Cozy Mysteries discussion
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When You’re Not Reading a Cozy
I'm ending the week with
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff by Don Bruns https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grannhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie. I really enjoyed the Tommy and "TwoPence" book and I just might have to read the other few in this series.
Here is my 3.10 rounded to 3 stars review of The Salvage by Anbara Salam:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Literary Gothic Historical Fiction
This didn't feel like horror to me although others have categorized it as such.
This is great world-building and atmosphere.
I wanted more suspense and danger and a faster pace. It was extremely slow.
Desert adventure-mystery with a very little touch of romance :City of Jasmine
Deanna RaybournMy 4 star review here :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
As usual, when not reading mysteries, I'm reading romance. Just spent nine days reading two series by Piper Stone.**
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** First up was her Mountain Men of Danger Falls series. Three brothers, all ex-military (marine, army, and navy), special/black ops operatives, are emotionally blackmailed by their parents into returning “home” to run their parents' resort in order to inherit or profit from the sale of the resort. The brothers, who haven't gotten along since they were kids (their father's fault) all have to agree to remain there at least a year. Though the loners don’t care for their ex-army father and the way he raised and treated them before they enlisted, they agree to make their mother happy. Thus starts their stories. Though each can be read as a standalone, it’s better to read them in order. There is an overriding mystery to the series and each brother has his own demon to slay.
*01 Shephard
*02 Jagger
*03 Hunter
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**Next up was the Montana Bad Boys series. This series comprises the stories of five buddies from Missoula, MT labeled the Bad Boys because they committed pranks and petty crimes. All enlisted in the marines together along with a sixth friend. Though separated after boot camp, they wound up a team of contracted soldiers. There was a problem with their last mission and the five wind up heading home for varying reasons (e.g., one's brother was killed; another's uncle passed and left his estate; etc.) and carrying some guilt from that last mission. As with the previous series, these can be read as standalones. It’s a bit easier with this series because there isn’t a overlying mystery, but reading out of order “spoils” some previous events, so it’s best to read in order.
*01 Hawk
*02 Scorpion
*03 Mustang
*04 Nash
*05 Austin
I enjoyed both series (3.0-4.0 stars). However, I did have issues with stuff that happens in the books that seemed out of character for trained military people, especially special/black ops (e.g., going into a fight in a remote area with no cell service without satellite phones or walkie-talkies, etc.). And, there are some loose threads left hanging here and there--at least stuff I'd want cleared up/answered. My biggest complaint, though, is that there are no epilogues. I want to know the couples I rooted for are living their HEAs, not just HFN. We do get updates on couples in subsequent books, but since the stories in both series take place within the same timeframe—albeit one after the other we don’t know how they all are a year or two or 10 down the road. C’mon Piper, would it kill you to have a series epilogue in the last book? -- To be fair, I haven't checked to see if there are (were) series updates offered in her newsletters. Still...
Note: These series include rough and/or intense sexual scenes, including spankings. If such material offends you, please avoid these series.
Mod
Currently reading The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...I have not read any other novels by this author. Although I did read Death Row courtesy of Amazon First Reads and found myself “on the fence” about her work.
Part 1 of The Housemaid was a solid 2/5 stars for me but it seems Part 2 may have a “shock and awe” factor. We will see…
But right now, I don’t get the hype…
Here is my 4.36 rounded to 4 stars review of Mated for Christmas by Terry Spear:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Paranormal Romantic Suspense
5th book in the White Wolf Series
Entertaining, feel-good romance with some action and suspense.
Great world-building and characterization
Here is my 3.98 rounded to 4 stars review of The Tourists by Christopher Reich:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Political / Espionage Thriller
2nd book in the Mac Dekker series
Entertaining thriller
Race against the clock
Plenty of twists and turns
Flashbacks help readers understand what has transpired but adversely affected the flow for me.
Adventure mystery by Deanna Raybourn ( well known for Lady Julia mystery series and Veronica Speedwell mystery series ) with a very little hint of romanceNight of a Thousand Stars
Here is my 5 star-review :
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here is my 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review of Willow Rose by M. Kevin Hayden:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Horror, but so much more.
Great atmosphere and world-building
Connections
Fascinating
Mod
"Oooh…I hope it lived up to the hype and anticipation. Enjoy!
Here is my 4.46 rounded to 4 stars review of Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Urban fantasy
Alpha & Omega-verse
Features deadly and reclusive werewolf
Gifted 5 blind dates by some anonymous and concerned friends.
Good vs. Evil
Some humor
Great characterization
Compelling storyline
Plenty of action and violence
My least favorite was date two which is written as the aftermath and cleanup of the date rather than the action date.
Five stories (2 newly published) and an Epilogue combined into a novelization.
I'm ending the week with
Watching the Detectives by Julie Mulhern. I know some consider these cozies. To me, they are just over the line from cozy, so I'm putting it here. Either way, I enjoyed it. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heather L wrote: "marita wrote: "its finally here!!!!! I'm reading "Oooh…I hope it lived up to the hype and anticipation. Enjoy!" def a rollercoaster that doesn't let you put it down.... the only thing I will say is that at times there was too much narrative on studies in consciousness - not enough to make me not rave about it. If you loved the DaVinci Code, this book is the closest he's writtent to that book.
Mod
Clean romance novelette, a delightful short story :From Cairo, With Love
by Nancy Campbell AllenMy 5 star-review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
Reread today: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The ending was just as emotional as I remembered.
My review for
Love in the Ragged Mountain Ranges by Susan Mackiehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I haven't posted here in a while. I lowered my yearly goal to 25 from 40 since seeing the "progress" was stressing me out (I've been reading slower lately it seems, and some longer books to start off the year), but I may still get there by the end.Here are some of my recently read/reviewed books (part 1)
Nice Dragons Finish Last (urban fantasy) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Travelling Cat Chronicles (Japanese fiction translated to English) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Polish'd (cookbook) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The House Witch (fantasy) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
I’m glad to see someone else enjoyed Travelling Cat as much as I did. 🙂
Here is my 4.3 rounded to 4 stars review of The Lines by Matt Brolly:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Police Procedural, British Crime Drama
1st book in a new series featuring DS Liam Kilshaw
Great characterization and atmosphere
Gripping and suspenseful
Here is my 4.41 rounded to 4 stars review of Fallen Star by Lee Goldberg:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Police Procedural / crime novel
6th book in the Eve Ronin series
set in Calabasas, CA
Action-packed, Good twists, Some humor
I read The Burdon of Proof
. It was great until the end. Relative to rest of the book, the ending was weak.
PamG wrote: "Here's my 4.49 rounded to 4 stars review of The Lonely Hearts Book Club 
by Lucy Gilmore:https://www.goodreads.co..."
Oh, I'll definitely need to give this one a try. Sounds perfect for my taste.
My review for
The Great Western Railway Girls Do Their Bit by Jane Larkhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here is my 4.39 rounded to 4 stars review of The Iron Storm by Jack Du Brul:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Historical Mystery and Action Thriller
15th book in the Isaac Bell series
Overall, this is a briskly paced and entertaining page-turner that kept me engaged throughout the suspenseful, intriguing, and high stakes historical thriller. The book was terrific and transported this reader into the dark and terrifying world of a historical war. It was a rich assortment of history, politics, espionage, and war brought together with great world-building and an action-filled plot.
Here's part 2 of what I've been reading recently. I liked She and Her Cat: Stories but not as much as Travelling Cat.She And Her Cat: Stories (Japanese literature) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The AI Con (nonfiction) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Serviceberry (nonfiction/essay) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sentinel of Time (The Curse and the Crown #3, fantasy/romance) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Swing (occasionally steamy memoir, avoid if graphic sexual scenes bother you) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Alchemist (literature/classics) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Scions of Change (The Curse and the Crown #4, fantasy/romance) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Cozy Mysteries
Books mentioned in this topic
Murder on the Prince Regent (other topics)The Last Witch (other topics)
In the Company of Wolves (other topics)
The Unfair Advantage: Weaponizing the Hypomanic Toolbox (other topics)
The Lucky Sisters (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Paige Tyler (other topics)Todd Hagopian (other topics)
Rachael Johns (other topics)
Paige Tyler (other topics)
Deb Pugh (other topics)
More...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Contemporary Romance
Second Chance
Entertaining and light for the most part with a couple of deeper themes.
Humorous at times
Quibbles include: some telling vs. showing and the romance advancing too quickly