Borrowed Crime

 Borrowed Crime is the 3rd book in the Bookmobile Cat series by Laurie Cass.  The antics of Eddie the cat certainly are front and center along with his relationship with Minnie.   The story highlights what a positive impact animals can have on our lives.  Additionally, the services of the bookmobile show what a welcome and necessary outlet they provide in more rural areas.   I  have fond memories of bookmobiles as a child and I love that this book shows the fun it instills in the younger generation.

As for the mystery it is well constructed and I wasn't 100% sure on who the guilty party was which is unusual for me.  I normally figure out the criminal before a cozy is finished.   I appreciate that Minnie is a "normal" person just trying to do her job and enjoy her daily life.  The drama that surrounds her relationship with her boss, Stephen, adds a great layer to the stories.  I recommend this series for those looking for an engaging cozy.

Borrowed Crime by Laurie Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

enjoyable book especially for cat lovers. i like the fact the Minnie feels like an authentic person. Her relationship with her Aunt Frances, her cat, Eddie, and her coworkers create an all around character who feels like someone you would want to be friends with. This series is best read in order as their are recurring characters that progress through the stories

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 76
2. What an Animal Book #44
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #90
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #69
5. Cozy Mysteries   #10 next cozy in a series from one of CMRC's 2021 book chat selections
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #60
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #85
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #78
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- parking lot
• Weapon- rifle
• Detectives- Minnie
• Victims- Roger Slade
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #40  Shot #3

Up to No Gouda

 Up to No Gouda, by Linda Reilly, is like a warm comfort food cozy.  The descriptions of the Grilled Cheese sandwiches are wonderful and really add to the storyline.   The relationship between Carly and her employees feels authentic and precarious at times.  The struggle she is having to reconnect with her high school friend, Gina, as well as the others in the small town she grew up in feels realistic and something many can relate to-  think the Bon Jovi song Who Says You Can't Go Home.  I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series and hopefully many more to come.   

Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the foundation of this novel and the delicious descriptions of grilled cheese sandwiches are mouth watering. The mystery definitely had me questioning the guilt of some of the parties and kept me guessing until the bitter end. I liked the vulnerability of Carly and the development of her relationships with her employees and her HS friend. I appreciated the romantic interest is not a primary storyline but rather a side note. Made for a nice change from many cozies.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 75
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  VT
3. AtoZ   #2022AtoZReadingChallenge  #AlphabetSoupChallenge U
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #89
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #59
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #84
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #77
9. Medical Examiner Challenge  Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-parking lot
• Weapon- statue
• Detectives- Carly Hale
• Victims- Lyle Bagley
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 89 Shot #1

Sugar and Vice

 Sugar and Vice is the second book in the series by Eve Calder.   The characters are what really make this series for me.  The close relationship between Kate and Maxi is so engaging and heart warming.  You can really believe they are close friends.   Any dog lover or baked goods lover will enjoy this series.  

Sugar and Vice by Eve Calder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

good mystery wrapped around a legend of a pirate. several mysterious occurrences have Kate and her friend Maxi trying to solve some mysteries. Those who love baking and floral topics will love the focus of this storyline. Enjoyable book and series so far

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 74
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 38 Book #1
3. What an Animal Book #43
4. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #88
5. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #68
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #58
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #83
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #76
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 3 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-road; kitchen; hallway
• Weapon- car crash; hit; fall
• Detectives- Kate and Maxi
• Victims- Carole Drummond; Joel Drummond Peggy Ann Moffatt
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 72 Shot #2

The Longest Yard Sale

 The Longest Yard Sale is the second Sarah Winston Garage Sale mystery by Sherry Harris.  It has been a bit of time since I read a Sarah Winston book as I have been reading the Sea Glass Saloon series by Ms Harris of late.  I definitely feel as though it is apparent the Garage Sale series was earlier in her writing career as her characters seem more full depth in the Sea Glass series but I still really enjoy Sarah and her friendships.  I do like the setting and background of the military lifestyle in this series and can relate to many of the base locations and military protocols having grown up a Navy dependent.  

The mystery is well written and has multiple layers involved.   There are definitely red herrings and false leads/suspicions in the story line.  The garage sale premise and the development of Sarah's business makes for an interesting aspect of the series as well.   

The Longest Yard Sale by Sherry Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting plot lines that especially speak to those that have been in / were dependents in the military. Many of the subtleties to the plot and the characters are better understood if you are familiar with that lifestyle That doesn't mean if you aren't familiar you shouldn't read the series though. The premise of setting it around a small town with friends being falsely accused of a crime is consistent with most cozy mysteries. Sarah is an interesting character struggling to find her way after a recent separation. It is interesting to see how she is approaching this and developing her business. They mystery is certainly complex and keeps the reader guessing until the end.

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 73
2. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series:37  Book #1
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #87
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #67
5. Cozy Mysteries   #57
6. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #82
7. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #75
8. Craving for Cozies  Book #
9. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
10. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene-  art store
• Weapon- strangled
• Detectives- Sarah Hooker
• Victims- Terry McQueen
11. Six Shooter Challenge  Target #4  Shot #5

The Big Chili

 This is the first book in the Undercover Dish series by Julia Buckley.  I didn't know what to expect when I selected the Big Chili and was surprised to find it set in IL.   As I have mentioned previously I always enjoy reading books set in locales I am familiar with and this was no exception.  I really enjoyed the development of Lilah's character.   She is a strong determined woman but also shows real vulnerability in the face of danger.  I look forward to reading more about her and especially about the development of her catering career.  The premise behind her business and how she becomes involved in a murder is quite a unique twist and showed lots of creativity.  I look forward to reading more in the series.

The Big Chili by Julia Buckley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love the fact the main character Lilah is doing whatever it takes to pursue her dream career. The authenticity of the characters reactions to different people's actions and behaviors feels very real. The guilty party is well concealed but can be figured out by paying attention to all the clues as the story is read. Looking forward to reading more about Lilah and her budding catering career

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 72
2. What an Animal Book #42
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #86
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #66
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #56
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #81
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #74
8. Medical Examiner Challenge 2 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- church, office
• Weapon- poison
• Detectives- Lilah
• Victims- Alice Dixon;  Bert Spielman
10. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 88 Shot #1
11. Pick your Poison  # 27 a book with the word "over" in the title

Peonies and Poison

 I am finding myself drawn to reading the Diana Flowers Mystery series by Ruby Loren.   Each time I finish another book I seem to want to start the next in the series.  It is definitely a quirky series with the conspiracy theme running through the books. Peonies and Poison actually ended up with a surprise prompt fulfillment due to the conspiracy Diana and Fergus found themselves in the middle of in this installment.   If you are looking for a fun series with unlikely friendships this is an enjoyable one to check out.  

Peonies and Poison by Ruby Loren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Impressed how well Loren keeps the conspiracy theme alive in each of the mysteries Diana and Fergus collaborate on together. Great mystery with several red herrings and an interesting twist or 2

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Finishing the Series   #FinishingTheSeries2022  Series: 26 Book #3
2. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #85
3. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #65
4. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #55
5. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #80
6. Craving for Cozies  Book #73
7. Medical Examiner Challenge  1vToe Tags
8. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- fair
• Weapon- poison
• Detectives- Diana & Fergus
• Victims- Vicar Ashley
9. Six Shooter Challenge  Target # 30 Shot #5
10. PopSugar #popsugarreadingchallenge #31. A book featuring a man-made disaster

Nearly Dead in Iowa

 Nearly Dead in Iowa is a new series for me by Wendy Byrne that I spotted at the library.  It seemed like a good choice for a book to meet my Iowa destination requirement for the year.   I must say the book started out dragging for me, I just didn't really like the main character all that much for some reason.  As the book progressed I did enjoy it more and would not be opposed to reading future books in the series although it would not be at the top of the list of books to read as I am catching up on different series.  

Nearly Dead in Iowa by Wendy Byrne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

fun new series to me. i selected for a usa reading prompt since it would cover Iowa. I was pleasantly surprised by the book. Although at times it felt a bit bumpy it was a good read. The escapades Izzy found herself in with the older ladies were often funny and all the different personalities shown through. I enjoyed the book and will most likely try another Izzy Book soon

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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:  

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge  Book # 71
2. Literary Escapes  #LiteraryEscapes  IA 
3. Virtual Mount TBR #VirtualMountTBR2022   Book #84
4. Back List Reader  #Backlistreader  Book #64
5. Cruisin thru Cozies  Free choice #54
6. Cloak & Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal  Book #79
7. Craving for Cozies  Book #72
8. Medical Examiner Challenge 1 Toe Tags
9. Beachcomber Challenge  
• Crime Scene- front hall
• Weapon- poison
• Detectives- Izzy
• Victims- Stan