Missing in Miskatonic by JP Behrens

June 30, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Missing in Miskatonic by JP Behrens
Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Step into the shadowed streets of 1928 Arkham, where Miskatonic University holds secrets darker than the night.

In this supernatural thriller reminiscent of Raymond Chandler and H.P. Lovecraft, Private Detective Travis Daniels is thrust into a harrowing investigation when a young woman disappears without a trace. As Daniels delves deeper into the labyrinthine mysteries of the storied New England city, he uncovers a web of sinister cults, ancient rituals, and eldritch horrors that threaten not only his own sanity but the fabric of reality itself.

Set against a city steeped in occult lore and clandestine experiments, Missing in Miskatonic blends elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with chilling supernatural encounters. Daniels navigates treacherous alliances and confronts malevolent entities lurking in the shadows, all while racing against time to unravel the truth behind the girl’s disappearance.

With a narrative that grips from the first page, this novella combines suspense, mystery, and cosmic terror in a gripping tale where every clue leads deeper into the abyss. From the enigmatic corridors of Miskatonic to the eerie gatherings of the Silver Twilight Lodge, Daniels must confront his own demons as he battles forces beyond human comprehension.

Mercy isn’t guaranteed.

Travis was an intelligent protagonist who made it impossible for me to stop rooting for him. I enjoyed seeing him push the boundaries of where he was supposed to go while he attempted to find out what happened to the missing girl. Every time someone thwarted his investigation, he doubled back and looked for a different way to gather clues, often while making others believe he might give up this time. He teetered on the edge of making risky decisions but never went so far that I thought he was overstepping or revealing his plan too early. This was a delicate balance to maintain at times, but it kept this cautious reader interested from beginning to end.

It would have been helpful to have stronger plot development in this piece. The setting was deliciously scary, but there wasn’t enough conflict to keep my interest levels high despite the fact that I was excited to read something inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s work. There was plenty of space here to add more details and flesh out the plot twists that were already included, and I would have happily gone for a higher rating if that had occurred. This was a world I didn’t want to stop reading about.

I enjoyed the dream-like qualities of many of the scenes whether they were subtle or overt. For example, the university was open for business and yet scarcely any students could be seen on campus. This was something that unnerved Travis – and honestly this reader as well – and yet the other characters behaved as if it were perfectly normal for a campus to be almost completely empty at what should have been one of its busiest times of the year. Later scenes at a local sanitarium were much more blatantly the stuff of nightmares, especially in the areas of that building that most visitors would not be allowed to explore, and I thought it was interesting to compare Travis’ reactions to them after seeing what he thought of the quieter signs that something was wrong with that community earlier on.

Missing in Miskatonic was moody and atmospheric in a good way. I look forward to reading any sequels to it that may be released in the future.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Here, Now, and Forever by J.S. Frankel

June 25, 2025 By 2 Comments


Here, Now, and Forever by J.S. Frankel
Publisher: Extasy Books
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A flight into danger. A portal to another world. Adventures, danger, a new beginning, and a romance that spans forever.

Carl Goodman, a Merchant Marine sailor during World War Two, is shipwrecked off the coast of China and a temporary visitor at an American airfield, finally scores a ride to India to ship out on another vessel. Accompanying him is Ruby Matthews, a black nurse with her own set of problems.

Bad weather forces their plane to crash on an escarpment high in the Himalayas. As the only survivors with minimal supplies, they take refuge inside a cave where they discover a portal that leads them into an almost Eden-like garden.

After starting at odds, Carl and Ruby come to an understanding, and romance builds over time. However, their peace is interrupted by the arrival of an alien called Norlok, who has an agenda of his own. Defeating him is only part of the problem.

When rescue finally arrives, they find that eighty-five years have passed, yet they’ve retained their youth—until they return to the US, where they begin to rapidly age. Getting back to their garden is of prime importance, but will they be in time?

Anything can happen during a war.

Mr. Frankel’s plot twists are one of the reasons why I have consistently requested his books over the years. He knows exactly how many hints to hide away in his stories to give his readers a taste of what is to come without making it too easy to figure out where he’s going next. This makes the reading and reviewing process effortless because I am always confident that he’s going to keep me on my toes and throw a few curve balls my way as the plot spins off in a new direction. As always, this was such a fun combination of genres, and I loved seeing how he used World War II to leap off into times and places I never would have otherwise associated with that era. Without giving away too many details, there is a peaceful garden in this book that I found especially surprising and relaxing.

I would have liked to see more time spent developing the military subplot. Their reaction to Carl and Ruby’s existence was intriguing at first but didn’t quite make sense to me later on. Having more information about why they responded the way that they did and how willing they were to go along with almost anything the protagonists wanted would have made this a stronger book in my opinion. It is a minor criticism of something I otherwise enjoyed reading quite a bit.

Some of the most memorable scenes for me were the ones that explored what it feels like to be part of a minority group, whether that’s related to race, gender, religion, or other factors. Not everyone who is part of one or more of these groups has the same experiences, of course, but there is overlap between them that I think is helpful for everyone to take note of. The more compassion we feel for each other as human beings, the better if you ask me! While I can’t go into details about exactly what these characters went through without sharing spoilers, it was well worth my time and is something I think readers from every background should explore.

Here, Now, and Forever was adventurous.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Female Hypnotist: Stories from the Victorian and Edwardian Eras Edited by Donald K Hartman

June 23, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Female Hypnotist: Stories from the Victorian and Edwardian Eras Edited by Donald K Hartman
Publisher: Themes & Settings in Fiction Press
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rated: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snapdragon

A collection of twelve short stories and two novelettes from the Victorian and Edwardian eras, organized around the theme of the female hypnotist. The book also contains an extensive annotated bibliography of 19th and early 20th century novels, dimes novels, and short stories having female hypnotists/mesmerists as characters.

To capture a phrase from one of the stories herein: These collected works generate a ‘curious fascination’ in the reader. Are they thrillers? I would say, more chillers: These are clever, unpredictable tales, with varying levels of a creepiness factor.

The first is both eerie and intriguing, as well as beautifully written–by Louisa May Alcott in fact, although this story might not quite fit what we expect from her. We begin ‘A Pair of Eyes; or Modern Magic,’ with misgiving, as from the opening paragraph we hear mention of Lady Macbeth, and quite a fascination with her eyes…

‘The Facts of the Ratcliff Case,’ by Edward Page Mitchell likewise fascinates, as we immediately begin to speculate that our main character was hypnotized, purposefully, at the start. At first it seems quite a friendly event…but then, we begin to suspect purpose…

From revenge to mystery, scandal to outrage, each has its strange appeal. I was startled to find more than one Arthur Conan Doyle work here – and yet, they fit. They do indeed fit.

The pace of these stories, along with their presentation of mood, all are well suited to one another. They seem indeed to draw the reader into them, until we feel the ‘haunting’ of each, far more than simply reading it. They share a cleverness of language, situation, and are utterly unpredictable.

I recommend this work to anyone looking for the unpredictable, or readers who enjoy the paranormal.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

For Love’s Sake by Kelli A. Wilkins

June 12, 2025 By Leave a Comment


For Love’s Sake by Kelli A. Wilkins
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

She left everything behind to be with him.
He risked losing everything to stay with her.
They were willing to sacrifice everything… for love’s sake

Through a case of mistaken identity, Prince Kevan of Alborg narrowly avoids an assassination attempt and wakes to find himself trapped in mad King Torok’s rat-infested dungeon. Just when he is about to give up hope, he is rescued by an unlikely ally—Torok’s daughter, Princess Adrianna.

Adrianna is desperate to flee her father’s kingdom and agrees to help the handsome stranger escape, but only if he takes her with him when he leaves. Although Kevan knows bringing Adrianna home will not sit well with his father and lead to other complications, he agrees.

They make their way to a waiting ship captained by Kevan’s brother, Mikhael, and set sail for Alborg. Along the way they are lost at sea during a ferocious storm, battle a murderous mercenary sent by Adrianna’s father, and try to deny their intense romantic feelings for each other.

When they arrive in Alborg, Kevan’s father, King Lenard, disapproves of Adrianna and drops the bombshell that Kevan is already engaged to be married. While Kevan tries to get out of the arranged marriage, Mikhael introduces Adrianna to members of the nobility in an effort to win over the king.

At his engagement ball, Kevan is forced to choose between his duty to his father and his loyalty to Adrianna. Soon after, Adrianna is kidnapped and Kevan and Mikhael band together to hunt down her abductors and rescue her before it’s too late.

Yes, it’s true that the heroine, Adrianna, left everything behind to be with the hero, Kevan—but the reality is, she didn’t have much to leave behind. Her father certainly wasn’t winning any “Father of the Year” awards. On the other hand, Kevan risked everything, including his life, to be with Adrianna—and that kind of sacrifice was utterly swoon-worthy. Since both of them were putting so much on the line, I felt compelled to put my own life on hold and read For Love’s Sake uninterrupted.

Kelli A. Wilkins is one of my favorite authors, and this book is another perfect example of why. Her writing is fast-paced, vivid, and always emotionally gripping. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! With a whirlwind of mistaken identity, being lost at sea, abduction, and a steamy romance, there was never a dull moment. I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next—and I loved every second of it.

In fact, I feel like I need to read this book a second time just to savor it properly. I devoured it the first time, rushing to the next scene because I couldn’t wait to see what came next. If you enjoy historical romance filled with drama, danger, and a deeply satisfying happily-ever-after, I highly recommend For Love’s Sake.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Wolf of the Nordic Sea by Jennifer Ivy Walker

June 9, 2025 By 6 Comments


Wolf of the Nordic Sea by Jennifer Ivy Walker
Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Named after the Norse God of the Sea, Njörd grew up sailing, swimming, and fishing the fjords of Norway. Endowed with extraordinary senses, speed, and strength, he became known as Wolf of the Nordic Seas, leading lucrative Viking raids from the Baltic shores to the Black and Caspian Seas. When a Viking völva foretells his future through a seidr vision, Njörd learns that his fate and his mate—the siren with the sea goddess eyes—lie on the alabaster coast of Normandy in the distant Land of the White Chalk Cliffs.

Elfi Thorfinnsdóttir is a skilled shieldmaiden who seeks vengeance against the ruthless Frankish count who killed her brother and abducted her father in an attempt to seize her clifftop castle. But rather that submit to the count’s relentless demand for her hand in marriage, Elfi allies with Richard the Fearless—the Viking Duke of Normandy— and the Danish Jarl of Ribe known as the Wolf of the Nordic Seas.

As Elfi and Njörd discover startling secrets about their respective pasts, they find that the three Norns have entwined the threads of their fates not just as political allies, but as mates destined to fulfill a divine prophecy.

Wolf of the Nordic Seas— book 2 of the Valiant Vikings series set in tenth century Normandy— is a sizzling, scintillating blend of historical fiction, Norse mythology, paranormal fantasy, and steamy Viking romance!

This is the second book of Jennifer Ivy Walker’s Valiant Vikings series but can completely stand on its own. The characters in the first book make an appearance but this is very much Njörd and Elfi’s story.

I really enjoyed the first book (you can see that review here,) but I think I enjoy this one even more! I especially loved the addition of sjóvættir and Úlfhéðnar, akin to the mermaids and werewolves. The similarities and the differences were quite enjoyable.

This book, however, does leave us with a bit of a cliffhanger as Elvi and Njörd’s story does not come to a complete resolution, but don’t let that put you off. The third book of the series should be out soon… and I can’t wait, because it features one of my favorite couples from book one. I’m so excited!!

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The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

June 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
Publisher: Anchor
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Review by Snowdrop

When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.

The Nickel Boys is historical fiction. However, it is based on a true story of a reform school for boys located in Florida. The Dozier School for Boys was opened in 1900. Even with its rumors of abuse and cruelty as well as periodic investigations, this school changed the lives of or ended the lives of many boys throughout 111 years. The main character is a young black kid named Elwood. His journey through his time there made this seem very real. Sometimes it was hard to separate fact from fiction.

This brings up my need to say this is a hard book to read. It’s difficult to think such things could live in our society in front of our faces for so long. Whitehead is called a storyteller and there can be no question it’s the perfect description.

I think you could spend a long time mulling over whether this was a good or a bad book. I don’t think you will ever wonder if it is well-written because every page demonstrates what a talent this author has. In my mind it was a good book and one I needed to read; one everyone should read. A Pulitzer Prize book that needs to be added to the mandatory school reading list as a classic.

Difficult as some of this might be to face, don’t miss out on such an overwhelming yet special 5 star read.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

May 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods
Publisher: One More Chapter
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

‘The thing about books,’ she said, ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

What a great read. This is a read for booklovers, for mystery readers, and for plain old enjoyment. The beginning is about women who left homes on their own due to abuse and ill treatment. Though at different decades, both left at a time when a woman being alone was quite frightening. But there is much more to The Lost Bookshop. The players in this story are often in different decades. This creates many different conditions that each must face. We are allowed to live in each of these.

The generations of characters covered has as many twists and turns as the mystery of the bookshop does. And yet somehow, it all melds together. I am often not fond of chapter after chapter of varying characters, but somehow Evie Woods sews this all together in a seamless, beautiful story. Characters of generations apart are somehow intertwined and yet each has his or her own story. It was smooth when I thought it would be bumpy. It was just beautiful writing.

5 GIANT stars. You have to read this.

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Low April Sun by Constance E Squires

May 16, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Low April Sun by Constance E Squires
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
Genre: Historical, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Action/Adventure
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

On the morning of April 19, 1995, Delaney Travis steps into the Social Security office in Oklahoma City to obtain an ID for her new job. Moments later, an explosion shatters the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building into rubble. Her boyfriend Keith and half-sister Edie are left to assume the worst—that Delaney perished in the bombing, despite lack of definitive proof. Twenty years later, now married and bonded by the tragedy, Edie and Keith’s lives are upended when they begin to receive mysterious Facebook messages from someone claiming to be Delaney.

Desperate for closure, the couple embarks on separate journeys, each aiming for an artists’ community in New Mexico that may hold answers. Alongside their quest is August, a recovering alcoholic with a haunting connection to the bombing. Raised in the separatist compound of Elohim City, August harbors secrets about Timothy McVeigh, the perpetrator of the attack, and his own possible involvement in the tragedy. When his path crosses with Edie, he must choose whether to tell anyone about his past.

As the 20-year anniversary of the bombing approaches, fracking-induced earthquakes shake the ground of Oklahoma City, mirroring the unsettled lives of its residents. In their quest for answers, Edie, Keith, and August seek to understand how the shadows of the past continue to darken the present, as the ground beneath them threatens to give way once again.

Understanding the past, so one can move into the future.

Life is always more complicated than we mere mortals want to admit. Humans are a mess of contradictions, stories, lies and half-truths. I liked how the author wove all these into this story.

Being that I was alive during the time of the Oklahoma City Bombing, this book grabbed my attention. I wanted to see how the characters handled the situation and the aftermath. I liked that the author kept the stories of the various characters complicated and the mystery threaded through the story was good, too. It showed that life, as I said above, is complicated. There were times, though, where the story was a bit slow and it took some effort to get through it. Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood for this book and wasn’t ready for something this heavy. Other readers may absolutely love it, so don’t be deterred. There is intrigue to the story that will ensnare many readers.

If you want a different take on the events of the Oklahoma City Bombing, the aftermath and the people who lived through it, then this might be the book for you. Give it a try.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig

May 14, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

At the start of a new century, a shocking murder transfixes Manhattan, forcing bitter rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr to work together to save a man from the gallows.

Just before Christmas 1799, Elma Sands slips out of her Quaker cousin’s boarding house—and doesn’t come home. Has she eloped? Run away? No one knows—until her body appears in the Manhattan Well.

Her family insists they know who killed her. Handbills circulate around the city accusing a carpenter named Levi Weeks of seducing and murdering Elma.

But privately, quietly, Levi’s wealthy brother calls in a special favor….

Aaron Burr’s legal practice can’t finance both his expensive tastes and his ambition to win the 1800 New York elections. To defend Levi Weeks is a double win: a hefty fee plus a chance to grab headlines.

Alexander Hamilton has his own political aspirations; he isn’t going to let Burr monopolize the public’s attention. If Burr is defending Levi Weeks, then Hamilton will too. As the trial and the election draw near, Burr and Hamilton race against time to save a man’s life—and destroy each other.

The truth shall set you free. Or will it?

I’ve not picked up anything by Lauren Willig, but I liked the idea of a novelization of the Levi Weeks trial. I liked the idea of Burr and Hamilton arguing before the argument. It’s clear from my reading of this book that the author put a lot of research into the book, took plenty of time and care to ensure the characters were written as accurately as possible and tried to inject intrigue into the situation. I’m glad I read it.

What stayed with me after this book concluded wasn’t so much the trial or the characters. It was the way the trial and investigation happened. The investigation was done by the prosecution. In modern eyes, it looks bad that they’re the ones doing the investigating. Then there was victim shaming. That’s not gone away, even all these years later. It must be the victim’s fault for what happened to them. Sad that hasn’t changed much. These were the ways the intrigue worked well for the book. I have to say I wasn’t a fan of Levi, Hamilton or Burr. They all came off pompous and dry. I suppose that’s how they might have been in life, but it made that part of the book drag. Still, the trial of the century quality of the book was plenty of a hook to keep reading.

If you’re looking for a book with historical intrigue, fascinating situations and a mystery, then this might be the one for you.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Groomed by Jody Paschal

May 14, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Groomed by Jody Paschal
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Groomed is a dark comedy coming-of-age story about Myles “Mylo” Gunn, a middle-aged man turning 50 during the 2020 global pandemic and #MeToo Movement. With nothing but downtime with his thoughts, Mylo reflects on what’s next in this new chapter of his life. Little does he know that watching a news exposé about an older politician grooming a teenager to be her husband is going to give him an unexpected reality check. The exposé sounds awfully similar to how his first marriage went, and Mylo realizes that he was groomed, too. Completely shocked by this new revelation, Mylo takes a deep dive into his past. But his trip down memory lane takes an unexpected detour. Groomed is a humorous, intriguing look at how misperception and manipulation can influence growing into ourselves.

It’s never too late to begin the healing process.

Mylo’s character development was strong and nuanced. One of the things I found most intriguing about him was how his abusive relationship stunted his social and emotional development and how he tried to heal from that terrible experience. He was a fifty-year-old man who still sometimes acted like the seventeen year old he’d been when the grooming began. It is not easy to write a character who has this many layers to his personality, especially since the author allowed so many of those layers to be revealed subtly through the way the protagonist reacted to small irritations in life or reminders of his past. The care and concern that was taken with making sure every aspect of Mylo’s life was represented and that his pain never overshadowed his honest and hardworking personality is something this reader noticed and appreciated quickly. Bravo for making this look so effortless and trusting one’s audience to notice these brief but important moments!

I did find myself wishing that the secondary characters had been given more time to be developed, especially when it came to April. Her reason for targeting Mylo made sense, but I would have loved to see it explored in greater depth. For example, knowing what sort of logic she used to justify the manipulative and cruel way she treated him and other people in her life would have been helpful whether it might have been due to how her personality formed, any past trauma she may have experienced, or something else entirely.

One of the biggest questions I had when I began reading this book involved what the responses of the people closest to Mylo were going to be when they learned he was dating a twenty-five year old woman while he was still in high school. Shouldn’t they have all been alarmed and disgusted? The answers to this question kept me reading as his friends and family members each came to their own conclusions about what was going on and how they should best respond to it. No, I can’t spoil anything by going into detail there, but I thought these passages were equally well written and an intelligent snapshot of what different parts of society thought of such things in the 1980s when society was generally less aware of or sensitive to the ways in which young men can be abused by the women in their lives.

Groomed was a thoughtful take on an important topic.

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