Last Night By Luane Rice and My Brother's Restuarant

 Happy Monday! In my neck of the woods, we are enjoying some summer weather! Today, I'm sharing a quick review of the recent release Last Night by Luane Rice. I picked up this book when it was free to me as a Prime First Read.  I chose Last Night because it said it was a domestic thriller. 

When I was deciding on my First Read, I didn't have my glasses on and I mistakenly thought the hotel on the cover was a government building, I thought domestic thriller meant it was a political thriller about a domestic issue.  I greatly enjoy political thrillers. Domestic thrillers are typically about romantic relationships gone bad and are fine but not what I seek out to read.

If you enjoy domestic thrillers, this book works as a stand-alone book. If you read it and enjoy it there are other books in the series. The book has child kidnapping, it's handled well, but child kidnapping is something I don't really want to read. 

Overall it's well-written, and has a positive conclusion and I rate it four stars because of those factors. If you enjoy domestic thrillers this is likely going to be a five-star review for you. If anyone has any recommendations for a political thriller, please let me know because I'm in the mood for one of those!

Recently, Anne of  Books Are My Heart, commented that she'd like to know more about my brother's restaurant. It's located in a tiny town right over the border of Georgia in Hayesville, North Carolina. It's called Epic Catering and Eatery. As the name implies they do catering in the area. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday from ten a.m. to two p.m. and they do dinner several nights a week. You can follow them on Instagram to see all the delicious food pictures. It's very vegetarian and vegan-friendly. They are located two hours south of Asheville. Most of their food is locally sourced, for example their beef comes from a local farm. They also have a bar where local musicians play on the weekend. Don't plan to be on your phone if you go there, they don't have wi-fi! 

Big Little Spells Thank You Net Galley

 

This book is the follow-up to the book Small Town, Big Magic. I believe that this book takes place right after book one.   Big Little Spells will be out on August 29th, so you have plenty of time to read that book and then pre-order this book.  

I liked aspects of this book and didn't connect with other aspects. If you like stories involving witches, this one takes place in Missouri, but it's a secret witchy town so no 'humans'. I felt a bit lost as I read, not knowing if more of the motivations and backstories would have been clearer if I had read book one.  The book is told from the POV of our main character Rebekah she was exiled from her community when she was a teen and this book references her teen years frequently but I didn't feel like I had a good understanding of what the deal was, even when the big incident of her teen years is revealed.  I could have benefited from a whole book with her and her sister and her friends from their senior year of HS. 

I liked that Rebekah had been in therapy and used those techniques to deal with issues that came up when she arrived back home. For the romance portion of the book, because this is a closed-door romance, I would have enjoyed a lot more build-up and pining. If you like witch books and don't really care for detailed romance I think this book will be a good fit for you--the romance is there and is a plot point but it's not too in your face--I apparently do like in-your-face romance! 

I read other reviews of this book and it seems that the consensus is if you like Hazel Beck's works or enjoyed the first book in the series, you are going to love this one! 

3 stars--thanks Net Galley for the ARC!  All opinions are mine! 

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

 This was the April book pick for my book club.  The theme for this month's book was a book that takes place outside the United States.  Previous to reading this book, I knew very little about Cuba's history. Now having read Next Year in Havana, I know a little bit more about the long, rich history of Cuba. I appreciate this method of learning history! 

This book is obviously well researched and it flows between the two timelines seamlessly.  You will notice that Marisol is very much like her grandmother Elisa and the Cuban men they fall in love with are also very similar.  I enjoyed the mirror story of their love. 

I don't want to spoil anything in the story so I will say that this is a lovely book, you feel immersed in Cuba, I think there is enough romance and mystery to make it appealing to those who love reading romance and/or mystery books. Plus if you enjoy it, there is a follow-up book featuring Elisa's sister Beatriz.  

This is a good 4-star book to take on a vacation or if you need a virtual vacation! 

How do you feel about a Cinderella Retelling? An Offer From A Gentleman

Ah yes, season two of Bridgerton on Netflix pulled me in all the way and now I can't sit idly by waiting for Shondaland to make the next book come alive.  So I bought book three the other day, and now I've finished it and am waiting for the next book to come available as I have it on hold at my library.

Exciting news, while I was typing the above paragraph, I got the notice from my library that Romancing Mister Bridgerton is ready for me to pick up!  Yippee! I'll pick it up and then, I think I'll have time to dive into it by the weekend. 

Now back to An Offer from a Gentleman.  Enjoyable, some good will they/won't they action If you like a good sickbed situation you get it. The problem of Sophie's birth is a big obstacle and I thought Julia Quinn deals with it in an interesting way, Mama Bear powers for the win! 

Much of the book takes place outside the ball season, so it will be interesting to see what the Netflix version of this will look like. Also, I think many of us who have come to Bridgerton via the show wonder if this book could possibly transform into a queer story where Benedict finds his HEA with a man? I'm sure the creative powers behind the show could manage it and make it some fantastic viewing. In general, I'd say I don't hold out much hope that this will happen, but I'd love to see it. 

4 Stars for Book 3 in the original Bridgerton series! 

A Letter To Three Witches by Elizabeth Bass Out This Tuesday!

 I got an ARC of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. A Letter to Three Witches is out on Tuesday, Jan 25, 2022. I requested this book because I liked the cover and the description promised romance and witchcraft a combination I enjoy in books and film. 

#ALettertoThreeWitches #NetGalley.

This book has a very clever inciting incident that compels you to read more.  Tannish, a witch that enjoys stirring the pot sends a letter to her three cousins and that letter sends them into a tizzy.  Add into this drama the fact that all four of the witches are banned from practicing magic by the Powers-that-Be due to a screw-up of an ancestor!  How will things turn out?  A Letter to Three Witches is a real page-turner, one of those can't put down, gotta stay up way past bedtime to see what happens type of book. 

This book is billed as a Rom-Com and to that I found it to be heavy on the comedy and light on the romance. So if you are looking for a fun, truly laugh-out-loud book with a nice sprinkling of romance, get this book!

Most of the book is told through Gwen's POV. I enjoyed her growth over the course of the book and I wonder, based on how the book ends if this will be a series of books and maybe we will get books from the perspectives of her other cousins. 

4 stars to #ALetterToThreeWitches a clever funny gem of a book! 

Thanks #NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book! 

Fanciful, Magical Cozy Hits The Spot! The Ghost Camper's Tall Tales by Elizabeth Pantley

 This is the third book in Elizabeth Pantley's Destiny Falls Mystery & Magic series. I enjoy the whimsy of this series and the real coziness of the magic.  Houses and gardens changing daily to suit the needs of their occupants--how cozy! 

I was having a rough week and this book was a perfect escape for me.  On one hand, you have the ongoing mystery of Hayden's missing mother, and a new murder in Destiny Falls and on the other hand you have the magical mansion and grounds of the Caldwell Family ---plus a witch, ghosts and telepathic cats. This is a book to read and forget all your worries. 

The book is out on Monday 8/2 via Amazon. Treat yourself to a fun tale, that could be even more fun read around a campfire! 

The twist with the solo ticket to Gladstone at the end was so sweet.  

4 Stars!  Whimsy at it's best! 

New Release by Brittney Morris #TheCostofKnowing #NetGalley You Can't Put This Down!

 Brittney Morris writes the kind of book you can't put down.  Her YA characters are compelling and loveable and you just want all the good things for them.  If you have not yet read her novel Slay, I suggest you add Slay and The Cost of Knowing to your TBR pile and follow Brittney Morris so you don't miss any of her future books.   Reviewing this book is a little tricky because I want to be sure not to spoil anything and yet I want to tell you so much! 

On Goodreads, Brittney Morris wrote: "My love letter to all the Black men who had to grow up too early." This love letter is wrapped in an amazing tale about a teen, Alex, who in the aftermath of a car accident that killed his parents on election day, now sees visions of the future whenever he touches any person or object with his hands.  

Alex has been managing to be a functioning human for four years even as he is hit with a vision every time he touches anything and the longer the touch continues the further into the future of the object or person's life he sees. Worst of all Alex can't change the future.  He tried a few times and it didn't change anything, all the bad things happen. What a nightmare! I could not function.  

Brittney Morris gives us an excellent depiction of crippling anxiety and how it affects Alex due to his power.  Additionally,  she shows how anxiety permeates Alex's life because he is a Black teenager.  He has to navigate a world of never-ending minefields.   He has to use code-switching not only to hide his power but also to make his existence more palatable to white people.

This is a five-star read for me.  It is beautifully descriptive as it deals with hard subjects, you can feel the love Brittney Morris has for the characters on each page you read, and I don't think it would be possible to read this and not love these kids.  I stayed up late to finish it and my heart is filled with both joy and deep sadness. 

The Cost of Knowing is the sort of book that will stick with me for a very long time; it's a book that makes me want to send a thank-you note to Brittney Morris for putting it out into the world. 

New spring growth from one of my most recent runs. 

Bungled! Out today! Who knew Sport Fishing Was So Deadly?

I was enjoying reading about the upcoming fishing tournament, the reality TV show being filmed in town, and Rylie's upcoming wedding so much that I didn't even care if there was a murder to solve!  

Stella starts Bungled: A Rylie Cooper Mystery out with a great hook, George the part-time park ranger explains to Rylie how to get yourself out of zip-tie handcuffs.  Well, now I need to drop everything and read this book to find out if and when Stella is going to need to get herself out of handcuffs.  As if that wasn't enough, then there are all the comments by friends and family members asking Rylie if she's sure she should get married. What a great distraction of a book! 

I appreciated how Stella made a fishing tournament interesting for someone who doesn't fish. Her descriptions of how a fishing tournament works and ways one might try to cheat are seamlessly part of the narrative making sure they don't become information dumps for the reader. 

The mystery keeps you reading and guessing about who did it and why, and the side characters are properly quirky.  The book ends with Rylie questions her life choices and that is a good place to end things and get the reader interested in what will come next! 

4 stars for Bungled: A Rylie Cooper Mystery.  The perfect book to take with you fishing! Click here to add it to your Goodreads TBR.

It is available on Kindle or in Paperback and is included in a Kindle Unlimited Subscription! 

#ASeriesInAMonth Two Novellas and An Update on Future Avocado Toast!

 

Reluctant Royals Novella Book  2.5

When I read romance series, I don't check to see what side characters in the first book get to star in future books.  I like to be pleasantly surprised, and honestly, I didn't think Likotsi would get a book because she's a lesbian, and well, most mainstream romance is man/woman. So I was very happy to see this novella and have the chance to read about the romance Likotsi was having during her time in New York while Thabiso was pretending to be Jamal. This story is told in two timelines so you get the original romance when Likotsi first meets Fabiola and then the second timeline when they happen to meet up months after Fabiola broke things off with Likotsi. If you like a second-chance romance, you'll love this.  It's a modern fairy tale in which Likotsi is the kind and generous prince to Fabiola's fairly jaded princess.  

4 Stars! 

I listened to the audiobook and as I have said before Karen Chilton is an amazing reader. One of the best. 

Reluctant Royals Novella Book 2.6

Honestly, my only complaint about the story of Reggie and Gus is, I want more!  I definitely would have enjoyed a full novel of them falling in love. The majority of mainstream romance stories take place with attractive thin women with decent-sized boobs that are typically athletic or clumsy.  The men are brawny but smart. Also typically if you have an interracial couple one half of the couple is white.  I appreciated that Alyssa Cole gives us a different story.  Reggie is a smart confident Black woman who uses a wheelchair and runs a super-inclusive website for people who love 'geek' culture.  Gus is Vietnamese and is not neurotypical.  

This novella is nestled in the Reluctant Royals timeline taking place while Portia is an apprentice for Tavis in Duke By Default. As someone who watches live streams and uses apps to fall asleep, I related to Reggie using a soothing voice on a stream to fall asleep.  I know I'm not alone in this given how many ASMR videos there are online. 

One of the characteristics of Alyssa Cole's writing that I appreciate is how she talks about social/environmental issues in an organic way:

“Most of her daily grind took place at home, where her office was tailored to her needs and she didn’t have to worry about accessibility, or spilling iced coffee on her laptop because straws were easier to ban than the plastics that actually destroyed the environment”
― Alyssa Cole, Can't Escape Love

5 starts to Can't Escape Love from Alyssa Cole 

I listened to these books via Audible and Chirp for the #SeriesinaMonth Challenge and for the #2021AudiobooksChallenge. 

Future Avocado Toast Update: 

After several weeks and some pep talks from me, this pit remained a pit.  I decided it was time to let it go to the compost bin.  If an avocado tree sprouts in my compost, I'll let you know! 

Now for an update on my second pit. I thought by this time I would be able to tell if it is spreading new roots, but I can't tell yet. Stay tuned and maybe next week we will be able to tell!

This Weeks #SeriesinaMonth Challenge Post! A Duke By Default #romance

A Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole is the second book in her Reluctant Royals series, this time around I was able to borrow an e-book version from my local public library to read. 

This book is the story of Portia, Naledi's best friend in book one.  I was so excited that she was getting her own book!  Portia's story hits home for many readers. Portia has spent her life feeling she was the bad twin. She's been told she is flighty, lazy, unable to commit, unable to finish anything, and worst of all selfish. The self-loathing she has felt for years, especially when compared negatively by her parents to her twin sister Reggie, has led to self-destructive behaviors on her part, especially drinking.  

She is on the cusp of 30 and has decided it's time for a new Portia. This Portia gets an apprenticeship at an Armory in Scotland. New Portia is abstaining from men and booze. Avoiding alcohol proves much easier than avoid men altogether when she meets Tavis McKenzie, her very handsome gruff Scottish Master Swordsman. 

Watching Portia discovering that her behaviors were rooted in undiagnosed ADHD and seeing how she learned coping mechanisms and slowly began to believe in herself was as enjoyable as the slow burn of the romance. You can't have a HEA before you love yourself. 

Alyssa Cole offers another contemporary romance that has heat, deals with social issues, and solid humor. The series doesn't have to be read in order, but I have to say that reading in order is enhancing my enjoyment of the books. 

4 stars to A Duke By Default! 

Quote from the Book:

“Excuse me?”
The librarian looked up again.
“I need help now. I need to print this article and . . . do you have any books about dukes?”
The librarian’s eyes went wide and she rubbed her hands together with glee. “We have a fantastic romance section,” she said. “Do you need recommendations? How do you like your dukes? Grumpy? Tortured? Alpha, beta, or alpha in the streets, beta in the sheets?”
“Actually, I meant nonfiction,” Portia said glumly.
The librarian sighed. “Aye. Just a warning, love—the non-fic dukes are not nearly as fun.” 

Avocado Pit Update- 

Here we have my original pit, as you can see, not much is happening.

I am coming to the conclusion that my first attempt at growing an avocado tree isn't going well. I decided to try another pit and see if that one might grow.  I think that it is starting to grow roots, but it's too soon to tell. We should know by next week for sure, fingers crossed!

Next Wednesday I will be reviewing the two novellas in the series. Once Ghosted, Twice Shy and Can't Escape Love! 

#SeriesinaMonthChallenge A Princess in Theory and An Avocado Tree (in theory)

The hubs and my dear daughter eat avocados all the time, so I thought, why not try to grow a tree from one of the pits that usually goes into the compost bin.  Hope springs eternal as they say.

Here is a link to the handy Good Housekeeping Article on how you can grow an avocado tree from a pit. 

I have a planter all ready to pot an avocado tree provided that my pit decided to make roots. 

I'll keep you all updated on the pit situation moving forward, you shall be the first to know if we get growth!

And now on to the first book in my #SeriesInAMonthChallenge!  A Princess, in Theory,  the first book in the Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole. I was able to borrow the audiobook from my library so I listened to the book at 1.5 speed via the Libby App. 

The audiobook is read by Karen Chilton who is incredibly good.  She gives each character their own voices with just the right accents.  If you are deciding between reading the book and listening to the audio, in this case, do yourself a favor and listen to this book.  

Reading this book, I'm amazing at how Alyssa Cole is so skilled at taking the tropes of fairy tales and regency romance and updating it so that it is grounded in the 21st century.  This book starts off with Naledi Smith getting emails she thinks are spam telling her she is supposed to marry an African Prince!  It's like someone said to Alyssa Cole, I bet you couldn't write a story based on an email scam and she said, watch me! 

In this story, we have Naledi Smith who was raised in the foster care system and doesn't know her roots. She is studying epidemiology as a graduate student.  Along comes Prince Thabiso who plans to swoop in and tell Naledi he is her Prince, and that they have been betrothed since they were practically babies. But then there is a misunderstanding and now the Prince is some guy named Jamal who is a server.  Sparks begin to fly, Prince Thabiso has to keep up his pretense and we know the stage is set for a great romance with comical elements and smart, smart people. 

It's so delightful and I am glad that I decided to read this series in a month!  Alyssa Cole writes intelligent,  environmentally-responsible characters who fall into steamy romances and she doesn't forget to add some humor along the way.  Go ahead and read this one and next week I'll be reviewing A Duke By Default the second book in the series featuring Naledi's BFF!

4.5 Stars to A Princess in Theory! 

Public Libraries are The Best! and Fairy Godmothers, Inc. #BookReview

 

Not only was I able to borrow Fairy Godmothers, Inc. by interlibrary loan, I also won a Fitbit!  You see, my local library has reading challenges for kids and adults in the summer and in the winter. This winter I decided to put all my virtual tickets in the Fitbit drawing and I won! Not only that but during the pandemic, our library has also been putting together activity and craft kits for kids and adults. This month the craft kit included everything to make some nice sugar and salt scrubs and beeswax lip balm! 

The moral of the story, take advantage of your local library, it really pays off!

Now on to my review of this new book by Saranna DeWylde, Fairy Goodmothers, Inc.  This is the first book in a new series, it came out in December 2020 and the second book titled Men Are Frogsm is slated to be out this summer.  So read this book now, and then this summer you'll be ready for a trip back to Ever After, Missouri. 

Lucky Fujiki believes she is the opposite of her name. In fact throughout her life so far, she's even been able to share her disastrous luck with people by giving them unlucky hugs. She's lived with the limiting belief that she is under a curse for her entire adult life.  Ransom Payne has loved Lucky for years and years, but whenever they get together---bad stuff happens! We are talking feral pigs, tornadoes, etc. 

How is Saranna DeWylde going to get Lucky and Ransom to a HEA?  This is a romance after all!  The how of the HEA is a wild ride because Ever After, MO is populated by all the fairy tale characters you thought were fiction.  Little Red Riding Hood is there, the 7 Dwarfs, tailor mice, Prince Charming, and of course the Fairy Godmothers!  Setting a romance series in a fairy tale town in the middle of America is clever and the more familiar you are with the fairy tales of your youth the more references and Easter Eggs you will find in this book. 

I think my jam in romance stories is when the protagonist has to learn to love themselves as they are and stop waiting for their prince (or princess) to come. That's what makes this story extra special.  Lucky could take advantage of the three wishes her Fairy Godmothers offer her, but if she were to do that, will her luck ever change?  

"For a single, selfish moment, she wondered when it was going to be her turn. When someone would save her, but maybe that was the lesson all along. She had to learn how to save herself."

Or Maybe there was no lesson at all. Maybe this was just how things were." (page 221) 

For me, this quote summaries Lucky's journey, does she need to let go of hoping to be saved and learn to save herself, or maybe she just needs to let go and just be?  Wanting to find out the answer lead me to read this book in two days! 

Fairy Godmothers, Inc is packed with loads of humor, and all the delights of Fairy Tales, chocolate, and love!

5 Stars! I recommend you add Fairy Godmothers, Inc. to your TBR pile ASAP! 

The Dollar Tree has little figurines for making fairy gardens so I picked up a gnome for my thyme!  I think I will make a little fairy garden on our porch in one of my larger pots once it's warm enough for flowers and plants outdoors again! 

The Sunday Post: Waiting To See if March Will Come in Like a Lion

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly 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 our blog for the week ahead.  See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

How was your week?  Around here the weather took a turn for the good! The giant piles of snow are finally melting.  Lately when I have been running my left leg has been getting sore in a naggy way. I thought it was most likely due to running on side streets vs. running on sidewalks because the street is slanted so water runs off into the gutter so when you run on the street one leg is higher than the other. 

However, today I got my new running shoes and it turns out, I really needed new shoes!  My leg feels so much better it's ridiculous. Next time I will get shoes in 5 months instead of waiting 6 months. 

Here they are in their platinum glory, for anyone who runs, these are Asics Nimbus 22s. I love the cushion of new shoes and these have great heel support. Once the snow is melted not only can I get back on the sidewalks, I can also run some different routes.  Right now some sidewalks are clear, and others have two-3 foot piles of snow and ice. Not great for running or walking. 

What are you looking forward to in March? Any great reads, TV shows, or films?  Comment below! 

Books I will be reviewing include:

and

Happy Sunday! 

How Weird Would It Be To Have Wings? #BookReview

 

This is the second book in the Guild Hunter series and in this book Elena is now an immortal who has been in a coma for a year. The upside to being immortal is that if you spend a year in a coma, you still have all the time in the world after you wake up.  Elena also has wings, which the more I read about the wings the weirder it seemed to me as a lowly human. Can you even imagine?  I can't figure out how I'd put on a shirt and I'd be super bummed that I couldn't sleep on my back. 

 

It does make sense that touching someone's wings without their permission is extremely rude. Like just randomly touching someone's hair except in this case it's feathers. Nalini Singh has such an incredible imagination. This could be just another kick-ass heroine paranormal romance, but instead of settling for that--, she builds a world where Elena gets wings and becomes some sort of hybrid vampire hunter/human/angel.

As she adapts to her new life, she has to figure out how to stay alive since the newly immortal are easy to kill if you are an archangel and most of Raphael's fellow archangels do not like Elena. In this series, Nalini has changed what it means to be an angel. You definitely get the feeling that these angels could more accurately be termed demons. One of the reasons Nalini Singh is a must-read author for me is because she plays with fantasy stereotypes and expands the ideas of what can be done in a story. 

4.0 stars! 

#Romance Review and a Recommendation

 

This month's selection for a book club I belong to was  A Totally Awkward Love Story by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison. It's a story told from Hannah and Sam's point of view in which they have just finished secondary school.  It takes place over the summer while they are waiting for the results of their admissions tests for university.  In the book Hannah and Sam keep running into each other, being attracted to each other, and then something gets in the way, and they miss their opportunity.  The book has parties and trips and shopping and eating--honestly, reading about the vacations in France, Greece, and the group of friends going to a festival during COVID-19 made me a little jealous.  However, listening to the book definitely didn't make me miss being 18. The book is filled with many miscommunications and drunken decisions, which seem to be right on point for that time of life between the very end of childhood and the official start of adulthood.  

One line from the book that I really enjoyed is when Pax (a male character)  says: "Love her? Love her?  You don't love someone until you are like 23 or something."  That sounds like a solid life plan!

I listened to the audio version of this book at 1.8 speed. Both readers are excellent and make the book that much more engaging. 

3.5 Stars  - If you like first love romances with lots of missed connections, you'll love this book. 

***

And now the recommendation. I was looking for a way to use fewer giant plastic bottles of Laundry Soap and Dishwasher detergent. I decided it was worth it to give Dropps a try.   I've been super impressed.  The boxes the pods come in can be composted and the pods work as good as name brand stuff in the washing machine and the dishwasher pods are super good. I've stopped having to rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher.  This link has a referral discount: Dropps if you want to check it out. It's a subscription service but it's very flexible on the timing of orders, and it's so nice to reduce some of the plastic bottles our house goes through each month. 

One Month from Now = Spring! #TheSundayPost

The Sunday Post is a weekly 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 our blog for the week ahead.  See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Upcoming this week on the blog:

I'll be reviewing:

A Totally Awkward Love Story

Archangel's Kiss

and The Sign of Death

I am also listening to 

If I finish this one I'll review it too! 

Quick reminder tomorrow is release day for A Pocket In Time! You can read my review here

Happy Sunday!  One more week left in February and then March will be here, and you know what March means?  Yep, Springtime!!! The time of year for renewing and refreshing.  Speaking refreshing, how do you like my updated blog design?   I love my new header!  Thank you Michelle of Limabean Designs! Michelle does great work and you can click here to visit her website for info on her services! 

What's going on in your neck of the woods this week?  Any fun plans? 

#CozyMysteryBookClub #FebruaryReview Crime & Punctuation!

It is almost time for the February meeting of The Cozy Mystery Book Club! This coming Tuesday, Feb 23rd on YouTube at 7pm EST,  you can join in the live stream discussion of this month's book Crime & Punctuation by Kaithlyn Dunnett.  As you can see in my picture from an Instagram post I made, I borrowed the book from my local library. The cover of the book is a bit of an optical illusion,  looking like four-book spines. This is the first book in the Deadly Edits Series and after this book, there are two additional books so far--and the covers that look like book spines continue on book two and book three's covers. 

Mikki Lincoln, the protagonist of this series, is a retired school teacher. Additionally, she is a recent widow who has moved back to her hometown.  Mikki edits books on the side to help pay for renovations to her hundred-year-old home. If it weren't for The Cozy Mystery Book Club, I don't think I would have picked up this book.  I have so many cozy mysteries yet to read on my kindle and on my bookshelf.  Of course, that is one of the reasons I like to participate in the club, I wind up reading stories I would not have read otherwise. 

As I began reading Crime & Punctuation,  I realized I don't think I have read any book told from the POV of a woman who was in her late 60s. I've read plenty of books in my life and many of them are from a woman's POV but the vast majority of those books take place with characters who are under 40.   It would seem that the cozy mystery is a subgenre that allows for women who are older to be protagonists! I hope as more cozy mysteries are published, that the subgenre continues to broaden the types of people that get to be protagonists. I want more cozies told from the POV of Black and Brown women of all ages and also from members of the LBGTQIA community.  As a reader, I value stories written by and about people living completely different lives than me. 

Alright, back to the book. Mikki uses her skills as a former teacher and an editor to discover who killed Tiffany and why.  I enjoyed how Kaitlyn Dunnett uses a book manuscript as the central clue in this plot. In the book, Mikki talks about how new writers make mistakes in their writing and as I was reading  Mikki's critiques, I thought Kaitlyn Dunnett must have to be very careful in her writing so the character she created wouldn't tell her to fix her writing! The book takes place in the fall in a small town in the Catskills. Once again, which is very 2021 of me, I add the Catskills to my long list of places I would like to visit after the pandemic.

4.5 Stars to Crime & Punctuation a solid start for a mystery series: small town, curious sleuth, cat companion, a bookish job, and a big old house in a scenic area --and a cornucopia of townspeople! 

*****

My weather app says that Chicagoland should be getting temps in the 30s this weekend. I hope so, I want some of this snow to melt! 

This is how much snow we had on January 30th! 

This is how much snow we have now.

I think that's enough snow, I'm good with temps too high for snow moving forward!  

 

Can Netflix Make This Book into A Movie? #RomanceReview #HowToCatchaQueen 4.5 Stars

 

I decided to read this book because I enjoyed Alyssa Cole's mystery thriller When No One is Watching. As you can probably tell from the cover this book is a romance.  This is the first book in a new series by Alyssa Cole called Runaway Royals. 

While this book is contemporary, the book takes place in a country where there is an absolute monarchy, so you have some elements that are usually found in a Historical Romance.  The couple in the book Shanti and Sanyu are in an arranged marriage that includes a four-month trial.  King Sanyu is contending with grief over the loss of his father as well as crippling anxiety.  Shanti has focused her whole life on becoming a Queen in order to live a life of service and King Sanyu has spent his whole life trying to avoid the crown. 

This book is a slow burn, but also has the added tension of the marriage trial period.  In addition to reading to find out how and when they will fall in love and make a commitment, we also read to see how this couple will be able to pull the Kingdom out of its downward spiral and bring it into the global community.  I enjoyed the political discussions in the book as well as learning about the mythology of the Kingdom.  Alyssa Cole does an excellent job of discussing mental health as we see Shanti teach Sanyu coping mechanisms, and also as King Sanyu realizes there is no shame in therapy.   

Throughout the book Alyssa Cole puts in some laugh-out-loud lines which are so fun to read, and also there are some quiet lines that really resonate with the reader, such as the one below:

This is a smart romance and interwoven with romance and great sex, we see characters learning their worth and respecting the worth of others.   4.5 stars! 

If you read this book, let me know what you think!

Today is National Carrot Cake Day- I like to eat Carrot Cake, but I can't say I've ever made it!  If you'd like to give it a go today here is a recipe: Carrot Cake Recipe With Video

Happy Wednesday! 

Late January A Great Time to Escape to Palm Beach! #ThePerfect10 #NetGalley

Just a few days left to enter my Giveaway, just click on the MLK Day Giveaway Button on the right side of my blog to read and comment! 

I don't know about you, but I often choose a book to read based on its cover. That is the case with this book by Eric O'Keefe.  I liked the 1960's retro look and the promise of a book set in Palm Beach, Florida. Flurries may be swirling outside my window, but when I open this book I'm transported to palm trees and polo ponies. A perfect escape for late January. 

Going into this book I didn't know anything about polo outside vintage Ralph Lauren commercials.  Now I have a better understanding of the game and now realize that it has a global fandom.  This book is a fast-paced mystery in the style of James Patterson. This book has multiple POV characters and it takes a little while before you, the reader, understand how the different characters fit into the central mystery of who killed Juan Harrington and why. It's like an out of focus picture that slowly becomes sharp.  

As the field of suspects narrows, I had a pretty good idea of motive but I wasn't sure who was the killer before it was revealed. If you like reading thrillers and you enjoy sports, add this book to your TBR pile, and get ready for the high stakes world of the Sport of Kings.

I got this book through Net Galley, all the opinions are mine #ThePerfect10 #Netgalley

Helping me get into the Palm Beach spirit, we finally had a few sunny days here in the land of Lincoln.  I moved our houseplants so they could enjoy the sun as well. 

Cloudy days bum Bowie out

Sunshine Day! 

 

Downward Death - A New Cozy Mystery and I Try A New Recipe! #COYERCHALLENGE2021

As you can see here I overcooked the crescents by about 2 minutes. 

 Kraft food sends me recipes all the time and many of them involved crescent rolls which I think I could easily eat a whole batch by myself! They are so light and flaky!  Ham and Pineapple Crescent Rolls I followed the directions on this recipe. I will say if I were to make this in the future I would dice the ham and mix all the ingredients into one spread and spread that on the crescent rolls and then roll them up. Overall it was a good way to use up leftover crushed pineapple!

I received an ARC of Downward Death by Stella Bixby, below is my review and as always the opinions are mine!

Ellie Vanderwick is a bit of a loner. She was raised in foster homes and has lived off and on in her converted VW Bus since she was 17.  Her dream is to help people to be pain-free and more flexible through yoga.  This story begins with Ellie being bequeathed a farm in Iowa courtesy of the grandmother she never knew.  So far so good right?  Ellie will be the outsider coming to a new town. We've all read that before right?

But wait! Ellie has a secret, her hair is a mood ring.  Yes, it changes color and texture based on her mood and feelings.  I thought this was a unique and fun way to add a little magic to a fairly standard cozy.  She also has a pet pig as her cozy companion!  

At the beginning of the book, there is some major corn confusion that made me say out loud-- "Is anyone going to tell her?"  I don't know if I got it because I am a Midwesterner or if it's common knowledge.  (you'll have to read to know what I am talking about, I don't want to spoil you).

Within the first three chapters of this book, I was already invested in Ellie V's life. I wanted good things for her and her Penelope, and I was ready to fight a couple people in the town on her behalf and hug others.  Stella Bixby has done a wonderful job in this book of really pulling the reader into the story.  The mysteries of Ellie's hair, who her parents were, and how will Ellie support herself were enough to keep me turning the pages, even before the murder occurred. 

I read the second half of Downward Death in one sitting,  The mystery keeps you guessing and you aren't sure which of these characters is terrible enough to be a killer. As I have said before, I prefer it when a cozy mystery killer is just an awful person motivated by...well I better not say this killer's motivation- that might help you guess who done it! 

When the book ends, some of the mystery of Ellie's background is solved, but much of who she is is left as an overarching mystery for future books.  I really enjoyed this series and can't wait to read the next book. I am hoping that Ellie's mother is alive and well and will show up in a future book!  I also hope Katie & Earl's daughter features in a future story!