The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling

Hello everyone.  I hope your day is going well.

Has anyone else noticed a lot of "jump on the bandwagon-ing" going on in books over the last few years?   I guess it is natural since selling books is a business.  I don't, however, remember the whole writing world turning into stories about vampires after Anne Rice's very popular Interview With the Vampire.  Twilight comes out, and you can barely find a book that doesn't include bloodsuckers.  Heck, they were and still are so common, I'm actually starting to wonder about some people I know.  I gave my husband several concerning glances after a particularly brutal session he had with a bowl of spaghetti.  Then came the books about someone on the autism spectrum, they were everywhere.  While these stories could actually help the population become more accepting of people with differences (as we all should be, who is to say what is normal anyway), the number of authors jumping on the topic was annoying. Now there is a new topic with huge popularity, witches.  Three, yes, THREE of my Book of the Month choices included witches.  Now, I'm not complaining about my beloved BOTM, and I love seasonal topics...so Halloweeny.  But the topic isn't just for this Fall, there are huge series that have witches as gardeners, sisters, in the past, in fantasy, in history, in horror, in cozy mysteries, and in romance novels.  Overall, I wish everyone would cover their answers and keep their eyes on their own paper.  Do their own thing.  Except for witches at Halloween, that gets a pass from me, but the second they step on Santa's toes out they go!

I recently read The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling. You might recognize Erin Sterling, she also wrote The Ex Hex, last year.  The Kiss Curse is the sequel although it can easily be read as a stand-alone book.  Lest you think I've betrayed my beloved thrillers, cheating on them with this cute romantic comedy, Erin Sterling also writes thrillers under the author name Rachel Hawkins.  This is the story of Gwyn, who owns a witchy product store in Georgia.  Enter Wells, the mysterious bartender, turned shop owner from Wales, who sets up his store right across from Gwyn.  Of course, there is much dislike at first, then their attraction to each other becomes undeniable.  Not only do they have to fight their feelings for each other, should they embrace them or resist, but there is trouble in town as well, that only they can fix.  

This book, like The Ex Hex, is just fun.  There is nothing super deep here, no rocket science textbook.  This story will allow you to spend a day or two transported to their author's world where things are always interesting, and Fall is in full swing.  The story is short, sweet and to the point.  The writing highly entertaining.  I absolutely adored the dialog between the two main characters which was full of sarcasm and had me laughing many times.  

I can't believe I'm saying this about a book about witches, but I hope there is a third.  Gasp!  I know, don't tell anyone.  Do yourself a favor, grab a plaid blanket, a cup of pumpkin latte Frappuccino espresso with a half twist who-hockey and enjoy this book.  Allow it to work its charms on you!

 

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Hello everyone.  I hope you are having a great day.

When you're in school, you learn about brave people that did unique things.  Sometimes when you become an adult you learn bad things about those same people.  Poor Amelia Earhart, experts think she may have landed on a deserted island, one that has crabs that eat you...literally.  How terrifying is that? That feeling of being on an island bothers me.  Now I don't mean areas like parts of the Outer Banks of NC.  Some parts of OBX are actual islands, but they are connected by bridges.  What about when the bridges wash out in a hurricane or worse yet, an island out in the middle of the ocean where a bridge to mainland is a faraway dream.  Now that is the stuff of nightmares.   Who knows what could happen there.

I recently read Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins.  Rachel also wrote The Wife Upstairs, which I enjoyed, and The Ex Hex under that name Erin Sterling, also fun.  Reckless Girls is about six people than end up on an adventure on a deserted island.  Meroe Island with its legends of murder, mystery, shipwrecks and cannibalism, sits out in the Pacific...all alone...surrounded by nothing but water.  When things start to go awry with the six new friends there is no one to call for help, no authorities to turn to.  When secrets are discovered and mistakes made, they can't be buried by the busyness of life.  It's an island, there is no "busy".  And when you discover people are truly evil...there is no escape. 

This book was an interesting read.  It's like when you are reading about someone underwater, and you find yourself holding your breath.  In this case, reading about people on an island makes me want to stay away from the water forever. While I found some of the characters a bit gullible initially, I found them surprising when the mayhem began. Some of their actions were predictable and others a great twist. Totally fun yet creepy, this story will leave you unwilling to get closer to the water than the freezer section at the grocery store to buy your kids fish sticks.  

If you have a devilish sense of humor, this would make a great gift for your friend to take on their cruise.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

Hello everyone.  I hope you're having a great day.

Halloween is almost here.  When we were kids we had the best time trick-treating.  Our neighborhood was extremely safe and kind of off on it's own, so my parents let us go out with friends.  We visited so many houses for candy.  During this time kids wore plastic masks that had elastic around the back.  I remember one year, I went as Dracula.  I carried a tape recorder that played spooky music, which I tried to hide under my cape.  I'm certain nobody knew where it was coming from.  I was obviously being followed by my own personal orchestra.  I also remember it being cold.  Nothing wrecks a well planned Halloween costume like your mom yelling to wear your winter coat as you head out the door.  One year it even snowed, I don't mean flurries, I mean snow on the ground.  Yep, when the tv tray was set by our front door with a huge bowl filled with candy, you knew fun was on the way, cavities too.

I recently read The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling.  I am consistent, if nothing else.  I just thought this book sounded like a cute romantic comedy and would be a nice break from thrillers.  Turns out Erin Sterling is the pen name of Rachel Hawkins, author of the thriller The Wife Upstairs, which I enjoyed.  The Ex Hex is the story of Vivienne and Rhys.  Vivi and her cousin accidently put a curse on Rhys, which messes up everything.  Life in their small Georgia town was picturesque but as Halloween approaches odd things are beginning to happen.  

This book is fun, not rocket science, just plain old fun.  It's not too long, at just over 300 pages, and is a breeze to read.  The dialog is quite funny.  Some of it spattered with profanity, so if that offends you steer clear.  I promise, this book may not have you on the edge of your seat like my beloved thrillers, but it will have you laughing until the very last page.

Next time you buy yourself a six dollar pumpkin latte, pair it with this book for the full fall treatment.  FYI, the book is a far better bargain.