What I'm Reading: Contracts and Cats (Toni Binns)

Occasionally, I need to take a break from the type of book I'm writing, and read something completely different. I've been writing a romcom wedding story (and getting ready to pivot into erotic fantasy land) and this book (series, because I'm on book two right now) was a welcome respite--being totally different from either of those genres. 

It's also pretty cute. And it's set in a magical bookstore--who doesn't love those?

Contracts and Cats: A Cozy Slice-of-Life Fantasy (Meow: Magical Emporium of Wares Book 1)

Toni Binns

Discover the secrets of the bookstore and join Sable's extraordinary journey – pick up your copy of Meow: Magical Emporium of Wares today

Welcome to the Magical Emporium of Wares, a bookshop that appears only to those who need to find it. 

When Sable answers a too-good-to-be-true job posting—cozy bookshop, perfect espresso machine, adorable black cat, and an apartment upstairs—she thought she'd finally caught a break from her crushing student loans.

But the ink on the deal is barely dry when Sable realizes that the contract is very literal. She cannot leave. Also, her new feline companion talks, the bookstore itself is a sentient enigma with an excellent espresso machine, and magic isn’t just for storybooks–it’s woven into her new reality.

Bound to the shop as the mystical Cat's voice and hands in the human world, the bookstore's true purpose begins to unfold, and Sable must choose. Will she embrace the impossible magic blooming around her, or cling to the mundane life she thought she wanted, risking the fate of the shop and its curious inhabitants?

If you love the heartwarming charm of found family, the gentle unraveling of an enchanting mystery, and the quiet wonder of magic woven into everyday life, then this is your next favorite read.

What I'm Reading: Owl Shifters

Recently I read two owl-shifter books by Seana Kelly. They're short, entertaining mysteries (with romantic elements) involving a variety of shifters. They remind me a little of the Sierra Shifters stories I've been working on. But the reason I picked them up had very little to do with that. I liked the covers, too, but again that's not usually something that motivates me to pick up a book. No, I bought these books because of a YA novel that I'd read and loved back when my kids were teenagers. Owl in Love is a wonderful little book that's only available in print and--sadly--no longer has the gorgeous cover (pictured below) that it originally had.

It's a funny thing. I don't really feel any great desire to write YA even though some of the books that I remember most vividly and have stuck with me the longest are YA. 

OWL IN LOVE

Patricia Kindl

https://www.amazon.com/Owl-Love-Patrice-Kindl/dp/0395661625/

Birds of prey have run in fourteen-year-old Owl Tycho's family for hundreds of years. Every generation or so produces a shape-shifter, an apparently normal human being who can change into an owl at will.

Night Owl Books (A Story in the World of the Sea Wicche Book 1)

Seana Kelly

https://www.amazon.com/Night-Books-Story-World-Wicche-ebook/dp/B0DQR7Q76W/

Orla is an owl shifter, so her bookstore Night Owl Books is only open from 8pm to 6am. She gets very few customers—other than a couple of insomniacs—and that's the way she likes it. Customers tend to interrupt her reading. All of that changes one night when a terrified woman runs into the bookstore, followed by two bear shifters, a werewolf, and a psychic wicche. Poor Orla's night is about to be far less quiet.

Night Owl Bridge (A Story in the World of the Sea Wicche Book 2)

Seana Kelly

https://www.amazon.com/Night-Bridge-Story-World-Wicche-ebook/dp/B0GQJ3JLX9/

Owl shifter Orla’s quiet life of reading is once again disturbed. This time, Nick—bear-shifter, cop, and possible boyfriend—asks her to help him investigate an odd disappearance at a local bridge. Orla can’t see anything amiss, but she definitely feels something off. The bones she spies under the bridge lead her to believe they’re dealing with a bigger problem than Nick suspects. Orla must once again put down her book and help save her little corner of the world.

Mug Shot: Toasted Yolk Mug

We visited the Toasted Yolk in Waco on Mother's Day. We were lucky because we got there early and were able to be seated right away. And yes, we've been doing A LOT of traveling lately. As you've probably figured out, I really love this style of mug, but I wasn't able to buy it because they'd run out of mugs to sell. 

So I guess that'll have to wait until next time. 

So, 

What I'm Reading: Gorgon with the Wind (Devon Monk)

In case you haven't noticed, I love linked series. And Devon Monk is great at it! She started with her Ordinary Magic romance series, spun that into the Souls of the Road romantic suspense series, spun that into her Mystic Crossroads series and has now returned to the scene of the original crimes, giving us a new trilogy of cozy mysteries, the Ordinary Oregon Mysteries.

Gorgon with the Wind

Devon Monk

https://www.devonmonk.com/ordinary-oregon-mystery/

A hilarious, cozy, magic-packed whodunit by National Bestseller Devon Monk

Come for the wacky festivals…stay for the murders…

Medusa, (yes, that Medusa) is done with heroes and heartache. From now on, her life is going to be filled with plenty of books, tea, and solitude. But when an unexpected favor takes her to Ordinary, Oregon—the quirky little beach town with vacationing gods, a bossy Valkyrie, and a book club run by Death—she quickly discovers the town might have a slight murder problem.

Accused of killing a local, Medusa teams up with her new friends—Jules, a witch who’s lost her way, and Piper, a psychic unsure of her powers—to clear her name.

But with time running out, it’s going to take all of their wits, will, and magic to find the killer before the festival crowds fade away, taking the clues and the killer with them…

Mug Shot: Sloth Mug

What do you do with a hand-painted, wooden mug. Use it, I guess? Except that I haven't been able to bring myself to do that, yet. This was a gift, you see, and I'm convinced coffee and/or tea will stain it, and washing it will affect both the wooden finish and the paint. And I just want to keep it pristine. 

But...on the other hand, I'm still using the hand-painted, wooden salad bowl that originally belonged to my parents. And that's...fine. Sort of.  I mean, yes, the paint has flaked off in places, but it's still useful!

So maybe I'll give it a shot. 

What I'm Reading: Rag & Bone (KJ Charles)

So, I spent a little time recently re-reading two books that I haven't thought about in awhile. These stories are in KJ Charles' A Charm of Magpies world. A Queer Trade takes place during the second Magpie Lord book, A Case of Possession, while Rag and Bone takes place during the sequel/standalone/spin-off book, Jackdaw. 

I'm a fan of the whole series, but these two books are...gentler, in a way? I dunno. They're both great, low-angst reads. And it's always such fun to see the main characters from the series appear as such total side characters. 

A Queer Trade and Rag and Bone

KJ Charles

https://kjcharleswriter.com/charm-of-magpies

Mug Shot: Hippo Birthday

I found this mug at my daughter's house. And since yesterday was her birthday, this seemed like a fitting time to post it. I'm not sure where this hippo-mania came from, but this is the first of two hippo-esque mugs I saw there. 

Meanwhile, my niece is completely enamored with the "I Want a Hippopotamus for
Christmas" song. My sister is addicted to riddles, jokes and puns and would no doubt appreciate the lyrics on the back of the mug.