The Haunted Heart of America, by Logan Corelli

The Haunted Heart of America: In-Depth Investigations of the Villisca Ax Murder House, Myrtles Plantation & Other Frightful Sites by Logan Corelli

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

I love ghost stories and paranormal shows on TV. I didn't love this book though. The locations were interesting, but the writing wasn't. And I was completely turned off by some of the author's comments, especially in his first paragraph about their Waverly Hills investigation, "...and the talented Michelle (who was the most beautiful investigator I had met at the time)." Seriously?! I did a mental double-take. Absolutely unnecessary to comment on someone's appearance!

I struggled to get through the rest of the book, only plowing through the Villisca Axe Murder House and the Myrtles Plantation (The Myrtles actually tripped a pet peeve of mine, presenting Folklore as fact.) because both locations are fascinating to me, but they didn't really contain anything new.

I did like the fact that Corelli was up front about one ghost hunting trend, the pay to play locations. This is a good thing, so we can all look at any "evidence" a little more skeptically, since it's in the locations' best interest to be haunted.

All in all, the writing didn't really draw me in, and I didn't really feel like the book added any new information or evidence of the paranormal. It certainly didn't feel "In-Depth."

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*

View all my reviews

Berried at Sea, by Peg Cochran

Berried at Sea by Peg Cochran
My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 4 in the series.

I was glad to see this series saved by a new publisher, but it definitely was not my favorite in the series. I understand that this was the "long awaited wedding," but there was just too much relationship and not enough cozy mystery. And what mystery there was was kind of easy to figure out.

This was a pretty quick read, since it was a fairly short novel.

I still like the characters and the setting of the cranberry bogs, I'd just like to see Ms. Cochran go back to focusing on the mystery. I read romances when I want romance, and cozies when I want more of a mystery.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*

View all my reviews

Murder, She Knit by Peggy Ehrhart

Murder, She Knit by Peggy Ehrhart

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

First in the series.

I'm not usually a fan of the older Miss Marple type protagonist, because I have a harder time identifying with them. But Pamela is a fellow knitter so I gave it a chance. And of course the cover was adorable, so it pulled me right in.

I'm glad I gave it a chance. It was a cute, fun book and a nice light, quick read. A super cozy Cozy, haha. The protagonist is likeable and she and the rest of her knitting group sound like folks I'd like to knit with.

I will definitely look for the next book in the series.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*


View all my reviews

Carbs and Cadavers and Fit to Die, by Ellery Adams, writing as J.B. Stanley

Re-working of an older series by Ellery Adams writing as J.B. Stanley.

Carbs and Cadavers, book one of six.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

It was okay. I had picked this book up several years ago, not realizing it was by Ms. Adams. It bothered me then, and it still bothers me now, that all of the characters except the victim are fat and pretty much filled with self-loathing. I get that the premise is a supper club to lose weight, but I just didn't care for the way the supper club members were pretty much portrayed as pitiful and shameful. I'd rather see a group supporting one another and helping improve self-esteem instead of all the body shaming. The mystery itself was fine, but the rest of the book just made me sad.  

Fit to Die, book two of six.
My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I didn't like it.

I picked up the second book, hoping that maybe the group had some success at losing some weight and it would be more positive. Sadly, it wasn't. This book wasn't any better than the first. A Supper Club group devoted to losing weight while fat shaming one another just made me sad. It feels a bit dated due to that. I'd rather have seen some body positivity or at least some acceptance.

I gave two books in the series a chance, but that's all the time I am willing to invest in this series, though I will be more than happy to read Ms. Adams' newer series.

*I voluntarily reviewed Advance Reader Copies of these books provided by the publisher, via NetGalley.*