A Deadly Reception

A Deadly Reception: A Kat Calloway Cozy Mystery

L.B. Dayton

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dayton spins an intriguing story that hooked me immediately and kept me captivated until the end! The lead character, Kat, was well-developed and the author highlighted her strengths as well as her vulnerabilities. The storyline line was easy to follow and the ending was suspenseful. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the budding relationship between Kat and Bash, but I’m sure that will develop in future books. Overall, this was a fast-paced book that I feel other cozy mystery lovers will enjoy. I received this book as a gift and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A Morsel of Murder

A Morsel of Murder: A Deliciously Deadly Cozy Mystery

Cora Finch

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Finch delivers a fast-paced cozy mystery as her main character, Daphne Cole, becomes tangled up in the murder investigation of a local coffee shop owner. This story has everything a cozy mystery needs-great characters, a straightforward plot line and plenty of twists and turns. Throw in a loyal sheepdog and some witty banter and you have a story that will entertain most mysteries readers. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

*I received this book as a gift and all opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Spiced to Death

Spiced to Death: A Texas Hill Country Cozy Mystery

Susana Sage

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When a celebrated chef is found dead before the Hill Country Food Festival, Tilly Martin and her friend, Sarah Chase are determined to solve the mystery. As they investigate, they find a trail of secret recipes, bitter feuds and a puzzling journal that leads to more questions than answers. Will Tilly and Sarah find the killer before they become the next victims? 

Sage has crafted a cozy mystery that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The town of Hillcrest is charming, and the characters are both likable and endearing. The mystery itself is well-plotted, with plausible suspects that keep you guessing. I ended up reading the book in a single evening because I simply had to know who the culprit was. I highly recommend this one to cozy mystery fans.

*I received this book as a gift and all opinions expressed in the review are solely my own.

Brand of Magic

Brand of Magic: Redferne Witches-Book 1

K.M. Jackways

⭐️⭐️ 1/2

This book was kind of a struggle for me to read. It has an interesting premise….a witch learning to control her ability to read minds while working her Council job, dealing with a mysterious attack on her aunt and trying to help her next-door neighbor with his woodworking business. One of the issues was the storytelling is uneven. It was difficult to follow the storyline because it seemed to jump around. Also, the characters needed a bit more background. Other than the main characters of Hazel and Joel, it was hard to keep track of the rest of the cast. The story ended with too many loose ends, however, the author may have  done this as a cliffhanger. I would rate this at 2 1/2 stars. I know authors put their hearts and souls into their works, so I hope that Jackways continues to write and grow in their storytelling.

*I received this book as a gift and this review is my honest opinion.

Footnotes of a Felony

Footnotes of a Felony: A Maggie Wright Cozy Mystery

Tessa Aura

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maggie Wright and Harper Rhodes are celebrating the grand opening of their private detective agency when Charlotte Montgomery stumbles into the office, begging them to investigate her sister’s death. The police had ruled it accidental, but she was insistent that foul play was involved. As Maggie and Harper investigate, they find that both sisters have been hiding secrets and they are not the only ones.

Aura does a great job of writing a mystery that keeps the reader invested throughout. The plot is clear and straightforward and the characters are well developed. There is intrigue, humor and an undercurrent of romance all through the book. It’s a fast and entertaining read that cozy mystery readers will enjoy.

*This book was gifted to me and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Hyacinths and Homicide

Hyacinths and Homicide: An Iris Bennett Cozy Mystery

Jade Curry

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Curry begins her novel with the murder of landscaper Howard Larrabee. Howard is not well liked in the town of Cedar Grove and there are many possible suspects. Florist and amateur detective, Iris Bennett, begins digging into Howard’s mysterious death. Along with her cat, Winston and Detective Mark Cooper, Iris follows a string of secret messages and clues to bring the killer to justice. 

I struggled a bit while reading this book. Sometimes, it felt like the author was trying too hard to build up suspense and it took away from the storyline. I did like the characters that she created and there was a bit of romantic tension that added to the plot. There seemed to be too many twists and turns that by the end of the book, I honestly was a bit confused. I would give it 3 and 1/2 stars if I could. I think that Curry’s writing holds a lot of potential and I look forward to watching her grow as an author.

*This book was gifted to me and all opinions expressed in my review are solely my own.

Cruising Towards a Killer

Cruising Towards a Killer: Sunset Chronicles Murder Mystery Series, Book 2

Elle Grey

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

A dead groomsman on a wedding cruise was not what private investigator Rosalind Harper was expecting at the nuptials of high school friends. With her cat Perry leading the way, she and her beau Caleb work together to solve the murder. The main plot of this story is solid, featuring several suspects with red herrings thrown in for good measure. The major characters are likable, but I would have liked to have seen the author focus a little more on their development. There were some scenes that eluded to their past, but not reading book one did not affect the overall story of book 2. Also, the changing of POV throughout the book was kind of confusing. Overall, I would give this a rating of 3 1/2 stars. The book has a lot of positives going for it.Readers that enjoy a cozy mystery with twist and turns and a “pet-centric” investigation will enjoy this book.

*I was gifted this book and all opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.