A Little Bookish Blog

Demons are a Girls Best Friend

Demons are a Girls Best Friend
by: Linda Wisdom
(Author's Website)

(Hexy Witches #5)

Sourcebooks, Incorporated, April 2011
384 pages

From the Publisher:

A bewitching woman on a mission…

Feisty witch Maggie enjoys her work as a paranormal law enforcement officer—that is, until she’s assigned to protect a teenager with major attitude and plenty of Mayan enemies. Maggie’s never going to survive this assignment without the help of a half-fire demon who makes her smolder…

A hotter-than-sin hero with an agenda…

Declan is proprietor of an underground club and busy demon portal. No way he’ll allow his demon race to be blamed for the malicious acts of some crazy evil Mayans. But he’s already got his hands full when the sexy witch offers him a challenge he can’t refuse…

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

The Hexy witch books are one of my favorite series - this book took a little different path from the previous books. I'm not a big fan of romance books - I like a little mystery or story to my books - and in this fifth book there was much less mystery. It was still a great quick read though. Fun to get to know another of Linda's hexy witches a little better and I enjoyed the family that developed in this book - hoping to see more of that in the next book!!

If you're new to this series I would REALLY encourage you to start with the early books and work your way up to this one - If you're not familar with Linda's Hexy Witch world you'll miss out of a lot of the funny moments in this one...

 

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Have you read These books?? I would LOVE to know what you think!!

 

The Quick and the Thread

The Quick and the Thread
by: Amanda Lee
(Author's Website)

(An Embroidery Mystery #1)

Obsidian, August 2010
336 pages

From the Publisher:

When Marcy Singer opens an embroidery specialty shop in quaint Tallulah Falls, Oregon, she throws a soiree and a Stitch-In. Soon, Marcy’s sign-up sheet for embroidery classes fills up and everyone in town seems willing to raise a glass—or a needle—to support the newly-opened Seven Year Stitch.

Then Marcy finds the shop’s previous tenant dead in the storeroom, a message scratched with a tapestry needle on the wall beside him. Now Marcy’s shop has become a crime scene, and she’s the prime suspect. She’ll have to find the killer before someone puts a final stitch in her.

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

This book was a super quick read and I LOVED it! I had already read book two in this series so I was familar with the most of the characters already - which helped me to read the book quickly. As you know I love cozies that are crafty!! Marcy gets pulled into the mystery in this little town and it's fun to get pulled along with her... You'll enjoy reading this book and if you're a fan of needlework or embrodery you'll love it even more for the fun little tidbits of craftyness sewn in here and there.

 

Town in a Lobster Stew

Town in a Lobster Stew
by: B. B. Haywood
(Author's Website)

 (A Candy Holliday Murder Mystery #2)

Berkley (Prime Crime), February 2011
384 pages

From the Publisher:

Things start to boil over at the annual Lobster Stew Cook-Off when an award-winning recipe is stolen and a seven-time contest champion mysteriously disappears—leaving Candy no choice but to find out who in Cape Willington, Maine, would get steamed enough to break the law.

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

I had a hard time getting through the first few chapters of this book. It didn't seem to be moving quick enough for me, but once I got to the Lobster Stew Cookoff I was hooked. This was a charming little cozy - the author did a great job of capturing life in the small seaside town in Maine. The mystery was pretty easy to figure out but Candy and her friends kept things interesting!!

 

 

A Crafty Killing

A Crafty Killing
by: Lorraine Bartlett
(Author's Website)

(A Victoria Square Mystery #1)

Berkley (Prime Crime), February 2011
304 pages

From the Publisher:

The last thing Katie Bonner wanted was to become the manager of Artisans Alley. But when her business partner, Ezra Hilton, is found lying at the bottom of a staircase, bludgeoned to death, she has no other choice. A collection of booths for artisans and craft sellers in a renovated applesauce factory building, Artisans Alley is the main attraction in the quaint Victoria Square shopping area. But business under Ezra had been faltering—enough to provoke someone to murder?

While the cops are proceeding by the book, Katie is investigating by the booths—for the answer to the killer’s identity lies in the hidden secrets of Artisans Alley itself.

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

If you're a craft lover, a mystery lover, and a cozy lover this book is a MUST read! I connected with Katie from almost the first sentence! The story line is fast paced and exciting - it's filled with likable characters and a touch of romance that I'm looking forward to seeing develope in the next book!

I could NOT read a crafty book and not have a home made book mark to go along with it - I came up with this butterfly ribbon bookmark...

Click Here to Read More about These Bookmarks.

Stitch Me Deadly

Stitch Me Deadly
by: Amanda Lee
(Author's Website)

(An Embroidery Mystery #2)

Obsidian, February 2011
336 pages

From the Publisher:

Maggie Singer owns The Seven Year Stitch, an embroidery specialty shop in the small town of Tallulah Falls, Oregon. Trouble strikes when an elderly woman brings an antique piece of embroidery into the shop—and promptly dies of unnatural causes. Now Marcy has to stitch together clues to catch a crafty killer.

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

I love cozy mysteries and I LOVE a book set in a crafty store so of course this book was a pattern for success for me!! It was a very quick read. I enjoyed getting to know the various people from town who stop into Marcy's shop. Following along with the mystery was easy to do but not too predictable. If you love crafts and mysteries you're sure to like this book!!

 

Curiosity Thrilled The Cat

Curiosity Thrilled The Cat
by: Sofie Kelly
(Author's Website)

(A Magical Cats Mystery #1)

Obsidian, February 2011
336 pages

From the Publisher:

When librarian Kathleen Paulson moved to Mayville Heights, Minnesota, she had no idea that two strays would nuzzle their way into her life. Owen is a tabby with a catnip addiction and Hercules is a stocky tuxedo cat who shares Kathleen’s fondness for Barry Manilow. But beyond all the fur and purrs, there’s something more to these felines.

When murder interrupts Mayville’s Music Festival, Kathleen finds herself the prime suspect. More stunning is her realization that Owen and Hercules are magical—and she’s relying on their skills to solve a purr-fect murder.

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

I really wanted to like this book since I'm such a cat lover and I usually like cozies with librarians in them, but I just couldn't get into the book. There were so many parts of the book that were just dragging when Kathleen was just hanging out somewhere talking to the cats. I just couldn't seem to connect to any of the characters and they mystery was on the back burner to the cats. There were a few cute spots in the book when I though things would pick up. I might try out book 2 when it comes out - I think if the human characters were developed a little more it could be a fun series!

 

Polished Off

Polished Off
by: Lila Dare
(Author's Website)

(A Southern Beauty Shop Mystery #2)

Berkley (Prime Crime), February 2011
304 pages

From the Publisher:

Audrey Faye sashays into Violetta’s Salon looking for stylists for the Miss Magnolia Blossom pageant. Hairdresser Grace Terhune’s opportunity quickly turns into a nightmare with anti-pageant protestors, angry mothers, frantic contestants...and then, a very dead Audrey. The murder weapon was a nail file, making Violetta’s manicurist, Stella, the prime suspect. Now Grace must find the real murderer before she is polished off permanently.

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

This is another time where I jumped into a series - this is the second book of the series but the first one I read. I'm looking forward to reading book one! I was able to connect with the characters right away and read the book quickly! I love the fact that in typical beauty pagent fashion there are pleanty of protestors, lies, affairs, and sabatage! Lots of fun and humor - a book you'll enjoy reading!! :)

Shot Through Velvet

Shot Through Velvet 
by: Ellen Byerrum
(Author's Website)

The body was blue. Not merely wearing blue, he was blue—and not the blue pallor of death. He was sapphire from head to toe, a deep shade of mood indigo.

(A Crime of Fashion Mystery #7)

Obsidian, February 2011
336 pages

From the Publisher:

Fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian is touring a failing velvet factory in Virginia on its final day of operations—and finds one of the factory owners dead, lashed to a spool of velvet and soaked in blue dye. The workers are delighted, since they blamed the “Blue Devil” for killing their jobs. But when another nickname, the “Velvet Avenger”, makes the rounds, and ribbons of blue velvet start popping up, it could be more than Lacey’s job at stake-it could be her life...

Quick Thoughts on This Book From Julie:

This is the seventh book in this series but it's the first one I've read. I got into this book very quickly and found it easy to read. The characters are fun and likable - though I did feel I was missing a lot of history by jumping into the series on the seventh book - I'm anxious to back up and start from book one! The mystery of who "strung up the blue devil" and dyed him blue was fun to follow along with - there are enough suspects to keep  you guessing though most of the book. Overall a very good Cozy Mystery!