Cast in Eternity, by Michelle Sagara

Cast in Eternity by Michelle Sagara

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

"A little less conversation, a little more action, please
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me
A little more bite and a little less bark." -Elvis

Yet another book in the series with a heck of a lot of discussion and very little action that finally takes place at the end. (view spoiler)[And even that I skimmed through, as Kaylin once again attempted to find the true name of the baddie, because most of the search seemed to have little to do with anything. (hide spoiler)] Ms. Sagara is quite adept at using 30 words where three will do, I will give her that.

I waited and waited for this book from my library. My actual library still hasn't gotten their copies, despite it having released over a month ago. I finally ended up getting an inter-library loan, because I wanted it NOW, but no way was I going to buy it after the last book. And it's such a difference from the first several books that I would race through and re-read the previous books before the new one came out. This one took me almost a week to finish, and like the last book, I can't see re-reading it, ever.

I'm vested in the damned characters, so I will continue to read, but I will settle for waiting for them from a library.

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The Stranger Vanishes, by Wndy Corsi Staub

The Stranger Vanishes by Wendy Corsi Staub 

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars, I quite liked it.

This one took me a while to finish, but only because I got part way in and had to go search out the others in the series to read first! As the description says, you can start here and be fine, but once I realized it was several books in, I personally wanted to go back and read the others first. Once I got back to it, it was a fun, fast read.

I love the setting of Lily Dale and all the quirky spiritualist characters, along with the main character Bella, who doesn't seem quite sure what she believes. I absolutely know the feeling of, "But if the dead can communicate, why don't my loved ones talk to ME?!"

I hope there will be more in the series now that I have found it!

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book, provided by the publishers, via NetGalley.*



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Dashing Through the Snowbirds, by Donna Andrews

Dashing Through the Snowbirds by Donna Andrews 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars, I loved it.

Book 32 in the series.

I'm not a big Christmas fan, but I always look forward to the Meg Langslow holiday books each year. This year was no different. They're always a fun, somewhat crazy tale, filled with Meg's over the top family, along with Caerphilly favorites. This one once again made me laugh out loud multiple times.

I switched between the audio version and the ebook version depending on what I was doing, and I love the audio narrator. It made a fun distraction while walking on my treadmill in the evenings.

I will absolutely continue to read whatever this author puts out.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book in both ebook and audio, provided by the publishers, via NetGalley.*


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Canter With a Killer, by Amber Camp

Canter With a Killer by Amber Camp 

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

Book one in a new series.

As a life-long Horse Girl, I saw this book on NetGalley and immediately requested it.

Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my hopes for the series. The idea behind it, of giving up your grind of a job and bad marriage to start an animal rescue, is a good one, but Mallory kind of annoyed me. She came off as naive and way too trusting of a handsome face. First rule of any murder mystery should be don't trust anyone, followed by don't immediately start dating a family member of the victim, duh.

I'm willing to give book two a try, but it's definitely on my library list and not on my "purchase" list.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book, provided by the publishers, via NetGalley.*

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Seams Like Murder, by Dorothy Howell

Seams Like Murder by Dorothy Howell 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 1 in a new series.

This was a fun start to the series. I can absolutely identify with Abbey, since I went from barely knowing the difference between a bobbin and a seam ripper, to sewing my own quilt projects, though no one will let me set up a studio in their shop, haha. I also liked that Abbey seems like a smart, strong character, with some actual common sense!

The setting mirrors the sense of community that crafters really have, as Abbey makes new friends in town and fits right in. The pace moved along nicely and it ended up being a nice, quick read.

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

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Murder in a Cape Cottage, by Maddie Day

Murder in a Cape Cottage by Maddie Day, I liked it.

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book 4 in the series.

I didn't realize this series was this far along. The first couple of books were released exclusively through Barnes and Noble originally and I rarely go there, so I missed them. Despite being a stand alone story, I felt like I was missing character backstory. I will most likely go read the others in the series before I read any new books in it.

That said, this book was very cozy. As in, the mystery felt very light and not at all what I am used to from Maddie Day.

So, what I liked: The setting of a small, fictional Cape Code town. The historical murder mystery was also fun. The main characters were well written.

Overall, I just think this wasn't the place for me to start the series. I'll give the previous books a try.

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

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A Dark and Snowy Night, by Sally Goldenbaum

A Dark and Snowy Night by Sally Goldenbaum 

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

Book 16 in the series.

As a knitter, I have been a fan of this series from the beginning. I just had a hard time connecting with this one. The character list felt a bit bloated and the constant POV switches kept me off kilter. I found myself having to re-read chunks to figure out who was talking or being talked about. I also found myself switching to read something else fairly often. I got there in the end, but it certainly wasn't the most enjoyable of the series.

I do enjoy the regular Seaside Knitters and the setting, so I will continue to read the series. Fans of the series should still read it, new readers would be better off starting from the beginning.

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

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A Haunted History of Women, by Leanna Hieber and Andrea James

A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts by Leanna Renee Hieber 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, DNF.

Sigh. Another book that I thought would be interesting because I love ghost stories and history and a well told tale. Plus, spooky season is here, so yay!

But this book was anything but well told. It was dry, boring and highly judgemental. It felt like the driest of college course lectures on Women's Studies. Apparently the authors give ghost tours. Those must be just a ton of fun! Or not.

Did not finish.

Also absolutely stunned that Amazon has limited who can review this book to Verified Purchases "Amazon has noticed unusual reviewing activity on this product. Due to this activity, we have limited this product to verified purchase reviews." Apparently multiple poor reviews are unusual? So yeah, no Amazon review for this one.

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

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Gently Haunted, by Corrine Kenner

Gently Haunted: True Stories from the Haunted Antique Shop by Corrine Kenner 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, DNF.

Honestly, this was not at all what I thought it would be. I read this, "Unlike a typical collection of ghost stories, Gently Haunted recounts uplifting and inspiring spiritual encounters," and thought it sounded interesting. What it was was boring. I couldn't get through it. The worst thing about it, it was just one big advertisement for the author's antique shop.

Did not finish. Not a good start to spooky season :(

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



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Steeped to Death, by Gretchen Rue

Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue 

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

Book 1 in a new series.

A good start to a new series. It was a fast, fun read. I really like Phoebe, and of course, Bob the Cat is adorable. It was a bit formulaic, but I kind of expect that from the first book in a series, introducing us to the characters. MC and her cat, local nemesis, helpful neighbors and of course the love interest. But the touch of magic made it more fun, and though I'm more of a coffee fan than a tea fan, the teas and recipes sounded wonderful.

I'm looking forward to more in the series.

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

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Bound by Murder, by Laura Gail Black

Bound by Murder by Laura Gail Black 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, left unfinished.

Book 3 in the series.

I gave all three books in the series a try, and I still don't really care for Jenna. This series just isn't for me. It's too bad, because I do love a good bookshop mystery, but I just couldn't stay interested in this series. No more for me.

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

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Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, by Mazey Eddings

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, DNF.

The premise sounded cute, but the book itself just wasn't for me. I didn't like Lizzie, at all. I know people with ADHD, and yes, it sucks, but Lizzie uses it as an excuse for EVERYTHING instead of trying to do something, anything about it. Yes, it's exhausting, but you still have to take responsibility for your actions instead of just passing it off as, "Oops, I have ADHD."

And in the wake of the Roe v Wade reversal, Rake's attitude feels icky and the whole, "Lizzie is the good girl who chose to keep her baby vs. the Evil Ex who had an abortion," really didn't sit well. STOP SHAMING WOMEN FOR MAKING THEIR OWN CHOICES!

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

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A Vacation to Die For, by Lynn Cahoon

A Vacation to Die For by Lynn Cahoon 

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

Book 14 in the series.

Not my favorite in the series. It felt very slow moving to me, and frankly, I am sick of the mayor and his get rich quick schemes that always seem to come at Jill's expense, and Aunt Jackie has gone from a helpful, likeable character to really annoying and overbearing with all of her workplace rules.

I'm 14 books in, and I love South Cove, but this series has definitely moved to my "library only" list (or NetGalley, if possible).

Speaking of which....

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

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A Colorful Scheme, by Krista Davis

A Colorful Scheme by Krista Davis 

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

Book 4 in this series.

I'm a big fan of Krista Davis, and this series is a fun one. That said, this book was not my favorite. It just had too much going on and too many suspects. And frankly, there have been a lot of cozies with weddings lately and I'm getting bored. But that's a me problem, not the book's.

The other thing that bothered me a bit was Jackie's behavior. Here she is, remarrying Professor Maxwell, but keeping secrets from him and everyone else.

In the end, I enjoyed it and I look forward to more.

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

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Other Birds, by Sarah Addison Allen

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen 

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

I've enjoyed every book by Sarah Addison Allen, but this one was absolutely my least favorite of the bunch.

It just didn't connect with me the way previous books have. It didn't enjoy the characters in this book nearly as much. Maybe because there were so many of them, shoe horned into the story. And so many issues in there as well. From hoarding and mental health issues, to past sexual assault and growing up in a cult, to child neglect. And of course, they all come together in the Dellawisp, and help each other heal?

As multiple other reviewers have said, I felt like this book meandered from character to character, while never really fully developing each one or really combining them all in to one complete story, and then BAM! The last few chapters suddenly things start happening and everyone comes together and it all just fell flat for me.

All in all, it had a few lovely moments and Allen is fantastic at description. I hope this book marks her return to writing and that there will be more from her soon.

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

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Six Feet Deep Dish, by Mindy Quigley

Six Feet Deep Dish by Mindy Quigley 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, Did not finish.

First in a new series, but last for me.

I had a really hard time getting in to this book. The main character just wasn't super likeable. Wow, a chef with anger issues? And she actually thinks that is a good thing! Add in that a lot of the descriptions of things (characters' weight and relationships with food, etc.) were really off-putting. Other descriptions were just dumb. I mean, please stop describing the man's lips as "pillowy."

This series is not for me.

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


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Round Up the Usual Peacocks, by Donna Andrews

Round Up the Usual Peacocks by Donna Andrews 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars, I really enjoyed it.

Book 31 in the series! (I listened to the audio version)

This is probably one of my favorite cozy series. Ms. Andrews is always good for an engaging, humorous story, and this one was no different. This book is a nod back to where we all started in book 1, with Meg rounding up peacocks for a wedding. While only a brief portion of the book, the peacock scenes had me giggling out loud.

There was a lot going on in this book, and it was fast paced and entertaining, with much of the usual crew and some nice new characters thrown in as well. It's honestly been so much fun watching all of the usual cast grow and evolve. This book can probably be read as a stand alone, but the large cast of characters may confuse at first, and really, go read them all, they're so worth it!

Note: I rarely listen to audio books, most of the time I have voices for characters in my head, and don't care for the narrator's version. But I've quite enjoyed Bernadette Dunne in several books in this series, so when I saw the audio book was available on NetGalley I jumped at it. I'm glad I did, and I'm actually looking at getting more audio books, because it makes the time on my treadmill go awfully fast, haha.

Now I am off to read #32, this year's holiday book. Please keep them coming, Ms. Andrews!

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

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Murder at the Blueberry Festival, by Darci Hannah

Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 3 in the series, and easy to read as a stand alone story.

I really liked this book. Enough that I went back and found the first two in the series to read. What's not to love about living and running a business out of your very own lighthouse?! And it's haunted by a friendly, protective ghost too. I like that Lindsey runs a bakery, and actually seems to spend a lot of her time baking and actually running the business, rather than haring off constantly to snoop, like so many cozy characters.

The story was fast paced and entertaining (I love blueberries too, so it made me hungry, haha). For those that aren't a fan of paranormal mysteries, the ghost is a very small part of the book, and mostly just adds a bit of character. This is absolutely a series I will continue to follow.

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

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With a Spirit of Vengeance, by Lena Gregory

With a Spirit of Vengeance by Lena Gregory 

My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I ended up liking it in the end.

Number 7 in the series. Don't start the series here! While there is background in the book, I feel like you at least have to have read book 6 first, since it continues part of that story arc.

This one was just an okay read for me. While I enjoy the main characters most of the time, this one just didn't keep me interested for long. I found myself putting it down and finding something else to do for a while before I could come back to it. I did find myself pretty hooked in the last several chapters though, so I gave it three stars instead of just two.

Cass, Bee and Beast are all good reasons to keep reading, so I will be waiting impatiently for the next in the series.

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



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Death by Beach Read, by Eva Gates

Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, almost a DNF.

Book 9 in the series.

Honestly, this was my least favorite of the whole series. It was slow paced, and Lucy was almost unlikable in this one! She was snobby and I got tired of all the "white" lies she told. The storyline was very predictable.

It makes it on to the Read shelf, but barely. I finally skipped to the end just to see if I was correct in my deduction. Yep.

This series has been very up and down for me, some I have absolutely enjoyed and others just dragged and didn't entertain me at all for various reasons. I keep saying I am done with the series and then one shows up on NetGalley and I request it. Time to stop, for real this time.

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

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