Leeds

Review of Heavy Meddle Magic by Leanne Leeds

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Synopsis:
When witch Astra Arden and her best friend Detective Emma Sullivan are sent to investigate a string of arson cases in the psychic medium capital of the world, they get more than they bargained for.

Investigating a spate of mysterious arson cases in Cassandra, Florida–the self-proclaimed psychic medium capital of the world—Astra and Emma juggle accusations from the town’s eccentric inhabitants as well as the mayor’s questionable relationship with their boss.

With Halloween tourists flooding the place, ghostly inhabitants of the famous haunted town vanishing, and homes along Main Street going up in smoke, the stakes have never been higher.

Is there a conspiracy wafting through the homes of Cassandra like a poisonous incense? Or is it just filled with super weird people that need to take their heads out of their sage smoke?

No gore, intimate scenes, or swearing – only a captivating story suitable for adults.

Review:
I absolutely loved how many different parts of the area and Astra’s relationships we got to see more in depth and growth in. This was the first of the “holiday” themed books in the series, starting off strong with Halloween. It’s interesting to see how Astra and her sisters had been truly sheltered/kept from the world in some ways regarding a nearby town and not being able to celebrate a holiday that, while perhaps not Athena’s, is universally known as a witchy one. Ayla, Astra’s 13 year old sister, plays a giant role in this book, but honestly, parts with her were somewhat frustrating to read because of how well the author portrayed a girl who feels uncertain of her place in life and as if no one listens to her or includes her in anything. Seeing more of Jason and the revelations about his life and how he grew up were awesome; now we just need Astra to DO SOMETHING. The proverbs used were spot on, specifically, catching more flies with honey than vinegar. The information about different culture’s use of things such tobacco, and their believe in things such as skinwalkers “a type of witch who can turn into, possess, or disguise themselves as animals” (chapter 13, page 221) was well done/used. The mention of how Athena gets the warriors who died trying to resolve conflict and crazy berserkers hang out with Ares seems on brand for both of them. The snark between Emma, Astra, Archie and the gang is always hilarious. “The library of Alexandria held only a fraction of the knowledge contained within my adorable featherhead.” (Chapter 18, page 302) The best quip came from Ayla in this one, though, “…when you’re completely trapped and there’s no way out, when you don’t know what to do? Truth pops up, and today it popped out of your mouth.” (Chapter 19, page 322)

All in all, quite enjoying this series and looking forward to continuing on! I’m already most of the way through the next book, which is the Yule/Christmas one.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of Magic’s a Hoot by Leanne Leeds

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Synopsis:
When Astra Arden returns to Forkbridge, Florida, she’s not sure what to expect. But her mother, the high priestess of the goddess Athena, is beginning to relax, her three sisters are becoming more at ease with her, and even her divine talking owl, Archie, is settling in.

Things seem to be going well until Gloria Fisher comes in for a reading. Gloria suspects her alcoholic husband, Will, is cheating on her, but Astra soon discovers that the “divine logic” behind the situation is much more complicated.

When a painting Will insured goes missing, Detective Emma Sullivan of the Forkbridge Police Department suspects he might be involved in the scheme. Now, with the help of her divine owl Archie, Astra must find the painting, clear Will’s name, and keep his whole life policy in force.

Can Astra save the day? Or will William Fisher’s accidental death insurance pay out? Find out in the Owl Star Witch Mysteries’ third book, Magic’s a Hoot, a humorous paranormal cozy mystery that will keep you guessing until the final page.

No gore, intimate scenes, or swearing – only a captivating story suitable for adults.

Review:
A great continuation of the Owl Star Witch Mysteries. There is enough interpersonal drama interspersed with work issues that really draws one in. I love how we continuously learn about how things work in the real world accurately, and oftentimes by a character who learned it by another form of media. This particular read was interesting because the cards had a lot to say. I loved the intricacies of multiple plotlines linked together and how Astra slowly unwinds the knot. I quite enjoyed the Astra/Rex issues and banter and was quite pleased to see the end result. In this book you could definitely feel the pressure of the clock ticking and the need to figure things out ASAP. Looking forward to continuing on in the series in the future!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of Star of Sage & Scream by Leanne Leeds

/ authoramysbrown / Leave a comment

Synopsis:
Astra Arden had been through it all. After fifteen years of serving in the witch military, she thought she’d spend the rest of her life with their pink berets, dramatic drumming, and secret ops. But when the military was abruptly disbanded, Astra was left without a purpose.

Now thirty-three and living in her childhood home of Forkbridge, Florida, with a disapproving mother and three distant sisters, Astra has no idea what’s in store for her. That is, until a talking owl, sent by the goddess Athena, appears with a special mission: Astra must unravel a potential murder lurking in the shadows of Forkbridge, and stop it before it can take place.

In The Owl Star Witch Mysteries, join Astra as she combines her military expertise with a bit of magical sleuthing to uncover the truth. This novel-length paranormal cozy mystery is full of unexpected twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.

No gore, intimate scenes, or swearing – only a captivating story suitable for adults.

Review:
I quite liked this book and found it both easy to fall into and easy to read. The style of writing was pretty cool and unique; first person and with enough snark that we truly get to know the MC and not feel like we’d just reading a diary. It’s obviously written in a way that the MC knows that people are reading about her life because she does stop to explain things about what witches like or the world she lives in- a clever way to get around show, not tell without taking away from the overall story. I quite enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the open ended questions of what exactly Astra is going to do with her life. At this time I’ve already started book 2, though I have gotten swept away by another paper book as well…

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯