Rescued by a Kiss

 This is a fun and quirky book by Colleen Mooney that is the first in a series called New Orleans Go Cup.  It is part mystery, part romance and funny all around.  There are plenty of dog loving moments and you cannot help but smile at Brandy's love for Schnauzers.  There are some pretty funny laugh out loud moments and even the drama/crime piece of the story is down played.  The heart of the story is the characters and their interactions.  They feel like real people with real life relationships and the ups and downs that go with them.   I really enjoyed them and cannot wait to read more in the series. 

Rescued By A Kiss by Colleen Mooney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

I enjoyed reading this first book in the series and plan to read more. There were parts of the story that were a little annoying. Mooney writes the book in a manner that is similar to having a high speed conversation. At times things are bit too staccato and make it difficult to follow the writing. But it is definitely a fast paced story with interesting characters.

I enjoyed the interactions of the characters. Brandy, the main protagonist, her friends, Suzanne and Julia, are all quite entertaining. The whole story of how she meets Jiff and the ensuing chaos and drama is quite crazy but fun to read. The story is part mystery, part romance and just pure fun. Oh yeah there's lots of cute Schnauzers so what's not to love about that. There are some outlandish scenes in some Bourbon St clubs that make for fun reading. I look forward to reading more in the series. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  73
2. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 22
3. Six Shooter- new target #30
4. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #44 recommended by Amazon
5. Monthly Keyword-  #MonthlyKeyWordChallenge-  Kiss

Next Level Basic

 I selected this book by Stassi Schroeder on a whim just to see what she had to say.  I admit I have watched a few episodes of Vanderpump Rules.  It is kind of a like a car wreck you cannot help but look to see what is up and then it sucks you in.  

Stassi writes like she is having a conversation with her girlfriends.  It sounds a lot like she is when she's on the reality show.   Overall it is a decent book with some definite light humor mixed into her message to be true to yourself.  She basically divides the book into sections about dating, clothing, makeup, social media, food and drinking advice.  She is all about finding what you like and owning it versus just doing stuff to go with the flavor of the day.  I will say it fits with her personality as it comes out on the TV show.   She speaks her mind and stands by it.   Her book definitely comes off less shallow than her presence on TV does at times.  

Overall the book was enjoyable, it definitely made me glad I am past the 20 something social scene and dating.   It also reinforced why I was happy to leave CA and the superficiality of so many people there. I'll take the Midwest any day, not that there aren't fake people here, just seems like less of them.  

Next Level Basic: The Definitive Basic Bitch Handbook by Stassi Schroeder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

This is an enjoyable book that sheds some deeper light onto Stassi Schroeder. She basically advises her readers to own their choices and to do/be things because that is what you want and it makes you happy not because others say that is what you should do. This book made her seem less shallow than she often seems on Vanderpump Rules 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #88
2. Book List Queen #52 self improvement book
3. Wizarding World Tour  possible categories
• Uagadou:  self help book
4. Memoir    #26  greater than 300 pages (works for others as well)

The Woman in Cabin 10

 So,  I have to admit this book kept me up way to late into the night to finish reading it.   I just had to know how it ended.  It was very worth the lack of sleep.   

This was the first book I had read by Ruth Ware and I was a bit worried it would be over rated since so many people have been talking and writing about it.   I am glad it wasn't.   

Ware does a masterful job at weaving the story and clues through out but the ending is quite a shock. The story is told in such a manner that you feel all the stress and anxiety that the main character, Lo, is feeling.   It is easy to believe her but to also readily understand how others doubt the situation as she presents it.  

At first I wasn't totally sure about the opening scenes and their relevance to the story.  Upon finishing the book I think there might have even been more to the apparent random nature of the incident.   Given a similar experience by another prospective guest, I wonder if it is just truly a coincidence or was actually part of the bigger plan to ensure an empty stateroom aboard.  

This story is definitely similar to an Agatha Christie locked room scenario and Ware does a wonderful job of using the closed environment to create suspense and fear.   That being said, she has enough twists to keep you on edge and makes it more pyschological thriller thus keeping the reader from feeling it is too formulaic.    I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
My rating: 5 of 5 stars 

This book is intense all the way through to the end. The story weaves so many threads and events that generate suspicion on the different passengers and also call into question our narrator, Lo. There is a pretty dramatic surprise that continues to build into more twists. The book seems to wrap up the story but then you cannot help but wonder if there is still more plotting going on. 

Ware tells a story that creates such suspense and drama that you cannot help but feel much of the anxiety and frustration that Lo experiences. All in all the character development and plot are very well written and there is enough of a twist to not feel formulaic 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #87
2. Literary Escapes-  Norway
3. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #72
4. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- new target #29
6. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Clues:  lipstick
7. Around the Year in 52 Books- #3 prompted to read because of something you read in 2019
8. Book List Queen #50 book you saw someone reading
9. TBR Book #48  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

Under a Summer Sky

 This was a wonderful novel by Nan Rossiter.  It has been sitting on my Kindle Unlimited feed for quite a while now.  I finally decided to read it for my Around the Year challenge to read books with binary opposites in the titles.  I must admit I was expecting a beach read and was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the characters and the spiritual content included in the novel.   There were definitely some hard hitting events in the book, but it felt like a story that most people could relate to in some aspect or another.  At its heart it's a book about family and the everyday aspects of life but also the major challenges and events we encounter as part of life as well.  It reflected on how different events effect different people. 
I also felt it did a wonderful job of addressing faith and how people's belief and trust in God can be shaken when bad things happen.   There were several sermons given by Noah Coleman, the father, who is a pastor.   He discussed how we can reconcile the seemingly bad things in life with having faith and still believing there is a God.  All in all the religious component was an aspect of the story, but was not so much so that it was the constant aspect of the book.  Basically it was intertwined nicely. 
As an added bonus, Grandpa Coleman had a tradition of reciting poetry.  Therefore, there are several poems contained within the text and this allowed me to check off a prompt in my  52 books in 52 weeks  challenge.
This book turns out to be part of a series written by Rossiter so I plan to go back and read the first book , The Gin and Chowder Club, which is about Noah's grandparents and his father, Asa. 

Under a Summer Sky by Nan Rossiter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars 

Very touching.story

This novel is a heartwarming story about fami!y and faith. At its heart is the message to be a part of daily living. Life has its ups and downs but God is there to love and support is through it all. The story follows the Coleman family through the course of a summer preparing for a family wedding. Rossiter weaves a wonderful story about this family of 7 and their love for each other and their extended family. It is an emotional roller coaster at times.but all in all a wonderful read 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are: 

1. Around the Year in 52 Books- #38 A pair of binary opposites
2. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #33 a book containing poetry
3. Book List Queen #47 you own but haven't read
4. While I was Reading #7 on your shelf for more than a year

Chocolates with a Side of Murder

I decided to take the time to read one of my Kindle Unlimited books that had been sitting in my TBR list for a long while.   This is the first book in the Daley Buzz  series by Meredith Potts.  I found the writing a bit cumbersome at times but all in all I really enjoyed the book.   A bit too much detail in some parts and not enough in the actual mystery solving at times. 

It features a strong female lead, Sabrina, who dabbles in mystery solving while not working as a barista in her family's coffee shop.  Potts does a wonderful job of setting up the series and leaves the underlying back story as a continuing thread and motivation for the main character.  The supporting characters are a good addition and generally play the role they are designed for quite well. 

I look forward to reading more in the series with Caramels with a Side of Murder up next.




Chocolates with a Side of Murder by Meredith Potts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Creative spin on a cozy

I enjoyed reading this book about Sabrina and her sleuthing. I realize this is the first book in the series and Ms. Potts was setting the storyline up including the back story. That being said it felt a bit jumpy at times. There was a bit too much internal reflection by Sabrina during the times she was questioning suspects. It made the story flow less smoothly. It felt a little info groups how it would be light hearted and about food and then the paragraphs of deep introspection would occur. I did enjoy the story and intend to read more of the series
I appreciated that Sabrina was a strong character and there are layers to her personality. Her relate with the other characters add to the story. Particular the twist that she's dating the detective in charge of the case and how they deal with it. I look forward to seeing how the series progresses and resolves the outstanding questions


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #71
2. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 21
3. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
4. Six Shooter- New target 28 for Meredith Potts
5. TBR Book #47  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

The Guest List

I found this book by Lucy Foley to live up to all the hype it has been receiving.  I understand why it has remained on the NYT list for a while now.  While it definitely fits into the formulaic locked room made so famous by Agatha Christie, the story keeps you on edge and guessing the entire way through the novel.  Be prepared to want to keep reading as you go through the book. 

Foley does a wonderful job of creating suspicion among her main characters and persuades the reader that maybe a punishment is befitting the victim of the crime.  It is hard not to feel the perpetrator wasn't justified in their actions.   Foley casts a shadow of guilt on many characters and does a wonderful job of tying all the pieces and storylines together.

I have her Hunting Party novel in my TBR shelf and now I cannot wait to read it to see if she has done such a good job with that one as well.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a suspense thriller that keeps you on your edge of the seat and will keep you up late reading. I really enjoyed reading Lucy Foley's latest novel. The format reminds me of Agatha Christie's And Then There were None in the spin on a locked room mystery. Wedding on an island that no one can access due to a raging storm with plenty of mysterious backstories amongst the guests. I like the fomat of flashing back from the present when the crime has occurred to the previous 24 hours. She also tells the story from the perspective of multiple narrators and develops each of their storylines very well. The mystery of who committted the crime and who the victim is continues until the very end. I do appreciate how Foley tied all the pieces together at the end and you cannot help but feel like justice was served even it it wasn't in the purest sense.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #86
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #70
3. Medical Examiner-  3 Toe Tag

Private Gold

This is a novella by Bookshots that fits into James Patterson's Private Series.   This one is set in South Africa, in Johannesburg, and revolves around the high crime and mining that are prevalent in that area of the  country.   I initially selected this book for the Popsugar challenge to read a book with Gold in the title.  As I began reading I felt the story rang a bell and sure enough I realized as I went along that I had read this previously.  Fortunately I didn't remember who was behind the nefarious act until the time when suspicion is being raised by the female protagonist.  All in all I enjoyed reading it again and the story rang true with the facts I am familiar with about Johannesburg and the struggles it is facing to rise above a criminal element.



Private: Gold by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable quick thriller

This is a quick bookshot installment in the Private series by Patterson. I appreciated the female lead being worried and scared but not portrayed as weak and incapable. The storyline made sense based on the setting in South Africa. It wasn't too farfetched and felt like the obstacles that were overcome were feasible. All in all a good read


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #85
2. Literary Escapes-  South Africa
3. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   Private Series book 2 in 2020
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #69
5. Six Shooter- 5th Shot for James Patterson
6. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #16 Africa
7. TBR Book #46  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

Restaurant Weeks are Murder

The next installment of Libby Klein's series was an entertaining as always.  Poppy Macallister is still up to her neck in a romance triangle and this time she's busy working with Tim in a cooking competition.  Gia continues to try to intervene in their relationship and Gia is still present as well.  Let's say the pans aren't the only thing heating up.  The mystery kept the reader guessing until the end as well as the romantic interests. 


Restaurant Weeks Are Murder by Libby Klein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this next installment in the Poppy Macallister series. The antics of Aunt Ginny and her friends make it a comical read along with The mystery. The romantic tension continues to be present between Popoy , Tim, and Gia. In fact it places a big role in this story as Poppy and others deal with past experiences and transgressions. No one is as innocent as they seem and the twists and revelations continue til the end


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #84
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #68
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #20
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- 3rd shot

Down the Rabbit Hole

This work is an anthology of short stories by JD Robb, Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, and Ruth Ryan Langan.  These stories were based loosely around connections with the story of Alice in Wonderland.  They were each different stories that had elements of fantasy or science fiction.  Generally not genres I read much from but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to read others like it.

I selected this book to cover 2 prompts for challenges this year.  The primary reason I picked it was to address the challenge of reading an author you previously disliked.  I had tried a book by J D Robb a few years ago and just could not get interested in the futuristic aspect of the story. I had selected it at the time because it was a mystery book and that is my preferred genre of choice.   I put the book down as a DNF and never intended to read it again.   This short story contained in the anthology was quite enjoyable and I may give the series another try as I did like the characters in the book.

The other prompt this covered was read an anthology.  I had not every read an anthology outside of a textbook for literature coursework.  I found myself enjoying the sampling of the works by the different authors and will possibly seek out more works by them.    I enjoyed finding the common thread in the stories as they related to the Alice in Wonderland theme.   I kind of created a scavenger hunt aspect to the book

All in all I am glad I selected this book this year and it is one of the few 5 star books I have reviewed.



Down the Rabbit Hole by J.D. Robb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable anthology of stories

I did not know what to expect when I picked this book out at the library. I ended up thoroughly enjoying all of the stories within. Most had a reference or alluded to Alice this n Wonderland. Some were romance based but all seemed to be about finding your moral truth and becoming a great partner for your relationship. I look forward to trying individual works of these authors


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #83
2. Literary Escapes- Scotland
3. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  #11 anthology
4. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #50 author you previously disliked
5. Book List Queen #11 short story or essay collection
6. TBR Book #44  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
7. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO-  creature feature- rabbit

Tokyo Summer

This novella introduced me to Shig Sato, the Inspector in Tokyo who is featured in a series by Joseph Mark Brewer.  I first found this series through an author email.  I just received a link for this novella and thought it would be a great way to start the series.   Many, if not all, of the other books in the series are available on Kindle Unlimited.

This book begins with Shig Sato turning down a promotion that would lead to him no longer investigating cases, but rather being a manager in the Tokyo police force.  His heart and talent lies with investigating and he is very good at it   The character is introduced as being methodical and successful.   We meet 2 of his colleagues who have worked with him in the past and quite apparently revere him and enjoy working with him.

The novella helps the reader to get a glimpse at these characters and their relationships while solving a high profile crime.   Shig reminds me of a Japanese version of Agatha Christie's Poirot.   He is very thoughtful and introspective.   You want to see how he is solving the case and the clues are explained to you after the guilty party is revealed.  There were several twists and turns while getting to that point as well.

This book does a wonderful job of describing Tokyo and the Japanese culture.  The scenes when Shig takes the train makes you feel as though you are riding on the train with him.   I look forward to reading more of the series and seeing where they lead Shig Sato. 


Tokyo Summer: A Shig Sato Mystery Novella by Joseph Mark Brewer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable novella mystery

I enjoyed this novella set in Tokyo. It is a prequel for a bigger series featuring Shig Sato an Inspector in the police

The book was enjoyable and highlighted some of the differences in the Japanese culture from American culture. I have visited Tokyo and went on a business trip in the early 90s so I felt I could relate to the culture and etiquette that might be foreign to those not familiar with the culture

Mr Brewer does wonderfully of describing his characters and it is easy to visualize their interactions with one another.

I enjoyed the storyline and felt it was a concise believable read. It's speed of conclusion did remind me of a TV serial such as Law & Order I do look forward to reading more in the series


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Literary Escapes-  Japan
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #66
3. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag poison
4. Six Shooter- 1st shot target 26
5. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #44 set in Japan
6. Wizarding World Tour  possible categories
• Koldovstoretz: set in favorite decade 1980s

The Agatha Christie Book Club

This cozy mystery by C. A. Larmer is the first in a series.  It is set in Sydney, Australia and has some Aussie phrases in the story which took a bit of getting accustomed to.  For example they say arvo which I think means afternoon but I am not sure.

There is a group of characters that are centered around Alicia Finlay, the book club founder and her sister.   The other book club members resemble many of the characters in Agatha Christie books and the group/story references many of her works. 

The book club begins innocently enough but evolves into a crime solving group as a member of their group suddenly becomes a victim of an apparent crime.   The group works to solve it and in the process uncovers lots of other secrets. 

At times I found the story to have too many characters to keep track of but they each had a depth to them that was pretty impressive considering how many of them there were.   In addition to the 7 book club members we also meet the brother of one of the members and the immediate family of that member.   Larmer does a wonderful job of evoking emotional responses to the characters including immense dislike. 

The series definitely seems interesting and I will try to pursue reading more of the books.

The Agatha Christie Book Club by C.A. Larmer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found this mystery set in Sydney to be a fun read. The characters are quirky and all seem to be hiding something which adds to the suspicion of who is the guilty party in the crime. This book is great for any Agatha Christie fan as the name would suggest and there are plenty of references to her works.

The story has a large number of characters and I did have trouble keeping track of them at times. This is the main reason I am giving it 3 stars instead of 4. Additionally, there were parts of the story that felt a bit confusing for me to follow and the timeframe of the story was a bit lost at times.

I did enjoy the story and would read more in the series if I was able to find them.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #67
2. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #21
3. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag bludgeoned
4. Six Shooter- 1st shot target 27
5. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #4 about a bookclub
6. TBR Book #43  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

Ms Marvel Vol 1 No Normal

I read this book by G. Willow Wilson for the August Book award prompt for GirlXOXO and because it addressed the prompt to read a graphic novel. 

I found the format difficult to follow and felt I was missing much of the story.   The story jumped around a bit to abruptly for me to find it a smooth read.  This may be due tot he fact this is a compilation of several individual comic editions, but I am not sure.

I did find it well written in terms of addressing what makes someone a hero and how physical attributes though wished for may not always be what they seem.  I appreciated the struggles Kamala went through balancing being a teen and complying to her Islamic roots while wanting to fit into a typical American teen lifestyle.  Also she learns to trust her friends and family as the story evolves.

While I did find the main character to be inspiring and a great model for teen girls, I don't generally like this format.  I would not be interested in reading any additional installments in the series. 


Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book and the diversity of the alter ego for Me Marvel. I had trouble with the flow of the story. Additionally I couldn't understand where she suddenly got her super power from.
I most liked the empowerment of an atypical hero and the perspective of the uncertainty of whether her powers were a good thing or if she didn't want them


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #82
2. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #27 comic book
3. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #19 ya book 
4. TBR Book #  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
5. Monthly Book Award-   #GXOAwardReadingChallenge   Hugo award 2015

Beaches Bungalows and Burglaries

I found a new cozy mystery series by Tonya Kappes that is set in a campgroud in Kentucky.   The Camper and Criminals series centers around Mae West, yes the name is campy, maybe that's to go with the theme of the mysteries :)   She has recently relocated to KY from NYC and has had a significant downsize in her lifestyle from post 5th Ave to only having the camper and campground to her name due to her husband's nefarious financial scheme.  She slowly finds herself growing to like her new surroundings and friends who have come to her rescue to help resurrect the campground. 

I found the characters very engaging and felt as though I could relate to the way they all adapted to each other.  It was also very easy to feel the emotions Mae was feeling from her change of circumstances and you could see her evolve as she adapted to her new environment. 

I look forward to reading the other 12 books in the series.  They all appear to be in Kindle Unlimited


Beaches, Bungalows, and Burglaries by Tonya Kappes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fun book with a good background for setup to the murders it incorporates. I enjoyed the characters and the relationships Ms Koppes developed between them. My only reason I refrained from the 5th star was the solution felt a bit abrupt to me. I did enjoy the parallel story and the setup it provided for future books in the series I look forward to reading more and getting to know these characters even more.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Literary Escapes- KY
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #65
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #20
4. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter-  New target 25

Aunty Lee's Delights

This is a charming cozy written by Ovidia Yu set in Singapore.  Having visited the island nation and specifically Sentosa, I feel it had added charm for me but anyone familiar with the Asian culture and families will find it enjoyable.  It has a good mystery that is surrounded by wonderful character development and interactions.     It is hard not to enjoy the antics of Aunty Lee and her personal aide, Nina.   The dynamics of Asian society comes through very readily but in general it is a great book about how people relate with one another and how our previous conceptions can frame our experiences in a specific circumstance.

I really enjoyed the book and the fact it had more layers than a straightforward cozy.  I look forward to reading more in the series



Aunty Lee's Delights by Ovidia Yu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An enjoyable cozy mystery that delves a bit into relationships and people's ability to relate to others. I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more in the series


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book 81
2. Literary Escapes-  Singapore
3. Alphabet soup Author- #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  - "Y"
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  63
5. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 18
6. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 
7. Six Shooter-  1st shot Target 24
8. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Clues:  cigarette ash;  magnifying glass
9. Around the Year in 52 Books- #29  by an author whose real name(s) you're not quite sure how to pronounce
10. Wizarding World Tour  possible categories
• Ilvermorny:  featuring diversity/inclusivity;  completed tour of school
11. TBR Book #41  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon

The Killer Karma

This is the second cozy in the series set in the South of France written by Ana T. Drew.   The adventures with Julie Cavallo and her family and friends continued to entertain and engage me.   Ms. Drew is a very good storyteller who mixes descriptions and plot very well.  She has just enough prose to deliver the reader to Beldoc and the patisserie but not so much you want to start skipping paragraphs. 

Her character development makes you want to get to know them better and you cannot help but laugh at the quirky antics of Julie and Flo's grandmother, Rose.  This story gives us a more detailed glimpse into the girls' childhood and how they came to lose their mother.  Much of that story helps to explain who Julie is and why some of her behaviors are what they are.  Julie continues to be charmed with the handsome gendarme, Adinian, while inserting herself into his investigation as she tries to help her sous chef, Eric. 

All in all a fun and engaging cozy that transports us to Provence.  I look forward to reading the next installment, Sinister Sailboat, due out in Oct 2020.


The Killer Karma by Ana T. Drew
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a great series. I enjoyed reading this vistas much as the first I the series With Ms. Drew's details you cannot help but feel as though you are in the South of France in Beldoc. Her descriptions of Julie Cavallo's pastries makes your mouth water. She continued to develop the characters we met in the first book while helping her son's chef, Eric, determine who killed his estranged father this book can be read alone even if you didn't read the first in the series I cannot wait until the next book is released this fall


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  64
2. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 19
3. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 

Who's Dead Doc?

The next installment in the Jules and Bun cozy mystery series proved to be as enjoyable as the first book in the series.  When selecting books for the cozy mystery challenge I wasn't so sure about the paranormal category.   It's generally not my cup of tea.   This version of it with telepathy between a rabbit and owner is a fun take on the cozy genre.   I have found myself enjoying it tremendously.
This second book brought back the characters from the first book and continued to build on their relationships.   The mystery was plausible and satisfactorily challenging to solve without being unbelievable. 

I look forward to the next book in the series which is currently listed on Goodreads as due to be published in Feb 2021.   Guess I will have to add it to my TBR and include it in my challenges next year.


Who's Dead, Doc? by J.M. Griffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

an enjoyable cozy that gave a chance to revisit NH and catch up on the antics of Jules and Bun. They found themselves in trouble yet again while trying to get to the bottom of a mystery. enjoyable series and i hope there are more to come


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

Possible prompts

I will decide as the year goes along which prompts I use it for on several challenges since it meets multiple criteria within the challenge.

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book 80
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  62
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 17
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter-  2nd shot Target 23
6. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #36 with a pink cover
7. Wizarding World Tour  
• Hogwarts:  Book of your choosing   -  completes the passport for Hogwarts
8. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO- Creature Feature

Penny Marshall memoir

I finished reading Penny Marshall's memoir, My Mother was Nuts.   The book is full of hilarious stories and some very poignant moments.   She is a great story teller and enjoys reliving the many moments in her television and movie making career.   Her book relives highlights of  her childhood and her relationships with her family.    If you enjoy reading about Hollywood and a true take on the how movies and TV shows are made then I can highly recommend this book.  It was absolutely enjoyable getting a backstage view of the Laverne and Shirley show as well as many of her movies she made through the years.   She has an amazing group of A list friends and many humorous stories to share about the memories she made with them.   

All in all this is a very good memoir that has you laughing as well as feeling a wide range of emotions.

My Mother Was Nuts by Penny Marshall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This memoir was an amazing combination of comedy and heartfelt honesty. Penny wrote a memoir that reads like a who's who of Hollywood royalty. The memoir was an interesting combination of family memories and the background stories of the movies she has been involved in over the years.
If you don't want to read about Hollywood partying you might want to pass on this book otherwise I can highly recommend this book


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. TBR Book #40  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
2. Memoir   #11 by an actor or comedian