Review: Borrowed Crime by Laurie Cass A Bookmobile Cat Mystery Book 3

Borrowed crime is the 3rd installment of A Bookmobile Cat Mystery series. (For some reason, I thought it was the 2nd... so I'll be going back to read that before I hit number 4!) 

Minnie and her cat Eddie are back and their troubles are back with them.  Minnie has lost funding for the bookmobile when the grant they'd received fell through, and her boss Stephen is on her back about it. Not only that, but one of the volunteers dies while on the bookmobile route! Now, the volunteer's brother is suing the library and blaming them for his death.  It looks like the bookmobile will be parked on the sidelines, and there's even talk of how Minnie's resignation would help with the lawsuit.  Was the death a hunting accident, or was it murder?  Eddie finds an important clue that points toward murder... if anyone can find out the truth, it's Minnie!

Who can resist a series about a librarian, bookmobile, and a crime solving kitty cat? I know I can't!  Some nice twists in this story introducing new characters and possibly a new romance? (Maybe this is wishful thinking but one can hope!) I love the characters in this series, many are fun and quirky and you never know what'll happen next.  If you haven't read this series before, I definitely recommend it! 

Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge

So, along my travels of goodreads and other reading blogs, I stumbled across the Craving for Cozies Challenge 2016

Now, cozy mysteries as many of you can tell from the books that I have been reading and reviewing lately are one of my favourite genres.  So, I think this challenge has my name written all over it! 

There are different levels you can achieve when you participate and well, I've jumped in with both feet! My goal is to complete the highest level, that being reading 61+ cozy mysteries in 2016. And counting the ones that I've already read starting this month, I've got a nice start already! (I think it's fair that I count the cozies that I read already... I only just found the challenge but, I still read the cozies in 2016!)

So, click the button above if you are interested in learning more about this cozy challenge and maybe even signing up yourself! If you do, please leave me a message in the comments to let me know, I'd love to see who else is participating! I'll also be posting a button on the side of the blog so it's easy to find and to visit the challenge home page. To anyone else doing this challenge... Good luck! 

Review: Going Organic Can Kill You by Staci McLaughlin A Blossom Valley Mystery Book 1

Firstly I want to say that I actually read the series out of order. Not my normal way of things, I usually like to read the a series in order but I had received an ARC of the 5th book in the series. I enjoyed that book so much I knew I had to come back and start the series properly. 

I love the setting for this cozy mystery, a farm turned spa.  The main character, Dana, has moved back home to help out her recently widowed mother.  Dana's mother has arranged for her to begin working at the O'Connell Organic Farm and Spa, as their marketer.  Unfortunately, on opening weekend Dana finds the body of one of the guests, and begins to try to solve the mystery so she can save the spa from closing (and her job!) 

Dana is a great character, a woman who stands up for herself, an avid health food hater (who works at an organic an health food centered spa.. oh the irony...) and is very funny. I had quite a few laugh out loud moments.  The mystery I was able to figure out after a while, but the answer wasn't staring me in the face.   There are some great supporting characters (and a few well.. let's say if they met their end, I wouldn't cry) and lots of openings for future mysteries.  I can't wait to hit the next book in the series! 

Review: The Secret Life of Winnie Cox by Sharon Maas

First I'd like to thank TBC for giving me an ARC of this book to review for an honest review. 

This isn't normally the type of book that I read, but I jumped at the chance because I've heard some great things about this book. It is a story of forbidden love between the teenage daughter of a wealthy sugar plantation's master and a black teenager who works at the post office.  It captured me from the beginning. I won't lie, I found it difficult to read at times with the treatment of the workers... slaves in everything but name... working and living conditions, the cruelty they endured.. It's very eye opening and thought provoking, to think what it would be like to live in that world. I think it takes a great writer to be able to bring you into their story, feel what the characters feel.. and Sharon Maas does just that. 

Review: Murder Most Wholesome by Staci mcLaughlin A Blossom Valley Mystery Book 5

Publish Date: February 23rd, 2016

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 

This is the first book that I have read by Staci McLaughlin and I really enjoyed this cozy mystery.  Murder Most Wholesome is the 5th installment of A Blossom Valley Mystery Series and I had no problem reading this before any of the other books in the series.  

The book centers around our main character, Dana, who works in marketing for the O'Connell Organic Farm and Spa in Blossom Valley.  Dana accompanies her friend and cook for the Farm and Spa, Zinnia,  to the local farmers market to pick up supplies and they run into Zinnia's old flame, Birch.  He's back living on the commune that he and Zinnia lived in all those years ago. (wait, there's a commune? It seems like everyone knew about this commune in the area except Dana) Birch and Zinnia haven't seen each other for 20+ years, and when he turns up murdered in her yard the next day, she is heartbroken and understandably unable to go to work. Dana, who lives off of frozen meals, takeout, and lots of other unhealthy snacks, has to step in and prepare the healthy and organic meals. Easy right? Oh, along with doing her regular marketing duties and solving the 'whodunnit'  

There are some fun, laugh out loud moments in this book and it kept me turning the pages.  I like that the main character isn't involved with someone on the local police as many of the plots of other cozies have. In fact, most of the book centers around Dana and her friends investigating, the police are just in the background. I didn't guess the identity of the murderer right away, there were lots of clues pointing to several suspects.   There are lots of fun and quirky characters and I am looking forward to going back to read the others books in this series.

Review: Wedding Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

Publish Date: February 26, 2016

I was given an ARC of this book from NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review. 

I must have been living under a rock for years because this is the first book that I have read by this author. I have seen the 2 movies that have been based on previous books over the holidays and was eager to begin to read the series. When I saw this on NetGalley I was so excited to receive a copy! 

In this, the 19th book in the series, Hannah is competing in a national baking contest being broadcast on The Food Channel right before her wedding. Her sister, Michelle, is serving as her assistant and will be travelling to New York for the contest with her. When the network calls and informs her the competition will be taking place earlier than expected, she also learns of the added twist that the winner of the first part of the contest will have the show move to their home town for the remainder of the show. What a great advantage!  Hannah has to let her mother and sister look after the wedding plans since she now has to turn her full attention to her recipes and winning this contest.  She is the only home baker among a group of trained chefs.  Along the course of the show, one of the judges turns up murdered, and Hannah feels it is her duty to investigate and find out who the murderer is, since her sister was the one to find the body. I enjoyed the premise of this immensely since cooking and baking shows are also a favourite of mine, along with cozy mysteries, so this was the best of both worlds!  The story didn't have a lack of suspects, and all of the characters in Hannah's circle got involved in narrowing down her list of suspects.  I didn't guess the identity of the murderer at all, and really had no clue who it was until the author revealed it.  

The love triangle had me a bit confused to be honest. But again, this is the first book that I've read so it's understandable.  Hannah has left 2 men heartbroken, but they seem to be able to put their feelings aside throughout.  

I love when recipes are included in cozies, but it seemed like there are a LOT of recipes in this book, more than any cozy that I've read before.  But I have to say, I do want to try several of them! And I am looking forward to going back to the first book in the series 

Review: Dead In A Dumpster by B.L. Blair (A Leah Norwood Mystery Book 1)

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review.  

Dead in a Dumpster is the first in a new cozy series.  

It is the first book that I have read by this author 

and I was not disappointed!

Leah Norwood is the owner of Scents and Sensibility, along with her 2 best friends. When she discovers a body in the dumpster in the alley behind hers and the neighbouring shops, she immediately becomes a suspect along with several others in the community.  A second body is found, again by Leah, who has decided it is up to her to investigate these murders.  There are many twists in this mystery and there is never a shortage of suspects.  There is an interesting love triangle that is developing and it will be fun to see how it all plays out as the series continues. I look forward to the next in the series! 

Review: Tea With Milk And Murder by H.Y. Hanna An Oxford Tearoom Mystery Book 2

Tea with Milk and Murder is the second installment of the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries series, and it is every bit as good as the first one was! Gemma Rose finds herself in the middle of a mystery once again when a student at a cocktail party dies and it turns out she was poisoned.  All of our favourite characters are back including the "Old Biddies" who come to Gemma's rescue more than once.  Her mother has discovered the convenience of online shopping and Gemma never knows what is going to end up being delivered to the tea room! Muesli, our favourite kitty cat has more of a staring role in this second mystery than the first which made me very happy. The mystery itself was full of twists and turns and I kind of thought I knew 'whodunnit' but it kept me guessing. I don't want to give away any spoilers, you need to read this because honestly you won't be disappointed!  I was given an ARC of this book by the author, H.Y. Hanna for an impartial review and I am very thankful for the opportunity! I can't wait for the next in the series to be released!! 

Have you ever?

Have you ever wanted to be a writer? As someone who loves to read... I've often wondered what it would be like to be an author, able to tell wonderful stories with quirky characters, solving mysteries and getting themselves out of trouble. I think it would be fun, the whole process with coming up with the plot, developing each character and weaving their fates together...  Someday maybe I will travel down that road, but for now I am lucky enough to be able to read some amazing stories by some very talented authors, and to be able to review their wonderful stories.

I was surprised and honoured the other day to find out that one of my reviews of a recent book that I've read by H.Y. Hanna called "A Scone To Die For" (Oxford Tearoom Mysteries, Book 1) was sent out in her newsletter along with excerpts of her book. I was reading her newsletter (of course I'd subscribed to it while I was reading her book, I wanted to make sure I didn't miss any of her new works!) when I came to the part where she had posted a couple of reviews of her book I thought "whoa wait, I wrote that!"   I'd reviewed her book on my blog as well as on the website Goodreads.  It's so exciting to know that the author of a book that you've really enjoyed has read what you've written about it, enough to share it with others!

I think that it's important that if you like a book that you are reading, that you write about it and let the author know how much you are enjoying it. I'm sure they will appreciate it!  Feedback is important to an author, to let them know the good and the bad.  Be tactful, and be kind with your feedback. It's okay to say you don't like something, it's all in how you say it. Just remember, authors are people too!  

And now it's time on this blustery snow day to get some more reading done... My TBR (to-be-read) pile is huge and I've got a mountain of pages to read, new stories to find with and characters to fall in love with.  What are you reading today?

Review: The Useful Book: 201 Life Skills They Used To Teach In Home Ec And Shop by David Bowers and Sharon Bowers

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review. 

Publish Date: May 3, 2016

Great book full of lots of tips and tricks for pretty much anything and everything! Though I don't necessarily agree with everything that's listed (some of these things just don't work for me, I have my own way to do them and that's okay!) there are some pretty handy skills listed here, along with some things I really had no idea of! I can see me going back to this book often. I like the recipes that they have in the cooking section especially, along with the check lists and DIY projects.  Plus... it teaches how to fold a fitted sheet... I mean, come on, we all need that! 

I would definitely recommend this book! 

Review: A Girl's Guide To Moving On by Debbie Macomber

I received an advanced copy of Debbie Macomber's 

A Girl's Guide To Moving On from NetGalley for an honest and unbiased review

Publish Date: February 23rd, 2016

When Nichole discovers that her husband, Jake, has been unfaithful, the illusion of her perfect life is indelibly shattered. While juggling her young son, a new job, and volunteer work, Nichole meets Rocco, who is the opposite of Jake in nearly every way. Though blunt-spoken and rough around the edges, Rocco proves to be a dedicated father and thoughtful friend. But just as their relationship begins to blossom, Jake wagers everything on winning Nichole back—including their son Owen’s happiness. Somehow, Nichole must find the courage to defy her fears and follow her heart, with far-reaching consequences for them all.

Leanne has quietly ignored her husband’s cheating for decades, but is jolted into action by the echo of Nichole’s all-too-familiar crisis. While volunteering as a teacher of English as a second language, Leanne meets Nikolai, a charming, talented baker from Ukraine. Resolved to avoid the heartache and complications of romantic entanglements, Leanne nonetheless finds it difficult to resist Nikolai’s effusive overtures—until an unexpected tragedy tests the very fabric of her commitments.

Debbie Macomber has a talent for introducing us to characters that speak to us. We care for these characters, for their well being, and want to know what happens to them even after the story is over.  This is the 2nd book in the "New Beginnings" Series, and again she does not disappoint! 

It follows sister Nichole along with her ex mother-in-law, Leanne. I love how each of the ladies' stories is told by them, in the first person narrative.  Leanne and her daughter, as she still calls Nichole, really support each other through the tough times. This is a wonderful story about women supporting each other, redemption, reinventing yourself and your life, and the hope of finding new love.  Some of my most favourite moments in this book are between Leanne and Nikolai. Lots of tender moments, understanding, and Nikolai's understanding (or misunderstanding I should say) of some sayings really brought a smile to my face. 

Another fantastic read by Debbie Macomber. Even though I was given this novel to read as an e-book to review, I will still be purchasing for my collection. I have yet to read one of her books I haven't liked! 

Review: The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum by Kirsten Weiss

I received this book as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley for a true and unbiased review. 

Publish Date: March 8, 2016

When Maddie Kosloski’s career flatlines, she retreats to her wine-country hometown for solace and cheap rent. Railroaded into managing the local paranormal museum, she’s certain the rumors of its haunting are greatly exaggerated. But a new ghost may be on the loose. A fresh corpse in the museum embroils Maddie in murders past and present.

With her high school bully as one of the officers in charge, Maddie doubts justice will be served. When one of her best friends is arrested, she’s certain it won’t be.

Maddie grapples with ghost hunters, obsessed taxidermists, and the sexy motorcyclist next door as outside forces threaten. And as she juggles spectral shenanigans with the hunt for a killer, she discovers there truly is no place like home

This is a fun to read cozy mystery by Kirsten Weiss.  This is the first book that I've read by this author and I'm sure it will not be the last! Weiss has created some very interesting characters who are charming and quirky.  The Paranormal aspect of the story is subtle and the reader isn't beat over the head with it, it blends all together nicely for a very interesting first book. The mystery itself kept me guessing, and I was wrong in who I thought did it, but eventually once it was revealed, made perfect sense.  

I'm very interested to see how things develop and how some secrets will be revealed in the future releases in this series. I'm definitely a fan! 

Review: A Scone To Die For (An Oxford Tearoom Mystery) by H.Y. Hanna

Publish Date: January 22, 2016

I absolutely loved this book! 

This is one of, if not THE, best cozy mysteries I have read. The descriptions of places and people are fantastic. As I read the story I could picture being there, sitting in the tearoom, or in the University.  The characters are developed really well. The relationships are explored and explained... characters aren't popping in for the sake of needing a character. (I love the descriptions of the exasperation that Gemma has with her mom and always forgetting her ipad password, it's bang on!) 

The mystery is well played out, and kept my mind going the entire time. It wasn't obvious until it was revealed (to me anyway) and I like that in a book.  And that little kitty, Muesli.... awww  I didn't want to put this book down!

I can't wait to read the next book in this series! 

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.. and I'm so glad I was! 

Happy New Year!

So it's January 1st.  A time of new beginnings, and of resolutions.  I have a few resolutions, but I am determined to keep mine simple this year.  My biggest resolution, is to be kinder to myself. I want to stop being so hard on myself, to give myself permission to make mistakes, to not try to be perfect and do everything for everyone.

My reading resolutions... well, I want to read at least 100 books this year.  I want to make my blog bigger and better, and fingers crossed, I just may have something to kick things off this month! (please! please! please!) and I want to read at least 1 'classic novel' per month this year. There are a lot of classic books that I've just never read, and it's time that I change that.  I am a book hoarder of such.. I've got books all over the place.... lots of shelves... a few bags of books here and there, plus all the ones that I've downloaded for Kindle to PC...now transferred to my new Kindle Paperwhite (yay!!)

So, you will see some changes with my blog, both design and some content. I hope that you will enjoy the changes the new year will bring, and please feel free to follow, and share with friends! I love talking to people about books, hearing what they like and what interests them.

Happy New Year, may this year bring you everything that you want, need and deserve!

Review: Kitty's Countryside Dream: A Feel Good Romantic Comedy About Life, Love and Family by Christie Barlow

I received an advanced copy of this novel from Netgalley for an honest and unbiased review. 

 I know they say "Don't judge a book by it's cover" (who are 'they' anyway?) but seriously, it sometimes plays a part when you are picking something to read. I was really drawn to the cover of this novel. It's the bright colours, the look of a bright and warm sunny day... it's just a beautiful cover! And the story that is contained between these covers does not disappoint! 

Poor Kitty has recently lost her mother, only to find that she had an inheritance from a grandmother who she thought had died a long time ago.  She was never talked about, and it was like she didn't exist at all. What a mystery! Kitty now finds herself the proud new owner of her grandmother's flat, along with her very own working chicken farm! Oh dear....

It comes at the perfect time in her life; here she thought she had nothing, and now she can move, and make her life into something worth while! 

As the story unfolds, Kitty moves into her new flat and begins to learn the ropes at her new farm with the help of her new employees.  There are many laughs, and Kitty builds wonderful relationships with her employees and people within the community.  It is a story of new beginnings, some adventures, and a feeling of knowing you belong somewhere. 

But then, Kitty makes a pretty big discovery, and it basically turns life upside down.  Things aren't as they seem, and the journey that she goes through learning the truth is very well written, full of emotion and honestly I felt like I was making these discoveries right along with her, her emotions were my emotions.  

I was really unable to put this book down. I read it within 24 hours because I was so drawn in and felt completely connected with the characters.  It was as if I knew them personally. I would completely recommend this book to everyone, definitely a huge 5 stars! 

I will be purchasing this book once it becomes published on February 26, 2016.  I want to add it to my library, I know that it will be one that I will enjoy reading over and over again!