Angels are Kids and Furkids: November 2015

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Book Review: Mrs. Whippy

Title: Mrs. Whippy
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Pages: 75
Publication Date: 2009
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Romance

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"A woman in trouble turns to ice cream, and just might find love in its pursuit. Emelda is 46 years old. Her husband, Charlie, has just left her for a 23-year-old dancer. Her five difficult sons worship their father and blame Emelda for his departure. On top of everything else, she has to struggle with a new job at the local supermarket. For comfort she turns to her only true friend ice-cream. But lately there's a handsome man driving the ice-cream van. Could romance be about to blossom?"

My Review:
To be perfectly honest....this book caught my eye while at the library because of the ice cream on the cover. Haha, never go to the library snackish...or maybe I should, because this was a great little read. I have my hands tied not to go into too much detail due to this being a short book, or I would give away the whole thing. So here is my condensed, but hopefully helpful view:
Emelda, the main character of this book, is absolutely amazing and someone I could see myself quickly making friends with! She is overweight and very much down on her luck in love, and in her friendships and also in her family life. However, through all this she finally decides enough is enough and starts doing things to try and changer her situations all the way around. Every little bit helps and finally finding support can help too...if she ever finds that. I think the reason I loved this book the most is because I could relate to Emelda completely. Right down to how her pig of an ex husband treats her because he thinks he can. I also laughed out loud about how all her memories are quickly related to ice cream flavors. This puts a smile on my face, even as I type this. You hear how songs or restaurants or smells do this for people, but for Emelda it's ice cream flavors. This is hilarious and amazing all at the same time to me!!!

Like I said, I can't detail much more because of the short read, but trust me you just MUST pick up this book and read it. I found myself laughing, almost crying, and cheering all throughout this read. It is short and quick and easy to read, so just take the time to do it! If you love it like I did, it was well worth it and if you for some reason hate it, well you didn't waste much time reading it. But I highly encourage you to read it!

5/5 Stars!!!

Monday, November 16, 2015

Book Review: The Pumpkin Muffin Murder

The Pumpkin Muffin Murder (A Fresh-Baked Mystery, #5)

Title: The Pumpkin Muffin Murder
Author: Livia J. Washburn
Pages: 277
Publication Date: 2010
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"The fifth in a delectable series fans can't wait to sink their teeth into. Includes fifteen recipes!

Phyllis loves to spend quality time with her grandson. She'll be taking him to a festival with hopes of winning the baking contest-now that her friendly competitor, Carolyn, is judging and not competing. But when a decorative scarecrow is actually a dead body in disguise, it's Phyllis's sleuthing skills that are needed.

The dead body is that of the festival's organizer- and his wife, Carolyn's friend, falls under suspicion. Carolyn turns to Phyllis for help, because who's better at dishing out some justice than a baker extraordinaire who can handle the heat... "

My Review:

Phillis may be an older, retired school teacher who lives with three other retired teachers, but she is just as sharp in the mind as she was many years ago...especially when it comes to solving a murder. Phyllis is currently focused on her grandson, Bobby, who is staying with her and on making just the right recipe for the fall harvest cooking contest. She is very hopeful to win this year seeing her main rival/friend/roommate is a judge instead of competing against her this year. Soon, though, her thoughts go to murder and who could or would really kill a prominent real estate man in town, Logan. Police are convinced it was his wife's doing after many people saw them fighting over an accused affair in public. Phyllis may not know the wife, Dana, very well, but she really finds it hard to believe she is a murderer. Even though she vows to not get involved any further than helping Dana get a lawyer Phyllis is soon up to her eyeballs in mystery and clues. Will she figure it out to save Dana from a life behind bars? If Dana is innocent will the real killer allow Phyllis to prove it? What if Dana really did murder her husband, is Phyllis really helping a murderer get away with it?

I have never read any of this series before, but seeing Thanksgiving is right around the corner I thought it perfect to read a murder mystery taking place around Thanksgiving too. As soon as I started reading this book I was in love with the characters! They are all so different in character, but so fascinating too! My favorite characters were Sam and Phyllis though, but Carolyn was pretty amusing too. Kind of like a Golden Girls special in book form and with murder. I also loved the plot. Things moved pretty quickly and easily in this book, which is what I like in a book. I did, however, feel like some parts could have been moved through a bit faster, but maybe I was just anxious to see if my suspicions were correct in what really happened in the murder and at who's hands. I must say every time I was 100% sure of my thinking something happened in the book to make me question myself all over again. This book is full of wonder, mystery, drama, romance (in a way), friendships, and murder.

Part of a series or not, this book was a great stand alone read. This book may have referenced to past books in a round about way, but never in any way that made me confused or lost. Just in a way that makes me wonder if I should go back and read the other books because I'm curious about how Phyllis has such a reputation for solving murders.

This was a good read for me and I would recommend any mystery lover take time to check it out. It was a great "who done it" that was fun to try and solve along the way to the end and real conclusion.

4/5 Stars

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Book Review: Death of a Neighborhood Witch

Death of a Neighborhood Witch (A Jaine Austen Mystery, #11)

Title: Death of a Neighborhood Witch
Author: Laura Levine
Pages: 297
Publication Date: 2012
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"When her faithful feline Prozac unwittingly scares to death a parakeet belonging to the neighborhood's resident curmudgeon, Jaine finds herself knee-deep in toil and trouble. The cantankerous Hollywood has-been once played the part of Cryptessa Muldoon, television's fourth most famous monster mom. Now a bitter, paranoid old dame, Cryptessa spends her days making enemies with everyone on the street, and accidental bird killer Jaine is no exception. So when the ornery D-lister is murdered with her own Do Not Tresspass sign on Halloween night, the neighborhood fills with relief--and possible culprits.

With a killer on the loose, Jaine hardly has time to fall under the spell of her yummy new neighbor, Peter. As the prime suspect, she summons her sleuthing skills to clear her name and soon discovers that everyone has a few skeletons in their closets--and movtives for murder are endless. Could it have been Cryptessa's next door neighbors, the barracuda husband and wife realtors whose landscaping Cryptessa bulldozed? Or the seemingly sweet old lady whose beloved dog was the object of Cryptessa's wrath? Or perhaps the crotchety actress was done in by her own nephew in a desperate attempt to get his hands on her money?

As the masks come off, Jaine's search for sweet justice turns up more questions than answers. And just when she thought nothing could be scarier than her run-in with a tortuous Tummy Tamer, she closes in on the killer and learns the true meaning of grave danger... "

My Review:

WOW! What a book. All Jaine wants is to steal the affection of the new guy in town, Peter. He's simply stunning and is just sweet as pie. The problem is her neighbor Lance seems to be convinced Peter is gay and he is staking claim to him. Well well well, those are words to start the battle of who will win Peter over first. Before Jaine can think much about Peter however, she is swept up in a murder case...and she is the prime suspect because she killed the woman's old decrepit bird before she was murdered. Soon Jaine is up to her eyeballs in people who hated the mean old lady that was murdered. How will she ever find the real murderer before she is thrown in jail and the key tossed away? Will the real murderer allow Jaine to investigate or will she die trying to save herself? And more importantly to Jaine...can handsome Peter really be gay?

I have not read any of the other books in this series or by this author, but I must say I very much enjoyed this one. I loved how there was the main murder plot, but then there was the romance plot and the plot of the goings on of her parents too. It all just added to my enjoyment of the book. It was well written and very detailed in every aspect...settings, characters, and interactions between those characters. I just loved the characters of this book! They were just hilarious and very easy to love and very well developed. My favorite character by far was Jaine. She is so humorous and so easy to love.

I found myself laughing out loud at so many parts of this book. I also found myself groaning in embarrassment for poor Jaine as she went through her awkward circumstances throughout the book. The part about the spandex tummy tamer was too funny! I could see it playing out and just couldn't stop laughing! I love Jaine's cat, Prozac, too. It's just another way to add to the fun of the book. If you want a murder mystery with suspense, but also want something that will make you laugh along the way, then this is the book for you for sure! I just loved this book! It had it all....murder, mayhem, romance, friendships, thrills, twists, turns, humor....the whole nine yards!!!

Highly recommend this amazing book!

5/5 Stars!!!!

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Book Review: Between the Living and the Dead

Between the Living and the Dead: A Dan Rhodes Mystery (Sheriff Dan Rhodes, #22)

Title: Between the Living and the Dead
Author: Bill Crider
Pages: 259
Publication Date: 2015
Version: Hardcover
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Sheriff Dan Rhodes returns to deal with murderers, thefts, and ghosts in a small Texas town

Life is never easy for Texas Sheriff Dan Rhodes. When he is called in the middle of the night to investigate gunshots at a haunted house, Rhodes finds the body of meth dealer Neil Foshee. Recently released from jail, Foshee has his fair share of potential murderers, including former girlfriend Vicki, her new boyfriend, the nephew of Clearview's mayor, and Foshee's criminal cousins Earl and Louie.

Complicating matters is Seepy Benton, the community college math professor who has a new summer job. He's founded Clearview Paranormal Investigations and wants to solve the murder by communing with Foshee's ghost. But when he connects with something else instead and a second body is found, Rhodes is left with more questions than ever. Who's the dead person? How long has the body been hidden? Is Benton really able to communicate with ghosts? And most importantly: What, if anything, does the body have to do with Neil Foshee's death?

Between the Living and the Dead, Bill Crider's latest installment in the critically-acclaimed Sheriff Dan Rhodes mystery series, finds Rhodes dealing with ghost hunters, runaway bulls, and assorted low-level crimes, including prosecuting people who don’t use their turn signals. It’s all in a day’s work in Clearview, Texas."

My Review:

Hhmmm, what to say about this book...while I did enjoy it for the most part, it wasn't a top read for me. This was a book of a series that I have not read any of. I have found that most times this is not any problem. In this book, however, I found that there were many things that I found confusing or wondered about. I knew from how things were worded that it was info from the other previous books in the series. Now, don't get me wrong, it wasn't anything super big or needed for the main plot of this book to make sense, but it would have given the book a more complete feel for me had those things not been present. There was talk of this or that, that happened and I had no idea what it was that really happened. I know it could be seen as a way to get readers to read the other previous books of the series, but to me it was just annoying.

All that being said, I did enjoy the book still. The main plot was a great mystery that played out very well. The writing of the book was good too, as far as flowing well, being super descriptive, and being easy to get in to. The book had mystery, murder, drama, humor, and ghosts. Although not quite as ghostly as I gathered from the book jacket description. It was a good read that was easy to read too. I enjoyed the characters, the way the characters developed throughout the book, and the small town the book was set in. It had a homey feeling to it while reading it. I could picture the little town in my head and how the people in it functioned.

All in all, this was a good read. We're there a few disappointments, maybe...but it had an amazing conclusion that was well worth the read of the book! I would recommend this book to mystery lovers. It was a nice read, but maybe those starting out should consider starting at the beginning of this series to get the most out of the read. It does work as a stand alone read, but I'm sure it would be amazing if read in its place in the series.

4/5 Stars

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Book Review: Lean Mean 13

Lean Mean Thirteen (Stephanie Plum, #13)

Title: Lean Mean Thirteen
Author: Janet Evanovich
Pages: 330
Publication Date: 2007
Version: Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"New secrets, old flames, and hidden agendas are about to send bounty hunter Stephanie Plum on her most outrageous adventure yet!

MISTAKE #1

Dickie Orr. Stephanie was married to him for about fifteen minutes before she caught him cheating on her with her arch-nemesis Joyce Barnhardt. Another fifteen minutes after that Stephanie filed for divorce, hoping to never see either one of them again.

MISTAKE #2

Doing favors for super bounty hunter Carlos Manoso (a.k.a. Ranger). Ranger needs her to meet with Dickie and find out if he's doing something shady. Turns out, he is. Turns out, he's also back to doing Joyce Barnhardt. And it turns out Ranger's favors always come with a price...

MISTAKE #3

Going completely nutso while doing the favor for Ranger, and trying to apply bodily injury to Dickie in front of the entire office. Now Dickie has disappeared and Stephanie is the natural suspect in his disappearance. Is Dickie dead? Can he be found? And can Stephanie Plum stay one step ahead in this new, dangerous game? Joe Morelli, the hottest cop in Trenton, NJ is also keeping Stephanie on her toes-and he may know more than he's saying about many things in Stephanie's life. It's a cat-and-mouse game for Stephanie Plum, where the ultimate prize might be her life.

With Janet Evanovich's flair for hilarious situations, breathtaking action, and unforgettable characters, LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN shows why no one can beat Evanovich for blockbuster entertainment."

My Review:

Stephanie gets suckered into helping Ranger with a case and to say it doesn't end well is an understatement. She has to encounter her ex husband Dickie to help Ranger with this job, which is why he enlisted her help in the first place. Things kind of go from bad to worse though once Stephanie starts the job, aka takes one look at Dickie. Now she is up to her eyeballs in Dickie drama. Dickie goes missing and there is blood in his home, down side is this happens right after Stephanie loses her crap and says she's going to kill him...in his office.. in front of witnesses. So who goes to the top of the list for murdering and disposing of Dickie?...yup Stephanie. She couldn't get into more trouble if she tried...so she thought. Can she find out what really happened to Dickie before she is arrested? And where is his body if he really is dead?

In true Evanovich style this book grabs you from page one all the way to the last sentence in the book. Once again I am amazed by detailed writing, a wonderful main plot, great mini side plots, super lovable characters, and suspense I could cut with a knife. I just love reading Stephanie Plum mysteries! Stephanie is one of those characters that just could get into trouble sleeping without trying. I just have to love her! Add into the mix her crazy friend Lula, and her studdly men in her life, and her crazy and hilarious family and you have a book that you just can't help but love.

Another great thing about Evanovich is the way she writes all her books in the series so anyone can pick up any book in the series and will understand it. They aren't like some series books that require you to follow the breadcrumbs all the way back to book one and go forward from there just to read the book that caught your attention in the first place. You can read any of them as stand alone's and they make perfect sense. I LOVE that! I personally have read them all up to this book, but there have been years in between and yet I still can enjoy every single one without worry if I have forgotten details from previous books.

You looking for a mystery, drama, suspense, bit of romance, and just all around great read?? Then this is THE book for you!!

5/5 Stars!!!