Reiki Attunements and Lani's Passing

On March 31, 2016 I received my Reiki attunements from Lisa Powers.  I'd been wanting to study Reiki for years but only now acted on it.  Ever since Lani died, which I'll explain in a moment, things have been changing in my life.  I'm now studying things I've wanted to learn for years, and it feels great.

Every year on my birthday (and on hers and on Mother's Day) I called my birthmom, Lani.  I've only met her once, but we kept in touch through the mail and via phone calls.  This year, however, six days before my birthday Lani died.  She had gone into the hospital on Friday, February 19, with internal bleeding, and she had a small heart attack.  They were going to take her into exploratory surgery on Saturday to find out where she was bleeding from, but she wasn't stable enough for the procedure.  I found out when my sister, Christine, contacted me on Sunday.  I was waiting to hear back from her on Monday, but when she called it was with the worst news.  Lani had passed away on February 22.  

This woman who had been such a huge part of my life, even before I knew who she was, was gone.  But I don't feel sad.  I feel closer to her than ever.  Before, we were separated by geography.  Now, she is right here with me.  I can still see her smile and hear her laughter.  I love her, and I know she's watching over me.  And smiling.

  

Books Read - March 2016

Brown, Carolyn

• The Ladies’ Room *****

Fiction.  Trudy is attending her great-aunt Gert’s funeral, when a trip to the ladies’ room changes her life forever.  Off with the old and on to the new.

Connor, Kerri

• Ostara *****

Non-fiction.  Exploring the history, rituals, and new celebrations of Ostara.

Field, Greg

• Red Dirt White Bones *****

Fiction.  First in the Replacement Girl mystery series set in Hawai’i.  Detective Kai Akuna-Aki is having a rough time at work after the death of his partner.  He meets young and precocious Ka’ena Reynolds, who is looking for some stability in her life.  She wants to find out who killed her older sister, and Kai’s the person she turns to for help.  As his last case on the police force, Kai agrees to help her, putting his job and reputation on the line.

Kingsbury, Kate

• Death is in the Air ****

Fiction.  Lady Elizabeth Hartleigh is having her hair cut, ,when a German plane crash lands on the beach.  The young German pilot has managed to parachute to safety, but he is quickly surrounded by the townsfolk.  He manages to elude them and is thought to be hiding in the woods.  The next morning Elizabeth learns that a local land girl has been murdered, and the townsfolk believe the German pilot is the culprit.

Lawhead, Stephen

• Hood *****

Fiction.  A tale of Robin Hood as told in the guise of Bran ap Brychan, Prince of Elfael of Wales.  Bran’s father, the king, has been killed, and Bran is expected to pick up the reins of the realm and help save his people from the Ffreinc, who are slowly extending their reign over England.  They want Wales now, but with a warrant out for Bran, all he can think about is escape.  And then he meets Angharad, a mysterious woman who teaches him who he really is.

Maguire, Gregory

• After Alice **

Fiction.  Ada Boyce’s best and only friend is Alice Kingsleigh who had fallen down the rabbit hole.  Ada goes in search of her friend, only to find herself sliding down the same rabbit hole.  In the meantime, Alice’s sister Lydia is searching for Alice.  She teams up with Ada’s governess, Miss Armstrong, who is searching for Ada.

McNeal, Laura Lane

• Dollbaby ****

Fiction.  It’s 1964, and the south is in the midst of the Civil Rights movement.  A young girl by the name of Liberty Bell gets dropped off at her grandmother’s house in New Orleans.  A grandmother she’s never met but was raised to fear.  As her mother drives away, Ibby doesn’t realize it’s the last time she’ll ever see her mom.

Reilly, LeAnn Neal

• Grounding Magic ****

Fiction.  Second book in The Mermaid’s Pendant magical realism duo.  Tamarind, her husband John, and their daughter Sarah, have moved to Cheltham, MA for John’s new job with a start-up medical company.  When Tamarind sees John with his ex-girlfriend, Zöe, her fears for their marriage emerge, and their lives spiral out of control.

Spinella Laura

• Ghost Gifts ****

Fiction.  Aubrey has a special gift.  She can communicate with the dead.  Often the encounters go peacefully, but every now and then they turn evil.  When the remains of a long lost woman are revealed, Aubrey is assigned to assist the lead reporter.  A man has spent twenty years in prison for a crime that Aubrey isn’t positive he committed, and she uses her gift to solve the mystery.

Weir, Andy

• The Martian *****

Fiction.  Mark Watney is abandoned on Mars.  The rest of his crew assumed he is dead, but he is very much alive.  Alone.  Surviving off his skills in botany and mechanical engineering, he is determined to stay alive as long as possible.

Books Read - February 2016

Austen, Jane

• Pride and Prejudice ***

Fiction.  Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters are looking for husbands, but when she meets Mr. Darcy, she can’t think of a worse candidate.  He’s rude and obnoxious and oh so arrogant.  But time goes on, and she sees a  different side of his character, but does he still want to marry her?

Baugniet, Gail M.

• Mystery in Paradise ****

Fiction. 13 tales of mystery set in the Hawaiian Islands.

Blake, Deborah

• Wickedly Powerful *****

Fiction.  Fifth book in the Baba Yaga series.  Bella has parked her caravan in the National Forest.  She’s taking time off after helping firefighting teams up north but is unaware that her skill will still be required in her new location.  Sam is an ex-firefighter who battles with PTSD and survivor guilt after losing his entire team in a fire, including his fiancee.  He now works as a fire spotter, and his and Bella’s paths are about to become entangled.

Chambers, Meg

• Wilde Women ****

Fiction.  Second in thee Winnie Wilde erotic romance series.  Winnie is still seeing Ben, but she meets a handsome doctor on a visit to Florida to spend time with her mother.  Winnie and Gabe hit it off, and they have quite the torrid encounter.  When Winnie has to return to her home in California, Gabe asks her to be in a unique romantic relationship.

Cornwell, Bernard

• The Winter King ****

Fiction.  A tale of King Arthur as told by one of his soldiers who later became a Christian and a monk.

Feehan, Christine

• Magic in the Wind ****

Fiction.  First in the Drake Sisters paranormal romance series.  Damon Wilder has moved to Sea Haven to get away from his past.  He lives almost as a hermit, not wanting to interact with the townspeople...until Sarah comes home.  As if by magic, he is drawn to the house on the cliffs, whose gate remains padlocked against trespassers, until one day he walks up to find the gate standing wide open, as if inviting him in.

Galenorn, Yasmine

• Darkness Raging *****

Fiction.  Menolly D’Artigo and her wife, Nerissa, are called to Roman’s office to meet with his mother, Blood Wyne, Queen of the Vampire Nation.  They are informed that they will be marrying Roman and will become princesses, even though Nerissa is not a vampire.  Telazhar continues his Earthside attacks in search of spirit seals, and the sisters and their extended family must be prepared for war.

Gober, Rebecca

• Night Marchers **

Fiction.  First in the Night Marchers series.  Emma is upset when her father uproots her to move from Texas to Kaua’i, but she quickly acclimates to her new surroundings when she meets the boy next door, Tristan, son of the caretaker.  She falls for him right off, but he soon has to leave for the Army Reserves, and Emma is left to explore the island on her own.  Disregarding the warnings about going into the forest at night, she ends up in a nightmare when she encounters the feared Night Marchers.

Kondo, Marie

• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up ***

Non-fiction.  The KonMari Method of tidying and uncluttering a house.

Lu, Marie

• Legend ****

Fiction.  Book one in the Legend series.  Day is a fugitive who steals money to buy a plague cure for his little brother.  June is a daughter of the Republic, charged with upholding the law.  When Day breaks into the hospital to steal some cure, an accident ensures that his and June’s paths with be dangerously entwined.

Mild, Rosemary & Larry

• Cry Ohana ***

Fiction.  Kekoa witnesses the murder of his uncle by his uncle’s business partner, Red Murphy.  Frightened for his life, Kekoa spends the next two years on the street having no contact with his grandmother or his sister.  His life seems to be stabilizing as a Japanese baker and his wife take the boy in, but Red is still on the lookout for Kekoa and is willing to stop at nothing to destroy the boy.

Neal, Carl F.

• Imbolc *****

Non-fiction.  Rituals, recipes, craft, and lore for the Imbolc Sabbat.

Neal, Toby

• Paradise, Passion, Murder *****

Fiction.  Ten tales of mystery set in the Hawaiian Islands written by different authors.

Newmark, Amy

• Chicken Soup for the Soul: Dreams and Premonitions ****

Non-fiction.  101 tales of how dreams and premonitions have touched and turned people’s lives.

Smith, Seth Grahame

• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ***

Fiction.  A spoof on the original P&P.  England has been overcome with hordes of zombies, and the Bennet girls have all been trained in a Shaolin monastery to fight and kill the undead creatures.

Stabenow, Dana

• Fire and Ice ****

Fiction.  First in the Liam Campbell mystery series.  Liam is an Alaska State Trooper, recently demoted from sergeant to trooper and reassigned to the small town of Newenham, Alaska.  As soon as he steps off the plane at the small airport, his first case is thrust upon him as the prior trooper bids farewell and steps aboard his own plane.  A man has been killed at the airport, but the big surprise for Liam is who the man worked for, Liam’s ex-lover, Wyanet Chouinard.

Strayed, Cheryl

• Wild *****

Non-fiction.  Memoir of a woman’s journey to self-discovery as she walks the arduous Pacific Crest Trail.

Books Read - January 2016

Downie, Ruth

• Terra Incognita ****

Fiction.  Medicus Gaius Petreios Ruso is riding north to a fort on the borderlands with his slave, Tilla, walking alongside.  She is returning home to her people.  Along the way, the cavalcade are harassed by a long rider wearing the antlers of a deer.  Tilla is convinced that it is the Stag God, Cernunnos.  When a heavy wagon carrying lead suddenly careens down the hill taking out men and carts, she believes it is the work of the god in retribution for all the injustices done upon her people by the Roman army.  When they reach Coria, Ruso finds himself investigating another murder, one that might be tied to the Stag Man.

Gandy, Alan

• Nina the Naughty Witch *

Fiction.  Graphic novel about the erotic antics of Nina.

Gregory, Philippa

• Earthly Joys ****

Fiction.  John Tradescant is a traveling gardener who works on the most beautiful gardens in England.  He pledges his life, heart, and obedience to his masters.  God, his master, his gardens, and finally his wife get his devotion.  

Huff, Elizabeth

• 150 Prompts for Fantasy Writers ***

Non-fiction.  List of fantasy prompts and other odds and ends of information about writing fantasy.

Kaling, Mindy

• Why Not Me? **

Non-fiction.  Essays about her life.

Llywelyn, Morgan

• The Greener Shore *****

Fiction.  Ainvar the druid has kept the remaining members of his clan alive in the forests of Gaul, but when Caesar’s men begin cutting down and burning the trees, Ainvar leads the Carnutes on a dangerous quest to Hibernia and an uncertain future.

White, Berry

• If You Ask Me *****

Non-fiction.  Betty White’s sixth book about her life and loves.

Wiesner, Karen S.

• Writing the Fiction Series *****

Non-fiction.  How to plan, write, and market the fiction series, complete with case studies of a number of series and examples throughout the book.

Reading Challenges 2016

Read at least 100 books in 2016

2016 - 136/100
2015 - 276/100 completed
2014 - 206/100 completed
2013 - 134/100 completed
2012 - 104/100 completed
2011 - 156/100 completed

*****

Non-Fiction 11/12

Read at least one non-fiction book per month

Jan - Writing the Fiction Series by Karen S. Wiesner

Feb - Imbolc by Carl F. Neal

Mar - Ostara by Kerri Connor

Apr - The Xenophobe’s Guide to the English by Antony Miall, David Milsted

May - Beltane by Melanie Marquis

Jun - Midsummer by Deborah Blake

Jul - The Witch’s Broom by Deborah Blake

Aug - Lughnasadh by Melanie Marquis

Sep - Mabon by Diana Rajchel

Oct - Samhain by Diana Rajchel

Nov - Writing Mysteries by Sue Grafton

Dec - Yule by Susan Pesznecker

*****

Pagan Words 11/13

Read books with these words in the title

Earth - Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory

Wind - Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan

Air - Death is in the Air by Kate Kingsbury

Fire - Fire and Ice by Dana Stabenow

Spirit - The Spirit Box by JH Glaze

Candle - Murder on the Candlelight Tour by Ellen Elizabeth Hunter

Chalice - Chalice by Robin McKinley

Wand - Wand by Joanna MacOwl (Fern Witches Series) Talking to Trees, Wand, Silvery Moon

Sword - The Sword That Binds by David Taran

Moon - Jackal Moon by Jeanette Battista

Witch - Nina the Naughty Witch by Alan Gandy

Magic - Grounding Magic by LeAnn Neal Reilly

Spells - The Language of Spells by Sarah Painter

*****

Voyage Through Time 11/13

Read one book set in each time period

Anything B.C. - The Greener Shore by Morgan Llywelyn

1st-5th century - Terra Incognita by Ruth Downie

6th-10th century - The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell

11th-12th century - Hood: The Raven King Trilogy by Stephen Lawhead

13th century - Shroud of Dishonour by Maureen Ash

14th century - Katherine by Anya Seton

15th century - The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Kay Penman

16th century - The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

17th century - Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory

18th century - Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron

19th century - After Alice by Gregory Maguire

20th century - Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear

21st century - Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

*****

Around the World 10/13

Read at least one book per location

US/Canada - US - Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Central America/Caribbean - Puerto Rico - Grounding Magic by LeAnne Neal Reilly

South America - Colombia - One Hundred Years of Solitude by Garcia Marquez

British Isles/Ireland - England - The Greener Shore by Morgan Llywelyn

Polar Regions/Scandinavia - Norway - Maya by Jostein Gaarder

Western Europe - Vatican City - The Third Secret by Steve Berry

Eastern Europe - ? - The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht

Middle East/North Africa - Iran - Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith by Gina Nahai

Sub-Saharan Africa - Botswana - Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith

East Asia - Japan - Silence by Shusaku Endo

South Asia - Malaysia - The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

Australia/Oceania - Australia - Kissing Sin by Keri Arthur

Islands/Bodies of Water - Samui, Thailand - Everyone Burns by John Dolan

*****

Books to Movies 8/12

Read one per month

Jan - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame Smith

Feb - Legend by Marie Lu

Mar - Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeal

Apr - Curtains of Blood by Robert J. Randisi

May - The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

Jun - Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

Jul - A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Aug - Silence by Shusaku Endo

Sep - The November Criminals by Sam Munson

Oct - Nerve by Jeanne Ryan

Nov - The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Dec - The Circle by Dave Eggers

*****

Genres 12/12 (DONE)

Read one book in each genre

Mystery/Thriller/Crime - Terra Incognita by Ruth Downie

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy - Darkness Raging by Yasmine Galenorn

Paranormal - Night Marchers by Rebecca Gober

Sci-Fi/High Fantasy - The Martian by Andy Weir

Women’s Fiction - Woman in Black by Eileen Goudge

Historical Fiction - Shroud of Dishonour by Maureen Ash

Erotic - Nina the Naughty Witch by Alan Gandy

Humor - Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

Romance - Blood Magick by Nora Roberts

Non-Fiction - Midsummer by Deborah Blake

Memoir - Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Classics - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

*****

Great Cats That Roar 30/33

Read books of which the first letter of a word in the title begin with each letter

T - Terra Incognita by Ruth Downie

I - Fire and Ice by Dana Stabenow

G - The Greener Shore by Morgan Llywellyn

E - Earthly Joys by Philippa Gregory

R - The Ladies’ Room by Carolyn Brown

L - The Language of Spells by Sarah Painter

I - The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

O - One Hundred Years of Solitude by Garcia Marquez

N - Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

J - Jackal Moon by Jeanette Battista

A - After Alice by Gregory Maguire

G - Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple

U - Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron

A - If You Ask Me by Betty White

R - Darkness Raging by Yasmine Galenorn

L - Legend by Marie Lu

E - The Embroidered Corpse by Brian Kavanagh

O - The Old Queen’s Murder by Michael A. Herr

P - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

A - Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith by Gina Nahai

R - Reservations for Murder by Tim Myers

D - Death is in the Air by Kate Kingsbury

S - The Spirit Box by JH Glaze

N - Night Marchers by Rebecca Gober

O - The Old Queen’s Treasure by Michael A. Herr

W - Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan

L - The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

E - Everyone Burns by John Dolan

O - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

P - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame Smith

A - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

R - Ripper by Isabel Allende

D - Shroud of Dishonour by Maureen Ash

*****

Ultimate Reading Challenge 2016 - 30/41

[X] A book based on a fairy tale - After Alice by Gregory Maguire

[ ] A National Book Award Winner - The Turner House by Angela Flournoy

[X] A young adult (YA) bestseller - Ripper by Isabel Allende

[X] A book you haven’t read since high school - The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson

[X] A book set in your home state - Wild by Cheryl Strayed

[ ] A book translated into English - One Hundred Years of Solitude by Garcia Marquez

[X] A romance set in the future - Legend by Marie Lu

[X] A book set in Europe - The Third Secret by Steve Berry

[X] A book that is under 150 pages - Not to Disturb by Muriel Spark

[ ] A New York Times bestseller - Cross Justice by James Patterson

[ ] A book that is being made into a movie this year - Egg & Spoon by Gregory Maguire

[X] A book recommended by someone you just met - Murder on the Bucket List by Elizabeth Perona

[X] A self-improvement book - How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life by The Dalai Lama

[X] A book you can finish in a day - Jackal Moon by Jeannette Battista

[X] A book written by a celebrity - If You Ask Me by Betty White

[X] A political memoir - Prison Writings by Leonard Peltier

[ ] A book at least 100 years older than you - The Mysterious Key and What It Opens by Louisa May Alcott

[X] A book that’s more than 600 pages - Inkspell by Cornelia Funke

[X] A book from Oprah’s book club - The Ladies’ Room by Carolyn Brown

[X] A science-fiction novel - The Martian by Andy Weir

[ ] A book recommended by a family member - Listening Woman by Tony Hillerman

[X] A graphic novel - Nina the Naughty Witch by Alan Gandy

[X] A book that is published in 2016 - Darkness Raging by Yasmine Galenorn

[X] A book with a protagonist who has your occupation - The Hammett Hex by Victoria Abbott

[X] A book that takes place during summer - The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

[X] A book and its prequel - Soulless/The Curious Case of the Werewolf That Wasn’t, the Mummy That Was, and the Cat in a Jar by Gail Carriger

[X] A murder mystery - Terra Incognita by Ruth Downie

[ ] A book written by a comedian - Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

[ ] A dystopian novel - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

[X] A book with a blue cover - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

[ ] A book of poetry - Love Poems by Pablo Neruda

[X] The first book you see in a bookstore - American Gods by Neil Gaiman

[X] A classic from the 20th century - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

[X] A book from the library - The Pocket Watch by Ceci Giltenan

[ ] An autobiography - The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

[ ] A book about a road trip - Out of Oregon by Tim Pederson

[X] A book about a culture with which you are unfamiliar - The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo

[ ] A satirical book - Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

[X] A book that takes place on an island - Everyone Burns by John Dolan

[X] A book guaranteed to bring you joy - Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

*****

Harry Potter 

Re-read the series 10/10 (DONE)

[X] Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

[X] Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

[X] Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

[X] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

[X] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

[X] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

[X] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

[X] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[X] Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
[X] Tales of Beedle the Bard

*****

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

Writing About Magic by Rayne Hall

Books Read - December 2015

Bassett, JoAnn

• Livin’ Lahaina Loca ****

Fiction.  Second in the Islands of Aloha cozy mystery series starring Pali Moon, wedding planner extraordinaire.  The biggest wedding Pali has scheduled for the whole year is coming up in a week when one of the bridesmaids disappears.  Her long red ponytail is left in Pali’s back seat, and Pali realizes it isn’t a case of a party girl gone missing.

Battista, Jeannette

• Leopard Moon *****

Fiction.  First in the Moon shapeshifter series.  Kess is on the run from her family and her brother’s dark desire.  She stops in a small town in North Carolina to work for awhile and build up her savings for when she’d need to run again.  But she’s not the only shifter in town and soon finds herself up a tree trying to escape from a pack of werewolves.

Blackwell, Juliet

• Give Up the Ghost *****

Fiction.  Sixth in the Haunted Home Renovation paranormal cozy mystery series.  Mel has been hired to re-renovate a mansion that was already renovated by another contractor into a modern monstrosity.  The problem is that the home is haunted, and the current owner wants to sell it, but the ghost keeps scaring off potential buyers.  The owner believes if Mel can restore some of the original elements of the house, the ghost will be appeased.

Cook, J.J.

• Fat Tuesday Fricassee ****

Fiction.  First in the Biscuit Bowl Food Truck cozy series.  Zoe Chase owns the Biscuit Bowl food truck with dreams of opening her own restaurant someday.  Her father has been elected King Felix during the carnival season, and Zoe accompanies him to all the balls thrown by his secret society.  At the last ball of the season, Zoe finds a dead body, and suddenly she and her family are being threatened.

Galenorn, Yasmine

• Moon Swept *****

Fiction.  Collection of short stories detailing the sisters’ first loves.  Camille and Shamas, Menolly and Keris, and Delilah and Chase.

Harrison, Thea

• Dragon Bound *****

Fiction.  First in the Elder Races urban fantasy.  Pia lives as quietly as she can, staying out of trouble, keeping a low profile.  When her ex-boyfriend blackmails her to steal from a dragon’s hoard, she knows that she’s put her life at risk, as well as her great secret.  When Dragos finds out that someone has invaded his hoard, he’s headed out to catch the thief and kill her.  When he does catch up to her, their lives are both in danger.

Jaffarian, Sue Ann

• The Ghost of Mistletoe Mary *****

Fiction.  Eighth book in the Ghost of Granny Apples cozy series.  An offshoot book starring PI Jeremiah Jones who looks into the disappearance of a woman on Skid Row as a favor for a friend.

Lavene, Joyce & Jim

• Looking for Mr. Good Witch ***

Fiction.  Second in the Retired Witches series.  More witches are being killed in the Wilmington area, but only young male witches.  The council has informed the ladies that they need to find out who the murderer is, their quest takes them to meet the Bone Man, who will only help them if they agree to find his wife and return her to him.

• Spell Booked ***

Fiction.  Three elderly witches are nearing the end of their power and are looking for new recruits for their coven.  They have their eyes on a young librarian who has a lot of raw energy, but she’s unaware that she is a witch, and they can’t exactly walk up to her and tell her.  They’re also dealing with the thefts  of magical items in the witching community, not to mention a few witch death.

MacInerney, Karen 

• Beads of Doubt (w/Barbara Burnett Smith) ***

Fiction.  Second book in the beading series begun by Barbara Burnett Smith.  Kitzi Camden is an ex-senator who lives in a mansion in Austin, which is owned by a family corporation.  She is notified by her cousin’s attorney that her residence is being challenged by the corporation, and she and her mother might have to move out of the Manse.  While she is trying to solve that problem, her cousin’s partner in the firm is murdered, and Kitzi needs to find out if the two situations are related.

• Berried to the Hilt *****

Fiction.  Fourth in the Gray Whale Inn series.  Business is slow, so Natalie is pleased to have two groups of people staying at the inn.  One is from the University of Maine, and the other is from a company from Florida.  Both are invested in pulling up treasure from a sunken ship near Cranberry Island.  Their rivalry, though, might cost someone his or her life.

• Blueberry Blues *****

Fiction.  Fifth in the Gray Whale Inn series.  Short story of a clambake that went wrong when several islanders got sick after eating Nat’s blueberry pies.  Luckily for her, a photographer got a picture of the culprit.

• Brush with Death *****

Fiction.  Sixth book in the Gray Whale Inn cozy mystery series.  Nat’s niece, Gwen, is getting ready for her first art show, and two famous artists are arriving to spend time on the island.  Gwen’s mentor, Fernand, throws a party for one of the artists, but the next day Nat finds him at home.  Alone. Dead.

• A Dash of Midnight ****

Fiction.  Collection of three cozy mysteries.

• Dead and Berried *****

Fiction.  Second in the Gray Whale Inn cozy mystery series set on Cranberry Island.  Natalie and her best friend, Charlene, are on the outs, because Natalie doesn’t fully trust Charlene’s boyfriend, the new, and very handsome, priest in town.  Keeping busy at the inn is helping Nat keep her mind off best friend problems, but as the laundry piles up, she wonders where her helper, Polly, has been for the past two days.  It’s not usual for her to miss a day without calling in, so Nat sets off on her bike to ride to Polly’s  house near the bog.  What she finds devastates her.

• Death Runs Adrift *****

Fiction.  Seventh in the Gray Whale Inn mystery series.  Nat and John are planning a Florida wedding, and John’s mother, Catherine, is living in their carriage house.  Nat has been gathering blueberries for one of her delectable desserts, when she sees a skiff floating in the water.  When she approaches it to haul it back to shore, she’s shocked to find a dead body in it.

• Howling at the Moon *****

Fiction.  First in the Tales of an Urban Werewolf fantasy series.  Sophie Garou is a busy auditor with a handsome attorney boyfriend and a gorgeous best friend Lindsey.  Her life is busy...and complicated.  Unlike most women, her mother is a witch, and her father, who abandoned them when Sophie was a baby, is a werewolf.  Four times a year Sophie goes into hiding to turn into a wolf.  Things become even more complicated when a love potion that her mother sells a local politician ends up killing him, and she is charged with murder.  Sophie and Lindsey work together to find the real killer.

• Killer Jam ****

Fiction.  First in the Dewberry Farm cozy series set in Buttercup, TX.  Lucy has left her job as an investigative reporter to return to her grandmother’s old farm to see if she can make a living homesteading.  Even though she visited with her grandmother as a child, Lucy is viewed as an outsider in the small town when she is the prime suspect in a murder.

• Leader of the Pack *****

Fiction.  Third in the Tales of an Urban Werewolf series.  Sophie hasn’t seen her father in twenty-eight years, so when he walks into her office, she is suspicious.  He says he wants her to join him in the Paris pack, but she wants no part of it.  But she can’t refuse to help him when he is accused of murdering another werewolf.  Punishment if he is found guilty will be death, and Sophie is determined to have him set free.

• Mother’s Day Out ****

Fiction.  First in the Margie Peterson cozy  mystery series set in Austin, TX.  Margie is a full-time mother and part-time PI-in-training.  While working on a case of infidelity, she follows the target to a gay bar, where she gets involved in a drag queen contest.  During a quick break to the ladies’ room, she finds one of the other contestants...dead.

• Murder Most Maine *****

Fiction.  Third in the Gray Whale Inn series.  The inn is hosting a weight-loss retreat, but Nat is dismayed to find that one of the leaders is an old flame of John’s, and they seem to be making up for lost time.  The other leader, Dirk, is jealous of the time Vanessa is spending with James, but nothing is more shocking than him being murdered, and James being named as a suspect.

• On the Prowl *****

Fiction.  Second in the Tales of an Urban Werewolf series.  Sophie has landed a big client for her auditing firm, but during her first meeting with Mark, she senses that he is interested in more than just a business relationship, and with the current situation of her relationship with boyfriend Heath up in the air, Sophie is sorely tempted.  Unfortunately, the Houston pack is now aware of her existence and sends her an email requiring her presence at a meeting.  She wants to negotiate a deal allowing her to remain in Austin in exchange for some tax and audit advice, but the pack leaders have something much more dangerous in mind.

• Pumpkin Pied *****

Fiction.  Short story in the Gray Whale Inn series.  Cranberry Island is getting ready for the harvest festival, but spirits are low, since it seems that this will be their last one.  The owner of the land has passed away, and her children are selling it to a rich mainland family who want to build a large home there.  If only there’s some way the islanders can prevent that from happening.

McRae, Cricket

• Deadly Row to Hoe ****

Fiction.  Sixth in the Home Crafting cozy mystery series set in Washington.  Sophie Mae is hard at work at the local co-op, when she hears her best friend scream for help.  Sophie rushes to her side only to find Meghan staring at the compost pile.  She doesn’t understand what’s wrong until her friend points to the boot sticking out of the bottom of the pile.

Sharp, Deborah

• Mama Does Time ****

Fiction.  First in the Mace Bauer cozy mystery series set in Florida.  Mace and her sisters have their hands full keeping track of Mama, and the night Mama calls Mace to say that she was at the jail, because a body had been found in the trunk of her car only adds to Mace’s stress.  The family bands together to solve the mystery, as Mace comes up against the gruff new detective in town.