Book Review and Giveaway: SCENT TO KILL (A Natural Remedies Mystery, #2) by Chrystle Fiedler

When naturopathic doctor and shop owner Willow McQuade’s ex-boyfriend Simon Lewis invites her to a party for the cast and crew of a new television show at Long Island’s scenic Bixby Estate, she’s most excited to visit the property’s exclusive lavender farm. But a whole field of her favorite stress-reducing herb can’t provide enough soothing support to calm the effects of a murder!

Even the show’s psychic star didn’t predict the demise of Roger Bixby, the estate’s owner and estranged husband of Simon’s new girlfriend. Now Simon, who’s been collared by police, needs Willow’s help to remedy the situation. As Willow snoops about the mansion, offering natural cures to ease the mounting tension, a strange energy—and the discovery of an eerily similar unsolved murder decades earlier—makes her wonder whether the alternative source of the crime might actually be . . . supernatural. Can she find harmony between mind, body, and possibly even spirits before somebody else goes up in smoke?

SOURCE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First Lines:

Nature is the best natural remedy. That's why I was at my favorite beach early on a Sunday morning.

My Thoughts:

SCENT TO KILL is an exciting cozy mystery and enlightening aromatherapy guide in one. I could almost smell the lovely fields of lavender at the Bixby Estate.

The mystery in this book was intriguing and not easy to figure out. There are actually two mysteries here - the murder of Roger Bixby, present owner of the estate, and the murder of the estate's caretaker back in the 1930s. The crimes were just too similar to be a coincidence, so amateur sleuth Willow McQuade had to research the Bixby Family, all the way back to Prohibition. Very interesting tidbits on illegal rum running were revealed.

Willow was a likable character. As a naturopathic doctor, she was knowledgeable and compassionate, always willing to help those in need. You'd have to be a nice person to get involved in a dangerous murder investigation to keep your ex-boyfriend out of jail!

I think this book would appeal to romance fans too, because Willow's relationship with her current beau Jackson is prominent in the story, and he does help out in bringing the culprit to justice. Plus, he's a really great guy. :-)

A fun and unique component of this book was the information provided on aromatherapy. Each chapter begins with a brief post from Willow's "Healthy Living Tips" blog. Common ailments are discussed, and essential oils are suggested that may help ease symptoms. I was very big into aromatherapy at one time, and reading this book made me want to jump back in!

SCENT TO KILL was an enjoyable cozy mystery - looking forward to future books in the Natural Remedies series. 4-stars!

Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

Links: The Book Depository | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

I have been writing since I could pick up a pencil. When I was a kid, I wrote plays and even musicals. When I was a teenager I wrote children’s books, in college, I learned how to write like a journalist, and when I moved to L.A. in 1993, I wrote movie and TV scripts.

In 1998, when I moved from Hollywood back home to Greenport (the setting for the natural remedies mysteries) I was happy to be finally be able to combine my interest in natural remedies and journalism.

Over the past ten years I have written about conventional and alternative health topics for many national publications including Natural Health, Vegetarian Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Remedy, and The Health Monitor Network. I was also the Good Nature columnist for Remedy magazine from 2006-2009.

In 2008, I began writing non-fiction including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Natural Remedies (Alpha, 2009), co-author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now! (Fairwinds Press, 2010 4th printing) with noted holistic physician Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., and the Beat Sugar Addiction Now! Cookbook (Fairwinds Press, 2012) and The Country Almanac of Home Remedies (Fairwinds Press, 2011) with noted herbalist Brigitte Mars.

So it was only “natural” that when it came to fiction I wanted to incorporate my love for natural remedies into a cozy mystery. In 2011, my life-long dream came true when I was offered a contract for Death Drops: A Natural Remedies Mystery and its sequel Scent to Kill from Simon & Schuster.

When I’m not writing, I’m spending time with family and friends, playing with my two dachshunds Holmes and Wallander, my two cats Tinker and Tuppence, taking a walk on the beach, gardening, enjoying Psych, Monk and The Mentalist on TV or reading a cozy mystery in my cozy cottage by the sea.

Author's Website: www.chrystlefiedler.com



Giveaway Details:

Chrystle is giving away a paperback copy of SCENT TO KILL at each stop on her book tour! This giveaway is open to US shipping only. To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your e-mail address. Entries will be accepted until next Tuesday, March 5th, at 11:59 pm CST. Good luck!

Book Review: EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK (A Novel Idea Mystery, #2) by Lucy Arlington

Lila Wilkins has it all: the home of her dreams in the charming town of Inspiration Valley, North Carolina; a perfect police officer boyfriend; and a new job she absolutely loves. At the Book and Author Festival, which is sponsored by the Novel Idea Literary Agency, Lila expects to discover some talented new authors, but what she finds instead is the body of an editor to whom she bears an eerie resemblance.

Trouble is, the editor’s death isn’t the only literary murder taking place. Soon a blossoming author is also killed, and Lila has a gut feeling that the two murders are linked. Now she must hunt down the dark figure who killed these women—and to her surprise, she just might find the clues hidden in a manuscript...

SOURCE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First Line:

By the middle of October, the heat and lassitude of a Southern summer had finally loosed its hold over the quaint, artsy town of Inspiration Valley.

My Thoughts:

Mistaken identity, ravens feathers, and murder. EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK is a suspenseful and cozy-yet-dark continuation of the A Novel Idea Mystery series.

Lila Wilkins has been promoted from query letter reading intern to full-fledged literary agent at Novel Idea. The agency is hosting its first Book and Author Festival in Inspiration Valley. Lila is hoping to find some potential clients at the event, and she does, but she also finds trouble. Two festival guests are murdered just days apart - an editor and an author. The victims don't appear to have know each other, but Lila is certain there's something hidden that connected them.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and breezed through it quickly because I wanted to see how the mystery played out. I do think it had a darker tone to it than most cozies. Some sad, emotional stuff in regard to the victims.

One ironic tidbit - Lila is the agent for cozy mysteries, and at one point she was lecturing an aspiring author about something to never put in a cozy because readers found it disturbing, and then this book goes and does the very same no-no! Ha. I know that was intentional, but it did make me go, "Hmm..." Was a bit unsettling!

It was good to catch up with the characters once again. Lila was her typical self, passionate about her work and the case, and perhaps overstepping her bounds a time or two (which would be easy to do, since her boyfriend Sean is the police officer working the investigation). It was great to see Sean and Lila's relationship moving forward. We also see Lila's son Trey's character grow as he deals with some issues with his job at the Red Fox co-op.

This is such a clever series being centered around a literary agency, and I can't get enough of the bookish shop talk. (Can I please have a job there?) I'm on pins and needles waiting for the next installment. 4-stars!

Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

Fiery Hot Reads for Icy Cold Nights: Review and International Giveaway

I'm excited to be participating in FIERY HOT READS FOR ICY COLD NIGHTS! This event is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Love of Books, Mostly Reviews, Rainy Day Ramblings, and Cambira Hebert.

For my post, I am reviewing Victoria Roberts' new Highlander romance X MARKS THE SCOT and giving away a copy of the book to one lucky reader!

X MARKS THE SCOT

(Bad Boys of the Highlands, #2)

By Victoria Roberts

He was a Highland rogue - wicked with a bow and just as wicked with the ladies.

Declan MacGregor hadn’t a care in the world beyond finding a soft bed and willing woman...until he had to escort Lady Liadain Campbell to the English court. The woman needles him at every turn, but he can’t just abandon her to that vipers’ nest without protection.

She never asked for a bodyguard...

Liadain wasn’t thrilled to be left in the care of her clan’s archrival. It was as if the man never had a lady tell him no before! And yet as whispers of treason swirl through the court and the threat of danger grows ever sharper, her bitter enemy soon becomes the only one she can trust...

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts:

I love me some Declan. *swoon*

X MARKS THE SCOT picks up where the first book (TEMPTATION IN A KILT) ended. Laird Ciaran MacGregor's youngest brother Declan is sent to the English court as an escort for Lady Liadain Campbell, and neither one is happy about the arrangement. It *might* be because their clans have been mortal enemies forever and ever, and Declan would rather drink and bed the lasses than be responsible for anything.

In spite of the fact that he's a naughty rogue, Declan takes his job as Liadain's protector very seriously, and my goodness, she needs one! Liadain is an expert herbalist and healer, which ends up getting her in some trouble at court. In a strange twist of fate the two are forced into marriage and sent back to the Highlands, and their new relationship as husband and wife does little to ease the bitterness between them.

Declan and Liadian are both strong-willed, passionate characters, and soon the animosity turns to yummy sexual tension. But just as things start to change between them, lies, betrayal and political intrigue threaten to tear them apart.

X MARKS THE SCOT was an entertaining historical romance with an intriguing story and great characters. If you haven't read the first book in the Bad Boys of the Highlands series, I would recommend doing so before reading this one. I think it could be read stand alone, but knowing the back story will make it even more enjoyable. 4-stars!

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

Giveaway Details:

I'm giving away a paperback copy of X MARKS THE SCOT to one lucky reader! The contest is open anywhere The Book Depository delivers free of charge. You must be 18+ to enter. Just fill out the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: THE SECRET KEEPER by Kate Morton

During a summer party at the family farm in the English countryside, sixteen-year-old Laurel Nicolson has escaped to her childhood tree house and is happily dreaming of the future. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and watches as her mother speaks to him. Before the afternoon is over, Laurel will witness a shocking crime. A crime that challenges everything she knows about her family and especially her mother, Dorothy—her vivacious, loving, nearly perfect mother.

Now, fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress living in London. The family is gathering at Greenacres farm for Dorothy’s ninetieth birthday. Realizing that this may be her last chance, Laurel searches for answers to the questions that still haunt her from that long-ago day, answers that can only be found in Dorothy’s past.

Dorothy’s story takes the reader from pre–WWII England through the blitz, to the ’60s and beyond. It is the secret history of three strangers from vastly different worlds—Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy—who meet by chance in wartime London and whose lives are forever entwined. The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams and the unexpected consequences they sometimes bring. It is an unforgettable story of lovers and friends, deception and passion that is told—in Morton’s signature style—against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

SOURCE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

First Line:

Rural England, a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, a summer's day at the start of the 1960s.

My Thoughts:

THE SECRET KEEPER is my first Kate Morton book, and I was completely wowed! I'm so intrigued by stories with family secrets, and the one revealed in this book is a doozy. It's still at the forefront of my mind days after finishing the book. 

THE SECRET KEEPER begins on an English farm in 1961 when Laurel is a teenager, and she witnesses a violent crime involving her mother Dorothy. The story jumps ahead to 2011, as Laurel and her siblings are gathering for Dorothy's 90th birthday.

The incident 50 years earlier has always haunted Laurel, and she knows with her mother's failing health, time is short to find out why it happened. From there, the story takes readers back and forth between 1941 London during the Blitz when Dorothy and her beau Jimmy meet Vivian, and 2011 as Laurel searches for clues about her mother's past.

Not only was this book a gripping mystery, it was also compelling historical fiction, painting a vivid picture of life in WWII London as bombs were dropped on the city. Heartrending!

THE SECRET KEEPER has a complex plot full of twists and turns that leads to a jaw-dropping conclusion. Kate Morton is an amazing storyteller, and I'm eager to read the rest of her novels. 5-stars! 

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

Book Review: BEWITCHED, BOTHERED, AND BISCOTTI (A Magical Bakery Mystery, #2) by Bailey Cates

As a new witch—not to mention owner of Savannah’s most enchanting bakery—Katie Lightfoot is still getting used to casting spells, brewing potions, and mastering her magical powers. But that doesn’t mean she can’t find time to enjoy a picnic with firefighter Declan McCarthy…until she stumbles upon a corpse.

The dead man’s tattoo reveals he was a member of a secret society—and it turns out he's missing an object that was very important to the group. When Katie learns the killer was after more than the man's life, she and her Aunt Lucy leave the baked goods on the rack to cool and set off in hot pursuit of a killer.

SOURCE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First Lines:

"Mmm, that was delicious." Declan McCarthy leaned back on his elbows and looked up through the branches of the live oak arching overhead.

My Thoughts:

BEWITCHED, BOTHERED, AND BISCOTTI is the second book in the Magical Bakery Mystery series, and I enjoyed it even more than the first.

Katie Lightfoot is settling in as co-owner of Honeybee Bakery in Savannah, and getting used to her new found magical powers. While having a lovely breakfast picnic in the park, Katie and Declan (one of her two love interests) find a dead body.

The deceased man's mysterious tattoo fascinates Katie, and with help from her other love interest, Steve, she finds out he belonged to a super secret group of powerful (and misogynistic) druids. She also learns that the man's killer may be planning something darker and more dangerous when some important books from his library go missing.

Katie and the witchy ladies from the Spellbook Club reluctantly join forces with the devious druids to catch the killer.

The mystery in this book was a bit darker and more complex than the first book, and it really drew me in. Magic in this story was explored on a deeper level as well, though Katie used her smarts, not magic, to figure out the culprit.

The Declan-Katie-Steve love triangle continues, and Katie doesn't seem any closer to deciding who she wants most, though readers get to learn much more about Steve in this book. (I'm really liking Steve.) 

BEWITCHED, BOTHERED, AND BISCOTTI is a must read for fans of paranormal cozy mysteries. I can't wait for the next in the series! 4½-stars!

Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: THE DEMON LOVER (Fairwick Chronicles, #1) by Juliet Dark

Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart.

SOURCE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

First Line:

Best keep your door locked, Miss.

My Thoughts:

THE DEMON LOVER is a unique story - definitely more of an erotic Gothic fantasy than a paranormal romance. It's told from the point of view of Callie McFay, an author who takes a teaching job at Fairwick College. Callie's field of expertise is Gothic literature and its fairy tale/folklore influences. She's particularly drawn to the myth of the incubus, writing about him in her book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers.

To Callie's delight, she buys Honeysuckle House, the former home of Dahila LaMotte, a reclusive Gothic romance novelist who died in 1934. Even more exciting - Dahila's journals on writing and first drafts of her novels were left in the house. They gave Callie a shocking glimpse at what was really going on in Honeysuckle House all those years ago.

Callie's parents died when she was young, and as a teenager, she was visited by a fairy tale prince in her dreams. He kept to the shadows of her mind, offering comfort in her times of grief and loneliness. Being in Honeysuckle House seems to have brought him back, only now Callie's encounters with her dream man are very erotic. Could he be a real incubus like the ones she wrote about in her book? If so, she must find a way to get rid of him before he drains her life force and leaves her for dead.

I had mixed feelings about this book. First, the positives. The writing was excellent. I loved the author's voice. She created the perfect eerie Gothic atmosphere for this story. The world building was also a strong point. I loved how the college was a refuge for many mythical creatures, each one very unique. Honeysuckle House was an intriguing character, too. 

On the flip side, I had trouble connecting with Callie. Maybe her personality could have been stronger. I just never cared for her that much. I'm hoping she'll come into her own in the next book. I also thought the plot could have been tighter. The first part of the book was about Callie and the demon lover, but then the focus changes to the side characters. The ending was not what I expected (a cliffhanger, of sorts), but since the story continues in THE WATER WITCH, I won't get too upset. 3½-stars!

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley.

Book Review: IT TAKES A WITCH (A Wishcraft Mystery, #1) by Heather Blake

Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation...

Source: I purchased this book.

First Line:

Usually I'm not in the habit of tiptoeing through strange houses under the cover of darkness.

My Thoughts:

I bought this book a year ago, and I'm sorry it took so long to read it. Great stuff! The blurb doesn't say much about the story, so I'll fill you in...

Recently divorced Darcy Merriweather and her younger sister Harper have just moved to Enchanted Village in Salem, Massachusetts, after the death of their father. Their Aunt Ve let them in on a little family secret - they're both Wishcrafters. They inherited the power to grant wishes from their mother who died many years ago, but their father didn't want them practicing witchcraft while he was alive. Now Darcy and Harper are living with Aunt Ve in the Enchanted Village, learning about their heritage and new found powers.

A town meeting is called to address the theft problem in the village. There's a pickpocket on the loose, and business owners are concerned the crime spree will scare away the tourists. At the meeting, Darcy is introduced to several town residents, both magical and mortal (though she's not sure who's a crafter and who's not). She also meets the very handsome and charming Nick Sawyer, a former military man and police officer hired to catch the thief.

The meeting takes an ugly turn when a wannabe witch is murdered in the alley behind the bookstore, and Aunt Ve's boyfriend Sylar is found hovering over the body. Sylar is arrested, though the evidence against him is weak, and of course, Aunt Ve is distraught.

Darcy can't believe that her aunt's kind and lovable beau is a killer, so she does some investigating of her own. She finds out that the victim had more enemies than you could shake a wand at, and the town is full of juicy secrets.

What I loved:

• The setting: I loved the Enchanted Village with its many magical-themed shops. The town had a very cozy feel - it's a place I'd love to visit.
• The intriguing characters: The book had a large cast of characters, but each of them was unique and easy to remember. I liked how the village was home to many different types of crafters and familiars, all with different kinds of magical talents.
• The well-constructed mystery: This was not an easy one to figure out (which I love). There were plenty of possible suspects and plot twists to keep me guessing. Darcy was a very clever sleuth!
• The budding romance: I love cozy mysteries with a hint of romance, and Darcy & Nick's is setting up to be a good one, though they have some obstacles to overcome first.
• The fantastic twist revealed on the last page: Read it and find out what it is. ;-)

What I didn't love:

• The magical secrets: For some reason, Aunt Ve wouldn't share a lot of info regarding the craft with Darcy and Harper. A lot of stuff they had to figure out on their own, which didn't make sense. Aunt Ve should be teaching them not keeping them in the dark.

Overall, this book was a captivating beginning to the Wishcraft Mystery series, and I can't wait to read more!