A warm and cozy wrap up to my Winter’s Respite of reading

Even with Leap Day this year, February was a short month which is probably why my goal for finishing my TBR trio of books for the Winter’s Respite readathon (hosted by Michelle Miller at Seasons of Reading) ended up at two and a half books completed.

That’s the story I’m going with, anyway. So, let’s start on a positive note with My Rooomate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine. Set in modern day Chicago, struggling artist Cassie is thrilled to find a roommate situation where the rent is only 200 dollars a month and in a posh neighborhood to boot!

However, her mysterious handsome co-occupant, Frederick J, Fitzwilliam, is an odd one indeed. Despite his old fashioned manners and charming eagerness to accommodate her every need, Cassie can’t help but wonder what his deal is. 

With him keeping night hours and her daylight, most of their interactions are in the form of notes left for each other on the kitchen table, with Frederick’s being very elegantly written as if he used an inkwell and quill.

Things are going along quite nicely until one day, Cassie comes home to find blood bags in the communal fridge and Frederick has some major explaining to do. Turns out he’s a vampire who recently awakened from a magically induced coma that lasted a hundred years. 

His intentions towards her are honorable as Frederick seeks a guide to the new world he’s in now, not to mention a more reliable source than his prankster vampire pal Reginald. Cassie is reluctant at first but ultimately decides to stay.

.While the two of them form a friendship bond, those feelings eventually turn more serious ,especially when some of Frederick’s past comes forth to claim him. Can Cassie save him from a dreadful eternal fate that could doom their love and living arrangements?

I have to say that this book is a charmer with the vibes of a nineties romcom, only far sweeter and mostly more up to date humor. In terms of tension, this story veers closer to Once Bitten than What We Do in the Shadows but overall, a satisfying vampire romance with light and lively energy:

Next, I picked up Bookshops & Bonedust , a prequel to Travis Baldree’s popular Legends & Lattes.

Usually, I am not into prequels but this was a worthy exception to that particular rule. We met a younger version of Viv, the warrior orc from L&L as she’s forced to recover from a serious battle injury in the sleepy seaside town of Murk.

Bored and frustrated, Viv winds up at the local bookstore run by Fern, who is prone to profanity yet has a great knack for selecting the right book for the right customer. As  time goes on, Viv encourages Fern to improve the store and helps clean the place up, adding new furniture and coming up with ideas to help her make an actual profit.

Fern is not her only friend in town but Viv isn’t trying to make any permanent plans as she’s waiting for the band of mercenaries who left her there to return for her. However, the very danger that brought Viv to Murk might still be around and pose a real threat to her new companions in more ways than one…

That’s all I intend to say about the plot because despite it being an early look into a world already established, B&B has some surprising moments of its own. Baldree really has that storytelling magic and I have no doubt that he’ll give us a sequel or two to his big hit yet this one is just a page turning delight that blends reading, found family and high magic into a spell worth being enchanted by:

As for This Spells Love by Kate Robb, I am halfway into the book and will keep going, just at a more leisurely pace.

Our leading lady here is Gemma, who finds herself in an alternate universe after performing a “love cleanse “ spell to get over a breakup. One of the main drawbacks of this new reality is that her best friend Dax doesn’t know her at all and it’s his kiss that set this whole magical event into motion.

With only a month until a reversal spell can be cast, Gemma has to get to know Dax all over again and he to know her without being told about their previous existence. His kiss is vital to reset Gemma’s world but this new start to their relationship has a romantic element that has her reconsider this entire plan but should she?

In my opinion at this point in the story, I say”Yes, you should stay in this particular realm indeed!” Not only is she getting a chance at love with Dax, Gemma owns a beauty shop  that she loves instead of the soul crushing corporate job she held back in the other reality(the retail scenes are very realistically funny) and amazing new friends, some of whom she played matchmaker for and they’re very happy together!

This sounds much better than going back to a world where your up tight ex boyfriend is, if you ask me. Of course, I’m sure that complications will arise as the story moves forward, making these choices tricky. I am certain though that that special kiss destined to change worlds will be worth waiting for:

Well, I do think this was a nice way to start off a new year of reading and much thanks to Michelle Miller for getting the bookish party started off in style! I am already putting books aside for the next readathon, Spring Into Horror, that begins this April. Should be frightening fun for sure!

Reading experiences like this are great, particularly when we’re in the midst of such sad and bad news at the moment. Not that we should ignore what’s going on(far from it!) but a nice break from the ongoing tensions are crucial for coping.

With that in mind, let’s look forward with a spring in our step to match the new season ahead of us and perhaps a song or two in our hearts. Books are magical in that sense, indeed and they can give us everything just as long as we promise to be there: