Audiobook Review: Turn of Fate by Anne Bishop

Author: Anne Bishop

Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky
Title: Turn of Fate

Series: Isle of Wyrd #1

Genre: UF, Paranormal
Format: Audiobook
Published: November 11, 2025
Where I Got It: My shelf (Xmas gift)

Summary: 

Words have power. Intentions matter.

Most people come to Destiny Park for entertainment. They come to have their cards read to tell them a bit about their future. They come to walk through a beautiful park and to eat at the hotel’s restaurant. They come in the hope of catching a glimpse of the Arcana, the paranormal beings who rule the Isle of Wyrd.

But some people come to make a bargain with the Arcana—to change their fate. And some people come for dark purposes.

When Detective Beth Fahey is sent to Destiny Park to inquire about a “ghost gun,” she will begin a strange journey on which she must learn to navigate the Arcana’s unforgiving laws and dangerous attractions. Her search will draw her into seemingly impossible cases and the secrets of her own past as tensions rise between the Arcana and their human neighbors across the river.

For the Isle of Wyrd is a place where the dead ride trains to their final destinations, predators literally become prey, and seekers’ true natures are revealed in the ripples of destiny unknowingly stirred in their wakes.

Who will live? Who will die? And who will be lost in between?

Review:

I had my eye on this when it was first released. A lovely friend gifted me the audio for Xmas, and I finally got a chance to dive in!

The Isle of Wyrd is...well...weird. People on the other side of the river come by to get their tarots read or enjoy a day trip. Maybe catch a view of one of the paranormals that live on the island! There are some humans who arrive to strike a deal with the Arcana to help change their fate, and others come for darker reasons. Beth is the newest cop on the team that deals with weird cases that might be connected to the Arcana or the Isle. Beth draws the short straw and has to take on the case of the "ghost gun." This will lead her down a journey that will change her life forever. 

Sadly, this is not connected to the other series I love by this author, BUT this has the beginnings of a series I might end up loving too. This is just so fresh and entertaining. I really didn't want to stop listening. 

The Arcana and the Isle of Wyrd sound so scary, but if you follow the rules and aren't an asshole, you will be fine. But of COURSE there are humans that can't do it. They are just dumb and evil. *rolls eyes* 

We had a lot of side characters and some subplots that don't seem related, but they are in some weird way. It was done so well that you don't lose focus and it actually helps push the plot. It helps the understanding of the story and the messages that the Arcana are not ones to mess with. "Fuck around and find out" should be the tagline to this story. 

I loved the Arcana, and I loved some humans. I hope to see them in book 2!!!

The ending was lovely. 

The narrator was fantastic. 

I really, really fell in love with this book. 100% recommended. 

5 stars.

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #6

Reading Challenges Update (Jan-Feb)

Happy March!!

Let's see how we are doing. 

Goodreads - 19/144. Eehhh. Last couple of weeks have been soo busy I haven't had a lot of reading time so now I'm 4 books behind. 

2026 Romance Reading Bingo Challenge - 4/25 (full sheet). Doing AOK. No bingo quite yet.

Library Love Challenge - 5/48. Doing okay-ish! Will need to turn up the heat this spring!

Audiobook Challenge - 5/50. Doing okay-ish as well for this one. I'll need to turn up the heat for spring!

Best of February

Spring are you here yet? 

Here are the bests of Feb!

Best Book of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Cocktails & Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong

"Best book was this novella. I really need to start book 3 soon."

Carole -  The Tempest by William Shakespeare

"Def best book. An oldie but a goodie!!"

Best Movie of the Month:

Carole -  Wuthering Heights (2026)

"I actually went to the theater twice to watch this. So yes. Best of Feb for sure."

Blodeuedd - Sisu (2022)

"I watched a Finnish movie(they speak English) where the Finn did not say a word . He just killed nazis. Good, but gore and blood."

Best TV show of the Month:

Blodeuedd - Stargate (s1)

"Stargate is on netflix! So I binged season 1!"

Carole - Bridgerton (s4)

"Season 4 of Bridgerton!! I laughed. I cried. I need more."

Best Cover of the Month:

B's pick: Best cover because it is just so 90s

C's pick: Look at that dress!

Book Review: Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue

Author: Gretchen Rue

Title: Steeped to Death

Series: Witches' Brew Mystery #1

Genre: Cozy mystery, Paranormal

Format: ebook

Pages: 299

Published: September 6, 2022

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Phoebe Winchester’s beloved aunt Eudora has a taste for adventure—and a knack for making magical tea. It’s even rumored that she just might be a witch. So when Eudora passes away and leaves everything to her niece—her Victorian mansion, her bookshop/tea store, The Earl’s Study, and one very chubby orange cat named Bob—Phoebe gets more than she bargained for. And she knows she’s in deep when a dead man is found on the shop’s back step, apparently killed while trying to break in.

Two suspects immediately emerge among the townspeople of Raven Creek, Washington. There’s village busybody Dierdre Miller, who seems desperate to buy Eudora’s house, and handsome PI Rich, one of Phoebe’s childhood friends—but how well does she really know him after all these years apart?

Phoebe knows she should leave it to the professionals, but as she starts to dig into the underbelly of Raven Creek, she begins to uncover the truth about Eudora. What’s more, her aunt might not have been the only witch in the family, as Phoebe soon discovers she has unique and unexpected gifts of her own.

Now, it’s just a matter of putting her newfound power to the test and cast a spell that could catch a killer.

Review:

Man. I should've written this review when I finished it, but life is busy. I hate adulting!!!!

Phoebe's beloved aunt has passed away and has left everything to her. Phoebe has a lot dropped on her and soon discovers things can get worse when she discovers she now has witchy powers. Enter in a dead body behind her shop...can things get worse? 

This was a hoot. I liked Phoebe and Bob the cat. So sweet the both of them. 

Loved the shop and the house. Loved the mix of her powers. Love a sprinkle of paranormal! Honestly, I think the author should've added more. It felt too light. Maybe in Book 2, we'll dive more into it. 

The mystery was entertaining. I loved the twists. 

Honestly, I feel like this was too cozy. I think we needed more of everything. More mystery. More magic. More Bob. 

I'll give this 3 stars. I think I would read 2! I liked the cast and world enough. 

Reading Challenges

- Library Love #5