7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

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

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

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

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

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   54
3. Audiobook  #2023AudiobookChallenge 14
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #59
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #49
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #51
7. Medical Examiner Challenge 12 Toe Tags
8. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #5
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #37 Written in Present Tense
10. Around the Year in 52 Books #40. A book with a full name in the title
11. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #16 here there be monsters
12. HP Quidditch 23 #7 Bludger: A book you think will knock your socks off (or off your broom!)
13. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #26. Read a book that has time travel in it
14. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #50. HISTORICAL OR FANTASY
15. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #43 A book that takes place entirely in one day
16. Pick your Poison  # 134 A book with a chess piece on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 12 That Plays With Time:
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #24 Takes Place In A Day
19. Beyond the Bookends  January- Read a book coming to the screen in 2023
20. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO   May In  it to Win It

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.

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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.

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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

Criminally Cocoa

 Criminally Cocoa is a fun novella in the Amish Candy Shop series.   Amanda Flower set it in NYC rather than the usual OH Amish country.  In this book Charlotte, Bailey and Cass find themselves in NY filming a tv show starring Bailey.  This book has a more innocent feel to it as the narrator is Charlotte.  This perspective allows Flower to explain much of the Amish point of view as well as many of the concepts of Rumspringa.  This makes for a change of pace from the usual Englisch frame of reference the reader gets when Bailey is narrating.  While the story is more innocent it is fun to see the city from the perspective of Charlotte who has lived her whole life in rural Ohio.  Never fear though there is still a mystery to be solved and the antics of Jethro are still alive and well.  A fun interlude in the series.  I read this book out of order and it did not impact the plot of the next book in the series.  I read and reviewed Toxic Toffee in 2020.  

This book in addition to being the 2nd book with the word Cocoa in it while being read at Easter time met the challenge prompts to find a book with a Rabbit on it and a mini challenge for April by 52 Book Club.  This latter is the prompt to have an egg on the cover.   

 

Criminally Cocoa by Amanda Flower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

a fun novella in the Amish Candy Shop series. I really enjoyed reading a story from Charlotte's perspective and learning more about the Amish experience of Rumspringa. I found it especially fun to see Charlotte's take on NYC as I lived there when I was about her age but I had seen more of the world than she has.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #   
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023 Yes the Amish Candy series.  
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 3.5
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. What an Animal Book #14
6. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2023  Book # 7
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #38
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #20
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #39
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #35
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #102  Shot #1
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  Toe Tags
13. 23 in 2023 # 12 A book with a rabbit on the cover or in the title
14. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #10 bought and forgot it
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #10. A COMING-OF-AGE STORY
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge # A book with a rabbit on the cover
17. Pick your Poison  # 132 A book you can read in a day

Larceny in Liverpool

 Who ever thought I would read a cozy mystery starring the Beatles.  Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh is a clever cozy that does just that.  There's a bit of a mystery surrounding stolen lyrics surrounded by a lot of fanaticism in the early days of the Beatles.  There are glimpses of famous locations such as the Cavern Club and plenty of strange fan mail.   The book is clever if not super deep in the clues.  I am not sure how the series will continue but I am willing to give the next installment a go;   particularly since they are in Kindle Unlimited.  

Larceny in Liverpool by Kal Smagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

such a fun premise

What a totally unique idea for a cozy mystery. It’s fun to read about secrets within the inner circle as the Beatles first struck out in their career. There are lots of components people will be familiar with but the story and larceny are unique I look forward to reading more of Helen’s story telling

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  47
2. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
3. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #41
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #35
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Historical  #1
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #36
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #32
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #101  Shot #1
10. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book # 2
11. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #7 A City or Country name in the title
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #29. A book that is light
13. Cozy Mysteries   #22 Cozy without murder
14. HP Quidditch 23 #4 Quidditch Throughout the Ages: A historical fiction
15. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #23. Read a historical fiction novel
16. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #14. A BOOK YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #34 A historical-fiction book
18. Pick your Poison  # 61 A fiction book with a real person as protagonist
19. Read with Allison #8 Historical Fiction
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge April- Unusual Historic Fiction

The Nebula Secret

 I really enjoyed this book.  I loved the parallels between the Smithsonian and Harry Potter.   There are fun adventures and the technological aspects of the story are intriguing.  This is a fun middle-grade story that I look forward to reading more of the series.  I hope in the future stories they actually go out on the Orion and explore different places.  This book reminded me of my passion for travel and is motivating me to go through and scrapbook my travel photos.  

The Nebula Secret by Trudi Trueit
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun middle-grade story is a thriller set in an environment that feels a lot like the Smithsonian by its descriptions. I enjoyed the puzzle aspect of the storyline. The technological aspects of the story were fascinating to me taking VR and other current technologies to new levels. This story reminded me of parallels to the Harry Potter series. Cruz feels a lot like Harry as a somewhat chosen one with a supporting cast around him, sneaking around trying to solve a puzzle without adult involvement.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  32 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes   Washington DC
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge  N
5. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023=1
6. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023=-1
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #34
8. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #29
9. Bookworm #30 Read a middle-grade book (8-12 age range)
10. HP Quidditch 23 #14 Quidditch Goggles: Includes a character that wears glasses
11. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #43. MIDDLE GRADE OR NON-FICTION
12. Pick your Poison  # 43 A book with a robot, cyborg or AI character
13. Read with Allison # 45 Middle Grade
14. Sci and Nature # 21 Space Words in the Title

A Killing by the Sea

 A Killing by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge plays a role in a weird cosmic collision in my life this week.   I have had this book on my TBR list since last year in order to fulfill my Target Practice for my Six Shooter challenge.   I started reading Kathleen Bridge in 2021 when I listened to some audiobooks in her Hamptons Home and Garden series after my eye surgery.  Coincidentally I am having eye surgery again next week to remove scar tissue from that previous procedure.   After reading several of those books I found her By the Sea series set in Florida at an old art deco hotel.   This was the next in the series so I selected it for the Six Shooter challenge this year.  

In a weird twist of irony,  they are preparing for a Hurricane in the story.   During discussions of previous hurricanes to hit the barrier island near Melbourne Beach, they discuss Hurricane Irma.  Oddly enough while indulging in my other pastime, watching cozy mystery shows/movies, I watched an episode of A Death in Paradise on Brit box.   They also had a hurricane episode approaching and again mentioned Hurricane Irma in that storyline as well.  Just a weird coincidence but still enough to get my attention.  

This is an entertaining series if you like watching mysteries and the setting is beautiful on the fictitious St Marie (Guadolope in reality).  Between the book and the tv series, I am certainly craving a beach vacay- without a murder of course.

A Killing by the Sea by Kathleen Bridge
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoy this series so far. There are plenty of characters with quirky personality traits some more annoying than others. Liz’s Great Aunt invites others into her classic hotel like some people take in stray animals. Oh yeah there’s that too. Barnacle Avon the parrot is great for some levity and the pompous Susannah is good for eye rolls. The mystery is well constructed with multiple suspects and motives. Even when you think you know who the why is mysterious. Looking forward to watching Liz and Ryan’s relationship develop. There is an authenticity to their budding relationship with misunderstandings and learning to trust

View all my reviews  

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   31
3. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
4. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
5. What an Animal Book #11
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #33
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #28
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #12
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #30
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #26
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #12  Shot #5
12. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #23. A book with a body of water in the title
14. HP Quidditch 23 #47 Starfish Stick: Related to the sea
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #6. TITLE STARTS WITH 'K' OR 'N'
16. Pick your Poison  # 29 A book with a pair of slippers on the cover
17. Sci and Nature # 38 About a Natural Disaster 
18. Unruly Reader Bingo  #5 Recess
19. Read Around the US   Florida- March

Murder in an Irish Village

 Murder in an Irish Village is a charming cozy to kick off the Irish Village series by Carlene O'Connor.  The descriptions of the village are wonderful and welcoming. The authenticity of the terminology and characteristics are a welcome feature.   It is hard not to want to grab a plane ticket and head over to the Emerald Isle after reading this book.  

The O'Sullivan clan is a well-written family unit with its share of squabbles and differences while being a tight-knit crew.  The mysterious death of a family rival in their bistro was enough to put a strain on those tight bonds and to create suspicion among all of the village residents.  It is hard to imagine anyone you have known all your life to be a murderer but that is the case unless it is the outsider, the Yank.   Sioban and her siblings work to investigate and clear James' name.  Unfortunately, their discoveries open many wounds and secrets.  The Village of Kilbane will not recover any time soon.  I plan to read the next in the series to see how it comes along.  

Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An authentic feeling book set in Ireland. The use of Irish phrases and words adds a truly authentic feel to the characters. It’s easy to visualize the countryside around Cork and in Kilbane in particular. The mystery is well written including the why and who. The small village was leveraged to add to the difficulty in solving because who wants to suspect someone they’ve known their whole lives and who have reached out to help your family. Add to it the mysterious Yank with unknown intentions and everyone is looking at each other sideways. Siobhan is a character that is dealing with internal struggles between her dreams and her sense of obligation. I look forward to reading more about this family and village.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  29
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  25 
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Ireland
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #27
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #22
8. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #7
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #23
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #20
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 98 Shot #1
12. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags stabbed
13. Around the Year in 52 Books #20. A book with a cover or title that includes a route of travel
14. HP Quidditch 23 #49 Slothgrip Roll: A book that’s taken you a long time to read
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #38. ROMANTIC INTEREST STARTS WITH 'M'
16. Pick your Poison  # 53 A book your initial reaction to is "I know I'll love this"
17. Read with Allison #18 Book in a Series
18. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #26 Ireland: Ireland Books | Ireland Movies
19. Read Your Bookshelf The title has to start with the next letter in the alphabet from your February book
20. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Baggage

Calypso, Corpses and Cooking

 I was so excited to read this second Caribbean Kitchen Mystery by Raquel Reyes.  Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking did not disappoint.   I really appreciate Reyes' method of incorporating bilingual characters in her storylines.  I cannot help but envision what a cute family they are and to feel the frustrations Mia has been dealing with her very bigoted MIL.  Mia's adjustments to returning to her hometown but under a different economic and cultural environment than her childhood makes for interesting reading and adds a bit deeper thought than many cozy mysteries bring.   Anyone who loves delicious food, especially Latin selections, will find their mouth watering while reading this story.    I learned about some new dishes that I am anxious to find and sample.  The mystery itself is well done and has plenty of twists and turns leading to an unexpected resolution. 

Calypso, Corpses, and Cooking by Raquel V. Reyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

cozy mystery with a Latin flair

I really like this series a lot. I love how Reyes seamlessly blends the use of Spanish into the storyline with a logically included translation. The food descriptions will make your mouth water for anyone who likes flavorful food The mystery is well constructed with an ongoing nefarious scheme underlying the story so it is best to read the series in order.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  29
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #  23 
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 7 Book #1
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 2
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 +3
6. What an Animal Book #7
7. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #25
8. Cruisin thru Cozies Holiday #2
9. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #21
10. Craving for Cozies  Book #18
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 4 Toe Tags
12. Around the Year in 52 Books #    37. A book with the theme of returning home
13. HP Quidditch 23 #43 Cedric Diggory: Includes vampires
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #42. set at a carnival or circus
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #47. A HOLIDAY THAT ISN'T CHRISTMAS
16. Pick your Poison  # 39 A book with a four word title
17. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #47 A book about a holiday that's not Christmas
18. Read with Allison #51 Holiday Scene on Cover
19. Sci and Nature # 17 Native Word in the Title
20. Unruly Reader Bingo  # 9 World Languages   

Last Tang Standing

 This debut novel by Lauren Ho was a great read.  While light and breezy at times there is definitely depth to the characters, especially Andrea.  Her struggles to decide the direction of her life both professionally and personally feel real and probable.  She has spent her entire life trying to make her mother and employers happy as she reaches her 30s she is starting to question what it is she wants in life.  She finds herself torn between what she thinks she wants and what she believes others what.  Last Tang Standing is a deeper book than it first appears.  It is especially appealing if you have ever spent time in Singapore or around high-achieving Asians.  Tiger moms have a reputation for a reason.  

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

funny but thought provoking read

Well on one hand this is a light hearted story with many laugh out loud moments it is also a reflection on what makes us happy in life Andrea is so driven to do the things that make her mother happy that she often forgets about her own happiness. I’m sure many people pleasers can relate. The internal struggle is well presented in the epistolary style of diary writing and the reader can tell how troubled Andrea is with her decisions. I really liked it after she had taken control of her life how she was able to find ways to be successful. My only regret is not knowing how her relationship work out

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #  23
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #   19
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes Singapore
4. AtoZ   #2023AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge L
5. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  L
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #21
7. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #17
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #42 Time in the Title
9. Around the Year in 52 Books #10. A book related to one of the Spice Girls' "personalities"  -  Posh
10. Bookworm #42 A book set in Asia or an Asian-inspired culture
11. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  # 7. Character with a Disability
12. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #47 epistolatory or an unusual writing style
13. HP Quidditch 23 #31 Ravenclaw: Related to Ravenclaw house/traits
14. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #37. Read an author's debut book
15. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #21. BETWEEN 380-430 PAGES
16. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #36 A book you think your best friend would like
17. Pick your Poison  # 76 A book with a cover that matches your shirt (on the day your start it)
18. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #5 Disability Represented (Author or Character)
19. Read with Allison #26 Debut Author
20. Sci and Nature # 37 With a Disabled Character:
21. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 10 Hotels
22. Unruly Reader Bingo  #20 Drama Club
23. Diversify your reading #DYRC23 February: Romance
24. Read Your Bookshelf Feb
25. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Feb Getaway

Through the Liquor Glass

 This is the 5th book in the Literary Pub series by Sarah Fox.  I am anxiously awaiting the next book now that I have finished Through the Liquor Glass.  I thoroughly enjoy the characters of Sadie and Grayson and enjoy how we see their relationship progressing as the series moves forward.  In this book, we see another personal relationship of Sadie's in detail when her mother comes to visit.  This visit sparks a range of emotions that I think many readers can relate to with their mothers.  Sadie wants her mother to be proud and approve of her choices since establishing her home in Shady Creek, Vt.  Unfortunately, the unexpected discovery of a body at Grayson's brewery makes the reunion a bit strained.  Sadie struggled to keep the situation from her mother in order to avoid clouding her opinion of her new boyfriend but secrets have a way of causing stress and revealing themselves.  

Overall this mystery is well written and has some side mysteries that fit within the plot line.  In fact, those side mysteries help to cast suspicion on several people, thus distracting Sadie from finding the real killer and clearing Grayson's name.   I cannot wait to read the next book to see what happens with Sadie and Grayson next.  

 Through the Liquor Glass by Sarah Fox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book gave the reader a chance to see Sadie’s interactions with her mother. I think anyone who has ever sought their parent’s approval will relate to the trepidation Sadie was feeling about her visit. Unfortunately that visit became strained when Sadie had to coverup the reason for Grayson’s absence as well as her clandestine investigation into another murder. The story was well constructed and there were side mysteries that added to the suspicions surrounding the original murder. I really enjoyed this book and felt as though I was right there In Vermont investigating and celebrating with Sadie.

View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #22  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 18  
3. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  VT
4. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  S
5. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2023  Series: 6 Book #1
6. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 5
7. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 1
8. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book # 20
9. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #4
10. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #16
11. Craving for Cozies  Book #13
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #41  Shot #5
13. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
14. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  # 14 Survival Story
15. Around the Year in 52 Books # 31. A book found by inputting a favorite author on https://www.literature-map.com
16. Bookworm #24 Free Space! Pick any book
17. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #1 cozy read or cover
18. Cozy Mysteries   #3 Has a beverage recipe
19. HP Quidditch 23 #6 Quaffle: With a title including the letter Q
20. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #18. Highly anticipated read
21. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #23. A 2022 RELEASE YOU NEGLECTED
22. Pick your Poison  # 106 A book with a restaurant on the cover 
23. Read with Allison #42 Featuring a Murder
24. Uncorked Reader #UncorkedReading2023 #27 Beer
25. TBRChallenge  #TBRChallenge Feb Getaway

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

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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

     

A Christmas Candy Killing

 

A Christmas Candy Killing is the first book in the Killer Chocolate series by Christine Romeril.   While I am not sure I would partake of the chocolates with poison names, I have a feeling I would change my mind if I entered Murder and Mayhem run by the twins in this story.  It was a charming book and was full of quirky characters and drama.  I look forward to reading more in the series.  I'm glad I picked up this book based on its title font reminding me of a Christmas Story. 

A Christmas Candy Killing by Christina Romeril
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What’s not to love about a bookstore and chocolate shop all in one place. Too bad it’s fictional but then I’m not sure I could eat chocolates named for poisons. The mystery and it’s characters reminded me of the Aurora Teagarden mysteries in the group meeting to discuss crimes. Jane seems like a motherly lady who’s a lot like Miss Marple. The small town atmosphere makes the suspects secrets all the more realistic and makes the discovery of the guilty party that much more difficult. The clues are unraveled well and are there in retrospect. I look forward to reading more in this series as they are published

View all my reviews

 

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Goodreads and Reading by the Numbers #ReadingByNumbers2023 Book #17  
2. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 14  
3. Alphabet Soup Author Edition #AlphabetSoupAuthorChallenge  R
4. Stacking the Series  #stackingseries2023 1
5. Series Catchup #seriescatchup2023 -1
6. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2023   Book #16
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  Holiday #1
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #13
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #11
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 96 Shot #1
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 6 Toe Tags poison
12. 23 in 2023 # 23 A book that makes you happy
13. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2023  #9 Book with a Dedication
14. 52 books in 52 weeks  #3 northern
15. Around the Year in 52 Books #13 A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover
16. Bookworm #54 Read a book that has an illustrated cover
17. BooklistQueen  #booklistqueenreadingchallenge2023  #1 Winter Read
18. Beat the Backlist #BTB2023  #17 no romance
19. Cozy Mysteries   #7 A Cozy that matches the season
20. HP Quidditch 23 #44 Viktor Krum: With a character who speaks a different language
21. Nerdy Bookworm  #NerdyBookwormChallengeXO #33 A book that has a cover you love
22. Nerd Daily #thenerddaily #nerdreading2023 #5. DEBUT AUTHOR
23. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #48 A book that features two languages
24. Pick your Poison  # 78 A book about twins
25. RAD Challenge #aradreadingchallenge #6 About your Favorite Holiday
26. Read with Allison #19 Set During Your Favorite Season:
27. Sci and Nature # 39 About Gardens or Gardening
28. What's in a Name   #5 Celebration