Sunday Synopsis - Sweet Baked Mystery

 

The Sweet Baked Mystery Series - Books 1-6 by Katherine Hayton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a series, but I have only read Book 1, Cupcakes and Conspiracies. It's pretty good! The setting is a small town named Hamner Springs. The two main characters are sisters. Holly is returning to town; Crystal never left. Crystal is running their family-owned bakery which the accountant says is about to go under. When Holly sees the booming business, there is no way the bakery should be in financial trouble. Then, there is murder. Crystal is the prime suspect. Holly must help determine who the killer is to get her sister freed from jail, and they also need to work out those pesky finances.

It's a fun book. I wish the author had given me more background on the sisters, but I'm hopeful that each book will reveal new details about their personalities. There are some edge-of-your-seat moments, and all the while the author is leaving little hints and clues like sprinkles on a cupcake. The absolute best thing about this book is no cliffhanger! The author has pledged not to use them, thankfully. Nothing ruins a good book more than a cliffhanger!

Some books in this genre tend to be what I call "hokey" (noticeably contrived). This one isn't as "cheesy" or "corny" as most. This is a cozy mystery that is easy and enjoyable to read.

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Purchase this book on Amazon.

Awesome Aussie Words (T13)

 

I recently read the book What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty.  She is from Australia, so I came across some words we don't use here in the U. S.  Here are some of them.

1.profiterole- similar to a cream puff, but can be filled with things other than cream including savory filling or sweet filling, such as ice cream or chocolate.

2. pikelets- similar to pancakes but with thicker batter.  They are heavier than pancakes.  Another source said they were meat pies but I'm pretty sure in the story they were talking about pancakes.

3.  punnet- a basket or other container for fruits or vegetables..  Kind of like a measurement of how much you have.

4.  rusk- similar to toast but baked twice.

5.  foolscap- A size of paper approximately 13x 18 inches.

6.  lamingtons- Butter cake or pound cake dipped in chocolae and rolled in coconut.

7.  fe'te- a celebration or festival.

8.  tuckshop- Like a concession stand;

9.  paddlepop- an ice cream novelty.

10. fringe- What we call bangs.

11. rugged up- To wrap someone in warm blankets.

 12. petrol- gasoline

13. sultana and sultana bran- a sultana is a raisin

There were actually more that I wasn't familiar with, but these are fun!

For more fun lists, visit Thursday Thirteen.

50/50 Friday

I'm participating in 50/50 Friday through The Butterfly Reader's blog, but I think she is on a break right now.  I'm going to do it anyway.

The topic today is...

the best sequel and the sequel that let you down.

I've read a number of good sequels, but one that comes to mind is The Brass Verdict, sequel to The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly. I loved The Lincoln Lawyer, but The Brass Verdict was just as good, if not better.  In addition to Mickey Haller, Harry Bosch makes an appearance in the novel.  There was more courtroom drama.  The book was full of suspense and surprises! I couldn't put it down!

A brief synopsis:  A fellow attorney is killed, and Mickey Haller inherits a huge case defending a studio executive who is accused of killing his wife and her lover.  The person who killed Haller's associate may be coming after him now.

The most disappointing sequel I've ever read is Gathering Blue, the sequel to The Giver. The Giver is one of my all-time favorite young adult books.  Gathering Blue claims to be a sequel, but it had little if anything to do with The Giver except for a mention of Leader Jonas.  (Jonas was the main character in The Giver, and I really wanted to know what happened to him.)  Gathering Blue is about a new character, Kira, who is both an orphan and physically handicapped, living in a society that has no use for the weak.  The story was less suspenseful and things happened at a much slower pace.

Photo courtesy of KissinBlueKaren

Welcome to Read This, a collection of book reviews and giveaways that were posted in the past week or so from around the web. This is a collection of book reviews & contests from real reviewers. If you want to be included in the next edition start with the guidelines, then use the submission form.
Want to read more reviews? Check out Read This for a list of the latest reviews and stellar reviewers. You can also follow on twitter for the latest round ups. Read This is now accepting photo submissions for each edition.

Check my review out under thrillers!

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CONTESTS

• $15 GC courtesy A Soul to Keep by Moira Keith (5/22)
• $25 GC Courtesy Hawk MacKinney & The Cairns of Sainctuarie (5/22)
• CleisPress Giveaway: Better Sex In No Time (5/31)
• Making Your Mind Up-3 book giveaway (6/1)
• $500 Amazon GC Totally Awesome Giveaway (6/1)
• Come Again: Sex Toy Erotica (6/10)
• Three of Hearts: Erotic Romance for Women edited by Kristina Wright (6/12)
• $25 GC courtesy Grace Revealed by Greg Archer (6/23)

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NON FICTION

-SEXUALITY

• My Life on the Swingset by Cooper S. Beckett ~KissinBlueKaren

-MEMOIR

• The Year My Mother Came Back by Alice Eve Cohen ~Just Another Girl and Her Books

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FICTION

• We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas ~KissinBlueKaren

-WOMEN’S FICTION

• The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan ~Just Another Girl and Her Books

-SPECULATIVE FICTION

• The Land Uncharted by Keely Brooke Keith ~Felita @Lilac Reviews

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YOUNG ADULT

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green ~Just Another Girl and Her Books

-FANTASY

• The Demon’s Deadline by Tori Centanni ~Daniela Ark

-PARANORMAL

• The Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro by J.L. Hickey ~Angela Pratt
• Creatura (Creatura series, book 1) by Nely Cab ~Angela Pratt

-SCIENCE FICTION

• Purenet by H. J Lawson ~Felita @Lilac Reviews

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MYSTERY

-COZY MYSTERY

• Seven Threadly Sins by Janet Bolin ~Felita @Lilac Reviews

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THRILLER

• The Ice Twins: A Novel by S.K. Tremayne ~KissinBlueKaren
• Dark Places by Gillian Flynn ~Forgtfulone

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Read This Roundup #32

Photo courtesy of KissinBlueKaren

Find me, Forgetfulone, under Thrillers to read my review of Trial.

Welcome to Read This, a collection of book reviews and giveaways that were posted in the past week or so from around the web. This is a collection of book reviews & contests from real reviewers. If you want to be included in the next edition start with the guidelines, then use the submission form.
Want to read more reviews? Check out Read This for a list of the latest reviews and stellar reviewers. You can also follow on twitter for the latest round ups. Read This is now accepting photo submissions for each edition.

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CONTESTS

• $30 Amazon GC & Red Umbrella Earrings courtesy Emily Craven (4/29)
• The Ultimate Guide to Sex After Fifty (4/30)
• $25 GC Metamorphosis courtesy R W Reels (4/30)
• $10 GC & Print Copy of Ride Your Heart ’til It Breaks courtesy Deborah Hawkins (5/8)
• CleisPress Giveaway: Best Sex Writing of the Year, Vol 1 (5/9)
• $25 GC & Ebook Officer Elvis courtesy of Gary Gusick (5/14)

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FICTION

-WOMEN’S FICTION

• The Art of Baking Blind by Sarah Vaughan ~Thoughts From an Evil Overlord

-DYSTOPIA

• Almost Alive by Daryl Banner ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

-COMING OF AGE

• Trail of the Raven: Haiti by Chip Davis ~Maribel @Platypire Reviews

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YOUNG ADULT

• Accept This Dandelion by Brooke Williams ~Maribel @Platypire Reviews
• Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews

-SCIENCE FICTION

• Deviation (Clone Chronicles 2) by Heather Hildenbrand ~KissinBlueKaren
• Dragonsong by Ann McCaffrey ~Cayt
• Meritropolis by Joel Ohman ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

-FANTASY

• The Secret Seekers Society and the Best of Bladenboro by J.L. Hickey ~Maribel @Platypire Reviews

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NEW ADULT

• Asa by Jay Crownover ~DayReader Reviews
• Gabe (The Alvarez Security Series) by Maryann Jordan ~DayReader Reviews
• Beauty From Pain by Georgia Cates ~DayReader Reviews
• Promise Me Once by Paige Weaver ~DayReader Reviews
• Art & Soul by Brittainy C Cherry ~DayReader Reviews
• The Mad Tatter by J.M. Darhower ~DayReader Reviews
• Surrender to Fate by Jacelyn Rye ~DayReader Reviews
• Until July by Aurora Rose Reynolds ~DayReader Reviews
• Beyond These Walls by J.L. Berg ~DayReader Reviews
• Still Into You by Releigh Andrews ~DayReader Reviews
• A Lush Betrayal by Selena Laurence ~DayReader Reviews
• Diamonds by K. A. Linde ~DayReader Reviews
• Never Kiss A Stranger by Winter Renshaw ~DayReader Reviews
• Rule by Jay Crownover ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews
• Jet by Jay Crownover ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews
• Rome by Jay Crownover ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews

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ROMANCE

• The Rub Down By Gina Sheldon ~DayReader Reviews
• Love Story by Erich Segal ~DayReader Reviews
• Making Your Mind Up by Jill Mansell ~Thoughts From an Evil Overlord

-WESTERN ROMANCE

• Crumpets and Cowpies by Shanna Hatfield ~DayReader Reviews

-ROMANTIC COMEDY

• Those Red High Heels by Katherine May ~DayReader Reviews

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EROTICA

• Darkest Longing by D.S. Wright ~DayReader Reviews
• Lost Desires by Rachael Orman ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews
• Fiend by Rachael Orman ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews

-DARK EROTICA

• Take Me To Church by Fallen Kittie ~DayReader Reviews
• The Siren (The Original Sinners, Book 1), by Tiffany Reisz ~Daniela Ark

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FANTASY

• The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston ~KissinBlueKaren
• Starborn by Lucy Hounsom ~Cayt
• Destiny’s Flame by D. S. Schmeckpeper ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews
• Destiny’s Flame by D.S. Schmeckpeper ~Maribel @Platypire Reviews

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GRAPHIC NOVEL

• The Exile by Diana Gabaldon ~Cayt

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PARANORMAL

• Deck of Cards by Christina Harlin ~Cayt

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MYSTERY

-HISTORICAL MYSTERY

• The Alchemist’s Daughter by Mary Lawrence ~Thoughts From an Evil Overlord

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THRILLER

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn ~KissinBlueKaren
• Trial by Clifford Irving ~Forgetfulone
• Killer Within by Jeff Gunhus ~Felita @Lilac Reviews

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Read This Round Up

Photo courtesy of Book Bumblings

Welcome to Read This, a collection of book reviews and giveaways that were posted in the past week or so from around the web. This is a collection of book reviews & contests from real reviewers. If you want to be included in the next edition start with the guidelines, then use the submission form.
Want to read more reviews? Check out Read This for a list of the latest reviews and stellar reviewers. You can also follow on twitter for the latest round ups. Read This is now accepting photo submissions for each edition.

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CONTESTS

• Best Bondage Erotica of 2015 (3/12)
• $10 GC The Brothers’ Keepers courtesy Matthew Peters (3/13)
• Print Copies of Flamenco, Flan and Fatalities courtesy Mary McHugh (3/17)
• $25 GC courtesy The Clock Strikes Midnight by Joan Curtis (3/19)
• Best Women’s Erotica 2015 by Violet Blue (3/21)
• 3 Stories of Submission from Alison Tyler (4/3)

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NON FICTION

-REFERENCE

• The Fiction Writer’s Handbook by Shelley Lowenkopf ~Cayt

-HUMOR

• Seriously…I’m Kidding by Ellen DeGeneres ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews

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FICTION

• Never Sorry by Edie Claire ~Forgetfulone

-COMING OF AGE

• If I Fall, If I Die by Michael Christie ~KissinBlueKaren

-STEAMPUNK

• Mechanized Masterpieces 2: An American Anthology ~Felita @Lilac Reviews

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CHILDREN’S FICTION

• Mickey and the Gargoyle by Northern Adams ~Cayt
• Greenhorn by Anna Olswanger ~Cayt

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YOUNG ADULT

-FANTASY

• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard ~KissinBlueKaren
• Milayna by Michelle K. Pickett ~Maribel @Platypire Reviews
• Prelude by Nely Cab ~Bob @Platypire Reviews
• Isles Of Olympus: A Guardian’s Truth by Sandra Schepis ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews

-DYSTOPIA

• The Woodlands by Lauren Nicolle Taylor ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

-ROMANCE

• Breaking Lauren by Jordan Deen ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews

-PARANORMAL

• My Wolf’s Bane by Veronica Blade ~Cayt

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ROMANCE

-ROMANTIC COMEDY

• Take a Piece of My Heart by Diane Rose Duffy ~Maribel @Platypire Reviews

-HISTORICAL ROMANCE

• A Stolen Season by Tamara Gill ~Bob @Platypire Reviews

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EROTICA

• Alchemy XII- January (Alchemy XII #1) by Tasmin Flowers ~KissinBlueKaren
• Alchemy XII- February (Alchemy XII #1) by Tasmin Flowers ~KissinBlueKaren
• Last Resort by Kate Roth ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews
• Best Laid Plans by Kate Roth ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews

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FANTASY

• Inspire by Cora Carmack ~Sofia @Platypire Reviews

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SCIENCE FICTION

• Helia’s Shadow: Part One (The Starlight Age #1) by K.C. Neal ~KissinBlueKaren

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PARANORMAL

• Bloodlines by S.L. Dearing ~J. Hooligan @Platypire Reviews

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THRILLER

• Naked in Death by J.D. Robb ~Cayt
• Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris ~Cayt

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My Year in Books

In 2014, I read 41 books.  That's up 9 books from 2013.  I have been using Goodreads to keep track of my reading for going on 7 years now, and I love it.  If you haven't checked out Goodreads yet, I highly recommend it.  I'll also be happy to link up with you so we can share book lists and reviews.

I don't plan to tell you about all 41 books I read, but here are 13 that rank at the top of my list for last year.

13.  Top Secret 21 by Janet Evanovich.  No matter how cheesy her "numbered" novels get, I still get a kick out of them.  The main character is an unlikely bond enforcer wit a hunky boyfriend and a sexy protector/friend of the male persuasion.  She and her sidekick, a former Ho, get into more situations than is humanly possible, and it is often hilarious!

12.  Unlucky 13 by James Patterson.  This is part of Patterson's Women's Detective Series.  Lindsey Boxer, a new mother, and also a great detective, is at work again.

11.  The Gods of Guilt by Michael Connelly.  I love all of Connelly's books, this one especially.  The "gods" referenced in the title are members of a jury.  This book features Mickey Haller of The Lincoln Lawyer fame.  Connelly is good with clever plot elements.

10.  Bones of Betrayal by Jefferson Bass.  This is part of the Body Farm series, which I am one book away from completing.  This novel tends to get a little "icky" as far as the science goes, but it really doesn't bother me because my interest level is so high when reading these books.  This one has a little romance and a little World War II history, too, which was a bonus.

9.   Point of Origin by Patricia Cornwell.  I have liked all of the Kay Scarpetta novels I've read.  This one is #9 in the series.  I really enjoyed this one because much of the action takes place at a farmhouse in Virginia, and Scarpetta and her team are trying to determine the "point of origin" of a fire as well as trying to steer clear of her nemesis who has escaped.

8.   Reckless by Andrew Gross.  This is the third book in the Ty Hauck series, and this book reveals more about Ty's past.  It also involves international banking and other intriguing surprises.  A great mystery.

7.   Galveston by Nic Pizzolotto.  This book surprised me.  My husband recommended it, and we don't always share the same taste in books.  It shouldn't have surprised me since it was set in a town that is a 30 minute drive from my house.  The main character, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, knows his boss wants to kill him.  (Long story, literally!).  He has some surprises in store, though.  This is a dark and intense thriller.

6.  Gone (Not Gone Girl, which was an excellent book) by Mo Hayder.  This is actually #5 in a series, but I didn't read the first 4, and that doesn't leave the reader at a disadvantage.  The story, set in the UK, is about a carjacker who takes vehicles with children in them and the detective assigned to the case.

5.   Gray Mountain by John Grisham.  This isn't your typical Grisham legal thriller.  An attorney is the main character, but it's set in the Appalachian Mountains in Brady, Virginia where coal mining is big business.  This book surprised me.

4.  The Color of Law by Mark Gimenez.  This is my newest "favorite" author.  I love all his books.  This one is fast-paced and suspenseful.  It's also set in my home state of Texas, so it has a familiarity about it for me.  A prominent Dallas lawyer is forced to defend a prostitute accused of murder.

3.   The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.  You've probably heard of this one or seen the movie.  The movie is good, but the book is so much better!  When I first started it, because it was so figurative, rather than literal, I thought it was going to be cliche'.  I was wrong.  This book was remarkable.  Briefly, it's about a  young girl living in Germany during WWII.  That's all I'll say.  Read it!

2.   Inferno by Dan Brown.  I've read several of Brown's books, and I like some of them.  Robert Langdon is back in this mystery of art, architecture, and science set in Italy.  Read it!

And the best book I read in 2014...

1.  Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran.  The love of this book is a departure from my usual routine of reading mystery, suspense, and thrillers.  There was definitely some intrigue, but I learned so much about history.  Yes, it's fiction, but much of the story is based on history, and the author describes the time period, culture, scenery, clothing, and customs so well.  I had no idea Cleopatra's had boy/girl twins (like I do), nor was I aware of what happened to them and to her legacy after she died.  This one was hard to put down!  Read it!

You can link up with Thursday Thirteen here or leave your link below.  To read more about Thursday Thirteen, click here.

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Musing Mondays

Musing Monday is hosted by Should be Reading.

Right now I'm reading a book called Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin.  It's for a book club we just recently restarted, so it's a book a friend chose for all of us to read.  It is set during medieval times.  Four children in Cambridgeshire England have been murdered, and the King of England, Henry, calls on his cousin, The King of Sicily, whose subjects include the best medical experts of the day.  The best doctor (similar to a medical examiner) happens to be a female, so she must hide the fact that she is the doctor because only a man would be accepted as a doctor in England.  While she and her party are in England, the killer strikes again.  I won't give any more of the story away.  It's pretty good!  I'm over halfway, and I haven't been reading it very long.

I read whenever I get the chance, and definitely every night before bed.  I recently purchased Three Minute Devotionals, and I like to read that first each night.  Happy reading!

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Thursday Thirteen

Hello Thursday Thirteeners!  I am really going to miss summer!  Yes, I will like the cooler weather, but I'd still rather it be summer so I can go on vacation, sleep late, and READ!

I've read thirteen books since school released on June 3rd.  Here they are with the most recent books first.

1. In the Still of the Night by Ann Rule
2. The Cold Kiss by John Rector
3. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
4. The Narrows by Michael Connelly
5. The Last Surgeon by Michael Palmer
6. Cause of Death by Patricia Cornwell
7. Lost Light by Michael Connelly
8. Heat Rises by Richard Castle
9. Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
10. 11th Hour by James Patterson
11. Taken by Robert Crais
12. Don’t Look Twice by Andrew Gross
13. City of Bones by Michael Connelly

I'm not sure which was my very favorite book, but I did try three new authors:  John Rector, Gillian Flynn, and Michael Palmer, and I was impressed.  I'd love to hear any book reccommendations you might have in the mystery/suspense/crime genre.  Have a great weekend!

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My Year in Books 2010

Filed under: Thursday Thirteen, Reading, Books

1. I read a total of 42 books during 2010, up from 36 last year. I keep track on Goodreads.

2. I read two children's books, both by Roald Dahl: The Magic Finger

and George's Marvellous Medicine.

Neither one was great.

3. One of my favorite authors is James Patterson. I read 8 books by him:

Don't Blink,

The Postcard Killers,

Private,

Worst Case,

Fang,

Witch & Wizard,

The 9th Judgment,

and I, Alex Cross.

4. I read 6 books for my book club:

I'm with the Band: Confessions of a Groupie (Pamela Des Barres),

Nefertiti (Michelle Moran),

Shanghaii Girls (Lisa See),

The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrewy Niffenegger),

Water for Elephants (Sara Guren),

and The Guardian (Nicholas Sparks).

Out of those, I thought Nefertiti was the best one.

5. I read ten young-adult novels: Fang and Witch & Wizard were mentioned previously. The others were

Unwind (Neal Shusterman),

The Lottery Rose (Irene Hunt),

Closed for the Season (Mary Downing Hahn),

The Adoration of Jenna Fox (Mary E. Pearson),

Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson),

The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins),

Once Upon a Marigold (Jean Ferris),

and Maggie's Door (Particia Reilly Giff).

Out of those, Speak was the best one.

6. I read two books by another favorite author, John Grisham:

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer

and Ford County Stories.

I'm currently reading another book by Grisham.

7. Four of the books I read were nonfiction including one mentioned above (I'm With the Band.) The others were

Grown Up Digital:How the Net Generation is Changing the World (Don Tapscott),

The Ultimate Guide for Men and Women to Understand Each Other (Alex A. Lluch),

and Ready from Within: A Personal Narrative (Septima Clark).

Non-fiction is not my favorite genre.

8. I read 3 books by Janet Evanovich (who is a hoot!):

Sizzling Sixteen,

Plum Lucky,

and Wicked Appetite.

9. I read two books by Robert Crais, another favorite author:

The Two-Minute Rule

and The Watchman.

10. I also enjoy reading Stephen White, but I only read one by him:

Dead Time.

His newest book is next on my list.

11.I read two books that are considered classics:

Animal Farm (George Orwell)

and Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte).

12. Five of my books did not fall into any of the above categories:

The Heretic Queen (Michelle Moran),

The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold),

Heat Wave (Richard Castle),

19 Minutes (Jodi Piccoult),

and Wildwater Walking Club (Claire Cook).

13. If I had to choose a favorite book, that would be difficult, becaus unlike the previous two years, none of them was breathtakingly good (like Angels and Demons and The Kite Runner from 2009 and 2008). I suppose I would choose Neffertiti by Michelle Moran. One of the worst books on my list was Witch & Wizard. Find me on Goodreads and let's connect! I'd love to have suggestions for reading material!

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Works for Me Wednesday

Works for Me Wednesday is hosted at We are THAT Family.

I love to read, and I love to stay organized, so Goodreads is a website that helps me do that.

Goodreads helps me keep up with what I have read, what I am currently reading, and what I want to read. It's hard to remember the titles of all the books I want to read, and Goodreads gives me a place to keep up with that.

Another feature is the ability to create "shelves" for the books you read. I have created a "shelf" for my book club books, 2010, 2011, fiction, nonfiction, young adult literature, and children's books. And I can classify each book into more than one category.

In addition, you can rate the books you read and write reviews if you are so inclined. Goodreads also allows you to automatically update twitter and/or facebook when you rate a book, again, if you so choose. And it allows you to post your reviews to your blog (like this one).

You can also connect with friends on Goodreads and share reviews, book lists, comments, and more, or you can join book discussions. It's quite a handy website for readers!

(I was not compensated in any way for promoting Goodreads, but I wish I could be!)

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