by Kathleen Costa

The week we have a review of the latest chocolate mystery by H.Y. Hanna, along with an excerpt from the book. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win either a print or kindle copy of Witch Chocolate Bites, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Witch Chocolate Bites: Bewitched by Chocolate series By H.Y. Hanna
Review by Kathleen Costa

Lord Fitzroy is passionate about proving to the Tillyhenge citizens that he has their best interest at heart. They were reticent when he became Lord of Huntingdon Manor that he might introduce too many modern ideas effecting their heritage and traditions. But everyone seems thrilled with the new Tillyhenge Open-Air Cinema presented on the manicured lawn of the estate. Caitlyn Le Fey has only been a member of the community for a few months, but so much has happened during that time: discovering a long lost family, learning she is a witch, friending a guardian vampire, and solving a few suspicious deaths. The horror spoof movie showing at tonight’s premier has made her cringe a bit; she finds herself becoming very sensitive to the jokes and stereotypes many villagers expound on magic, witches, and vampires, but it is just a movie. Until a curious man seemingly out of place winds up dead, puncture wounds in his throat, and her guardian ‘vampire’ Viktor Dracul, who had argued about the insult to vampires in the movie poster, pronounced himself a vampire, and was found covered in a suspicious red liquid—is arrested. Tillyhenge is becoming less quaint and relaxing and more dark and secretive. Cool!

So, Tillyhenge is once again at the center of law enforcement’s attention, and Inspector Walsh isn’t all that keen about again running into Caitlyn: friends with the prime suspect. And even if she has the confidence of Lord Fitzroy, he is uncomfortable sharing what information he has about the victim and a rash of international jewelry heists. But, Caitlyn sees connections that the Inspector seems to dismiss. Those connections send her about the estate and even popping into London. Something isn’t right, but could this all be more dangerous than Caitlyn imagines?

This is in my Top Five of all-time favorite series…

In the fourth book of H.Y. Hanna’s Bewitched by Chocolate series, we are treated to an exciting and engaging continuation of Caitlyn’s journey of self discovery, magical apprenticeship, and murder investigations along with, as we are warned, “May contain traces of Hahaha!“ In between Hanna’s mouthwatering descriptions of Widow Mag’s delectable chocolate soufflé and other chocolate delights, the story unfolds with her signature twists and turns: an odd Goth tenant, a real British butler, friends visiting from London, a very enticing Frenchman…all having their own perspectives, suspicions, and tales to tell. This leads to an “Oh, my…” climax and a revelation to rival most cliffhanger endings.

I greatly enjoy following Caitlyn’s personal growth and slow and steady magical awareness and her big sister style attitude toward her newly discovered cousin Evie. Evie isn’t as astute at casting spells, which always adds a wonderful comic relief to the dangers that keep interfering with quaint village life. Even Caitlyn’s apprenticeship has a few hiccups. Fans of the paranormal will find fascinating some of Hanna’s theories about vampires. Viktor is a fun, centuries-old vampire taking seriously his charge to protect Caitlyn, but he isn’t your typical blood-sucking menace. He is a ‘fruitarian’ who morphs into a fruit bat and loves wild raspberries. The series is all connected like one long mini comedy/drama. You wouldn’t first watch episode four, would you? I highly recommend starting at the beginning, Dark, Witch & Creamy, and read each of the next three books in order. Although, this story has much of the characteristics of a standalone because the murder mystery concludes, there are issues that weave through the series that make it much more satisfying to read the books in order…you won’t be disappointed.

Witch Chocolate Bites earns 5+/5 Pots of Decadent Chocolate Soufflé!

Excerpt to ‘Whet Your Appetite’!
H.Y. Hanna. Witch Chocolate Bites Book 4 in the Bewitched by Chocolate Mysteries
(Kindle Locations 110-159). Wisheart Press. Kindle Edition.

Glancing at the groups with young children around her, Caitlyn reflected that a vampire movie seemed an odd choice for a family event. Then she looked at the poster again and realized that it was really a spoof horror movie, with the vampire looking more comical than scary. Still, she found the idea of the film distasteful and even a bit irritating.

Maybe it’s because the supernatural isn’t make-believe for me anymore—it’s personal now, she thought ruefully. When she’d arrived in Tillyhenge two months ago and learned that she was descended from a long line of witches, Caitlyn suddenly found herself plunged into a strange new world, filled with magic and spells, myths and enchantments. Now, all the jokes and stereotypes about witches and vampires didn’t seem so funny. In fact, she often found herself getting annoyed at the so-called “facts” about magic and the paranormal in the popular media—which were usually completely wrong.

As if echoing her thoughts, she heard a grumpy voice she recognized:

“What utter rubbish! This poster is an insult—an insult, do you hear me? It must be removed! Vampires do not sleep in coffins—nor do we lack reflections in mirrors. How do you suppose I shave in the mornings? And those fangs are far too long to be—”

Viktor!

Caitlyn hurried towards a small crowd gathering around a thin, balding old man, who was dressed in a black suit that looked like a relic from the last century. He was standing next to another poster of the movie, glowering at a teenage boy in a reflective vest, who’d obviously been hired to act as an usher for the evening.

“Look, Granddad, what would you know ’bout vampires?” the boy asked impatiently.

“How dare you!” The old man bristled. “I’ll have you know I am a vampire myself!”

The boy snorted. “Yeah, right. And I’m the Queen of Sheba.”

“No, you are not!” said Viktor, outraged. “I have met the Queen of Sheba. She is a very handsome lady.”

“Yeah right!” The boy burst out laughing and the crowd roared as well. “She’s not even real—oh wait, I bet you’re goin’ to tell me now that vampires are real?” He grinned.

“Well, of course they are real. I just told you—I am one,” said Viktor in an irate tone.

The crowd laughed even harder.

“Yeah? Well, go on then. Let’s see you do somethin’ vampire-y,” said the boy with an even bigger grin. He leaned over and tilted his head, presenting his neck. “Go on, then—bite me an’ suck my blood!”

“I do not suck blood!” spluttered Viktor. “What do you think I am? A mosquito?” “Hey, you said you’re a vampire.”

Viktor drew himself up to his full height. “I am indeed—but that does not mean I drink blood. Only a very small number of us vampires belong to the Order Vampyrus—most of us prefer to consume insects, fruits and nectar…” He paused, then added, “Although I did know a vampire who enjoyed small frogs, and lizards. Not unsurprising, really, since his other form was a Mexican leaf-nosed bat. Very nice gentleman, as I recall. Liked a bit of salt and a wedge of lime with his lizards.”

“Uh-huh,” said the boy, trying to keep a straight face. He grinned at the crowd behind Viktor’s back and made a twirling motion with his finger around the side of his head, mouthing: “Totally loopy.”

“I, myself, am a fruitarian,” added Viktor with great dignity.

“A what?”

“A fruitarian. I eat only fruits.”

The boy chortled. “Yeah? You mean you suck out their juices an’ make ’em undead like you?”

“Undead? I am certainly not undead! Do I look undead to you?” Viktor jutted his head out on his scrawny neck and eyeballed the teenager, who took a hasty step back.

“Okay, look, you’ve been a good laugh, Granddad, but you’re gettin’ in people’s way so if you don’t move along—”

“I shall not move until you remove this monstrosity!” declared Viktor, jabbing a finger at the poster.

“Hey, cut it out, okay?” said the boy, starting to sound really annoyed. “If you don’t stop bein’ a pain, I’m goin’ to call the police—”

Yikes. Hastily, Caitlyn started pushing her way through the crowd towards them. “Wait! He’s not—”

“He’s not—,” but when a body is discovered with puncture marks in its neck, can you imagine what happens when Viktor is found covered in red…wild raspberries? Now that you’ve been schooled by H.Y. Hanna in ‘Vampirology,” you have to read the rest of the adventure to see if poor Viktor can get out of this mess without people discovering that magic, witches, vampires, and other creatures do exist in Tillyhenge.

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To enter to win either a print or kindle copy of Witch Chocolate Bites, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “bites,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 9, 2017. U.S. residents only for the print copy. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address. PLEASE STATE IN ENTRY WHETHER YOU WANT PRINT OR KINDLE & which book you want.

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Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.