Friday Fives - June Reads

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  Michelle over at Because Reading is Better Than Real Life   used to do a Five on Fridays that I always enjoyed and I've seen a few other variations on the theme.  As well I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd give start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  Since this is the first Friday in June I'm listing 5 books I hope to read this month.  I've been picking a theme for each month and pulling books from my TBR shelves that fit the theme in some way.  The theme for June is family because with school being out I'm getting a lot more family time!

1.  Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther - One of my all time favorite movies is based off this book though apparently the book focuses more on the Miniver family itself while the movie is more about the family during wartime.  It sounds like a nice soothing kind of read. 

2.  Life Among the Savages by Shirley Jackson - Shirley Jackson is best known for her eerie and atmospheric stories but this more memoir type of nonfiction is a 180 from that and focuses on her own family life when her children were young.

3.  The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle by Laura DiSilverio - It wouldn't be a cozy mystery series without at least one book pulling in a family member of the main character and in this case it's the brother.  Plus, this one involves a Hercule Poirot book and I really want to read it!

4.  The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher - These shorter novels aren't as good as Pilcher's longer sagas but they are a lot of fun and this is all about a woman discovering a family she didn't even know she had.

5.  The Lonesome Road by Patricia Wentworth - I love Patricia Wentworth and this is a mystery about a woman who inherited her father's estate and has to rewrite her will once a year.  This of course causes issues with her family and now it appears that one of them may be out to kill her.

What do you want to read in June?

The Right Sort of Man - Cozy Mystery

Goodreads:  The Right Sort of Man (Sparks and Bainbridge) by Allison Montclair

Rating: Good
Source: Publisher

Description:  In a London slowly recovering from World War II, two very different women join forces to launch a business venture in the heart of Mayfair--The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks, quick-witted and impulsive, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, practical and widowed with a young son, are determined to achieve some independence and do some good in a rapidly changing world.
But the promising start to their marriage bureau is threatened when their newest client, Tillie La Salle, is found murdered and the man arrested for the crime is the prospective husband they matched her with. While the police are convinced they have their man, Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge are not. To clear his name--and to rescue their fledging operation's reputation--Sparks and Bainbridge decide to investigate on their own, using the skills and contacts they've each acquired through life and their individual adventures during the recent war.

Little do they know that this will put their very lives at risk.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I have been loving historical mysteries lately and this one looked like a lot of fun.

My Impression:  This is the first in a series that has a truly amazing amount of potential.  The characters are both intelligent and use their very different skill sets well.  They seem to genuinely like and respect each other and I really liked both of them.  I fell in love with Montclair's writing style from the very beginning.  She's funny and sharp with a brightness that really made it shine.  The premise itself is fantastic.  I love the premise for the series itself.   The marriage bureau is both novel and provides a perfectly logical reason for Gwen and Iris to investigate the murder and get to know the victim and suspects.  But not only is it a fun read but there are some poignant moments too.  Both Iris and Gwen  have experienced real tragedy and they both have their own personal struggles.  I found Gwen's especially poignant and my heart really broke for her. 

What kept this from being a 4 or 5 star read for me was really first book syndrome.  There's so much that has to be established with the premise and characters that there were times when the plot kind of bogged down.  It was never a book that was difficult to read but there were times I felt a little impatient. 

Large parts of this book really sparkled and Montclair's voice felt very fresh and different from anything I've come across before.  I'm so excited to see where this series goes and will definitely be looking for the further adventures of Bainbridge and Sparks.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I'm really looking forward to book 2.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Absolutely!  If you enjoy historical mysteries than I think you'd really like this one.

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

Murder, She Wrote: Murder in Red - A Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Murder, She Wrote: Murder in Red by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land

Rating: Very Good
Source:  Publisher

Description:  Jessica Fletcher's favorite gin rummy partner, Mimi Van Dorn, checks into the brand-new Clifton Care Partners, a private hospital that's just opened up shop in town, for a simple procedure--one that leads tragically, and inexplicably, to her death. Seeking justice in her inimitable fashion, Jessica decides to pursue her own investigation on the hospital and its shadowy business dealings.
On the trail of what initially appears to be medical malpractice, Jessica digs deeper and learns her friend was actually a victim of something far more sinister. Death is bad for business, but murder is even worse, and Jessica will find plenty of both as she races to bring down Clifton Care Partners before someone else flatlines...

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I love the show and have been enjoying the most recent books.

My Impression:  I've been a fan of the show for years and was thrilled when I found the books were just as entertaining.  The last book was the first book written by Jon Land and I must admit I didn't love it.  It was a little to espionage-y and didn't have that true Murder, She Wrote feel.  I was a little nervous but I think Land has found his footing with this one.  It's still the same characters with Jessica, Sid, and Mort and of course my favorite - Harry McGraw (who is always played by Jerry Orbach in my head) and Cabot Cove is just as cozy and murderous as it is on the show but there's a bit more intrigue and danger than I've seen in the past and  it just feels fresher and more modern. 

If you like the show you'll enjoy this.  If you're new to both than don't expect this to feel dated or silly.  This is a solid mystery that had me turning pages with lots of fun twists and I love anytime Jessica is doing research.  I do think it's somewhat predictable but I can also predict my favorite pajamas will be nice and cozy and so I don't always find that to be a bad thing. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Murder, She Wrote books and this one was probably my favorite so far of the few I've read.  I'm looking forward to reading more!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I will be looking for the next one and will be looking forward to hitting the back list of this series.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozy mysteries this is a must read.  You can jump in here with or without seeing the show (though you really should watch an episode or two of the show - Angela Lansbury is my hero.)

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

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Favorite Cozy Mysteries

Every week That Artsy Reader Girl hosts Top Ten Tuesday which is a series of prompts for Top Ten lists.  I'm a big fan of lists of all kinds and always enjoy this feature.  This week's topic is Ten Books from my favorite genre.  Right now I'm all about the cozy mysteries so here are 10 of my favorite cozy mystery series.

1.  The Meg Lanslow series by Donna Andrews - This series is huge but you can jump in anywhere and the bird related pun titles are fantastic.  Plus the characters are likable and the plots are always interesting so that doesn't hurt. 

2.  The Bay Island Psychic Mysteries by Lena Gregory - So there are only 4 books in the series about a psychic with an enormous dog, great friends and a tendency to get herself involved in murders.  It's lots of fun and I've enjoyed all the books.

3.  A Bakeshop Mysteries by Ellie Alexander - Don't read this book hungry because the food descriptions are insanely good and the mysteries are just as good and just as entertaining.  The main character has a tendency towards over perfection but the rest of the series more than makes up for it.

4.  The Kat Holloway Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley - This is a historical mystery series where the main character is a cook in a big house and I love the downstairs behind the scenes and the mysteries and just everything about this series.

5.  Sophie Kimball Mysteries by J.C. Eaton - This one started with a cursed book and a more than a little quirky retirement community.  It's fun with great mysteries and a team of PIs and I love this series.

6.  Library Lovers Mysteries by Jen McKinlay - This series has been going on for ages and I love it.  It has a library and a fantastic small town and a crafting book club that I would love to be a part of.  The mysteries some times have a plot hole or two but I enjoy the read so much I don't really care.

7.  The Haunted Library Mysteries by Allison Brook - It's a haunted library.  Is there anything else that needs to be said?  It's all kinds of fun with entertaining mysteries and an interesting community.  And did I mention a ghost?  In the library?

8.  The Country Club Murders by Julie Mulhern - This is set in the 1970s with a fantastic main character and the mysteries are always fantastic. 

9.  The Tourist Trap Mystery by Lynn Cahoon - I love this series set in a small town in Northern California town with a main character who runs a book store/coffee shop.  The characters all feel like friends and the mysteries are always lots of fun.

10. The Liz Talbot Mysteries by Susan M. Boyer - Just because this is last does not mean it's my least favorite.  In fact it's one that is on my autobuy/autoread list and never lets me down.  I love that the main characters are PIs and there's a touch of a ghost element which I like.

There are so many more series that I absolutely love - The Josie Prescott Antique series by Jane K Cleeland, The Cat in the Stacks by Miranda James, The Greenhouse Mysteries by Wendy Tyson, anything by Leslie Budewitz, the Mainely Needlepoint series by Lea Waite and so many more.  But these are 10 that came immediately to mind.

 I hope if you try any of these you enjoy them!

Reviews from the Children's Section - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time

One of my favorite genres and one that is the easiest for me to push aside is middle grade fiction. This year to make sure I get a little more children's and young adult fiction I thought I would designate the first Monday of every month Middle Grade Monday (though sometimes it doesn't end up working quite right) .  While a lot of my picks this year are classics I am trying to branch out a little bit and read new or at least recent releases.  This month's book is the third in one of my favorite series - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time by Frank Cottrell Boyce

This is the third book in the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang series started by Ian Fleming and it is absolutely bonkers in the best possible of ways.  I'm not sure Ian Fleming would recognize his rather straight forward adventure story for kids in this crazy romp that starts with dinosaurs and winds through all kinds of hijinks, craziness and lots and lots of action.  I'm not sure what Fleming would have thought of the dinosaurs but I suspect he would have approved of the madcap race through time.  

There are some questions answered here and the Tooting family starts and ends in quite a predicament though this time they're on the hunt for the Potts family.  The adventures are thoroughly unrealistic and completely fun and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it.  David Tennant (who I have made no secret is one of my favorite MG narrators) has narrated the entire series and is absolutely beyond fantastic here.  He seems like he is enjoying the narrating as much as the reader is enjoying listening to it.  

I absolutely loved listening to this and am encouraging my 9 year old to read/listen to it as well.  While there is a lot of action and the Tooting family finds themselves in tight spots I don't think there is anything that even the most sensitive child would have issues with.  I think this would be a great audio for a road trip as I think all ages would thoroughly enjoy it.

This Week in Reading - June 2

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:

Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter - I'm looking forward to this one because I've been wanting to read Karin Slaughter for ages and this one looks really good.  (TLC Blog Tour)

Currently:

Reading:  The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair and 

Listening:  Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan though I'm making slow work of it.  It's good but I just haven't had much listening time with school out.

Watching:  Catching up on NCIS: New Orleans.  It's not my favorite but I do appreciate that it actually looks like New Orleans/ South Mississippi and the accents are right.  

Off the Blog:

Our first full week of summer vacation is over and done with and we are thoroughly enjoying it.  This week we're starting more on a routine though laziness is still front and center.

I start physical therapy this week and have my follow up with my doctor regarding the degenerative disc disease diagnosis.  I'm looking forward to getting things started and hopefully feeling better.  Other than that not much going on.  I've gotten some reading done and have played lots of Minecraft with a 9 year old.  I HATE Minecraft but I'm trading it for reading time so I guess it's worth it.

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday:  The Agatha Christie Project - Hercule Poirot Mysteries Pt 7
Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books Published in the Last Ten Years I've Read This Year
Wednesday:  The Bone Island Trilogy - Romantic Suspense Review
Thursday:  Books from the Backlog - The Hen of the Baskervilles
Friday:  Friday Fives - Five Movies I Can Watch on Repeat
Saturday:  Slay in Character - Cozy Mystery Review

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  Reviews from the Children's Section - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Race Against Time

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books from My Favorite Genre

Wednesday:  Murder, She Wrote: Murder in Red - Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday:  The Right Sort of Man - Historical Mystery Review

Friday:  Friday Fives - June Reads

Saturday: TBD

Have a great week and happy reading!

Slay in Character - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Slay in Character (A Cat Latimer Mystery #4) by Lynn Cahoon

Rating: Good
Source:  NetGalley

Description: Cat and the members of her writers' retreat have just arrived in Outlaw, Colorado, an "Old West" tourist town complete with inhabitants dressed up as famous figures from history. But this authentic slice of Americana takes a murderous turn when a college student masquerading as a 19th-century saloon girl becomes history herself.
Was she the intended target? Or did she take a hit meant for someone else? With a cast of suspects to choose from--including some notorious gunslingers and the sleazy town founders--Cat must unhorse the real culprit before a real-life ghost story is given a killer twist . . .

Genre:  Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've enjoyed this series and this one has a ghost town.  How can I misss a cozy mystery with a ghost town?

My Impression:  I don't like this series quite as much as Cahoon's Tourist Trap series but I have to admit that it's really starting to catch up.  I really love Cat and Shauna and especially Uncle Pete.  I liked that this one was kind of Writer's Retreat adjacent with neither victim nor suspects actually staying with Cat though they were pulled in of course.  The antics of this group really cracked me up and I'm not sure any town is safe with a whole bunch of historical romance authors running around getting into things.  I also loved the writing details - especially when Cat referenced the Too Stupid to Live trait that most of us have complained about a time or two.

The mystery was good though I felt like the ending wrapped up a bit too suddenly and could have used a little more explanation.   However, I did really enjoy the investigation into what was going on around Jessie.  I'm still not so sure how I feel about the town's "connections' but it does work for being able to easily add a possible motive. 

The book itself was a fun read that pulled me in right away and was a reading experience I thoroughly enjoyed.  The ending was really the only thing that took it down a notch but it DOES answer all the questions but just a bit quicker than I wanted. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I already have the next book ready to be read.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozies than this is a great series to start though I think you might enjoy it more if you started from the beginning.

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