Review: A Friend In Knead

A Friend In Knead by Judith Jackson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

enjoyable small town Murder mystery

This is the first book in the series and as such the reader is introduced to a lot of characters. Some are quirky and others annoying- as intended. My only real complaint about the book was my inability to keep track off all these characters, really a minor issue. The mystery is well constructed with clues present that make sense and lead to the guilty party. I look forward to reading more about this little cafe In Vermont

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The Cracked Spine

 The Cracked Spine is not the first book I have read by Paige Shelton even if it is the first in the Scottish Bookstore series.  Like her Dangerous Type series, Shelton writes an amazing book with relatable characters.   Not all characters are endearing but they all feel real.  The other feature of her stories that I appreciate is her ability to mix the descriptions of the locale into the storyline without feeling as though you are reading an abundance of descriptive prose.   This succeeds in allowing the reader to feel as thought they are in the setting with the characters without losing the flow of the mystery.  

I am missing reading more of the Dangerous Type books so I was very happy to find this other series by Paige Shelton.  This is my second book of the year set in Edinburgh and it has definitely inspired me to want to travel there soon.  My mother's maternal side of the family is from here and it would be fun to revisit the place of my Ainsley heritage as I haven't been there in more than 40 years.  

The Cracked Spine by Paige Shelton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable cozy. I especially enjoyed it as an audiobook with the narration using different accents and voices to reflect the different characters. The mystery is well constructed with plenty of doubt cast upon many of the suspects. Delaney is a bold and adventurous character with a slightly unusual ability. Her new found family at the Cracked Spine bookstore is quirky but loveable. I look forward to reading the series.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  43
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  36 
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 5
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #38
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #32
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #16
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #34
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #30
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 85 Shot #4
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
13. Bookworm #6 Read a book you meant to read for last year's challenge
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #9. A book that has been on your TBR for 2+ years or more
15. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 28 Castles

Death Over Easy

 I really have found myself enjoying the Country Store series by Maddie Day.   The main character, Robbie, is a hard-working businesswoman and this is demonstrated in the story lines.  Death Over Easy is the 5th book and is set amidst a Bluegrass Festival being hosted in Southern Indiana.   I have family from IN and now several of my son's friends attend IU in Bloomington so I can relate to many of the locations mentioned in the story.   As I have mentioned previously I appreciate books more when I have the connections.

The mystery is quite involved and actually contains 2 victims in this book.  I liked the structure and felt it was laid out well.  My only complaint was the abruptness with which the story ended.  It felt almost like an, "have reached my page limit better finish"   The mystery was wrapped up it was just a bit rushed.  Didn't bother me enough to stop reading the series but I do hope it's an anomaly.   

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

music festival and murder

Robbie Jordan finds herself mixed up in another murder investigation. This one happens while trying to enjoy a bluegrass festival and a visit with her Italian father. There are lots of individuals suspected by the police among her B&B guests, friends, and family. All in all I enjoyed the book although I did find the resolution to be a bit abrupt. It almost felt like someone asaid you have to finish in the next 10 pages no matter how rushed it felt. I still enjoyed the story I just left feeling a bit disappointed

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 42 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 35  
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IN 
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 5
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #37
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #31
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #15
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #33
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #29
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #34  Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
14. Bookworm #60 free space
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #50 Free space
16. Pick your Poison  # 47 A book with luggage on the front cover
17. Beyond the Bookends  Mar About Music or Musician

Bread Over Troubled Water

 This 8th installment of the Bread Shop mysteries by Winnie Archer evoked images of a nice early summer day in a coastal Ca town.  I welcomed this imagery as I was struggling through the glum March days in Chicagoland.  Bread Over Troubled Water is a fun read where the reader learns more about Ivy and her friends.  Particular detail regarding Olaya's family is at the center of this book.  The mystery is well constructed and it is hard not to find your mouth watering, whether it is from the bread shop delicacy descriptions or the yummy offerings at Miguel's family restaurant.  Archer does a wonderful job of making the reader feel like a member of the extended family.  I cannot wait to read more about Ivy and Miguel's upcoming nuptials.  

Bread Over Troubled Water by Winnie Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The magic of the bakery is always engaging and brings a warmth to me when I read this series. This latest adventure finds Ivy trying to clear the name of Marina. As Okaya sister, she is like family to Ivy. The story of Josh’s life is full of lies and deception and it would be easy to have just ignored his death as an unlikeable man. But Ivy is determined to figure out who is guilty among the plenty of suspects. The mystery is well constructed and carb lovers will find themselves craving bread. I especially enjoy the way cultural traditions are incorporated in the story.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 34  
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series:8 Book #5
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 8
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #36
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #14
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #32
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #28
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 5 Shot #5
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #46. A title that contains a word often found in a recipe
13. HP Quidditch 23 # 20 Applebee Arrows: Related to archery
14. Pick your Poison  # 23 Any book from a series

Seniors Sleuth

 The first Winston Wong mystery by JJ Chow was a random selection for me.  Seniors Sleuth was offered as a free hoopla pick for Feb. and I decided to give it a go.  It was a quirky book and didn't capture my full attention right away.  As such,  I am not totally sure I am hooked on the series yet. 

My favorite parts of the story are the positive and central focus Chow places on elderly characters.   She gives them important and key roles in the story and in doing so highlights how often older people are just taken for granted or placed aside.  I wonder if this attention has anything to do with her heritage, since many Asian families live multi-generational and have respect for their elders.  

The other feature that struck a chord with me was the setting.  I attended high school in the San Jose area so I am familiar with many of the locations referenced in the book.  I always enjoy reading books where I am familiar with aspects of my real life, whether the setting or a topic covered.  

While I wasn't overly enraptured with this book I do plan to give the series another go to see if I can become more engaged with the characters.  

Seniors Sleuth by J.J. Chow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this cozy mystery and appreciated the fact the author used seniors as supporting characters. It was wonderful that she made them credible and strong vs doddering incompetent people. I appreciated the Asian cultural influences to the story that she’s familiar with from her heritage. The mystery was a clever one that was constructed well. The main reason I didn’t give it a higher rating was a sense of rushing/ time warp. Things were supposedly evolving at a too rapid of pace. Even the epilogue felt like the follow up was much lengthier in time than the stated one week. I think Ms Chow has great potential to have a good series just needs to work on the time aspect and develop a bit more depth in her characters. She’d scratch at something deeper but then didn’t expand.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 40 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   33
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #35
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #30
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #13
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #31
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #27
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
11. Pick your Poison  #38 A book with an author whose name (first or last) is only four letters

The Nebula Secret

 I really enjoyed this book.  I loved the parallels between the Smithsonian and Harry Potter.   There are fun adventures and the technological aspects of the story are intriguing.  This is a fun middle-grade story that I look forward to reading more of the series.  I hope in the future stories they actually go out on the Orion and explore different places.  This book reminded me of my passion for travel and is motivating me to go through and scrapbook my travel photos.  

The Nebula Secret by Trudi Trueit
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun middle-grade story is a thriller set in an environment that feels a lot like the Smithsonian by its descriptions. I enjoyed the puzzle aspect of the storyline. The technological aspects of the story were fascinating to me taking VR and other current technologies to new levels. This story reminded me of parallels to the Harry Potter series. Cruz feels a lot like Harry as a somewhat chosen one with a supporting cast around him, sneaking around trying to solve a puzzle without adult involvement.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  32 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes   Washington DC
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  N
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023=1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023=-1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #34
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #29
9. Bookworm #30 Read a middle-grade book (8-12 age range)
10. HP Quidditch 23 #14 Quidditch Goggles: Includes a character that wears glasses
11. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #43. MIDDLE GRADE OR NON-FICTION
12. Pick your Poison  # 43 A book with a robot, cyborg or AI character
13. Read with Allison # 45 Middle Grade
14. Sci and Nature # 21 Space Words in the Title

A Killing by the Sea

 A Killing by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge plays a role in a weird cosmic collision in my life this week.   I have had this book on my TBR list since last year in order to fulfill my Target Practice for my Six Shooter challenge.   I started reading Kathleen Bridge in 2021 when I listened to some audiobooks in her Hamptons Home and Garden series after my eye surgery.  Coincidentally I am having eye surgery again next week to remove scar tissue from that previous procedure.   After reading several of those books I found her By the Sea series set in Florida at an old art deco hotel.   This was the next in the series so I selected it for the Six Shooter challenge this year.  

In a weird twist of irony,  they are preparing for a Hurricane in the story.   During discussions of previous hurricanes to hit the barrier island near Melbourne Beach, they discuss Hurricane Irma.  Oddly enough while indulging in my other pastime, watching cozy mystery shows/movies, I watched an episode of A Death in Paradise on Brit box.   They also had a hurricane episode approaching and again mentioned Hurricane Irma in that storyline as well.  Just a weird coincidence but still enough to get my attention.  

This is an entertaining series if you like watching mysteries and the setting is beautiful on the fictitious St Marie (Guadolope in reality).  Between the book and the tv series, I am certainly craving a beach vacay- without a murder of course.

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

I really enjoy this series so far. There are plenty of characters with quirky personality traits some more annoying than others. Liz’s Great Aunt invites others into her classic hotel like some people take in stray animals. Oh yeah there’s that too. Barnacle Avon the parrot is great for some levity and the pompous Susannah is good for eye rolls. The mystery is well constructed with multiple suspects and motives. Even when you think you know who the why is mysterious. Looking forward to watching Liz and Ryan’s relationship develop. There is an authenticity to their budding relationship with misunderstandings and learning to trust

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   31
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. What an Animal Book #11
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #33
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #28
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #12
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #30
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #26
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #12  Shot #5
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #23. A book with a body of water in the title
14. HP Quidditch 23 #47 Starfish Stick: Related to the sea
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #6. TITLE STARTS WITH 'K' OR 'N'
16. Pick your Poison  # 29 A book with a pair of slippers on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 38 About a Natural Disaster 
18. Unruly Reader Bingo  #5 Recess
19. Read Around the US   Florida- March

Guilty as Cinnamon

 I am truly falling in love with Pepper Reece and her Spice Shop series.  Guilty in Cinnamon is the 2nd in the series and readers get a glimpse into the restaurant industry and Pike  Peak Shopping Arcade in Seattle.  The characters are very quirky and hard not to love.  The food descriptions combined with the spice descriptions and historical facts are an amazing enhancement to the mysteries contained in the series.  This series wins me over even more than the Food Village one set in Montana.  I am so happy there are more books in this series to continue reading about Pepper and her great cast of employees and friends.  

The mystery is a well structured story and it definitely has a twist that I didn't see coming.  If you like clean cozies with multiple storylines mixed in then this is a great series for you to read.

 

Guilty as Cinnamon by Leslie Budewitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What a great twisting ending to a cozy. It's hard not to have a mouth-watering experience while reading this book. Pepper is a great character and the series gives a great peak behind the restaurant business in Seattle. There are definitely quirky characters that come and go from the spice shop and the Pikes Peak Market. I appreciate the chapter intros with the different facts about the spices and the spice trade. They make a nice addition to the story and add to the unique charm of the series.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  37
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   30
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 4
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
6. What an Animal Book #10
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #32
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #27
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #11
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #29
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #25
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #15  Shot #6
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
14. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #34 Featuring Mythology
15. Around the Year in 52 Books #50. A second book that fits your favorite prompt
16. Bookworm #26 Read a book recommended by https://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/
17. HP Quidditch 23 #5 Golden Snidget: Includes a magical creature
18. Pick your Poison  # 22 The second book in a series
19. Read with Allison #20 Book With a Mythical Creature:
20. Sci and Nature # 5 With an Animal Protagonist:

Beagles Love Steak Secrets

 Beagles Love Steak Secrets by C A Phipps is a great 2nd book in the Beagle Diner series.  I love how Cinnamon the Beagle is given human-like traits and seems to understand and communicate with her owner, Lyra.  The pair have moved home to Lyra's hometown along with Dan and Maddie- Lyra's remaining support staff after leaving her old tv chef life.  It is an adjustment, not only to the properties- the diner and her childhood home, but also to reacclimate into small-town life.   Not everyone is happy she has returned home though.  Rob McKenna, her elderly neighbor, was welcoming and stepped in as a friend.  Unfortunately, his untimely passing leaves a hole in her heart as well as a mystery to solve.   In the course of the investigation, town secrets and long-forgotten squabbles arise and add to the confusion of whodunnit.  The mystery is well written with plenty of personality drama thrown in to add to the characters' appeal.   The guilty party ended up being someone I suspected but the reasoning behind it was not as I had thought.  I look forward to reading the next book in the series and hope there are more to come.  

Beagles Love Steak Secrets by C.A. Phipps
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lyra is a strong female chef who has given up a dream restaurant to move back to her hometown. There she and her team are workouts renovate a diner and her childhood home. Unfortunately someone wants to disrupt her plans. This someone is quite adept at hiding their identity and this much of the small town is under suspicion. Great characters and an interesting plot.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  36
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 29
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  OR
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +1
6. What an Animal Book #9
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #31
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #26
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Animal #2 
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #28
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #24
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #78  Shot #2
13. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
14. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #29 Sends you Down a Rabbit Hole
15. Around the Year in 52 Books #24. A character that might be called a Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, or Spy
16. Bookworm #12 Free Space! Pick any book
17. Cozy Mysteries   #20 Has a purple cover
18. HP Quidditch 23 #33 Harry Potter: Includes a celebrity
19. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #32. Read a book that has a purple cover
20. Pick your Poison  # 52 A book by an author with initials in their name
21. Read with Allison #2 Purple Spine
22. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 20 Animals: Cat Books | Dog Books | Dogs In Lit
23. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Animal 

Every Last Fear

 Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is an intense psychological thriller that was a 5 Star read for me.  This is a fast paced novel that is hard to put down.  I stayed up until 2am to finish it.  I was especially intrigued by the choice of locales for the Pines' new residence.  It is my hometown in the western suburbs of Chicago.  This choice led me to do digging on the author to see if there was a connection to Naperville, but I couldn't find one.  For this reason I am actually going to use this book for the down the rabbit hole prompt since I spent quite a while trying to figure out why Naperville would be selected.  

For a debut novel, this was a great read in my opinion.  The multiple-voice narration and dual timeline worked well and definitely added to the story rather than being a distraction.  This approach provided a vehicle for each character to reveal their own involvement in the matter and their secrets.   It made an already tragic story even more emotional and gut-wrenching.   If you are looking for a roller coaster and high-speed read this is one for you. 

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

intense the whole way through

I had no idea what this book was about but I stayed up late finishing it once I started. Crazy intensity that keeps the reader turning pages. The book is set in 2 timelines before the crime that shook the Pines’ lives and after. Everything feels like fate and each member played a role in the drama. The who and why was intense til the end and the reveal was a perfect culmination

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  35
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  28 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Mexico 
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #30
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #25
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #27
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  6 Toe Tags
8. Around the Year in 52 Books #3. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the 2023 list
9. Bookworm #7 Read a book with a basic shape on the cover
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #18. With Dual Timelines
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #4 meant to read it last year
12. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #38. Read a horror/creepy novel
13. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #40. DUAL TIMELINES
14. Pick your Poison  #84 A book you would wrestle from the jaws of a tiger to read
15. Read with Allison #5 Mood Read
16. Sci and Nature # 11 About a Dangerous Creature
17. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 30 Monsters

Dead Before Dinner

 I selected Dead Before Dinner by Kat Bellemore because it was a Kindle Unlimited book set in New Mexico.   NM is a state that I sometimes struggle with on my US States reading challenge so it seemed like a good choice.  I enjoyed the therapist aspect of the story and found it to feel a bit different from other cozy protagonists.  In this case, Maddie, has a past she is running from and a family she is trying to protect.  All while settling back into her hometown,  of whom many residents are not happy she has returned.  All this impacts her ability to get a clear answer on who had motives to kill the pesky councilwoman.  I liked the resolution of the story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series since it is set at the balloon festival, a bucket list item for me.  

Dead Before Dinner by Kat Bellemore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

unique approach for a cozy

I appreciated the fact Maddie is a therapist and how that leads to involvement in investigating but also comes with conflicts. Her return to her hometown of Amor is far from smooth. I think her bumpy path and uncertainty of her own path leads to the appeal of her as a character. Looking forward to reading more

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Challenge PromptsTweetDeck

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #34 
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NM
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. Color Coded #3 Yellow
6. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 5
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #10
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #26
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #23
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 100 Shot #1
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags Poison
12. Around the Year in 52 Books # 44 A book where the cover design includes text that is not completely horizontal
13. Bookworm #17 Read a book with a yellow cover
14. HP Quidditch 23 #51 Body Blow: With a body part on the cover
15. Pick your Poison  # 111 A book about going home
16. Read with Allison #33 Book Featuring Time
17. Unruly Reader Bingo  #16 Guidance Counselor
18. Read Around the US   Feb New Mexico

Just Shoot Me Dead

 Just Shoot Me Dead, by Anne R  Tan, was a random find on Hoopla in February.  They do a bonus borrow campaign in Feb and I saw this and decided to give it a try.  Turns out it is related to the Raina series I had been planning to try at some point so it was a double win.  I liked Lucy Fong and PoPo but Lucy has a bit more baggage than I would normally like in my MC. I tend to want to read these books to escape and try to solve a mystery.  Lucy has a lot of unresolved issues in her past and it feels like these may play a big role in the storylines.   I am willing to give the series another try before making a final decision though.  

Just Shoot Me Dead by Anne R. Tan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting premise for a cozy. Lucy’s family has a PI business that’s been in the family for generations. Problem is she left home as a teen and has nothing to do with it. That was until her mother is in the hospital after being shot and her sister is missing. Oh yeah there’s a dead guy in her sisters apartment. Needless to say there’s plenty of family drama. Mixed in with this is comedic relief of PoPo and cousin Stella and a bit of a budding romance with Max the police chief. There’s deception and secrecy all helping to hide the killer’s identity. The who is rather clever if it was revealed a bit abruptly but did make sense when all the pieces were explained. Overall an intriguing and unique cozy

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #33  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   27
3. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  J
4. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  A
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #29
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #24
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #9
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #25
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #22
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #99  Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags shot
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #33. A book by an author with a first name popular in 1923
15. HP Quidditch 23 #41 Cho Chang: Written by an Asian or AAPI author
16. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #2.  A book with more than 300 pages
17. Pick your Poison  # 93 A book with a beach on the cover
18. Read with Allison #10 Pronoun in the Title
19. What's in a Name   #4 You or Me
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge March Baggage

A Pizza to Die For

 The 3rd book in the Pizza Lovers Mysteries by Chris Cavender,  A Pizza to Die For, is a great next installment in the series.   I really enjoy the sisters, Eleanor and Maddie, and the situations they find themselves in frequently.   Although the author is male, he does a wonderful job of creating great female lead characters.  The plot lines are each unique and the pizza preparation will make your mouth water when you read these books.  

A Pizza To Die For by Chris Cavender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This 3rd volume in the Pizza Lovers books was a welcome continuation in the series. I enjoyed reading about Eleanor's foray into deep-dish pizza making. I enjoy watching her relationship with her sister, Maddie, and her loyal employees. The business competition opening in the town was a large distraction so the murder of the manager before the grand opening pointed the guilty finger at Eleanor and Maddie. Their investigation and the ensuing interactions were intriguing and engaging. Mouth-watering pizza and great relationships are at the heart of this series. They make this series work along with the well-written mystery.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  29
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  23 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NC
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 7 Book #1
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #28
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #23
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #8
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #24
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #21
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 21 Shot #2
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags hit
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #5. A book with 4 or more colors on the cover
15. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #6  an author writing under a pseudonym
16. Cozy Mysteries   #15 Serves food you'd like to eat
17. HP Quidditch 23 #50 Dionysus Dive: Contains a character with a vice
18. Pick your Poison  # 2 A mystery
19. Read with Allison #22 Illustrated Cover

Murder in an Irish Village

 Murder in an Irish Village is a charming cozy to kick off the Irish Village series by Carlene O'Connor.  The descriptions of the village are wonderful and welcoming. The authenticity of the terminology and characteristics are a welcome feature.   It is hard not to want to grab a plane ticket and head over to the Emerald Isle after reading this book.  

The O'Sullivan clan is a well-written family unit with its share of squabbles and differences while being a tight-knit crew.  The mysterious death of a family rival in their bistro was enough to put a strain on those tight bonds and to create suspicion among all of the village residents.  It is hard to imagine anyone you have known all your life to be a murderer but that is the case unless it is the outsider, the Yank.   Sioban and her siblings work to investigate and clear James' name.  Unfortunately, their discoveries open many wounds and secrets.  The Village of Kilbane will not recover any time soon.  I plan to read the next in the series to see how it comes along.  

Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An authentic feeling book set in Ireland. The use of Irish phrases and words adds a truly authentic feel to the characters. It’s easy to visualize the countryside around Cork and in Kilbane in particular. The mystery is well written including the why and who. The small village was leveraged to add to the difficulty in solving because who wants to suspect someone they’ve known their whole lives and who have reached out to help your family. Add to it the mysterious Yank with unknown intentions and everyone is looking at each other sideways. Siobhan is a character that is dealing with internal struggles between her dreams and her sense of obligation. I look forward to reading more about this family and village.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  29
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  25 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Ireland
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #27
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #22
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #7
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #23
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #20
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 98 Shot #1
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags stabbed
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #20. A book with a cover or title that includes a route of travel
14. HP Quidditch 23 #49 Slothgrip Roll: A book that’s taken you a long time to read
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #38. ROMANTIC INTEREST STARTS WITH 'M'
16. Pick your Poison  # 53 A book your initial reaction to is "I know I'll love this"
17. Read with Allison #18 Book in a Series
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #26 Ireland: Ireland Books | Ireland Movies
19. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Baggage

Aged for Murder

 I had previously started this Tuscan Wine mystery last year and for some reason had not finished it.  I selected it as an audiobook when offered as a bonus borrow from Hoopla in Feb.  I am glad I did.  The MC of the book, Olivia,  did seem a bit impetuous and immature but the story itself was well written.   The landscape and setting descriptions were wonderful as was the character of Yerba, the pesky goat who adopts Olivia.  The author could work on the resolution of the murder a bit as the guilty party really had a peripheral role and kind of felt like an afterthought rather than a logical build-up of the clues.  

Another aspect I found a bit frustrating at times was the author used English terms to describe scenes and clothing etc whereas Olivia is American and they were in Italy.  For some reason, this really got on my nerves.  I am usually not a grammar text critic but for whatever reason, this bugged me.  Usually, the only detail of that type that bothers me is inconsistency in timelines.  I didn't notice any in this book but often times timing ends up off in cozy mysteries- authors referring to yesterday as today or skipping a day in the timeline when talking about events.   I think it's just a symptom of my perfectionism :)

I will try the next in the series to see how the story goes and to determine if I will stick with it.  This is a great book for those interested in learning about wine and wine growing.  

Aged for Murder by Fiona Grace
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the setting and the mystery in this book. For some reason though the MC, Olivia, was a bit annoying to me at times. I think the whole pollyanna dreaming of perfect outcomes was just something that struck me as immature. Not necessarily the way a 34 year old Advertising exec would behave in my opinion. Maybe it’s just that her personality is so different from mine and so it felt unrealistic to me. I can totally understand someone having a dream job and wanting to follow the dream it was just more about her repetitive daydreams about different scenarios- romance, jobs, even things she didn’t want to do just seemed over the top to me. Her impulsive behavior made her seem flighty at times rather than vulnerable. I did enjoy the wine industry aspect of the story and will try another one I. The series before giving up but hopefully Olivia isn’t quite so dreamy as she continues on pursuing her dream vocation

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  30
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  24 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Italy
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. What an Animal Book #8
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #26
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #21
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Non US #2
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #22
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #19
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 97 Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags hit
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #16. Three books, each of which is set in a different century: Book 2
15. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #5  giving an author a second chance
16. Cozy Mysteries   #2  Cozy companion that isn't a dog or cat
17. HP Quidditch 23 #27 Wingtown Wanderers: Includes travel or adventure
18. Pick your Poison  #51 Go ahead—choose a book because of its cover
19. Read with Allison #35 Prettiest Cover on Your TBR
20. Unruly Reader Bingo  #3 Exchange Student 
21. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Baggage