One Poison Pie, by Lynn Cahoon

One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon 

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

Book one in the series, though it was introduced by a novella length story previously.

I like the characters, and I like the potential. There's some character building and world building to be done yet, but that's pretty typical for "First in the series," books.

One thing I didn't like though, was the "cliffhanger"ish foreshadowing. I'm going to read the next book, you don't need to leave me in suspense as to what evil might be lurking in the shadows, like some 70s tv show.

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


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Death Bee Comes Her, by Nancy CoCo

Death Bee Comes Her by Nancy CoCo
My rating: 1 of 5 stars, did not finish.

Book one in the series.

This book just wasn't for me. I couldn't get in to it at all, despite trying multiple times. I finally just gave it up and DNFed it.

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

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A Curious Incident, by Vicki Delany

A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany 

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

Book 6 in the series.

A very pleasant surprise!

I'll be honest, I wasn't a fan when I read the first book, and really only asked for this one because I quite frankly didn't realize it was part of that series until I started reading. But right away, my biggest complaint was made moot. Gemma is much more likeable in this book than she was in the first, and her first interaction with a child made me smile. She still comes off as unsympathetic sometimes, but at least it's tempered by other things.

The small mystery at the beginning was cute, and the main mystery was interesting and well plotted out.

I actually look forward to more books in this series, now.

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

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Bait and Witch, by Angela M. Sanders

Bait and Witch by Angela M. Sanders 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was an okay start to a new series.

First in the series.

A cute, quick, and very light read, without a lot of serious substance. A typical first in the series, and getting to know the main characters.

I like that it was set in an old Victorian building turned in to a library. Some of the back story was a bit over the top, but I could overlook that.

I look forward to book 2

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

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Grounds for Murder, by Tara Lush

Grounds for Murder by Tara Lush 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, Did not like, didn't finish.

Book 1 in a new series.

I just couldn't make myself care about any of the characters in the book. The main character was pretty pathetic, and the murder victim was a jerk. I finally skipped to the end, just to see who won the barista contest. (view spoiler)[It was Lana, of course. (hide spoiler)]

After literal months of leaving this book on a back burner, I had to actually go read the blurb again, because nothing about it stuck with me. And when I did, I thought,"Oh yeah, that book. DNF."

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

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A Crime of a Different Stripe, by Sally Goldenbaum

A Crime of a Different Stripe by Sally Goldenbaum 

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

Book 15 in the series (book 4 with a new publisher)

I always love visiting with the core Seaside Knitters, but I do feel the cast of characters has grow a bit unwieldy as the series continues. I found myself having to reread bits trying to figure out who was talking/being talked about. If you're new to the series, please don't start here.

It is lovely to see Cass happy, with a baby on the way and all the knitters doting on her, haha. I'd have liked to see more of that, with just the original couples focused on a bit more.

I will continue to read the series, because I am absolutely invested in the main characters now.

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


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Murder at an Irish Christmas, by Carlene O'Connor

Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O'Connor 

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

Book 6 of the series.

This series has really been hit or miss for me. I have really enjoyed some of the books, and others, not at all.

Unfortunately, this one was a miss. I just couldn't get into it, at all. After finding myself putting it down for something else multiple times, I finally decided to called it DNF.

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

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Have Yourself a Fudgey Little Christmas, by Nancy CoCo

Have Yourself a Fudgy Little Christmas by Nancy CoCo 

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

Book 8 in the series.

I love Mackinac Island, but I am not loving Allie lately. In this book she's whiney, and I am absolutely over her love life, or lack thereof. Being in a relationship just seems too important in this series. I thought the stupid love triangle was wrapped up and now we find out it imploded instead (although I do kind of find it ironic that the guy Allie "picked" is now involved again with his ex, Allie played him, then she got played).

There was a lot of repetition in this book too, like almost the same conversation, repeated with another character. The whole thing felt a bit wordy. Like the author was trying to draw it out and hit word count.

After the previous book I was rethinking my commitment to this series, and this time I really think I am done.


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

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A Death Long Overdue, by Eva Gates

A Death Long Overdue by Eva Gates 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Book 7 in the series.

I love this series, but there were too many characters to keep track of in this outing, and honestly, I still despise Mean Girl Louise Jane! Seriously, I hate that the Mean Girl has become such a common trope in cozies now. I don't want to spoil anything, but I feel like they are constantly rewarding Louise Jane's crappy behaviour.

I will continue to read the series, because it is fun

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

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On Borrowed Crime, by Kate Young

On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was an okay start to a new series.

First in the series.

A decent start to a new series. I love that the main character 1. Works for a PI and 2. runs a True Crime book club, it gives the run of the mill cozy a bit of a different twist.

What I don't like:
1. The main character's mean girl cousin. Can we just do away with the mean girl trope? It's starting to rank right up there with love triangles as my least favorite thing in cozies.
2. The overbearing parent/immature adult child. Lyla needs to grow the freak up, and Mom needs to back off.

I enjoyed the mysteries, and look forward to seeing how the characters and series develop.

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

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Candy Slain Murder, by Maddie Day

Candy Slain Murder by Maddie Day 

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

Book 8 in the series.

It's Christmas time in South Lick.

I really like this series. For one thing, Robbie actually spends time at her business, not just snooping around. And Robbie is likeable, and a down to earth person who genuinely cares for her friends.

This book had an old murder, a new murder and a mysterious stranger too. All in all, it had an interesting plot, and I was really hoping that the stranger turned out to have honest motives, so I wasn't disappointed.

My one complaint is the amount of local slang used. Do people in Indiana really talk like this all the time? I grew up in the Midwest and we might have had some local slang, but for the most part just talked like normal. This quirky addition kind of makes all the local folks feel a bit too "local yokel" and I find it distracts from the story.

All in all, I liked it and I look forward to seeing Robbie and South Lick again soon.

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

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Death on the Green, by Catie Murphy

Death on the Green by Catie Murphy
My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I was disappointed with this book and the series.

Book 2 in the series.

This series has been a huge disappointment. I love the author's Urban Fantasy series, but this just left me bored to tears. It's a shame too, because there's not a lot of LGBTQ+ represented in the Cozy genre, so Megan could have been ground breaking, instead she was just blah. And some of the situations she was placed in were actually bordering on icky. Dressing up so a client can oogle you? She's a limo driver, not a sex worker.

It took me days to finish this book as I kept putting it down for something else every time I got bored or annoyed with the characters/plot.

I gave both books in the series a try, but I think I'm done. I'll stick with re-reading the author's Urban Shaman series instead.

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


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Little Bookshop of Murder, by Maggie Blackburn

Little Bookshop of Murder by Maggie Blackburn 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars. The author put me off almost immediately. DNF.

Book 1 in the series.

This book had all kinds of good things going for it, a bookstore at the beach? I'm there.

Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book. The main character was kind of a condescending ass, (and frankly, by extension, the author as well) going so far as to mention that she teaches "real literature" and that most other books are just fluff. Umm, that's why we're reading your new cozy, author. We like fluff and we don't need you to talk down to us through your main character!

I pretty much put the book down right after that and called it DNF.

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

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Murder in a Bayou Boneyard, by Ellen Byron

Murder in the Bayou Boneyard by Ellen Byron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 6 in the series.

It's Halloween in Pelican, y'all! The Crozats are doing Halloween right with several other plantation B&Bs, celebrating Pelican's spooky past, in an effort to drum up business. What they don't plan on is a rougarou terrorizing tourists and locals alike.

There's a lot going on in this book, from a visit from long lost Crozat family members to a business stealing vacation rental app to wedding planning for a double wedding. Throw in several murders and the action doesn't ever stop. This was a fast, fun, read and I didn't put it down again until I finished.

As usual, Maggie and the rest of the Crozat crew are super fun to visit and really make me want to visit Cajun county in person if the world ever returns to "normal." Until then, I will look forward to visiting virtually with more Cajun Country mysteries!

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


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Checked Out For Murder, by Allison Brook

Checked Out for Murder by Allison Brook 

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

Book 4 in the series.

This series has everything I would normally love, a library, a ghost, a cat and a mystery. Unfortunately, it also has characters I don't love. The main character, Carrie, was especially annoying in this book, and the mystery was quite slow to unwind.

This may be the last book I read in this series.

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



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For Whom the Book Tolls, by Laura Gail Black

For Whom the Book Tolls by Laura Gail Black 

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

Book 1 in a new series.

In a typical first, we meet the main character, Jenna, as she stumbles upon a murder. We learn about her as the book goes on. I had trouble connecting with Jenna, she doesn't come off as super likeable. And the bully police detective didn't help me like the book any more. Too bad, because I love bookstores and this should be a wonderful series.

I'm going to chalk most of the issues up to being first in the series and hope that subsequent books are more likeable.

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

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Murder, Take Two, by Carol Perry

 

Murder, Take Two by Carol J. Perry 

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

Book 10 in the series.

This was probably my favorite of the series, purely because they staged a live CLUE game, haha. As always Leigh and Aunt Libby are fun characters, and of course O'Ryan is always fantastic. Add in the setting of Salem, and I love these books.

Leigh seems to be getting more and more comfortable with her gift with each book, and I love that Pete accepts her and her paranormally obtained information.

This was a little bit of a slower read, but still had an interesting mystery and a fun ending. I always look forward to more in the series.

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

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15 Minutes of Flame, by Christin Brecher

15 Minutes of Flame by Christin Brecher 

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

Book 3 in the series.

I somehow missed book 2, but that's okay, I was able to read this is a stand alone story.

This one was a Halloween story, so right up my avenue, since that's my favorite holiday. It was fittingly a bit creepy, but also a little kooky, with a touch of cheese, haha. My only concern is that Stella seems a bit harder in this book than she did in the first one. Did something big happen in book two that I missed? She was almost a b%$& at times.

I'd definitely like to see Stella go back the way she was in book 1. Also, my pet peeve with most cozies is that the main character rarely spends much time at their job, so I'd like to see more of Stella's candlemaking business.

That said, I loved the setting of Nantucket and island life, and I am looking forward to more.

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

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Chili Cauldron Curse, by Lynn Cahoon

 

Chili Cauldron Curse by Lynn Cahoon 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay, but too short to really judge.

A short, quick introduction to the new series. This book really was just a quick intro that didn't have a lot of depth and moved quite fast. Mostly a glimpse of what the series may be.

I'm looking forward to the first full length book to hopefully answer questions and fill things in.

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



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Mums and Mayhem, by Amanda Flower

Mums and Mayhem by Amanda Flower 

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

Book 3 in the series.

I think this one is my favorite in the series so far, even though it moved a bit slowly.

I liked getting to see more of Fiona's family (and can see why both she and her sister were happy to move thousands of miles away to an entirely different country, haha.) At times I felt like her parents were gaslighting Fi a bit, making her into the bad guy because she wanted to know more about her birth and the circumstances/relationship behind it.

I loved that the garden featured more in this book, as Fiona had to figure out how to save it, and I love that she's opened the garden to everyone. It has always felt like a lovely place that more than just Fiona and Hamish should share.

The one thing that drives me nuts about this series though, is Fiona's sister. She's young, in "luuuuuurve," and selfish, and really annoying because of it. Less Isla and more garden, please.

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



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Booked For Death, by Victoria Gilbert

Booked for Death by Victoria Gilbert
 

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, it wasn't for me.
 

Book 1 in a series.

I wanted to like it. Once again, the premise of a booklover's vacation excited me, but failed to live up to the idea for me. I didn't really connect with the main character, Charlotte, or her pack of zany associates. Add in, without spoiling too much, the outlandish background of Charlotte's deceased aunt and next door neighbor and this book is a pale shadow of the Book Retreat cozy series, (which ended up utterly out there, but at least the characters were likeable.)

This series is a "One and done," for me.

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


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The Falcon Always Wings Twice, by Donna Andrews

The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews

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

Book 27 in the series.

Donna Andrews is one of my go to authors when I need something to make me laugh. The entire Meg Langslow series is laugh out loud funny, and this one did not disappoint.

Biscuit Mountain has been turned into a Ren Faire on weekends, complete with a falconer, jousting, games, turkey legs, and mead and ale. And of course, crafts people, like Meg and Faulk. It's wonderful to see all of our favorite characters again, and for the most part they're all having a grand time. Apart from one bothersome actor with an affinity for mean-spirited pranks, anyway.

The entire Ren Faire storyline was amusing and I would love to see Donna Andrews return there again some time.

If you're looking at picking up this book without having read any of the others in the series, it's a stand alone story, but do yourself a favor and start from the beginning, it's such a fun series you'll be glad you did.

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



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South of the Buttonwood Tree, by Heather Webber

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars I REALLY liked it.

I absolutely adored this book. It had a touch of magic and a whole lot of family secrets! I will admit, it took me a bit longer to get into this one then it did for me to get into Midnight at the Blackbird Café, but it was still a fantastic read. I loved the growth of Blue and Sarah Grace's friendship, as well as the growth of each woman individually. I've actually read it twice now, once when I first got it and again, just before publication date!

There's so much love in this book, so much charm and a dash of mystery too, and I just couldn't put it down.

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




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RomeAntically Challenged, by Marina Adair

Romeantically Challenged by Marina Adair

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

Ugh. The blurb sounded so cute, but the love interest was such an ass, I really couldn't get in to the book. There were tons of distracting errors too. It was all too annoying for me, so I just moved on to the next book on my reading list.

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

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The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror, by Kay Finch

 

The Black Cat Breaks a Mirror by Kay Finch

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

Book 5 in the series, and probably my favorite so far.

Hitchcock is back! I love Hitchcock, with his ability to show up where and when least expected. Sabrina feels fully fleshed out now, and likeable. And I adore Aunt Rowe, though I feel like this book kind of portrayed her as a bit naive, rather than the smart business woman she is.

The mystery was well written and I ended up reading this in one long reading session, rather than putting it down and going to bed like I should have, haha.

Looking forward to more.

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


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Read or Alive, by Nora Page

Read or Alive by Nora Page
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Book 3 in the series.

I'm sorry to say, I just can't seem to get in to this series. I don't connect with the main character at all. After multiple starts and stops, I finally gave up and put it down for good.

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

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A Spell for Trouble, by Esme Addison

A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison

My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars, It was okay. Sort of.

Book 1 in a new series.

I had a hard time getting in to this one. For someone in Risk Management, the main character sure took a lot of stupid risks. But the biggest problem with this book was that it was utterly forgettable. I put it down for awhile (there's a love triangle that really turned me off) and forgot all about until I saw it in my NetGalley list.

The premise is a good one, and I will likely look up the next book in the series, in hopes that it's better having established characters. But it will definitely be a library read. And please, resolve the love triangle!

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

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A Design to Die For, by Kathleen Bridge

A Design to Die For by Kathleen Bridge 

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

Book 5 in the series.

This series just gets better.

The plot was fun and fast moving, though I did find the secondary plot a bit of a distraction (and the character name of the leader of the ghost hunters, could the author have been any more obvious in her choice? Mac Zagan/Zak Bagans? Haha)

The wrap up was a bit of a surprise, though I did rather suspect who the real murderer was before then.

All in all, this is probably my favorite of the series. I honestly didn't want to put it down until the end. I'm looking forward to more Montauk and Meg.

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

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Nacho Average Murder, by Maddie Day

Nacho Average Murder by Maddie Day

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

Book 7 in the series.

I have to be honest, one thing I love about this series is South Lick and Robbie's friends and acquaintances. So the setting of this book in Robbie's old home town just wasn't really where I wanted to be.

Part of that may be my own feelings about class reunions. I don't ever want to go to one, so I don't really get why anyone else would, either, haha. But my main issue with this book was Robbie sticking her nose into the murder of someone that she had met briefly, for the slightest of reasons. It felt a little forced. And Robbie also had a few too stupid to live moments. She at least acknowledges her stupidity, (I hate my cell phone, but I still would never leave it in my vehicle, and I'm not even an amateur sleuth poking my nose in a murder!) so there's that.

Fortunately, we don't have long to wait before Robbie returns to South Lick and Pans N' Pancakes in book 8! (On my TBR list as well, thanks to the publisher and NetGalley).

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

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A Sprinkling of Murder, by Daryl Wood Gerber

A Sprinkling of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber

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

Book 1 in a new series.

Not my favorite by this author. Probably won't read anymore. I like a touch of the paranormal but this one was a bit too much. The whole getting people to talk by having a fairy spell them into it, just reads bad karma to me and... icky.

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

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Still Knife Painting, by Cheryl Hollon

Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon

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

Book 1 in a new series.

This book just wasn't really my cup of 'shine. I couldn't get into the story and ended up skipping large chunks. It still took me ages to get though, because I kept going to read something else. In the end, it was okay, but not anything I will search out in the future.

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


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Murder in a Scottish Shire

 

Murder in a Scottish Shire by Traci Hall 

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

Book 1 in a new series.

Sadly, this book just wasn't for me. The setting and storyline had potential, but I found it hard to get into. In was slow moving, and I really had a hard time connecting with any of the characters, which was too bad. I put it down to read other things for a bit and then I ended up skipping to the end about halfway through.

I'm not sure if I would give book 2 a try.


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

 

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Murder in Waiting, by Lynn Cahoon

Murder in Waiting by Lynn Cahoon

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

Book #11 in the series.

I always love visiting South Cove and this book was no exception. It was a fast, fun read. I love that Jill is so human, faults and all. My favorite part of the entire book was the end. Without spoiling anything, I can just say I love Aunt Jackie.

That said, this book was pretty heavy on Bridezillas and wedding stuff, and the mystery almost feels like an afterthought.

As always, I am looking forward to more from Lynn Cahoon.

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


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Witch Hunt, by Cate Conte

Witch Hunt by Cate Conte

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I didn't like it.

Book 1 in a new series.

I've come to the conclusion that this author is just not for me. Unfinished.

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

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Crushing It, By Lorelei Parker

Crushing It by Lorelei Parker

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I didn't like it.

As a gamer, I wanted to like it. But it bored me from the beginning and I finally gave up. Sierra was too freaking gullible and Tristan was an Ass. The author's writing was fine, I just couldn't get behind the characters.

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


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Snowed Under, by Mary Feliz

Snowed Under by Mary Feliz

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

Book 6 in the series.

Maggie and friends are always fun to hang out with for an afternoon.

Living in Colorado, I've been unfortunate enough to have to drive in similar circumstances to the opening of this book, so it had me literally on the edge of my seat. The book continued to hold my attention all the way to the end. It was a nice afternoon read.

My only reason for only giving it three stars is the number of characters. I spent way too much time trying to back track a bit and figure out who was who. I felt like I needed a flow chart to keep track of everyone.

I always look forward to the next book in the series.

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

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Killing Time, by Suzanne Trauth

Killing Time by Suzanne M. Trauth

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

Book 6 in the series.

This is a fun series, about a collaboration between a restaurant and a community theatre. Dodie always ends up right in the middle of murder.

This one was a light, quick read, set at my favorite time of the year, Halloween. My only complaint about this one was that Dodie had more than the usual too stupid moments that got her quite banged up in the end.

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

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Breakfast at the Honeycreek Cafe, by Jodi Thomas

Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café by Jodi Thomas

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

First book in a new series.

This was the first book I've read by this author and it was an okay read. The town is the typical charming small town, but I felt like the author tackled too much in featuring 4 main characters and their stories. There didn't seem to be a lot of character growth, and frankly the plot lines were slooow for most of the book and then way too fast for some things. All the characters falling in love in a week felt like a stretch.

It's an okay book for a series start, I guess, but not anything special.

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

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Grave Consequences, by Lena Gregory

Grave Consequences by Lena Gregory

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

Book 5 in the series.

After the previous book, I did go back and read the rest of the series, so I was happy to see this one listed on NetGalley.

Sadly, this one was kind of boring. The Whodunit was kind of obvious and the rest of the story filled with tedious details as filler. It took me several days to get my disinterest and to the last few chapters. In the end, it turned out to be an okay read, but nothing fantastic.

Less dog and people feeding, please, haha.

Still, I am looking forward to the next book.

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

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Murder in the Storybook Cottage, by Ellery Adams

Murder in the Storybook Cottage by Ellery Adams

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

Book 5 in the series.

I enjoyed this one much more than the previous one. It's not nearly so over the top and out there, now that they're slowly supposed to be dismantling the collection. I still find the Edward storyline silly, but at least it's a bit minimized in this one.

All in all, I love the setting, the town, and the idea of the series, I'm just still a bit hesitant about the practice, haha.

Hoping this leads in to a bit more "normal" stories, instead of cozyish spy tales.

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

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Shredding the Evidence, by Daryl Wood Gerber

Shredding the Evidence by Daryl Wood Gerber

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, this one wasn't for me.

Book 9 in the series.

I wanted to like it. I've enjoyed previous books in the series. But this one was boring. The quirky characters I liked were just blah. And it felt a little mean. Like, fat shaming mean. I finally gave up on it and put it down 2/3 of the way through.

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

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A Bad Day for Sunshine, by Darynda Jones

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

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

Book 1 in a new series.

I originally really liked Darynda Jones' previous series (it started to go a bit too off the rails for me after several books, but that's another blog post), so when I saw she had a new series coming out I decided to request it.

I'm glad I did. I liked Sunshine immediately. Her relationship with her daughter is fun, but still mostly realistic and they're both sharp, capable females. In fact, this book has numerous independent, tough, funny, sexy, smart females and I loved that.

The plot kept me entertained and laughing out loud, while waiting to see what would happen next. I can't wait for the next book (And I really want Sunny to take that *itch of a blackmailing mayor down! You know it's coming, she threatened Sunny's daughter!).

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

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The Immortal Conquistador, by Carrie Vaughn

The Immortal Conquistador by Carrie Vaughn

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

Book 15 in the series, but not really, since it's a completely stand alone book about Rick the vampire.

It's also not really a cohesive novel, but more chunks of stories about Rick that have appeared elsewhere and been collected in one place and then filled out. As a result, it was an okay read, but nothing special. Mostly, it was just fun to be back in Ms. Vaughn's alternate reality.

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

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Berried in the Past, by Peg Cochran

Berried in the Past by Peg Cochran

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

Book 5 in the series.

I liked this one a lot better than the previous one. The murder mystery was interesting and intrigued me. I always like a story within the story. It was a quick read.

There was much baking of cranberry goods, and I confess, I'm not a cranberry fan. The recipes hold no draw for me, but then, I've never made a recipe from a book that turned out as good as it sounded, so oh well, haha.

Altogether, this was a much better comeback for this series and I am looking forward to the next.

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

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Death on the Page, by Essie Lang

Death on the Page by Essie Lang

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, It's a NO from me.

Book 2 in the series.

I struggled with book 1, and I struggled with the one as well. It just didn't hold my interest. I finally gave up on it a few chapters in. I did not finish and I give up on this series.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book received from the publisher, via Netgalley

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Murder in an Irish Cottage, by Carlene O'Connor

Murder in an Irish Cottage by Carlene O'Connor

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

Book 5 in the series.

I'd read the first two books, and the novella in Christmas Cocoa Murder and man, there's a huge jump in relationships from 4.5 to book 5! To the point where I was a bit baffled, because I'm obviously missing a whole heck of a lot of the story.
[I mean, in 4.5 Mac and Siobhán aren't together, with Mac lurking around watching her in an almost creepy way, and here they are, engaged and setting a wedding date! (hide spoiler)]

The story itself was fun, and I enjoyed the mystery, but I really wish there'd been another book or at least another novella in between to explain how we got here, unless something else is explained in books 3 or 4. Anyway, I'm going to go back and read them, in case I missed something.

Do yourself a favor, and don't start here! There's a lot of characters to keep straight, and some back story that left me feeling a bit lost.

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

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The Book of Candlelight, by Ellery Adams

The Book of Candlelight by Ellery Adams

My rating: 5 of 5 stars, I LOVED it!

Book 3 in the series.

This is my favorite of the series so far! I loved the ladies of the Secret, Book & Scone Society, but I think adding Sheldon to the mix is wonderful. I absolutely adore him and his attitude even in the face of debilitating chronic pain. Even when he's "cranky," he's likable and easy to relate to. As in the previous books, Nora and her friends, are well fleshed out and interesting. They each have secrets and emotions and aren't always likable or smart because of that, just like real people.

I loved the touch of Native American folklore, and the storyline moved quickly. I devoured the book in one night, not wanting to put it down. I hope this series continues for many more books!

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

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A View to a Kilt, by Kaitlyn Dunnett

A View to a Kilt by Kaitlyn Dunnett

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

Book 13 in the series.

This one took me some time to get into, which is weird, because it started off with a bang, and had two of my favorite characters in it (Dandy and Dondi!). But it really just had a slow pace after that. And Liss' mother is annoying as all get out.

In the end, it all wrapped up nicely and it was an okay story.

I like this series, and I will continue to read it, but this one is definitely not one of my favorites.

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

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A Field Guide to Homicide, by Lynn Cahoon

A Field Guide to Homicide by Lynn Cahoon

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

Book 6 in the series.

This one was not my favorite. I had a hard time getting in to it, and I found myself really not liking Seth for much of the book. And really, I am getting tired of Cat's ex being dragged in all the time. I thought we were finished with him.

Throw in all the food descriptions, eating and an over-use of dialog versus action, and the whole book was weak. As Elvis once said, "A little less conversation, a little more action, please."

Hopefully this book was just a fluke and the next one will be back to normal.

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

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Mortal Music, by Ann Parker

Mortal Music by Ann Parker

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

Book 7 in the series.

This is the first book I've read in the series, but it absolutely is a stand alone story. It's also not really a cozy mystery, but more of a historical mystery.

I'm a huge western history buff, so this was right up my alley. Yes, it's historical fiction, but Ms. Parker has obviously done her research on the area and time period.

Her main character is interesting and likable, intelligent and strong. The plot was full of twists and turns and now I really want to go back and read the previous books in the series!

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



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