Review: 4:50 from Paddington

4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars for another Agatha Christie book. This was a very fun, quick. and enjoyable read.

Miss Marple's friend, Elspeth McGillicuddy is on her way to visit her ol' friend Jane Marple. Once she gets on the train, see falls asleep for a little cat nap. When she wakes up she see out of her window another train parallel to her train, she see's a man from the back chocking a woman. She reports it to the steward of the train, he informs her he will check it out, but she doesn't think he believes her, so she reports it to the station master. Once she arrives at Miss Marple's house, she tells her all about it.

Miss Marple is intrigued by what she is hearing and believes her friend. She asks her friend Lucy Eyelesbarrow to go undercover as domestic help to help her prove that a woman was murder. As Miss Marple has discovered, after riding the train where the murdered woman was on that there was a way to dispose of the body and it lands somewhere on the property of the Crackenthorpe family's estate.

However, Lucy is a stand in for Miss Marple, she does keep her in the loop, and Miss Marple pieces all the puzzle together, but not before two more murders take place, and the prospect of one of the oldest son's wife suddenly wanting to be welcomed into the family with open arms, since her husband, the oldest son and heir to the family estates sends a letter to the family.

As in true Christie fashion, this book had twist and turns at every corner, you weren't quite sure who the actual murder was, and was shocked when you found out.

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Review: Before the Snow

Before the Snow by Danielle Paige
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars. Before the Snow's a novella, it tells a fully realized story of complicated love between Nepenthe, a River Witch and Prince Lazar, a Snow King from Algid.

When first met, Nepenthe and Lazar are young children. Nepenthe and her mother are called to the castle to help Prince Lazar wipe his memory of ever knowing how to produce snow, freeze the people around him, and create snow monsters. After Lazar’s memory is wiped, a horrible accident kills Nepenthe’s parents and she goes and lives with her mother’s sister in the coven. Once there she meets a young fire witch apprentice, Ora, and they become more like sisters.

As time passes all three children grow up and one day Nepenthe and Ora are summons to the castle. They are there to teach Price Lazar his craft. Ora is so excited to be there and she wants nothing more than to catch the young Prince’s eyes, while Nepenthe fights her feeling for the young Price. The time that Nepenthe and the Prince spend together the more she hides her feeling for him, because she knows that Ora wants him and she has chosen her life as a River Witch. But when Ora is kidnapped, Nepenthe puts her feelings aside to go with the Prince to save her sister, but can their feelings stay within themselves?

Nepenthe’s character is strong, fierce, independent, and has a good head on her shoulders. She has to make hard decisions and she makes them wisely, no matter how she feels. The author, Danielle Paige does a great job of pulling the reader into the story and describes the scenes beautifully. I can’t wait to read Stealing Snow, the next one in this series.


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Review: Crewel Yule

Crewel Yule by Monica Ferris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Star reviews for Crewel Yule, the eighth book in A Needlecraft Mystery. I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series, and I was able to follow along nicely without feeling like I’ve missed a lot from the previous books. The characters were developed well, the story line moved on a nice pace, and the mystery wasn’t bad at all, it was a nice light mystery, however, I was bouncing between three suspects and I kept going back and forth, and when the perp was disclosed, I was pleased that they were one of the three that I suspected.

The big annual needlework show happens every year in February, but the hotel that books them had a conflict and moved it to December. Betsy Devonshire, the owner of Crewel World and her assistant Goddy are heading to Nashville for the convention. Their friend Jill, a police officer is also heading there to attend a conference for the police department. After they all arrive a huge snowstorm shuts down the town and everyone is snowed in.

But things start heating up when a fellow shop owner, Belle, falls from the ninth floor of the hotel. Jill is on hand to secure the scene since the local police department can’t get to them, she takes it upon herself to start gathering information, and questioning people, and looking for clues. When the hotel manager calls the police station to inform them of the “accident” they are thinking that it is a possible suicide, but Jill and Betsy doesn’t think so.

While Betsy and Jill start questioning people, they come to find out the woman that died wasn’t such a nice person after all. The three main suspects that would have motive to kill the woman is, Cherry Pie (yes, that’s her name in the book) she co-owns the shop with Belle, Lenora, a stay at home mom that is trying to break into being a designer, and an ex-employee of Cherry and Belle. All three have motives beyond means.


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Review: The Grownup

The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 Stars Review. I really enjoyed reading Gillian Flynn's book, I loved Gone Girl and recommended that one to others, but I was somewhat disappointed in this one. It lacked that peak interest that the author usually has in her books that keep you intrigued. To me this was almost like a rough draft that needed to edited, rewrote, and explored more.

The character's seemed under developed and at times they didn't seem to have a personality. The main character works as a fortune-teller, psychic, who preys one gullible rich people, mainly women. But she's actually a con-artist. When one walks in the narrator who is nameless, see's big dollar signs, Susan walks in and claims her house is haunted and she fears for her and her child's life. The narrator jumps at the chance to cash in on a big payday and does a house cleansing, for a price of course. When the narrator gets to the house she also meets Susan's step-son, who happens to be a typical teenager that is finding himself, in other words he just down right creepy. This is where the story goes off track and things actually become weird as through the author didn't know where to go from here and put in whatever she thought she could to wrap the story up.

This is a very short book with only about 65 pages.

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Review: Deck the Hallways

Deck the Hallways by Kate Carlisle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Star Review! This is the fourth book in the Fixer-Upper series, and I must say this one has that Christmas charm of long ago.

Shannon Hammer has taken on a huge project with just a few short weeks before Christmas. She is the General Contractor for the Forester House project. The mansion is one of the longest standing mansions in Lighthouse Cove and instead of the city tearing it down, it will be remolded to into apartments for people in need, to give them a home. Several contractors, plumbers, electricians, painters, and a host of volunteers are donating their time to see this project through and for the people to be able to move in on Christmas Eve, complete with Christmas trees, decorations, and food for a holiday meal.

Peter Potter, who is the town Scrooge, is the oversee that is representing the bank, he keeps showing up unannounced, causing problems with everyone, including Shannon and her father. Not only is he trying to interfere with the workers and the work being done on the house, but he's also threatening the volunteers, by telling them he can take their business's away from them, causing distress for all.

One morning when Shannon gets to Forester House early before anyone show up she discovers the body of Potter, killed with the ax owned by her dad. But with the whole town as suspects, including herself, Shannon must get this murder wrapped up pronto so they can finish the house on time for the new residents by Christmas Eve.

With Shannon's love life in limbo, she hasn't heard from Mac, the guy she's been seeing and a best selling author in 42 days, planning the annual Christmas parade, overseeing Forester House project, the murder of Potter, someone has left a new baby girl in Shannon's truck, one more thing Shannon doesn't need to deal with, nor does she know how to take care of a baby. She turns the baby over to the only person she knows, her friend Lizzie, who not only is a mother of two and willing to care for the baby until they can either find the mother or find a couple that is willing to adopt her, but Lizzie herself is a suspect for making a threat about killing Potter herself, right in front of Potter's assistant. All of these things need to be wrapped up tightly and with a bow on top by Christmas Eve. Can Shannon get this all done in time.

I did try and get a couple of my book groups to read this one for the holidays, but no one seemed to be interested in it. I really think they would of enjoyed this one as much as I did. This was an entertaining book, with plenty of suspects right off the bat, before the murder had even taken place. Which made it a nice change of pace and you learned why someone wanted to kill the person, instead of not knowing them until the end. There were some laugh out loud moments, character's were easy to follow and get to know them, the lead character, Shannon is strong, feisty, smart and likable.

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Review: Honeymoon With Murder

Honeymoon With Murder by Carolyn G. Hart
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars Review. I normally love the Death On Demand series, and can’t wait to dive into one of these books, but this one felt a little flat to me. Now, I’m sure there are others out there that will disagree with me on this, and that’s OK, we all have our feelings about what is a good book and what isn’t. I’m not saying this is a bad book, but it fell short for me, as if this was a rush to get this one out. With that said I was glad to visit with Annie and Max again.

Annie and Max find a dead body in their friend Ingrid’s cabin, but there is no Ingrid. A search is set out to find Ingrid, while the police are dispatched to see to the dead man’s body. Of course Posey, sees only one possible suspect, Ingrid. Her friends don’t see it that way, they know she isn’t a killer and Annie, Max, Laurel and Henny set their minds to solving this murder before the police find Ingrid and charge her with murder.

While the four are searching for Ingrid, they soon discover that the murdered victim was also blackmailing several people. The list is growing as more suspects are introduced, which means that the foursome must find the actual killer. While they are trying to figure it out, Betsy Raines goes missing, and Annie finds another body in the river, could it be Ingrid or is it another murder.
This isn’t the honeymoon that Annie and Max had dreamed of taking, but it is making for an interesting story to tell in the future to their families.

The mystery part was pretty easy to figure out about half way through the book, and I do like the author’s knowledge of incorporating the classic mystery books and I’ve even gone to my local library and checked out the books that she tells a little about in these books, so to me that’s a bonus! One can never have to short of a TBR pile.


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Review: Chile Death

Chile Death by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars. China Bayles is back to continue her story. While her fiance Mike McQuaid is recovering from being shot and having to do physical therapy, there's still a chance that he might not ever walk again. China is standing by his side.

Mike is asked to be a judge in the town's chili cook-off, he's at first reluctant to do it because he's afraid that everyone will stare at him, feel sorry for him, but China encourages him to do it. She's already going to be there since she's going to be writing a story for the local newspaper about the cook-off, gathering the recipes from the contestants, and incorporating about the peppers and other spices and herbs that people put in their chili. Once they arrive, Jerry Jeff Cody another judge for the contest comes to talk to Mike about a problem that he is having, someone is threatening his life. Mike and China think that he's making it up since he's in the middle of a divorce and his soon to be ex-wife is trying to get more than her fair share. While Jerry Jeff is telling Mike and China why he feels his life is endanger, his soon to be ex walks up and starts threatening him with the assumption that she knows where he's hiding his money that he hasn't disclosed to the lawyers. Before she leaves she tells him that she will be getting more than he's willing to part with over his dead body.

Once the judging of the contest start Jerry Jeff start choking and the other judges think he acting like the chili is way to hot for him, soon he collapses and it's Mike that steps in and tells them to call the ambulance. Jerry Jeff is dead.

Naturally China starts her own investigation along with Mike and her trusted side kick Ruby. But while China is helping with Jerry Jeff's case, a nurse at the nursing home where Mike is recovering comes to her and asks for her help, since China is an ex-lawyer. The nurse explains about a situation that she saw between the nursing homes director and another patient. China gets involved with that as well, and she gets Mike to help her since he's recuperating there. China has her hands full with these two case and trying to keep Mike's spirits up and she knows that with him helping it will make him feel more useful.

The author has a way of pulling you into the story and keeping you entertained all the while your trying to figure out who the murder is. This is the seventh book in the series and with each book, you get to know more about China along with Mike. However, Ruby wasn't in the story much and we didn't get to learn more about China's herbalist. This book was centered more around Mike's recovery and the Chili cook-off, which I was fine with that, not every book has to be centered around China's shop and herbs. It was refreshing to see China out and about in her sleepy little town of Pecan Springs, Texas. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.

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Review: Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Fannie Flagg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fannie Flagg’s books have always been one of my favorites to read. She brings a good sense of humor, inspiration, characters that will remind you of some person or family member that you know, and a warm and cozy feeling from the small towns that her books are set in.

Dena Nordstrom is a big deal in her small, quiet little town of Elmwood Springs, Missouri. She lives in New York City and a journalist that has fan base that loves her. When things start crashing in on her she returns home to where it all began for her, to get back to her roots and the little girl that was lost. However, Dena doesn’t realize that she’s there just for a visit, she will soon find out what family really means, why some people want some privacy in their lives, and what loyalty and love really means.

The story goes back and forth from when Dena was born and growing up to present day and then back again. The reader learns who Dena and her family was, along with the neighbors and friends, who crossed Dena’s path to help shape her to who she is today, as well as not everyone knows everyone’s secrets, as Dena will soon discover when she starts looking for the mother that abdomen her.

Dena decides she needs to see a psychiatrist, who feels she needs a different one then what he can do for her, so he sends her to one of his colleagues, Dr. Diggers, who is a paraplegic. Over time, Dena learns to trust the doctor and soon they start talking about past and her mother.


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Review: Lavender Lies

Lavender Lies by Susan Wittig Albert
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars for this book. China Bayles and ex-attorney now turned herbalist has her plate full. With her upcoming marriage to detective Mike McQuad, acting temporary chief of police in Pecan Springs, Texas, when the plans get interrupted by a murder. Real estate developer Edgar Coleman has been shot in his home.

With the wedding just days away, China and her friend Ruby take it upon themselves to help get this murdered solved before the wedding. While they are trying to solve who would of killed the developer, they discover that many people aren't to upset over his death, many of them were being blackmailed by him, so this opens up for a long list of suspects. While China and Ruby try to eliminate suspects they find out that a hurricane is heading right for there sleepy little town and it's suppose to hit on the day of the wedding. China must work quickly to get this murder solved before the hurricane can wash away any undiscovered evidence plus find a venue on short notice since they have to move the wedding from outside to indoors.

While China works quickly to solve the murder, find a new venue to hold her wedding she is visited by a woman whom she's never meet. The woman Rachel, asks China for help in getting her kidnapped daughter back, who happens to be her step-sons' new girlfriend. China is shocked and saddened to hear this story is willing to help her and make this as easy as she can for the daughter.

Although I've read many of China Bayles books, I found this one to be a little rushed in the writing. The character's are good, the story plot was good, but it felt as though the author hurried up just to get the book out. There were so many moments that she could of expressed more emotions, dialog, given more clues to make this a much fuller story.

Like I said, I've read many of the books in the series and I will continue on reading them, but this one fell a little short to me.

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Review: Some Like It Witchy

Some Like It Witchy by Heather Blake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 Stars. Darcy Merriweather and all the characters from the Enchanted Village are back for another installment in this fast pace, charming, enjoyable series. It's always nice to come back to a series that is just a fun read. Heather Blake has developed these characters to where they are like visiting old friends, and where you feel like you belong there in the village as well as the character.

Nick and Darcie's relationship is still growing along with her relationship with Nick's daughter Mimi. Aunt V is running for office, but her quick wit and charm is still there. Evan's bakery is going strong as ever, and the desserts that are describe will make your mouth water, and Andre returns this time, but not without an agenda of his own.

Cherise, a curecrafter is looking at buying a house and she has taken Darcy along to show her the house. They can't figure out why the realtor Raina Gallagher who is usually always early was so late to meet them. The house is unlocked so Cherise and Darcy enter the house, and with Darcy's luck they stubble upon the dead body of Raina. The village Elder has summoned Darcy before her, and has asked that Darcy help with this investigation and find out all she can. But as Darcy starts to ask questions more questions seem to appear. It's been speculated that one of the biggest diamond heist that occurred in Boston, the diamonds were being hidden in the Enchanted Village. Andre has his own interest in finding them, it appears that his mother cast a fertility spell, but why would Andre want that?

While Nick, brings in Andre for questioning, Darcy checks in with Mrs. P, Archie, and Peppa to see what they know about the diamond heist. They insinuated that it is possible that one of the village residents might or might not of been an accomplice. Darcy head to talk the station to talk to Nick when she runs into Andre, as they make conversation, he asks Darcy if she knows who the village Elder really is and when she implies that no one knows who the Elder is because their identity was to be kept a secret, he lets it slips that most of the town does know who the Elder is, that is except Darcy.

Not only now does Darcy need to solve Raina's murder, with an ever ending list of suspects, but who the Elder really is.

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Review: Queen Rising

Queen Rising by Danielle Paige
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Star Review.

Margot and her brother Goddfrey "Go" home life isn't a happy one. One night their dad finally leaves their family and their mother takes the children to the palace in hopes they are brought and she can be rid of them. The King's son see Go and wants him as his companion. The guards inform the mother they will take Go but they have no need for his sister, Margot feels as through her heart is being ripped out of her and starts to learn some of life's lessons . For the sake of her brother, she tells him he must go, that he was chosen by the Prince himself and that she will come and visit him once a month.

Her mother is pleased with the sale of her son, but isn't happy that she still had Margot. She tells Margot, family isn't anything, and she only wants the money from the sale of her children. When they get outside of the palace, a woman over hears the mother belittling Margot and the woman tells the mother that she will take Margot. The mother and the woman negotiate a price for Margot and her mother walks away with not a word of good-bye, smiling, singing and clutching the coins she received for getting rid of her children.

Margot discovers that she is living with the witches of the Forrest and soon her training will begin. She befriends a girl named Ora who is very sweet to Margot and wants a friend. After several years, Margot's training has developed her skills as quickly as the witches would of liked, and Margot buts leave the only home she has truly ever known. She must now learn to make her own magic in the world.

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Review: Pumpkin Picking with Murder

Pumpkin Picking with Murder by Auralee Wallace
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 star review. This is the first book that I read in the series, I did like the characters as I found so many funny events, saying, the way they acted, to where my husband had to keep turning the t.v. up so he could hear it over me laughing.

Erica Bloom has returned to her hometown of Otter Lake in time for their fall festival, her best friend Freddy Ng has opened his own security firm and is the security guard for the festival it isn't long before Erica and Freddy hear screams coming from the tunnel of love. When they reach the ride they see that Mr Masterson has been killed, but that's not MRS. Masterson sitting next to him, no it is not, it is however Tweety, one of the twins who becomes the prime suspect for his murder. However, this little murder might interfer with Erica's plans to see if her and her love interest Sheriff Grady can really make a go of their relationship.



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Review: Roast Mortem

Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have grown to love this series to where it has become one of my top five series of must read when the books come out. Cleo Coyle knows how to make the characters intriguing, fun, witty, and most importantly, likeable. This is the ninth book in the coffeehouse mystery series, and each one gets better and better.

Clare Cosi operates a little coffee house, Village Blend, along with her ex-husband Matt and his mother Madam. When Madam asks Clare to drive her to an old friend, Enzo’s restaurant where he has a very old expresso maker that Clare is dying to see. Madame and Enzo are in the basement and Clare goes upstairs, she can’t help but snoop around, I think it’s in her DNA to snoop, when suddenly there’s an explosion setting the restaurant in blazes and Madam and Enzo trapped in the basement. The NY fire dept. shows up and rescues Madam and Enzo from the basement. The fire Marshall thinks at first that Enzo started this fire for the insurance money so that he can return to Italy to live out the rest of his life, but Clare hears somethings that didn’t make sense to her and her curiosity ends up getting the better of her and she precedes to do her own investigation to help the fire Marshall capture the right person.

When Clare goes over to the fire house to help the firemen learn how to use their new coffeemaker, Clare meets her detective boyfriend Mike Quinn’s cousin, Michael Quinn, and she soon learns that there is a lot of bad blood between the cousins. But when another fire breaks out in another coffee shop, Clare has a feeling this just isn’t an accident, not when another fire fighter loses his life to the fire. Clare starts piecing things together and remembers what she has learned about the equipment and how they work from what the other firefighters tell her, that when she learns of the death of the fallen fire fighter, she turns to Michael Quinn to find out more, but when Michael’s had to much to drink at a pub he makes a pass at Clare, while she’s fighting him off the next thing she knows Michael is on the ground and her boyfriend Mike is on top of him. Mike looks at the two of them and walks away. Clare goes after him to talk to him and he leaves her behind. Clare now has to try and help solve the mystery behind the fires to help save Enzo and she has to make Mike see that she truly loves him and what he saw wasn’t what he thought it was, but is there enough time to do both.


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Review: Inheritance

Inheritance by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Like the first book, the second books doesn't disappoints. The story starts off just a couple of months after Calexa Rose Dunhill a.k.a. The Cemetery Girl, helps solve the murder of Marla Vasquez. Calexa and the old woman Lucinda has become good friends, and Lucinda has invited Calexa to move into her spare bedroom. Calexa politely refuses, saying that she couldn't put Lucinda in danger if someone is still after her. Lucinda tells Calexa that she could sleep there at night since it will be getting colder. That night Calexa stays at Lucinda's only to be waken up by a noise. When she enters the kitchen, she see's someone attack Lucinda and goes to help her friend. There isn't much Calexa can do for Lucinda and soon she discovers that Lucinda is gone but has consumed Calexa as she has unfinished business and won't be able to rest until it is resolved.

Once again Calexa is on her own and doesn't know what to do. Lucinda is with her in spirit and she tells Calexa that she needs to get a hold of her attorney. Calexa is afraid to contact him and doesn't know what to do so she turns to her only other friend, the care taker of the cemetery, Mr. Kelner. She meets his son Mason, and tells them both everything that happened. They both agree to help her, protect her anyway they can.

One evening while Calexa and Mason are sitting high up in a tree, watching to see what is going on around Lucinda's house, some street kids are hang around there and one of the kids takes out a syringe and Calexa has a flashback to her own memory, it is a short memory but it is her memory.

She attends Lucinda's funeral from a distance and she over hears Miranda, Lucinda's great-niece talking to the attorney, letting him know that she is not thrilled about someone else inheriting her aunt's house and belongings. Calexa wonders if it was Miranda that killed her friend and starts watching Miranda. Calexa is also shocked to over hear this conversation and to learn Lucinda left everything to her.

This second installment of this graphic novel does not disappoint. It's fast paced, the graphics are colorful and intertwines with the story line. By the end of the book, you wish you had the next installment so you can find out what happens.

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Review: The Pretenders

The Pretenders by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Cemetery Girl is a graphic novel. The story starts off with a young girl waking up in the cemetery, she has no recollection of who she is, or how she got there. She takes up sleeping in a crypt, while she figures out who she is and how she got there. She avoids contact with everybody. She gives herself the name Calexa Rose Dunhill, and finds a couple of people that takes pity on her, but does try to avoid them, one is the caretaker, Mr. Kelner and the other person is an old woman named Lucinda. Lucinda will leave out food for Calexa, clothes, blankets, she takes pity on the girl.

One night a young girl, Marla Vasquez is murdered and her ghost finds Calexa. She consumes Calexa's thoughts and shares her memories. Calexa, is confused as to why this ghost is showing her all her memories when she can't even remember who she herself is, and why someone left her for dead. But the ghost needs Calexa to help her to rest in peace, and the only way Marla will be able to do that is if Calexa solves her murder.

After reading Charlaine Harris books for years, I stumbled across this graphic novel of hers and decided to give it a go. I was surprised as to how much I enjoyed reading it. I did find that I was intrigued by Calexa and wanted to know more about her, and how she became known as the "ghost" of the cemetery. The graphics were good and went along with the story line nicely, they were colorful and well thought out. This is a very quick read but so enjoyable.

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Review: Dyeing Wishes

Dyeing Wishes by Molly MacRae
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Star review for Dyeing Wishes. This is the second book in the A Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery. The story continues on from where it left off in the first book. Kath Rutledge grandmother Ivy, left her her little knitting shop, and all of Ivy’s friends have become Kath’s new friends. Kath and her TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Fiber) knitters club go and visit their friend Debbie’s farm, where she has just had some baby lambs born, but they are also there to learn how to dye the wool. While they are out looking at the lambs, Kath can’t help but notice there are a lot of sheep huddled around one spot. When Kath takes a closure look, she discovers two dead bodies on Debbie’s land, and Debbie knows them.

Kath has every intention to leave the investigating to the police, namely Deputy Clod Dunbar, who still doesn’t seem nice and is more irritated by Kath and her “posse”, namely the members of TGIF, who encourage Kath to investigate so they can help their friend Debbie. When Deputy Clod gets under Kath’s skin, she gather’s her posse and start investigating on their own, with what they know. With the help of Kath’s ghost friend Geneva, who lives with Kath and will appear and talk to her at the most incontinent times, mainly when Kath is talking to another human.

Most of the characters are believable, but Geneva at times seems to be a little whinny, and almost childlike. Although the author has never said how old she actually is, one is led to believe that she is an adult, and very, very naive. The play between all the characters are starting to develop and you can almost see where the author is taking them. There still room for them all to develop more. I didn’t figure out who could of done the murder until I was almost two-thirds of the way done, but I did figure it out.

In the first book, the author tells you that the grandmother was a witch and that Kath was one also, but the author has elaborated on this any mean. It is mentioned one time in this installment and then nothing more. I don’t know if it will ever be fully explained or if the “Haunted” is going to be Geneva. I’ll have to continue on with the series to find out.

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Review: Night Watch

Night Watch by Iris Johansen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 star review for Iris and Roy Johansen’s new book Night Watch. First off I’d like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

If you have never read an Iris Johansen book, I must encourage you to read one. Ms. Johansen books will grab you by the seat of your pants and draw you into her character’s world. In this book her main character Kendra is one that you will be drawn to, she’s well developed as far as her character, her books are a page turner, fast pace, engaging, full of suspense, thriller, intrigue, heart – pounding, twist and turns, and will have you on the edge of your seat. You’re able to connect with the characters; you are able to feel everything they are feeling, from happiness, to shock, to anxiety. Ms. Johansen has this wonderful ability to keep the story going without losing the reader’s attention from beginning to end.

Kendra spent most of her life blind, but thanks to a revolutionary medical procedure which was developed by the Night Watch Project, she was given her sight. With her being able to see for the first time in her life and fully developed senses that she relied on when she was blind, Kendra has become one of the most sought after investigators from all over.

When Dr. Charles Waldrige, the doctor who is responsible for giving Kendra her eye sight back, comes to visit her, he is troubled. He can’t discuss what is bothering him with Kendra, and soon the doctor has disappeared. Kendra hires Adam Lynch, a government agent, to help her solve this case. Kendra and Adam follow their leads and clues to the mountains of California. They find the body of one of Dr. Waldridge’s associates that has been murder. This only makes Kendra more determine to find her friend, Waldridge.

Along the way, Kendra starts having all these feelings that she can’t control when Adam’s around. Adam has awakened another sense that she had never honed in on before. Although she needs Adam to help her with the investigation they soon discover something isn’t right with the Night Watch Project, which gave Kendra her sight back. Kendra must now uncover what the conspiracy is.


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Review: Murder in the Mystery Suite

Murder in the Mystery Suite by Ellery Adams
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars. For this being a first in a series, this one was actually really good! The author did a wonderful job on introducing her characters and throwing in a little at a time of their backstory here and there instead of spending most of the book telling it, along with getting to the murder. This is one series that will capture you before you’re done with chapter 3.

After her husband’s unexpected death, pregnant with twins, Jane Steward moves to live with her Aunt Octavia and Uncle Aloysius to the family owned resort, Storyton Hall, set in Virginia. Jane is the manager of this old house and it’s where her twin boys are born and grow up. Fast forward to 6 years later and Jane is still managing the resort, but the place just doesn’t have the guest to help with the up keep of the place, so Jane decides to host a Murder and Mayham weekend where the guest can be any of their favorite murder mystery characters from Miss Marpels, to Hercule Poirots’, to Ian Flemmings’ and a host of others.

Before the guest arrives Jane and the boys go into their quiet, sleepy little town to make some purchases. Jane hears a lot of noises and fears that her rambunctious twins are causing havoc. When she gets to where the commotion is coming from Jane sees a horse running away with its rider and a man on another horse trying to catch the runaway rider and horse. The doctor of the town calls Jane in to see if she might know the young lady and informs her that it appears she died of a heart attack.

Jane returns to Storyton to finish preparing for the guest to arrive. Once the guests arrive, she tells them of their plans of week-long events that they are welcome to enjoy as well as remaining in their characters. That evening, Jane kicks off the event with a Scavenger Hunt and hands each guest with their first clue. The winner is a gentleman who is dressed like Ian Flemmings and is award a book from Aunt Octavia’s collection. A couple of the guest try and buy the book from the winner but he refuses to part with it, then Jane’s twins coming running in the room to get her, Aunt Octavia has taken ill. Jane rushes to her aunt and she tells Jane she has to get the book back, she gave out the wrong one. Jane tries to reassure her aunt that she will do her best to get it back as she’s whisked off to the hospital with Uncle Aloysius right behind her along with Jane. Once at the hospital they find out Aunt Octavia has had a stroke and then tells Jane the family secret, they are the guardians of a secret library. But the secrets don’t stop there.

Jane returns to Storyton and finds the winner Ian Flemmings dead. It appears to be another heart attack victim. Jane gets involved in the investigation as she has a stake in it; she needs to save the reputation of the resort.


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A Charming Vodoo Review, and A Chance At a Prize!

What can I say about A Charming Voodoo by Tonya Kappes, but how fun this book was to read! Back to Whispering Falls we go where the whole town is a buzz for the upcoming All Hallow's Eve Event, and new shops are opening in town. 

June Heal and her husband Police officer, Oscar Parks have return to this magical town after their honeymoon to find their sleepy little, quiet town, town all a buzz with new folks from the neighboring town of Locust Grove.

June hears that her friends Colton and Ophelia have separated and she has closed her shop up. But that's just the beginning. Paddy Potter and his twin brother Porter Potter are running the Pumpkin Patch. When June over hears two different conversations between Porter and someone on the phone and then between him and Ophelia, June figures nothing good will come out of these.  

Later that night Porter Potter is found dead in the pumpkin patch and there is a list of suspects from Colton to Ophelia, to Paddy himself. But in order to help her friends clear them name June jumps in to help solve the murder. 

If you haven't read one of these charming books in this series, I highly recommend you do. This series is a fast, fun entertaining read. The characters seem more like friends to you when you read, and you can't help make make your own comments to them out loud. 

A now for a fun giveaway, answer the question below for you  to win of a free audio book from the Magical Cures Mystery Series audio series picked by Tonya Kappes. Leave a comment so that you're entered


Find the answer on here: http://www.tonyakappes.com/



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Charming Vodoo Review, and A Chance At a Prize!

What can I say about A Charming Voodoo by Tonya Kappes, but how fun this book was to read! Back to Whispering Falls we go where the whole town is a buzz for the upcoming All Hallow's Eve Event, and new shops are opening in town. 

June Heal and her husband Police officer, Oscar Parks have return to this magical town after their honeymoon to find their sleepy little, quiet town, town all a buzz with new folks from the neighboring town of Locust Grove.

June hears that her friends Colton and Ophelia have separated and she has closed her shop up. But that's just the beginning. Paddy Potter and his twin brother Porter Potter are running the Pumpkin Patch. When June over hears two different conversations between Porter and someone on the phone and then between him and Ophelia, June figures nothing good will come out of these.  

Later that night Porter Potter is found dead in the pumpkin patch and there is a list of suspects from Colton to Ophelia, to Paddy himself. But in order to help her friends clear them name June jumps in to help solve the murder. 

If you haven't read one of these charming books in this series, I highly recommend you do. This series is a fast, fun entertaining read. The characters seem more like friends to you when you read, and you can't help make make your own comments to them out loud. 

A now for a fun giveaway, answer the question below for you to win a free audio book from the Magical Cures Mystery Series audio series picked by Tonya Kappes. Leave a comment so that you're entered.


Find the answer on here: http://www.tonyakappes.com/



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Daughter of Time

The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alan Grant an Inspector with Scotland Yard is laid up in the hospital and board out of his mind. In pass the time he see a picture of Richard III, the king who historian's believe had his two nephews killed in the tower in order to secure the crown for himself. It's been more hearsay that he was involved, there was never any real proof that Richard killed his nephews himself or had someone else do it, because that's one mystery that's never been proven, until now, by Inspector Alan Grant.

Grant approaches this mystery like any investigation, he looks for facts, interviews people, but in this case, there's no one alive that he can talk to to get more leads. However, he does do a lot of research of older books, talk to history buffs, and gather's as much information as he can mustard.

The reason I wanted to read this book was that I heard it was one of the best mysteries ever written. I was very much engrossed in this book and I will say, I do agree that it was one of the best mysteries I ever read. Tey wrote a golden age detective story that adheres to all the rules of how you must create believable characters and entice your readers... and she did it with a real event, that everyone learns about at school.

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A Charming Voodoo Blog Tour

Hello everyone! I have been given the honor to participate in Tonya Kappes's Southern Mystery Blog Tour. If you haven't read any of her books, well.... I forgive you! Seriously, if you haven't read any one of her series, I highly suggest that you check them out. Make sure you also go and visit the daily blogs and enter for your chance to win prizes. Please make sure you read carefully what is being asked from you and when the drawing will take place, and then be sure to come back to my blog on Monday, October 10 and enter here, as well as check out what is going on my blog that day.

Let's get this tour started!!!!!!!!!!

Sept 26~ Lisa K's Book Review

9/27~Dig the Reviews

9/28~A Cup of Tea

9/29~Booth Talks Books

9/30~Community Book Stop

10/1~Yaritza Book Group Facebook

10/1~ Girl with Book Lungs

10/2~Bab's Book Bistro

10/3~Melissa's Mocha, Mysteries, and Meows

10/4~Tonya's blog 

10/5~Mystery Reading Nook

10/6~Life with Arielle

10/6~ MJB Reviewers

10/6~ Granny Loves to Read

10/7~Polished Nails and Puppy Dog Tales

​10/7~ A Girl and her Ebooks

10/8~Cozy Up With Kathy

10/9~Brooke's Blog

10/9~The Books The Thing

10/10~Books, Coffee, and My Dog

10/10 Bibliophile Reviews

10/11~Books, Movies, Reviews Oh My!

10/12~Shelley's Book Case

10/13~Killer Characters

10/14~Sharon Reads

10/15-White Pine Cozy Mystery

10/15~I wished I lived in a Library

10/16~Homeschool n' stuff

10/17~Sleuth Cafe

10/18~Wilovebooks

10/18~Bookish Smart

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Charming-Voodoo-Magical-Cures-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01IDXN09I/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1475000474&sr=1-1&keywords=a+charming+voodoo

Author Links:

Twitter: twitter.com/tonyakappes11

Facebook: facebook.com/authortonyakappes

Website: tonyakappes.com
Blog – http://tonyakappes.blogspot.com/
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4423580.Tonya_Kappes

Review: Whitehall - Episode 6: "Divine Passion"

Whitehall - Episode 6: "Divine Passion" by Mary Robinette Kowal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Star review for Whitehall – Episode 6, Divine Passion. I’d like to than Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Picking up where episode 5 left off in this saga in the lives of King Charles II and Queen Catherine. If you haven’t read the previous five books, I would highly recommend you do. These are short little books that are written by different authors, but are brought together as through it’s written by one author. These are books are great for people that are short on time but want to get some reading in and if you love historical fiction this is a series for you.

In this episode the focus is on Jenny, the little servant girl who connects with Catherine. Jenny wants to see the queen rise to her full potential and will help her do so. Also Charles and Catherine’s relationship is still growing, all the while his young mistress Barbara is still very much present and her jealousy and self-centerness is still fully present. Barbara will stop at nothing to get Charles all to herself. Catherine is trying hard to make her relationship work with Charles and finally gets some much needed success as she puts mistress Barbara in her place.


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Review: The City Baker's Guide to Country Living

The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Star review for Louise Miller’s The city Baker’s Guide to Country Living. I’d like to than Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The main character Livvy is a pastry chef living in Boston. She works in a club, has a boyfriend that’s married, she has abandonment issues, and when things starts getting to tough for her, she’s does the thing she does best and that’s to run away from her problems. One night while working at the club, she’s bakes an Baked Alaska, and in the process catch’s the club on fire. As her true nature comes out when things happen and she doesn’t want or know how to deal with them, she runs to her best friend Hannah, who lives in this picture perfect Vermont town. Once there Livvy takes a job at Sugar Maple B & B. She starts making friends, enjoying her life and for the first time puts down roots in this small town and for once in her life feels like she has a place to call home.

Livvy’s journey is warmhearted, fun, tricky, and at times very humorous. The author did a wonderful job of creating the characters that were easy to connect with. She brought them to life as though they are real a person instead of just character’s in a book. The descriptions of the town and the smells are as through you can actually see them and smell them. One thing I would say is that I probably gained twenty pounds just reading this book when she described the food or mentioned it, so I would suggest you have a snack at your ready while reading this books, it will make you hungry, also it wouldn’t hurt to have some tissues next to you as well, there are some tear-jerker parts in the book. The pace of the book was a nice reading pace, one to where you wanted to keep reading and not miss a second of the book.

For this being a debut novel, it happens to be one of the best debut novels that I’ve read this year. I would encourage people to go out and purchase this book and just have a fun time reading it. It’s well worth it.


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Review: Silk Stalkings

Silk Stalkings by Diane Vallere
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What can I say about this book, from the cover which is a perfect fit to the story, to the colors that are blinding, but really makes this a pretty cover, to the story, then the mystery, even the main character’s real name will make you smile, Polyester Monroe, to the author, all are really good.

Silk Stalkings is the third book in the Material Witness Mysteries. If you haven’t read the first two, you won’t have any problems reading this one first and then going back and reading the other two in the series, but I do highly recommend you read this series, it is such a delightful read, you can’t help but smile while you read this book and get to know the characters.

The book takes place in San Ladron. Poly (Polyster) Monroe owns a material shop. She helps her friend Genevieve turn her little tea shop into a Midnight in Paris theme using fabric’s from her store. After she closes up the shop for her friend she strolls over to Waverly House to see the gardens. Later that night she is asked to help with the Miss Tangorli pageant, by helping the girls choose fabrics and designs their gowns. Her and Vaughn, her on/off boyfriend sees Harvey Halliwell owner of the Citrus King talking to a strange man, things seem to be getting heated between them. Next thing they know, Halliwell is found dead, and Poly goes into her investigation mode, to try and solve who killed him.

Poly has one other thing that she does do in this book that doesn’t involve a crime, but she tries to figure out who the mystery man is in her friend Charlie’s life. Charlie is Vaughn’s sister that was given up for adoption. She claims she wants nothing to do with her birth family, but then acts like she’s mad about not having money and has to work as a mechanic. She seems to have a bitter taste in her mouth and that didn’t settle with me in the book. I found that Charlie was my only complaint about this book.

Other than not liking Charlie I found that I loved everything else about the book, right up to the end. I enjoyed getting to know the character; the mystery had me guessing the whole time, and felt as though I was being pulled into the book.

I would like to thank the author Diane Vallere for allowing me to read this book for exchange for my honest review.



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Review: Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden

Agatha Raisin and the Witch of Wyckhadden by M.C. Beaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 Star Reviews. Agatha is back only this time she heads to a vacation spot for some R & R and also to hide from those that know her, because she has lost her hair! She hears of a “witch” that has a potion for everything you would need, so off she goes to get something for her hair to be back, while in the shop she also picks up some lover potion. Soon after she makes her purchase, the “witch” is found dead. And our beloved Agatha can’t keep her nose out of trouble, and she is dying to try out her love potion on a very handsome police officer.

I love reading books by English mystery writers, as they develop the stories a little bit more differed than American writers. I love how they use their words for the same meaning as we do. Both of M.C. Beaton’s series are a joy to escape reality by, but this one to me was a little slow, and although I liked it, I didn’t enjoy it as much, I had some problems getting lost in the story that normally is easy to do. With this book being # 9 in the series, ( get it she bought love potion and it’s # 9 in the series…lol..)I would recommend you start with book 1 in the series and read them in order. This is a fun series to read and most of the books are very enjoyable.


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Review: Magnolia Moonlight

Magnolia Moonlight by Mary Ellis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars. I’d like to first think NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve read by Mary Ellis, and I will say I do enjoy discovering new authors. After reading Magnolia Moonlight, I will be reading more from this author. The title of this book is what drew me to it. I felt that it was fate that I should read this book because one of my dogs’ registered name is Lavender Moonlight & Magnolia, although the title is reversed from her name I took it as a good sign that I needed to read this book, and boy was I right.

Apparently, this book is part of a series, but I didn’t feel lost or confused because the book seemed like it could be read as a stand-alone. One thing that is important to me when reading a book is how the characters are develop, will I like them, Mary Ellis did exactly that by creating entertaining, relatable, down to earth characters. They could be seen as friends, co-workers, neighbors, acquaintances from your neighborhood or local grocery store. The plot was pretty good, the story moved along at a steady pace, one that you didn’t feel that you had to rush through but could sit and enjoy as you forgot about the day’s events that happened in your life that day and just needed to escape reality for a few hours.

Nate Price and his wife, Isabelle, have been married for two years and they are just now taking their honeymoon. While Nate and his wife are away, Natchez will be in the capable hands of Beth Kirby, a former police officer and Michael Preston, the newest person to come aboard. Beth has had some bad luck in the past, which in return made her life miserable, which you can see in her character, which at first I didn’t think I would like her, but by the end I was able to understand why she is the way she is and saw some changes in her.

The wife of Beth’s pastor has hired the P.I.’s to help prove her husband’s innocents. The pastor has been accused of stealing money from one of the church’s funds and commits suicide. Both Beth and Michael go to work to help figure this out. While they look into the church’s accounts, check emails, and talk to people they soon discover the pastor didn’t commit suicide at all, but he was murdered.

Meanwhile, Nate and Isabelle are off on their honeymoon when Isabelle sees her ex-husband, who has a gambling problem. When Isabelle calls his second wife, she learns that her ex-husband has left his second wife and she is devastated by this. Isabelle decides to find out what is going on in her ex-husbands life that he would do this again to another.
I did enjoy this book and I hope other’s will give it chance.


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Review: Lethal Letters

Lethal Letters by Ellery Adams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 star review. The sixth installment of Ellery Adams A Books By the Bay Mystery series is another wonderful book in the series. I think the one thing that I like about the series is that the town and the people in it seems to live in the real world. It’s not a pretty, peppy, sunshine and unicorn. The characters seem like normal people that get mad, angry, and happy, say it like it is. You’re able to connect to the characters as those they were you’re neighbors, friends, acquaintances, and how can you go wrong when the heroin has a standard poodle named Haviland!

It’s a busy time in Oyster Bay, the tourist are in full, Michele, Olivia’s chef at the restaurant is busy planning his wedding, and driving Olivia and the staff crazy, the historical society’s annual fund-raiser: the Secret Garden Party and Candlelit Ball, and another wedding on the horizon. Then when Michele asks Olivia to accompany her to check out one of the oldest churches in Oyster Bay, where Michele is thinking about having his wedding, they witness the discovery of a time capsule in the foundation, which the workers discover. The historical society has decided that the time capsule will be on display at the fund raiser. Meanwhile, things go missing from the capsule and Haviland discovers the body of Ruthie Holcomb, while Olivia and her niece are walking him on the beach. So once again, with the help of Olivia’s aspiring writer club members, they start investigating on their own….to help the police chief of course.

If you haven’t read any of the books in this series I highly recommend that you start with the first book in the series A Killer Plot, as it introduces the main character’s that go from book to book to book. It will also show you the growth of Olivia, which you’ll understand in the first book and see her progress in the books that follow. This is a wonderful , enjoyable series, the writing is good, the plots are interesting, and the books move at a good pace, but be warned, once you read the first book, you’ll get hooked!


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