Review: An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Jenn

  • Paperback:320 pages
  • Publisher:Signet; Original edition (January 3, 2012)
  • ISBN-10: 0451235517
  • Source: Author

Haley followed her “soul mate” and moved to Key West.  Unfortunately, when she catches him in bed with another woman, the relationship ends abruptly. Haley’s a strong, independent young woman and vows to make a life for herself in Key West.  She’s always been a foodie and decides to apply for a food critic job for a new Key West style magazine.  When she learns that her potential new boss, Kristen Faulkner, is the very woman who stole her “soul mate”, she doesn’t think things can get worse. Unfortunately, they do.

Kristen is murdered, killed by a poisoned Key Lime pie, the very pie Haley writes an article about shortly after Kristen’s death.  Due to her relationship with Kristen, the police name her the number one suspect in her murder. To save her reputation, and, frankly, any attempts to be a food critic, Haley must find out the identity of the real killer.

An Appetite for Murder is the first book in Burdette’s Key West food critic mystery series and it is a true delight! Not only does she cause your mouth to water with all the talk of food, but she really captures the essence of Key West as well; the culture, the people, the food, comes to life on the pages.  The setting is absolutely perfect, particularly for those of us up North suffering from frigid temperatures this time of year! 

Haley’s character is completely likeable; while she is a food critic she’s not snooty at all, she’s actually quite fond of tasting and critiquing food from local fast food restaurants.  The secondary characters are quite rich as well; I look forward to reading about them more in subsequent books. Finally, you can’t have a foodie book without recipes! Recipes for a few of the dishes Haley makes throughout the course of the book are included as well.

Bottom line: if you are a fan of cozy mysteries this is a series you can’t afford to miss out one! Highly recommended!

Posted in Cozy Mystery, Penguin, Signet | 12 Comments

Review: The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Jenn

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin ((December 27, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 0143120700
  • Source: Publisher

Seven years ago, the daughter of Texas police dispatcher Ian Hunt was abducted while he and his wife were out to dinner. The abduction destroyed his family; he and his wife are no longer together. He hasn’t spoken to his son, responsible for his sister’s well-being that evening, in some time.  Four months previously, they finally declared Maggie dead, burying an empty coffin.

One day, however, he receives a phone-call from Maggie, now a teenager. She’s able to give her father a brief description of her abductor before she is ripped from the phone. Not nearly enough to make an arrest but certainly enough to re-open the investigation.

When the bodies of several young girls are found on the property of a local man, the local police finally has the leads it needs to generate a full-scale investigation. Ian can’t lose his daughter again, so he takes off on his own on a cross-country chase after the local couple responsible for Maggie’s abduction.  He abandons everything, including the law, to get his daughter back.

The Dispatcher is a chilling, absorbing, addictive read. The desperation this poor father has to find his daughter is heart-wrenching. He feels that in losing his family already he has nothing to risk, nothing to lose. There is a bit of violence so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book for the weak-stomached.  But if you want an engrossing, heart-pounding, fast-paced, crime novel? The Dispatcher is the book for you. Highly recommended.

Posted in Crime Fiction, Penguin, Review, Thriller | 7 Comments

Review: Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Jenn

  • Paperback:304 pages
  • Publisher:Berkley; Original edition (January 3, 2012)
  • ISBN-10: 0425245837
  • Source: Kaye Publicity

White House chef Olivia Paras has been tasked to work with her nemesis, White House Sensitivity Director Peter Everett Sargeant, on an off-site event for the First Lady. This task, already seemingly unwieldy due to the tense relationship they share, is worsened when they discover the bodies of one of the First Lady’s assistants and the Chief of Staff. 

Olivia has quite the history of becoming involved in murder investigations. It isn’t intentional; she’d much rather stick to her duties in the White House Kitchen. As if all of this isn’t enough, she’s also dealing with other issues: Paul, the head usher, is taking a leave of absence to tend to his sick wife, his replacement is less than stellar; Virgil, the First Family’s personal chef and his “holier than thou” attitude is interviewed and leaks information to the press. Least of all is her pitiful excuse for a love life.  She’s been “seeing” someone but the relationship seems to be going nowhere. Finally, the reputation of Sargeant is at risk when it appears as though he’s making mistakes in his duties. Despite her initial feelings about Sargeant, Olivia decides to help Sargeant find out who is behind all of the seemingly innocent mistakes that keep popping up in the planning of this event.

Not surprisingly, it doesn’t take long before Olivia gets in over her head and her life, as well as Sargeant’s, is put at risk. She’s forced to endure a 24-hour protection detail from the Secret Service when it’s obvious that some high-ranking official wants her dead. Can she and Sargeant pull off this high-profile event without winding up as victims themselves?

The fifth book in the White House Chef series, reading Affairs of Steak is like being reunited with old friends! I can’t tell you how much I missed reading about Olivia’s antics, the goings on of the White House kitchen, and more. This series is truly a delight! While food doesn’t have as big a role in this book as in others, it is still an engaging and entertaining book. I love that it is set in Washington, D.C.; I can imagine the scenes and locations (even the invented ones) as if they were right in front of me.  Olivia’s character is an outstanding one: she’s courageous, incredibly strong and independent, redeeming and refreshing qualities for a female character to have.

As indicated, this is the fifth book in a series. While you can theoretically start reading at any point in the series, I do recommend starting from the beginning in order to get a true feel for the characters.  Highly recommended….I now must wait impatiently for more from this author!

Posted in Berkley Prime Crime, Mystery/Suspense, Review | 6 Comments

Review: More than Words Can Say by Robert Barclay

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Jenn

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Original edition (December 20, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 0062041193
  • Source: Publisher

When Chelsea’s grandmother passed away she was devastated.  She was incredibly close to Gran and can’t seem to fathom how she and her mother are going to survive without her. Despite this closeness, Chelsea is surprised to learn that she has inherited Gran’s cottage in the Adirondacks, a cottage that has been closed for decades. 

In a letter left for her, Gran urges Chelsea to visit the cottage to find out what was so special about this property. She ends up staying the entire summer, discovering a past her grandmother had literally buried years ago.  War-time romances, pain, loss, so much she never knew about her grandmother. In the months she spends in that serene cabin, in rediscovering her grandmother, Chelsea also experiences a bit of an awakening herself.

In addition to her grandmother’s journal, she comes across a journal full of her wartime recipes; a true legacy passed on from one generation to another. The recipes are named after influential individuals, including war leaders, actors and more. They range from MacAurthuroni and Cheese to Roosevelt’s Roast, Eisenhower’s Eggs Benedict, and more. (The recipes themselves are included in the bonus material at the back of the book)

The past she uncovers isn’t one that she initially believed should be kept hidden from her family, but with the help of local townspeople and her attractive doctor neighbor, Chelsea learns that some secrets, if they don’t change the present, are better left alone.

Admittedly, the budding relationship that forms between Chelsea and her neighbor, Brandon Yale, is a little too “Nicholas Sparks” for me.  That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy this book; I really did. Not for the romance, but for the story, the legacy, that Chelsea uncovers in her grandmother’s cottage.  As she reads the journal entries, the storyline flashes back to Gran’s youth as the beautiful young bride, Brooke, and that fateful summer of 1942. Like other readers, I found similarities between this book and Sarah Jio’s Violets of March. Fans of multi-generational family sagas will be drawn into this novel, just as I was. Recommended.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me the opportunity to participate in this tour. Be sure to check out the other stops along the way:

Tuesday, December 20th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Wednesday, December 21st: A Cozy Reader’s Corner
Thursday, December 22nd: Teresa’s Reading Corner
Monday, December 26th: Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms
Tuesday, December 27th: Amused By Books
Wednesday, December 28th: BookNAround
Thursday, December 29th: Reflections of a Bookaholic
Friday, December 30th: Wandering Thoughts of a Scientific Housewife
Tuesday, January 3rd: Hospitable Pursuits
Wednesday, January 4th: Library of Clean Reads
Thursday, January 5th: Diary of an Eccentric

 

 

 

Posted in General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Review, William Morrow, Women's Fiction | 4 Comments

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week?

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Jenn

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading This Week? This is a weekly event to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finish this week. It is hosted by Sheila from One Person’s Journey Through a World of  Books so stop by and join in!

I haven’t done one of these since before the holidays, so consider this week a two-for-one!

Books Completed Last (Two)Weeks

A Simple Act of Violence by R.J. Ellory (audio book)
The Bungalow by Sarah Jio (review)
The Innocent by Taylor Stevens
The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn
More Than Words Can Say Robert Barclay
Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy
Alienation (C.H.A.O.S. Novels) by Jon S. Lewis

Currently Reading

King of Plagues by Jonathan Maberry (audio)
An Appetite for Murder: A Key West Food Critic Mystery by Lucy Burdette
Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith

Books to Complete This Week

The Retribution by Val McDermid
The House At Sea’s End by Elly Griffiths

What are you reading this week?

Posted in It's Monday What Are you Reading This Week | 10 Comments

TSS: Top Favorite Books of the Year/Bookish Resolutions

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Jenn

Happy New Year!!

I’ve shared several of my favorite books of 2011 with you, including a “Girl Power” version, the thriller version, and the horror edition. The two books that I consider my favorites of the year cross genres. It seems inappropriate to “limit” them to one genre, so I opted to do a special post just to showcase these two books. Can I get a drum roll, please?

My two favorite books of 2011 are (click on the book cover to read my review):

This book took me back to my childhood, reunited me with my favorite iconic video games and movies. Bonus: the storyline was unique and unbelievably engaging. Extra bonus: I listened to the audio, narrated by the great Wil Wheaton.

My man Stephen King did it again. Have I ever mentioned that I’m a huge fan of Stephen King? In case I haven’t mentioned, I adore his books, in particular his “classics.” Now, this book wasn’t like these classics that I mention, but characters from these books as well as key locations in several of his books were mentioned. I loved it because it wasn’t like his horror novels, I wasn’t terribly horrified. I loved it because people who have NEVER read a Stephen King novel (gasp!) wanted to read it. I loved it because it may be the book to introduce readers to King’s writing.

So there you have it. No more posts about my favorite books of the year (hold the applause). Which takes me to the second portion of this post: Bookish New Year’s Resolutions.

Surprisingly, I don’t have many.  I’m pretty happy with the way I blog; I blog about books of my choosing. Yes, they may seem random, unrelated, unorganized, but they give you a glimpse inside the types of books I love, a snapshot of my bookshelves in a sense. So, I suppose my bookish resolution is to continue having fun blogging!

That said, like many others, I would like to be able to find the time to visit & comment on other blogs, encourage & mentor new bloggers, etc.

I will be embarking upon some new projects this year, including a cozy mystery-themed month, so stay tuned for more details!

What are your bookish resolutions this year!?

Posted in The Sunday Salon | 18 Comments

Frightful Friday: Favorite Horror Books of the Year

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Jenn

Today’s Frightful Friday takes on a new spin. Instead of featuring a chilling book from the previous week, I’m featuring some of my favorite horror books of the year!  Since this is my favorite genre, this list is quite long; I couldn’t bear to think of eliminating any of my favorites so I’ve listed them all!

Have any favorite horror novels that I’ve overlooked? Do share!

Posted in Frightful Friday | 4 Comments

Best of 2011: Thrillers

Posted on December 27, 2011 by Jenn

Top Thrillers of 2011


Last week, I shared with you my favorite books of 2011, the Girl Power edition. Next up was the list that was hardest for me to compile, to whittle down.  Thriller is a genre of book I find myself reading more and more, one of my favorite genres overall.

Scandinavian thrillers: I suppose we can thank The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo for the resurgence of Scandinavian thrillers: those books set in Sweden, Iceland, Finland, etc. There were quite a few published this year, but these were my favorites:

It’s genetic: This year I discovered books by father & son, Michael & Daniel Palmer. What a talented family of writers:


And more…

The Informationist by Taylor Stevens-Set in Central Africa, the main character, Vanessa Michael Munroe is a tough, no-nonsense, kick-ass female protagonist.

The Third Rail by Michael Harvey-Set in Chicago, the city I referred to as home for a large portion of my life. Harvey does a tremendous job of getting down into the gritty side of Chicago: the political scandal, religious controversy, and more.

The Ridge by Michael Koryta: I adored Koryta’s So Cold the River and with The Ridge, Koryta continues to write a stunning thriller (with a tinge of the supernatural), a truly unique book.

Fun & Games by Duane Swierczynski : I just discovered this series. It’s fast-paced, gritty…and addictive. I’m looking forward to reading more!

What are your favorite thrillers of 2011? Which ones are you most looking forward to in 2012?

Posted in Thriller | 7 Comments

Best Books of 2011: Girl Power

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Jenn

When I began to work on my “favorites of 2011” list, the task immediately became quite daunting. How on earth could I limit it to just 10 books? Quickly I realized that was an impossible task. Why limit the books I loved? Instead, I’ve created a few posts listing groupings of my favorite books.

To start off this “Best of” series of lists are women whose writing literally knocked my socks off. Their books cover a wide-range of genres.  I often get comments about the number of outstanding books (or the lack of) written by women that are published.  This list is just a small percentage of the tremendously talented women writers out there. They are listed in order of date reviewed.

1. Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy. I absolutely LOVE this series of cozy mysteries. I have the latest one Affairs of Steak, which releases the first week of January. I cannot wait to start it!

 2. The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. I loved this book so much that I wrote two version of my review. A “normal” review and version two: In Response to Many…the Gushing Review of The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown.

 3. The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton

4. The Bird Sisters by Rebecca Rasmussen

5. Faith by Jennifer Haigh

6. The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

7. Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan

8. You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon

9. Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones

10. The End of Everything by Megan Abbott

11. Creep by Jennifer Hillier

12. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

The thirteenth book is one that I didn’t review, due to my relationship with the author. That book is THE TAKER by Alma Katsu. This year alone, I’ve purchased ten copies of this book as gifts. Lots of love for this book!

Posted in Bookish Chatter | 16 Comments

Review: The Bungalow by Sarah Jio

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Jenn

  • Paperback:320 pages
  • Publisher:Plume; 1 edition (December 27, 2011)
  • ISBN-10: 0452297672
  • Source: Publisher

The summer of 1942, young Anne Calloway sets off to the Pacific island of Bora-Bora to serve as a nurse for the Army Nurse Corps.  She’s engaged to get married; this venture is her last bit of adventure before becoming a married woman.  She goes to Bora-Bora with her best friend, Kitty, a flirtatious, free-spirited young woman.

Once they reach Bora-Bora, an island full of military men who haven’t seen women in ages, it doesn’t take Kitty long to find a few potential love interests.  Anne, still questioning her engagement, yet also feeling guilt for “abandoning” her fiance to embark on this adventure, soon forges a friendship with a soldier named Westry. They find solace in one another at an abandoned bungalow, leaving notes to one another using fictitious names. Soon, their friendship blooms into something much more.  A horrible murder & the ravages of war threaten their budding romance.

The reader “meets” Anne decades later, an elderly woman now.  As she ages, she can’t help but look back upon this time spent in Bora-Bora, wondering “what if.” She’s taken back in time when she receives communication from the island that forever changed her.

Spanning not only time but location, The Bungalow is a breathtakingly beautiful look at undying, endearing, true love. Those that know me well know that I’m not really a fan of love stories, yet for some reason the power of Jio’s writing envelopes me, takes me away to a completely different time and place. She did so with The Violets of March and succeeded and doing it again with The Bungalow.  The love that is shared between Anne & Westry is a genuine one, not over the top or forced. The setting, despite taking place in the midst of World War II, is a beautiful one. It adds to the romance shared between these to young individuals.

Bottom line: The Bungalow is a book that will completely engage you; don’t be surprised if it forces to be read in one sitting. It’s a story of love in the midst of death, love that continues despite the passing of time. Highly recommended!

Posted in General Fiction, Historical Fiction, Penguin, Plume, Review, Women's Fiction | 11 Comments