Brandon's Joyous Yule with Mack's Haunting Wonders

reya1333: We have Brandon and Mack, but we also have Jon and Don, this is meeting Mack for the first time so it definitely slots in before Jon's Trouble with Trees (book name is close enough to find it). Lots of ghosts, much teasing, A good read.

United States on Sep 02, 2023

Pulie: I was curious about Brandon and Mack's story. The banter was easy between them. What a start to a relationship. Now, I'm very curious and impatient to see the progression of their story

United States on Aug 23, 2023

suzunh: Great writing and it’s fun and entertaining. I haven’t been much for paranormal but after reading the series about Jon I had to read these books as well. Glad I found them.

United States on Jul 05, 2023

LauraCat: This story, like all of the ones I've read from this author, was fun. It has less mystery (but a lot more ghosts) than Jon's stories.

On the downside, it needs a little editing. There were some small mistakes like possessives where there should be plurals. The geological information is also either incorrect or really inadequately explained (neither limestone (sedimentary) nor quartz (mineral) is metamorphic, but it sounded like Mack was saying that in order to avoid the confusing influence of rocks like those one should avoid high concentrations of metamorphic rock).

United States on May 29, 2023

K. Rayson: The world is very interesting. Jon and Donovan are some of my favorite characters. The way they interact, and their powers (Jon's physic strengths/abilities and Donovan's protective instincts and sweet nature) are really interesting. The Havili family is also a big draw for me. They are all good down to their bones and are good to the two lost boys their sons bring into the family, Jon and Mack.
I've wanted to know more about Brandon Havili since he was first mentioned in the original Jon books. He did not disappoint. He is just as lovely as his brother, but believably different.
This series and Sherwood's Ross Young, Supernat PA stories have cemented this author as one of my very favorites. She combines genuine characters who feel real with a lot of elements I love like found families and friendly close work families. Her humor and writing are exactly right for me. The things she writes about are unexpected and surprising and always delightful.

United States on May 28, 2023

Mark Lucas-Taylor: Wow I started and finished this in approximately 3 hours.
I have not read a book or series by AJ Sherwood that I haven’t really enjoyed, her writing style and easy prose create a lighter tone that is perfect for when you just want to relax and escape for a while. I love (if that’s not to strong a word) her humour and they way she portrays her characters even when, as people inevitably do, they come with underlying baggage.
This is the first book in a new “Havili series. Brandon is Donovan’s brother and inadvertently brings home a haunted snow globe as a Christmas present for Jon resulting in the three of them going back to Eureka Springs to help Miss Emma move on. There they meet Mack the medium and there is instant attraction between Mack and Brandon, much to both their surprise as Brandon had only recently realised that he may be bisexual.
Packed with AJ Sherwood’s usual humour wit and no small amount of snarkines, the kind that only comes with people who are totally comfortable with each other.
On a personal note at the moment I am full of a flu type bug and I any self pity I may be feeling disappeared whilst reading so I’m just going to dive right back...

United Kingdom on Jan 22, 2023

ftwaijing: A short but very sweet spin-off to the ‘Jon and Donovan’ series. It was fun reading Jon and Donovan from the perspectives of other characters. I don’t feel like I know new characters Brandon and Mack well yet (it was only a fairly short book after all) but they have a lot in common with the established protagonists while still being distinctly their own people, I’m sure they’ll be sketched out in more detail as the series progresses. Brandon’s experience coming to terms with realising he’s bisexual late in life was very relatable (we all need an observant, supportive friend like Jon!) as was Mack dealing with food allergies (since food is very important to the Havilis, seeing Brandon easily take this in stride was heartwarming). Very interesting to see the fictional world of psychics expand to include mediumship, I’m looking forward to reading more of this series!

Australia on Jan 08, 2023

Jynx: Ok, so what no one thought to mention ANYWHERE I could find written down is... this book seems to follow directly after book 3 of Jon's Mysteries series, but before book 4. That would DEFINITELY have been helpful information to know.

That being said, I was nervous about starting a new series. As much as I loved Jon's Mysteries, that doesn't mean I'd like this. I often don't enjoy spin offs, as I just want to get back to the main pair, and stop messing around with side characters. This wasn't that.

The book starts from Jon's perspective, and then switches to Brandon and Mack's for the rest of the book, but Jon still features prominently throughout. Books 2 and 3 of Jon's Mysteries switched perspective between Jon and Donovan, and this felt like a continuation of that.

It helped that Brandon is just as likeable as his older brother, and Mack is a surprisingly interesting character too. He has elements to his personality that mirror aspects of Jon's. I feel that we are only scratching the surface of whatever trauma he is carrying around with him, and honestly, I'm interested to know more about his back story.

The Havili insta-attraction strikes again, with...

United Kingdom on Nov 02, 2022

Mandy: An enjoyable introduction to Mac and Brandon.

I Look forward to reading more about these Characters.

United Kingdom on Sep 29, 2022

K.H.: A good spin-off from Jon's stories where we now get to see about Brandon finding his anchor, and perhaps more! It could possibly be read in its own but it is fairly connected to Jon's series, involving connected characters and places, so it is more of a continuation than a brand new series.

Brandon has been interested in a job change from SWAT and when Job pointed out to the FBI that he would be an excellent anchor they snapped him up. Brandon has been training with them and enjoys it but he is most hopeful that he will get to be anchor for a medium. Brandon loves ghosts and all things haunted, so accidentally buying Jon a haunted snow globe has him excited more than anything. Finding out that it means he will actually get to meet a medium and watch them work has Brandon over the moon.

Mack has always seen ghosts. They have been as clear and present as the living which has made his life interesting. Now he finally is getting the proper training from the FBI and is excited to start working, but he can't really imagine getting an anchor. His whole life he has been looked on as unusual for his gift and actually having someone willing to the themselves to a person who...

Canada on Jan 05, 2020