Digging Up Daisy - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Digging Up Daisy (A Mainely Murder Mystery #1) by Sherry Lynn

Rating:  Liked It (3 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  At twenty-nine, Kinsley Clark is living the dream life she always envisioned for herself. She's the proud owner of SeaScapes, a thriving landscaping company in wealthy Harborside, set on the rugged coast of southern Maine. Kinsley's veins are filled with salty air, a myriad of colors, and the fragrance of fresh blooms. But one afternoon, while working at her aunt Tilly's bed-and-breakfast, the Salty Breeze Inn, Kinsley digs up more than she bargained for--a high-heeled shoe. The once sparkly shoe, now caked in mud, is linked to a case the police had appropriately dubbed the "Cinderella Murder."

Kinsley panics. Does this mean that her aunt and the inn are somehow connected to this murder? Will it scare away potential guests? Will it subject the inn to a rush of bad press? With Aunt Tilly's reputation, and possibly her safety, on the line, Kinsley digs deeper into the crime to find out what the shoe was doing on her aunt's property and who murdered Cinderella, whose real name is Daisy. As she investigates, more suspects rise to the surface, and eventually, Kinsley has to weed out a killer.

Genre:  Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I loved the sound of the Cinderella Murder and having the main character be a landscaper seemed fun.  

My Impression:   There was quite a bit about this book that I liked.  The setting is lovely and I could just imagine all the sea views the main character describes.  As well I liked Tilly and Kinsey's friends Becca and Rachel.  I think there is good setup for a likable group of characters for the series as well as gorgeous settings.

That said, the mystery and flow of the story didn't really work for me.  The dialogue frequently feels a bit clunky with too much detail and Kinsey's attempts at investigation seemed a bit over the top and not the most logical.  The wrap up was a bit shaky and while the main mystery was solved there were several other things that seemed to be forgotten.  

Despite the occasional clunky dialogue and some plot holes this did make for an easy read.  While I didn't love it there were enough positives to have me picking up the next book in the series.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would definitely give this author another chance because she did create some good characters in this story.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  Possibly.  If the second book in the series has a better flow I would but at this point I'm undecided.

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

This Week in Reading - April 9

 

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:

The Second Chance Store by Lauren Bravo - This looks like a wonderful story of found family.  (Publisher)

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Allison Goodman - This looks like an entertaining Regency mystery. (Publisher)

Dressed to Drill by Kate Carlisle - This is the latest book in the Fixer Upper series.  I always enjoy these mysteries.  (Publisher)

The Ghost Goes to the Dogs by Cleo Coyle - This series about a bookstore haunted by the ghost of a 1940s PI is always entertaining.  I really want to go back and read the first books in the series.  (Publisher

Currently:

Reading:  Who Cries for the Lost by C.S. Harris and Rolling Stone by Patricia Wentworth

Listening:  The Lady Has a Past by Amanda Quick

We are adjusting to our non-Leukemia treatment life and it is busy!   Will is making great progress with getting caught up subject-wise for the last two years.  He's been enjoying his Forensic lab classes with his homeschool group and we are making good progress with other subjects.  I'm looking forward to starting fresh next school year and am excited about the curriculum we've picked out.  

I've started beginning agility classes with Rover and wow it's incredibly fun but requires a lot of energy.  He's doing great with everything and I'm loving working with him.  Right now we are doing three different activities - Rally, Scent work, and Agility - and enjoying all of them.  I'm still loving working with other dogs in classes and am thinking about beginning to work on official dog training certifications.  

And that's about it!  How was your week?  

Have a great week and happy reading!

Smoke and Mirrors - Keeper Shelf Review

 Goodreads:  Smoke and Mirrors by Barbara Michaels

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  Joining the campaign of a charismatic congresswoman, young Erin Hartsock arrives in Washinton, D.C., filled with idealism and ambition. But her enthusiasm dissolves into terror when the campaign takes a malevolent turn. Someone...something...has begun threatening Erin and her colleagues. First come the strange fires, then a seemingly accidental death. As the election nears, Erin fears that she just may be a murderer's next candidate.

Genre:  Mystery

Why I Picked This Book:  I like to reread my Keeper shelf books periodically to make sure they still deserve their place on the shelf.

My Impression:  It's been awhile since I read this one and I worried that it would be too dated.  The setting is a campaign for a highly contested Senate race with a newcomer against a well known incumbent.  At the beginning of the book Erin is meek and mild and completely uninterested in politics.  

As the book progresses not only does the campaign intensify but Erin begins to gain confidence in herself and look at what she really wants.  I loved the chaotic decidedly unglamorous world of politics and got a giggle or two out of Erin's day to day life juxtaposed with her former roommate Fran's expectations of intrigue and glamour.

But it isn't just the fascinating world of campaign life that keeps this book going.  A series of small fires and unnerving letters have everyone a bit on edge and when coincidence becomes a bit too much to ignore Erin and her friend Nick begin to investigate to find out just what is going on.  The way it all unravels is unexpected and interesting and definitely kept me hooked.  While there are no cell phones or social media this didn't feel in anyway dated.  As well, even though the book involves a political campaign it isn't so much about political beliefs.  Overall, it was a suspenseful read with a fast pace and an entertaining collection of characters.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  Michaels is one of my favorite authors and this book has re-earned its place on my Keeper Shelf.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you like a suspenseful read with strong character growth this is an entertaining read.

Friday Fives - April 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.  Since this is the first Friday in April I'm picking 5 books I hope to read this month.

1.  Cinnamon Twisted by Ginger Bolton - This is a review book I'm really looking forward to.  I'm new to the series and the author but the premise of this one really grabbed me. 

2.  The Vineyard Victims by Ellen Crosbie - This is the next book I'm getting off my overdue NetGalley shelf.  

3.  The House at Riverton by Kate Morton - At the beginning of the year I picked 5 books that I wanted to read from the library and this is the last one on the list.  I'm really looking forward to reading it.

4.  Pall in the Family by Dawn Eastman - This is the next series I'm tacking.  I've only got two left before I finish the series!  

5.  On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry - I loved the first book in this series and am so looking forward to reading the third book in May but before I do that I need to read the second book!

What are you hoping to read this month?

Books from the Backlog - Pruning the Dead

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:  Pruning the Dead by Julia Henry

Blurb:  With hundreds flocking to her inaugural garden party, meticulous Lilly Jayne hasn't left a single petal out of place. But the picture-perfect gathering turns unruly upon the arrival of Merilee Frank, Lilly's ex-husband's catty third wife. Merilee lives for trouble, so no one is surprised after she drinks too much, shoves a guest into the koi pond, and gets escorted off the property. The real surprise comes days later--when Merilee is found dead in a pile of mulch . . .
Lilly wishes she could stick to pruning roses and forget about Merilee's murder--until her best friend and ex become suspects in an overgrown homicide case. Now, aided by the Garden Squad, an unlikely group of amateur crime solvers with a knack for planting, Lilly knows she has limited time to identify the true culprit and restore order to Goosebush. Because if the murderer's plot isn't nipped in the bud, another victim could be pushing up daisies!

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  This one isn't technically on my shelf but later books in the series are but I don't want to read them until I read this one!  So I need to track this one down before I read the later books!

Fiddling with Fate - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Fiddling with Fate (Southern Homebrew Mystery #3) by Diane Kelly

Rating:  Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  It's late August in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and moonshiner Hattie Hayes has collaborated to serve her moonshine at a nearby vineyard for a Wine and 'Shine event. Not only is this an opportunity for Hattie to gain more moonshine fans, but she's also excited to see the Bootlegging Brothers, a popular bluegrass band. But not every attendee is looking for harmony, and when one of the brothers disappears after the event and is presumed dead, Hattie realizes her grace note event has suddenly turned more sour than her mash.

Unearthing what happened to the missing musician is more difficult than Hattie first expected, and when Hattie's moonshine is tied to the crime, there's no time to fiddle around. She has to step up to solve the case. Luckily, Hattie's cool head and quick mind help her understand that when investigating a musical crime, always stay sharp.

Genre:  Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I really enjoyed the previous books in this series so of course I had to pick up the next book.  

My Impression:   It's always fun to go to Chattanooga to hang out with Hattie and the rest of the Moonshine Shack crew.  This book involves a bluegrass festival and Hattie's efforts to gain more name recognition for her business.  I really enjoyed seeing the business details and seeing some of the behind the scenes of running a small business.   It also introduced the characters of the Bootlegging Brothers to the reader so we could see their dysfunctional dynamics.  

The mystery did take awhile to get going as nothing really happened until after the first third of the book and that in turn made the book feel a bit slow in places.  Once the mystery got going it pulled me in a bit more but there was some repetition in dialogue that did make it feel a bit slower.  Kelly's books are always fun to read and while I enjoyed this one it wasn't my favorite in the series.  I am looking forward to seeing what kind of mess Hattie gets into next.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely!  I've read several series by this author and always enjoy them.  I'm looking forward to seeing more of Hattie's hijinks in the next book.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy cozy mysteries I would definitely recommend this author and this series.  This isn't the strongest book in the series so far but it was still a fun read and the first two books are even better.

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

Ten Books on My TBR With Spring-y Covers

 

It's starting to feel like spring without quite dipping into summer just yet (though we know it's coming!).  I've been perusing my TBR looking for covers that just say Spring to me and this year spring seems to equal flowers!

1.  The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee 

2.  Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly

3.  The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

4.  The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis

5. A Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor

6.  The Forbidden Garden by Ellen Herrick

7.  Always by Sarah Jio

8.  Pieces of Happiness by Anne Ostby

9.  Breakfast at the Honey Creek Cafe by Jodi Thomas

10. The Heirloom Garden by Viola Shipman

Do you have any books on your TBR with Spring-y Covers?