Review of Amulets & Alibis in Archangel
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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Amulets & Alibis in Archangel" by Althea Plume.]
Amulets and Alibis in Archangel by Althea Plume is about novice witch Aurora Yardley and her witch mother Patience. While her daughter's powers are more powerful, the mother's are more controlled and reliable. They live in Archangel, Alaska, where Patience runs an antique store. Their 12-pound magical cat, Thornfield, assists them. Archangel sits on an archipelago with a land bridge that is only accessible for ten months of the year. The island is cut off from the mainland during the two months of Polar Night when the seas rise over the land bridge. Thereafter, the only way out is by seaplane before they stop flying for the season.
In addition to the locals and visitors, a coven of witches inhabits the small town. A statue of the Archangel Michael brandishes his sword protectively in the town square. However, shadows move restlessly in the forests on the outskirts of the small town. Despite their customary appearance only during the two months of the Polar Night, when all the witches and mortals have left, the gloamers have arrived early this year.
The humans and the non-human gloamers in Archangel have an ancient pact that the gloamers own the town for two months of the year and the humans for the other ten. But evil forces are at work in the small community, and Polar Night is approaching sooner than anticipated. The beacon light that protected the ancient contract has been stolen, and the cornerstone has been fractured. A dead body was found in an alley, and the killer who did it is still at large, while many people, including Aurora and her mother, have been unable to leave the island.
With the gloamers and humans becoming increasingly uneasy about the instability of the ancient pact, Aurora Yardley must locate the stolen beacon, repair the crack in the cornerstone, and restore the balance before the ominous prophecy of chaos and death materializes. It is up to Aurora because she is the only witch who retains her power in the Polar Night. As the reader will soon discover, that is because her strength truly lies in her diversity.
I loved this book. The characters, including Thornfield, the cat—Thorny to his friends—were wonderful. The atmospheric setting—the flashing northern lights and the howling arctic storms—increased the sense of isolation and made it the perfect setting for a paranormal mystery. There wasn't much to dislike about this book, but I noticed that the characters smirked a lot rather than smiled.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to readers who like reading about witches or paranormal mysteries and those who enjoy cozy mysteries. The author's charming writing style invites readers to find a comfortable reading nook and curl up for a fun read.
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Amulets & Alibis in Archangel
View: on Bookshelves |
Amulets and Alibis in Archangel by Althea Plume is about novice witch Aurora Yardley and her witch mother Patience. While her daughter's powers are more powerful, the mother's are more controlled and reliable. They live in Archangel, Alaska, where Patience runs an antique store. Their 12-pound magical cat, Thornfield, assists them. Archangel sits on an archipelago with a land bridge that is only accessible for ten months of the year. The island is cut off from the mainland during the two months of Polar Night when the seas rise over the land bridge. Thereafter, the only way out is by seaplane before they stop flying for the season.
In addition to the locals and visitors, a coven of witches inhabits the small town. A statue of the Archangel Michael brandishes his sword protectively in the town square. However, shadows move restlessly in the forests on the outskirts of the small town. Despite their customary appearance only during the two months of the Polar Night, when all the witches and mortals have left, the gloamers have arrived early this year.
The humans and the non-human gloamers in Archangel have an ancient pact that the gloamers own the town for two months of the year and the humans for the other ten. But evil forces are at work in the small community, and Polar Night is approaching sooner than anticipated. The beacon light that protected the ancient contract has been stolen, and the cornerstone has been fractured. A dead body was found in an alley, and the killer who did it is still at large, while many people, including Aurora and her mother, have been unable to leave the island.
With the gloamers and humans becoming increasingly uneasy about the instability of the ancient pact, Aurora Yardley must locate the stolen beacon, repair the crack in the cornerstone, and restore the balance before the ominous prophecy of chaos and death materializes. It is up to Aurora because she is the only witch who retains her power in the Polar Night. As the reader will soon discover, that is because her strength truly lies in her diversity.
I loved this book. The characters, including Thornfield, the cat—Thorny to his friends—were wonderful. The atmospheric setting—the flashing northern lights and the howling arctic storms—increased the sense of isolation and made it the perfect setting for a paranormal mystery. There wasn't much to dislike about this book, but I noticed that the characters smirked a lot rather than smiled.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend it to readers who like reading about witches or paranormal mysteries and those who enjoy cozy mysteries. The author's charming writing style invites readers to find a comfortable reading nook and curl up for a fun read.
******
Amulets & Alibis in Archangel
View: on Bookshelves |
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