Category: Contemporary

A New Chapter at Midnight by E.W. Andersen

On By TracyIn Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

A New Chapter at Midnight (Midnights On the Square, #3)A New Chapter at Midnight by Emily W. Andersen

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Midnights on the Square #3

Release Date: July 13, 2026

Aurelia Lyndham is the owner of a very special bookshop that she inherited from her Aunt Marigold. The shop is magical and each night at midnight characters from the book appear to Aurelia and she is able to interact with them, but she is the only one who can see them, so she has kept this information to herself, not wanting anyone to think she is insane. Keeping the secret from her friends and family has been hard but keeping it from her fiancé Oliver has been the hardest of all. With her wedding day drawing closer, she is determined to tell him the truth, but the time never seems right.

But all that changes when her teenage niece Julia comes to visit and is able to see the characters, presumably because she will one day own the shop. Aurelia tries to explain to Julia why it is important to keep the magic of the shop secret, but Julia can’t keep this to herself, first telling her mother, Aurelia’s sister Antonia, which leads to her coming to the shop, which leads to Oliver learning about it. It takes some doing to get Antonia and Oliver to believe them, since they are not able to see the characters, and while they do eventually accept it, Oliver is very hurt that Aurelia kept this from him and it puts their relationship in jeopardy.

I requested this title without realizing it was the third book in a series, but the author did an amazing job of giving enough backstory to let new readers jump right into the story with no problems. This story was a gentle read; there was not a lot of drama, not a lot of magic, and not a lot of romance – but somehow, it works and ends up being a very satisfying read. If you are looking for story with a bit of magic, close family ties, a little romance, and a happy ending – Read this book! I am happy to recommend this title, and I will definitely be reading this author’s previous books as well as her future work!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

 

Samantha Spük: Paranormal Wedding Planner by Aleese Lin

On By TracyIn Contemporary, Debut Novel, First Person Narrative, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Romantasy, Standalone Title, Tracy's Reviews, Young AdultLeave a comment

Samantha Spük: Paranormal Wedding PlannerSamantha Spük: Paranormal Wedding Planner by Aleese Lin

Tracy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone

Release Date: June 2, 2026

Samantha “Sabby” Spük is an accountant who has spent years trying to distance herself from her family’s supernatural roots, but after her grandmother’s death, a magically binding will pulls her back to Salem and keeps her there until the estate is settled. As she adjusts to her unwanted return, she becomes an accidental wedding planner for the town’s paranormal community, juggling vampire brides, fae clients, a disembodied head, a pixie assistant, and a complicated connection with Hanry. The story follows Sabby as she moves through a mix of cozy fantasy, light mystery, and romance while confronting her family legacy and deciding whether the ordinary life she imagined is really the one she wants.

For me, this had a fun premise and some charming side characters, but the execution never fully matched the idea. Sabby often felt emotionally distant, and the romance was not strong enough to carry the story when the plot started to wander. I think my biggest issue was the clunky first-person narrative, which made the humor and character voice feel more forced than natural and kept me from getting completely immersed in the story. There are flashes of quirky appeal here, especially in the paranormal wedding setup, but overall, this landed at about 2.5 stars for me.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *