Jen
Silent Knit, Deadly Knit wasn't a bad book. But it took me over a month to finish it, and as I did, I figured out why it took me so long. The murder happens pretty early in the story. And Pamela and the gang start investigating. Then the whole middle of the book is about the upcoming Christmas holidays and all the parties and whatnot that comes with the season. There are little mentions about the mystery during this part of the book, but very little. Then we get to the last quarter of the book, Pamela starts snooping again and BAM she figures it all out.
I get there needs to be some world building, but at the same time this is book 4 in the series, we should know the characters and the town pretty well. And I'll be honest, I didn't need all the details about the Christmas Eve party or Christmas dinner. For me, it was just overkill and didn't add anything to the actual mystery.
The mystery itself was okay. I don't feel that there were enough clues for the reader to solve it with any confidence. It was just lackluster due to the backseat it was given for a huge chunk of the book. I honestly don't think I could recommend this book on its own, but as part of the series, a reader probably wouldn't want to skip it.
I have mixed feelings about this Christmas anthology. I'll touch on each of the stories separately...
Chasing the Duke: I'll be honest, this was probably my favorite in the group of novellas. I couldn't tell that it was the 7th book in a series as it stood on its own quite well. I enjoyed both Camille and Tristan and felt their romance was very well developed. I especially liked that Camille was a bit of a bluestocking with her botany trade. I would have loved for this story to have been a bit longer.
The Ice Duchess: I actually skipped this story as I'd already read (and reviewed) it. This story is a prequel to a series and I remember enjoying both characters in this one as well. It was a nice twist that the hero, a duke, had a passion for geology and the heroine, had a business helping women prepare for marriage. It was a nice reunion story that totally had me wanting to continue the series.
Tides of Desire: As the third book in a series, I often felt I was missing something while reading this one. It wasn't bad, but the character development was lacking, probably because at least one of these main characters has been growing throughout the series (which I haven't read). I had a hard time connecting with the characters and their romance. I did however, like the setting in America and that Macy is a doctor and Caleb is a shipbuilder. I might go back and read the earlier books in the series to see if that helps make this book a little more complete.
To Desire a Scoundrel: Well, according to Goodreads, I had read this book previously (like in 2015) and I honestly don't remember it at all. For me, this was the weakest book in the anthology. I really had a hard time liking either Kate or Tanner or caring what happened to them. Their history was probably the highlight, but I didn't like their reunion and found myself just skimming the book to get it over with. I just couldn't connect and would probably have DNF if I hadn't been so close to the end and wanted to see that HEA even if I couldn't really get behind it.
Overall, I give this anthology 3.5 stars. There were a could good stories, one decent one and a clunker.
The Broken Bridge is a decent start to what can potentially be a promising series. I found Molly and the cast of characters to be relatable and interesting. I also enjoyed the setting of the plant shop and surrounding nature trails. It was a great location for the murder mystery. However, I found the actual mystery to be a little lacking. There needed to be more, and better, suspects and more sleuthing. There was so much world building that the actual sleuthing seemed to be secondary and they just happened upon the solution rather than actually figuring it out. I think with a little more plot development, this series has potential and I'm interested to see how it evolves.
After reading Caught by the Cowgirl by Tanya Agler, I was ready to continue the Rodeo Stars of Violet Ridge series. And so I dove into Snowbound with the Rodeo Star, and it was a wonderful continuation of the series.
Both Ty and Sabrina appeared in Caught by the Cowgirl. At that time, Sabrina was nursing a broken heart following the recent breakup with Ty. Jump ahead about seven months, and Snowbound with the Rodeo Starbegins.
Ty is in Violet Ridge to tape a commercial, and he runs into Sabrina working at the ranch where it is being filmed. Ty thought he was doing the right thing by breaking up with Sabrina but seeing her again, he has second thoughts. Ty then realizes Sabrina's pregnant, and things change. He never wanted to be a father, but now that the reality is facing him, he's jumping in with both feet and has to convince Sabrina that he wants them to be a family.
I will be the first to admit I'm not a fan of the secret baby trope. For me, it's super hard for the male lead to prove that he's all in with the mother and child since it is a romance, after all. And Snowbound with the Rodeo Star really leans into that aspect of the trope. Ty spends the days leading up to Christmas convincing Sabrina that he wants her and the baby. But he is sending her mixed signals, and she thinks he just wants to be a father and doesn't want a relationship with Sabrina. I found this part of the relationship development very well done, and it kept me turning the pages.
With strong characters and wonderful romance development, I really enjoyed Snowbound with the Rodeo Star. I could have used a bit more of the “snowbound” part since I was really looking forward to it, but nonetheless, it was a good story. It had me laugh and cry, and in the end, I want my emotions touched within a story. I can't wait to continue this series.
My review originally posted at Novels Alive.
Having read the first book in the Alaska Untamedseries, Bear Witness, by author Lark O. Jensen, I wanted to see the direction the second book, Cry Wolf, would take.
This series follows Stacie and her husky, Sasha. Winter is quickly approaching in Alaska, and the tour boat company she works for is closing down for the season. Stacie takes a seasonal job at the Juneau Wildlife World, where she had volunteered previously. While the director of the refuge is perfectly fine with Stacie's dog hanging around, one of the new managers is not. When that manager is found dead, Stacie is a prime suspect and decides to don her sleuth cap to prove her innocence.
While I enjoyed the plot and mystery, some world-building and details got lost in the mundane to me. I didn't feel we needed to know as much about Stacie's routines or how often people pet Sasha. Having said that, it certainly wasn't a deal breaker. I enjoyed Stacie actively trying to solve the murder, and the resolution was satisfying.
With a solid story and likable characters, Cry Wolf delivered a satisfying mystery for wildlife or Alaska-loving cozy readers.
I enjoyed the first book in the Killer Chocolate Mysteries series, A Christmas Candy Killing, by Christina Romeril, so when I came across A Nutcracker Nightmare, I wanted to revisit Harrison, MT.
This series follows twin sisters Alex and Hanna, who own Murder and Mayhem, a book and chocolate shop. Alex is the primary sleuth, but Hanna is her support system. And in the case of A Nutcracker Nightmare, Hanna is also a suspect. Alex jumps in with both feet to prove her sister isn't a murderer.
Alex and Hanna are easy to relate to. They're older characters, both divorced and dipping their toes into the dating pool. They own a small business in an equally small town, where they are relatively newcomers. I enjoy the interactions between the sisters and am rooting for each of them to find true love.
On to the mystery, I had strong suspicions about who was the murderer pretty early on. I just didn't figure out the motive. The story started slowly, and several characters were introduced. I often had to stop and try to remember who was who. But in the end, I found the mystery satisfying and well put together.
A Nutcracker Nightmare is a solid Christmas cozy mystery. There was good character and relationship development, along with a well-rounded mystery. But if you like cozy mysteries set around the holidays, give this one a try.
I found Cobblered to Death to suffer from the classic first in a new series syndrome. There was a lot of whole building and character introduction, I think the mystery suffered. I had a hard time connecting with Courtney and her attempts to solve the mystery and clear her name. I finished the book, but I'm not sure I'll invest more time in the series. It wasn't bad, it just didn't get drawn into story.
I picked up One Wish off NetGalley ages ago because I'm a fan of Jodi Thomas. But for some reason, it just sat on my kindle waiting for me to finally read it. I figured I had a full length novel, so imagine my surprise when I finished it within 2 hours. It really did suffer from not being longer. It was a cute romance featuring two lonely people. And there was a little drama since both of them have people that would like to see harm come to them. But it all needed to be developed more to really be impactful. I got to the last page and was just left wanting more.
One Wish wasn't a bad read, it just felt incomplete. But if you're a fan of western historical romances, then you might want to give it a try. Just know that it is a novella.
This book has sat on my Amazon shelf for years. I bought it when it released since I loved the two prior books in the Rhymes with Love series, but for some reason I never read it. Maybe because I'm reading this book nearly 10 years after its release, but I was left wanting. I liked the characters, but not so much their actions. The main conflict of Roxley being ruined financially and this hunt for some legendary diamonds... well, I didn't figure out the mastermind, but I knew pretty early on where the diamonds were and so the reveal was dissatisfying.
If Wishes Were Earls wasn't bad, but it also wasn't great. I mostly finished it to complete a reading challenge and I honestly can't say that I'd recommend the book unless you're invested in the series.
It really wasn't all that good. Too much time was covered in such a short book. It was all surface with no depth. It felt like a telling of what had happened in the past without going into any detail. And then for a paranormal, other than the fact that it was mentioned he was a bear shifter and he shifted twice, it had absolutely no bearing on the story.
I got this book for free at some point and honestly only read it to complete a reading challenge. I can't see myself trying this author again, it just wasn't my taste.
It was a cute story. Lana is a likable main character and I look forward to getting to know her better in future books. I really like the idea of her being a tour guide and solving mysteries in all kinds of locations, rather than just in her hometown. Really my only “complaint” is that the murder happened pretty far into the story, which made it not terribly complicated... especially with a pretty small pool of suspects.
It wasn't perfect, but I did get sucked into the story and I'm curious to read more.
I was looking for a short audio book to listen to while at work and I found Peter Pan in my library. At 3.5 hours long, it fit my needs. I'd seen movie adaptations of Peter Pan in the past and figured I knew what I was getting into. The book/play isn't quite the same. I didn't find it as “fun” as I remember the movies to be. It wasn't bad, but I did find my mind wandering as it just wasn't really capturing my attention.
Now the audio itself... it was a cast ensemble and basically like listening to a play. It was great. I thought all the actors did a wonderful job trying to bring the story to life... it's my fault that I couldn't just get into the story like I'd hoped.