Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne

 

Synopsis From Goodreads:

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 that boasts more dragons than people, 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.

You know those books you genuinely enjoy while reading, but the moment you sit down to write a review, the flaws are all you can think about? Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea is one of those books for me, so I’ll try to keep this short.

I truly did enjoy my time with it. Reyna and Kianthe make a wonderful couple to build a series around. They balance each other well, bringing out strengths and tempering weaknesses. Starting the story with an already established relationship lets the author focus on plot rather than setup, which I appreciated. Still, this is the first time they’re spending extended time together, and while there are hints at growing pains, conflicts are resolved very quickly. I know this is a cozy fantasy, but as a gay man, I would love to see more of the mess and complexity that comes with intimacy, not just the tidy version.

The residents of Tawney are fun and distinct enough that I never confused them, but overall the characters, even Reyna and Kianthe, feel a bit two-dimensional. And no one suffers from this more than Queen Tilaine. If there’s a patron saint of bland villains, it’s her. If she continues as the primary source of conflict, I hope she becomes significantly more interesting.

World-building is also lighter than I expected for a first book in a fantasy series. Tawney itself feels mostly realized, though the layout remains murky in my mind. Beyond that? The wider world is a fog. I grew up with authors like Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Robert Jordan, and my favorite, Mercedes Lackey — writers who built rich, tangible worlds I can still map in my head. Here, I can picture Tawney and the castle Reyna fled… and that’s about it.

To be fair, this is just book one in what’s currently a four-book series. I’m hopeful these early quibbles will be addressed as the world and characters develop.

Despite everything I’ve mentioned, I genuinely enjoyed the time I spent with Reyna and Kianthe. I do plan to continue the series. I’m just not in a rush.

Finally, thanks to Tracy of Bitter Tea and Mystery for putting this book on my radar. I might not have picked it up otherwise, and I'm glad I did. 

Favorite Fictional Character --- Sweet Pickles

 

 I’m in a pickle. I’ve been wanting to highlight one of the denizens of Sweet Pickles for years now, but I could never decide which one to single out. As a kid, I loved all of them, even Nasty Nightingale. Trying to choose between Clever Camel or Yakety Yak gave me such a headache that I kept putting it off. And now, sixteen years after starting this feature, I’m still stuck.

Because my indecisiveness could give Questioning Quail a run for her money, I’ve decided to just pick all twenty-six of the anthropomorphic animals who live and play in the charming little town of Sweet Pickles.

Yes, I’m absolutely aging myself with this pick—and that’s fine, because these characters deserve it. If you’re not familiar, Sweet Pickles was a series of thirty picture books that used twenty-six animals, from A to Z, to help an entire generation of Gen X kids make sense of our personalities and emotions.

When I was little, I was especially drawn to Bashful Bear and Doubtful Dog. I’ll let you guess why, though I doubt you’d be wrong. I saw myself in them and felt everything they went through. What made these books special, beyond the irresistible idea of a town full of talking animals, was the gentle way they taught us to be self-aware. Each story showed how our quirks and flaws could get in our way, like when Bashful Bear was too shy to ask someone to be his friend. There were lessons about problem-solving, sure, but mostly they helped us see ourselves a little more clearly.

Before I wrap this up, I have to mention Loving Lion and Moody Moose, because I adored them too. And then there’s Unique Unicorn, Healthy Hippo, Fearless Fish… See my problem? I can’t choose just one.

So instead, consider this a quasi–love letter to all the residents of Sweet Pickles; the sweet, silly, and surprisingly insightful crew who helped shape an entire generation of kids.

Now if only I could find a complete set that doesn’t cost nearly $200. Wish me luck.

The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso

Synopsis From Goodreads:

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy herself at this party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She is a Hound, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble. 

She’s not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what’s causing the a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual. 

As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they’ll need to rely on their wits—and each other—to unravel the secret of the clock and save their home.

It’s been a long time, at least eight or nine years, since I’ve read a book based on another blogger’s review. When I stopped blogging, I also stopped reading blogs. Honestly, that hurt more than anything else, but I needed to completely step away; otherwise, I would have felt even worse for abandoning something I’d poured so many years into. I didn’t need the reminder of what I was walking away from, even though it was the right decision at the time.

That brings us to today and my absolute love of The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso. I had read Roberta’s review of The Last Soul Among Wolves on her blog, Offbeat YA, and I knew it was something I needed to read for myself. Since it was the second book in a series, I immediately opened my Libby app to see if I could get the first book from my library system, and I was thrilled when I found it! Luckily, there were no holds, and I started reading within twenty minutes of finishing Roberta’s review.

Truthfully, I was a little lost at first. For some reason, it took me longer than usual to catch onto the Echo system of alternate realities. I’m going to blame my recent inability to get decent sleep. Once my tired brain caught on, though, I was hooked.

Kembral is one of those characters I want to hang out with. She’s a new mother trying to balance her instinct to be there for her child with her desire to return to a profession she loves and excels at. She’s a Hound, one of the best. She has an innate ability to travel between alternate dimensions, called Echos, and retrieve people (or in one case, a dog) who have fallen into them. Think of an old illustration of the Earth cut in half, showing the layers inside: crust, mantle, outer core, inner core. That’s the picture I had in my head, except there are eleven Echos. As you go deeper, they become more and more warped. Trees can have hands, buildings may have mouths, and people you know in the Prime reality might no longer look human the further down you go. In other words, Kembral is a badass. I want to be her when I grow up.

To say I enjoyed this doesn’t do justice to how lost I became in the story. It wasn’t perfect; there were a few moments that pulled me out for just a second or two, but those pale in comparison to how quickly the author was able to pull me right back in. It has everything I need to keep my interest: larger-than-life characters who somehow still feel grounded in their reality, complex mythology and world-building, and stakes that couldn’t be higher. It also helps that there were a few murders thrown in for good measure.

This isn’t a reality I’d ever want to live in, but I’m more than happy to keep visiting and hanging out with Kembral and Rika (who I didn’t even mention until now, but her snark is amazing) for as long as the author keeps writing new adventures for them.

Binge Watch --- Grimm

 

Grimm is one of those shows I stopped watching when I abruptly went cold turkey on all TV. Grimm and Supernatural aired around the same time, so before I said goodbye, my DVR was getting a workout. Of all the shows I was watching, those were the two that were the hardest to give up—though I think my DVR was grateful.

If you’ve ever wanted to live next door to your favorite fairytale monsters, Grimm is the show for you. If you’re not familiar with it, let’s recap the premise. Nick Burkhardt, played by the uber-hot David Giuntoli, is a Portland homicide detective whose life changes when his dying aunt shows up out of the blue. Nick discovers he’s a Grimm—part of a long line of guardians who maintain the balance between the human and Wesen worlds.

If you’re unsure what Wesen are, think: the Big Bad Wolf, the Three Little Pigs, Anubis, naiads, wendigos, witches, and a myriad of other creatures from fairytales and myths. Wesen hide among us, appearing as normal humans until they woge, revealing their true selves.

Grimm lasted six seasons, from 2011 to 2017, and in my not-so-humble opinion, that was nowhere near long enough. It built an entire mythology that was not only fun to be immersed in but believable as well. That’s why I love fantasy, in all its forms—when done right, it submerges you, pulling you out of the real world for an hour or two, maybe even ten, at a time. The “reality” that Grimm creates is one of those instances.

They built a world that just feels real. While I’m watching it, I forget Wesen aren’t real. I believe the royal families are pulling the strings behind the scenes. I believe that Black Claw and Hadrian’s Wall are fighting a war that will force everyone to choose a side. I forget that Nick, Hank, Renard, Adalind, Wu, Monroe, Rosalee, and Juliette are characters being played by ridiculously talented actors. Whether I’m watching one episode or ten, I’m all in the entire time.

Before I leave you with just enough curiosity to check the show out for yourself, I have to touch upon the city it’s set and filmed in—Portland, Oregon. This isn’t the Portland of the 1980s, which was the last time I was there. This is a vibrant city full of life and beauty. I absolutely adore the Pacific Northwest, with its old-growth forests and ferns as big as golden retrievers. I love the weather and the way of life.

Grimm brings all of that to the forefront, and Portland is as much a character as Nick himself. I honestly don’t know if the show would have worked as well anywhere else. It rekindled my love for the region—and if I don’t end up moving back to the north shore of Lake Superior, it’ll be back to Oregon, on the western side of the Cascades.

And make no mistake: I’m Team Adalind all the way. After everything she and Nick go through separately, they both deserve any happiness they can find together.

I’ve heard they’re planning a movie set a decade or two after the show ended. I hope it’s a continuation of the story and the characters I love—but at this point, I’ll take whatever they’re willing to share with us. I can’t wait to be immersed in that world again.

Favorite Fictional Character --- Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar

 

As a young Gen X lad, I grew up with a lot of TV shows and movies that debuted years—if not decades—before I was ever born. I’d wager I’m not alone in that; most of my generation probably grew up watching the same shows I did: Perry Mason, Gilligan’s Island, The Big Valley, Bewitched, Batman, and The Addams Family, just to name a few. Syndication and reruns were king when I was growing up. In this regard, I actually feel a little bad for the generations that came after us, because they don’t really know what came before them. But I digress—that’s a discussion for another time.

Today’s Favorite Fictional Character doesn’t come from a TV show but from one of the many live-action movies Disney made in the 1960s. For the record, I think the 1950s through the 1960s were when Disney did their best live-action work. I’m not knocking what came after (though all these live-action remakes really aren’t my thing), but there’s just something about the movies they made in that era that sets them apart. Maybe it’s pure nostalgia since they’re what I was raised on, but I stand by it.

Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar came out in 1967, while I wasn’t born until 1976. I’m almost positive I didn’t see it until sometime in the early 1980s—but don’t quote me on that. What I can say, with absolute certainty, is that I loved it from the very first moment the orphaned cougar cub, who would eventually be named Charlie, appeared on screen. For 75 minutes, I watched as this cub was raised by a logger named Jesse. As Charlie grows into a young adult (in feline years), all kinds of hijinks ensue—he wrecks a kitchen or two, makes mortal “enemies” with one of the logging camp’s dogs, takes a ride on a few logs, and eventually gets lost and ends up on his own for an entire summer. He faces danger, finds love, and grows up just enough that it’s no longer safe for him and Jesse to stay together. Charlie eventually finds a home on a nature preserve where he can live his life without hunters—or annoying dogs.

I was obsessed with cougars/mountain lions after watching this movie, and I remember wanting one sooooo badly. I’m pretty sure I was extra annoying in all my begging for my very own Charlie. I don’t know if my underdeveloped psyche connected with him because we both lost a parent, or if it was simply because I thought he was beautiful and funny—especially when he was destroying the kitchen. Whatever the reason, I fell in love.

I don’t know if I should admit this or not, but I do have a Charlie of my own who almost never leaves my bed. A friend got him for me about ten years ago, and I absolutely adore him. And if you want to meet Charlie for yourself, he's on Amazon Prime and a few other streamers as a rental. 

Murder Under Contract by Alex Henry

 

Synopsis From Goodreads:

There’s a gruesome start to the day for DI Leon Peterson when he’s called to an airline catering company: the boss has been knifed in his own kitchen. With few people seeming to regret his passing, Leon is spoilt for suspects. But witnesses are by turns defensive, distraught, and drug-addled, leading to frustrations for his newly-formed and sometimes fractious team.

Pressure to solve the case is piled on by Leon’s new boss – who happens to be his controlling ex-lover. Just as Leon thinks he has his murderer, one shocking discovery is followed by another, this one too close to home. Now he struggles to deal with family fall-out, with striking parallels to his case.

Poor Leon just cannot catch a break in this third installment. After being missing for decades, his father’s body has finally been discovered—and, as it turns out, the murderer might be a little closer to home than anyone could’ve guessed. The new case on his desk is horrifically bloody, and not a single person seems willing to cooperate. His brand-new team is fragile (too many personalities in one room), and he’s hoping against hope they come together before they implode. And if that wasn’t enough, his emotionally abusive ex is now his boss—and still thinks he can pull Leon’s strings like he used to. All this while Leon’s just trying to hold onto a new relationship.

If I were Leon, I’d have checked myself into a padded room by now, begging the world for a year of peace and quiet. But Leon handles it all with a kind of quiet strength that I can’t help but admire—though there’s definitely a little bit of avoidance mixed in for good measure. He’s the type of detective whose mind works methodically, clue by clue, until the whole picture forms (and that picture is never wrong). He throws himself into every case, whether it’s considered “important” or not, guided by an unshakable moral center. Watching him work is genuinely a pleasure.

Leon’s a joy to spend time with, and the people around him (well, not the ex) are just as compelling. The cases keep me hooked, and I find myself fully invested in every twist and turn. Here’s hoping Leon catches a break soon—but honestly? I kind of hope he doesn’t, because I never want this series to end.

Happy Halloween!

I wish everyone who is celebrating a spooky and safe Halloween!