Fried Chicken & Fangs

Southern Charms Cozy Mystery #2

by Bella Falls

Magic & Mystery are only part of the Southern Charms of Honeysuckle Hollow…

An upcoming election and some new visitors to Honeysuckle shake up the magical small Southern town. When a beloved family member of one of the candidates disappears, it’s up to Charli Goodwin and her special talents to get on the case.

What starts as a simple search uncovers a darker layer of manipulation and sabotage. Will she be able to figure out who is pulling the strings before the foundations of the town are destroyed?

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Audiobook, Magic, Witches

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 21, 2018

Reviews

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Join Charli as she reacclimates herself to her magically protected hometown of Honeysuckle Hollow, after a years absence, where a glass of sweet tea can cure almost anything! Nana is still forcing her to drink a magical sludge to help heal her body from the death hex that nearly killed her previously.

There is a new vampire in town and Charli's friend, Blythe, is smitten with him immediately. Then a tired school teacher, Mrs. K, ends up losing her life to murder and Charli is swept into the murder investigation, assisting the intellectually appealing detective. But fate ends up taking her out of the path of a wolf-shifter, Dash Channing, much to her dismay. She has a gang of friends, plus other witches, fairies, gnomes, trolls, vampires, and more, that readily assist her in her endeavors.

This is an engaging and well-paced beginning in the 'Southern Charms Cozy Mystery' paranormal series. I appreciate that it is a clean and wholesome read and is able to stand on its own. However, in my opinion, it would be beneficial to read them in order.

Bella Falls delivers a winner with this series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre!

[Melike · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[ShannaBanana✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate love triangles. Anyone who knows me, knows this tidbit. The characters and the stories are good but that one pesky issue ruins it for me so I am taking a little break. I will continue the series eventually but I’m going to give something else a try!

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a great world and the characters are amazing. I can't wait to read the next one. In this one she finds out more about her gifts and then solves the mystery of who's trying to set everyone up. I knew who is was as it was obvious but I till enjoyed it and loved finding out that I was right.

[Ash · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was frustrated waiting on the protagonist to figure out what was obvious to the reader within the first chapter. That frustration was made insufferable by her childish, bratty behavior presented as strength and courage. It was neither, as evidenced by the fact that she announced before each stupid act that a smart or reasonable person would do the exact opposite of what she was doing. The fact that she ran rampant the entire book impeding the actual investigation, telling everything except the information that could actually help her or others, and accusing everyone in sight EXCEPT the obvious villain was just too much. TSTL.

[Chantelle Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (Audible Plus Catalog). Another cute magical cozy mystery.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very disjointed feeling compared to the first in the series; it's unclear how much time has passed between the two books, and we don't get answers for some basic things (like when Charli moved into her inheritance, why she opted to move so quickly when in the first novel she wasn't intending to leave her Nana's, etc). The explorations of the boundaries of Charli's tracker magic was interesting, and kept me engaged–which is a good thing, cuz without it, I probably would have DNF'd the book based on Dash's continued ME SHIFTER ALPHA MALE ME MASCULINE chest-beating sexism. If you're into that sort of thing, you'll probably appreciate this book a lot more than I did. (Personally, if Dash was never mentioned again, I'd be fine–violent temper tantrums and dick-measuring contests with other men are not things I find interesting in a character or attractive in a man.)

Charli's great, the town is interesting, the thought Falls puts into the magic is intriguing. It's just some of the interpersonal writing that sours me on the whole thing.

[Angela P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I loved the first one, and still loved the the little village, Charli and her family, and the mystery at hand, I could not get past how, well, violent Dash was. How mean and gaslighting he was, how WEIRD and CREEPY he was, that by the end I just kinda quit paying attention. I;m disappointed because I wanted to go through this whole series this season, but not when a character is that aggressive and treats someone that poorly. It's not attractive.

[Mystic Forest Crafts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros:

This is a nice, light read/listen. A mix between paranormal romance and cozy mystery it is a good way for people to bridge out to a new genre without going completely unfamiliar.

Definite True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse vibes.

Cons:

Love triangle.

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 4 out of 5]

With Fried Chicken & Fangs opening just a couple months after the conclusion of the first book, we discover the town of Honeysuckle Hollow, along with main character Charli, embracing some changes brought up in the first title. The town added a non-witch council seat to its governing body, and the election is in full swing. Additionally, Charli is more open about her tracking talent, openly using it to help the town’s denizens. Yet when valuable personal items go missing, suddenly Charli struggles with her abilities.

When one of the beloved townsfolk is found dead, and crimes start implicating the various candidates, Charli decides it is time to get involved. While it is pretty clear from the beginning who is behind the problems in Honeysuckle, the entire investigation is entertaining to follow. I enjoyed listening to Charli as she pulls out clues and pieces them together. However, it is a bit odd that other than Charli, the only other competent investigator appears to be Warden Mason. Luckily the pair works well together, and I like them together, despite my reservations over a potential love triangle brewing.

Outside of the murder mystery, Charli’s personal life and ties to shifter Dash, are expanded upon in Fried Chicken & Fangs. Apparently, there was some sort of mishap with a cupid’s arrow or love potion gone wrong that takes place between the first and second books, but the reader isn’t privy to the details. I felt like I missed reading a novella or something. While it added a bit of confusion for me, I was able to glean that both Mason and Dash made it known to Charli they are interested in her. This plays out with Dash being an aggressor of sorts (the book is very “G” when it comes to romance), and Mason embarrassed and distant. I’m glad the author gives us (and Charli) more of Dash and his past, but just when he grows a little closer, his past pulls him away. I like Dash and Charli together, they seem to fit, and I hope the author continues down this path.

Ms. Parker provides a wonderful southern drawl to Charli, bringing her wit and charm to life. Her easy-going narration sets the tempo and mood, keeping the cozy mystery light and entertaining. Additionally, she creates a number of unique voices for each of the paranormal creatures, from squeaky fairies to snooty vampires. While some of the characters sound a bit odd, it suits their nature and helps develop the setting and scene.

In the end, I enjoyed my return trip to Honeysuckle Hollow. Fried Chicken & Fangs is a stronger story than its predecessor, and I look forward to listening to the third book soon!

My Ratings:
Story: B+
Narration: B+

Review copy provided by Tantor Audio.
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Being around dead bodies like that is getting to be a habit with you.”-Bella Falls

As always my reviews are based off of my true and honest opinion and I do my best to keep all reviews spoiler free.

Charli is once again thrown into a mystery and danger, when one of her old teachers ends up dead. With the new election up and running, its looking more and more like its one of the candidates. To make matters even worse Charli's powers are not working like they should and she an a good friend are having problems when a new and charming vampire comes to town. Her good friend detective Mason is acting distant, and her wolf friend Dash is acting flirty. Its everything you need for a great book.

The second book of the Southern Charms Mystery series is almost as great as the first. Same great characters, and some new ones. There is some references that go back to the short Lemonade & Love Potions, but even if you didn't get a chance to read this book. It's still a great read and only has a little bit of an effect on the plot. The love triangle is definitely heating up, and I personally am shipping Charli and Mason. The only downside was that I found the bad guy to be very obvious and knew almost from the beginning. It almost lost a star for that, but I feel the rest of the book does make up for it.

[Malissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh, it ended on a good note, but there were quite a few personality traits I am completely irritated with. For someone that is always portrayed by others as a loyal and kind person, the main character is not. She is actually very selfish. There are parts of this I enjoy and others that well... obviously I don't.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charli gets herself involved in another murder investigation. The election drama picks up. Charli deals with her feelings for Mason and Dash. Overall fun light hearted mystery. I was pretty sure I knew who was behind it pretty early on, but that didn't detract from the story.

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cozy mystery. Both the author and the narrator kept me invested from the first chapter. With a number of twists and turns and a result I didn’t see coming, I was hooked. Cannot wait to read and or listen to more from this author.

[Meri Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell easily into book two of this series straight after finishing the first. It was great to continue Charli's story as she settles back into her home in Honeysuckle Hollow. Just like the first one the characters are engaging, the plot is thick with a wanting to get into it enticement, and the mystery of it is well paced throughout the book so it doesn't feel like we're stalling with a bunch of fluff to tied us to the end of the book itself.

Potential spoilers from here on.

We're still having Charli pulled between Mason and Dash, though for a good part of the beginning of the book it seems like Dash is definitely winning. Meanwhile, while he's interested in her and she's definitely interested in him, Mason's started to be snippy, sharp, and pushing her away. There are a few teasing hints at an event that went down, the full actions of which were fully revealed in this book. I was able to get enough that I knew some kind of event happened and Mason was embarrassed about how he acted at the event, figuring that it completely changed and potentially hurt his relationship with Charli.

Full disclosure, I'm listening to the audio book and I purchased the books 1-3 bundle so I hadn't looked at the series list to see that there is, in fact, a short story that falls between the first two books about a singles mixer - which I'm assuming is the referenced event. However, I haven't purchased or read it at the time of writing this review. And while I do love shorts and novellas that fall between books and explain events we might not have focused on in the full series, this one was a little jarring because it directly affected Mason's relationship with Charli - to the point that I was honestly really confused as to why he was being such a giant ass to her when the last I had left off with the pair, all she'd done since was dance with Dash - something he allowed to happen by letting the Shifter cut in - and then Dash licked some frosting off her fingers at a town event. So relationship wise, that definitely threw me a little bit to try and figure out what had happened or was happening.

Mystery wise, I love the play of having one of Charli's friends fall for the vampire who was visiting town and turning the two friends against each other a little because Charli didn't like the guy but her friend was definitely at the point of wanting to date him. It's definitely a relatable situation. And while I do love how the mystery played out, including some of the red herrings that we were given because they were set up, I'm hoping that the over all person at the center of the whodunit doesn't continuously be the same in being the one person from out of town. It's going to make the who extremely obvious if the series continues that pattern.

All in all, definitely going to be continuing book three. And definitely going to be checking out that short I apparently missed.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charli is back with her friends in this second book! An election is coming up and several candidates are looking to throw their hats in the ring. Things start to go awry though when an elder resident speaks out against the upcoming election processes causing concern amongst the residents. Then, Charli's powers seem to be going on the fritz! Could these things be connected? Things only get more complicated with the elder witch who spoke out ends up dead, and people's precious items start turning up missing. Can Charli solve this complicated puzzle that is laid out before her? Or will those who are not guilty be framed by another?
Fried Chicken and Fangs are book two in Bella Falls' A Southern Charms Cozy Mystery series. This is the first book that I have read by this author but I absolutely loved it. I loved the Southern charm of the characters in this story. It kept me both entertained and engaged the entire time. I was a bit worried that I would have needed to have read the first book in the series to understand everything, but that is not the case. Charli is an engaging character and while she has her quirks I'd love to have her as a friend. When her powers start to go on the fritz you can really tell that she's concerned as to what people will think if they learn this. I love her dedication to ferreting out the truth as to what is going on around town. Not just with the murder mystery and the missing items, but with the people around her as well.
There isn't much that I don't like about this book. The characters are well done and engaging. I just wish that Charli would stop with the flip-flopping! I want to honestly know who she likes better! She seems to like both men, but I'm leaning more toward the shifter than the detective. The detective is too cold, too often for me. I know the shifter is distant too and has his secrets, but that's only because he's ashamed of some of the decision he made in his past. I definitely want to know more about their pasts though.
I am rating this book 5 out of 5 stars. I honestly cannot wait to read more by this author in the future. I really think that she is going to be added to my growing list of favorites that I will be a dedicated fan of as long as she is writing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anastasiya M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. Southern charm, supernatural chaos, and a mystery that kept me guessing all came together in the best possible way. From the moment Charli steps back into town after being away for a year, the story hits the ground running. Between surviving a misplaced hex and getting dragged into another murder and theft mystery, she barely has time to breathe. And honestly? Neither did I. The setting oozes down home warmth, the kind that wraps around you like a familiar accent and a plate of comfort food.

The plot blends magical mayhem with small town politics in a way that feels both fun and clever. There is a local council election brewing in the background, adding tension and motive to just about everyone, while witches, vampires, werewolves, and other supernatural beings stir up trouble in every corner. The twists are well placed and never feel cheap, and just when you think you have things figured out, the story nudges you sideways and proves you wrong. It is cozy, but it never gets boring.

Charli continues to be a strong and engaging lead, juggling danger, family ties, and her own tangled emotions. The romantic tension is deliciously complicated, with two men in her orbit who seem determined to both protect and push her away at the same time. That emotional tug of war added depth without overpowering the mystery. The side characters are just as charming, filling the town with personality, humor, and a sense of belonging that made everything feel real.

The writing is lively, warm, and packed with personality. It balances humor, suspense, and heart so effortlessly that the pages practically turn themselves. This is the kind of cozy paranormal mystery that reminds you why the genre works so well when done right. I loved every minute of it and already want to move in.

Spilling ink like gravy on a Sunday table: magic, murder, and a little romance make life extra tasty.

Read more here: https://annietheinkdrinker.wordpress....

[Marsha Rafalski · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second in the 8-book series titled “Southern Charms Cozy Mysteries.” The series is set in Honeysuckle Hollow, a small southern town founded as a sanctuary for all kinds of magical beings. We are following Charli Goodwin, a young witch with a special talent for finding things, and her family, friends, and neighbors.

This book picks up shortly after the end of the first book in the series. Charli’s Uncle Tipper has been murdered leaving his house and its contents to her. She is going through all of his stuff accumulated over a lifetime, hoping perhaps, to find information about her family of origin. He also left a vacant seat on the town council. Several people are seeking election and politics and feelings run high. When some citizens seem to be acting out of characters such as a retired teacher who makes a scene at an election event creating suspicions of outside influences. When she is found murdered and a fairy disappears, Charli teams up with the handsome warder (police) detective, a wolf-shifter and her Vampire housemate to flush out the killer.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the characters are fun and quirky but cliched. The mystery is interesting but also rather predictable. The southern culture elements are entertaining but some of the made up words are cringe worthy (“pixie poop” as an expletive). But in the end, I was interested enough to read to the end and am curious about the next in the series. Recommend to readers of cozy mysteries, fantasy, magic, romance , witches, werewolves, vampires and sweet iced tea.

[Gabrielle Hashimoto · Rating 4 out of 5]

The small magical town of Honeysuckle is undergoing council elections and supernaturals of all kinds are in the running, throwing the town into a competitive tizzy. When one of the more outspoken residents who opposes changes to the town dies, Charli Goodwin is called on to use her special talents to solve the case. Unfortunately Charli’s powers aren’t working right, leaving her wondering who she is without them.
I’ve come to really enjoy the charming town of Honeysuckle with its diverse and unusual characters. Charli is a strong, stubborn, and engaging heroine who will fight tooth and nail for those she loves, regardless of what it may cost her. I’m enjoying the love triangle with Charli, Detective Mason and Dash, although we’ll see a shift here and I’m interested to see where it goes. The story was well thought out and the mystery was suspenseful with twists and turns to keep you guessing. This is a fun witch cozy series with intriguing and thoughtful mysteries, but the compelling characters are what keep me coming back for more. I received a copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily reviewing it.

[Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Charli is a frustrating character. She was in the first book but she got a pass because her life was at risk. That isn’t the case in this book. The investigation has quite literally nothing to do with her this time around and she for some reason justifies being nosy because she can locate items, except there is nothing for her to do in this case.

She is supposed to be an adult but frankly she acts like a child. I’m DNFing after Chapter 9 and at this point she’s already inserted herself into an investigation that is none of her business, contaminated two crime scenes, impeded the investigation, and leaked investigation details to a room of her friends. No wonder no one trusts her to help. She cant keep her mouth shut to save her life. I do not understand why Mason likes her at all. At this point her actions are telling him “I think you’re incompetent and I don’t trust you to do you job.” Each time she’s hit a crime scene and tried to shove information onto him he’s already taken note of it all. She’s not a warden. She’s not a cop. She’s not a PI. This girl needs to cease and desist then get a job.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looved this Southern style mystery about witches, werewolves, vampires and all other forms of supernatural beings! Charli has come home after being away for a year and after surviving one misplaced hex she finds herself involved in another murder/theft mystery. Along with the local election for a seat on the council she has to manoever around two men in her life, both seeming to try pushing her away although one seems focused on pulling her to him just as much. Now Charli has to find out what happened and interspersed with that is which beau should she be involved with. Mystery with love and murder never hurt anyone, right?!
Fantastic story, characters and read!! Love the down hominess of the place...brings back memories!!
Fantabulistically fabulous!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s election time in Honeysuckle Hollow which brings out a lot of changes. When a retired teacher who opposes all the change quite vocally during the election debates is found dead, it looks like Charli and her special talents are once again on the case.

So many different and strange things are going on in Honeysuckle such as missing/stolen items, pranks and sabotage, and accusations in the local paper. Can Charli uncover and unravel the mystery before the wrong candidate is elected to office?

This second book in the Southern Charms cozy mystery series will have you scratching your head trying to figure out what is happening and who is behind everything. With the delightful cast of witches, trackers, vampires, wolf shifters, and other magical creatures, you are a going to love this series.

[Mike Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining southern supernatural cozy mystery series

Entertaining supernatural cozy mystery series. A great cast of characters and an entertaining storyline. Charlie a witch from a small magical southern town. Hidden behind a magical veil from rest of the world. After being away for about a year she finally decides to come home back to the small Southern magic town. Back with her grandmother her brother and many friends she grew up with. Follow along as Charlie has a knack for solving mysteries murders and crimes. A town full of supernatural beings and creatures from fairies to vampires to which is to shifters trolls gnomes you name it. A safe place for magical beings to live and let live.
Follow along on an entertaining journey of mysteries and crimes and see if you can figure out who did it before she does. Have fun.

[Fleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honey Suckle is still unsettled after Charli's Uncles death and now there is an Election running and depending on who wins depends if changes will be good for the Town or for those on the committee. To make things worse Charli's old Teacher is found dead and fingers are being pointed at those who are vying for a seat on the committee. As much as Charlie wants to help her magic is is not working as it should be and she doesn't know what to do but doesn't want anyone to know either. There are plenty of twists and surprises as well as lol moments like the spell phone to keep you hooked and wanting to know who is the killer and who is the thief!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie Goodwin is a tracker witch, meaning she can find things other people are looking for or have lost.
Life gets exciting, when there is a new guy in town and she does not like him, there is a murder and one of her friends gets implicated.
And life gets complicated, because the two men she cannot get out of her mind act strange and confusing and her best friend "forgets" about her.
Life was never more difficult, annoying, exciting and interesting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A good book, well told with an interesting mix of out of the box characters. Guessing along with Charlie who has done it make nice entertainment.

[Jessi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new, non-witch seat has been added to the Honeysuckle council and several people are running including three of Charli's friends and Ralph ("Rafe"), the local vampire leader. But there are strange things going on including a former teacher who stands up and starts ranting about why nothing should ever change. When the same teacher is found dead by one of the candidates, it starts off a series of mysteries that end up with Charli in the cross hairs once again.
This mystery wasn't as tight as the first one and I am not a fan of love triangles nor do I enjoy main characters who rush headlong into danger but I will stick with the series for at least a couple more books.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Go with your gut

I figured it out so what took Charlie so long? Ok, so it took me a little time too. In this next installment, Charli still has two suitors but when a new face arrives, looks like there could be another. With the election around the corner, a murder puts a damper on the event. To make matters worse, personal items go missing and it all seems to be linked. When Charli's friend are accused of the crimes, she has no choice but to use her skills and magic to solve the mystery.

A decent mystery. Some new characters and more background information on Charli's suitors.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another little gem of a paranormal cozy series that I found by accident! Lucky me - it is a fun and entertaining read. Such appealing cover art (yeah, I'm shallow that way)! Change always brings unrest and an upcoming election in Honeysuckle Falls is bringing out the worst in everyone, including a murder. Set against the backdrop of a small paranormal town with plenty of magic to go around, it is up to Charli and her close-knit group of friends to solve the crime. I totally enjoy this series and am anxiously awaiting the next release!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charli is always the one that finds the body! And she jumps right into trying to solve the crime and manages to unearth clues that help solve it. Another great book in the series.

Amazon synopsis:
An upcoming election shakes up Honeysuckle. When an outspoken resident who opposes the changes to the magical small Southern town turns up dead, it’s up to Charli Goodwin and her special talents to get on the case…except her valuable magic doesn’t seem to be working.

What starts as a simple search uncovers a darker layer of manipulation and sabotage. Will Charli be able to figure out who is pulling the strings before the foundations of the town are destroyed?

[Nan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was somehow even more predictable than the first one.

The only new characters are the villains. Shocking.

Also the FMC and the witches are all kinda racist against non-witches, for lack of a better word. Really making it feel like a real small southern town. Everyone’s openly racist because they don’t think it’s a problem. This was kind of true last book but it got more annoying. “I just don’t like him!” Mkay…

Lastly, the townspeople are very unbothered by people
In their town being murdered. It seems like it’s rare, but they just go on about their days.