Book Review: Hummingbird Moonrise

Reviewed by Chelsey Tucker

The reality of family chaos meets some insanely witchy scandals in Hummingbird Moonrise.

No more waiting and wondering—the third installment of the Murder, Teas & Crystals series is here.

The origin story of the Kelly family curse comes to light right away in Hummingbird Moonrise, immediately satisfying questions carried over from the previous book. In the 1940s, Barry Kelly, Arista’s great-great-grandfather, was having issues with his dogs dying unexpectedly. Turns out: Someone murdered his best dog and is threatening his livelihood.

After a Ouija session, his neighbor, Fil, is the only suspect. But when Barry confronts him, it does not end well for anyone. With Fil, Fil’s daughter, and Fil’s grandson all dead by Barry’s gun, there is new revenge to be dished out. Fil’s wife Helen decides to take matters into her own hands and curse the Kelly family:

“For the first generation, be it loss of pride, The next, be it sons and a mothering bride, For the third generation, be they taken by two, And the fourth generation, from violence, subdued. And the fifth generation ends it all when the last Kelly member shall finally fall.”

This same curse is still haunting Arista and Aunt Bethie to this day, the last two of the Kelly line. Aunt Bethie was born a few years after the curse began, “I lost my mother the moment I was born. Just before that, my father never returned from a business trip, and my youngest brother died when I was only two.” Now her father has died, and it has been one of the most painful things Arista has to live with.

Hummingbird Moonrise is chock-full of family secrets and surprises, and it paints a vivid picture of how both families have intertwined over the years. The curse and counter-curse have caused trauma throughout several generations. According to the curse, Arista is set to be the last Kelly. When Arista and Aunt Bethie discover the tablet with the original curse written on it in her frenemy Iris’s house, a new, bigger suspicion is born. The drama only intensifies once you realize that no one has seen Iris.

The paranormal activity really ramps up in this third book. Possessions, ghostly visits, new spells, and spiritual transformations—the intrigue is everywhere. You see some jaw-dropping revelations before Arista does, and it heightens the suspense greatly.

Lucky for the returning reader, Dodd ties up those loose ends you’ve been curious about, and she does it while tackling some serious topics like grief, responsibility, and anxiety. Arista is just trying to understand her parents’ death along with the actions of her great-great-grandfather, and she’s been dealing with some serious panic attacks since witnessing violent trauma on top of it.

If you read and enjoyed the first two books, there is not a doubt in my mind that you will love this one. Witchy vibes meet compelling murder mystery in Dodd’s unforgettable series Murder, Teas & Crystals.

Thank you for reading Chelsey Tucker’s book review of Hummingbird Moonrise by Sherri L. Dodd! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

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