Friday, April 19, 2024

A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber ~ #cozymystery #Review ~ ThereIsAGive@way

 

A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber

About A Twinkle of Trouble:

 

A Twinkle of Trouble (A Fairy Garden Mystery)

Cozy Mystery

5th in Series

Setting - California

Publisher: ‎ Kensington Cozies (April 23, 2024)

Paperback: ‎ 304 pages

ISBN-10: ‎ 1496744934

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1496744937

Kindle ASIN: ‎ B0CFGF36NM

Carmel-by-the-Sea garden shop owner Courtney Kelly sees things others can’t—like fairies, and hidden motives for murder . . .

Courtney is delighted when her tiny friend Fiona returns from the fairy realm, appearing at the base of a Cypress tree. When her Ragdoll cat, Pixie, emerges from her own portal—aka the cat door—the three set off for a busy day. Busier than usual, since Courtney has rented a small plot of land at the Flower Farm, where she hopes to grow her own supplies for her fairy-garden business. Plus, the annual Summer Blooms Festival is coming up, and Courtney has booked a booth . . .

But the murder of Courtney’s friend, Genevieve, casts a pall over the festival. Ever since Genevieve sold her floral business, she’d been building a career as an influencer. She was perennially opinionated—but in her new role she’d become surprisingly vicious, dissing local entrepreneurs with nasty posts and unwarranted bad reviews. That’s landed a couple of Courtney’s other friends on the suspect list—including Flower Farm owner Daphne Flores. And when a second victim is discovered, seeds of doubt about Daphne’s innocence sprout in Courtney’s mind. With only a germ of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer . . .

My Review:

A Twinkle of Trouble is the fifth book in the Fairy Garden Mystery series. Featuring fairies, cats, and a wonderful cast of characters, A Twinkle of Trouble is another slam dunk cozy mystery.

Courtney Kelly's fairy garden shop is booming. Between walk-in private lessons, group lessons, and individual sales, Open Your Imagination has become a popular destination for both believers and non-believers. Courtney even hosts fairy garden parties.

Courtney's fairy friend has returned from the fairy realm. Fiona had been gone a month, much to Courtney and her feline companion Pixie's dismay. Life can now get back to normal, and Courtney can focus on the Summer Blooms Festival and her quarter-acre of land at the Flower Farm. Except, the death of Courtney's friend Genevieve dims the happiness and excitement of the festival and farm.

This is a very unique story with unique elements. I enjoyed the fairy garden shop setting, complete with a live fairy. The characters are fun and exciting. I enjoyed Courtney's character. Her business is successful and thriving. She cares about her friends and citizens in Carmel-by-the-Sea and makes it her mission to help solve the crime, even when a couple of her friends appear as suspects. The author delivers several suspects with means and motive, and figuring out who committed the crime was difficult. There are twists and turns and red herrings, and while I may have suspected who committed the crime, I never was really sure until the end.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

My Rating:


About Daryl Wood Gerber:

 

Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling mysteries, including the Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams series. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com

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Saturday, April 13, 2024

#Review ~ Red Kingdom: A Dark Little Red Riding Hood Retelling (Fairy Tale Retellings, Book 2) by Rachel L. Demeter @RachelLDemeter #DarkHistoricalRomance #Medieval

 

Red Kingdom: A Dark Little Red Riding Hood Retelling 
Fairy Tale Retellings Book 2

ASIN: B0CTK1TB8N
Publisher: 1st edition
Publication date: April 10, 2024
Print length: 439 pages

About the Book:

Little Red Riding Hood reimagined with a dark and realistic twist.

Princess Blanchette’s world shatters when the Black Wolf tears apart her castle and everything she holds dear. All she clings to is the vow she made to her grandmother on her deathbed.

Hailed as the people’s champion, Sir Rowan Dietrich liberates the capital in a quest for vengeance. He takes Winslowe Castle with an army at his back and his wolf, Smoke, at his side.

United by a shared cause and powerful attraction, Rowan and Blanchette embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption—a path filled with loss, transformation, and ultimately, the healing power of love.

Can Norland’s resplendent princess, with her captivating beauty and spirit, tame the fabled Black Wolf?

Inspired by the fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Red Kingdom is a passionate, slow-burn historical romance about the enduring quest for love and the longing for a world at harmony.

*Red Kingdom is a standalone installment in a series of reimagined fairy tales.

Disclaimer: This is not your grandmother's Little Red Riding Hood. Red Kingdom is a dark historical romance set in a war-torn kingdom. As such, it contains graphic content and mature themes, including grief, strong violence, offscreen rape and suicide, and animal/human death. Reader discretion is advised.

My Review:

Red Kingdom is a Little Red Riding Hood retelling and I'm here to tell you it is not the children's fairytale you were told as a child. Red Kingdom is an epic romance in a dark, medieval setting. There is death, lots of death. There is violence and content unsuitable for youngsters. The story is intense, suspenseful, and at times, scary. I was captivated by the story, characters, and setting. 

Blanchette and Rowan are on opposite sides of the war that has been brought to her castle's front gate. Now that her family has been torn apart, her home under siege, and friends have become foes, Blanchette flees through the castle's underground and secret passages. She escapes but found again by Sir Rowan Dietrich, aka the Black Wolf.

Rowan liberates the land of Norland from a tyrannical King; one who had the best of everything while his constituents were starving and dying. A King who committed horrific acts against those most loyal to him. A King who didn't consider anyone but himself. Hellbent on revenge, Rowan lays claim to his vengeance and takes control of Winslowe Castle, and with it the Raven princess. 

The enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance was not without peril. They both have scars, old and new. There is the issue of trust. How can Blanchette trust the man who destroyed her entire life? How can Rowan trust the woman whose father committed such atrocities? As the story unfolds, both characters peel away layers from themselves and each other. What is left leaves them bare, conflicted, and emotionally raw. I loved watching them pick up the pieces and flourish together. 

Red Kingdom is a beautifully written tale of hardship and love. Living in medieval times was no joke and the author reiterates that in this action-packed and romantic retelling. The characters have depth, layers, and emotions. The story is complex with treachery and betrayal, but also attraction and eventually, love. 

I was provided a copy of this book.

My Rating: