Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Things That Instantly Make Me Want to Read a Book

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is about Ten Things That Instantly Make Me Want to Read a Book.

1.  An Old House - especially one that's inherited and even better if it's full of trunks and secrets and whatnot.

2.  The main character is an antiques dealer, researcher, genealogist, or really anything that involves digging into the past for whatever reason.

3.  A 1920s or 30s setting - This can be in about every genre.  There's something about the between the wars time period that just grabs me

4.  Found Families - This has been my most recent favorite thing.  I love a good lonely person finding their place.

5.  A Missing Person investigation - There's something about a missing person case that pulls me in way more than a regular murder does.

6.  Dogs (as long as they're not in any kind of peril) - I love books involving dog training, working dogs or even books where a dog is the main character's side kick.

7.  Ghosts - I love a good ghost story or a haunted house or a ghost side character.

8.  A main character that is connected to books - If the main character is an author, a librarian, a bookstore owner or anything else that is connected to books I will most likely pick up the book.

9.  Family Secrets - Especially if paired with an old house!  If you throw in a main character who is a researcher, loves to read and has a dog and add a ghost or two to the house and you pretty much have my perfect book.  

10.  My favorite authors - I have a few authors that are auto-buy authors (Nora Roberts, Hazel Gaynor, Ellie Alexander, and a few others) so I will normally pick up their books without even reading the blurb.  

History and digging into old secrets seems to be my main themes.  What makes you instantly want to read a book?

Hard Dough Homicide - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Hard Dough Homicide (A Spice Isle Mystery #2) by Olivia Matthews

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Someone in Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean neighborhood has an appetite for murder in Olivia Matthews' Hard Dough Homicide .

Spice Isle Bakery owner Lyndsay Murray is always looking for new ways to grow her family’s business. But she already regrets agreeing to host the retirement dinner for local high school principal Emily Smith. The tyrant used to be her mother's boss and they did not get along. Six guests arrive for the celebration, but only five survive. Emily starts convulsing―right after eating the curry chicken―and dies soon after. It’s not long before the police are knocking on Spice Isle’s door, bringing the Murray family back into the heart of another murder investigation―driving away customers in the process. Lyndsay can't help but wonder if this is the end of the bakery, even though it's just begun. She must put aside her reservations about investigating another crime, because the Murrays refuse to go down without a fight.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  The premise of this book sounded interesting so I decided to read it on a whim.

My Impression:  Well this was a delight!  I read a lot of cozy mysteries but this is one of the few I've read that take place in a large city and definitely the first I've read that focuses on Caribbean culture and food.  

I liked Lyndsay right from the beginning and I can't blame her for keeping Detective Bryce at arms length despite his status as her childhood crush and pretty nice looking adult who is interested in her.  Lyndsay is relieved to have put the previous murder behind her and is focusing on getting her family's bakery off the ground and profitable as well as learning how to bake to her grandmother's standards.  

Against her better judgement she is pressured into catering a retirement dinner and the only surprise when the guest of honor collapses at the table is that someone waited so long to kill her.  With Lyndsay's family and bakery once again in the crosshairs of a murder investigation the family leaps into action to keep their bakery afloat and to find the true killer.  I'm a big fan of mysteries that involve collaboration investigations and while Lyndsay is definitely the lead her family pitches in and finds all kinds of ways to contribute.  Pretty much everyone had wanted to kill the victim at one time or another but who had finally been pushed to the end and why?  

The investigation was a ton of fun to read and I loved getting to know Lyndsey and her family.  While the story takes place in Brooklyn the community is so involved that it has all the charm of a small town setting.  While this is the second book in the series this is the first book I've read and I had no issue getting into the book and understanding who was who.  I will definitely be picking up the first book and will be keeping my eyes open for more books by this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to revisiting Spice Isle Bakery

Would I Recommend this Book?  Definitely!  If you enjoy cozy mysteries and love books with a strong community this is a series that shouldn't be missed.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

This Week in Reading - May 21

 

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Whispers at Dusk by Heather Graham - This apparently the first book in an off shoot of the Krewe of Hunters series involving an International group of crime solvers.  I'm very excited! (Publisher)

Songs of Wine and Murder by Lynn Cahoon - This is the newest book in the Tourist Trap series and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next in Jill and Greg's lives. (Publisher)

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan - I adored The Christmas Bookshop and am so excited to revisit Carmen and McCredie's Bookshop.  (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  Into the Darkness by Barbara Michaels and Murder off the Books by Tamara Berry

Listening:  Something Old, Something New by Amy Clipston

It's been a weird week but not a bad one.  Jason got home after being out of town for the previous 6 weeks which was fantastic but there's always some adjustment for both of us as he is very neat and I am not!  And I have to get used to cooking again.  But it's absolutely wonderful to have him home.

We are working hard getting Will caught up school-wise.  Our state requires a certain number of school days for homeschoolers between August 1 and July 31 and we will be sliding into with very little wiggle room.  I'm looking forward to next school year when cancer and side effects don't have to be considerations.  

Dog training has been going really well.  The classes I teach have started back up and it's so fun to have a new group of dogs to get to know.  Rover's classes are going really well and we are making real progress in Rally and Scent Work but still have a long way to go with Agility.  I've also started working with a friend on training together.  She has a gorgeous German Shepard who is beautifully behaved so Rover and I have a lot to learn.  That said while we were working on some commands at the park the other day a little girl came running up to him and he maintained his focus on me while only getting a little distracted so that's a HUGE win especially considering he's only 18 months old and in Golden Retriever land he's definitely still a puppy (though a big one at 70+ pounds).  

That's about it for my week.  How was yours?  

Have a great week and happy reading!

Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief - Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief (Mrs. Pollifax #10) by Dorothy Gilman

Rating:  Really Liked It! (4 Stars)
Source:   Library

Description:  The assignment is a snap: Mrs. Pollifax just has to shoot some pictures at a quiet funeral outside Washington and take them to Sicily, where her old friend Farrell — a former CIA agent turned art dealer — anxiously awaits them.

But like all Mrs. P's assignments, so ostensibly suitable for the CIA's favorite garden club member, this one quickly turns lethal. Her welcoming committee in Palermo includes a most unlikely CIA agent and several unseen enemies. Unfriendly eyes also observe Mrs. P's rendezvous with Farrell in a secluded mountain village and weapons are soon displayed. With mysterious forces hot after them, she and Farrell scurry for safety to a fortified country villa, where the bizarre chatelaine, once a star on Madison Avenue, is almost as unnerving as the dangers she's protecting them from.

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:   This was the next book in the Mrs. Pollifax series and I'm trying to read them all in order.  

My Impression:  As always Mrs. Pollifax is in an adventure that quickly spirals out of control.  She's met up with her old friend Farrell who she hasn't seen since her adventure in Zambia that spiraled out of control.  She also meets up with a new agent Kate Rossiter as they go dashing up mountains and down mountains and escaping assassins.  All the while Carstairs and Bishop are back in D.C. wringing their hands and wondering just what is happening now. 

This is all in a regular day's work for Mrs. Pollifax though I must admit this wasn't my favorite book in the series.  Mrs. Pollifax and the other agents are holed up in an Italian villa trying to figure out what is going on.  What I didn't particularly care for was Mrs. Pollifax spends a good time essentially wringing her hands and worrying.  It didn't seem quite like her practical unflappable self.  

While this wasn't my favorite in the series I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in Mrs. Pollifax's world. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  I love this series and this author.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Absolutely!  This isn't the one I would necessarily recommend starting with but this series is bunches of fun if you can suspend belief a bit!

Friday Five - 5 Books on my List for a Birthday Readathon

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  May is my birthday month and I like to celebrate the whole month.  One of the ways I do that is making sure I get a little extra reading time.   I haven't worked up to a full readathon amount of time but next year may be the year.  If I was going to do a birthday readathon here are 5 books I'd want to read.

1.  Three Words for Goodbye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb - I love these authors and I love the sound of this one.  Seems like a perfect choice to start off some binge reading.

2.  Birder on Berry Lane: Three Acres, Twelve Months and Thousands of Birds by Robert Tougias - After the emotional dive into the past above this book about birds and bird watching seems like the perfect soother.  

3.  The Unseen by Heather Graham - Now that I've had some quiet reflection about birds it seems like the time to dive into some fast paced romantic suspense with ghosts and other creepiness.

4.  Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen - And for a change of pace a magical realism story by one of my favorite authors.

5.  Silent Auction by Jane K. Cleland - And to wrap it up I have to include a cozy.  I like this series involving an antiques dealer and a light mystery seems like the perfect way to end my readathon.

What books would you put on your readation list?  

Books from the Backlog - The Library of Lost and Found

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

Blurb:  Librarian Martha Storm has always found it easier to connect with books than people - though not for lack of trying. She keeps careful lists of how to help others in her superhero-themed notebook. And yet, sometimes it feels like she's invisible.

All of that changes when a book of fairy tales arrives on her doorstep. Inside, Martha finds a dedication written to her by her best friend - her grandmother Zelda - who died under mysterious circumstances years earlier. When Martha discovers a clue within the book that her grandmother may still be alive, she becomes determined to discover the truth. As she delves deeper into Zelda's past, she unwittingly reveals a family secret that will change her life forever.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  May is my birthday month and I'm focusing on books involving my favorite thing.  This involves a grandparent/grandchild relationship, a gift from the past, and books so how could I not enjoy this one!

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies - Historical Mystery

Goodreads:  The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  A high society amateur detective at the heart of Regency London uses her wits and invisibility as an ‘old maid’ to protect other women in a new and fiercely feminist historical mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Alison Goodman.

Lady Augusta Colebrook, “Gus,” is determinedly unmarried, bored by society life, and tired of being dismissed at the age of forty-two. She and her twin sister, Julia, who is grieving her dead betrothed, need a distraction. One soon presents to rescue their friend’s goddaughter, Caroline, from her violent husband.

The sisters set out to Caroline’s country estate with a plan, but their carriage is accosted by a highwayman. In the scuffle, Gus accidentally shoots and injures the ruffian, only to discover he is Lord Evan Belford, an acquaintance from their past who was charged with murder and exiled to Australia twenty years ago. What follows is a high adventure full of danger, clever improvisation, heart-racing near misses, and a little help from a revived and rather charming Lord Evan.

Back in London, Gus can’t stop thinking about her unlikely (not to mention handsome) comrade-in-arms. She is convinced Lord Evan was falsely accused of murder, and she is going to prove it. She persuades Julia to join her in a quest to help Lord Evan, and others in need—society be damned! And so begins the beguiling secret life and adventures of the Colebrook twins.

Genre: Mystery - Historical   

Why I Picked This Book:  The premise sounded intriguing and I love historical mysteries.  

My Impression:  I can't think of any other book I've read quite like this mystery.  For starters the book is divided into 3 different cases all involving women in serious and terrible situations.  As well, Gus and her sister Julia are both a bit older than the typical main character and financially independent.  Gus is daring and adventurous and willing to risk herself to help her friends and protect her sister.  Julia is a bit quieter and nicer.  Her edges are a bit smoother than Gus's in your face manner and she isn't quite so quick to jump without thinking.  That said she is just as smart and brave and Gus is.  As well these aren't typical mysteries.  There are no murders but the situations Gus and Julia are involved in are perhaps even more serious with everything on the line.

I enjoyed this read and really liked the format of essentially 3 short stories but in chronological order.  I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and understanding their motivations.  Also, Julia's health issues were heartbreaking and it was interesting to see how breast cancer was treated and thought of in this time period.  My main issue was that Gus's obsession with Lord Evan annoyed me a bit.  She's an adult and is supposed to be mature but she just won't even pause to listen to anyone's advice.    

This is my first experience with this author but it definitely won't be my last.  I really enjoyed the writing style, the characters and the stories.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Yes!  This was an interesting read and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would!  This was a compelling historical mystery with some very different aspects to the story.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *