The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston review

Title:  The Dead Romantics

Author:  Ashley Poston

Ch: 39 plus epilogue 

Genre:  Rom Com

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

This was the perfect fall rom com. That gave me a little bit Casper and Wednesday Addams vibes. But grownups. Florence Day is the daughter of the town funeral director, and she sees ghosts. Which is part of the reason she hasn’t been in a decade.

This one gave me Hallmark movie vibes but with ghosts. It was a sweet read as Florence learns who she is and what she wants in life.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

 

Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond review

Title:  Death in Castle Dark

Author:  Veronica Bond

Ch: 20

Pg:  270

Series: A Dinner and a Murder Mystery

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

Death in Castle Dark is the first book in A Dinner and a Murder Mystery series by Veronica Bond. Veronica is a new to me author, but I was the setting of a murder mystery dinner show in a castle had me wanting to read it.   I love murder mystery dinner theater. However, Nora Blake who's new to group discovers a real body on one of the dinner nights and has a real fright.  But in the process discovers that gardener     John Dahiell or Dash isn't a gardener but a police detective there on an unrated case.   Nora doesn't want to get involved but when it becomes clear that it is indeed one of the members of the group, she become determined to find the killer for her own piece of mind. and before she becomes the next victim. 

 

I loved this one, the pacing for the mystery was prefect. And Hamlet the dog along with three kittens named after the Bronte sisters stole the book.   And the Dinner mystery theater was new and something I hadn't seen in cozy mysteries before or books in general. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series as well   as other books by the author. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher a part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Death of a Red-Hot Rancher by Mimi Granger review

 Title:  Death of a Red-Hot Rancher

 Author:  Mimi Granger

Ch: 23

Pg:  388

Series: A Love is Murder series

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

Death of Red-Hot rancher is the first book in the A Love Is Murder Series by Mimi Granger. Lizzie Hale runs a romance bookstore but that's as close to romance as some comes. To reading about it in books because she doesn't have luck in real life. However, she never thought she find herself in the middle of murder investigation.  But when the town's hottest bachelor and ladies’ man is the victim, she finds herself involved simply to keep her aunt from becoming the prime suspect.  Lizzie being close to her cousin Josh almost like siblings reminded me of my own relationship with my cousin Matt.   The bookstore setting was nice, but it was the whole setting of the book and the hint of romance just added to the story. I look forward to the next book in the series.  I do caution readers who don't like romance in their cozies to know that going into this one that there are hints of romance.  

 

 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

 

The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson review

 Title:  The Last Chance Library

 Author:  Freya Sampson

Ch: 38

Pg:  336

Genre:  Contemporary

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

I loved this women's fiction debut novel by Freya Sampson June is a character that is easy to relate to.  And not since reading Matilda as a kid have a related to a book worm in the pages of a book as I did with Lucy.  Though I do think a big part because like June I am too a library assistant who lost her mother as well.  Though the book starts off a little sad it quickly picks up as you meet a whole cast of quirky characters. Characters that you would indeed find in a real-life library.  Each of the patrons of the library in the book are the types of people real librarians' and library assistant’s encounter on a daily bases. 

 

I finished the book in the course of two days because I wanted to find out what happened with June, the library patrons and the library.  The ending was bittersweet but to me the ending was perfect for the book. The Last Chance Library was awesome debut novel and look forward to future books from the author. 

 

 

 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

 

Big Little Spies by Krista Davis review

 Title:  Big Little Spies

Author: Krista Davis

Chapters: 37

Pages: 304 

Series: A Paws and Claws Mystery book 7

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

Big Little Spies is the 7th book in the A Paws and Claws mystery series by Krista Davis. Holly, and her canine and feline mystery solving partners Trixie and Twinkle Toes are back again for another mystery. And Trixie the dog has a bit a reputation because of a nose that sniffs out dead bodies, and her nose has never been wrong before. Even though just once Holly wants it to be wrong. I have to say that this one was my favorite of the series so far.  Slight spoiler Do in part to the cover that is actually a scene in the book and having the cover be that seen made it even cuter. Trixie who's a dog basically acts likes she's a really bad date with another dog. And to me it just adds to the story and shows the reader more of Trixie's personality.  And as always I look forward to the next book in the series. 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Paris is Always a Good Idea

Title:  Paris is Always a Good Idea

Author:  Jenn McKinlay 

Ch: 26 plus epilogue

Pg:  334

Genre:  Women’s Fiction

Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher:  Berkeley 

 

I normally don’t like chick lit and main stream women’s fiction but this one stood out to me and I really stood out to me and the main character of Chelsea was easy to relate to. It’s been a few since Chelsea lost her mom and she finds it hard to move on since losing her. She doesn’t know who she is anymore. So she decides to recreate her year aboard by going to Ireland, France and Italy. Hoping to find herself again.

Chelsea’s easy to relate to anyone who’s lost a parent and the pain that goes with it. As well as the fears and worries that one has involving the remaining parent.

But more than anything is a story of a young woman finding out who she is and who she loves. Though there is a few steamy scenes and language it’s still a good read. That I think would make a good movie.

Haunted Homicide review

Title:  Haunted Homicide

Author:  Lucy Ness

Ch: 23

Pg:  294

Series: A Haunted Mansion Mystery

Genre:  Cozy Mystery 

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

Avery Morgan is now the manager of the Portage Path Women’s club. What she didn’t know was that less than twenty four hours on the job she finds a dead body and a possible murder. As well as discovering that the club is haunted by Clemmie Bow a flapper from the 1920s.

I generally don’t like cozy mysteries with ghosts in them but for some reason I enjoyed this one and I think it’s because the ghost was a woman from the 1920s and she brought some of that twenties feel to the story with the language and her use of twenties slang.

I love the main character Avery she was a strong heroine and it was a cozy mystery in which the heroine wasn’t a suspect for long. The only thing I didn’t like about the mystery was that I figured out who did it before the end mainly to me it was because it was easy to see who had the most motive and most to loss. But still an enjoyable read I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

Murder on Pleasant Avenue

Title:  Murder on Pleasant Avenue 

Author:  Victoria Thompson

 Ch: 15

 Pg:  324

 Series: A Gaslight Mystery book 23

 Genre:  Historical Mystery

 Rating: 4 Stars

 Publisher:  Berkeley

 

Nurse on Pleasant Avenue is the 23rd book in the A Gaslight mystery series by Victoria Thompson. An historical mystery series set in New York at the turn of the 19th century into the 20th century. Though each mystery is a standalone it’s best to read the series in order otherwise you miss out on the relationships that develop throughout the series.

This one was one of my favorite books in the series. And I was thrilled that something happened that I was hoping would happen since at least book 16. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

Mousse and Murder review

Title: Mousse and Murder

Author:  Elizabeth Logan

Ch: 38

Pg: 304

Series:  Alaskan Dinner Mystery book 1

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher:  Berkeley

Mousse and Murder is the first book in the Alaskan Dinner Mystery by Elizabeth Logan. It was also my first cozy mystery set in Alaska. I loved the small town Alaska setting and meeting all the characters especially Eggs Benedict Benny for short Charlie’s cat.

Dinner owner and chef Charlie Cooke finds herself involved in a murder mystery when her head chef is killed and is considered a suspect. She teams up with newspaper reporter Chris Doucette to find the real killer and clean her name.

This was a fairly quick read and I enjoyed the banter between the two main characters and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and other books by this author.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.