Something Foul at Sweetwater, by Sandra Bretting

Something Foul at Sweetwater by Sandra Bretting

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


Book 2 in the series.

Loaded with Southern Charm. I love Missy, she is what I think of when I think of a Southern woman, a true Steel Magnolia, strong and independent, yet feminine as all get out. Sometimes however, her brain takes a back seat and she rashly rushes in to things that maybe she shouldn't, but what cozy protagonist doesn't?

I enjoyed every bit of this book, although every once in a while the stereotypical southern phrases made me cringe, instead of laugh (Butter my butt and call me a biscuit! Dag-gum-it! Urgh.), but they were scattered a through out the book, so it wasn't quite as noticeable as in Murder at Morningside.

And I absolutely love the name of book 3, Someone's Mad at the Hatter, haha, so I can't wait until it comes out!

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book*

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Ill Met by Murder, by Elizabeth J. Duncan

Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 2 in the series, but don't worry if you haven't read book 1 yet. There are a few references to it, but they're barely noticeable.

I quite enjoyed this book. It was a quick and entertaining read that kept me hooked all the way through. It was the perfect read for a cold, snowy November day.

I like Charlotte and Rupert, and I love the theater aspect. I would actually like to see a bit more of that and the Cascades location in future books.

My only complaint is that there were a few little things that were a touch predictable and too easy.

I look forward to more in this series.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book*

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First Degree Mudder, by Kate E. Dyer-Seeley

First Degree Mudder by Kate E. Dyer-Seeley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

4th book in the series.

To be honest, I didn't like this book as much as the previous ones. A big part of that is because I am never going to run any sort of race, and certainly not a mud run. Blech. And no way in heck would I pay for a Boot Camp to get me in shape for a run of any kind, haha. It's not really my cup of tea, even as an armchair participant!

I do like Meg though, she's a strong female character who isn't afraid to fake it until she makes it (or she'd never have gotten a job writing about extreme sports and certainly wouldn't have kept it, haha.). The mystery itself was well plotted and kept me hooked.

I absolutely love the setting of the series, the Pacific Northwest location is definitely what keeps me coming back.

The one thing I don't really care for is the other murder mystery sub-plot that has so far run through the entire series. I would like to see the mystery of Meg's dad's murder come to a conclusion soon.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book*

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A Killer Location, by Sarah T. Hobart

A Killer Location: A Home Sweet Home Mystery by Sarah T. Hobart

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

Officially book 2 in the series, but there are actually 2 previous stories about Sam written under a different name.

This is better than the previous book. I didn't feel like so much was missing as I did with Death at a Fixer-Upper. I had some laugh out loud moments. Sam's neighbors are quirky and fun and Sam is still her acerbic self. She still has some Too Stupid To Live moments and the Open House might have been a touch over the top crazy.

Not a bad way to spend a few hours.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book*


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Haunted Is Always in Fashion, by Rose Pressey

Haunted Is Always in Fashion by Rose Pressey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars, It was ok.

Book 4 in the series.

Quick read with nice characters, though the cat angle is a little silly. This series reminds me a lot of Annette Blair's Vintage Magic series, but not nearly as good.

The endless fashion descriptions get old fast. And I have to mark it down a star, just because of the love triangle trope. When are editors and writers going to figure out that readers are over this forced stupidity?? We want strong female characters, not someone who can't make up her mind which man she wants. And why are two men stupid enough to let her keep waffling? It's a cheap plot device and I despise it.

Sadly, I think this will be the last book I read in this series because I just can't get past the love triangle and it shows no signs of letting up any time soon.

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Search for the Dead, by Sheila Connolly

Search for the Dead by Sheila Connolly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Book 5 in the series, but can be read as a stand alone.

Abby and her boyfriend have the ability to see their dead relatives, though Abby's "gift" seems to be stronger than Ned's. Ned has known about his ability since childhood, Abby is quite new to her ability. In this book, Abby decides that she needs to learn more about what is happening and along with Ned's mother, goes to a psychic fair to check things out.

She also convinces Ned that it's time to look into the scientific aspect of their connection.

It was a quick and interesting read and advanced Abby and Ned's story a bit, filling in some blanks that have persisted through out the previous books.

There were a few things I didn't like, however. The scientific side was a bit too detailed and I am really getting tired of Leslie's attitude. I would like to see that storyline get some resolution.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book*

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Cat Got Your Diamonds, by Julie Chase

Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

First in a series.

I have to start off by saying that I really dislike the trend of dressing pets up. They're not dolls and they're not children and forcing them in to clothing seems mean.

That said, I actually did enjoy this debut mystery. It was fast paced and fun. There were a few scenes that had me laughing out loud. I liked the main character, she's smart, yet fanciful in a good way, and a strong female character. The supporting "cast" was the usual eccentric mix you tend to expect in cozies and they added to the fun feel of the story.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book*

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