Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks

 This was a perfect read for me at this time of the year. The only downside was it made me want to go to the Disney parks RIGHT NOW.  The photographs and the stories do a phenomenal job of talking about and showing how the holidays are celebrated currently and in the past at the different parks around the world.  They discuss the different paths the decorations and events have taken and the pictures are absolutely amazing.  

Any Disney lover will find themselves smiling non-stop as they read this book.  

Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks: Celebrations Around the World from Fall to Winter by Rebecca Cline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

wonderful photography that will make any Disney lover smile. This book focuses on the history and photo journalism of the fall and winter holidays as they are celebrated around the world. The photography is wonderful and the reader truly gets a sense of the magic and the stories behind making the different holidays shine in the parks

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #134
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #34 a book with illustrations
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #147
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #162
5. Non Fiction Reader  #2021ReadNonFic  #7 hobbies
6. Pick your Poison #22-3 A book you'd share with your child 
7. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge spanning multiple continents

Killer, Paper, Cut

 Kiki Lowenstein #9 by Joann Campbell Slan is the next book in the series.  A Halloween fundraising crop, straightforward if not a lot of work.  That is until Kiki's employee gets stabbed during the event.   The case brings out lots of secrets and underlying bigotry.  The book is great at highlighting not everything is as it seems with people and often we think they have it easier than they do.  In general, Kiki is a trusting individual so she is shocked by the way others have kept secrets and how mean they are to people.  She finds herself trying to solve the mystery of the attack on her friend all while trying to prepare for a move and help her son adjust to his new surroundings, oh yeah and deal with morning sickness at 7 months pregnant.  If it sounds a bit overwhelming, it is.  

Kiki's fiancee, Chad Dettweiler, tells her she has a hobby besides scrapbooking and that's worrying.  I definitely found myself relating to this side of her personality in addition to her love for scrapbooking.  I really liked that the store and hobby played a bigger role in this book than they had in the past 2 books.  I also found myself rooting for Kiki to finally find some quiet and easiness in her life.  Just in case you thought things would go better, drama ensues. We are left with a cliffhanger for the next book which left me ready to start the next one even though I have plenty on my list I need to finish first.  

Killer, Paper, Cut by Joanna Campbell Slan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

another enjoyable book that shows Kiki and her family growing literally and figuratively. It seems like Kiki just cannot catch a break as this time she and her family are facing an imminent move and she finds herself searching for answers to the attack on her employee, Lauren. In this book new relationships develop and old ones come under scrutiny. The ending leaves the reader hanging and wanting to read the next book in the series.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Kiki Lowenstein #8
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #148
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #163
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #101
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #138
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #119
8. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge50. A free book from your TBR list (gifted, borrowed, library) 
9. Pick your Poison #3-4 A book about a haunted house 
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #7  Shot #4

Group Photo Grave

 This is the next installment in the Kiki Lowenstein series by Joann Cambell Slan.  This one does get back to the roots of including the paper crafting and personnel of Time in a Bottle.  Kiki once again is trying to assist family members in clearing their names for a murder they didn't commit.  This story highlights more of Sheila's, Kiki's ex mother in law, past and relationships. Sheila and Kiki have an interesting relationship that has developed and expanded through the series.   In this book we see more of Sheila's relationship with Robbie and some of his past as well.  His professional life is brought up more in this book especially the political side of being Chief of Police.  There is plenty of drama to go around in addition to the solving of a murder.  All in all another good installment in the series.

Group, Photo, Grave by Joanna Campbell Slan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This wedding does not turn out the way Kiki's mother in law, Sheila, intended it to. Despite a rough scene in the middle of the day, the reception finishes and she expects to leave on her dream cruise for her honeymoon with Robbie. Instead, they find themselves caught up in a politically motivated investigation that drags Sheila into the middle of the drama. This book develops Sheila and her history into the story more as we learn more about her HS days. She and her bridesmaids all went to CALA the same school Kiki's daughter, Anya, now attends. It seems that HS drama was not left in the past and someone seems to want to frame Kiki's family for the murder of a Plastic Surgeon. Kiki and Dettweiler attempt to help solve the murder while being forbidden to get involved publicly. As always Kiki gets drawn in and helps uncover the murderer. Another great installment in the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 yes book 8 in Kiki Lowenstein series
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #147
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #162
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #100
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #137
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #118
8. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #47 A book from your TBR list you associate with a favorite person, place, or thing
9. Pick your Poison #7-1 A book with a kilt on the cover - character wears a kilt all the time in book
10. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #7  Shot #3
12. 52 books in 52 weeks  #

Picture Perfect Corpse

 This is the 7th book, by Joann Campbell Slan, in the series involving Kiki Lowenstein and centers around her life as an employee at a St Louis scrapbook store.  Most of the installments include many scenes at the store and discuss paper crafting, this one did not have as much.  This wraps up a building drama between Kiki and Dettweiler's pasts.   Brenda Dettweiler cannot seem to let her ex go and now she is taking it out on Kiki and blaming her for the demise of her marriage;  taking no ownership of her fault in the situation.  Kiki is also finally getting some resolution in the death of her husband George 5 years before.  The story does wrap many of those threads up while introducing more complexity into their lives.  

The subplot about Nicci - Anya's friend is a relevant one for today's society and is something that should be discussed more to help those struggling with these demons to find help.  

I know many people won't enjoy the heavier topics discussed in the books and this is definitely not in the light and cheery cozy category but I do enjoy this series and look forward to discovering how the next pieces evolve in this ongoing saga.

Picture Perfect Corpse by Joanna Campbell Slan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I always enjoy reading the Kiki Lowenstein books because they include my other favorite hobby- scrapbooking.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 yes still working through series
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #145
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #160
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #99
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #136
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #117
8. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge 44. The book on your TBR list with the ugliest cover 
9. Pick your Poison #24-1 A book that had been on your TBR list more than a year
10. Medical Examiner Challenge  3 Toe Tags
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #7  Shot #2

The Disney Monorail

 This was a wonderful read about the history of monorails throughout the world starting as far back as the 1800s.   The tome also included much Disney lore and background information including stories of Walt and the development of the parks.  The book reveals just how passionate Walt was about incorporating innovation and development in the parks but also as influences for the world at large.   He really wanted to see a Protoype Community of Tomorrow built.  

The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky by Jeff Kurtti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating history of monorails in general and a look at the deep desire by Walt to progress society using technology and innovation. Some great history and photos within this book

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #134
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #144
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #159
4. Non Fiction Reader  #2021ReadNonFic  #11 inventions
5. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #18. A book about a subject you are passionate about 
6. Pick your Poison #18-4 An illustrated book 
7. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  That's History

A Slice of Murder

 This is the first book in a series by Chris Cavender.   It is set in a small town outside Charlotte, NC.  The title refers to a pizza slice as that is the main setting of the cozy mystery.  Eleanor is the unfortunate delivery person who discovers a dead customer;  one who happened to have been on the receiving end of a public slap by her.   Turns out the customer is more than just a flirt who makes undesired advances.  

He has plenty of questionable aspects to his past that come out as Ellie and her sister investigate his murder.  Ellie has a past relationship with the sheriff which is not helping her prove her innocence.  As the story progresses there are more and more suspicions that lead to more and more possible suspects.   The climax is quite dramatic and not exactly the expected villain.   The story does a great job of building on Ellie's relationship with her sister, her employees, and a friend who would like to be more than friends.  Cavender does a nice job of developing these relationships and leaves the reader wondering where things will progress in future books.  I look forward to reading more in the Pizza Lovers series.

A Slice of Murder by Chris Cavender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

great character developement, lots of suspects and a surprising conclusion

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

.

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #131
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #143
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #158
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #98
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #135
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #116
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
8. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #78  Shot #1

Gardenias and a Grave Mistake

 This is the first book in the series about Diana Flowers by Ruby Loren.  I had previously read the prequel to this series and enjoyed it.  I am not sure how much I really like this series but I will give at least one more book a go before deciding one way or the other.  It wasn't a bad book it just didn't capture me like other series do.  I think it might  just be the fact it is the initial book in the series so I will continue for at least one more.

The characters are quirky and there is plenty of suspicions to go around when a best man appears dead in a wedding cake at the first-ever wedding event Diana is working at.  It doesn't help that it is her neighbor's wedding and she's been a bit of a bridezilla.   She gets caught up in the whodunnit as the local DCI is a bit of a bumbling fool.

Add to that the mystery of why Jim had left her his house and fields and there is plenty perplexing Diana. The mystery slowly unravels and it makes sense in the end after plenty of confusion on who is guilty. 

If you are interested in gardening and flowers in particular you will like that aspect of the series for sure.  I don't have a green thumb so that part didn't resonant strongly with me.

Gardenias and a Grave Mistake by Ruby Loren
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

an interesting mix of characters in a cozy mystery set in South East England. There is plenty of suspicion and duplicity going on while Diana Flowers is trying to solve a mystery or 2 in this first book in the series. there are some quirky characters and I am interested to see how the series progresses. enjoyable cozy including nosy neighbors and a bridezilla, not to mention past childhood boyfriends. I liked that this cozy did not have the MC involved in a romantic relationship even if she is coming out of a bad breakup

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Book 1 Diana Flowers
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #142
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #157
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #97
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #134
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #115
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  4 Toe Tags
8. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #  Shot #

A Deadly Eclair

 This is another new series by an author I have previously read- this must be my theme of the week.  I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery and gave it a 4 star rating.   

Daryl Wood Gerber has set the French Bistro series in the Napa Valley area.  The book contains references to the wineries and famous eateries but centers around a fictitious small town.  The main character is Mimi, who is the owner of the new Bistro and Inn that is hosting a the wedding of a famous talk show host.  She is hoping this event will generate lots of positive feedback and help her grow the business.  

 Well even though the talk show host isn't Jerry Springer, there is plenty of drama surrounding the event.  The least of which is a murder victim discovered the morning of the nuptials.  Mimi finds herself drawn into the investigation even though Sheriff Tyson, her HS friend, tells her to butt out.  

Sound familiar?  Of course it does because that is the formula of all cozies.  This one does a great job of blending descriptions of the restaurant business, including disgruntled patrons and critics and family drama with the solving of the mystery.  My only complaint was the degree to which strange coincidences occur in terms of new friendships forming that seem a little too unrealistic.  Other than that I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more of the series.

A Deadly Éclair by Daryl Wood Gerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

very enjoyable cozy set in the wine country around Yountville, CA. There is plenty of when talk show host, Angelica comes to town to get married. Mimi as the new owner of a bistro and Inn is excited to host her and hopefully gain some positive press for her new establishments. She did not count on a murder and all the drama that comes with one. She takes on the role of amateur detective and fills her day doing that while the reader also gets a view into her life as a businesswoman and her budding romance. There are definitely some cliche aspects to the story and maybe a few too many coincidental connections between characters but all in all it is a wonderful start to a new series

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #130
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #141
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #156
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #96
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #133
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #114
8. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 

Row 5

Garden, park, gazebo

• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Rock, brick, blunt object
• Detectives- Mimi/Tyson
• Victims- Bryan
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #66  Shot #3

Murder on Cape Cod

 This is the first book in the Cozy Capers Book Group series by Maddie Day.  I have read some of her Country Store series and really enjoyed them so I thought I would try this series as well.

This book as the name implies is set in Cape Cod.  It was fun to learn about the region that I have not visited.  Day explains the geography of the area and gives vivid descriptions of the landscape that make it easy to visualize the town and scenery.  

The story itself is very well written, with Mac, the female MC trying to determine who killed the local handyman that she inadvertently stumbled over in the fog.   The unique characteristic of this book is how Mac and her fellow detectives, from her Cozy mystery group,  continually reference how things would be done in the books they read.  The mystery feels almost like a biography of the genre.  There are also lots of references to cozy series and writers in the book which makes for fun connections to the characters.   

The mystery is well written with clues and red herrings mixed into the story.  There is no true indication of the guilty party until the conclusion of the story.  The author does a wonderful job of creating several plausible guilty parties.  This includes making the reader unsure if the party Mac is looking to clear of wrongdoing is, in fact actually guilty.  

I intend to continue reading this series along with the other Day has written.  

Murder on Cape Cod by Maddie Day
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very enjoyable mystery. I liked how the story basically mimicked a typical cozy while having the characters compare their activities to cozy mysteries. It was enjoyable to read about the Cape. mac’s relationship with her parrot Belle adds a bright spot and humor. It was fun to have a mystery that wasn’t about cats or dogs.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #129
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #140
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #155 
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #95
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #132
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #113
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
8. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 1
• Pathway or forest
• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Knife
• Detectives- Mac
• Victims- Josh
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #57  Shot #4

Feng Shui Detective

 I selected this cozy to fulfill a prompt about reading book about feng shui.  This is the first in a series by Nury Vittachi.  I enjoyed the book but am not sure I would continue to read the series.  The plot didn't move quickly enough for me a lot of the time.  I also wanted to get to the solution more than I wanted to read the philosophical writings of CW.   The good parts were the interaction between Mr. Wong and his intern-   their exchanges and efforts to understand each other's different language and age dialects were often quite funny.  The story itself was interesting and allows the reader to learn about feng shui and more detailed aspects of Eastern belief systems. This story is mainly set in Singapore but does have a portion of the plot occurring in Sydney.  It was interesting to read about areas and streets I am familiar with from travels to both those cities. If you are looking for a cozy set in a foreign location other than the UK and you like a variety of protagonists- not just single women, this is a good choice.  

The Feng Shui Detective by Nury Vittachi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While an enjoyable book with a creative plot, it just did not grab me. I did like the humor in the communication between CW and his young intern. The generational and cultural differences are for some delightful exchanges. The feng shu information was fascinating as I learned much more about the belief system. If you are looking for a cozy set in a foreign country with different cultural aspects this is a good choice

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #128
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #139
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #154
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #94
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #131
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #112
8. Pick your Poison #9-1 A book about hygge, feng shui, or home harmony 
9. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes mystery
10. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge multiple continents
11. Backpacking Bookworm  #bbReadingChallenge2021  yes new culture
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags

The Honeymoon from Hell

 This is the 7th book in the cruise series by Lizzie Josephson.  I appreciated this one focusing on Keith and Adriana and their relationship.  It is enjoyable to see the recurring characters that appear in the books.  It makes the series feel like a weekly tv show where you know who the good guys and the bad guys are each time.  This book focused on a Caribbean itinerary with visits to St. Marten, Curacao, Guadelope and Grenada.  There is a nice level of detail on the things to see and do in those different locales.  Always enjoyable to read these series' entries. 

 I look forward to reading the spin off series about fun cruises aboard a less formal set of ships.  This spin off was introduced in this book and will seem to focus on the singles cruises that Cosmo cruise sales director likes to propose. 

I only gave this book a 3 star because the editing was a bit lacking in this book.  There were some redundant conversations and story segments that detracted from the flow  of the book a bit.  

The Honeymoon From Hell: Book Nine: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries by Lizzie Josephson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fun adventures in the Caribbean for Keith and Adrianne. This book explains the spin off series I had seen this year by Lizzie Josephson. I look forward to reading that series to see how she portrays the less formal fun cruises in those adventures. This book had a nice adventure and visits to Caribbean islands. There were a few editing errors so that's why I gave it a 3 instead of a 4

View all my reviews

  

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Grenada
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 Series 9 #8
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #138
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #153
5. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #93
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #130
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #111
9. BooklistQueen   #24 a summer read
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes 
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #43a  Shot #3

Chili Cauldron Curse

 This novella by Lynn Cahoon was another find in my borrow for free from Hoopla in Nov.  A see my Christmas Pudding post for more details on this.

This book features witches and spells which is not usually my style of cozy mysteries.   I actually am glad I took a shot at this as I found the characters interesting and am interested in reading more in the series.  The nice part is this was a prequel so I got to learn Mia's backstory before reading any more of the series. If you like mysteries with a bit of humor you might really enjoy this book

Chili Cauldron Curse by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Im not usually one to pick cozies with witches as the MC but I am glad I tried this novella. I really enjoyed the characters and look forward to reading more in the series. I think it is nice to read the back story on a protagonist before actually starting the series. The mystery was well written and wrapped up quite well for a short book

View all my reviews 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #126
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #136
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #150
4. Cozy Mysteries   #19 bought because of cover
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #92
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #129
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #110
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes mystery
9. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 

Row 3
Free square-  warehouse

• Weapons
• Row 1 
• Poison, poisoned food
• Detectives- Mia
• Victims- Darian
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #39  Shot #3

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding

 This is a brief novella I checked out from my library using hoopla.  It seems that in Nov there were books that were featured and thus did not count against your monthly limits.  For those unfamiliar with hoopla, it is an e-service that libraries can offer to their readers.  Mine allows up to 10 checkouts per month.  You can check eboosk, audiobooks, and movies and music too.   Getting extra free borrows is a big win since many of the cozy series I like are only available through this or Axis360 at our library.  I read too many and too quickly to want to pay retail for them.   This was a random find the other week and I am glad I discovered it and read it just before the holiday season begins

This story was originally published in a magazine in 1923 by Agatha Christie.  I believe a full length book was written later but not 100% sure about that.  It was a fun book with a few twists and red herrings that Agatha is famous for.  This story involves the great Hercule Poirot and we glimpse his personality even in this short story.   

If you are looking fora fun and quick holiday mystery this is a great choice.

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding - a Hercule Poirot Short Story by Agatha Christie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An enjoyable short story just in time for the holiday season. In typical Christie fashion there is a bit of mystery about Poirot and his motivations. Although we hear very little from the great detective in this book his personality quirks definitely show. There is a very pleasant description of traditional English Christmas at a country manor. There are several mysteries intertwined in the story as well. A fun quick read to pass an evening.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #125 
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #135
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #149
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #91
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #128
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #109
7. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #16
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO   y a mystery
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #9  Shot #3
10. Agatha Christie  Book # 3

Carry On Simon Snow

 I selected this book in order to fulfill the Chosen One prompts in several of my challenges.  I discovered this book when I read Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl last year.   This is a spinoff of sorts from that book.  In Fangirl the characters write fanfiction about a fictional character named Simon Snow and Baz.  This book brings those characters and their world to life as the center of the story.  It is a similar story to Harry Potter with a bit more frenemies and romantic tension than those books have.   I did enjoy this book even if it took me quite a while to read it.  I had to turn it in to the library and then got busy with other books as I read and renewed the kindle book from the library.   If you are looking for a fantasy book with a bit of a twist at the end this book would be a great read.  

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

magical thriller

Generally not the gene I read but I thoroughly enjoyed this boon. The frenemies relationship between Simon and Baz grows through the book. Although there are similarities to Potter this book is very different and intense.


View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #124
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #134
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #148
4. Around the Year in 52 Books #30 A long book
5. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #45 A Coming Of Age Novel 
6. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #5  The Desolation: about a Chosen One

7. BooklistQueen   #25. Coming of Age Story 
8. NJM Book Challenge  #NJMBookChallenge2021  #10 over 500 pgs  
9. Bookworm  #40. Read a book that uses the "Chosen One" trope  
10. Magic in the Books Book 6 #6 Includes the Chosen One trope
11. Pick your Poison #23-1 A book with the word "snow" in the title
12. Bloggers Bookshelf   #bloggersbookshelf #22.  500+ pages  
13. 52 books in 52 weeks  #6-2 swords and sorcerers 

Homicide in Hardcover

 In a rather funny twist, this is the 2nd cozy I read this week that involves book restoration.  This one by Kate Carlisle was even more interesting for me because it discusses the detailed techniques of bookbinding.  I have actually had some experience in doing this through my various scrapbooking retreats through Club Scrap.  So, the descriptions of the restoration and binding are quite interesting to me.  

The mystery itself is very well written and full of plot twists to keep the reader engaged.  This is actually the first book in the series although I had previously read a later installment last year.  This book introduces us to Brooklyn and her family.   They are quite interesting characters with unique family dynamics.  Her best friend, Emily, is a childhood friend she met when her family moved to the commune north of San Francisco.   Yep, this book has lots of stereotypical fruits and nuts to go around.   There is also lots of high society SF money to be found in the showing of rare book collection being debuted in the story.  The relationships are well developed and will continue to grow as the series progresses if the later installment is any indication.  I look forward to reading the interim books to fill in the gaps.

Behind the story and the root of the murders is a copy of Faust that is written in German. The restoration of this book seems to be the source of crimes being committed.  Brooklyn keeps finding dead bodies and trouble everywhere she turns.  There are definitely plenty of red herrings and the guilty party is quite a surprise at the end especially the motive.  

This book weaves some German history around the time of WWII into the story as well.  So the 3 mysteries I read this week are all connected in some fashion, WWII Germany or book binding/restoration.  A strange coincidence to say the least with a little bit for everyone.  

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Action packed cozy with a bit of a historic plot line mixed in with modern crime solving. There are several subplots and mysteries contained in this first installment of the Bibliophile series. Who knew book preservation could be so exciting

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #123
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 Bibliophile Mysteries #1
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #133
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #147
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #90
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #127
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #108
8. Pick your Poison #20-4 A book with the word "hard" in the title
9. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  
10. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 2
• Basement

Row 5

Bedroom

• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Hand gun
• Pointy object
• 
  
• Detectives- Brooklyn/Derek
• Victims- Abraham/Enrique
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #20  Shot #2

Bookman Dead Style

This is the 2nd book in the series set in Utah by Paige Shelton.  There is a bit of every stereotypical aspect of the state in this cozy.  Skiing, celebrity, no coffee drinking and sister wives all rolled up into a mystery full of celebrities.  In addition to the film stars and festival, there is plenty of book restoration and printing to read about as well.  The series is a great mix of plots and the mysteries continue to be challenging to solve.   I look forward to reading more in the series.  

 

Bookman Dead Style by Paige Shelton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great story set in Utah. A glamorous film festival is in town with. Plenty of mystery and intrigue. Could Hollywood leading man, Matt Bane, really have killed his sister? Is he that great of an actor to fool them all. There’s plenty of mystery and intrigue to be found in this fun cozy. There’s a bit of printing and typing nostalgia built into the story and it continues to develop characters and relationships. I look forward to more in the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #121
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Dangerous Type #2
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #131
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #145
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #88
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #125
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #106
8. Pick your Poison # 10-2 A book with a typewriter on the cover 
9. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 4

Hotel room

• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Pointy object
• Detectives- Clare Henry
• Victims- Cassie Bane
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #41  Shot #2

And Then There were Crumbs

 This is the first book in a new series by Eve Calder.  The Cookie House series is set in Southern FL in a resort town but is written with the lead protagonist in the process of relocating to the town.  Katie quickly realizes there is a very different and charming side to the town and locals that you don't pick up on while at the resorts and beaches.  There are dynamics at play between the developers who wish to convert the area into a playground for the wealthy with little regard for the people who reside there and those permanent residents.  Katie discovers this quickly when her new boss, Sam, is accused of murdering one of those developers.  There are plenty of twists and some fun family moments in this story which make it very endearing.  Plus what's not to love about a dog that seems to have adopted Kate

The cast of characters and detectives is wide since the local book group is investigating to help prove their friend innocent.  The ensemble detective approach reminds me a bit of the Real Murders Club found in the Aurora Teagarden series/shows.  

And Then There Were Crumbs by Eve Calder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this cozy. I appreciated the strong independent female characters. There was quite a bit of irony built into the storyline that was fun to discover. I enjoyed reading about the bakery and the bread and cookies. It was a nice development of the relationship between Katie and Maxi and I look forward to reading about their friendship as the series progresses.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #120
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #130
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #144
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #87
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #124
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #105
7. Pick your Poison #9-2 A book about taking in a stranger 
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  In the Library with the candlestick
9. Beyond the Bookends  blue cover
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 3
• Taxi or bus (limo)
• Row 5
• Home or business office
• Weapons
• Row 5
• Medicine or drugs x 2
• Detectives- Kate/Maxi
• Victims- Muriel/ Stewart Lord
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #77  Shot #1

The English Breakfast Murder

 This is the 4th book in the Tea Shop Mysteries.  This is the one series of Laura Childs that I am not caught up on reading all of the books.  I think I have put this series off more because I know I am quite behind and the scrapbooking ones will always get extra attention from me since that is another passion of mine.  This is a great series if you enjoy Southern hospitality and especially learning about tea and tea blends.  There are strong female characters in this series that contrast well with the male characters.  I appreciate that Theodosia is not all about her relationship with Jory, but rather is a bit of a side story.  Often cozies seem to get caught up a bit too much in the romance and minimize the strength of their female detectives.   My only complaint with this book was the ending felt a bit unsettled.  I didn't walk away with a clear sense of closure despite knowing who the guilty party was.  I still will keep working on the series and hope to catch up on them by the end of 2022.  

The English Breakfast Murder by Laura Childs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always enjoy the different series by Laura Childs. For some reason this one just read a bit slower than many of the cozies and felt a bit disjointed. It may be due to the fact it is an early book in the series and the characters and relationships are being introduced and developed. I like the characters that work in the Indigo Tea Shop and appreciate their quirkiness and differences. I think I just felt a bit unsatisfied at the end. The guilty party was identified but there wasn't any real recap of the how and even the why was a bit ambiguous to me. I like the series though and will continue to read this along with her other series.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #119
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  South Carolina
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  series 42 book 1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #129
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #143
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #86
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #123
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #104
9. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  In the Library with the candlestick
10. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 1
• Boat
• Weapons
• Row 5
• Hands or fists
• Detectives- Theodosia/Drayton
• Victims- Harper Fisk
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #1  Shot #5

Wedding on the Windsong

 Adrianne and Keith are finally tying the knot and of course it is on a cruise ship.  They decide to do it in Australia on one of the new boats her Aunt is gifting them for their wedding.  Of course trouble ensues in the form of a crazy stalker.  This book like all the others highlights many tropical sites and focuses on the reefs and undersea adventures.  

Wedding On The Windsong: Book Eight: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries by Lizzie Josephson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

great scenery and mystery loved the inclusion of Indonesia in the story and the details of Australia. Enjoyed the development of the relationship between Adrianne and her parents.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Indonesia

Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Series 9 book 8

Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #128

Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #142

Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #85

Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #122

Craving for Cozies  Book #103

Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes

Six Shooter Challenge  Target #43a  Shot #2

Trouble in Tahiti

 Anyone who has been or dreams of going to the South Pacific will love this latest installment by Lizzie Josephson.   There is wonderful details about the different islands and the activities that can be found on each imbedded in this cozy mystery.  There is a troublemaker trying to alter the outcome of the first ever Gold Cup cruise competition in French Polynesia and Adrianne and Keith find themselves embroiled in it all.  I continue to love this series and how it showcases cruise ports and destinations while presenting wonderful non murder mysteries

Troubles In Tahiti: Book Seven: The Cozy Cruise Mysteries by Lizzie Josephson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderful cozy set in Polynesia

Lizzie Josephson has written another wonderful installment in her series. This one is a well researched and accurate depiction of the islands of French Polynesia. These books are a pleasant departure from the cozies based around murders. The mysteries are still well developed but just center on crimes aboard cruise ships that do not involve murder. Great series

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Tahiti
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  Series 9 book 7
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #127
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #141
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #84
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #121
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #102
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #43a  Shot #1