Owl

Review of Of Mages and Matcha by Shari L. Tapscott

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Synopsis:
Of Mages and Matcha is the final book in Owls, Tea Shops, and Other Magical Nuisances, a lighthearted contemporary fantasy full of humor and romance.

My name is Kit, and I’m in love with my owl.

Normally, developing a romantic attachment to an animal is frowned upon, even if you’re fae, but my owl is actually a mage. A very handsome mage, to be precise. One who enjoys Taiwanese oolong, stealing my e-reader, and making eyes at me across the tea shop.

I want Rowan. He wants me. And our bonded magic wants us together.

The only problem? His ex-fiancée wants him, too. (And she’s kind of scary.)

I have no doubt it will all work out, but I also have a passel of pesky gnomes to deal with, a garden soirée to throw, and a lot of money to raise before July.

I’m running out of time, but thankfully, business is flourishing. As long as I can keep the Fae Preservation Society from shutting down the shop, everything will be just fine…

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:
“You are adorable–the kind of girl a man wants to cuddle up to and protect.”
“You make me sound like a purse dog.” (Page 61)

The final conclusion of the story is bittersweet! There were some inclinations towards the grand reveal about Rowan and a lot of surprise that Ash hadn’t figured it out beforehand. I love how everyone arrives and does their best to help and support Kit however they can. While clearly opinionated I also like that Kit’s parents do their best to be supportive of her dating decisions, even if they dislike them. I will say I didn’t see the main climax coming, and I was very glad when Kit was tracked down! Some parts of this story seemed as if they were only there to encourage readers to learn more in a next series, but that didn’t really bother me.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯

Review of Of Owls and Oolong by Shari L. Tapscott

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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 The Capture by Kathryn Lasky

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Synopsis:
A classic hero mythology about the fight between good and evil, Guardians of Ga’Hoole is filled with adventure, suspense, and heart. Soren is born in the forest of Tyto, a tranquil kingdom where the Barn Owls dwell. But evil lurks in the owl world, evil that threatens to shatter Tyto’s peace and change the course of Soren’s life forever. Soren is captured and taken to a dark and forbidding canyon. It’s called an orphanage, but Soren believes it’s something far worse. He and his friend Gylfie know that the only way out is up. To escape, they will need to do something they have never done before — fly. And so begins a magical journey. Along the way, Soren and Gylfie meet Twilight and Digger. The four owls band together to seek the truth and protect the owl world from unimaginable danger.

Review:
I absolutely love this book so much. While there is a great mystery there are also personified owls, that actually behave as owls do. I love that while you get an adventure story in this you also get educated about things that owls do, their actual movement patterns, and different types of owls. I love the mythology that is incorporated throughout, the tales that all owls know, regardless of owl type. This is a good, middle grade book, and it leaves you wanting to continue reading to find out what happens with Soren and his friends. There is also a movie out based on the first three books of this series called Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of A Hoot and a Hex by Leanne Leeds

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Synopsis:
The Ides of March bring mayhem and magic when Astra Arden and her sisters host the Roman-themed festival of Hilaria in Forkbridge. But the revelry comes screeching to a halt when Councilwoman Viola Tullus is found dead, entombed in concrete like a modern-day Roman building sacrifice.

With angry accusations flying as swiftly as Archie, Astra must sift through a myriad of motives to cement the truth. Could the killer be a disgruntled citizen seeking revenge against the controversial councilwoman? Was her desire to bulldoze family farms to make way for new developments simply too much for someone to bear?

Between keeping the festival running smoothly, managing her annoyed owl, and juggling her romantic relationship with the werewolf, Astra has her hands full. And with a clever killer masking themselves in the festival crowds, danger lurks around every toga-draped corner.

Can Astra catch the killer before Forkbridge falls like the Roman Empire? Or will the dark deeds continue under the cover of festivity? Find out in this delightful tale filled with twists, turns, and a talon-ful of trouble.

This paranormal cozy mystery is perfect for adults and free of gore, intimate scenes, and profanity.

Review:
Another sweet jump into Astra’s life. It’s neat to see how she’s doing in terms of building better relationships, especially with her father and Lothian. I do love that there is always so much background done on festival and mythological things in these books. Even Noctua’s name had an interesting meaning and backstory, and it was very neat how Leeds had them discover it in a totally relevant and believable way. While the cse seemed quite obvious, I loved all the twists and turns and reveals that I didn’t see coming. I quite loved this story and hope that in the future Emma goes back to full time police work, and that Lothian offers Logan a job!

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Owl Berry Mysterious by Leanne Leeds

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Synopsis:
Astra Arden’s plans to enjoy a leisurely summer vacation with her sisters and bestie Emma Sullivan’s new baby are derailed when a strawberry farmer is found dead in his field, a magical symbol etched in the dirt beside him.

As the prime suspect, the farmer’s daughter begs Astra for help in proving her innocence. With her talking owl sidekick, Archie, by her side, Astra delves into the secrets of the Forkbridge Farmers Market, uncovering a rivalry between strawberry farms and a decades-old mystery involving a stolen recipe for the world’s best strawberry jam.

But as Astra gets closer to the truth, she realizes the killer will stop at nothing to keep the secrets buried in the strawberry fields forever.

Full of unexpected twists, and a touch of paranormal magic, Owl Berry Mysterious is a delightful addition to The Owl Star Witch Mysteries series that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Review:
This book had it all; good mystery, great characterization, and a surrounding of occult/mysticism that one has to wonder just how magical it is. I quite enjoyed how many angles there are for the strawberry farmer and why he may have been killed. It was great seeing Emma in action, especially getting to see a bunch more of Hunter, which presents its own special brand of problems. Everything about this book was awesome. There were idyllic moments, moments where Astra had to confront her feelings, and rare moments of vulnerability both for Emma and Astra. Lothian has started to grow on me. The flower of life made an interesting and noteworthy appearance. If you like magic and mysteries this book was spot on.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Owl Spell Broke Loose by Leanne Leeds

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Synopsis:
Astra Arden never expected to find murder at a self-help festival organized by a secretive sect. But when an unexplained storm cuts off all communication with the mainland, she realizes she’d better solve it—and fast.

When Astra Arden agreed to join her best friend on a camping trip to a private tropical island, she had no idea what was in store. But when the four-day festival looks like it’s run by a warring self-help cult, and the island seems to be claimed by a mysterious goddess with a hidden agenda, Astra soon finds herself in a whirlwind of intrigue and secret agendas that she can’t ignore.

As they try to make sense of the clues and solve the mystery, they realize that the danger is closer than they thought, and that someone on the island is determined to keep the truth hidden at any cost.

But with the stakes so high and the clock ticking down, will Astra and Archie be able to solve the mystery in time—or will they become the next victims?

Review:
This book was absolutely brilliant. Betrayal, insanity, Astra having to depend on and trust her magic. I loved how all of the relationships were tested and put through the ringer and that Astra and Archie, through their combined sass, had to try to figure out exactly what is going on. The characterization is spot on and you’re left wondering right at the end whether or not Astra will be able to survive this encounter. I love the use of magic that connect both to ancient India as well as The Golden Compass and Harry Potter; this author clearly has good taste! Looking forward to continuing the series and seeing exactly where Astra finally ends up. This book is the first of the series I’d give a full five stars to; it wasn’t obvious what was happening and there were enough twists and turns to leave you wondering up until the end.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯✯

Review of Owl in Love by Patrice Kindl

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Owl in Love
By Patrice Kindl

Star Rating: 
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Number of Pages: 224owl-paper-lg

Date Started AND Finished: October 26, 2015

Synopsis:(From Amazon)
Part bird of prey, part teenage girl in love, and now part stalker, Owl Tycho’s life is complicated. It becomes even more so when an inept new shape-shifter appears on the scene. Funny, smart, and supernatural, Owl is a young woman worth getting to know.

Review:
Owl is both unique and odd, while suffering through many symptoms of a regular teenage girl, she is also has to deal with being an owl and the complications that come to her because of that.  Through finding human friendship and realizing that sometimes your undying love isn’t actually love, Owl’s struggles are quite similar to the average teenager.  Unfortunately, while Owl’s parents being old school witches does explain why she has been able to successfully live in the human world as a shapeshifter, the way in which they don’t seem to know or care about the way of regular people (because as witches, they are apparently a class that stands apart from a traditional human), and that detracts quite a bit from the overall story, until towards the last third of the novel.  While the story did take a few chapters to draw me in, especially due to the oddness of Owl’s parents, once I was further along I couldn’t put it down.

Author Bio: (From Amazon)
Patrice Kindl’s first novel, Owl in Love, was an ALA Notable Book for Children, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and an SCBWI Golden Kite Award Honor Book. She lives in Middleburgh, New York.

Check out Patrice Kindl’s Amazon page.


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