Fatal Fudge Swirl

 Fatal Fudge Swirl is set in Penniman, CT, and is based around an ice cream shop.  This particular one is based upon a socialite wedding at Halloween.  Of course, there is a murder and a list of suspects a mile long.  Instead of focusing on ice cream making the crew of the shop ends up investigating the murder.  As a backdrop to the story, there is a movie being filmed that is loosely modeled on the Hallmark channel movies.  Lots of references to repeat appearances by actors and actresses and the rom-com-type approach to the stories depicted in the movies.   This aspect of the story involves Sprinkles in a major role allowing the outcast cat show feline to strut her stuff.  Allen captures the personality of a cat in a very lifelike manner in this book.   I realized as I was reading this book I had forgotten to read book 2 in the series so I am going back and catching up on that one now.  I can say there isn't much in the way of spoilers in this book so if a reader wanted to have a seasonal read they can jump in with this book.  

Fatal Fudge Swirl by Meri Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fine book that will appeal especially to Halloween and fall lovers. The ice cream flavors will make your mouth water if you’re not careful. The mystery is quite well laid out and not super obvious. I like how there is some historic significance included in the book since it is set in Connecticut. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  105
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  87 
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series:17  Book #1
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 3
6. What an Animal Book #39
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #96
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #52
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #81
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #69
11. Medical Examiner Challenge  3 Toe Tags
12. Diversify your reading #DYRC23  October: True Crime/Mystery
13. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  OCTOBER- Spellbinding or Spooktacular
14. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge  October 18 - Danger Zone

Death on Cozumel Island

I will admit I was drawn to Death on Cozumel Island because I have many happy memories of visits to the area during cruise vacations.  I am intrigued to go for a land trip now after reading about the fabulous scuba diving available there.   The scuba diving was the other aspect of Cindy Quayle's book that captured my interest.  I was able to certify and dive a few years before Covid hit.  It is now an item to get back to once I have successfully lost weight.  Quayle did an amazing job at capturing the feeling of the open water diving experience.  She not only included the positive aspects such as enjoying the beauty of the flora and fauna under the surface, but she discussed the struggles of the time on the surface quite accurately as well.  Besides the great descriptions of the setting for the book, the actual mystery was well constructed.  I would say the only negative I have to mention is the extreme degree to which she created an unlikeable victim.  It worked with the story though and I'm sure people have encountered such boors on their vacations.  I look forward to reading more in this series.  

Death on Cozumel Island by Cindy Quayle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun mystery even if it seems a bit of a stretch that Claire would go out on a linb for people she just met. The mystery and motivation are well structured. The paradise of Cozumel is well represented in this story. Claire clearly relishes experiencing the world and embracing the experiences. Any scuba fans will love reading about her diving adventures. Makes me want to decertify and go dive there myself. Looking forward to more in the series

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  79
2. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  Q
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. What an Animal Book #29
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #71
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #34
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #59
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #51
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #106  Shot #1
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
12. 23 in 2023 # 1 A book published in 2023
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #52 Published in 2023
14. Around the Year in 52 Books #51. A book published in 2023
15. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #24. 2023 New Release
16. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #1. 2023 New Release
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #12 A book published in spring 2023
18. Pick your Poison  # 12 A book about a hobby you do or would like to do
19. Read with Allison #31 2023 New Release 
20. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 13 2023 New Release
21. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  JUNE- Take the Plunge set around water

A Sprinkling of Murder

 This cozy is definitely not in my normal repertoire.  I have read other cozies by Daryl Wood Gerber and I know I like her style so I decided to give the Fairy mystery a try.   I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed A Sprinkling of Murder.   The added bonus was the setting in Carmel, CA.   A town I spent time in during my childhood and one that is closely associated with my love of books.  Near Carmel is a shopping center that is set up like it's in the trees.  there was a fabulous bookstore there that my mother took me to for author signings and such.  I met Beverly Cleary and Hank Ketchum among others at this store.  

A Sprinkling of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A refreshing cozy that inspires one’s creative side and encourages opening one’s imagination to accept that which is generally not considered real. I have enjoyed other mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber but generally would not have gravitated toward a mystical one such as this. I tried it in order to meet a challenge prompt about fairies. I’m glad I did it’s a clever mystery made that much more enjoyable as it’s set in Carmel, CA. I spent time near there when I was young so that adds to the charm and appeal of the book for me. Anyone looking for a mystery that has some mystical qualities that make you smile should try 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 #  75
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #63   
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
5. What an Animal Book #27
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #68
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #56
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Craft #2
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #57
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #50
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #44  Shot #5
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
13. Cozy Mysteries   #4 Paranormal or Magical Cozy
14. Pick your Poison  # 87 Midsummer Night's Dream: A book about fairies 
15. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  JUNE- Take the Plunge set around water

Mai Tai One On

 I found this book on my library Hoopla site.   I was looking for a fun sounding cozy and it seemed to fit the bill.  Mai Tai One On is a Tiki Goddess mystery by Jill Marie Landis and is set in Kauai.   What's not to love about tropical island settings.   The characters grew on me as the book went along.  Many of them have pasts they are keeping hidden from most people and this leads to some confusion and misdirection.  The mystery was plotted well and had some twists that were unexpected.  I plan to read the rest of the series since it felt like a vacation while reading it.   

I will note that this book had a bit more spice with nudity and drug references that aren't usually found in cozy mysteries so readers be aware.  This would not be a book to have your young reader move onto after Nancy Drew.  

 

Mai Tai One On by Jill Marie Landis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyable cozy set in paradise. a group of misfits star in this book. The descriptions of Kauai and the tropical venue is a fun read. This cozy is a bit edgier than most with some Marijuana references and some nudity detailed. The mystery was intriguing and I liked how the story incorporated Hawaiian language and customs

I’m will continue to read the series.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  74
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  62 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  HI
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. What an Animal Book #26
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #67
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #55
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #33
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #56
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #49
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #104  Shot #1
13. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
14. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 3 Hawaii
15. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  June Take the Plunge- set around water
16. Read Your Bookshelf June: The title for your June book will have half as many letters as your May title  11 vs 22

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry

 National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! is a great book to read on your own or to share with children.  It is a perfect book to read in small bites.  The photos that accompany the poems are amazing as well.  Not that you would expect anything less from a National Geographic publication.  The poetry is a great mix of famous poets and those you may not be familiar with.  Some of the poems are deep and require reflection, while others are just fun.  Overall this is a great book that I picked to satisfy prompts about poetry.

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! by J. Patrick Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

great book with amazing photography. it's a perfect book to share with young children or just to enjoy snippets of poetry and great photos.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  52
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   40
3. What an Animal Book #15
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #45
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #40
6. 23 in 2023 # 16 A book written in verse or containing poetry
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #1 Book with a Subtitle
8. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #46. Award Winning Nonfiction
9. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #34 novel in verse, poetry, or anthology
10. HP Quidditch 23 #40 Ginny Weasley: A poetry book
11. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #16. AWARD-WINNING BOOK
12. Pick your Poison  # 88 Sonnets: A book of poetry
13. Read with Allison #23 Award-Winning Book
14. Sci and Nature # 30 Nature Poetry
15. Unruly Reader Bingo  #11 Chronicles
16. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  March Animals

Death of a Red Heroine

My experience reading  Death of a Red Heroine is a testament to the powers of participating in reading challenges.  If it were not for the alphabet challenge where I am always trying to find authors that meet the Q/X/Y/Z categories I might not have ever tried this detective story set in Shanghai.  The book is written by Qiu Xiaolong  I ended up really enjoying the storyline and the historical perspective of China as it was transitioning into a more capitalist approach to its economy.  The plot highlights the importance of the Party and the High Ranking Cadres' ability to get things done to their advantage;  something those without the connections cannot readily achieve.   In many ways, it reminded me of the old money influence in the US.  The wealth/power that exists acts as a barrier to newcomers entering the markets.  I did enjoy the book and may give the next in the series a go in the future.

Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I selected this audiobook from my library mainly because it sounded interesting and the author's name allowed me to fulfill some harder letters in the alphabet challenge. I ended up with a pleasant surprise and learned a lot about the history of China from an author who was born there. The intricacies of the Party establishment and the country's situation post-Tiananmen Square protests were a very interesting backdrop to a detective mystery. This is definitely not a cozy and has some very edgy and graphic details about the murder as well as the sexual exploits of the characters. The mystery is well constructed and details the police work involved in solving crimes, particularly with politically connected suspects and victims. I enjoyed the book and will definitely potentially try another in the series.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  51
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  39 
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 6
4. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  China
5. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  X
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #44
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #39
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #40
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
10. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #3
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #41 A Character Who is a Refugee
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #45 more than 450 pages
13. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #24. OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE WORLD
14. Pick your Poison  # 54 A book you expect will expand your initial knowledge of a subject
15. Read with Allison #49 Set in the 1990s:
16. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Longer than 400 pages
17. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge April- Unusual Historical

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.

View all my reviews

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 

Parable of the Sower

 I must admit I wasn't looking forward to this prompt from the 52 book club.  In general, I am not a big fan of specifying a specific author to read, I prefer the more generalized "pick an author that fits certain criteria" prompts.   The reason I wasn't too keen on reading Octavia Butler is I am generally not a science fiction or a dystopian reader.  As far as I know, her books fall into those tropes.   That being said, I picked Parable of the Sower in a graphic novel format to fulfill this requirement.  

Once I began reading the book and got past the initial adjustment to the format and learning the characters, I ended up appreciating the book.  I found there to be lots of thought-provoking aspects to the plot and the actual verses contained within the story.   I found myself stopping and reflecting on society and my own personal beliefs, particularly about religion.  I am a firm believer that the world would be a better place if we all just treated each other with the kindness and respect we would like to receive.  Instead of judging and critiquing others assume the best.   If their actions prove to be unsatisfactory for your morals and ethics then chose to move on;  judging others based on their appearance, background, and beliefs without getting to know them is a recipe for a lot of anger in your life.  Knowing someone's story gives you a better chance to know them, and even if you don't agree on all things it doesn't mean you cannot get along and be friendly.   Our diversity is what makes the world an interesting and unique place.  Much of this story aligns with this thought process and I appreciated that.  

I felt Butler brings her perspective as a Black woman without being too judgemental, but rather provides an opinion without lecturing, allowing the reader to take in the story and form their own perspective.  I am glad I read this book but won't be rushing to read any more in the Parable series soon as I really do not care for the doomsday tone of dystopian stories.  

Parable of the Sower by Damian Duffy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

food for thought

While dystopian stories are not my normal reading choice I did find this one engaging once I got into the story. There are many aspects of belief presented here and how amongst horrors people can find hope. Much of the book is about survival and the story talks about the different ways people can be enslaved. While there is discussion of race and discrimination it felt as though it was about economic disparity as well. There are definite parallels to the struggles seen in inner city US today and the story highlights illiteracy and drugs as a factor in the issues. Many ways it feels like a warning of what can come if we as a nation don’t start caring and respecting life and each other instead of constantly being at odds and choosing sides

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #19  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 16  
3. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge P
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #18
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #14
6. 23 in 2023 # 15 A book about a religion you don't practice
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #48 A Book by Octavia E Butler
8. 52 books in 52 weeks  #24 speculative fiction
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #11. A book about a person/character with a disability
10. Bookworm #50 Read a book where the main character is a Villain or Anti-hero
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #47. Modern Classic
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #41 graphic novel outside your fave genre
13. HP Quidditch 23 #35 Angelina Johnson: Written by a BIPOC author
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #36. Read a graphic novel, manga, or comic
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #32. A BILINGUAL CHARACTER
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #23 A book with a map
17. Pick your Poison  # 79 A book with something that can be lit by a match on the cover
18. Read with Allison #36 Fantasy
19. Sci and Nature # 15 Cli-Fi (Climate Fiction)
20. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 11 LGBT Graphic Novel
21. Unruly Reader Bingo  #7 Apple
22. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Gardens and Library
23. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Feb Getaway

     

Monthly Motif

 This is another challenge hosted at the GirlXOXO site.   It is based on selecting books that have to do with a given motif for that month.  It is open for interpretation.  Sign up here

@chapter_adventure

 #MonthlyMotifGXO 

JANUARY- New Year, New Direction

“Read a book with one, or more, ‘directional’ words in the title.” ie. (into, over, out, behind, left, right, down, up, north, south, out, etc.) 

The Key Lime Crime (Key West Food Critic Mystery, #10) by Lucy Burdette

Blog Post and Goodreads Review  1/9/23

•  Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 1/10 /23

•  A Scone of Contention (Key West Food Critic Mystery, #11) by Lucy Burdette
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 1/19/23

FEBRUARY- If You Have A Garden and a Library…

“Read a book with a plant or flower on the cover.”

• Parable of the Sower Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler and Damian Duffy
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 2/13/23

MARCH- Animal, Number, Color, Name

“Read a book with an animal, number, color, or name in the title.“

1. Beagles Love Steak Secrets by C A Phipps
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 3/9/23
2. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry by J. Patrick Lewis
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/12/23

APRIL- I Like Big Books

“Read a book over 400 pages long or listen to an audiobook over 14 hrs long.”

1. Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong 
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 4/12/23

MAY- In It To Win It

“Read a book that involves a game or contest of some sort.” ie. Virtual reality, video games, war games, psychological mess-with-your-mind games, characters who participate in a contest, or a story in which the character takes on a personal challenge. 

1. The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 5/21/23

JUNE- Take the Plunge

“Read a book from any genre that is set on or near a body of water- lake, ocean, pool, river, etc.” 

1. Mai Tai One On (Tiki Goddess #1) by Jill Marie Landis
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/15/23
2.  A Sprinkling of Murder (Fairy Garden Mystery #1) by Daryl Wood Gerber
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/20/23
3. Death on Cozumel Island  by Cindy Quayle
•  Blog Post and Goodreads Review 6/25/23

JULY- I Need Only One Word

“Read a book with only one word as the title.”

AUGUST- A Book and a Song

“Read a book with the same title as a song you’ve heard.”

SEPTEMBER- Speculative Stories

“Read a book from the speculative fiction subgenre” ie. a book with elements that do not exist in the real world.

OCTOBER- Spellbinding or Spooktacular

“Read a book that involves something spooky or magical or both.”

1.  Fatal Fudge Swirl (Ice Cream Shop #3)  by Meri Allen
• Blog Post and Goodreads Review 10/11/23

NOVEMBER- Around OR Out of this World

“Read a book set in a country other than the one you live in OR read a book that takes place in space or on another planet.”

DECEMBER- White-out

“Read a book with a wintery setting or a book with a mostly white cover.”

Gnome for Christmas

A quick short read I picked up to make sure I read a book by Celia Kinsey this year for my Six Shooter challenge.  It is a good non murder mystery for those looking for books for younger readers.   

Gnome for Christmas: A Festive Short Mystery by Celia Kinsey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

cute holiday mystery

This novella was a cute mystery but I found myself wanting for a bit more detail. The missing gnome was located but it wasn’t clear exactly what had happened in the end the story kind of left that out. But it is a fun read nonetheless

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #123
2. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #92
3. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #88
4. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #116
5. Craving for Cozies  Book #106
6. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Fire on cover with lantern
7. Monthly Keyword #MonthlyKeyWordGXO  Christmas for Holiday

Murder on the Poet's Walk

 As a book lover, it is hard not to love the Book Retreat series. Murder on the Poet's Walk is the 8th book in the series that has a mysterious book repository and a family-run resort that hosts book themed events.  The characters and creativity are the stars of the series.   I enjoy watching the character relationships grow and change through the different books.  The twin boys are great sources of humor and surprise.  It is enjoyable watching them mature in the storylines as well.  The book deals with many aspects of life that affect much of our lives and I believe that makes it that much more enjoyable.  Fortunately I don't think most readers have to deal with the number of murders in their lives as Jayne and her family have had to deal with.  

Murder on the Poet's Walk by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think this might have been the best in the series. Really liked the depth of relationships among the characters. The suspense over who was the criminal was well written and definitely caught me by surprise. I look forward to reading more about these characters

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 87
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 41 Book #1
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #107
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #73
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #100
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #91
7. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
8. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-Lake; puddle
• Weapon- poison
• Detectives- Jane
• Victims- Gretchen West; Connor Jensen
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 41 Shot # 4
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  OCTOBER- Murder or Magic