Tag: good friends

Murder from A to Z review

Tari Hann

This is the eleventh book in the Mystery Bookshop series by V.M. (Valerie) Burns, a long-running series I’ve enjoyed from the very beginning. I just love Sam, Nana Jo and all the ladies from Shady Acres…and the two adorable poodles Oreo and Snickers are always the stars of every book cover! 

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #ValerieBurns #VMBurns

My Goodreads review:

Murder from A to Z (Mystery Bookshop #11)Murder from A to Z by V.M. Burns
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I never get tired of Nana Jo’s friends from Shady Acres especially the incorrigible Irma and always get a huge laugh going when she starts to say something raunchy and everyone goes “Irma!” There were so many good ones in this book, loved ‘em all! Irma might be a little questionable in her actions, but she managed to get some good info for the case as they all did.

After two bodies, I still hadn’t guessed whodunit or let’s just say I was wrong. The showdown was awesome and super satisfying as to what happened to that nasty perp. But someone nice got a good ending which the lady who died would’ve been happy about. Oh and I loved the nod to New Bison, the other Michigan city in another of the author’s current series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Food & Spirits Mysteries by Darci Hannah, and it’s a great way to get a trip in to Scotland without ever leaving the comforts of your home. I like that some of the characters that’d been in a book in the Beacon Bakeshop series were spun off into this new series. Giff has to be my fave, he’s such an awesome character! 

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #DarciHannah

My Goodreads review;

A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle (A Food and Spirits Mystery Book 2)A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle by Darci Hannah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I think my favorite Food & Spirits host is good old Giff himself. That guy’s such a hoot and has some of the best lines, not to mention the role of the ‘medium’ in the show. It’s cute how Bunny and Brett seem to’ve gotten closer, then they ended up facing off with a killer. Which gave them an extra incentive to stay alive and get that person into police custody.

Bunny mentioned England was their next stop, an island which definitely sounds cozy spooky just like this book was. My favorite way to travel, by Kindle!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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Tell-Tale Treats review

Tari Hann

This is the third book in the Magical Fortune Cookies mysteries by Jennifer J. Chow, another cozy series I’ve had the pleasure of reading from the first book. These characters are now like old friends and I just love that sweet little Whiskers, Felicity’s bunny who’s got a real nose for clues and evidence.

#NetGalley #StMartinPaperbacks #MinotaurBooks #JenniferJChow

My Goodreads review:

Tell-Tale Treats: A Magical Fortune Cookie NovelTell-Tale Treats: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel by Jennifer J. Chow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’ve enjoyed these key characters since the very first book, so it was like meeting up with old friends to read about them again in this new adventure. Felicity’s pet bunny Whiskers was at his sleuthing best again as Felicity and Kelvin were hired by the B&B owner to have flowers and snacks for her wealthy guests every day. But one of said wealthy guests might’ve offed another one, and it wasn’t just human sleuths who helped figure it out. I wonder what these friends are gonna get into next time.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin/Minotaur Books via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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A Very Novel Murder review

Tari Hann

This is the first book in a new spinoff series, Novel Detectives Mysteries by Ellie Alexander. The original series was A Secret Bookcase Mystery and ran for six books, all of which I absolutely loved and devoured. I was thrilled about this spinoff especially after the last couple books hinted at a new business venture for Annie and her coworker pal Fletcher.

No worries, all our other faves are here. Hal’s still living on the estate and working in the bookshop along with three additional employees, Liam and Annie are as closer or closer than ever, and Pri’s still delivering fun snarky banter with anyone she can. She’s still with Penny who’s coming along with her renovation of the property she bought.

I imagine this series could be enjoyed without reading the other series, but I’d still recommend reading the other series for backstory and all those awesome little details you won’t find in a recap.

My Goodreads review:

 

A Very Novel Murder (Novel Detectives Mystery #1)A Very Novel Murder by Ellie Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was so glad when the author decided to spin off a new series from the Secret Bookcase which had quickly become a fave series. It unfortunately had to come to an end because the ongoing storyline was solved. I was hoping so hard she’d do another series when it came out in the last books that Annie and Fletcher were interested in running a PI agency.

Flash forward, here they are doing both jobs they love so much along with the characters we came to know and enjoy in the original series. Nothing’s really changed, just the fact that now Fletcher and Annie own the bookshop and added some employees, so their ducking out to talk to suspects was a legit thing and not just chasing down one of Dr. Caldwell’s cases.

The two detectives had one heckuva first case, and Fletcher was cracking me up with all the stuff he brought to a stakeout they did, lol. Annie came close to losing her life in a showdown with the killer, but as always something awesome happened and she lived to sleuth another day. I can’t wait to read the next book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Storm Publishing via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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The Devil in the Details review

Tari Hann

This is the eleventh book in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mysteries by beloved cozy mystery author Vicki Delany. I’ve had the pleasure of reading this series since its very beginning, and I’ve fallen in love with the character developments, the awesome mysteries and the relationship progress. Can’t wait to see what’ll be next on Gemma’s plate!

#NetGalley #CrookedLane #VickiDelany

My Goodreads review:

 

The Devil in the Details (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery, #11)The Devil in the Details by Vicki Delany
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gemma’s elusive Uncle Arthur had just been in town for Christmas, but since he was invited to Jayne and Andy’s wedding, were we actually gonna get some page time with him? You’ll have to read and see, but there was plenty of other action going on. Poor Andy had his hands full with a couple employees who were always sniping at each other. He had no idea how bad things would get before he and Jayne got married though.

Luckily Gemma was on the case and as Det. Estrada reluctantly agreed, she knew what she was doing and always came up with something useful for the police. Toward the end something so typically Gemma happened, but everything turned out okay when a perp was put away for the murder. Just another week in amateur sleuth Gemma’s crazy life that I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t trade for anything else.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Crooked Lane via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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The Cold Case and the Corpse review

Tari Hann

This is the eighth book in the Food Blogger Mysteries, a fun cozy mystery series by Debra Sennefelder that I’ve enjoyed since it first came out. It’s best to read the series from the beginning since you get to see how Hope’s relationship with Ethan started and grew to what it is now. And his police work history is kinda important too! 😉 

Note: The series link goes to Amazon since this book isn’t shown on Goodreads as being part of the series. Not an affiliate link.

#NetGalley #BeyondthePageBooks #DebraSennefelder

My Goodreads review:

 

The Cold Case and the CorpseThe Cold Case and the Corpse by Debra Sennefelder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hope can definitely be helpful and snooping to the point of being annoying, but she’s also very endearing, and something about her always makes you wanna forgive her. Luckily Ethan’s got the patience of a saint when it comes to dealing with her curiosity and penchant for getting herself into life and death situations. I liked how someone in the book put it, that she had more lives than her cat, lol.

The ending was awesome with food, friends and fellowship—along with an amazing announcement from someone. Can’t wait to read the next book now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Beyond the Page via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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All My Bones review

Tari Hann

This is the second book in the Old Juniper Bookstore Mysteries by P.J. Nelson, and I like this book as much maybe more than I did last year’s first installment. I really enjoy the setting of a bookstore being in an old Victorian house and loved Madeline’s comment that only she was allowed to refer to it as something the Addams Family would live in, lol! 

#NetGalley #MinotaurBooks #PJNelson

My Goodreads review:

All My Bones (An Old Juniper Bookshop Mystery, #2)All My Bones by P.J. Nelson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read the first book last year when it came out and really enjoyed meeting Maddy and her good friend Phil aka Philomena. Their sense of humor still cracked me up in this book. I liked that David and Maddy were getting closer. Maddy isn’t a character I’d say I’m crazy about, but her supporting players David, Jennifer and Phil are ones I’d love to meet or be friends with. Madeline’s okay but she takes some getting used to. I just feel like I know and like the B players much better.

I enjoyed the planned showdown with a killer and how they were caught. The teamwork put in definitely paid off when the killer of the skeleton dug up at the bookstore was hauled away.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin/Minotaur via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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Gull & Bones review

Tari Hann

This is the eighth book in the Seaside Knitters Society by Sally Goldenbaum, but there was a whole series of it before that just called Seaside Knitters (changed due to a publisher change, I believe). While I haven’t read many of the original series, I’ve followed the Seaside Knitters Society for the last eight books and feel like these four ladies are definitely old friends to come home to.

#NetGalley #KensingtonCozies #SallyGoldenbaum

 

Gull & Bones (Seaside Knitters Society Book 8)Gull & Bones by Sally Goldenbaum
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

From the author’s vivid descriptions of Angus and all the good deeds and friends he’d made, I really felt like I knew him as a character and not just someone who appeared shortly in this book. I felt like wow, he’s been in this series all along, I wonder what book he could’ve been mentioned in. Whether he was or not, it’s always a year between these books, so I had no recollection but still felt like I knew his character well.

It was sad he was the one to be killed in the book, but his friends all mourned for him and had different ways of grieving, some privately and some as a group. Angus would’ve wanted his party to go on, so I’m pretty sure he was smiling down on everyone especially at the party held at the end of the book revealing a super sweet secret. I bet if he hadn’t died, he’d’ve said he guessed it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Kensington Cozies via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.


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Vows and Villainy review

Tari Hann

This is the fifth book in The Cambridge Bookshop mysteries by Elizabeth Penney, and I’ve enjoyed every book since its beginning. And after the awesome ending, I can’t wait for the next book now! It was great how everyone worked together to find the perp in this book, but well, Molly always kinda ends up in the killer’s crosshairs. But no worries, she lived to sleuth another day.

#NetGalley #StMartinPaperbacks #MinotaurBooks #Elizabeth Penney

My Goodreads review

Vows and Villainy: The Cambridge Bookshop SeriesVows and Villainy: The Cambridge Bookshop Series by Elizabeth Penney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It was good to get back to Cambridge and visit with Molly and her family and friends. She and Kieran had been growing closer and closer as each book progressed, and I wasn’t disappointed with this book either! The mystery was a good one with an exciting showdown. I loved what happened to the perp—served them right, lol. After what happened right before the wedding, I’m eager for the next book in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by St. Martin/Minotaur, and my opinions are my own.


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Crescent City Christmas Chaos review

Tari Hann

This is the fourth book in the Vintage Cookbook Mysteries by another fave cozy author, Ellen Byron. It’s also another series I’ve read from the very beginning. I was so happy when the previous book was announced as getting a new publishing house since it looked like it wasn’t gonna continue with the previous.

I loved this author’s Cajun Country Mysteries and it seems whenever she writes a book set in Louisiana, I always find a reason to wanna explore something a little more online. This time I wanted to see just what a shotgun cottage looked like. I was surprised and happy to discover we’d seen these types of cottages this summer while driving through the French Quarter and on the way there. Yay for learning something new–and having already seen it. Back to the book, I can’t wait for the next one to come now now!

#NetGalley #SevernHouse #EllenByron

My Goodreads review:

Crescent City Christmas Chaos (Vintage Cookbook Mystery 4)Crescent City Christmas Chaos by Ellen Byron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow Ricki was one busy shopkeeper this Christmas season, but this time it seemed like she was gone more than being there. She had all her virtual plates spinning in the air as she tackled running the shop, helping her friends with a cookbook project, sleuthing a murder case, and she tried to squeeze in time for her parents as well as Virgil.
The folks were in since Luis was being Virgil’s cameraman for his food show special. Toss in a random bandit going around stealing stuff dressed as NOLA’s beloved snowman character, and I’m surprised Ricki didn’t wave a white flag or tell them to stick a fork in her, she’s done lol. When she and some friends came face to face with a killer, one friend surprised them all by saving the day. Eventually the bandit was caught and Ricki got an amazing Christmas surprise. Can’t wait for the next book now!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Severn House via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.

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