The Sassy Bookworm
⭐⭐⭐ – Cute cover on this book!
“The Game Is a Footnote” by Vicki Delany is an intriguing addition to the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series. In this eighth installment, bookshop owner and amateur detective Gemma Doyle finds herself embroiled in yet another murder investigation when she stumbles across a dead body on the Scarlet House property.
As always, Delany's writing is sharp and engaging. She draws her readers in with her clever plots and well-developed (and likable) characters. Fans of the series will appreciate the return of familiar faces such as Gemma's friend Jayne Wilson and police detective Ryan Ashburton, while new readers will find themselves quickly caught up in the action.
Overall, “The Game Is a Footnote” is a satisfying mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐ – Love the cover on this one.
To be honest, this one was a bit of a slog for me to get through. I found the history of Key West fascinating. It's ties to revolutionists in Cuba. The cigar workers, etc. This is where this book really shined. However, the characters themselves and their stories was just not compelling enough and I found myself struggling to get through this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Adorable cover on this book!
This book is so adorable. ❤️ The illustrations are bright, colorful, and fun. The font is clear and easy to read. The book is well laid out and easy for young readers to follow along. There is also plenty of information, legends from around the world, and history to keep little brains engaged. This would make a perfect gift for any nature loving little one.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Colorful and eye-catching cover on this book.
This was a fun book to read. To start eye-catching and colorful graphics make this a visually pleasing book to go through. On top of that, it is packed full of all kinds of information ranging from ecosystems, animals, social networks, and even the “weird and wonderful”. There is plenty here to keep readers of all ages engaged and learning.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this book.
This was a great book for young people introducing the study of zoology. The graphics were bright and eye catching. The book was easy to read and packed full of interesting facts about both zoology (the history, what they do, etc.) and the animals they study. I can see this being the perfect gift for a young animal/nature lover or a budding zoologist.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this book.
I can't lie. I have yet to meet a themed cookbook I didn't love. And this one was no different. This cookbook is broken down into the following chapters (“DRINKS AND COCKTAILS, SOUPS AND STEWS, APPETIZERS AND ACCOMPANIMENTS, MAIN COURSES, CAKES, PIES, AND TARTS. OTHER DESSERTS AND CANDIES, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN, AND KOSHER REPLACEMENTS, and finally PARTY PLANNING”). The recipes themselves are well laid out and easy to follow. Each also comes with a bit of information from the movie and some also include tips. Both the graphics and the photos also make this cookbook incredibly visually pleasing and fun to flip through.
A few of the recipes I have tried are the...“Four White Horses” cocktail Yum! “Arancini a la Vizzini”Double yum! “The Machine's Excruciating Tourtiere” 100% worth the work! And lastly...“Anybody Want A Peanut (Buttercup)” I am still drooling.
If you love themed cookbooks, and you love the Princess Bride movie, then this cookbook should definitely be on your radar.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Yummy cover of this cookbook!
I love panini's. My entire family loves panini's. They are a quick, tasty, and (relatively) cheap dinner idea for when I don't feel like cooking a huge meal. And they are a great way to use up different odds and ends! With that in mind I couldn't wait to dive into this cookbook and get ideas to expand on my panini repertoire.
This cookbook is broken down into the following chapters...
Panini and Panini PressesPoultry PerfectionHigh on the HogThe Butcher's BestGifts from the SeaNature's BountyGooey GoodnessA Little Something Sweet
Each of those chapters contain a plethora of easy to follow recipes (not all sandwiches, but still using a panini press) for you to choose from. There are also plenty of photos to keep your eyes hungry as well.
⭐⭐⭐⭐– Cute cover on this one.
I love a good seasonal almanac. There is just something about seeing the season's broken down into recipes, crafts, inspirations that makes my heart happy. This particular seasonal almanac was exceptionally well done. It was visually pleasing, which is always a must. There is a thorough introduction with a section of how to use the book and what the different symbols mean. As I mentioned there are plenty of photos, graphics, even a spot or two where you can write notes. The recipes are easy to follow and sound delish. Same with the crafts and homemade household products. And there are plenty of both to keep you busy all year long.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bright eye-catching cover on this cookbook!
I am always up for trying new cuisines and learning about the food traditions of other cultures. I don't think I have ever tried any recipes from the Dominican Republic, so I was excited to dive into this cookbook. This cookbook has a thorough introduction that includes such information as pantry staples, tool & equipment, and how to peel a plantain.
It is then broken down into the following chapters...
snacks & sandwiches salads & sidessoups & stewsmain dishesdessertsdrinks
The book itself is full of photographs making it visually pleasing to flip through and use. The recipes themselves are well laid out and easy to follow. They also include a little bit of history about the recipe and most also include little notes. I have only gotten around to trying a few of the recipes here...“pastelitos de pollo” (mini chicken empanadas), “pan con aguacate” (avocado sandwich), “chapea de gandules con coco” (legume, rice, and coconut soup), “pudín de pan” (bread pudding).
All were delicious and I can't wait to try every single recipe! I cannot recommend this cookbook high enough.
⭐⭐ – I adore the cover on this book.
I had high hopes for this one. The cover caught my eye. The synopsis peaked my interest. I was excited to dive in. Alas, it feel way short of my expectations. The writing wasn't great. It was very amateurish and repetitive (Girl this, and Girl that). The world building was non existent. Considering this appears to be a first book in a series a good portion of it should have been dedicated to setting the stage. In depth descriptions of the school. It's history. Teachers. Students, the secret society. At the end of this book I still know next to nothing about any of that. I'll just leave it at that, and hope as this is this author's debut (?) that things improve going forward.
ARC Via Netgalley
⭐⭐⭐.5 – Cute cover on this book.
“Bookclubbed to Death” is the eighth (and finale?) book in the “Mystery Bookshop series by V.M. Burns. It was also my first foray into this series. Being that haven't read any of the other books in this series i will say this held up excellently as a standalone. I loved the setting of a mystery bookshop in North Harbor, Michigan. The plot was engaging (mostly...more on this in a bit). It had plenty of twists and red herrings that kept me guessing. The characters themselves were all very pleasant and likable. All good things.
However, there was one aspect of the book that just didn't work for me. The story within the story....Sam's book she is writing. First, how is she still writing a book that is set to release within days??
⭐⭐⭐ – I love the cover on this book.
I have mixed feeling about this one. And it's the same issue I had with the previous one I read in this series. I feel like these book are about 50 pages too long. The writing is great. The setting was fun. The plot was a little all over the place and a little too meandering. And the characters remained very likable. However, there were parts that just dragged and felt unnecessary to the overall storyline. On the whole I enjoyed it, however I am not sure I will continue with this series. maybe if it is holiday themed.
⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this one.
I honestly don't have a ton to say about this one. I enjoyed it. It was relatively short, and the author has an engaging “voice”. There were funny parts. There were boring parts. There were interesting parts (the hunt for the Mokele M'Bembe). It didn't blow me away, but it was a solid read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Such a cute cover on this book!
It's a fact that if a book is set in New Orleans there is a very good chance I will (at the very least) like it. Especially if it is a mystery. Such was the case here. I quite enjoyed this book. Was it perfect? No. The murder took a bit too long to happen, and it was annoyingly repetitive in places. I mean, how many times are you going to ask the detective if he wants a coffee??
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Eye catching cover on this book.
This was such a fantastic read. I finished in 2 days! It was well written and well paced. The setting of 1850's Monterey, California was lovely and atmospheric. The characters were likable. The mystery element of the plot is why this wasn't a 5 star read. I felt that the murder mystery aspect was pretty weak. I would have liked to have seen that developed more. That said, i still enjoyed this one immensely.
⭐⭐⭐.5 – Adorable cover on this book.
This was a fairly entertaining cozy read. It held up well as a standalone. The setting was interesting. It was well written and (relatively) well paced. That said, it felt like it took ages for the murder to take place. I “think” we were 30/40%(?) into the book before it happened. The plot held my interest and kept me guessing. The characters themselves were all very likable. And there was a knitting project and a banana bread recipe at the end. Which is always a bonus in my opinion.
DNF @40%
This is my second DNF this week...sigh. I wanted to like this one more than I did. The plot had so much potential. Magical realism. Gone With The Wind. Coming of age in the late 60s. It was all there for an epic read. Alas, I just couldn't connect with the story. Part of the reason may have been my ARC had formatting issues. There were no spaces between words or sometimes whole sentences on basically every page. This had the unfortunate effect of throwing me out of the story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Cute cover on this book!
I thought this was a thoroughly entertaining cozy. Lovely small town setting. Engaging plot that kept me guessing. It had a great cast of characters. I loved that the main characters were librarians and that the library is heavily featured in the story. I though Greta was very likable. I even liked the “smidge” of romance tension between Greta and the new sheriff. Was it perfect, no? But first books in series usually have some growing pains. I am definitely excited to see what this author has in store for us in the next installment.
⭐⭐⭐.5 – I love the cover on this one.
I found this cozy to be a pretty entertaining read. It was well written and well paced. I loved the setting (charming small seaside town, quaint fortune telling tea shop). The plot was engaging and I loved the magical elements. The mystery itself wasn't the most enthralling I have ever read, and I kind of felt there was a lot of different storylines that made the plot feel a little cluttered. I don't think we needed the whole “bad cop” plot point since it didn't really add much to the story. I feel like we could have started the book with all that having happened prior and the book would have been better for it. The characters themselves also felt a little all over the place personality wise. Especially Shay's sister who would fly off the handle about the smallest things and then be fine the next minute. It gave me whiplash. Last, I wasn't a fan of the vague “are they or aren't they involved” going on between the neighbor and the vet lady. He gives her a ring and she showers at his house, but they are just friends??