Murder with Ganache

 This is the 4th book in the Key West Food Critic mysteries by Lucy Burdette.  The mysteries do a wonderful job of mixing Key West flair and a cozy mystery together.  I appreciate how Burdette creates a storyline that introduces extra characters while still fitting within the inner circle of Hayley Snow's life.  The book is full of character interaction, family drama and miscommunication, just like real life.  The charm of Key West is shown during this book as Hayley hosts family from out of town, it gives a glimpse into the major tourist sites while in the context of the eyes of a local.  The books continue to engage my interest and indulge in a foodies desire to read about food and recipes

Murder with Ganache by Lucy Burdette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good twist with unexpected villain

These cozies set in key west are always a joy to read. I enjoyed the take on the crime that mixed some of the treasure hunter lore and Hemingway notoriety into the mystery. Good balance of personal life mixed with crime solving

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 series 13 bk 3
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2021  Book #7
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #55
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cruisin thru Cozies free choice 17
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #39
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #33
8. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  yes restaurants
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 1
• Boat
• Weapons
• Row 4
• Pillow, smother, asphyxiation
• 
  
• Detectives- Hayley Snow
• Victims- Mariah
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 8 Shot #4

Daisy Jones and the Six

 This mockumentary interview style book was an unexpected gem.  I really wasn't sure what to expect especially given all the hype the book has received.  

Taylor Jenkins Reid did a wonderful job of creating a realistic story of a band from the 70s.  It is so realistic if you google you will find just how many people thought they were a real band.  The format of interviewing the different band members and telling a retrospective of the bands formation and subsequent dissolution is quite a unique approach and very entertaining.  

I listened to the audiobook and can highly recommend that format.  Each character is voiced by a different person.  This really made it feel like a documentary that you would find on MTV.   There are even a few surprise twists at the end.  All is all it is a great look at the personalities and dynamics of rock and roll in the 1970s- including all the sex and drugs.  Definitely has mature topics that are not camouflaged.   I found this to be one of my best reads of the year so far.  

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was an unexpected find and I highly recommend the audiobook for it. The book is written like a biographical interview of band members years after their career. The book is so well developed that it seems like a real band and there are plenty of google searches to show that many feel it is a real band. The style is unique and worked perfectly. It was a book that made me think of the MTV where are they now or rockumentaries. There are times you cannot stand some of the characters and you wish they could get their lives sorted out. It was easy to get invested in the characters and to feel as though they were real people. There are even some twists at the ending that surprise the reader. Highly recommend this book

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #40
2. Beat the Backlist #BTB2021  #18 all about the music
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #48
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #54
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #7
6. Around the Year in 52 Books #38. A book related to a word given by a random word generator- Dad
7. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #42 An Epistolary
8. The Unofficial Magnus Archives Challenge  #TMARC21  #21. Piper: music is a plot element
9. Bookworm  #54.) Read a book that takes place in the 1960s
10. Pick your Poison #26-2 A book about self care or recovery
11. Diversify your reading #DYRC21 hist fiction
12. Audiobook  #2021AudiobookChallenge #2

Salt to the Sea

 This was the second book I have read by Ruta Sepetys and I enjoyed it as much as I did The Fountains of Silence.  This book was about a lesser known maritime disaster that occurred during WWII.  The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff was something I was unfamiliar with but it was an intriguing aspect to this historical fiction book.  I appreciated the variety of the characters, including some you did not like.

I enjoyed how the book was written in chronological order but was told by alternating narrators.  Sepetys does a wonderful job of revealing each of the narrators' back stories and secrets.   The ending had a twist to it that was intriguing and wasn't all sunshine and roses which made for a more realistic outcome.  

I will definitely continue to work my way through Sepetys' catalogue of works as I enjoy her blending of historic facts and a fictional story.

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this historic fiction book based upon the little know sinking of the Wilhelm Guatloff. Sepetys writes a good YA book that appeals to adults. Her characters are well developed and have aspects to their personality that make them like able and unlike able. The story is well written by different narrative voices while on the same timeline. There is a nice build up to the back stories of each character and a nice twist at the end. There is a good balance of happy ending with tragedy as well. Rather than everything coming out perfect it mixed both outcomes. I look forward to reading more by this author

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√

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

Possible prompts

I will decide as the year goes along which prompts I use it for on several challenges since it meets multiple criteria within the challenge.

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #39
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  Prussia
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #47
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #53
5. Historic Fiction  #histficreadingchallenge   Book #6
6. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #6 A book with a gem, mineral, or rock in the title 
7. Around the Year in 52 Books #6 a love story
8. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #28
9. Monthly Book Awards #AwardReadingChallenge  Audie winner 2017
10. Book Voyage  #bookvoyagechallenge  yes Prussia
11. Beyond the Bookends    Read/listen to Audie Winner
12. Backpacking Bookworm  #bbReadingChallenge2021 teaches you something new 

The Corpse Who Knew Too Much

 This is the 4th installment in the Food Blogger series by Debra Sennefelder.  This book focuses on Hope's relationships with friends from her childhood and centers around a missing person case from 20 years prior when she was in high school.  The mother of a friend went missing and now this friend, Devon,  has returned to town to try to determine what happened back then.  Unfortunately the truth of that event is not the only past secret that is dredged up in this story.  

Hope manages to alienate quite a few members of her small CT town while trying to assist Devon and her sister Felice determine what really happened to their mother.  Some of these relationships will be more difficult to mend than others.  The book also delves deeper into Hope's relationship with Jack.   All in all it is a good read with plenty of plot twists.  At times the story could use a bit more details but it is still an enjoyable read. 

The Corpse Who Knew Too Much by Debra Sennefelder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hope Early continues to be a strong female character in this cozy mystery series. This book has plenty of shocking reveals and unexpected criminals. The book does a great job of showing Hope’s struggles with her relationships while pursuing her natural curiosity. The book is the 3rd in the food blogger series but can be read alone

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 series 18 book 3 Caught up on Series
2. Mount TBR   #MountTBR2021  Book #6
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #52
4. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
5. Cozy Mysteries   #16 excited to get but haven't read yet
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 16
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #38
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #32
9. Pick your Poison #24-4 A book you're excited to read
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Yes food motif
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
12. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 

Row 4
Street or sidewalk

• Weapons
• Row 1 
• Motor vehicle (wreck)
• Row 3
• Motor vehicle (carbon monoxide)
• Row 5
• Hands or fists
• Detectives- Hope Early
• Victims- Devon/Donna/Joyce
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #2  Shot #2

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

 This is the 27th book in the Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke.  Amazingly, the books still manage to maintain original plots and develop character relationships as the series progresses.   This installment actually centers around a very unlikely victim and Hannah's family is in the center of the investigation yet again.   There are several good plot twists and a fairly surprising ending.  I appreciated the development of the character of Stephanie Bascombe.  She is portrayed as more than just a victim and her motivations and relationships with her husband are explored.   The book does a wonderful job of portraying strong women but also showing the importance of their relationships with other women and the men in their lives.  I look forward to reading the next book in the series whenever it is published.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Enjoyable read about Hannah Swenson and her family and friends. Fluke does a wonderful job of keeping the stories fresh and unexpected even when on book 27. If you love reading books with recipes then this cozy is for you

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #37
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021 series 7, book 2 Caught up on Series
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #45
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #50
5. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  free choice 15
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #36
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #30
9. 52 Book Club  #the52bookclub2021  #49 A Flavor In The Title
10. Monthly Motif #MonthlyMotifGXO  Yes food motif
11. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
12. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 

Row 5
Home or business office

• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Pointy object
• Detectives- Hannah/Andrea/Norman
• Victims- Richard Bascombe
13. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #49  Shot #3
14. 
    

Hop til you Drop

 This 3rd installment in the Jules and Bun series by J.M. Griffin was a well timed read for me as it was set around Easter.  In this book Jules and Bun get caught up in the death of a cantankerous city employee while working at the Easter Hop event.  They have the unfortunate timing to discover her body while helping set up the event.  The book is full of multiple suspects and has plenty of twists and subplots.  There are some fun moments with the bunnies on Jules' farm and in her interactions with Bun.  This cozy has a bit of the supernatural as Jules is able to hear Bun telepathically.  It makes for some interesting dialogue to say the least.

The development of Jules' character and her business is a great center to the stories in the series.  I enjoyed the subplot of Jules and Jessica giving a seminar to college students on entrepreneurship and owning your own small business.   This adds a nice dimension to the story along with the plot aspects involved in running the store at the rabbit farm.  It provides authenticity to the setting and storyline.   

I look forward to reading more about the exploits of these 2 characters and there friends.

Hop 'Til You Drop by J.M. Griffin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fun continuation in the Jules and Bun series. This book continues to develop the relationships Jules has with her friends and employees. It does a good job of balancing a mystery with a realistic look at trying to run a small business. The cute rabbit that communicates telepathically doesn’t hurt either. 3rd in the series but can be read stand alone as well

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #38
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  NH
3. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2021  series 17 book 3 Caught up on Series
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #46
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #51
6. Calendar of Crime  #CalendarOfCrime2021   
7. Cruisin thru Cozies  #4 book 2 paranormal
8. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #37
9. Craving for Cozies  Book #31
10. Medical Examiner Challenge  2 Toe Tags
11. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 2
• Lake or ocean

Row 5
Garden, park, gazebo

• Weapons
• Row 1 
• Poison, poisoned food
• Row 2 
• Knife
• Detectives- Jules/Bun
• Victims- Della/Frank
12. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #23  Shot #3

Survival of the Fritters

 This was a surprisingly involved cozy written by Ginger Bolton.  While many cozy mysteries are light and quick reads, this one read more like a novel.   I don't mean that as an insult to either cozies or this book, just that it felt different.  I read cozies because they are quick and breezy with enjoyable plots.  This one just happened to be a bit deeper with more layers to the plot and the characters.  I felt as though the background on Emily was much more deliberate in the explanation, rather than just coming right out and saying she was widowed and how.  I liked the way the information built not just about the characters but the plot as well.   All in all this was a very good cozy mystery and I am glad I selected it for the WI novel and have now found a series I would like to complete.

Survival of the Fritters by Ginger Bolton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I thought this was a deeper read than a typical cozy. I mean that in a good way. I love cozies for their light and easy reading aspect. This one just felt more detailed and layered. The author reveals the past of Emily in pieces rather than just blatantly telling the reader the details. I also liked the complexity of the suspects and how even though it seems straightforward there are always families and friends of the accused that get caught up in the crime as well. The friendships that date back to high school are well written and seem as though they will develop with the series. I really enjoyed it and plan to continue with the series.

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  √

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

Possible prompts

I will decide as the year goes along which prompts I use it for on several challenges since it meets multiple criteria within the challenge.

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book #36
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  WI
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2021   Book #44
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #49
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  #free choice 14
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #35
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #29
8. Pick your Poison #1-4 A book about a cat 
9. Medical Examiner Challenge  1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scenes 
• Row 5
• Bathtub, shower, bathroom
• Weapons
• Row 2 
• Rock, brick, blunt object
• Detectives- Georgia Treetor
• Victims- Emily Westhill/Brent Fyne/Lois 
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #58  Shot #1