But then at that 20% mark, the dialogue started creeping in. Sigh. I know an author might not want to keep strictly to the diary format for literary purposes, but if you’re going to break into dialogue, why not make the book a mixture of proper scenes and then diary musings?
That personal pet peeve aside, I found this novella to be a fun glimpse into a teenage girl’s mind. It was very creative, and I could completely identify with much of what she thought and experienced. The author did an excellent job conveying how a diary can express the rawness of emotion and thought, as well as shifting moods and beliefs.
Bulwark by Brit Lunden
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Bulwark*
Creepy Tale Defies Categorization
The fictional town of Bulwark, Georgia, is a town of secrets and mysteries. When this book opens, sheriff Clay is investigating a strange, large puggle that has a car trapped inside it. Soon, we meet other residents of the town, as well as injured newcomers who claim their children were stolen by a witch who lives in a gingerbread house on a street that Clay has never heard of. Taking the couple to the ED, Clay meets his estranged wife, Jenna, who is a nurse there; they are divorcing due to struggling with the disappearance of their daughter but haven’t signed the papers yet to make it official.
What’s going on in this small town? What other strange things will the sheriff find? Who will die? Who is in danger? What will happen with Clay and Jenna?
To me, this book has an almost Twilight Zone or Twin Peaks feel to it. If you decide to read this book, you can choose to go into it knowing that little will make sense for quite a while. If you can let go and allow that to happen, you might enjoy the ride because this book does take you to strange places.
On the book review site where I downloaded the ARC for this book, it was listed as a cozy mystery, a paranormal romance, and a small-town romance. The cover says paranormal thriller. I can see where the author would have a hard time pinning down the specific genre or genres of this book. I would say there are paranormal aspects, romantic aspect, but I wouldn’t call it a paranormal romance as that suggests to me that, say, a witch and/or shifter love story is happening. That’s not what happens here. The book is super slow burn until you get to the end, so I wouldn’t quite call it a thriller either. There’s definitely an element of the gothic here as well with the creepy, hidden mansion. It’s definitely not a cozy as it is far too dark for that. Although it takes place in a small town, I wouldn’t call it a “small-town romance” either. Maybe call it paranormal suspense with romantic aspects, but even that might not be wholly accurate as the paranormal elements weren’t clear until later in the book.
I am a registered nurse and have worked night shift in the hospital. There are definitely some medical and nursing errors in the book, but they most likely would not disturb anyone who is not a medical or nursing professional.
In a fun twist, the book has two alternate endings for the reader to enjoy and choose from.
Coven at Collington by Shereen Vedam
Coven at Callington*
Witch Wars, Intrigue, and Romance in Fantastical Regency England
Fresh from fending off an attack by hellhounds, Guard of the Green Cross–a secret arm of the Anglican Church meant to handle evil forces and entities if they rise from darkness–the Earl of Braden gets new orders from the Archbishop that are directly opposed to a central tenet of the guard’s code: do not interfere in disputes between witches and warlocks. Centuries ago witch hunts blackened the name of guards (then known as knights), so meddling is now forbidden. Braden has been tasked with retrieving the son of a warlock, who was supposedly taken by a demon, as well as destroy the coven in the area. More is happening at Callington than Braden imagined, and he is more than tempted to enlist the aid of the coven protectress, Merryn, to help figure it all out. Merryn believes that the same warlock who killed her younger brother has taken the boy.
Will Braden succeed in rescuing the boy? What exactly is going on between the warlocks and witches in Callington? Will Braden risk his position to follow what he knows is right? Will he fall for the coven protectress?
The author has done a fantastic job of creating a magical version of Regency England. I love how the first scene in Regency times a flame in a streetlight is talking! I literally did a double take to see if I was reading correctly! There are other magical elements as well, some of which are not truly explained until later. I thought the idea of having this secret group of guards under direct orders of the Archbishop of Canterbury was inspired. Braden is a complicated, fascinating hero to watch wrestle with right and wrong, on both personal and professional levels.
With elements of fantasy, the paranormal, intrigue, and romance . . . what’s not to like!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Bottle Full of Djinn by Paula Lester
A Bottle Full of Djinn*
Mysterious Happenings at Witches’ Retirement Community
Zoey is the head of staff for a magical retirement community. Her town of Sunnyside, California, is full of witches and warlocks, though normals do occasionally pass through town. People aren’t supposed to use magic in public, but they are often lax about it. Strange events that Zoey can’t explain start happening at the retirement community, a kitchen covered in chocolate cake batter, farm animals in the common room, and a ghost. Will Zoey figure out what’s going on? Will she lose staff and residents because of this? If you read the prequel to The Sunnyside Retired Witches Community series, you are familiar with the quirky world and cast characters that make up the greater and smaller communities of Sunnyside. The author does a fantastic job of integrating magic into the story, often in a humorous fashion. It’s an engaging read that makes you wonder what funny, offbeat thing will happen next, whether it is magical or not. The book is a delightful way to spend an afternoon.
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