Wednesday Reads — My Favorite Summer Reads

Happy Wednesday book lovers! Today is officially the last day of summer and tomorrow we will wake up to a new season….Fall! I know many of you started celebrating fall when last month while I have been clinging to summer with all that is in me and trying to make every day count! Last week I shared with y’all the books I will be reading this fall and since today is the last day of summer (sniff sniff) I thought I would share with some of my favorite summer reads!

What did you read over the summer? What were your favorite summer/beach reads?

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (A Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns

This new mystery by Valerie Burns but this book was hands down my favorite summer read even if the book is set in winter.

I couldn’t wait to get this book in my hot little hands and it didn’t disappoint! In fact I read this book in less than 24 hours I just couldn’t put it down. I gave this book 4 stars but only because the book ended on a cliffhanger and it is definitely a set up for the next book.

The Beacon Bakeshop series: Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop, Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-off, and Murder at the Blueberry Festival by Darci Hannah I could not stop reading any of these books from the first book to the third book I found myself staying up way later than I should have. Darci Hannah is an amazing author and these are all 5 star reads. I connected to Lindsey Bakewell who is starting over in Beacon Harbor, MI after a very bad breakup by opening a bakery. Between baking delicious pastries she is also busy solving murders and will she ever find a baking assistant? All the characters in the book are just delightful and I can’t wait for the 4th book in the series.

Bayou Book Thief (A Vintage Cookbook Mystery) by Ellen Byron this is the first book in this series by Ellen Byron who also writes another series that is set in the Louisiana Bayou and another series under the name Maria DiRico. This was my first time reading anything by this author but it want be my last and can’t wait for the second book in this series. I did enjoy the amateur sleuth Ricki James but the real star of is the city of New Orleans and its cuisine. I found myself wanting to make plans immediately to visit The Big Easy and eat my way through the city! Can’t wait read the next book.

Death by Bubble Tea (An L.A. Night Market Mystery) by Jennifer J. Chow is a new series from this author and it departs from several cozy mystery themes: it’s not set in a small town but Los Angeles, there is no cozy companion, and at present there is no love interest but somehow the author still kept the cozy mystery vibe without them. Yale Yee and her cousin Celine who is visiting from Hong Kong are as different as two people could be Yale is quiet, bookish, and anti-tech while Celine is a very tech savvy, outgoing, and she could be called a lot of things but bookish is not one of them. Yale is still dealing with the trauma of her mother’s death which she feels responsible for when Celine comes for a visit. I loved how the differences didn’t pull them apart but was an asset in their sleuthing even if it was a little rocky along the way.

The Trouble in Paradise Mystery Series by Carrie Doyle: It Takes Two to Mango and Something’s Guava Give. If you are a fan of Death in Paradise and Agatha Raisin then this is the series for you! Plum Lockhart finds herself on the Caribbean Island of Parasio when the travel magazine she is editor in chief of folds and she can’t find another job in New York. Plum is pushy, impatient, rude, and arrogant who is finding it hard to adjust in this first book. I almost stopped reading it but the more I read the more I begin to like Plum and the author does a wonderful job drawing you in and giving you a peek into what makes Plum who she is so I am so glad I stuck with this series.

The Cape Cod Foodie Mystery Series by Amy Pershing: A Side of Murder (Book 1) and Murder is No Picnic (Book 3) I discovered this series thanks to the online book community who just raved about this series and so I added to my summer reading list and I am glad I did. Samantha Barnes is back home in Cape Cod after going viral for all the wrong reasons but she is settling in and making a life for herself not as a chef but as the Cape Cod foodie, reconnecting with friends old and new, and solving murders. This series is worth your time and as with the majority of culinary mystery series there are receipes.

Pint of No Return (Shake Shop Mystery) by Dana Mentink be prepared to indulge in milkshakes! The whole time I was reading this first book in this series I found myself over indulging in milkshakes but aside from that the character development and plot are very well written and it was just a fun and enjoyable read. The real star is Trindad’s senior dog!

Smile Beach Murder (An Outer Banks Bookshop Mystery) by Alicia Bessett, I took this book with me to the beach and it was the perfect book to sit out on the beach or in my case the balcony of our Air BnB and read this book. I found it a little slow going on at first but it soon picked up the pace a little what I enjoyed most was joining Callie on the start of her healing journey in dealing with the death of her mom who died 25 years ago when she fell from the local lighthouse and when the death of Eva Meeks happens at the lighthouse it is declared a suicide but Callie’s reporter instincts tells her its murder. When Eva’s daughter tells Callie she doesn’t believe her mother killed herself Callie promises her she will investigate. Great read and I figured out who the killer was so yeah for me!

The Proof is In the Poison (A Southern Homebrew Mystery) by Diane Kelly is the 2nd book in this series that I refer to as the Moonshine mystery series and is a great follow up after her debut novel The Moonshine Shack Murder which takes place in Chattanooga, TN where Hattie Hayes is finally living her dream by opening up her own moonshine business but then there’s a murder and Hattie is suspect #1. When the killer was revealed all I had was sympathy and could understand why and was so sad.

Abby Collette’s Body and Soul Food book 1 in the Books and Biscuits cozy mystery and A Deadly Inside Scoop the first book in her Ice Cream Parlor mystery series. In Body and Soul Food the amateur sleuths are reunited twins Koby and Keaton who open a bookstore & soul food restaurant who find themselves sleuthing when their friend is murdered (4 1/2 stars). In A Deadly Inside Scoop Bronwyn Crewse has been given the keys to the family business when her cousin moves to North Carolina. With all the delays of the renovation the ice cream parlor ends up opening the day of a major snow storm! Then that same day Bronwyn finds a body behind her business and her father is the prime suspect. Bronwyn along with her childhood best friends are on the case to clear her father, save her business, and find a killer (5 out of 5 big Stars). You can’t go wrong with either book I promise you once you pick them up you want put them down until the killer is revealed.

Arsenic and Adobo (A Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery) by Mia P. Manansala there is a reason this first book in this series won this year’s Anthony Award for first novel. I enjoyed learning about Pilipino culture and loved how the author had such diverse characters too. Lila Macapagal has left Chicago to go back home and help her Tita Rosie save the family restaurant. When Lila’s old high school boyfriend who is now a food critic comes in to cause trouble but instead ends up dying after arguing with Lila things go from bad to worse. With her family restaurant now shut down as a crime scene she is on the case to clear her family’s name and hopefully save the restaurant. This cozy was a fun read that dealt with some heavy topics at times in a respectful way. It is so deserving of this honor! 5 out of 5 big stars!

My Fall TBR

Happy first day of fall y’all! Since fall has officially arrived I thought it would be fun to share with you my Fall TBR.

I’ve been trying to thank of way to tackle my ever growing TBR since me not buying books isn’t going to happen so I borrowed from my bookish online friends who create a themed TBR and I must admit creating a summer TBR helped me read books that had been on my TBR for a while and since it worked so well I decided to create a fall TBR from my stack. If you check me out on Instagram I also did a video of my fall TBR. I left off this list my book club and buddy reads.

With all that being said here is what I will be reading this fall!

What will you be reading? Do you create a seasonal/themed TBR?

The Pine of No Return (A Sloan Krause Mystery Series) by Ellie Alexander

About the book:

No other festival compares to Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, Washington. The whole town is buzzing with excitement over this year’s activities and eagerly awaiting Nitro’s latest offering Cherrywizen, made with locally sourced cherries. But local brewmaster Sloan Krause is tapped out. Between trying to manage the pub, her pending divorce with Mac, and her mounting feelings for Garrett, she’s fermenting in internal turmoil.

To complicate matters, dreamy movie star Mitchell Morgan and his production crew have arrived in the village to film during the authentic Bavarian brewfest. Mitchell has his eye on Sloan and a taste for Nitro’s Cherrywizen. Sloan escapes his advances for good when she finds Mitchell slumped over the bar. Is this a case of one pint too many, or has Mitchell been murdered by microbrew?

Live, Local, and Dead (A Vermont Radio Mystery) by Nikki Knight

About the book:

In a fit of anger, radio DJ Jaye Jordan blows a snowman’s head off with a Revolutionary War-style musket. But the corpse that tumbles out is all too human. Jaye thought life would be quieter when she left New York City and bought a tiny Vermont radio station. But now, Edwin Anger — the ranting and raving radio talk show host who Jaye recently fired — lies dead in the snow. And the Edwin Anger fans who protested his dismissal are sure she killed him.

To clear her name, Jaye must find the real killer, as if she doesn’t have her hands full running the radio station, DJing her all-request love song show, and shuttling tween daughter Ryan to and from school. It doesn’t make matters easier that the governor — Jaye’s old crush — arrived on the scene before the musket smoke cleared. Fortunately, Jaye has allies…if you count the flatulent moose that lives in the transmitter shack, and Neptune, the giant gray cat that lives at the station.

If Jaye can turn the tables on the devious killer, she and the governor may get to make some sweet, sweet music together. But if she can’t, she’ll be off the air…permanently.

No Parm No Foul (A Grilled Cheese Mystery) by Linda Reilly (Halloween Theme)

About the book:

The second book in a delicious culinary cozy series — the muensters have arrived in Balsam Dell in this Halloween cozy mystery featuring a grilled cheese shop owner turned amateur sleuth

After a long hot summer in Balsam Dell, Carly Hale is ready for crisp Vermont weather and gourmet grilled cheeses at her Grilled Cheese Eatery. And the upcoming Halloween food competition is the perfect way to impress the locals.

But Ferris Menard, the owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub, is nursing a serious grudge against Carly. Two days before the competition, one of Carly’s employees quit his part-time gig at Menard’s sub shop, sending Menard into a serious snit. In a confrontation at the Eatery, Menard accused Carly of sabotage and vowed to bring her down.

That’s when Menard’s body is found in his kitchen the morning after the competition, a steak knife sticking out of his heart. But Menard had a slew of enemies, and if Carly doesn’t figure out which one is the culprit, she might find herself — or someone she cares about — serving grilled cheese sandwiches under lock and brie!

Pumpkin Spice & Deadly Heist (The Noisy Paralegal Mystery) by Tanya R. Taylor

About the book:

Alan Danzabar has been accused of having been involved in a blatant bank robbery that resulted in the shooting death of a security guard.

All fingers are pointing at Alan by others who have been arrested and ultimately confessed to the crime, but Alan insists that he is innocent.

Will he get off the hook with the help of J. Wilfred & Company, particularly an employee there by the name of Barbara Sandosa who takes it upon herself to dig much deeper to uncover the truth in ways that her boss would never dream of? Or will Alan Danzabar be exposed as a liar and a killer?

A Sprinkle In Time (A Shake Shop Mystery) by Dana Mentink

About the book:

It’s Alpenfest in Upper Sprocket! Yodelers are congregating in the square, tourists flocking to the town, and Trinidad Jones is scooping up some fall flavors at her Shimmy and Shake Shop.

The cherry on the sundae is her upcoming feature in The Scoop magazine. She’s determined to serve up the perfect interview, but it won’t be easy, thanks in part to her meddling Cuban grandfather Papa Luis who has decided to make Sprocket his home for the foreseeable future. Papa Luis has set himself up as a taxi driver in his classic 1951 Buick.

But things take a turn when Papa Luis tells her he’s found a corpse in his trunk. Upon closer investigation, they realize the body has disappeared. With the assistance of Juliette and Bonnie (her sisterhood of exes) and the way too handsome nut farmer Quinn Logan, Trinidad must solve the mystery of the disappearing corpse, before her father is up to his neck in a murderous mess.

Musseled Out (A Maine Clambake Mystery) by Barbara Ross

About the book:

The busy summer tourist season is winding down in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, but Julia Snowden senses trouble simmering for the Snowden Family Clambake Company. Shifty David Thwing — the “Mussel King” of upscale seafood restaurants — is sniffing around town for a new location. But serving iffy clams turns out to be the least of his troubles….

When Thwing is found sleeping with the fishes beneath a local lobsterman’s boat, the police quickly finger Julia’s brother-in-law, Sonny, as the one who cooked up the crime. Sure, everyone knows Sonny despised the Mussel King…but Julia believes he’s innocent. Proving it won’t be easy, though. It seems there’s a lot more than murder on the menu, and Julia needs to act fast….

Mint Chocolate Murder (Ice Cream Shop Mystery) by Meri Allen

**Book 2 — Late Summer so fall adjacent**

About the book:

When Udderly Delightful Ice Cream shop manager Riley Rhodes is summoned to Penniman’s Moy Mull Castle, it’s the cherry on top of a successful summer season. The gothic pile built by an eccentric New England Gilded Age millionaire has been transformed into a premiere arts colony by Maud Monaco, a reclusive former supermodel. As part of Moy Mull’s Fall Arts Festival, Maud is throwing a fantasy ice cream social and hires Riley to whip up unique treats to celebrate the opening of an exhibit by Adam Blasco, a photographer as obnoxious as he is talented.

As Penniman fills up with Maud’s art-world friends arriving for the festival, gossip swirls around Blasco, who has a dark history of obsession with his models. Riley’s curiosity and instincts for sleuthing — she was a CIA librarian — are piqued, and she wonders at the hold the cold-hearted photographer has over the mistress of Moy Mull.

But when Adam is found dead behind the locked door of Moy Mull’s dungeon, Riley realizes there’s more than one suspect who’d wanted put the malicious photographer on ice.

Murder at Blackburn Hall (A High Society Lady Detective Mystery) by Sara Rosett

About the book:

September, 1923. Despite closing her first case, high society lady detective Olive Belgrave hasn’t found a new client. She’s taken a job as a hat model to pay for her poky boarding house room. But then a job offer comes her way — make discreet inquiries about a famous author who’s disappeared.

Olive travels to the English countryside to hunt for the missing mystery author. But soon after she arrives in the sleepy village, a body is discovered. Then a second murder focuses the police’s attention on Olive, and she must clear her name before the murderer pens a plot that frames her.

Murder at Blackburn Hall is the second book in the High Society Lady Detective series, a lighthearted cozy historical mystery series set in 1920s England. If you love novels that take you back to the Golden Age of detective fiction with interesting plots, posh settings, and twisty mysteries, you’ll love the High Society Lady Detective Series from USA Today bestseller Sara Rosett.

Deserts, Driving, & Derelicts (A Camper & Criminals Mystery) by Tonya Kappes

About the book:

Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothin’ is normal!

Mae West is just getting settled into the RV lifestyle as owner of the local camp ground in Normal, Kentucky. The Happy Trails Camp Ground, located in the Daniel Boone National Park, has started to bring in tourists for the late summer vacationing family that love to hike, swim, fish, and enjoy the outdoor life.

The Laundry Club ladies are still holding court ( better known as gossip sessions) in the local laundromat. They’re spinning more tales than the washing machine spin cycle after there’s a string of burglaries happening in their small, southern town.

Suddenly everyone in Normal is on alert after one of their own is found dead. Even though Mae West tries her best to stay out of it, she can’t. After all, it’s not good for business when a murderer is on the loose. Plus, Betts Hager, one of the Laundry Club ladies and Mae’s good friend, is the number one suspect and now it’s personal to Mae.

Mae has grown to love her RV community and now that she’s found a place to belong, she’s not going to let anyone ruin it, throwing her deep into using her amateur sleuthing skills to bring the real killer to justice.

A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (A Countess of Harleigh Mystery) by Dianne Freeman

About the book:

Though American by birth, Frances Wynn, the now-widowed Countess of Harleigh, has adapted admirably to the quirks and traditions of the British aristocracy. On August twelfth each year, otherwise known as the Glorious Twelfth, most members of the upper class retire to their country estates for grouse-shooting season. Frances has little interest in hunting — for birds or a second husband — and is expecting to spend a quiet few months in London with her almost-engaged sister, Lily, until the throng returns.

Instead, she’s immersed in a shocking mystery when a friend, Mary Archer, is found murdered. Frances had hoped Mary might make a suitable bride for her cousin, Charles, but their courtship recently fizzled out. Unfortunately, this puts Charles in the spotlight — along with dozens of others. It seems Mary had countless notes hidden in her home, detailing the private indiscretions of society’s elite. Frances can hardly believe that the genteel and genial Mary was a blackmailer, yet why else would she horde such juicy tidbits?

Aided by her gallant friend and neighbor, George Hazelton, Frances begins assisting the police in this highly sensitive case, learning more about her peers than she ever wished to know. Too many suspects may be worse than none at all — but even more worrying is that the number of victims is increasing too. And unless Frances takes care, she’ll soon find herself among them . . .

Wine and Punishment (A Literary Pub Mystery) by Sarah Fox

About the book:

Booklover Sadie Coleman knows that in life, as in fiction, the right setting can make a world of difference. The small town of Shady Creek, Vermont, seems like the perfect place to start over after losing her Boston job to a merger and her relationship to her ex’s gambling addiction. She’s bought and redecorated the old grist mill pub, transforming the Inkwell into a cozy spot where tourists and regulars alike can enjoy a pint or a literary-themed cocktail, or join one of several book clubs.

Little by little, Sadie is adjusting to the rhythms of her new home. Fall in Shady Creek is bookmarked by the much-anticipated Autumn Festival, complete with a pumpkin catapult competition and pie bake-off. Unfortunately, the season also brings an unwelcome visitor — Sadie’s ex, Eric, who’s angling for a second chance . . .

Before Sadie can tell Eric to leave, he’s found dead near the Inkwell. When the local antique shop catches fire on the same night, it’s clear the town is harboring at least one unsavory character. Now, with her Aunt Gilda, her friend Shontelle, and the pub’s patrons all in the mix, Sadie must uncover the truth . . . before a killer declares last call.

Wednesday Reads-My Review of Two Parts Sugar, One Parts Murder by Valerie Burns

Happy Wednesday Book Lovers! I hope everyone had a great and relaxing Labor Day weekend I certainly did. What better way to kick off the weekend then reading. I thought doing my usual Wednesday wrap up but I felt that this new cozy mystery series by Valerie Burns who also writes several other cozy mystery series as V.M. Burns deserved the spotlight.

Every since I saw the author’s announcement about this series and read the summary I was hooked so I pre-ordered this book and patiently (?) waited to receive my book but all the reviews from the Bookbiosphere were overwhelmingly good. I mean five stars and it made me almost wish I had signed up for an ARC but oh well.

“I researched careers and decided that the fit for someone with my skill set would be a doctor’s wife.”

Madison Montgomery has been left at the altar of her livestream wedding so when she received word that her Great-Aunt Octavia has died and left Madison her house and bakery she packs up her Louboutin’s and Jimmy Choo’s and heads to New Bison, MI to escape. She arrives in the small town to sell the house and business but finds out that her great aunt has stipulated that she must live there and run the bakery for 1 year. The problem is Madison doesn’t know how to cook much less bake and she inherits a 250lb English Mastiff name Baby!

As soon as Madison arrives she begins to get very generous offers for her aunt’s house that sits right on Lake Michigan, the bakery, and Baby who is a Champion dog. Then the mayor who Madison had words with turns up dead and Madison is suspected what a crazy 48 hours! Now Madison finds herself along with her aunts friends and employees known as the Baker Street Irregulars are on the hunt for a killer!

Every review I read about this book didn’t lie! This was a great book plus there is so much more going on in the town of New Bison then murder. There is corruption and it is possible Madison Aunt Octavia was murdered. When Madison arrives in New Bison she is clearly a woman who has lead a very shallow life and has been pampered by her father The Admiral. But Madison is also extremely smart, Stanford grad with honors, but it’s clear that she has suffered not physical abuse but emotional abuse from her father. He has constantly told her she is indecisive, immature, and has treated her that way.

Aside from the murder I love seeing Madison growing and coming into her own as a woman especially when she stands up to The Admiral one Jefferson Augustus Montgomery. There were hardly any red herrings, the characters were very well developed but could there be a traitor in the mist of the Baker Street Irregulars?

My one negative is that the book ends on a cliffhanger. It is clear that Madison’s aunt was murdered but the killer wasn’t revealed and there is so much more going on that is hinted at but again not revealed. This leads me to believe that all the loose threads will be tied up in the next book that I am eagerly anticipating!

GO. BUY. THIS. BOOK!

September Anticipated Reads

Hello Book Lovers! I am already seeing all the fall memes and can feel your giddiness that September is finally here. I am looking forward to the three day weekend that is upon us spent mostly reading and remember it is still summer.

Today I am sharing cozy mysteries I am excited to read and waiting to receive. If you are not a cozy mystery reader I hope you see a book that will peek your interest and give a cozy a try or if you are a die hard fan of this genre then I hope you see something that makes it way onto your TBR or will move to the top of your TBR.

I didn’t include the newest series from Amanda Flower because it will not come out until the end of September so you will see it on my October anticipated reads.

What are book are excited to read this month?

Until next time!

Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder (A Baker Street Mystery) by Valerie Burns

Now I know I’ve already featured this book in my August Anticipated reads but the book release was August 30th so it goes on my September TBR! Valerie Burns also writes under the name V.M. Burns and she is a very talented writer. Every since this new series was announced last year I knew I had to have it so I pre-ordered this book and started the countdown. Those who received an ARC (advanced reader copy) have given this book 5 stars so I am salivating to read this book.

How can you not want to read a book about a social media influencer who gets dumps at the altar, inherits her aunt’s home and bakery and a 200lb mastiff named Baby and oh yeah she can’t bake!

Peg and Rose Solve a Murder (A Peg and Rose Mystery) by Laurien Berenson

I have a huge fan of Laurin Berenson’s Melanie Travis mystery series where her Aunt Peg has been the sidekick so I am so glad to see her get a spinoff. Again I know I’ve talked about this book before but it is finally here! I can’t wait to dig into this book! Again every book review has been 5 stars!

Grounds for Murder (A Coffee Lover’s Mystery) by Tara Lush

This 1st book in the Coffee Lover’s mystery series came out in 2020 and I’ll admit I didn’t discover this book until this year. I’ve see reviews of this book on Book Tube (YouTube) and read the reviews and before I knew it I ordered this book a few months ago and it has been sitting on my TBR so how happy am I that it is my Facebook Book Club September pick!

A Perilous Pal (A Friend for Hire Mystery) by Laura Bradford

I so enjoyed the first book in this series A Plus One for Murder so much I immediately pre-ordered this second book in the series which came out in July. I always love to discover a cozy where the amateur sleuth has a job that is not a librarian, bookstore owner, baker, chef, or crafter and Emma Westlake is none of those. When she has to close up her travel agency she is at a loss what to do until her senior friend suggest she become a friend for hire or a paid companion which is not the same as a sex worker.

Murder in a Teacup (A Tea by the Sea Mystery) by Vicki Delany

Murder Spills the Tea (A Tea by the Sea Mystery) by Vicki Delany

I love Vicki Delany! I am a huge fan of her Year Round Christmas mystery series and her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series. So of course when she introduced this series I got the first book. This series is set in Cape Cod, MA and the amateur sleuth Lily Roberts owns a tea shop, helps her grandmother run a bed and breakfast and now serves murder on the side.

Wednesday Reads — August Wrap Up

Featured

Hello book lovers! Well we made to the end of August and for many of y’all it is the first week of school so parents congratulations on surviving the summer with your sanity (hopefully) intact.

Didn’t get a lot of reading done this month so while I may not have read a ton of book I definitely some great books. I have to remind myself that it’s not the quantity but the quality that really matters!

How was your August? Did you make a dent in your TBR list? What are you currently reading now?

Death by Bubble Tea (L.A. Night Market Mystery) by Jennifer J. Chow

This is the first book in Jennifer Chow’s L.A. Night Market series that feature cousins Yale Yee and Celine Yee who are totally different but work great together. I loved this book and the cousin despite the fact that none of the cozy mystery tropes are in this series. There is no cozy companion, no small town, no love interest and yet I loved this book and hope this series has a long life.

Murder at the Blueberry Festival (Beacon Bakeshop Mystery #3) by Darci Hannah

This is the third book in Darci Hannah’s Beacon Bakeshop mystery series and it is another winner! It’s August and Lindsey Bakewell is gearing up the annual Beacon Harbor Blueberry Festival but there is a prankster afoot who is creating havoc during the festival. Then Lindsey and her beau Rory Campbell stumble upon the body in a boat with a goat ( I know) and discovers it is Lars Jorgenson and his pet goat Clara. Now Lindsey and Rory along with her friend Kennedy, Betty Vanhoosen, and Lindsey’s parents are trying to discover who’s behind the pranks and who killed Lars?

This is another winner from Darci Hannah. With every book the character development is wonderful and no one is just one note but fully developed from the major characters to the side characters. The red herrings were perfect since I had no idea who the prankster was or the killer was but when the reveal happened I was so surprised and I related to the reason for the pranks and the murder.

If you are looking for a fun cozy mystery that will grab you from page one the Beacon Harbor Bakeshop mysteries are for you! I can’t wait for the fourth book in this series.

The Proof is In the Poison (A Southern Homebrew Mystery) by Diane Kelly

This second book in Diane Kelly’s delightful Southern Homebrew mystery series was so good. This series is set in Chattanooga, TN and again I am really hoping this series has a long life.

Mousse and Murder (An Alaska Diner Mystery) by Elizabeth Logan

This was my Facebook Book Club August pick and I was really excited to dig into this book since it would be my first cozy set in Alaska. Charlotte “Charlie” Cooke’s chef Oliver has been murdered and she is one of the suspects at first now she is determined to find out who killed the prickly chef and clear her name. I loved all the characters and how the police “deputized” everyone to help with the case and it made me want to book an Alaskan cruise. But I felt the story was just okay.

Something’s Guava Give (Trouble in Paradise) by Carrie Doyle

I am back in Parasio with Plum Lockhart and I am really enjoying this second book even more that the 1st book which is as it should be. This book is so good I find myself staying up late because I just can’t put this book down!

I am enjoying the growth of Plum in this second book!

My Anticipated August Reads

Hello again book lovers! I know two instead of one post today to be honest I wanted to combine my July reading wrap up with the books I am looking forward to reading this month but after I finished my July books I felt the post would have been just too long and so a second post was necessary.

I am so excited for all the new cozy mysteries that are coming out this month and for a complete list let me direct you to www.bookfrolic.com blog. She has every cozy mystery that is being released this month broken down by week.

With that being said there are two books I am really looking forward to adding to my TBR but they will not be out until the end of the month and a few new to me authors I just discovered through Book Tube and on book frolic.

Two Parts Murder, One Part Sugar (Baker Street Myster #1) by Valerie Burns

I am so excited and can’t wait to get this first book in Valerie Burn’s new Baker Street mystery series. I am a big fan of this author who also has two other mystery series under V.M. Burns! This book is already getting a lot of great reviews.

About the book:

When Maddy Montgomery’s groom is a no-show to their livestream wedding, it’s a disaster that no amount of filtering can fix. But a surprise inheritance offers a chance to regroup and rebrand — as long as Maddy is willing to live in her late, great-aunt Octavia’s house in New Bison, Michigan, for a year, running her bakery and caring for a 250-pound English mastiff named Baby.

Maddy doesn’t bake, and her Louboutins aren’t made for walking giant dogs around Lake Michigan, but the locals are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. With help from her aunt’s loyal friends, aka the Baker Street Irregulars, Maddy feels ready to tackle any challenge, including Octavia’s award-winning cake recipes. That is, until New Bison’s mayor is fatally stabbed, and Maddy’s fingerprints are found on the knife . . .

Something strange is going on in New Bison. It seems Aunt Octavia had her suspicions, too. But Maddy’s going to need a whole lot more than a trending hashtag to save her reputation — and her life.

Peg and Rose Solve a Murder (Senior Sleuths Mystery #1) by Laurien Berenson

This new series is a spin off of Laurien Berenson’s Melanie Travis mystery series. If you’ve never read that series I highly recommend diving into that series. Peg is a major character in that series and her sister-in-law Rose who is a former nun married to a former priest makes a brief appearance in book 4 I think. The last Melanie Travis mystery Show Me the Bunny kind of lays the foundation for this spin off and I can’t wait to read it!

About the book:

Rose Donovan looks for the good in everyone. With her sister-in-law, Peg, that sometimes requires a lot of searching. Even a sixty-something former nun like Rose has her limits, and gruff Peg Turnbull sure knows how to push them. But after forty years of bickering, they’re attempting to start over, partnering up to join the local bridge club.

Peg and Rose barely have a chance to celebrate their first win before one of the club’s most accomplished players is killed in his home. As the newest members, the sisters-in-law come under scrutiny and decide to start some digging of their own. Bridge is typically seen as a wholesome pastime, yet this group of senior citizens harbors a wealth of vices, including gambling, cheating, and adultery . . .

By comparison, Peg and Rose’s fractious relationship is starting to feel almost functional. But as their suspect list narrows, they’re unaware that their logic has a dangerous flaw. And they’ll have to hope that their teamwork holds steady when they’re confronted by a killer who’s through with playing games . . .

Bagels and Bible Study (A Connie Cafe Mystery #10) by Maisy Marple

I have never heard of this series and I have Tiffany of the Beachbumbookworm on YouTube to thank for this as you can see this is book 10 and it is only in ebook form. If you have Kindle Unlimited it is free but I see that the first few books in the series come in print also. I plan to get the first book in this series Coffee and Corpses plus this will be my first Christian cozy mystery so double points!

About the book:

Connie and the ladies decide to make Connie’s Cafe the scene for some late night treats and bible study.
But someone in town isn’t thrilled with the plan!

Well that’s it! I hope all your reads are great reads!

Book Review of Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-off by Darci Hannah

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Happy Friday book lovers! I usually don’t do independent book reviews because I do a mini review on my Wednesday Reads posts but of the books I’ve read that week. But this second book in Beacon Bakeshop cozy mystery series by Darci Hannah deserves its own review. I was introduced to this author last year and I added her first book Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop to my TBR but I didn’t read it until this month because as I’m sure you all understand the TBR list never shrinks and takes on a life of its own. Once I read the first book which I enjoyed so much (clink on link below for that review) that I immediately ordered the second book in this series.

Wednesday Reads

Happy Wednesday book lovers! We’re half way through the week and getting ready for the weekend! Since last week I’ve…

reginathesouthernista.medium.com

As I’ve stated before I am not a fan of Christmas in July because I like to celebrated each holiday in its season and I can only do one holiday at time and Christmas is a lot! But I knew I was going to break that rule this year because I just couldn’t wait until Christmas to read Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-off. Darci Hannah is such an amazing author and she doesn’t disappoint in this second book in the series (yes I have book 3). So as soon as I read my book club picks for July I immediately dived into Christmas cookie bake-off.

It’s Christmas in Beacon Harbor, MI and Lindsey Bakewell has visions of sugarplums and the perfect Christmas a la Hallmark dancing in her head. The bakeshop is doing great, her romance with Rory Campbell is going great, she has more staff to help her out, and the holiday orders are rolling in! The only problem is Lindsay has been through 3 baking assistants and when the self proclaimed Christmas expert Felicity Stewart owner of the towns year round Christmas Shoppe springs a Christmas cookie bake-off competition a week before the Christmas festival titled (kid you not) The Great Beacon Harbor Christmas Cookie Bake-off in which every one must introduce a signature cookie and the top 4 will be in a live baking competition at the Christmas festival that will be judged by the famous Chicago food critic Chevy Chambers of the show Windy City Eats well Lindsay is ready to throw in the towel! How is she going to do this on top of all the baking and filling orders without a baking assistant she needs a Christmas miracle!

Chevy Chambers turns out to be a truly loathsome person creating chaos and making enemies. He is hitting on the women in the competition and making promises to each one in exchange for “favors” but Lindsey sees through the slimy Mr. Chambers and doesn’t take him up on any offers

Then during the actual live competition Chevy is murdered and everything points to Felicity will Lindsay along with Rory, her best friend Kennedy, her parents who have flown in for Christmas and the resident lighthouse ghost Captain Willy be able to find the real killer or will Lindsay’s perfect Hallmark Christmas get cancelled permanently?

I loved this book! You can see the growth in every character and from the first sentence I was hooked and just couldn’t put the book down. There were plenty of red herrings but the one thing I appreciate about the author is she never introduces anyone or anything that doesn’t move the plot along. Also there are never like a hundred suspects or a lot of subplots that can take away from the actual mystery. I was fully engaged in the plot and again the killer was not the person I thought it was but there is one scene in the story that had me dying with laughter that involves Lindsey, Kennedy and her mother Ellie. I also loved her temporary baking assistant Mrs. Nichols who is Lindsey’s Christmas miracle.

It is hard for me to find anything I didn’t like about Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-off but if I have too:

I was not a fan of the whole cookie napping thing because the only person who could identify them was Mrs. Nichols it worked on some level but I could have done without it
I was well into the book before the murder actually happened but this is a matter of personal preference for me. I tend to like for the murder to happen at the beginning of the book again nit picking.
The Great Beacon Harbor Christmas Cookie Bake-off I know it was a play on The Great British Bake-off but oh my goodness what a long title and I know I’m being super nit picky but I felt this title was just too much.

Until next time book lovers!

Wednesday Reads

Featured

Hello again book lovers! Today I want to share with y’all what I’ve read, what I’m currently reading, and what is up next in my cozy mystery reading adventures. July has been for me a month of non stop reading and yet my TBR pile doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller.

With it being so hot and know for some you the temps have been in the 100s this is the perfect time to stay inside and read a good book:).

What good books are you reading?

Finished Reading

Murder Is No Picnic (Cape Cod Foodie Mystery) by Amy Pershing

This is the third book in the Cape Cod foodie mystery series and I highly suggest you read the 2nd book An Eggnog to Die For before you read this book as there are references to the second book that for me at least was a slight distraction from the actual plot of this book.

Samantha Barnes the Cape Cod foodie is really excited for her 4th of July clambake she’s planning and has discovered the perfect blueberry buckle to serve. When she gets the chance to meet famed celebrity chef Clara Foster and learn how to make the blueberry buckle for her blog is beyond excited. The day was great and Sam had so much fun with Clara so she is shocked to discover the next day Clara has died in a house fire. When carelessness is believed to be the reason for the fire Sam knows that Clara was too a good a chef to leave a frying pan on a stove unattended and is determined to prove that Clara was murdered.

I found myself steadily engrossed in the plot. I definitely see growth in Samantha and all of the additional characters in this book. I never found myself getting bored with the storyline and there were not too many red herrings.

I give Murder Is No Picnic 4 stars

Murder, She Knit (A Knit & Nibbles Mystery) by Peggy Ehrhart

This was the July Cozy Mystery Book Club pick and I was looking forward to discovering a new (to me) series and author. There are nine books in this series with book 10 in the works so it is a very popular series.

Five years after Pamela Paterson became a widow she is settling into her life and career as an editor for a craft magazine and an empty nester. She runs into an old friend Amy who has moved to Arborville, NJ to teach at the local college. Pamela invites Amy to her knitting group known as knit and nibble but Amy never shows up and when everyone in the group leaves Pamela finds Amy’s body in her yard stabbed with a knitting needle when she goes looking for her cat.

This book was not for me and when the killer was revealed I just couldn’t see how the person who was the killer could have been the killer. I mean everything pointed to 1 of 2 people and it wasn’t the killer. How could everyone enter and left Pamela’s house and not see Amy’s body or hear the murder? I was also disappointed that there were knitting patterns included in the book. I never really fully connected with Pamela.

I give this book 2.5 stars

Currently Reading

Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-off (A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery) by Darci Hannah

I am hooked on this series! I read the first book in this series Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop quickly because I just couldn’t put the book down. Then I immediately bought the second book in the series which just so happens to be Christmas themed and I just couldn’t wait until December to read it!

Darci Hannah does not disappoint with her second book in this series and I am trying to pace myself but if work didn’t interfere with my reading I would be home right now curled up with a cup of coffee reading this book but I will be reading on my lunch break!

Next Up

Death by Bubble Tea (Night Market Mystery Series) by Jennifer J. Chow

I am very excited to read this first book in this series by Jennifer J. Chow who is also the author of The Sassy Cat series and Winston Wong series. This will be my first time reading anything by this author but I am really looking forward to reading this book especially since it takes place in Los Angeles and not in a small town. If the reviews I’ve been seeing on Instagram by bookstagrammers are anything to go by this is going to be a treat!

Book Blurb:

When Yale Yee discovers her cousin Celine is visiting from Hong Kong, she is obliged to play tour guide to a relative she hasn’t seen in twenty years. Not only that, but her father thinks it’s a wonderful idea for them to bond by running a food stall together at the Eastwood Village Night Market. Yale hasn’t cooked in years, and she hardly considers Celine’s career as a social media influencer as adequate experience, but because she’s just lost her job at her local bookstore, she feels she has no choice.

Yale and Celine serve small dishes and refreshing drinks, and while business is slow, it eventually picks up thanks to Celine’s surprisingly useful marketing ideas. They’re quite shocked that their bubble tea, in particular, is a hit — literally — when one of their customers turns up dead. Yale and Celine are prime suspects due to the gold flakes that Celine added to the sweet drink as a garnish. Though the two cousins are polar opposites in every way, they must work together to find out what really happened to the victim or the only thing they’ll be serving is time.

New Release Tuesdays!

Hello book lovers! I know a post from me on a Tuesday?! I’ve been thinking about jumping on this train for awhile. Every Tuesday new books by new and established authors make their debut and I see quite a few book worms share the latest releases and what they’re looking forward to adding to their TBR pile so like a lemming I am following the others.

For those of you who follow me know that my favorite genre is mystery and within the mystery genre I love cozy mysteries now I am not going to mention all 17 new cozy mysteries that came out today but here are few and hopefully they will cause you to read your first cozy, revisit an series, or introduce you to a new series. If you’d like to see all the new releases check out www.bookfrolic.com or www.cozy-mystery.com.

I do not receive any type of compensation if you click on these links from Bookshop.org I just want to support independent bookstores.

No Parm No Foul (Grilled Cheese Mystery) by Linda Reilly

Every since I read the first book in this series Up to No Gouda I have been waiting for this 2nd book in the Grilled Cheese mystery series and it is finally here. This is a Halloween/Fall theme cozy so if you’re tired of the heat and ready for fall this is a great cozy to get you in that fall mood.

Book Blurb

2. Mint Chocolate Murder (Ice Cream Shop mystery) by Meri Allen

Second book in the Ice Cream Shop series and a great addition to your summer reading list. This is another fall theme cozy mystery and I am looking forward to reading this second book in the series. I must admit I was a fan of the first book only because I just didn’t buy the amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes as a former CIA Liberian other than that it was a solid read. I the first book 3 stars

Book Blurb

Riley Rhodes returns in the second delicious cozy set in a New England ice cream shop, Meri Allen’s Mint Chocolate Murder!

But when Adam is found dead behind the locked door of Moy Mull’s dungeon, Riley realizes there’s more than one suspect who’d wanted to put the malicious photographer on ice.

3. Murder Spills the Tea (Tea by the Sea Mystery) by Vicki Delany

First I love Vicki Delany! I have a fan of her Year Round Christmas series, and her Lighthouse mystery series which she writes under the name Eva Gates. She is also the author of several other series under her name and other pseudonyms so you can’t go wrong with anything she writes. Vicki is one of the authors that I always pre-order her books. Plus this is another book set in Cape Cod and I am here for it!

Book Blurb:

The country’s hottest TV cooking show is coming to Cape Cod. And against her better judgment, Lily Roberts is entering America Bakes! with her charming tearoom, Tea by the Sea. Filming is already proving disruptive, closing the tearoom during Lily’s busiest season. But tensions really bubble over when infamous bad-boy chef and celebrity judge, Tommy Greene, loses his temper with Lily’s staff, resulting in an on-camera blowup with Cheryl Wainwright. Just as Lily thinks the competition can’t get more bitter, Tommy is found dead in Tea by the Sea’s kitchen . . . murdered with Lily’s rolling pin.

Suspicion immediately falls on Cheryl, but the temperamental star has racked up plenty of culinary clashes in the past, both on- and off-screen. And nearly anyone associated with Tommy or the show could be the killer: be it one of Lily’s fierce competitors, a member of the beleaguered film crew, or even one of Tommy’s fellow judges — struggling cookbook maven, Claudia D’Angelo or beauty contest winner, Scarlet McIntosh. Now, while she’s baking up a storm for the show, Lily must also whip up an impromptu investigation . . . before the murderer rolls someone else away.

4. The Paper Caper (A Bibliophile Mystery) by Kate Carlisle

This is the 16th book in Kate Carlisle’s very popular Bibliophile mystery series. Kate is also the author of the very popular Fixer Upper Series and there are 10 books in this series with no signs of ending anytime soon. I love both these series even if I am behind in my series reading.

Brooklyn is excited to be included in the Covington Library’s first annual Mark Twain Festival. She’ll rebind a rare first edition of The Prince and the Pauper before an enthusiastic audience of book nerds — her favorite people. The festival is the passion project of wealthy media mogul, book lover, and newspaper owner Joseph Cabot, who considers himself Twain’s biggest fan. Brooklyn’s hunky husband, Derek, and his security team once rescued Joseph from a corporate kidnapping attempt. Now Derek and his agents are charged with keeping Joseph and his beautiful young wife safe during the festivities taking place all over town.

The centerpiece of the festival is a citywide contest based on The Prince and the Pauper one lucky look-alike will trade places with Joseph for a few days — with access to all the money and power that Joseph commands. Brooklyn and Derek worry that the contest might be generating some dangerous attention. And when someone is mysteriously poisoned right before Brooklyn’s eyes, she’s not convinced that the victim was the intended target. Now she and Derek must frantically chase clues and suspects through the streets of San Francisco before another murder becomes front-page news.

5. Death of an Ice Cream Scooper (Hayley Powell Food & Cocktails Mystery) by Lee Hollis

The 15th book in the Hayley Powell series which is written by a brother & sister team which I think is so neat. I’ve read the 1st book in this series and found it so so thus I haven’t added the other books in the series to my TBR but I plan to get book 2 in this series and give it another try.

Book Blurb:

Food and cocktails columnist Hayley Powell doesn’t know what to believe when Lydia Partridge, the put-together owner of gourmet Bar Harbor Ice Cream, suddenly reveals fears that her husband may be having an affair. There’s no other way to explain why Jamie, a respected professor, was spotted in a remote part of town with a much younger woman. But instead of learning the truth about the secret meeting, Lydia opens her freezer truck to find another surprise — the dead body of a summer employee…

The shock continues as photographic evidence proves Jamie was spending time off campus with the victim, one of his students. Now, Lydia desperately needs Hayley to discover if Jamie really is a cheater — and, worse, a ruthless killer. With her own complicated family issues to address, can Hayley make sense of a popular college girl’s love life and out the true culprit before the case, or another person, goes cold?

6. Death a Sketch (A Paint and Shine Mystery) by Cheryl Hollon

This is the third book in this series that has been on my to buy list forever but as I’m sure you can relate so many books so little time but I definitely plan to grab the first book in the series Still Knife Painting. This series is set in Kentucky with good reviews.

Book Blurb:

Miranda’s business — combining Appalachian adventure tours with art and a bit of moonshine — is the perfect place for an outdoor sporting goods company to hold an employee retreat. It’ll be a challenge, but the money they’re paying will definitely help with building her new distillery.

Miranda has lots of teamwork-fostering activities planned, from sketching classes to Southern cooking, but the executive running things prefers a more competitive spirit. In fact, after the workers are split into teams, they’re told that only the winners will keep their jobs, and tensions begin to spike. Even after a participant is found dead, the contest continues — while Miranda starts drawing her own conclusions about the ambitious attendees. Now she just has to find the proof . . .

7. Murder at the Blueberry Festival (A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery) by Darci Hannah

I saved the best for last! I love this series….LOVE! How much do I love this series you may ask? I am reading the 2nd book in this series Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-off now and I am not a Christmas in July girl at all! I wait until Christmas to read all holiday theme cozies but the first book was so good I read it in one sitting that once I read my book club picks for this month I grabbed the second book ready to go back to Beacon Harbor, MI!

Book blurb:

After a career on Wall Street, Lindsey Bakewell is making a different kind of dough in a pretty lakeside village, and the upcoming blueberry festival — including the pie-eating contest her bakery is hosting — is the highlight of the summer. But soon Beacon Harbor runs into a patch of trouble.

A local real estate agent gets pranked. A parade float gets pelted with water balloons. It’s all laughed off until the stunts start escalating — and looking more like sabotage. As the event turns into a debacle complete with rampaging goats, Lindsey’s sweetheart, a former SEAL, starts investigating. But the juicy mystery takes a bitter turn when a man — dressed up as a Viking — is found dead in a boat, and it’s no longer mischief but murder…

Until next time!

Wednesday Reads

Happy Wednesday book lovers! We’re half way through the week and getting ready for the weekend! Since last week I’ve added to my TBR (to be read) list with some more great mysteries which I did a book haul on my Instagram .

Here is what I’m reading and upcoming reads.

Finished reading:

Murder at the Beacon Bakeshop (A Beacon Bakeshop Mystery #1) by Darci Hannah

OMG y’all I was not expecting this book to be so good so I was beyond happy in fact so happy I ordered the second book in the series and pre-ordered the third book in the series! I loved the fact that Lindsey Bakewell was a highly successful and financially independent woman in her own right who trades in her high powered Wall Street job to open a bakery in Beacon Harbor, MI. It’s not random either her father grew up in Traverse City, MI where Lindsey spent her childhood summers in her grandparents bakeshop where she learned and developed a love of baking. They would take her to Beacon Harbor for a day trip on the weekends so it is only natural she would find herself back in a place that is like a second home to her after catching her fiancé with the pastry chef.

Lindsey works hard to get her bakeshop ready for its Memorial Day weekend opening. Everything is going well the shop is full and everything is selling fast until her cheating ex and the “tart” of a pastry chef Mia show up to ruin her opening along with the local lighthouse preservation society protesters. Things go from bad to worse when in all the chaos (there’s a food fight) Mia drops dead and Lindsey as the scorned woman is the prime suspect. Now Lindsey finds herself trying to find the killer and save her bakery or should she just pack up and go back to New York?

I loved Lindsey Bakewell, the residents of Beacon Harbor especially the new man in her life Rory, and her fashionable best friend who comes to visit and help with PR. I thought I had it figured out who the killer was but was I ever wrong. There was a twist thrown in and then when the killer was revealed I was just blown away! Everything worked for me even the haunted lighthouse angle.

5 Stars!

Currently reading:

Murder Is No Picnic (Cape Cod Foodie Mystery #3) by Amy Pershing

I know in last week’s post I said this was the second book in the series but this is actually the third book in the Cape Cod foodie series. I am really enjoying this cozy mystery series and it’s July 4th theme which makes me wish I’d read it at the beginning of this month but since this is my Facebook book club July read I always read my book club picks closer to the date we will be discussing the book.

Next read:

Murder, She Knit (A Knit & Nibbles Mystery #1) by Peggy Ehrhart

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