The Rogue Steals a Bride (Rogues' Dynasty - Book 6) by Amelia Grey
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Sourcesbooks
Imprint: Casablanca
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 362
ISBN-10: 1402239777
ISBN-13: 978-1402239779
(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Amelia Grey on the WEB: Website, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
A Duke to Die for (2009), A Marquis to Marry (2009), An Earl to Enchant (2010), A Gentleman Never Tells (2011), A Gentleman says "I Do" (2012), The Rogue Steals a Bride (2013)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from The Rogue Steals a Bride, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
A Promise Can Be a Terrible Thing
All heiress Sophia Hart's father wanted was for her to marry a gentleman with a title. She promised him on his deathbed she would do just that. But the only man Sophia wants to spend time with is Matson Brentwood, who makes up for the lack of a title by being dashing and decidedly dangerous. Since Matson crashed his way into her life and her heart, that vow to her father has become an awful burden.
Thoughts:
The final book in Amelia Grey's, Rogues' Dynasty, The Rogue Steals a Bride, hit shelves earlier this month. Fans of the series will appreciate Grey's attention to detail and her somewhat simplistic approach to the Ton. This regency historical boasts some eccentric characters and a plot worthy of the aristocracy. Grey's heroine Sophie makes a deathbed promise to marry a titled gentleman when her heart is captivated by a rogue. Will she choose to fulfill her vow or follow her heart?
Amelia Grey has a knack for writing characters that readers identify with. Have you ever made a promise, you wish you didn't have to keep? At some point I think we all have and that's what makes Sophie so easy to relate to. Even though this is a regency novel, where titled characters and members of the Ton abound, Sophie is still just a daughter who wants to fulfill her father's wishes. Readers will applaud her resilience and sense of responsibility. She did not take her vow lightly, but the heart wants what the heart wants.
I loved Matson. He was such a good hero. Often in books set in this time period, if the hero has questionable parentage, the entire book will focus on how the hero gets back that which should be his. Usually that entails money and lands. In this novel Grey turns the tables on the typical regency hero. Matson has no desire whatsoever to gain anything that he does not earn himself. He is a successful business man, who doesn't need to Ton to give him a purpose. I liked the fact that he was secure in himself, despite his upbringing.
The heat between Sophia and Matson is palpable. They have an attraction that neither of them wants to deny, but Sophia has more than just love to consider. Loyalty to her father makes her head go one direction and love for Matson makes her heart go another. I liked the humor and tension that Grey adds to the story as Sophia tries to come to a decision that will honor both parts of herself. Her meddling twin aunts were also a comical addition to the story that helped move the plot along.
The romantic scenes between Matson and Sophia range from sweet and dashing to hot and sultry. I thought the love scenes were well written and not overly graphic. They gave the reader the sense of urgency and passion needed to advance the plot, without taking away from it. Sometimes in these types of books, authors overdo it. But I think Grey stayed in just the right range. These scenes didn't seem contrived or just put in for effect. They were the normal progression of a romance between two very passionate characters.
The Rogue Steals a Bride wraps up the Rogues' Dynasty series nicely. Allowing Grey to move on to other things. I think she took the series as far as it needed to go. It is easy for an author to linger too long with some characters who they are highly successful, but in this case I think Grey ended it when it was time. This one was probably one of my favorites of the series and I think readers will love it.
The Rogue Steals a Bride is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Amelia Grey's awards include the Booksellers Best and the Aspen Gold, and writing as Gloria Dale Skinner, the coveted Romantic Times Award for Love and Laughter and the prestigious Maggie Award. Amelia read her first romance book when she was thirteen and has been a devoted reader of love stories ever since. She is the author of over twenty-five books. Happily married to her high school sweetheart for over thirty-five years, Amelia lives in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Thirteen (Women of the Otherworld - Book 13) by Kelley Armstrong
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Plume
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Pages: 480
ISBN-10: 0142196746
ISBN-13: 978-0142196748
(Received for an honest review from Plume)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Kelley Armstrong on the WEB: Website, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
Bitten (2001), Stolen (2002), Dime Store Magic (2004), Industrial Magic (2004), Haunted (2005), Broken (2006), No Human Involved (2007), Personal Demon (2008), Living with the Dead (2008), Frost Bitten (2009), Waking the Witch (2010), Spellbound (2011), Thirteen (2013)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from Thirteen, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
The gripping, epic finale to the bestselling Otherworld series
A war is brewing and the first battle has already been waged. After rescuing her half brother from supernatural medical testing, Savannah Levine—a young witch of remarkable power and a dangerous pedigree—is battered, but still standing. The Supernatural Liberation Movement took him hostage, and they have a maniacal plan to expose the supernatural world to the unknowing.
Savannah is fighting to save her world as witches, werewolves, necromancers, vampires, half-demons, and all the forces of good and evil—including the genetically modified werewolves known as hell hounds—enter the fray. Uniting Savannah with Adam, Elena, Clay, Paige, Lucas, Jaime, Hope, and other denizens of the Otherworld, Thirteen is a thrilling conclusion to this blockbuster series.
Thoughts:
It's hard to believe that Kelley Armstrong is wrapping up her epic urban fantasy series, Women of the Otherworld. But, there are glimpses of hope that readers haven't seen the end of the Otherworld. Thirteen is the projected final book in this unbelievably successful series. Armstrong has been building to the final battle almost from the beginning and readers will be glued to their favorite reading chairs until the final page is read. With non-stop action and the return of all of the previous characters readers have grown to love, this is a must read for Otherworld fans!
Kelley Armstrong was one of the first authors in the urban fantasy genre that I started reading. Had a started with an author who did not have a solid background or who didn't know the in's and out's of the genre, I may never have become an urban fantasy fan. Luckily, I started with one of the best. Kelley Armstrong is a mainstay in the genre and undeniably popular. The Women of the Otherworld series is classic urban fantasy with the romantic undertone. Readers of romance would not be disappointed with Armstrong's books, as their is always a bit of romance thrown in with the epic battle between good and evil themes.
Thirteen is the final book in the series and readers will be really sad to see it go. I generally look at the ending of series in two ways. It gives readers closure with characters they have grown to love over the course of the series. But it also frees up the author for something new. I cannot wait to see where Kelley Armstrong goes next. She ties up a lot of loose ends in Thirteen but she doesn't give the reader a nice tidy box with a bow on top. She leaves a few breadcrumbs which gives the reader a chance to speculate on their own, where the characters go from here. Armstrong also alludes to the fact that the Otherworld will still live on in short stories and other side avenues.
I will have to say as a fan of this series. I was excited to read this final book. There was so much that I felt like I didn't know. I know there has been some speculation on whether Armstrong should have had Savannah as the final narrator as opposed to Elena who started out the series in the first book in 2001. From my own point of view, I think Armstrong was right in making Savannah the lead. She practically grew up in this series and readers have seen the development of the character over several books. I was happy to see her come into her own and really lead the final books in this series. Though some may not like her catty attitude and the way she handles herself, I believe she was perfect. That's how young adults act. They haven't gotten the experience and the wisedom that they will learn along the way. And Savannah personified a young woman finding her way in a very complicated world.
The action in this one was pretty much non-stop. The characters were thrown into one situation after another, without much time to rest in between. It's one of those books that will have you biting your nails and sitting on the edge of your seat. You'll probably get that anxious feeling that readers get when they really get into the plot. Armstrong has a knack for making the reader feel like they are a part of the action. Like they are right there in the fight. I found myself reading late into the night with this one and I wasn't disappointed. It packs a punch and readers are sure to love it!
Thirteen is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
I’ve been telling stories since before I could write. My earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, mine would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to my teachers’ dismay. All efforts to make me produce “normal” stories failed. Today, I continue to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in my basement writing dungeon.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Thirteen by Kelley Armstrong.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 13th.
1. Please leave a comment for the author
2. Please fill out the FORM.
A Custom-Fit Crime (Magical Dressmaking Mystery - Book 4) by Melissa Bourbon
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 320
ISBN-10: 0451417194
ISBN-13: 978-0451417190
(Received for an honest review from Obsidian Mystery)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Melissa Bourbon on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
Pleating for Mercy (2011), A Fitting End (2012), Deadly Patterns (2012), A Custom-Fit Crime (2013)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from A Custom-Fit Crime, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
After a year of hard work in her Texas hometown, Harlow Jane Cassidy’s dreams are finally within reach—if she can just get it all done in time…
Harlow’s designs will be featured in a big magazine spread, but she only has a few days to finalize her collection. Plus she’s busy helping to plan her mother’s upcoming wedding, playing host to her old friend Orphie, and avoiding a competitive Dallas designer set on stealing Harlow’s ideas. Harlow’s making it all work—until someone breaks into Buttons & Bows and the rival designer is found dead.
But when a near miss makes it clear that Orphie could be the next victim, Harlow will have to untangle the threads of evidence if she wants to save her friend, her mother’s wedding, and her business from becoming fashion road kill…
Thoughts:
Melissa Bourbon thrills readers with a mystery within a mystery in her latest book in the Magical Dressmaking series, A Custom-Fit Crime. With two crimes to solve, it's up to Harlow to figure it all out. Bourbon's mix of mystery and magic draws readers in with Southern charm and enchantment. Bliss, Texas is just that, blissful. If it weren't for all the bodies that seem to turn up. The fourth entry in the series is once again a keeper!
There are a lot of reasons I like this series. Melissa Bourbon has a style of writing that is both witty and smooth. She uses her words wisely to give the reader just enough information without giving away the whole story all at once. I love the fact that Bourbon chose dressmaking for this series. My grandmother used to sew all the time and I remember her saying there was a wish in every stitch. This series reminds me of that and the love for sewing that a seamstress inevitably has.
My daughter is an avid fashion designer as she was growing up. Always sketching ideas and sewing. Her desires have gone a different direction now, but there was a time when I thought she would end up being a fashion designer, which also really endears me to this series. I liked the fact that Bourbon doesn't just focus on big name designers. She gives Harlow the tools and the ideas to make her love of fashion very realistic. She knows about pleating and darting and other aspects of fashion that lends credibility to the series. I liked the whole idea of a magazine spread that would feature Texas designers including Harlow. That was a really nice touch.
Buttons and Bows as usual is teeming with activity. I loved the fact that Harlow is making the dresses for her mothers impending nuptials and preparing for her own fashion shoot. The characters in this series are so much fun. It was great to have another visit from meemaw and how this book delved more into how each of the Cassidy women has a gift or a charm that they used in their everyday lives. I have always loved the idea that Harlow's gift was unusual and allowed those she sewed for to have a wish. This isn't something that helps her solve mysteries but it is special and adds that hint of the paranormal into the mix. Mysteries and magic... oh my!
Loved the sewing pattern at the end the book, the Cassidy family tree and the preview of the next book in the series. I love it when they do that. It just whets the appetite for what's to come. This was a well written mystery that had all the right components. I was a little taken aback by the motive but when you add in all the wonderful parts of this book, it didn't seem that bad. A great addition to the series!
A Custom-Fit Crime is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Melissa Bourbon, who sometimes answers to her Latina-by-marriage name Misa Ramirez, gave up teaching middle and high school kids in Northern California to write full-time amid horses and Longhorns in North Texas. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of A Custom-Fit Crime by Melissa Bourbon.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 12th.
1. Please leave a comment describing a vintage piece of clothing or jewelry you have in your collection or would like to have.
2. Please fill out the FORM.
Dyeing Wishes (Haunted Yarn Shop Mystery - Book 2) by Molly MacRae
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Obsidian Mystery
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 352
ISBN-10: 0451239563
ISBN-13: 978-0451239563
(Received for an honest review from Obsidian Mystery)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Molly MacRae on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Goodreads
Books in the series:
Last Wool and Testament (2012), Dyeing Wishes (2013)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from Dyeing Wishes, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
Kath Rutledge’s grandmother left her a charming fiber and fabric shop, a close-knit group of needlework lovers, and a television-addicted ghost in the attic. She may also have inherited the special skills required to untangle a murder.
Always up for trying something new, Kath and her friends from the fiber and needlework group TGIF—Thank Goodness it’s Fiber—are visiting Cloud Hollow Farm for the day to learn the fine art of dyeing. With spring in the air, the friends head out to greet the sheep. But the sheep are more interested in something else—two bodies spread under a tall tree. And one of those bodies is someone they know.
Kath’s friends nudge her to investigate, and no one is more adamant than Geneva, the ghost who loves to play assistant sleuth. But when Kath discovers another murder cut from the same cloth, she’s more determined than ever to hang a roving killer out to dry…
Thoughts:
Molly MacRae returns readers to Blue Plum, Tennessee and to "The Weaver's Cat", the yarn shop of Kath Rutledge. Readers heartily agreed that the first book in the Haunted Yarn Shop mystery series, Last Wool and Testament was a huge success. Now in the second book, Dyeing Wishes, MacRae continues to develop eccentric town denizens and Kath's resident ghost. This is a light paranormal cozy that will draw readers in with it's small town charm and hidden secrets.
I definitely enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited when Dyeing Wishes came out. I will admit that I have a few mixed feelings about this book, but for the most part really enjoyed it. There is a lot to like about it, including some memorable characters and a wonderful location and shop. It has a lot of charm and will probably make readers somewhat nostalgic.
Kath Rutlege inherited the yarn and fabric shop belonging to her grandmother. She moved to the small town of Blue Plum in search of a fresh start and a community to take her in. She found exactly what she was looking for with The Weaver's Cat. The yarn shop reminds me of a just a local place where crafters come to find new inspiration and to spend time together. I certainly wish we had something like that here. I love everything about the shop from the name to the in house ghost, Geneva. But it just wouldn't be the same without Kath.
Kath is an interesting character. She has a quirky sense of humor that stands out in the book. She brings everything together and is definitely a leader. She is also inquisitive and very observant. Much needed qualities for an amateur sleuth. I liked her interactions with Geneva as well as with her friends. She is open minded but still shows some old school ideals and traditions. I think MacRae has done an excellent job bringing out Kath's inner gumshoe. She is a character that I think readers will gravitate to because of her honesty and simplicity. Good characters don't always need to be complicated.
Geneva is probably one of the best parts of this series. As a ghost, she is somewhat high-maintenance. She loves television and has to stick her nose into whatever is going on at The Weaver's Cat. I thought she and Kath made a good team. Geneva certainly has a winning personality and I think she is a pivotal part of the series. Finding out more about her life when she was alive was interesting and I hope there is more of the same in books to come from MacRae.
This is where things get a little confusing for me. There are tons of other characters in this book. I realize that the author is still in set up mode. But usually that ends with the first book in the series and the second book is a little more focused. But that's not the case with this one. It just seems like there is too much going on. Not only do you have a plethora of characters you also have too much of a good thing with the paranormal in this case. Not only is there a resident ghost, which is an integral part of the story, but Kath also is showing some paranormal abilities with being able to feel emotions associated with fabrics and that sort of thing. There were just too many elements for me. I loved the story itself, but I think it needed to be more centered. I have hope that it will become more settled as the series continues.
The mystery itself was interesting. I loved the idea of the ladies from the TGIF posse going to the sheep farm for a dyeing demo. I have actually had some experience with this sort of thing. I have some friends who raise sheep and harvest the wool for dyeing and selling. I was really interested in that aspect of this story. It was easy to tell that the author actually does love yarn and fabrics and that sort of thing. It really through in the writing of this one.
There were plenty of suspects and motives and the murders occurring at the sheep farm was a twist that made it different from most cozies. There was a lot of potential with the theme and the mystery and I think MacRae really ran with it and created a story that was believable yet not realistic enough to be scary. There is just a lighter feel to the cozy genre and I think MacRae embraces that and uses it to her advantage.
For the most part I really liked this one and the lack of focus did not make this one a dud. It's just something that I think the author will probably work on and solve as she goes along with the series. At least I hope so!
Dyeing Wishes is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Molly MacRae was director of the history museum in Jonesborough, Tennessee's oldest town, and later managed an independent bookstore in Johnson City. Her short stories have appeared inAlfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine for more than twenty years, and she has won the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Dyeing Wishes by Molly MacRae.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 12th.
1. Please leave a comment describing your adventures with knitting or using yarn.
2. Please fill out the FORM.
Murder on the Half Shelf (Booktown Mystery - Book 6) by Lorna Barrett
Publication Date: July 2, 2013 (Paperback Edition)
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 320
ISBN-10: 0425262731
ISBN-13: 978-0425262733
(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Lorna Barrett on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
Murder is Binding (2008), Bookmarked for Death (2009), Bookplate Special (2009), Chapter and Hearse (2010), Sentenced to Death (2011), Murder on the Half Shelf (Hard-Cover) (2012)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from Murder on the Half Shelf, courtesy of the author's website.
Synopsis:
Tricia Miles—owner of Haven’t Got a Clue, the best mystery bookstore in Stoneham, New Hampshire—once again plays amateur sleuth as she is unexpectedly reunited with a man from a chapter of her life she closed long ago…
The town of Stoneham is a haven for bookstores, but it is sadly lacking in bed-and-breakfasts. Fortunately Pippa and Jon Comfort’s Sheer Comfort Inn is about to open, and the couple has offered some locals a free night as a trial run.
But it won’t be so easy to sleep after Tricia makes two startling discoveries: Pippa’s murdered body in the backyard, and the fact that Pippa’s husband, Jon, is actually Harry Tyler, a man Tricia loved—and believed dead—for nearly twenty years.
Though Harry is the prime suspect, Tricia doesn’t believe him capable of murder, even though he’s led a life of lies. Especially when she discovers that Pippa had a few secrets of her own—some that may have been worth killing for.
Thoughts:
Lorna Barrett's sixth book in the Booktown Mystery series, Murder on the Half Shelf finds heroine, Tricia Miles once again involved in a murder. Tricia is quickly becoming known in the little town of Stoneham, New Hampshire as the town "jinx". Fans of this series were eagerly awaiting this installment and won't be disappointed as Barrett brings more of Tricia's past into the story. With an unpredictable motive and outcome, Murder on the Half Shelf may be the best in the series so far!
First let me say, that Stoneham is a town I would love to live in. I live in a relatively small town with one bookstore. Yes, just one! The idea of a tourist town specifically based on bookstores would definitely be a dream for me. I am a very eclectic reader and love something from just about every genre. Today's economic climate may not be conducive to this kind of a town because of e-books and the like, but wouldn't it be great?
Barrett once again brings back the tried and true characters that have made this series so successful. Tricia and her domineering sister Angelica, Mr. Everett and Grace, Grant and of course Miss Marple the cat. I love the nod to Agatha Christie with the name. Great idea! But she also infuses new life into this character driven series with two new Stoneham residents, Linda and Pixie. I like the way that Barrett never gets rid of an old character without replacing them with someone new. I think Pixie is going to be amazing going forward with the series. She is very intriguing and fun to read about.
The mystery aspect of the story was definitely interesting. It did not go the direction I expected at all. In fact the motive kind of came out of nowhere on this one. I wasn't too sure how I felt about that part. I felt like I had no idea this was even a possibility. I wish Barrett had given a few minor clues along the way, that way readers could have speculated, what if... But it wasn't detrimental to the story and in the end it all comes out, so no harm, no foul.
Tricia's love life is once again, not exactly where she would like it to be. She really needs to catch a break and find that one special guy. Especially, when the murder victim's husband ends up being Tricia's ex that faked his own death. I think Barrett needs to let Tricia settle down, find that perfect balance between sleuthing and bookselling and love. Readers have watched her struggle with her personal life throughout the series, and I think all of us want to see something really good happen for this character that we have grown to love. Just a thought!
A great addition to the series, with a flawless set up for the next book. Looking forward to seeing where Barrett will take us next with this series.
Murder on the Half Shelf is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
The immensely popular Booktown Mystery series is what put Lorna Barrett's name on the New York Times Bestseller list, but it's her talent -- whether writing as Lorna, or L.L. Bartlett, or Lorraine Bartlett -- that keeps her there. This multi-published, Agatha-nominated author pens the exciting Jeff Resnick Mysteries as well as the acclaimed Victoria Square Mystery series and has many short stories and novellas to her name(s).
Lorna lives in Rochester, NY with her husband and three felines.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Murder on the Half Shelf by Lorna Barrett.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 8th.
1. Please leave a comment describing the kind of bookstore you might want to own if it were possible.
2. Please fill out the FORM.
Tulle Death Do Us Part (Vintage Magic Mystery - Book 6) by Annette Blair
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 272
ISBN-10: 0425251934
ISBN-13: 978-0425251935
(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Annette Blair on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
A Veiled Deception (2008), Larceny and Lace (2009), Death by Diamonds (2010), Skirting the Grave (2011), Cloaked in Malice (2012), Tulle Death Do Us Part (2013)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from Tulle Death Do Us Part, courtesy of the author's website.
Synopsis:
National bestselling author Annette Blair’s “fast-paced, fascinating” (Fresh Fiction) Vintage Magic series continues as clothing boutique owner Madeira Cutler takes on a murder from the past that won’t stay dead...
Maddie’s love of classic fashion has made her Vintage Magic boutique a success—even if the visions she experiences when touching certain items often lead her into trouble. Decades ago, at a Mystic Country Club costume ball, a secret scavenger hunt ended in an unexplained death, hastily concealed.
Now, Maddie's invited to participate in a similar anniversary event: but one touch of the vintage petticoat used to hide evidence of the original crime hurtles Maddie into a scavenger hunt of her own. She must find missing petticoat pieces and re-stitch the clues it reveals...to expose a killer!
Thoughts:
Annette Blair brings readers the sixth book in the Vintage Magic Mystery series, Tulle Death Do Us Part. Once again vintage dress shop owner, Maddie Cutler and her friends find themselves knee deep in a mystery, as a vintage petticoat sends Maddie 40 years in the past to a scavenger hunt gone bad. Blair's use of the paranormal only gets better in her latest book and readers of the series are in for a few surprises in both Maddie's personal and professional life. Blair's knack for using the past to figure out the clues in this mystery is both entertaining and enlightening.
I have enjoyed the Vintage Magic series since I started reading it in 2011. I loved the idea of mixing a good old fashioned cozy mystery with the paranormal. Not the vampire and werewolf kind of paranormal but the tried and true ghostly kind. The whole idea of a heroine with psychometic abilities had a lot of potential and couldn't wait to see where Annette Blair would lead with this series. Her latest book, Tulle Death Do Us Part, continues to use that special mix of cozy and paranormal and a touch of history added in and I'll have to say I am still very invested in this series.
Maddie Cutler is such an interesting character. Not only is her gift intriguing and something that adds a lot of interest to the story, but her personal relationships and the people she comes in contact with draw the reader in and help them to become invested. In her latest book, Blair makes some changes to Maddie's personal life that will thrill some readers and leave others with their mouths hanging open. I was on the fence about this new development. I'm not quite sure Blair sold it. But I'm intrigued to see where things go with it and can't wait to see what happens next.
The mystery aspect of this one was quite well written. I liked the idealism behind it. A murder happened forty years ago among a group of spoiled debutantes and their friends who have now become pillars of the community. When Maddie touches a petticoat belonging to one of the witnesses to what really happened, the mystery is on. I liked the way that resident ghost Dante helped solve the crime by knowing who these people were. I liked the way that Maddie and Eve had the perfect opportunity to investigate by being a part of an event at the same country club where the murder occurred. But I wasn't too keen on the big reveal. The way Blair went about it was a bit inconsistent with what I would expect from a law enforcement professional. But that didn't spoil the chase, the clues, the inventive motives or the juicy list of suspects. I liked it a lot.
Readers of the series will love this one and it will certainly draw in a new crowd as well. Blair does an amazing job with her characters and her mysteries are really fun to read. I love Maddie has a heroine and I hope this won't be the last in the series.
Tulle Death Do Us Part is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Magic or destiny, Annette Blair’s bewitching romantic comedies became her first national bestsellers. Now she’s entered a world of bewitching mysteries and designer vintage, a journey sure to be Vintage Magic.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Tulle Death Do Us Part by Annette Blair.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 6th.
1. Please leave a comment describing a vintage piece of clothing or jewelry you have in your collection or would like to have.
2. Please fill out the FORM.
Rubbed Out (Memphis BBQ Mystery - Book 4) by Riley Adams
Publication Date: July 2, 2013
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 272
ISBN-10: 0425259994
ISBN-13: 978-0425259993
(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound
Riley Adams (aka. Elizabeth Spann Craig) on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Books in the series:
Delicious and Suspicious (2010), Finger Lickin' Dead (2011), Hickory Smoked Homicide (2011), Rubbed Out (2013)
Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.
Excerpt from Rubbed Out, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside Feature.
Synopsis:
Even Lulu Taylor—proprietress of Aunt Pat’s Barbeque Restaurant in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee—needs to get out of the kitchen now and then. But at the Rock and Ribs festival, she finds more than a taste of trouble…
Reuben Shaw rubs a lot of people the wrong way—including Lulu’s best friend, Cherry, who has the misfortune of being in the booth next to his at the festival. The pigheaded pit master thinks he’s a shoo-in to win the barbeque competition, but he spends more time stirring up trouble than seasoning his spare ribs. Hours after she gets into a quarrel with him, Cherry finds Shaw dead with a butcher knife in his chest. Now it’s her turn to get grilled—by the police. Lulu sets out to clear her friend’s name and finds Shaw had more secrets than his BBQ recipe. She’ll need to act fast, because the real killer will spare no one…including Lulu.
Thoughts:
Lulu Taylor and the crew from Aunt Pat's Barbeque are back in Riley Adams, latest book, Rubbed Out, the fourth book in the Memphis BBQ mystery series. This time it's off to the Rock and Ribs festival, where Lulu's friend Cherry hopes to bring home the prize, but when a fellow contestant ends up dead, Cherry is in hot water. Adams continues to entertain with humor and wonderful background on the Memphis BBQ scene. Her characters are realistic, yet captivating and her suspects and motives are intriguing. A great addition to the series.
One of the things that I love about this series, is all of the information about BBQ and the Memphis area. I like the fact that the author is able to balance those details against the mystery aspect of the story and still provide a lot of interesting facts. This includes the great recipes at the back of the book. You gotta try the Pineapple Casserole!
Lulu is such a delightful heroine. She is middle aged but still has a lot of spunk. She is determined and full of vinegar. There is a lot of humor added into this book and a lot of that comes from Lulu's character. She always seems to find herself in the middle of something. I think Adams does a fantastic job of making Lulu the heroine of the book, but also providing her with a great supporting cast of characters like Ben and Sara and Cherry.
I liked the background for this particular book. I have heard and watched television programs about BBQ Pit masters and that sort of thing and the Rock and Ribs festival from Rubbed Out really reminded me of that. I liked that a lot. These things get super competitive and I could actually see Cherry getting into an argument with the crew next door. That made the plot very plausible which is always good in these types of mystery. If you can't read the book and decided whether something like this could actually happen in real life, it takes a little something away from the mystery.
I totally bought the whole concept. The suspects were believable and interesting and there were certainly some serious motives for wanting Reuben dead. I thought the way that Lulu and Cherry worked together to figure whodunit, was fun to read and had some depth to it. I didn't figure it out until the last chapter, which made it that much more interesting. There were several directions that the author could have gone. I was happy with the ending and left wanting more. Can't wait til the next one comes out!
Rubbed Out is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
About the Author:
Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin/Berkley (as Riley Adams), the Southern Quilting mysteries for Penguin/NAL, and the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink and independently. She blogs at Mystery Writing is Murder, which was named by Writer's Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Her most recent releases are Quilt or Innocence (June 2012) and A Body in the Backyard (October 2012.) Her next book, Knot What it Seams, releases February 5, 2013.
Elizabeth is active in the online writing community. She shares writing-related links on Twitter as @elizabethscraig and posts on craft and the publishing industry on her blog, Mystery Writing is Murder. She and Mike Fleming of Hiveword also manage the Writer's Knowledge Base-a free search engine to help writers find resources.
As the mother of two in North Carolina, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles volunteering, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips.
Giveaway Details:
The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Rubbed Out by Riley Adams.
~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, August 5th.
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