The Year of the Projects: Bought the Farm + Marigolds for Malice

I do love a good list.  It gives a nice sense of order and focus and I love making lists about the books I want to read.  Last year I focused just on series I was behind on.  The project went great and I caught up on a ton of series but I felt like I was neglecting other books on my shelf and books at my library.  This year I have a few lists going - Series, Library, Clear Off My Shelves, and a random TBR Bingo where I pull books off my Goodreads TBR.  Here are a few of my most recent reads.

Goodreads:  Bought the Farm (Farmer's Daughter Mysteries #3) by Peg Cochran

Project: Finishing Up Series

Blurb: Wedding preparations are in full swing at Love Blossom Farm as food-and-lifestyle blogger Shelby McDonald transforms the property for her friend Kelly's down-home country-style reception. But when the lead singer of the wedding band turns up dead--drowned in a trough full of rainwater and strung up like a scarecrow--the police round themselves up a barnful of suspects.

It seems that Travis sowed the seeds of discord wherever he went, and when it becomes clear that everyone from the groom to Shelby's own staff has motive, tracking down Travis' killer is going to be more difficult than finding a needle in a haystack. As Shelby finds herself drawn deeper into the investigation, she'll have to move quickly before the killer decides to put her out to pasture...

My Thoughts:  This is the final book in this 3 book series and I did enjoy it.  I liked the weaving in of Shelby's blog entries as well as the all the farming and cooking bits.  As well there is a good community feel with multiple generations of characters.  The mystery was interesting and while not entirely a surprise did keep me involved in the story.  My only real issue with the series is that every man in Shelby's life is in love with her and it just got a bit much.  My Rating: Liked It (3.5 Stars)

Goodreads:  Marigolds for Malice (Enchanted Garden Mystery #3) by Bailey Cattrell

Project: Finishing Up Series

Blurb:  Elliana Allbright is happy running her perfume shop, Scents & Nonsense, in the charming town of Poppyville, California. And she's even happier when she can use her inherited abilities to infuse her perfumes with an extra special something that eases woes or solves problems for her customers. But she'll need those abilities and more when murder comes to town.

Ellie and her women's business group, the Greenstockings, are helping to open a new museum about local history, and while sorting through the collection of artifacts they discover a time capsule from the days of the Gold Rush. Among the contents is a strange botanical manuscript, recognized by local history professor Eureka Sanford as extremely rare and valuable. When the professor is found dead in the museum, Ellie has no choice but to sniff out the murderer... but this one may have roots that are as old as Poppyville.

My Thoughts:  I read this book several weeks ago and honestly, the bulk of the mystery has pretty much disappeared from my memory.  However, that doesn't mean the book is forgettable.  I absolutely love the world of flowers and scents and hints of magic that Cattrell creates in this series.  I wish the Enchanted Garden was a real place as it would definitely end up on my places to visit list and I love learning the different meanings and uses for flowers.  I would love for Ellie to create a fragrance just for me as all of her scent combinations sound wonderful.  I did enjoy the mystery in this book and I liked that the tie in to the past mystery does make sense.  I'm sorry to see the end of this series but did enjoy all 3 books in this series. My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)