On Thin Icing by Ellie Alexander (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"It's the dead of winter in the sleepy town of Ashland, which means no tourists-and fewer customers-for Jules Capshaw and her bakery. But when she's asked to cater an off-season retreat for the directors of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, business starts heating up...until Jules finds a dead body in the freezer.

 Someone at the retreat has apparently iced the bartender, a well-known flirt with a legendary temper-that is, before a killer beat him to the punch. Then, from out of nowhere, Jules's own ex-husband shows up at the shop-and soon becomes a suspect. With accusations piling up higher than the snow-and thicker than a chocolate mousse cake-Jules has to think outside the (recipe) box to find the real culprit...and make sure he gets his just desserts."

My Thoughts:

This series is fast becoming one of my favorite cozy mystery series to follow!  Last year I read all three of the books in this series and each one was such a fun reading experience.  What I love about this series is how focused they are on baking and food in general.  It makes me SO hungry while I'm reading at times because the descriptions of food are just amazing!  If I could bake and cook like Jules does, well that would be just amazing.  Sometimes I truly feel like I am reading more for the food and descriptions of Jules' cooking rather than the mystery itself.  I also really appreciate in this series that Jules doesn't have her life figured out.  She isn't perfect and is kind of at a turning point in her life.  Actually all of the characters in this series are pretty great which is one of the reasons why I love this series so much!  Great characters, yummy food descriptions, and suspenseful mysteries are why these books are clear winners for me.  I just can't seem to get enough!

One of the things that I really loved about this book was the setting.  I loved how the author used a winter snow storm and a mountain lodge to give this book such an isolated and creepy feel to it.  I read this book during a snow/ice storm of our own and it just fit in so perfectly with this time of year.  This book felt darker and more suspenseful than the previous two books thanks to the setting.  I just loved it!  The mystery portion of this book was well done and I wasn't able to figure out what was going on until the very end.  I also liked that in this book we finally got to meet Jule's estranged husband Carlos.  We have been hearing so much about him since the very beginning and now it was interesting finally getting to see him and Jules interact with one another.  I can't honestly say how I feel about him at this point.  I actually am more a fan of Thomas (Jules' ex-boyfriend) so I am very, very curious to see what happens in the next book!  The ending of this book tied up everything quite nicely and left me eager for book four.  I especially love how the author includes recipes at the end with some of the different recipes that Jule's has made throughout the book.  I just need to get some confidence and try one of them!!! 

Overall, this was another great addition to one of my favorite cozy mystery series!!  I'm super excited that another book will be releasing in 2016....I just need to get my hands on it as soon as possible.  I'm hoping that we will get more resolution to Jules and Carlos' relationship in the next book.  And many more delicious recipes of course!  These books are just so much fun and are such great reads.  I cannot recommend them enough!  I feel like you should start with book one Meet Your Baker just so that you get the full reading experience but really these books could be read on their own.  Cozy mystery fans and mystery readers in general should really give this series a try!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  Another standout read from one of my favorite cozy mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley as part of a CBB Book Tour. 

 

Flipped For Murder by Maddie Day (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"In this freshly baked series, author Maddie Day lifts the lid on a small town in southern Indiana, where a newcomer is cooking up a new start--until a murderer muddles the recipe...

Nursing a broken heart, Robbie Jordan is trading in her life on the West Coast for the rolling hills of southern Indiana. After paying a visit to her Aunt Adele, she fell in love with the tiny town of South Lick. And when she spots a For Sale sign on a rundown country store, she decides to snap it up and put her skills as a cook and a carpenter to use. Everyone in town shows up for the grand re-opening of Pans ‘n Pancakes, but when the mayor's disagreeable assistant is found dead, Robbie realizes that not all press is good press. With all eyes on her, she'll have to summon her puzzle-solving skills to clear her name, unscramble the town's darkest secrets, and track down a cold-blooded killer--before she's the next to die..."

My Thoughts:


I've read more cozy mysteries this year compared to years past and books like this are the reason why.  I enjoyed this book for a variety of reasons but one of the best things about this book for me was the setting.  I love small town books like this where they are described in such a way that it makes me want to go visit for myself.  The author brought this town and her characters to life for me and I loved the book all the more because of it.  I wanted to have the chance to eat at Robbie's restaurant and try some of those delicious breakfasts that she makes.  What is it with me reading all of these mysteries with cooking themes?  It sure does make me want to brush up on my own cooking skills as they are pretty lackluster in comparison.  I was constantly hungry while reading this one which makes me laugh while saying that but really it is the truth!  I have a sweet spot when it comes to breakfast foods so this was my kind of cooking.

I also really enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed Robbie's Aunt Adele.  She just had that bit of spunk to her that I couldn't help but appreciate.  I wasn't quite behind Robbie's love interest but that was only due to there seemed to be something missing with their chemistry.  I just couldn't quite root for them like I expected to which leaves me curious as to how I will feel after reading the second book.  The mystery itself was done nicely with some good twists and turns.  There weren't that many suspects in my opinion but I still found myself guessing until close to the end of the book.  It was just overall a fun read that I couldn't help but enjoy.

All in all, I find myself very eager to continue on with this series and see what kind of trouble Robbie finds herself in next.  There was a sneak peek of the first chapter in book two at the end of this one and it left me itching to get my hands on it.  The setting and characters really brought this book to life for me and made my reading experience that much more enjoyable.  Easily recommended!

Bottom Line:  A great beginning to this new cozy mystery series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher from NetGalley. 

Bread of the Dead by Ann Meyers (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Trick or treat—and murder—are on the menu in this first in a new culinary mystery series

Life couldn't be sweeter for Tres Amigas Café chef Rita Lafitte, decorating sugar skulls and taste-testing rich, buttery pan de muerto in anticipation of Santa Fe's Day of the Dead bread-baking contest. That is, until her friendly landlord, Victor, is found dead next door.

Although the police deem Victor's death a suicide, Rita knows something is amiss. To uncover the truth, she teams up with her octogenarian boss, Flori, the town's most celebrated snoop. The duo begins to sift through long-buried secrets and to take full measure of duplicitous neighbors, but the clock is ticking and their list of suspects is growing ever longer. Just as the clues get hotter than a New Mexican chili, one of their main suspects winds up dead. Rita fears that the killer is dishing out seconds—and her order might be up."

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun read!  I loved it from beginning to end and found myself giggling at different times thanks to Rita's eccentric boss Flori.  She was a hoot!  I've read a bunch cozy mysteries this year (especially in comparison to years past) and she has to be one of my favorite characters.  I loved that I could never guess what she was going to do next.  She was a spitfire that wasn't afraid to do what she wanted and when she wanted to.  Really I just thought that she was great.  I also really enjoyed Rita's character.  She is a single mother dealing with a teenage daughter and a ex-husband who I wanted to drop kick multiple times.  It just rang true to me as there are so many women out there dealing with similar situations.  She didn't have all of the answers, her life wasn't perfect, but she was trying and I couldn't help but like her all the more because of it.  I just loved both of these characters and can't wait to see them again in future books!

The setting of this book was another of the things that really made this book stand out for me.  I loved how the author used the setting of the story to really add details throughout.  The different foods that Rita and Flori would make at the cafe....yum!  I would have loved to have tried them all!  What is it with cozy mysteries always making me so hungry?  They all seem to make me want to improve my cooking skills as well which I am sure my family would appreciate.  Ha!  This book really made me hungry though because Rita was constantly describing all of the yummy dishes that were made that were authentic to the area that she lived in which is Sante Fe, New Mexico.  The author did a really great job of describing the setting in such a way that you almost felt that you were there.  I've never been to New Mexico myself but I would love to visit after reading this book.  The mystery itself was nicely done and had me guessing until the very end.  I had my suspicions on the whodunnit part but it turned out that I was completely wrong.  I love when that happens!  I also really enjoyed Rita's character.  She is a single mother dealing with a teenage daughter and a ex-husband who I wanted to drop kick multiple times.  It just rang true to me as there are so many women out there dealing with similar situations.  She didn't have all of the answers, her life wasn't perfect, but she was trying and I couldn't help but like her all the more because of it.  The ending was nicely done and left me eagerly anticipating the next book in this series.  

Overall I really, really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more by this author!  With two great main characters and a storyline that kept my attention throughout I couldn't ask for more.  Actually I could...that would be the second book in my hands right now.  LOL!  I managed to read this one in just a few short days as I just did not want to set it down.  Yet another new series for me to follow!

Bottom Line:  A great beginning to this new cozy series!  I want more!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a CBB Book Tour. 

 

A Batter of Life and Death by Ellie Alexander (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Welcome to Torte-a small-town family bakeshop where the coffee is hot, the muffins are fresh, and the cakes are definitely to die for...

It's autumn in Ashland, Oregon-'tis the season for a spiced hot apple cider with a serving (or two) of Torte's famous peach cobbler. It's also the perfect time for Jules Capshaw to promote her family's beloved bake shop by competing in The Pastry Channel's reality show, Take the Cake. The prize is $25,000. But as Jules quickly learns, some people would kill for that kind of dough. Literally.

Then, just as Jules dusts off her Bavarian Chocolate Cake recipe and cinches up her apron, the corpse of a fellow contestant is discovered-death by buttercream. What began as a fun, tasteful televised adventure has morphed into something of a true-crime detective show for Jules and everybody else on set. Who could have killed Chef Marco, and why? Can Jules sift out the killer before someone else gets burned?"

My Thoughts:

This is such fun mystery series and I really cannot get enough of it!  It sure does make me hungry while reading it though!  Ha!  Seriously though, all of the descriptions of all of the yummy treats and coffees that are made at Torte have me craving sweets and iced coffee.  I would absolutely love it if we had a shop just like this near where I live!  Or if I could bake like Jules does.  That would be even better!  One of my favorite things about this series is all of the details that go into Jule's work at Torte and her baking experiences.  I love that we get to see the struggles of making the shop a success and that everything isn't just perfect all of the time.  In fact, it is the closeness that Jules and her Mom have while working together that really makes this series feel so real to me.  I'm invested in the characters and want for them to be happy.  With Jules it means wanting to continue to read and see what she is going to decide to do with her life.  Right now she is at a crossroads between going back to her husband and moving on.  I'm eager to see how this all plays out and I really love that Jules has taken her time in figuring everything out.  It comes across so realistically as in real life you don't find answers like this instantly.  It takes time to figure out what you want and I feel like that this really adds another layer to this book.

The book is also a fun read and completely light-hearted at times which provides the perfect contrast to all of the serious stuff.  I loved how once again the mystery was meant to be a complete whodunnit with tons of possible motives/culprits!  I spent my time reading and changing my mind on who the possible killer was.  The book is fast paced and I love how with this book the author changed everything up by throwing Jules into a baking competition.  As this is one of my daughter's favorite kind of shows I could just imagine it all too easily.  The ending left me with some questions that I'm hoping we get answers for in the next book.  

Overall, I really just can't get enough of this series!  I find that I'm already itching to get my hands on that third book!  This is a cozy mystery series that I can easily recommend but start with the first book so that you get the full experience.  Recommended but with a warning that you are going to be hungry while reading- don't say I didn't tell you so!!

Bottom Line:  A new favorite cozy mystery series for me!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as part of a CBB Book Tour.  Thoughts are my own!

Slayed on the Slopes by Kate E. Dyer-Seeley (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"After talking her way into a job writing for Portland's Northwest Extreme magazine, Meg Reed may now really be in over her head. Actually, about 8,000 feet over her head. . .

She's at Mount Hood's remote Silcox Hut, covering the the seriously hardcore Ridge Rangers-- Oregon's elite high-altitude rescue team--during their four-day winter training. Sure, Meg beefed up her outdoor skills over the summer . . . but she's still hoping to cover the event with some hot chocolate by the cheery fireplace. Then, during a sudden blizzard, she swears she hears gunshots. No one stranded in the hut believes her . . . until self-absorbed Ridge Ranger Ben Rogers is found outside in a pool of frozen blood. Meg's now got to find this killer quickly . . . before cabin fever does them all in!"

My Thoughts:

Can I just start off by saying how much I loved this book?  This book solidified my love for this series with ease and now I'm left impatiently waiting for more!  I really enjoyed Scene of the Climb so I went into reading this one with very high hopes.  Happily enough I enjoyed this book just as much, if not even more than I did the first book.  What more can you ask from with a mystery series?  Not much more than that in my opinion!  Meg is back and better than ever as she manages to get herself caught up in a whole new set of outdoor experiences.  The mystery was compelling and made the book hard to put down.  But what really stood out for me in this book is how the author uses the setting to really add to the book as a whole.  I loved the fact that I learned a little bit about Oregon thanks to this book and the author's descriptions.  I would love to go visit the Timberline Lodge myself and get the chance to go skiing in the mountains.  The fact that this lodge was used in some of the filming for The Shining movie (which I learned thanks to this book) makes me want to visit even more!  It was these little details that really brought this book to life for me!

The author also continues on with the storyline from book one in regards to Meg's father and his mysterious death in this book.  Let me tell you that I am completely intrigued at this point!  I need to know the truth behind it all and am looking forward to finding out more of the answers in future books.  Really at this point I will be grabbing book three as soon as I can get my greedy hands on it!!  I am also really enjoying the chemistry that is growing between Meg and Matt.  Sorry if that is a slight spoiler to some of you.  I am just impatiently waiting for them to both realize that they are basically meant to be.  Ha!  (But seriously I hope they figure it out soon!)  I did manage to guess the killer with this book but there was so many other twists and turns going on that it really didn't matter.  I still loved this book from beginning to end!  By the end of this book I was left wanting more yet again and really wishing that I had my hands on the third book.  Ugh!  The waiting game when you find a great series....I do know already that it is going to be well worth the wait!

All in all, this was a really great follow-up to Scene of the Climb and I am now a huge fan of this author and her books!  Her ability to use the setting of this story to allow for me to feel like I was there along with Meg in the wintry cold helped to make this book an instant winner for me.  I still have a lot of questions in regards to the death of Meg's father which has me pining for the next book.  Plus, I'm absolutely sure that Meg is going to find herself in another crazy situation and I can't wait to read all about it!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A cozy mystery series that shouldn't be missed!  Read it!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to NetGalley and the publisher as part of a CBB Book Tour.  Thoughts are my own!

 

Scene of the Climb by Kate E. Dyer-Seeley (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Meg Reed bluffs her way into writing for 'Northwest Extreme', passing herself off to editor-in-chief Greg Dixon as an outdoor adventure enthusiast. Never mind that Meg's idea of sport is climbing onto the couch without spilling her latte. So when she finds herself clawing to the top of Angel's Rest - a 2000-foot peak - to cover the latest challenge in a reality TV adventure show, she can't imagine feeling more terrified. Until she witnesses a body plummet off the side of the cliff. Now Meg has a murder to investigate ... and if the climbing doesn't kill her, a murderer just might."

My Thoughts:

Cozy mystery series should all be this much fun to read!  This was such a great read and left me instantly eager to continue on with this series.  In fact, that is exactly what I did as I couldn't help but jump into the second book.  What I really enjoyed about this book is that it had me laughing out loud at various points throughout the novel.  Meg manages to get herself sucked into some precarious situations that I couldn't help but chuckle at.  Especially as she works to hide her inexperience with everything outdoors.  I loved the fact that Meg's outdoor adventure "skills" consisted of her watching YouTube videos of the various activities.  Ha!  It was trouble waiting to happen and I couldn't help but want to read all about it.

The mystery itself was fun to read about and I loved that there was a variety of suspects to choose from when trying to figure out who the killer was.  They each had their own reasons (or possible ones) on why they might have wanted the victim dead so I spent a lot of my time reading trying to figure it all out.  I can't say that I was able to guess the ending which for me is always a good thing.  The author had a really nice twist at the end that I didn't see coming which really meant that I was clueless in regards to the killer's identity.  Another thing about this book that I really liked is there there is another storyline in regards to Meg's father that we are just learning about.  It has me intrigued and especially with how this book ended.  Can you see why I just instantly had to read the second book after all of this??  I needed answers to all of the questions that I had and wanted to see what kind of trouble Meg would find herself in next. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was left very excited about this series!  It was fun to read and you can never go wrong with a mystery that makes you laugh in my opinion.  I loved all of the characters and was ready to go on another adventure with Meg instantly.  I definitely would recommend this book to other mystery and cozy fans.  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  A book that had me giggling and turning pages as fast as I could!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher as I will be participating in a book tour for the second book.  Thoughts are my own!

If You've Got It, Haunt It by Rose Pressey (thoughts)

Summary from Goodreads:

"Cookie Chanel has opened her own vintage clothing boutique, It's Vintage, Y'All, in the charming town of Sugar Creek, Georgia. Always on the lookout for stylish second-hand steals, she attends the estate sale of deceased socialite Charlotte Meadows. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when Charlotte's ghost appears before her--offering fashion advice and begging Cookie to find out who murdered her.

As the persistent poltergeist tags along and a possibly psychic pussycat moves into the shop, Cookie sorts through racks of suspects to see who may be hiding some skeletons in the closet. Do a clothing store owner and a disembodied socialite have a ghost of a chance of collaring a killer--or will Cookie's life be the next one hanging by a thread?"

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun read!  I really, really enjoyed this one and am left just waiting for the second book to release.  The waiting game, yet again.  It will be worth it though if the next book is as good as this one.  I enjoy cozy mysteries but honestly I don't read enough of them.  This book was a good mix of all the reasons why I enjoy this genre.  The focus of this book was more on vintage clothing than the mystery which I was completely okay with.  Because I don't always read cozy mysteries for the mystery portion but instead I usually read them for the characters.  Cookie is definitely a fun character to read about with a killer fashion sense.  Ha!  Then you add in a snarky ghost and a cat that communicates using tarot cards and this was a winning combination for me!  I loved the descriptions of all of the different clothing that Cookie was wearing or outfits that she had found.  I really loved the parts of the book where she was at estate sales searching for different clothing finds.  I would have loved even more details about those parts just because it was so fun to read about.  

The mystery itself was pretty cut and dried in my opinion although it took Cookie the entire book to figure out the killer's identity.  That was okay as it was enjoyable to watch her search for clues while trying to deal with her ghostly shadow.  The ending tied up everything nicely other than the author never fully explained what happened to Charlotte (the ghost) afterwards.  I wondered if she continued to follow Cookie everywhere or did she move on after getting closure.....maybe we will find out more in the next book!  I will definitely be grabbing the second book just to find out!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was left very excited about this series!  It was a fun read, easy to immerse myself into, and definitely hard to put down.  The characters were great and definitely original but really it was the vintage clothing that I just could not get enough of!  Cozy mystery fans need to give this book a try!  Recommended!

Bottom Line:  An enjoyable read and great beginning to this series!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.  Thoughts are my own!