An adorable cozy, perfect for readers new to the genre. It’s short, it’s cute – it’s not as fleshed out as other cozies I’ve read, but it’s a nice quick read when you need a break from heavier books, or just want to get through a full story in a short amount of time.
I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
What an enjoyable book! Lana is a great main character – I could easily see myself being friends with her and Megan.
Even though the series is set in Cleveland, it doesn’t lose that sense of a small community that readers of cozies tend to love.
I felt like I was investigating right alongside Lana, and I did have my suspicions but it didn’t all click for me until the very end (which is great!)
This is my first Noodle Shop Mystery, but I definitely plan on going back and reading the others!
I won a copy of this book on Instagram.
“Happiness is finding peace, joy and inspiration in the array of things one does in life. It is also moving on from what cannot be undone.”
Little Sister is vivid, heartbreaking and, ultimately, joyful.
Patricia Walsh Chadwick does an incredible job of illustrating how intelligent, kind people can get sucked into a cult (especially a cult tied to religion). It seemed like a noble idea at first – but then, bit by bit, freedoms were taken away. Identity was stripped from adults and children alike. Families were separated. The brothers and sisters in the community suffered physical and psychological abuse. The leaders of the community were manipulative hypocrites; it was frustrating and sickening to read about the ways they abused the members of the community (especially the children) in the name of God. (It has some Handmaids Tale vibes for sure.)
And yet, Chadwick’s story is one of resilience and triumph. Of the strength of a family’s love for one another. And ultimately the love of a community despite (or maybe because of) their shared trauma.
If you love memoirs, you have to get your hands on this book.
Thank you to Get Red PR for providing me with a free copy of this book.
Death by Cafe Mocha is a cute little book – not my favorite cozy mystery but I still enjoyed it.
The coffee lovers’ convention was a fun setting and the murder mystery keeps you guessing until the very end. I haven’t read the other books in the series (yet!) but I would love to read more about Death by Coffee and get to experience the cozy town of Pine Hills!
Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!
“The problems inside the pot are known only by the spoon who stirs it. In other words, only a family can know all its own secrets.”
Stella Fortuna has cheated death seven (or eight) times. With a name that means “lucky star” that must mean she has good luck, right?
Unfortunately, it’s the life that happens between each death that makes Stella’s story so sad.
Mostly family drama with a little bit of historical fiction sprinkled in, The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna is bleak, gritty, raw and disturbing.
This book is beautifully written but the subject matter is tough and it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s incredibly depressing without a single joyful story or event.
The Whisper Man is chilling, but it’s also very sad.
A good examination of father-son relationships and forgiveness, The Whisper Man offers up a slower-burning story that picks up speed towards the end. The last chapter is probably the most impactful and terrifying.
It’s a solid thriller with some interesting twists and an overwhelming sense of dread.
Thank you Celadon for the ARC!
“Love isn’t enough. Not even close.”
This book was just okay for me. I need to learn my lesson that drawn out, character driven family dramas are not my thing.
I was waiting for something to happen (I made the same mistake with Commonwealth).
I should be saying that it was a brilliant book about family, failure, forgiveness, but I was honestly just bored more than anything.
However, if you enjoyed Commonwealth or Little Fires Everywhere, I think you’ll like this book.
“Some people stay broken. Some pick up the pieces and put them back together with all the sharp edges showing.”
I read this over the course of one afternoon and would recommend that other readers try to do the same. It’s a short book and although a lot happens in the story, it really only takes place over the course of two days.
It reads like an episode of Criminal Minds – it’s a disturbing page turner but isn’t really a “thriller” as it is a novel about a horrific crime, survival and resilience.
This is the first book I’ve read in the Deputy Donut series, but it won’t be my last!
The characters are likable, the mystery was interesting (and the killer wasn’t obvious from the start), and the town of Fallingbrook is charming and cozy.
I want to spend a morning at Deputy Donut Cafe. I want to get ice cream from Freeze!
This book is exactly what I hoped it would be. A perfect read for cozy mystery fans!
Thank you Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of Jealousy Filled Donuts.
“This place isn’t kind to gentle souls. It chews them up and spits them out.”
If you haven’t read any of his books yet, you need to know that Riley Sager is basically the new king of the fun, twisty, popcorn thriller.
Lock Every Door is no exception. I would put it more firmly into the mystery bucket (except in the last 80 pages where it flips to a major horror movie vibe with some Twilight Zone-ish elements).
The cast of characters almost reminds me of an Agatha Christie novel. Everyone is unique and everyone is…a little off. I had fun trying to figure out what was going on (I was right about some things and pretty wrong about some others!)
Read with Aimee 