Review: BROWNIES AND BROOMSTICKS (A Magical Bakery Mystery, #1) by Bailey Cates

 

BROWNIES AND BROOMSTICKS

By Bailey Cates
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Signet

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Tired of her unfulfilling job in Ohio, Katie Lightfoot packs up her possessions and heads south to Savannah. The opportunity to work with her aunt and uncle in their new bakery is too good to pass up. Just days before their grand opening, a woman is murdered just outside the bakery – a woman that Katie’s dear Uncle Ben had just argued with. When a witness says a man fitting Ben’s description was at the scene of the crime, the police make him the prime suspect.

Knowing that her kindhearted uncle could never harm anyone, Katie starts her own investigation of the murder. With the help of Aunt Lucy and the members of her unusual book club, as well as a sexy newspaper reporter named Steve and a hunky fireman named Declan, Katie uncovers several possible suspects that all wanted the deceased out of the way. But the most shocking thing Katie learns is that Aunt Lucy is a witch, and magical abilities run in the family.

BROWNIES AND BROOMSTICKS is an enchanting start to a new cozy mystery series. There was much I liked about this story: unique characters, a bakery full of tempting treats, an intriguing mystery, and the perfect location for all of this – Savannah, Georgia. There’s even the start of a complicated love triangle! Steve and Declan have bad blood between them, but they both take a strong liking to new-girl-in-town Katie. I enjoyed the magical aspects of the story, including information on the craft and spell casting. This is a light and fun paranormal cozy, and I will definitely go forward with the series.

Source: Free copy from the publisher

Review: THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE (Flavia de Luce, #1) by Alan Bradley

 

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE

By Alan Bradley

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Delacorte Press

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Eleven-year old Flavia de Luce is an inquisitive girl and wise beyond her years. She is obsessed with chemistry and poisons, and delights in aggravating her two older sisters to no end. The most fascinating thing to ever happen to Flavia was watching a man’s life expire in her family’s cucumber patch. When her father Colonel de Luce is arrested for killing the man, Flavia sets out on her bicycle to uncover the truth. Her clues: a dead black bird on the front stoop, an odd orange postage stamp, and the final mysterious word the murder victim uttered.

I’ve wanted to read this book for a long time, and when I found it at the library, I snatched it up. Some parts of the book worked for me and others didn’t. I thought the story was well-written and researched, and it gives the reader a glimpse of English small town life just after WWII. Of course, the highlight of the book was Miss Flavia. She is quite a unique protagonist in the mystery genre. This clever and precocious girl used her smarts to deduce who done it well before the police detectives. It took several chapters to get used to the prose, and much of the chemistry talk was lost on me. I also thought that the pacing of the story was slow, just too wordy and overly descriptive in spots.

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE was definitely worth reading. It’s similar to the cozy mysteries I love – quaint setting, no graphic scenes, and a clever amateur sleuth. I’ll probably give the next Flavia book a try, though I may stick to the library with this series.

Source: Borrowed from the library

Waiting On Wednesday: THE SHADOWY HORSES

Sourcebooks; Oct 2012

Verity Grey has never been a woman who recoils from a challenge. But when she is invited to a windy coastal town in Scotland to work on an archaeological dig, she wonders if she has stepped over the line. 

It's not the ancient Roman history that intimidates Verity--even when that history takes the ghostly form of a slain Roman sentinel--it's her co-worker David Fortune, who frustrates her with his remoteness. 

As the group of archaeologists strives to uncover the truth of the mysterious Roman campsite, science must contend with the paranormal. The ghost's appearances become more urgent and more chilling until Verity can no longer deny its message--someone is in great danger. Could the deadly warning be for her or for David? Somehow they'll have to communicate with each other, which is proving to be the biggest hurdle they face at the dig site... 

The wild Scottish landscape is a perfect backdrop for intrigue, as Verity learns that outside the scientists laboratory the shadowy horses of history carry messages from the past.

Hosted By: Breaking the Spine

Top Off Tuesday: LONGFELLOW SEDUCED

© Msphotographic | Dreamstime.com

What better way to top off a good book than with a GREAT Cover!  Amanda from On a Book Bender, Christi from Smitten with Reading, and Felicia from Geeky Blogger's Book Blog want to see the covers that made you swoon!

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Last week I did not have a chance to visit all of the "Top Off" posts, and I'm bummed about that!!  I barely read one book last week as well.  I guess I was just burdened with busyness.

My cover this week...a kilt, a guitar, and long dark hair. You're welcome. ;-)

Magnus Crowe - previously enslaved by his sire, the Vampire Contessa Allessandra - does not trust beautiful women. So when he discovers someone is embezzling from his club, he resents being forced to call in a woman to fix it.

Prudence Longfellow, a forensic accountant, comes from an ancient line of powerful Longfellow women. She agrees to track the club’s missing money with one condition - Magnus must stay out of her way. That’s a promise easier made than kept. Magnus can’t deny his strong attraction to this enthralling woman and Prudence, despite her best efforts, gives in to Magnus’ seduction. Repeatedly. They can’t keep their hands to themselves whenever they’re together and soon they have to face up to the possibility that they might be intoxicated by something more than intense desire for each other.

But Allessandra is back, and she wants to claim the man she created - only he doesn’t belong to her anymore. Prudence has staked her claim, and she’s not giving him up without a fight.

Mailbox Monday (15)

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Here's a look at the goodies that were in my mailbox (and other places):

For Review:

Savage Bond by Anne Marsh

Corpse in the Crystal Ball by Kari Lee Townsend

The Azalea Assault by Alyse Carlson

Hot Button by Kylie Logan

From the Library:

Divine Evil by Nora Roberts

Won:

The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas (Tina's Book Reviews)

I also received this gorgeous pressed-flower bookmark from author Elizabeth Loupas:

From NetGalley:

The Siren by Tiffany Reisz

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This week's musing asks...

"Do you tend to read to the end of a chapter or can you stop anywhere?"

It depends on how tired I am!  I prefer to stop at the end of a chapter, but sometimes my eyes won't stay open that long. :-)

Book Beginnings: THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

My book beginning comes from THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley:

"It was as black in the closet as old blood.  They had shoved me in and locked the door.  I breathed heavily through my nose, fighting desperately to remain calm."

Fantastic opening!  (And wait until you find out who shoved this poor person in the closet!)  I've wanted to read this book for a long time.  I saw that our library had it on the shelf, and I was compelled to check it out. :-)

Have a great weekend!

Top Off Tuesday: HIGHLAND PAWN

© Msphotographic | Dreamstime.com
What better way to top off a good book than with a GREAT Cover!  Amanda from On a Book Bender, Christi from Smitten with Reading, and Felicia from Geeky Blogger's Book Blog want to see the covers that made you swoon!

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Do you like the "Top Off" badge I made?  I've had a blast playing around with the new photo editor @ Photobucket.  Now, on to the book cover...

Oh, my.  WHAT the heck is going on here?!?  *blushes*

Maggie Fraser is willing to do whatever it takes to save her family’s estate, even gaining the cooperation of the ruthless Duke of Westingham. She possesses what he desires most—a maidenhead ripe for the plucking.

Her journey takes her to a dangerous part of the Highlands, a voyeur’s paradise known as Bare Brook. When she finds herself in a bind, the devilishly sexy Alexander MacKay comes to her rescue. The kilted warrior is not only the duke’s biggest adversary, but also her greatest weakness.

Alex is on a mission to destroy the Duke of Westingham when he’s forced to play Maggie’s protector. To say the alluring Miss Fraser is a distraction is the understatement of the century. She wants him to teach her how to seduce and please a man, and the fire between them burns out of control. When he learns she’s saving herself for the duke, he’s more determined than ever to kill the man. But his actions could destroy her family and drive a permanent wedge between them.

Available May 16th from Ellora's Cave!

Mailbox Monday (14)

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Bookish highlights from last week!

Here are the books that I added to my bookshelf...

From NetGalley:

 Beneath the Shadows by Sara Foster

Something Red by Douglas Nicholas

Little Night by Luanne Rice

Purchased (Kindle):

 Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Kindle Freebies:

 Twixt by Diane J. Reed

True Colours by Vanessa Fox

Gallagher's Pride by MK McClintock

From the Library:

 The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

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Books Read Last Week:

Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire
Tool Belt Defender by Carla Cassidy

Reading Now:

Re/Bound by Michele Zurlo

Upcoming Events to Note:

The Erotic Romance Madness Hop starts Thursday, May 10th!  It's hosted by The Romance Reviews.  The Forbidden Bookshelf will be a participating blog! 

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This week’s musing asks...

If you were going to write a book, what would you write about?

Would it be fiction, or nonfiction? 

I'm definitely not a writer, but if I did write a book, it would be a cozy mystery/romance hybrid.  I'd add a supernatural element, like a ghost, and the female protagonist would need a special ability.  A witch?  Empath?  Clairvoyant?  She'd have to be crafty too, like making her own soaps or boho skirts.

Now, if only I could write. ;-)

Review: TOOL BELT DEFENDER (Lawmen of Black Rock, #5) by Carla Cassidy

Harlequin Romantic Suspense #1687

Book Blurb:

"It's party time."

That's the "invitation" shoved under her door. It's got Brittany Grayson fearing for her life…and her sanity. She's sure the monster who once held her captive for months is dead, so why his chilling words in the note? His menacing face in the window? And why won't anyone —even her lawmen brothers—believe that somehow he's after her again?

Brittany just wants a normal, independent life in Black Rock. Romance is out of the question…although she's okay as friends-with-benefits with Alex Crawford, her hunky, marriage-phobic contractor. Alex, a single dad, has his own good reasons not to fall for Brittany. But none of them matter when the race is on to find the killer who's kidnapped her!

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TOOL BELT DEFENDER is the fifth book in the Lawmen of Black Rock series.  The first four books featured one of the Grayson brothers of Black Rock, Kansas: Tom, Caleb, Benjamin and Jacob.  This latest book is about their younger sister Brittany and the new boy in town she falls in love with.

Brittany's back story from book four is that she was held captive by a serial killer for four months, but luckily she was saved by her brothers.  Now she's living in her own home again, trying to recover from the horrific ordeal.  Alex Crawford is the man she hires to build her dream deck on her house.  He's a widower trying to make a fresh start in a new town for himself and his young daughter.  The conflict of the story comes in when another nutcase sets his sights on kidnapping and killing Brittany.  That girl can't get a break!

This book was a so-so read for me.  I think my main issue was the lack of suspense.  It wasn't difficult to figure out the new kidnapper; I had him pegged when he was first introduced.  There also wasn't much build up to the tense moments in the plot.

I liked the main characters pretty well.  Brittany was obviously a very strong person to survive being kidnapped and held in a small cell for four months.  And, my heart went out to Alex, having to raise his little girl on his own.  While there certainly was chemistry between Alex and Brittany, a lot of the story was spent with them finding reasons they shouldn't be together.  Frustrating!

This was actually the first book from the Lawmen series I've read, and it works fine as a stand-alone story.  I suppose it does contain spoilers for book four, so you might want to keep that in mind before you read out of order.

Find details about the entire Lawmen of Black Rock series on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/series/69721-lawmen-of-black-rock

Book Beginnings: TOOL BELT DEFENDER

Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires.

This is my first time participating in this meme, and I was so happy to find out about it!  I'm crazy about a great opening line.  My book beginning comes from TOOL BELT DEFENDER by Carla Cassidy:

"He was a hot hunk in a tight T-shirt, a pair of worn jeans and a tool belt riding low on his lean hips.  He was nothing like what Brittany Grayson had expected."

Hmm...that caught my attention. *g*  This is a book I requested from NetGalley, which expires tomorrow - LOL!  I'm determined to finish it on time...

Review: BAREFOOT IN THE SAND by Roxanne St. Claire

Forever; May 2012

Book Blurb:

When all you hold dear is taken away . . . 

When a hurricane roars through Lacey Armstrong's home on the coast of Barefoot Bay, she decides all that remains in the rubble is opportunity. A new hotel is just what Mimosa Key needs, and Lacey and her teenage daughter are due for a fresh start. And nothing, especially not a hot, younger, is going to distract Lacey from finally making her dreams a reality. 

A second chance is the only thing you have left.

Love has already cost Clay Walker everything. And if he's going to have any chance of picking up the pieces of his life, he needs the job as Lacey Armstrong's architect. What's not in the plans is falling for the headstrong beauty. Her vision of the future is more appealing than anything he could have ever drafted for himself. Will Clay's designs on Lacey's heart be more than she can handle, or will she trust him to build something that will last forever?

My Review:

The title makes this book sound like a light beach read, but actually BAREFOOT IN THE SAND packed more of an emotional punch than I expected!  The story was about love, forgiveness, and finding the strength to start over.

Lacey and her teenage daughter Ashley lost everything when a hurricane tore across Mimosa Key, a barrier island near Fort Myers, Florida.  Surviving the disaster inspired Lacey to pursue a longtime dream – building an inn of Barefoot Bay.  First, she wants to hire her dream architect for the job, but instead ends up with Clay Walker, the wayward son of her dream architect.Though there’s an immediate spark between them, winning Lacey over will not be easy for Clay. She’s hesitant to trust a hot younger man with her resort project or her heart.

Things get more complicated when Ashley’s absentee father suddenly reappears in their lives.  It doesn’t help matters that Ashley wants Clay to disappear so her parents can get back together. On top of everything else, there are a couple of cantankerous locals hell bent on stopping Lacey’s dream project!

I could really empathize with Lacey’s struggle as she rebuilt her life. And, her arrogant ex-boyfriend, David!  Ugh.  I don’t think I’ve been so angry or annoyed with a character in a long time.  The nerve of him pushing his way back into their lives after a 13 year absence.  I wanted to whack him on the head with the tart pan he bought for Lacey. 

This is the first book by Roxanne St. Claire I’ve read, and I enjoyed it.  BAREFOOT IN THE SAND is a contemporary romance, but I will say that I thought the romance part took a back seat at times to other parts of the story.  The book had a chick lit feel as well, because Lacey’s group of girlfriends played a big part in the book too.  I really liked Clay.  He was exactly what Lacey needed to help her get her life back on track, and to break down the protective walls she’d built around her heart.  And, oh my, the chemistry between them was sizzling hot!  A gorgeous setting and engaging characters make this book the perfect summer read.  I’m looking forward to seeing where Ms. St. Claire takes the series in the next book.

Waiting On Wednesday: LAST WOOL AND TESTAMENT

Expected Release Date: Sept 2012 

No official blurb yet for this one, but the author's website offers a few details about the story.  The amateur sleuth is Kath Rutledge, a "textile preservation specialist" who inherits her grandmother's yarn shop.  And the best part is there's a ghost involved.  I love paranormal cozy mysteries!!

http://www.mollymacrae.com/ 

Hosted By: Breaking the Spine

Review: THE REASON IS YOU by Sharla Lovelace

Berkley; April 2012

Book Blurb:

In the small river town of Bethany, Dani Shane never fit in. Being different pushed her to the fringes of society, and even leaving town for two decades didn't stop the talk. Now, with her sixteen year-old daughter Riley in tow, Dani is back in Bethany looking for a fresh start. Too bad her plans for staying under the radar are about to be thrown out the window.

Mischievous and sexy, Dani's old friend Alex still has the power to rock her world, but there's a big obstacle standing in their way--Alex has been dead for forty years. With a ghost popping up at inopportune moments and sparking conversations with her teenage daughter, Dani scrambles to find solid ground and get a grip--both on her sanity and her heart.

My Review:

I have to start by saying that Sharla Lovelace is going on my auto-buy list. Wow! I loved this book. THE REASON IS YOU is an impressive debut novel about love and loss, family bonds and family secrets, redemption and starting over. Oh, yeah, and also ghosts!

The last place Dani Shane wanted to end up was back in her hometown of Bethany. But that’s exactly what happened when she lost her job at a Dallas design firm. She and her teenage daughter, Riley, had little choice but to move to the sleepy river town where Dani takes a job at the local bait shop.

Growing up in Bethany, Dani was treated like an outcast, and twenty years later, nothing has changed. Dani has the ability to see and talk to ghosts, and only a small handful of people know her secret. Most of the town considers her a “freak” who talked to people who weren’t there.

Dani becomes very concerned with she sees Riley talking to Alex, her best friend from her teenage years, and also a ghost. This is the first time that Dani noticed Riley shared her special “gift,” and she is scared for her daughter. Dani only wants Riley to have a normal life, something she never had. Dani’s situation gets more complicated when she falls for her new boss, Jason, a man whose emotional baggage rivals her own. And, Dani finds out that dead-for-40-years Alex’s connection to her goes so much deeper than what she thought.

Ms. Lovelace has an amazing voice, and I loved her writing style. I was completely absorbed in this story, and I felt like I was wrapped up in the lives of the characters too. At times this was a heartbreaking story, and it definitely stirred up my emotions. (I shouldn’t have read the last few chapters in public! *tears*) Though, it wasn’t all sadness; it was also funny and uplifting, with witty dialogue, like when Jason and Dani would playfully argue about who had the biggest sob story from their pasts. I also loved Dani’s sassy friend Miss Olivia. She had me grinning many times. The characters were intriguing (both living and dead), and the dynamics between them were beautifully written. I think the book wrapped up with the perfect, bittersweet ending. I would highly recommend THE REASON IS YOU to fans of romantic women’s fiction.