Book Review: Indigo, the Deep (Yellow Cottage Stories, #3) by Kellye Abernathy

Indigo, The Deep by Kellye Abernathy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Return to Dipitous Beach and surrender to the pull of the Autumn Equinox.

Indigo, The Deep is the third book in author Kellye Abernathy’s magical middle-grade fantasy series, the Yellow Cottage Stories, and there is excitement and self-understanding throughout as the storylines established in the previous novels come together. Told through multiple points of view, the young residents of Dipitous Beach face big challenges from both outside their community and inside themselves.

The ugly, black research ship anchored off the shoreline of Dipitous Beach not only mars everyone’s lovely view of the ocean, but its occupants’ careless activities below water are destroying the local ecosystem and drawing sharks to the perfect surf spot. While the residents grumble, so far, they have been unable to halt the operations that are more geared toward making a profit than adding to the knowledge of the ocean. In addition, newcomers to the area, drawn by the expensive new housing development under construction and the massive new marina, are racing speedboats through the surf, oblivious to the damage they are causing in the local sea turtle habitat. Then, too, the autumn equinox brings its own changes to the ocean. In the previous two years, the ocean has revealed its magical secrets to one young resident, and Condi and Isaac wonder who will be next?

Author Kellye Abernathy continues the stories of the families in the small coastal town: Condi Bloom, Grand Ella, and their fosters: Firth, Cissy, and Malcolm; Tad, Cara, Lorelei, and Gabby Finch; Abe and Isaac Huddleston; the Arondales; Kait Dooley; Andy Marshall; Trippy; and the rest of the Beachlings. The story is about discovering one’s heart, living your own life and not someone else’s dream; releasing false memories; learning to establish boundaries that respect how you will be treated by others; and letting go of and healing from the past to move on to a happier future. This story explores the pursuit of knowledge and profit and how it must be balanced with preserving the environment and adding to the greater good. All these important concepts are delivered in a gripping seaside tale, with magical underwater adventures.

I loved the northern California coastal setting, which the author makes so broodingly atmospheric and filled with dark, hidden dangers on the surface, while another light and color-filled world exists just below. The young characters are well-drawn, engaging, and it was easy to connect with their emotional and physical dilemmas. My favorite character remains Condi Bloom, and I already know that her frightening journey through the sea caves with Firth is going to stay with me for a long time.

While this book can be read as a standalone, the histories of the main characters are deep and complex, with the backstories presented in this book only touching the surface. I feel that this book would best be enjoyed after having read the previous novels in the series. I recommend INDIGO, THE DEEP and the rest of the YELLOW COTTAGE STORIES* to readers of middle-grade fantasy.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

*See my review of Amethyst, The Shallows, Book Two of the Yellow Cottage Stories, HERE!

View all my reviews

Book Blast: Versions of Nirvana by H.C. Turk

Versions of Nirvana

by

H.C. Turk

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess Fish Promotions. 

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops at the tour.

Magical Realism

Publication Date: October 13, 2025

Page count: 388 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

In order to save her family, an 18th-century witch entertains suicide, thereby entering a coma-like trance that lasts 300 years. In this magical state, she reaches into the future to guide other people who long for redemption.

England, 1710. Young Alba knows she is a witch, but the term means nothing until her mother is executed for witchcraft. Then Alba enters a trance that causes everyone around her debilitating emotions, just like Alba’s. The trance, which is Alba’s magic, does not appear again until years later when her mentor is arrested and sentenced to death. Panicked, Alba stabs herself in the heart. Instead of dying, she enters a “false sleep” (coma), a state of spiritual consciousness. Hoping to find peace for others, she seeks similar souls in the future.

Germany, 1942: An American soldier is mortally wounded. In his final moment, he experiences the glory of a beautiful life, if only in his dreams. He enters a spiritual realm filled with warm family adventures, metaphysical escapades that are alternately hilarious and horrific, yet always lead away from anguish. Directed by Alba’s unseen influence, Andrew fights for solace, and wins.

Indonesia, 2003: A young American woman on a Western Pacific island must relive an ancient, tortuous journey through a primitive environment in order to redeem the foreigners in the country. Influenced by a power she can only sense in her heart (Alba), Connie seeks a solution of acceptance instead of rejection.

Told with humor and compassion, the heart of the book is the longing to find peace despite haunting failure, and finding joy in helping others achieve the same.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

| Amazon | Apple Books | BAM! |

| Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Indigo |

| Kobo | Smashwords | Walmart |

| International Links |

READ AN EXCERPT:

When I was alive, I could not tell you what a train is, or would be. Now, I cannot tell you how I feel about transportation of this nature, a line of connected metal carriages driven by mechanisms like clockwork from beyond; and is that not the source of the future? When I was alive, I could not tell you what a train is, or would be. Now, I cannot tell you how I feel about transportation of this nature, a line of connected metal carriages driven by mechanisms like clockwork from beyond; and is that not the source of the future?

Neither can I tell you the nature of my testimony, though I praise the Deity that I can wield my influence into the lives of other people who deserve liberation. Unlike salvation, which comes from God, redemption comes from the heart.

“Liberation” is a goal of the associated horror ensconcing this era: “warfare,” the particular involved here not local, but global, the second of its kind, though not the last.

1945. How bigoted would I be to say that no witch is good at numbers? Germany. Once I was accused of being of that nationality, and now I virtually live there, with my virtual life.

In the distance, snowy, irregular mountain tops, not the Cambrian Mountains, but the Alps. Some brief words can be so fine.

An American draftee rides in a German Diesel locomotive with other stragglers. (Time is coming for me to absorb the meaning of these new terms and the ideas they represent without delineating their specifics: a nation that did not exist when I was alive, the massive machines, the murderous weapons. Beyond that, how close must one be to a person and their living in order to become a participant, not merely an observer?)

Neither can I tell you the nature of my testimony, though I praise the Deity that I can wield my influence into the lives of other people who deserve liberation. Unlike salvation, which comes from God, redemption comes from the heart.

“Liberation” is a goal of the associated horror ensconcing this era: “warfare,” the particular involved here not local, but global, the second of its kind, though not the last.

1945. How bigoted would I be to say that no witch is good at numbers? Germany. Once I was accused of being of that nationality, and now I virtually live there, with my virtual life.

In the distance, snowy, irregular mountain tops, not the Cambrian Mountains, but the Alps. Some brief words can be so fine.

An American draftee rides in a German Diesel locomotive with other stragglers. (Time is coming for me to absorb the meaning of these new terms and the ideas they represent without delineating their specifics: a nation that did not exist when I was alive, the massive machines, the murderous weapons. Beyond that, how close must one be to a person and their living in order to become a participant, not merely an observer?)

BOOK TRAILER:

View on YouTube

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

H. C. Turk is a writer, sound artist, and visual artist. His novels have been published by Villard and Tor. His short fiction, sound pieces, movies, and visual art have appeared in numerous magazines, websites, podcasts, and film festivals. He used to paint houses (not as an art form.)

| Website | Bandcamp |

| Facebook | Goodreads | Substack |

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

H.C. Turk will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

Book Campaign & Giveaway: Hummingbird Moonrise (Murder, Tea, and Crystals, #3) by Sherri L. Dodd

 

HUMMINGBIRD MOONRISE

By Sherri L. Dodd

Paranormal Thriller / Fantasy / Magical Realism / Witch-Lit

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Pages: 304

Publication Date: October 9, 2025

SYNOPSIS

The past two years have taken their toll on Arista Kelly. Once an eternal optimist, now she has faced the darkness and must recalibrate what true happiness means for her. Meanwhile, Shane, her ex-boyfriend, is pulling all the right moves to help keep her sane from her heightening paranoia. But it doesn't help that Iris, her Great Aunt Bethie's friend, has disappeared.

Still, one additional trial remains. While searching for Iris, Bethie and Arista stumble upon a grand revelation in the eccentric woman's home. With the discovery, they realize their run of chaos and loss of kin may have roots in a curse that dates back to the 1940s-the time when their family patriarch first built Arista's cottage in the redwoods and crafted his insightful Ouija table.

This pursuit will not follow their accustomed recipe of adrenalized action, but the high stakes remain. Will the mysterious slow burn of unfolding events finally level Arista's entire world or be fully extinguished, once and for all?

CLICK TO PURCHASE

Amazon  ◆  Barnes & Noble ◆ Bookshop.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sherri L. Dodd was raised in southeast Texas. Walking barefoot most days and catching crawdads as they swam the creek beds, she had a love for all things free and natural. Her childhood ran rampant with talk of ghosts, demons, and backcountry folklore. This inspired her first story for sale, about a poisonous flower that shot toxins onto children as they smelled it. Her classmate bought it for all the change in his pocket. Shortly thereafter, her mother packed the two of them up and headed to the central coast of California. Since that time, she has worked corporate, married, raised two sons, and now writes full-time creating atmospheric paranormal fiction. Her debut novel – Murder Under Redwood Moon – shot straight to #1 on Amazon, holding firm as a Best Seller in the Occult Supernatural genre.

WEBSITE ◆ INSTAGRAM  

BOOKBUB ◆ AMAZON ◆ GOODREADS

ENTER TO WIN!

To learn more about the book, look for #LSLLHummingbirdMoonrise on your preferred social media platform.

 

CLICK TO VISIT THE LONE STAR LITERARY LIFE CAMPAIGN PAGE

FOR DIRECT LINKS TO EACH REVIEWER PARTICIPATING.

  

Book Blitz: The Ordinary Bruja (Las Cerradoras, #1) by Johanny Ortega

The Ordinary Bruja: Marisol’s Story
Johanny Ortega
(Las Cerradoras, #1)
Publication date: November 4, 2025
Genres: Adult, Horror, Magical Realism, Psychological

The Ordinary Bruja is a haunting and heartfelt coming-of-age novel wrapped in Dominican magical realism and psychological horror.

Marisol Espinal doesn’t believe she’s special. Not when she’s back in her small Ohio hometown, working as a barista, haunted by grief and the girls who once made her life hell. But when mirrors flicker with strange words, cigar smoke curls where no one is smoking, and voices whisper from Hallowthorn Hill, she realizes something darker has always been watching.

The Espinal family magic was buried generations ago-forced into silence by Salvador, the ancestor who bound their power for himself. Now his ghost feeds on fear and doubt, and Marisol is his next target. To survive, she must reclaim her heritage, unearth the truth hidden in her mother’s journal, and face the hill that has been waiting for her all along.

Atmospheric and emotionally charged, The Ordinary Bruja blends generational trauma, identity reclamation, and queer love with a creeping sense of dread. Perfect for fans of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina and Mexican Gothic, this novel asks: What does it cost to embrace every part of yourself-even the parts the world taught you to bury?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

“Ten months since she had dropped out and came home, to the place she promised herself she’d never return to. She was bad at keeping promises. That was for sure.”

—

PRAISE for The Ordinary Bruja

“There is spirituality, magic, ghosts, there is plenty of love, there is loss; and above all there is familia, both genetic and of choice.”

“…An impactful horror story that blew me away.”

“This book . . . pushed me to confront my own assumptions about history.”

“You can absolutely feel the anguish Marisol feels at the loss of her mother.”

“I absolutely enjoyed “The Ordinary Bruja”. It was a perfect mix between horror (with a slight humor – thank you early Marisol and her “nope” moments + Kia) and a story that shows you that you need to find your own way, even if everything is pushing you down.”

Enjoy an Excerpt:

Marisol’s ghosts

Marisol Espinal’s name tag glinted under the harsh café lights, a cruel little mirror. The letters wavered, morphing into something off. God, she hated mirrors. The letters twisted like heat waves on pavement. Her stomach squeezed. Does it say “ordinary”? Heat rose to her neck. She blinked, but the word was still there, pulsing as if alive, refusing to prove her sight wrong.

Right then, the faint scent of cigar smoke drifted past her, starkly out of place amid the café’s familiar aroma of espresso and pastries. Marisol glanced around, wondering if someone was smoking inside or lingering too close to the door. She tore her gaze from the nametag. She had always hated mirrors, but this felt different.

Still, she wondered if someone was playing a sick joke on her.

She crossed to the café’s large selfie mirror by the corner booth. Eyes followed her, but she didn’t care.

Who would play with my name tag? ¿Las tres mojonas? They had been cruel enough in school, and she was sure they still were.

She felt a tug on her sleeve and looked behind her. Her jaw clenched, half expecting to see Delgada or one of her cronies, but it was Kia. Tall, calm, and somehow always exactly where Marisol needed her to be. Her hair was in a high puff, the café’s soft light haloing it, and her hoodie hung off one shoulder as if she hadn’t noticed or didn’t care. Kia never tried too hard, and maybe that’s what made her magnetic, steady in a way that made Marisol memorize every line of her face. She smelled faintly of coffee beans and peppermint lotion, always carrying the scent of the café with her, as if it clung to her skin.

“You good, Mari? You’ve got that faraway look again.”

Marisol released a shaky breath. She took a glance at the mirror, just long enough to catch her nametag’s glint. The letters seemed to shift.

That is a “B,” not an “O,” right?

Her stomach twisted again.

“Mari?” Kia called.

Marisol blinked at her reflection. Same old word: Barista. Nothing had changed. It’s just exhaustion. Yet the unease gnawed at her stomach.

She turned away from the mirror, silently promising herself not to look at it for the rest of her shift.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just tired.”

Kia nodded, but Marisol could tell she wasn’t buying it.

This was why she avoided mirrors. They showed too much.

It had only been ten months since Mami died. The mirror showed that too. Ten months since she had dropped out and come back to the place she promised herself she’d never return to. Gosh. Every time she thought of having come so close only to come home with a diploma-shaped hole filled with student debt, it made her feel like she was walking around with a wet shirt on during winter, and everyone staring at her.

Author Bio:

Johanny Ortega is a Dominican American author who writes across genres—blending psychological horror, literary fiction, magical realism, and thrillers that punch you right in the gut. Whether writing about haunted hills, generational trauma, or the quiet unraveling of everyday life, her stories center marginalized voices, morally complex women, and the messy truth about survival.

She is the founder of Have a Cup of Johanny, a creative platform where she blogs, podcasts, and advocates for inclusive storytelling. Her award-winning middle-grade and adult fiction has resonated with readers who crave depth, grit, and emotional honesty.

When she’s not writing, she’s raising kids in a blended military family, reading books that wreck her soul in the best way, and saying what others are afraid to.

Website / Goodreads / TikTok / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!

The Ordinary Bruja Blitz

Book Review: Let Birds Fly by Rhea Thomas

Let Birds Fly by Rhea Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Enthralling related short stories that will make you gasp with surprise and delight!

Let Birds Fly is a collection of surreal short stories, a delightful display of magical realism done right, and all related to one another through their shared setting at a present-day Austin, Texas, marketing firm called Ripple Media. The stories are satisfying, easy to read, and ingenious, and each brushes up against the others much like a ripple from a stone dropped in a pond affects things in its vicinity.

Ripple Media creates social media marketing content and promotions for emerging small businesses that need help navigating and managing their online presence. The stories feature an employee or associate of the firm as they go about their routine workday; however, today their experiences will be far from usual or mundane: think a modern-day Twilight Zone, with each tale landing slightly left and right of center. The results are fun, eye-opening, or gasp-inducing as the main characters discover something about themselves and their true desires, which often diverge from their day-to-day existence or company role. Each story is a gem.

I recommend LET BIRDS FLY to readers of short stories of fantasy and magical realism.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through WOW! Women On Writing Book Tours.

View all my reviews

Children's/Young Adult Book Review: Amethyst, The Shallows by Kellye Abernathy

Amethyst, The Shallows by Kellye Abernathy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Return to Dipitous Beach for the exciting and satisfying continuation of the story begun in THE AQUAMARINE SURFBOARD!

Amethyst, The Shallows is the second book in the series or companion book to author Kellye Abernathy’s middle-grade/young adult magical realism novel, The Aquamarine Surfboard, which I read a little over a year ago and thoroughly enjoyed. With its variety of characters’ experiences, multiple points of view, and atmospheric portrayal of the small oceanside community, this magical return trip to Dipitous Beach even surpasses the wonder of the first.

The main characters are a core group of friends who attend the same school and share many of the same interests, perfect for their setting as a beach town, such as surfing, oceanography, and preservation of marine life. Their hometown is slowly coming out of quarantine after a devastating sickness has swept through the country, and the friends have suffered through a long period of isolation and fear. Many of their parents or adult acquaintances died during the pandemic, and the story reflects how grief continues to affect them all. The characters’ behaviors are individualized, showing that not everyone reacts to their loneliness, fear, or sorrow in the same ways.

Two particularly interesting characters are Tad, Lorelei’s younger brother, and Isaac, the son of the aquarium director. Tad, who quickly became my favorite character, is doing his best to be there for his mother, who is in a coma and is still ill from the recent sickness. He is neurodivergent but growing in his ability to control his emotions, which he experiences as colors. Isaac has just arrived in town from back East to live with his non-custodial father after the death of his mother from the sickness. He’s angry and resentful and hates the beach and ocean. His only solace seems to come from music. He, too, is neurodivergent and experiences musical notes as colors. I loved these two very different characters together.

As in the first book, there is a brief sojourn underwater for a couple of the characters. While this visit isn’t as extensive as the first, the wonder and the magic are still ever-present and provides some new surprises.

While this book could be read independently, I feel it should be read after the first one for the best reading experience and comprehension. While time has passed and new life situations and struggles present themselves and are the focus of this companion story, the previous book lays a necessary and magical foundation on which these subsequent events rely.

I recommend AMETHYST, THE SHALLOWS to middle-grade and young-adult readers of fantasy and magical realism.

View all my reviews

Review Tour & Giveaway: Fanning Fireflies (The Limerent, #3) by LS Delorme

FANNING FIREFLIES

The Limerent, Book Three

by

LS Delorme

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by

Goddess FishPromotions.

Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Historical Paranormal Romance

Limerent Publishing LLC

Publication Date: April 19, 2024

Page count: 240 pages

SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!

SYNOPSIS:

There is something rotting in Harrisville. 

It's 1944 and Veronica works so she can afford to eat. Maybe one day she will save enough to own the home her family is living in, but for now, she doesn't have time for fanciful thoughts, or much else. She doesn't have time for the fire whispering to her, the ghosts trying to talk to her and the son of her boss, who can't stop staring at her. She definitely doesn't have time to think about Lazlo, the handsome black soldier that she processed at the draft office, but she can't seem to stop herself. As her ability to ignore Lazlo evaporates, so does her self-imposed ignorance about her hometown. 

There is, and always has been, something rotten in Harrisville. It shouldn't have been a surprise. After all. Veronica works in the cigarette factory. where corpses hide in the tobacco with the roaches.

CLICK TO PURCHASE!

| BAM! | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop.org | Indigo |

ENJOY AN EXCERPT:

Veronica heard a rustling in the tobacco leaves nearby. A small, sickly raccoon tumbled out. Its fur was matted with dust, and it looked half-starved. It tried to run, but its back legs wouldn’t cooperate with the front, and the creature collapsed onto its side.

 

Veronica began to back away, keeping her broom pointed at it. For a moment the raccoon lay still, then it rolled over and struggled to push itself upright with its front paws.

 

She spoke to it softly, hoping to calm it—but at the sound of her voice, the raccoon bared its teeth and lurched toward her, scrabbling with its front paws while its limp back legs dragged behind.

 

She had almost reached the end of the aisle when a dark shape flickered beside the raccoon—a vaguely human shadow reaching for her. She jumped back before it could touch her. The spectre plunged into the raccoon. For an instant, shadow and animal merged—then the phantom vanished. The raccoon twitched, then its milky eyes fixed on her. In the next moment it was scuttling toward her, suddenly sure-footed and fast.

 

Veronica turned and ran toward the exit. She could hear scrabbling behind her, growing louder. She rounded a corner and saw the door ahead—but she couldn’t let the beast escape into the factory. Instead, she dove down another aisle and crouched low.

 

The raccoon skittered around the corner a heartbeat later. Veronica swung her broom and knocked its legs out from under it. The creature flew forward and slammed into a wooden post, sending a cascade of dry tobacco leaves crashing down onto it. Veronica bolted for the door and heaved it shut. A moment later something thudded into the other side of the door—again and again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lexy Shaw Delorme (writing as LS Delorme) is the award-winning author of The Limerent Series, a genre-defying collection of emotionally resonant novels that blend supernatural mystery, psychological thriller, historical fiction, and romantic suspense. 

With a background as a lawyer, pop musician, and science writer, Lexy brings intellectual depth and lyrical prose to every story she tells. Now based in Paris, she lives with her French husband and two very cool sons. Her work explores themes of limerence, memory, identity, and the echoes of past lives—and she’s not afraid to push boundaries along the way.

| Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | X (Twitter) |

 

The Limerent Series (Books 1–4) 

• Caio* — A supernatural romantic thriller about grief, justice, and forbidden connection.

• Bright Midnights** — A YA dream-thriller following a magnetic girl caught between dimensions.

• Fanning Fireflies — A 1940s historical ghost story and romance centered around race, secrecy, and sacrifice.

• Ghosting Academy — A high-stakes psychological thriller with VR technology, elite agents, and spiritual unraveling. 

Each book is a standalone yet interwoven through deeper cosmological themes and recurring characters.

*See my review of CAIO here!

**See my review of BRIGHT MIDNIGHTS here!

 

Media Recognition & Reviews 

• Kirkus Reviews praised Caio as "an entertaining fantasy with a dash of macabre eroticism."

• Bright Midnights received a coveted BookLife Editor’s Pick from Publishers Weekly, with critics calling it an "enthralling, character-rich narrative."

• Fanning Fireflies was IndieReader Approved (4.8/5), described as "an emotionally charged, thought-provoking read."

• The series has been celebrated across the book blogging world as genre-bending, hypnotic, and emotionally gripping.

 

Awards & Honors 

• Bright Midnights won the Golden Wizard Book Prize (UK) in the YA Fantasy category.

• Caio received a positive “Get It” verdict from Kirkus, signaling quality and appeal.

• Fanning Fireflies was awarded near-perfect marks from IndieReader, achieving critical acclaim.

 

Media & Events 

• Featured guest on BBC Radio 2 – The Gabby Roslin Show, discussing Fanning Fireflies and the mythic architecture of the series.

• Interviewed on the What We Reading UK blog and spotlighted by the British Fantasy Society.

• Frequent guest on virtual book tours hosted by LiterallyPR and Goddess Fish Promotions.

• Upcoming panelist and moderator at C2E2 Comic Con 2025.

 

Reader Response 

• Called "a cult classic in the making" by readers.

• Described as having “characters who stay with you long after the last page.”

• Celebrated for blending literary depth with page-turning suspense.

REVIEW:

5 stars!

A town on the brink and a love that shouldn’t be. 

Fanning Fireflies is the third book in author L.S. Delorme’s riveting and mysterious Limerent series, and it may be my favorite of the three. Set in 1944, when the entire world is at war, Veronica Crane yearns for a young man going off to fight. But theirs is a forbidden attraction because he is black and she is white. In the meantime, weird things are going on in Veronica’s small hometown of Harrisville, North Carolina. Tensions are rising as an all-white, Clan-like organization is gaining ground and members, and Veronica is just trying to keep a low profile and avoid angering the wrong people. But she has a couple of special gifts, abilities only she and her people know about. One is the ability to see ghosts, and she’s seen more in town recently than in her entire life up to now. 

Veronica’s story was gripping from the very beginning, and the author did a fabulous job placing me smack in the middle of the action with its vivid 1940s wartime vibe. The racial attitudes of the time hit hard, even as the author carefully avoids using some of the worst invectives of the day. The portrayal of gender behavior and attitudes is spot on and demonstrates why there are stereotypes. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is also clearly pictured, with Veronica making do with what little she has and often going without as she helps her mother and brother get by. But even those acquaintances of hers who were better off were still careful and well aware of how they used their resources. Most characters lived through the Depression before experiencing wartime rationing. 

I absolutely enjoyed the magic and the legacy of the Furies; however, Veronica’s special abilities, handy as they turned out to be, were one more secret to keep. I know I’ve said this before in my reviews of the previous books, but the author must have my tastes and interests down to a T. I find her writing compelling and easy to get lost in. Veronica’s very realistic circumstances completely absorbed me. The supernatural and magical elements were creative, intriguing, and unpredictable.  

While the story has a lot of characters to keep track of, I loved that some had been featured in the previous books. This novel, like those earlier, can be read and enjoyed without any problems as a standalone. Still, as the storylines are converging, and the first two books were 5-star stories for me,* I feel they should not be missed! I recommend FANNING FIREFLIES to readers who enjoy historical romances and adventures with a paranormal element.

*See my reviews of CAIO, Limerent, Book One, HERE and BRIGHT MIDNIGHTS, Limerent, Book Two, HERE!

GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

LS Delorme will be awarding a $15 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Virtual book tour services provided by

Book Tour & Giveaway: The Fake Ghost by Nuzo Onoh

A supernatural thriller of vengeance and occultic magic.

A powerful American leader is reborn as a black child in an African hut.

The Fake Ghost

by Nuzo Onoh

Genre: Supernatural Horror, Magical Realism

A dark farce and a supernatural thriller of rebirth, betrayal, vengeance, occultic magic, mysterious invocations and creepy rituals–from Nuzo Onoh, recipient of the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement and “the Queen of African Horror.”

Set both in Nigeria and the USA, The Fake Ghost follows the whacky and sinister travails of the President of the United States, reborn as a black child in a tiny African hut. As the child grows, he insists on being called POTUS and hears disturbing voices in his head that often cause him to be cruel and selfish. Until one day an accident separates the linked souls. With the help of a medicine-man, the president must find a way to free his trapped soul and return to the United States to prevent a dastardly political plot against him. But first, he must enter a diabolical blood pact, which might return to haunt him with devastating consequences.

"Sometimes shocking, fantastical and hilarious, but also tinged with hope, this ghost will haunt you long after the final page." —Tim Lebbon, author of The Last Storm

 

**Releases Aug 12, 2025!**

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Indigo.ca * DeadskyPublishing * Goodreads

 

Nuzo Onoh is an award-winning Nigerian-British writer of speculative fiction She is a pioneer of the African horror literary genre. Hailed as the “Queen of African Horror”, Nuzo’s writing showcases both the beautiful and horrific in the African culture within fictitious narratives. Nuzo’s works have featured in numerous magazines, podcasts and anthologies, as well as in academic studies. She has given talks and lectures about African Horror, including at the prestigious Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, London. She is a Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Nuzo holds a Law degree and Masters degree in Writing, both from Warwick University, England. She is a certified Civil Funeral Celebrant, licensed to conduct non-religious burial services. An avid musician with an addiction to JungYup and K-indie, Nuzo plays both the guitar and piano, and holds an NVQ in Digital Music Production. She resides in the West Midlands, United Kingdom.

 

Linktree * Bluesky * Substack * BookBub * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $10 giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review - The Horned Women: A Contemporary Retelling of an Irish fairy tale (The Castle of Kilkenney, #1) by Christy Matheson

The Horned Women by Christy Matheson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eerie introduction to the Robinson family, Americans relocated to Ireland.

The Horned Women is the first book in author Christy Matheson’s The Castle in KilKenney series, contemporary retellings of some of Ireland’s most well-known fairy tales. When Maura divorced her cheating husband, Roy, she not only gained full custody of their two small children and an ancient castle in Ireland but, out of the blue, his teenage son and daughter from a previous marriage also applied to the judge to live with her as well. Soon, Maura finds herself a divorced mother of four living in her dream setting, although the dilapidated Irish castle requires some work to bring it up to standards, hopefully at Roy’s expense. As the merged family settles in, there are some bumps along the way, especially with spoiled teenager Kaylee, who appears to have been completely ignored by her parents for most of her young life.

After the children are in bed, Maura turns to needlework for relaxation. One evening, a strange old woman with a single horn growing from her forehead barges into the great room uninvited and, without a word, begins carding wool. She is joined one after another by eleven more old women, each with one more horn than the one that came before her, all with evil intentions in mind. Using her wits and knowledge of Irish folklore and with the much-needed assistance from a surprising source, she must figure out a way to banish the horned women from the castle for good and protect all her children.

The young family and how they are adapting to each other and their new life without their father is the heart of this story. Maura loves her own children, Oona and Oliver, but until the divorce, she had little interaction with the older two, which makes their request to the judge all the more unexpected. It seems their father and mother are real pieces of work, intent on their own desires, leaving their two children to grow up alone and unwanted. Despite this, Aiden is quickly growing into a kind, considerate young man; however, Kaylee, the daughter, has suffered from the lack of parental love and affection, something Aiden may have recognized and prompted his unusual request. The mystical intrusion of the fairy tale into Maura’s present time reveals how she’s gradually come to love the older two like her own.

I recommend THE HORNED WOMEN to readers who enjoy scary fairy tale retellings.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Moonset on Desert Sands (Murder, Tea, and Crystals, #2) by Sherri L. Dodd

Moonset on Desert Sands by Sherri L Dodd
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was invested from start to finish!

Moonset on Desert Sands is the second book in author Sherri L. Dodd’s mystical and mysterious series, Murder, Tea, and Crystals, and I was invested in the story from its shocking opening scene to its close, wanting to know everything about these characters, their lives, and how they got to this point. After escaping a serial killer the year before, Arista is living quietly in Sedona, Arizona, but, nonetheless, finds herself the target of her Uncle Fergus. This story continues the plot from the series debut. For the best understanding and enjoyment, the books should be read in order of publication.

I really like the character, Arista, and enjoyed learning about the shop in Sedona, crystal lore, her use of teas, and right off the bat, her interest and growing skill in seeing and understanding auras. These topics are totally outside my wheelhouse, other than what I’ve encountered in other books featuring witches, so it was an interesting and fresh underlying theme for me. After the events of the previous book, Arista has healed quite a bit but is still dealing with her feelings and heartache. She is surrounded by other well-developed and diverse characters, who help create a vivid sense of her community and leave very strong impressions, both good and bad, depending upon their role. I easily became invested in their stories despite being at a disadvantage, having not read the first book.

The story grabbed my attention from the start with an exciting and shocking opening. The author’s descriptions put me smack in the middle of the action with all its accompanying foreboding and terror; I was hooked for the long run. The author weaves in references to the past throughout the current story, but I really had to tease these bits out to understand the current developments. However, with its non-stop action, robust descriptions, and engaging characters, I soon couldn’t put this book down, and, with its conclusion of possibilities, I plan on backing up and reading book one in order to be ready for the next.

I recommend MOONSET ON DESERT SANDS to mystery readers who enjoy stories with paranormal elements.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

View all my reviews

Book Review - The Smiling Dog Café: Healing Fiction, Volume 1 by Neil S. Plakcy

The Smiling Dog Cafe: Healing Fiction by Neil S. Plakcy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Heartbreaking and heartwarming, healing and hopeful stories are all connected by a magical coffee shop and its canine caretakers.

The Smiling Dog Café: Healing Fiction, Volume 1 by Neil S. Plakcy, is a two-novella collection of what is known as “healing fiction,” a style of story of Japanese origin. As the stories unfold, not only do the characters undergo positive restorative change, but readers may also experience hope and satisfaction as well.

In the first story, readers are introduced to Betty Martinez, the owner of The Smiling Dog Café, a magical coffee shop well off the beaten paths in Brooklyn, and as such, a recurring character for each of the stories. I loved the concept that while some of her customers just stumbled across the café, many are led there by following one of the unusual dogs memorialized by Betty’s deceased wife in paintings adorning the walls. Each of the customers brought there by the supernatural canines is hurting, damaged, or lost in some way, and Betty, a retired grief counselor, skillfully serves up hope and wisdom along with her special coffee.

In “Code of Silence,” Jeff Hodges, the product of an abusive childhood home life because of his frustrated, alcoholic father, learned early on from his downtrodden mother that silence and invisibility are the safest routes through life. Jeff takes that lesson to heart, and despite his almost genius-level understanding of computing, computer science, and coding, he hides his abilities, choosing to be safe and secure over even a hint of risk and a fulfilling life. When his skills inadvertently put himself and his coworkers out of a job, he’s led through the side streets and alleys of Brooklyn to The Smiling Dog Café by a mysterious golden retriever.

In “A Mother’s Heart,” Sophia Greenwood’s young daughter, Emma, ends up in the local hospital’s pediatric cardiac unit, suffering from the same congenital heart problem that she has and that killed her mother. Sophia is overcome with guilt, fear, and the belief that she isn’t up to the task of mothering her daughter under the same circumstances she endured as a child. Following a three-legged Irish Setter to The Smiling Dog Café, she discovers Betty and the help she needs to recognize her past has prepared her to be a strong, capable woman and mother.

Both stories are told in mesmerizing dual timelines, detailing how the characters came to this point in their present lives. Jeff’s regrets and fears have hobbled him from living an authentic life, much like Sophia’s childhood medical restrictions could have denied her had it not been for the series of vastly different women who had a hand in her upbringing and care. The author’s writing style puts the reader in the characters’ lives and makes the intervention by the mysterious dogs seem natural while maintaining its magic. Two stories were absolutely not enough!

I recommend THE SMILING DOG CAFÉ to readers of healing fiction and fantasy, especially those who enjoyed the BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD series or similar works.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

View all my reviews