Vampires and Villains (Magical Mystery Book Club #2) by Elizabeth Pantley Review and Giveaway

Source: Free review copy via Partners In Crime Book Tours
Title: Vampires and Villains (Magical Mystery Book Club #2)
author: Elizabeth Pantley’s
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Published by: Better Beginnings, Inc.
Publication Date: September 2022
Pages: 219
ISBN: 9798849790657
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Book blurb:
Paige and her joyful Aunt Glo have learned that the home they inherited comes with a magical library. They put together a book club group of loveable kooks to explore the magic. They’ve recovered from their first book journey, and they all agree on their next book which takes place on a cruise ship bound for Hawaii. Problem is, they were so excited about the cruising idea that they didn’t read the entire blurb on the back of the book. (“It was entirely too long,” explains Zell.) Once on the ship, they meet a charming and likeable man who blends seamlessly into their motley group. Too bad they don’t know why he’s so scarce during the day but shows up to join them every evening for dinner, drinks, and a show. When a dead body shows up on board, their new friend is labeled a suspect. Can they help him out by finding the real murderer? Or is he the real murderer? The book club will need to solve the case to get off the ship, out of the book, and back to their home.

Excerpt:
“Here’s one with a cruise ship on the cover,” yelled Forrest. “It’s called Havoc in Hawaii.”
“Yes!” squealed Sebastian, doing a little jig. “I loooove Hawaii!”
Zell marched up to Forrest and he handed her the book. She began to scan the back cover and mumble, “Cruise … adventure … tropical islands …”
“Ah. The blurb is too long. I’m sure this will do!” She flipped the book open and before we could stop her, she began to read.
“Zell! Stop reading!” Vee yelled. “We don’t even know what the mystery is about yet—”

It was too late. The globe turned golden until it shone like the sun. It began to spin, faster and faster, the speed increasing by the moment. Sparks began to shoot from it, and the room slowly filled with fog until we could no longer see. In the quiet fog-filled room, Million’s thunderous gasp of a string of bad words made us all laugh.

As the dense fog continued to fill the library, we all became perfectly still and silent. Waiting. Wondering. What would be next? The silence finally gave way to the excited chatter of a crowd around us. Once the air was cleared, we found ourselves in a boarding line, heading onto a majestic, glittering cruise ship. Its name was painted across the bow: Serendipity of the Seas.

The air was warm, humid, and smelled of tropical flowers. Beyond the glass enclosed walkway that snaked back and forth toward the ship we could see palm trees and blue skies.

“Looks like we’re embarking right in Hawaii,” said Zell.
“Most likely Honolulu,” added Million.
“Probably Pier 2,” said Zell with a look of superiority.
“Looks busy today. I’d say we’re using the alternate terminal at Pier 11.” Million looked smug, as if he’d just won that round of their game of one-upmanship.
“This is so exciting!” squealed Sebastian. “And look at my outfit!” He did a spin showing off his crisp khaki trousers, an aloha shirt airbrushed with colorful bird-of-paradise flowers, and beige espadrilles.
We had all arrived in clothing that wasn’t ours but was suitable for the trip. The only person who looked perfectly normal was Moonbeam, except that the type of flowers displayed on her kaftan were more tropical than hippie. Even Forrest was decked out in a Hawaiian print shirt, though his was teen-appropriate, worn open over a white t-shirt, and set off with a stylish pair of sunglasses.

“Isn’t anyone weirded out about our clothes changing?” asked Vee.
“Hold up, Vee-Vee,” said Frank, sporting a floral print scarf around his neck. “You’re okay with plopping into a mystery book and solving a murder case, but you think it’s weird that your clothes have changed?”
“If you put it that way.” She shrugged.
Glo called out over her shoulder. “We’re almost to the front of the line!” She was leading the group and trotting so fast we could barely keep up with her. Her beach-print sundress was fluttering in the breeze behind her. My aunt loved adventures and having fun, and this was certainly both.
As soon as we were over the gangway the crowd split into two directions. Photo stations were set up on both sides with a screen shot of a Hawaiian beach, the Serendipity of the Seas cruise ship in the background, and a banner over the top saying “Welcome Aboard!” A photographer’s assistant was placing a lei around each passenger.

“Wait up, Glo! Veer to the right!” Zell shouted, then she turned toward us. “You need to pick your photographer wisely.”
“Yeah,” said Million, nodding in agreement. “Cuz they charge an arm and a leg for those photos, but you can’t resist buying them.”
“You’ve got the millions, so spend a few,” laughed Sebastian.
“Who told you I got millions?” Our newest member turned to Sebastian with a scowl.
“As I was saying,” Zell said. “You want the best one. See that guy on the left. He’s boring and bland. Looks like he’d rather be somewhere else. People are barely smiling for him. His assistant is passing out wilted leis. Now, that guy on the right – he’s the life of the party. Even his assistant is doing a little dance to the music. He’s joking, he’s talking. Everybody’s laughing. Makes for a great photo.”
“Plus, he looks like Mr. Bean. Makes you laugh before he even opens his mouth,” said Moonbeam.
“Who’s Mr. Bean, Mom?” asked Forrest.
“Google him, honey.”
A moment later Forrest chuckled. “He does look like Mr. Bean!”
“Hey! You have cell service. Good deal,” said Vee. “Means a contemporary setting, right, Zell?”
“Yeppers!” Zell nodded vigorously. “… as far as I know.” Her voice faded off at the end.
We were at the front of the line where Glo was eagerly waiting. “Picture time!” She was bouncing on the toes of her cork-wedge sandals – a pair she’d never buy for herself, though she was obviously enjoying them.
“Howdy folks!” called the photographer, Mr. Bean’s twin, with a name tag that said Grant Perkins, USA. “Welcome aboard!”

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my thoughts:
Last year I read the first book in this cozy paranormal mystery series called Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley and really enjoyed it so when I had the opportunity to read this second installment I jumped at the chance.

Vampires and Villains picks right up where the first book left off. The series revolves around a magical mystery book club whose select members are actually transported into their book club selection to solve the mystery. They cannot leave the book until they crack the case. This time the reading group find themselves on a cruise ship called the Serendipity of the Seas. Not before long, a body turns up in the casino onboard and it’s up to the book club members to figure out who dunnit. The cast of characters from the first book are here, including Frank the talking cat. There are also some new characters introduced. There are nearly 5 thousand guests and crew aboard, including vampires as the group tries to narrow the suspects down.

I enjoyed the mystery, the vampires and I loved the cruise ship setting. The descriptive writing transported me aboard the ship alongside the book club members as they tried to figure out who committed the crime. I didn’t know who did it until the author revealed it.

I have to say, I just love this series. I enjoy Elizabeth Pantley’s easy and addictive writing style. This is my second time reading a book of hers where I finished it in one sitting. Although Vampires and Villains is the second book in this series, it reads fine as a stand-alone. However, I suggest reading the first book to get a feel for how the book club got started. I recommend this one if you enjoy paranormal cozies with a bit of humor in the mix and a fun cast of characters.

“RED ALERT. CODE DRACULA”– 54% Kindle, Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley

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Giveaway Details:
CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN one $10 Amazon.com Gift Card for US Residents.
Good luck!

Author Bio:
Elizabeth Pantley says that writing her several Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the engaging stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, a beautiful inspiration for her enchanted worlds.

Catch Up With Elizabeth Pantley:
www.nocrysolution.com/books
Goodreads
BookBub – @DestinyFalls
Instagram – @destinyfallsmystery
Facebook – @DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic

Tour Participants:

01/23 Review @ Review Thick And Thin
01/24 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
01/26 Review @ Mythical Books
01/28 Review @ Confessions of the Perfect Mom
01/30 Review @ Scrapping&Playing
02/01 Review @ nanasbookreviews
02/02 Review @ Urban Book Reviews
02/03 Review @ Curious Artifact
02/04 Review @ Book Corner News and Reviews

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Disclaimer: This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. My copy of Vampires and Villains by Elizabeth Pantley came via Partners In Crime Book Tours in exchange for my honest thoughts on it.

Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley Review and Giveaway

book source: free review copy via Partners In Crime Book Tours

About the book:
Paige and her adventurous Aunt Glo inherit a country inn from eccentric GeeGee. They pack up and hit the road, arriving at the charming place they both loved since childhood. Finally! They can get into the secret room in the basement that GeeGee kept locked! They discover it’s a wonderful library filled to the brim with mystery books. But more than the room was a secret – it’s a magical place that houses enchanted books. Paige and Glo find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a murder mystery, along with a motley group of book club friends. The club will need to work together to solve the case in order to get out of the book and back to their home.

Praise for Shifting and Shenanigans:
“A book club cozy mystery with a wonderful twist!” – Judi, Amazon Reviewer

“I’m ravenous for the next book!”- @mullanewayne

“The concept is nothing short of brilliant!”- Book Bites

“A must-read mystery!”- JACW, Amazon

“A unique twist to the cozy mystery genre! I was enchanted.”- Cozy Up with Kathy

Book Details:
Genre: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: July 15th 2022
Number of Pages: 210
ASIN: B0B3WLF7CW
Series: Magical Mystery Book Club #1
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads

Excerpt:

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said the locksmith. He took a step back and scratched his head. He’d been at it for twenty minutes and still hadn’t opened the door. “It doesn’t make sense. This takes a skeleton key. It should be a simple task. People can do it with a couple of Allen wrenches. I’ve even done it with a pair of paperclips.”

“So, what do we do now?” Glo asked.
“Best thing is to contact a carpenter. Since the hinges are inside, he’ll have to drill the lock. It’ll destroy the lock and damage your door, though.”
“We don’t have much choice. We want to get into the room, so we’ll have to do it,” I said.

After the locksmith left, we looked up a couple of local contractors, but any openings were days away. We texted Theo but hadn’t heard back from him yet.
We decided to start the day by sorting out the kitchen. There were plenty of dishes and dry goods, but the organization was an absolute mess.
“How in the world did she work in this disaster?” Glo mumbled. “You’d spend half your time searching for things!” She was emptying out a cabinet. She pulled out an odd assortment of dishes, pots, cleaning supplies, and canned goods. She started to laugh and held up a hundred-piece puzzle in one hand and a shoeshine kit in the other.
“Now this makes perfect sense.” She was snorting. “Make dinner, clean up, shine your shoes and do a puzzle.” I held up a few treasures from the cabinet I was working on. “And here you go. In case you need a spare pair of socks, a stack of plastic containers – no lids – and printer ink.”
“It’s like a treasure hunt! It’s good for us to sort through all this anyhow.”
“True,” I agreed. “Then we’ll know what we’ve got. Let me find some paper and a pen and we’ll start a list of things we need.”
I began to sort through the typical drawers most people would use for things like pens and scratch paper, then groaned. “You know what’s in her junk drawers? Talcum powder, coffee creamer, clothespins, and aha! The soup bowls!”
“Where’s the very last place you’d look for a pen and paper? Try that first,” snickered Glo.
“Probably the bathroom,” I joked. “I’ll just make a list on my phone.”
I opened another cabinet and groaned at the stack of boxes and plastic containers jammed into every inch. They were filled with random stuff. I took them to the table and dumped them out.
“Holy Toledo! Glo, look at this!” I stood up and did a little dance around the kitchen. I shimmied over to her, then held up a very old-looking skeleton key.

~ ~ ~

“I feel like we should have a drum roll or a trumpet fanfare—”
“—or fireworks!” laughed Glo. “At least a countdown. Five … four … three … two … one! Blastoff!”
I turned the key and heard the click as it unlocked. “Houston, we have liftoff.”
I twisted the knob and pushed the door open. There was a set of stairs to the basement. At the bottom of the stairs was another door. We opened it. Impossibly, there was another set of stairs. At the bottom of those stairs was yet another door. It required a skeleton key to open. I stared at the key in my hand. “You better work,” I told the key.
The key worked smoothly, and I opened the door.
Our jaws dropped and neither of us spoke. You could have heard a cotton ball drop.
Finally, Glo broke the silence. “Holy macaroni! This is insane!”
“How could she have kept this secret our whole lives?” I wondered.
“WHY did she keep this secret?” Glo added.
“This room is the size of the entire house! It’s enormous. Ginormous!” I whistled.
“This secret space is underneath the inn! How is it two stories high? Is that even structurally sound? This is bizarre.”

The room was indeed two levels high, connected by a brass spiral staircase. In the front area, where we were glued to the spot, was a large seating area with eight cozy floral patterned armchairs. A beautiful wooden coffee table sat in the middle. There was an antique globe on a brass stand, and a stone fireplace like the one upstairs. This one had an intricately carved wood mantle and a stone hearth. A large statue of a woman holding a book was centered on the mantle.

“Look at all these books!” exclaimed Glo, spinning in a circle.
“This is the library GeeGee referred to in her will! Remember? She said she’s putting us in charge. That it’s priceless!”
“I am beyond confused, Paige. How is this even possible? GeeGee was just a sweet little innkeeper. She was the lady who baked us cookies and homemade stew. And she was hiding all this right under our feet?!”

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My Thoughts:

Shifting and Shenanigans is book 1 in Elizabeth Pantley’s cozy paranormal mystery series. As the story starts, newly divorced 30 year old Paige and her bff Aunt Gloria have inherited their grandmother’s lakeside Colorado inn called the Snapdragon. Grandma a.k.a. GeeGee said the ladies have to also take care of the library there. Soon enough the ladies discover the huge library in the basement and meet a talking Siamese cat named Frank. If this awesome start doesn’t draw a reader in, I don’t know what will.

Gloria and Paige are informed that the book club of 8 members is mandatory when owning this library. So the ladies pick the members and have their first club meeting when they realize this a magical mystery book club. The book club members get transported into their current mystery read and can come back home once they solve said mystery. When the group find themselves transported into a small-town murder mystery, they start meeting the locals to try and solve the whodunnit. The Snapdragon Inn remains in the bookish world providing the club members a place to stay.

The story took off from page one and I was entertained throughout. I enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer was as the book club members went around questioning the local townspeople. I do wish there was a little more character development with the central characters but hopefully that happens as the series progresses. The talking cat Frank was definitely my favorite character, he made me laugh out loud a few times with his antics. Frank had even had me worried about him at one point, I’ll leave it at that lol.

The author does a wonderful job at bringing the setting to life and I could easily envision the Snapdragon Inn with it’s lakefront views and the themed guest rooms as well as the mystery book setting. With a few twists to the storyline towards the end, this was a fun cozy and the perfect start to a new series, and I breezed through it in one sitting. I recommend Shifting and Shenanigans if you’re in the mood for a fun cozy paranormal mystery.

Tour stops:
10/12 Review @ Avonna Loves Genres
10/12 Review @ Scrapping&Playing
10/14 Review @ Waterside Kennels Mysteries
10/15 Review @ Review Thick And Thin
10/16 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
10/19 Review @ The Bookworm
10/19 Review @ Totally Addicted to Reading
10/20 Review @ Fredas Voice
10/20 Review @ Pick a good book
10/21 Review @ nanasbookreviews
 

Giveaway:

This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for Elizabeth Pantley. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.
The giveaway is for: One $10 Amazon.com Gift card PLUS a choice of one eBook from the Magical Mystery Book Club series OR the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.

CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Pantley says that writing her Mystery and Magic book series is the most fun she’s ever had at work. Fans of the series say her joy is evident through the engaging stories she tells. Elizabeth is also the international bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and twelve other books for parents. Her books have been published in over twenty languages. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, a beautiful inspiration for her enchanted worlds.

Catch Up With Elizabeth Pantley:
www.NoCrySolution.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @DestinyFalls
Instagram – @destinyfallsmystery
Facebook – @DestinyFallsMysteryandMagic

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Disclaimer:This review is my honest opinion. I did not receive any kind of compensation for reading and reviewing this book. I am under no obligation to write a positive review. My copy of Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley came via Partners In Crime Book Tours in exchange for my honest thoughts on it.