You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Did you run from the haunted house with rattling chains and an animated doll laughing hysterically? Did you decide on a book and finish reading it? If so, report here.

List your WoF name, link to the book you read and tell us which prompt you chose. Also give us a small blurb about your reactions to the book

WoF Jayme
Third Grave Dead Ahead by Darynda Jones
Prompt: Ghost

Charley Davidson strikes again in this funny and sexy story about a private eye/grim-reaper and the Son of Satan. I loved the banter between her and Cookie. And what town does she live in that you can't swing a cat without hitting a gorgeous guy? Off to put book 4 on hold.

WoF Marnie
The Spellshop
Prompt: The cozy list (number 55 on the list)

This was a very cute read. A shy librarian and her talking Spider plant head to a small island with some stolen magical books. I was caught up in the whimsy and made a point to water my plants while listening lol.

WoF Pragya
Mystery of the Tea Cup Quilt
Prompt: The cozy list (number 189 on the list)

Something about the writing style didn't help. There were too many characters and not enough details. I solved the mystery way earlier on. And it was just...so unreal and flat and blah. Did not like.

WoF Grainne
The Wind Singer
Prompt: Doll - read a book where a female child is a significant character.

The lead female character is 10 years old and her name is Kestrel Hath. I enjoyed this book very much and I probably will read the next book in the series that is written by this author. There was plenty of action and the characters were well-developed and held true to their values throughout the book though they did adapt to change as it progressed. I would rate it a 3.5 and I rounded up to 4.

WoF Lynn
Pressure Head
Prompt: #256 on list

Plumber with a 'sixth sense' for finding things helps his former bully at school, now private investigator, with a murder investigation. Fun and romance follows.

And it really was a lot of fun. I wasn't quite convinced of the love interest (he wasn't repentant enough about the bullying for me) but luckily the mystery part of the story was the prominent part of the plot rather than the romance. The writing was witty, the mystery was interesting, and the MC was a delight.

WoF: Kristie

I read What Have You Done?
Prompt: Ghost

I thought this book was good. The writing was interesting with one of the perspectives being that of the ghost of the murdered girl. I guessed who did it early on, even with a few good suspects.

WoF Alexandra

Stay Away from Gretchen: Eine unmögliche Liebe
Prompt: Doll - read a book where a female child is a significant character.

The book tells the story of Greta, an elderly woman with dementia, and her son, who uncovers her hidden past as she begins to lose her memory. During the postwar years in Germany, Greta fell in love with an African-American soldier and secretly gave birth to a mixed-race daughter who was taken from her due to racism and social prejudice. The story of the little girl was heartbreaking, especially if you look up the facts and discover that it was close to reality.

While the historical material and emotional themes were powerful, the writing felt a bit simplistic, especially given the depth of the topic. So it was a 3 star read for me.

WoF Janice

I read Swamp Spook, which was book 323 on the list.

You can't have Halloween without a headless corpse. Let the mayhem begin. This book was so much fun.

WoF - Lanelle
The Spotted Dog Last Seen by Jessica Scott Kerrin
Prompt: Doll - read a book where a female child is a significant character.

Merrilee, who is 11 years old, is one of the main characters. She and two friends solve a mystery. This book is a classic case of "I wanted to like it". Too many coincidences, too much freedom for 11-year-olds, too much drama, and the title didn't make sense. But the writing was good, the characters were well drawn out, the subject matter was treated respectfully, and the plot was resolved.

So - conflicted :(

WoFSharonBiskit

Haunting in the Hallway which is part of The Inn at Holiday Bay series. This was book 457 on the list.

Hmmm. I have a love/hate relationship with Cozy Mysteries. I found myself liking the parts of the Halloween/Harvest theme and Abby and Georgia’s interactions with their guests. I felt the murder mystery was unrealistic, the haunting in the hallway lame and the unresolved issues concerning the death of her husband and son a lot for this little novel to handle. The book wrapped up quickly considering all the build up, left unanswered questions and didn’t impress me enough to buy the next in the series. It was a not unpleasant way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

WoF Nix

Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly
Prompt: Doll - read a book where a female child is a significant character.

Dixie Wheeler, ska Baby blue, was a child who was the only survivor in the book after her father bludgeoned his remaining family to death. She grew up all detached from this until she decides to buy back that cursed family home and she then she keeps remembering things. The book was a fun horror thriller -the pacing was good and the ending was also fine. I don't think it was an outstandingly unique thriller but definitely a fun read.

WoF: Sandra from PA
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Prompt: Ghost

This is a reread for me, and I rated it 4 stars again. I thought I remembered everything, but there were a few surprises. I payed more attention to the characters this time around, instead of the plot. It is well-crafted, and I wasn't bored for the part people usually find boring. Shirley Jackson is building Eleanor's inside world, and she is a great writer. I might reread it in a few years!

- WOF name Sarah M.
- What you chose to read In the Company of Witches by Auralee Wallace
- Why did you choose to read it? I literally opened up the Halloween/Cozy mystery list and picked the first one I had marked as "to-read".
- What did you think of it? Not just I liked it, give us a few sentences so we know what it’s about/what happens in case we want to recommend it on too.
It was a fun little mystery for Halloween. Sometimes I just crave something cozy and low-stakes to dive into, and this was definitely one of those. It follows a young witch and her two older aunts who run their own B&B using their specific magic types to help with the business. A very difficult customer turns up dead in her room, and shenanigans ensue. I'd recommend it. Honestly, it's not really specific to Halloween either, so you could read it anytime. I'm going to read the sequel, for sure.

I intend to post badges today, but I have things I need to do first. So would someone please remind me if I don't post badges? LOL! Sometimes just writing the intention affixes it.

Badges are posted.

Sarah M, you'll find your wall
HERE.