What Cozy Are You Reading? > Likes and Comments

I finished A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie . Very good, not easy to figure out and Hercule Poirot was excellent. Not trying to read the tiny font in the book is another matter.

I read Aunt Dimity and the Family Tree for my real life book club. I made seed cake. I didn't do it right and no one likes caraway seeds but it was edible and not too bad. I also made the ANZAC biscuits from last time with golden syrup and shredded coconut (chopped up in the food processor to be extra fine). Those were a big hit. I brought some homemade dog cookies too for the adorable honorary member who seemed offended last time that his human didn't bring treats for HIM!

The story wasn't much of a mystery but there's a reason I don't write novels- I had the plot totally wrong. I thought it was going to be super predictable. I did guess one of the secrets but not the rest. It was a pleasant surprise.

I'm also listening to Murder at the Dressmaker's Salon . It was a little slow at first but once the investigation commenced, secrets were revealed. I'm not sure who the murderer is. I keep changing my mind. There are several good suspects.

Then finally on my nightstand is Jane and the Final Mystery Being the last Jane Austen mystery. SNIFF!

Mark wrote:
" Over My Dead Blog by Sarah E. Burr"

Dang it, Mark. Another TBR! :o)

Read this last night (via audiobook) and really enjoyed it. As I have the other books in this series! I'm ready for the next...

The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen

Karen wrote: "Mark wrote:
" Over My Dead Blog by Sarah E. Burr"

Dang it, Mark. Another TBR! :o)"

😂 I know, right? Mark gets me darn near every time...

Thank you both. Glad I can pass on books I love to others. I'd say my work here is done, but I have one last book for November.

Closing out the month with The Body in the Cornfield by Catherine Dilts https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Got me again! 😂 Seriously, this sounded good, so I've placed the first one on my Kindle WL. Between Christmas, my favorite holiday, and the big Audible sale, December budget is almost shot, but come the new year wish list here I come!

It will be worth the wait.

Meg wrote: "Got me again! 😂 Seriously, this sounded good, so I've placed the first one on my Kindle WL."

Ditto... Now I've added at least two more books to the TBR (the Rose Creek series) and I'm looking at adding her Rock Shop series, too.

Murder On Mustang Beach

Mark wrote: "Starting out the week with the fun Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Hoopla readers, are you reading these books on a tablet? If so, which ones are you using? I don't like reading books on my phone or laptop. Thanks!

Jennifer wrote: "Mark wrote: "Starting out the week with the fun Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I usually read Hoopla books, audio or print, on Kindle Fire but sometimes on almost as cheap Android tablet.

Thank you.

Finished Rewriting Christmas by Ann Stang today.

Jennifer wrote: "Thank you."

If looking at Fires there are sales at 40 or even 50% off. If planning to read print go for higher ppi. Even slightly better resolution can improve reading experience.

Dedicated e-readers tend to have very good resolution and be lighter weight but I seldom use mine.

L J wrote: "I usually read Hoopla books, audio or print, on Kindle Fire"

How do you use your Fire for Hoopla ebooks? I haven't had much luck with that, so I've been avoiding ebooks and only borrowing audios from Hoopla.

Barb wrote: "L J wrote: "I usually read Hoopla books, audio or print, on Kindle Fire"

How do you use your Fire for Hoopla ebooks? I haven't had much luck with that, so I've been avoiding ebooks and only borrow..."

I use the Hoopla app. You can download it from Amazon. Hoopla ebooks don't have as many options as kindle books but are as readable as ebooks on Libby.

I read Hoopla books with the Hoopla app on my iPad and iPhone. In the past I have read on my desktop also.

L J wrote: "Barb wrote: "L J wrote: "I usually read Hoopla books, audio or print, on Kindle Fire"

How do you use your Fire for Hoopla ebooks? I haven't had much luck with that, so I've been avoiding ebooks..."

I use the Hoopla app. You can download it from Amazon. Hoopla ebooks don't have as many options as kindle books but are as readable as ebooks on Libby.

Good to know, I'll give it a shot next time there's a book I want to read that's only available in ebook format. Thanks!

I finished a fun Christmas cozy
Murder at the Christmas Cookie Bake-Off by Darci Hannah. Lots of good Christmas cookie recipes too.

I read Copycat Killing and enjoyed it.

I'm starting the week with Six Feet Deep Dish by Mindy Quigley https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm currently reading Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen and I'm finding it a little slow to start. But that could be me - I'm not sure. I will say, I'm about 25-30 pages in and "nothing" has happened. I don't mind that when the characters are hilarious or I get sucked into light drama of these people's lives, but for me, "nothing" is really happening.

Has anyone who's read this concur or am I, like, not in the mood :) ?

I'm sticking with it because I like the characters and the vibe, though I feel as though I'm bringing a lot of patience for the story to unfold. I do NOT want to be one of those people who's lost their attention span, who needs action every other sentence. I'm not, but sometimes when I run into a book that seems to be going slowly or lagging, I wonder if it's me and I'm falling into the current trap of society that something has to grab my interest spectacularly every 12 seconds.

I love sinking my teeth into a book and discovering the characters' traits and connections and drama without rushing or contrivance - I don't want to lose that!

Jennifer wrote: "I'm currently reading Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen and I'm finding it a little slow to start. But that could be me - I'm not sure. I will say, I'm about 25-30 pages in and "nothing" h..."

Been awhile since I read Vicki Delany but if I recall correctly they tend to start by establishing characters and settings especially in the first book of series.

L J wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I'm currently reading Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen and I'm finding it a little slow to start. But that could be me - I'm not sure. I will say, I'm about 25-30 pages i..."

Okay, okay. See? That might just be her way of writing and I'm "seeing" it a little too much which is probably a me-problem :)

Good to know - thank you! I'm liking the setup, so that's good. I will continue to stick it out.

Just starting Kate Carlisle's The Twelve Books of Christmas because, wait for it, I need a little Christmas, right this very minute!

An American in Scotland

I normally like Vicki Delaney's books. I haven't read the Christmas series yet. I just put it on my maybe list and if I can request it and get it before Christmas, I'll try the first one.

I finished a very good historical cozy I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died by Amanda Flower. Very good, 2nd book in the series. 1856 Amherest, Ma. Lots of socieal issues of the time, racial, slavery, immigrants. Louisa Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Emily Dickinson are characters. I recommend reading book 1 first.

Jennifer wrote: "I'm currently reading Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen and I'm finding it a little slow to start. But that could be me - I'm not sure. I will say, I'm about 25-30 pages in and "nothing" h..."

It's not just you. Ultimately, I did find the book worth reading and I've kept up with the series, but the setting and set up did slow things down for me when I read it as well.

I'm moving to Christmas books for the next week and a half. Up first:
Murder Under the Mistletoe by Erica Ruth Neubauer https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Mark wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I'm currently reading Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen and I'm finding it a little slow to start. But that could be me - I'm not sure. I will say, I'm about 25-30 pages i..."

Thank you for sharing your experience too - this is all helping me to keep going. One thing I adore about it - it is definitely CHRISTMAS!

The series definitely spoils you for other Christmas set cozies. Even the two that are set outside of December just ooze Christmas spirit.

The Christmas season is my favorite time of year so I've been reading Christmas-themed books for the last week or so. The rest of the month will be the same!

The Christmas Tree Murders was finished last night. It was good but to my mind not a cozy.

At the moment I'm reading one from my favorite Chet and Bernie series, It's a Wonderful Woof. The audiobooks, as narrated by Jim Frangione, are always great.

Next up will be Christmas Crime in Kingfisher Falls, set in Australia.

I started Steeped in Malice by Vicki Delany. I won this book from GR or LT.

My reading time has slowed, but still at it.

Pineapple Upside-Down Dilemma from the Addison Moore paranormal series Murder in the Mix/Lottie Lemon

I don't know what I'm going to do with this series. I love the main character and her hubby, Everett, and even though her other, Noah, is doing things to annoy me, I still like him, too. But... there are other characters I just can't stand -- especially bio-mom Carlotta. The secondary stories are mostly horrible and get more exaggerated and unbelievable with each book -- and I'm not talking about the paranormal part. I guessed about one thing that was going to happen and was right. And, I don't know why the main character involved did what he did. He knew going into it there was something off -- and he did it anyway. Cliffhanger.! And I hate that, too. Why can't books end?

I like the mysteries okay, but I don't know how much more of the other crap I can take. I'm speed-reading through most of the book to get past it. I have three more to catch up.

I'm ending the week with another Christmas cozy:
Spoon to be Dead by Dana Mentink https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Mark wrote: "I'm ending the week with another Christmas cozy:
Spoon to be Dead by Dana Mentink https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

That's a good one. I enjoyed that series and I'm sad it is over.

Yeah, I would have enjoyed more in the series, too.

I finished Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost. I finished it. Cute cozy. The town of Mistletoe sounds like it would be a fun town to visit. Good start with the series. More development is need. Beautiful cover art.

Addison Moore - Star-Spangled Ice Scream Cake

Yep, another Murder in the Mix/Lottie Lemon book. Last post I was bemoaning the series and its over-the-top secondary stories (and characters!). Then the series goes back to (what I'd consider) normal (though not without some craziness) and I enjoy it again. Bio-mom Carlotta was still nuts in this book, but not as horribly crazy and off-the-wall as she's been in previous stories. Plus, I wasn't disgusted with any secondary characters' actions or the non-mystery related story(ies).

While the mystery wasn't too mysterious -- I figured it out when the first clue appeared -- the overall story/investigation still held my interest.

There is a cliffhanger, but it's not a have-to-read-the-next-book hang like last book's abrupt ending. It was also one I was expecting since the last book, so not a big surprise. It has to do with the cozy story rather than any crime and just leads into the next book. (Still... not a fan of cliffhangers.)

Two more to catch up the series -- and, yes, I'm on to the next one if I don't go back and finish the cozy I started a few months ago on a reader I haven't been picking up lately.

Marcia wrote: "Just starting Kate Carlisle's The Twelve Books of Christmas because, wait for it, I need a little Christmas, right this very minute!"

I read this last month. I wish it was more Christmas-y than it was. Other than the titles of the books and their relation to Christmas and the references to the holiday and its customs and décor now and then, readers would never know it was Christmas. That is, the actions of the mystery isn't really affected by the holiday setting.

Don't get me wrong... I liked the mystery and the cozy story. The Bibliophile series is one of my favorites. I just wouldn't categorize this as a "holiday" book.

Karen wrote: "Other than the titles of the books and their relation to Christmas and the references to the holiday and its customs and décor now and then, readers would never know it was Christmas. That is, the actions of the mystery isn't really affected by the holiday setting."

Sounds right up my alley then :) I prefer not to be beat over the head with the season - whatever the season is - probably because I rarely read books in the "correct" season. I often read fall books in the spring, winter/Christmas books in the summer... Yes, I'm a rule-breaker :)

Starting out the week with Murder on Mistletoe Lane by Clara McKenna https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Barb wrote: "I prefer not to be beat over the head with the season - whatever the season is - probably because I rarely read books in the "correct" season. I often read fall books in the spring, winter/Christmas books in the summer... Yes, I'm a rule-breaker :)"

Ditto, especially when one is behind with her series. :o)

One of the books I have started is set at Easter, a poisoned chocolate bunny the weapon. The one I just finished was set at Fourth of July, though the holiday was not primary to the story.

Let's hear it for the rule-breakers!

I finished Fateful Words by Paige Shelton. Another good one in the Scottish Bookshop series

Just finished A Body on the Doorstep, the first in a new series by Marty Wingate, and really liked it. It's set in 1921 London, where the MC, Mabel, works for the Useful Woman Agency, determined to prove to the folks in her small village back home - and to herself - that she can "make it" on her own in the big city.

Next up is the second book, A Body at the Séance. Both books are scheduled to be released on January 11.

Karen wrote: "Barb wrote: "... I rarely read books in the "correct" season. I often read fall books in the spring, winter/Christmas books in the summer... Yes, I'm a rule-breaker :)"

Ditto, especially when one is behind with her series. :o)"

Have you been looking at my to-read shelf? LOL Behind in most series describes me to a T :)

Alice wrote: "I finished Fateful Words by Paige Shelton. Another good one in the Scottish Bookshop series"

I want to go on that tour so badly! Delaney said the magic words Greyfriar's Bobby and Harry Potter! Sign me up!

Murder in a Scottish Shire