Carrie Soto is Back

 This is the 3rd book by Taylor Jenkins Reed that I have read.  I must say I have enjoyed them all for various reasons.  Carrie Soto is Back might be my favorite though because I really enjoy tennis. I previously read  The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo this year. (my review) While I did enjoy that book, I am certainly not a Hollywood insider so the tennis topic was more familiar to me.  The details of the matches and the practice sessions that Jenkins Reed writes about make sense to me.  I enjoyed watching the changes in Carrie's personality and awareness of others.  Her hypercompetitive nature is well-represented in this story and it resonates with me as reflecting people I have interacted with in my life.  

I suspect if I had read Malibu Rising I might have experienced different emotions toward Carrie and I would imagine those who have read that book may dislike her significantly.  I think this is one of Jenkins Reed's strengths.  She develops characters that you experience a full range of emotions about.  She isn't afraid to write about characters people dislike.  I am curious to see how the different novels have characters that make appearances in the different stories.  I will definitely need to add Malibu Rising and the others to my TBR list.  

 

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is for more than just tennis fans, but it’s especially appealing if you play the game. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and watching the complexity of Carrie’s character. It caused me to reflect on what makes a great athlete and on the public’s perception and expectations of them. I did find myself thinking on different pro players and how their personalities appear in Carrie. This book has plenty of personal reflection by Carrie and made me contemplate what drives others and how we interpret their actions. This is my third book by Taylor Jenkins Reid and is my favorite for sure. It was easy to become invested and to root for and against Carrie at different times.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 101 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 83  
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #92
4. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #7
5. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #26. A Book Everyone is Talking About
6. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #26 let’s play sportsball
7. HP Quidditch 23 #1 Quidditch: Involving a sport
8. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #29. SPORTS OR SPACE
9. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #19   A book that fulfills your favorite prompt from a past challenge
• used 2022 challenge - A different book by an author you read in 2021  (I did as 2022) 
10. Pick your Poison  #9  A book about self-discovery
11. Read Around the US   sep Books with Characters Traveling Across State Lines

Bookclubbed to Death

Even though Bookclubbed to Death is the 8th book in the Mystery Bookshop series, V.M. Burns is able to keep the storyline fresh.   Samantha finds herself embroiled in another murder investigation.  But unlike in the other books, there is a more cooperative relationship with some of the investigators.  The ending is definitely a bit surprising but the resolution of the murder does make sense.  As usual, Samantha writes a cozy mystery in parallel to her mystery-solving endeavors.  Her writing is a means for her to sort her thoughts into coherent ideas.  It's kind of like how people's dreams help them sort out their daily encounters and dilemmas.  I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in the series.

Bookclubbed to Death by V.M. Burns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This cozy was full of twists and crimes. I always enjoy how the main “real life” mystery mirrors the one Samantha is writing as part of the plot. It is fun to see how her writing provides clarity to her puzzling over the cases. This book found Samantha interacting with some characters in a different way that made for an engaging twist in the 9th book in the series. The who and the underlying why were quite surprising. The book also reminded us that our words do hurt others and just because you are not saying them in person doesn’t make them sting less. A good reminder in this day of social media

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 100 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   82
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 15  Book #1
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 8
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
6. What an Animal Book #37
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #91
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #48
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #77
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #65
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #108  Shot #2
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags

How the Murder Crumbles

 How the Murder Crumbles is the first book in a new series by Debra Sennefelder.  I have read her Food Blogger mystery series and was excited to try this new Cookie Shop series.  There are some overlaps in character types between the 2 series.  If I had to guess, I would imagine Ms. Sennefelder has some background in the blogging world since it seems to be a comfort zone for her to write about.  There are some very descriptive sections about photography, advertising/marketing, and cookie decorating.  If think it would be easy for readers to find something of interest in this story.  The mystery is full of misguided suspicions and thus the reveal of the guilty party was quite interesting.  

I look forward to reading more in this series as it moves forward.

 

How the Murder Crumbles by Debra Sennefelder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable book. I really liked the details about cookie decorating. There were plenty of suspects and some typical romantic angst. There are some very unlikely partnerships in the investigation and some great plot twists. Small town gossip places a critical role in the story. I look forward to reading more in the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #99  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  81 
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #90
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #47
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #76
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #64
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #84  Shot #4
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 4 Toe Tags
11. 23 in 2023 # 1 A book published in 2023 

Murder Ink

 Murder Ink is the 6th book in the Victoria Square series and it has a bit of an edgier feel to it than the normal books in the series by Lorraine Bartlett.  This series features a strong entrepreneur in the main character, Lindsay.  The is a bit of cliche romantic tension found in the story, in fact, it appears there are 3 men interested in Lindsay at the conclusion of this book.  I will say the guilty party was a bit of a surprise and there are some interesting twists during the investigating process.  All in all the book is a good read and I look forward to seeing how the square progresses and the relationships change as the series moves forward.

Murder Ink by Lorraine Bartlett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy reading this series. I like the expansion in the business repertoire of Lindsay. She is a strong businesswoman and I appreciate how she blends her personal side with her business acumen. The mystics well company has plenty of suspects. The ending is quite surprising and entertaining

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #98  
2. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 6
3. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
4. What an Animal Book #36
5. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 9
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #69
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #46
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #75
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #63
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 7 Shot #5
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags

The Last Thing He Told Me

 The Last Thing He Told Me is a great thriller by Laura Dave.  I have had this book on my TBR list for a while now and have been waiting for my hold on my library list.  While we were on a cruise in Alaska, I found this book in the ship's library.   I was able to devour this book in one day.  I really enjoyed the premise behind the story and the characters' backstories that built up as the story progressed. The relationships and emotions that are expressed by the characters felt very real and it was easy to relate to them. The characters and the story were well done and it is easy to see why the book won a Goodreads award.  I am very curious to read other works by Laura Dave.  

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The level of suspense and complexity of relationships in this book made it better than many thrillers. There were many anxious moments in the book and the reader cannot begin to imagine the secrets being kept by the characters. I am intrigued to try other books by this author.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #97  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 80 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book # 
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #68
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #74
6. Medical Examiner Challenge 1  Toe Tags
7. Bookworm #  39 A book by an author named David/Dave
8. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #30 A book that's on a celebrity book-club list
9. Read Around the US   Sept Characters Traveling Across State Lines
10. Read Your Bookshelf   September: Turn to page 50 in your August book (or 49 or 51 if your page 50 is blank) and your September book has to have one of the words from that page in the title.  "Told"
11. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge September - New Author

Shelved Under Murder

 Shelved Under Murder is the 2nd book in the Blue Ridge Library series which I began reading earlier this year.  Victoria Gilbert has a fun series set in Virginia with this concept.  I enjoy her other series which is a Booklovers B & B series so I am happy to have found this series.  The background story of these characters is a bit more plausible than the other one- a retired spy hiding in plain sight.  In this series, Amy has relocated to Taylorsville and is running the local library.  She encounters plenty of small-town charm and nosiness as she goes about her job and her relationship.  She has some wonderful friends and family who are helping her to adjust and whom she is helping when they find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation.  It is enjoyable how the story intertwines Amy's art history background into the storyline in a plausible manner.  I look forward to reading more about Amy and her library in future books in the series.  

Shelved Under Murder by Victoria Gilbert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed reading about Amy and Sunny’s investigation into the death of an artist. There were some subplot crimes which blended well with the story and made it interesting. I enjoy reading about Amy and Richards blooming relationship as well. I will definitely continue reading this series

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  96
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 79  
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #88
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #67
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #45
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #73
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #62
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #45  Shot #5
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
12. Read Around the US   Sept Characters Traveling Across State Lines

Misfortune Cookie

 This is the 9th book in the Noodle Shop series by Vivienne Chien.  I thoroughly enjoy the series but unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the previous books.   I think it had to do with missing the usual quirky supporting cast.  This book is set in L.A. when Lana and her sister, Anna May, are visiting their Aunt.  The structure of the mystery is well done, it is just that I couldn't follow the characters since they were almost all new to me.  I enjoyed the book, just not as much as others in the series.  I look forward to reading more when Lana and Anna May are back in Cleveland.  

Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While I enjoy reading the stories about the situations Lana finds herself in, I did not enjoy this one quite as much as the ones set in Ohio. I think because the characters weee not the core group that are in the other books it was more difficult for me to follow and stay engaged. The mystery is well plotted and revealed it was just difficult for me to follow the characters for some reason. I do hope the series continues as I enjoy it

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  95
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #78   
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 14 Book #1
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 9
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #87
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #44
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #72
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #61
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 23 Shot #5
11. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #20 featuring travel (time optional)
13. Pick your Poison  # 109 *A book you've been waiting to gobble up
14. Read Around the US   Sept Characters Traveling Across State Lines

Gone for Gouda

 Gone for Gouda is the 2nd book in the Cheese Shop series by Korina Moss.  I enjoy this series and the struggles Willa faces in running her business.  It is nice for storylines to not always be sunshine and perfection.  

Gone for Gouda by Korina Moss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun series especially if you are a cheese lover. Lots of interesting recipes mixed into the storyline. These is a great ensemble cast book with Willa as the lead. There are plenty of suspects and motives but the ending is definitely surprising

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #94  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 77  
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. What an Animal Book #35
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #86
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #66
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #44
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #71
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #60
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 95 Shot #2
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags

The Plot and the Pendulum

 

The Plot and the Pendulum is the 13th installment in Jenn McKinlay's  Library Lovers mystery series.  It has been fun to watch the characters and their relationships grow with the series.   It is like visiting old friends when reading it.   I appreciate that there are fresh storylines and they don't all feel like a formulaic read.   

This particular book has some atmospheric vibes as it is set around Halloween and there is the question of whether the house they are visiting is haunted.   This book felt very much like an adult version of a Nancy Drew book;  that is not an insult in my opinion.

I hope to keep reading about Lindsay and Sully for a good while.  

The Plot and the Pendulum by Jenn McKinlay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable read with some spooky seasonal elements. This is a case of an old mystery being solved today. There are quite a few twists and turns and attempts to cast suspicion on others. I enjoy reading about the daily activities as well as the mystery solving aspects in these books


View all my reviews

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 #  76 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  CT
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 13  Book #1
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 13
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
7. What an Animal Book #34
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #85
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #42
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #70
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #59
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 69 Shot #3
13. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
14. Read Your Bookshelf   August: A book that is the same genre as your July book.

Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the 2nd book by Taylor Jenkins Reid that I have read.  I have enjoyed both of the books.   The prior read was an audiobook of Daisy Jones and the Six.  I plan to read another one of Reid's books later this year- Carrie Soto is back.  

Evelyn Hugo is a fun book that is based on the life of a Hollywood starlet.   The story is reputed to be loosely based on Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner and  Rita Hayworth's lives.  I enjoyed how on the surface it is a fun and engaging book with snippets of the life of the famous.  There are deeper topics covered within the story.  

Additionally, the format of the book is a somewhat different approach.  Monique is called by Evelyn Hugo to hear her life's story and publish the biography upon Evelyn's death.   The book delves into both of their characters and what drives their personalities.  The reader is not really sure whether they should like Evelyn or dislike her.  Evelyn believes she lived her life as true as possible given the circumstances of her fame.   She doesn't regret her decisions and says she would do it all again.   It is hard to be sure if that would really be the case but it certainly makes for a polarizing character in the story.  

If you are looking for a relatively light read that does address deeper issues and gets you to think this is a great choice for you.  

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

very engaging read. hard to put down

Jenkins Reid certainly addresses some questions about people and how they define their truths to themselves. Evelyn Hugo was viewed by the public as an icon and celebrity this book shows the cost and benefits of this fame. If you ever wish you were famous this book will make you think twice about having the world wanting to know your business. And this was before social media

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  92
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 75  
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #84
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #65
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #6
6. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #  25 A Fashionable Character
7. 52 books in 52 weeks  #22 book to movie
8. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #14. Recommended by a Librarian
9. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #14  a character is lost royalty
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #11 A book about or set in Hollywood
11. Pick your Poison  # 67 A book you want to dive into
12. Diversify your reading #DYRC23   August: Contemporary Fiction
13. Read Around the US   Aug California
14. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge  July 19 - Opposites Attract

Murder, Simple Stitched

 Murder, Simply Stitched is the 2nd installment in the Amish Quilt Shop series by Isabella Alan.  This book is a good perspective on how the Amish and Englisch interact in parts of the country.   If you have any interest in quilting or reading about different cultures while enjoying a cozy mystery you will enjoy this series.  The mystery has lots of twists and turns will following the trope of clearing a friends name from a crime.   I enjoy the simplicity of the lifestyles represented in this book.  I look forward to reading more of this series.  

Murder, Simply Stitched by Isabella Alan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Angie is a bit of a busybody but aren’t most amateur sleuths in cozy mysteries. This mystery is well written and reaches a good conclusion. There are definitely charming settings and good relationships included in the story line. I appreciate that Angie tries to find the best n people despite initial impressions to the contrary. There is quite a cliff hanger at the end of the story. I will have to read the next book to see what happens

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  91
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  74 
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  I 
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #83
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #64
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #41
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #69
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #58
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 3 Shot #4
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
13. Pick your Poison  # 36 A book published in a year that includes a 4
14. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge August 16 - Tropetastic!

  

Hook, Line and Sinker

 Hook, Line and Sinker is the 3rd Lake of the Ozarks book by Marc Jedel.   I enjoy the aspect of this book that there are 2 narrators who are husband and wife.   It makes for an interesting perspective on the storyline.   This book has an interesting mystery related to the background of 

Hook, Line and Sinker by Marc Jedel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

enjoyable cozy from 2 pov

I like how Marc Jewel writes the series from both the husband and wife’s perspective. It’s also nice to not have the simmering sexual tension hanging over the main character like it is in so many books The mystery is interesting if not a bit loose on its solution. I do enjoy the series

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  90
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  AR 
3. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge   H
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 12  Book #3
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #82
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #40
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #68
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #57
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #53  Shot #3
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #4 Title starting with letter "H"
14. Read Around the US   Jul Arkansas

saint x

 I selected Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin because I needed a full-cast audiobook for the month of July for one of my challenges.   Saint X looked like an intriguing read and thus I selected it.  I'm glad I did as it was an engaging suspense novel with some depth in characters.  The motivation behind people's actions and desire to seek the truth is well-plotted and interesting.  While this is a tragic mystery behind the death of Alison, while on vacation in Saint X the book feels more about the discovery of who her sister is, who Clive is, and what really happened on that day of Jan in the 1990s.  

The book does jump around time frames so if you don't like that style this is not a book for you.   I really enjoyed the narration and think it contributed to my decision to give this book 4 stars.  If you are looking for a suspense novel with minimal graphic descriptions this is a good choice. 

Saint X by Alexis Schaitkin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an intriguing novel with suspense throughout. But in a nice balance, there was plenty of character depth. I listened to the audio and it was a great read with a full cast doing the narration. The story moves between different time periods quite well. There were fluid shifts with the story starting out focusing on the past (1990s) and then current day. In the present time the narrators reflected back on their past this connecting the 2 periods of time plus Clive’s childhood. This book built the suspense well and had a very surprising ending

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  89
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  73 
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 16
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  X
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #81
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #63
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #67
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #2. 2023 ADAPTATION
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #20 A book becoming a TV series or movie in 2023
11. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 8 Made Into A Series Or Movie
12. Beyond the Bookends  June- Listen to a full-cast audiobook

Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil and Murder

 Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil and Murder  is the first book in the Cats and Dogs Murder series by Fiona Grace.  I read my first book by her earlier this year when I tried Aged For Murder Tuscan Vineyard #1 in March.  ( my Blog Post )  I enjoyed this book as well.  I appreciate how the murder mystery is almost an afterthought in the stories vs the foremost plot feature.   Ms. Grace does a wonderful job of describing the countries and villages where she sets these mysteries.  You can really visualize the locations as you read them and feel as though you are there experiencing the culture as well as the protagonists.  I also like how the character relationships and experiences take a prominent role in the storylines rather than being sidenotes as they often are in cozy mysteries.  Neither is a bad approach, I just enjoy the variety these books by Fiona Grace provide.  

If you are looking for cozy mysteries with strong character development and relationships set in foreign locations be sure to give her Cats and Dogs and Tuscan Vineyard series a try.  

 

A Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil and Murder by Fiona Grace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An enjoyable mystery that’s really more about the adventures of Audrey Smart on her ex pat journey in Sicily. The situations she finds herself in are often comical. The decisions she must make regarding her 1 euro home renovations are at the center of her missteps. Her move and establishing a vet practice are engaging storylines. Grace makes the reader feel Audreys dilemma between starting a new life and returning to the comfort of life in Boston. The series should prove to be an adventure in home renovations and establishing a vet practice in her new hometown.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  88
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   72
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Sicily
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  V
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 =-1
7. What an Animal Book #32
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #80
9. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #62
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #39
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #66
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #56
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 97 Shot #2
14. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
15. Bookworm #41 Read a book with a title that starts with the letter V
16. Beyond the Bookends  July- Read a book set in Italy
17. Read Your Bookshelf July  different country than June's book 

Secluded Cabin sleeps Six

 Lisa Unger did not disappoint in Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.  She certainly knows how to pen wonderful thriller novels.  I picked this up after thoroughly enjoying her Confessions on the 7:45. See my review here  Blog 

 I am certainly glad I did.  She weaves a suspenseful book with plenty of examination of human nature.  I found it humorous that she mentions the cliche horror film behaviors of the lead females in this novel as the characters reflect on whether their actions differ from what a dumb character would do in a horror film.  It provides a  little levity to break up the intensity of the suspenseful situations.  

This book also has the reader reflecting on how much of our human characteristics are based on genetics vs how we are raised.  The age-old nature vs nurture definitely plays a role in this book.  There are also aspects to the story that leads to reflection about the ethics and use of genetic information from a genealogy perspective vs criminal investigations.  The slippery slope is definitely alive and well in regard to how the information should be used and by whom.  

All in all, this was a wonderful thriller that kept me wanting to read more and more.  

Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

twisting thriller with some poignant themes

I did not know much about this book when I picked it out to read. I’m so glad I did. This book is well plotted and highlights the good and bad of humanity We are made up of part our genetics but it the heart we make our choices whether to be Good and ethical. Sometimes the lines are blurred. The characters in this story have choices and not are all good. I cannot imagine anyone walking away from reading this without thinking of nurture vs nature as concept

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  87
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   71
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  U
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #79
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #65
6. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #90  Shot #2
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  9 Toe Tags
8. HP Quidditch 23 #  3 Quidditch Pitch: Set in nature
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #24. New York Times Bestseller
10. Sci and Nature # 40 About Survival

Near Miss

 In the 64th Stone Barrington novel I am not sure why I would expect it to be anything different from the others but I guess I was hoping the new co-author would make it feel a bit fresh and different.  In this book, Stone finds himself in the crosshairs of some nasty people yet again.  And surprise, he finds his way to having multiple bedmates during the story.  His recurring relationship with Holly Barker made an appearance but I am not really sure why it had any relevance to the story at all.  At least the 2nd female acquaintance set the stage for why someone was after him.  His last companion is at least a strong female character and maybe a spinoff series candidate for sure.  I am not sure why I would expect Stone to be anything other than the lothario he has been for 63 other books and I bet I'm a sucker who will check out his next adventure from my library when it is published.   Hard habit to break 

Near Miss by Stuart Woods
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While entertaining these books are definitely formulaic. Not sure when I will give up my determination to read them :). It’s more Stone bedroom antics albeit with less detailed description and less bed hopping. Only 3 ladies this book. It is once again his roving eye and charm that gets him muddled up with people who want him dead that’s for sure. Body count racked up in this book for sure. Lots of old friends appear in this book so maybe we will be seeing more of them in future books
If looking for a distraction read similar to a mission impossible movie then you will enjoy this book

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  86
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   70
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 1 Book #2
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 64
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #78
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #64
8. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 93b  Shot #1
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 10 Toe Tags

2 Parts Sugar, 1 Part Murder

 Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder is a new series by Valerie Burns.  I have previously read her Mystery Bookshop series and really enjoyed it.  When I spotted this book in my library digital collection, I was excited to try another series by her.  The characters were engaging and realistic just like in her other series.  There are prominent canine characters in this series as well.  In fact, I would say Baby has a starring role in this book.  I enjoyed watching Madison slowly adjust to the midwest small town of New Bison.  She definitely experienced a change from Southern Ca and her Jimmy Choos to a midwestern beach town.  

Those from the Chicago area/SW Michigan will recognize New Bison as a fictitious town based off New Buffalo.  The strife over development for tourism would certainly have been a relevant issue in that town as the development into a beach community of summer homes and vacation rentals for the city residents of nearby Chicago and Detroit.  I recognized the names of some of the roads even and there is a casino located there as well.  All in all, it makes for a fun read to be familiar with the setting as I have mentioned in previous posts.  Additionally, it makes for a separate personal quest to see how many locations I can recognize.  

I enjoyed the mystery and the twists that were incorporated into the plot.  I did find the ending a bit abrupt and felt like there was a death that wasn't accurately solved.  I am not sure if that is an accident or intentional for setting up future stories.   I will be sure to read the next book in the Baker Street Mysteries, Murder is a Piece of Cake, to see what evolves.  

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this first book in this series. I enjoy Ms Burns books being set in MI. I find the locales to be something I can relate to as I live in Chicago. The personal growth of Madison was an nice aspect of the story and it’s hard not to smile at the antics of Baby the mastiff. My only reason I didn’t give this a 4 star was I felt like the mystery wasn’t 100 percent solved. I’m be if the deaths was not resolved in my opinion. I’m not sure if it’s intentional to have. A carry over into future plots or just a desire to quickly finish the story. Time will tell when I read the next book

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 85 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 69  
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. What an Animal Book #31
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #77
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #38
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #63
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #55
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #108  Shot #1
11. Medical Examiner Challenge  4 Toe Tags

Moon Spinners

 

This is the 3rd Seaside Knitters mystery by Sally Goldenbaum.  I am glad it wasn't the first because I might have given up on the series.  Moon Spinners started out a bit slowly and I found many of the characters were easy to confuse.  Both names and relationships were a bit indistinguishable at times.  For those who are interested in knitting, there are plenty of references to the craft.  I also appreciate how there is a relationship formed over the craft and it is utilized as means for healing.   The characters are relatable and it is easy to root for them as the story progressed.  The mystery was well thought out and developed.   The clues and structure are well done.  

Moon Spinners by Sally Goldenbaum
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book but for some reason had trouble getting engaged. i also felt a bit lost at times because the character names kept getting muddled in my attempts to follow the story. I enjoyed the motive and twists of the mystery it was just a bit less fluid of a read for me than the others I have read so far

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 84 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  68 
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #76
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book # 61
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #37
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #62
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #54
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 46 Shot #3
11. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
12. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #46 Script Font on the Spine
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #38. A book with the sun, moon, or stars on the cover
14. Cozy Mysteries   #6 Sun, Moon, or Stars on the cover