Winner Cake All

 This is the 3rd book in the Chef to Go series by Denise Swanson.  It is an enjoyable cozy series with a strong female character, Dani.  This installment centers around her growing relationship with Spencer and how their past bad relationships are impacting their current romance.  Both of their pasts are developed quite a bit in this story and seem like they provide realistic reasons for them to proceed cautiously.  The murder victim is found during a catering gig of Dani's and the resolution of that case is the central plot line.  The characters feel like they are real people and have realistic concerns and struggles.

I enjoyed the fact that Ms. Swanson lays out how Dani determined who the murderer was.  She goes through all the clues that lead her to determine who was guilty.  It was nice to see how the subtle clues were there for the reader to have picked up on but didn't necessarily.   

I hope we continue to get more books in this series.

Winner Cake All by Denise Swanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

I enjoyed catching up with Dani and Spencer in this next book in the series. Reading about their growing relationship feels very realistic, like most people they struggle to find time for themselves. They both have been hurt by ex's in the past and this plays a role in their relationship as well as the story. The mystery was well laid out with several clues pointing to different people as being guilty. I like how Swanson ends up laying out exactly how Dani figured out who was guilty. It made it easier to follow how you could have determined it on your own. I hope there are more chef-to-go mysteries in the works. 


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #120
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the Chef to Go series
3. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 106
4. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 46
5. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 

Troubles in Paradise

 This is the conclusion of the trilogy by Elin Hilderbrand.   I enjoyed the book, just not as much as the first 2 in the series.  I felt as though there were unnecessary characters included in the story.  Specifically Margaret Quinn.   I also did not enjoy the addition of the Island of St. John, the community, as a narrator of the story.   This installment felt like the timeline kept jumping backward as the voice changed.  It wasn't always clear where in time the action and events were taking place.  I do prefer to have clear chronological logic to books when I read them.  

I did enjoy the book on the whole and was never tempted to DNF the book.   I just didn't feel it was as compelling and engaging as the first 2 books in the series.  You can find my reviews of Winter in Paradise, book 1, and What Happens in Paradise on this blog as well.  If you are looking for a light read that will remind you of warm vacation climates then this is a perfect book to pick up and read over the winter months.

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

While I enjoyed this third book in the series I just didn’t love it as much as the first two. I didn’t care for the added narrator of St John. I also felt a bit like the romantic relationships were a bit too predictable but then they were the centerpiece of the drama and emotional draw of the book. I guess the most disappointing pet was the ending. The whole existence on Margaret Quinn felt unnecessary to me. I did like the parallel comparison between Irene and St John ( the island and the people) at the end and it did give the story a bit of depth or thoughtfulness that otherwise might have been missed. All in all I thought the story was good. Not great. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #119
2. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #18- book trilogy

Countdown Zero

 

This second book in the series is a bit more dramatic and adventurous than the initial book.  It was still a fun read.   It was especially enjoyable to read having having just been to the Black Hills in SD this summer.   In fact many of the locations we visited or passed by were mentioned in the book.   That always makes books that much more entertaining to me.  I think it is because I have an easier time visualizing and creating that movie in my head as I read the book.  

Here are some photos from our trip 

Countdown Zero by Chris Rylander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Fanciful adventure full of espionage 

This is the 2nd book in the series. I would suggest reading them in order as there are parts in this book that will ruin the first one. This one involves infiltrating enemy areas as well as suspense and action. Great kids version of Bond 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #118
2. Literary Escapes-  SD

Lending a Paw

 This is the first book in the series by Laurie Cass.  It is about a bookmobile run by Assistant Library Director, Minnie.   She was responsible for finding the monetary support and for getting the project to bring the bookmobile to her county in upper Michigan.   On her initial run, Eddie, her adopted cat stows away in the truck.  He ends up being a big hit and draw for the bookmobile customers.  I really enjoyed reading about a bookmobile because it brought back so many childhood memories visiting the bookmobile.  

It took me a while to really get into this story line but in the end the mystery was worth the perseverance.  I enjoyed the mystery and look forward to reading more about the antics of Minnie and Eddie.  

Lending a Paw by Laurie Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

This book ended up being an enjoyable read. I found it a bit sluggish at the beginning and it felt like it took a while to get it going. Minnie and Eddie the cat are a fun duo but the interaction with the detectives was a bit shallow. The mystery itself was good and it took most of the story to determine the guilty party. I will try reading more in the series for sure 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #117
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 105
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 45
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- new target 45

Codename Zero

 

I selected this middle grade book for my Literary Escapes challenge for North Dakota.  We had this book in our home at one point for my son to read and I decided I would give it a try once I saw the setting.   North Dakota isn't the easiest state to find books set there.  Its a good read for a late elementary/middle school reader who isn't a voracious reader.  

Enjoyable book and I will read the next in the series for the South Dakota locale.

Codename Zero by Chris Rylander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Enjoyable spy novel

Great middle grade book. Funny and full of exciting twists and turns. Even has some thematic messages buried in the evil guys rants. Fun book that both boys and girls will enjoy 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #116
2. Literary Escapes-  ND
3. Wizarding World Tour  
• Mahoutokoro: Read a book set in a school

Remaining prompts Oct 21, 2020

  As I complete many of my reading prompts for the year, it is getting more difficult to remember which prompts a book covers.  I decided to create a list of the challenges and their remaining prompts in order to make allocating books a more straightforward process as I write the review posts.

√ Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  my goal was 36 (overdrive junkie)  I have completed 116 books which completes Library Card on Fire the top selection at 60+ books 

Audiobook challenge  completed 7/10

Literary Escapes-  completed 38/51 and 18 additional countries

• still have the following states remaining: AL, AK, CO, DE, IN, IA, NE, NM, ND,  SC, SD, VA, WV, WY

Alphabet soup Author- #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge 

• need to read I, O, Q, X, Z

AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge

• need to read  Q, X, Z

√ Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   Goal was 5 series (B list) I have completed 10 which completes A List which is top selection

√Cravings for a Cozy  Read 47/26 books for Famished

√Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal :  Read 81/25 books for detective

√ Cruising through cozies -  read 44 additional cozies

√Medical Examiner-  162 Toe Tags issued 

√Six Shooter- 34 targets started;  1 Completed Target

√ Mystery Bingo: Challenge closed for the year

• Weapons card :  Blackout Bingo complete
• Clues:  Bingo Row 1, 2, 3, 4  
• clock heard striking for R5
• Red Herring :  Bingo Row 1, 2, 3 & 4
•  too many gunshots R5
• Crime Scenes: Blackout Bingo complete

Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  All Advanced prompts completed;  38/40 regular prompts

• 3-  with a  great first line  The Lost Diary of M
• 10- recommended by your fav blog, vlog, podcast or online book club anxious people 
• 17- that won an award in 2019 That's the Way It Always Is
• 24- fiction or non fiction about a world leader-  Day of the Jackal
• 37- a Western  Cold Dish

Around the Year in 52 Books-  completed 52/52  completed 11/15/20

• 36- A book from your TBR/wishlist that you don't recognize-  The Secret Box

52 Books in 52 weeks  completed 47/52

• 3- By an indigenous author  There There
• 6- Written in the 1970’s Day of the Jackal
• 16- Borrowed from a friend   The Nazi Officer's Wife
• 19- A Stephen King novel  The Langoliers
• 41- Published when you were 20  A Walk in the Woods Bill Bryson

Book List Queen  40/52 completed

• 1- Book Becoming Movie in 2020  Artemis Fowl 
• 4- Published in 1920s 
• 14- Famous Author You’ve Never Read The Langoliers;  Frankenstein
• 18- New York Times #1 Bestseller  Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
• 22- Bottom of Your To-Read List The Secret Box
• 24- A Book Everyone Is Talking About
• 25-  Recommended by a Family Member The Nazi Officer's Wife
• 26- From the 50 States Reading List Cold Dish
• 29- A Book About Sports Friday Night Lights;  Boys in the Boat; Token Chick
• 30- A Play
• 41- Translated from Another Language Anxious People
• 51- Borrowed From a Friend 

20 in 20:  #Read20in2020  Completed 20 Books 6 NF & 14 Fiction

• 1- NF Crime fiction or True crime book 
• 3- NF A book with a (mostly) white color cover  Token Chick
•  6- F & NF Book originally published in 1990s  A Walk in the Woods(NF)
• 9- NF A book from an author you chose for another category in this challenge Bill Bryson
• 10- NF Book with 11 letters/characters in the title  IDEA:  Disney's Land
• 11- F & NF An epistolary book
• 12- F & NF A book with a calendar month in the the title NF  Six Days in August
• 13- NF A book you read in your childhood days
• 14- F & NF Book translated into English from another language 
• 15- NF A book with more than 500 pages
• 16- NF  A book that has something to do with sports  Friday Night Lights; Fire on the Track; Boys in the Boat
• 18- NF A wartime book

NJM #NJMBookChallenge2020 completed 23/25

• 5- a book made into a film/tv series  IDEA: Artemis Fowl 
• 8- pre 1900s  Frankenstein;  Pride and Prejudice

Wizarding World Tour  possible categories

• √Beauxbatons: Tour  completed 10/20

• √Castelobruxo: Tour  completed

• √ Durmstrang:  Tour  completed May 2020

• √Hogwarts: Tour  completed Oct 2020

• √ Ilvermorny: Tour Completed Aug 2020

• Koldovstoretz: 5/7 completed
• Read a book by a Russian author
• Read a book set in a palace Red White and Royal Blue

• Mahoutokoro: Tour  completed Oct 2020
• Read a book set in a school
• Read a book involving a sport Private the Games

• √ Uagadou: Tour Completed Aug 2020

While I was Reading 9/12 completed

• 3- A book translated from another language Anxious People
• 9 - A book with a month in the title
• 10- A book you heard about on TV/Radio/a podcast  IDEA:  7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle;  There There

What's in a Name  6/6 complete  CHALLENGE COMPLETED 9/20

Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020 21 /24

• book with 600+ pages 
• book you never finished before Frankenstein;
•  book rec from a friend

2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge 14/22 completed

• 2- book published the yr you were born Day of the Jackal
• 3- novel that will get a movie adaptation in 2020   Artemis Fowl 
• 4- friend recommendation The Nazi Officer's Wife
• 10- Booker Prize winning book  A Brief History of 7 Killings
• 11- Book by a Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck
• 12- Goodreads winner Red White and Royal Blue
• 13- book from rory gilmore challenge How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• 18- book trilogy-  Paradise series by Elin Hilderbrand
• 22- a classic Frankenstein;  Pride and Prejudice

√ TBR   #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon completed 49/24 

• scaled Mount Blanc, Mount Vancouver, Mount Ararat
• Mt Kilamanjaro is next with 60 read

√ Historic Fiction   #2020HFReadingChallenge  Completed Victorian (5) with 10 books finished

Historical NonFiction   1 read

Greenwood

 Do not let the start of this novel lead you to believe it is a preachy environmental warrior novel.  It is not.  It is a multi generational book that centers around forestry and the different roles humans can play in that industry.    I really enjoyed reading the book in the chronological order of a tree's rings.  Starting with the newest story, reaching back to the beginning and then arcing back out through the generations until reaching the original timeframe at the end.  

The characters are well developed and complex just like real life.  At times the plot leads you to dislike certain people and then we learn more about the story and see there is more than meets the eye.   Willow is a woman who shuns the wealth she is raised in as many upper class children can-   this is in evidence today with much of what is going on in the US.  Unfortunately she makes some rash decisions without having a full picture.   Similarly, we see her actions had some unintended consequences that probably didn't fit with her intentions.   

This novel does a wonderful job of capturing the complexities of life and relationships.  People are multilayered and not everything is as it seems on the surface.   We can only do our best and try to be our best for ourselves, our family and the future.  

Greenwood by Michael Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars 

This novel does a wonderful job of intertwining 4 generations of story lines. There is a bit of a mystery as to how it all connects but Mr. Christie does a wonderful job of tying all the pieces together. The characters are well developed and the reader can easily feel emotional responses toward them. The characters are not all as they seem on the surface, just like most people we encounter in life. There is a wonderful message about trying to find our place in this world and in living existence in general. 
At the beginning I was worried the story would be a preaching message about global warming but it really was not like that at all. While interspersing the care of the environment into the story as an important thread, it was not a preaching approach at all. It showed how all sides to an issue can seem to be right in their own way. Ultimately we all play a role in the footprint of the Earth.
This is a wonderful read and really flies by once you begin reading it. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #115
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #52- A book related to time
3. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #38- Set in the future
4. Wizarding World Tour  
• Hogwarts:  related to poetry
5. Historic Fiction   #2020HFReadingChallenge  Book #9

Dr. Shine Cracks the Case

This was a new series that I received as an ARC book from Cathy Tully.  It was an enjoyable read with a different spin on the career the protagonist was pursuing.  Savannah is a chiropractor in this series set in GA.   She is a strong and quirky character with a bit of a past that she cannot quite seem to leave fully behind her.  Living in a small town in GA doesn't help to shed her history and she isn't quite a local yet either.  Fortunately for her she has made some strong friends over her years in Peach Grove and they play a central role is this cozy.   Hopefully this is the start of a series staring Dr. Shine as it is an enjoyable book with enough misleading clues and potential suspects to keep the reader engaged.  The characters are believable and seem like people you would encounter in real life.  

 

Dr. Shine Cracks the Case by Cathy Tully
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

I really enjoyed reading about Susannah and her BFF Bitsy They have a great quirky friendship that feels so real the reader wishes they were seated at the giant kitchen table eating peach cobbler with them. The banter and teasing that goes on among them and with Larraine and Tina is very realistic and authentic. The book captures the charm and downside to small town living quite well. Dr. Shine’s feeling of still being an outsider after all her years living there seems so accurate
The actual mystery is well written with multiple red herrings but the clues are there and you can figure the guilty party out just prior to Susannah’s epiphany. I look forward to reading more in this series 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes-  GA
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 104
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 44
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 

A Time for Murder

 

This is the 50th book in the Murder She Wrote series.  I have to admit I probably read these more because of the nostalgia of the tv show than the actual books themselves.  I definitely visualize the actors and actresses when reading about the characters.  This book brought much of the series together in the story.  Amos Tupper, Mort Metzger, Harry McGraw, Seth Hazlitt and Grady Fletcher all have roles in the book.  We even get a glimpse at Jessica's dead husband, Frank.   

The story was a bit less formulaic than many of the books in the series because it was transitioning between present day and 25 years earlier.  The mystery itself was decent and a bit difficult to figure out although I did determine the guilty party before they were revealed in the book.  

My biggest complaint was the extreme nonsensical nature of the conclusion of the mystery and how improbable it was, even when you take into account how improbable it is for one civilian to have been involved in solving 51 different murders.  The ending was more something out of Hollywood action movies than a cozy mystery.   I still enjoyed it even with this ending but it definitely detracted from the story.  

A Time for Murder by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

This book was alright. I did enjoy how the book tied together Jessica's first murder investigation 25 years in the past to a current one. The book did a good job of tying the different phases of her life together. It intertwined all the different characters whom Jessica has solved cases with over the life of the series- Amos Tupper, Mort Metzger and Harry McGraw. Of course Seth Hazlitt also plays a big role in the current investigation. The book does a good job of transitioning between past and present. The guilty party is a bit of a surprise although I did suspect this individual about 50 pages before it was revealed. My complaint with the book was the absurdity of the ending. It was just not believable at all, more McGyver than Jessica Fletcher. Still the book was entertaining and a quick read. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #114
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the Murder She Wrote 
3. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 103
4. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 43
5. Medical Examiner-  3 Toe Tag 
6. Six Shooter- 3rd shot
7. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Red Herring :  car backfires
8. Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020 
9. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #12 Goodreads winner
10. TBR Book #31  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
11. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO- thrill and chill 
12. Monthly Keyword-  #MonthlyKeyWordChallenge- Murder
13. 
    

Gone with the Wings

 This is a quirky series by Leena Clover.   The main character is Meera Patel.  She is an American Indian who was born in India but has grown up in OK her whole life.  Clover does a wonderful job of blending the Indian culture in with her mystery.  She explains many of the dishes and the customs the Patel family enjoys during the book.   

The characters are very likeable and you feel like you are part of a giant family when reading the story.  Living in an area where there are lots of families from India I can easily visualize the characters and see their warm and embracing natures.  The culture loves to entertain and host and the book represents that well.   

The 2 mysteries Meera finds herself embroiled in are well written and have enough twists to keep you from guessing.  The mystery is solved for the reader at the same time as it is for the characters.

My only issue with the book was a bit of inconsistency in the timeline.  The book starts at Labor Day party and then goes backward to work up to the opening scene.  Then the timeline progresses up until Diwali.  This would be quite a number of weeks especially given how many weekends Clover describes in the story but then the wrap up includes a newspaper article that says it was only a few weeks from the initial crime.  Not a huge issue but just seemed a little inconsistent for me.  

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the rest of this series as well as the other series by Ms. Clover.

Gone with the Wings by Leena Clover
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

I enjoyed reading this cozy set on the Pioneer College campus in OK. The narrator is Meera Patel who is a charming young woman caught up in and accused of being involved in 2 different mysteries in the small town. The book is mixed with lots of Indian recipes and heritage information. Most of the main characters are of South Asian decent and the author does a wonderful job of intermingling the culture into the story. She also portrays a college campus and its happenings quite accurately.
The mystery is well written and the reader followed along as Meera, Tony and Becky try to get to the bottom of the 2 cases. My only real issue with the book and why I didn't give it 5 stars is because its timeline felt a bit off. Other than that I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more books by Leena Clover 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes-  OK
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 102
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 42
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- new target 44

Undercover on the Calypso

 I enjoy reading books about fun places.  I felt like I was on the elegant cruise ship right alongside Adrianna.   The book has some interesting characters and the concept is unique. Adrianna is a sharp and smart business woman and the male characters respect her intelligence rather than viewing it negatively.  She is not the only strong female character and the dynamics among all the main characters are realistic and believable.  

 I look forward to reading the other books in the series.  

Undercover On The Calypso: Book One: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries by Lizzie Josephson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

This is a fun lighthearted series on an elegant cruise ship...I enjoyed the fact Adrianna is a smart strong woman. While her new role is a bit of a long shot it is still an enjoyable lead to see her take on an authoritative role and make smart business Decisions. I look forward to reading more in this enjoyable series 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes-  St. Kitts
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 101
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 41
4. Six Shooter- new target 43

Darkness My Old Friend

 This book by Lisa Unger was one I selected for the While I was Reading challenge.  It had a prompt to select a book with song lyrics in the title.  I couldn't help but continually sing the Simon and Garfunkel song as I was reading this book.  

The book was a little confusing and disjointed for me at the beginning.  There seemed to be too much hopping between characters and stories that it was difficult to keep straight.   As the book progressed and you understood more of the story it got a bit easier but it still didn't always feel like it was flowing smoothly.  I suspect this may be due to the fact this was the second book in the Hollows series and I have not read the first book.  

As the book continued I did enjoy it immensely and would like to read the others in the series.  The characters are definitely believable and imperfect just like most people are.  The characters are developed in depth and the reader can definitely imagine their experiences and emotions.

I am glad I selected this book for a challenge

Darkness, My Old Friend by Lisa Unger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

Intriguing thriller

The book was quite a whirlwind of twisting and intertwined stories. As Jones the main narrator said its that may in a small-town and nothing is a coincidence. I did like how Unger relates the differ stories and does bring them together at the end of the book. Her characters were very well written and had lots of depth. they were relatable. My only complaint was at times the names and stories were a bit difficult to keep straight. This was especially true if there was much time between reading sessions. Overall I did enjoy the boo! 

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #113
2. Alphabet soup Author- #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  "U"
3. AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge
4. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 100
5. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
6. While I was Reading 6-  A book with song lyrics in the title

Bless Her Dead Little Heart

 I selected this book in order to read one set in Mississippi.   This is the first in the Southern Ladies series by Miranda James. I didn't realize when I selected it that it was a spinoff of the Cat in the Stacks series.     I am now interested in going back and reading that series as well as finishing this book.  Fortunately this story was a stand alone and does not ruin the other series.  It just has overlap of the giant cat, Diesel.  

The sisters, who are the main characters, are quirky and very Southern mannered.  They are fun to read about and James does a great job of switching between the 2 sisters as narrators.  The 2 perspectives combined with the sibling rivalry is a fun read. The other characters are realistic as well and the reader finds themselves being charmed and annoyed as deemed by each of the characters.  It is easy to dislike the characters you are meant to dislike and to have empathy for those who are caught in the family madness.

 The actually mystery is well written and has a good twist at the end.  I look forward to reading more by Miranda James.

Bless Her Dead Little Heart by Miranda James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Enjoyable cozy set in MS. It appears to be a spin-off of the Cat in the Stacks series which I had not previously read but am now interested in trying especially if Diesel the cat and Miss Angel and Miss Dickce are involved. These 2 sisters are lovely southern hostess even when their house is full of crazy uninvited visitors. As the sisters say it’s like watching a soap opera in their own home when their Ed sorority sister, Rosalee, and her family descend on them and bring all their family drama including murder. The characters are extremely emotional and dramatic and the reader gets drawn in by all the drama. The mystery is full of twists and turns and you cannot help but cheer for the underdogs in the story. The ending is a bit rapidly wrapped up and that’s the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars. I will look for more in this series and the Cat in the Stacks series as well 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #112
2. Literary Escapes-  MS
3. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 99
4. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 40
5. Medical Examiner-  4 Toe Tag 
6. Six Shooter- new target 42
7. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Red Herring :  looking/listening through keyhole

To Helvetica and Back

 Fun new series for me by Paige Shelton.   This is the first in the Dangerous Type mysteries.  The series centers around a family business based on writing, typewriters, printing, stationery.   The main characters are a grandfather and his granddaughter.   The family seems warm and loving and you wish to be able to sit down at the dinner table with them and their friends.  I look forward to reading more of this series set in the Utah mountains.  

To Helvetica and Back by Paige Shelton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Enjoyable mystery set in the mountains in Utah. Likeable characters with a strong family bond. I look forward to reading more of the series. 

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #111
2. Literary Escapes-  UT
3. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 97
4. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 38
5. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
6. Six Shooter- new target 41

Deadly Fudge Divas

 

This is my selection for my WI book for the year.  I have read the previous books in the series and was happy to see a new entry in the Fudge Shop Mysteries.   Christine DeSmet writes a fun book with a strong female lead who is trying to build a business after returning to her home in Door County.   It is always fun to read about real places in the Peninsula as well as try to guess where the locations are that she is using fictional names for.  

This is a fun series with good mysteries that are not straight forward to solve ahead of the resolution in the book itself.  

Fudge Shop Mystery Series: Deadly Fudge Divas by Christine DeSmet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Always fun to read about Door County

Ava and her Gilpa are always fun to read about and the perilous adventures they find themselves immersed in
Ava and Pauline are helping get to the bottom of the mysterious death of her ex mother in law’s friend. DeSmet does a wonderful job of capturing the charm of the Door County peninsula. It’s always fun to read about places your familiar with. Look forward to more in the series 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes-  WI
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the Abby McCree series as of Jan 2020
3. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 98
4. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 39
5. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 

The Last Time I Saw You

 This is the second book by the writing duo of Liv Constantine.  Earlier this year I read and reviewed their first work, The Last Mrs. Parrish.  I enjoyed this second novel by the sisters as much as that initial book.  They write an amazing thriller novel that is full of suspense that keeps you turning pages long after you should have turned the lights out.  

The characters are well thought and and you easily find yourself visualizing the scenes as though you were there among them.  The level of fear and anxiety that Dr. Kate English experiences is so well described that you can easily find yourself getting worried and edgy as well as you read the novel.  The characters' jealousy, deceit and confusion are readily recognized and believable.  

The only reason this wasn't a 5 star book for me was due to the fact I figured many of the twists out before they were fully revealed.  Although much of the motives were not clear until the revelations despite suspicions I had.  Overall this was a really good book and I look forward to reading more from this sibling writing duo. 

The Last Time I Saw You by Liv Constantine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

This is another intense book by Liv Constantine. It is very easy to visualize yourself immersed in the story and feeling the intense emotions of Kate and Simon English and Blaire Barrington in this thriller. The overwhelming fear that Kate finds herself experiencing is enough to make the reader's own heart race as the story unfolds. Constantine does a wonderful job of peeling away the layers of the story and revealing pieces of the past in such a way that you keep being surprised by the direction the story takes. Some of the story ends up being a bit predictable and this is the only reason I didn't give the story a 5 star. The means and motive of the criminals is well developed and shocking. Be prepared to stay up late if you start this one in the evening. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #110
2. Literary Escapes-  MD
3. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 96
4. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tags 
5. Mystery Bingo: 
   • Weapons card :  Fireplace Poker
6. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO- Thrills and Chills 

The Last Flight

 This novel by Julie Clark is an intense work that starts at 100 miles per hour and continues at a high pace throughout the book.  Clark has created a world full of strong women who are survivors.  She does an amazing job of interweaving the stories of 2 women who have nothing in common but an encounter at JFK.  Both desperate for new starts they agree to switch places on their respective flights.  What evolves from that decision and their back stories is a very compelling read.   

If you like fast paced novels with twists and turns this is a perfect heart pounding story for you to read.

The Last Flight by Julie Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars 

What a wonderful suspense novel. Clark does an amazing job of telling the stories of 2 strong women willing to do whatever it takes to survive. The story is full of twists and turns and it is amazing to see how the stories come to intersect. No one is as they seem in this novel and the ending is an amazing twist. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #109
2.  Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 95
3. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO- Thrills and Chills

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

 I had never read any works by Maya Angelou previous to this autobiography she wrote in 1969.  I was absolutely engaged in how well she wrote a piece of non fiction in a manner that felt like you were reading an novel.  Her stories are heartfelt and at times terrifying.  Her choice of tone and words to represent her young self is amazing and it is easy to imagine being right there with her in Stamps, Arkansas in the 30s and 40s.  It was interesting to read about segregation from a black person's perspective and to see how the differences were perceived by the black community.  I also found it interesting to see the contrast in her experiences in St. Louis versus in Arkansas.  

I selected this book as one that had been banned for banned books week for a challenge.  This book was banned in the 1980s in Alabama as being inflammatory towards whites.  Her words are reflective of her experiences and her childhood.  I do not feel this book or others from previous generation should be banned.  In fact they provide an important glimpse into the era and the growth we have seen in our country.  Excluding the literary works or altering them due to inflammatory words, depictions or words no longer acceptable in society is a form of cancel culture.  The language included in the works was reflective of the time or is intended to convey the environment in which they were written.  They are part of history just as much as the Odyssey and Shakespeare.  We wouldn't  alter those works to fit modern language and we should alter books such as I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings or Huck Finn.  

I am glad I selected this work.  Reading this autobiography provides a glimpse into the difficult life of someone who rose above her struggles and found a way to excel in the US and to leave her mark on history.  I would very much like to read more of her memoirs to learn more about her life as she grew up and was an influence in the Civil Rights movement and as a poet and educator.  

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Well written memoir that reads like a novel. Just an amazing story. I didn't know much about Maya Angelou before reading this book. What an amazing rise above a heartbreaking childhood. Angelou does an amazing job describing the childhood of a black woman raised in the South in the 30s and 40s. She depicts it accurately without accusations. I feel this has a much bigger impact that drawing too much hatred into the work. I will read more of her memoirs to learn more about this woman's life. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes-  AR
2. AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge "I"
3. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  39- read a banned book during banned books week 
4. Around the Year in 52 Books- # 47- A classic book you've always meant to read 
5. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #40- A book on the Mensa reading list for grades 9-12
6. Book List Queen #38- A Modern Classic
7. Wizarding World Tour  possible categories
• Beauxbatons:   Read a book about or written by someone you respect.
8. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #8- novel that was banned
9. TBR Book #31  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
10. Memoir  #8 Written by a person of color
11. Historical NonFiction   book #2

Live and Let Chai

 This is the first book in  the Seaside Cafe series by Bree Baker.  It is a series set in the Outerbanks town of Charm, NC.  Everly Swan has returned home from culinary school to open a Sweet Tea Cafe in a Victorian house that sits on a hill overlooking the Bay and the beach.  Baker does a wonderful job of capturing the beach community vibe and the pluses and minuses of small town living.  The reader observes as Everly reestablishes old friendships and makes new ones as well.   It is easy to envision her struggles and frustration with acceptance in the community once again.   Her family's long history in the town goes a long way to help her restore the townspeople's trust and confidence in her.  Along the way she gets a little help from friends and family in solving a few crimes.  

I look forward to reading more in this series

Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Everly Swan is a charming young protagonist who has returned to Charm, NC to open a Sweet Tea shop. Baker has crafted a wonderful cozy with very endearing characters. Her descriptions of the people and the Outer Banks community transport the reader right into the town. The story is full of surprises and the guilty party was quite shocking at the end. The story ends with a cliff hanger that makes you wish you had the next book all ready to read more about Everly and her charming town 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #108
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 94
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 37
4. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 

Every Last Lie

 This is an intense thriller by Mary Kubica.  I had selected this book as a pick for a challenge that prompted you to read a book by a local author.  I did research and discovered Mary Kubica is from the town next to mine.  It is always interesting to read books that reference familiar locations.  In this case there is a park that is literally a mile or so from our house.  We have been there many times for kids sports.  I have also read another author who sets his books in my hometown and those were fun to read as well.   That particular author is Shane Gericke who's first book, Blown Away, I read for a book club back in the early 2000s.   

Mary Kubica creates a suspenseful novel with characters that are easy to relate to.  Her story feels like it could be in any suburb in any state and the events could easily happen to any family.   I look forward to reading more of her works now that I have discovered her writing.  

Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica
My rating: 5 of 5 stars 

This is such a well written book that keeps you wanting to read more to find out what happened. The book is written from 2 points of view in 2 time frames. Clara tells her story from the present moving forward. Nick's perspective is from the past leading up to the point of the book's start. Kubica does a wonderful job of really capturing and conveying her characters' feelings and emotions. The reader cannot help but sense the panic and loss both characters experience. The book is well written and full of twists which Clara and Nick's narration slowly unravel and explain. 
If you are looking for a intense thriller with lots of suspense are realistic scenarios this is a book to read. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #107
2. Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 93
3. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
4. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  7- first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed
5. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #7 An author local to you
6. Book List Queen #45- By a Local Author
7. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO- thrills and chills

Crime and Poetry

 

This book is the first in a series by Amanda Flower.  I had not previously read any of her magical bookshop series and wasn't sure if I would like it as I am not always a big paranormal cozy reader.  I have previously read and enjoyed her Amish candy shop series.  This book is based upon the concept that the waters of the spring in Cascade Springs, NY hold special powers.  It was a interesting underlying concept that was carried out well across several aspects of the book.  There is a nod toward the Native American beliefs that the waters hold special powers and this is alluded to by the town Police Chief as part of his heritage.   Additionally, the town actually has a reputation for tourism based on the spring water that is sold by a company based there.  This is an area of upstate NY next to the Niagara Falls and there are some beautiful descriptions of those Falls as well as the countryside in the area surrounding Cascade Springs.  

I ended up enjoying the book and look forward to reading more in this series by Amanda Flower.  

Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower
My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

This cozy took a bit of getting into for me, once i got through the first few chapters it captured my attention but before that I found myself putting it down to chose another book. Once I started reading it though I really enjoyed the book. The mystery was well laid out and there were a few clues that lead you to figure out who was guilty before it was revealed but it wasn't obvious. Flower kept you guessing between different suspects and there was a good twist at the end. The mystical component of the book is important but not extreme so if you don't generally chose paranormal I would say this is a good book to read to see if you would enjoy the genre. I look forward to reading more in this series particularly since there are several strong female leads complimented by male counterparts. 

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #
2. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book # 92
3. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice 36
4. Medical Examiner-  2 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter- 2nd shot
6. Beat the Backlist #BeatTheBacklist2020 Book #44
7. TBR Book #53  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon