The Year of the Series - Thread on Arrival + French Fried

 After the calamity that was 2020 I didn't want to give myself serious reading goals but I did want to do something to help my book stacks get a little more under control.  I've tried getting rid of the ones I want to read but unfortunately I want to read all the books I own.  So I decided to focus on series.  There are so many I have that I abandoned halfway through or came in halfway and never read the first few.  I made a list of ten series and the next book I had to read in them and will be rolling in new books and series as I go along and catch up.  Here are two reviews from that list that I've read recently.

Goodreads:  Thread on Arrival (Mainely Needlepoint #8) by Lea Wait

Premise:  Ike Hamilton is a part of the Haven Harbor community just like anyone else, though he's fallen on hard times and has to make do on disability checks and deposit bottles. Most of the locals do what they can to help him out, and needlepointing partners Angie and Sarah are happy to see him at the annual Blessing of the Fleet, honoring all those lost at sea over the centuries.

But when harmless Ike is stabbed, suspicion quickly falls on a troubled teenage boy who's new in town. Angie's convinced that young Leo is innocent--but if he didn't do it, who did? Turns out Ike may have appeared simple-minded, but he knew a few secrets that someone might have murdered him to keep quiet. Angie sets out to trace Ike's bottle-collecting route to find out what he witnessed--and for this killer, there may be no redemption . . .

My Thoughts:  My main complaint is that I only have one book in this series and I'll be so sad to see the last of Angie, Sara, Dave, Patrick, and everyone else in Haven Harbor.  I really love these characters and the community of Haven Harbor.  In this book I really liked that we got to get a little bit of Dave's backstory and got to know him a bit better.  I did have a pretty good clue as to at least part of the who and the why but I still had plenty of questioned and I really enjoyed the journey to the reveal.  I really enjoy the notes on different samplers or other things related to antique embroidery.  This is perhaps a slower moving series and Angie definitely took some time to really grow on me but  this is proving to be a series that I thoroughly enjoy.  My Rating:  Really Liked It!

Goodreads:  French Fried (Ethnic Eats #2) by Kylie Logan

Blurb:  The Statue of Liberty is 130 years old, and for the struggling residents of Hubbard, Ohio, any opportunity to bring in tourists is reason enough for a celebration. Laurel Inwood and her aunt, Sophie, are pitching in. Sophie’s Terminal at the Tracks, a former greasy spoon turned charming ethnic eatery, will be offering French cuisine for the entire week.

For expert help with their quiche and escargot, the ladies turn to Raquel “Rocky” Arnaud, a former French chef and friend of Sophie. What looks like a match made in heaven turns rank as quickly as buttermilk on a summer’s day. Rocky turns up dead and when her nightly red wine shows notes of oak, cinnamon, and poison, Laurel turns from soufflé to sleuth.

My Thoughts:  I really don't like Laurel.  In this book and the previous book she comes off as pretentious and judge-y and she sets my teeth on edge.  However, in this book as in the last book she somehow redeems herself as the book goes on and I find myself fully invested in the mystery.  It actually ends up giving quite a bit of depth to her character as I feel like her past in the foster care system followed by a career as a private chef in Hollywood has jaded her and made her build up walls and she's still trying to figure out who she really is.  The mystery is a doozy with lots of secrets from the past that must be dealt with as well as restaurant business.  This was a fun read with a mystery that was well paced with characters that stick with me.  My only real complaint is that there wasn't nearly as much of the Fury clan as I'd like. This is the last book in the series for me as I read the third book a couple of years ago and I'm kind of sad to put Terminal at the Tracks behind me.  Kylie Logan has written several other series so I'm looking forward to starting anew one soon.  My Rating:  Liked It!