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A Deadly Brew was another exciting adventure in Cahoon's Tourist Trap mystery series. Jill, her boyfriend, Greg, and a group of their friends decide to do something special for Halloween. They decide to spend the weekend locked in a "haunted" house that will soon be condemned. The adventure starts out pretty normal until strange things start to happen that make Jill and her friends think the place really is haunted.

Cahoon does a great job at setting up a spooky tale that is perfect for the Halloween season or at any time of the year. Jill learns a little more about herself when the house's ghost chooses her to communicate her dilemma. Despite being a shorter story, Cahoon delivers an exciting tale that captures the reader's interest from the very beginning and never lets go. Overall A Deadly Brew is a great read that I would definitely recommend, and I am looking forward to reading Jill's next adventure.

Received a copy of A Deadly Brew through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Premeditated Peppermint is an exciting holiday adventure in Flower's Amish Candy Shop mystery series. Bailey King is excited for her first Christmas helping her grandmother run their Candy Shop as well as her first participating in the town's Christmas Market. Just as the holidays were getting closer, Bailey's ex Eric showed up with a television crew needing her help for his show. Things go from bad to worse when a member of Eric's television crew is murdered leaving it up to Bailey to clear Eric's name.

Flower does a great job at setting up a great holiday read full of holiday spirit, romance, humor, and murder. Bailey is really tested this holiday as she tries to decide what she really wants, needs to put her past relationship with Eric to bed, tries to work on starting a relationship with Aiden, and solves a murder. I like how Flower set up a story that shows how much things have changed for Bailey as she takes stock of what she wants and where she wants to go from here. I also loved the secondary characters because they helped make the story even more enjoyable and special. The book's mystery was well done keeping the reader guessing until the end. Overall Premeditated Peppermint is a great holiday read that you can enjoy all year long. I look forward to reading Bailey's next adventure.

Received a copy of Premeditated Peppermint through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Rockets' Dead Glare is another excellent installment in Cahoon's Tourist Trap mystery series. This novella is a perfect summer read taking place during the Fourth of July. When preparations for the Fourth of July celebration takes a dark turn, Jill decides to try and find out who murdered Barry, the Fire Chief.

One of the reasons I love this series so much is the characters. This novella while short still brings my favorite characters to life once again while Jill and her friends are trying to solve this latest mystery. The main character is great, but I really love the secondary characters especially Aunt Jackie and Greg. I loved how this story still included these characters. The novella is still full of some twists and turns making for an engaging read, and it left me anxious to read another one of Jill's adventures. Overall Rockets' Dead Glare proved to be a great summer read that I would most definitely recommend.

Received a copy of Rockets' Dead Glare from the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Turkey Trot Murder is another excellent addition to Meier's Lucy Stone mystery series. Instead of looking forward to a family Thanksgiving this year, Lucy is sad that her children will be unable to be at home for the holiday. To take her mind off matters, Lucy decides to focus on this year's turkey trot. During her training for the trot, she comes across a dead body. Now Lucy and her loved ones inadvertently become involved in not one but two murder mysteries. These mysteries spark a debate about current events as the townspeople of Tinker Cove see how these hot topics hit close to home.

I always love and look forward to Meier's holiday themed books because I always enjoy spending my own holiday with my favorite characters. Turkey Trot Murder is a great holiday themed book because it is all about family, togetherness, and the goodness of people that surrounds us even in dark times. I like how Meier brought current hot topics (immigration and drug addiction) to the small town setting as Lucy herself got to see how these issues effect everyone. I loved seeing all of my favorite secondary characters back for another adventure, and I especially loved seeing Bill get more of a focus as he got caught in the middle of things as well. The book has enough twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages, and I look forward to reading the next book in this great series.

Received a copy of Turkey Trot Murder through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who Knew Much is another excellent adventure from Quick.  Irene finds herself fleeing for her life when she finds her employer dead and ends up in Hollywood.  Making friends as well as enemies goes with the territory for Hollywood's newest reporter, but when Irene finds her second dead body she finds herself thrust in the middle of a second mystery.  Irene along with new partner Oliver who has a few secrets of his own find themselves trying to stop not one but two killers before they strike again.

Quick does a great job at making both Irene and Oliver compelling characters that the reader can't help but root for.  In developing the characters' new partnership, Quick also allows both characters to deal with the ghosts of their past.  I also liked the secondary characters in the story such as Luke, Oliver's friend, as well as Oliver's unique staff from his days as a magician.  I always love when books have great secondary characters as well as the leads because it makes the overall story more enjoyable.  The book combines mystery, intrigue, romance, adventure, and some humor making for a very enjoyable read.  I also enjoyed how Quick resolved both major mysteries giving the reader enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged.  Overall The Girl Who Knew Too Much was a great read that I would most definitely recommend.

Received a copy of The Girl Who Knew Too Much from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Unraveled is the latest adventure in Estep's Gin Blanco series, and this book proves once again why this is one of my all time favorite series.  The book starts with Gin trying to get intel on this mysterious Circle and her new enemy, Hugh Tucker.  Gin is also trying to help her foster brother, Finn, cope with the loss of his mother and the fact that his mother hadn't been who he had hoped her to be.  So when Finn mysteriously inherits an Old West theme park, a weekend getaway sounds just about right.  Naturally things don't go as planned, and Gin and friends find themselves searching for missing jewels as well as a battle for their lives.

One of my favorite parts of this series is the relationship Gin has with Finn.  From book one, these two just had such a special connection and I absolutely loved seeing Gin helping Finn with his grief and both remembering Fletcher.  Unraveled definitely deals with the past in this book as Gin also regains some memories of her own mother and their last Christmas together.  I loved how Estep used this "fun" theme park idea to bring up not just the past but also some great action as well.  Estep really knows how to combine action, adventure, mystery, family drama, and humor.  

I also liked seeing the secondary characters like Owen, Bria, and Silvio back as well.  I love when series have a great ensemble cast where the reader is invested in all of the characters like this one.  Unraveled definitely tests all the characters and it proves to be very hard to put down.  It also opens up a new mystery at the end leading into the next book.  Overall, Unraveled was an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend.  I look forward to reading Gin's next adventure.

Received a copy of Unraveled through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Pearls Gone Wild is another excellent installment in Vallere's Samantha Kidd series. This book takes place at Christmas while Sam is on vacation, but unfortunately murder happens once again. Sam's friend, Cat, is not only eight months pregnant but has just been abandoned by her husband. When Cat's estranged husband is found murdered, it's Sam to the rescue to find out who did it. I absolutely love the secondary characters in this series because each character really adds to the book's story line but also brings out a different side of Sam. I loved seeing Eddie, Cat, Dante, Nick, and especially Logan back in this new adventure. Vallere does a great job with using each character to further the plot but also prepare Sam for a big decision by book's end. I also liked how the book brought up the Nick/Sam/Dante triangle giving it a satisfying resolution. Pearls Gone Wild had a good mystery that grabbed the reader's attention from the very beginning and didn't let go until the end. The book had enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged from beginning to end, and I really enjoyed the Christmas time setting. Overall Pearls Gone Wild was a great read, and I look forward to reading Sam's next adventure. Received a copy of Pearls Gone Wild from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Dirt on the Ninth Grave is another great installment in Jones' Charley Davidson series, and it proved to be just as hard to put down as the previous books in the series.  Now I was not completely caught up in the series before I jumped into book nine however this book was a good one to jump into.  Charley aka Janey has amnesia in this book so while Janey is trying to figure out her past and who she is the reader gets to go on the journey with her.  While not an ideal book to start the series because the reader wouldn't catch some of the signature themes and understand all the secondary characters, I do believe that this could be read by new readers wanting to check out the series.

Jones' does a great job with her development of Janey aka Charley by showing her path and growth as a character from the beginning of the book until the end when her memories return.  Charley's great sense of humor is one of the things I always enjoyed about this series, and I was pleased that Jones kept that humor with Janey.  The secondary characters in this series have always added to the appeal of this series, and I loved seeing Bob, Cookie, Reyes, Angel, etc. all staying in Janey's life while trying to let Charley remember things on her own.  The ensemble cast of characters in this series is always a delight, and these characters have helped make this series a favorite of mine.

The book's second and third stories are also interesting giving Janey a chance to put her PI skills to use even if she doesn't realize it.  Janey becomes involved in a mystery when she notices the strange happenings at a neighboring business.  She decides to find out what is happening there when she suspects an entire family could be in danger.  In addition to everything else, Janey also needs to deal with a dangerous personal threat when someone in her life appears to be stalking her.  Overall The Dirt on the Ninth Grave proved to be an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend.  I look forward to reading Charley's next adventure.

Received a copy of The Dirt on the Ninth Grave through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grand Theft Retro is the newest installment in Vallere's Style and Error mystery series, and it is just as much fun and action packed as the previous books in the series that I have read.  Samantha is now at her new job working for an online fashion magazine when her boss decides that they need to make a print edition as well.  Samantha finds herself partnered with a new co-worker, and when this co-worker tries to shut Samantha out she finds herself in the middle of a complex mystery.

I absolutely love how Vallere combines humor with her action, suspense, and mystery.  There were some great humorous situations throughout the book that really made me laugh and helped add to the overall story.  I absolutely love the cast of secondary characters like Nick, Eddie, Detective Loncar, and even Logan the cat which also made the story better.  Samantha is well developed in the book, and I think her adventures in this story made her come to some self realizations that will be explored possibly in the future since she started to understand why she does certain things and why she reacts certain ways.  The book's main mystery is well done full of enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.  Overall Grand Theft Retro proved to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend.  I look forward to checking out Samantha's next adventure.

Received a copy of Grand Theft Retro from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Look Both Ways is the first book that I have read by Perry, and despite being the third book in Perry's Witch City series I was able to follow it very well.  I don't think that you needed to read previous books in the series to enjoy this one although I do plan on going back and catching up on them.  Lee decides to purchase a bureau from a local store that looks like one that she had as a child never imagining the adventure she would go on because of it.  When the shop owner is killed shortly after Lee's purchase, Lee finds herself embroiled in the present murder mystery as well as the mystery of who murdered the bureau's previous owner.

Perry does a great job at intermixing both magic and mystery in her series, and I really enjoyed the paranormal mixed in with the ordinary.  I loved how down to earth Lee was and the book does explore this side of her with her doing ordinary tasks like picking out furniture for her new home, getting a new job for the summer, and working on her new relationship with Pete.  It was the relationships that Lee shares with her aunt, Pete, her friend River, her boss, and even her cat that helped define and develop the character.  I always enjoy when a book has a great cast of secondary characters that help make the story more interesting.  I also enjoyed how the paranormal was worked in with Lee's scryer talent.  Look Both Ways had enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing while also keeping the reader's attention from beginning to end.  Overall Look Both Ways was a great read that I would most definitely recommend if you like the mix of magic and mystery.  I look forward to reading Lee's next adventure.

Received a copy of Look Both Ways through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several books in Hollis's Hayley Powell series although not necessarily in order, and I have enjoyed each one of them including this one.  Hayley gets an exciting opportunity when she is asked to do a segment on a popular talk show which in turn leads into a new writing opportunity.  However a murder happens to Hayley's new benefactor, Olivia, before she can start her new writing job leading Hayley to try and solve this perplexing murder.

I really love the characters in Hollis's series especially Hayley's support system of two best friends, her brother, and her brother in law.  I enjoyed this installment because we got to see Mona and Randy taking part in Hayley's sleuthing this time, and we also got to see Hayley team up with an unlikely partner at work.  Hayley also faces some difficulties in her love life in this book as well as dealing with empty nest syndrome by having both of her kids away both of which add to the story and Hayley's journey.  The mystery is well done with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing as well as some humor and drama that bring a lighter tone to the book.  Overall Death of a Bacon Heiress was an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend, and I am looking forward to checking out Hayley's next adventure.

Received a copy of Death of a Bacon Heiress through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

Fogged Inn is the second book that I have read in Ross's Maine Clambake mystery series, and I have to say that I enjoyed this one just as much as I enjoyed the first one.  I had read book one in this series for my mystery book club so I was happy to have the chance to enjoy another Julia adventure.  Now that tourist season is over, Julia and Chris are operating a dinner restaurant sharing space with Gus who handles the morning and afternoon diners.  When a man is found murdered in the building's freezer after Julia and Chris locked up for the night, a crazy murder mystery ensues. 

I really enjoy the Maine setting and descriptions in this series.  Ross does a great job at making her setting make the reader feel right at home and gives them the sense of what it is like living in her small town.  Julia finds herself getting to see a different of the side of the town she grew up in as she finds out about the group of people who were at the restaurant right before the murder happened.  Julia is a well developed character in this book continuing to feel more at ease now that she moved back home permanently, is in a serious relationship, and starting a new endeavor in the off season.  Julia and Chris face some stress in their relationship when Julia decides to find out who the killer is.  Fogged Inn has many great twists and turns keeping the reader engaged right from the beginning until the end.  Overall Fogged Inn was a great read that I would most definitely recommend.  I am looking forward to checking out Ross's next book in this series.

Received a copy of Fogged Inn through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Estep's Dark Heart of Magic is yet another exciting read in her Black Blade series.  I have to say that I haven't read an Estep book that I haven't absolutely loved, and this book is no different.  Lila finds herself volunteered for the Tournament of Blades representing the Sinclair family, and as she faces the challenges of the tournament Lila also is trying to solve two mysteries (who is killing magical monsters and what is Victor Draconi up to).  These mysteries keep Lila on her toes as she tries to win the tournament despite the different obstacles thrown her way.

Dark Heart of Magic is a fast paced adventure that captures the reader's interest from the very beginning and never lets go.  I love how Estep combines action, adventure, suspense, drama, and mystery keeping the reader engaged anxious to see what happens next.  Lila is very well developed in this second book building upon what happened in book one by letting Lila allow the other characters in whereas before she tried to keep them at arm's length.  I liked how Lila is becoming more of a member of the Sinclair family and becoming stronger for it.  Overall Dark Heart of Magic is an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend both to young adults as well as adults because Estep is such a great storyteller.  I am looking forward to checking out Lila's next adventure.

Received a copy of Dark Heart of Magic through NetGalley for an honest review.

Dark Debt is the eleventh book in Neill's Chicagoland Vampire series, and Merit and Ethan face a threat from Ethan's past.  Merit and Ethan find themselves trying to solve two mysteries (one from Ethan's past and one current one threatening the three Houses of vampires).  Merit and her friends find themselves trying to figure out what is going on when vampires attack a human at an important event setting off a chain of events that has Merit and company scrambling for answers.

Even though this is book eleven in the series, it was actually the first book in the series that I have read.  While it took a little bit for me to catch up with the characters and story line, I found that I really enjoyed Neill's world and the story.  Merit is very well developed in this book, and I enjoyed watching her overcome an internal struggle as well as all of these outside forces as she faced something that she had taken for granted before which was her immunity to other vampires' magic.  I also really enjoyed the secondary characters especially Merit's friends Mallory and Catcher.  The book has many twists and turns keeping the reader guessing and definitely plenty of action.  Overall Dark Debt proved to be a great read that I would most definitely recommend.  I enjoyed this book so much that now I want to go back and read the previous books in the series.  I am definitely looking forward to Merit's next adventure.

Received a copy of Dark Debt through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.