Tag Archives: Elizabeth Pantley

Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley

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Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

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Description:
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.

 

 

Review:

Shifting and Shenanigans by Elizabeth Pantley is the first book in her Magical Mystery Book Club series. We meet our heroine, Paige, who is celebrating her birthday, as well as her finalizing her divorce. Paige receives a call from her aunt Glo, who tells her that her grandmother passed away, and they both are inheriting the country inn, which was always their favorite place to go.  They pack up all their belongings, and proceed to The Snapdragon Inn, in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, for a new life, that was filled with wonderful memories. 

After each chooses the room they wanted, they are shocked to meet the resident cat, Frank, who actually talks.  This was cute, though I wasn’t crazy about the name for a cat. Lol   With Frank’s assistance, they find the key that allows them to enter a secret room that was never allowed for them to enter.  Paige and Glo, are surprised to discover a wonderful library filled to the brim with mystery enchanted books. Both will learn that they will need to continue the existing book club, and they need 6 more members to make the required 8. Zell is the first person to meet up with Paige and Glo, and explains that she has always been a member (with Frank) and will help them set things up. The new group that eventually joins is a mix of different characters.

The fun begins when the club chooses its first book, and realize that they have been transported to a small town, where they are literally in the story; which they will need to solve the case before they can go back to their homes.  The story was fun, with all of the members in the middle of this mystery, as they find a dead body (they need to know who killed the victim), and spend lots of time in the town, meeting other wonderful characters; and trying to find clues.  Each of the book club members were unique, and together they slowly developed friendships. 

Shifting and Shenanigans was a fun and enjoyable story, that was totally different and unusual.  There were a number of surprises throughout, and discovered an amazing secret the town had. I loved the taking cat, Frank. Shifting and Shenanigans was very well written by Elizabeth Pantley.  I enjoyed the lighthearted mystery and look forward to the next book.

Reviewed by Barb

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Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

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Description:
A boyfriend who’s missing. Or was. . . Or is. . . A boat full of old bones. A community ice cream social. A friend in trouble, a spiteful witch, and an angry villain. The mysteries and fun abound in Destiny Falls. Hayden, Latifa, and their family and friends are up for the excitement and adventure.

Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones follows the series format of combining two stories that blend into one. A murder mystery and the island mystery.

The Island Mystery: Hayden’s boyfriend Han is missing. But she swears she saw him zoom by in his car. She’d thought it was a surprise, and that he was home early from his secret service case. She was wrong. The surprise is that his signal isn’t pinging, and no one knows where he is. There appears to be black magic behind his disappearance. Can they learn who’s responsible and bring Han safely home?

The Murder Mystery: A pile of old bones is found in an ancient fishing boat. They could be tied to the disappearance of two young women years ago, back when many of the Destiny Falls people where in high school. Many of the citizens had bad history with the students. Do the bones belong to them, and what happened? Were they murdered? And could the murderer be living among them?

Hayden and Latifa’s many adventures in Destiny Falls will keep you guessing with each book in this fun and intriguing series.

 

 

Review:

Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones by Elizabeth Pantley is the 6th book in her fun Destiny Falls Mystery and Magic series.  Refresher: Hayden, who now fully lives in Destiny Falls with her talking cat, Latifa, and is happy in her new magical world, being a member of her powerful Caldwell family, as well as many new friends, and boyfriend, Han. 

Hayden’s boyfriend, Han is missing at the start, and she calls in her friends to help find him; he suddenly reappears, not remembering where he had been.  Hayden and family recognize that Han’s disappearance was the work of black magic, especially with his appearance having changed, making him stronger and built. When Han continues to disappear and reappear, Hayden learns he has been cursed by the evil Lazarus, and she must find a way to save Han.

There is another mystery that revolves around a pile of old bones found on an ancient boat. During the investigation, it is confirmed that it ties to the disappearance of two young girls thirty years ago.  Hayden is in the middle of both investigations, as she uncovers dark secrets of the past, as well as her friends and family helping support her in finding how to pull Han from control of the evil Lazarus; she learns what is necessary from both Gasper and Bob (the Olm).

Hayden and her brother Axel have settled into their role of being conduits on Destiny Falls.  I love Hayden’s wonderful family and friends who are always there for her, and of course our wonderful Latifa (her cat) and the Secret Cat Society.  It is always fun to watch and listen to the cats, Latifa, Chanel, Marshmellow and Lola.  Cute.

Old Bones and Ice Cream Cones was another delightful lighthearted mystery, in the magical and charming enchanted realm, Destiny Falls. This is a fun cozy murder fantasy whodunit, that was intriguing and kept our attention from start to finish.  The characters are all interesting and unique, especially the cats who help solve the crimes. I look forward to the next book by Elizabeth Pantley, that is always fun to read.

Reviewed by Barb

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Jousting and Justice by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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Jousting and Justice by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

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Description:
An invitation to a medieval festival. A ferry ride to a mysterious island. A scheming, inept witch. An office break-in, an unidentified body, and a string of suspects. Can Hayden, her brave, sassy cat, Latifa, and the people of Destiny Falls solve the mystery and enjoy the festival?

~ Jousting and Justice follows the series format of combining two stories that blend into one. A murder mystery and the island mystery.

The Island Mystery: Hayden and all her friends get an invitation to a medieval festival – but it’s on “the forbidden island.” It’s too enticing to pass up. Of course, strange things will happen once they get there! . . . You’ll also learn the truth about the witch’s sister in this book!

The Murder Mystery: A dead body shows up in the most shocking place. First, they need to figure out who this dead guy is. Then, who killed him and why. There are so many twists and turns on the way to the answers! But we know that Hayden, Latifa, and their family and friends will figure it out and justice will be served.

Hayden’s many adventures in Destiny Falls will keep you guessing with each book in this intriguing series.

 

 

Review:

Jousting and Justice by Elizabeth Pantley is the 5th book in her fun Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.  Refresher: Hayden, who now fully lives in Destiny Falls with her talking cat, Latifa, and is happy in her new magical world, being a member of her powerful Caldwell family, as well as many new friends, and boyfriend, Han.  Hayden still is determined to meet her mother, who is stuck in the evil Gladstone realm.

It is always nice to spend time with Hayden, our heroine, and the wonderful characters (and cats) of Destiny Falls. Jousting and Justice begins with a surprise invitation to a medieval festival in Gladstone, with the Ferry bringing them there.  Hayden is at first concerned, but when her grandmother says she will set up protection for them, and they (the entire town) will go and have fun; and Hayden looks forward to seeing her mother and father in Gladstone.

Everyone begins to prepare to attend the festival, making medieval costumes, etc. When Hayden goes to her newspaper office, she discovers that the office was broken into, and finds an unidentified dead body.  She calls together the group, Jaxson (police chief), Han (boyfriend), Axel (her brother) to try to figure out who the dead man is and why in her office.  What were they looking for?

When everyone went on the Ferry, they realized that they were not going to Gladstone, and instead ended up on a small mysterious island. However, the entire event went on with a wonderful time enjoying the medieval experience.  As the day nears end, both Hayden and Axel are sideswiped toward another boat, missing the Ferry; the wicked witch whom we knew about from previous books had them trapped.  Will the family who put the protection up be able to save them? There was a lot of intrigue and surprises along the way.  To say too much more would be spoilers, and this series should be read from start to finish, as the story is a continuation.

I loved how Hayden’s wonderful talking magical cat, Latifa would gather family and cats to try and solve the murder.  Overall, Latifa was a blast, so much fun. During the festival we did learn more about some of the people in Destiny Falls, who had surprising abilities, and we also learn who is the good witch sister.

Jousting and Justice was another delightful lighthearted mystery, in a magical and charming enchanted realm, Destiny Falls. This is a fun cozy murder fantasy whodunit, that was intriguing and kept our attention from start to finish.  Once again, I absolutely loved the cats and their meetings to help solve the crimes.  I look forward to the next book, as this ended with a surprise twist. Another fun cozy book by Elizabeth Pantley, that was well written.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

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Witches, Spiders and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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Witches, Spiders and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

Amazon

Description:
A magic mirror to an enchanted world. A mysterious ghost. A hilarious, perpetually annoyed witch. A brave, sassy cat. Two unexplained deaths and a mysterious community filled with secrets. Can Hayden and the people of Destiny Falls solve the mystery and return the community to its peaceful, enchanted existence?

Hayden’s adventures in Destiny Falls continue in book four of the Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. Starting with a strange old woman at a cave and her father’s mysterious ferry journey, there are secrets to be unwound.

The enchantments in Destiny Falls are showing cracks, and Hayden suspects that it’s tied directly to her family, which has a history that’s more complex than she realized. When two bodies are found floating in the bay it’s clear that the mysteries surrounding Gladstone and the ferry are more dangerous than people realize.

Luckily, Hayden and her sassy sidekick, Latifa have developed a group of family and friends in this enchanted place who are all ready and willing to help solve the mystery, and release Destiny Falls to resume its normal, amazing, enchanted existence.

Hayden’s many adventures in Destiny Falls will keep you guessing with each book in this intriguing series.

 

 

 

Review:

Witches, Spiders and Schemes by Elizabeth Pantley is the 4th book in her Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.  Refresher: Hayden, who lived with her grandmother, great grandmother and works with her best friend, Lulu, and her cat, Sassy. One day, she goes through a portal with her cat, ending up in Destiny Falls.  Hayden now lives in this magical world with her long-lost father, brother and her now magical cat.  Hayden is happy in her new world, being a member of her powerful Caldwell family.   In the last episode, she helped solved a murder, and is more determined to find a way to meet her mother, who is stuck in the evil Gladstone realm.

Hayden now runs the local newspaper, and continues to become involved in more murders from the ferry going to Gladstone.  We started seeing more of her friendship with Han, which is slowly becoming more romantic; I really like them together.  Almost everyone in Destiny Falls is great, including her father, brother, grandmother, grandfather, new friends, police chief, etc.  I know I would love to live in Destiny Falls.  Best of all, I love her cat Latifa, and two other cats that live with the family; they are so much fun, being able to talk, and always having meetings to help solve murders.  A riot.  I also enjoy the ghost, Gaspar, who tells her things in his past life, that give her some secrets, which we hope will help her find a way to discover how to stop the murders. 

With Hayden’s father having gone to Gladstone to meet his long-lost wife, everyone becomes concerned that he has not come back. Eventually, he manages to return, unable to visit the wife anymore.  Hayden begins to notice while her father was gone, the bright and wonderful things in Destiny Falls, has some dark changes.  Are they losing their magic?  Hayden senses that she may be the next conduit who will need to keep the magic in Destiny Falls, and she is determined to find out how to do this to save them all. 

The wicked witch is still around, and now there is a small animal (olm) who helps the witch, but I suspect the olm is truly protecting Hayden. At least I hope so. Lol    We will find out more in the next book. There was a lot of intrigue and twists along the way.  To say too much more would be spoilers, and this series should be read from start to finish, as the story is a continuation.

Witches,Spiders and Schemes is another delightful lighthearted mystery, in a magical and charming enchanted realm, Destiny Falls. This is a fun this a cozy murder fantasy whodunit, that was intriguing and kept our attention from start to finish.  Once again, I absolutely loved the cats and their meetings to help solve the crimes.  I look forward to the next book, as this ended with a surprise twist. Another fun cozy book by Elizabeth Pantley, that was well written.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

 

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The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

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Description:
A magic mirror. An enchanted world. A mysterious story-telling ghost. A hilarious, perpetually annoyed witch. A smart, sassy cat. A mystery of finding a dead body . . . of someone who was already dead. Visit Destiny Falls and escape to a great time.

A mysterious old man keeps popping up to tell Hayden a series of tall tales. Who is he? And is he actually glowing? Are his stories fiction, or is he telling her the history of her family, the enchanted islands, and the witch? And why did a dead body show up . . . of someone who was already dead? Can Hayden and her quirky sidekick, Latifa unscramble this mystery?

Hayden’s adventures in the magical world of Destiny Falls continue in this gripping story that answers your questions about the mysterious world she entered through a mirror in book one, Falling into Magic. We learn more about her missing mother, whose story begins in book two, The Disappearance of Emily.

 

 

Review:

The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley is the 3rd book in her fun Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series.  Refresher: Hayden, who lived with her grandmother, great grandmother and works with her best friend, Lulu, and her cat, Sassy. One day while outside with her cat, a man pushes her through a portal.  When Hayden woke up, she sees the brother she never knew, and learns all about the alternate and magical world of Destiny Falls.  Hayden gets to meet her father, brother and the Caldwell family that welcomed her into their world; the caveat- she can never leave the realm of Destiny Falls

In the last book, Hayden was happy to let her grandmother, great grandmother and Lulu learn the truth about her living in Destiny Falls, and managed to bring her there for a short stay.  Hayden is very happy and thrilled to be part of the wonderful magically enchanted Destiny Falls, especially when her cat, Latifia (formerly sassy) can talk to her telepathically.  This is the fun part, with their bantering, and the other cute cats.

Hayden, having already been in the middle of a mysterious murder in the previous book, begins to investigate what is known as the evil half of this realm, Gladstone.  She gets a letter from her mom, who left her immediately after her birth, and finds out she is living in Gladstone, unable to leave.   Is this letter truly from her mom, or is this a plot to get to her to Gladstone?   Hayden works closely with her brother Axel, friend Han and the sheriff, Jaxson to solve more murders, and the rumors about the dark and evil Gladstone.

Hayden also finds herself meeting a mysterious old man, whom she called Gaspar, who would tell her stories from the past; this man is a ghost, but his stories reveal the truth about those days, with his daughters and witches.  Hayden is also successfully running the town newsletter, detailing the murders. 

The Ghost Camper’s Tall Tales is a lighthearted mystery, in a magical and charming enchanted realm, Destiny Falls; this a cozy murder fantasy whodunit, that was intriguing and kept our attention from start to finish. To say too much more would be spoilers, and you should read it from start to finish.  Once again, I absolutely loved Latifa, which was fun and delightful, as well as the hopeful romance between Hayden and Han.  I look forward to the next book, as this ended with a cliffhanger that promises possible danger. Another fun cozy book by Elizabeth Pantley, that was well written.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for review

 

 

 

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The Disappearance of Emily by Elizabeth Pantley- a Review

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The Disappearance of Emily by Elizabeth Pantley- a Review

 

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Description:
Hayden fell through a mirror and was thrust into an alternate, magical place. Destiny Falls is home to a family she never knew she had. The town is enchanted and charming, but something is amiss. Then someone turns up dead, and there are too many other suspicious episodes to call them coincidences. All signs point to the mysterious disappearance of her mother – way back when Hayden was just two days old. Can she identify and eliminate the threat before another person in her life is stolen away?

 

 

Review:

The Disappearance of Emily by Elizabeth Pantley is the 2nd book in her Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. Refresher: Hayden, who lives with her grandmother, great grandmother and works at home with her best friend, Lulu, and her cat, Sassy. One day while outside with her cat, a man pushes her through a portal.  When Hayden woke up, she sees the brother she never knew, and learns all about the alternate and magical world of Destiny Falls.  Hayden gets to meet her father, brother and the Caldwell family that welcomed her into their world; the caveat- she can never leave the realm of Destiny Falls

Hayden is happy in Destiny Falls, and has become closer to her new siblings, though she misses her Nana, grandmother and best friend, Lulu.  She also adores the magical community that seems to take a life of its own, based on the needs or wishes of each person.  At the local café, Hayden meets the person who runs the ferry, and receives a warning.  But before she can meet this person, there is a murder and the person in question is dead.  Hayden begins her own investigation about another town, across Destiny Falls, that is dangerous and she finds clues about her long lost mother. 

While this is going on, Hayden is asked to reopen the Newspaper office, and become its editor in charge.  Things reach become dangerous when her sister is kidnapped, and the family joins hands with the local police to find the villains, who were also suspected of killing the ferry boss.  This was an exciting part, and leads the way to solving the murder, but also leaves things open for Hayden to try and find the truth about the other realm and her mother.  Hayden’s first monthly newsletter is a success, with all the information about the murder.

The Disappearance of Emily is a lighthearted mystery, in a magical and charming enchanted realm.  It was a fun story, and I continue to adore Latifa, who was talks telepathically with Hayden; the other two cats are adorable too, as these parts were delightful. I love the magical world of Destiny Falls, and wish I could live there.  Another fun book by Elizabeth Pantley.

Reviewed by Barb

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Falling Into Magic by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

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Falling Into Magic by Elizabeth Pantley – a Review

 

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Description:
When Hayden was a child, she lost her cat. Adults told her the cat ran away, but she knew the truth. The mirror had taken her. She knew because the mirror had given her a glimpse of an alternate world and had nearly pulled her in, so she was certain the cat had suffered that fate.

Twenty years later Hayden discovers the secret of the mirror when she is thrust into it. She learns of a world she never knew existed, and a family she never knew she had. But danger brought her here, and it followed her. Now, Hayden is on a mission to remove the threat, so that she can begin her magical, meaningful new life in this enchanted world.

 

 

Review:

Falling into Magic by Elizabeth Pantley is the 1st book in her new Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. We meet our heroine, Hayden when she was a child, who was afraid of a large mirror in her room.  Seems her cat disappeared, and though her family said the cat must have escaped outside, Hayden was sure the cat escaped through the mirror.

Twenty years later, Hayden, who lives with her grandmother, great grandmother and works at home with her best friend, Lulu, and her cat, Sassy. While walking outside with her cat, a man comes rushing at her, and shoves her through a hole. When Hayden wakes up, she sees a young man, who turns out to be the brother she never knew.  She learns she is in an alternate and somewhat magical world, Destiny Falls, and her brother, Axel helps to bring her to the beautiful mansion his family lives in. 

Hayden gets to meet all the members of the Caldwell family, and is greeted by the father she never knew.  Her father left Destiny Falls for a different life, fell in love, married and had two children.  After Hayden’s birth, he and his young son, Axel were pulled back into Destiny Falls, with no way to return. Hayden begins to learn how magical Destiny Falls is, especially when her cat (now called Latifa) can talk to her telepathically.  There conversations between each other was fun and cute. 

Though she is enjoying her time meeting all members of her family, she sends emails to her family back home explaining she is on a work assignment in Denmark.  In a short time, Hayden will notice some strange happenings, including seeing the man who had pushed her into that hole, and realizes someone is behind the dangerous attempts on her. She is determined to investigate who is the culprit, which puts her own life in danger.

Falling into Magic is a lighthearted mystery, in a magical and enchanted realm.  To say too much more would be spoilers; there is a satisfying conclusion, but somethings were left open.   It was a fun story, and I adored Latifa, who was a blast; and enjoyed many of the secondary characters created by Pantley.  I look forward to more of what Elizabeth Pantley has in store for us in future books.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy supplied for Review

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