Cozy Mysteries discussion
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When You're Not Reading a Cozy
I finished Murder at Queen's Landing by Andrea Penrose. Excellent book. The history behind it was well research. Loved the dialogue with Charlotte and Wexford. The Weasels are great. I hope she writes more in this series.
My review for
Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsendhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury (This seems to be turning into a Bradbury year, lol.)
Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki
The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
Started:
The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Have read the title story a few times, the rest are new to me.)
Evil Under the Sun by Agatha Christie
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Thank you! Less chance of being bored, right? 😀
I finished a science-fiction action-adventure novel: Angel Six Echo
by Robert Appleton.My 3.5 star review (rounded to 4 stars): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for
Nala's World: One Man, His Rescue Cat, and a Bike Ride around the Globe by Dean Nicholsonhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for
Transit of Angels by Aussie author Desney King a brilliant debut!https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I am reading Code Name Hélène
by Ariel Lawton. Set during WWII. Very well written. Enjoying it so far.
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***Just finished a sweet (and sexy) friends to lovers romance by Melissa Schroeder called A Little Harmless Sex. It's the first book in her Harmless series (offered as a freebie). I read the 2017 revised and expanded version. I also read the very short extra scene follow-up Max and Anna.
Overall it was fluffy, but did tug at the heartstrings as Max pursued Anna, the woman (and best friend) he'd been in love with for 10 years. Anna loved Max, too, but didn't want to wreck their longtime friendship. (Though he's a few years older, they grew up next door to one another and had been friends since they were kids.) Add a bit of baggage from both...
I've added the series (the newer versions) to my TBR. Some of the shorts were released in the author's newsletter so I hope I can track them down when I get back to the series. I don't think they're essential, but I like to read series extras if I can.
Alice wrote: "I am reading Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawton. Set during WWII. Very well written. Enjoying it so far."I loved that one Alice!
At one month prior to publication, here is my 4 star review for a paranormal historical mystery: The Silver Shooter
by Erin Lindsey. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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I finished a British crime/police procedural: Lost Hours by Alex Walters.My 3 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for
A Granite Springs Christmas by Maggie Christensenhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A couple of non-cozies this week:
Hard Cold Winter by Glen Erik Hamilton - an excellent mystery but definitely darker than a cozy https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hot Enough to Kill by Paula Boyd - cozy adjacent but definitely not cozy. Tries to be funny, but the humor didn't work for me. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
20th Victim by James Patterson I enjoy the Women's Murder Club series. Though the last book was good it didn't have all the characters in it.
At one month prior to publication, I can now post my review for a historical mystery:3 stars:
Death, Diamonds, and Deception by Rosemary Simpson https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just started reading "Civil War Sisterhood: The U.S. Sanitary Commission and Women's Politics in Transition" by Judith Giesburg. It's a fascinating book on a subject not often written about.
My review for
The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nellhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Also working through What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey. As this is a collection of essays, it’s best read slowly, a couple a day, rather than in one sitting.
I am in the midst of a classic from Norway, Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun. Had never heard of the book or author before stumbling across it, but it won the author a Nobel Prize in Literature. The free print version is available at Project Gutenberg.
And I have another cozy going and have a couple other short books I want to get to before the end of the month (coming up fast!).
I finished a paranormal romantic suspense: Cross Waves
by Amanda Uhl.My 4 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heather L wrote: "Reread Charlotte's Web yesterday. Some classics really do stand the test of time. Also working through What I Know for Sure by Oprah Winfrey. As this is..."
How do you keep them all in order in your head Heather??
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Brenda wrote: "How do you keep them all in order in your head Heather??"~and~
Heather L replied: "They’re different enough that it’s been easy to keep them straight. [BUT...] I couldn’t do three or four cozies—or any fiction genre—at once, though, in any format."
I, too, read several things at one time. I have different books started on different readers. Currently I have three cozies started on my Nooks (N1, N2, and N3), romances on Kindle1 and on my PC (Adobe Digital). (I have a freebie cozy started on K2, but since it's unwieldy, I rarely use it for reading.) I also have a set of short stories loaded on my phone (for when I'm caught somewhere without a book) and an actual paperback (four cozy novellas) in my glovebox just in case.
I haven't had an issue, so far, keeping all that straight -- partially because I'm usually only "concentrating" on three things, two cozies and one romance. (The phone and paperback are "emergency" reads.) And, even though they're the same genres, the stories and writing styles are different enough that keeping them straight hasn't been difficult. It might be different if I was reading them all on one or two devices, but since I'm picking up a different book each time I reach for a certain device, no problems.
Heather L wrote: "Brenda— Having so many going at once is unusual for me, but it helps when they’re in different formats and are different genres. I’ve had at least one fiction and one collection/anthology going mos..."The most I've done together is two, and very different genres! I admire what you can do :)
Karen wrote: "Brenda wrote: "How do you keep them all in order in your head Heather??"~and~
Heather L replied: "They’re different enough that it’s been easy to keep them straight. [BUT...] I couldn’t do three o..."
Goodness! I'm not sure if you guys write reviews for each of your books, but I think that might have a bit to do with why I can't read more than a couple at once :) It wouldn't do to mix my reviews up!! lol
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Lol! That's why I don't read many at a time 😁 Too much strain on the brain 🥴
I can only read one at a time. Sometimes I will listen to an audio, but sometimes even that is too much for my brain.
Brenda wrote: "I'm not sure if you guys write reviews for each of your books, but I think that might have a bit to do with why I can't read more than a couple at once :) It wouldn't do to mix my reviews up!!"I should have added that the devices are in different rooms of the house, too. So, if I'm in the game room watching TV, there's one book and another beside my bed, for example.
As for reviews... I do write reviews now and then but definitely not for every book I read. (I don't even add every book I read to GoodReads.) It depends on how much I like or dislike the item and/or if I have something specific to say in my review. I tend to write my reviews soon, if not right, after I read the book, so it's fresh in my mind.
Sometimes before posting a review I check other written reviews, including the number thereof. to see if I can add something new to the discussion. If there are lots of written (rather than just "starred") reviews I may only add a "starred" review. If there are a lot of "great" reviews and I found the book so-so, I may post my thoughts and issues. Ditto if there are a lot of negative reviews and I have something positive to say. Sometimes I do mini-reviews or respond to mini-reviews on the boards and leave it at that.
Lately, I've posted reviews on GoodReads for some of the insta-lust/love short romances I'm hooked on -- and mainly those that are so poorly edited that I can't stand it. They're all pretty much 3-star reads -- not great, not bad -- so I tend to review only those that rise above or fall below for some reason of another.
Sounds fair Karen - but it still blows me away that people can read so many at a time!! lol I'm a little like Mark!!!
Like you, Brenda, I do review everything I read, so I work extra hard to keep all the details in my head. I'm sure if I tried to read more than one book at the same time, especially in the same genre, I'd get everything completely messed up. I'd find that frustrating as a reader, and I'd be the one to blame.I just can't fathom how you read and write great reviews on so many books. I'm jealous. If only real life didn't get in the way of my reading.
Thank you Mark - but there's your answer "If only real life didn't get in the way of my reading"I'm retired so have much more time for reading now than I ever did. So just remember, when circumstances change in your life, you'll be able to read more :)
Mark wrote: "Yes, but I'm ready now. :)"I love this quote about patience:
"I had my patience tested. I'm negative."
That's me when it comes to wanting time to read!😆
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Cozy Mysteries
Books mentioned in this topic
Bitter Falls (other topics)Eleanor (other topics)
The Line (other topics)
Cost of Care (other topics)
The Echo Chamber (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Rachel Caine (other topics)Betsy Robinson (other topics)
Amor Towles (other topics)
John Boyne (other topics)
Louise Forster (other topics)
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My 4 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...