Cozy

A Likely Story

A Likely Story (Library Lover’s Mystery #6) By: Jenn McKinlay

Plot:

Small-town librarian Lindsey Norris must solve a murder and a missing person’s case involving two reclusive brothers.

NOT HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER

Delivering books to the housebound residents of the Thumb Islands, just a short boat ride from the town of Briar Creek, library director Lindsey Norris has befriended two elderly brothers, Stewart and Peter Rosen. She enjoys visiting them in their treasure-filled, ramshackle Victorian on Star Island until she discovers that Peter has been killed and Stewart is missing. Now she’s determined to solve a murder and find Stewart before he suffers his brother’s fate.

Review:

It’s been a while since I read a Library Lover’s Mystery and I had forgotten that there is a love triangle going on right now. Well, Lindsey knows who she loves but she’s apparently clueless that another guy really likes her. She somehow misses word usage both somewhat vague and not, for someone that’s able to spot a pregnancy before everyone else it’s really annoying.

The pace in A Likely Story felt a bit slow as well, but that could have just been my mood. The mystery was fine, though a bit cliché with the hermit brothers living on an island and affairs and long lost relatives or members of the community.

All in all it wasn’t my favorite in the series and the way it ended I’m not looking forward to the next installment.

3/5

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Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) By: Agatha Christie

Love this cover

Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot #10) By: Agatha Christie

Plot:

Travelling on the Orient Express, Poirot is approached by a desperate American named Ratchett. Afraid that someone plans to kill him, Ratchett asks Poirot for help. Sadly the very next day Ratchett’s worst fears become reality, when he is found dead in his cabin, a victim of multiple stab wounds. With nothing but a scrap of paper to go on, Poirot must piece together Ratchett’s identity before he can establish which of his fellow passengers murdered him.

Review:

This is one of the most famous fictional murder mysteries and because of that I had the ending spoiled years ago. However, even though I knew ‘who done it’ I still really enjoyed the story. On the off chance anyone reading my blog doesn’t know the ending I won’t mention it because it’s that good.

It took me a while to finish this book. I’ve been in a reading rut lately and just haven’t been able to focus. I chose this book to get me out of my funk and by the end I think it might have worked.

Even though this book is older I had no difficulty understanding the language, though there was the occasional British reference that took a minute to process.

I loved Poirot as a character, the fact that he expected people to know who he was had me smiling. He’s nice but able to deduce things so much better than others and yet he still let’s them try.

I really love the whole gathering everyone together at the end and revealing the solution to the murder. It is one of my favorite tropes. Poirot does such a better job of it than Holmes, he doesn’t come off as an arrogant asshole, he’s merely put two and two together and figured out what everyone thought was impossible.

Murder on the Orient Express has been adapted, again, and will be released in theaters soon if it hasn’t been already. The casting looks great so hopefully they do this classic novel justice.

4/5

Lemon Pies and Little White Lies (Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries #4) By: Ellery Adams

Lemon Pies and Little White Lies (Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries #4) By: Ellery Adams

Plot:

Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe has become a phenomenon beyond her wildest dreams, providing the enchanted town of Havenwood, Georgia, with spellbinding desserts and magical pies. Her personal life is also heating up as she takes on the responsibilities of leadership within her magical community. In fact, the only thing weighing her down is the fact that handsome Hugh Dylan won’t return her calls…

Still, when Havenwood is rocked by a series of mysterious deaths, Ella Mae must put romantic longings aside—especially when she realizes that the mystical symbols left at each crime scene are dangerously personal. Now she will have to whip up all her supernatural skills to uncover a killer out to settle an ancient score—before the murderer devastates everything Ella Mae is determined to protect…

Review:

I’m not sure what I feel after finishing this book. A ton happened and it was definitely more on the paranormal side than cozy side of things, and I’m just not sure.

First, I guess, I didn’t like Ella Mae in this book. I haven’t been much of a fan through the series but she was just too perfect in this. She magically knew exactly what to do and she was forgiving and pure and so self-sacrificing. It was just too much for me since I already wasn’t fond of her.

Second, love triangle. You know what I think about them, however, with the Hugh thing seeming to go nowhere it didn’t bother me as much as normal. Honestly, though, I feel sorry for the new guy since she’s spent the last three books talking about how Hugh is the love of her life. It seems a bit cruel.

Last, the ending. Man, I’m just not sure about it. I won’t give anything away, but the main story arc is resolved. One of the issues that was resolved was literally done in a sentence. Maybe two, can’t remember, it was kind of abrupt. Like oh yeah, here’s the answer to that problem that’s been plaguing your kind for hundreds of years. That part of things felt rushed and the rest just left me feeling kind of empty, but not in a good way. Not like I’d been through an emotional roller-coaster sort of way, more like a eh sort of way. Kind of sad.

I plan on reading the next book in the series and because I really liked the previous books I’m not giving this as low a rating as I normally would. I think, I’m going to take a break before I continue on, though.

3/5

Pecan Pies and Homicides (Charmed Pie Shoppe #3) By: Ellery Adams

Pecan Pies and Homicides (Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries #3) By: Ellery Adams

Plot:

Owning the Charmed Pie Shoppe and serving enchanted treats in the magical town of Havenwood, Georgia, seemed like a little slice of heaven for Ella Mae LeFaye. But now her hopes for both a lasting romance with Hugh Dylan and business success are starting to seem like pie in the sky, and Ella’s left wondering: Where has the magic gone?   When an enchanted grove is set ablaze, Ella realizes she has more grave problems. With her magic waning, she’s going to have to sleuth from scratch to stop an arsonist who has no respect for sacred ground—or human life…
Review:

Still liking this series a lot. The world was further developed, as were relationships, and goals created in the previous book. I actually really like that one of her major goals was accomplished and not dragged out. Unfortunately, there’s still no relationship resolution with Hugh.

Ella Mae is learning to use her powers and learning about the world around her, most of that seems to be happening off screen, but that’s fine. I really like the combination Adams has made of paranormal and cozy, it’s pretty much half and half, neither dominates, which makes things interesting. I like it.

As a character Ella Mae is kind of growing on me, still not someone I care too much about, but not quite as boring as before. Really looking forward to the next book and hoping for some Hugh resolution.

4/5

Peach Pies and Alibis (Charmed Pie Shoppe #2) By: Ellery Adams

Peach Pies and Alibis (Charmed Pie Shoppe #2) By: Ellery Adams

Plot:

Ella Mae LeFaye’s Charmed Pie Shoppe is wildly popular in Havenwood, Georgia–which is not surprising since Ella Mae can lace her baked goods with enchantments. The shop’s extraordinary success seems destined to continue when Ella Mae meets an engaged couple who hire her to handle the dessert buffet at their wedding.
But Ella Mae has a lot on her plate. She is also searching for the origin of her magical powers–and hoping to determine if the spark of attraction she feels for the handsome Hugh Dylan is authentic or just her new abilities gone awry.
Then Ella Mae discovers a high-standing member of the community dead, and a wedding guest becomes seriously ill at the event she’s catering. Now she’ll have to use all her sleuthing skills and culinary talents to prove her pies don’t contain a killer ingredient . . .

Review:

This book did not disappoint, all that I liked from the first continued and more. Adams expanded on the magic in the universe and it was interesting and unique. The side characters continued to be developed and were fun.

I’m still not overly fond of Ella Mae, she’s fine, but I don’t know, kind of boring maybe, honestly I’m not sure why I don’t like her. Her ex-husband showed up which I was kind of concerned about, but I liked how he was handled. I wish whatever was going on with Hugh would figure itself out and be explained but I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.

The mystery was good, though, I did guess who done-it before the reveal, but I was kept guessing. I ended up crying at one point because of what happened. I liked the book a lot and I’ve got the next two from the library.

4/5