Movie Review: Voicemails for Isabelle

August 10, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Voicemails for Isabelle written and directed by Leah McKendrick
Starring: Zoey Deutch, Nick Robinson, and Ciara Bravo
Publisher: Netflix
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars (8 on IMDB)
Reviewed by Astilbe

Jill leaves voice messages to her deceased sister telling her about her chaotic life in San Francisco. Unwittingly, a mysterious Austin TX real estate agent begins to receive their confessions.

Love has many faces.

Chronic illness isn’t a topic I‘ve seen covered in the romance genre very often, so I was immediately intrigued by Jill’s relationship with her sister who had a life-threatening health condition. While I don’t want to give away too many spoilers in this review, I can say that I loved the early segments that showed how their relationship had developed from childhood on through to adulthood and how the uncertainty and unfairness of life had shaped both of their personalities.

The final act did feel a little rushed to me, especially given how upset Jill had been with Wes earlier on. While this conflict between them was absolutely necessary in order for certain plot twists to play out later on, I would have liked to see a few more scenes showing how they worked things out so that the ending could have a few more layers to it and be even more satisfying for this viewer than it already was.

With that being said, I loved the chemistry between the two main characters. They had a lot in common and I enjoyed the slow burning romance that ignited between them as they got to know each other better while also juggling some serious life issues along the way. There was a nice mixture of themes included like complicated family relationships, grief, and the stress that comes from being in the wrong job that only made the romantic scenes all that much sweeter.

Voicemails for Isabelle was heartwarming and romantic.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Movie Review, Television Show Tagged With: , , , , , ,

An Unpardonable Act by Rhys Dylan (writing as Dylan Young)

August 7, 2026 By Leave a Comment


An Unpardonable Act by Rhys Dylan (writing as Dylan Young)
Publisher: Wyrmwood Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Truth is often buried where few dare to look.

A young girl disappears, echoing an unsolved murder from the past. The police think they’ve found their man, just as they had before. But they’ve already got it badly wrong once, forcing facts to fit a theory to convict an innocent man.

. Determined not to let that happen again, Detective Sergeant Anna Gwynne must go into the darkness that cloaks the worst of crimes and risk damaging herself in the process.

Can she get what she needs before another life is lost, or could the horror lead her down a path that puts her own life in grave danger?

DS Anna Gwynne works with a small team trying to re-investigate cold cases. The smaller team and slightly detached police work suits her well. But when their latest case is brought to them clouded with corruption and a distressing link to an extremely fresh case, and then Anna’s Inspector is sidelined she realizes perhaps too late that she’s been thrust into the deep end. And it’s time for Anna to stretch herself and start swimming through the mess.

I have been greatly enjoying this author’s Welsh based series and stumbled upon this reprinted older book of his quite by accident. I bought it from sheer curiosity and I wasn’t even half way through before I was quickly searching for more to order. This appears to be the first in a trilogy and while the main case and plotline is very well wrapped up within this book there are absolutely a few hooks – and a nefarious “bad guy” character – who I strongly feel will feature in the over-all arc of this trilogy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Anna’s character. Whip smart but also not your average police officer I was pleased as we learned more about her as the book progressed. Learning more about her was a good breath of fresh air against the at times emotionally heavy plotline. I found the plot to be layered and refreshing. I guessed at parts of mystery but found myself well surprised by a few other aspects of it so I really feel the author held a good balance here. I also really enjoyed that most of the puzzle was very logical (after you knew the answers – of course) and everything fit very well together without being obvious. I can very strongly recommend the mystery element of this story.

While I do feel some of the secondary team members could have been a little bit better fleshed out, I am hoping this will come to pass in the other two books of the trilogy. There was a lot of story crammed into this book and while more would have been nice a bloated book is not a good thing for anyone. So I understand this restraint.

A clever mystery, a nefarious bad guy and an excellent team with a strong female protagonist this is a great book and I’m eager to dive into the next two. Recommended.

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

When Death Calls by J M Dalgleish

August 6, 2026 By Leave a Comment


When Death Calls by J M Dalgleish
Publisher: Hamilton Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Blood is thicker than water… and runs just as freely…
When the body of a man is discovered face down one morning in the swimming pool of his upmarket family home, the team wonder if it is the result of a tragic accident or serious foul play.

DI Tom Janssen is currently suspended pending the outcome of the events at the close of his previous case. Using the time away from the office to consider his future, and how this will impact on his family life, Tom is invited to attend a school reunion which he reluctantly agrees to. Coming face to face with people he hasn’t seen in years leads to more than a reunion of old friendships. Some people find it hard to let go of the past while others foster long-held grudges. It isn’t long before Tom finds old feuds rekindled and scores that aim to be settled… one way or another.

Finding himself at the centre of a murder inquiry – only this time as a witness rather than an investigator – can he steer clear of the case or will temptation, and a search for the truth, be too much for him to ignore.

DI Tom Janssen is suspended and trying to make the best of his undesired time off. When his wife insists, they attend his high school reunion Tom is less than thrilled, but really has nothing else to pass the time with. Meeting back up with a bunch of people he hasn’t seen in decades might not be Tom’s idea of a good time, but he’s shocked when the following morning he hears that he’s now on the opposite side of a murder investigation – being a witness and possibly the last person to see the victim alive. Can Tom resist the impulse to help with the investigation?

I was thrilled when the author released another book in this series – it’s been a while – and I was delighted to read another investigation with Tom and his team. Even though Tom is suspended – and deeply unhappy about it – I admit that I was pleased to find Tom for the most part tried not to nudge his way into the investigation. Sure, he is deeply curious, and when a few tidbits of other people involved came his way he followed along. But I found it quite refreshing from other similar stories where he didn’t insert himself into the investigation or run his own shadow or side investigation.

I liked how Tom was clearly interested but also very respectful of his team conducting the proper police investigation. I found that quite refreshing.

Readers who enjoy a British police procedural murder mystery should find this a good book and quite easy to pick up. With Tom suspended from duty his team is all still present but not as “front and center” as usual so this is actually quite a good book to my mind to pick up if you haven’t read any of the previous installments or if you’re a few books behind in the series. A lot of this book focuses on Tom and on the characters and setting and not as much as usual on the rest of the team and their dynamics.

With a strongly plotted mystery and a number of interesting and layered characters I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable mystery book. Recommended.

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

Balancing the Woofs by Tara Choate

August 5, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Balancing the Woofs by Tara Choate
A Canine Accounting Caper #3
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Irene Lisner feels like her life is finally on track. Her sister Angie has moved hundreds of miles away. Her mother, Jennifer, appears to have followed Angie, so is rarely around. Goose, the new dog, is fun, and energetic, and the two are about to start agility training. Her MS symptoms look to be easing up. Work feels smooth, with no big cases on the horizon. She even has a boyfriend. It’s all too good to be true.
When she is assigned to help another department with a standard audit—the a non-standard review sends things into a downward spiral.

An unmarked plane crashes in the desert. A creature escapes from its burning wreckage, a byproduct of experiments in biological and chemical warfare—a cat.

As the multi-eyed feline mutant known as Kiki roams the Mojave Desert, terrorizing the crumbling town of Calpacia at its border, some seek to capture her. Gun-for-hire Salvadore Shaw, disgraced former Soviet Petrov and his group of mercenaries, and a professor and his chimpanzee assistant commence a vicious race to intercept Kiki’s rampage.

Who will survive the savagery of the Mojave Cat? Not many, if any.

Change is the only constant thing about life.

Irene’s relationship with her body is of my favorite aspects of this series. Like many other invisible illnesses, multiple sclerosis can grow worse or better with time. Seeing how the protagonist dealt with her symptoms and the uncertainty of how she’d feel a few days, weeks, or months in the future made everything else about her life feel more urgent. This isn’t a topic I see covered enough in fiction, so I was once again thrilled to find in this universe.

I did find myself wishing that Irene’s new dog, Goose, was given more time to shine. The previous books in this highlighted her relationship with a different pet of hers, and I was hoping for more canine-inspired conflict and humor than I found here. My fingers are crossed that any sequels in the works will include this as I’ve truly come to appreciate Irene as a character.

The ending was immensely satisfying, especially as it related to the many personal problems Irene was struggling with while she worked on this case. I liked the way she began to reorganize her life to better suit her limitations and am so curious to see how this works out for her in the future. While I don’t know if Ms. Choate has any personal experience with chronic illness and would certainly never ask her to divulge such personal information, I was impressed with how true to life these scenes felt to me as someone who has a disability. Everything from measuring out energy carefully on bad days to figuring out how to make sustainable changes for the sake of one’s health was beautifully described here, and I must tip my cap to the author for revealing a little bit of what goes on behind the scenes for some folks.

Balancing the Woofs was a gentle and heartwarming read.

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

Toll For the Dead by MS Morris

July 30, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Toll For the Dead by MS Morris
Publisher: Landmark Media
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A solemn funeral. A bitter schism. A brutal murder.

When the much-loved lord of the manor, Henry Burton, passes away, the villagers of Hambledon-on-Thames gather to pay their respects at his funeral. But the day is marred when the churchwarden is found brutally battered to death in the north transept of the church.

Called to investigate, Detective Inspector Bridget Hart soon unearths a tangled web of old grudges and simmering feuds beneath the tranquil idyll of this sleepy South Oxfordshire village.

Bridget and her team must look beyond the thatched cottages and rose-covered houses to uncover the truth and prevent another death.

Almost every villager in the small township of Hambledon-On-Thames have gathered for the funeral of the old squire. After the service, when the bell-ringers are doing their toll for the dead, the local churchwarden is brutally murdered as she cleans up after the service goers. Bridget and her team are called in to investigate – only to find this case has a number of complications.

I have found this to be an excellent addition to an enjoyable series. The ending really left me feeling as if the author plans to leave this series here. The final chapter or two really seemed to me to tie up a number of the more longer-running story arcs and leave this in a good place.

While this might be the final book in the series – I still feel that the story, and the murder plot in particular, really was well encapsulated in this book. While the team and a lot of the history between them working together has a longer reach than just this book I felt the author explained everything really well and there was a good flow to the story that means I do think readers should feel comfortable if they pick this book up having had no exposure to any of the previous stories.

I also enjoyed the fact this was a multi-layered plot and held my attention throughout the book. There were some interesting secondary characters and quite a few different wheels turning so I found myself invested and interested throughout the story.

For a solidly written British police procedural style of mystery this is an excellent author and a book I can definitely recommend.

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

Death in Little Puddlebury by B.L. Bandy

July 29, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Death in Little Puddlebury by B.L. Bandy
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

Harriet Harbottle came to Little Puddlebury for peace, quiet, and perhaps the chance to write the sort of cozy mysteries she once edited for London’s famed publishing house, Wetherby & Finch.

Instead, she finds a corpse.

At the village spring fete, Harriet purchases a battered Edwardian ledger from a table of unwanted books. Hidden inside is a forgotten will tied to the grand manor house of Swincombe Hollow. The document threatens to overturn generations of inheritance and expose secrets the village has long preferred buried.

Before Harriet can learn more, the village solicitor is found dead in his office. The police call it an unfortunate accident. Harriet is not convinced.

With the help of her loyal Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Bramble, an endlessly gossiping neighbor named Gladys, and a foul-tempered stray cat who despises rain, Harriet begins untangling the history of Swincombe Hollow and the people desperate to keep its past concealed.

But in Little Puddlebury, old money hides sharp teeth behind polished smiles. And someone is willing to kill to keep a dead woman’s final wishes
from coming to light.

Harriet Harbottle is a retired book editor having moved into a cottage left to her by her aunt in a village named…you guessed it…Little Puddlebury. This is the perfect English cozy in a little English village. Not the stuffy type of village, but definitely the “let me put the kettle on dear” type. Puddlebury is a place where everything is everyone’s business. In fact, Harriet finds they sometimes know what she is going to do before she does it.

This is a well-written, quick 170+ pages. The characters are quite visible, and a few have their own personalities. I did find it a bit slow now and then but not enough to stop me reading it. What did keep me reading it was Harriet’s delightful bit of sarcasm and humor and her wonderful King Spaniel named Bramble.

This is Book 1 in the series, and it looks as if Book 2 is already published. I’ll have to see what Harriet and Bramble get into next.

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

The Dark One by Angela Knight

July 28, 2026 By Leave a Comment


The Dark One by Angela Knight
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Dark Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Kaska means to make Matia the centerpiece in an erotic ritual to honor his Dark god.

Matia of Ruza is one of the legendary Battlemaids — a woman warrior who has taken an oath of celibacy in service of the Maid of Light. When mercenary Kaska of Artane helps Matia defeat a gang of brigands, the two become partners.

Matia finds her oath of celibacy tested by her handsome Shieldmate’s erotic appeal. But Kaska means to do more than test her. He worships the Dark One, and he wants to make Matia the centerpiece in a sizzling erotic ritual in honor of his god.

But first, he must defeat her in combat — and win her heart.

Matia is a legendary Battlemaid, a warrior woman who has taken an oath of celibacy. She meets Kaska, a mercenary, when he assists her to defeat a gang of brigands and the two become partners on the road. Matia is tempted by Kaska – but holds firm to her vows. Only Kaska has other plans in mind. Can he defeat her in battle and win her heart?

This is a short but seriously steamy book and one I most thoroughly enjoyed. From Kaska and Matia’s first meeting their chemistry is clear and enjoyable. Matia is a fierce and strong woman – everything I can enjoy in a modern heroine despite the fantasy/old style books setting. I especially enjoyed how even though Kaska and Matia had some sizzle from their first moment, they each understood timing was important. They each had their own paths and duties so this gave the reader a little time to enjoy watching them interact together as equals and dance around each other for a while.

Readers who like their spicy romance a little on the darker side – but not too dark – should find this a good fit. There are a number of darker elements here (BDSM, spanking, capture etc) but they weren’t written too harshly, or included for shock value. These aspects of the story were clearly woven into the fabric of the plot and characters and were quite tastefully handled. This story is dark, yes, but still spicy, sexy and a pleasure to read. Readers maybe looking to dip a toe into the newer Dark Fantasy genre might find this a good, quick story to see if this style of book is up their street.

Readers looking for a short but seriously smoking hot sexy read should find this a delectable book to indulge in. Filled with Fantasy, two strong characters and enough sizzle to set you on fire this is a fun read that’s sure to add some spice into your day. Recommended.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , ,

Golems of Beithir by Michal Snaerravn

July 27, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Golems of Beithir by Michal Snaerravn
Publisher: Tellwell Publishing
Genre: Fantasy
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

Amnon returns in the second volume of The Chronicles of Hadúr: The Golems of Beithir. The Blood Wars have begun as the races fight for control of Hell’s Gate. Beithir is no longer alone, and the full power of the Druid Council now stands behind him to tighten the Druids’ grip on the region. Beithir has been assigned one final task: eliminate the Demonblood Amnon. He will draw on the Dark Assassins and forbidden powers as he battles the Dark Gods shielding young Amnon.

Golems of Beithir continues the story that began in Curse of Ashmedei and follows the adventures of Amnon and his companions as they attempt to prevent Beithir and the Druid council to control Hell’s Gate. Though technically it could be read without reading the first book, as the author does a good job of including some backstory, I believe it would be a far better read if the books are read in order. In fact, there’s a third book, The Mist of Akhlys that I plan to buy and will spend a weekend reading all three books so I can get the complete story at once, rather than breaking up the trilogy.

Even with that, I thoroughly enjoyed Golems of Beithir and its nonstop action, as well as getting to know all the many characters Mr. Snaerravn has created in this epic fantasy. The battle scenes are wonderfully done–to the extent I felt like I was watching them on a big screen instead of reading them. I loved the descriptions of the characters and could very easily visualize them – especially Amnon. I would love to see what the character artists could do with them. Netflix, are you listening?

If you like epic fantasy like Lord of the Rings, give this series a try!

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

Hillary’s Final Case by Faith Martin

July 22, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Hillary’s Final Case by Faith Martin
Publisher: Joffe Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Can Hillary finally close the case of the missing young women?

Can she take down one of Oxfordshire’s most wanted criminals?

Can she handle her new boss?

Can she help one of her team get answers on his long lost sister?

And will she really get married and leave her beloved boat?

FIND OUT THE ANSWERS IN THE FINAL HILLARY GREENE BOOK!

Hillary Greene has returned to Thames Valley Police HQ, acting as a cold-case consultant for the Crime Review Team, looking into murders which the police have never been able to solve.

This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from start to the absolutely thrilling conclusion.

Hillary’s life is reaching another changing point – with a new boss, a new series of linked missing girl cases and a huge change in her personal life. Can Hillary keep her wits about her as things reach their inevitable tipping point?

I was pleased to see that – despite the title – this is not the final book in the series. The author had taken a sabbatical from the series so it was quite a relief to find there are still a few more books to come.

Retired DI Hillary Greene has been solving cold cases for a while now, but her last case opened a can of worms that I was pleased to see take center stage in this book. This particular plot has been percolating a while in the background and I found it deeply satisfying to see it all come to a head. I was even quite impressed I guessed some of these answers myself though there was still plenty of mystery to keep me eagerly turning the pages.

I do feel this book can be enjoyed by itself – but have to admit readers who have read some of the previous installments might find a greater emotional connection and satisfaction than someone just picking the book up on a whim. This is quite a culmination and having read the series myself I could see some of the hooks and I grasped the slightly different sense this book had.

Readers who enjoy a British police procedural mystery should find this a solid read with a good and complicated plot and a fresh, somewhat modern take on the regular mystery. I have been greatly enjoying this whole series and found this an excellent addition. Recommended.

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

Awareness: Listening Deeply-A Journey into Presence, Perception, and the Sacred Language of Life by Tiberius Ryuu

July 21, 2026 By Leave a Comment


Awareness: Listening Deeply-A Journey into Presence, Perception, and the Sacred Language of Life by Tiberius Ryuu
Path of Becoming #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What if awareness is not something to be achieved — but remembered?
In a world that rewards distraction and constant motion, Awareness: Listening Deeply invites us to return to stillness, to reawaken the art of attention, and to rediscover the quiet wisdom already living within us.

This book is the second in The Path of Becoming series — a sacred journey designed to help readers restore connection to themselves, to others, and to the living world. While it builds upon the principles of Acceptance, it also stands fully on its own as a guide to presence, perception, and intuitive understanding.

Through gentle teachings, reflective essays, and simple daily practices, Awareness explores:

The Practice of Stillness — how quiet allows truth to surface.

Listening to the Body — learning to trust somatic wisdom as guidance.

Emotional Literacy — transforming feelings into understanding through awareness.

The Language of Symbols and Synchronicity — recognizing life’s sacred communication.

Awareness in Relationship — seeing others as mirrors for our own growth.

Grounding and Centering — staying rooted amid life’s constant change.

Living with Attentiveness — making awareness a daily devotion.

Each chapter concludes with a reflection — a single phrase or meditation that captures the heart of its teaching — and practical exercises to help integrate awareness into ordinary life.

At its core, this book is about learning to listen. To listen not only with the ears but with the body, the heart, and the soul. To notice the subtle threads connecting all things. To discover that awareness is not a skill to master, but a relationship to nurture — one that deepens each time we pause, breathe, and choose presence.

Whether you are beginning your healing journey or walking an established spiritual path, Awareness: Listening Deeply offers a quiet companion for the inward traveler. It will guide you toward a grounded, embodied understanding of yourself and the world — where attention becomes devotion, and every moment becomes sacred.

The truth will always be revealed eventually.

I deeply appreciated the focus that was placed on listening to one’s body and caring for it physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This is something that can be especially difficult for some people who have endured any type of trauma or abuse that lead them to pull away from what was happening to their physical form in the past, so what seemed like a simple technique at first glance could be more complicated to put into practice in one’s daily life.

Once again, I did find myself wishing that the author had gone into deeper detail about how to use the techniques in his book to not only develop greater awareness but to continue this pattern over a long period of time. Techniques ranging from body scan meditations to paying close attention to the sensory experience of eating a simple meal were mentioned, but few of them were explained more thoroughly. My hope is that later instalments in the series will share practical tips for how to make this change as I’m quite interested in Mr. Ryuu’s perspective of the world in general and think he has some fascinating ideas about how to gradually but permanently change one’s life for the better.

Some of the most meaningful passages in my opinion were the ones that gave examples of how to remain aware and continue to live in the moment while going through one’s ordinary daily routine. Figuring how to do this while also working, volunteering, caring for relatives, looking after their own health and well being, and doing the million and other tasks the average adult often needs to do on a typical day is where lofty ideals are put to the test. The self-help genre works best when it approaches problems from the perspective of the average person if you ask me!

This is the second instalment in a series that I’d recommend reading in order. Healing takes time and effort, and the first book shares some important coping techniques that I believe one should be familiar with before moving onto step two.

Awareness – Listening Deeply-A Journey into Presence, Perception, and the Sacred Language of Life deserves to be savored slowly. It was filled with wisdom and hope for readers who are struggling with many different types of trauma.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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