Tag: books

Pumpkin Spice Pre-Season Reading

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We aren’t quite at peak PSL season yet, but that won’t stop me from reading anything pumpkin-spice themed! A big thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the free ARC of The Pumpkin Spice Café, the 23rd installment in Ellie Alexander’s prolific Bakeshop Mystery series—wowza!

Here are my thoughts:

Summed Up: A very pregnant Jules must juggle her busy coffeeshop and bakery while solving yet another mystery. This time, it’s the death of a snooty wedding planner. Now who’s going to take on the challenge of Lance and Arlo’s over-the-top wedding?

What I liked: The pumpkin spice goodies, of course! Beyond that, I mostly enjoyed the cozy bakery vibes set against a snow-dusted Pacific Northwest tourist town. Such bliss.

Thoughts on the mystery: This was a solid whodunnit with plenty of suspects who had motives for killing off a loathsome wedding planner. I do enjoy mysteries surrounding weddings—so much drama and gossip.

What annoyed me: This is going to sound terrible, but oh, what the heck! I’m not a big fan of pregnant main characters. It’s not fun having to endure the many scenes of Jules getting decaf coffee (bleck!) and talking about cravings, morning sickness, aches and pains, ad nauseam. And the annoyances are only going to get worse when the babies enter the scene. SO NOT MY THING.

Thoughts on the main character: Jules is fine—maybe a little too perfect—but I still root for her. She’s clearly the town sweetheart and a bit of a Mary Sue, so I can’t really relate to her. Honestly, the only thing we have in common is our voracious appetite.

Overall: If you’re in the mood for a cozy fall mystery, this is it! This was a very relaxing read that made me yearn for baked goodies nonstop. Hmm… I wonder if Haley’s Cakes and Cookies is still open. I shall jump on my bike and grab a snack for my next cozy mystery adventure!

A Meowsterious Halloween at the Cat Café

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The gist: Café owner Maddie gets a tall order for a kitty‑themed birthday bash on a tight turnaround. What rich people want, rich people get, am I right? Anyway, the rich lady in question is none other than Olivia McAllister—Maddie’s mother’s childhood BFF, who vanished inexplicably when her family blew out of town after the aunt went missing. That cold‑case mystery is about to be reopened once Maddie and JJ (her ginger kitty sidekick) get on the case! And she’d better get to the bottom of it quickly, because her mother lands in hot water when Olivia ends up dead. Yikes.

What I liked: As always, I loved being swept away to the cozy seaside island. The focal point of the mystery, Mermaid Cottage, is the purrrrrrfect setting for a Halloween‑themed story—with a ghostly kitty and a hidden room to boot.

What irked me: I like my sleuths scrappy and resourceful, but Maddie seems a little too well-connected, with her family of big shots and a lead detective practically in her pocket. I’d also love more scenes in the cat café, which is the main reason I read this series. More kitties, please!

Thoughts on the mystery: I love a good cold‑case mystery, so this is one of my favorite installments thus far. There were plenty of suspects to keep me puzzled, including Olivia’s enigmatic daughter, a sketchy environmentalist charlatan, a quirky local historian, and an odd girl who’s trying to copyCAT Maddie’s business. Sorry—I couldn’t help myself.

Overall: This is a solid whodunnit that kept me guessing until the end. It’s a quick, fun beach read for those of us who need an escape from the reality of our falling democracy.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the free ARC!

My Thoughts on The Housemaid Books

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I finally got on the Housemaid bandwagon and read the first couple of books in the hit series. I’d love to watch the movie, but I’ll hold off until I can find it for free somewhere because I really don’t want to support any Sydney Sweeney movies. Why, of all actors, did they have to cast her! Ugh. Oh well—the books are always better, and they don’t require a subscription to any fascist‑owned streaming channels… which are few and far between these days.

Anyhoo, here are my thoughts on the books, which I must admit are pretty great. I’m looking forward to reading the next two in the series.

Book 1: The Housemaid

The gist:
A down‑on‑her‑luck ex‑convict has little more than her car and the clothes on her back, but as luck would have it, she scores a job as a live‑in housemaid for a rich couple in a mansion—with a hunky gardener to boot! So, what’s the catch? Well, the lady of the house is a sadist, the child is a monster, and the husband is a little too nice, if you catch my drift. I’ll leave it there to avoid spoilers, but get ready for some wild twists and turns.

What I liked:
The suspense! Not once did my mind drift while listening to this on audio (the narrator is amazing, by the way), because I kept asking: Why is this crazy rich lady deliberately sabotaging her maid? Why did she really hire her? What horrible plans does she have in store? And what’s the deal with the husband who can’t stand up for himself? Oops… I’m entering spoiler territory, so I’ll stop.

What irked me:
The ending had quite a few loopholes, and some of the most questionable behaviors were explained away too quickly. I think the author really should’ve looked back at some of those chapters and adjusted a few scenes that were a little too extreme to tie up with a neat little bow at the end.

Overall:
This was a fun, super‑fast read that I highly recommend taking on a plane ride. The hours will fly right by.

Book 2: The Housemaid’s Secret

The gist:
Millie is caught in a pickle yet again—this time with a mysterious boss who keeps his sick wife hidden away in a room. Did Millie learn her lessons from her past boss from hell? Of course not! She noses around the posh New York apartment and quickly lands herself in a very sticky situation.

What I liked:
Although I was annoyed with Millie throughout most of the book, I enjoyed the suspense of figuring out how the heck she was ever going to dig herself out of the trap she fell into… which anyone with two working brain cells could’ve seen coming from a mile away. I also enjoyed the chapters narrated by the villain, who was PURE EVIL. I could not wait to see how she’d get taken down in the end.

What irked me:
Millie… girl! I really thought you were smart and, most importantly, that you wanted to stay out of prison. The second she got roped into a risky rescue mission, I knew she was cooked. She was also so awful to her perfectly nice—and rich—boyfriend who wanted to give her a safe place to live and unconditional love. Not only did she lie by omission about her lurid past, she also flaked on their dates time and time again. Her thoughtless antics annoyed me to the point where I didn’t much care about her impending demise.

Overall:
I lost some respect for Millie, but I did enjoy her many misadventures—and the author did a great job adding an intriguing new character at the end who will make the third book extra fun to read.

Haunted House Story Gone Wrong: One Star for ‘A Box Full of Darkness’ by Simone St. James

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The gist: Otherworldly forces call a group of siblings back to their haunted childhood home to uncover what happened to their missing little brother, Ben. What caused him to vanish while playing a game of hide‑and‑seek? What is this strange veil of darkness that seems to shroud the town of Fell, New York? Is Ben’s disappearance tied to other strange happenings, like the girl who went missing on the railroad tracks? All of this sounds deliciously spooky, doesn’t it?

What I liked: Honestly, the only thing I truly enjoyed was the faint tie‑in to The Sundown Motel, which added a nice sense of impending dread.

Thoughts on the MC: Sadly, this book doesn’t really have a main character, as it’s told through multiple narratives. We begin with Violet, whom I initially found fascinating. She sees dead people and has been haunted all her life by a dark presence named Lily. Plus, she has a cool job: cleaning out the homes of the recently deceased. If the book had been told solely from her perspective, I think I’d be writing a very different review. The problem is that we never get to know any of the characters on a deeper level. They all come across as whiny and unlikable, constantly bickering. And bickering characters are a huge pet peeve of mine. A little goes a loooooong way.

What irked me: I just couldn’t get into this book. It was far too easy to set down and pick up something else. I needed breaks from the nonstop arguing, and the ghost story itself felt rather silly. The big showdown was a mess—more like a scene from a horror‑movie parody. I don’t know, y’all. This really didn’t feel like a Simone St. James book. I’ve always loved her work, even the ones with mixed reviews. Surprisingly, this one has high ratings on Goodreads, so I guess I’m the outlier.

Overall: If you enjoy a multiple‑narrative paranormal drama/thriller with over‑the‑top ghostly antics, go for it. I prefer my ghost stories a bit more subtle. If you’re looking for a strong haunted‑homecoming tale, try Small Town Horror by Ronald Malfi or Home Before Dark by Riley Sager.

A Fun Cozy Mystery for HGTV Fans: Stars for ‘The Barn Identity’ by Diane Kelly

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Hello and happy Caturday!!! It’s been a looooooong time since my last post. Life is just way too busy with freelancing, my full-time gig, dog walking, dad stuff, etcetera, etcetera. But nevermind all that! I am here and ready to share my latest cozy mystery recommendation for all my cat-loving, HGTV-watching readers. A big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this free ARC. This book comes out on March 26th, so get ready for a good time with this latest installment of the House Flipper Mystery Series!

The gist: House renovator/flipper Whitney Whitaker Flynn is caught up in another mystery—and this time it’s the case of a dead exposé reporter in a soon‑to‑be‑remodeled barn! With so many people holding motives for murdering a nosy reporter, our intrepid sleuth must track down the clues, clear her own name, and get back to spiffing up that rustic ol’ barn.

The setting: In true cozy fashion, this story is set in a small rural community on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee. My first thought: Ewwww—MAGA! But thankfully, Whitney seems to lean left with her views on veganism and the environment. Yay, Whitney! A few scenes take place in a plant‑based specialty restaurant with a backyard crew of cows, pigs, and critters. Diners can even spy on the resident cow through the restaurant’s surveillance camera setup. Love it.

Thoughts on the MC: Unlike many cozy‑mystery sleuths who are TSTL (too stupid to live), Whitney knows how to close a case without wandering into an abandoned building alone to interrogate the killer. She has excellent sleuthing instincts and knows when to call in the big dogs when things get dicey. She’s also passionate about preserving a barn that once served as part of the Underground Railroad, which is truly commendable. Oh, and she’s a cat lady to boot! I adored the little chapters narrated by her kitty, Sawdust—such a delightful treat for us crazy cat lovers.

What irked me: Everything about this mystery is great—but I don’t really enjoy reading about pregnancies. I get it: Whitney’s in a loving relationship with her detective husband, and babies often come with the territory of a happy marriage. But it’s just super uninteresting to me, and all the baby‑kicking commentary is distracting. It’s like listening to a friend moan about indigestion nonstop. Bleck.

Overall thoughts: This is a solid mystery with red herrings and interesting suspects, including sketchy churchgoers, a money‑grubbing real‑estate tycoon, and even the plant‑based restaurateurs. Noooo—please don’t let it be them

A Wintery Cozy Mystery for My Fellow Beer Lovers

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I love, love, love the Sloan Krause mystery series—not so much for the puzzling whodunits, but more for the small Bavarian town surrounded by snow-topped mountains and German-themed breweries! Be still, my heart! Here in Texas, I jump at any chance to visit our very own little German town in the Hill Country called Fredericksburg. It’s just too much fun shopping at cutesy stores and dining at my favorite German-themed microbrewery. Oh, how I love the Enchanted Rock Ale… sigh.

Anyhoo, this mystery was a little weak. The killer reveal was kind of a no-brainer, but whatevs. I enjoyed accompanying Sloan and her fellow microbrewing partner/love interest as they puzzled over the mystery whilst visiting with his family, who, of course, are as charming and lovely as Sloan’s in-laws. Naturally, it would be boring if everything worked out perfectly, so Garrett has to come clean with a secret he’s been withholding for silly reasons. This is why romance books drive me nuts—too much secrecy and miscommunication! At least this time, Sloan chose to actually communicate with him instead of holding it all in. Way to go, girl! This might be the first time she’s gotten out of her own way, and I love this for her.

Overall, this book gave me all the wintry, Bavarian village vibes that made my cozy little heart brim with joy. However, die-hard mystery lovers may feel it’s lacking, so please note that this is more of a 100-piece children’s jigsaw puzzle than a 1,000-piece brain-scratcher. In this case, we’re dealing with a rather shady group of doctors and researchers at the local hospital who are about to announce a “breakthrough” medical miracle study that will rock the entire world off its axis. How this is happening in a tiny tourist town of two thousand residents is beyond me, but let’s not overthink it. As it happens, one of the researchers loses her mind when a flash drive goes missing, and she makes a big scene at Nitro while frantically searching for this thing that apparently will be the death of her. Oops… wrong choice of words. Anyhoo… a murder happens—on the ski slopes, of course—and all signs point to the shady doctors.

Again, I wasn’t too thrilled with the mystery in this installment, but I enjoyed the entire experience nonetheless. There’s a lot to be said for interesting characters, a romance you really want to root for, and a cozy Bavarian town that just brims with holiday charm in the wintertime. So grab yourself a hoppy winter ale—or a hot toddy—and curl up with this book for a cozy night in, away from the madness and crowds.

Two Stars for ‘Mint to Be’ by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc

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I loved this author’s previous book, Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, but this one just didn’t really sing to my peppermint mocha-loving soul. It’s a cute story about a teenage couple who grew up together and eventually… what do the kids say these days? Oh yes, they caught feelings for each other—yet were incapable of saying the words out loud. Ugh. Not to go off on a tangent here, but this might be the main reason I don’t love romance. These reasonably intelligent people are always jumping to conclusions and suffering in silence when all their problems could be solved with a single conversation!

Sorry, I digressed. So yeah, this is a case of “it is what it is.” I can’t get too upset with a book that follows the same old romance tropes: miscommunication, friends-to-lovers, annoying internal tantrums, passive-aggressive behaviors, etcetera, etcetera. I think this book could have been exponentially improved with a subplot outside of the romance. It needs a mystery to solve, or a mom-and-pop store to be saved, or perhaps a big peppermint mocha barista challenge in the town square! I just needed something else to move the story along.

Also, I’m just wondering why these two think they could ever make it work. Our protagonist, Emma, has a zest for travel and adventure. She can’t get out of that small town fast enough and yearns to attend a college as far away as possible. Aiden, on the other hand, loves his life in Briar Glen and has no desire to move—which is TOTALLY FAIR! I don’t know if the moral of the story is to accept change and leave everything that makes you happy just for the sake of progress. But I don’t think these two should be together. As the kids say, that’s my “hot take.”

Maybe I’m just not a big Emma fan. She brought her new boyfriend to her hometown without even giving Aiden a heads-up? I mean… who does that? Rude. It would be best for everyone if she went back to her fancy boarding school and pursued her path so Aiden can live his best life in Briar Glen.

Although I didn’t love the romance, I did enjoy the Christmassy sights of Briar Glen and the little cameos from characters in the previous book. I would love another book about the coffee shop. Just putting that out there, Miss Katie Cicatelli-Kuc!

Goodbye, Audible and Spoitfy Premium Audiobooks

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With a heavy heart, I must announce my breakup with Audible and Spotify. Dammit—I’m gonna miss their all-access libraries of new-release audiobooks, but I can’t stomach their Trump-mongering shenanigans any longer. While watching the blasphemous desecration of the White House’s historic East Wing, I felt sick to my stomach about the soulless, greedy, power-hungry funders behind it. Lo and behold, Heather Cox Richardson (who I consider to be the voice of our nation) shared a list of big tech companies funding the forthcoming King’s ballroom. Google, YouTube (owned by Google), Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and many other tech giants are behind this—and for what? It all comes down to greed, power, and the breakdown of antitrust laws that will soon limit us all to the worst of the worst companies for all our technology.

It’s coming, y’all, if we don’t do something to stop it. And we can stop it! Look at how quickly Disney caved after the mass cancellations amidst the Jimmy Kimmel/freedom of speech debacle. Our pocketbooks wield great power—but it takes all of us to unite against evil. With the click of a mouse, we can cut off their life support. Yes, it hurts a little. Sacrifices will have to be made, but we can do it. Just look at how communities came together and made personal sacrifices during WWII.

I get that we live in an individualistic, isolationist society, thanks to COVID quarantines and social media, which may make it harder for people to see the forest through the trees. However, the forest is burning, and the flames are heading our way. In case you haven’t noticed, SNAP (food stamps) benefits will be cut off in November, leaving many families dependent on charities and food pantries. Meanwhile, the Orange Blob in Chief is tearing down the White House and building a royal ballroom, funded by tech giants that have Americans wrapped around their little fingers.

This has been on my mind all morning, so I spent a good part of my Saturday taking inventory of all my subscriptions and Googling (oh, the irony) which companies own them. This led me down quite the rabbit hole, but it needed to be done. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t even know my Ring camera is owned by Amazon, that I’ve been overpaying for my Audible subscription ($18 per month!), and that I’ve been hanging on to my Amazon Prime subscription ($15 per month). My god, I’ve been giving Bezos a good chunk of change every month, which means I’ve been subsidizing the White House desecration among many other traitorous activities.

While traveling down the rabbit hole, I did a little research on Spotify and stumbled across some highly disturbing news. This company—and HBO/MAX (another subscription I have to cancel)—are running ICE recruitment ads with disturbing dystopian language like “protect our American freedom.” Oh. My. God. Well, I guess I can kiss those premium audiobooks goodbye, which really hurts. I’m not going to lie—it’s going to be tough living without these services. But what other choice do I have? Financially support fascism so I can keep my little creature comforts? No thanks. I have plenty of access to free books via the Austin Public Library, and I can always just buy books at the bookstore, thus supporting authors and brick-and-mortar bookstores in the process. Now that’s something I can live with—and I’ll sleep a little better at night.

Anyhoo, if this is triggering your “cancel culture” narrative, I’m so very sorry (but not really). Call it what you will, but at some point, we all need to reconcile with the fact that we are losing our democracy—and it’s time to wake up and start canceling Big Tech as much as we can.

Four Stars for Paul Tremblay’s ‘Another’

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Trigger Warning: Mushrooms 🍄 (Seriously, Why?)
Okay, first things first—why did no one warn me about the mushrooms? I mean, yuck. How do people eat those things without questioning their life choices? But once I got past the fungal horror, I dove into what turned out to be a stellar middle-grade horror novel. Sure, I’m a few decades past the target age group, but how could I resist a story from the twisted genius behind A Head Full of Ghosts?

Summed Up (No Spoilers, Promise):
Casey’s going through a hard time after a humiliating online classroom incident leaves him isolated and friendless. Things take a bizarre turn when a mysterious stranger shows up at his doorstep with an unexpected houseguest: a waxy, practically faceless boy named Morel. He doesn’t eat. He doesn’t sleep. He’s definitely not normal. Who—or what—is Morel? You’ll have to read to find out.

What Worked:
This book is unsettling in the best way—even for the young at heart!! Paul Tremblay doesn’t know how to write not creepy, and I’m grateful for that. The story kept me guessing, which is rare in middle-grade horror, a genre that often leans on predictable tropes. What are the dark forces swirling around Morel? Why is his appearance shifting so rapidly? And what’s going on with Casey’s parents, who seem to be drifting into some kind of dazed oblivion? I tore through this in one afternoon because I had to know.

Thoughts on Character Development:
Tremblay doesn’t just deliver scares—he builds characters you care about. Casey’s loneliness, his awkwardness, his desperate need for best friend – it all brings back so many memories from my mispent youth. He’s also navigating life with a visible disability, which Tremblay handles with authenticity. Seriously, so many YA authors need to take notes because it seems like they’re just ticking off some boxes to stay on top of the trends.

Final Verdict:
This debut middle-grade horror novel is eerie, emotionally resonant, and totally absorbing. Young readers will find themselves in Casey’s struggles—and older readers will appreciate the creepy foreshadowing and twist ending!

Three Stars for ‘The Wretched and Undone’ by J.E. Weiner

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Summed Up: Spanning generations from the Civil War through the 1940s, this sweeping saga follows a sprawling family tree entangled in tragedy. Dozens of interconnected lives unravel through wave after wave of misfortune—brief moments of light dimmed by relentless darkness. At the heart of it all lurks a malevolent force, vengeful and unseen, pulling the strings from the shadows. Spooooooky stuff, eh? Well…sort of.

What’s Missing: After an unforgettable book talk with the author—joined by her fiddlin’ and friends from the Dixie Chicks (cousins, maybe?)—I was all in on the Southern Gothic allure: ghosts, legends, and that thick, haunted humidity of lore. But the malevolent shadow lurking in the woods? It felt more like a footnote than a threat. The dark presence made only a handful of fleeting appearances, easy to forget amid the ceaseless stream of sorrows. And when it did show up, it slipped away just as fast—like a mosquito you swat without thinking, while trying to enjoy a cold Shiner on the porch swing.

What I Liked: While the book is short on ghosts, it is heavy on atmosphere and intrigue. I wasn’t too keen on most of the highly flawed characters (particularly the milquetoast women), and oh—don’t even get me started on Luke and his father, who apparently embraced the “gentle parenting” trend way back in the day. Yet despite all that, I was heavily invested in their stories and anxiously watched the impending trainwreck unfold. Most of all, I loved the descriptions of historic Bandera, my favorite vacation spot in all of Texas! There’s even a group of characters from Pipe Creek—a tiny spot near Boerne where my husband and I stay at least twice a year.

Thoughts on the Characters: In this sprawling, multi-generational saga, you’ll encounter a whole cast of characters grappling with more than their fair share of… personal challenges. Unfortunately, the women in this tale feel shortchanged. Many come across as one-dimensional, lacking the grit, depth, and moral backbone you’d expect—even hope for. Sure, the setting nods to a time when women were often sidelined in favor of their rugged, boot-stompin’ cowboy counterparts—but history’s full of exceptions. It would’ve been nice to have at least one kick-ass woman fighting the forces of evil, but oh well.

The Pacing: Grab your Dramamine because the choppiness might make you seasick! Just when I get hit with a wallop of sadness, the next chapter picks up at another time and place. I don’t get to process the tragedy that just happened because the author has already moved on to the next unfortunate event. My unsolicited advice is to take it down a notch and pay homage to the beloved character you just knocked off. I know readers have short attention spans, but dang! Give this girl a chance to grieve!

Overall: Despite my grievances, I would be lying if I said this wasn’t an interesting story. It was worth every penny of the $20 I forked over for a paperback, and I certainly will read another book by this new author. This was a big undertaking for a debut novel, so I give her props for pulling it off. I just hope she can give us some better characters in her next novel.