Tag Archives: cozy mystery

Book Review – Witch Way To Murder And Mayhem by Jane Hinchey

Kindle Freebie (free at the time of purchase)

Genre: Cosy Mystery, Fantasy

Number of Pages: 191

📖PLOT SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS 📖

To call Gran eccentric is somewhat of an understatement. She has questionable fashion sense, cough, can anyone say bedazzled Ugg boots and a tutu? But my Gran? She is awesome. So when she suggested I buy The Dusty Attic Bookstore I was all in, after all, what could go wrong?

Try finding my high school nemesis dead on the floor of my newly acquired store for starters. Now I’m on the suspect list! Okay, so I just need to find the killer, clear my name, and pass my witches exam. Oh, didn’t I mention that? Yeah, seems the stunt I pulled on my cheating ex-fiancee cost me not only my job but my magic.

My name is Harper Jones and this is not how I expected my return to my magical hometown of Whitefall Cove to go.

💭THOUGHTS💭

This was another Kindle Freebie (free at the time of purchase) that I thought would be perfect for Halloween month. I hadn’t read a cosy mystery in a while and thought that I needed to find a few for this Halloween season! I didn’t want anything too long and this one fitted the bill. 

The writing was light and entertaining. There were moments that had me smiling as well as tense moments. Despite it being fairly short, I was completely taken in and kept wanting to read more. It was well balanced and nothing felt rushed. The ending was a bit of a surprise, but it tied up well. There were a couple of questions that I had at the end, but I assume that these would be answered in the next book. They are only minor curiosities and don’t in any way hamper the enjoyment of the book. 

The chapters were fairly long, but they didn’t drag. You got a good chunk of story before the chapter ended. The story overall had a good pace to it and as I mentioned above I just wanted to keep on reading! 

The characters were excellent. I loved the main character and the relationship she had with her family and friends. The support from everyone shone through. The main character’s Gran brought a smile to my face and added humour to the story. 

There were a lot of different supernatural characters which was interesting. You would be reading about a character and then suddenly it came to light that they were a supernatural creature. They all seemed to understand that there were other creatures around, but I am not sure what the humans thought as there was very little mention of them, apart from the main character’s ex fiancé. 

Lastly the settings. I loved the town and specifically the bookshop. The description of the shop with the addition of magic made it even more special. The settings were described enough to give you an idea of where the characters were, and aside from the bookshop, the settings were secondary to what was going on with the characters.

Overall a great murder mystery and one that I recommend.

⭐Rated 5/5⭐

#bookstagram #instabook #bookphotography #igbooks #ilovereading #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookaddiction #bookstoread #whattoread #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogging #bookpics #weekendreads #bookrecs #booknerdproblems #bookpictures #bookstagram #amreading #booksbooksbooks #instablog #booknerds #bookphotos #bibliophile #popularbooks #cosymystery #fantasy #witches #halloween

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “autumn reading”, “fall reading”, “halloween”, “cosy mystery”, “witches”, “fantasy”, “popular books”

Time Travel Thursday

It’s Time Travel Thursday! This is where I take a look back at what I was reading this time last year (or the year before or the year before that…) and compare it to what I am reading now.

This day in 2021 I was reading:

Book Review – Dead World by Alex Apostol

Plot Summary:

“We are now on the third book and Christine and Zack are determined that they will carry on fighting to find the cure and not stop until they have it. They leave the group in the safety of the bunker and make the journey to the lab. Gretchen sneaks out of the bunker to join them at a great cost. 

The bunker life isn’t as safe as Christine and Zack first thought and the rest of the group end up fighting their own problems – both from the living and the dead!

Will Christine and Zack find the cure and will bunker life ever be the same again?”

Fast Forward To Today:

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (click for link to Goodreads)

Book Description From Goodreads:

“Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a “baby farmer,” who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby’s household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves—fingersmiths—for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.

One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives—Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud’s vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be disposed of—passed off as mad, and made to live out the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum.

With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways…But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals.”

Witch Way To Murder And Mayhem by Jane Hinchey (click for link to Goodreads)

Book Description From Goodreads:

“To call Gran eccentric is somewhat of an understatement. She has questionable fashion sense, cough, can anyone say bedazzled Ugg boots and a tutu? But my Gran? She is awesome. So when she suggested I buy The Dusty Attic Bookstore I was all in, after all, what could go wrong?

Try finding my high school nemesis dead on the floor of my newly acquired store for starters. Now I’m on the suspect list! Okay, so I just need to find the killer, clear my name, and pass my witches exam. Oh, didn’t I mention that? Yeah, seems the stunt I pulled on my cheating ex-fiancee cost me not only my job but my magic.

My name is Harper Jones and this is not how I expected my return to my magical hometown of Whitefall Cove to go.”

Comparison:

From Dystopian to Gothic Fiction and Cosy Mystery. They all can be classed as Halloween reads though. I do try to read seasonally as far as possible and apparently I have managed to achieve it 2 years running (at least this week!).

What were you reading this time last year or the year before (or the year before!)? Add your links in the comments below!

#bibliophile #igreads #currentlyreading #bookreview #instaread #lovetoread #booksarelife #readingisfundamental #whatimreading #bookreviewer #bookaddicts #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #bookishphotography #whattoreadnext #readallday #bookworms #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #bookpic #newreads #booknerd #timetravelthursday #pastreads #autumnreading #fallreading #cozymystery #gothicfiction #dystopian #halloween

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “recommended”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “past reads”,”entertaining”, “what should I read next”,”dystopian”, “gothic fiction”, “halloween”, “halloween books”

October Halloween Challenge 2022 – Hosted by Tourmaline

Hosted by Tourmaline, there is a word set for each day that you can write a post about. As this is a book blog I will be posting about books that I have read that best fits the theme of the day.

Today’s theme is Desserts.

I have chosen A Killer Cupcake by Fiona Grace (click for link to my review). A bit of a Halloweeny/Murdery twist on a dessert!

Book Description From Goodreads:

“Allison Sweet, 34, a sous chef in Los Angeles, has had it up to here with demeaning customers, her demanding boss, and her failed love life. After a shocking incident, she realizes the time has come to start life fresh and follow her lifelong dream of moving to a small town and opening a bakery of her own.

When Allison spots a charming, vacant storefront on the boardwalk near Venice, she wonders if she could really start life anew. Feeling like it’s a sign, and a time to take a chance in life, she goes for it.

Yet Allison did not anticipate the wild ride ahead of her: the boardwalk, filled with fun and outrageous characters, is pulsing with life, from the Italian pizzeria owners on either side of her who vie for her affection, to the fortune tellers and scheming rival bakery owner nearby. Allison yearns to just focus on her delicious new pastry recipes and keep her struggling bakery afloat-but when a murder occurs right near her shop, everything changes.

Implicated, her entire future at stake, Allison has no choice but to investigate to clear her name. As an orphaned dog wanders into her life, a devoted new sidekick with a knack for solving mysteries, she starts her search.

Will they find the killer? And can her struggling bakery survive?

A hilarious cozy mystery series, packed with twists, turns, romance, travel, food and unexpected adventure, the Beachfront Bakery series will keep you laughing and turning pages late into the night as you fall in love with an endearing new character who will capture your heart.”

#bookstagram #instabook #bookphotography #igbooks #ilovereading #bookhaul #bookhoarder #bookaddiction #bookstoread #whattoread #fortheloveofbooks #bookblogging #bookpics #weekendreads #bookrecs #booknerdproblems #bookpictures #bookstagram #amreading #booksbooksbooks #instablog #booknerds #bookphotos #bibliophile #tshalloweenchallenge #desserts #cozymystery

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “autumn reading”, “fall reading”, “cozy mystery”, “halloween”, “halloween challenge”

Friday 56 – Daisy and the Dazzling Dachshunds by Janey Clarke

Welcome to Friday 56! Hosted by Freda’s Voice, you turn to page 56 or 56% in any book or reading device and pick a sentence that grabs you.

This week I have decided to choose my Blog Tour book Daisy and the Dazzling Dachshunds by Janey Clarke for my Friday 56:

“The pups and their mum had been hidden from view high on the hill. Obviously, Alice was leaving. She was running away and taking the dogs with her. Why? Why now? What had prompted this sudden flight? Did it have anything to do with Davies? Or was it completely unconnected with him and the puppy farm?”

I think that this demontrates what the main character is like in terms of her thinking and it is also a good way of making sure that the reader is keeping up with what is going on. There are a lot of different names and characters floating around, so for me this is quite a handy way of making sure that I have remembered everything that is going on!

Book Description:

“The discovery of a murdered woman with a rescued dog and her puppies on Bodmin Moor, hurtles Daisy, a shy retired librarian and her oddball friends, into another dangerous, yet comical escapade.

Daisy is on a mission to find the murdered woman’s killer, linking events to the puppy farm, and is suddenly thrust into a world of explosions, shootings and kidnappings!

Furthermore, family secrets come to light and Daisy discovers an unexpected revelation that will change her life forever.

This newfound knowledge is difficult for Daisy to cope with and somewhat hinders the situation that befalls herself and her friends. And if that isn’t enough, the return of her ex-husband poses even more problems.

Daisy enlists the help of Cleo her cat, and Flora her puppy, both rescue animals, in her search for the puppy farm. However, the question remains, even with all the help she has, can Daisy manage to outwit the villains and save herself and the puppies from harm?”

#bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #currentlyreading #bookreview #instaread #lovetoread #booksarelife #readingisfundamental #whatimreading #bookreviewer #bookaddicts #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #bookishphotography #whattoreadnext #readallday #bookworms #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #bookpic #newreads #booknerd #friday56 #bookquote #animalbook #mystery

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “short stories”, “entertaining”, “what book should I read next”, “book quote”, “animal book”, “mystery”

Wednesday Night Reading

I actually had a decent amount of reading time this evening. I have managed to read both my library books; Paris for One and Other Stories by JoJo Moyes and The Little Paris Patisserie by Julie Caplin, my Kindle Christmas, Cosy Mystery (Murder Before Christmas by Michele Pariza Wacek) and my Blog Tour book Last Time We Met by Emily Houghton.

There has not been one weak book. All of them I have wanted to ‘just finish this little bit’ when my alarm has gone off (yes I do set alarms so that I can get through as many books as possible in an evening!).

I have therefore counted this evening as a successful reading evening and hope that I will get more evenings like this one this week!

I hope that you have had a great Wednesday. Tomorrow is Time Travel Thursday and Thursday Quoteables!

#classicbooks #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworms #bookaddict #bookshelf #goodreads #reads #bookaholic #reader#bookstagram #booklover #reading #bookstagrammer #bookworm #bookish #readersofinstagram #booknerd #bookreview #bookrecommendations #booksofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #instabook #bookcommunity #bookblogger #bookphotography #bookaholic #booklove #instabooks #bookclub #library

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “new”, “recommended”, “easy read”, “free”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “romance”, “mystery”,”reading slump”, “entertaining”, “what should I read next”, “what books do you recommend”

Stacking The Shelves/Library Loot

Welcome to my Stacking The Shelves/Library Loot post, hosted by Reading Reality (Stacking the Shelves) and The Captive Reader and Real Life Reading (Library Loot).

I have had quite a bit of activity on my shelves this week with a Blog Tour sign up, 2 free Kindle books and my son’s library book haul!

Blog Tour Sign Up

Daisy and the Dazzling Dachshunds by Janey Clarke

Book Description From Random Things Tours:

“The discovery of a murdered woman with a rescued dog and her puppies on Bodmin Moor, hurtles Daisy, a shy retired librarian and her oddball friends, into another dangerous, yet comical escapade.

Daisy is on a mission to find the murdered woman’s killer, linking events to the puppy farm, and is suddenly thrust into a world of explosions, shootings and kidnappings!

Furthermore, family secrets come to light and Daisy discovers an unexpected revelation that will change her life forever.

This newfound knowledge is difficult for Daisy to cope with and somewhat hinders the situation that befalls herself and her friends. And if that isn’t enough, the return of her ex-husband poses even more problems.

Daisy enlists the help of Cleo her cat, and Flora her puppy, both rescue animals, in her search for the puppy farm. However, the question remains, even with all the help she has, can Daisy manage to outwit the villains and save herself and the puppies from harm?”

I am on the Blog Tour for this book on 26 July so keep your eyes peeled for my review on here, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

Free Kindle Books (free when I got them on 29 June 2022)

A Ghostly Gift by Angie Fox (click for link to Goodreads)

Book Description From Goodreads:

“From New York Times best-selling author Angie Fox – a fabulously fun short story in the new Southern Ghost Hunter Mystery series.

Verity Long doesn’t want to see ghosts, and she’d rather not let anyone know her little secret, either. But when a restless spirit stirs up trouble in her friend’s resale shop, Verity and her very new, very dead gangster friend team up to learn what is really happening. They discover an age-old secret and must learn the truth behind a mysterious disappearance… before it’s too late.”

I got this ready for my July Genre Goals! The cover drew me in and together with the blurb I decided to get it!

Murder at the Manor by Catherine Coles (click for links to Goodreads)

Book Description From Goodreads:

Downton Abbey crossed with Murder, She Wrote…set in a Yorkshire village!

Evelyn Christie has resigned herself to another long, boring weekend at Hessleham Hall, the home of her husband, Tommy’s, family. However, it turns out to be anything but dull when his uncle, the Earl of Northmoor, is shockingly murdered!

Evelyn must use all of her sleuthing knowledge, gained whilst she was a member of the Police force during the war, to find out who the murderer is before the bungling local police force decide the Earl was bumped off so Tommy could inherit his title.

If you enjoy the glamour of bygone eras like 1920s Downton Abbey and gentle, cozy mysteries set in the English countryside then you will love this new series.

Again, another one that I downloaded that fit this month’s Genre Goals!

My Son’s Library Book Haul

The Hueys in… It Wasn’t Me by Oliver Jeffers (click for link to Goodreads)

I Love My Teacher by Giles Andreae, Emma Dodd (click for link to Goodreads)

Dreamy Me (The Me Me Me’s) by Annabelle Neilson (click for link to Goodreads)

What have you been stacking your shelves with this week?

#bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #currentlyreading #bookreview #instaread #lovetoread #booksarelife #readingisfundamental #whatimreading #bookreviewer #bookaddicts #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #bookishphotography #whattoreadnext #readallday #bookworms #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #bookpic #newreads #booknerd #stackingtheshelves #whatshouldIread #library #childrensbooks #blogtour #amazonkindle #freekindlebooks

“book”, “read”, “book blog”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “entertaining”, “what should I read next”, “library”, “children’s books”, “free kindle books”

Top 10 Tuesday!

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is top-ten-tuesday-logo-1.png

It’s Top Ten Tuesday! Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, this weeks Top 10 is Books to Read If You Love/Loved X (X can be a genre, specific book, author, movie/TV show, etc.). I have chosen the genre Cozy Mystery so:

My Top 10 Books To Read If You Love Cozy Mysteries Are:

Armed and Outrageous by Madison Johns⭐Rated 5/5⭐

A Killer Cupcake by Fiona Grace ⭐Rated 5/5⭐

Best Murder in Show by Debbie Young ⭐Rated 5/5⭐

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Cappuccinos, Cupcakes and a Corpse by Harper Lin ⭐Rated 5/5⭐

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Aloha Alibi by Jessica Webb ⭐Rated 5/5⭐

And then there were none by Agatha Christie ⭐Rated 5/5⭐

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A Poisoning in Piccadilly by Lynda Wilcox ⭐Rated 5/5⭐

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Bakeries and Bones by Nic Roberts ⭐Rated 4/5⭐

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Death in Paradise by JE Trent ⭐Rated 4/5⭐

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The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie ⭐Rated 3/5⭐

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What would be in your Top 10 Cozy Mystery list?

#bookstagram #bibliophile #igreads #currentlyreading #bookreview #instaread #lovetoread #booksarelife #readingisfundamental #whatimreading #bookreviewer #bookaddicts #bookpost #tbrpile #justread #bookishphotography #whattoreadnext #readallday #bookworms #booksofinstagram #bookwormproblems #bookaholic #bookpic #newreads #booknerd #toptentuesday #cozymystery

“book”, “read”, “book review”, “book blog”, “popular”, “recommended”, “easy read”, “don’t miss out”, “fiction”, “cozy mystery”, “reading slump”,”entertaining”, “what should I read next”, “what books would get me out of my reading slump”, “what books do you recommend”