Month: September 2026

Review of Of Owls and Oolong by Shari L. Tapscott

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
There are three things you need to know about my great aunt—she’s eccentric, she’s rich, and she’s dead. No, make that four things. She also named me as the sole beneficiary of her fortune. There are, however, a few stipulations.

1. I must move into her cottage in Moss Hollow, Vermont—a magical community that values tradition and tourists.

2. I must keep her beloved tea shop open and running for at least three years.

3. I must take care of her tiny owl, a prickly creature by the name of Rowan. He’s moody, opinionated, and he used to be a mage.

He doesn’t like me, he doesn’t like my dog, and he really doesn’t like the handsome fae councilman who starts hanging around as soon as I arrive in town.

But for a small fortune, Rowan and I are going to learn to coexist long enough for me to figure out how to turn him back into his normal self with my “cute and worthless” pixie magic—preferably before he ruins my dating life or drives me insane.

Owls, Tea Shops, and Other Magical Nuisances is a rom-com style contemporary fantasy. The perfect lighthearted escape, this story is sure to delight readers who enjoy cozy magic and humor.

The books in this series feature smoldering-but-sweet, closed-door romance. (Passionate kisses and some innuendo, but no spicy scenes.)

Review:
“I feel like there are levels adult attain as they age, and I’m still at the starting line. Ash is several steps ahead of me–he’s an actual grown-up. I, however, am a twenty-six-year-old playing pretend in her aunt’s fairytale cottage. Technically, yes, I’m an adult. But he’s an adultier adult.” (Page 98)

This book has everything; great town building, great characters, and great chemistry! This was a great change of place for Kit! I absolutely loved how even if she wasn’t sure about the tea shop, she acknowledges that she has to stick around to take care of and help Rowan. As one who doesn’t love insta-romances, I actually really disliked Ash from the start; it almost seemed like an attempt at Mr. Darcy before Rowan reveals his thoughts on why Ash likes Kit so much. I adore the magic system and how it was so soundly explained without just stating what everyone is and what they could do. I absolutely couldn’t wait to continue onto the next book, so continued immediately.

This book series is very reminiscent in feel to many K. M. Shea’s Magiford series of books, so if you like her style, give this a try!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of This Damsel is Not in Distress by Tee Harlowe

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
A magical castle.

The woman who’s to become queen.

And her growing feelings for the bodyguard that might just ruin it all.

When Niamh Merridon flees her war-torn kingdom, she doesn’t expect to stumble upon a tower that provides the protection she’s always wanted . . .

Until some idiot arrives to “rescue” her and somehow gets her locked out. Now she’s stuck with Rafe “the Wolfe” Wolfgang, a grumpy guard who’s wholly unsusceptible to her charms. Worse, he claims she’s to marry his prince because of some prophecy.

Niamh isn’t keen on the idea, especially when she arrives at a sentient castle and discovers she can’t become queen until the castle presents her with a key. How does she get this key? No one seems to know.

Niamh quickly realizes this might give her the safety she seeks . . . if she can survive the disappearing doors, shifting rooms, and mysterious secrets, secrets more dangerous than her own. Yet the hardest part of it all might be resisting the broody guard who makes her feel brave. If she can’t avoid the temptation, it won’t just be her heart on the line, but her life.This Damsel Is Not in Distress is a standalone cozy, spicy romantasy with a grumpy/sunshine forbidden romance, a mischievous castle, and a know-it-all magical bookwyrm.

Review:
Given the title I expected a very different type of book. Niamh is a girl fleeing her past and very much incapable of doing much on her own. While she doesn’t want to be pushed into a prophesized wedding, she really didn’t have any aim for her life otherwise. Despite being in her mid 30s Niamh didn’t showcase any other skills. It was great for her to realize that she needed to be more proactive for her own safety, and to act on what she feels instead of what she was told she has to do/be. Most of the book was spent with Niamh not doing much at all except contemplating how little she has been capable of doing. There could be something said about not enabling people that may have some sort of ailment or disability to not ever challenge or better themselves. She does grow and learn and change in the end, but personally, this story was not for me. There was a lot of predictability involved, and an assumption that everything would work out exactly as you thought it would towards the beginning–and then it did. The ending, however, was a complete cliffhanger of what the heck.

Star rating: ✯✯✯

Review of Violet Thistlewaite is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily Krempholtz

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
Guy Shadowfade is dead, and after a lifetime as the dark sorcerer’s right-hand, Violet Thistlewaite is determined to start over—not as the fearsome Thornwitch, but as someone kind. Someone better. Someone good.

The quaint town of Dragon’s Rest, Violet decides, will be her second chance—she’ll set down roots, open a flower shop, keep her sentient (mildly homicidal) houseplant in check, and prune dark magic from the twisted boughs of her life.

Violet’s vibrant bouquets and cheerful enchantments soon charm the welcoming townsfolk, though nothing seems to impress the prickly yet dashingly handsome Nathaniel Marsh, an alchemist sharing her greenhouse. With a struggling business and his own second chance seemingly out of reach, Nathaniel has no time for flowers or frippery—and certainly none for the intriguing witch next door.

When a mysterious blight endangers every living plant in Dragon’s Rest, Violet and Nathaniel must work together, through their fears, pasts, and growing feelings for one another, to save their community. But with a figure from her previous life knocking at her door and her secrets threatening to uproot everything she’s worked so hard to grow, Violet can’t help but wonder…does a former villain truly deserve a happily-ever-after?

Review:
“Goodness wasn’t something you could just be; it was something you did.” (Page 322)

I loved how Violet works to reinvent herself and is always wondering whether or not she can be something other than how she was raised. There were so many times that I wished people would just communicate with each other in this book! Given how very long it took Violet and Nathaniel to get along, I had expected more than his frantic and quick blow up on her at the first sign (for him) that she was more than just some girl who grew flowers. There were so many twists and turns between the townspeople and Violet’s history at the very end that it seemed almost an abrupt- ah, she was capable all along! I do understand why it wasn’t revealed sooner, but most of which I had figured out throughout the reading (though clearly Nathaniel didn’t). Although the premise would make it seem as if it would be far darker, this read as a cozy fantasy romance.

This book, while original, didn’t draw me in enough to want to continue the series.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of The Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotto Yambao

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
When you lose your way in life, the Elsewhere Express just might find you. Step on board the train that may take you to your life’s purpose in this wistful, Ghibli-esque fantasy from the bestselling author of Water Moon.

You can’t buy a ticket for the Elsewhere Express. Appearing only to those whose lives are adrift, it’s a magical train seeming to carry very rare and special cargo: a sense of purpose, peace, and belonging.

Raya is one of those lost souls. She had dreamed of being a songwriter, but when her brother died, she gave up on her dream and started living his instead.

One day on the subway, as her thoughts wander, she’s swept off to the Elsewhere Express. There she meets Q, an intriguing artist who, like her, has lost his place in the world.

Together they find a train full of wonders, from a boarding car that’s also a meadow to a dining car where passengers can picnic on lily pads to a bar where jellyfish and whales swim through pink clouds.

Over the course of their long, strange night on the train, they also discover that it harbors secrets—and danger: A mysterious stranger has stowed away and brought with him a dark, malignant magic that threatens to destroy the train.

But in investigating the stowaway’s identity, Raya also finds herself drawing closer to the ultimate question: What is her life’s true purpose—and is it a destination the Elsewhere Express can take her to?

Review:
“Acting brave was easy as a stand-in, but much less so without the costume of someone else’s dream.” (Page 41)

Is this book Ghibli-esque? Yes. Will it leave you wondering what the heck actually happened and where did things end? Also yes.

This book encompasses what finding oneself may look like–the introspection, the different paths one could go, the different interests one has and how they could have developed if they were nurtured. One decision could change your entire life. This book is a wonderland type adventure where you’re never sure what may lie ahead or whether or not you’re really there. This is very much a story of magical realism where the reader must make judgements about things that may never be stated in full. Maybe your life would be an entirely different way if…

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Blind Date with a Book by Emily Kerr

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
A brand new Oxford-set summer romance inspired by Pride and Prejudice from award-winning author Emily Kerr.

For fans of enemies to lovers, forced proximity and book lovers!

Molly Bramble thought running a bookshop on a narrowboat would be a dream come true – until her biggest challenge turned out to be her new neighbour, Jack, a former city trader with a penchant for crashing boats and hearts.

When a “Blind Date with a Book” night goes awry, Molly finds herself reluctantly paired with Jack and his lack of literary knowledge. Will their rivalry over mooring fees and a missing sign lead to a sinking ship – or a love story with a plot twist?

As Molly and Jack navigate the choppy waters of romance, sabotage, and the occasional dog rescue, will their blossoming romance prove that sometimes the best stories are the ones we never see coming?

Review:
“It’s a truth universally acknowledged that first impressions shouldn’t necessarily be trusted.” (Page 355)

This was a perfect book to read as a few friends and I decided to read Pride and Prejudice this summer. The connections made throughout the book with Pride and Prejudice are absolutely fantastic, especially as they are meta. Molly and Jack are both easy to care about and want to see succeed, even if we spend most of the time looking from Molly’s perspective. Molly does come across as quite immature and lacking business sense/a business plan in a way that makes the reader, while wanting her to succeed, wonder if perhaps she isn’t cut out for being an entrepreneur. Hilda is absolutely lovely and the star of the show; I loved how much she matters to Molly, and how much others care for her as well. Liam definitely was infuriating and I was glad there was no true Lydia situation. While the female protagonists often seem to be very in need of saving and not stable on their own, I do quite like Kerr’s works.

All in all, I thought this was a delightful cozy romance retelling of Pride and Prejudice, and even gifted this to a friend for her birthday.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Cruel Angel by Rebecca Kenney

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
There was a time I felt lost and alone…until I met them, and together our souls took flight: My gentle Raoul and our deadly Angel of Music.

Haunted by the violent death of her parents, Christine Daaé longs to find solace in music, but debilitating stage fright keeps her firmly in the shadows. All she can hope for is a few stolen moments singing to herself in the mournful silence of the backstage stairwell…until one night, the shadows sing back.

In exchange for complete devotion, her mysterious Phantom promises to teach her everything he knows—and with his praise boosting her confidence, Christine is finally able to take center stage…catching the eye of her sweet childhood friend turned something more, Raoul.

But her mysterious mentor is as obsessive as he is demanding, and he will not share Christine with anyone—not unless he can have them both in a bargain that is as dangerous as it is seductive. Light and shadows, gentleness and raging passion, the three of them should not fit so perfectly together. Yet as a supernatural force looms, ready to tear them apart forever, Christine must decide if love can truly exist in the space between beauty and madness…and whether she’s finally ready to fully embrace the music of the night.

An addictive and truly original spicy New Adult retelling of The Phantom of the Opera with a magical twist.

Review:
“I am always searching for new music, for a song that will perfectly express everything I feel… and for the perfect voice that will serve as the balm to my wretched soul.” (Page 9)

This book, like the others in the Gilded Monsters series, needs to be considered a separate entity to the book it is a retelling of. This book was very intriguing and original in the way the “opera house” and apartments within operate. I loved the backstory of Christine’s family, though it is very far from the original. In many ways, the only connection between this novel and Phantom of the Opera is a stage shy girl who wants to sing, and someone who can give her the ability to develop her voice. Despite that, I think the story stood very firmly on it’s own with the hints of Phantom of the Opera in the background. The way in which our “phantom” comes to be good at things is quite genius and I very much enjoyed seeing him learn so much of the world that he didn’t get to experience. I also really liked Raoul’s connection to Erik. The why choose aspect of this novel was great, however, there was a lot of intimate moments that just didn’t jive for me personally. All in all, I did like this book, but it isn’t my favourite of the series.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of The Bookshop Below by Georgia Summers

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
Below the streets of London, a secret network of magical bookshops has existed for millennia. But they’re slowly disappearing, and no one knows why. Only one dishonored bookseller can uncover the truth and rewrite her story—in this spellbinding fantasy novel from the author of The City of Stardust.

If you want a story that will change your life, Chiron’s bookshop is where you go. For those lucky enough to grace its doors, it’s a glimpse into a world of powerful bargains and deadly ink magic. For Cassandra Fairfax, it’s a reminder of everything she lost, when Chiron kicked her out and all but shuttered the shop. Since then, she’s used her skills in less ethical ways, trading stolen books and magical readings to wealthy playboys and unscrupulous collectors.

Then Chiron dies under mysterious circumstances. And if Cassandra knows anything, it’s this: the bookshop must always have an owner. But she’s not the only one interested. There’s Lowell Sharpe, a dark-eyed, regrettably handsome bookseller she can’t seem to stop bumping into; rival owners who threaten Cassandra from the shadows; and, of course, Chiron’s murderer, who is still on the loose. As Cassandra tries to uncover the secrets her mentor left behind, a sinister force threatens to unravel the world of the magical bookshops entirely …

Review:
“Because no one–thief, owner, millionaire, mortal–is infinite.” (Page 353)

This book was an amazing read. Cassandra doesn’t know who she is, but she knows who she has been willing to become. This book had so many layers of depth to all of the characters involved. Once I was into the book it was near impossible to set down. I loved everything about Cassandra’s different aspects, to her relationship with Lowell and their connection. Trying to measure yourself up to what someone who is gone might have wanted you to be is impossible, but both Lowell and Cassandra find themselves stuck in the what they should do versus what others wanted of them. I was definitely irked by the ending, though it was fitting for the book.

Had I reviewed this book closer to when I read it I recall having many prolific things to say, however, life happens and at least the review is up now!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of The Magical Matcha Teashop by Natasha Bache

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
Welcome to Lavender Hollow… your next small town romance obsession!

Grace fled London with a broken engagement and a wedding dress she still hasn’t paid for. Max returned home with secrets of his own, and a painful past he’d much rather leave behind.

But neither expected to find magic hiding in a cup of matcha. Because in the sleepy village of Lavender Hollow, something unusual is brewing…

As Matcha Made in Heaven’s newest employee, Grace soon realises she has an extraordinary gift when customers start crying over their lattes and spilling secrets they never meant to share.

In the warmth of the cosy teashop, will Grace and Max discover that the best recipe for love might be one brewed together?

For fans of cozy fantasy romance, The Magical Matcha Teashop serves up the perfect blend of small-town charm, found family, spicy romance and just a sprinkle of magic.

Review:
“Maybe it’s not about what people think they want. Maybe it’s about offering them something they didn’t know they needed.” (Page 20)

“Sometimes, freedom comes disguised as a setback.” (Page 43)

This book was absolutely lovely. The way the matcha was really a star of the show made this book stand out; it wasn’t just a typical girl moves home to work at a local coffee shop book but something magical- in part due to the supernatural aspects. There were definitely sometimes that I found it very hard to resonate with Grace because she seemed very juvenile and unwilling to “adult”. The same could be said of Max and his lack of communication at times however I absolutely loved everything about Max and Grace; how they came together, and how their backgrounds both led them back to Lavender Hollow. One thing I, as an obvious bibliophile and book lover did not love was their bookshop rendezvous. The poor books! This book was a great blend of romance with past relationship drama mixed with a hint of paranormal that made my usual fantasy/romantasy self very happy. Grace and Max both have to really find themselves and what they want from their lives before they can have any sense of personal fulfilment and the ending was absolutely perfect.

There are many reminiscent feelings in this to the Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore, though this series features supernatural whereas that is not. So if you want small town romance where everyone knows everyone, but you aren’t into magic, give that series a shot. If you are game for anything so long as there is some romance, read both!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯