Death in the English Countryside

Death in the English Countryside by Sara Rosett is a delightful cozy mystery. It is the first murder in the Murder on Location series. Kate Sharp works for Premier Locations in Hollywood as a location scout. She is also a Jane Austen aficionado thanks to her degree in English Literature. Her boss, Kevin has been in England scouting out locations for a feature film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. He never made it home. Kate is sent to England by Marci, Premier Locations office manager, to see what happened to Kevin (and make sure he is not on a bender). After arriving in Nether Woodsmoor (Kevin's last location), Kate connects up with Alex Norcutt, a local location scout, who was working with Kevin. 

Kate finds Kevin, but he is not alive. Kate is determined to find out who killed her boss and friend. Kate with the help of Alex follows the clues to find out who killed her friend. Death in the English Countryside is well written and a joy to read. I give it 4.25 out of 5 stars.

The second book in the series Death in an English Cottage is available for purchase on Amazon.  I am looking forward to reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for reading my review.  Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris

Silverwood

Silverwood by Betsy Streeter is a very different sort of paranormal novel. It is very unique with its characters and monsters. When I first started reading it, I was very confused. So much weird information but no background to explain it. If you get past the first part of the book, it all starts to make sense. 

Clan Silverwood started out as people living on a high mountain. Every year they had a festival. They drew beautiful pictures on the walkways. One was of a gnarled silver tree. They would send one person to the tree each year as a "sacrifice". They were kept safe from invaders. One year an old woman came to the village. When she was a little girl, she was one of the "sacrifices". She tells them what the tree and its beautiful "leaves" (small round circles with holes in the center) really are and why the village has to protect the tree. 

Kate Silverwood is married to Gabriel (who is currently in prison--or supposed to be) and they have two children. Kate is a bounty hunter. She chases Tromindox (more on them a little later). For every Tromindox that she kills, she gets money. 

Helen Silverwood is fourteen and a very unusual girl. She is a hacker (do not think computers). She can take apart items and make them into something else. She takes apart toasters, phones, waffle irons, etc. She can look at an item and see all the insides. Helen also has very special blood! Her brother, Henry is nine years old and can draw the future. He is a smart little boy and wise beyond his years. 

Unfortunately, they have to keep moving. Because of Helen's unique blood, she is wanted by the Council (Council of Portals). One day they receive a visit and are sent on a new path. They have to go to Brokeneck, California. They will face many difficulties on the way to their destination, but the family will face a bigger battle when they arrive. 

Tromindox are unusual creatures. They can look like nasty squid like creatures or like a human. They are shape shifters and mimics. They can also get digital faces (complicated). Tromindox feed on human brain waves or activity. They use their venom to immobilize their prey (humans), dissolve the body, and consume the person's energy. It can take a while before the human is completely absorbed by the Tromindox. Before the person is completely absorbed, they can be rescued by Helen's (or Garbriel's) blood. 

I give Silverwood 4 out of 5 stars. It is very interesting, but also a very complicated book. Once you get into the story, you do not want to put it down. The books sequel will not be out until 2016. I have tried to give you enough details of the book to give you the general gist, but not too much to give away spoilers. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you for checking out my review of Silverwood!  Have a relaxing evening and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

Is it Still Murder Even if She was a Bitch?

Is it Still Murder if She was a Bitch by Robin Leemann Donovan is an interesting cozy mystery. Donna Leigh is the main character and she is one of the co-owners of Marcel. Marcel is an advertising and marketing consulting agency. She co-owns the agency with Liv and Donny. 

Claire Dockens, a former co-worker and general menace, is killed at The Boy Scout Dinner from blunt force trauma (she with hit with something odd shaped). She made sure to make life miserable for Donna and Kyle, who also works at Marcel. When they hear about the murder they worry that they may be suspects. So does Clovis Cordoba Seville, another former coworker. Clovis is very self-centered. She has decided the police are after her and she wants Donna and Kyle to clear her name. So they decide to investigate. 

Donna, Kyle, Liv, and Donny set out to investigate along with the help of Peg and Babs (more co-workers). They investigate the crime scene, the victim's house, talk to various people from Claire's life, and even look into the construction company that was going to remodel Claire's home. The ad agency divides up into two teams to see who can solve the crime first. 

Donna also starts to get threats telling her to quit nosing around. This gets her a police detail to keep her safe. Of course, Clovis declares that someone is after her and she wants her own security detail to keep her safe. 

During the investigation Peg and Babs wreck a police car, injure two police officers, and knock down a construction companies building. They are a two person demolition crew! 

The story looked interesting (and sounds funny) but it turned out to be just a very long book and bordering on ridiculous. Maybe I do not have the right sense of humor. The murder was very easy to solve (and can be solved very early in the book). I give Is it Still Murder Even if She was a Bitch? 3 out of 5 stars. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for checking out my review.  I hope you have had a great week!  Happy Reading!

Kris

The Five Stages of Falling in Love

The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson is a lovely romance. Elizabeth Carlson has just lost her husband Grady. He had brain tumors and tried every treatment possible before he died. Elizabeth is left with uncontrollable grief and four young children. Elizabeth will have to work through the five stages of grief in order to get on with her life and find love again. 

Elizabeth and Grady had a great marriage. They were happily in love and enjoyed their life with their children. Blake, age 8; Abby, age 6; Lucy, age 4; and Jace, age 2. They are a handful, but they enjoy their children. Then Grady is diagnosed with brain tumors. They are inoperable, but they try every treatment available to get rid of them. Unfortunately, Grady's heart gives out and he passes away. Elizabeth and the children have to find a way to continue on without Grady. 

It is a constant struggle for Elizabeth. She does not want to get up but knows that she has to for the children. She is constantly angry and strikes out at everyone. Abby is also acting out. Elizabeth's sister, Emma is a big help. Then enters the new neighbor, Ben Tyler. He is very nice and understanding with Elizabeth and the children. At first Elizabeth does not want to accept help, but gradually Ben works his way into the families life. Slowly Elizabeth starts to fall in love as her grief over losing Grady starts to lessen. It will be a struggle, though, for Elizabeth. Elizabeth has different emotions battling inside her that she will have to deal with and handle. Her love for Grady and her new blossoming love for Ben. Elizabeth feels guilty for moving on, but she loves the way Ben makes her feel--alive! Ben will need a lot of patience and a lot of love! 

The Five Stages of Falling in Love is a sweet romance. At some points you just want to yell and shake Elizabeth because she is so steeped in grief and useless to everyone. The ending was very sweet and makes you sigh. I give The Five Stages of Falling in Love a 4 out of 5 stars! I hope you enjoy reading it. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my review.  I am off to watch The Red Band Society!  Have a great Saturday evening and Happy Reading!

Kris

Marked

Marked (Servants of Fate Book One) by Sarah Fine is a unique paranormal book. Cacia Sybil Mara Ferry or Cacy is a paramedic by date and a “Ferry” in her off time. Her family escorts the newly dead to the Afterlife. People are “marked” by Kere’s. When the person dies, the Ferry’s escort them to either Heaven or Hell depending upon the person’s Fate. 

The book takes place far into the future and the world has suffered from environmental disasters and disease. There is a lot crime and not enough police, fire fighters, or paramedics. Cacy lives in Boston and her family is privileged. Eli and Galena Margolis are just moving to Boston. They are amazed at all the wonderful conveniences available to them (like running water). Eli is a paramedic and Galena is a scientist who is working on fighting the different bacteria’s that are killing humans. Cacy and Eli are instantly attracted to each other but there are many complications standing in the way of their being together (as a couple and not just as co-workers). 

I was not sure if I would like this book or not, and I ended up enjoying it. It is a very interesting premise with the Ferry’s, Kere’s, and Fates and a future where modern conveniences are not taken for granted. I give it 3.75 stars out of 5. Claimed is the next book in the series and will be out on March 24, 2015.

Both books are also available on Kindle Unlimited.   

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for visiting and reading my review.  I hope you have had a great week.  Have a good weekend and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking

I just finished reading The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking by Lindy DeKoven is a sweet novel. It is about four woman who are letting wishful thinking getting in the way of living their lives or facing reality. 

Kenzie Armstrong is the youngest executive at Victory Studio in Hollywood and she is at the top of her career. She is about to give a speech in New York in front a very large audience. Kenzie goes to the restroom before heading onto the stage (just wait and you will see why this is important). She is giving her speech when the audience starts laughing. After a few minutes a stage manager comes and up and whispers in her ear that her skirt is tucked into her pink thong. Kenzie freezes up and walks off the stage. She later discovered that she suffered a panic attack. Kenzie had lost her mother recently and had never taken the time to grieve. 

Four years later Kenzie is working at Grayson Downs Racetrack. She just received a promotion. Kenzie has been walking the horses after training for the last four years and is now Director of Marketing for the track. The track needs more exposure to get better attendance and more people using their facilities during the off season. Kenzie receives a prediction from Gemma's psychic. The ring that Kenzie found on the beach (it is a suffragette ring and just lovely) will belong to her future husband and that this future husband will come into her life within the next six months (according to the psychic, Annalisa, who then drops dead). This prediction will affect Kenzie's life in negative ways as she lets it rule her relationships.  Especially her chance at romance with a wonderful man.

Gemma Haskins is Kenzie's best friend. Gemma was raised by her mother and she has never known her father. Until recently Gemma thought her father was a sperm donor until she found paperwork in her mother's closest. Her father had signed an agreement with Gemma's mother. He would pay expenses for Gemma until she was 18 as long as there was no contact. Gemma is determined to find her father and connect with him. (You just know that this is not gong to go well). Gemma sets out to meet her father and his family (he is married with two kids). Gemma believes that when he will embrace her and be happy to see her. 

Brynne Tomlinson has been married for 19 years and has twin daughters. Brynne thinks she is superior to other people. She has wealth, a big house, lovely daughters, and a husband who loves her. Brynne owns several horses that she keeps at the track. Brynne does not have any close friends and does not believe that woman friends can be close and help one another. Brynne's life is going to change drastically as well as her perceptions. 

Sarita Mahajan is stubborn and rebellious. Her father is very traditional, stubborn, and set in his ways. Sarita has just returned from college and has gotten her first job. She is the social media person at the track and works with Kenzie. Sarita is into the goth scene and wants to be a singer. She has been hiding this from her parents until one night they catch her on the front porch kissing her boyfriend, Damien. Her father wants her to marry and be a housewife (very old-fashioned). What will it take for Sarita to embrace who she is as a person as well as her heritage? 

The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking is a lovely book with a very good ending. It is interesting to see the changes that happen to each character and how they come together in the end. I give The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking 4 out of 5 stars.

The book will be out on February 10, 2015. You can pre-order on Amazon.com.  It will also be available on Kindle Unlimited if you are a member.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you for visiting and reading my review.  I have way too many books to read and not enough time to read them all.   But I would not have it any other way!  I hope you are having  a great week and reading a wonderful book!  See you soon and Happy Reading!

Kris

Better Homes and Hauntings

Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper is a cute paranormal romance novel. Nina Linden is a landscape architect and owns Demeter Designs. Nina has been chosen by Deacon Whitney to do the landscaping on his rundown family mansion Crane's Nest on Whitney Island. It is over a hundred years old and no one has lived in it since the original mistress, Catherine Whitney died. There have been supernatural sightings for many years and the mansion is believed to be haunted. 

Deacon has also hired Cindy Ellis of Cinderella Cleaning Service to clean up the house and organize it as well as Jake Rumson is Deacon's friend and also the architect on the project. Nina, Jake, and Cindy along with Deacon will be the only people staying full-time on the island. Well, they were supposed to be the only people staying until Dotty, Deacon's cousin, shows up. Dotty wants to write a book about the history of the house, family, and fixing up of the house. 

As soon as they hit the island, Nina sees a shadowy figure on the widow walk of the house. As they spend more time on the island, they all start to feel the spirits. Nina and Deacon are each having dreams. Nina is seeing things through Catherine's point of view and Deacon is seeing the same events through a gentleman's point of view. They are not sure if the man is Catherine's husband, Gerald or Jack, the man presumed to be her lover. Dotty wants to find out what really happened to Catherine. Who killed her and did she really have an affair with Jack. 

Nina is hoping to get away from her former partner, Rick Douglas. He has been stalking her, running up credit card debt in her name, and destroying her work sites. As Deacon and Nina get closer, Deacon is determined to keep Nina safe. 

The story can be a wee bit confusing at times. It is not just told from one point of view. It rotates between the main characters. You can be reading about Cindy and then it switches to Jack, then to Dotty, and so on. Better Homes and Hauntings, though, is a charming story. It has romance, mystery, and paranormal activity. It is a good book, but not as good as Molly Harper's vampire books (they are wonderful)! I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Molly Harper's next book is The Danger's of Dating a Rebound Vampire. It will be out on March 24, 2015. You can pre-order it on Amazon.

Thank you for visiting and reading my review.  I am currently reading The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking. I will write a full review soon.  Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Beekeeper's Son

The Beekeeper's Son by Kelly Irvin is a lovely Amish romance. Abigail Lantz is a widow of two years and has relocated her family (four girls and one boy) from Tennessee to a small settlement in Texas. Her brother, John and his family life in Bee County, Texas along with an old beau, Stephen. Abigail's brother convinced her to move to Bee County. He is hoping romance that Abigail will marry Stephen. Abigail wants to get away from all the memories of her husband, Timothy. She loved him dearly. 

Abigail's oldest daughter, Deborah, is not thrilled with the move. She is leaving behind her beau, Aaron and her best friend, Josie. Deborah is hoping to get her mother settled and then move back to Tennessee. 

Stephen Stetler is a bachelor in Bee County. He is growing fruit trees and grapes on his property to make ends meet. Mordecai King and his son, Phineas have bee colonies. They sell honey, lip balm (from the wax), beeswax candles, and even bees. Both men are interested in Abigail, but only one of them will catch her heart. 

Phineas King was in a terrible accident as a child. He ended up going through the windshield of the van and ended up with his face severely disfigured. Phineas also lost his mother in the accident. Doctors were not able to fix Phineas' face and he is left with many scars. It has caused him to retreat from society and keep to himself. Deborah's looks past his scars and into his heart, but will Phineas be able to open up his heart to Deborah. 

Bee County is a tough area to live in. It is very hot and the soil is not ideal for crops. The people do not have much money or conveniences. They do not even have ice! The community of Bee County will have to work together to overcome many hardships, but they have each other and God. 

The Beekeeper's Son is a just a delightful book. I just loved it and could not put it down. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I hope you enjoy The Beekeeper's Son as much as I did.  It was such a wonderful book.  It is available on Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble.  I am off to watch The Original's!  I hope you have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris

Down Under with the Hottie

Down Under with the Hottie by Juli Alexander is the third book in the Investigating the Hottie series. It is spring break and Amanda has a new assignment. She is going to Australia. Her long-distance boyfriend, is also going as well as her Aunt Christie and her partner, Nic. Amanda and Will Middleton will be joining a tour group called Go Big Tours that is going to Sydney (and see the sights). Their mission is to stop a terrorist plot to take down Sydney's economy. GASI's believes that Avaritia Militia (from the last book) is behind the plot. Will and Amanda are teen spies Global Agency for Shared Intelligence (GASI). So far Amanda's parents do not know that she is a spy and Aunt Christie has avoided telling them. Will's parents do know and his grandmother, Brenda is also a spy. 

The Go Big group all meets up in LA for the long flight to Sydney. The group consists of a four mean girls, three jocks, Aaron (who is sticking to Amanda and Will like glue), and the chaperones. One of the chaperones happens to be Will's grandmother, Brenda. The tour is not quite what Will and Amanda are expecting. They get to stay in a cheap hotel, eat lousy food, and have to carry hideous backpacks (who wants mustard yellow on a backpack). 

In between seeing the sights, they are trying to get information on the attack. Will and Amanda are looking forward to using their spy skills as well as some of the wonderful GASI technology. Down Under with the Hottie gets 3.75 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed the book, but I did not find it as good as the first two books in the series. Down Under with the Hottie is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for reading my review.  I am currently reading Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper.  I love her books.  After that it is The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking!  I will write reviews after I read them.  What are you reading?  There are so many wonderful books coming out this year.  Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris

As Gouda as Dead

As Gouda as Dead by Avery Aames is a delightful cozy mystery. It is the sixth book in The Cheese Shop mystery series. Jordan and Charlotte are getting married! They have set the date for Valentine's Day on they are going to be married on Jordan's farm. On the night of their bachelor and bachelorette parties, Tim O'Shea, owner of the pub, is killed on Jordan's farm. Jordan feels it would not be right to go through with the wedding and they postpone it (Charlotte agrees but is disappointed). Charlotte is determined to find out who killed their friend (and ruined her wedding). While tracking down clues, Charlotte stumbles across the body of Dottie, owner of Patisserie. Now Charlotte has two murders to solve and she is determined (Charlotte is very determined and nosy) to find the killer. 

Rebecca, Charlotte's ex-Amish assistant, is dating Deputy Devon O'Shea, decorating the shop for Valentine's Day, and is auditioning for the latest play Love Letters (Devon is auditioning for the male lead). Rebecca is a fun character and I like her in the story. 

Jordan is not sure he wants to continue running the cheese farm (I do not blame him. Someone was murdered in his cheese making facility). Jordan used to be a chef before entering WITSEC and relocating to Providence, Ohio. Jordan needs to decide what he wants to do--keep running the farm and making cheese, buy a local restaurant, or there is one more option! Jordan also feels bad for postponing the wedding and keeps leaving love notes for Charlotte. It is so sweet and romantic. 

Councilwoman Belinda Bell is also stirring up trouble in the community. She keeps complaining about the noise and is trying to oust Charlotte's Grandmother as the mayor. Providence is a great town with an interesting assortment of residents.  As Gouda as Dead is a wonderful mystery. I really enjoyed this book and eagerly look forward to the next book in The Cheese Shop mysteries. 

You need to read As Gouda as Dead to find out if Jordan and Charlotte get married, who killed Tim and Dottie, and why is Councilwoman Bell so uptight about noise and music!  I give As Gouda as Dead 5 out of 5 stars.  As Gouda as Dead will be out on February 3, 2015.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review (I won a copy on Facebook).

Did you know that Avery Aames is also Daryl Wood Gerber? Daryl Wood Gerber writes the Cookbook Nook Mysteries.  The next book in the series, Fudging the Books will be out in August.

Thank you for reading my review.  I love reading books that are set in Ohio (I was born in Columbus, Ohio).   Have a great evening and Happy Reading!

Kris