Thursday, February 19, 2015

Ladle to the Grave - Blog Tour Review + Giveaway



Ladle to the Grave by Connie Archer

Rating: 4 Star
Source: Blog Tour
Description:  When a woman falls dead during a spring celebration in the woods immediately after drinking a glass of an herbal concoction suspicion falls immediately on soup restaurant owner Lucky's grandfather. Lucky's sure her grandfather wasn't responsible but before she has time to learn more she stumbles on a body with her friend Sophie.  Now all of a sudden Lucky has more than she can handle with planning Sophie's wedding, solving the murders and keeping her grandfather from being suspected.

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book: I've been wanting to read Connie Archer's soup series since I first stumbled across it so I couldn't request this one fast enough!

My Impression:
Pro:  I loved Lucky and her friends.  They were nice, interesting and didn't act like children.  The setting is beautiful and I really want a restaurant that specializes in soup nearby!  The little glimpses of Lucky's parents were nice and I really enjoyed her relationship with her grandfather.  They were close but not right on top of each other.  It felt very much like a real relationship.  It was nice to get a feel for Sophie and Lucky's childhood and definitely helped me connect with both characters more.  I liked that police weren't portrayed as inept and Lucky, while investigating, wasn't going against the orders of police.  There were no slow spots or places it felt like the story was dragging and the reveal was a surprise which is pretty rare for me!  While I haven't read the first 3 in the series (though I own them) I don't feel like that prevented me from enjoying the story and connecting with the characters.

Con:  No major objections.  While I enjoyed this book very much and liked Lucky I do prefer the main character to have a real reason for investigating - being a reporter or PI - but I knew going in that Lucky is an amateur detective.  Other than that my only con is that it really made me crave soup and yummy bread!

Overall:This was a cup of tea kind of mystery.  This is an interesting story, great pacing, nice characters and soup.  What more can you want!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Definitely!  I'll be pulling the first 3 off my TBR shelf as soon as I can!

Would I Recommend this Book?:  Absolutely!  This is a really nice cozy mystery!

Challenges Met? New to Me (Author), Reading Road Trip (Vermont), Alphabet Soup (L)

65 comments:

  1. There is a soup restaurant near my library ;) It's good when the revelation is a surprise because it doesn't happen that often, lol !

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    1. Thanks for joining in today! I'd love a soup restaurant near my library!

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    2. I'm so jealous! A soup restaurant near the library! You're right about a revelation being a surprise being rare but it's so fun when it happens!

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  2. I like the main character to have some kind of investigative background too, but this sounds well done. I am glad it was rewarding for you Katherine.

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    1. Thanks for visiting today ~ amateur sleuths have their own particular handicaps, especially when the police don't want them sniffing around!

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    2. I prefer it too but Lucky didn't come off as overly nosy and her reasons for investigating made sense. I definitely enjoyed it and can't wait to read the rest!

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  3. Nice review! I, like you, have to catch up on this series.

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    1. Oh thank you! It's a series that you can jump in anywhere but I'm really looking forward to getting caught up!

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  4. Hi Patricia ~ thank you for your interest, and thanks to Katherine for hosting me today!

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  5. I added the first in the series to my TBR on Goodreads. I will add this one.

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    1. Thank you! I hope you enjoy all the adventures in Snowflake, VT!

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    2. Oh I hope you enjoy this one and the first! I'm really looking forward to getting caught up on this series!

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  6. I wouldnt'; mind a restaurant like that around here myself! I haven't seen that as a base for a cozy. Sounds good to me :)

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    1. Hi Anna ~ The By the Spoonful Soup Shop has an amazing chef! And great recipes too. Good luck today!

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    2. With the temps we've had lately I could definitely do with some soup! This was a lot of fun!

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  7. Sounds like a great read. Look forward to it.

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    1. Thanks so much! And best of luck today!

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    2. Oh I hope you do! It really was a cozy mystery in the best sense of the word!

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  8. Especially on a cold day like today, a story with soup sounds really satisfying!
    Boy! Do I wish rafflecopter weren't so twitter centric.

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    1. Hi Libby ~ I'm craving soup right now myself! Good luck today!

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    2. I agree about the rafflecopter but hopefully you can get a few entries in. This is a fun read!

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  9. Love Snowflake, love this series
    rjprazak6@gmail.com

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    1. Hi Becky! Thank you so much for liking the Soup Lover's Mystery series!!! Good luck today!

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    2. This was the first in the series for me but I can't wait to read more!

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  10. I love this series and can't wait to read the new book. Snowflake sounds like a town I would love to visit. cking78503@aol.com

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    1. Thank you, Chris. I wish I could live in Snowflake. Well . . . in a way I do! Good luck in the giveaway!

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    2. I really enjoyed it and am excited that I have the 3 previous ones to catch up on!

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  11. I would like to visit s nice soup shop---great for a cold winter day.

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    1. Soup is SO comforting, isn't it? I wish I had a good soup shop in my neighborhood too. Good luck today, Sue!

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    2. Oh definitely! I'm making soup for dinner tomorrow because of this book. Just sounds perfect for a cold day!

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  12. I have two of the books in the series. I like potato soup, especially ones like Progresso or Chunky. A few times I had potato leek soup at Barnes & Noble. That was years ago so they may not serve it any longer.

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    1. Hi Michelle ~ Glad you could stop by. I love potato leek soup, I'll have to search for my recipe. Good luck today!

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    2. Potato Leeks sounds delicious! I like progresso soup as well and really any cheesy creamy soup!

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  13. Mmmmm...soup. Sounds fantastic when I'm stepping outside in -20degree weather today. Or even better is soup and a book and not having to leave your house.
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. I'm with you! I'd love being snowbound, as long as I had a good mystery and lots of soup!

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    2. I think I would cry if we were -20. We are at regular 20 and it makes me sad! Soup is coming up tomorrow for dinner. Between the cold and this book how could I resist?

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  14. Love this series and especially love soup!

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    1. Hi Shannon ~ thank you! And best of luck today!

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    2. I really enjoyed my introduction to this series! Can't wait to read more!

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  15. At present, Chicago has the perfect weather for a curling up with a good book and a delicious bowl of hot soup! Definitely want to read this book. servedogmom@yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks for joining in today! And Chicago . . . stay inside and stay warm with a good book!

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    2. I hope you're able to curl up with this book and a nice bowl of soup soon! Stay warm!

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  16. This sounds like fun and I'm always looking for new cozies.

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    1. Hi Bea ~ Hope you enjoy and best of luck!

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    2. I think you'd like this one Bea. Even though the detective is amateur her reasons for investigating really work and while it's definitely cozy it is not at all cutesy!

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  17. What a great blog post. I cannot wait to finish book 1 in this series. I had to slow up a bit on reading as I had some vision problems and hospitalizations, but I seem to be able to do a lot more now, so as soon as I can get all of them read I will make sure to post my reviews. I want to make sure to check this blog site more; had not really heard of it until today when I read Connie's posting. Thank you for the lovely giveaway Connie; those soup bowls are fantastic (so are the other items) but those would be something that I surely could use. Thank you so much, and congratulations on your latest release. It sounds wonderful. Love the recipes as we are a huge soup and crusty bread family!!!
    Cynthia B

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    1. Hi Cynthia ~ Glad to hear you're a soup and crusty bread lover. I saw your notification and I'll put you down for the soup bowls as choice #1. Thanks again for joining in!

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    2. I hope you're feeling better Cynthia. Vision problems are terrible. I'm blind without my contacts and the times when I'm not able to wear them are awful. Good luck with the give away!

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  18. Connie Archer always puts out a great read. From the cover to the last page the reader is drawn in deeper and deeper. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this giveaway.

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    1. Hi Robin ~ Thank you so much for your kind words! And best of luck today!

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    2. This was my first book by her and I absolutely cannot wait to read more!

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  19. love this blog's name! can't wait to read this one! i just ordered the first one in the series!

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    1. Oh, thank you, Malka! I hope you love your visit to Snowflake, VT!

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    2. Thank you so much Malka! I do very much wish I lived in a library! I really enjoyed this one and hope you enjoy the first one!

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    1. Hi Sue ~ I'm so happy to hear that! I hope you enjoyed Snowflake,VT! Good luck today!

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  21. This sounds like the sort of mystery I would enjoy. Great giveaway!!

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    1. Hi Tina ~ I hope you get to visit the village soon! Best of luck!

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    2. I think you would enjoy this one Tina. There's a few really interesting side plots and the mystery itself is really good!

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  22. Connie - thank you so much for taking the time to visit and comment today! It really made my day! I'm very much looking forward to my next visit to Snowflake and seeing more of Lucky and her friends. Thanks for a delightful few evenings ready this one and I'm sure my husband will be thrilled that soup is suddenly on the menu!

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    1. Thanks to you, Katherine ~ for your time and for hosting my blog stop today. Enjoy the soup! This is the best season for it!

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  23. I wish I lived in a library, too! These books are great additions to my library. All caught up with the series and waiting for the release of this one!

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  24. Looks like another Great Cozy mystery. Can't wait to read it.

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  25. I am not much of a soup eater, admittedly, but this does sound like a great cozy mystery.

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