A review by waltzingmatilde
Stitching Palms by B.L. Brown

lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

DISCLAIMER: I have received this book as an ARC.

*VERY MINOR SPOILERS AT THE BOTTOM*

Diego Gregorio takes a trip down to Key West, Florida for some much needed relaxation after helping his Death Witch roommate solve a string of cursed murders. How does his vacation go? Well, he gets attacked by an occult necklace from his past and some very rowdy chickens. Oh, and did I mention he meets a very sexy pawnbroker and they have LOTS of fun.

This book was a very cute fantasy/mystery/romance that is perfect to read while lounging lazily in the sun on a warm spring or summer day. It was fun and fairly low stakes. Compared to the previous books in the series, this one was much more lighthearted but no less engaging. I will continue to rave about urban fantasy with witches because it is my favorite subgenre of fantasy and B.L. Brown does it perfectly! The world building, the character development, and the spice are all immaculate. Brown does an incredible job of dropping small, seemingly irrelevant details into her story that come back later to create a beautifully woven intricate tapestry of a story. My only criticism is that I wish this book was a little longer. Nevertheless, Brown’s books are so fun and a genuinely refreshing take on fantasy in a genre that seems to have too many of the same stories these days.

Also, this author has said the books in these series can be read as stand alone novels and I don’t disagree but I think they work better when read in order as a traditional series. In this book in particular, characters and events from the previous book are brought up a few too many times for the book to truly work as a stand alone. Although you can grasp the story without missing too much, the main character’s motivations and internal dialogue are better understood by having read at least the previous book in this series. 

*MINOR SPOILERS HERE* Lastly, I want to say how dare you B.L. Brown for ending the book on that cliffhanger. How could you do that to my heart? That being said, after a much needed reprieve from Milla and Darkly, I am so excited to see that we get more of them in the next book. 

Spice rating: 3.5/5 — some very explicit scenes sprinkled throughout, although no kink/fetish

Will I continue the series? Absolutely!

Would I read another book by this author? Absolutely! 

Would I read again? Sure!