San Francisco – Valerie's Musings

Blog Tour – All Signs Point to Murder – REVIEW

June 25, 2017June 23, 2017 Valerie @ Valerie's Musings12 Comments

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Large Banner: Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents All Signs Point to Murder by Connie di Marco - June 24-July 8, 2017 - also contains the author's photo and the book cover

Today, I’m thrilled to be bringing you a stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for All Signs Point to Murder by Connie di Marco! This was an absolutely delightful book to read!

Book Cover: All Signs Point to Murder - a Zodiac Mystery by Connie Di Marco - Study setting with a window overlooking a garden set up for a wedding - foreground has a white table full of candles, astrological charts and a bridal bouquet

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N

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Astrology chart with a yin-yang in the center, the symbols around the edges and the constellations on the outside of the circular chart

Synopsis

Julia Bonatti is alarmed by the astrological signs looming over Geneva Leary’s wedding day, but nobody asked Julia’s opinion and being a bridesmaid means supporting the bride no matter what. Even with the foreboding Moon-Mars-Pluto lineup in the heavens, no one’s prepared for the catastrophes that strike: a no-show sister, a passed-out wedding planner, and a lethal shooting in the dead of night.

With anger and grief threatening to tear the Leary family part, Julia is determined to understand how such a terrible tragedy could occur. As she digs deeper into the family’s secrets, her astrological insights will lead her to the truth about a criminal enterprise that stretches far beyond the California coast.

Zodiac symbols in watercolor

Review

This is a delightfully fun book to read! It is the second in the Zodiac Mystery series and I get the feeling that if I’d read the series in order, I might understand a couple of things a little better, but this time I don’t feel like that detracted from the book or diminished my ability to enjoy it.

Our heroine, Julia, is great. For the most part, while she lets her emotions get her into bad situations at times, she doesn’t seem to go deliberately looking for trouble. She might ask questions and talk to people, but she’s not out there deliberately putting herself in harm’s way most of the time (tho’ harm’s way finds her, unfortunately). I enjoyed the supporting characters as well. I’d like to see more of Gail and Cheryl in the next book, but I realize they weren’t really part of this particular story line.

Speaking of story lines, this one was fantastic! There were enough red herrings to keep me from accurately guessing the person until right near the end. Even then, I wasn’t positive I was right until the climax of the book. The prose flowed well and the pace was steady, but not too fast nor too slow.

I could have used a little more setting descriptions, but I’d rather an author err on the side of being too cautious and not giving me enough description rather than being extra wordy about them.

All in all, I highly recommend this book! I’ve already grabbed the first one in the series from my library and plan to indulge over the weekend! Enjoy!

Astrology chart with a yin-yang in the center, the symbols around the edges and the constellations on the outside of the circular chart

About the Author

Connie di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink, featuring San Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti. The first in the series, The Madness of Mercury, was released in June 2016 and the second, All Signs Point to Murder, available for pre-order now, will be released on August 8, 2017.

Writing as Connie Archer, she is also the national bestselling author of the Soup Lover’s Mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime. Some of her favorite recipes can be found in The Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook. Connie is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.

Author Links

Website: http://www.conniedimarco.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zodiacmysteries/

Twitter: @askzodia

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14751339.Connie_Di_Marco

Author Central: amazon.com/author/conniedimarco

Zodiac symbols in watercolor

Thanks for joining me for today’s stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour. If you wish to visit other participants’ stops, please click on the banner below. It will take you to the main tour page which has a list of participants!

Once Upon a Spine – REVIEW

June 20, 2017 Valerie @ Valerie's Musings7 Comments

5 out of 5 stars.

I’m thrilled to be reviewing Once Upon a Spine by Kate Carlisle today! Once Upon a Spine is the 11th book in the Bibliophile Mystery series and it surpassed Ripped from the Pages as my favorite in the series!

Book Cover: Once Upon a Spine: A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle - background is the front window of a bookshop - in the foreground are a wrought iron table and chair with a teapot & cups/saucers on the table along with a cat. On the chair is a copy of "Alice in Wonderland"

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

line of books - some stacked, some standing, some leaning - books are blue, brown, red, green, and yellow — ©Graphic Garden

Synopsis

San Francisco bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright stumbles through the looking glass in a tale of murder, rare books, and a quest for the perfect pie.

Brooklyn’s oh-so-proper future in-laws are traveling from England to meet her, and if that’s not enough to set her on edge, rumors abound that the charming Courtyard Shops across the street may be replaced by high-rise apartments. Their trendy neighborhood will be ruined unless Brooklyn and her fiancé, Derek Stone, can persuade the shopkeepers not to sell.

But with a rare edition of Alice in Wonderland causing bad blood at the Brothers Bookshop and a string of petty vandalism making everyone nervous, Brooklyn and Derek feel like they’re attempting six impossible things before breakfast. Then the owner of the Rabbit Hole juice bar is felled by his own heavy shelves, and the local cobbler lies dead beside him. An accident . . . or something more sinister? Things get curiouser and curiouser when a second priceless copy of Alice is discovered. Will it stir up more trouble within the close-knit community?

As the Brits descend, Brooklyn learns they’re not so stuffy after all. Derek’s dad is won over with chocolate cream pie, and his psychic mum would kill to help Brooklyn solve this murder before another victim takes a tumble.

Review

Once Upon a Spine is absolutely delightful! Kate Carlisle has worked her magic once again and provided us with a fun-filled mystery with down-to-earth characters, exciting plots, and fascinating sub-plots!

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series and it’s because I just absolutely love the characters. Brooklyn and Derek are one of my favorite fictional couples and they always come with a host of lovable, quirky secondary characters. This book is no exception as we meet Derek’s parents for the first time. They’re just as fun-loving and quirky as Brooklyn’s parents and the two sets get along wonderfully!

We learn about a new area of Brooklyn & Derek’s neighborhood in this book. The setting descriptions were terrific. I was able to imagine the area thoroughly and yet I didn’t feel like Ms. Carlisle had gone overboard in her descriptions.

The book pace is steady to semi-fast. I felt that it moved along faster than other books in the series, but it wasn’t so fast that you get confused about what’s happening. The prose flows well from one section to another without awkward transitions.

All in all, this book is absolutely wonderful! I HIGHLY recommend it, but if you’re new to the series, I suggest starting with the first book, Homicide in Hardcover, as it will provide you with much-needed back story on the interpersonal relationships of the series. Check it out today!

Mini Reviews – Bibliophile Mystery Series – Set #3

June 19, 2017June 27, 2018 Valerie @ Valerie's MusingsLeave a comment

Welcome to the next set of mini reviews for Kate Carlisle’s Bibliophile Mystery series! You can find the first set of mini reviews here and the second set of mini reviews here. This set includes books eight (8) thru eleven (11). Number eleven (11), is the newest of the Bibliophile Mystery series, Once Upon a Spine.

Book Cover: The book stops here - room full of antiques - rocking horse, globe, telephone on top of a book shelf, trunk, and a chair and ottoman with books on them including a copy of 'The Secret Garden' - small orange and white tabby kitten is sitting on the ottoman. Book #8 – The Book Stops Here – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

This is one of my favorites out of the series. Number one, it includes one of my all-time favorite books, “The Secret Garden”, but number two, I also really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the book. I learned a little more about Frances Hodgson Burnett than I knew before and I just enjoyed the story line. It took me a while but I did figure out the murderer before the end. Still this is an awesome series and you should read it!

Ripped from the Pages book cover - Winery tasting room with wine bottle cubbies along the sides, bottles of wine on a countertop along with a cheese platter, books, and a small orange & white kitten

Book # 9 – Ripped from the Pages – 5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

I actually wrote a review for “Ripped from the Pages”. It’s one of my earlier reviews, so it’s perhaps not as full as some of my more recent reviews, but you can find it here. In short, it’s my favorite in the series so far (although the newest, Once Upon a Spine, is jousting with it for that coveted spot of “favorite”).

Book Cover: Books of a Feather: A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle - Background shows a door open to a garden with a cat chasing a butterfly - Foreground shows a John James Audubon book with an ornate knife on it, a blue jay sitting on a pair of needle-nose pliers, and a cutting mat with an exacto knife and thread.

Book #10 – Books of a Feather – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

While I didn’t enjoy Books of a Feather quite as much as I did Ripped from the Pages, it was still a very good book. I liked it, it just didn’t bump Ripped from the Pages out of its spot as “favorite”. We get to learn more about Derek from his friend, Crane, in this book, which I thought was great. There’s also lots of great information about John James Audubon in this book which I also enjoyed. Check it out! 🙂

All of these mini reviews have been leading up to my review of the newest Bibliophile Mystery, “Once Upon a Spine”, which will be up in another day or two!

Mini Reviews – Bibliophile Series by Kate Carlisle – Part 1

May 19, 2017June 27, 2018 Valerie @ Valerie's Musings3 Comments

I decided to write a few mini reviews. This particular set is on the Bibliophile series by Kate Carlisle. I’ve read them all several times and enjoy them immensely. This will be the first in a series of posts of mini reviews on the Bibliophile Mystery series. There are currently 10 books, plus a novella, with an 11th coming out in June (hence the reason for breaking it up into sections)! I will not be including synopses with these mini reviews but I will still provide the Goodreads link and purchase links. The above link will take you to the page on Kate Carlisle’s website where you can read about all her books, both the Bibliophile series and the Fixer-Upper series.

Book Cover: Homicide in Hardcover - A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle - "Murder is always a bestseller!" - Library setting, bookshelves lining walls with a window inset on the back wall, kitty on the library ladder, a table in the foreground with a stack of books, a vase of flowers and an open book with a knife stuck in the right hand page.

Homicide in Hardcover – Book #1 – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

Homicide in Hardcover is an excellent start to this series! When I first picked this book up, off the shelf at the library I work in, all I knew was what was written on the back of the book. I could not put it down! I quickly read through all six books that were available at the time. Since then, I’ve re-read them many times.

The characters are awesome. They’re complex and well-developed. Brooklyn does tend to take chances, but usually she at least attempts to contact Derek and/or the police first. The plot line moves along quickly in this book and when I read it for the first time, I didn’t have a clue on the villain until it announced. Setting descriptions are provided with a perfect balance (for me).

This is a great series and highly recommended!

Book Cover: If Books Could Kill - A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle - In the background there is an open window beyond which tents with tables set up can be seen. In the foreground is a desk with an open book and lamp sitting on it - on top of the book are an exacto knife and an awl. On the windowsill sits a cat and a bloody hammer

If Books Could Kill – Book #2 – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

If Books Could Kill is the 2nd book in the Bibliophile Mystery series and it’s just as excellent as the first one! This time, Brooklyn & Derek have travelled to Edinburgh for a big book festival. Having a different setting was fun and shook things up a little.

I did know who the villain was, almost from the start, but I didn’t see the twist that came with it, so that still kept it fresh and exciting! The setting descriptions were wonderful. Scotland’s at the top of the list of places I want to visit, so I was soaking in all the descriptions with glee. We learn a little more about our main characters and Brooklyn’s family in this book which is great as well.

All in all, an excellent 2nd installment in the series.

The Lies that Bind – Book #3 – 4 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

I’m not sure why, but this book is one of my least favorite in the series. It’s still very well-written and the characters and plot are still great, but there’s just something about it in general that makes it one of my lesser favorites.

That being said, I still love the scene between Brooklyn and Derek at the very end of the book. I don’t want to spoil it for you, so I won’t say more than the fact that it’s a great scene!

Book Cover: Murder Under Cover - "What dangers lurk between the sheets...?" - A Bibliophile Mystery by Kate Carlisle - In the background there's a grey tabby cat looking out a window in between a comfy chair and an end table with flowers on it - there's a floor to ceiling bookshelf next to the end table. In the foreground is a bed with a gun lying on top and a scarf lying next to the gun

Murder Under Covers – Book #4 – 4.5 out of 5 stars

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N – Kobo

This book has it all. The Kama Sutra, a micro flash drive with state secrets on it, spies, murder, and a street fair. What more could you want?! How about the fact that most of the action lies around Robin and her mother, Shiva? It’s a wild and twisted ride!

Derek has moved in with Brooklyn, supposedly temporarily while he finds his own housing. We’ve got the Kama Sutra that Brooklyn’s restoring which leads to the illusion of some very passionate interludes between Brooklyn and Derek. Then we’ve got this murder involving Robin that’s becoming stranger by the day.

When it all finally wraps up in the end, it makes sense, but it still somewhat feels like coming to the end of a whirling dervish. I love it!

Taming Teddy – REVIEW

May 8, 2017May 13, 2017 Valerie @ Valerie's Musings2 Comments

5 out of 5 stars

Taming Teddy is the second book in the Made Marian series by Lucy Lennox and is even better than the first book, Borrowing Blue! In fact, I think this might just be my favorite in the series so far.

Book Cover: Taming Teddy: A Made Marian novel by Lucy Lennox; Blue background with a snowy woods scene at the bottom, two men without shirts on the top.

Purchase Links: Amazon – B&N

black and silver film canister on the right with a line of 35mm film stretched out to the left

Synopsis

Teddy: If there’s one thing I don’t do, it’s commitment. You don’t become an award-winning photographer by staying in one place. I’m always on the road, looking for the next shot, the next award, the next hot body. Which is how I end up on Dr. James Marian’s front porch in the middle-of-nowhere Alaska. He’s known as the Wildlife Whisperer, and I want to photograph him in action. He’s reluctant at first, but I can be persuasive.

Soon enough I have him in bed saying yes over and over and over again, but my ability to shoot and scoot is frozen by a Denali snowstorm.

Jamie: I always thought of myself as the marrying type. Until I got left at the altar. Now I have a new motto: never commit and never fall in love. So when a cocky nature photographer decides I’m the key to his next masterpiece, it seems like the perfect arrangement: the hotshot’s only in town for a brief assignment and then he’ll be gone. No commitment, no strings, and no chance of getting my heart broken again.

There’s just one problem: I think I’m falling in love. Now I’m afraid that maybe I’m the marrying type after all. And he definitely is not. (Source: Goodreads)

black and silver film canister on the right with a line of 35mm film stretched out to the left

Review

After reading four and a half books in this series, I think this one is my favorite. Number one, I’m an amateur nature photographer so Teddy’s job spoke to me. Number two, I’m enthralled with wildlife so Jamie’s job spoke to me as well. But even more than that, the way they were together and their love story was simply wonderful. 🙂

This one actually had that little bit of pizzazz and emotional connection I need to rate it five stars. I understand holding someone at arm’s length at first only to have that ultimately fail in the end and end up falling head over heels in love. There’s nothing like it in the world, especially when that person loves you back.

The characters in this series are just wonderful. They’re well-rounded, complex, and developed. The author has thought about it enough to give them all adequate back stories and it’s a joy to read.

The descriptions of the settings are great. I never have any trouble imagining where we are and yet they’re not so descriptive that they’re boring. Ms. Lennox does an excellent job with that balance.

The plot line moves along at a steady pace. I never felt that it was dragging, but I never felt that it was going to fast either.

All in all this book is just about perfect! While it can be read as a stand-alone, I highly recommend reading the series from the beginning, starting with Borrowing Blue. Try it and have fun with the Made Marian crew!

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