It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (April 9, 2018)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading... 

I'm writing this on a sunny, cold Saturday morning. We had snow three days last week but the stronger sun melted all of it away in between the snow showers. We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground. The roads are clear but the ground is still about 90% snow covered. I really want Spring but forecasts are for a colder than normal April.

The next snow is forecast for Monday which also happens to be the day I am attending my first Chair Yoga class at one of Duluth's new Middle Schools. I know where it is but have never been there and am not really eager to drive in snow to get there. Hopefully, the snow will be as light as the last few snowfalls.

I have been keeping busy watching baseballs. The Atlanta Braves are my first choice but I'll have any game on in the background while I'm reading. I have also still been watching The Voice which I usually watch on my computer the day after it airs because it seems to always overlap my Braves games. 

I also enjoyed watching Jesus Christ Superstar last Sunday evening and am listening this morning to the remastered CD edition of the 1970 recording. I had this musical on LPs but got rid of all my LPs when I moved. Most went to a friend's son who was just getting into collecting vinyl. The others were scooped up by people attending my moving/rummage sale.

Read Last Week

• Flowers and Foul Play by Amanda Flower - cozy mystery set in Scotland with a woman fleeing a broken heart who inherits a magical garden. My review will be posted May 5.
• Lake Silence by Anne Bishop - a reread of a favorite book.
• The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg - an alternate history fantasy about a young woman learning the new magic of manipulating plastic. It is also a mystery and a romance. My review will be posted on May 9.

• Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett - a long, young adult epic fantasy that doesn't distinguish itself from the myriads of other YA epic fantasies. My review will be posted on May 4.
• Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire - I chose this one from my TBR mountain because I enjoy epic fantasy and this series has been nominated for a Hugo Award. My review will be posted on May 10.
• Airports, Exes, and Other Things I'm Over by Shani Petroff - a YA romance I got for review from Macmillan. It was engaging and entertaining. My review will be posted May 9.

Currently

The Game Can't Love You Back by Karole Cozzo is another of my recent review books from Macmillan. I am enjoying this sports romance and have just a few chapters left.

The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst is next. This is the third book in the Queens of Renthia series.


Next Week

For my adult reads this week, I an digging into my TBR pile. I have the first books in series where I had review copies from later in the series and wanted to catch up and one mystery that has been sitting on TBR mountain for over a year.

• Montana by Gwen Florio
• Iced Chiffon by Duffy Brown
• Triple Crown by Felix Francis

Two of my YA picks this week are from my review stack. The other one has been on TBR mountain since 2010.

• How We Roll by Natasha Friend (June 5)
• Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe by Preston Norton (June 5)
• A Wizard of Mars by Diane Duane (added to my stack March 27, 2010)

Reviews Posted

On Inside of a Dog:

Bad Neighbors by Maia Chance

The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan

Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton

On Ms. Martin Teaches Media:

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

The Stone Girl's Story by Sarah Beth Durst

The Summer of Broken Things by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Bought

All Systems Red by Martha Wells (free book from Tor.com)

Pocket Apocalypse by Seanan McGuire

Half-Off Ragnarok by Seanan McGuire

 Midnight Blue-Light Special by Seanan McGuire

Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Uncorking a Lie by Nadine Nettmann

Decanting a Murder by Nadine Nettmann

Review Books

The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager (July 3)

The Disappearing by Lori Roy (July 17)

What was your week like?

ARC Review: Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton

Lord of the Pies
Author: Nell Hampton
Series: A Kensington Palace Chef Mystery
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (April 10, 2018)

Description: When Carrie Ann Cole bakes a lemon meringue pie to die for that actually kills someone, she must find out who the real killer is before her time at the Kensington Palace expires.

The elegant Orangery at Kensington Palace is the perfect setting for the bridal shower of Carrie Ann Cole’s best friend’s sister. Personal chef to the royal family, Carrie Ann’s pie theme is naturally winning. But a waiter later keels over dead into the lemon meringue pie she leaves as a thank-you to the staff and Carrie Ann realizes that somebody slipped a mickey into that meringue.

Her floury fingerprints are all over that pie and the authorities suspect her distress is a cover-up for murder. Carrie Ann must set out to clear her name if she wants to stay at her dream job any longer. But all too soon, another body drops in the Orangery. This time, it’s the Orangery chef.

Murder won’t crimp her style, and as bodies pile up, Carrie Ann uncovers palace intrigue, London nightlife, and British pies scouring for the killer in Lord of the Pies, the witty follow-up to Nell Hampton’s Kale to the Queen.

My Thoughts: Chef Carrie Ann Cole fears losing her job as a personal chef to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when a waiter at a wedding shower she catered is found face down in her lemon meringue pie - a victim of poisoning. She needs to clear her name and prove that she is not a murderer.

When Chef Butterbottom, a rival who doesn't think Carrie Ann is worthy of working for royalty, is poisoned at a pie cook-off for charity where Carrie Ann is also a contestant, suspicions rise again. And when another Kensington Palace chef - Chef Wright - is found stabbed to death in the walk-in freezer of his kitchen, Carrie Ann becomes even more determined to clear her name.

As she investigates, she discovers a lot she didn't know about the denizens of Kensington Palace. Married Chef Wright seems to have made a habit of having affairs with the various personal assistants who work there and seems to be targeting Carrie Ann as his next conquest which makes two of his earlier conquests jealous of her. Another personal assistant, who may or may not have had an affair with Chef Wright, is caught selling recipes to a visitor who has a contract to write a cookbook showing the famous dishes he's eaten at Kensington Palace. And it turns out that the waiter may have been planning a second career as a blackmailer.

Between investigations, Carrie Ann is also juggling her friendships with a handsome gardener and the head of palace security. Oh, and she is cooking for her employers too. The story does end with a couple of recipes for pies that sound tempting but a little above my skill level.

This was a lovely cozy with a great setting and interesting characters. I can't wait for Carrie Ann's next adventure.

Favorite Quote:

"I don't want things to be awkward between us." I stepped back while he worked. "I happen to like your fresh veggies."

He sent me a smoldering look and a wicked grin. "There's more to me than my fresh veggies."

Yikes.

A blush rushed up my cheeks and I found myself take a step back before I held my ground. I'm a grown woman. It wasn't my fault I've never been seriously seduced. Was it?

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

"What are you doing in the kitchen so late?" Penelope "Penny" Nethercott asked as she walked into the room.

Friday 56: 

DCI Garrote looked tired and rumpled in his suit. I think I knew how he felt.

This week I am reading Lord of the Pies by Nell Hampton. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

When Carrie Ann Cole bakes a lemon meringue pie to die for that actually kills someone, she must find out who the real killer is before her time at the Kensington Palace expires.

The elegant Orangery at Kensington Palace is the perfect setting for the bridal shower of Carrie Ann Cole’s best friend’s sister. Personal chef to the royal family, Carrie Ann’s pie theme is naturally winning. But a waiter later keels over dead into the lemon meringue pie she leaves as a thank-you to the staff and Carrie Ann realizes that somebody slipped a mickey into that meringue.

Her floury fingerprints are all over that pie and the authorities suspect her distress is a cover-up for murder. Carrie Ann must set out to clear her name if she wants to stay at her dream job any longer. But all too soon, another body drops in the Orangery. This time, it’s the Orangery chef.

Murder won’t crimp her style, and as bodies pile up, Carrie Ann uncovers palace intrigue, London nightlife, and British pies scouring for the killer in Lord of the Pies, the witty follow-up to Nell Hampton’s Kale to the Queen.

ARC Review: The Shadow of Death by Jane Willan

The Shadow of Death
Author: Jane Willan
Series: A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (April 10, 2018)

Description: A charming and clever traditional mystery debut set at a bucolic Welsh convent, The Shadow of Death introduces Sister Agatha, a mystery-loving nun who finds herself in the midst of a real-life murder case.

The sisters of Gwenafwy Abbey have cherished their contemplative life―days spent in prayer, reflection, tending the Convent’s vegetable gardens and making their award-winning organic cheese, Heavenly Gouda. Life seems perfect, except for Sister Agatha, a die-hard mystery fan who despairs of ever finding any real life inspiration for her own novel. That is, until the Abbey’s sexton is found dead under an avalanche of gouda. Despite the reservations of the local constable, Sister Agatha is convinced it’s murder and the game is afoot.

Armed only with the notes she’s scribbled during her favorite podcast, How to Write a Mystery Novel, as well as a lessons learned from crime heroes ranging from Hercule Poirot to Stephanie Plum, Sister Agatha leads the nuns of Gwenafwy Abbey (and her unwitting sidekick, Father Selwyn) as they begin a race against time to resolve the death of Jacob, save the Abbey, exonerate a beloved postulant, and restore the good name of their cheese.

My Thoughts: This is a great country mystery with engaging characters. Sister Agatha has lived at Gwenafwy Abbey since she entered as a postulant at age 19. Now over 60, she has seen changes at the Abbey. From a peak population of 100 Sisters, the abbey is down to 19 and the bishop is looking at closing the Abbey.

Sister Agnes want to write mysteries. The Abbey sent her to school and now the Abbey's librarian has a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. She is in the throes of writing her own mystery when a mystery appears at the Abbey. Their young sexton Joseph Traherne has been found dead in the Abbey's aging room for their award winning Heavenly Gouda. A metal rack holding their aging cheeses fell on him. The local Constable is all set to write it off as a tragic accident but Sister Agnes isn't so sure.

She decides to investigate and recruits Father Selwyn as her unwitting assistant since all the great detectives have assistants to bounce ideas off. But Joseph's death isn't the only mystery at the Abbey. The new postulant, the first in ten years, has secrets of her own and is fleeing a murder investigation. Also, Sister Callwyn who entered the Abbey with Sister Agnes is keeping some sort of secret and showing an interest in technology that was totally new for her.

As she investigates in her village, she discovers that Joseph had a boyfriend whose ex was jealous of his new relationship. She discovers that Joseph had a rival for his position as the lead singer of his choir and the rivals helicopter mother seems willing to do anything so that her son can take the position she feels he deserves. She discovers that one of the local farmers may have a motive to discredit the abbey's cheese production in order to steel business from them. Then there is the new young deacon at the church who might have a gambling problem.

I loved the references to other mysteries and the references to the podcast that Sister Agnes listens to religiously (sorry!) for hints about writing her own mystery. This was an entertaining story with great characters and plot twisty enough to keep me guessing.

Favorite Quote:

"Just a few loose ends to tie up," Sister Agatha said. She put the notebook down. "Although I must say, I'm not bouncing back like Stephanie Plum, which is a disappointment. She figures out the bad guy, gets shot, her car blows up, and then the next thing you know, she's making out with her boyfriend. I feel more like lying down. Alone."

"Sister. Honestly." Father Selwyn shook his head.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Bad Neighbors by Maia Chance

Bad Neighbors
Author: Maia Chance
Series: An Agnes and Effie Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (April 10, 2018)

Description: Agnes Blythe and her glamorous Aunt Effie must take a break from restoring their inn to rake in the clues when a local mechanic is murdered in national bestselling author Maia Chance’s charming second Agnes & Effie mystery.

It’s leaf-peeping season in Naneda, New York, and Agnes Blythe has settled into helping her eccentric Great Aunt Effie restore the Stagecoach Inn. It seems nothing can shatter the golden idyll―or the ka-ching of cash registers―until a mechanic at Hatch Automotive is found bludgeoned to death with a wrench.

Sweeping into action, Agnes and Aunt Effie are on the scene, when a tourist-laden motor coach breaks down outside of town. The Stagecoach Inn isn’t exactly ready for guests, but Agnes and Effie agree to take in a group of seniors while they wait for repairs. But then, Agnes finds herself pulled into the investigation when she learns her new boyfriend, gorgeous Otis Hatch, is the Naneda Police Department’s prime suspect.

With bodies falling faster than the foliage, Agnes must leaf through the more viable suspects and clear Otis’s name of murder in Bad Neighbors, the charming second Agnes and Effie mystery from national bestselling author Maia Chance.

My Thoughts: Agnes and Effie are at it again. When Mikey is murdered and it looks like Agnes's potential boyfriend is the suspect, she and her Aunt Effie begin to investigate. Since it is also festival time, and the town wants to look good for the judge sent in to decided if their town festival is best, there are additional complexities.

When a tour bus breaks down, Effie invites some of the seniors on the tour to stay at their new inn which is definitely not ready for guests. Between entertaining them and investigating, Agnes almost doesn't have time to worry about her relationship with Otis. There were a great many characters to keep track of in this story and only Delilah who owns the cupcake shop was distinct since she and Agnes were rivals for Otis's affections.

This cozy features a young woman who is snarky but also insecure. She enjoys being back in her hometown but hasn't yet decided to put down roots (which is part of the problem with her relationship with Otis). This is definitely a cozy mystery with a nice dash of humor.

Favorite Quote:

"I think I'll stick to using my own personality," I said, "since Jessica Rabbit's is already taken."

"Suit yourself. But the method is tried and true, although sometimes one swaps out the cookies for rib eye."

"I am getting way too much relationship interference from women over the age of sixty! First Lo, now you --"

"We speak from a combined century of experience."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

First Paragraph/Teaser Tuesday: Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posted the first paragraph of a book she is reading or planning to read. In 2018, Vicki from I'd Rather Be at the Beach is taking over this meme.

Here's mine:

What had she been thinking? Using the "Ride of the Valkyries" as a ringtone? Because that shit waking a person up at six in the morning was just cruel. Really cruel.

And, as always, she'd done it to herself.

 

Link up here. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Here's mine:

Who just ran around trying to kill a naked, unarmed woman? His analytical side wanted to know.

The grizzly side of him, though, didn't care about all that. All it knew was that it had been shot. And shooting a grizzly but not killing it immediately...always and exceptionally bad move.

This week I'm spotlighting Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston. I received this one teaser from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

It’s not every day that a beautiful naked woman falls out of the sky and lands face-first on grizzly shifter Berg Dunn’s hotel balcony. Definitely they don’t usually hop up and demand his best gun. Berg gives the lady a grizzly-sized t-shirt and his cell phone, too, just on style points. And then she’s gone, taking his XXXL heart with her. By the time he figures out she’s a honey badger shifter, it’s too late.

Honey badgers are survivors. Brutal, vicious, ill-tempered survivors. Or maybe Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is just pissed that her useless father is trying to get them all killed again, and won’t even tell her how. Protecting her little sisters has always been her job, and she’s not about to let some pesky giant grizzly protection specialist with a network of every shifter in Manhattan get in her way. Wait. He’s trying to help? Why would he want to do that? He’s cute enough that she just might let him tag along—that is, if he can keep up . . .

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (April 2, 2018)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

I'm writing this on Saturday morning. We were supposed to have a "snowmageddon" last night that disappointingly amounted to less than 2 inches. Admittedly, I'm the only one in my house disappointed. My brother, who runs the snowblower, was glad not to have to clear the snow before he went to work. However, temperatures are cold and expected to stay that way for a few days. The Easter Bunny will need a parka and Easter bonnets should come equipped with ear flaps.

I had an eye doctor appointment this week and was pleased that I didn't need to buy new glasses as the change was too slight to require it. I also learned the progress of the slow-growing cataract in my left eye and that I had no other vision issues. The doctor said I didn't have to return for two years unless there was a major change in my vision.

Otherwise, it was a quiet week. I was mostly at home reading and watching baseball.

March Report

I read a book a day in March which totaled 10,375 pages. Twenty-three of the books I read this month were Review books. Eight were mine but only one qualifies as coming off TBR mountain. Most of the books I read were recent purchases. Twenty-six of the 31 books I read were ebooks on my Kindle.

I added 36 books this month. Of the 36, 32 were ebooks including 17 new additions to my review stack. 26 of the books are on TBR mountain.

Read Last Week

• Pairing a Deception by Nadine Nettmann - Nice cozy mystery for wine lovers. My review will be posted on April 26.
• The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick - Nice characters and 1930s setting. My review will be posted on April 30.
• Better Off Read by Nora Page - Great main character. My review will be posted on April 28.

• Cake and Punishment by Maymee Bell - Nice mystery and great sounding recipes. My review will be posted on May 3.
• No Cure for the Dead by Christine Trent - Historical mystery starring Florence Nightingale. My review will be posted May 2.

• The Lies They Tell by Gillian French - Twisty mystery set in Maine. My review will be posted April 27.
• Bloodborn by Karen Kincy - Werewolf story. My review will be posted on May 2.

Mayfly by Jeff Sweat - I abandoned this near future dystopia because it didn't grab my attention in the first 50 pages. I kept trying to reconcile the major loss of civilization, i.e. tribes forming, with being able to scavenge houses and still find medicine and couldn't make it work.

Currently

Flowers and Foul Play by Amanda Flower (May 8)

Next Week

Mostly from my review stacks

 Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire (Mine)

The Plastic Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg (May 15)

The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst (May 15)

Airports, Exes, and Other Things I'm Over by Shani Petroff
(May 15)

The Game Can't Love You Back by Karole Cozzo (May 15)

Onyx & Ivory by Mindee Arnett (May 15)

 

Reviews Posted

On Inside of a Dog:

Better Homes and Corpses by Kathleen Bridge
The School for Psychics by K. C. Archer
A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks
A Glimmer of Hope by Steve McHugh

On Ms. Martin Teaches Media:

Elementals: Ice Wolves by Amie Kaufman
The Window by Ameliz Burnskill
They Lost Their Heads! by Carlyn Beccia

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Bought

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer

Sebastian by Anne Bishop

New Review

Island of the Mad by Laurie R. King (June 12)

Burning Ridge by Margaret Mizushima (Sept. 11)

What was your week like?