Ten Books On My Library Checkout List

 

I love my library and here are ten books that I've either checked out or am on the waitlist for.  Now fingers crossed that I actually read these before I have to return them!

1.  The Only One Left by Riley Sager - I've been on the waitlist for the audio of this one for months and it just came through.  I'm so excited to start it.

2.  The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves - This is the first Vera Stanhope mystery and I've been wanting to read it forever!  

3.   An Inconvenient Wife by Karen E Olson - A modern take on Henry IIIV.  It sounds like such a great read!  I've hit the last renewel for this one so fingers crossed!

4.  Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty - I'm on the hold list for this one and not expecting to get it anytime soon but so far I've enjoyed everything I've read by her so I have high hopes.

5.  The Kamogawa Food Detectives by Hisashi Kashiwai - This looks wonderful and I've read some great reviews for it.

6.  A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas - I love this series and am looking forward to reading the newest book.

7.  A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters - In the Spice Shop mysteries by Leslie Budewitz the main character references the Brother Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters quite a bit and somehow I've never read them. I'mhoping to read this one before it has to go back!

8.  The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller -  This one has been on my TBR since it came out!

9.  When Did We Lose Harriet? by Patricia Sprinkle - This mystery series looks quirky and pretty fun.  I got a few at a used bookstore but I want to read this one which is the first in the series before I start those.

10. Shadows at the Fair by Lea Waite - This is the first in a series by one of my favorite cozy authors.  

Are you a big library user?  What books do you have out from the library at the moment?

TBR Tarot - Take the Honey and Run

At the end of 2022 Wendy over at Literary Feline posted about these fantastic TBR Tarot Cards she had picked up on Etsy and that sounded too good to resist so I immediately ordered my own set.  So when I'm not feeling strongly about what to read next I pull out my cards and pick a book based on the prompt.  Here is a book the fates chose for me recently.

Prompt:  Choose a Book with a Yellow Cover

Goodreads:  Take the Honey and Run (A Bee Keeping Mystery #1) by Jennie Marts

Blurb:  As a successful mystery author, Bailey Briggs writes about murder, but nothing prepares her for actually discovering the dead body of the founder of her hometown of Humble Hills, Colorado. Bailey grew up at Honeybuzz Mountain Ranch and was raised by her beekeeping grandmother, Blossom Briggs, aka Granny Bee, and her two eccentric sisters, Aster and Marigold—which is why she drops everything to come home and help Granny Bee after a bad fall.
A broken foot doesn’t stop her grandmother from ruling The Hive, her granny’s book club, or continuing to prepare and package her bee-inspired products. But when Bailey's grandmother’s infamous "Honey I'm Home" hot spiced honey turns out to “bee” the murder weapon and her granny is now the prime suspect, Bailey has no choice but to use her fictional detective skills to help solve the murder and ‘smoke-out’ the real culprit.

With the help of Bailey’s witty bestie, a pair of meddling aunts, the feisty members of The Hive, and her computer-savvy daughter, this amateur sleuth is determined to solve the case. A malicious attack and an ominous threat reveal that someone wants Bailey to butt out of the investigation, but there’s no way she’s backing down. She must use her skills to uncover the truth and catch the clever culprit before her grandmother ends up bee-hind bars.

My Thoughts:  Well this was a fun start to a series.  Bailey is a mystery writer and is quite sure she knows enough to solve a mystery and protect her grandmother from suspicion.  Unfortunately, murder in fiction isn't quite as high stakes as it is in real life and even more unfortunately the actual detective just happens to be Bailey's ex-boyfriend.  I really liked this setup.  The Hive is a lot of fun and I'm a big fan of any kind of group investigation.   I also really loved how much support Bailey has around her and her relationship with her grandmother and her daughter, Daisy.  Bailey isn't my favorite main character as of yet.  She's a bit immature and overconfident in her abilities.   I do suspect that she'll calm down a bit as the series goes on and I'm already looking forward to connecting with Bailey, Daisy, and the rest of the Hive again soon.  My Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)

A Murder is Announced - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads: A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie

Rating: Loved It! (5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  The villagers of Chipping Cleghorn, including Jane Marple who is staying nearby, are agog with curiosity over an advertisement in the local gazette which reads: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6.30 p.m.’ Is this a childish practical joke? Or a hoax intended to scare poor Letitia Blacklock? Unable to resist the mysterious invitation, a crowd gathers at Little Paddocks at the appointed time when, without warning, the lights go out…

Genre: Mystery - Classic


Why I Picked This Book:  This was the August pick for the Read Christie Challenge 2024

My Impression:  This is a fantastic Miss Marple book that starts with an little ad in the newspaper and ends with some amazing sleuthing on Miss Marple's part.  There's a fabulous cast of classic Christie characters.  Neighborhood busybodies, Old Colonels who are still stuck on their days in India (and will tell you about them if you stand still too long), overbearing mothers, a wife who may have an iffy background, and the upstanding center of the community and a whole host of others. 

The mystery was an intriguing one with a really great premise.  I loved how Miss Marple was pulled into the case and her interaction with the police was really great.  There were a few laugh out loud moments for me.  As well, even though I remembered the solution to this mystery it did not dim my enjoyment in the reading one little bit.   

This is a Miss Marple mystery I would recommend to readers who are wanting to try a Christie book and are not sure where to start. It's a fun read with a great mystery and classic characters.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  I'm looking forward to the September read -Ordeal by Innocence.

Would I Recommend this Book? Absolutely!  If you're a mystery reader this is a must read.  

Friday Fives - Five Nonfiction Books on My TBR

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random fve lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  Here school starts at the beginning of August but it my head September is the beginning of the school and always has me wanting to learn new things and pick up some nonfiction.  Here are 5 nonfiction titles on my TBR.

1. Betty Ford: First Lady, Woman's Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer by Lisa McCubbin - I read a book about First Ladies a few years ago and was really interested in Betty Ford.  She's an interesting woman in her own right and her courage in talking about addiction and advocating for treatment is amazing.   I'd really like to know more about her.

2.  A Gentleman and a Thief:  the Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue by Dean Jobbs - I've read another book by this author and enjoyed it and this one just sounds so fun!

3.  Agatha Christie: An Elusive Woman by Lucy Worsley - I adore Lucy Worsley and Christie is my very favorite author so even though I've read quite a bit about Christie I'm very curious to read this one.

4.  How to Keep House While Drowning: A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by K.C. Davis - Now that Will is feeling healthy and his energy levels are back up in normal range it feels like we are constantly on the go.  While it has been wonderful to see him be him again I'm exhausted and having to relearn how to balance things again.  This looks like a gentle way to start adding things back in.

5.  The Falcon Thief:  A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird by Joshua Hammer - How can I resist that subtitle?  And I do love a good bird book but no little about falconry.  

What nonfiction books do you have on your TBR?

Books from the Backlog - The Light Over London

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 Light Over London by Julia Kelly

Blurb:  It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier’s life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds within the pages.
In 1941, nineteen-year-old Louise Keene’s life had been decided for her—she’ll wait at home in her Cornish village until her wealthy suitor returns from war to ask for her hand. But when Louise unexpectedly meets Flight Lieutenant Paul Bolton, a dashing RAF pilot stationed at a local base, everything changes. And changes again when Paul’s unit is deployed without warning.

Desperate for a larger life, Louise joins the women’s branch of the British Army in the anti-aircraft gun unit as a Gunner Girl. As bombs fall on London, she and the other Gunner Girls relish in their duties to be exact in their calculations, and quick in their identification of enemy planes during air raids. The only thing that gets Louise through those dark, bullet-filled nights is knowing she and Paul will be together when the war is over. But when a bundle of her letters to him are returned unanswered, she learns that wartime romance can have a much darker side.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I've read other books by this author and enjoyed them and this one has been gathering dust for far too long.

Overdue Reviews - The Geography of You and Me + Sunset in Central Park

 

Goodreads:  The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

Blurb:  Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they’re rescued, they spend a single night together, wandering the darkened streets and marveling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan. But once the power is restored, so is reality. Lucy soon moves to Edinburgh with her parents, while Owen heads out west with his father.
Lucy and Owen’s relationship plays out across the globe as they stay in touch through postcards, occasional e-mails, and—finally—a reunion in the city where they first met.

A carefully charted map of a long-distance relationship, Jennifer E. Smith’s new novel shows that the center of the world isn't necessarily a place. It can be a person, too.

My Thoughts:  I'm not much of a YA reader and honestly I'm not sure why I picked this one up on NetGalley years ago.  However, I really enjoyed this story of two very different teenagers each with a very different journey.  Both are nice kids who are doing their best in situations beyond their control.  The characters felt authentic but weren't overly angsty which is why I think this one worked for me.  If you're looking for a light YA read with likable characters and a nice story this is a good choice.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Goodreads:  Sunset in Central Park (From Manhatten with Love #2) by Sarah Morgan

Blurb:  Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents' divorce, she's seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt—but that's strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race…
Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he's known forever and doesn't want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?

My Thoughts:  Well that was lovely!  This is the second book in a trilogy involving three friends who have started their own business after moving from a small town to Manhatten.  Frankie and Matt have known each other forever and have had crushes on each other for years but only now does it seem like the right time to start taking steps towards each other.  Frankie has more than a little baggage and some serious trust issues around relationships based off her parents' disasterous split when she was a teenager.  This is one of the few times when trust issues make some sense.  Frankie has been through it and is just now really in a place where she can come to terms with everything.  I loved both the characters and couldn't help but root for them.  My favorite thing was that they actually communicated and listened to each other.  I also really loved the friendship between the three women and how supportive they are of each other.  The ending was also pretty fantastic.  My only issue is that I listened to the audio and for the most part I was good with the narrator but her voice for Eve drove me up the wall.  It was very Marilyn Monroe-esque and just felt so overdone.  I read the third book (Eve's story) years ago and now have added it back to my TBR as I enjoyed this enough I want to revisit it.  My Thoughts:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)

Top Ten Tuesday - Books I Read That Provided a Much Needed Escape

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 Books That Provide a Much Needed Escape.  Sometimes there is just the right book at the right time and these are ten of those books.

1.  The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett - This was just a breath of fresh air when I was feeling a bit low and stressed.

2.  Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer - I was teetering on the edge of a reading slump when I got the audio of this one and was thoroughly delighted by this one.

3. Be My Ghost by Carol J. Perry - Carol J. Perry is one of my favorite cozy mystery authors and this one involving a haunted inn was just what I wanted.

4. Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie - Every time I think of this book I picture Miss Marple sitting on the verandah at the seaside resort thinking over things and I can almost feel the sea breeze.

5.  Midnight at the Blackbird Care by Heather Weber - This was just one of those right books at the right time.  I was tired and needed a pick me up and this was just the right book.  

6.  Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan - I listened to this while my son was in the hospital and it was wonderful.  I had a good cry and was fully captivated by the story and the characters.  Visiting a winter-y England was a lovely escape from a hospital room.

7.  Shattered Silk by Barbara Michaels - When I was in college this was one of my go-to rereads after finals to give my brain a little break.  I loved the characters and adored all the vintage fashion.  It's still one of my favorite rereads after a brain draining time.

8.  Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q Sutanto - I read this book last year while recovering from Covid and it was just the right book for recovering.  It kept me entertained enough that I was able to just sit and read and most importantly get some rest!

9.  Hotel of Secrets by Diane Biller - This was just a fantastic mini vacation to Austria with intrigue and romance and gorgeous gowns.  It was just a delight to pick up this book and tune everything else out for a bit.

10.  What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama - Just looking at the cover of this brings my blood pressure down a notch I think.  This was such a lovely bookish calming book.  It's like a deep breath and a warm blanket with a cozy cup of tea.

The Grim Steeper - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: The Grim Steeper (A Witches' Brew Mystery #3) by Gretchen Rue

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

Description:  Amateur witch Phoebe Winchester is excited to host her first big author event at the Earl’s Study, her book and tea store. The author, Sebastian Marlow, is a famous birder excited to put Raven Creek on the map for his rediscovery of a presumed-extinct bird. When Sebastian is found dead before his planned bird hike, where he expected to prove the existence of the bird to fellow birding enthusiasts, it’s obvious someone wanted him to be extinct, too.

Sebastian had a few unfriendly encounters with his staff—including his recently fired manager, who was seen arguing with him at the author event. Phoebe is determined to figure out who killed Sebastian, worried that it will negatively affect her store’s image that her biggest guest author got killed. With the clock ticking, she enlists the help of Rich Lofting, the handsome local private investigator, to help her look into the murder.

It’s not long before another victim is pecked off and someone close to Phoebe is the suspect. She’ll have to work quickly to uncover the killer and figure out who’s up to fowl play in the third charming book in this warm and witchy series.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy 

Why I Picked This Book:  I have enjoyed the previous two book sin the series so of course I had to pick this one up!

My Impression: This was an entertaining read - a fun cozy with a hefty dose of magic, books and cats. In the first book Phoebe arrives on the scene knowing nothing about magic or running a bookstore but she quickly jumps in trying to figure everying out and by book three she's doing great with the bookstore but the magic part isn't going particularly smoothly.  Both aspects take a hit when the celebrity author is murdered right after a signing at the bookstore.  

I really like the characters in this series.  Phoebe is smart and creative and has a great cast of characters around her.  I like Honey and her help with magic and just an ear for Phoebe to vent to.  She contrasts nicely with Imogen who is no nonsense and gifted at helping run the bookstore.  And of course there's Bob, the bookstore cat to end all bookstore cats.  

The mystery isn't the fastest paced.  There's a lot of day to day activity and there's also a decent amount of page time devoted to Phoebe working with her magic and dealing with a few side catastrophies.  As a regular reader of the series, I found this really enjoyable and liked the time spent with the side characters.  But if you're new to the series it may be a bit slow.  

This is a cozy read with fun characters, an interesting mystery, and some fantastic bookstore time.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would!  I've really enjoyed this series and am looking forward to reading anything else by this author.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you're a cozy fan and like a bit of magic with your mysteries (as well as magic and books) this is a great series though I do recommend you start with the first book.

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

Reading Recap - August 2024

 

Monthly Recap:

Monthly Reading Count -  15 -This is probably my lowest count for the year but this month has been crazy busy.  I think things are settling down soon though.

Print - 3

Ebook - 5

Audiobook -7

Mystery - 10

Fiction - 3

Romance - 2

Favorite Books of the Month:

Favorite Audio:  Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson - This was funny, entertaining, and a super solid mystery with a few surprises.

Favorite Read:  The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen - This was one of those right books at the right time kind of reads.  I liked the characters and got caught up in this historical mystery.

Between a Flock and a Hard Place by Donna Andrews - This is the latest in one of my absolute favorite cozy mystery series.  Lots of hijinks and shenanigans and a good mystery.

Least Favorite Read of the Month:  Little GIrl Vanished by Denise Grover Swank - I did enjoy the mystery but disliked all the characters.

This Month's Armchair Travel: 

Domestic Travel:
I visited Colorado and Arkansas for the first time this year.  I also revisited California (twice), New York, Washington, Virginia, Maine, and Massachusetts.

International Travel:
In addition to my usual visits to England (three times) I also visited Scotland, Australia, and Singapore.

What was your favorite read this month?  Where did your books take you?

Friday Fives - September TBR

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. This is the first Friday in Septembery so I'm picking out five books I hope to read this month.

1.  The Grim Steeper by Gretchen Rue - This is the third book in a series about a magical book and tea shop.  There's a cat involved as well so it's pretty much the cozy trifecta.  I've really enjoyed the previous books.  

2.  Dead Storage Mary Feliz - Well for one thing there's a dog on the cover so how can I resist it?  This has also been on my NetGalley shelf for literally years and it is time to give it a listen.

3.  Arsenic with Austen by Katherine Bulger Hyde - This has been on my TBR since it came out and so I had to put it on my Library Priority List for this year!

4.  Jane Austen's Lost Letters by Jane K. Cleland - This is the last book in the Josie Prescott Antique Mystery series and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

5.  You Can Run by Rebecca Zanetti - This is my TBR Tarot read for the month.  The prompt was Choose a Book that Starts With You and I've been wanting to read this one for ages.

What are you hoping to read in September?

Books from the Backlog - Murder at the Mill

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: Murder at the Mill by M.B. Shaw

Blurb:  A picture hides a thousand lies . . . And only Iris Grey can uncover the truth
Iris Grey arrives at Mill Cottage in a picture-perfect Hampshire village, looking to escape from her crumbling marriage. She is drawn to the neighbouring Wetherby family, and is commissioned to paint a portrait of Dominic Wetherby, a celebrated crime writer.

At the Wetherby's Christmas Eve party, the mulled wine is in full flow - but so too are tensions and rivalries among the guests. On Christmas Day, the youngest member of the Wetherby family, Lorcan, finds a body in the water. A tragic accident? Or a deadly crime?

With the snow falling, Iris enters a world of village gossip, romantic intrigue, buried secrets and murder.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  It's been sitting on my shelf since I bought it soon after it came out.  The premise sounds fantastic and the blurb says that it's a must read for Miss Marple lovers.

What I'm Reading Wednesday - September 4

I always have a few books going.  Here is what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about them.

Print Book: 

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca - I just started this one so I don't have an opinion on it yet but the premise was really calling my name and I've really been looking forward to reading it.

I think I'm going to pick up a book off my September TBR list next but not sure which one.

Ebook:  

The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber - So far so good with this one which isn't surprising as I really enjoy everything I've read by this author and every book in this series.

Next up is A Slay Ride Together With You by Vicki Delaney

Slow Read: 

Wonderdog: The Science of Dogs and Their Unique Friendship with Humans by Jules Howard - This is really interesting though a bit on the techincal side.  It's definitely not the easiest read but it's given me a lot to think about it.

Audio Book:  

Peppermint Barked by Leslie Budewitz - This is the next book in the Spice Shop series that I've really been enjoying.  This has been another entertaining read so far though just the title has me wanting Peppermint Bark!

What are you reading today?

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books About Food on My TBR

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 Books About Food Thar Aren't Cookbooks so I'm looking through my TBR to find some foodie books I'm looking forward to reading.

1.  A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor by Darci Hannah - A new cozy msytery with food and ghosts and a manor in England.  What's not to love!

2.  Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan - I have a huge sweettooth and typically enjoy Colgan's books.

3.  The Food Explorer: The True Adventures of a Globe Trotting Botanist Who Transformed What America Eats by Daniel Stone - I don't know much about this one but it sounds fascinating and I love food history.

4.  Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust - I read a later book in this series and enjoyed it.  I always meant to go back and read the first book but of course I haven't yet.

5.  Wrapped Up in You by Jill Shalvis - The main character runs a taco truck so I suspect I will want lots of tacos as I read this one.

6.  Crust No One by Winnie Archer - This cozy mystery involves a bakery that focuses on bread.  I read the first one and loved it but never continued the series.  

7.  32 Yolks:  From My Mother's Table to Working the Line by Eric Ripert- Eric Ripert kind of terrifies me but he's an amazing chef and I'm curious to hear more about his philosophies on food.

8.  Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day - Another cozy mystery and this one has been on my TBR for years.  I'm not even going to guess how many books in this series I already own yet somehow haven't read.

9.  The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison - I love foodie books and main characters figuring out what they really want in life and this has both!

10. Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricies of the British Table by Nigel Slater - I love Nigel Slater and this looks interesting!

What foodie books are on your TBR?

Furever After - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Furever After (Magical Cats Mystery #16) by Sofie Kelly

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

Description:  Kathleen is busy running the library and planning her upcoming wedding to detective Marcus Gordon when she suddenly stumbles across a body in the library. She is surprised to learn that the deceased was in the middle of an unlikely heist—it seems he was trying to steal one of the paintings that had been in a box in the library’s workroom. Kathleen never knew any of the library’s rotating artwork was valuable and can’t imagine what the dead man wanted with it.

But then an art history expert called in by the police identifies the almost-purloined painting as a piece that might have been part of a previous high profile art theft. Owen’s and Hercules’s whiskers are already twitching, and events soon make Kathleen realize that whoever killed the wannabe art thief has more than murder on their mind. Kathleen and her clever cats will have to work fast to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  This series has been on my TBR for ages and the blurb of this one really caught my attention so I thought I'd give it a try.

My Impression:  I love the books this author writes under her Sofie Ryan series and have been meaning to try this series for ages.  I'm so glad I finally picked this one up.  This was such a fun read! Kathleen is in the middle of wedding preparations when a bit of her past comes back to haunt her.  Specifically a person from her past is found dead on the library floor in front of a painting that may have a mysterious history.  

This is definitely a series best read in order as there are a lot of characters that have a lot of connections.  That said, even though I'm jumping in with this book I was able to appreciate the relationships and enjoy the interactions.  It made me want to go back to the beginning of the series and meet Kathleen, Marcus, Roma, and all the rest of the community at the beginning.  I also really loved the cats.  Hercules and Owen have powers but for the most part they're powers I think anyone with cats would recognize - and wonder if their cats might have a power or two as well!

The mystery really kept me entertained and I flew through this book.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every book in this author's series under Sofie Ryan and I am adding the Sofie Kelly Magical Cat series to my series list to get started on reading from the very beginning.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I'm really excited to start this series from the beginning.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy cozy mysteries with books and cats this is a series that you must try.  If all the books are as enjoyable as this one you're in for a treat.

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

A Late Phoenix - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads: A Late Phoenix by Catherine Aird

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

Description:  Berebury, England, did not have an easy go of it during the Second World War. This quaint Victorian town was destroyed when the Nazis dropped bomb after bomb on its perfect gardens and neat hedges. After three decades of disarray, the town council has finally begun reconstructing what’s left. All throughout Berebury, the sounds of hammers and saws drone on. But on this particular day, the noise stops.

In the crater of a bomb site, a skeleton has been found. While its presence there isn’t unusual—hundreds died in bombing raids throughout England—the manner in which the pregnant girl met her end is sinister enough that Detective Inspector C. D. Sloan and his assistant, Detective Constable Crosby, are called to the scene. The cause of death, it seems, was not the blast, but a bullet to the spine.

Inspector Sloan is the best there is when it comes to cracking the most complex cases. But can he piece together a murder that’s been buried for more than a quarter century?

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been trying to read through more Golden Age myseries and Catherine Aird is becoming one of my favorite authors.

My Impression: I really enjoyed this classic cozy mystery and it was a pretty quick read.  A new doctor has started his practice in Berebury after the death of his predecessor.  At the same time a last ditch attempt at archeaology is happening acorss the street at a World War II bomb site.  It's last ditch because the site is about to be cleared to make room for a new development.  But all that progress screeches to a halt when a body is discovered in the basement of the blast site and the death was not because of the bomb.  

DI Sloan is on the case with his rather eager assistant DC Crosby.  Crosby is enthusiastic but young and not the most aware which makes for frustration for Sloan and some humor for the reader.  Who was the body and who put it there?  Sloan is on the hunt for the answers with the pressure ramping up as secrets from the past show up in the present.  I enjoyed the complications of having to figure out who went missing during wartime and reading everyone's memories of the time of the bombing.

The ending did feel a little rushed and while I understood how the solution came to be when it was explained it felt a bit out of left field.  Overall, I enjoyed this book and I love the primary investigator's personality.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author - espeically if it's a DI Sloan book.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  This was a very interesting and entertaining mystery.  

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy Agatha Christie or any of the other Golden Age mystery authors Aird is a must try.

Friday Fives - Quick Reviews for Five Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random fve lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  One Night Gone by Tara Laskowski - This thriller has been on my TBR since it came out so I was so excited to get started on it.  It's a dual timeline thriller one timeline being present day involving a disgraced weathergirl who needs a place to hide and rebuild her life.  The other timeline takes place in the mid-80s focusing on a teenager working at a traveling carnival who gets caught up in the world of Opal Beach.  Both women get in over their head.  I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book and was satisfied with the end.  The second half felt like it just dragged on and became a bit repetitive and angsty.  I listened to the audio version and enjoyed both narrators' performances but I think I would have gotten a bit frustrated with the pacing if I had been reading it in print.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  Some Choose Darkness by Charlie Donlea -  This was my first book by this author and it absolutely won't be my last.  From the first chapter to the end I was completely pulled into story and couldn't wait to find out just how everything unraveled.  Rory Moore is a crime scene investigator who uses her attention to detail to see things other people miss.  When her father, a criminal attorney, dies she becomes pulled into one of his cases as she works to put his affair in order.  The author alternates between the events that happened in the summer of 1979 and Rory's investigation in 2019.  I don't want to say much more about it as I knew very little going in and I think that really helped my enjoyment.  I loved the writing style and the characters.  While the story is intense and touches on dark topics it was never so bloody or violent that my cozy loving reading self struggled with it.  After finishing this I immediately added every book I could find by this author to my TBR.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

3.  The Lights of Sugarberry Cove by Heather Webber - I loved this one but then I've loved every book I've read by Heather Webber so far.  I loved the family dynamic - especially between the sisters and Leala.  There's a lot to heal but there's also a lot of shared bonds.  I loved the world of Sugarberry Cove and the cottage with the bits of lake magic woven through.   I listened to the audio and was absolutely capitvated from page one.  Both narrators did a great job bringing the book to life.  My only issue is that I have lived in Shelby County, Alabama and I have never known anyone with air condition to leave a window open during the summer! Every time I pick up a Heather Webber book I always what took me so long and this was no exception.  I loved this one from the beginnign and was sad to see the end - though the ending was so satisfying!  My Rating: Loved It! (5 Stars).  

4.  Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson - I had no intention of reading this book.  The premise and title didn't grab me at all but when the second book came out I really wanted to read that one and realized it was a series so grudgingly picked this one up and I'm so glad I did!  It took me a short chapter to get used to the main character's voice but then I was completely hooked and thoroughly enjoying it.  I loved the breaking of the fourth wall and the humor mixed in with the mystery.  There were a number of times my jaw literally dropped and times I laughed outloud.   This one really kep tme guessing and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series!  The audio is well done and the narrator did a great job with really bringing the humor of the story out.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

5.  The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren - This is my second book by this author(s) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Anna and West have a very straight forward marriage of convenience but after years apart Anna discoveres things are not quite as simple as she thought they were.  I wasn't sure I'd like Anna at the beginning.  She's under a lot of stress but she seems like such a mess and completely unable to get herself out of it.  I quickly learned though that the book starts with Anna at her lowest point and it didn't take long before I was fully on Team Anna.  I  couldn't help but love West as he tries to navigate his life and his incredibly complicated incredibly wealthy family.  After a few chapters I was pulled in and flew through this book.  While this is a sexy beach read it also tackles some serious subjects and that ending (happy sigh).  This was only by second book by Christina Lauren but it definitely won't be my last! My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

Storybook Ending - Fiction Review

 Goodreads: Storybook Ending by Poppy Alexander

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

Description:   From the author of The Littlest Library —a heartwarming novel about a widowed children’s book author who moves into a cottage in the English countryside and finds herself face-to-face with the handsome and brooding blacksmith who lives next door. In her books she can write “happily ever after”—but real life? That’s another matter… For children’s book author Imogen, an idyllic life in the English countryside seems like the perfect fit for her and her husband. But when tragedy strikes, Imogen is left widowed, and finds herself moving into Storybook Cottage alone with only her monstrously narcissistic cat for company. After discovering she is pregnant, Imogen grows determined to embrace a new start in Middlemass, with its duckpond, cricket matches and village fêtes. The only thing Imogen can’t seem to shake is her neighbor—a brooding, artisan blacksmith named Zach—who she can’t quite decide is friend or foe. That is until she realizes, thanks to an arcane clause in her deeds, that Zach is not just an artist, but lord of the local manor house. He has the power to take her home and leave her completely broke. Devastatingly—he seems keen to do exactly that. Yet, Imogen finds herself drawn to him nonetheless. And in her darkest hour, Zach may just be the bright spot to save Imogen in more ways than one.

Genre: Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  I really enjoyed The Littlest Library so I had to try this one.

My Impression: This was a lovely cozy read with a likable main character and a delightful English village setting.  Plus, how can I resist a place called the Dower Cottage.  It sounds like it came straight out of an Agatha Christie.  The last little bit has not been kind to Imogen.  After a not quite successful marriage ends with her being left a widow she finds herself the owner of a little cottage her husband had bought just before he died.  

Imogen has a lot to sort out.  She still has to figure out her feelings about her marriage, figure out how she's going to earn enough money to live on, and just how she fits into life in a small village.  Along with that she has a few new neighbors to make friends with - including her neighbor Gabriel who manages to fascinate her and annoy her all at once.  

But this isn't all cozy garden parties and country walks.  A major problem is looming over Imogen's head connected to Gabriel and Imogen finds herself more conflicted.  I do like books involving characters figuring out what they want out of life and this had that in spades.  I thoroughly enjoyed this read and also really liked the writing style.  This is the second book I've read from this author and the second one I've really enjoyed.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would!  I've enjoyed both books I've read from this author and am looking forward to reading more from her.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you're looking for a nice cozy read that isn't too cutesy or silly this is a great choice.

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

Sticks and Scones - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Sticks and Scones (A Bakeshop Mystery #19) by Ellie Alexander

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

Description:  It’s late spring in Juliet's charming hamlet, Ashland, Oregon. Spotted deer are nibbling on lush green grasses in Lithia Park, the Japanese maples are blooming, and Torte is baking a bevy of spring delights—lemon curd cupcakes, mini coconut cream pies, grapefruit tartlets, and chocolate dipped almond Tuiles.
Meanwhile, her friend Lance, the artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is taking center stage with his new theater troupe—the Fair Verona Players. Their performance in Uva's vineyard promises to be a modern, gender-bending twist on "The Taming of the Shrew," but as the curtain rises, so do the strange occurrences. Stage mishaps and internal bickering threaten to derail the production. But as the curtain rises, the real show begins when the leading actor, Jimmy Paxton, meets his final curtain call. Now, Jules is not only in the mix, but she's going to need to craft the perfect recipe for solving this theatrical whodunit.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  This is one of my absolute favorite series!

My Impression: I love this series and this was a fun one!  Jules is busy with her team at Torte cooking up yummy spring treats and coffee blends.  As well, they've added in new vineyard performances at the winery - Uva.  I've always loved when the Sharkepeare Festival actors and politics get invovled with the mystery but this might be even better as Jules isn't going to the festival - the festival is going to her.  The play in the vineyard sounds super fun and the food and treats sound amazing.  I'm pretty sure that if the Torte bakery really existed I would make the cross country trip to Oregon just to get one of Andy's creations and eat lunch (and dessert - LOTS of dessert) at Torte.

But not only is there drama both on and off the stage and the side characters that I've come to love as the series has developped but there's also a murder!  The victim spends all their page time just begging to be murdered and it doesn't take long before they get their wish.  Suspects and motives abound and I absolutely loved following along with the investigation as it unraveled.  I'm pretty sure Lance is my favorite Sleuth-assistant in all of cozy mystery land.

I did notice that while the reviews on Goodreads were mostly glowing there were a few meh reviews from people who were new to the series.  While I thoroughly enjoyed this one it doesn't sound like it works as a true stand alone.  That said I have enjoyed every single book in this series so even if you are going to start at the beginning you are in for a treat.  And I recommend having a treat nearby as you read because the food descriptions of Jules' baking are fantastic.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I have read pretty much everything this author has written and enjoyed all of her books.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozy mysteries I would highly recommend this series though I don't know that I would recommend jumping in here as there are a lot of relationships and characters to figure out.

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