The Hummingbird Wizard

Rating:
Summary: The Hummingbird Wizard
Review: A pair of strong, feisty women take the lead in this mystery. The story is original and wild, filled with Gypsy lore, scams, two murders, and plenty of surprising turns. The characters, both men and women, are fully drawn, and it's easy to start imaging who should play them in a movie. The main character, Annie Sazbo, is a woman who knows herself and has earned the right to thumb her nose at rules. Her mother-in-law, fortuneteller Madame Mina, is one of the most alive characters I've encountered for many years. No wonder Library Journal chose The Hummingbird Wizard as one of the top five mysteries of the year! A must read, I can't wait for book two in the series.

Rating:
Summary: A very fun read
Review: My thanks to Meredith Blevins for this funny, endearing, and engrossing mystery. A mystery that looks at modern day gypsy life in San Francisco, with close family and extended family ties, quirky and likeable characters. Well developed and fun.. One of those books that you hate to have end. Fortunately, two more books will follow.

Rating:
Summary: Elmore Leonard meets Magical Realism
Review: THE HUMMINGBIRD WIZARD smokes with witty, sometimes prickly, dialogue -- it's smart and it's funny.

But there's a deeper element in this book, one that deals with death and life and the choices we make that will eventually lead us down a dark path or keep us moving and growing. Even the villains in this book are sometimes sympathetic -- they could be me or you. Their Gypsy magic is an added bonus.

It was refreshing to read a book where the heroes have heart and soul, and like us, are sometimes scared, but do what needs to be done to protect their families and friends. Very satisfying.