The Sassy Bookworm
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – A most excellent cover on this book!
Blackstone Fell (third book in Martin Edwards's Rachel Savernake) series took me by surprise. I am not sure what I was expecting, but what I got was a thoroughly entertaining whodunit that gave me Agatha Christie vibes. The writing was well done. It held up well as a standalone. The plot was engaging and intricate. The characters intriguing. The setting atmospheric. And I really loved the addition of the “cluefinder” at the end. That was a nice bonus.
⭐⭐⭐⭐– As always, love the covers on these books!
This has become one of my favorite historical cozy mystery series. I love Eleanor and Clifford and their relationship and banter. I love the staff at Henley Hall. I love Gladstone her dog. The writing is always excellent. I love the setting (time period) and the historical details. ❤️ That said, this was probably my least favorite I have read to date. The mystery just didn't hold my interest as much as previous books. I am also not a fan of slow burn romances and the romance between Hugh and Eleanor is like watching paint dry. However, there was a snail move forward in their relationship in this book, so
⭐⭐⭐ – Pretty cover!
This one was just okay for me. There was something about the writing that rubbed me the wrong way. I am also really not a fan of the whole “misunderstanding” trope, especially when a simple conversation would clear the air and there was SO much of that in this book that it got ridiculous. On the positive side, the author did a good job with the setting and descriptions of the different places.
ARC Vias NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐— Love the cover on this one!
My rating for this one depends on if there is going to be a sequel or not. If there is, then this was a strong 4 star read. Well written. Well paced. Atmospheric. Creepy. Mysterious. Strong characters. However, if this was a one off than I have to unfortunately knock off a star. The ending was rushed and confusing, and there were so many loose ends. What happened to the Jack The Ripper guy? The the vicar and his housekeeper? The weird old man at the jewelry shop? There is a ton left unexplained. So hopefully there will be a sequel! Author has confirmed a sequel!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐.5 – Cute cover on this one!
I quite enjoyed the previous book in this series (my first introduction to these characters), so I was looking forward to diving into this installment. And it was enjoyable, just not as much as the previous book. It could be because I prefer Halloween as a setting in my cozy mysteries,
⭐⭐⭐
I am not sure what to say about this one. It was just SO hard to get through. Not because it was a badly written book, but the subject matter and how graphic it was, made it extremely triggering. This story is about author's own family and definitely not for the faint of heart. Proceed with caution.
Graphic depictions of rape, mass death, mutilation.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐
This one really wasn't my jam, unfortunately. I expect a Christmas cozy to be, you know, cozy. This one just wasn't. It was lacking something. I found it too slow moving, and I didn't really like any of the characters (especially Clementine). What else can i say? Sometimes a book just doesn't work for you.
⭐⭐⭐ – Love the cover!
This was a solid cozy mystery read. I didn't love it quite as much as the previous one (A Cornish Christmas Murder). It felt a little slow in parts. However, I enjoyed the baking contest setting and I really like these characters. I am definitely still onboard for the next book!
ARC Via NetGalley
While I enjoyed this one 100% It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. I think I saw someone on BookTok talking about it and I was expecting something creepy and scary. This was basically a fictional, true crime story. A really well written and engaging one, just not the ‘horror' type story i was expecting.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Love the cover of this one!
This is truly one of the best series I have ever had the delight to read. I am honestly starting to sound like a broken record here, but again this installment was fantastic. Top notch writing. Brilliant and likable characters. An engaging and well laid out plot. I love how seamlessly this author ties in history with the fictional aspects of the story. The setting (as always) is a character unto itself. All wrapped up in a twisty and satisfying ending. Bring on book nine!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐
A bit of a mixed bag this one. The first half is insanely slow moving and not a single character is really likable at all. The second half picks up and had me hooked. That said, I kept expecting some big twist that just never came. Sure there was a small one, but the author telegraphed who the baddie was pretty much from the start. I thought for sure that was going to be a red herring to throw the reader off, alas no.
⭐ – Pretty cover.
Maybe I wasn't the target audience for this book, but nothing about this book worked for me. The writing was juvenile, simplistic, and repetitive. The characters were flat, boring, and Beau came across like a caricature. There is no subtlety to the plot (or the characters) you are just hit over the head with graphic violence and rape. The paranormal aspect was underdeveloped and seemed out of place. Yeah, disappointed...
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐– Adorable cover!
Sigh...Unfortunately, I just didn't like this one. I have read a couple short stories with these characters and loathed Hayley. However, the previous book in this series was really good and Hayley wasn't an issue. Ya, well, she was back to being god awful in this installment. To be honest, most of the main characters were awful.
⭐⭐.5 – This cover literally has ZERO reflection of the story. It's Halloween in Vermont. Not a 4th of July picnic. Where is the Jack o lantern shaped grilled cheese? The fall colors? Any hint of Halloween AT ALL?? Covers not reflecting the story within is one of my biggest pet peeves...sigh.
Onto the story itself. I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to diving into this one. Unfortunately, I just didn't love it as much. The positives...the mystery was engaging and kept me guessing. The writing was great. The pace was good. The setting is original. I still love that Carly's love interest isn't in law enforcement (if you read a lot of cozies you know!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover on this one!
This was actually a surprisingly in depth book about cocktails. It's broken down into several chapters (The Classics at home, Gin, Whiskey, Brandy, Rum, Other Spirits & Liqueurs) Along with a ton of other information about classic cocktails, setting up a home bar, bartending tools, etc. The recipes themselves are well laid out and easy to follow. Plus there are “hints” and “modern twists” sprinkle generously throughout.
The only minor issue I had was that it isn't the most visually pleasing of books. Yes, there is a photo for every recipe, however, they are not very eye catching or interesting. Just a single photo of the drink on a plain white background. I think it would have been more visually pleasing if the photo had at least been the entire page.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Great cover!
I love Africa. it is such an amazing and diverse continent. And this book was such an interesting and informative book about the people, their cultures, history, languages, etc. The graphics were beautiful and colorful. The book itself was well laid out and divided into separate sections (North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, and Global Africa), I especially loved the “Fast Flag Facts” section. Definitely the perfect gift for someone who is interested in learning more about Africa.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Fun cover on this book!
I know this book is aimed at the younger crowd but I have to say that I enjoyed the heck out of it. I am a sucker for mythology and lost civilizations and this really hit the spot. Especially as there were several I had never heard of before! It's a visually stunning book. The illustrations are gorgeous. The maps are gorgeous. The book itself is well laid out and easy to follow. It's full of interesting facts and myths. Honestly, i would have been over the moon to get a book like this as a child.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Adorable cover!
OMG, this book was SO freaking adorable! It is full of colorful and bright illustrations and retells the Twelve Days of Christmas but with animals bringing the ingredients for a special Christmas cake. It also includes a yummy Christmas cupcake recipe, and the words to the original Twelve Days of Christmas song. This would make the perfect holiday gift!
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Just beautiful.
Goodness, books like this make me wish my kids were still small. ❤️ The illustrations in this one are just wonderful. My favorite being page 11 (the stars gave us light). The story itself is sweet, rhythmically worded and will give you the warm fuzzies. I can't recommend this one enough.
ARC Via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 – Such a beautiful cover on this one!
This was such an enthralling and quick read. Stories set during the world wars are not usually my jam, but this one had me hooked from the first chapter. It was very readable and wonderfully written. The author did such an amazing job capturing the settings. The flowers, the food, the atmosphere of occupied Paris. Just incredible. The characters were charming. I especially loved Sabine and Gilbert's relationship. And Elodie's and her grandmothers. The plot was engaging with three different time periods that we jumped around through. And this is where I had a tiny issue. Nothing major, but I felt the long section where we see Elodie as a child and growing up would have worked better for the flow of the book to be placed when the Nun was telling the story near the end. It just seemed like a more logical place, as I felt a little like we went from Sabine and Gilbert to this long section with no real lead in as to why...if that makes sense. In anycase, it was just a minor “me” issue. This one definitely deserves two huge thumbs up!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Fab cover on this one!
What a delightfully entertaining and creepy book this was. Perfect for spooky season! The writing was well done. The setting was atmospheric. The plot was an unnerving and disturbing slow burn descent into disquietude. The characters were intriguing, and that ending...oh my. Just Like Home definitely should be on your must read list!
