Reviewed by: Sue Eaton
TITLE: Seb & Ailin The Case of theMurderous Mistletoe
SERIES: Ellwood and Brinnswick World
AUTHOR: Michele Notaro
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 194 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 5, 2024
BLURB:
What in the world has my soulmate gotten us into this time?
All I want to do is get ready to have our family over for Winter Solstice, but like all things involving Ailin Ellwood, we get pulled into another wild BCA case. The Brinnswick Central Agency tends to pull us in for the really… let’s say difficult—and weird, let’s not forget weird—magical cases, so I have no doubt this one will be a doozy.
Even knowing that, I never really expected to be attacked by kids’ toys and Christmas decorations. But when my viramore—soulmate—is involved, well, things get all kinds of whacky.
Join Seb and Ailin as they try to figure out who’s behind the murderous mistletoe while they get ready for the Ellwood family holiday celebrations.
REVIEW:
A welcome return to Brinnswick and Seb and Ailin, its years since the pair ended the war and since then they have been building their family, adopting more children and thanks to ageing slowly, their children are grown adults with children of their own. They have built a wonderful, large family who remain close knit and many of their children are involved in the Brinnswick Central Agency alongside Seb and Ailin.
It has been wonderful to see their relationship develop over the many books in the series and the spin off series. From the tension and friction between them when they first met, when Ailin was seen as a disaster waiting to happen, and Seb was sceptical about working with him. Over time, they began to trust each other more as they faced various supernatural threats together. Their complementary skills and strengths became apparent, and they started to rely on each other. As they solved cases and faced dangers, their bond deepened. They learned to appreciate each other’s unique abilities and perspectives, which helped them become a more effective team. Their relationship evolved from mere professional partners to something more personal. They developed a strong emotional connection, understanding each other’s fears and vulnerabilities.
This book was a fun read and a funny take on a Christmas Story, magical ornaments and toys attacking people. Seb and Ailin use their combined skills, resourcefulness, and teamwork to overcome the threats from the magical ornaments. They leverage their magical powers to counter the enchanted decorations. Seb’s control over fire and Ailin’s diverse magical skills play a significant role in defending against and neutralizing the threat. Their experience with supernatural cases helps them devise strategies to dismantle the enchantments. Their strong partnership allows them to coordinate their efforts seamlessly. Seb and Ailin support each other in battle, combining their strengths to fend off the enchanted attacks.
They use their surroundings creatively to trap or destroy the enchanted items. Whether it’s using household items or magical artifacts, their ingenuity helps them stay one step ahead. The challenges they face strengthen their emotional bond; they are as much in love with each other as they were when they first bonded. Through these combined efforts, Seb and Ailin manage to dismantle the enchanted decorations and uncover the source behind the murderous mistletoe, ensuring their family’s safety.
It was also great to see the various children and their viramores pop up in the book, working together to defeat the threat.
RATING: 
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