Category: Magical Realism

Review:  Magic Outside the Box (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth Book 3) by Honor Raconteur 

Rating: 5⭐️✨

What a great mystery and story! Both sad, satisfying and it will be the story the propels an important element of this series into more development and exploration for Jamie and her closest friends. 

In addition, Royal Mage Sherard, now a close friend and colleague, is here, Clint the talking magical cat, and one of Jamie’s police ducklings, McSparrin, and she’s got Ellie the magician engineer, to soup up the engine of the cars she rides in to go 50 mph instead of 30!

Again, it’s a fantastic formula for a story. Henri is writing his cases but in such a way that the reader can see it published in the future. But his friends, Jamie and Sherard insert themselves into these pages via hilarious notes and even entire sections which he then smartly remarks upon. All in different colored ink. Black ink for Henri, blue ink for Jamie and green ink for Sherard. And if that sounds chaotic, it’s not. It’s remarkably clear whose voice it is and the emotionally tones carry through vividly.

Another sparkling performance from the author and characters. 

Fabulous!

Highly recommended. Highly addictive. 

Love the covers. 

Cover by Katie Griffin

The Case Files of Henri Davenforth (11 book series to date):

Magic and the Shinigami Detective #1

Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) #2

Magic Outside the Box #3

Breaking and Entering 101 #4

Three Charms for Murder #5

Grimoires and Where to Find Them #6

Death Over the Garden Wall #7

This Potion is da Bomb #8

All In A Name #9

A Matter of Secrets and Spies #10

All Fun and Games #11

Buy link

        Magic Outside the Box (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Henri is quite accustomed to dangerous and unusual cases landing in his lap. Being partnered to the Shinigami Detective likely has something to do with it. What he is NOT accustomed to is the queen herself marching into his lab and handing them such a case. 

Former Royal Mage Joseph Burtchell was found dead in his home, all signs pointing to murder. However, it’s in question as to how the murderer accomplished the deed—the house was locked, the wards fully up, and the body bearing a peculiar wound.

It’s a locked room mystery, one with a suspiciously absent murder weapon and lack of suspects. Henri’s left baffled. Jamie’s excited, relishing the challenge the case represents. 

Who’s powerful enough to thwart a royal mage’s wards and murder him undetected?

Review:  Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth Book 2) by Honor Raconteur 

Rating: 5⭐️✨

“‘How upset is our good Queen?’

“Livid, Seaton answered cheerfully.

I’m quite happy about that. Angry women change the world.’”

Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) the oh so appropriate title of book two is a great, emotional story. The mystery hits on many levels as well, bringing in everything from the societal aspects of health care (or lack thereof), the need for better government regulation of magical items and their manufacture, and general police procedures on multiple fronts. 

It’s dealing with epidemics, ignorance, violence and scam artists who have caused unprecedented harm. 

And all while showing how Jamie is still recovering from her ordeal, maneuvering through a society and systems that are designed to keep women from being able to live as equals, and instituting change from a world that is unknown and one she can’t return to. 

New fantastic characters are emerging in continuing important roles, in Jamie’s life and the series, such as RM Seaton, and the notes of each character, identified by color, are highly entertaining and important to the story and influence of their respective roles here. 

How do I love this? Let me count the ways.

  1. Spectacular writing.
  2. Great mysteries 
  3. Fabulous characters that continue to develop 
  4. Found families 
  5. World building that’s incredible in depth and vividly detailed 
  6. Slowish burn ever romance 

Yes and yes! 

Highly recommended. Highly addictive. 

Love the covers. 

Cover by Katie Griffin

The Case Files of Henri Davenforth (11 book series to date):

Magic and the Shinigami Detective #1

Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) #2

Magic Outside the Box #3

Breaking and Entering 101 #4

Three Charms for Murder #5

Grimoires and Where to Find Them #6

Death Over the Garden Wall #7

This Potion is da Bomb #8

All In A Name #9

A Matter of Secrets and Spies #10

All Fun and Games #11

Buy link

        Charms and Death and Explosions (oh my!) (The Case Files of Henri Davenforth Book 2)

    

Blurb

A dead charm maker is only the beginning. 

Humanity seems determined to come up with increasingly clever ways to murder one another. They seize upon new technological advances in a way that’s alarming, their creativity and blood-thirstiness knowing no bounds.

When a charm maker is blown up inside his own vehicle, for once it’s not Henri Davenforth’s expertise needed: it’s Jamie Edwards’, the Shinigami Detective. Car bombs are something unique in Kingston, and only she has experience with them. But the unique murder takes an unexpected turn when it becomes evident that the dead charm maker dabbled in something he should not have, inciting disastrous results.

The dangers he unleashed upon Kingston threaten thousands of lives and it launches a race requiring not only Jamie and Henri’s expertise, but the Kingsmen’s as well to beat the menace spreading through the city.

Meanwhile, the murderer is still at large, leaving Henri and Jamie to wonder: what will blow next?

Review: Operation Caldera: PNR/Special Forces/Military MM Fiction (Operation Volcano Book 2) by Annabella Stone

Rating: 4.5🌈

Did I lose it over the turns in this book? Why yes I did.  Had zero clue Stone was going to take the series in this amazing direction.  I’m so excited and in for this series.

If you haven’t read this or are familiar here, author Annabella Stone is taking black ops, military top secret missions, explosive situations, alpha military training forces, fated mates, magic, outstanding use and twists on Irish mythology and lore. Legends come to life. I feel like I’m forgetting something. 

If that wasn’t enough. 

Stone packs her storytelling with a found family of a black ops unit called Volcano. Then starts expanding her characters and universe with Irish mythology and folding in magical powers and fated mates in a way that’s entirely different. It’s pulled together by the steel, strength , and love for the fight for doing the right thing, for loyalty, and brotherhood. 

Stone bridges the worlds between humanity and mythology and makes it powerful and believable in the men and their bonds. To the one they love and to the group they call brothers. 

It’s not without elements that had me asking for more exploration or explanation about some areas. Like what happened to the supernatural training that was supposed to happen. 

However, I’m betting it will be a part of the next book to come out next year. 

But here? The yes, explosive story begins with *Viper* Dare and his rescue of Archaeologist *Ward* Sutherland while on a secret mission with his unit.

It’s one wild and crazy thing after another. I absolutely won’t spoil the twists and surprises but Stone’s rich lush descriptions bring to life such incredible characters and scenes that you can hear the songs, smell the banquet, and take in the atmosphere that Viper and Hank are watching and are a part of. 

Great twists, outstanding characters, and action sequences, vividly captured details and beautiful use of magic and mythology. 

There’s an Irish dictionary for some of the words and phrases.  Loved that. 

I only wish I could zoom ahead for the next book’s release date.  

A fantastic book, grand series and one I’m highly excited to recommend. 

Cover Design By: Golden Czermak

Operation Volcano :

  • Operation Magma #1
  • Operation Caldera #2
  • Operation Fuego #3 – April 30,2026 (argh!) – Reaper’s story 

Buy link 

        Operation Caldera: PNR/Special Forces/Military MM Fiction (Operation Volcano Book 2)

    

Blurb 

𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒, 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑡𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒!

Navy SEAL Kelvin *Viper* Dare was born to be a frogman. He’s pretty much seen it all over his fifteen-year career, and nothing surprises him anymore. Nothing except an unexpected natural disaster, which sends his team’s latest mission to hell in a handbasket. Volcanic blasts were not even on his radar when he and his men deployed to search for the newest terrorist to dare bring war to US soil. Now he must figure out how the hell he can protect not only his team, but also the American they find deep in the cave system, which offers their only chance of survival.

Archaeologist Howard *Ward* Sutherland was supposed to be on the trip of a lifetime to study the ancient markings found at a cave entrance on an unnamed island in the Indian Ocean. The further into the cave he moves, the more of the witch symbols he deciphers, and the louder the island rumbles and shakes under his feet. He may not be able to see what is happening on the surface, but the sudden appearance of a Special Ops team, and its growly, bossy leader, tells him things are very, very wrong.

When an ancient power stirs and the veil between worlds cracks, they must choose between duty and destiny. Because some doors, once opened, demand more than loyalty—they demand your soul.

Magic, legends, and a brotherhood who’ve been waiting for their High King!

PNR/Special Forces/Military MM Fiction packed with Irish myths and legends, alpha heroes, raw emotion, fated mates, and more.

  • Publisher: Embers Romance LLC
  • Publication date: July 31, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 360 pages
  • Book 2 of 2: Operation Volcano

Review:  Hexes Fly (Caldryn Parliament Book 2) by Jenny Schwartz

 

Rating: 5 ⭐️✨

Jenny Schwartz’s Caldryn Parliament series is one of those series where the books just get more brilliant and more highly complex as the series progresses.  The writing, the incredible characters, and this labyrinthine storytelling is beyond amazing. 

For those readers who dislike cliffhangers, yes, this book, Hexes Fly, ends on a cliffhanger. FYI.

Also there’s really no romance. Just a fantastic science fiction thriller, multiple magical mysteries, a cast of incredibly powerful multidimensional characters, and enough hidden political agents and agendas for a number of galaxies. 

It all starts with Vanda Kavanagh, the Warden of Caldryn Parliament, who is still defining how she will handle the job of Warden while rebuilding it and restoring the Wards and stabilizing the situation that her predecessors have undermined. 

There’s no way to go about describing the complexities and depths of world politics here that Schwartz has and continues to craft. Utterly brilliant. Contains science fiction, magical systems, mythology and more. And it all works perfectly alongside political and military power dynamics. 

To follow this character of Vanda in her journey, the reader must absolutely start with the first book and continue reading forward. But the path is full of action, but never at the expense of forgetting about the human factor. Here it’s two young people who have to face the consequences of their actions and find their way forward. A moving and powerful element of this book. 

The only drawback? Waiting until the next book is released. 

This is an absolute dream of a book and a new must read for me. Highly recommended! 

  

Cover by Jenny Schwartz . I adore these covers!

Caldryn Parliament:

Stars Die #1

Hexes Fly #2

Rogues Lie #3 – Nov 29,2025

Buy link

 Book 2 of 3: Caldryn Parliament 

Blurb 

The Spring Ball on the first Saturday of Caldryn Parliament’s Spring Term is a night of glamour and power.

However, this year the witch clans are feuding, and when rival clans trade curses in the ballroom non-magical bystanders are the victims.

As people transform into animals, burst into unwilling song, or fall into magical slumber Vanda Kavanagh, the Warden of Caldryn Parliament, is suspicious.

The witches claim they never intended to hurt anyone, and Vanda believes them. So, who is using the witches as a stalkinghorse for their own agenda, and what is it that they hope to achieve?

Most importantly, why can’t the witches undo their own hexes?

If the spells aren’t broken by the next full moon the curses will be permanent.

  • Publication date: July 26, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 346 pages
  • Book 2 of 3: Caldryn Parliament

Review:  The Midnight Bookshop by Amanda James

Rating: 4.5✨⭐️

The description for this book was the draw for me, as well as another new author to read. 

I’ve always thought of books as gateways to adventure and the way to immerse myself in worlds and places I’ll never get to explore outside of their pages. They are compelling, comforting, revelatory, and magical.

So are the bookstores that are still my refuge.  So you can imagine I find the idea that a bookshop is actually a fabulous magical place is one o can readily accept. And want to read about. 

“Long ago, a bookshop was born – the beating heart of all those who find hope within the pages of a book. With the words penned upon the echo of old forests, new worlds are created. “

The Midnight Bookshop is centered around, yes the mystical bookstore The Midnight Bookshop, and its mysterious bookshop keeper, Fay Livre that appears when 3 complete strangers arrive at a time in their lives when each person is most desperate for a change.

It’s a three person narrative, as we see what dire circumstances each one is facing and how they will meet up, and eventually find themselves at The Midnight Bookshop. 

This is an incredibly complex and often dark story as Jo, Adelaide, and Kye have some stark, dangerous and disturbing elements in each of their lives to overcome and heartbreaking moments ahead. 

Their road to healing and recovery begins through the words of books that choose them through a highly emotional and personal journey in a magical world of books and small group of souls who will be forever friends. 

If I had a small issue, it was that I wish I knew more about Fay and her role but then I guess, she wouldn’t be that mysterious mythic benefactor that she’s so clearly meant to be here. 

I’d love to see another story with her reappearance and a new group of people who need her help. 

This is for all of us who have lost ourselves in our books, who gave our hearts away to characters and worlds of  endless pages and found endless solace and joy amongst them. 

Highly recommended. 

Love that cover. 

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Midnight Bookshop: Your next favourite magical realism book – for fans of cosy, small- …

Blurb 

You don’t choose the book. The book chooses you…

‘A book I was sorry to finish.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A timeless story that emphasizes the healing and transformative power of books.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

–

Long ago, a bookshop was born – the beating heart of all those who find hope within the pages of a book. With the words penned upon the echo of old forests, new worlds are created. 

It’s ready and waiting to welcome all those who know where to find it…

Strangers Jo, Adelaide and Kye are the least likely people to find themselves across the threshold of a bookshop.

But as their midnight book club shows them that a single book can change everything, all three realise that their own stories can be rewritten.

  • Publisher: One More Chapter
  • Publication date: May 16, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 385 pages