Coffee Blog

Books: a review and an update during our virtual coffee date.

Writing Sparkle

Welcome to book review eleven of fifty-three for this year’s virtual coffee shares. I’ve picked books that are related to the theme here at Brewing Coffee, Twisting Words & Breaking Pencils: coffee, books, and puzzles.

Spellbound in the Stacks: Spellbound in Thistleton
Author K. Iwancio
Published in September 2023
Independently Published
Available in eBook (232 pages), and Print
Fantasy Romance eBooks | Romantic Comedy (Kindle Store | Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost Romance

As if dating isn’t hard enough, now there is the extra pressure of finding true love before time makes Faelene a cat forever.

Spellbound in the Stacks is written from three different points of view: Faelene the witch, Faelene the cat, and Aiden. As a cat, the narrative is very much Faelene but with the twist of animal versus human experiences. Language includes some cursing and lewd word choices that stand out from the rest of the narrative, which is light and witty. However, Chapters 13 and 14 unexpectedly become erotic. At the time I purchased, read, and wrote this review, there was no trigger warning associated with the book describing it as erotica, so it soured the reading experience. The story of Faelene and Aidan—without the sex scenes—would have been a sweet love story.

If we were having coffee, I would start by sharing book news with you. I received my audiobook proof to listen to. I have listened to it and I’m eager for its release date. Tracy Parsons is the narrator, and she does a fantastic job. My author proof of The Funny Side arrived earlier this week, so I am proofreading it. The ebook is available for preorder and my first editorial review is in—four out of five stars.

If we were having coffee, I would share the link to my A-to-Z theme reveal in case you haven’t checked it out. Are you taking part? Please leave your link in the comment section below.

If we were having coffee, I would share that I decided to take an online course through Conestoga. I found the course on the Editors Canada website and thought it would complement my editing certificate. The course started on Wednesday. It’s called “Keys to Effective Editing.”

On a relaxing note, I started a new puzzle. It is a fifteen-hundred-piece Ravensburger puzzle. I might have a picture next coffee share. Speaking of puzzling, it is time for me to spend a bit of time working on it. Here is the coffee bean grinder. How was your week?

By Shari Marshall – 2025

5 thoughts on “Books: a review and an update during our virtual coffee date.”

  1. Kind of odd to get erotic without any warning! To me either it needs to be a work of erotica for those who want such things or have a special need for it. Just to through sex into the mix near the end for no reason whatsoever makes no sense.

    Anyway, I hope you are enjoying your weekend and have a wonderful week ahead!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. I can imagine you surprise! I too read a book that I really enjoyed earlier this week, a similar sweet love story that turned into a thriller, I rea dit late at night and wished I didn’t. It is so difficult to stop when you’re stuck in the story.

    Liked by 1 person

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