5 Halloween Reading Treats

by Donna Huber

We only have 3 more weekends until Halloween, so we are going to feature a series of books to get you ready. We will start off with some Halloween Treats - fun reads including paranormal cozy mysteries, cozy fantasy, and paranormal romance. Do you lean more towards fun Halloween or scary Halloween?

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Free Friday Read: Rendezvous at Jumbo Pass by Nowick Gray

Keeping with yesterday's theme of non-beach summer reads, today we have a twisted tale of wilderness adventure for your Friday Free Read. This one is short, so it would be great for that mid-hike lunch break.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. The ebook was free at the time of posting. Please verify the price before purchasing.

2 Entertaining Novels You Will Want to Read

by Donna Huber

Do you ever read outside your comfort zone? I occasionally dip my toe in genres that I think aren't really my thing just to see if my tastes have changed. After all, there are foods I wouldn't touch when I was a kid but love now (and vice versa). Two books that I recently read were on the edges of what I normally read and I have to tell you I really enjoyed them. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Catchpenny by Charlie Huston ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Sidney Catchpenny has depression and squandered his reputation as one of the best thieves in LA. Sid is a sly, with the uncanny ability to move through mirrors. He steals imbued and magical items, which are the currency of the criminal underground and the secret source of magic. A friend from Sid's past comes looking for help, and offers a chance to repay old debts. This is a much more complicated case than he thought it would be. As his depression lifts, Sid sees connections everywhere he looks, and everything starts coming together.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Sarah is a shy freshman who largely doesn't fit in with the rest of her class. When she meets Katrina and Alicia who are in their own ways on the fringes, she finds the place she fits. Together they discover magic but on the night they decide to secure their futures their fates are sealed as the spell goes wrong. Now on the 20th anniversary of the big fire, the three witches reunite for the first time. Can they control the magic this time?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Hover by Amy McNulty ~ an Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

Nimue's grandmother announces her retirement just days before a big book expo. That's not a problem since the convention center is in Cauldron Cove and run by witches. They can have the expo set up with a mere swish of their wands. No, the problem is that her grandmother has appointed Nimue and her nemesis co-managers. How will they ever work together? When a famous author winds up dead they'll have no choice but to set aside their difference if they want to save the convention center.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The world Sangu Mandanna has created is similar to our own. Here witches exist but they must hide their powers from regular people and even hide from one another. All witches are orphaned at birth or soon after as an old curse causes the parents to die. They grow up largely in isolation as it is dangerous for witches to gather together - their magical powers will draw attention. Mika Moon keenly feels this isolation and never stays in one place too long so as to not form an attachment to anyone. The only time she gathers with other witches is on the third Thursday every third month and it is in largely desolate places. How long, though, can she hide herself away without totally losing who she is?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke ~ a Review & Excerpt

by MK French

In 1998, single mother Liv is hired to paint a mural in a decommissioned lighthouse in Scotland. She sees it as a new start with her three daughters Sapphire, Luna, and Clover. The cave beneath the lighthouse once held witches condemned to death, and there is a local legend of wildlings mimicking the children that had gone missing. Then the unthinkable happens and two of her daughters disappear. Twenty-two years later, Luna had been searching for her missing mother and sisters when her younger sister Clover is found. The thing is, Clover was found in Scotland at the exact same age she was when she went missing.

 Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Broomsticks and Board Games by Amy McNulty, Read by Danielle Daly ~ an #Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

I love all kinds of cozy mysteries but I don't usually read paranormal cozy except around Halloween. This past year I was so busy with other ARCs that I didn't get to do my normal Halloween reading so when I saw the audiobook of Broomsticks and Board Games at Audiobookwork Promotions I decided to give it a try.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

1 Flew Over the Raven's Nest by JB Lynn ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

During the pandemic, JB Lynn published a chapter a day as she wrote a new book in a brand new series. Then when she finished, it was edited and turned into an ebook. Since I've loved everything I've read by Lynn (I read all her books except for 3 or 4), I wanted to follow along online, but I was swamped at work and behind in my ARCs. So I read it the finished product instead.

6 More Fantasy Novels to Read

by MK French

Last week, I shared 5 books for fans of young adult fantasy that I had read recently. Today, I have 6 more fantasy novels to recommend. 5 of these books are more for adults but as many fantasy novels are enjoyed regardless of the target audience age I also included one young adult novel. 

A Spell of Murder by Kennedy Kerr ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Long-time readers of Girl Who Reads know that I don't read horror. But in October I like to read something to get me into the Halloween season. Sometimes it is a terrifying thriller and other years it is paranormal cozy mysteries. Since I've been on a cozy mystery binge this year, I picked up A Spell of Murder at NetGalley to get me ready for Halloween.

Dead Witch on a Bridge by Gretchen Galway ~ a Review

by MK French

Alma had never been able to kill demons for the Protectorate, so she stayed in Silverpool, a small town that's fairly isolated. She had always been able to see and hear the fae, unlike other Witches, and one draws her to the body of her dead ex. There's an influx of attention in Silverpool now, including her infamous father, who is a magical thief, ambitious Witches, dangerous fae and a charming demon. Tensions are rising in the magical community, and Alma has to find the killer before the upcoming deaths include hers.

Ascension by E.A. Weston ~ a Review

by MK French

Reagan Lunasa had gone between the human and fairy world of Avalon and is determined to help her true love, the prince of Avalon. There is still doubt about their bond because of her humanity, as well as the risk of other fairies actually working for Connor to help him keep the throne. It's going to be a question of war, and she's determined to help.

3 Books for Fans of Romantic Fantasy

by MK French

Romantic fantasy is a popular sub-genre of fantasy. It is particularly popular with the young adult demographic but there are plenty for the adult reader as well. The explosion of paranormal romance, which is actually a sub-genre of romance, has somewhat eclipsed the romantic fantasy in the public eye. However, sometimes these subgenres blur the lines and are often enjoyed by the same reader. So there is a paranormal romance thrown into this list.

Halloween Reads: Horror & Paranormal Fantasy Edition

by MK French

It that time of year for all things scary, creepy, macabre, and other-worldly. Here's a list of books that range from supernatural thriller to fairytale fantasy to horror. If you prefer lighter fun in your Halloween reads, then check out Donna's list of paranormal cozy mysteries.

Halloween Reads: Paranormal Cozy Mysteries

by Donna Huber

Cooler weather has finally arrived in the south and what pairs better with a cozy blanket than a cozy mystery. Since Halloween is around the corner I decided to indulge in some paranormal cozy mysteries as I prefer the fun side of Halloween. As paranormal isn't something I usually read, I went to my favorite best sellers list at Amazon and stocked up on free paranormal cozy mysteries. As you know it can be hit or miss on on the freebies. Here's a look the cozies I've read this month to see if they were trick or treats!

Night and Silence by Seanan McGuire ~ a Review #MondayBlogs

by MK French

In the aftermath of Amandine's betrayal, Toby and her fragile found family have fallen apart. She does what she does best: continues to play Faerie's knight errant and ignore the tangled knot of feelings she feels unable to unravel. That never really works for long, and this time it's because her human daughter Gillian was abducted. There are signs of Fae involvement everywhere, and so few fae actually remembered that she actually had a daughter. This means it's part of a larger conspiracy, and it's a race to find Gillian before she pays with her life.

Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill ~ A Review #MondayBlogs

by MK French

Elisa Sullivan is the only vampire child that had ever been born. She is regarded like royalty in Chicago, so she had gone to get her education in Paris and experience what it was like to be an ordinary vampire. She volunteered to be part of one of the European vampire houses, following their tradition of a year of service in exchange for sponsorship in education. As a result, when Chicago vampires host European delegates from multiple houses to try to broker a peace treaty as the supernatural creatures of Chicago have. Unfortunately, one of the Spanish delegates is slain and a Chicago werewolf if blamed for the deed. Elisa had known the shifter and is aware that he was framed. Trying to prove his innocence opens old conflicts and puts Chicago in danger.

3 Novels for Fantasy Fans

by MK French

Fantasy is a huge genre and today I have magical realism, paranormal and epic. Do you have a preferred subgenre of fantasy?