I was intrigued by reading the synopsis for this book, but I was hooked once I started turning the pages. This is well written, and the author did a fabulous job of bringing the characters to life, as well as creating a solid mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. I will definitely be looking for more from this author in the future.

The Kensington Chronicles by Arietta Charles is a series of interconnected, fantasy short stories starring Kensi or Kensington Shaw The stories are set in prohibition era Chicago and it's Chicago pretty much as we know it, except for the Underground, where the magical side of the city dwells. Oh, and there are magical artefacts, spells, vampires so definitely a fun world to read about in this book.
And, this is where Kensi's life really fits, she is the daughter of a leading industrialist, and soon-to-be mayor of the city but she has a secret life. Kensi is also the purveyor of magical items, and throughout the stories these artefact will both get her into trouble and help her to escape from trouble.
Now you can read each story on its own, but when you read the stories on their own, but when read them in order, you get the proper background and you can also follow the threads that run through the collection. It's also fun following the and it's a lot more fun following the developing relationship between Kensi and Kane our vampire detective. Yes, I said "vampire detective".
The Kensington Chronicles is a really cool and fun collection. A quick and easy read but you know what, I would actually love much longer story about Kensi and Kane and perhaps deep into Kane's backstory as well about his family. I think that would be a lot of fun.
At any rate, this is a great read. I absolutely recommend it. This is is the perfect time of year for something that is fun and spooky.

This was such a cute collection of what feels like short stories about a main character named Kensington Shaw.

Set in the Prohibition age of Chicago, Kensington has an odd habit of accidently stumbling over the dead and tends to make her money selling magical items and potions. In the first story, Kensi, is at a dance when her dance partner and several other people around them fall to the ground apparently deceased due to a possible magical poisoning. With the help of a mysterious Detective Kane, Kensi inserts herself into the investigation to "help".

The stories are linked but are not dependent on each other. I do with they were each a bit longer and more flushed out but maybe in the future we can get a longer novel or story. I like the romantic ties between Kensington and Kane as well as Kensington and another mystery man you will meet if you read Interlude with Death.

As someone who has lived in Chicago, I loved the setting and toying with the idea of an Underground Chicago as well. It's one of my more favorite conspiracy theories about my favorite city. I would love to read more about the adventures and antics Kensington Shaw and Detective Kane find themselves getting into. These are certainly fun, bite-size stories which are easy and enjoyable to read.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Kensington Chronicles. And it didn't disappoint! Loved sassy main character Kensington Shaw and 1920s setting. Cover perfectly captures her world. Plus there is magic and vampires. This is what I want when I read fantasy.


*And yes that's me in Acknowledgements! It gave me chills in a good way when I read it.

Inventive and well paced collection of episodes (I think they're a bit too long to be considered short stories, yet not long enough to be considered novellas?) featuring the titular Kensington Shaw, an acquirer and purveyor of magical items who has a knack of finding dead bodies, and her interactions with detective Nathaniel Kane.

The atmosphere of the world in which these characters live is well written but I'm hoping these tales continue in a full length series, as there are a few loose ends left unresolved, and the almost predictable romance trope is starting to show itself.

I'm looking forward to learning more about these characters and the world in which they live, and the context of how it came to exist.

I was intrigued by this book’s blurb because it seemed like this was a book filled with short stories about a main character. I was right! We are immediately thrown into the action of the plot at the beginning of each story, with not much of an explanation about much. This leads us to not getting to know the main characters very much, and I’d really like to find out more about them, the setting, or the magic. However, this is still a well-written book and interesting book even if it lacks some details. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

I enjoyed the interconnection to the stories, it had that world that I was looking for and thought the overall feel of that world worked well together. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and how everything was wanting in the genre. Arietta Charles has a great writing style and the characters had that element that I wanted.

This was a really fun book.
I really liked this short story-like approach, a bit like Miss Marple or Sherlock Holmes, but fantasy. I think this format makes it a bit harder to really explain how this world is different and whats the magic system, but i perfectly understood everything. The mysteries were short but great and i really enjoyed the dinamic between the main character and the almost main character. Is it perfect? No. Do i mind this format? Not at all. Would i like a longer mystery with them in this world? Absolutely.