Over the moon that I was able to read the next installment in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society Novels! Thank You to Ellery Adams and Netgalley for the complimentary ebook for my reviewing pleasure. I love returning to Miracle Springs, it's like visiting with friends, Nora, Sheldon, and The Secret Book and Scone Society, this was a heartfelt Whodunnit, I absolutely loved it!

I really like the Secret, Book and Scone Society series and this one was as good or better than the previous three in the series. Nora’s Miracle Springs bookstore is the kind of bookstore I’ve always wanted to find. The members of the Secret Society have bonded with each other and try to heal the damages each has suffered. In this book the ladies of the Society meet newcomers, Celeste and her daughter Bren, owners of a new holistic medicine business. Both need the friendship, healing and support offered by the Society ladies. There are a number of subplots both commercial, personal that keep the readers invested in the story.

The two things I like most about this series is Nora’s love and familiarity with books of all genres and her ability to recommend the perfect books for customers in need. The second favorite of this story is that we start to find out more about her life prior to coming to Miracle Springs. Her college roommate and long-time friend finds Nora and reestablishes their deep friendship while helping to solve the mysterious murders.

While this book can certainly be enjoyed as a standalone, the backstories of the three previous books enriches this fourth book.

The author has a way with words pulling you into her work the Miracle Springs series is no exception and it grabbed ahold of me from the first book. One of the most enjoyable parts is the camaraderie among the characters. Well written with a magical touch, a great addition to the series and very enjoyable.

The thing that makes this series unique is it almost feels optimistically sad. The story itself in this book in not unique, but the writing and characters are. Filled with emotion, tragedy, and the air of rising above, these ladies always step up to solve the mystery while leaning onto each other. It really is the most amazing story.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of INK AND SHADOWS (Book 4 of the Secret, Book, & Scone Society series) by Ellery Adams in exchange for an honest review. It’s fall in Miracle Springs, North Carolina, and holiday and festival season is nigh. Nora Pennington has created a magical Halloween window display celebrating powerful women. Shortly thereafter, a group of ladies purporting to be acting in the public and moral interests of the town demand Nora remove the book display because the fantastical and magical elements threaten to corrupt the youth. However, Nora refuses, and they threaten retribution. Soon, Nora’s business, a new mother and daughter art and holistic medicine business named Soothe, and Red Bird Gallery and Gifts selling Cherokee art are under attack by op-ed pieces in the paper, word of mouth campaigns, graffiti, and protests. When one of Soothe’s owners dies under mysterious circumstances, Nora and the Society work together to find out whether the death was part of the “morality” attacks or was related to a secret from the victim’s past.

I enjoyed this book. I’m a fan of the series and the author. I recommend this book to fans of the series. I recommend the series to fans of cozy mysteries featuring books, baked goods, secrets, secret societies, and damaged characters seeking redemption, grace, and refuge.

#InkandShadows #NetGalley

INK AND SHADOWS is the very definition of a cozy mystery.

Set in a bucolic tourist town, Nora runs a indie bookshop where she offers "bibliotherapy" to her customers. When a town newcomer dies under mysterious causes, it sets off a chain of events including bullies protesting the bookstore, a visit from Nora's past, and a secretive community's leader making waves. Between deaths, vandalism, festivals, flea markets, and relationship turmoil, Nora is determined to solve the mystery and set things right.

I would love to visit Nora's cozy bookshop, and meet her secret society cohorts - but I'd especially like to give Sheldon a big hug.

As always I love every minute I spend with Nora and her crew. This is a series I stumbled upon a couple years ago and I have absolutely treasured it. Each addition is just as charming as the next and these have become some of my favorite stories. Can’t wait to see what’s next.

This series started out as a good cozy mystery series, but has quickly grown into much more. Solid characterization with a fast moving plot combine to more than satisfy the reader. Looking forward to the next one in a series at the top of its game.

Once again, Ellery Adams takes the reader to the magical Miracle Springs. While the town may seem like the perfect "healing spot" with tourists, evil and danger are bubbling up to the surface in this book. When Nora Pennington's window display sets off a torrent of protest from a group of women, unrest and murder are the end result. Nora and the book club have to bring justice to the dead and understanding and forgiveness to the living all while solving a mystery that has many dangerous twists and turns!

Reading Ink and Shadows was like coming home and visiting old friends. I love each of the characters for their struggles and their success in overcoming tragedy and creating a new life. The relationships between the book club/sleuths is based on trust and love and it's wonderfully written. Each character brings a viewpoint that readers can identify with and it's truly a group effort.

I enjoy these books and look forward to the next mystery.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Compelling characters draw you in, but an intriguing plot will keep you entertained and delighted for hours! The main characters are group of strong, intelligent, successful women who struggle with their own insecurities and issues, but always look out for what is best for each other, their friends, other business owners and even strangers. The author does an outstanding job of bringing these ladies and their friends to life in a way that makes you connect with them and root them on. The issues that are brought up in each book are realistic and on point with many people today thus making the stories more compelling as readers can connect to either a character or storyline that reflects something they are feeling or experiencing. Throw in a murder or two and the entertainment factor just shoots up more! If you haven't started this series yet, you absolutely should! I absolutely can't wait to see where the next book takes the book club ladies and gents!

A good cozy mystery by a great author. Nora has an interesting book store, and is famous for her window displays. When a new group of women, out to disrupt things evil heading into Halloween come after her and several other businesses it gets serious. A good book, but must admit I have not read others in the series, so at times I felt a little lost. Still though, these were minor and for the most part just sat back and enjoyed the ride. Would highly recommend this book and author.

I loved this book. I loved this message about powerful women. The characters are great. I can't wait until the next one. #InkandShadows #NetGalley

This series gets better and better! I truly hated to finish the book because now I face the long wait for the next SBSS book.
In Ink and Shadows, Nora encounters suspicious death, mean spirited protestors, and part of her own past. Jed is out ot town caring for his mother but her dear friends surround her with support and comfort as she navigates the challenges.
There are many things to love about this book: the literary quotes and references, the familiarity of the friendships, the lovely setting and the engaging plot. Overall, a well written and researched book. It earns a rare five stars from me.
Thank you Ellery Adams, NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC.

What can I say about The Secret Book & Scone Society books that I haven’t already said? I close the cover of each one and I feel like I’ve been ejected from my favourite place in the world. There’s just something about Miracle Springs that makes me want to be there - all the time.

In the fourth instalment of the series, Nora and her friends find themselves face to face with prejudice, grief and murder when the potential to make new friends turns into an investigation into their deaths. And this time, Jed is out of town, Sheriff McCabe is away and a bunch of church going nitpickers want to the town to boycott the bookstore! Just another day in Miracle Springs.

I love how tender and nuanced this story was; there’s always so much more than a straight up murder mystery going on. There’s the relationships forged in the sharing Le secrets and those still burgeoning; there’s the small town dynamic and the wonderful fringe characters that you come to love more and more with each instalment and there’s the books; the all pervading love of books and reading and cherishing the written word... Am I rambling? I’m rambling... I’m just truly in love.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley, Kensington Books a d the wonderful Ellery Adams for me Arc of Ink & Shadows; due out in January 2021. A brilliant edition to an already captivating series.

I really enjoy this series featuring a main character, bookstore owner Nora, who loves books as much as I do! This one felt a little too flowery for me at times, but it still kept me reading. Sheldon is kind of annoying a couple of times, but it actually makes me like him more that he's not so perfect. Nora's friends felt a little bit less present in this book than they usually do. I'm not sure why that is, but it's my perception of the book. All that said, I tore through it :>) Adams is a wonderful storyteller, and I always look forward to her titles!

Review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nora Pennington is known for her window displays, and as Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe. A family-values group disapproves of the magical themes, though, and wastes no time launching a protest. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books, but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products. Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. Though the death is declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat, a postcard from an anonymous stalker, or multiple cases of vandalism.

I am a huge fane of Ellery Adams and have read many of her series. This one is a favorite, I have read all the ones in this series so far, and love how the author continues to develop the characters personalities. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley for the early release copy of Ink and Shadows by Ellery Adams. This book struck a personal chord to me as the main character loves books, coffee and pastries. Nora Pennington runs a bookstore, Miracle Books, along with Sheldon Vega. She has a few good friends that help each other. Her store is one of several being targeted by the "Women of Lasting Values Society". Devils are put on some stores signs. A young woman dies behind Nora's home. Her house is ransacked and we don't know how or why the woman died. Nora will need her friends to help solve this mystery.

Nora and the Secret, Book & Scone Society are back in their fourth mystery. A new shop opens in town, the mother is welcoming but the daughter appears to just want space, not new friends. After a festival in town Nora finds the daughter dead near her home plus an old page from a very old book, stuck on her front porch. Once again the book club and Sheldon work together to help the mother and find the killer.
Goodreads

When a new shop owner and her daughter move to town, Nora Pennington welcomes her and her daughter. The woman intrigues Nora with how she responds when one of her sculptures is damaged in the move. Shortly after, the daughter is found dead outside Nora’s little house and the Mother dies not long after. Since Nora was the one who found both women, she feels a personal responsibility to helping find the killer and the Secret Book and Scone Society members will help any way they can.

I have loved this series since I read the first one. The way the author weaves in books and quotes from other authors across all genres makes it that much more pleasurable for this bibliophile. She also has a character with Fibromyalgia and as a fellow Fibro warrior, I love how she has Nora approach it, understand it, and treasure her employee and friend who lives with it. CANNOT wait for the next book to come out and see what the folks of Miracle Springs are up to next.

With thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.
Description
Ellery Adams, the author of multiple New York Times bestselling mystery series and a perennial B&N bestseller, offers the fourth in a beguiling cozy mystery series featuring librarian-turned-bookseller Nora Pennington with a penchant for bibliotherapy and a sideline in solving crime. While people visit Miracle Springs for healing treatments, it's Nora who helps them find peace by prescribing the perfect book along with a fresh-baked scone. After all, sometimes the key to happiness, friendship--or solving a murder--can simply be found within the pages of the right book...
Review
I was alittle unsure about this one initially, although I love a good cozy mystery I do not usually go for mystic related books. I was swayed to give it a try because I have read a couple of other titles by Ellery Adams from her Antiques and Collectibles series which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am very glad I chose to read
Ink and Shadows. Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book and Scone Society are a pleasure to get to know. Indeed, all of the characters from assistant Sheldon, Sheriff Grant and boyfriend Jed to the unfortunate Brenna and Celeste, were believable and flawed just like all of us. I loved the way each of their stories came together in quite an engaging and well paced mystery. Overall a good pace, good structure and a satisfying conclusion. I also appreciated the 'reader's guide' and 'bibliotherapy' at the end! Would definitely recommend.