Category: Cozy fantasy, cozy fantasy adventure

Review:  Kill the Beast by Serra Swift

Rating: 4.5⭐️

This is an excellent first book by this author. Kill the Beast by Serra Swift, a fantasy adventure novel, is a remarkable tale of revenge, found family and redemption. 

Situated In lands where humanity has  expanded into lands once shared with Fae, the forward movement of humans and their developments have disastrous consequences when they encounter the otherworldly creatures and the monsters that the fae have created and left behind. 

The fae, fleeing from the iron technology of humanity and losses of their forests or just insults to their superior species, ensured their revenge against humans is often deep and brutal. 

For one woman, Lyssa Cadogan, now Lyssa Carnifax, the Fae’s brutality has been incredibly devastating, the loss of her beloved brother who was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast. She made an oath on his grave to revenge him and kill the Beast.  And that’s been her life’s goal and work since then. 

A warrior/hunter consumed by her hatred for the Fae and need for revenge. She is hired by a wealthy, sort of dandy Alderic Casimir de Laurent, who has knowledge of the Monster and hires her to kill it. 

And it’s not just as simple as that.

So many interesting and tragic layers to the story and of these people. Multiple losses, deep emotional scars, slowly bonding with each other and with the scary found family that Lyssa has gained over the years. This includes an enormous bullmastiff called Brandy. 

There’s no romance. A past relationship is mentioned and there is a possibility of a future romance. But this is about dealing with trauma, the tragedy of your past, revenge and forgiveness. And finally being able to move forward. 

An absolutely fantastic book by a first time author. I can’t wait to see what they write next. 

Highly recommended. 

Love the cover.

Cover design by Shreya Gupta 

Cover illustration by Kelly Chong

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comKill the Beast: Swift, Serra: 9781250373786

Blurb 

The Witcher meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this debut original faerie tale of revenge, redemption, and friendship—for fans of T. Kingfisher, Naomi Novik, and cozy fantasy with a dash of gritty adventure.

The night Lyssa Cadogan’s brother was murdered by a faerie-made monster known as the Beast, she made him a promise: she would find a way to destroy the immortal creature and avenge his death. For thirteen years, she has been hunting faeries and the abominations they created. But in all that time, the one Beast she is most desperate to find has never resurfaced.

Until she meets Alderic Casimir de Laurent, a melodramatic dandy with a coin purse bigger than his brain. Somehow, he has found the monster’s lair, and—even more surprising—retrieved one of its claws. A claw Lyssa needs in order to forge a sword that can kill the Beast.

Alderic is ill-equipped for a hunt and almost guaranteed to get himself killed. But as the two of them search for the rest of the materials that will be the Beast’s undoing, Alderic reveals hidden depths: dark secrets that he guards as carefully as Lyssa guards hers. Before long, and against Lyssa’s better judgment, an unlikely friendship begins to bloom—one that will either lead to the culmination of Lyssa’s quest for vengeance, or spell doom for them both.

Tor Books

Publication date

October 14, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

309 pages

Review:  Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes and Tea Book 1) by Rebecca Thorne 

Rating: 4.5🌈

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, the first book in the cozy LGBT romance fantasy Tomes and Tea series by Rebecca Thorne, has an totally different feel than the excellent Moss’d N Space novel I just finished by this writer. 

Slower paced, more to the journey of the couple and the establishment of their new shop than the other space adventure. But the relationship between the two characters, the dynamics and the way Thorne builds her community is just as excellent and thorough. 

The women, each with their fears and strengths about their decision to leave and have a future together in Tawny, despite the ramifications, have relatable moments and credibility here. From talks about power imbalance to money, it’s a relationship between adults who want to make sure their relationship works. 

Even with magic, dragons, bandits, and a psychopath of a queen behind them. 

Reyna, the Queen’s Guard and Kianthe, the Mage of the Ages, fleeing to set up a tea and book shop in the cold hinterlands was a dream, until it became clear that Reyna needed to leave before she became a casualty of the Queen’s cruelty. 

The town of Tawney, its citizens are beautifully drawn. They are soon become part of this couple’s found family and new life. 

And there’s a mystery a foot that needs to be solved, and that’s will take investigating as well as a journey. 

And dragons. 

A slower delight and cozy fantasy mystery that I absolutely enjoyed. 

Another wonderful tale to share. 

Cover art by Irene Huang 

Cover typography by Amphi 

Map by Rebecca Thorne 

Chapter ornaments by Amphi 

Tip-in illustration by Eilene Cherie

Includes the short story:

“Meet and Greet” by Rebecca Thorne

Tomes & Tea (4 book series):

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea #1

A Pirate’s Life for Tea #2

Tea You at the Altar #3

Alchemy and a Cup of Tea #4

Buy link

 Book 1 of 4: Tomes & Tea 

Blurb 

In the tradition of Legends & Lattes, comes a cozy fantasy steeped in sapphic romance about one of the Queen’s private guards and a powerful mage who want to open a bookshop and live happily ever after…if only the world would let them.

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town nestled in the icy tundra near dragon country, and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world.

Bramble

Publication date

July 10, 2023

Language

‎English

Print length

345 pages

Book 1 of 4

Tomes & Tea

Review:  Knead for Speed (Tales from the Dragon Diner #2) by Lindsay Buroker

Rating:4.5 ⭐️

“Did you bring any special weapons with you?” Rylana asked. 

Sylin held up her shovel. 

“Oh, that’ll be vastly effective. Entire ballads have been written about noble warriors who slew dragons with garden tools.”

And yes, we’re back in the town of Tranquility where it’s anything but tranquil. Things are going awry, there’s a curse that’s been loosened upon the town, several mysteries afoot, and the Fae Queen looks to be coming to town, a real threat to Rylana’s friend, the lone warrior elf, Sylin, hiding in town.

Knead For Speed is a highly entertaining, well written fantasy action adventure story. It’s got a dragon family whose interactions with each other is dysfunctional and dramatic, including our main character, Jildarin, who just wants to be an inspired chef and run his restaurant, the Dragon Diner. If only his mother and brother will leave him alone. And his bookkeeper/partner too.

But there’s more things happening here. Gnomes and trolls and fae and exes abound with plots. 

It’s fun, an extremely slow burn relationship, and terrific storytelling. 

My only slight issue was with how the element with Rylana’s ex was handled. For me it didn’t make sense , especially given their history. But that was the only aspect here.

If you enjoy a cozy fantasy, and dragons as well as other mythical creatures, this is the book and series for you. Read them in the order they are written. 

Tales from the Dragon Diner (3 book series to date)

Calculated Whisk #1

Knead for Speed #2 

Morel Dilemma #3 – Aug 31,2026

Buy link 

 Book 2 of 3: Tales from the Dragon Diner 

Blurb 

As the bookkeeper and new co-owner of the Dragon Diner, Rylana Avandar is determined to see the business become successful. Despite an inauspicious beginning, her partner Jildarin—founder, chef, and dragon—has come to trust her, and she doesn’t want to disappoint him.

But when a troll curse and an ancient secret threaten Tranquility, Rylana will have to do a lot more than crunch numbers. If she and Jildarin can’t figure out how to appease the troll gods, the diner and the entire city could be doomed.

Lindsay Buroker

Publication date

June 25, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

310 pages

Book 2 of 3

Tales from the Dragon Diner

Review: Last Boss Farm: The Applications Book 4 by Beatrix Penrose 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Author Beatrix Penrose, just a fabulous writer, has written, among her other works, a collection of series that are fantasy LitRPG series, each one a short story that captures the essence of the characters and world they inhabit. 

I’m slowly reading both. Smite the Soil series and this one, Last Boss Farm, each different and so beautifully engaging. 

Malgrath and the farm has been quietly building , steadily improving along with their companions. So it was only time before they faced another challenge. This time with new applications. 

Each new application brings a new set of challenges and a unique personality seeking something that only the farm has to offer.

It’s amazing how Penrose can make 40 pages feel so full of brief character development for new people and still bring meaningful moments for all involved. 

It’s a delightful read. And I’m anticipating the next one in the series. 

Author Beatrix Penrose has become an auto must have for me. 

Last Boss Farm (5 book series):

Last Boss Farm #1

The Stranger Problem #2

The Conditions #3

The Applications #4

The Vacancy #5

Love the covers.

Buy link 

 Book 4 of 5: Last Boss Farm 

Three applications. Two are genuine. One is not.

The KEEPER Network is open. Word has spread. On the same morning, three sponsorship applications land on Malgrath’s desk: a retired 

Necromancer with declining health and seven years of quiet coastal work behind him. A Weather Manipulation Villain who directed three storms she has spent two years trying to forget. 

And Vorath the Consuming — Level 61, seven outstanding hostile designations, reason for applying: opportunity.

Opportunity is not a reason. It’s a test of whether the KEEPER classification can be used as cover.

Then Gurt draws a map in the mud. Four days east. A fortress. A mark Malgrath recognises. Gurt and Hobb have been at the sanctuary since the beginning — since before the beginning, sheltering against the barn walls when Malgrath arrived. Nobody asked where they came from. Now Malgrath knows.

The declination letter will be precise. The challenge that follows will be harder. And somewhere behind the barn, Hobb has been building something for seven months that nobody knew about — a garden with a carved stone at its centre that says, in Underrock: Here we put down what we carried. Here it grows instead of weighing.

The Applications is the fourth book in the Last Boss Farm series — a LitRPG cozy fantasy about the limits of a good idea, the past that arrives with new residents, and a World System that has now used the phrase “cautious optimism” twice and seems to mean it more each time.

The KEEPER Network has four members. Eleven Thriving ratings. Three new protocols. The garden is growing.

May 19, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

40 pages

Book 4 of 5

Last Boss Farm

Review:  Bargain With Fate (Blind Fury Book 2) by Annabel Chase 

Rating: 2.5⭐️

Blind Fury series has so many interesting aspects to it. A upscale hidden retirement island for paranormal beings, many of them ancient, off the coast of Georgia. 

The retirees, a fabulous, entertaining and mythically rich group of beings keep themselves busy with nude pickle ball, gossip and a wealth of activities that often include murder and mystery. 

They are, even as supporting characters, the very best thing about this series. 

Unfortunately, it’s the main character (and her MMC) and the author’s treatment of a potential relationship that just doesn’t work for me. 

Bargain With Fate is book 2 and the main character of Maya August hasn’t shown much in the way of growth or progress in her development since her boss died and left her in charge of Security for the Island and its inhabitants. It’s a responsibility she avoided as much as possible when she was hired as his assistant. And now she’s Acting Director of Security, she’s not changing anything in regard to her role or actions.  Unless absolutely necessary or pushed by her boss, she avoids any sort of accountability. 

She’s whiny, borderline rude, and honestly, taking advantage of her job. Given her constant internal refrain/insistence on her being in isolation for her “unknown dangerous past” and that only the island is safe for her. Not being an adult about her role and job (she complains about her hours, being needed etc by her elderly residents) in return for safe haven? Makes her singularly unlikable.  Don’t get me started on the cat. 

Then there’s the potential romantic relationship with a paranormal boss who doesn’t seem to take no for an answer. She repeatedly tells Vale, a Demi god and supernatural boss of the area, that she’s not going to have a relationship with him, and that she’s got extremely good reasons not to reveal her past to him. Discussion after discussion. 

He agrees, then he starts pressing her for more information and yes, a date. Against everything they had just discussed. Because obviously no means yes. To him and his men, one an elf she’s fond of, who talk to her about why she’s rejecting such a great guy. 

All of this is supposed to be straightforward storytelling, no manipulation, which is even more toxic. Because she starts to waver even though she doesn’t want to. She continues to say no . 

And so, even with a neat plot and interesting cliffhanger, I’m saying no to that relationship and main character. And this type of toxicity. 

Cover design by Trif

Blind Fury:

Bound by Fate #1

Bargain with Fate #2

Cursed with Fate #3 – Dec 21,2026

Review:  Hat Trick (Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow Book 4) by Sara Bourgeois 

Rating: 4.75⭐️ 

Well, if that wasn’t just an excellent book.  The mystery was one where you knew who did it after a while. But the investigation takes Blythe and her familiar, along with Anya, on a path that leads towards many places and players. So the plot winds up being poignant, character driven and layered with smaller pieces of other mysteries . 

The author meaningfully scattered bits of information about the community throughout in new ways that knowledge of who did the murder early isn’t as key as you think. 

And there’s another stranger mystery brewing that will lead to the next book in the series. 

Sara Bourgeois is another autobuy/autoread for and this series is a great example why. 

Highly recommended. Love the author.

Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow (4 book series)

If the Hat Fits #1

Under The Hat #2

Hat Out of Spell #3

Hat Trick #4 

Bear Many Hats #5 – July 21,2026

Buy link

        Hat Trick (Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow Book 4)

    

Blurb 

Blythe Fairfield is finally getting the hang of her weird new life.

She owns a tea shop on Main Street. She’s dating the sheriff. Her late great-aunt’s notebooks are slowly teaching her what kind of witch she is, and her familiar has mostly stopped acting like tolerating her is a personal sacrifice.

Mostly.

Then the Cauldron Hollow Fall Festival rolls into town, and a dead body turns up behind the vendor trailers before the booths are even open.

The victim was a quiet leather worker traveling with the festival vendors. No enemies. No debts. No obvious connection to anyone in town.

At least, that’s the story everyone wants to tell.

As the festival barrels forward with tourists, bear sightings, and town gossip, Blythe starts tugging at threads nobody else seems to see. And somewhere between the funnel cake, fake smiles, and festival chaos, someone decides Blythe needs to stop asking questions.

Permanently.

It doesn’t help that Sheriff Paine is pulling away for reasons he refuses to explain. Or that Pippin keeps insisting being a Tallowmere should be enough to solve every problem, intimidate every enemy, and possibly improve Blythe’s posture.

But Cauldron Hollow has secrets it doesn’t show the tourists, and this one has been waiting twenty-four years to come due.

Blythe is about to learn there’s a big difference between a man running from his past and a man waiting for it to find him.

Sometimes the trick isn’t what’s in the hat.

It’s what’s been hidden in plain sight all along.

May 18, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

218 pages

Book 4 of 5

Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow

Review:  The Amber Hops: A Retired Paladin’s Guide to Magical Brewing (A Cozy LitRPG Adventure) (The Green Sanctuary Book 2) by Beatrix Penrose 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

The Green Sanctuary series is written by Beatrix Penrose, an author who has become a favorite of mine recently. 

This cozy LitRPG fantasy series is engaging and fun, each book short and satisfying. 

In The Amber Hops, our retired Paladin, Sir Alaric Thorne has managed to save the day but more drama awaits him and his newly established farm. 

It’s magical hops, inter dimensional visitors and tax drama on the horizon! All great fun woven together with new characters and light suspense. 

It’s highly enjoyable, well written and easy to pick up and read through. 

A terrific story and absolutely my recommendation!

Love the cover and wish I knew more about the artist. 

The Green Sanctuary (8 book series)

Smite the Soil #1

The Amber Hops #2

The Wandering Grove #3

The Winter of the Void #4

Smite the Soil: The Seed of Generations #5

Smite the Soil: The Roots of Rebellion #6

Smite the Soil: The Ashen Harvest #7

Smite the Soil: The Sky-High Vineyard #8

Buy link 

        The Amber Hops: A Retired Paladin’s Guide to Magical Brewing (A Cozy LitRPG Adventure) (The Green Sanctuary Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Sir Alaric Thorne saved the farm. Now, he has to save the party.

After successfully smiting the blight and telling the Empire to shove their taxes, Alaric just wanted a quiet season to watch his World-Tree grow. But the tree has other plans. It’s produced a crop of Amber Hops—glowing, vibrating cones of starlight that make a beer so good it literally attracts tourists from other dimensions.

Welcome to the Root & Radiance.

With a grumpy Dryad as his brewmaster and a crew of Dwarven masons building a tavern out of Deep-Earth marble, Alaric is no longer just a farmer. He’s a publican. But running a sanctuary isn’t all sunshine and sourdough.

Between an Imperial Auditor looking for an excuse to salt the earth and a Fae Queen who wants to “borrow” the World-Tree forever, Alaric is going to need more than just a legendary spade.

He’s going to need the perfect brew.

What to expect in Book 2:

  • Tavern Management: Watch the Root & Radiance grow from a dusty barn to a multi-dimensional hub.
  • Advanced Crafting: Deep dives into magical fermentation, Void-forging, and “Soil Editing.”
  • New Allies: Meet Iron-Side the Pacifist War-Golem and Vex the Shadow-Miner.
  • Goliath being Goliath: Our favorite teleporting goat has reached Level 5 and developed a taste for temporal pancakes.

Grab your mug and pull up a chair. The harvest is just getting started.

January 31, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

58 pages

Book 2 of 15

The Green Sanctuary

Review:  What the Spell?: Spellbooked Magical Cozy Mysteries No. 1 (Spellbooked Mysteries) by Elle Wren Burke

Rating: 4⭐️

Kinley Paigewright, orphan, product of the foster system, suddenly finds herself not only a jilted bride, but someone who has magical powers. Abilities that were unlocked when her ex dumped her on her wedding day and caused a magical explosion of emotions and power. And that caused a very nice paranormal policeman to come wisk her away to Sea Breeze Island, one of the hidden places where magical beings can live in safety and a place she and her family once called home . Not that she remembers. 

This was a terrific story. Kinley is a character a reader can empathize with, coming from a foster care system that had her moving multiple times, to the unknown factor that is her history and the mystery of her parents . And who locked her magic?

Those are questions that I expect will be asked throughout the series.

Kinley’s introduction to her magic, the island and the sentient store and all the inhabitants is entertaining to read about .

There’s a mystery. That’s good but it makes little sense for Kinley to investigate and withhold information about what she finds out from the very person, the officer who has gone out of his way to help her along with his familiar. Why doesn’t she just work with Ryland, he and that tiny dragon don’t have an issue with it when they do start communicating.  So not doing it to begin with just seems poorly thought out. Especially when you consider she’s new to the island and the magical community .

But it’s got just enough depth to the characters and world building to stand out from the crowd. And the story is interesting so I’ll be picking up the next book in the series 

Spellbooked Mysteries (3 book series)

What the Spell? #1

Spell to Pay #2

For The Spell of It #3 – March 15,2027

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: Spellbooked Mysteries 

Blurb 

Unfairly dumped right before her wedding, can this heartbroken bookworm come to terms with her witchy heritage without getting locked up for murder?

Kinley Paigewright is reeling. But she tries to roll with the punches when a paranormal policeman claims the odd energy that just destroyed her bridal suite means she’s a witch and whisks her off to an enchanted island. And when the jilted bride learns she’s supposed to inherit a snarky sentient bookshop, things seem like they’re looking up…until her obnoxious new upstairs tenant joins the dearly departed.

Pretty sure she doesn’t want to stay at the top of the hunky magical cop’s suspect list, Kinley struggles to find proof of her innocence in a town overrun with puzzles and potions. But unraveling the truth means digging into her absent family’s past, mastering her explosive talents, and trusting an exuberant feline familiar to help rewrite her future.

Can Kinley crack the case before her second chance at happiness vanishes for good?

What the Spell? is the whimsical first book in the paranormal Spellbooked Magical Cozy Mysteries series. If you like immersive settings, charming cats, and twice-hexed mischief, then you’ll love Elle Wren Burke’s enchanting tale.

Buy What the Spell? to conjure up a fresh start today!

Soaring Moon Books LLC

Publication date

June 11, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

282 pages

Book 1 of 3

Spellbooked Mysteries

Review: Blue Blood, Black Magic: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Ella Bloom Mysteries Book 3) by Sarah Noffke

Rating 2.5⭐️

It looks as though Blue Blood, Black Magic is where I leave the Ella Bloom Mysteries behind. 

The premise is interesting, some of the elements are good but the author’s characterizations, especially when it comes down to the dynamics between the main female character and the prominent male characters in her life have me so irritated that it takes away from the rest of the narrative. 

At approximately the 50 percent point, Ella and Malcolm decide to leave the murder mystery investigation in town (and ongoing drama surrounding the inheritance) and head off to look for a mage in the mountains.  

Part of the mysteries in the series is who and what is Ella and what happened to Malcolm and his wife when he closed the Gloaming. Ella’s mysterious past is deeply personal and caught up in the death of her mother as well as her years in foster care. 

But when Tyler, the farmer whose mother is running his life, get furious at Ella, yelling at her, insisting he had the right to information about her , her powers and origin, without any reason or relationship . And Malcolm? Who Ella would reasonably expect to have her back, would defend her? He, without her consent, quickly tells Tyler all about Ella’s life, her secrets and unknown past. To her absolute shock. 

But how does the author have Ella handle being yelled at by basically someone she’s not in relationship with over withholding extremely private information, which is then freely shared by her trusted friend/associate?

“You two are the worst,” I muttered, realizing that they were ganging up on me.”

That’s the extent of it. 

Noffke leaves Ella in the wagon, accepting that she’s got no choice, no secrets, and the author still hints that “red flag” Tyler is the romance guy for her.

There’s no apology from the men for their behavior or actions. Instead the expectation, narratively, that the men know better than she does what is good for her. This from a man who has let his mother run his life and another with a faulty memory. That’s two for the Patriarchy column here . Although the story is disguised as a woman’s story. Um no. Not imo. 

I’m so irritated at the author at this point, that skimming through to the end is the only option. 

So I’ll find another author and series. There’s plenty more out there.  But here’s where I stop. 

🛑 After Note: I had wondered if I’d been harsh in my evaluation so I jumped ahead to book 6. There I found that the dynamics I disliked and discussed here are still very much in full swing in the story. 

Malcolm still has zero reservations about telling anyone , here gnomes, Ella’s “deeply held “ secrets about her magic and origin. All without obtaining any consent beforehand (which she’s very vehemently opposed to). But not once does she find a spine and ask him to obtain prior permission or tell him how uncomfortable or unhappy she is with him doing this. Multiple times. 

Spoiler:

Worse later in the plot, Malcolm turns out to be a coward, imo. His wife makes an ultimate sacrifice, believing he can find a way to bring her and The Gloaming back. But instead, acting on baseless assumptions, he commits an act of utter cowardice, that causes him to abandon her and makes him lose his memory .

Not once does Ella think that there was anything wrong with his actions.  

It’s a pattern here of excusing the questionable male behavior (Tyler’s, Malcolm’s to name two important characters) throughout the series while having Ella repeatedly telling people that her role in the investigations and relationships is always secondary, less important. 

So yes. Right choice to leave the series and author behind. Just no. 

Ella Bloom Mysteries (10 book series):

Dying For Magic #1

Magic Can Bee Deadly #2

Blue Blood, Black Magic #3

Verses and Curses #4

Raining Cats and  Curses #5

Half-Baked Curses #6

Signed, Spelled, Delivered #7

Murder Spelled in Thread #8

Spelled For Choice #9 – June 19,2026

Born For Magic #10 – July 24,2026

Buy link 

        Blue Blood, Black Magic: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Ella Bloom Mysteries Book 3)

    

Blurb 

One-Twenty-Six Press

Publication date

November 18, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

276 pages

Book 3 of 10

Ella Bloom Mysteries

Review: Dying For Magic: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Ella Bloom Mysteries Book 1) by Sarah Noffke

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Dying for Magic, the first in the Ella Bloom Mysteries by Sarah Noffke, introduced me to another terrific author.  I throughly enjoyed everything about this book and characters and anticipate diving into the rest of the series.

The characters and storylines, multiple plots, are very well developed and intriguing. And the more the story progresses, the better the exploration of the world becomes and the history of the Magic of the town of Gloamington.

I think the element I love best is that both of the main characters are enigmas. Ella Bloom, hired to become the 6-month assistant to the town’s favorite detective, has a past life full of questions and no answers. 

And she arrives to find that the older gentleman she’s been hired to assist, Malcolm Fawkes, a renowned paranormal detective, has no memory of her or his past life.

So author Noffke builds a narrative around two people, and several animals, who have memory issues.  All while struggling with daily tasks like identifying the local community citizens, and conducting a murder investigation that the police sheriff has tabled . It’s funny, compelling, believable, and absolutely engaging watching these two people build a friendship on such a shaky but shared experience. 

I can’t think of another book or series quite like it. 

I’m highly impressed and recommending this. And quickly going forward with this series. 

Ella Bloom Mysteries (10 book series):

Dying For Magic #1

Magic Can Bee Deadly #2

Blue Blood, Black Magic #3

Verses and Curses #4

Raining Cats and  Curses #5

Half-Baked Curses #6

Signed, Spelled, Delivered #7

Murder Spelled in Thread #8

Spelled For Choice #9 – June 19,2026

Born For Magic #10 – July 24,2026

Buy link 

 Book 1 of 10: Ella Bloom Mysteries 

Blurb 

Ella Bloom can see magic no one else can, and it’s leading her straight to a killer…

When Ella accepts a mysterious job in the picturesque town of Gloamington, all she wants is six months away from the noise of the city and a quiet place to call home. Instead, she finds herself assistant to Malcolm Fawkes, a renowned paranormal detective with no memory of hiring her—or much of anything else.

When magic that only Ella can see leads her to a murder, she discovers Gloamington isn’t the quaint small town it appears to be. Five years ago, it was a magical haven until something went terribly wrong. Now the town’s dormant wellspring—the Gloaming—is stirring again, awakening with Ella’s arrival.

With a reluctant Malcolm by her side, Ella must navigate a web of secrets, suspicious townspeople and her own mysterious connection to Gloamington’s magical past. Someone in town is willing to kill to keep magic buried forever. Ella’s unusual abilities make her their next likely target.

The Gloaming is opening once more. Could Ella Bloom be the key to everything?

Dying for Magic is the first in an enchanting mystery series from the creator of the blockbuster Beaufont universe.

One-Twenty-Six Press

Publication date

September 30, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

262 pages

Book 1 of 10

Ella Bloom Mysteries

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