Tag: friendship

Blog Tour – Treble at the Jam Fest – REVIEW

Valerie @ Valerie's Musings4 Comments

4.5 out of 5 stars.

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4.5 out of 5 stars.

Today, I’m happy to be bringing you a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Treble at the Jam Fest by Leslie Budewitz! Treble at the Jam Fest is the fourth book in the Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz and it’s just as good, if not better than the three before it!

I apologize for the delay, I got my dates mixed up and thought this post was to go up tomorrow, the 11th!

Book Cover: Treble at the Jam Fest - A Food Lovers' Village Mystery by Leslie Budewitz - background has a country music stage with guitars, double bass, and drum set - Foreground has a table with jam for sale, a pitcher of lemonade and two cats sitting on the ground

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Synopsis

Erin Murphy, manager of Murphy’s Mercantile (aka the Merc), is tuning up for Jewel Bay’s annual Jazz Festival. Between keeping the Merc’s shelves stocked with Montana’s tastiest local fare and hosting the festival’s kick-off concert, Erin has her hands full.

Discord erupts when jazz guitarist Gerry Martin is found dead on the rocks above the Jewel River. The one-time international sensation had fallen out of sync with festival organizers, students, and performers. Was his death an accident—or did someone even the score?

Despite the warning signs to not get involved, Erin investigates. And when the killer attacks, she orchestrates her efforts into one last crescendo, hoping to avoid a deadly finale.

line of canning jars on a shelf - cans of fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Vegetable jars like peas and squash.
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Review

I really enjoyed this latest installment of the Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series. I love the main characters anyway. I find that even tho’ Erin can’t stop herself from asking questions and talking to people and getting herself in danger, she’s not doing things haphazardly. She thinks about what she’s doing and if she thinks it’s going to be dangerous, she gets someone to go with her most of the time. Adam’s wonderful and I enjoyed meeting his friend, Tanner, in this book. I hope we’re able to see more of him!

The settings in these books always make me think that maybe I want to move to Montana. Then I come to my senses and remember that I’m very much at home right here in Michigan! The settings are always exquisitely described and yet, they’re not overly flowery descriptions. They’re just right for the series.

The plot line moved along steadily and was fun. I enjoyed both the mystery plot and the sub-plot in this installment. I did not know who the villain really was until the end when it was revealed. I had wondered about the person a couple of times, but I was never certain. The prose flowed well and everything was well-written.

I highly recommend this book and the rest of the Food Lovers’ Village Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz. Read them all, you’ll not be disappointed!

*** Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions are my own. ***

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Thank you for joining me today on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Treble at the Jam Fest by Leslie Budewitz! Click on the banner below to be taken to the tour page where you can find links to the rest of the sites on the tour!

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Spells and Scones – REVIEW

Valerie @ Valerie's MusingsLeave a comment

4 out of 5 stars.

Spells and Scones is the sixth book in the Magical Bakery series by Bailey Cates. I think this is my favorite in the series so far. I’ve enjoyed the series, but this is the first one I’ve felt was worth 4 stars.

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wooden spoons, frosted heart cookies and chocolate muffins laying on brown line
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Brief Synopsis

When the bookshop next to the Honeybee Bakery hosts a signing for a Savannah radio celebrity’s new self-help book, magical baker Katie Lightfoot is happy to provide some delectable desserts. A big crowd has turned out for the event, curious about the book (and maybe to sample some goodies), but the final chapter comes too soon for the author when she is found dead at the event.

The prime suspect is Angie Kissel, a former witch whose familiar was once Katie’s own terrier, Mungo. Katie is at first hesitant to help, afraid of losing the little dog who has become so important to her. But after a little nudge from Mungo himself, Katie decides to try to conjure up the real killer—before Angie gets served…

(Source: Goodreads Description)

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Review

I really enjoyed this latest installment of the Magical Bakery series. I’ve enjoyed the series, they’re certainly entertaining, but they haven’t always received a real high rating from me. This one actually rates a 4 out of 5. This is one I’d actually be willing to read a 2nd or 3rd or 4th time.

I felt that this time around, the story was much more complex and involved. The first few books, I pretty much figured it out way before the end. A couple of them, I figured out before I was even halfway thru the book. I had a slight suspicion of the villain but I was never entirely sure until right at the very end of the book.

I felt we got to know our characters even better. I will admit that I was a little surprised at a particular part between Declan & Katie (not saying anymore about WHAT part as I don’t want to spoil anything!). I was mostly surprised because Katie had made things pretty clear in that area in previous books. But, it works out in the end.

All in all, I really enjoyed this installment. I do suggest reading the other books in the series before jumping in and reading this one. There’s nothing wrong with the other books. They’re fun to read and certainly entertaining. I just liked this one better!

wooden spoons, frosted heart cookies and chocolate muffins laying on brown line
© Cute Colors

About the Author

Middle aged caucasian woman with medium length black hair, no glasses, and wearing a black shirtCricket McRae (aka Bailey Cates) enjoys home crafts like food preservation, cheese making, candle making, and fiber arts. She writes the Sophie Mae Reynolds Homecrafting Mystery Series. As Bailey Cates, she also writes the Magical Bakery Mysteries.

For two years Cricket managed her own soap making business, including all product design, manufacturing and marketing. The recipes included in her first book, Lye in Wait, are all Cricket’s original formulations. She has also worked in a variety of other fields ranging from drivers license examiner to program manager for a major software firm. This fulfills her mothers warning that she’d never have a regular job if she insisted on studying philosophy in college.

(Source: Goodreads Author Page)

Blog Tour – The Drawing Game – REVIEW

Valerie @ Valerie's Musings1 Comment

4 out of 5 stars

Large banner - Great Escape Virtual Book Tours Presents The Drawing Game by Deirdre Verne - February 8 - February 21, 2017 - Picture of book cover - wooden built-in wall book shelves with a fireplace in the middle - portrait over fireplace hanging crooked & chairs overturned. - Photo of author - Middle aged white woman with shoulder length brown hair with blond highlights, wearing glasses & a blue turtleneck

** EDIT – FEBRUARY 25, 2017 ** I definitely would have rated this a 4 or 4.5 if I had read the other two in the series first. Often times, with cozy mysteries, it’s okay to start in the middle of the series and it doesn’t really matter. This series, however, is one that you need to read in order!

Welcome! Today, I’m hosting the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for The Drawing Game by Deirdre Verne. The Drawing Game is the third book in the Sketch in Crime Mystery series. While it wasn’t my favorite book so far this winter, it was pretty good.

The Drawing Game: A Sketch in Crime Mystery by Deirdre Verne book cover - formal library setting on cover - fireplace in the middle of the bookshelves - portrait hanging crooked on fireplace, chairs overturned and blood staining carpet in fr

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Brief Synopsis

A lover of all things green, CeCe Prentice is not impressed when a supposedly eco-friendly development, Green Acres, pops up next to her family’s homestead. It’s not so much the million-dollar price tags of the high-tech homes that bother her, but rather the new neighbors whose green lifestyles rely entirely on fancy phone apps.

Already disillusioned by the so-called sustainable development, CeCe is downright alarmed when residents start showing up dead and her best friend Charlie is accused of murder. CeCe’s not sure how to support both her best friend and her boyfriend, Detective Frank DeRosa…until she discovers a clue only she understands.

(Source: Goodreads description of the book)

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Review

The more I got into this book, the more that I liked it. While usually it doesn’t tend to matter to me if I’m reading a book in the middle of a series or the first of the series. However, I think with this one, I would have done better to have read at least one of the first two books. Some of the lifestyle choices of the characters didn’t make sense to me at first and that put me off a little. I was thinking, “What did I get myself into with this one?” BUT, the more I got into it and understood things a little more, the more I liked it.

The characters are interesting. I really like Charlie, Frank, and Gayle. CeCe is definitely a character, but I haven’t decided if I really like her or not. There’s not a lot of character growth in this book and that saddened me a bit. CeCe and Frank’s relationship weathers the storm that this story line brings and is perhaps stronger now because of it, but other than that, there wasn’t a lot of character development in the story.

The setting was on Long Island and for the most part, I thought the descriptions were pretty good. I didn’t feel like I was struggling to imagine the setting. But yet, I didn’t feel over saturated in detail which is a big thing for me. I despise over saturation of detail, so I’m always thankful when the author does not do that in their stories!

I thought the story line moved along at a fairly good pace. I enjoyed the plot. There were twists in the plot that I didn’t expect, including the villain. So while I didn’t love it, I did enjoy it.

I’ve already put the first two books on hold at the library I work at and I’m looking forward to reading them!

[Thank you to the author, Deirdre Verne for providing me with an ecopy of this title. I was not compensated for my review and all opinions and conclusions are my own.]

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About the Author

Middle-aged woman with slightly longer than shoulder length blond hair, with glasses - wearing a blue turtleneck sweaterDeirdre Verne is the author of Drawing Conclusions (2015), Drawing Blood (Feb 2016) and The Drawing Game (Dec 2017). Deirdre’s interest in green living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character, CeCe Prentice, who Dumpster dives her way through the Sketch in Crime mystery series. “Verne’s mystery is a winner…” Kirkus Reviews.  A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s stories appear in all three NY chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.

Author Links

www.deirdreverne.com

www.facebook.com/deirdreverneauthor

https://twitter.com/DeirdreVerne

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8276614.Deirdre_Verne

Medium banner - Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours presents: The Drawing Game by Deirdre Verne, February 8 - February 21, 2017; Book cover on the banner - The Drawing Game: A Sketch-in-Crime Mystery Deirdre Verne; Private library setting with a fireplace between the bookshelves. Portrait hanging crooked; chairs overturned and blood on the rug

Wish – REVIEW

Valerie @ Valerie's Musings2 Comments

5 out of 5 stars

Wish is a stand-alone children’s novel by Barbara O’Connor. It’s meant for the Middle Grades (4th-6th) and is wonderful, poignant, and is just all-around delightful.

Wish by Barbara O'Connor, Author of How to Steal a Dog - tagline: With a little luck you can get what you wish for. - Sunset background, young girl with long brown hair and short-sleeved green shirt kneeling in the grass with a beagle dog - fireflies flying in the background

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Brief Synopsis

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets
Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all.

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Review

I’m pretty fond of children’s literature, but I have to say, this is one of the best children’s books I’ve read in a long time!  The story line is so realistic and believable, as are the characters in this book. It’s wonderful.

All her life Charlie’s made a wish every day. She has a whole list of ways that one can make wishes, 11:11 on the clock, first star, crossing the state line (clapping 3 times), bird singing at night, etc. We never know what this wish is until the very end of the book because after all, if you tell someone what your wish is for, it won’t come true. In the end, Charlie gets her wish even though it’s a little different looking than what she thought it would be.

Charlie goes through a lot of character growth throughout the book. When we meet her, her world has just been turned upside down. Her father’s been sent to jail, her mother’s too sick to get out of bed and take care of her, and she’s being sent to live with an aunt and uncle she’s never met before. She’s scared. She’s mad at the world for changing. She’s mad that her sister, Jackie, isn’t coming with her. She’s not really a very nice little girl to be around. She gets into fights at school and at Vacation Bible School, she says mean things in the heat of the moment, etc.. Bertha and Gus, her aunt and uncle seem to take it all in stride. They don’t yell at her, they don’t punish her, they simply love her. Little by little that’s all it takes for her to start changing.

line of canning jars on a shelf - cans of fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Vegetable jars like peas and squash.
© Graphic Garden

The supporting characters in this story – Bertha, Gus, Howard, his brothers & parents, and Charlie’s sister, Jackie are just wonderful. They all teach Charlie something about life and love and family. Jackie’s afraid that Charlie will hate her because she can’t take care of her, but Charlie doesn’t hate her. She maybe doesn’t completely understand, but by that point in the book she’s starting to settle in and get comfortable at Bertha & Gus’s place. She’s feeling a little more secure so she takes it in stride.

The settings, the story line, everything about this book is just delightful and fantastic. It’s seriously one of the best children’s Middle Grade books I’ve ever read. I can see I’ll probably be enjoying it more than once!

All in all this is a WONDERFUL book for Middle Grade kids and I HIGHLY recommend it!

** I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review. All opinions and conclusions expressed are my own. **

About the Author

Barbara O'Connor, Author - Older white woman with short grey hair and glasses wearing a white shirt with a red cardigan

Barbara O’Connor’s awards include the Parents Choice Gold and Silver Award, American Library Association Notable Books, IRA Notable Books for a Global Society, School Library Journal Best Books, and Kirkus Best Books. Her books have been nominated for children’s choice awards in 38 states and voted as a state favorite by children in South Carolina, Indiana, Kansas, and South Dakota.

Barbara was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. She draws on her Southern roots to write award-winning books for children in grades 3 to 6.

She currently lives in Asheville, NC.