The Trouble with Magic (A Bewitching Mystery #1) By: Madelyn Alt

the trouble with magic

The Trouble with Magic (A Bewitching Mystery #1) By: Madelyn Alt

Plot:

Antiques-shop clerk Maggie O’Neill was a little weirded out when she discovered her new boss Felicity was a witch. But when Felicity becomes the suspect in a local murder, Maggie must enlist Felicity’s Wiccan friends for help–and discover her own spellbinding talent.

Review:

The title really should have been The Trouble with Magick. This is not a supernatural book, this is a Wiccan cozy mystery. There’s a huge difference. If you’re looking for magic spells and flashy supernatural fixes then you’ve come to the wrong place. All the magic that is referenced in this book is based on Wiccan beliefs, magick. It’s possible in the next books that changes, but nothing in this book seemed out of the realm of what Wiccans believe.

Set in a small town that is apparently ruled by the Catholic Church, at least that’s how it feels, there’s a lot of bigotry against people with different beliefs and evidently the Wiccans are the only ones that are able to think with open minds. That turns out not to be true in the end and, I’m not sure if the author intended this, Maggie ends up being as close minded as those she is judging.

The killer seemed fairly obvious and I got tired of Maggie trying to force the clues to fit who she thought it was, she was more than a bit pigheaded. Also, for someone that spent a lot of time driving around in her car thinking she didn’t learn a lot.

She currently has two love interest, a police officer and another Wiccan. The police officer comes off as a bigot but for whatever reason Maggie is still really into him. It turns out that he was more than he seemed, but the book just kind of threw that at you at the end, so I’m left wondering if Maggie is a reliable narrator. The second love interest is the nephew of a librarian Maggie knows and uses to get info from, he also apparently was in the military but learned nothing about guns.

It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but the book was alright and I plan on at least reading the next in the series.

3/5

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins #1) By: H.P. Mallory

Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble (Jolie Wilkins #1) By: H.P. Mallory

Plot:

A self-deprecating witch with the unique ability to reanimate the dead. A dangerously handsome warlock torn between being her boss and her would-be lover. A six hundred year old English vampire with his own agenda; one that includes an appetite for witches. The Underworld in a state of chaos. Let the games begin. Life isn’t bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn’t have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend. Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she’s a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost’s demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life! Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the Underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand.

Review:

Super frustrated by this book. I’m not sure why, but I was excited to read this, I should have tempered my expectations after I read the first book in the Dulcie O’Neil series, also by Mallory.

All the character flaws I disliked in Dulcie were amplified in Jolie. She was stupid, emotional, and seemingly incapable of a logical thought. She only ever reacted to what was going on and almost never did anything to further the story herself.

I think the reason I hated her so much is because she reminds me of girls who rely completely on others to take care of them, and do nothing to prepare themselves for the future when someone will not be there and they’ll be on their own. I don’t understand people like that, they’re so helpless and in books they always seem to fail up.

She has almost no curiosity. She’s just been told she’s part of this strange new world and while she is being tutored, she evidently isn’t taking any initiative and asking questions that apply to herself. For someone who comes off as self-absorbed she doesn’t try to figure out anything about herself or her place in the world.

When she joins in on conversations I felt like slapping her because she was so stupid. It’s as though she wasn’t paying attention to anything that was going on and just said something relevant to the current conversation, but not taking into consideration everything that she should have already learned.

I’m not sure how I finished this book, it took forever. The ending brought yet another man infatuated with Jolie and all of a sudden she has a huge magical gift and is able to defeat a fairy turned dragon securing the fairies aid in the coming war. Once again a stupid, vapid girl somehow saves the day.

1/5

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3 Episode 1 – ABC Tuesday @ 8 EST

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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 3 Episode 1 – ABC Tuesday @ 8 EST

I was prepared to write a blog post about how I was unimpressed with Fall TV so far. Everything I’ve watched has been pretty meh, which I’m really sad about, however this episode of S.H.I.E.L.D. brought my hype back up for this show.

I’ve kept S.H.I.E.L.D. on the roster because I really love the Marvel universe, but I’ve never been a huge fan of the show. It’s had moments I’ve really liked, but not much that I really loved and I can’t think of anything that’s blown me away. This episode made me excited for the season to come, though.

Maybe it’s all the other underwhelming TV I’ve watched or maybe it’s because this episode seemed more than just filler for upcoming movies, whatever the case I hope it continues and I’m really looking forward to next week’s episode.

Shows I’ve Already Dropped:

Moonbeam City – Comedy Central – It’s a futuristic 80s Archer. None of that’s bad, however I felt like it was too much Archer and if I wanted that I’d watch it. I didn’t even finish the first episode.

The Muppets – ABC – First episode was eh, second episode didn’t even make me smile, don’t feel like watching anymore.

Heroes Reborn – NBC- See previous post

Shows that are on the edge:

Gotham – Fox- Never been a huge fan of prequels but for some reason I watched the last season and it was alright. I’m not as lenient this season, though, so they’ll need to find a way to keep me.

Minority Report- Fox- This is petty of me and I genuinely feel bad for people that are working on this show, but I’m glad the ratings aren’t good. I really miss my Almost Human.

 

Read it and Weep (Library Lover’s Mystery #4) By: Jenn McKinlay

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Read it and Weep (Library Lover’s Mystery #4) By: Jenn McKinlay

Plot:

Answering Shakespeare trivia comes with the job description for library director Lindsey Norris. But when the Briar Creek Community Theater mounts their newest production of the Bard, she has no intention of leaving the stacks for the stage. Unfortunately a villain is waiting in the wings… Former Broadway actress Violet La Rue is holding auditions for A Midsummer Night’s Dream—and everyone from the sour spinster librarian Ms. Cole to Lindsey’s youthful library pages are trying out for parts. Brought in to play the mischievous Puck is the flirtatious professional actor Robbie Vine, who seems to have eyes for Lindsey. Before her blush has faded, the Bard’s dream turns into a nightmare—when one of the cast is poisoned. Now Lindsey and her crafternooners must take center stage to unmask the culprit before the final curtain call…

Review:

OMG the tension between Lindsey and Sully was crazy! It was like a romance and I honestly didn’t care about the mystery I just wanted to read scenes with these two. SPOILER There was no satisfying ending with them and it looks like McKinlay will be spreading the relationship issues through another book.

Even with the distraction of Lindsey/Sully I guessed the ending fairly quickly but I still enjoyed it and it’s not something done too frequently. I did find it annoying that a love triangle has been introduced, again. She just got rid of her ex-husband and now another man turns up. He’s not a bad guy either, really tired of love triangles.

The side characters didn’t play as big a part in this book, but that could just be me only remembering the heat between Lindsey and Sully.

I really love this series.

For some reason neither library system I have access to has the next book in this series, so I’ll have to search my used book stores or wait until I have some cash.

4.5/5

Heroes Reborn Mini-Series (2015)

Heroes: Reborn - Season 1

Heroes Reborn Mini-Series (2015)

Network:

NBC

Starring:

Jack Coleman

Gatlin Green

Ryan Guzman

Robbie Kay

Zachary Levi

Plot:

A year ago, a terrorist attack in Odessa, Texas left the city decimated. Blamed for the tragic event, those with extraordinary abilities are in hiding or on the run from those with nefarious motives.

Review:

I think I would have preferred an outright reboot to a mini-series that picks up two seasons after I dropped the original show. Since I did stop watching around the beginning of the third season I’m not sure if things would have been clearer if I was up to date. I honestly planned on watching the first four seasons before this aired, but never got around to it.

With all the other superhero shows that I’m already watching Heroes Reborn was going to have to be pretty awesome for me to pick it up. Sadly it was more of the whole save the girl, save the world business. Maybe I didn’t like it because I wasn’t up to date, but I don’t think so.

The two hour season premiere asked a ton of questions, I think they were expecting me to already be invested in the world and want the answers, sadly I do not. There was also the horrible “video game” story line that was going on that turned me off as well. That part was set in Tokyo, why the hell didn’t they make it look like anime?

Whatever, if there’d been some new characters I was interested in I might have stuck around, but nobody really grabbed me. For a moment I thought maybe I’d watch it for Zachary Levi but I hated the character of his wife, she was just so guns blazing stupid. I will say I read a theory online that those two aren’t really married and based on the premiere I think that’s probably true.

I’m actually sad that I’m dropping this show, but I see no reason to stick around. This Fall season has been really rough, even my returning shows aren’t blowing me away. Maybe I’ve finally met my TV limit.

2/5