Tag Archives: KJ Dell”Antonia

Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell’Antonia – a Review

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Playing the Witch Card by KJ Dell’Antonia – a Review

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Description:
She gave up on magic. But magic didn’t give up on her.

Two exes. One misbehaving mother. Surprising magic. The perfect recipe for Halloween chaos.

Flair Hardwicke knows the deal: Magic is real, love isn’t, and relying on either ends in disaster. She’s seen the havoc romance and witchcraft wreaked on her mother’s life, and Flair swore off all of it long ago, after the boy she thought was her destiny ditched her. But then her strictly no-magic life falls apart, and Flair inherits her grandmother’s home and bakery in Rattleboro, Kansas.

When the cookies Flair decorates as Tarot cards unleash the magic of the family deck she stole as a child, luring Flair’s mother to town, tempting Flair’s magic-obsessed daughter, ensnaring Flair’s ex in a curse she can’t break, and bringing Flair’s first love back to town, Flair has to accept that while she may have given up on magic, it refuses to give up on her.

As Flair’s attempts to control the Tarot cards play into the hands of a powerful witch, Flair must find a way to accept her magical heritage in order to save those she loves from a danger she’d never anticipated.

 

 

Review:

Playing the Witch Card by K.J. Dell’Antonia is a stand-alone paranormal novel revolving around magic and witches. Flair Hardwicke, our heroine, returns home to Rattleboro, Kansas after many years away; taking her 13-year-old daughter, and leaving her husband who cheated on her for the last time. Flair left home all those years ago because she did not want to be part of the magic from her grandmother and mother. Her decease grandmother left her the house and bakery, but she is determined not to accept the family’s legacy of magic, including a special deck of tarot cards, which she hides. Flair also has issues with her daughter, who wants to go back home where her father is; not knowing the truth of why Flair left.

With business poor at the bakery, Flair is asked to make cookies for Halloween, and as she makes them, she doesn’t remember how she made them, as they were wonderful tarot card cookies. Immediately, her bakery becomes a hit, with business blooming, and even when asked by customers what do some of the cookies mean, Flair finds herself automatically telling each of the customers.  Is Flair finding that even though she does not want magic, it seems magic wants her.

To make matters worse, Flair’s mother, a famous author who writes about magic, comes to visit, and brings Flair’s husband to town, as he has been bespelled by the mother.  What is Flair to do? She needs to hide him from the daughter, since Flair does not want the daughter to go with the father. 

Rattleboro was founded by a coven of witches years ago, and Halloween always has a meaning; with all the shops decorated, scary, fun, treats all through the night; helping to raise money for charity. Loretta and her daughter, Renee are witches, and Loretta with Flair’s friend, Josie, will try to find a way to break the spell; but Loretta convinces Flair that she has to be part of the annual Halloween Trail, and she needs to create more of the magical tarot cookies. They will all gather near the end of the trail and free the spell.

What follows is an exciting mind-blowing last third of the book, as the characters get together to stop the spell and solve the issue with Flair’s husband.   But a plot twist that no one expected changes everything, and despite Flair’s wanting to burn the tarot cards, she knows she needs to use the magical cards to help save everyone; especially dealing with a powerful witch. Who will survive?

I did enjoy Flair meeting her childhood boyfriend, Jude (his mother is Loretta and sister, Renee), and really rooted for them to be together.  I also loved Josie, who was a great friend to Flair, always helping her.  The daughter Lucie was a bit annoying, but that was due to Flair not telling her all the truths. Flair’s mother was not a great mother, but as we move toward the end, she does get better.

Playing the Witch Card was an entertaining, fun and exciting read, that deals with magic, romance, family, tarot cards, and witches in a small town.  I did enjoy this book, which was very well written by K.J. Dell’Antonia.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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In Her Boots by KJ Dell’Antonia – a Review

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In Her Boots by Dell’Antonia – a Review

 

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Description:
Filling these boots is harder than it looks.

Rhett Gallagher’s adventurous life is imploding. Just as she turns the big 4-0, her long-term relationship collapses, and news of a tragedy forces her to return to the family farm. The only silver lining is that Rhett’s inspirational book, The Modern Pioneer Girl—written under a pseudonym—has become a wild success, so much so that in a moment of panic, self-doubting Rhett persuades her best friend Jasmine to step into the limelight as the famed author.

But their prank turns into something more when the controlling mother Rhett hasn’t seen in two decades announces her intent to sell the farm Rhett loves and expected to make her own. To Rhett’s dismay, her mother is far more impressed by the fake author than she’s ever been by Rhett. To save her inheritance—and her identity—Rhett must concoct a scheme that will save the farm, and prove to her mother, and to herself, that she can stand on her own two feet.

 

 

Review:

In Her Boots by KJ Dell’Antonia is a standalone romance novel. We meet Rhett Gallagher, our heroine, at the start when she returns from Argentina to go back home, as death of her grandmother, sends her to take control of their farm, and bring it back to its glory days.  When she arrives, Rhett is surprised to learn that her mother, whom she has not seen in 20 years, controls half of the farm; and plans to tear it down and offer it to the local college.  Rhett is determined to fight to keep the farm, despite her mother’s wishes.

Before returning to the farm, Rhett was asked to appear on the Today Show, as she is a well known author with her successful book, Modern Pioneer Girl; which is under the p pseudonym of Maggie Strong.  Rhett arrives at the studio with her bff Jasmine, and overhears a voice from the past; her professor mother; she panics and begs Jas to step in and pretend to be Maggie Strong. Jas does a great job posing as Maggie, humiliating the mother, and becomes the face of the Modern Pioneer Girl, as well as amassing a large internet fan base. 

Besides her mother’s attempt to sell the farm, Rhett runs into her ex-college boyfriend, Mike, who is an architect, working with the mother to sell the farm.  Mike also has a daughter, Louise, from his previous marriage, who loves helping at the farm, a big fan of Maggie Strong (as the whole town thinks Jas is her).  In a short time, Mike and local neighbors will help Rhett out to fix up the farm, and their friendship rekindles.  Though the relationship between Mike and Rhett was very slow build, I did like him, especially as he was willing to help her.  It was not an easy task to run and fix up the farm, but both Rhett and Jas worked hard (she baked all the wonderful pastries, bringing people to buy them); their was horses, Ilama, chickens, etc. 

What follows is Rhett determined to make the farm a success, and find a way to get past the strained relationship with her mother to save her inheritance.  The best part of this story was the wonderful friendship between Rhett and Jas; who was always pushing Rhett to step up and reclaim Maggie Strong identity.

In Her Boots is a light enjoyable story about forgiveness, second chances, friendship, and love.  This was a fast read, and very well written by KJ Dell’Antonia.  I really enjoyed this book, and suggest you read In Her Boots.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

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