by Kathleen Costa

Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win either a print or kindle copy of Bonbons & Broomsticks, and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Magical Chocolate Delights & Mysteries!
Caitlyn Le Fey has uncovered some interesting, if not shocking, family secrets to which she is trying to adjust…she’s a witch! And having been adopted, she has discovered she has a grandmother, an aunt, and a cousin all of whom are…yes, witches. The village suspects something strange is going on due to her grandmother’s talent in creating the mouthwatering, if not magical, chocolate delights sold at her Bewitched by Chocolate shop, but no one is validating the rumors. Caitlyn is apprenticing and has found she, too, has the innate skill of manipulating chocolate, but her biggest desire is to learn more about her birth, her mother, and the meaning of the odd rune symbols found on the necklace she has been carrying all her life.

Bonbons & Broomsticks earns 5+/5 Bonbons and a Black Dog!

Caitlyn Le Fey has been adjusting to the fact that she’s a witch, and after receiving an awkward response when she shared that secret with the handsome Lord James Fitzroy, life in Tillyhenge is weird…well, more than usual. But she still accepts an invitation to attend a dinner party up at Huntingdon Manor with her young cousin learning her BFF Pomona will be there, too. The evening is traditional with everyone dressed to the “nines,” a butler serving drinks, and dining on a multi-course meal on fine china, but the conversation turns dark and contentious. Rumors of a black hound prowling the woods pits scoffers against believers. The Black Shuck is a mythical dog that roams the countryside and thought to be an omen of death, and when one of the scoffers is found dead with evidence of animal bites, the rumors take on a scary realism.

WOW! I have been waiting for the next story, and can’t be more thrilled! H.Y. Hanna once again devises a clever mystery incorporating the real legend of the Black Shuck, a beast that prowled the area of East Angelia. Throwing us off the scent, we are also given several more corporeal suspects with motives of jealousy and greed. As each clue or witness account is explored, it was hard for my inner detective to hone in on one. Hanna’s descriptions of the forest, Dead Man’s Walk, the manor house, and townspeople of Tillyhenge, along with the mouthwatering caramels, bonbons, and hot chocolate filled the senses making this fictional town very real to fans. But, she doesn’t rely just on the narrative. She has penned delightful dialogue putting the reader into realistic conversations and banter, even if it’s between Caitlyn and her six-hundred-year-old vampire guardian uncle. Everything works. No hocus-pocus antics. Even with Evie’s comical inexperience with spells and the occasional added ‘umpff’ in the chocolate delicacies, the magic theme works. Even more contemporary issues with prejudice adds realism. The villagers don’t know the truth about Caitlyn and her family, but their bigotry, fears, and jealousy of that which is different manifests in protests, shunning, rumors, and gossip. People take sides, but Caitlyn strengthens her relationship with her family. And her family questions? More clues and more questions…

Be a Big H.Y. Hanna Fan!
H.Y. Hanna is the author of my all-time favorite series the Oxford Tearoom Mystery. This eight-book series comes in all versions: print, eBook, and audio. The stories are engaging and clever, the characters are well-developed, and a little treat is always included for you to bring the Tearoom into your home. However, the audiobooks have a little something extra. They have the delightful voice artistry of narrator Pearl Hewitt. She enriches the enjoyment with varied accents, dialects, emotions, and tone. You can sit back, enjoy a cup of tea, and join the excitement! Check out the newest audiobooks Another One Bites the Crust and Apple Strudel Alibi at Audible.com. You’ll find the best deal is the three-book set that includes the first two books, A Scone to Die For and Tea with Milk and Murder, and the prequel All-Butter Shortdead.

Like, Visit, and Follow…Oh,my!
Facebook – H.Y. Hanna Books
Website – H.Y. Hanna
Twitter At @_HYHanna

Magical Delights! evermine.com Chocolate Truffles
To a chocoholic, the difference between truffles and bonbons is negligible; it’s chocolate! Although what I was able to discover, the bonbon has an added gooey center. So channel the Widow Mags and add your own magic to evermineOcassions’ contributor Jill’s idea! Enjoy!

To enter to win either a print or kindle copy of Bonbons & Broomsticks, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “bonbons,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen August 18, 2018. U.S. residents only for the print copy. If entering via email please include your mailing address (so if you win we can get the book sent right out to you if you choose a print copy), and if via comment please include your email address. You can read our privacy statement here if you like. 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.