Death in Bloom

 Death in Bloom is the first book in the Flower House series by Jess Dylan.  I enjoyed reading this book that I selected specifically for its setting in Tennessee. I enjoyed the characters and the descriptions of the mountain town in TN.   Sierra, Deanna, and Calvin all make for intriguing characters as does Sierra's Grandma Mae.  I look forward to reading more of their adventures in the other books in the series

Death in Bloom: A Flower House Mystery by Jess Dylan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This cozy does a wonderful job of casting plenty of suspicion on all the possible guilty parties. I enjoyed how Sierra developed friendships with Deanna and Calvin. There are a few improbable moments in the story but for the most part, it felt like a reasonable plot line. The mystery is well developed and certainly wraps up completely at the end as well.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #69  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #57   
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  TN
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. What an Animal Book #23
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #62
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #30
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #53
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #46
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
12. HP Quidditch 23 #24 Pride of Portree: Related to the LGBTQIA+ Community
13. Read Around the US     Mar TN
14. Beyond the Bookends  May detective

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

 

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake was an interesting cozy set in northern Maine.  Sarah Graves captured the feel of that area and the New England demeanor is captured well.  The willingness of the residents to help one another fits with the geographic setting.   The mystery itself was a bit all over the place with some aspects seeming to be a bit outlandish but overall I enjoyed reading about Jake and Ellie.  Their dedication to each other was very apparent.  I also enjoyed the relationships Jake had with her family and her willingness to open her home to help others.  I definitely want to read more in this series.

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake by Sarah Graves
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very enjoyable book set in a small northern MSI e town. Jane and her friend Ellie are friends in business and crime solving. They don’t have much choice when a dead body is found in their kitchen. Some of the action is a bit far fetched but overall the mystery was interesting and all the loose ends cleared up by the end

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  68
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   56
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. What an Animal Book #22
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #61
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #51
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #29
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #52
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #45 
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #103  Shot #1
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #23 An Alliterative Title
14. Cozy Mysteries   #12 A past Book Chat selection you haven't read
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #50 A book with alliteration in the title
16. Beyond the Bookends  May- Read a detective books

Less

 I will admit this was not my favorite read of the year by any means and it was really more like a 3.5 star read for me.  It was slow to get moving and it was a bit confusing at times.  I ended up liking it at the very end but it definitely is something you need to stick with to get to the good part.  Arthur Less is a man who is lacking in self-confidence and his place in life.   That is probably the strength of the story, the character development.  The narrator was a bit confusing for me and I think it would be something that would be gained by revisiting the early chapters.  

Less by Andrew Sean Greer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

interesting read

This was a bit of a slow burn in my opinion. The first half to 3/4 is a bit slow and drawn out for me. The story picked up a bit at the end. I am still confused on why it won a Pulitzer. I found the twists and turns interesting

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  67
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  55 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Morroco
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book # 60
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book # 50
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #26. A book related to pride
7. Bookworm #20 Read a book with a one-word title
8. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #15 won an award
9. HP Quidditch 23 #38 Fred Weasley: Read a duology (book 1)
10. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #13. A book with one word in the title
11. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #22 A book with a queer lead
12. Read with Allison #28 Book in a Duology (1): 

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle has been on my TBR list for a while.  I intended to read it last year and never got to it.  I started out reading it and then when I needed to drive to Chicago every day in April I decided to try this one as an audio.  I thoroughly enjoyed the proper British accent of the narrator.  It definitely added to the mood and setting the environment.  

This book was one of the most creative I have ever read.  It is hard to explain but it is a sort of a time loop with different hosts to the narrator in each section.  From the get-go as a reader you figure there is a twist to the story but I had no idea it was going to be what it was.   I definitely felt as though Turton was paying homage to Dante and the rings of Hell.  I really ended up enjoying this book once I got involved in it.  For those struggling to read the book and stay engaged, stick it out, it is worth it in the end!

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very creative thriller/mystery. For those who love a puzzle when they are reading this will be a real treat. The only reason I did not give this a 5 star is the difficulty getting engaged at the beginning of the book. I promise it is worth sticking it out. If you really get stuck, try it in audio format- the British accent will win you over and keep you listening. At times it can be confusing to keep all the characters straight but eventually it all makes sense.

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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 #   54
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 14
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #59
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #49
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #51
7. Medical Examiner Challenge 12 Toe Tags
8. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #37 Written in Present Tense
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #40. A book with a full name in the title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #16 here there be monsters
12. HP Quidditch 23 #7 Bludger: A book you think will knock your socks off (or off your broom!)
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #26. Read a book that has time travel in it
14. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #50. HISTORICAL OR FANTASY
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
16. Pick your Poison  # 134 A book with a chess piece on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 12 That Plays With Time:
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #24 Takes Place In A Day
19. Beyond the Bookends  January- Read a book coming to the screen in 2023
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO   May In  it to Win It

Don't Look Behind You

 Don't Look Behind You! A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos is the second memoir I have read by Peter Allison.  He is an entertaining storyteller and spent significant time in the bush in Africa.  In this book, he describes some of the antics that it is amazing he lived to tell about.   If you like travel or animals you will definitely find things to enjoy in this book.  There are some sad moments that make you think about man's relationship with animals as well as some laugh-out-loud moments.  Definitely more of the latter in the book.  It is a great read to pick up when you have a short time to read as each chapter is effectively its own standalone story.  

 

Don't Look Behind You! A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos by Peter Allison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

an enjoyable memoir about the author's time in Africa leading safaris and other various jobs in the industry. anyone who loves animals or adventures will enjoy reading the book. it is amazing the author lived to tell his story based on some of the snippets he shares.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  65
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   53
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Botswana
4. What an Animal Book #21
5. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #58
6. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #48
7. Humor  Book #2
8. Memoir  #5 Animal Memoir:
9. Non Fiction Reader  #ReadNonFicChal   Book #2 Memoir/Biography
10. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  # 41. With a Long Title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #8 non-fiction just for fun
12. HP Quidditch 23 #2 Quidditch World Cup: Set in a country you’ve never been to
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #4. Read a nonfiction book
14. Pick your Poison  # 82 A book with the work "lion," "elephant," or mouse in the title
15. Sci and Nature # 26 About Your Favorite Science or Nature Topic
16. What's in a Name   #1  Punctuation
17. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  April  Memoir
18. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  March Set in Africa

Better Off Read

 Better Off Read is the first book in the Bookmobile series by Nora Page.   One aspect of the book that did confuse me was the references to all the previous mysteries Cleo had solved.  I am not sure if this is a spinoff from another series or if the references are just intended to give background on Cleo and her investigative prowess.  I did really enjoy how strong of characters Cleo and her friends are,  giving a positive image of older characters rather than a weak and feeble representation. This book has some laugh-out-loud moments that made it fun to read.  The mystery itself is well constructed with plenty of clues and misdirection included in the storyline.  I listened to this on audio and really appreciated the different inflections the narrator used for all the different characters.  I will look for other books narrated by her and would like to continue reading this series.  

Better Off Read by Nora Page
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This cozy certainly has a cast of unlikely detectives. Cleo and Henry are definitely of retirement age even if they do t choose to retire. Cleo seems like the spunky grandma every kid wants and every parent dreads. She is definitely an independent and inquisitive lady. She finds herself trying to solve more than one murder plus other mysteries. There are definitely laugh out loud moments in the story. The characters ages and wits remind the reader age is only a number

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  64
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   52
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 13
4. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  GA
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
7. What an Animal Book #20
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #57
9. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #47
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #23
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #50
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #44
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #102  Shot #1
14. Medical Examiner Challenge 7  Toe Tags
15. Pick your Poison  # 49 A book with a car, truck or bus on the cover
16. Beyond the Bookends  May Detective

Christmas Candy Corpse

 Food Network meets Hallmark Movies and Mysteries is what the Courtney Archer series feels like.   The 3rd book by Rosemarie Ross, Christmas Candy Corpse, is once again centered around a baking contest.  Crazy that yet another murder occurs on the set at the resort in the Poconos.  But once again murder happens and a member of the cast is at the center of the suspicion.  Shannon's strange and erratic behavior does not help the believability of her innocence proclamation.  Courtney is determined to stand by her friend and prove she isn't guilty.  Once again the set is a scary and dangerous place and Erik, her manager/new boyfriend, wants her to be more cautious.  Unfortunately,  Courtney's nature leads her to ask questions that hopefully will not upset the killer and make her a target.   This book is well written and the ending is quite a surprise.  I did figure out some of the sub-mysteries in the plot but I was caught off guard by the guilty party.  I wonder if they will continue to produce this series or if a spin-off type setting will occur.  I do hope they continue as I enjoy the mix of the cooking/baking show and the mystery.  

Christmas Candy Corpse by Rosemarie Ross
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable cozy with plenty of suspicious behavior leading to many potential suspects. This series is like Food Network meets Murder She wrote. Courtney Archer keeps finding herself embroiled in murders. Her inquisitive nature gets her on the radar of the killers and danger ensues. Unfortunately she just can’t seem to help herself and focus on filming her cooking shows. Lucky for us readers or we wouldn’t get more books

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  63
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   51
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  GA 
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series:9  Book #1
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #56
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #27
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #49
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #43
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
12. Pick your Poison  #59   A book set in winter
13. Beyond the Bookends  May Detective

Invitation to Murder

Invitation to Murder written by Elizabeth Bright combines 2 of my favorite things.   Cozy mystery stories with cardmaking.  I selected this book to meet a challenge prompt of a book written using a pseudonym of the opposite gender as this is by the author Tim Myers.   I have previously read his books written as Cris Cavender which are a pizza parlor theme series.  So far he's 2 for 2 of the underlying setting of the series.  I enjoyed how the cardmaking techniques were blended into the story without too much distraction from the plot but still let me learn something about a craft I already do.  If you are interested in paper crafting at all I would highly recommend this series.

Invitation to Murder by Elizabeth Bright
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was a nice mix of character development and relationships along with a good mystery. The clues were present and made sense. I also felt there was a nice balance incorporating the craft of card making into the story. The descriptions of the techniques made sense in the plot and didn’t overwhelm the story

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  62
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   50
3. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  I
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #55
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #46
8. Cruisin thru Cozies Craft #1
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #48
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #42
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #21  Shot #3
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #5 Title starting with letter "I"
14. Bookworm #9 Read a book about a hobby you enjoy or want to pick up (fiction or nonfiction)
15. Pick your Poison  # 64 A book written by an author using a psuedonym of the opposite gender
16. Beyond the Bookends  May  Detective

The Crepes of Wrath

 The Crepes of Wrath is the first of the Pancake House mysteries by Sarah Fox.  I have previously read her Literary Pub series and enjoyed them so I was excited to try this series. This was a unique story set in Washington State.   Marley comes to help out her cousin Jimmy with his Pancake restaurant while he is in the hospital recovering from pneumonia.  Apparently, someone was not happy with his early release and murdered him on the day he returned home.   Turns out Marley has to decide how long she will be in town helping with the restaurant.   She faces decisions about being there vs returning to her law assistant position in Seattle.  A budding friendship adds complexity to this decision.  Of course, being a cozy there is an amateur sleuthing episode to follow along with while all this personal drama occurs.  I will say that at times Marley feels like the silly girl in a horror movie that runs toward trouble vs finding a way to avoid it.  Other than that it is a fun book with a good mystery.

 

The Crepes of Wrath by Sarah Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this on audiobook and enjoyed the narration. She does a wonderful job of doing the different character voices. I enjoyed the story and the characters for the most part. The mystery was written with lots of twists with subtle clues thrown in to interpret. My biggest misgiving with the story was how Marley often made dumb horror story type decisions. A murderer is on the loose but I am going to confront a burglar rather than call police immediately those type things. I don’t want to reveal any spoilers so I won’t say more examples but there are several bad choices that I found myself rolling my eyes at. I will continue reading the series though as I did enjoy it overall

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 61 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #49   
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 12
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #54
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #45
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #26
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #47
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #41
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #41  Shot #6
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  4 Toe Tags
13. Pick your Poison  # 10 A book you find on your TBR list
14. Beyond the Bookends  May  Detective

Eclair and Present Danger

 This was a very different cozy than most.  The mystery was well written but it was not the focus of the story in my opinion.  It felt like the author focused more on the character development and their relationships which was a pleasant approach.  Additionally, the establishment of Winnie's new dessert business took up much of the storyline which was wonderful if not hunger inducing.   It was fun to read about how someone develops a small business from scratch.  The mystery solution was more of an accidental occurrence rather than an active investigation and I enjoyed that as an alternate approach. 

Éclair and Present Danger by Laura Bradford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a clever cozy. The mystery was somewhat of a side thread almost. Much of the focus was on Winnie and her development of her new business. It also focused on the characters and their relationships. I found this to be a nice change from some of the more formulaic cozies out there. And while the mystery was not the absolute focus it was still well written and developed

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 60 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   48
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge #11
4. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  OH
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
7. What an Animal Book #19
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #53
9. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #44
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #25
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #46
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #40
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #11  Shot #2
14. Medical Examiner Challenge 3  Toe Tags
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #32. Read a book that has a purple cover
16. Beyond the Bookends  May  Detective Story
17. Read Your Bookshelf    May: A book that is longer than your last one

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

 This is definitely a unique murder mystery.  Full of twists and turns and lots of clues that will have you flipping back pages to see what you missed the first time you read it.  It is also a bit of a how to book as the tone of the narrator will reveal.   I enjoyed this book and am glad I gave it a try.

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a clever mystery book. It definitely had its moments of dark humor and plenty of plot twists. It definitely jumped around in time and perspective. If you are looking for a linear murder mystery plot this probably isn’t the book for you. If you are Interested in a clever and unique format that has lots of clues you realize after the fact then you will enjoy this book

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  59
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   47
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Australia
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #52libra
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #45
6. Medical Examiner Challenge 13 Toe Tags
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #15 Set in Australia
8. Pick your Poison  # 116 A book that employs dark humor
9. Read with Allison #21 Locked Room Mystery
10. Sci and Nature # 16 Set in the Wilderness
11. Beyond the Bookends  May  Detective Story
12. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge June: Books Set in Australia & New Zealand
13. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge May Freebie

Put Out to Pasture

 Put Out to Pasture is the 2nd Farm to Table book by Amanda Flower.  This series focuses on Shiloh Bellamy and her attempts to turn her family farm around and create an organic farm in North Western Michigan.  There is a big mix of characters and personalities in this book.  There is no shortage of missed suspicions by Shiloh as well. I appreciated the details of the logic Shiloh uses while trying to solve the murder that her BFF is accused of committing.  

I listened to this as an audiobook and realized the narrator is the same as the narrator for Murder at the Lobstah Shack.  It was most noticeable when she is voicing the juvenile characters.  She definitely makes those voices stand out from the adult voices.  Both books have young girls who play key roles in the stories.   I will be on the lookout for more books narrated by Rachel Dulude.  

Put Out to Pasture by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoy reading the books about Shiloh Bellamy and her challenges in turning her family farm into a profitable organic farm in Upper Michigan. Having now been to Travers City last summer the book rang and even better familiarity for me. I enjoy the range of characters and appreciate that not every relationship is a good positive one. Shiloh has a diverse group of supporting characters in the story which adds a level of interest. The mystery was clever and had plenty of times when Shiloh was sent off on a diversion of suspicion. The series is engaging and I am invested in seeing how Shiloh does with turning the farm around.

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 #   46
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge #10
4. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  MI
5. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  
6. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
7. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +1
8. What an Animal Book #18
9. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #51
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #24
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #44
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #39
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #3  Shot #3
14. Medical Examiner Challenge 6 Toe Tags
15. Sci and Nature # 22 Set on a Farm
16. Beyond the Bookends  May-  a detective story

Murder at the Lobstah Shack

 Murder at the Lobstah Shack is the 3rd installment of the Cozy Capers Book Group mysteries by Maddie Day.  This series is set in the Cape Cod area and centers around Mackenzie Almeida and her bike shop.  The book shows how Mack balances amateur crime-solving with running her own bicycle shop complete with repairs and rentals.  The tourist season might be winding down for the fall, but her shop is still hopping when she finds herself trying to help her friend and fellow business owner out when a body is found in Tulia's walk-in cooler.  Needless to say business at the Lobstah Shack is impacted when the rumors fly.  The mystery has quite an interesting twist to it and an ending that was a bit of a surprise.  All in all I enjoyed the book.  

I have been listening to more audiobooks this year as many of the older cozy mysteries are only available at my library as audiobooks.  The narrator, Rachel Dulude, does a great job at voicing New England accents.  She also does a fun voice for Mack's macaw, Belle.  It was an enjoyable experience to listen to this audiobook.  

Murder at the Lobstah Shack by Maddie Day
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Always an enjoyable read involving Mackenzie. I appreciate the perspective the stories bring to treating homeless and disadvantaged people as equal members of society rather than always looking disparagingly at them. I also liked how the characters also addressed the whole do gooder/ knowing better tendency some people can have even if unintentionally. These perspectives are well blended with the story so as to not come off as preaching but rather just dialogue and observations of the characters. I listened to this and always enjoy the narrator’s representation of Mack’s niece and the New England accents. A fun read

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 #   45
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge #9
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +1
7. What an Animal Book #17
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #50
9. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #43
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #23
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #43
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #38
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #34  Shot #2
14. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
15. Pick your Poison  # 62 A book with an animal on the cover that is not about that animal

Reading up a Storm

 Reading Up a Storm is the 3rd book in the Lighthouse Library series by Eva Gates.  I enjoy reading about the library and its diverse staff.  The Outer Banks sound so intriguing but I also appreciate the level of crowds that tourism brings to beach areas as my family has a place in the Panhandle of FL.  It is sometimes a curse to live in a vacation destination when it is high season.  

I find it fascinating that Lucy lives in the lighthouse as well as working at the library located there.  This seems so interesting to me.  The mystery is a fun read with a combination of suspected supernatural elements- skeptically received by all but 1 character and plain old-fashioned detective work.  There is some additional conflict amongst characters which gives the story an authentic feel rather than everything being wrapped up neatly.  All in all, I enjoy this series and look forward to reading more of it in the future.  

Reading Up a Storm by Eva Gates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good cozy mixed with some relationship strife. Lots of plot twists and turns. Enjoying reading about Outer Banks and the beautiful setting

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  56
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   44
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge #8 
4. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +1
7. What an Animal Book #16
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #49
9. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #42
10. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice # 22
11. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #42
12. Craving for Cozies  Book #37
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 43 Shot #3
14. Medical Examiner Challenge  Toe Tags 1
15. Pick your Poison  # 107 A book you'd skip a dinner date for