The Good, the Bad and the Guacamole, by Rebecca Adler

The Good, the Bad and the Guacamole by Rebecca Adler
My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars, I wasn't a huge fan.

Book 2 in a series.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. The town is cute, the location could be brilliant, but the author never really makes use of the area of Texas the book is set in, other than to talk up Tex-Mex cooking, which just left me hungry.

I just couldn't get into this book. A book that should have taken me just hours to read took me 10 days to wade through, because it just didn't hold my interest. I kept putting it down to read something new.

The fact is, I just don't really like Josie. She's bland. And I am starting to get annoyed with books that anthropomorphize animals. I don't mind the ones where the animal has a personality, or even a special talent, but when you start dressing up your dog and treating it like your baby, I have to draw the line.

Sadly, I admit to finally just skimming the rest of the book just to get to the end. I won't be reading anything else in this series.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.*

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Beignets, Brides and Bodies, by J.R. Ripley

Beignets, Brides and Bodies: A Cozy Mystery Set in Smalltown Arizona by J.R. Ripley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book 2 in the series. I was able to jump right in without feeling like I was missing anything by not reading the first book.

A light, fun read, full of eccentric characters. Maggie and Mr. Markey had me laughing out loud. It was a fast moving romp through the wacky world of weddings and bridezillas (and Momzillas, too, haha).

The only thing I didn't particularly care for was the cover. It feels too dark for a cozy mystery to me. Luckily, this is one book I didn't judge by the cover!

If you are looking for another fun series, check out the Bird Lover's series by this author too.

I was given an ARC of this book by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Send in the Clowns, by Julie Mulhern

Send in the Clowns by Julie Mulhern
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 4 in the series.

Ellison and co. are back. After going to a haunted house with friends, Ellison's daughter Grace misses curfew. Ellison sets off to find her, but finds two scary clowns instead. One's covered in blood and dies right in front of her, after calling her name! The other is holding a knife. When Ellison comes back with help, they've both disappeared.

Now Ellison is faced with several protective men, a killer clown and a missing murder victim.

Having lived in Kansas during my teen years (80s though, not the the 70s), I have a pretty good idea what area of KC these are set in, so that's a huge plus for me. I love mysteries set in real places.

Ellison is a nice strong female character and I really enjoy the humor in this series. My only peeve about this series so far is the terrible love triangle trope as two men vie for Ellison's attention. I'm heartily sick of this plot device in everything!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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Dying for Strawberries, by Sharon Farrow

Dying for Strawberries by Sharon Farrow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

A bit darker than the usual cozy, I still enjoyed it. It's a good first in the series, with characters I mostly liked and would like to see more of. The one character I didn't really like (besides the murder victim, who was just awful), was Ryan, the main character's fiance. Something about him grated.

I'll definitely give book 2 in the series a chance.

*I was provided an ARC of this book by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.*

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Frontier Grit: The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women, by Marianne Monson

Frontier Grit: The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women by Marianne Monson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

I live in the West, so stories about life on the Frontier fascinate me, especially stories about the women who braved long, hard, travels. The women in this book were all new to me, and I enjoyed learning about them and in fact may see if I can find out even more about a few of them.

What I did NOT enjoy was the author chiming in at the end of each chapter and blathering at me about why each woman was important and what she felt I should take away with me. It totally read like a high school essay, with the student trying to explain to the teacher why their essay was so good it deserved an A. After the first one, I just skipped them and moved on.

The author's style is a bit dry and academic at times, rather than that of a true storyteller, but for the most part I learned a lot about these women and enjoyed reading about them.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from the publisher, via NetGalley.

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Cast in Flight, by Michelle Sagara

Cast in Flight by Michelle Sagara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 12 in the series.

I LOVE this series. I read this book in one go, I didn't want to put it down. The only negative is now I have to wait another year for the next book!

In this book we finally get some progress, in both Kaylin and plot. We get the promised dinner with the Emperor, and I loved it. Kaylin is growing as a character, but she still has relatively few filters and doesn't think before she speaks, which is often amusing for the reader, if not for her.

This book focused on the Aerians and Kaylin is forced to actually see them as the not perfect individuals that they are, rather than the perfect beings she's pretty much placed on a pedestal until now. I love seeing Kaylin's fierce loyalty to her friends/family.

I have to admit though, that I'd like to see an end to the Nightshade and his brother's squabbling, it's not going anywhere and it's just annoying. Frankly, I would be okay if Nightshade didn't appear for a few books.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.*

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Saddle Up For Murder, by Leigh Hearon

Saddle Up For Murder by Leigh Hearon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 2 in a series.

This book just didn't hold my interest. I found myself putting it down and doing something else instead of reading it. The mystery was ok, it was more of Annie and her personal life that bugged me. I like strong women characters, but Annie seemed too determined to go it on her own, even to the point of getting involved in a long distance relationship. I found it sad that she really only seems to care about her animals and really only tolerate most people. By the end of the book she seems to have softened a little, which made her a little more likeable.

I would read the next book in the series, but only if I can get it from the library.

I was given an ARC of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.


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All I Want for Christmas, by Jenny Hale

All I Want for Christmas: A feel good Christmas romance to warm your heart by Jenny Hale

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Single mom Leah's future plans are messed up by her dead match-making grandmother when the home/business she expects to inherit must be split with a man she barely knows.

I felt bad for Leah when the plans she'd made with her grandmother to reopen a wedding venue in her childhood home fall through when David inherits half the house.

The story was a little slow moving, but still sweet, if predictable. David was a bit stiff, and even a little entitled, but the ending was satisfying.

*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.*


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Killing Thyme, by Leslie Budewitz

Killing Thyme by Leslie Budewitz

My rating: 5 of 5 stars, the best yet!

Book 3 in the series.

This is truly one of my favorite cozy series! I love visiting Pepper in Seattle and the Pike Place Market, which is one of the most amazing places I have ever been. And I don't have to deal with Seattle traffic to get there!

In Killing Thyme, always busy Pepper has even more on her plate, with a visit from her mother and a blast from the past that ends in murder. Pepper vows to stay out of it, but with her mother connected to the victim and secrets from Pepper's childhood coming to light, she feels she has to find justice for the dead woman.

I read this book in one sitting, because I did not want to put it down. One thing happens after another, keeping things moving at a satisfying pace. The mystery within the mystery was intriguing, and I loved the resolution of everything. The characters are strong and well developed, and most importantly, likeable!

As always, the recipes in the book sound delicious. I really want to make the Herbed Black Bean Pasta Salad, which sounds both yummy and EASY, haha.

*I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review*


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