Review: Unraveled: The New Adventures of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist by Cynthia St. Aubin

Get your copy of  Unraveled: The New Adventures of Dr. Matilda Schmidt, Paranormal Psychologist by Cynthia St. Aubin here!

Dr. Matilda Schmidt is not having a good morning. A stained blouses, messy toddler, and marital tension collide to form a perfect storm of self-doubt. 

Were the life choices she'd made the right ones?

A mysterious new supernatural patient is about to make the good doctor face those choices head-on, and give her a chance to stand on the other side of the fence. But is the grass really greener, or is it just a weedy mess of murder and hot sex?

"Before I had switched to non-human clientele, I had counseled women in my position by the dozen. Exhausted. Overwrought. Attempting to balance new motherhood with a career and a family. Of course, most of those women hadn't been married to hit men, nor did their careers involve interfacing with non-corporeal beings that could potentially end all life as we knew it. That probably meant something."


Once again, Cynthia St. Aubin is able to marry the absurdity of events with unexpected emotional depth.

On the surface, this is a post-script chapter to the Disordered series; one more crazy supernatural patient to twist our post-partum doctor in the winds of her own psyche. As a faithful reader of the series, (and admittedly, fervently Team Crixus! MatiXus 4evah!) I loved this nod to those of us that wondered, "What if...?"

The HEA we all imagined met with the reality of day-to-day life of a married couple. Matilda and Liam have their share of frustrations balancing life with work - natural / supernatural therapist and hit-man-with-a-conscience, respectively. Add a toddler to the mix, and Dr. Schmidt's frustration, resentment and lowered self-image become relatable. Doesn't everyone wonder if the choices they've made are the right ones, especially in moments of self-doubt?

Short but unerringly sweet, and funny on levels ranging from slapstick and sarcasm to wry and thoughtful, this glimpse into Dr. Schmidt's version of "What if...?" carries all the hallmarks of the previous books. The same strings that tug on your heart pull your lips into a grin, and yank a laugh from your core. St. Aubin's effortless prose brings every scene a depth of mental images that feel like you're watching in Hi-Def 3D (is that a thing?).

In a world of run-of-the-mill supernatural beings, St. Aubin once again presents us with a surprise. Her signature character-cum-plot-device, who is mysterious, yet oddly whole, blends science theory with fantasy in deft exposition that doesn't leave your mouth dry and your brain twitching. It does, however, cleverly offer Dr. Schmidt an opportunity she's not given a chance to pass up.

For reasons of personal character fandom, it did make me a little sad, but that is all my own, and has nothing to do with the quality of the work.
I love this series for its masterful blend of humor, emotion, and intelligence. And I'm happy to say, this book didn't disappoint!

Review: Which Witch is Wicked? (The Witches of Port Townsend Book 2) by Kerrigan Byrne, Cindy Stark, Tiffinie Helmer, and Cynthia St. Aubin

Get your copy of Which Witch is Wicked? (The Witches of Port Townsend Book 2) by Kerrigan Byrne, Cindy Stark, Tiffinie Helmer, and Cynthia St. Aubin here.

The seals are opening, one by one...

The quintuplet sisters Claire, Aerin, Tierra and Moira are back, and facing down stranger and scarier dangers as they inadvertently continue to open the seven seals, one at a time. The four horsemen are still trying to stop the Apocalypse (with a capital A), each knowing that at least one of witches must die in order to prevent it from happening.

Determining which witch is to be whacked is a difficulty – each horseman has a thing for one of four bewitching ladies, and none of the men can seem to fulfill their honor-bound duty. There's a new player in town, dividing loyalties, and straining relationships.

With the number of unbroken seals dwindling and tensions mounting, the choice of which of the sisters will die may be taken out of the horsemen's hands.

“Isn't that the ultimate goal here?” Julian asked. “To end this nightmarish Apocalypse?”
“They don't all have to die,” Dru reminded them. “Only one.”

Which Witch is Wicked? is the second book in the Witches of Port Townsend Series, and is a tight anthology penned by Cynthia St. Aubin, Kerrigan Byrne, Cindy Stark and Tiffinie Helmer. The first book in the series, Which Witch is Which? was released a year ago and ended on a semi-soft cliffhanger.

This second installment begins a week after the first book in the series ended. I highly recommend reading the first book before starting this one, even if you've already read it. While there is some exposition, there is not enough to cover all of the major events of the first book, and a refresher (or just plain fresh) read makes jumping into the story a lot smoother.

The stories are once again divided by sister, each written by a separate author. In the seamless style of the first book, there is a perfect flow without a discernible difference in overall voice from writer to writer. As a reader of all of these authors, I am amazed. They each have their own style, and the collaboration on this work is completely harmonious. None of their styles stand out, they just blend as though written by one person.

There is a little retreading of old ground here, in the form of reminders of the Apocalypse and the way to end it – causing the emotional turmoil of the couples. However, it is not tedious because it is woven into the intensifying of the relationships of the sisters, the men, as well as the romantic combinations.

More is at stake now, and that leads to character growth more on the part of the sisters than the horsemen. While the witches definitely stand out in my mind, I have trouble separating the horsemen. (Note: I fully admit, that may be a failure on my part.) The introduction of a new character acts as a catalyst for further discord. While not exactly being a fresh take on this particular villain, there's enough individuality and malice to keep the reader guessing.

The story moves along briskly and smoothly, with some short breathers. Due to the number of characters, there is a lot happening. I can't say I have the whole ending figured out, but there is some hefty foreshadowing which makes me wonder if it isn't a flashy red herring. Ending on another cliffhanger (not brutal, but obvious), the way is neatly paved for book three.

With humor, drama, action, and growing tension, this book has sidestepped the “sophomore slump”. I would say it's not quite as good as the first, but only by a very small margin. Along with other readers, I bemoan the time between releases, which attests to the power of the story.

Review: Accidentally Ever After (Accidentally Paranormal Series, Book 11) by Dakota Cassidy

Click here to buy Accidentally Ever After (Accidentally Paranormal Series, Book 11) by Dakota Cassidy

Antonia Vitali is hiding out in Jersey working in a discount clothing store. Her boss is a young, pretty nightmare that makes Antonia wish she was anywhere but there.

And in an instant she was.

Now she's in Shamalot with the ladies from O.O.P.S., a zombie reindeer, a great blue ogre with a tiny voice, and Jon Doe – a heroic reindeer herder with perfect, well...everything. To get home, she must embark on a quest wearing a get-up that would bring a proud tear to a beauty queen's eye. But like any fairy tale, this one has all the trimmings: danger, magic and a whole lot of derring-do.

Time is running out, can Toni get to the castle in time and find eternal happiness on the way?

Dannan's words plucked a memory in Toni's brain.

The one where she wished she were anywhere but the outlet mall?
No. Nuh-uh.

Crap, crap, crap. She really was responsible for them landing here.

As the eleventh book in the Accidentally Paranormal series, Accidentally Ever After defies series fatigue with a freshness that made it a delightful page-turner. Dakota Cassidy went all out with the world-building here, and that fearless dive into the deep end of the fantasy pool is why this story works. Had she gone half-measure, or tried to weigh it down with more of a hand-wringing heroine, it would have fallen flat. This story isn't as emotionally wrought as some of the others in the series, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment, or the ending.

Eschewing a rehash of the fairy tale twist, Cassidy gleefully mows down the trite stories without losing the crux of their existence, e.g. the journey is more important than the destination. The humor is clever and quick.  Familiar characters are lampooned with tongue-in-cheek affection that is more of a wink at the reader than a gratuitous laugh grab or mocking eye-roll. Of all the Accidentals it's the most self aware, giving a sense that Cassidy is laughing with you, even while she openly acknowledges foreshadowing.

While Toni's character feels familiar, she's different enough to remain interesting. Jon Doe is a true fairy tale hero, but his charm doesn't grate or feel overused. The peripheral characters are almost more interesting, running the gamut of personality and silliness, and definitely round out any rough edges.

The pace is swift, without being frenetic. Every scene has a purpose toward Toni's quest. Cassidy twists the end a bit, making Accidental Ever After stand out in the series. There is a strong lead in for another book, which will delight fans to no end.

Once again, I found myself laughing out loud, feeling warm fuzzies, and looking forward to the next book in the series.   

Review: Fashionably Dead by Robyn Peterman

Click here to buy Fashionaby Dead by Robyn Peterman

The sparkling gem of this story is the irreverent and fearless humor. I swear on all things Prada, it will make you laugh out loud. I startled my dog several times while reading this book. She finally got so disgruntled she left the room.

Astrid is somewhat archetypal: She's a pretty but slightly dysfunctional woman with relationship issues and of course, a heart of gold. She's "not a ho-bag" but has a healthy sexuality. She doesn't know her own worth, has self-doubts, but soon realizes her place and finds inner strength. I could see that character development coming a mile away. Despite this, Peterman's ability to write a clear character voice is so strong, I was able to accept Astrid's at face value, and look forward to a deeper character development as the series progresses.

In the realm of the paranormal, so many things seem to have rules. Isn't that odd? It's supposed to be a world where the impossible is possible, and yet, so many paranormal novels are based on the same tropes and archetypes. While Astrid's beginning seems to follow those at first, and all of the plot twists were fairly obvious, Peterman does take refreshing liberties with many of those "rules". Astrid's genealogy allows for this with ease, which leads to smooth story progression.

The story moves along very well, there's no drudgery or drawn-out angst, which delighted me to no end. The only downside to that was, at times I felt rushed at points that could have used a bit of time to enhance their impact and importance. I'm somewhat befuddled by her very quick fall for her mate, despite barely spending time with him. I don't know if that was due to the "fated-ness" of their being together, or if it was just underdeveloped, or maybe due to length, it got cut. Even so, the book was over way before I was ready to leave the characters - and it had little to do with the "cliffhanger" ending.

To her credit, Peterman writes excellent supporting characters. Just like Astrid, they have clear and separate personalities, which helps the reader process a lot. Because the book moves so quickly, the reader is introduced to nearly 30 other characters. The writing is so good that you can pick them out in your brain to count them. They don't blur together and get lost or forgotten. Were this like other series, I'd love to explore their little worlds and characters separately.

As a first book, the world building and opened possibilities make it an instant appetizer for the rest of the series. I highly recommend it.

**FIRST POST** Why? Because I can!

Photo Courtesy of Patti Reimer

I  have a reputation.  I'm a little easy. When an author wants to give it to me, I'm almost always willing to take it. Because they know.  

I GIVE REALLY GOOD... REVIEW.

That doesn't mean all my reviews are 5-stars.
It means I treat every book, regardless of length, girth, (*snerk*)  style or genre the same.  

To that end, I've decided to collect my reviews and keep them in one place.  (Hint: this blog) I'll still post future reviews to Amazon, Goodreads, etc to the nth degree...because that's what's good for the writers. Happy writers means more books. More books means more time I can waste vicariously living the lives of characters I obsess over anyway. Having a blog just makes it appear more...productive.

In between reviews, I'll add other thought nuggets and news about authors.

Most of the reviews will focus on the genres of romance, eg. Para-Rom, Erotica, Contemporary, Historical, and all the niches in between.  I generally do not read YA (I live with a teenager. I don't need to read any more angst, thanks!) unless the author really wows me with the description and I can get past the first chapter. I do read just about anything, and you'll occasionally see reviews for other stuff pop up. I promise to do my best to label the genres clearly.

My reviews usually follow a form:
1) My own synopsis (without spoilers - because I'm wicked, but not mean)
2) A short quote
3) The review
4) Whether or not I recommend it, or to whom I'd recommend it.

If I'm presented with an ARC, I state clearly in the review that the book was given freely for an honest review.
Gentle and fair criticism, and honest praise is what you'll get.

NOTE: You are always welcome to quote my reviews as long as the verbiage is not taken out of context.  If you really really love me for the goddess I am, you'll include my name. (I'm an author, too! <3)

If you'd like to request a review, please use the contact form on the top right of the page.

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