Book Review – The Faraway Inn

13 Apr 2026 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I reviewed The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst in my previous post and I wanted to follow that up with a review of the new YA cozy fantasy novel by the same author, The Faraway Inn (paid links). Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Faraway Inn was just published on March 31, 2026.

Book cover for 'The Faraway Inn' by Sarah Beth Durst, featuring a whimsical, illuminated inn surrounded by flowers and greenery, with elegant text at the top.
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn–but this fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret–in this cozy and irresistable new fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

Sixteen-year-old Calisa is desperate for a change of scenery after her lying ex ruins her perfect Brooklyn summer. When her parents suggest she head to rural Vermont to help her great-aunt run her cozy bed and breakfast for a few months, she jumps at the chance.

But when Calisa arrives at the B&B, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn with only a handful of guests. And to make matters worse, upon meeting with her great-aunt it quickly becomes clear that Calisa was not invited. Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn…even if it is clear she needs the help.

To earn her keep, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the more it becomes evident that there is something strange about the B&B—and its residents. Something almost…otherworldly.

The inn is keeping a magical secret—but to protect the place she’s come to love, Calisa must unravel the truth of it, and her aunt, before it’s too late.

I believe that this book is being presented as a YA novel, and I think it does fit that description. Calisa, the protagonist, is a sixteen-year-old who is having some common problems for a teenager. Following the author’s recent trend in her writing, this is also a cozy fantasy story, or one in which the stakes are generally low. That doesn’t mean that nothing important happens to the characters in such a story, but rather that the world isn’t going to end (or similar catastrophe) if the protagonist fails to meet their goal.

This book was easy to read as long as I didn’t stop to think about the details of the story very much. Calisa finds herself at a magical inn that is run by her reclusive aunt, with the help of a teenage handyman, Jack. Jack’s dad is missing, only a few guests are booking rooms, and the inn is in a state of serious disrepair. In an attempt to ingratiate herself with her aunt and because she genuinely wants to help, Calisa starts to clean and cook for the guests.

As Calisa takes a more active role at the inn, I had to wonder how the place functioned at all before her arrival. Auntie Zee was too much of an enigma and was not present enough for me to believe that she had even managed to provide for the minimal guests who were present. She was the one character that I didn’t find believable in this book. However I did enjoy the secondary characters, particularly one guest who had an odd affinity for trees and shrubs.

This book is also a light romance, and while it follows a predictable pattern for that genre, it wasn’t the main plot of the book. The level of spiciness was low, for those who rank that kind of thing (fitting with this being a YA book). I found the small magical items around the inn to be creative and engaging. My favorites were the firebird who lit the fireplaces and helped with communication, and the tea set that always seemed to know when it was needed.

The Faraway Inn is a stand-alone novel and can be read quickly. I’m planning to read a couple more of this author’s books throughout this year.

Have you read other cozy fantasy novels? Which were your favorites? Let me know in the comments.

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – What Fury Brings

26 Nov 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I picked up one of author Tricia Levenseller’s YA fantasy / romance books on a whim several years ago and have since found her novels to be comfortable and satisfying. When her debut adult romantasy novel, What Fury Brings, was announced, I had this on my to-be-read list and was fortunate to receive a copy courtesy of NetGalley (paid link).

I have reviewed two of the author’s other books (a duology) on this blog:

  • Blade of Secrets (The Bladesmith #1) – review here / purchase link here
  • Master of Iron (The Bladesmith #2) – review here / purchase link here
I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

There’s a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He’s the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father’s overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother’s place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.

This novel opens with a note from the author that serves as both a warning for sexual and violent content (18+), as well as an explanation of her motivation in writing this book, coming as a reaction to her own experiences with sexism and misogyny both in her career and in the wider sense.

The world that the protagonist, Olerra, inhabits is “a reflection of our own but reversed,” with women holding all of the positions of power in the government, the military, and in trade and anything else in daily life that matters to society. Men must remain meek and submissive, and a little bit of fantasy goddess-powered magic helps to ensure that this system stays in place.

When politics drives Olerra to capture a husband from a rival nation, the story shows how foreign it feels to Crown Prince Sanos to be placed into a role based solely on his sex and not his abilities. Of course, this is also a romance story, so the conflict between Olerra and Sanos cannot be all insults and abuse in the name of training him to be a proper Amarran husband. Fortunately Sanos is more enlightened and open-minded that many in his country. His reputation for being identical to his tyrannical father is a farce that he has kept up to protect his mother and sister from his father’s violence.

The main source of tension comes from Sanos’ hidden identity and the ramifications of its inevitable discovery. This kept me interested in the plot for its own sake, because I found the message exhibited by the female-dominated society to be more heavy-handed than it always needed to be.

In terms of the spiciness of the romance, this book is vastly more descriptive and takes everything further than the author’s YA work (as I would have expected). I think that the opening note from the author gives an adequate warning of the types of things to expect.

This is a stand-alone novel and the story concludes in a satisfying fashion, bringing the character arcs together for a dramatic final scene. While the ending leaves open the possibility of more books set in this world, it doesn’t require a sequel. Overall I found this to be a solid novel that moved quickly and provided characters to cheer for as they fought for their nations and families. Thank you again to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

Have you read any of Tricia Levenseller’s other books? Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

You can find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Sorcery and Small Magics

20 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy was one of the books that I purchased in a recent Fairy Loot box (paid link). My copy is one of the prettiest books I’ve received from them so far, with sprayed edges, interior cover art, and a foiled design on the front and back covers. Read on below to see what I thought of the book.

I read the Fairy Loot special hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics.

He can summon butterflies with a song, or turn someone’s hair pink by snapping his fingers. Such minor charms don’t earn him much admiration from other sorcerers (or his father), but anything more elaborate always blows up in his face. Which is why Leo vowed years ago to never again write powerful magic.

That is, until a mix-up involving a forbidden spell binds Leo to obey the commands of his longtime nemesis, Sebastian Grimm. Grimm is Leo’s complete opposite—respected, exceptionally talented, and an absolutely insufferable curmudgeon. The only thing they agree on is that getting caught using forbidden magic would mean the end of their careers. They need a counterspell, and fast. But Grimm casts spells, he doesn’t undo them, and Leo doesn’t mess with powerful magic.

Chasing rumors of a powerful sorcerer with a knack for undoing curses, Leo and Grimm enter the Unquiet Wood, a forest infested with murderous monsters and dangerous outlaws alike. To dissolve the curse, they’ll have to uncover the true depths of Leo’s magic, set aside their long-standing rivalry, and—much to their horror—work together.

Even as an odd spark of attraction flares between them.

This was an easy-to-read story that is about two people who find themselves thrown together by an inadvertent curse and then have to find common ground to get themselves out of the situation. In the course of their misadventure, you can quickly tell that this is also a romance (M/M).

I like the way that the magic in this book required both a scriver and a caster in order to perform a spell. That was a unique piece of worldbuilding that added unexpected depth to the plot and the problem-solving required of the characters.

This book was good but also somewhat forgettable. I didn’t realize that it was going to be the first part of a series. I think that it would have worked better as a stand-alone if the author could have moved events along more quickly. However, the story implies that there are greater evils happening in this world that I expect our characters will be drawn into in later books. In the end, I was rather disappointed by the conclusion of this first book, and I don’t know if I’ll pick up the next volume.

One odd thing that I noticed while reading this book is that I have come across a lot of characters named Grimm lately – in this book, Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise (reviewed here), and Grimm Curiosities by Sharon Lynn Fisher (review coming soon; paid links).

What books have you read lately that have a unique approach to magic? Let me know in the comments.

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Perfectly Wicked

18 Feb 2025 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , ,

I picked up Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise on a whim when I saw it on sale. This is a romance with magic-wielding characters who are not quite witches (paid link).

I read the hardcover edition.

Here is the blurb:

Holly Celeste and her sisters make the best apple cider in Maine—courtesy of a magical secret ingredient—but even that hasn’t been enough to keep their orchard afloat. To save the family business, Holly accepts a proposal to let a ghost hunting series film an episode on her farm. Connor Grimm may be the sexy and down-to-earth TV host the nation loves, but to Holly he represents her greatest fear: exposure. Holly doesn’t mind if Connor chases down a silly ghost story—it’s their other secret she’s terrified he’ll reveal.

Connor Grimm’s life goal is to normalize the paranormal, which he does on his show, Grimm Reality. Except he isn’t only looking for a ghost at Wicked Good Apples. There have been rumors of rain during droughts and other inexplicable happenings that could only be attributed to something supernatural, and Connor plans to expose it on an episode that will take his show’s success to another level.

Intent on keeping Connor in the dark, Holly joins him as he interviews eyewitnesses, hunts for old records, and unearths a story even she didn’t know existed. Despite her resolution to dislike him, she begins to fall for the only man who’s ever made her feel like strange could be normal. Too bad a relationship with Connor could only be temporary; he moves to a new state every month, and there’s no room in his life for a woman with a pet hedgehog, a houseful of nosy aunts and sisters, and a failing apple orchard.

When Connor finally pieces together Holly’s greatest secret, he’s forced to choose between revealing his biggest paranormal discovery yet and propelling his show to the top of the charts, and giving it all up for the wicked woman who’s charmed his heart.

After some dark, dense, and long fantasy books, I needed to find something like this light romance novel from Lindsay Lovise. I read this last month while I was sick with the flu, so I finished this book in just a few days. It was easy to read and at about 300 pages, made for a quick break from more complicated novels.

This book follows a traditional formula for a romance novel. We see the main male and female character’s viewpoint chapters as they both deny what they feel for each other and try to resist their mutual attraction. Circumstances keep throwing them together until they realize they can no longer resist each other. There is a good amount of spicy description in this book, and a particularly hot hayloft painting scene.

I liked how the plot skipped over details of Connor’s show and only showed brief glimpses of his filming process. The focus of the story was on the character interactions and the mystery of the apple farm’s magic and history. While this was a romance, I found enough other aspects of the plot to keep me interested in how the characters figured out those secrets.

I had assumed that Holly and her sisters were witches, but they never thought of themselves this way, and they struggled to understand their own magic. This turned out to be an important mystery in the book, but initially I had thought it was a weakness in the characterization.

Overall this was a light and fun book. I’d consider reading another novel by this author. Have you read any other books by Lindsay Lovise? Let me know in the comments.

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – The Familiar

28 Oct 2024 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo is a new stand-alone novel set in late 16th century Spain that incorporates significant fantasy elements. I have enjoyed several of Bardugo’s other books, so read on below to see what I thought of this one (paid links).

You can find my review of her other books here:

I read this in hardcover.

Here is the blurb:

In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family’s social position.

What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when Luzia garners the notice of Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain’s king. Still reeling from the defeat of his armada, the king is desperate for any advantage in the war against England’s heretic queen—and Pérez will stop at nothing to regain the king’s favor.

Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the line between magic, science, and fraud is never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition’s wrath. She will have to use every bit of her wit and will to survive—even if that means enlisting the help of Guillén Santangel, an embittered immortal familiar whose own secrets could prove deadly for them both.

This book opened more slowly than some of the author’s other stories, but Luzia’s life was richly depicted and it was easy to get drawn in to the sense of place that was established in the opening. As she gets drawn into the schemes of those better off, she tries to grasp some small piece of agency for herself, making her choices more understandable as she knowingly puts herself at risk.

Like much of Leigh Bardugo’s other novels, there was an element of romance within this story. This threw me at first, because I had not read the description of one character accurately and had made some incorrect assumptions. However, I was able to reorient myself and this ultimately didn’t take anything away from the story for me.

I felt like I didn’t understand the magical aspects of this world quite as well as I would have liked. Perhaps that was because this was a stand-alone novel and I simply had fewer pages to become comfortable with the backstory and myths that were revealed as the plot unfolded.

Despite these nitpicks, I did enjoy this novel. I found it to be a refreshingly different type of story from the author, and while I would love to discover another novel that was as good as Six of Crows, it is also great to know that she can vary her work to keep it fresh.

Which of Leigh Bardugo’s books have you read? Which was your favorite? Let me know in the comments (above)!

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – A Court of Thorns and Roses

13 Sep 2024 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I read a banned book a few weeks ago. The first book in the popular fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas, A Court of Thorns and Roses (as well as several of her other titles), has been in the news in recent years for supposedly being too explicit to be in school libraries (paid links). On a whim, I picked this novel up and you can find my thoughts on it below.

I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin—one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow grows over the faerie lands, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.

This book struck me more as a romance in a fantasy setting than a fantasy novel with romance. For the first half of the book, the story was about the relationship between Feyre and Tamlin, more than anything else. Yes, the story isn’t set in our world and there is plenty of magic, monsters, and history here, but as a lowly human, Feyre doesn’t know very much to start with. The initial events reminded me of classic fairy tales, particularly Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.

About halfway through the book, this changes. Feyre becomes more invested in the faerie world as a result of taking control of her situation and learning the truth of what is going on. I liked the book much better from this point, and the introduction of more characters and higher stakes helped to make this a richer story. I enjoyed the rest of the novel and will likely pick up the second book soon.

The idea that this book is too sexually explicit for teenagers is laughable. I read those scenes and was underwhelmed. You know what’s more explicit than the writing in this book — teenagers’ imaginations. I’ve read other books that are marketed to adults that are more graphic, but Sarah J. Maas’ books are categorized as YA or young adult. Young adult books are not for all ages of children, but are intended to be read by teenagers and typically feature characters who are a couple of years older than their audience. Here is an article by a librarian who can explain why teenagers need to be able to read books like this better than I can.

Have you read any books by Sarah J. Maas? Which did you like the best? Which would you skip?

Find more of my book reviews here.

Book Review – The House in the Cerulean Sea

29 Aug 2024 5 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , ,

I had heard of this book, but it hadn’t been on my to-be-read list until it was chosen by one of my book clubs. The House in the Cerulean Sea is the first book by T.J. Klune that I’ve read. Find out what I thought below (paid links).

I read the ebook edition.

Here is the blurb:

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

This was one of the best books that I’ve read so far this year. Linus is a wonderful character who has no real superpowers or strengths that would typically be found in a “hero” in any other story. He follows the rules and naively trusts that those rules help guide others to do what is right. When he is tasked with a secret assignment to investigate the orphanage on a distant island, he must challenge those beliefs.

The themes in this book were timely, with emphasis on family, discrimination, and being oneself. The book also contains a touch of romance, but this is not the main focus of the story. The setting was, I think, intentionally vague in terms of the level of technology and the exact location, but for the purposes of the story that it needed to tell, that was fine.

The children and their caretaker, Arthur, were all superbly drawn individuals, with their own quirks and secrets. While the plot features quiet interactions more than flashy action and conflict, I found that there were no dull parts in the story. By the time I reached the ending, I had no idea how Linus could salvage anything from his situation. Yet the conclusion was supremely satisfying and wrapped everything up neatly, while allowing for other stories from these characters in the future.

It looks like a second book in this series – Somewhere Beyond the Sea – is going to be released in a couple of weeks (September 10, 2024) (paid link).

Have you read any books by T.J. Klune? Which was your favorite? Which one should I read next? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Sunshine by Robin McKinley

22 Mar 2024 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I read Sunshine by Robin McKinley a few months ago after it was a pick for one of my book clubs. I had previously read and loved a couple of books by this author (The Blue Sword, The Outlaws of Sherwood) a few decades ago, so I was happy to get back to this stand-alone vampire novel (paid links). Read on to see what I thought.

I read the e-book edition.

Here is the blurb:

There are places in the world where darkness rules, where it’s unwise to walk. Sunshine knew that. But there hadn’t been any trouble out at the lake for years, and she needed a place to be alone for a while.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t alone. She never heard them coming. Of course you don’t, when they’re vampires.

They took her clothes and sneakers. They dressed her in a long red gown. And they shackled her to the wall of an abandoned mansion – within easy reach of a figure stirring in the moonlight.

She knows that he is a vampire. She knows that she’s to be his dinner, and that when he is finished with her, she will be dead. Yet, as dawn breaks, she finds that he has not attempted to harm her. And now it is he who needs her to help him survive the day…

This was a good read, although it wasn’t what I expected. Sunshine is set in an alternate semi-post-apocalyptic fantasy world, after humans have engaged in a war against vampires and other supernatural beings. It features just enough other magic to know that you cannot make any assumptions about how things work here.

Sunshine, the protagonist, is content in her role as a baker at the local shop. She rents a room in a house nearby and has a long-term boyfriend. But her comfortable place in the world is shaken when she takes up the unlikely acquaintance of a vampire, Constantine, imprisoned alongside her by his rivals. Sunshine has her own power and helps Constantine, sparking a forbidden relationship between them.

As Sunshine tries to hide her obsession with the vampire, his enemies stalk the town. One of my favorite characters was Sunshine’s landlady, since she turned out to be a lot more than she seemed. The final outcome was left a bit too vague for me, but I suppose that leaves it up to my interpretation. The world that the author sets up in this book was so interesting that I wish she’d write more in this setting, even if it doesn’t follow Sunshine and Constantine.

What other vampire fiction have you read? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon

22 Jan 2024 2 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I want to take a break from my reviews of Leigh Bardugo’s books to highlight a few recent stand-alone reads that I just finished. The first one is That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming (paid link). I first heard of this author when she was a guest at an online event for writers sponsored by Orbit Books, but I hadn’t read anything of hers prior to this. This book is the first in a series called Mead Mishaps, but it looks like each is a separate story (paid link). I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read the e-book edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

All I wanted to do was live my life in peace. Maybe get a cat, expand my spice farm. Really anything that doesn’t involve going on a quest where an orc might rip my face off. But they say the Goddess has favourites. If so, I’m clearly not one of them.

After saving the demon Fallon in a wine-drunk stupor, all he wanted to do was kill an evil witch enslaving his people.

I mean, I get it, don’t get me wrong. But he’s dragging me along for the ride, and I’m kind of peeved about it. On the bright side, he keeps burning off his shirt.

This was a light and fun novel that I read over just a couple of days. Cinnamon encounters a demon and accidentally discovers that the product of her spice farm (cinnamon, heh) frees him from a curse. Her world is turned upside down when the demon, Fallon, reveals that the Goddess worshipped by the humans of this land is actually a lich who has tricked everyone into serving her.

The story is all told through Cinnamon’s point-of-view. Her voice is energetic and opinionated, and her reactions to her situation were entertaining. Fallon is the dangerous bad-boy demon, but despite being a monster, he keeps his word about things. There weren’t many other characters of note in the story, although we do see a brief picture of Cinnamon’s family which helps to flesh out her motivations more fully.

While this is an obvious romance book, the non-romance part of the plot follows a classic quest format and creates a vehicle for the characters to interact. Cinnamon refuses to acknowledge her attraction for Fallon for a while, but when she gives in to it, the sex scenes are creative and explicit. The author does a good job of building the tension of the plot at the same time that the romance escalates, so that the ending of the book was satisfying in both respects.

I might read more of this series as it was a quick and easy book to get through — perfect to read on a cold and quiet weekend.

Have you read anything by Kimberly Lemming? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Magical Midlife Madness

28 Feb 2022 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

This book was gifted to me and I’ve had it sitting on my desk for a while now, taunting me with it’s pretty cover. Magical Midlife Madness is the first book in a paranormal romance series (Leveling Up) by K. F. Breene. It appears to be self-published, which isn’t necessarily a strike against it as I used to do book reviews for “indie” press books and am open to the idea of reading books that aren’t a product of a major publisher.

Paid links help to support this blog.

Here is the blurb:

A woman starting over. A new house with an unexpected twist. A cape wearing butler acting as the world’s worst life coach.

“Happily Ever After” wasn’t supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that’s exactly what my life becomes.

Do-over.

This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I’m ready to carve my own path.

Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I’ll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I was a kid. It’s just temporary, I tell myself. It’ll just be for a while.

That is, until I learn what the house really is, something I never could’ve imagined.

Thankfully forty isn’t too old to start an adventure, because that’s exactly what I do. A very dangerous adventure that will change my life forever. I have a chance to start again, and this time, I make the rules.

This book had a fun premise and while parts at the beginning were a bit awkwardly written, it got better in the middle. Jessie is an entertaining character that takes a risk on a new chapter in her life and discovers strange magic in a small town and within herself.

There is a romance aspect to the story and a larger threat that is not fully explored in this book, so don’t expect any resolution to either of those parts of Jessie’s tale. I don’t know if I’ll keep reading this series or not. It was easy and fast to read, but didn’t grab me as much as some other books.

Have you read any books by K. F. Breene? Let me know in the comments above.

Find more of my book reviews here.

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