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

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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!

  

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.

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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

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

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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

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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

Strawberry Sin

 Strawberry Sin is the 2nd Mission Inn Possible mystery by Rosie A Point.  While the premise of a retired grandmother who was a spy and her granddaughter, a spy in hiding, working to solve murder mysteries is a bit of a stretch even for cozy mysteries, the stories are still entertaining.  Small-town life is made even more humorous when the town is Gossip, TX.  Charlotte and her Gamma, Georgina,  find themselves embroiled in another murder investigation which makes it difficult for Charlotte to keep a low profile and hide from her revenge-seeking ex.  The clues are well constructed and the means by which they solve the case without acknowledging they were the ones to figure it out is well done.  If you are looking for an enjoyable quick read this series is a good option.  I have a 3 book compilation from Kindle Unlimited right now and the 3rd book fit perfectly into the April mini-challenges I am doing for 52 book club.  

Strawberry Sin by Rosie A. Point
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An enjoyable cozy with a bit of spy tactics thrown in. Charlotte is hiding undercover in Texas while on Hiatus from her career as a spy. Her retired spy grandmother has an inn i the town of Gossip. Believe me the small town residents like to gossip. This plus the murders that keep happening are making it hard for Charlotte to stay hidden. Her agency sends in her partner to act as a handler which adds one more person to hide her sleuthing from. Of course the irony of Agent Smulder’s arrival right at Valentine’s Day adds to the plot line. While being a light hearted mystery with some cliche moments the story is fin and the mystery is enjoyable to unravel. Looking forward to the next 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 #  48
2. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
3. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #42
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #36
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #18
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #37
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #33
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 79 Shot #3
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
11. Pick your Poison  #17 Twofer two books by the same author using different names (counts as two books) 
12. HP Quidditch 23 #42 Marcus Flint: Involves a fire  

A Proposal They Can't Refuse

 This rom-com by Natalie Cana was a complete surprise to me.  I didn't know much about A Proposal They Can't Refuse, other than it involved the trope of fake dating and mixed-heritage dating.  I was pleasantly surprised to find it was set in Chicago and thus fulfilled my geography prompt for IL as well as had some location familiarity for me.  

I found this to be a bit spicier than many rom-com works, with a bit more detail about bedroom activities that aren't always included in lighter rom-com books.  This book definitely developed the characters of Mila and Liam as well as their interactions with their families.   I also appreciated that it wasn't just a comedy of mistakes but rather some rather serious miscommunication that lead to issues among the couple and the families.  While it is an overall feel-good book, there are definitely some poignant moments, I would compare it to the JoJo Moyes, Me Before You series.  There are some intense emotions and character history to absorb.  Overall I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading the next book in the series, ,due out at the end of Oct.  

A Proposal They Can't Refuse by Natalie Caña
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

a rom com with depth

I really didn’t know much about the book when I started; only that it had a fake dating trope which fulfilled a challenge prompt for me. I found this book to have many happy and funny moments but it definitely had intense ones as well. It is most certainly not all happily ever after. For those looking for a rom com with some added depth and spice this is a great pick

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  46
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   38
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IL
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #40
5. Around the Year in 52 Books #48. A book with an unusually large version of an animal in the story
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #34. Genre You Don’t Usually Read
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #7  fairy/folktale you haven’t heard of before
8. HP Quidditch 23 #48 Wronski Feint: Includes misdirection
9. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #29. Read a book where the two main characters are "fake dating"
10. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #8. ROMANCE OR HORROR
11. Pick your Poison  #133 A book you wish you'd written 
12. Read with Allison #1 23 Letters in the Title
13. Read Your Bookshelf   A book that is in a different genre than your March book

MS Marvel Vol 4

 I have selected the Ms Marvel Vol 4  this year to continue reading the series as it covers multiple prompts from my challenges.  There is almost always a prompt where G Willow Wilson as an author meets the requirements.  Additionally this year there were prompts about graphic novels in genres I don't normally read and although Parable of the Sower would have fit the prompt, I utilized that graphic novel for other prompts.  

I did find this book, a series of books really, to be a bit more difficult to follow than previous volumes I have read.  I think it is much more intended for the die hard Ms Marvel fans and Avengers fans in general.  I like them but more from the entertainment factor of the movies rather than a devotion to the Marvel universe.  

That being said, I do enjoy the fact Kamala is portrayed as a strong young woman who overcomes many challenges including her family background to be someone that is admired and respected, even if it is her alter ego.  I would recommend reading the volumes in order as there are portions of previous stories that are built upon in this one and it gives context to have read the others.  

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 4: Last Days by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I found this volume of Ms Marvel to be a bit confusing. Not really sure if the story has to do with Thanos in the Marvel timeline or not. Also the last of the volume feels a bit miah mash with sudden random mix ups with Spider Man. I found myself quite confused and feeling as though I was lacking context to the storyline. This book felt as though it was better suited to hard core Avenger followers

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book # 45 
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  37 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NJ
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #39
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #34
6. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #3. By a Black Author
7. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #12 name in the title 
8. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #3  A book outside of your comfort genre's 
9. Read with Allison #36 Fantasy
10. Read Your Bookshelf  March: The title starts with the next letter in the alphabet from your Feb book.
11. Diversify your reading #DYRC23 May: Young Adult

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 #39.the highest-rated book on your Goodreads TBR list
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