The Gingerbread Bump-off by Livia J. Washburn

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Publisher:
Obsidian, a division of Penquin Group (USA) Inc.

Format:
Paperback, Trade Size

Release Date:
November 2011

It’s Christmas time in Weatherford, Texas and Phyllis is asked to feature her home as one in the annual Christmas Jingle Bell Tour of Homes. Phyllis is excited but she’s also in the middle of planning a dear friends’ wedding to take place on New Year’s Eve. With the help of her friends, as well as the man in her life, she makes sure her home is up to the holiday standards.

As the tour is almost ready to begin, the head of the tour committee, and a friend of Phyllis’, Georgia Hallerbee is attacked and left unconscious. Since the police can’t rely on Georgia to tell them who knocked her out, Phyllis sets out to discover the truth on her own. After all, she has several years experience solving these difficult cases.

This is the 6th book in the “A Fresh-Baked Mystery” series and the first book I read. I’m usually a stickler to read books in order, but I couldn’t pass up this chance to review this book. The series looks wonderful (and I do have the first five books in my TBR), so I broke my own rule and read it. I’m glad I did.

First, the main character…she’s delightful, a retired teacher who can’t stay away from solving a mystery (the perfect protagonist for a cozy, right?) She owns a huge house and shares it with a few other retired teachers as well as the man in her life, Sam. They are an adorable couple. This is a very down-to-earth type of series that will leave you feeling good all over. The story moves along at a fast-paced and it’s the perfect read for this time of year.





FTC Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.


And now…would you like a copy of your very own? Obsidian has graciously given me one copy to give away to one lucky person, but you have to head over to Socrates' Cozy Cafe to enter. Just click here to enter and click here to read a fun interview with the author!

The Undertaker by William F. Brown

Genre:
Suspense, Thriller

Publisher:
William F. Brown

Release Date:
January 2011

Format:
EBook

Computer programmer, Peter Talbott, is still grieving after the death of his beloved wife, Terri. Lonely, he buries himself in his work until one day he finds himself held at gunpoint by Gino Parini. Parini not only shoves a gun in his face, but he also shoves an obituary in his face. The problem? The obituary is Pete’s, but how could that be when he is very much alive? Then, Parini shows him Terri’s obituary, except this is not her original one. Of course Pete is confused. The obituaries feature their exact details, so it’s not as if it was someone else with the same name. The only difference is Pete isn’t dead and Terri didn’t die in an accident as the obit claims.

Pete is desperate to find out what is happening and why they are using his late wife this way. He begins an investigation which leads him across the globe from California to Ohio to Chicago to New York to Boston. He stumbles upon a plot so devious, he can’t even believe it’s real. He doesn’t know who to trust but someone is killing people and burying them under other people’s names. Pete can’t figure out why someone would do something so horrifying.

Talbott comes face to face with some of the most evil villains – corrupt sheriffs, sneaky politicians, nefarious lawyers and deadly mobsters. As he tries to discover who else has been wronged in this way, he meets up with Sandy. Her former husband was a victim as well, but now Sandy’s life is in danger, too. Can Pete save her? Can he save himself?

This book never rests and it never lets the reader rest. It’s a constant struggle to stop the bad guys from killing them or hurting anyone else. Talk about a heart-racing book, this one is it! It’s the type of book you just can’t put down, you want to keep going until the very end. The characters are crafted perfectly and the storyline keeps flowing from page to page. Fast-paced doesn’t even begin to describe it. Great drama, great adventure, great characters, and a great plot, what more do you need?








FTC Disclosure: The author provided me with a copy of this book to review. This did not influence my thoughts and opinions in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

For reading challenge…

A to Z Reading Challenge

Touchdowns and Potions by Markee Anderson

Genre:
Romance

Format:
Ebook

Publisher:
Smashwords

Release Date:
August 2010

Real estate agent Jenna Steele is on a mission. She wants to earn enough money to put her younger sister through school. When she gets a client with a mansion to sell, she hopes it will help her in her goal but instead it just disgusts her. The owner of the mansion is a well known football player, Andy McKnight, and his mansion is a mess. There's no way she will be able to sell this pigsty.

To complicate her life, another client of Jenna's spills a love potion on her and suddenly men are falling all over their feet to get to Jenna. Some of them aren't very nice to her including a boss who attacks her at gunpoint when she refuses his advances and a mob at a grocery store insisting she belongs to them. She's both delighted and suspicious when her hero turns out to be Andy McKnight, who declaires his love for her. She can't help wonder if his feelings are genuine or influenced by the love potion.

This is a cute romantic comedy that makes you smile. After reading quite a number of intense books, it was nice to sit back and relax with this cute tale. It's a quick, light read by a "new-to-me" author. I'm definitely going to be reading more by Anderson, especially when I need something to "pick me up" after a hectic week.




For reading challenges:

2011 Show Me The Free Reading Challenge
Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge
A to Z Reading Challenge


Disclosure: I bought this book from Kobo. It was 99 cents and I had a $1 off coupon, which made the final price free! All opinions are my own.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

Genre:
Fiction

Format:
EBook

Publisher:
Vintage

Release Date:
March, 2007

This is the blurb from Fantastic Fiction:

A searing, postapocalyptic novel destined to become Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece.

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. They sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearting, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

The Road is the profoundly moving story of a journey. It boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, but in which the father and his son, “each the other's world entire,” are sustained by love. Awesome in the totality of its vision, it is an unflinching meditation on the worst and the best that we are capable of: ultimate destructiveness, desperate tenacity, and the tenderness that keeps two people alive in the face of total devastation.

My review...

This book really tears at your heartstrings. It's fast-paced and moves along quickly, but reading about what the world has turned into after devastation strikes is heart-wrenching. Even though the father and son aren't referred to by name throughout the entire story, you still felt as if you knew them. It was actually depressing, although it's an extremely well-written book. Reading what people will do just to be able to live to the next day breaks your heart and even shocks you. It's a story of survival and hope.






Disclosure: I borrowed this book as an ebook from the library for a reading group. All opinions are my own.

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles For Keeping Life in Perspective by Dr. Richard Carlson

Genre:
Non-Fiction

Format:
Audio

Publisher:
New World Library

Release Date:
March 2003

Basically this is a self-help book which shows you how thoughts control your emotions. The premise is that if you keep negative thoughts away, you’ll be a happier person. It tries to show readers that happiness is in their own control.

While that’s true, and a lot of the information was pretty much common sense, to just put negative thoughts out of your mind, is much easier said than done. At least it is for me. There are many times when I don’t mean to think of something bad, but it works it’s way into my mind. I find myself more able to put bad things out of my mind when I keep busy doing something like reading :)

It was an interesting book to listen to in the car, though. Unfortunately, I think all the main points went out of my head as soon as the last CD was finished. I just don’t think to simply keep negative thoughts out of your head is the answer, it’s just not always able to be done. A good idea, but just too simplistic an answer for those with serious problems (not that I have really have any - I just thought the topic was an interesting one to listen to).



For reading challenge:

A to Z Reading Challenge

The Last Darling by Cloud Buchholz

Genre:
Romance, Fiction

Format:
Ebook

Publisher:
Smashwords

Release Date:
March 2011

At 24 years old, Clover Collette has been living under the domineering influence of her mother. When she meets Francis Darling, her life changes. The couple falls madly in love. They runaway together and meet a variety of different types of people. From a blind artist to a Wall Street tycoon to a family of bank robbers, each one has their own heartrending story to tell.

This book is spread through several generations with each character intertwining with another, but yet separate. Readers see how one seemingly small incident involving one person can have a huge effect on another person, without anyone ever realizing it. It’s an intriguing concept which reminds me a little of the book by Mitch Albom, “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”.

This is a short story, but a captivating one. It’s not your typical romance, it’s more like a dark romance. It will draw the reader in from the start as each story goes from one to the next until you get to the last page and wonder why it’s not longer. It’s a different type of book than I’m used to reading, but it’s one of those stories that sticks with you longer after you finish it.




For reading challenge:

A to Z Reading Challenge

Opal Fire by Barbra Annino

Genre:
Cozy Mystery

Format:
Ebook

Publisher:
Dane House

Release Date:
March, 2011

A brand new cozy mystery begins with a firey start when Stacy Justice is trapped in her cousin’s bar as it goes up in flames. Stacy, along with her dog Thor, make it out safely but the police are convinced this is the work of an arsonist and the prime suspect is her cousin, Cinnamon. Stacy isn’t about to sit by quietly as her cousin is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit.

Stacy was raised by a family of witches and she intends to use her magical abilities to learn the truth about the fire. She gets way more than she bargains for when she finds dead bodies, exploding chickens and someone definitely out to make sure Stacy doesn’t find anything. Even her cop boyfriend has a few secrets up his sleeve.

Barbra Annino has created a fun, laugh-out-loud story that will keep readers entranced. It’s a fast-paced story that is both hysterical and mysterious at the same time with a great cast of characters. Stacy and Cinnamon will quickly become beloved characters in this series.




For reading challenges:

A to Z Reading Challenge
What's in a name 4?
Cruisin' thru the Cozies
2011 Cozy Mystery Reading Challenge

Mayan Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke

Genre :
Mystery, Adventure, Suspense
Format :
Ebook (available in paperback)
Publisher :
American Book Publishing
Release Date :
August 2010

John and Julia Evans are back again for another adventure. This time, they are off to Cancun, Mexico to explore the Mayan ruins. As an investigative reporter, Julia is going on assignment but at the same time she and her husband are using it as a chance to spend some much needed time together. Lately, John has been more involved with his business than with his wife.

Julia sees something she wasn’t supposed to and finds herself in the middle of a stolen artifacts ring. When she becomes a liability to the thieves, her life is on the line. Her husband wants to take his wife home where it’s safe, but Julia has no intentions of leaving. She’s not going anywhere until she cracks the mystery and possibly get a huge story out, too.

This is an exciting follow-up to Linda Weaver Clarke’s Anasazi Intrigue. She takes us through Cancun and we get to visit the Mayan ruins. Ms. Weaver Clarke’s descriptions easily transports the reader to Mexico. You really feel as if you are part of the story. Her words flow beautifully through each page of the book.

Readers learn more and more about the beautiful relationship shared by John and Julia. Their commitment to each other is stronger than ever. With each book, these two become more like friends of the readers instead of book characters. I enjoyed this very much and am looking forward to the third book in this thrilling series.



For reading challenge:

A to Z Reading Challenge

Anasazi Intrigue by Linda Weaver Clarke

Genre: Mystery, Adventure, Suspense
Format: EBook (available in paperback)
Publisher: American Book Publishing
Release Date: March 2010

This is the first book in “The Adventures of John and Julia Evans” series. There are two books already released with one on the way this May.

Reporter, Julia Evans, is shocked as an horrific flood destroys many homes in Santa Clara, Utah. As she prepares to write about this tragedy, she stumbles upon fish and cats that have been poisoned. She investigates to learn whether this was deliberate or a terrible accident. Being the low person on the totem pole at her newspaper, Julia has to fight for the assignment and prove herself.

With the help of her beloved husband, John, they go on a journey they never expected. Julia realizes there are some dangerous forces behind the mysterious poisoning and discovers, what could be, the story that will put her name on the map. The question becomes whether or not she and John will survive long enough for her to write the story.

This is the first book I’ve read by Linda Weaver Clarke and I’m already hooked. The first pages grab you right in and grab at your heartstrings as you read about the destruction caused by the flood. When Julia and John fight for their lives, readers will be on the edge of their seats for this one.

There’s also romance in the mix. John and Julia’s marriage is strong and they are quite supportive of each other. Even when they have their ups and downs, it’s not for long and they get right back into each other’s arms. It’s nice to see a relationship portrayed this way. Very realistic and believable. In fact, all the characters are portrayed realistically including their three daughters.

This series is a “must read” for me and I’m excited that there are still at least two more books to enjoy.



And...my Socrates Great Book Alert Award



Check out the interview I did with Linda Weaver Clarke where she discusses the series. Click here for the interview

For reading challenges:

Ebook Reading Challenge
ARC Reading Challenge
A to Z Reading Challenge

The Embroidered Corpse by Brian Kavanagh

Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Bewrite Books
Release Date: May 2006
Format: Ebook (also available in paperback)

Belinda Lawrence is back and, once again, finds herself involved in a brand new mystery. She is now settled into the house she inherited from her great aunt Jane. The gardens, designed by the famous Capability Brown, are now on display for tourists.

Belinda and her associate Hazel Whitby attend an auction and discover an ancient tapestry which leads them to discover two murders which replicate the death of a medieval king. There is much more involved to this mystery as it takes them straight to a religious cult, buried treasure and a devious plot to murder anyone who gets in the culprits’ way.

Along with her friend Hazel, Belinda gets some added help from her lover Mark Sallingers. The three of them delve into an adventure and take on more than any of them expected.

This is another fast-paced, enjoyable entry into the Belinda Lawrence cozy series. Readers can enjoy learning more about the heroine and seeing her relationships develop more since the first book. His characters are believable and he created villains you can truly despise.

I love the way the author takes the reader right to England and makes you feel as if you are really in a small English village. This book can be read in one sitting. You will not want to put it down.



For reading challenges...

Cruisin' thru the Cozies
A to Z Reading Challenge
ARC Reading Challenge
E-Book Reading Challenge