Katie's Reading Corner

Scheduled Release Date: October 25, 2016

Dangling By A Thread is the 4th installment of the Mainly Needlepoint Series. I have read the first book in the series, but somehow missed reading the next 2. It didn't make me feel like I needed to read the others first. There were a couple of things that were referred to from the past books but it was explained enough that I didn't feel lost. It does, however make me want to go back and read the 2 that I have missed, and I will do!

I enjoyed the mystery of this book. Jessie Lockhart is a hermit who lives alone on King's Island. It's a sanctuary for an endangered bird species, the Great Cormorants, and he's made it his mission to keep the island safe for his birds. But a wealthy family shows up in the area, and wants to buy King's Island and Jessie will have none of that. When Jessie turns up dead, Angie is determined to find his killer and take up the cause to save the island.

There were lots of twists and turns throughout the course of the story, it wasn't easy to figure out 'whodunnit' I'm a bit torn on the story though, I would have liked more interaction of the Needlepointers. Angie didn't seem to do much for the business throughout the story.. she did check in here and there with people but, it seemed like she wasn't really running a business at all. I enjoy the backstory or I guess the secondary stories in most cozy mysteries with the main character running their business, not just all mystery. I did like that at the beginning of each chapter, there is a quote of a sampler and the history behind it, it's quite unique. I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a solid cozy mystery series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Review: The Girls Next Door (Detective Eden Berrisford Crime Thriller Series Book 1) by Mel Sherratt

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Scheduled Release Date: October 27, 2016

I absolutely loved this book. So much so, that I had to complete it in one day, I had to know what was going to happen, it just totally drew me in!

This is the first novel that I've read by Mel Sherratt, but it certainly will not be the last. I enjoy reading Police Procedurals, but this one is different than ones I've read in the past.

Detective Eden Berrisford is on the hunt for the suspects who have been attacking teenagers in the area. All this, after sixteen year old Deanna Barker was murdered. The story is already intense, but when Eden realizes her neice Jess has gone missing, then all bets are off. She's determined to find the kidnapper and bring Jess home safely...but time is running out.

The characters in the story are well developed and quite believable. It's easy to believe that the situations they find themselves in could happen in our world. I really enjoyed the interactions of Eden and her team, and can't wait to read more about them in the future. The story is quickly paced and doesn't get boring. On the contrary I didn't want to put it down. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this novel for an honest and unbiased review, also a huge thank you to THE Book Club on Facebook TBConFB for introducing me to some great authors!

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Review: The Devil's Work by Mark Edwards

Now Available:

For a while now, I've been hearing about Mark Edwards' books and how amazing they are, but I've never read one.. until now. And all I can say is wow, I've been missing out! Why have I waited so long to read any of his work?

The Devil's Work was a great introduction for me to Edwards' novels, and although it was the first I've read, it definitely will NOT be the last! I was so absorbed in the story,

I had to finish it in one day.

A riveting psychological thriller with plenty of twists and Oh! My! Gosh! moments, I felt myself getting so involved in the story I started reading faster as I felt the tension Sophie was feeling. I'd realize how involved I was and would have to sit and take a breath. Fantastic!

The book goes back and forth between the past and the present and normally I don't like this since many times it comes across as disjointed and bumpy. However, Edwards' has written it in a way that it is smooth and transitions well consistently throughout without interrupting the pace of the increasingly frantic and gripping tale.

I honestly can't praise this book enough! If you are looking for an 'oh-my-gosh-frantic-page-turning-nail-biting-mind-messing-with-I-just-can't-put-this-down!!' kind of book, this is it! Mark Edwards, you have a new fan!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest and unbiased review, to Mark Edwards for writing such a gripping story, and to the members of THE Book Club on Facebook (TBC; #TBConFB) for introducing me to some truly awesome writers!

I Finally Caught Up!

It's been a busy couple of weeks! Between getting some things organized, getting some crafts done for a few craft fairs, watching hockey tryouts (not mine! haha) and other day to day boring things... I finally did it, I am actually 4 books ahead of my Goodreads Challenge to read 100 books this year! From being behind to getting ahead.. well I'm pretty excited! I've read some pretty great books, and a few not so great, but that comes with the territory. The good thing is, that means I have some great reviews to post!

So in the coming days, watch for reviews of books by some great authors, including H.Y. Hanna's "Muffins and Mourning Tea", Mark Edwards' "The Devil's Work", M.A. Comley and Tara Lyons "The Caller" just to name a few!

And now that summer is officially over and done with (boooo!) it's time to get back to the grindstone and get back down to a regular schedule. So, I'm off to get more reading done, and get some more reviews ready to go.

Happy reading!

Monday, September 12, 2016

Review: Murder Most Fowl (Local Foods Mystery Series Book 4) by Edith Maxwell

Now Available:

I received this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you Netgalley!

Murder Most Fowl is the 4th book in the Local Foods Mystery Series. I hadn't previously read the other books in the series, but it didn't matter; I was able to follow along and not feel like I was missing something, and I went back to the beginning to read the others once I finished this one, I enjoyed it so much!

Cam Flaherty is a local organic farmer who just can't seem to stay away from trouble! When one of her fellow chicken farmers is found dead, Cam is ready to jump in and solve the case. But can she balance her daily life, dealing with vandalism on the farm, and a murder investigation?

Definitely a page turner, I would have read this all in one sitting had I not started it late in the evening. The characters in this book are really great and it's fun to read and learn about life on an organic farm. The mystery is well done and there are lots of twists and turns. I wasn't able to figure out the 'whodunnit' right away which is something that I like. If you are looking for a well written cozy mystery, look no further!

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Review: Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

Now Available:
In Canada

I received an ARC of this book for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you NetGalley.

I think this is one of my favourite reads for this year, it's definitely in my Top 5!

Britt-Marie is a quirky character. She knows how she wants things, and that's just the way things have to be. She's a lady that firstly just seems to be quite passive-aggressive, suffering from OCD and very set in her ways. But, she's much more than what is showing on the surface. Throughout the course of the novel, we see just why she's left her husband, what has made her the way that she is today, learn why she has no self esteem and why she is so obsessed with cleaning. Suddenly she's not the annoying lady we first meet looking for a job at the employment office (that poor girl!) she is someone who finds herself, who becomes important to those around her, and is finally seen. I don't want to give anything away with this review. It's such a wonderful story that I think you really need to read it for yourself. If I could give it more than a 5 star rating, I certainly would!

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Review: Grilled For Murder (Country Store Mysteries #2) by Maddie Day

Now Available:

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Grilled For Murder by Maddie Day is the 2nd book in the Country Store Mystery Series. In the small town of South Lick, Indiana, Robbie Jordan has turned a run down store into a wonderful, successful restaurant in which she also sells retro cookware called Pans n Pancakes. She's stayed open late to cater a welcome home party for Erica, but the next morning when Erica turns up dead... in the STORE!... it's up to Robbie to figure out who hated Erica enough to commit the crime, and there is no shortage of suspects!

I really enjoyed this cozy mystery it really has everything that a good cozy should! There are some really great characters, a wonderful small town setting and a great mystery that will just keep you guessing! I loved the local dialect, I admit it did take a bit of getting used to, but that's part of what makes the characters unique. I wanted to read it as quick as I could, but at the same time I wanted to slow down. I wanted to know what happened, but just didn't want the story to end.

I liked this book so much that I went online right as I finished it, and purchased the first book in the series "Flipped For Murder" If you are a cozy mystery fan, I definitely recommend this series, you won't be disappointed!

Sunday, July 10, 2016

It's Been A While....

Hey everyone... It's been a bit since I've been around. Real life can sometimes get in the way and throw some wrenches at you. And that's pretty much what happened. Throw in some reading block (as opposed to writer's block), working, and other fun stuff and it equals me being away for too long.

But, I'm back around and reading as much as I can while working on some projects that I just have to get done. I have some reviews to post soon, lots to catch up on, and a couple of current ones. I'm about 15 books behind schedule on my reading challenge, but I'm hoping to catch up on that on my week's vacation. Let's see how many I can actually get done and if I'll be caught back up by July 24th. (That's 2 weeks away... fingers crossed!)

So, today's challenge is getting a couple of reviews done for books I've recently read, update my pinterest, goodreads, etc and make my list of what needs to be read next for reviews. I discovered this morning I'd pre-ordered a few books and they magically have appeared on my Kindle :) Fun stuff!

Happy Reading!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Review: Murder In An Irish Village by Carlene O'Connor

Now available:

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Murder In An Irish Village is the first in the Irish Village Mystery Series by Carlene O'Connor. Siobhan O'Sullivan runs the family bistro along with her 5 siblings after their parents died almost a year ago in a car crash. Naomi's Bisro has always been great little meeting place, somewhere to visit with neighbours while enjoying some wonderful brown bread and tea, along with a helping of local gossip of course!

And gossip there is! One morning when they open up the bistro, they find a man dressed up in a suit with a pair of hot pink barber scissors stuck in his chest! Can Siobhan solve the crime and save her family?

To be honest, the book started out a bit slow for me, but once it got into it a bit, well, I did too! The characters were well developed, there were lots of twists and turns, like a good cozy mystery must have! There are also some fun, laugh out loud moments and I felt like I myself was in Ireland and trying to figure out 'whodunnit' (which I didn't actually. Bravo!)

Definitely would recommend to cozy readers everywhere. Give it a chance to get through the lower moving beginning, you won't be sorry!

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Review: Silence Of The Lamps by Karen Rose Smith

Happy Publication Day!

Now Available

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This series just keeps getting better and better!

Silence of the Lamps is the 5th installment of the Caprice De Luca Mystery Series by Karen Rose Smith. Caprice is again on the case, determined to clear the name of her sister, Nikki, when former employee turned rival Drew Pierson winds up dead. Drew has been pummeled to death with his very expensive (and very authentic!) Tiffany lamp, and of course, Caprice and Nikki are the ones to find his lifeless body. What choice does Caprice have, she MUST find out what really happened before the police try to pin the murder on her sister!

There is no shortage of suspects in the case, and it keeps the story moving at a great pace. I wasn't able to figure out 'whodunnit' until it was actually revealed in the story, well done!! It really kept me guessing, which is something that I am looking for in a great cozy mystery. I love the characters in this series, especially Caprice and her vintage wardrobe. Smith uses great descriptions throughout the book, from her outfits to how she is staging a room and I can just picture everything perfectly!

This has everything a great cozy should have: Great characters, an interesting story that keeps you wanting to read more and more, and some great recipes shared with the reader, can't forget those! I am really looking forward to the next in the series to see what happens with Caprice and her friends!

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Review: Raisin The Dead by Karoline Barrett

Available Now:

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Raisin The Dead is the 2nd book in the Bread and Batter Mystery Series by Karoline Barrett. Even though I have not read the first book in the series, I didn't feel at all lost or that I was missing information from the first book.

Molly, co-owner of the bakery, Bread and Batter, is surprised to find her mother, Anne, on the front page of the local paper. There's a picture of her in a romantic restaurant with a member of the library advisory board, Philip Baldeli. Anne, who is the library director, has been working on an expansion project for the library which has the town divided. What's even more surprising, and most troubling, is that a few days later, Philip turns up dead and Anne becomes a 'person of interest' in the case.

Molly's love interest, Detective Sean Corsino, is in a difficult position. He's involved with the daughter of the person he must begin investigating. But he's determined to keep everything professional and by the book. Molly is determined to help clear her mother's name, even if she's getting nowhere pumping Sean for information or not. She must ramp up her investigation when Sean is injured on the job. Can Molly and her business partner, Olivia, find the clues they need to finally clear Anne?

A lot of the book is focusing on the romance between Molly and Sean and the difficulties they encounter. Sean's ex sister-in-law is in town and causing trouble between them (she's the twin sister of his deceased wife) and he needs to interview Molly's mother as a person of interest in the murder. To me, it focused a bit too much on the romance and not enough on the mystery. Some people like a bit more romance in their cozies and if that's something you enjoy then I believe this book is for you! She didn't seem to spend much time in her bakery which really could be a source of information and gossip from the folks in town while providing some character development for secondary characters for upcoming books.

I really wanted to like this book more than I do. Don't get me wrong, I did like it, I needed a bit more mystery though. There are some fun characters and good moments in the book, but there are parts of Molly's character I just didn't like. I think I would class this more of a romance with a bit of mystery rather than a full out cozy, but that's just my opinion. It's still a good story with some very enjoyable characters and I really like their town, Destiny. I haven't given up on this series by any means, I plan on reading the first in the series and the next to see what develops next for these characters.

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Review: Crime and Poetry by Amanda Flower

Available now:

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book for an honest and unbiased review.

Crime and Poetry is the first in a new series, The Magical Bookshop, by Amanda Flower.

Violet gets a call that her grandmother is ill, so she rushes to her childhood home of Cascade Springs to be by her side. When she arrives, she's shocked to find out that Grandma Daisy isn't ill at all! She quickly realizes that her grandmother wants her to move back and work in her bookstore.

The gentleman friend Violet met at the bookstore, Benedict Raisin, turns up dead outside of Grandma Daisy's house making her the prime suspect! He was clutching the book that he had chosen, or had chosen him.. that he'd purchased at the store. Of course, this makes Grandma Daisy the prime suspect, especially when it's revealed that Benedict had revised his will to include Daisy!

Violet must do everything she can to find the real killer and save her grandmother!

This was a really great book, filled with fun and quirky characters. Lots of laugh out loud moments, this book will keep you guessing until the very end. If you're looking for a fun new series to read, this one is for you!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Review: Killer Takeout by Lucy Burdette

Available Now:

In US

In UK

First off, thank you to NetGalley. I received an ARC of this book for an honest and unbiased review. I am glad that I was approved for this book, I really enjoyed it! I honestly just tore right through it, I'd started it before bed and woke up early to finish it first thing in the morning.

When I had started reading it, I didn't realize that this was actually the 7th book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery Series. That being said, it didn't really matter that I read it out of order. The book did refer to a few things from past books, but nothing that made me feel like I was out of the loop or I missed something important that was necessary for the story that I was reading.

Haley Snow is a foodie who writes a food critic column, along with a few other things, for a magazine called Key Zest on the island of Key West. It's Fantasy Fest Week, and the island is just hopping with tourists joining in on all of the crazy activities... zombie bike ride, body painting, and pet parade just to name a few! Haley's friend, Danielle, is elected the Queen of Fantasy Fest and is soon involved in an altercation with one of the women who were also vying for the crown. When she turns up dead, Haley starts asking questions.. she needs to help Danielle prove her innocence, all the while covering events her work, having her mother in town who is getting married, and dealing with the threat of a hurricane!

The story was very well written, and I loved the characters. The descriptions made me feel like I was there at the events, and I wanted to be, it sounded like so much fun! (Except the whole body painting stuff, definitely not for me! haha) The mystery wasn't easy to solve at all. I did end up figuring it out partially, but it was really far into the story and I still got part of it wrong! All in all, definitely a huge 2 thumbs up. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery, you need to add this to your 'to be read' list. I need to go back to book one and catch up on all the stories I missed!

This is the first book that I've read by this author, but it definitely will not be the last!

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Review: Rest In Peach by Susan Furlong

Happy Publication Day! Available Now!

In US

Another great cozy mystery by Susan Furlong! Rest In Peach is the second cozy mystery in the Georgia Peach series. The town of Cays Mill, Georgia, is getting ready for The Peach Cotillion which is their annual debutante ball. Unfortunately for Nola and her friends, Vivien Crenshaw is found murdered and Nola's friend Ginny is the primary suspect! Can Nola and her friends clear Ginny's good name?

For me, there are some really important things a cozy mystery needs to have, and Susan Furlong has provided them all in this book. Susan Furlong has created wonderful characters, and the more you read about them, the more you love them. With each novel, you get to revisit your friends and see what is going on next in their lives. There are lots of little twists in this book that will keep you guessing 'whodunnit'. It's not easy for the reader to figure it out (I hate when it's all too obvious) you really have to work at it. The Debutante's Rules at the beginning of each chapter were really fun! I like when there are themes carried through the stories, and the recipes included sound really yummie!

If you're looking for a great cozy mystery, then I suggest you read this series! I'd like to thank NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series which is previewed at the end of Rest In Peach. Grab a nice cup of tea and enjoy this fun read!

Review: Reading Up A Storm by Eva Gates

Happy Publication Day! Available Now: