Treble at the Jam Fest, by Leslie Budewitz

Treble at the Jam Fest by Leslie Budewitz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 4 in the series.

I am so glad Leslie Budewitz found a new home with Midnight Ink. I've enjoyed all of her books, but with this book, main character Erin finally realizes she came home to Montana because it was where she wanted to be, not just to save the family business, but because she loves the Merc and Jewel Bay. There's real personal growth for her and her family in this book, and I enjoy the people they're becoming.

I admit to being distracted by real life when I started reading this book, and as a result I put it down for a few days. When I came back to it, it pulled me all the way to Jewel Bay and wouldn't let me go until the end. The plot was fast moving, the characters fun and likable and I absolutely love spending time in Montana.

So, grab yourself a cold beverage and a snack (something with rhubarb, maybe?), and settle in for an entertaining read!

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

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Mulch Ado About Murder, by Edith Maxwell

Mulch Ado About Murder by Edith Maxwell

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

Book 5 in the series. While I have read all the books in the series, I think Ms. Maxwell writes well enough that this could be read as a stand alone book.

I loved this book. Cam once again finds a body, and this time her mother is a person of interest! I enjoyed getting to know Cam's parents, and learning a bit more about Cam through her interactions with them.

The story was fast moving, interesting and fun. I love the background of Cam's farm and her CSA. (I apparently have a black thumb when it comes to veggies, so it's nice to read about someone who can grow them, haha.).

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



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Bearly Departed, by Meg Macy

Bearly Departed by Meg Macy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Book one in a new series.

As a teddy bear collector, I thought this book would be a fun read. I loved the background info provided about teddy bears, their history and what goes in to making them.

The story itself started off a bit slowly, as the author took time to introduce the cast of characters. Once things picked up though, I enjoyed it. For the most part, it was a fun, light cozy mystery read set in a unique setting.

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

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One Fete in the Grave, by Vickie Fee

One Fete in the Grave by Vickie Fee
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Book 3 in the series.

I am really enjoying this series, with it's southern charm, simmering secrets, and eccentric townspeople. It's a fun series, with party planner Liv up to her eyeballs in wedding plans for her newly engaged mother as well as investigating a murder where the number one suspect just happens to be the Groom to be.

I laughed out loud many times while I was reading this and it was nice to see Di have more of a role in this book. It is Liv and Di in Dixie, after all.

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

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

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Uniformly Dead, by Greta Mckennan

Uniformly Dead by Greta Mckennan

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

A good start to a new series.

I liked the main character, Daria, and thought it was interesting that she was sewing for re-enactors. It was a fun cozy, but there was A LOT going on, which kind of detracted from the main plot, the murder and the theft.

And frankly, I wasn't a fan of either of the potential love interests for Daria. The reporter came off as a jerk right away when he knocked Daria over, took her picture, laughed and ran off, no apology at all. That colored my opinion of him throughout the whole book. He slightly redeemed himself toward the end and I will reserve final judgment for now.

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

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


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Hospitality and Homicide, by Lynn Cahoon

Hospitality and Homicide by Lynn Cahoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars. I really liked it.

Book 8 in the series. You'll be fine if you start here, but do yourself a favor and go back and read them all!

I love this series, I really do. I love Jill's shop, the perfect combination of Coffee, Books and More. The characters are all well developed and it's like going to spend a weekend with some old friends. Meanwhile, someone is dead, and the obvious suspect just doesn't feel right. Jill is a typical small business owner, with more than enough to do in any given day, yet she still manages to snoop, haha.

This was a good, fast read, that I didn't want to put down. My only complaint is that I now have a long wait 'til next year and another visit to South Cove!

ETA: I just found out that there's another Tourist Trap mystery out in JULY, Killer Party! I get to go back to South Cove in a few short months! Haha.

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

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Uncorking a Lie, by Nadine Nettman

Uncorking a Lie by Nadine Nettmann
My rating: 2 of 5 stars, it was okay.

Book 2 in a series. I haven't read the first in the series, but that didn't matter.

I liked the premise, and most of the story. I'm not entirely thrilled with the main character. I don't know diddly about wine, I just know what I like. Kate is that wine snob that bugs the crap out of me in real life, I don't really want to listen to her in a cozy. She's not always so pretentious, and at those times I sort of wanted to like her, but all in all, I can't really bring myself to care about her or her companions in this book.

I think I will give anymore books in this series a miss.

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

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The Final Vow, by Amanda Flower

The Final Vow by Amanda Flower
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

Book 3 in the series.

I didn't realize at the start that this was 3 books in. I felt as though I was missing a little something, because the relationships all seemed very well established. The story itself though, is absolutely a stand alone story and I enjoyed it immensely.

I love the unique setting, especially since I am a big history buff. I admit to being a little disappointed at who the murder victim was, since there were a few characters I wouldn't have minded being knocked off, haha.

The story was solid, and I loved the main character, Kelsey and her son, Hayden, along with most of the museum staff. I will certainly be seeking out the first two books.

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

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Magic & Mayhem, by Sharon Pape

Magick & Mayhem by Sharon Pape
My rating: 3 of 5 stars, I liked it.

A fun series debut.

Kailyn Wilde inherits her magical potion shop from her mother and grandmother, though they're not entirely gone, since they visit regularly in ghost form.

What I liked: Kailyn, her aunt and the cats. The misfiring spells were also intriguing, though I felt at though we were kind of left hanging about them. Obviously, something is causing problems with magic, and I want to know what's going on, haha.

What I wasn't so "Wilde" about: Kailyn's ghosts. The constant bickering between them got old fast. Merlin. He comes off as kind of bumbling, rather than a great magician. And his refusal to understand that he couldn't use magic in front of others bugged me. Then again, did they ever explain to him how it could be dangerous to all of them to be exposed?

All in all, it was an amusing book that I enjoyed. The characters could use some fleshing out, maybe tone down the bickering mother/daughter ghosts and bring the issues with magic a bit more to the forefront, since I am not entirely convinced Merlin fixed the issue (and frankly, it would be too easy if he had!).

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

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No Charm Intended, by Mollie Cox Bryan

No Charm Intended by Mollie Cox Bryan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book 2 in the series.

I liked No Charm Intended better than book 1. I love the premise and the changing "cast" of characters each retreat is fun. The mystery was unusual and interesting, the activities fun and engaging.

But I found myself pulled out of the story by a few things:

I found the two main characters, Cora and Jane, at times totally interchangeable and got them confused, because sometimes one spoke so out of character that I'd have go back and re-read the passage to make sure I had the right person. Jane seemed to be more cynical and less trusting, and openly distrusted Paul, then suddenly she was crying because she was worried about him. Wait, what? Things like that happened several times through out the book, leaving me a little confused each time.

Jane and Cora have just started a business, money is obviously a concern, and yet they have meals catered? That doesn't seem practical. And what exactly does Cora bring to the retreats? She doesn't seem to teach anything, just spends her time blogging...

I'm also having a problem with the fact that Cora seems to have so many of the men in town attracted to her, including a married police officer. Because the love triangle isn't bad enough, Cora gets to be in a love square!

It was an enjoyable enough read that I will read book three, but I'd really like to see the main characters a bit more fleshed out and individualized in the next one.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by the author*

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A Killer Keepsake, by Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs

A Killer Keepsake by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars, I really liked it.

Book 6 in the series.

I only recently discovered this series, and I haven't read all of the books yet, but it is safe to start here. I always think you should start with book 1 in a good series, but you wouldn't be lost if you read this first.

This is my favorite book, so far, in the series. The characters are well developed and likeable. Molly just can't keep away from solving murders, especially when she finds the body. I liked that this book had two story-lines running simultaneously, one present, one past. Both story-lines were well meshed, so neither felt forced, instead each added to the other.

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

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Every Body on Deck, by G.A. McKevett

Every Body on Deck by G.A. McKevett

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

Book 22 in the series. Do yourself a favor and start at book 1. You can start here, and you won't be lost, but you'll miss out on a lot of fun!

I love Savannah. She's a plus-sized gal, and she doesn't care one bit what anyone else thinks. There's no body shaming here!

The whole crazy cast of character just adds to the fun. This time around they combine business with pleasure as Savannah's favorite author hires her to protect her, on a cruise. It was a nice, light read, if a little predictable.

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

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Cozy Case Files: A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 1, Various Authors

Cozy Case Files: A Cozy Mystery Sampler, Volume 1 by Ellie Alexander (and various other authors)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars, it was exactly what it claimed to be, a sampler of cozy mysteries that I highly enjoyed.

This is nice sampler of 14 cozy mysteries published by St. Martin's Press in the spring/summer of 2017. I had only read books by a few of the authors with excerpts in this book, so it was a nice introduction to the other authors' work.

This sampler did as it was intended, and whetted my appetite for these new releases. Of course, now I am quite impatient to read the complete stories, haha.

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


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Give the Devil His Due, by Steve Hockensmith

Give the Devil His Due by Steve Hockensmith

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

Book 3 in the series.

I've given the series a chance, but this one just didn't work for me. I can't find it in me to care about Alanis or her sister and the plot was just ridiculously convoluted. Way too much going on, too many characters to keep up with. When it starts to feel like you need a spreadsheet to keep track, it's just too much.

I don't think I will be looking for book 4.

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


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Southern Fried, by Tonya Kappes

Southern Fried by Tonya Kappes

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

Book 2 in the series.

A fast, fun read featuring Sheriff Kenni Lowry, her dead granddad, Duke the dog and of course the hot deputy, Finn. It's a little bit silly, but an enjoyable romp through Southern small town life full of family secrets and kooky characters.

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


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Lost Souls, by Kelley Armstrong

Lost Souls by Kelley Armstrong
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was a bit of a fish out of water in this story, at least for a bit, since I've not read any of the novels in this series (though that's about to change, I now have books one and two). Probably not the best place to start the series. This apparently occurs between books three and four, so you might want to read 1-3 before this novella.

The characters are interesting, though Gabriel is a little tough to like at times. I did like it enough that I want to know more, especially about Patrick.

Edited to add: I have now read books 1-3, although read is an understatement, I pretty much devoured them in the last few days. I like Gabriel a lot more now, and Patrick a lot less, haha. But I strongly suggest reading the whole series before reading this novella. You won't be sorry you did!

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this story received from the publisher, via NetGalley*

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Kale to the Queen, by Nell Hampton

Kale to the Queen by Nell Hampton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First in the series.

I liked it, mostly. It reminded me a bit of Julie Hyzy's White House Chef mysteries, in that it's obviously set in a real place where there really is a Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, though in the book they are fictionalized. I think, like Hyzy's series, this series will work best if the Cambridges stay mostly in the background.

It took me a while to warm up to Carrie Ann, but after a bit she kind of grew on me. There were a few little nit picky things that bugged me (tea gets MILK, not cream, in England. My husband is English, and every English person I've ever met, including strangers I waited on in restaurants when I was younger, sent the cream back and/or asked for milk! (A Cream Tea is known for clotted cream and scones, not cream in the tea.), and yes, the Queen herself is said to drink her Twining's English Breakfast tea with MILK (but no sugar, haha).

There were moments where the dialogue made me feel like I was watching a bad gangster film, "Are you going to the coppers with what you know?" Does anyone even really call them "coppers" anymore??

Aside from the little things, I did enjoy it and look forward to the next in the series.

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

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The Skeletons of Scarborough House, Kitty French

The Skeletons of Scarborough House by Kitty French

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars, I liked it, but...

I have to say that the description on the cover of the book calling it "An absolutely hilarious cozy mystery" made me a bit skeptical, it's a pretty lofty claim, haha. And truly, it was amusing, but I would never say absolutely hilarious... But I did enjoy it. It was a light, fluffy read that went quickly.

The biggest drawback to this book was the stupid love triangle. Both guys were jerks, and I am so over the whole, "Will she, won't she," crap of cozies lately. And as a result, Melody and Marina often come off like they're still in junior high, rather than 27!

I'd read another book in the series for sure, but I'd certainly be happy to see the love triangle disappear.

*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley.*


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When the Grits Hit the Fan, by Maddie Day

When the Grits Hit the Fan by Maddie Day

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

Book 3 in the series.

My favorite so far. Can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading the entire series, though, because they're all good!

Robbie has made her place in South Lick, and even with the winter slow down, she's doing well and staying busy, even if it's just remodeling the area above her store. The saying is, "If these walls could talk, they would tell you the story," and as she tears walls down, Robbie is uncovering long hidden secrets.

One thing I love about this series is that Robbie doesn't spend the whole book running off and leaving her business for someone else to run while she solves the mystery. It honestly makes the whole thing more believable. Many small businesses, especially restaurants, just can't afford to have too many employees.

This book did have a bit of a darker end to it than most cozies, but I think it was a fitting end. I look forward to more from Robbie and South Lick.

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


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Elementary, She Read, by Vicki Delaney

Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany

My rating: 1 of 5 stars, I really didn't much care for it

First in the series.

This book just wasn't what I wanted it to be. I've enjoyed Ms. Delaney's other books and I loved the idea of a Sherlock bookstore, but I disliked the reality. Mostly, because I didn't really care for Gemma. There were a lot of little nit-picky things that all added up to make me dislike her. She was snooty and came off as condescending several times. I get that she's supposed be kind of a female version of Sherlock, but it's just too much. On and on she goes and then, "I only wanted to point out the obvious facts." Which of course I imagined being said in a really snarky voice. Plus she's one of those people that never orders their own food, just says, "I'll have some of yours." UGH.

Add in the extremely unpleasant police officer and I finally just ended up skimming through the story.

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


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