Paperback

Christmas Sweets by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine, and Leslie Meier

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Pages: 320

Publisher: Kensington

Published: October 29, 2019

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review: I am a huge fan of the Hannah Swensen series and had not read The Twelve Desserts of Christmas. A cute novella that makes you love Hannah even more. Of course, it is filled with plenty of yummy recipes!

I fell in love with Jaine and Prozac (yes that really is her cat’s name). I have added this series to the TBR list that is already full but I laughed my way through Nightmare on Elf Street. Just imagine a cat running through the mall with a corn dog in her mouth all the whole wearing antlers.

The Christmas Thief was my first Leslie Meier book and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it but by the end I did. Very interested in this series now.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Gathered in one volume for the very first time, here are three yuletide tales of mystery, murder, and romance, featuring your favorite sleuths . . .

THE TWELVE DESSERTS OF CHRISTMAS by JOANNE FLUKE
It’s the perfect mix of naughty and nice when two lovestruck boarding school teachers watch six kids over Christmas break. But when someone wants the cozy couple’s romance to burn out faster than a scorched fruitcake, it’s Hannah Swensen to the rescue, armed with her sleuthing skills—and twelve deliciously festive recipes . . .

NIGHTMARE ON ELF STREET by LAURA LEVINE
Aside from the mortifying costume, how bad can a gig as a mall Santa’s elf be? Jaine Austen finds out when she’s teamed up with the Santa from Hell. But things go from bad to worse when he’s found murdered on the job—and Jaine is a suspect. Now all she wants for Christmas is to find the real killer . . .

THE CHRISTMAS THIEF by LESLIE MEIER
Elizabeth Stone is ready for a white Christmas in Tinker’s Cove, Maine—until a fancy Yule ball at the Florida hotel where she works dumps snow on her plans. The sponsor’s jewels have gone missing and the police are asking about her ties to a cute mystery guest. Good thing Elizabeth’s mother, Lucy Stone, flew down to surprise her. ʼTis the season for a little investigating . . .

Includes Luscious Holiday Recipes!

Apple Cider Slaying (A Cider Shop #1) by Julie Anne Lindsey

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Pages: 320

Publisher: Kensington

Published: October 29, 2019

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

My Review: I am so torn as if I liked this or not. I liked the characters but the plot seemed blah in regards to the murder mystery. A lot of focus was on the background of the characters and such. At times I found myself bored reading.

The budding romance between Winnie and Colton seems to be too convenient. Almost like, oh my main character needs a romantic interest. I think it would have been better if the romance was introduced in book two.

I will read book two and see if my thoughts improve. You never know, maybe I was just having a bad reading week while reading Apple Cider Slaying.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Apples are at the core of the family business run by Winona Mae Montgomery and her Granny Smythe. But this year’s crop is unseasonably ripe with murder . . .

ONE ROTTEN APPLE

Blossom Valley, West Virginia, is home to Smythe Orchards, Winnie and her Granny’s beloved twenty-five-acre farm and family business. But any way you slice it, it’s struggling. That’s why they’re trying to drum up business with the “First Annual Christmas at the Orchard,” a good old-fashioned holiday festival with enough delicious draw to satisfy apple-picking locals and cider-loving tourists alike—until the whole endeavor takes a sour turn when the body of Nadine Cooper, Granny’s long-time, grudge-holding nemesis, is found lodged in the apple press. Now, with Granny the number one suspect, Winnie is hard-pressed to prove her innocence before the real killer delivers another murder . . .

A Bad Hair Day Cookbook (A Bad Hair Day Cozy Mystery Series) by Nancy J. Cohen

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cookbook

Pages: 377

Publisher: Orange Grove Press

Published: November 19, 2019

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

My Review: A new favorite cookbook. I will be buying a hard copy very soon. Plenty of yummy recipes to keep me busy for a bit.

The cooking tips, in the beginning, were very helpful. A few things I did not know like you can exchange parsley for cilantro. It is divided into sections like most cookbooks are but Cohen made sure to include a vegetarian section which will be helpful when I have my niece over. There is also a beverage section. If you like doing theme dinners, Cohen has also taken the time to give you themes and what recipes you should fix for that theme. How fun!

I have never read The Bad Hair Day cozy series so I enjoyed the book excerpts throughput the cookbook. I have put this series high on my TBR list for 2020.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Orange Grove Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Are you having a bad hair day? Whip out your whisk, snatch up your spoon, and prepare your palate.
Inside the pages of this cookbook are recipes that will bring you good cheer. Enjoy 160+ tasty recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s popular Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series.

Included in this cookbook are excerpts, cooking tips, and anecdotes written by hairstylist and savvy sleuth Marla Vail. From appetizers to desserts, Marla offers cooking tips and tricks along with commentary about the dishes she prepares for her family.

Whether you’re a skilled cook or an eager novice, this cookbook will unravel the mystery of cooking. Put on your apron and plan to make some killer recipes.

PS: The Chili Dip is delicious!

 

Christmas by the Lighthouse by Rebecca Boxall

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Pages: 236

Publisher: Amazon Publishing UK

Published: September 12, 2019

Rating: 3 (maybe 4) stars out of 5

My Review: Hmm… can you like a book but at the same time not like it? I’m not even sure why I don’t like it except it seemed so far fetched it was ridiculous. If you put that aside it was a sweet love story.

I found the title very misleading. Christmas played a very minor role in the story. By the title, I would have thought it would be rampant throughout.

In my opinion, read as a book not to take seriously and one as a relaxing read. I give it 4 stars because I liked the story just not the delivery and the outlandishness of it.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Amazon Publishing UK, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Happy-go-lucky journalist Summer has always managed to focus on the silver lining. But nothing in her life has prepared her for her husband Seth’s recent revelation: he wants a six-month break from their marriage.

Determined to stay positive, Summer decamps to Jersey to spend six months by the sea, where every passing week makes Seth more of a distant memory. Then she meets sweet, charming Jude, whose life seems to be on permanent hold even before he receives devastating news of his own. To both of them, their chance encounter feels like fate, and with Summer’s encouragement, Jude embarks on a bucket list of experiences that seem to bond them for life.

When they’re together, the world is alive with possibilities, but as Christmas approaches, their time is running out in more ways than one. Will they return to the lives they left behind – or take a chance on an unknown future?

Tide and Punishment (A Seaside Cafe #3) by Bree Baker

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Pages: 384

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Published: September 24, 2019

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

My Review: This was my first visit to Charm in the Outer Banks but it won’t be my last. I am in love with the idea of an iced tea shop and all the characters. I’m happy Tide and Punishment was my first visit. It was so magical with the snow on the island.

I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Grady. Hubba Hubba. He sounds just about perfect. Tall and sexy with a dark, sad side you want to love away.

I’ve already bought the first book of the series, Live and Let Chai, to read.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: No one dreams of a killer Christmas…

It’s Christmastime in Charm, North Carolina, and while Everly Swan would prefer to focus on decorating her iced tea shop for its first holiday season, Great-Aunt Fran has decided to run for mayor against her long-time nemesis. But when the other candidate turns up dead just before the first scheduled debate, all eyes turn to Fran as the suspect with the most obvious motive.

Everly knows her sweet, elderly Aunt Fran couldn’t have murdered anyone, but as she struggles to find the real killer, it begins to seem like this may be the last merry Christmas her family may ever have.

Wrapped Up In Christmas by Janice Lynn

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Pages: 300

Publisher: Hallmark Publishing

Published: October 1, 2019

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review:

A sweet Christmas story that is perfect to read this upcoming Veteran’s Day weekend. You will turn the last page filled with love and Christmas fuzzies. Being a Kentucky girl, I found the setting of the small Kentucky town absolutely wonderful. The cover alone is so beautiful that you feel your falling into the story just staring at it. I sure hope this book is made into a movie soon.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Hallmark Publishing, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: A gift of warmth to heal two hearts…
Sarah Smith in Pine Hill, Kentucky has had her heartbroken in the past. She pours herself into her work at church and into special projects—like making a quilt for a wounded warrior.

Bodie Lewis is lost. All he’s ever wanted was his career as an Army Ranger, but he was injured in an explosion that killed his brothers in arms. In the hospital, he receives a handmade quilt. Later, he sets out on his final mission: to find and thank its maker.
Bodie expected Sarah to be an elderly lady, not a lovely young woman. When she mistakes him for a handyman, he doesn’t immediately set her straight. Instead, he sets about repairing the home she’s turning into a bed and breakfast. Sarah’s presence and the spirit of the small town bring Bodie something he thought he’d left far behind on the battlefield: hope.

This heartwarming sweet romance includes a free quilt pattern from the Quilts of Valor Foundation and a new original Hallmark recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Bread.

 

Murder in the First Edition (A Beyond the Page Bookstore) by Lauren Elliott

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Pages: 320

Publisher: Kensington

Published: September 24, 2019

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review: My third visit to Greyborne Harbor was the best. I felt more connected to the characters and the story moved along nicely.

The Beyond The Page Bookstore Mysteries feel like a meatier read than other cozies. I appreciate the fact they are everything a cozy should be: gorgeous covers, clean of foul language, no sex scenes and set in a cute town.

I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about the main character Addie. Most feel she is playing with Simon and Marc’s emotions and I see where they are coming from but I don’t agree. I believe she is still in mourning for David and isn’t sure how to move forward. She’s trying but finds it even harder with David’s father in town. We get the feeling that Addie is ready to move on more than ever by the end.

I look forward to continuing this series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Addie Greyborne is preparing for the holidays at her bookstore in seaside New England—but a winter storm is coming, in more ways than one . . .

Addie’s getting into the spirit for the upcoming Charity Auction—especially since she’s got an 1843 copy of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol to donate. Her former colleagues at the Boston Public Library have confirmed that its worth runs toward the high five figures, which should help with the new pediatric wing. Her mood darkens, though, when a visitor from the past appears—Jonathan Hemingway, the father of her late fiancé. His presence stirs up sad memories for Addie, but also has her fuming when Jonathan, true to his womanizing ways, runs off for a lunchtime liaison with Teresa Lang, who’s in charge of the auction.

Soon after, Addie heads to Teresa’s office at the hospital—and finds the poor woman’s dead body. What she doesn’t find is her valuable first edition. What sort of Scrooge would steal from sick children and commit murder in the process? As a Nor’easter bears down and a mystery emerges about Jonathan’s past, Addie must find out if she can appraise people’s motives and characters as well as she can appraise rare books . . .

The Body in the Gravel (A Jazzi Zanders Mystery #3) by Judi Lynn

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Pages: 274

Publisher: Kensington

Published: September 24, 2019

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review: My favorite visit to River Bluffs.

When I first started the series I was not a big fan but liked it enough to stuck with it. I’m so glad I did. I’m loving it and finding myself eagerly awaiting the next installment.

I love the closeness of Jazzi’s family and Ansel has finally gone from feeling like a controlling man to one who just loves his woman with everything he’s got. The more you get to know Ansel’s family the more you realize how lucky he is to have moved to River Bluffs.

There is the illusion of sex but nothing descriptive so I consider a clean read. No paranormal activity for those who are opposed. Recipes are usually included as Jazzi likes to cook as well as flip houses. No foul language that I can think of.

Each book can be read as a stand-alone but I always suggest reading in order.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Kensington, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Even in a lovely town like River Bluffs, Indiana, flipping houses can be a challenge. Especially when there’s the proverbial skeleton in the closet—and a literal corpse in the driveway . . .

House-flipper Jazzi Zanders has her work cut out for her. Her latest flip, which she co-purchased with her fiancée Ansel and cousin Jerod, is a three-story fixer-upper that’s more of a droopy-downer. One corner of the house is sinking and needs to be jacked up with a new cement foundation. That costs money. And causes headaches. And creates a work environment that’s not only hostile, but it’s also downright deadly . . .

Jazzi knows it’s a tough job. Which is why she hired Darby to lay the cement. But when Darby gets into a fiery argument with the furnace man—and then never shows up to lay gravel for the driveway—Jazzi starts to wonder if the rumors about Darby are true. Did he kill his wife and son and bury them in the yard as some folks claim? When Darby’s dead body comes pouring out of a gravel truck, murder upstages the real estate market as her biggest concern . . .

The Amish Christmas Matchmaker (Indiana Amish Brides #4) by Vannetta Chapman

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amish

Pages: 224

Publisher: Love Inspired

Published: October 1, 2019

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review: A pleasant romantic read that will guarantee to make your heart and soul feel good.

This is the fourth book in Chapman’s Indiana Bride series but you can read each as a stand-alone with no issues.

The story of Annie and Levi teaches is that God knows what is best and will lead us in the right direction when the time is right.

As always, Chapman uses the right amount of religion without being overbearing. I appreciate the clean romance of her romance novels.

Hurry and pick up your copy today. It’s never too early to get in the Christmas spirit.

Bookbub: Annie has a thriving wedding business in her Amish community, creating happily ever afters. When cowboy Levi tries to convince her father to move to Texas, she figures she can stop his plans by finding Levi a bride — but might his perfect match be her? From a Carol Award–winning author!

What Rose Forgot by Nevada Barr

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Pages: 304

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Published: September 17, 2019

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

My Review: Honestly I was a bit confused through the entire book until the end and I’m still not 100% sure I understand the ending. I think that was probably the intent since the story is of an elderly lady put in a memory care unit against what she believes her will.

I love the Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr but I did not love this book. Personally, I won’t be jumping at the chance to recommend but if it sounds interesting to you please give it a read. It could be the next best book for you.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

Bookbub: In New York Times bestselling author Nevada Barr’s gripping standalone, a grandmother in her sixties emerges from a mental fog to find she’s trapped in her worst nightmare

Rose Dennis wakes up in a hospital gown, her brain in a fog, only to discover that she’s been committed to an Alzheimer’s Unit in a nursing home. With no memory of how she ended up in this position, Rose is sure that something is very wrong. When she overhears one of the administrators saying about her that she’s “not making it through the week,” Rose is convinced that if she’s to survive, she has to get out of the nursing home. She avoids taking her medication, putting on a show for the aides, then stages her escape.

The only problem is–how does she convince anyone that she’s not actually demented? Her relatives were the ones to commit her, all the legal papers were drawn up, the authorities are on the side of the nursing home, and even she isn’t sure she sounds completely sane. But any lingering doubt Rose herself might have had is erased when a would-be killer shows up in her house in the middle of the night. Now Rose knows that someone is determined to get rid of her.

With the help of her computer hacker/recluse sister Marion, thirteen-year old granddaughter Mel, and Mel’s friend Royal, Rose begins to gather her strength and fight back–to find out who is after her and take back control of her own life. But someone out there is still determined to kill Rose, and they’re holding all the cards.