Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Slow Burn Cozy Mystery Goodness! A Maggie and Jasper Caper- Books Two and Three
Sunday, February 13, 2022
Bake Sale Murder and Wedding Day Murder-
I'm doubling up on some of my reviews this week since they are shorter books by the same author in the same series. Today I'm talking about book 13 and book 8 in Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone series.
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Ah Yes More Leslie Meier...
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Sugar and Vice-- The Second Book in the Cookie House Series-
Saturday, February 5, 2022
The Sunday Post! Love is In the Air?
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
Valentine's Day and the big Football game are coming up! Are you ready for some football? I'm ready for snacks and chocolate! This week I'm hoping that the forecast is correct and that we will have some temps over freezing, too many sidewalks are deeply covered in snow and I don't like it! I do like that the days are getting longer little by little!
I finished up my 2 week no dairy, no grains, no white potatoes or flour diet. I could use a medal for that achievement. Now I'm trying to see how I can incorporate that moving forward. I have to say I need to find a balance because the two weeks without any grains, cheese or potatoes was really really hard.
Today's compromise was a burger, but it was a turkey burger and I added mushrooms to the ground turkey and I had the bun so I didn't have any potatoes chips or make french fries to go with it.
I also figured out my phone has a portrait mode where I can take a picture and the background is out of focus!Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Seasonal Winter Reading Means I'm Reading Leslie Meier!
As you know, I love to read the cozy mystery genre. In reading cozies, I find that there are some amateur sleuths that I just really like. Leslie Meier's Lucy Stone is one of those characters. Sometimes she is cranky and sometimes I disagree with her, but I feel like if she was an actual person I would enjoy her company.
I mean, I like this series so much that I'll read them out of order, this is really saying something since I have a very strong preference to read a series in order. However, when it comes to Lucy Stone, I know her and the family well enough that I don't mind. What I have found is that I really like the books that take place during Winter in Tinker Cove, so I read the Winter books in the Winter and it's a comfort. The other reason I return to this series is that, especially in the first twenty or so books, the stories give me double nostalgia. Life for Lucy reminds me of when I was a kid and also the days when my kids were smaller. St. Patrick's Day Murder which is book 17, is no exception, all the double nostalgia I could want and plenty of talk of slush on the streets and cold winds blowing.
Sunday, January 23, 2022
And Then There Were Crumbs #TheCozyMysteryBookClub January Book!
I am glad that The Cozy Mystery Club is kicking off 2022 with this book, the last couple of books we read were more miss than hit for me, so it was nice to start the year with this solid cozy. You can join us on YouTube tomorrow for the live stream. Ben and Angela are always fun when they talk about cozies!
Sunday, January 9, 2022
Since LIke A Sister is Coming out in March...Hollywood Homicide by Kellye Garrett
Here is how this cozy is described on Goodreads:
"Dayna Anderson doesn’t set out to solve a murder. All the semi-famous, mega-broke black actress wants is to help her parents keep their house. After witnessing a deadly hit-and-run, she figures pursuing the fifteen-grand reward isn’t the craziest thing a Hollywood actress has done for some cash.
But what starts as simply trying to remember a speeding car soon blossoms into a full-on investigation. As Dayna digs deeper into the victim’s life, she wants more than just reward money. She’s determined to find the poor woman’s killer too. When she connects the accident to a notorious Hollywood crime spree, Dayna chases down leads at paparazzi hot spots, celeb homes and movie premieres. She loves every second—until someone tries to kill her."
*****
I had so much fun reading this book. Kellye Garrett nails the struggles of mid-twenties life, trying to figure out what one wants to do now that they are grown up, how to support yourself as well as family members who are struggling, as well trying to have self-esteem when surrounded by the photoshopped and airbrushed beauty ideals. This is all wrapped in a funny cozy mystery. Dayna is a self-deprecating and most importantly very relatable amateur sleuth. Her old friend and potential love interest (if she gets out of her own way) says she is a quitter, but we see a Dayna who is tenacious in pursuit of her goal to help her parents.
The book takes place in Hollywood, a departure from the small town setting most cozy mysteries use, and this is a nice change of pace. Sometimes in the first book in a series, the author introduces so many characters that it can be difficult to keep everyone straight as the story unfolds. Hollywood Homicide avoids that pitfall.
Kellye Garrett was able to lead me around and I completely discounted the actual killer in this book. For me this book was a 5 star read, and I hope she will be able to write more in this series soon. There is only one more book after this one so far! Eek! I need more Dayna!
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
Candy Slain Murder -- A Cozy Review- Deep in the Series
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Overdue Review of the November Cozy Mystery Club Review and My Oldest Elf!
This review is overdue, I like to post about each month's book the day before the live stream. This time it's oh about a month late.
Things I liked about this book:Sunday, December 19, 2021
Cozy Novella Great For Christmas Week Enjoyment! From #NetGalley #TheStarlightMintSurpriseMurder
This book zips along and has all the elements that I love in Christmas-themed cozy mysteries. You have a Christmas Festival that has a cookie contest, you have cocoa and coffee, a B&B a cozy little town--this one is in the mountains, there is snow and there is of course a murder.
I read the book in two sittings, I enjoyed that in this story the protagonist Mel is a retired police officer, this makes her sleuthing and her investigating seem second nature. She has a new business and she needs it to be successful--a common theme in both Hallmark Christmas movies and Cozy Mysteries.
A big mystery for me was the cookies. I have never heard of Starlight Mint Suprise cookies, not knowing if Marla White made them up whole cloth or if they were a thing, I did my googles and found that they are a thing.
So Retro! Check out the recipe- Starlight Mint Suprise Cookies from the blog A License to Quill
Overall 4 stars, I liked Mel alright, the Christmas theme was on point, and some nice red herrings were all part of this fast-paced- mystery!
#TheSundayPost Holy Cow It's Less Than A Week Til Chirstmas! Where Have I Been?
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
Hi! How are you?
Everything is good by me, the family is healthy and boosted. I'm healthy and boosted. I've had a really busy last six weeks with Tastefully Simple work. I sold a lot of bread, cakes, and spices. Which is great! And has been super helpful for paying the oldest child's college tuition. With all that, my reading and my blogging went to the wayside. Hopefully I can get it back on track now, I have a few books read so I can fill this week with posts, and then this week I should be able to read some more for the next week and so on. You know how it goes.
So how have you been? Are you ready for the Christmas holiday? I suppose I am as ready as I will be this year! I've got about 30 more cards to mail out tomorrow and I think that will put me at about 75ish cards mailed, based on how many stamps I have used. My goal was to mail 100 cards, but I just ran out of people's addresses. Or should I say I couldn't find enough people willing to give me their addresses!
I have also given away all the cookies I made--but I think I'm going to make a batch of my favorite cookies, Spritz Cookies, today or this coming week.
Books I'll be talking about this week:
#TheStarlightMintSurpriseMurder #NetGalley
Ohoooo I think this one is going to be the first book in a new series--a spin-off with two characters from the Shayla Murphy Mystery series in Ireland!
And last of all for the week,
Thursday, November 4, 2021
A Cozy Mystery Novella To Kick off Holiday Reading! #HaveaHollyHauntedChristmas #NetGalley
This Christmas-themed novella comes after the second book Two Wicked Desserts in Lynn Cahoon's Kitchen Witch series.
I think you could read this out without having read any of the other books in the series and further, it doesn't spoil Two Wicked Desserts. In this novella Mia our amateur sleuth and caterer is pretty overwhelmed with the holiday season, relatable right? This book is the solving of a cold case, which I thought was fitting for the holiday season, instead of having a serial killer roaming the town, Mia and her crew are trying to solve an old case.
We see Mia, Christina, and Trent really becoming a crime-solving unit. Gran is as shady as ever. That lady just keeps too much under wraps, why? Honestly, it would not be shocking if Gran turned out to be a criminal mastermind, she seems to be up to no good far too often!
As far as the food goes, I love to read about holiday food. I will say that the amount of carbs Mia et al eat would put me in a food coma!
In a nutshell, this is a quick festive cozy read! 4 stars
Thanks again to #NetGalley for the ARC! This book is available NOW so download it today! All opinions are mine!
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Speaking of cookies, I'm participating in a Zoom Cookie Workshop on November 28th! If you follow my blog you know I love making cookies and then putting together cookie platters and tins to give friends and family! (below are 7-Layer Cookies from last year)
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Snowed: A Rylie Cooper Mystery
This is a novella-length cozy mystery and is the latest installment in Stella Bixby's Rylie Cooper Mystery series. Rylie Cooper is a Park Ranger so she is an amateur sleuth, but law enforcement adjacent which is helpful in this series since she keeps running into dead bodies.
This series is available as part of a Kindle Unlimited subscription, so if you haven't already done so, do yourself a favor and start reading this fast-paced cozy series. Stella Bixby pushes the boundaries of 'coziness', which I enjoy but if you are not one who wants any romance or talk of romance, this series is not for you.
Snowed is a real page-turner, I could not put it down! In addition to finding out if a murder had happened, I needed to know if the wedding was going to happen!
After a fall filled with above-average temperatures, this week we finally got those cool 50 degrees (or 10 degrees Celcius) days, reading about a massive snowstorm felt extra cozy as it rained outside my window!
4 Stars!
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Well I did finish the Marathon.. and Cozy Mystery Review #NetGalley #MurderAtTheLobstahShack
My poor toes have let me know, in no uncertain terms, that they think I should switch to running half-marathons. I have to agree with them. Oh my goodness what a long day! I am glad I can say I finished, that's about all I can say. I looked like I was auditioning for a part as a zombie in the Walking Dead for about the last five miles!
Here I am before the race started as we stood around waiting to move up to the starting line. I don't know how accurate my FitBit is, but it said I had over 69,000 steps. I was so done at the end of the race, I didn't take advantage of the Mimosa Bar!
My poor big toes are super sore, I'm not ready for regular shoes, but we have a wedding to go to on Saturday so hopefully by Saturday I can wear a pair of flats with my dress!
Now on to a Cozy Mystery book review!
If I had to describe this cozy mystery in one word, the word would be solid. Solid setting, solid cast, solid plot. They sure do eat a lot of seafood in Westham, MA, but that does make sense since this town is part of Cape Cod.
Mac is a likable and savvy sleuth, she runs a bicycle shop and seems to find dead bodies on the side. The relationship between Mac and law enforcement is more plausible than many other books. Mac gives the sheriff tips and gossip and he doesn't tell her much about the case. Now, one might think well if I was up to no good in Westham, MA I would definitely steer clear of this Mac person--but that's a problem for another book.
The book deals with social issues that plague small and large towns alike, including mental illness, addiction, and people who are without housing. Maddie Day does an excellent job talking about these issues and humanizing the characters involved.
4 solid stars for Murder at the Lobstah Shack by Maddie Day!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review! #MurderattheLobstahShack #NetGalley
Saturday, October 9, 2021
#TheSundayPost Marathon Day is Here! Wish me luck!
Monday, October 4, 2021
New Christmas Cozy Out Tomorrow! #MurderattheChristmasCookieBakeOff #NetGalley
Are you like me? Do you love cozy mysteries and cookie bake-offs? If so, get this book ASAP! This is the second book in Darci Hannah's Beacon Bakeshop series. The setting is a small town on Lake Michigan. Lindsey is our overwhelmed bakery owner and amateur sleuth. Already in book two she has become known as a crime solver. There are nice twists and turns and a false ending--so if you think you know who the killer is, you might be right, or you might be wrong!
This book doesn't have an overwhelming number of characters, it's easy to follow the story without having read the first novel. There is no love triangle, wahoo! This book has the perfect amount of Christmas coziness including a visitor from the North Pole. As the book goes on you can see the community of Beacon Harbor really embracing Lindsey as one of their own.
The cookies themselves were described in the most mouthwatering way, I was so thrilled to see that Darci Hannah has included all the preliminary and final cookie recipes in the back of this book! Because this book does work as a stand-alone and because it has so many cookie recipes in the back, it could be a really fun book to give with a cookie tray as a Christmas gift!
4.5 stars to Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off by Darci Hannah!
Thanks so much #NetGalley for the ARC of this book! All the opinions are my own! #MurderattheChristmasCookieBakeOff
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
I'm in a Quandary. Not Sure if I Will Finish This Book or Rate It.
Well, I suppose on the plus side, this wasn't a book that I received an ARC of in exchange for a review. This is the September read for a book club, and it was part of my Kindle Unlimited program so I didn't have to pay for the book and I don't feel an obligation to review or finish the book. Right now I'm 60% of the way through the book. have not read other books by this author, so maybe this book is a poor reflection of their overall work.
In a nutshell, this series isn't for me and that is due to three reasons:
1. Their is a throwaway transphobic moment at the reunion that is supposed to be funny I assume. It's so unnecessary I'm unsure why it is included in the book at all.
2. Then their is a jailhouse scene that involves some racial and LGBT stereotypes around drug use and prostitution that seem lifted out of something from the 1970s. This scene also utilizes a trope known as the magical negro trope. The trope may seem innocuous, but it's insidious so I am not a fan to put it mildly.
3. A major portion of the main character's identity is channeled through her weight. So much centers on how fat she thinks she is, how she has always been heavy, how she can't fit in clothes and on and on and on. Then she goes to see a natrapath practitioner who prescribed a paleo diet for her. There is a long very detailed section of the appointment and then moving forward lots of talk about her and her diet. Too many books that have first person female characters have inner monologues about how they need to lose weight or how their pants are getting tight or how they don't want to see x, y z guy because they aren't at the weight they want to be--and I'm very tired of reading over and over and over again about women feeling fat it takes away from stories at this point for me, esp when it's a mystery.
It's a real bummer for me when I read something that I just can't enjoy. This is only my opinion on this particular book, I do not know how other books in the series are, but given this book I won't continue on this series.
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Another Fun Cozy from Stella Bixby! Magical Mane Series Book 5!
In this installment, we learn more about Ellie's mysterious family and a huge expectation that awaits her. She may be taking on a very important role in the magical world she is just now learning to navigate. I'm so excited to see what happens next.
The central mystery in this book is a good one, I was kept guessing right up until the reveal. I liked the introduction of a witch that can communicate with animals. I would like her to come and chat with my dog!
My favorite scene in the book is not part of the mystery at all, it's a scene between Jake and Ellie. I don't want to spoil it, suffice it to say I love that theme of found family that winds through this series.
I also like Xander and I hope my trust that at the end of the day he will actually be good for Ellie despite what others say, is not misplaced!
Overall, as I have said each time I read a book in this series, if you like a magical cozy, read this series! It's fun and I like that it takes place in Iowa--not a typical cozy town location!
4.25 stars.
*****
Also today it was 88 degrees! I'm over it! Come on Fall! It's the last month of marathon training and I'm at the point where I'm tired of running especially in this ding-dong heat!
Sunday, September 12, 2021
Upcoming Cozy Mystery Release #DeathontheShelf #NetGalley
This series is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. I really enjoy the story arc of Carrie Singleton as she makes a life for herself in the town of Clover Ridge. This entry in the series focuses on a murder at a wedding and weddings is a central theme in the book. It was enjoyable reading to hear Carrie's inner monologue as she questions whether she might be ready to consider such a next step with her boyfriend Dylan.
Unlike previous books, there isn't as much of Uncle Bosco and Aunt Harriet, which makes sense as this book focuses on Carrie's best friend Angela (the bride) and her family. It's fun to see how Carrie and Police Chief John Mather work together. I wasn't too keen on the danger Carrie puts herself in as the book hit its climax, but the tension kept me up late into the night because I needed to know what happened next.
Once again, our library ghost, Evelyn seems shady and secretive with her requests for help from Carrie. A ghost of mystery. I like that Carrie continues to remain suspicious about Evelyn and her motives. I wonder how the library expansion will affect Evelyn?