Review - Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss

   Title: Pressed to Death (Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum #2)

   Author: Kirsten Weiss

   Synopsis:

   Perfectly pressed. Perfectly proper. Perfectly deadly.

Paranormal museum owner Maddie Kosloski thinks she has the perfect paranormal exhibit for the harvest festival—a haunted grape press. But before she can open the exhibit, she’s accused of stealing the antique press. And when her accuser is found murdered, all eyes turn to Maddie.

Solving the crime is the last thing on Maddie’s mind, but her mother insists she investigate. Does her mother have a secret agenda? And why has the local charity, Ladies Aid, seemingly gone gangster?

In this light, cozy mystery, haunted houses, runaway wine barrels, and murder combine in a perfect storm of chaos. Facing down danger and her own over-active imagination, Maddie must unearth the killer before she becomes the next ghost to haunt her museum. 

My Thoughts:

I've been eager to 'visit' San Benedetto again after reading the series opener of The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum this spring. I'd forgot how much I like small town crime/mystery stories and these cozy books reinitiated me into the genre.

Just like in the first novel our protagonist Maddie Kosloski plays detective after a vineyard owner is found dead in a grape vat. To the current-time crime joins a past mystery around a haunted grape press that Maddie acquires for her museum. 

The double puzzle is always a joy in Kirsten Weiss's books and I also appreciate that Maddie has to investigate not only in the future but back into the past too. So far in both novels there was a haunted object through which San Benedetto's murder-ridden history was revealed and with each story you wonder less and less why the body count is growing in this sleepy rural town.

Again, I had a good time getting to know the new characters (there are a lot of them and Weiss still juggles them well): Leo, the weird teenage kid, who is suspicious but whom Maddie likes a lot, Elthia, who runs a Death Bistro and is pretty emotional all the time, the new tyrannical leader of Ladies Aid who acts like she is the Godfather... All of them were pretty entertaining.

After Maddie got together with Mason the motorbike shop owner viking in the first book I expected to see their relationship blossom, however the guy is pretty much absent most of the time and Maddie has to rethink their relationship while she deals with everything else that disrupts the peace in San Benedetto. I didn't mind that, because I ship Maddie hard with Detective Slate and as things are looking I might get my wish and see them together in the next book...

Until I get there, I cannot recommend this book series enough for people who are after a light, entertaining, fun read for a cozy weekend.

Goodreads | Amazon

 Read my review of The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum here.

Next in the series:

Déjá Moo

by Kirsten Weiss

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #36

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

This week the spotlight is on:

The Lost Queen

by Norah Lofts 

 Synopsis:

'Princesses are born to the exiled. What is the alternative? Spinsterhood?' Thus the future of Caroline Matilda, youngest sister of George III, was settled - exile to a foreign country, and marriage to a nearly insane Crown Prince of Denmark. This novel tells her story.

Book Beginning:

The Dowager Princess of Wales had long ago learned to control her voice, her facial expression, and her hands; but in anger or distress the pupils of her eyes widened, reducing the blue to a mere rim. 

The Friday 56:

He had entertained thoughts – When I am King I will put Count Reventlow in the Blue Tower and have him beaten, every day – but such thoughts were not sufficient to sustain him in moments of misery.

Not a very promising king-to-be...

Leave a link to your Friday post so I can visit your blog and see what you're reading this week.

5 star books in 5 words - Halloween edition

 Happy Halloween, Lovelies!

I've seen the 5 star books in 5 words tag on Jean Bookishthoughts booktube channel first and I thought it'd be fun to do it, especially with a Halloween twist.

The tag was originally created by Matthew Sciarappa.

As the tag's name suggests, I'll have to choose 5 books I gave the best possible rating and come up with 5 words for each that somehow describe why I liked the books as much as I did.

In the post itself no further explanations will be given why I chose the words I did and some of them might only make sense if you read the books. (Of course if you're curious, I'm happy to answer any questions in the comment section :)

 I'll go for novels and a play that fit the Halloween theme, this way I can also recommend you books that are worth to read on the spookiest night of the year.

My choices are the following:

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

STRANGERS | SCRAPING | ATMOSPHERE | MOTHER | MADNESS

Read my review of The Haunting of Hill House here.

'Salem's Lot by Stephen King

VAMPIRES | ABANDONED | TEAM | BABY | INVINCIBLE?

Dracula by Bram Stoker

PRISONER | TRANSFUSION | DIRT | EROTICISM | SETTINGS

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

INTRODUCTION | DECEIT | PERSISTENCE | MANIA | PANIC

Read my review of The Crucible here.

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

GHOST | POWERS | STORM | DEATH | ROMANCE

Read my review of The Witch of Willow Hall here.

I tag:

Angela @ Musings of a literary wanderer 

Amy @ A magical world of words

Breana @ Our Thoughts Precisely

Lauren @ Always Me

Lauren @ Shooting Stars Mag

And everyone, who'd like to participate...

Review - The Widow of Pale Harbour by Hester Fox

    Title: The Widow of Pale Harbor

   Author: Hester Fox

   Publication Date: September 17, 2019

   Synopsis:

   A town gripped by fear. A woman accused of   witchcraft. Who can save  Pale Harbor from itself?

   Maine, 1846. Gabriel Stone is desperate to escape the ghosts that haunt    him in Massachusetts after his wife’s death, so he moves to Maine, taking a    position as a minister in the remote village of Pale Harbor.

But not all is as it seems in the sleepy town. Strange, unsettling things have been happening, and the townspeople claim that only one person can be responsible: Sophronia Carver, a reclusive widow who lives with a spinster maid in the eerie Castle Carver. Sophronia must be a witch, and she almost certainly killed her husband.

As the incidents escalate, one thing becomes clear: they are the work of a twisted person inspired by the wildly popular stories of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. And Gabriel must find answers, or Pale Harbor will suffer a fate worthy of Poe’s darkest tales.

My Thoughts:

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox completely enchanted me last year. It was the perfect October read, featuring a haunted mansion and a girl who had just come into her power as a witch. I was looking forward to read the writer's second novel, which had a similar eerie promise.

It wasn't exactly a let-down, but I couldn't say The Widow of Pale Harbor lived up to its predecessor.

Gabriel – a man with a well-guarded secret – arrives to Pale Harbor to act as the minister of the sleepy town. He quickly becomes fascinated with the woman the whole place regards a murderess and a witch, and when strange occurrences disturb the people, he can't help standing up for the lady of his heart.

"Death had cast its sickly pall over the town, and nothing was certain any more."

Most of the readers will be drawn to this book for the reference to Edgar Allan Poe in the blurb. Indeed, the murders and other weird happenings in the novel are pulled from Poe stories and the reader even gets time to guess from which ones before it is revealed. I think it is a pretty awesome game for those who know Poe's tales intimately.

The setting and the whole atmosphere that is created are the strongest features in the book. The gothic vibes are very powerful, starting from the mansion Sophronia lives in, through the foggy streets, to the eerie cemetery and the windy cliffs – the mood is beautifully composed through the chilly descriptions.

I know, so far I've only shared good things – so why wasn't I completely satisfied then? 

The romance I'm afraid blunted my excitement for yet another autumn read. It was too flowery, too sweet for a gothic book. Everything else was so dark, so raw, that I expected the passion to be a bit more down-to-earth, the love a bit less schoolgirlish. I find I don't have much patience for these kind of romances any more. It is sad, but it's the truth. 

Also, I couldn't really understand why Sophronia found Gabriel so intriguing. It turned out they didn't share that many interests after all, he wasn't one for intellectual conversations – as far as male protagonists go he fell a little flat for me.

I'd say it is worth to give The Widow of Pale Harbor a try if you're a Poe fan and like gothic tales. It helps if you're also a romance fan, because then you'll appreciate the parts I didn't, and the story can give you more than what it offered me. It is far from being a bad book, but I couldn't rate it higher because the author's debut novel undoubtedly casts a long shadow on it.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Beginnings and the Friday 56 #35

Book Beginnings on Friday and The Friday 56 are weekly memes hosted by Rose City Reader and Freda's Voice.

Rules: 

Book Beginnings: Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. 

The Friday 56: Grab a book, turn to page 56 or 56% in you eReader. Find any sentence (not spoilery) and reflect on it if you want.

What I'm reading this week:

Escape to Everly Manor

by Chalon Linton

 

Synopsis: 

Nineteen-year-old Lizzy and her young brother, Thomas, find themselves orphaned after a tragic accident claims the lives of their parents. Their estranged Uncle Cline arrives to claim his inheritance, and his roguish ways cast a shadow over the manor. Both the family estate and guardianship of his niece and nephew were left to him, and diabolical Uncle Cline is determined to indulge in his newfound wealth and rid himself of his charges. Desperate to save her brother from a dangerous life at sea, and herself from being married off to a detestable old gentleman, Lizzy knows there is only one choice left—they must run.
 
Lizzy and Thomas sneak away and find refuge in an abandoned cabin. There they remain hidden—until fate acquaints Lizzy with Mr. Barton, a charming gentleman who is immediately intrigued by the mysterious young woman. Concealing her identity, Lizzy is unaware that there is much more to this compassionate man than meets the eye. Through his kindness to herself and her brother, Lizzy begins to trust him. Soon Lizzy realizes Mr. Barton may be her best hope for a life in which she can live—and love—as she chooses . . .

Book Beginning:

Elizabeth Stafford would not quit.

A persistent lady, I love her already!

The Friday 56:

"What about you, Miss Stafford? Are you anxious to be on your way, or will you perhaps miss Everly Manor?" He held his breath and waited for her answer.

"As I've told you, we can't remain," she replied quickly. Too quickly.

"Because of your fiancé?" Miss Stafford's profile turned to stone. Barton did not mean to cause her discomfort, but he had to know. "Is Mr. Simpkin your fiancé, Miss Stafford?"

What an inconvenient situation...

Share with me what you're reading this week by leaving a link below!

Personal update + New look

 Hi Lovelies!

I hope every last one of you is fine these days and that you're enjoying mind-blowingly amazing books in this colourful time of the year.

I thought I'd give you a little personal update, because it's been a while since I reported about what's going on in my life.

We got married with the Beau on September 14, and the day went as it had to, it was one of the happiest of my life!

We are working on the baby project at the moment and I can't wait to be a mom! 

As you can see, the blog got a new look, because I felt it was time to refresh it a bit. 

I kept the flowery theme and the colour palette too more or less, only white now dominates instead of pink and it gives it a bit more simple, yet elegant look in my opinion.

What do you think? Do you like it, yay or nay?

WWW Wednesday #19

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words. 

WWW stands for three questions:

What are you currently reading?

I'm attempting to put myself in the mood for autumn and I am preparing for Halloween (it's still very warm here though, for some reason, but I can wear jumpers more and more, yay!)

The two books I'm reading right now are perfect autumn companions:

The Widow of Pale Harbor

by Hester Fox

I'm not sure if I'll be part of the book tour because the organizers seem to a be bit mixed up, but either way I'll be posting a review of this novel soon.

Pressed to Death

(A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum #2)

by Kirsten  Weiss

Murder at the harvest festival... Just the cozy small-town mystery I need.

Read my review of the first book in the series, The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum here.

What did you recently finish reading?

Circe

by Madeline Miller

Read my review here.

What do you think you'll read next?

I think this time it will be a spur of the moment decision.

Please share a link to your WWW post below so I can see what you are up to these days! :)