Dec 31, 2020

Chilled to the Cone by Ellie Alexander

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Chilled to the Cone" the 12th instalment in the A Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander.


Pastry chef and amateur sleuth Juliet Capshaw finds herself on thin ice as she attempts to solve her latest case of small-town murder in Ellie Alexander's Chilled to the Cone: A Bakeshop Mystery.

The deep freeze has thawed in Ashland, Oregon and Torte is gearing up for a busy spring. When a surprise opportunity to launch a pop-up ice cream shop comes her way, Jules jumps at the chance to showcase Torte’s signature iced drinks and cold custards. But selling the desserts of her dreams comes at a price. . .and, before she knows it, Jules’s life swirls into a nightmare. One of the town’s most colorful characters, a street performer known for wearing capes and a cone-shaped hat, turns up dead just as Torte 2.0 is set to open its doors. Can Jules get the scoop on what happened to “The Wizard” of Ashland before her new business venture reaches a chilling conclusion?

I really enjoyed this story, the whole spring time vibe and how it brings new beginnings.  I liked that Carlos was there and Jules was trying to figure out where they are in their marriage. There were other new beginnings in the book but i wont get into those and spoil it for you.  Needless to say I cant wait for the next book.  I liked hearing about the railway district and what it has to offer to the whole small town feel.    

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and there were just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing.   Don’t get me started on the descriptions of all the desserts, drinks and food , I think I gained 15lbs just thinking about them. I like that recipes are included in back of the book too 

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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Dec 29, 2020

Closely Harbored Secrets by Bree Baker

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Closely Harbored Secrets the 5th instalment in the A Seaside Cafe Mystery Series by Bree Baker.  I loved visiting Charm, NC over my Christmas holidays! I wasn’t disappointed either another great instalment to the series.


Could this be the bitter end for Everly?

It's almost Halloween, and the small island of Charm, North Carolina is decked out for the festivities. When Everly Swan agrees to close her iced tea shop early to help her aunts host their annual haunted historic walking tour, she expects some good-natured spooks. But the night turns grave when one of the ghostly actors is found dead. To complicate matters, the victim scratched Everly's name into the ground before she died, making her a key suspect.

Everly's potential boo, Detective Grady, takes the case—and he definitely doesn't want her getting involved. But Everly doesn't have much of a choice when a phantom sailor straight out of local legend starts leaving her threatening messages... With a local election under way, ghosts on the loose, and a search for long-lost buried treasure, Everly can't help but stir the pot!

The fifth book in Bree Baker's acclaimed Seaside Café Mystery series, Closely Harbored Secrets is a frighteningly fun read!

This time it’s all about secrets and maps as Everly tries to solve the murder before someone takes her out.  One of my favourite things about the books is the sense of family, friendship and how the community comes together and rallies behind the aunts.  I love Everly’s aunts and Amelia, I was a little worried we were in for a love triangle but the ending was a nice surprise. 

I love Lou and Maggie her adopted pets which play a big role this time and we learn more about the people they are named after.   

I didnt suspect who the killer was until Everly did, as there were just enough red herrings and twists and turns to keep me enthralled and guessing. 

I cannot recommend this series enough!


I requested and received an Advanced Readers Copy from Poison Pen Press and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dec 28, 2020

Egg Shooters by Laura Childs

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Egg Shooters " the 9th instalment in the "Cackleberry Club" Mystery series by Laura Childs. It has been awhile since I read the series having only read up to book 6, but I really enjoyed visiting Kindred and the Cackleberry Club Cafe again.

A murder in the local hospital is raising everyone's temperature in the latest book in the New York Times bestselling Cackleberry Club series.
     
Suzanne Dietz, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club Café, is visiting her fiancé, Dr. Sam Hazelet, when a masked gunman bursts into the emergency room. He shoots two people and would probably have done more damage had Suzanne not brained him with a thermos full of chili. Still, the gunman manages to escape.

Now the ladies of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he finds them.
The story starts off with a bang literally, with the shooting at the hospital, I think with everything that’s been happening in the America right now some aspects of the book could unsettle some folk. It touches on PTSD as well as drug addiction but not in any great detail.  

Now with that all said I did really enjoy this story, and it has made me want to catch up on the series.  The mystery is interesting and well plotted, and I loved the characters which are well developed, I especially love the dynamics between  Suzanne, Toni and Petra as they are so different from each other but meld perfectly together.

I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit, I did suspect the killer for a quick second then thought no way.  I also suspected the getaway vehicle from the beginning and was why aren’t they thinking of this.  

Now I loved the recipes that are included in the back of the book.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dec 26, 2020

The Broken Spine by Dorothy St. James

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "The Broken Spine" the first instalment in the "A Beloved Bookroom" Mystery series by Dorothy St. James .  OMG what a great start to a wonderful cozy mystery series!  I just loved this book.

When small-town assistant librarian Tru Beckett sets up a secret book room in her newly modernized library, she discovers that protecting the printed word is harder than she’d ever imagined. In fact, it’s murder.

Trudell Becket, known to her friends as Tru, finds herself in a bind when her library in lovely Cypress, South Carolina, is turned into a state-of-the-art bookless “technological center.” A library with no books breaks Tru’s book-loving heart so she decides to rescue hundreds of beloved tomes slated for the town dump. Under the cover of darkness, Tru, along with her best friends—coffee shop owner Tori Green and mysterious bestselling author Flossie Finnegan-Baker—set up a secret bookroom in the library’s basement and prepare to open it to their most loyal, trustworthy patrons.

But as Tru and her crew are putting the finishing touches on their new book room, the town manager, who was behind the big push for the library’s transformation, is crushed by an overturned shelf of DVDs. Tru becomes the prime suspect as she hadn’t hid the fact that she hated having all of those wonderful books replaced by tablets and computers. But if she gives the police her alibi, she’ll have to explain about the secret book room and risk losing the books.

Tru knows she’s in a heap of trouble, and it doesn’t help that the officer in charge of the case is her old crush from high school, who broke her teenaged heart. To keep herself out of jail and her beloved bookroom up and running, Tru—with the help of Tori, Flossie, and a brown tabby stray cat named Dewey Decimal—decides to investigate. And faster than you can say “Shhhh!” Tru quickly finds herself on the same page with a killer who would love to write her final chapter. . . .

I really enjoyed this story, there was humor, murder and a cat.  What’s not to like!   I read almost in one sitting but finally succumbed to sleep with only a  few chapters left.  

The mystery moved at a good pace, was interesting and I thought well plotted. I loved the characters living in Cypress South Carolina especially Tru and BFF Tori Green and mysterious bestselling author Flossie Finnegan-Baker.  I did suspect whodunnit fairly early but was never 100% sure. 

Overall I found it to be a very entertaining read and I’m looking forward to book two to find out what Tru does with  Dewey and the bookroom.

I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends. 


I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Berkley and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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Dec 25, 2020

A Call for Kelp By Bree Baker

Hello my cozy friends,

Merry Christmas!
Today I am reviewing A Call for Kelp the 4th instalment in the A Seaside Cafe Mystery Series by Bree Baker.  For those that know me or see my Facebook feed you will know that I dream of living by the sea! You will also know I’m a huge fan girl of this author and love ALL of her cozy series! 


It's sink or swim for Everly with her most bizarre case yet!

Everly Swan is busy as a bee running her beachside iced tea shop, and the small island of Charm, North Carolina is abuzz-Mitzi Calgon, an iconic Hollywood actress, is in town! Everly's great-aunts are making a documentary about beekeeping and Mira has agreed to help. But when the actress turns up dead, reporters and fans swarm the island, muddying the water and disrupting the peaceful lives of the townspeople.

Everly's never been good at minding her own beeswax, so she starts following her own leads and combing through the evidence. Then there's the mystery of Detective Hays-ever since their kiss under the mistletoe, he's been acting distant. And he's annoyingly determined to keep Everly away from the case. But when she receives a cryptic warning to "Bee Careful", Everly realizes that she's gotten herself into a really sticky situation...

I fall more in love with this series with each new book. This time it’s all about the honey bees as a documentary is being filmed around her aunts and the honeybees.  It’s sad that Mitzi died before Everly was able to really talk to her, find out who her grandfather was but I’m hoping the letters will help.

The more I read the series the more I want to go to the outerbanks, North Carolina.  The setting is so peaceful except the murders that keep happening.  I love Lou and Maggie her adopted pets that seem to of come with the old Victorian.  I liked how Denise, Ryan and Wyatt are becoming part of Everlys inner circle besides her aunts, Amelia and Grady.

I did suspect the killer a few times but then was like nah, as there were just enough red herrings and twists and turns to keep me enthralled and guessing. 

I have owned the book for almost a year and only read now for some reason, but I’m starting book 5 tonight without any break between books ...

I cannot recommend this series enough!


I purchased the above book from Amazon and All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dec 23, 2020

Miracles in Wild Rose Bay (Sandy Cove Book 6) by Susanne O'Leary

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Miracles in Wild Rose Bay (Sandy Cove Book 6) by Susanne O'Leary.  I dont usually read Romance books but lately I like taking a break from mysteries and reading one.  After reading this I will definitely read her earlier books in this series. 


A truly unforgettable Irish romance set on the shores of the Wild Atlantic Way.

Arriving in Sandy Cove to views of the shimmering ocean, Tara O’Rourke is excited to get to work. She’s been sent from New York City to take photos of Ireland for a travel magazine, and she knows the perfect area to visit: the mysterious, picturesque Wild Rose Bay.

Staying in her sister Kate’s sweet little cottage, the long nights and beach strolls inspire Tara. But Kate isn’t pleased with Tara’s assignment: she doesn’t want the untouched beauty of the area spoiled by tourists. And when Tara ignores Kate and heads out on her own, she encounters more opposition from Kate’s handsome friend Mick O’Dwyer.

Despite their differences, Tara soon finds herself captivated by Mick, and as he helps her research the area, they uncover a tumbledown farmhouse that holds a secret about Tara’s family. Soon Tara is forced to make a choice: should she give up her story and the career she’s always wanted, or the man and the country she’s falling in love with?

The ultimate escape to beautiful Ireland. Totally captivating from the first page to the last, Miracles in Wild Rose Bay is perfect for fans of Sheila O’Flanagan, Debbie Macomber and Mary Alice Monroe.

I was captivated right from the beginning, I love books set in Ireland and the country does lend itself to romance as well as heartache.  The descriptions of the Irish countryside and the sea had me picturing it in my mind, which i always find as a good thing.  

I found the characters of Kate and Tara to be wonderful as well as the side characters of Cormac  and Mick.   I liked how the girls were determined to find out why their great grandpa left Sandy cove and Riverside farm.   What a great escape on a snow day curled up with hot cocoa and dreaming far off Ireland. It’s left we wanting to know what happens to them next ...


I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Bookouture and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Dec 22, 2020

One Poison Pie by Lynn Cahoon

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "One Poison Pie" the first instalment in the "Kitchen Witch" Mystery series by Lynn Cahoon.


New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lynn Cahoon launches a sparkling new series featuring Mia Malone, a kitchen witch who's starting over in her grandmother's Idaho hometown of Magic Springs, where the use of magic is an open secret and murder is on the menu...

What's a kitchen witch to do when her almost-fiancé leaves her suddenly single and unemployed? For Mia Malone, the answer's simple: move to her grandmother's quirky Idaho hometown, where magic is an open secret and witches and warlocks are (mostly) welcome. With a new gourmet dinner delivery business--and a touch of magic in her recipes--Mia's hopes are high. Even when her ex's little sister, Christina, arrives looking for a place to stay, Mia takes it in stride.

But her first catering job takes a distasteful turn when her client's body is found, stabbed and stuffed under the head table. Mia's shocked to learn that she's a suspect--and even more so when she realizes she's next on a killer's list. With Christina, along with Mia's meddling grandma, in the mix, she'll have to find out which of the town's eccentric residents has an appetite for murder...before this fresh start comes to a sticky end...

I loved visiting Magic Springs, Idaho again and catching up with Mia, Grans and Christina! I found myself engrossed in the story and really enjoying the  new side characters of Trent and James. It was entertaining, full of twists and turns that kept me guessing till the very end.

I cant wait to see what happens next for Mia and her friends.  I am sad I have to wait till July 2021 to read Book 2  "Two Wicked Desserts"

I highly recommend this new series to all my cozy loving friends.

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from Kensington Books and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.


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Dec 21, 2020

Ropes, Riddles & Robberies by Tonya Kappes

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Ropes, Riddles & Robberies" the 15th instalment in the "Camper & Criminals “ Mystery series by Tonya Kappes. 


Solving murders come easy for Mae West and the Laundry Club Ladies. Trying to solve a cold case is proving a bit challenging.
Mae has been having memories about the house fire that killed her family, leaving her orphaned.

As a child she couldn't do much to prove the fire wasn't an accident, but as an adult and with a group of friends to help, Mae is on the case to put the clues of the past together to bring out the truth.

Their investigation heats up making this cold case come to a rolling boil!

I really enjoyed this instalment in the Camper & Criminals Cozy Mystery series. I love Mae and the small town of Normal Kentucky but this time we are in Perrysburg, Kentucky.   I am battling a sinus cold and needed an escape for few hours, so picked up Tonya’s book lol I ended up reading almost the whole night as I wanted to know what happened to Mae’s parents.

This mystery had a few suspects to choose from the Burkfields, robbers, other miners and I didn’t figure it out till just before Mae!  I did suspect who but once again there were enough red herrings to change my mind. Now I am hoping we hear more about a few of the characters in Perrysburg, like Jami, and Kenny Jolly...

Also I wondering if Bobby Ray has a daughter he doesn’t know about ...

If your looking for a fun, southern mystery then this is your book!

I requested and received an Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my OWN.


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Dec 20, 2020

Dropping Like Pies By Chelsea Thomas

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing Dropping like Pies 
book 11 in the ”Apple Orchard Cozy Mystery” series by Chelsea Thomas. I love spending time in Pine Grove, NY. with Miss May, Chelsea and Teeny!

One more murder.

One more killer.

One more case to solve.

Dropping Like Pies is a cozy mystery masterpiece of comedy, suspense and intrigue. The best new cozy of the year, from the hottest new author.

Yes, someone drops a pie.

And clues are dropped like breadcrumbs through the small town of Pine Grove. 

Lucky for everyone, Miss May is a former lawyer with a finely tuned ear for truth. May knows that truth reveals all. And she pursues justice at all costs.

May’s best friend Teeny is a chihuahua who thinks she’s a pit bull. The lady has lots of bark. Plenty of bite. And somehow she survives on a diet of cake and sprinkles. 

Chelsea is the quiet weirdo. 

Every crew has one.

But Chelsea has more suitors than she can handle. There’s a hunky detective. And an eccentric boyfriend. They’re both cute, in different ways, and they both want the best for Chelsea.

But all she wants is to solve this murder!

Who was buried on the orchard? Why were they killed? And what are our girls going to do about it?

You’ll love this cozy because everyone loves suspenseful mysteries wit

I enjoyed this latest instalment in the series, the characters are well-developed and we continue to learn a little bit more about each of them. My favourites are still Teeny, aunt May and Chelsea.  There is no longer a love triangle with Germany and Wayne thankfully. 

The mystery was a continuation of the last and has plenty of twists and turns that you are keep you guessing. I continue to enjoy this cozy mystery series. I find them to be entertaining and the plot moves at a steady pace that keeps you engaged. 


I can’t wait for the next instalment to find out!


I highly recommend this book/series. It can easily stand alone but I recommend you read the series from the beginning.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

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Dec 17, 2020

Cadaver on Candy Cane Lane (Christmas Village Cozy #1) by Leighann Dobbs

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "Cadaver on Candy Cane Lane" the first instalment in the "Christmas Village" Mystery series by Leighann Dobbs.

When Ember Quinn visits Christmas Village to assist her elderly great-aunt Phoebe in the holiday chocolate-making tasks, the last thing she expects is for an elf to get murdered at their back door.

She soon discovers that toy-making elf, Alfie Svenson, was up to no good. Not only that, but he had a mysterious accomplice. Too bad Ember suspects that accomplice might be Phoebe.

With the reluctant help of Brimstone the snarky cat, Ember must dodge lying elves, creepy snowmen, unfriendly reindeer, an angry toy factory manager, and a sleigh-transportation boss who might be involved in organized crime in order to find the real killer.

This humorous Christmas cozy mystery novella features Ember Quinn and Brimstone from Leighann Dobbs’s Silver Hollow series in a twisty, old-fashioned whodunit in a warm and cozy Christmas village setting.

I enjoyed this cute Christmas novella and the idea behind a year round Christmas village that has elves, talking reindeer, and other fun things.  This story featured Ember Quinn from Leighann's Silver Hollow series, along with Brimstone the cat. 

The mystery is interesting and I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.   I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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Dec 12, 2020

A Curious Incident by Vicki Delany

Hello my cozy friends,

Today I am reviewing "A Curious Incident" the 6th instalment in "A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop" Mystery series by Vicki Delany. I believe this is the first book I have read in the series, and it can easily be read as a standalone but I recommend reading in order.  I have since purchased a few in the series.


It's up to Gemma and Jayne to root out the killer in national bestselling author Vicki Delany's sixth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery when the winner of a garden tour trophy is left pushing up daisies.

"I am not a Consulting Detective," Gemma Doyle reluctantly tells 10-year-old Lauren Tierney, when the little girl comes to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium to beg Gemma to find her missing cat, Snowball. Gemma might not be able to follow the clues to find the cat, but her dog Violet follows her nose to locate the missing kitten in a neighbor's garden shed. Gemma and Violet proudly return Snowball to her grateful owner, and Gemma basks in praise for a job well done. But a few days later Lauren is back with ten dollars in hand, wanting to once again hire a consulting detective, and this time for a far bigger job: Her mother has been accused of murdering her garden club rival.

Sheila Tierney's garden, which everyone said was the one to beat for the West London Garden Club trophy, had been vandalized the night before the club's early summer tour. Sheila confronted her former friend and gardening partner Anna Wentworth in a towering rage, and the women nearly came to blows. Later that night, after having won the trophy for best garden, Anna is found murdered and Sheila Tierney is the police's prime suspect.

Despite herself, and despite the disapproval of her police detective boyfriend Ryan Ashburton, the game is once again afoot, and Gemma finds herself and Jayne Wilson using their powers of deduction to ponder yet another curious incident.

The story is entertaining as well as humorous which is the perfect combination. The setting of West London in Cape Cod is idyllic I love books set by the sea with a small town feel.  The idea of a tea room and bookstore as the main characters business was fantastic being two of my favourite things.  I loved the characters of Gemma and BFF Jayne along with Moriarty the bookstore cat and Violet the dog. I really liked the interaction between Gemma and Lauren and hope we see her again in future books.

The mystery is interesting and well plotted, with enough twists to keep you interested.  I kept guessing and second-guessing myself on whodunnit right to the very end.   I recommend this book to all my cozy lover friends.

I requested and received an advance reader copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


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A Twinkle of Trouble by Daryl Wood Gerber

Hello my cozy friends,  Today I am reviewing “ A Twinkle of Trouble ” by  Daryl Wood Gerber   the 5th instalment in “A Fairy Garden Mystery&...