ReGina Welling prefers not to talk about herself in the third person so...
I live in Maine with my husband, a silly flufferpup named Dash, and a crazy cat named Cricket. I write full time and also create mixed media artwork when I get the chance.
When I was three, my mom brought home a new book and when she went to read it to me, I read it to her instead. That was when she realized I'd learned to read. Since then I couldn't even estimate the number of books I've read. It's a lot!
**October featured author in the Cozy Mystery Book Club. Get "Murder Above the Fold" for FREE, plus join our "All Things Balefire" virtual scavenger hunt for your chance to win ebooks, signed paperbacks, & a Kindle Fire tablet! Just visit www.reginawelling.com and sign up for my newsletter!
*4.5 Stars overall* This is a solid anthology for paranormal cozy mystery lovers. It included a wide range of paranormal aspects and unique takes with some excellent mystery and humor thrown in. Each story is rated below.
The Purloined Pelt by Tegan Maher 5/5 For a short story this really had excellent world building. Most of all the southern charm and humor came through making it a perfect little read. I loved how the author made sure the mystery was not easy to solve.
The Cat of New Orleans by Kathi Daley 4/5 Overall this is solid. As I'm unfamiliar with the author and the world some parts may not have been as clear to me as it would be to others so it came across a little chaotic and didn't quite hook me.
Santa Monica Sorcery by Heather Hamilton 5/5 This had a truly excellent storyline that kept me guessing. It was definitely unique and it kept my interest.
A Touch of Lace by April Aasheim 4.5/5 I enjoyed this one overall especially the storyline itself. I would have liked a little more on the mystery side but it still was a great read.
Vacation from Murder by ReGina Welling and Erin Lee 5/5 This had some great humor, excellent mystery and terrific interactions between the characters. It definitely elicited strong emotions from me!
Witch at Sea by Elle Adams 4.5/5 This had some really great moments and I definitely count it as a solid read. It did take me a while to connect with the characters though.
It's Always Night at the Bottom of the Sea by Molly Milligan 4/5 Overall I was satisfied with this book. The mystery aspect was a little less than I prefer however it did have some good moments.
A Tail of Merdur by Morgana Best 5/5 This definitely had me hooked. It's a wicked sense of humor and tons of intrigue, enough so that I'll need to check out the rest of the author's books.
The Cat Burglar by Samantha Silver 5/5 This had some good moments of humor and definitely mystery. It's also on the sweeter side, which I actually enjoyed in this story.
The Scientist Takes the Bait by Heather Horrocks 4/5 I would have liked to see some better world building which is why the deduction. The storyline itself though was good and had some great mystery to it.
Strawberry Butterscream by A. Gardner 4.5/5 Some excellent paranormal aspects and an intriguing storyline was definitely present. From someone not familiar with the author's work or world, it was a little hard to connect with the characters. Overall though, I did enjoy it.
The Tide Dance by Danielle Garrett 5/5 I think the author did a good job on world building and characters as I definitely was captivated by it. I love the storyline itself overall and enjoyed the fact I couldn't always guess what would happen.
The authors who teamed up on this definitely did a really great job and wrote an anthology that perfectly showcases each author's unique talents and skills.
4.5 stars for a solid and varied anthology! I would recommend to those who love the genre.
This is a great anthology for anyone that loves paranormal cozy mysteries!
If I am going to be completely honest, I bought this book for Elle Adams "Witch at Sea" story and Kathi Daley "The Cat of New Orleans" because I love these two series and those authors. I was very pleasantly surprised at the love that I had for all the stories in this book.
I think its important to note that these stories are part of other series, so if you don't know the characters it may take a little bit to understand the context. Having said that, If you haven't read Elle Adams Blaire Wilkes Mysteries, please do! Witch in Progress, Witch in Training "Witch at Sea" acts as book 2.5, if you will.
Kathi Dailey's Story is a Mini Mystery from her Whales and Tales Cozy Mystery Series that I love! There are 15 books in this series and all great reads. This Mini Mystery was a fun mini mystery in that series.
I highly recommend this book as a great way to introduce yourself to some great authors and dive deep into well established cozy paranormal series.
I have to say I have quite a few favorite authors included in this anthology - kudos to whoever organized this group to publish together! A great choice of cover art as well - very appealing. This book should definitely be in your pool or beach bag this summer!
The review below is for Tegan Maher's The Purloined Pelt - will be reading the other contributions shortly.
I really like the author's Enchanted Coast series! It is chock full of lush descriptions of the myriad of paranormals visiting there - fun to picture in my mind's eye. There are many funny moments in the story that brought a smile to my face - a fast, fun and entertaining read! After you read this short, you definitely need to check out the first book in the series - The Deadly Daiquiri.
Note: Although I did receive an ARC of this book, I had already pre-ordered it anyway! My review is totally voluntary and my pleasure to share in hopes that others will discover some new favorite authors!
Get a taste for different styles of cozy mystery writing. All with an interesting paranormal twist. Many involve mermaids and shifters, all have a magical touch.
Some are better understood if you are familiar with the series they are related to, but each can be read as a stand alone. Those I have read to this point would all be fine for a mature upper middle school reader through adult. There are no concepts I have not seen on prime time TV.
A couple have a scavenger or treasure hunt theme to them, a task must be completed before the heroine can achieve her goal. Several have the protagonist needing to discover who is telling the truth and who is lying. which are real clues and which are red herrings?
Fantastic! So far I've only read the authors I know. Morgana Best--Tail of Merdur--Filled with her trademark humor and snarks, this one's got great characters, merfolk, murder, and a reporter for a paranormal magazine. ***** Danielle Garrett--The Tide Dance--Beechwood Harbor has a safehouse for paranormals run by a ghost and several shifters who are lots of fun ***** ReGina Welling--Vacation from Murder--The Balefire sisters go on a camping vacation and decide to look for pirate treasure but find two young brothers in trouble and risk coven trouble to rescue them. ***** Looking forward to reading the other authors!
I enjoy anthologies with themes. This collection all have to do with bodies of water and paranormals. The stories all have multiple chapters. Most are well written and introduce characters from existing series. Several would have benefited from better editing or proofreading. But it's a nice summer read. I follow Morgana Best but definitely checking out several of the other authors.
Unlike most collections, this is a really good one. Full of different stories and all by different authors. Some you'll probably already know and love but some might be new and introduce you to a new favourite. Stories about ghosts, magic and familiars as well as some that you don't expect - stories about mermaids. Go on have a dip - you won't regret it!!
I've only read the first two so far, and I loved both of them, especially Kathi Daley's "The Cat of New Orleans", so for me, it was definitely worth the price even if I don't love the rest. But I actually think I will probably really like all of the stories in this book!
A nice assortment of paranormal stories with a sea theme. Some merpeople, selkies, witches and ghosts. I had read only one author before but now have a few new authors to check out. I liked that the authors were from different areas of the world.
I enjoyed all of the stories in this book. I especially liked the ones that involved characters I already knew but it introduced me to some new authors and characters. If you are looking for someone new to read this is the type of book you will want to read.
All of these stories are great. You don't want to miss these if you like paranormal activities. Each short one is a delicious insight into each writer's fabulous work.
As with books of short stories there were losers and there were a couple that made me look up the authors to read more of their work. One I liked the least was from an author that I've read books from and liked. So maybe shorting myself on some good reads by not checking other books by authors of the stories I didn't care for but....
Anyway I thought some other compilations of short stories by some of these authors were better percentage wise. ie. Seven Pets for Seven Witches, Witch or Treat, Hexes & Ohs, & Spells and Jingle Bells.
However my opinion is just that... my opinion. Hopefully more to enjoy will be found by you.