Grounded

Paranormal Penny Nicols #1

by Sarah Hualde

Dark roast with a side of Death Omens.
It's just another workday for Penny Nicols.

Penny is haunted by a secret.

One that forces her, and her snarky cat, to move around in her tiny house on wheels.

As Penny settles into a new town, she realizes something much darker is afoot.

The Raven, her nemesis, has tracked her down once again.

She finds herself in a race against time to vanquish the darkness and save those around her.

This case is like nothing she has faced before.

To solve it, she enlists the help of two Podcasters of the Paranormal.

Will Penny ever be able to outrun her secret?

What will she discover along the way?

One thing is for sure; nothing will ever be the same again.

★Jump into the first Paranormal Penny Mystery and hang on tight.★

This fast-paced series will captivate you from start to finish.

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Fantasy, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Young Adult, Mystery Thriller

166 pages, ebook

Published October 26, 2020

About the author

Sarah lives in California, in a home that brings her happiness and hay fever. She loves God, loves her family, and loves freshly brewed coffee. She has a husband who cooks, a son who stop animates, a daughter who loves animals, a dog that follows her everywhere, and a turtle who scowls at her condescendingly.

Her mother raised her on Mary Higgins Clark, Diane Mott Davidson, and Remington Steele. Her grandmother shared True Crime stories with her as they plotted how to get away with the perfect murder. It's no surprise that Sarah became an award-winning spinner of suspenseful tales brimming with quirky characters. Mysteries are in her blood. Not that she could survive one of her own stories. She confesses, "I'd be snuffed out by chapter two."

Join Sarah's Super Sleuth Squad and follow her on YouTube for behind-the-scenes insider info.

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Reviews

[Sabine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well paced paranormal mystery.

[Leeanne G · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sure that this could have been set up so much better. I get that Sarah Hualde wanted to slowly introduce Penny’s “gift” and create suspense, but it made me feel very confused for at least the first half of the story. The story also felt a little all over the place with characters not being properly introduced to the readers. It felt like this story was already a quarter of the way in and we were just supposed to know who everyone was and what had been happening before we were allowed access to Penny’s life. It was really frustrating. I won't be reading the rest of this series.

[Karen Barber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grounded is a cozy mystery, introducing us to Penny who gets glimpses into the future. Unfortunately, these glimpses often predate a dramatic death and often lead to suspicion being cast upon her.
We get little detail about Penny’s background, though I’m guessing the finer points get fleshed out during the series. There’s enough detail given to suggest there’s something she’s keeping hidden.
Grounded has Penny working temporarily in a coffee shop. She finds herself embroiled in an increasingly bizarre situation surrounding the owners and their child. From start to finish I found myself wondering why she bother sticking around when it only seems to cause further problems for her. However, perhaps there’s a reason for it that we’ll eventually get to know about.

[Angela Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a good surprise!

This is a clever and gripping cozy that verges on horror. The book cover is misleading; instead of a light paranormal cozy the author gifts the reader with a tale that is surprisingly darker...and the surprises don't end there! Penny Nicols is a plucky kid who has endured much in her life thanks to the gift/curse she's saddled with. At least she finally has a three-man (or two men and a feline) support system to help her navigate this twisty mystery. Surprises abound, and the climax is a complete stunner! The only miss in this well-imagined book is the poor editing, but I still look forward to the follow-up holiday short, "Frosted."

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

could use some work

The book title doesn’t match the story, the cover definitely does NOT portray the main character’s physical attributes. Short story that could use some editing to add a little more backstory or explanation about the female lead.

I was intrigued by the story but all the missing pieces of the story kept me from really getting into the story.

[Brian Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book begins with a wild premise. Penny Nichols is a generously proportioned, slightly manic twenty-something who shares her VW van living quarters with a housecat, Ace of Spades, (Spade. Spayed. Get it?) and who is blessed (cursed) with a paranormal talent for sensing whenever danger, death or dismemberment is about to be visited upon a total stranger, thus condemning her to a peripatetic existence, moving from one guilt-inducing episode to the next.

Whew!

I stumbled onto this series by sheer accident, and yes, I’m glad I did. It is fun, quirky, fun, heartfelt, fun, and furthermore fun. As for this particular chapter, it never quite clicked for me, and I found myself feeling indifferent as to who might be out to get who. Still, what did it matter? I had plucky Penny to keep me amused with her breezy, irreverent asides, and I’m sure if I’d started with book numero uno, everything would’ve fallen into place much more gracefully.

Still, as with most first-person narratives, it’s all about The Voice, and I can’t imagine a better vacation than spending a few more hours inside the head of the intrepid Penny Nichols.

Penny. Nickles. Get it?

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a girl, her cat and her camper van out exploring all that the continent offers her. That, and oh, the seeing who's going to die soon thing. Penny Nicols has a new job as a gofer at a coffee roasting company. She's okay with doing all the menial chores but less thrilled with how the owner treats his wife. When the Raven shows up, Penny knows it's time to step in.

What a crazy (in a good way) and unique premise! Penny's clearly been emotionally scarred by past experiences and yet she's still out there, with a strong work ethic and amazing resilience. For someone who hasn't hit 20 yet, she is remarkably mature. That's not to say that Penny doesn't read as a teenager, but she's definitely an old soul.

Grounded is a paranormal cosy with more of an emphasis on the cosy side. I'm so looking forward to more in this series.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generous 3 stars. This book is not per-say bad, but I cant say it was good either. Penny is some kind of low-key psychic but does not fully explain her skills. I think a lot might be unknown. She seems to have a tragic backstory but we never actually get it. I understand wanting to save some for future books, but we get nothing. Who is TC to her and what is their connection? Just a lot unanswered. She is also to oblivious in many ways. It is a fast read with short chapter making for easy pauses and a faster pace to complete. A very light cozy mystery with a hint of paranormal.

[Krystal Ayers · Rating 2 out of 5]

One thing I really didn't like about this book was the lack of understanding this supernatural Raven and the glimpes. She explained them fine but I wanted way more how why she gets them or how they started. Not just how they ruin her life in a way. Also, there were several times in the book where it says she is plus size. Why don't the covers reflect this? I loved the cat though. He came to the rescue at the end! I also love that she lives in a camper type thing so she can travel. That part was a cool addition. The mystery was fine as well, it kept you thinking.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out interesting, but also very confusing. I didn't understand what Penny's ability was for the longest time. I suspected a certain person shortly after their first appearance and that person ending up being behind it. The ending was okay. I'm going to try to read the next book and hope I enjoy it more.

[Paula Dyches · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Take on Paranormal Mystery

So I'd have to say the cover for the audiobook doesn't totally match this book... It's a fun take on the paranormal mystery genre I just wish the cover art were better. Penny describes herself as a chubby girl that is in no way a threat to any woman's relationship, she's homeless/living out of her van with a cat... a bit sad really. She has a gift of seeing symbols that tell the future and gets herself pushed out of places when people learn of her weird and disconcerting talent -- especially when it is the raven that warns her of their impending death, a 24 HR notice. This time she tries extra to stop the events from happening, but when death comes can you truly stop it?

Parents- PG13 good for middle grade readers to adults
Language- not a lot if any, and no f-bombs
Violence- normal to genre, violent murders but nothing too graphic
Sexual Content- it's really pretty clean other then a few alluded to romances/cheating spouses

The narrator did a great job with the differentiation and acting skills. I did like it better at 1.35x speed but I do tend to listen to many books a bit faster.

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

* Penny gets premonitions about things, and then usually ruin her life. She has to travel from place to place and live in a campervan when people drive her out of town.
* Penny is working at a place called 'Rocky Grounds' where they sell coffee. She's not a big fan of the owner (Ken), but likes his wife (Janice), she also dislikes their son Terry who is lazy.
* Penny sees the shadow of a raven, and knows that this means Janice is going to die.
* Penny manages to save Janice from being run over in the street, but then sees the same shadow on her husband Ken, and knows that he is going to die too.
* Ken and Terry get attacked at Rocky Grounds, Penny resusciates Ken, but he later dies at hospital.
* Penny eventually ends up back at Rocky Grounds where Terry is injured and tied up. Penny realises that the people in the ski masks demanding where some documents are, are none other than Janice and the delivery man she was having an 'emotional affair' with.
* Janice turns on the gas stove intending to blow the place up and kill Terry and Penny, but with the help of her cat, Penny manages to turn things around and drags Terry out.
* Terry gives Penny her last paycheck (minus many deductions, even though she saved his life) and Penny leaves town.

[Carrie O · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book in a PN series, centered on a young woman [Penny] who receives abi-normal insights about impending deaths/murders... wherever she goes, even when she wants to outrun this "gift". I hadn't realized it was part of a series until after I finished reading this story, and it seems like it could be less intense if I had seen this cover when I had been reading [I had no cover art with the digital version I read]. As it was, the story felt very very dark to me and I had nothing to put it in any particular context.

Penny feels anxious and frightened in every moment of this story... to me, at least. Which is a bit stressful for a reader. The mystery of who-donnit is well worked imo, but the darkness of how Penny is unable to escape this burden is rather heavy. The two young men who interview Penny for their podcast... those are very interesting characters, and if they appear in subsequent books in the series then I might be interested in trying another story. But the reveal itself, when the puzzle is finally solved and answers finally found, is quite good. And I can recommend the book as a mystery. Not sure I'd call it cozy, but it's a solid mystery.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grounded is the first book in the Paranormal Penny Nicols series. Penny has this extra sense and it usually means trouble. She's used to being on the move and currently lives in her van along with her cat, Spades.When she sees a raven that usually means someone is marked for death, and trying to outwit it is almost impossible. When Penny tries to save her boss Janice after she's marked with the raven things get difficult. Janice's son Terry and her husband don't make things easy for Janice and Penny is determined to help her. Things are not what they seem though and Penny delves deeper into trouble trying to find out the truth.

This is my first book by this author and it was good. I enjoyed the interactions between Penny and her employers. I liked that Penny isn't your normal, living paycheck to paycheck girl with a gift. I also liked the added detail of Spades the cat, and thought he brought a little humor to the book.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written and narrated, short, cozy mystery. There isn't a lot I can say without giving anything away. Good storyline and flow, sometime repetitive. This is book 1 in Haulde's Paranormal Penny Nicols series and is the story of Penny who hops from town to town where her glimpses have caused problems, not just for her but for others too. Satisfied with getting by - and her wild cat Penny keeps her head down and does the best job she can at whatever job she can get. In hopes of keeping her glimpses at bay she tries to form no bonds - but nothing works and she gets the dreaded glimpse and trying to protect those she cares about - she finds that nothing and no one are really as they seem...

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read

[Angieleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5*

This is my first Sarah Hualde book, but definitely not my last! This fast-paced, easy read refused to let me go to bed until I finished it.

Penny sees death, in the form of ravens in water vapor, puddles, mist, in coffee, tea...and sometimes in person. She gets clues through music or sometimes through the appearance of another raven.

In Grounded she works at a family-owned coffee & gift shop where both the husband and son are gross males who leer at Penny and make cracks about her weight and basically ignore the wife/mother, who is a sweet, sometimes forgetful woman, who befriends our dear Penny and is thankful that she's there to help out when they're in the middle of a crisis.

But things just aren't as they seem & I loved that about this book. There were so many twists throughout this story that every time I thought I figured it out, Hualde tossed in another twist!

However, the ending was satisfying and I can't wait to see where life takes Penny and her spicy cat, Ace of Spades in their VW Van tiny home.

I do hope that soon the focus of Penny being plus size (though you can't tell by the covers!) is not a huge hang-up in every book in this series. That can, and will, get very annoying very, very fast.

[Linda (ellsky) Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing magical talent, satisfying reveal

After a bit of an awkward and slow beginning, this book really picked up about half-way through and the reveal of the murderer was very exciting and satisfying. Penny's talent of seeing death omens in the form of ravens wherever she goes was intriguing and fresh. Because of her talent, she is unable to stay living in one place for very long, so she jumps from town to town, part-time job to part-time job, trying to make ends meet in her camper bus. This was a very fast read, and the narrator was quite good - she gave Penny's voice a real sense of anxiety and urgency, which complemented the on-page description of Penny. I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Catrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny has an unusual ability... some would call it the sight. She does the best she can to try help those involved in her glimpses into the future. Can she save everyone before it's too late? Check out this short paranormal cozy mystery to find out!

This was my first book by Sarah Hualde. I enjoyed the interesting storyline and I look forward to seeing what happens with the main character next.

Brittany Goodwin's narration was well done. Her pacing was good and I didn't experience any problems.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

[Carol Amorosi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting premise. How would you handle seeing an image and knowing someone is going to die? Would you be able to figure out how to stop it? You have 24 hours. Go. I stumbled across this book and almost didn’t read it because of the cutesy cover. Something about it intrigued me and I’m glad I picked it up. It was an entertaining mystery, with a pluck main character who continues to try despite her gift/curse. The story kept me turning pages to see how she would handle each situation thrown at her. The pacing was good and there were enough clues and red herrings to figure it out along with Penny. A fun read.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one well written para cozey mystery murder with mayhem and wew wew factor in a good story reading way. The mane character Penny is a strong female and I like her story and how she handles herself .The array of characters supporting her are vibrant and colorful if not at times creepy 😳 drawing you in wanting to get to know them better while its mystery entices you even further and the plot carries you throughout with its drama ,twists and turns making you turn page after page until you reach its unexpected and climatic conclusion. Acquire " Grounded " today for hours of intriguing entertainment 🤔. Kat

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wake up and smell the coffee…

Penny Nicols and her cat Spades are still searching for her lost twin sister. Penny’s current job in a coffee shop pays enough to buy gas for Godzilla, her ancient bus, and keep her eating cup of noodles. So far, she hasn’t gotten close enough to anyone for her paranormal “gift” to kick in but she knows it’s only a matter of time until the raven makes an appearance and someone dies. It’s the reason she keeps people at arm’s length, like T.C. and Stubbs.

This is a good cozy with a hint of Twilight Zone. I received a free copy but my review is honest and voluntary.

[Lonny Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit out of my wheelhouse. It's like a written version of a Twilight Zone or Night Gallery episode. Penny is a psychic with very limited abilities. Sometimes she sees a raven associated with someone she knows. That means that person will die in 24 hours or less. Penny feels bound to try to save these people. She usually fails. This association with death has made her an outcast, partly by choice, partly by public decree. Nobody likes a harbinger. The book is well written. The suspense builds slowly, increasing in pace towards the end. If suspense is your thing I recommend it. Suspense is not my thing.

[Xandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cozy mystery. Perfect for the fall season. Grounded introduces you to Penny who see glimpse's into the future. She has the ability to help save the person who she sees the glimpses on. She gets signs about maybe how death is upon someone through music and the signs.

Trouble always follows her so she doesn't stay in one place too long just enough to make money and move on to the next town. Penny finds her self pulled into her boss's lives trying to save them. She has to figure out the mystery behind them and things get out of control for her.

Grounded is a paranormal mystery story which was perfectly cozy for the season read. Absolutely no spice but still super cute!

[Jocelyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Sarah Hualde's book, and won't be my last. This is the first book in the Paranormal Penny Nicols Cozy Mysteries Series. This cozy mystery is darker than expected, and I loved it! The characters are intriguing, and well developed. The storyline is original, and captivating. Brittany Goodwin did a fantastic job with the narration. I enjoyed it, and I am looking forward to listening to the next book in the Series.

[Perrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute, quick read

Not at all what I expected and very pleasantly surprised. The paranormal part and mystery are separate but also cleverly woven together. That somewhat vague and ambiguous description is intentional.

My one-star downgrade is for a point that was raised but I felt not clearly settled. Also, the first chapter nearly had me DNFing the book. Glad I continued, but it was close.

[Christal Merkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grounded tells a story about a woman who is seemingly normal, but she has a sense that tells her a piece of the future. She tries to avoid the situation by moving from town to town, but she is followed by a raven.

The narrator did a great job reading this story. She really voiced out the different characters and it was hard to tell it was her. It sounded as if the characters were doing the voices. Great Job!

[Mary Small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penny spends her life moving from one town to the next, always fleeing before the evil something that follows her can injure any newfound friends. But she stayed too long in this spot. Is it time to stop running and fight fate?

Penny is an engaging main character who had me rooting for her from the start. Her intriguing backstory, the oddball characters who help her despite her prickliness, and a satisfyingly twisty plot kept me reading. My one complaint? I finished it too quickly!

[monacia williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penny's story

This story does not portray human nature in a good way. Penny always becomes the victim and you can't help being sorry for her, other people might die but she is the ultimate victim.
The other characters are portrayed well, so well that when their behaviour changes midway through the book it is difficult to accept the change. Only the cat remains true to form.
The storyline was interesting but there seemed to be something missing towards the end.

[Myra Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating

This was a page-turner of a mystery as Penny's unusual ability unfolds. Paranormal mysteries are usually feel more uplifting than this book. The writing really pulled me in but Penny's overall life is depressing and that didn't change. Penny needs more friends that care about her well being and aren't judgemental. The story has lots of potential.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penny sees animals in hints about the future. In particular, if she sees a raven, the person is soon to die; and the next piece of music she hears is a hint to the method of death. She tries to save the chosen life.

I liked the music aspect - lots of songs can be used to foretell the future. I enjoyed it