Review - Bewitched and Betrothed

With Halloween approaching I thought this cozy paranormal would be perfect to get us all in the mood.  

Read my reviews of the prior books:  #1 Secondhand Spirits (click here), #2 Cast Off Coven (click here), #3 Hexes and Hemlines (click here), #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe (click here), #5 Tarnished and Torn (click here), #6 A Vision in Velvet (click here), #7 Spellcasting in Silk (click here),  and #8 Toxic Trousseau book excerpt (click here).  I also interviewed the author twice: interview #2 (click here), and interview #1 (click here).

If you are a fan, you won't want to miss this book. If you are new to this series, you can check out the reviews above and try the first, or jump right in with this 10th book.  It works as a stand alone as well.

Author: Juliette Blackwell

Copyright: June 2019 (Berkley) 352 pgs

Series: 10th in Witchcraft Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Paranormal Cozy

Main Character: Lily Ivory, powerful natural witch and owner of vintage clothing store

Setting: Modern day, San Francisco

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Book Blurb: "A supernatural force on the loose in San Francisco and a family reunion keeps witch and vintage store owner Lily Ivory on her toes as she prepares to walk down the aisle...

When Lily Ivory stumbles on the uniform of a former prisoner from Alcatraz and SFPD inspector Carlos Romero’s cousin is kidnapped, Lily suspects something dangerous has been unleashed on the ghost-ridden island of Alcatraz. She'll have to sleuth out the culprit—when she’s not busy entertaining her visiting relatives and resolving romantic conflicts as her wedding date approaches. Could recent omens be pointing to the magical threat in her adopted city? If so, she'll have to line up her allies to change the fate of the Bay Area. Because no matter what, Lily's determined to celebrate her marriage with her friends by her side—even if it means battling a demonic foe before she can make it to the altar."

Lily Ivory has come a long way in this series and she is more confident but still has her insecure moments.  Sailor is her fiance who we barely see in this book, which is surprising with the wedding fast approaching. Aidan makes only two appearances in the novel, but he plays a vital role in the climax. I know the focus is growing more on Sailor and away from Aidan, but he is still an important character and I love his part in every book.  Detective Carlos Romero has also come a long way in trusting Lily and he has become a favorite of mine in the lineup.  Oscar the Gobgoyle in the disguise as a pig is Lily's familiar and he is still searching for his mother.  Graciela’s Coven comes out for the wedding with a crew of quirky gals.  Lily's mother also joins in and I appreciated her attempts to fit into Lily's life a little.  Overall a fantastic gathering of strong characters.

The setting is bustling San Francisco and Alcatraz island specifically. Using the reputedly haunted Alacatraz was great and made this story that much more spooky.  The plot is the culmination of Aidan's warnings in the past few books of a supernatural showdown approaching for the very city and its citizens itself.  It is also the culminatin thus far of Lily's personal growth since she can't fight this power by herself and all the people she has made friends with will have to back her up.  The pacing is spot on and kept my interest riveted to the pages.

The climax was on a grand scale and delivered all the thrills and chills the book had built up towards.  It was brilliantly executed, my hat is off to Ms. Blackwell.  The wrap-up was the event the book promised and was touching.

I have been a fan of this series since the first book was released.  I am impressed at how Ms. Blackwell built this showdown up from previous books and delivered on every promise.  I hope that Aidan doesn't get shuffled off and he remains in the character lineup because his character is so much a part of the mythos of the series.  I have to wonder, after this powerful showdown, what could be in Lily's future?

Rating: Near Perfect - Couldn't Put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend. 

Review - Spellcasting in Silk

This is another series I have been a fan of since its debut.  Read my reviews of the prior books:  #1 Secondhand Spirits (click here), #2 Cast Off Coven (click here),  #3 Hexes and Hemlines (click here), #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe (click here), #5 Tarnished and Torn (click here), and #6 A Vision in Velvet (click here).  I also interviewed the author twice: interview #2 (click here), and interview #1 (click here).  This blog is even quoted in the front pages from a previous review of the series!  

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Copyright: July 2015 (Berkley) 304 pgs

Series: 7th in Witchcraft Mystery series

Sensuality: Kissing

Mystery Sub-genre: Paranormal Cozy

Main Characters: Lily Ivory, powerful natural witch and owner of vintage clothing store

Setting: Current day San Francisco

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Lily is busy with her shop, friends, and relationship with Sailor.  So she isn't thrilled when Inspector Carlos Romero comes into Cora's Closet requesting her assistance.  There is a metaphysical shop, called a botanica, that is implicated in a customer's suicide via jumping from Golden Gate Bridge. The mayor has begun a campaign against psychics and the seeming suicide only added fuel. Inspector Romero has the shop owner in custody but her shop has a problem...all the merchandise is active.  Lily doesn't sense a
ghost, but she senses something very wrong with the whole situation.  

Lily connects the incident at the botanica to an elderly ladie's death as she is shopping the estate sale for vintage clothes.  Plus, The botanica's owner's granddaughter, a gifted young witch, is missing and maybe the key to everything. Aidan and Lily finally talk after the tense events in the previous book and Lily isn't sure about his intentions (nothing new there!)  Aidan suggests they may be dealing with a magical person who has serious emotional problems.  Could there be an insane witch stirring up trouble?

Lily is growing and setting down roots, but she now has to face insecurity in a relationship and warnings about such a powerful witch like herself committed to a person as a bad thing.  Why can't she have both?  Sailor is enigmatic, although he seems happy with Lily - just not an open book which doesn't help Lily's insecurity.  Aiden offers his help and seems to want to have a working relationship with Lily, but as usual - what's his angle? Detective Carlos
Romero shows a little more of his personal side with Lily and continues to grow on me. Patience, Sailor's beautiful gypsy cousin and mentor aiding him in controlling his powers, likes
pushing Lily's buttons.  She is the breakout star in this book and I hope she is a new regular to the series.

The Sutro Baths near the Cliff House was a great location for Lily to be threatened by the killer.  San Francisco is always featured to great effect by Ms. Blackwell and this is a great example.  

The plot seems overly simple, but don't let that fool you.  There is plenty of evil lurking under the surface and Lily knows it's there and won't let up.  The pacing was on target and kept me turning the pages. The killer confrontation
delivered an exciting showdown.  The ending leaves Lily with a lot to consider in her future.

Another great adventure with Lily as she uses her magic to bring criminals to justice. Lily continues to be a strong character and the stories weave their own spells on readers.

Ratings:  Excellent - Loved it, it had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

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Review - Keeper of the Castle

Today I review the next in the Haunted Home Renovations Mystery series.  I have reviewed each in this series from the debut issue.  The Fourth, Home for the Haunting (click here), the third, Murder on the House (click here),  the second book, Deadbolt (click here), and the debut book, If Walls Could Talk (click here).
  I have had the great honor of two interviews with the author, the recent interview (click here), and the older author interview (click here). 

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Copyright: December 2014 (Signet) 336 pgs

Series: 5th in Haunted Home Renovation Mystery series

Sensuality: mild kissing

Mystery Sub-genre: Paranormal Cozy

Main Characters: Mel Turner, woman construction renovation Owner/Operator

Setting: Modern day, San Francisco

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

Mel needs some big paying jobs to keep Turner Construction going and continue employing her construction team.  Her boyfriend Graham wants her to  be the general over a large project.  The project is reconstructing an ancient monastery brought over from Scotland stone-by-stone.  The project is for a motivational speaker, Ellis Elrich, who will use the reconstructed monastery as his new retreat center.  When Mel is touring the project, she finds the county building inspector dead and two ghosts that followed the building.  In spite of the murder, she joins the team and finds protestors outside motivational speaker's home, a man from Scotland wanting to repatriate the monastery back to Scotland, Florian Libole, a dodgy but famous historic building consultant, potentially the wrong man taken into custody for the murder, and too many things that don't add up on the project. 

There is a mini-mystery involving the ghosts.  Why would there be a Spanish female ghost, the Red Lady, in a Scottish monastery, and why does she envelope anyone who comes close with overwhelming sadness and hunger?  Then there is the Scottish highlander who is very confused about what he is supposed to be guarding, but takes his sword and charges any man that comes near.  Why is this ghost so confused and how can Mel get him settled?  Now add the rumor of a curse attached to the ancient building and another that there is a treasure with the building!  These were interesting and added to the overall dilemmas of the construction site and may figure into the murder.

Mel Turner is a unique heroine who can hold her own on a construction site with a gang of men, and faces ghosts with courage but is afraid of a commitment with her boyfriend.  Graham is the romantic interest who at least accepts Mel's talent with ghosts, which is a huge plus.  Alicia Withers, Ellis Elrich's personal assistant is a breakout star.  She is very reserved, even uptight initially but her true self is eventually brought forward.  I can see a future for her teamed with Mel, so I hope she will be in more books.  Caleb, Mel's step-son from her failed marriage, is always a delight along with her dad and his business partner Stan. 

The Wakefield property with the mis-matched Victorian house and Spanish Revival interior next to the Scottish highland monastery being built on the land gave us a new setting without leaving the state even.  It has a quirky mix that provides delicious gothic touches all around.  The plot plays off of the Hearst castle and how structures would be brought over from Europe and reconstructed by the wealthy in the States. A touchy subject between countries and what if there were something of high value that was brought over with the building?  The pacing was steady although not fast.  I would say on par for a cozy particularly when many new characters are involved.

The climax occurred suddenly, rather surprised that *bam* you are confronting the killer. That felt a little rushed and was resolved equally as quickly.  I would have liked more time to get to the climax, some build up so it was more suspenseful, and a little more tension before it is all over.  The wrap-up was fine in general, but I would really have liked to know more on how the ghosts did with the solutions Mel arranged to give them peace.

Overall I found this yet another highly enjoyable adventure with Mel that gave us a Scottish fling without leaving California.

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Need some holiday crafts to do with the kidos, or want to make some ornaments for your tree or a simple gift?  Try these ideas out.

Mini Chalkboard Christmas Ornaments

3-inch wooden disc
Flat or satin finish acrylic crafts paint
Foam brush or flat-bristle paintbrush
Dove or other Christmas motif (see
next page)
White paper
Scissors
White, wax-free transfer paper
Ballpoint pen
White gel ink pen
Paper towel
Spray sealer
Fast-drying clear crafts glue
Pearl cotton thread or ribbon
for hanger
Scrap of felt or cardstock

1. Paint the wooden disc; let dry.
2. Print the motif onto the white paper. Cut around the motif to create a circle or square the same width as the painted disc. Cut a circle or square from the transfer paper the same width as the painted disc. Place the transfer paper, carbon side down, on the painted disc. Place the motif, right side up, on the transfer paper. Using the ballpoint pen, trace the outline of the motif, then “color” in the inside.
3. Remove the papers from the painted disc. Use the gel ink pen to darken the transferred image. Work in small areas, filling them in and then blotting the wet ink with a paper towel for a chalky look; let dry.
4. Spray the disc with sealer; let dry. Glue the thread or ribbon to the back of the ornament, forming a hanging loop. Trace around the disc onto the felt or cardstock; cut out. Glue the felt or cardstock circle to the back of the ornament for a finished look.

Pattern for the ornaments -- right click on image and save.  Enlarge as needed.  This idea, directions and pattern came from Better Homes and Gardens website (click here)

Paper Ornaments
There's no need to get intricate when decorating your Christmas tree. For the easiest ornament idea ever, simply cut ornament shapes from patterned paper (or how about from copied book pages onto colored or decorative paper) and set eyelets in the top for hanging.  You can add touches of glitter glue, ribbons, buttons, foil, artificial poinsettias or ivy etc.  They won't take up as much space to store either!

Check here for more DIY ornament ideas (click here).

Review - Tarnished and Torn

I have been a fan of this series since its debut.  Read my reviews of the prior books:  #1 Secondhand Spirits (click here), #2 Cast Off Coven (click here),  #3 Hexes and Hemlines (click here), and #4 In a Witch's Wardrobe (click here).  I also interviewed the author twice: interview #2 (click here), and interview #1 (click here).  This time Lily is in the middle of a gem fair when a witch is killed. 

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Copyright: July 2013 (Signet) 336 pgs

Series: 5th in Witchcraft Mysteries

Sensuality: n/a

Mystery Sub-genre: Paranormal Cozy

Main Characters: Lily Ivory, powerful natural witch and owner of vintage clothing store

Setting: Current day San Francisco

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review

Lily Ivory goes to a Antique Jewelry Fair one morning looking for some baubles to sell in her vintage clothing store.  She meets Griselda, who sells her a box of "junk" and is shortly found dead.  What has Lily bothered is how she was killed.  Griselda died from an ancient method of interrogating witches, "pressing" between boards adding weight gradually, right there at the fair. Now Lily has two men following her.  Did Griselda slip her something that the others and willing to kill to get their hands on?  Then there is Lily's estranged father who seems involved.  Once again, there is a powerful paranormal enemy to fight, an Aztec fire demon, and Lily needs to get her game on.  While this can be read as a stand alone, knowing the running storyline will enhance the experience.

Lily Ivory is trying to adjust to having friends, and a business, and a broken heart. She is dealing with her sorrows by focusing on the clothing store rather than running, which is progress for Lily.  Oscar is still the crazy comic relief Goblin-Gargoyle mix.  Aidan's character is revealed a bit more, showing he may be more trustworthy than he lets on.  Lily's father, Declan, makes a few cameo appearances, but not enough to really deal with that subject. Perhaps more in following books will settle the remaining questions there.  Sailor does finally make an appearance and you won't want to miss the few pages he does get, because they are important to the storyline.  Inspector Carlos Romaro is becoming a favorite that I hope gets more attention as the series continues.

I always enjoy the San Francisco setting. It is obvious the author knows the city and its very heartbeat well as it flavors the story.  The plot and enemy are gradually revealed, which keeps the tension high.  The pacing of the story was maintained through out with the main storyline and the continuing subplots as well as danger to her friend Maya.  The climax seemed a bit scaled back and not as heart-pounding as previous books, although still clever and good. The wrap-up seemed a little rushed and some unanswered questions with Declan and Sailor were left hanging. 

Another solid entry in the Witchcraft series, advancing the personal themes while tackling a murder mystery.  This series never disappoints and draws the reader into Lily's life instantly.

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

Review - Arsenic and Old Paint

I love art. I even dabble in watercolors and drawing. I discovered this series a few years ago and have enjoyed every book. But it was a long wait since the prior book (Brush with Death - 2007) and this one. Oh how I have missed the reformed art forger Annie Kincaid.

Author: Hailey Lind

Copyright: Sept 2010 (Perseverance Press) 272 pgs

Series: 4th in Art Lover's Mysteries

Sensuality: Adult references and situations

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth

Main Character:  Former art forger Annie Kincaid, now owns a decorative "faux" painting business

Setting: Modern day, San Francisco California

Obtained Through: Library


Annie is on a faux finish job at the exclusive (meaning wealthy men only) Fleming Mansion when she and her workers follow a scream to find a dead man...in a tub...with a sword in his chest.  Is it just Annie's imagination or does the scene really look like a recreation of the famous  painting "The Death of Marat."  This reunited Annie with the local police detective Annette Crawford who knows Annie a little too well from the prior books.  Annie is convinced something shady is going on in the Fleming Mansion.

Annie had become business partners with a "former" art thief when the FBI Art Squad asked them to run an online art appraisal website in hopes of snagging some stolen art.  Through this Annie gets a job offer from an insurance adjuster asking for help in finding a supposedly stolen-but maybe insurance fraud surrounding a Gauguin painting.  Naturally the preconceived idea is that she maintains her connections to the art world's criminal element.  Then Annie's influential and attractive landlord Frank (a mutual attraction but seemingly oil-and-water relationship) asks for her help in finding a stolen life-size bronze statue of Hermes stolen from a lesser social club.  Just to make it interesting, the super hot "former" art thief Michael picks now to re-enter her life.

Annie is a fun and snarky sleuth who learned determination from a pit bull.  She ends up running down the three story lines and delivers some laughs too.  I will warn readers, her investigations take her into tunnels under San Francisco and even into a "Sex Club" running down clues and leads - there is never anything explicit though.  There are laughs even in the most unlikely scenes, so don't let this scare you away.  Her dilemma between wealthy Frank and unpredictable Michael comes across as plausible.  You end up cheering for Annie, the underdog who is remaking her life and doing her best to be on the lawful path and be respectable.

The surprise breakout stars of the book are a pair of homeless guys who try to help Annie with information on the stolen statue of Hermes and keep popping up in the book.  These guys were great and funny.  And a close second was the character of Wesley Fleming of the original Fleming Mansion.  He gets honorary membership to the club but is somewhat an outcast, probably because he is socially backwards and fascinated with bats.  He becomes part of Annie's merry band aiding her to solve these cases.

The multiple cases all have some relationship to one another and the plot is solid.  The mystery itself has a few twists and I didn't see the killer coming.  The tense confrontation with the killer is great and the short wrap answers the remaining questions and even a few surprises.  The ending seems to point to Annie being given a clear shot with one of her two beaus.  

It was a long wait for this fourth book, but well worth it.  I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.  If you have not yet tried this series, I certainly recommend it.



Here is a feline take on the classic painting Girl with a Pearl Earring - Vermeer goes furry as the artist says.

By ImmortalSilver

Review - If Walls Could Talk

Juliet Blackwell is one of my favorite authors.  She writes with her sister under the name Hailey Lind and writes the Witchcraft Mysteries under her own name.  When I heard she was starting a new series I jumped on board to review it.  Juliet was also one of the first authors to give me an interview (see that here.) 

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Copyright: Dec 2010 (Signet) 316 pgs

Series: 1st in Haunted Home Renovation Mysteries

Sensuality: N/A

Mystery Sub-genre: Cozy

Main Character:  Melanie Turner, owner & operator of Construction Company

Setting: Modern day, San Francisco California

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review

Melanie took over the construction company from her ailing father - and after her bad divorce she is living with her dad too.  The story starts out with Melanie checking in with a friend (aged former rock star Matt Addax) who is attempting to fix and flip a run down mansion.  It is the day after a "demolition party" that was more party than any real work and Melanie finds Matt passed out.  Melanie and Matt also find Matt's business partner, Kenneth, tortured with a nail gun and his hand cut off.   Melanie cradles Kenneth until EMTs arrive.  Kenneth dies and all he remembers is that Mel held him so his ghost feels connected to her.  

Mel has enough on her mind without worrying about why she is seeing Kenneth.  She has a former boyfriend who works at OSHA investigating to see if her construction company is liable if it is an accident.  Matt is arrested for Kenneth's murder.  Melanie's father wants her married.  Melanie had stored some of Matt's property until construction was done - her garage is broken into and the piano demolished and the rest in the storage locker is also trashed.  Apparently there is something that people are looking for.  Could it be the box she found in the wall with a vintage old journal and a bogus map to a mine?

Melanie is a great character, rebounding from an ill-fated marriage where she put who she was on hold for her husband.  Melanie is piecing herself back together and since her plans to move to Paris have been thwarted she is dealing with the hand she has been dealt.  Melanie is a natural at restoring old homes, taught the trade by her father, she enjoys saving homes and restoring them to glory.  Melanie's dad is cantankerous and the live-in disabled friend who handles the company books is looking to be a wonderful character too.  The potential love interest is a complicated man from Mel's past and while she is still attracted to him they still have "issues". 

The renovation business that the story revolves around works well in this case, not too much on the construction details and I feel I know more of what a hectic business it really is.  The "seeing-dead-people" is not a major focus in this debut novel but promises to be a recurring and perhaps more central theme in subsequent books.  I liked how the ghostly aspect was handled and there are some hints she inherited this capability.  This was a slight bit more of a suspense novel than just a cozy, a few curse words (maybe 10 in the whole book) and at times it is a little "heavier" than a strict cozy.

The plot was pretty good, several suspects are sifted through and there is a suspenseful climax - which I always enjoy the best.  Melanie finds that the old axiom "trust nobody" is paramount as she tries to help her friend Matt and find out what happened to Kenneth so he can move on and leave her alone.  Great new series that I think will be a big hit.

I just had to share a video of everyone's favorite renovation show - Home Improvement - bloopers!

Review - The Lies That Bind

I read the first in this series when it came out and enjoyed it, let's see how the latest in this relatively new series fares.  We are off to San Francisco for murder in the sun!

Author:  Kate Carlisle

Copyright:  November 2010 (Signet) 304 pgs

Series:  3rd in Bibliophile Mysteries

Sensuality:  mild, occasional swear word

Mystery Sub-genre:  Cozy

Main Character:  Brooklyn Wainwright, book restoration expert

Setting:  Modern day, San Francisco

Obtained Through:  publisher for honest review


Brooklyn is teaching book binding classes at BABA (Bay Area Book Arts) Center which provides the background for the majority of the novel.  The BABA Director, Layla Fontaine, was disliked by everyone even her niece Naomi.  When she wasn't breaking up marriages she was belittling colleagues and inflating a book's value.  Dealing with Layla is only one of Brooklyn's challenges as she discovers that Minka - her arch nemesis - has been hired to teach a class also.  Minka is attacked one night and Brooklyn discovers her prone body and saves her life (Minka is not thrilled with the thought of being in Brooklyn's debt), but she isn't as timely when she discovers Layla's body shot too late to save her.    There was more to Layla than even Brooklyn knew as she starts to sleuth.  The suspects keep adding up and it would be easier to count those who didn't want to kill Layla. 

Brooklyn makes a solid main character, likable and smart.  Derek, a romantic interest from prior books suprisingly shows up in a slightly far-fetched coincidence.  Same for bad-boy Gabriel who pops up in the idylic town where Brooklyn's family lives, seeming to seek sanctuary.  But in this novel hints are dropped that Gabriel maybe more than just an opportunistic thief. 

Brooklyn's family are bright spots to this series providing a warm and light-hearted touch with their new-agey ways.  The villain is well done, although I had pegged the bad guy half way though it didn't spoil the rest of the tale for me.  The other characters are delightfully rendered with a few eccentric and an occasional over-the-top character.  Minka comes to mind.  Even Brooklyn's neighbors add to the overall flavor.

This is a delightful light cozy series that keeps the reader's interest to the end.  The plot is solid cozy fare to carry the reader through to the end.  For a profession, book restoration, that doesn't lend itself to suspense and excitement, the writing seems to effortlessly bring these all together.  The setting is used nicely as a great backdrop for the murder and investigation.  This is a great escape read and this third installment in the series meets all expectations.  It has some tense moments and the sense of walking a high wire is prevalent in the climactic confrontation with the killer.  Also an interesting development in the wrap-up that will have readers looking forward to the next book in the series.  I highly recommend this for cozy fans.

We are approaching the end of this year and I would truly appreciate your vote if you haven't already.  If each follower voted for me I would win!!

* * * * * If you have enjoyed this blog, then PRETTY PLEASE vote for this blog as best Entertainment Blog (proving reading is entertainment) CLICK HERE and also as best Hobby Blog CLICK HERE. Thank you most sincerely. There are voting buttons on the sidebar too. You will have to register with Blogger's Choice, but it is a simple process. I am listed under Mysterysuspence.Blogspot.com. * * * * *

Now for a special recipe treat for the upcoming holiday:

Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy The Cookworks, 2003 Episode: Turkey Talk

Ingredients
Crust:

    * 1 cup finely chopped pecans
    * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    * 1/2 cup brown sugar
    * 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
    * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
    * 1 egg yolk


Filling:

    * 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree*
    * 1/2 cup brown sugar
    * 2 eggs, beaten
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    * 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    * 1 1/2 pounds deli-style cream cheese
    * 1/2 cup maple syrup
    * 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
    * 1/8 cup sour cream
    *
    * *Use oven-roasted, fresh pumpkin or good-quality canned pumpkin, not presweetened pumpkin pie filling.
  
Topping:

    * 1 cup sour cream
    * 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey
    * 1 teaspoon sugar
    * Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan, an electric mixer

Directions

For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

Combine the pecans, flour, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and egg yolk together in a large bowl. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F.

For the filling: Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, maple syrup, and bourbon until smooth. Combine with the sour cream and pumpkin mixture. Pour over the prebaked crust. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the center shows little to no movement when the pan is tapped. Set aside to cool.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

For the topping: Combine the sour cream, bourbon, and sugar together in a small bowl.

Spread over the cooled cheesecake. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until well chilled. Remove from the springform pan and peel away the parchment paper. Slice and serve.

Review - A Cast-Off Coven

* * * * * If you have enjoyed this blog, then PRETTY PLEASE vote for this blog as best Entertainment Blog (proving reading is entertainment) and also as best Hobby Blog. Thank you most sincerely. There are voting buttons on the sidebar too. You will have to register with Blogger's Choice, but it is a simple process. I am listed under Mysterysuspence.Blogspot.com. * * * * * * * *

This is an enjoyable new series.  You can read the review I did on the first book (Secondhand Spirits) in the series here.  Also read the interview with the author here.  This is an advance review since the book isn't released until June 1.

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Copyright: June 1, 2010 (Signet); 342 pgs.

Series: #2 in Witchcraft Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery sub-genre: Cozy + Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Main Character: Lily Ivory, powerful natural witch and owner of vintage clothing store

Setting: Current day San Francisco

Obtained book through: Publisher for an honest review

At the local art school things are getting out of hand and an apparent ghost is raising the tensions so the student body is fighting and arguing. Lily is asked to look into this paranormal activity...and discovers a body at the bottom of the reportedly haunted staircase where a few decades prior a student supposedly had committed suicide. The body is of Jerry Becker, a wealthy owner of beauty salons and various investments who is found to have been tied to the historic suicide in the same location.

Lily is surprised when local power broker witch Aidan leaves her no alternative but to deal with whatever is going wrong no matter how her newly blossoming romance with Max, who dislikes her involvement with anything paranormal, could blow up. Lily believes there is a bigger problem than the suicide (probable murder) from decades ago, she is more concerned about the apparent demonic activity that she believes traces back to when the building had been a convent.  Lily also believes Jerry Becker was killed by a very real person.

For a cozy / urban fantasy hybrid mystery this series is an enjoyable read, more positive and "light" than strictly urban fantasies and the cozy factor is still there.  Enjoyable supporting cast of Bronwyn, Maya and Lily's familiar Oscar keep the tone lighter to counter the demon fighting.  Lily's building a romance with Max, the "I hate anything remotely paranormal or psychic" reporter.  Aidan mentions that it is Darrin and Samantha in Bewitched, but I disagree - Darrin at least acknowledged Samantha was a witch whereas Max just insists Lily is naive or delusional.  I continue to find Max tedious, there must be a better relationship for Lily out there!

I moved to the center of the hallway and stood still, arms outstretched, trying to discern what in the world - or beyond this world - we were dealing with.

The breath became a low moan, bouncing off the corridor walls, growing in intensity, surging and swirling until it felt as though it were inside my head.  The walls began to seethe with the sound, swelling and waning as though they were made of pliable membrane rather than stucco and stone.  Everything vibrated with sensations of anger, despair, and fierce jealousy.

"This is crazy!" Kevin sprang to his feet. "Let's go!"

He grabbed Maya's hand and yanked her down the hall, Ginny close on their heals.

"Run, Lily!" Ginny yelled.  "Come on!"

The moaning became a roar, filling the hallway until it screamed like a runaway freight train.  And just as suddenly it stopped.

I opened my eyes, turned tail, and ran.

I may be a witch, but I'm no fool.

The mystery element is multi-faceted between the other-worldly and the physical world.  It kept my interest but the reader does seem to be ahead of Lily.  You know it is about the recently opened closet room before she gets it etc.  The resolution to the story held no surprises but was handled well.  Probably the most surprising twist in the story is the police detective coming to talk to Lily about the ghostly happenings and asking for help.  The ending promises more on that front.

For this genre the characters are well done and remind me of an old pair of jeans, they are comfortable and feel good.  This is what you want in a cozy series and I think it is successful at it.

For your convenience you may purchase your copy here.

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