Body in the Books

 This novella, Body in the Books is by Heather Huffman.   It's a wonderful new series set in St. Augustine, FL.  Nora Jones has inherited her estranged uncle, Walter's estate but there are plenty of unanswered questions that came with this gift.    As the story progresses Nora's group of friends become more and more like family and you cannot help but enjoy their relationships.  I thoroughly enjoy the story of Pru and her disorder which causes her to be affected by sound in an extraordinary way.  The mystery in the book was intriguing and extremely well written I enjoyed finding out what happened to Walter.  I look forward to reading the next book and seeing how the story evolves.  

     

Body in the Books by Heather Huffman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

great new series set in a bookstore with several mysteries embedded in this cozy. Nora has to try to figure out why her Uncle whom she didn't know left her his bookstore and charming bungalow. as she learns more she creates a new family of charming friends. her most unique is her employee Pru who has a unique condition that makes her sensitive to sound. Nora comes to learn some of Uncle Walter's secrets but most of all to discover what a wonderful kind man he was.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  H
2. What an Animal Book #13
3. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book #3
4. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #47 protagonist has a profession that twists the truth
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #7
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #21
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #20
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- office
• Weapon- poison
• Detectives- nora jones 
• Victims- walter cavanaugh
10. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  # 26 Has an “Author’s Note”
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #23. A book that features loving LGBTQIA+ relationship
12. Bookworm #28 Read a book you recently acquired
13. Nancy Drew #25. The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948) - read a book with a ghost in the story
14. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #19 four word title
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #13 Book with less than 200 pages
16. OWLS 22  #47 Flying Car: A book related to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math)
17. Pick your Poison #67 a book with a LGBTQIA+ protagonist
18. RAD challenge #aradreadingchallenge #10 set somewhere haunted
19. 52 books in 52 weeks  #6  Haunted
20. Unruly Reader Bingo  #21 ability diverse

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

 I ended up reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney to meet several challenges on my list this year.  Obviously, it is not a typical read of mine.  Indirectly, I ended up covering a prompt about nostalgia too since this was a favorite series of my son throughout elementary and even middle school.  I think he might even be known to go back and reread them for fun even now.  I must say I also thoroughly enjoy the movies made based on the series which I had scene before ever reading this book.  

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

fun book that brings back memories of my son's childhood.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge K
2. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 18 Book that makes you Nostalgic
3. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book #2
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #12
5. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #39 you watched the show or movie first
6. Humor  Book #1
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #9 A book that sparks joy
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #47. A book with handwriting on the cover
9. Bookworm #44 Read a book that a movie/show you've watched is based on but have yet to read
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #47. Makes You Laugh
11. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #34  A book that is written in text messages, emails, or different forms of text. 
12. Nancy Drew #7. The Clue in the Diary (1932) - read an epistolary book
13. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #10 recommended by family/friend
14. OWLS 22  #48 Hogwarts: A book set in a school 
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #24. A book you can read in one sitting
16. Pick your Poison #16 a diary
17. RAD challenge #aradreadingchallenge #1 A Graphic Novel
18. While I was Reading  #10 A middle grade novel.
19. Beyond the Bookends  feel good book
20. 52 books in 52 weeks  #30 Epistolary
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #12 coming of age

Beauty Expos are Murder

 Beauty Expos are Murder is the 6th Poppy McCallister series by Libby Klein.  This series is loaded with great characters and their relationships are quirky but very believable.  The characters are probably as engaging as the mysteries are in this series.  There are undoubtedly going to be hilarious moments in the story when you have Aunt Ginny involved.  She is a real character who seems to know everyone,  between her and the "biddie"  Poppy has plenty of helper with ears to the ground.  I am looking forward to reading the next book based on Antique Auctions, I can only imagine the trouble Ginny can get into with a bidding paddle.  

Beauty Expos Are Murder by Libby Klein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cozy full of intrigue and an enemy to "friend" component as well. Poppy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation again. This time she isn't the accused at least. On top of trying to figure out who is framing an innocent person, she is also dealing with plenty of personal life drama as well. This book is a great balance of suspense, drama and comedy. It would be impossible to read about the antics of Aunt Ginny , the biddies and Victory without chuckling. This is a fun series and I really look forward to reading more books in the future

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #19
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NJ
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:12  Book #1
4. What an Animal Book #12
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #21
6. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #38 women in the (fictional) sciences
7. Cozy Mysteries   #14 about or relating to the medical field
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #6
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #20
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #19
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
12. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-convention center/apartment
• Weapon- billy club /gun
• Detectives- Amber/Poppy
• Victims- Lance Rubin/ Temarius
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #19  Shot #6
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #13. A book about a woman in STEM
15. Bookworm #57 A book with at least 5 prominent characters
16. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #36. Family Drama
17. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO  #32 A book with the color pink on the cover
18. Nancy Drew #22. The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (1945) - read a book where the mc is a prisoner for a time
19. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #22 purple on the cover
20. OWLS 22  #53 Severus Snape: Turn to page 394 - A book with page 394.
21. Pick your Poison #31 a book about finding family
22. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #46. A book about someone leading a double life
23. 52 books in 52 weeks  #13 Shiny Penny
24. Unruly Reader Bingo  #4 fleeting fancy

The Kennedy Debutante

 The Kennedy Debutante is a historical fiction novel by Kerri Maher based around the life of Katherine, Kick, Kennedy.  It focuses on the years she lives in England during her coming out season and subsequent ones.  The shadow of WWII is looming heavily on the English as she falls for a Duke.   To make matters worse, he is a Protestant and will not convert so this is a great strain on her relationship with her very Catholic Mother.  The book is an interesting read about that era and how the wealthy attempted to maintain a semblance of normal even with a war raging around them.  The book definitely takes a look at what it means to be a Kennedy and all the weight that comes with that.  It is an interesting read to see Jack as well as Teddy and Bobby in the roles of brother rather than the stars of the story.  The book is an interesting fictional interpretation of the life of Kick supported by letters and other documents that have been preserved by the Kennedy family.   A great read for those who are at all interested in a glimpse inside the Camelot story.  

The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An interesting book about the war years in England and the life of Kathleen Kennedy. The book examines here choices and decisions as they conflicted with her family wishes and her Catholic faith. She appears to have been a strong willed woman who fought for what she believed in despite the consequences and disappointments it may have caused. The book is uses letters and other family documents to create a story based on the years beginning with Kick's coming out in England when her father was the US Ambassador in the years leading up to the war and the subsequent years she spent living abroad away from her family. Their are brief glimpses of the family life while at Hyannis Port and other aspects of the lives of the Kennedy clan. The book is a great read for historical fiction readers especially those interested in some insight into America's royal family and their famous friends.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #18
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  England
3. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 19 Family Saga
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #20
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #11
6. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #16 about or inspired by a historical event
7. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #3
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #10 A book based on a real person
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #20. A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1951
10. Bookworm #32 Read a book that takes place on an island
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #45. A Book About Life
12. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO  #35 A book that has mental health aspects to it
13. Nancy Drew #11. The Clue of the Broken Locket (1934) - read a book where the mc receives jewelry
14. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #26 standalone
15. OWLS 22  #43 Hogwarts, A History: A historical fiction
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #9. A book about a "found family"
17. Pick your Poison # 75 a book that crosses two genres
18. What's in a Name   #3 person and their description
19. While I was Reading  #12 A book that’s a combination of genres.
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Strong women
21. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  Western Europe
22. 52 books in 52 weeks  #38 Different Culture
23. Unruly Reader Bingo  #3 news

Criminal Mischief

 Criminal Mischief is the 60th book in the Stone Barrington series by Stuart Woods.  As to be expected with the 60th book in the compilation, there is quite a bit of predictability and formulaic writing involved.  I think this book has gone backwards from the last couple of entries where the plot was getting a bit better and there was less of a focus on Stone's bedroom antics.  As one Goodreads critique pointed out the book made it to page 2 before commenting on a woman's chest measurements and Stone hooking up with a random beautiful woman.  I don't mind the sexual exploits but it seems to be a bigger and unnecessary focus rather than strength of plot lines.  This story had a promising story line but it became a bit to focused on the Gulfstream hopping around the world.  I'm not sure how many more of this series I will last through with all the other books out there to read.  The only reason they end up on my reading list is the fact they can be read in a day and are fairly light and mindless reads.    

Criminal Mischief by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good game of cat and mouse as Stone chases a criminal around the world. Of course having a ton of money and plenty of influential friends helps in the quest. This book is a normal Stone Barrington mix of mental and physical prowess. His bed rotation is up to its usual high numbers. An enjoyable read to get lost in on a winter day

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #17
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Saudi
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  W
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:11  Book #1
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #19
6. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  #   4 A NYT bestseller 
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #19
8. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #5  Shot #3
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #12 Set on at least two continents
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #10. 3 books set on three different continents - Book 3
11. Bookworm #60 Free Space! 
12. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #27. Epic Adventure
13. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #50 finish a series
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO  #22 A book by an auto-buy author of yours
15. Nancy Drew #12. The Message in the Hollow Oak (1935) - read a book with a tree on the cover
16. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #41 features a journey
17. OWLS 22  #21 Charms: A book by a favorite author
18. Pick your Poison #19 a book by a well known author
19. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge  #50. Two books set in twin towns, aka "sister cities" (2)  
20. 52 books in 52 weeks  #32 Lone Wolf
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  # nyt best seller

The Christmas Joy Ride

 The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson is a heartwarming read that will put a smile on your face even it if does cause you to shed a few tears first.  This book really reminds the reader of the positives of humanity and how doing things for others can really provide oneself with a much-needed boost.  Although the ending is a bit predictable and Hallmark movie channelesque I really enjoyed reading this book.  It was a perfect solution to chase away the winter blahs.

The Christmas Joy Ride by Melody Carlson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Heartwarming Christmas story about doing good things for others and the satisfaction that comes from this action. A great uplifting read that helps restore our belief in humanity. Even if bits of the story seem a bit unrealistic you cannot help but root for Miranda and Joy to successfully complete their missions.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #16
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NM
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #18
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #10
5. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 10 Chick Lit
6. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #45 a book in a genre you never/rarely read
7. Around the Year in 52 Books #6. A book with an image of a source of light on the cover
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #41 Involves a second chance
9. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  9. With a Name in the Title
10. Bookworm #45 Read a book about a Saint (non-Fiction or Fiction)
11. Nancy Drew #9. The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1933) - read a book where the mc uses a candle
12. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #20 fantasy or romance
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #25 Read a holiday romance
14. OWLS 22  #39 Mandrake: A book that made you cry
15. Pick your Poison #102 a book with a desert on the cover
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #38. A book featuring a party
17. RAD challenge #aradreadingchallenge #5 A Book with a Cover you Love
18. While I was Reading  #5 A book with a character’s name in the title.
19. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  strong women
20. Beyond the Bookends  feel good book
21. Diversify your reading #DYRC22  romance
22. 52 books in 52 weeks  #43 Route 66
23. Unruly Reader Bingo  # 16 wanderlust

Death by the Sea

 Death by the Sea is a first in a new to me series by Kathleen Bridge.   I have previously read books from her Hamptons Home & Garden series (links to my reviews Better Homes and Corpses,  Hearse and Gardens, and Ghostal Living).  The 2 are set in very different locations with diverse characters but are both based around well-developed relationships and well-constructed mysteries.   I selected this particular time to read this book as I was working to complete the prompt for read a book that starts with the last letter of your previous read- so "D" led me to this book and I was happy to read a lighter cozy after completing Cloud Cuckoo Land 

Death by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable first book in a series. The characters are a charming and quirky bunch with a "found" family mixed in with Liz's real Aunt Amelia and her father. The setting in a classic grand hotel in the Vero Beach/Cocoa Beach area of Florida makes for a unique locale. The descriptions in the story make it easy to visualize the setting and Liz and Aunt Amelia's game of assigning a famous screen character to people enables the readers to visualize characters without lengthy descriptions. The actual mystery took a bit to unfold and get started, hence my 3 star rating versus a 4. The mystery is well structured though and the clues are present for those trying to solve without the benefit of the MC's reveal. I look forward to reading more in the series

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #15
2. Color Coded   yellow
3. What an Animal Book #11
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #17
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #9
6. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #27 set on an island
7. Cozy Mysteries   #16 bright colors on the cover
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Culinary #2
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #18
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #18
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #15. A book without a person on the cover
12. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #20 Related to the word “gold”
13. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #6. With a Bird on the Cover
14. Bookworm #33 Read a book that does not have a person (or people) on the cover
15. Nancy Drew #20. The Clue in the Jewel Box (1943) - read a book with jewelry on the cover
16. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #7 set in summer
17. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #33 A book that has a cover you love
18. OWLS 22  #40 Neville Longbottom: Contains a character who is an underdog
19. Pick your Poison #73 a book with the word "bridge" in the title
20. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #20. A book whose title begins with the last letter of your previous read
21. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
22. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- yacht; hotel room
• Weapon- poison; strangled
• Detectives- Liz/Betty/Ryan
23. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #57  Shot #4
24. 52 books in 52 weeks  #16 Ensemble Cast

Cloud Cuckoo Land

 My book club selected Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr as our Feb book.  I truly had no idea what to expect and was worried this would be an over hyped book.   I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the book.   I only gave it 4 stars rather than 5 only because I felt there could have been a bit more resolution with the why behind Konstance's storyline as well as a little more resolution with some items in Seymour's story.  These are minor items in the scheme of this novel.  There are multiple interweaving storylines that span many years with a common plot element in each of the time eras that connects each of the stories.    The level of detail and story structure is very well done and although this is a book over 600 pages long it reads very quickly and is hard to put down once you have begun.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book does a wonderful job of intertwining 4 stories set at distinct times in history but all having a common thread. Doerr does a wonderful job of combining description with plot. There is not a ton of action such as a thriller would have but there is plenty of occurrences in the characters' lives. One thing I enjoyed was the characters personalities were described and you got a feel for who they were, but you never really had a huge description of their appearance. Each character had a defining characteristic that was made clear, but there wasn't necessarily a he had brown hair, she had blond level of detail which made the reader's imagination take the center stage on how they envisioned the characters. I appreciated the way the storylines were completed but I would have liked a bit of the why behind some of the stories, particularly Konstance's-this is why it is a 4 and not a 5 star book for me. The book had a definite layered approach to it, where different readers seeking different levels of entertainment and satisfaction would all be appeased. The storyline is well written and complete, but then there is definitely philosophical and deeper meaning in the stories. Additionally, lovers of history or ancient texts would be able to read and enjoy these features and research more about those aspects if desired. All in all a very good book

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Greenland
2. Color Coded white
3. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  #5 Over 500 Pages
4. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2022  Book #1
5. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #3 longer than 500 pages
6. What an Animal Book #10
7. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #2
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #19. A book that involves alternate reality, alternate worlds, or alternate history
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #29 Over 500 pages long
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #24. Pulitzer Prize Winner
11. Bookworm #8 Read a book that takes place in the future
12. Nancy Drew #36. The Secret of the Golden Pavilion (1959) - read a best seller
13. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #49 bought on holidays
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #12  Goodread's 2021 Winner or Nominee
15. OWLS 22  #31 Divination: A book set in the future
16. Pick your Poison #88 an alternate history
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #47. A book featuring a parallel reality  
18. RAD challenge #aradreadingchallenge #2  A Booktok rec
19. Lifetime of Reading   January – Adult Fiction with a Child Protagonist (Under 12)
20. 52 books in 52 weeks  # 12 Vatican Secret
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #20 a play

One Poison Pie

One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyed this cozy. I really liked the characters and the development of their relationships. They are not perfect and this feel very real. The paranormal witch aspect is well constructed and is a support it factor in the story rather than being the focus. I am generally not a paranormal reader but I will be making an exception for this series

View all my reviews 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #14
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes ID
3. AtoZ   #2022AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge "o"  
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 10 Book #1
5. Color Coded Black
6. What an Animal Book #9
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #16
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #44 involves family secrets
9. Cozy Mysteries   Bonus  #3 5 cozies each with a cover or spine representing one of the colors of the Olympic rings  Black
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Paranormal #1
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #17
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #17
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #43. A book set in a small town or rural area
14. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #6 Household object on the cover
15. Bookworm #20 Read a book with a black cover
16. Nancy Drew #33. The Witch Tree Symbol (1955) - read a paranormal book
17. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #43 number in the title
18. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #31 Read a book that has paranormal elements in it (witches, ghosts, vampires, etc.)
19. OWLS 22  #9 Magical Numbers: A book that relates to a magical number (pi or pi(e), 7, 3, 13, etc)
20. Pick your Poison #53 a book with the word "attic" or "kitchen" in the title
21. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #16. A book about witches
22. While I was Reading  #7 
23. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
24. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-
• Weapon- knife
• Detectives- Mia Malone
• Victims- Adele
25. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #34  Shot #5
26. 52 books in 52 weeks  #25 Secret Society

Matchmaking Can Be Murder

Matchmaking Can Be Murder is the first book in the Amish Matchmaker series by Amanda Flower.   It is a great pairing with the candy shop series because Millie provides an Amish perspective and voice to the same town and people that Bailey interacts with in that series.   Bailey is an Englischer living in an Amish community.  Both ladies find themselves caught up in murders they did not mean to get involved in but end up assisting friends/family.   Looking forward to reading more of this series.   

Matchmaking Can Be Murder by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a wonderful complement to the Amish candy shop series. This one has an MC who is Amish so it gives it a different feel and perspective. Millie’s speech and actions are carefully thought out unlike many protagonists in cozy mysteries who tend to be impulsive. The side kick Lois is a wonderful source of levity. She also serves as the ability to explain Amish tradition to the reader since she is Englisch. The two ladies remind me of Thelma and Louise or Lucy and Ethel. Their personalities work well together. The story itself is well written and thoughtfully constructed and although I had some suspicions about the guilty party I wasn’t 100% sure until the reveal. I look forward to reading more about Harvest, OH in this series and the Amish Candy series. It is enjoyable to read overlapping characters in discrete storylines

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #13  
2. Color Coded Green
3. What an Animal Book #8
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #15
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #8
6. Cozy Mysteries   Bonus  #3 5 cozies each with a cover or spine representing one of the colors of the Olympic rings  Green
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #5
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #16
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #16
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #3. A book with 22 or more letters in the title
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #7. About a Difficult Choice
12. Bookworm #29 Read a book that's been on your TBR for over a year
13. Nancy Drew #6. The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1931) - OR read a book where the mc has a garden
14. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #35 in your tbr pile
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #40 Read a romance with a single parent in it
16. OWLS 22  #38 Greenhouses: A book with a green cover
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #42. A book that features two languages
18. Pick your Poison #8 he said she said book
19. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
20. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- greenhouse
• Weapon- wrench
21. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #6  Shot #6
22. 52 books in 52 weeks  #15 Spiritual
23. Unruly Reader Bingo  #13 free choice

Killing in a Koi Pond

 Killing in a Koi Pond is the 53rd book in the Murder She Wrote book series.  This book is co-written by Terri Farley Moran, as have been the last several.  I feel this author had provided some new breath into the series and giving it a bit of a different vibe.  While the books are still very formulaic, they feel a bit fresher and less repetitive.   This book provides the reader with a glimpse of the young Jessica Fletcher when she spends time reminiscing with her college friend, Dolores Nickens.  Unfortunately while visiting Dolores in Columbia, SC a murder occurs as is typical in this series.  Jessica proceeds to help Dolores through grief and in solving the case.  

These two ladies encounter some old-fashioned men, but use a female touch to show the men that they will not be treated dismissively.  The book has plenty of Southern charm and mannerisms on display in addition to a bit of the perceived chauvinism.  The descriptions of the meals and southern sweets that Lucinda, the cook, creates are enough to make anyone's mouth water and want to head to a Southern comfort food restaurant or cookbook.  You cannot help but imagine Paula Deen in the kitchen with Jessica Fletcher when these meals and their preparation are described.  

Of course, Jessica uses her intelligence to solve the case and help settle her friend on her road to healing.  There are relationships that also need mending and those are addressed and some resolution is provided as well.  All in all a good next installment in the series.  

I think I especially enjoyed this book as we just traveled to Columbia in the fall to look at the University of South Carolina and I quickly fell in love with the city and cannot wait to go back and visit some of the sites mentioned in this story.  I do think a reader who likes reading about different cultures and regions will like this book.  

Killing in a Koi Pond by Jessica Fletcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

great book that incorporates southern traditions with modern strong female characters. this book often shows men treating women as delicate creatures and not taking them seriously. Jessica Fletcher and her friend, Dolores Nickens, show the men how foolish this can be when they best the men at their own game and doing it all while smiling demurely. Jessica is not welcomed in the investigation of Dolores' husband, Willis. In fact the sheriff dismisses her every chance he gets. But as usual in the end, Jessica figures out the whodunit and helps her friend begin the initial healing process. You will enjoy this book if you like southern settings and hospitality as well as a well structured mystery with a variety of characters- some really not very palatable at all.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #12
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  SC
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  F
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:9  Book #1
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #14
6. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #33 co-authored
7. Cozy Mysteries   #5 Made into a movie or tv show
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Travel  #1
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #15
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #15
11. Around the Year in 52 Books #29. A book set on or near a body of water
12. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #36 Recommended by a favorite author
13. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #25. With a Blue Cover
14. Bookworm #34 A book that you intended to read on last year's challenge
15. Nancy Drew # 45. The Spider Sapphire Mystery (1968) - OR read a book with a lot of blue on the cover 
16. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #50 book with a blue spine
17. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO 8 Book with two authors or more
18. OWLS 22  #29 Magical Me: A book with an incompetent character
19. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # 41. A book with a reflected image on the cover or "mirror" in the title
20. Pick your Poison #14 an author whose name you remember easily
21. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
22. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 12 Shot #1
23. 52 books in 52 weeks  #42 Indubitably Dear Watson
24. Unruly Reader Bingo  #15 1980s Classic (the tv show )

Classified as Murder

 Classified as Murder is the 2nd book in the Cat in the Stacks series by Miranda James.  Set in Athena, Mississippi it just evokes images of Southern charm and hospitality.  The MC, Charlie, is the quintessential gentleman and never ceases to think about proper manners before acting upon his feeling and emotions.  The book is structured around books, a rare book collection to be specific just as the first book in the series, Murder Past Due,  did as well; click here to see my review of this book in 2021 

This book develops the relationship between Charlie and his son, Sean and provides some history into that relationship as well as Charlie's past.  The characters feel authentic and realistic and you cannot help but want them to overcome the strain in their relationship.  

The mystery itself is two fold, involving both a death and some apparent missing books from the collection.  The clues make sense and the reader is kept guessing through to the conclusion. 

The high point of this book is probably the Maine Coon, Diesel.  He is a point of humor as well as an interesting character.  The relationship between him and Charlie as well as with the new puppy, Dante adds to the storyline.  These relationships also provide insight into Charlie's thoughts as he communicates aloud with Diesel.  The relationship with Dante provides necessary buffers between Charlie and Sean and makes their struggles seem that much more genuine.  

I look forward to reading more of this series to see how these relationships evolve.

Classified as Murder by Miranda James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

oozes Southern charm and the manners and customs that come with it. This book expands on the character of Charlie and gives the reader a glimpse at his history and his relationship with his son, Sean. The mystery itself is well structured and has plenty of references to books as there is a book collection at the center of the storyline. There are plenty of suspects and the cozy does a wonderful job of weaving the different components of the story and the characters together quite well.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #11
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  MS
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:8  Book #1
4. What an Animal Book #7
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #13
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #7
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #41 second or fourth book in a series
8. Cozy Mysteries   #19 with a male protagonist or sleuth
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #4
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #14
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #14
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #31. A book published at least 10 years ago
13. Bookworm #13 Read a book published 5 years ago
14. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #25 A wealthy character
15. Nancy Drew #30. The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1953) - read a book with a robbery in it
16. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO 45  A book with an animal in it
17. OWLS 22  #34 Unfogging the Future: A mystery or thriller
18. Pick your Poison #3 a book about letters
19. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #29. A different book by an author you read in 2021
20. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
21. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Victims- James Delacorte; Elle Delacorte
22. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 37  Shot #3
23. 52 books in 52 weeks  #24 Curious Cats and Courageous Canines
24. Unruly Reader Bingo  #18 slow

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady is the second book in the Scumble River series by Denise Swanson.   I read the initial book, Murder of a Small Town Honey in Dec 21.   I enjoyed this book as much as that one.  This installment continued to develop the characters and their relationships with one another.  I appreciate the fact Skye Denison has flaws to her character and that not everything is going perfectly in her life.  The most enjoyable part of this book for me is the fact it is set in IL and references many locations not far from my home.  I think it is always fun to read about places you are familiar with when reading books.  

This is a great cozy mystery that has a school setting for much of the action as Skye is a school psychologist.  This is a different setting than many of the series; many tend toward culinary or book based it seems.  In many ways this profession allows many readers to connect with Skye, particularly those who have been involved in their children's school settings.  It is easy to recognize many of the personality types in the book.  

 Anyone with family drama will appreciate the struggles Skye goes through while trying to determine what happened to her Grandmother. Family secrets fester both in her personal and professional life. Summer is not very relaxing when you’re trying to find a killer. A good second book in the series. Looking forward to reading more on the Scumble River crew

Murder of a Sweet Old Lady by Denise Swanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

View all my reviews  

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #10
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IL
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  D
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:7  Book #1
5. Color Coded Blue
6. What an Animal Book #6
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #12
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #6
9. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #15 book with chapter names
10. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2022   
11. Cozy Mysteries   #2 From an author's backlist
12. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #3
13. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #13
14. Craving for Cozies  Book #13
15. Around the Year in 52 Books #34. A book with an academic setting or with a teacher that plays an important role
16. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #5 Chapters have titles
17. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #10. By a Local Author
18. Bookworm #36 free space 
19. Nancy Drew #15. The Haunted Bridge (1937) - read a book set near a river
20. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #47 illustrated coverc
21. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #39 Book about family
22. OWLS 22  #14 Sirius Black: Includes a character with a celestial name
23. Pick your Poison #56 a book about your homeland
24. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #25. A book about a secret
25. RAD challenge #aradreadingchallenge #7 A Book Set Where you Live
26. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
27. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #42  Shot #3
28. 52 books in 52 weeks  #36 Rebellion

People We Meet on Vacation

 People We Meet on Vacation was a book that popped on my radar in 2021 but I never managed to pick it up at the library.  I was glad I decided to try this book to complete several of the 2022 challenge prompts.  It is a fun light hearted book that has deeper undertones if the reader wants to stop and reflect on the storyline more thoroughly.  If you just want a light read you can enjoy the book just as much as if you chose to think about it more deeply.   I think I am going to have to try Emily Henry's other book, Beach Read at some point in the near future as well.  

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful book focusing on the development of a relationship between Poppy and Alex. I enjoyed how the prologue was about an event that you didn't realize the significance of until much later in the story. The format of flipping between present-day and past summers was well done as the story moved through time. The book has layers of emotion and character flaws and strengths. For those looking for a light rom-com type read it will satisfy; those looking for deeper characters and self/life analysis will find that as well.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #9
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes OH
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  E
4. Color Coded  Other- orange
5. 2022TBR  #2022ReadingChallenge  # 13 
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #17. A book from NPR's Book Concierge
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub  #45 A book with illustrated people on cover
8. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2022  #2. Goodreads Winner in 2021
9. Bookworm #3 Read a book that was recommended to you
10. Beat the Backlist #BTB2022  #22 protagonist has a profession that twists the truth
11. Nancy Drew #4. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (1930) - OR read a book where the mc stays at an inn or hotel
12. Nerd Daily  #NERDREADING2022 #46  quoted by an author you like
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #10  Hyped book that everyone is talking about
14. OWLS 22  #45 Cuthbert Binns: A book you “slept” on    
15. Pick your Poison #107 an award winning book
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #32. A book with a quote from your favorite author on the cover or Amazon page
17. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  strong women
18. Beyond the Bookends  feel good book
19. Diversify your reading #DYRC22 romance
20. 52 books in 52 weeks  #45 Still waters Run Deep
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #6 librarian recommended