Posted in 5 paws, mystery, Novella, Review, Short Story on March 17, 2024

 

 

Synopsis

 

The old 19th-century Victorian house at 221 Baker Street is the home of the Holmes and Moriarty Society, where amateur sleuths from different walks of life would meet to solve crimes. On the black granite hearth in front of the mansion’s massive fireplace are three stone statues of monkeys – Mizaru holds its hands covering its eyes, Kikazaru with its hands covering its ears, and Iwazaru covers its mouth. The owner of the mansion and one of the society’s founding members, Osgood Ridley, turns up dead.

But, as more bodies are found, the true purpose of the society is slowly revealed.

When the statue of the fourth monkey, Sezaru, appears on the hearth, the questions begin to outweigh the answers.

This is no longer a job for amateurs.

This is now the job for two police detectives to solve the mystery.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for Free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

This debut novella from WM Gunn was a delight to read. It included many aspects I enjoy in books, from mystery to murder to misdirection.

The Holmes and Moriarty Society isn’t quite what you imagine, at least not on the outside. This group of amateur detectives has deeper motives for what they are trying to accomplish. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I won’t share any of those details. Let’s just say that no one should be trusted, and the truth will be revealed in the end. I liked the inclusion of the three wise monkeys. I even learned that this is a fourth wise monkey. This is one we don’t see often, but I liked learning about the last one.

I will admit that I did not suspect the killer. The author did a fantastic job of throwing red herrings into the mix and leading you down a different path.

This is a short read at 86 pages, but the author packs a lot of details, descriptions, and intrigue into those pages.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

After years in the pharmaceutical industry in sales, sales management, and training and development, I learned the courses and materials I created had to be relevant, thought-provoking, and usable or it was simply of no value.

In a similar manner, the reader of a novel should be able to relate to a character or an event. It should make them think, question, and enjoy the journey. That story should create a landscape, an enveloping atmosphere that the reader can experience, participate in, and sink their teeth into.

I have endeavored to infuse those concepts into my stories and books. Journey with me.

 

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Posted in excerpt, Novella on January 18, 2024

 

 

Synopsis

 

For Quinn and his young family, life in 2220 in the aftermath of global warming was a depressing dead-end existence with no future past the mandatory forty-year life span at which point you were unceremoniously put to death and turned into compost. But only if you lived that long. One day Quinn makes a fateful decision with a disastrous effect, and it forces him and his wife and son along with a friend to flee the confines of The City in search of a different life. Something better. But first, they need to elude the World Order Security Police who are dispatched to track them down with orders to shoot to kill. Will they make it? Read their inspiring story and find out.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Excerpt

 

When they were seated on the Carrier, Matt said to his dad, politely, “Thank you, Daddy, for taking me. I had a really fun time.”

Quinn smiled. He loved his son, and he was glad he’d been able to spend time with him. Once a week wasn’t often enough. “I had fun, too.”

The first stop was the building where children of Matt’s age were kept. Quinn wanted to hug him but knew the World Order frowned upon signs of affection. After a brief hesitation, he thought, what the hell, why not? and grabbed Matt in a big bear hug, knowing the surveillance cameras would catch him and punish him accordingly, taking a day off his LifeLine. Too bad, he thought, holding his son tighter. Matt hugged him back. He felt his son’s sweet breath on his neck and it made him smile. The hug was worth it.

Finally, Matt squirmed away, giggling. “I’ll see you next week, Daddy.”

“Okay, son. The History Center, right?”

“Right.”

“See you then. Bye, bye.” Quinn waved.

The Transport Carrier then headed for the concrete building where Quinn and his wife lived. He watched the landscape passing by outside his window, featureless and grey with dust and ash everywhere. Relentlessly depressing. His mind drifted back to the exhibit he and Matt had seen. He loved the colors: the green trees and the blue pond. The red cardinal. Not the grey decay he and his wife and son lived in every day. It’d be a week before he’d see Matt again and he was already looking forward to it. In fact, at that moment he made a fateful decision. When they got together next time, he was going to hold his son again. Tight. No matter what the consequences. LifeLine be damned. It’d be worth it.

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jim’s stories and poems have appeared in nearly five hundred online and print publications. His collection of short stories, Resilience, is published by Bridge House Publishing. Short Stuff, a collection of flash fiction and drabbles is published by Chapeltown Books. Periodic Stories, Periodic Stories Volume Two, Periodic Stories Volume Three – A Novel, and Periodic Stories Volume Four are published by Impspired. Dreamers, a collection of short stories, is published by Clarendon House Publishing. Something Better, a dystopian adventure novella, and the novel, The Alien of Orchard Lake, are published by Dark Myth Publications. In the fall of 2022, his collection entitled Holiday Stories was published by Impspired as was his collection of poetry, Haiku Seasons. In February 2023, Periodic Stories Volume IV was published, as was his collection of poems, The Alchemy of Then, both by Impspired. In June 2023, a collection of flash fiction, Dancing With Butterflies, was published by Impspired.In July 2023, his YA novella The Battle of Marvel Wood was published by Impspired. His short story “Aliens” was nominated by The Zodiac Press for the 2020 Pushcart Prize. His story “The Maple Leaf” was voted 2021 Story of the Year for Spillwords. He was voted December 2022 Author of the Month for Spillwords. He also reads his stories for Talking Stories Radio and for Jim’s Storytime on his website. He lives in a small town west of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

 

Website

 

Posted in 4 paws, Book Release, mystery, Novella, Review, suspense on September 27, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

Sweethearts Eric Leidheldt and Desiree Chauveau are spending a weekend at his uncle’s cabin when they encounter two strangers cutting wood. Eric is knocked unconscious, and Desi is viciously attacked. The following day two police officers come to their apartment to arrest Desi. Her assailants are dead, murdered with an axe, and her fingerprints are on it. She confesses—but is she really guilty? Eric is determined to stand by her, but the physical and emotional effects of the attack severely challenge their relationship.

 

 

Amazon * Apple * B&N

 

 

Review

 

This was quite an intriguing mystery novella. Not everything is as straightforward as you might expect as you are reading this book. Did Desi kill these men? Logically, the answer is no, but she has confessed, and sometimes people can do some amazing things when under pressure and have heightened adrenaline running through their systems.

This is a story that could be expanded so that we get to know and understand Eric and Desi more deeply. But that does not take away from trying to piece together the pieces and what actually happened at that cabin. I’d love to know the “why” behind why they were attacked up there; that is the only question that didn’t seem to be answered. Maybe these men were just scumbags.

We also lived through Desi’s trauma and her coming to terms with what happened to her. It was also a reflection of how strong their relationship was or wasn’t. There were secrets that came out about Desi’s past that put a new light on the events that followed.

I really enjoyed this book, and it is perfect when you have a shorter amount of time and don’t want to have to put the book down!

We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Growing up in San Diego, California, I developed a passion for the printed word with my very first Dick and Jane reader and knew I wanted to be a “book maker” when I grew up. I wrote my first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” when I was six and never stopped. My love of books also led me to an MLS degree from UCLA and a career as a reference and collection development librarian at the San Diego Public Library. Retirement allowed me to put writing front and center. I’ve had twenty-three stories published in literary journals, and The Axe is my seventh book from the Wild Press.

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Novella, Review, Short Story on January 7, 2023

 

 

Synopsis

 

A modern twist on A Christmas Carol, A MARRIAGE FABLE is a novella, another tall tale of the powerful genie Finnegus Boggs, and his lessons on Love that inspires Andrew Wyman, a typical modern-day husband nearing his 25th wedding anniversary, to become a better man.

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Praise

 

“A Marriage Fable does for Valentine’s Day what A Christmas Carol did for Christmas Day. A Must Read romantic fantasy!” —BJ Fera, Goodreads

A Quick, Well-Written Read, 5.0 out of 5 stars!
If you’re a fan of magical realism like I am, you will enjoy reading this mystical story. A quick read with plenty of drama kept me engaged. It’s a story filled with equal parts regret and redemption. It always feels good when a narcissist gets a taste of his own medicine, and feels even better when this self-absorbed “family man” gets a chance to be a better person. Will he accept this new choice? I’ll never tell. Ask the genie. Do yourself a favor and read this to find out if there is hope for “this day and every day forward.” —Divine Daytripper Reviews

 

 

Review

 

This retelling of the classic A Christmas Carol is told with a slightly different spin. This focuses on a man that has taken his wife and children for granted and is in danger of losing them. It takes a lot for the three apparitions to convince him, and it isn’t until the last visit that he realizes how dire his situation really is at that moment.

Andrew is someone most of us would despise. Belittling his wife and children, believing that providing for them only means bringing home a paycheck, and his over-inflated ego that could very well be his downfall.

The apparition is Andrew’s wife’s therapist, or so he thinks. Finnegus Boggs is a genie, but he doesn’t control the entire vision; but brings in help from his fellow genies to show Andrew the light and perhaps turn him around before his life crumbles.

While fiction, this story could be anyone’s, and perhaps a reader might glean some useful thoughts for their own lives.

I enjoyed the story, and while I cringed at times from Andrew’s actions, I was glad to see that he pulled himself together in the end. Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jeri Cafesin is a bestselling author of modern, ‘genre-diverse’ fiction filled with complex, compelling characters so real they’ll linger long after the read. Her debut novel, REVERB, hit #1 in KDP Contemporary Romance, and #4 in Amazon’s Best Sellers Rank. Other works include the ‘novel memoir’ DISCONNECTED, an “exquisitely honest view” of women’s societal roles in 1992 L.A., and today. Fractured Fairy Tales of the Twilight Zone, Volume 1, is a collection of fantastical, edgy short stories with lessons that’ll stick for life. More of Jeri Cafesin’s books, including new releases, are available on Amazon. Many of the CNF essays from her ongoing blog have been translated into multiple languages and distributed globally: jcafesin.com/cafe-42

A Stanford entrepreneurship educator, and recent empty-nester of two gorgeous, talented, spectacular kids, Jeri lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the eastern slope of the Oakland hills, with her husband/BFF, and a loudmouthed, big-eared Shepherd pound-hound.

 

Website

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Posted in 5 paws, fiction, Novella, Review, Southern, women on May 17, 2022

 

 

Synopsis

 

Small-town romantic suspense from USA Today bestselling author, Ashley Farley

Casey Hobbs has never met her father. She doesn’t know his identity or where he lives or whether he has children. She’s spent the past three years at her mother’s sickbed, watching cancer eat away her organs and their bank account. Upon her mother’s death, Casey receives a letter containing clues about her mysterious father. With nothing left for her in New York, Casey packs her meager belongings in her mother’s old convertible and heads off in search of Daniel Love.

Casey finds the Virginia mountains charming and the small town of Lovely quaint. Buying time while she determines how best to approach her father, Casey accepts a job as a graphic designer with Foxtail Farm, a boutique winery conveniently located next door to Love-Struck Vineyard. On her first day, she discovers her new boss is at war with the Love children, Casey’s half-siblings.

Weeks pass before Casey meets her father. Casey reminds Daniel of her mother, the true love of his life, and he welcomes her with open arms. But Casey’s half-siblings want nothing to do with her. The stakes are high, and they want her gone. They’ll stop at nothing to protect the family dynasty.

 

 

Amazon * B&N * Kobo

 

 

Review

 

I am never disappointed by Ashley’s books and this one is no exception. It is a spinoff series of the Hope Springs series and features Ollie and Fiona and a whole new crew of characters including some shady ones from the Love family.

We meet Casey who has ended up in Lovely searching for her father after her mother’s passing. He is also the father of some scoundrels that are harassing Ollie and the land she bought next to their vineyard because she won’t sell it to them. Needless to say, this is going to cause a bunch of friction between many of the characters because Ollie has a hard time separating the bad seeds from the whole family.

I loved the start of this new series. It was nice to revisit some characters but also watch them come into their own and create a new adventure for themselves. The book focuses mainly on Casey but we also get a peek into Ollie and Fiona’s life with this new vineyard. Ollie does seem distracted throughout the book and that could be due to the Love brothers that seem to think that bullying will get them what they want. However, some of her reactions were over the top considering she didn’t stop to ask questions of Casey and what she was or wasn’t doing with her father now that they had met. Hopefully, she calms down in future books because holding onto that much anger does not do her any good.

I enjoyed watching the interactions between Casey and her new family. While she gets along great with her father and brother Sheldon, the other three siblings are spoiled entitled brats. Tables are turned on them by their father and I enjoyed watching them squirm. I can’t wait to see how this progresses in future books.

The synopsis says that this book is romantic suspense and I don’t think it is, at least not the suspense part. To me, it is more family drama than anything else. That doesn’t mean this is a bad book, just don’t expect any real suspense (or at least not the kind I am used to reading).

We give this 5 paws up and can’t wait for the next book in this series, Blind Love.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Ashley FarleyAshley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her bestselling Sweeney Sisters series has touched the lives of many.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she’s lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, a piece of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry, which she still calls home. Through the eyes of her characters, she captures the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kindhearted folk with lazy drawls that make the area so unique.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Bookbub

 

Subscribe to Ashley Farley’s Newsletter for monthly updates, release info, sneak peeks, and more.

 

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Posted in 5 paws, Giveaway, Historical, Novella, Review, Short Story on January 21, 2022

 

 

 

 

Shoot Like a Girl (A PreQuel Novella to Girl With A Gun)

 

by Kari Bovee

 

Category: Adult Fiction (18 + yrs), 84 pages

 

Genre: Historical Fiction, Cozy Mystery

 

Publisher: Bosque Publishing

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

She would do anything for her loved ones, even if it meant she’d be lost to them forever.

Young Annie Oakley never expected to be saddled with responsibility so soon. Following her father’s sudden death, the spirited girl finds herself shipped to a nearby county working for a couple promising a good wage. But when she discovers they are not what they seem, Annie suddenly fears her life may be in peril.

Determined to help her mother and siblings, she endures the hardships and mistreatment from the couple. But when that cruelty is targeted at the beautiful Buckskin horse who is her only friend, Annie decides to take matters into her own hands.

Will the spunky teen return to her loved ones, or will her decision land her in jail?

​Shoot like a Girl is the prequel novella to the Annie Oakley mystery series. If you like a fiercely loyal heroine who won’t be anyone’s victim, then you’ll love Kari Bovée’s thrilling story of America’s best-loved sharpshooting sensation.

 

 

Amazon * Audible

 

 

Review

 

If you decide to delve into this series featuring Annie Oakley, make sure to read this prequel first. I didn’t read it before I had read Girl with a Gun and wish I had because it gives us a better understanding of why Annie decided to enter a shooting contest and then join up with Wild Bill’s Wild West Show at the young age of 15. We learn the back story of how she obtains Buck (the horse) and how she had a rough few years helping another family.

I felt for Annie in this story and what she had to endure. This couple was selfish and what she had to do for them was akin to slavery but only slightly better. Annie has a big heart but could only stand so much abuse from these people.

I was so glad to see her escape her tormentors and return home. Many truths were discovered at that point about the home that trained her and the couple that employed her.

While the rest of this series fits into the cozy mystery genre, this one isn’t much of a mystery but provides the backstory of Annie.

I am a fan of Annie’s and can’t wait to finish the rest of the series. We give this 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

When she’s not on a horse, or walking along the beautiful cottonwood-laden acequias of Corrales, New Mexico; or basking on white-sand beaches under the Big Island Hawaiian sun, Kari Bovee is escaping into the past—scheming murder and mayhem for her characters both real and imagined, and helping them to find order in the chaos of her action-packed novels. Bovee writes the award-winning Annie Oakley Mystery Series and the Grace Michelle Mystery Series and has more ideas than time for many, many more.


Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook

 

Twitter ~ InstagramPinterest

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of the author of the Annie Oakley Mysteries! (one winner) (ends Feb 11)

 

GIRL WITH A GUN (Annie Oakley Mystery) Audiobook Tour Giveaway

 

 

 

 

Posted in 5 paws, excerpt, Giveaway, Guest Post, mystery, Novella, Review, Short Story on January 8, 2022

 

 

 

 

Enter a Wizard, Stage Left (A Zodiac Mystery)
Traditional Mystery
Prequel Novella
Suspense Publishing (October 26, 2021)
Print length ‏ : ‎ 111 pages

 

Synopsis

 

Julia Bonatti wasn’t always a crime-solving San Francisco astrologer. She was a young woman, engaged to the love of her life, preparing for a teaching career when tragedy struck. Her fiancé was killed in a hit and run accident. As Julia struggles with her loss and attempts to find meaning in her life again, she takes refuge with her grandmother Gloria. But there’s little time for grief or rest because Gloria, a retired seamstress, needs Julia’s help. Gloria’s been hired to create costumes for a production of Agatha Christie’s Appointment with Death at the newly opened Theatre Mars in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.

Theatre Mars is a stunning jewel, the cast is supremely talented and the script is brilliant. What could go wrong? Julia gets the first hint of trouble when her new friend, the owner of The Mystic Eye bookshop, warns that all might not go well. Opening night will take place during the dark of the moon, the last three days before the new moon, a time that bodes disaster for any new project. The dire prediction comes true when the lead actress is murdered before the final curtain, echoing the play itself. Julia discovers a vital clue to the murder, but a clue that puts Gloria’s life in grave danger. Can Julia rescue her grandmother before it’s too late? And will a black cat play a leading role?

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

I have read a few books in this series and love the mystical aspect of the stories. The zodiac intrigues me and someday I might want to learn more about it myself.

I really enjoyed getting to know Julie and how she fell into astrology and this prequel definitely answers all of those questions. Plus there is a murder to solve along the way.

The premise of the book is a play being put on by a local theater featuring an Agatha Christie story. I don’t think I had heard of this one, so I loved reading along and learning more about one of her infamous characters, Hercules Poirot.  Julie ends up at the theater with her grandmother helping with costumes and that is the perfect place to be to discover the clues and uncover the killer. I don’t think she expected to do that and I felt like I was right there with her figuring it all out. I’m not sure I suspected the killer but it made sense once all of the clues were revealed.

I enjoyed meeting Gale and discovering how she decided to set up a mystic shop. I find that whole world very fascinating.

If you haven’t read any of this series, or even if you have, definitely check out this prequel to learn a bit more about Julie; Gale; Julie’s grandmother, Gloria; and Kuan, her grandmother’s tenant.

We give this 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Post

 

Today we have a few words from the character, Gale Hymson. She is quite an intriguing character and I love her shop!

 

Gale Hymson

 

What an exciting evening I had last night!

It all started when I met a very interesting woman two days ago.  I was in the back parking lot of my shop breaking down boxes for the recycle bin.  You see, I’m Gale Hymson and I’m the owner of the newly-opened Mystic Eye, an occult bookshop in San Francisco.  That’s when I spotted a woman in the next-door parking lot of another building.

Her name is Julia Bonatti.  We said hello and Julia told me she was helping her grandmother with costumes for a production of Agatha Christie’s Appointment with Death.  I was intrigued because I’d seen workmen coming and going and I was really happy we’d have a small theater in our neighborhood.  I invited her over to visit my shop.  I told her my shop is well-stocked with books, jewelry, Tarot decks and lots of other interesting things a customer might not find anywhere else.

Long story short, Julia invited me to the opening night of Appointment with Death.  I thought it would be a quiet, enjoyable evening.  No such luck.  I couldn’t leave until the police had interviewed each and every one of us.  Why you ask?  Well, because of the murder!  The lead actress was murdered on stage in front of a live audience!  Talk about a riveting evening!

I do hope it’s not the last time I see Julia.  I think she’d be very interested in my shop and some of the astrology books we carry.  I’d love it if she became a regular customer!

 

 

About the Author

 

With the Zodiac Mysteries, featuring Julia Bonatti, a crime-solving San Francisco astrologer, Connie di Marco has combined her fascination with astrology and her love of writing mysteries.  Writing as Connie Archer, she’s the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mysteries from Berkley Prime Crime.  You can find her excerpts and recipes in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.  She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime.  She lives in Los Angeles but dreams constantly of the San Francisco fog.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Posted in 4 paws, Novella, Review, Short Story, Young Adult on December 21, 2021

 

This cover is original art by Mali Fischer

 

 

Synopsis

 

A missing book is about to write the story of her life — before she even gets one.

Recent high school grad Anya doesn’t just want to write the great American novel — She wants to publish it, too. So she has faked her way into a summer internship at a major New York City publishing house thousands of miles from home in order to pursue her dream career at an accelerated pace. But her shaky, clandestine plan — which includes camping out in the office and surviving on leftovers from the pantry refrigerator — is completely upended when she loses track of a coveted manuscript by one of the biggest authors in the world. Off she has to race into the late night streets of New York City to track down the manuscript — to save her internship and preserve her cover story, not to mention her best-laid career plan — before the sun rises and her boss is back in the office.

Come along on the madcap quest in this standalone YA novella filled with secret door venues, abandoned subway stations, concealed backrooms and crash pads, mysterious missed connections on old school rotary phones, electric alleyway kisses, and revelatory poetry hiding in plain sight.

 

 

Amazon

 

Read for free via Kindle Unlimited

 

 

Review

 

I didn’t realize this was a novella when I started, but it is not to be overlooked. I enjoyed the storyline of a high school graduate that somehow scores an internship with a publishing house in NYC and what she goes through keeping her true identity a secret. But she does this for good reason, because she is a poet and wants to be published someday, or perhaps even work in a publishing house.

I’m not sure if the expectations are accurate or not for this industry but I found the story amusing and fast-paced.

I am normally not a poetry kind of person, but the poetry within the book was outstanding. It really brought together Anya’s hopes, dreams, and desires.

Oh, and I had figured out where the manuscript was and was surprised no one thought to look there first.

I give this novella 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Jeffrey Yamaguchi is the author of 52 Projects, Working for the Man, Anya Chases Down the End, and Body of Water. His stories, poems, and photographs have been published in Okay Donkey, Kissing Dynamite, Back Patio Press, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, Vamp Cat Magazine, Nightingale & Sparrow, and Black Bough Poetry, among other literary journals. His short films include Unsettled, which premiered at Atticus Review, and Body of Water. Jeffrey has held leadership roles at major publishing houses, including Penguin Random House, Harpercollins, and Abrams Books, and has taught publishing courses at NYU and Mediabistro. He is currently working to build a new publishing venture at Blackstone Audio, and serves on the Digital Committee at Poets & Writers.

 

Website * Goodreads * Twitter * Instagram

 

 

 

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Posted in Novella, Review, romance, Short Story on December 8, 2021

 

 

Ring in the Holidays with Excerpts from Festive Reads by Bestselling Authors Rainbow Rowell, Suzanne Redfearn, J. Courtney Sullivan, and Chandler Baker

 

This winter, rejoice in a festival of entertaining new tales from Amazon Original Stories. Unwrap unique short reads by bestselling authors to keep your holiday season merry and bright. Visit www.amazon.com/holidaystories to browse a curated selection of stories—free for Prime Members and Kindle Unlimited Subscribers—and read on for excerpts from the titles by Rainbow Rowell, Suzanne Redfearn, J. Courtney Sullivan, and Chandler Baker.

 

 

 

 

After a long, lonely year, two people stumble toward each other in If the Fates Allow a holiday short story by Rainbow Rowell the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park and Fangirl.

 

Excerpt

 

Reagan crept to the side to get a closer look. It looked like the deer had managed to snag its foot between two crossbars and a small tree that was growing right next to the fence.

Mason was still inching toward it, with his hands out.

“What are you doing?” Reagan asked again.

“I’m going to help it get free.”

“It’ll get itself free.”

“I don’t think it will. It’s wedged pretty good.”

The deer broke into frantic movement, struggling against the fence. “It’s going to injure itself,” Mason said.

“It’s going to injure you.”

This wasn’t a fawn or a hungry little doe; the deer was as long as Reagan was tall—it must have weighed two hundred pounds.

“Shhhh,” Mason was saying. Maybe to the deer, maybe to Reagan. He was crouching behind it, which seemed like the dumbest decision in the world.

Mason,” Reagan whispered.

“It’s all right,” he said, reaching for the trapped hoof. “Her other legs are on the other side of the fence.”

“I think that’s a buck.”

“She’s not a buck, look at her head.”

The deer struggled again. Mason froze. Reagan took another anxious step toward them.

When the deer stilled, Mason shot forward. He bent the tree back and grabbed the trapped hoof, lifting it free.

The deer pulled the leg forward—and in the same motion, kicked its other hind leg through the fence, catching Mason in the chest.

“Oof,” he said, falling backward.

The deer ran away, and Reagan ran to Mason. “Jesus Christ!” she shouted. “I told you!”

Mason was lying on his back in the snow. Reagan went down on her knees beside him. “Are you okay?” she asked, touching his arm.

His eyes were wide. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just surprised. Is she okay?”

“The deer?”

He nodded.

“She’s fine,” Reagan said. “She’ll live to spread ticks and disease, and destroy crops. Where’d she get you?”

He pointed to his shoulder.

“Can you move it?”

He rotated his shoulder. He was broader than he looked from a distance. Broad even under his coat. His neck was thick, and one of his ears was partly inverted, probably from an old injury. He had snow in his ears and his hair. His hair was much darker than Reagan’s, almost black.

“Did you hit your head?” she asked.

“No. I think I’m okay.”

“That was so stupid, Mason—that could have been your face.”

“I think I’m okay,” he repeated. He lifted his head up out of the snow and pushed up onto his elbows.

Reagan moved away from him.

He stood up, so she stood up, too.

“That could have been your neck,” she said. “That was so stupid.”

“Okay,” he said, nodding. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Reagan’s heart was still pounding. Mason looked worried. There was snow on his glasses, and his mask had fallen below his nose. He was holding her arm. “I’m sorry, okay? Are you hurt?”

“No,” Reagan said. “I’m just . . .”

Mason was holding her arm. He was standing right next to her.

Reagan made a fist in the suede collar of his coat and pulled herself closer to him.

His head dipped forward, more fiercely than she was expecting, to kiss her.

 

Read More About If the Fates Allow Here >>

 

 

 

 

From Suzanne Redfearn, the bestselling author of In an Instant, comes a heartfelt short story about one couple’s journey to discover if there really is a secret ingredient to happily ever after before their upcoming holiday wedding in The Marriage Test.

 

Excerpt

 

The server appears. “Something to drink with dinner?”

“Do you have a white burgundy?” I ask, feeling like something bright to match my mood.

The server points to the French section of the wine list.

“Oh,” I say, as the list is limited and pricey. “I only want a glass. I’ll just take a—”

“A bottle of the finest white burgundy you have,” Justin interrupts.

“Justin—”

He waves me off.

The server leaves, and I lean in to kiss him. “I love you.”

“For ordering a bottle of wine?”

“For ordering a bottle of wine to make me happy.”

I sit back again, and he returns his hand to my knee. “Good evening.”

I look up, and my breath catches. Standing a foot from our table is Annabelle Winters, my chef idol since college. She’s five feet tall with narrow shoulders and wide hips. Curls of wild black hair escape her white cap, flour dusts her black chef coat, and in her hands is a cutting board with a round loaf of bread.

“I understand tonight is a special occasion,” she says, a Mediterranean accent rounding the words. I tilt my head as Justin nods. “In my home country, we have a tradition: remarkable moments are celebrated by the breaking of bread. So, I made this loaf specially for you.” She sets the board on the table, wisps of steam spiraling from the golden, flaky crust. “This is pogača, the bread of my childhood and a symbol of love.”

With a small bow, she pivots away.

“That . . .that was . . .I can’t believe it . . .that was Annabelle Winters.”

Justin smiles wide, a proud grin that crinkles his cheeks. “You told her it was a special occasion?”

“It is,” he says. “We are together.”

I look at the loaf. “Wow. Pogača. My grandmother told me about this bread. It doesn’t use eggs or milk, and it’s cooked on a hearth over an open fire.”

“It’s still warm,” he says. “It must have just come out of the oven.”

I lift it to my face and inhale deeply, warm yeast and flour filling my nose. “Mmmm.” I hold it toward him.

He takes a breath, then leans back and nods. “Well, go on . . . break bread.”

Grinning like a kid at Christmas, I grip the edges and start to twist.

“Wait!” Justin yelps, stopping me, the loaf suspended.

He falls from his chair to the deck, my leg flopping from his lap along with his napkin.

I giggle. “What are you doing?”

“Okay,” he says, now kneeling on one knee. “Keep going.”

The people at the table behind us have stopped what they were doing and are now looking at us, and I notice Annabelle Winters beside the entrance watching as well. I look at the bread, then at Justin, then back again, and blood rushes to my face as I realize what is happening.

“Really?” I say.

He nods toward the bread.

Cheeks spread wide, I tear it in two, sending gold crumbs raining onto the tablecloth.

Poking from the steaming center is the corner of a stainless-steel cylinder.

I dig my fingers in to pry it loose and set it on the palm of my hand. An inch and a half tall and two inches in diameter, it’s engraved on top with two doves surrounded by a ring of leaves.

The woman behind us shifts for a better view.

Heart pounding, I prize off the lid. Sitting on a bed of white satin is a stunning sapphire ring, the center stone blue as the deepest ocean, a single diamond baguette on either side.

“Ava Nicole Barnes,” Justin says, his voice elevated for the audience, “keeper of my heart, guardian of my soul, and woman of my dreams, will you make me the happiest man on this earth and do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

 

Read More About The Marriage Test Here >>

 

 

 

 

Not happy? No problem. Fake it. From New York Times bestselling author J. Courtney Sullivan comes the sharp-witted short story, Model Home, about the reality of reality TV.

 

Excerpt

 

On the ninth take, things get heated between the husband, Todd, and his wife, Noreen.

He complains that this house only has three bedrooms, leaving no possibility for the man cave he was promised he’d get if they gave up their downtown Milwaukee loft for the suburbs. She seems flabbergasted that he can’t see the advantage of sacrificing that space for what is by far the biggest backyard of the three houses they’ve looked at.

Todd says in a tone that manages to sound both jokey and hostile, “If we buy this house, you can’t complain when I play my electric guitar in the living room. Have you thought of that?”

Noreen replies, “I’m only ever thinking of Colby and Mason.”

If you ask me, they both deserve an Oscar. The tension is palpable, even though everyone present knows they already bought this house seven months ago.

House Number One belongs to Todd’s cousin. It isn’t for sale. House Number Two is soon to be listed. The owner was happy to provide access, since being featured on our show, even as a reject, will sell the place in a minute.

I, the wise referee/realtor/designer, smile and say for what feels like the one trillionth time in my life, “Sounds like you two have a lot to discuss. Babe, let’s leave them to it.”

I wonder briefly if I’ll ever get to say these words again on camera, but I have to put the thought from my head.

I never call Damian babe in real life. Especially not now, but even back when I could stand him.

He doesn’t meet my eye. He’s staring into space, going out of his way to look disinterested. No one notices but me. Lately I think of my husband as a disappointment turducken: a lack of ambition wrapped in a beer gut wrapped in a statement tee designed for a much fitter man.

 

Read More About Model Home Here >>

 

 

 

 

Everyone is home for the holidays, clamoring for all the Christmas cheer only their mother can whip up. They can already smell the chestnuts roasting—or is that Mom’s hair on fire? From New York Times bestselling author Chandler Baker comes the laugh-out-loud short story, Oh. What. Fun.

 

Excerpt

 

During normal times, Mom loves to spend most of her day on the phone with one of us or the other. As soon as she hangs up with Channing, she’ll call Sammy; as soon as she’s done with Sammy, Tyler will call; and then she starts the whole process again. Not that we’d ever say this out loud, but we’re in the thick of our lives, so we’re busy with dating and kids and friends getting married and pregnant and such, and, well, Mom’s stories are kind of dull. Though obviously, in retrospect, this is an instance when we should have paid better attention.

Unlike Mom, Channing never complains about anything and so she didn’t make a big deal of it when Mom, again, forty-five minutes after the agreed-upon time, took over the kids, leading them on a special explorer hunt to find Canelo the Elf.

Mom is wild about that Elf on the Shelf. Canelo joined us three Christmases ago. The twins are in a Spanish- immersion program, hence the name, and Channing and Doug explained to us that if Canelo started the month of December at their house, he’d need to travel for the time spent at Grandpa and Grandma’s. It only made sense. So the trick is there are actually two Canelos. Mom bought a body double so Channing could leave hers safely at home. Canelo’s antics are one of those things we all tease her about: Somebody has too much time on her hands. But the truth is, we do kind of get a kick out of him.

Mom keeps the Elf ’s next move top secret from everyone, even Dad. Last year, Canelo relaxed in a Crockpot Jacuzzi filled with marshmallows; then he stole all of our toilet paper to build snowmen and rode a zip line down the stairs. This year was off to an impressive start as the twins took binoculars and donned safari hats to track down Canelo, who was wearing camouflage in one of the old oak trees. But we guess we’ll never know what else Canelo had in store, because Canelo hasn’t moved in two days. His painted, unblinking eyes stare at us from his perch, and none of us have been able to work out yet how it is we should explain this to the twins.

We think at some point during the Canelo expedition Sammy pulled up and plopped down on the couch, probably with his shoes still on, and started messing around on his phone. Every group of siblings has a “one,” and Sammy, for us, is the Boring One, mainly because he’s twenty-five and always on his phone. Also he just broke up with his girlfriend (see: always on phone), and yet when we tasked him with one very simple to-do—break into Mom’s phone—well all the sudden he apparently “didn’t know anything about phones.”

Sammy didn’t see anything or hear anything or smell anything unusual, but as we’ve already pointed out, this can’t be taken as gospel since he was preoccupied texting back and forth with his ex.

Sammy

do you know what kind of laundry detergent you used to use on our clothes? Bc mine smell all weird now.

                                                                       

Mae-Bell                                              

It’s the fabric softener. Downy infusions. Scent: Romantic.          

 

Later, we passed around the conversation to weigh in by committee on whether she meant anything by it. We even consulted the Downy website while Mom handed out homemade eggnog because none of us care for the store bought, and there we learned that the Romantic scent carries “sensual aromas of delicate floral, white tea, and peony,” and at least half of us found it difficult to overlook a smoking gun like “sensual” right there as the subtext.

After dinner, Mom asked Channing if she’d mind watching the twins for a few minutes while she cleaned the kitchen, and we all took bets on whether Sammy and Mae-Bell would be back together by spring. The holidays can be hard on people, you know. Everyone except for Mom anyway, who just loves an excuse to corral us all together under one roof. Nothing makes her more upset than a year when she has to share Channing and the twins with Doug’s family. This year, Doug’s family was indisposed because they were up in Vermont visiting Doug’s aunt, but they probably could have been in the ICU and Mom would have been just as happy as long as the result was having Channing and the girls all to herself. Not to be alarmist, but of all the years to up and vanish, you just wouldn’t expect it to be one where Channing was set to be home the whole time.

 

Read More About Oh. What. Fun. Here >>

 

***

 

Review

 

I read all four of these short stories and some I liked better than others but the main thread that ties them together is the holidays and family. There are things we do for our family that we wouldn’t do for anyone else. It also shows how close the ties can be between siblings, parents and children, and extended family.

My favorite out of the four was The Marriage Test and while the ending wasn’t what I expected, it ended well despite all that happened.

You can read my full reviews on Goodreads or Amazon.

If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read all of these for free.

 

 

Giveaway

 

Readers can enter a Rafflecopter Giveaway to win a digital copy of each of the stories and a $50 Amazon Gift Card.

 

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Posted in 4 paws, Anthology, Cozy, mystery, Novella, Review on October 16, 2021

 

 

 

 

Festive Mayhem 2 (Seven Holiday Culinary Cozy Mysteries)
Culinary Cozy Mystery Anthology
Independently Published (October 1, 2021)
Number of Pages: 215

 

Seven crime writers of color have teamed up for the second year running to offer you the gift of escape this holiday season. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, Halloween to New Year’s, cozy mystery fans are bound to find a favorite holiday represented in this limited-time collection of exclusive, never-before-published seasonal short stories.

 

 

Amazon * Apple Books * B&N * Kobo

 

 

Review

 

These 7 novellas are perfect when you are looking for a bite or a snack to read and don’t have time for a full-length novel.

The stories cover major holidays and are set in the past, the present, and even in various countries.

I enjoyed reading each one and being exposed to a new cozy author and will be looking for more works by these authors.

Sometimes I solved the mystery before the reveal, and sometimes I didn’t. About my average speed when reading a mystery.

I liked that there are recipes at the end and there are a few that I want to try out soon.

We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

Find out more about the authors

 

Paige Sleuth * Francelia Belton * Angela Henry * Rhoda Berlin

 

Carolyn Marie Wilkins * Barbara Howard * Stella Oni

 

 

Giveaway

 

 

 

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