#TheAccidental Alchemist Paranormal Cozy 1st in A Series

A while back I saw that The Accidental Alchemist by Gigi Pandian was free on audible, so I gave it a listen.  I've been meaning to start this series for quite some time, but for whatever reason, other books kept jumping the line. Lucky for me I got around to this book. I found it to be delightful. As you know if you read this blog I enjoy cozy mysteries with supernatural elements. In this book, Gigi Pandian does an excellent mixing of mythology as well as actual history around alchemy. She also has some mouthwatering culinary talk around vegan cooking.  Side note, sometimes vegan people can be a little judgy about us carnivores, but in this book, the vegan talk is very organic and made me want to try Zoe and Dorian's cooking. Especially Dorian's!  

The setting lends itself to the paranormal vibes, the characters are unique but not kooky, and the mystery was compelling. In the end, there is enough resolution to make me happy and enough plot threads that are still unresolved to have me reaching for book two. 

Five Stars from me! 

It's almost September so I'm getting ready for fall. I wanted to try my hand at some Halloween-y cookies and I think these turned out pretty cute. I used a Tastefully Simple Cookie Mix (Peanut Butter Bliss) as my base and then I turned Peanut Butter Blossom cookies into Spider Blossom Cookies! I think Spiders have quite a few eyes, but I thought I keep it cute and not an accurate representation!

 

Fun Cozy Mystery Audio Series, Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles

 

As autumn arrives, I am drawn to reading more paranormal stories, and I was happy to find this series of which at least a few books are included in my audible subscription.  The series has paranormal elements that we learn just a little about in this first book in the series. A couple of features of this series that made it stand out to me are that it takes place in South Dakota--not many cozies are set in the Dakotas. Secondly, our amateur slueth is a single mom with nine-year-old twins.  Single moms with young kids are also rare in cozies.  

I was concerned when I was just 30 minutes from the end of the book that one of the main storylines was not going to be resolved in anyway, but fortunately it was--this book ends without any cliffhangers and leaves you interested in what is going to happen next in Violet's life. Some reviewers found her kids annoying but I didn't mind. I would say if you don't like grade school kids in your mysteries this is probably not the series for you. 

3.5 stars from me.

End of Summer #TheSundayPost

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

One thing not many people know is that Chicago has the best Septembers. The weather is excellent.  Warm days, cool nights, and less humidity. It's a great time to live here--and September is almost here.  I am starting my second week working as a Lunch Supervisor for the local elementary school. It's a fast-paced 2.5 hours each school day with loads of sweet kiddos (it's all kindergarten and first-grade kids so they have lots and lots of energy and are learning the ropes of what it is to attend school.  Do you have any fond memories of kindergarten? 

On the reading front, I am behind as per usual this year on my reviews. This week I plan to post about these books:

An Audible Original IE No Credits Needed!

 I was looking for something to listen to while I was running and I saw this on audible and, well free is my favorite, so I quickly downloaded it! I  found this to be a quick, fun listen.  I didn't care too much for 3 out of the four widows at first, but by the halfway point of the story, the writing had me rooting for those ladies.  This is part thriller, part mystery, and part mafia wives' story. 

Each of the widows is voiced by a different writer, so this is an ensemble story as opposed to your classic audiobook. The story takes place in the 1980s and has a nice level of camp. If you are looking for something fun to listen to while you are working out, commuting, or doing chores around the house, give this a listen. 

3 stars for this fun audiobook! 

The Once and Future Witches

 I listened to the audio version of this book and it did take me a little while to get into the book, it has three POV characters so just a little time to get straight which sister was which, but once it got rolling. I loved it. I thought there were so many lines in it at were lyrical or a unique metaphor that I'm planning to buy the book so that I can see the words.

The idea that women are actually witches and that the powers that be want to keep women stripped of the witchcraft so that they were subservient to the male patriarchy, well as the kids say, it just hit different post-Roe than it might have hit before.  The book felt like thinly veiled nonfiction. 

In this book, Alix E.Harrow writes about the generations of women passing down the spells of their ancestors via nursery rhymes. I just thought that was so clever.  

One of the criticisms of this book that I saw was readers felt it was too long.  It is a longer book, but the storytelling really worked for me and I would say don't discount it based on the length.  My favorite chapter of the book was chapter 36. A lovely payoff to a couple of the storylines.  Additionally, this book does a nice job of incorporating real history in the fictional story.  

If you are looking for a witchy book, consider giving this book a try.  This one was a 5 star read for me!  

The Sunday Post -- It's almost time for Youngest Child to Leave Us!

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

This week will be a bittersweet moment for me and the Hubs, our youngest is heading off to college on Wednesday. She's the first of our family to go away to college, so this is a new experience for us as well as her.  I'm very excited for her and I hope she has an easy transition to her new environment. How about you, any transitions happening at your home this month? 

This is her first school picture back when she was 3. 

Books I'll be talking about this week:

Thank you #NetGalley #MrsClausandtheEvilElves A Mrs. Claus Mystery by Liz Ireland!

The third installment of this funny and fanciful cozy mystery series is out September 27th and I was lucky enough to get an ARC to read and share my thoughts with ya'll! 

If you are someone who listens to Christmas music by the time Halloween rolls around, this book is for you. In fact, if you haven't already started this series and you are a Christmas fan, you are slacking and need to add this series to your list ASAP!

Because this is an ARC, they prefer that I don't share text from the book as it might change before publication, so you will just have to take my word that this book is filled with some funny lines. There are lots of good jokes to be made in Santaland. In this book, April's best friend from down south comes up for Christmas. I was glad that April had a best friend sidekick for this book, and hopefully, she will be back for future installments. We also got to see more interaction between April and Nick (aka Santa) in this book, it was enjoyable to read their scenes as they get more used to their unique married life. 

If you want a fun, humorous cozy mystery with all those Christmas vibes, this is the series to read, on a cozy afternoon, with a cup of cocoa in your hand! 
 

Proven Guilty Another Installment in the Harry Dresden Series and Sales Tax Holiday

If you are in the state of Illinois we are enjoying a state sales tax holiday, we've not had one before so this is very nice and handy for anyone who needs school supplies--esp. since the holiday includes clothing and shoes. When it comes to saving my motto is every little bit helps.  So sure it's only like 6.5% but it's better than paying 6.5%  The tax holiday runs through 8/14 in Illinois. 

Are there any tax holidays in your state?

Book 8 in the Harry Dresden series, I am slowly making my way through the series this summer, I like spending time with Harry and the crew, and I'm noticing many of the books take place in the hot muggy summers of Chicago--which I am obviously feeling! 

In Proven Guilty we have a Horror Movie Con including people cosplaying as monsters, and actual monsters showing up, and Harry spends time debating how dangerous it is for him to connect with the fallen angel who wants to help him.  Conflicted, angsty Harry is prominent in this book, but it isn't overwhelming. The best part is that we finally get Michael's wife Charity's backstory.  Now we finally understand why Charity has such a loathing for Harry--(it's not really about him!) Also, Molly has left home and is in loads of trouble, so we know Harry will be saving her. Or will he?  

Overall, this book hits all the marks for a book arriving so far into a series.  I have to give it 5 stars, James Butcher does an excellent job of keeping me interested. 

 

Tired of the Heat? Try Reading This Book to Put You in an Autumn Frame of Mind

 

Book Nine in the long Lucy Stone Mystery series had lots to make me happy. As ya'll know I'm a Lucy Stone fan.  The Lucy Stone Mysteries, never fail to give me warm fuzzies of nostalgia, and a longing to hop on a plane and head to Maine. 

>> As an aside, imagine my surprise in finding out that Leslie Meier doesn't live in Maine! From all these books I had assumed she was born and raised in Maine>> 

This book starts with the Summer solstice, so it is a witchy book that spans all of summer and then climaxes at Samhain (aka Halloween) which I found to be delightful and why I recommend reading this now as we slowly march toward those crisp fall days. If you like a seasonal read and you enjoy the mythology of witches and some Wiccan discussion and lore, you will enjoy this cozy. You can read it without having read other books in the series, you shouldn't feel lost. 

As someone who has read other books in the series, I found this comment by Lucy to be pretty funny since a couple of years ago there was a series of murders in their subdivision- also Lucy was in a gangland shootout in Book four I think, and so on and so on.  People in Tinker's Cove REALLY need to start locking their doors!  Hazardous town to live in--especially if you are new to the area, ha!

Four stars for this installment. Lots of cranky Lucy and witchy stuff! 

And Now It's My Birthday Week! #TheSundayPost

 

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

Trailer Park Trickster- Second in a Series!

This is the follow-up book to the excellent novel White Trash Warlock. There is much to love in this series, first of all, David R. Slayton writes characters with a depth that is matched in the intricate details of the world he has created and is continuing to build with each chapter. 

My favorite things about this series are:

 *It's a rare paranormal adventure that takes place primarily in a tiny town in Oklahoma. We've had many urban fantasies, is now the time for rural fantasy?  I'm here for both!

*The main character is in a same-sex relationship --again pretty rare. 

*Adam Binder reminds me of Harry Dresden, he isn't the one with the most power but he will put himself on the line to save humans. Unlike Harry Dresden, Adam has some family and he hasn't decided he is unworthy of love. Harry seems pretty bent on believing he cannot have a relationship. 

*The books deal with grief in a hopeful way. 

*Everyone in the book is gray --ie no one is all evil or all good. 

If you haven't started this series yet, now is a good time to start you can read books one and two and then preorder book three, Deadbeat Druid on October 18th! 

 

July's Cozy Mystery Book Club Book: Murder, She Knit

Murder, She Knit was the book selected by the Cozy Mystery Book Club for July. On this month's live stream Angela is joined by Amanda who is an actual knitter, so that was nice to get a knitter POV on a book that focuses on a group of knitters.  You can watch the live stream here:

 

My thoughts on the book. There are some amateur sleuths I vibe with and those I just don't connect with and it doesn't even have particular reasoning to it.  Pamela the slueth in this book isn't someone I want to spend more time with, I found her to be fussy and judgmental. She was for me like an older more set in her ways Hannah Swenson, another sleuth I don't want to hang out with even though she has cookies 24/7.  Loads of people love Hannah, she's just not for me.  This series is now on at least book nine, clearly, many people like spending time with Pamela.

For me, Pamela and the majority of the characters in this book were too flat. As for the murder, I had a really hard time believing it was possible for that character to have killed that other character with the particular weapon used and that they would have been successful in the killing. Attacking yes, killing... no. 

Three stars for this book for me, but maybe you'll really dig it--it does have a great Thanksgiving vibe so if you are looking for a seasonal Thanksgiving cozy, this is a contender!