While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

While My Pretty One Knits by Anne Canadeo

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Overall, I was a little disappointed because the mystery was so easy to figure out. I knew who did it and the motive long before the reveal. So, it was a little difficult for me to give it a higher star rating when I felt annoyed at how simple the mystery was to solve. But, that being said, I still finished the book and enjoyed it well enough. I will give the next book in the series a shot because I'm a knitter that loves to read knitting related mystery novels. What can I say? I'm a total sucker. lol! :)

The Chris Farley Show by Thomas Farley Jr.

The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts by Thomas Farley Jr.

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
An emotional book for me. I adored Chris Farley and loved getting to know him throughout this book. Of course, the story is heart breaking in the end and it's hard not to get a little teary eyed while reading. I liked that not everyone agreed on certain points, but that they were still represented. I have more empathy for David Spade than ever before. I can't imagine what that time was like for him. Overall, it was much more than I thought it would be. It was more emotional, more honest, and more brutal than I expected from a biography written by friends and family. There are a lot of great pictures included too. I loved being able to put a face to the few names that I didn't recognize.

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

Secondhand Spirits by Juliet Blackwell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Well, it was different than what I was expecting. There were excellent and realistic depictions of witchcraft mixed with the more fantastical Hollywood depictions of it. I felt conflicted by this throughout the entire book. I guess I don't understand why the author chose to mix realism with fantasy as much as she did. Weird. I enjoyed the store and the cast of characters quite a bit. I liked the setting, the action, and most aspects of the story. I just didn't like the real versus Hollywood versions of magic. It was just so inconsistent for me that it took away some of my enjoyment. I would be willing to give the next book in the series a try though. There were definitely enough positives for me to go into the next one with an open mind.

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

You Are So Undead to Me by Stacey Jay

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not bad. There were a few editing problems that I noticed and that always takes me out of the story. I was a little disappointed with some aspects of the plot and entertained by others. For example, I was a little disappointed by who was behind the RC attacks and the motive. However, I loved all the zombies and the job of the Settlers. I'm not sure all of the explanations of Settlers work together, but it was an interesting concept and I enjoyed it overall. For instance, the author said zombies are attracted to Settlers in their age range and that adult Settlers that have children lose their Settler abilities. I would think more adult Settlers would be needed because so many adults have children at some point. Plus, she mentioned many older (childless) Settlers work in Settler Affairs and I wasn't clear if they still deal with zombies at that level. And then there are adults that go into Enforcement, so it's a little more confusing figuring out who deals with the adult zombies. A little nit-picky, but these are the details that distract me while reading a book. I might read a sequel, but I wouldn't run out and buy it right away either.

Poisoned by Gilt by Leslie Caine

Poisoned by Gilt by Leslie Caine

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
This is the first book I've read in this series and it is okay. I would not say it is poorly written, but I did not fall in love with the main characters. It is almost too realistic at times with Erin's inner thoughts. But, she's much more girly than I am so I did not really connect with her. I don't know that I want to go back and read this series from the beginning. I fear that it's a Stephanie Plum-like scenario where Gilbert and Sullivan are "made for each other" but that their romance has trouble getting off the ground and never really gets anywhere. In fact, that is a strong reason I may have disconnected from the story in the first place. It's just something that doesn't work for me. I'm not really sure what to say about the mystery. It was a little odd and the reveal seemed a little uneven. It felt delayed and rushed all at the same time. Very odd to me. Oh well. The book didn't suck, but I'm not sure I'm going to read any others in this series.

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I'll be honest. I had a hard time getting through the beginning of this book. It was written with a bit more formality than I expected. It just didn't grab me right from the start, so it felt like a chore to read. However, that view quickly changed once I got into the meat of the story. The action of the second half is fast paced and exciting. By the end of the book, I really liked Mrs. Pollifax and would gladly read more of her adventures. She showed that she is smart and resourceful, and I didn't feel that I needed to suspend as much disbelief as I thought I would when I read the description. Overall, I enjoyed the book and I'm glad I stuck it out until the end.

Leftover Dead by Jimmie Ruth Evans

Leftover Dead by Jimmie Ruth Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Overall, I really liked it. I like that they were investigating an unsolved crime because it feels somewhat unrealistic for a small town setting to host so many murders throughout a series. It's especially difficult to suspend my disbelief that one character would find herself connected to every murder, in such a setting. Additionally, the main characters leave town to follow up on some leads and I really liked that. I guess I just need to see some changes of scenery, even in a book series. Miranda and Mayrene were pushed to the side quite a bit in this book, which was surprising to me. They were really only mentioned in passing. The author really focused on Wanda Nell and Jack's relationship, as well as the unsolved crime, of course. I was put off by a few small plot points, but not enough to stop reading the series. In fact, I am really looking forward to reading the next installment soon. :)

Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton

Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
A bit of a spoiler in this review! Beware if you are one of those that hates a spoiler!

I loved this series when it first started, but I did not love this installment. The plot seemed a little unusual by the end. I had a million and 4 ideas as to why the victim was killed and they were all very wrong. But, in the end, I liked my possibilities more than the what the author gave me. There was one thing in the book that really got to me. Kelly has a moment where she thinks she's figured out who is behind every thing and even thinks she might be falling into a trap, but she stubbornly ignores that thought and proceeds recklessly. I understand that she's impatient and impulsive to a degree, but it just didn't feel genuine. If one thought they might be walking in to a trap of some kind, even for a second, how could they proceed without finding a way to inform someone just to be safe? It's one thing to walk in on a killer unwittingly in a mystery novel, it's another to recognize it may be a trap but proceed without a safety net. I thought it was a little sloppy because the author showed me that Kelly wasn't blind to the possibility of walking into a killer's trap. But, no, instead she ignores her internal warnings, with the handicap of a broken ankle no less. With all of that said, however, I look forward to reading the next book in the series. But, if I'm unhappy when I finish that one, I can't say for certain I will continue with future installments. :(

Dying to Be Thin by Kathryn Lilley

Dying to Be Thin by Kathryn Lilley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have been on a cozy mystery kick for a few years now and this one caught my eye as something new to try. Overall, I enjoyed it. Often when I start a new series, I'm disappointed with the first installment. Happily, that did not happen this time. I think this was a very strong start to a series. It is a little seedier than I was expecting, but that doesn't bother me at all. :) Also, I must confess that I figured out who was behind everything rather early on and I deduced a big part of the motive as well before the reveal. I don't think it was obviously written, but it is easy enough if you don't fall for all of the red herrings and other misdirections. I will definitely read more in this series.

Drink, Play, F@#k by Andrew Gottlieb

Drink, Play, F@#k: One Man's Search for Anything Across Ireland, Las Vegas, and Thailand by Andrew Gottlieb

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I couldn't decide if this book was fiction or non-fiction in the beginning. By the end, I felt like it was actually a mix of the two. I just don't think the entire thing was made up. Anyway, the section on Ireland was my favorite. It was fast to read and most of it rang very true to me. The Las Vegas section was overall pretty good too. I experienced Vegas for the first time not that long ago and many parts of the story rang true, as well. The Thailand section is sort of where he lost me. Now, I've never been to Thailand so I didn't have any first hand knowledge to work with while reading. But, most of that section did not have the organic feel of the first 2 sections. Maybe I was just expected to suspend too much disbelief. I'm not sure, but I know I didn't love the last section of the book and it affected how I felt about the book as a whole.