Ink and Shadows Blog Tour Stop
#InkAndShadows #ElleryAdams #booktour #blogtour #bookreview
Ink and Shadows is the fourth book in the Secret, Book & Scone series. While I haven’t read the previous books, it was easy to be brought up to speed regarding the characters’ pasts.
The story of Nora meeting newcomers and local storeowner Celeste and her troubled daughter, Bren was well written. You really got to experience Nora's emotions & learnlearn her thought process throughout the story and how her past affected and made her who she was now.
It was cool to learn about bibliotherapy; a concept I’ve never heard of before and something that makes complete sense. Bibliotherapy is the use of books as therapy in the treatment of mental or psychological disorders. There hasn’t been more of a need for books and their therapeutic uses on a global scale than ever before and I attest to literature in part to keeping my sanity in check.
Also, Ellery uses the Portuguese word ‘saudade’ in the book! I was blown away to see that unique word there that I’m very familiar with because of my Portuguese ethnicity. For those of you wondering what saudade means, it refers to a feeling of yearning or incompleteness; especially for the wives of voyagers in the past when they went on to explore the world’s treasures.
Although this is a cozy mystery, it was a lot darker than any others I have ever read. And because of that, I didn’t enjoy it as much from a personal preference as there were occult references that made me uncomfortable. Additionally, there were deep issues brought up such as racism and emotional abuse.
With that being said, the banter from Nora’s friend and book store employee elevated the darker tone and the mystery and intent behind who was the killer kept me engaged.
Thanks to TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour and thank you Kensington Books for the e-ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Book Description
Ellery Adams, the author of multiple New York Times bestselling mystery series and a perennial B&N bestseller, offers the fourth in a beguiling cozy mystery series featuring librarian-turned-bookseller Nora Pennington with a penchant for bibliotherapy and a sideline in solving crime. While people visit Miracle Springs for healing treatments, it’s Nora who helps them find peace by prescribing the perfect book along with a fresh-baked scone. After all, sometimes the key to happiness, friendship–or solving a murder–can simply be found within the pages of the right book…
“Entertaining…packed with mystery, romance, and sisterhood.” —Kirkus Reviews New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams is back with the latest in her acclaimed Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. Local bookstore owner Nora Pennington is back on the case in Miracle Springs, North Carolina when an accidental death turns out to be something much more sinister…
Nora Pennington is known for her window displays, and as Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe. A family-values group disapproves of the magical themes, though, and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.
Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife–but then someone puts an end to a life. Though the death is declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat, a postcard from an anonymous stalker, or multiple cases of vandalism.
The only hope is that Nora can be a heroine herself and lead the Secret, Book, and Scone Society in a successful investigation–before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . . .
Author Bio
New York Times bestseller author, Ellery Adams, has written over thirty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, spoils her three cats, and wastes far too much time on Pinterest. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in central North Carolina.
Check out what others are saying about Ink and Shadows.
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Thursday, January 28th: @geronimoreads
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Sunday, January 31st: @bookclubfor1
Monday, February 1st: @littlefoot_books
Monday, February 1st: @sarahs.bookstack
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Monday, February 8th: @pnwbookworm
Tuesday, February 9th: @lets_talk_books_and_cats
