Wow, I'd say it's hard to believe it's August already, but if you look at the number of books I read in July, maybe it is possible to believe it. Of course, it helped there at the end what I got two picture books and an audio book finished.
Anyway, here's the list, and
my index has been updated with all the reviews I've posted for the last two months, ending with July 31st.
All ratings are on a scale of 1 (bad) to 5 (great).
The town of Celebration Bay puts on a spectacular
Independence Day event with a reenactment of a Revolutionary War battle. Okay, so the battle never took place, but
it’s still a fun event that locals and tourists alike love. However, this year, a murder takes place at
the event, and the town’s event coordinator has to determine who killed the
victim and even if the victim was the intended target before the town
completely turns on the charming teen who appears to be the only suspect.
I love this small town and how the books always put me in
the mood for the holiday that is being celebrated. The supporting players from previous books
aren’t a strong presence here, but the new characters definitely make up for
that fact. I do wish one series regular
would grow a bit more. The plot is
strong with plenty of surprises and twists along the way.
Nola Mae Harper is returning to her home town of Cays Mill,
Georgia, and her family’s peach farm to help run it while her parents take a
three week cruise. However, she’s hardly
arrived when she finds the body of the owner of the local lumber mill in the
peach orchard. Worse yet, her
brother-in-law is arrest for the crime.
She and her siblings quickly close ranks and try to clear his name. But can they do it?
This may be a debut, but the town and the residents came to
life for me right away. Nola and her
family are wonderfully strong characters I can’t wait to visit again. Plus I loved their family bond. The plot was great with a steady pace an
ending that surprised me. Truly, a sweet
debut.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
Tensions are building all over Key West with restaurant wars
and a string of burglaries. However,
it’s the fight over the Sunset Celebration lease that erupts in murder when
Bart Frontgate is found dead. The police
are looking at Hayley Snow’s friend Lorenzo, a man she knows couldn’t have
committed the crime. But Lorenzo is
hiding something. Can Hayley clear him,
or will his secret convict him for murder?
I have completely fallen in love with Key West thanks to
these books, and it was wonderful to visit again. The characters are strong, with Hayley
showing some growth and Miss Gloria as delightful as ever. The plot is strong, combining several
storylines into a cohesive and entertaining whole, although I do wish we didn’t
have the constant Hayley is afraid for her job sub-plot.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
Francine and her friends are working hard at crossing off
the items on their bucket lists. Last
one night while meeting at Alice’s pool to go skinny dipping, they find a dead
body instead. Charlene is thrilled since
solving a murder is the top item on her list.
But can the friends do it?
I picked up this book because the characters, all in their
70’s, sounded like fun. Boy was I
right! They are a hoot, and I was
smiling as I enjoyed the entire story.
The number of characters is a little overwhelming at first, but I was
quickly able to sort them all out. The
plot is strong with some nice revelations and twists before the end. I can’t wait to meet this feisty group of
ladies again.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
Time’s Up by Janey Mack (Maisie McGrane Mysteries #1) – 3
Maisie is set to follow in the footsteps of some of her
older brothers and her father and become a cop.
That is until she fails the psych evaluation. So she decides to prove she can handle being
hated by becoming a meter maid. But can
she really handle the job?
This was a mixed bag.
First of all, it is not a mystery.
The dead body and who killed him is a poorly handled sub-plot at
best. However, the coming of age aspect
I did enjoy at times. At other times, it
was slow. Likewise, some of the
characters never rose above cliché while others were lots of fun. There’s potential for some good stories here,
but this book isn’t at that level yet.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
The last thing Mrs. Pollifax expected to find that day was a
young woman hiding in her closet. Kadi
is afraid of the men who have been driving by in a van for the last couple of
days, and Mrs. Pollifax’s efforts to sneak her out of the house end with both
of them on the run. A call to Carstairs
at the CIA leads them to an unusual safe house and another mystery. Are the two related?
This is a bit of an unusual entry in the series since it
takes place mostly in the US and Carstairs plays a much more active part in the
story. However, I like it for that
change of pace. The plot relies a bit
more on coincidence than is normal for the series (which is saying something),
but all the various threads do wind up playing a part in the end. Overall, another great entry in the series.
When Briar Rose kidnaps Prince Liam to force their marriage,
the League of Princes ride to his rescue.
However, things go horribly wrong, and they find themselves on a new
mission – this time for the very spoiled Briar Rose herself. But what is this princess really after?
I shouldn’t have waited so long before reading this
sequel. It’s as delightful as the first
one. I laughed the entire way through
while enjoying how the characters continue to grow and evolve. The plot takes some nice twists along the way
to a satisfying conclusion. This book
also sets up some interesting possibilities for the climax of the series, and I
can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
Georgia Thornton has hit a new low – contestant on a reality
dating show. Her job is to figure out
which of her bachelors are in it for love and which just want the prize
money. However, the show’s first group
date ends in a tragic accident. When
another contestant dies, Georgia begins to question what she has signed up
for. Meanwhile, her ex-fiancee has
appeared on the show. Is he
investigating? What is really happening
on the show? Will Georgia figure it out
and pick the right bachelor?
This book definitely plays up the reality show aspect of
things, with that part of the plot often overriding the mystery. Only a few of the characters get much
development as well. And yet, I really
did enjoy the book. I always had a hard
time putting it down, and the pages flew by all too quickly. I’ll definitely be back for the sequel.
Clowns are the theme for the annual winter carnival in
Warner Pier, which is ironic since the man who ran the clown themed store in
town was murdered about a month before it starts. Since that store was next door to TenHuis
Chocolade, Lee Woodyard is hoping to buy it to expand the business. That’s how she meets the family and gets
further involved when evidence begins appearing suggestion the homeless man who
has been arrest for the murder might be innocent. But if he is innocent, who actually did it?
The book started out a little slowly, but once it gained
speed, I found it hard to put it down, as always. I did spot the ending a little early, but I
was having so much fun I didn’t mind.
Lee, her husband Joe, and the new characters are great, but I do wish we
could see more of the supporting cast – another common complaint when it comes
to this series. Still, fans of Lee’s
will gobble this book down like always.
Commander Toad and his crew aboard the Star Warts have found a new planet to explore. But when Lieutenant Lily starts sneezing and
the Commander Toad gets swallow in a giant red bump, they may be facing more
than they bargained for.
I recently remembered this series from when I was younger,
and it seems like it’s not as popular as it once was. That’s a shame. While the story and characters are a bit
simple, they are fun. Once we get the
introductions out of the way, the story is interesting, and will definitely
connect with young readers. Adults will
love the spoofs on Star Wars and Star Trek and everyone will groan at the
grape puns.
Killer Jam by Karen MacInerney (Dewberry Farm Mysteries #1) – 4
Investigative reporter Lucy Resnick has bought the farm –
that is her grandparent’s farm outside the small town of Buttercup, Texas. However, just days after learning that the
previous owner, Nettie Kocurek, retained the mineral rights in the sale and
intends to drill for oil, Nettie is stabbed.
With the police focusing on the outsider – Lucy – she has to act find to
find the real killer.
This is a fun series debut filled with great characters and
a fun small town that I really grew to love.
The plot did blog down a little in the second quarter, but it soon
started back up with plenty of twists and surprises to keep me confused until
the end.
NOTE: I was sent an ARC of this book in exchange for my
honest review.
11-year-old Flavia DeLuce finds herself involved in a second
mystery when a traveling puppet show comes to town. She is asked to help them set up and settle
in to their temporary home, but when murder makes an appearance, she begins to
dig deeper to find the killer.
The murder doesn’t happen until almost the half way point,
but the story doesn’t have the tension to keep our interest until then. Yes, what we learn comes into play later, but
it could have been introduced later when we’d actually care and it would mean
something to us. The characters continue
to shine, however. The second half of
the novel was wonderful. If the entire thing
lived up to that level, it would be a wonderful book.
When a brother and a sister arrive in a pet shop to pick out
a new pet, they are faced with so many wonderful choices. Will they pick a dog, a cat…or something more
exotic?
You can tell that Dr. Seuss didn’t think this was his best
work and that’s why he gave up on it.
The rhymes are almost there, but they aren’t as good as some of his
books. Same with the rhythm of the
lines. By the time we get to some of
Seuss’s trademark imaginary creatures (and there are only two of them), they
feel forced into the book. Never mind
the fact that we never answer the title question. Fortunately, the illustrations live up to the
Seuss name. It’s not a bad book, but
it’s not one to rush out and buy, either, which is what I suspected before
picking it up.
